Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Mimic

1 AM, JANUARY 1, 2025

Grian… just had the worst month of his life. He was tormented, every part of him broken by his captors, his wings plucked, clipped, and damaged all over. Things would never be the same again. But, it was over. He was out, he was free. And finally, finally, he was able to see him again.

Scar

If it wasn’t for his boyfriend’s presence right next to him on the couch, he would already have passed out long ago. He wanted nothing more than to look at Scar for all eternity— look at his beautiful green eyes, even if his body screamed to go to sleep, to rest, he just wanted to be with him. 

After he got home, he cleaned himself up a bit— took a shower, his first in weeks, changed into pajamas, and got some of his more open wounds bandaged. Scar placed a temporary splint over his broken arm, under the vet’s guidance. It would need to be swapped to something more sturdy soon, but it was better than nothing. 

His boyfriend looked over to him and frowned, concern building on his face as he studied the vet’s condition. Without warning, he was picked up, held close to Scar’s chest. As always, his boyfriend was careful not to bother his wings or broken arm. Gosh, he was so sweet. He was brought to their bedroom and set down on the bed. Scar climbed in next to him, pulling the blanket over the pair. He wrapped his arms around the vet’s waist, pushing Grian’s wings behind him, out of the way, and pulling him closer.

His eyes started to drift off— it was too much effort to keep them open anymore. Scar noticed, giving him a quick peck on the forehead. His boyfriend quietly whispered, “Sleep well, Grian,” as he ruffled the vet’s hair. He responded with a happy murmur, far too deep into unconsciousness to respond any more.

Grian normally had very groggy dreams. Confusing, and meaningless. This one was different. A fever had begun creeping in, the heat reaching him inside his mind, but despite this, it didn’t feel like a fever dream. It was shockingly clear. 

He was sitting at a park, empty aside from him and the Bamboozlers. They sat around on a picnic blanket— Jimmy had just left to get them a pizza, Scar was petting Meri, Lizzie was making them all flower crowns— just happiness all around. It had been so long since they’d been allowed to just relax. 

Jimmy dropped the pizza on the floor when he returned. Meri started to eat it, so Grian had to drag the dog away— he didn’t want her getting sick. It took a lot of effort, but he managed to stop her, so he brought the pooch over to Lizzie. Once he let the dog go, he sat down next to Lizzie. Trying to reassure her, he grabbed onto Lizzie’s hand and squeezed tightly. The moment he did so, he got a terrible headache. Pink butterflies flashed in his vision, disorienting him and knocking him to the ground, before everything went dark.

He wasn’t sure how long he stayed in that void, but he was relieved when he opened his eyes to see his own bedroom. He felt sluggish, like his brain was filled with mud, and his energy was still completely sapped. Other than that, however, his injuries weren’t bothering him so much anymore. He had an IV in his arm, so they might have just given him some morphine. He would need further examination, but for now, recovery seemed to be going well. 

It was then that he noticed another figure sitting on the edge of the bed next to him, his back turned. His vision was still groggy, but he knew that man without needing any more detail. “Scar?”

His boyfriend turned to him, pointed ears rising with the corners of his mouth, “Grian! You’re awake!” He sighed, “We were worried you might never wake up again—I did the IV according to Jimmy’s instructions, and according to the internet’s instruction, but we weren’t certain anything we were doing was correct, and we couldn’t exactly take you to the hospital, and—”

“Scar. It’s okay.” He examined the IV a bit more closely. “You did it correctly—good job. Are you sure you haven’t done this before?”

When he tried to move out of bed, however, his boyfriend leaped up in panic to stop him. “No, don’t move! It’ll make your injuries worse—just stay here! I made you some breakfast—let me go get it.”

He decided to humor his boyfriend and laid down again. Even though he felt much better, any reasonable medical professional, himself included, would have agreed with Scar’s sentiment. Better not to exacerbate the injury, especially when on as many painkillers as they must have given him. While he waited, two small felines decided to hop up to join him—Pearl and Maui. They snuggled in next to him, while he used his uninjured arm to alternate petting each. They clearly missed him, and they were purring louder than ever. 

When Scar finally returned, it was with a few small pancakes and a glass of water, along with utensils. He set the food down on the bedside table, then moved both cats off the bed. He sat down in their place, grabbing the plate, and cutting them up into small pieces. His boyfriend stabbed a fork into one, and brought it to Grian's mouth. He didn’t feel hungry at first, but the smell soon made his mouth water and stomach grumble. He accepted the food and was then offered some water. After he had swallowed, Scar brought another piece, and they repeated until all the food was gone.

Something like soup might’ve been better for illness, but pancakes were tasty, and he was feeling decent enough to eat them instead. It was far simpler than Scar’s usual cooking, but it was the most delicious thing—actually, the only thing—he had tasted in days. He felt his eyes forming a few tears, so he wiped them away with his sleeve. 

Scar looked concerned and asked, “Is something wrong? Why are you crying?”

The vet shook his head, smiling. “No, these are happy tears. I just… haven’t had anything this good in a long time. It made me feel emotional, that’s all.” Relief flooded his boyfriend’s face, who then decided to wrap him in a giant hug. The vet was pulled into Scar’s chest.

God, he looked so beautiful. It had been so long without each other, and now that they were together, he couldn’t stop staring. The way his eyes were glistening in the sunlight, the way his mouth curved. It was so handsome. The vet leaned in, but before his lips could connect with Scar’s, the door slammed open. 

The intruders were none other than the remaining bamboozlers. They threw themselves on top of the couple as fast as they could, maneuvering each other to both be close to the vet, but not touching him. With the amount of wings so close together, it wasn’t exactly easy not to hit someone, but they did their best. Scar coughed out some weak protests, but neither listened.

Lizzie burst out before either could react, “Grian! You’re awake! I brought in more IVs, and Jimmy brought things for a cast. He said that since the wings aren’t broken, we just need to take care of them, but we’re still not sure what to do about the broken rib.”

“Broken ribs just need to be left undisturbed, so as long as I don’t strain it, it should repair on it’s own” The vet replied, smiling “It’s much better already—it should still be monitored, as a precaution, but I’m not sure if it’s even noticeably broken anymore”

Jimmy’s eyes went wide, canary wings fluffing out behind him, “Mate—are you sure? I’m not a doctor, but I do know some basic first aid, and from what I know, it should not be healing that fast”

“I mean, he was out for two days” Lizzie readjusted her seating on the bed, not particularly concerned “Maybe he was just spending his time healing up those wounds.”

Grian took a pause. “Two days? I was out for two days?”

Scar nodded “Yeah, you fell asleep in the late evening two days ago. It’s the fourth of January, and close to noon. We took shifts to take care of you, just like you did when I was sick.” He could clearly see the panic on Grian’s face, since he added “We have you back now, that’s all that matters in this moment. The G’s will pay for what they have done, but your safety comes first.” He gave his boyfriend a light peck on the cheek, turning his checks red. 

Lizzie propped herself up on her elbows, fairy wings glistening in the afternoon light, a teasing, but loving tone in her voice “Aww, you’re finally back with your boyfriend! You two are soo cute together~” Both members of the couple flushed beet red, and Jimmy let out a chuckle.

Grian cleared his throat, and tried to shake off the embarrassment “Alright, alright, no need to dwell on it. So, how have things gone as supervillains? Any new plans?”

Scar lit up, his ears and mouth twisting up to a smile “Now that you mention it, we do have some plans! We should head to the living room for this.” Jimmy and Lizzie wasted no time in bolting out the door, while Scar stayed behind, saying “It might be difficult for you to walk right now, so I’ll carry you,” before scooping the vet into his arms. He left, carrying the vet close to his chest, rolling his IV behind them.

It pained him to admit this, but Scar was right. It would be impossible for him to stay steady enough to not bump into anything, and he’s not even certain if he can walk right now. It would be better for him—and all of the bamboozlers—in the long run to take it slow right now. Scar set him down in a chair, where a map of the city and various floors of the Agency’s HQ were sprawled out on the table, overlapping in a way designed to not hide any important information.

Scar sat down in the chair across from him, planting his hands on the table. “The plan is revenge, plain and simple. Those G’s absolutely cannot get away with hurting Grian like that. Their arrogance has gone too far. I have been collecting data on all of them—their tactics, how their powers work, and especially where they live. I’ve destroyed Daybreak—or, shall I say, Pearl’s house already, but I don’t have where the other four live.” He paused, anger reflected in his face and voice, “Every bit that they hurt Grian, I will hurt them a hundred—no, a thousand times more. Eventually, we will kill them—but first, I need to make them know just how little I am messing around. I’m not going to hold any punches.”

He looked over to Grian, and his face softened. He put his hand out, and the vet did likewise, lacing their fingers together “G, I know that you don’t like killing. I know you can’t bear the thought of us being murderers. I know you want us to be gentle, to be merciful. I know. But please, Grian, after what they have done to you, I can’t just let them go. Please, just this once, don’t try to stop me”

His boyfriend sounded guilty. Like this was some unforgivable crime, something he needs to feel ashamed of for wanting. As though he didn’t already experience far, far worse than just knowing his friends had done some crimes. 

Grian took a deep breath in, steeling his resolve “I won’t stop you.”

“What?”

“Truthfully, I want the same thing. Maybe when they had first kidnapped me, maybe then I would have felt some level of mercy. But after I learned of their true plans… I can’t say I have an ounce of sympathy for them, and I can’t say I would feel much regret about their deaths”

Jimmy’s face was a mixture of surprise and confusion, with a bit of dread “Their plans? What in the world could the G’s have planned that would make you—the guy always preaching that no matter how evil, everyone deserved a chance at life—have no qualms about murder?”

The vet looked down. He swallowed his nerves, and then answered “You won’t like it—you really won’t. But you have to hear this. First, as I’m sure you all know, they were torturing me. I had tried to escape during my time there, when they had Werewolf come in disguised as Scar. He wasn’t really Scar, but he tried to help me escape. However, it failed—they mind controlled him to leave, and they drugged me to sleep for several days. When I awoke, I was near death—so close, in fact, that they had no qualms with discussing any and all of their classified information right in front of me”

He felt bile rise in his throat, which he bit back. “The G’s plan was to torture me, making me look as bad as I possibly could, and then to kill me. They would use me as bait to lure you three in, then frame you for my murder and use it as justification to kill all three of you. They wanted it slow, and painful. Your plan is almost too merciful in comparison.”

Lizzie was pale, shakily asking, “But why? Why go to such great lengths to kill us?”

“They wanted to quit the agency.”

Fury bled into Scar’s voice as he said “Seriously? A reason just like that? Because they don’t like their job, that’s enough to torture you? Our doctor? That’s enough to poison me? To break every agency code in the book? Just to quit?” He paused, seething. “Their arrogance disgusts me.”

They all sat in silence for a bit. 

“So yes, I’m okay with killing the G’s”

Scar nodded, a new fire lighting his beautiful emerald eyes “So, we’re going to plan a heist on the Agency and their hero files. We take the G’s information, and use it to get revenge. We won’t go out of our way to target other heroes, but we will fight them if we need to. Our focus must remain the G’s, however. Sound good?”

The rest nodded their heads in silent agreement. Scar gave a smug smile, “Those G’s won’t know what hit ‘em. Alright everyone, planning’s over.” He rolled the maps away, putting them in a box next to the table. 

“Joel’s finally home, and he’s making dinner—I’ll be back tomorrow!” Lizzie shut the door behind her. Heros had to work long hours with little break, especially when the G’s were out of commission. A break like that was a rarity—one that must be enjoyed. 

“Hey, Jimmy, do you think you could get me that cast you brought in earlier?” Without waiting for a reply, Scar added on, “Thanks a bunch!”

He waited for Jimmy to leave, and then picked up Grian, carefully, and moved him to the couch. After his boyfriend was in place, he gave him a small, brief, kiss on the cheek, chuckling as the wings on the vet’s head fluffed up. “I’m so happy you’re back. I don’t know what I would do without you”

“Kill somebody, probably” 

Scar gave a big laugh at that, his eyes crinkling up “You aren’t wrong. I’m going to check your wounds now, if that’s okay with you” The vet nodded in agreement.

He lifted Grian’s shirt up over his head, and gasped “Your bruise! I can barely see it—it really did heal! And the cut on your neck is looking much better—the scar will be gone in a day or two. The arm with the shock is trembling less, which is another improvement. Your wings are still looking a little worse for wear, though—mind if I preen them”

He didn’t mind, and so Scar swapped to his back, fluffing out his wings. “Most of the larger feathers will repair soon, I’ll just remove some of the broken smaller feathers at the top. Tell me if this hurts, okay?” He plucked out a feather from the top—it didn’t really hurt much, but the vet still winced. His boyfriend paused, stroking his shoulder until Grian calmed down. He plucked a couple other broken feathers, and shifted around a few more. It felt calm, relaxing.

Jimmy came back with the cast once Scar was done preening his wings. Grian decided to direct his boyfriend through applying it, to ensure there were no troubles. He moved with surprising skill. “Are you sure you have no medical experience? You’ve done an excellent job so far”

“We used to patch up our own wounds, so it shouldn’t be that surprising. Plus, just watching you has taught me a lot, Doctor.” Grian blushed a bit at the nickname.

Jimmy studied the vet’s injuries for a moment “You weren’t kidding when you said these were healing well. That’s good to see.” He lifted his watch to his face, checking the time. His eyes widened when he saw it “Oh shoot! It’s getting late, gotta go! I’ll be back tomorrow—Tango’s home!”

He left without waiting for either to reply, a stupid grin on his face. Grian and Scar were, therefore, left alone. Scar got up to grab a blanket for the two, and sat down next to Grian when he returned, draping the blanket over them. The vet snuggled closer to his boyfriend, laying his head on the other’s chest. “I wish we could stay like this forever”

“Me too, Grian. Me too.”

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6 PM, DECEMBER 26, 2024

Gem was doing great. Their workload was lower than it usually was after the G’s “mysterious absence.” She was getting ready for patrol, seated at her mirror, and had just gotten into her hero costume. She had chosen a different hairstyle today, threading a variety of flowers into a crown braid at the top of her head, weaved around her antlers. The rest of her hair was left free-flowing down her back. She was quite proud of it, just applying the finishing touches when Joel, who had just gotten into costume, entered. She turned to look at him “What do you need?”

He avoided eye contact, rubbing his hand against his hair sheepishly “I have something important to tell you. Please, just listen to me fully before you make a decision— I have reasons, good ones! Please don’t just get mad at me.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Mad? Why would I be mad?” She moved to turn the whole chair towards him, crossing her arms before “Well, then, lets hear it”

He began to fidget with his hands, and the side of his cloak. He seemed really determined to not meet her face, taking several heavy breaths before speaking. Finally, he spoke “I… have a girlfriend.”

Gem’s face lit up, her lips curving up into a giant smile, her voice rising with glee. “Really? Why haven’t you told me yet!” She leaped out of her seat, wrapping her arms around Joel in a giant bear hug,  “This is amazing news, why would I be mad!” Her voice grew more teasing as she added “Soooo, when do I get to meet her?”

He turned paler, and tried to pull away a bit from the hug, looking towards the floor. “You’ve… already met her. The reason you might hate it isn’t that I have a girlfriend” He paused for a moment, taking a breath “It’s that my girlfriend is the Bamboozler, Eclipse”

She blinked a couple times, letting go of the man’s torso, trying to process it. He was dating Eclipse? Like, the villain we’ve been hunting for months, Eclipse? Like, one of the most wanted supervillains in the city, Eclipse? Her?

Gem took a deep breath. She shouldn’t make a decision on this too quickly. He told her to let him explain himself. Maybe he did have a good reason— It was worth it to at least hear him out.

“Explain”

He shoved his hands into his pockets, sweat dripping from his brow, “Well, the two of us started dating over a year ago.” Her brows furrowed, causing him to panic, “It’s not just you! The other Bamboozler’s didn’t know we were dating until recently either! We’ve both been keeping this a secret! Please, she’s not who you thinks he is—she’s sweet, she loves pets—we adopted a dog together a few months ago—and baked goods, and she’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever met, and she’s so cool and awesome! She’s not just a villain, she’s more than that—she’s a person! She hasn’t even killed anyone in the last few months— none of the Bamboozlers have! They’ve barely done anything villainous recently!”

Gem had noticed that the Bamboozler’s had stopped, but she had brushed it off as just a coincidence. They were taking long breaks, for weeks at a time, where they didn’t do anything at all. She had supposed that they just weren’t reporting it, or that they were planning something bigger. If the trio truly had become better people, though… than maybe Eclipse dating Joel—a man who might as well have been her brother— wasn’t so bad. 

She couldn’t get ahead of herself. She tried to show as little emotion, as little hope as she could—though some surely slipped through— when she asked, “Is there a reason they’ve stopped killling?” 

“Yes! Yes, there is!” He seemed encouraged by Gem’s tone shifting from hostility to neutrality, and went on “I don’t know all the specifics, since knowing the other Bamboozler’s real identities could become a problem, but apparently, the group recently found a medic—a civilian medic. This doctor and Ringmaster started dating at some point, and the whole trio was taken with him. He greatly opposed murder, as most civilains do, so the group all went out of their way to avoid killing or any needless death. Originally, I think, they stopped just to get him to continue helping—it can’t have been easy to find a doctor who will treat criminals of their nature—but later on, it was more so that they wouldn’t upset their friend. From what I’ve heard, he made it very clear that he didn’t want anyone dying, hero, villain, or civilian."

A small chuckle left her, “Well, that’s always a good thing. I, for one, would not like either of us to date a murderer.”

He smiled “Good news— I’m not! So… you’re cool with the whole me-dating-Eclipse thing?”

She sighed. “Mostly. I’ll have to talk with her, not as an enemy, but as a potential sister-in-law, but I suppose I can let this slide if she is truly like you say” It wasn’t like she could exactly stop him anyway— and she didn’t really want to, not when it made him this happy.

“Great!” Joel’s grin faded almost as soon as it had appeared, his face taking on a much more serious expression “Then, I guess I can explain the true reason I’m telling you this right now”

“Which is?”

“You know that doctor I just told you about? The guy stopping needless death? The one doing nothing but good? He’s missing— and not just that, he was kidnapped. The G’s are torturing him, and I need your help to rescue him, that way the Bamboozlers don’t decide to develop a sudden lust for blood again. Please, Gem, I need your help”

She wanted to decline. A normal person would have declined. A sensible, law-abiding hero would have declined. It would be so much ceasier, in every way, to decline. But she couldn’t. Even if the law said it was wrong— she needed to do what was truly right. Any true hero, a proper role model, one worth looking up to, would do the right thing no matter what any government, what society, or what anyone thinks of them. A true hero does what’s right. 

She took a deep breath in, mustering all her determination. It was now or never—she needed to choose the laws, or choose her morals. Even if it might land her in trouble, she needed to live with a purpose. She spoke, the words slipping off her tongue effortlessly, “I’ll do it. Tell me what I need to do.”

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11 PM, DECEMBER 27, 2024

Gem walked up to the rooftop, along with Joel, late at night, where she was to meet up with the Bamboozler’s to determine the plan to save their doctor. Now, she was never particularly fond of villains… but an innocent’s life is at stake here, so this hero has to step out of her comfort zone a little.

Eclipse, the Bamboozler Joel was dating, had been there already. She clearly hadn’t been waiting very long, however, as she had just put her grappling hook away. She waved to the pair and walked over to greet them “Hello you two! Slayer, I assume that you being here means that you’re fine with me and Joel’s relationship?”

Gem crossed her arms, and sighed, “Well, it’s not my favorite, but I can deal with it. So long as you two are genuinely happy together, I’m cool with it.”

Boogeyman and Ringmaster had just arrived, grappling up to the other side of the roof before coming over to join them. Eclipse smiled, and clasped her hands together “Well, we certainly are happy, so that’s good news! And, as for our doctor—”

“Yeah, I’m going to help rescue him, too. I might not approve of villainy—under normal conditions, I might ask him to stop and return to his normal life… He seems to be the person stopping you all from killing. Even if he wasn’t, he’s a civilian. True heroes would never stoop so low as to kidnap and torture even the worst villain, let alone doing that to an innocent civillian. So what if he treats the injuries of some criminals? It doesn’t mean he deserves any more than a stern talking to. Playing dirty is never the way to go.” She paused for a moment, letting her words sink in “However—I will be asking for something in return.”

Eclipse scoffed “I’m not letting you arrest us, if that’s what you’re asking for”

The hero chuckled, “No, I don’t want anything like that.” She grew more serious and solemn as she said “My little brother—Grian—he went missing over a week ago. I just want you to keep a lookout for him—if you hear that another villain group has taken him, or anything about his whereabouts, please tell me. I’m growing more and more worried, since, in all honesty, he’s a little bit pathetic, and he has a remarkable talent for getting into trouble.” 

The trio of Bamboozlers paled. There was a long beat of silence, hanging heavily in the air. Finally, Ringmaster spoke, a nervous edge to his modulated voice, “You said that your brother’s name is… Grian? Is that right?”

She nodded “Yes, that’s him. He’s a vet, about 6 years younger than me—short, fluffy brown hair, scarlet macaw wings, wears sweaters a lot when off the clock?” She grew hopeful as she added “Have you seen him?”

Ringmaster inhaled, and asked another question “Your brother, Grian… does he know who you are? That you’re the hero, Slayer?”

Gem shook her head “No, I wanted to keep him safe. He’s never been interested in fame, or great at dealing with people. If someone found out about him, paparazzi might swarm him to try to find out about me, and he might be targeted by villains in order to hurt me. I wouldn’t want to do that to him, so I kept him in the dark.”

The three looked even more concerned, almost sickened. They huddled together into a circle, and began to discuss something. Unfortunately, their voices were too quiet for Gem to make out what they were saying.

They dispersed a bit later, and Ringmaster cleared his throat to speak “So, Slayer. We have good news, and we have bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?”

“Uhm… Can I have the good news first, please?”

“The good news is that we know who your brother is, and who has him”

She was hesitant to ask for anything more. She didn’t want to hear what they had to say. It couldn’t be good. Still, she asked anyway, “And the bad news is?”

Ringmaster took in a deep breath, leveling himself “The bad news… is that he’s our missing doctor.”

Gem’s pulse raced, and she felt a fire rise through her body. She took no effort to hide her emotions, not caring about how anyone around her would react. The only family that she had left was Grian. And he was being tortured? Just because of his connection to these Bamboozlers? Just because he has empathy? Just because he, like her, can’t sit by and let people be harmed? 

Instead of arresting her brother, like any normal hero, like any person would do, or just letting him be, they chose torture? Grian? Seriously? Of all the people, they choose to torture him? How dare they. Wasting their good name as heros, and putting more work onto Joel and Gem’s plate, just so they can hurt her loved ones? They absolutely cannot get away with this. She was not at all pleased with their behavior, and she needed to give them a piece of her mind.

Worst of all, Pearl was involved. Gem had been dating her for around two months, and she talked about her family just as much as Pearl talked about her dogs. She knew, absolutely knew, that Grian was her brother. It isn’t exactly a common name. And Pearl knew just how much she cares for her family, how important they are to her, she knew all of it. And yet, she’s torturing him? 

Instead of going “Oh, hey Gem, I hear your brother is treating the Bamboozlers, could you get him to stop?” she just tortures him? No informing Gem about this, nope, just going to make her worry her head off while being swamped with work because they are slacking off in their jobs and torturing Grian. She just decided to betray her girlfriend like this?

She spoke, anger radiating in her tone, a growl in her voice “If they think that they can hurt my family and get away with it, they’re dead wrong. I’m in.”

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3 PM, JANUARY 7, 2025

It had been nearly a week since Grian had been rescued. About a week since he was back with all his friends again. About a week since he was safe. 

He was alone, Scar having left a half hour ago to get ingredients. So, he had time to think a bit about his current state. For a few days now, his hands have been tingling. It felt like something was itching within his veins, something other than blood. As time went on, his whole body started to tingle. It grew more and more intense every day, light but ever present. 

The shift to his dreams had also continued. Last night, he dreamed that he was trying to do a stealth mission with Jimmy. It didn’t make it clear why he was helping, since the other man should have been plenty capable on his own, but he was nonetheless. 

And again, the moment he touched another person’s hand, it shifted into absurdity. When he touched Jimmy’s hand, his dream-mind disembodied itself. Nothing he could do would impact it anymore, even though he could control it perfectly before.

He supposed it was just delusions brought about by the torture, and tried not to think about it. If it was anything else, that would just breed trouble. The dreams might have some connection with the tingling he was feeling, since as that got worse, so too did the dreams grow more strange.

Other than those oddities, however, his recovery was going miraculously. It was almost too good to be true with how bad his injuries were. It didn’t feel natural, or normal, in any way. He expected to have to stay in bed for weeks. It would have taken him months or years, if not his whole life, to have proper enough control in his hands to return to being a vet. He did not expect a broken arm to feel like a mild sprain in less than a week—especially without any sort of doctor treating him.

His eating was also much more normal. His portion sizes were still small, but he could stomach foods of nearly any kind. Again, a much too fast recovery for how bad his situation was. Scar, likewise, was recovering strangely well, but his boyfriend didn’t seem bothered by it in the slightest. He kept joking around and saying that “true love's kiss” was healing him—Grian wouldn’t even be surprised at this point, with all the bizarre situations happening lately, if that really was possible. If his body could ignore all regular recovery schedules, then who knows what else could happen? Maybe tomorrow, he’d wake up to Jellie speaking fluent English. 

He sighed. It wasn’t worth trying to reason around what was happening. He didn’t have enough information—not about the cause, the real effects, or anything, really. He just had a lot of time to kill nowadays. Luckily, a distraction came around. The doorbell rang—Scar had arrived home.

Grian walked to their front door, waiting for Scar to open it, waiting to give him a kiss. When the door opened, however, it wasn’t just Scar awaiting him. His sister, Gem—who he recently learned also happens to be Slayer, a fact she hid from him for years, was also at the door. Both of them walked inside, his boyfriend heading to the kitchen to put things away. His sister, meanwhile, looked absolutely delighted to see him, and wrapped him up in a hug as soon as she got inside.

“Grian! Oh my god, you look so much better than you did when we rescued you! That’s such a relief—I was worried you might die, you idiot! But, even if you are doing better, you still need to take precautions! You never prioritize your own health, you just let yourself get sicker and sicker until we have to take you to the hospital in an ambulance. You need to rest, and make sure that you are actually eating. I don’t care that you’re a terrible cook—you can learn, or you can eat nutritious slop.”

Scar had finished with the groceries, walking back over to the group. He gave a hearty laugh at the last comment “Oh, don’t worry about that, Gem. Luckily for Grian, I happen to be an excellent cook—and he would never refuse something I make.”

She looked over to him, growing more stern than she was before “Yeah, about you two… You—Ringmaster, or should I call you Scar, are dating Grian, correct?”

Scar nodded, relaxed “Scar is fine with me. And yeah, we started dating around a month ago.”

“For now, you and all of the Bamboozlers are on good terms with me and Joel, and I truly hope to keep it that way. But—if you dare harm my little brother, or break his heart, I do happen to know your real identity. I can and will come after you—same goes for Lizzie with Joel. My brother is pathetic, honestly. You are, like, three of the six people he has ever cared for. I don’t think he could handle a betrayal by you. You seem like a good person—or, at least, a good boyfriend, so I doubt we will have any problems, but just in case.”

Gem sighed, a smile washing over her features “To be honest, I would love to have you as a brother-in-law. You are clearly far more capable of just about anything than my little brother” Grian scoffed at that comment, so she elaborated “You actually can cook, you can defend yourself, you know how to not get kidnapped, and… you love cats. So, I do approve.”

Scar let out a breath he had been holding, “Phew! I was quite worried for a moment that you might kill me for dating him. You’re probably the only hero who truly scares me, so if you are on our side, there’s just about nothing to worry about now. Glad to have you on the team, Gem.” He extended his arm out for a handshake, which Gem accepted.

“Likewise, Now, let’s get down to business. Those G’s are worse than any villains—definitely  worse than the Bamboozlers—because torturing anyone, let alone my innocent, civilian brother is an unforgivable crime in my book. I need to deal with them, and ensure that the heroes of this city are just as they should be—good people”

Scar smiled, his eye crinkling “Right, but before we do that, I have something to give to you, Grian. Wait here for a moment” He walked back to the kitchen, and returned with a wrapped box.

Grian took it gingerly and opened it. Inside was a watch—but not the kind Scar had gotten him before. This watch was red and blue, and very high tech—the same watch as what Scar, Jimmy and Lizzie had. It was a Bamboozler watch. And it was for him.

Scar rubbed his hand along his neck “I figured that, since you’re already involved in a life of crime, you might want to become an official member of the Bamboozlers. This is my invitation to you—but if you don’t want to join us, you don’t have to. I won’t force anything on you, but we would all love to have you on the team.”

Grian turned around and hugged him, enveloping himself in his partner’s arms. “Of course I’ll join. Thank you, Scar.” He looked into his boyfriend’s eyes for a moment longer, before pulling him in for a kiss. Their lips pressed together softly, the villain running his fingers through his hair. His heart fluttered, unable to do anything but stare into his beautiful green eyes. He wanted to stay like that forever, just him and Scar, finally together, finally happy.

He was brought back to reality when Gem, leaning against the counter, interrupted with “So, are you two lovebirds going to wrap it up anytime soon?” Grian and Scar both flushed beet red, pulling away from each other in stunned shock. She put her hands out in a reassuring motion and chucked “Relax, you two—I don’t care if you kiss.” 

She crossed her arms over her chest and added “However, you two really don’t like to make things easy for me, huh? I’m not planning to arrest you, but how in the world do you think me and Joel will get away with this at the agency” She sighed, “We’ll find a way, though.”

She waited for a few moments, and then her face lit up again. “Sooo… How long have you been dating? How long have you been in love? How did you meet? Just—tell me about your love life, I’m so curious how you two feel for each other.”

Grian was less flustered than when she interrupted them, but still plenty nervous. He answered “Well… it’s… a long story, and one I don’t think we have the time to go into right now. I’d been treating his wounds for a decent amount of time before I finally figured out that I actually was in love with him, but because of various reasons, we only could properly get together a few weeks ago. Then I was kidnapped, and you know how it is. But, we’re happy together, even with all the issues”

She smiled “You know, Scar, you’re the first person he’s ever been in love with. It’s cute, honestly.”

He blushed “I am? Someone as great as him has never dated anyone before?”

“Nah. He’s never had the best social skills, and he just didn’t really care much for people until you came along”

Gem snapped her fingers, “Oh! I almost forgot to tell you—I’m staying over with you guys tonight. I already told Scar, so he’s making an extra portion for me at dinner. I brought everything I need, and I’ll sleep on the couch, so I don’t make things super awkward. I’ll go set up now!”

As she walked off, Scar turned to Grian and laughed, “You know, I never thought we would be allies with any heroes, especially not the Family, but gosh, that has to be the best possible scenario to get things done. You see, Grian? Even if you try to deny it, you truly are well liked”

“I am?”

“Well, yeah, of course!” Scar laughed, hearty and big, and turned to face his beloved “Somehow, you managed to make the Bamboozlers, Renwood Mound, the Family, and potentially even the Tuff Guys all work together, just because this,” He walked over to Grian and squeezed his cheeks, smiling “sweet vet was the one in danger. Your good deeds truly have an effect—a good one—on everyone around you. I’m going to start dinner now, so I need you to leave so that your cooking skills don’t rub off on mine.”

He rolled his eyes, and left. He went into the living room, where Gem was sitting on the couch, and sat down next to her. She was watching the news—at present, the station was replaying an interview from the day Grian had been rescued. An interview with Ringmaster.

The reporter had spotted Ringmaster, in full costume, walking by. Most reporters would run, or flee, or try to find a way to avoid being seen by him, but this one had different plans. He walked right up to Ringmaster and asked him “Sir, are you willing to spare a few minutes of your time to offer us some insight in what the Bamboozler’s have been doing? Are there any big plans in the works you are willing to share with us?”

Under normal circumstances, Ringmaster wouldn’t have answered his question. Under normal circumstances, he might have even killed this reporter for asking such a thing. This was not normal circumstances, not in any way. “Sure, I can.” The interviewer gasped, his eyes growing wide with shock, “First, are the camera’s rolling live at this moment? I need as many people as possible to hear this”

The reporter was shaky as he answered “Yes—Yes sir! Everyone, we are live and on the scene, with Ringmaster himself! Now, what is it that you would like to share with everyone?”

Ringmaster gently grabbed the microphone out of the reporter’s hands, so the camera angled over towards him. His face turned cold as ice, rage seeping into every word he said, as he began his speech “I’m sure all of you are wondering where the Bamboozlers have been—what those infamous criminals have been up to. As I’m certain you all know, I am Ringmaster—but do you know that the Bamboozlers as a whole haven’t done a single villanous action in well over a month? And are you aware that, for far longer than that, we haven’t killed a soul?”

“The reason for that? I finally have something, someone who was more important to me than anything, anything at all. Obviously, I would let my lovely boyfriend take priority over being evil. I wanted to see him smile, to hear his laugh, more than anything in the world—so if it would make him sad, or bring even the slightest frown to his beautiful face to kill people, I wouldn’t.”

“However, your oh-so-perfect group of hero’s—people meant to be dispensing justice—the G’s, who are conveniently on an extended break at this very moment, had different plans. They took my beloved away from me—they kidnapped him, and are holding him hostage at this very moment. Those so-called heros are worse than the Bamboozlers ever were. We have never, ever stopped as low as torture. We don’t do that—we’re villains, we aren’t monsters. But the G’s, they did. They are torturing my sweet, innocent partner, making him—a civilian—suffer alone, in pain, for absolutely no reason. This ends now. Those explosions from yesterday?”

The reporter was nearly shaking from nerves when he said, “Three of them, correct? One was on a house, and two were on cars near the agency. Those were absolutely terrifying, do you mean to say…”

Ringmaster—Scar—nodded “Yes, that’s right. And yes, you are correct, it was me who caused them. To be honest, they were completely deserved. The heroes refused to give me back my boyfriend after I asked very politely, and not only that, they acted like they had all the power in the situation! How absurd. So, I blew up Daybreak’s house, just to show that I was serious. So what if the hero left a couple of pets inside—she took away the love of my life, a few dogs are nothing compared to him.”

He paused for a moment, before continuing “As for the cars, I had managed to get my boyfriend on the phone, even as they held him hostage, and finally was able to speak to him for the first time in far too long. And he was hurt. Even without seeing it, anyone with half a brain could tell just how bad of a state he was in. So, it was completely fair for me to blow up some cars. The G’s knew fully well who I am—what I can do. Taking away the one person who is stopping me from being evil is not a very smart decision, to say the least.”

“Let’s wrap up this interview now. G’s, if any of you all are watching—the clock is ticking. You have four hours left, and if I can’t hold my boyfriend in my arms, alive, after that, you can better believe that you, and this whole city, will pay the price in blood.” He looked like he was about to leave, before adding on a bit more “And as for you, reporter. Normally, asking supervillains about their plans is taking a one-way express lane to death. Don’t do this in the future, for your own safety.”

He handed the microphone back to the shaky reporter, before darting away. “Th-that’s it folks! Stay tuned for more—“ Gem shut off the TV once the interview ended, no desire to see what else they were covering. 

Gem leaned back in her chair “Wow… you know, telling the whole world like that on live TV is certainly a choice. Even most heroes wouldn’t go that far. But, I mean, how else is he going to tell people that the G’s are truly evil? While a lot of people might not believe him initially, if faced with any other information about them, it would go a long way to making people believe him.”

After a few more minutes of sitting there, they heard Scar calling to them “Dinners ready! Come to the table you two!” They went and joined him, where he had set up a lovely dinner. The meal was lasagna, and Scar had even set a bouquet of lilacs and poppies in the middle of the table—his favorite flowers. They sat down, and at the invite of Scar, tried the food. It was rich, savory, and delicious, the flavors melting in his mouth. Gem clearly enjoyed it as well, and his boyfriend was very proud of this, grinning from ear to ear. 

After they had all finished the food, his partner decided to start up some conversation, innocently asking “Do you two have any family besides each other?”

Both siblings were reluctant to speak, but Gem decided, after a few moments of awkward silence, to reply “Our mother had died giving birth to Grian, so he never really knew her. I don’t remember much about her, either, but she was a good person, from what I know. Our father was never very present in our lives—he worked constantly, and he was very strict on both of us whenever he was around. He passed of a heart attack when I was 18, and then, it was just us Because I was already old enough to live on my own, and have a job, they didn’t force us to an orphanage or foster care.” Her eyes had started to water as she progressed deeper, so she paused to dry her tears. “Other than Grian, Joel is the only sort of family I have. He’s like another brother to me, even if we aren’t related. I can’t lose them, I won’t allow it.”

Scar dropped the topic after seeing their reaction, trying to shift to something less sensitive. “Do we have any ideas for this new alliance against the G’s? Between the Bamboozlers, the Family, Renwood Mound, and potentially the Tuff Guys? I’m not quite certain how they fit in yet.”

Gem thought for a moment, then laughed. She decided to share this idea “How about the Extended Family? Y’know, since the reason for most of it is because of family ties. It also puts our name at the front, so it’ll feel more righteous.” 

“That’ll work. Grian, are you cool with it?”

He nodded, which Gem acknowledged, “Alright then, it’s settled. Welcome to the family, everyone.”

The group hung out for a little bit more, before all retiring to sleep. Gem made herself comfortable on their couch, while Grian and Scar went to the only bedroom in the house. He really needed to get a bigger house, with more than one bedroom. The couple fell asleep tangled in each other’s limbs, colorful wings wrapped around his beloved. 

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1 AM, DECEMBER 28, 2024

Scar remembered it like it had just happened. His Bamboozlers had just met up with the family, on a snowy rooftop in the dead of night. They were going to find a more secure, more private location to meet up that wouldn’t jeopardize any of their respective bases, when two figures approached them. It was the Renwood Mound vigilantes—Audiophile and Werewolf. The pair wasn’t anything that all three Bamboozlers in good form couldn’t handle, but they were bound to be a nuisance. He readied his fists, steeling himself for a fight, when Audiophile called out to him.

“Wait! Don’t attack us—we’re here to help!” The blonde man was out of breath, long pointed ears dipping with each exhale. His bandana swayed in the wind, and he put his hands on his knees as he tried to recover from his sprint.

Scar was skeptical, to say the least. The light of his life was missing, and his patience had all but completely run dry. He had to hold himself back from punching the guy when he asked, “How in the world could you two possibly help?”

He was glad he did not start a fight, however, as Audiophile gave his explanation. “My partner, Werewolf, had been paid by the G’s to copy your appearance, in an attempt to get Grian to give them more information. But when he discovered that the vet had managed to get you of all people to stop killing—and that the man was being tortured by the heros for nothing more than treating some wounds, he couldn’t sit idly by. He was defeated once, and thrown out, when he tried to help him escape, but he swore that he would be back to help. Necromancer tried to do her mind control tactics, but his desire to help was too strong to let that stop him. So, now we’re here, to free that doctor from his prison.”

Everyone seemed to accept that as an explanation—they had a very good reputation, and were trusted by most of the city on either side. Scar still had a few questions to ask, however, “You said that Werewolf saw my boyfriend? How was he?”

Werewolf’s dog ears tipped down, his tail flattening to align with his spine. Worry was clear on his face as he answered, “He wasn’t doing very well when I left, and I cannot expect that the G’s have made things any better since. The poor man had severe electrical burns on one arm—surely the product of Morphling’s staff, along with a broken rib and terrible bruising, and a scar on his neck from Daybreak’s scythe. It had been days since he had a single thing to eat or drink. I can only imagine what they are putting him through now.”

Audiophile chimed in, his expression near-perfectly matching that of his partner, “I know a bit about it, but I’m not sure you really want to hear. I overheard a chat between Blackhole and Morphling on the street earlier today. He was apparently unconscious for nearly five whole days after Werewolf saw him, and his state was so bad, Morphling and Blackhole had to get him food and water immediately, and even afterwards, he still seemed half-dead. They said he “wouldn’t be useful to their plans” if he died so soon.” He shuddered, uncomfortable with even the thought of it. “Whatever in the world that might mean, I don’t think I want to know.”

Scar’s blood was boiling—he was absolutely furious. Those pathetic, scheming, despicable cowards, who couldn’t even leave innocent civilians like his boyfriend out of things, are meant to be the heros? They are far more cruel than the Bamboozlers—who's the real villain here? They nearly killed Grian? The one person holding him back? The only reason Scar had any sympathy or mercy for his enemies? Grian?

He was worried that his boyfriend was doing badly, but even he never anticipated them to hurt him in such a way. It was truly evil. How cruel can you possibly get, to harm a person like that, who can’t stomach the thought of Jimmy stealing things that would barely be missed from the elderly? How twisted must a person be, to harm someone completely defenseless like him? How could someone even find it in themselves to do something so atrocious?

Oh, those fools would pay for what they did to his love. They thought the Bamboozlers were weakened now, that they weren’t a threat, that they could torture their loved ones and get away with it, now did they? Oh, they were wrong. They were so, so very wrong. Any of the things they did to Grian, on it’s own would be enough for Scar to justify murder. Truthfully, it didn’t take much for him to justify it anymore, considering that the one person stopping him is being tortured. But, oh well.

This did spark a new, twisted idea in Scar’s mind—it would be far too lenient to be his only reaction, but it was the perfect opening act. And really, any deaths that did occur from the villains actions were directly attributable to the G’s, for dare hurting his partner. It’s their fault. They gave him the reason, the justification, and took away anything stopping him. Even if he were to level the entire city—if it was to protect Grian, if they dare to kill the light of his life, it is more than justified.

With a sickening amount of cheer in his voice, Scar exclaimed “Alright everyone! New plan—you know how Daybreak always says “Tilly death do us part?”” His grin spread wider, his joy unnerving, as he continued “Well, I happen to know where those dogs are, and I would love to cause such a seperation. She hurt Grian, so I hurt her back. It’s only fair. I just plant a bomb at her house, and if they don’t return Grian… Well, let’s just say that my hand might be very prone to slipping and pressing a few exceptionally deadly buttons”

Most of the others looked shocked. It wasn’t like him, they knew, to want to harm animals. He didn’t love the thought either, but if it was what he needed to do, then he would do it. Slayer, however, while she frowned at first, her face turned into a small smile as she walked over to him. 

She whispered in his ear, quiet enough that no one (except for Audiophile) could overhear, “I have a slightly different idea. One that can keep both of our morals intact, while causing the same amount of damage.” She told her plan—a brilliant one—to him, quiet as a mouse. She was right—this one was the perfect poetic karma for such a person to receive. 

She turned to the others, and spoke. “You know, while I never would have thought I’d be okaying something like this, I somehow want to see the G’s understand what it’s like.” She gave a laugh, sad and unnerving at the same time “It’s strange, isn’t it? Wanting to cause someone else harm. The lengths people are willing to go for their loved ones are truly spectacular—and I’m sure Scar feels the same. Their behavior crosses a line I didn’t think was possible, and I want—no, I need justice.”

Werewolf nodded. “While I did join this plan expressly so you would not kill people… I can’t help but feel a deep anguish within me for how roughly they’ve been treating him. I sympathise with how you must feel—if you need my help, I will provide it.” He put his hand on his heart “I want you to be back with your beloved, and joyous once more. You have already suffered more than anyone should ever have to endure.”

The group joined closer together, huddling in a circle. They stacked their hands together, before raising them to the sky. 

🐺🌙🐺🌙🐺🌙🐺🌙🐺🌙🐺🌙🐺🌙🐺🌙🐺

8 AM, DECEMBER 31, 2025

Pearl couldn’t believe it.

Everything she loved most, gone in the blink of an eye.

She knows why. It’s not exactly hard to figure out that torturing someone may cause quite a bit of anger on the others side. But why her? 

Should she have given in? Gave Ringmaster back Grian? Not punched the guy? Not tried to slit his throat? Refused to participate in the torture? Would that have saved her? 

The G’s actions would save lives—it would kill one person, whose innocence was questionable at best, and a few villains, in order to stop dozens, if not hundreds of deaths. It was for the greater good.  At least, that’s what Scott told them. It would free them of their ties to the Agency, and grant them freedom. She could have a life of her own, to do whatever she wished with, not limited by being a hero. 

This whole time, no matter what they did, no matter what they were planning, all she could think about was who she was leaving behind. Tilly, her wolf, was her priority, the creature she cared about the most. She owed her life to that dog.

She was young, not any older than 6 years old, scared and alone. It was freezing, snow piled up to her thighs, and she was lost in the middle of an endless forest. Her tears froze into icicles, her soft coat and white, feathery wings not nearly enough to keep out the cold. It was then that Tilly approached. The wolf was scary at first—huge, with sharp teeth and fierce claws. But she was friendly, and kind. The dog wrapped around her, sheltering her from the cold as best as she could, and howled for help. She did it for hours, not stopping until help came. And even then, Tilly never left her side, not until she made a full recovery. 

They’ve been together ever since, a bond lasting deeper and farther than any two humans connection ever could. In the truest sense of the word, they were soulmates. They could almost sense when the other was hurt, or in danger, miles away. She had a piece of her heart that beat in time with Tilly’s. Nothing could ever tear them apart.

And then it did.

No hesitation, no explanation. 

No chance to say goodbye. No chance to change things. Just a flick of the wrist, as easy as breathing to the other side. 

A piece of her died alongside Tilly. A piece of her soul, that would never be recovered, was lost.

Finally, she understood why Ringmaster was so angry. If it were Tilly trapped, tortured, and separated from her… nothing in the world, no morals, no matter what enemies stood in her way, could stop her. No matter what, she would get her back. 

Truly, did she even have such a reason to torture this vet? Would she have accepted an explanation like that, if it was Tilly? That “It would ultimately be better in the long run?” That her death, all the suffering, would further some grand goal? 

No chance. 

She’d have killed them in a second, without hesitation, no matter who they were.

Karma truly is cruel. 

No doubt, if any gods exist, none of them would accept her apologies, her pleas for forgiveness, as enough. It would never be enough. She could never get Tilly back. She could never fix this. 

“Pearl?” It was Impulse—Blackhole, gently stroking the owl wings that laid along her back, “How are you feeling?”

She turned to look at him, eyes red and puffy for crying, her tears soaking her costume, her makeup bleeding all over. She couldn’t manage a response, breaking down into messy sobs once more. Hopefully, that was enough.

He grabbed a hold of her wrist. She followed him robotically, barely paying attention to the situation. Her mind kept racing back to Tilly.

They walked, slowly, calmly, into her room. She walked inside, while Impulse remained at the door, quietly whispering “If you need anything, just ask. I’m happy to help”, before gently shutting the door behind him and walking away. 

She had pictures on her nightstand. Her and Tilly. She grew up around that dog—before now, they were never apart for more than a few days. She was her true best friend.

She had photos of her falling asleep wrapped in Tilly’s fur. Tilly trying to eat her birthday cake, begging for the chocolate even though it was poison to her. Photos of her crying into Tilly’s fur after a bad breakup. 

People were temporary. People will leave you. Not Tilly. Her dog was forever.

“Forever” was awfully short. 

She buried her face into the pillow, sobbing until she passed out from exhaustion, ignoring the whole world in favor of muffling all the sounds of her cries. 

Tilly death do us part

🌺☀️🌺☀️🌺☀️🌺☀️🌺☀️🌺☀️🌺☀️🌺☀️🌺

10 AM, JANUARY 8 2025

The tingling had finally stopped. 

Today, he is going to head over to the BamBunker, to be officially introduced as a Bamboozler. They don’t have an outfit ready for him yet, but they plan to determine it. Apparently, they had some kind of ability check beforehand, which Scar left to go set up. Unfortunately, that meant Grian was alone for now. He would be back soon to pick him up, but for now, he had some time to kill.

First, he took a shower, After that, he decided to examine how his recovery had been going so far. He stood in front of their full length mirror, and examined himself.

Nothing

There were no scars on his skin, no injuries or pain anywhere. His face had fully returned to its normal, healthy self—even his normal eyebags were gone. His wings were back to their full length, all his feathers in the right place place, scarlet, golden, and cobalt. There was nothing physical to remind him about the torture. It was like it never happened.

It was wrong. He shouldn’t be able to recover this fast. This was meant to plague him for the rest of his life. He wasn’t meant to heal from it instantly. Nothing about this was normal, in any way. 

But, there was nothing he could really do about it. He sighed, and put on a comfy sweater—one that fastened in the back, over his wings, and sweatpants. At the very least, it solves the issue of him not being able to be a vet anymore—although, given that he hadn’t gone in to work in over a month, he was pretty sure he was fired, or put on some kind of extended leave. Regardless, it would be his day off, so he wasn’t worried. 

He opened his phone, found Scar’s contact—still with the same label as his boyfriend set it to before—and sent him a call “Hey, can you come pick me up?”

Scar’s voice, while slightly obscured by static, could be heard on the other line “Sure! I’ll be there in 10!”

He hung up, and then went to the kitchen. He grabbed a small container of strawberry yogurt out of the fridge, then sat down and ate it. Then, his phone buzzed. He expected to see Scar, calling him back to update him, but instead, he saw Mumbo’s contact on the screen. He answered the call, and put the phone to his ear.

“Mumbo? What’s up?”

“Grian! Oh, I’m so glad you’re okay—you’ve been out sick for so long! Would you be down to meeting up for dinner tomorrow? You can choose the place.” He sounded much more embarrassed when he added “Oh, and bring Scar if he’s free!”

“Bring Scar? Why?”

He heard a chuckle from the other end “Well, you certainly have chosen a great boyfriend, but I absolutely need to be friends with him as well! Otherwise, what if he replaces me entirely!”

Ah. A typical case of jealously. Grian didn’t really mind, however. His boyfriend and best friend getting along would only be a good thing, right? “Sure, I’ll bring him along” 

Not a moment after the call ended, the doorbell rang. The person outside didn’t need him to open the door—he had his own set of keys. The noise was just to alert Grian, so he didn’t panic. Scar walked inside, and, when he spotted Grian, picked up his boyfriend and hugged him tightly. “Grian! I’ve missed you so much!” He placed his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder, brushing gently against the vet’s wings, and smiled

“Scar! We’ve been apart for a few hours, I’m not going anywhere!” Grian laughed, but his comment made Scar’s face and ears droop. Opps. Right, he had been kidnapped for two weeks. Not sure how he forgot. 

“I never know when we’re going to be separated again—I need to spend as much time as I can with you.” The two stayed in the hug for a bit longer, savoring the warmth of the other, before Grian pulled away.

He walked out of the room, and returned with a packed duffel bag. “We should head to the bunker now—we’ll have plenty of time to hang out later.”

Scar still looked downcast, but he agreed. He led the two into the car. He opened both doors and sat down in the drivers side, while Grian waited outside. “What’s wrong? Come on, get inside the car.”

“You’re not giving me a blindfold? Isn’t that a safety risk?”

Scar smiled “Well, since you are officially a Bamboozler now, you should know where our bunker is. Just sit down and don’t worry so much—it’ll be fine, trust me!”

Grian still felt hesitant, but he sat down anyway. He closed the door, and fastened his seatbelt, so Scar started the car and drove off. After a few minutes of awkward silence, the vet spoke up “You know Mumbo?”

“That vet friend of yours, who works at the clinic with you? I met him a little bit ago when you were kidnapped. He seems cool. Why do you ask?”

“He asked me to meet him for dinner tomorrow, and to bring you along. Said that it’s been a long time since he’s hung out with me, and he wants to get to know you better. We can choose the location—do you have any ideas?”

“Yeah! I know this fancy restaurant in town—one that’s safe for villains to go to. We can get a private room, and the food is great. Once you know the time, I’ll get us reservations—I’m free whenever”

“I’ll tell Mumbo that. Do you have his phone number?”

Scar shook his head, and handed him his phone “No, I don’t. Could you put it into my contacts, since I’m driving?”

He typed in the number, and sent out a quick text to Mumbo from his phone. “Hey, this is Scar! Grian gave me your number!”

Mumbo replied with, “Hello Scar, this is Mumbo.” Grian closed the phone and set it down. 

“Done. I sent him a text, so that he knows whose texting him. What exactly are we planning on doing when we get to the bunker, anyway?”

“Well, we plan to do a sort of ability check, so we know where you are training-wise and how much more we need to practice. Then, we’ll have a party.”

He nodded. Scar turned the radio to some movie soundtrack, and they continued driving in peace until they reached the outskirts of the city. They stopped at a standard, fairly small office building—almost too nondescript of a cover for the cities flashiest villains. The only thing marking it as different was the flowers laying about—Someone, presumably Scar, had planted lilac bushes in the ground, and filled the flowerpots with poppies.

When they entered, the reception desk was staffed by a single robot. It did some kind of scan, then beeped and flashed red and blue. Then, the robot let the pair through locked doors. The next room had an elevator, which they headed down, reaching the Bambunker.

Jimmy and Lizzie ran up to them once they exited the elevator, embracing the pair in a giant group hug, a tangle of limbs and wings. 

They stayed like that for a moment, before separating and heading out to a gym in the back. Lizzie decided to explain what they were doing “This gymnasium is built for superpowered training. No matter how strong you punch, or what kind of magic you do, it can contain it. It won’t provide any safeguards to the people inside, however, so it still needs caution. But, since you don’t have powers, you will stick to normal training.”

He had a strange feeling, one that he couldn’t quite decipher, that the last comment might not be entirely accurate. “Actually, I would like to test out some superpower training, if that’s possible. I just want to check”

She sighed “Not sure what the point would be, but sure, I guess we can do that.”

She thought for a moment about ways to check for a power, and then came up with an idea. “Alright, I’m going to have you stand in the center of the room. You need to try to channel energy within yourself—just focus on letting it build, don’t do anything with it yet.”

He closed his eyes, and focused as hard as he could. It felt close to the tingling he felt a few days ago, but still different. It felt comfortable, warm, right. He could feel it inside of him.

“Now, I’m not really sure how we’re going to do this, so let’s just test some things. Try to target your powers at yourself. Release it slowly, and carefully”

He did it, but nothing really happened. He didn’t feel stronger, or notice any change in his looks. He just sort of stood there.

“Nothing? Alright then… maybe try focusing them on the floor, or some spot on the wall. Just not a person, or anything alive.”

Still, it had no effect.

“Well, then… try focusing them outwards, just let it spill out. That’s the way my powers work, a sort of area of effect”

Nothing.

She sighed “Maybe try focusing on a person… let’s do Jimmy. He probably deserves it anyway, if something happens”

Jimmy protested indignantly, but it wasn’t worth it. Still, nothing happened. 

Lizzie sighed “Grian, I’m not sure. Listen, it would be nice if you had powers, but we don’t care if you do or don’t. Let’s just move on to the normal training”

He ran up to her, “No! There’s still more to try! Please, there’s gotta be some way— He grabbed her hands, holding them close to him, pleading.

The moment their hands touched, that strange tingling sensation from earlier returned in full force. It was begging to be let free, itching beneath his skin. So, he did.

Nothing seemed to happen at first, at least, nothing he noticed. Lizzie looked stunned, letting go of his hands and stepping back. “Grian?”

“Yeah?”

“Your eyes… they’re… pink.”

He nearly jumped back in shock “They’re what!?”

Jimmy brought up a mirror to show him. It was only visible for a few moments, but she was correct. His eyes had turned a shade of pink that matched her hair, his pupils turning into pink butterflies. 

While his eyes had went back to normal, that was certainly not normal. “Come on, this has to be connected to some kind of power!”

Lizzie rolled her eyes “Has anything else changed, or is your power just magic eyes?”

He checked over himself for any other kind of change, and saw pale pink butterfly tattoos on each wrist. They were faintly glowing, and warm. “Well, I do seem to have tattoos now.” He turned them around to show her.

He figured it was worth a shot. He tried expanding his powers again. 

This time, the result wasn’t nothing. 

This time, everyone around him fell to the floor. It looked familiar.

It was just like what happens when Lizzie uses her powers.

Scar immediately started calling out to him, patting the ground helplessly, lost in blindness “Grian! Grian, where are you! Are you okay? Oh, Lizzie, why would you use your powers now!”

“Scar, you idiot, I’m just as lost as you! I didn’t do anything!”

“If it’s not you, who in the world could it be?”

Wait a moment.

Did he just…

After the effect died down, and the trio returned to their feet, he needed to test it again. He grabbed Jimmy’s hands and tried the same thing.

“I think I might have a power—and I think I know what it is, but I have to test it again to make sure”

His eyes flashed with a yellow bird, and glowing canary tattoos appeared on his wrists. 

He focused his powers inward, since Jimmy’s abilities affect himself. The trio all looked stunned.

Jimmy took a step back from him “Grian! You’re… You’re invisible!”

Lizzie’s jaw dropped, her eyes growing wide “You mean.. That your power is…”

Scar finished her sentence, saying what she was too shocked to say “Mimicry.”

END OF CHAPTER 1