My memories of this fanfic are a bit fuzzy, but I really hope someone can help me remember its name
A while back, I read a dark SBI fanfic (I think) on AO3. It was a villains/superheroes fanfic where The Syndicate was a villain organization, Tommyinnit was a vigilante, and characters like Dream were superheroes working under a typical organization.
What I remember most about the fanfic was that Tommy had a power called “hysteria” (he could control people’s emotions on a massive scale)—a power rarely found in the world. There was also a character with the same power whom they called “The Devil’s Advocate,” which gave people with similar powers a bad reputation. That’s why Tommy hid what his power really was.
Nikki was part of the syndicate and had the power to see a few minutes (?) into the future. Wilbur was one of the characters who caught my attention the most, since his power consisted of controlling people’s minds, making them hallucinate whatever he desired. He could also make an object, person, or thing disappear completely from someone’s sight (Wilbur used this trick on Tommy in one chapter, “erasing” him from view to make a dramatic exit). Although Wilbur was also affected by his own power, as he hallucinated with his ghost version (ghostbur).
Dream was the number one hero. In one chapter, Dream recounts how, during his early days as a hero, he had an encounter with Wilbur, who, by using his power, left him scarred for life, dependent on pills to control his anxiety.
Tubbo and Ranboo helped Tommy with his job as vigilante. I don't remember if Tubbo had a power, but Ranboo could create doors that served as portals.
In the last chapter I read: Tommy has an argument with Wilbur at a Syndicate meeting. Tommy says something to Wilbur that makes him angry, and Wilbur uses his power on Tommy, but Tommy stays strong. After this, Tommy (with Nikki and Philza’s approval) goes to apologize to Wilbur for what he said. They end up reconciling, and Tommy falls asleep at the Syndicate headquarters. Wilbur takes advantage of the situation and removes Tommy’s mask, realizing that Tommy is a minor and not an adult, as he had claimed when he joined the Syndicate.
A key plot point is that, in his spare time, Wilbur would visit a psychiatric hospital to offer his help to people who had been affected by his power and had survived. He loved reading the letters that the victims wrote to his villain persona. He also took public jabs at Dream because Dream had escaped his power without suffering the same severe consequences as his other victims.
I read it before I had an AO3 account. It was well written, and the plot was incredible.