PERSONA ✓

32.

What the superhero duo set their eyes on was not pretty, to say the least.

The laboratory that was being attacked was in the middle of nowhere. It was a large, white, dome shaped building with a glass roof. Said glass roof was shattered and smoke was billowing out of the cracks.

"Evacuate the building?" Shadow asked, looking at Persona.

Persona straightened his shoulders. "Evacuate the building," he confirmed.

They both dove forward, wind whistling against their ears. Entering through the large hole in the roof, Shadow went right, and Persona went left.

Evacuating people was easy. It was a laboratory, so they must've had frequently practiced drills. Though some of the scientists and workers were startled by the presence of Shadow, everyone got out quickly and safely.

Shadow and Persona regrouped at the area where the fire was spreading.

"We need to find a way to take this fire out--" Persona began, but Shadow had already hoisted a fire extinguisher off the wall and aimed it at the fire. The fire died quickly and Shadow lowered the extinguisher.

"We can't let Doyoon get away." Shadow dropped the extinguisher and flew forwards, Persona close behind.

Using his super strength, Shadow tore open the two large metal doors in their path to reveal a large room, with reinforced walls and tons of experiments.

In front of them stood a man in a dark green suit. He had a cape as well, except it was red, matching his red boots and gloves. There was nothing to cover his face, so when he turned, Shadow knew for sure; it was Lee Doyoon, the same man who had mind controlled him.

Persona pointed at him. "Why's he dressed in Christmas colours?"

Doyoon laughed. "Ah, Kim Namjoon, always with the crappy humor."

Persona stiffened. In the comms, Jungkook whispered, "Oh, shit."

Doyoon turned to Shadow. Shadow's grip on his sword tightened and he dug his heels into the ground, ready to charge.

"And Hoseok!" Doyoon said his name as if they were old friends. "So nice to see you again! Although, it's quite sad that you're no longer on my side. We had excellent teamwork, you and I."

"Teamwork?" Shadow snarled. "You call mind controlling me and making me do your dirty work TEAMWORK?"

Persona put a hand in front of Shadow, preventing him from attacking just yet.

"Why are you attacking this laboratory? What does is it have that you want?" Persona asked.

Doyoon rolled his eyes. "Oh, yes. I wanted to take this time to tell you two all about my evil plan."

Persona and Shadow waited.

Doyoon scoffed. "Idiots. I'm not telling you my plan."

"Damn, that's how it works in the movies," Persona mumbled. He pointed at Doyoon again, specifically at the red E on his chest. "What does that stand for? Egghead?"

Doyoon smiled wickedly. "It stands for Ego."

"Because you have an over inflated one?" Shadow spat. "Or because you want to mimic E.C.O., the company you worked at for so long, only to get kicked out because you made a little oopsie in the lab?"

Doyoon's eyes narrowed. "An oopsie, you say? Was it that, or was it a calculated explosion which gave me my powers?"

"Your powers--?"

Doyoon blasted them backwards with a gust of wind from his outstretched hands.

Shadow yelped as he flew backwards, slamming against the wall. He straightened again and tried to charge, but the wind was holding him back.

Persona ricocheted himself off of the back wall and dove towards Doyoon--or, rather, Ego--while shooting blue beams from his palms. Ego deflected them all with a wave of his hand, the wind pushing the beams off course, as well as Persona, who slammed into a table.

"Well, this was a nice welcome party, but I must be going now." Ego's eyes met Shadow's, and he grinned. "We'll see each other soon."

He harnessed the wind and shot straight upwards like a bullet, through the roof and out of sight.

In Persona's comms, Jungkook said, "This dude is flying faster than you can catch up. No use going after him. Fall back."

Persona sat up, rubbing his side. "Well," he said to Shadow, "This isn't good."

-

"What kind of name is Ego?" Jungkook threw his hands up in the air. "I mean, honestly, dude does some villain-y stuff, 'n you'd think he'd have a cooler name, but nooooo, he has to go with Ego!"

"He disappeared too quickly for us to actually get any intel," Hoseok grumbled.

"But, wind powers?" said Namjoon. "Never seen any before."

"He said that the explosion he made gave him his powers," Yoongi recalled. "But I don't think--"

"I got it!" Jungkook thrust a fist into the air in victory. "The laboratory he attacked was one of E.C.O.'s hidden facilities. And missing from the building are some rare elements and technology that you wouldn't be able to get anywhere else."

"We can assume the money he used Hoseok to steal is for resources." Taehyung said. "He's trying to create something. But how does that work in harmony with his mind control tactic?"

"We're all fubbernucked," Jimin said. "This dude pops in, destroys stuff, and leaves without telling us his intentions. We're going off of nothing here."

Namjoon rubbed his side again. Concerned, Hoseok said, "Namjoon? Are you okay?"

Namjoon grimaced but nodded. "Had a broken rib. I got Atlas to heal it but I'm still a bit sore."

"You wanna lie down, hyung?" Jungkook asked.

Namjoon shook his head. "No, I'm alright. Does anyone have any good news?"

Seokjin, who had stayed silent until now, raised his hand awkwardly. "Uh --- sort of?"

Namjoon gestured at him to go on.

"You guys know how I'm valedictorian, yeah? Well, the seniors' graduation ceremony is next week so... you're all invited, if you want to come."

Jimin tilted his head. "Do we get to wear, like, tuxedos?"

Seokjin blinked. "Uh, if you want?"

"Cool. I'm in."

"We're all in!" Jungkook said, then turned to everyone else for confirmation. "Um, we are all in, right?"

Everyone nodded.

"Great!" Seokjin beamed at them all. "It'll be awesome."