Volume 2
Jake went back to Steven’s apartment, switched to Marc, and tried to think of a plan.
“Steven, you got any ideas?” Marc asked.
“No,” Steven shook his head, “I got nothing.”
“Fuck,” Marc murmured, “We can’t let Nini get to Cat and Nick.”
“The portal was destroyed,” Jake tried to calm down Marc, “She won’t be able to get to them.”
“What if she does?!” Marc paced back and forth, “What if she can’t get back?!”
Steven added, “There’s a portal in that world that can get them back. They’ll be fine, Marc.”
“I can’t just stand by and let Nini kill Cat,” Marc shouted, “Do you have any ideas, Khonshu?”
Khonshu sighed, “As always…I have a bad one. Have you heard of Dreamwalking?”
“That’s when you possess a alternate version of yourself, right?” Marc thought.
“Correct,” Khonshu nodded, “Maybe you could possess the Marc Spector of that world.”
“Wouldn’t you need the Darkhold to do that?” Steven questioned, “And doesn’t the Darkhold corrupt you?”
“It can’t corrupt an avatar of a god,” Khonshu responded.
“Ok, fine, Scarlet Witch already destroyed the Darkhold, though.”
“There’s multiple copies,” Jake noted, “Aren’t you a book reader? You should know that.”
“Look, I just don’t think it’s a good idea,” Steven explained, “You don’t know what that spell can do to you, Marc.”
“I’ll be fine, Steven,” Marc promised.
“Okay, just…just be careful, please?”
Marc nodded. He set up a bunch of candles in a circle. Khonshu manifested a Darkhold copy and placed it in front of Marc. He read through it and found the Dreamwalking spell. Marc followed the instructions, and sat in a crisscross position.
“Steven, Jake, see you on the other side,” said Marc before he closed his eyes.
“See you,” Steven responded reluctantly.
“Buena suerte, Marc,” Jake waved.
Marc closed his eyes, and now, he saw all universes, all as white orbs, connected by white lines. He zoomed from one universe to another until he saw a white cube. He assumed that was the Bizzaro world. Marc was easily able to find his home, in this world, and looked through the window. The time was 8:30 PM. His other self was making some food. A dark haired, Egyptian woman walked up to him. It was Layla El-Faouly, Marc’s wife in his world, and apparently this world as well.
“Oooo, what are you making?” Bizarro Layla asked.
“A very special lasagna, the kids are gonna love it,” Bizzaro Marc, Barc smiled.
*Wait, kids?!* Marc thought to himself, *I have KIDS in this universe?!*
“Nice! Are the kids upstairs?”
“They’re outside,” Barc answered, “Luke, Jane, dinner’s almost ready!”
The two children ran inside, “Is it mac and cheese?” Luke excitedly inquired.
“You’ll see!” Marc beamed as he placed the lasagna down on the table.
“What’s that…?” Jane was curious, yet slightly disgusted at the sight.
“It’s lasagna, I promise you’ll like it.”
Marc watched as his alternate self has the life and family he always wanted. The family ate, talked, and laughed about nothing in particular.
*This is a waste of time,* Marc sighed. He had to do this. Layla and the kids went to the living room, about to watch a movie.
“You want dessert?” Barc asked.
“Yes!” The children spoke in unison. Barc sensed Marc’s presence, but ignored it until the lights started to flicker, then he saw himself in a picture turn his head to face him. The world felt slanted, and he loses his balance, but he catches himself by holding the counter. Barc looks at the window, and Marc was there, in his Moon Knight outfit.
“I’m sorry,” Marc uttered as he took over the body. Barc was suddenly pushed back, he panicked, then was repelled again, he let out one last cry for help, then…**Marc** let out a deep breath of relief, his eyes glowed white for a brief moment, “It worked,” he said under his breath.
“Marc,” Bizarro Layla called out, “Where’s the fruits?”
“Just…about to get them…honey,” Marc responded. He opened the refrigerator and saw a box of strawberries. He grabbed it and walked to his family.
“Thanks, dad!” Luke appreciated.
“Hey, uh,” Marc decided to make his leave, “I’m going to get rid of a snake problem.”
“THERE’S SNAKES?!” Jane gasped.
“No, only one snake, a really bad, evil one.”
“He’s just messing with you guys,” Bizarro Layla shook her head and chuckled.
“Yeah…sure,” Marc agreed, “Sure…”
“Well, be careful, babe,” Bizarro Layla warned.
“I will.” Marc left through the back. He saw Nini fly towards somewhere.
“No…she’s here,” Marc muttered, he followed her to wherever she was going. He got on a bike and continued.
Nini had to destroy her own body to get into the world, but she put it back together thanks to her own powers. She tracked Cat and Nick. Nini learned that they were at the temples of Vishanti.
**Earlier…**
Nick and Cat come flying into the Bizzaro earth. It looked normal, except the sky was red.
“Im going to call my husband and let him know I won’t be home for a while,” Nick told Cat.
“Hey, Nick!” Charlie spoke through the phone.
“Charlie! Hi!” Nick beamed the moment he heard Charlie’s voice, “Look, I’m kind of in another universe, right now, can you tell Camille that Papa will be home late?”
“You’re in another universe and you didn’t tell me?”
Nick rolled his eyes, “I’m telling you right now, Char.”
They both laughed over the dumb joke, “Hey look, just be careful, and be home as soon as you can, promise?”
“I promise,” Nick assured, “Alright, where are we going to go?”
“You’re asking me?!” Cat said with a loud tone.
“Sorry, sorry,” Nick shook his head, “I just don’t know what to do, maybe we could just explore this new world, and go from there.” Someone was watching them from the shadows. A demon lunges at Nick.
“TELL ME WHERE THE REBELS ARE!” the demon screeched.
“Hey!” a voice spoke, the demon turned to look, it was Camilo…no…**Carlos** Madrigal, “You’re looking at one.” He shapeshifts into an animal and lunges at the demon, and then tears it apart, limb from limb. Blood dripping from his mouth, he shapeshifts back into his normal self, “You guys okay?” He notices the scared looks on their faces and cleans the blood of his mouth, “Better?”
“Uh, yeah, I guess,” Cat shrugged, “We need a place to hide, someone’s after us.”
“Who?”
“A theater kid with powers,” Nick answered, “We’re from another universe and came here to get away from her.”
“You know what, I won’t even question it,” Carlos shrugged, “Come with me.”
The two followed Carlos to the temples of Vishanti, along the way, they became acquainted with each other. They were introduced to all the Rebels, which were Sharkgirl, Lavaboy, Felix, Miguel Diaz, Bruce Wayne, and Hiccup Haddock lll.
“So what’s your name? Mine’s Carlos.”
“My name’s Cat!”
“Nick. What I’m curious about is what happened in this world, it looks so empty.”
“There was a war, which split the world into two sides, Nini Salazar-Roberts wanted to create a dictatorial world, heroes tried to stop her, but all it ended up doing was nothing, she absorbed their powers, and my family died because of her. I’m the last living Madrigal.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry you had to go through all that,” Cat apologized, “I can’t imagine how you feel.”
“It’s fine,” Camilo shook his head, “It was a while ago. This world has been like this for a long time.”
“Wait, so this earth’s Nini is also evil?” Nick questioned.
“Uh, yeah,” Camilo nodded, “What about it?”
“Nini’s the one that’s chasing us. She wants to kill me,” Cat explained.
“Oh…crap,” Camilo muttered, “Well, let’s just hope she doesn’t get to merge with this world’s Nini, then she’ll be unstoppable.”
“Well, we better be prepared for her,” the Sapphire Sorceress suggested.
“Wait, Glenda?!” Cat exclaimed, “I didn’t know you were here!”
“Uh, yeah,” the Sapphire Sorceress answered confusingly, “I’ve been here for a while. You LITERALLY saw me.”
“Oh, right, I kinda forgot,” Cat realized, “My earth’s Glenda got killed by Nini.”
“Well, she ain’t killing *this* Glenda,” the Sapphire Sorceress assured.
Miguel set up defenses, “She won’t be getting through that shield easily…hopefully.”
“Aaaand I can get a drink to calm you guys down!” Felix beamed.
“Don’t worry,” Hiccup placed a hand on Felix’s shoulder, “Just because you can’t do all the things we can, doesn’t mean you’re not important.” He says with a sarcastic smile.
“Thanks for that GREAT reassurance,” Felix sighed.
“You DO know he’s just messing with you, right?” Lavaboy comforted Felix.
“Yeah, yeah, I know.”
**Meanwhile…**
Nini had to find a way, she couldn’t let that redhead bitch get away. She found out that there WAS a way, she needed to use the Dark Mirrors.
All she knew about them was that they were mirrors, but that when looked into, a blob of black gas would appear instead of a reflection. She needed to find one, and fast.
Dark Mirrors existed in the oddest of places, and so Nini decided to enlist the help of the Sorcerer Supreme. She burst through the doors of the Sanctum Sanctorum.
“Who are you?” the Sorcerer questioned, “What are you doing he-” His words are interrupted when Nini casted a mind control spell on him.
“Tell me where I can get a Dark Mirror,” Nini ordered.
“Of course, kween, icon, material gworl,” the Sorcerer heeded to her commands, “Follow me.” He leads her to the secret part of the Sanctum, where as promised, a Dark Mirror laid waiting.
“There it is…” Nini examined mesmerizingly, “Thank you, Sorcerer Supreme.” Nini got in, but it was a struggle, she broke every bone in her body to get through, she gasped and panted as she got through, covering in bloody cuts, but she healed herself using her energy, and finally, she got in, but then, she was confronted by another…herself.
“Who ARE you?” Bizzaro Nini, Bini, questioned, ready to blast Nini out of the building.
“I’m…” Nini looked at her other self, “I’m you…what happened to you?”
“Something bad happened here,” Bini smirked, “But, I was granted a miracle, I could do…whatever I wanted, I could manipulate energy, mind control anyone to my will, and more.”
“I can do that too…” Nini smiled, “All my life, I’ve felt half full, but now I now why.”
Bini agreed, “I’ve…I’ve felt the same way, but now…we can be one. WE. CAN. BE. WHOLE.”
They started to merge, both floating in the air, white globs of air surrounding them. They kept spinning around, and then…they merged. They walked out in a darker, fully cracked version of Nini’s battle outfit. A choker with a dark magenta heart, her hair partly dyed ginger, and with a gray purple cape, and finally, a new crown of fire. They opened their eyes, “We are…Uni-Form! The ultimate life form! WE ARE…**THE ULTIMATE NINI!**” Ultima-Nini flew off to find Cat and Nick.
“Where are Cat Valentine and Nick Nelson?” Ultima-Nini hunted, with her new merged powers, she scanned the world for them. She was now in the room that they were in, but immediately, they felt her presence.
**Meanwhile…**
Cat heard whispering behind and turned around quickly, “She knows where I am.”
“She’s here…” Bruce murmured.
Glenda commanded, “Let’s go outside and be ready, Cat, you stay here with Carlos.” All the rebels ran outside, only to find a giant black cloud of smoke that Ultima-Nini pops out.
“All this? For a girl you just met?” she chuckled.
The Sapphire Sorceress flew up to talk to Nini.
“Look, I know how you feel, you feel vengeful, angry, prone to kill, right?” the Sapphire Sorceress negotiated.
“I died three times, of course I would feel that way.”
“I know, but you can’t just kill the people involved to make you feel better, cause in the end, it won’t.”
“They NEED TO PAY!” Ultima-Nini screamed, and in a fit of rage, she blasted the Sapphire Sorceress into the sky.
“NO!” Felix shouted.
“Yesss…” Ultima-Nini deviously replied, “and now…I have all of the rebels, here, in one place…to end.” She blasted the group and they all went flying. Bruce flew, grabbed, and bit Nini, but she tore him in two.
Cat, Nick, and Carlos looked outside to see what was going on.
“No…no…no…” Carlos felt like he was losing his family again.
Ultima-Nini bursted into the temple, “Now, now, look who we have here…”
Cat stepped back, “I know what you want to do to me.”
“You do?” Nini said with a monotone voice, “Listen, the only reason I killed all those people is because you won’t come with me. If you do, I can bring your friends back to life, and leave this world alone.”
“Yeah…” a voice spoke from behind, “I’m not cool with that.”
“MARC?!” Cat beamed with excitement.
“H-how are you here?!” Ultima-Nini stuttered with slight worry.
“In the Multiverse, there are infinite versions of everyone,” Marc smirked, “I thought you’d know that. All I needed to do was dreamwalk.”
Ultima-Nini’s eyes started to twitch in anger, and she blasted Marc, but he stood his ground. She stopped, but just for a second, but then kept going, “WHY WON’T YOU DIE?!”
Marc didn’t know he could take that blast, he didn’t know how, but he couldn’t hold on long enough. Back in the apartment, Steven saw the struggle and discomfort on Marc’s face.
“Marc, what’s going on?!” Steven asked with worry.
“I-I can’t hold on!” Marc panicked. Steven has never seen Marc in so much pain and stress until now, “You can, Marc! You are a strong person, if it wasn’t for you, me and Jake wouldn’t have existed. Think of your favorite song!”
“Umm…”Born This Way?” Marc answered confusingly.
“No, no, the other favorite,” Steven described, “The one we ALL like.”
Marc knew exactly what song Steven was referring to: “Running up That Hill” by Kate Bush. He played the song in his head, and thought of all the people that love and care for him.
*C'mon, baby, c'mon darling,*
*Let me steal this moment from you now.*
*C'mon, angel, c'mon, c'mon, darling,*
*Let's exchange the experience, oh*
*And if I only could,*
*I'd make a deal with God,*
*And I'd get him to swap our places,*
*Be running up that road,*
*Be running up that hill,*
*With no problems.*
*If I only could,*
*I'd make a deal with God,*
*And I'd get him to swap our places,*
*Be running up that road,*
*Be running up that hill,*
*With no problems.*
Marc took a deep breath, and screamed. There was a sudden pull between him and Nini.
“W-what are you doing?” Ultima-Nini felt like she was being drained, then she realized.
**Marc wasn’t taking the blast, he was absorbing it.**
By then it was too late, she pulled away, and BOOM! There was a big blast of energy, and it spread all around. Marc absorbed 30% of it, leaving Nini with 40%, and all the excess energy in the air being 30%.
“What did you do?!” Ultima-Nini shouted.
Marc snickered, “Just taking away power from the undeserving.”
In anger, Nini flew up. She gave him another blast. Marc dodged it. Nini flew at him. Marc used the ground as a shield. Nini still flew through. Marc, with his quick reflexes. He blocks it with another blast. BOOM! Another explosion. The two started spinning in the air, trapped in a dance of sort. They kept spinning and spinning until Marc started absorbing the rest of Nini’s powers. Marc shot one final big blast of energy right in Nini’s face, which sent both of them flying in opposite directions.
Nini got up, and tried to use her powers, but all that came out was a small golden cloud.
“No! No!” She cried. Marc stood up, and everyone started to sing.
*”Am I wrong for thinking out the box from where I stay?”*
*”Am I wrong for saying that I'll choose another way?”* Cat started.
*”I ain't trying to do what everybody else doing.”*
*”Just cause everybody doing what they all do.”* sang Marc.
*”If one thing I know, how far would I grow?”*
*”I'm walking down this road of mine, this road that I call home.”* Nick vocalized from his heart.
*”So am I wrong, for thinking that we could be something for real?”* Glenda flew in.
*”Now am I wrong, for trying to reach the things that I can't see?”* Carlos chanted.
*“But that's just how I feel, that's just how I feel.”*
*“That's just how I feel trying to reach the things that I can't see.”* Marc and Cat caroled in unison.
*”Am I tripping? Am I? For having a vision?”* Cat sung.
*”My prediction; I'mma be on the top of the world!”* Sharkgirl stood tall and shouted.
*”Hope you, hope you don't look back, always do what you decide,”* Marc sang sternly.
*”Don't let them control your life, that's just how I feel,”* Nick remarked.
*”Fight for yours and don't let go, don't let them compare you, no.”*
Don't worry, you're not alone, that's just how we feel!” Cat screamed the lyrics from her lungs.
*”That’s just how I feel!”* Marc also screamed.
*”If you tell me I'm wrong, wrong.”*
*”I don't wanna be right, right,”* Cat sang in a quieter voice.
*”If you tell me I'm wrong, wrong.”*
*”I don't wanna be right, right,” Marc joined.
*”If you tell me I'm wrong, wrong.”*
*”I don't wanna be right, right.”
If you tell me I'm wrong, wrong
I don't wanna be RIGHTTTTTTT!
So am I wrong for thinking that we could be something for real?
Now am I wrong for trying to reach the things that I can't see?
But that's just how I feel, that's just how I feel
That's just how I feel trying to reach the things that I can't see
That's just how I feel
That's just how I feel
That's just how I feel trying to reach the things that I can't…see,” Cat said the final line.
Nini and Bini were now separated, thanks to the power of friendship, and now, Marc had to go into her mind to save Olivia Rodrigo. All he needed to do was to stare into Nini’s soul, literally, and then he was in her mind-scape.
It was a white limbo-void type place. Then, he saw a door. Marc opened it, and there was a living room. It was a house. He looked around, and then he found Olivia.
“HELP!” She called out, “HELP, PLEASE!”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” Marc calmed her down. He noticed a lock, and figured there’d be a key around, and sure enough, there was.
“Oh my gosh, thank you!” Olivia noticed Nini with a sword, about to attack Marc, “Behind you!” Marc looked back. Nini swings the sword. He dodges. She swings again. He blocks it with a blast.
“How are you still using your powers?!” Nini shouted.
“You really can’t figure that out?” Marc smirked and rolled his eyes. They kept fighting, until Marc disappeared.
“Where’d you go? You scared?” She tried to make herself braver, “You’re just a scaredy cat.” She suddenly saw a room of mirrors and walked in. She looked for Marc. The lights started to flicker.
“**Nini,**” Marc’s voice came from behind, “You don’t scare me.” He was right, she didn’t scare him, he scared her.
Nini tried running, but she ended up in a dead end, with three mirrors. Marc, Steven, and Jake appeared on the mirrors and started mocking her. Then, more mirrors appeared, trapping her. She spun around in circles until she realized, the Marc reflection moving closer and closer. Nini turned around and BAM! Marc, as a zombie, roared at her.
“AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” She screamed the loudest she’s ever screamed. He punched her out of the room, back in the living room.
Nini crawls back, now terrified by what she just experienced. Marc walks out, now back in human form, starts stepping closer to Nini. She tries throwing pillows and other small objects at him, but it does literally nothing.
She gets on her knees and pleads like she’s never before, “Please don’t kill me! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’ll let her go! Just please don’t kill me…” She broke down into tears, “All I wanted was to be powerful, to be strong.”
Marc felt slight empathy, and brushed her cheek, “I know how you feel, you wanted to feel that way because it was taken from you, right?” Nini nodded.
“Yeah, figured,” Marc vented, “My mom, beat me when I was young, and I felt I was becoming weaker each time she hit me. Steven helped me find comfort with myself, but he taught me that I was strong, and that what my mom did in the past, it doesn’t truly matter, it’s just the past. That’s all it is. *A memory.*”
Nini looked at him with regret. Marc left her to go free Olivia.
“Thank you, thank you!” Olivia hugged Marc.
“It’s YOUR body, you take back control of it,” Marc smiled, “I’ll see you on the other side.”
Marc left Nini’s mind-scape, and back in the body he was in.
“Ok, we’re good,” Marc ordered, the group flew back to the ground, “Olivia?” He looked at “Nini”.
“Yeah, what?” Olivia replied.
Everyone cheered and went in a group hug, “We did it!”
“NO! NO! THIS. CANNOT. HAPPEN.” Bini complained.
“Oh shut up,” Carlos knocked her out. Now all that was left to do was to bring back the ones that died, but it used up the rest of their powers.
“They’ll be waiting for us back home,” Marc assured. He and Cat said their goodbyes, Nick went back to his world to see Charlie, the rebels started putting the Illuminati world back together, and Nini and the other souls are now at peace.
Marc opened his eyes, ending the dreamwalk. He fell on the ground.
“Woah, what happened?” Jake spoke.
“Did you save Cat?” Steven asked franticly.
“Yeah, her, and a whole other universe,” Marc chuckled, “God, I’m tired, Khonshu, I thought you were gonna save me from corruption.”
“I did, I just couldn’t save you from the side effects: extreme exhaustion,” Khonshu noted.
“Steven, Jake, one of you can take over the body, I’m just gonna rest, for a long time,” Marc went onto his bed.
“YESSSSSS!” Steven cheered and fronted, “Finally! Ha, ha!”
**THE END**