The sun shone down on what had to be the most beautiful day that had ever been, in the most beautiful meadow that had ever existed, in the midst of the lushest forest that there ever would be. Rhonda let her wings carry her aloft, basking in the feel of the sun. Hummingbirds, in shades that never were, fluttered around her. Chipmunks did the same, as did bunnies, all singing in tones that would make The Three Tenors jealous.
Surely, this was the best of all worlds.
Then the shadows crept in. Plants withered at their touch. Animals crumbled to dust. Within moments, what had been a scene of absolute perfection had been transformed into a barren wasteland.
As is here, so shall it all be, a dark sepulchral voice echoed from the shadows.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this?"
All shall wither and decay. You cannot prevent it. As they pass, so shall you pass.
The shadows crept closer, ever closer.
"Who are you? Answer me!"
She hurled a volley of fireballs at the encroaching darkness, but they were extinguished. She could feel the coldness of the grave emanating from the dark mass. A shadow touched her hand, and Rhonda watched in horror as it withered away.
So shall you pass.
Rhonda screamed.
***
She awoke in her bed.
Or, rather, falling into her bed from where she was hovering, five feet over it. Several small objects, which had been orbiting around her, clattered to the ground.
Was it a dream? It had all been so vivid... and she'd been in her new body. Until now, she'd still been human in her dreams. This was the first time she'd dreamed of herself as she was now.
And the voice, the shadows... on some level, she knew them.
Not a dream, then... a prophecy. Or a warning. Or a threat. Why not? With all the weird new powers she'd been developing lately, prophetic dreams didn't seem that ridiculous.
It was almost morning by now, and there was no way she was going to get back to sleep. She decided to grab some breakfast. Then, maybe someone, maybe the Institute psychiatrist, could make sense of her – no. She couldn't tell anyone. They'd think she was crazy.
***
Nadine arrived on the 7:30 AM bus, armed with determination and a box of Rhonda's favorite chocolates (they'd cost two weeks' allowance, but in a situation like this, you couldn't be stingy).
At 7:58, she arrived at the gates of the Institute. The very heavily-guarded gates.
Well, might as well try the frontal assault.
She walked up to the guard on duty. Putting on her cutest expression, she smiled up at him and said, "Hi, I'm here to see Rhonda Lloyd?
The guard scowled at her. "This is a secure facility. No visitors."
Okay, now, show them your best pout. "But she's my best friend in the whole world, and I really miss her, and..."
"I said no visitors. No exceptions."
"But..."
"Now, get, before I call the cops!"
Nadine sighed and departed.
Okay, that worked about as well as expected... now what?
Maybe some sort of delivery? No, the guard would still recognize her.
She looked around, spotting an ad that gave her an idea.
Pizza Circus? Aren't they the ones that make their delivery people wear...
No. There is no way I am putting on a clown suit and posing as a pizza delivery girl.
***
I can't believe I'm putting on a clown suit and posing as a pizza delivery girl.
Nadine tucked her braids under the pink wig, making absolutely sure they didn't stick out.
She'd dropped by the local Pizza Circus franchise and let the countergirl in on her plans. The girl had been very sympathetic, having herself once had a sick friend she couldn't visit. She'd loaned Nadine one of her spare costumes and done her makeup for her. Nadine had to admit that there was no way anyone would recognize her. The loose-fitting costume disguised her physique, and the makeup and foam-rubber nose did the same for her facial features. The girl even bought her a large pie with pepperoni to complete the disguise.
Now, as she approached the security booth, she was having second thoughts. What if the guard, as unlikely as it was, recognized her? What if security was so tight that they didn't even let pizza deliveries in? The countergirl had assured her that they made deliveries to the Institute all the time, but what if they'd decided to crack down?
The guard eyed her suspiciously. Okay, Nadine, say the line, like she told you, she reminded herself.
"Hi, I'm with Pizza Circus, where we always deliver three rings of flavor! I have a large pepperoni here for..." What was the name of the doctor who's always ordering from here? "Dr. Braithwaite?"
"Oh, yeah, sure, go right ahead."
It worked! Yes! Score one for pizza clown anonymity! She strolled in through the open gate.
She was almost to the door when the guard called out "Hey, you! Clown! Get back here!
Busted, though Nadine, as she dejectedly turned around.
"Let me see that pizza," the guard barked.
"Okay, sure..." She opened the box, revealing that yes, indeed, there was a pizza in there.
"Okay, fine, you can go. I just wanted to make sure you were a real delivery girl, and not some kid trying to sneak in."
"Hey, it's cool. You're just doing your job." She resumed her course for the inside of the institute.
***
"Well, it looks as though your scales are definitely receding, Rhonda."
Indeed, the scales on Rhonda's face, neck, chest, belly, and the insides of her arms and legs were now completely gone, replaced by smooth purple skin.
"Does this mean I'm changing back?" she said, a bit hopefully.
"I don't think so," Dr. Martinez replied. "I think the scales may have only been temporary. The skin that's now been exposed is almost completely invulnerable. My guess is that the scales were there to protect your skin while it toughened up. Also, I think they may be permanent in certain easily-injured areas."
"Oh," Rhonda sighed. "I guess it was probably too much to hope for that it would all go away by itself. Still... less scales is definitely nice."
"Moving on... any new developments, power-wise?"
"Not since the pyrokinesis. Is Dr. Rousse all right, by the way?"
"Yes, thank goodness. The burns were only superficial. The important thing is gaining control over your new gifts."
"Yeah, I know. Of course, there's one thing I really want to try..." she said, her wings twitching a bit.
"Oh, Rhonda... I know you must be aching to try your wings out, but there's no room in here. And, well, we have a LOT of PR work to do before we can reintegrate you into society. People fear new things, and you're the newest thing there is."
"I guess I can see how people could think of me as some kind of monster." She looked up at the doctor. "But I know that I'm not one. I don't feel like a monster. I feel like I've been chosen for something special."
"Mmhm, yes. A positive attitude is very good to maintain. Anyway... you're done over here. Drs. Chapel and Braithwaite have set up some training exercises for you in Lab 2, though..."
"Gotcha. Tell 'em I'll be right there."
***
Nadine wandered the hallways, trying to find some sign of her friend, doubting she ever would. The institute was a veritable maze of corridors, and finding one girl would be something like finding a needle in a haystack the size of the White House.
So preoccupied was she that she almost bumped into one of the many lab-coated professionals roaming the halls. The doctor, a slim Asian woman in her late twenties, seemed fairly unsurprised to see a clown carrying a pizza. "Oh, you must be looking for Dr. Braithwaite. He's in Lab 2 today. That way," she said, pointing down another corridor.
"Uh, thanks," Nadine replied, hurrying in that direction. Still preoccupied, she found herself colliding with someone else, almost dropping her pizza.
"Oh, sorry, I wa—" She trailed off as she saw just who she had bumped into.
Or rather... what.
The creature was about her height, with purple skin, clawed feet and hands, and a barbed tail. Its most striking features were the third eye in the middle of its forehead and the massive black wings attached to its back.
The strangest thing, though, was that the creature actually seemed frightened of her. They let out a scream simultaneously. And then Nadine noticed the creature's clothes, and its... her hair.
"R-rhonda?"
The creature looked at her... really looked at her.
"Nadine...?" she replied.
"Rhonda.... oh my god... h-how did this happen?"
"Nobody knows yet. C'mon... let's get you out of that ridiculous outfit and split that pizza, and I'll fill you in on everything.
***
"...so I got the costume, used it to get in, and here I am. Now... what happened to you?"
"Like I said, they don't know. I was in a sort of coma while I was mutating, so I don't really remember any of it. I just woke up this way." She sighed. "Not much of a story, is it."
"How does it feel?"
"Feel? It feels kinda... natural. Figuring out how to use my tail was pretty instinctive, and the wings are the same. Eating, drinking, sleeping, and other stuff work the same. The powers are a little more difficult, but I'm getting there."
"That's good. So... Why'd you scream before?"
Rhonda blushed a deep violet. "Clowns scare me."
"Oh..." She started to giggle, then Rhonda joined in, and the two just simply spend the next three minutes in a giggle fit.
Afterwards, Rhonda gasped out "I... *pant* I really needed that. It's good to have my friend back."
Nadine grinned. "Happy to be here."
"I should've told you right off."
"Probably. But it's a drastic change, and you were scared I wouldn't accept you."
"I should've trusted that you would. Hug?" she asked, holding her arms wide.
"I dunno..." replied Nadine jokingly. "Is it safe?"
"As long as you don't touch my claws or the tip of my tail, it is."
And they hugged.
"So... now that I know what scares you..."
"Do NOT tell anyone."
"Oh, I won't... but I've got my Halloween costume for this year all picked out."
And they dissolved into giggles again.
***
It's been two hours. Shouldn't that pizza girl be out by now?
Old Gus had been the security guard at the Institute since its founding in 1998. Before that, he'd been a security guard at about a dozen other places.
Tonight, a fifty-year career would end.
Gus was about to call in and check on the pizza girl situation when he saw them. They were wearing black uniforms and mirrored sunglasses, and marching forward in unison as if they had a single mind between them.
"Excuse me, but this is a secure facility."
"We are here for the girl," the one in the lead responded.
"I don't care who you're here for, you're not ge—"
He was cut off because in one swift motion the man in the lead had grabbed his head and twisted it around 180 degrees, snapping his neck instantly. Old Gus fell back in his chair, dead.
Two others yanked the security door off its hinges, and the group began its march on the Institute.
***
"So, then I was making them all float at the same t—AAAAARGHH!!!" Rhonda screamed, clutching her head.
"Rhonda, what's wrong?" a worried Nadine asked.
"Someone's mind just screamed. I think... I think someone was just murdered. Right here in the institute. And there's more. There's a... sphere of evil, I guess you could call it, approaching." She glanced back at Nadine, as she quickly jumped to her feet. "Stay here. Please."
"What? Where are you—"
But Rhonda was already out the door.
***
She was running, faster than any living thing possibly could, toward the evil presence, not really knowing why, yet... knowing why.
She found them near the reception area, advancing mindlessly. They turned, in unison, towards her.
"Destroy her," the one in the lead said.
"And... you are?" Rhonda replied.
"We are the servants of the Dark One. We are charged with making sure you do not pose a threat to the master's goals."
"Wow, your master sure has an inflated opinion of his importance. Go tell him that I have no idea who he is, or what his plans are, or what I have to do with him."
"We must follow the master's orders. You must perish."
And they advanced on her.
She instinctively assumed a battle stands, her claws extending into six-inch talons. She slashed at the first one, then whipped her tail in a wide arc, using the stinger's serrated edge as a weapon. The lead soldiers fell back a bit, but others replaced them. Rhonda wasted no time; she waded in with her fists flying.
It was like punching solid marble. Clearly, these things were not human. It would take more than just punches to hurt them, but what...
Fire, she thought, and several of the things burst into flames. And still, they kept coming, even as they burned. And she couldn't feel any thoughts coming from them, or hear their heartbeats or their breathing...
What were these things?
As she fought on, Rhonda felt energy building behind her third eye, building to the point where she felt that her head would explode if she didn't. She aimed at the nearest soldier, and released it.
The effect was dramatic. The beam bored right through its body, which began to disintegrate from the hole outward. Soon, it was nothing more than a gelatinous puddle in an empty uniform.
At last having a useful weapon against the soldier, she turned her eye on the others. Soon, out of the dozen, only one remained.
She turned toward him with a smirk. "Looks like it's just you and me now. Wanna go somewhere and..." she cracked her knuckles, "...talk?"
The soldier hesitated, seemingly not sure of what had just happened or what to do next. Not so tough now, are you? she thought as she walked right up to him, stepping in melted soldier (ewwww...)
"Well? Are you going to start this conversation, or... shall I?"
"You have defeated us, but you will not be so lucky when it is time for you to face the master," the soldier replied defiantly.
"Right, about this 'master' guy... wanna tell me, maybe, who he is and why he's sending people, or whatever you are, to kill me?"
"You will learn... on the day you bow to him, just before he kills you!"
"I think I'll kick your butt now," she said, delivering a clawed kick to the face, knocking of the soldier's glasses... revealing that he had no eyes.
"Okay, ew."
"Your doom is sealed, Child of Light and Darkness," the last soldier said, before he, too, dissolved into a puddle of glop after Rhonda blasted him.
'That... was so cool!" a breathless voice behind Rhonda gasped.
"Nadine, I told you to stay in the room! You could've been hurt just now!"
"I can't help it, I just had to follow you! But that was the coolest thing I ever saw! You're like Buffy and Xena and Lara all rolled into one!" gushed Nadine.
Rhonda blushed. "I guess it was pretty cool."
Several security guards rushed in. "What happened here?" the one in the lead asked.
"I don't know, exactly. These... things that looked like people but with no eyes tried to kill me, but I destroyed them with this beam that came out of my middle eye."
"Oh," said the guard, who seemed even more confused than before.
This had to be connected to her transformation, Rhonda thought. But how?
***
Far away, within the White House, the Dark One watched. He was not pleased.
His army of homunculi had failed. Clearly, the girl was gaining mastery of her abilities at an alarming rate. If unchecked, it was entirely possible that she would unlock her true power.
It was becoming clear that he needed someone more powerful. The forces of good had their champion... the forces of evil would have one too. Someone close to home, in fact...
Ooooh, suspensey! Next chapter: The secret of Rhonda's transformation revealed! And wait 'til you see who the Dark One chooses to be his new minion!