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The sound of banging on the metal bars wakes Demencia up for the umpteenth time. Tiredly, she opens her eyes to look at her captor.
A young man stares back at her with piercing golden eyes, messy brown hair, and a buck toothed smile. It was unsettling to her. He wasn't supposed to look like that, let alone acting like this.
"Good morning Demencia," the man chimed.
How long has this been going on? How long since the manor had been raided? Since her love had disappeared in a flash Since the bear had been muzzled and taken away? Since the doctor had been pinned down trying to defend her and the bear? Since she was knocked out and woke up in this Satan-forsaken cell?
She remembered the sounds of the Doctor screaming as they continued on for days. How they went from demands to let him and his friends go, to pleading. Crying. Begging to get Black Hat out of his head. Apologizing that he didn't want to do all the horrible things he'd done.
Demencia remembers when he finally went silent.
It was silent for so long.
Until one day when she heard the sound of sneakers making their way towards her cell.
How they stopped in front of her.
And the sound of metal bars banging brought her to look up.
She didn't recognize him as first. How could she? She never saw his face.
The man gave her a gentle smile.
"Patient 2960. Codename: Demencia. Real name: Abigail Rodgers. Subject to experimentation, body modification and brainwashing-"
The lizard hybrid cut him off, "Flugster...what happened to you?" she whispered.
"By Black Hat with assistance from Dr. Kenning Flug Slys," the doctor continued on reading his notes, ignoring Demencia's comments.
Once he finished and looked at his captive audience and gave another smile.
"Doctor Kenning Hart at your service," he'd reintroduced himself.
"As for what happened to me," the doctor continued, "P.E.A.C.E. have been kind enough to finally free me from Black Hat's influence." His eyes had shone as he had said this.
No.
No. No. No.
This wasn't the brother-like figure she knew and loved. Flug would never talk badly about her beloved Black Hat. Something was very wrong.
Demencia backed as far away as she could from the doctor, into the corner of her cell.
Dr. Hart frowned slightly and tried to soothe her, "Abigail. Abigail, honey, you need to calm down. Everything is finally going to be alright. We're gonna get you the help you need, okay?"
Help? Demencia didn't need any help. Dr. Flug was the one who needed it. He wasn't even using the right name for her!
"Flug...what do you mean... you've been Black Hat's right hand man for years…" Demencia asked, seriously for once.
"It's Dr. Hart, Abigail," the good doctor corrected, "As for what I mean," he tapped his temple. "I was born into a hero family, you know. Both me and my twin brother. My brother was gifted with powers at a young age and I with intelligence. However, as I got older it seemed like the world turned against me. I was thrown away by my family and accepted into Black Hat Academy and later on Black Hat University."
Dr Hart let out a sigh before continuing, "I didn't realize...no I couldn't realize that at this point Black Hat was already in my head, molding me into what he needed. Someone who would follow him unconditionally and do all of the dirty work running a business requires. The perfect second in command. He turned me against my family...convinced me my brother was my archenemy…"
There was a pause as the doctor continued, a bit more quietly. "He made me want to give everything to him. I never wanted to hurt anyone but he was in my head and made me want to do horrible things...made me hurt you…and I'm sorry."
Demencia remembered how silence lingered that day until he left. Ever since then Dr. Hart visited her every single day. Some days he would engage in casual conversation with her, other days he would curse Black Hat and try to convince Demencia to let him undo what he did to her. He said he wouldn't do anything to her without her permission. And other days he would break down crying and tell her other things Black Hat had done to him.
She hated those days.
She hated how he called her Abigail.
She hated how she still recognized this man as her brother because it was clear he still loved and cared about her in his own way. He kept saying she was sick.
Most of all Demencia hated how she didn't think she could love Black Hat the same way as before.
The things Flug had told her had made sure of that.
----
One day Demencia didn't wake up to the sound of Dr. Hart banging on her cell.
She woke up to alarms blaring and the smell of sulfur and blood.
She saw dozens and dozens of people running past her cell, seemingly fleeing for their lives. All of them ignored her.
Then Demencia saw Dr. Hart running towards her, panic across his face. Frantically, he began to input the code to unlock her cell.
"Doc... what's goin-," she started
"We have to go now!" The terrified doctor cut her off, "Black Hat...he's here looking for us, Abigail."
There was a beep and the cell door swung open. Dr. Hart grabbed her hand and pulled her out pointing to the corridor on the right "The way out is that way, make a right at the end of the hall. I'll join you soon. I've got to free 5.0.5 as well."
Demencia was about to argue when-
"Demencia. Dr. Flug."
Both of them froze suddenly. Black Hat was walking towards them at a leisurely pace, a wicked smile across his face.
The longer Demencia stared at him, the more she felt her heart flutter. She forgot how hot he was.
Wait.
Demencia felt like she was forgetting something.
---
Meanwhile Dr. Hart snapped out of his terrified stupor and made a run for it.
Only for a black tentacle to wrap around his leg and drag the struggling doctor to his owner.
Dr. Hart desperately closed his eyes, trying to avoid the nightmare before him.
"Dr. Flug," Black Hat put a clawed hand on his face, gently caressing his cheek with mock affection. "You know better than to run from me. Now stop being a coward and look at me."
Against his better judgement and under compulsion Dr. Hart' eyes snapped open and he began to scream and sob.
"No...no sir please don't break me again. I don't want to...I don't want to..." Dr. Hart's face was covered in tears as his voice slurred more and more, his eyes unfocused as the world around him began to fade and Black Hat became the center of his attention.
"Sir...where are we..." Dr. Flug eventually whispered, deathly still.
Black Hat's grin somehow grew wider, a paper bag and goggles appearing in his free hand, offering them to his doctor. "Those pesky heroes tried to 'fix' you again."
Flug took the offered item and fit them back on his head. His motions seemed to be automatic. "Oh...is that so, sir? Why can't they see I'm a willing participant in villainy? How annoying." Flug's goggles reflect him rolling his eyes.
"Yes, yes. Now it's time to go. Demencia go break out 5.0.5.," Black Hat growled out as he released Flug.
Demencia snapped to attention, a crazed smile appearing on her face, "Yes, my Lord!" she sang out, the memory of the last who knows how long already faded away.