"You sure you're parents don't mind me staying over?"
Jamie looked up and gave a small grin to her companion, "Of course not Anie!" Anya was currently residing on the living room couch feet dangling off the back as she hung up side down a game remote in her hand. On the screen a fighting game flashed and flickered as she combated her new friend. Besides them a clock blinked green the number 10:56 flashing over and over. Tara peaked into the room and gave a small slightly puzzled smile at the blonde teen dangling off the edge off the seat, 'Girl's don't stay up too late…you do have school tomorrow," Blond and green colored head bobbed up and down as the ninjas on screen duked it out viciously. Behind her, her husband wobbled sleepily his eyes half closed until he heard the loud yells and blows coming from the game system. His eyes snapped open and nearly knocked his wife over.
"James? Is that Mech-Tech Ninjas 3000? With over 57 ½ playable characters, 324 stages, and 13 different ultra gory endings!?"
All three girls stared at him as if he had suddenly turned blue, which of course he had not, though a lovely pink tinge had risen to his cheeks, "Not that I still…ya know follow video games and stuff…was…just…ahehe…" Tara gave her husband a tired looked and grabbed his pointy ear and led him from the room, "Don't embarrass her in front of her new friend…" Garfield glared at his wife sulking when a loud cry came the living room where Anya having defeated Jamie was now celebrating….very loudly. With a small smirk Tara let go of the shape shifter's ear, a memory of the young man he once was being brought back as Anya continued to dance about her living room.
Elsewhere, Raven sat at her kitchen table a novel in one hand and her favorite mug in the other. A quiet relaxing night great to read a book, maybe she'd meditate later. However her peaceful silence was interrupted by a long exaggerated sigh and the table shook violently under her tea. Slowly, a single eyebrow raised and she lowered her book, looking about to find her teenaged son had thrown himself across the table glaring at the ceiling unhappily. She put her book down over his face and propped her chin up in her hands, "What's wrong?"
"Mm brd…"
With a roll of her eyes she lifted her book and looked down at him, "I'm bored," he mumbled groaning as she set the book down on his face again. "Alex I know your sister is not your only friend…you two can't always do everything together. You could call Malachy," she said taking her book back. Alex rolled off the table to the floor with a loud thump, "His dad's being a dick…" Raven smirked, "His dad's always a dick sweetie. You could read a book."
"Read them all...and Anie hid the key to her diary."
"You could work on your bike."
"Anya has the tools."
Raven looked at him oddly, "She brought them to a sleepover?" Alex grinned and shrugged before frowning and moaning dramatically, "There's nothing to do!" Finally with a sigh and a shrug Raven went back to her book, "I guess you'll just have to die of boredom then."
"So you like…lived in Egypt for the past year?"
Jamie Logan smiled softly and nodded as Anya sorted through her pictures of Egypt. "So cool…" Anya murmured. Outside the room Tara walked past giving a light knock, "You girls want a snack or something?" Jamie looked giggling as Anya nodded fervently and scrambled towards the door. Down the hall the girls shuffled greeted by two peanut butter sandwiches in the kitchen. Jamie sat with a smile before she noticed Anya looking uneasily at the sandwich, "Whassa mutta?" she questioned her mouth full of peanut butter. "Jamie Logan, that's gross…don't act like your father," Tara scolded before smiling at Anya, "Don't like peanut butter?" The little blond looked up and shrugged, "I dunno…I'm one of those freaky people who die if they eat nuts so I've never had it. My brother gave me a chocolate covered almond once when I was four and I had to go the hospital…was kinda cool…cept for the not being able to breathe thing." Biting her lip Tara quickly took the sandwich tossing it in the garbage and walking to the fridge, "I'm sorry…I didn't know you were allergic," she gave an annoyed sigh, "Damn it I knew I shouldn't have told your father to go shopping…all we have is his tofu crap." Her daughter made a face at the word tofu but Anya perked up a bit, "I like tofu crap." Tara looked at oddly and within minutes Anya was munching on a reheated tofu burger both Jamie and the former titan wearing familiar faces of disgust. "Those are so gross Anya," Jamie mumbled as a ringing sound filled the room. Standing Tara made her to the wall where her videophone hung, "Who would be calling this late?" When she pressed the answer button the screen before her flashed on showing a teenager about her daughter's age with purple hair that hung about his face wildly. His bright blue eyes glinted with a strange light and centered in his forehead was a very familiar red gem…he looked very familiar.
"Hi is Anya there?"
Before she could answer her daughter's friend gave a groan and shuffled over to the screen, "What do you want 'Zander?" The boy looked in her direction and frowned at her, "I'm bored…" Anya half lidded eyes widened and she growled at her twin, "Are you kidding me? Call Malachy!"
"His dad's being a dick…"
"His dad's always a dick…"
"Yea I know…so where's the key to your diary?
"What?! Stay out of my room you freak!"
"Why are you such a bitch?"
"Fuck you it's my stuff…Stay out of my room AND my diary!"
Alex glared at her before in the back drop a man could be heard yelling, "Damn it Alex leave your sister alone!" Rolling his eyes he looked back at her, "Whatever...actually called to say goodnight. I'll bee by to pick ya up in the morning." Anya rolled her eyes right back, "Next time just call me. Good night." She hit the end button and looked back at Tara who was staring at her a little wide eyed. She smiled sheepishly, "Sorry…my twin brother…he's being a pain in the ass lately." She turned to Jamie and grinned, "Wanna go look at that magazine I brought over?" Jamie nodded and the two girls raced back to her room leaving a very confused Tara in their wake. The tall woman looked back at the phone. What did she me just call me Tara thought. Then she walked to bed trying to remember why that man in the background had sounded so familiar.
All had been forgotten 3 hours later when in the shadows the clock read 3am. Silently, all of the Logan's slept on…Anya however thrashed in her dreams trapped in the throws of a nightmare world far beyond her control…
Blood and oil dripped unto the destroyed floor mixing together in their fall like some obscene dance. All sight and sounds lost on the man as his skin smoked and singed. His gaze resting upon the shattered youth before him…a shell of what she once was. She shrieked and sobbed clawing madly at her own flesh like a rabid animal. Pain was deeply engraved in her eyes as she looked up at him. Flashes of what she once was appearing in his eyes grief engulfing his heart and mind. He could barely even hear the others behind him screaming.
"God damn it Vic SHOOT HER!"
"No! Victor don't you dare…Don't YOU FUCKING DARE!!!"
The voice of his lover hysterically sobbing and cursing at him rose above the sound of the earth ripping open. With a frightened sob what he once loved as his own looked up at him and reaching out a broken bloody hand she whispered, "Please…
…kill me."
"Do it now!"
"NO!!"
"Gods Uncle Vic…Please!"His canon trembled and he closed his eyes as the tears burned behind them. Slowly, he reopened them and stared into her shattered blue orbs and saw the truth. She was dead…there was nothing left…but still his heart clung to an image…an image of a little girl giggling on his shoulders the happiness on her face knowing no bounds…the love in her heart limitless…the blue glow in his canon faded and the tears began to mix with the blood and oil. Suddenly the earth crumbled beneath his feet and he watched as the ground gave way from beneath her. Her eyes shut tears flying from them as she fell into the chasm below. As madness consumed her and her skin bled red…as her eyes lost all their humanity…as her forehead split open she looked upon him one last time…her last words shrieking throughout the ruin of the tower.
"I WANT TO DIE!!!"
Anyaawoke with a horrified shriek unaware that miles away her brother did the same. Madly she scanned the room trying to collect herself as the words flashed over and over again in her mind (I want to die). The lights flashed on blinding the meta (I want to). She tried to collect (die) herself but found everything just out of (I want) reach. Jamie was at her side talking to her (to die) soothingly. All of this seemed fuzzy (I) hazy and unreal to Anya as (WANT) she tried to recall all the details of horrible dream. Just (TO) beyond her fingertips ghosting away she saw it…she made a grab at it as her stomach churned and lurched. (DIE!!!)
Anya leapt up stumbling clumsily into the bathroom, barely making it the toilet where she vomited.
Not in control of her own legs Anya collapsed against the toilet where she sobbed and dry heaved uncontrollably the images of what she saw swiftly fading leaving behind only feelings of the deepest fear and pain. For those few moments Anya truly did wish to die…anything to rid herself of this pain. She dry heaved once and bile rushed into the toilet. One last heave and a hiccup before she felt the hand resting on her back whilst another held back her bed ragged hair. She looked up tears streaming down her face into Jamie's concerned eyes.
"Anya…It's ok."
The teen could feel it bubbling up inside her…she could not stop it if she had the strength to try. She hid her face and began to tremble. At first Jamie thought she was crying…but it was only for a moment until she realized.
Anya was laughing.
It was a screechy hysterical sound and it frightened Jamie quite badly. Just as she was about to fetch her parents Anya lashed out and grabbed her hand, "Wait!" she nearly screamed as she hiccupped again. Slowly her breathing returned to normal and she calmed. After a few moments when she was collected enough to speak she looked up at Jamie's frightened face. The frightened hysterical glint was gone replaced by a calm determination.
"I have to tell you something…I…have to tell you everything."
And so the two sat as Anya confessed everything to her in the early hours of that fateful morning. She transformed…and for several moments as the betrayal glinted in Jamie's eyes their friendship seemed to shatter…only to reincarnate itself moment later. Anya ranted and Jamie listened…and understood. It wasn't until dawn began to break over the horizon that the girls realized how much time had passed. They attempted to crawl back into bed but Tara's voice soon called to them telling them to get ready for school. Both girls turned over groaning identical groans of unhappiness and stared at one another. Dark circles under both their eyes, which Anya noticed were very similarly shaped. A small grin passed over their lips and Anya gave a sigh as she sat up the back of her pajama bottoms revealing very clearly a jackal tattoo. She glanced back at Jamie and felt a surge of love for the slightly younger girl and with a cheeky grin raced her for the showers. And as the door slammed Anya complaining about being the guest a new bond of trust formed between the girls who could've and should've been sisters.
