#master plan

The hall led to a ballroom of sorts, or at least that’s where Supervillain turned Hero’s wheelchair into. There was a balcony that lined the upper walls, but Hero’s eyes went further up to the ceiling that displayed a beautiful arched ceiling carved out of white stone like bone and a grand chandelier of crystal teardrops.

“Where are we?” Hero asked, unable to keep the awe from their voice.

Supervillain hummed above them. “Impressed?”

“Yes,” Hero said honestly.

“Then where we are doesn’t matter, little Hero, does it?”

Hero swallowed the biting retort they wanted to throw at Supervillain. He didn’t trust Hero, which was smart, but annoying. Hero couldn’t fight back from this fucking chair. They could barely stand without support… but then again— Supervillain wouldn’t have been able to literally change the world if he only thought about the immediate future. He played the long game, and even if he could trust this pathetic version of Hero, once they got their strength back, they would go right back to being a legitimate threat. Especially if he was stupid enough to give Hero back their swords.

Supervillain wheeled them through the ballroom out into an atrium. Hero dragged themselves from their thoughts at the doors to the outside. Supervillain just wheeled them to it, but that’s not what drew Hero’s gaze.

It was the blonde zombified girl standing at attention beside the wall. She was dressed in all black. Her hair tied back into a ponytail, hands behind her back, like a solider awaiting their orders.

Somehow, this was worse than seeing Medic used as a servant. Teleport’s face and clothes lacked any colour. She wasn’t bouncing from foot to foot, filled with limitless energy she just… stood there. Still as the grave. Hero felt the soup curdle in their stomach at the sight.

“Teleport,” Supervillain said, and Teleport looked at him. She didn’t spare so much of a glance at Hero. Hero wanted to speak. To scream. To say— to fucking say SOMETHING! But their jaw locked and all they could do was stare, mutely horrified. “We need your services.”

Teleport glanced at Villain, then at Hero in the chair and Hero leaned forward, eyes wide. Please, they pleaded silently. Recognise me. Please.

“The cripple coming too?” The words had barely left her mouth before her head whipped to the side, a slap echoing through the atrium. Hero flinched at the sound, stunned. Villain was in front of her, moving quicker than lightning across the sky.

“You will address your betters with an appropriate tone, Teleport,” he said coldly, and Hero knew the bastard was smiling his cold smile. “Or I’ll have you put in the dungeons for another lesson.”

Teleport’s blue eyes widened, a protest on her lips but she didn’t get to say it before Hero lunged out of their chair towards Villain. They crashed into the back of Villain’s knees, and they went down, Hero climbing on top of the bastard as he turned beneath them.

“You fucking bastard!” They hissed, drawing back a fist, feral. “Don’t fucking touch her!”

Hands grabbed Hero and yanked them easily off of Villain who smirked up at Hero as they were wrestled back into their chair. This time when Supervillain had Hero sitting in the infernal chair, he produced a pair of power dampeners. Hero froze for a beat.

“No! No, no, Supervillain—” they said but their words fell on deaf ears. Twin shadowed hands grabbed Hero’s wrists and yanked them to each armrest. Supervillain cuffed Hero’s wrists to the arms of the chair while Hero cursed and raged and kicked out at the bastard. “You fucking cowards! You’re scared of me like this, just fucking wait until—”

Hero shut themselves up. The words died on their tongue as they saw Villain with a knife against Teleport’s throat. Once Hero was secured Supervillain straightened and fixed his jumper before a blur of movement and Hero gasped as flames of pain erupted on their cheekbone. They saw stars as they slumped, completely caught off guard at the violence. Of all people they never expected Supervillain to lose his temper so quickly.

Hero didn’t right themselves in the chair. They stared, glared at the spot to their left, where their head had snapped after the almost knock-out punch. Supervillain grabbed Hero’s chin and yanked their head towards him, looking into his glacier gaze that froze Hero to their chair with fear. The taste of blood metallic on their tongue.

“Are you going to fucking behave?” Hero swallowed at Supervillain’s barely-contained-rage filled question. They glanced at Teleport who didn’t look at them and nodded once, slightly, as much as they could. Supervillain smiled.

“Good.” He said, and his frosty rage melted, replaced with a smile, with saviour Supervillain, the charming man. Hero swallowed the lump in their throat when Supervillain walked around their chair again. “Now, Teleport. If you would, please. Put us in the box, I don’t want Hero to do something stupid again so soon.”

“Yes sir,” Teleport said softly. She grabbed hold of Hero and Supervillain, while Villain held onto her shoulder. Hero opened their mouth to protest that three is too many when the world morphed and folded around them. Oxygen compacted into tight space as Hero felt the world contort and pulled around them. Nausea climbed Hero’s throat as they tried to breathe in the liminal space before the world stopped attacking their senses and they could breathe again.

Hero folded in on themselves, the cuffs clinking against the metal of the wheelchair and they sucked in a few deep breaths trying to steady themselves. They didn’t open their eyes or straighten until they were sure they wouldn’t throw up again.

“Are you okay, Hero?” Supervillain asked. Hero hummed in reply, swallowing hard before they finally sat up straight in their chair again. “It takes some getting used to.”

I know, Hero wanted to snap. Teleport is my friend, of course I know that. But they kept quiet. They didn’t want to anger Supervillain anymore than they already have, afraid of the consequences. Not for them, but what Supervillain or Villain might do to Teleport to make Hero behave.

Once the anger receded, Hero finally took in where they were. It looked like they were in some kind of stadium. Hero could barely see anything from their wheelchair, but it looked like an arena with tiered seating like a football stadium or concert venue, except the stage must be in the middle.

Ahead of them a wall of glass exposed the spectacle to whatever entertainment happened here, and Hero jerked forwards. The only response was the rattle of their chains. Supervillain let out a soft laugh.

“Oh, sorry. I forget you’re sitting,” he said coming around Hero’s chair and wheeling them towards the wall of glass. “Here. A better view.”

The glass box was a little more than a quarter of the way up the giant stadium that looked more like an amphitheatre or… Hero swallowed when their eyes fixed on the arena of sand in the middle of the stadium. Their heart stuttered in their chest as all breath left their lungs and Hero shook their head.

“Do you not like?” Supervillain purred as a door behind them opened but Hero didn’t pay it any mind as they fought against their soup coming back up again.

“What is this?” Hero whispered, horror coating every breath. Hero couldn’t take their eyes from the centre of the arena. It looked like a mockery of the guild sparring pit that Hero grew up in, spent their youth training in day after day. They pulled at the cuffs as they leaned forward, staring down at the arena. “What is this?”

“I could tell you, Hero,” Supervillain cooed. “Though I’m sure you already have a good guess. But I think it’s far more entertaining to show you.”

Hero swallowed the lump in their throat as they stared and stared and stared. Hero couldn’t stop the flashes from the war, fighting in the dirt and the mud so like the sandy pit below, the smell of blood and piss singeing their nostrils and sweat, they swore they were back there now as a siren sounded and two heavy portcullis gates lifted on opposite sides of the arena.

Hero could see everything from the box they were in, even the faces of the two people who emerged onto the sands of the pit. The portcullis dropped as they stepped out far enough. Hero’s heart jumped into their chest as they recognised hero Trainee’s sister, Ishka, a water wielder. She had the same golden skin as her brother, her hard, dark eyes framed by her silky dark hair as she glared up at the box Hero was watching from. There was no lightness to her usual happy features. Hero knew Ishka. She was kind, cheerful. Now she looked like nothing more than a cold hearted weapon.

Her dark eyes widened in surprise at seeing Hero, mirroring Hero’s as they stared down at her. Ishka’s eyes glanced at Hero then Supervillain and then at the cuffs around Hero’s wrists they tugged on as they leaned forwards in their chair. Hero swallowed as they realised Ishka had a pair of power dampeners around her wrists too, but with no chain in between.

“They can’t use their powers?” Hero demanded, hands balling into fists.

“No. They can’t. All thanks to you, really.”

Hero’s head whipped to Supervillain. “What?”

Supervillain grinned down at them. “While you were… asleep, I had my best scientists and craftsmen experiment with your power.”

Hero flinched. “What?”

“I needed my gladiators to be able to fight, Hero,” Supervillain said as if it was the most logical thing in the world. “But I couldn’t have them wielding their powers against me or any of the audience so I set my best minds to work and work they did.”

“Gladiators,” Hero repeated, barely audible. They really were going to be sick. Tears brimmed Hero’s eyes as they turned their attention back to Ishka and AnotherHero, Hero didn’t recognise. Wait… no. Wait, Hero knew most heroes—

“He’s not a hero,” Hero said, gesturing at the other person in the arena with Ishka. He was built like a giant, big and burly and thrice the size of Ishka’s lean frame.

“No,” Supervillain said with something like pride. “He isn’t. There were a couple of… little rebellions while you slept. Some people don’t take as well to their memories being adjusted.” Supervillain smiled wryly. “Who knew. So I squashed the petty squabbles and then offered their leaders a deal. Die for their uprising, or live as a gladiator.”

Hero’s body was like ice in the chair. They wouldn’t be able to move their limbs if they wanted to, but… this? This was too much to comprehend. Too horrifying.

Supervillain imprisoned the rest of the heroes and anybody else who dared question him and made them fight each other… for sport?!

“You’re a monster,” Hero hissed.

Supervillain laughed coldly. “It seems a fighting punishment, no? To those who fought a war against me, who killed my people, people who followed my orders… well, their punishment will be to fight to the death.”

A rush of cold dread struck Hero like a lightning bolt ricocheting through their entire body. “To the death?”

“Only on some occasions,” Supervillain said, his eyes glinting with a cruel malice as he drank in Hero’s horror. Hero recognised this vicious Supervillain, the monster behind his well crafted mask. The man that had Superhero killed and dragged Hero back up the podium to face the spectacle of gathered villains. The sadistic beast that lingered deep under his skin, but was always there.

“Besides,” Supervillain said, his hand lifting palm facing Ishka and the other gladiator. “This is only practice.”

He closed his fingers into a fist and both gladiators bowed towards the box before turning to face each other. Hero watched, their heart in their throat as Ishka sprung at her opponent with lethal grace and speed.

Her opponent to his credit didn’t fall for her feint and instead planted his feet and spun on his heel to bring his broadsword up against her daggers, her typical weapon of choice, though… they weren’t her usual ones. The ones she showed Hero once, perfectly balanced for her short stature and skinnier frame.

“You said you wanted an end to this violence,” Hero ground out through gritted teeth. They pulled sharply on their cuffs. “This is barbaric! Controlled violence?! For entertainment, do you see yourself as some fucking roman senator?”

Supervillain shot Hero his charming smile. “Why? You planning on stabbing me in the back?”

“I’m no coward.” Hero spat, yanking on their cuffs again just to do something. Not a coward, but powerless? At Supervillain’s mercy? Their stomach rolled as they watched Ishka spar like her life depended on it.

“This is the cost of losing a war,” Supervillain said, coming around to kneel slightly in front of Hero’s chair. Hero’s glare snapped to Supervillain’s glacier eyes. “Don’t worry, Hero. You’re safe from this fate.”

“And you call that mercy?”

“Yes.” Hero swallowed at the honesty colouring Supervillain’s voice. “I know you won’t see it that way, Hero. Not now, maybe not ever, but in time you’ll respect the cushion of safety you have by my side.”

Hero’s eyes widened in horror. “I would give my life to save all of theirs,” Hero spat, venom injected into every word. Supervillain smiled like a proud father speaking to a child.

“I know. Which is what makes you all the more compelling, Hero. You and I,” he continued, his eyes glittering with something that terrified Hero, “will change the world. Make it better than it was before.”

Hero pulled against the chains of their cuffs. “Better on your terms!” Hero hissed. “You have changed everyone’s memories to follow along with your stupid narrative of Superhero being the bad guy!”

“The victors write the history books,” Supervillain said softly. He dipped his head, his smile extending on one side of his face. “I mean, if you won, I would be in prison right now. As would all my people who fought with me.”

“Humanely treated!” Hero cried. “Not forced to- to fight for your lives through blood sports!”

Supervillain hummed and stood, cupping his hands behind his back as he stared down into the arena.

“A punishment must fit a crime, Hero.”

“Punish me in their stead!” Hero cried. An oppressive weight pushed down on Hero’s shoulder, on their skull, on their chest and it felt like they couldn’t breathe. “Please! I worked under Superhero! I was his second in command! I made the plans that killed so many of your friends. I was there in the war room. Punish me! Not them!”

Superhero didn’t speak for a moment. A single moment that managed to weave that terrible spark of hope in Hero’s chest.

“They chose their side, Hero. Now they must face the consequences.” He glanced at Hero over his shoulder. “As must you. Besides you wouldn’t last two seconds in the arena in your state, and the people love the spectacle of it all.”

“You’re a monster.”

“As are you,” Supervillain replied easily, pinning Hero to their chair. “We’ve both done monstrous things to survive. Don’t act like we are different.”

“We are different!”

“Not in the ways that matter,” Supervillain replied. He glanced to the right of Hero as the doors opened and closed again behind Hero. His eyes brightened and his smile warmed. “Ah, Hero, you are in luck. Meet the overseer of the Arena of Heroes.”

Hero didn’t want to turn their head and greet another of Supervillain’s sycophant, but they didn’t have a choice as Supervillain turned their wheelchair to face the door.

“I didn’t expect you to be here today, sir,” a strong voice answered that pulled at Hero’s heartstrings. “It is only a training day. There are no games tonight.”

“Don’t worry. We just came for a visit. I would like to introduce a guest of mine that will be joining my office,” Supervillain said. Hero couldn’t hear anything over the booming of their heart, deafening all sound, all love and peace evaporated. They couldn’t turn their head. They couldn’t… it would… it would shatter them.

But their brain had to… they had to see and register that he wasn’t dead. That he was still alive.

Hero turned and their breath caught in their throat.

“Vigilante.”

It was him. It was him. He was… he was alive. Beside him stood Villain who smirked at Hero over Vigilante’s shoulder. Hero wanted to slap that smugness from his stupid face, but they couldn’t take their gaze from Vigilante.

He looked good. He didn’t… he didn’t look zombified like Teleport or mistreated like Medic. He looked- Hero’s eyes raked over the uniform that Vigilante wore. Their stomach turned.

Oh god… he looked like one of them.

He smiled warmly at Hero. His voice soft as he said, “hi Hero. Good to see you’re awake.”

If Hero were a house of bricks, they would all be crashing down around them right now. Vigilante knew Hero? He recognised them? Supervillain didn’t introduce them, did he? No. He didn’t, which means… Vigilante— did Vigilante— was Vigilante?

Hero yanked at the cuffs keeping them bound to the chair. They couldn’t help the tears welling behind their eyes as they looked at Vigilante, their Vigilante, healthy and well. Not in the gladiator ring. Not bloodied or wearing power dampeners.

“You… you recognise me?” Hero asked in a breathy whisper. Vigilante’s golden gaze went from Hero’s face to Supervillain’s and back again, an awkward smile on his face.

“Yes,” Vigilante said with a small laugh. Hero’s breathing hitched. Did he… was he?…

No.

No!

Hero couldn’t entertain the possibility that Vigilante was always on Supervillain’s side. They couldn’t. They knew Vigilante; knew him in their soul. This wasn’t Hero’s Vigilante standing before them. The one who told Hero he’d always find them, that he loved them.

His golden eyes went to the cuffs on Hero’s wrists, and he frowned. Something Supervillain clocked too. “When Hero awoke, they were a little… violent,” he explained. “This is for their safety.”

“Yeah,” Villain scoffed, “and mine.”

Vigilante’s eyes lit up with his smile and Hero swore that everyone in the room could hear their heart break.

“What did you do to him?” Hero cried, yanking their wrists against the cuffs. “Vidge, it’s me, please! Please tell me you remember me. Please! Please!”

Vigilante’s eyes widened slightly. “I– I don’t think we’ve ever properly met before, Hero,” Vigilante said. Hero couldn’t restrain the whimper that broke up from their chest. “I… I mean,” Vigilante continued quickly, “I know you were in a coma for a while and that sometimes long-term coma patients wake with new memories and–”

Hero couldn’t take it. They yanked at their wrists harder as hot tears poured down their cheeks, shaking their head as they said no, over and over again as Vigilante continued. Hero ignored him and turned to Supervillain. “Kill me… just kill me, just- just-” Hero yanked harder on the cuffs until they drew blood. “JUST KILL ME! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING…” their voice cracked at the end as they pulled back hard on a blood-soaked wrist, trying to break their thumb and free themselves.

Vigilante stepped forwards, coming closer to Hero and kneeling in front of them. He grabbed Hero’s hand in his and pulled a roll of bandages from his pocket. “Please, don’t hurt yourself, Hero,” he said, and it sounded so like Hero’s Vigilante that they couldn’t help but stare as Vigilante carefully and meticulously wrapped Hero’s bloodied wrist. “You must be weak from waking and hurting yourself more will only delay the healing process.”

Hero stared at Vigilante while he worked. Their heart slamming against their chest and for a moment, a single, logic defying moment, Hero could pretend that it was only Vigilante and them in the world, maybe back in that shack in the trenches, and he was berating them for being foolhardy in battle.

But of course, reality didn’t let Hero have that delusion for long.

“He’s right you know,” Supervillain said. Hero didn’t take their eyes from Vigilante, afraid if they did that he would disappear again. “In fact, Vigilante watched over you while you slept, Hero. Making sure you were okay.”

Vigilante blushed hard, shooting a sideways smile at Supervillain, but he didn’t drop Hero’s fingers, or their hand and Hero held onto his for dear life. “Way to make me sound like a creep, Supervillain.”

“Good looking boy like you?” Supervillain said with a smile in his voice. “I’m certain Hero didn’t mind.”

Hero stared at Vigilante, heart pounding so loud it felt like everyone could hear but they didn’t care. They had to know. “Why?”

Vigilante’s dark hair fell over his forehead as he looked at Hero once more. “What?”

“Why did you watch over me?”

Vigilante ran their thumb over the knuckles of Hero’s hand absent-minded as he considered the question. “I… I don’t know. I just felt the need to be close to you, like… like I’ve known you all my life,” he said earnestly, his golden eyes bright. “Like this isn’t our first conversation.”

Hope struck in the shape of a knife straight through Hero’s chest as they deflated in the chair, in the cuffs, under Vigilante’s gaze. They knew it wasn’t an accident that Vigilante felt that familiarity that Medic and Teleport didn’t. That he was as soft and gentle as he was with Hero before… it all made a perfectly, devastating picture.

Supervillain crafted Vigilante into the perfect trap for Hero and fuck did it work. How Hero went from hysterical in one second to docile and quiet the moment Vigilante touched them. How their body remembered what their mind fought so hard to try and differentiate against. And Hero understood too the peace offering that this was from Supervillain to them, that he had kept Vigilante happy and fed, that he was in this box instead of down in the ring fighting for his life.

Hero swallowed the lump in their throat. They couldn’t rage against this softness. “Funny,” Hero replied hollowly. They could feel Supervillain and Villain’s gazes lock on hungrily at Hero’s reply. “I feel the same.”

Vigilante's smile was a hammer poised to crack Hero's ribs, but they didn't care. They couldn't. They'd do anything to get Vigilante back, anything... even if that meant sacrificing the world and following Supervillain's plans.

*~*~*~*~*

Continued here

Hehehe, I will refer back to the song that inspired this entire series Gladiator by Jann...