Darknesss united

Chapter 13: Vexed

Scar
I’ve got a sinking suspicion something’s wrong. I’ve got to settle this, or it’ll keep me awake at night.
“Awkward question, but is your name Cub?”
Grian turns to look at me in shock while Cub stares at me knowingly.
“Yep! I can explain.”
I stare at my own hands, wondering what just happened. How did I…
Nevermind. Maybe I just heard it somewhere. definitely that.
A sinking suspicion tells me that’s wrong. That I just knew. But that’s impossible. I don’t have powers, and definitely not name-remembering ones. I forgot Mumbo’s name yesterday!
Before I have any time to react, I feel a cold hand on my cuff. I should pull him off. I know I should. But at the same time I can't, I shouldn't.
The metal clangs to the ground. A welcome chill spreads throughout my body. I rise into the air, barely noticing. A flash of hardly felt pain, like my body is protesting. I feel… different. A barely heard scream of “What did you do to him?!?” echoes through the room. I look over my shoulder impulsively. I can’t help laughing at the reference to my neighbor’s name. A wide grin spreads across my face as I see the same pair of wings on my back that Cub has. It feels right. Running my tongue over my teeth, they feel sharper than usual.
I slowly sink back to the ground knowing I could stay afloat if I wanted to. The walls look a little less solid, like I could step through them If I tried. Grian stares at me in disbelief.
I hold up my hand, knowing something will happen. A tiny bright blue soul flame flickers in my hand. There’s no pain from the fire. No danger of getting burnt. G’s jaw drops open. I lean against the wall behind me, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder. Suddenly, I'm falling backwards. I flap my new wings to keep myself up. The wall isn’t wall-ing anymore.
That’s when I think about it. The wall stopped being a wall for me. I can bend reality to my will. Why would they hide this from me? I could have been the best hero! So good I could fix the system! So good I didn’t need to be paid.
That’s exactly why they did it, isn’t it? If they could keep me reliant on them, they could force me into their system. Bend me to their will.
Cub pulled me toward him, pressing a blue mask with an evil-looking smile carved into it. It doesn't feel evil to me, though. I put it on, and the floor solidifies beneath my feet.
Cub guides me to a mirror in the corner of the room. I can barely see anything, so I light a soul flame on my palm. I nearly drop the flame on the floor at what I see.
Tattered, powerful wings are spread behind my back. My skin has a slight blue tint at the tips of my fingers, with claws instead of nails. Fangs just barely are visible behind my closed lips, but the light blue slices through the red. My ears are pointed like the elves I've read about all my life. Most shocking, however, are my eyes.
Behind the smiling mask, my eyes burn electric blue. My eyes are emerald green. just like Cub's. But his, standing beside me, match my eerie hue. Streaks of blue come out from both corners of my eyes. It feels inhuman. I guess I'm not human anymore. I'm free.
Cub flicks on the overhead lights, and I let the fire extinguish. I take off the mask, and the ground remains steady below my feet. My eyes turn green again. My claws become normal fingernails once more. So do Cub's.
“I have something else to show you.” He says, attempting to mask the excitement in his voice.
“Really?” I say. “Show me!” Grian looks at me in utter confusion. “Show you what? Did you guys make up a secret sign language in the past five minutes, two of which Scar was both floating and glowing?”
“But…he just…” I stutter. “He just told us he had something else!”
“Yep! We can do that now!” Exclaims Cub.
“What…nevermind. I'll leave you two with whatever this is.” G says as he gestures towards the wings, then leaves the room.
Cub pulls back a curtain dramatically and unveils an almost identical copy of my Hotguy uniform, except instead of the body being white, it was black. Hanging next to it was a brand new bow and a quiver of arrows, the matching black body shining in the light.
“Don't worry.” He says as he turns the suit around. “You have wings holes. Go ahead and try it on!”
I step into the bathroom to put on the beautiful black suit. I pull the bow over my head and fling the arrows onto my back. I pose in the bathroom mirror, loving this costume even more than the last. Everything's in the open now. I have nothing to hide.
I come out and Cub claps. I spin around. “I think you're ready for your proper villain introduction to the team.”
“Now introducing the newest member of the Hermits, Hotguy!” The Admin, who I just learned is X, says. I step out. The light is all centered on me. Some of the villains look shocked, probably at the wings that weren't here when I arrived. I reach the end, and Grian's waiting there for me.
“Welcome.” He says.
My face aches from all the smiling.