Us Against the World

Chapter 22-

am sad and need to disctract myself so you get a shitty chapeter.

TW/CWs: Arguing, Knives, Guns, Fighting, Violence, Mind Control/Hypnosis, Blood, Injury, Arrest/Mentions of Arrest, Imprisonment

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Red and green eyes lock with pale violet as two vigilantes stare each other down, "Purpled I'm going to save them with or without your help."

"Then you're going without," The shorter teen in his iconic purple hoodie snaps back, done with the argument, "We're friends, but that place is nothing but a trap for everyone like us."

"Fine," Ranboo shoves his sunglasses his face and turns away from the other boy.

"Fine," Purpled repeats, hoping that the other vigilante will give up his futile mission if he refuses to help. Unfortunately, the ender hybrid only grabs his backpack and storms off.

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The local intercom to the Level 10 Lounge goes off while Philza and Wilbur are sitting waiting for Puffy to check in for the day.

"Phil, could you send Wilbur down to the prison block please?"

"Is something wrong Sam?" Phil asks the ceiling, gesturing for Wilbur to go while standing himself.

"Just come quickly please."

Father and son rush down to the prison block in the basement. When they scan through the main hall doors Wilbur's eyes widen as Phil curses under his breath.

The cells along the walls all have their glass opaque with a white tint making them impossible to see through. The reason for the lockdown is immediately obvious- pinned against one of the far walls is a familiar ender hybrid. Sam and the hybrid are in a standoff- Sam having him trapped against a wall with one cuff locked on the teen's wrist, but the ender hybrid having a knife at one of the prison guard's- Punz- neck.

Particles are glitching around him as the single cuff fights against the ender hybrid's powers. A ripped mask is hanging off one ear and shattered sunglasses reveal unusual heterochromatic eyes.

"Give me back my friends."

"No can do kid," Sam's voice through his gas mask is unsettling and robotic as he responds flatly. With a glance over his shoulder the green-haired hybrid gestures Wilbur forward as he adjusts his ear-coverings with one hand.

"Put the knife on the ground," Wilbur commands, putting all his willpower into the words.

Punz's eyes glaze over but he doesn't act- he's not holding a knife. However, the target of the man's siren-song has no reaction except to tighten his grip and glare, "No. Let my friends go."

"Snap out of it." The siren commands Punz before exchanging a glance with Sam and stepping back.

"Punz?" Sam asks while keeping a close eye on the ender hybrid.

"Green."

When the word leaves the younger hero's mouth, Sam instantly draws his gun and fires it, aiming at the ender hybrid's shoulder, dangerously close to where Punz's head would've been.

Key word, would've.

Punz has already escaped the boy's grasp, bringing a hand up to the ender hybrid's arm to block the knife while ducking away.

Due to the newly inflicted wound, the teen drops his knife and clutches his shoulder instinctively. The second the knife is out of his grasp Punz attaches the second cuff which click together instantly.

By the time Ranboo's hazy, pain-filled brain has caught up with what's going on, it's too late to fight anything. All the ender hybrid can do is hiss and whimper quietly as a temporary bandage is put on the bullet wound and he's thrown into an empty cell.

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Phil, Sam and Wilbur arrive at the meeting that XD called immediately after the capture of the enderman hybrid. On the way in, Phil leans in and says something to Puffy, who swears under her breath before bolting out of the room.

After demanding an unnecessarily long debrief on the exact process of the teen's arrest, XD turns to the entirety of the Hero Council (Puffy had returned during the explanation, out of breath, angry and wearing a fresh set of scrubs).

"Now that those vigilantes are off of our streets, we need to decide where to send them. Obviously, the trio cannot stay here indefinitely. There are a few options-"

"With all due respect, Chairman," Puffy's tone makes it clear that the amount of respect she considers due is in the negatives, "Wouldn't it be better for us and those children if we tried to incorporate them into society instead of locking them up?"

Murmurs of agreement spread around the room and Philza stands up, "I propose a vote. This council is a democracy after all."

"Of course," XD agrees, sounding like it just ate a lemon, "A vote."

748 words

TW FOR DOCTORS, POSSIBLE BODY IMAGE ISSUE (FACIAL)

so uh i had a doctors appointment and managed to sorta mumble out how i'm disgusted by and hate my face to the point i wear mask when im around any other human only to be told "not to normalize what you're feeling" *proceeds to normalize it and tell me that 'not liking yourself in the mirror' is normal for teenagers*. Naturally at that point is was completely done so didn't bother correcting them.