The Villain and Hero (A Hermitcraft AU Rewrite)

Invasion

Stress groaned and wiggled in place as she woke up. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and stretched slightly as she sat up. For the first time in quite a while, she felt fully rested. No nightmares, no visions. Just sleep. Of course, because of this, she was immediately concerned. Weird, intrusive visions don't just go away on their own.

It was then that she began to wonder how she got home the prior night. It was, after all, her bed and bedroom. She knew this for a fact. You can't simply recreate the smell of old parchment mixed with lilac and mint (gifts from Bdubs). But she still couldn't shake that feeling of dread that one should never feel in their home.

Stress stilled as the quiet cadences of speech wafted into her ears. Voices she should not be hearing. Voices close by. And voices came with people. Someone was close by. Really close by. Someone was here. With her. In her apartment.

Bdubs always made sure Stress kept an emergency phone by her bed. He also suggested some kind of weapon, but Stress wasn't interested in that. But maybe she should've listened. Especially now that she knew his day job. But hindsight is 20/20, and useless to her current present. All she could do now was remember where she put that phone. Probably the bedside table. This drawer? No. Maybe this one? Also no.

"Looking for this?"

Stress froze in place before turning slowly. What surprised her the most was that she recognised the intruder. "You're that guy... from the ConCorp party."

"I heard you were looking for a certain villain."

"Get out."

Canem snapped the phone in his hands and tossed it onto the ground. "You're no fun."

"Get. Out."

"So you don't wanna know where The Mangler is?"

Stress bit her lip. No, she didn't want Canem in her house. But maybe, just maybe, he had the answers she was looking for. And if it came to it, she could take him out.

"Your silence speaks volumes."

"Fine. Where's The Mangler?"

"I don't know exactly where, per say-"

"Get out. Now."

"...but I know how to find 'em. I just need one thing from you."

Stress didn't respond. Instead, she settled against some pillows and sat up, questioning Canem with her eyes.

"Bdubs. You can get in touch with him, can't you?"

"Oh. So that's why you're really here."

"No! I just-"

"Save it, luv, I don't have time for any more lies." She dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

"You have no idea what I can do to you." Canem growled.

Stress pursed her lips and smiled. "Of course, luv."

Canem walked up beside Stress' bed and looked down at her. Stress met his gaze, doing her best to hide how scared she was.

"What do you think you're proving here?"

"That you're nothing more than an overgrown puppy."

Canem moved quicker than Stress thought possible, throwing her back against the headboard and choking her with a single hand. But that was exactly what she needed. Stress closed her eyes and brought her hands up to Canem's face, forcing her way into his mind.

...

Doc was supposed to be joining him. Maybe he was having more trouble with that little hero than he thought. Still, he had a job to do. So he ran further in the building, not a single person slowing him down. His knock-out gun was doing its job perfectly. And so was he. Doc, on the other hand, was being held up by some nobody. Whatever, he assumed something like this would happen. That's why he brought an extra vault breaker.