I had come up with this origin story while writing "The Girl in Black," but you don't have to read that first to read this. I needed to step away from the emotional turmoil I was addressing in that story and when going though my notes found the dialogue I'd written for Flug's first meeting with Black Hat. So I thought why not finish this scene and turn it into a one-shot?

Disclaimer: I do not own "Villainous" and much of this is speculation, though some things were taken by stuff revealed in Alan Ituriel's livestreams.

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS FIC HAS MENTIONS OF PAST-ABUSE AND HOMOPHOBIA, WHICH MAY BE A SENSITIVE TOPIC TO SOME OF YOU! PROCEED WITH CAUTION!

This had to be Hell, because everything was on fire. His face felt like it was sizzling. There was something heavy on his legs, and considering how much pain they were in, there was no doubt they were broken.

The screams had long since passed. There was only the crackling of flames. He coughed from the smoke, squinting as he looked around. The pilot and co-pilot lay in front of him, no visible signs of life.

He wasn't dead yet. He could hear his heartbeat ringing in his ears and feel his chest heaving beneath him. Closing his eyes, he lay his head back down. He had no desire to get back up, so he would just let the flames engulf him. Maybe if he could get himself to pass out again, he wouldn't be able to feel a thing. A sweet release before damnation. God could at least grant him that much. After all, He had done nothing to stop all the shit he had gone through.

Then he heard footsteps. Confused, he slowly opened his eyes. It was hard to see through the smoke, but especially hard since he'd lost his glasses. But he could make out a pair of white and black shoes coming towards him. Groaning, the boy craned his neck up to see the tall figure of a man. One unnaturally glowing eye gazed down at him. From his silhouette, the boy could see that it was wearing a tall hat of some sort.

"You're awfully young for a pilot," the figure said in a low, gravelly voice.

The boy struggled to speak. "Are you…D-Death?"

The figure grinned, showing a set of razor-sharp fangs that appeared to be green. There was certainly something otherworldly about him.

"No such luck, my boy. Though you flatter me with the compliment."

The boy looked up at him pleadingly. "C-Could you…k-kill me anyway?"

"Hmm." The figure tilted its head curiously. "Usually I don't get such a request until after I've tortured my victims."

"Just," the boy said with a cough, "k-kill me!" He laid his head down in surrender. "Go…t-torture someone else."

"Everyone else on the plane is dead," the figure said bluntly.

Groaning, the boy clenched one hand into a fist. "So…p-pathetic." He slammed his fist weakly against the floor. "Couldn't even kill myself right!"

"You mean you hijacked this plane and crashed it on purpose?" The figure sounded pleasantly surprised. "With you still in it?" He grumbled his next words. "I swear, these terrorists keep getting younger and younger each year."

"Not…a terrorist." The boy choked as tears stung the fresh burns on his face. "Just…trash."

He felt something like a stick poking at his side.

"Perhaps I should just kill you." The boy imagined the figure was kneeling down, as his voice sounded much closer. "After all, you did crash a plane into my roof. Do you have any idea how much it cost me to build this place?"

Whoever this entity was, the boy could tell it had no regard for human life. Which was perfectly fine. It meant the thing would have no problem putting him out of his misery.

"Send the bill," the boy whispered, "to my parents."

There was silence from the entity. Then it released a laugh unlike anything the boy had ever heard. It was unearthly, almost demonic, and purely sadistic.

"Then again," the figure said, slipping its claw-like hands beneath the boy, "you might be of some…amusement."

The boy said nothing as he felt himself being lifted into the thing's arms. He didn't care where it was taking him. He hoped whatever type of death was in store for him that it would be quick.

He'd been told that someone like him deserved to be in Hell. Now he was sure that was the case It was too late to ask God for forgiveness. He wasn't even thinking of God right now. Only one named remained in his thoughts as he slipped out of consciousness.

"A-Andy," he whispered. "F-Forgive…me…"

As the boy came to, he could hear voices, but could only make out every third word or so.

"…injuries…severe…broken…"

The boy let out a moan, bringing his right hand to his face. It was wrapped in soft bandages. He couldn't move his legs or left arm. Finally, he opened his eyes, but everything was blurry.

"So, he lives," said a gravelly voice that sounded familiar.

"He'll be needing his glasses," said a Spanish-sounding male voice.

"I can see that, Dr. Corona."

Just then, a pair of spectacles was slid onto his face. The boy was met with the shocking sight of a well-dressed, demonic-looking man standing before him. He wore a distinguished black trench coat and top hat. His face was as black as coal, lacking in nostrils and ears that suggested he wasn't human. Only one eye was visible, as the left was covered by a monocle. Looking around, the boy then realized he was in a hospital bed of some sort, elevated slightly so that he was able to sit up with little effort. His left arm was in a cast and sling, and so were both his legs, which were hanging from the ceiling. Memories of the crash then came flooding back.

"And how are we this morning, young man?" the demon said in a cheery, yet unsettling tone.

The boy attempted to speak, but his mouth was very dry. Finding strength in his right arm, he touched his fingers to his lips.

"I believe he's thirsty."

Turning to the second voice, the boy noticed a middle-aged, tan-skinned man in a doctor's coat standing on the other side of the bed.

"Very keen observation, Dr. Corona," the demon said, rolling his one eye. "I wouldn't have guessed from the way he was wheezing."

With a wave of his black-gloved hand, a glass of water and straw appeared in the boy's uninjured hand. The boy looked down at the glass in amazement.

"Well," the demon said impatiently, "are you thirsty or not?!"

Not wanting to get in any more trouble than he already was, the boy quickly brought the straw to his mouth and drank.

"Doctor," the demon said, "go fetch our guest some nourishment."

Dr. Corona blinked. "Couldn't you just poof up some…"

The demon growled as he sent the doctor a warning look. Holding up his hands, Dr. Corona ducked out of the room, leaving the boy alone with the demon.

"Now," the demon said, sitting on the edge of the bed, "I believe you have many questions, my boy. First of all, as to who I am and where you are, I am—"

"You're Black Hat, aren't you?" the boy said bluntly.

Black Hat stared at him in surprise and then grinned. "So, you've heard of me."

"Well, uh…who hasn't?" The boy turned his glass, watching the straw as it flopped around. "I m-mean you're only the most powerful villain in all the…" He gasped suddenly, as if the severity of the situation had just hit him. "Oh my god. I…I crashed into Black Hat's house!"

Black Hat took fistfuls of the bedsheets into his claws. "And you'll die in it if you dare speak that name in my presence again!"

"W-What name? G—" He stopped when the demon seemed to be exhaling smoke. "Okay, okay! A-Avoid the G-word! Got it!"

His parents had warned him about Black Hat. He had been in the presence of villains before, but never anyone like him. The boy knew he should be terrified, and this demon certainly was terrifying, but he was really more confused than anything.

"So…" The boy glanced down at his casts. "I-If I c-crashed into your home…w-why get me a doctor?"

"Because, my boy," Black Hat said with a smirk as he leaned forward, "I am intrigued to know why you took that entire plane along in your suicide attempt. I know how rebellious you adolescents are, but I have never seen someone so young take such extreme measures to end their own life. And I'd rather you tell me when you're not in a state of delirium. Then I can decide whether I want to kill you or not."

The boy stared at him, trying to figure out if this demon was serious.

Sensing his bewilderment, Black Hat shrugged and said, "I'm afraid I tend to get bored quite easily and will take any source of entertainment I can get. If I find your story entertaining enough, I'll let you live a little longer, so choose your words carefully."

At this point, the boy didn't care whether or not this villain killed him. So what was the use in hiding the truth from him? Perhaps, if Black Hat saw just how sorry of a soul he was, he would end his miserable life quicker.

Taking a deep breath, the boy responded, "I wanted to die."

"That much is obvious," Black Hat said, not showing a trace of sympathy. "There are less painful ways to do that."

The boy shook his head. "I wasn't…the only person on that plane I wanted dead."

The demon smiled maliciously. "Enemies of yours?"

"Classmates." He idly touched the end of his straw. "Former classmates. They…they hurt me and…someone I cared about."

"Andy?"

The boy stiffened. "H-How did you—?"

"You were muttering that name in your sleep," Black Hat said gruffly. "Anyway, you said these classmates harmed you?"

Nodding, the boy said, "I…I didn't want to go back home. My parents…they don't approve of me being…well…"

"Go on."

It didn't matter the situation. It was always difficult to admit.

"That I'm attracted to girls," the boy said with a wince, "a-and guys."

"I see."

When he opened his eyes, Black Hat's expression seemed to be indifferent. So, the boy relaxed slightly as he continued.

"That's why they sent me to military school. I picked up some stuff about flying planes there and—"

"Knew exactly how not to fly it," Black Hat said with a low chuckle.

The boy lowered his head in shame. "Y-Yes."

The demon stood. "Personally, who you want to sleep with is no concern of mine." He turned his back to the boy. "Of course, the very notion of love is insignificant entirely." He glanced back at him out of the corner of his eye. "So, I'm sincerely hoping you are able to keep your trousers on while you're in my home, Kenning Flugslys."

"What?" the boy said, appalled by such an accusation. "N-No, I would never… Wait." He looked up at him with newfound nervousness. "H-How did you know my name?"

And how in the world had he been able to pronounce it properly?

"Your knapsack survived the fire. I must say, I find your name to be delightfully ironic." He turned back to face him. "That is also where I procured your spectacles."

Kenning pushed the glasses up his nose, remembering that he'd kept his spares stashed in there in case he ever broke the other pair.

"I took the liberty of looking you up," Black Hat said as a manilla folder appeared in his hand. "From what I've seen, you are considered a child prodigy." He flipped through the many pages in the folder. "Admitted early to the Hero Academy at thirteen, despite having no superpowers, but granted admission on the basis of your high IQ and heroic relations. Top of your classes, especially in Science as you have an affinity for building robots." He peered over the folder with a smirk. "I have my sources."

Kenning avoided eye contact with the villain as his past was relayed to him. "I w-was enrolled at the Hero Academy. But I was expelled."

"Yes," Black Hat said, flipping to another page. "For homosexual misconduct, as I understand it."

"I-It's not what you think!" Kenning shouted, dropping his glass and slamming his good hand on the bed. "We did nothing wrong!"

Black Hat arched an eyebrow. "We?"

The boy tensed. "D-Doesn't matter! You…said so yourself you didn't care."

"You're right. I don't." As he shut the folder, it disappeared into a puff of smoke. "Your problem, Master Flugslys, is that you invested your talents into the wrong academy. My institute, you see, isn't so…discriminatory on these matters."

"Y-Your institute?" Kenning looked up at him in disbelief. "B-But isn't that for—?"

"Villains?" Black Hat grinned wickedly as he pressed his fingertips together. "Yes. Seeing as you've already committed mass murder and hijacked a plane, which is more than what most of my applicants can claim, I believe you'd qualify for a scholarship. Why, I'm inclined to sponsor you myself, my boy." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "I've never had a ward before, but I find even after thousands of years, there's a first time for everything."

Kenning sat there frozen. "You…you want me to become a…a supervillain?"

"Why not?" Placing his hands behind his back, the demon stepped forward. "Don't you want to make those who hurt you suffer? Teach them a lesson? Prove that you're not trash?" He grabbed the boy's bandaged face, causing him to whine from the tenderness of his burns. "Who knows? Maybe I'll make you an official member of my organization. I am in need of a scientist."

"The alternative is that you kill me, right?" Kenning asked in a small voice.

"Which wouldn't be so bad if that's what you still want. If so," Black Hat said, digging his claws slightly into the boy's face, "I'd be happy to oblige."

As he locked gaze with the demon, Kenning contemplated his options. Death sounded welcoming, but so did Black Hat's offer. Kenning may have rid this world of some of his tormenters, but there were others responsible for his miserable existence. His parents, his teachers, those other so-called heroes, his senior officers at military school. They all deserved to know the pain they had put him through.

And then there was Andy. What had become of his dear friend, the very person whose love he had risked everything for? Perhaps, in time, he would be able to find her again and then help her take revenge on the people who had made her feel insignificant as well.

Suddenly, Kenning didn't feel the desire to die anymore. How could he, when all those monsters still lived? They were hypocrites, every one of them. People who claimed to be on the side of good, yet treated people like Kenning like they were lower than dirt. But this villain, this demon, wasn't claiming to be good. He hadn't saved Kenning out of the goodness of his heart, but out of pure selfishness. And Black Hat knew exactly what Kenning was and what he had done. He just didn't care.

Even if Kenning somehow managed to get away from this villain, what would there be to go back to? He had committed murder. And had hijacked a plane, which was practically an act of terrorism. If he wasn't considered human by society before, now it was absolutely guaranteed.

He had never fit in with the heroes. Perhaps, he should consider running with a new kind of crowd.

Thinking he had nothing left to lose, Kenning said, "I…I'll give your school a try."

Grinning, Black Hat replied, "Excellent." Releasing the boy's face, he straightened up. "We'll discuss the details of your contract once you're fully healed. Oh, which reminds me. The doctor said those facial injuries might leave some scarring."

Kenning's hand flew to his face. "What?!"

Without even thinking, he began clawing at his bandages. His face still felt like it was on fire, but he didn't care. Black Hat only watched in amusement and even summoned a hand mirror for the boy. Once the bandages had fallen away, Kenning grabbed the mirror and what he saw caused him to scream.

He was truly a monster now. Inside and out.

But at least now he was in similar company.

That opening was inspired by a fan comic I came across, including the line, "Are you Death?" and Black Hat feeling complimented by it. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find that comic again, so I'm not sure who wrote it. Except the line in that one was "Are you the Devil?" and Flug looked to be an adult. But I like the idea of Flug first coming to Black Hat when he was a teenager as Flug seems to see him as a sort of twisted paternal figure (and it's for this sole reason and the abuse that I cannot get behind the ship, sorry). And I like the idea of Flug being pansexual, but like most teens in the early 2000s, wouldn't be familiar with the term.

I only found out today from the Villainous Wiki that there have been hints of Flug having an unrequited or deceased love interest, which I found to be a happy coincidence. There is more on Andy in "The Girl in Black," though I do plan to write a later fanfic centering on Flug and his lost love much later on.