Nobody was all that surprised when Mind Man had a psychological meltdown. In the eyes of his superheroic peers, he was the poster boy of instability and a walking time bomb. Granted, his heart was in the right place, but he was still a risk. The entire community even gave their support when he announced his retirement to get himself help after his public meltdown. What nobody expected was the second breakdown he’d have afterwards.
They called the heavy hitters first, hoping their extraordinary abilities would be more than a match, but they all went down one way or another. Apparently, something or someone augmented his abilities. One-by-one the strongest of the active heroes fell. The reserves had to be called in but not before they made one last appeal to his humanity. That was why the current heroes against him this round consisted of a team of two. They were from a classic team, long retired and happy, all things considered. Most importantly, Particle Woman and Sir Miracle were the last living members of Mind Man’s first team and the longest and closest friends he’s ever had.
When the confronted him, he was in New York City. The sky had twisted into unnatural, sickly colors, possibly reflecting the illness within his mind. Lamp posts were twisted like gnarled trees. Buildings leaned unnaturally. Not a single building was perndicular to the ground. The roads led to nowhere and everywhere. Cars were driving up buildings, moved up into looped roads all over the city skyline and then some. Little by little, reality was slowly breaking down. They found him in the single spot seemingly untouched by the chaos - he was standing on top of a single apartment building, one he used to call home.
“Mind Man!” Particle Woman called out to him. “We’re here to talk to you.”
“Know.” Mind Man replied. The nature of his powers always made verbal communication difficult. Particle Woman suspected his condition only made it worse. The helmet he usually wore to protect the world from his mind was shattered, with the remains still clinging to his head. He was thin and sickly. The restraining uniform of the institution remained on him. It limited movement in his arms but allowed him to walk freely. Despite this, he didn't make a single move.
“Now see here, I know you can read minds, so you should know very well that is out exactly out intention.” Sir Miracle said.
“I-”Mind Man struggled with the words, careful to construct the words not in his mind but with his mouth. Each syllable sounded like agony. “-know.”
Sir Miracle took the first steps to him. He made no move to touch him or get too close. The last time he was like this, even the slightest bit of extraneous stimulation could break him.
“Come on, buddy.” Sir Miracle said. “Let’s get you out of here. We can get you away from here. Somewhere peaceful. Somewhere secluded. A quiet, safe place.”
For the first time in a long time, Mind Man seemed to relax. They didn’t call him Sir Miracle for nothing.
“Always-liked-you.” Mind Man’s words were disconnected and off but coherent. “Good-kind-hero. Deserve-happy-” A twitch. “-Deserve-love.”
That was all Sir Miracle remembered of the confrontation before he found himself deep in a sea of his own memories and feelings dredged up from years ago. Feeling of him and Particle Woman and all the love that they never dared to share with each other. In the end, it was Particle Woman who broke them both out of it. The building collapsed and plummeted to the ground from the strength of her powers, but they ended up safe and wrapped in each other’s arms, telling each other sweet and loving things they never wanted to tell the other. It was both wrong and right and odd, but strangely liberating. It would be something they would eventually talk and follow up on, but they had a former comrade to think about.
Only when they truly broke out the trance did they look to survey the remains of the long-evacuated building. Try as they could, there was no trace of Mind Man in the city that day.
