Of Heroes And Villains

In which a superhero meets his match, masks are uncovered and a mad scientist just tries to get some mad science-ing done without getting distracted by the antics of her magical minion.

Fanart by the talented Ian Samson, creator of City of Reality and artist of The Wotch


Shade hit a forcefield.

His vision went white, pain exploding in his temples as he was thrown back.

When his vision slowly returned, the whiteness slowly fading into pale blurry outlines, he found himself half-buried under debris. There was a ringing in his ears, and he could make out muffled voice beneath.

“…remove your toy or I break it!”

“Amelia, please,” pleaded the golden blur that slowly sharpened to take Diane’s form. “I’ve never asked you for anything. But I’m asking you for this.”

There was a long tense silence. Or as silent as it could be when Shade still had that high-pitched ringing in his ears. He shook his head to clear it, shifting the debris to slide off his body.

His vision had recovered enough for him to see both the women turning to look at him.

“Oh, it’s awake.”

Diane’s lips thinned and she strode toward Shade, crouching next to him. “You promised me you wouldn’t attack my friend,” she said reproachfully.

“Your friend,” Shade echoed, voice hollow. “You did not tell me your friend was a monster.”

Cinder Snow.

She’d been active three years ago for only a short window of time before vanishing, presumed to have been killed in battle with Chrono Warden, an – at the time new – arcane heroine who finally managed to break her incredibly sophisticated defenses.

Yet in the few months she’d been active, Cinder Snow had left a trail of devastation in her wake. She had been absolutely unstoppable, her strong innate powers of being able to control both ice and fire augmented with superior technology. Combined with an undeniably brilliant – if insane – mind, she’d successfully taken out entire squads of heroes.

And then she’d earned her title of hero killer.

Not many villains dared to strike a killing blow. To kill a hero was to provoke the wrath of heroes everywhere, who viciously avenged their fallen comrades. The fear of retribution kept villains in line, protecting less skilled or younger heroes.

Cinder Snow had not struck a killing blow.

What she’d done to PsyKick was far, far worse than death.

Diane frowned at him. “She saved my life,” she countered.

“Do you even know what that woman has done?”

“I don’t care,” she hissed. “She is my friend and I trust her and you will not attack her again.”

Shade lowered his gaze and slowly pushed himself up.

Diane was a villain. He knew this, of course. Had always known. But on some level he’d stopped thinking of her as that. She was just Diane. Kind, loving Diane, with her unhinged but harmless brand of humor who was a villain in name only. The stings of discomfort he felt on occasion were easy to brush aside.

This was not. Cinder Snow was evil, the worst kind of villainous sociopath, and Diane called her a friend.

“Did you put it back on its leash?” Cinder Snow asked in a bored voice.

“Shade’s not an it, Amelia,” Diane murmured, holding out a hand to help him up. Shade ignored it, standing up on his own, glaring daggers at the mad scientist. “And he won’t attack you again. Right?” The last she added in a sharp tone toward Shade. He turned his glare on Diane, and she glared back.

“…right. I’m leaving.”

“No,” Diane pleaded, grabbing his arm as shadows swirled, preventing him from teleporting without taking her with him. “Kara, she can help you.”

“Don’t call me that!” Shade’s gaze shifted to Cinder Snow, hoping she hadn’t heard the name that was just between them.

The mad scientist met his gaze, looking bored. “Oh, like I haven’t been spying on you. Congratulations, your skill in giving my minion consecutive orgasms is improving.”

Minion, mouthed Shade, no sound escaping his lips.

Diane sputtered. He had never seen her flustered before.

“Be that as it may… fine. If you want this so badly, Diane, let’s make it quick. I suppose his case is mildly interesting. Follow me.”

She turned her back and strode off.

There ensued a vicious tug of war between Shade and Diane, with Diane dragging him to follow. “Kara,” she snapped. “I don’t care what you think of her, but you can’t deny that she is a genius. Give her ten minutes to figure this out.”

“No,” he growled, yanking his hand away. “I am not letting myself be touched by some fucking sociop-“

“When I tell you to follow, I expect you to follow.”

A trapdoor opened to his feet, and before Shade quite knew what had happened, he found himself strapped to a gurney that had just appeared out of the ground. The plates in the walls shifted, turning to reveal computer screens. They detached themselves, fastened to long metal coils which rolled and writhed like snakes, surrounding him with monitors.

Cinder Snow appeared in his line of sight, unceremoniously slamming a needle into his arm. He yelled, not in pain, but shock and anger. Some machinery whirred, and a metal strap descended over his mouth, muzzling him.

“Overkill,” murmured Diane under her breath, disapprovingly gazing at Cinder Snow, who shrugged casually.

Shade made a muffled sound of outraged protest. Diane reached out to reassuringly stroke his cheek and he glared at her.

“I’m sorry. Amelia, could you not…?”

“No,” replied the villain flatly. “He attacked me. Let’s just get this over with.”

Cinder Snow’s gaze was focused entirely on the screens which were now displaying flashing images of text and data at a rapid pace. She hummed thoughtfully, and then sighed. “Diane, could you get me the Arcanator?”

Diane hesitated, gaze darting between Shade and Cinder Snow, seeming torn. His eyes widened.

No, no, don’t leave me with her–

“I won’t hurt him,” Cinder Snow assured Diane, almost affectionately. “He attacked me, not vice versa.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Diane leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his brow. “I’ll be right back, I promise.”

Shade could have screamed then.

Cinder Snow watched Diane leave, then immediately stopped examining Shade.

“Diane did it,” she said flatly.

He stopped struggling, his blood running cold.

“It is painfully obvious what happened. And she should have realized it, too. But, well, I am quite fond of my minion, but she’s not that bright.” The affection in her voice threw Shade. “I assume I’m going to have to draw you a diagram, too?”

Shade glared, even as his heart was hammering against his chest. She’d sworn, she’d promised that she hadn’t done it…

“Do you know how Diane’s healing powers work?”

After a long pause, Shade slowly shook his head as much as the straps allowed.

“She is not like most other healers. They heal a cut or a disease and they are precise about it. They do not heal beyond what they mean to, for they have to conserve their power. But Diane… I made her out of a magical artifact which was created for the sole purpose of healing. At all times it strives to fulfill its directive; its magic continually spilling out of her. When she heals a cut, she might also heal an undetected tumor, without even meaning to. Or knowing she is doing it.

“Many healers are also potential killers, do you know that? They can mend flesh, but they can also whither it, just with a touch. Diane cannot. Her magic wants to heal and do nothing but heal. She cannot reshape a body into something it was not meant to be.”

Shade raised a muffled objection to that.

“Which brings me to you. Tell me, how long have you had a desire to put on female clothing? Since you were a child, I’d wager.”

Shade said nothing. Would have said nothing even if he wasn’t gagged. A computer screen slithered in front of him, displaying data he couldn’t even read.

“You were born with a birth defect. A disconnect between your mind and your body. So Diane started healing your body, as is her purpose.” Cinder Snow tapped something on the screen. “Say hello to your new X chromosome.”

No.

“Now I’m sure you’re wondering why I sent my little minion to fetch something I don’t need when I could have just told you that in front of her.”

Icy cold fingers roughly grabbed his chin, forcing him to look into hate-filled eyes.

“You flinch when I call her my minion. Have you noticed? I have.” She leaned in closer. “But that is what she is. I made her. I took a dying girl and created perfection. She is mine.”

She leaned so close he could feel her freezing breath on his ear as she whispered, “Do you even know what that woman has done?”