See you in the dark, all eyes on you, my magician, all eyes on us.

Angela held up a beaker of glowing green liquid, the soft light cutting through the darkness of her laboratory. The green reflected off her glasses, shining in her wide, reverent eyes. It was like magic, and the world was about to behold its very first show through Angela.

"Lolaquadranium! At last! It is finished!" After years of research, trial-and-error, and raw grit and determination, she finally did it. She finally had the chemical compound necessary to alter the neural parts and pathways of her brain so that she could improve her executive function and ability to feel emotional satisfaction. Now, there were only two things left to do. One was to add the compound to a suspension.

She chose Hydrochlorothiazide. Her rationale was that it would help dilute the Lolaquadranium and flush it out of her system faster. The end goal was for the serum to have lasting effects, but Lolaquadranium was a powerful substance. It was naturally highly concentrated, and Angela didn't want to risk taking a pure, uncut dose so early in the human-testing process. And that was the second thing left to do: chug.

You make everyone disappear and cut me into pieces.

The big day had finally arrived. Dr. Angela Jekyll would put her "miracle formula" to the test and see if she could change herself from the inside out.

Gold cage, hostage to my feelings.

Was this a good idea? Maybe, maybe not. Was she nervous? Absolutely. Did she already want to quit? To throw in the towel and not try the serum at all in case it backfired? Admittedly, yes. But that was all the more reason why she just had to take it!

Back against the wall, I'm tripping when you're gone.

The entire point of the serum was to help her move forward in life, and to feel worthy of everything that she had. If she were to cower here, to falter here, the entire experiment would be a failure, not because the chemicals didn't work, but because it would prove that Angela was too weak and scared to even try. If she was too weak and scared to even try, then all the chemicals in the world wouldn't be able to help her.

Cause I've broke down a little, but when I'm finally alone it's so simple, 'cause baby I know what you know, and we can feel it…

"No, I'm not a coward," Angela was speaking to serum just as much as she was to herself. "I may be afraid of many things, and afraid very often, but I'm still no coward. I've trailblazed this path for myself, experimented and gone where no scientist has ever gone before! I'm about to be my first human test subject! Tell me that doesn't require some level of nerve!"

And that was the thing about Angela, as she'd correctly noted, although she was a naturally shy and sheepish person, she still had a few bold streaks. She was never afraid to get her hands dirty and was always the first to rush into a new adventure. It was only people that scared her. She wasn't afraid of much else. She was brave, in all areas but one… But that was exactly what her serum was for! Liquid courage, bottoms up.

Angela would describe the taste as bitter and chalky at first, but then there was a mildly pleasant aftertaste with a warming effect, rather like alcohol. She noticed a sweet aroma that only seemed to intensify after drinking the serum.

Yeah, I broke down a little, but now I'm finally alone, it's so simple… I can feel it… And then all the pieces fell right into place.

Angela was so caught up in her transformation that she didn't even remember the moment when her mind stopped being her own.

I'm yours to keep, and I'm yours to lose. You know I'm not a bad girl, but I'd do bad things with you.

The girl in question named herself Lola Hyde, after the formula that created her, but just who was it that she wanted to do bad things with?

ooo

"Hi, honey, I'm hoooome!" Lola sing-songed as she casually kicked in Ambrose's office door at Vine and Vinyl Recording Studios.

"Who are you?!" he shrieked, jumping out of his seat in alarm. Having a woman who was much taller, and probably a lot stronger, than him just barge into his office like she owned the place was the last thing he expected to see today.

"Why, I am your personal Aphrodite," Lola bowed dramatically, but it was clear from her arrogant tone that she thought Ambrose should've been the one bowing instead. Ah, but all in good time. I know I have a lot to explain first…

That damn doctor! She got sidetracked chasing after that blonde, bimbo bitch! Tch! I can't believe she let Debbie fool her so completely! So naive… It's hard to believe we came from the same body… Body.

Lola was brought back to the present as she remembered her gorgeous, sexy-ass body, and the lucky man whom she was allowing such an up close and personal look. "I am Lola Hyde, the Divine Goddess of Love, Sex, Sexuality, and Sensuality, incarnate!"

Ambrose still looked stupefied. He had no idea how to even react. Was this just some crazy singer who'd deluded herself into thinking she was a global sensation? Or was this an overconfident, rising star who thought barging into his office was the best way to introduce herself?

"But perhaps," Lola's face twisted in disgust, "you would recognize me better by my mortal name, my dead name: Angela Jekyll."

It still took Ambrose quite a while to wrap his around everything Lola told him, but by the end of it, he was able to glean that this was Angela's secret project. All those years locked away in a lab had culminated in… this.

"She was always weak, cowardly and stupid," Lola sneered. "But she was just smart enough to realize that. She knew she needed someone better to carry out all the plans she could barely bring herself to even begin!"

"Barely even begin?" Ambrose echoed, some of his sense coming back to him now that he realized just how viciously this woman despised one of his two best friends. How could this woman have come from his Angela? "She finished the serum that created you, didn't she!?"

"And that was the only thing she's ever done right!" Lola's eyes flashed with fury and envy that Ambrose would dare defend Angela, let alone in her presence. "In just half an hour, I did what Angela failed to do in half a decade!" The fury and envy in her eyes suddenly vanished. Remembering why she'd come, her tone became soft. It was still powerful, but no longer angry. "I came here to tell you that… I love you…"

"Wh—what?"

"Angela created me because she's been into you for years now."

"B—but… she never gave any indication…"

"Exactly!" A measure of irritation and disdain returned to Lola's voice. "That's why I had to do it for her! But now that I'm here, I've decided that I like it, so I think I'm gonna stay." Her smile could only be described as scheming as she surveyed Ambrose's office.

A moment later, though, a look of pain flickered across her face. Ambrose missed it because she was facing away when it happened, but she knew at once what it meant. Damn it! No! Not right now! You've got to be kidding me! Didn't I JUST say I was going to stay?!

But it was too late. She gave one soft growl before whipping back around to Ambrose, pointing an almost-accusatory finger at him.

"The lab, as soon as you're off the clock. No matter who answers the door, have her drink the Lolaquadranium Hydrochlorothiazide."

Then, without waiting for him to even accept or decline the invitation, she stormed out of his office once again.

Only the broken door, hanging by its hinges, left any indication that Lola had ever been there. Angela would wake up several miles away, confused and wearing clothes far too big for her. But seeing as how she seemed unharmed, and nothing else seemed out of place, although the memory-loss was a bit disconcerting, she didn't consider this first trial a failure. Just… strange.

ooo

Met you 'neath the stars, all eyes on me, your illusionist, all eyes on us.

Lola smiled dryly as she and Ambrose took their seats at his usual table. Neither she nor her inferior half had ever been here before, her inferior half always cooped up in her lab.

Or frequenting cheap, lowbrow dive bars, Lola thought in disgust. But then again, isn't that fitting for someone as cheap and lowbrow as her?

This fancy, posh restaurant was much more Lola and Ambrose's style. A dinner worthy of the Goddess of Love and Romance!

Even though Ambrose never got the chance to officially accept Lola's invitation, his curiosity was so piqued that as soon as his shift was over, he sped to Angela's lab where she was busy trying to remember what had transpired earlier that day. Ambrose was able to fill in the blank space for her, and because Lola managed to persuade him into thinking that this was everything Angela wanted, he reported the visit as a success, albeit a little strange and intense.

It was then that Ambrose mentioned Lola's request. For just a second, Angela seemed surprised, and… jealous? Jealous that Lola was already making such fast moves on the man Angela hadn't even been able to talk to for five years? Or jealous that Ambrose seemed just as eager to see Lola again as the reverse? But at the same time, Angela felt a twisted sense of pride and pleasure to think that even if she was "unconscious" while Lola was in control, Ambrose was still desiring some facet of her, he was desiring something Angela had created.

So she willingly took another dose of her serum, enough to get them through a dinner, and then off Lola and Ambrose went.

I'll make all your grey days clear and wear you like a necklace.

"Ahhh, my darling man, isn't this so much better than anything those two could've ever given you?" Lola's eyes were languid and burning as she reclined in her seat, casually wrapping her hand around Ambrose's. He felt her squeeze his a second later, but it wasn't entirely out of love.

I'm so chill, but you make me jealous.

Although Lola's remark was meant to remind them both that she was the best of the three women Ambrose was close to, the mere reminder that she had two rivals was enough to send a rush of something… unpleasant surging through her body. Involuntarily, she clenched her fists.

A second later, though, her hands relaxed. Because Ambrose misunderstood why Lola had squeezed his hand, he squeezed hers in return. That alone was enough to tame Lola and appease the angry, jealous goddess. Mood and mind changed in a second, she gave him a gracious smile.

"That's my man," she purred approvingly. This time, when she squeezed his hand, it was out of love, and complete and utter ownership. She heard his heart skip a beat after she called him that. That was another nice bonus of the serum, heightened senses. "Oh, does my darling, naughty man like being mine? Mmm, how wonderful!"

But of course he would love being mine, that was why I was created! For him! To be his most perfect partner! And because I'm Lola Hyde, I can do anything! Including this! Easy-peasy!

Neither of those other two bitches deserved him. Not by a long shot. One was too much a coward and a fool to even try to ask. The other, meanwhile, asked far too much. Lola was happy to know that Ambrose had rejected her at every turn. Although it wasn't that he'd rejected Deborah so much as, perhaps, he'd been waiting on Angela, hoping that she might ask before he finally caved to Deborah's demands.

Lola may have literally only been born yesterday, but it looked like the serum had an unintended side effect on her/Angela's hippocampus. While Angela could not remember any of her time as Lola, Lola could pull up all of Angela's memories as easily as if they were her own. As such, she knew all about Deborah. She knew about Deborah seducing Angela. She knew about Deborah trying to seduce Ambrose. Even if he had almost said yes to her, the truth of the matter was that they were not a couple. Deborah may have wanted it, but they never made it official.

That slimy bitch thinks she's slick? No, Angela is just embarrassingly stupid and unobservant. For a brain scientist, you think she'd be better at tracking behavioral patterns. Apparently not.

Angela somehow had come to trust Deborah wholeheartedly, and over what? A song? Angela really let one little late-night lab waltz sway her heart from Ambrose to the ugly heifer who'd nearly stolen him from her in the first place? Was Angela really so short-sighted? Was her memory really so poor? This was what Lola meant when she talked about Angela's unfinished business. Rather than stay true to the man she'd loved since childhood, all it took were a few fancy words from Deborah to make Angela switch sides. It was a disgrace, a disloyalty, a betrayal!

And isn't it obvious? Deborah's only doing this because she still wants him. She still wants my man! She may think seducing Angela means removing the danger, but she never counted on Mistress Lola Hyde to intervene and save the day!

The angry and jealous goddess puffed out her ample bosom in indignation and stood up.

"Lola? Are you all right?" Ambrose looked at her with genuine concern. That was enough to clear away Lola's gloomy expression.

"I'll be better once you take my hand," she said, a small smile replacing her frown. "Come, darling, let's show this world what real love looks like!"

All eyes on you, my magician; all eyes on me, your illusionist.

"Let's show 'em some magic! Give 'em a night and a dance they'll never forget!" Lola dragged Ambrose to the center of the restaurant. It wasn't typically a place one danced, but Lola wanted herself and her man to be on full display. Everyone needed to be aware of the goddess in their midst, and they all needed to know that it was to her whom Ambrose belonged.

Even deeper than that, though, it just felt… nice to dance with him, after so many years of waiting and wondering…

"You better not drop hand while we're dancing," Lola was half-teasing and half-serious.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Ambrose promised with another smile. Lola returned it in full. They may have been in a room full of people, but when they were like this, it felt as if they were alone, and everything was so much simpler then.

'Cause baby, I know what you know, we can feel it… And all the pieces fell right into place once again.

ooo

Hours later, they ditched the dinner date. Lola was finally tired of sharing her man, of showing him off. Now, she wanted him all to herself. They were dressed in black bedsheets, scratches down Ambrose's back, but even though Ambrose was the only one coming away with marks, their dance still left Lola breathless, too.

The feeling of his hands and lips, of his insistence and eagerness… Looked like the Lolaquadranium brought out the best of both of them, and he hadn't even taken any. Lola did briefly entertain the thought, but she decided she liked Ambrose just the way he was.

You did a number on me, but honestly, baby, who's counting? I did a number on you, but honestly, baby, who's counting?

She counted the rhythm of their dance as they moved together. They were both caught up in the moment, lipstick smearing between locked lips. The goddess and her consort. No one and nothing else between them, except love. No Angela, no Deborah, not even a dining hall of socialites.

I'm yours to keep, she's yours to lose, you know I AM a bad girl and I'd do bad things with you! So it goes…

It was the best and second night of her life, but Lola knew that the real fun, the real story, was only just beginning.

Every single day is only gonna be better than the last because I am Lola fucking Hyde, and I can do anything, and anyone, I want! I'm gonna rock this man, and this world! It is finally time for me to make a debut of my own, and it will be unlike anything this world has ever seen before!

She still felt nothing but disgust and disdain for her creator, but she could at least appreciate the perfection with which she was created.

Angela, darling, let Lola take the wheel! I'll take it from here! You've done more than enough, so be a good little girl and go away. Now it's MY time to shine! And as she was tangled up in the black bedsheets, and Ambrose' limbs, she made a promise that she would shine even brighter than the sun! She would be so glorious and radiant that she would make Angela look like an even bigger nobody than she already was. Soon, she would be little more than a fading memory in the minds of everyone as they all made way for a new diva to take the center stage and spotlight.

And so, on Lola went. It was a night Ambrose would never forget, and someday, she was determined to make the rest of the world feel the exact same way. A Goddess had come down to Earth for them, from Olympus above! In due time, all humans would see and pay tribute!

You're the king, baby, I'm your queen! Lola spent the whole night dreaming instead of sleeping. So it goes…