Last Time: 'Another life... that's another life I've cost…' She ran forward, trying to urge the unicorn onward, but it seemed reluctant to leave the resting place of its mate. Serenity whirled around in a fierce stance, as the veil creatures advanced upon them, net held ready...
"Makoto!" Rei ran ahead of the others, back into the near-empty clearing. She crouched beside her friend.
"You can't be dead!" She looked down sadly.
"This is awful!"
"Makoto!" Screwball crouched by Rei, and Haruka took the opposite side.
The nymph's eyes slid open.
"Rei?" she murmured, then looked around.
"Screwball? And Haruka?" Puzzlement showed itself clearly in her eyes.
"They killed you too?"
"Of course they didn't!" Rei raised an eyebrow.
"What are you talking about?"
"Hideous things!" Makoto exclaimed, causing Screwball to gasp.
"They shot me" She moaned as Rei look at the little cut on her cheek. Screwball chuckled.
"I did my best to fight them off!" Makoto said earnestly.
"But they swarmed up by the hundreds! Oh, fierce, veil and ugly creatures they were!" She sighed, as if regretting something.
"The little silver-haired girl warned me, but -- "
"Serenity?" Haruka grabbed Makoto's shirt, yanking her up to eye level. The dwarf nodded an affirmative.
"She is…alive and ok!" Haruka breathed thankfully, dropping her back onto the ground.
"She was alive still when they killed me!" The nymph nodded solemnly.
"They must have her!" Haruka realized out loud, feeling worry flooding in to her heart once more.
"We can follow their tracks in the snow!" Rei pointed.
"See? They were kind enough to leave us a trail. We may as well take advantage of that."
"Right." Haruka stood. It didn't take a great deal of time to find where they were being led.
"That's the Great Tree or Shadows," Rei explained to Haruka.
"The last remnant of Darkness left since Light took over. When evil ruled, this was a place of sacrifice." She frowned.
"To some extent, it still is."
"Serenity," Haruka whispered anxiously.
"We'll get her," Rei said reassuringly.
"They'll be concentrating on the unicorn, not Serenity. That's what we have to worry about most." She hurried forward again, and the others followed.
The stench was overpowering. Haruka looked around with disgust. Surrounding the 'Great Tree', or whatever it was called, was a huge, soggy swamp. Unlike most swamps, though, everything in this one was dead. The moss was white, looking drained, and it hung over severed tree limbs and twisted, darkened chunks of land like masses of limp slugs. A hazy fog settled over the whole place. It seemed still, but... something gurgled in the thick waters, and a trail of bubbles swam off. The only way to the safe land on the other side was a cross a path of stepping stones and crushed tree branches.
"Ugly," Screwball commented. "I hate it."
"Nice to know." Rei grinned at him.
"Thanks for volunteering to go first, Screwball."
"Why always me?" the dwarf wailed.
"Oh, just get going!" Rei told him.
"You'll get there faster if you start right away." Screwball grumbled, but obediently started climbing across. The gurgling bubbles swirled across his path, and he 'eeped', but kept moving, trying to make it to safety as fast as possible. He reached the other end, and waved his hands.
"I made it!" That was when something pulled him abruptly into the water.
"Screwball!" Rei cried, moving to dart across the swamp. Haruka had beaten her to it, and managed to reach the land in time to see Screwball's head burst back up through the water's surface. On the other side of him, a green, slime-coated creature exploded out of the merky water.
"Fowl-tasting dwarf!" she shrieked at Screwball. Then her eyes lit on Haruka.
"Ah!" A greedy smile slid across her moss-covered face.
"Come to me, juicy girl!" Haruka brought her shield up in time to halt her advance. She seemed hampered by this, but only a little.
"And what would the name of this tender little morsel be," she purred,
" she who disturbs my rest?"
"Haruka," she gasped, recoiling from the stink she emitted.
"My name is Haruka!"
"Mmm." She leered, teeth clashing.
"And what a fine, Fat girl you are, Haruka!"
"HEY…I mean…ah... you don't really want to eat me!" Haruka stated confidently with a hit of anger at being called fat.
"I'll probably make you sick! You don't want -- "
"Oh, yes I do!" she shrieked.
"Yes I do!" She lunged at her, but she jumped back and swung her sword out wildly. Her shriek faded abruptly, and she looked up in time to see her body crumpling. 'I cut off her head!' She realized, feeling sick. Fighting back bile, she brought her sword back up.
"I did it!" Haruka said breathlessly, swinging the weapon. 'I won... Maybe I can do this, after all! It's not as hard as I thought' She ran off after the others, and received a light punch on the arm from a grinning Rei.
"A rope." Screwball gazed up at the tree above him, where a grungy rope dangled.
"Hmm." He reached for it curiously.
"No, wait DON'T!" Rei lunged forward to stop her, but it was a bit too late. The ground beneath them crumpled as Screwball gave the rope a sharp yank, and then all four of them -- plus Minako -- were tumbling down a dark tunnel.
Haruka landed first, and rolled out of the way in time to avoid having Rei land on her. She scrambled up smoothly, and Makoto and Screwball thumped down in a grumbling heap. Minako flickered lightly, skimmed through the air.
Rei moved to one side of the room, where a door of steel bars blocked their escape. She glanced down at the heavy lock that kept it shut. "Trapped, nice going Al"
"Now she uses my name" the dwarf mumbled dejectedly.
"We have to get out of here," she frowned.
"But I can't see how..."
"What about if we get Minako to fly out and find the key?" Haruka suggested, joining her. "She could bring it back and let us out."
"Minako?" Rei blinked then shook her head.
"No, it won't work. She's too small. There's no way she'd be able to carry that key." Minako flickered angrily, flying sharply up to flutter in front of Haruka.
"It's our secret!" she cried furiously.
"Our secret will die right here if you don't help us!" she shot back.
Minako shimmered into her full size. "You promised!" she hissed, glaring at Haruka.
"Minako!" Rei gasped out, she glares even fiercer than hers does as she stared at her in shock.
"You spiteful little brat! Who told you to keep secrets like that!"
"They're mine to keep!" she retorted defiantly, then glanced back and Haruka, and knelt down beside where she sat.
"I'll do what you ask," she whispered softly, reaching out to brush her fingertips over her cheek, "If you'll kiss me -- Haruka." Her expression was a mix of compassion and longing.
"I -- " Haruka shook her head.
"Well... that's simple enough." Jerkily, she bobbed her head forward and planted a brief peck on Minako's lips. "There! Done!" Makoto tried to stop from laughing.
"You call that a kiss?" Minako snorted derisively.
"That was barely a touch!" She leaned forward, once again running her soft fingertips over Haruka's face.
"Aren't I sweet enough, Haruka?" she breathed, an enticing look on her face. A smile curved on her lips, secretively.
Haruka closed her eyes and thoughts of Serenity flooded her. Serenity was sweet... The sweetest thing Haruka could think of.
"So sweet..." she murmured out loud, the remembered feel of Serenity's soft skin and warm body making her palms tingle with longing. She smiled softly.
"Sweet is the wind... that blows me to you." Her voice shifted halfway through, and Haruka gasped. Her face blurred, and her skin softened to pale ivory, her hair growing longer and twisting up into two round buns on either side of her head but still reaching her knees in long and silky silver waves. Her eyes lighten to that soft, luminous baby blue. Serenity's lips smiled sweetly at Haruka, that familiar, beloved face gazing up at him.
"S-Serenity..." Haruka's breath caught in her throat. She stared longingly, and barely managed to gasp out.
"This... this isn't... real..."
"Oh, but it 'tis," Serenity's voice whispered.
"It's real; I'm real. Feel my hand, Haruka. I'm solid, and perfectly alive." She shut her eyes and opened them again slowly, lips parting so enticingly.
"I want you, Haruka. I want you to hold me. Please... " 'My beautiful Serenity...' Haruka leaned forward, cupping those soft cheeks in both hands. She wanted to believe this, to lose herself in the feel of serenity, to kiss those willing lips until no breath remained in either of their bodies. She ached to pull that lean, delicate form against her once more, feeling Serenity's heart beating right next to her, reveling in the life flowing within her. She leaned forward some more, ready to do just that. But... under that facade, it wasn't Serenity. Not her curious, happy, too-full-of-energy Serenity... And this wasn't right, it didn't feel right.
"No!" Haruka pulled back, shaking her head to clear it.
"No, I can't do this! I can't!" Serenity's image shifted abruptly, and Minako stared back at her in outraged shock.
"A human heart -- my heart -- doesn't work like that," she said stubbornly.
"My heart belongs to Serenity -- not just her appearance." Minako stood, face flushed red and made fierce with anger.
"What do I care about human hearts?" she hissed, furious.
"They're all so soft and spirituous -- like porridge ! A fairy's heart beats fierce and free!" Her image shimmered, and a small flickering light flew from their cage, the sound of Minako's crying following after it.
"Minako!" Rei yelled after her.
"Great," she muttered, when she didn't respond.
"Of all the times to throw a temper tantrum... Thanks for the love lesson, Haruka. Now what do we do?"
"Ask her," Haruka smirked. Minako crouched by the bars, the key clutched tightly in her hand.
"You all look like mourners at your own funeral!" she commented airily. Rei reached through the bars to snatch the key from her hand, but she pulled it back out of reach.
"Minako!" Rei pointed firmly at the lock. She stared back defiantly, not moving. Deliberately, she snapped her fingers, still pointing. After a brief second of hesitation, she hastened to obey; unlocking the door and swinging it open for them.
"Come on!" Rei cried, and she bounded out the door without waiting another minute.
The Lord of Darkness stood still beside the gate to his dungeon, watching over the two new occupants. The unicorn was not comfortable to look at; her light was too blinding, and that angered him. But the other -- the girl... His face twisted in a smile. Neither of the captives could see, or hear him, but they likely sensed his presence. He could see that, watching them.
The unicorn paced restlessly, and across the chasm between them, Serenity watched her. She couldn't turn her gaze downward, for the wicked pit of flames dizzied her. To all sides were gaping caverns, dark and ominous-looking. Serenity had not even once thought of run down them. There was no telling what evil sorts of creatures might be lurking about ready to pounce. She pressed himself against the rock face behind her and kept her eyes resolutely fixed on the unicorn, trembling violently with fear and suppressed emotion. Her heart continued to cry out a single name: Haruka!
The Dark Lord watched her silently, feeling her discontent growing. Every motion the girl made -- every swallow of fear, every shift of her muscles, every time her hand reached up unconsciously to brush damp bangs out of her eyes -- increased the feeling tenfold. A dark desire, the need to possess, rushed through the Dark Lord's veins. His, this girl. The thought filled him with an almost gleeful satisfaction (Just try and picture a chibi super-deformed dark lord giggling like a schoolgirl uniform and all). He turned from the gate and glared with frustration into the fire that burned always in his throne room.
"Father," he growled.
"I hold the world in my grasp. And yet this... girl... distracts me. It's been an eternity since I felt such desire. What am I to do?"
A hissing voice came from the fire almost instantly. "Sssshe fassscinatesss you becaussse her sssoul isss pure. To make her one of usss, charm her. Ssseduce her. Change her ssspirit. Hypnotize her, ssset her free. Bring her to you."
A shiver ran through Serenity's body suddenly, and she felt a burning gaze on her. Her eyes slid shut, and then opened wide. Somehow that gaze filled her with an irresistible compulsion. Slowly, she stood then bolted down a nearby tunnel, the only thought in her fear-clouded mind being to run and keep running. She ran as is she where a rabbit being perused by a fox, however, it wasn't she who picked the direction.
"We should split up," Rei decided, looking around at them seriously.
"We'll have more chance of finding either the unicorn or Serenity if we go in teams. Minako can work alone," she said, with a glance at the flickering light beside her. It seemed to flutter an assent.
"I'll go with Haruka!" Makoto called, glancing about nervously at the large silver plates that shimmered at her from where they hung on the walls deep under ground. She did not like to be so enclosed. More plates were on the sturdy tables, heaping with ominous-looking carcasses that were likely intended as food. Haruka shook her head.
"No, Rei should come with me." She looked at Makoto and Screwball.
"Be careful, you two. Come on, Rei." She left the room, Rei on her heels and Minako flitting on ahead.
"There's just one thing I want to know," Screwball said unhappily, watching them go.
"What's that?"
"Why ME?"
Minako resumed her larger form and glanced around. She was in a large, dark room littered with white pillars. Something about the feel of the room was... strange, off in some way, well more so then the other rooms. As if it was being used, or there was something happening. Power made the air thick, and she shivered, taking another look around. Had she...? Yes, she had seen something. A flash of white, over... Minako flitted toward it, running almost, as she would fly -- softly, silently. Somebody darted forward, cringing against a pillar, bright blue eyes staring forward as if in a trance.
"Serenity?" Minako whispered softly. Yes, it was -- had to be -- Serenity. But she didn't respond to her voice. With a moment's hesitation, she ran forward again, as thought in a dream. Or rather a nightmare, and from the frightened-rabbit look on her face we'll go with the nightmare.
Minako ran after her, feet soundless on the cold marble floor. She continued onward as if hypnotized, and she watched as the great stone doors at the end of the room swung open. With a little whimpering noise, Serenity rushed forward into the room beyond, and was swallowed up as the doors boomed shut behind him. Minako darted forward to the keyhole and peered in, to see Serenity creeping toward a large fire, seeking warmth. Like a lost little girl coming out of a storm, Minako mused. Shadows fell across the room, ghosting about as if they wished to devour her up whole. Without waiting another minute, Minako shimmered back into her small form and zipped off to find Rei and Haruka.
Warm. It was warm. Serenity turned from the fire, slowly, to look at her surroundings. The room was like a cavern, eerily lit up by the fire and torches on the walls. Grotesque statues and carvings littered the place, and shadows danced in a way that, to Serenity's fear-clouded mind, seemed horribly unnatural. They almost seemed to circle her, trapping her, peering and poking about as if to size her up. She cringed, but there was nowhere to go. They were all around her. 'Why did I come here? Where is here? What's going on' She had no answers. The whole time she'd been running, it seemed like a dream. She had been running somewhere, but... she didn't know where or why. Now, here she was. It was so strange and frightening...she couldn't think straight. Moaning, Serenity sank to the ground, feeling despair flood every sense. Only the thought of Haruka gave her hope.
Charm her
The girl looked up, and saw a form of light, coming from somewhere in front of her. She got to her feet slowly, and crept forward, curiosity overriding fear for the moment. As she drew closer, hesitantly, the source of the shimmering became clear. On an ornately carved table sat a box -- the kind most often used to contain treasure. The sparkling came from within it, as well as from its own pure gold surface. Serenity moved towards it, driven by puzzlement and wonder.
Seduce her
The lid of the box was still closed, though the twinkling lights shone through it. Ever so carefully, the entranced Serenity reached forward and lifted back the lid; her eager eyes peering forward to find what secrets lay within. Sparkling gold reflected back at her, playing lightly across her face as the light from the fires shifted. She reached a shaking hand into the box, and felt it dip into a small sea of precious gems. Cupping the hand, she brought it back out, fascinated with how the jewels cascaded through her fingers, slipping back into their box as thought they flowed, like water or silk. A slow smile began to force its way across Serenity's face.
Change her spirit
Then the music began, shattering the mood entirely. Serenity's breath caught in fear, and she spun around. The notes were soft and pleasant, but they had deadly undertones to them, enough to make her want to cry. And in the center of the floor, a lone figure danced, its entire body shrouded in darkness; it almost seemed, in fact, to consist only of darkness. As well as a high-collared costume, complete with a black cape and boots. Serenity felt a strange sense of dread, and moved away from the box, pressing herself back up against the wall, as far from the creature as she could get. The costume it wore seemed... submissive, in a way...
Make her one of us
The creature continued its graceful dance, but it was all too much for her. Unable to tear her eyes away, she pressed hard into the wall, wishing she could dissolve into it and get away somehow. Her breath came in short, panicked gasps, and something seemed to scramble in her soul... a darkness, seeking a hold. She fought against its demands, tucking her arms around herself and sobbing without being able to cry. 'No...' The creature came toward her, bringing with it a stronger compulsion. 'No...' Serenity shut her eyes tight, and willed it all away... willed everything to end... willed herself to wake, safe in Haruka's arms...
A shadow passed over her face, and her eyes shot open involuntarily. The dancer now stood mere inches away, its hand almost touching the girl's face. It pulled back the hand slowly, and Serenity felt the darkness gain a firm hold on her, drawing her forward. With a sigh, she gave in entirely and allowed herself to be led out into the middle of the floor.
For a moment, she stood still, paralyzed in fear, as the creature spun and twirled around her. But then it caught up her hand and pulled her around, and she was trapped in the music, unable to stop herself, dancing, spinning, arms and legs out of control in their motions. A wild exhilaration rushed through her, its power coursing through her veins and all around her. Serenity spun toward the dancer, his arms outstretched, head upturned a breathless smile on his lips and desperate enjoyment in his eyes. The creature danced toward her -- closer, more menacing, and all the while Serenity stood there, welcoming it, and then...
Their images blurred together, and Serenity danced alone, her legs and shoulders now encased in black with gold trim, and a cape with a collar twice as high as her head flowing about as she moved. The same costume that had moments ago, dressed the mysterious dancer. She spun past a mirror and stopped, studying her reflection. Yes, the clothing was submissive. The vest – her only semblance of a shirt -- had no sleeves, and it consisted of only two strips of stiff fabric coming down to meet her belt in the front, barley covering her – ehem – female parts. Her pants soft and smooth against her skin and fell loosely over knee high boots on her feet and lower calves.
Serenity blinked at her image, not recognizing it. Everything seemed so... dark. A dark- painted clawed hand suddenly burst through the mirror, and she jumped back, feeling fear grab her once more. Another hand followed the first, and then a boot clad foot... Serenity could feel that presence again, the overwhelming sense of evil and darkness that made her feel so weak and small. It was too much, this time. She felt her vision going black... With a little whimper -- of fear or pain, she didn't know -- Serenity crumpled to the ground.
The figure continued to step through the mirror, rising to its full towering height. The Lord of Darkness looked down at Serenity's unconscious form, black cape swirling about in distinct contrast to his crimson-colored skin. Large black horns rose from his head. Smiling in satisfaction, the Dark Lord knelt down beside Serenity, bending over her with obvious intentions. The girl's eyes slid open, then immediately went wide with horror. Her mouth opened in a silent scream, and she slid away from the terror looming above her, scooting backwards on her hands with her feet kicking her onward, as fast as she could manage. Loud, panicked breaths escaped her lungs, as she once again pressed herself against the wall.
AN: Comment, questions, suggestion, please review.
