V.I.R.A.L

"Hey big bro, it seems your growing a lot now. You've scrapped the top twenty that's awesome."

Monty glossed over to his brother, the hulking giant was a colossal softy but looked the part at least, shrugging his shoulders. "What is that not good enough?"

"Of course, it's not good enough, Butch! If I'm not the best, the rest doesn't matter."

"No offence big bro but are you seeing the numbers Vanguard is pulling? He's untouchable. That Ruby girl is second, and even she is miles off him. You've only just overtaken the streamer Pokiero. It's going to take a while."

Monty kicked a trash can over grinding his teeth. "I don't have time. At this rate fucking Jinx is going to overtake me."

"Perhaps we should reboot the channel? Start fresh, draw in new viewers. Giveaways the sorts."

Monty snarled sitting down flicking through his phone. "I don't care about any of that. I just need to get to number one. Why is Vanguard refusing a joint-stream with me? Does he not know who I am?!"

"Monty, everyone knows who you are," Butch grumbles. "Cheer up, will you. We'll get there eventually."

"Butch, you know bloody well why we are doing this. The longer we sit around acting like good little streamers, the more the Montagues gather influence. You saw the new members; they're a joke."

"They're young they'll come around."

"That's the problem! They haven't got any idea of what they are getting into."

"Ha, almost sounds like you care."

Monty lowers his head sighing. "It's not that. I just know how it feels, to be used and abused to be the best streamer I can be. I hated every moment of it, and now it's going to happen to the others. It makes me sick."

Butch stared at the stream, shaking his head in disappointment. "Should we just pack it up for today?"

"No, I've still got a little in me. I'll need a quick break, though. I need some food."

"There's a gas station not too far from here."

"Great…" He grumbled. "Hey Butch, you know what I plan on doing if I do it there will be nowhere for any of us to go. Why haven't you snitched on me yet?"

Butch picked at his ear, holding a baseball bat over his shoulder. "Eh? Are you stupid? I Respect the hell out of your brother. You can do great things if you put your mind in the right place. You're going to be a great streamer one day man."

"If you say so." He barks walking into the shop, knocking items over. Butch picked them up, stuffing them in his pockets. "I can't even feel good doing this, what the hell happened?"

"You'll get that fiery spirit back one day Monty. Believe me; you just need the right moment."

"Hey! That's called stealing; you're meant to be helping people not stealing. You're no different to the villains!"

Butch walked up to the girl pressing a baseball bat against her stomach. "You better watch your mouth pretty face; you don't want to cross us."

Monty stared blankly at the two as he turned to the cashier who looked away sighing. "Give me anything. A sign or something I'm doing the right thing…"

"I wish you hadn't done this. I honestly hate these powers and want nothing else than never to use them again, so just know this. You forced my hand." Monty turned seeing the clerk defeating Butch in a single attack. He stared on in disbelief before smirking to himself.

"That's something…"

****

The small set of trees hiding away the Cult's hideout began to freeze over shattering as Alton walked towards Monty who was trying to run for his life. Pulling his hand back, the ground ripped up as a massive wall of ice emerged blocking Monty's escape. Alton stared at him with a shattered smile. "Hey, hey? Where are you going? I thought you wanted to kill me? I'm all yours Monty."

Monty stepped back gulping, feeling the blood in his body freezing up. He was struggling to breathe as he had no choice but to fight to his last breath. Roaring with determination, he charged at Alton with all his might. Alton didn't move still having the same terrifying smile plastered over his face. As Monty made it closer, Alton vanished. Monty stopped flinching as he felt someone breathing down his neck. "Found you." Alton cast an iceberg blowing the entire area apart as pieces of ice fell from the sky freezing to the trees. He looked down the cliffside seeing Goro holding Monty.

"Monty are you alright?"

"What's the big idea Nakamura we were just having a bit of fun," Alton whispered in his ear.

Goro jumped flicking his leg around, kicking Alton back. He took the head of the attack, sliding backstopping himself. Alton began stretching as Goro kept staring, feeling a cold shiver down his spine. "Who are you?"

Alton tilted his head, pressing his finger against his chin. "Huh? I knew humans were inferior to the followers of the Garden, but this is something else. It's me, silly. Avalanche."

"You're not under some certain spell. It seems Monty brought out something you kept hidden. This power. It's almost like what happened at Sunset Peak."

Alton chuckled clapping his hands together. "Correct, correct, correct, correct! That was me!"

"The enemy was living among us all this time. Keep this up, and all of Rhinefield will fall into an ice age. I cannot allow that to happen. I'll bring Alton back."

"Oh? Are you going to fight me? Hoo boy, you are brave. I guess you can entertain me for a short while." He chuckled, covering his mouth. As Alton lowered his hand, he vanished, making Goro prepare for an inevitable attack. Keeping calm, it was then Alton appeared slamming down. Goro stepped out of the way, moving his hands around Alton's arm as he gripped him tight. "What?" Using his upper body strength, Alton was thrown over Goro's shoulders. Alton landed on his feet, losing his balance as he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. "My, my. I can see why you're the number three streamer now. How interesting. Thank you for the gift. I'll be sure to treasure it." He laughed, tapping his cut shoulder. Goro gave him a strange look before gagging falling to his knees, holding his stomach. "I would feel awful if I didn't return the favour. For being the first human to intrigue me, I shall give you an honourable reward. I will kill you in thirty seconds. Let's see how long you last shall we?"

Goro stood up, catching his breath. "Why you're too generous, I might even have enough time to catch up with Gemini."

"Absolute freeze." Goro was frozen on the spot, unaware of what happened as he was caught mid-sentence. Alton stared at him with a pissed off look. "I despise people who throw around false confidences. Know your place."

Alton turned around only to stop hearing the ice crack. He glanced over his shoulder eyes widening slightly as Goro smashed free from his prison kicking Alton in the face with the momentum he used to break free. Goro spun around crouched down with his hands on the floor as support. "As I said, my statement still stands."

Alton howled with laughter covering his face as he turned around. "This is beginning to be so much fun. Ah, thank you. Die." A hailstorm completely consumed Goro consuming him entirely. Alton this time wasn't taking any chances as he watched and like he suspected Goro pulled through. Blocking the kick, Alton tried grabbing Goro with his free hand. Goro did a back-flip kick distancing them both before cutting in with another attack once Alton tried a ranged attack. Landing serval bicycle kicks he swept Alton before landing the final kick as Alton slammed into a tree.

Goro stood up panting, feeling the pain flow through his body, yet he kept to his gun. His determination and willpower to live were unmatched. "It's been thirty seconds, and I'm still standing. Guess your threats are as sloppy as your fight style."

Alton patted himself down, cracking his neck. "No, I'm a man of my word. You just haven't realised it yet." Goro looked down, seeing an icicle wedged into his side. He coughed up blood collapsing to his knees, feeling no pain, but his body refused to move as the attack was catching up with him. "You're a fighter I'll give you that. Anyone else would easily have problems against you. I can safely say you would even give a novice Anti-human a run for their money. But compared to the power of the Garden. We will forever grow. You merely collapse over a mere stab wound."

"Stop this. Alton snaps out of it." Monty whimpered lying on the ground.

"If your enemy is begging for you to stop, don't you think you're going too far?"

Alton thought long and hard nodding. "I suppose you're right; however, I only see people who are as strong as me as enemies. I just see two meat bags who don't know their place. Not worth being called enemies. But I'll tell you what since you did get my blood going for that short moment; I'll make your death quick and painless. Consider it your salvation." Alton's long hair blew in the wind as he held his hand out, readying the final blow. "You'll see your precious Gemini soon, don't you worry. I'll send her the same place I'm sending you soon enough."

"Alton." He looked around confused at who spoke. Ignoring it, he went to finish off the two streamers only to hear the voice again more clearly. "Alton you need to stop this."

Alton stepped back, holding his head. "Oh, will you shut up already? There's no way you're talking me out of this Belling."

"You know this is wrong. You worked to overcome the old you. Don't let that hard work be for anything. Don't let our sacrifice be for anything. Stop being a dickhead and get a grip."

Alton began laughing leaning over, holding his head. "You don't get to tell me what to do Sam! Don't you get it, you're just a voice in my head. You aren't real. You're in a hospital one I put you in. Don't you get that? So why don't you do me a favour and fuck off." The voice stopped as Alton turned to Monty and Goro holding his hand up. The blizzard consuming the area began to die down faintly as Alton sighed. "You know what I've changed my mind."

Alton walked away as Goro held his side, yelling out. "Where are you going?"

Alton turned around walking backwards, giving a cheeky smile. "Where else, find my team and save the day. I've already called for medical assistants. You'll be fine. Probably. That was a good fight, though, haven't been pushed that hard in a while. Now let's work off this form of mine."

Alton vanished into the blizzard which stopped out of nowhere leaving a peaceful sunny day. The ice was already starting to melt as Goro lay back holding his wound. Monty began coughing resting his head grumbling. "I hate that prick."

"That makes two of us…"

Lying in the snow, Monty felt empty more than usual as he realised how stupid he was for pulling what he did. Seeing that for himself, he learned the harsh reality of the situation. Compared to him, Alton was in a league of his own. He was left behind again. A notification popped up on his phone, which he reached for with all his effort. Opening it, he discovered the actual reality. A ban from V.I.R.A.L. Monty chuckled shaking his head in disappointment. "Of course, like I expected anything less…"