#comic frames

The dark lord determinedly pointed at themself, not breaking eye contact. Evilicus couldn't have gotten into pranks during this little while they were apart, right? They'd never been the jokiest type - that was Mewmews role to fill in their nemesis banter. Was this a.. Trap..?

They couldn't, right? They'd seemed so.. Torn up when they last spoke. Mewmew had even thought, maybe, Villy might've started feeling.. Oh, I dunno, guilt?

But what was this then? It must've been some trick, right?

The other explanation was that Evilicus was going through some form of mental breakdown. And that felt.. Eerily possible..

Mewmew put ms paws up slowly, studying the dark lord's demeanor. "Neow, Villy.. Why don't we.. Uhm.."

"So we'll get even! Don't you understand?! I've been tormented by some-.." Evie stuttered, trying to find the words. "Some-ailment! Ever since we last parted, and now I've figured out why!" they exclaimed. "o... Oh? Ailment, myah..?" Mewmew was still left grasping. Is this how Villy deals with guilt?

"Yes yes, ailment. You see, my pride-!" Evilicus foamed, hands gesturing vividly. "I have my pride, my dignity still - well, to some extent.. Or.. I guess it's debatable.."

-"... Myohkay?"

"Anyway my-my pride couldn't take it, behaving like I did! You've spared my life multiple times and even assisted me, yet, I engaged you unprovoked! Sure, it would've been normal back in the day-" Evilicus dissolved back to rambling and Mewmew continued to stand there, dumbstruck, barely listening. Maybe Evilicus should've been put into some facility afterall. Just so they'd have someone to keep them company. Were they too young for a nursing home, perhaps? Probably not by human standards, both Mewmew and Evilicus had a bit over a hundred years behind them at this point - at least

"And thusly, you ought to hit me back - at least once! It's just the logic of it all, don't you agree?" Evilicus finished, finally catching a breath. Mewmew stared, searching up Villys eyes, desperately looking for some shred of explanation for this request - nay, demand.

Mewmew chuckled nervously, eyes scattering over the doorframe. "Eh-Evilicus, I'm not going to hit you.. That wouldn't accomplish anyathing.

"Yes, it would! Didn't you listen to what I just explained?!"

Evilicus' frame burst halfway through the doorway, making Mewmew stumble a few steps back inside. Was this a test? A threat??

"Evilicus, I explicitly do not want to engage nyou in battle anymore. That's why I- that's, you kneow?! Peace!!" Mewmew swished ms paws around, trying to drive the point home. "I took you down so nobody would have to fight anymore!"

"Oh well gee, sorry for insulting your code of honor or whatever!" Evilicus threw their hands up frustratedly. "Like you haven't thought about it multiple times by now! You must despise me!" they pointed a finger right at the kitty's muzzle. Mewmew stammered for a response, not wanting to admit ms frustration towards Evie growing at equal pace with sinking worry. Snap out of it, Mewmew! The world has been saved, you don't need to keep extending help to the one you had to save it from!

Mew firmly moved the pointing hand away from em. "Whatever! My point still is that I don't want to hit you!" m hissed back, raising ms voice a little more than Mew liked. C'mon, get your conflict de-escalation into it, A. Cola! M took a deep breath.

"You're getting agitated!"

-"DON'T."

A faint glow was noticeable from Mews eyes, in the shade that Evilicus cast over m. They both stood there, maintaining intense eye contact, Mewmews tail lashing at the ground in barely subdued frustration.

"You know you want to-" Evilicus started, before mew cut them off with a hiss. "Golly gee I get the feeling you're the one who wants to be hit here! Why do you insist on starting conflict with me!?" ms voice had the slightest angry waver to it, the only hint of whatever fury blazed deeper inside. Evilicus took a deep breath. "I'm not trying to st-"

"THEN WHY SHOULD I HIT YOU?!"

"FOR REPENTANCE!"

Evilicus' voice cracked in stress, and after that their gaze fell, along with a cold silence. Mewmews anger eased, worry finally taking victory over the feeling. "R.. Repentance..?"

The dark lord's shoulders slumped a tad as they held their arms, voice coming out dry from their throat. "Or.. Punishment. Either would.. Suffice.. I guess.." Mewmew took a moment to truly comprehend what this was actually about.

Guilt. It was about guilt. It had to be.

Unsure how to approach the topic, Mewmew lowered ms ears, mouth opening and closing a few times as mew searched for the best words to tread what must've been a delicate topic for the Dark lord. Ms silence prompted more from Evie. "I'm a.. Bad person, right? That's the.. Impression i got, from all this. That I was in the wrong. I disagreed, of course, I mean I.. Anyway, I keep wondering why leave me.. Like this. It feels crueler than death or imprisonment. I've nowhere - and no one to go to, and it just.. Leaves me wondering where I went wrong to end up like this.."

Oh meow God. It was guilt, right? Just listen to all that! Mew couldn't believe ms ears!

"That's.."

Mewmew swallowed, gathering ms resolve. "That's the point."

Evilicus' head perked slightly, eyes searching answers on Mewmew. "That, and.. Mercy. I wanted to leave you in a state where you had the chance to reflect on your life, and where, you couldn't hurt anyone anymore.. Not even yourself." Mewmew looked back firmly, though ms voice wasn't judgemental nor disdainful. Evilicus was noticeably caught off guard by the last addition, and their voice stalled in their throat, dazed at such an implication. Both a defensive indignation, and an uncomfortably soft, foreign feeling fought over in Evies mind. "See, there's an obvious reason the dark artifacts you used were sealed away. And - I hope, an obvious reason why the galactic alliance tried to take them away from you. They're dangerous. Even to their wielder." Mewmew explained calmly, brows falling to a gentle position. For that moment, despite it all, Evilicus could vividly imagine the stout, towering robot Mewmew used to be, lecturing them on things in the midst of combat. Evie hated admitting that for once, the feeling of it wasn't entirely reprehensible.

".. Oh. I see.." was all the dark lord could muster as a response.

"Plus, nya gotta understand Villy - me hurting you back won't help anyone you killed, or anything you destroyed. Nyou don't fix destruction with destruction. And we can put aside any arguments about nyou deserving it too - that really doesn't matter anymore whether you do or don't. It doesn't. It's over now." Mewmew added, holding up ms paws deflectively for a moment, as if foreseeing any questions the dark lord may have had.

"But.. What.. Am I supposed to do then..?" Evilicus shot back, feeling utterly lost. And that was saying something, considering everything..

Mewmew tilted ms head side to side briefly, leaning ms weight from one paw to the other.