Tessa's lips curved in a rare, full smile as she observed Storms complete attention focus on Emma, and the slightly dazed look in her pale blue eyes. The former White Queen hadn't really believed the upstanding X-men team leader would accept, not in her innermost heart. It was partly why Tessa had been able to gain Emma's compliance with only a modest amount of finessing. But Emma hadn't had the privilege of being close to Ororo for the past few years as Sage had, nor witnessed the deep toll taken by Storms lengthy captivity as both the premiere gladiator and personal slave to the pathologically insane mutant known as Masque.

Storm had been lost far too long in the underground of mutant arena games, subjected to a shadowy world of savage and at times exhilarating violence where the deepest, most base expressions of pleasure and pain blurred the lines of punishment and reward. There her would be master sought to break Storm through unspeakable torments and seductions that encompassed both the obscene and the sublime. No, Emma couldn't have been aware that the deepest core of all that made Ororo herself had gone through a blazing inferno of tortures and temptations; only to come out again reforged in arcane ways that made her both stronger and darkly disturbing.

Sage had seen the subtle shifts in Storms innermost nature that the other X-men remained oblivious to, or deliberately ignored. They did not want to see the changes. It would be too alarming if they had to face them and all they implied. Tessa could not afford the comforts of ignorance though. With all factors in her game weighed and measured, she had been reasonably sure Storm would accept this unique opportunity to finally deal with Emma with her new perspective, and without distractions. Though the swiftness of Storm's acceptance was somewhat surprising. Tessa had anticipated that Storm would need more convincing. That she had accepted with such alacrity however only confirmed the cyberpath's suspicions. And while Tessa herself was not sure to what essential degree Ororo was changed, by the time Storm was done with Emma Many things would be made clear.

"I've programmed the room to respond to your commands Storm. Much of the base data is the same as with the Danger Room, and I've included a few settings you may find interesting. Emma is completely at your disposal. However, the inhibitor collar she is wearing," Tessa paused as the blonde woman's hand flew without thinking to her throat. Storms eyes fastened on the jeweled restraining device with a swift, predatory assessment that reminded the cyberpath all too vividly of their time in the Savage Land. There the mutant wind rider had been transformed into an animalistic, feral huntress. She had slowly and painstakingly regained her human mien with Sages help... at least physically. "Will only come off if Emma gives up her safe word."

At Storms sharp look of inquiry, Tessa leaned forward to hand her a small parchment card, a single word written in exquisitely ornate calligraphy graced the surface. Reading it, silver blue catseyes widened, then narrowed in thought.

"Least you think Emma will give up her safe word too easily, be assured that she pays a grievous forfeit if she cannot last through the session, as well, her pride and reputation stand challenged and will bare the brunt of any spurious use. By Hellfire Club rules, save for death or permanent harm, you are permitted all things. Within the confines of your session, only her safe word counts as true refusal." Tessa tilted her head, dark blue eyes darkening to black as she gave Storm the final protocols. "Any other denial, vocal or otherwise, you may take into consideration, and disregard as it pleases you. Unless Emma uses her safe word, the session isn't complete and over until you are completely satisfied, in whichever and whatever way you desire."

For a moment, Storm was still. Her initial impulsive acceptance had been a snap reaction to her building frustration with Sage, and the flare of ardent aggression she instinctively felt for Emma Frost. But now that the dark haired cyberpath had so baldly laid out the limits… or rather, the appalling lack there of...

"When you are ready, simply begin." Tessa's final statement turned Storm's attention to her one time teammate just in time to watch her exit with the quiet, serene grace that had during their time together become so achingly familiar. The sound of the door shutting behind her was soft as a whisper, but a clap of thunder could not have been more momentous.

"Surely you don't plan to go through with Tessa's game." Emma's mocking tone conveyed the unmistakable message that she found situation to be totally ridiculous, but her ice blue eyes followed Storm with the wary care a white Persian cat might have if she found herself trapped with a lioness. While the powerful telepath was not someone to be taken lightly, without her powers she stood little chance against someone of Ororo's formidable abilities. "Really Storm, isn't something like this beneath you?"

"Start Program." Storm coolly ignored Emma's words and waited for the room to take on new parameters. " Setting… 131."

The lights dimmed in response and in the space of a breath, the formally Spartan room was recreated into an unfortunately familiar setting.

"It seems Sage has copied the Danger Rooms program archive." Storm commented as she paced the confines of the remade chamber, "After our first encounter with the Hellfire Club, when the pain of Jeans passing had finally eased, constructing this mock up was painfully therapeutic. Do you remember? How she rescued me from you, that first time."

"How could I forget?" Emma's voice had gone carefully soft as she turned from the intensity in Storms steady stare, and slowly looked over a replica of a laboratory. The walls were lined with desks and instruments that for their time had been cutting edge science equipment, towards the center of the room was a large Y shaped construct, the wrist restraints on the upper arms silently proclaiming its purpose. The original room, in depths of the Frost Enterprises headquarters, had been destroyed many years ago. The chill Storm had brought to the air had remained though everything else had changed. Emma ran her hands over her bare arms trying to forestall a shiver, and tried to convince herself it was only the lack of heat. Without the cape and gloves, her brief costume offered little protection from the cold, and less from stirring memories. "Interrogation is seldom pleasant, but you were so very stubborn at fighting my mind probe. It wouldn't have hurt nearly so much if you had even the faintest concept of submission."

"You enjoyed it." Storm's voice hardened with a long hoarded anger, "You forced your way into my mind and gloried in the feeling of domination it gave you. Even through my own screaming agony, I could feel your pleasure, pulsing like a second heart beat beneath my own."

"So now you expect to get some of your own back, Storm?" Emma's eyes flashed, as she turned to find the distance between herself and Storm had disappeared. They stood less than an arms length from each other, and a world apart. "It was a long time ago. I was much different then."

"Not so different." Storms words struck coldly. "You still take what you want without regard to the pain and suffering you cause. To believe otherwise is a practice of self deception."

Almost, a protest rose to Emma's lips, but staring into her one time captives accusing eyes, she found other words, cruel words that might serve better a shield from Storms cutting verbal attack.

"Yes, I hurt you, because I wanted to hurt you... and yes, I liked it. I was each and every inch the villainess you considered me to be, rapacious and callous to the harm I caused in the pursuit of my desires." Her lips curved in a half bitter, half amused smile at the growing fury in Storms eyes. "You see? I have no illusions about myself Storm. I am who I am, and make no apologies for it. Even if I were so inclined, it wouldn't ease the vengeful ache in your breast, would it?"

"So unrepentant", The words hissed low between Storms teeth like a snake, "Perhaps if you knew better the suffering you so easily met on others, it might strip some of that callous disregard from you."

"You would seek to lesson me in suffering?" Emma couldn't help the laughter that bubbled from her. Even though she knew goading Storm further would only worsen an already lamentablely uncertain situation, she just couldn't seem to help herself. There was something about Ororo that brought out Emma's worst impulses. "It was my mother's milk. I know suffering, Wind Rider, and how its better to be its cause than its victim."

Stepping away from the now ominously still Storm, Emma moved to the Y frame and slid her hand over one of the upper arms slowly. The gesture was almost affectionate. "There, is little that someone like you could teach me, Ororo. Though, Ill grant, you did have a certain talent for it. I don't know if I've ever seen anyone suffer so beautifully."

"You seem remarkably unconcerned," Storms voice had taken on a flat, nearly emotionless tone, "For someone with so much to answer for, now that you are in the hands of someone with the opportunity to make you pay."

"I'll admit, for a moment I was almost concerned." Emma's voice had regained its habitual purr of insolence. "A brief touch of irrational worry. But then my reason reasserted itself as I realized that there is really nothing you can do, short of killing me, and you've already had your chance at that and passed it by. You are too conventionally noble to make good or rather, bad, upon your oh so intimidating postures."

"Put your wrists in the restraints." Storms comments were delivered in the same curiously flat tone as before. "Now."

"You are joking, aren't you dear? You may summoned up this delightful recreation of our special first encounter with each other, but don't expect me to jump through hoops out of some pedestrian sense of remorse." Emma's tone had grown irritatingly patronizing.

"If I understood Tessa correctly," Storms eyes narrowed as she spoke, "You are mine to do what I please with."

"Oh, I am yours, Storm. Lock, stock..." The blonde woman leaned back against the Y frame in a mockingly provocative pose, "... and barrel. But while you may have me, you haven't tamed me. Did you think I was just going to obey you like a good little slave? Dream on. This is the Hellfire Club, where the strong command the weak. Obedience is enforced with… force. To be perfectly frank, I don't think you have it in you to make me obey."

For the first time since entering the Hellfire Clubs smaller knock off of the Danger Room, Storm smiled. It was not a particularly nice smile.

"Lets find out then, shall we?"

tbc