For some reason, I was out of the blue struck with the longing to watch Legend, which I hadn't watched in over a year, and my attention was immediately drawn to the scene One of Us, where Lily is entranced by Darkness. That has always been my favorite scene (other than the ones featuring Lily and Darkness himself) and, while I was watching it, I was hit with inspiration; to write a one-shot describing what I think might have been Lily's thoughts during this scene.

I hope this will be an enjoyable read for you, and an interesting one as well. And please, try to remember: this is my opinion of what Lily's thought might have been. Just keep that in mind, and enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Legend, or the title. Both belong to the creators, the lucky bastards. The only things I own are some pens, a few notebooks, a closet full of clothes, and the overall theme of this fanfic. So please don't sue me J

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She could hear the whispers echoing around her, a seductive purr that stirred a fire within her being. Such a sensation was unsettling to her; she'd never before experienced the strange feelings now churning inside her, just as her blood had never been so warm, her skin never craving a touch she knew she shouldn't want. But here, in this forsaken place, with blazing fires casting shadows across her skin and hair…she couldn't bring herself to care. It was as if all of the worries had slipped from her mind, leaving only a hungry longing for someone's…something's fiery embrace. She could all but feel the smooth flesh that would touch her own, the claws that would rip away her tattered dress and stroke her until she quivered and moaned.

"Win her….."

Lily gasped. There was the voice again! Was it darkness?

Glancing around the room, her vision blurred by sticky strands of chocolate colored hair, Lily searched for the voice's master, but found none. She felt frightened, unsettled, but was more so for knowing it was not the voice she feared. It was the longing that the dark whispers created within her that she was afraid of. And here, trapped in this glittering room with its towering pillars and hellish fires, Lily knew she was at the voice's mercy. She was at her own mercy.

A sudden urge began to overtake her, a gentle pull coming from her right. Lily felt her lips tremble as she turned and saw the silver dais decorated with cascades of jewels and delicate goblets and pitchers of wine, the silver and diamonds glowing in the light cast by golden flames. A gilded mirror hung over the table, and Lily found herself longing to see her reflection within its polished surface, though why she didn't know. It seemed to beckon to her, as did the table, the glittering jewels and shining silver craving her touch, just as she desired the stranger's caress that enflamed her blood and haunted her mind the longer she remained within the darkened room.

"Charm her…."

Her feet seemed to have a mind of their own, for Lily began to walk towards the table, while a gentle tinkling, like that of a bell blowing in the summer's breeze, danced around her, its music soft and unusually beautiful. The floor felt like silk to her tired feet, and it caressed them when she walked, as if knowing of her plight. But that was absurd….how could the floor know she was so tired?

"Seduce her…."

She was at the table and her hands were already reaching for the lid of a silver box before Lily even realized what she was doing. She tried to stop herself, but her fingertips grazed the lid and there was no resisting. Lily had to touch it, the see what was within the polished case. Slowly, a desperate edge gnawing at her heart, Lily lifted the lid and nearly gasped; there were necklaces of silver and diamond piled upon each other in the box, winking softly in the light. Her heart pounded within her chest as she grasped a massive strand of diamonds and lifted it out of its silver confines, each gem casting a rainbow reflection over her hands. The tinkling of bells grew louder, beckoning her, and Lily gently began to lower the necklace to her throat. More frightening than the allure of the gems was that she could actually imagine herself wearing the necklaces and bracelets. It was becoming more pronounced, this image, and Lily felt her lips curve into a smile as she glanced into the mirror she'd earlier seen and saw her reflection gazing back at her.

Her face was smudged with dirt, as was her hair, but a sparkle shone within her eyes, and there was a mysterious air lingering around her, and that of her image. Suddenly, the girl within the mirror rippled, and a dazzling maiden wearing a radiant smile replaced her. Lily could still see herself in the twisted mirror, but it was as if her face were nothing more than a shimmering mask, one that was barely visible compared to that of the extraordinary beauty dressed in flowing silk staring back at her. Diamonds seemed to be imbedded in her flesh, giving it the palest of glitter, though Lily knew the girl within the polished surface could have all the jewels she wanted. They would cover her wrists, her throat, would dangle from her ears and twinkle on her fingers. But always more tantalizing than the jewels was the beauty herself, with her ivory skin and full, black painted lips, and a graceful neck made more so by the silken collar that surrounded her face in its glittering folds.

The creature within the mirror was a being of darkness, one born of the night. And she was beautiful. But, more astounding than the girl's attractive face was that Lily knew she could be that beautiful. She could be the one to wear such fine silks, to have her throat and ears hung with jewels, much like the ones in her hands. She could be the one to have those gentle hands caressing her waist, tangling in her hair…it could be her body that the claws with their razor tips would trace, ever so soft across her skin and neck…..

Breathing a soft sigh, she lowered the necklace even more, while her conscience cried and the lady within the mirror smiled. But, before the strand could touch her skin, Lily sensed something behind her, its aura casting an uneasiness over her. She felt that she should run, drop the necklace and flee, but she couldn't bring herself to do anything but turn and face the creature that had caused such a strangeness to overcome her.

Lily gasped and reeled away from the table. There was…something, a figure dressed in a tattered, clinging dress of black silk, with a high collar Lily was sure she'd seen somewhere. Music seemed to float around the creature, and it danced to the gypsy-like tune, its body twirling across the floor, the silk of its sleeves and skirt fluttering around it like a cloud.

Stumbling backwards, Lily trembled when her back met the warm stone of a pillar, and all the while the twirling figure came closer, it's black covered face glittering like the diamonds she'd just had draped across her hands. As it danced a languid path towards her, Lily noticed a stirring within her chest, a pull that tried to draw her towards the graceful figure. She wrapped her arms around her middle, trying to block the sensation, but to no avail. And it came closer, its slippered feet gently gliding across the floor, and Lily breathed tiny gasps and trembled harder when the figure stopped and seemed to stare at her, the pull drawing her to it growing stronger.

"Make her one of us…."

The whisper cut through the music, and Lily's heart pounded harder as the thing began to dance again. It moved with its arms outstretched, the streaked silk flaring out behind it like tattered wings, and it danced in tiny circles, moving steadily closer until Lily could see every inch of the surprisingly beautiful gown draping its slender figure, as well as the diamond sash coming down over its shoulder. Strangely enough, Lily longed to see herself in that dress.

A hand came out of nowhere and appeared before Lily's face, the gloved fingers a hair's breath from her skin. Shuddering, Lily closed her eyes, anticipating the touch. When it didn't come, she was tempted to lean into the glove, which she knew would be as soft as it looked, but the fear lurking within her held her back, made her collapse against the stone column in chance of avoiding such a touch. The creature seemed to sense her distress, for it twirled away and Lily thrusted open her eyes, watching the thing with a sick fascination. Oh, but to dance with such a graceful thing…!

Lily knew she shouldn't feel such a way, but watching it dance made her yearn to join it, just as the gems had entranced her with their beauty, making her want to drape them over her throat. She wanted to see if she could be as graceful as the thing draped in the delicate silks, and she wanted to feel those gloved hands grasp her own, pulling her out onto the floor and into the ethereal ballet it was performing, for what she understood was her benefit.

As quickly as it had gone away, the thing came back, and Lily gasped as a gloved hand ghosted over her face, just like before. A cool breeze seemed to radiate from the creature's palm, giving her cheek and nose a quiet relief from the suffocating heat, and then it began to ebb away. When its hand drew back, Lily's eyes fluttered closed, the tingling sensations flooding her body growing stronger. Letting out a breathy sigh, she fell away from the pillar and went onto the floor, all but throwing herself into the center of the thing's waltz.

Once she was standing within the circular path it had created, Lily was horrified at herself. What was wrong with her? Was she succumbing to the darkness?

Yes, she was. Lily was certain of that, just as she was sure that being here, in the darkness' palace…it gave her the oddest sense of relief. She was freer than she had ever been before…and would be more so if she would only dance with the being floating around her. Whether those were her own thoughts, or those of the dancer, Lily couldn't bring herself to care. All she wanted was but to twirl with it, to let it carry her across the floor. She wanted to wrap herself in those gilded clothes, to drape her neck with the diamonds she had admired.

Lily saw the creature out of the corner of her eye, and, when it threw an arm over her head in a faint embrace, she fell into the touch, throwing herself into the very dance itself. They twirled around each other for a moment, never touching but coming closer with every pirouette, and then Lily gave herself fully into the creature's embrace, all thoughts of uncertainty and fear vanishing from her mind. Even the weight that had hung heavy on her heart ever since the unicorn's capture seemed to melt away, and Lily smiled, letting herself soak in the remarkably free sensation.

Tangled hairs fell over her face as she waltzed with the masked being, its grip on her hand steady, the hand on her waist loose, yet oddly assuring. Her smile grew wider, and Lily felt her heart soar as they came to the fireplace; the flame's heat no longer seared her flesh. Even the grotesque statues flanking the fireplace, which she had at first seen as gruesome, were now not as terrifying. If anything, they harbored a strange kind of beauty, one that was like that of the girl in the mirror.

The hand in hers released, but Lily didn't stop dancing. Her body moved on with an unnatural grace, her feet carrying her over the floor in tiny steps, while her arms flared out from her body, mimicking the silk clad dancer. The ragged ends of her dress hit her legs as she moved, but Lily didn't care. She imagined them to be the silk that the being dancing behind her wore, that the lady in the mirror had worn, and her naked wrists, which were dirt stained and bruised, were garbed in bracelets of diamond and silver. She was the most gorgeous thing to grace the earth, and darkness would fall to her every wish, ready to wait on her hand and foot. And it would be her body that would fall to the silken touches.

Lily shuddered; the image was vivid in her mind, but only when she whirled around and saw the figure coming towards her did she realize; the girl she had seen in the mirror. It was her! That face, which had been so beautiful…it belonged to her. The freedom, which Lily could sense the girl possessed, was to be hers. All she had to do was surrender to the darkness…to him…

Lily smiled and threw her arms wide. Let Darkness come! She would welcome it.

Tattered sleeves fluttering, the figure glided closer and opened its arms. Lily sighed and all but fell into the hold, her vision going dark as black silk swallowed her up and wafted over her skin. A fiery tingle of goosebumps careened down her arms and back, and her legs trembled as she fell forward, ready to fall onto the ground. But, instead her feet touched the sparkling floor and she did an elegant pirouette, her arms above her head and gently bent.

She felt…different. Freer, wilder, as if all of her inhibitions had disappeared. She no longer felt the fire on her skin, which was now smoother than satin and the color of purest alabaster. Her nails were perfectly shaped, long fingers curled as she threw her arms out and grabbed her silken skirt, holding it aloft around her legs. Legs, she noted, that were clad in an odd fabric that made them appear longer, more slender. Lily felt her lips curl up at the corner into a smirk, and she did another twirl, her skirt flapping around her legs. But, instead of tattered linen, she felt silk against her flesh, and it made her sigh. Her feet carried her into another wide circle, and Lily's eyes narrowed when she saw a giant mirror standing at her side, her reflection dancing in the polished surface. It was just like the image she had seen before; the girl within the mirror was bedecked in diamonds, with flesh like polished alabaster, and her eyes glimmered as she twisted and swirled, glittering silk flowing like wings around her.

Pulling her arms close, Lily stopped before the mirror and admired the reflection…her reflection. She was a creature of darkness reborn, the night being her dwelling where she resided and ruled. It was in the dark that she would now thrive, that she could finally possess the one thing she'd wanted above all else; freedom. It was hers.

The mirror's surface shone, but then started to ripple, as if water were cascading down it. Lily frowned, watching her image be distorted, and then her eyes flew wide in terror when a loud sparking kind of screech echoed throughout the room, and a mottled red-black hand with razor like talons came out of the mirror, its surface stained with glitter. Lily gasped, jumping back. It was darkness! She could feel it in her heart; the thing coming out of the mirror was darkness, the master of the night. For faeries sake, what had she been thinking?! Those clawed fingers were the things she'd wanted to caress her body?! That moist red skin was what she had wanted to glide over hers…with its gleaming coat resembling warm oil? Lily struggled to push the images out of her mind, but all she could think of was how that flesh would feel against hers.

Her doubts had disappeared, and with it, her very essence of purity. Purity that would have kept such thoughts away. Lily felt her throat close, choked gasps falling from her lips. Freedom, was it truly worth it? She now belonged to a demon, an animal, who's searing yellow gaze locked with hers as he fully emerged from the mirror, his body easily towering over hers. It made her weak at the knees, even as her stomach writhed with disgust. She'd been wooed by the devil, and, worse, she had accepted his advances!

She was damned. And it was his hands that would caress her, gentle yet possessive, just as those claws would rip at her clothes and trace the planes of her paled skin.

Lily let out a final gasp, and felt herself fall to the ground, her back hitting the dirt with a dull thud. It terrified her, but what her mind was telling her; it was the truth. Her worst fears had come to life, and with it, her dreams. Lily shuddered, and let the blackness envelop her with welcoming arms, the nightmare standing before her vanishing as her eyes fluttered closed.

She was one of them now, wasn't she?

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Wow. This only took me four hours to write. That's the shortest amount of time I've ever spent on a one-shot. Then again, it is kinda short, and I did get a little obsessive, so I guess it makes sense.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed reading One of Us, and hopefully I didn't totally waste your time. If I did, then I apologize, but oh well. You clicked on it, not me J If you did enjoy it, however, then let me know in a review, and if you have any constructive criticism, then make sure to do the same!

Sayonara everybody!

Shizuka no Taisho