Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lisbet Aensland was born hungry. She wanted to fill herself above all else. Lisbet met a man named Jack, and she married him. But she stayed hungry. Oh, so hungry.

Lisbet and Jack had three little children, the eldest a girl named Evelyn. Evelyn hungered for her mother’s love, which was only natural for a child. But Lisbet was too starving herself to feed her. Lisbet only could eat Evelyn’s heart out.

Evelyn became hungry too, and she stumbled around the world, trying so desperately to stave off her hunger. She ate and ate and let anything happen to her just so she could feel less hungry.

Evelyn married a man named Stanley Macken. He was hungry too, and he began to eat Evelyn further.

One night, a few days after Valentine’s Day, Evelyn stumbled out into the cold world. She was so, so hungry. She met a man that night. A man with a burly frame and veiny hands and a great grin that shone like diamonds. She didn’t know that he was hungry too. Even hungrier than her or her husband or her mother. But, that didn’t matter. Evelyn was hungry.

On that night, onlookers saw a bright purple flash from a motel window.

Evelyn became pregnant, and gave birth to a daughter, who she named Regina. Regina was not Evelyn’s first child, but she was the first born healthy, and Evelyn vowed she would be able to raise her. No matter what. This child was her soulmate, she was sure.

Stanley’s instability forced Evelyn to take Regina and flee to her parents’ house, back to Lisbet and her insatiable appetite.

Evelyn had to be mother, father, teacher, and disciplinarian to Regina, all as Lisbet gnawed on her. Evelyn had nobody, and Lisbet’s chewing made her hungrier and hungrier.

So her jaws closed around Regina. Regina was pet and husband and confidant and therapist and peer. Evelyn chewed and chewed and chewed until Regina’s bones were bare. Regina had no choice but to let herself be eaten. This was all she knew.

When Regina was fourteen, Evelyn met someone on an online game. Someone who made her feel fuller than ever. It mattered little that they were not even half a year older than Regina.

Suddenly, Regina wasn’t worth a sniff. Evelyn left Regina to fend for herself, gorging herself on her illicit affair. Regina, as a child was wont to do, begged for her mother to love her again. She split her bones in half and begged her mother to suck out the marrow.

One day, the affair just ended. Evelyn lost her full tummy, and Regina was left mutilated and defiled and oh so fucking hungry.

Years passed by, and Regina, now Joel, grew into a very hungry young man. But, he had hope. He dreamed that someday, he’d find himself a bright future where he would have a full belly. It would be like he’d never even been gnawed.

Joel was out on the town one day, wearing a t-shirt of his current favorite show. The Eversson Estate was a cute little cartoon sitcom about a blended family, two fathers and three sons, who loved all things strange and creepy. Joel was sifting through a bead rack when it happened.

“Is that The Eversson Estate ?”

Joel turned his head to see an olive-skinned person about his height, with short dyed-pink hair pulled into tiny pigtails. On their crop top was a simple design of a pink butterfly. He thought, hoped, that this person was going to be a great friend.

“Oh my gosh, yes!” Joel exclaimed.

“I love that show!” The pretty stranger exclaimed. They turned around. “Marvin!”

Down the aisle walked a pale young man with a shaggy orange bowl cut, whose own face lit up when he saw Joel’s shirt.

The three proceeded to have an extended conversation regarding The Eversson Estate. Joel was invited to a group chat with the two of them.

Joel was so happy with his new friends. Wish and Marvin were a couple, but Joel was fast friends with both of them. Days of bliss passed by, just chatting and sharing art and stories day and night. They were a band of brothers, and Joel always felt like he was eating good when he was with them.

But then, it all collapsed.

Joel arrived at the park to find Wish on a bench, sobbing profusely. Joel ran over to them.

“Oh, Wish…” Joel sat down next to Wish. “God, I’m so sorry.”

“I bet he left me for his cis coworker.” Wish sucked snot back into their nose. “Fucking traitor.”

Wish gave Joel a big hug. Joel hugged Wish just as tightly.

“Leaving your trans partner and getting with a cis person after should be illegal.” Wish whimpered.

Joel held Wish for god knows how long. His green silk shirt was visibly soaked with their tears.

“Everyone always leaves me.” Wish sobbed.

“I won’t.” Joel said. “I promise I won’t.” He pulled back. “Wish, we’re Eversson brothers. You’ll always be the Kip to my Valentino.”

Wish smiled and wiped their eyes. This may have been insensitive to a normal person, but to Wish, it was just what they needed to hear. “Oh, my Veevee…”

“We’re gonna pinky swear. It’s us against the world now.” Joel said. “Joel and Wish against the world! Joey and Wish forever a million years! WWW dot…”

Joel and Wish collapsed into laughter before Joel could continue further. Wish smiled warmly as they cupped Joel’s face. They held up their hand, pinky extended.

“Whoever breaks the promise has to cut their finger off.” Wish said.

“That’s my line.” Joel said. “I’m Valentino, remember?”

Wish broke into giggles. Joel wrapped his pinkie around theirs. The pact was sealed.

Wish and Joel carried on without Marvin. They did the same as they always did. But something grew in Wish. It had been there before, but now with Marvin out of the picture, it had room to blossom fully. And it was blossoming quickly.

One day, Joel and Wish were having a picnic. They munched on sweet treats Joel had baked. Wish felt apprehensive.

“Joel, I’ve been thinking.” Wish began.

“About what?” Joel asked around a mouthful of cake.

“I… I’ve had feelings for you for a while.” Wish said. “Marvin and I thought about asking you to be our third. Well…”

Joel felt apprehensive. He knew that things would change if he and Wish made this leap. If it didn’t work out, Joel knew he’d feel so hurt. But, spending the rest of his life with Wish didn’t sound half bad. But it was so risky.

“I’m going to have to think about it.” Joel replied.

Wish looked disheartened. “Alright…”

Joel sat at a table at his favorite cafe, scrolling aimlessly on his phone.

“Order for Joey-Joey! One Lovey-Dovey Sakhar Special for my special boy!”

Joel ran to the counter and took his drink from a large hand, which was adorned with brightly colored jewelry.

“Thanks, buddy!” Joel chirped. Joel drank his overly complex and colorful drink.

“You’re lucky I love you so much.” The barista said. He squatted down, like he was speaking to a toddler. “Hey, you look worried.”

“Shit, how can you always tell?” Joel asked.

“Because Sakhar Sladkiy knows when his friends feel bad.” Sakhar said cheerfully.

Sakhar was a large, tan-skinned man with wavy pink hair that always had a little bit up top curled into a heart shape. His big, doe-like pink eyes and his heart-shaped goatee made him look comically adorable. Whenever he smiled, he flashed a set of rainbow colored braces. Which he had despite being nearly two years older than Joel.

“I have a bit of a dilemma.” Joel said.

“What kind of dilemma?” Sakhar asked.

“The other day, Wish asked to date me.” Joel said.

Sakhar was quiet for a moment. “Okay, so, I thought you guys and Marvin were all dating.”

“We never dated, and Marvin dumped them a couple months ago.” Joel said. He sighed. “It feels really soon after they got dumped.”

“Well, do you like them that way?” Sakhar asked.

“I do but…” Joel sighed harder. “I don’t want to lose this chance, but yet, I don’t want to ruin our friendship.”

Sakhar grabbed Joel’s face and tilted it towards him. “Joey, listen to yourself. You love them! You wanna smooch them!”

“But… our friendship.” Joel whimpered.

“Sweetheart. You are in love with them, and they are in love with you.” Sakhar clasped his hands together. “There’s no reason you shouldn’t!”

Joel softly smiled. “Yeah. Yeah, you know what? I’m gonna do it!”

“Yes, puppy! Get them! Go and get your love!” Sakhar cheered. “Love will keep you together!”

“Sakhar!” barked a pale man with brown hair, almost a decade older than Joel and Wish.

“Oh, sorry, Cole!” Sakhar patted Joel’s head. “Go get 'em!”

A day later, Joel met Wish at the park again. He stood at the top of a hill, under a barren pear tree.

“I have something to ask you.” Joel said.

Wish’s heart fluttered. “What is it?”

“Are you okay with never ever having kids? Like, seriously never ever?” Joel asked.

Wish nodded without thinking.

“Then…” Joel took Wish’s hands. “I’ll be your boyfriend!”

Wish teared up, joy racing through their veins. “Oh my god, yes!”

Wish gave Joel a great big hug and kissed his face. Joel kissed their face in turn. Tears flowed out of both their eyes as they just took a moment to kiss each other silly on top of that hill with the pear tree.

Joel and Wish were happy for a while, holding hands and skipping stones. They ran together through the fields once the springtime began to bear upon them. Every moment was spent either together or texting each other.

It was at Sakhar’s birthday party that things started to rapidly degrade.

A blue-haired, pigtailed girl with dark skin was holding in her arms a little pale baby. The girl looked over to Wish, and smiled.

“He’s my cousin.” She explained. “Oh, um, I’m Jody, Sakhar’s friend. I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”

“Wish.” Wish said.

“Oh! That’s a really pretty name!” Jody said. “You must be Joel’s datefriend!”

The baby in Jody’s arms cooed, and reached out to Wish. Jody giggled.

“I think he likes you!” Jody said. “Do you want to hold him?”

“S-Sure.” Wish said. They held out their arms, and Jody carefully placed the baby in them. The baby boy cooed, bright eyes staring up at Wish in utter glee. Several feelings crashed through Wish in rapid succession. Joy, a shock of sorrow, and numbness.

Wish realized then and there that they did want kids.

Wish held out for another month with Joel, but eventually, they couldn’t keep going. They couldn’t keep things like this.

Joel and Wish stood under that same tree Joel had accepted at. It was twilight, and the pear petals swirled in the wind.

“Joel… I can’t do this anymore.” Wish said.

Joel felt something crack inside him.

“Why? Did I do something?” Joel asked. He held his throat. Wish’s chest tightened.

“I just… I just don’t love you like that anymore.” Wish said. “I still love you, but… I can’t do this.”

“D-Do you still want to be friends?” Joel asked.

Wish wiped their face with their arm. “Of course… we’re still Eversson brothers.”

They extended their hand, and Joel wrapped his pinkie around theirs.

Joel thought he was fine. Him and Wish were still friends. That was fine and good. Everything was just back to how it was then. He still had his brother.

But a month later, something happened.

“I’m going on a date this evening!”

It was just a casual exclamation during a regular hang out, but Joel felt whatever was inside him break further. He almost spat out his overly sugary and colorful custom drink.

“Oh, that’s great!” Joel exclaimed. He felt a wave of nausea wash over him. “Who is it?”

“Cole!” Wish said like Joel was supposed to know who that was.

“Who?” Joel asked.

“He’s right over there.” Wish pointed to the man at the counter of the coffee shop. “You go here all the time.”

It was true that Joel went to this coffee shop all the time, but it was mostly for Sakhar. Joel had, of course, seen and spoken to Cole many times, but nothing about this man stuck out in his mind. He was just the platonic ideal of a youngish white man. His sides were shaved, but the top was merely trimmed. He looked a bit like Justin Bieber during the time of Despacito. His smile had too many teeth. Joel felt the pain inside him grow. What the hell did Cole have that he didn’t?

Joel remembered he was cis. Sakhar had mentioned that offhandedly a few times, and the tidbit seemed to crawl out of whatever insignificant box Joel had stuffed it in at just the right time for it to make him feel awful.

“That’s great!” Joel chirped. “Happy for you!”

Joel began to feel horribly cold and horribly hot all at once. He clutched his bowels, which suddenly twisted.

“Oh, god, I’m sorry.” Joel doubled over.

“Joel!” Wish exclaimed.

“No, no, Wish, please.” Joel whimpered. “I-It really isn’t you, my body just-” Joel’s vision suddenly flashed pink. “Oh, Christ.”

Joel got up out of his seat, swaying and trembling. Another flash and another twist in his guts.

“Joel!” Wish exclaimed again.

“I have to go, I am not well.” Joel said. “I feel like I gotta puke and have diarrhea.”

Sakhar sprinted over, looking over Joel. “Joel, are you-”

Joel suddenly bolted out the door, letting it swing behind him. He ran down the sidewalk blindly. His vision kept flashing pink. His entire digestive system felt like it was seizing. He felt like he was boiling in his skin but somehow, he also felt like he was being dunked naked into the Great Slave Lake at the height of the Yellowknife winter.

Joel ducked into an alley and fell onto his knees, dashing them against the harsh concrete. He clutched his stomach. Joel’s vision was blurry, but he saw something.

Joel lifted his hand, and stared at it. His fingers glowed like he’d pressed a flashlight against them. Only, instead of them being red with blood, they glowed this horrible magenta color. It looked like his fingers were full of glowstick fluid. Joel felt his guts voraciously clench.

Joel threw up. The contents of his stomach splattered all over the ground before him. There was pink syrup decorating his favored drink, but this glowed far too bright to be that. Joel puked and puked, phosphorescent bile painting the concrete before him. His throat burned horribly, and it was only getting worse.

Suddenly, bursts of magenta flame spewed from his mouth. It was like a bomb went off in Joel’s stomach. It hurt horribly. It only got worse still. The flames grew more intense, more strong, until they began to coalesce.

A pink laser launched from Joel’s throat, the force throwing his head upward. The magenta laser shot up into the sky, lighting the whole downtown area up like a beacon.

Joel fell onto his back. The magenta flames petered out, leaving him drooling that liquid. He felt like death. His guts passively burned, and his throat was raw from whatever had just happened. He felt his nose leaking. His ass was wet and stinging.

“Joel!” A voice cut through Joel’s fog.

Sakhar ran over to Joel and gasped. “What happened?”

“I threw up.” Joel rasped.

Sakhar looked Joel over again. “I am taking you back home with me.”

Sakhar picked Joel up, holding him close to his body. Sakhar quickly absconded with him.

Across the street from this, a man in a heavy overcoat watched. His red, mechanical eye had taken in everything that had just taken place.

Chapter Text

Joel woke up in a pink haze. He thought for a moment it was his strange affliction, but as his eyes focused more, he realized the room he was in was just very, very pink. Pink walls, pink floor, pink furniture covered in pink toys. Everything in there ranged from red-to-white. Music played in another room. Joel lifted the covers, finding himself in an oversized t-shirt. He could feel there was nothing else.

The door opened, and in stepped a concerned looking Sakhar.

“Oh, you woke up!” Sakhar chirped. “Um… I’m sorry.”

“You’re fine.” Joel rubbed his head.

“I’m sorry for continuing to make things awkward, but, um…” Sakhar smacked his lips. “That doodie…”

“Did I shit my pants?” Joel asked.

“Have you eaten anything with a, um… very strong and luminescent pink dye, lately?” Sakhar asked.

Joel stared forward blankly. “Unless they changed the dye in my drink.”

“I don’t think they have.” Sakhar said.

Sakhar went to Joel’s bedside. He took Joel’s hand and clasped it in his. Though Sakhar’s hands were also quite delicate and slender, they were much larger than Joel’s. Joel had a question in his head looking at those hands.

“Did you wash my poopy pants?” Joel asked. Sakhar jolted.

“Ah, was I not supposed to?” Sakhar asked.

“I mean, you really didn’t have to, but…” Joel smiled. “Thanks. I owe you like, what, seven?”

“You owe me nothing, sweetheart.” Sakhar said. “It’s what friends do.”

“Most people don’t have friends that’d clean… whatever the hell happened in my pants.” Joel said. “Listen, something weird happened back there. I may or may not have been seeing things.”

“Oh, um…” Sakhar scratched his head. “There was a giant pink laser they’re trying to find the source of, right in that alley where you were. Did you see what made it? Oh, the energy around it was so… so bitter .”

“Sakhar.” Joel said. “That came out of me.”

Sakhar’s brick-pink eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

“Are you serious?” Sakhar whispered.

“I got really sick all of a sudden while I was with Wish, and I had to puke, so then I went outside. I felt like I had a really bad fever and chills, and then, I started like, glowing? Then I barfed glowy pink stuff, and then I… I shot flames out of my mouth and then that laser…” Joel said. “Oh, god, what’s happening to me?”

“Blue-to-magenta hue, creates an oppressive atmosphere, makes unprepared users sick…” Sakhar muttered. His eyes widened. “I think I’m wrong and I hope I’m wrong but… that sounds like Psycho Power.”

“Psycho Power?” Joel asked. “M. Bison or Vega or Shadaloo Psycho Power?!”

“Once again, I think I’m wrong.” Sakhar said.

“Did you get my bag?” Joel asked. Sakhar took Joel’s bag from the table and handed it to him. Joel yanked out his phone and began furiously searching his photos app.

“That doesn’t even make sense. I mean, where would you have even gotten it?” Sakhar asked himself. “You’ve undergone no Soul Power training that I know of.”

Joel foisted his phone harshly into Sakhar’s face. Sakhar pulled Joel’s wrist back so he could see the image better.

It was a picture of Joel’s mother sitting next to a strange man at a bar. One who was well built, with tan skin, short brown hair with silver smoothed back neatly. His aged face was cleaved open by an all too wide grin, and a pair of sunglasses covered his eyes.

“Okay…” Sakhar was confused.

Joel pulled his phone back and looked something else up. The Wikipedia page for the head of Shadaloo. A man known by many names, and by many shapes, but somehow, a terrible visage lingered on all of them. Stark white eyes and an all too wide grin.

“Wait.” Sakhar took Joel’s phone. He zoomed into the man’s face. Behind those sunglasses, he could see…

White eyes.

“Oh no…” Sakhar put a hand over his mouth.

“My biological father is M. Bison.” Joel flopped back and curled up on himself. “Oh, fuck.”

Sakhar picked Joel up and hugged him.

“It’s okay! You’re not bad!” Sakhar said. “Joey, you are not him! I know that’s not you!”

Sakhar squeezed carefully, but tightly. Joel felt the tension dissipate from his body. His eyes fluttered closed. A warm, pleasant tingle coursed through his body. All of the exhaustion, the fear, the leftover rawness in his throat, the aching in his guts… they all left him. All Joel felt was warm. It was like he could somehow take in more of Sakhar’s love for him.

Sakhar loved Joel. Joel knew this, but he hadn’t thought about what that meant. What kind of love did Sakhar have for him? Clearly, it was a no-questions-asked-Psycho-Pshits-cleaning-out-of-one’s-pants-for-free kind of love.

Sakhar looked down at Joel and his eyes widened.

“Joel, you’re glowing.” Sakhar said. Joel opened his eyes to find that his body was emitting a strange, pink light.

“Oh, shit…” Joel said. The glow faded.

“Did that hurt?” Sakhar asked.

“Not this time.” Joel said.

Sakhar set Joel down on the bed and left the room. He soon returned with a few books. He shoved them into Joel’s arms.

“Here. All my Soul Power books.” Sakhar said. “Psycho Power is in the same power family, so some of these techniques may help.”

Sakhar patted Joel’s head.

“You’ll get through this.” Sakhar said. “You’re amazingly strong! I believe in you!”

Sakhar’s pink and sparkly enthusiasm made Joel’s heart just a little lighter.

Joel tried his best to carry on like nothing had happened. He told no one else of his affliction. Though it hadn’t gotten laser-barf bad in a while, his Psycho Power was unpredictable.

Some days, Joel was mostly okay, and not even a flicker crossed his vision. Some days, Joel had to lock himself in the bathroom with a bucket.

Joel was sitting on the top of the hill, under the pear tree. Its branches were once again free of flowers. He plucked at his cuticle nervously.

“What’s taking them so long?” Joel muttered. “They said they’d be here.”

Joel felt a pang in his stomach. He pulled out his phone and checked Wish’s social media.

Joel felt a cold chill when he saw it.

“havin fun with my bf! #blessed”

A picture of Wish with Cole. Posted mere minutes ago and tagged at a local bowling alley.

“What the fuck?” Joel whispered. “Wish, what the fuck?!”

Joel’s belly bubbled. He wanted to leave a comment calling them out, but a sudden flash of pink over his vision caused him to drop his phone. Joel doubled over as the pain grew worse.

One million thoughts coursed through his head. Thoughts of hate and rage. All the ways he could take revenge. All the ways he could make Wish and Cole hurt like he was hurting.

Joel threw himself upright, and let out a bellow of hatred and despair. With the sound came pink shockwaves, which shook everything in their path like blustering winds.

Joel shuddered as he came down from what had just happened. His throat hurt, and his guts hurt, and his body felt cold. He mulled over what he was thinking right before the shockwave.

“Oh, god, I’m… I’m turning into my dad.” Joel whimpered. “I’m going to be just like that bastard!”

Joel got up and just started running, bawling his eyes out. He ran and ran, as if trying to outrun his own body. Outrun his own mind.

On the hill, a paper white hand picked up Joel’s phone. Red, shaking eyes looked the way Joel had blindly bolted.

Joel sat and slowly sipped his drink.

“Did they seriously ditch you?” Sakhar sneered. “They could have at least sent a text telling you about it.” Sakhar pouted and leaned on the counter. “I actually used to like them, you know.”

Joel couldn’t think of much other than his terrible thoughts. This was getting worse. It was getting so much worse. He looked at Sakhar’s gentle face, and knew he couldn’t tell him. Sakhar was all he had left now, and if Sakhar knew what Joel was becoming, he’d want no part in it.

Joel walked away from the counter wordlessly and sat down at a table in a dark, lonely corner. He leaned on his fist and stared out at the window. The sun was still shining so beautifully.

“Excuse me.”

Joel looked away from the window to see a young girl, maybe a teenager. Her skin was pale white, as were her eyelashes. Her long, braided hair was deep black, but her roots were pale white. A small black mole sat under the corner of her lips. The girl’s red eyes quivered as they met Joel’s. She placed a phone on the table. Joel looked at it and realized it was his.

“You left this at the hill.” The girl said.

“Oh, shit, thanks.” Joel took his phone. “Last thing I needed right now was to lose this.”

“What’s wrong?” The girl sat down across from Joel.

“Oh, I’m not about to dump on a kid I just met…” Joel said. “Let’s just say I’ve been having a rough… couple of months.”

The girl placed her hand on Joel’s. He noticed she was wearing shiny purple polish.

“I know about things like that.” The girl said. “But, you’ll come out the other side having found your destiny.”

“Destiny?” Joel muttered. “It’s good that things are going well for you at least.”

Joel looked away, but too quickly, something caught his eye.

A very, very tall man had ducked down into the cafe. So tall, even taller than Sakhar, the tallest person Joel knew. He wore a wide-brimmed hat and a tightly fitted black changshan. His face was pale, gaunt, elongated. A small mustache and a goatee framed his deeply frowning mouth. Tiny circular glasses covered his eyes. Around his neck was a strange pendant, a golden skull with a single wing, with the cord strung through its eye socket. As this man made a beeline to the table where Joel and the mysterious girl sat, a long black ponytail trailed behind him.

“Huan Ying, I thought I had told you-” The man began to scold. He suddenly looked at Joel, and he looked surprised. The girl-Huan Ying-looked up at him.

“This man left his phone at the hill.” Huan Ying said in a cadence that almost sounded like she was lying.

“I see.” The man said.

“I really owe your…” Joel looked between Huan Ying and the man.

“Ward.” The man said.

“Anyway, um… Is it okay if I bought you something, Huan Ying?” Joel asked.

“Mmm, get something for Master too.” Huan Ying said.

“Alright!” Joel gave a nod.

Joel went to the counter. The man patted Huan Ying on the head, who squealed and flapped her hands before cradling her face.

“Perfect.” The man said. “Good work finding the source.”

Huan Ying and her “master” trailed Joel as he went to the counter.

“Hey, Sakhar!” Joel chirped. Sakhar went up to the counter.

“Joey, you look better!” Sakhar exclaimed. “What happened?”

“This nice girl brought my phone back when I left it on the hill.” Joel said. “So, I’m getting her and her… ‘master’ some drinks.”

Joel turned around and looked at both of his new friends in succession.

“I want a small ube iced latte!” Huan Ying said.

“… Large chai latte with six espresso shots.” The man said.

“Master, your lactose intolerance…” Huan Ying protested.

“I will make and own my choices.” The man said.

“Alright, those!” Joel said.

“Coming up!” Sakhar said.

Soon, Joel, Huan Ying, and the man were back in the corner.

“Hey, I didn’t catch your name.” Joel said, looking to the man.

The man looked surprised, and then paused for a moment, like he had to think of what to say. Then, he turned to Joel. “Michael Fang.”

“Nice!” Joel chirped. “That’s like, God’s number two.”

Michael’s face lit up a bit at this, a goofy smile dancing on his lips. Joel suddenly felt his heartbeat in his ears for a moment. His face turned red.

“Oh, um…” Joel shook his head. “My name is Joel. I’m so glad to meet you both.”

“We are very glad to meet you as well, Joel.” Michael said, with a weirdly ominous tone. Joel chuckled.

“So, um…” Joel began. “Did you know in Yellowknife they’re sitting on two-hundred thirty-seven thousand tons of arsenic?”

Michael and Huan Ying both perked up, Michael especially.

“I do!” Michael said. “Are you particularly fond of poisons?”

“Oh, I just… I just wind up knowing a lot of things, is all.” Joel giggled, twisting his hair around his finger. “I can tell you both are fond though.”

“Oh, yes.” Michael said with a little nod.

“My brain just kinda went here from a billion other little things but…” Joel said. “Did you know nitroglycerin is good as heart medication?”

“I did, indeed.” Michael said. “It’s amazing how such destructive things can bring healing as well.”

Michael’s stomach viciously grumbled and he doubled over, wrapping an arm around his stomach.

“Master!” Huan Ying cried. “Are you alright?”

Joel reached out, touching Michael’s gloved hand. Joel’s fingertips glowed, diffusing a strange energy into Michael’s hand. Michael sat up.

“The pain stopped…” Michael whispered. He looked at Joel with an open mouth of awe.

“S-Sorry.” Joel pulled away his hand and looked away shyly.

“Open your phone.” Michael tersely demanded.

“Wh- Okay…” Joel said. He opened up his phone. Michael snatched it and began furiously typing something into it. He handed it back, and Joel saw that Michael had added himself to Joel’s contacts.

“I’ll keep in touch with you.” Michael said. He leaned over Joel with a strange smile. “You are something special, I’m sure.”

Michael got out of his seat.

“Huan Ying and I have business to attend to.” Michael said. “We will meet again, Joel.”

Joel blinked. “Uh, okay! I’m glad to have met you!”

Huan Ying looked at Joel and softly pouted as she left her seat. She seemed hesitant.

“I am very glad that I have found you.” Michael said.

Joel waited for a bit after the pair left to exit the coffee shop himself. He looked down, watching Michael walk down the sidewalk, Huan Ying’s hand in his.

Michael was the sort of man who was hard to forget. Joel would certainly not be forgetting him any time soon. Michael wasn’t handsome by any conventional measure, but Joel found him oddly so.

Michael looked back, his dark brown eyes visible from this angle, and met Joel’s gaze. He flashed a smile.

Joel felt a warmth in his stomach. Not the burning of Psycho Power-fried acid, but like he’d had a cup of hot cocoa. The warmth crawled pleasantly up his esophagus, until he burped. Out from his mouth flew a strange light construct in the shape of a butterfly. It quickly dissolved into little sparkles, which faded away into nothing.

“Holy shit, it’s way too soon.” Joel said. He shook his head. “Noooo, god…”

Joel ambled over to the outer wall of the shop and smacked the bricks with his fist. Sakhar spilled out of the shop.

“Joey!” Sakhar shouted. “What’s wrong?”

“This guy is fucking…” Joel whimpered. “He’s handsome, what do I do?!”

Sakhar chuckled. He patted Joel’s head. “Just be careful, okay?”

“Okay.” Joel said. He smiled and kicked the pavement lightly.

Chapter Text

Joel walked down the street listening to Michael talk.

“The hooded pitohui of New Guinea contains a range of batrachotoxin compounds in its skin, making it one of the few poisonous birds.” Michael explained. Joel clasped his chest. He breathed steadily, trying to push his swelling Psycho Power out of his body in the least noticeable ways. Each time one of his boots hit the ground, pink sparkles burst from it.

“You know so much about toxins.” Joel said. “I love it. You’re so much fun to hang out with.”

Michael smiled softly. “You as well.”

Joel put his arms behind his head. “Ahh, you know, I haven't had this much fun in a while. Not since-”

“Joey!”

Joel’s mood fell from the clouds and plummeted straight into Hell. His belly rumbled uneasily. Wish ran up to Joel, then had to double over and pant for a while.

“Hey, Wish.” Joel said. He felt terrible for the fact he felt very annoyed by Wish’s presence.

“I really want to make it up for ditching you.” Wish said. Their eyes flicked to the tall man. “Oh, who’s this?”

“My friend.” Joel said. He gestured to Michael and Wish. “Wish, Michael. Michael, Wish.”

“Wish?” Michael asked. “What sort of a name is that?”

“It’s because I want to be the sort of person who protects the world’s hopes and dreams.” Wish explained.

“ I wish you would leave me alone. ” Joel thought, which was accompanied by his fingertips throbbing and glowing. Joel stuffed his hand in his pocket and the thought in the back of his head. He put his best smile on his face. “Anyway, Wish, what do you have in mind?”

“I think we should go to the mall.” Wish said. “We could go to all the stores you like.”

“I mean, we do like the same stores.” Joel smiled a little, a bit less forced. “It wouldn’t be any trouble for you. I’d be happy to hang out.”

“Yay! So, next week sometime?” Wish asked.

“Of course!” Joel replied.

“See you!” Wish said. They ran past Joel and Michael.

Joel folded his arms and let out a long sigh through his nose, looking in the direction Wish had come in from.

“Who was that? Friend of yours?” Michael asked.

“Yeah. We dated up until April.” Joel said.

“When did they ditch you?” Michael asked.

“Funny question. It was actually the day we met. They told me they wanted to come to the tree on the hill in the city park to have a picnic, and then…” Joel shoved his other hand in his other pocket and clenched both his hands into fists. But the glow was becoming visible through the fabric. “They went bowling with their boyfriend instead and didn’t tell me! I mean, they could have at least sent me a text telling me they were changing plans. But no! I had to find out through fucking Foostagram !”

Joel’s hair stood on end as his heart pounded in his ears. He took a deep breath, and the power dispersed.

“Okay…” Joel whispered. “Calm now, sorry about that.”

Joel couldn’t see it, but Michael was smiling so widely.

“They already have a boyfriend?” Michael asked.

“They got together like a month after we broke up.” Joel said. Michael looked surprised. “God, they look so happy. Sometimes I feel like… I feel like what we had didn’t mean anything.”

Joel whipped around, putting his hands up defensively. “But we’re still friends! I know Wish still cares about me.”

“You’re saying that about someone who abruptly changed their plans with you to hang out with their boyfriend and didn’t think so much as to inform you of their decision.” Michael said.

“Okay, well, Wish isn’t malicious!” Joel said. “They just sometimes… have a brainfart.”

Joel sighed.

“Honestly, let’s just drop this right now. I don’t want to think about this anymore.” Joel said. “Have you been to the botanical garden?”

“I don’t believe I have.” Michael said.

“Oh, man, you gotta go see it. We gotta go, right now.” Joel said. He reached for Michael’s hand, but pulled back. Instead he opted to beckon to him. “Come on!”

Joel and Michael sat together on the same bench, looking at all the beautiful flowers and the birds and bugs that flitted around them. An orange butterfly with white spots flew along and landed on Joel’s knee.

“Oh my god!” Joel squealed. “Look!”

Michael looked over at the butterfly.

“I think this is a viceroy.” Joel said. “It looks like a queen, but it’s too small. It’s not toxic like a milkweed butterfly, but it’s not tasty, either.”

Joel nudged his finger under the butterfly, who crawled onto it. Michael leaned over and looked under it.

“Viceroys are not monarchs, but they act in the will of them.” Joel said. “So does this butterfly, in the ways a butterfly can do so for a butterfly.”

Joel lifted his hand, and the butterfly flew away.

“Butterflies are so strange. They start off their lives as ravenous, fat little worms. They eat and eat, and grow and grow, until their bodies harden and contract into shells. Then, they melt into nothing and then they just… come out as something completely new. Like… they’re like sky flowers.”

Joel stared up into the sky, his smile faded.

“I want to start again. I want to metamorphose into something so lovable and beautiful.” Joel said.

“Perhaps that day is close at hand.”

Joel turned to Michael.

“What do you mean?” Joel asked.

“I know you have the power to get the life you deserve.” Michael said. “You only have to show that it’s there.”

“I have that kind of power?” Joel asked.

“Since the day we met, I knew there was something about you. All you have to do to get the life you dream of is for you to lift your arm and show that you have the power to reach for it.”

Joel couldn’t fight the smile creeping onto his face. “You are buttering me up like I’m at Hilton Head. Like, I-I need a lot of sunscreen.”

“Sunscreen isn’t only for the beach, you know. You should be wearing it now, in fact. Sun poisoning is no joke.” Michael said.

“You know what? Good idea!” Joel chirped. “Hey, thanks for making friends with me. I think I was just about to shut myself off then.”

“No wonder.” Michael sneered.

“You’re so cool, and you know so much about poison and birds and stuff.” Joel’s cheeks heated up. “I-I really like being your friend.”

Joel nudged his hand towards Michael’s, but quickly pulled it back and curled his fingers inward. Michael snatched up Joel’s hand with the speed of a bird snatching a butterfly off of a branch. Joel’s heart pounded.

“And I, you.” Michael said. He reached up and lifted his sunglasses, revealing his deep brown eyes to Joel. He smiled warmly. Joel looked between Michael’s face and his hand. Michael’s hand was as elongated as the rest of him, and concealed in a purple silk glove. It easily enveloped Joel’s hand, and it felt so warm. Joel was strangely reminded of the heat that hydrogen peroxide makes when it touches a wound.

The heat crept up Joel’s wrist and spread out through the rest of his body, like blood being pumped to and from his heart. Joel looked up at Michael’s face and smiled.

Joel’s entire body began to glow bright pink. His entire body was so warm and tingly, and it felt so good. He didn’t even notice it happening, because he was so fixated on how good he felt with Michael.

Joel suddenly noticed he was glowing.

“Oh, shit!” Joel yelped. The glow faded.

“No, no, Joel, it’s alright.” Michael tilted Joel’s head up, making his glow surge. “This… this is beautiful.”

“This is my sickness.” Joel said. “This… this terrible power, it showed up in me and it makes me sick over Wish all the time.”

Joel curled up on himself. “It makes me think horrible things about Wish and their boyfriend. And I don’t want that. I don’t want whatever this is. It’s disgusting and terrible and if I don’t get it to go away it’s going to make me disgusting and terrible.”

Joel curled up on himself.

“No, Joel. This is your power.” Michael said. He took Joel’s hand. “This is the part of you that’s saying ‘I am not a disposable toy’! The part of you that will lead you to the life you want and deserve!”

Joel unfurled himself, and Michael took his other hand.

“This is not a curse you must dispel, it is a gift you must learn to use. If you cherish and refine your gift, then you’ll find yourself more blessed than anyone in the world.”

Joel giggled and kicked his legs. “Oh my god, why do you talk to me like this?”

Michael simply smiled. “Because I know what you’re worth.”

Joel squeaked and hid his face in his hands, but he couldn’t hide his full body glow.

“Think of it like this, Joel.” Michael moved his finger like an inchworm. “You were a caterpillar.” Michael put his hands together. “Now, you’re pupating. Your insides are liquefying, and everything is uncertain and painful.” Michael opened his hands, moving them like wings. “Soon, you will emerge as your final, most beautiful, most powerful self, and you will fly to your destiny.”

“Oh, my goodness…” Joel said.

Joel suddenly hugged Michael.

“I feel way better about this now. Thank you so much.” Joel said.

Michael softly placed his hands on the back of Joel’s head. “Of course. I know just by seeing you that you’re special.”

Later, Joel waved to Michael as he got on the bus. Michael waved back, and watched as the bus drove away. He held his hat to keep it from flying away, but the front of his changshan and his long black ponytail fluttered in the breeze. Michael grinned.

“You’ll be just perfect.” Michael muttered. “A perfect vessel for my lord’s return.”

Chapter Text

The days went on, and Joel felt a conflict growing inside. Struggling to move on from Wish-as-a-lover to Wish-as-a-friend, and whatever was burgeoning inside him for Michael.

Joel felt tense as he walked down the street. Tomorrow was the day he was supposed to go to the mall with Wish. Not only was there the natural tension of obligation, but Joel felt like he was going to have a hard time controlling his Psycho Power.

“Joey!”

Joel yelped and leapt a foot in the air. Sakhar stood before him.

“Sorry!” Sakhar said, scratching the back of his head. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I know, bud, my brain’s just… eugh right now.” Joel tapped his head.

“You know what you need?” Sakhar asked.

“Wha-”

“Sleepover!” Sakhar said. He picked Joel up by the armpits, pulling him into a bridal carry. “Come on, silly boy.”

Sakhar carried a stunned Joel away.

Joel found himself in Sakhar’s ridiculously pink house. Joel sat at the table while Sakhar cooked in the other room. Corny European dance music echoed against the walls. Joel looked at Sakhar, and saw him shaking his hips as he prepared a hearty meal.

“It tickles in my tummy, he’s so yummy yummy…” Sakhar sang as he cooked. Joel hopped out of his chair and went over to Sakhar. He yanked on Sakhar’s shirt, an action which made him feel silly as soon as he took it.

“Yes?” Sakhar asked.

“Can I help cook?” Joel asked.

“Nope! You’re my guest, so just wait for your food.” Sakhar said.

“Actually, I’m your hostage. You picked me up and brought me here and didn’t take no for an answer.” Joel said playfully. “If I didn’t love you and hate cops I would be calling them right now.”

“Oh, hush, you.” Sakhar said, tapping Joel on the forehead with a single finger. “You know you needed this.”

“At least let me wash the dishes.” Joel pleaded.

“Dry them and put them away?” Sakhar offered.

“Deal.” Joel replied.

So, Sakhar resumed cooking while Joel decided to dance in the kitchen.

“Come with me, honey, I’m your sweet, sugar candyman, run like the wind, fly with me to Bountyland.” Sakhar sang as he cooked.

“Bite me, I’m yours, if you’re hungry please understand,” Joel sang. “This is the end of the-”

“SWEET, SUGAR CANDYMAN!” They both sang.

Soon, Sakhar served Joel and himself a lovely meal. A steak with a side of broccoli and carrots.

“Eat your veggies too, Joey.” Sakhar said.

“You’re always looking out for me, buddy.” Joel said. He popped a broccoli into his mouth. “Mmm, you actually know how to cook veggies…”

“I wouldn’t make you eat mushy, unseasoned veggies.” Sakhar said.

Joel finished his meal, rubbing his belly happily.

“That was so yummy…” Joel said. He picked up his plate and licked off the remaining blood.

“You really like my cooking!” Sakhar smiled, his cheeks flushing. “I wouldn’t mind doing this for you more often…”

“I would love that.” Joel replied.

Sakhar washed the dishes, while Joel dried them and put them in their proper place. They danced and sang along to more lovely music as they did so.

“I’m in love with a fairytale, even though it hurts.” Sakhar sang.

“Cause I don’t care if I lose my mind, I’m already cursed.” Joel sang.

Soon, all the dishes were put away. Sakhar went to the fridge.

“Since you were such a good boy who ate all his veggies, you get dessert!” Sakhar said.

“Good boy?” Joel muttered, his cheeks hot.

Sakhar opened the fridge and pulled out a tray, which had several tiny rectangular cakes. They looked just like Joel’s favorite snack cakes, covered in sugar sprinkles, covered in a white crust, and drizzled with colorful stripes.

“I baked these last night!” Sakhar said. “They’re just like your favorite Fairy Rainbow Sugar Glitter Princess Finger Cakes, but less icky.”

“Oh, you know me too well.” Joel said.

“Come on, let’s eat!”

Sakhar and Joel went up to Sakhar’s room. Sakhar set the tray on his bed, next to Joel, and went to his dresser.

“I got you a change of clothes.” Sakhar said.

“This was a premeditated kidnapping, huh?” Joel teased.

Sakhar took out something bundled in pink paper, tied with a red ribbon. He handed it to Joel, who opened it up.

“Oh my gosh, this is so cute!” Joel squealed.

Inside was a solid pink silk babydoll, with a pair of puffy silk shorts in the same color.

“Go get changed. And for goodness sake don’t sleep in your binder.” Sakhar fussed.

“I never do. I mean, I don’t have bad chest dysphoria, but I like the way my torso looks with a flat chest.” Joel said.

“Ah, that’s lovely! You can put your clothes in my hamper.”

Joel took the new clothes and went into the bathroom. He began stripping down, tossing his clothes into Sakhar’s hamper. Joel sighed. Sakhar was too nice.

Joel took off his binder and looked it over. He frowned.

“Wish gave me this.” Joel said. He chucked it into the hamper. “Shit, I almost forgot I have to hang out with them tomorrow.”

Joel thought for a moment that he could just… not go. He took satisfaction in the idea of giving Wish a taste of their own medicine. Maybe he could stay with Sakhar a bit longer.

Joel got a terrible thought. He pulled his own clothes aside, finding Sakhar’s. He grabbed a pink tank top. Sakhar had likely dyed it. Joel looked it over, and found that the armpits and neck were darkened. Sakhar was exercising and sweating into this.

Joel got an even worse thought. He lifted the tank top’s armpit, a couple of inches from his face. Then took a single deep sniff.

Some kind of cherry-blossom-cotton-candy body spray nearly smothered by a thick layer of mansweat hit Joel like a sack of hammers thrown at his head. His face felt hot, and between his legs felt hot, and everything else got hot. He began glowing brightly. His nose leaked, thick fluid dribbling down his face. Was he seriously having an anime nosebleed moment right now? He didn’t even think they could happen in real life.

Joel suddenly became lucid and felt a surge of regret. He abruptly stuffed the tank top back into the hamper and buried it under his own clothes like he was burying the corpse of someone he just hit with his car. He wiped his nose with toilet paper, finding more glowstick fluid.

“I can’t. I really can’t.” Joel said. He couldn’t. He didn’t even know if Sakhar wanted him that way. Sakhar was naturally a big doting teddy bear, and probably didn’t even mean anything by washing the Psycho Power diarrhea from his underwear. Besides, Joel was already starting to have a thing with Michael.

Joel sighed heavily, and put on his babydoll and shorts. He looked in the mirror, and then did a little twirl. Joel smiled. “Cute.”

Joel stepped out of the bathroom, finding Sakhar had already changed. He was in a pair of white boxers with heart designs all over them. He also wore a pink camisole with frills on its upper edges that only came down about half a foot above his belly button.

Sakhar looked at Joel and let out an ecstatic squeal. “Oh my goodness, you look so cute!”

Joel did a little twirl. “Oooh, spinny!”

Sakhar walked over to Joel and pinched his cheek. “I want to dress you up like this every day. But, I know it’s not quite your style. You’re more of a grungy boy.”

“Actually, I do like this sort of clothing.” Joel said. “I just never get the chance to wear it.”

“It suits you, really!” Sakhar said. “I get a lot of clothes online, and a lot of the time, they wind up not fitting me. After I stretch them out, they’re the perfect size for you.” Sakhar said. “You’re tiny, but wide and square. Like a minifridge.”

Joel’s face heated up. “I’m not that small, you’re just really big.”

“True but, ooh, you’re so little.” Sakhar said. “You look like a little wispy walker…”

Joel let out a huff.

Joel and Sakhar sat down and ate their little cakes. Joel made little sounds of joy with every bite.

“It’s just like my fairy cakes, only these aren’t going to make me feel sick after two bites!” Joel exclaimed.

“I’m so glad you like them!” Sakhar said.

Joel suddenly remembered something.

“Ah, Sakhar?” Joel asked.

Sakhar swallowed his mouthful. “Yeah?”

“Someone else knows about my Psycho Power.” Joel said. “You know Michael?”

“Your tall friend with the fancy clothes?” Sakhar asked.

“Yeah, him.” Joel replied. “I… I glowed for him last week, and he was okay with my powers. He thinks they’re beautiful.”

Joel softly smiled, a magenta glow emanating under his skin. Sakhar softly smiled.

“I’m glad he’s okay with it.” Sakhar said, a noticeable strain to his voice.

“Anywho, Wish and I are going to the mall tomorrow.” Joel said. “They want to make up for ditching me.”

“They had better.” Sakhar said, puffing his cheeks after.

Soon, the cakes were all gone. Joel yawned.

“Sleepy?” Sakhar asked.

“Yeah.” Joel rubbed his eye.

“Let’s get you set up in the guest room.” Sakhar said.

Sakhar and Joel went to the guest room, which was the same room Joel had woken up in after he threw up that laser. Joel climbed in and got cozy in bed. Sakhar went to his side and started tucking him in.

“Thanks, pal.” Joel said.

Sakhar took a plush toy from a nearby plush net, handing it to Joel. It was a little creature that was soft and fluffy, of unknown mammalian form. Joel rubbed his face on it.

“You’re such a baby, Joel.” Sakhar said.

“I’m not a baby.” Joel huffed. “I’m exhibiting normal sensory-seeking behaviors.”

“It wasn’t meant to be an insult.” Sakhar said, sitting on the side of the bed. He smiled warmly as he reached over and stroked Joel’s head. He leaned forward, looming over Joel. His pink hair cascaded in ripples around his head, like a curtain around a freestanding bathtub. The light that hit Sakhar’s eyes made them take a truly bizarre glint, turning from a brick-red-pink color to a vivid crimson. He looked like a deer in headlights. But warmth radiated from his expression. Sakhar’s lips softly parted, as if to say something, but they closed again.

Sakhar pulled back.

“Sweet dreams, Joey.” Sakhar said.

“Good night, big man.” Joel replied.

Sakhar slowly walked away, looking back at Joel briefly before shutting off the light and heading back to his room.

Despite usually needing some kind of noise to fall asleep lest he be allowed to form a free thought and being in a bed he had never actually fallen asleep in, Joel went to sleep quickly. He felt so comfortable.

Joel found himself in a room, kneeling and nude. He was lodged into a wall by a pair of white antlers that grew from his head. Joel could hear voices on the other side of the wall. He focused, and then immediately regretted it when he realized who those voices belonged to and what they were doing.

Joel braced himself against the wall and tried to pull his antlers out. They wouldn’t budge. He pushed harder. Not an inch. Joel began to scream, but the voices in the wall only became louder. He felt something open up on the antlers’ tips. The sounds were clearer than ever, being transmitted directly into Joel’s brain.

Joel screamed and struggled, legs and arms flailing helplessly. Nothing he could do would drown out the horrible noises nor could it pull him free from the wall.

“Let me help you.”

A voice, deep, clearer than anything Joel had heard so far.

A pair of muscular arms came into Joel’s view. The right was marred with cracks and looked like it was in the early stages of decomposition. With only a grunt and a firm tug, this mysterious stranger yanked Joel from the wall.

“Thank yo-”

Joel felt his heart catch in his chest upon meeting two solid white eyes. Joel scrambled back, pressing himself against the wall.

“I will not hurt you.”

The visage of M. Bison, Vega, Shadaloo, Joel’s father kneeled before the unfortunate buck. He was nude. His paper white hair was short and messy, and from either side of his head emerged a pair of massive antlers. They looked like both the branches of a great, ancient tree and spires of volcanic glass. They seemed to also contain a shifting purple liquid.

“Are you my father?” Joel asked.

“I do not keep track of whatever bastard children I father, but,” Father touched Joel’s chest. “this power was mine. You are mine.”

Father looked at Joel’s antlers, and narrowed his eyes. His lip curled into a sneer.

“Antlers of shame.” Father said. “Unbefitting of one who holds my power.”

Father grabbed Joel’s face, and before he could do anything, Father claimed Joel’s lips. Father’s lips were warm and soft against Joel’s. Joel was shocked at first, but then, he felt himself pleasantly melt. He closed his eyes. Father began to speak in his mind.

“You are a part of myself. I am where you belong. I will be your pride, your strength, your power. You will punish all who wrong you. You will no longer allow yourself to be trampled. You are my son. You are myself. I will be your soul when your soul is broken.”

Joel was one with his father. In flesh, in blood, in mind and soul. Joel and his father clawed the wall open and turned the moans into screams.

Joel awoke in a cold sweat. He quickly realized he was bathed in a pink light. Joel looked down and saw what looked like a glowstick spill on his crotch. Joel sniffed the puddle. It had a scent that could only be described as evil urine.

“Goddamn it.” Joel said.

Joel climbed out of bed and went down the hall to Sakhar’s room. He knocked on the door. Joel heard a yelp from inside the room, and things being knocked to the floor. It was silent for a moment before footsteps came to the door. The door opened, revealing Sakhar with his hair in curlers. Sakhar’s eyes widened.

“Oh no, did you throw up?” Sakhar asked.

“I had a weird dream and wet the bed.” Joel said. “Wanted to let you know. Sorry. I’ll handle it.”

“No, no, honey, I’ll handle it.” Sakhar said. He picked Joel up by the back of the shirt and moved him aside, patting him on the head. “Go get one of my shirts and take a shower.”

“Gotcha, boss. Thanks.” Joel said. He entered Sakhar’s room and went to his dresser. Immediately a particular shirt caught his eye. He grabbed it and went to the bathroom.

Joel washed all the evil pee from his body. He noticed everything in Sakhar’s tub was weirdly expensive. And of course, all candy-scented. He tried to use whatever he could surmise was the cheapest.

Joel stepped out of the shower and toweled himself off with pink fluffy towels. He happily put on the shirt and looked in the mirror.

The shirt had an image on the front of the words “Alpha Male” in a bubbly font, with a design of a unicorn under a rainbow over it. The shirt was large enough that Joel could wear it like a dress.

A knock came at the door. “Are you decent?”

“Yeah!” Joel chirped.

Sakhar entered the room, and looked over Joel’s shirt. “I knew somehow you’d pick that one.”

“It’s funny!” Joel said.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you back in the guest room. The pee soaked into the mattress.”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay, you couldn’t help it.” Sakhar placed a gentle hand on Joel’s shoulder.

“You got a sleeping bag or-”

Sakhar grabbed Joel and picked him up in a bridal carry. Joel was stunned. Sakhar walked over to his bed and dumped Joel out onto it. Sakhar climbed into bed next to him, pulling the covers over them both.

“What are you doing?” Joel asked.

“I can’t let you sleep on the floor.” Sakhar replied.

“But what if I pee the bed again?”

“Then, you’ll pee the bed again. I’ll be okay, I promise.”

Joel let out a huff through his nose. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand your mind.”

“Why?”

“You are an endless well of love and compassion, and you’ve been drowning me in it these few months.” Joel looked ashamed. “Even though I’m like, full of evil now.”

“You are not.” Sakhar said. “I don’t think having Psycho Power means you have to be evil. I think, maybe, if you can use it in a way that doesn’t hurt you… then you could use it for a lot of good.”

Joel couldn’t help but smile at Sakhar’s words.

“Maybe someday.” Joel said.

Joel and Sakhar turned to face each other. Sakhar’s hand lay open. Joel moved his hand up and clasped it around Sakhar’s. Joel and Sakhar smiled at each other.

“Your hands are so pretty.” Joel said. “Really delicate…”

“They’re huge.” Sakhar said.

“Things can be huge and delicate.” Joel replied.

“True.” Sakhar replied.

Joel ran his thumb over Sakhar’s knuckles.

“Good night, Sakhar.” Joel said.

“Sweet dreams for real this time, Joey.” Sakhar replied.

The two fell asleep together.

Chapter Text

Joel clutched the passenger’s side handle in a deathgrip as Sakhar drove recklessly in his tiny car. The windshield had its entire lower third obscured with a pile of cutesy trinkets. Sakhar tilted the rear view mirror towards him and applied a coat of cherry lip gloss.

Sakhar stopped in front of the mall’s entrance. Joel hopped out of the car, shaking.

“Thanks for the ride, Sakhar!” Joel said, his voice quivering.

“No problem, sweetie! Have fun! I’ll be around!” Sakhar said.

Sakhar rushed off to park. Joel sighed.

“I love the guy, but he can’t drive for shit.” Joel said.

Joel entered the Pallas Square Mall, entering into the food court. He loved this place. Joel was happy to be here.

“Joey!”

Joel felt his mood suddenly and violently crash. Wish ran up to him.

“Sorry again for ditching you.” Wish said.

“It’s fine.” Joel replied. He wanted it to be, but it wasn’t. But, he could pretend, right?

“Where to first?” Wish asked.

“How about the gem store?”

“Let’s go, then!”

Joel and Wish found themselves rooting through the bins of gems. Joel picked up a piece of rose quartz.

“I love quartzes the most of all stones.” Joel said. “Rose quartz is one of my top ones.”

“It’s so pink!” Wish exclaimed.

“Apparently it helps you heal your heart and find love.” Joel said. He weakly smiled.

Suddenly, Wish looked behind them. They smiled brightly, turned around, and ran. Joel’s heart dropped when he saw who they ran to.

Wish attacked Cole’s face with kisses.

“Cole-baby!” Wish exclaimed. “Hey, hang out with me and Joey!”

“Are you sure?” Cole asked.

“Joey?” Wish looked at Joel hopefully.

Joel picked at his cuticle, but shrugged his shoulders. “It’s okay.”

“Yay!” Wish exclaimed.

The rest of the trip then became Joel’s personal hell. The friendly outing that was supposed to be for Joel and Wish alone became Joel chaperoning a date between Wish and Cole.

Wish and Cole ducked into a Stewart’s Gifts, Joel dragging along behind them. Joel quickly lost sight of them. He looked around, and then his heart sank.

Wish hung off of Cole’s arm as they perused the back wall of the store. Wish turned around.

“Joel!” Wish exclaimed. They held up a bottle of lube. “You know a lot about anal! Is this a good lube? Cole and I want to try it!”

Joel felt something snap inside him.

“Are you serious right now?” Joel growled.

“What?” Wish asked.

“We haven’t even been broken up for half a year, and you think you can tell me about your damn sex life?”

Wish recoiled. “But, we’re best friends! We can tell each other everything!”

“Do ‘best friends’ ditch their best friends to hang out with their new boyfriend without so much as a text? Do ‘best friends’ then try to make up for it by making their best friend chaperone their date?” Joel stepped forward, his foot sparking.

“You’re not being very supportive right now!” Wish snapped.

“Have you so much as fucking checked in with me since we broke up?!” Joel shouted. “Not so much as a ‘hey, how are you holding up’ text! No, you’re too busy with your new bag of flour over there!”

“Why can’t you be happy for me?!” Wish shouted.

“Why don’t you have any fucking common sense?!” Joel screamed back. “Honestly, it would have been better if we’d never dated at all! Then you could have jumped right to Cole and I wouldn’t be dealing with all this fucking pain!”

“I couldn’t have gotten the confidence to date Cole if I hadn’t dated you!”

The tinny sound of The All-American Rejects coming through the store speaker reigned over the scene for a few seconds.

“Oh, I get it. You used me.” Joel’s shoulders caught fire, rosy flames slowly blooming.

“Joey, you’re on fire!” Wish whimpered.

Joel stepped closer, the flames growing higher. “I was a fluffer. I was just there to give you confidence, and when you got enough, you put me in the garbage and found a penis that could give you babies.”

Wish tried to press themself against the dildos behind them. Cole ran out of the store.

“Joel, stop, you’re scaring me!”  Wish whimpered.

Joel smiled. “Be scared.”

Wish furrowed their brows. “Does my friendship mean anything to you?!”

The flames on Joel’s back billowed hard. He raised his hand, cloaked in flames.

“DID MINE?!” Joel brought his hand down against Wish’s cheek.

The feeling of Wish’s hand brought lucidity back to Joel too late. He looked down at Wish on the ground. They sobbed, holding their cheek.

“Oh, god, Wish, I’m-”

Joel suddenly was slammed flat to the floor. He heard a crunch and pain searing through one side of his chest.

“JOEL, STOP!” Sakhar shouted from above. He gasped. “Joel, what have you done?!”

Joel felt a surge of pain. Oh god. He was a monster. Sakhar was upset with him too.

Joel let out a scream, and a wave of pink energy exploded out of him. Everyone and everything was knocked away. Sakhar slammed into a sunglass display.

Joel stood up and looked around. He felt panic wash over him. “I’m a monster. I’m a monster and everybody knows.”

Joel clambered over toppled displays and out of the Stewart’s Gifts, and then ran for the exit. Every step he took melted the ground under him.

“Joel!” Sakhar shouted. He stood up and began running after Joel.

Joel ran down the escalator, melting it into a slide. He ran through the food court, and out the doors of the mall. Joel ran, and ran, and ran, a sobbing fireball.

Joel finally had his adrenaline wear off at the entrance to the park. The park where he and Wish used to have picnics. Most of his body hurt. His skin dully burned. His shoes had melted away, leaving his bare feet to get pummeled by miles of pavement. His rib was most certainly broken.

Joel found himself compelled to move forward still. He dragged himself to the top of the hill, to that pear tree. He sat down under it, and heaved a sigh.

“I’m sure when they find me, they’ll kill me.” Joel said. “I deserve it.”

Joel held up his hand, his fingers faintly burning.

“Everyone is going to hate me. So…”

Joel shrugged off his shirt. It was lightly singed.

“If I tie this and my pants together, I can make a rope.” Joel said. He twisted his shirt.

“Joel?”

Joel looked up to see Michael. Joel’s face lit up.

“Mickey… I fucked up.” Joel said.

“What happened to you?” Michael asked, taking a knee and looking Joel over.

“I went to the mall with Wish but Wish saw their boyfriend so they took their boyfriend with us and they asked me about lube and I got mad at them and I yelled at them and I hit them-” Joel took a deep breath. “-and then Sakhar tackled me and broke my rib and then I used my Psycho Power in front of everybody and now everyone hates me and I’m gonna die!”

Joel sobbed into his hands. Michael tilted his chin up.

“Oh, Joel. Joel, Joel, Joel, sweet Joel.” Michael had a sickly sweet smile on his face. “You showed such restraint.”

“Restraint?” Joel asked.

“Dear, you would have half a mind to have killed them.” 

“What?!” Joel recoiled.

“They were using you as an amusement. A temporary amusement.” Michael said.

“They… they did tell me that they wouldn’t have had the confidence to ask out Cole if I hadn’t dated them.” Joel replied.

“See? They used you. They used you up until they had no use for you, and then they threw you aside. How dare they use a boy as special as you?”

Michael grabbed Joel’s hands.

“I can give you a better life. I can show you how to use your Psycho Power to get just the lot you deserve in life.” Michael took off his sunglasses, brown eyes full of warmth. “I can give you exactly what you deserve. The life you were born to have.”

“Joey!”

Michael’s expression soured. He put his sunglasses back on, stood up, and turned around. Standing there was Sakhar.

“Stay away from him!” Michael shouted.

“What?” Sakhar said.

“I won’t let you bring harm to this boy!” Michael shouted.

“Har-”

Sakhar was cut off by a hard foot in the mouth. He stumbled back, shocked. He touched his cheek, where his braces had cut into the inside of his mouth.

“Mister, I won’t-”

Sakhar yelped as he was hit by a hard jab to the gut.

“If this is how we’re doing things, then!” 

Sakhar swung his fist at Michael, who ducked back. He lunged forward with another jab, but Sakhar pulled back and yanked Michael down into a chokehold.

“Joey, I-”

Sakhar was interrupted by being flung forward, Michael having folded in half to jab his toes into the small of Sakhar’s back and roll him off. Sakhar tumbled about a foot away before rolling back into a crouch as Michael stood up. Sakhar stood up and ran at Michael, who simply dropped down into a split and slid between Sakhar’s legs. Sakhar could only briefly glance behind him before Michael’s wiry leg swept him off his own. Before he could do anything else, Michael fell atop him and put him in a chokehold.

“Wait, no, wait!” Sakhar shouted. Then, he felt a pinch in his neck. Michael had some kind of needle between his fingers. Sakhar’s body locked up.

Michael got up, ran over to Joel, and picked him up. “We must hurry!”

“Sakhar!” Joel shouted.

“Forget him! He was going to kill you!” Michael shouted.

Michael ran away with Joel in his arms. Sakhar could only watch.

“I… wasn’t…” Sakhar weakly croaked. “Joel… no…”

Chapter Text

Joel soon found himself in a motel room. Michael came in from another room with a flip phone in his hand.

“A transport will be ready within a few hours.” Michael said.

“What about Huan Ying?” Joel asked.

“She is at the second location, do not worry. I wouldn’t turn my back on my ward.” Michael explained.

Michael sat next to Joel and patted his shoulder.

“You are leaving the world not meant for you, and entering into one where your greatness will be seen.” Michael said. “That world only valued you as a placeholder, and your little pink friend tried to kill you for rejecting the notion.”

Joel pursed his lips. He wasn’t sure if he believed that but it was too late now.

“My dear, dear boy.” Michael tilted Joel’s face towards him. “Have you any idea how beautiful you are?”

Michael’s hands encircled Joel’s face. His fingertips touching at the top of Joel’s scalp and the bottoms of his palms resting at the start of Joel’s chin.

“You will be my prince from now on.” Michael whispered.

Michael lowered his head and kissed Joel on the lips. Joel felt a warmth course through his body. Michael’s thin lips were warm and wet. Joel relaxed into Michael’s kiss.

Michael pushed his tongue into Joel’s mouth. Joel’s eyes shot open. Michael’s grip tightened on his head, and Joel pushed his tongue inside.

Joel and Michael sat, writhing their tongues against each other. Michael seemed to be salivating excessively. Joel didn’t mind, however. His cunt was throbbing. He knew he must have been glowing like a lighthouse right then.

But then, Joel felt funny. Bad funny. His stomach burned, its contents crawling up his esophagus rapidly.

Michael broke away, and with serendipitous timing, Joel turned his head and vomited on the motel floor.

“Oh, fuck, I’m so sorry…” Joel whimpered.

“This is your pea, my prince.” Michael whispered. “Prove you are true royalty.”

Joel looked at Michael in confusion. Viscous strands of a purple substance hung from his mouth, like a berry-flavored milkshake that had curdled. The mouth itself was curled into a sinister grin.

Joel’s vision blurred. He fell back onto the bed. Joel felt his chest clenching. His back viciously arched and his limbs shot out, shivering. Joel’s whole body clenched and unclenched as every cell felt like it was burning.

Suddenly, a stream of gooey purple and glowing pink gushed from every hole in Joel’s face. It seeped out onto the sheets, burning small holes into them.

Joel quickly felt much better, other than the fact every hole in his face was now burning.

“Oh, wonderful! Your power is truly worthy!” Michael said.

Joel felt hot and dizzy still. Too hot. He began taking off his clothes mindlessly, piling them at his feet. Michael watched with a smile.

“I created that concoction especially for you, my prince. To test the extent of your powers thus far, and to reward you if you survived.” Michael stroked Joel’s bare thigh. “Now, my lord, allow me to give you your prize.”

“Pleaaase.” Joel moaned. “I’m so hot…”

“Here you go, my prince.”

Michael rubbed Joel’s bare pussy, twiddling his clit. Joel moaned loudly. It felt even more intense than when he did it to himself.

“Thank you so much, Daddy.” Joel whimpered.

Michael’s eyes widened.

“Cute, but do not call me that.” Michael said.

“Okay…” Joel said.

Michael dipped two long fingers into Joel’s pussy. Joel braced himself against Michael’s arm.

“Did you lay with that Wish?” Michael asked.

“No, we never went that far.” Joel said.

“Yet, they had the nerve to ask you about lubricant.” Michael said.

“Hey, wait…” Joel muttered. “You… you weren’t there.”

“Oh, but I’ve been watching you.” Michael whispered. “Ever since the day that your power awakened, I’ve been watching you.”

Michael rubbed Joel’s clitoris.

“Since that day, I’ve known you were special. That you were worthy.” Michael said. “You are to take your father’s throne.”

Michael pulled his fingers out, his glove wetted with Joel’s juices. He began disrobing, revealing nearly all of his lithe and wiry body. His gloves stayed on, but starting from his lower arms, his skin faded into a sickly purple color. It looked like his arms were freshly broken and the skin got bruised. He pulled a suitcase out from under the bed, and opened it to reveal a slender and long purple dildo, lying next to a black harness.

“Have you laid with anyone?” Michael asked.

“No.” Joel replied.

Michael smiled, affixing the harness to his groin. He ran his fingers over the smooth, featureless apparatus. It looked like an oversized purple banana rather than a human penis. Michael pushed Joel’s legs back and positioned himself.

“Then I’ll be deflowering you, my prince.” Michael said.

Michael pushed the dildo inside Joel’s vagina. Joel felt a rush of pleasure throughout his body and moaned.

“You put an… an aphrodisiac in whatever you spat in my mouth, didn’t you?” Joel asked.

“That, and a few drugs which would enhance your blood flow.” Michael said.

Michael swung his hips, pounding deep and hard into Joel’s vagina. Joel could do little more than sit there and moan. It felt so intense, and he could barely form a thought.

“How does it feel, my prince?” Michael asked.

“So… good…” Joel croaked through the fog.

Joel could feel every cell of his vagina so vividly, like the nerves were supercharged. His insides felt like a clit. Michael’s hips were strong, and drove the toy into Joel’s body at a steady pace.

“If you’re a good boy, I’ll keep doing this for you.” Michael whispered. He rubbed Joel’s nipples with his long fingers. Michael’s ponytail fell forward, flapping against Joel’s face like a paintbrush.

Joel looked up at Michael’s face. Michael looked almost giddy. His weathered face was etched with childish glee.

Joel felt warm in a way he knew wasn’t from the drugs. He was in love.

Joel pulled Michael down, claiming his lips furiously. Michael pushed his tongue into Joel’s mouth. Michael was drooling again. Joel drank it like sweet nectar. He wrapped his arms and legs around Michael.

Joel suddenly clenched. His entire body seized. His orgasm came hard and fast. It almost felt like the orgasm equivalent of vomiting or having violent diarrhea. Nonetheless, it was overwhelmingly good.

Joel could only lay there as the orgasm finished. His entire body felt heavy. He couldn’t even lift a finger. Michael’s grinning face was blurry above him.

“So wonderful, my prince.” Michael purred. He lapped up the length of Joel's face. Joel didn’t even have the energy to shut his eyes.

Michael dressed himself, but didn’t dress Joel. He picked Joel up and closed his eyes.

“Sleep, my darling. You’ll awake again, anew in Shadaloo.” Michael whispered.

Joel’s heart surged with fear. Shadaloo? He didn’t have time to contemplate what he’d gotten himself into, however, as he felt a sharp pain in his neck. Joel’s senses and thoughts went dark.

Chapter Text

Joel was in a strange chair, nodes attached to his temples. He was still naked as the day he was born. Michael was tapping away at a computer. He pinched his chin.

“Hm. Interesting.” Michael said. He turned to Joel. “It turns out you don’t have Psycho Power.”

“What?!” Joel exclaimed.

“It is similar to Psycho Power, but the signature is distinct from that. It also isn’t standard Soul Power. Hmm…” Michael mused. “This is extremely interesting.”

Michael put his hand on Joel’s cheek. Joel smiled softly, leaning into Michael’s hand. A bar suddenly spiked up on the monitor.

“Oh!” Michael took his hand away from Joel’s cheek. The bar dropped. He looked between the bar and Joel. Then, he stroked Joel’s cheek some more. Joel leaned into his touch, closing his eyes. As the bar on the screen climbed higher, Joel began to glow.

“Amazing…” Michael said. “This power is not fueled by fear, despair, or hatred. It is fueled by positive emotion like Soul Power, but it is as potent as Psycho Power.”

“The emotion is love, I’m sure.” Joel said. “I think the glow happens when I feel loved. And… when it came out of me… it was like physical lovesickness. As corny as it is, this might be the power of love.”

Michael cupped both of Joel’s cheeks. “My dear, I will flood your heart and soul with it!”

Michael pulled Joel out of the chair and spun him around. They both laughed, Joel glowing brightly.

“Since your power is between typical Soul Power and Psycho Power, we will call it Border Power!” Michael said.

“Okay!” Joel chirped.

Joel underwent an intense training regimen. His body became stronger and harder. His powers grew more and more.

Joel was nude before Michael. Michael presented him with a large bowl. He took off his glove and let violet, viscous fluid leak from the tips of his purple fingers. Joel noticed the way his knuckle skin dipped inward. Joel held onto the edge of the bowl, and stared at his own knuckles. They also dipped inward.

“Place your fringe into the bowl.” Michael commanded.

Joel leaned forward. His hair had grown longer in the months he’d been with Shadaloo. The ends pointed upwards now. He sunk his long fringe into the substance, and he could hear it sizzle. Every hole in his face burned just from being near it.

“You must increase your tolerance to poisons.” Michael said. “As the head of Shadaloo, you will have many attempts made on your life. You must never let them succeed. You must be able to drink cyanide without so much as a stomachache, my dear prince.”

Michael grabbed Joel’s head and yanked him out. Joel picked up his fringe and looked it over. The purple substance was so pungent, it easily overwrote his green dye. He let it go, and it hit against his face with a wet slap.

“Looks cool.” Joel said with a smirk. He knew his face holes would stop burning soon.

The passage of time became hazy in Shadaloo. The days melded together.

Joel laid back on the dental chair. He watched as Michael used an autoclave. Michael was dressed in a facemask and nitrile gloves. Michael took a sterile needle from the autoclave.

“Now…” Michael whispered. “Tip your head back.”

Joel obeyed. He always obeyed.

Michael held Joel’s face, and pushed the needle through the skin of Joel’s septum. Joel’s eyes watered from the pain, and continued to when Michael pushed the ring in.

But the pain was over as soon as it started. Joel sat up and Michael provided him with a mirror. Joel saw himself with the gold ring in his nose and smiled.

“Thank you, Mickey!” Joel chirped.

“Two left, darling.” Michael said.

“Oooh, okay!” Joel replied.

Michael retrieved a clean needle, and adjusted the chair so Joel was upright. He held Joel’s ear, and pushed the needle through Joel’s cartilage. Joel winced slightly. He placed a barbell in the hole. Michael retrieved a third needle and did just the same to the other ear.

Joel looked in the mirror again. “Ah, cute!”

Michael looked Joel over. Looked at his teeth.

“May I chose an alteration? I have one in mind.” Michael asked.

Joel deliberated for a moment before giving an answer. “Of course. You can do anything to me!”

Joel could tell Michael was smiling under his mask now. Michael left the room.

Joel sat for several minutes. He contemplated going to see what Michael was doing.

Suddenly, Michael came in with a small bag. He opened it up, and laid out several concerning instruments on the table. A set of pliers. Something resembling a dentist’s drill. Something like a screw. A small gold arrowhead? No. A crown. And a glaring omission.

“Where’s the anesthetic?” Joel asked.

“You don’t need any. If you want to rule Shadaloo, you will learn to withstand all kinds of pains.” Michael said firmly. Joel went quiet.

Michael wrenched Joel’s mouth open with his index and middle fingers, thumb pressed against Joel’s sternum to keep it in place. He went in with the pliers, and seized Joel’s canine tooth in them.

Michael pulled. Joel’s tooth gradually loosened. Joel whimpered at the pain, tonguing the pliers. Michael yanked hard, pulling the whole of the tooth out. Joel’s tongue flew to the bleeding pit where his tooth once was.

“Move your tongue.” Michael commanded. Joel pulled his tongue back. The blood ran down his palate. Michael kept his mouth pinned open as he took the screw and the drill-like object off the table. Michael set the screw into the hole. Joel could tell he was smiling under his face mask.

Joel’s vision went white. He gripped the chair under him so hard, he could feel the fabric melting under his fingers. He could hear and feel his bone being drilled into.

But not long after the drilling started, it stopped completely. Michael wiggled the screw, and it didn’t budge. He picked up the golden crown and clicked it into place.

“There!” Michael said. He held up the mirror. “Look.”

Joel wiped the tears from his eyes so he could actually see. Michael pulled his mouth open to the side. Joel’s canine tooth was now replaced by a golden replica of itself. Blood rimmed the root. Joel licked his new tooth.

“That looks cool.” Joel slurred. Drool oozed from his mouth.

Every time Joel looked at himself in the mirror, he recognized himself less.

His hair came down to the back of his neck and bent upwards again. His fringe, half of it purple and brittle, hung over his eye. His face was full of gold. Gold earrings, gold cuffs on his ears, gold nose ring, and that gold tooth.

Joel licked his gold tooth. It was likely not pure gold. Pure gold was too soft. There was something inside it, Joel was certain.

Joel stepped back. His body was different too. He used to be soft, squishy, small. Now he was harder, stronger, had much more presence than he used to. Joel was more than he used to be.

Joel leaned against the mirror. He looked into his own eyes. He saw someone else looking back.

Joel remembered Wish. He wondered what they were doing now. Did they even notice he was gone? Honestly, at this point, as cold as it sounded, he hoped they forgot about him.

Joel remembered Sakhar. His heart hurt. Sakhar had gotten a taste of Michael’s poison. Joel still got sick from it often. Sakhar did not have Soul Power. Sakhar was dead. Joel could not help but feel like he was responsible.

“My prince?”

Joel turned around to see Michael.

“I have something I need you to do for me.” Michael said.

“Sure!” Joel replied, as he always did. He put on his best smile.

Joel found himself staring down at a man with a bag over his head. He could feel Michael behind him.

“Kill him.”

Joel’s heart seized. “What?”

“Kill him. Kill this man.” Michael said.

“But… why?” Joel asked.

“A prince of Shadaloo does not question. He carries out his task swiftly and precisely.” Michael said. “Kill the man.”

Joel stared down at the man. The man began to cry. He begged in a language Joel didn’t understand, something European. 

Michael grabbed Joel’s hand, raising it up. He guided Joel gently like a father guiding a child.

“If you love me, you’ll do this for me.” Michael whispered. “You do love me, don’t you?”

“Yes.” Joel replied.

“Then do this.” Michael leaned in Joel’s ear. “Do this for me.”

Joel’s hand lit up in flames. He stepped forward, his hand clenched in a fist. He closed his eyes tightly.

And swung.

The prince opened his eyes to find his wet, red hand dangling limply. The man was now entirely absent of a head. His head was now splattered all over the prince. The prince’s bloody hand was quivering and somewhat sore. Not as sore as a hand that had been used to obliterate a human skull would be expected to be, but still notably sore. The prince put his clean hand up to his mouth, in a cutesy expression of shock and horror.

Michael stroked the prince’s back. “Good boy.”

“I killed him.” The prince said.

“You did!” Michael grinned. “I understand if you’re shocked. It’s always hard the first time. You will get used to it, trust me.”

Michael led the prince away, hand around his shoulder. “Let’s get you cleaned up. I’ll reward you amply for this.”

The prince felt like he’d killed a part of himself too.

The prince sat with Michael one day. He looked up at him.

“What would Lord Bison have named me if he knew me?” The prince asked.

“Why do you ask?” Michael replied.

“I don’t think the name Joel suits me anymore.” The prince who was no longer Joel said. “It… I want to cut the last tether to my old life.”

Michael grinned at this. “Well, Lord Bison never knew of your existence. But, he did like to give flower names. His Killer Bee Doll, he personally called her Camellia.”

“Flower names. What would a flower name even be for a boy?” The prince mused.

Michael thought for a moment before stumbling upon it. “Valerian can be a masculine name. It is a small clumping flower, often pink. Its roots are consumed as a sleep aid, and it has a catnip-like effect on cats.”

The prince smiled. “I like that.”

Michael pulled something from his pocket and placed it in the prince’s hand. The prince opened his hand and looked at the item. It was a golden wing with a pin backing melted to it.

“That came from this.” Michael said, holding up his necklace. “It was your father’s. Think of it as a piece of him.”

The prince smiled. Valerian held the pin to his chest.

Valerian stepped out onto the roof of the Shadaloo base. The sun was just coming up. He was dressed in his uniform. Covered in red, red leotard, deeper red shorts. Black boots, ripped nylon tights. Black martial arts gloves with crimson under-gloves. Silver shoulder pads, just like his father. A metal spine and ribcage to keep him standing tall. The toxins in his fringe no longer were of note to him. Glittering gold, gold earrings, gold nose ring, gold tooth, gold wing in his red beret. Lips painted in blue, corpse blue.

Flames unfurled from Valerian’s back, in the shape of butterfly wings. He let out a laugh. He felt good today. He felt fresh. He felt new. He felt like he’d been reborn.

Valerian knew he’d finally reached his imago.