Nefarious Virus

*"It sounds very, very bad, but it's actually very, very good, and you're about to get one of your very own."*

-Shaw about to infect Giffany, August 2021

The Nefarious Virus is a corruptive disease created in joint by Emperor Nefarious and Ein. It was used to brainwash various people from across the multiverse into line, creating Nefarious's army, The Shacklebearers.

## Physical Description, Infection Method, and Symptoms

The virus is a charcoal black speck with the shape of unpolished salt or quartz. It is initially the size of a marble, but upon entering a host, it rapidly crumbles into microscopic bits. The bits were holding themselves together with a thin film of orange plasma, which it secretes when left alone.

Unlike most viruses, the Nefarious Virus doesn't usually enter through the respiratory system or digestive system. In fact, the virus will simply suffocate and kill its host if it manages to get into the capillaries, or clog the digestive system if it is ingested. The bug prefers to enter through a nice, fresh, tender open wound. This means that, should a live sample cling to someone's skin, they will not be infected as the skin layers slow and stop its soaking. It will be very sore, however, because it is still rooting itself into the dermis, and muscle in worse cases.

Should an actual infection occur, the first person the infectee will feel is a harsh fever. This is followed by a rush of aggression and hostile mood swings, while the infectee suffers from sharply increased energy and restlessness. Hard, crusty black lesions reminiscent of the virus's base appearance will appear over their skin, covering up hair follicles. In the late stages of infection, the patient loses all goodwill towards their peers, feels consistent aggression, and feels incredible power. The increase in strength swells the muscles and causes pain all over the body, further causing aggression. In the later stages of infection, the patient's eyes drastically change: sclerae shift from white to black, and the irises turn orange and shrink. The lesions across the skin and scalp will then generate energy that pulls towards the lesion closest to it, creating arcs that protect the body.

## Effects

Upon infection, the person begins to gain the powers of its co-creator. It begins at basic energy generation, but more powers manifest as the infection goes to higher levels. Fortunately for the opponent, every power is unstable due to the immense pain and each has its own drawback.

 Scratching
 Flight
 Telekenesis

Without Nefarious present, every person infected by the virus will create destruction on their own, and may order each other around instead. When he *is* around, all infectees immediately become part of a hive mind, adamantly following his orders.

## Treatment + Cure

The virus has no known permanent cure.

SPOILER!!!!!

For cases of live samples rooting into the skin, the best known treatment is a series of hot baths with honey and skin lotion. Painkillers will also help with the soreness.

## Variations

The virus doesn't have biological variants or strains. There is, however, a virtual version of the virus. This version is plainly named "Nefarious\_Virus.exe", and was specifically created to infect Giffany, turning her from sweetnatured AI into their personal fighting machine.

## History

TBA (Kinda wanna slide this in on its home wiki first...Man do I have a lotta stuff to write and I haven't even gotten the courage to make an Archive of Our Own account yet)

(Well okay, in context of the RP, I'll leave you this)

SPOILERS!

The army, becoming known as the Shacklebearers, wreaked havoc across the multiverse in his name. It didn't last too long, however, before the Care Bears came out of dormancy to blast them away with Care Bear Stare. They were all defeated and scattered across MM, their hearts temporarily reopened. Knowing that they were now fugitives, they used the brief time they had as their normal selves to hide away and make themselves powerless.

Sadly, shortly after the notorious Combine invasion, these victims started to be taken over by the virus again, starting with Shaw. For their first act, they kidnapped Giffany and used Rex's programming skills to transform her into the first of their fighting units.

The remaining Shacklebearers are still scattered across MM, ready to restart the conquest Emperor Nefarious started.

## See also

The Shacklebearers' file on Pooh's Adventures Wiki