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[color=MediumPurple]"This is stupid,"[/color] I say to myself over and over as I'm dragged by the hand through the night sky, [color=MediumPurple]"this is stupid, this is stupid...."[/color]

[color=Orange]"I am perplexed as to how a set of circumstances can be lacking in mental acuity,"[/color] says the orange-skinned beauty queen dressed in what looks like a futuristic cheerleader's uniform, one hand holding onto mine, the other flinging bolts of green fire down at the black SUVs down below that are chasing after us.

[color=MediumPurple]"Because it's not real,"[/color] I say, the initial terror and confusion of the situation having given way to a flat denial of it.  [color=MediumPurple]"I got hit on the head, or drugged, or something.  I did [i]not[/i] get rescued at the last second by a magical flying space-girl.  Chances are I'm actually being hauled away by those HIVE guys right now, and this is all just an elaborate fantasy in my head to escape from the trauma."[/color]

[color=Orange]"I fail to see how that is preferable to rescue."[/color]

[color=MediumPurple]".....I guess it's not,"[/color] I admit.

[color=Orange]"Then if being rescued is the more desirable outcome, may I continue rescuing you?"[/color]

I sigh with resignation, and give in to the ridiculous hallucination.  [color=MediumPurple]"Sure.  Ohh, thank you so very much for saving me, magical space-girl."[/color]

[color=Orange]"My gift of flight is due to a complex set of nerve endings and glands that generate graviton particles around my body on command,"[/color] she explains, quickly juking to one side to avoid a burst of gunfire, and retaliating with another flung bolt of fire.  [color=Orange]"And my ability to superheat the air in compressed gravitational fields and project them as Star-bolts is due to the work of the Tamaranian Gene-Weavers when I inherited the title of Starfire, Protector and Champion of the Innocent.  None of my abilities are 'magical,' if that helps."[/color]

[color=MediumPurple]"Oh yeah,"[/color] I say between gasps, trying to hold onto my lunch.  [color=MediumPurple]"I feel better already."[/color]

[color=Orange]"Wonderful!"[/color] the girl exclaims, performing a celebratory barrel-roll that drags me along and makes my guts heave.  [color=Orange]"Once we have eluded our foes, I will--"[/color]

[h2][b][i]BOOOOM![/i][/b][/h2]

Everything goes black for a moment, and when my senses return, I wish they hadn't.

The world is tumbling head-over-heels, everything a blur of motion.  My ears are filled with the roar of wind, my nose filled with the smell of smoke, and for the second time tonight, my body hurts all over.  I'm falling.

I'm vaguely aware of magic-space-girl tumbling through the air beside me, her body covered in ash and trails of smoke.  Whatever they hit us with, she's out cold, and we're both plummeting through the empty air.  We must have been at least a hundred feet up, now much less than that.  Part of me wants to scream, but it feels pointless.  Screaming is something you do to call for help, and there's nothing that can possibly help either of us now.

Instead I force my eyes shut, grit my teeth, and in one last futile gesture, brace my body like it will keep me from being splattered on the asphalt.

[color=MediumPurple]"Oh God, oh Jesus, oh [i]Azar[/i],"[/color] I hear myself spouting out to whoever or whatever might be listening, [color=MediumPurple]"I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't--"[/color]


......the falling stops, and I feel nothing.  Which I guess is what you should expect at the end of a fall that turns your body into a mess of red paste.  So why can I feel my teeth chattering?

I open my eyes....and I see darkness.  Not darkness as in nothing, like I'd kept my eyes closed.  Darkness like the living, ink-like shadow that had burst from my body the night Sebastian was going to kill me.  And not just see it, but I can feel it.  There's a strain to it, like stretching or flexing a muscle for too long.

That shadow, it's....connected to me.  No.  Not connected to me.  It [i]is[/i] me, somehow.

Looking around, I see the rest of the world, and start to regain my bearings.  I'm upside-down, an arm of my living-shadow-self propping me up off of the ground.  I'm holding out one hand, and from it, another tendril of shadow has shot forth, and is holding space-girl, who seems barely conscious.  With effort, I turn the both of us rightside-up, in time for three of HIVE SUVs to pull up.

The guy with the shades pops out of the top of the lead SUV, holding what looks like a large machine gun and setting it up like a turret.

[color=PaleTurquoise]"Targets have been grounded,"[/color] Shades says into his earpiece.  [color=PaleTurquoise]"Preparing to neutralize."[/color]

[color=MediumPurple]"Get the hell away from us,"[/color] I snarl, feeling the shadows swirl around me.

The rest of the HIVE goons surround us, guns at the ready, eager to shoot us full of holes if we don't play along.

[color=PaleTurquoise]"Okay, little girl, you've had your fun,"[/color] he calls out, venom in his voice, [color=PaleTurquoise]"but it's over.  I tried to be nice last time, I gave you to the count of three.  Now you've got to the count of [i]one[/i] to stand down, or be [i]put[/i] down.  Whu--"[/color]

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[color=MediumPurple]"I said [b][i]GO AWAY!!!![/i][/b]"[/color]

The shadow erupts from me again, like a tidal wave.  The SUVs go flying like toys, Shades and his HIVE henchmen pinwheeling after them.  I try not to kill them, but admittedly, I don't try all that hard.

When the smoke and dust settles, I see a few of them struggling to their feet, and begin to flee.  I'm sure they'll be back, but it looks like they're at least going to leave us alone for the time being.  Turning back to space-girl, I see she's fully conscious now, and staring at me moon-eyed.

[color=Orange]"You have gifts of power as well?"[/color] she asks.  [color=Orange]"Why did you not inform me you were a Champion of your world?"[/color]

I let her go, and the shadows flitting around me dissipate like wisps of smoke.

[color=MediumPurple]"Because, ah, I didn't really know if I had them,"[/color] I admit.  [color=MediumPurple]"And I'm not any 'Champion,' I'm just....different.  And I think those guys wanted to capture me or cut my brain open or whatever, to see just how different I am.  This whole thing is....a [i]lot[/i] to take in."[/color]

[color=Orange]"I see,"[/color] she nods, before extending her hand.  [color=Orange]"You have my gratitude for rescuing me from a fatal fall.  In exchange, I will keep you under my protection to prevent any cutting of your brain."[/color]

[color=MediumPurple]"Thanks, but I don't need to be under anyone's protection,"[/color] I say, leaving her hand hanging.  [color=MediumPurple]"Especially from someone whose name I don't even know, and whom I'm not really convinced is actually real."[/color]

Space-girl's eyes widen in surprise.  [color=Orange]"Oh!  My apologies!  I have not yet made a formal introduction!"[/color]  She gives a flourishing curtsy.  [color=Orange]"I am Princess Koriand'r, scion of the Royal House of Tamaran, Watcher of the Seals of Xhaal, Commander of the Grand Armada of Tamarus, and bearer of the title Starfire."[/color]

[sub][color=MediumPurple]"Of course you're a princess, why wouldn't you be,"[/color][/sub] I mutter to myself, before returning the curtsy.  [color=MediumPurple]"Okay, um, Princess Starfire, I'm Rachel, runaway ex-cultist who works part-time in a bookstore with no customers."[/color]

Starfire gives me a big smile.  [color=Orange]"Well met, Friend Rachel!  We must celebrate the dawn of a new and glorious friendship, as well as our first victory together!"[/color]

She comes towards me, arms wide and lips pursed for another kiss, but I push her away.  [color=MediumPurple]"Hey, no, that's not okay--"[/color]

There's a quick burst of darkness as the shadows put up a wall of tendrils between her and me, and Starfire backs away.

[color=Orange]"....I have offended you with my affection?"[/color] she asks, confused and sad.

[color=MediumPurple]"No, it's just...."[/color] I let out a sigh of exasperation.  [color=MediumPurple]"You need to learn about personal boundaries if you're going to stick around here."[/color]

Starfire nods.  [color=Orange]"I see.  There are many things about this world I must learn.  First, however, I must seek asylum.  Can you bring me into contact with your ruling class so that we may begin the diplomatic negotiations?"[/color]

I raise an eyebrow.  [color=MediumPurple]"'Take me to your leader?'  Really?  I don't know if that's the best idea.  But that's something you can deal with later."[/color]

[color=Orange]"For the later then, yes.  What, then, shall we do in the now?"[/color]

[color=MediumPurple]"Right now, it's late, and I'm tired, and I'm still pretty positive this is all some stupid hallucination,"[/color] I say, beginning to walk down the street towards the bookstore and my loft.  [color=MediumPurple]"So I'm going to go home, take a shower, go to sleep, and when I wake up back in the real world, I'll forget all about this and go on with my day."[/color]

[color=Orange]"May I join you?  I currently have no place to do the washing and sleeping."[/color]

I shrug.  [color=MediumPurple]"Sure, why not, this isn't real anyway.  I've got a futon you can crash on while I'm still imagining all of this."[/color]

[color=Orange]"Then I look forward to seeing this 'foo-ton.'  If you will help me acclimate to this world, then I will help you with your hallucinations.  This will be wondrous!"[/color]

[color=MediumPurple]"I'm sure,"[/color] I say as I make my way down the sidewalk, my imaginary friend floating beside me.

[hr]

[color=PaleTurquoise]"....underestimated the target's capabilities, sir.  Two of my men are in critical condition, the rest with light to moderate injuries.  Both targets managed to escape.  Sir, if we're going to go after them, I request that we--"[/color]

[color=MediumVioletRed]"Request denied.  For the moment, you are strictly going to observe and report their activities.  We must have a greater understanding of their abilities before we strike again.  The Roth girl is clearly more than a standard Empath.  And the other is a complete unknown for the time being.  Find them, Sergeant, but do not engage.  When we have sufficient data on the two..."[/color]

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[color=MediumVioletRed]"....my students and I will deal with them ourselves."[/color]