"Step Up"



"Hello, this is Brian McFayden with an Emergency MTV News Brief. Reports are flooding our airwaves with the warning that there seems to be some kind of international freak occurance; Creatures calling themselves "revenants" have appeared all over the world. There are not many as of now, but clearly their numbers are growing. Details are hazy, but it seems suffice to say that their intent is extremely hostile. Countless people have already been injured and hospitalized due to the 'attacks' these revenants have made...they are extremely if farfetchedly powerful and dangerous. Authorities are claiming no understanding of these strangely humane creatures, and our sources here at MTV tell us that a statement of National Security has already been issued. What's more, the recent attempts by law enforcement to contain these creatures have all failed, as said they are somehow able to counteract and even overpower the police force. Citizens are warned to stay inside their homes or convey to the nearest public residence with all possible haste.

"This just in: Rumors tell of a superhuman force that is actually battling these creatures...a team of five men, seemingly capable of combatting these revenants. Eyewitness claim to have seen five other men before doing the same thing, but present whereabouts of the latter group is yet to be determined. That's all the news for now, I'm Brian McFayden, stay tuned for more news, right here, ten to the hour, every hour, on MTV."

**************************************************************

Justin: So. What the heck do we do now?

Inside the *NSYNC tourbus...

Busta: I don't get it...he just took your "name," just like that?

Chris: Is that even possible?

Central: ...If Lou really did have that much control over you...who knows what the Corpulence is capable of? It makes sense in a twisted manner...you signed your talent over to him, and thus your art, the power source of your star crystals.

Joey: You know, that's so crazy it might actually be true.

Justin: So, what the heck...

JC: Justin, now would be a good time to stop asking that! This is insane, people are getting hurt, we should be the ones going after Fat Bastard. I don't trust those guys to take care of our business. Especially Brian, he...nevermind. Arrrrg, I'm getting all jittery and spasming and we're not even onstage!

Lance: That's right, we can't just stay here.

*Christina: You guys can't just go around picking fights! I can only protect you, I can't fight a war for you...or something.

Justin: Then what are we supposed to do!?

Chris: ...Lou...he said something about there being a very fragile link connecting all the revenants...if we can somehow distrupt that link, maybe their fuses will all short out or something.

Joey: I don't know, hurting the revenants don't seem to be enough...Maybe it's some other kind of link?

Central: You two are probably on the right track...The revenants are most likely connected to a main "generator," if you will, something that's keeping them in their current states. If they are indeed connected by a fragile link to this generator, destroying it might destroy the hold the Corpulence has on these people...

Justin: Great! So we find this generator crap and we have Joey sit on it, whatever, let's just go!

Central: We don't even know the location of the Corpulence's main quarters, how are we going to find it?

JC: Didn't those Backstreets say that they knew? Can't we trace them or something?

Busta: Now that you mentioned it...we may be able to tune into their specific energy patterns, but it'll take a while to get it specifically. Let's see...

Bump.

Lance: Um, just a thought, there's a big hairy guy hanging off the front of our bus drooling acid on us. Hurry. Please.

**************************************************************

At the entrance to the Pearlman Estate(Pretty obvious in retrospect, ain't it?)...Cue tunes of "Don't Want You Back"

*Howie: Backstreet Psycho Crusher!

*Kevin: Look out!

*AJ: Look out yourselves, there's another right behind you!

*Brian: We're not making any progress at all.

Soldier: NRRAAAAAAAASSK!

*Nick: If there weren't so many of them we'd finish them in minute...okay, that's pretty obvious, but...

The Backstreet Boys are fighting a horde of soldiers and scouts outside the Lou's mansion. The huge iron gates are sealed fast, and the Boys could bust it down if they combined their powers, but at the moment, confronted with the army, there was little time for that. Apparently with the revenants on the loose there was no need to be sparing with the remaining warriors.

*Kevin: We need...some kind of diversion...the longer we take out here...

Suddenly, a voice is heard through a loudspeaker.

Lou: Helloooo! How are you all doing?

*Nick: Get down here and face us! Are you afraid to fight us like a man!?

Lou: None of you are men, you're all Boys! HAHAHAHA I'm soo funny...Don't worry, there's lots more soldiers to keep you company...so long!

*AJ: D**n you, you fat piece of...

*AJ was cut off as a scout raked him across his back. It was true, more and more were showing up.

*AJ: Backstreet Nova Burst!

*Howie: Geez, we might even lose right here, without even getting inside the dang building...

*Brian: Don't think like that, we have to make it...AAAARRG!!!

*Kevin: *Brian, get back!

The odds were definitely against them, only an act of God could save them now...

SCREEEEEEEEECH!!!

Pulling into the lot and running over a couple dozen soldiers in the process, the *NSYNC tourbus! The guys stick their heads out the windows.

Chris: That stuff will never come out of the tires:(!

Lance: I'm thinking we have more important things to worry about, but whatever floats your boat...

*Nick: What the heck are you all doing here!? Don't you know how dangerous it is for you now that...

Justin: Da** straayit we know. But dawg, if'n you jes be tinkin' we jes gonna goen'n twiddl'in dem thumbs? Dat be too whack, homie, def'n fo'us crunk playas.

Joey: ...Right, what he said. We're not just gonna stand by, we got jobs to do, and we're never giving it up.

*Brian: ...!.

*Howie: Even knowing the danger...

JC: Of course.

*AJ: How could you be so stupid...and how can I be so impressed?

*Christina pokes her head out the window too.

*Christina: Hey, are you the Backstreet Boys? I've heard a lot about you, but I don't think you should just write these guys off...what's the matter?

The Boys' tongues are all hanging out.

*AJ: Dang. She. Fine.

*Nick: Must. Have.

*Kevin: Wow. We.

*Howie: Holy. Mother. Of.

*Brian: O_O

*Christina: Huh?

Busta: No time for that now...I'm gonna floor it, get ready! Central, I'm gonna need to plow straight through the baddies, are the deflectors up and ready?

Chris: Dang, this bus just has everything, don't it.

Central: Yes. You may commence burning of rubber at any time.

And burn rubber he did...running over a couple(hundred)more soldiers, Busta rammed the bus straight into and through the huge iron fence, getting them access to the inside of the estate!

BSB: O_O

JC: Let's go!

Busta: Guys, I won't be able to come along this time...be careful!

Central: Use these headphones anyway to keep contact...*Christina, keep them safe! I know this probably won't sound important now, but...stay *NSYNC!

**************************************************************

"Are they coming...?"

Lou: They are. This is exciting, is it not!?

"And you are sure you can deal with them..."

Lou: Five have totally no securities in themselves, the other five no longer have a name, and one is a girl who hasn't reached half her full potential yet...where's the harm?

"For your sake I hope you are right...the last thing we need to do now is to underestimate them."

Lou: Don't worry, I have some tricks that I haven't pulled yet...

**************************************************************

Inside the mansion...

The team of eleven try to make their way in the mazelike darkness. There is hardly any light, so *Brian leads the way with his flaming ball in hand to guide. At one point the Boys start whispering to one another, unheard by *NSYNC or *Christina.

*Howie: Guys...I've been wondering.

Silence.

*Howie: What if it had been us?

Silence.

*Kevin: What...do you mean...?

*Howie: If it had been us who got our name taken, if we were in their place, their situation...would we still be fighting? Would we still be doing our thing? They went through all that, losing their name, their work, their uniqueness, and still they came here to fight some more. If we had to go through everything *NSYNC went through, all of that crap, would we still be here?

No one had an answer for him.

*Brian: ...It makes you wonder, just who really has the greater power here...and who doesn't.

Silence.

Joey: I'm hungry.

Everyone turns to stare at Joey.

Joey: Alright, why is it that I always get the worst lines!? I demand a better role in this story. JC never says anything stupid. I'm actually very smart, actually.

Suddenly the lights in the room blast on. Everyone blinks, trying to get adjusted. They are in a hallway...it is wide and spacious, but seems to be one-way. Lou's voice comes through the loudspeaker again.

Lou: Hey guys, I'm back! And I brought you a little surprise!

From the end of the hallway approaches a figure, appears to be female.

Busta{Through headphones}: Guys, watch it! The readings show it to be a revenant.

Chris: *Slaps forehead* Duh! Of course they're not gonna have all the revenants out.

The figure approaches.

*Nick: This is gonna be nasty...!

*Brian: But it's only one; Between all of us it shouldn't be a prob...it...it...

The figure comes even closer and *Brian falters in his speech, his mouth dropping. The other BSBs react as well.

*Kevin: No. Lou, you cheap bastard, we should've known.

*Christina: What are you talking about? Who is that girl?

The rest of the guys are similarily confused. The girl in front of them was blonde, tall, composed, beautiful.

*Brian: Leighanne.

Leighanne: How's my fiancee doing:)?

**************************************************************

Central: Busta, we can't stay here. The massive amounts of the soldiers are overwhelming the bus's defenses. We have to leave now.

Busta: But if we leave we'll lose contact with the guys...! And that revenant they just met...it...

Central: There's no choice! Have faith in them.

Busta: ...Alright, I'm gonna pull out. Dangit! Hang in there, guys...

**************************************************************

Cue tunes of "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely

Chris: Your...fiancee...! But she's a...

*Brian: Yes.

Leighanne: You should be congratulating me, Brian!

*Brian: Leighanne Wallace. She was...is...an actress.

A look of confirmation crosses JC's face, while the rest of *NSYNC and *Christina are speechless. The BSB turn their gaze sadly.

Leighanne points a finger towards them and a beam of laser shoots straight at *Brian.

Lance: Look out!

*Kevin ran in front of *Brian and deflected it with his Cosmos Armor.

*Kevin: *Brian!

*Brian: I couldn't stop it from happening...I didn't even know when it did...but somehow they got a hold of her.

Leighanne: I don't understand just why you aren't happy for me, Brian! I feel so much better, so alive...join me, Brian, please?

*NSYNC looks at *Brian, alarmed, but the BSB make no movements. *Brian doesn't move, either.

Leighanne: Please?

The same reaction.

Leighanne: Sigh. Oh well.

Half a second later, the air sizzled with laser beams. The BSB all dodge, while *Christina took the viel surrounding her hips(See picture gallery)and spread it around her and *NSYNC like a huge blanket, and somehow it blocked the shots.

In his speed, *Nick was able to get around Leighanne and now stood right behind her.

*Nick: Backstreet Hydro...!

Suddenly he faltered, looked at *Brian. Almost as if for permission.

*Nick: Backstreet...Hydro...Torp...

Looked at Leighanne, who stood there unmoving, looking straight into his eyes.

*Brian: ...Da**it! Just do it! Backstreet Nuclear Or...

Just as *Brian was about to launch the destructive ball, JC leaped and tackled him.

JC: No! There's gotta be some way to save her, don't give up!

*Brian: Don't stop me! Don't stop me! Don't you see how she's suffering just by being like that, I am saving her!

But the words were spoken with little conviction and carried less, seeing the tears roll down his eyes as *Brian tried to justify his own actions.

Lance: Dude...if you kill her I swear to you that you will regret it forever. You'll never forgive yourself.

Justin: It's not worth it, you've got to find another way!

Chris: Come on, you're taking the easy way out!

Joey: Do it for Leighanne.

Leighanne: I'm getting tired of this!

She reached out to start her assault again. And *Brian threw JC off and summoned another ball.

*Brian: I have to do it, only I...

Justin: Dude, will you shut up about that!

Leighanne starts to attack again. The other Backstreets and *Christina move to intercept her.

*Brian: You don't understand anything! You don't know...!

Chris: Here's what we do know: You're not gonna kill her.

Lance: You're gonna put that dang ball down.

JC: You're gonna find a way to save her.

Joey: Someday, you two are gonna be married and have lots and lots of sex...I mean children. Same thing.

Justin: That's what we do know. But right now, you're gonna shut your hole and calm down.

Meanwhile the Boys were watching this exchange in wonder. All this time, they've never been able to find the words to help Brian...and here are these guys, offering someone they've known for scant hours encouragement and strength.

There was something about them.

*Brian: ...

Without warning, *Brian hurled the ball straight at Leighanne, burning her from head to toe and knocking her to the floor.

Leighanne: Aaaaaarggh!

JC: NO!

*Howie: Brian, why did you...!

But even as they spoke, they saw that Leighanne started to crawl back up. The blast was not at full force; It only stunned her.

The other Backstreets looked at *Brian in wonder. Then at *NSYNC in understanding.

*Kevin: ...You five...*NSYNC...go on with *Christina. We'll deal with her. Catch up later.

Justin: What? But...

*Brian: This, this was our fight from the beginning. Go on.

*AJ: Go on nimrods! You five and *Christina...go and save the world.

Joey: Really? But...why are you saying this? I always thought you were just a tight***.

*AJ: Hey!

Of course, *AJ couldn't say the real reason for his sudden amiable attitude; He's too much of a tight***, and his tight*** nature wouldn't allow him to admit any sort of respect for the guys.

*AJ: Hey!

*Nick: Actually, we always kinda thought that he was a tight*** too.

*AJ: Hey!

*Christina: C'mon, we don't got a lotta time here!

They understood. With a final glance back, *NSYNC turned to go deep into the depths of the Pearlman estate.

**************************************************************

*Christina ran ahead in the dark. She'd never met this Lou Pearlman guy before, and she wasn't too eager to. Not to be prejudging someone beforehand, but from what she heard this guy was the epitome of the greedy, unscrupulous businessman. Totally manipulative. *Christina hated immaturity like that. She vowed to herself that someday she will be big and separate herself from any typecasts, even positive ones. But right now she had bigger problems to worry about.

*Christina: Guys, I think there's a light...guys?

She stopped dead in her tracks.

*Christina: Hey...where are you!?

A second ago they were right behind her! How could they have been gone without her knowing it!? She stood tense, trying to sense a presence, any presence.

"Nrrrraaaaaaasssskkk..."

Oh yes, she definitely had bigger problems to worry about.





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