Disclaimer: I own no characters, places or anything that has L.J. Smith's
name on it. I own maybe the upstairs of Jenny's house, the mirror and a
brand new character ;).
Author's Note: Thank you very much for the reviews, they make me very happy. This next chapter is written in haste for Shadow.
* * * * *
Chapter 3 - Trials and Troblins
Jenny was alone. No longer inside the arcade game, she had been transported back to her least favourite place in the world, the Shadow House. Sat in the parlour on the floor, she had had plenty of opportunity to reflect on the last time she had been there. When she had first seen Julian for what he was, where Tom had faced the imaginary rats, where the Game had begun. It was exactly as she remembered it, although Julian wasn't there. A door slammed somewhere upstairs in the house, and footsteps were heard coming closer. Jenny looked around for a weapon, but none came to hand. There was no way out of the parlour other than the door to the house, and Jenny didn't really want to go outside into the real Shadow World. The door opened and a figure stepped inside.
"Hello Jenny," said a sweet voice that reminded Jenny of ice cream. "I believe we have quite a lot to talk about. Let's start with.Julian." A tinkling laugh like small bells ensued.
Jenny hadn't heard a word of what had been said. Instead she was staring in a numb fascination at the beautiful Shadow Girl stood before her. She was the exact image of Jenny.
* * * * *
Dee snorted. Human? Not likely. It was bound to be another trap, but still, he had the ring. It could be a different ring though.
"It's not a different ring, it's Jenny's, " said Julian suddenly. Everyone stared at him. Dee's eyes widened. "What?" he asked. Dee glanced around and said loudly, "Nobody said anything, Julian, you just read my mind. What were you saying about not having powers?"
Julian stared at her. He looked around at the others and tried to read their minds. Nothing happened.
"If I can read minds, then why can't I read anybody else's?" he asked. Tom rolled his eyes. God, he thought, this is really going to be interesting. We're supposed to be saving Jenny and all Julian wants to do is play mind games. Julian glared at him and venom seemed to pour out of his gaze right through Tom. Tom said nothing, but secretly decided that when this was all over, he was going to beat the hell out of this damn Shadow guy. Julian smirked and said loudly, "I don't think you could ever take me, Tom." His heavy lidded eyes showed barely-hidden amusement. Tom scowled and started pacing the room. Summer butted in suddenly, much to everybody's surprise.
"Don't fight now, we have to save Jenny, " she said determinedly. "Jenny tried to save me before, now we have to save her from the evil Shadow Men." Audrey nodded wordlessly, and Michael put his arm around her.
"Come on people, " he said quietly. "Let's do this together and be done with it."
All around the group, people were nodding slowly. "How do we get into the Shadow World?" asked Zach. "We go back into the arcade game and get to the end of the maze. There's a gate there with runes on it, my astral self was talking to Jenny when these people in hooded cloaks came and took her through it. I couldn't do anything in my astral form, " Julian added, almost to himself. "Be careful with your lives in the game, if they run out, you die in real life. " Dee nodded and briskly shepherded the gang into the virtual reality clothing again. When they were all sorted, including Julian, she strapped the equipment onto herself, and followed them into the misty darkness.
"Stick together," Julian warned. "We all have to get through the gate, and I am the only person who knows how to operate the runes. We're a big group, and an easy target, but we have to get through this in a group so be careful, keep all your senses open. Some Shadow Creatures may be here, and because I'm not a Shadow Man any more, I can't control them."
All of them nodded silently and continued through the shrouding mist.
* * * * *
Jenny looked at the 'evil' mirror image of her and stared. "Something the matter?" giggled her evil self. Something about the way she acted and spoke told Jenny that her evil twin wasn't exactly sane. She licked her dry lips and said hoarsely, "What do you want from me?" Jenny's evil twin looked at her hard, and a cruel expression flitted over her face.
"Haven't you been listening???" she said in a musical but exasperated tone. "I want to know why and how you brought your adoring slave the ex-Shadow Man back!"
Jenny shifted on the hard and unyielding floor.
"I don't know how I did it, " she murmured nervously.
Jenny couldn't help but remember how cruel Julian could be, but he had a streak of goodness in him that had tempered out the badness. She could guarantee that Jenny 2 didn't have a good intention in her whole being. The evil Jenny laughed.
"Jenny 2? The evil twin? I have a name you know." She smirked at Jenny.
"What is your name then?" said Jenny, beginning to get angry that her thoughts were being invaded. She clenched her fists.
"Careful, Jenny," said the Shadow Girl. Julian's phrase coming from her evil twin was almost more than Jenny could take. The Shadow Girl's piercing blue eyes narrowed. They were the only difference between the real Jenny and the Shadow Jenny.
"You can call me." The Shadow Girl thought for a moment. ".Juliana." She smirked. "I find that fitting," she murmured. Jenny was seething. Her evil twin had taken the name of Jenny's lover and had already tainted it. Jenny got up off the thin carpet and flexed her fingers. She watched the amused expression on Juliana's face and gritted her teeth.
"Careful, Jenny," said Juliana again, in a voice laden with menace and danger. Before Jenny could move, however, there was a knock at the door and in walked a Shadow Creature - some sort of goblin or troll, Jenny thought. Without looking at Jenny or at anything else, the troblin walked over to Juliana and handed her a piece of black paper. Juliana read the paper and within seconds was raging about the cost of slaves. The troblin looked unperturbed and gestured at the paper whilst talking rapidly in a language unfamiliar to Jenny. Juliana looked furious, and flicked a finger towards the troblin, sending it flying across the room to land next to where Jenny had sat moments before. It picked itself up and brushed down its ugly uniform. After waddling across the room to Juliana, it started to gesticulate again at the crumpled paper. Juliana just waved contemptuously at the troblin and after tracing a graceful rune shape with a slim finger, watched it burn instantaneously and vanish. The troblin sighed and walked back outside, but before it had got out completely, Juliana flicked the door shut with a sweeping hand motion, and the troblin was scooted out into the hall. Juliana laughed a girlish laugh of delight, and jumped up and down like a child. In a second, she was solemn again, and turned to face Jenny.
"So where were we? "
Jenny shuddered and looked away from the insane Shadow Girl. Juliana glared at Jenny, and within seconds, Jenny screamed at the pain running through her entire body. Unlike any other pain, it did not ripple in waves, but flowed steadily in a stream through her. Juliana smiled, and the pain stopped. Breathless and sore, Jenny looked fearfully at Juliana.
"Sorry, didn't quite catch that," said Juliana sweetly. "Where were we?"
* * * * *
The group had stumbled along countless different passages and they were all weary and tired. So far, they had encountered the Creeper and the Lurker, Julian's old acquaintances, and they had responded to him slightly when he had tried to command them, but not as much as they had liked. However, in the middle of the confrontation, the snake and the wolf had suddenly vanished, and all of the group were feeling wary and edgy through looking behind them. If we ever get through this, thought Audrey grimly, I am going to have one of the worst cases of paranoia in America! Suddenly, Julian stopped still in the dark, and Summer and Zach bumped into him. OWWWW thought Summer, as Zach stood on her foot. She glared at him, but in the darkness he couldn't see her, and she couldn't say anything because everyone was supposed to be silent. Peering in front of Julian, she could see why he had stopped. Directly in front of them was a beautiful gate, shimmering and golden, etched all over with intricate runes, but in the center of the gate was the rune Uruz, shaped like an upturned 'U' and with one point longer than the other. It was stained with a rusty red substance that was probably some poor troblin's blood. Taking a deep breath, Julian invoked the rune and stepped back. The group held it's collective breath and stared past the open gate.
* * * * *
Right there's the next chapter people! If you want another chapter, tell me what you would like to see happen, I already have a vague plot but I am open to any suggestions on what you want. I need a review please before I do the next one.
Author's Note: Thank you very much for the reviews, they make me very happy. This next chapter is written in haste for Shadow.
* * * * *
Chapter 3 - Trials and Troblins
Jenny was alone. No longer inside the arcade game, she had been transported back to her least favourite place in the world, the Shadow House. Sat in the parlour on the floor, she had had plenty of opportunity to reflect on the last time she had been there. When she had first seen Julian for what he was, where Tom had faced the imaginary rats, where the Game had begun. It was exactly as she remembered it, although Julian wasn't there. A door slammed somewhere upstairs in the house, and footsteps were heard coming closer. Jenny looked around for a weapon, but none came to hand. There was no way out of the parlour other than the door to the house, and Jenny didn't really want to go outside into the real Shadow World. The door opened and a figure stepped inside.
"Hello Jenny," said a sweet voice that reminded Jenny of ice cream. "I believe we have quite a lot to talk about. Let's start with.Julian." A tinkling laugh like small bells ensued.
Jenny hadn't heard a word of what had been said. Instead she was staring in a numb fascination at the beautiful Shadow Girl stood before her. She was the exact image of Jenny.
* * * * *
Dee snorted. Human? Not likely. It was bound to be another trap, but still, he had the ring. It could be a different ring though.
"It's not a different ring, it's Jenny's, " said Julian suddenly. Everyone stared at him. Dee's eyes widened. "What?" he asked. Dee glanced around and said loudly, "Nobody said anything, Julian, you just read my mind. What were you saying about not having powers?"
Julian stared at her. He looked around at the others and tried to read their minds. Nothing happened.
"If I can read minds, then why can't I read anybody else's?" he asked. Tom rolled his eyes. God, he thought, this is really going to be interesting. We're supposed to be saving Jenny and all Julian wants to do is play mind games. Julian glared at him and venom seemed to pour out of his gaze right through Tom. Tom said nothing, but secretly decided that when this was all over, he was going to beat the hell out of this damn Shadow guy. Julian smirked and said loudly, "I don't think you could ever take me, Tom." His heavy lidded eyes showed barely-hidden amusement. Tom scowled and started pacing the room. Summer butted in suddenly, much to everybody's surprise.
"Don't fight now, we have to save Jenny, " she said determinedly. "Jenny tried to save me before, now we have to save her from the evil Shadow Men." Audrey nodded wordlessly, and Michael put his arm around her.
"Come on people, " he said quietly. "Let's do this together and be done with it."
All around the group, people were nodding slowly. "How do we get into the Shadow World?" asked Zach. "We go back into the arcade game and get to the end of the maze. There's a gate there with runes on it, my astral self was talking to Jenny when these people in hooded cloaks came and took her through it. I couldn't do anything in my astral form, " Julian added, almost to himself. "Be careful with your lives in the game, if they run out, you die in real life. " Dee nodded and briskly shepherded the gang into the virtual reality clothing again. When they were all sorted, including Julian, she strapped the equipment onto herself, and followed them into the misty darkness.
"Stick together," Julian warned. "We all have to get through the gate, and I am the only person who knows how to operate the runes. We're a big group, and an easy target, but we have to get through this in a group so be careful, keep all your senses open. Some Shadow Creatures may be here, and because I'm not a Shadow Man any more, I can't control them."
All of them nodded silently and continued through the shrouding mist.
* * * * *
Jenny looked at the 'evil' mirror image of her and stared. "Something the matter?" giggled her evil self. Something about the way she acted and spoke told Jenny that her evil twin wasn't exactly sane. She licked her dry lips and said hoarsely, "What do you want from me?" Jenny's evil twin looked at her hard, and a cruel expression flitted over her face.
"Haven't you been listening???" she said in a musical but exasperated tone. "I want to know why and how you brought your adoring slave the ex-Shadow Man back!"
Jenny shifted on the hard and unyielding floor.
"I don't know how I did it, " she murmured nervously.
Jenny couldn't help but remember how cruel Julian could be, but he had a streak of goodness in him that had tempered out the badness. She could guarantee that Jenny 2 didn't have a good intention in her whole being. The evil Jenny laughed.
"Jenny 2? The evil twin? I have a name you know." She smirked at Jenny.
"What is your name then?" said Jenny, beginning to get angry that her thoughts were being invaded. She clenched her fists.
"Careful, Jenny," said the Shadow Girl. Julian's phrase coming from her evil twin was almost more than Jenny could take. The Shadow Girl's piercing blue eyes narrowed. They were the only difference between the real Jenny and the Shadow Jenny.
"You can call me." The Shadow Girl thought for a moment. ".Juliana." She smirked. "I find that fitting," she murmured. Jenny was seething. Her evil twin had taken the name of Jenny's lover and had already tainted it. Jenny got up off the thin carpet and flexed her fingers. She watched the amused expression on Juliana's face and gritted her teeth.
"Careful, Jenny," said Juliana again, in a voice laden with menace and danger. Before Jenny could move, however, there was a knock at the door and in walked a Shadow Creature - some sort of goblin or troll, Jenny thought. Without looking at Jenny or at anything else, the troblin walked over to Juliana and handed her a piece of black paper. Juliana read the paper and within seconds was raging about the cost of slaves. The troblin looked unperturbed and gestured at the paper whilst talking rapidly in a language unfamiliar to Jenny. Juliana looked furious, and flicked a finger towards the troblin, sending it flying across the room to land next to where Jenny had sat moments before. It picked itself up and brushed down its ugly uniform. After waddling across the room to Juliana, it started to gesticulate again at the crumpled paper. Juliana just waved contemptuously at the troblin and after tracing a graceful rune shape with a slim finger, watched it burn instantaneously and vanish. The troblin sighed and walked back outside, but before it had got out completely, Juliana flicked the door shut with a sweeping hand motion, and the troblin was scooted out into the hall. Juliana laughed a girlish laugh of delight, and jumped up and down like a child. In a second, she was solemn again, and turned to face Jenny.
"So where were we? "
Jenny shuddered and looked away from the insane Shadow Girl. Juliana glared at Jenny, and within seconds, Jenny screamed at the pain running through her entire body. Unlike any other pain, it did not ripple in waves, but flowed steadily in a stream through her. Juliana smiled, and the pain stopped. Breathless and sore, Jenny looked fearfully at Juliana.
"Sorry, didn't quite catch that," said Juliana sweetly. "Where were we?"
* * * * *
The group had stumbled along countless different passages and they were all weary and tired. So far, they had encountered the Creeper and the Lurker, Julian's old acquaintances, and they had responded to him slightly when he had tried to command them, but not as much as they had liked. However, in the middle of the confrontation, the snake and the wolf had suddenly vanished, and all of the group were feeling wary and edgy through looking behind them. If we ever get through this, thought Audrey grimly, I am going to have one of the worst cases of paranoia in America! Suddenly, Julian stopped still in the dark, and Summer and Zach bumped into him. OWWWW thought Summer, as Zach stood on her foot. She glared at him, but in the darkness he couldn't see her, and she couldn't say anything because everyone was supposed to be silent. Peering in front of Julian, she could see why he had stopped. Directly in front of them was a beautiful gate, shimmering and golden, etched all over with intricate runes, but in the center of the gate was the rune Uruz, shaped like an upturned 'U' and with one point longer than the other. It was stained with a rusty red substance that was probably some poor troblin's blood. Taking a deep breath, Julian invoked the rune and stepped back. The group held it's collective breath and stared past the open gate.
* * * * *
Right there's the next chapter people! If you want another chapter, tell me what you would like to see happen, I already have a vague plot but I am open to any suggestions on what you want. I need a review please before I do the next one.