#Only partially edited 🙈

[snakebites-and-ink]

Hero Villain Amnesia Whump CYOA thingy idk

Do I have other WIPs I should be working on? YES. Would it be better to space out CYOAs instead of running two at the same time? ALSO YES. But I think I was experiencing some form of partial writers block, and this was the only thing over 100 words I could get my brain to really work on. So…*gestures widely* enjoy I guess.

Disclaimer/heads up before you get invested: Unlike my other WIPs, this was created with zero premeditation and instead was conceived and hammered out in a single hyper-focused sitting. I will write at least a second part at some point, but because it is entirely the product of my changeable whims, I make no promises about the timeline of this, or how many parts there might be, updating schedules, or even whether it will remain a cyoa. I also might decide to write the next part before the poll actually officially finishes so uhh might wanna get your votes in during the first couple days it runs. This is very much my “indulge those momentary impulses” project lol. Which is also why it doesn't have a real title yet adsfalkfjsd (titles r hard)

CW: Explosions (just in the background), multiple people trying to manipulate you, amnesia that was almost certainly inflicted deliberately, building falling apart around you idk

You wake up with no memory of where you are. 

As a matter of fact, you have no memory of…anything.

You take stock of your surroundings. Currently you’re in a room by yourself, with cuffs that look like they’re built to be a lot more effective than they are currently. The lights are dim and there’s some kind of alarm going off.

You get up and leave the room, wandering aimlessly, until you bump into someone moving with a lot more urgency.

“What are you doing here?”

You stare at them blankly. You don’t know any more than they do; probably less, actually.

“Whatever. I’ll get you out of here. Come on.” They hold out a hand, and having no better ideas, you take it.

They pull you through twisting halls in various states of damage. Some look untouched, some have floors full of rubble and air full of dust.

An explosion sounds some distance off, sending vibrations through the building. That probably explains the damage.

The stranger leading you rounds a corner and bumps into another person. Both of them practically bristle like a couple of furious cats upon seeing each other.

“Villain! Where are you going with them!?”

“Anywhere but here,” the person dragging you along—Villain?—grumbles, trying to go around them.

The newcomer steps to the side to block them. “Now hold on—”

“This is not the time, Hero! I know foiling me is your usual MO, but right now Superhero is absolutely off their rocker. Go deal with them and let us go.”

“If you think I’m just going to let you steal my sidekick—!”

“Your sidekick? They’re Superhero’s sidekick—and we just established Superhero’s gone crazy, so I’m taking Sidekick away from them if you don’t mind.” They try to step around Hero again, and Hero gets in their way again.

“I do mind, if it means you’re taking them back to your villain lair to join all of your villain cronies.” Hero catches your free arm, and they are admittedly gentler with you than Villain is. “I’ll keep you safe from Superhero. Please come home with me. You remember me, right?” They fix you with concerned, pleading eyes.

You don’t remember anything, but before you can explain that to them, a new voice cuts through the dust in a singsong tone. “My ears were burning~!” 

Villain swears, softly but emphatically, and runs toward the nearest door. They pause there and turn back to you, but look ready to bolt the rest of the way out at a moment’s notice. Hero lowers their arms almost as if afraid of getting in trouble, so both the hands that were on you are suddenly gone.

The new speaker steps into view and their eyes alight on you with a pleased smile. “There you are. Let’s get you back where you belong, hmm?”

“Superhero, you really need to dial it back—”

“Not now, Hero. I’d be happy to talk once I’ve dealt with this little breakout.”

So this is Superhero? You unconsciously take a step back; despite the discrepancies in their stories, both Hero and Villain talked like Superhero was someone to be concerned about, at least with the way they were right now.

Still, you can’t very well run until you know who to run from and who to run with. Out of control or not, maybe Superhero can set the story straight. You swallow, and ask, “Whose sidekick am I really?”

“‘Sidekick’? Is that what they told you? Cute, but we can’t give you a new identity until you’ve finished the program. Come with me and I’ll set you up. Quickly, if you don’t mind, I’ve got several more escaped villains to catch.”

“What?” you say.

“You’re a villain, love,” they coo, “which is why you need to come with me so we can get you through the remainder of the reformation program. Everything will be better then. Come on.” They turn to Villain and add, “you too.”

Now you have three stories that don’t match.

The stalemate doesn’t last long before Superhero’s head snaps to the side as if in response to a sound only they could hear. “I’ll be back to collect you soon. Don’t run too far now!” They leave in a new direction, moving quickly like they’re in pursuit of fresh prey.

“Let’s go,” Villain hisses, ducking out of the door and heading in the opposite direction of Superhero. Hero pushes you out of the room before you can sort through all the new information.

You’re back in the labyrinthine halls, which seem to be falling apart even more now. You have no idea how to get anywhere, so you follow Hero since they seem to have some idea of what’s going on and everyone else ran off in different directions while they were holding onto you.

You get increasingly turned around as they navigate the way through the ruined building, one hall after another.

“Wrong way!” Villain runs past you in the opposite direction. Moments later, it becomes clear why as you come into view of a gaping hole in the side of the building, most of the opening taken up by a large flying machine.

Hero pulls you back, immediately reversing directions, but before you can leave the way you came, someone appears in the doorway. Villain’s path was likewise blocked, and they’re nervously backing up to the center of the room with you.

A doorway of some sort opens on the machine in the wall. A figure appears in it, and you can just tell they’re the one in charge of all these new arrivals.

“You!” You didn’t even see Superhero come in but suddenly they’re tackling the other to the ground at a furious speed.

The two tangle before simultaneously withdrawing with no clear winner, both looking a little worse for wear but just as ready and able to keep fighting one another at the drop of a hat.

Superhero glances at you. “Told you I’d be back! I caught about half of the others, but someone—” they glared at their foe—“kept me from the rest. Let’s get you all reformed and you can leave this whole disaster behind you.”

The newcomer looks at you as well. “Come on, let’s go,” they order.

“Um…who are you?”

“I’m Supervillain, your boss. They messed with your head so you’d forget that.”

“That’s a lie!” Hero cries out, “They’re my sidekick!”

“Superhero’s sidekick,” Villain mutters.

“Oh, of course. They all offered you stories full of grandeur. A villain offered a second chance, or a heroic sidekick working with one of the best. Things you’d want to be real. I’m afraid the truth is far less glamorous. You were just a low level goon, until you showed unexpected levels of power, and they all decided they wanted a piece of the action. But I’m a generous boss. Come back to me, and you can rule by my side when we take over.” Supervillain gestures towards the entrance to their flying machine in invitation.

“Let’s get out of here,” Hero whispers in your ear. They’ve been eyeing one of the henchmen blocking the doors, and seem to like their odds.

“You don’t want to leave the reformation program half-done. I’ll fix you.” Superhero holds out their hand, a small smile playing at their lips.

“Psst!” Villain beckons you from a hole on the side of the building. They look like they’re itching to go.

You don’t know who to trust. If only you had your memory.

Follow-up poll