Vice- à-Vis

Chapter 16: Asmoiselle: The Mistress of Lust

"Watch out!"

Esther, Gogo, and Swaine quickly ducked behind opposing pillars as Asmoiselle slammed herself into the cold, cobblestone ground. Swaine hastily brought up an arm to protect his face as debris exploded from the impact.

As the dust cleared, he lowered his arm and squinted to see what had happened. Esther was across from him and was also lowering her arm from her face as her familiar did the same. Swaine cautiously peeked around his pillar and saw that Asmoiselle appeared to be dazed. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were closed as she tried catching her breath. Now's my chance! He took a few quick steps from the minor safety of his pillar and took aim at the purple monstrosity before him.

"Get a load of this!" he yelled with a small glint in his eyes.

Squeezing the trigger of his trusty pistol, his shots hit home, and with a pained screech Asmoiselle flinched and was flung back a few feet. Her pink eyes flew open and narrowed at the tall, offending man who dared wound her.

"You think that isss going to ssstop me?" her sultry voice hissed menacingly. Swaine glared at her as he readied himself for a counterattack. She began to rise into the air, her purple and pink hair whipping all around her as she rose up. Her eyes suddenly glowed brightly as a maniacal sneer plastered itself on her face.

"Letsss sssee how you fare in the dark, little princcce!" She flung her arms out and black mist shot forth from her hands, suddenly engulfing the chamber. Swaine's eyes grew wide as he looked all around him. Damn! Where is she?

"Ugh!" Swaine gasped in pain as something began attacking him in the dark. He could hear her condescending laughter echoing from the surrounding darkness.

"Oof!" A hard hit to the gut sent him flying backwards and slammed his back into a pillar. With a groan, he slid down to its base, the wind knocked out of him.

Goddamn, that didn't go so hot…ugh.

The black mist disappeared and Asmoiselle appeared before him, floating just a couple of feet from him. Her crimson serpentine eyes glowed brightly as a dark, coy smile formed on her lips. She raised a gloved arm and faced her palm towards the weakened mechanic. Dark mist began forming at the base of her hand into a ball, getting bigger and bigger. Swaine cracked open one of his eyes and saw the menacing orb of black magic. Shit! He struggled to stand, but a sharp pain ripped through his back forcing him back onto the base of the pillar. He could feel his heart racing as fear began to set in. Come on, move dammit! He commanded his body to get up, but it refused to obey. Asmoiselle's smile grew bigger as the orb became larger and swirled in her hand.

"Goodbye, Ssshepherd. It'sss really too bad I have to kill sssuch a cutie like yourssself." Swaine closed his eyes as Asmoiselle raised her arm up into the air, ready to launch her attack.

"Gogo, Water Bomb!"

Asmoiselle was suddenly flung to the side as a huge ball of water came from nowhere and exploded. The black orb disappeared from her hand and she coughed as water dripped off of her. She was drenched from head to toe. She spun around, her face contorted in fury. Esther stepped from behind another pillar with narrowed eyes and pointed at Asmoiselle.

"Gogo, Spark!" she commanded.

The little penguin began circling the staff above its head, concentrating its power at the staff's tip. With a cry, Gogo jumped into the air and slashed towards Asmoiselle. Electricity shot from its staff towards her. She screamed as the attack struck her, sending her into a wall with a mighty crash, sending pieces of stone and rock everywhere. Esther quickly went to Swaine and helped him up.

"Are you ok Swaine?" Her blue eyes sparkled in concern as they roved about his rough features. He winced slightly as a small pain twinged in his back, but he quickly brushed it off with a nod.

"Yeah, I'm fine. She just knocked the wind outta me." He said quickly. His eyes squinted into the darkness where Asmoiselle had slammed into the wall. In the dim light, he could see she was no longer there. Swaine's eyes darted around as he grit his teeth.

"Where'd she go? Stay alert Esther. She's a sneaky b-."

"Swaine! Look out!"

Thick tendrils of black mist suddenly shot out of the dark straight towards Swaine. Before he had time to react, he felt himself get shoved out of the way and fall to the ground on his side.

"Ah, damn!" growled Swaine. Hitting the ground is really startin' to get old. A cry caught his attention causing him to quickly look up. Esther's harp lay abandoned as the tamer struggled with the mist. It was wrapped around her ankles and wrists like shackles and was slowly beginning to inch around her body. Gogo was desperately trying to help his master, swatting at the mist with his staff, but the mist just continued to reform. The blue penguin glanced over at Swaine and squawked urgently. Swaine got to his feet and grabbed Esther's hand, trying to tug her out of the mist.

"Swaine! It's pulling me in!" she cried out fearfully.

"I got you Esther! Hold on! Don't let go!" He could feel her fingers beginning to slip from his grasp however as the mist began edging up her body. No, not again!

The mist was spreading around her, slowly swallowing her up. Her blue eyes betrayed her panic as the mist began crawling along her face. Swaine desperately tried pulling Esther out of it with all his strength, but to no avail. His dark eyes contacted hers for a brief moment. He could see the fear in those sapphire eyes, those eyes that seemed to pierce into his very being.

"S-Swaine! Help!" The mist had nearly engulfed her now; the only thing left was the hand he was desperately holding onto.

"Esther! Esther! No!" He suddenly lost his grip on her and the mist quickly swallowed her up. Then just as quickly as it had appeared, the mist dissipated, leaving not a trace of the blonde familiar tamer. Swaine and Gogo looked around, trying to spot her.

"Esther! Esther!" Swaine cried out, his voice cracking beneath his fear. No! I can't lose her again!

A high pitched cackle echoed around him and suddenly Asmoiselle appeared far above him, her purple and pink hair whipping about like angry serpents. There was something else with her though. Black mist swirled about their form, keeping them imprisoned as they dangled helplessly before Asmoiselle. Swaine's eyes widen in shock, realizing on who it was.

"Esther! Damn you Asmoiselle!" yelled Swaine. Asmoiselle seemed to be paying Swaine no mind as she brushed a finger along Esther's cheek.

"You have been a thorn in my ssside long enough girly. And I tire of ssseeing your face." Her voice came out as a hissing whisper. A loud crack shot through the air as Asmoiselle slapped Esther hard across her face. Esther sucked in air, her cheek now burning from the slap. She could feel her cheek beginning to turn red. I will not cry. She turned back to look Asmoiselle in the face, her blue eyes narrowing as she stared into Asmoiselle's hellish red ones.

"You can hurt me all you want, but I know things will not end well for you. They never do for people like you." Esther's voice was low with contempt. "You can look as beautiful as you want on the outside, but inside, you are the most ugly, wretched beast to ever have walked. You will pay for your evil doings hag." She stared Asmoiselle dead in the eyes. Asmoiselle was still for a brief moment, but then began to shake violently. Her eyes became thin red slits and her breathing became ragged.

"I am going to rip that pretty little tongue out of your sssmart little mouth, you uppity brat!" A tendril of mist suddenly appeared around Esther's neck and tightened itself, choking her. Esther began gagging, desperately trying to breathe. Asmoiselle's eyes brightened as she watched her struggle. "But firssst I'm going to enjoy watching you die ssslowly."

Gogo suddenly began panting and sweat began dripping down his forehead. With a small squeak it collapsed onto the cobblestone floor, dropping its little staff with a light clatter. Swaine glanced over at the little familiar and bent down beside it.

"Gogo, hey you alright? What's up with…you?" Swaine looked with concern as the familiar panted, his breath coming in and out in wheezy gasps. Then it clicked. Swaine's head whipped upwards as his eyes narrowed in anger. He cocked his pistol and aimed at Asmoiselle above him.

"Leave her alone Asmoiselle. It's me you want!" He fired off a shot towards the purple vixen, but she quickly moved out of the way. A small smile appeared on her face as she wiggled a finger tauntingly at him.

"Tsssk tsssk my pet, I think you need to calm yourssself. Otherwissse….sssomeone might get hurt." Asmoiselle snapped her fingers as her eyes glittered mischievously.

He felt himself get pushed back against one of the pillars. Looking down, he saw mist had tied him to the stone column. Asmoiselle smiled as the ex-thief struggled in his shackles.

"For your insssolenccce, you will get to watch asss your preciousss princesss' life endsss before your eyesss!" She cackled as Swaine screamed.

"No!" He struggled even harder but nothing was working. The purple witch looked back to the girl suspended in the air in her grip. Asmoiselle's eyes narrowed into thin, red slits and Esther could feel her heart racing as she stared into those eyes that would seal her fate.

"Goodbye forever."

The black mist that had been swirling around Esther, suddenly engulfed her. Her high pitched screams echoed throughout the chamber. Then just as quickly as it had happened, the mist dissipated and Swaine watched helplessly as Esther fell towards the stony ground.

"Nooooooo! Essstherrrrr!"

To Esther, it felt as if time was standing still. She could see Asmoiselle floating above her, getting further and further away. She could also hear Swaine's screams in the distance. The wind whistled in her ears. She had no more strength to fight. All she wanted now was to sleep. She gently closed her eyes and went limp.

Esther's body bounced as she slammed into the ground and rolled before finally coming to a stop near the center of the chamber. Her familiar Gogo cried out and stumbled forward slightly towards Esther, until finally collapsing beside his master. With a defeated sigh, it suddenly transformed into a small pink orb that made its way into Esther's chest. Swaine's eyes were frozen on Esther's body, not a muscle dared to move.

The mist slowly disappeared around him, allowing him to once again move. He slowly shuffled towards the still form of the familiar tamer, collapsing onto his knees beside her. Her golden hair lay strewn about, having come loose from its ponytail. Her dress was covered in small tears and stains and her arms and legs appeared to also be covered in cuts and bruises. With a shaky hand, Swaine gently turned Esther's head so she now faced him. Her beautiful sapphire eyes were closed and she could have passed as sleeping. He tenderly cradled her limp body into his arms and stared desperately into her face, searching for any signs of life.

"E-esther. Y-you you can't, you can't be…" Swaine abruptly clutched her close to him, his sobs muffled by her soft hair. First father, now you… please, please don't leave me like this.

A small sigh escaped the tamer's lips and Swaine choked back his anguish, his heart lifting at the small movement. She's still breathing! He quickly checked for a heartbeat. Sure enough, though it was very, very weak, there was a heartbeat. You'll make it Blondie, you'll make it. Don't you give up on me yet.

"So, the poor old Shepherd couldn't save his precious little lamb. Tsk, Tsk, what a pity."

Swaine froze at the taunting sultry voice; only his fingers tightened protectively around Esther. He didn't look up as a sickly sweet perfume filled the air.

Asmoiselle had transformed back into her beautiful self, but the evil made itself apparent in her glittering pink eyes. She slowly approached the stricken man, a small smirk on her full lips.

"Stay back." Swaine commanded. Asmoiselle paused a moment, her head tilted slightly.

"I just want to help." Asmoiselle purred sweetly. Mist began to slowly swirl itself at her feet. Swaine's shoulders shook as he held Esther tightly.

"You have helped enough." Swaine snarled. The mist coming from Asmoiselle paused at the tone of Swaine's voice. Something seemed...different about the man. Asmoiselle shook off the feeling and took another step towards him, flashing an inviting smile towards him.

"Come now darling, you should be happy that she is out of the way. Now you can be with someone far better," she said smugly. Asmoiselle flipped her hair provocatively.

Swaine slowly placed Esther back onto the damp ground, folding her hands across her waist. He stood up to his full height, but he still refused to look at Asmoiselle.

"You really think I would want to be with you after what you have done?" Swaine slowly opened his eyes and stared hard at Asmoiselle. "You must take me for complete and utter moron if you think I'm gonna do that. You have done nothing but lie, cheat, and destroy everything and everyone around you. You have hurt the one person I swore to protect. Enough is enough and I'm making damn sure you are stopped. Here and now." He could feel himself shaking, whether it was from anger or fear he didn't know.

Asmoiselle blinked. "You? Stop me? In case you had forgotten, darling, you can't do a thing against me. That's why you're little girlfriend is laying there." Her condescending laughter echoed around the chamber and in Swaine's ears. Dark misty magic began to form in her hand. She smirked at Swaine. "It's a pity you didn't take my offer, my scruffy prince. You could've had power beyond anything you could've imagined. So I guess…this is goodbye." She suddenly threw the crackling ball of dark energy straight at him.

Fear began to brew in his breast at the sight of the swirling mass headed for him. This…this is it. I'm gonna die here. He glanced behind him, seeing the still form of the one true friend he had.

A brief memory appeared in his mind. It was of when he had been traveling with Esther and Oliver to save the world all those years ago. He and Esther had gotten into another one of their many arguments and he to go find her after she had run off in tears. He had finally found her hiding behind a tree. He could hear muffled crying.

"Esther? Hey, you alright?" Swaine shuffled awkwardly as he tried to figure out what to say. He had taken it too far again and now the girl was crying. His hand absently went up to his head and ruffled his already messy hair. (sigh) "I guess I can be… an idiot."

The blonde haired girl came out from behind her tree, her nose and eyes pink from weeping. Despite that, fire burned in her ocean blue eyes as she hotly went up to the older man and roughly poked him in the chest.

"Yes you are! And you're a jerk too!" Swaine's cheek twitched slightly, but he held his tongue. She dropped her arm and took a few breathes to calm down. Silence filled the gap between them.

"But…I guess I'm no better." She looked away. "I shouldn't have said you were a coward. You know, you are a lot stronger and braver than I ever gave you credit for. You've stuck by us through so much, and for that… thanks." She turned back to look at him, a small mischievous smile on her face. "But, you still are an idiot."

Conviction unexpectedly replaced his fear and he stared back into the face of certain death barreling down upon him. No! I refuse to give up! I will not die here in some god damn forsaken hole! I didn't come this far in my life for everything to end here! I will protect Esther and the world, even if I die trying. He quickly threw his arms in front of his face and braced himself, using his body as a shield to protect the fallen familiar tamer from further harm.

The orb exploded, shaking the walls of the chamber and causing rocks and dust to rain all around Asmoiselle. Asmoiselle smiled, expecting to see nothing but black ash where the mechanic and the tamer once were. But as the dust cleared, a strange green glowing aura was softly pulsing through the darkness. Asmoiselle's eyes widened in shock.

"What? How can this be?"

Swaine still stood in his bracing position, arms covering his face. Esther still lay behind him, also unharmed. A pale green aura surrounded Swaine from head to toe. His jacket lightly fluttered around him as if a playful breeze had entered the chamber. He gradually lowered his arms to his sides and opened his eyes. Asmoiselle hissed in surprise. His eyes were no longer brown, but bright purple.

"The eyes of the Shepherd." She whispered. "So, my master was right. You truly are the new Shepherd of Souls." Asmoiselle grimaced at Swaine. "Bah! It matters not! I will defeat you as easily as I did before!"

The thin man casually pulled out his pistol from his pocket and pointed it at the evil mistress. They watched as the steam punk weapon transformed, becoming more rectangular in shape, and gaining strange, glowing blue vials on the top. The bronze color replaced itself with a glossy black finish and the same glowing blue light appeared on its sides in small panels that pulsed. Swaine stared at Asmoiselle, seriousness etched onto his face.

"Your evil ends here Asmoiselle. I will not allow you to further corrupt this world." Swaine's voice seemed louder, more confident as he spoke. He certainly felt different; he felt more sure of himself. Is this a part of the power of the Shepherd? "Give up now while you still can."

Asmoiselle tensed, the black mist growing around her. She began to transform once again into her monstrous serpentine form. Her red eyes glared daggers at Swaine as she flexed her long spindly fingers.

"NEVER!"

Abruptly the vile witch launched herself towards the scruffy man, claws out. Swaine quickly dodged and fired off several shots into her as she rushed by. She screamed in pain as the bullets hit home on her side. Enraged, she quickly flung her arm out, commanding the mist to try and grab hold of Swaine. Shadowy tendrils reached out towards him like evil hands, but with a series of swift shots from his newly transformed pistol, they were dispatched. Swaine stood several feet away from Asmoiselle, a small smirk appeared on his face.

Asmoiselle growled angrily at Swaine.

"I will wipe that ssstupid sssmirk right off your faccce!" she hissed. She launched herself at him again, this time flinging black balls of dark magic straight at him. Swaine quickly blocked the attack which still pushed him back. Asmoiselle screeched as she flew towards him, her hair streaming behind her wildly. He whipped up his pistol and spun quickly, aiming right at her face.

"Tri-shot!"

His quick attack caught Asmoiselle off guard and she took the assault full on. She let out a pained scream as she tumbled to the ground. Swaine stood on the ready, listening to her ragged breathing. Those shots he had hit her with had done a lot more damage than any of his prior shots had.

"Is that all you got? I could've sworn you were a lot tougher than this." He taunted her.

This man, Asmoiselle thought, she had truly underestimated him, but she wasn't done yet, not by a long shot! She had one more trick up her sleeve.

"You ssspeak asss if you have already won, you pompousss fool." She began to swirl the mist around focusing it into a ball before her. Her red eyes gleamed hatefully into Swaine's. "In the end I will be the one who is victoriousss and my massster will rule thisss wretched world. No one will be able to ssstop usss!" The black orb grew and grew as she fueled it with her dark magic and anger.

Swaine pointed his pistol at her and gripped it with both hands. The barrel began to glow brightly as he focused his attack at Asmoiselle.

"Die!" Asmoiselle flung her orb with as much strength as she could muster straight at the ex-thief. At the same moment, Swaine fired off the shot he had been charging. Black energy met with blue at the center, but Swaine's pushed through Asmoiselle's and barreled down on the purple witch. She let out a high pitch scream as the blast engulfed her, shaking the chamber. Dust and smoke filled the room, and Swaine coughed as he covered his face.

As the dust and smoke cleared, the glowing green aura around him slowly disappeared and he watched as his pistol turned back into its previous form. As the energy left him, so did his stamina and he fell to his knees, huffing from exertion. He squinted through the darkness trying to see what had become of the Lady L'Amour. There appeared to be something crumpled on the ground. Swaine gradually got to his feet, and cautiously approached.

Harsh breathing greeted his ears as he came closer to the crumpled mass. Laying on the ground, purple and pink hair strewn about her form lay Asmoiselle. Her once beautiful purple dress was in ruins and she was covered in dust and cuts. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth as she stared up at Swaine. The light in her pink eyes seemed to go in and out as the woman fought to stay conscious.

Swaine watched her in silence. He couldn't help but feel sorry for this creature despite all the evil and harm it had caused. Traveling around with the kids really softened me up, he thought. Asmoiselle coughed violently, splattering dark blood on the cobblestone floor then looked back up at the scruffy man above her.

"S-so…you have w-won Sh-shepherd. G-good for you." The vixen's voice came out as a harsh whisper. A small smirk twitched at the corner of her lips. "But d-do not think that d-defeating me…will end t-this." A spasm of pain washed over her. "I am only one of m-many…t-trials to come." Her breathing was becoming even more labored and Swaine could see her eyes weren't as focused as before. He leaned in closer.

"Trials? You mean…there's others?" He questioned. Asmoiselle smirked.

"You will f-face the other S-Supreme V-Vices, each s-stronger th-than the last." She whispered. "But in the e-end…it will be for naught." Her eyes glimmered brightly suddenly. "For my m-master Erebos will r-reign o-over this world. And e-even you c-cannot stop him, Sh-Shep-pherd of….Souls…" With her last breath, Asmoiselle shuddered and closed her pink eyes, never to reopen them.

Swaine stood back up and turned away. He was silent, but his mind buzzed over her last words.

I'm too face more people like her? And they all work for that hooded guy from the past? Shit…doesn't exactly sound like something I would've signed up for. Well at least I'll have Blondie…wait! Swaine quickly looked around the chamber and spotted the comatose girl. He jogged over to where the girl lay and gently picked her up in his arms. He grunted a bit from the added weight.

"Sheesh, why is it I'm always draggin' your sorry arse every time you get knocked out, eh? I swear, one of these days you're gonna have to pay me back for all this trouble." He mumbled. He glanced down at Esther, and readjusted her position so it was more comfortable. "Let's get you outta here Blondie."

As he reached the opening to the tunnel that lead back to the castle, Swaine paused and looked back into the chamber. He could hardly make out the still form of the purple vixen. He glanced away, shook his head and continued his way through the dark tunnel leaving the corpse of the Lady L'Amour behind.

Everything was still in the underground chamber apart from for the steady dripping of water from an unknown source. The body of Asmoiselle still lay in the spot where she had fallen. Then out of the shadows, a tall man slowly strode towards her. His dark buckled boots clicked rhythmically as he walked. He stopped before the fallen Vice. Icy blue eyes roved about her form as he began to pace around her figure.

"Well, it looks as if the great and majestic Asmoiselle has fallen to this supposed "hero" of this world." A contemptible smirk appeared on his face. "You were far too easy on him weren't you? Had to play with him? And now look where it got you! Dead in a dark, musty forgotten chamber with no one around." He stopped and looked away from the vixen. "Ha! Serves you right! Erebos should've known you wouldn't be able to stop the man." The mysterious man looked back at Asmoiselle then suddenly dropped into a squatting position.

"But I must thank you for at least making it so I will know more about this…Swaine character. Your insight will be…most helpful."

He lightly touched Asmoiselle on her forehead with his finger. Her whole body began to glow brightly and it slowly began to lift up from the floor. The man stood back up and clasped his hands behind his back as he watched the witch rise into the air. Suddenly a bright light flashed from Asmoiselle's body and she was gone. Little, colorless orbs descended around him until they all disappeared into nothingness save for one.

A single pink and purple orb slowly fell towards him and he stretched out his hand. The orb neatly landed in his outstretched palm and glowed dimly. The man smiled.

"Oh yes my dear. Though you may no longer have a body, you will surely come of great use to me." The strange man turned around, orb in hand, and walked back into the shadows, his dark chuckle the only thing remaining in the room as he disappeared into the darkness.

Author's Note:

Oh my gosh! It's been 7 months since I last updated this! Sweet Jesus! O.O I swear I wasn't just doinking around and stuff or totally forgot about it! I had a lot of things change and happen these last few months unfortunately and they ended up taking up pretty much all of my time. So so sorry! But hopefully now I can start updating this more often again. :) Thanks to everyone who has left me such wonderful reviews! I do appreciate them immensely!