Chapter 2 - Reflection

Location: Japan, Tokyo. 
Time: AD: 2030 29 January 10:15

        Alex threw the new clothes she had bought onto the hotel bed. The simple activity of just shopping 
had helped suppress many of the "feelings" which today's events had generated. She could not, would not, go 
back to Labyrinth to collect her stuff just in case she ran into... She shuddered. Her feelings towards... Yuki... 
were difficult to express, and one thing she did not want to do was try and analyse what had happened today.
        Alex had rid herself of the soiled uniform, and had "retrieved" another from supplies. She had 
however, absolutely no idea what she was going to do now. Somehow the thought of working with Yuki... 
another shudder passed down her spine, was not something she could imagine at the moment. 
        She walked over to the washroom, and turned on the shower. With precise movements she removed 
the dark blue uniform and new underwear, before stepping inside. She stood stiffly as the hot water cascaded 
from her head down the rest of her body. The shower autocycle began to spray her with soapy water, and 
automatically adjusted the heat of the water to keep it constant. The nozzles tracked the girl's form as it slowly 
sank to a crouched position, and began to complete the cycle for which it had been programmed.
        Alex drew her knees up protectively to her and cried. She cried out the fear, the confusion, and the 
loss that overwhelmed the tight control that she had so painstakingly learnt. How long she sat there weeping, 
she had no idea. The only thing that mattered was... what... She did not know any more... The shower 
completed the cycle and the nozzles returned to the rest position. Alex did not care, she simply sat, hugging 
herself while the water drained away.

        Nami read the message that had been forwarded to her with feelings of uncertainty and disbelief. The 
Chief, suspended from command, AMP merging with some special commando unit... She could not believe it, 
but it was there in black and white, right before her. She read the orders that accompanied the message. She 
was to report immediately back to headquarters, where she was to report to her new commander for further 
instructions. She reread the orders to make sure she had interpreted them correctly. As of now it seemed she 
was no longer a private citizen. She was a conscripted military recruit, and according to emergency state laws, 
stripped of all rights and privileges of a civilian; whatever the hell that meant.
        Nami did not like it, but somehow she had a feeling that there was little that she could do about it. 
The impression that the orders gave was that she had either better comply or... She switched the monitor off, 
and sat down on the matted floor. What could she do? Her sense of duty and loyalty to the Chief conflicted 
with the duty she had been instructed in since the day she was born. She knew that she had little choice. She 
got up and moved to retrieve her little-worn uniform. Somehow she knew that she had better wear it.

        Lebia and Kiddy stood at attention in front of Mana as she briefed them on the abrupt changes that 
would be taking place in their lives.
        "Restricted?" Kiddy asked in disbelief. "What do you mean?"
        "As of now, you are both restricted to this building. You are only to leave when strictly ordered too, 
and all outside communication is forbidden." Mana looked at Kiddy. "Those are the orders that I have been 
given, and I was also told to make it clear to you the consequences for disobeying them. They are not... 
pleasant."
        "Consequences?" Lebia questioned.
        "Yes," Mana commented. "We are no longer considered to be private civilians, but military 
personnel. As such..."
        "Military!" Kiddy stated angrily. "Like hell! I will resign first!"
        "Resignation is not an option you have," a quiet voice spoke behind them all. 
        Kiddy abruptly turned and crouched, ready to attack if necessary. The man who had spoken, walked 
forward into the room.
        "Failure to comply with these orders, will be regarded as treason. In times of war treason is a 
shootable offence. You will obey your orders, there is no alternative." The man looked calmly at Kiddy as she 
first flushed and then growled.
        "KIDDY!" 
        The sharp voice of Mana caused her to stop suddenly and face her.
        "You will obey these new orders. Do you understand?" Mana looked down at her with a hawk like 
expression, an expression that Kiddy had never seen before. Slowly she let her fist unclench and stood back to 
attention.
        "I understand," she said. "I will obey." Her tone of voice hinted at her barely suppressed rage.
        "Good," the man simply said. "Now, let me introduce myself. My name is Captain Hidoshi Natsume, 
I am your new field commander. Mana Isozaku is now my first executive officer, and you Lebia Maverick are 
second executive officer. I am taking over the position of Rally Cheyenne, who has now been moved into 
other areas of responsibility." He sat down in the chair that Mana quickly vacated for him. "I had hoped that 
all of you would be here to met me, but it seems that two of your number are still missing. So I will just have 
to wait before I deliver a full briefing on what the situation now is. However, in summary, you are now part of 
a co-ordinated response to the threat that Nemesis is now seen as posing. As AMP, your record was adequate, 
but now this has to be taken one step further. We have to take the war to them, and do not mistake me - this is 
now a war. For now, each of you will trained in areas that complement your abilities. This training will also 
include the skills that so far you have been lacking, the will to kill, and the will to win. This training will make 
each of you work as components within a team. It will help you to survive what we all know this foreplay 
with Nemesis is heading for."
        "I am here to help you to survive this war, to help you win it, so that we can all return to our lives. 
Mana will give each of you your assignments - follow them. Those who will be training you are THE experts 
in their fields. By the time you are finished with them, you will be able to properly serve your country, and 
protect humankind. Dismissed." Hidoshi turned his attention to the reports on the desk in front of him, and 
ignored the women as they were led out by Mana.
        "Yes?" he responded to the flashing light on the control desk in front of him.
        "We have found Nami Yamigumo, Sir, and have taken her into custody as ordered."
        "And the others? What of them?"
        "Of Yuki Saiko, we can find no trace. She is not in her home and our searchers can find no sign of 
her."
        "Hmmm... and what of Alexandra Shadow?"
        "We have traced her accounts being accessed from a Hotel Tokyu, in the western sector. A squad has 
been dispatched to take her."
        "Take her?" Hidoshi frowned at the choice of words. "No Sergeant. You will not do anything to 
harm her or annoy her. She is far more important than anything you can imagine. You will do nothing, but 
simply watch and protect her. Do you understand?"
        "Sir? I don't understand - the orders..."
        "Your orders are what I tell you Sergeant. Miss Alexandra Shadow is to be watched and protected. 
She is not even to know that you are there. These orders are directly from the Colonel. Now - do you 
understand?"
        "Sir, yes sir! I will..."
        Hidoshi cut off the channel with a touch of the control pad. He frowned as he remembered the 
Colonel's expression when he had first received the orders. He had known and served with the Colonel for 
well over 20 years, and in all that time the Colonel had never shown anything, no emotion whatsoever. 
Hidoshi, had only ever seen emotion from his commander once, and that had been 2 hours ago when he had 
been given Hidoshi his instructions as to the fate of AMP. When he had mentioned Alexandra Shadow, his 
eyes and voice had relayed an emotion. Had it been to anyone else other than Hidoshi, it would not have been 
detected, but Hidoshi had seen it, and had been afraid. When Colonel Reece had mentioned the name of 
Alexandra Shadow, the emotion that Hidoshi had detected had been - fear.

        "Achoo!" Alex sneezed suddenly for no reason. She opened her eyes and looked at the luminescent 
clock that was displaying the time. It only read 23:35. Alex rolled back over and pulled the covers back up 
over her head. She closed her eyes and tried to get to sleep. It wasn't easy, her mind kept returning to the 
expression of self-disgust on Yuki's face when she had fled. Alex turned over again, and tried to punch the 
pillow a couple of times before settling down. 
        Two red luminous eyes, watched from the darkness as the form of the girl in the bed tossed and 
turned. A mouth set with dagger like teeth smiled, and two leathery bat like wings flared silently. The creature 
sat back on it's clawed haunches and waited for the figure below to succumb to sleep. Time passed, and 
slowly the tossing and turning became more erratic, until finally stopping altogether. The creature raised it's 
black skinned head and sniffed the air. The girl was asleep at last. It moved forward and launched itself into 
the air, silently floating down to where the girl now slept. It alighted on the bed, and with an unnatural speed 
burrowed under the blankets, taking care not to disturb the figure within. 
        The creature's eyes flared as it adjusted to the closeness and the heat generated by the girl's form. 
Once again it sniffed, and took a moment to savour the armoire. It giggled innately to itself before slowly 
moving up the bed, halting at places to glare lewdly at what it could see. Once or twice it even dared to touch. 
Finally, it broke out of the bedcovers and stopped looking directly at the pale face of the sleeping girl.
        "Gar..." it giggled, showing the sharp fangs. It look a moment to stare before it raised a clawed hand, 
and gently caressed the pale face.
        "YAAA!!!" Alex screamed as she suddenly woke up.
        "GARAAAA!!" the creature suddenly yowled as it was thrown to the floor by the girl's instinctive 
action.
        Alex bolted straight up from her sleep in a cold sweat, and a white, unnatural light suddenly flared 
into life. Every corner of the dark room was highlighted, as the energies of the spell sought out an enemy. She 
blinked to focus her eyes. Her face fell when she spotted the small vicious looking winged creature trapped by 
the light.
        "Garraaa..." it mewled piteously.
        Alex took a moment before giving a deep sigh. "Gar," she said as she dismissed the light.
        The creature stopped cowering at the mention of its name. "Gar..." it repeated in a more hopeful tone.
        "Gar, you miserable little imp, you scared me half to death..." Alex threw back the covers of the bed 
and stood up. The creature flared its wings and flew up to alight on the girl's right shoulder. It took a moment 
to balance before it wrapped its long tail loosely around its master's neck.
        "Gar..." it purred happily as it once again touched the girl's face. It's tail then dropped under Alex's 
top.
        "Hey!" Alex gave the imp a sharp rap as the tail brushed against her breasts. "Stop that!"
        "Gar," the imp said sadly as it complied. 
        "How many times have I told you not to do that!" Alex scolded it. The imp grinned lewdly up at her 
and purred, it did not mind being scolded. This was the first time in centuries that it had had to serve a young 
attractive, female, master. It intended to make the most of it.
        Alex gave her demonic looking little pet a hard glance, and then sighed. Gar had been her companion 
ever since she had been a child, and she had learnt to live with it's little... oddities. She wished, however, 
seemly in vain, that it would learn to keep it's hands to itself. Corin had told her long ago that Gar had been a 
gift to her from her father. A protector and companion she had called it, even though Gar seemed to think that 
this role allowed it to take other liberties as well.
        "What are you doing here, Gar?" Alex asked as she sat back down on the bed. Although she tried to 
appear angry, it felt good to have the familiar weight of her companion back on her shoulder.
        "Mistress need Gar," the imp spoke, "so Gar come."
        "But I told you to stay with Corin - in face I ordered you to," Alex said as she absent mindedly 
slapped Gar's tail back from where it had once again descended.
        Gar pulled a face. "Gar not like old woman. Gar like pretty woman, like Mistress. Gar serve 
Mistress, protect Mistress. Gar obeys."
        "Gar," Alex said. "How can you obey when I told you to say with Corin?"
        Gar looked confused. "Gar obeys. Gar ordered to protect Mistress. Gar ordered serve Mistress. Gar 
obeys orders."
        Alex frowned. "Who told you Gar? Who told you to protect me?"
        "Master order Gar," Gar stated screwing up it's face.
        "Master? I didn't..." Alex stopped. "Do you mean my father Gar? Did he order you to protect me?"
        "Gar protect Mistress. Gar obey order"
        "Did you know my father Gar? Who was he?" Alex turned her attention fully on Gar.
        "Father? Gar confused, what is Father?"
        "My father..." Alex paused, "your Master."
        "Gar's Master here. Gar serve Master, Gar love Mistress."
        "Gar..." Alex gave up with a sigh. She had tried this before, and either Gar was being deliberately 
stupid, or just lacked the facilities to understand the questions. Corin would never speak of her parents, and 
Alex had learnt early on never to ask her about them. Alex herself had never known them.
        Gar noticed that Alex had gone silent again and seemed to be brooding. Its eyes went back to the 
tempting open top and the alluring slight swell that was beneath. It's tail began to move again when a hot tear 
from Alex's face hit it's folded wing. The tail stopped and Gar looked up at its Mistress's face. She was crying. 
Gar was an imp, supposedly an evil creature, but although it did tease, fondle, lie and sometimes cheat Alex - 
it had told her the truth, it loved her. It had watched the baby that had been put into its care, grow from a child 
into a young woman. In that time a duty had become something far more. Gar wrapped it's tail around Alex's 
neck, and purring gently rubbed it's leathery head against her face. For some reason, ever since she had been a 
child that had always made her smile.
        Alex felt Gar's hot skin on her face, and that ridiculous purring and she smiled. Her hand came up 
and stroked the creature that had really ever been her only friend. For some reason she felt much better. She 
dried her eyes and yawned. She was tried, and the presence of Gar somehow seemed to drive back the dark 
feelings that had been haunting her sleep. Mindful of the weight now on her shoulder, she climbed back into 
the warmth of the bed; lulled like so many times in the past by the purring of Gar, she fell into a deep slumber.
        When the girl's breathing had become deep and regular, Gar stopped it's purring and unwound it's tail 
from her neck. For a moment it watched her, the red eyes focusing on the twitching of the girl's muscles. Gar 
purred again, the audio component of its spell causing Alex to fall into a deeper sleep. The twitching stopped 
and Gar knew she was totally under the spell's influence. Its tail unconsciously moved down Alex's neck to 
rest in its favourite place before Gar took up a protective watch over its beloved Mistress. Nothing would 
disturb her tonight - Gar would make certain of that.

        When Yuki walked into AMP's headquarters, she was more than a little surprised at the changes that 
the building had undergone in such a short time. Katsumi had told her to expect a military presence, but 
nothing like this. The building seemed to resemble something more like a secure fortress rather than a police 
headquarters. Armed men were staged at various strategic points, as Yuki was taken, under escort to see 
whoever now ran things. 
        The door opened on Rally's old office and Yuki was escorted in. A man sat in Rally's chair, and he 
looked up when Yuki entered.
        "Ah..." he said. "So, one more returns to the fold. Welcome back, Yuki Saiko. May I ask where you 
have been for the last 12 hours? My men have been combing through a good deal of Tokyo looking for you."
        "Where is the Chief? Who are you?" Yuki asked confused.
        "First of all, why don't you answer my question," the man said. "Then I will answer yours."
        "Sleeping off a drinking binge at the Bar Lexus, down on the north side, if you must know."
        "Drinking binge? Somehow that does not seem to ring true for you. You never indulge in that..."
        "Yeah, well yesterday I did, ok!" Yuki started at him angrily. "Three weeks ago my best friend 
happily tried to kill me. Then, last night I almost tried to rape my room mate. So you will excuse me if I 
decide to lose myself for once, instead of being the fucken little goody two shoes that every one expects me to 
be!"
        Hidoshi hid his surprise at the venom that came from the girl's statement. This did not seem to be the 
Yuki Saiko that the records talked of. He almost wondered if she might be a... It was then that he remembered 
the video footage he had seen of the attempted attack that Yuki had tried in this very room, less than a day 
before. The girl could very well have been drunk like she claimed - indeed she still seemed to be wild even 
now. 
        "Take her to holding" he said to the guards, and watched as they took the girl away. Something about 
her did not ring true. Oh, he was sure that if he check he would find that everything was as Yuki said. He 
knew that even if he had her given a blood test that she would have traces of alcohol still in it. That was not 
what concerned him. He knew people. It was the one thing that made him what he was. He knew that 
something was not right with the story Yuki Saiko had told him. He tapped his desk thoughtfully, she would 
have to be watched.

        Alex awoke far later than she had ever planned. After opening her eyes, from the most refreshing 
sleep she had had in months, she noticed that the clock read - 12:05 PM. 
        "Bloody hell!" She swore and leapt out of bed. She was not just late, she was...
        "Mana's going to kill me," she said as she ripped her nightclothes off and ran for the shower.
        "Gar," she suddenly realised. "Where are you?"
        "Gar?" she called out. She swore under her breath. The little bastard was around somewhere, 
probably getting it's kicks watching her undress. She grabbed a large towel, and wrapping it around her 
dashed for the shower. Once inside she started the autocycle and began to wash.
        Gar watched very appreciatively from the shower duct it had found last night. Yes... the imp thought 
to itself, Mistress HAS grown up. It giggled slightly and poked its head out for a better look.
        Alex was in the middle of washing her hair when she caught saw of the two flaring red eyes looking 
lustfully down at her from the ventilation shaft.
        "Gar!" she swore, and grabbing the towel yet again ran back into the bedroom. Soapsuds ran down 
the towel and onto the carpet below. Alex dropped the towel and closed her eyes. Momentarily a black aura 
bathed over her body. It hardened and solidified, finally resolving into a lose fitting black one piece. A 
moment later the shower door burst open and Gar flew in. For a moment the imp looked around, and then it 
saw that Alex was dressed.
        "Gar..." it said disappointedly.
        "Gar," Alex said with a cold smile, and raised a hand.
        "Garaa," it said hesitantly. It knew what was going to happen next...

        Alex arrived at AMP headquarters almost 4 hours late for her shift. She stopped some distance from 
the building and frowned. It looked like a fortress, armoured vehicles and patrols were everywhere. She 
watched for a moment - she did not want to go into trouble blinded. She looked around, and focused her eyes 
on a small alley from the main street. Shadows cast themselves down, creating a murky half-light; Alex 
smiled - perfect. She moved to the alley, pushing her way through the crowds being directed passed the 
cordoned off area. Once inside she turned to face the shadows. Her eyes went black, and within the shadows 
something moved - something was born. Using her power, Alex wrenched forth from that murky half-light 
realm a Shadowdaemon. A creature that was both of the light and the dark, and yet of neither. A creature, she 
thought for a moment, not unlike herself.
        The thing that stepped out of the shadows was roughly humanoid in shape. No one however, could 
mistake it as being human. It was composed of complete and utter darkness. Alex looked at it for a moment, 
and then concentrated. The amorphous mass quivered and ran, changing under her mental commands. Finally, 
when she had finished, she looked across at a perfect mirror image of herself. The copy watched her with 
soulless eyes, eyes that were without thought or motivation. That was the one thing Alex never managed to 
get right. She could never create anything with a will of it's own. The copy would be able to walk, and talk, 
but it would not be able to do much else. It was like a computer - it would only respond as it had been 
programmed to respond. 
        Well... Alex looked at her duplicate, time to write the software. Fortunately, what Alex needed this 
Shadowclone to do was very limited. She needed to know what would happen if she walked into that building, 
and this was the quickest way to find out. 
        Alex gave the duplicate the last of the instructions that she needed it to perform, then she turned to 
look at the shadows cast by the wall. If necessary, she could bring other, less savoury beasts to fight - but that 
was worst case scenario to the extreme. For the moment, she just needed information. She had to know what 
the hell was going on in that building just to find out what the hell was going on. She looked at the shadows 
again, and smiled. Getting past AMPs vaunted spiritual shields would be a piece of cake. The problem was 
doing it undetected, and there the shadows would help.
        From a very early age, Alex had found that she had a gift to do things with shadows that seemed 
impossible, even for her Master, Lady Corin. She still did not know what the limit on that power was, only 
that she was able to use it for situations where other magic seemed unreliable, or too complex. She looked at 
the shadowed gloom and visualised the Chief's office. A shimmering showed faintly where the portal had 
opened. Alex glanced one last time at the Shadowclone, and then, taking a deep breath she stepped into the 
shifting darkness.
        The duplicate blinked and looked around itself to get it's bearings. It turned and slowly began to 
walked towards the building at the end of street. When it had reached the main barricade that had been freshly 
erected it  smiled at the solider who was on duty.
        "What's all this about?" the girl asked as she showed her AMP ID card to the young man.
        "Sorry... Miss Shadow?" he glanced at the name on the card, "I don't know the answer to that 
question." He looked down at the electronic pad he held in his hand trying to identify the name. Finally, he 
found the information he was after.
        "Miss Alexandra Shadow?" he turned to her again for confirmation.
        "Yes that's right," she replied.
        "Would you please wait a moment Miss Shadow, I'll call for an escort to take you in." He turned to 
his communicator and began to have a hurried conversation with someone on the other end. Finally, he turned 
back to Alex. 
        "If you would like to come through Miss Shadow, someone is coming down to take you up." He 
pulled back the temporary security fencing and waited for Alex to walk through. He gave her back her id card 
and turned his attention more or less back to his duty. Alex stood for a moment waiting, then focused her 
attention on the 5 guards that she could see coming towards her.
        "Miss Shadow?" the lead guard said. "May I see your id please?"
        Alex dug it out again and handed it to him. "What is all this about?" she asked. The man did not 
answer but simply looked at the card for a moment.
        "Thank you, now if you will please follow me..."
        With an expression of confusion on her face, Alex complied and followed the escort inside. 
        The building had definitely changed Alex noted, as they moved up towards what she assumed to be 
the Chief's office. Soldiers stood at various points, checking ids and looking generally hostile. The group 
walked in silent until they indeed came to Rally's office. The door hissed open, and Alex followed the guards 
inside. She looked around the darkened room, and saw Lebia, Nami, Kiddy and Mana standing together. They 
nodded at her as she entered, and Mana came across to stand next to her.
        "Hello Alex," she said, gesturing for the guards to leave.
        "What's going on?" Alex asked her.
        "Well..." Mana said. "Its not easy to explain, but basically AMP is no longer in charge of dealing 
with Nemesis. We have been merged with a military organisation who now have that responsibility. I will 
explain everything to you later, but for now I need to brief you on the pattern to the entity activity that we 
think we have managed to detect..."
        "Ah..." Alex hesitated. "Where is Yuki, and the Chief? Why aren't they here?"
        Mana looked at Alex for a moment, and then spoke in a lowered voice. "Alex, I know what 
happened in this room between you and Yuki..."
        "What!?!" Alex gasped going bright red. "How??"
        "All activity in this room is recorded as standard so..." Mana put a hand on the red heads shoulder. 
"Don't worry the others don't know. Yuki is currently undergoing psychological evaluation... She won't be 
able to hurt you again."
        Alex looked down. "She didn't hurt me Mana, she just... shocked me... I didn't know she felt like that 
towards me... I..."
        Mana closed her hand on the girl's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I know," she said in a quiet voice, 
"I know."
        "Where have you been Alex?" Kiddy said, slightly confused by the way Mana and Alex seemed to 
be acting.
        Mana dropped her hand and turned to Kiddy. "That is her business Kiddy, not yours. Now, we have a 
briefing to attend - so come on." She gave one more glance at Alex, and then led them into the conference 
room that was attached to the office. Alex hung around for a moment and glanced at one of the faint shadows 
that littered the room, she stood staring for a few moments, before turning and following the others in.

        Yuki sighed, and once more she tried to sit down on the very uncomfortable plastic chair. It was the 
only object of any interest in this otherwise barren observation room. She had been stuck in this damned room 
for almost 5 hours now, with for no reason given whatsoever. A nurse had even taken a blood sample, and by 
now she was now thoroughly pissed off with the entire thing. She did not think that Katsumi had... 
        Her thought was suddenly broken off by the door being opened, and one of the guards walking in. 
He looked at her for a moment, and then spoke.
        "Miss Saiko?" the guard moved over to her.
        "Yes?" Yuki looked at him. "What do you want?"
        "You're free to go Miss Saiko. The captain informs me that he apologises for any trouble which you 
may have been put to, but that we have to be vigilant - especially with what is happening at this point in time. 
Now, if you would care to follow me - the others are attending a briefing and the captain would like you to be 
there."
        Yuki got up., "Not yet," she said. "I need something to eat and drink first."
        "I am sorry Miss Saiko, but that will not be possible - we don't have the time for it."
        "Great..." Yuki commented as she followed the guard out.

        Alex and the others had just settled when the door to the room opened and Yuki walked in. Alex 
went deadly still, and for a moment the two girls stared at each other across the room. Yuki went cold as she 
saw the hurt that was reflected in Alex's eyes. She almost ran over to beg for forgiveness from the younger 
girl, but the contact was suddenly broken by Mana's harsh voice.
        "What is SHE doing here??"
        The others looked startled at the harsh tone that Mana took, they stared at her in confusion.
        "I ordered that she be here," a cold voice from behind the guard said, as Hidoshi, Reece and Rally 
walked in. Mana paled for a moment but then spoke up.
        "But Sir after the incident..."
        "That does not matter," Reece cut her off. "We have little time to worry about such things like that 
for now. We have far more pressing issues to attend to."
        Mana looked like she was going to say more but stopped when Alex gave her a little shake of her 
head, and mouthed "I'm okay..." Mana gave Yuki another cold stare and sat back down. The others looked at 
her and Alex, confusion still on their faces. Yuki took a deep breath, and sat down as well. She tried to ignore 
the dark feelings that were currently going through her mind. One thing at a time, she told herself.
        Reece moved to the head of the conference table where he sat down. Briefly he stared at each of 
those sitting before him. Time to begin, she thought to himself.
        "Well, this is the first gathering of the group which will form the best defence that this country has 
against the entities known as the Lucifer Hawks. I am sure you will all want to know why the government felt 
it was necessary to take this step when the AMP was already..."
        Standing cloaked in the shadows, Alex watched as her Shadowclone and the others listened with 
hard expressions to what Reece was saying. She had been slightly upset for a moment when Yuki had walked 
in and had almost missed the expression on Reece's face when he had first seen her duplicate, in the flesh - so 
to speak. If had been a brief flicker of fear, almost terror. The flicker had only lasted a moment and if she had 
not been trained to notice such things she would have missed it.
        Had Reece detected her clone somehow? That worry was the first thing that had passed through her 
mind. But how? Reece did not have any aura, or power that Alex could sense. Was it just that he was mortally 
afraid of her? But why? Alex had never even met the man. Why should he fear her? It was then that she began 
to notice other things. The man was not telling the truth, or at least not the whole truth when he spoke about 
why AMP had been disbanded. Alex could not tell what that truth was, only that it was not what the man was 
saying. She wondered why this...
        "Mistress," a voice whispered silently in her mind.
        "Gar," she replied. "What is it now?"
        "Beware Mistress," Gar sent from wherever it was the imp was hiding. "Gar sense great power, 
strange power. Power near you... Dangerous..."
        "What?" Alex looked around, she couldn't sense anything. "Where?"
        "See..." Alex's sight was suddenly elsewhere, as if someone had plugged her mind into someone 
else's eyes.
        "What..." for a moment she almost panicked, and then realised that somehow Gar had stolen her 
vision and given her his instead. 
        "Weird..." she thought. Looking at each of the people through the imp's eyes she was able to see 
things... auras... shadows... colours... souls.  She could see as plain as day the power that each of the others 
had, the flavours and the colours that made up their lives, their thoughts, their very essences. Mana's 
discipline, Rally's power... Yuki's love/lust/innocence/sorrow towards her... She could see it all and...  
        An almost instinctive feeling of fear... and... a desire to attack and destroy suddenly overwhelmed her 
the moment her eyes alighted on Reece. While the others in the room had auras and images that, while she did 
not understand them, seemed to be "right". Reece however, was like a... black stain... an... alien "wrongness"... 
That was the only way she could put it. She looked at him... it... and for some reason she shuddered, 
something about the thing made her feel very afraid... She wondered at first if it was an entity, but then she 
looked at Rally. Through Gar's eyes she could plainly see the Lucifer Hawk blood in the woman, but it was 
still "right". It was not like Reece... not... wrong.
        "Not right," Gar commented. "Different... wrong... hostile..."
        "What do you mean?" Alex sent, her vision swirling back to her own.
        "Infection... ancient corruption..." Gar commented almost to itself. "Dangerous... beware Mistress. 
Gar confused, Gar frightened..." It's voice faded, and Alex lost the link.
        "Gar!" she called silently, but the bastard had withdrawn into itself.
        She looked once again at Reece, and tried in vain to reproduce the same image that Gar had shown 
her. But every way she tried, all the ways that Corin had taught her showed her nothing. Reece looked 
perfectly human. What the hell did this mean? What the heck was Reece? She remembered the almost instinct 
fearing of fear, and desire to do battle when she had first seen Reece. Why had she felt these things? It had 
almost been like something within her had recognised Reece. Something that had instinctively reacted. She 
did not know. Whatever she had felt had been fleeting, and had faded almost as soon as she had 
acknowledged it. She needed to think. Maybe Corin could help... One thing was certain however, no way was 
she going to try and confront Reece, or whatever it was in the flesh. 
        Somehow, the Shadowclone she had created had managed to fool it. She was certain that the thing 
thought the clone was her. She was not about, she thought with a shudder, to break that sweet illusion. It was 
welcome to do whatever it wished with the clone as far as she was concerned, as long as it left HER alone. 
Should she warn Rally? She did not know... Corin... she had to talk to Corin... Maybe her mentor knew 
something, maybe she could help... Alex looked back at the others... Sorry... she said silently to them, but I 
will be back - I promise. Once again she merged herself with the shadows, and was gone.
        Reece suddenly stopped speaking, and a frown crossed his face. For a moment he thought he had 
sensed something... an ancient presence... an enemy... He glanced around trying to sense anything else, but...
        "Sir?" 
        His thought was broken by Rally's question. He cursed silently, whatever he had thought he had 
sensed was gone. His eyes flickered to the young red head watching with the same confused expression as the 
others. The only one that could threaten his plans was here in-front of him, and he would make certain that she 
was eliminated soon. Oh yes... very soon. He smiled coldly and glanced at Rally.
        "Nothing... carry on with your report..."


                *               *               *               *

Interlude - Loneliness

Location: Hades 
Time: ??

        The dark skinned woman sighed with boredom. She gestured, and the giant spiders that were slowly 
devouring the screaming Balrog vanished. The half-eaten demon continued to scream its agony, until with 
another annoyed gesture, it to vanished into the darkness. The woman shifted on her throne, and looked out 
across the empty darkness of her domain. Somehow, even the dark joy that she had once felt torturing other 
lesser demons seemed tired and dull. It was all so boring. Once, her realm had been full of the screaming souls 
of the damned. Souls, who had writhed under the exotic tortures that her demons had dreamed up to amuse 
themselves with. Now however, it was empty, silent and cold. She had banished them from her domain long 
ago. The joy that she had once felt at their sounds had gone, faded like every other feeling that she had had. So 
now, finally, she sat looking out onto an empty barren land. A land that was as barren as her life had become, 
the moment after SHE had left.
        The woman stood up. The darkness surrounding her throne swirled briefly, and a figure from her 
memory smiled up at her from a pale face. Bright green eyes flashed with a mischievous dark joy, as the 
image of her old lover danced before her; just like she had once done in this very hall so long before. Lloth's 
black heart flickered with an old warmth and sorrow, as the memories invoked by the sight of her old 
companion almost threatened to overwhelm her. She looked at the graceful chaotic movements of that slender 
form as long as she could stand. A single tear rolled down her black face. She turned and dismissed the image. 
She was a fool! Why after so long did even the image of the other still touch her corrupted heart. Another tear 
followed the path of the first.
        "Why..." she whispered into the blackness. "Why did you leave me..."
        "Why?" A soft voice said behind her. "You have long known the answer to that beloved."
        Lloth's heart suddenly flooded with fear, love, need, and too many numerous other emotions to bear, 
as she heard that familiar voice. Slowly, she turned around. The image that she had created of the red headed 
girl was standing at the base of the throne looking up at her. The girl had her hands on her hips, and her face 
set in an expression which Lloth remembered so well.
        Lloth tried to speak, but her mouth was too dry. She, the ancient demon goddess, could not even 
whisper at the sight of her ancient lover. The image smiled slyly at her, as if in recognition of the affect she 
still had even now.
        "Empty, isn't it." The red head commented, looking out over the barren wastes. "I told you that one 
day there would come a time when all the power, all the adoration of worshipers, would mean less to you than 
the dust at your feet. When the joy of chaos, corruption, and pain would be meaningless to you. You did not 
believe then, but you do now - don't you?"
        Lloth could not answer. She remembered this discussion; the time when the pale girl had asked her 
to simply abandon everything, her power, her position, and leave with her. At the time Lloth had thought her 
lover had simply been joking. She should have known better. After living so long with her - she should have 
known better. The pale red head had vanished, leaving Lloth to her power, her position, and the emptiness that 
now consumed her.
        "Yes, you do don't you?" the image of the younger girl said. She mounted the steps to the throne and 
stopped just in front of the older looking woman. 
        "Well, you have your power, your realm, and your position. I wish you well with them..."
        "NO!" Lloth suddenly screamed. "Don't leave me again! I can't stand it anymore! Please... stay..."
        "Leave you?" the image asked with a malicious grin. "How can I leave you? I was never here..." The 
voice faded, and Lloth was left looking at the pale faced soulless image that her power had bought forth.
        "NNNOOOO!!!" 

                *               *               *               *