Arch Frenemies

Part 72: Family Matter's

"Yeah right."
Toxic just rolled his eyes.
He could believe they were related; as when he looked into their eyes, he could see his own eyes staring back. It would also explain how he was unable to read them, to know their guilt.
But he refused to believe what the speedster had just accused his father of doing.
"That is completely ridiculous" 

Toxic's stomach twisted when Mastermind did not immediately deny this absurd allegation.
"Father...?" Toxic exhaled with concern, emotions cloaking his logic.
"Son..." His father responded, voice filled with guilt anyone could read; you didn't need to be an empath to read it. "No... No that can't be true!"
Toxic's voice broke as his radioactive aura began to spike along with his emotions.
"I killed mother, my radiation did, not you..." he denied, the green around his body dancing erratically, hoping that his father would just confirm what he’d led Toxic to  believe all along.

The older Stockman closed his eyes; it was the first time in over a decade he had seen his offspring express any sort of emotions. He was suddenly glad his son could not read him because the amount of guilt he carried for this would have probably have overdosed the boy. 

"Radiation you never were supposed to have..."
He couldn’t look into his son’s eyes as he attempted to clear the air with the truth, no matter how heart-breaking it would sound. 
Toxic responded with a pained, confused look, experiencing gut-wrenching inner conflict.
While his logical side was telling him that there had to  be a logical and reasonable explanation, these newfound and irrational emotions caused him to feel so betrayed and angry that he couldn't seem to think of what any of those reasonable explanations might be.

Even Cha-cha had stopped struggling, in anticipation   of this long awaited confession.
"Tell him..." She growled at her former brother-in-law.  
Galaxy Girl just waited intently, her battle had taken such an unexpected turn.

"Your radioactivity...." Mastermind started explaining to his son.
"You didn't inherit that from me... it isn't natural. I injected it into your mother's womb when she was pregnant with you." He said out loud for the first time ever. Toxic’s mouth went dry.
"Without her knowledge...." He grimaced with regret.
"I wanted you to be the most powerful being on earth... and in my quest for this I was blinded to the damage the unborn you was doing to Romana..." 

Toxic took his eyes off his gun to look at his hand... with his fists closed,  his hand was engulfed with the lime green flames, the fire reflecting in his dark brown eyes, and the weight of it all sunk in.
"You are the reason I'm like this?!" His gaze flashed angrily back at his father. "The reason my mother is dead... The reason I'm Toxic?!"
But his father returned his stare only blankly. It was obvious he wanted to say something, but simply didn't know how, or what.
"You put this stuff into me?! Mutated me into this thing who can never touch... or be touched?!"
He cried in a pain-fueled rage; displaying his intense and raw emotions in public for the very first time.

"Yes..." Mastermind answered solemnly.
"Toxic, breathe." Galaxy Girl gently reminded him, forgetting her place. She was worried he would hyperventilate. Everyone took notice of this seemingly unusual gesture of concern, and it adding a slight pause to the heated conversation.
Of course, Toxic's relatives thought it was gravely odd. Galaxy let out a silent sigh after it went unmentioned.

"You let me go all these years believing that it was entirely the fault of my creation that she died? When in reality it was you?!" 
"I never did tell you it was your fault, I never told you anything..."
Mastermind countered.
"But you let me assume it!"
Toxic snapped right back. 

"Alright, enough of this family reunion." announced Quickstep, faster than the eye could see.
He threw Mastermind down, and by the time the Supervillain hit the floor, knocking himself out cold, he had snatched his sister away from Galaxy Girl.

The Speedsters began the encircling once more. This wasn’t going to be an easy one for either party. Whirling around Galaxy Girl and Toxic, Mastermind’s unconscious body lay out cold on the edge of the dance floor. Toxic found himself feeling slight relief at the knowledge that his father was not in the direct path of being trampled to death.

The hero and her villain were forced to stand back to back, fists ready, in a defensive position. Toxic quickly calculated the precise targeting time, aimed his gun and fired, hoping to knock one out of orbit, but only the click of the trigger could be heard, and nothing fired from the barrel.

"Dammit." He groaned, holstering it. They were too close, he had no radiation to fire, for she was absorbing all of it. 
"Well Hero, as much as I love being the bearer of bad news... I regret to inform you but I think our only viable option right now is a good, old fashioned team up."

"Wonderful..." She sighed ever so un-enthusiastically. Neither of them had noticed the crowd that had started to gather around the hole in the ballroom wall.
"Who needs precedence anyways?" 

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A/N: Hey guys, hope you all are doing well. I on the other hand might need some positive energy sent my way, so if you could take a moment to collectively, yet individually will some towards me, that would be amazing. Call me crazy but I firmly believe in the power of positive energy and will power. I appreciate it.
Have a good week.
-Catalina