Hence why programs like the Junior Hero Program exist. Not all supers can just get powers and immediately start saving lives. Once graduated from the program, though, heroes still need to undergo training days. These are days when heroes are off duty, but still on the clock. Usually they’re on site, using the Networks state-of-the-art facilities. Jay always treasures these days of respite, even if it's filled with drones annoyingly rating his performance as sub-par. Today, though, they’re all praising his efforts as Jay goes absolutely feral, attacking with nearly unstable amounts of energy and rage.

“Performance satisfactory,” a busted bot warbles. Jay brings down his staff on it hard, sparks and metal flying as the bot is completely destroyed. He stares down at the remains for a moment before deciding to continue to attack it, this time stomping on the head.

“Uh—ah—Quickwit…”

Jay pauses. He looks up, finding a very nervous Pixamena and two Pixiepuffs at the entrance of the training room. She's not in her usual magical dress today, favoring a more practical lavender tracksuit. With the light streaming in from the ceiling-high windows, casting her in a soft glow, she looks small and innocent. Not much like the bossy princess Jay knows.

“Hey Pixamena.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

Pixamena sets the Pomeranians down. The bat-winged one immediately hides behind her, snarling. “I know your game, villain!”

“Pixiepuff! Shush!” Pixamena scolds.

“What did I do?” the angel-winged Pixiepuff whines.

“Not you—ugh. Nevermind. Look, Quickwit, I wanted to talk…”

“I'm not mad at you. I’m just going through some stuff right now.”

“Oh…really?”

“They were about to kill you. I’m glad you got away when you did.”

Pixamena fiddles with her hair. She comes closer, handing Jay an ice-cold canned coffee. Jay accepts it, wondering when she noticed he liked these.

“It was scary,” she whispers.

“I know.”

“I would’ve pulled you into the Pixie-pocket dimension with me, but it takes so much energy to just take myself and Pixiepuff.”

“I know. Look, I understand. I know already that you have a complicated relationship with Gannet. Seeing that alternate version who did so much horrible shit—it must’ve been a lot.”

Pixamena cringes, nervously stroking a pink pigtail. “You remember hearing my real name, then?”

“Yes, Faye. I remember that you were Gannet’s best friend, too. Is that why you introduced us? You wanted to make Gannet happy?”

“Oh, God—a little I just—to be honest, I wanted him to get over you. He was so obsessed, Quickwit. It was never, like, dangerous. Or I didn’t think it was. He just lived in this dreamland where this random hero would be his boyfriend one day, if he ever got the courage to meet him.”

“So you thought I would ignore him, and he’d move on?”

“Basically. Or, like, he’d meet the real you and get disillusioned when you didn’t fit his fantasy.”

Jay sighs, cracking open the coffee. “What did you think after I agreed to meet him at that coffee shop?”

She laughs “Oh my god, I panicked and forced him to let me come. He was salivating over that

date like ‘I'm gonna take him home and wreck him, Faye. he won't be able to walk after tomorrow.’ I had to calm him down and tell him to take it slow.”

“The way you describe it, he sounds like he wanted to eat me alive…”

“He did.”

“Wow, you just served me up on a silver platter, then.”

They both laugh for a moment. Pixamena smiles before the look turns more somber.

“You know I—you can talk to me. I know I’ve come off as abrasive in the past, but I do care. I just…I'm working on myself. On not taking my shit out on others.”

“Thanks, Faye.”

Pixamena is about to say more before the bat-winged Pixiepuff jumps out, hair fluffed out in adorable aggression. “Stay away, you snake! I know the truth, I know you’re a simp for that villain!”

“Aren’t you literally a villain in your universe? I don’t think I should tolerate a lecture from a shadowpuff.”

“Ooh, Shadowpuff, that has a nice ring to it. Wait no, I’m getting off track! You—”

“Look, Paradoxico was trying to summon the evil versions of all the supers in Houston. Doesn’t that alone prove that I'm not evil, since my other version was?” Jay interrupts, half wondering if he’s trying to convince the Pomeranian or himself.

“Well it also summoned an extra crazy Stygian, so I don’t think Paradoxico’s invention worked from the start,” Pixamena scowls.

“Well. Unless.”

“Unless?”

“Unless Stygian isn’t really a villain.”

“Are you serious, after everything he did?”

“I know your feelings have been hurt, but what genuinely did he do that's so villainous? What lasting, negative effect on the city has he had? ”

“He’s a class S!”

“So is Alphaman.”

“That's different. Alphaman is a hero, he can control himself—Stygian is unstable.”

“He’s misunderstood, then. Should we categorize people as evil just because they have issues? ”

“Well—”

“When you got hurt, Razzmatazz took you to the hospital. You have to admit that even villains have heroic moments.”

“Look clearly she’s a special case, okay? I heard about what happened with her. It’s gotta be hard to be expelled from the Junior Hero Program like that over—over what was essentially a misunderstanding...”

“Oh, so you have a soft spot for Razz?”

Pixamena flushes, crossing her arms. “No! I—look. Whatever is going on with Gannet, you have to trust me that he’s a threat. I know you might have lingering…feelings for him. But he is irredeemable.”

“How do you know that?”

Pixamena stays silent for a moment, averting her eyes.

Jay takes a deep breath. “Faye what do you—”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Jesus christ!” Pixiepuff startles, looking upward.

Both heroes follow his line of sight to see what even Jay must admit looks a little horrifying: Stygian is clinging to one of the windows, upside down and grinning wide.

“What the fuck, Gannet!” Pixamena cries, materializing her bow.

Before she has a chance to attack, Stygian bursts through the window with a crash of glass. Pixamena quickly summons a giant pink parasol, sheltering both of them from the rain of shards. Stygian laughs, wings allowing him to flutter to the ground gracefully.

“Fancy running into you two. Come around here often, Quickwit?”

“Running into? You mean hanging off the side of the building like a horror movie monster!?” Pixamena yelps.

“Stygian, why are you here?” Jay asks, pointing his staff.

“Well, I have to maintain my reputation, hero. I heard some nasty rumors about my alternate self being a better villain. I have to step up my game!”

“Oh yeah? How?”

“More kidnapping! Yay!”

In a flash of black, Jay is lifted into the air and into Stygian’s arms. His eyebrow twitches in irritation—he’s getting a little tired of the emasculating positions Stygian loves to put him in. Before he can say so though, they’re in the air. Forgetting his complaint, Jay wraps his arms around Stygian’s neck, trying not to get dizzy as they fly through the broken window and into the open air.

Stygian destroys any camera drones that come near, soaring over Houston. Jay holds on tightly as a gust of wind whips his hood off. “Please don’t drop me!”

“I would never. Just wait, we’re almost there.”

A few wingbeats later, they land at their destination. Stygian sets Jay down on the top of a skyscraper, grinning as he looks out on the city. Jay squints, sweating against the hateful glare of the Texan sun. Even in the middle of winter, heatwaves plagued him.

“Why are we here, again?”

“I already told you, to keep up my street cred!”

Stygian waves his hand, and an orb of black covers the top of the skyscraper. Jay watches in awe as the darkness consumes them, blocking out all light. For a moment, there’s nothing until something glimmering begins to swim in his vision. Swirls with reds, blues, and even tinges of green glow vibrantly across the canvas of ink. Like an alien aurora, moving and dancing carelessly with Stygian’s mood.

“That’s beautiful.”

Stygian smiles sweetly, leading Jay by the hand as a streak of blush pink dances across the wall of darkness. “I wanted to do something for you while also sending a message to the Network. What do you think?”

“I was busy. I was training.”

“Pff. you don't need it.”

“I don’t—”

Jay pauses. Stygian has led him to a short table, on top of which is a lavish spread that puts their last picnic to shame. In addition to soft pillows, blankets, and scented candles, is a party platter filled with an assortment of snacks and drinks.

“You did this all for me?”

“Of course. C’mon, sit down.”

Jay takes a seat at the table, eyeing up the food. He spots a fancy banana cream pie in the center, and immediately takes a generous serving.

Stygian giggles, sitting cross legged and hugging a pillow. “I knew you’d go after that first.”

Jay takes a bite as he watches the dome of black above him. It oscillates from a deep navy into a pinky-purple hue. He feels a warmth in his chest as he watches it shift, complemented by the sweet bite of pie melting on his tongue.

“Did you steal this?”

Stygian is attacking a large slice of chocolate cheesecake. He stabs it with his fork dramatically. “How dare you assume that I would do such a dastardly thing!”

“So you made it?”

“Texas did. I weeded his yard in return.”

Jay smiles at the visual of Texas kicking back with a glass of sweet tea, watching Gannet decimate his dandelions and thistles. “Texas bakes?”

“Oh yeah. He pretends he doesn’t though. He also knits.”

“Nice,” Jay laughs.

Stygian takes a moment to pour some coffee from a press. Steam rises from the mug as he hands it to Jay, who inhales the scent deeply. He needed this. He needed to stop replaying the horrible last moments of that other Gannet, to stop worrying about the insidious, creeping fear that he’s going off the deep end. He can just be here, with his boyfriend—

…oi since when did we try to control you…just don't worry about us, okay? We can't make you do anything you don't want to….we're just here for moral support!

Jay grabs his head, grunting in rage. “As if I need you! Shut up! Just shut up!”

“What?”

Jay looks up. Stygian is looking at him with wide eyes, clearly hurt. Shit.

“No—hey—it wasn’t…I wasn’t talking to you…”

Jay covers his face, face flushing as he recalls the horrible way his doppleganger spoke to his partner. Why did Jay have to lash out like that?

Stygian scoots over to where Jay sits, leaning into his side. “Is it getting worse?”

“No. Maybe. I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I'm right here.”

Jay hugs Stygian close, gritting his teeth. “I keep seeing him. Seeing you die in my arms.”

Stygian pulls away, squeezing Jay’s shoulders. “Oh, Jay…”

“I just don’t understand why any version of me would—would do that to him. To make him do such horrible things. I think that—that this evil Quickwit lost his mind, and now it's happening to me.”

“Jay, you aren’t losing your mind.”

“Aren’t I? I feel like I'm losing my grip on reality. What if things turn out like they did there?”

“It wont.”

“How did it happen to them, then?”

Stygian rubs his neck nervously. “I might have a theory.”

“You do?”

“I don’t…I don’t know what was happening with your doppelganger, but I know mine wasn’t integrated, like me.”

“Integrated?”

“I told you how it was when I was younger, right? I was constantly fighting with myself. Gannet and Stygian back then—they were two separate people. Stygian was always like—like the Id part of my personality, and Gannet was the Superego. That’s why I couldn’t stop myself, I was all animal impulses. When we integrated, we agreed to become one person so Stygian wouldn’t go off the rails.”

“The other you—he said Gannet wasn’t there…”

“That's why then. Without Gannet I'm a monster, Jay. I need both parts of me or I—I could hurt everyone. I could end up like Calamity.”

“That can't be true. No part of you is capable of that.”

“I don’t think you understand what I'm saying. Gannet is my self control, the part of me that keeps my inhibitions in check.”

“I know what the Superego and Id are. I just don’t think even at your most instinctual level that you’d want to intentionally hurt people.”

Stygian is quiet for a moment, staring down at his hands. “Would you stop me, if I did? If I lost control?”

“I will, if you do the same for me.”

Stygian huffs crossing his arms. “But you wouldn’t, though!”

“Neither will you. I know you.”

“I’m a villain. I'm the Stygian.”

“The same Stygian who likes to pet chickens with his dastardly superpowers.”

“What—how did you know that!”

“Taurrage was laughing about it.”

“They’re soft,” Stygian pouts.

“You’re soft.”

“That’s what Influentia said.”

“Yeah. but she said it as if it was an insult. I like that you’re soft.”

Stygian smiles, leaning into Jay’s side again. He turns his gaze upwards, the vibrant colors on the sky reflecting in his eyes.

“I’ll make sure you don’t go too far. If you’re worried about it.”

“Thank you.”

They’re both quiet for a moment, watching the show above them.

…Jay please tell Gannet that I need access to this blog immediately, for fan reasons…

Jay groans, covering his face.

“Are you hearing them again? What are they saying?”

“They want to know about your blogs.”

“They all got taken down. But I made a new one! Follow me at Stygwit5ever, disembodied voice in my boyfriend’s head.”

Jay laughs, shoving Stygian in the side. “Jesus, this is serious! Stop joking!”

“I'm so serious right now. This is my serious face. You have dumb villain brain now. Its terminal, Quickwit.”

“End me please. Put me out of my misery.”

Stygian giggles, kissing Jay. He pulls back, locking their eyes together. “No way. I need you for my evil plans.”

“Hey, that's my line.”

Stygian grins, but his expression quickly turns to alarm as the air around them seems to shudder with the force of a great shockwave, the dome above them quivering like glass in an explosion.

“What is that?” Jay stands, searching for a weapon.

Hairline fractures spread across the sky, allowing the light of day to break through.

“It’s Alphaman. He’s here.”