Billyboy

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Damien turned back around to face Essex. Damiens eyes went all cross-eyed as he imitated what the stone said.


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"Don't you have something dishonorable to justify by claiming it was just business?" the Stone asked mockingly. "You're less charismatic than the child, or even the lizard."

Midas let out a loud yelp as Vern began speaking, unaware that the creature was sentient. He quickly sat down and stared at the thing, disliking it intensly. This being wasn't even humanoid! He didn't like the looks of it at all. Of course, he hadn't liked the looks of much lately.

"Essex, why don't you be a good little girl and tell me where you came from?" the Stone asked politely, as though speaking to someone of extremely inferior intelligence. "I'm sure your daddy would want you to tell us so we can help you better."

“Son of a [censored], you can’t just walk away!” Midas and the Philosopher’s Stone shouted at the same time.

“Damn it, I hate having not the slightest clue as to what is happening!” Midas growled as he set aside his bowl.

“I think we both know the solution to that!” the gem retorted. “You know everything, you just need to have the full you!”

The scientist grunted and stood up, buttoning his lab coat and pacing. He gestured violently toward Vern, showing intense disapproval. “How is that stupid, ugly creature supposed to get us anywhere!?”

"I'm aware of the principles of battles out of the atmosphere, Acid, what I'm trying to say is, we're entirely stationary. And do you really think Archlich couldn't have warped our reality enough to put something on the earth that could get through your shields? Magic may be chaotic, but it's useful and dangerous!" Midas proclaimed. "I don't like the idea of staying up here, a sitting target, while missiles crafted for this kind of combat are fired at us. It may very well make planning our next move harder. Though, I suppose we need a first move to have a next move, and we've been fairly unorganized thus far."

Dr. Phillis let out several screaming curses as he was tossed all about by the wacky demon as Midas looked on with neutrality. He followed Acid, leaving his small battle group deactivated behind him. He didn’t feel like listening to them very much. In fact, he wished he didn’t have to listen to anyone. He really needed to think, it was much easier to do in complete solitude, or with some intelligent conversation going on. He used to have an assistant he could bounce ideas off of, until she became his wife. He could get all kinds of things done with Reyna around.

His face darkened, he didn’t want to think about it.

The Philosopher’s Stone was ranting about the idiocy of demons and the fact that genocide would be best in this case, but he quickly quieted as Acid began relaying the information. He was furious when Kefetasura interrupted the alien, but kept his figurative mouth shut, as he was actually extremely curious about what was going on.

“We’re about to be missiled?” Midas asked aloud, unsure of why Acid seemed to be so calm. He could think much better when put under stress. “And all we have in here are a pack of idiots, some freaks, and a little girl?! I take it you can avoid them?”

"Don't just shove me in your pocket, you stupid little girl!" the Stone ranted as Essex hid it away.

"Shut up... me." Midas growled. Then, to Acid, "Something to eat sounds wonderful, I'd love some time to clear my head."

Heh, we actually had Supervillain 101 going for a while, but it died a few monthes ago. None of the students could work together, it just didn't work very well.

"Finally, a bit of sense from you!" the Stone announced triumphantly. "Now don't you feel foolish for insulting me when I had been in the right all along?"

Midas sighed and shook his head, looking embarassed.

"I've told you, little girl, you're simply alternate versions of your true selves, and your true selves knew each other before the Mallus Mundi was used to reshape time!" The Philosopher's Stone sighed. "What about that is so hard to digest?"

Midas glared at Damien, his hands shaking. "You are the most stupid, selfish man I have ever met. You said you fought the secret police as a defense, yet now, when you have the opportunity to find the Overmagus and free our world, you refuse on the grounds of material possessions!"

"Do you expect a thank you?" Midas asked, sounding bored. "Trying to prove something to me?"

"Judging from the way you speak about your abilities to strangers, yes, I do think you enjoy being different!" Midas retorted, not backing down. "I think you very much flaunt them about, like every other metahuman, and cry when things go wrong! And when someone points it out, what do you do? Why, you kill them with your powers, just proving their point for all the world to see! This has nothing to do with my being a scientist, but everything to do with me being a logical human being with a functioning brain that naturally makes and connects observations!"

Since the thread hasn't been too flooded with requests yet, I'll throw my hero into the pile! I'd love to see a drawing of my show-offy, arrogant teen hero Billyboy!

Close up

Full shot

Thanks so very much! Can't wait to see your stuff!

“Dr. McTalkingstoneinmypants?” the Dr. Phillis in the gem asked. “You remind me of a child I knew in real time….”

“It’s just like a metahuman to raise themselves above others because they were born with superior abilities.” Midas added. “One chance in millions, and they’re lucky enough to be blessed with it, and they brag like they’ve achieved something of their own devising. Gloat all you want, your kind’s propaganda is what got us into this situation in the first place.”

The scientist shook his head and looked to Acid. “Tell your computer to keep itself in line before I recode it and take out the part where it believes it has some kind of will of its own.” He snarled. “I’m sick of being threatened.

“Now then, I know where we are, and what we plan to do, but I think I have a question that will more specifically address what the badass mercenary boys are trying to say.” The doctor explained. “And that is, what do we plan to do from here, as of immediately?”

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Closing her eyes, violet energy pulsed around her, resonating with the rune. Midas would feel a wave of comforting clarity wash through his mind like a waterfall.

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Midas sat down flat on his bottom and set his hands against the ground, his eyes fluttering open as he watched Essex walk to the Stone. His head didn’t hurt anymore. He suddenly liked the little girl a lot more.

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“I'll tell you whatever you want to know if you just wait, please. I want to know what's going on, too..."

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“Finally, you people are starting to see reason!” the gem huffed in exasperation. “I thought I was going to have to do something drastic!”

The crate next to Essex shifted into a protector bot unexpectedly, snatching the Philosopher’s Stone out of her hand and walking to Midas to wave it in his face. As it approached, the scientist stood up and backed into a wall, frightened by the robot’s actions.

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"How dare you call me a computer?!" the bot fumed with the woman's voice. If anyone had ever seen a robot boil over, this was it, "Why I oughta...!"

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Fracas, Kibitzer, and Imbroglio were almost immediately beside the offending automaton, holding their cannon arms to the back of its head and waving axes threateningly, their cargo dropped on the floor several yards away.

“Step away from Lord Midas and prepare for execution!” Imbroglio commanded.

“Shut down!” Midas snapped at the trio of Phillisbots.

Fracas let out a groan and a cut off plea as the three robots took a step back and kneeled onto one knee, the lights in their eyes going off.

“I’ve taken a lot of critism in my life, from my superiors, peers, and now from myself!” the scientist hissed, puffing up to loom over the protector and snatching the Stone from its hand. “But I will NOT be ordered or told off by an artificial intelligence! That is as far as my limit stretches! I’ve taken insults and reprimands from a number of human beings, and I’ve debated with the best men and women to ever grace the planet, but I will most certainly lock myself away in an asylum before I even think of arguing with a GOD DAMNED MACHINE!”

He ended with his pointer finger on the central eye light of the bot, shaking fiercly.

“Will you stay away from the poor girl?!” Midas hissed. “Can’t you see she’s afraid and doesn’t want a scaly freak interrogating her!? And get the animal out of this room, who knows what diseases it could give her!”

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Damien looked Midas up and down. "Do I know from somewhere?" Damien asked.

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”No, I don’t [censored] know you!” the scientist replied angrily, though in the back of his mind there was a bit of recognition. Of course, there had been a bit of recognition for just about every single person he had seen today, so he was starting to believe that the feelings of familiarity were just part of his mind degrading. “How can you look at a complete stranger and ask them if you know them?!”

“You two do know each other, imbecile.” The Stone spoke up from inside the doctor’s pocket. “He’s the idiot ‘hero’ Cross Draw.”

Midas plunged his hand into his lab coat and stared at the gem fiercely, breathing hard. “If you don’t stop insulting me, I’m going to throw you into the vacuum of space! Now how do you know this man?!”

“You’d have to be more of a moron than I believed to get rid of your only chance of survival.” The Philosopher’s Stone replied. “But I can see you’re beginning to show a bit of me, so I won’t hold that against you. You met Cross Draw through his sister, Cross Circuit. She has two brothers, the other being Cross Fire, with magical abilities and is herself blessed with above average intelligence, though obviously not enough to make her own designs, as she decided to steal yours and wreak havoc with it, placing the blame for several malicious crimes on your shoulders. You tracked her down and fought her, destroyed her copies, and more than likely would have destroyed her, had it not been for the intervention of the man standing in front of you, who had come to track her down. He’s not a bad bowman. He managed to steal her away during the battle, though I never saw her again afterward. I did, of course, do research into who she was, enough to know what I’ve told you, at least.”

“I suppose I do know you, excuse me.” Midas said to Damien dryly. “It seems as if we’re mortal enemies of some kind, but you must forgive my forgetfulness.” He continued in a purely sarcastic tone.

“Ah ah ah, I answered your question, now I’d like to ask you something.” The Stone cut in from the doctor’s hand.

“No, I’m not going to give you my body!” Midas growled.

“Do you really think I have that little tact? You’ll absorb me when you realize you need me. For now, I just wanted to know something simple.” The shard of the doctor’s soul replied. “How do you know we’re in a spaceship?”

”It’s a bit obvious, don’t you think?!” Midas snapped. “We were all teleported. The online computer catches several people who weren’t meant to come, signifying great distance. We appear in a storage room that looks far more secure than my lab, which would have made for more sense to seek refuge in when we were running. Not to mention the fact that this creature is obviously alien and does not live in the city, as he would not be able to hide his heritage and would be hunted down and killed, especially considering that there is obviously more than him here, judging by his ugly pet! And, of course, he mentioned we were at a street juncture, and I doubt we would be sitting in a room like this in the middle of a street, because a transport vehicle this large wouldn’t be able to fit on the street, and there is obviously more to it than just this room!”

“Perhaps you’re more like me than I suspected.” The Stone said, pulsing. “Very good.”

“Shut up, damn you!” Midas snarled, throwing the Stone across the room.

“Oh, that was mature!” the gem shouted as it skidded across the room and up against a crate.

Midas made a fist and put his knuckles to his forehead, massaging his skull as he muttered to himself, his eyes shut tightly.

Midas' eyes widened as Essex ended her story. How could life be so cruel to this poor girl? How could her father use her for an experiment?! He traced his finger along the cut on her cheek, nodding as he confirmed to himself that it was from a bullet. Bullet cuts and cuts from knives, swords, and shrapnel had subtle differences, but it was obvious to anyone who knew the difference. A bullet had skimmed her cheek. The cheek of a little girl!

"I'm so sorry, Essex." Midas said, wrapping the little girl in a tight hug and wondering what the hell her father had done to her.

"Oh yes, how could we all have followed your instructions so terribly when you had set them out for us so plainly and clearly?" Midas asked sarcastically. "God knows I was expecting you to teleport us onto a spaceship!"

Midas wasn't impressed enough to bother to look around much. He was sure it was filled with technological marvels of all sorts, but for perhaps the first time in his life he didn't care and had no interest whatsoever. Where was the point in research when your entire life is a lie?

Midas put an arm around Essex consolingly as he dropped to his knees, looking at her carefully. That rune was so peculiar. Where did this little girl come from?

"I'm sure I could take you back to your father if you'd tell us who he is." the scientist said. "We're out of danger now, I believe. It wouldn't be much trouble for this ship to teleport you to your home again."

As the two helicoptors began looming over Midas and Essex, the scientist began seriously wondering if he should have trusted himself at all. They were going breakneck speed, but there was no way they could outrace a helicoptor, and they would run out of energy before it ran out of gas!

Firing began, and the man let out a yelp, dodging to the left. It looked like it was mostly warning warning fire, but it still rattled him. It came faster and faster, getting closer as he refused to cease his retreat. He was sure that in seconds in would reach him. The two streams of gunfire appeared in front of him tangibly, and they formed together in a line he couldn't dodge as they began to move back for him. He almost stopped, but the resounding bang stopped him.

Fracas held its entire load in one arm, using his cannon to fire at the helicoptors. One was hit and crashed into the other, throwing them both off course. They both nearly crashed, but the pilots managed to pull up quickly. One landed immediatly, having taken too much damage from the other's blades.

When the gunners turned their attention back to aiming, Midas was gone.

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Midas very nearly slammed into a wall as he appeared in the bay. He pulled up suddenly and violently, nearly throwing his limbs out of their sockets, and almost losing Essex, whom he grabbed as she flipped over his shoulders.

"I'm getting tired of perfect timing!" Midas spat as he landed, placing Essex next to him gently. "Next time, save me before I need saved!"

"You can hardly blame him..." the Stone announced from his pocket. "Your plan wasn't exactly a work of genius."

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1

Charges planted in compartments all throughout the bunker suddenly exploded, filling the bunker with flame and blowing out all the windows in the warehouse. The building set fire, and chunks of concrete crashed through the walls. The doors were thrown off their hinges and into the street, slamming into adjacent buildings.

Midas Phillis was well known for his overly zealous self-destruct mechanisms.

“Let’s go then!” Midas yelled, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He shot through the air and toward the most convenient window. Convenient in the fact that it was easy to break through, as it was cracked terribly. He threw his side against it. The pane shattered easily, showering bits of glass on the sidewalk below as he burst through.

“I hate to say it, but we’re running instead of fighting!” Fracas told the other robots. “Follow the boss!”

“Affirmative.” Imbroglio said emotionlessly.

“After our esteemed Lord Midas, let his divine path lead us to salvation!” Kibitzer agreed as the three began rushing forward, jumping through the same window, hitting the ground, and then leaping to the rooftops, following Midas from atop the buildings.

“That was wholly conspicuous, you pathetic idiot! We’ll be caught in a second!” the Stone shouted at Midas.

“Shut up!” Midas growled. “I’m going to get the girl out of here! Trust in me, Essex!”

The scientist was suddenly illuminated by a spotlight from above. The helicopter could be heard drawing closer, following them. Voices were yelling at him, but he just commanded himself to keep going as fast as he could, skimming the rooftops, his robots following several buildings behind, arms laden with supplies.

If you’re going to do something, Acid, you’d better hurry up! Midas thought with a scowl.

Midas let out a scream as the soldiers burst in. It hurt to know that his home had been found. And his was still entirely confused about why it had been found! Just earlier today he had been perfectly inconspicuous, able to walk the city and remain that way, and now he had met a little girl that had led him into a series of event that had him a wanted criminal for harboring metahumans! Damn it all!

The scientist grabbed the Stone and shoved it in his pocket, having no desire for the enemy to get it, no matter how mean it was to him. He may need it later, anyway. He already had an idea, but he wasn’t sure if he could pull it off.

“Come!” Midas said as he scooped up Essex again, blanket and all, and sprinted to the back hatch. He climbed the ladder and began tapping the keyboard at the top, throwing in the password, and turned a few dials for good measure. He had more security in place on these hatches than Fort Knox.

The hatch swung open and immediately the bottom side began spewing forth a thick black smoke, covering the area, hiding the archer from view as the scientist pulled himself and Essex out with one arm. The robots at the bottom of the ladder were able to jump out using just the power in their legs, landing in a line behind the scientist.

“Are you ready?” Midas asked Essex, who couldn’t see him through the smoke, but knew from his breath on her face that he face staring right at her. “Fly now!”

A counter on the hatch appeared, showing a large glowing 30.

29….

Midas looked shocked as Essex took his hand, flinching slightly. He fought the urge to pull away, but he was terrified of the wrath of the Stone. That red lightning look like it would hurt.

"I...I...." the doctor blanked. "I don't know. I should know, but I don't. The Stone is right, I'm useless. I may as well stay behind and die, all I'll do is slow you down. My existance has no point to it, I'm a ruined man. I can't save anyone."

"Which is precisely why you need me, you pitiful wretch!" the Stone yelled. "We need me in control, not an indecisive weakling with a habit of feeling sorry for himself!"

Midas looked to the Stone, afraid. "Maybe I should...." he muttered.

"Then perhaps I could have the power to protect you." he said to Essex.

"If you'd call me a tyrant, you know not enough about me to criticize me!" the Stone growled. "And self-important? I think you're projecting, little girl, because the only self-important people in this room is the 'self-sacrificing' 'hero' and the little girl who thinks she's so special she can't tell anyone what she is, even when the fate of a world may depend upon it!"

Midas, however, looked touched by Essex. His heart leapt into his throat at the thought of anyone admiring him. And this was for more than just a few inventions he'd been successful with. He hadn't known love like this before, unless in the company of Reyna. Everyone else only complimented him for his triumphs, not who he was. It felt nice to know he would be missed if he was gone, even if it was only by one self-important little girl.

"What is there to miss about that man?!" the Stone demanded, shattering the scientist's happiness. "Look at the fool! He's useless! Do you think he can stop this tyranny by himself?"

"Can the ignorant shut up while the big people talk?" the Stone asked John rudely.

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“…You are nothing but an impatient brat. So be quiet until we can reach somewhere safe. Until then, all your screaming is doing is annoying people and possibly drawing attention to us."

[/ QUOTE ]

Midas chuckled and nodded as he finished loading his robots with more boxes than they could balance without looking absolutely absurd.

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"...He is the only one I trust." she concluded, in a bit of irony.

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Midas stopped in his stride to Acid, whom he was about to tell he was ready to go. He looked at Essex sadly. He wasn’t one to take care of others, he couldn’t even take care of himself. His love had died covering him because he was too much of a pathetic has-been to keep the location of his hideout safe.

It felt like someone had twisted a knife inside of him, the emotion he had been holding in struck a foul blow. His body shook with sobs as he fell to one knee, trying his best to stay out of everyone’s way. He was panicked, and afraid, and those were foreign to him, though he knew they shouldn’t be. He couldn’t understand what was going on. The Philosopher’s Stone was right, he was a bumbling idiot. He’d lost his talent, if he’d ever had any. Overdrive, or whatever the hero was titled to raise himself above other mere humans, had taken out his machines in one attack. All of that work, and they were defeated so easily. He couldn’t defeat the Overmagus!

The Stone, meanwhile, shot forth a tendril of crimson lightning that had nearly reached Essex when it flickered and died. “You imbecilic little girl, that man IS me!” It growled. “You’re as deluded as ever! It’s a hero’s duty to always think she is in the right, I suppose! That’s the way it has always been, as far as I’m concerned! I’ve given you good enough reason to trust me in stating why I am here! Do you know nothing?! The weeping weakling feeling sorry for himself on the other side of the room is merely a perversion of me created by the wielder of the Mallus Mundi, and I despise him! Once this is over, that ruined has-been will metamorphosize into me, who he is supposed to be! The man you trust was and will be me, the ingenius Doctor Midas Phillis, once I have repaired this world and killed the fool who used magic to ruin it!”