R.I.P. To all those who lost their lives in the recent shooting. People seem to think we live in a great time of human history and yet with everything we've accomplished and everything we have defeated like diseases and even the brutal forces of mother nature its astonishing that something like this can happen and seems to happen often. and to think this card was dealt by our own kind.

I know its a touchy subject right now but I had to say something. My sorrows go out to those who have lost loved ones and have been affected by this tragedy.

"Beautiful isn't it." Ava said simply as she stopped in front of her. She paused for a moment before gliding past her, her swift motions on the ice made Alice fear for the frozen surface.

"Um.." Alice looked up to see Ava gracefully sliding in circle, seemingly not paying Alice any mind. "I don't know...Sandy's seemed more...well charming " She said half heartedly as she studied the black substance in her palm. "And did you just kill a cat?"

"It was never alive to begin with. Well actually it depends on what you consider alive." Alice felt her glide past her, very nearly brushing her shoulder.

She sat for a second as she stared at the sand, wondering if she should try to make a run for it. She didn't much like the situation she was in but it didn't feel like she was in any obvious danger...at the moment anyways. She lightly felt her jacket pocket to make sure she still had the small device Jack had given her before slowly attempting to stand. Her feet jerked on the ice as she almost lost her footing and paused for a few seconds before standing in a hunched position. She looked down at her clenched hand still holding the black sand and opened it, noticing how it glistened in the sun.

"I suppose it does have a nice gleam to it." Alice mumbled. "How does it work?"

Ava chuckled before slowly coming to a stop next to her. "You talk as if it's some kind of machine." Alice noticed she had a strange accent.

"You said it's alive?" Alice looked up and attempted to straighten herself up. The fast movement cost her her balance and she cursed as she started to fall back again. A black tendril shot out and coiled around her wrist and slowly lowed her down. Ava chuckled again and sat down in front of her. Alice examined her wrist which was still being held firmly by the black twine and watched warily as it slowly uncoiled itself from her wrist and began to retreat towards Ava, leaving a red line on her skin that wrapped around her wrist. She held out her hand as the sand collected in her palm and began to rise into a figure. Alice watched in wonder as the form of a withered black rose took shape.

"Whoa..." Alice said as she sat up and cautiously reached out a hand. She lightly touched one of the petals and flinched her hand back as it dissolved and fell into her palm like water, hitting jagged thorns and a single shriveled leaf on the way down.

"How do you do that? Is it some kind of mental telekinesis thing?" Alice asked. Ava's eyebrow arched in amusement before she replied.

"Here." She said as she suddenly reached out and grabbed Alice's hand and held it tightly.

"Hey!" Alice shouted, her instincts suddenly telling her to run. She had been so fascinated by everything that was happening that she forgot that this person was probably a lunatic. Ava held a fist over her hand and cold black sand began to fall into her palm. She let go and Alice quickly drew her hand into her center before examining the sand in her hand.

"Try it."

"...What do you mean try it?" Alice said with narrowed eyes.

"Just concentrate."

"Uh I don't think I can, I don't even know-" Alice stopped when a cold look passed over Ava's features. She sighed and unsurely looked back at her hand.

'What is it I'm supposed to be doing here?' She thought as she studied the sand in her palm shifting her hand side to side and watching it tumble and roll over in her hand. 'Its just sand.' She thought before looking up to Ava with a confused and almost pleading look. Ava breathed an annoyed sighed and adjusted Alice's hand again before speaking.

"Just listen."

"To what?" Ava watched her but didn't answer. Alice Though for a moment before speaking.

"I don't think I should be doing this." She held out her hand in an attempt to give the sand back.

"Don't you want to know how it works?" Ava asked and pushed it back. "Just listen." She repeated as she closed Alice's hand.

Alice warily studied her face and frowned. She looked back down to her closed hand and stilled herself. Her breathing calmed and she felt herself began to drift as she concentrated and listened. Her eyes involuntarily closed and she felt her head grow heavy and bow slightly. Her surroundings grew quieter and she could feel every vibration of the the air as the wind lightly breezed past her. She let every defense and barrier in her mind drop as she tried to reach something, anything. Alice could almost feel it. Something just beyond her reach, something she could almost touch. No, not touch. Feel. The sound of static in the background of her mind began to grow louder and she felt her mind tingle with caution as something reached out to her. Just as she felt as if she was inches away from it, everything suddenly went dead quiet. She couldn't describe the absence of her senses. There was no cold or warmth, no smell, and no sound. It was complete nothingness. It was the feeling of being numb. A loud audible click suddenly jerked her out of her meditation. Her eyes shot open as the sound of static was suddenly screaming in her ears, blaring like sirens all around her. As soon as she opened her eyes she saw the world around her shifting and fluctuating Every shadow was moving and squirming, almost screaming as it desperately tried to stay out of the light. The light was blindingly bright and she felt her being shrink back at its power, the need to hide from it overwhelming her. It almost hurt.

Her sudden gasp pulled her out of the twisted sight in front of her and she squeezed her eyes tightly shut as she fell back once again. When she opened her eyes to see the black and white world gone and Ava still sitting in front of her with a curious look on her face. The black sand in her hand fell as she scrambled backwards, trying to distance herself from her. She stopped and sat their with her eyes wide, breathing heavily and shaking.

"You get used to it." Ava said as she stood up and approached.

"W-What the hell just happened to me." Alice asked withe a shaky voice, her ears ringing as if someone had fired a gun right next to her. Every little sound and twitch around her was loud was loud and it felt like she had just been hit by lightning. Alice noticed the sky was darker than before, not black but definitely dimming into a hazy light blue. Ava noticed her look up and answered her confusion.

"You were gone for quite awhile."

"Gone-what do you mean gone-? I didn't go anywhere! What did you do to me!?" Alice almost screamed, her heartbeat still fast in her chest. She backed up again as Ava stood in front of her, looking down at her with cold eyes.

"What did you see?" Alice didn't answer.

After a few moments a cold smile curled its way into Ava's features. She held up her hand and twisted it, a strand of black sand dancing around her fingers. It's motions were fast and erratic, twitching and curling as if it were moving blindly, much unlike the golden sand she saw the night before that flowed in a more lyrical way.

"No matter. You have already been imprinted." She flashed her eyes towards Alice and the black wisp of sand began to flow towards her and circled around her.

"What are you tal-"

"You know...they really seems to like you." She said as the sand suddenly began to take shape. The black cat from before bounded towards her and nudged her foot before it began to crawl into her lap. Alice held her hand up defensively but listened to her words.

"I'm almost jealous." She said coldly. As if on cue the cat hissed and lurched forward with a shriek and Alice felt a sharp piercing pain tear through the top of her hand as the cats razor sharp claws sliced her skin. Her breath caught in her throat as she instantly withdrew and somehow managed to stand up without falling. She defensively clenched her hands and carefully watched the cat as it circled her, her bleeding hand stinging from the cold wind. It suddenly ran out from under her and retreated behind Ava, almost making Alice lose her balance. The cat affectionately rubbed against her leg and twitched it's tail back and forth.

"What is your problem?!" Alice shouted. She looked down at her hand which had a pretty nasty rip in it, much unlike any cats scratch she had ever gotten before. Ava sneered and a jagged sword took shape in her hand. Alice's eyes widened in horror and backed up, the static from before suddenly roared in her ears. She grabbed her head and squeezed her eyes shut pleading with the noise to go away. The noise lingered for a few moments before subsiding and Alice gratefully lowered her hands, the sound of blood drops on the ice almost synchronized with her pounding head. Feeling her back tingle She could see her shadow sporadically shifting and pulsing out of the corner of her eye. She didn't have enough time to be confused.

"Defend yourself." Ava said before lunging. In a split second Ava was above her with her sword in the air and a gleam in her eyes. Alice barely had time to jump to the side as her sword came down with inhuman strength. Alice hit the frozen ground and heard the sword break the ice as she slid to a stop. She whirled around just in time to see Ava pull it out of the ice, making the water beneath splash up and glistened in the receding sun light.

"Are you trying to kill me?!" Alice screamed. Ava advanced again, each step making a sickly crack that turned her stomach.

"Are you trying to get killed?" She asked in a mischievous tone, her devious smile widening even more.

Alice heard a clunk as the device fell from her pocket and hit the ice next to her. She scrambled to pick it up and went to press the buttons, cursing herself mentally for forgetting about it. Just as her finger hit a button a black vine shot out and ripped it from her grasp. It held the box above her head and tauntingly shook it back and forth before crushing it. She gasped as bits of it fell onto her and, her last hope literally crushed in front of her. With a swift movement it was thrown aside uselessly. Ava chuckled and approached her.

""And what were you going to do with that? It's not like anyone can help you now." She teased as she stopped in front of her. A wave of defeat was over Alice and she realized their was no way out, well no way out but down, which was not really an option at the moment.

'Whats the point...'

She felt shivers as the tip of the blade caressed her cheek. Alice felt her warm blood slowly slide down her cheek, the temperature clashed with her cold cheek.

"Are you giving up?" Ava asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"You didn't even try to-" Ava gasped when a white flash suddenly slammed into her sword, knocking it to the ground. She stood there for a second before slowly turning around.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you mate."

Yup. Yet another chapter comes to an end. I feel like I'm losing my motivation for this story, but I will power through! :D I did this whole chapter while listening to this:

watch?v=nDz5SzpA3Xw

Thank goodness for background music. Anyways reviews appreciated!