V.I.R.A.L

Zinnia began walking down the street; her eyes fixated on the poster. She had a dozen thoughts racing through her mind at 88mph, she refused to believe what she saw. To her, this had to be a trick, a last-ditch effort from the Garden to break her. There was no way in hell; her mother was a super-villain. She knew it to be rubbish, Zinnia had proof that her mother was a hero. The greatest hero to ever live, yet there lay in front of her evidence to prove otherwise. That's when the doubt snuck in.

Focused on the poster Zinnia didn't notice the crowds of people running away in fear. The poster flew from her hands as she was knocked to the ground as people trampled all over her. Holding her arms up the cluster of people faded as a loud explosion rung down the empty streets. One more blast flurried out as a girl in green spandex appeared from the flames floating in the air, holding bags of money howling with laughter. "Ahh, this shit is just too easy. Like taking candy from a forty-year-old businessman."

Zinnia stood up, staring at the super-villain, feeling a feeling of dread eating away at her. She was the girl in the poster. This was her mother, Hannah Trost. Zinnia stood up, stepping back, knocking into a bin getting the attention. The two came face to face as Zinnia took a deep breath. "Stealing is wrong!"

"It is? Damn the idea never popped into my head? I feel bad now." She cackled in a mocking tone. "Sweetheart, do you have any idea who I am?"

"Hannah Trost."

Hannah flinched, staring at Zinnia pissed off. "You've got three seconds to explain how the fuck you know my real name girl. One, two."

Hannah's eye darted to the left as a barrage of smoke cluttered across the streets. Zinnia felt someone grab her running to a safe distance. More smoke piled on as Hannah began coughing before casting a massive gust of wind blowing all the smoke away. Zinnia was put down as a boy in similar spandex, this one being red stood up. He wore a half-mask similar to the phantom of the opera, one Zinnia was begging Alton to wear. "Stay here, you'll be safe." The hero jumped up, balancing on a lamppost. "Three."

Hannah leaned forward, still floating tutting, giving off a smug look. "You never know when to quit do you mister hero? That girl and I were just having a friendly chat, you know girl stuff, boys, makeup and absolute carnage."

The hero began stretching playing off her banter. "Hey, I'm not one to judge what you get up to in your free time Geostruction. I'm just doing my job; I don't care about your personal life."

"Touching. And here I thought I was getting to know you better Phantom."

Zinnia watched in slight awe at what was about to happen, she was going to watch a superhero and villain battle to the death, like the ones she read in the comics. She was so excited by the matter she had forgotten the villain was her mother. The Phantom took out a baseball bat spinning it around, aiming it at Geostruction. "How about we drop the cash and give it up? I promised my roommate I would take her out to the cinema."

"Aww, well aren't you a sweetheart, I'll happily surrender if you take off that smashing mask of yours and show the world your secret identity. You first, darling."

"Well, isn't that tempting? But please, shouldn't we leave the best till last, ladies first."

Zinnia deflated hiding behind a bin yelling waving her hand around. "Will you two stop flirting and fight!"

Hannah blankly stared at her smacking her lips together, giving her a judgemental look. "Is she with you?"

"Never seen her in my life." The Phantom muttered also being just as judgemental. "This is the part where the civilian usually runs away."

Hannah raised her hand as tornados began rippling into existence surrounding her. "Who are we to deny this girl a show. She gets front row seats to your death."

The Phantom flipped back as the lamppost was pulled into the death trap. Squatting down as he landed smoke began pouring all around him as he held his bat behind him. "I won't let you harm her."

"That's the problem with you heroes, protect anyone no matter what. You don't even know the girl yet here you are about to die for her."

"You wouldn't understand villain. There's nothing humane about you. Saving people is just what people do!" He argued blasting from the ground high into the air as smoke consumed the street. The Phantom flipped around, converging all his power into his next attack as smoke danced around him. Geostruction stared up scoffing to herself as she raised her hand up to meet his next attack with a typhoon of power-sucking in anything nearby. The Phantom raced down like a roaring bullet holding his bat above him as he rammed through the storm ready to make a direct impact. Geostruction met with this striking bolts of lightning back. Two impacted against each other's wrath as an explosion of elements was on full display. Geostruction covered her face as the Phantom was making a push. Or so he thought, Geostruction moved her hand hiding her look of might as the Phantom flinched as a hailstorm blasted him through serval buildings leaving her victorious.

Hannah turned her gaze back to Zinnia, wiping the smoke from her hands. "Now, where were we? Better make this quick, he's known to make a quick recovery. Who are you?"

Zinnia tried running away only for Hannah to fly past, blocking her escape. "I refuse to believe you are what they say. What I see in front of me. Hannah Trost is no villain. She is a legendary hero. The legendary and most beloved hero in history!"

Hannah began clapping nodding. "Quite the little words of motivation right there, you rehearsed that in the mirror? I don't know how the hell you know me or what bullshit you've heard. But I am certainly no bloody hero that's for sure. I only look out for one person, and that's me. So, I'm going to ask again, who the hell are you?!"

Zinnia fell back as Hannah got a better look taking off her wooden mask. "This is strange. You look almost exactly like me. The eye colour is off but still. What are you some clone?"

"My name is Zinnia Trost."

"Zinnia Trost, huh? Nice name. So, what we some long lost siblings? I don't really care. You got in my way making some good money today. Guess I'll just have to set an example to the rest of the city, no one messes with Geostruction."

"Shut up." Zinnia yells standing up, catching Hannah off guard. "This is all lies. I refuse to accept, accept this bullshit! You aren't her, not in a million years. The Hannah Trost I know is a hero, one who saved the day every time. One who would risk her life for others, no questions asked. That's someone I've looked up to my whole life. My mother is no villain. She's a hero who I aspire to be!"

A crackle of lightning rippled through the sky, striking Zinnia. The purple cracks sparking all around her body as her green eyes glowed. Hannah stepped back startled. "Just what the hell are you talking about?! You're crazy!" Zinnia stepped forward as she began to run another thunderous lightning strike hit as Zinnia sped up jolting past Hannah matching the speed of the electrical strike. Hannah flinched, turning around as Zinnia was already readying an attack. "Impossible! That power." Zinnia struck as Hannah blocked it with a katana which had the same electrical energy flowing through. "Is exactly like mine."

Zinnia bit her lip in anger flipping over her mother before the crackle teleported her further away distancing them both. "So, it's true then. You are my mother."

"Did you hit your head or something? We're the same age."

Zinnia began cracking her fingers, moving her neck around. "If this is true, then everything I've know has been a lie. Why would you do that? Lie to your daughter to make me think you were a hero?!" Zinnia bolted forward punching Hannah clean in the chest, smashing her back across the entire street leaving a crater. Zinnia held her head, losing her senses. "I've been the daughter of a villain this whole time? What does that make me? How can I face others knowing this? Everything I worked for, I've strived for has been to honour my mother's legacy. Ingrid, the name Alton gave me. Daughter of a hero. All of it was a lie!" More lighting crackled striking all around Zinnia as she held her head in shame. "I've been living a lie…"

Hannah began coughing, pulling herself from the rubble. "Who the hell is this girl claiming to be my daughter? She's crazy. She's a monster."

Zinnia suddenly rippled next to Hannah, looking down at her hands in fear. "Maybe you're right. There's nowhere for me to belong." She placed her hand on Hannah's shoulder, staring at her with murderous intent. "I should have never been born. This isn't what I want. I'll make things right. Killing you will set things straight."

Hannah swiped at Zinnia, knocking her back as she held her katana by her side. "Killing me? You sound like the real villain now girl…"

Zinnia covered her left eye tilting her head. "Me a villain? No, wait, maybe she's right? Maybe I am the villain? I attacked the Montagues and forced Alton to join my cause. I ruined his chance of becoming a big streamer with Vanguard. I'm responsible for Percy's death, and now Alton is going to die because of me." She began laughing walking backwards, losing her grip on her true self. "Yes, that's right. Suppose it was always going to end this way. Like mother like daughter. Let's be villains, shall we?"

Holding her hand out a bolt of lightning struck Hannah ripping through her right shoulder. Hannah stumbled back falling to her knee in pain. Zinnia began slowly walking over, smiling murderously. "I am a villain, I am a villain, I am a villain, I am a villain!"

As Zinnia was about to kill her mother, Emil catapulted from the wall punching Zinnia in the face knocking them both to the ground. Emil pulled himself up to his knees, watching Zinnia cracking up snarling. "Zinnia, the trials are wrapping your mind! Fight it, don't let the hero of Rhapsody die! Everyone is waiting for you! Fight!"

Emil turned seeing serval floating orbs of lightning surrounding him. They all struck him as he managed to dive into the floor to save himself. Jumping back out, Zinnia stood up as a thunderous storm began brewing alongside a tremendous downpour. She held her arms behind her, staring at Emil with rage. "I need to do this Emil, I need to kill her, everything will be better if I never existed! Don't steal this moment from me!"

"Fuck, it's already too late, she's too far gone…" Emil cursed under his breath. Leaning against the wall, he pulled a crowbar out, flipping it around as the rain hammered him. "I came here to save you Zinnia, I know your still in there. I will make sure we all make this out so we can save Alton!"