It’s kind’ve a requirement at this point that villains have some kind of mental instability. Whether it's trying to make humans all slaves to cats like Aleycat, attempting to kidnap their favorite sidekick like Stygian, taking over the entire state’s power grid like Techtra, villains are never quite “all there,” as proven by their harebrained schemes. Jay always considered himself a little…troubled, but it wasn’t much of a concern. Even heroes struggled with feeling out of place sometimes. It came with the territory of having a secret identity, after all. Even if Jay always felt like he didn’t truly ever have the same dilemmas other heroes did.

But now, things are different.

Jay stares at the metal railing as they descend into the guts of the nightclub. The pounding bass only seems to accentuate his panic. He wanted to believe these voices were a fluke, a freak response to the horrifying trauma of getting his heart torn apart in a freefall. But more and more he suspects this isn’t just something he can ignore.

He thinks back to that moment with Influentia—he’d been gloating, reveling in the power he was holding over her. The voices in his mind only seemed to feed the narcissism, literally labeling him the “main character.” At the time, it had seemed so stupid, a hilarious mis-firing of his neurons that he could easily ignore. Now? Jay’s not so sure. His doppelganger had gone crazy. Not the cute, soft-yandere craziness that compelled Gannet to steal shirts and write four blogs-worth praising his favorite hero for four years straight. The kind of insanity that allows you to justify eliminating a whole state of supers.

Could it also happen here? Would it happen here, if Jay let these voices control him?

“Jay?”

Jay startles. He looks up from the ground. He’s in front of two large metal doors, both of which are vibrating with the force of the music blasting behind them.

“I’m okay. Just thinking.”

“Okay. Just hang in there. It’ll be over soon.”

Jay nods. He takes a deep breath, pushing his way into the room. Inside is a spacious basement, filled with jumbled cables, piles of monitors, keyboards, and oddly enough, lots and lots of Apple Idogs. Echo stands at a DJ booth in the middle of the room, head bobbing to the music. Jay takes a step forward, only to freeze as the music stops with a deafening screeeeech! His heart jumps as all the monitors surrounding them flicker until they all bear Echo’s blank emoticon face.

“So, the hero has decided to switch sides, has he? Can’t say I expected it from Quickwiz of all supes,” she scoffs.

“Hello Echo. Glad to see you survived. Me and Quickwit have a proposition for you," says Stygian.

“Sure. You want my help to send the alternate versions of yourselves back, right? Because that idiot Paradoxico fucked up again?”

“Exactly. Can you do it?”

“Already hacked into his plans. I built a much more efficient and intelligent designed version of what he made.”

Echo holds up a small square device. It's shiny and metallic, with two prongs that spark with white electricity. “This is what we’ll use. I’ll need a DNA sample from each person you intend to send back.”

“Perfect!” says Jay, “first we need to–”

“Hold on. Don't get ahead of yourself. How can I be sure you’ll actually help me if I do this?”

“What makes you think we wouldn’t keep our word?”

Echo scoffs, her face flashes, showing a multitude of villains. “It's not exactly a villainous trait to be a team-player.”

“Well you don’t really have a choice, do you? They have Frame, and we’re the only ones with the power and intel to find her. Do you want her back or not? Or is your sidekick that disposable?”

Jay jolts as all the TV’s go red, and Echo trembles in rage. “Fuck you.”

“What Quickwit meant is we can help you, we’re the only ones who would. Besides, getting rid of these two is in your best interest,” says Stygian.

“He’s right. They’re both completely insane. My double has taken complete control of an S-class super, and he's going to be looking for you.”

“Me? Why me?”

“He’s looking for Techtra. He used her to eliminate all the supers in his universe, and he’s going to try doing it here. Since Techtra is dead, he’s going to look for her daughter..”

“I don’t believe you. How could he possibly take control of an S-class? Stygian, you really think you can make me believe this sidekick could force you into submission?”

“You love Frame, right?”

Echo glitches, pausing abruptly. “No—she’s—she’s just my sidekick…”

“Well, I know myself. I know I'd love Quickwit in any universe. I don’t think this other version of me had the strength to deny that love. Even if it turned into something more like insidious.”

Jay takes hold of Stygian’s hand, giving a tight squeeze. Echo looks between them, posture softening. “So it's like that, huh?”

“It is,” Jay starts, “So for all of our sakes, please help us.”

“Alright. But if you cross me, I’ll make you live to regret it. S-class or not.”

“Okay, let's go over the plan.”

They take what little time they have to go over their next move together, ultimately deciding on a risky scheme to lure the duo out with taunts from Echo. The three of them leave her subterranean mosh pit, ascending until they’re back on the roof. Jay looks down at the steep drop below. Not the best location, but there's not much alternative with time being so short. Every minute those two were here, the higher the risk to Neo Houston. Jay couldn’t permit that, even if he was a villain now.

Echo sits down, legs criss crossed as she focuses. Her screen flickers as she accesses thousands of phones, computers, and tablets a minute, searching for the one belonging to Jay’s alternate self. Jay watches impatiently, tapping his foot.

Only around 30 minutes later does she sit up straight, body tense. “I found him. He’s using a phone brand unknown to this universe.”

“Can you hack it?”

“Yes. I’m already sending a message.”

Jay grabs his staff. Nerves bubble up in his stomach as she stands, placing down the device in the middle of the rooftop. “They’re coming, get ready.”

“So we just need to get some of their DNA here? Like blood or hair or something?” Stygian points at the electricity.

“Exactly. My device will send them back to where they came from according to their unique DNA profiles.”

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

“What happens if they get our DNA in there?”

“Nothing, assuming you’re from this universe. Plus, I've already programmed it to ignore it when I took a sample from all of three of us.”

“When did you take a sample from me?! I didn’t consent to experimentation!”

“One of your shadow thingies flew into it! Stop being so careless if you don't want me to investigate your weird DNA!”

“Guys. Look,” Jay snaps.

All three look up. On the horizon, fast approaching, are their enemies. Jay tenses as they land across from them, shadows twirling around them as the alternate Stygian sets down Jay’s doppelganger. Unlike Jay, he seems at ease. He smirks, green eyes glinting.

“Oh no, a trap. Totally not contrived, shit writing. How could I not have seen this coming?”

Jay points his staff at his double. “Be quiet! It's time you come back where you came from. You don’t belong here!”

The double laughs, holding his face with mania in his eyes. “Of course I belong here. Clearly, this is a new world, a fresh slate for me to investigate new methods of super extermination.”

“Or maybe we’re here to take him back with us,” the doppelganger Stygian laughs, grinning as he looks at Jay with wide red eyes.

“I'll never let you take him!” Stygian roars, launching the first attack. Purple shadows dart forward, sharp tips ready to pierce flesh. But his opponent is too quick, jumping into the air with black wings and sending forth a barrage of shadows. Stygian yelps as he jumps away too late, a sharp blade of black catching him on the bridge of his nose.

Jay attempts to intervene, batting away the tendrils, but it's like attempting to hit smoke. He’s forced to retreat as the twirl around him, intending to ensnare him in their dark grasp. A wall of black forms, and before Jay has a moment to adjust, his copy leaps through the smoke, staff raised. Jay jumps away in time to dodge, swinging his own staff. His doppelganger laughs, catching it effortlessly.

“Is that all you got?”

Jay’s eyes widen as the wall of black surrounds him. There's no rooftop, no echo, no Stygian any more. Only inky dark and his own eyes staring back at him. To his horror though, the metal of his staff bends in his Doppelganger’s grip, as black spiderweb-like structures travel under his skin.

“What happened to you,” Jay whispers.

…Jay, you got lucky to be this version who got to fall in love first. I could’ve written you to be the version who got juiced up before he got the chance to…

“Not quite how I’d describe it. There was never going to be any fucking “romance,” especially not with a fucking caricature of a person!” The doppelganger screams.

“What are you talking about!?”

“We’re the only real people, Jay! There’s nobody else—it’s just us! We have to fix everything, make things make sense. We can’t give in to these sniveling masses who think we live to entertain!”

Jay drops his staff and makes a reach for the pistol in his pocket. But he's not quick enough—his doppelganger knocks it from his hand with a kick, pushing him to the ground. Jay jolts as cold metal presses against his own temple.

“Don't do this…”

“Don’t worry. I still have plans for you. Stygian! Lift it up!”

The curtain of black dissipates. Jay’s Stygian gasps, freezing mid-air as he sees what’s unfolded behind it. He lands on the ground, shadows writhing with agitation.

“Let him go!”

“Behave, Gannet. Or I’ll take your toy away.”

“Stop this, why would you—you’re nothing like him! I refuse to believe you’re even supposed to be the same person!”

Jay grimaces as his copy laughs. “I’m having a hard time understanding that myself. You though, you seem pretty similar to my toy. You wanna try being an actual villain? All you need to do is what I say and I'll take care of you.”

“Fuck you! I’ll kill you!”

The doppel’s grin drops off his face almost comically. “What—Isn’t that you’re whole shtick? You’re supposed to be obsessed with me! That's how the story goes!”

“You’re insane! I would never love someone like you!”

Jay jumps as the hammer of the gun is clocked back with a snick. “Not even if I was the only Quickwit?”

“Stop! Please don't!” Stygian begs.

The doppelganger laughs louder. “I love it when you beg.”

He turns his gaze to Echo. She’s as placid as ever, holding the device meant to send the doubles back.

“Stygian! Take that from her!”

Stygian’s doppelganger strides forward with menace. Echo puts up no resistance. To Jay’s dismay, she holds up the device, handing it right over.

“Fuck!” Jay groans. Have they been tricked?

“Turn it off,” Jay’s copy demands.

The other Stygian turns the device around in his hands. “There's no off button.”

“Figure it out!”

Looking nervous, he studies the electric wave in the middle. “I’m sorry I—I don’t know—”

A sudden, dark thought occurs to Jay. He tenses with the realization. “Put it down! You’re going to get hurt!”

Jay’s double laughs. “Who cares if he gets hurt? He always comes back. I've tested it enough times. Destroy it, Stygian!”

At the angry command, Stygian’s doppelganger sets the device down. A large blade of shadow manifests above it, descending with force downwards. Jay’s eyes go wide as the black shape comes into direct contact with the buzzing electricity.

Jay squeezes his eyes shut as a familiar boom resounds through the air. His teeth clatter with the force of it, windows shatter, and the sky lights up purple as a beam of energy casts an eerie glow.

Finally, when it’s over, he opens his eyes. The device is still intact, smoking. Standing above it is not Stygian’s double, but Gannet’s. The villainous traits are gone, leaving just a normal looking man with long, dark hair. He looks shocked for a moment, gaze turning to look back. He reaches out to his companion for a moment before coughing—red covering his hands.

“Quickwit…”

Jay’s double huffs. “Stop fooling around! I’ve seen you take harder hits than—”

The harsh words are cut short as Gannet’s double falls to his knees, and then to the ground completely. Red is leaking from multiple areas now as he gasps, staring skyward.

“Stygian—what—!”

Taking the opportunity while his opponent is distracted, Jay shoves his double off. There's a bang as the gun goes off, but a purple blade of shadow is there quick enough to stop the bullet. Before Jay’s double has a chance to escape, the shadows bind his arms and legs, forcing him into a kneeling position.

Jay runs over to where Gannet's double is shaking, eyes unfocused. Jay kneels before him, hands shaking. “Oh shit, oh—I’m sorry, I didn’t think, I should’ve known—”

“Jay…what’s happening?” Stygian asks.”

“Genetic chimerism, it—It makes it so some parts of your body have DNA from your twin. This thing it—It sent back Stygian…without Gannet.”

Stygian covers his mouth. “Oh…oh no…”

Jay stands up, rage building. He turns to his captured copy, who’s looking similarly shell shocked, watching his villain shiver on the ground.

“Look what you did! Why?!”

“He can’t die. He’ll—he’ll be fine—”

“Stop—no more shots! Stop! Stop!” Gannet’s doppelganger cries out, suddenly seizing.

“Does he look fine!?”

Hurriedly, Jay returns to kneel at the dying Gannet’s side. Gently, Jay lifts him into his arms. “Hey—Hey—it's okay. There's no shots.”

“Quickwit, it hurts—”

“I know, I know. It's okay. I'm right here, okay?”

The other Gannet’s skin is going pale, breaths shallow and fast. Jay wonders how much of his body was made from his twin—he’s heard stories of some individuals with this condition having cells in their organs, their brain. There was no coming back from separating them, was there?

The other Gannet looks up at Jay, eyelids fluttering. “It’s been so long. So long since he let me out.”

Jay smooths away a stray lock of purple hair. “I know. It's okay, Gannet. I’m sorry.”

The other gannet smiles weakly. “You’re being so nice now.”

Jay is confused for a moment before realizing what’s happening. “Am I? I should’ve treated you better. You deserved better. My villain.”

A weak giggle. “My hero. I—I…”

Jay is quiet as the doppelganger goes limp, eyes wide and unseeing. Jay can’t help but let loose a few tears, feeling guilt weigh down his heart. He could’ve stopped this. He could’ve made sure it never happened. Why didn’t he—why—

“Stygian! Get up! Get up now!” Jay’s double screams.

Enraged, Jay stands. “He’s dead! You killed him!”

“He can’t die! It’s—it’s—they would never kill him off, I need him—Stygian!”

His mouth is muffled by a tendril. Stygian grabs him by the neck. “He’s gone.”

Like a ragdoll, he’s lifted into the air. Stygian’s eyes burn with hatred as Jay’s double chokes. Jay watches, numb.

“Jay, what should I do?”

Jay stares. He wants this dark version of himself to die. He wants him to suffer the same way his Gannet just did.

“You can choose. I trust you.”

Stygian grimaces, staring Jay’s double down as he gasps fruitlessly. He digs his claws in, causing Jay's double to scream before he’s roughly thrown to the ground. He coughs, holding his neck as he sits up. With wide eyes, he watches as Stygian flexes his claws above Echo’s machine. A drop of crimson blood drips down, falling into the electricity.

With another boom and a beam of bright blue light, Jay’s double vanishes from this world.