The Darkness Inside of Her
By: dragonfly-rising
Darien refused to look at Raye. He had his reasons for being the one to bring the strange power of Serena's into the open. He was worn out from the constant stress of dealing with the secretive girl, and he had seen an opening to solving some of the problems in Trista. He would not allow himself to ignore the realities of the situation any longer. Serena was in serious danger he knew that without question. In an instant he had understood that if they could not come together and help her through whatever it was that was inside of her they would lose her.
"Where is she then? Do any of you have an idea?" Michele asked softly.
"We don't know. She has been very strange for awhile now, unpredictable." Amy admitted.
Darien felt a tug at his heart, one that at once caught his attention and brought his mind to a screaming halt. There was only one reason for that tug. Unconsciously he put a hand up to cover his heart.
"Serena's in trouble" Darien stated already taking a step towards Trista, towards the outside where he could go to Serena.
"Where?" was all that came from Raye who was following him.
"The park...I have to go now" He answered firmly, almost pushing past Trista who was attempting to get out of his way.
As he reached outside he already held a rose in his hand and was transforming into Tuxedo Mask. He heart thudded painfully in his chest as a warning that Serena was in dire need of his help. He ran swiftly, taking his usual route up and over rooftops. He did not have to look down at the street to know the Senshi followed him closely.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The spirit, once known as the most fierce and deadly Manitou in creation, watched its minions closely as they encountered the bright silver soul in the park. Only one had exposed itself to her, for it turned out to be a woman of extraordinary power that had awakened their master. Not that such a thing had surprised the spirit, medicine women of great power had often been the ones to strike at it and place it into the Spirit Realm.
It had not taken the spirit long to recall what its purpose had been. The memories had flooded back to it when it had encountered the woman in its watchfulness. She could not hide her inner essence from him, nor could she have hidden it from any who had the power to sense such things. In the end it did not care so much to control the woman as to change her into something that would allow it to walk the Living Realm again. There were dangers to using such a creature for its purposes; there was no denying that fact. Inside of her was the power to utterly destroy it, though it doubted she was aware of it. There was always a risk that must be taken and it had taken such risks many times. It would walk the earth again; it would destroy the legacy of medicine men and women who had dared to come up against it. Then it would do as it had intended to do all those centuries before it had been cast into the void.
The minions had been easy to gather, their minds open to such things due to their exposure to magics through their bloodlines. Now all it needed was an opening into HER, which would be provided by her own emptiness when she was at the most extreme of her powers. All it had to do was wait.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The minion of the Manitou that held Serena in thrall had at one time been just an outcast of sorts. He had shut himself away from the world, shunning it for its cruelty. His name, though changed by the spirit that had touched him, had been Richard. Now as he felt the overwhelming power that flowed through him he only answered to the name that had been given him. He was Tiger, leader of the five that the Manitou had brought together for its purpose. The others waited for him in separate places around the park, watching this initial meeting.
As he gazed down at the young woman he had been sent after he could not help but recognize a kindred soul. Her dark blue eyes swam with unshed tears and he understood immediately that this girl had reserves inside of her that no one had ever seen. He was simply amazed that she was so alone in this world, that she had done this to herself without even realizing it. Even as he saw this inside of her the dark blue eyes began changing to a steel gray, he was surprised when she jerked herself away from his touch and stepped back. She should not have been able to break the thrall he had put her under.
"I'm not like you," She whispered angrily, color rising into her cheeks.
He shrugged, "It is not my intention to change your mind as to who or what you are".
"What do you want from me?" She demanded.
"I am only here to offer you an opportunity." He answered calmly.
Her eyes narrowed, "And that is?"
He smiled, enjoying her suspicion. If she could question him so forcefully there was a strong possibility she had what they needed to free the Manitou.
"To join me and the group I lead." He answered.
"And do what? I am already in a group and I am the leader so why would I even think to join you?" She fired back.
"We can help each other you and I. I happen to represent a very powerful being who could end the strife inside of you." He explained slowly.
"How about no...I have no interest in joining you or meeting this powerful being. If what I felt from you is any representation of it then you and I are enemies." She responded.
Surprised Tiger ran a hand through his hair, "You really are very strong if you felt anything from me".
"Better believe I am." She said proudly.
"So your answer is no? Without even hearing all that I have to offer you?" He asked just to confirm.
He had known from the beginning that a soul such as her's could not easily be swayed into dark matters. There was a type of sound that came from those that were good, a sound that was deafening around this young woman. Her being had always been pure though through its travels into the Spirit Realm it had become tainted. He had not believed she would come to their way of thinking and the proof radiated from her in waves of strength. She had only nodded at his question, her body tensing for action.
"You realize what this means?" He inquired with a half smile.
"You intend to kill me?" She returned with a lightness that scoffed at the idea.
Though he had no intention of killing her he could not afford for her to know their plans ahead of time. Silently he called to the others of his group and felt their immediate reaction. As they neared he took a step backwards and raised a hand.
"It is a pity I had such hopes for you." He said arrogantly.
"You have no idea what you are getting yourself into." She replied just as arrogantly.
The half smile on his face grew to a full one as his powers answered his demand, collecting into dark mass of energy above his raised hand. Curiously he watched her hand raise to the broach attached to her blouse.
~ This should be fun. ~ He thought to himself as her transformation instantly changed her.
By: dragonfly-rising
Darien refused to look at Raye. He had his reasons for being the one to bring the strange power of Serena's into the open. He was worn out from the constant stress of dealing with the secretive girl, and he had seen an opening to solving some of the problems in Trista. He would not allow himself to ignore the realities of the situation any longer. Serena was in serious danger he knew that without question. In an instant he had understood that if they could not come together and help her through whatever it was that was inside of her they would lose her.
"Where is she then? Do any of you have an idea?" Michele asked softly.
"We don't know. She has been very strange for awhile now, unpredictable." Amy admitted.
Darien felt a tug at his heart, one that at once caught his attention and brought his mind to a screaming halt. There was only one reason for that tug. Unconsciously he put a hand up to cover his heart.
"Serena's in trouble" Darien stated already taking a step towards Trista, towards the outside where he could go to Serena.
"Where?" was all that came from Raye who was following him.
"The park...I have to go now" He answered firmly, almost pushing past Trista who was attempting to get out of his way.
As he reached outside he already held a rose in his hand and was transforming into Tuxedo Mask. He heart thudded painfully in his chest as a warning that Serena was in dire need of his help. He ran swiftly, taking his usual route up and over rooftops. He did not have to look down at the street to know the Senshi followed him closely.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The spirit, once known as the most fierce and deadly Manitou in creation, watched its minions closely as they encountered the bright silver soul in the park. Only one had exposed itself to her, for it turned out to be a woman of extraordinary power that had awakened their master. Not that such a thing had surprised the spirit, medicine women of great power had often been the ones to strike at it and place it into the Spirit Realm.
It had not taken the spirit long to recall what its purpose had been. The memories had flooded back to it when it had encountered the woman in its watchfulness. She could not hide her inner essence from him, nor could she have hidden it from any who had the power to sense such things. In the end it did not care so much to control the woman as to change her into something that would allow it to walk the Living Realm again. There were dangers to using such a creature for its purposes; there was no denying that fact. Inside of her was the power to utterly destroy it, though it doubted she was aware of it. There was always a risk that must be taken and it had taken such risks many times. It would walk the earth again; it would destroy the legacy of medicine men and women who had dared to come up against it. Then it would do as it had intended to do all those centuries before it had been cast into the void.
The minions had been easy to gather, their minds open to such things due to their exposure to magics through their bloodlines. Now all it needed was an opening into HER, which would be provided by her own emptiness when she was at the most extreme of her powers. All it had to do was wait.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The minion of the Manitou that held Serena in thrall had at one time been just an outcast of sorts. He had shut himself away from the world, shunning it for its cruelty. His name, though changed by the spirit that had touched him, had been Richard. Now as he felt the overwhelming power that flowed through him he only answered to the name that had been given him. He was Tiger, leader of the five that the Manitou had brought together for its purpose. The others waited for him in separate places around the park, watching this initial meeting.
As he gazed down at the young woman he had been sent after he could not help but recognize a kindred soul. Her dark blue eyes swam with unshed tears and he understood immediately that this girl had reserves inside of her that no one had ever seen. He was simply amazed that she was so alone in this world, that she had done this to herself without even realizing it. Even as he saw this inside of her the dark blue eyes began changing to a steel gray, he was surprised when she jerked herself away from his touch and stepped back. She should not have been able to break the thrall he had put her under.
"I'm not like you," She whispered angrily, color rising into her cheeks.
He shrugged, "It is not my intention to change your mind as to who or what you are".
"What do you want from me?" She demanded.
"I am only here to offer you an opportunity." He answered calmly.
Her eyes narrowed, "And that is?"
He smiled, enjoying her suspicion. If she could question him so forcefully there was a strong possibility she had what they needed to free the Manitou.
"To join me and the group I lead." He answered.
"And do what? I am already in a group and I am the leader so why would I even think to join you?" She fired back.
"We can help each other you and I. I happen to represent a very powerful being who could end the strife inside of you." He explained slowly.
"How about no...I have no interest in joining you or meeting this powerful being. If what I felt from you is any representation of it then you and I are enemies." She responded.
Surprised Tiger ran a hand through his hair, "You really are very strong if you felt anything from me".
"Better believe I am." She said proudly.
"So your answer is no? Without even hearing all that I have to offer you?" He asked just to confirm.
He had known from the beginning that a soul such as her's could not easily be swayed into dark matters. There was a type of sound that came from those that were good, a sound that was deafening around this young woman. Her being had always been pure though through its travels into the Spirit Realm it had become tainted. He had not believed she would come to their way of thinking and the proof radiated from her in waves of strength. She had only nodded at his question, her body tensing for action.
"You realize what this means?" He inquired with a half smile.
"You intend to kill me?" She returned with a lightness that scoffed at the idea.
Though he had no intention of killing her he could not afford for her to know their plans ahead of time. Silently he called to the others of his group and felt their immediate reaction. As they neared he took a step backwards and raised a hand.
"It is a pity I had such hopes for you." He said arrogantly.
"You have no idea what you are getting yourself into." She replied just as arrogantly.
The half smile on his face grew to a full one as his powers answered his demand, collecting into dark mass of energy above his raised hand. Curiously he watched her hand raise to the broach attached to her blouse.
~ This should be fun. ~ He thought to himself as her transformation instantly changed her.