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 Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:15 am
It had been three weeks since the senshi had invaded Elysion.
Invaded Earth's most sacred sanctum.
Invaded her Elysion.
Long dark fingernails grazed across the bark of the nearby tree, tall heels crunching the gravel beneath them. There was no reason for the woman to be wearing heels; she was abnormally tall without their assistance. Her dark auburn hair nestled across her shoulders, curls sliding back and forth with every step she took. Amber eyes looked to the outskirts of the park, her mouth remaining in a firm, straight line.
There was nothing out of place with the woman. Her hair, her make up, her attire - everything was head-turning perfect. The woman herself, however, was out of place in the deserted park, her long black gown trailing as she slowly made her way towards the park bench.
Just as things had begun to look up for the Negaverse, the senshi had made a move far more bolder than the Queen would have ever expected. Elysion - Elysion. Of all the places to move the battle to, they had chosen the one place that even Beryl herself would have expected the senshi to respect.
It had taken nearly all of her willpower to stay out of the portal. It was not her place to be in Elysion - not now, not like this. Elysion was a Sanctuary, the most sacred ground of Earth. Earth's Heart.
So she had sent her minions in to defend it, to rid Earth's Heart of the vile sailor soldiers who had taken residence within it, while she herself continued to roam the Earth's surface, pacing as she awaited the results of the fight. Ursula Johnson had been removed out of the equation, the older woman using Metallia's power to return to her former appearance. The faculty and students at Hillworth had mourned the mysterious disappearance of the beloved secretary, but no Negaverse agent had questioned the monarch's actions. At least, never questioned her, directly.
Instead, Cassandra Adams, newest citizen of Destiny City, had made her home among its people without receiving a second glance from the inhabitants.
The tall woman took her place on the iron bench, one hand gracefully resting itself atop the arm. It was no throne - but it would do for the moment, as she was far too restless to return to her subspace. Any senshi patrolling the park would have quickly met an unfortunate fate, but thankfully for the Lunars, the majority were preoccupied with destroying Earth's sacred grounds.
So, as her powerful minions scowered the city, the Queen relaxed upon the bench and waited while, on the other side of the city, a small child screamed in terror.
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Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:19 am
Well, that sounded interesting.
If her ears could perk, they would have - as it is, Riley Locklear lifted her head sharply, turned, and sniffed in the direction of the wavering cry. What was that? A child, alone, at this time? Some young women might have gone to investigate out of a protective instinct, but it was pure curiousity that sent the lanky young lady into an easy ground-eating lope.
It was twilight, that uncertain and tenebrous time, when the lengthening shadows played tricks with the eyes. Sounds seemed more hollow, smells faded and re-emerged. Weary prey skittered to their homes in search of safety, and the predators of the night emerged, stretching, preparing for the evening's hunt. It was twilight, and Riley was wandering the streets that bordered the park, stalking and searching for... well, something that she couldn't put a name to. Something that explained all the strange events in the city, something that could bring her closer to her true destiny. Something that bridged the gap between the real and the unreal.
So this cry of horror earned its place as her first clue for the night. An eager grin crept across her face, eyes glinting with excitement as she raced towards the source of the noise. She skidded to a stop at the mouth of the alleyway, waited for her eyes to adjust to the change in light, and... slumped, upon seeing that the child was alone and screaming for no reason.
The disappointed growl that rumbled in her chest must have scared the brat, because he screamed again when she turned away. But then her growl was answered. Amplified. Echoed and redoubled by an unearthly mouth, and it rumbled in the alleyway and resonated deep within her. She was riveted to the ground, transfixed, watching as the shadows unfurled.
By this point, the child was beyond screaming. He stared up at the nightmare creature, a wolfish monster formed of shadows, his jaws gaped and working soundlessly. And then he noticed Riley, and hope filled his gaze. But she had eyes only for the creature. Her heart quickened. Had she seen it look at her? Did it really just acknowledge her presence, and then silently return to its task? Was she dreaming?
The hope in his eyes was replaced with desperation, and then despair, and then emptiness as the shadow creature descended upon the child. It turned, dropping the small body - it fell like a half-empty sack, limp and lifeless - and escaped from the alleyway in one graceful leap.
Riley watched, breathless, as the wind of its passage ruffled her hair. She turned, ignoring the child, and began her pursuit. Into the park, through the trees, down the path; steel-toed boots followed a route traced moments earlier by elegant heels, obliterated the signs of that earlier passage.
And then she stopped, eyes wide with wonder, as she watched the creature present itself to its master.
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Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:32 am
The sound of movement against gravel failed to surprise her, as if she was expecting company within the empty park. As it was, she had been expecting an arrival - over a dozen youma had been sent out and it was irritating at the length of time it was taking for any of them to return. As more and more senshi were awakened, the fewer number of youma returned from their missions.
Frustrating.
Only her head moved as she glanced into the darkness, glowing eyes meeting hers as her faithful pet lumbered towards her. Giant paws left marks in the gravel and it was only after the beast stopped in its tracks to deliver the energy pearls to his mistress that Beryl realized the sound of shifting gravel had continued.
At nearly the same moment, the youma sensed the stranger's presence, its ears perking up as it jerked around with a snarl. Long, shadowy fangs gleamed from within its mouth, the beast ready and willing to attack at command.
"You seem to have brought a friend with you, Lupion."
The beast turned back to its Queen, the snarl on its face contorting into a look that could only be assumed was shame. It had done wrong - would it suffer the same fate as those that had failed her before?
One hand motioned for the beast to step aside and the large creature quickly slumped down on all-fours and took its place at the woman's feet. Her focus was not on her minion, however, but on the girl in the shadows.
"You're not scared."
It was a statement, rather than a question, as amber eyes narrowed, studying the thin figure staring back at her. It wasn't unusual for curious spectators to trail youma - especially the utterly foolish ones - but this woman had a look about her that set her apart from the typical citizen. Peculiar.
One hand patted the side of the bench and the youma shifted, its large body crawling its way up the iron to lay beside its mistress, its long, wispy tail dangling off the side. The large head, now morphed to that similar of a wolf's, hesitated at first - then rested itself upon her lap. Slender fingers moved down to stroke its head, fingernails ruffling the hair behind the creature's neck as its creator glanced down. The youma let out a happy sigh, the petting an obvious sign of approval from the Queen of the Negaverse.
"You ran after him - not away."
Eyes glanced back up from her pet and back towards the girl, her expression unreadable.
"Why."
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Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 9:46 am
A normal person would have fled in terror upon seeing the lupine creature attack the child. A brave (or foolish) person might even have tried to protect the brat. Riley was neither of those things. She was curious. Not curious about the obvious - after all, someone else might have noticed the exchange of the energy pearls, might have gleaned a more firm idea of the creature's purpose - but simply curious about the creature itself.
Curious, and jealous. Longing.
So intent was her attention upon the creature that she almost missed the Queen's statement. But she was aware of it, just as she was aware of the shadow wolf's utter respect and fear for its master. Mistress? No matter - one thing was made abundantly clear to Riley in that exchange.
She was in the presence of an alpha.
The power radiating from the woman before her was palpable, a heady scent upon the air, and she drank it in eagerly. If this experience was to mean her death, then so be it; she would gladly die, drained and empty like that child, if only it meant that she could be close to this feeling at the end.
"You're not scared."
The Queen's statement was not a question, but something within Riley required a response. She shook her head, agreeing wordlessly. Her attention drifted to the wolf, lingering upon its form as it did the Queen's bidding. She sighed, an almost inaudible exhalation as it settled its head upon its master's lap. But her gaze flicked obediently back to meet that of the older woman (before turning downwards in an unconscious display of respect and subservience) when she spoke.
"You ran after him - not away."
Riley nodded, swallowing against the excitement that threatened to bubble free from her throat. "Why." How could she explain? Her eyes dwelled upon the wolf, her hunger - and envy? - plain within their depths.
"I... I had to know," she began, her voice clear despite the unearthly situation. She'd dreamed of a moment like this for so long, planned speeches to prove her worth and show that she deserved to be returned to her true form, and in the moment that it all became possible those words flew out of her mind like so many scattered leaves. Pretty speech gone, Riley Locklear returns to what she knows best - the truth. "I've always wanted... something more, something greater than this. I came here, to this city, in search of it."
Power. Freedom. She lifted her gaze to meet the Queen's, holding it long enough to show her worth, her spirit, her ability to lead. And then dropping it respectfully to show her subservience, her obedience, her recognition of her place. Riley paused, hesitant for just a moment - is this too much? - and then she dropped to one knee and lowered her head.
"I believe I've just found what I've been searching for."
Her breath caught in her throat, her heart pounded in her ears, and she waited in silence, not lifting her gaze until bidden.
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Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:03 am
The movement caught the older woman off guard, one eyebrow quickly rising as the girl knelt in a show of respect. This was unusual - did the woman have a military history? And how would she know to kneel in her presence?
"Have you now."
The two small pearls gently clicked together in her free hand, Beryl staring intently at the girl. A few moments later and she was rising from the bench, the youma removing itself from her lap as hurridly as it could.
"And what makes you think I want you?"
The skirts of her dress carried the gravel with her, but the rocks were ignored as she focused on the young woman who refused to meet her gaze. There was no fear to be found - which only made the Queen more curious.
Beside her, the youma crept its way towards the civilian as well, glowing eyes focused on the human that had somehow followed it to the park. It would only take but a second for its large, toothy jaws to clamp onto the intruder's neck, but the youma knew better than to act outside of its mistress's orders. And its mistress seemed far too interested in toying with this creature than she did in disposing it.
Her empty hand reached forward and offered it towards the woman, motioning for her to rise as well.
"No - tell me: what is it that you've been searching for?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:12 am
Oh, if only Beryl knew the truth. A military background? Hah. Riley certainly had none of that, not by a long shot. But rolling on her back to expose her belly wouldn't have gone over quite as well, so she's decided that kneeling and bowing her head is as close to the gesture as possible within the boundaries of human culture.
The sharp click of the pearls sent a shiver down her spine, a thrill of anticipation that kept her heart racing and her breath short and shallow. Keen ears caught the noise of rustling fabric, the movement of the shadowed wolf, the quiet clatter of the gravel as it is driven before the passage of the Queen. And those words, that question, spoken in a voice that managed to convey utter indifference and power and solemnity all at once? They echoed within her, demanding an answer, but her words had all but fled once the woman and her wolf-creature began their approach.
Rich, heavy fabric invaded her field of vision as the Queen loomed over her. That aura of power became oppressive, almost unbearable, and the anticipation Riley held deep within began to twist, to be altered with the darker edges of fear. Not fear of anything specific, not a sharp enough fear to cause her to flee, or make it plainly evident. But fear nonetheless, the fear of a predator in the presence of something infinitely more powerful than itself, a fear that created greater depths of respect than could be reached through admiration alone. She swallowed once, lifted her gaze at Beryl's gesture. Still not quite meeting her eyes, Riley took her hand.
Unbidden, her breath caught in her throat. She hesitated for a heartbeat, let her breath out slowly, and then rose smoothly to her feet. Her movements were steady and even, but when Riley finally raised her head to make eye contact, she was reeling. Not physically, but Beryl would be able to see the raw and quivering edges of her mood in her wide eyes. "Power," she replied as she stared up into the eyes of the Queen, her voice barely above a whisper. Her grip lingered, holding on longer than was strictly necessary, and then she pulled her hand away and dropped her gaze respectfully.
Riley's eyes rested on the youma and she spoke again, her voice regaining some of its strength, "Power, and something more," she gestured to herself, "than this."
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Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:21 am
If the older woman was irritated by the other's lingering grip, she failed to show it. Instead, the sides of her lips curled up at the response she received, much like that of a cat discovering it had captured its mouse.
Or rather, in this case, a wolf and its sheep.
It wasn't every day that a person approached a member of the Negaverse so willingly. It was odd - as out of place as Beryl was, standing in the park as though she were just another civilian passing by. But sometimes - sometimes - one simply did not question Fate.
The pearls rolled around in her hand, her fingers shifting them as she spoke, amber eyes never leaving those of her prey's.
"I can give you that power...but," Her smile disappeared, "it will come at a cost."
Now that her hand was freed of the other's, it returned at her side to pay affection to the monster. The stranger's reaction to the wolf had not gone unnoticed by Beryl, but the youma's presence was left out of the conversation.
"You must serve me." Her voice was calm, collected, her words brief and to the point. "You must be willing to kill for me. You must be willing to die for me. Swear loyalty to me and I will give you the power which you desire. Betray me and I will strip you of everything, including your life."
Her jaw was clenched, the idea of betrayal obviously a displeasing topic for the monarch - but the moment of anger quickly swept over her. "Are you willing to give your life to me, a woman you have just met - a woman you don't even know the name of?"
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Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:29 am
A smile. Such a curious gesture. For most humans, it meant happiness. Pleasure. But for a wolf, a smile was the beginning of a snarl, an aggressive expression. And in the woman standing before her, Riley sees both the smile and the snarl.
It was exhilarating.
Serve? Absolutely, that wouldn't be a problem. Kill? A wicked gleam sparkled in her eyes, almost mirrored by a grin (a grin she hid swiftly, since this was a serious situation). Die? If need be, of course, her life before the alpha's. Loyalty, unquestioned. Betrayal, impossible. She looked up at the Queen again and met her gaze steadily, her assent clear in her eyes.
Perhaps she should have been more frightened; those words were certainly intended to inspire something other than the fierce sense of 'this is right' and 'this is what you need' that has permeated Riley's being. Perhaps she should even have taken this last opportunity to flee, as futile as it would have been with the shadow wolf youma there to dog her trail. But instead she nodded, a silent acknowledgment of the terms, reward, and punishment.
"Are you willing to give your life to me, a woman you have just met - a woman you don't even know the name of?"
Now was not the time to kneel again, even if such a gesture seemed to be a perfect response to the question. Instead, she spread her arms wide and lifted her head just a little, to expose her neck. "My name is Riley Locklear, and my life is yours to take."
She did not drop her gaze this time.
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Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:36 am
Little did Riley Locklear know, but spreading her arms wide open was more than enough invitation for her new mistress.
Beryl's hand lowered itself, the taller woman offering the pearls to the beast beside her. It took them obediently, then silently slunk off into the shadows at its master motioning. This was not the place for it - no, this was now between the two women, one now sworn to servitude of the other.
"I am Beryl, Queen of the Negaverse and rightful Ruler of Earth. And you, Riley Locklear -"
Her eyes fell to the girl's chest. One hand moved forward, gliding easily through her ribcage, into her chest cavity as if there was nothing there to resist her invasion. "Are now mine."
Fingers entwined themselves around the star seed, its innocent purity pulsing within the Dark Queen's grasp. As she clenched tighter onto the seed, the darkness of Chaos itself began to seep into her chest, flooding the crystal with its energy.
The darkness consumed the crystal in moments, sending its power throughout the young woman's body. The sensation was akin to fire, buring her from the inside. Her veins lit up with sparks, her heart raced, almost as though it would burst at any moment.
And then, just when the feeling was almost too overwhelming - it was gone.
As the Queen removed her hand, so left the energy source. But the darkness remained, lurking within the star seed, leaving behind a changed Riley - newest Lieutenant of the Negaverse Army.
Amber eyes stared into golden ones, the smile remaining.
"Your power is my power - your will is my will. You will do as you are commanded, Lieutenant Creedite, and will be rewarded justly in return."
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Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:46 am
Amusingly enough, the departure of the shadow wolf went completely unnoticed by Riley. Her eyes, her focus, her entire being was riveted upon the immeasurably powerful woman before her. A Queen, of course she was a Queen. A voice somewhere back in her subconscious laughed crazily - rightful ruler of the Earth? What? - but she ignored it, accepted that reality as easily as she had accepted a wolf formed of shadows that ate a child's energy before her eyes.
One thought did manage to escape, before the end.
'I've gone craz--' and then that thought was cut off sharply as Beryl's hand slid into her chest, smooth as silk, an intrusion as utterly wrong and unimaginable as it should have been impossible. Fear flashed in her eyes, true fear now, a fear strong enough to stop her from looking down. She didn't want to see it, didn't want to acknowledge the inconceivable reality of the arm that ended in a wrist that ended with a hand inside her chest. So she stared, eyes wide, into the eyes of her Queen. She would have gasped, if she had air to breathe, when those slender and powerful fingers clasped her star seed. She would have screamed in pain when the first dark pulses stole inside. She would have screamed forever, writhing in agony, as the fire spread and grew and raged within her.
And then it was done.
That wild energy left as smoothly as it entered, and she was surprised to see that she hadn't moved at all. Creedite blinked, slowly, and despite herself a quiet little whine escaped as she mourned the loss of that boundless power. But then the aftermath set in, a subsequent (if lesser) rush of energy, and she gaped her jaw in a wolfish grin. Strong fingers flexed within her clawed gloves, and the grin widened.
"My Queen," she bowed her head, exuberant but still making the effort to be properly deferential. The reality of the situation kept creeping up on her, sparking grin after grin, unbidden, and she felt near to bursting with the urge to howl in delight. Fortunately for Beryl, Creedite managed to restrain herself. For now.
"I am yours."-- fin --
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