Chapter 12: The charismatic Parasite Part 2 (2/2)
****
Harriet glanced away a smug look smudging over her face as the hordes of her obedient fans swarmed the two streamers. Zinnia pushed one away as Alton jumped back making them slip on the puddles of water igniting from the water fountain. ”Well, this all went to shit so quickly. Serves me right to think this would be so easy.”
Alton pulled Zinnia out of the way blocking serval attack. Zinnia tried to calm them down, but her powers couldn't bypass their mindless rampage in the name of Pokiero. ”We need to stop Harriet. We can't hurt these people. They are innocent.”
”Easier said than done. They. They aren't exactly playing fair. They've gone mad!” Alton curses being pinned to a tree. Struggling to budge, he curled his hand up, grabbing one of their arms and tugging it forward. The mind slave tumbled forward, giving Alton enough legroom to use the icicle he had planned to break his mind out of reasonable mind control. He broke it as water flooded, pressing them back into the park bench. As they hit said bench the water froze holding them in place. ”Zinnia! I'll hold them off takedown Harriet, that might break her spell.”
Zinnia nodded jumping over the bench, rushing Harriet. Alton spun around flicking water everywhere freezing people on the spot. Harriet's eyes widen as she spun around seeing Zinnia reaching out, trying to get the finishing move in. All she had to do was suppress her emotions, and the goons would fall from her fantasy. Harriet stepped backbiting her lip, this couldn't be over for her. The two made eye contact as she feared the worst. That was until Zinnia stopped her pursuit. Her legs began to become weak as she fell to her knees taken by Harriet's looks.
Alton finished the last of the goons yelling in annoyance as Zinnia failed. ”Fuck sake Zin you had one job…”
Harriet gave a puzzled look slightly startled that Zinnia suddenly stopped. The look morphed as she began to giggle like a little girl on Christmas. She kneeled smacking Zinnia's face lightly as she began to hackle ruffing up her hair. ”Well isn't this a turn of fates? I honestly thought you had me their sweetheart. My looks and charms have never reached another girl before, isn't this just groovy, huh? Seems that thunder you had their Rhapsody had crumbled away before you even had the chance to succeed. I don't know why you came after me now but no matter. That train will never leave the station. She's a pretty one, isn't she? I think I'll keep her. Always wanted a pet, we can play sleepovers, paint each other's nails. Go all out. Oh, but don't you worry Dauntless if you're a good boy and submit I might just let you have her.”
Alton grinded his teeth staring at Zinnia disappointed. ”Damn its Zinnia… always making my job harder than it has to be.”
”I take that as a no.”
”What do you think? Even if I lose, the media will take notice. The numbers have witnessed your corrupt ways. They won't let this slide.”
”Hehe, Hehe, oh my dear sweet naïve boy, that will not happen. When I take your mind, tomorrow will be just another for me. You might get a few articles, yes. But only for a failed streamer throwing false allocations at a well-established streamer, your apology video might be something to find amusing.” Alton grumbled readying his final stand. ”I grow tired of these games, let's see how you do when your team turn against you.”
Alton spun around as Gale slammed forward, launching Alton into the water fountain smashing it to pieces. Water flooded everywhere as Alton was blinded by the sudden burst of water. Gale jumped up, crashing down on him. The shot of water tore back, knocking Gale back, slashing him down as he collapsed frozen still. ”I'm not going through that again…”
The goons of Pokiero began to break free as Alton began panting struggling to keep up. Harriet snickered leaning forward, gripping Zinnia's neck. ”Boys hold this creep down. I want to get a good look at him.” Alton stood up away from Harriet. He took a deep breath relaxing as his tight grip loosened. Taking one last breath, he turned around facing Harriet. She looks somewhat startled as the two met eyes to eye, at least Harriet was. Alton had his eyes closed, starting his gamble. ”What? Just what do you think you're doing?! You think that's going to save you? Not looking?! Try that all you like but you're going to have to open your eyes to fight!”
The mind slaves began moving in all around Alton. He turned his head slightly as one slave slammed his foot onto the puddles of water all around Alton. The slave was shot up into the air by a sudden burst of water falling into a tree. Alton grinned sinisterly as his plan was going perfectly. The slaves began swarming him each falling into his trap, tramping on the puddles of water all around. And like flies they all began dropping as the sudden gusts of water flew them away, protecting Alton without him even having to blink. Using the water as echolocation, he could tell where anyone was if their bodies reached the small defence he had set up. Using that he would entrust the water to rid of any intruders bridging the gap between him and Harriet. Her face turned into one of devastation as her fans were taken out until there was nothing left. Alton was all aware of this. It was just him and her. Lifting his arm, he stood on the spot for a short while before swinging his arm in a long way rushing Harriet eyes still shut.
Harriet began freaking out, unable to take control of him. She, however, still had one last ace up her sleeve. As Alton was inches away, she picked up Zinnia using her as a body shield. Alton felt this change stopping his attack being forced to open his eyes to avoid hurting Zinnia. Harriet lowered Zinnia's head as Alton, and she met with a gaze him being mere moments from the final attack. Alton's heart began to fluster as Harriet smiled brightly taking control of Alton. ”Got you!”
Alton stopped on the spot with a blank expression entirely under her control. Alton's eyes became droopy as he dropped his arm. Harriet moved closer to Alton inspecting her prize. As she did, a loud snap was heard. The ice shattered down Alton's arm as bloodshot out spilling on Harriet's face and into her eyes. She stepped back blinded by the blood as Alton managed to snap out of his trance. His sleeve ripped apart as a new icicle he had just made before attacking Harriet crumbled apart. Alton pulled Zinnia away, swinging his blood around turning it to ice cutting deep into Harriet's face. Harriet fell back onto the ground as Alton watched over her holding Zinnia behind him. Harriet began panting nagging in pain. The attack caught her completely off guard, and her lifeline was gone. She gritted her teeth spitting as she was ready to fight again only to stop halfway through her motion. Her head began to go crazy as her hands began wailing around, she started feeling her face screaming in fear. She couldn't open her eyes. She couldn't see Alton glanced over her sighing in relief. ”Seems I found your weakness. You can only take control of somebody's mind if you are making eye contact with them. So, I used the opportunity to take that from you. Now you can never ruin another person's life without your sight.”
Harriet began crawling around like a lost child rubbing her eyes. She fell forward sobbing. Alton looked away only to turn back hearing her laughing. ”I'm, I'm free? I'm free of the curse… ha, hahaha, Bahahaha!”
Zinnia began to come to as she looked up seeing her in Alton's arms. ”Huh? What, what happened? Are we winning?”
Alton turned to Harriet, who was over the moon, smirking to himself. ”I think. I think we just all won.”
Zinnia was put down as she scratched her head in confusion. ”How? Last, I remember she took control of my mind and then. Everything draws a blank.”
”Well turns out her powers only work if the victim is looking at her in the eyes. I used that to take her down with my eyes shut.”
”Wait, how did you know that?!”
Alton's proud look died down into relief as he slouched over. ”I had no idea! I just threw my last desperate attempt at her. Thank God that did work; otherwise, I would look like a right idiot about now. I think. Only people attracted to her could be under her control. Once I figured that out I had her in the bag.”
”That makes sense. That's why she thought she lost when she took me down… only people who are… Can we. Can we drop this? You never speak of this got it!” Zinnia snapped looking away, going bright red at the thought.
Alton laughed as the drones flooded around them. ”Look Zin, all eyes are on us. Take it all in. We made history today. Victory is ours.”
Zinnia glimpsed up at the drone as the comments were going crazy. ”We really did… we did it! We brought down a villain! We're heroes! ”Alton smirked saluting to the drone before turning away, raising his fist forward. ”What was that?” She laughed.
Alton glimpsed down nodding. ”An old habit of mine.”
****
”Miss Dawn, your tea is ready.”
The young girl glimpsed over her should nodding. ”Thank you, I'll be down in a short moment.” She said in a posh well-spoken tone, she turned back around, leaning her head on her side against her arm as she began toying with her bleach white hair. The light-emitting from her computer screen showed the stream of the evening as she stared at team Rhapsody's stream with great interest. She giggled admiring the stream. ”How very interesting. Rhapsody huh? Quite the team, and superheroes too? They will do nicely.”