Scar fluttered down into ConCorp, the magic in his elytra making them buzz a little. Tango was with him, very confused. How could he help? As far as Scar knew, he was just your average human, like the other hermits. His red eyes were explained away by contact lenses, and he hadn't been foolish enough to use his limited magic.

Scar spoke up:

"Don't worry, I haven't told anyone. I was just probing around as a test of my new staff and found out that," he leaned in to whisper this part in Tango's ear, "You're a demon."

Tango leapt back, startled. Well, if Scar knew already, he supposed he could go the whole hog.

"Well, I guess it's no use hiding it." He grinned a toothy grin, and spread his wings. "What do you need TangoTek, Bender of Worlds, for?"

"You can mess with souls, right?"

"Yes, I can even sometimes see people's souls instead of the person themselves. And yours is an... interesting specimen, let me say. Tied like that to Cub's - it's a miracle of magic!"

"Well, anyway, if we briefly sever that tie, then all the corruption on him that came from me will be removed. But we have to be in the same room to cut it."

"Okay, I see the logic in that. Let's do this." His now fully blood-red eyes gleamed in the moonlight.

The two opened the trapdoor, and slipped into the underground section of ConCorp. A voice was muttering to itself in a room at the end of the corridor, but the crystals had receded. The two wandered towards it, barely breathing.

"I'll make them pay, I'll make them all suffer..." they could hear the words Cub was saying clearly now, and every one was like a cut to Scar.

The G-Team duo burst into the room, as Scar caught Cub in a hug. As Scar stepped back, Tango saw a way to sever the link. Closing his eyes, he waved a hand as his smidgen of inherent magic was released. The whiplash from the two souls separating cut at his arm, and he cried out in pain.

Strange tattoos were appearing all over the skin of both Vex. The alien presence troubled Scar, but he shut it out. This was a horrible experience, but he could tie their souls together again once Cub was free. He drew out a deep breath, trying to bring the corruption to a calm.

Cub, on the other hand, was taking this surprisingly well. He opened his eyes, and whispered in Scar's ear:

"It worked, but it won't for long. Either it overtakes us, or we tie back together and I fall again. There is no other choice." Cub was smiling, crying, he was free, even if just for a moment. Scar was crying too, in pain.

"I won't lose you, Cub. This should always have been my burden to bear as well. You're my friend, no war can get in the way of that."

"Scar, if you don't stop you will die."

"Cub... promise me you'll not fall to corruption again?" Scar whispered, and fell to the floor.

"No... Scar!" Cub knelt down, summoning his power. Now, he had to remember, just like the room with the well, and he'd get Scar back. He'd saved Scar from an overdose of magic before, and he would again. His eyes glowed as he saw the world as Tango did, albeit for a split second. He reached out to Scar's fading soul, and grabbed the shoulder.

He felt all his pain wash away, and the voices came back. Before giving himself to them, he cast a healing spell on his friend, whispering apologies. He thought it was selfish of him, but he needed Scar to make it out of this. If Cub fell, Scar would stop at nothing to bring him back. And with that, Cub turned tail and fled, the darkness consuming him once more.

Tango rushed over Scar, and was glad to see he was still breathing. Scar sat up with a gasp, looked at Tango, and cried. Tango looked at Scar with a sympathy uncharacteristic of his demonic eyes. He folded his demon form away, and helped Scar up. Half-dragging his teammate, Tango left ConCorp with Scar, their mission a failure.

Corrupted Cub angst is just too good to give up, and it's a good way to provide ConCorp backstory for all the universes!

In case you didn't figure it out, Vexing was a song from the point of view of... Scar!

698 words... I'm embarrassed.

This was a good time. I am very happy. Angst is the right way to go.

This has been Pi, and I'll see you all at some point in the future!