CHAPTER: The Beginning of the End: Part 2
AUTHOR: IrishTomboy@attbi.com
RATING: R
PAIRING: Thorn/OC, Daphne/Freddy (of course)
DISCLAMIER: I own none of them except Jaguar and Cú and anyone else that
aren't part of the original Scooby-verse, though I wish I did.
FEEDBACK: Welcome
WARNING: If love between two women bothers you then get out NOW!
Also. If you see any words encase by these ** ** it means that the person
is speaking in a different language.
~*~
Jaguar rolled to her right, narrowly escaping yet another fireball. Leaning back against the wood of the bench she tried to steady her breathing. She and Cú had been fighting for little more then an hour now but it seemed like an eternity. While the two fought she had thrown up a shield to protect the innocents. Why they didn't leave? She had no clue but that wasn't what was bothering her. What was, was her own self. She felt an unhampered bloodlust wanting to break free but she kept it down. That created a whole new set of problems as reigning in the bloodlust took up nearly half her concentration.
But battling Cú was becoming increasingly difficult. Just a simple look at the two told who was winning. Sure Cú had many a cut and scrape but the Hunter was in worse shape. There was a large gash on her shoulder, the blood all ready caking the golden fur, burns on various parts of her body and her body was beginning to over heat. She hadn't of thought that the fight would be this bad but obviously she was wrong. Never had an opponent got her on the run, or got her this injured and frankly she was starting to feel the start of her doubts again. She had all ready lost Nathaniel, Celeb, Rose, and her entire family for that matter. Now she wouldn't be able to save anyone else.
Another fireball to her right cut off the woman's thoughts. She whirled around, waiting for the right time to jump out and make a break for him. It came not even a minute later when Ryan yelled to the warlock, telling him that the stones were set up. Faster then lighting Jaguar careened around the corner and ran straight at Cú. Luckily she had caught him off guard and was able to pin him to the ground. Her claws clamped around his throat and for a mere second there was a flash of fear in his eyes. That flash did not go unnoticed by the Hunter's eyes and it only seemed to fuel the already raging inferno that was her blood lust. It caught her so off guard that she had to think quickly to herself: 'Alun: Goddess of Serenity. Calm this beast inside of me.' The peace over took her, momentarily over- reigning the bloodlust and allowing her to focus.
But that hesitation was enough to make her regret it. Cú created the biggest shot yet and sent it flying at her. Jaguar grasped onto something that would slow her but it gave way and she went flying. Cú stood up and dusted off his cloak. He glared angrily at his old student. "You are pathetic Rebecca. Not even in your top form, where you should be able to at least hurt me, you cannot. I know what is holding you back. Your love for these pesky humans. Your mortal soul. Pfft." He scoffed. "Pathetic. You can save no one."
Jaguar laid limply on the ground, trying to regain her senses while the man's words hung over her with the truth of them. He was right. If she were to save anyone she would have to give into her bloodlust. To let go of any restrictions. But she was scared. She remembered the last time that happened. There had been so many dead innocents that the blood of all of them made her fur crimson.
"Choose Rebecca! Either un-reign your true self. Or watch as all those close to you die!"
Jaguar stayed unmoving. Her limbs were still stinging uncontrollably from the attack and her mind was racing.
"As you wish Rebecca! Now breathe your last!" Cú walked over to the stones. They had been placed in a pentacle with an opening in one of the apexes. Cú stood there and raised his arms over the formation.
"**Creatures of Nidmore! Open the ground so you may climb from its fiery pits. A thousand souls to open up the entrance. You may now settle a millennia score. Push the righteous and good to the Hell's scorching core.**"
As the last syllable was uttered there was a violent tremor under the earth and it began to split open. Trees and loose earth fell into the fiery depths as demons of all imaginable size and shape crawled from it.
Jaguar rolled sluggishly to her side to keep from falling as well. She lifted her head and watched in horror as the demons began to kill those close. Fear constricted the Hunter's lungs and heart until she feared she would blackout again. Blood rushed in her ears, nearly drowning out the sounds of blazing fires, screaming innocents and cackling demons.
"Jaguar! Help!" The werewolf whipped around to see Thorn, Dusk and Luna being attacked by one of the monsters. The look of terror in the three's eyes, especially Thorn's made something in Jaguar snapped. The fear disappeared to be replaced by a cold numbness, like her soul was being covered in ice. Her vision gained a red haze as she crawled to her feet, standing her full height. Bloodlust was now reigning over her and the old feeling of being invincible ran through her in waves. She tilted her head back and let out a loud, long, angry howl that rose over any other noise. Everything stopped and turned to the angry werewolf.
Blood red eyes stood out against flaxen fur as the muzzle pulled back in a snarl that made most of the demons cower. "Move one more step and I kill you where you stand." It was a deep throaty growl that made everyone shiver. Even Cú looked slightly frightened.
One of the more bold demons took a step forward and quicker then anything ever seen he was cut down with a swipe of Jaguar's claws. She looked down at the blood on her hands then down at the demon. "I told you not to move." She licked a drop of blood from her finger then turned an evil smile towards the others. "Who's next?"
Some imps scuttled back to the opening in the ground but Jaguar would have none of it. She threw her hand out in front of her and screamed; "Biaee Faoed!" A wave of fire quickly disintegrated the imps that tried to run. "You guys wanted to come out and play. Don't start runnin' now." She turned to look at the remaining demons. "So. Who's going to try and kill me?"
In a wave that would have killed any regular human, or normal creature for that matter, the remaining fiends rushed Jaguar. There was a tense moment as it looked like the werewolf had been killed but suddenly a pillar of fire burned straight up and knocked away demons. The ones that remained scrambled over each other to get out of there. They were demons of Hell but even the devil himself would be scared of this one, who fought with no soul and took immense pleasure in the kill.
Thorn gaped as she watched the supposed vile fiends of Hell run away from the woman like insects. For a moment she could empathize with them. Jaguar, or whoever now stood in front of them, was fighting with no feeling. No. That wasn't true. She did feel. Feel the massive joy as she took a life. For the first time the singer felt fear looking at the Hunter.
Cú stared in unabashed awe as his student. He felt pride swell in his chest. This was the killer that he had merely glimpsed at back in China. So cold. So ruthless. So perfect. He knew that she would kill anyone that she wished without batting an eye. "Perfect."
Jaguar's acute hearing picked up on the word breathed by her old sire. She turned to him and glared. "You better believe I am." She growled.
"This. This is the one that I remember. The one that killed who she pleased." Cú grinned like a mad man as he walked towards her.
"Hell ya."
"I have a proposition for you pup. Join me and we will rule this world together."
Jaguar thought about this seriously for a moment before nodding. "All right. You got a deal. Oh and one more thing." She lashed out and grabbed his throat. "You ever call me 'pup' again and I'll kill ya. Got it?"
Cú nodded. "Of course. My apologies."
Seeming satisfied Jaguar let go and looked at the others. "So. What do we do?"
"Well you did just drive away the demons that were meant to kill these humans."
"I'll do it." The blonde werewolf agreed easily.
"I was hoping you would. How about you start with that one." He pointed to Thorn. "She is a good target. I assure you."
Saliva dripped down Jaguar's jowls as she anticipated the oncoming kill. "I look forward to it." She walked forward, her eyes fixed hungrily on Thorn. When she was in arm's distance someone tackled her to the ground, stopping her. Jaguar growled in anger and looked up to see Nichole in her furs and pinning her to the ground. "Get off me."
"No. Come back to us Rebecca. Don't become that killer again. You're better then that."
"I won't become weak. I am perfect as I am now." Jaguar wrenched her arm free and grabbed Nichole by the throat. Rising slowly she held the smaller werewolf high above her. "Join the others." She began to squeeze the air out of Nichole's lungs.
Thorn looked up in shock at Jaguar. Seeing the deepening blue of Nichole's skin she did the only thing she could she ran forward, intent on trying to free Nichole. But all she did was get herself captured in the blonde werewolf's vice grip. "What's the rush love?" Jaguar turned from Nichole to look at the singer. "You'll get your chance to die."
"Not...if I h-have a say." Nichole gasped as she pulled a silver dagger from her belt and stabbed into Jaguar's muscled forearm, effectively freeing Thorn.
"You bitch." Jaguar let Thorn go and grabbed onto the other werewolf's shoulder. "I'll make you pay." She clutched Nichole under the chin in an attempt to break her neck but she never got the chance as the dagger was ripped from her arm and jammed into her side.
Thorn let go of the dagger, praying that she hadn't hit anything important and watched as Nichole dropped to the ground, coughing and hacking, and Jaguar staggered back. Blood dripped down from both wounds, slightly surprising the Hunter. In that moment of surprise her virtuous soul decided to break free.
Golden eyes widened, as the bloodlust understood what was happening. She shook her head as if to dispel the oncoming battle of wills but it was no use; the good in her had a hold and wasn't letting go. Whirling around she glared at Thorn and made to lunge at her but her soul stopped her. She fell to the ground, grabbing her head and howling in pain as it felt as if her head was splitting open and her soul was being ripped in two.
"No." She whimpered. "No."
Thorn moved forward slowly, careful of the werewolf. Her heart was tearing at the sound of her lover crying but her brain was telling her to be careful. This wasn't her girlfriend in front of her, or not completely anyway. This was a killing machine that didn't feel guilt.
Jaguar squeezed her golden eyes shut in an attempt to block out the rush of images bombarding her senses. Some of them were good, like her and Thorn's first kiss. But most weren't so great. Nathaniel as he was turned into a human pretzel: the look of pure fear on everyone's faces: the feeling of utter loneliness when news of her family's death reached her. All of it swirled faster and faster around her mind until it was all an endless blur of sight and sound. 'Please. Someone put me out of my misery.'
Thorn listened sadly to the whimpers coming from Jaguar until finally her heart won. She gathered Jaguar in her arms and whispered in her ear. "Jag. Come back. Come back to us Jaguar. Don't become a monster. Please. I...I love you too much to lose you. Don't leave me." She repeated the words over and over again in Jaguar's ear tenderly, praying that the woman would hear.
Jaguar felt the pain increase and the tempo of the rushing pictures raise another notch when she heard something cut through the nightmare. It was a voice. It started off soft but as the Hunter listened it began to become clearer and louder. "Back to us Jaguar. Don't become a monster. Please. I love you too much to lose you. Don't leave me."
'Thorn?' The blonde began to struggle to reach the source of the voice. She didn't know if it was her own self-thinking these things or it was from the outside but either way it was an anchor that she latched onto with all her might.
~*~
Cú watched in disgusted horror as the flaxen werewolf practically broke down. He was sure that nothing would stop her. But it seemed he was wrong. That...bitch of a musician had destroyed the perfect killer.
And now he was going to destroy her.
"**Yelu, God of agony and pain, Bestow on this weakling your present to all those yet to be slain, Flesh to Liquid, Bone to Dust, Bring about your bloody lust!**"
The orange light flew from his hand but it never hit its target. Nichole had jumped in front of the beam and created a force field. It was weak but enough to deflect the attack.
"Damn you Nichole!"
"I won't let you hurt them." Nichole growled. She turned slightly to glance at Thorn and the shaking Jaguar. "Hurry up Thorn. I don't know how long I'll be able to hold him off."
"I'm trying but I don't know if she can hear me."
"Oh she can hear ya alright. She's just havin' a hard time listening."
"What?" Thorn looked up at the werewolf in confusion.
"Not important. What is, is that you just try and get her back."
~*~
Jaguar felt the darkness inside of her pull her further down but Thorn's words continued to strengthen her, giving her the vigor she needed to leave this Hell that was part of her soul and get back to those that mattered the most to her. The sound of blood pumping in her ears lessened, the numbness melted away and Jaguar became aware of her surroundings.
Golden eyes opened to see Nichole in front of her, blocking attacks and weakening with every hit.
'God. How long was I out?'
~*~
Cú noticed that Nichole was weakening and one last hit would do her in. Then he could repay the wench Thorn for destroying his perfect creation.
"Eii Baager!" A black, spear looking beam exploded from Cú hand and hurtled at Nichole at breakneck speed.
"Shit." Nichole winced, knowing that this would be it. Her mind thought back on her life. She hadn't lived how she wanted. She hadn't done things that she wished. Now she'd never get the chance to. 'At least I died trying to protect the one student who was smart enough to get out.' With that she closed her eyes and prepared for death.
But it never came.
She opened her eyes to see that Jaguar was in front of her, still shaking slightly and bleeding from various wounds but there was an aura of calm and power that surrounded her that made Nichole sure that the tides were about to change. The attack had stopped mere inches away from the Hunter's outstretched hand and was hanging there innocently.
"I'm not done fighting yet Cú." With little effort she turned the bolt around and sent it hurling back. Cú was caught so off guard that the attack struck him square in the stomach. He fell to his knees, grasping the gaping wound in his belly and staring at his old pupil.
Jaguar walked forward, keeping a close eye on her old sire. "It seems that the pupil is stronger then the teacher this time Cú."
"Oh no my student. You are very wrong." To everyone's horror he stood up and presented his belly. The wound had already stopped bleeding and was now healing.
"Fuck."
"You cannot kill me. You cannot harm me while my body is only a vessel. Never." He began to laugh wildly.
Jaguar quickly mused over the words. 'My body is only a vessel? Wait. That can't mean.' "You don't have a soul."
"Correct. And I am immortal while my soul is safe."
'Soul?' The blonde wolf turned to where she had fallen earlier. 'That was what I had a hold of. His soul stone!' She glanced back then took off running.
Cú watched her run, wondering slightly what she was running after when he saw it. Lying in the grass was his Soul Stone. He placed a hand on his chest, hoping to feel it under his robes but he felt nothing. "No!!!" Now he too took off after the younger werewolf.
Jaguar glanced over her shoulder. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the black werewolf gaining on her. 'Damn.' Without missing a beat she dove and took hold of the vile green orb, rolled then came up to her knees. She faced the furious Cú and grinned when she saw a flash of fear in his eyes.
"So. Seems that you have no other options. I'll smash this then send your body to Hell." She pointed to one of the nearest fissures.
Cú gulped. He had to think quickly. An idea popped into his twisted mind. "Drae Stone!"
From the still open box Jaguar's Soul Stone flew into the elder werewolf's outstretched hand. "What are you going to do now Jaguar? You destroy that and I destroy this. Can you really risk losing half your soul forever? It is quiet painful. Or so I've heard. When you die you cannot go into heaven or hell for your soul is not complete. You will forever be stuck in limbo."
Without missing a beat Jaguar growled: "I'd rather be without half a soul then without the humans of earth. Good bye Cú." And with as much strength as she could muster the golden Hunter threw the orb to the ground. The second it shattered she watched as Cú crushed her own orb and a golden aura escaped to the sky above.
"NOOOO!!!!!!" Cú fell to the ground and writhed as he began to disappear, shattering like the orb did.
Jaguar felt a strange sense of peace wash over her as she watched her old sire's body finally vanish. "You may have caused me great pain Cú. But I am still an honorable Hunter. May the gods have mercy on you and all those that had served you." With that she turned away and walked over to Nichole and Thorn. Nichole was trying to regain her strength, lying down on the ground. Jaguar knelt next to her friend and smiled. "How are you?"
"Other then the pounding headache I'm fine." Nichole smirked then turned serious. "How are you?"
Jaguar looked up into Thorn's eyes and for the first time felt as if she could say truthfully; "I'm fine."
"Good. Now what do we do?"
"I have to let all of the spirits go."
"What about th," but Nichole stopped as the ground began to mend itself, until it seemed as if nothing had occurred. "Okay. Never mind then."
Thorn was quiet for a moment before a thought came to her. "I wonder why no more demons came."
"Maybe the ones that actually made it told them of the scary monster waiting up here." Nichole joked.
"Oh you're such a riot. Come on." Jaguar helped the older woman to stand then walk over to the formation of stones.
"Hold on. We'll need a few more people to help." Nicole turned to the remaining minions. "Guys! Get over here." She called. A few of them nodded and crossed over the ground while still others stayed put. "Don't make me hurt you." She growled. Surprisingly, that convinced the remaining to move.
"Remind me not to piss you off." Jaguar joked as a large group of students formed around them.
"Shut up." Nichole turned away from the laughing blonde to the others. "Now that Cú is gone we don't have to follow his rule any more. We can live how we always wanted to. But first we have to free the souls that 'he' imprisoned. Help us to do that."
Though not as one, all agreed.
"Then after that we will place a memory charm on these people to help them forget the horrors of this night." Again they agreed to Jaguar's plan. "Let's start."
~*~Five hours later~*~
The Mystery Inc. Gang, The Hex Girls and Nichole all sat in Thorn's living room. Everyone was in shock and Nichole was trying her best to console them and answer their questions but she couldn't answer all of them.
The minute they got back to the house Jaguar had fled upstairs and not even Thorn's coaxing could bring her down. That had been an hour ago and Jaguar was still nowhere to be seen.
"What will happen now Nichole?" Freddy asked.
"Well. We will put a memory charm on everyone so they don't remember this night. You guys don't need the nightmares that come with bloody battles like this."
"So we'll be able to forget everything?" Shaggy asked. He was still pale and shaking like a leaf.
Nichole nodded, her heart ripping at the fear in his voice. From what she had seen during the fight him and Scooby had the lowest thresholds for fear. She didn't blame them for passing out so many times or for getting sick, hell she'd done it as well.
"Yes Shaggy. You won't remember a thing."
Everyone seemed to be visibly calmed by the statement as shoulders relaxed and there was one collective sigh.
The sound of feet coming down the stairs made all heads turned. Jaguar walked down the stairs. She was fully human now and was wearing a pair of black leather pants and white muscle t-shirt. Her wounds were wrapped up and she was clean but she still looked beaten.
Haunted golden eyes lifted from the ground and the woman's voice seemed almost distant when she said; "It's time."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~ Finally! This chapter is finished! What'd ya think? Review and tell me. C-ya Later!
~*~
Jaguar rolled to her right, narrowly escaping yet another fireball. Leaning back against the wood of the bench she tried to steady her breathing. She and Cú had been fighting for little more then an hour now but it seemed like an eternity. While the two fought she had thrown up a shield to protect the innocents. Why they didn't leave? She had no clue but that wasn't what was bothering her. What was, was her own self. She felt an unhampered bloodlust wanting to break free but she kept it down. That created a whole new set of problems as reigning in the bloodlust took up nearly half her concentration.
But battling Cú was becoming increasingly difficult. Just a simple look at the two told who was winning. Sure Cú had many a cut and scrape but the Hunter was in worse shape. There was a large gash on her shoulder, the blood all ready caking the golden fur, burns on various parts of her body and her body was beginning to over heat. She hadn't of thought that the fight would be this bad but obviously she was wrong. Never had an opponent got her on the run, or got her this injured and frankly she was starting to feel the start of her doubts again. She had all ready lost Nathaniel, Celeb, Rose, and her entire family for that matter. Now she wouldn't be able to save anyone else.
Another fireball to her right cut off the woman's thoughts. She whirled around, waiting for the right time to jump out and make a break for him. It came not even a minute later when Ryan yelled to the warlock, telling him that the stones were set up. Faster then lighting Jaguar careened around the corner and ran straight at Cú. Luckily she had caught him off guard and was able to pin him to the ground. Her claws clamped around his throat and for a mere second there was a flash of fear in his eyes. That flash did not go unnoticed by the Hunter's eyes and it only seemed to fuel the already raging inferno that was her blood lust. It caught her so off guard that she had to think quickly to herself: 'Alun: Goddess of Serenity. Calm this beast inside of me.' The peace over took her, momentarily over- reigning the bloodlust and allowing her to focus.
But that hesitation was enough to make her regret it. Cú created the biggest shot yet and sent it flying at her. Jaguar grasped onto something that would slow her but it gave way and she went flying. Cú stood up and dusted off his cloak. He glared angrily at his old student. "You are pathetic Rebecca. Not even in your top form, where you should be able to at least hurt me, you cannot. I know what is holding you back. Your love for these pesky humans. Your mortal soul. Pfft." He scoffed. "Pathetic. You can save no one."
Jaguar laid limply on the ground, trying to regain her senses while the man's words hung over her with the truth of them. He was right. If she were to save anyone she would have to give into her bloodlust. To let go of any restrictions. But she was scared. She remembered the last time that happened. There had been so many dead innocents that the blood of all of them made her fur crimson.
"Choose Rebecca! Either un-reign your true self. Or watch as all those close to you die!"
Jaguar stayed unmoving. Her limbs were still stinging uncontrollably from the attack and her mind was racing.
"As you wish Rebecca! Now breathe your last!" Cú walked over to the stones. They had been placed in a pentacle with an opening in one of the apexes. Cú stood there and raised his arms over the formation.
"**Creatures of Nidmore! Open the ground so you may climb from its fiery pits. A thousand souls to open up the entrance. You may now settle a millennia score. Push the righteous and good to the Hell's scorching core.**"
As the last syllable was uttered there was a violent tremor under the earth and it began to split open. Trees and loose earth fell into the fiery depths as demons of all imaginable size and shape crawled from it.
Jaguar rolled sluggishly to her side to keep from falling as well. She lifted her head and watched in horror as the demons began to kill those close. Fear constricted the Hunter's lungs and heart until she feared she would blackout again. Blood rushed in her ears, nearly drowning out the sounds of blazing fires, screaming innocents and cackling demons.
"Jaguar! Help!" The werewolf whipped around to see Thorn, Dusk and Luna being attacked by one of the monsters. The look of terror in the three's eyes, especially Thorn's made something in Jaguar snapped. The fear disappeared to be replaced by a cold numbness, like her soul was being covered in ice. Her vision gained a red haze as she crawled to her feet, standing her full height. Bloodlust was now reigning over her and the old feeling of being invincible ran through her in waves. She tilted her head back and let out a loud, long, angry howl that rose over any other noise. Everything stopped and turned to the angry werewolf.
Blood red eyes stood out against flaxen fur as the muzzle pulled back in a snarl that made most of the demons cower. "Move one more step and I kill you where you stand." It was a deep throaty growl that made everyone shiver. Even Cú looked slightly frightened.
One of the more bold demons took a step forward and quicker then anything ever seen he was cut down with a swipe of Jaguar's claws. She looked down at the blood on her hands then down at the demon. "I told you not to move." She licked a drop of blood from her finger then turned an evil smile towards the others. "Who's next?"
Some imps scuttled back to the opening in the ground but Jaguar would have none of it. She threw her hand out in front of her and screamed; "Biaee Faoed!" A wave of fire quickly disintegrated the imps that tried to run. "You guys wanted to come out and play. Don't start runnin' now." She turned to look at the remaining demons. "So. Who's going to try and kill me?"
In a wave that would have killed any regular human, or normal creature for that matter, the remaining fiends rushed Jaguar. There was a tense moment as it looked like the werewolf had been killed but suddenly a pillar of fire burned straight up and knocked away demons. The ones that remained scrambled over each other to get out of there. They were demons of Hell but even the devil himself would be scared of this one, who fought with no soul and took immense pleasure in the kill.
Thorn gaped as she watched the supposed vile fiends of Hell run away from the woman like insects. For a moment she could empathize with them. Jaguar, or whoever now stood in front of them, was fighting with no feeling. No. That wasn't true. She did feel. Feel the massive joy as she took a life. For the first time the singer felt fear looking at the Hunter.
Cú stared in unabashed awe as his student. He felt pride swell in his chest. This was the killer that he had merely glimpsed at back in China. So cold. So ruthless. So perfect. He knew that she would kill anyone that she wished without batting an eye. "Perfect."
Jaguar's acute hearing picked up on the word breathed by her old sire. She turned to him and glared. "You better believe I am." She growled.
"This. This is the one that I remember. The one that killed who she pleased." Cú grinned like a mad man as he walked towards her.
"Hell ya."
"I have a proposition for you pup. Join me and we will rule this world together."
Jaguar thought about this seriously for a moment before nodding. "All right. You got a deal. Oh and one more thing." She lashed out and grabbed his throat. "You ever call me 'pup' again and I'll kill ya. Got it?"
Cú nodded. "Of course. My apologies."
Seeming satisfied Jaguar let go and looked at the others. "So. What do we do?"
"Well you did just drive away the demons that were meant to kill these humans."
"I'll do it." The blonde werewolf agreed easily.
"I was hoping you would. How about you start with that one." He pointed to Thorn. "She is a good target. I assure you."
Saliva dripped down Jaguar's jowls as she anticipated the oncoming kill. "I look forward to it." She walked forward, her eyes fixed hungrily on Thorn. When she was in arm's distance someone tackled her to the ground, stopping her. Jaguar growled in anger and looked up to see Nichole in her furs and pinning her to the ground. "Get off me."
"No. Come back to us Rebecca. Don't become that killer again. You're better then that."
"I won't become weak. I am perfect as I am now." Jaguar wrenched her arm free and grabbed Nichole by the throat. Rising slowly she held the smaller werewolf high above her. "Join the others." She began to squeeze the air out of Nichole's lungs.
Thorn looked up in shock at Jaguar. Seeing the deepening blue of Nichole's skin she did the only thing she could she ran forward, intent on trying to free Nichole. But all she did was get herself captured in the blonde werewolf's vice grip. "What's the rush love?" Jaguar turned from Nichole to look at the singer. "You'll get your chance to die."
"Not...if I h-have a say." Nichole gasped as she pulled a silver dagger from her belt and stabbed into Jaguar's muscled forearm, effectively freeing Thorn.
"You bitch." Jaguar let Thorn go and grabbed onto the other werewolf's shoulder. "I'll make you pay." She clutched Nichole under the chin in an attempt to break her neck but she never got the chance as the dagger was ripped from her arm and jammed into her side.
Thorn let go of the dagger, praying that she hadn't hit anything important and watched as Nichole dropped to the ground, coughing and hacking, and Jaguar staggered back. Blood dripped down from both wounds, slightly surprising the Hunter. In that moment of surprise her virtuous soul decided to break free.
Golden eyes widened, as the bloodlust understood what was happening. She shook her head as if to dispel the oncoming battle of wills but it was no use; the good in her had a hold and wasn't letting go. Whirling around she glared at Thorn and made to lunge at her but her soul stopped her. She fell to the ground, grabbing her head and howling in pain as it felt as if her head was splitting open and her soul was being ripped in two.
"No." She whimpered. "No."
Thorn moved forward slowly, careful of the werewolf. Her heart was tearing at the sound of her lover crying but her brain was telling her to be careful. This wasn't her girlfriend in front of her, or not completely anyway. This was a killing machine that didn't feel guilt.
Jaguar squeezed her golden eyes shut in an attempt to block out the rush of images bombarding her senses. Some of them were good, like her and Thorn's first kiss. But most weren't so great. Nathaniel as he was turned into a human pretzel: the look of pure fear on everyone's faces: the feeling of utter loneliness when news of her family's death reached her. All of it swirled faster and faster around her mind until it was all an endless blur of sight and sound. 'Please. Someone put me out of my misery.'
Thorn listened sadly to the whimpers coming from Jaguar until finally her heart won. She gathered Jaguar in her arms and whispered in her ear. "Jag. Come back. Come back to us Jaguar. Don't become a monster. Please. I...I love you too much to lose you. Don't leave me." She repeated the words over and over again in Jaguar's ear tenderly, praying that the woman would hear.
Jaguar felt the pain increase and the tempo of the rushing pictures raise another notch when she heard something cut through the nightmare. It was a voice. It started off soft but as the Hunter listened it began to become clearer and louder. "Back to us Jaguar. Don't become a monster. Please. I love you too much to lose you. Don't leave me."
'Thorn?' The blonde began to struggle to reach the source of the voice. She didn't know if it was her own self-thinking these things or it was from the outside but either way it was an anchor that she latched onto with all her might.
~*~
Cú watched in disgusted horror as the flaxen werewolf practically broke down. He was sure that nothing would stop her. But it seemed he was wrong. That...bitch of a musician had destroyed the perfect killer.
And now he was going to destroy her.
"**Yelu, God of agony and pain, Bestow on this weakling your present to all those yet to be slain, Flesh to Liquid, Bone to Dust, Bring about your bloody lust!**"
The orange light flew from his hand but it never hit its target. Nichole had jumped in front of the beam and created a force field. It was weak but enough to deflect the attack.
"Damn you Nichole!"
"I won't let you hurt them." Nichole growled. She turned slightly to glance at Thorn and the shaking Jaguar. "Hurry up Thorn. I don't know how long I'll be able to hold him off."
"I'm trying but I don't know if she can hear me."
"Oh she can hear ya alright. She's just havin' a hard time listening."
"What?" Thorn looked up at the werewolf in confusion.
"Not important. What is, is that you just try and get her back."
~*~
Jaguar felt the darkness inside of her pull her further down but Thorn's words continued to strengthen her, giving her the vigor she needed to leave this Hell that was part of her soul and get back to those that mattered the most to her. The sound of blood pumping in her ears lessened, the numbness melted away and Jaguar became aware of her surroundings.
Golden eyes opened to see Nichole in front of her, blocking attacks and weakening with every hit.
'God. How long was I out?'
~*~
Cú noticed that Nichole was weakening and one last hit would do her in. Then he could repay the wench Thorn for destroying his perfect creation.
"Eii Baager!" A black, spear looking beam exploded from Cú hand and hurtled at Nichole at breakneck speed.
"Shit." Nichole winced, knowing that this would be it. Her mind thought back on her life. She hadn't lived how she wanted. She hadn't done things that she wished. Now she'd never get the chance to. 'At least I died trying to protect the one student who was smart enough to get out.' With that she closed her eyes and prepared for death.
But it never came.
She opened her eyes to see that Jaguar was in front of her, still shaking slightly and bleeding from various wounds but there was an aura of calm and power that surrounded her that made Nichole sure that the tides were about to change. The attack had stopped mere inches away from the Hunter's outstretched hand and was hanging there innocently.
"I'm not done fighting yet Cú." With little effort she turned the bolt around and sent it hurling back. Cú was caught so off guard that the attack struck him square in the stomach. He fell to his knees, grasping the gaping wound in his belly and staring at his old pupil.
Jaguar walked forward, keeping a close eye on her old sire. "It seems that the pupil is stronger then the teacher this time Cú."
"Oh no my student. You are very wrong." To everyone's horror he stood up and presented his belly. The wound had already stopped bleeding and was now healing.
"Fuck."
"You cannot kill me. You cannot harm me while my body is only a vessel. Never." He began to laugh wildly.
Jaguar quickly mused over the words. 'My body is only a vessel? Wait. That can't mean.' "You don't have a soul."
"Correct. And I am immortal while my soul is safe."
'Soul?' The blonde wolf turned to where she had fallen earlier. 'That was what I had a hold of. His soul stone!' She glanced back then took off running.
Cú watched her run, wondering slightly what she was running after when he saw it. Lying in the grass was his Soul Stone. He placed a hand on his chest, hoping to feel it under his robes but he felt nothing. "No!!!" Now he too took off after the younger werewolf.
Jaguar glanced over her shoulder. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the black werewolf gaining on her. 'Damn.' Without missing a beat she dove and took hold of the vile green orb, rolled then came up to her knees. She faced the furious Cú and grinned when she saw a flash of fear in his eyes.
"So. Seems that you have no other options. I'll smash this then send your body to Hell." She pointed to one of the nearest fissures.
Cú gulped. He had to think quickly. An idea popped into his twisted mind. "Drae Stone!"
From the still open box Jaguar's Soul Stone flew into the elder werewolf's outstretched hand. "What are you going to do now Jaguar? You destroy that and I destroy this. Can you really risk losing half your soul forever? It is quiet painful. Or so I've heard. When you die you cannot go into heaven or hell for your soul is not complete. You will forever be stuck in limbo."
Without missing a beat Jaguar growled: "I'd rather be without half a soul then without the humans of earth. Good bye Cú." And with as much strength as she could muster the golden Hunter threw the orb to the ground. The second it shattered she watched as Cú crushed her own orb and a golden aura escaped to the sky above.
"NOOOO!!!!!!" Cú fell to the ground and writhed as he began to disappear, shattering like the orb did.
Jaguar felt a strange sense of peace wash over her as she watched her old sire's body finally vanish. "You may have caused me great pain Cú. But I am still an honorable Hunter. May the gods have mercy on you and all those that had served you." With that she turned away and walked over to Nichole and Thorn. Nichole was trying to regain her strength, lying down on the ground. Jaguar knelt next to her friend and smiled. "How are you?"
"Other then the pounding headache I'm fine." Nichole smirked then turned serious. "How are you?"
Jaguar looked up into Thorn's eyes and for the first time felt as if she could say truthfully; "I'm fine."
"Good. Now what do we do?"
"I have to let all of the spirits go."
"What about th," but Nichole stopped as the ground began to mend itself, until it seemed as if nothing had occurred. "Okay. Never mind then."
Thorn was quiet for a moment before a thought came to her. "I wonder why no more demons came."
"Maybe the ones that actually made it told them of the scary monster waiting up here." Nichole joked.
"Oh you're such a riot. Come on." Jaguar helped the older woman to stand then walk over to the formation of stones.
"Hold on. We'll need a few more people to help." Nicole turned to the remaining minions. "Guys! Get over here." She called. A few of them nodded and crossed over the ground while still others stayed put. "Don't make me hurt you." She growled. Surprisingly, that convinced the remaining to move.
"Remind me not to piss you off." Jaguar joked as a large group of students formed around them.
"Shut up." Nichole turned away from the laughing blonde to the others. "Now that Cú is gone we don't have to follow his rule any more. We can live how we always wanted to. But first we have to free the souls that 'he' imprisoned. Help us to do that."
Though not as one, all agreed.
"Then after that we will place a memory charm on these people to help them forget the horrors of this night." Again they agreed to Jaguar's plan. "Let's start."
~*~Five hours later~*~
The Mystery Inc. Gang, The Hex Girls and Nichole all sat in Thorn's living room. Everyone was in shock and Nichole was trying her best to console them and answer their questions but she couldn't answer all of them.
The minute they got back to the house Jaguar had fled upstairs and not even Thorn's coaxing could bring her down. That had been an hour ago and Jaguar was still nowhere to be seen.
"What will happen now Nichole?" Freddy asked.
"Well. We will put a memory charm on everyone so they don't remember this night. You guys don't need the nightmares that come with bloody battles like this."
"So we'll be able to forget everything?" Shaggy asked. He was still pale and shaking like a leaf.
Nichole nodded, her heart ripping at the fear in his voice. From what she had seen during the fight him and Scooby had the lowest thresholds for fear. She didn't blame them for passing out so many times or for getting sick, hell she'd done it as well.
"Yes Shaggy. You won't remember a thing."
Everyone seemed to be visibly calmed by the statement as shoulders relaxed and there was one collective sigh.
The sound of feet coming down the stairs made all heads turned. Jaguar walked down the stairs. She was fully human now and was wearing a pair of black leather pants and white muscle t-shirt. Her wounds were wrapped up and she was clean but she still looked beaten.
Haunted golden eyes lifted from the ground and the woman's voice seemed almost distant when she said; "It's time."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~ Finally! This chapter is finished! What'd ya think? Review and tell me. C-ya Later!
