Ricker Dicker let out a heavy sigh as he walked out of the research lab of the National Supers Agency. His plain grey suit and apparent agitated demeanor almost seemed at odds with the young faces desperately trying to come up with devices to protect civilians from the ever constant threat of rogue supers. Those types of scientists, researchers, and engineers where both a blessing and a curse as far as he was concerned, while their drive could craft miracles, they ran the risk of losing their humanity to their ambition. Then again so do we all. Human fault that was the ultimate subject that everything in his line of work seemed to boil down to, for example what could it take to turn a young super who held such promise into a villain? It was a simple question that had the entirety of the N.S.A. scrambling for an answer. Not three weeks ago Violet Parr, a young woman who had long since grown into her role as protector and hero, had told her family, Mirage, and Doctor Sunbright of her encounter with an alternate version of herself. If what Violet said turned out to be true, and in Dicker’s experience the crazier something sounded the more likely it was true, than the compromise of sensitive information was almost a certainty. And even if it wasn’t truly an alternate Violet and merely a clone or another shapeshifter, well those prospects presented their own series of problems. There were times where he would have liked to say that he missed the good ol’ days. The days where incompetent evil masterminds came up with convoluted plans to do something that would ultimately have no tangible effect on anyone but their arch nemesis, and would eventually fail due to some obvious blunder that could have easily been rectified with a little more patience. Now he had to deal with super-villians and evil masterminds whose machinations could be classified as war crimes. From people who would attempt to subtly influence the world’s populace by drugging food supplies, to the more straight forward psychopaths who merely want to open up gates to some unspeakable un-reality flooding the world with horrors born of nightmare. He wanted to say he missed the good ol’ days, but the truth is those things existed back then too the difference was that he was simply ignorant of them. The old adage of ignorance being bliss came to mind, but if everyone was ignorant there would be no heroes.
Lost in his musings Rick almost failed to notice the young man who had been walking beside him through the sterile halls of the N.S.A. “Xander, are you just going to follow me or do you need something?”
“Sorry Mr. Dicker. You just looked like you were deep in thought and I didn’t want to disturb you until well…”
Rick quietly regarded the young man, his face failing to betray any annoyance he may or may not have felt. If Xander’s dirty green lab coat and disheveled blonde hair were any indication he was up all night working. “When was the last time you got some sleep son?”
“A few days ago.” Xander stated oblivious as to why such a question may be important. “I’ve been working on some exciting new pieces of equipment and while I was working on the hover board my spatial monitor went off again.”
“Are you sure?”
Xander almost looked hurt at the question. “My instruments are always accurate. There were three major time/space distortions within the span of two months. I think Violet may be right we may have visitors from another universe here.”
“All right then. Do you think you could pin point where or when these distortions took…” The sound of two people arguing rather loudly cut off any request he was about to make. “We will continue this after I go see who is antagonizing Violet about Mirage today.”
“Maybe I should go with you this time.”
Rick thought it over briefly before nodding his agreement. Xander’s presence would hopefully act as a reminder to his fellow agents that reform was possible. Although in Xander’s case he did not do anything illegal he merely came from a family of super-villians. Mirage’s situation was a little trickier, although she didn’t kill anyone herself she was an accessory to dozens of murders and despite her “recruitment” into the N.S.A. many felt more drastic actions should have been taken. Turning a corner revealed the location of the budding conflict. Violet dressed in her civilian clothes was arguing with a senior agent near the elevators. The agents who had better things to do opted to give the arguing pair a wide berth as they either left or proceeded to use the elevators. “Agent Samson is there a problem?” Rick asked his tone completely neutral. Samson was the type of person who had never had an original thought in his entire life. A zealous man who believed that as long as one followed The System everything would work out in the end. He seemed utterly incapable of understanding that although The System was great for most contingencies humans were more often than not complex creatures that required creative thinking.
“No Rick I was just reminding Miss Parr here why her girlfriend belongs in prison.”
“That’s not fair!” Although her tone was controlled every word betrayed the building rage within the young woman. Rick could only imagine what Samson might have said before he showed up to have gotten Violet into such a state. “Since Mirage joined the N.S.A. she’s saved countless lives surely that means something.”
“She didn’t join the N.S.A. she was forced to work for us or she would have been put away for life. And quite frankly I feel as though her usefulness has ended so I’m going to present the board of directors with a proposal detailing why we should put her away. Furthermore…”
“Hey now that isn’t entirely fair.” Xander said deciding to put his two cents in. “I come from a family of villians and yet the N.S.A. has trusted me enough to make all sorts of high tech devices. Heck Larry was a villainous henchman and now he leads his own squad of former villians. A whole squad of former villians fighting for truth and justice!”
Rick took this moment to interrupt. “Agent Samson are you aware why Mirage joined up with Syndrome in the first place?”
“I’m sure she has a very convincing sob story but whatever it is it’s no excuse for being an accessory in dozens of murders.”
“Of course it isn’t an excuse but her sob story as you put is why she isn’t locked up right now.” Before Samson could interrupt Dicker held up his hand silencing his fellow agent at once. “When Mirage was a little girl her parents got caught in a battle between a super known as HedgePhase and the villian Morning Gloria. HedgePhase could create and control any plants in the vicinity so long as there was some amount of organic matter. During the battle HedgePhase got desperate and started using civilians as the organic matter necessary for his powers to work. Could you imagine being a little girl looking on in horror as a plant erupted from your mother and father’s bodies? So yes what Mirage did when she worked for Syndrome is truly terrible and there is no excuse for her actions but in a way we are responsible for her joining Syndrome in the first place. We failed to hold HedgePhase accountable for his actions.”
“So what?!” Samson demanded. “We do the same thing with Mirage and refuse to hold her accountable?”
“No.” Agent Dicker plainly stated. “We place a truly repentant individual where she can do the most good instead of having her rot in a cell and letting her talents go to waste.”
Although Agent Samson was silent his expression was that of a man who knew when he was defeated.
“Uncle Rick, Xander, thank you.” Violet solemnly said.
“Go home Violet the higher ups would rather you have some more downtime anyway make sure your powers are a little more stable.”
“…I’ll go give the proposal another look.” Agent Samson said as he walked away from the group. Once he was far enough away that he deemed it safe to do so “Agent Samson” quieted his turbulent mind. “Did you get all that Grigori?”
“Yes I did, and you are aware that my telepathy only affects those that I wish it to. You need not worry that others may hear our conversation Shifty.”
“Uhh well.”
“Do not worry about it we acquired more information than we needed.”
“So are we still gonna try to get Mirage thrown in jail?”
“Feeling a tad sympathetic are you Shifty?”
“Well…”
“Remember what we stand against we do not have the luxury of regret. We will not be attempting to have Mirage incarcerated. Instead we will locate this HedgePhase and “recruit” him to our cause.”
Mirage sat on the sofa that she and Violet picked out in the apartment that the government had issued her. The sofa like most of the furniture that came with the apartment was drab, practical and boring. While the practical part was fine Mirage preferred to have an apartment that didn’t scream; “You are only living here because the government controls nearly every aspect of your life!” Thankfully when Violet moved in she had agreed with Mirage that they needed new livelier furniture that more easily expressed who they were. Despite the various changes that were made, Mirage felt that the changes themselves were a constant reminder of her servitude to the N.S.A. and just added to her growing frustration lately. If that wasn’t enough she had been somewhat preoccupied with the idea of the alternate universe since the events that occurred three weeks ago. Did it have an alternate her? Was Violet her partner in that world too? Where her parents alive? Would they… approve of the choices that their daughter had made? It was doubtful her parents would have approved of her joining up with Syndrome even if they understood her reasons. But would they have approved of Mirage taking Violet as her partner? Yes, partner, they’ve only been together for a few years but the word “lover” didn’t seem to resonate with the bond they shared. Ultimately, maybe all these questions didn’t matter she and Violet were together in this universe here and now and if this alternate Violet was a threat to that, well she would regret it. So lost was Mirage in her thoughts she had failed to notice a disembodied purple shirt and pair of black pants slink through their apartment door.
“I can smell your perfume Vi.”
“Aww, can’t you be surprised for me?” Violet asked in mock dejection.
Mirage giggled enjoying the comfort of her partner’s familiar antics. When on a mission or fighting crime Violet may take part in the banter some heroes where known for, but only when she was alone with Mirage did Vi let out her pouty yet playful side. “Sorry Vi, next time I’ll be sure to exclaim my surprise in a southern belle accent, how about that?”
Violet shook her head as she proceeded to cuddle up next to Mirage. “Your southern belle accent sucks, besides I like your natural voice much better. It makes almost everything you say sexy.”
“Really, what about this? Hello board of directors of the N.S.A. I’ve unleashed a swarm of baboons to defecate upon each of your respective houses good day. Did that sound sexy Vi?” Mirage noticed how Violet’s expression quickly became somber at the mention of the N.S.A. “Relax Vi, besides where would I get a swarm of baboons.”
“There was an agent at HQ. He was going to bring a proposal over to the board of directors calling for you arrest.”
“Oh?” Mirage tentatively asked hoping her voice didn’t sound too worried. “What happened?”
“Uncle Rick, and Xander, and I talked him down. It doesn’t look like he’s going to pursue it.”
“That’s good then, nothing new but good news none the less.”
“Wait!” Violet said as she adjusted herself so that she was face to face with her girlfriend. “What do you mean it is nothing new?”
“I didn’t want to worry you besides most of it occurred before we started dating anyway.” Mirage said in what she hoped was her most nonchalant voice.
“Most of what?”
The older woman let out a heavy sigh she figured it would probably be best to get it all out in the open anyway. “Every few months since I began working at the National Supers Agency someone would come along with a proposal to have me incarcerated or worse. Then someone would remind everyone else I was still useful and they would just send me on a suicide mission. They figured at best I would be performing my government appointed duties at worst well…”
“This isn’t right.” Violet said tears threatening to fall as they did every time the subject of Mirage’s past were brought up. “If things were different if the N.S.A. had done a better job, if HedgePhase hadn’t killed your parents in the first place!”
“All the “ifs” in the world couldn’t fill the graves of the people who I helped kill.” Mirage said her voice cracking. “I made my choice Vi and I have to live with the nightmares. I do regret it though. But at the same time I’m glad it was you and your father who showed me I was wrong. You two showed me not all supers are bad.”
“I wish I could have changed things somehow you know?”
“I know Vi, you’re a real hero you know that?”
“Thanks.” Violet sheepishly said as her face lit up in a blush. “I love you Mirage, no matter what happens please never doubt that.”
“I won’t and I love you too.” With that Mirage pulled Violet into a hug and took comfort in the warmth and scent of her body.
In the dark bedroom of Mr. and Mrs. Parr with only a faint beam of moon light providing any form of illumination. Helen lay awake staring at the ceiling hoping that by some miracle sleep would come as easily to her as it seemed to always come to her husband. As a super her entire life had been turbulent to put it mildly, and that was before she got married and gave birth to three super powered children. By no means did she regret any of it, from giving birth to Jack-Jack while her husband and daughter held off a mob of supervillians to the time she and Mirage confronted her villainous ex-boyfriend Xerek. Every day was another adventure with those she loved. But the revelations of the past three weeks had added a whole new obstacle to overcome. If what her daughter said was true than there was a Violet Parr from an alternate universe acting against them. If need be could she do it? Could she fight her own daughter even if it wasn’t her Violet?
Veral let out a growl of frustration as she walked the crumbling hallways of the chambers she had dubbed the barracks. There were far too few acolytes to join her cause, far too few mages in this world. A side effect of a world that hadn’t given itself over to fell forces no doubt, a world where there was no perverse corruption turning the populace into depraved maniacs willing to do anything for a sexual high. The thought of her old world and what that corruption caused her family to do to her beloved, threatened to send her into a rage. They paid for their sins in blood and souls as will this world before the same corruption takes hold as it undoubtedly will. But first they need more pawns to act as fodder and then there was the Violet of this world, she needed to sculpt the Violet of this world into a suitable sacrifice lest her masters take back the power they gave her in the first place.
“Veral.” Grigori’s voice rang through her mind as if he were standing right next to her.
“You have good news I trust?”
“Yes.” Grigori made sure to choose his next words very carefully. “As it turns out the Mirage of this universe was not the saint she was in our universe.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, a super named HedgePhase killed her parents, so she grew up hating supers for most of her life. She also briefly worked for this universe’s Syndrome.”
“Good job Grigori, this is all information we can use. Do you have any idea where this HedgePhase is?”
“Unfortunately no. My apologizes Veral.”
“It’s okay I know someone who would know. Edna Mode we will see if this universe’s version of her is the same as ours was. Tell Shifty to discontinue his infiltration of the N.S.A. so that we may have our full strength when we assault Edna’s compound.”
“An assault? Are you sure?”
“Yes I want the denizens of this world to know the price of depravity and see the eyes of those who lost everything to the vile acts of others. This world will know our pain!”
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