Universal
Some things are the same round the world. A smile, a frown, the idea of love and hate. But what if the outlook was switched. You hate those you should love and love those you should hate. In a world where everything is turned upside down, what do you do when your right side up?
? 1 e
"Run!" A man yells as the storm surrounds the mansion.
A very pregnant woman runs down the stairs and to the gates of their mansion in the middle of the British countryside. She steps into a cab as the driver makes it a few yards as the cab dies.
"What's wrong?! We have to go now!"
"Petrol, we have no Petrol. There must have been a puncture driving that road."
"No!" She looks back at the mansion and watches as her husband is incinerated on the spot. Sana turns to her and sends a bolt of lightning into the not so empty petrol tank. The car explodes into a fiery inferno. Sana walks over as the flames clear to survey the ashes. She gets the shock of her long life as she sees laying in the backseat amid her mother's ashes a baby girl, sparkling white with a small tuff of black hair. It looks at Sana with brown eyes, she looks around then starts to scream. Sana lifts the baby.
So you are the only defense against me. Well you will only know me. 10 years later . . .
A girl is sitting in the shade at the park as a puppy runs up to her. She looks at it and it falls on its side dead. She watches as a little boy starts crying and screaming as he carries his puppy to his parents then likewise falls dead. The tree behind her dies as does the grass underneath her. The sun disappears as it sets forever on the British empire. The sobbing parents will never know how lucky they are as they fall dead in each other's arms.
Stop now. Who will I rule if they're all dead? "The ghosts," the girl says as their spirits rise. "Stay." With that simple word she doomed them to haunt the park forever.
Sana takes Pyra's hand and increases her powers about tenfold. Barely affected, Pyra looks up at the sky. She show's 0indifference as Sana uses the power boost to keep the rest of the world wrapped up in itself until its too late. Usually even she wouldn't have that kind of strength but Pyra was pure magic made flesh, she was a never ending fount of power that Sana kept around just for that.
6 years later . . .
For the first time she is on her own as Sana conquers the rest of Europe and Asia. No one knows who she is as she walks the dying streets. A sound of laughter is heard from behind her. A teenage boy steps out from an alley way and looks at her. He bows and she does the same.
"Lovely day ain't it?" he asks and starts laughing. She looks at him and finally notices the sweet smelling smoke coming from the alley. "Only way to smile now a days," He says holding up part of a joint. "Unless of course you're willing."
"Willing?" He walks over and grabs at her dress leaving a dirty handprint on the pink fabric. In a quick motion his hands are under the dress lifting it over her face. All at once the smile is gone from his face and he starts trying to drag her back into the alley as he says the words "so clean," over and over. She lets out a scream that causes the equivalent of a nuclear explosion for the about ten blocks in every direction as she kills dozens. She never looks at a boy the same way again.
Today . . .
"A hole I tear in space in time
Where I land I'm already there
I send myself here
A new universe I make mine
And leave this hell behind
Where joy can fill my hate
No sadness to tear it apart" A hole tears apart the very fabric of the universe. It opens into another dimension. It opens in a living room close to the border of Brooklyn and Queens. A young woman sits on a black leather sofa with orange pillows. She's in Scooby doo Pajamas and is reading a copy of the Vampire Lestat. A set of headphones on her head blasting N.E.R.U. oblivious to the hole opening up behind her. A sleepy eyed black cat doesn't understand what is going on until Pyra is thrown head first into the rift by herself. The new Pyra magically changes her clothes and hair to look like the old Pyra just as the door opens.
*Nsync walks into the house lead by JC. Pyra almost jumps out of her skin when he approaches her. He doesn't notice as he gives her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Followed by each member of the band. Pyra just keeps starring at them, she's never seen such an amazing looking man. From his brown blond hair to the green eyes. Everyone who had ever served her had been hideous, deformed and dirty, he was pulling at something inside her. She didn't understand it.
"We're back. Did you miss me?" JC says.
"You speak?!" Pyra asks in a British accent.
"Ha! Ha! And sing and dance." JC says.
"So you're British now," Lance says.
Pyra looks at him and wonders why she's never seen anything like it. He's so clean, they all are. Never had see been this close to people without killing them or them trying to kill her. They all had eyes on her and she had no idea what to say, she hoped for a distraction but didn't want to use magic for fear it had some strange connotation in this dimension. Just then the door bell rings. Pyra looks at them and JC walks over to the door. He pulls it open.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Nice to see you too."
A teenage boy is standing at the door. Short spiky jet black hair, bright green eyes, and all black clothes on his thin yet muscular frame. A leather jacket was hanging loosely on him and thin red shaded glasses are on his forehead. His skin is lightly tanned and his nails looked freshly manicured. He's holding one of Pyra's old luggage bags. JC steps aside to let the boy version of Lucky in.
"So who's this?" Lance asks.
"Hi, I'm family, that's why JC treats me so well."
"What's your name?" Justin asks.
"People call me Lucky."
"Why?" Chris asks. "You always win bets?"
"No, I survived something I shouldn't have, you do the math."
"Are you two related?" Lance asks indicating Pyra and Lucky.
"No just old friends."
"What are you like 15?" Chris asks.
"I'm 9." Lucky says.
"Funny, it's like talking to the boy version," Joey says.
Elsewhere . . .
Pyra stands and looks around. She had just come hurtling out some weird worm hole but that had felt completely unreal. She somewhat recognizes the street she's standing on in her Scooby Doo pajamas. She is a few blocks from home and she decides to walk it. Still dazed she wonders why she's in Garfield slippers and carrying her MD player and a copy of the vampire Lestat. It looked like it was about midnight and cloudy and she noticed that the neighborhood look rundown and unlived in. she reached her house but was on the wrong side of the street. She started crossing and that's when she noticed that her house looked decrepit also but there was something fake about it. The front door opened and Adam stepped out and Pyra's jaw dropped. Adam was standing there with an army-style buzz cut, dressed in all black; white as snow he was holding what looked like a hose. She watched slightly mesmerized as he fires the hose and a glowing blue liquid hits her and she feels like a dying battery. She barely makes it back across the street and to a side of a house before her legs give way.
"Look, it's a girl. I want it," an ugly blond Canadian says.
"Why do you get it?" An even uglier blond Canadian asks.
The last thing Pyra sees is Jerky and Christian reaching for her. When she opens her eyes again JC is looking at her. She's groggy and feels like she was hit by a truck. She can barely sit up but manages it. She looks at JC and it takes a few seconds for her to be able to form words.
"I just had the craziest dream. . ." Pyra goes on to recall the past events with JC who nods every now and then. "Why aren't you talking? Joshua says something."
"You know he doesn't speak, the damage was done by your own hand," Matt says and if Pyra had any energy left she would have jumped.
"Why is she still alive?" A voice like Jeff's but colder asks.
"Jeff you know she's an imbecile, but you seem to be forgetting what we need her for."
"Imbecile? Matt I don't know what bug crawled up your ass or your brother's but I'm very tempted to kick the both of you."
"How do you know we're brothers?"
"How do you know our names?"
"You know what, this isn't funny," Pyra turns away from the guys and ignores every word they say. Instead she tries to pop herself home. She doesn't move, she has to hide her panic as she tries a few more times and still doesn't move. She decides to look around and realizes she's in Josh's bat cave. She's on an examination table still in the soiled pajamas. She tries to clean them and that magic works. That's when she realizes the bat cave is under her home so she is already there even if all her friends are possessed.
". . . remembers Shannon?!" Jeff yells as Nausi and Mystic enter the cave carrying a fallen Shane. Pyra watches as they place him on a bed and JC walks over to connect a few things to him as Mystic uses some magic then curses because it doesn't work. Nausi is the first one to notice Pyra. Pyra is about to say something when the look of hate on Nausi's face stops her.
"What the fuck is that bitch doing here?" Nausi asks. Pyra can't decide if Nausi cursing or her cursing at her is more shocking.
"Adam tested the hose, a success wouldn't you say?" Matt asks.
"It be a better success if she was dead."
"Small potatoes she's second banana to the real problem," Adam says dropping her book and MD player on a stainless steel table. The book mark falls out facedown as Pyra can't help but stare at him. "Take a picture."
"Why? Who is responsible for that hair? Do you want Jason to look better than you our something?" Pyra asks and Adam is wondering how the hell she knows about Jason. Even though he had just seen him he doubted she knew who they were. That's when he notices she is moving, the blast should last a lot longer.
"She's stronger than we anticipated. It's wearing of too quickly," Adam says. Mystic walks over and Pyra feels a sharp sting in her eyes. "We'll just have to stop there for now it should be enough, Mystic."
Pyra feels the sensation of being orbed then she appears in a white room. Just one look around it and Pyra knows it needs a decorator. She walks to the mirror and sits down looking at herself. She stands and changes her clothes to black leather flares with red leather ties, and a black tank top with flames across the front. Little does she knows back in the bat cave everyone is watching Mystic's spell in action. Pyra is looking around to see where she is and how she can get out when there is a voice behind her that sends a chill up her spine.
What are you doing? Where have you been? What are you wearing?
The viewers in the bat cave watch as her eyes go from brown to black pools of hate. There is a glimmer of fire as she clenches and unclenches her fists. They exchange glances and start to wonder if Pyra has a split personality that Sana brings to the surface. When Pyra turns away from the window they can't see her reflection anymore but they see the crackling magic that she hurls at Sana and sends her flying. Sana is caught off guard as Pyra starts attacking her. When she regains her composure She has Pyra chained to a wall in a blink and she can't break them.
Pyra is slightly stunned. Sana had never been that strong before, usually she could send her away with a flick of the wrist. Sana looked barely affected and Pyra actually couldn't move. The chains hurt and they were making her so tired. What was she babbling about this time.
What has gotten into you? You will remain there until you calm down. I have work to do, the rebels are gathering against us in larger numbers than before and recalling magic lost. We may face a great battle yet. I have a large army that will be ready in three days time. Though America does not seem worth the effort.
When Sana leaves the room she makes the chains disappear and Pyra falls to the floor as the same exhaustion from before hits her, she feels like she has no choice but to go to sleep.
"Three days."
"We will siege the palace in one," Matt says. "With what we learned we can block their magic and kill them as easily as people."
"It better Shannon died for it and Shane's not far off. Whatever happens I want her." Jeff says dipping arrowheads and daggers into a special solution. It is covered in barbs which he paints intricately with the same solution.
"Send the word Sana and her princess falls in a day." Matt says as Nausi nods and leaves.
Adam starts to look at the things they got off Pyra. While an MD player never got a chance to exist it looks enough like a walkman for Adam to put on the headphones and get it to work. He wonders why the singers sound familiar as he looks at the Vampire Lestat. While he remembers interview with the vampire he thinks its odd Pyra would read at all. One of the things Shannon was sure of was that she may be powerful at magic she couldn't read a word. Something Sana did to keep her away from her book. He notices the red strip of velvet and looks at it.
He turns it over and is shocked, there are a series of really small photographs. The first one is of him and Pyra arms around each other smiling madly, followed by one of Pyra, Mystic and Nausi arm in arm smiling, next is him, Matt, Jeff and Shannon, followed by one of Shane and Pyra making silly faces. The next picture is almost as shocking as the first, Jeff and Pyra are smiling and looking up as if one of them were holding the camera. The last picture is of Pyra holding a black cat as JC smiles in the background.
"What the hell is going on?" He says as JC walks over. Adam hands him the bookmark and JC shakes his head and points to Jeff who is still preparing weapons. "Another life maybe." Adam says and throws everything back on the tray.
? 2 e
At the same time, and place in a different space. The other Pyra has adjusted her voice but hasn't said anything. Whoever this Lucky was he avoided her at all costs. She even thought she heard him hiss at her a few times. They seemed to accept her silence which made her wonder about the Pyra she had thrown into the vortex. She started thinking about what had been the last straw.
She had made her first friend. The only servant who didn't fear her. He had been pretty new, but was always watching her. He would also always seem to have birds around him attaching strips with strange symbols on them. She asked him what they were and at first he was shocked. Then he started teaching her letters, she learned Sana and when she showed Sana. The servant died and she had never even learned his name.
Adam walks through the front door bags in hand. He puts them down at the side of the door. Pyra looks up at him and never realized he could look good. In a pair of black slacks and a blue shirt. His blond hair is hanging in the usual wavy curls. Maybe it's the hair or the clothes but the staring is quite obvious this time.
"Pyra, I think you're drooling," Justin says smiling.
Adam walks over to all of them and gives Pyra a kosher kiss on the cheek. His teeth elongate at the slight touch but being distracted by other things he doesn't notice. "What was that?" Pyra asks and Adam takes it to mean something different and he gives her another kiss.
"My virgin eyes," Lucky exclaims.
"What's up with him?" Adam says pointing to Lucky.
"I've been a little busy," JC says.
"Ignore the cat its okay, I know you hate me. The only one who loves me is gone." At that Lucky starts sobbing and JC and Adam exchange nervous glances. Pyra just looks at him like he's a science experiment, then turns to Adam who looks at her surprised. She reads his mind and realizes she's expected to comfort him. She reaches over to touch him and with inhuman reflexes he knocks her hand away and jumps back.
"Don't touch me!" Lucky screams and runs out of the house.
"Okay that kid was weird," Chris says.
"What did he mean? Did someone die?" Joey asks.
"I wanna know why he called himself a cat." Chris asks.
"Last name," JC quickly says.
"Oh," Chris says.
"Is anyone going to go after him?" Lance asks.
"He'll come back," Pyra says repeating Adam's thoughts.
"If you say so. But he didn't make any sense," JC says. Pyra just looks at him and he shakes his head.
That night, Nsync has left and Pyra has become entranced by the music videos on MTV. Adam comes down yawning and sits besides her.
"Come to bed."
"You don't want to sleep." She says. As the day had progressed she had learned the best way to try to assimilate here and try to feel happy if it actually existed was to gain their trust. And the best way to do that had been reading their minds. She knew she had to stay on the surface because Sana had told her if she probed too deep there would be dire consequences.
"Well, no." Adam says with a smile.
"But you want me to come to bed?" Pyra asks.
"Cute," Adam gives her a kiss. "Now will you come?"
"Will you do that again?" Pyra asks.
"And more," Adam says turning off the TV. He takes her hand and leads her upstairs.
"You love me?" Pyra asks trying to understand her life here. That stops Adam in his tracks.
"Of course! Pyra how can you even ask that question?"
"I make you happy?" Pyra asks.
"Happy isn't the right word. Without you everything seems duller, I'd do anything for you."
"Make me happy," Pyra says. Adam doesn't understand what's gotten into Pyra so instead of peeling off her clothes he sits her down on the bed.
"What's wrong? You seem so sad. Is it Lucky? I know you love that hair ball like a son. And the way he tore out of here."
Pyra looks up at Adam's caring face and feels a new emotion, guilt. It naws at her insides, and she wonders if he could accept the truth. But then she realizes he is only treating her like this because he doesn't know.
"Goodbye," Pyra says and disappears in flames.
Adam stares at the spot for a few minutes then wonders why she would go after Lucky with such drama. He's still wondering what's bothering her, as he lies down and starts daydreaming about her and what should have happened in the room as he falls asleep. Pyra didn't go as far as he thinks as she appears in Josh's room. He's coming out of the shower toweling his hair, a towel around his waist, he drops the towel and then notices Pyra.
"Jesus!" JC says picking up the towel he was using to dry his hair. "Could you not sneak up on me? Did he come back yet?"
"No."
"What he said made no sense. You were right there, why would he say that."
"I have no idea." Pyra says as Josh pulls on a wife beater and black sweats when he figures Pyra isn't leaving. He then takes off the towel.
"Aren't you worried about him?" Josh asks.
"He is like a son to me but . . ."
"I understand I think. Is something else wrong?"
"I don't know," Pyra responds.
"Is it Adam? Is that why you're sneaking up on me?" Josh asks hoping to make light if there is something.
"He wanted to take my clothes off but I left," Pyra says.
"That's a first, it means I'll get a good night of sleep. Why don't you remember to sound proof your room? Just do that small favor for me next time. Speaking of sleep, I think jet lag is catching up with me. Good night Pyra," Josh says giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Pyra decides to go downstairs and watch more music videos. She sees an Nsync one and is awed by JC's voice. Sometime during the night she falls asleep as Adam comes down the stairs craving blood. He sees her asleep and decides to go out for some after carrying her up to her bed. Now worried about his early warning system and his girlfriend he's not in a good mood. He tries to figure out when it happened as he walks.
When he turns the corner he's startled. Lucky is sitting with Mike talking rapidly. He sees Adam and rolls his eyes. "He thinks with one part of him when it comes to Pyra."
"What are you talking about?" Adam asks.
"This is weird. If Lucky is right who knows what you've been sharing a bed with," Mike says. "How could you not tell?"
"Not tell what?" Adam asks.
"According to Lucky Pyra isn't Pyra. Some hole opened up and that Pyra stepped out and threw your Pyra in."
"What? That's silly I think I know my own girlfriend."
"Really? Then why didn't she come looking for me?" Lucky asks.
"She said she knew you would come back," Adam says.
"What's up with your eyes?" Mike asks.
"Hungry." Adam says.
"Don't you want to know what did that? I tell you it was the fake Pyra!"
"It could be anything, and you know it."
The guys start discussing what to do if it isn't Pyra, but Adam isn't all that convinced and they decide to test her. Lucky becomes a cat again and returns to the house with Adam and Mike. Pyra has woken up in those few minutes he was gone and walking down the stairs as they come in.
"Hey, I thought you were in bed."
"I'm out of it now," Pyra says looking at the cat coming closer to her. She takes a step back with every step Lucky takes forward.
"What's wrong?" Mike asks watching. Pyra's eyes widen as she can't get past the cat. She looks as petrified as the real Pyra would be at the site of a dog. Lucky becomes a boy again.
"If that's Pyra I'm a normal boy," Lucky says and Adam corners the fake Pyra who seemed ready to run. She looks at him shocked and he realizes the red eyes must make his anger more intense looking.
"Where is she?" He says barring fangs. But just like Adam's Pyra this one wasn't easily bullied. "Tell me!"
"And if I don't?"
? 3 e
Pyra wakes and instantly has the sensation of being watched. She looks around and a boil and green scale covered what she assumed to be a man was standing over by the door. He was holding a platter of food. That was when Pyra realized she was starving but she wasn't about to eat anything from him. He approached and Put the tray on a table in the room. It was a meal more suited for dinner. Grilled chicken, peas and what smelled like wine. Pyra looked at it and looked outside, she saw no sun but her body said different. The green guy was still standing there looking at her and she looked right back annoyed.
"Dude! Or whatever you are . . ."
Josh walks past Matt and whacks him showing him that Pyra is awake. It was a few hours until all the forces gathered and would be ready. Jeff had a quiver full of arrows but one special one for Pyra who he blamed for Shannon's death. At the current moment he was looking at Shane who was again conscious. He was trying to speak and Jeff leaned closer.
"Py. . .ra . . .she's . . . the . . . batt. . . .battery."
"Battery?" For what?" Jeff asks lost. Josh brings him some water and he can speak more clearly.
"Sana, she uses Pyra as a battery. That's what I saw. It didn't do much to her but Sana saw through Mystic's spell afterwards. If it wasn't for them . . ."
"I told you she should be dead. As long as she is around that demon is stronger."
"Jeff," Matt starts, "we didn't know. We learn as we go along. We can't have anymore mistakes. You know if we fail it's the end. What's left? We have one chance to get it right and you have your one shot. The signal and our hope."
Matt watches as Pyra makes a bowl of Lucky Charms appears and he realizes at that point how much he missed the little things. Pyra after her meal was acting quite the spoiled princess, any servant who approached her was sent flying in the opposite direction. She entered a grand entry chamber and passed a large shrine. Her movements had been erratic like she had never been there before so when she doubled back Matt wasn't surprised. She entered the shrine and saw two books. She walked to the smaller of the two and started reading.
A change
An old face not the same
The golden hair
A single shot
The fire within
This combined
And there will be an end
Pyra turned the page. Lost little girl
This is not your home
And you will destroy her throne
Universal
All things are
At the end you belong
Where you are
Pyra wonders what the hell that is supposed to mean though she figures she's the lost girl and the fire. She's going to turn the page again when she knows she's not alone. She turns and Sana walks over to her. Pyra bites back bile as Sana approaches.
You know you don't understand the books. Why do you insist on coming here?
Pyra walks out saying nothing wanting to tear out the woman's beating heart. She looked out the window and everything looked like it was shortly after sunset. Pyra realizes then she hadn't seen the sun since she landed wherever she was. Sana watches her go.
Whatever has possessed you I care not. I have finally found a way to drain you completely. Tonight I end you forever and shall truly be unstoppable.
One of the many spying devices planted in the castle picks that up and Jeff smirks. Matt can almost read his brother's mind she'd never get the chance to if Jeff had his way. Matt watched as Jeff armed the first of the defense. The plan was to surround the castle and take it by surprise so, all the members were to arrive sporadically by the day. They would then place themselves in preplanned places. Jeff's shot would be the signal to attack weather it missed or hit its mark. At that signal Mystic and Nausi would use their magic to distract Sana as they attacked the castle defenses. The one hole was getting Sana and Pyra to walk out of the castle together. But that was what Mike was for green and coved in boils. His drawing would do the trick. The one thing that Sana would fear and the one thing Pyra would want.
Matt turned and looked at Adam who seemed to be in a daze still clutching a red velvet book mark they confiscated the day before. He kept shaking his head throwing it down then picking it back up, he had been so distracted that his hair had grown long again. One curse of being a vampire. He threw the strip down as hair fell in his eyes and went to shave it all off. One thing Sana's eternal night had caused was that Adam was active 24-7.
Matt continued to survey their forces. JC was tending to Shane who could drink small amounts and was actually improving. No one could understand it. Mystic the one person JC would do anything for couldn't get him to open his mouth and speak. Pyra had done something so evil it had silenced him for good. All of them had scars from Sana or Pyra. Matt touched the ends of his too short hair. Ever since Pyra had burned it this was as far as it would grow no matter how hard he tried. Jeff had become bitter and Matt still thought that was worse than any physical wound they could inflict on him.
When had she learned all their names? Had she tortured Shannon long enough to break him? Matt couldn't believe how much he could hate two people. Sana had almost killed Shane, and tuned Nausi into an angry woman, the nicest way he could put what happened to the love of his life. He wondered if she remembered love, when they learned about Shannon she had shoved him away when he tried to hug her claiming Jeff needed him more. They should have killed her when they had a chance. Matt pounded his fist on the desk as Pyra sat down in front of a mirror. Matt wondered what her vanity was, she was a monster if not on the outside on the inside.
She looked in the mirror and it blurred as it formed images. It took him a few seconds to realize it was of her capture. The scenes replay as she locks on Adam. She waved her hand and that's when Matt almost fainted. Like she knew he was listening she blasted Pearl Jam from the air. Of all the songs Jeremy, She shakes her head and the music changes mid-word to something he's never heard before though it sounded familiar.
people have said
They have said
I've lost my mind
Numb me until I won't feel pain again
Its like a needle in my spine it stings inside
Poisons me with time
I can't deal with your lies
I wish I could watch you drown and die
And take my time
Life has always been a problem
Can't you see I don't fit in
Life is gone I am no one
Life is gone I have no one
Life is gone I am alone . . .
When the song ends Matt realizes Pyra had been plotting something. He didn't like the songs message and was almost sure she was doing it for his benefit. She hadn't just been there in a stupefied daze. He was wondering how much credit she deserved. Pyra never seemed to plan ahead and half the time was easily distracted. They already knew she couldn't read, though the way she had stared at the words had made him wonder. She stood and again he noticed her outfit of choice. A bright red tank top that was covered in safety pins, black flairs and combat boots. He couldn't every remember seeing her in anything but dresses. Pastels and a lot of pink.
? 4 e
Mystic had the fake Pyra bound in the middle of the living room in the center of a protective circle. They had been berating her for over an hour but she wouldn't explain the hole that she had thrown Pyra in, if she was alive or even where it went. Most of the house was wet smoldering in some parts from the fight that started when Adam continued to press on Pyra. Josh had been smart and called Mystic, and Nausi to help, Lucky kept pacing just outside the circle never taking his eyes off her.
"Stare all you want I won't give her back." Pyra says. Mystic had done a spell hoping to see if she was one of those witches from Greece but instead her hair lost the red stripes and had innocent looking brown curls. In a pale pink dress, with white sandals. Her nails were cut short and bare though they did shine, the only jewelry she wore was the Phoenix pendant, but it looked like the cheap version you could get at Shopzone.
Adam all of a sudden had an Ah-ha moment. Or maybe the pigs blood was getting to his head but he wanted to try it. He knew that for a minute he had almost gotten through to her last night.
"Everyone out."
"What? Adam have you lost your fudging mind?" Nausi asks.
"Just do it, trust me. Come back in 20 minutes and take that stupid cat with you."
"Stupid blond!" Lucky snaps back walking over to Mystic. "Where's Princess?" Mystic rolls her eyes and they all leave planning to come back in ten minutes but say nothing to Adam. Outside they wonder what on earth he's going to do, inside Adam sits just outside the circle. He stares at Pyra for a few seconds then starts talking.
"Why did you come here?"
"I won't tell you about her."
"I asked you why you came. Nothing else." Adam says as the eavesdroppers are confused.
"Why?"
"I want to know why you would go through all this."
"Have you ever smiled? Laughed? Been in love?"
"Who hasn't?" Adam looks at Pyra. "Oh."
"All I know is kill or be killed then he came. He showed me the funny symbols, even though at first he seem to hate me. He helped me and I learned Sana. But then he was gone, I didn't even know his name. I thought maybe here I could find him again. The last thing I ever expected was you. You and the little one seem to find such joy in finding new ways to try to kill us."
"What did he look like?" Pyra waves her hand and Shannon appears as a little hologram in her hand. His hair is not striped and he's pale but Adam easily know its him.
"Mystic, I know you can hear me so get Shannon now." A few seconds Later a blue light appears a few feet away and Shannon appears.
"I was still asleep, what's going on? Pyra why are you looking at me like that?" he walks over and bumps into the invisible barrier. "Why are you in that?"
"That's not Pyra, well it is but it isn't . . . um well." Adam stammer.
"Dimensional vortex," Pyra replies. "Strong magic, not to be toyed with I was told."
"I think I get it," Shannon says. "So I guess you're responsible for the burnt look."
"So I think I understand now, they're real but I can't have them," Pyra says sounding more bored than sad.
"Have what?" Shannon asks.
"Good feelings."
"Sure you can, but Pyra you can't take someone else's. You have to make your own," Shannon says.
"With what?" Pyra asks.
"What about your parents? Did Glenn adopt you?"
"What's adopt? My parents blew up. Sana couldn't hide that. All I have is her, she taught me everything."
"What about friends? Like us?" Shannon asks.
"He wants me dead, I made the singing one a mute. I've never seen the cat before coming here."
"Wow, I want to take her to Disney land," Shannon says.
"What's that?"
Adam stares as Shannon goes into a tirade about Disney Land. Adam understands why Shannon was the one who would be able to befriend this Pyra. He had a thing for lost causes, ever since Gabriel. He brought her to the right side just to lose her. At least he wasn't forming a pattern, Crystal seemed pretty normal.
"You," Pyra says pointing at Adam as everyone walks back in. "We'll go for her."
? 5 e
Pyra couldn't kill this Sana she had just proved that again. She was on the floor panting and Sana was standing over her. The only good thing was that Sana refused to kill her. Sana's complaints had fallen of deaf ears, when Pyra walked in on her reading from her spell book. She had just decided to do what she had done before to kill Sana and she had just turned to Pyra and throw her out of the room annoyed yelling at her like some kid throwing a tantrum.
Ever since you changed your hair and dress you have been acting like such a different child. Go kill some Americans, but don't bother me again or you'll regret it. To your chamber now.
Pyra gets the feeling of being orbed again and appears in the room. She tears it apart in a rage that ebbs a little when she blows up the bed. The door opens and she hurls a fire ball but then sees the green scaled servant with a tray and has it fade centimeters from his face. Mike can still feel the warmth as he opens his eyes.
"Sorry," Pyra mutters falling to the floor cross legged. She makes little models of Sana and watches them melt or has fire come up out of the floor to burn her as Mike and Matt watch. Mike approaches and sits down next to her. Pyra looks at him smells and almost gags. She stands and drenches him, first in water, then he is scrubbed, then drenched again, he doesn't have the time to breath as he's blasted with hot air. "Didn't you smell yourself?"
"Yeah, you could have asked," Mike says his real skin partially showing.
"Why? You reeked and you're peeling ew!" Pyra uses her magic and clears his skin. Leaving behind a very familiar Japanese- American face. Pyra doesn't say a word about it. "you changed color," seemed like a dumb enough answer.
"What?"
"No green," Pyra says simply.
Mike pulls out a piece of paper and finishes the two drawings of Pyra's parents and slides them under the door as they come to life. He looks at her, takes the tray and starts to open the door as Pyra turns to watch him. The stunned look on her face makes him sure that she knows who the two people are and she tears out of the ruins of her room to follow them. They walk past Sana and she looks like she's about to drop dead. They both run and Mike draws a heart with wings in the sky as his signal to Jeff who gets into position in a tree arrow ready and set to kill Pyra. A glowing white arrow and a red one, white if he hit Pyra, red if he missed completely which wasn't part of his plan. First out came Mike's drawings and vanished as Mike tore up the pictures. Pyra steps out scanning every direction as Jeff pulls back his bow and aims for Pyra.
"A hole I tear in space in time
Where I land I'm already there
I send myself here
A old universe I take again
And leave this hope behind
Where joy I can't find
Where sadness is all mine" The Portal opens and Adam steps through first stepping directly in front of Pyra as Jeff lets the arrow fly. Pyra watches as Adam smiles and wonders why he's moving so slowly towards her. She reaches up and feels like the kiss is lasting forever. She opens her eyes as he jerks violently and she tastes blood. She looks at him and his eyes are open wide in shock. He puts a hand over his heart and pulls it back bloody. He pulls the arrow out of his back before he falls down.
Jeff shoots the red arrow angrily knowing that the normal forces will stay back as Matt, Adam, JC, Mystic, and Nausi. Go for plan B. An attack of magical proportions as their last hope. Jeff would use JC to get a dagger thrown at Pyra to distract her as he sent off another shot. Then if all else failed the white arrow, would signal the last of the New York forces. He sees the person he hit clearly for the first time as Sana steps out of the palace.
"Adam?!" he rushes over as Pyra puts her hand over his chest for the second time.
"Don't worry, its going to take more than an arrow to stop you," Pyra says as Adam closes his eyes.
"What are you doing?" Jeff yells ready to kill Pyra, she ignores him.
"Open your eyes! Too much blood," Pyra stammers, "why can't I fix it?"
The other Pyra had stepped through and in the confusion was hiding behind a giant statue of Sana that was in the courtyard watching everything from the safety of her perch, feeling no loyalty for anyone she watches, the other Pyra holding Adam as the other Adam approaches Jeff who is standing five feet away trying to come to grips with what he did. "Jesus Jeff, just shoot her," Adam says.
Jeff turns his head and can't form a coherent sentence looking between the two as Adam sees his cold form on the floor in a pool of his own blood.
what are you doing can't you see we are under attack? Stand at my side and leave that mortal fool to his mortal death
Pyra looks at her and turns back to Adam. As more blood than she thinks the human body can hold keeps oozing out of the wound in his chest. Jeff fires another arrow at Pyra and it goes spinning towards Sana who easily destroys it a great distance from her.
Fools! I have conquered nations you believe such a simple weapon could stop me?
A blast of fire engulfs Sana and she turns to Pyra who is still kneeling over Adam. The distraction is enough for her to almost get hit by one of Jeff's throwing stars, which cuts open her shirt and gives her the equivalent of a paper cut. She looks enraged at being so easily fooled as Nausi calls back firey. JC has spears coming at her from every direction and she just barely vanishes in a puff of smoke to a few feet away losing a lock of hair.
That's when Sana loses her temper and calls on the storm clouds, thunder and lightning are the first to arrive. Then the rain starts and Pyra looks up.
"Stop," Pyra says barely whispering. The storm seems to vanish instantly and Sana tries to locate the power that can challenge her own as a window opens. She can hear voices before she can see them.
"That boy is an idiot what did you expect," Nausi says.
"I wonder how far behind him we are," Mike says as they step out of the portal.
Mystic, Nausi, Matt, Jeff, JC, Shannon, boy Lucky, and Mike step out into the alternate universe. The other Mike, Matt, JC, Mystic, Nausi, and Jeff all seem drawn to look at themselves. Both Nausis draw the time card so they can deal with the revelation. Leaving only themselves un frozen they start giving each other the once over. Mystic takes one look at the other Adam and says.
"You are so gay."
Jeff is looking at Shannon more than at himself as he walks around his best friend. He pokes him as Sana starts to break free of the double time card. Shannon's head jerks up as she breaks free completely. He grabs both Jeff's dropping to the floor as lighting burns the air above them.
"Where's Pyra?" Shannon says to the other Jeff.
"That bitch?" Jeff says as Jeff stares at him as both Mystics attack back.
They stand and Shannon sniffs out Lucky when he gets Pyra from two different directions. The boy is sitting with his arm around Pyra who is staring straight ahead eyes blank. Shannon gets a more disturbing scent and looks behind them. Adam is lying there ashen faced, eyes closed and a gaping hole in his chest in a pool of his own blood.
"Oh god!" Shannon says turning away. And seeing two JC's having tons of metal flying at Sana as one Jeff puts a hand on Pyra's shoulder as the other rolls his eyes.
"She's still alive," Jeff says.
"With her heart ripped out," Jeff replies. "Do you know how much they love each other?"
"That monster?! Love anything but herself?"
"Jeff, a bug crawled up your ass and is building a nest," Lucky says.
"And who the hell are you?" Jeff says and Lucky hisses.
"Jeff what is your problem?" Shannon says turning back as he hears this argument while watching the battle where the Matts and Mikes seem to be in the corner regrouping. No one noticed when the other Adam vanished.
"You really want to know? She killed you! The last thing we ever heard from you was that you thought you were getting through to her then you were dead! That's my problem."
It was the last thing Shannon had expected to hear. He knows the girl sitting next to her cat-boy isn't the same one but it still disturbs him. Dead? Not in his wildest dreams did he expect to hear that one. The other Jeff is just as surprised and wonders if Shannon dying would change him that much.
The JCs go flying in two directions with the mute one landing in their mist. Pyra slowly blinks, she turns her head and looks at the fallen JC. She then looks at her hands which are still covered with blood. Lucky suddenly shrinks away from her scared as she stands. He's looking past her towards the Brooklyn bridge.
"What?" Jeff asks.
"Something bad is coming. Very bad." Lucky says.
? 6 e
Adam is in the bat cave searching high and low for something. He finally finds a paintbrush faintly covered in the poison that Jeff has coated on every one of his arrows and knives and throwing stars. He had seen his double's teeth so he knew there was a chance. That and the fact that there was also an impossible amount of blood pouring out of that chest wound. He realized it would have been eaiser to take the arrow the other Adam had been shot with but hoped this works. He puts the brush on Josh's supercomputer boosted by magic and then adds some of his blood figuring it's the same thing.
He types in a command for the computer and waits. It calculates and does much more linked to a super chemistry set. He waits as the computer works. The screen starts flashing.
Antidote Not Found.
He repeats the same steps about five times with the same results and sits down shaking his head in defeat wondering if he wouldn't be doing more good on the battle field. Or at least helping the normal warriors escape the backlash of the magic on magic war. They didn't have any defense against magic, none at all and that's when Adam gets an idea. He's out of the cave in a flash and he prays it will work.
Adam feels so cold, all around him is black. There are muffled noises coming from the distance but they are unimportant. He can't even tell what they are saying. He realizes he can't tell if he's standing, sitting or lying down, what does it matter to him anyway. What had happened? Pyra! He had found her, she was fine, but where was he? And where did she go? And the other one . . . Adam's mind starts to fog over as it gets harder to form proper thoughts. He drifts into oblivion, like a person drifting off to sleep.
Adam had reached the resistance fighters. They had set up camp just on the outskirts of the area Sana and Pyra had claimed as their own. They all looked ready for a fight and antsy. They can hear the sounds of battle but know they are useless, the red arrow had gone up so they still had both Sana and Pyra to contend with. He approaches Raven, who made secret codes for them to use. He looked worried and worried was not an expression Raven had often.
"What is it?"
"We just got word that Sana's forces are on the Brooklyn bridge and closing fast."
"God Damnit! We heard from her own lips that we had three days! We can't do this."
"We had suspected for a while that she had learned of our spies and was feeding us false information. If the scouts are right we are outnumbered 30 to 1."
A boy who looks about 12 approaches Raven. "Message from the scouts sir!"
"Speak up!" "The enemy will reach us in five minutes time and there numbers seem without end. They are pouring out of door of blood at the other end of the bridge. And their numbers have at least tripled since the last count."
"90 to 1? It's a lovely night to die," Raven says turning away from Adam and calling his men and women to arms. Adam notices then that Raven is in his version of army fatigues. The army what a joke, every ship, base, and plane had burned the second Sana landed in the states. The white house and its occupants had been frozen alive. Washington DC was a ghost town. And that had only taken seconds.
When she landed in New York that day three years ago she had never expected to find what she did. Mystic and Nausi had dragged Matt and Jeff to the statue of Liberty, when the first lightning bolt struck everyone in the statue had been fried by the superconductor. Then she had landed among the screaming people and killed on whim. She aimed a blow a Mystic and it was deflected. Shocked she had tried again and Jeff sent cards flying. Pyra had landed then and Matt had tried to attack her. Since that day Matt's hair wouldn't grow. No matter what they tried. That fire was meant to kill him but it did worse leaving him partially bald. As for his powers rubbing his feet on a carpet to shock them would have had the same result. Not to mention Sana seemed to feed on the electricity. At that Mystic had orbed them to JC's bat cave. They regrouped, she sent her friends Chester and Apollo to warn and prepare the rest of the world. He was looking at their efforts now the resistance that crossed all of North and South America. Sana hadn't been stupid, she had quickly sent them back into the stone age of communication, using carrier pigeons for messages and falcons for long distances.
They had brought him knowing of his little problem at work. Why even living in the Bahamas he didn't tan, Matt and him had been best friends yet he hadn't known about his Pikachu like qualities. They had both kept their secrets and it was time to share. In the time it took them to build forces Sana had taken over Gracie Mansion, as her new home redoing it to look like a castle. When they came out of JC's cave it looked like bombs had gone off everywhere. Nothing was left of the greatest city in the world but charred black ruins. The few homes that still stood had no people left living in them. People on the subway had survived to come out to find friends and family dead. Homes destroyed, some fled some joined the resistance others, just became like his old friends Jason and Chris, parasites. Then there were the few who had tried to join Sana's ranks. There skulls were still rotting on the statue of liberty's crown. She claimed anyone that could betray their own people so easily could not be trusted. It was obvious she didn't know any New Yorkers. Now after all the battles, all the information it seemed like it was coming to an end. The demons, the hordes of monsters under her control were on their way, for every one you killed a dozen took its place.
Raven was wrong again, it wasn't a lovely night to die, he had sworn he would see the sun again and that he would. Three years wasn't enough to wipe it from his memory. He should have been born in California, being a vampire was against his nature. The messenger boy was still standing there, looking at him. Adam grabbed his arm and used a vampire nail to cut his arm. He had a few drops fall into the dish in his hand and then let the kid go. He took off into the air on his way back to the cave when he veers off course and heads towards Sana. His hearing tells him its pointless and he turns back around.
Fools My forces are arriving as we speak. I took too long in this wretched city and it all ends now! And as for you,
Draining you no longer the way
Dry I make you today
Your flame I take
Leaving a husk in my wake
Sana does a flying leap and tackles Pyra who is still in a stupor. And you can actually see the magic and life drain out of Pyra who isn't bothering to put up a fight. The other Pyra on the other hand is enraged and drags Sana off herself by the hair.
"Reverse," Pyra says and everything she just took is returned. "You would kill me for my power?" As this face off is going on Jeff had taken one of the many poisoned arrow's from the other Jeff's quiver. He was looking at the arrow then at Lucky then back again. He gets an idea and Lucky doesn't need any convincing to do it. The boy nods looking at both Jeff's.
"For Pyra."
"For Pyra," Our Jeff agrees. The other Jeff draws an arrow aiming for Sana, Lucky grips the arrow between his teeth and takes off like the acrobat he is even as a boy. He shoots distracting her again as Lucky slashes her in the back with the arrow then runs in front of the Statue of Sana. She screams enraged and looks at Lucky. She aims for him and misses as he skillfully jumps to the side instead hitting her statue. Actually hollow made of wood and stone it is about to come falling down.
"Lucky look out!" Jeff yells as the statue falls apart on the boy, burying him alive. Pyra was watching this and it felt like she had just lost a son. Like a bad movie happy scenes of Lucky and her explode into her mind. If losing Adam broke her heart, losing Lucky crushed her as much the statue had done him. The tears that run down her face find their way onto her pendant as her mind screams for an end to the pain. Just looking around hurt, one JC was leaning over the other trying to see if he was alive. The Matts and the Mikes had gone off to help the regular people and Pyra could hear the dying screams from here. The Mystics and Nausis were lying unconscious a few feet apart. It seemed that only the Jeffs and one JC was left standing. She had no idea what had become of Shannon or Adam.
Why does this keep happening to me? Boyfriend gone, friends are beaten and I'm just sitting here, felling sorry for myself. Why does everything have to hurt so much?. Have I taught you nothing? You are the only one that ever matters to yourself. Of course I would use you for your powers. You are no good to me other wise.
Pyra looks at Sana taking in the information. Jeff charges a card as the other Jeff charges a throwing star it at Sana. Then the impossible happens, both hit her and cause actual physical damage. Sana stumbles looking at the blood pouring out of the cut in her arm.
Impossible! What have you done!
"Given the world a fighting chance," Jeff yells. Pyra walks over to Sana and gives her a kiss on the lips.
"Goodbye Mother," Pyra says as Sana looks like a person suffering from spontaneous human combustion. It's a disgusting sight to watch her body burn and melt.
Jeff approaches our Pyra who saw everything. The other Jeff is still wondering if he should try to kill the other Pyra as he hears himself start talking.
"Its over, Pyra she's gone." Pyra looks at Jeff and shakes her head. She waves her hand and everyone regains consciousness. They look around and figure Pyra killed Sana. Nausi looks around wondering where Matt is. The other Nausi looks at the two Pyra's and Jeff aiming the arrow at the one that just killed Sana.
"Adam's gone, Lucky's gone, Sana will never be gone."
"We just watched her burn," Jeff says as our JC disarms the other Jeff in annoyance. The rubble around Sana's statue shifts slightly as Lucky finally finishes digging his way out with his tiny paws. One of his hind legs is broken as he hobbles over on three legs.
"Lucky?" Pyra whispers.
"Hey you should know this. I may be cute and cuddly on the outside but inside Granite!" Lucky says touching his chest. "Ow! Okay maybe a few broken ribs."
? 7 e
The Matts and Mikes have just arrived on the battle scene and it looks like about 15 survivors are surrounded by enough demons to tear them into little pieces. Raven is standing there brandishing a sword looking grim at the advancing monsters. The monsters had stopped coming because the portal had closed once they had killed Sana, so there were close to a thousand cutting them off from the rest of the survivors. Matt looks at the ground which is covered with a multicolor substance that he figures is blood from various creatures. He points to Mike who also notices the liquid. The Matts go to opposite ends of the demons who have yet to notice them. Mike draws a rubber mat that appears under the feet of the survivors. Then the Matts let the electricity fly. The liquid seems to be a better conductor then water as all the monsters and demons fry. The stench is awful as they are cooked. They fall like a pile of dominoes as Raven looks at our Matt wondering how his hair grew.
As the last monster falls the other Matt goes down with is exhausted. He hadn't used his powers for anything but powering the cave for so long he felt like he was about to die. Our Mike checked his pulse and made sure he was still alive. Our Matt was just a little dizzy and he was stumbling as the people started cheering. Raven approached Matt. "Here let me help you," Raven says dropping his sword on the ground.
"Thanks," Matt says. Raven puts an arm around him to hold him up as the other Mike watches suspicious.
Back at the castle, the other Jeff was being restrained by a fully wolfed out Shannon.
"You are not killing Pyra!" Shannon says.
"I won't kill yours."
"Jeff that's not the point. She just helped to save us all. I know you're angry but you have to let it go."
"I want to go find Matt," Our Nausi says as Shannon hits Jeff on the head knocking him out. The other Nausi looks at her weird but says nothing.
"Shannon!" Our Jeff says and his friend just shrugs.
"Matt? Pyra says confused like she's looking at him instead of Lucky who's trying out his fully repaired leg, he does a back flip landing on all fours before he's satisfied. "No Way!"
Raven hears the exclamation and turns to see where it came from. Raven draws a dagger as Matt starts to stand on his own. He shakes his head as the last of the dizziness passes. Raven might as well be trying to cut titanium with a spork for all the progress he's making.
"Pyra what the fudge is wrong with you?"
"Fudge? What the fuck?" the other Nausi asks.
"You stupid son of a bitch! No more!"
At that last outburst everyone is starring at Pyra like she is insane. She moves her hand quickly, and a streak goes flying into the castle wall. She also flames Our Mike and the still unconscious other Matt who is on a beautifully drawn stretcher. Nausi gasps as Pyra flames our Matt to her side and she gives him a hug.
"Pyra, was that Raven?" Mystic asks.
"Yeah," Pyra replies as JC helps her stand though he purposely turns her away from Adam. She smiles at his effort, "I may not be able to do it for myself but no more hearts will be broken before we leave."
Adam is banging his head as he tries to figure out what he's doing. For the first time in his life wishing that he was a chemistry freak. He couldn't understand it. Once they had gathered enough information they had been able to use science and magic to make a substance that would stop them. Maybe that was the problem. The thing Jeff had put on every single weapon was actually two compounds. One part magic, one part science, that had to be his error. He tried giving the computer a whole new set of instructions and was rewarded with it working instead of just spitting out Antidote not found it was just working, he hoped and waited, and just couldn't believe he was doing this. Why? Was it because it was him lying there all the life sucked out of him or was it that broken look on the face of Pyra. An alternate universe where they were happy and loved each other, where this hell never happened. The whole thing seemed so unreal. How could he possibly love such a monster?
Adam and Pyra were sitting in the park and the sun was just starting to rise. He looked over at her and smiled, she didn't return the expression but he didn't seem to notice.
"Isn't it beautiful?" He asks and she shakes her head sadly. The sun disappears as Adam sinks into the depths of blackness. His only comfort is that Pyra is still at his side.
The lightning bolt that hits the other Pyra directly in the chest shocks everyone except our Pyra who has a I told you so expression. At first all they see is the girl being thrown back. She had been sitting at the top of the steps cross legged, watching the aftermath of Sana and Pyra's awakening to save Matt. She still had the same uninterested look on her face which was customary for her. She stood looking at the damages of her clothes, besides that she was fine and she looked around for the source. Sana appears in front of her and has her by the throat. Her blue eyes look like hate filled pools. Her white blond hair swaying behind her, she looks perfect. From her white toga like garment, to the silver crown on her head. It had a blue stone in its center that looked like an evil eye. Pyra didn't like the looks of it as the other Pyra squirmed in Sana's grip.
"But we . . .we saw she was dead!" the other Mike says.
You saw a lot didn't you? Well you fools. I am immortal there is no end to me.
"All talk no matter what universe that doesn't seem to change huh you pompous loud mouth bitch?" Pyra asks Sana is so startled she drops the other Pyra who falls to the floor sputtering to get air into her lungs. She had never actually realized there were two of them, she just thought Pyra had used bilocation. But the voice was different even the power was different. Thankfully weaker than the girl she was seconds from killing.
"I know your secret," Pyra says with a sinister smile.
You know nothing you imbecilic mortal.
Pyra looks at Sana and rips off her pendant. She throws it up into the air and it becomes a fiery model of a bird. It speeds off towards the Atlantic and quickly vanishes. Sana looks and laughs at the tiny bird. Little does she know of the birds mission. It arrives in England in under a minute. It dives into the same cave the new Sana emerged from moments before. It sets Sana's bones ablaze and the evil magic that made her what she is can't take the good of the Phoenix. The bones that have survived millennia are nothing but a pile of ashes. Pyra blows air over her hand then waves it around like she is spreading dust as across the ocean the flame bird does the same as the ashes of Sana are lost in the wind.
Sana has no idea what has been done as she turns her back on our Pyra feeling no danger from her and getting ready to attack the other Pyra. She gets a tap on the shoulder and a flaming fist breaks her nose and imbeds cartilage into her brain. A deadly blow to a normal human it enrages Sana.. Sana lifts her body off the floor wiping her bloody nose with the back of her hand as the Phoenix pendant lands in its place on Pyra's neck. Sana can sense a new power building in Pyra that is making her stronger by the second. The second she takes to regain her footing, Pyra uses a powerful roundhouse kick on the witch.
When Sana stands again she touches the crown and a blue beam hits our Pyra trapping her in ice. Eye of winter, locked in ice, frozen in fear, no fire can fight, no warmth to feed to soul. Flame dies as ice shows its might.
Sana then turns to Pyra, who is still confused on how Sana is alive. Sana takes a step towards her and is hit with an ace. She takes the glowing card and looks at it as it explodes in her hand doing nothing to harm her.
"Run!" Our Jeff yells at Pyra as the ice block holding our Pyra explodes outward. She is looking at Sana as the process that started in the ice continues. The back of her shirt tears as she grows wings. Her hair is red orange and yellow and her skin looks oiled with a golden glow. Her eyes look like painted glass as her pendant shines with a great light. Harmless to everyone else Sana shields her eyes in pain.
The other Jeff comes too and thinks he sees an angel. When he sees Sana he wants to pass out again. Its worse when he sees Matt lying there on the stretcher, he holds back a scream as he looks at his brother. He goes to his side and is over joyed to see that he's breathing. He doesn't see any new wounds on him wonders what's wrong with him. Everyone is watching Pyra as she walks over to Sana. Jeff sees her lift a taloned hand and watches her stick it directly into Sana's chest and rip out her still beating heart. Pyra looks at it like it shouldn't be there anyway as Sana falls dead. The heart burns in her hand and she turns Sana into a pile of ashes. A black cloud emerges and disappears in the wind. Sana's eternal night vanishes with her as the sun starts to rise in the distance. Jc is the first to realize that Pyra wings and all is starring at her hand and shaking.
JC walks over to her glad to be away from his other self. The boy hadn't said a single word. He knew how quite he could get but he was just creepy. The most communication he had gotten out of him was when he woke out and JC asked if he was okay. He had nodded then turned away from JC like he was ashamed of something. He wished he knew what was wrong with himself. Someone had beat him to Pyra, oh Lucky. That cat had disappeared and reappeared, where had he gone. He walks past Mystic who is holding Jeff's hand and he knows its his Mystic as the other one and Nausi get an explanation from the Mikes about the other Matt. Nausi looked at the other Matt and though she knew he would be fine hugged her own Matt tighter. The other Pyra was gone and JC could care less. That girl really was dumb, she just stood there the entire time until Jeff told her to run she probably hadn't stopped or something equally as stupid.
JC realized then how angry he was about all of this. How he could have been fooled by that stupid girl. How even in an alternate universe he couldn't have the one thing he wanted. He was taking forever to walk to Pyra and he realized sadly why he was. She wouldn't want to be comforted and this was one of the times when she scared him. Her eyes were lifeless, and even Lucky had sat down on the floor away from Pyra and was just starring at her. She didn't look like the girl he shared a house with she didn't even look human. Again he looked at her eyes and he realized she was looking at him. Those glassy eyes were gone instead he saw his roommate, she took a step and everything faded away until just Pyra was standing there still looking at her bloody hand. He took the last few steps in one large stride and gave her a hug. "I still want to die," she whispered.
"What?" he asked hoping he heard her wrong.
"It didn't help, it wasn't sweet, it was just there. Its not fair!" Pyra says pushing out of the hug. "You know what his last thought was? I still thought he was talking, I'm not scared you can do anything. Anything except that! Why not?!">
"Poison, specially made for the two of you, or anything remotely magical, it would kill any of us. Even you." JC explains.
"Poison, poor Romeo. Anyone have a spare dagger."
"You can't be serious! You can't kill yourself!" that exclamation gets everyone's attention.
"Actually I can't, weird huh? Suicide just won't work."
JC didn't even want to know how she knew that. The fact that she did was scary enough. He looks at her and realized she had never lost the wings or anything else. Her eyes looked like glass to him again and he felt that he lost her. He wished for anything but that empty look.
Why wouldn't she cry, she had done it before. He hadn't believed his eyes. He had come into her room to give her, her VMA which had just been delivered. He had knocked to make sure Kevin wasn't there and when he opened the door she was sitting there, the curtains were closed but he could make her out and the absence of anyone else. He had opened it and presented the award to find her sitting there crying silently. In that entire time he sat on the bed telling her to let it out and not worry about his shirt, he never even asked what it was. Later he had assumed it was breaking up with Kevin, when he had found out about Lance and that note, he could have killed his band mate. At the time he thought the only thing that could invoke that kind of rage were the words 'Jason Williams'. Well he didn't see Lance for a while and Pyra had gotten to Adam finally. Adam the love of her past, present, and supposed future. No one ever got what they wanted, life was an evil trick.
? 8 e
Adam was giving poor Shane a drink as the sun rose. He had woken up in the cave coughing and sputtering. He had hoarsely called out to someone. Adam had given him the water and filled him in on the doubles. Shane had asked if he was there and been startled to hear he wasn't but Shannon was. Shane laughed despite the pain it caused him when he told him about him and Pyra.
"You and her? What's next You and Nausi?" Shane asks as the computer pings. Adam watches as it pours out two separate liquids. He excuses himself from Shane, looks at the screen then takes the two liquids. He goes outside and sees the sun rising and almost cries with joy. That has to be a good sign, he goes back downstairs and takes Shane upstairs to show him the sun.
"So this is a good sign, right."
"The best sign," Adam says as his friend regains some of his vigor and life.
"Oh! I have to go."
"Wait! I'm coming too, something good has to have happened."
"But you can barely walk," Adam starts then just picks up Shane and is in lower Manhattan in about two minutes. The first thing they pass is the massacre of the demons and monsters. And Adam wonders how they can be so perfectly arranged. He then sees the little boy who he had cut laughing with an older woman he assumes to be his mother. They are in ecstatic celebration and he realizes the same is true all around them. Everyone was celebrating, except in a corner there stood a girl who was neither happy nor sad she was just watching everyone celebrate though no one seemed to notice her. The fact that it took him a while to realize it was Pyra made him know she was using some kind of magic to stay unnoticed. Shane was watching the scene too and didn't seem to notice her either. He walked at a normal pace and realized Shane couldn't even keep up with that. He half carried him to City Hall, where he saw Pyra wings and all surrounded by one set of friends as the other set was around Matt who still hadn't woken up.
Pyra caught his eye and she stared at him. She couldn't seem to stop. JC followed her eyes and saw the tanless Adam. His heart is breaking for her but he couldn't do anything to bring Adam back. With a sudden swift motion Pyra turned away from the other Adam and just stared at the castle. Lucky was a cat again and was padding around his legs and JC gave in and picked him up.
"Come on do something," Lucky says and JC shakes his head. Nothing he says will help Pyra. She had to get out of this funk and she had to know they would all be there for her.
Nausi looks at the other Matt and back at her own and gets an idea. She pulls Matt aside not wanting to deal with Pyra's weirdness anyway. She felt bad for her (even if she didn't like Adam) but this wasn't productive. She knew enough psychology to know this was a defense mechanism that could lead to no good. Some psychologist Pyra was, she was going crazy.
"Come on just give your self a little zap," Nausi says pulling him closer. Matt shrugs and takes his doubles hand and gives it a little jolt. Nausi waves for him to do it more and he does and the little hair Matt has starts to stand on its end. He stops and in a few more seconds Matt opens his eyes. He's sitting up and sees himself and blinks as everything comes flooding back. Wow he was tired, he sat up and looked sadly at his double's arms around Nausi and turned to his Nausi who was inspecting the wheel chair Mike had drawn for Shane. She hadn't even acknowlAdamd him, everyone seemed happy except him and JC, who was looking towards himself. His Mystic had been starring at Adam who was hovering over himself. Lying in a pool of his own dried blood.
Adam had finally found a solution. He was pouring the first half into Adam's wound now. There was a strange hissing noise as his heart healed and the skin closed. He poured the second solution into his mouth then gnashed his wrist and had the blood pour into his mouth. Adam realizes he should have fed before doing this but knows he will be okay, biting people gave him a strength that pigs blood never had such an effect and the parasites were good for nothing anyway.
Adam was being pulled, by something. The blackness was fading, and he was slowly starting to feel his body parts again. Something was flowing into his mouth, it tasted so familiar and he wanted more, he still didn't even have the strength to open his eyes. He was starting to feel pain, agony even, his chest was burning.
Adam wouldn't be able to keep this up. He was wrong he wasn't this strong. But someone had just taken his hand. Mystic? Oh it was the other one. He guessed she had seen what he was doing. He wondered why Pyra wasn't helping him, she had looked ready to move heaven and earth for him.
"She has problems," was her response to his thoughts. Funny how this Mystic still had that weird sense of humor her and Nausi used to share. In the little time he had gotten to know the two of them before this, he realized they had their own language. Mystic laughed as she invaded his thoughts again. All of a sudden Adam lurched violently. He grabbed Adam's hand as he opened his eyes which blazed red with hunger. For ever gulp of blood Adam took Mystic seem to give the other Adam two more until finally, Adam pushed the hand away.
"What happened? Was I sleeping?" Adam asks Mystic who smacks him on the head. "Why are you here?" Adam asks himself.
"Do you know what happened to you?" Adam shakes his head.
"I was . . .sitting on the beach . . . no that's not right. . .I was . . . " Adam stammers.
The other Adam loses patience with himself. He hopes he's not this dim, "you were shot by a poison arrow strong enough to kill you a hundred times over if you were alive to begin with. Your just lucky it was specially designed for Sana and Pyra." The other Adam doesn't seem to notice how scared Adam gets.
"She's fine, well she's still alive I don't know about fine," Mystic says truthfully. Adam frowns as he tries to stand and a searing pain grips him in the chest.
"You need some food. I'll bring you someone," the other Adam says.
"A person?" Adam asks horrified.
"I guess not, God you would think I said bite your mother or something," Adam says. "What do you eat then?"
"I'm not always a vampire," Adan says.
"Butcher shop pigs blood," Mystic says and the other Adam looks ready to gag.
"Look I'll be fine, where's Pyra?"
Mystic just points as Adam stands, he easily sees over the short Mystic to where Lucy and Jc were standing. He scans past the rubble and something with red orange and yellow wings. Adam turns back and slowly starts walking to Pyra. Mystic gets annoyed at the slow motion and orbs him next to JC. JC is stunned into silence as Adam puts an arm around Pyra. She tosses him over her onto the floor face first.
"Ow. That had to hurt," the other Adam says.
"Okay so I didn't know it wasn't you, you don't have to beat me up for it," Adam says dusting off what is left of his blue t-shirt. Pyra looks at him and gives him a hug that makes him bite back a scream from the pain in his chest. She gives him a kiss then smacks him.
"You didn't know?! My cat knew and you didn't?!" Pyra starts beating him on the shoulders.
"I'm sorry, she didn't say much you never say much," Adam says.
"I don't say much?" Pyra yells. "I'll give you much." The stream of obscenities that follow are too offensive to type. Pyra then sinks to the floor laughing and Adam wonders if his girlfriend is losing her mind. He turns to JC who shrugs.
? 9 e
After that initial emotional roller coaster, Pyra had sobered to a blank face mute sitting in Adam's lap as everyone had gathered in JC's bat cave. She had finally gotten rid of the wings and was in a ratty pair of black flares and a red shirt. Mike had drawn up some chairs and they were sitting in a circle. Our Jeff and JC were on either side of Mystic and next to Jeff was Shannon followed by the other Jeff, our Nausi, Matt, and Mike, followed by the other Nausi, Mike, Matt, Shane. Pyra and Adam sharing a chair, next to Lucky who got a kitty stool, next to the other JC. The circle is completed by the other Mystic and Adam. Separating Adam from JC is an empty stool.
Mike looks at Pyra and Adam then back at the empty stool. Pyra looks right at the stool and its set on fire or so Mike thinks. In actuality Pyra just flamed her double into the chair. She looks at Pyra and nods to her.
"Bite me." Pyra mutters and Adam whispers something to her that calms her down and brings her back into her own world.
Lucky is entertaining himself by prodding the other JC with a paw. He keeps on poking until JC lifts one of the daggers on the far side of the room and aims it for Lucky.
"Pyra!" Lucky yells and she turns to her pet. She turns the knife into a fish and Lucky starts munching away. Pyra realizes how everyone is looking at the food and she congers up a feast fit for thanksgiving. If thanksgiving was a merger of fast food places. Food from Burger King, McDonalds, Taco Bell, and BBQ's cover a table. The doubles dig in without a second thought except for Adam and Shane who still can't take much. Pyra gives him a bowl of chicken broth and a bubbling mug for the other Adam. He raises it like a toast as the other Pyra stares at the food in wonder.
Pyra pops Nausi a diet coke with no ice and some taco's. She gives Mystic Burger king Fries (that weren't just made) and a medium coke and leaves everyone else to choose their own food. Between bites Shannon asks Pyra who isn't eating what happened to her when she arrived in the alternate universe.
"Oh I got a nice, warm welcome from albino Adam over there," Pyra says giving him an annoyed look. She then waves a screen over their heads and shows everything compressed like a movie.
While they are watching the screen and eating Pyra uses the time to notice the differences between her friends and their doubles. The first thing she notices is that all the doubles are paler, so that's what three years without the sun does. She looks at herself and the pink dress (eww!) the brown hair and just shakes her head. Funny how that thing had a bright happy look about her, and she always looked ready for a funeral. Don't judge a book by its cover. Pyra turned to Adam who was just watching the movie. Once she got past the buzz cut and the albinoness, he was pretty much the same in appearance. That's when Pyra realizes his tattoo is missing. She looks at her Adam's arm to make sure she's looking at the right one then shrugs. Her Adam doesn't notice watching the scene where she is about to be grabbed by Jerky and Christian.
JC, wow Pyra couldn't believe she had't noticed it before. His hair was long and brown, longer than our JC's, and he was way buffer, but his cheeks still sunk in a little giving him that starved look. Some things would never change. She noticed that he was eating his food really weirdly and something was off about his mouth and the way he chewed but, she decided she was starring too long. She looked at the other Mike who seem to be the only one who recalled what a hair cut was. His hair was short and Jet black and fell neatly even though there was no gel in it. The other Matt, eww. He was bald in some parts and looked like he had half an inch of hair everywhere else. Pyra couldn't stand the way it looked and flamed a hat on his head. He looks over at her and looks like he wants to say something but instead stops and turns back to the food and screen. The other Mystic's hair was so straight it looked like it must hurt to keep it like that. Like she had brown sheets of paper for hair. Her cheeks looked even pinker because she was so white. She was looking at Shane who had the same long hair their Shane used to have.
Pyra looked at Jeff and couldn't get over how normal he looked. Long blond hair, not a tattoo, or piercing in sight, his clothes were even a normal style, blue jeans, black sneakers, and a black shirt. Of course he was ghostly pale. Looking like he could be lighter than Adam. Pyra had to admit she wasn't surprised, Jeff was pale in July. So what if she was tempted to hold a piece of chalk next to him and see which was whiter. Lastly she looked at Nausi. She had her hair cut so very straight. The word split end was not in the vocabulary of her just over the shoulder length hair. Pyra realized then that Nausi wasn't dressed right. All black and Nausi didn't happen. She reaches for a taco and Pyra sees the Adam of what can only be a tattoo under her long sleeved shirt.
"Did you know?" the other Matt asks as the scene in front of the mirror starts to play. The confused look on Pyra's face has him elaborate. "That I was watching you."
"That's disgusting!" Adam yells.
"Matt that's sick," our Mystic says.
"It was your plan," Matt says.
"Matt I'm over here," the other Mystic says. He looks and shrugs.
"But Pearl Jam?"
"The first time I saw it I thought he shot the class, but it was himself, so I switched to drowning."
"Backstreet?" Mystic asks surprised.
"No Adema." At that everyone goes back to watching the movie. Adam finally understands Pyra's strange reaction to him. He holds her tighter as he sees her screaming over his dead body. She turns away from everyone as the last few minutes play again. When its over Pyra points to herself and to the screen. The double starts showing what happened to her when she landed in Pyra's dimension. Unlike Pyra's version there's sound. Pyra is just listening until Lucky says "My virgin eyes." She turns and catches the tail end of Adam and Pyra's kiss. Before she can say anything Adam kisses her. After wards she is ignoring the movie with her only reaction being to give Lucky some shrimp when he runs away from the other Pyra.
"See unlike your dumb blond boyfriend I know who you are," Lucky says as Adam glares at him. Lucky returns the glare and sticks up a paw. Adam doesn't follow until just his middle claw is exposed.
"Come to bed . . ." rewind sound . . ."come to bed . . ." rewind sound. "come to . . ." Bed is drowned out by the fact that most of the things on the table burst into flames. Mystic laughs a little as she makes the remote she had appear in her hand disappear.
Adam had turned himself into a mist and was floating away from Pyra as fast as he could. More things blew up as he floated higher.
"Sit down!" Adam falls into the chair completely solid as Pyra stands in front of him. "Do I look like a heartless pink wearing, never had parents, illiterate retard?!"
"She . . ." Adam stammers and Pyra silences him.
"You were going to take her to my bed . . ."
"Yeah I would kick his ass," Lucky says. Pyra whacks Adam in the chest directly where he was shot, if he still had a voice the scream would have echoed off the walls. Pyra doesn't notice or doesn't care.
"Do you think she's anything like me? How could you? Is it just that simple for you . . ."
Adam is frantically trying to explain, but getting nowhere because his voice is gone. The screen was on pause and he wished he knew why. If only it had kept going a little longer, she would know nothing happened. Funny how he was almost getting used to these tantrums. He hardly heard what Pyra was screaming at him, maybe she really did need some anger management. Then again he seemed to usually be the center of whatever was pissing her off. At least she could never really stay mad at him. Not once he. . .
Pyra was about to smack him again, he used his vampire speed to grab both hands and stands. He gives her a kiss before letting her arms go. But he doesn't stop just wrapping his hands around her waist.
"Fudging Freaks!" our Nausi exclaims.
It worked Pyra was wrapping her arms around him. Man he was lucky, always fun to make up with Pyra. Even if he rarely fought back. They really should stop now they had quite an audience. One more kiss right after this one. . . maybe one more. . .okay he really would stop right after this one. Aw to hell with it, he wasn't going to stop.
The other Mystic put a stop to them hosing them down with cold water. Pyra sputters as she and Adam draw apart. She dries herself and Adam.
"I just can't stay mad at you its not fair," Pyra says and Adam grins.
"Do you two have any shame?". Adam asks.
"No they don't, try living with them," JC says. "Love you too Josh," Pyra replies sitting back down. She realizes that Mystic is holding a remote control and zaps her with mad frizzy and curly hair. JC and Jeff start laughing and Mystic orbs a mirror into her hand and shrieks in disgust. She points Pyra into the same pink dress her double is wearing.
"Oh no you didn't!"
"Yes, yes I did!" Pyra and Mystic aim at each other and the magic meets at the center of the room and fizzles out. They do it again with the same annoying result. They fix themselves up and sit back down muttering to themselves that it wasn't really a draw and they could have beaten the other.
"If you say so," Adam says.
"Do you want to keep your voice?" Pyra asks as Mystic turns to herself.
"So who am I with here?"
"Shane, where is yours?"
"Shane?!" Mystic exclaims. Mystic nods and points to her other self and in the process shows off a ring. "You're married?"
"No this is just a ring JC gave me I wanted to know about you. Who are you with?" "Jeff."
"Me? Not JC?"
"We're just friends," JC says.
"Me and Mystic that's a trip," Jeff says.
"And we all know who Nausi is with," Shannon says.
"I'm single," The other Nausi says matter of factly.
"That's sick," Mystic says.
No one had noticed that the other Matt had stopped eating at Nausi's statement. He was staring blankly ahead, thinking, trying to figure out when it had all gone so wrong, they had been fine even in all this horror. He had fought at her side time and time again, like a regular man. His power usually worthless against Sana and too dangerous to use on a battle field. It always rained at battles. He and Sana shared the increase in power the rain brought, so at the head of her demon army, it thundered and poured.
Nausi reached for a napkin and he saw what to all looked like a tattoo. Sana had tried a lot to get rid of them. Trying to steal her cards, was the worst thing she had done to Nausi in his opinion. She had killed that strange pet thing Nausi had. And for a brief moment had posession of the cards. But without the key she could do nothing. Not truly knowing their power she kept them on a stand in her grand chamber along with her books. She kept them to keep them from Nausi. Little did she know of Nausi's other more deadly power.
She had been enraged when he forbid her to go after the cards. She told him to go to hell and had transformed into Sailor Saturn on the spot. When he stood to block her exit she had pointed that staff at his throat and ordered him to move. He had, and she had been followed by Adam who had been outside eating someone had followed her who had in turn been followed by JC. He had foolishly stayed back and she probably would never forgive him for that.
JC had been captured in the mealy of Nausi's attack on the palace. Adam had used his misting power to get the cards as Nausi was defending herself with her silence wall. Adam had presented them to her once they had gotten away, Matt had seen that she had hugged him. She hated Adam, well hate was strong maybe thought he was greatly annoying. That night Mystic had given her, her tattoo actually the design on the back of the Clow cards. He had never gotten her to explain to her how it worked. He just knew touching her arm in a certain way freed the cards/ That morning they had learned of JC's disappearance. Neither Nausi or Adam had noticed him or when he had been captured. Poor guy it had been almost two years since he spoke.
Pyra was starring at the other Matt, with her mind control power all out of whack she had heard everything. She felt bad for him. Matt should be with Nausi. She also wondered why she wasn't with Mike then. Then again he could have been in that castle a really long time. Who knew Matt had gone to thinking about all their good times together and Nausi was wondering if there were more tacos. Pyra popped some up with some desserts. The doubles didn't seem anywhere near stopping. What did these people eat?
Pyra had picked up a Oreo ice cream cake and taken a bite out of it getting brain freeze. She had put it down in annoyance and took some Jello instead which she really liked. She like it so much she flamed some into her hand. The other Adam was starring at Adam and Pyra. Adam had just started to feed her chocolate cake. Man they were sure into each other. He had seen that first hand. He wondered if they would have stopped without Mystic's downpour.
Though he couldn't figure how or why he would put up with a girl like that. He wouldn't be able to take the abuse without hitting her back or yelling back. Even if he had slept with the other one. You can't cheat on a person with that person. It wasn't even like it was a twin. What did she expect some super sense that said it wasn't her? No doubt about he didn't care what universe he didn't like Pyra.
What was she doing now? She had put a hand on his chest and a golden glow was coming out of it. What was that sound. It was a thumping that was getting louder and stronger, his heart beat, unbelievable, but her Adam was human again. Was it really that simple? He wondered if he would even want to be human again. He wasn't sure, he could go out into daylight and he was near immortal. No he was just fine the way he was.
"Um, do you mind?" Adam asks noticing himself starring.
"Sorry, can I ask you something?"
"Sure," Adam says as Pyra starts to fall asleep.
"How can you put up with her? I would have slapped her a long time ago."
Adam laughs and looks down at his sleeping girlfriend. Strange question he didn't see Pyra as something he had to put up with. And the idea of hitting her was outrageous. "Well, she's not really at her best right now. She's very carefree, so things like this kind of rip her up inside. She'll be back to normal in a couple days. If there aren't any nightmares." Adam says.
"Nightmares?" Adam shakes his head like it isn't something he wants to discuss. The other JC had also been listening to this exchange. And Lucky finally asked the question everyone wanted to.
"Okay dude! Yes look at the cat, I talk do you?" JC shakes his head. "Did they cut out your tongue or something?"
JC sticks out his tongue at Lucky and the cat is no longer interested. Quite full he curls up to go to sleep.
"Why not?" Pyra asks awake again. Just think it Pyra says finally using the power gone mad for something.
She sees JC chained up to a wall he looks horrible and Sana is laughing.
Fool you refuse to speak. You refuse to tell me the truth so I say. The next time you speak be it lie or truth, I say you'll destroy the one you love most. A whisper a scream a yell. You'll banish their soul to hell. She had then laughed hysterically as she was frozen by Nausi. She hadn't stayed long they had broken the chains and she was free. The problem was you couldn't orb inside the castle. Shannon had carried him out and they had all instantly been orbed away to his cave. He was scared and it didn't help that the first person he had seen had been Mystic. She hugged him right before he passed out. He had never even bothered to correct them when they said it was Pyra who had done it.
"Dear God, that's just evil," Pyra says looking at JC and turning to the other Mystic. "Hey you in that pink monstrosity. "Do you know how to reverse Sana's spells?"
"I believe so."
"No this isn't an I believe so or I would do it. You have to be sure about this," Pyra says.
"If I hear the spell I will," Other Pyra says.
"The next time you speak be it lie or truth I say you'll destroy the one you love most. A whisper a scream a yell you'll banish their soul to hell."
The other Pyra looks at Pyra confused. "Why would that happen? I don't love anyone and that's not a spell. I thought you were going to tell me the spell that was cast on him."
"That was it."
"Are you an imbecile? I said that is not a spell, the words are all wrong. The flow is wrong. For that to be a spell you would have to say, speaking in truth or lie you condemn your loves soul to die speaking in a whisper scream or yell you'll send their soul to hell. You never place yourself in a spell that is not being cast on yourself. It's a novice's mistake. If Sana told you that she did it to torment you, knowing the greatest pain would be learning it wasn't true. But also know you'd never risk trying to find out. She thought it was fun."
The other JC couldn't have been more upset. He felt like an idiot. Not a word in two years all for nothing. He had never even written what was wrong for fear it could do something to hurt Mystic and it had all been done for fun. He had to get away from all these prying eyes. He got up and ran. He ran out of the cave as fast as he could ignoring Pyra's calls. The other Mystic looked at his chair and shakes her head.
"Stupid."
"Stupid!" Pyra roars. "The boy spends two years a mute because he thinks he'll kill you and all you can say is stupid?! You're a bitch you know that?" Pyra says as JC goes after himself.
"Me? What are you talking about? JC doesn't love me," Mystic says and Pyra falls off of Adam. He picks her back up.
"Two things come out of that boys head loud and clear, if he talks he'll kill the one he loves most and he'd die if he lost Mystic. Is there another Mystic I should know of?"
"Really? But he never ever said anything." Mystic says more to herself.
"Cause he wouldn't talk?"
"No before that."
Shane was looking at his girlfriend expectedly. Hoping he wasn't watching her slip away as she spoke. Even Jeff had said it. He had always wondered why Mystic was blind to JC's affections, but decided she didn't return the feelings so acted like they didn't exist. Could it be possible that in all this time she actually didn't know? The boy would jump in front of Sana a dozen times for her. He stared at her for hours when she slept, he had never said anything because JC was someone who respected relationships too much to go behind his back. Cheating was against his nature.
Pyra grabs her head screaming. "Josh shut up!" She yells. "Go up there, the boy wants to kill himself." The other Mystic goes orbing out of the cave. ? 10 e
Outside JC is having a tug of war with himself with is trying to stab himself through the heart. The dagger is bouncing back and forth in the air between them. Mystic appears and throws herself into his arms.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't know," She says and starts crying. He hugs her back and the knife flies back so hard it almost hits JC. He doges and it goes into a wall. He turns back to Mystic and the other JC and he was crying too. He still hadn't said anything but she wanted to kiss him he kept turning his head away.
"What is it?"
Sh . . .Shane," JC says hoarsely.
JC turned at a crinkling noise and it was Shane who had finally made his way to the ruins of the house over the cave. The others had noticed him too. He blew her a kiss and waved goodbye then turned back around. He didn't go back to the cave he just sat out on what would be a lawn if they had had sun in the last three years. Now it was just a patch of dirt. He looked at the bright blue and realized his eyes couldn't take the light. He went back down into the cave but sat away from everyone else.
The next person to return was our JC he was smiling so everyone knew it was okay. He took his seat again and looked at Mystic. She asked him if the other JC was okay and he nodded as he and Mystic came down the stairs holding hands. The other Mike whistled and JC turned red. This JC apparently hadn't gotten used to attention, he just got even redder as everyone of the doubles tried to talk to him at once.
"Hey back off!" Mystic says. "He's all mine!"
"That sounds like a Mystic I know and love. But she wouldn't stop at staking a claim in Josh, there are always more guys," Pyra says.
"Yo Pyra. You gonna stay here forever?" Nausi asks.
"Yeah we have lives to live. Jobs at some point," Shannon says.
"Hey what do we do?" Shane asks.
"What don't we do. JC is the easiest. Josh known by the entire world as 1/5 of *Nsync, the world second best boy band."
"What's a boy band? Who's the best then?" The other Mystic asks.
"Don't listen to Pyra she's so biased. She thinks the Backstreet boys are so great, but they didn't sell 2.4 million cd's in a week did they, breaking who's record oh the Backstreet boys," Nausi says.
"We'll let them decide, and I'll feature JC's many solo's over the years." Pyra starts with her favorite JC moment of all .time, the Drive Myself Crazy video.
"Aw, Pyra did you have to show this one?" JC asks as his other self and Mystic watch in JC aw. She goes over to Bye, Bye, Bye, and Its gonna be Me and closes off with Girlfriend (remix). She then just shows part of the call and I want it that way and smirks at the way the other Mystic is looking at Nick.
"I like them," Mystic says.
"They seemed gay," the other Adam says.
"Hush you damn Albino." Pyra says.
"You never did answer my question, what do we do?" Shane asks.
"Stand back there's a hurricane coming through . . ." Shane's entrance video plays followed by the Hardyz. Mystic still being a trouble maker throws in the 'Kiss' but it back fires.
"Ew! I kissed a guy, why?" Pyra , Mystic, and Nausi start laughing.
"That wasn't a guy that was Amy, also know as Lita." Matt says sternly.
"Don't they hire good looking girls?" Matt asks.
"Maybe this would qualify," Pyra says starting Nausi's highlight reel. Followed by Mystic's and lastly's Adam's My sacrifice thing since Pyra is in it also. She throws in Shannon's hoping it doesn't bother them. For Mike she plays part of their video for papercut. She shows a commercial for Rush Hour 3 and Queen of the Damned and ends with the winter Olympics.
"Aren't you girls a busy bunch," Shane says.
"Indeed," Mystic replies.
"So . . . I'm Famous?" JC whispers.
"Your face is the last thing millions of girls see at night. You're a freaking doll."
"Marionette," JC corrects.
"So I'm crazy huh?" Jeff asks. "Or do you just like pain."
"Pain is only a four letter word," says editing his own quote.
"So's dumb," Adam says.
"Hey Jeff is adored by his own brand of girls, hey some of them might adore JC too."
"You shouldn't be talking Adam, I saw that guy stick his butt in your face and that was a huge butt," (damn you Mystic) Jeff says.
Pyra stands and makes a glowing white light and throws it at herself. It hits her on the head and she blinks. She puts down her Jello and starts looking at Pyra surprised.
"Thank you."
"God I did that for myself I can't believe I was illiterate, I know I can't spell but geez." Pyra says.
Pyra Makes another light but it goes up through the cave and plants itself like the weirdest seed ever. Pyra hopes they enjoy it when it finally does bloom. The phone rings and the doubles are so shocked they don't move and Matt answers it. He nods saying yes every once in a while then hangs up.
"The capital is melting, the sun is rising and communications are back up, the world is in celebration, you guys are hero's and we're coming home. They said some other stuff but that was the basics of it." Matt says. "Oh we being Chester and Apolo."
"Okay we really should go now," Pyra says and everyone from her world stands. Followed by the doubles. They separated themselves into two groups. And Pyra's group looked at her.
"You do know I don't know that spell and trying to take myself home got me nowhere."
"I'll do it," The other Pyra says.
"I don't know . . ." Nausi starts.
"A hole I tear in space in time
Where I land I'm already there
I send myself here
A new universe I make mine
And leave this hell behind
Where joy can fill my hate
No sadness to tear it apart," the worm hole opens and Pyra is the first to step through holding on to Adam with Lucky still asleep in her arms. They are followed by JC, Mystic, Mike, Jeff, Matt is about to step through when Nausi runs over to the other and gives him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Then she pulls off the hat Pyra had flamed and rubbed his head. Matt almost faints with glee because he feels more hair then he's ever felt on his head He feels a fuzz growing on his head.. Not to mention Nausi just hugged him and his Nausi looked jealous.
"Why'd you do that?" Matt asks as Nausi returns.
"Yes Matt I cheated on you with you."
They step through and Shannon is about to go through and turns to Jeff, "okay I'd like to say something realty cool but that isn't my thing, you really should try to be happy, I wouldn't want this. Like you say Live for the moment." Shannon follows it up with the rocker peace symbol.
They all appear in Pyra's living room and everyone except Pyra Adam and JC leave since they want to go home. JC runs into the bathroom on the first floor and Pyra sits on the couch next to Adam. He turns to kiss her then pulls away.
"Did you yawn? Did you actually yawn?"
"Yeah I may just fall asleep here."
"Just for that I'm keeping you awake all night right here," Pyra tries to push him away.
"Stop JC will be out of the bathroom," Pyra shrieks. "No stop!"
The front door flies open and Adam flies over the counter and slams into the stove. At the door stood a shocking site. Noah was crackling blue energy. Adam jumped over the counter but was held back by Pyra's arm.
"Noah?!" Pyra exclaims.
"A vampire? How the hell did it happen?"
"What? What on earth how did you . . ." Pyra starts, and Adam taps her and points to the top of the of the stairs. There at the top of the stairs holding a pudgy baby and looking pregnant again coming down the stairs is her.
"Aw crap that stupid girl." Just then Josh comes out of the bathroom. "JC! Dude! This is so cool, what are you doing in my house?" Pyra says sounding like such a teeny bopper JC smiles and Pyra rolls her eyes.
"Who are you people? Tell me now or I call the police."
"Noah shut up or I'll let him go," Pyra says about Adam who's still growling at the other blond but couldn't get past Pyra's arm on his own. Mystic, Nausi, Matt, Jeff, Shannon, and Mike walk in.
"Pyra! I knew that girl shouldn't cast the spell, we don't even live over there," Nausi says.
"I noticed," Pyra says pointing to herself who gave Noah the baby and has JC signing a poster.
She looks over at them and grins in glee. Being pregnant was so boring and she never met anyone famous before, Noah didn't want her to work and she had to take care of their other son anyway. A babysitter couldn't be trusted with a baby who could flood the house in a crying fit. And now she was meeting wrestlers and Mike Shinoda. The best part had to be seeing Adam live and in person he was so cute even if he was a vampire.
"Wait why don't you know them? Didn't you go to the same high school?" Pyra asks.
"Brooklyn Tech? I was an hour late for the test, I never took it. I went to Bishop Loughlin."
"Okay, this is not turning into an episode of Sliders. We're going home, Mystic you do it," Nausi says.
The portal opens up in Pyra's living room again and she looks around and looks at Mystic. Part of on of the walls is missing. The area by the door is charred black. And there are still a few small puddles on the floor.
"Uh, my living room isn't a war zone," Pyra says.
"Sorry but it is," JC says.
"What?!"
"That other you is crazy ," Lucky says.
"You know what I don't care," Pyra climbs the stairs and Lucky follows when he sees his kitty bed covered it soot and water.
After telling everyone bye and making sure that they are really home this time Adam and JC head up to bed. Even though it's the wee hours of the morning. Adam walks into Pyra's room and sees her asleep on the bed holding Lucky like a teddy bear. He picks the cat up and puts it on the bean bag chair and settles to sleep next to his girlfriend.


The End