The End is the Beginning is the End

[a_cruel_chill]

It was cold in Victor Fries' cell and it was not a temperature cold. It was a necessity for Victor with his changed physiology, but the cold was emotional. He was dead inside. He did not even have the cold burn for vengeance he had before this moment.

He had failed. He knew where she was, and launched an all out war to get Nora back. And in the end he had not only failed, but he had failed with Nora within his reach. Her tank had been ruptured in the fight, right as his paid forces had turned the tide. Without the soothing cold to arrest the development of her disease, she had based, quietly, silently, with him mere feet from her with his attention on the GothCorp goons on not on her.

He had failed.

There was sustenance for him within the cell. A weeks worth had been left for him, but he was not hungry. He hadn't craved anything since Nora was lost to him. He simply sat on his specialized bed, looking down at nothing in particular.

Comments

[tora_olafsdotter]

Everyone was talking about him, the man with the frozen heart. He had to be kept in a special cell, one not only immune to his powers but also able to keep him in a suitable temperature of containment. She knew this, she knew what he'd done, but what she failed to understand was just why people were so cold to him.

Tora was one of the few who could safely brave his environment, so it was not great surprise that she was sent to check on him. It wasn't something she was hesitant to do, she had no fear of him. The demigoddess made her way down to the containment cell and paused looking in at the man held there.

"Hello? Mister Fries?"

[a_cruel_chill]

There is no response from Fries. None at all. He is still in the same position that he had been when they put him back into his specialized cell. The only noticeable difference between then and now was the visibly puffy and sleep deprived eyes. He continues to look down at the floor and wallow.

[tora_olafsdotter]

"Sir?" Tora knocked on the thick casement of the door, hardly effective but given the speaker allowed even the slightest sound to carry to the prisoner, he would know what she was doing.

"I came to see if you were alright."

[a_cruel_chill]

"Go away. I wish to rot in peace."

The voice is small. The pain is evident. And it's barely audible.

[tora_olafsdotter]

"I'd really rather not have you rotting, and I think the temperature is cold enough to stop that from happening." It was a joke, not much of one but that was an attempt.

"You haven't eaten, is there some other food you might like?"

[a_cruel_chill]

"No. Leave me."

As if to emphasize this point, Fries pointed to the last batch of food that had been brought to him. It was completely untouched.

[tora_olafsdotter]

"You need to eat at some point." But he didn't seem to be easily talked into that.

"OK, well maybe you just want some company." She sat down cross legged in front of the door of the cell, clearly visible through the large viewing pane. Clearly she had no intention of going.

[a_cruel_chill]

The womans presence...it reminds him of a moment with Nora. But with the remembrance comes the fact that he is alone again. She had stroked the fire in him, and not as a good thing.

"I don't need any company. I don't need anything." Freeze replies, a definite edge to his voice.

[tora_olafsdotter]

She cocked her head to the side, chin propped in her hand and her elbows resting on her knees.

"Everyone needs something. But even if you don't need company, sometimes it's nice to have anyway. I'm Tora by the way. Do you prefer Victor or Mr. Fries?"

[a_cruel_chill]

"Do not be presumptive, girl. I need no one anymore. Leave me be or I will end your annoyance," Victor says in a manner that is obviously meant to be threatening, but rings hollow.

[tora_olafsdotter]

"The League brought you here for safety, so you're not going to hurt me, Mr. Fries. And it doesn't take a lot to tell you really do need someone right now. But if you don't want to talk that's ok, I can talk enough for both of us!"

She smiled brightly and seemed all the more resolved to stay.

[a_cruel_chill]

Well, that's an annoyance, but right now there's no reason he could think of to stop her. Perhaps there is something to stop the prattling...

"If I tell my story, would you leave me be afterwards?"

[tora_olafsdotter]

"OK, I'll tell you what, you talk and eat something and I'll leave you alone for the rest of the day. Deal?"

[a_cruel_chill]

Victor looks the mush that was his food, contemplating what was offered him by the white haired woman. After a moment, Victor grabs the mush (there was little food left he could eat anymore) and forced himself to eat.

"I am the only son of a german immigrant. My mother died when she gave birth to me, and my father raised me alone. He was strict, and as a priest he knew the power of Guilt. I grew up knowing because of me my mother was not there."

He shoved some more of the tasteless gruel into his mouth.

[tora_olafsdotter]

She was pleased to see him eating and even more so when he began to tell his story. She inched closer to the window and listened attentively until he paused to eat.

"But..you were a baby, there is no possible way that was your fault. That was simply cruel." And for the first time she frowned.

[a_cruel_chill]

"My father was a cold, cruel man. I was also an introvert, so I did not go out often. So I read. My father had an extensive library, and I had free reign in it. It was there that I found out about cryogenics. The ability to freeze and preserve anything forever...it was a fascinating concept for a young mind. So I studied and saved my allowence and tried it. On small thing, like flowers and insects. Then...then, Brunhilde, the family dog, was hit by a car. I tried to save it, using my talents. It was then that my father discovered what I had been doing. He thought it Unnatural, as being against Gods Plan. He made me unfreeze our dog and had to watch it die...when I came of age I recieved a scholarship and left as soon as I could."

Victor pauses. Brunhilde was always a sore spot for him.

[tora_olafsdotter]

Tora was incredibly moved by his story, to the point of watering eyes. She sniffled and wiped at them as he spoke of leaving home.

"That's so sad, I'm so sorry you had to go through things like that." It was no wonder he was so angry.

[a_cruel_chill]

It was strange for him to be recieving sympathy for what he was saying. It was so...different. The last person he had told the story of Brunhilde to was...it was Nora.

"My story is not finished. After I had left, I had dedicated myself to the study of science, with an emphasis on cryogenics. I was
still fascinated by it, and I was sure that my life would be based around the preservation of life. But early on in my studies, I met...her . Her name is...was Nora Daves, and she was a classmate in my first biology class, and I could not believe so
lovely a woman could exist. I was certain that she would not have anything to do with me and the
reputation I had, but she...insisted on getting to know me. By the end of the semester,
we went on our first date. By the end of the year, we were heavily invested in one another. By the
end of our education, we were married. And when we thought it was time to add to our family, we
went to doctor for our initial check-ups and...everything went wrong."

[tora_olafsdotter]

Tora's delight was obvious in his recounting of the romance between Fries and Nora, her hands folded and proped her head an she even heaved a happy sigh...until the story turned to a darker note.

"Oh no! What happened?"

[a_cruel_chill]

"Nora had Neurokinetic Degenerative Disorder. It is...similar to muscular dystrophy, but it is the breakdown of nerves and neurons rather than muscles and sinew. I had a good job at GothCorp, one that normally would allow for a high standard of living, but...they did nothing. I researched all I could disease, and I did what I could but qfter several months I was no closer to finding a cure and Nora was wasting away. So, when the doctors gave Nora a week to live, I had snuck her into my laboratory and gave her a cryogenics treatment. It arrested the progression of the disease...but as a cover Nora was labelled an experiment. And she was a breakthrough. GothCorp feared that my laboratory was unsecure and attempted to move me. I resisted, and one of the security guards manhandled me into a wall of chemicals. I was doused in them, and was left for dead. But...I was not. I came to and saw only the scraps of my machinery. I felt the warmth, and it scalded me. I activated what was left of my machinery and...what normally would freeze me was a balm. I had...somehow incorporated the chemicals. I jury rigged a suit and went to where Nora was stored. She...she was not there."

Freeze feels the anger of that day again. Even after so many years, it was still raw.

"I declared my vengeance against GothCorp. I did terrible things in my vengeance, but I was justified for my loss. I believed Nora lost, and my rage burned hard. But before my vengeance was complete, I was stoped. By the Bat. But before he could become the source of my rage, I found out that my Nora was still alive. So when there was an escape at Arkham, I made it my duty to find her."