Meanwhile At In The Oval Office,
June 15 1936,
"What did you just say?"
The words rang out from none other than President Roosevelt, his expression heavy with exasperation as he fixed his gaze on the man seated across from him.
Ahem
"I-.....well, you see-"
BAM
However, before he could respond, Roosevelt's fist slammed against the Oval Office table, the sharp crack echoing through the room.
"In English, not Hebrew gibberish." Roosevelt seethed, hissing his voice while the president's gaze narrowed as the man across from him squirmed in his chair.
"The committee has accepted Germany's plea for a vote on whether mutants should be allowed to participate in the games." The man said quietly, his gaze dropping all the way down towards his hands that fidgeted incessantly.
Compared to the president of the United States of America, he seemed insignificant.
Yet this was no ordinary messenger; this was Avery Brundage.
America had been hesitant to join Germany's bid to host the Games, believing the event to be nothing more than a grand propaganda tool.
With the global political climate worsening and the Nazi regime tightening its grip, there was little faith in the integrity of the Games.
Germany, despite its prior athletic mediocrity, had now become a ferocious force in sports, and many Americans saw no benefit in playing into Hitler's hand.
Yet Brundage stood firm, arguing that politics had no place in sports.
He insisted the Olympics were a celebration of athletic excellence and international unity and that a boycott would unfairly punish American athletes who had trained tirelessly for years.
He claimed that participation would demonstrate the strength and fairness of American values on the world stage.
Others pushed hard for a boycott, especially after Germany's enactment of the Nuremberg Laws on September 15, 1935.
But despite these racial policies, the panel narrowly voted in favor of participation: 58.25 to 55.75.
And so, history unfolded as it had.
America hurried to find uncut gems among its athletes, refining them into diamonds to dazzle the world.
But then, just as everything was panning out exactly as it had, the butterfly flapped its wings.
With it, a single decision that sent shockwaves across the globe.
"What was it you said again?" Roosevelt suddenly wondered, tilting his head towards the man before him while his nails started to dig into teh wood.
"I-"
"You said, 'The Olympic Games belong to the athletes and not to the politicians,' and yet you're catering to Germany?" Roosevelt asked, his finger, adorned with a heavy ring, tapping slowly against the desk.
"Given the data from Germany-"
"Oh? The data from Germany? Then I suppose that makes it all right?" Roosevelt cut in, laughing harshly, his sarcasm edged with exasperation as he glanced around at his cabinet members.
"Did you hear that, everyone? Avery here says that Germany, famous for their honesty, insists the data is perfectly fine." Roosevelt laughed bitterly, clapping his hands together before gesturing at the man across from him to his own inner circle.
"Mr. President-"
BAM
"THEY CAN MOVE THE VERY ELEMENTS WITH THEIR MINDS!" Roosevelt roared, his fists crashing against the table as he rose, his shadow looming over Avery.
"DO YOU-"
HUFF
A haggard breath escaped Roosevelt's lips as he pinched the bridge of his nose, forcing himself back into composure before lifting his cold eyes to the weak man before him.
"Have you even seen the kind of destruction a mutant can unleash, let alone someone like Ricky Luciano?" Roosevelt asked, his head tilting slightly, haunted by the screams that still echoed in his nightmares from that night over the radio in New York when the other families fell.
"Even you, someone who forced us into this positon-"
"Mr. President I didn't-"
"It was you! YOU who pushed for these games on the premise that politics had no place in sports!" Roosevelt yelled, jabbing a finger directly into Avery's face.
"And now, you actually allow this absurd request, let alone take it to a vote? You'd put these-" Roosevelt paused, scanning the room as if searching for the right word to describe the mutant in question, before returning his piercing gaze to Avery.
"You'd put these things alongside the athletes you claim to be protecting?" Roosevelt asked genuinely, spreading his arms toward the man who had promised him fair games.
"I apologize Mr. President, but the vote has been scheduled to take place next week on-"
"If you say live broadcast, I will strangle you." Roosevelt snapped, cutting him off as his eyes became bloodshot.
However, to Roosevelt's fury, Avery fell silent.
Germany had offered to broadcast the games live using their television technology, a feat far beyond anything America could achieve in 1936.
The very idea made Roosevelt's jaw tighten, his hands clenching as he imagined the Reich projecting their spectacle to the world while the United States lagged behind.
"Mr. Brundage, let me be clear," Roosevelt said, regaining his composure as he slowly sank into his chair.
"If this vote passes, and Germany is allowed to use their creatures, then I can promise you, with all my heart…" Roosevelt let the sentence hang, his cold eyes locked on the man before him.
"That I, and everyone else in this room, will ruin your life."
Avery slowly glanced around at the men seated before him, the most powerful in the country at a time of crisis, each radiating authority that made the fear prickling through his skin.
"We have unlimited resources, and we will destroy you. Do you understand?" Roosevelt's gaze pinned Avery, his fingers slowly interlocking before resting on the desk.
"Yes-"
"Then go out there, and make sure this vote doesn't pass." Roosevelt's gaze pinned Avery, his fingers slowly interlocking before resting on the desk.
"Your life depends on it."
Avery slowly rose to his feet, his head shifting as if expecting a single show of sympathy, only to find every face in the room etched with nothing but disgust.
Then, almost reluctantly, he lowered his head and walked out of the room, his expression a tense mixture of anger and shame.
The doors closed behind him with a dull thud, sealing off the man who should have been brought closer into the fold, yet had instead been humbled by the sheer force of authority in the room.
Roosevelt let the silence linger for a moment, his eyes sweeping slowly across his cabinet.
Each member immediately straightened under his gaze, bracing themselves for whatever he had in store, and finally, Roosevelt allowed himself a small, controlled exhale.
"From this point on, I am authorizing the entirety of the FBI to bring in as many mutants as possible," Roosevelt announced suddenly, the words carrying an unexpected decisiveness that made everyone in the room stand.
"YOU CANNOT-" Cordell Hull, his Secretary of State, shouted, as if trying to admonish the man he had long served, but the president merely raised a hand.
"Director Hoover, you will be given full jurisdiction to protect our democracy." Roosevelt said with a quiet finality, the man in question slowly rising to his feet with a smug grin as he looked at everyone.
"Of course, Mr. President," Hoover chuckled, unfazed as everyone else shot scoffs and expressions of disgust his way. He simply relished in them.
"Mr. President, I think it's time we address the most glaring issue-" Hoover began, standing straighter, his mind picturing only one man he had been warned never to confront.
"We are not going near Ricky Luciano," Roosevelt interrupted, his scowl halting Hoover's words and silencing him immediately.
"There's a saying my mother used to tell me: 'The Devil has everything but wants nothing more than your soul,'" Roosevelt said calmly, leaning back in his chair and tapping his ring silently against the table.
"Gentlemen, we will not be selling our souls, our country, and certainly not to some mutant thug." Roosevelt muttered, his frown deepening as if the words themselves left a bitter taste.
"The only chance we have at fighting those powered bastards is through politics," Roosevelt muttered, rocking back and forth in his chair.
"We are not gods, but we speak for the people." Roosevelt warned, shaking his finger at everyone in the room.
"That is how we protect the greater good, and that is how we will preserve our nation amidst the growing evil that is that man." Roosevelt thought, a serious expression hardening on his face at the realization before them.
"But right now, we need mutants, those not under that man's thumb." Roosevelt leaned forward slightly, letting the room absorb the gravity of his command.
"Gentlemen, democracy is at stake."
It was then, that on this day within this office, that the Mutant Race had begun.
Once associated with evil, people who had been literally burned at the stake or stoned in the streets, the mutant identity suddenly became something else.
Their existence was no longer a shadow quietly tucked away; it had been transformed into a weapon wielded by those in power.
But this wasn't simply the current standpoint of the White House, nor an isolated room within D.C as a whole.
It was the shockwave felt across every chamber of government, every throne room, and every military council throughout the world.
Suddenly, a switch seemed to flip across the globe.
Entire governments, from the proudest democracies to the most brutal dictatorships, scrambled with just pure desperation to capture, even just one mutant.
For a single mutant, a body meant leverage.
And for the entire world, only two people wielded the most power under their watchful gaze.
The first was Adolf Hitler, who had already amassed a staggering five thousand under Nazi Germany.
The second was none other than Ricky Luciano, currently cooking breakfast for Raven, with 1,500 living within the boundaries of New York
Under his control.
"Democracy is at stake? What a load of bullsh*t," Ricky laughed, his eyes slowly returning to their normal color as he turned his gaze back to the system panel.
Honestly, the only downside of this Void ability, aside from the overwhelming number of voices, is recognizing the tone of each one.
The sight of these whispers doesn't simply fill his blackened eyes; instead, his name is constantly murmured into his ears in varying tones.
Only by focusing on a familiar, or even random, tone can he discern the conversation behind it.
The real problem is that thousands of whispers now fill his mind, and only the familiar ones seem useful, at least, as of now.
DING
However, even though his thoughts lingered on the conversation, especially after missing the part about Avery, Ricky shifted his focus back to the mission's window.
[Mission received: Raven Darkhölme]
Difficulty: Hard
Character Sheet: S
Description: Raven is an ageless time piece who has fought hard against father time in order to keep her luxurious curves and drop dead gorgeous body. Her heart has already been sworn to Irene Adler however her needs are still on the table. However although Irene gives her so much,she can't give her the family you can and that is your biggest strength.
Objective: Knock up the famous and fierce Raven who can only be described as breedable.
Reward: 100,000 IP
Main Mission:
Impregnante Once:
Received: 300 Gacha
Impregnate Twice:
Choose: 1 Mythic, 3 Legendary, 10 Epic, and 20 Common Gacha or Raven's Skills
Additional Missions:
Impregnate Raven while she's still in a relationship with Irene(Complete):
Reward: Legendary Coupon
Ruin sex for Raven(Complete):
Reward: Legendary Skill Coupon
Make raven question her love with Irene while you Impregnate her(Complete):
Reward: +5 Intelligence
Have Raven profess her want to have your children(Complete):
Reward: Legendary Weapon Coupon
Bonus Missions:
Reform Raven's notion of love(Complete)
Reward: Legendary Armor Coupon
Spend The Night F*cking Raven(Complete)
Reward: Epic Item Coupon
F*ck Raven in Every Room of a house(Complete)
Reward: Epic Skill Coupon
Absolutely Destroy Raven's Expectations Of Sex(Complete)
Reward: 500,000 IP
???????????????????
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For the longest time, whenever Ricky had to choose between gacha and skills, he always went with gacha, clinging to the comfort of familiarity.
But today, while cooking breakfast for Raven, everything would change.
Reality shifts only for those whose entire environment shifts with it, and as Ricky's journey progressed, it had been painfully clear how difficult it was for him to alter his own perspective.
He could never have imagined that, as he casually glanced at the status window and noticed the greater benefit in choosing Raven's skill, everything he had ever known would change.
Forever.
'I guess Raven's skills-'
Ding
The single sound of the system rang, and the spatula Ricky held slipped from his hand as he stumbled backward.
BAM
Plates smashed onto the floor, porcelain shattering as Ricky's eyes rolled to the back of his head.
Information, so much information, poured into his mind, his muscles visibly straining and shaking under the sudden onslaught behind it.
What made an assassin deadly wasn't brute force, the kind Ricky had always relied on.
It was dexterity.
The single attribute that determined how quickly the brain could command the body, with muscles honed to such perfection that they became mere extensions of thought itself.
Raven had trained her entire life to shave milliseconds, to perfect motions down to the tiniest fraction.
And now, all of it; the countless hours, the discipline, and the refined techniques, were being forcibly poured into him in mere seconds.
Every strike, every evasion, every calculation for movement and counter-movement slammed into his brain like molten fire.
Information poured so relentlessly into his mind that it began to scream, forcing black blood to bleed from Ricky's nose, eyes, and ears under the overwhelming volume.
"Ricky, I managed to round up the bodies and-" Alexander began, appearing in the window, only to freeze in place.
Without hesitation, he abandoned his words and bolted to Ricky's side as the gerbil watched his pupil convulse in the most intense seizure he had ever seen.
"Calm yourself, Ricky. Do not fight the storm," Alexander urged, placing a paw gently on Ricky's cheek, fully aware of the tempest overtaking him.
This was how Alexander referred to it, a storm, the moment Ricky gained new powers.
The gerbil had never understood how these abilities suddenly manifested, but he was now familiar with their arrival, knowing they were never gentle when implemented.
"Let the power take root. Do not fight your progression," Alexander soothed, his voice calm but firm as he watched as Ricky's entire body slowly loosened.
For the next twenty minutes, Alexander remained at Ricky's side.
Centuries, decades, years, months, days, hours, and seconds were forcibly compressed into Ricky's mind.
Alexander's paw rested firmly on Ricky's cheek, grounding him, as he watched the subtle convulsions ripple through his body.
Ricky's muscles twisted and massaged themselves involuntarily, his face streaked with blood, and just when it seemed as if it would never stop.
He froze.
GASP
A sharp, ragged breath tore from him as his eyes rolled forward, completely bloodshot and blazing with a deranged light.
Instinctively, he held out his hand, trembling, as if trying to grasp some semblance of security.
BAM
The window shattered instantly as the ebony blade slammed into Ricky's hand.
Ricky gripped the blade tightly, his gaze snapping around the kitchen, every detail amplified as if he were suddenly aware of everything at once.
"Ricky, clam down-"
HUFF
HUFF
Ricky's ragged breathing drowned out Alexander's words, his ears ringing violently as he felt his body repairing itself.
That entire twenty minutes had unknowingly stretched into what felt like an eternity for him.
To put it simply, he couldn't think.
There was no room for thought, no ability to reason at all.
All he could do was be aware: aware of the flood of knowledge crashing into him, aware of the ripping in his muscles, and aware of the burning in his nerves.
It was as if he were trapped, suspended in a mental storm that left no room for comprehension, only the painful absorption of everything Raven had ever mastered.
The Ebony Blade, sensing this, immediately reached toward Ricky's fractured psyche, now slowly repairing itself through his regeneration and sovereign willpower.
'You are fine, I am here.' The Ebony Blade said calmly, sensing the immense distress and pain rippling through his psyche as Ricky's hazy eyes gradually cleared.
"Jesus f*ck," Ricky huffed, staggering slightly as he took in his surroundings, still gripping the Ebony Blade tightly in his hands.
"Ricky, you are fine." Alexander instructed, quickly scurrying onto the counter to get a better look at Ricky, who shook his head in disbelief.
"I-this information and it-felt like years-" Ricky's words tumbled into incoherent nonsense, utterly incapable of capturing what it truly meant to absorb another person's skills.
System powers were unknowingly easy to inherit, they only required the molding of the body.
But these system skills demanded the molding of the mind.
They were shaped not through birth, but through experience, through relentless practice, through the countless mistakes and triumphs that forged every instinct and every reflex.
It was not just learning, it was surviving the avalanche of someone else's existence and making it your own.
And Ricky had never done that before on this scale.
"Yes, take a second to gather your thoughts," Alexander said, scurrying over to Ricky, who pressed his hands to his head, huffing ragged breaths.
"I felt it-" Ricky muttered, pausing to wipe the blood from his face with his shirt.
"I felt like I was just learning in my own mind, forever." Ricky whispered, turning to the side as if confessing something impossible, though his assessment of what had just happened was perfectly accurate.
"But I wasn't even fcking thinking, just learning all this sht while being present but not even-what the f*ck was that!" Ricky gestured wildly into the air, yelling at the absurdity of trying to describe it.
Then, the system rang in his ears.
DING
[Received:
Legendary Weapon Coupon
Epic Skill Coupon
(Mythic Skill) Espionage Mastery: Mystique is arguably the greatest spy alive. She can infiltrate any facility, government, or faction using her shapeshifting and intelligence.
(Mythic Skill) Infiltration: Capable of disappearing into any environment, Raven can impersonate anyone for indefinite periods, passing all but the most advanced biometric scans.
(Mythic Skill) Firearms Mastery: Deadly with all firearms, from pistols to sniper rifles and alien technology. She rarely misses, capable of trick shots, ricochet kills, and ambidextrous rapid-fire.
(Legendary Skill) Assassination: Skilled in silent kills, poisons, and improvised weaponry. Able to eliminate targets in public without alerting others.
(Legendary Skill) Master of Deception: Lies, manipulation, seduction, and psychological warfare are Raven's natural weapons. She can dismantle trust networks from within.
(Legendary Skill) Linguistic Genius: Fluent in over a dozen languages, capable of learning new ones rapidly.
(Legendary Skill) Tactical Strategist: Expert at leading small teams, manipulating enemies, and long-term planning.
(Legendary Skill) Master Hand-to-Hand Combat: Raven has mastered unarmed combat styles across the world, refining them with shapeshifting precision.
• Sambo – Soviet grappling and throws.
• Savate – French kickboxing
• Wing Chun – Chinese close-range counter-striking.
• Aikido – Japanese redirection and joint locks.
• Boxing – Western pugilism for striking power.
• Judo – Grappling, throws, and immobilization.
• Capoeira – Acrobatic, deceptive strikes and evasions.
• Military CQC – Blends from decades infiltrating armies worldwide.
• Jeet Kune Do.....
(Epic Skill) Blade Proficiency: Raven is lethal with melee weapons, blending assassin precision with martial mastery.
• Daggers / Knives – Throwing, slashing, and close-quarter kills.
• Swords – Sabers, katanas, short swords; effective duelist.
• Axes & Hatchets – Close-range brutality, effective improvisation.
• Spears / Polearms – Proficient in reach weapons when necessary.
• Garrote Wire – Silent kills, strangulation expertise.
• Improvised Blades...…
(Rare Skill) Proficient Acrobatics: Peak gymnast-level agility enhanced by mutant physiology.
(Rare Skill) Survivalist: Skilled in stealth survival, urban escape, wilderness tactics, and resource improvisation.
Agility: 79→89 (High realm of Superhuman)
Dexterity: 64→82 (High realm of Superhuman))
Intelligence: 60→75 (Middle realm of Superhuman)
Charm: 60→79 (At the cusp of the highest form of superhuman levels)]
Everything changed the moment the screen window appeared at Ricky's side, hovering there as if it hadn't just shaken the very fabric of his world.
For nearly ten minutes, Ricky sat in silence, rubbing his thumb against the hilt of the Ebony Blade, lost in thought.
The weight of everything he had absorbed pressed on him, leaving in nothing but silence.
Then, the faint smell of burning snapped him back to reality.
SIGH
"F*ck, the eggs." Ricky sighed, walking over to the black eggs as he frowned and dumped them into the nearby trash.
"Ricky," Alexander said quietly, raising an eyebrow at the sight of him still holding the Ebony Blade even while grabbing two new eggs.
"I'm not gonna go on a butcher spree, I just want to feel f*cking untouchable after I was literally trapped in my own mind," Ricky muttered, turning to the pan to first add some butter.
"Ok," Alexander said, plopping down on the counter but still watching Ricky crack the eggs into a bowl before reaching for the whisk.
After dumping the contents into the pan, Ricky completely caught Alexander off guard by opening a portal and stepping through it.
Immediately, Alexander jumped to his feet, ready to chase after him, only for Ricky to reappear a second later, holding Johnny's collar in his hand.
With the other still holding the ebony blade.
"B-Boss?" Johnny stammered, glancing around as his surroundings shifted to that of a kitchen, feeling the pressure of his collar being released.
"I need you to make a move," Ricky said suddenly, watching both Johnny and Alexander flinch for very different reasons.
"Huh?" Johnny asked, confusion written across his face, while Alexander's flinch came from concern.
"Ricky, you are being very hasty-" Alexander quickly tried to say, knowing that he was acting out of stress.
"No, I've been putting this off for months," Ricky interrupted, bringing a finger toward Johnny, who looked at it with confusion.
"Go around the entire tri-state area and have your guys, or runners, put a squeeze on all junkyards, landfills, and anything that deals with trash. I want you to force them to sell to me," Ricky said immediately, watching Johnny's confusion slowly give way to a reluctant nod.
"Boss, we're already the majority owner of the trash business-"
"I DON'T FCKING CARE IF WE'RE THE ENTIRE WORLD'S MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER, GET ME THE FCKING REST!" Ricky screamed, his eyes bloodshot as Johnny's pupils shrank the weight of his glowing gaze.
"Wow~" Johnny muttered, summing up the entire outburst with a single word, as Ricky clasped his hands and closed his eyes.
"Sorry, but just listen, because I wanna punch the very first thing that pisses me off-please do not piss me the f*ck off." Ricky said, trying to be reasonable, only to realize how impossible that actually was.
"And get me Benny, along with the rest of those kids who made a difference that night. You know what I'm talking about." Ricky ordered, poking Johnny's chest while taking a deep breath in.
"Uh-" Johnny muttered, glancing to the side as if Benny were actually there before returning his gaze to Ricky.
"And when the f*ck is Juan's narcotics coming in?" Ricky interrupted, immediately shifting the topic to a question about his upcoming heroin trade.
"Tonight, boss," Johnny said immediately, recalling what Lil Tony had told him yesterday.
"Good. Get those kids on it cause I need them getting real f*cking experience, and I want them escorting that truck." Ricky said without hesitation, picturing it in his mind before speaking it aloud.
"Alright-"
"And I want to host a block party, after Frank's funeral, which I'm pushing to the end of this week-"
"Ricky!" Alexander yelled, slamming down his paw as Rick tuned hsihead while gesuting ot JOhnny as if to explain.
"I'm gonna initiate Benny as a made man myself afterwards, make a show of it for the guys." Ricky mumbled, his mind spinning endlessly as Johnny sort of stared blankly at him.
"O-Ok, boss."
Then, as Johnny stood there, repeating Ricky's words in a daze, Ricky shoved him back through the portal and closed it, turning immediately to flip his eggs.
"Ricky, listen to me," Alexander said calmly, watching Ricky's bloodshot eyes remain fixed on the eggs, the Ebony Blade still gripped in his right hand.
"You are in a distressed state," Alexander said, drawing from his own experiences, having once been placed in such a state when the Ancient One personally opened his mind.
"You're reacting to every second of every minute, and as such, you're trying to plan every hour," Alexander continued, recounting how he had once interrupted a similar flood of knowledge to regain control.
"You need to calm your mind, you have control over your present in a way you may never have over the future," Alexander carefully said, choosing his words to pull Ricky out of his sudden spiral of over-planning.
"If you let this situation control you, it will forever dictate your life."
HUFF
Ricky gripped the counter, the heat from the pan hissing behind him as his mind refused to slow.
The sudden influx of knowledge and intelligence sent his instincts into overdrive, adrenaline coursing through his brain, demanding his immediate safety and preservation.
"What has happened? Tell me-" Alexander said quietly, knowing he could never hope to help Ricky if he didn't first understand.
"Why is Roosevelt still going against me?" Ricky suddenly answered with another question, turning his back to Alexander, who furrowed his brows in concern.
"The president?" Alexander asked, faintly recalling the man, since he was little more than a footnote in his mind.
"He isn't some goody-two-shoes hell-bent on being a good guy. He's clearly willing to get his hands dirty for his goals, just like any one of us," Ricky said, gesturing toward the wall above his stove like some sort of crazy person.
"And unless he's an idiot, where is this confidence coming from?"
"I-" Alexander lifted his lips to retort, but slowly closed them, confronted by the truth in Ricky's words.
Though these points made a certain kind of sense, the real reason Ricky's thoughts were so fixated on this idea was mere coincidence.
Right now, he was vastly underestimating how much Raven's skills had unsettled him, deliberately redirecting his mind toward one matter after the other to adjust to the chaos inside his own head.
If not for his earlier vision while cooking the eggs, his thoughts would have drifted toward a completely different topic, triggering an entirely different scenario.
But for the moment, as a way to process what had just happened to him, Ricky was entirely locked onto the first thing that came to mind.
Which, coincidentally, was the president.
"Like, what does Roosevelt have that makes him so comfortable?" Ricky laughed, shaking his finger at the white tiles before him, as if warning his own reflection.
"I burned entire mob families to the ground, took the whole city of New York by brute force, and threatened him to his face, and he just sat there, doing nothing." Ricky realized, biting his lip and turning to the side as if to gaze over his shoulder at Alexander.
"I killed Dracula, I killed Merlyn, and I even went to his f*cking front door to stick it up his ass, yet still, he's comfortable going against me." Ricky continued, spreading his arms wide to the absurdity of it all.
"But it's easy to say he hates my guts and just wants to do the world a favor by getting rid of me," Ricky said quickly, almost cutting off Alexander before he could respond.
"But that motherf*cker knows what I'm capable of." Ricky added, pointing at Alexander, who immediately nodded in acknowledgment.
"Why would the president of the United States even go to these lengths instead of just teaming up with me and betraying me later?" Ricky pressed, his steps pacing back and forth in front of the gerbil.
"He's confident you can't touch him." Alexander muttered, frowning, clearly struggling to understand it now that Ricky had framed it this way.
"But what can stop me from walking into the Oval Office right now and cutting off his head?" Ricky seemingly asked, wiping his face along with the crusted flakes of blood from the corners of his eyes.
"And there's something, just one little stupid piece that completes the puzzle, but it's missing." Ricky laughed, clenching his fist and shaking it like he was inches away from grasping the truth.
"And now I can't stop thinking about it." Ricky muttered, the Ebony Blade resting casually on his shoulder as his other hand sprinkled seasoning over the eggs like nothing was wrong.
"What if it's Gaea?" Ricky suddenly blurted, snapping his gaze to Alexander, the gerbil weirdly looking at his spatula in one hand and the sword in the other.
"What if she's just offered her protection to that loser and that's why he thinks-"
"Gaea's power could not stop you, if it did, she wouldn't have let Merlyn die." Alexander shook his head, knowing how nonlethal Gaea's divinity was.
"It ain't the high table or maybe it is, I don't f*cking know." Ricky muttered with a shrug, laughing at the absurdity of it all.
"He's not a mutant, he doesn't seem to have any magic, and even if he did, it wouldn't matter since I'd still crush him." Ricky continued, shaking his finger as if crossing items off a mental list.
"So something he has is giving him the balls to actually make moves in my city-"
"Are you sure this isn't a blend of narcissism and arrogance?" Alexander interjected, deciding it was wiser to position himself against Ricky's spiraling theory.
"Ricky, do not go on the offensive, but your disposition truly brings out the worst in people." Alexander sighed, shaking his head while pressing his paw to his forehead.
Throughout his life, Alexander had never seen anyone get under another's skin the way Ricky did.
"But it's in that exact way that always gives you an advantage." Alexander added with a light tone, softening the weight of his earlier words.
"And I doubt this mere mortal man is capable of stopping you, no matter the matter," Alexander said lightly, flicking his paw as if to wave the entire topic aside for something else.
"You're brute force alone can bend him to your will-"
"Then why isn't he bent?" Ricky demanded, spreading his arms wide like the question itself was hanging in the air.
"Why are we still running in circles when I already have him in my sights? If I pulled the trigger, what's to stop that bullet from blowing his brains out?" Ricky gestured, slightly frustrated at the topic his mind wouldn't stop thinking about.
"I don't know," Alexander admitted honestly, giving the man little thought since his focus had been preoccupied with other enemies.
"Me neither, and now my mind won't stop f*cking chewing on it." Ricky muttered, his voice lowering as his jaw twitched.
"Argh, I need a f*cking drink." Ricky scoffed, rummaging through the cabinets for any bottle of liquor.
Ricky knew it wouldn't get him drunk, but the taste was enough to keep him occupied.
"Why the landfills?" Alexander suddenly asked, scratching his head at one of his incoherencies he didn't understand.
"And why this sudden concern with the child called Benny?" Alexander added, recalling the blond boy only faintly.
"The landfills are just for the spear," Ricky said, pulling Chastiefol out of the system with a casual flick of his hand.
"The what-"
"It's a weapon that basically lets me become a force of goddamn nature." Ricky laughed, grinning at his own joke as the spear floated lazily at his side.
However, Alexander allowed himself a small smile; the tightness in Ricky's face eased, if only slightly, as he slipped back into his usual manner of speaking.
"I've been putting it off for a while, but I wouldn't have been able to hold my own against Arthur without it." Ricky admitted, almost like it was just another fact rather than the key to his survival.
'If that was a indirect jab at me, I once again apologize-'
"Relax, it wasn't a big deal," Ricky said, halting the sword's words with a gesture toward it as Alexander merely raised an eyebrow at the motion.
"We all have things that f*cked us up, but the only thing that matters is that you came through in the end."
Although, in the moment, Ricky was furious at the sword for not being what it claimed to be.
Since in his mind, a weapon that could cut through anything, except one thing, wasn't truly an all-cutting sword.
But Merlyn had deliberately embedded that mental block within the Ebony Blade, a back-up plan meant to keep it under control, to make it easier to wield, and easier to contain.
"And with Benny?" Alexander wondered, watching Ricky turn back to the eggs and slowly put them on a plate.
"It's gonna be good for the family, for morale, since I haven't made any men myself," Ricky explained, grabbing two more eggs as his grip on the sword loosened.
"Lucky did it with me, but it ain't about that, it's about being around the guys from the other levels."
Honestly, after seeing glimpses of what those runners did, Ricky started to believe that those kids could become the next high-ranking members of the family.
Although it might have seemed outlandish at the time, in reality, it only takes one moment to recognize someone's potential.
The second that long, grueling movie revealed itself to Ricky, he realized that those kids could form the core of his future inner circle.
Even the most seemingly useless one, David, showed signs of climbing to the rank of Capo within the family.
It wasn't luck that kept David alive; it was his natural survival instinct, the almost instinctive sense to cling to those who mattered, to align himself with strength and opportunity.
That's what Ricky told himself to make sense of how someone so seemingly useless could survive such a brutal encounter.
"And I'm gonna hit Barko's lab to get my body in sync with my powers," Ricky suddenly added, once again catching Alexander off guard.
"Pardon?"
"Oh, right, you weren't there." Ricky said, raising an eyebrow at Alexander, who merely crossed his arms and puffed out his cheeks.
"I'm gonna exploit my regeneration," Ricky summed up, turning back to the frying pan and adding more butter.
"Uh huh." Alexander hummed, letting it slide for now as his thoughts drifted to the last matter.
"Then, I suppose the only thing I have left to ask is about Frank's funeral." Alexander said, slowly raising his gaze to Ricky, who cracked the eggs into the pan.
"Delaying it for this 'Block Party'-"
"I know what you're thinking, but it ain't like that," Ricky said, hesitating with the second egg before tapping it on the pan.
Crack
"I ain't running away from his funeral, I swear." Ricky muttered, watching the egg slowly pour from its shell.
"I'm just f*cking busy, and I don't want to be preoccupied with anything when it comes along," Ricky sighed, staring at the sizzling eggs as his fractured mind slowly stitched itself back together.
"I wanna be entirely there for Frank and mourn him the right way, without having to handle any business." Ricky closed his eyes, quietly mourning the man in his kitchen, as if practicing for the real thing.
"I know I have this history but I just-"
"DADDY!" Sarah roared, interrupting their conversation as tiny footsteps pounded down the hallway before a red furball tumbled into view.
"There's my furball!" Ricky exclaimed, his tense features vanishing instantly as he bent down and Sarah smashed right into his embrace.
Clang
The Ebony Blade and spatula clattered to the floor as Ricky spun Sarah in a circle, clutching the back of her head tightly, while closing his eyes.
Alexander smiled, watching Ricky's tense features melt at the sight of his daughter, who wriggled to get a good look at his face.
"ARE YOU MAKING FOOD?!" Sarah shouted excitedly, her gaze darting to the sizzling eggs in the pan before snapping back to him.
"Do you want some-"
"I WANT, I WANT, I WANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNT!" Sarah shrieked, throwing her hands in the air with unbridled passion.
"Alright—" Ricky started, but before he could continue, something wrapped around his legs.
Looking down, he saw Danuelle clinging to him tightly, her small hands clutching the apron he was wearing in place of a shirt.
"Can I have some breakfast too?" Danielle asked, timidly peeking out from behind Ricky's apron, half her face still hidden.
"Of course, pumpkin," Ricky laughed, scooping her up into his other arm as Sarah waved enthusiastically to her sister, as if they hadn't walked here together in the first place.
"So two orders of steamed vegetables-"
"YUCK!" Sarah groaned loudly, wrinkling her nose as Ricky laughed while Danielle bopped him on the chest, giggling.
"Don't tease her daddy-"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry~" Ricky chuckled, squeezing them both tightly as if he would never let them go.
Danielle rested her head on his shoulder while Sarah stretched toward the sizzling eggs, determined to get her share.
'Am I still needed?'
'Not really if I'm benign he isn't-' Ricky thought, completely over having to hold the sword, now content with his little girls in his arms.
'Then may I return to my show since you called me away right before the climax? '
Then, to the Ebony Blade's relief, Ricky opened a portal and dropped it on the other side as he plopped back down among the radio, where his daughters had already circled around him.
'Did I miss anything'
'Shhhhhhhh, it's finally getting to the best part.' The Ebony Blade whispered, shushing its sibling as they all tuned in to the finale of Flash Gordon.
However, as Sarah was let down to run around the kitchen in celebration, Daneille held Ricky tihglty as if she refused to leave his arms.
"Danny, baby, don't you wanna play with your sister-"
"N-No." Danielle whispered, trembling slightly since the moment she touched Ricky, a wave of dread washed over her.
So much dread gripped her that she refused to let her father be alone, but Ricky slowly lowered her down anyway, sensing the fear growing in her heart.
"I know you're fine, but would you play with your sister, for me?" Ricky asked gently, pressing a kiss to her cheek as Danielle lowered her eyes, still trembling slightly.
"O-Ok, b-but only for you." Danielle muttered, slowly releasing her hold on her father as Sarah bounced over excitedly to her side.
"Raven!" Irene called from the doorway, finally making her way over with an excited smile, holding Thrawn in her arms.
"I just heard the most marvelous thing-"
"Oh yeah?"
However, before Irene could even start the girl talk while stepping into the kitchen, she froze, her cheeks flushing.
Instead of Raven, as she had expected, all she saw was Ricky wearing nothing but shorts and an apron, grinning at her.
"Hey, Irene~" Ricky said with a sleazy smile, while Alexander rolled his eyes at the man he knew all too well, finally back to his usual self.
"H-H-H-H-H-H-Hi, Ricky," Irene whispered, her voice barely audible, feeling like a shy little girl again.
Her cheeks burned as red as her hair, and with each deliberate step Ricky took, she seemed to shrink smaller and smaller beneath his gaze.
His hands slid around her waist, and his gaze dropped to meet hers, taking in the woman who was frozen like a deer in headlights before him.
"How you doing-"
"I WANT BREAKFEST, NOT TO WATCH SMOOCHES!" Sarah bellowed, trying to shake Ricky's leg when she only shook herself instead.
"Ha~" Ricky laughed, glancing at Sarah, who scowled and crossed her arms around his legs to highlight her frustration.
"Let's get dinner some time, just the two of us." Ricky whispered to Irene, turning back to her with a grin as she nodded quietly.
"I-I should go check on Raven," Irene whispered, handing Thrawn to Ricky before bolting away, holding her flushed cheeks as she stormed up the stairs.
"Still go it~" Ricky muttered to himself, smirking as he glanced at his reflection before giving himself a wink.
"Did you just-....lick me?" Ricky suddenly asked, eyes snapping down to Sarah, who had boldly pressed her tongue against his leg.
"No?" Sarah asked, pulling her tongue back, then bursting into laughter alongside Ricky as he ruffled her hair.
"Alright, take a seat with your godfather and watch the master at work." Ricky said, gesturing toward the sizzling eggs.
For the next fifteen minutes, Ricky completely shed his earlier crazed attitude, fully immersing himself in the role of father as he cooked for his daughters.
He laughed, joked, and chatted with them about the most random things.
Sarah insisted on silly questions and Danielle shyly joined in whenever she could add something to the conversation.
All while Alexander tried, with limited success, to coax Thrawn into gripping the wooden sword rather than the stuffed animal.
"Thrawn, do you hear the whispers of greatness?" Alexander coaxed, pointing to the small, baby-sized sword as the child tilted his head.
"If you do, then take the sword over that mere toy and finally awaken your power-"
"What are you even talking about?" Ricky asked, raising an eyebrow as he turned to Alexander, while Danielle and Sarah ate at the side.
"NOMB NOMB NOMB!" Sarah exclaimed, loudly narrated her own eating noises while shoving eggs, pancakes, and toast into her mouth.
Danielle smiled warmly, carefully drizzling syrup over the pancakes Ricky had specially made for her. Her eyes lingered on the blueberries she had requested, making sure each one was perfectly coated before taking a delicate bite.
"His mutant power could stem from the sword and-"
"Thrawn's a telekinetic," Ricky revealed, already knowing his son's mutant powers which was a fact that didn't just surprise Alexander.
But it also caught the attention of the woman who had been listening to their entire conversation from upstairs.
"REALLY?!" Raven screamed from the top of the stairs, having overheard everything ever since her breakfast hadn't been delivered as promised earlier.
"Yeah, baby, he can control things with his mind and sh*t!" Ricky called up, already guessing she was eavesdropping and simply confirming their son's gift.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Raven's laughter echoed down the stairs as she ran toward Thrawn, robe bouncing around her as she spread out her arms.
"There's my little mutant!" Raven exclaimed, her worries vanishing completely as she trusted Ricky's words with her whole heart.
The hardest part of this era wasn't just finding mutants, it was recognizing their powers.
Most mutants in the world remained unawakened since the greatest challenge they faced wasn't social even isolation, but triggering the dormant potential of their genes.
"Ba?" Thrawn murmured, lifting his slobbering mouth from his stuffed animal to look at his mother as she hugged him tightly.
"Congratulations, Raven!" Irene exclaimed, clapping her hands together, only to blush when she noticed Ricky smiling at her.
"I was so worried he'd inherit my ability~" Raven said with relief, walking over to Danielle and hugging her tightly before turning to gently pat Thrawn on the head.
"MORE EGGS!" Sarah yelled, shoving her plate forward with a bit stuck between her teeth.
"Please-"
"EGGS, PLEASE!" Sarah exclaimed again, taking Irene's earlier words into consideration and rephrasing her demand.
Ricky smiled, turning back to the stove as he began cracking more eggs to satisfy the insistent little furball behind him.
"Sarah, inside voice." Danielle whispered, tugging at her shirt while Sarah's eyes widened as she realized she was supposed to be quieter.
"Sorry!" Sarah apologized, watching Danielle sigh lightly before returning to her pancakes.
"This changes everything." Alexander muttered, staring off into the distance as if already formulating Thrawn's future training.
Ahem
However, at the clearing of a throat, Ricky reached toward the side where a covered plate rested and turned back to Raven.
"Eggs, bacon, and pancakes," Ricky chuckled, lifting the cover to reveal an aroma that immediately hit Raven's nose, sending her into bliss.
"And fresh-squeezed orange juice," Ricky added, setting the glass beside the plate before turning to Irene.
"Your breakfast is next~" Ricky said with a sly smile, his gaze briefly trailing down before Irene tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"No fair!" Sarah grumped, slamming her fork onto the counter and glaring at her father, who simply shrugged with a grin.
"It ain't my fault you ate so f*cking fast-"
"BAD WORD!" Sarah screamed, pointing at his face with an accusatory finger as Irene sighed while sitting down next to her.
"Please stop screaming, honey."
"Ok, mommy," Sarah whispered, ducking her head but sneaking a glance at Ricky, who winked at her.
"Now, who wants some more toast?" Ricky asked, grinning as the kids eagerly shifted in their seats.
1 hour later,
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~" Sarah wailed, smacking her forehead against Ricky's leg as she wrapped herself around him.
"Please, I want you to read to me~" Danielle said softly, her eyes lifting to Ricky, who couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze which is why he was looking up at the ceiling.
"I-I can't look at them, Alexander, tell them no." Ricky whispered, unable to bring himself to deny whatever his precious daughters wanted.
"I-I cannot." Alexander admitted, also staring at the ceiling, trapped in the same dilemma.
"Sarah, daddy has to work." Irene sighed, gently prying Sarah from his legs with a small chuckle.
"Danielle, give your father a kiss and get ready for preschool," Raven hummed from the side, savoring the last drops of her juice while Thrawn played with his stuffed animal in her lap.
"Ok." Danielle said dejectedly, releasing her hold on Ricky and looking up at him.
Ricky held up his hands and gently lifted her, prompting a quick kiss to his cheek and a tight hug.
"See you soon, Alexander~" Danielle whispered, pulling her face just enough from Ricky's neck to glance at the gerbil, who patted her cheek.
"See you soon, my dear." Alexander smiled, watching Ricky hold her tightly before setting her back down.
"Sarah go give-"
"I WILL NOT RESPOND TO STEALING!" Sarah screamed, storming back into the kitchen in a fit, furious at her time with her father being actively stolen.
"See you soon, Irene~" Ricky chuckled, winking at Irene who anxiously laughed while quickly adjusting her clothes.
"Raven, baby-"
"I heard you wanted to plan a last-minute block party?" Raven suddenly asked, raising an eyebrow at Ricky, who stood stiff, caught off guard by her forwardness.
"Who is-RICKY!" Raven started, squinting her eyes, only for her words to be cut off as Ricky suddenly lunged out the door, leaving her screaming after him.
SIGH
"Winky."
"Yes mistress-"
"Put a block party on the planner."
"Right away, mistress!"
Meanwhile outside,
"Is she chasing after us?" Ricky shouted, not daring to look back as Alexander quickly turned his head.
"As they say, 'The coast is clear.'" Alexander said, relief washing over his face at avoiding Raven's fury.
"Good, 'cause I really didn't want to get into anything serious-" Ricky started, only to speak as soon as another problem arose.
"SLICK!" A familiar shout rang from the street, making Ricky immediately curse.
"F*ck!" Ricky muttered, shaking his head as his gaze shot upward to see Marco angrily stomping toward him.
"Hey buddy-"
"My ma just told me you don't want me in the family!" Marco barked, pounding his chest as the other made men awkwardly averted their eyes, clearly uncomfortable being caught in the middle of whatever this was turning into.
"Is that really true? Do you really think I ain't ready?" Marco asked, his face a mix of betrayal and hurt when staring at the man he regarded as a father figure.
SIGH
"Can we not do this right now-"
"Where else would we do it? I only see you every three or four business days!" Marco shot back, his frustration spiking as it had become nearly impossible to get Ricky's attention these days.
"Fine." Ricky said, shutting the door he had just opened and turning to face the clearly frustrated Marco.
"You wanna do this right now? Fine." Ricky continued, his gaze pinning Marco, who immediately began to squirm under it.
"Boss, if you want us to-"
"No, I want you to stay." Ricky interrupted Marco, watching him instantly raise his hands in surrender.
"Why didn't you tell me to your face-"
"Why did you go to your mother-"
"BECAUSE SHE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO'D LISTEN TO ME!" Marco screamed, cutting off Ricky's interruption with the frustration that had been building in his mind.
"I'm ready, I'm f*cking ready to be a runner." Marco passionately said, gripping his shirt tightly as if to emphasize every word.
"I ain't even asking for a juicy role, just to run for the family." Marco laughed hysterically, gesturing toward everyone around him as if trying to convince the surroundings rather than Ricky himself.
"I know what this is about but I ain't like Rocco-"
"That's the entire problem." Ricky suddenly interrupted, holding up a finger as if to stop him right there.
"Honestly, you're right. The first time you asked me and I turned you down, it was solely because of Rocco," Ricky continued, his voice softening as if he could see Rocco's shadow in Marco's outline.
"But this ain't about Rocco anymore, not after what I saw." Ricky added, shrugging casually and watching Marco visibly stiffen at the comment.
"W-What are you-"
"Don't bullsh*t me, you know exactly what I'm talking about." Ricky said, waving off any excuses and zeroing in on the one thing that had made Marco so desperate to join the family.
"What was I supposed to do? SHE WAS USING MAGIC!" Marco screamed, clutching his head as if he might rip his hair out, the frustration and fear in his voice echoing along with the memory of that night.
"You froze." Ricky said flatly, his eyes scanning the men at his side as their expressions immediately sank, the hope they had placed in Marco vanishing in an instant.
"I-I didn't-" Marco stammered, his hands shaking slightly while rubbing his shoulder.
"I saw Marco, I saw what happened." Ricky's tone hardened, eyes narrowing as his slowly raised his gaze to the boy before him.
"When that b*tch attacked you, when she tossed you around like dolls, I saw you freeze."
"You were behind your mother, God bless her heart, and she was shielding you when it should've been the other way around." Ricky sighed, knowing words alone wouldn't be enough, which was why he started walking toward Marino at the side.
"That ain't fair-" Marco, stumbling slightly as he tried to keep pace, reached out a hand behind him.
BANG
Almost instantly, Marco froze stiff, his outstretched hand shaking violently, unable to move as Ricky's other hand settled firmly on his shoulder.
Before Marco's eyes, Ricky stood there with one hand still raised toward the sky, the gun slowly releasing smoke, and the other patting Marco's shoulder with calm authority.
"Listen, I know a guy, Enzo, he told me he'll mentor you with cooking-"
SLAP
"I don't cook no more." Marco muttered, slapping Ricky's hand away and rubbing his shoulder while casting his gaze to the side, avoiding eye contact.
"You have a gift, Marco-" Ricky began, attempting to guide him toward the potential he had shown when he was younger, but something inside the teenager finally snapped.
"I WANNA BE A MADE MAN! I WANNA BE MORE THAN ROCCO!" Marco screamed, his eyes glistening with tears as he thumped his chest, trying to make Ricky understand the depth of his resolve.
"THAT'S ALL YOU EVER SEE WHEN YOU STARE AT ME, AND I'M SICK OF IT!" Marco shouted, swiping his arm through the air as if to clear the doubt about him.
"I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES-"
"YOU FROZE, MARCO!" Ricky roared, his voice cutting through the surroundings as Marco immediately ducked his head, unable to swallow the sting of rejection.
"You're just looking for any excuse to hang me out to dry." Marco muttered bitterly, shaking his head and glancing to the side.
"That ain't true-"
"If it's not this, then it's that, and then again, and again, until I'm sidelined just like you always wanted." Marco's words cut sharp, heavy with years of resentment towards being compared to Rocco.
"One chance Slick, please, that's all I'm asking for." Marco pleaded, pressing his hands together as if praying to the man before him.
"I can do this, I'm ready-"
"Then lemme ask you something," Ricky said, his serious expression fixed on Marco, who was suddenly puffed out his chest.
"Lay it on me-"
"What if you get into a situation where you gotta pull the trigger, are you gonna freeze?" Ricky asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Marco's frown, searching for the truth behind the bravado.
"You and Rocco might have looked the same, but he had balls of steel," Ricky chuckled, his eyes drifting as he fondly remembered how eager Rocco had been to fight.
"The guy, bless his soul, never hesitated." Ricky continued, his voice softening with a mix of nostalgia and respect.
"I ain't never seen him even twitch when one of the guys were in trouble, never." Ricky added, shaking his head slightly as a small smile tugged at his lips.
"He always had my back, even when I got into the stupidest sh*t." Ricky finished, the memory settling over him like a warm weight.
"And if I put you out there, I gotta know you won't freeze." Ricky lectured, pointing his finger at Marco as if to drill the warning straight into him.
"I want a chance, I deserve at least one," Marco insisted, thumping his chest with conviction, his eyes blazing with determination to prove himself to the man before him.
"I-f*ck~" Ricky cursed under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose as he struggled to balance frustration with the undeniable fire he saw in Marco.
"One chance. All you get is one," Ricky said firmly, his gaze locking onto Marco while holding up a single finger.
"Really-" Marco started, but Ricky cut him off, annoyed at the back-and-forth.
"Shut up and listen, I'm putting together the group of those runners where Benny is leading it."
Immediately, Marco's eyes darted around at the made men, who were all nodding, laughing, and starting to talk about the kid in question, completely familiar with teh boy who wasn't even Sicilian.
"Here's your first mission, it's real special. You ready?" Ricky asked, forcing a smile as he bent down to Marco's height, catching the boy's skeptical roll of his eyes.
"Go tell Johnny that I want Benny to head down to Barko's lab to see me," Ricky continued, adjusting his suit with a practiced flick of his wrist, making sure his tone balanced authority and encouragement.
"Really Slick-"
Slap
Before Marco could finish, Ricky slapped him lightly across the face, making the boy stumble back a step before opening the car door.
"It's 'boss.' You ain't got enough hairs on your balls to even call me that within this family." Ricky scoffed, finally treating Marco like a grunt rather than a little brother.
"I SWEAR, BOSS! I WON'T LET YOU DOWN!" Marco exclaimed, saluting the head of the family with a wide, budding smile.
"Yeah, yeah~" Ricky muttered, waving his hand dismissively as he slid into the car.
As the engine roared to life and the car drove off, the guys around Marco started clapping and patting him on the shoulder, a mix of pride and amusement on their faces.
"Welcome to the family, kiddo," Marino laughed, patting Marco on the back as the boy clenched his fists tightly, feeling the weight of the moment before being nudged forward.
"But you better hurry up, boss gave you an order after all," Marino added, watching Marco bolt out of the front yard with determination in his stride.
Meanwhile, in the speeding car, Ricky sat silently, staring out the window with a frown, his fingers tapping a restless rhythm against his leg.
"He will be fine-"
"You saw," Ricky wagged his finger, cutting off whatever words were about to leave Alexander's mouth.
"I know you stared at the f*cking record until it burned into your retinas, so be honest," Ricky muttered, his gaze flicking to Alexander, who sat restrained in the mini-seat belt beside him.
"You think I was wrong?" Ricky asked, seemingly challenging Alexander to say different as the gerbil merely raised a paw.
"I-"
SIGH
"No, I don't think your disposition was wrong," Alexander sighed, slumping his shoulders as he reflected on how Marco had mostly stayed absent during the chaos, except when they had fled the house.
"I knew it-"
"But you should give him a chance to either prove you wrong or right," Alexander countered, his voice absolute, knowing that if change wasn't possible, Ricky would still be drowning in some alley instead of readying himself for what was to come.
"Alexander, I'll never be able to live with myself if I take another boy from Alina." Ricky's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as he gripped the edge of the seat.
"But that's not what it's about, now is it?"
"No." Ricky said flatly, his tone essentially ending the conversation on that particular topic as the drive continued.
For the rest of the ride, Ricky stared out the window, the morning sunlight glinting off the buildings as Alexander rambled on about his so-called victory in the 'Great Bird War,' a name he was fiercely trying to coin for the ordeal he had endured.
"And during the Great Bird War, when five owls attacked me from different sides-" Alexander began, flapping his tiny paws for emphasis.
"Oh my god, I get it, you're a badass!" Ricky cut him off, rolling his eyes but unable to stop the smile trailing onto his face.
"You were the one to proclaim it, not me." Alexander said, raising his hands defensively yet refusing to downplay his supposed heroics.
"Boss, we're here." The driver announced, frowning at the long, rusted bridge that led to the foreboding laboratory in the distance.
"Boss, are you sure you wanna go in there-"
"Yeah, take the rest of the day off," Ricky said, patting his driver's shoulder before slowly stepping out of the car.
"Are you sure you wish to do this today?" Alexander asked, fidgeting as he struggled to unbuckle himself from the straps Winky had made herself.
"F*ck no, in fact, I'm kinda second-guessing myself," Ricky scoffed, rubbing the back of his neck as his gaze lingered on the long, foreboding bridge ahead.
SIGH
"But we're already here, and besides, I gotta know if this is gonna actually help me," Ricky added, his reluctant resignation slowly manifesting as he stepped closer to the bridge.
"Dammit, wait!" Alexander yelled, his tiny voice barely carrying over Ricky's steps.
Ricky slowly rolled his head back towards the car, his eyebrows raised, while the gerbil slightly ducked its head, as if understanding the shame that came with his next words.
"I-.....I cannot release myself from these bindings, I need assistance."
5 minutes later,
"But why must we wear the belts? If I were to die in a bloody crash, I do not wish to delay my impending death for even a second." Alexander complained, gesturing with his tiny paws toward Ricky.
"Aye, preaching to the choir." Ricky shrugged, never bothering with a seat belt himself as he strode toward the foreboding double doors.
*BAM
"Aye, Barko-woah." Ricky kicked the doors open, only for his words to be interrupted by the sight before him.
The lab had been transformed into something that looked more like a torture chamber than a place of science, wires hanging like vines, glass containers filled with strange liquids, and machines whirring ominously in the dim light.
"Geez, the guy really went all out," Ricky muttered, stepping into the lab before his eyes immediately trailed up to the cages delicately hanging from the ceiling.
"I think those were the failures," Alexander muttered, tapping gently on Ricky's cheek to draw his attention toward the side.
"Oh."
Because there, at the side, stood a massive behemoth of a container, planted firmly on the cold laboratory floor like a monument amidst these mere failures.
Its glass walls gleamed under the harsh fluorescent light, filled to the brim with a viscous, clear liquid that shifted like a living thing.
The texture was somewhere in between water and slime, thick enough to coat the fingers yet fluid enough to ripple with every movement.
However, what made Ricky's eyes wander around it were the multiple tubes snaking from its center, pulsing faintly as if pumping something into the fluid.
"It's meant to simulate drowning, along with being acidic, and is conductive," Barko explained from the side, slowly emerging from the shadows with a stack of papers clutched in his paws.
"It's also threaded with poison that will challenge your antibodies-" Barko began listing the various effects and what they target within the human body.
But Ricky barely heard him.
Instead, at his words, Ricky started to slowly strip off his three-piece striped suit, as if shedding his clothing would also shed the hesitation he had felt before coming here.
All while Barko continued reciting chemical compounds and their intended effects, Ricky's gaze drifted to the thick, viscous liquid in the giant glass container, reflecting his determined expression back at him.
"Alright, you got your camera?" Ricky asked, cutting through Barko's subtle fascination with one of the compounds, making the labrador flinch slightly.
"Yes, but-"
Clap
"Good, let's get this over with," Ricky said, rubbing his palms together with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes as he approached the stairs leading to the top of the container.
"Has he told you?" Barko asked Alexander quietly, his gaze flicking to the gerbil perched nearby.
Alexander merely stared, unblinking, as Ricky ascended the stairs, focused entirely on the thick, viscous liquid waiting below.
"Yes."
"Then you must find this obscene-"
"I do not," Alexander interrupted, his voice calm but firm as he turned to the distressed Barko, whose ears drooped in guilt over the thought of subjecting one of his few friends to such a thing.
"Although I disagree with Ricky undergoing this right now since he's not of the right mind, I applaud his ambition." Alexander's gaze lingered on Ricky, who was already perched on the top container, staring down at the viscous, sludgy liquid that seemed to ripple with a life of its own.
"Alexander-"
"The human hand grows tougher the more it is torn, did you know that?" Alexander asked, a faint smile tugging at his whiskers as Barko slowly nodded in acknowledgment.
"Have you ever held a spear while bleeding from every cut? I have," Alexander continued, his tone almost reverent, eyes closing briefly as if savoring the memory of that pain.
"Power is only suited for those obsessed with it." Alexander said, slowly opening his eyes with a resolve that had crushed entire nations.
"It does not encourage those around it to seek it; it lies hidden," Alexander continued, his voice echoing faintly against the cold steel walls of the lab.
"It hides beneath this mystery we call life, it lies dormant until we awaken it, and only evolves when we push it," Alexander intoned, his voice calm yet resolute, carrying the weight of hard-earned conviction.
"Power is nothing more than a concept without human hands." Alexander continued, slowly interlacing his fingers while staring silently at Ricky.
"What Ricky will go up against in the future are people who have sacrificed far more, lived far more, and if he is to bridge that gap, he must endure."
"Do you understand, Ricky? You must endure!" Alexander yelled, completely disregarding Barko's horrified expression beside him, his thumb jutting upward to encourage this insanity.
"I know-"
"No you don't but you will." Alexander shook his head, chuckling since he could already picture the regret on his face after this was over.
"The type of pain that this is will never be the same as the type I trained you in." Alexander explained, knowing this is completely different from the pain he had endured under their training.
"You're torturing your body for results, not training it."
"You are forcing your regeneration to account for all variables and thus, you will be pushed to extremes you have never faced." Alexander revealed, having grasped a fraction of Ricky's ability before slipping back into his earlier rant about his so-called 'Great Bird War'.
"You must hold on."
"Just pull me out if it looks like I'm about to die." Ricky said, hsi exprssion as serious as Alexander's who slowly nodded.
"Wait, I need to hook up the monitors-"
"Why do you think I brought Alexander?" Ricky interrupted, raising an eyebrow at Barko while standing before the massive container filled with the slushing liquid.
"But-"
"If you trust me, and I trust Alexander, then we're fine."
SIGH
Barko merely sighed at Ricky's abrupt explanation, walking over to the side and carefully adjusting the various dials while preparing the equipment.
"We'll start with one hundred volts, and the poisons within the fluid should be enough for the first attempt," Barko said, adjusting his goggles as his paws deftly turned the instruments at the side.
"Now, whenever you're ready we'll start."
Ricky's gaze dropped to the container as the thick liquid began to bubble and churn, his eyes flickering with hesitation before taking a deep breath.
"C'mon, Ricky, don't be a f*cking pussy." Ricky whispered under his breath, confronting a trial unlike anything he'd faced before.
Slowly, deliberately, he extended a toe and dipped it into the viscous fluid, feeling its strange touch against his skin.
"Experiment number one: today we will be grasping the limits of Ricky's mutant regeneration." Barko narrated from the side, adjusting the dials with careful precision as the camera captured every detail.
As if signaling the start of the experiment, Ricky suddenly plunged into the container, sinking all the way down until he landed against the metal handlebars fixed to the floor.
Then, with gritted teeth, Ricky slowly stopped holding his breath.
Drowning is more or less the deprivation of oxygen, but it's much more than that.
It is not the simple absence of air; it is the body turning against itself in the cruelest way imaginable.
At first, the throat locks shut, a spasm meant to keep water from flooding the lungs.
Yet this defense is a curse, for the same reflex that keeps water out also seals off air.
The body thrashes, chest heaving with the desperate ache to breathe, but nothing comes.
Then comes the breaking point.
The will to resist is devoured by instinct, and the body betrays itself.
GASP
A gasp tears open the lungs, and fluid rushes in.
It coats the alveoli, those delicate sacs where breath is meant to trade life, stripping away the thin surfactant that keeps them open.
COUGH
GASP
With each choke, the lungs collapse further, not with air but with liquid.
Oxygen slips away, and with it, everything else.
The brain, starved, begins to sputter out in flickers of confusion and panic as vision narrows, sound distorts, and muscles convulse.
However, as his breath slowly escaped, Ricky's eyes began to droop, as if his mind were shutting down to shield itself from the onslaught.
"Turn it up to 200 volts," Alexander suddenly commanded, his gaze locking onto Barko, who flinched in panic at the side.
"But-"
"He needs to stay awake, berate his senses!" Alexander screamed, leaning forward as he urged Barko to twist and the labrador immediately obeyed.
'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!' Ricky screamed, his voice muffled and distorted through the container as his eyes widened in pain.
The liquid around him hissed, bubbles streaming past Ricky's face as his body arched against the desire to break free from this suffocation.
His veins lit up like burning wires under his skin, his muscles seizing as the current tore through him.
His mouth opened in a soundless scream that only the muffled vibrations in the tank carried, raw agony pressed into silence by the liquid suffocating him.
"T-This is unsustainable-"
"Hold."
Inside the container, Ricky's chest convulsed as water surged into his lungs.
For a moment it looked as though he would collapse, his body slackening, the purple hue deepening across his skin.
But then came the crack, a soundless fissure racing across his shoulder as his flesh split apart.
Only for the shadowy tendrils to erupt from the wound to seal the rupture as quickly as it appeared.
Finally, slowly but surely, his body was starting to rebuild itself mid-destruction.
The voltage surged, the poison threaded through his veins, and still he reanimated before their eyes, like watching a corpse refuse to be buried.
"Two hundred and climbing." Barko muttered, his paw shaking visibly as his eyes became teary.
"Three hundred, do it now."
"Alexander, his organs could liquify-"
"They will." Alexander coldly said, watching Barko flinch as the gerbil ruthlessly turned back to his disciple.
"And then they will come back stronger."
Meanwhile at the upper-east side of Brooklyn,
A chilling German song echoed through the house, its rigid rhythm bouncing off the walls. A woman hummed along with eerie delight as she methodically repacked their belongings, each motion precise and unnervingly graceful.
This was Benny's mother, her poise and beauty seemingly lifted from the pages of Aryan propaganda she had long absorbed, a living picture of perfection warped by ideology.
Yet Benny himself was nowhere in sight.
Only his blue eyes blinked open to a bathroom room, the edges of his vision clouded with disorientation before his mother's familiar figure appeared before him.
"Oh good, you're awake!" She said, clapping her hands softly and turning away from the bathroom cabinet to give him her full attention.
"Did you hit me with a frying pan?" Benny asked, rubbing his forehead slowly and trying to remember how he had ended up here.
Only for his eyes to widen, then immediately narrowed with fury.
CLANK
"ARGH!" Benny yelled, lunging at his mother, only for his body to jerk back just before he could reach her.
"Let me go mother, I need to report to the family-"
"Ah, ah, ah~" His mother warned, wagging a finger at him, her eyes glinting with a deranged intensity.
"You're not going anywhere, not until our train arrives~" She chuckled, the warmth in her voice grotesquely betraying the twisted motherly image she had carefully adorned.
"How long have I been unconscious?" Benny asked, his eyes shifting to the handcuffs binding his wrist to the bathroom radiator.
"Well, you were very aggressive after you woke up originally so I had to knock you out again, but don't worry, I fed you first." She laughed heartily, clasping her hands together to give the boy a little pose.
"Release me-"
"Of course!" She said, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
"After you accept the Reich into your heart and give yourself to Germany's glory-"
SPIT
Without hesitation, Benny hucked a loogie right in his own mother's face, his defiance cutting through the facade of their seemingly perfect relationship.
"I see." His mother muttered, slowly wiping the snot-riddled spit away from her face with a twitching smile.
"I think you need another day in time out." She laughed, reaching into the cabinet and pulling out a frying pan she had conveniently stashed for just such an event.
"Now, be a good boy and don't die until you make mommy proud."
BAM