Come together: Rebirth

[Darkchilde]

Sanctum Sanctorum- Otherplace

"I've bested Ororo more than once. And it doesn't matter. It appears my legacy is to be of some kind of service to Limbo. There's no way to know what will be required in terms of my relationship with humanity. I know myself. I may not belong in Limbo, but I certainly don't belong on Earth."

<< Darkchilde lifted her eyebrow as she eyed her evil incarnate. he seemed to have developed a very antagonistic relationship with Ororo since the days of the Masters of Evil.>>

Why, Brenthon, you almost sound jealous/competitive. Not unlike the days in the MoE, when you showed how petty you could be with Alessandra. But there is a world of difference between Ororo and Alessandra. And one day, you will mess with the wrong weather witch, and be turned into a pile of dead leaves.

<< Brenthon took himself SO SERIOUSLY sometimes, he'd been like that since she first found him>>

"I don't remember Persephone being a woman who didn't know what her options were. I remember her as someone who was guided by her passion. Still, I refuse to believe that anything she's gotten herself into she can't handle. If it truly worries you this deeply, I will keep an eye out."

She could lose herself in her passion, from to time. YOU were responsible for that, on more than one occasion.

<< Smirking a bit from memories>>

<<FLASH!>>

<< Persephone was utterly enraged, and ready to unleash an F4 TORNADO INSIDE of XS, after Brenthon not on double timed her with Moonstar, but publicly TAUNTED her. >>

<< Other lower level MoE members were fleeing from the scene when Darkchilde arrives, and TK's a PIE into Brenthon's face to give him a lesson in humility, and she then roughly escorts Persephone to a corner of the club by the crook of her arm, taking her by the arms and shaking her>>

Darkchilde: Calm down get ahold of yourself! <<SMACK!>>

I want her to remember her glory days. I want her to be back on track, back in control. Her friendship with Hecate was her anchor through so much upheaval on Olympus, and thankfully, they found their way back to each other after the last Red Moon, and then the Blue Moon.

If I am to be in her company, I want to have a clean slate. I deserve that with her.

And you shall have it!

"It is unsettling to think of Illyana as replaced, Dark Queen."

You know that in the Otherplace, all times, places and people are possible. You must focus on what's in front of you now.

"There are no words to express my gratitude. I believe your words, it's just...I do not find myself able to trust anybody but myself these days. So while I sit here and want to believe you, and struggle against the part of me that DOES believe you, I can't decide whether or not this is some kind of test and not a vision. But I decided I don't feel like figuring it out. I just want to see what happens."

Sometimes, the test is simply being able to suspend "belief" as YOU know it. Sometimes the test is simply being able to receive what is given to you with few, or no questions asked. While I AM in front of you, you are STILL in the Spellbinder's Sanctum Sanctorum, which itself is a physical house for an extension of Limbo.

You learned, many moons ago, that Limbo reflects its ruler.

This "house" is a house of magick, but it also a house of MOURNING. Even now...*I* feel the grief of the Spellbinder.

<< And it turned her stomach. Darkchilde had lost HER champion, Morpheus, during the cataclysmic battle against the original Dire Wraiths of legend. Morpheus was to her what Rampage is to Spellbinder>>

And it's times....things...like THIS that I surely do NOT miss, since evolving into my true form (that which Brenthon first saw when she appeared before him) even now, standing before you, allowing myself to wear this form that is more similar to yours, and FEELING as I do...I only want "so much" of it. I warned Persephone, when I sent her with Harbinger and the others, that I would likely never see her, or any others from my timeline again.

This once, I am happy to say you made a liar out of me.

<< Brenthon had traveled across oceans of time looking for her. That kind of devotion was UNHEARD OF in this or many other times, and as much as she wanted to take him away WITH HER, she knew that the life that she lived now was not for him. He HAD to stay here.>>

I stand before you, because all times are possible in the Otherplace, but this is not MY native timeline. Powerful as I am, I know and accept my place not only in the Trinity, but also in the overall multiverse. Part of me...wants to take you away with me, but I now occupy a space that is only meant for a few, and know you would become bored, even resentful, and...that would hurt me.


<< Regarding Black Widow>>

They are sisters, as I am now made aware. I do not wish them to fight."

I had a sister too...

<< she remembers Betrayal>>

I remember the things we used to do. I remember her losing HER way too.

<<Shaking her head>>

Sisters...siblings in general...they love, and fight, like no other. I have no interest in causing Black Widow any harm. I'll leave that for Hecate.

<< She looks away for a moment, smirking with twisted pleasure>>

Everything will be fine. the pieces are moving in the right direction, and coming together as they should. You're one of those pieces.

"I agree to your terms, but I am bound in no agreement. Thank you for the spirit of your gift. I am ready to serve where I am needed."

There are no terms, my dear Brenthon...or as it BETO these days? This not a task or a mission. This is me helping you to turn and face your next, new path, here, where you are right now.

When I leave, it is UNLIKELY we will see each other anytime soon, so you will need to form your own bond with The Spellbinder. Help her to BREAK FREE of these loops that tie her down.

<< Looking at Morgan, even from afar, was like viewing herself "through the looking glass". There were parts of Morgan that made the Darkchilde cringe. Like how much it HURT to be HUMAN. But there were other parts that Darkchilde secretly missed, such as having even ONE sister, having OTHER ..."OPTIONS".>>

<< Funny that, Darkchilde could do anything, go anywhere, any place...and yet, for all the fragility and failings that came with being tied to the earth, as Spellbinder and Amanda Sefton were...there was still something to be said about that HUMAN experience.>>

<< She reminded Brenthon of her's and Ororo's earthly roots, and for a moment, she found herself...MISSING the days of the Masters of Evil. She didn't say it aloud, but Brenthon, who began his journey with the MoE as an empath, could sense the formation of emotions that Darkchilde had long left behind, as she stood before him in this "human" form.>>

"It will not be perfect. There will be many mistakes, on both ends. But I am ready. Send me where I need to go, Darkchilde. I am ready for the next chapter."

Half the fun along the way is making mistakes. Even in the days of the masters of evil, not everything was perfect. Goddess knows you were messy enough for ALL of us in the Masters of Evil. You, Persephone, Alessandra, even that....Arkaine, who tried to pass himself off as my SON!

<< Placing the hand to her forehead, feigning like she would faint>>

And I have no where to "send" you, because you're already here! And in a few moments, you'll be reunited with Amanda, ready for the next step.

<< She RETURNS to her current form, freeing herself from the trappings of humanity and the frailties that came with it>>

Where ever you see magick, there I am. When you look at the Spellbinder, you're looking at me...only another facet.

You will awaken and challenge the hearts of many while you're here.

Good luck, dear Brenthon.

<< She steps forward, with her arms out stretched, embracing Brenthon, before she turns into a "Ray of light" and flows up into a stepping disc that snapped open above her at a horizontal orientation>>

<< CHIME!>>

<< Beto finds himself back in a house, but he notices that everything is so....BIG...and it looks more like a....CAT'S house than a human's house! and from a window, he sees the blue eye of a "giant" siamese cat peering inside!>>

<< as he rushes out, he finds that he WAS inside of a cat house, and is now being looked at by it's owner, Tinker. The siamese cat eyes him curiously, licking her lips. Beto has a pretty good idea of what the cat is thinking...>>

<< But then?>>

Darkchilde: WHOOPS! I was just remembering one last thing! I miss my kitty, Tinker too! <<laughing softly>>

<< and with that, Brenthon is immersed in light that matches the darkchilde's form, and he finds himself on the SECOND FLOOR of the Sanctum Sanctorum , at his CORRECT size, with no cats lurking about [yet]>>

He was at one end of the second floor, still no sign of Amanda/Jimaine, or the Firebird, not yet

 

[Sparrow]

NYC - The Cloisters

Cameron: "I'm sorry! Jesus!"

But he couldn't hide from her - he wasn't remotely sorry. Maybe sorry he'd gotten smacked, but it had been a long time coming. He was on his guard now, which gave Elena some measure of satisfaction.

Cameron: "No, you taught me how to crack safes and rob banks. *I* taught myself how to kill The Great White of The Astral Plane. I know there were casualties, but I also know that the consequences of me losing that battle would have been FAR worse than what we suffered winning. And...I am trying to make reparations."

He was JUSTIFYING what he'd done.

"You self-important, narcissistic, egotistical..."

She was gesticulating wildly in her rage, her white gold diamond Cartier bracelets jangling. The bastardo was sitting. Sitting!

Cameron: "Seriously, cut the dramatics for a second. I know I fucked up, but I am trying to make sure that psi sensitives never experience that kind of situation again. I'm forming a council. A set of eyes both mystical and mutant to watch over our various psychic realms. Specifically trained to detect the slightest hint of Malice across the planes. I'm a married man now, it's not something that can take my entire attention. I need help. If you're pissed off about it, why don't you help me make it right?"

"Dramatics? Dramatics? Telepaths are DEAD, Cameron. Because of you, and to you they were expendable. What if it had been your sister, what if it had been me, would you have cared then? Que te folle un pez!"

She threw her hands up in the air and turned away from him. She stood there silently fuming, her arms crossed over her chest.

Cameron: "Are you okay? Were you weakened? Depowered?"

Do I fucking seem depowered?!

After a moment she turned back around to face him, letting her arms fall to her sides. Her face had softened.

It's been fifteen years, amado. Did you never think to come find me?

She sat down on the wall next to him.

And now you want me to be what, your psychic virus detector? Because you're too busy?

She shook her head.

Are you so different now, Cameron? You have money and power and everything else be damned?

She put her hand gently on his forearm, her eyes searching his.

What's happened to you?

 

[Black Widow]

NYC — Sanctum Sanctorum

Haleigh arrived at 19 E. 54th street, the address of Morgan’s new place, which actually sat on the same grounds as Morgan’s old place. Illustra used to be here, the original home of the Six. That had been so long ago, but to Haleigh the memory of it was still sharp. She remembering living here, and she remembered the night Illustra had been destroyed, then they’d all been exiled to Aerie.

Stupid Asshole Bishop. He went by Connor back then, not yet Maxim. Haleigh hadn’t been a fan of him, ever. Delilah deserved better, but love had a way of trapping people sometimes. Now that Max had fathered Alexia, he was going to be in their lives until he DIED. Haleigh didn’t want Alexia to grow up without a father, having been through that herself. However, if Maxim turned out to be a shitty dad, he could definitely get hit by a train. That was pretty much where Haleigh was with the whole thing. She hoped Delilah developed a nice stable relationship with Gavin, and distanced herself from Max as much as possible.

She shook her head, recalling all the shit they’d been through. So many years, so many struggles. She had been through hell with these people, and that was why she called them family. Blood relations had become a recent revelation, but for Haleigh it wasn’t too impactful. She had been floored to find out she was created in a test tube, from Diana and Christopher Victory’s DNA, sure. Initially that had been a surprise. Yet, connecting the dots to understand she was half sisters with Blaze and Morgan, that was not so jarring. Nothing about their actual relationship had changed in Haleigh’s mind. It was harder for her to accept that she wasn’t Ava’s half sister anymore. No, they had grown up together. Ava had gone to Hellfire for her, and she would always be Haleigh’s sister. And Delilah… she and Delilah had been as close as sisters, too, right up until the point Haleigh had ruined it.

That had been a necessary evil. She had hurt them in the interest of protecting them, and she had made her peace with those decisions. It was tough, however, trying to withstand their scorn in the aftermath. It was hard to watch them grieve and suffer from the things she had done, so she was not looking forward to seeing Morgan for the first time since she’d killed Nic. She considered it all, as she stood on the stoop, holding the cat. She knew better than to just blast her way in, but it felt weird to think about knocking or ringing the doorbell. The wind started to blow hard, and thunder crashed over her. The cat howled in her arms, as the doors whooshed open and she was pulled into the structure by a supernatural force.

“Ow, fuck! Easy on the tits, Perle!”

She muttered in the dark. The cat was clinging to her with feral fervor. Haleigh was tempted to try to pry the animal off her chest but she was concerned about hurting it so she just sucked it up and waited for the claws to retract from her skin. She cycled through the different filters of her vision, searching for the best ‘lens’ to see through. X-ray, which gave her irises a neon blue glow, revealed nothing. Thermal, which made her eyes glow red like a sentinel, was overly cluttered. With the night-vision filter her eyes glowed soft green, and objects began to come into focus, though none of it made much physical sense.

“What the fuck?”

She asked herself, as her gaze traveled up the scene, taking it all in. She was definitely in some kind of magical realm, which was not really a surprise. The Sanctum was a link to Limbo, after all. She remembered Morgan telling her about it, sharing her plans. Haleigh wasn’t very in tune with magick. She was into the other side of the coin, science. Technology, the layman’s ‘magic.’ They could do so much now with the gadget they all kept in their pocket, so much that used to only be achieved by real magic. So to wrap her head around it, she thought of it like virtual reality, where anything was possible, including people climbing stairs on the ceiling and gravity working every which way, or open thresholds to rooms with completely different physics.

Slowly but surely, the area she was in morphed until a more normal looking foyer. Haleigh remembered how excited Morgan had been about constructing this place, and how the ‘housewarming’ party was supposed to double as the announcement of Morgan and Nic’s engagement. Unfortunately that wasn’t going to happen now. Haleigh considered taking off her rings initially, but she didn’t think it would help to hide them. She might as well just act casual and not say anything. Maybe no one would even notice. It’s not like she was wearing the ICEBERG of a ring that Zach had gotten Ashley Oldenburg. It wasn’t even very well lit in here, so the sparkle of it would be subtle.

She stepped further into the foyer, towards the central staircase. She glances at some portraits: of Morgan, Blaze, and Karen. She didn’t see herself on the wall next to them, but she wasn’t surprised or even disappointed. It was another small reminder that she didn’t really belong here. She was the red-headed step child, only linked to them through Christopher, who they all hated. Haleigh was a different breed. Her connection to Christopher Victory was not disgusting to her. It was a curiosity more than anything. Blaze interrupted her thoughts, yelling that there was no time to waste, that Morgan needed help upstairs.

“Alright, relax, I’m coming.”

A small table slides across the floor and stops next to Haleigh. It has a cat carrier on it, which Haleigh scrutinizes. She had a certain ambivalence, like she knew she should put Perle there, but she was reluctant to actually do so. She told the cat that she would be right back for her, when she was sure it was safe upstairs. Blaze shouted at her some more, and there was the sound of a man screaming and a woman wailing. Haleigh secured Perle and then hastened up the stairs, calling back to Blaze as she went. The stairs were unfamiliar, so Haleigh’s gaze dropped occasionally to check her step. When she glanced down just a few steps from the first landing, she heard her mother taunting her, and she looked up to catch a fist right in the mouth. She tumbled backwards, and it felt like she fell an unnaturally long time. She landed on stone, not the wooden flooring of the Sanctum.

She was in the old Hellfire Catacombs. They were exactly like she remembered them to be. It was surreal to be getting to her feet in the command center. It only took a split second for her to process that she was in some form of memory or illusion. The screens caught her attention, with a focus on Karen Victoria. She looked years younger than the present, and Haleigh recalled that this was from the past. She watched Karen fight off the Super Soldier. It was an interesting and hard thing to see, Karen fighting and killing Haleigh’s first love. It was an unfortunate necessity. Karen had needed to do it to survive, and to protect the Six, much like Haleigh had recently done when she faced off with Nicolas. But why was she seeing this, now? It wasn’t her own memory. She hadn’t been familiar with these details, hadn’t wanted to ever watch it, or to torment herself with the hulking monster that her ‘Patch’ had become. At first she was unsure why the house would be showing her this, but then it became clear. This was when Nic had first come in, recruited by Ororo to save Karen, after Haleigh and the others had been forced to escape without her. Malice was there too, meeting Nic for the first time, taunting and chasing him through the citadel. He managed to escape and save Karen, while Haleigh and the others were busy rescuing Morgan from the Siege Perilous.

There was the sound of heels clicking on stone. Haleigh turned to see her mother. She sighed heavily. She had just overcome her hallucinations of Diana, and now for some reason, this house, this Sanctum, was presenting Malice to her. Was this some kind of test? If Morgan really needed her help, did she actually have TIME for this? Haleigh leaned against the desk, and listened to her mother taunt her about killing Nicolas. Haleigh was coldly detached, even as she analyzed the flickering images of Nic’s corpse. Nic groaned and asked her why, but Haleigh didn’t reply. They all knew why. Diana pressed harder, but it must have been like kneading stone. Haleigh didn’t even blink, as Malice recounted how easily her daughter destroyed lives and almost simultaneously sought her own satisfaction.

“Yeah, there’s so little happiness in this world that I’m not about to leave any of it on the table anymore.”

She replied unashamedly. Malice reminded her that she’d done something similar during the original Set ordeal. Haleigh nodded placidly.

“Yes. Morgan has clearly ALWAYS been intimidated by Nic’s strength, afraid of the source of his power. I stood in the gap for her back THEN, just as I did recently, when she asked me to. I’ll always be there for Morgan, in whatever way she needs, even the not so pretty ways. I don’t need to keep my hands clean to get the job done. I don’t mind getting a little messy, if that’s what it takes. They may take issue with my tactics, but I’m nothing if not effective.”

Malice: You're NO BETTER than your FATHER.

“Yeah, and?”

She asked, and Malice smirked, directing her attention to the scene of Nicolas, writhing on the floor after being stabbed, coughing and drowning in his own blood. Haleigh shook her head dismissively.

“That’s not how it happened. I sent that blade straight through his heart. It was a quick, clean death, and he died in my arms. I didn’t leave him on the floor, either. At least let’s be accurate for whatever this exercise is supposed to be.”

Her mother stared at her, and the old familiar chill crept into her head. Haleigh nodded, even smirked.

“Yes, that’s accurate. Though it’s lost it’s sting over time. Dare I say I’ve grown acclimated to the cold.”

She said, watching Diana theatrically pretend to die, and asking if she’d really believed it. Haleigh scoffed.

“Well given that one of your super powers seems to be the survival skills of a cockroach, I can’t say I’d be surprised if you AREN’T dead. But it’d sure be nice if you’d hide out in some crevice of the universe and lick your wounds for a while. We DID beat your ass pretty good. For a SECOND time. And if you find a way back, we’ll do it AGAIN.”

She replied cooly. Diana moved fast, attempting a backhand, but Haleigh parried, her forearm clashing against her mother’s with the reaction time of a machine. Her mother’s arm slid down hers, and then she reached to grab a hold of Haleigh’s braid. Haleigh’s hand clamped down on top of Diana’s, preventing her from pulling too hard. With Diana in Diamond form, they were almost matched in strength, but Haleigh had a slight edge. They struggled against each other. Diana made the tactical error of bringing her face close to Haleigh’s ear. Haleigh launched her whole body towards her mother, leading with the side of her skull, making instant, HARD contact with Malice’s nose.

Haleigh was known to be ‘hard-headed’, so when she heard the crunch of the cartilage and bone of Malice’s face, she was not surprised. But how could she damage her mother in Diamond form? Either Haleigh had inherited some of her mother’s own Diamond hardness, or this wasn’t the real Malice, just a figment of her imagination, projected into her ‘reality’ by the Sanctum as some kind of strange test. Haleigh didn’t care either way, she just grinned at the sight of Diana’s broken nose as her hair was released and she was shoved away. She half crashed into the console, but caught herself.

“Oh, you’re bleeding a little bit. Such a shame to stain that nice white top.”

She gloated, and then her mother tried to needle her about being able to control her. Diana commanded her to die. Haleigh stood up straight, smoothing down her braid. The word ‘die’ seemed to ring in her ears.

“Yeah, that’s another thing I apparently inherited from you. I can’t die. Even if all my bodies were destroyed, I’d just hang out in the cloud until I could engineer a suitable vessel for my ‘spirit’. If you’d actually attempted to be a mother to me, you’d have discovered I do indeed have an aptitude for psychic feats. Since you were such a petty bitch, it ended up being Cameron who put me in touch with the abilities I got from you.”

Haleigh replied, before reminding herself that she wasn’t actually talking to her mother. She was talking to the house, or to whoever had cast this spell. Morgan or Karen, maybe. It was difficult to be sure, but if Haleigh had to suspect anyone, it would be Karen, given those initial scenes she’d been shown, and the fact that the images she was seeing now showed Morgan to be in very bad shape. That was very concerning, and she was again confused as to why she was going through this trial, when clearly Morgan needed some help. Diana stated that she had broken hearts and spirits and then fucked right off as per usual, and facetiously commended her for being consistent.

“Yeah, it’s pretty squarely on brand for me. But what can I say? Consistency is one of the keys to success.”

Diana was sitting in her chair on Sheena Island, and turned toward Haleigh to ask if she remembered when they were here. Haleigh leveled a glacial gaze at her mother.

“Look, I’m over all of this shit you’re trying to stir up, and I’m done dicking around with you. I came to the Sanctum because Blaze called for help, and you keep going on about how badly Morgan’s doing. I know MALICE isn’t powerful enough to overcome the Sorceress Supreme’s magical defenses, so as far as I’m concerned this is a waste of time and effort. I’m here to help Blaze and Morgan. Get the fuck out of my way.”

 

[Prophet]

NYC - The Cloisters

Okay, so she was more than a bit angry, but Cameron willingly took her words. He had been running from experiences like this for six months. It was time to start facing things head on, but he would wait for her to calm down. He listened as she spoke, remembering for a moment how beautiful her eyes were. The two of them had been nearly inseparable, but right now he couldn't have felt farther away from her. Because his mind was also presently occupied with his wife, who he was beginning to worry about. Not that she couldn't handle herself, but rather he was starting to get a bit angry at the accusations and condemnations they were hurling at her. If it didn't let up, he would be on his way to the Sanctum.

Elena: "Dramatics? Dramatics? Telepaths are DEAD, Cameron Because of you, and to you they were expendable. What if it had been your sister, what if it had been me, would you have cared then? Que te folle un pez!"

He didn't mean to but he burst out with a mighty laugh, before piecing himself back together again. Cameron had forgotten how creative Elena Estrada could be with her words, in multiple languages. He wasn't enjoying the accusations and implications she was making, but she was right about one thing. Telepaths were dead and it was largely his fault. He stupidly asked if she was depowered before he realized he was checking in on Haleigh more than paying attention. But then she sat down next to him. She was calming down, and it drew him back in a bit.

Elena: "It's been fifteen years, amado. Did you never think to come find me?"

Cameron: "Fifteen years and I've lived sixteen different lives since. I didn't really let anyone in but Vivica for a long time after you. I was focused on becoming....a GOD of business."

Elena: "And now you want me to be what, your psychic virus detector? Because you're too busy?"

"I shouldn't have led with that. I'm sorry. Elevator pitches have never really been my specialty..."

Elena: "Are you so different now, Cameron? You have money and power and everything else be damned? What's happened to you?"

She placed a hand on his forearm as she stared at him intensly. He openly stared back. It was both comforting and painful to look at Elena's face after so long. She was an adult now. She would no longer always be the young, overdone vixen of East LA. Now, here, she was a full grown woman. But it was sad. He had loved Elena, or at least it felt like the closest thing to love he could think of. He'd had no dating experience before Elena. She was a beautiful girl who loved to get in trouble. A girl in the throws of a rebellious streak. She was not in the same tax bracket as the people she used to run around with, but she couldn't help herself. Elena loved trouble. And what Cameron remembered the most about how her was specifically how much she loved to steal. Any and everything of note around her.

A lot of shit, El. More than I can possibly tell you."

He softened his stare for a moment and gave a pensive smile, preferring to speak out loud because he was not afraid of his past anymore. He would shout it from the rooftops. But he would also "show" her. Cameron took his hands as they began to become vaguely outlined in his signature electric red energy signature as he placed them on either side of Elena's face, on either temple.

"So let me show you...

As he closed his eyes he delivered the cliff's notes version of his life, or rather the pertinent information regarding his life with The Six and the fallout of the last few months, and where they were right now. In quick but complete succession. Telepaths were excellent information processers, so he knew Elena would have no trouble. In fact in experiencing her own energy with his little parlour trick, it became clear that Elena had kept to her studies. Her power was strong as ever. She was the first person to ever formally train him in the use of his own power. It was one of the reasons he had been drawn to her. He brought his hands back down and gave Elena a few moments to process what he had shown her.

"I'm trying to be a lot more emotionally honest these days. So honestly? I've seen so much death it's hard for me to feel anything about it. I've watched siblings die. Lovers die. My mother die. Friends. In fact, it seems like anything I set my heart on is destined to die. So maybe you got out lucky....chica."

He smirked. His spanish was never the best.

"I've also seen a lot of people come back from the dead. So maybe I have changed a bit, in the sense that I am able to mourn those who died at my hand and carry on because in the end, the result was something that was going to protect a lot MORE lives than the battle took. Maybe that makes me not a good person, makes me a piece of shit. But I spent the better part of my life beating myself up for who I am and what I've done. And this has been one of my most noble pursuits."

[pausing]

"All I can do is give penance. If you can accept this about me, we can continue, and I can really tell you what it is I am trying to do. If you can't...then truly, Elena Estrada, it was so good to see you...if my battle with Malice made you suffer a loss you feel like you need to fight for, we can do that, too. Ball is in your court."

Cameron had a bit of a trigger when it came to people coming in and telling him who he was and what he had become. Cameron had gotten to the point in his life where he simply wouldn't entertain it. He was flawed and human like everyone else, and being with somebody like Haleigh, who saw him exactly as he was without judgment, but with love, it made it easy to shed the part of him that needed so much approval from others. But still, he'd always be a bit knee jerk when somebody made assumptions about his character. He was leaving things in Elena's hands. As good as it was to see her, he wouldn't stand there and get insulted. And Elena hadn't invited him to meet to just insult him. She wanted to see him, and he had to admit, it was good to see her too.

 

[Malice]

Sanctum Sanctorum- Sheena Island/"Elsewhere"

“Well given that one of your super powers seems to be the survival skills of a cockroach, I can’t say I’d be surprised if you AREN’T dead. But it’d sure be nice if you’d hide out in some crevice of the universe and lick your wounds for a while. We DID beat your ass pretty good. For a SECOND time. And if you find a way back, we’ll do it AGAIN.”

:: Diana pretened to primp while Haleigh tried to convince her they had seen the last of her::

I know you believe that.

Spellbinder thought the same thing.

As have others before her.

:: During Diana's second attack...::

Haleigh was known to be ‘hard-headed’, so when she heard the crunch of the cartilage and bone of Malice’s face, she was not surprised. But how could she damage her mother in Diamond form? Either Haleigh had inherited some of her mother’s own Diamond hardness, or this wasn’t the real Malice, just a figment of her imagination, projected into her ‘reality’ by the Sanctum as some kind of strange test. Haleigh didn’t care either way, she just grinned at the sight of Diana’s broken nose as her hair was released and she was shoved away. She half crashed into the console, but caught herself.

“Oh, you’re bleeding a little bit. Such a shame to stain that nice white top.”

:: The small trail of blood sparkles...turning into small rubies that float up and away, as Diana licks her lips, and slowly cracks her neck, her facial features flow like... liquid crystal, as all "damage" is reversed, her nose realigns, everything is as it was before. She didn't show any facial expression/reaction, as she remained in diamond form, tilting her head slightly::

We could do this forever, daughter, and I promise you, it won't work out the way it did for you last time.

:: Moments later, she was seated, and as the monitors played out gruesome scenes. A lesser person would have grown faint, or been wracked with guilt- even if things were not being shown as they occurred::

:: But not Haleigh. She kept calm, and pushed back against those images. THESE images weren't meant to be a recounting, they were meant to be an indictment of Haleigh's character, and just how BAD she was for everyone around her, but true to form, Haleigh remained steadfast. Malice could twist and pervert memories and events beyond the understanding of most of her targets, but Haleigh was as twisted and perverse....as her MOTHER. Even though Diana would never admit it, they DID have more in common. It was GENETIC, after all.::

You've certainly handled this :: the gruesome images of Nicolas King:: much better than I thought you would, but then again even Barbas did say that of all The Six, you were the most difficult to crack. It's what makes you such a popular target.

:: Indeed, Haleigh had earned herself a reputation, everyone from Imagiomg, to Barbas, even Set, Athena, and Hecate, among others. She had made quite a "name" for herself. In another time and place, Diana might be PROUD of her for that- that she could stand her ground, even in the face of danger far more powerful than she. But Haleigh remained a reminder to Diana of just how unscrupulous a MAN could be if he wasn't watched EVERY MINUTE. Were it not for the machinations of Christopher Victory, who violated Diana on a most personal and PRIMAL level, Haleigh would not exist.::

:: Diana hated Haleigh for being "born" from her. She hated Christopher for facilitating Haleigh's existence. Diana had caused Christopher's destruction once before, but once was NEVER enough, not for the White Queen. If Diana EVER laid eyes on Christopher Victory again, she would scatter HIS mind and his SOUL to the furthest corners of this universe!::

<<FLASH!>>

<< when Diana had been violently kidnapped from her family by the earliest incarnation of MysTech, her deadly PSI-POWERS activated, PRE-PUBERTY, making her a RARITY among modern day mutants on earth.>>

<< James Marcus used his renowned skills and prowess as a geneticist specializing in X-genes to not only analyze Diana's powers, but to ACCELERATE the path of their projected growth.>>

<< He was doing something truly unheard of and he succeeded, FURTHER cementing his legacy as one of the world's FOREMOST AUTHORIES on genetics, specifically the mutant genome. This was ALMOST on par with the success he had with his daughter, Jessica Marcus, but true to form, he overreached, and triggered something he could not imagine, nor would he survive.>>

<< Diana was more than a mere mutant, more than an Omega Level Psi. she was the manifestation of the TWISTED DARKNESS that exists in ALL human/humanoid consciousness. And by traumatizing her at such a young, when most children were learning/developing bonds, empathy, etc, and by robbing her of the things that mattered most to her- her parents, her beloved kitten, her comfortable life, she was completely turned from a human path, to a path of DARKNESS>>

<< A pity that James Marcus did not remember the the story Pandora's Box, because once he UNLOCKED something in Diana, and there was NO. TURNING. BACK.>>

<< Lord Spencer, James Marcus, Adam Chandler, Christopher Victory, Robert, Sharon & Kyle Kelly, Kelly King, Cameron King, Erica King, Alison Marble, Delilah Trelevan, Haleigh Davidoff, and so many more would bare the brunt of Diana's twisted, insatiable wrath.>>

<< A lingering view of Malice's glowing electric blue eyes>>

:: Hate was a literal cosmic concept, and it exists as a primal force in the cosmic pantheon of the multiverse, and Diana, through her primal, DRIVING desire to be FREE and to OVERPOWER AND DESTROY everything and everyone around her, had tapped into this primal force some time ago, allowing her to shed the weakness, limitations, and victimhood of her humanity, and SHIFT from being the potent "tool" that MEN thought they could use and control, to becoming the ultimate predator.::

<< FLASH!>>

Hellfire Catacombs- The VIPER caper

<< Haleigh lays on the exam table in the Hellfire Catacombs as Malice performs psychic surgery on her, while also establishing a genetic AND psionic BACK UP, ahead of their impending confrontation with Viper. It was during this most INTIMATE moment between the two women that Haleigh discerned that Diana possessed a Gifted Intellect with expertise in Psychology, Neurology, and Genetics. Haleigh didn't consciously know it, YET, but part of the reason Malice was adept at mapping Haleigh's psi-paths, was because she'd ALREADY KNOWN THEM, being that Haleigh CAME from her.>>

<< The omega level psi and the hybrid "talked" even as Haleigh was physically sedated, and Haleigh even had the ULTRA rare opportunity to see parts of Diana's past, even BEYOND the images that Viper had shared with the Six in an attempt to HUMILIATE "Auntie Diana" Haleigh had gotten as close as ANYONE could get to her psionic diamond box. >>

<< IN THE PRESENT, Haleigh would remember what she had seen/learned, the very moment that Diana chose to shed her humanity, and fill that vacuum with POWER. Diana was one of the ultra rare "BEYOND OMEGA" mutants, who's powers not only allowed her influence the course of humanity, but also allowed her to transcend the limits/boundaries of earth, not JUST via the astral plane. >>

<< The first time Haleigh had felt that cold, mind bending STARE from Malice's electric blue eyes, a stare that she would feel even AFTER she was awakened and the procedure was over, she remembered something she'd "HEARD" as she watched Diana's memories, seeing the woman vow to rain utter destruction down on Lord Spencer and James Marcus.>>

<< Diana had reached out, with all her senses, traveling beyond the physical, and what MOST would perceive as "spiritual", and out into the multiverse, where she touched the "face of HATE". Haleigh didn't realize the significance of that moment before, but still, that was the moment that came to mind for her just now.>>

:: Haleigh remained stone faced, and expressed that she was unwilling to play these "games" and tried to dismiss Malice::

Oho...you don't want to reminisce with your Mommie Dearest?

:: Malice said, feigning disappointment for a moment ::

You still think you call the shots? You still think the PRETENDER was the author OR the finisher of my fate?

Stupid little girl, I'm NOT in your mind, as if such a 1 dimensional wasteland could contain me.

NOR am I "in" the house.

With 8 BILLION active minds on the planet, and even MORE across the astral plane, the entire dark side of collective consciousness across the universe, I. AM.

:: The control center of the Underground Lab on Sheena Island slowly faded into the background leaving nothing but a blackness, a void, one that was soon populated with the star filled expanse of deep outer space. Diana and Haleigh were now somewhere "else"::

:: None of them ever really understood the nature of Diana's being, or her place in the astral plane, or the multiverse, even now, and that was all the confirmation that Diana wanted from this meeting. the fact that her daughter genuinely believed she was "only an illusion" would make it all SO. MUCH. EASIER. ::

You never DID understand, and neither did the pretender. But you will find out.

For now, YOU are IN the house. subject to it's whims and mercies, and YOU get to watch one of your sisters decline into OBLIVION, and prove, once again, just how useless and ineffective you are.

I may have lost my head to her, but she lost her soul mate because of you, and now, she's losing HER SOUL all together.

:: She looks up, smiling with delight::

Those beautiful, violet eyes, now devoid of any light, hope, SOUL. Not even a vulture would want to pluck those sad, pathetic, hopeless eyes out of her pretty skull now.

Even I couldn't have planned a more pitiful END, a most slow, and painful EXIT for someone who was once so strong, so beautiful, potent and powerful. There are some things even MAGICK can't fix, like a broken heart, a broken SOUL.

:: Once again, she pretends to ponder the situation::

Perhaps you should have left her to her fate in the Siege Perilous after all? ANYTHING would be better than what she is facing now - a purgatory that is itself merely a step away from personal hell. A witch who once defied time and space, now nothing more than a dead leaf blowing helplessly in the winds she once controlled.

:: Diana laughs, and soon returns her unwavering gaze to Haleigh::

We SHALL meet again, my darling daughter, at a time and place that YOU least expect, and oh what a happy REUNION it will be.

::Smiling at Haleigh like the cheshire cat as her electric eyes glow, Malice's diamond form shimmers, and swirls away from the seat she was in, appearing along side Haleigh, Malice's astral form KISSES her daughter on the cheek, and vanishes with a haze of diamond/cosmic dust::

:: Her soft laughter remains in the air, and slowly begins to shift and change tone....from laughter to::

<< from laughter, to a voice, another voice....FIREBIRD's voice>>

 

[Firebird]

Sanctum Sanctorum- First Floor- Foyer

<< Malice's laugh shifts and changes tone, moving from just sound, to actual words.>>

HALEIGH!? WHAT are you doing here!? HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE!?

<< From "Elsewhere", back to the Sanctum Sanctorum, Haleigh Davidoff is right where she had been, the Foyer of the Sanctum Sanctorum. Perle is on a table, mewing with urgency. >>

<< She had been released from where she'd just been, but her's wasn't a test, it was more like...a WARNING>>

<< Now back where she started, Haleigh would note that the portraits of Morgan, Blaze and Karen she had seen were no where to be found. There WAS one single portrait, of Karen Victoria (different than the one she saw before) , sitting and looking very elegant, but that was it. The portrait did not stare at Haleigh as the ones she had seen before did, and the Foyer itself seemed to be a bit more illuminated.>>

<< Haleigh was now standing right at the bottom of the main stair case, and Firebird was standing right in front of her, staring her down. >>

:: Blaze Victory, who was known for being a fashion plate in her own right, appeared before Haleigh in a decidedly DIFFERENT outfit than she would be known for. But caring for someone who was sick and catatonic required more practical outfits, and comfortable shoes::

Haleigh....WHAT are you doing here?

:: The fire elemental questioned, as the hybrid seemed to be...reorienting herself::

:: Perle mewled once more and Blaze glanced down at the table with the cat carrier on it before immediately resuming her intense look at Haleigh::

You have a kitten with you?!

<< This was THE real Blaze Victory, and she clearly was not aware of anything that had just occurred with Haleigh, and DIANA. Blaze looked concerned, wary, suspicious even, and it was clear she was not going to let Haleigh pass or proceed any further until she explained how she came to be here. >>

<< The wind currents flowed, and whistled around the Sanctum faintly, more than likely they were amplified by Morgan's own elemental power over air/wind, since the place reflected its mistress. There were the faintest whispers in those air currents, Haleigh could make out a word here and there, but not a whole sentence. She heard HER OWN name in the whispers>>

 

[Sparrow]

NYC - The Cloisters

Now that she was no longer focused on her anger, Elena's mind was beginning to process what it actually meant to her to be here, now, sitting next to Cameron King after all these years. He was just as handsome - moreso, even. He'd filled out from the lanky teenager he had once been. Not as good a physique for jewel heists, but she supposed that wasn't his thing anymore. Her heart swelled looking at him again, but there was pain there also, just under the surface. She had dealt with that pain long ago, overcome it, so that now it was more of an echo of the hurt she'd felt. When he had ghosted her at the behest of that fucking tape recorder bitch Vivica Lennox, she had been devastated. So much that it had prompted her to return home to Colima, to her father. Cameron was lucky that he hadn't ended up dead. For a long time, she had expected him to come find her, but he never had. She wondered if he'd ever even tried, in all those 15 years, and she asked him so.

Cameron: "Fifteen years and I've lived sixteen different lives since. I didn't really let anyone in but Vivica for a long time after you. I was focused on becoming....a GOD of business."

"And after a god of business, you wanted to become another kind of god? Is that what this was about?"

She chastised him for suggesting she be his psychic hound because he was too busy and important to do it himself.

Cameron: "I shouldn't have led with that. I'm sorry. Elevator pitches have never really been my specialty..."

"If I hadn't sent you the sparrow, would you have sought me out amado?"

She put her hand on his arm, wondering in his mind what had happened to him. Her other hand went to the necklace around her throat with the tiny sparrow hanging from it

Cameron: "A lot of shit, El. More than I can possibly tell you. So let me show you..."

Her breath hitched in her throat as he touched her temples and the flood of images came. His mind was as familiar to her as her own, even after all this time. She saw his life since he'd left her. So much had happened to him...so much tragedy for an already tragic figure...

A single tear fell from her eye and she wiped it away, mourning for all that he had lost.

He spoke aloud then, and it was like a knife, opening old wounds.

Cameron: "I'm trying to be a lot more emotionally honest these days. So honestly? I've seen so much death it's hard for me to feel anything about it. I've watched siblings die. Lovers die. My mother die. Friends. In fact, it seems like anything I set my heart on is destined to die. So maybe you got out lucky....chica."

She gave a little smile at his attempt at Spanish. Then she moved her hand from his arm to place her palm over his heart.

"So much pain..."

Cameron: "I've also seen a lot of people come back from the dead. So maybe I have changed a bit, in the sense that I am able to mourn those who died at my hand and carry on because in the end, the result was something that was going to protect a lot MORE lives than the battle took. Maybe that makes me not a good person, makes me a piece of shit. But I spent the better part of my life beating myself up for who I am and what I've done. And this has been one of my most noble pursuits."

"Maybe beating yourself up about it is what makes you a good person. Don't be so quick to lose that."

Cameron: "All I can do is give penance. If you can accept this about me, we can continue, and I can really tell you what it is I am trying to do. If you can't...then truly, Elena Estrada, it was so good to see you...if my battle with Malice made you suffer a loss you feel like you need to fight for, we can do that, too. Ball is in your court."

"Bah."

She took her hand away, waving it nonchalantly in the air and turning her body away from his.

"If I wanted to kill you, Cameron King, you wouldn't get an invitation beforehand."

She crossed one leg over the other at the knee, and turned her head to study him for a moment.

"Your wife...she is not what I would have expected. You always liked women so feminine when you were charming them in LA. And she is so...butch."

Elena made a distasteful nose crinkle as she said it and waved her hand in the air again.

"But I am happy for you."

She folded her hands in her lap.

"Now, tell me about this big plan of yours, amado. And how it will keep all this from happening again."

 

[Tycoon]

Manhattan, NY — Clandestine Intelligence

Gavin feigned outrage when Delilah accused him of being ‘straight-laced.’ He suggested he’d take her for a ride on his motorbike, after getting her the appropriate safety gear, and then they’d see how straight-laced she thought he was. She giggled at that, which made him smile. She told him that calling it a ‘motorbike’ made her think of teenage pizza delivery boy mopeds. Gavin couldn’t help but laugh at himself. He was once a teenage paper delivery boy, after all, and had been in love with motorbikes since that formative era of his life. She took his hand and they started towards the park.

Along the way, he realized she might’ve bought the wigs for herself, thinking he would prefer the salad. He ‘innocently’ suggested they settle the dispute with a game of darts, but there was no way she’d fall for that again. She shot down the offer, accusing him of cheating. He gave her a smile like the cat that got the canary.

“Well my pop always said: ‘if you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying’.”

He replied. She told him that she’d brought him the best Caesar salad in all of Manhattan. His eyebrows lifted at such an ambitious claim, and then smiled gently, when she asked if he thought she’d get him something she wouldn’t eat herself. No, of course she wouldn’t, she was far too thoughtful for that. She proved it by going on to say that she should’ve called, but that she had thought the surprise would be fun. He gave her hand a squeeze.

“The surprise is lovely, Delilah. Truth be told, I’d eat the worst Caesar salad in Manhattan, and still have fun, so long as I was having lunch with you.”

He admitted, and then he nodded when she pointed out a shady bench just off the walking path. They sat side by side, their meals in their laps. Gavin began to roll up the sleeves of his shirt. Delilah sat and got very quiet for a moment. Gavin looked at her with mild concern.

“Er, everything alright?”

He asked, and then she seemed to come back to the present, and apologized for being miles away for a moment. He waved the apology off.

“No no, don’t be sorry. Hey, I wanted to ask you something.”

He said, his heart beat skipping and then starting to intensify in pace. It was the kind of thing that could irrevocably tilt their relationship in one direction or the other. It was the kind of thing people read into, and not for no reason. But he couldn’t put off asking her for too much longer. He wanted to give her time to consider it and not feel pressured to answer immediately.

“So you may have heard Zach got engaged to his new girl Ashley? I’m one of his groomsmen, as it turns out. I was wondering if, perhaps, you’d be interested in attending his wedding? As my plus-one, I mean.”

He busied himself with opening the container of wings, and tried to sound casual. When he couldn’t stand the suspense any more, he glanced up at her to see if she was freaked out by the question.

“It’s alright if weddings aren’t your thing, I could just go stag.”

 

[MorningStar]

Central Park, NYC

A warm feeling spread across Delilah's chest when Gavin brought up darts, which they'd played on the worst night of her life, when he had been there for her when she'd needed a friend. That game of darts had started everything. But she was sure he'd found a way to cheat, since he'd beaten her. No one could beat her at darts.

Gavin: “Well my pop always said: ‘if you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying’.”

Delilah smirked.

"Words to live by, I'm sure."

Somehow she didn't think Gavin Greeley had ever cheated at anything in his entire life. It might have been the most charming thing about him.

She was worried that maybe she'd gone too far, showing up at his work unannounced, but he quickly put her fears to rest.

Gavin: “The surprise is lovely, Delilah. Truth be told, I’d eat the worst Caesar salad in Manhattan, and still have fun, so long as I was having lunch with you.”

She couldn't help but blush at that, it was so sincere, without a hint of artifice. She squeezed his hand. She couldn't help it.

They found a shady bench and started to eat, Gavin rolling up his sleeves like a proper straight-laced financier. But she decided to refrain from commenting on it.

And then Cameron was in her head, which was extremely distracting precisely at a time when she wanted to be in the moment. And he was talking about Haleigh and Blaze and it was all just too much, really.

Gavin: “Er, everything alright?”

She apologized for spacing out, and she truly was sorry for it. She didn't want to think of the sisters at all. Not right now. Maybe not ever.

Gavin: “No no, don’t be sorry. Hey, I wanted to ask you something. So you may have heard Zach got engaged to his new girl Ashley?"

She groaned.

"Yeeeees."

What was Zach thinking about?

Gavin: "I’m one of his groomsmen, as it turns out. I was wondering if, perhaps, you’d be interested in attending his wedding? As my plus-one, I mean.”

Her hand went involuntarily to her chest and she was pretty sure her mouth had dropped open. She quickly closed it. This was big. He wanted to go with her to a major function, where most everyone they knew would be in attendance. She didn't know what to say.

Gavin: “It’s alright if weddings aren’t your thing, I could just go stag.”

She regained her ability to speak quickly as the opportunity started slipping away.

"Oh no. I'm not letting you go stag. Some other girl might sweep you off your feet. Those weddings are like hookup conventions, you know. But are you sure you want to waste such an opportunity by going with me instead?"

She looked down at her salad, spearing a piece of chicken with her fork.

"Because I'd love to go with you, Gavin."

She looked over at him, and held the fork out towards him.

"Bite?"

 

[Prophet]

NYC - The Cloisters

Elena: "Maybe beating yourself up about it is what makes you a good person. Don't be so quick to lose that."

He softened his glance at Elena, suprised to hear such maturity and wisdom in her voice. The Elena he knew was more reckless. Wild even. For as much as he had gone through in his life, it was safe to say Elena had as well. It was good to experience her with this new set of eyes and words. And again she looked as beautiful as ever.

"Maybe you're right, but the way I beat myself up about things isn't good for anyone. But it's something to consider..."

He laid it out straight to her. Elena was a world class telepath, they were the same age, but she had initially been light years ahead of him. And there was no better thief. And part of him felt hopeful that he might actually get to teach her something. But he gave her an out. The circumstances between them were a bit odd. Cameron was so happy with his life right now. It would seem so foolish to invite the first girl you ever dated into your life so fast. And who knows how Elena felt. They hadn't left on good terms. Maybe she didn't want to see him again. But she wouldn't have sent the sparrow if she didn't want something more than to yell at him and leave.

Elena: "Bah. If I wanted to kill you, Cameron, you wouldn't get an invitation beforehand."

Cameron smirked, internally blushing at the fact that Elena's statement kind of turned him on. All the while, he still kept an eye on his wife, who it seemed had gotten what she wanted and was met with a confused Blaze wondering what the hell Haleigh was doing there. She was safe.

"Not even a little birdy in my window to warn me? I love when telepaths lean into branding."

Elena: "Your wife...she is not what I would have expected. You always liked women so feminine when you were charming them in LA. And she is so butch."

Cameron laughed.

"She makes a killer big spoon."

Elena: "But I am happy for you."

"Thank You. If you knew us better you would know how rare that sentiment might be for us in the days to come. It's still pretty new..."

Cameron had changed a bit after so much time in The Astral Plane. In doing what he had to do in order to banish Malice for the foreseeable future, he had to sacrifice a bit of himself. He had died, spent too much time on The Other Side. In short, he felt like he was missing a bit of his humanity. Elena seemed like a divine intervention, reminding him of a time where he was full of emotion and passion. You had to be with Elena, she craved drama naturally. She was never afraid of causing a scene, she loved to be watched, to perform, and of course, she loved to steal. She was also very sweet and attentive, obsessively so. She wanted to feel loved as much as he wanted to feel loved, so it was pretty much sparks from the moment they laid eyes upon each other.

Elena: "Now, tell me about this plan of yours, amado. And how it will keep all this from happening again."

"There's time for that. But come on, we haven't seen in each other in fifteen years. Are you hungry? I also can't help but wonder why you chose The Met to meet. Are you on the clock? Something you're thinking of picking up on your way back...I mean, I don't even know where you live now. I can get us into The Met Dining Room if you're interested....i'm on The Board...we can grab a bite to eat, I can apologize profusely for ending things the way I did, and we can fill each other in on the gaps of our lives. And then I'll tell you how we're going to save The Astral Plane. What do you say?

 

[Black Widow]

Manhattan — Sanctum Sanctorum

Haleigh listened to her mother’s accusations regarding what a man-eater she was without the slightest hint of consternation. Ultimately she had spent so long with Malice in her mind, berating her at every turn, that this exercise had no impact on her. She had become impervious to her mother’s harassment. Diana remarked that she was handling it better than expected, but allowed that even Barbas would admit that Haleigh was difficult to effect, and that was what made her a popular target.

“I’ve never been made of a soft metal, mother. Every time I’m tested I become ever harder, tempered by the fire. Target me all you like. It will never fill the emptiness you suffer. It will never satisfy that bottomless well of hatred you have. All you will accomplish is to make me stronger.”

She replied with a shrug. Then she told her mother that she was done dicking around, because she had come here for a reason. Diana feigned disappointment, asking if Haleigh didn’t want to reminisce.

“Not particularly, no. I find this whole discussion to be mind-numbingly MUNDANE.”

Haleigh deadpanned, and then Malice went on to tell her all the places she wasn’t. Haleigh realized then that she’d broken a nail during their previous struggle. She drew a switchblade knife from her pocket and began paring down the jagged edge. A little smirk played on her mouth and she glanced back up at her mother.

“I see you don’t want to tell me where you ARE, though. Too afraid WE might show up and trounce your ass again?”

Malice: “With 8 BILLION active minds on the planet, and even MORE across the astral plane, the entire dark side of collective consciousness across the universe, I. AM.”

“Banal beyond belief.”

Haleigh finished her mother’s statement with apathy. Malice went on to describe Morgan’s current state. Even if what she said was true, Haleigh wasn’t going to give her mother the satisfaction of seeing her react to such news. Haleigh was detached enough to wait until she could confirm it with her own observation, first of all. Secondly, she didn’t think it was anything they couldn’t fix, after all the things they HAD accomplished.

“Yeah you really make it sound like she’s hit rock bottom. I guess I just OUTCLASS YOU when it comes to destroying people. I must’ve got that skill from my father. He did such a number on YOU, after all.”

Haleigh suggested blithely. Diana then offered that Haleigh should’ve left Morgan to the siege perilous, that anything would be better than her current purgatory. Haleigh glanced up from the trimming of her nails once again as her mother laughed about that.

“Well, you’d better pray that ‘dead leaf’ makes a RAPID and REMARKABLE recovery, because if she doesn’t, I’ll skin your fucking cat.”

Haleigh replied with a saccharine smile, giving the knife in her hand a little flourish. Her mother told her that they’d meet again, when she least expected.

“Ta ta for now, see you next Tuesday.”

Haleigh said in an ebullient tone. The next thing she heard was Blaze’s voice, asking her how she’d got in here, and she looked around to see the foyer had come back in the blink of her eyes. She found herself suspicious of this place now. If her mother could really reach them here, then either the defenses of the house were quite weak, or the Sanctum was somehow working in concert with Malice. Neither circumstance was good. Haleigh looked at Blaze, who was wearing and unusually practical outfit.

“What do you mean, HOW did I get in here? I showed up at the front door, and APPARENTLY just anybody can get access to this place.”

She replied, and then Blaze asked her what she was doing here. Haleigh raised an eyebrow at Blaze, as she shoved her hands into the pockets of her black leather jacket.

“I heard you call Hecate for help, so I came to check it out. Is something wrong with Morgan? More than usual, I mean?”

Perle mewled in her carrier, drawing their attention. Haleigh unlocked the gate and took the cat back into her arms as Blaze asked about it. It began to purr so loudly that Haleigh raised her voice a little to speak over the sound of Perle, who was nuzzling her little face against Haleigh’s cheek.

“Yes, she’s a rescue. I thought maybe Morgan would like to take her in, so she could have other cats for companions, instead of a pack of wolves.”

 

[Sparrow]

NYC - The Cloisters

She strangely found herself in a conversation with Cameron about what makes a person good or bad. Someone with her skill set and line of work would not normally throw stones, per se, but in this case he was being too quick to paint himself as "bad". People didn't change all that much. And he had never acted like she was a bad person. Not until the end, anyway. It was the way he seemed to be closing himself off from his humanity that worried her. It was pointless to kill the tyrant if you became one yourself. She encouraged him to value the voice inside telling him when he'd done something wrong. Like he had six months ago. Cameron could boast with the best of them, play the big man who didn't care about anything - but she knew he didn't really believe the deaths of the telepaths didn't matter. He might push those feelings down into a dark corner of his psyche, but he wasn't a monster. He wasn't Malice.

Cameron: "Maybe you're right, but the way I beat myself up about things isn't good for anyone. But it's something to consider..."

She rolled her eyes.

"Jesus, Cameron, maybe try getting a therapist instead."

He made some insensible comment about her coming her to fight him. She told him she wouldn't warn him beforehand.

Cameron: "Not even a little birdy in my window to warn me? I love when telepaths lean into branding."

She leaned forward slowly, her eyes sparkling with mischief and her lips almost smiling.

"You'd never know I was coming."

She waved a perfectly manicured hand in the air.

"Plus, if I didn't kill you fifteen years ago, it's clearly going to take a lot to drive me to it."

She had seen images in his mind of his new wife, who was not what she would have expected him to choose. She gave them six months: their obvious egos could never put up with each other longer than that. She said she was happy for him, though she wasn't sure she was. But she didn't have the time or bandwith right now to unpack her feelings on that subject.

Cameron: "Thank You. If you knew us better you would know how rare that sentiment might be for us in the days to come. It's still pretty new..."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, really?"

Maybe five months.

She didn't want to go any further down this rabbit hole, so she asked him about this plan of his. And made sure to mention how his rampage across the Astral Plane would not happen again.

Cameron: "There's time for that. But come on, we haven't seen in each other in fifteen years. Are you hungry? I also can't help but wonder why you chose The Met to meet. Are you on the clock? Something you're thinking of picking up on your way back...I mean, I don't even know where you live now. I can get us into The Met Dining Room if you're interested....I'm on The Board...we can grab a bite to eat, I can apologize profusely for ending things the way I did, and we can fill each other in on the gaps of our lives. And then I'll tell you how we're going to save The Astral Plane. What do you say?"

She ran a hand through her hair and casually glanced around her.

"Oh you know, always like to check out the new merchandise."

She stood up, smoothing down her dress.

"And if you're going to be pretentious and name drop something like the Met Board, then lunch is on you. And I'm incredibly hungry. I hear the duck is excellent."

She started to walk back through the colonnade to the main building, then turned back.

"But if you think all it's going to take is an expensive meal, you've got another thing coming, amado."

 

[Firebird]

Sanctum Sanctorum- from the Foyer to the 2nd Floor, Chamber of Dreams

“What do you mean, HOW did I get in here? I showed up at the front door, and APPARENTLY just anybody can get access to this place.”

::was she PRETENDING to be this ignorant of how Morgan's magicks worked?::

That's really NOT how it works, Haleigh. Any unauthorized person who attempts to breach the hefty mystic barriers and warding spells that surround this place would be painfully, PHYSICALLY repulsed, and any further attempt at a breach would result in the would-be intruder being temporally/spatially displaced, if not worse.

:: The way Blaze said this indicated that it may have happened to more than one person foolish enough to try breaching the barriers before. a quick check of local police reports WOULD indicate several "missing persons" reports in this area::

:: Blaze was known for thinking fast on her feet, and as she stared at Haleigh with suspicion, her apple green eyes caught sight of the large, elegant portrait of Shadow Weaver in near background::

Family....

It's because you're family....

:: Blaze said softly, as she finally broke her suspicious stare of Haleigh::

The house...the magicks, they recognized you, your biological bond to Morgan, and myself.

:: Blaze seemed to relax a bit as she realized that this wasn't a trick.::

Blaze asked her what she was doing here. Haleigh raised an eyebrow at Blaze, as she shoved her hands into the pockets of her black leather jacket.

“I heard you call Hecate for help, so I came to check it out.

:: Blaze's apple green eyes WIDDEN for a moment as Haleigh reveals that SHE, of all people, heard her call to Hecate! Haleigh was no magick user! ::

But how....WHY would YOU [of all people] have heard....

:: She...ALMOST felt a sense of relief, that she might not have to handle this alone. She hadn't even called KAREN yet, though she had no doubt that Morgan's MOTHER had certainly heard Blaze's distress call to Hecate, and would be here soon.::

::Still, she felt some kind of way, that her call to HECATE resulted in HALEIGH showing up.::

Is something wrong with Morgan? More than usual, I mean?”

:: Blaze's face and eyes betrayed immediate disapproval::

Don't you mock my sister.

:: she commanded coldly::

You know damn well she's been heartbroken, hurting...grieving...and in mourning ever since....ever since she LOST HER SOUL MATE. The rest of you may have moved on and forgotten, but it's not so easy for HER....

For US....

:: Blaze thought to herself, for losing Nic was like losing a brother she loved dearly::

:: The small, fluffy, gray kitten mewled, interrupting them::

Perle mewled in her carrier, drawing their attention. Haleigh unlocked the gate and took the cat back into her arms as Blaze asked about it. It began to purr so loudly that Haleigh raised her voice a little to speak over the sound of Perle, who was nuzzling her little face against Haleigh’s cheek.

“Yes, she’s a rescue. I thought maybe Morgan would like to take her in, so she could have other cats for companions, instead of a pack of wolves.”

:: Blaze's facial expression noticeably softened at the sight of the small, fluffy kitten. she looked so sweet and innocent, similar to the small, WHITE kitten that was Tinker's companion/surrogate "child". Firebird had not been in this timeline when Haleigh presented THAT kitten to Morgan directly, as a peace offering, but in all the time that she HAD been here, she noticed that the white kitten CURIOUSLY did not age. It was something she and Nicolas had both remarked on, wondering if that kitten was also enchanted?::

:: In THIS moment, the small, fluffy grey kitten ended up having the unexpected effect of keep things between Blaze and Haleigh from getting quite COLD.::

What a tiny adorable baby...

:: Blaze said in a much softer tone::

And that collar, it looks as if it's made with real diamonds!

:: It was....pure blue/white diamonds to be exact, a reflection of her previous "mommy". the collar was ALSO enchanted, by powerful magick, which unbeknownst to both Haleigh AND Blaze, is what helped Haleigh's transition into the environment INSIDE the Sanctum unfold much easier::

::Blaze slowly and gently reached out to the kitten to let her check out her well manicured hand and get acquainted with her scent::

A rescue?? Where did she come from? what happened to her?

:: Morgan and Blaze were the biggest "cat people" in the Six, so seeing Haleigh with this kitten was quite an unexpected thing, and the Kitten seemed to be COMFORTED by Haleigh's presence, and the Kitten was DEFINITELY a much needed "ICE BREAKER"::

:: Blaze felt safe in speaking for Morgan::

We'll take her. We have plenty of room. We also have a special area on the grounds especially for animals that are lost, in need of help, or who are visiting.

:: She looked at Haleigh, this time with less coldness and suspicion in her apple green eyes, and across her face. She allowed herself to just LOOK at her sister, whom she hadn't seen in six months. As she studied Haleigh with her eyes, There was no threat of Malice, at least for now, although Blaze was aware that Haleigh had taken it upon herself to take over Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club's American branch.::

:: Blaze had BEGGED Haleigh not to go to Malice that night in the War Room II, and Haleigh did it anyway, and for what? People STILL got hurt, maimed, Nicolas DIED, and now, she wanted to play DRESS UP as the White Queen, now that Malice was gone? Could Haleigh REALLY be trusted? ::

She wouldn't come here to gloat....or to cause HARM...would she!?

:: Haleigh wouldn't have come here, risked the wrath of the Sanctum Sanctorum itself, carrying a kitten no less, or confrontation with Firebird, just to cause harm to Morgan and Blaze....but then again, Blaze never though Haleigh would willingly give herself to MALICE either. There were lines that Blaze thought Haleigh wouldn't cross, and she had. People, including Vivica, Zach, Alycia, even Bishop, and others, had been maimed because of her, and Persephone, and for WHAT!?.::

No....I can't let these thoughts creep up on me now. NOT NOW!

:: Blaze had the ability to sense the true EVIL intent of someone. Her native timeline's MysTech categorized it as a form of limited precognition, and it was actually one of her mystical accents. Standing here now, looking Haleigh in the eye as she did, she did NOT sense any hidden EVIL motive, but after everything that happened??::

IF this IS a trick, IF she tries anything....goddess help her. I'll IMMOLATE her!

:: Blaze slowly exhaled and composed herself::

....

<< air currents twist, bend and flow around the Sanctum Sanctorum, from the whistles, to the haunting whispers, Haleigh can hear HER name clearly among the other words she manages to pick up

Come on...

:: Blaze said softly::

....Follow me.

:: Up the stairs they went, and it was not a small flight of steps either.::

<<When they finally did reach the top, Haleigh caught sight of another portrait this one was beautifully drawn in the style of Marvel "corner box" art! and it featured the profiles of Spellbinder, Firebird, Shadow Weaver, Black Widow, Rampage, and Arsenal. It was a beautiful representation of the Victoria clan, capturing each of them in their unique and BEST light, and Haleigh was part of it. That had to tell the Hybrid SOMETHING about where she stood with her sisters>>


<< Black Widow would have a chance to survey the surroundings of this place. She was still left puzzled by her encounter with Malice, and she was understandably assuming the worst- either that the house wasn't as well protected [ not the case - given the nature of Malice] or that it was working IN CONCERT with Malice [ not the case either] but in order for her to get more answers, she'd have to discuss it with Blaze. The two sisters had MUCH to discuss, actually.>>


<<They were NOW on the second floor which is where The Chamber of Dreams was located, along with Blaze's luxury suite, AND a well furnished/equipped STUDY room, where executive/business/administrative functions pertaining to the house were handled>>

<< And down at the other end of the long hall, past the double doors leading to Blaze's luxury suite, there stood a large beautiful statue, of HECATE. >>

<< Black Widow would remember having heard from Spellbinder, Harbinger, Ororo, and Hecate herself that there were THREE facets/aspects of the Moon Goddess/Goddess of Witchcraft across the multiverse. The Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone.. Haleigh was RELATED to the "mother" (Morgan) , and she had met the "crone" (Darkchilde), but thus far, no one had had encountered the "maiden" - at least not directly, not that they REMEMBERED. The IDENTITY of the maiden had not been really addressed. Haleigh (and Blaze) didn't know it, YET, but THAT seemingly UNRELATED mystery was about to present itself to them quite soon>>

:: Haleigh's gaze on the large statue of Hecate was interrupted as Blaze loudly snapped her fingers. They were standing outside the double doors that lead to ::

....The Chamber of Dreams.

<< Blaze HAD been speaking to Haleigh just now, but the hybrid had somehow MISSED some of what the fire elemental was saying! This house was definitely interfering with Haleigh's senses and perception on some level, an effect SIMILAR to what Harbinger experienced while she was in Limbo.>>

It's time for me to deliver another round of care to Morgan.

:: The first indication to Haleigh that this was serious, as Blaze was dressed in nurse scrubs [colored RED/black, of course], looking very serious now. ::

Once we're inside, take a seat, and wait till I'm finished, then you can bring the kitten to Morgan. Tinker and Cloud (apparently the name that they had decided to try out with the white kitten) are on the bed with Morgan. They try their best to comfort her, but she....

:: Blaze looks more sad, shutting her eyes tightly for a moment::

She....

:: shaking her head::

...According to Shadow Weaver...she's CATATONIC. And between mom and I, we....

:: She STARTED to say that they couldn't bring her out of it, and that Morgan had been on the DECLINE in a way that neither she, nor Shadow Weaver could reverse::

... provide her care around the clock, I keep her comfortable and hydrated, the house magickally sustains her

I have a routine in place, and it's time for the next round, so just bear with me.

<< and with that, Blaze opens the double doors, and leads Haleigh into the Chamber of Dreams >>

<< Like the rest of this place, the Chamber of Dreams was large, spacious, beautiful, and Haleigh would see Morgan, for the first time in six months, laying in a large king sized, canopied bed>>

<< There were several hospital grade machines strategically place on one side the bed, monitors , IV, and other devices. >>

<< In addition, there were also magick crystals strategically placed around the area of the bed, Haleigh would remember seeing those when Shadow Weaver was treating HER.>>


<< Above the mantle of the Fireplace, which itself housed a small portion of the flames of Faltine, there was a large MIRROR, with a curious view of a slowly turning, shimmering vortex. THIS was the viewing portal that Shadow Weaver and Firebird used to communicate from one side of the world to the other, this was also how Shadow Weaver checked in on Blaze, when she wasn't physically there.>>


<< The room smelled of fine lavender and smooth vanilla, Morgan's FAVORITE scents, and the flame in the fireplace provided warmth and comfort throughout the Chamber of Dreams.>>

:: Blaze checked vitals, recorded the changes, and sent them electronically to Karen. She then proceed to the physical care of Morgan. Blaze, who was physically stronger than any baseline human, as well as her crosstime counterpart, had no problem lifting/moving Morgan as she needed, and she did so with care, calling on the medical training she'd received during her days in Black Ops in her own native timeline. She gently returned Morgan to her resting position, making sure the pillows behind her fluffed, and the blanket was pulled up to just below her chest area::

<< Morgan lay in the bed, perfectly still. She looked very well cared for, and that she was merely resting, rather than being completely catatonic, a testimony to the care that Blaze and their mother had been administering. Her violet eyes were open, but there was no "light", just as Malice had said. Tinker lay closest to her mommy, with Cloud a little further down. Tinker tried nuzzling her head under Morgan's hand to signal she wanted to be petted, she also tried giving her mommy's hand "kisses", and even a few gentle bites, but nothing seemed to draw a response, leaving Tinker looking worried. Morgan's vitals were at the LOWEST END of what passed for stable, despite every effort made by Shadow Weaver and Firebird over the past 6 months. Morgan was there, but she was NOT there.>>

<< On the nightstand next to the bed, there was a framed picture of Spellbinder and Rampage, it was taken just before the events of the Blue Moon, at LAVISH event hosted by none other than Sally Spectra, the fashion maven who gave Morgan her start in the fashion world. Morgan and Nicolas looked so strong, vital, SEXY, and most of all, HAPPY together. They were MEANT for each other, and this picture captured that quite clearly>>

<< What Malice had said to Haleigh was turning out to be TRUE, and no doubt, Haleigh would have questions for Blaze. For now, the hybrid watched as Blaze went into another mode, delivering a round of care for Morgan. The sorceress showed NO reaction to being touched, moved/exercised, hair brushed, vitals checked, IV fluids replenished, etc. It WAS as bad as Malice had said.>>

<< Haleigh was seated, and watched. This is why, according to her check on Blaze's phone, Blaze had hardly left the sanctum in the past six months.>>

<< Tinker spotted Haleigh and perked up. She stood up, stretched and yawned, before making her way over to the otherside of the bed, toward the direction where Haleigh was seated. The siamese trilled a bit, as she let it be known she recognized Haleigh. Cloud, eventually followed after her surrogate mommy.>>

:: Blaze indicated it was okay for Haleigh to come near the bed, and she watched Haleigh as the hybrid took in a closer view of Spellbinder. The sorceress showed no reaction to her presence. She looked cared for, but she looked pale, a mere shell of her original self.::

We haven't had any visitors, beside my mom, and Mike. It's just as well. I can't take any chances. I can't let her be shocked, or hurt anymore. She's suffered enough as it is.

The house has kept us safe, and my mom and I have been able to care for Morgan. Morgan doesn't eat....but the magicks here sustain her, while I keep her hydrated.

:: Blaze beckoned Haleigh (and the kitten)::

Set the kitten down over there :: pointing to a spot on the bed far away from Morgan:: I think Tink is ready to investigate.

<< together, Blaze and Haleigh watched, as Tinker and Cloud began to approach Perle, all the while, Spellbinder lay motionless, her eyes open, but no "light" in them.>>

<<Now was the time for Blaze and Haleigh to talk, as the looked upon their sister. There was more going on.>>

 

[Prophet]

NYC - The Met Dining Room

Elena: "Plus, if I didn't kill you fifteen years ago, it's clearly going to take a lot to drive me to it."

"You'd be surprised, El. I've actually been killed for a lot less."

He inquired about the meeting place she had set up. Cam and El spent a few summers robbing celebrities for all they were worth, stealing art, and just generally trying to make as much money as humanly possible. And they had.

Elena: "Oh you know, always like to check out the new merchandise."

"Let me know if something catches your eye, I might be down for a heist."

He'd be grateful for anything that might delay a family reunion. He was happy in his bubble with Haleigh, and though he knew he needed to burst it, he was hesitant.

Elena: "And if you're going to be pretentious and name drop something like the Met Board, then lunch is on you. And I'm incredibly hungry. I hear the duck is excellent."

"Oh it's as excellent as I am pretentious. And of course it's my treat. I didn't make Met Board kind of money not to spend it. Did I mention that? That I'm on The Met Board?"

He stood up and made a gesture for her to take his arm but she did not, instead she walked ahead of him and dramatically spun on her heels in the doorway. Cameron smiled.

Elena: "But if you think iall it's going to take is an expensive meal, you've got another thing coming, amado."

"You say that without tasting their caviar. It's petrussian and it's fucking amazing."

The two made their way over to The Met Dining Room, which had mutliple private areas for different members of the museum. Cameron had gotten on the board because he'd cheated a game of poker with the right guy. But he loved it. It gave him access to the city that was unparalleled and he was becoming a well known and successful staple of the community. Things like the board gave him international access to people he wanted access to. He got his face in the press, and it helped him further his empire. Plus he loved the paump and circumstance. And he had worked hard to make sure the museum used his frequent and generous donations properly, to give access to the arts to kids like Cameron, who didn't have the privilege of focusing on such seemingly frivolous things. It was win/win for Prophet.

Soon, they were seated and a waiter came by for their drink order. Cameron beamed a smile.

"Every bar and organization I'm a part of serves Estrada Tequila. So maybe I never reached out, but I tried to make up for it. And it is damn good tequila."

[looking at the waiter]

"We'll take two Spicy Estrada Margaritas, shaken."

He looked back at her as the waiter left.

"All kidding aside, Elena. I can't help but to think you have a long list of past lovers yourself? Surely, there had to be someone who rocked your world a lot harder than I ever did. Are you seeing anyone now? And what do you do for work? DO you work? How's your dad?"

[smirking]

"That was rapid fire, I apologize. But i'd love to know what you've been up to."

 

[Black Widow]

Manhattan — Sanctum Sanctorum

Blaze had asked how Haleigh got in here, like it was hard or something. All she’d done was show up, and the house had sucked her in before she could even ring the bell. Even the simplicity of that entry paled in comparison with the fact that Malice had gotten in here, and knocked Haleigh down the stairs so hard she’d ended up in an illusion of the catacombs, so Haleigh commented that apparently just ANYBODY could get in here. Blaze tried to tell her how the place worked, as if Morgan hadn’t explained it to her a while back. None of what Blaze said seemed to compute with the experience Haleigh just came out of.

“Mmhm. But what about someone who was already temporally or spatially displaced, how would the Sanctum defend against them?”

Haleigh asked. In her mind there were only two possibilities. Either that had really been her mother, and they needed to know so they could prepare — and they needed to know the house couldn’t stop Malice — or the house was fucking with her. She wouldn’t really appreciate that, but it was the more preferable alternative.

Blaze mumbled something about her being family, and then spoke up to say the house had recognized her biological bond. Haleigh gave her a perplexed look at that. Then Blaze asked her why she was here, and Haleigh explained simply that she’d heard the call to Hecate. She asked if something was wrong with Morgan, adding wryly more than usual, because she still had her sardonic sense of humor and a large part of her wanted that little discussion with her mother to be a bunch of bullshit.

Blaze: Don’t you mock my sister.

Haleigh raised an eyebrow at Blaze.

“Don’t you tell me what to do.”

She replied mildly, before listening to Blaze tell her that Morgan was having a hard time with her grief. Then Blaze got a little dig in about how the rest of them may have ‘moved on’.

“It’s been several months, Blaze. Everybody goes through grief their own way, at their own pace. Some of us may have decided to honor his sacrifice by making the most out of what life we have left. That doesn’t mean we didn’t care about Nicolas.”

She replied, matter-of-factly. Coming off the talk with her mother, she wasn’t too pleased with the implication that any of this had been easy. They were distracted by Perle, who was mewling in the carrier. Haleigh pulled the cat into her arms, and while she wasn’t really a cat person, this one seemed to love her quite intensely. Haleigh supposed it was because they’d both survived Malice, or simply because Haleigh always had a can of tuna or crab meat to offer. Blaze commented on what a cute cat it was, and with such a luxurious diamond collar. Yes, notice the diamonds on the cat, rather than the ones on my hand, Haleigh thought, with a sly smile. Blaze asked about the origin of Perle, and Haleigh started to feel a mildly defensive. Would they discriminate against the creature due to where she came from?

“Does it really MATTER? She came from Hellfire, and it’s not her fault who her owner was.”

Blaze agreed to take the cat, without even waiting to discuss it with Morgan. Haleigh nodded at that, gazing back at Blaze steadily, who seemed to be looking back at her with suspicion. Haleigh could have sworn she heard the house whispering her name, somewhat creepily. Then Blaze bid her to follow, up those damned stairs again. They climbed the staircase for an unnaturally long time, but this time Haleigh watched the top for signs of Malice. There was no hint of her anymore, though, and so Haleigh just ended up casting her glance around at the place. She saw some artwork of Karen, Mike, Morgan, Nic, Blaze, and curiously, Haleigh herself. It was a nice enough piece, but where was Delilah, Ava or Cameron? If Haleigh was included, it seemed odd to her that the others weren’t. She looked around at the scenery some more, and her eyes landed on a statue, of the three aspects of Hecate. Hecate was a big deal to Morgan, part of her heritage, but to Haleigh she was just another Goddess, and probably her least favorite. Blaze was saying something, and snapped her fingers, causing Haleigh’s glare to snap in Blaze’s direction.

“You’d better be snapping your fingers at the cat, Blaze.”

She warned, her patience already having been expended on Malice. Blaze explained that it was time for another ‘round of care’ for Morgan. Haleigh didn’t like the sound of that AT ALL, and when Blaze suggested she take a seat, her mouth tightened.

“I’ll stand, thanks.”

She countered willfully. She was already on edge, having had to interact with the vestiges of her mother, and the otherworldliness of the house. The only thing she trusted at this point was herself. Blaze explained Morgan’s condition, reluctantly, stating that Morgan had regressed into some kind of CATATONIC daze. So Malice HAD been speaking the truth. Haleigh was vexed by this confirmation, and her mouth twisted in a sharp frown.

“For fuck’s sake, Blaze, what, did you pour out all the champagne?!”

She asked, clearly frustrated. She stood and watched from a distance, shaking her head. To Blaze, this seemed totally routine. To Haleigh, it was wholly unacceptable. Blaze told her to bring the cat over, and Haleigh did, depositing her on the bed and taking a deep breath to keep herself from blowing up at the fire elemental. She had come here to help, not to start a fight, but she was pretty pissed that Blaze had kept this under wraps. For HOW long?! Haleigh wondered, but she managed to choose her words and keep her tone even, though it was noticeably steely.

“Blaze, did it ever cross your mind to reach out to me, or to Cameron, or to any of the others? THIS is something we have a right to know about. You’re not the ONLY ONE who cares about Morgan. Maybe if she hadn’t been so isolated she wouldn’t have gotten… this bad.”

 

[Firebird]

Sanctum Sanctorum- Chamber of Dreams

:: Blaze watched as TInker and Cloud cautiously approached Perle. There was silence until....::

“Blaze, did it ever cross your mind to reach out to me, or to Cameron, or to any of the others? THIS is something we have a right to know about. You’re not the ONLY ONE who cares about Morgan. Maybe if she hadn’t been so isolated she wouldn’t have gotten… this bad.”

:: Blaze tilted her head, as she turned to face Haleigh::

Oh....you mean you would have taken time from your busy schedule of playing dress up as the White Queen?

I haven't been doing this alone. Karen has been helping. And what exactly would you and Cameron have done? She has a psi-screen. Neither one of you are magick users, OR doctors. What exactly would either of you have done that Karen, an actual doctor, and magick user, or myself, haven't already tried?

:: Noting Haleigh's earlier displays of hostility, Blaze was not intimidated, and she felt the negative vibes coming off Haleigh like waves:

She isolated because she was heart broken, she felt lost, helpless, she wanted to cocoon, and most of all, SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T WANT TO SEE YOU.

How's THAT for "everyone going through grief their own way?"

:: She says with defiance and force::

I did as Morgan asked, what we agreed to before she declined, and I'm not apologizing to you, or anyone else for doing what I think is best to help and protect my sister, who's lost the love of her life!

When it became clear that not even Karen could bring her out of her catatonic state, nor could she REVERSE this....decline she's been in, when it became clear that she's DYING, I called for HECATE because she's the only one who can save Morgan at this point.

<< All the while, Tinker and Cloud cautiously approach Perle. the cats eye each other, as Tinker circles around her and cautiously sniffs her. Perle vocalizes a bit, and Tinker LIGHTLY hisses, letting Perle know that she's the boss. The bigger cat and the two kittens sort out their "differences", with Tinker eventually beginning to groom little Perle, the first sign of exceptance.>>

<< But the humans were now getting into conflict, which Tinker never liked, nor did Cloud, or Perle.>>

<< Worse, Tinker sensed something was wrong with her human mommy, Morgan. she turned her head back toward Morgan, approached her, trilling as she crawled up on Morgan's chest bringing her face near to Morgan's expressionless face. Tinker nuzzles her, and investigates closely. Something is wrong, the enchanted familiar can sense it>>

<< When Tinker realizes that something is VERY wrong with her mommy, something that not even the machines, OR the magick crystals have detected yet, she immediately turns, and runs over to the side of the bed where the two humans are arguing, she begins to meow loudly, and pointedly , as only a siamese can to get their attention>>

<< as Tinker interrupts them, a "bubble manifests" above her head, as she broadcasts a psionic pictogram showing the image of CHARON, the mysterious creature who ferries the souls of the DECEASED of the river styx, to the ISLE OF THE DEAD>>

<< Tinker raises one of her front paws, to underscore how urgent this is to the humans>>

Tinker!?

:: The psionic pictogram shows...::

Charon!??

:: Her hand flies to her mouth as she turns away from Haleigh and rushes to Morgan's side taking one of her hands into her own. The magick crystals begin to change color, one by one, shifting from soft white, to glowing red, and soon after that, the monitors began to sound off alerts::

No....NO, Morg....NOT YET! Hecate is coming....she's COMING...just HANG ON!

 

[Seer]

At that moment- In the Hallway on the second floor of the Sanctum Sanctorum

<<Amanda Sefton, and Beto were BOTH returned to the "here and now" inside the house, both emerging into the hall from just across the way from one another, and meeting right in front of the large, beautiful statue of Hecate >>

<< The two of them had regained their bearings, and thankfully were able to relay to their experiences to one another on an unspoken level.>>

Amanda: Nice to see you again, Beto.

<< She said, as she ran her hand across her forehead.>>

We're close now....I can feel her....we....

<< Sounds of conflict could be heard coming from the double doors located near the center of the hallway>>

Amanda: That's Firebird's voice. We better get in there.

<< Seconds later>>

Charon!??

:: Her hand flies to her mouth as she turns away from Haleigh and rushes to Morgan's side taking one of her hands into her own. The magick crystals begin to change color, one by one, shifting from soft white, to glowing red, and soon after that, the monitors began to sound off alerts::

No....NO, Morg....NOT YET! Hecate is coming....she's COMING...just HANG ON!

<< The House itself, once again expressing its ENDORSEMENT of Amanda and Beto's presence, OPENS the doors to the Chamber of Dreams, granting them access. Amanda, sensing the destress not only from Firebird, but even MORE SO from a fallen sister witch, Morgan VIctoria, is the first to reveal herself to Firebird and Black Widow, much to their astonishment>>

Firebird: WHO...WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!?

<< Firebird and Black Widow are clearly ready to react to her as if she and Beto are hostile intruders>>

 

[Magik]

Sanctum Sanctorum- Chamber of Dreams

Firebird: WHO...WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!?

<< Firebird and Black Widow are clearly ready to react to her as if she and Beto are hostile intruders>>

No, WAIT!

<< Amanda holds her hands up , and they are surrounded by glowing blue tao mandalas, as she manifests a mystic barrier between herself and the two sisters to protect BOTH sides>>

I am Amanda Sefton, daughter of gypsy mother, and witch queen Margali Szardos....I'm a witch, just like your sister, Morgan, and WE have met before...during the Inferno event.

I saved your life, when you were knocked off the empire state building, you MUST remember!

I mean you NO harm. I HEARD your distress call to Hecate, and I was DRAWN here....to see if I could HELP. I....the HOUSE PULLED ME IN with such force!


I KNOW it sounds....far fetched, but it's true none the less. I Heard your cry to Hecate, I was MEANT to, and I....WE ....Beto, and myself , here as an ALLIES, to offer WHATEVER assistance to you and to Morgan that I can.

Firebird and Black Widow WOULD note there was some RESEMBLANCE between Amanda and Morgan, and the fact that Amanda spoke directly to Blaze, even mentioning the Inferno Event, and how she had Saved Blaze's life, gave the sister's pause.

Surely you must know, that for people such as us, even the IMPOSSIBLE is often merely a suggestion, but I assure you this is NOT a trick or a ruse. There's no way we could have gotten INTO the Sanctum Sanctorum, much less THIS far in, without it ALLOWING us to.

 

[Sparrow]

NYC - The Met Dining Room

Cameron seemed to think there was some possibility that she had come there to fight him. Yell at him, yes. Slap him, absolutely. But fight him, no. She told him if she hadn't killed him fifteen years ago she wasn't going to do it now. Which was true. She wasn't sure what had stopped her at the time - probably that her first reaction hadn't been rage, it had been complete and utter devastation.

Cameron: "You'd be surprised, El. I've actually been killed for a lot less."

Elena shrugged.

"Not by me. Yet."

He suggestively asked if there was a reason she'd picked this venue. Honestly, she just liked it here, but it was good to keep him intrigued. Plus, she wouldn't be worth her salt if she wasn't aware of what was around her.

Cameron: "Let me know if something catches your eye, I might be down for a heist."

Elena laughed out loud at that.

"Think you can just slip back into it, just like that, do you? Ay, caramba, bull in a china shop."

She shook her head. It was more than that. To take him on a job she had to trust him, and the trust they used to have had been lost.

He name dropped being on the Met Board, which made Elena roll her eyes. And of course decide to take as much advantage of it as possible by ordering an incredibly large amount of expensive food, on him.

Cameron: "Oh it's as excellent as I am pretentious. And of course it's my treat. I didn't make Met Board kind of money not to spend it. Did I mention that? That I'm on The Met Board?"

That made her genuinely laugh - she couldn't help it. There was a glimpse of the boy he had been. Though of course, he hadn't had money then.

"I liked you better when you were poor."

She neglected to take his arm - she could be civil to an ex, but there was a limit to things - and walked ahead of him, turning back to tell him that it would take more than a meal.

Cameron: "You say that without tasting their caviar. It's petrussian and it's fucking amazing."

She grinned mischievously.

"I'll be sure to order a few pints to take home then."

The made their way to the restaurant and a good table with an excellent view.

Cameron: "Every bar and organization I'm a part of serves Estrada Tequila. So maybe I never reached out, but I tried to make up for it. And it is damn good tequila."

"It is the finest tequila."

She began to look over the menu, and didn't take her eyes off it as she said,

"And you go on thinking that makes up for it if you want to, amado."

Because it didn't, really. But it had been a long time. She was beyond yelling at him about it.

Cameron: "All kidding aside, Elena. I can't help but to think you have a long list of past lovers yourself? Surely, there had to be someone who rocked your world a lot harder than I ever did. Are you seeing anyone now? And what do you do for work? DO you work? How's your dad?"

She raised her eyes from the menu to look at him.

"Did you forget your ADHD meds this morning or something?"

Cameron: "That was rapid fire, I apologize. But I'd love to know what you've been up to."

"Well, I run the distillery for my father. The other companies when he needs me to. He's getting older, likes to spend more and more time with his roses. And when I get antsy I do some work on the side."

She winked at him., setting her menu down in front of her.

"La vida es buena, no?"

The waiter brought their drinks and she lifted her glass.

"Salud. To us."

 

[Tycoon]

Manhattan, NY — Central Park

They joked about darts on the way to the park, and really it was one of Gavin’s fondest recent memories. He felt kind of bad about that, because it had probably been a really awful night for her, coming off the breakup and betrayal as she had. But it was the beginning of him and her, the beginning of them, and Gavin secretly hoped that one day she would look back on that day just as nostalgically as he did.

Yet, he was getting ahead of himself. They were taking it slow, which was fine by him. The last thing he wanted was to end up being her rebound man, those guys usually got dumped as soon as the girl got over (or got back together with) the original boyfriend. He wanted to avoid that fate, if possible. His chances were weak at this point, he estimated.

She still hadn’t introduced him to her daughter, although he understood she was being kept somewhere safe, the details of which he didn’t exactly know or understand. He didn’t begrudge her wanting to safeguard her daughter, though his inner voice couldn’t help but wonder if maybe she didn’t want to introduce her daughter to him because that seemed like a serious step, one which she wasn’t quite ready to take with him.

He was torn, between wanting to solidify their relationship and not wanting to pressure her into something she wasn’t ready for. So he breached the subject of attending a wedding together. It was a semi-serious affair, and initially she didn’t seem to happy when he brought up Zach and Ashley. So he gave her an easy escape, but he didn’t want to go with anyone ELSE, so he suggested just going stag.

He dipped a celery stick and crunched on it, while she declared that she wouldn’t let him go alone. That gave him a sense of relief, because he’d hoped she said yes — because he really enjoyed her company— and also because he was a little concerned that Ashley’s bridesmaids might be huntresses and it would be open season on a bachelor groomsman. He smiled bit at Delilah’s assessment that weddings were hookup conventions. Certainly it was true that at those kinds of events, romance was heavy in the air and things just sort of escalated.

“Well, I’m not really interested in some opportunistic shag. Truly, I’d much more appreciate going with someone I can actually talk to.”

He said, and he beamed at her saying she’d love to go with him. She offered him a bite of her salad, with chicken on the fork even. That was generous, and he nodded appreciatively, then snuck a chicken wing into her takeout container while she focused on delivering the bite to him. He chewed, and then looked impressed.

“Alright, I was skeptical. The ‘best’ in Manhattan is a lofty claim, but that’s pretty well done, I admit.”

Meanwhile, he had wings, and still intended to devour them. For a few moments he was quiet, as he picked the first bone clean. There was no ‘proper’ way to eat this food, so he didn’t even try to be neat. He paused the atrocity to pose another question.

“Have you met this lady he’s gonna marry yet? I don’t know her very well, but you know Zach’s into the fierce ones, and from what he says, he’s madly in love with her. Which, counts for something, at least in the beginning.”