V.I.R.A.L

It had been serval days since Vanguard was defeated. Alton was still bedridden after all the injuries. Although at first protesting against the idea of being stuck in the hospital, he had warmed up to the peace and quiet. As he was ready to get some sleep, the door knocked. Alton sat up seeing Percy in the doorway looking down. "Percy, what are you doing here? Visiting hours ended ages ago."

Percy stepped inside sighing. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't wait around as Zinnia told me to speak to you. I wanted to apologise."

"What have you got to apologise for?"

"Don't act like I'm innocent here. We know why I'm apologising." Percy snapped sitting at the end of Alton's bed. "You're in here because of me. Because I was stupid enough to fall for a lie like Vanguard."

"So, you finally come to grips with it?"

"Yeah. There isn't any point of hiding it. Vanguard was my hero, but after the stuff he did. What he tried doing to you and Zinnia, I cannot forgive him. I hate him."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Alton muttered. "In this day and age, having someone to look up to gets slimmer and slimmer by the day. If I could have it my way, I wish Vanguard remained the person you saw him as. But that isn't any reason to be apologising to me."

"But I do. Suppose I had realised that sooner. If I wasn't so dumb and naïve, I might have seen the signs. I could have helped you stop him. No one would have got hurt."

Alton tutted, shaking his head in disapproval. "Stop beating yourself up about its kid. All that matters is that you Percy learned from your mistakes and did something about it. We all made it out of there. That's a win in my books."

"But even then, I couldn't do anything. My clones were useless again. I tried standing up to him, but that didn't do anything."

"Come here," Alton whispered as Percy stood up, walking over to him. Alton smacked him around the back of the head. "Get a hold of yourself, Percy! Didn't do anything?! If it weren't for you, Zinnia would be dead. You risked your life to save her. How is that not anything."

"But I couldn't fight Vanguard. My clones didn't do anything."

"Who cares?" He threw back. "It isn't about your clones. They won't win you every fight, Percy. It's about what's here." Alton placed a hand on his chest. "Your willpower can overpower any foe that stands before you clone or not. They are just a projection of your willpower. Stop using your projection and show the world your willpower up close."

Percy wiped his eyes standing up bowing. "I can't thank you enough Alton."

"Ah, don't get all sappy with me, man, I hate crying." Alton chuckled.

"I should get going. Thank you."

Alton watched Percy leave, halfway out he spoke up. "Percy." He stepped back in, looking confused. "I just wanted you to know. No matter what happens, no matter what foe you go up against all of us believe in you. Me, Zinnia, Gale, Emil. All of Team Rhapsody believes you can do anything Percy. You just need to believe yourself. Good luck, Truthseeker."

****

Percy was kicked back as he laid back on the ground bleeding everywhere. Memories flooded his mind. Both of the far and distant future. The people he cared for with all his heart. His mother, Team Rhapsody, Iris and Alice. He wanted to protect them. Make true in his words. Percy stood up calling on one last clone. It was faint and broken, but the clone was there. A clone of Vanguard. The Vanguard he used to admire. The one he still holds close to him; someone he wants to save. Agartha looked on in disbelief. "Impossible. That clone, you only create clones of people you respect, people you love. Even now, you still admire Vanguard?!"

"I always have, the man I watched save countless lives. The man who I looked up to as a hero. That man will always be my one true hero…" Percy dragged himself forward, stepping into the clone as it faded into his body fire in his eye burned brightly like the sun. Agartha stepped back as even the Cult was shaken. "But I need to start believing in my own strength, not the ones of others. Time to rely on my own two hands to make a difference. I believe I can do it!" Willpower flooded through Percy building his power into something on an entirely different level. Energy roared as Percy stood hands by his side tears falling. "I know I can do this. Everyone believes in me! Burning Willpower."

Agartha stepped back as the rest of the Cult ran as Percy's incredible light blinded the room. The power from all his clones was running through his body, no more relying on others. This was Percy's ultimate ability. "I refuse to accept defeat! Vanguard cannot die!" She fired serval projectiles which melted before impact. She began to shake losing control of the situation. "No. He's all I've got! He's my everything. Without Vanguard I'm nothing!"

Percy kept on walking forward, stopping each attack as he stood in front of Agartha who had to cover her face from the blinding light. Percy raised his fist, ready to strike. "You know what happens next. This is what happens to people who blindly follow Vanguard without any remorse!" Agartha fell to her knees, curling up, screaming in fear. Percy kneeled hugging her. "We save them…"

The light faded as Agartha looked up, seeing Percy fall to the floor defeated. She sat back blinking, unable to understand what just happened. Tears flooded from her eyes as she looked down at the young boy who never once raised a hand against her or her allies. She realised it was never a trick he wanted to save her till the very end. "Percy!" Agartha looked up, seeing Zinnia at the end of the room. She didn't wait around as she stood up, running away.

Zinnia rushed to her friend's side as she fell to her knees, seeing the state, he was in. She couldn't hold in her emotions as tears flooded from her face. Picking Percy up, she held him in her arms as he opened his eyes, looking at her. "Zinnia… did you see it? Did I save them?"

"Yeah, you sure did Percy."

Scarlett stood over Zinnia looked distressed. "They are getting away; I'll go after them!"

"No! They aren't a threat anymore. Percy saved them." She whimpered, squeezing him tighter. "You're going to be alright you hear me. We still need to take down Rodger and P4R4D0X. We'll need you for that."

Percy smiled the warmth from his body fading. "I'm with you every step of the way Zinnia. I. I can't, I feel cold, that's strange."

"Percy. No Percy please…" She sobbed turning to Jinx. "Find Alton. Get Alton and Emil here now! Please!!"

Jinx ran off as everyone else arrived. Alice and Iris stood back. Iris looked devasted holding Alice crying. It didn't take too long for Gale to show up. Bloody and bruised he had fought his way to finding Percy. He walked slowly up to Zinnia holding him in her arms as Percy smiled. "Gale… you're alright."

"Of course, I am, it's going to take a lot more then that to defeat me."

He began to laugh coughing at the same time. "I showed them who was boss."

"I bet you did kiddo. Everyone is so proud of you."

"They are? That makes me happy. Where is Alton?"

"He's coming. He'll be here any moment. And then we can all get ready to fight P4R4D0X. All of us together how does that sound?"

Percy chuckled holding Zinnia's hand. "That sounds great."

"What happened?" Scarlett asked Gale.

Gale held his head down in shame. "We were ambushed by the Cult. I tried stopping Percy but he was just too brave and went in. Agartha took him and I did my best to fight through and help. But I was too late."

Percy felt his eyelids becoming heavy as he began to speak in a shaky tone. "Zinnia, I'm scared. I'm so scared. I don't want to go… I don't want to go and leave my mother alone."

The last words echoed off as Percy fell silent. Zinnia froze shaking Percy in horror. "Percy, Percy? No, please, Percy wake up! Percy, I said wake up! No!"

Gale looked away hiding the tears as he smacked the wall. "Fuck!"

Scarlett looked down saddened as she shook her head. "He was brave. He was brave until the very end. I swear, I'll make them pay…"

"The bravest. That stupid idiot was always the bravest one of us all." Zinnia sobbed. "It's not fair. Why did this happen? Why did this have to happen to Percy? Why? Percy, I'm so sorry!" Zinnia howled with grief holding her dead team member in her arms screaming to the heavens. Everyone else was just as broken by it, the misfortune of a boy trying to do right by the mistakes he made and with the grieving and hardship everyone felt a piece of themselves die with Percy as Team Rhapsody would never be the same again…