Villainous Oneshot(s)

Pride

Straightening his tie and flicking off a piece of lint that had found its way to his shadow clad shoulder, Black Hat fought his irritation and his idleness. What could possibly be taking him so long?

The doctor knew they were on a tight schedule, did he intend to dilly-dally their time away or had he lied about finishing his latest invention and was taking the time to brush up on bugs he'd missed in it's production? "He'd better not be," he muttered, straightening his cuffs where they stood out against his grey skin. The relief he'd felt when the doors opened was insurmountable. Instead of letting on that he'd actually been worried, he snapped at the shorter male, impatience clear in his voice. He found his irritation at least, wasn't too forced. "Took you long enough, you idiot."

The other jumped and wrung his gloved hands in answer, "S-sorry Mr. Black Hat... I- I had to-"

"Flug, I don't care about the half- baked excuse you have this time, I only need to know that the cam-bot ready. Is everything set up on your end Dr. Flug?"

"O-of course sir, and I have the - the invention right here. Ready to film when you are, Black Hat, sir."

His boss smiled at the news, satisfied for now that they could manage to make a decent sales pitch without any... interferences. Dementia was occupied with some goose chase he'd sent her on and the bear was given a fair warning to steer clear. He lost his patience for such things early on in the business after all, and his temper wasn't what he was trying to sell, though it did prevent the other villains from considering him weaker for dropping out of the game himself before his peak. It was also rather bad for business when he intimidated his potential clients out of buying from him due to his... squabbles with the employees. "Good, now get you and your bag over here before I make you! We're wasting moonlight."

"Y-yes sir, right away sir." The bag-headed scientist fumbled with the remote he'd used to direct his invention to prepare for the newest ad for Black Hat Incorporated, scrambling to his employers side and wincing when he realized his voice had come out raspy and hoarse.

The red flicker of the record button notified the two that it was time to start their routine. Flug winced again as he realized he was still in the host and took an awkward step aside before Black Hat caught on... he'd just thave to edit that little piece out when they were done here and hope he wasn't strangled for it later if this was one of the days his boss actually took it upon himself to watch the film before then. Fingers crossed in the hopes it wasn't one of those days, that was all he could do.

"Ah, yes, Senior Black Hat here, with all the best technology to crush the goody-goody two-shoes heroes in your life beneath your spiked boots and what not," he made a waving motion to dismiss the thought of it out of mind with a wicked Cheshire grin. This was the signal that Flug needed to reclaim his spot in the shot and be quick about it this time."

"Today, we have a very special invention for the auction, a return of an oldy, but a goody in a new design, a pocket sized freeze ray-" His face contorted into a confused sneer, "Not this again... Flug! I thought I told you to create a ray gun, not some twisted gum dispenser!"

"I- I'm t-terribly sorry Black Hat, but... I tho- thought this would be easier to use and more practical. Y-you see you just-" he took the gun out of the other's hold and twisted the knob before swinging his arm in a motion to demonstrate what his boss needed to do to operate it before handing it back and moving away quickly before he chose to hit him with it. "Twist this, then throw your arm back before aiming and you can launch up to three spheres at whatever or whomever you want and it instantly freezes what it strikes solid before you can blink."

Black hat raised his brow in question, looking from the ray to Flug and back before shrugging. He copied the doctor's actions and readied his arm in an arch that loomed behind his shoulder. Taking the time to shoot the doctor a scathing glare, he uttered a warning, "This better work, Doctor or you won't see a day when it does..." and with that, he swung his arm down towards the caged bird at the other side of his office, purposefully placed there for this particular invention's testing. Cambot was quick to shift his lenses to record a larger range of the action, now including the entire room to make up for the difference.

When the orbs struck their target, they worked like a charm and the chirping bird and its flapping wings were frozen solid... where it hung mid-air above its perch.

To say that Black Hat was delighted would have been an understatement. The doctor had really delivered, and not only that, but more than he'd been expected to.

"Flug..." he said quietly, his back turned to the scientist.

"I knew there was a reason I hired you! Doctor, I was really getting tired of your disappointing me, thought I would have to cause a little... accident and find a new brainiac who was actually good at something... but then you just go and do something like this..."

"S-sir... I-I'm sorry! I - give me another chance, please I- I can do better, I can make adjustments to the design and- and- Wait... you... you like it?"

Black Hat laughed, actually laughed, not his usual evil cackling, and then he turned to the doctor and smiled. "You are a genius, have I ever told you that?"

Flug was stunned and wasn't sure he could manage to get a sound out much less an entire sentence, he could only blink and stare wide- eyed at the event that seemed to be too good to be true. The only explanation was this wasn't Black Hat, he was being lured in with a sense of security... or he'd finally done something right and his boss was... proud. Of him. That was such a strange concept. He did manage to respond when the other shot him a look, "Oh- um... n-no sir... You've never told me that. S-sir."

Shifting the weight of the newly made weapon in his hands, Black Hat felt a surge of giddiness and pride for both the invention that was sure to sell-out and the one who invented it... the man who invented everything, really... perhaps he'd been too hard on him? This invention, however, was more like the ones that got him the position as his scientist. He'd been wondering where that brilliant mind had disappeared to, he'd tried everything to get him to work harder to get him to put more effort in... He thought he'd tried everything, and when threatening his life and well-being didn't work... He was ready to give up on the man, after all, he was no more use to Black Hat if he was no longer capable of his best work and according to his contract- well, that didn't matter now. The Flug Slys he had at the start of his company was back and that was all he needed to know."Well, it's about time I did, not only have you proven yourself, but you've really impressed me... I expect more of these to be made and I am giving you complete control of your next assignment... well, creative control over it... can't have you slacking off or- gods forbid- creating more worst-nightmare rays with your sandwich- fearing mind..." Making his way to the door with the weapon still in hand to place in the vault, he looked over his shoulder at his brilliant scientist, his only scientist over his shoulder, waiting for his response. He owed him that much.

Realizing he still hasn't responded, Flug shook himself out of his reverie, "I- th-thank you sir! I- I'll start right away sir-"

"You'd better! I expect results in the next three days!" Black Hat hollered, and thinking better than to use the door, teleported out of the room before seeing the doctor's face crumble. "Thr- three? Days?" He was about ready to collapse at the thought of all the work required to pull that off without even knowing what to work on next... he looked across the room at his first invention where it sat, still recording, and gulped.

He'd impressed his boss, but was it worth it in the end?

Flug wasn't so sure, and that was exactly how Black Hat liked it.