V.I.R.A.L

Chapter 166: One Bad Apple Part 1

"Did you hear? Team Rhapsody are at it again?"

"Exposing more corrupt streamers?! It must be Christmas. Who is it this time?"

"It's crazy. They are going after all of Frizzle Tooth."

"The network? Man, seriously. I don't know… Are you sure their corrupt?"

"They haven't been wrong before. They took down Vanguard and exposed him. This is one to watch for sure. They claim to be saving the number two streamer Alice."

"Hoo boy, now I know I've got to watch. Take them down, Rhapsody!"

****

Hans sat on the wall to his garden overlooking the koi pond throwing small bread crumbs into the lake. He turned seeing Team Rhapsody prowling in already for a strike. "Hans! Your end has come!" Zinnia boomed. "Where's the rest of your lackeys?"

Hans saw the stream drones pouring around the area. He even looked at the stream to see well over 100,000 watchers. He smirked, turning to them. "I sent them home, they have no business in our affairs. But I really must ask, do we really have to do this? I must insist on what I do is for the good of Victoria."

"By killing our leader, brainwashing Alice and destroying V.I.R.A.L, all while using the garden as your tool. How is that for the good of us?!"

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Hans shook his head, sighing. "Such a pity you must see the Garden as pure evil. There are many evil streamers out there. You've shown that with Pokiero, the Phantom streamer, Monty Montague, Vanguard and so many more. On that basis, shouldn't we see streamers as all evil? I intend on using the Garden for good. Why fight that?"

"Trampling on others and using people as your tool to kill isn't good!" Scarlett snapped. "Alice doesn't want this. We will rip her from your clutches."

"A shame we cannot see eye to eye. The Garden has taught me many things about our old world. Did you know hundreds of years ago the oppressed minority stood up against the masses and fought for their freedom? They won and were granted the same values we see in each other today. It appears I too must fight this battle for myself. Streamers are tarnished. V.I.R.A.L is a plague, and the Garden is our only salvation. I'll fight for a better tomorrow."

"The Garden has corrupted your mind! How can you seriously believe what you are saying when the Garden has ruined so many before us!" Yelled Gale.

Hans stood up, allowing the powers of the Garden to pour around his hand. "The Garden is but a tool. One used for both good and evil, it's nothing more or nothing less. I consider this a great honour to be chosen to carry the torch for a bright future. My reward will be having my children by my side once more. We can be a family in a world where we won't have to worry about what happened in Sunset Peak ever again. If that makes me a bad guy, then I'm guilty as charged. It doesn't have to be this way. Join me, we can make the world a better place. Together we can use the Garden for good and make sure it doesn't harm anyone else!"

"Never! Team Rhapsody sticks together and never turn our back on our allies. That goes for both Alton and Alice!"

Hans frowned looking disappointed. "Such a pity. It honestly hurts that we cannot see eye to eye. In another life, we might have been allies, pushing for a bright future. But it appears that story will never blossom. Then I will have to take actions into my own hands!"

Swinging his arm around the area was blocked off with vines. Dozens of portals opened up as the dark replicas appeared caped in black armour and helmets displaying their yellow eyes. Each of team Rhapsody flinched at this all back-to-back. "So, these are the Dark Replicas Iris warned us about… There's far too many!"

"If they all share the same powers as Alice we're royally screwed," Emil grunted.

"Fuck, at this rate we will each need to take out about three at one time… Zinnia I'm not sure if we can do this!"

Zinnia held her katana out towards Hans. "We have to. For Alice!"

"You are outmatched, outnumbered and out of luck, it may seem. Just like your leader, you vastly underestimated Frizzle Tooth, and this will be your downfall."

"They aren't outnumbered!" Serval roots blasted over the wall as Blossom and Goro appeared covering Team Rhapsody's flank. "We've got your back guys!"

"Goro, Blossom! You came."

"If you think I'm going to allow the Garden to hurt my friends, then think again. I will make up for my mistakes and fight for Team Rhapsody!" Blossom enforces.

Goro inspects each replica humming. "Each a perfect clone of Alice meaning they all share identical powers. Expect portals and rays of light, not to mention that most of our attacks will be rendered useless. We cannot hold anything back." One of the Replicas moves in to strike. Blossom bends over as Goro slides over her back kicking the Replica back. Blossom sends them flying around with a blast of vegetation.

Zinnia fires bolts of lightning all around the arena with the replicas taking little to no damage. "This isn't good!"

Hans laughs as portals open up all around the grounds covering all of the possible escapes. "Your efforts are respectable, but I'm afraid this is the end for you." Light crawled out of each portal ready to blow the entire manor apart and Team Rhapsody alongside. The moment the portals all began charging up serval cubes emitting from the same portals slamming into the ground covering the streamers in a large fort. The beams of light extended blowing up everything around it but leaving the defence unharmed. The cubes all separated as from the smoke Iris stormed in with a pissed off look. "Iris… I'll give you one thing. You never know when to quit, do you?!"

Iris pointed to her father, screaming. "This ends today, Hans! You will hurt people no longer! I will stop you and save my sister once and for all!"

Cubes flew around smashing the armour of the dark Replicas giving off easy weak points. The cubes flew back into her hand as she sent them directly towards Hans. Two replicas darted into the way taking the blow both being sent flying around. Hans stepped back looking paranoid. "Kill them all! Kill them!"

Running into the safety of his manor, the dark replicas began readying for battle. Goro and Blossom stood back-to-back nodding to each other. "Get on after him! We'll hold off these pitiful clones."

"But there's far too many of them!" Zinnia echoes. "You can't hold them off alone, you don't even have any powers Goro!"

Goro avoids one of the replicas punching them in the chest, taking all the air from them as he picks them up, throwing them over his shoulder before stomping on their head. "Who said anything about needing powers? Go!"

"Come on! He's getting away!" Iris yells chasing after her father. The rest of Team Rhapsody soon follow as they all barge into the manor. Hans turns to them, sending a burst of energy forward calling roots to hold each streamer in place. None of them could move as they became a prisoner to the power of the Garden. "Give it up, Hans! No one has to die today!"

Hans' eyes began twitching as he turned to them with a frenzied look. "My daughters didn't have to die either, but their lives were cut short by the likes of Alton Brantley. Putting him down will put their souls to rest. I've been putting this plan together for years! I won't allow you to stop me the Garden is my gift! None of you will understand the lengths I've gone through to make that reality!"

"Hans. You've lost."

"No! I've only just begun!"

The wall to their left was blown away as Alton flew out slamming against the floor rolling over, crashing into the back wall. Alice stepped out with a yellow glare. Alton pulled himself up against his legs, shaking as his ice blade shattered. "Alice…" Iris whispered.

Alice cracked the frozen floor her scythe low by her side. "Alton Brantley is no match for the likes of my father. Would you like me to finish him off?"