Before you guys start talking, I'm-- physically-- fine. My power has all returned to me.
I'm guessing what you all really want to know is what that was.
Spill the beans, bub.
Bear with me. I know this is may sound strange, but I know the answer. Not just to what it is, but to everything. Who caused everything. Why did this happen. What we need to stop it.
Oh wow, that's totally not contrived at all.
What you saw before was a part of me that I was planning on addressing you guys about after we had returned, but I didn't take into account things going awry along the line. During my... bout... with a certain you-know-who, I was forcibly took over; corrupted. It was this corruption which led me into a frenzy.
And?
The components of the Virus-- Soon enough, they left my body... but I kept the rage I felt at the time. It was irrational, unstable-- and I tried putting it off by stuffing it deep down... but it was clear that was only a short-term solution. So when everything was drained from me... it was no wonder all those feelings flooded back.
(Seems legit. What now?)
Now?...
...We deal with the bastard who's responsible for all of this. But there's only one way how.

Prototype points to Junior, Big Eye, and Laser Joe. Then at himself.

Interfering right now would be an immediate death wish.; If we want to have a chance at making ourselves useful, we'll need upgrades stat. But first...

Prototype turns to Soul, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Man, what now?
Although I can't say our experiences have been the same, I know what it means losing someone important to you. I'm sorry about what happened with Delta.
That said... he's alive. And I know exactly where he is.
...OKAY.

Walter falls backwards... only to firmly plant his foot down, still up.

...get... outtuh... mh bodie...
Too stupid to quit, huh? I guess if I had to say something I liked about you, that would be it. You really are something, you know that, right? It's like you're made out of lead...
...Even lead can be bent, you know.

The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).
The masked person uses Here's Your Refund (and Tip).

Ugh...

Walter falls... only to be caught in someone else's arms.

HISS!
Oh. It's you. Word to the wise, either be more direct with your little host, or leave him. It's obvious his influence has been softening you up.
YOU WILL LEAVE FOREVER AND NEVER EVER COME BACK HERE. IF I EVER SEE YOUR UGLY MUG AROUND HERE AGAIN I WILL KILL YOU AS SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY AS POSSIBLE.
Have it your way. I've done everything I've wanted to do, anyway. All that's left...
...IS TO WAKE UP.

The masked person va

What? I'll bet you think I wear this suit because it looks cool, huh? It's because without it the raw emotional energy my body contains would make me a walking weapon of mass destruction. With every second I'm without it, a random star system dies.

Walter points two fingers at the masked man.

Congrats. You're a potential murderer. Should I be proud?

Trying to fire a Finger Blaster, Walter finds that all the energy from his fingertips has been discharged by a hand grabbing his wrist.

You should be ashamed. We all are. The only difference is that you disrespect everyone who taints themselves in blood, sweat, and tears trying to gain power that within your arm's reach.

The two of them grapple for control, their own power leaking from their bodies. Walter begins to be overwhelmed....

For all that talk of humans being humans because of their capacity to improve, you sure have a hard time moving on without someone breathing praise down your neck.
That's... that's not true... I'm...
Look at yourself. You don't even want to fight me anymore. And why would you? You know I'm right.

Walter is forced on one knee.

You see your 'Worship' as nothing but a jokerized version of all your power in one place waiting for you to use. But imagine what he sees. One person working hard every day to muster the most of their ever-expansive potential for themselves... and the other person trying to be as quirky as possible, doing nothing but complaining about their fake name and making references.

The two break off the hold. Walter once again charges at the mysterious man... who Releases an invisible force, doing colossal damage to Walter.

Ough...

---

Here's Your Refund (and Tip) (Empty)- COMPOUND inflicts the combined amount of damage to the target every amount of damage and/or force they have inflicted thus far in the fight a thousand-fold in the form of a invisible, single-hitting concussive force.

Walter rolls over, getting up immediately.

Why, I oughta...

Walter imprisons the intruder in a Psyche Capture, with the latter whom breaking out with ease. Walter then receives a tap on his shoulder from behind him. When he turns around, he is gifted with a hard blow to the jawline, forcing him back down.

Cute. You've still got a lot of growing with your mental powers before you could even think of restraining me.
Damn it...
Look at you. You're so divided with yourself, you can hardly use any of your power right. And instead of trying to fix that, you spend your time playing the victim and waiting for someone to tell you "no, my friend, you aren't inadequate".

The person slowly walks towards Walter.

Lemme give you some advice. The sooner you stop waiting for those around you to give you validation, the sooner you'll be able to move on and gain true power. You aren't some underdog that people'll take pity on and fight with. They aren't your friends. They never were. So grow up and shove your need for an 'okay' down your chewing place.

---

Gale Beam (Wind/Laser)- Vaati (or an extension of Vaati) fires a gigantic laser beam filled to the brim with a countless degree of microscopic wind-particles, creating the effect of several numerous internal vortexes tearing the target's molecules apart from within upon connection.

Psyche Capture (None/Grapple)- Walter traps a person, place, or thing in a telekinetic extension of itself. There is no limit to the amount of things that can be captured at once, and it is fortified by the target's willpower multiplied by Walter's (Walter's alone if they are non-sentient). Impossible to break out of by conventional means, and anything caught in it can be bent to whatever Walter himself wants.

The Astral Rays reflect off of the orbs, with one being used to shield Vaati's eye himself. Meanwhile, all eight of them suddenly open into miniature eyes, each firing a Reborne Laser of their own directly at Konngara!

While this happens, a black mist slowly begins to spread across the room...

---

Reborne Laser (Laser/Shadow)- Vaati, or an extension of Vaati, shoots a near-instantaneous very fast laser which slowly dissolves all materials it comes in contacts with (other than Vaati himself).

I know this is going to be more awkward then ten post-COVID millennials trapped in a cage so I'm just going to leave and do Earth shenanigans.

Dracon does a peace sign, and fades away.
...
...Fair. But when I said that, I was under the impression there would be other people aside from those busy. You know, those without friends nor family... You know, like someone in this room...

Silence.

...Me. To be clear, this isn't a passive-agressive jab or anything. I'm actually referring to myself. But, I suppose using my own experiences to set expectations wasn't quite broad-minded of me... heh... broad.
...So, did you come for anything other than to point that out?

All of those under Vaati's spell remain the same regardless of Spooky's meddling.

---

Hold on, now... that wave of power just then...
Really. A new worf?
Yes... a force to be reckoned with, no doubt... one that possesses extreme power...

---

In the distance, someone can be seen flying through space.

(...What the hell are those things supposed to be?)

It flies out of view.

---

I don't sense it anymore. That was it, I think.
Okay...? What the heck's the plan now, then?
It's simple... stand by... and watch as the globe is marinated in a slow, yet sure, bloodbath.
I don't think you have that luxury; you doxxed yourself. I'm sure people are going to come and try to kill you by force.
Let them.
w h a t
Let them. I have the time to spare... anybody looking for the Rudy treatment may refer as they please. And besides... that talk about 'power' would be even more meaningless if I was without the means to back it up.
...Besides, it's not as though it would come to that, anyway. You would have to be eight stone-cold layers of hardcore to go through the trouble of flying two hundred thousand miles outside the comfort and safety of your planet to fight an immortal eldritch dark sorcerer turned demon with unfathomable power. Or insane...
...I think I'll turn the moon into my new fortress in the meantime.

Oof!

Joe sends Frost Tiger stumbling further down tens of rows with an open-palmed uppercut.

You done? Or are you as big as a glutton for beatdowns as your canine bro?

Joe immediately counters a suprise attack from behind, throwing Fire Leo over his shoulder and onto the ground, before proceeding with a double stomp to the chest.

AU-HAAAUGH!

Fire Leo falls on top of Frost Tiger's body.

You've trained for such an infinitesmal amount of time... and yet you can stand up to our combined might... how?
Two words, bro. Hard. Work...
Actually, I guess it's a lot less cut and dry like that... Like what your regime looks like, who you're training with, what techniques you learn, your aptitude to learn and improve...
...Forget it. I'm gettin' off topic. Point is, I have you guys beat. You two may as well surrender and hit the road already.
....We'll see...

...I'm sorry you had to see that. It was quite grotesque, most likely. So to make it up to you; I take back what I said about murdering your friends and family...
....YOU'RE going to be doing that for me.

Vaati, now much different in appearance, casts a hypnotic spell on everyone viewing the livestream.

You will find the ones you care about, and once you do, you will relentlessly pursue and destroy them. Make sure to enjoy yourself doing it, too. I know not all of you sapiens and even robots out there the same immortality as I do... So think of this as a pre-emptive closure on the topic of death.
Cut loose. Enjoy yourselves. We ALL enjoy our fair share of entertainment. And, of course, what better of the sort than painting the blue and green red?... With that said... Make sure to give yourselves the fun times you deserve. Until then, my dear viewers... Ta ta.
....Wait, hold on... how do you stop the stream agai--

The footage stops.

I'm pretty sure you'll be banned on YouTube in like, within the first three minutes of this video's existence.
Oh, hush. Regulus did vlogs. If Disney and Mark Zuckerberg can have channels, I can have a channel.
Background music?
Billie Jean.
That's getting copyright claimed.
if I care, monetal gain is overrated anyway.
Alright, we're going live in five..

---

Hey what's up, it's your boy the V-Meister, up with a new video. But before we continue, I noticed that only 98% of you guys watching are subscribed.
That's bad. Ya'll in the 2% better step up or I'm eradicating your family. Now, now, I know normally I'd say I would eat your family instead of just annihilating them, but... That coincides with a serious topic in today's video.

Vaati opens his cloak up, revealing a dark nothingness.

I'm suffering from... extreme anorexia. Being a hundred-to-thousand year old entity that's gone a while without physical consumation, it's no wonder my insides look as empty as the president's brain. Cue the laugh track.
*audible laugh track*

Vaati closes it.

That is why I am here to finally mix things up with-- you guessed it-- an ASMR session. And with it, I have...

A familiar object subject teleports within Vaati's front... the golden fruit.

Yeah... just one measly fruit? Pathetic, I know. What's the worth in that? Well...

Four more golden fruit teleport in front of Vaati.

Luckily, I came prepared! With four more, REAL, yes, THE REST OF, the REAL, WHOLLY LEGITIMATE, GOLDEN FRUIT! Now, before we begin, I'd like to give a shoutout to my channel backers, those in the Patreon, and King for giving me this splendid opportunity.
If you enjoy more content like this, make sure to seal the like button inside of yourself like the stupid green-donning annoyance it is and subscribe with notifications on! Now, let's get onto the video!

---

---

Uoh... You can't see it, but I am stuffed... I feel like I'm about to burst, but those felt so... good... wait...
Oh damn... DAMN...
DAMN... DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA---

Vaati's body undergoes a large transformation, his body morphing... until he slowly yet surely finishes, turning into a strange silhouette.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN. OH GOD. OH MY WORD. THAT WAS THE . THAT. WAS THE . OH MY GOD. JESUS. SWEET MAIDENSKIRTS.... MAN.
Are you okay?
I'M PROCESSING.

Of course, HE doesn't overexert energy into everything he does like a MORON. Somethin' that--
Why do you care?
What? What are you tryin' 'ta--
Why. Do you care. It's not your problem what I do, and it's not your problem how I do it. After all, as long as you are the one being used, it doesn't matter, does it? After all, if something goes wrong, the most you lose is a body. You can find that in any morgue.
But nooo, your stuck with a pathetic little man that can't do anything right. Boo hoo.
?
...You know what? I thought that... after what happened before, that... we could finally actually start being partners. That we could put our grievances aside, and do what we can... together. You had the means, and I had the restraint to exercise them properly.
But of course, I CAN'T have that. Because I'm too weak. Because I'm a loser who cares too much about his job. Because I'm too rusty. Because I'm too reckless. because no matter how many times I try to be useful, It'll never be enough. Not for you; Not for anyone.
...At the end of the day, it's just me. All alone. People will team up only for the sake of common interest, nobody likes me. My powers don't even like me.... I don't even like me.
...
I'm just known for being some dark-red edgelord's babysitter. Everybody else just... tolerates me.

Walter simply begins walking away.

...I'm gonna go wait until my body wakes up. Not that it's your problem.

Walter vanishes. Worship looks on in confusion.

A blur suddenly grabs a whole set of recording equipment.

SORRY NOT SORRY IMMA NEED THIS

The blur disappears.

A figure prances around a level ground in a frustrated manner.

Urgh! That 'rassa 'frassa stinkin' good for nothin' Worship! That guy thinks he can just wave away any mention of the money he owes me with a "too bad so sad"!? Well, I ain't havin' it!
I swear, he's lucky I'm a married man, otherwise I woulda cleaned his clocks right through that telephone! I 'oughta give him the ol' One Two and rough him up so he ponies up the millions of Ƶ he owes me! Yeaaaah....

The figure catches their fist with the palm of their other hand.

Or perhaps.... he'll listen... Once I lay the smackdown on one of those precious vessels of his.

A collection of paper documents on the (probable) table. above it marks an individual hanging upside-down from the ceiling.

Yeah! Uh, hey! I know no one is probably in here, but I'm gonna say this anyway. It's been cool, and this place is pretty chill for what it's worth, but uh... Nah. I'm resigning. Not anyone's specific fault but I feel like it would be better for the both of us if we headed our separate ways.
Also, I really can't condone or recommend a place where a known child murderer is allowed to enter and order as they please. Call me soft, but I just can't jive to that.

Spider-Man flips back down and shrugs.

Of course, it probably doesn't make as much as a difference to any of you as it does to me, so take that as you will.
I'll just get out of your hairs and leave. Adios!

Spider-Man exits.

Just... forget it. I don't have time to literally wrestle with myself.

Walter turns his back on Walter and Worship, walking away.

We'll figure this out when the time comes. For now, I'm busy, so pipe down.

He disappears.

Man, who does that know-it-all think he is? His hair looks dumb, too.
Now you know how I feel dealing with YOUR idiocy.
I'm... not that condescending. And besides, he's as strong as me. He has no right to talk to me like that.
...You'd LIKE to think that, wouldn't you? That because you guys are both two halves you're EQUALS?
That's... how it works, though. No?
NO. While YOU'VE been slaving away playing President, he has been training nonstop to protect that "Other World" of his! As it stands now, that prick is LEAGUES above you.
You're joking.
Fight him and find out! Oh, wait, you can't, because you used up all your energy like a little IDIOT!
How do these posts keep ending in me being degraded or disrespected in some way shape or form?

As soon as he melts someone else picks up the fruit, leaving an illusion in it's place.

The Pyre Fly suddenly feels itself swell up and increase, gaining an enormous amount of Solar energy.

Not much seems to get to any leads here...

She picks up the briefcase and begins to open it... before hearing General Leo's orders.

Oh, .

---

Heat gives the first two options both glances, and then promptly heads to Bulk's Shop.

Is this some grand scheme a way for you to force me to fight to the death with a copy that looks almost just like me? Because if it wasn't funny the sixth time, I don't think it'll be much funnier the seventh.
Yeah. I dunno about you, but I'm not so keen on the whole "evil doppelganger" thing. If I can help it, I would at least like to talk things out rather than duke things out...
...But if we did tussle...
I would win am not fighting you.
Fine. But we have no leads on what this means. What if one of us is from a parallel universe? What if one of us isn't real!? WHAT IF I'M NOT REAL!? WHAT IF I WAS PLANTED IN HERE BY SOME EVIL MASTERMIND TO DO THE BIDDING OF SOME VILLAIN!? WHAT IF--

Regular Walter is slapped in the face by Worship.

Unfortunately, you BOTH are the real deals.



Battle to the death averted. That still gives us almost zero context.
...It happened while I was in control of our body.

---

---

But it's not like I coulda been in two places at the same time, right?
WRONG, BUB! I SPLIT INTO TWO BODIES! ONE TO GUARD THE NEXT WORLD, AND ONE TO DO WHATEVER THE HELL SHANANIGANS I WANTED!
Wouldn't there be two of you, too?
Nah. I'm way too good for that cliché. You two are both linked to one mind.
...Also you've been at half power since.
Wait... so... I've been at half strength this entire time? Fighting for my life? Fighting for the life of others?
Meanwhile, this guy gets to enjoy his days in a different realm with a lavender sky and unlimited peace? With no paperwork?
Paperwork? That's what part of me has been doing all this time? I don't know whether to feel bad or ashamed.

Walter gets in Walter's vicinity.

Why don't I say that to your face, pal?
...It would be your pleasure.

The two begin to escalate before both being bopped into the head by Worship.