Chapter Fourteen

Breathe Again

About 150 years ago

"Have you fallen asleep on me?"

The sound of the Other Wybie's laughing voice in her ear caused Cora to open her tired eyes. Tonight the two star-crossed lovers were at their spot, Wybie sitting on the swing while Cora straddled his lap, her arms draped around him and her face buried in the crook of his shoulder. Cora shifted a bit under him, "no…" she heard him laugh again and mutter the word 'liar' under his breathe, causing her to pout.

"It's almost time for us to head back," he said with sadness in his voice, burying his face in her cornflower blue hair. Cora let out a low whine, "don't wanna…hate that woman!" Wybie smiled; it was obvious she was just waking up, she only acted like a kid when she was. "Well…we could always leave?" he suggested, as he always did every night.

"Come on Wybie, you know I can't."

He huffed; same answer as always. Cora was too considerate of the other's around her and he…he was rather selfish he gathered. The whole idea of taking your girl away from the world sounded rather romantic to him, but to the girl in question, she was concerned about who Wybie would sacrifice in order to achieve that goal.

"Well, what would let you leave?" he said with a sharp tone.

The button eyed girl looked up at him with a rather surprised look, first from his tone and second, well, she had never thought about it much. Cora wanted to leave so much, she prayed every day she'd gather the courage to do so, but alas, she never did. She hummed in thought, looking up at the sky while so did so.

"If the Beldam were dead, that's when I'd leave."

"Is that even possible?" Wybie asked.

"It is, I've read of other…beings, like her that have died over the years, it's just never told how, but if I had to guess…"

"What?"

Cora looked back at him, "if we removed her power, then she'd be harmless, that's how." The button eyed boy let it sink in before he responded again, scratching his head while he spoke, "but who do we know that could do that?"

"I could."

Wybie looked up at her wide eyed, and judging by the bland expression on her face she was serious. He knew that Cora had the ability to control magic, from what she told him it ran through her family, at least on her mother's side. Cora never knew who her father was, but her theory was that he could use magic too, as she could do certain things her mother could not and therefore wasn't allowed to use them, like the ability to use light orbs and aura censoring. He knew all that, but he had no idea that she might be capable of killing anybody.

"Y-you could?" he stuttered.

"Not now I couldn't, I'm not strong enough."

Wybie sighed in relief; he didn't like the idea of his Cora killing anyone, she was too pure to do something like that. "If I got stronger, trained in secret, I should be able to strip her of her power."

"If you did that then we wouldn't have to leave," Wybie said with an upbeat tone.

Cora nodded, "that's the idea…"

Wybie's smile was removed from his face when he saw her face droop, leaning in so his forehead was against hers, "what is it?" His soothing voice pulled her from her thoughts, looking up with her shining black button eyes, "I-" she looked down as if she was ashamed, "I'm scared that if its me who does it, I'm going to turn into her." Wybie looked at her and laughed lightly, "you? Turning into her, I find that unlikely, what makes you think that?"

"Because…I can turn into something like her."

Wybie's smile once again left his face as he let her words sink in; seeing that made Cora jump into explaining. "I-it just happened one day, I was so angry at her and all I wanted to do was end her and then the next thing I know I…I look like her…" she waited for him to say something, every second he didn't speak made her fear the worst.

"But…it only happens when your angry?"

Cora sighed, "yes, and just that once, it never happened after that."

"And did you…you know, like it?"

"No!" she gasped, "no I hated it, it felt like I was under water and there was so much pressure on my chest, I never want to go through that again!"

"Well then?"

Cora was taken aback by his sweet smile; definitely not what she expected. The Other Wybie put his gloved hand on her cheek, "if you didn't like it and haven't done it since, there's nothing to worry about."

Hearing him say that made Cora sigh in relief and collapse into his hug.

"…but, what if I have to turn back into that one day?"

Wybie laughed, "we'll worry about that when we get to that day."

Current Time

The Beldam turned her body completely towards her daughter…or rather, her daughter's new form. Her face stayed blank but her eyes showed shock and awe. Perhaps she underestimated Cora's potential.

As for Cora herself, she too stayed quiet and stared back at the Beldam with the voids that were her eyes. She stood tall and strong; something she rarely did when it came to this place, this house, and the creature she stood opposite to.

Meanwhile, Coraline and Wybie took the opportunity to sneak past the Beldam and run to the Other Wybie's side; it was better to stay together rather than separated, especially in a situation like this.

Coraline could feel it in the air; things were going to get ugly.

"This is bad, this is really bad," Wybie said in a panicked voice and a jittery look.

"How did this happen? Cora never mentioned she could do that," she looked at the Other Wybie with an accusing look.

His only response was the sad look in his mismatched eyes as he looked the back of the distorted form that was Cora.

"So, how long have you been able to take on this form Coraline?"

Cora blinked in a bored manner, "since I was 10."

"Impressive, I have to admit I doubted your powers."

"Like I care."

The Beldam gave her daughter a glare. She quickly looked at the three huddled beings behind Cora before looking back at her, "I take it this doesn't mean you'll be helping me?" The daughter of the Beldam's frown deepened, "not interested." This made Coraline smile; even in this form she could still trust her Other. The Beldam sighed, "how disappointing…well all right then."

And then the fight began.

The two kids and the Other watched in fear and awe as the fight between mother and daughter began. There were physical moves and magical ones as a well, the Beldam would try to sneak attack her but Cora was always able to keep up with her. They stayed in stale mate for what seemed like forever; this didn't bother then because it meant that Cora's power rivaled the Beldam's and that was something they didn't expect.

"Should we help her?"

"I don't think that would be wise."

They looked down to see Cat had joined then, his big blue eyes watching the fight without even blinking, yet talking to them as if he were looking at them instead, "at the moment, Cora is the only one who can get to that creatures eyes, she knew that in this form it would be easier." Coraline butted in at this point, "but she's doing all the work, we just can't sit here and watch! There's gotta be something we can do!" She would have ranted some more if it weren't for Wyb placing a hand on her shoulder, which meant he wanted her to let it go. Coraline looked at him and then sighed; he believed in Cora, so so should she.

The next thing she knew the Beldam was on the floor.

Cora walked over to her, her hands still steaming from the fireball she sent the old hag's way and a dark look on her face; she felt triumphant, but she refused to show it until this creature was dead. The Beldam looked up at the looming figure, groaning from the pain she was feeling. "It's over, you've lost," Cora said between her heavy breathing; that pressure on her heart was getting heavier with each passing minute and she was losing clarity. But she wouldn't change back, not yet, not when they were so close, just one pluck on those creepy button eyes and they could end her. The idea of it all ending built up in Cora's heavy chest.

And then the Beldam started laughing.

Cora was taken aback, and so were her comrades. Why was she laughing? Was going crazy? More crazy then she already was? They didn't want to take the chance. With determination, Cora pulled her clawed hand back and then thrust it forward, ready for the kill.

And then the Beldam grabbed the Other Wybie.

The Other Coraline stopped in time from stabbing her boyfriend's eyes out, making her gasp in shock. Wybie and Coraline did it too; when had she grabbed him? Cora watched in horror as Wyb tried to wiggle his way out of the Beldam's gripped. The creature smirked as she stood up with Wyb in hand. Cora was so distracted she didn't notice the white strings creeping towards her from behind.

"Cora look out!" Wybie cried out.

It was too late though, the long, strong spider strings wrapped themselves around Cora's wrist and ankles. The girl struggled but it was no use and within a flash of light the Other Coraline was back to her original form. The girl groaned in pain and looked up at her mother and a worried Wyb with tired eyes.

"Looks like I win."

The next thing that happened was all a blur for them. The Beldam threw Wyb at the defeated Cora and proceeded to shoot a neon green blast; it hit the two Other's square one and sent them flying and crashing to the floor. Wybie and Coraline watched it all in horror.

By the time it was all over, Wyb and Cora weren't moving, weren't breathing.

Wyb and Cora laid there in each other's arms.

Dead.

Don't hurt me people! *ducks*