Perfect Kismet characters © and written by me. Chaotic Harmony characters © and written by Melanie Weaver-Anderson. Wild Fictives characters © and written by Cara Russell.

The blow to the back of the head had hurt, but it was the surge of pain that shot through him that left him curled up for longer than he'd liked on the floor. His first reaction was to turn face and yell, explain why that was not a good idea, but each move he wanted to make was met with more pain... pain that had been blocked while his spinal cord's precious nerves were disabled. Blood began to trickle down his nostrils, a few brief shockwaves of faint power shot out through his skin. He heard the deft sound of Hyung's boots as she backed up. At least she was smart enough to know when distance was needed.

"Selena," he called, his voice panicky and quite shaken. "Time to go."

The beaded curtain parted slowly and Hyung took note of the girl's face as it slowly paled. "Oh... not good," she laughed nervously, placing money on the bed as she strode over and helped Jynx to his feet. "Thank you so much... but I'm afraid it's time for us to go."

Without any other parting words she left, dragging Jynx most of the way. Moondancer watched, and almost got up, but Frost placed a hand on her knee and stood in her place.

"I'll keep an eye on Jonesy," she said casually. "Nothing you can do about that issue anyway. I'll be in touch."

Moondancer nodded and sat back, fumbling with her braid absently. Frost was right, but that did not make sitting back and doing nothing any easier. But what was she to do? Drag Caleb along yet again, even after he had gone out of his way to help Jynx even with the animosity between the two as it was?

No, she decided. She could not do that to him again. Jynx was family, but she could not do anything for him. They would contact her. That would be good enough. Selena could teleport her to him if it was too serious. Blessings, all those teleporters in the world were blessings.

She turned to Caleb and gave him a smile. She was sure he would see she was worried, but she smiled just the same. He had been so patient with her, had not said a word as she tended to Jynx. He deserved at least some sort of repayment for his patience.

"Sorry," she finally said. "This has all been such a mess. I appreciate what you did though. I really do. It means a lot to me that no matter what sort of mess Jynx and I go through... and how much it hurts me sometimes... it means a lot that you've gone through all this trouble to help him. Thank you."


*

The sudden appearance of Drakkana Versailles at the entrance of Hell's Gate was not so out of the ordinary. The fact that Lady LaOra who never ventured into public stood at her side along with Lord Myst... it was quite a sign to be alarmed. All three were spectacles to the crowds who backed away and drove as far away from them as possible. Myst, his face hidden by his trademark mask and wearing ancient clothes of old French aristocratic design was the least of the oddities. Drakkana was a face familiar but her emerald curls and burlesque outfits were completely demanding of attention. That day, however, she had her cane. Everyone that knew her knew the cane meant she was there on important business.

It was La Ora that caught the breath of all those who gazed upon her. Skin as white as freshly fallen snow, two sets of dragon like wings that flared out angrily behind her, and the leather dress that barely covered what it should... she was a sight. Ebony hair bound in abstract curls that defied gravity shifted under the movement of her wings. She was alluring and yet intimidating all at once.

It was never a good day when she felt compelled to leave the sanctuary of the Council Palace.

Psicopath bowed down to them, causing all three to stop in their tracks. "I take it this is not a pleasure call," he noted solemnly.

"Rise to your feet," Myst said, wasting no time as they all moved further into the city. "Take us to Uno."

Psicopath nodded and did as instructed. He did not fear them, but he held them in great respect and gave them no grief in their requests. Uno seemed to have known they were coming, her appearance from the end of the main street with Darklore at her side the first clue. She bowed, but did not kneel. Darklore stood, doing nothing save nodding his head.

"How much damage has been done?" Uno spoke first, also wasting no time.

Drakka swallowed, resting both hands atop her cane. "The balance is in a dire shambles," she answered. "We would have been fine with the slaying of the Wrath figurehead, but the selected target is not one that will bode well with the full scheme of things."

La Ora frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "Jazzmine has much explaining to do," she said sternly. "Her indiscretion has caused this to fall into play the way it has."

Uno sighed and looked down at the ground. "I knew this would happen," she said reluctantly. "Blame me. I sent her to collect the information."

"You could not have known she would go to this length," Myst said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "She was doing what she thought was the right thing... to save her friends... but this knowledge was not meant for her friends to hear. They have a false advantage that will lead to more and more mistakes as this plays out."

"What can we do, damage control-wise?" Darklore asked.

La Ora's wings outstretched, flaring out behind her. "We must sit back and wait," she sighed. "There is nothing to salvage what will be set into motion. Interjection now would be just as detrimental as what Jazzmine has done."

*

The trip was supposed to be a smooth one. She was to get him back to Hell's Gate as quickly as possible with Frost aiding in the transport. As each second passed he grew more unstable. It threatened her life as well as Frost's to take so long to teleport to the desired location. It was taking too long... way too long.

The sudden rush of concrete against her body was unwelcome. She struggled to get up, the fall being a lot harder than it should have been. Selena had never messed up a landing... except for the time Prometheus first appeared and had shut her powers off...

"Oh no," she mumbled as the form of the man in question came to full view.

Prometheus had indeed caused her to fall. Another day, another rooftop it seemed. What caused her the greatest concern was the fact that she and Frost were on the far end of the roof and Jynx was isolated to himself on the other... and directly in Prometheus' grasp.

"Jones!" Frost had made a promise to Moondancer. She swore she'd keep an eye on him. She knew Moondancer would lose it if anything happened to him.

Without a second though she drew her sword and lunged at Prometheus, only to be stopped in mid air by some invisible barrier. "Foolish child," Prometheus hissed. "Do you not realize the danger you have put yourself in?"

He dropped her, allowing her body to skid back across the roof's surface and against Selena. "... pickin' on kids your new fetish...?"

It was Jynx, sarcastic to the end. "... that your new kick then...?" Whatever Prometheus was using on the others, it had no effect on his powers at that moment. "Well... not gonna happen... not today..."

He tried to stand up only to fall back down to his feet. It was as if his powers were over amplified, growing stronger and stronger with each move he made. He had never felt the energies surge that potently. It was almost too much to take.

"I can make that all go away." The voice of his captor cut through it all like a ringing clarity. "I can give you what you want and more. Control over that power... the girl you deserve... all of it. I can give you all of it."

Jynx coughed, the blood finally making its normal appearance. "Fuck off," he growled out. ".. you don't know shit about me..."

"But I do." Prometheus knelt down at Jynx's side and placed his hand on his sweating brow. A soft glow emanated from his palm, washing over Jynx like a heavenly light, cleansing him of the enduring torment... for the moment.

"I can do all this and more," he insisted. "But you must join me."

Jynx was amazed. There was no pain. None. Even when the power had surged, there was always something. There was nothing. He lifted his hand, the energy flashing about his fingertips like lighting. He could control it. It was true... but at what cost?

He paused for a moment, still in disbelief and still skeptical. "No," he said grudgingly. "I... I can't accept the price tag that comes with this freedom."

With a heavy sigh, Prometheus rose to his feet. "Then I shall have to make those two an example," he said as his hand pointed in the direction of Selena and Frost. "Would you have them die to encourage you to join me?"

There was the proverbial pause of time as he looked at the faces of his friends. They were scared. A blind man could have noticed that much. Scared not for themselves, but for him. They knew what choice he would make. They knew he would never do anything to harm them. Selena forced back a deep swallow. She was fully aware of the ability at Jynx's disposal. To have such an ally on any side, and with full control of said ability... it would completely unbalance the odds more than they already were.

"Get out of here." It was a low pitched whisper, barely audible. "Take Frost and get her the hell outta here. Now."

He was defeated, raising the proverbial white flag. "I said go."

Selena drug Frost to her feet, the younger woman still unconscious as she opened the portal and drug her through. "This isn't fair, Jones," she said, tears threatening to fall. "Not at all."

Jynx looked up, sad. It was the only thing she needed to see. They were all stuck in a bad place, a lost cause. None of them were able to take Prometheus down. All they could do was sit back and let the chips fall into place. It would have been different for Jynx if his life had been threatened. He had no qualms about his death. But his friends... they were everything to him.

The portal disappeared, erasing the last visions he had of any old allies with it. "I don't know how you expect me to work for you," Jynx sighed. "I can't stand your sorry ass. You dress like a woman and your hair is atrocious. You're a fucking pansy ass bastard who thrives on picking on the weak."

"Are you quite finished?"

Jynx looked down at his hands, not done at all but realizing nothing else really mattered. "Whatever," he mumbled. "Just get this over with."

Prometheus knelt back down, placing his hand back on Jynx's brow. "Let go of your anger," he said, an aura covering both of them.

Jynx's palms flattened harshly against the rooftop, his eyes flown wide open from the intensity of the call. The spell was strong, forcing what humanity he had left in himself to the back of his mind. It was taking over, leaving nothing of him out to cling to. He wanted to call out to Moondancer... but he stopped. He could not do it to her again. It was always thrust upon her. If he was to change, become some monstrous shell that just looked like Jynx on the outside... he did not want her to know.

Upon his back, the mark chosen for Wrath... the mark that once represented Urakusoki, appeared bright and brilliant red. It overshadowed even the spell's powerful light. It was the last thing he could sense... the last thing that reminded him he was slipping away...

"Rise up my Wrath," Prometheus grinned, marveling at his handiwork. "You must change for battle... there's an ocean of old friends who are just dying to meet you."

*

***

"That's not funny," Maggie said softly, her voice quavering. She jerked away from Billy's hand stepping back to put Lance between them once more, not wanting to be anywhere near the demon. Her hands suddenly without a place to be crossed over her chest to clutch the opposite arm, kneading nervously.

"What kind of use would a 'god' have for a mate anyway," She said, her tone almost accusing Billy of fabricating the entire tale. "Immortality and all that kinda negates the need..." never mind he can do better than an ordinary human, she neglected to voice.

No longer able to keep her focus on any one or thing for the pent up energy and frustration, Maggie's eyes darted around the room... until they rested on a wall mirror, giving her a good view of the new markings that adorned her face. Ordinary human or not... tattoos didn't just appear, let alone glow softly. She was in over her head, and the water just getting deeper... about time to call one of her brothers for a little reinforcement... but how do you tell any number of grounded atheists that a God and any number of supernatural forces are out to grab your little sister? She didn't know...

***

"Ah, but he is still a man," Billy explained with a bit of disdain, backing away and returning to the two faces he was more familiar with. "And as a man, he has the same needs and wishes and desires to love and be loved... or so I can only assume."

He gave a polite shrug before he folded his hands neatly in front of him once more. "The only thing that is sure of Prometheus is that he longs for answers to questions he comes up with. I believe it is safe to assume he longs for happiness, reaches out for rarities he finds." Glancing at Maggie, he smiled softly, though he knew his words would counteract any politeness he set forth. "Perhaps Prometheus has found something rare in you, something he has never found in all his eons of existence."

"The recommended plan of action?" Chameleon sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Uno has not reported back to any of us yet," Billy answered, turning his attention to the blond who was never comfortable with his presence. "If they have, it would be ordered that Serena return to the headquarters with us before the information would be relayed."

It was the demon's turn to sigh, shaking his head warily. "Though the lack of communication is worrisome, even for myself." He glanced out the window towards Serena and Echo, wondering why the atmosphere still seemed so tense around them. "There is so much that goes on internally, even above Uno's head that she must account for before making her own moves, that the slightest miscalculation would cause it all to spiral down around all of us."

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