*Kevin: What are you up to, Lou?
The contempt in his voice was all too noticeable, but Lou scoffed at it.
Lou: Kevin, you know you were always my favorite. After Howie, of course.
*Chris: How could Howie be anyone's favori...no wait, that's not the point! What do you think you're doing!?
Suddenly, off in the distance, a dischordant scream is heard.
Lou: Better hurry, boys...looks like a few of those revenants are already getting started:)
*JC : Crap! Let's get going...!
At the same time *NSYNC hurried off, the Boys followed suit.
**************************************************************
Outside the local Safeway...
*Lance: Oh, God...there's seven of them...
Indeed, seven revenants ran amuck, terrorizing the people who were unfortunate enough to be there
Shopper: Oh my God!!! What the hell are you!?
Revenant: Shut up and die!
*JC: Get the people out of here!
Man: Help me! Aaaaah...
Little Girl: Mommy! Mommy! Where are you...?
*Nick: D**n*t!
Racing with all his speed, *Nick managed to grab the child and leap away milliseconds before a huge blast from one revenant ravaged the spot where she used to be. Seconds later, *Chris' Lunatic Storm and *Justin's Tearing Frostbite blasted the revenant back.
*Kevin: We have to destroy the revenants...there are ten of us, for pete's sake, even if some of us are weaklings...We can do it.
*Joey: Wait!...They're still people, dangit...we can't just...
At this, *AJ turned and looked sharply at him.
*AJ: It's either them or that little girl. Do you want to be the one to decide?
*Joey: ...No.
*Brian: ...Wait guys...um, maybe...maybe we shouldn't...you know, we should just...just this once, we'll try to spare them, please? It's...we shouldn't just give them up like that.
Everyone but *JC turned to *Brian, surprised. After a moment, a look of understanding came across the Boys' faces, toos.
*Howie: Right. We'll try to put them out of commission, not totally destroy them. But it'll be hard...
*Chris: ...Just because something is hard to obtain doesn't mean that it's unobtainable. You of all people should know that the best, Howie.
This time it was *Howie's turn to be speachless, while the rest of the crew and viewers from the net were further confused.
*Justin: Whatever! I've got a lot of questions I'm dying to ask, but let's just do this, we're wasting time!
**************************************************************
On the *NSYNC tourbus...
POOF!
*Christina: ...Busta? Were you the one who called me?
Busta: Did you feel it too?
*Christina: Yeah, it's pretty hard to miss the appearance of dark power all over the world...I'm sure a lot of normal people felt it too. Where're the guys? What's going on?
Busta: It's hard to explain...I'm not too sure myself. I know that your powers aren't at their fullest yet, *Christina, but I have a feeling that you're gonna be needed very, very soon. I'll explain on the way, let's get this baby on the road!
***************************************************************
Back at the Safeway
*JC: I think...I think that's all of them.
It was not an easy battle...the revenants are all on the ground, all wounded, but none dead. The guys, both *NSYNC and BSB, were breathing hard, trying to stand up straight, none willing to admit that they were pushed very well beyond their limits.
Lou: Having fun yet, guys?
He had appeared out of nowhere.
*Lance: What...what the **** is your plan, Lou...
Everyone noticed *Lance's unexpected swearing, but none cared. They were also well beyond the limits of their courtesy.
Lou: Well, since you asked, why don't I explain it completely, in true supervillain fashion?
The Corpulence...we've always looked for more ways to increase our...influence. Our hold on the world. We hold a lof it, to be sure, but we needed more powerful resources. I'm sure you all know what the revenants are by now. At the beginning, we only had soldiers and scouts...dark soldiers created by pure corruption. They were very powerful, as you all must have noticed. They shared a collective mind, bringing even more to their strength, even if you might argue otherwise.
But in the end, they were still all manufactured. Grown in a factory. Tools. Made to be what we wanted them to be. Not having the individuality and expression that must make all you as powerful as you are. We didn't understand this..."specialness." We didn't know how to create it. After a while we found that we couldn't create it. This "specialness"...it can only come from a star crystal, physical manifestations of a person's being, which in turn can be easily drawn from ordinary people who are willing to share this specialness with others. Performers like you.
We could just take the crystals from people...but that would be of no use. We didn't want the power itself, we had more than enough power. We wanted warriors. People who could carry out our master plan. So we found that we could...tune...these star crystals. Tune them to us. With the same type of corruption as the soldiers and scouts. After which they are returned to the original hosts...therin, you have the "revenants." Totally similar to you: People who are able to draw upon their star crystal's power. But totally unlike you in that, well, they are like the soldiers, adhering to my every needs.
He paused, eyed each of the guys eagerly.
Lou: Well, what do you guys think? Isn't it ingenious?
*Justin: You're sick.
Lou: But of course, there were complications.
*JC: Us.
Lou: Exactly. At first there was only one, then your numbers grew. I couldn't have that. You were already messing with our collecting of star crystals...What if you found a way to distrupt the great transformation, the process of turning all the hosts into the revenants? The link of dark energy was delicate, who knows what could have happened? So I went to keep an eye on you all. Keep a hold on you all.
*Chris: You tricked us. You played with our trust.
Lou: It was rather easy, actually. I had already done it with the Backstreet Boys, who I also deemed to be a threat.
The members of *NSYNC turned accusingly at the Boys, who could only hang their heads.
Lou: But they discovered my true intentions too quickly, unfortunately, and disengaged from my control...Now why would you have wanted to do that? I was so nice to you all!
*Nick: Well, other than the fact that you were a two-timing fat slob...
Lou: It was a stroke of luck, actually, that you would encounter *NSYNC when you did. It gave me an idea. If I could pit the two of you against each other...why, there would be no one to disrupt the great transformation, would there?
*Joey: Pam becoming a revenant...that was you!?
The Boys were equally surprised.
*Kevin: You were the one that pit us against them?
Lou: Oh, don't blame it all on me, Backstreets. The flame was always there, I just put a little gas on it. You were all so insecure, all so concerned about your own worth after you left me, you were obsessed with the worry that *NSYNC might do better than you , that they might actually stand a chance against us. Insecurities, everywhere...it was only too easy to cause trouble.
For a few shocked seconds, no one said anything.
*Lance: I told you they had a chip on their shoulders...
Lou: But now you're too late...the great transformation is complete. The revenants, total supersoldiers, have all awakened around the world. It is only a matter of time before the entire world falls to the wills of the Corpulence!
Indeed, off in the distance, even more dischordant screams were heard; The revenants were wasting no time.
*Chris: You know, I think I've had just about enough of you. All those in favor of blasting away this piece of lard with their powers, do so!
*Brian: What!? Wait!
*Justin: *NSYNC Tearing Frostbite!
*Chris: *NSYNC Lunatic Storm!
*Joey: *NSYNC Burning Light!
*Lance: *NSYNC Deep Seismoburst!
*JC: *NSYNC Spasmic Lightning!
The intense clash of *NSYNCified power should have very easily blown away the fat rat into nothingness, but to everyone's surprise, the attacks just fizzled away before it reached Lou.
*Joey: Uh...what was that!?
*Lance: How could you...
Lou: Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you guys...you're all still under contract:P
*NSYNC: What!?
Even the Boys were puzzled.
*Howie: What's that supposed to mean?
Lou: Well...if you guys had bothered to read your contracts I had you sign you might have seen it coming.
*Chris: Contracts!? But...
Lou: You're totally bound to me. Don't underestimate the powers of the Corpulence; We take things literally when dealing with you. You are not allowed to oppose me in any way. With the Boys, I hadn't counted on them finding out about me, so I hadn't taken this precaution. But with you *NSYNC...your contracts are very valid. Think "The Little Mermaid." Hah, I've always liked that Ursula.
*Justin: What the heck...but we've always opposed you! We battled the Corpulence!
Lou: Yes, but you didn't know you were doing it. Now that it's out in the open, you're no longer allowed to.
*Chris: What the heck kind of crappy story idea is that!?
Hey, don't blame the messenger, you guys were the ones stupid enough to sign with Fat Bastard in the first place.
*AJ: He's got you there...
*Chris: Be quiet! Well, we terminate our contracts!
*JC: That's right! We terminate contact with TransCon!
Lou: Well, then afraid I'm gonna have to exert my control even further...I take your name.
*NSYNC: What?
For a second, nothing seemed to happen. Then all of a sudden, a ring of dim light surrounded the guys of *NSYNC. At first it was small, then it grew and grew, until it covered them all.
Then the lights dimmed...and revealed Justin, Chris, Joey, Lance, and JC. No power ups. Just the ordinary fellows.
JC: HUH!?
Lou: I told you not to underestimate us; You are not *NSYNC. You never were. From the moment you signed yourself to me, the name of *NSYNC belonged to me. I own *NSYNC. Nevermind that it's just a name, it's who you are...and now it's who you aren't.
For a shocked moment, no one could utter a sound.
Chris: *NSYNC Star Power, Get Down!
Nothing happened.
Justin: But...that's ridiculous! We are *NSYNC! It's not something you can just take!
Lou: As I've said over and over again: You've underestimated us. You terminated your contracts, so as stated I can do whatever I want with the name of *NSYNC. And I take it away from you.
Lance: And that's supposed to seal our powers...?
Lou: Well, you're not much without a name, are you? I don't care if you call yourself the Bobbsey Twins or whatever, you're not going to be *NSYNC...and that makes all the difference.
And to the Backstreet Boys he said...
Lou: Well, I can't do much with you five...but then again, neither can you do much to us. You're welcome to try and stop us if you want...you know where to look!
With that, the disgusting fat man poofed away with a loud farting noise and a cloud of brown smoke.
*Kevin: ...You heard the man. Let's go. We can't let him get away with this.
Joey: Wait a minute! You know where the...the Corpulence hideout is?
*Nick: Yeah, we do. But...we're not about to tell you.
The Artists Formerly Known as *NSYNC: WHAT!?
Justin: Hey, you owe us!
*AJ: We're sorry for starting that fight. That was our bad, and we have to deal with it. But...no offense or anything...you guys really are weak now.
*Howie: We can't let you go there. We've already got enough on our heads.
Lance: Well we can't just let them off like that! We have to do something too!
*Kevin: How? You're totally powerless now. How do you plan on fighting them?
TAFKA*NSYNC: ...
*Brian: This was our fight from the beginning...sorry, y'all, but to put it frankly you'll just get in the way. Let's go, guys.
JC: Wait!
But the Boys paid them no heed as they sped off.
JC: Da***t!
Lance: Not to add to our problems or anything...but look!
Out of the corner came a revenant, blood literally dripping from its eyes. It gave them a look and its eyes shined in glee.
Chris: Oh look, a fan.
Joey: Uh, guys...have you ever heard that saying, "You don't really miss it till it's gone?"
Justin: What the heck do we do now!?
JC: Wait, stay clam! I mean calm!
Justin: Okay, right, I'm calm now. Now that I'm calm, same question: What the heck do we do now!?
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEECH!
From around the corner came the the tourbus, running over the drooling revenant and making a 180, right side facing the guys. Hanging out of the entrance was none other than *Christina.
*Christina: Get on!
They didn't need to be told twice. As soon as the last guy got onboard, Busta burned rubber and busted the heck outta there.
For a few minutes, no one said anything.
Justin: So. What the heck do we do now?
Chapter 9: "Step Up"
(Stay tuned. The best is yet to come)