Chapter 9:

Tno: Well, well, wasn't the last chappie a dozy. Oh yes, yes. Well now our little horror movie continues possibly to the end and possibly not, you never know this may just lead to the end of the first book of the As One Trilogy… though I do have yet to kill off an important character (which Clarence wishes to discus with me), and if I have my way, it'll be someone important that everyone loves…that's right I'm not going to be a pussy and just kill off the bad guys like an normal pussy. I'M GOING TO KILL OFF… ha thought I was going to slip up there didn't ya!

Chapter 9:

Ray was finding himself in a reluctant state of relaxation as he came closer and closer to the centre of what appeared to be a flower guardian growing. No! Thriving, in the frozen black water. He wasn't sure but he had thought on occasion that something had brushed across his leg but the fact that both of his legs were numb from the cold liquid around them and there were a lot of plants around, or at least that's what he was sure they were. Ari's dark mist was rather inconvenient. He thought of how he would find Sid when he finally reached her, what would this thing have done to her. The image of Gwen drowning behind the rippling glass pushed itself into his head again no matter how hard he tried to push it away.

Something was making him dizzy. Was it the fact that he was catching pneumonia, or was it the haunting sent that was now strong around him hypnotising him? He though he saw a butterfly soar in an eagle like fashion by one of the blank mirrors before he stumbled closing his eyes feeling weariness forcing itself on him. He wanted so bad to just let it take over to just fall into this dark fairy world surrounding him and be lost…

Kai ran up the stairs more out of fear of what he was leaving behind than a desire to face what was awaiting him. Reaching the attic and panting hard he realised that there was no water here. He felt his feet begin to tingle as minimal warmth allowed the blood to flow more freely in his veins. In the back of his mind he wondered vaguely how Enni could live in a room without at least a half-a-dozen mirrors. Ari on the other hand, he expected her to hate looking in mirrors not liking much about herself to begin with she certainly wouldn't want to have to 'face' herself an more often than she already had too. The door was open and he slowly walked inside, intending to keep his eyes looking directly ahead, he didn't want to show any kind of weakness in himself. 'If they know you're afraid than your battle is already lost'. Kai hatefully remembered that saying from the many hours Voltair had spent drilling it into his head as a small child.

"So many of them…" Came Ari's ghostly whisper and as he entered the room he found himself unable to keep to his emotionless resolution. The room was as dark as the rest of the house although the butterflies were shinning really brightly for glow in the dark stickers but looking up he felt his heart skip a beat. Hanging from each butterfly was a glowing cocoon. Some were 'hatched'. Splayed open and spewing blackness. He was then aware of a heartbeat. Loud and yet at the same time it seemed faint, weak. He looked to the other side of the room. (Forcing himself to in a way). Ari was motionless. Suspended over her bed by thick ivory ropes of cocoon silk. She looked more like a doll, in an odd sort of sleep he guessed.

"So many shadows." Her voice breathed, her mouth did not move. He took a step forward and her eyes suddenly shot open.

"Ray…Ray." A seductive cooing version of Sid's voice came to him. His vision swam back into focus and he looked up at Sid who was sitting on top of him. In any other situation he would have really been enjoying the position in which he found himself presently, but now…

He tried to sit up but she pinned him back down almost the way she had with Enni, but with less of a naïve attitude as though she no longer wanted to play games.

"Ray. You came her for something, that much I know. I won't let you leave until you tell me what that is." She purred. Her catty ways were still very present but her attitude had changed. "Are you going to tell me Ray?" She leaned down against his neck. "Or will I have to take it from you?"

"Take what from me?" He asked wanting to keep his voice level but finding it hard with her nibbling delicately at his neck.

"Don't start those games Ray. I like different games now." She whispered locking lips with his for a brief moment.

"I still don't know what you're talking about." He gasped. He forced himself to believe he didn't want more. She wasn't doing this because she wanted too. She was being controlled more or less. He breathed sharply when she bit down on the tender part of his collar bone, near his neck.

"Then I'll just have to show you won't I." He felt her hand slide down his torso and sink into his pocket. She was going for the perfume bottle, that much he was working out, but in the meantime let's just say there was something else she was reaching for too. Ray groaned. Oh, he had to get away now. He always appreciated challenges when it came to women (one of the many reasons he was always chasing Ari), but he couldn't handle being provoked.

"Give it to me Ray, and in return, you can have me." He glanced at her cat-like eyes. "You can have ALL of me…"

Enni rested on the back of the turtle that Gwen had brought him on. Several other's giants had floated by recently. Ignoring his presence as Gwen slept against his shoulder. He had been trying to think of a way out of here. Time stood still here it seemed. Every time he passed by a light shaft he discovered that it was actually a mirror. He had been staring at the lights for what seemed like hours, trying to discern the pattern of the house from them. He had seen Ray and Kai split up a little while ago which made him believe that time was slow in this place.

He sat up slowly trying not to wake Gwen who sat up with him.

"What is it Enni?" Her haunted voice sounded quiet.

"Gwen, don't you remember Sid and Ari, what about the guys, Tyson, Max? Ray? KAI?" Gwen looked at him blankly.

"I don't remember anything but your face and that I'm supposed to be with you. That's all I know."

"So you've forgotten everything?" He asked carefully.

"How can I forget memories I never had? I was born here and I'll die here."

"But you remember Ceridwen?"

"Of coarse I do. Ceridwen has been with me from birth as my sister. Enni it seems you have forgotten everything. You shouldn't have gone to that other world."

"But you said you can separate from Ceridwen here-."

"I don't want you going out there again. I have a bad feeling about that place…DON'T GO THERE AGAIN!" She commanded…

Kai stopped, unsure what to do next. Her eyes were black like two holes ready to swallow him.

"So many shadows." She repeated.

"Ari I'm here to help you."

"You never wanted to help me Voltaire." Ari answered bitterly. "So many shadows…"

"I was betrayed by him too, Voltair killed my parents."

"Don't lie. You'll just make more shadows."

"I can't be because I'm telling the truth. I'm Kai. I promise." He had been inching forward slowly. He was now close enough to reach out and touch her face. Ari's lips moved slightly and he vaguely heard her repeat his name.

"That's right, Kai."

"Then why does the blood of my enemy run in your veins?"

"Because…" Kai trailed off seeing something protruding from behind Ari. Looking over her shoulder he saw a massive butterfly with wings the size of his shoulder blades perched on her spine. It's body was that of what looked like a dog-like dragon or something of the sort. He stopped staring at the red eyes watching him…

By the time Ray could gather enough sense to stop himself he had already rolled over on top of Sid feverishly kissing her. He hadn't cared that she had the bottle in her hands, nor had he cared that this wasn't really Sid. Maybe it was the lavender smell but as he fought back mentally he found it harder to stay conscious. He jumped off her, lunging for the bottle when something wrapped around his arm pulling him back and practically throwing him headfirst into the wood of the bed's headboard. It was scaly and smooth and looking around he kicked himself for not having registered all the snakes tangling around him. One gently spiralled up Sid's arm as she held it out to him. It hissed and lunged, just shy of his face, making him flinch. How had he known he was going to die a player.

"Don't worry, this one has no venom. He only pretends to be vicious…like you're just pretending you don't want me." She hissed more cat-ish than snake-like.

"You're not Sid first off and even then I wouldn't sleep with you because if you WERE Sid, I'd have been crucified for having tried to get in your pants like that."

"Well if I'm not Sid who am I?"

"That's a good question, who are you?" Ray retorted, he had to keep talking if he was going to stay conscious and the other option was giving into her (which he figured would end in his death).

"Who do you want to be with right now Ray?" The line was cheesy in a way, but it wasn't Sid saying it so he could forgive her. He looked at her for a minute. Maybe he could get her back with this.

"Sid! I want to talk to Sid." He saw it, for a brief moment her eyes had gone back to normal. He could win yet…

"I have Voltair's blood because I am his grandson Ari. But I swear to you that I am Kai."

"I don't trust you."

"I won't lie to you Ari. I promise." He kept eye contact with the creature on her back the whole time knowing that this was what he was taking to. It wanted to control Ari and so he would call it by Ari's name. He hadn't however been totally oblivious to the fact that Ari's body was trying to conrol itself. He had distinctly heard Ari ask for his help a little while ago but ignored it. This was going to get complicated soon.

"So many shadows. You have so many shadows." This was getting annoying, time to try something new.

"Yes I have a lot of them and Ari does too."

"Because you gave them too me."

"I said Ari has shadows. Whatever you are you ARE NOT ARI!" Kai braced himself for the creature to attack him but instead it was Ari herself who attacked him…

"I need to go on the other-side for a while Gwen."

"No!"

"I have a good reason. Trust me, nothing will happen."

"No Enni."

"Gwen listen to me, you aren't yourself. I can help but I have too-."

"NO!"

"And how will you stop me. You don't control me."

"My friends won't let you abandon me." The turtles that had been circling through this world suddenly began to come closer attracted by the distress of their creator. Enni looked around carefully.

"What if I took you to the other side with me? Would you feel better?"

"Not really."

"Believe me, I know what I'm doing, just come with me."

"What's wrong with here?"

"It's not where I belong."

"You idiot, you've always been here."

"You've lost it."

"How dare you." Gwen began to float above the shell of the turtle they were currently sitting on. (This is not hard since they're more or less floating in water-ish type stuff).

"I'm tired of this, I'm sick of always trying to save you just so you can become something worse. I know it's not you but I can only keep up with so much. Now someone else is in the picture and it's driving me insane." Enni almost shouted. Gwen looked hurt and angry.

"If I'm really that terrible then I don't want you here. Don't ever return to this world or you will die…"

Ari took another swipe but it was restrained. She was fighting a losing battle against that thing stuck to her back. This time Kai caught Ari's arm as it came sailing weakly through the air, swivelling her around so he was staring at the creature on her back. It tried to turn it's head around to look at him but was unable to (apparently it's not weird enough to pull and exorcist move).

"I knew it." The creature almost laughed. "It's Voltaire all over again isn't it? I know you now."

"I'm not hurting you Ari. I know we've had our differences but this thing is lying to you. Who do you believe?" Ari had started convulsing violently struggling with pain

"I believe in protecting myself." The creature retorted

"I was talking to Ari so SHUT UP!" Ari began to retch, blood spewing from her mouth

"I'm part of Ari now, we are one and you are no longer welcome" Ari gave up finally falling to her knees.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" She screamed grabbing Kai's arm with her free hand desperately.

Kai grinned sadistically at the creature now looking up at him from where it was still attached to Ari's spine. This would be over soon…

"Sid? That's funny, I always thought you wanted to get with Ari. But OK if that's what you want?"

"I never said I wanted to screw Sid. I said I want to talk to her." Ray retorted.

"I don't really do talking. At least not that kind."

Ari had begun screaming from upstairs. Sid had begun to get rather voluptuous again. It was becoming clear that whatever was controlling her wanted it's vessel to be the one in control and unfortunately it had to be through womanly charm his biggest weakness.

The only problem was that if he tried to argue or to get her to come back to being the real Sid he found himself slipping further and further from conciseness. So what if he tried to do the opposite and let her be just long enough for the snakes to let go of him then he could turn this all around.

It started to work and eventually the snakes let go. As soon as they slackened their grip he jumped forward on top of Sid slamming her arms into the mattress above her head. He kissed her again the way he had before but this time he was completely in conrol of himself and her. And this time he was making her angry.

"WAKE UP SID!" He shouted. "Come on, I know you don't wanna do anything so wake up and slap me already."

"I-she-Sid…I-am…I AM SID!"

"No I want the real Sid…I want the Sid that would kick my ass for this…The one that cares for her friends who need her."

"I…am…I…get…off."

"Come on Sid they need help too so hurry up and come back."

"I…need...help…

"I'm not leaving here without you."

"I'll never go out there again. NEVER!"

"I don't remember giving you a choice Gwen." Enni retorted. The turtle they were on agitated by the girl's rising temper had begun to move more swiftly. It moved deftly towards one of the shafts of light, the mirror covered in plants. Enni grabbed one of Gwen's delicate, fragile arms that were still amazingly strong. The next thing she knew, Enni had jumped through the mirror bringing her with him.

As his feet landed in ankle deep water Enni realised that that was as far as he could go. Gwen was still on the other side, Half her arm in the real world and half in her imaginary world. He thrust his arms back through the mirror as she twisted around. He grabbed her around her waist from behind as the mirror began to harden around them…

Kai reached down grabbing the thing around the middle and pulling. It shrieked and dug deeper, it's voice becoming less and less like Ari's that was screaming in intense pain. He let go wondering if it was such a good idea after all to use brute force. That was all he knew. All he was used to. He looked down at the thing burn marks had appeared where his hand had been. But Ari's skin was fine.

"What do I…?" An idea occurred to him and he hopped that he wasn't going to get killed for this later but…He knelt down by Ari and wrapped his arms around her, it was an embrace really. Definitely something Kai wasn't used to but he could feel the thing dying against his arms. The hissing of the stickers burning off the ceiling occurred to him and he prayed that the house wouldn't burn down because of this. Ari began making noises of pain, no longer able to scream having lost her voice. She dug her nails into him blond still trickling from the corner of her mouth.

Then it was all over…there was nothing left there was no darkness left upstairs anyway the shrieking of the shadows had silenced…in fact the only sound was Ari's gasps of agony as she collapsed showing on her back the black image of two intricate butterfly wings burned into her skin. She was crying raw tears of relief but she didn't dare move…

Ray heard Enni struggling with Gwen somewhere nearby and the darkness was slowly beginning to thin it seemed. Or more likely it was his imagination. He continued to persist as Sid conflicted with herself. The snakes were a clear sign of that. They were beyond confused, receiving mixed messages of weather or not to attack.

"RAY! S-STOP THIS. GET OFF ME!" The voice sounded more real. More like Sid. But he had to be sure.

"Ray I swear to God…Oh my head…AAAH!" She closed her eyes as she released the controlling presence inside her. Not entirely convinced Ray held the bottle of lavender under he nose. Then it was like a seen from a movie. Her eyes blanked for a moment her torso arching pulled upwards by some invisible force as the snakes disintegrated as did the plants and Ray was almost certain he saw something leave her body. But now he was definitely sure that Sid was back.

Enni pulled backwards with all the strength he possessed. The hardened mirror cracked but that didn't stop him from seeing the Turtles congregating in front of it. Gwen was coming back but they weren't going to let her escape them with her life. Enni gathered his strength and tried one more time. The mirror shattered as the turtles came centimetres away from their victim. Gwen fell through the mirror as it sliced at her back. She landed in the water unconscious and barley breathing. The water level began to go down it's black silkiness evaporating. It was all over. Max Came upstairs saying something about Tyson not being able to come back into the house and the fact that the sun was starting to rise.

By the time Sid came too, she was alone in her room, the smell of lavender was still strong. She kept to herself the memory of what she had done under the control of the intruder in her mind. It was embarrassing.

Almost the way Kai pretended he had never been slightly affectionate to anyone and Ari didn't say anything. She wanted to forget any of this had a happened.

Gwen had actually forgotten. The memory of everything she had done was lost. She had been the one hit with the strongest ability we could say. She had been able to creat her own world, but having been knocked out for several hours, no one thought now was the best time to tell her.

Ray never spoke of what had happened between himself and Sid. To him it hadn't meant anything since she wasn't being herself and he was after all perusing Ari.

Enni was…less discrete. He wanted to know what happened exactly amongst everyone so he could analyse it though he never spoke about Gwen's ordeal in front of her for her mental health.

In the end all's well that ends well…for now…because Gwen's story has yet to finish. OOOOOH YEAH! We've still got all the fun Halloweeness to go through, people hooking up with other people…maybe a few actual REAL lemons somewhere down the road…hang on this is starting to sound like an A/N…be right back…

Tno: THAT'S BETTER. Anyhoo like I was saying, if your good little reviewers I promise you at least two…maybe three lemons...and a milkshake…or some chocolate. Yeah and we still have Christmas. A special guest appearance (a couple really) some Voltair and his bitch Boris moments, not to mention the grand finally with a few doodads here and there. So good night dear Emu and Emuette (it is currently 11:59 p.m. for moi).