8.

Near Complete

Jack pulled on the strange outfit, at least glad to be clean. It was like scales and she didn't really think she liked the feel of it, but Vaako had told her she had to wear it. And to do something with her hair, but she didn't really know what.

It was a black scaled dress that clung tightly to her form and she thought it hissed when she walked, but she tried not to notice. With Kyra's instruction, she pulled back her hair with the small comb-like hair piece. It was nearly a full circle but had small teeth that were meant to hold back the hair. She could pull back everything but a few strands in the front and with stubborn whining at Kyra, got to leave them there. She had noticed how the hair piece had strange dark gems in them, almost like grey diamonds. Shrugging, she went to the door and slipped out.

She stuck to the shadows and hoped no one would see her, but she was spotted by a woman. She glided over to Jack and smiled down at her, but neither Jack nor Kyra could find an insidious feel behind it.

"You must be young Jack," she said, her voice oddly harmonious and beautiful in such a depressing environment. "Let me introduce myself, I'm Dame Nawkon."

"Very nice to meet you," Jack said, trying to remember the crash course in manners her parents had tried to instill into her.

"I assume you are on your way to Lord Marshall?" She asked, holding out a slim and delicate hand. Jack slipped her smaller one into hers and let her lead the way, feeling she could trust this woman.

"Yep, and maybe some breakfast, too. What do you eat?" She asked and Dame Nawkon looked down at her, somewhat surprised.

"Well, it is whatever we are given. It doesn't matter really, what we eat here does not affect what happens in the Underverse." She explained and Jack felt a tweak of discontent from Kyra.

They truly believe.

As they walked, Jack looked up at Dame Nawkon and realized how beautiful she was, but the severe way of everything she had to be in the Necromonger society had changed that. Her high cheekbones, dark eyes, full lips tightened in a thin line of regal distaste, it all added up to something Jack knew she didn't want to be. What would happen to her here?

"My wife, you know this area is forbidden to you." A man stopped them. "You must have good…ah, it is she. I will take her from here."

Jack glanced up between them, thoroughly confused. If she was his wife, wasn't there supposed to be affection and love in between them? She saw nothing, just cold formalities and rules. Dame Nawkon dropped her hand and pushed her forward slightly. Jack wanted to hold onto someone's hand but looked at the metal cased glove that was the man's hand and decided against it.

"Bye," she called over her shoulder as she followed the solider.

"Is there no way she can be transferred?" Riddick asked, locking eyes with Vaako.

"Necromongers may have different souls but this is an unusual and unpredictable case! Never before, whether in humans or Necromongers, Furyans, Elementals, the list goes on, but never before has there been this mutual possession!" Vaako shot back.

"What do you mean, mutual possession?" Riddick questioned, a deep growl growing in his throat.

"The few documented and verified cases of such spirit possession are by force. The original soul of the body fights the intruder, just as any biological force. But here, there is no such evidence. If Kyra truly is Kyra, then it is a mutual possession, Jack does not reject or resist the possession and Kyra does not fight to be there." Vaako gestured with his hand, wondering if the archives had hidden anything from him on such possession. But he had double checked and threatened the keepers on knife-point, so he assumed this was true.

"Is it possible that Kyra is not in fact Kyra, but a demonic…" Riddick trailed off, not wanting to consider that the spirit that was in Jack wasn't the woman he had missed.

"Presence? I highly doubt it. They would fight for control, but remember what Jack said to you?" He asked and Riddick nodded. "That Kyra is only there in her sleep. Presumably a demonic spirit would be fighting night and day and not simply appear during the resting hours of Jack's life."

Vaako was about to continue when there was a knock at the door. It was ID'd as Nawkon and Jack, who were allowed in. Nawkon bowed and left, the door locking shut behind him.

Riddick allowed himself a moment to see Jack in such an outfit, easily seeing the traits that had passed onto her older form. She stood there nervously, fidgeting slightly and Vaako sighed. He hoped he didn't have to babysit her.

"Um, Riddick?" She asked.

"Yes?" He raised an eyebrow, wondering just who it was who was speaking, but by the downcast and nervous look, it was Jack.

"I'm kinda hungry."

Oh yes, that was the Jack he knew.

She had nearly eaten Imam out of house and home in New Mecca, at least while he was still there. Jack had had the appetite of a bear after hibernation and then some.

Jack grinned at Vaako and Riddick over her empty plate, along with the empty plates that she had easily eaten clean of any trace of food. Riddick shook his head, glancing at Vaako who scowled at Jack.

"Jack, could you let us talk to Kyra?" Riddick asked and the grin disappeared.

"I don't know, she seems…off today," Jack said, twisting her napkin.

"What do you mean, off?" Vaako leaned forward.

"Well, last night when we were talking, she was saying stuff I didn't understand. Just one or two things, it was strange." Jack said and Riddick was intrigued.

"In a different language you mean?" Vaako pressed and Jack shook her head.

"No no no, not that, just, she talked about you," she nodded at Riddick, "but weirdly. That and something about, I'm not sure, she said the concept of evil is deep and that human…what'd she call it…oh yeah, the concept of evil and how humanity can't accept it. I didn't really get it." Jack looked confused just by talking about and now both men were interested. What had Kyra been telling Jack?

"Could you try to get her to talk to us?" Vaako asked and Jack shrugged, but soon fell limp in the chair. Riddick started as he had before, but Vaako lay his hand on Riddick's arm.

Clouded green eyes sharpened and blinked.

"Good morning, Riddick. Vaako, both a pleasure to see." Kyra's voice tiredly sounded from Jack's body. "Jack didn't quite understand what I was getting at last night, it isn't very important," she lied, knowing that Riddick would think it very important if both she and Jack believed him to be not at all evil, just in need of someone to pull him in the right direction.

"Hm, indeed," Vaako was unconvinced but wasn't quite in the mood to push for more information. "Now, we asked for you to see if you truly were Kyra, or Jack's reformed soul I suppose. Spirit, what have you," he finished lamely, gesturing vaguely. He inwardly frowned at that, he must stop acting so foppishly.

"Of course I'm Kyra. I am no demonic presence, nor am I a kinder spirit with twisted intentions posing to be her, I am indeed Kyra's soul. How I got to Jack I do not know." She snapped at first, but her tone calmed as she continued to explain. "I have a question for you."

"Go on," Vaako urged her, wondering why Riddick was staying silent. He was leveling a analytical glare at Kyra, who he was sure was noticing it as well but didn't let on.

"Can you get me out of this body? Into another one?" She asked and Riddick blinked into consciousness.

"But you said you would wait until Jack grew." He reasoned and she shook her head.

"That is for too long for the work that must be done here. Not to mention Jack would be happier if I had a physical form." As would Riddick, Kyra thought to herself.

"Can you transfer your spirit? You did project your body out of hers on Hiriv, but that was for a moment. Can you latch onto a dead body?" Vaako asked.

"Yes…and no. I think I can do it, but on one very vital condition," she glanced at Riddick.

"Which would be…" Vaako glared at the young girl's body, hoping the elder woman inhabiting it would feel it.

"If I had my original body."