Keep Your Enemies Closer

By: Aneko Kitana

Dear Readers and Reviewers:

Disclaimer: I DO NOT Own Fusion Fall Nor Any Of The Characters Herein. I do however lay claim to the scenario and all (if any) OC's, but I rarely add them in so don't worry. I hope you all enjoy! NO FLAMES PLEASE!

Content Warning: Shonen-ai. No like, no read! Gore too….so M just to be safe.

Preveiw: While inside the lab, working on an invention, Dexter is visited by a certain black-haired mad scientist. But, while trying to extricate his arch-nemesis, Billy is chased in by Dee Dee, who is raving about the lunatic stealing her ribbon. Could the resulting catastrophe bring these arch-rivals together after years of bickering? Shonen-ai. Fluff. Dexter/Mandark. *Squee!*

Chapter One: Pains In His Side

Dimly lit and cold, the laboratory seemed so much lonelier at night. Dexter just had a feeling it was night; it had been gradually getting colder and colder in the lab, signifying the end of the day. He shook himself a bit to awaken his stiff body, his eyelids were heavy and his limbs were starting to shake with fatigue. A heavy sigh extricated itself from the young scientist's lips as he lifted a latex-clad hand to his sweaty brow, wiping away the droplets as he examined his newest creation with a critical air.

"Finally finished…" Dexter said as he slowly put his oversized wrench down on the marble of his workstation. Dexter smiled as he glanced over the sleek finish of the newest design for his weaponry. "Surely Mandy will allow me a reprieve after I start the mass-production stage…" Dexter thought as he slowly started to slump down into his chair. But… his "reprieve" was short lived, at best.

"DEXTER!", came a screechy wail from the opposite side of the laboratory, making Dexter bolt upwards in his swivel chair.

Dexter groaned loudly as he glared over his shoulder at the bane to his existence.

"What are you doing in my la-bor-a-tory this time?" Dexter growled at the tall, lanky frame or his arch-rival, whom he hadn't even addressed in full.

Mandark glowered at the shorter genius as he stalked over to the boy, his long billowy cape swishing behind him as he walked. "I came to get you, Dexter… Dee Dee wanted to make sure you were getting out of here…" Mandark explained, as he straitened his rumpled white business shirt and blood-red tie. He spat out Dexter's name as if just the taste of it was horrible, while Dee Dee's name came off his tongue as if it was the greatest thing in the world, his voice going a bit higher in pitch to prove that fact.

"So… my sister bribed you into infiltrating my lab to get me out?" Dexter said as he turned around to face Mandark, his bright orange hair darkening a bit in the dimmed light.

Mandark flinched a bit at the sight of his rival. Dexter looked … "beat", for lack of a better term. Mandark noted that Dexter's usual demeanor was very sluggish, as if he had trouble with moving. He also noted that Dexter was far more rumpled than he initially thought, noting that Dexter had menacingly blackened rings around his eyes from lack of sleep. Also, his usual Russian lilt was sluggish and almost inaudible. But, having been Dexter's nemesis for so long, he could tell what he was saying.

"Yes, Dexter…" Mandark iterated, glancing over Dexter's rumpled white lab coat and trademark purple gloves. He then looked at the object that was glinting just behind Dexter.

"How long have you been working on the Prototype, Dexter?" Mandark asked as he inched closer, trying to not seem threatening to the obviously tired boy.

Dexter glared at him, huffing as he hefted himself to his feet. "What does it matter to you, Mandark? Do you plan on copying my ideas again? Or did you just come down here to mock me… Again."

This time, it was Mandark's turn to huff at his counterpart. "So much for small talk…" Mandark thought as he stopped in his tracks, turning on his heel. "If it's anything to you, Dorkster… I didn't want either…" Mandark retorted, only aloud this time.

Dexter sneered, but got up and walked slowly over to Mandark, and glared up at the taller boy. "Is that so? Then pray…tell me, Mandark… Other than my sister, why did you enter my lab?" Dexter pried, trying to get Mandark to spill.

Now, Mandark wasn't one to spill his guts to anyone (unless tortured), and he just sneered right back. "Why should I tell you?"

"You ARE in MY la-bor-a-tory, Mandark…" Dexter retaliated, his accent back to full form due to his obvious disdain for his counterpart. He then started to head deeper into the darkness of his own lab, desperately trying to get FAR away from the annoying banter that Mandark had pressed onto his peace.

Mandark huffed and started to follow him. "Hmm…Dexter seems a lot less feisty today….wonder what Mandy did to him this time?" Mandark questioned himself as he followed.

"Stop following me, Mandark…" Dexter's command cut through the darkness, but his head never turned to acknowledge him.

Mandark stopped for a short moment, and then asked Dexter what had been bugging him. "What's wrong with you today, Dexter? You don't seem like yourself…"

Dexter turned to glare at Mandark, but before he could speak, two more "pains in his side" came dashing into his lab.

Billy, the idiot buffoon side-kick to Mandy herself, was running into his laboratory, flailing a pink ribbon behind him. This scene made Dexter, and Mandark, raise a brow in question. But, just before the exclamations were started, Dee Dee, Dexter's dancing idiot of a sister, came bounding into the laboratory herself. She was screaming, something Dexter had only seen directed at either Mandark or the bullies at his old school. Dexter, and Mandark, flinched as Dee Dee hollered at the buffoon, demanding he return her sash.

"GIVE IT BACK!"

Maniacal, but stupid laughter came garbling out of Billy as he waved his prize about. This, in itself was a horrible idea (duh), which had Dexter's eyes widening. Billy, in his own little world at the moment, was heading towards Dexter's new prototype…which he still had not tested.

"NO! YOU BUFOONS! GET OUT OF MY LA-BOR-A-TORY!"

Mandark snickered softly at the way Dexter strained out the words in his Russian lilt, but then got the idea that Dexter's fear was based off of. If Billy hit the blaster…the resulting ray would spiral right at them.

Billy's hand slapped the ray as he bolted past. The blaster tipped, and fell to the ground. As it struck, the vibrations caused the ray to fire on its own.

Mandark was at a loss for words for what was about to happen next…

With a short burst of energy, from God knows where, Dexter dashed to Mandark and pushed him out of the way of the blast. Being shorter, Dexter was missed by the ray entirely, the shot just going over his head as he was moving forward. But, as they were propelled into a less used corner of the lab, the ray struck a reactor just behind the boys' original position.

BOOM!!!!!!

Mandark and Dexter were thrown farther down the corner, rock and debris following them as it erupted from the epicenter, pushing them backwards. The shockwaves were shattering the support beams above them, causing the ceiling to collapse. Luckily (or unluckily) enough, Mandark and Dexter were surrounded instead of crushed, but they were effectively sealed together. Alone. In the darkness.

Mandark merely rolled a bit and came to a stop a ways inside the newly constructed clearing they were now trapped inside; but, Dexter, having borne the brunt of the blast, and being smaller than Mandark, (AN: Sorry Dex. ) rolled farther away and was slammed roughly into the wall just a few feet beyond. His back initially arched, a slight spray of crimson fluid coming from his lips as it opened in a short gasp for air.

Having the wind knocked from his lithe frame, Dexter's vision swam, his glasses falling to the ground with a distinct clack. He wobbled and then slumped back against the wall in a dead faint, a serious throb issuing from his temple and other places in his body as he did. As, Dexter's world went black, he distinctly heard his sister start calling out to him from somewhere beyond the massive barrier of mangled steel.

Mandark heard it too as he slowly tried to push himself up from the ground, coughing hard as the dust started to settle. His eyes squinted in the dark to try and discern where he was, when he realized…….he was trapped! He looked around frantically.

"Dexter!?"

The darkness didn't answer his cry.

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