Chapter 7 - A Promise to Return
One was starting to see that being a Creator was...an experience, both good and bad. Bad because Bruce was always asking questions, seemed to be fighting the absorption of One every step of the way, which would lead to the next problem; how weak Bruce was. Too often One would Rage and end up accidentally hurting the human.
And he had so many emotions and felt them so fast on a scale that would make One dizzy trying to keep up. But each time Bruce finally understood something and they'd grow a little closer, the hole that had been left by the Creator seemed to shrink just a little.
Sometimes One wished its Creator would come back, give it some advice. It couldn't blame Bruce for not trusting it, considering how their first meeting ended with the human having to commit suicide. Even if Bruce couldn't seem to remember all the details, he was still hesitant.
Had One ever asked so many questions of the Creator?
*Who are you?*
*One is One.*
*How do I know I can trust you?*
*One says you can. One does not lie.*
*What are you?*
*I am One, cast off of the Creator, bringer of Death and Destruction to All.*
“Where am I?”
*In your mindscape. Your body is not fit to be conscious right now. One is working on it.*
*Who am I?*
*You are Bruce, One's Chosen.*
*What am I?*
*You are One's Creation.*
But perhaps the most trying of all was, *You say we bring Death and Destruction to All. But why? Why does everything have to die?*
After brief consideration, One realized that it couldn't answer such a question. Well, it could, but not if it wanted Bruce to believe the answer, which was very true. *Would you like to talk to someone who can tell you why?*
Bruce's answer was almost immediate. *Yes.*
Its Creation wanted answers? Very well then; he could discover the horrors for himself and afterward, One would be there to explain.
**
Malefic was in the midst of another 'session' when suddenly he was pulled out of his body. A strange sensation, one quite dizzying but that didn't matter when he saw just who stood before him.
Bruce Wayne of Earth.
Who was looking around the room with a horrified look on his face, anger taking over as the screams and whimpers started to grow. “What is this place?”
It was strange, to suddenly be able to speak to his idol, a thing he had dreamed of for ages.
So many questions, and apparently he wasn't alone. “What are they doing?!”
Malefic wanted to answer but the rage that was starting to color the boy's words had him slightly nervous. “It is...a laboratory, I think? We are test subjects for Purple.”
The anger that he could feel off Bruce had a delightful shiver running down his back. “I am Malefic. I have eagerly awaited your arrival for quite some time.”
The switch to guilt was so fast it almost made the alien stumble. He hated that side-effect of Purple, how sensitive she'd make everything seem.
“You shouldn't have,” Bruce's voice was soft. “My arrival is not a good thing for your planet or people.”
Visions of what was to be sprang up in mind. “Yes. Everything will die.”
There must have been something in his voice that the human didn't like for he jerked away as if burned. “And that pleases you?”
Malefic felt his own rage start to build. How could such a thing not please him after all that They'd done?! The answer came and in exasperation he said, “You do not know. You have not seen what we have gone through! It is - you do not know! You do not!”
Bruce shifted forward but the blow that Malefic halfway expected, never came. Cool hands cupped his face instead and there was such softness to the vivid blue eyes, a kindness he hadn't been prepared for. “Show me?”
“I don't know how!” To Malefic's shame, a sob broke free. “I am not like the Others. I am not useful like they are!”
The grip on his chin tightened almost painfully. “You are outside your body- They can't see me; you can. I'd say that makes you pretty useful.”
There was such conviction in Bruce's voice; a part of Malefic melted, even as he continued to protest, “But I cannot show you what you need to see!”
“That's alright. My Creator can show me.” A slight pause, followed by a tilt of the head and a frustrated sound. “Well, not now. Now we have to return.” He released the alien and went to leave, stopped by the tight grip on his hand. Malefic didn't want him to go?
Confused, he turned back. “What is it?”
“Will you come back to see me?”
Bruce blinked. “You want me to?”
“Please.”
“Ahm...okay.” He didn't sound so sure.
Malefic scowled, tugged on the boy's arm. “Promise?”
For some reason, that word caused Bruce to stiffen and his chest to tighten painfully. Promise, something about that word, made everything hurt. He'd made a promise, once...he looked at the scared face in front of his, the fear...how could he possibly say no to someone like that? He jerked his arm away, annoyed despite himself. “Yes, alright? I promise to return to this dump, happy? Weirdo.”
He faded away just in time to miss the grateful smile Malefic gave.
**
One wasn't sure if the 'field-trip' to the outside world had been good for its Chosen or not. Bruce was still quite fragile, mental wise. His body was coming along nicely enough but the absorption process that was needed to speed along the rebuilding of the torched mindscape...
Bruce continued to resist said process every step of the way, even after having met Malefic. *I don't want to be your puppet!*
*You are One's Chosen, not Puppet!* It was almost hurt by the lack of trust. *One will absorb and be absorbed in return. You will not be erased.*
One wished it could simply force its Chosen but there was something...A type of mental block that had withstood even the fire. There weren't many stable things left in Bruce's mind, so One really didn't wish to destroy it. But this was taking so long, winning his Chosen over.
First impressions were hard to take back, it supposed.
Bruce let out a growl. *Can't you just show me?*
*One is limited in One's abilities in this form. Absorption is the only way.*
*And now we're back to the whole puppet thing.*
This was getting ridiculous. *You. Are. One's. Chosen.*
*I. Don't. Trust. You.*
One's limited patience snapped; he surged forward in a Rage, wracking pain and agony along its Chosen's body.
If Bruce didn't want to see reason then One was done with trying to be nice. It came up to the mental block and gave an experimental push. Unbelievably, the block pushed back! Curious, One pushed again, harder this time, retreating when a shadow surged up from the surface. White slits for eyes, could barely make out the details of what the thing was -
But the matches in the thing's hands had One backing up uneasily at the threat. Not to it, but to Bruce. He wouldn't be able to survive another 'incident'.
The shadow spoke words that didn't make much sense but sensations of anger and protectiveness made the message clear enough: Stay away or I will burn it all.
It was reminded of its first encounter with the human. I'll burn it all to the ground before I let you win!
One sulkily retreated and after mulling things over, decided to take a breather from its Chosen. So the next time another Part of it is introduced to Bruce, it kicks his consciousness out of his body and starts to repair the damage done by the Rage from earlier.
*Go play with Malefic.* One ordered, amused when Bruce obeys without comment.
**
//Author's Note//
So what do you think? Kinda weirded out by all this? Lemme know!
And he had so many emotions and felt them so fast on a scale that would make One dizzy trying to keep up. But each time Bruce finally understood something and they'd grow a little closer, the hole that had been left by the Creator seemed to shrink just a little.
Sometimes One wished its Creator would come back, give it some advice. It couldn't blame Bruce for not trusting it, considering how their first meeting ended with the human having to commit suicide. Even if Bruce couldn't seem to remember all the details, he was still hesitant.
Had One ever asked so many questions of the Creator?
*Who are you?*
*One is One.*
*How do I know I can trust you?*
*One says you can. One does not lie.*
*What are you?*
*I am One, cast off of the Creator, bringer of Death and Destruction to All.*
“Where am I?”
*In your mindscape. Your body is not fit to be conscious right now. One is working on it.*
*Who am I?*
*You are Bruce, One's Chosen.*
*What am I?*
*You are One's Creation.*
But perhaps the most trying of all was, *You say we bring Death and Destruction to All. But why? Why does everything have to die?*
After brief consideration, One realized that it couldn't answer such a question. Well, it could, but not if it wanted Bruce to believe the answer, which was very true. *Would you like to talk to someone who can tell you why?*
Bruce's answer was almost immediate. *Yes.*
Its Creation wanted answers? Very well then; he could discover the horrors for himself and afterward, One would be there to explain.
**
Malefic was in the midst of another 'session' when suddenly he was pulled out of his body. A strange sensation, one quite dizzying but that didn't matter when he saw just who stood before him.
Bruce Wayne of Earth.
Who was looking around the room with a horrified look on his face, anger taking over as the screams and whimpers started to grow. “What is this place?”
It was strange, to suddenly be able to speak to his idol, a thing he had dreamed of for ages.
So many questions, and apparently he wasn't alone. “What are they doing?!”
Malefic wanted to answer but the rage that was starting to color the boy's words had him slightly nervous. “It is...a laboratory, I think? We are test subjects for Purple.”
The anger that he could feel off Bruce had a delightful shiver running down his back. “I am Malefic. I have eagerly awaited your arrival for quite some time.”
The switch to guilt was so fast it almost made the alien stumble. He hated that side-effect of Purple, how sensitive she'd make everything seem.
“You shouldn't have,” Bruce's voice was soft. “My arrival is not a good thing for your planet or people.”
Visions of what was to be sprang up in mind. “Yes. Everything will die.”
There must have been something in his voice that the human didn't like for he jerked away as if burned. “And that pleases you?”
Malefic felt his own rage start to build. How could such a thing not please him after all that They'd done?! The answer came and in exasperation he said, “You do not know. You have not seen what we have gone through! It is - you do not know! You do not!”
Bruce shifted forward but the blow that Malefic halfway expected, never came. Cool hands cupped his face instead and there was such softness to the vivid blue eyes, a kindness he hadn't been prepared for. “Show me?”
“I don't know how!” To Malefic's shame, a sob broke free. “I am not like the Others. I am not useful like they are!”
The grip on his chin tightened almost painfully. “You are outside your body- They can't see me; you can. I'd say that makes you pretty useful.”
There was such conviction in Bruce's voice; a part of Malefic melted, even as he continued to protest, “But I cannot show you what you need to see!”
“That's alright. My Creator can show me.” A slight pause, followed by a tilt of the head and a frustrated sound. “Well, not now. Now we have to return.” He released the alien and went to leave, stopped by the tight grip on his hand. Malefic didn't want him to go?
Confused, he turned back. “What is it?”
“Will you come back to see me?”
Bruce blinked. “You want me to?”
“Please.”
“Ahm...okay.” He didn't sound so sure.
Malefic scowled, tugged on the boy's arm. “Promise?”
For some reason, that word caused Bruce to stiffen and his chest to tighten painfully. Promise, something about that word, made everything hurt. He'd made a promise, once...he looked at the scared face in front of his, the fear...how could he possibly say no to someone like that? He jerked his arm away, annoyed despite himself. “Yes, alright? I promise to return to this dump, happy? Weirdo.”
He faded away just in time to miss the grateful smile Malefic gave.
**
One wasn't sure if the 'field-trip' to the outside world had been good for its Chosen or not. Bruce was still quite fragile, mental wise. His body was coming along nicely enough but the absorption process that was needed to speed along the rebuilding of the torched mindscape...
Bruce continued to resist said process every step of the way, even after having met Malefic. *I don't want to be your puppet!*
*You are One's Chosen, not Puppet!* It was almost hurt by the lack of trust. *One will absorb and be absorbed in return. You will not be erased.*
One wished it could simply force its Chosen but there was something...A type of mental block that had withstood even the fire. There weren't many stable things left in Bruce's mind, so One really didn't wish to destroy it. But this was taking so long, winning his Chosen over.
First impressions were hard to take back, it supposed.
Bruce let out a growl. *Can't you just show me?*
*One is limited in One's abilities in this form. Absorption is the only way.*
*And now we're back to the whole puppet thing.*
This was getting ridiculous. *You. Are. One's. Chosen.*
*I. Don't. Trust. You.*
One's limited patience snapped; he surged forward in a Rage, wracking pain and agony along its Chosen's body.
If Bruce didn't want to see reason then One was done with trying to be nice. It came up to the mental block and gave an experimental push. Unbelievably, the block pushed back! Curious, One pushed again, harder this time, retreating when a shadow surged up from the surface. White slits for eyes, could barely make out the details of what the thing was -
But the matches in the thing's hands had One backing up uneasily at the threat. Not to it, but to Bruce. He wouldn't be able to survive another 'incident'.
The shadow spoke words that didn't make much sense but sensations of anger and protectiveness made the message clear enough: Stay away or I will burn it all.
It was reminded of its first encounter with the human. I'll burn it all to the ground before I let you win!
One sulkily retreated and after mulling things over, decided to take a breather from its Chosen. So the next time another Part of it is introduced to Bruce, it kicks his consciousness out of his body and starts to repair the damage done by the Rage from earlier.
*Go play with Malefic.* One ordered, amused when Bruce obeys without comment.
**
//Author's Note//
So what do you think? Kinda weirded out by all this? Lemme know!