It was twisted, and a whole acid trip laid out in colored lights. Between the filters and the props, they'd managed to make them all look garish... They had managed to make it look like a club, with little space to do it in.

In the real version, the past version, in the version that she was now embroiled in... There were clubs, there were drugs. The pretty blonde girl danced around, coming out of her shell--shy and quiet--and grooved with her ex-boyfriend. She didn't care--he'd come back eventually. The girl was a novelty. She made him jealous in the meantime, snuggling the tall man who'd always wanted her. And he knew why she was there--knew it too well--but didn't care, seizing any reason to hold her.

The pretty blonde girl swayed with him.... She didn't stand for the careful calmness; she got close and personal and heavy with the tall man. They danced together in ways that were common--like having sex on the dancefloor--but with an intimacy that was uncommon. She watched, a little disgusted, as the blonde girl reacted to the drugs. It was good for a laugh, yeah, but she was still staying, swaying, loving....

He'd get sick of her.

Storyline: HSC (Musicalyay)

Influence: Puttin' on the Ritz

She took a good, long look at Zara. There was something clouded in her eyes--something in there, something that made her unable to see and remember the things that once made them who they were. It had already spread to Bhen--dangerous with his powers--and Starra. Thony had, somehow, stayed uninfected. She didn't know how he had managed that.

It was like Mrs. Robinson's influence, all over again--but worse. She feared that Adam and Marke would be hit by it soon, too. Nicole--her powers were still a large blank spot; her being struck by it (all the more likely given Zara and Starra) could be a catastrophe. She looked at Zeale; she hoped that he, too, would stay immune.

Thony was in a horrible state. Since Zara had admitted him--and he was over eighteen--she was the one responsible for him. And that meant that she could tell them what treatment he needed, what treatment he could/couldn't have, what treatment was/wasn't necessary. She'd currently authorized everything possible to rid him of his delusions. Zara's betrayal plus the treatments was managing to accomplish something that Mrs. Robinson had never done. Thony was slowly going crazy--and given his power, that could be worse than Bhen's simple denial.

She stood back, not saying anything except that she wanted to be alone with Thony, claiming that as she, too, had only recently been "cured", she might be able to help him more than anyone else. Zara accepted this, seeming pleased. Bhen seemed pleased, too--just another sign that they were unaware of what was going on and not themselves. Normally someone would've suspected her of trying to help break Thony free.

Which was exactly what she was going to do, so she was happy that neither one of them had feared it. She wondered, though, who had had the power to mess up their minds so much--and if she'd ever be able to fix it.

Storyline: HSC (AHS)

Influence: Smooth Criminal-Alien Ant Farm

He hated this--hated himself. For every horrible thing that was done to her... It was all his fault, all him. He focussed on that, knowing that the pain would help him make it through. If he pretended--tried to say that it wasn't really his fault--that would hurt even more in the end. Ahh... He wished that they could be at the end now. He'd prefer that, would prefer to be able to help her--save her--whatever she wished. Watching her so broken was killing him, and knowing that it was his fault was like torture. He had let her down. Even in doing what she had asked for, he had let her down. He couldn't get over that, couldn't escape.

Hearing her beg him for death--"If you love me, if you ever loved me, kill me"--had stung worse than anything. He knew, in retrospect, that it had been a matter of time before she made that request, but that didn't make it any easier to handle. It was his fault. He had hurt her, destroyed her, and not even had the kindness to offer her death. He felt horrible. He knew that she felt worse.

Even though she had known--known what they would do--she had believed that they would somehow get around it. He hurt her. She had believed that he would find a way.... Find a way to save them all.... He had let her down, and he knew it.

Storyline: SW Story

Influence: Hurt-Johnny Cash

They had never known what dignity--fighting--really was until now.

Oh, that was an exaggeration. Yes, they had known--but their leader personified it. By calling her "Princess", they removed her dignity, making her sound horribly spoiled... She was the Queen, and the citizens of Transgel had just proven it. They would never bow to the cruelty of Bryan's reign, and they wouldn't allow Bryan and the rest to turn her into something that she wasn't, someone that she wasn't. They would always love the Queen, the beautiful regal woman that she had become. And they would rather save her--defy the "masters"--than sit still and take it. She respected them even more for that, but knew that it was a fool's task. There were a few sensitives, but all that they were doing was volunteering for death.

They didn't care, though. They didn't care, because all that was truly important to them was defying them--proving that they would not allow Mandelia, who had done so much for them, become a sacrifice. They loved her, they loved her brother, and they were done sitting still.

Storyline: SW Story

Influence: Seven Nation Army-White Stripes

I understand completely now. I understand the lies and the truth, I understand the reasoning behind you. And it horrifies me.

You've "discovered God"? You've mastered yourself? Like hell, Bhen. I know you better than anyone else--except for maybe Zara. You're horrifying. You went searching for a shield to hide behind, to save yourself from the insanity of last year, and you found it. You're making me sick. This person--this being--may not even be any kind of a God.

And you're still looking for Thony, I'm taking pride in that. I hid him so well that you can't find him, can you? You think that his "devil" came for him, but it was really just me. And if I EVER find out that you have to do with Zane's disappearance... Possessed or not, you'll regret it. Believe me.

This being.... This is nothing more than a kid, playing on your insecurities and advanced magicks. And with you unaware of yourself, there's no telling what you'll do. That's horrifying. The bastard.

I didn't want to fight you again, Bhen. The first time was horrible enough. And you, Zara... I can't believe that you'd do this to Thony, based on ANYONE'S word.

At least I know I'll win. I know how powerful I am, and I know that everyone else pales before me. This is possibly the first and only time that I've ever been happy about this fact.

Storyline: HSC

Influence: Gott ist ein Popstar-Oomph!

Volatile.... He stared at her. She was a walking danger; he could smell the power coming off of her. Thony claimed that everything was under control. There was no way that she could be under control. She was her own law. And her attraction to Zeale could be their undoing--he could tell how closely connected they were. It was disturbing... Yes, yes, true love and all of the good little things that go along with it. But the fact that love can burn and sting was apparently a minor detail to the happy songwriters. He wouldn't overlook it; he hoped that Thony wouldn't, either.

The boy had to be cured. She wouldn't want him to follow through with the cure--it was very harsh. But it was the only way to go. He smiled a little at her naivity. She would never be satisfied in this case.... He wondered if she'd still love the pretty boy so much later, after he'd paid the price. He suspected that she would.

Storyline: HSC

Influence: Dangerous and Moving-t.A.T.u.

She was pretty and strong. If she wasn't so indifferent, she'd be perfect. She had inner secrets, no doubt of it--but no matter what your inside drama was, that didn't give you the right to be so cruel, so callous, to all of your people. She reminded him of a warrior of some kind--one beaten down. He remembered, long ago, looking up to her.... Looking at her with some kind of love and respect.. But that was many years ago. She had been the pretty princess--and the only one who didn't tell him what a horrible man his father had been.

Of course, she was supposed to be his sister. She was supposed to be the true heir--but that was total crap, and everyone knew it. (No one would deny it, though.)

He was stuck as a guard, stuck as a servant for the high queen. Stuck in this horrid world... The princess was the only chance for change; he wouldn't volunteer for suicide. But she wasn't going to stop. She seemed half-dead, except for those moments when he caught her in life. Those were always beautiful....

Storyline: Royal Trilogy

Influence: Maniac-Michael Sembello

He looked down at her, she looked up to him. They began the dance. She smiled, knowing how this would go. He couldn't stand her at times--he wanted something new. Like the blonde girl. But he'd always come back.

He called it a taint, she called it life. He tried to get away, but she didn't make him come back. He looked at her--he longed--he denied her, but she knew he'd return. He always would; she knew that.

She took everything from him; he couldn't understand it. In the same breath, he'd ask her not to touch him and beg for her touch. He didn't know how she had such a hold over him, all he knew was that he couldn't deny it. Don't... do... Don't... Do....

He backed away from her and returned to the blonde girl. That was alright; she stayed with the tall man. She knew what would happen. He needed to get away; soon enough he'd be begging to come back. He always felt that he was missing something... And always decided that he could do without it...

She smiled.

She knew he'd be back. He gave her everything.

Storyline: HSC (Musicalyay)

Influence: Tainted Love-Soft Cell

You're flirting with disaster, he told her. She just gave him a smile. Maybe you are. He didn't know... The look in her eyes implied so much--he knew only that she seemed so self-confident. Maybe she knew something that he didn't... He wasn't sure.

She was pretty, sure, and could kick ass. But there was an air of something dangerous all around her, and he wasn't sure if she'd be able to stay with him, at his side... If she'd be strong enough.

I've been warned about girls like you, he whispered. I'm sure you have. She smiled more. Her smile was so sexy... So confident... He envied her confidence, envied her beauty, and her.... Her. He wished that he could only be with her sometime....

Storyline: That weird vampire one.

Influence: Walk By-GC

She was fighting in Chantha's army for now. He understood why, and understood why it was necessary for her to stay undercover.

That made it no easier to accept.

She was undercover to try and discover the spies--and this time it was personal for her. She had liked Ari, and was furious with the bastards who helped Traves penetrate the castle. He wasn't pleased about it, either.

But he was stuck as a guest at the castle--an undercover guest, no less--and he had to endure both Chantha and the prince. Neither of them really liked him, and he was never alone for long.

He hoped that Jexi would find the traitors soon, but was sure that she wouldn't; if Chantha hadn't been able to locate them, it would take her a long time, too.

He was taking advantage of the library and the warriors, though--he enjoyed the sparring sessions.

Storyline: Gaia Story

Influence: http://public2.tektek.org/img/av/m02/d13/23/72cf26.png

She favored the lighter colors these days... She looked pretty in the wintery colors, and was developing immunity to the colder weather, too. Or maybe she was just getting more powerful.

Michael, too, was becoming purer and lighter. The demonbow was a beautiful contrast with his clothes.

Of course, there were a few nice side effects... With the way that the light reflected off of them, a few peoples had already mistaken them for higher powers; "spirits". They had tried to disillusion them, but it never worked.

Lots of fodder for joking.

Storyline: Gaia Story

Influence: This avi. http://public2.tektek.org/img/av/m02/d14/0/04f123.png

How dare you? How dare you blame ME for this? How dare you make these decisions? It takes two to change, two to quarrel, two to do this. And you blame me. It is not my fault; I can't help that Thony has mindblown you all.

I can't help that I won't let my mind be turned to mush.

And you blame me, you hate me, and it drives me crazy. It hurts me--I can sense your resentment, all over, it's driving me out of my mind, because I want to fix it, and I can't. I can't understand how you can have changed so much without me understanding it. I can't comprehend that you went through all of this, and I didn't even notice.

You blame me for everything that goes remotely wrong, and I swear to you, I had nothing to do with it. I don't understand you, I don't understand what you're doing, I don't understand how you turned crazy in the blink of an eye.

And it turns me inside out, turns me around on my head, and I'm trying to decipher how you could've changed like this--why is it all my fault? You can't even tell me, can you...

How can you justify this to yourself? At least tell me that much... You can't, can you. I can' believe it. Thanks.

Storyline: HSC

Influence: How Come-D12

I hope to see the girl I knew, the girl who was good, the girl who hasn't changed. I remember things--my uncle, my father--and images that flash through my mind. And I see you... You're so changed. You're indifferent to your people--all of them--to me.

You're not the girl I hoped you'd be, the woman I hoped you'd grow into. You've changed so much... I can understand why (with your mother), but all the same... We had held some hopes that maybe you would be the one who would lead us to safety, the one who would return us to freedom.

But you're not. I've always looked at you differently--ever since you saved me--but I understand, now, that you aren't really who I wished that you would be. You're still better than the rest... And my memories are still beautiful... but my hopes and dreams are unfulfilled. And I miss you. I'm so sorry for what I'll have to do to you, then. You don't want this world....

Storyline: Royal Trilogy

Influence: The One-Vanessa Carlton & Stevie Nicks

Time changes you all. In the course of a year--you'll never know what can happen. Don't lose yourselves. From April... May... And it goes on and on, staying with you throughout your life here. The change is an important process--you can't avoid it. It's a gamble, always a risk, and you can't be afraid to deal with it. It's very necessary, very exciting, and very wounding at the same time.

Do you remember the past? Any of you? Have you any way to make sure that your memories are pure and accurate, are not altered in any sense?

Have caution... Have life...

Storyline: HSC

Influence: April Come She Will

I want to run; I want to be out of here. I want freedom; can you understand that? I'm shackled by my parentage, by my horrible conniving mother, and by the man who was meant to be my father.

I want to know what it is to be free of these bindings. I don't want to rule a kingdom; I only want responsibility for myself. I want to get out of here; go somewhere where they don't know me. Somewhere so far away--so far removed that they don't name their world. Somewhere that is still honest, somewhere that I don't have to hide myself.

And you could come with me. You're not like them; I can tell. It's the only thing I have to offer you; I don't want to be there.

I am sick of being beaten by this world; I want to get away. Come with me... this place still has to exist somewhere; you know it as well as I do. Please? Come, hideaway with me. Come away to where they still are honest, to where they don't require that you lie to yourself--and your friends and peers and people--just to continue living. That's not living, not the way I want to....

You don't want to either, do you?

Come and be free with me. Come and ride, and you'll experience it. Be my "bodyguard", see how much I need protection, come away with me to where you can enjoy life again.

Storyline: Royal Trilogy

Influence: Where the Streets Have No Name-U2

She lurks near the grave and thinks that I don't know... I know that no one else believes she's capable; the fools, the blind fools. I can't believe their inability to see--they don't want to believe it, but closing your eyes won't make it go away. They're so wrong.... It drives me crazy. There are so many things wrong about this....

I try to talk to her, over and over, but she refuses to listen. I understand her grief--I empathize--but she just tells me that I have no way of comprehending, that I'm too far away. The look in her eyes makes me wonder exactly what she's capable of. I think that I know... And then I don't; then I wonder if she'd really destroy lives to return Zeale's to him.

That isn't the sort of thing that he would approve of... But she doesn't care. She doesn't want me in the way. I try to dissuade her, try to be friendly--which is more than the rest do, more than they're capable of--and I think that she appreciates it, but she's so far away that it's hard to tell.

She lays roses there, every day. She planted and made to bloom a rose bush the day of his death--in the middle of December--and is forcing it to bloom every day until he comes back.

But he's gone forever....

Storyline: HSC

Influence: Forever Gone-Evanescence

Now, does that really make sense?

Her smile stank of a thousand colors of lipstick and perfume. She "understood", tried to make everything better.... It was horrific.

You're merely imagining it. Come into the real world--with real people. Try to imagine this, first... Then maybe you can understand, come to comprehend that it's true. Imagine that the magic isn't real, children....

It was so wrong. She was trying to force us into a world that a few of us could never fit. Thony, Bhen, me--none of us could possibly exist. Our powers were a part of us. This had been proven over and over. There was no way to escape it...

She was trying to harm us. I could smell some sort of malicious intent; I didn't know how no one else could feel it. (They were without power; that was an obvious answer.)

And it hurt--I could understand perhaps wanting to escape the hard reality; this world was not pleasant. But we weren't dreaming. Zeale, please, please, believe me.

Oh, I just hope some day you'll join us. Until then....

(To the asylum. You bitch.)

Storyline: HSC

Influence: Imagine-redone by Avril Lavigne (I actually like that song! XP)

I look at you and I realize how far apart we've grown. I used to know what it meant to have a friend, used to be able to understand you. But I can't anymore; don't anymore, never can, never will.

Every time, every time we stayed together. Nothing could pull us apart. And now--over something so tiny--this all changes? How does that work? Please, explain this to me.

I don't want this to happen to us. I don't want us to be strangers, I don't want to wake up one day and not recognize you. But there's been betrayal... SO much betrayal. And I'm wondering if this can every change; can it? Can we ever fix the way it was? It's not as simple as what we want...

I want to be able to bring us through this again; I want to be able to understand you and to be friends. I never wanted this enmity. I never wanted you to hate me; I just wasn't willing to hide who I was. And through all of these lies.... All of this shit... I've lost you. And that hurts more than I had ever dreamed that it would.

Please? Please, tell me how this can change. Tell me how we can be friends again. I can't stand this. Give me some kind of a sign that this hatred isn't permanent--give me some kind of a sign. Please; I'm begging you.

Storyline: HSC

Influence: Say Anything-Good Charlotte

She's pretty, she's powerful.... I can feel it. And Zara's betrayal.... It makes me wonder it we're truly right for each other; until that moment, I never would've considered this sort of a thing. I wonder.... I wonder what she's like. I wonder what it would feel like to kiss her.

And then I remember that she and Zeale are meant to be together, and I know that they work so well together... I can't try to distract them.

But I notice the way that she looked at me when I healed her... I remember how she feels under my arms, how she trusted me over anyone (but Zeale), and I wonder... I've got to wonder what it would be like to touch her and have her love me.

I don't know. I don't want to ask her--I don't want to risk anything--but I wish that I could know...

Storyline: HSC

Influence: Jessie's Girl-Rick Springfield

It was beautiful... It was glorious... The praise floated to her.

She blushed; she shouldn't have been using her powers to augment her performance. But the leads had all brought them here, and the best way to get in was as a musician. Otherwise, females would definitely face harassment--and those with them, embarrassment. Short of invading and burning the place to the ground (and any evidence with it), this was the best option.

Michael was waiting at the end of the crowd; she pushed her way through to him. She had at last found someone in the audience who seemed to have a sense of what she was looking for.

She prepared to fight off his claim that the place was killing her; there was nothing in it that could be dangerous. He and Traves needed to calm down... They thought that the place was weakening her, sucking out her life.

Storyline: Gaia Story

Influence: Angel of Music-Phantom of the Opera

Myth made real, joke personified, coming to life before her eyes.

Everyone who claimed that this man was a god, the new god, the man-god, the god of their world--and that it was an honor to bear his child--obviously had never been in that position.

There was no money; everyone hated her for being pregnant without a husband. Yes, there could be no doubt that she was pregnant at the hands of their god--but, all the same, no one else wanted to lie with her. Everyone else shunned her; she had no money, no food. The pain of childbirth she experienced alone, and for what seemed like forever.

There was no way to save herself and her child.

The worst part was wondering if it was truly a god. Yes, that was blasphemy--but was it?

Storyline: Gaia Story

Influence: Lady Madonna-The Beatles

I won't make that mistake again. I was weak; I cried in front of you, cried for you and of you. And I'm not foolish enough to do that again. I felt so great--we all did. And you've fractured it, through your idiocy and desire to torment us both. You kill us with your poison...

I won't let myself cry in front of you; you'll never get that satisfaction again. You drive me out of my mind, and I know that you don't deserve the right to hurt me so. Without Michael, everything hurts and is so hard... I'm in pieces, I'm in pain, and I can't show it at all because of you. I'm broken. And I feel it; it's amazing that I can repress it to the extent that I can.

I hate you... And I have to wonder if, in any way, it's at all my fault. Maybe I should've paid more attention? Maybe I should've figured it out somehow? I don't know what I could've done...

All that I know is that there's no way around this. And I do blame you; it's your fault. Even if I'm remotely to blame, it's you who did this. I can't pretend anything else. Thanks, Traves.

Storyline: Gaia Story

Influence: Behind These Hazel Eyes-Kelly Clarkson

She's gone, it's over, we should be breathing more easily.

So why is it that now she's gone, we worry more than ever?

Maybe it's because she can come back and kill us if she wishes it. Yes, that must be it. Must be it... I wish that I could go back to when she was still good....

I loved you....

Weeks go by and she stays away, but we just grow more afraid. We think about eternity--she'd try to harm us, I know this. My thoughts progress....

I wish I could get away and back to when this was all so simple; believe in you and me and what we say to each other.

She calls it a shield of trust; why can Adam get through? Why are Adam and Nicole alone? How can this be happening? She's not plotting... She looks half-dead.... She waves goodbye and slams the door shut; by the time that we can force it open, she's gone again. I know that she can time-stream, but Thom should be able to feel it....

I miss her, but I don't want to... I loved her...

Storyline: HSC

Influence: Drive Away-All American Rejects

The rest of us were laughing at her... She couldn't be serious. She couldn't be for real. She was hilarious; didn't she understand that?

I suppose that if we went back far enough, it would be sad. But we were all cynical enough that this didn't matter anymore.

She only had eyes for him and his reaction. He thought that it was sweet--which, alright, it was in a way. But still; it was so very sappy and cliche. Seriously; what decade was she hailing from? The inherent romance was making me gag.

He waved me off, and I understood. He was in one of his "phases". It was a strange one--I'd never known him to be attracted to a girl like this before. Nor had I ever known a girl to try this hard to attract him before. But despite it all, she was going all-out. It was so crazy!

It wasn't long after that that he left me--and I understood why. He was attracted to her, weird girl that she was. And I didn't mind at first--I knew that he'd come back; he always did.

It took longer than usual, but he did return to me. I knew that he would.

She killed herself, you know. Went all out for him and then killed herself when he left. I felt kind of bad for the girl.

Storyline: HSC (Musical)

Influence: I Believe in a Thing Called Love-The Darkness

She tensed, remembering. She had to choose--now--and it was all flashing back on her. All of the visions--everything that he had done, everything that he deserved to die for.

The vision of him leaving that party, too frightened to acknowledge what he already knew. Too scared to help... She had to wonder why he had chosen to help her... It was, as he had said, guilt. Probably.

But either way, she couldn't let him live. Just because he seemed to have changed didn't mean that justice was swayed. She couldn't forget....

She saw him with Leanne. She saw him, everything that he had done, and every way that he had helped her so far. She couldn't just let him live.... She couldn't just let him die...

She felt so very torn. He had changed; she knew that. But he was still responsible for some horrible things... She had claimed to be justice. She couldn't just say things like that when it suited her and turn them off again when they didn't.

She grieved as she raised her gun.

Storyline: Witness

Influence: Relax-Frankie Goes To Hollywood