Homelander Burns:

Chapter One:

Billy Butcher observed the interior of the White House after sneaking inside, narrowly avoiding stray bullets from the U.S. army as they were fighting tooth and nail to overcome the dozens, if not hundreds of superhuman terrorists that were spilling innocent blood across Washington. The bodies of countless soldiers and agents were ripped apart and spread about the halls. Some had wounds that were clearly made by blunt force while others looked like they were cut apart, the damage having been coderized as it was being made by blasts from lasers. The pungent smell of charred meat and leaking body fluids stung Butcher's nose as he stepped over the mess, making his way further inside. His past history with Homelander, this massacre's perpetrator, made Butcher all but certain his pursuit was leading to the main office. The unhinged Supe was egotistical enough for that to appear natural.

The assumption was confirmed when pained screams echoed through the building from that direction. Butcher tightened his grip around the crowbar hanging by his side and followed the noise. He knew it would be of little use against Homelander and didn't expect to survive the coming encounter, he just wanted to keep the weapon he used to kill several of Vaught's corrupt "heros" close while he died. Something to give him an admittedly petty sense of triumph before joining his late wife. The screams stopped abruptly as Butcher walked the hall leading to the oval office. The doors were ripped from their hinges and splintered across the floor. The room itself was a bloody mess, organs and body parts scattered about, and the object of Butcher's hatred sat behind the president's desk. His face sported a sadistic grin and his uniform was as messy as the scene he had laid out.

The president's severed head was being held in Homelander's hands like a macabre trophy of sorts. Upon hearing Butcher's footsteps, the villain turned his head to face him with a mildly surprised expression. His arrogant smile still very visible.

"Billy! So glad you could stop by on my special day. I was just having a little discussion with America's former leader. This may come as a surprise, but the man really did have brains after all. Want to see?"

With waiting for an answer, Homelander pressed his hands against either side of his latest victim's head and applied extreme force, splitting the skin and sending fragments of bone and brain matter flying out and pelting Butcher. The villain laughs and tosses what's left of the head at his long-time rival's feet. Butcher roles his eyes and bitterly wipes away at his face.

"Impressive stuff, prick."

Homelander's smile instantly dips into a frown, annoyed by Butcher's ability to brush off his scare tactics with little effort, and he throws the office desk with one hand. The desk shatters against the wall to Homelander's right as he stoop from his chair, storming toward his rival with a hateful look on his face.

"I'm not trying to fucking impress anybody! I don't need to. The world is mine. People like you are toys. They're fucking paste! And you, Vaught, and all the other meat sacks can fuck yourselves!! I did this for me. Not some corporate asshole hoping to make a quick buck. Me! Because I alone have the might. I can take what's mine. I don't have to share. That makes this whole sorry excuse for a world my birthright!!"

Butcher cringes slightly at the volume of Homelander's voice combined with the stench from his uniform, but keeps himself firmly planted onto his place.

"So, pretty much the same load of shit we're forced to hear from every little Adolf who gets a rush of blood to the cock. Here's a hard truth, asshole, people ain't your toys. One person in particular, she was the exact fucking opposite of that."

Homelander groans bitterly.

"Ah, now it comes out. The wife. I remember nothing about your wife. I'll make an educated guess and say rape and murder, but I have no recollection of her at all. That's actually quite typical. There are things I recall and things I don't. God only knows why. Doesn't really matter."

The villain runs a gloved hand through through his messy blonde hair and begins circling Butcher. Walking at a steady pace and looking notably more absent-minded than angry as he talks.

"The airliner? Yes. The family after 'Believe'? Yes. The love of your life? No. The things I'm doing in those fucked up pictures you leaked? No, definitely not. I was shocked beyond belief when I saw those."

Butcher whipped around to face Homelander, who was behind him at this point, and glared at him with an annoyed sense of disbelief at his old enemy's claims.

"What the Hell type of bullshit is this? You trying to wind me up?"

Homelander only shrugs.

"I'm not denying that. But I'm also not lying. Why would I? I can cut you in half by looking at you. What do I have to be afraid of? What possible reason could I have for not telling you the truth? Which is that I have no more memory of killing this precious bitch of yours than I do of my first steps."

Without warning, Homelander glances down at Butcher's side and smirks when he notices the crowbar. He switches his gaze between it and Butcher's face before letting out a series of chuckles that evolve rather quickly into a nearly hysterical laugh.

"You know a funny thing I did just remember? Seeing you standing there with that piece of shit? Maeve. Speaking of bitches, Billy, Maeve hit me with a sword!!"

Butcher contemplated swinging the crowbar into Homelander's face, but soon decided against taking the shot. After another moment of manic laughter, Homelander abruptly stops. He looks past Butcher and at the doorway behind him, his expression turning to one of mild confusion and anger as heavy footsteps become audible. The pair watch as a dark figure steps into view, darkening the doorway. It's body and face are covered with black body armor which is adorned with various bladed weapons and other items that implied this new visitor's had a preference for stealth. It was Black Nior. One of Vaught's most famous and skilled 'heroes', working with the Seven beside Homelander for decades. Nior hadn't been seen for several days since Homelander snapped and left their headquarters torn apart. The public had assumed he was killed.

"What are you doing here?"

The villain asks, confusion audible in his voice. He didn't really expect an explicit answer, given that Nior had never spoken before during their career. But to his surprise, Nior brought his hands to the base of his mask, undoing the straps attaching it to the rest of his suit and dropping it onto the floor. Homelander looks on with shock as he sees that his former colleague's face looks identical to his own and is sporting an unnaturally wide smile.