#anath

Hero came out of the daze they were always left in after a good hang out with Friend. It was no secret Friends had a persuasion ability they couldn’t exactly turn off, but what was better was that they could always make Hero’s worries all melt away with just a few simple words. Conversation was so easy with Friend, like it should be with any good friend.

They returned back to their home, and connected their hearing aids to their phone. They were incredibly lucky, having aids that could act like wireless earbuds. They knew that. They did their best to never take it for granted, playing their music as they went about making some dinner.

Leader would be back tomorrow, finally returning from their mission that required them in a different country. Hero was excited to hear all about what this unknown other country was like, Leader had made a point of not telling because it would ruin the ‘secrecy of the mission’ or something.

They giggled to themself as the hamburger finished cooking on the stove.

They went about covering it in barbeque sauce, and made some rice for it to be served on.

A classic family dish, referred to lovingly as ‘BBQ mush’, made when their mother couldn’t shape the hamburger into meatballs and figured her kid didn’t care anyway, and was now a very fond lazy comfort meal.

It was exactly what it sounded like. Mushed up hamburger, cooked over the stove, covered in sauce, and then served over whatever you like. In Hero’s household, this tended to be rice, much like it was being eaten now.

They plated a portion for themself when they received a text from their phone, the notification being loud in their hearing aids. They should really turn it down from time to time, no use damaging their hearing even more than it already was. 

They checked their phone and smiled. Leader had made it back safe, and had been cleared to return to the job tomorrow morning.

The morning was nice, Hero walked through the lovely weather they were having as they made their way to the base. 

Swiping their keycard, they were met with the sight of Leader, safe and sound, talking with Sidekick, Other Hero, and Medic. The four were chilling in the lounge. 

A big smile broke onto Hero’s face, “Leader!”

They rushed up and hugged the person in question, who giggled from the affectionate display. “Hi, Hero. Good to see you too,” they smiled.

Hero gave them a bit of personal space as the conversation continued.

They heard something. A small sound in their hearing aids, then silence. And then they weren’t there anymore.

Physically, they were, but mentally… it was like they weren’t there. Their smile fell, expression falling blank, eye narrowing. “Kill…” they whispered.

They reached for Leader, the message repeating in their brain. They positioned themself next to Leader again, and this time threw a punch. “Kill…” they repeated. 

Leader backed up, and looked at them bewildered, hand ghosting against their cheek where the hit had landed. 

Hero lunged forward, trying to hit with an elbow to the face. Leader being Leader, they dodged. Other Hero rushed forward, beginning to restrain Hero. They elbowed Other Hero in the side, and threw them to the floor.

If only they were able to hear the shouts of their friends telling them to stop.

They started activating their powers before a slight pain registered in their neck, and they fell to the floor.

The sound off shuffling greeted Hero’s ears. There was a bright light coming from beyond their eyelids. They slowly cracked their eyes open, body feeling sluggish and heavy. 

“Good, you’re awake. It was lucky we were there.”

“...hhh…huhh..?”

The voice was Medic, that much they knew. 

“Sit up, please, if you can.”

Hero wanted to stay where they were, laying down, but they knew they should probably follow Medic’s orders. Medic tended to be… pretty correct when it came to what someone needed to do for their own safety. It was why Leader trusted them so much. 

So, with a bit of difficulty from their languid body, they managed to sit up. Medic gave them some water, apparently they needed to flush something out of their system, but they didn’t register the name. With any luck, that’s what was making them feel so exhausted right now, they were certain they weren't when… when… well, the last thing the remembered was hugging Leader. What had happened after?...

“I’ll let you rest up, alright Hero? And… we need to talk about something.”

They finished drinking down their water and wiped their mouth with the back of their hand. “What is it?”

Medic took a breath. They seemed unusually tense. “To put it bluntly… someone hypnotized you. We don’t know how. But what I do know is that they managed to deactivate your hearing aids. It’s not unreasonable to assume they gave a trigger phrase through them soon.”

“I… what?”

This was way to much for them to hear at once upon just waking up. But their brain caught up slowly.

Medic was silent for a moment, but they pulled down their mask, so Hero could see their lips moving. “I’m giving you- actually, no, scratch that. I’m not giving you the choice. I am telling you that you will be going on medical leave until further notice.”

Hero stayed silent. 

And then… 

“Medic? I… I can’t hear you anymore.”