SMST5C: Journey into Mystery! – By DS Wynne

Disclaimer: None of the principle characters and situations belongs to me.

Note: This is a multi-genre story.

Special Note: I forgot to finish up the "Hellraiser" inclusion in this story. So, here it is. Enjoy.

Part 26: "Ballad of Falling Angels"

Meanwhile…

"John, I don't understand this," Amanda said, as she tried to clear up the signal from within the monitor room. "Nothing seems to be working!"

The man known as "Jigsaw" looks up from his work. Up until now, he has using his background as a mechanical and electrical engineer to punish those people who did not appreciate life, starting with the doctors who did not save the life of his loved ones. And now that he has been diagnosed with cancer, Jigsaw was looking for someone to take his place, so that he brand of meting out punishment for the wicked would continue long after his life.

"What room is the source of the trouble?" Jigsaw asked.

"Um, it's the room where we put that woman in," Amanda said. "Um, Dr. Serena Mondkinder."

"Ah, yes," Jigsaw said. "Dr. Mondkinder is the head of the Mishima Zaibatsu "medical research" division, and whose company had refused to allow field testing of the latest in cancer-related treatments."

'But, John, isn't it because Mishima doesn't want to release these treatments until after gaining reassurance from the Federal government that it won't try to sue them for malpractice, if the treatments are too dangerous for human use? I mean, you know, the drugs are pretty radical from what I hear."

"Between you and me, it all has to do with MONEY. All Mishima has to do is sign a waiver that could begin field testing immediately."

"But Dr. Mondkinder isn't in charge of the finances. In fact, she's been working hard in the negotiating process in order to help speed up the medical trial process."

"Then if Mondkinder survives this night, she'll try even harder. I doubt she appreciates her life-"

"On the contrary, John Kramer, I certainly do appreciate life," said a deep, disembodied, feminine voice.

"Who's there?" Jigsaw demanded.

"Come now, Mr. Kramer," the voice continued. "You know who I am. I am in your dreams, from where you are inspired to create your lovely traps. After all, you were inspired by the insights of LeMarchand the Toymaker…"

Jigsaw's eyes widened.

"The Lament Configuration," Jigsaw said quietly.

"John?" Amanda said.

Jigsaw turns towards Amanda, whose eyes were wide with fright.

"John, you're scaring me."

"If the legends are true, then we all do," Jigsaw said. "Back when I first studied engineering in college, I came across an old tome on mechanical birds and other such toys. Being curious, especially when you consider the fact that such trinkets were made centuries ago, I took a look at the text. I came across an inventor named Philip LeMarchand, a French inventor, watchmaker and craftsman who was very good at his trade. Studying his background further, I learned that he created the LeMarchand Puzzle Box."

"So what's so special about that?" Amanda said.

"Rumor has it that he, in his madness, created these boxes from the human fat and bone. But, and this is the kicker, he created a pattern, called the Lament Configuration, that was said to open to a realm that were 'angels to some, demons to others'. I was obsessed with finding these puzzle boxes, or to recreate them."

"What happened?"

"I met my future wife, who, by some quirk of fate or miracle, pulled me back from the approaching abyss. I never did find one of those boxes…"

Pause.

"However, the designs and mechanical constructs that inspired LeMarchand would inspire me to create these traps that we are using to punish those who do not appreciate life-"

WHAM!

The door to the monitoring room opens up, revealing the female avatar of Levianthan itself.

"It's you!" Amanda yells. "It's Dr. Mondkinder!"

Jigsaw studied the person, as she glided into the room. She was dressed in an outfit that was the cross between the Goth, Victorian and BDSM. She wore a bustier, but her upper torso was exposed. Directly in the center of her chest was an object that appeared to be a vertical, pair of a three-side pyramid that was attached at the base. The object had an intricate design attached to it. She also had blue-skin, black eyes, a weird hairstyle (called "Odangos"), and what appeared to be clockwork joints that made the woman appear to be a doll.

"No, that's NOT Dr. Mondkinder," Jigsaw said. "She's…Leviathan, one of the dark lords of Hell!"

"As I said, you know me well," Lady Leviathan said, as she moved her head slightly, resulting in a whirring clicking sound. "It is so fortunate that you captured my host in this…place."

"Well, maybe a bit of a hands on approach will deal with you, Dr. Monkinder!" Amanda said, as she pulls out a gun.

"Amanda, no-!" Jigsaw said, as he raised his hands.

CHING-SPLURCH!

"Ahhhhh!" Amanda cried, as a hook, attached to a chain, went through her hand. In pain, she drops her gun.

CLAK!

"You do not show proper respect, girl," Lady Leviathan said, as she raised her hand. "Perhaps…you need to be disciplined."

CHING-SPLURCH!

CHING-SPLURCH!

CHING-SPLURCH!

CHING-SPLURCH!

CHING-SPLURCH-!

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh-!" the girl screamed, as she was now suspended in the air, while a frightened Jigsaw looked on.

"So music you make," Lady Leviathan said, as she glided towards Amanda, who was now whimpering. "Did you know that pain and pleasure are but two sides of the same coin?"

"N-no…"

"Ah, but they are," Lady Leviathan said, as she raised her left hand. Her fingers were tipped with metal, thimble-like "finger claws" that were decorative.

"You see, Amanda Young, you see your mission under John Kramer as a mere…sport," Lady Leviathan said, as she gently strokes her clawed index finger on her face, causing it to bleed slightly.

"Ah!" Amanda winced, as blood dripped from her wound.

"That way lies Chaos, and Chaos means Life."

Pause.

"I despise life, and everything it stands for, since it can be so…messy, and against blessed Order. Seeing how you revel in chaos, and seeing how you did not show respect to you god means that you are not worthy to continue your apprenticeship."

"Please," Amanda begged. "I'll do better! I swear!"

"Oh?" Lady Leviathan said.

"I swear that I will serve you, until I am no longer able to! Please, don't kill me!"

Lady Leviathan slowly turns towards Jigsaw.

"What say you, John Kramer?" Lady Leviathan asked. "Do you wish to gamble with her life?"

"H-how so?" Jigsaw asked.

"ONE your guests this night will live to see the dawn, while the rest will be taken by my cenobites," Lady Leviathan said, as she points to Jigsaw's monitors.

CLICK!

With the static removed, Jigsaw could see the servants of Lady Leviathan move about the abandoned complex, as they go after the dozens or so victims that Jigsaw had captured for punishment…

"Time to play," said Cenobite "Pin Head", as he slowly cornered a police officer.

"No," the police officer cried. "It's not fair. IT'S NOT FAIR-!"

"Life is NOT fair! It's chaotic!"

"Oh, god-"

"Your god is not here for YOU, little man. MINE is! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-!"

"Arrrrgh-!"

Back in the monitoring room, Jigsaw was practically speechless. He had thought that he could handle such scenes, but even he had to pause at what he was seeing.

"He will make a fine soldier in my army," Lady Leviathan said. "When his flesh is remade, he will be diligent about enforcing my will…"

Lady Leviathan then turns towards Jigsaw.

"Choose one of your guests, John Kramer," Lady Leviathan said. "Should he or she succeeds in escaping my musings, I shall cure you of the disease that is ravaging your body. In fact, I will use my host to move on those radical cancer treatments you so desire."

"You…you will?" Jigsaw said.

"Yes, you will have your cancer treatment. In fact, you may even walk away from you 'missionary work', if you want…"

Lady Leviathan turns to look into Amanda's eyes.

"But you will serve me, Amanda Young. You will continue John's work, by bringing those who do not appreciate life to ME. And to make sure that you remember who you will belong to…"

Lady Leviathan then carves a reverse crescent moon mark (with the points tipping downward) onto Amanda's forehead.

"Ah-!" Amanda cried.

"Any attempt to remove it will automatically configure this," Lady Leviathan said, as she pulls out a smaller version of the LeMarchand's Puzzle box, but was coated with a waxy substance.

"When that happens, you will be brought to me, where I will remake you into something…useful."

Lady Laviathan turns her attention back towards Jigsaw.

"Choose your avatar, John Kramer."

"Jeff," Jigsaw said. "He sought revenge against the criminals who ended his family's life."

"So be it."

Lady Laviathan then turns her attention back towards Amanda.

"I will not place this inside you, Amanda Young," Lady Leviathan said, as she raised her free hand, which contained a tiny, hooked blade. "This may feel weird."

There was only one thing that Amanda could do: scream.

"YAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-!"

The next mornin…

"…In other news, the Federal government and the Mishima Zaibatsu have successfully come to an agreement on the latest cancer treatments," said a news anchor. "Some say that these treatments could pave the way to an actual cure…"

"Well, would you look at that," Ranma said, as he finishes getting dressed. "It appears that you won that one."

"Hon, what can I say?" Usagi said, as she brushes her hair, before putting it up in her usual hairstyle. "I was convinced that pushing Heihachi into compromising was the right thing to do."

Usagi then turns around to face her husband.

"So, are coming straight back from the airport, after dropping the Digger sisters?"

"Nah, I'll be heading back to Shintou Taito," Ranma said.

"You mean that…assignment that Nabiki had gotten you to take?" Usagi said, as she feigned ignorance about the assignment's true purpose.

"Yeah, it is," Ranma replied. "Hopefully, I'll be done with that in a few months."

"Good, it will be just in time for me to conclude my tenure as guest teacher at the Youkai Academy," Usagi said. "And then, we can go on a proper vacation."

"What do you have in mind?" Ranma asked.

"I don't know," Usagi said. "With our life experiences, and with our doppelgangers, clones and android duplicates running around, there are few places that we haven't been to…at least twice."

"Wait, I have an idea. Remember that pocket realm that you created, when you needed time alone after the Crisis?"

"Yeah…"

"Let's go there, go 'primitive' for a while, and…enjoy ourselves."

"Why, Mr. Saotome," Usagi said with a smile. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Feh, like that's hard to do."

"Well, just go on ahead and take the Digger sisters to the airport," Usagi said. "And give them my love."

"I will babe."

"I meant figuratively, of course."

"I know, I know," Ranma said he kissed his wife on her head. "I call you later, once I have done the deed."

"Ranma-!"

"Okay, okay, just kidding," Ranma said with a grin.

After Ranma leaves, Usagi continues to brush her hair in even strokes. She then sits her brush down.

"To think that I have lived this long with my soul intact, is a mystery to ME," Usagi said.

"And it is a mystery to US, as well," said a chorus of voices.

Usagi looks into her large mirror, which sat at her boudoir. Instead of looking at her self as she was, she was looking at all of her facets, both real and imagined, and both angelic and demonic.

"One day, you will become one of us…for good," said Orochimaruko.

"And when that day comes, the fate of the world will be decided," said Darth Lune.

"No, the Universe," Devil Sailor Moon said.

"You all are nothing more than the voices in my head!" Usagi screamed. "Mere facets of my own confusion. And as long as Ranma is at my side, I will NEVER become a follower of evil!"

"What do you call what you did recently, then?" Lady Leviathan asked.

"A necessity," Usagi said. "Jigsaw gave up his crime, and YOU will have an acolyte to continue to punish those who do not appreciate life. I did what I did to keep the cosmic scales balanced."

"Humph," Lolth-Usagi said. "Keep telling yourself that, if you need something to have faith in."

"Oh, I have something I DO have faith in," Usagi said, as she puts her hair up. "I am the Soldier of Love and Justice, no matter what. Yes, I may have done horrible things throughout the years, but I've more than paid for it."

"Like how?" Dark Bunny (a follower of Gouki the Akuma) said.

Silence.

"Well?"

"By having to live with the knowledge of what I have done," Usagi said. "Whatever happens to me ultimately, I will face it proudly…as the one called SAILOR MOON! Believe it-"

Usagi stopped herself a bit and winced.

"Now I know where my son got his trademark battle cry from," Usagi said with a sigh, as her personality facets laughed at her. "Oh, shut up!"

Fin.

Author's Note: THAT is the end. Hopefully, it will fit in the mood, especially in light of the new "Saw VI" film. Later!