Disclaimer: Don't own the series.

Author's note: So once again, another new story idea to follow along something I have started. Much like Hand of Fate – Transcendence, this particular story will be a companion story set int eh far future from the original story that started this. The idea here was that something a certain character did in the original story had led to new circumstances, causing a chain reaction that leads to another young man much like himself having his life changed in ways he could not even begin to fathom. And now, as I stand on my soapbox, this particular story will be set around season two of iCarly, during a certain episode where it not only encouraged people to not value a different and objective opinion, but it basically tried to make bullying funny. This will eventually crossover with the main story, but it won't be until much further down the line. Also, Lords of Shadow: Sunnydale will be concluded in a number of chapters, only to be followed by a sequel. Also, this story will feature a pairing that was briefly shown but no one would consider exploring. Now, on with the story.

Bushwell Plaza

Seattle, Washington

Mid February, 2009

Freddie Benson sat in his room working on his computer, feeling rather angry, or angrier than usual, given everything going on in his life. It was only a day ago that he found himself caught up in another fiasco involving his neighbor across the hallway and the blonde she-demon who continued to torment him every chance she got. He thought back to when Carly asked him to help film the talent show and put the videos online, starting their web-show. He felt that maybe there was a way to make the site's launch better in video quality. But then he realized that Carly's way of asking him for favors had grated on his nerves. Her catch-phrase 'please, for me' rang hollow in his ears the first time she asked him. While he was still the tech producer for the web show, it annoyed him to no end the fans reactions to the show, given what the reactions were aimed at. A knock on the apartment door alerted him to a visitor. As he made his way to the door, he opened it to reveal a young lady around his age, with honey blonde hair that curled, and came down past her shoulders. She was dressed in a violet short-sleeved shirt and a long skirt, colored black with decorations of lilacs on them.

"Hey Freddie. You doing okay?" the girl asked him. Freddie stepped aside to allow her entry.

"Hey Malika. And no, I'm not. This bullshit with the Fred guy is just getting worse. I just gave an opinion that I don't think he's funny, and suddenly not only are people all over me, but their taking what I said out of context. I hate this place," Freddie answered her.

"You're not the only one. If you want to be honest, you're not the only one who thinks he isn't funny. I asked some of my friends, and they agree wholeheartedly. In truth, the only reason he even seems funny to everyone at school is because someone had make it seem like he's funny. You really think any of the so-called normal students at school think he's reasonably funny? If I wanted to sound like a whiny two-year old, I'd just start talking with a baby voice," Malika said as she sat down on the couch in the living room.

"You and me both. And then he makes it worse by saying I hurt his feelings and he's going to stop making videos. I've seen those comments on Splashface, and if anything my opinion was too kind compared to those," Freddie lamented. The front door opened again and his mother, Marissa entered into the apartment.

"Freddie! I'm home. Oh. I see Malika is here too," Marissa said, glaring slightly at the young lady.

"Hello Mrs. Benson," Malika said as respectfully as she could. Since she became Freddie's friend, Marissa had made it her mission to be rather rude, because of her appearance and she caught her showing Freddie what she was capable of.

"Don't you have a coven or something to get back to?" Marissa said. Freddie looked darkly at his mother for the comment, while Malika only smirked.

"No I don't. Although I wouldn't be surprised if there was one ready to do something about you, with the way you treat people," Malika replied.

"How dare you!" Marissa yelled.

"Seeing as you insulted me, like you always do, you've got some nerve to feel disrespected," Malika threw right back.

"Freddie, I want her out of here, now!" Marissa demanded.

"Fine. I'm going with her anyway," Freddie said as he and his friend left the apartment. Marissa could only stare dumbfounded at her son's attitude.

As Freddie and Malika made their way outside, they were ambushed by paparazzi hounding them with questions. Just like everyone else, they had twisted the information they heard into making it sound like Freddie had offended or disrespected the other web star. Malika grabbed Freddie by the hand and led him to the elevator. Pressing the button for the lobby, Malika turned to the tech producer with a sad look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"It's not your fault. If anything I should've guessed this would get bad. Too bad your powers can't get my out of this jam," Freddie said. He remembered when he and Malika first became friends, she had shown him how she was taught to use powers such as levitation, and manipulating the world around her. It reminded him of how ordinary and powerless he had felt for so long, considering his relationship with his mother, as well as how Carly and Sam treated him. Malika looked at him as a memory of a conversation ran through her mind before she put it back out of her mind.

"Don't worry. We'll figure out something. How about a smoothie in the meantime?" the young witch asked.

Groovy Smoothie

As the pair arrived at the establishment, they immediately noticed the rest of the patrons glaring at Freddie in particular. Freddie went up to T-Bo and ordered smoothies for him and his friend. They found a table to sit. About ten minutes into enjoying their smoothies, Carly and Sam walked in. Carly looked excited while Sam had a glare on her face that made her appear as if she was ready to rip into him. Freddie wasn't too surprised at the look as he had learned that no one else, aside from Malika, would stand up for him for reasons he did not understand. He had also learned that upon meeting Sam Puckett that there are people who would be willing to tear him down just because they think they could. That fact was made especially clear when Sam practically tried to break his arm once the mess with Fred began, but Freddie retaliated by punching Sam square in the face, sending her to the ground. It was the first time that the blonde how felt weak and she hated it.

"Hey! We've been looking all over for you. The Fred guy finally responded to my e-mail. He said we can meet him tomorrow. And it works out because it's a Saturday. And we got Spencer to come with us," Carly said excitedly.

"Yeah. So now you can explain to him why you wanted to kill Fred," Sam spat out.

"For the last time, you anti-christ bitch, I just gave an opinion. I didn't say anything that disrespected him or even criticized him. If he's going to turn this into something bigger than it is, that's on him. And know this, you ever try anything what you did yesterday, I'll do worse. Just because you're female doesn't make me your fucking punching bag," Freddie said harshly.

Carly looked between her best friend and tech producer thinking she might have to jump in to keep them from trying to kill each other. She looked to Malika for back-up but saw that the other girl looked more interested in seeing the two enemies go a few rounds.

"Stop! Let's just meet this guy and talk to him to see what happened. Malika, you're welcome to join us," Carly offered. Malika looked at Carly before she nodded. Carly smiled before she pulled Sam along with her.

"Can you imagine what it would be like being friends with those two?" Malika asked.

"Not really. Carly seems nice enough, but with the way she enables Sam, it's no wonder no one else is so close to them. The only reason I fit is because I'm the tech producer. But I'm not bending over backwards just to make them happy. I'm no one's slave," Freddie said.

"True enough. But I'm still concerned about how all of this will go down tomorrow," Malika said.

"You think Sam might try and pull something?" the tech producer asked.

"That and anything the Fred guy could pull or may have pulled already. I've been getting some negative vibes lately. I think we're going to have to be prepared for this," Malika said. Freddie looked thoughtfully at his friend for a moment before he smiled.

Cruikshank Residence

Shelby, Idaho

The iCarly crew and Mlika made their way into the treehouse while Spencer decided to stay on the ground in the van that he took the trip in. Lucas looked to the iCarly crew and smiled, which to Freddie and Malika appeared rather smug.

"Hey! It's the guy who killed Fred!" Lucas said.

"Look we're sorry about what happened. We didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Carly said as Malika took our her cellphone and held it up as if she was disinterested in what was going on.

"It's okay," the male web star said.

"So you forgive us?" Freddie asked.

"No. I want to hear an apology from the guy who killed Fred," Lucas said, looking pointedly at Freddie. The tech producer mentally rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings. I didn't mean to do it," Freddie said.

"Okay," Lucas said.

"So we're good?"

"No. I want you to say that my videos are funny," Lucas threw in. Freddie thought about this for a second.

"No," Freddie replied.

"Dude! Why can't you just do it?!" he heard Carly and Sam complain.

"Why should I have to apologize for having a different opinion? That's what it is. An opinion. I didn't say anything that insulted you. I'm just not a fan. So I'm not going to be forced to agree," Freddie said. Sam suddenly came up behind him and grabbed him, pulling him to the other side of the tree house. She stopped and grabbed Lucas' tennis racket.

"Mind if I use this?" Sam asked the webs tar.

"Please," Lucas said as if it didn't matter. Carly sneered at the sight, not because of what Sam was going to do, but because she just wanted to get things back to normal, no matter the cost and turned away. Malika for her part looked on, feeling horrified that the two would just stand by. She saw Sam take a swing at Freddie's head, which was followed by Freddie crumpling to the floor, feebly trying to defend himself. Sam continued to pummel Freddie on his back, arms, ribs, and legs before she stopped and dragged Freddie up to his feet. Malika rushed over to help Freddie stand up and took in his appearance. He was bruised, and had cuts on his body that were bleeding.

"Your videos are funny," Freddie said with a labored breath.

"Glad you agree," Lucas said happily.

"So you'll keep making Fred videos?" Carly asked, with hope.

"Of course. I never planned to make to stop making the videos. If anything they've gotten even more popular," Lucas said, while laughing. Malika and Freddie looked at him as if he had indeed lost his mind.

"When was the last time you guys checked the viewer ratings?" Lucas asked.

"Weeks ago?" Freddie said, his breathing turning to normal.

"Well, take a look. Since I announced that I stopped making videos, viewership has increased. Not just for me but for your website too," Lucas said as he brought up the screen.

"So you caused all this cause just for ratings?" Malika asked, cellphone still in hand.

"Well yeah. People love a good fight," Lucas said as if it were no big deal. Malika could only shake her head as she helped Freddie over to the exit of the tree house.

One week later...

"And here on iCarly, we have a special guest, Lucas Cruikshank, aka FRED!" Carly said as the camera was rolling, for the web-show. Lucas came onto the scene with a large smile on his face.

"Hey Carly, before we go into this, I have a special announcement to make," Freddie said.

"Uh okay. Come on out Freddie," Carly said, not knowing what was about to happen. Malika stood at the cart with the lab top, before she grabbed the camera.

"Well, as you all know, there was a...misunderstanding. But now there is something very important for all of you fans to know," Freddie said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. However, his smile dropped in an instant.

"He's a filthy liar who's been playing all of us from the start. Malika, play the video," Freddie said. Malika typed on the keyboard and the television screen shifted forward. The screen showed the iCarly crew confronting the male web-star. The conversation was relayed to every viewer who had logged onto the site. And they could hear and see how Sam had beaten Freddie, and how Carly and Lucas stood by and let it happen, with no concern for his well-being until Malika ran to him. The clincher was Lucas revealed that he had staged his reaction as a means of getting viewership up and that he never had any intention of stopping production of his videos.

"And that everyone is the REAL face of Lucas Cruikshank, good night," Freddie said before he walked off, and shut the camera off. Before Freddie and Malika could even make it to the door, Sam charged at them.

"YOU FUCKING NUB!" Sam said before she leapt at the pair. Malika turned around and raised her hand. Sam was blown back by an invisible force and hit the opposite wall, before she crumpled to the floor. A moment later, police officers burst into the room.

"Seattle Police! Put your hands up Puckett!" one of them yelled. Sam actually obeyed the authority figure and followed his instructions and let the officer handcuff her. The other officers were interrogating Lucas and Carly before Lucas found himself in handcuffs as well.

"Why aren't you arresting me?! I let her get away with it," Carly said.

"Because Mr. Benson requested that we don't," the officer said before taking away the two blondes. Carly looked at Freddie and Malika.

"How could you?" the brunette web-star asked.

"Because it's time someone did something about her. She should be glad I didn't get to her," Freddie said before he left with Malika. As Carly watched them walk away, she realized that she had lost out on something great. That pain was made even worse, as she watched Malika take Freddie's hand in hers.

As Freddie and Malika exited the Shay apartment, they stopped at the door to his residence. Freddie simply leaned forward onto the wall next to the door, with his face resting in the crook of his arm. Malika could see streaks where tears were slowly falling down his face. She reached out and touched his shoulder. As he turned to looked at her, she wrapped him in a comforting embrace, and stroked his hair as she held him and he returned the gesture.

Outside of the apartment building, atop the building across the street from Bushwell plaza, a man in solitude. He was dressed in a black Armani suit. He had white hair, which deceptively did not tell his true age, and was cut down very short, to where he was almost bald, with his sideburns connecting to his beard. The most outstanding feature were his eyes. His eyes revealed black sclera and white irises, as if there was a light lost in darkness. At the moment, his eyes were glowing cast as he looked at the eighth floor of the Bushwell Apartment, where the Seattle police were walking out with a blonde boy and girl in handcuffs.

"Well...it seems the boy has more heart than I initially thought. Perhaps he could my ultimate weapon to defeating the Fallen One. But first, I'll have to mold him. He shall be the new Prince of Darkness."