#Flug has a secret heh...

[kj-beastboy]

I wonder what other kind of "services" BHO offers...

[a-collection-of-villainous-aus]

Pirate Au

(Drabble 4)

Please do remember the drabbles do follow on from each other.

So this is the fourth drabble but set between the second and third.

It was late evening, oil lamps burned dimly and Hat sat there at his dining table, fingers laced, eye and patch peering over the top of his hands as elbows rested on the surface.

Soft hues of yellow, warm like honey, lights from the candles flickering making empty plates shimmer, a cloth neatly folded by their side, his belly full even if food was not something he required he enjoyed the many flavours of human cuisine...but he still felt empty as he watched Flugs curled up form in that tank, the merman had not moved in hours, was he still sulking?

It would not surprise Black Hat if he was, the old demon had kept his room dark to try and placate him, why was Flug still ignoring him?

It was not as if he'd hurt him in any way, if it were perhaps White Hat, that supposedly goody two shoes...that bastard would have tortured this creature for answers, kept his tank shallow so the merman would be in a constant state of half suffocation despite being one who lived in the sea himself.

(small reminder Acylius is the first name I've given au Flug ♥ )

Acylius could feel his eyes on his back a part of him wanting to face his captor and glare at him, how dare he keep him in this glass prison, without anything to do, nothing for entertainment apart from aggravating that idiot.

Black Hat was free to roam the ship, eat and probably have a five minute affair with a crew member when he felt like it, no doubt The Pirate King had left his cell empty on purpose, if he had nothing to do he might eventually speak, what ridiculous logic.

Well Hat was not going to get what he wanted, he ate in front of him without so much as offering to share, a custom important to all merfolk, the demon had completely disregarded it, after all he had to know about that right!?

He'd talked so proudly of knowing about merfolk, ha the only thing this fool had done was educate himself on them was what parts tasted and were best served for dinner.

The blasted king would have no doubt made some crude joke at that thought, just last night Black Hat had thought him asleep and pleasured himself quietly, but his highly attuned sense of hearing heard...everything.

He'd recognised the soft pants, sensed his eye on him, even a whispering gasp of his name.

It wasn't fair, the scent had become Intoxicating, shifting he actually sensed Hat stopping a moment, was he actually concerned with being caught?

All he'd wanted to do was invite him into the waters, not that his home had much to impress a mate but it appeared Black Hat did not mind as he resumed his...activities.

Yes last night had made him feel flustered and had taken the will of a god not to show any visual displays of interest.

Anyway it seemed Black Hat was possibly courting that funny girl, Demencia, indeed she was quite the character and while three party relationships might occur under the sea, landwalkers could vary and change their customs on a whim.

Of course he could ask for food or perhaps something for his prison but he was still well and truly pissed at the Pirate King, he refused to talk to him after being trapped in this tank like some common pet, HA even house fish were fed and given items to decorate their homes!

Black Hat was watching the elegant swaying of his fins, veils floating back and forth, hypnotising really, standing up and walking over he came and sat on the floor by the tank, glass reflecting in candle light with small shimmers where scales had shed soon to be washed away like starlight in the rising sun.

His shoulder resting against Flugs tank, legs crossed he let out a sigh.

The demon would have loved nothing more than to have a conversation with him

"Will you not even speak, just to tell me how much you hate what I have done to you?"

The merman held himself tighter, that was the thing he didn't hate him, he was just really, really angry...perhaps even a little scared after all he could still end up in pieces on one of those plates.

Black Hat's voice sounded genuinely disheartened, listening to the sound of his claws lightly scratching over glass as he continued

"I do not know what it is about you my pet, but you fascinate me, I wonder throughout the day what stories you might have to share, what secrets you keep...one mythical creature to another...Just how old are you?"

Flug however did not answer him, he just continued his stubborn silent treatment.

"Do merfolk like companions to sleep with?"

His voice still soft as he looked him over, seeing his spines bristle and blue rings beginning to appear he thought over his words and realised how that must have come across and rephrased

"I mean do merfolk like someone to sleep next to?"

Flug's kind did in fact like companionship, he had a catfish in his home cave deep in the ocean, half cat and fish with the cutest chubbiest belly with such soft paws, she was named Mew Mew Loaf, he knew she'd be fine but no doubt worrying about him and he missed her to.

Hat saw Flug's display disappearing, slightly moving as if he'd almost considered turning to face him or had he been merely shifting?

Still, his breath stayed in anticipation but it was not to be as minutes slipped by and his pet kept his back to him.

"Well maybe you do, otherwise you would have been screeching at me to get away from your tank, heh or are you perhaps you are so insistent on your silent treatment that even now you choose to ignore me?"

A warm chuckle filling the air as he removed his coat and used it as a cover, cheek on the cool surface and yawning as it had been three days since he'd last slept and sleepily wished him goodnight before drifting off.

Flug waited a while, making sure Black Hat was asleep, it was easy to tell as there was a shift in the atmosphere, all the world now seemed calm, the buzzing of energy not quite gone but soothed as if you could hear gentle waters lapping at a late night shore.

Rolling over, gliding closer to him, glass the only thing between them, he could have let his gaze wander over the captains room but honestly he did that enough when Black Hat wasn't there, always turning away from him and focusing on either nothing at all or Demencia with a playful splash of water, it was fun sensing the demons jealousy rise even if not shown entirely, sometimes Hat's hand came down too hard on his desk or a huff as he folded his arms assuming he was hiding the pouting, of course he was not.

He was...well you would be a fool if you called him ugly, how peaceful he looked even if it was amusing to see his cheek smooshed up against his tank and top lip pulled up, revealing mint green fangs ever so slightly.

Lowering himself to better look at them he thought about how Thaddeus had such blunt human teeth compared to him...just like the other merfolk who lived in higher waters in their Pearl City where everything was just...perfect.

So Black Hat had sharp teeth, it had been a long time since he'd seen another of his own kind, deep sea merfolk were dying out and he knew it, could it be that right now he himself was living on borrowed time?

Why was this demon so fascinated with him?

Yes he knew who Black Hat was, you would have to be completely out of the loop not to...king of both land and sea, a being who had never particularly shown interest of taking affairs of the underwater world seriously, who instead chose to adventure than taking any real action, was he incapable of being a leader...was he leaving everything in the hands of those who had some actual experience?

Resting on his hip, hands on the glass, Flug pressed his forehead to where Hat's cheek was and sighed...for someone showing interest in him he also certainly showed displays of affection towards Demencia, what was his game...was he going to be used just like Thaddeus had used him, well it was not as if this one before him exactly needed a power step, but his heart and body could still be seen as game.

Anyway, it was usually a case of ugly things wanting something beautiful to make them feel like they meant something...to be beautiful themselves...oh compared to Black Hat he was atrocious, this landwalker was so elegant, sleek and perfect as they could come, what would the Pirate King think if he did ever see his face, no doubt his interest would be lost and that would just be another notch in the truth the King of Pearl City had told him.

Fingertips lighting up, each line an intricate pattern, a maze of prints as hands formed out of a soft glowing blue hue fading off into their forearms, now tenderly touching Black Hat's face.

(Yes realistically I know He'd wake up but....he doesn't because of reasons...aka XD the writer said so)

Flug's eyes could be seen glowing an intense sky blue through the holes in his mask, under the caress of these made hands he could feel how warm he was, stroking along his cheek, purring slightly as the demon leaned into his touch.

The merman couldn't help but smile a little, he looked, well it was peculiar to see him looking so soft considering what everyone knew he was capable of.

A thumb carefully drawing down his bottom lip to look over his gorgeous fangs, this mouth looked so much smaller compared to his own where it practically split his face in half with rows of fangs that were only shown when threatened.

(Of course he doesn't know yet just how wide Hat can open his maw.)

Thaddeus and his partner Edward had certainly made a point of telling him he'd never hold the beauty of those who lived in their city, no one would accept him apart from them.

That his mask should only be off in the privacy of their company for they were the only ones who could bare to look upon his features...an act of control, one that had whittled away at him and he'd come to believe was true.

Caressing his cheek, his smile was a sad one, look at this idiot who had no idea how to look after him and yet grew envious when he gave others attention, it was endearing really, silly grumpy old man.

Eventually Flug would stop being so stubborn...tell him a story but Black Hat needed to ask him what he wanted, not just stare at him as if that will would just make him speak, though the merman figured if Black Hat wanted to make him he could.

With hands made of magic and stardust, finger tips caressed along his jaw, down over his neck before wrapping around his waist in a gentle embrace.

Yes his deep sea kind did like to have companionship in their rest, they usually had pets to do this with but he'd take this, of course Black Hat would have a stiff neck in the morning but it was surprisingly sweet that he'd opted to sleep here instead of his comfy warm bed.

Coaxing him to lay at least on his side Flug laid on the bottom of his tank facing him.

The hands disappearing as he curled up, his smile growing just a little more.

"Goodnight...Black Hat."

(also if anyone draws a cute pic of mew mew loaf, if you like I can do a character mention or have a character of yours briefly talk to one of the crew members for the one I like the most 💖)

[snarkybluechristian]

Villainous: Reform School Chapter 12

After she finished crying, Melanie laid there silently next to 505 praying, fuming, and worrying about what awaited her in her new life.

It was unfair.  Her childhood had been spent living in misery.  For as long as she could remember, she had been raised to be a villain in Black Hat’s stupid organization.  Melanie went to an elite evil private elementary school filled with fake friends who cared more about her social status in the organization than ever knowing her.  Most social events outside of school that weren’t dedicated to homework, her therapy or her artistic pursuits were centered around Black Hat.  Her family time was spent being dragged on evil missions for the family or for Black Hat.  Every possession, every vacation, everything that made her happy was “courtesy of Black Hat.”  Her entire damn life was overshadowed by Black Hat and Melanie hated every second of it.

Melanie always hated it.  She did her hardest to convince herself she didn’t to fit in, but eventually, she could not run from her conscience anymore.  And like her sister Lunet, Melanie had to do her best to bury her feelings to hide them from everyone else.

Then everything changed when Melanie started going to Our Lady of Perpetual Gladness Catholic School.  She expected to be miserable, but she wasn’t.  Melanie found other girls who welcomed her, who listened to what she wanted to say, who loved her for who she was, and who accepted her.  Those other girls brought her to the Nun-ja Organization, to Sensei Lucy, and eventually, to God.  Melanie found friendship, strength, love, and enlightenment.  Best of all, she formed her personal relationship with the One who formed the Universe and gave her a new purpose alongside her other sisters on the same path.   

That purpose gave Melanie hope.  It also gave her and Lunet a way out.  It was a life she had to keep secret from almost her entire family, but it was a life where she was finally happy.

But now that her secret had been revealed, her parents and Black Hat were determined to snuff that hope out, to break her links with the friends and God she loved, and to turn her into a villain who caused misery.  Just like them.  Just another cog in his machine.

Melanie didn’t know what to do.  She didn’t know how she would survive.  She didn’t even know what would happen the next morning. 

But Melanie knew one thing that was repeated in her head constantly like a mantra.  The love of her friends, the Spirit inside her, and her gut made that one thing clear.

Melanie whispered it to herself as she laid on that bed in the waning daylight, “I will not submit.  I will be free.”  

Later that evening, Flug, Black Hat, and Dementia knocked on the door to Melanie’s room.  She had not left her room since lunch, so they were justifiably concerned, especially when they tried the knob and realized she had locked her door.

“Melanie?�� Flug said knocking on the locked door.  “Black Hat and I are here to check-up on you.  Will you open up?"

“Just open the door,” Black Hat commanded.

Flug sighed, pulled the key out of his pocket, and opened the door. 

The lights were out.  Melanie was sleeping in her bed against 505 who was sleeping beside her like a giant pillow.

Black Hat scoffed and commented, “It seems that your pet has taken a liking to her, doctor.”

“Uh…heh heh heh,” Flug nervously chuckled.  “It would appear so.”

Without warning, Dementia flew in behind them.

“Hola, Melanie!” Dementia said loudly as she waltzed into the room and saw Melanie sleeping.  “Aw, is she all tuckered out?”

“It would appear so,” Black Hat replied.  “Her defenses aren’t as strong.”

“So, we’re spying on a sleeping child?” Dementia asked.

“No,” Flug said.  “We’re assessing the situation.”

“I get it,” Dementia said.  “We’re figuring out her weaknesses, so we can destroy this little brat!”

“Close, but no,” Flug said with a heavy sigh.

“Your assessment, doctor?!” Black Hat demanded.

“Oh, of course,” Flug began.  “Judging from our chats today, she's completely enamored with the life of a hero.  Her connection to... that high power is as strong as her devotion to her nun-ja life, and it doesn't seem like she wants to change.  However, seeing as she seemed afraid at the possibility of staying here for the next few months, this makes me wonder that it may be actually possible to turn her to villainy.”

“How do you mean, doctor?” Black Hat asked.

“As you said before, nun-jas are impossible to interrogate, but judging from today, I think I saw something that we could use to our advantage: Fear,” Flug said with a wicked smile in his voice.

Melanie's eyes began to flicker open unbeknownst to the three villains present.

“And what does this child fear?” Black Hat asked flashing a sadistic smile of his own.

“Several things,” Flug replied.  “Being away from her family and her nun-ja friends, of course.  But above all, Melanie fears losing her freedom.”

Melanie shut her eyes and pretended to be asleep while listening in to the rest of their conversation.

“I see,” Black Hat responded maliciously.

“We should put her in a cage,” Dementia suggested.

“No, we’re not doing that,” Flug replied.

“Then, what will we do?” Dementia asked in a huff.

“I propose we set a strict schedule with lots of boundaries and rules that Melanie has to follow or risk being punished,” Flug said.  “I believe that Melanie’s parents allowed her too much freedom which has led her down the heroic path.”

“You’re so boring,” Dementia complained.

“Ow!” Black Hat complained holding his head as a wave of pain rushed through it.  “Come on!  Let's discuss this back at my office.  The girl's giving me a migraine!”

“Of course,” Flug said before turning to Dementia.  “Come on, Dementia.  Leave Melanie alone.”

Dementia glared back at Melanie, cracked her knuckles, and whispered threateningly, “Someday…” before following the two other villains out of the room and shutting the door behind her.

When she was sure they were gone, Melanie sat upright in her bed and prayed out loud. 

“Father, they know my weakness,” Melanie prayed.  “What do I do?  I have to send a more detailed message to my sisters somehow...”

It was then that Melanie heard a response from within.

“Huh?” Melanie asked before He kept speaking.  “What was that?  But would that...?  Wait a minute…Of course!  Thank you!”

Melanie immediately turned around and shook 505 awake.

The bear opened his eyes and yawned as he listened to Melanie say, "Hey, 505.  I'm awake and feeling better now.  Can we stream now?"

505 sat up, nodded enthusiastically, and walked out of the room with Melanie following close behind him.

[petitprincess1]

Mad Love

Summary: A commercial for BH Org. ends up getting disrupted, or maybe even improved, by Clemencia, as she shares her tips on dealing with the most plaguing and revolting force on this planet: Love.

Words: 1,330

Warnings: You may bleed out your eyes from pure insanity and dark humor-ish. This was a lot of fun to make.

AO3 LINK

Narrator: Greetings, you boorish bottom feeders! Have any of you experienced the oh-so abominable and weak feeling known as “love”? Even worse, have you had this feeling for your enemy? Whether it be completely romantic or just a wayward crush, you’ve most likely felt your heart beat right out of your ribcage when facing your opponent, causing you to lose more than usual (*fast* unless-you-are-using-the-products-created-by-the-Black-Hat-Organization). Do you wish for this devilish and barbaric feeling to disappear or even how to use it for evil? Fear not, you disgusting disappointments, once again, the Black Hat Organization has the cure for you! Who better to turn your overbearing sappiness to an obsessive, dark romance in the most effective way possible than by the lascivious lizard herself! Everyone put your hands together for the savage saurian, the rocking reptile, the caustic chameleon, Demenci-AAH!

The screen shows Demencia’s bedroom and on top of her bed is a large, fluffy, lump of blue, a bit of white, and some hot pink that was slowly moving up and down.

Narrator: Eugh! What is that? Is it alive? Quick! Call the Hatbots and get that vile thing exterminated imm-

Before he could finish, the lump of blue moved as a face, limbs, and a body showed itself as it stretched out from underneath, revealing a girl who was wearing a unicorn hoodie. She yawned as her arms wrapped around one Demencia’s pillows and she pushed her face into it. Then came the sound of heavy breathing.

Narrator: Cl-Clemencia! What the hell are you doing here and in Demencia's room!?

Clemencia lifted her face from Demencia's pillows with a drunken look on her face and then giggled at the Narrator, "The window was wide open, of course! I think anyone can agree that if someone left their window, door, or secret entrance open, then that perfectly allows any stranger to come in, right!?"

She blinked cutely at him with wide eyes, but it was such slow blinks that it made him uncomfortable.

Narrator: ...W-Well, either way, I need to alert Lord Black H-

"Oh no. You can't do that~ That wouldn't be fair to the wife and kids, don't you think?"

Narrator: Oh, please, what an empty threat You don't know where my family lives! Hahahaha-

As the narrator laughed, Clem's head slowly tilted to the side at a weird, horrifying angle, even making bones snap in her neck, as her grin grew wider.

Narrator: Eh, heh...you d-don't...do you?

Clem just winked at him and smiled, "Read the script, please~"

Narrator: Eh...wh-what? S-Script? But I- Oh, what is this? A rewrite? Oh, uh, th-thank you, um...ahem! As I was saying so obviously before, who better to turn your overbearing sappiness to an obsessive, dark romance in the most effective way possible than by, eh, Demencia’s number one fan herself! Everyone put your hands together for the pastel punk, the cuddly killer, the cute cutthroat, oh boy, Clemencia!

Clemencia was now lying seductively on the bed with her hand slowly moving up her leg as she greeted, “Bienvenidos, ovejas sin espinas, Clemencia aquí para enseñarles a los idiotas cómo enamorarse de verdad~”

Narrator: No! No! English channel! English!

Clemencia blinked at him and then giggled, “Oh, right! Heehee~ Sorry!”

She then sat up, as she pulled out a Demencia plushie that was ripped to shreds and was missing a leg. She hugged it tightly and the repeated, “Welcome, you spineless sheep, Clemencia here to teach you idiots on how to truly fall in love! And what better format to teach you with thaaaaannnn,” she took out a bunch of crayons, glitter markers, papers, and a bucket that looked like it could be filled with red paint, “CLEMENCIA TI-”

Narrator: Clemencia, this isn’t a normal ten minute video! We are running out of time and you need to make your point very quickly or you’ll just get cu-

Clemencia made some random noise as he was talking, “hnnnnnnNNNNNNG CLEMENCIATIPS!!!!!”

A bunch of childishly made drawings somehow appeared, as well as a simply drawn Clemencia. The unicorn girl spoke, showing images of Dark Phantom’s heart being stepped on by Vanity, while he’s also getting punched, “So, you want to know how to capture the interest of your lover and make them fall to as your prey, huh? Well, the best way to do that iiiiisssss~ through getting to know them! And there’s no better way to figure out your darling enemy then through tracking their every move~”

She drew several images of her stalking Demencia by hiding in bushes, looking at her through windows, and tapping herself to Dem’s ceiling at night to watch her sleep. Clemencia then suggested, “That is, unless your opponent has amazing detection skills like my magnificent love, Demencia,” next image was of her pretending to be Demencia’s mirror by standing right in front of her, while Dem was wielding an axe, even though she looks nothing like her and doesn’t even bother changing her clothes. She went on, “If that comes to pass, then you can always leave a gift for them! Nothing says “I love you” more than a mysterious package showing up randomly with no label on it whatsoever.”

It was an image of the hero, Angel, looking down at a box with many question marks around her head. She then slowly opened the box and peeked inside, while Clem added, “You can fill the package with whatever you want, but make sure that it’s memorable. So, that way, they’ll be thinking of you no matter what,” the next image was quick cut to Angel sitting in a corner and rocking back-and-forth, tearing her hair out.

Clemencia then listed, “Other things that you can do are dates,” drawings of Bonnivet eating with a spaced-themed hero, who was tied up in a chair and gagged, “star gazing,” Flug sending a nature powered hero into space, “karaoke,” 505 and WH Hatbot singing karaoke like best buds, “or if things turn sour and the hero dumps you or, even worse, you dump the hero, you can always just give them a nice, big hug!”

An image of Clemencia hugging Metauro appeared, while everything around them bright and glowy and they were so happy. ...Then there was an image of a house burning in the background, while Clem held him tighter in the drawing, “TO HOLD THEM BACK WHILE YOU BURN DOWN EVERYTHING THAT THEY LOVED!!!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!”

The images slowly burnt away to maniacally laughing Clemencia as everything around her seemed to go up in flames, making her seem truly sadistic as the pink fire licked at her skin and didn't seem to do any damage. Then everything went back to normal as she calmly finished, “However, if you follow my steps, then you should be able to follow everything as simply as pulling someone’s intestines out from their noses!”

Narrator: Eeeeehhhh...is that even possible?

Clemencia grinned wickedly, “Yes, yes it is! Let me show you!”

Narrator: NO NO NO N-

Suddenly, his screaming got interrupted by something breaking down off-screen as Demencia’s voice popped, “What the hell are you doing in here, you walking diabetic shock!”

Clemencia’s eyes turned into hearts as she giggled deliriously, squeezing the doll so tightly that the head popped right off. Her eyes then turned back to normal as the sound heavy, mechanical footfalls came in and she went back to the camera, concluding, “If you follow these easy steps, then you’re sure to have your love slobbering at your dingy, dollar store shoes in no time! I better get going~ I know I’ll be seeing all you lovelies….very soon~” She then giggled crazily at her threat as she disappeared right as soon as an axe came flying towards her, getting embedded into the wall.

Narrator: Ugh...I hate my j-

Demencia: You...You let her in my room, you dumbfuck!

Narrator: N-NO!!! I WOULD NEVER DO SUCH A THING!!!! PLEASE, DON- AAAAAAAA-

The only sound that was heard before the camera cut off was the sound of a chainsaw revving.

[whisker-biscuit]

Harley Quinn is Not A Good Role Model: Chapter 21

Rated T-M for language and graphic descriptions of violence

Pairing: Dr. Flug/Black Hat

Summary: Dr. Flug Slys is a successful psychiatrist working at one of the world’s most respected mental institutes for the criminally insane. But this new patient is unlike anything he’s ever encountered. Flug is determined to help him, nonetheless.

Black Hat has other ideas.

Chapter 21: The Big Day

9:00

Flug and Martin met at 9:00 on the dot, right in front of Dementia’s cell. The intern had his hands in his pockets but it was obvious he was fidgeting with the fabric inside.

“So, we’re actually doing this today. Holy shit,” he whispered in a jitter. “I’m going to prank my boss, holy shit!”

“Okay, easy, d-don’t go announcing it to the neighborhood,” Flug cautioned. He took out his set of keys and unlocked the door as quickly as possible. “This is a just a normal therapy session, on a normal day. Okay?”

That statement was proven wrong – or right, depending on the point of view – when Dementia sprang from their left side and knocked both doctor and intern off their feet. Their clipboards went flying.

“Heyyyyy guys, did you miss me? I missed you! Well actually no, that’s not true, I only missed Flug. I’d say sorry Martin, but I’m not sorry. At all.”

She was sprawled across the floor with her head and shoulders resting easily on Flug’s flattened collarbone. He would have tried to get her off, but he was too busy trying to get the wind back into him.

Martin had fallen too. He sat up quickly, not stuck underneath a hyperactive inmate like his supervisor, and looked between the dogpile in front of him and the still-open door behind them all. The teen shifted closer to Dementia and she stopped talking immediately to glare at him.

The message was clear: don’t touch me. So instead Martin scooted away and closed the cell door with his heel. Dementia went back to rambling as if she’d never stopped.

“So I was thinking a lot last night about us three, and what we’re doing today, you know, and I’ve decided it’s not fair that you guys get all the fun! I mean I already hooked up with my inmate buddy so don’t worry he’s gonna help us out, but am I supposed to just sit here and be the looney girl while you guys are out there having fun? I don’t think I like that at all!”

“Dementia…off, please…” Her doctor patted at her weakly.

“And I know you can’t really let me out without losing your job or whatever, so then last night I was thinking some more and came up with an amazing plan! How about I pretend to escape? Then you guys have alibis cause you’ll be looking for me, and then I can hide somewhere safe, like the vents or something I don’t know, and then we can all meet up at some secret place and then we can go prank that Bautista guy together!”

“Dementia, suéltame, por favor,” he tried again, a little stronger this time.

“Oh, lo siento Flug, I didn’t realize you were dying, hah!” Dementia wiggled backwards so her head was on the ground, pressed against his shoulder. Her hair spilled everywhere.

Martin took this chance to grab ahold of his supervisor’s arm and pull him gently into a sitting position. Flug clutched at his chest as he took long, deep gulps of air. He turned his irritated gaze down to his patient.

“Oooh, you got that scary goggle thing going on again,” she giggled. “I was thinking about that too, you know. How you can get all dark and creepy like that. We should totally use that! Like if we run into a guard or something, I can do my crazy person act and you can just, like, stand there doing that without saying anything! And I don’t know what Martin can do, maybe he can be our hostage? I’ve always wanted to take a hostage, this will be great!”

“I’m not gonna be your hostage,” the intern grumbled.

“Oh don’t be a party pooper, it’ll be fun! You won’t even have to do much, just let me stand right behind you with my teeth at your neck! Fun, right?”

“Why the hell would I think that’s fun? Who even thinks that’s fun?!”

“Of course it’s fun, you just –”

“Did you…were you awake the whole night last night?” Flug cut her off. He stared, concerned, at the impressive dark circles under her eyes.

“What? No, don’t be ridiculous,” Dementia turned her head away from him, mashing one cheek into the padded floor. “You’re just projecting your problems on me.”

“No, I’m pretty sure you’re sleep deprived, Dementia.” He twisted sideways to look at her face again. “Were you just too excited to sleep?”

“That was, that was part of it, yeah…” The inmate trailed off, eyes not meeting her doctor’s. She wilted just a bit.

“Do you want to tell me the other part?”

“I…” She chewed her lip. “I just had a nightmare, is all. It wasn’t that bad. I’m fine.”

“Did you want to talk about it?”

Dementia only looked away, so Flug laid back down so she was on his right side. He gestured for Martin to do the same on his left side. The intern complied, and the three of them stayed there silently for a solid minute before their patient spoke again.

“There were birds.” Her head was hidden by her hair. Flug couldn’t see her expression.

“Birds? Like domestic birds?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” Dementia turned to look at him. “Someone shot them and it hurt.”

“Hurt you? It hurt you to watch them get shot?”

“It hurt,” she repeated. Her eyes unfocused. “It really hurt.”

“Okay. Okay, I understand. Dreams aren’t fun.” He backed off. “So, I only caught about half of what you were saying earlier, after you tackled me so nicely.”

“Heh, yeah, I should be a football player.”

“But I did catch that you wanted to be let out, and I can tell you right now that’s not gonna happen.”

“What?!” She jolted up. “Why not?”

“First of all, because I would probably lose my job regardless of whether you escaped or I let you out. You’re my patient and the institute doesn’t take that kind of thing lightly. Second, I’m starting to realize that I’m probably not going to do any actual pranking. My office is in the opposite direction of Bautista’s, I’d have no reason to be anywhere near his door.”

Martin sat up at this, and both teenagers stared at Flug in disbelief.

“So, you’re gonna…are you calling it off?” The intern stammered out.

“No I’m not, especially since your friends are still coming and probably have something planned.” He reached up and tugged at his bag. “But I don’t think I’ll really be much help. I had some ideas, sure, but there’s not a way for me to carry them out without getting caught. Or at least without becoming a suspect. I really, really didn’t think this through enough.”

“No, you really didn’t.” Dementia said, bouncing one knee against the floor. “So now what? I can’t call off my buddy either, it’s too short notice. He’ll be pissed and I’ll be out of a favor. That’s gonna suck.”

“You don’t need to call anything off,” Martin declared suddenly. He shrank a little when the other two looked his way. “I mean, your biggest problem is that you can’t do anything directly, right? So just…tell me what you wanted to do. I can relay it to my friends. They’ve probably figured a plan out, they’re really excited for this.”

Flug tapped at one corner of his headwear. “Are you sure? You realize that if someone gets caught, it’ll most likely fall on you. You know that, right?”

“I know,” the intern straightened his back. “But I trust my friends. They’ll figure out a way, they always do, and they won’t rat me out. And besides, I’m really sick of that guy pushing me around. Pushing us around. I can do this.”

They watched him quietly, but Martin locked his jaw and did his best to look more confident than he felt. Dementia was satisfied first, because she snorted and scooted over to him like a snake.

“Congrats, pal, you’re officially a delinquent. Welcome to the delinquent club.”

The psychiatrist continued to stare at his intern. His goggles betrayed no emotion. Then he gave a longsuffering sigh and reached for his forgotten clipboard.

“Well, now that we’ve decided to throw ourselves to the wolves together, how about we get on with this therapy session like normal doctors and patients, yeah? Dementia, was it just the dream that unsettled you or was there anything else keeping you awake?”

….

At the end of the session, Martin trailed behind his supervisor all the way back to Flug’s office. Neither one spoke beyond a few questions and answers about interacting with inmates. At his door, the psychiatrist turned and appraised his intern one more time.

“I’m not kidding about this, you know. Best case scenario if you get caught, you’ll lose this job. Maybe be barred from working here. Worst case is that you get sued. Or arrested on vandalism charges. I really don’t know what else to say.”

“I, I get it.” Martin said, clenching his hands. “But I’m in this all the way, Dr. Slys. I won’t let you down.”

That expressionless look came back over Flug’s face. A closed-off, calculating demeanor that made the teenager shiver for a reason he couldn’t place.

“Alright then. See you in the aftermath.”

Flug disappeared into his office without another word.

.

.

12:00

Martin sat at an open desk in the front lobby and pretended to work on his paperwork. His hand gripped a shaking pen, and he stared down at words that hadn’t made sense for over ten minutes. He couldn’t back out now. The group would be here any minute and he couldn’t back out now.

The front doors opened with a rush of crowd conversations, making the intern jump and nearly snap his pen. He watched as a solid twenty to thirty college students came into the building all at once, abuzz with excitement. There was a professor and a teaching assistant leading them.

Someone in a navy ballcap met Martin’s gaze, his eyes widening in recognition. Martin pursed his lips and shook his head just a little. The last thing he needed was for his coworkers to realize that he knew anyone in the group.

Then three people in institute uniform came out of another door to the right, and stepped up to the tour group with professional smiles. One of them was a woman Martin didn’t know. Another was Dr. Rorschach herself.

The third was Bautista.

“Hello, students of Ituriel University! I’m proud to welcome you here at the Global Psychiatric Medical Center for the Criminally Insane. I’m Dr. Lauren Rorschach, head director of this institute, and…”

Martin zoned out of the director’s speech, choosing instead to scan the crowd for other familiar faces. The one in the navy ballcap – that was Sidney, he realized – had grouped up with four others, who were alternating between staring around the lobby and staring at Martin. He risked tapping the pen to his lips, once, twice, and they got the message quick enough.

Eventually Dr. Rorschach beckoned towards another door, and the tour group followed close behind. Martin waited until everyone was gone before standing up swiftly and gathering his paperwork in his arms. He entered through the same door and kept pace about four meters behind the students, scanning blankly over the top page in his stack and acting all the world like he wasn’t paying attention.

The group turned the corner, but when the intern followed he nearly smacked headfirst into Sidney, who grinned and didn’t say a word. Martin peered over his shoulder and saw that Bautista had stopped the tour in front of his own office door, explaining what was required of the psychiatrists when they weren’t actively working with patients.

Sidney took an easy step backwards, closer to Martin, and his four friends shifted towards the back of the group at the same time. The teenager’s eyes darted to each of them. John, Esmerelda, Abdullah, and Leslie.

“Hey,” Sidney whispered, smile in his greeting. “That’s the guy, right?”

“Yeah, and his office.” Martin whispered back. “My boss said he can’t help you directly. Sorry.”

“Eh, I figured.” The student’s mouth quirked as if he found everything very amusing. “Anything we need to know?”

“You’re visiting a group session at some point, and I’ve got word that someone there’s gonna help you. Don’t know how. Also, my boss said no property damage, he’s worried about vandalism charges.”

“Cool. I’m sure something’ll come up. You better clear out before they see you.”

“Good luck,” Martin said as he swiveled the other way. His four other friends all gave their own smiles or nods, silent as phantoms.

They could do this. He trusted his friends, and Flug trusted him. He just needed to go about his day, and stay away from the tour group, and wait for news. His stomach roiled with stress, but he squashed it down and buried his mouth against his workload. They smelled strongly of paper and ink, and Martin wondered if Flug smelled something similar with the bag over his face.

He shook his head and continued on his way. No one noticed he’d ever been there.

.

.

14:30

The tour was set up to go for nearly four hours. They visited the indoor gym, the outdoor gardens, the medical ward, the empty orientation rooms on the first floor. They stopped for lunch at 13:30 in the staff break room, eating and talking and chattering over the impressive facility.

Abdullah mentioned how the office hallways all led to either the front lobby or the break room, and how interesting that set-up was. Leslie guessed it was probably an easy escape route if an inmate got out and came after anyone. John thought it was dumb, that it was more of a maze than a real floor plan. Esmerelda didn’t say anything.

Sidney just grinned.

At 14:30, Dr. Bautista and his associate came back in and announced that Dr. Rorschach wouldn’t be joining them on the remainder of the tour due to a meeting with another psychiatrist. He then announced that the institute had given them permission to show the students a group arts-and-craft session for less dangerous inmates. It would be starting very soon, so everyone needed to pack up their food and grab their stuff.

The session was held on the second floor, which meant that each student had to have their body scanned for metal objects and their backpacks searched for suspicious items. Nothing could be allowed that might give an inmate a chance for, well, anything.

Over twenty of the students had writing utensils, rulers, and various other sharp objects that couldn’t be taken upstairs, but none of them wanted to leave their bags out in the open, too used to guarding their things from potential thieves on-campus. So the institute staff compromised and took everyone’s stuff back to the break room, which was locked from the outside and safe from harm until the tour came back.

By the time everything was sorted out, it was 15:11 and they were running late to the group session.

Dr. Bautista, thoroughly irritated by the hold up and lack of foresight, hurried the group upstairs to a large room guarded by three men in security outfits. He turned around to address the tour before they went inside.

“I don’t need to remind any of you that being in this room is a privilege. You are all very young, but you’re also psychology students from Ituriel University, which means that I expect you to do exactly as I tell you without argument. Do not interact with any of the inmates unless we explicitly say it is okay. Do not approach an inmate unless we say it is okay. Do not do or say anything in this room, unless we say it is okay. Do I make myself clear?”

There was a various assortment of verbal assent from the students, and Dr. Bautista turned around without acknowledging it. Near the back of the group, Leslie rolled her eyes and whispered, “what a douche”, just quiet enough that the tour leaders in front couldn’t hear it.

Half the students snickered.

Everyone sobered up quickly, however, as they stepped through the doorway. About eight long tables were in the room, lined so that four of them ran parallel to the other four. Inmates sat with simple crafting tools – nothing sharp or hot – and were working quietly amongst themselves. Twelve guards lined the walls.

Dr. Bautista walked up to the nearest table and looked down at the beaded necklace a patient was making. He murmured something to the man, whose face tightened but didn’t stop working. The group watched quietly as their tour leader faced them.

“As you can see, the patients here are very well-behaved. Most of them have either been on the 2nd floor for their entire incarceration, or they have been rehabilitated enough that their privileges extend to having session on this floor. But at any time, that privilege can be revoked. We, as psychiatrists, are here to make sure that these patients will not be a danger to themselves or others, and offering incentive to change is one of our tried-and-true methods of rehabilitation.”

As he spoke, an inmate from two tables down stood up with a jar in his hands. He was a giant, burly man with a bull tattoo visible all the way up his arm. He shuffled in the direction of the group with his head down and eyes on the jar he held.

Esmerelda stiffened where she stood, watching the man. Sidney glanced her way, then coolly set his eyes to Dr. Bautista, whose back was turned to the patient coming their way. None of the guards seemed concerned by the man’s behavior – he looked only as if he was going to refill his art supplies.

But then, less than two meters away from the oblivious psychiatrist, the inmate suddenly took a few giant strides and lifted his jar high above Bautista’s head. Security shouted to warn about the threat but it was too late.

Sparkling pink glitter fell from the upturned container like fairy dust, covering Bautista with a shower from hell. He spluttered and staggered forward as the glitzy stuff got into his eyes and mouth, just in time to miss three guards grabbing at the inmate, who calmly dropped the glitter jar and held his hands above his head.

The other patients burst out laughing as one unit, cheering and whistling at the bizarre sight of a sparkling, stumbling psychiatrist who left a literal trail of pink glitter in the air behind him as he moved. The tour professor looked horrified, and his teaching assistant had clapped a hand to her mouth to keep her snort to herself. The students had no such qualms about hiding their amusement.

Everyone was ushered out of the room and downstairs in a heartbeat by several red-faced guards while the rest tried to sort out the chaos.

Sidney tilted his head to the left as the tour group was pushed back into the staff break room. A guard apologized and asked for patience, and promised that once things were straightened out, then the tour would go on as usual. She pointed to an opposite door – also the same door that led to the staff offices – and reminded them that restrooms were in that direction. The professor followed her out, arguing about wasting valuable time and asking what the head director could possibly be doing that was more important than the pandemonium going on right now.

Soon it was just the students and the teaching assistant, and Sidney tilted his head to the right, catching the eyes of his friends. He smiled with all of his teeth. Someone smirked in reply.

They had work to do.

.

.

15:00

When Flug stepped into Dr. Rorschach’s office, she had already set up the video call on her computer, and was waiting at her desk with her hands folded over a pencil and paper.

“Not one second too late or too early as usual, Doctor. Your dedication to punctuality is amazing.” She said pleasantly, gesturing for him to sit in the chair next to her. He wasted no time in doing so.

Inspector Daniels stared at both of them from the screen. Only his top half was visible, and he wore the same Interpol uniform from the day Flug had met him, back when this entire fiasco had started.

It felt like months ago.

“Dr. Slys,” the Inspector nodded cordially. He glanced down at something unseen, then lifted his gaze back up. “Before we begin, I have to ask if either of you have any cellular devices or anything that can be used to record conversations.”

Flug blinked twice, then pulled out his phone from his coat pocket. Dr. Rorschach brought out two phones and then opened a drawer, out from which came a walkie-talkie. They placed all the tech on the desk.

“Is that everything?” Daniels asked. They both nodded. “Alright. Now I must ask you to turn them all off, please. This meeting is confidential.”

The doctor did so easily, but his boss’ face became pinched.

“With all due respect, Inspector, these devices ensure that my employees can contact me in times of emergencies. I can turn off some of them, not all of them. I have to be available for any situation.”

“I understand your position, Dr. Rorschach,” the inspector said smoothly. “But you also have to understand that, again, this meeting is confidential, and Interpol cannot risk having information leak through. We cannot even have the potential of a leak. I’m sure you realize how dangerous this individual is.”

They stared at each other, with narrowed eyes and set jaws, until Dr. Rorschach relented and switched off all three devices. Daniels made a ‘hmm’ noise and looked down again.

“Are there any audio or visual recording devices set up in this room, such as a security camera?”

“No,” the director said, completely honest. “I don’t believe require staff to have cameras in their personal offices. Nothing is in this room that could compromise or record our conversation.”

“Good, good.” The inspector studied Flug a moment. “How have you been, Dr. Slys? I received your report and was pleased that you hadn’t, ah…sustained any major injuries yet.”

Flug tactfully ignored the tacked on ‘yet’ and sat back in his chair. “I’ve been well, thank you. Progress with the patient has been slow, but so far every encounter has been meaningful, even if it doesn’t appear that way to the naked eye.”

Or to me, he thought, considering how much I’ve been pissing Black Hat off lately.

“I’m aware you were the one who requested this meeting, correct? May I ask why?”

“I was,” Flug considered his words. “I was under the impression that the patient’s collar was a shock collar, from the…way he has reacted sometimes when it beeps. But recently I was in a conversation with a member of our security force who implied that, that Black Hat has…supernatural powers? And that his collar b-blocks it somehow?”

Daniels’ face didn’t change from its stony neutrality, so Flug continued.

“So whatever the case, I – it would help me greatly if I understood exactly what I’m working with. Lowering potential for a leak.”

The inspector remained quiet, and Flug exchanged a confused glance with his director. But as he opened his mouth to ask another question, the Interpol officer cut him off.

“Have you ever seen the aftermath of one of Black Hat’s crimes?”

Flug’s mouth clicked shut. He thought about the report on the last psychiatrist who had tried to work with Black Hat. The visuals made him shudder.

“Yes, I have.”

“I’m not talking about the photos from the case file we sent you, Dr. Slys. I’m asking if you’ve ever seen what happens after that creature decides to go on a rampage.”

“I…no. I haven’t.”

“I thought as much,” Daniels looked at both of them. “Did you know that Black Hat once killed fifteen American SWAT members in less than a minute?”

No, he didn’t know that.

“Are you aware that after he did so, Black Hat then proceeded to phase through the wall of a nearby government building and decapitated five United Nations representatives in a single instant?”

No, he wasn’t aware of that, either.

“Do you know how we know he did it?” The inspector leaned forward. “The SWAT team carried body cameras. That government building contained state of the art surveillance. Everything glitched out in his presence. The only reliable video footage was near the end of the killing spree, when Black Hat reverted to the form you know him as, and the cameras came back online just in time to catch him straightening his tie. Do you want to know how we know he did everything else I mentioned?”

No, no, I don’t want to know. But tell me anyway.

“Because of the blood. The clearing where the SWAT team was stationed looked like the filming site for Saw VII. They were torn apart like nothing we had ever seen before. We know Black Hat phased through the wall because he left a blood trail that couldn’t phase with him, so it left a near-perfect replica of his silhouette against the vertical concrete. We know he killed the UN representatives at the exact same time because our forensics team found matching rates of body cooling and lack of blood coagulation in all five bodies.”

Dr. Rorschach was white. Flug’s hands clenched at his lab coat under the desk.

“I’m not a religious man, Dr. Slys, but I can say openly and honestly that whatever that creature is, it’s not Earthly. That collar around his neck is the only thing keeping him here. Forget the straitjacket, forget the reinforced titanium walls, the guns, the guards. Those are just precautions to keep him at bay as an almost-human thing. Because without that collar, everything else means jack shit.”

“So h-how,” Flug managed, “how does the collar do it?”

“I’ll tell you, both of you, but I need to remind you that what I say in this room stays one hundred percent confidential. Don’t tell security. Don’t tell the other psychiatrists. Don’t tell your friends or family members. No one. The last thing we need is for this science to be replicated by anyone with more dubious morality. Or worse, for Black Hat to learn any more about it than he already knows.”

Flug looked down at the pencil and empty sheet of paper he had brought for this meeting. Slowly, he crumpled it into a ball and dropped it into the waste basket by the desk. Daniels gave him a tight smile.

“Alright then. This collar is state of the art technology. You’ve probably noticed how bulky it is, right? That’s because of its contents. It’s programmed to measure body mass.”

“I’m sorry, what? Body mass?” Flug felt his brow visibly furrow.

“That’s what I said. Down to the picogram. And it’s not like those high school chemistry scales either. It doesn’t get altered by movement, or, say, if someone set an iron ball in Black Hat’s hands. It’s programmed to his body mass only, in as near as accurate as we can get. You see, most people have their own body mass, and it can be altered only with layers of clothing, or changes in weight or height. Black Hat’s body doesn’t adhere to those rules.

“When he shapeshifts, or phases through things, that’s what changes his body mass. It shouldn’t, it goes against almost every physics law we know, but that’s what it does. That collar acts as two things. The part around his neck measures his body mass, and it keeps the thing in place so he can’t jolt it. The bulkier part, in the back? It contains a needle that’s connected directly to his spinal cord.”

“What?! Isn’t that, doesn’t that violate his rights?”

“That creature doesn’t have rights.” Daniels replied, eyes grim. “He doesn’t have an age or origin we can track, he holds no citizenship that we know of, and any rights he might have been able to claim have been tossed out the window for decades now, with his criminal record.”

“This is insane,” Flug said aloud, slumping in his seat. “This is absolutely insane. Shit…”

“I’m going to continue, if you don’t mind.” The inspector didn’t wait for their confirmation. “As I said, it’s connected into his spinal cord at the base of his neck. If and when the collar recognizes a change in body mass, no matter how small, that needle is automatically plunged deeper, which cuts off his ability to move or feel most of his body. It usually only lasts about ten seconds, but we know from experience that if need be, the paralysis effect can stay upwards of six hours.”

Flug grit his teeth. “So, d-did you just provoke him into trying to attack you after the ten seconds were up?”  

“No, of course not,” Daniels looked mildly smug. “We have a remote device that can increase the time span of how long the needle remains injected.”

“If that’s the case, why didn’t you use it during his transfer to this institute?” Dr. Rorschach asked coldly. “If I recall, one Interpol officer’s life was at stake in a confrontation between you and Black Hat. Not to mention, letting Dr. Slys walk into his cell without this device to back him up seems extremely negligent.”

“It was your decision to allow Dr. Slys to do so, Dr. Rorschach.” The inspector replied, eyes narrowed. “In fact, you assured me he was well equipped to handle this creature. If anyone can be accused of negligence, it would be you and your institute, wouldn’t you say?”

“You still haven’t answered either of my questions, Inspector.”

Daniels sighed. “I was worried Black Hat would kill someone, to be frank. The last time we used this device, it was simply to test that it worked, and after the trial was over Black Hat went into a frenzied rage, without setting off the collar, that killed three soldiers. It was by this we learned that the only way the device worked was if Black Hat had already set off the collar on his own. Our scientists are still trying to fix this issue, but we think it might be related to the effect he has on technology in general, especially radio waves and cameras.”

Dr. Rorschach and Inspector Daniels continued discussing this problem, and what could be done to fix it, but Flug had stopped listening. Because he was still hung up on that little detail about being stripped of your free will for six hours.

No wonder he didn’t want to talk about it, the psychiatrist realized. What a horrible, humiliating thing to have to deal with every day. I’d be pissed too.

He looked over to his boss, who was still arguing with the inspector that having the defective remote was better than having nothing at all. Flug didn’t really care either way; he had gotten this far without getting mauled, he’d be fine for a while longer. And the idea of having such a twisted little thing in his pocket when he visited Black Hat was making him feel sick.

“Excuse me? Inspector Daniels?” The doctor asked, getting the attention of both superiors. “You, uh, mentioned that Black Hat doesn’t know everything about the collar. How much does he know?”

“Not enough to be dangerous,” Daniels said. “He knows that it’s a restraining device, and he knows about the needle because he can feel it in his spine. I have no doubt he’s figured out that it’s related to activating his powers, although we never explained that to him. And I’m almost certain he doesn’t know about the remote control’s restrictions. We’re very lucky that Black Hat has never been well-versed in technology.”

Flug’s hands twitched. “Thank you, Inspector. I’ll be sure to u-use this knowledge carefully and to the best of my ability from now on. I’m afraid I have other things to attend to today. Is there anything else you needed to tell me?”

Daniels shook his head, and Flug thanked him again before getting up on unsteady feet. Dr. Rorschach stared up at him, obvious protest in her face, but he just shook his head.

“I’m sorry for leaving so soon, but I think there’s not much more I can learn from this meeting. If you come to a decision about me receiving the controller, then please let me know when you can.”

“Actually,” the inspector said, looking down again. “My time is about up for now as well. Dr. Rorschach, I feel that you and I can continue this conversation at a later date. You seem to have things handled well over there, and your psychiatrist doesn’t appear concerned. I’ll bid you both adieu. Dr. Rorschach, Dr. Slys.”

With that, Daniels cut the transmission and left Lauren fuming and Flug in deceptive silence. Without a word both of them turned on their phones again, and the director made a surprised noise that had her employee look her way.

“What’s the matter?”

“There’s been a situation on the 2nd floor, come with me.”

So he went with her, and stayed quiet as she called someone while they walked.

“This is Dr. Rorschach, I just finished with my meeting, what’s – what? Slow down! Bautista was attacked by an inmate?”

That had both of them halting in their tracks. Flug stood awkwardly as his boss listened to a voice he couldn’t make out. Then she snapped “I’ll be right there” and hung up the phone.

“What’s going on? What happened?”

“An inmate assaulted Dr. Bautista during the university tour, and they’ve been trying to get ahold of me for over half an hour. Supposedly it was Inmate #244, real name unknown, alias Metauro. He dropped a ‘glitter bomb’ on our coworker while he was showing the arts and craft room to the tour group.”

“O-Oh? That’s b-bizarre.”

“It’s about to get more bizarre, because while he went home to change, someone wrecked his office.”

Flug tripped on air and nearly faceplanted. “I’m sorry, wrecked his office?!”

“That’s what I’ve been told. Security hasn’t figured out who did it yet.” Dr. Rorschach’s heels clicked on the flooring with urgency. “They think it might have been some of the students, but haven’t found any evidence yet.”

“Ah, okay, uh…why am I coming?”

“Because you have an amazing eye for detail, Doctor, so you’re going to help security comb through the wreckage while I talk to people.”

Too soon they were at Bautista’s open door, where several guards were standing, taking pictures and arguing with each other about being lax on security. Everyone stepped to attention when they saw the head director.

“Dr. Slys, do whatever you need in here. Take pictures, ask around, anything. Try not to disturb the scene too much but otherwise I’m giving you free reign until I can find our chief of security.” She peered into the room and her face went carefully blank.

“What? Is it bad?” Flug was really, really hoping it wasn’t too bad.

“Huh,” Dr. Rorschach said. “Well, now I know why they think it was the students.”

She turned around and grabbed the nearest guard, dragging him with her in whatever direction the students were in. Flug headed to Bautista’s door and was very grateful that the noise he made sounded like shock.

The office wasn’t wrecked as he’d feared. Instead, blank lined paper balls covered the floor, leaving no trace of carpet anywhere. A lamp near the left corner had its shade switched out with the waste basket. A bookshelf on the right had its contents rearranged so that the first letters of several titles spelled out the word ‘asshole’ in a more subtle but still noticeable message.

The window was filled with sharpie penises and the Cool S, making it extremely difficult to see in or out. The computer had been covered by the waste basket’s liner. There was a single piece of paper on the desk with something written on it, so Flug waded into the room to look at it.

Beautiful Bautista Bastard

Underneath that was a rushed sketch of a tall man wearing a tutu, with fairy wings and a glowing wand. Small penciled dots littered the page behind the mand and the doctor snorted as he realized it was supposed to represent fairy dust. Or whatever that ‘glitter bomb’ had been.

Without blinking, Flug took his phone out and held down the camera button. He panned around the office from the left to the right, making sure to catch everything. His boss had told him to take pictures, so he was taking pictures.

She’d never said he couldn’t keep them. She’d also never said he couldn’t show them to two certain someones.

Really, he was just doing his duty.

.

.

.

(And maybe Black Hat would have some input to give as well)

Heyyy it's out! Sorry for the delay, this was a doozy of a chapter and some of the scenes weren't coming out like I wanted them to. I hope you all enjoy this update, because there are some important info drops here. Sounds like Flug is more concerned about Black Hat's rights than his own safety, hmhmhm.

[zatyrlucy]

Alan’s interview

(Why all the interesting things happen at dead of night?)

Well I finish to read the interview of Alan. Here is the source: https://naranjitacine.com/2018/06/13/entrevista-a-alan-ituriel/ Its not a video, its an article. So if you are patient, you can read all of it with the help of google translator.  Well, the things I liked were:

-Alan started to draw when he was very Little looking at VHS movies.

-The desing of the characters are lines and sharp edges because all the cartoons nowdays are a buch of circles and round figures. (Im totally agree with that)

-Yes, Villainous is an horror cartoon a lá Courage the Cowardly Dog. (no sh*t sherlock)

-Alan Works in everything from director and writer to doing storyboards and animation, and he loves it.

-To be sure the jokes works, they do a test. If makes Alan laugh, then it will be sure it will make the viewers laugh.

-To do Villainous, Alan had to fight against all Mexico because there is few to none support for animation in that country. (Alan story is the best, he is the literal example of “fight for your dreams”)

-“Even, the (general) story have a real inspiration…but that is hidden”. (So, all Villainous is based of something real…maybe something about the Alan’s life…? Or something else?)

-“In fact, they (the fans) took their sweet long time to find the “podemos bailar” webpage” Seriously Alan??? Lol we are doing our best

-  “And there are other secrets, inside the shorts, of the same plataforms, of the first shorts, that them (the fans), still dont find out. Is always a pleasure to play with this and see what happens (…) what they have discovered, what not, to see what we can do, to still keep it hidden or keep the game that we are playing. Its always fun.”

WHAT THE F****CKKKK THERE IS STILL SECRETS!?! IN THE FIRST SHORTS?? AND IF WE DONT DISCOVER THEM WE ARE GONA BE IN THE SHADOWS ABOUT THAT ESPECIFIC TOPIC?! damn it Alan, you sly fox.

-Alan knows the central plot of Villainous, but some aspects depends in the reaction of the fans. (So be carefull what you publish on social media heh)

-Villainous has two moral to teach the children. The first one cant be said because is Alan’s secret, is a topic he wants to explore in the future. The second one is perseverance. “For example Flug is perseverant despite working for Black Hat, he continue creating and being proud of himself. Demencia is perseverant that Black Hat will love her (Alan laughed at this part, that doesnt help lol). Black Hat is perseverant that he will find his nemesis and 5.0.5. is perseverant that Black Hat one day will like him and do his best despite he cant even hurt a fly.”  

And thats all I consider important and/or different to the other interviews. I love this series, the plot is getting better and better. 

[haxorus-imp]

Alien Affections - Villainous/Reader - Chapter 6

You groaned and mentally counted the spybots again. 34. 34 spybots were created in total. 'Well, it's easier than college. I got a job at least.' You flattened your brow in slight agitation. 'Though, I'm not getting paid for doing any of this crap.' You thought, snidely. 'Well, I am living off of Black Hat's resources. So, I guess this brings meaning to that "As in Rome, do as the Romans did. If you can't pay with money, pay with your body." saying.' You surmised. Ah, your boss. He was already proving to be a handful for you. It was quite obvious that Black Hat didn't like you. Not much, anyway. He probably just hates new people? You shrugged at the thought. So far, you've been polite, relaxed, and easy-going with little-to-no resistance. The man must be easily triggered by simple things if he's thatuptight all of the time. You think Flug needs to prescribe him some chill pills. Because he's the type of guy that really needs some. You let out an inner laugh at your lame internal joke. Stretching out your arms and back, popping them in the process, which relieved some pent up tension from within your bones. Allowing you to release a relieved sigh as the stress ebbed away from your joints. "Halfway finished!" You announced, catching the attention of Flug, as he was completing the internal work for the gamma ray gun on his opposite work station. "Ah. That's great (Name)! You're doing well!" Flug said, optimistically. "I didn't expect you to make so many within a short amount of time!" "It's hard work. But, at least I'm close to finishing up." You sighed. Leaning back in the work chair. Suddenly, you smelt something very putrid fuming up from below you. It confused you for a moment, until you looked down at your shirt. "Aw, man!" You wailed. Catching Flug's attention once more. "What's wrong, (Name)?" Flug asked, turning his body around to look in your direction in worry. "I got machine grease on my favorite pajamas!" You, still in your alien and UFO pajamas, complained. While, looking down at the ugly stain on the front of the glow-in-the-dark alien icon. "Worst yet, these are the only brand of clothes I brought with me! I still haven't changed out of them from last night...eck. I feel dirty now." You mumbled and got up to walk to the basin in the corner of the lab, next to a large machine with a lot of blinking lights and levers. Flug seemed to notice your conundrum and paused, appearing to be lost in thought for a few minutes, as you silently tried to clean the harsh grease off with some feverish rubbing of a damp rag from the lab sink. Mumbling profanities under your breath as you did so. "Oh! How about this!" Flug exclaimed suddenly, startling you slightly. "Tomorrow is when I go out to fetch supplies to prepare for next weeks' projects and restock up on food after we shoot the videos." Flug explained. "Basically, tomorrow is errand day. You can come along and see if we can find a few outfits for you to use while you're here!" Flug offered. You looked at Flug and smiled. "Really? Oh, thank you so much Flug! Heh. It's kinda funny. I feel like I've known you since my whole 4 years at college, yet I've only known you for about a day!" You gave Flug a warm smile. "O-Oh! You're welcome!" Flug replied, bashfully. "I must say, learning about your world has been a trip for me as well. So many things to hear about, stories to tell, and learning everything that goes on in the other side of the cosmos."

"It's actually fun to hang around with you, I'll admit it. You're so laid back, I don't see how you're NOT a nervous wreck from being so far from home! If it was me in your shoes, I would be shivering at every shadow...and would probably be deathly afraid of Black Hat all over again." Flug sighed. You blinked, looking sympathetically towards Flug for a moment. But, you shrugged it off. "Hey, while we're on this topic, you've never told me about your own world! It's mostly been about mine." You stated. "I also want to know what your planet is like! What's it like living on a world full of factions and people with superpowers or advanced technology? What's different about your world? How does it feel to know that super powers exist?! Oooohh~! So many things I want to ask you as well!" You grinned at some questions that passed though your mind. "Well, maybe if we go out to eat or have some time while shopping, I'll gladly tell you about my own home too. It's only fair." Flug responded, his eyes beaming happiness through his goggles. You bounced on your heels in excitement. "And just think! We're both the very first people to talk to other intelligent, and friendly, alien life! My world may have some action or drama every now and then, but your planet is beaming with so many new things! Different physics, geography, and even culture! We might even be the first ever people to contact life outside of our own planets!" Your eyes grew so wide, Flug could swear that they sparkled. "We can keep notes of each other! To take back home! Then I can show my cryptid-believing friend that I was right! Aliens WERE the right way to go!" You flailed a little in your excitement. "Maybe I can take back some evidence? Like a miniature ray gun? That'll show e'm I'm not a liar! I would have evidence that couldn't be denied! Utterly irrefutable!" You squealed. Flug couldn't help but chuckle at your nerding out episode. He could feel his own heart racing as he observed your escapade.

But, he knew why. Your excitement was becoming infectious. He couldn't blame you personally. The excitement of meeting someone from another planet was coursing through his veins as well. He was still curious of many things. Some that he hoped you held the answer to.

What technology did your planet hold? How do your people do things without any heroes? Without any superpowers? How does your race survive as a species?

Was the evolutionary route different? Or was something else at play here?

Even now, he can't wait until later to get back to studying the blood sample he took from you. He feels like there's something special about your blood. Maybe it could hold the secret to your evolutionary branch? He didn't know what yet, but he'll get there. That's why he's studying it, of course! He is a scientist and an inventor.

And he is excellent at what he does. "Well, I'm gonna hit the bathroom and clean up." You said, calming down from your high. Flug snapped out of his thoughts. "Oh! Really?" "Yeah." You nodded. "I'm gonna find 5.0.5 and see if he can wash my clothes while I clean up." You said, walking away from the sink and heading to the lab entrance. "See ya later, Flug! Take care!" You waved, exiting the lab. Flug just waved slightly as you left an continued to work on the gamma ray gun. His project, while still incomplete and untested, was close to it's final stages. Soon, he'll get his spare time to study the unique blood sample. -- The only sound that stated life was present in the pristine and elegant bathroom was the sound of the faucet turning on within the bath-shower hybrid tub. Warm water rushed out of the spout, coating your skin in warmth and gave you a soothing feeling of relaxation. You sighed as you rubbed your scalp clear of excess oils and loose hairs. It felt like paradise. Just letting the water run down your skin and into the drain. You weren't really a single-type of washing preference person. You would take showers some days and baths on others. Usually, it mostly depends if you need to shave or relax. Sometimes, you didn't even have a choice. It was either one or the other most of the time. Not that you complained. You are mostly glad to get cleaned in the end. You lathered up a rag with some soap, which had a nice fragrance, to cleanse your body with. While you did this, you let your mind wonder. Tomorrow was presentation day. The day of the catalog photo shoot. Which will be preformed and used to show off your creations. You honestly don't think you'll be present for the shoot. It'll probably be handled by Black Hat and Flug mostly anyway. You're more concerned with the world that you will get to explore tomorrow when you go run errands with Flug. You sighed, letting the foamy lather wash off of your skin as you put some shampoo in your hand. I mean, there are some concerns you have about going out into the city. What if people notice your differences like Dementia and Flug did? I mean, even Black Hat probably picked up on your strange appearances! What if you turn too many heads and make Flug uncomfortable? What if you and him get separated? Just...what if? You rubbed your arms, suddenly feeling something attached to one of them. You looked over and saw the bandage from last night. Still clinging to your arm and covering a wound that had stopped bleeding a long time ago. Steadily, you peeled it off of your skin and opened the door to the hybrid. Depositing the bandage into the bin that wasn't too far from the door and closed the hybrid door back. You rinsed your head clear of foam as you walked back under the flowing water. Pressing your forehead to the wall, you sighed. '(Name)...we talked about this. Everything is going to be fine! No need to stress yourself. Besides! Who cares about that worrisome stuff? Just throw those thoughts away like that used bandage. It's a whole new world!' You then paused and blinked to yourself. Then, you allowed a smug look to cross your face as an idea popped into your head. "I can show you the world~, shining, shimmering, splendid~" "Now, tell me princess, when did you last let your heart decide~?" You sang, albeit softly. Laughing lightly. You kept singing in a low volume, letting the motion of your hands and body fit your own personal imaginings. It was silly to sing in the shower, but with the stress that you have faced in the last 24 hours, you might as well sing heavy metal songs at the top of your voice. Just to release the tension. But, Black Hat would have your head if you did that. Dementia did say that she played guitar when she came rushing into the kitchen at lunch, apparently overhearing your talent-associated conversation with Flug. You would like to see her preform sometime. You bet she would play like a punk-rockstar. Seeing as she shared similarities to said-genre when one looks at her outfit. So, it would probably be safe. Probably. You hummed the chorus of the song playing in your head, letting your imagination drift as you rinsed the conditioning out of your hair. "A whole new world~" "A hundred thousand things to see~!" You sung, finishing up your cleaning session and preparing yourself to get out of the stream of water. By the time you finished the song, you had stepped out of the bath-shower hybrid and are currently drying off with a large and fluffy rose red towel. You hummed as you finished brushing out your hair to the beat of the final tunes in your head. Rising your mouth out with gargle, you still did not have a toothbrush, and spat it into the sink. You sighed peacefully. Cleaned, freshened up, and with the towel wrapped securely around yourself, you prepared to leave the refuge of the bathroom. Singing did help a little. It was mostly just a personal relief valve for you. You're not the best singer, but practicing during the times when you were alone sure did give you a decent pair of pipes. You unlocked the door and headed out into the hallway. Only to be surprised by a startled shout. When you looked over, you saw your boss, Black Hat. He was just standing there across from you, stiff like a statue. "Oh. Hey, boss." You greeted. -- Black was NOT expecting this. He was just on his way to 'check up' on Flug and you to see how progress was coming along, only to hear a door open and had himself become visually assaulted by nudity! Black Hat was standing in horror-filled surprise as you stood there in the hall with nothing but a large fluffy red towel to cover yourself and wet hair sticking to your skin. Without warning him, no less! "Why are you out wondering the halls dressed like that?!" Black Hat screeched. "...Because I just got out of the shower?" You replied, nonchalantly. "That doesn't excuse this large amount of indecency! This is a business! Not your personal home!" Black Hat scowled. Okay, now you're just getting mad at this bastards' accusatory tone. Whoa! Whoa! Slow down, (Name)! Two negatives don't make a positive! You took a steady breath to calm yourself and kept your face and body relaxed. You know he hates that. "I got some engine grease on my pajamas while working. Those, being the only clothes that I brought with me and that fit me, are in the wash." You explained. "That reminds me!" You exclaimed. "Have you seen 5.0.5 around? He probably has my clothes ready." You muttered, placing a finger on your chin. "No! I haven't! Just...for evils' sake! Follow me!" He growled. You looked at him in confusion, but followed anyway. It took a few minutes, until he opened a door to a bedroom. It had a goth-like theme to it, like the rest of the house. Yet, the bed looked like something fit for a mansion! It was a deep red color, with a few mixtures of dull grays and blacks. The blankets also had top hat prints on them. Which was a trend around this manor, as you seemed to notice a lot of things that had to do with top hats or had designs of top hats on them. Like the wallpaper for instance. You suspect that Black Hat literally has an obsession with the object. It also had a canopy with curtains that could be pulled or adjusted to your liking. Plenty of pillows and comfortable-looking blankets. You let out a whistle. "Nice room. Who does it belong to?" You asked. Black Hat just looked over and rolled his one visible eye. "This is YOUR room, you imbecile. This will serve as your room until you eventually leave." Black Hat stated. "Oh! Sweet!" You gaped. "Thanks, boss!" You smiled at him. "Stop smiling at me." Black Hat warned. You would'ave frowned at him in a huff if you didn't feel a nudge on your arm. You turned to see 5.0.5 behind you, big adorable eyes and all, as he was holding a neatly folded pair of alien and UFO pajamas out to you. You smiled brightly at the return of your favorite clothes. Using one hand, you fetched the clothes from his paws and opened the top to see, to your relief, that the grease stain was gone completely. You passed the clothes over to your hand that was holding the towel up. "Ah! Thanks 5.0.5! You managed to get that nasty stain out and saved my favorite shirt! You're such a good bear!" You rubbed 5.0.5's head affectionately with your free hand, as the bear rubbed its' own head into your palm. Loving the friendly attention you were giving him. The clearing of a throat broke the good mood like glass. Oh, right. Your boss was still here. You looked over to Black Hat with your eyebrow raised. "What? Do you want to be petted too?" You smirked. "Got two hands for the job!" You couldn't help but laugh at Black Hat's deadpan expression. "Oh, come now, boss! I'm just being silly." "More like stupidly childish." He grunted. "I'm taking my leave, get dressed, we have a big day tomorrow. Come 5.0.5!" Black Hat snarled, causing the bear to whimper. Black Hat reached the door and waited for 5.0.5 to scurry on by him. But, before he could close the door, you called out to him. "What?! Can't you see I'm busy?!" He snapped. You didn't let that get you down nor stop what you were going to say, you just grinned at him lazily. "Thanks again, boss! I'm grateful for your hospitality!" You thanked. Black Hat just snorted. "You should be." Before closing the door, albeit a little too loudly for your liking. You laughed. Yep, he hates the lazy smile. "Goodnight, boss!" You called out to the fading footsteps out in the hall. You then prepared the bed and changed into your alien-themed clothes once more. Pulling back the covers and worming your way underneath the blankets. It was as soft and as pleasant as you imagined it. Like sleeping on a cloud. That could possibly be the back pain from working hunched over a workbench all day talking, but you didn't care. You adjusted the covers slightly, turned out the light on the nightstand by the bed, and rolled over as a welcoming gloomy darkness fell over the room. Yet, it was not completely dark. The lights from the suburban streets outside lit a fairly decent amount of the room. A calm mixture of pale and dark lights. It felt like you were in a hotel room. Just like the ones you used to stop and sleep in on the way to your final destination on a road trip. You yawned and rolled over. You wouldn't be lying if you said you weren't homesick. But, everyone feels like this when they travel. You're probably the first person to travel farther than any other human being from your planet. Farther than any astronaut has, anyway. Neil Armstrong can eat his heart out. You chuckled to yourself. That's just what this is. A long vacation. Then, you'll go back with an alien souvenir and make your mark on the great wall of human history. Ha! That will show your cryptid-believing friend! Bigfoot is fake and aliens are real! You then closed your eyes to that thought and slowly drifted off to sleep. Silently preparing for another day of adventure. -- A sudden beam of light incinerated a wooden target that was set up in the lab for testing purposes. Flug held the gun with accurate skill, as he was currently taking notes on what needed to be tweaked tomorrow morning before the presentation. He muttered a couple of math fractions underneath his breath. Testing was a delicate process. As one malfunction could injure a client and give them a bad rep, or show a faulty product that Black Hat will have his head over. So far, everything worked out. The machine fired and didn't shoot off into random directions, which was great. It even hit the desired target. Which was also great. Flug sat the weapon down as he decided to call it quits for tonight. Turning the machine off and he began to clean his station, until the lab door opened. He turned around expecting you to return from your shower, but was instantly put on edge when it was Black Hat instead. "A-AH! Black Hat, s-sir! I didn't expect you t-to come down here so late! I was expecting it to be (Name)!" Flug scrambled to make himself stand to attention. Black Hat merely raise a brow at the spectacle. "(Name) went to bed in their assigned room." Black Hat said, bluntly. "O-oh." Flug muttered, nervously shifting on his feet. "How's the gamma rays' progress coming along?" Black Hat questioned. "It's m-mostly done. Just a few tweaks in the morning a-and it'll be ready!" Flug replied. Black Hat nodded, apparently pleased. "And (Name)'s progress?" He asked. "Well, they m-made about 34 spybots today. They said that t-they'll finish the rest in the morning." Flug stated, nervously rubbing and grabbing his arm out of habit. Black Hat frowned a little at that. "They need to pick up the pace if they are going to reach the deadlines in time." Black Hat hummed. Flug nodded and swallowed his anxious fears to ask Black Hat about (Name)'s apparent clothes situation. "Black Hat, if you don't mind me...uh, asking this." This caught Black Hat's attention. "But, (Name) is in need of a few outfits if they are going to be staying here for a while." Flug explained. "So. I need to ask you, if they can come with me into the city while I run my weekly errands and purchase some clothes for them." Flug said. It was silent for a few moments, putting Flug on edge for a bit. "....Fine." Black Hat caved. Flug sighed in relief. "BUT." Black Hat paused. "They can only have three outfits. Other necessities, like undergarments, don't count." Black Hat stated. "If they are going to get some, they can only choose three." Flug was flabbergasted. "B-But, why only three, sir?" Flug stuttered. "They got under my skin tonight, they're taking this as a lesser form of punishment. Only three outfits! No more, no less." Black Hat shrugged. Flug couldn't really deny Black Hat. "Understood, sir." Flug submitted. Black Hat then began to walk back to the exit of the lab, right before turning around and looking at Flug. "Don't stay up too late, Flug. It's presentation day tomorrow. Get out of the lab, get cleaned up, and go sleep in your actual room. Do not fall asleep in the lab cot this time." He warned, then departed. Flug gave out a heavy sigh. He was afraid that Black Hat would say something along that line. He looked over toward the fridge where the vile of your blood was being kept. He guessed that the testing will have to wait for some other time then. Just when he's not so busy. Flug fixed up his station and headed toward the lab door. Turning off the lights and exiting the lab. Leaving the dark rooms' machines to hum and beep all through the night. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next> <Previous ~First~