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Tko lay in the darkness of the subconscious.
He could barely make out muffled speech as Ko went on with his life without him. abandoned by him.
He could vaguely make out what was said, let alone by whom.
''That's right, Professor'' Ko's voice echoed through the empty void.
''This helmet belonged to my dad, the famous hero Laserblast'' He said proudly. Was Ko's voice getting louder?
Tko wasn't sure.
''I take it you've heard of him?''
''Heard of him?'' Evil laughter filled the mindscape, bleeding into the subconscious.
Tko could practically feel the cold shiver that swept through his counterpart's body.
He felt Ko get grabbed by the shirt.
''Boy take a look. I am him''
''..No!''
''You're lying! You're a villain!'' - ''and my blood is pure hero!''
Tko felt numb shock fill him.
After days, possibly weeks of silence, this is the first conversation he's fully heard.
He looked up, his teary eyes were paralysed by the sudden light that flickered above him.
Professor Venomous snickers ''You really think that to be true?''
Tko could see a clouded figure grab Laserblast's helmet in the light.
The figure puts it on.
''Sorry Ko,'' The Professor spits with venom, ''I AM your father.''
Ko's voice breaks, and tears prick the sides of his eyes as he pushes his face into the railing he's firmly holding onto.
''No..'' his voice trails with disdain.. ''No!'' his voice chokes back a sob as he yells out.
''MOOOOM!!''
With Ko's heartbroken scream, Tko felt a sudden spike of energy pulse through him as he was uplifted into the mindscape.
A rush of adrenaline made his head snap towards the eye monitor as he watched the scene unfold before him.
''Where have you been all these years!'' Carol swung a punch.
''How could you abandon us like that?!'' Venomous slid away averting her powerful strikes.
''We thought you were shrunk! or teleported! or.. or WHATEVER!'' she threw her fist with all her might.
Carol kept pushing, but the slimy villain dogged her attacks with ease as if he knew what pattern of moves she was going to do next.
it made Tko feel sick in his stomach.
How could he? how could this... this traitor.. this coward.. his father do this.
How could he finally come out with such a horrific truth and act as if nothing was wrong? As if nothing changed?
Deep anger arose within him, he couldn't hold it back anymore.
Tko's breath hitched as he tried his best to hold back the sobs rising in his throat, instead, he channelled that feeling into anger.
He felt a strong tingling sensation from his head to toes, his breathing became unsteady as he started to pant for air.
Ko watched in horror as his mother struggled to overpower the villain in front of her.
he lifted his arm and called out -
''I'll help you, MOM!!''
That's when he felt a growl rise in his throat. Purple lighting started to dance around his now flexed muscles, ready for attack.
He started down at his hands, he could practically hear Tko screaming in his ear.
''Help her! Can't you see she's being defeated?'' Tko yelled with frustration, his fingers curled into powerful fists.
Helping is what heroes are supposed to do..
''She can't beat him on her own!'' Is that true?
Ko looked up at his mother who was fighting bravely against the seemingly untouchable villain, he was stood frozen in place.
''Help her!'' A hero wouldn't doubt another hero, would they?
''Punch him!'' he should strike him down.. that would help his mother.
''Push him down onto the ground!'' that would stop him. Ko took a step forward and braced himself to jump into the fight.
''Feel his head crack against the tiles!''
ko stopped. 'w-what? that's not what a hero would think' he thought in horror as the terrible thought entered his head.
''DO SOMETHING!'' tko screamed within his head, punching the ground of the mindscape as warm tears spilt from his eyes. He heard a terrifying crack, almost like the one he imagined of his father's head.
''Oh no..'' Ko gasped out in shock.
''Maybe I do have villain blood.'' Ko said in horror.
Tko suddenly felt the ground beneath him start to fall under his feet.
He gasped and desperately tried to hold onto the edges of the gaping hole below him, but he was too late.
The light he briefly got to experience quickly extinguished as he felt his body plunge into the darkness he had visited once before.
He closed his eyes and braced for the impact of the fall, warm tears finally escaping his eyes.
His body bounced as it landed harshly on the ground, he let out a grunt in pain.
Tko sucked in a pained gasp as he held his shoulder in his arm, pulling his body upwards.
He was trapped again.
His eyes were filled with a colourless, empty void.
The only thing that remained was the dread of knowing, he was part villain. He is destined to be evil, like everyone around him said.
''No..'' Tko curled into himself, digging his painted nails into his arms.
''..no! no! no! NO!'' he repeated as he cried into his knees with nothing to comfort him, apart from the darkness surrounding him.