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A Hero Among Us
Chapter 156 "Blood is Thicker Than Water"

Chapter 156 "Blood is Thicker Than Water"

Paperboy looks over his shoulder and sees Hayze and Blair are gone.

Paperboy: Wh- where did they go?!

Lust: Huh?

Paperboy: Hayze and Lady Lava are gone!

Lust: We must have been separated from them without our knowledge.

Exciton: *sighs* Just great…

Paperboy: Sh- should we go back to look for them?

Exciton: No, we don’t know when they were pulled away from us or where it happened. Going back would be futile.

Lust: We just have to hope they’re okay…

Exciton places his hand on Lust’s shoulder.

Exciton: I’m sure they will be.

Lust: Yeah… me too.

Exciton: Come on, let’s keep going.

Lust and Exciton continue walking.

Paperboy: Hey! Wait for m-

Suddenly the floor disappears beneath Paperboy, opening to a shredder.

Paperboy: AHHH!

Paperboy grabs onto the side of the hole and struggles to survive.

Paperboy: H- H- HELP! EXCITON! LUST!

Exciton and Lust are far gone.

Paperboy: HOW DID THEY GET SO FAR AWAY SO FAST!

Paperboy reaches into his pocket and pulls out a newspaper.

Paperboy: With my newspaper powers, I’ll escape with ease!

The newspaper folds into a rope connecting to the ceiling, pulling Paperboy up.

Paperboy: YEAH!

Paperboy’s cape gets caught in the shredder.

Paperboy: N- NO! NO! NO! PLEASE!

Paperboy gets dragged into the shredder and is eviscerated.

Paperboy: AHHHHHHHH!

Lust looks back.

Lust: Oh no! It looks like Papermache got separated from us too!

Exciton: Huh… he must have taken a wrong turn. Oh well, I’m sure he’s okay.

Aster, Daniele, Fishface, and Doorman finally reach the end of their hallway.

Fishface: A staircase!

Daniele: Finally, we can get off this floor.

Aster: Yeah, just be careful, though.

Doorman: Why? It’s just a staircase.

Doorman starts walking down.

Aster: I said be careful!

Out of nowhere, the staircase’s steps curve and transform into a slide.

Doorman: Wh- AHHH!

At the bottom of the steps, a device activates, creating a small black hole that sucks up Doorman.

Doorman: AHHHHHH! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!

The black hole disappears.

Fishface: Wh- what the fuck was that?!

Aster: It looks like he fell into a black hole and was killed instantly.

Daniele: He was spaghettified.

Fishface: Man… Well, at least it was quick.

Daniele: No, actually, black holes have time-diluting properties, which means that the process felt like it took 1000 years for him.

Aster: And once you’re inside a black hole, it stretches every atom of your body into a long thin strip. It is literally the most painful way you could die.

Fishface: O- oh…

Aster: Yeah, so let’s be careful on the way down.

Aster and Daniele jump atop the stairwell railing and start walking down.

Fishface: I hope the others are having this much fun...

Hayze and Blair spot the dungeon door. They see one grunt on the ground and the other frantically typing on the door’s keypad.

Hayze: Uh…

Blair: What?

Grunt 1 (Ash): Hayze! Blair! Thank god!

Blair: A- Ash? Is that you?

Grunt 1 (Ash): Yes, but there’s no time to explain! Alexis is-

Blair: Don’t worry, we know!

Blair uses a lava blast to destroy the door. Ash returns to her body, and Grunt 1 flops unconscious.

Hayze: Alexis?!

Alexis: Hayze, we’re down here!

Hayze and Blair rush over to the chambers, Blair melts the grates, and they help pull them both out.

Alexis: Jesus… How did you guys find us?

Blair: It’s a long story…

Hayze: How did you guys end up like this?

Blair: And where are your clothes?

Alexis: I was with Mr. Walker, Ms. Fatal, Big Tank, and Saige, but then Saige and I both fell into a garbage shoot. Once we were down there, we both got knocked out by some strange gas, and I woke up here.

Hayze: Wait… so Saige was taken somewhere else?

Alexis: I assume so, but I don’t know why.

Hayze: Dammit…

Blair: What about you, Ash?

Ash: Me and Justus got separated from our bigger group earlier on, and once we were alone, a strange girl appeared and claimed she was Justus’ sister.

Blair and Alexis: What?

Hayze: Really?

Ash: Yeah… it seemed like a bizarre situation, but I didn’t hear all the details before she had me knocked out and brought here.

Alexis: They took our costumes to weaken us so we couldn’t escape on our own.

Hayze: I see… smart…

Blair: So, Justus and Saige could be in danger right now?

Alexis: I think so.

Ash: Justus is more than likely fighting that girl right now.

Hayze: We need to find them.

Alexis: And our costumes, I’m useless without mine.

Ash: And I’m limited in my capabilities as well.

Hayze: Yeah, but you can still be our astral scout. Search around the nearby rooms and see if you can find either Saige or Justus.

Ash: On it.

Ash enters her astral form, and Alexis catches her body.

Ash: (Let’s see…)

Ash scours from room to room, searching.

Ash: (Come on… come on…)

Ash eventually enters the lab and sees the fight between Chagrin and Wirths.

Ash: (There!)

Ash returns to her body.

Ash: I saw Saige!

Hayze: Is she alright?

Ash: She’s in a Soulvania fight.

Hayze: Shit… we’ve gotta get there fast.

Ash: Follow me!

Ash leads the way through the hallways.

Hayze: (You’ve got this, Saige, you can beat whoever you’re up against.)

Saige lies down and stares into the void above her.

Saige: (I hate feeling helpless. I hate feeling alone. Well, I guess I’m never alone with Chagrin around… I… I just wish that she would go away. I hate her so much. I hate how she makes me feel, and now she will ruin my life. How will I face anyone ever again if they run into her? Oh god… what if she runs into Hayze! I miss when I was running from Chagrin; at least then, I didn’t have to deal with her!)

A memory panel floats in front of Saige.

Saige: Huh? What’s this?

Saige is looking out at a torrential downpour from the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington.

Saige: (I love watching the rain from here, it makes everything seem so peaceful.)

Voice: Uh? Excuse me, miss?

Saige: Huh?

Two middle school-age girls are standing behind her with their phones.

Girl 1: It is her!

Girl 2: You’re Saige Neidert, right?

Saige: Uh, yes?

Girl 1: You’re the girl that’s the top student of U.A. West!

Girl 2: You’re so awesome! Can we please take pictures with you?

Saige: Um, sure!

The girls take pictures with Saige.

Girl 1: You’re making a great example for us girls!

Girl 2: Yeah! It’s about time we had a female #1!

Saige: Oh, well, thanks! But I think being #1 is shooting a little high for me.

Girl 1: No way! You’ll totally be better than Colossus someday!

Girl 2: Yeah! Your quirk is so great! I wish I had one like it!

Girl 1: You’re so lucky!

Saige: Oh… yeah… I- uh… I guess I am.

Girl 2: Thank you so much for the pictures!

Girl 1: Have a great day!

Saige: You too!

The girls run off.

Saige: (Lucky, huh? If only they knew…)

Saige’s phone starts ringing.

Saige: Huh?

Saige looks and sees it’s her grandfather calling. She hesitates for a moment before picking up.

Saige: Yes, grandfather?

Ewing: *phone* Ah, thank you for picking up, Saige. This is really important.

Saige: What? Do you want me to transfer to U.A. Main? I’ve already told you a million times I’m not-

Ewing: *phone* Moore used the serum again on a boy your age.

Saige is silent. She’s shocked.

Saige: Please tell me you’re not joking.

Ewing: I’m not. You watched the Sports Festival, right? He’s the boy who lost in the Semi-Finals to the eventual winner. His name is Adam Hayze. He received the serum a few months ag-

Saige: I’ll call you back later, Grandpa.

Ewing: Wh- what! No, you need to-

Saige hangs up; she stands there in silence for a few moments.

Saige: YEEEEEEEES!

Everyone around Saige looks at her with weird expressions. She blushes

Saige: Oh... uh… sorry.

Saige starts running towards the exit. She dials a number on her phone.

Saige: Hi, is this Seattle-Tacoma International airport? Hi, yeah, I’d like to book a plane ticket for Nashville, Tennessee. The first flight you have available.

Saige smiles.

Saige: I can’t believe I screamed like that…

A tear rolls down Saige’s face.

Saige: It just… meant so much to me.

Chagrin attempts to stand back up but falls right back on her butt.

Chagrin: *frustrated grunt*

Wirths: Is something wrong?

Chagrin: Yeah! You made my ass numb!

Wirths: My, what a crude thing to say.

Chagrin: THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEANT!

Wirths smiles.

Wirths: Oh my, you wouldn’t happen to be getting embarrassed now, would you?

Chagrin: I do not get embarrassed! This body isn’t mine! What do I have to be ashamed of?

Wirths: Well, for starter’s your breasts are sagging at a young age.

Chagrin: No, they’re not- I mean... Ha, Saige, that’s too bad for Saige!

Wirths: It seems as though the longer you have control over that body, the less and less you can dissociate yourself from it.

Chagrin stands up on her good leg, holding her numb one in the air.

Chagrin: Yeah, right.

Wirths: Really? Then why is your face so flushed?

Chagrin: It’s warm in here, okay?!

Wirths: Right…

Chagrin: (What is wrong with me? Saige is the insecure one! Not me! But, I’ve never been in control of the body for this long… every other time I've taken momentary control to pants Saige or give her a wedgie. This is new for me; what if he’s- No! I’m not capable of shame! I inflict shame. I don’t feel it!)

Chagrin creates a scythe and wields it in her limp, numb hand.

Chagrin: Alright, it’s time for you to die.

Wirths: Oh, I can’t die now. There’s so much more fun to be had.

Chagrin: Well, you can have it in hell!

Chagrin lunges at Wirths.

Wirths: (She’s flustered and not thinking out her moves.) *nasal grunt* (I’m in complete control now.)

Wirths speeds behind Chagrin and grabs her ankle.

Chagrin: Huh?!

Wirths: Well, isn’t this *whispers* shameful?

Wirths throws chagrin into the ground.

Chagrin: *groans*

Wirths: So, did you just forget about my quirk, or?

Chagrin: Shut up!

Wirths: (A few minutes ago, she had me on the ropes, now it’s as if that never happened.)

Chagrin: I said it’s time to die!

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Chagrin slashes her scythe at Wirths.

Wirths: No, it isn’t.

Wirths dodges by jumping on top of the scythe.

Chagrin: Wh- what! Stop that!

Wirths: Stop what? Embarrassing you?

Chagrin: I’m not embarr-

Wirths kicks Chagrin in the face, causing her to drop and dispel her scythe.

Chagrin: *groans*

Wirths: Let’s ensure my test subject can’t leave the testing area.

Wirths reveals his novocaine syringe and numbs Chagrin’s other ankle.

Chagrin: *frustrated grunt* Damn you! You can’t do this to me!

Wirths: All you need to do is admit my hypothesis is correct and make all the pain stop.

Chagrin: I’M NOT ASHAMED OF ANYTHING!

Wirths: Hm… okay, then I guess I’ll have to resort to more “fun” methods.

Chagrin: Do your worst!

Justus and Terus both slowly get to their feet. They’re both breathing heavily.

Justus: Just to be clear, I don’t want to kill you.

Terus: Just to be clear, I don’t care.

Justus: We could have been friends had things been different.

Terus: Pfft, shut up.

Justus: I’m serious; I know our upbringings weren’t one and the same, but we're still siblings at the end of the day. We don’t have much in common, but we’ll always have that.

Terus: Stop talking to me like you’ve known me for years! We just met!

Justus: I know, but we’re connected by our father’s blood. We have been his mistakes, but we could have been something better together. We don’t have to be defined by who brought us into this world… It took me a long time to realize that. I just wish you could have gotten to know me rather than using me as a surrogate for him.

Terus: Don’t give me that B.S. What could you have done for me?

Justus: I don’t know, but I would have treated you like family because that’s what you are to me.

Terus: *frustrated grunt* DIDN’T YOU HEAR ME?! WE JUST MET! STOP TALKING TO ME LIKE THAT!

Justus: Father may have thrown away a chance to know his daughter, but you threw away an opportunity to know your brother.

Terus: SHUT UP!

Justus: For a man you criticize so heavily, you don’t seem too bothered to mimic his actions!

Terus: I SAID SHUT UP!

Terus fires a mecha-sonic burst at Justus. He blocks it with his shield, but the vibrations painfully course throughout his shield and body.

Justus: *pained grunt*

Justus falls to a knee.

Terus: I don’t care what you say! You stole the life I should have had!

Terus fires another sonic burst at Justus; he blocks it with his shield again. Again, the vibrations cause him to fall to his hands and knees.

Terus: It should have been me that he loved! Not you!

Terus fires again; Justus blocks but can barely withstand any more hits.

Terus: He died without ever even knowing about me! You got closure!

Terus fires again; Justus blocks, drops his shield, and falls to the ground.

Justus: *groans*

Terus: Killing you is the closest thing I’ll get to closure.

Scarlett watches from the monitors.

Scarlett: (Hm… it looks like Terus is actually going to be successful. I’m surprised; I knew she was strong when I scraped her out of that gutter I found her in. But defeating such a high-profile opponent? That’s more than I ever expected out of trailer trash like her.)

Scarlett looks around the other monitors.

Scarlett: (It seems Hayze’s group is heading for Dr. Wirths’ lab. No matter. He should have vacated by now, so I won’t waste my time delaying them. The only problem is that Vulcan’s group is getting closer to the throne room; I’d prefer not to face him AND Black Hollow first. So, I’ll need to weaken them. But, Terus is far too weak for her to be of any use to me again.)

Scarlett bites her tongue.

Scarlett: (I know, I’ll send Large Man down to delay them. Where is that big idiot?)

Scarlett calls upon one of her bats; it flies up and out of the facility and surveys the surface.

Scarlett: (What’s this?)

Scarlett sees Zach, Impact, Wes, and Aaron being loaded onto ambulances, with Yul and Verity spectating. In addition, a massive police barricade has been formed around the rubble of her house.

Scarlett: (What? Impact is still alive! How! Where is-)

Scarlett spots Large Man’s corpse. She slams her fist.

Scarlett: (That oaf is dead, and he didn’t even kill Impact!)

Scarlett bites her tongue.

Scarlett: (All of my plans and setups are failing. At this rate, I’ll have to fight 5 members of the Top 10 myself AND a group of highly-skilled U.A. Students… with my prisoners released, I don’t have any leverage; I have to figure out a new plan!)

Scarlett looks at the monitor with Justus and Terus on it.

Scarlett: (Hm…)

Scarlett presses a button.

Scarlett: Ivy, send “the beast” to delay Vulcan. Also, route our explosives expert to Big Tank’s group.

Ivy: *intercom* Understood.

Scarlett: And once you’re done with that, head to Wirths’ lab and clean up the mess that will inevitably be made there. I’ll be leaving the control room for now.

Ivy: *intercom* Yes, ma’am.

Scarlett stands up.

Scarlett: (It’s time for a little impromptu planning.)

Terus takes aim at Justus’ head.

Justus: (I think… this is it… I’m sorry, father.)

Terus: This is for taking what should have been mine!

Scarlett: Stop.

Justus: Huh?

Terus stops; She turns around to see Scarlett standing behind her.

Justus: (She’s here!)

Terus: M- my queen, why are you here?

Scarlett: To grow my power.

Terus: What! But- but- you said you’d let me be the one to kill him!

Scarlett: Yes, I did.

Terus: Then why are you robbing me of this! I’ve served you loyally for years so that I could finally reach this moment! Why?!

Scarlett places her hand on Terus’ shoulder.

Scarlett: Terus, my dear, there comes a time when you must ask yourself what is really important in life.

Terus: Wh- what?

Scarlett: I understand that you feel you must kill him to finally have closure for your father abandoning you, but we need to put the end goal ahead of our individual aspirations.

Terus: Y- you mean…

Scarlett: When I saved you from the streets two years ago, I only asked one thing from you: loyalty, and you’ve given it to me at every opportunity.

Terus: Yes… I have.

Scarlett: So please, I ask you to give it to me once more.

Terus looks distraught; she looks down at her pistols for a moment and then at Justus lying in pain on the ground.

Terus: *sighs* Okay.

Terus tosses her pistols aside.

Terus: You can have him.

Scarlett: Thank you, my dear.

Terus: I can’t imagine he’ll give you much extra power. He’s pretty beaten up, thanks to me.

Scarlett: Oh, I’m not going to feast on his blood.

Justus: Huh?

Terus: What? Then what are you…

Scarlett: I need him alive to use him for leverage. The others are approaching my throne rapidly, and I need to delay them. So threatening them with his life will suffice.

Terus: I- but… he has to die. That’s the only way the Soulvania will fade!

Scarlett smiles.

Scarlett: That’s not the only way.

Scarlett bites into Terus’ neck and sucks her blood. Justus’ eyes widen.

Terus: M- m- m-

Scarlett: Don’t speak, darling. You’ve served me well, but your brother is far more valuable to me at this point.

Tears start to roll down Terus’ face.

Scarlett: If it makes you feel better, your power will help me destroy the heroes and fulfill my goals. So, at least your life wasn’t as worthless as it seemed.

Terus’ skin gets paler and paler.

Terus: I- I… I thought of you as my mother.

Scarlett: You were foolish to do so.

Suddenly, Scarlett gets hit upside her head by Justus’ shield.

Scarlett: AHH!

Scarlett releases her grip on Terus, causing her to fall to the ground. Terus looks back to see Justus on his knees.

Justus: Stay away from her!

Scarlett: You should have stayed down!

Justus forces himself to his feet.

Justus: You won’t lay another finger on her; you hear me!

Scarlett: What are you going to do? You can’t defeat me!

Justus reaches for his pocket and pulls out a tiny box.

Scarlett: What is that?

Justus: Something… my father gave me.

Justus opens it and pulls out the Omega Ring fragment. He firmly grasps it in his fist.

Scarlett: (Wait… I’ve seen something like that before… it can’t be!)

Justus: I promised myself I’d only ever use this if it was to protect someone I care about. And the criteria has been met!

Justus bursts towards Scarlett.

Scarlett: (He’s faster!)

Justus winds back his fists.

Justus: COLOSSAL JUSTICE!

Justus barrages Scarlett with a series of intense punches.

Scarlett: AHHHHHH!

Justus finishes the barrage leaving Scarlett bruised and stunned. He winds back one more punch.

Justus: HAMMER OF JUSTICE: FINAL ORDER!

Justus punches Scarlett in the gut so hard that she goes flying back into the wall of the Soulvania.

Scarlett: I- I- I-

Justus is breathing heavily; he opens his fist… the ring fragment has been reduced into dust.

Justus: That’s all I’ve got…

Justus keels over. Scarlett falls to her knees in pain and shock.

Scarlett: (It… it was like being pelted by… HIM!)

Scarlett looks at Terus and Justus.

Scarlett: (They’re both too weak for me to recharge on, I need to retreat!)

Scarlett fades into the shadows.

Justus: Are you alright?

Terus: M- me?

Justus: Yes, you.

Terus: Why did you do that… for me? I was going to kill you.

Justus: I already told you… you’re my sister. I don’t care if I met you today… we’re still blood. You are family to me, and I’ll always protect my family.

Terus stares at Justus and more tears start rolling down her face.

Terus: I’m so sorry…

Justus: It’s okay, I understand.

Terus: I didn’t have a good life, but I can see now… that that wasn’t entirely his fault.

Terus’ eyes flutter.

Terus: We don’t have to be defined by who brought us into this world…

Justus: No… we don’t.

Terus smiles.

Terus: You’re not like him…

Justus: Huh?

Terus: You’re better…

Terus dies, and the Soulvania disappears.

Justus: T- Terus?

Justus reaches out to his sister’s dead body.

Justus: I’m sorry.

A tear rolls down Justus’ face.

Justus: I always wanted a sister…

Hayze, Blair, Alexis, and Ash burst into Wirths’ lab.

Hayze: Saige!

Blair: Wh- why are they naked?!

Alexis: Is it someone’s birthday?

Ash: Yeah… I was wondering about that when I saw her earlier...

Chagrin and Wirths look at their new audience.

Chagrin: Y- you guys?

Wirths: Sorry, but your friend isn’t here right now.

Alexis: So the naked girl that looks like Saige isn’t Saige?

Hayze: You don’t mean…

Wirths: Yes, I forced her “other self” out.

Hayze approaches the Soulvania wall.

Hayze: So, you must be Chagrin.

Chagrin covers herself.

Chagrin: D- d- d- don’t look at me!

Hayze: You’re not what I expected.

Wirths: Trust me, she wasn’t like this when we started. She went on and on about how she could not feel shame and only lived to inflict it upon her host.

Hayze: Yeah, I’ve heard that before.

Hayze stares at Chagrin.

Hayze: Why don’t you crawl back into Saige’s mind and leave her alone.

Chagrin: Leave her alone? Never! I may be getting a taste of my own medicine right now, but so is she! She’s probably mortified right now!

Saige watches from inside her mind.

Saige: H- Hayze! OH, GOD!

Saige covers her face.

Hayze: Why should she be?

Saige: (Huh?)

Chagrin: What are you talking about! What human wouldn’t be humiliated to be exposed in front of the people she cares about most?

Hayze: Saige, I know you can hear me in there. I want you to know you’re beautiful and have nothing to be ashamed of. You’re one of the best people I know, and you helped me when I needed it most. Chagrin tortured you growing up, and you didn’t want me to experience anything like that, so you uprooted your entire life just to meet me. With your help, I gained control of my personalities before they took control of me. I don’t know where I’d be now if it weren’t for you. But I didn’t appreciate you enough for that. When I was second-guessing myself and questioning if I could ever tame the monster inside my mind, I made one of the worst mistakes of my life… but you were the one who didn’t give up on me. You spent 3 months searching, costing you your incredible strength gap over everyone. You’ve sacrificed more for me than I ever could repay, so let me tell you this. I earned the respect of my personalities, and now they fight alongside me in combat because I figured something out about them: they all possess weaknesses that I don’t because they were created from a mere piece of my mind. I’m the only one suited to be in control of my body. Look at Chagrin here. I can tell by her injuries that she’s been getting her ass kicked. You would never lose to a loser scientist like this, and I know it. Saige, Chagrin is nothing compared to you, and she knows it. Why do you think she’s been tormenting you all these years? Because she wants you to be just like her. So, please knock this bitch out of the driver’s seat.

Everyone is silent for a few moments.

Alexis: Damn…

Wirths: (I’d love to see where this goes.)

Saige stands up and looks at Hayze through the rift.

Chagrin: Ha! You are so delusional! Saige is just a weak little girl that-

Suddenly, all of the embarrassing memory panels begin shattering around Saige.

Saige: (Hayze is right… I have nothing to be ashamed of!)

Chagrin starts shaking.

Chagrin: No… NO!

Wirths: Hm?

Hayze smiles.

Hayze: There she goes.

Chagrin starts shaking her head frantically.

Chagrin: AHHHHHHHH!

Chagrin passes out.

Ash: What just happened?

Wirths: My, this is intriguing. I’d kill her now, but I want to see how this turns out!

Hayze: Well, that’s a big mistake.

Wirths: Hm?

Chagrin zaps into the recesses of Saige’s mind.

Chagrin: Wh- how am I back here!

Saige: Because I brought you here.

Chagrin: Huh! What! You can’t do that!

Saige: Yes, I can.

Chagrin: How!

Saige: The only way for you to take control of my body is if I experience shame.

Chagrin: Yeah! And you’ve got plenty of that!

Saige: Not anymore.

Chagrin: Wh- what?

Saige: If I am no longer capable of experiencing shame, you’d become as weak as ceiling guy.

Chagrin: There’s no way you could stop feeling shame! NONE!

Saige: Yes, there is. Look around; your torture panels are all gone.

Chagrin frantically looks around for the memory panels.

Chagrin: Where did they go?!

Saige: They all disappeared when I finally realized something…

Chagrin: And that is?

Saige: The only person whose opinion about me I care about is Hayze’s, and if he says I have nothing to be ashamed about, then I don’t.

Chagrin: Wh- it can’t be that simple!

Saige: The day I found out Hayze existed was one of the best days of my life. I spent so many years living with you and couldn’t talk to anyone about it. I had to suffer in silence as you tormented me from the inside, and even if I could tell someone, they could never understand what I’ve been through. They could never look at me and say, “I know how you feel.” Hayze can, and that’s why I was so excited to meet him. I helped him conquer his personalities, and now he’s helping me finally defeat you.

Chagrin starts to fade away.

Chagrin: No! No! This can’t be happening!

Saige: Don’t worry, you’ll always be a part of me, just not a part I ever have to think about.

Chagrin: NOOOOOOO!

Chagrin disappears.

Saige: Now then…

Saige wakes up.

Wirths: Well, well, well, which one of you is it?

Saige: The cute one.

Wirths: Huh?

Hayze: Welcome back, Saige.

Saige smiles.

Saige: Thank you, Hayze.

Saige uses her quirk to create jet boots on her feet, allowing her to stand up.

Alexis: She’s back!

Blair: And she’s still naked! Put on some damn clothes!

Saige: No, I don’t think I will.

Wirths laughs.

Wirths: What? You’re not ashamed of being in your birthday suit anymore?

Saige: Nope.

Wirths: What if I told them you didn’t hit puberty until you were 14?

Saige: I don’t care.

Wirths starts laughing maniacally.

Saige: What’s funny, honey?

Wirths: You’ve done it! You’ve discovered a cure for your disorder! Tell me how you did it!

Saige: No, I think I’d rather kill you.

Wirths: Alright, then I’ll just have to torture the information out of you!

Saige: Unlikely.

Wirths: We’ll see about that!

Wirths speeds towards Saige.

Wirths: I’ll numb your entire body! And rip it apart piece by piece until I find my answer!

Saige analyzes Wirths.

Saige: (His quirk has one very obvious weakness, and now that I’m in control, it’s time to take advantage of it.)

Saige loosens one of her rocket boots.

Wirths: I’ll start with your lower back!

Wirths novocaines Saige’s lower back, causing her to start falling backward.

Saige: Woah!

Wirths punches Saige in the chest, sending her flying into the Soulvania Wall.

Saige: Ow…

Wirths: TELL ME YOUR SECRET!

Saige: Not until after I’m finished with my Cinderella impression.

Wirths: Huh?

Wirths notices one of Saige’s boots is missing.

Wirths: Wait… where-

Wirths looks down and sees the boot lying in front of him.

Saige: Ever wonder what your quirk’s biggest weakness is?

Saige transforms the boot into a claymore.

Wirths: HUH?!

Saige: It’s that your genitals are exposed.

The claymore detonates, blowing up Wirths’ entire lower half of his body and sending the top half flying into a table.

Wirths: AHHHHHHHHHH!

Saige giggles.

Saige: Bye-bye.

Hayze: Nice, Saige!

Ash: What was that?

Alexis: A claymore. It’s an explosive that, when triggered, fires about 700 metal shards out in a 60-degree dispersed pattern, all at about dick level.

Ash: Oh…

Blair: That’s one way to get a blow job…

Wirths looks down at his organs slipping out of his body.

Wirths: Well… this isn’t good. *coughs up a ton of blood* Nope… not good at all.

Saige: I don’t suppose you could use your dying breaths to tell us where our costumes are?

Wirths: I’ll use my final words exactly as any scientist would… my only regret was grad school…

Wirths bleeds out. The Soulvania dissipates.

Hayze: You did it, Sai-

Saige jumps at Hayze and knocks him to the ground with a big hug.

Saige: She’s gone, Hayze! She’s finally gone!

Blair: GET OFF HIM YOU-

Alexis stops Blair.

Alexis: This is a big moment for her.

Saige is crying.

Saige: She’s finally gone…

Hayze: Yeah, she is.

Terus wakes up on a bed made of clouds.

Terus: Wh- where am I?

A large figure approaches her.

Voice: You’re in heaven, Terus.

Terus looks at the figure.

Terus: D- Dad?

Colossus: Hello, daughter.

Terus: Is it really you?

Colossus: Yes, it is.

Colossus offers Terus his hand; she hesitates but then takes it. He helps her to her feet.

Colossus: I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.

Terus stares at Colossus for a moment.

Terus: It’s okay… you’re here now.

Colossus smiles.

Colossus: Good, we have a lot of catching up to do. Tell me about yourself.

Terus: I… I am Terus Summers, the sister of Justus Grey… the future number 1 hero.