Work Text:
Ewron Osborn — a renown CEO of Żabka, a man so fearless, stern and cocky that it allowed him to walk his way into fortune, was now nervously standing in front of a giant door leading to a conference room, his quivering hand hovering over the handle.
Why was he so nervous? Why was his hand shaking and his breath unsteady…? Perhaps the business deal he was going to negotiate was one of a lifetime, one that he couldn’t afford to lose…
No. He won’t lose it, he’s on the top of the food chain, he makes decisions and gets investments... It cannot ever be the other way around.
With a sharp exhale, he finally grabbed the handle and opened the door, revealing a very spacious and long conference room where his clients stood at the very end of it.
One was sitting, the other stood behind him — perhaps a bodyguard. The one seated was none other than Dr. Michael Octavius — A renowned scientist who worked for Alchemax, using nuclear energy to power cities all across America… His whole mantra is cheap electricity for all.
He was dressed in a business-casual attire — A deep, purple-ish turtleneck alongside a long beige coat.
He forced a smug smile, approaching with his briefcase full of documents, as he reached out for a handshake before sitting down
“Ewron Osborn, but you probably already know me.”
He commented, as his guest looked at him from his own papers, seemingly also forcing a small smile before shaking the other’s hand.
“Yes, I know all about you Mr.Osborn. In fact, I know enough about you to know that this investment isn’t beneficial to any of us”
Ewron's eyes widened at the sudden confrontation, as he let out a small nervous chuckle. His fingers immediately went to correct his tie — a soothing gesture.
“Well Mr. Octavius, let us talk first... You’re gravely underestimating me and my company. We bring millions in everyday and we’d be a great partner for Alche— ”
“Let me stop you right there.” Multi’s hand rose up as if to say ‘stop talking’. “Please don’t get me wrong, being business partners with such a large company would be very beneficial for us. More money means more research, more opportunities for us.” He began, standing up from his seat and walking towards the large window, looming over the unknowing citizens “Just... Why would a convenience store make a deal with a company like Alchemax...? It just wouldn’t make any sense. We bring enough money as is, so we need some strong arguments Mr. Osborn” He spat out coldly, not even daring to look towards the very man he spoke to.
… What? This was a huge blow to all of Ewron's plans, which was evident by his widened glare and small droplets of sweat slowly dropping from his chin.
“L...Like you said Mr. Octavius, we can bring in millions to your research, to improve the lives of those who need it— Is it not the point of the company?” He was grasping at straws but... he felt like this deal was done the moment he entered the room.
A small chuckle escaped the man standing in front of him, as he finally glanced towards Ewron from behind his green colored goggles.
“Yes... Yes it is. Cheaper electricity and medicine, making people's lives so much easier. But let me ask you this again… why should we agree to work with someone like you? A selfish, entitled brat who destroys every obstacle and... every person in his way to get what he wants. Which I admit Mr.Osborn, your stubbornness to get what you want is commendable but... how do we know you won’t betray our trust?”
Ewron was stunned, it had felt like a large ball was stuck in his throat, not wanting to get out. His eyes darted left and right thinking of a solution, of a response. Nothing… his head was empty.
Octavius chuckled and shook his head at the lack of response, as he collected his documents, giving them to the assistant near him.
“I think we’re done here then. Good day.” Multi smiled towards Osborn, not even offering a handshake before turning to leave… and yet.
“I know about your performance enhancement experiments.” Ewron spoke up, his voice loud enough for the other man to hear and quiet enough for people outside not to.
That answer caught Dr. Multi's attention, making him stop in his tracks as he slowly turned towards him. It was perhaps the one and only moment he saw the scientist caught off guard, yet he made sure not to show too many emotions on his pale face.
“Well? Are you going to elaborate or keep me waiting?” Octavius smiled just slightly, placing his arms behind him as he was eager to listen.
Ewron's eyes were still wide, but a smirk creeped on his face, knowing he finally got his attention. He could still salvage this…
“I know that all of the experiments you conducted ended up in failure — violence, aggression and insanity... before they inevitably die in the rooms you lock them in. Something not only my money could prevent but...” He stopped, wondering if what he had in mind was even a sane idea.
At the pause, Octavius raised a brow, taking steps closer and closer to the other man.
“But ?”
Ewron kept looking forward, his pupils moving left and right like a pendulum clock, before hey finally moved to meet the doctor's gaze.
“I… could be different. If we agree to work together, If I can get shares of your company I… can give myself up for the experiments. I can prove I’m stronger than any of the lowlifes you brought to your lab… I’ll be a perfect test subject.”
Yes… if this works… he’ll be richer, more famous and powerful beyond his dreams. It was everything he dreamed of, to prove people wrong, for them to see how amazing of a person he was.
The room fell silent with this offer, awkward enough that you could cut the tension with a knife. Soon enough, Octavius chuckled, looking outside the window once more, this time it felt like he was more satisfied with the answer the businessman gave him.
“You think you’re special, huh? And what will we do if you go insane, never to be the same again… What will the company do? The authorities will look into us, heroes will start knocking on our door. What then?”
The room fell silent again, and Ewron looked away the moment he was asked that. He thought but… the only thing that came out of his mouth was a chuckle.
He looked towards the doctor, a smirk visible on his face.
“I told you I’m different. There’s no possible chance this will go wrong.”
There was a glimmer in his eye, a sort of determination that Multi really liked to see. No hesitation, as if he planned this for a long time. Perhaps, this time it will be different.
After an agonizing few seconds, Octavius spoke up:
“Alright. We’ll contact you about the tests later today… We won’t agree to shares for our company if you don’t pass them. I hope you understand.”
He smiled, turning his back on Ewron, as he headed to leave.
…
The room fell silent once more, yet it was silence that Ewron appreciated, as a large, perhaps even slightly psychotic, smile appeared on his face.
Yes... It worked. He will be the greatest human there ever was … No, SUPER human. Strength matching those of heroes and a company so large it produces millions by the seconds.
He was… Amazing, unstoppable.
He was truly like a cockroach, always winning… Always on top.
• • • • • • • •
A long, white corridor surrounded Ewron, as he walked alongside an assistant, his heels clicking on the floor as the sound of each step echoed across the entire hallway. It led somewhere under Alchemax… Somewhere very deep and private. He was quite surprised that such a huge, secret room wouldn’t be discovered by now. The walls and floors felt... Sanitized, almost like if it was a lab mixed with a hospital.
Soon enough, they stopped in front of a password locked door, as the assistant stood still. After a moment, a loud click could be heard, as the doors slowly opened, revealing a whole laboratory nobody knew about… And Dr. Octavius himself was there to greet him, looking a LOT different than the last time he saw him.
His body as if levitated, being held by what he could assume were mechanical arms coming from his back… Where was he hiding all of this stuff when they first met? The tips of Multi's hair went from light beige to a beautiful green, a headband resting neatly on his forehead.
Ewron was visibly surprised and caught off guard, which prompted a small smirk from the doctor.
“Welcome to our lab, Mr. Osborn. Please make yourself at home”
Right… at home. He will be here a while if the tests won’t work on him.
No… they have to work. His whole livelihood was on the line... His life was on the line.
As he was guided to a changing room, he put on what almost looked like a hospital robe, thankfully without a window on his back view, before being led to the part of the lab that seemed to be the most secure, the most guarded.
A metal bed with cuffs emerged from a large chamber ready just for him, as he looked around to look for any signs of his doctor.
That’s where he noticed a large glass window, further up for safety, as the doctor looked directly at Ewron with a soft smile on his face. A wave from him followed soon after, which caused Osborn to feel… Weirdly sick to his stomach, like he was catching onto the fact that it was a bad idea.
There was no turning back now... He can prove he's not like the rest.
His brows furrowed, as he stepped towards the bed to lay in it.
Cold… the metal was very cold to the touch as he hissed just slightly at the sudden temperature change.
The workers helped him get cuffed to the bed — metal closing in on his chest, wrists, waist and ankles, before clicking something onto their monitors to initiate the sequence.
He moved, slowly back to the chamber, as all of the openings to it closed soon after. When the bed slid fully inside, it shifted vertically, which allowed Ewron's eyes to lock onto the doctor once again.
Good. Look at me. Look at what you’ll create.
He thought, even though his palms began to sweat, his breath began to fasten and droplets of sweat landed on the metal cuffs holding him down.
Then there was a noise, like something activated... Soon enough he felt himself choke just a little bit, as it gradually got worse.
Gas filled the entire chamber more and more, causing his whole body to be engulfed in it. As he inhaled it, he felt himself shake, choke… His head was pounding and his heart raced.
Was he going to die? Was this it? It couldn’t be it… He had to fight it.
He had to prove he was worthy. He couldn’t fail.
The monitors beeped loudly the moment his heart rate gradually got higher and higher until…
A flat line.
That was the moment they turned off the gas and got him out of the enclosure, this time seemingly lifeless on the metal bed. As his cuffs got removed, the workers checked his pulse again, just to be sure.
He was gone.
Multi sighed, realizing now he has to deal with a whole company left behind by a prick who thought was special. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Then something hit the glass window right in front of him, hard, as the glass slightly cracked. The body which was thrown so harshly onto it slid off and landed on the floor, as the scientist looked down at where Ewron was supposed to be…
He was sitting on top of one of the workers, choking him through his hazmat suit, his body visibly stronger and more muscular… A maniacal laugh spread through the whole room as the body under him stopped fighting… Soon enough they went limp and Osborn seemed to freeze in place.
That’s when he slowly looked towards his doctor, a crazy grin spread across his face, his eyes widening enough to notice the change in color… an intense green comparable to the uranium he was subjected to.
That wasn’t Ewron anymore, that was a whole different man who Multi could shape into whatever he wanted.
Yes… That’s where things got interesting.
• • • • • • • •
The painful ringing in his head and the blinding lights when he opened his eyes was what brought him back to consciousness. Ewron was laying down in a padded room, the white fabric stinging his eyes so harshly it was hard to focus for the next few minutes.
Where the hell was he? And how was he not dead…
He saw a light, he saw something… it was hard to breathe and he felt every muscle in his body tear his skin.
One look at his defined arms proved to him that it did work... The experiment. However, it was the weakness in his lungs, and the lights becoming dimmer with each breath that he took, that he remembered the most. His death, Ewron supposed.
He grabbed his head, as it kept ringing and ringing, groaning at the pain in his limbs before he tried to at least sit down.
“You’re up… And you’re… Stable?”
Multi spoke from behind the little glass window in the door, as his gaze felt almost piercing.
“W…Where am I… What…happened...?”
“Answer my question.”
Ewron didn’t even know what he was asking, what he wanted from him in this state.
“I’m... hurt, clearly. My body hurts and my head— it’s ringing so fucking hard… But I guess I’m stable.”
A moment of silence hung between them.
“Mmm… Good. You’re back to your senses. Which means I’ll have to congratulate you for your stupidity, because the experiments worked. I don’t say that often, so you should feel honored.”
A small smirk appeared on his face as he said that, as Ewron glared at him from the floor. He could barely keep his eyes open, eyelids threatening to close and... maybe sleep some more, rest just enough to have the energy.
Yet, a huge feeling of satisfaction grew in his chest, as he chuckled to himself. He proved himself... he proved to withstand something no other human could.
“Not... stupidity, doctor. I just knew I could do it. I’m… like a cockroach you see... you can’t knock me down, you can’t kill me… I will always come out on top.”
Strands of hair fell onto his face, as he tried to crawl towards the door, as Multi's gaze stayed on him.
“I’m better— than everyone!” He huffed, feeling himself get more tired “I’m the best ! — I CAN DO ANYTHING !” A choked laugh escaped his lips before he burst into maniacal laughter, curling up on the padded floor.
Dr. Octavius watched as it happened, a smile wide on his face.
“A cockroach… that’s a good comparison.”