Here we go again. Hope you folks enjoy.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Yep, NANO speed. Or close to it anyway. I hope you enjoy.
ken_r - Thanks. Yeah, there are reasons most armies do what they can to make the enemy seem inhuman. It is hard to attack someone you sympathise with. It can be done, Liz in this story is an example. She has an even better feel for what is going on that Maria does, and yet it doesnt slow her hand when fighting against the Witches.
Uninstall part 11
Max
Max sat calmly in the restaurant, sipping at his coffee. It was so hard to believe he was here. With Liz.
That was simply amazing. He couldn’t understand how he had gotten so lucky.
He was also shocked at how large a breakfast Liz had ordered. He watched as she ate with a determined grace. Isabel would never be caught dead eating such a large meal in public.
She used a napkin on her mouth and smiled up at him, “I told you they have good food. Pricy, but good.”
Max nodded. But while the food was good he was much more interested in her. “Aren’t you going to ask me questions?”
Liz raised a finger and finished the bite of food she had been eating. “You are alien, you don’t know a lot about your past. You were born from a Pod when you were around six.”
Max nodded. Right. She had already mentioned she could see the past easily. “You seem like you are taking this fairly calmly.”
Liz shot him a wry glance, “Let’s be honest here. You make more sense than I do. I was contacted by an alien entity, given the opportunity to make a wish, and then after I did I was turned into a magical warrior of justice!” She raised her fist and burst into giggles. “Oh, God, I find that whole thing so cheesy.”
Max laughed softly, “So when you aren’t a magical warrior of justice, what other hobbies do you have?”
Liz sighed, “Hobbies? Between work and school and fighting Witches? Seriously not a lot of time to have much of a social life.” She looked off into the distance, “I have missed a lot Max. Even when I was with Kyle I didn’t go to a lot of parties.”
“Why Kyle?”
“He’s fun and funny, when he isn’t being a total ass that is.” Liz rolled her eyes. She looked down, “I just wanted to have some fun before I died.”
Max flinched. “Why do you keep saying that?”
Liz changed her ring into her Soul Gem. “I told you I can see the future, right?”
Max nodded. She was so beautiful. Even with her worried frown, the way her hair framed her face. The glow of her eyes….
“My dying is a good thing Max.” She played with her food a little and softly continued, “If I become a Witch, I could very well doom the world.”
Max reached across the table and touched one of her hands, “I will do what I can to protect you. I will do whatever you need me to.”
Liz looked up at him sadly, “And if I told you that leaving me alone to my fate was the best thing you could do?”
Max shook his head, “I will not abandon you Liz. As long as I breath, you are not alone.” He took her hand and caressed it. “You are not alone, Liz. If you will allow it, I am here.”
She rotated her hand and clasped his, “I don’t need to die today. I, I want you to be here with me. Until the end.”
Max felt as a part of him surged and he spoke what he KNEW with certainty. She was why he was here. She was the reason he drew breath. Life was colorless without her. “Until the End. And beyond.”
The two of them stared into the others eyes.
Contact.
Her mind was different than any he had ever felt. And he could feel it entirely now.
It was alien. Not Human.
Not anymore anyway. Or maybe not entirely human? Max wasn’t really one to judge. He wasn’t fully human himself. And he could feel as a part of him he had always been aware of, a part of him that had always been there slumbering came awake.
It was Alien. And it was part of him.
And it was as infatuated with Liz as he was. It was that alien part of him that spoke next. “You can see me. Yes, I can feel it. Another has altered you. Changed you in ways that are deleterious to your continued long term well-being and existence as a member of your species. Even now you are less than human. Is this what you mean by it would be better if your existence was terminated?”
Liz looked away for a moment. “I am something that really shouldn’t be. I am half a Witch. Maria saved me, saved most of me five months ago. But to me time is somewhat fluid. I experience not only the present but many of the futures that will occur in the next fifteen minutes concurrently. In some of those timelines, Maria didn’t make it in time.”
Max felt as he nodded. It was a strange thing, to be in your body and yet not fully in control. And yet he was not afraid. The being inside of him meant neither him nor Liz any harm.
In truth, it WAS him. Just the alien part.
It spoke, “And so hope turned to despair and the madness of your race overtook you.”
Liz’s lip quirked up, “So you think humanity is insane too, huh?”
“Yes. It is your strength and your weakness. Your ability to ignore reality and hope for something beyond normal optimal circumstances. It runs through your people, strongest in children naturally.” It took a sip of coffee, “To be honest, it was why we attempted an invasion ourselves. I wonder….”
Liz gasped. “Kyubey confirms it. It was the Incubators that defeated your invasion. I, I don’t fully understand how they did it. Something about concentrating entropy. Which is just insane.” She shook her head and laughed, “Says the girl capable of magic speaking to an alien human hybrid.”
It said, “I need to slumber. But know that like Max, I will do everything in my power to save you.”
Her lips quirked up again, “Because the Incubators are your enemy?”
It shook its head, “No. Because we love you.” Max felt as it fled back to the corners of his mind. He shook his head. “He is right. I don’t know if I would have had the courage to say it. But… I do love you Liz.”
Liz smiled and set the Soul Gem on the table. She reached out and held Max’s other hand. “I think I told you last night how I feel.” She shook her head, “If you truly want me, then this relationship is going to have to move fast. I don’t want to die, but the longer I am alive the greater the risk that I will turn.”
“Whatever it takes Liz. I will be there for you.”
Somebody rapidly walked by their table.
Liz shot up, “Give that back. Give that back to me right now!”
Max turned and looked. Isabel. It was Isabel. And she was holding Liz’s Soul Gem.
Liz chased her. Max followed.
Isabel had used her powers to lock the door on Liz. Liz tried in vain to open the door.
Max moved up, “Here let me try.”
Liz crushed the door handle and ripped open the door. “No time. I need that back. Oh, not again. Not this again!”
Max paused for a moment. Had that been fear in Liz’s voice?
Isabel was in their parents Sedan as she drove off.
Max ran to his Jeep, “Come on, get in. We can follow her.”
Liz paid no attention and ran after the Sedan. One moment she was in her normal clothes.
Flicker, a white and silver dress, with a long white cape.
Flicker, the dress changed again, this time an even more fancy get up. But what caught his eyes was that the cloak split and became wings.
And Liz flew after the Sedan.
No one seemed to pay her any attention. Not one onlooker pointed out that a girl was flying.
Max shook his head and got into the Jeep and followed them.
Uninstall (XO Roswell/PMMM, ML, MM / Mature) Ep 2 - 08/24/12
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, Erina, Forum Moderators
Re: Uninstall (XO Roswell/PMMM, ML, MM / Mature) P 11 - 07/2
And here we go. I guess I am at near NANO speed after all. Maybe not Horizon speed, but still not bad for me. Odds a pretty good for a part tomorrow unless work is a total nightmare. Hope you folks enjoy.
Natalie36- Thanks. Hope you continue to enjoy.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Poor Max. Michael is in almost as bad a spot.
ken_r- Thanks. Isabel is Max's sister. But this takes place during the time around the pilot. So while I will likely use the names for the aliens alter egos, anything goes for them. Isabel will have a part to play.
Uninstall part 12
Michael
Michael had gone out and had gotten all the food Maria had asked for. More to see just how far the girl would go. Surely she had been joking about eating all of this.
Turns out she wasn’t. Not that he hadn’t contributed to laying waste to the feast he had bought, but Maria by far out paced him. Add in a ton of pills she was popping, various vitamins and minerals. Along with some herb extracts, you name it.
Where was it all going?
She did look better though. The color had come back to her cheeks and she was humming to herself as she ate another slice of pizza.
She certainly didn’t look dead. Didn’t sound dead either. When she wasn’t eating she was typically talking or humming. Very vocal.
It should have driven him nuts. Perhaps it had. Still the sound of her voice was soothing somehow.
Yeah, he must already be insane.
Her touch was warm.
Why did she think she was dead? Realistically she should be after the beating she had taken. He had almost taken her to the hospital once he got a true sense of how bad her body was hurt.
But something stopped him. He knew very well that he as an alien hybrid would rather die than go to a hospital. They really probably would cut him up. Or rather the government agents that found out what the local hospital had gotten a hold of would have.
He wasn’t entirely human. Neither was she. Hospitals were a no go zone.
And she got better. Quickly.
He did notice the gem on her ring was not as bright as it had been. It had been fairly dark when Liz had first saved her, but after she had pressed something against it, the gem had been a bright green. He looked back up at her at her bright eyes as she watched the hotel’s television and ate.
She turned to face him. She raised one finger up and finished chewing what she had been eating. “Thanks again. I needed that. Where did you get the pizza from, out of curiosity? It is still kind of early for that…”
Michael shrugged, “I bought one at the store and cooked it.”
“Michael. It is a little past seven in the morning. We are in a hotel room. There isn’t a stove. How exactly did you cook it?”
Michael sighed, “Guess you weren’t looking then. To busy scarfing down those burgers.”
Maria chuckled and nodded, “They were good. I must have been badly banged up.” She sat back against the chair. “I think I am not going to school today. Do you want me to call out for you too, or do you simply want to be absent like most days?”
“Right. Like your mom will…”
Maria raised her hand up and picked up the phone. She muted the TV. And in Amy Deluca’s voice she said, “Hello? Yes, I am calling in for my daughter Maria. She can’t come in, she has some sort of fever and well I just don’t want her to get any worse…. Sure. I will call tomorrow if she’s still not well. Thank you.”
Michael just blinked.
Maria said in his voice, “My gift is my voice, Michael. It was Liz who got me to really experiment. I was just using it as a tool. But I can even persuade people to do things. Now that unfortunately I have to be close to them. Doesn’t work over the phone at all.” She smiled and then the smile faded. “That gift is part of what I got from the wish I made.”
Again the ring on her hand flashed and became a green gem egg with a silver holder. She looked at it. “I know you keep wondering what I meant when you left. I was surprised you never asked me.”
Michael gruffly said, “I figured you would tell me if you wanted to.”
She looked at him carefully. “You can keep a secret I presume. You already know some of mine, but this is really a major deal. Most Magical Girl’s don’t know. It is better that they don’t. So much better they never made the deal. But once it is done there is no helping it.”
Michael grunted and paid Maria a bit more attention.
Maria continued, “Am I attractive to you Michael?” She coyly fluttered her eyelashes at him.
Michael said nothing. He did find her attractive. She had to know that after the trouble he had gone through for her. He grunted and said, “What is that supposed to mean?”
Her smile was bright, but her eyes were bitter. “My body. Isn’t it pretty? Don’t you find it at least a little appealing? You did go out on a date with me after all.”
Michael looked away and mumbled, “I guess.”
Maria laughed, “You really don’t have any social skills do you? You can’t hide it from me Michael, I am an empath. I can feel your emotions. And yesterday, when we were in the Barrier, you did something to me. Marked me somehow. Your emotions seem much clearer than they were.”
Michael couldn’t help the flash as he remembered those kisses. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore that he was very aware of the girl that sat just a few feet away.
“Would you like to see me Michael? See my true body?”
Michael swallowed. Surely she couldn’t mean….
“Turn and face me, Michael.”
He found himself turning and facing her. He kept his eyes shut.
Maria laughed, “And you are surprisingly shy. Open your eyes.”
Michael opened his eyes. Maria was dressed just as she had been before. Not that he would have truly wanted it any other way. Or that he would have tried to peek at some point. He looked at her strangely. “Okay?”
Her eyes were still bitter but her voice was light, “Look down. See the Soul Gem?”
“Uh, yeah?” He looked back up at her.
Maria said softly, “That is who and what I am. This body that you see, well it is nothing but a shell. A shell that I animate from my Soul Gem. As long as it is safe, I am safe. To a degree. Because only when it is bright and not dark, only when hope outweighs despair am I truly safe.”
“Excuse me?”
“I haven’t been fair with you, Michael. I am not really alive. I am a lich.”
“What the hell is a lich?”
“It is an undead monster who placed its soul into a container for magical power.”
Michael stared at her for a moment. He could see that she believed it, at least in part. But it was simply too much.
He burst out laughing.
Maria hit him on the shoulder, “Michael! It’s not funny!”
Michael kept laughing.
Maria hit him again.
Michael finally found himself calming down a little, “Did Liz, no. No it was Alex right? That is a fucking game term.” He chuckled again, “Whatever you are, you are not a lich. Okay?”
Maria looked down at her Soul Gem. “Still. If you took this away. If it was removed from my presence, this body would fail.” Her voice lowered, “I have seen it happen. We were on an overnight field trip. Liz was sleeping. Pam Troy thought it would be funny if she stole from Liz. They have never gotten along.” She shook her head, “I don’t think Pam truly meant any real harm. Probably would have returned the ring at some point. I don’t know. But at first Liz was just frantic about finding it.”
Michael stared at the Gem on the table.
Maria continued, “Everyone tried to help her, but no one could find it. Then it was time to leave. Liz was worried sick about losing that ring, but what could she do?” Maria took a sip of cola before continuing, “We had two vehicles that were driving us. Liz was in one, I was with her. Pam was in another. As long as they stayed close, Liz was fine. But whenever the vehicles got too far away Liz would….”
Maria stopped and tensed up. “You can’t be serious.”
“What is it?”
“I have to go. Your friend Isabel just stole my best friends Soul Gem.” She got up. “I will be back later.”
Maria opened the door.
Michael closed it with his powers. It was amazing. When he was with Maria his powers worked fine. When he had gone to the store, when he had started to second guess himself about the whole situation, his powers went wonky.
Michael needed her for some reason. He was going to find out why.
Maria whirled back at him. “How?”
“Hold on just a moment and let me get my shoes. I am coming with you.”
“But….”
“No buts. You owe me a story. You haven’t finished. I am not going until it is done. You are leaving so I guess that means I am coming with you.” He got up and put on his shoes.
He hadn’t really wanted to go to school today anyway.
“Michael.”
He opened the door, “Let’s go.”
And they left.
--
Isabel
Isabel was very confused as she was driving quickly through the streets of Roswell. If she didn’t slow down she was going to get a ticket.
Her parents would never forgive her. Not for driving so recklessly.
Liz’s Soul Gem was on the dashboard. It held the secrets she needed to unveil. She didn’t know why. She just KNEW.
She had to get at those secrets no matter the cost. She couldn’t let anything stop her.
It was the only way she would ever be off this dusty rock.
Isabel shook her head at the last thought. It had occurred in her head.
But it hadn’t been her.
Isabel became aware then that another was awake inside of her. And with small gossamer controls it was driving her actions. She fought to stop. To turn, to do anything other than that another dictated.
It simply ignored her and drove.
Her body looked into the rear view mirror and cursed. Liz was catching up to them.
Isabel could feel as her powers were spun to levels she had never dared. As the being inside of her grasped at the air surrounding the area. For just a moment its focus was on that rather than Isabel.
For a brief moment Isabel was free. She tried to stop the car.
The flying Liz was almost there when she hit a wall of air. She was flung hard against a building, slamming into its masonry.
Isabel felt as that dread presence noticed her. And it crushed her. She screamed out in sublime pain as she was pushed deep into her subconscious.
And Isabel slept.
Natalie36- Thanks. Hope you continue to enjoy.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Poor Max. Michael is in almost as bad a spot.
ken_r- Thanks. Isabel is Max's sister. But this takes place during the time around the pilot. So while I will likely use the names for the aliens alter egos, anything goes for them. Isabel will have a part to play.
Uninstall part 12
Michael
Michael had gone out and had gotten all the food Maria had asked for. More to see just how far the girl would go. Surely she had been joking about eating all of this.
Turns out she wasn’t. Not that he hadn’t contributed to laying waste to the feast he had bought, but Maria by far out paced him. Add in a ton of pills she was popping, various vitamins and minerals. Along with some herb extracts, you name it.
Where was it all going?
She did look better though. The color had come back to her cheeks and she was humming to herself as she ate another slice of pizza.
She certainly didn’t look dead. Didn’t sound dead either. When she wasn’t eating she was typically talking or humming. Very vocal.
It should have driven him nuts. Perhaps it had. Still the sound of her voice was soothing somehow.
Yeah, he must already be insane.
Her touch was warm.
Why did she think she was dead? Realistically she should be after the beating she had taken. He had almost taken her to the hospital once he got a true sense of how bad her body was hurt.
But something stopped him. He knew very well that he as an alien hybrid would rather die than go to a hospital. They really probably would cut him up. Or rather the government agents that found out what the local hospital had gotten a hold of would have.
He wasn’t entirely human. Neither was she. Hospitals were a no go zone.
And she got better. Quickly.
He did notice the gem on her ring was not as bright as it had been. It had been fairly dark when Liz had first saved her, but after she had pressed something against it, the gem had been a bright green. He looked back up at her at her bright eyes as she watched the hotel’s television and ate.
She turned to face him. She raised one finger up and finished chewing what she had been eating. “Thanks again. I needed that. Where did you get the pizza from, out of curiosity? It is still kind of early for that…”
Michael shrugged, “I bought one at the store and cooked it.”
“Michael. It is a little past seven in the morning. We are in a hotel room. There isn’t a stove. How exactly did you cook it?”
Michael sighed, “Guess you weren’t looking then. To busy scarfing down those burgers.”
Maria chuckled and nodded, “They were good. I must have been badly banged up.” She sat back against the chair. “I think I am not going to school today. Do you want me to call out for you too, or do you simply want to be absent like most days?”
“Right. Like your mom will…”
Maria raised her hand up and picked up the phone. She muted the TV. And in Amy Deluca’s voice she said, “Hello? Yes, I am calling in for my daughter Maria. She can’t come in, she has some sort of fever and well I just don’t want her to get any worse…. Sure. I will call tomorrow if she’s still not well. Thank you.”
Michael just blinked.
Maria said in his voice, “My gift is my voice, Michael. It was Liz who got me to really experiment. I was just using it as a tool. But I can even persuade people to do things. Now that unfortunately I have to be close to them. Doesn’t work over the phone at all.” She smiled and then the smile faded. “That gift is part of what I got from the wish I made.”
Again the ring on her hand flashed and became a green gem egg with a silver holder. She looked at it. “I know you keep wondering what I meant when you left. I was surprised you never asked me.”
Michael gruffly said, “I figured you would tell me if you wanted to.”
She looked at him carefully. “You can keep a secret I presume. You already know some of mine, but this is really a major deal. Most Magical Girl’s don’t know. It is better that they don’t. So much better they never made the deal. But once it is done there is no helping it.”
Michael grunted and paid Maria a bit more attention.
Maria continued, “Am I attractive to you Michael?” She coyly fluttered her eyelashes at him.
Michael said nothing. He did find her attractive. She had to know that after the trouble he had gone through for her. He grunted and said, “What is that supposed to mean?”
Her smile was bright, but her eyes were bitter. “My body. Isn’t it pretty? Don’t you find it at least a little appealing? You did go out on a date with me after all.”
Michael looked away and mumbled, “I guess.”
Maria laughed, “You really don’t have any social skills do you? You can’t hide it from me Michael, I am an empath. I can feel your emotions. And yesterday, when we were in the Barrier, you did something to me. Marked me somehow. Your emotions seem much clearer than they were.”
Michael couldn’t help the flash as he remembered those kisses. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore that he was very aware of the girl that sat just a few feet away.
“Would you like to see me Michael? See my true body?”
Michael swallowed. Surely she couldn’t mean….
“Turn and face me, Michael.”
He found himself turning and facing her. He kept his eyes shut.
Maria laughed, “And you are surprisingly shy. Open your eyes.”
Michael opened his eyes. Maria was dressed just as she had been before. Not that he would have truly wanted it any other way. Or that he would have tried to peek at some point. He looked at her strangely. “Okay?”
Her eyes were still bitter but her voice was light, “Look down. See the Soul Gem?”
“Uh, yeah?” He looked back up at her.
Maria said softly, “That is who and what I am. This body that you see, well it is nothing but a shell. A shell that I animate from my Soul Gem. As long as it is safe, I am safe. To a degree. Because only when it is bright and not dark, only when hope outweighs despair am I truly safe.”
“Excuse me?”
“I haven’t been fair with you, Michael. I am not really alive. I am a lich.”
“What the hell is a lich?”
“It is an undead monster who placed its soul into a container for magical power.”
Michael stared at her for a moment. He could see that she believed it, at least in part. But it was simply too much.
He burst out laughing.
Maria hit him on the shoulder, “Michael! It’s not funny!”
Michael kept laughing.
Maria hit him again.
Michael finally found himself calming down a little, “Did Liz, no. No it was Alex right? That is a fucking game term.” He chuckled again, “Whatever you are, you are not a lich. Okay?”
Maria looked down at her Soul Gem. “Still. If you took this away. If it was removed from my presence, this body would fail.” Her voice lowered, “I have seen it happen. We were on an overnight field trip. Liz was sleeping. Pam Troy thought it would be funny if she stole from Liz. They have never gotten along.” She shook her head, “I don’t think Pam truly meant any real harm. Probably would have returned the ring at some point. I don’t know. But at first Liz was just frantic about finding it.”
Michael stared at the Gem on the table.
Maria continued, “Everyone tried to help her, but no one could find it. Then it was time to leave. Liz was worried sick about losing that ring, but what could she do?” Maria took a sip of cola before continuing, “We had two vehicles that were driving us. Liz was in one, I was with her. Pam was in another. As long as they stayed close, Liz was fine. But whenever the vehicles got too far away Liz would….”
Maria stopped and tensed up. “You can’t be serious.”
“What is it?”
“I have to go. Your friend Isabel just stole my best friends Soul Gem.” She got up. “I will be back later.”
Maria opened the door.
Michael closed it with his powers. It was amazing. When he was with Maria his powers worked fine. When he had gone to the store, when he had started to second guess himself about the whole situation, his powers went wonky.
Michael needed her for some reason. He was going to find out why.
Maria whirled back at him. “How?”
“Hold on just a moment and let me get my shoes. I am coming with you.”
“But….”
“No buts. You owe me a story. You haven’t finished. I am not going until it is done. You are leaving so I guess that means I am coming with you.” He got up and put on his shoes.
He hadn’t really wanted to go to school today anyway.
“Michael.”
He opened the door, “Let’s go.”
And they left.
--
Isabel
Isabel was very confused as she was driving quickly through the streets of Roswell. If she didn’t slow down she was going to get a ticket.
Her parents would never forgive her. Not for driving so recklessly.
Liz’s Soul Gem was on the dashboard. It held the secrets she needed to unveil. She didn’t know why. She just KNEW.
She had to get at those secrets no matter the cost. She couldn’t let anything stop her.
It was the only way she would ever be off this dusty rock.
Isabel shook her head at the last thought. It had occurred in her head.
But it hadn’t been her.
Isabel became aware then that another was awake inside of her. And with small gossamer controls it was driving her actions. She fought to stop. To turn, to do anything other than that another dictated.
It simply ignored her and drove.
Her body looked into the rear view mirror and cursed. Liz was catching up to them.
Isabel could feel as her powers were spun to levels she had never dared. As the being inside of her grasped at the air surrounding the area. For just a moment its focus was on that rather than Isabel.
For a brief moment Isabel was free. She tried to stop the car.
The flying Liz was almost there when she hit a wall of air. She was flung hard against a building, slamming into its masonry.
Isabel felt as that dread presence noticed her. And it crushed her. She screamed out in sublime pain as she was pushed deep into her subconscious.
And Isabel slept.
Re: Uninstall (XO Roswell/PMMM, ML, MM / Mature) P 12 - 07/2
This part introduces the Third Musketeer, Alex. He will have a part to play in the next couple arcs. This part occurs simultaneously with the last couple parts. Hope you guys enjoy and probably see you tomorrow!
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Amazing how much mileage you can get out of a character we never see and is mentioned in what, one line? What happened would give Liz a good reason to hate Pam.
ken_r - Thanks. Yeah, vulnerable. Not that they have a choice. And in ring form its hard to steal. Liz was just careless, paying more attention to Max than her environment.
Natalie36- Thanks. We will get to that scene next. Probably tomorrow.
Uninstall part 13
Alex-
Alex was having another strange day. This wasn’t really all that odd. He did know Liz and Maria after all.
Alex closed his eyes to the familiar pain. Natalie.
He looked over and lifted a photo. His older sister.
Missing and presumed dead.
Of course, Alex knew what happened to her. He knew all too well. It was why he had been so driven to protect Liz and Maria. He had known they were special.
It had taken almost a year for them to accept him as a friend. There had been nothing romantic about it. There had simply been a connection between them.
And Alex had prayed that what happened to his sister never happened to them. That they would not suddenly change. That his light hearted friends wouldn’t be faced with despair.
Natalie Collette Whitman had been a Magical Girl. She had never come out and said it. She had never confessed to him, even though she had saved him from certain death.
She had probably thought that Alex would forget about what had happened in that Witch’s Labyrinth. Most people did. Most people edited out all the magic that secretly surrounded them.
Alex didn’t. He couldn’t. Alex was cursed in a way to see the world as it was, not as he would have it be. He could look at people and just know something was off or different about them. Often he had no clue why. But he could sense it.
He had seen and known of Liz and Maria’s potential even before Kyubey had. And he had done his best to instill caution and wariness in them regarding powers and magic. But the truth was Alex hadn’t know exactly HOW Natalie had become a Magical Girl.
Only that it had killed her.
Since Liz’s Contract, Alex had some information to search for on the net. Some of it was useful information. Much of it was not. But there was some useful stuff. And he had even made contacts with others who had either had contact with or were Magical Girls themselves.
Precious few though. So few.
Then again, the average life expectancy of a Magical Girl was seven months.
Natalie had only lasted three.
He had never told either Liz or Maria about his sister. Undoubtedly Liz knew. Perhaps she had even told Maria. It didn’t matter. They were his girls. And he would protect them as well as he could.
Until they died.
The knowledge he had learned over the past five months had only made it worse. Had only fueled even more fears of what had happened to his sister.
It was possible that she hadn’t died. It could very well be that she was still alive somewhere.
As a Witch.
He would do his utmost to save Liz and Maria, as well as he could. He had painstakingly designed weapons for Maria, Conceptual Weapons. Things that were easy enough for Maria to understand and yet still effective.
Alex was proudest of his Gatling Gun.
He had designed things for Liz too. But Liz simply didn’t need his help in that regard. She needed him more for the company and the humor. For him to give his honest opinion and to help her work through any emotional difficulties Maria didn’t manage to deal with.
He wasn’t surprised about Max and Isabel and Michael either. Sure he had no idea who and what they were, but there was a ponderous power feeling to them. They were strange.
Not that it had stopped his infatuation with Isabel. She was just perfect in his eyes.
Which had made her invitation to breakfast so very odd.
He was interested in her, but he was far from popular or particularly handsome or wealthy. He wasn’t anywhere near the group that she typically selected from. He was just a guy.
Still it made sense, in a way. Alex had already planned on being there. Making sure Max didn’t hurt Liz. Was it any surprise that Isabel wanted to do the same?
Plus she would probably try to get as much info from him about Liz as she could. He would have to watch himself.
--
Sitting there across from Isabel, it was hard to look away and watch Max. But while he felt guilty about it, his eyes were on Isabel.
The questions about Liz had come, but nothing that had seemed dangerous at all. Mostly Isabel made small talk. And watched Liz.
The whole thing was really kind of strange. Isabel also seemed a little off. But then maybe that was because of the whole Max Liz thing. Alex really wasn’t sure.
But the more they talked, the more concerned he got about Isabel. “Are you alright?”
She smiled at him and said, ”I am doing fine. Better I think than I have for years.” She shook her head, “God, they are just too sickly sweet together. Look at them just gazing into each other’s eyes.”
Alex looked, “Yeah.” They looked pretty cute together.
“Alex?”
Alex turned to face Isabel. Her eyes looked strange, pupils enlarged, looking almost like almonds rather than round. The Iris too wasn’t a normal brown, but there was a flickering blue and green at the outside edge.
It was kind of hypnotic really.
Alex shook his head and said, “Yes, can I help the beautiful lady?”
Isabel smiled, “You sure can, Alex. Just come with me.” She stood up and grasped one of his hands.
He felt a jolt rush through him. It had felt good. He was having a little trouble focusing though. But still he stood up and followed her.
She was so pretty. A Golden Goddess. He would do anything for her.
In the hallway leading to the bathrooms, she stopped him. “Alex, can you do me a favor?”
Alex smiled. Something was wrong with him. He could feel it. And yet it simply didn’t matter. Isabel was asking him something and he would do it. “Anything for the pretty lady.”
Isabel’s eyes were predatory, “That is what I want to hear.” And she kissed him.
Alex was pleasantly shocked at first and closed his eyes and enjoyed the kiss. This was certainly more than he had expected from this breakfast.
Then his head began to ache. Memories began to flash before his eyes. All of his memories of Liz. Of Maria.
Of Natalie. Of his sister so proud that she now had the power to save other people. So very proud.
Gone. Missing these last eight years.
Alex had never forgotten her. Could never forget her. Any more than he would forget Liz or Maria. Or any of those listed as Fallen on one of the Magical Girl websites. So many missing girls. So many forgotten names.
All of it. He remembered all of it. And his head ached. He could feel as a fever swept his body. As sweat poured out of him.
And he kept kissing her, knowing it was killing him. Knowing it was pouring through his every memory, sifting it to suit it’s needs.
It felt so good. So very right.
She was killing him and he wasn’t about to let her stop.
Isabel stopped the kiss and held him up for a moment. “Thank you Alex. That was just what I needed.”
Alex slumped to the floor, his back against the wall.
The memory swap had not been entirely one sided. Alex knew what the alien wanted. What it thought it could use to buy its way home.
Liz’s Soul Gem.
And Liz was destracted. She had transformed it into Gem form and it was sitting on the table, her hands intertwined with Max’s
No. Not again. He couldn’t let Liz lose her Soul Gem again.
Somehow he had to stop her. He had to stop the alien that was possessing Isabel.
But he couldn’t. He couldn’t move.
He had failed her. Failed Liz. Failed in his promise to protect her. Failed in his promise to his most likely dead sister Natalie, to protect and support anyone in danger.
He had even failed Isabel. For he could feel her screaming and trying to escape her confinement in her own body.
Alex cursed himself. Cursed his weakness. If only he had been paying attention. IF only he had watched those small cues.
With great effort he stood.
Isabel was already at Liz’s table, her hand sweeping to grab the Gem. Isabel ran, Liz followed.
Alex tried. He really did.
He made it four steps and then collapsed. And he knew no more.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Amazing how much mileage you can get out of a character we never see and is mentioned in what, one line? What happened would give Liz a good reason to hate Pam.
ken_r - Thanks. Yeah, vulnerable. Not that they have a choice. And in ring form its hard to steal. Liz was just careless, paying more attention to Max than her environment.
Natalie36- Thanks. We will get to that scene next. Probably tomorrow.
Uninstall part 13
Alex-
Alex was having another strange day. This wasn’t really all that odd. He did know Liz and Maria after all.
Alex closed his eyes to the familiar pain. Natalie.
He looked over and lifted a photo. His older sister.
Missing and presumed dead.
Of course, Alex knew what happened to her. He knew all too well. It was why he had been so driven to protect Liz and Maria. He had known they were special.
It had taken almost a year for them to accept him as a friend. There had been nothing romantic about it. There had simply been a connection between them.
And Alex had prayed that what happened to his sister never happened to them. That they would not suddenly change. That his light hearted friends wouldn’t be faced with despair.
Natalie Collette Whitman had been a Magical Girl. She had never come out and said it. She had never confessed to him, even though she had saved him from certain death.
She had probably thought that Alex would forget about what had happened in that Witch’s Labyrinth. Most people did. Most people edited out all the magic that secretly surrounded them.
Alex didn’t. He couldn’t. Alex was cursed in a way to see the world as it was, not as he would have it be. He could look at people and just know something was off or different about them. Often he had no clue why. But he could sense it.
He had seen and known of Liz and Maria’s potential even before Kyubey had. And he had done his best to instill caution and wariness in them regarding powers and magic. But the truth was Alex hadn’t know exactly HOW Natalie had become a Magical Girl.
Only that it had killed her.
Since Liz’s Contract, Alex had some information to search for on the net. Some of it was useful information. Much of it was not. But there was some useful stuff. And he had even made contacts with others who had either had contact with or were Magical Girls themselves.
Precious few though. So few.
Then again, the average life expectancy of a Magical Girl was seven months.
Natalie had only lasted three.
He had never told either Liz or Maria about his sister. Undoubtedly Liz knew. Perhaps she had even told Maria. It didn’t matter. They were his girls. And he would protect them as well as he could.
Until they died.
The knowledge he had learned over the past five months had only made it worse. Had only fueled even more fears of what had happened to his sister.
It was possible that she hadn’t died. It could very well be that she was still alive somewhere.
As a Witch.
He would do his utmost to save Liz and Maria, as well as he could. He had painstakingly designed weapons for Maria, Conceptual Weapons. Things that were easy enough for Maria to understand and yet still effective.
Alex was proudest of his Gatling Gun.
He had designed things for Liz too. But Liz simply didn’t need his help in that regard. She needed him more for the company and the humor. For him to give his honest opinion and to help her work through any emotional difficulties Maria didn’t manage to deal with.
He wasn’t surprised about Max and Isabel and Michael either. Sure he had no idea who and what they were, but there was a ponderous power feeling to them. They were strange.
Not that it had stopped his infatuation with Isabel. She was just perfect in his eyes.
Which had made her invitation to breakfast so very odd.
He was interested in her, but he was far from popular or particularly handsome or wealthy. He wasn’t anywhere near the group that she typically selected from. He was just a guy.
Still it made sense, in a way. Alex had already planned on being there. Making sure Max didn’t hurt Liz. Was it any surprise that Isabel wanted to do the same?
Plus she would probably try to get as much info from him about Liz as she could. He would have to watch himself.
--
Sitting there across from Isabel, it was hard to look away and watch Max. But while he felt guilty about it, his eyes were on Isabel.
The questions about Liz had come, but nothing that had seemed dangerous at all. Mostly Isabel made small talk. And watched Liz.
The whole thing was really kind of strange. Isabel also seemed a little off. But then maybe that was because of the whole Max Liz thing. Alex really wasn’t sure.
But the more they talked, the more concerned he got about Isabel. “Are you alright?”
She smiled at him and said, ”I am doing fine. Better I think than I have for years.” She shook her head, “God, they are just too sickly sweet together. Look at them just gazing into each other’s eyes.”
Alex looked, “Yeah.” They looked pretty cute together.
“Alex?”
Alex turned to face Isabel. Her eyes looked strange, pupils enlarged, looking almost like almonds rather than round. The Iris too wasn’t a normal brown, but there was a flickering blue and green at the outside edge.
It was kind of hypnotic really.
Alex shook his head and said, “Yes, can I help the beautiful lady?”
Isabel smiled, “You sure can, Alex. Just come with me.” She stood up and grasped one of his hands.
He felt a jolt rush through him. It had felt good. He was having a little trouble focusing though. But still he stood up and followed her.
She was so pretty. A Golden Goddess. He would do anything for her.
In the hallway leading to the bathrooms, she stopped him. “Alex, can you do me a favor?”
Alex smiled. Something was wrong with him. He could feel it. And yet it simply didn’t matter. Isabel was asking him something and he would do it. “Anything for the pretty lady.”
Isabel’s eyes were predatory, “That is what I want to hear.” And she kissed him.
Alex was pleasantly shocked at first and closed his eyes and enjoyed the kiss. This was certainly more than he had expected from this breakfast.
Then his head began to ache. Memories began to flash before his eyes. All of his memories of Liz. Of Maria.
Of Natalie. Of his sister so proud that she now had the power to save other people. So very proud.
Gone. Missing these last eight years.
Alex had never forgotten her. Could never forget her. Any more than he would forget Liz or Maria. Or any of those listed as Fallen on one of the Magical Girl websites. So many missing girls. So many forgotten names.
All of it. He remembered all of it. And his head ached. He could feel as a fever swept his body. As sweat poured out of him.
And he kept kissing her, knowing it was killing him. Knowing it was pouring through his every memory, sifting it to suit it’s needs.
It felt so good. So very right.
She was killing him and he wasn’t about to let her stop.
Isabel stopped the kiss and held him up for a moment. “Thank you Alex. That was just what I needed.”
Alex slumped to the floor, his back against the wall.
The memory swap had not been entirely one sided. Alex knew what the alien wanted. What it thought it could use to buy its way home.
Liz’s Soul Gem.
And Liz was destracted. She had transformed it into Gem form and it was sitting on the table, her hands intertwined with Max’s
No. Not again. He couldn’t let Liz lose her Soul Gem again.
Somehow he had to stop her. He had to stop the alien that was possessing Isabel.
But he couldn’t. He couldn’t move.
He had failed her. Failed Liz. Failed in his promise to protect her. Failed in his promise to his most likely dead sister Natalie, to protect and support anyone in danger.
He had even failed Isabel. For he could feel her screaming and trying to escape her confinement in her own body.
Alex cursed himself. Cursed his weakness. If only he had been paying attention. IF only he had watched those small cues.
With great effort he stood.
Isabel was already at Liz’s table, her hand sweeping to grab the Gem. Isabel ran, Liz followed.
Alex tried. He really did.
He made it four steps and then collapsed. And he knew no more.
Re: Uninstall (XO Roswell/PMMM, ML, MM / Mature) P 13 - 07/3
Thanks again. Hope you folks enjoy.
ken_r - Thanks. You are exactly correct.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Seven months is the statistical average posted on the website that Alex has tracked down. Liz has been a Magical Girl for over three years. Maria is at five months and is fairly stable. Some Magical Girls last days. (One in the anime went insane within a month. She was one of the protagonists.)
Uninstall part 14
Max
Max watched as Liz hit something in the air. A blast from Isabel maybe? He didn’t see Isabel attack, but something intercepted Liz. Isabel slowed down for a moment, perhaps to finish her off? But instead sped off.
Liz slammed into a nearby building, making an indent in the masonry. She struggled for a moment, getting herself free.
Max stopped his Jeep and moved to help her.
The look in her eyes as she saw him, the sheer fear and despair would stay with him forever.
She said, eyes wide with terror, “You have to stop her Max. She could doom the whole world! All my hopes and dreams gone forev….” Her eyes went suddenly blank and the armor she was wearing disappeared in a flash of silver. The dress underneath flashed white and was gone. Liz was left in the clothes she had worn when they had gone to breakfast.
Max rushed to her as she fell lifelessly to the ground. “Liz!”
There was no response.
He felt for her pulse, for any sign of life.
There were none. She wasn’t breathing. Her heart wasn’t breathing. There was still some faint activity in the brain that was rapidly fading. Until it stopped.
Liz Parker was dead.
Max wasn’t about to let that stop him. He pulled out all the stops, tapping deeply into his reserves as he made her heart beat, made her lungs take in air, forced the body in front of him to restart.
He could make her body run. But Liz, Liz wasn’t there anymore.
Liz was gone….
--
Isabel
Isabel was trapped in her own mind. The entity that had taken her over, Vilandra, was part of her. She knew that now. In fact each moment that passed, Isabel learned more and more about her.
Apparently she hadn’t been a nice person in her last life at all.
Oh, Isabel could see signs of compassion, of something other than a ruthless need to accomplish her goals hidden deep within that alien entity. Despite its very alien nature, there was a great deal she had in common.
It was her, the alien part of her that had crash landed. That had for some reason survived the failed invasion of Earth. And she wanted to return home.
Vilandra would do anything to return home. Sacrificing the soul of a native was nothing to her. In fact, it was the power in that very Soul Gem that Vilandra wanted to understand.
Isabel knew that Vilandra was trying to crush her. And she had fallen asleep so to speak.
Little did Vilandra know that sleep was where Isabel was strongest. That her powers over the dream plane were quite advanced.
And human. Vilandra didn’t understand Dream walking at all. It was not part of her powerset at all. Blasting, molecular manipulation, these were the basis of her world’s powers.
Those were hard fought and earned technologies that they had slowly gained through careful breeding and eugenics.
Isabel was asleep, and knew it. She was effectively dream walking herself.
She had never done it to someone who was awake before. And perhaps it wouldn’t have worked had it not been a mind she was so familiar with.
Vilandra didn’t even realize she was being observed.
And not just by herself. Kyubey had come along for the ride. Where he had come from, Isabel didn’t know. But she recognized it from this morning.
It had offered to grant her a wish. Any wish, if she would contract to become a Magical Girl.
Vilandra pulled the car over. Isabel could feel Vilandra’s frustration as she tried to use her powers on the Soul Gem, tried to examine it. All to no avail.
It was Alien to her.
Isabel also noted that it wasn’t gleaming as brightly as it had before. Tiny clouds of darkness floating amidst the pearl colored white. They looked like tiny clouds. Some sort of pollution that was swirling amidst the glowing splendor.
She recognized where they were. Somehow she needed to tell someone, anyone where they were.
There had to be a way. There just had to be.
--
Maria
Maria felt as Liz’s panicked monologue stopped.
One hundred twenty feet. That was how far their presence could imbue their bodies with the semblance of life.
Well more than semblance, they were effectively alive. But move the Soul Gem too far and the body died.
Instantly.
It was reversible. That was what had driven Maria nearly insane five months ago. Liz would suddenly stop breathing, her heartbeat slowing to a halt. And then it would start up again.
Over and over. Pam and Liz’s Soul Gem were in the other car. When the other car got to far, Liz’s body died.
Needless to say, it was traumatic for the both of them.
Naturally, Kyubey was there.
Liz begged her not to. Begged her to save herself. To let Liz go.
Maria had known Liz practically since birth. Amy had watched over the infant while Jeff and Nancy got their restaurant off the ground. They had actually shared cribs on more than one night. Liz was only a couple months older than her after all.
They were sisters. And Maria could not let Liz die, not when there was a way to save her.
And so she made her wish.
Maria wasn’t about to give up on her. She hadn’t last time, and she wouldn’t this time. They would find her. And deal with Isabel’s treachery.
One way or another.
Michael asked, “So where are we going.”
Maria replied, “We need to pick up Liz’s body first. Then we find Isabel. Preferably before Liz self-destructs.”
“That would be bad I take it?”
Maria said, “She has the power to see the future. She understand time and how magic works. Well, as well as anyone can, I suppose. You do not want to see her as a Witch.” Maria shuddered.
“Like that thing we fought last night?”
Maria shuddered; she still hurt from those injuries. “Worse, Michael. Much, much worse.”
“Step on the gas. She saved our ass last time, I don’t want to see what she would be like on the opposing team.”
They pulled up to where Max was cradling Liz’s body. Max looked up at her, his face blotchy and tearstained. “I couldn’t save her. She is dead. Oh, God, what am I going to do. Liz is dead!”
Maria took a look at the body. “Michael put her in the car. If anyone asks she is sick and sleeping. We are heading back to the hotel.”
Michael nodded and grabbed Liz from Max.
Max resisted, “What are you doing?”
Michael said, “Well, little miss bossy here said they were like liches. Now, I think she’s way too pretty to be an undead monster. But it seems like they got the phylactery part right.” He put one hand on Max’s shoulder. “She will be fine. We just need to get her Soul Gem back.”
Max looked at Maria.
Maria sighed and nodded, “But we need to hurry. Liz will be panicking. And that will deplete her Soul Gem in record time.”
Michael said dryly, “And that my dear Max, would be bad.”
Maria hit him on the arm. “Move it you two. We have to hurry.”
And they left, returning back to the hotel.
ken_r - Thanks. You are exactly correct.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Seven months is the statistical average posted on the website that Alex has tracked down. Liz has been a Magical Girl for over three years. Maria is at five months and is fairly stable. Some Magical Girls last days. (One in the anime went insane within a month. She was one of the protagonists.)
Uninstall part 14
Max
Max watched as Liz hit something in the air. A blast from Isabel maybe? He didn’t see Isabel attack, but something intercepted Liz. Isabel slowed down for a moment, perhaps to finish her off? But instead sped off.
Liz slammed into a nearby building, making an indent in the masonry. She struggled for a moment, getting herself free.
Max stopped his Jeep and moved to help her.
The look in her eyes as she saw him, the sheer fear and despair would stay with him forever.
She said, eyes wide with terror, “You have to stop her Max. She could doom the whole world! All my hopes and dreams gone forev….” Her eyes went suddenly blank and the armor she was wearing disappeared in a flash of silver. The dress underneath flashed white and was gone. Liz was left in the clothes she had worn when they had gone to breakfast.
Max rushed to her as she fell lifelessly to the ground. “Liz!”
There was no response.
He felt for her pulse, for any sign of life.
There were none. She wasn’t breathing. Her heart wasn’t breathing. There was still some faint activity in the brain that was rapidly fading. Until it stopped.
Liz Parker was dead.
Max wasn’t about to let that stop him. He pulled out all the stops, tapping deeply into his reserves as he made her heart beat, made her lungs take in air, forced the body in front of him to restart.
He could make her body run. But Liz, Liz wasn’t there anymore.
Liz was gone….
--
Isabel
Isabel was trapped in her own mind. The entity that had taken her over, Vilandra, was part of her. She knew that now. In fact each moment that passed, Isabel learned more and more about her.
Apparently she hadn’t been a nice person in her last life at all.
Oh, Isabel could see signs of compassion, of something other than a ruthless need to accomplish her goals hidden deep within that alien entity. Despite its very alien nature, there was a great deal she had in common.
It was her, the alien part of her that had crash landed. That had for some reason survived the failed invasion of Earth. And she wanted to return home.
Vilandra would do anything to return home. Sacrificing the soul of a native was nothing to her. In fact, it was the power in that very Soul Gem that Vilandra wanted to understand.
Isabel knew that Vilandra was trying to crush her. And she had fallen asleep so to speak.
Little did Vilandra know that sleep was where Isabel was strongest. That her powers over the dream plane were quite advanced.
And human. Vilandra didn’t understand Dream walking at all. It was not part of her powerset at all. Blasting, molecular manipulation, these were the basis of her world’s powers.
Those were hard fought and earned technologies that they had slowly gained through careful breeding and eugenics.
Isabel was asleep, and knew it. She was effectively dream walking herself.
She had never done it to someone who was awake before. And perhaps it wouldn’t have worked had it not been a mind she was so familiar with.
Vilandra didn’t even realize she was being observed.
And not just by herself. Kyubey had come along for the ride. Where he had come from, Isabel didn’t know. But she recognized it from this morning.
It had offered to grant her a wish. Any wish, if she would contract to become a Magical Girl.
Vilandra pulled the car over. Isabel could feel Vilandra’s frustration as she tried to use her powers on the Soul Gem, tried to examine it. All to no avail.
It was Alien to her.
Isabel also noted that it wasn’t gleaming as brightly as it had before. Tiny clouds of darkness floating amidst the pearl colored white. They looked like tiny clouds. Some sort of pollution that was swirling amidst the glowing splendor.
She recognized where they were. Somehow she needed to tell someone, anyone where they were.
There had to be a way. There just had to be.
--
Maria
Maria felt as Liz’s panicked monologue stopped.
One hundred twenty feet. That was how far their presence could imbue their bodies with the semblance of life.
Well more than semblance, they were effectively alive. But move the Soul Gem too far and the body died.
Instantly.
It was reversible. That was what had driven Maria nearly insane five months ago. Liz would suddenly stop breathing, her heartbeat slowing to a halt. And then it would start up again.
Over and over. Pam and Liz’s Soul Gem were in the other car. When the other car got to far, Liz’s body died.
Needless to say, it was traumatic for the both of them.
Naturally, Kyubey was there.
Liz begged her not to. Begged her to save herself. To let Liz go.
Maria had known Liz practically since birth. Amy had watched over the infant while Jeff and Nancy got their restaurant off the ground. They had actually shared cribs on more than one night. Liz was only a couple months older than her after all.
They were sisters. And Maria could not let Liz die, not when there was a way to save her.
And so she made her wish.
Maria wasn’t about to give up on her. She hadn’t last time, and she wouldn’t this time. They would find her. And deal with Isabel’s treachery.
One way or another.
Michael asked, “So where are we going.”
Maria replied, “We need to pick up Liz’s body first. Then we find Isabel. Preferably before Liz self-destructs.”
“That would be bad I take it?”
Maria said, “She has the power to see the future. She understand time and how magic works. Well, as well as anyone can, I suppose. You do not want to see her as a Witch.” Maria shuddered.
“Like that thing we fought last night?”
Maria shuddered; she still hurt from those injuries. “Worse, Michael. Much, much worse.”
“Step on the gas. She saved our ass last time, I don’t want to see what she would be like on the opposing team.”
They pulled up to where Max was cradling Liz’s body. Max looked up at her, his face blotchy and tearstained. “I couldn’t save her. She is dead. Oh, God, what am I going to do. Liz is dead!”
Maria took a look at the body. “Michael put her in the car. If anyone asks she is sick and sleeping. We are heading back to the hotel.”
Michael nodded and grabbed Liz from Max.
Max resisted, “What are you doing?”
Michael said, “Well, little miss bossy here said they were like liches. Now, I think she’s way too pretty to be an undead monster. But it seems like they got the phylactery part right.” He put one hand on Max’s shoulder. “She will be fine. We just need to get her Soul Gem back.”
Max looked at Maria.
Maria sighed and nodded, “But we need to hurry. Liz will be panicking. And that will deplete her Soul Gem in record time.”
Michael said dryly, “And that my dear Max, would be bad.”
Maria hit him on the arm. “Move it you two. We have to hurry.”
And they left, returning back to the hotel.
Re: Uninstall (XO Roswell/PMMM, ML, MM / Mature) P 14 - 07/3
Thanks again to everyone following along.
Natalie36- Thanks. They just need to find her. Somehow.
Keepsmiling7- Thanks. This part should answer some of your questions.
Uninstall part 15
Isabel-
Isabel grumbled deep inside her consciousness. She had managed to get enough control that she could see and hear everything Vilandra did. She didn’t have any sense of feeling and she couldn’t project herself outside of her body.
Molecular manipulation was impossible. Vilandra had full control over most of her powers.
It was frustrating. The alien woman wouldn’t talk to her either. Just completely shut her out. In fact, as far as Isabel could tell, Vilandra thought she was still locked in that box of sleep the alien had tried to trap her in.
The fact she wasn’t fully trapped made it only more infuriating for Isabel. Because she could see it all happening. Watching as the woman played with the Soul Gem, experimented on it.
And learned nothing. Only that it contained immense power. And it somehow wasn’t real. It existed, but was not composed of matter or energy.
Yet Alex’s memories said it was fragile. That a sudden sharp shock could damage or break it. It would then dissipate, killing the Magical Girl it had belonged to. According to Alex, the Gem in front of her wasn’t Liz’s Soul Gem…. It was Liz herself.
After about an hour of experimentation, Vilandra grew tired of it. She wanted to find a way home, to contact her friends to come pick her up.
To activate a wormhole. One that would pull Vilandra from Isabel’s body.
That would kill Isabel. Because Vilandra would need the data she was accumulating. Human data. Data too alien for Vilandra to directly touch.
She needed Isabel’s soul to manipulate it. It was how she was controlling her body now. Vilandra was quite literally issuing orders through a alien matrix that had taken decades, perhaps centuries for the Antarans to manufacture.
They couldn’t simply possess someone. They needed to set up a matrix first. One that typically was damaging to both host and possessor. For long term deployment, the matrix had to be directly imbedded into the soul of the target. Meaning the matrix had to be there when it was born.
Isabel felt a moment of stabbing despair. Once she had considered herself so much better than her friends, her human friends. She had powers. She was special.
In the end, she was nothing but a vehicle. Her mind nothing more than a cockpit for an alien presence. Her dreams little more than pointless shadows on the wall. To be dismissed with contempt.
To Vilandra, humans were nothing more than interesting animals to be studied. Stupid, primitive, and weak. She didn’t press harder on Isabel simply because she couldn’t be bothered.
But therein lay the irony. Despite her contempt and hatred, humans possessed immense power. That was why she and her colleagues had come her after all. To find a way to harness the power that humans possessed.
Isabel inside smiled. The Antarans had not suspected they were not the first to arrive on Earth. That someone else might be here to protect their investment.
Most likely they still didn’t understand.
Not that they would have found unaided humans as easy a prey as they thought. Not if what Alex knew was true. Liz and Maria had such power.
At a heavy price. A very heavy price.
And even if they somehow had managed to defeat all those countless Magical Girls, there were the Witches to take into account. If they were half as dangerous as Alex described….
Yes Earth was better defended than one might think.
Vilandra was moving again. After driving for a short time, they came to a place that Isabel knew from the few times she had let Michael and Max persuade her to join them on their little treks to the desert.
They were at the old radio tower.
And Vilandra was beginning to dig.
--
Liz
Liz was aware of the passage of time. Most Magical Girls would simply have gone into stasis. But Liz’s gift was the knowledge of time. She could feel it shift around her. And other parts of her were living out their lives.
In most of them they were like her, trapped by Isabel.
She could feel their despair and sense of claustrophobia. Not having a body to feel and interact was a horrible sensation. Each second dragged on with a level of sensory deprivation that was unfathomable to someone who was fully alive.
And one by one their Soul Gems became polluted and they turned into a Witch.
Liz could feel herself slowly change as despair over her situation began to overwhelm her as well.
Disembodied and yet aware, feeling the destinies of other worlds, other places flow past her, she could feel as her connection to normal humanity continued to fray. As she became progressively more inhuman.
She saw again the fight where she killed the Magical Girl that would allow another to change things. As she struck down the weakest and yet most dangerous Magical Girl in existence.
One that was currently no more than a child.
Much better had she died.
Liz slowly fell into despair.
And her Soul Gem slowly turned from white to grey to black….
--
Michael
Michael studied Liz’s body. Even with his senses he could tell it was empty. Dead.
Max kept it breathing and its heart beating, but seriously, it wasn’t even in a coma. That body was dead.
Michael turned to face a pacing Maria, “So what do we do now?”
Maria looked up at them, “And there is no way you guys can use your powers to contact Isabel?”
Max ran his hands through Liz’s hair, ignoring Maria.
Michael sighed and rubbed his eyebrow, “No. Isabel can walk in people’s dreams. But she is the one we are trying to find.”
Maria shifted her ring into its Soul Gem form. She stared at it, focusing. It flashed a bright green, a line forming trailing off to the north. “That is bad.”
“What is it?”
Maria put a weak smile on her face. “My Soul Gem reacts to Witches. It can detect Barriers. And there is a large one forming out in the desert. It hasn’t stabilized yet. But its, well, it’s the largest Barrier I have ever seen.”
Michael looked at Maria. “And that would be bad.”
Maria tried to keep her smile up, but her eyes were beginning to glisten. “Yeah. Real bad.” She wiped her eye, “It can mean one of two things. One, there is a huge and powerful Witch about to hit Roswell.” She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer.”
Michael thought he had a guess that she was praying that option one was the correct one. He wasn’t wrong. “And the second option?”
Her smile was gone, a tear slipping down her face. “Option two is that Liz is about to become a Witch, or has already done so.”
Michael shuddered. He remembered last night, how fearless and implacable the woman had seemed. “If that happens…. Can you defeat her.”
Maria looked over at Liz’s body. “Probably not. But I have to try. I don’t see how I will have a chance, but…. It is what I am now. It is what I do. Otherwise Liz will start killing innocents.” Maria tightened her fist, “She would want me to stop her.”
Michael nodded and pursed his lips. “Is there any way you can use your Gem to track her down? Before she turns into a Witch?”
Maria looked down at her Gem, “I don’t know. But I can try.” She looked up at him, “It has been a pleasure knowing you Michael. I wish we had had more time.”
Michael put one hand on her shoulder, “You are not going alone, Maria. I am going with you.”
“Michael it is too dangerous!”
Michael smiled softly at her, “You saved my life more than once yesterday. I am not going to let you go out and die by yourself.”
Maria snorted, “So you are going to die right beside me? Please Michael, don’t make me laugh.”
Michael shook his head, “I am going to make sure you don’t die. You owe me another date. I plan on collecting.”
Maria’s voice was wry, “Well, since you put it that way….”
Michael turned to Max. “You coming? We could use the help.”
Max looked up at Maria, “Maria, you said that Liz will slowly go insane trapped in her Soul Gem. Why?”
Maria nodded, “Liz is different. Her powers make her aware of what is going on, even in that state. And… well she doesn’t experience life the same way we do. You and me, we experience everything happening now. We can remember the past and plan for the future, but we can’t live there. Liz can and does. Liz is only a few months older than me, but if you look in her eyes…. She has seen so much more than I have. She hides it well but in some ways she is more alien than you guys are.”
Max and Michael exchanged glances.
Max opened his mouth, only it wasn’t just Max that was speaking, “I will stay here and try to give Elizabeth something to hold on to.”
Michael felt as if something awoke in him as well, “Do you need me to guard you, First?”
Max smiled, “No my loyal Second, go and protect your Chosen. As I shall seek to save mine.”
Maria looked at the two of them, “Hey, what is going on here.”
Michael/Rath just looked at Maria. And reached out and kissed her. Rath sent her all the emotion and feelings that Michael had for the girl, all the secret glances and hidden dreams.
Michael had already seen hers after all.
Maria pulled away, her eyes full of shock. “You, you see me, Me? Like that? I, I, don’t know what to say.”
Michael felt as Rath retreated, watchful, but allowing Michael to do as he wished, “Um, yeah. You were right about why I was always with Max.”
Max chuckled, “I knew it!”
Michael looked over at his friend, “Hey, can it. A lot of it was because you were too obsessed with Liz. It’s just that, well you were always there. And I started to watch you and…” Michael felt as his cheeks began to burn.
Maria giggled lightly, “Wow. Just wow.” She shook her head, “We need to go.” She gave Michael a quick peck on the cheek, “But this conversation isn’t over.” She walked to the door.
Michael looked over at her, “Yeah, somehow I doubt it is.”
And he followed her.
Natalie36- Thanks. They just need to find her. Somehow.
Keepsmiling7- Thanks. This part should answer some of your questions.
Uninstall part 15
Isabel-
Isabel grumbled deep inside her consciousness. She had managed to get enough control that she could see and hear everything Vilandra did. She didn’t have any sense of feeling and she couldn’t project herself outside of her body.
Molecular manipulation was impossible. Vilandra had full control over most of her powers.
It was frustrating. The alien woman wouldn’t talk to her either. Just completely shut her out. In fact, as far as Isabel could tell, Vilandra thought she was still locked in that box of sleep the alien had tried to trap her in.
The fact she wasn’t fully trapped made it only more infuriating for Isabel. Because she could see it all happening. Watching as the woman played with the Soul Gem, experimented on it.
And learned nothing. Only that it contained immense power. And it somehow wasn’t real. It existed, but was not composed of matter or energy.
Yet Alex’s memories said it was fragile. That a sudden sharp shock could damage or break it. It would then dissipate, killing the Magical Girl it had belonged to. According to Alex, the Gem in front of her wasn’t Liz’s Soul Gem…. It was Liz herself.
After about an hour of experimentation, Vilandra grew tired of it. She wanted to find a way home, to contact her friends to come pick her up.
To activate a wormhole. One that would pull Vilandra from Isabel’s body.
That would kill Isabel. Because Vilandra would need the data she was accumulating. Human data. Data too alien for Vilandra to directly touch.
She needed Isabel’s soul to manipulate it. It was how she was controlling her body now. Vilandra was quite literally issuing orders through a alien matrix that had taken decades, perhaps centuries for the Antarans to manufacture.
They couldn’t simply possess someone. They needed to set up a matrix first. One that typically was damaging to both host and possessor. For long term deployment, the matrix had to be directly imbedded into the soul of the target. Meaning the matrix had to be there when it was born.
Isabel felt a moment of stabbing despair. Once she had considered herself so much better than her friends, her human friends. She had powers. She was special.
In the end, she was nothing but a vehicle. Her mind nothing more than a cockpit for an alien presence. Her dreams little more than pointless shadows on the wall. To be dismissed with contempt.
To Vilandra, humans were nothing more than interesting animals to be studied. Stupid, primitive, and weak. She didn’t press harder on Isabel simply because she couldn’t be bothered.
But therein lay the irony. Despite her contempt and hatred, humans possessed immense power. That was why she and her colleagues had come her after all. To find a way to harness the power that humans possessed.
Isabel inside smiled. The Antarans had not suspected they were not the first to arrive on Earth. That someone else might be here to protect their investment.
Most likely they still didn’t understand.
Not that they would have found unaided humans as easy a prey as they thought. Not if what Alex knew was true. Liz and Maria had such power.
At a heavy price. A very heavy price.
And even if they somehow had managed to defeat all those countless Magical Girls, there were the Witches to take into account. If they were half as dangerous as Alex described….
Yes Earth was better defended than one might think.
Vilandra was moving again. After driving for a short time, they came to a place that Isabel knew from the few times she had let Michael and Max persuade her to join them on their little treks to the desert.
They were at the old radio tower.
And Vilandra was beginning to dig.
--
Liz
Liz was aware of the passage of time. Most Magical Girls would simply have gone into stasis. But Liz’s gift was the knowledge of time. She could feel it shift around her. And other parts of her were living out their lives.
In most of them they were like her, trapped by Isabel.
She could feel their despair and sense of claustrophobia. Not having a body to feel and interact was a horrible sensation. Each second dragged on with a level of sensory deprivation that was unfathomable to someone who was fully alive.
And one by one their Soul Gems became polluted and they turned into a Witch.
Liz could feel herself slowly change as despair over her situation began to overwhelm her as well.
Disembodied and yet aware, feeling the destinies of other worlds, other places flow past her, she could feel as her connection to normal humanity continued to fray. As she became progressively more inhuman.
She saw again the fight where she killed the Magical Girl that would allow another to change things. As she struck down the weakest and yet most dangerous Magical Girl in existence.
One that was currently no more than a child.
Much better had she died.
Liz slowly fell into despair.
And her Soul Gem slowly turned from white to grey to black….
--
Michael
Michael studied Liz’s body. Even with his senses he could tell it was empty. Dead.
Max kept it breathing and its heart beating, but seriously, it wasn’t even in a coma. That body was dead.
Michael turned to face a pacing Maria, “So what do we do now?”
Maria looked up at them, “And there is no way you guys can use your powers to contact Isabel?”
Max ran his hands through Liz’s hair, ignoring Maria.
Michael sighed and rubbed his eyebrow, “No. Isabel can walk in people’s dreams. But she is the one we are trying to find.”
Maria shifted her ring into its Soul Gem form. She stared at it, focusing. It flashed a bright green, a line forming trailing off to the north. “That is bad.”
“What is it?”
Maria put a weak smile on her face. “My Soul Gem reacts to Witches. It can detect Barriers. And there is a large one forming out in the desert. It hasn’t stabilized yet. But its, well, it’s the largest Barrier I have ever seen.”
Michael looked at Maria. “And that would be bad.”
Maria tried to keep her smile up, but her eyes were beginning to glisten. “Yeah. Real bad.” She wiped her eye, “It can mean one of two things. One, there is a huge and powerful Witch about to hit Roswell.” She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer.”
Michael thought he had a guess that she was praying that option one was the correct one. He wasn’t wrong. “And the second option?”
Her smile was gone, a tear slipping down her face. “Option two is that Liz is about to become a Witch, or has already done so.”
Michael shuddered. He remembered last night, how fearless and implacable the woman had seemed. “If that happens…. Can you defeat her.”
Maria looked over at Liz’s body. “Probably not. But I have to try. I don’t see how I will have a chance, but…. It is what I am now. It is what I do. Otherwise Liz will start killing innocents.” Maria tightened her fist, “She would want me to stop her.”
Michael nodded and pursed his lips. “Is there any way you can use your Gem to track her down? Before she turns into a Witch?”
Maria looked down at her Gem, “I don’t know. But I can try.” She looked up at him, “It has been a pleasure knowing you Michael. I wish we had had more time.”
Michael put one hand on her shoulder, “You are not going alone, Maria. I am going with you.”
“Michael it is too dangerous!”
Michael smiled softly at her, “You saved my life more than once yesterday. I am not going to let you go out and die by yourself.”
Maria snorted, “So you are going to die right beside me? Please Michael, don’t make me laugh.”
Michael shook his head, “I am going to make sure you don’t die. You owe me another date. I plan on collecting.”
Maria’s voice was wry, “Well, since you put it that way….”
Michael turned to Max. “You coming? We could use the help.”
Max looked up at Maria, “Maria, you said that Liz will slowly go insane trapped in her Soul Gem. Why?”
Maria nodded, “Liz is different. Her powers make her aware of what is going on, even in that state. And… well she doesn’t experience life the same way we do. You and me, we experience everything happening now. We can remember the past and plan for the future, but we can’t live there. Liz can and does. Liz is only a few months older than me, but if you look in her eyes…. She has seen so much more than I have. She hides it well but in some ways she is more alien than you guys are.”
Max and Michael exchanged glances.
Max opened his mouth, only it wasn’t just Max that was speaking, “I will stay here and try to give Elizabeth something to hold on to.”
Michael felt as if something awoke in him as well, “Do you need me to guard you, First?”
Max smiled, “No my loyal Second, go and protect your Chosen. As I shall seek to save mine.”
Maria looked at the two of them, “Hey, what is going on here.”
Michael/Rath just looked at Maria. And reached out and kissed her. Rath sent her all the emotion and feelings that Michael had for the girl, all the secret glances and hidden dreams.
Michael had already seen hers after all.
Maria pulled away, her eyes full of shock. “You, you see me, Me? Like that? I, I, don’t know what to say.”
Michael felt as Rath retreated, watchful, but allowing Michael to do as he wished, “Um, yeah. You were right about why I was always with Max.”
Max chuckled, “I knew it!”
Michael looked over at his friend, “Hey, can it. A lot of it was because you were too obsessed with Liz. It’s just that, well you were always there. And I started to watch you and…” Michael felt as his cheeks began to burn.
Maria giggled lightly, “Wow. Just wow.” She shook her head, “We need to go.” She gave Michael a quick peck on the cheek, “But this conversation isn’t over.” She walked to the door.
Michael looked over at her, “Yeah, somehow I doubt it is.”
And he followed her.
Re: Uninstall (XO Roswell/PMMM, ML, MM / Mature) P 15 - 08/0
And here we go with the next chapter. Hope you folks enjoy.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Liz turning into a witch that can alter reality inside her Barrier AND predict the future? Killing her would be nearly impossible. She would feed off of the hopes and dreams and vitality of everyone around her. Yeah. Bad. Wish our heroes luck?
Uninstall part 16
Max
Max watched as his friends left him. He caressed Liz’s forehead again, running his hands through her silky hair.
He had to save her. And inside of him lurked one who might know the way.
Max spoke into the open air, “How do I save her?”
Inside he could feel a presence rise once again. It is fascinating to watch you Max. To see how human you truly are. We were fools thinking we could simply use you as vehicles to survive and then return to Antar. No, you are as much an individual as I am.
“Who are you?”
An interesting question. In a sense I am you. You would not exist without me. Many of your personality traits and features came from me, blended into a human framework so to speak. That was the only way that we could figure a way to truly work in this alien environment. You weren’t supposed to wake as children, but then what part of this invasion has gone correctly?
Max closed his eyes. “So we were here to invade.”
Yes.
“But why?”
Our world is dying. Your people, or perhaps I should say, my people, detected some interesting possibilities for saving our world. There were bursts of what can only be seen as waves of force counteracting entropy. That is impossible. Or so we thought.
Max smiled slightly, “No, I am pretty sure that is impossible. That energy has to come from somewhere.”
Emotion. The balance between Hope and Despair. I cannot say I truly understand it. Both species are alien. But you have witnessed the power that these so called, Magical Girls possess. Your Elizabeth was flying. Those wings were not enough to provide enough lift, and yet somehow she was capable of flying at more than forty miles an hour. Not natural. Against the standard laws of physics, do you not agree?
Max thought back at the few things he had seen, along with some of what Michael had described from last night. He had been paying more attention to Liz, but that didn’t mean he had not been listening.
Liz and Maria had great powers but also great weaknesses. If Maria was correct her mental state could cause her to become a monster. He had to somehow stop that. He could feel that she felt so alone. That she was spiraling out of control.
Wait. How did he know this?
You have Bonded with Liz. It was most likely an accident. But it remains nevertheless. Through it, you may be able to contact her. To let her know you love her. That she is not alone.
“How?”
Max felt his lips quirk into a smile.
I will show you
--
Isabel
Isabel kept her watch, hoping that she was wrong. But on the outskirts of their area, she could feel as reality itself was altering.
Liz was losing her hold. Liz was about to become a Witch. Did it matter that her body wasn’t here? Alex hadn’t known. So there was no way Isabel or Vilandra could be sure.
Vilandra herself was ignoring it all. Focusing on a small device she had in her hand.
A communicator.
This was getting serious. Isabel needed help. Somehow she had to contact her friends and get them here to stop… herself.
Whatever.
What Vilandra was planning would mean a fate worse than death for both her and Liz.
She might not like Liz, but no one deserved to have their very soul prodded and vivisected for the amusement and education of an alien species. One that would use Isabel’s as a living translator to better plan a future invasion.
She could sense both Max and Michael. But they were still unreachable. If only there were someone else she knew well enough to contact!
Alex.
Maybe.
Isabel was fairly sure he was dead, and even if he wasn’t he would be in no condition to help them.
‘I have to try. It might not work. He has every reason to hate me. But for Liz. Maybe he will be willing to help me. Maybe I… I have to try.’
Isabel opened up her mind and raced through the Dream Plane.
Contact.
--
Liz
Liz was huddled inside herself waiting for the pain to end. Waiting for her to change.
Maybe it had already happened and her Barrier had already formed. How would she know?
Life after life sluiced by her. Visions of worlds that she had only distantly seen, now so vivid. Which was hers? In so many she had already turned. In so few did she remain.
Which was truly real? She knew that most were shadows, images of reality but not real. Others, more distant were alternate worlds. But her gift was the knowledge of time, not that of other worlds. Surely most of this had to be things that were mere possibilities.
No the real her had not given up yet. If it were possible that she had held on in some worlds than she was still holding on. Because for her to give up would mean forsaking human form forever. And the possibilities therein would forever be beyond her.
A small taste of hope.
But not enough to save her.
And then something unexpected happened.
She could feel the pain and agony of despair, of herself collapsing into a Witch. Only something stopped her.
A girl. A girl with a pink and white dress, and flowing pink hair. “Come with me. I will take you to someplace safe. Somewhere without the pain.”
Liz could feel as that Liz, that alternate Liz took the girl’s hand and faded. Dying, Liz supposed. But at peace.
The girl looked at her, surprised to see her. “You can see me?”
Liz nodded.
The girl stood there watching her for a moment, “Then this hasn’t truly happened yet. You are seeing a possibility. One where Homura-chan has saved me enough times for this to be a reality.” Her gaze was distant and she was smiling.
“You came to save me? To stop me from becoming a Witch?” Liz could feel the strain as she held onto contact with a possibility that she no longer existed in. She could feel not only that strain but the strain on the world itself.
Not from her. But from the girl. She was changing everything. Altering everything.
The girl smiled, “My wish was to prevent the existence of witches. To defeat them all at very moment of their birth. All Witches throughout all of time.” She smiled again, “Even me.”
“So much power, your wish…. The backlash, that much magical power use, you would have changed immediately.”
She smiled again, “Even me. I am sorry. I must go.”
“Yes.” Liz committed the timeline to her memory. The long chain of events that would have to form.
She had to survive. Somehow.
If that girl was going to fight for Liz, then Liz would have to fight for her.
Liz stopped panicking. It was the panic that was driving her Soul Gem’s darkness. The panic that was pushing her toward despair.
She would hold on. She had to hold on!
One by one in her visions of other worlds, Madoka visited and the Witches began to disappear. In some of the ones she had fallen in, ones where she had become a Witch, Madoka came and defeated her before she had fallen.
But not in every case. Because this was not yet reality… Merely a possibility. One made greater the longer she held on.
She was so tired though. So very tired.
You are not alone. I am with you. My Love.{/b]
Liz felt like crying, both in joy and in sorrow as Max found her.
And her Soul Gem began to gleam once more.
--
Maria-
Maria looked around in the desert. “This is pointless. I know that she is out here somewhere, but I can’t get a complete lock on her.”
Michael nodded. “Well, that means she probably hasn’t fully given up then.”
Maria sighed, “Yes, but what good is it if I can’t find her until it’s too late?”
Her phone rang. Roswell Memorial Hospital? Why would they be calling? Was her mom okay?
She answered the phone, “Hello?”
Alex’s voice greeted her. It was dry and ragged, but it was Alex, “Radio tower. The old radio tower. You have to save her.”
“Alex what is wrong?”
“Isabel. You have to save her. Vilandra will kill her, will kill Liz. Radio tower. The old radio tower.” He coughed in pain. “So tired, need to sleep. Sorry.” And he hung up.
“Alex!” Part of her was tempted to go to him. To see what was wrong.
And she would. But she had something important to do first. She had others to save. “Michael?”
“Yes?”
“You said Isabel could contact you. How?”
“She can visit us in our dreams. Why?”
Maria pursed her lips. Why would that woman contact Alex? Maria knew that Alex liked Isabel, but as far as she knew there was no real connection there. “That call was from Alex. He said that Isabel was at the old radio tower.”
“Huh. I wonder why. And why Alex of all people?” Michael then stopped and rubbed his forehead in agony. “The communicator. There is one hidden there. Vilandra wants it. She will use your friend as a bargaining chip to go back home.”
“Michael?”
Michael smiled at her. It was a full smile, “Rath actually. I can’t stay to the forefront for long though. It looks like Vilandra hasn’t softened at all, no matter that her life is now the type she used to dream of.” Michael/Rath shook his head, “We need to hurry. To save both of them.” Michael then groaned.
“Rath?”
He glared at her, “No, this is Michael. I don’t think I will ever be used to that.”
Maria giggled, “Well if you can get used to my crazy life, I guess I can get used to yours.”
Michael rubbed his eye ridge and winced, “Thanks. I think.”
Maria gunned the engine. Time to go save Liz.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Liz turning into a witch that can alter reality inside her Barrier AND predict the future? Killing her would be nearly impossible. She would feed off of the hopes and dreams and vitality of everyone around her. Yeah. Bad. Wish our heroes luck?
Uninstall part 16
Max
Max watched as his friends left him. He caressed Liz’s forehead again, running his hands through her silky hair.
He had to save her. And inside of him lurked one who might know the way.
Max spoke into the open air, “How do I save her?”
Inside he could feel a presence rise once again. It is fascinating to watch you Max. To see how human you truly are. We were fools thinking we could simply use you as vehicles to survive and then return to Antar. No, you are as much an individual as I am.
“Who are you?”
An interesting question. In a sense I am you. You would not exist without me. Many of your personality traits and features came from me, blended into a human framework so to speak. That was the only way that we could figure a way to truly work in this alien environment. You weren’t supposed to wake as children, but then what part of this invasion has gone correctly?
Max closed his eyes. “So we were here to invade.”
Yes.
“But why?”
Our world is dying. Your people, or perhaps I should say, my people, detected some interesting possibilities for saving our world. There were bursts of what can only be seen as waves of force counteracting entropy. That is impossible. Or so we thought.
Max smiled slightly, “No, I am pretty sure that is impossible. That energy has to come from somewhere.”
Emotion. The balance between Hope and Despair. I cannot say I truly understand it. Both species are alien. But you have witnessed the power that these so called, Magical Girls possess. Your Elizabeth was flying. Those wings were not enough to provide enough lift, and yet somehow she was capable of flying at more than forty miles an hour. Not natural. Against the standard laws of physics, do you not agree?
Max thought back at the few things he had seen, along with some of what Michael had described from last night. He had been paying more attention to Liz, but that didn’t mean he had not been listening.
Liz and Maria had great powers but also great weaknesses. If Maria was correct her mental state could cause her to become a monster. He had to somehow stop that. He could feel that she felt so alone. That she was spiraling out of control.
Wait. How did he know this?
You have Bonded with Liz. It was most likely an accident. But it remains nevertheless. Through it, you may be able to contact her. To let her know you love her. That she is not alone.
“How?”
Max felt his lips quirk into a smile.
I will show you
--
Isabel
Isabel kept her watch, hoping that she was wrong. But on the outskirts of their area, she could feel as reality itself was altering.
Liz was losing her hold. Liz was about to become a Witch. Did it matter that her body wasn’t here? Alex hadn’t known. So there was no way Isabel or Vilandra could be sure.
Vilandra herself was ignoring it all. Focusing on a small device she had in her hand.
A communicator.
This was getting serious. Isabel needed help. Somehow she had to contact her friends and get them here to stop… herself.
Whatever.
What Vilandra was planning would mean a fate worse than death for both her and Liz.
She might not like Liz, but no one deserved to have their very soul prodded and vivisected for the amusement and education of an alien species. One that would use Isabel’s as a living translator to better plan a future invasion.
She could sense both Max and Michael. But they were still unreachable. If only there were someone else she knew well enough to contact!
Alex.
Maybe.
Isabel was fairly sure he was dead, and even if he wasn’t he would be in no condition to help them.
‘I have to try. It might not work. He has every reason to hate me. But for Liz. Maybe he will be willing to help me. Maybe I… I have to try.’
Isabel opened up her mind and raced through the Dream Plane.
Contact.
--
Liz
Liz was huddled inside herself waiting for the pain to end. Waiting for her to change.
Maybe it had already happened and her Barrier had already formed. How would she know?
Life after life sluiced by her. Visions of worlds that she had only distantly seen, now so vivid. Which was hers? In so many she had already turned. In so few did she remain.
Which was truly real? She knew that most were shadows, images of reality but not real. Others, more distant were alternate worlds. But her gift was the knowledge of time, not that of other worlds. Surely most of this had to be things that were mere possibilities.
No the real her had not given up yet. If it were possible that she had held on in some worlds than she was still holding on. Because for her to give up would mean forsaking human form forever. And the possibilities therein would forever be beyond her.
A small taste of hope.
But not enough to save her.
And then something unexpected happened.
She could feel the pain and agony of despair, of herself collapsing into a Witch. Only something stopped her.
A girl. A girl with a pink and white dress, and flowing pink hair. “Come with me. I will take you to someplace safe. Somewhere without the pain.”
Liz could feel as that Liz, that alternate Liz took the girl’s hand and faded. Dying, Liz supposed. But at peace.
The girl looked at her, surprised to see her. “You can see me?”
Liz nodded.
The girl stood there watching her for a moment, “Then this hasn’t truly happened yet. You are seeing a possibility. One where Homura-chan has saved me enough times for this to be a reality.” Her gaze was distant and she was smiling.
“You came to save me? To stop me from becoming a Witch?” Liz could feel the strain as she held onto contact with a possibility that she no longer existed in. She could feel not only that strain but the strain on the world itself.
Not from her. But from the girl. She was changing everything. Altering everything.
The girl smiled, “My wish was to prevent the existence of witches. To defeat them all at very moment of their birth. All Witches throughout all of time.” She smiled again, “Even me.”
“So much power, your wish…. The backlash, that much magical power use, you would have changed immediately.”
She smiled again, “Even me. I am sorry. I must go.”
“Yes.” Liz committed the timeline to her memory. The long chain of events that would have to form.
She had to survive. Somehow.
If that girl was going to fight for Liz, then Liz would have to fight for her.
Liz stopped panicking. It was the panic that was driving her Soul Gem’s darkness. The panic that was pushing her toward despair.
She would hold on. She had to hold on!
One by one in her visions of other worlds, Madoka visited and the Witches began to disappear. In some of the ones she had fallen in, ones where she had become a Witch, Madoka came and defeated her before she had fallen.
But not in every case. Because this was not yet reality… Merely a possibility. One made greater the longer she held on.
She was so tired though. So very tired.
You are not alone. I am with you. My Love.{/b]
Liz felt like crying, both in joy and in sorrow as Max found her.
And her Soul Gem began to gleam once more.
--
Maria-
Maria looked around in the desert. “This is pointless. I know that she is out here somewhere, but I can’t get a complete lock on her.”
Michael nodded. “Well, that means she probably hasn’t fully given up then.”
Maria sighed, “Yes, but what good is it if I can’t find her until it’s too late?”
Her phone rang. Roswell Memorial Hospital? Why would they be calling? Was her mom okay?
She answered the phone, “Hello?”
Alex’s voice greeted her. It was dry and ragged, but it was Alex, “Radio tower. The old radio tower. You have to save her.”
“Alex what is wrong?”
“Isabel. You have to save her. Vilandra will kill her, will kill Liz. Radio tower. The old radio tower.” He coughed in pain. “So tired, need to sleep. Sorry.” And he hung up.
“Alex!” Part of her was tempted to go to him. To see what was wrong.
And she would. But she had something important to do first. She had others to save. “Michael?”
“Yes?”
“You said Isabel could contact you. How?”
“She can visit us in our dreams. Why?”
Maria pursed her lips. Why would that woman contact Alex? Maria knew that Alex liked Isabel, but as far as she knew there was no real connection there. “That call was from Alex. He said that Isabel was at the old radio tower.”
“Huh. I wonder why. And why Alex of all people?” Michael then stopped and rubbed his forehead in agony. “The communicator. There is one hidden there. Vilandra wants it. She will use your friend as a bargaining chip to go back home.”
“Michael?”
Michael smiled at her. It was a full smile, “Rath actually. I can’t stay to the forefront for long though. It looks like Vilandra hasn’t softened at all, no matter that her life is now the type she used to dream of.” Michael/Rath shook his head, “We need to hurry. To save both of them.” Michael then groaned.
“Rath?”
He glared at her, “No, this is Michael. I don’t think I will ever be used to that.”
Maria giggled, “Well if you can get used to my crazy life, I guess I can get used to yours.”
Michael rubbed his eye ridge and winced, “Thanks. I think.”
Maria gunned the engine. Time to go save Liz.
Re: Uninstall (XO Roswell/PMMM, ML, MM / Mature) P 16 - 08/0
And here we go again. Hope you folks enjoy.
Keepsmiling7- Thanks. Well this part will get everyone there, but will they get there in time?
ken_r- Thanks. That is pretty much what I assumed most of my readers of this story would be. And I will be honest while the world is affected by the PMMM storyline, most of the characters are purely Roswell with a twist. I just wanted to make sure the concepts and ideas I was going to use were properly cited. Otherwise this is pretty much a fantasy AU of Roswell.
Natalie36- Thanks. This is a transition chapter. You will see how their semi plan works in the next chapter, but hey everyone is all roughly in the same space now. Um, sort of.
Uninstall part 17
Isabel-
Isabel sat on a flat rock under a darkened sky and stared at the stars. Such a beautiful night. Cold and clear.
And nowhere near Roswell. They were in an opening in the forest that surrounded them. There were a couple of tents that were set up behind them. A fire that was down to embers was carefully banked. There was a man and woman sitting there.
She turned to Alex who was sitting next to her. “Who are they?”
“My mom and dad, before everything started to fall apart.” He looked up at the sky, “This was my last truly happy memory with all of my family. Our trip to Colorado. You can’t see us but my sister is telling me ghost stories while we pretend to be sleeping.” He shook his head, “I don’t know why, but my parent’s marriage started to go downhill after this trip.”
Isabel’s voice was soft, “Why are we here. Why dream of this.”
As in a dream, Alex lifted a cup that hadn’t been there moments before and took a sip, “Because I am trying to understand. What did my sister know that I didn’t? Why did she do it?”
“Did she make the contract right after this?” Isabel asked.
“No. We spent a few years of watching my parents argue until the separated. They were going to divorce. I didn’t understand what was happening. I mean I was eight at the time. And then it all stopped.” He took another sip from his cup.
Isabel reached out from his mind and got a mug of … hot chocolate. Yum. “This is good.”
“Mom’s special recipe.” He sighed, “God I hate camping. I hated it then. And dad, Alex chuckled. “Mom had to promise to protect him. My dad believes in the most ridiculous things. Big Foot, Vampires, Werewolves,” He looked wryly at Isabel, “Aliens.”
“Funny. Ha ha. But seriously, why are we here.”
“I am trying to understand. Why someone would be willing to give up their life for something. Did she not understand what the price would be? Did she not understand how much her loss would hurt us?”
Isabel nodded, “Your sister.” She tightened her eyes. “But why?”
Alex took a deep sip. He took out a thermos and filled it again. He offered to Isabel.
She nodded. It was actually quite good. A pleasant memory. She motioned Alex to continue.
Alex looked back up at the stars. “It is strange that part of you comes from out there. Seems like dear old dad isn’t wrong all the time. There really are aliens in Roswell.” He took another sip, “I always knew you were different. But given what I know of your history, I just thought it was another failed super soldier batch.”
“Another….” She shook her head, “No more evading! Why are we here?”
“Because you are going to make a contract with Kyubey. As far as I can see it is the only way out of the situation you are in.” He smiled at her, it did not meet his eyes. “I just met you, I am not ready to lose you yet. But try as I can, I can’t see any other way out.”
Isabel backed away, “What? Are you insane? There is no way….”
Alex sighed, “You keep so much of yourself hidden even from yourself. And that isn’t even including Vilandra. I see things as they are Isabel. “ He looked over at her, “As you have taken from me I am taking from you. You believe you understand me on a fundamental level, and perhaps that is true. Don’t assume that just because I am human I am blind.”
Isabel felt as the world spun and she felt the cold night air deeply bite into her. “That is impossible!”
Alex shook his head, “That is unlikely, yes. But then I have been surrounded by the impossible for a long time. I spend my days thinking of ways to bend reality, Isabel. I have learned more than you think for Liz.” Alex laughed harshly, “Only I have no magic, no power. But you do. You opened a connection with me Isabel.” He smiled at her, “You just didn’t realize it was a two way connection.”
Isabel slumped to her knees. “Then you have seen…”
“Everything. And it doesn’t matter to me, Isabel. It really doesn’t. You will never be able to love me like I would wish, but that is okay. We can always be friends. As to your origins, well both of my best friends are Magical Girls, Isabel. Trust me normal is not a major priority my choice of friends.” He turned away, “I just wish I could protect them.”
Isabel looked up at him, “So what should I do?”
He set down the thermos. He reached for her hand to help her up, “Isabel, I have been spending the past few moments trying to think of a way, any way to save you.”
Isabel took his hand and let him help her up. “And?”
He gave her a sad look. He then turned to look back at the camp, “Make sure you know what your wish should be. Make sure it is what you WANT, Isabel. Make no assumptions. Kyubey doesn’t lie. But he will give you what you ASK, not what you WANT.” He looked away.
Isabel noticed a tear slipping down from his now rigged form. “Natalie?”
Alex turned to face her, “Natalie thought that if our parents simply loved each other more, that if they just remembered why they had fallen in love for the first place, everything would be fine. That everything would return to normal. In a sense they did, Dad came back. But our family wasn’t the same. Dad had been cheating on mom. She cheated back. Just dealing with all of that…. All the hidden cruelties my parents had done to each other. My sister couldn’t cope when she found out all the truth, when she found out why they had started to fall apart.”
Isabel placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him.
Alex continued, “But Natalie had already made the wish. And had to suffer the fall out. Mom and dad never knew. Mom suspected that something was wrong. But mom and dad were so much in love. If anything we were even more ignored during that period than when they were breaking apart.” Alex began to cry in earnest, “And then one day she didn’t come back.”
Isabel held him, “Maybe, maybe she ran away?”
“That is what the police said. What they decided. But I know it wasn’t. She left a few Grief Seeds in her room. Most people can’t even see them. They didn’t even think they were important. But I knew then. She was dead. Or worse.”
Isabel didn’t know what to say so she held him.
Alex’s voice was harsh and emotional, “So make damn sure you word your wish right. Make sure you understand this is your LIFE you are trading for it.” He pulled away from her, “It is valuable, you are valuable. Make it COUNT!”
--
Liz
Liz rested contentedly in her connection to Max. She hadn’t felt this good, this clear in a long time.
She felt as the different possibilities flowed past her. She saw as more and more of her existences survived her current situation. She thought she had a good idea of what she would need to do after this.
Max wouldn’t like it. But it couldn’t be helped. Their lives would end in tragedy so that, well their lives wouldn’t end in tragedy.
Confusing, sure, but there it was. A way out. Sort of.
Liz felt as the world around her began to shift. She shouldn’t be able to feel that.
Unless.
What is it Liz?
“I think we have a problem Max.” With an act of will she projected an image to the real world. Which was normally impossible.
Unless she was in a Barrier.
How can I help you?
Liz smiled happily to herself, “Just keep doing what you are doing. It feels great.”
She looked around. The air was full of fluorescent, the surrounding desert sands seemed cold, clinical. The sky was a pure white. No there were scribbles on everything. It wasn’t white.
They were white boards. White boards everywhere.
Isabel was arguing with Kyubey over to her left.
Liz was just stunned as she watched a pair of clocks go floating by.
“Shit!” She looked around. She recognized part of it from some of her more demented dreams, and others from what she had seen from other world. This was impossible. She felt great! She hadn’t given into despair at all.
But it didn’t matter. A Barrier surrounded them. HER Barrier. “Max! You have to help me! I’m a Witch!”
--
Michael-
They were almost to the old radio tower when he felt the world begin to ripple. Michael turned to Maria, “What the hell is that?”
Maria looked grim, “We need to hurry!” The Jetta sped up.
For a moment he saw it, saw Isabel. Saw her car and the tower. And watched in horror as it all rippled out of existence.
Maria slammed her hands on the wheel. “No! Damn it, NO!”
Michael said softly, “We, we are too late.”
Maria got out of the car. She transformed. “Well, are you coming?”
“What for? We can’t save her now.”
Maria looked at him, tears in her eyes. “Michael…. I need to bring her peace. There is no need for you to come.”
Michael got out and followed, “You aren’t getting rid of me that easily.”
Maria smiled briefly. She held up her palm and waved it. “This doesn’t make any sense….”
“What is the problem now?”
“It’s…” Maria stopped for a moment. “It isn’t a Witch, Michael. It is a Familiar.”
“A Familiar?”
“Like a Witch, but not as strong. They sort of bud off of real Witches. If they can feed off of enough people they become a Witch.” She shook her head, “It feels, it feels like Liz though. It doesn’t make any sense!”
“Okay, so maybe Liz turned into a Famiar?”
Maria gave him a stern look, “It doesn’t happen that way. The more you develop, the more power you have, the more powerful Witch you become. And this, this isn’t even at that powerful a level. I don’t understand.”
“Okay. So what is the plan?”
“We kill it. Only, I think I can do this.”
Michael smiled and pulled her into his arms, “I got your back, okay? Don’t do anything stupid.”
She kissed him, “And maybe Liz isn’t dead. Maybe. We need to hurry!”
Keepsmiling7- Thanks. Well this part will get everyone there, but will they get there in time?
ken_r- Thanks. That is pretty much what I assumed most of my readers of this story would be. And I will be honest while the world is affected by the PMMM storyline, most of the characters are purely Roswell with a twist. I just wanted to make sure the concepts and ideas I was going to use were properly cited. Otherwise this is pretty much a fantasy AU of Roswell.
Natalie36- Thanks. This is a transition chapter. You will see how their semi plan works in the next chapter, but hey everyone is all roughly in the same space now. Um, sort of.
Uninstall part 17
Isabel-
Isabel sat on a flat rock under a darkened sky and stared at the stars. Such a beautiful night. Cold and clear.
And nowhere near Roswell. They were in an opening in the forest that surrounded them. There were a couple of tents that were set up behind them. A fire that was down to embers was carefully banked. There was a man and woman sitting there.
She turned to Alex who was sitting next to her. “Who are they?”
“My mom and dad, before everything started to fall apart.” He looked up at the sky, “This was my last truly happy memory with all of my family. Our trip to Colorado. You can’t see us but my sister is telling me ghost stories while we pretend to be sleeping.” He shook his head, “I don’t know why, but my parent’s marriage started to go downhill after this trip.”
Isabel’s voice was soft, “Why are we here. Why dream of this.”
As in a dream, Alex lifted a cup that hadn’t been there moments before and took a sip, “Because I am trying to understand. What did my sister know that I didn’t? Why did she do it?”
“Did she make the contract right after this?” Isabel asked.
“No. We spent a few years of watching my parents argue until the separated. They were going to divorce. I didn’t understand what was happening. I mean I was eight at the time. And then it all stopped.” He took another sip from his cup.
Isabel reached out from his mind and got a mug of … hot chocolate. Yum. “This is good.”
“Mom’s special recipe.” He sighed, “God I hate camping. I hated it then. And dad, Alex chuckled. “Mom had to promise to protect him. My dad believes in the most ridiculous things. Big Foot, Vampires, Werewolves,” He looked wryly at Isabel, “Aliens.”
“Funny. Ha ha. But seriously, why are we here.”
“I am trying to understand. Why someone would be willing to give up their life for something. Did she not understand what the price would be? Did she not understand how much her loss would hurt us?”
Isabel nodded, “Your sister.” She tightened her eyes. “But why?”
Alex took a deep sip. He took out a thermos and filled it again. He offered to Isabel.
She nodded. It was actually quite good. A pleasant memory. She motioned Alex to continue.
Alex looked back up at the stars. “It is strange that part of you comes from out there. Seems like dear old dad isn’t wrong all the time. There really are aliens in Roswell.” He took another sip, “I always knew you were different. But given what I know of your history, I just thought it was another failed super soldier batch.”
“Another….” She shook her head, “No more evading! Why are we here?”
“Because you are going to make a contract with Kyubey. As far as I can see it is the only way out of the situation you are in.” He smiled at her, it did not meet his eyes. “I just met you, I am not ready to lose you yet. But try as I can, I can’t see any other way out.”
Isabel backed away, “What? Are you insane? There is no way….”
Alex sighed, “You keep so much of yourself hidden even from yourself. And that isn’t even including Vilandra. I see things as they are Isabel. “ He looked over at her, “As you have taken from me I am taking from you. You believe you understand me on a fundamental level, and perhaps that is true. Don’t assume that just because I am human I am blind.”
Isabel felt as the world spun and she felt the cold night air deeply bite into her. “That is impossible!”
Alex shook his head, “That is unlikely, yes. But then I have been surrounded by the impossible for a long time. I spend my days thinking of ways to bend reality, Isabel. I have learned more than you think for Liz.” Alex laughed harshly, “Only I have no magic, no power. But you do. You opened a connection with me Isabel.” He smiled at her, “You just didn’t realize it was a two way connection.”
Isabel slumped to her knees. “Then you have seen…”
“Everything. And it doesn’t matter to me, Isabel. It really doesn’t. You will never be able to love me like I would wish, but that is okay. We can always be friends. As to your origins, well both of my best friends are Magical Girls, Isabel. Trust me normal is not a major priority my choice of friends.” He turned away, “I just wish I could protect them.”
Isabel looked up at him, “So what should I do?”
He set down the thermos. He reached for her hand to help her up, “Isabel, I have been spending the past few moments trying to think of a way, any way to save you.”
Isabel took his hand and let him help her up. “And?”
He gave her a sad look. He then turned to look back at the camp, “Make sure you know what your wish should be. Make sure it is what you WANT, Isabel. Make no assumptions. Kyubey doesn’t lie. But he will give you what you ASK, not what you WANT.” He looked away.
Isabel noticed a tear slipping down from his now rigged form. “Natalie?”
Alex turned to face her, “Natalie thought that if our parents simply loved each other more, that if they just remembered why they had fallen in love for the first place, everything would be fine. That everything would return to normal. In a sense they did, Dad came back. But our family wasn’t the same. Dad had been cheating on mom. She cheated back. Just dealing with all of that…. All the hidden cruelties my parents had done to each other. My sister couldn’t cope when she found out all the truth, when she found out why they had started to fall apart.”
Isabel placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him.
Alex continued, “But Natalie had already made the wish. And had to suffer the fall out. Mom and dad never knew. Mom suspected that something was wrong. But mom and dad were so much in love. If anything we were even more ignored during that period than when they were breaking apart.” Alex began to cry in earnest, “And then one day she didn’t come back.”
Isabel held him, “Maybe, maybe she ran away?”
“That is what the police said. What they decided. But I know it wasn’t. She left a few Grief Seeds in her room. Most people can’t even see them. They didn’t even think they were important. But I knew then. She was dead. Or worse.”
Isabel didn’t know what to say so she held him.
Alex’s voice was harsh and emotional, “So make damn sure you word your wish right. Make sure you understand this is your LIFE you are trading for it.” He pulled away from her, “It is valuable, you are valuable. Make it COUNT!”
--
Liz
Liz rested contentedly in her connection to Max. She hadn’t felt this good, this clear in a long time.
She felt as the different possibilities flowed past her. She saw as more and more of her existences survived her current situation. She thought she had a good idea of what she would need to do after this.
Max wouldn’t like it. But it couldn’t be helped. Their lives would end in tragedy so that, well their lives wouldn’t end in tragedy.
Confusing, sure, but there it was. A way out. Sort of.
Liz felt as the world around her began to shift. She shouldn’t be able to feel that.
Unless.
What is it Liz?
“I think we have a problem Max.” With an act of will she projected an image to the real world. Which was normally impossible.
Unless she was in a Barrier.
How can I help you?
Liz smiled happily to herself, “Just keep doing what you are doing. It feels great.”
She looked around. The air was full of fluorescent, the surrounding desert sands seemed cold, clinical. The sky was a pure white. No there were scribbles on everything. It wasn’t white.
They were white boards. White boards everywhere.
Isabel was arguing with Kyubey over to her left.
Liz was just stunned as she watched a pair of clocks go floating by.
“Shit!” She looked around. She recognized part of it from some of her more demented dreams, and others from what she had seen from other world. This was impossible. She felt great! She hadn’t given into despair at all.
But it didn’t matter. A Barrier surrounded them. HER Barrier. “Max! You have to help me! I’m a Witch!”
--
Michael-
They were almost to the old radio tower when he felt the world begin to ripple. Michael turned to Maria, “What the hell is that?”
Maria looked grim, “We need to hurry!” The Jetta sped up.
For a moment he saw it, saw Isabel. Saw her car and the tower. And watched in horror as it all rippled out of existence.
Maria slammed her hands on the wheel. “No! Damn it, NO!”
Michael said softly, “We, we are too late.”
Maria got out of the car. She transformed. “Well, are you coming?”
“What for? We can’t save her now.”
Maria looked at him, tears in her eyes. “Michael…. I need to bring her peace. There is no need for you to come.”
Michael got out and followed, “You aren’t getting rid of me that easily.”
Maria smiled briefly. She held up her palm and waved it. “This doesn’t make any sense….”
“What is the problem now?”
“It’s…” Maria stopped for a moment. “It isn’t a Witch, Michael. It is a Familiar.”
“A Familiar?”
“Like a Witch, but not as strong. They sort of bud off of real Witches. If they can feed off of enough people they become a Witch.” She shook her head, “It feels, it feels like Liz though. It doesn’t make any sense!”
“Okay, so maybe Liz turned into a Famiar?”
Maria gave him a stern look, “It doesn’t happen that way. The more you develop, the more power you have, the more powerful Witch you become. And this, this isn’t even at that powerful a level. I don’t understand.”
“Okay. So what is the plan?”
“We kill it. Only, I think I can do this.”
Michael smiled and pulled her into his arms, “I got your back, okay? Don’t do anything stupid.”
She kissed him, “And maybe Liz isn’t dead. Maybe. We need to hurry!”
Re: Uninstall (XO Roswell/PMMM, ML, MM / Mature) P 17 - 08/0
Thanks again. Sorry about the wait, this chapter took me longer than anticipated. Ironically the hardest part didn't even make it to this chapter and will be in the next.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Liz is well, still alive. What happened will be explained in a couple parts, first they need to escape the Familiar of Liz that they are all trapped in.
Uninstall part 18
Michael
Michael follows Maria into the Barrier. Once again his senses real. His powers once, always passively reading the local environment cannot grasp the unreal environment. His normal human senses are reeling as well trying to understand the colors and sights of what he sees here. Even the sounds are unreal somehow. As if he isn’t really hearing anything, that it is all somehow in his head.
Nothing is real. He can feel himself spinning; feel his mind BURN at the unreality of it all.
Once more he is in imaginary space. The Antarans had in their distant apogee of power became masters of the real world. Their kings and aristocracy learning how to bend it to their will. It was the source of their molecular manipulation, the ability to manipulate matter on the molecular level.
They rose to great power, controlling many worlds and peoples in their little region of space. And slowly they lost the ability to do more than see what was and how to manipulate it, whether it was simple chemistry or the minds of their subjects. They lost the ability to hope and to dream. To imagine anything different from what was.
They lost the ability to create. And no matter how well they fixed or manipulated or healed the creations of past generations, entropy took its toll. Slowly, ever so slowly, everything began to fall apart. Their civilization began to falter and fail, wars broke out. Wars fighting over the ever more tenuous hold on the now precious and irreplaceable equipment devised in better more enlightened days.
The Universe is a cold and uncaring place with implacable and iron bound rules. Many of these harsh rules affect everyone on a day to day basis, but on a personal scale it is typically unnoticeable. Perhaps the most fundamental and important laws, particularly to those ruling a large interstellar empire are those of thermodynamics.
The first law states that in a closed system, the amount of energy, whether potential energy or any form of active energy such as work or heat, remains constant. Basically, in a closed system, you can never get more than you started. Essentially, you can’t win.
The second law makes it worse, as it states that while energy is conserved, it tends to devolve into less valuable forms of energy, such as random heat. So not only can you not win, but you are guaranteed to lose over time.
Finally, the third law states that entropy is related to the amount of order or concentration of energy it has. Entropy drops as energy reaches equilibrium, approaching zero as temperatures reach zero. (And that is in zero Kelvin, boys and girls. Absolute zero, or really freaking cold!) The problem is that complex systems can’t survive let alone thrive under those circumstances, living things, let alone civilizations require high concentrations of high value energy to survive.
Living things thrive on a world like Earth because they are not fully closed, the light from the sun adds to the energy balance every day. That is one method of thriving in the face of entropy. But even that will only last for so long. The sun burns through its fuel at a horrific rate… assuming we lived in geologic time. We don’t. So we don’t care.
Yet. But a ridiculously advanced civilization might indeed be concerned with Entropy on that level. Just ask Kyubey. That is why he and the other Incubators were on Earth.
It was also the reason the Antarans had come. Their civilization was falling apart, entropy slowly eating at every system that they owned. They had found what they thought might be a solution almost too late. On a distant primitive world there were bursts of what could only be thought of magical energy. Energy that was coming from imaginary space.
It was impossible, such a thing could not truly exist. But they were desperate. So very desperate that they had sent their leadership, the most powerful members of their civilization to invade. Invade, or if that failed, to somehow survive and adapt to their new home. So that some remnant of their world and culture might survive outside the failing Antaran Empire.
This was why Rath had been reborn. Why he had been given a human body. Sure he had first come here to invade, to take this world and its riches and supply them to save the bloated Empire….
Rath had been a soldier. A general who had helped plan the invasion. Moreover he was also a historian and to a degree that many found simply bizarre, an antiquarian of ancient Antaran art. He had been driven to find out why his people had slowly faltered and failed, even as their powers grew.
Rath knew now. Michael had always wondered why he had been driven to read so much fiction. Why he found it so entertaining rather than watching TV. Why he had read those works deemed classics, even while he strived to keep a low profile and hide his true potential. Why he took so much pleasure in doodling on his note pad on the few days he had been unlucky enough to make it to class.
Rath had been the first of them to wake. He never sought to dominate Michael, he had merely watched as the human who had been based on him went about his days. And Rath KNEW why his people had faltered. For Michael, a hybrid and not even fully human, a soul that had developed with built in guild wires to allow Rath to control it, was capable of creating things, even on a casual level.
That alone was magic enough to cause him to consider assaulting this world a crime against existence. A world with creatures capable of creating new things, of looking at things in a different light, was worth protecting. Even if they were self-destructive and insane.
But there was more. Those reports, those crazy reports of magical distortions of reality were true. He was experiencing one right now. It was weaker than the one he had faced last night, and yet his Antaran mind could not cope.
But Michael wasn’t Antaran. Not entirely. He was human too. And without Rath dragging him down, without his utter confusion and inability to cope with this human phenomena, Michael should be able to deal with it.
Rath could only hope that Michael would be able to use his powers effectively. Maria would need help, he could feel it. She already depended on Michael.
Rath put himself into hibernation, shutting down all access to Michael. It is all up to you.
Michael felt as the confusion, while remaining began to dim. And his senses, while slightly strained became effective. He wouldn’t be able to manipulate any matter inside this realm. It wasn’t real and didn’t operate on the principles his power used. But through his link with Maria he could feel as his powers returned to online status.
If anything he felt stronger here. Full of energy. In this space, normal rules of normal space did not apply. Here matter and energy were not tightly conserved. Here raw emotion and thought and perception could add to the balance sheet of energy, even as the Barrier and Familiar there in drained the hopes and dreams of all nearby.
This space was a conversion point for converting emotion and the unreal dreams and converting them into usable energy. It was a space that counteracted the overarching universes propensity to increase entropy.
Michael could never hope to manipulate any material form here, they were simply to unreal. But the energy, the pure energy surrounding him was purer in its form than in any location he could hope to name. Using his own human nature to tap it, and the knowledge that Rath had given him, he gathered in the energy and shaped it into a form he could use to supply his powers.
He opened his eyes.
Maria turned to face him, “Michael, what is wrong?”
A pair of bizarre humanoid constructs stood about fifteen feet away. There was a loud chuffing as if a steam engine was charging up, and each of them had an arm like appendage begin to spin. The whirling appendage stopped suddenly and something was flung from the arm.
A steam catapult.
“Maria, look out!” Michael moved quickly to save his girlfriend, and was lucky that the spike aimed at him missed.
Maria wasn’t as lucky. A foot long spike of steel tore through her back with enough force that the point jutted out of her stomach. “Ugghh.” She fell to her knees.
“Maria!” He held her, “Oh, God. What are we going to do?”
Maria looked up wanly at him, “I will be fine, just give me a moment to recover.” She reached behind herself and pulled out the spike, crying out in agony as she did so.
Again the steam engine chuffing sound, again the whirling arms.
Only this time things were different. The room when blinding white as two bolts of liquid light poured from one of Michael’s outstretched palms, reducing both constructs to molten metal, their steam engines exploding with the sudden shock.
Maria was glaring at the ground, “Trust Liz to be the first fucking Witch I have ever fought that uses projectiles. What is next? Guns? Artillery? Attack helicopters!”
Michael kept an eye out, “Don’t give her ideas.”
Maria stood up. “Are you okay?” Her wound was gone.
“Yeah, fine. Are, are you alright?” Michael looked her over, she seemed fine, but to have taken such a wound….
Maria nodded, “I am glad you are here though. Barrier constructs typically melee. It’s a Magical Girl advantage if they are lucky enough to develop a missile weapon of some sort.”
Michael grunted. A few more of the constructs began to advance. Their throwing arms beginning to wheel.
Maria said, “Damn it, Liz has been spending too much time with Alex.” She summoned her Gatling gun. “Let’s get to it.”
--
Alex-
Alex continued to watch the campfire. Why had his life been cursed like this. Why did all the women he cared for been faced with this cruel opportunity.
Natalie….
He felt an hand on his shoulder. He turned to face Isabel. Her face was a little blotchy and tears slipped down her cheeks. “Isabel. Sorry I was so forceful just now, its just that....”
Isabel smiled at him fondly, and odd look in her eyes. “No, thank you for caring. And, and you are wrong about one thing. The part where we would never work out.” She looked away, “Maybe if I hadn’t stolen your memories, maybe if I planned on being the same person after today. Maybe then you would be right. But today everything is going to change. It will have to.”
“You are still going to do it though.”
Isabel smiled sadly at him, “Yes. If the part of me that is Vilandra succeeds, Liz will be stolen away. And I will suffer a fate worse than mere death.” She shuddered, “Even being a Witch would be better than that.”
Alex looked at her in shock. She was being honest. What kind of race had she come from? That returning would rate only horror?
Without thinking he pulled her closer, “I am so sorry, Isabel. I am so sorry.”
She held him and sighed for a moment, “Thank you Alex. Thank you for not hating me for what I did to you earlier. Thank you for being her for me. And thank you for your advice.” She pulled away. She smiled at him and wiped her tears. “Wish me luck?”
Alex could only nod. She vanished then, leaving him alone in his dream.
He looked back down to the campfire. He would be there for all of them. It was the least he could do.
He loved them. Even Isabel. And he was going to lose them all. Had in a sense already lost them.
He stood their weeping, wondering how he could have done better. How he could have changed things.
A sudden pain came from the center of his being, as if a part of him was being ripped out. As if his very soul were being torn.
And he did something none of his doctors ever expected him to do again. Something they were even now cautioning his hysterical mother about.
Alex woke up screaming from what had been assumed to be a full coma.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Liz is well, still alive. What happened will be explained in a couple parts, first they need to escape the Familiar of Liz that they are all trapped in.
Uninstall part 18
Michael
Michael follows Maria into the Barrier. Once again his senses real. His powers once, always passively reading the local environment cannot grasp the unreal environment. His normal human senses are reeling as well trying to understand the colors and sights of what he sees here. Even the sounds are unreal somehow. As if he isn’t really hearing anything, that it is all somehow in his head.
Nothing is real. He can feel himself spinning; feel his mind BURN at the unreality of it all.
Once more he is in imaginary space. The Antarans had in their distant apogee of power became masters of the real world. Their kings and aristocracy learning how to bend it to their will. It was the source of their molecular manipulation, the ability to manipulate matter on the molecular level.
They rose to great power, controlling many worlds and peoples in their little region of space. And slowly they lost the ability to do more than see what was and how to manipulate it, whether it was simple chemistry or the minds of their subjects. They lost the ability to hope and to dream. To imagine anything different from what was.
They lost the ability to create. And no matter how well they fixed or manipulated or healed the creations of past generations, entropy took its toll. Slowly, ever so slowly, everything began to fall apart. Their civilization began to falter and fail, wars broke out. Wars fighting over the ever more tenuous hold on the now precious and irreplaceable equipment devised in better more enlightened days.
The Universe is a cold and uncaring place with implacable and iron bound rules. Many of these harsh rules affect everyone on a day to day basis, but on a personal scale it is typically unnoticeable. Perhaps the most fundamental and important laws, particularly to those ruling a large interstellar empire are those of thermodynamics.
The first law states that in a closed system, the amount of energy, whether potential energy or any form of active energy such as work or heat, remains constant. Basically, in a closed system, you can never get more than you started. Essentially, you can’t win.
The second law makes it worse, as it states that while energy is conserved, it tends to devolve into less valuable forms of energy, such as random heat. So not only can you not win, but you are guaranteed to lose over time.
Finally, the third law states that entropy is related to the amount of order or concentration of energy it has. Entropy drops as energy reaches equilibrium, approaching zero as temperatures reach zero. (And that is in zero Kelvin, boys and girls. Absolute zero, or really freaking cold!) The problem is that complex systems can’t survive let alone thrive under those circumstances, living things, let alone civilizations require high concentrations of high value energy to survive.
Living things thrive on a world like Earth because they are not fully closed, the light from the sun adds to the energy balance every day. That is one method of thriving in the face of entropy. But even that will only last for so long. The sun burns through its fuel at a horrific rate… assuming we lived in geologic time. We don’t. So we don’t care.
Yet. But a ridiculously advanced civilization might indeed be concerned with Entropy on that level. Just ask Kyubey. That is why he and the other Incubators were on Earth.
It was also the reason the Antarans had come. Their civilization was falling apart, entropy slowly eating at every system that they owned. They had found what they thought might be a solution almost too late. On a distant primitive world there were bursts of what could only be thought of magical energy. Energy that was coming from imaginary space.
It was impossible, such a thing could not truly exist. But they were desperate. So very desperate that they had sent their leadership, the most powerful members of their civilization to invade. Invade, or if that failed, to somehow survive and adapt to their new home. So that some remnant of their world and culture might survive outside the failing Antaran Empire.
This was why Rath had been reborn. Why he had been given a human body. Sure he had first come here to invade, to take this world and its riches and supply them to save the bloated Empire….
Rath had been a soldier. A general who had helped plan the invasion. Moreover he was also a historian and to a degree that many found simply bizarre, an antiquarian of ancient Antaran art. He had been driven to find out why his people had slowly faltered and failed, even as their powers grew.
Rath knew now. Michael had always wondered why he had been driven to read so much fiction. Why he found it so entertaining rather than watching TV. Why he had read those works deemed classics, even while he strived to keep a low profile and hide his true potential. Why he took so much pleasure in doodling on his note pad on the few days he had been unlucky enough to make it to class.
Rath had been the first of them to wake. He never sought to dominate Michael, he had merely watched as the human who had been based on him went about his days. And Rath KNEW why his people had faltered. For Michael, a hybrid and not even fully human, a soul that had developed with built in guild wires to allow Rath to control it, was capable of creating things, even on a casual level.
That alone was magic enough to cause him to consider assaulting this world a crime against existence. A world with creatures capable of creating new things, of looking at things in a different light, was worth protecting. Even if they were self-destructive and insane.
But there was more. Those reports, those crazy reports of magical distortions of reality were true. He was experiencing one right now. It was weaker than the one he had faced last night, and yet his Antaran mind could not cope.
But Michael wasn’t Antaran. Not entirely. He was human too. And without Rath dragging him down, without his utter confusion and inability to cope with this human phenomena, Michael should be able to deal with it.
Rath could only hope that Michael would be able to use his powers effectively. Maria would need help, he could feel it. She already depended on Michael.
Rath put himself into hibernation, shutting down all access to Michael. It is all up to you.
Michael felt as the confusion, while remaining began to dim. And his senses, while slightly strained became effective. He wouldn’t be able to manipulate any matter inside this realm. It wasn’t real and didn’t operate on the principles his power used. But through his link with Maria he could feel as his powers returned to online status.
If anything he felt stronger here. Full of energy. In this space, normal rules of normal space did not apply. Here matter and energy were not tightly conserved. Here raw emotion and thought and perception could add to the balance sheet of energy, even as the Barrier and Familiar there in drained the hopes and dreams of all nearby.
This space was a conversion point for converting emotion and the unreal dreams and converting them into usable energy. It was a space that counteracted the overarching universes propensity to increase entropy.
Michael could never hope to manipulate any material form here, they were simply to unreal. But the energy, the pure energy surrounding him was purer in its form than in any location he could hope to name. Using his own human nature to tap it, and the knowledge that Rath had given him, he gathered in the energy and shaped it into a form he could use to supply his powers.
He opened his eyes.
Maria turned to face him, “Michael, what is wrong?”
A pair of bizarre humanoid constructs stood about fifteen feet away. There was a loud chuffing as if a steam engine was charging up, and each of them had an arm like appendage begin to spin. The whirling appendage stopped suddenly and something was flung from the arm.
A steam catapult.
“Maria, look out!” Michael moved quickly to save his girlfriend, and was lucky that the spike aimed at him missed.
Maria wasn’t as lucky. A foot long spike of steel tore through her back with enough force that the point jutted out of her stomach. “Ugghh.” She fell to her knees.
“Maria!” He held her, “Oh, God. What are we going to do?”
Maria looked up wanly at him, “I will be fine, just give me a moment to recover.” She reached behind herself and pulled out the spike, crying out in agony as she did so.
Again the steam engine chuffing sound, again the whirling arms.
Only this time things were different. The room when blinding white as two bolts of liquid light poured from one of Michael’s outstretched palms, reducing both constructs to molten metal, their steam engines exploding with the sudden shock.
Maria was glaring at the ground, “Trust Liz to be the first fucking Witch I have ever fought that uses projectiles. What is next? Guns? Artillery? Attack helicopters!”
Michael kept an eye out, “Don’t give her ideas.”
Maria stood up. “Are you okay?” Her wound was gone.
“Yeah, fine. Are, are you alright?” Michael looked her over, she seemed fine, but to have taken such a wound….
Maria nodded, “I am glad you are here though. Barrier constructs typically melee. It’s a Magical Girl advantage if they are lucky enough to develop a missile weapon of some sort.”
Michael grunted. A few more of the constructs began to advance. Their throwing arms beginning to wheel.
Maria said, “Damn it, Liz has been spending too much time with Alex.” She summoned her Gatling gun. “Let’s get to it.”
--
Alex-
Alex continued to watch the campfire. Why had his life been cursed like this. Why did all the women he cared for been faced with this cruel opportunity.
Natalie….
He felt an hand on his shoulder. He turned to face Isabel. Her face was a little blotchy and tears slipped down her cheeks. “Isabel. Sorry I was so forceful just now, its just that....”
Isabel smiled at him fondly, and odd look in her eyes. “No, thank you for caring. And, and you are wrong about one thing. The part where we would never work out.” She looked away, “Maybe if I hadn’t stolen your memories, maybe if I planned on being the same person after today. Maybe then you would be right. But today everything is going to change. It will have to.”
“You are still going to do it though.”
Isabel smiled sadly at him, “Yes. If the part of me that is Vilandra succeeds, Liz will be stolen away. And I will suffer a fate worse than mere death.” She shuddered, “Even being a Witch would be better than that.”
Alex looked at her in shock. She was being honest. What kind of race had she come from? That returning would rate only horror?
Without thinking he pulled her closer, “I am so sorry, Isabel. I am so sorry.”
She held him and sighed for a moment, “Thank you Alex. Thank you for not hating me for what I did to you earlier. Thank you for being her for me. And thank you for your advice.” She pulled away. She smiled at him and wiped her tears. “Wish me luck?”
Alex could only nod. She vanished then, leaving him alone in his dream.
He looked back down to the campfire. He would be there for all of them. It was the least he could do.
He loved them. Even Isabel. And he was going to lose them all. Had in a sense already lost them.
He stood their weeping, wondering how he could have done better. How he could have changed things.
A sudden pain came from the center of his being, as if a part of him was being ripped out. As if his very soul were being torn.
And he did something none of his doctors ever expected him to do again. Something they were even now cautioning his hysterical mother about.
Alex woke up screaming from what had been assumed to be a full coma.
Re: Uninstall (XO Roswell/PMMM, ML, MM / Mature) P 18 - 08/1
Thanks again to everyone reading along.
Keepsmiling7- Thanks. Help is on the way.
ken_r- Thanks. They came here for a reason. This is one I like, and it fits with the overarching theme of fighting entropy that is in PMMM. And yes I have read some Lovecraft as well as a few stories by those who continued in his footsteps. Most of what I have read are a few short stories though, his dense prose can be difficult at times. It is amazing how easy things can be turned into Cosmic Horror. Roswell itself has a few canon things that could easily be twisted so and still remain canon. I have played with this, as I know you have. I really liked your Thirteenth Floor.
Uninstall Part 19
Max-
Max sighed and opened his eyes. Liz was going to be busy. He kept a portion of his attention on her, and their connection. But more of it he used to carry her body back to the Jeep.
He knew where she was now. And if she could get out of that Barrier, she would need her body.
Max ran another check on the empty body his love used. Basically dead, but in a sort of status. He nodded to himself. It probably wouldn’t start decaying for a day or so.
It was actually quite a fascinating trick. He studied it and wondered how he could use it himself. Not for himself but to preserve things.
No. He might be able to find a way to copy it. But the method it was using felt, well wrong. Not wrong as it bad, but wrong as in inexplicable. He simply couldn’t understand what was happening in there.
Human ‘magic’ he supposed. He grabbed some supplies that were stashed in this room. Liz had been amazingly foresightful to have a room like this. Someplace she could come to without anyone paying her any attention. A place to store things her parents might question.
Max would have to find out how she was paying for all of this.
That could wait.
He carried Liz’s body back to the Jeep. He positioned her carefully, using the seatbelt and his powers to make her appear sleeping in the seat. It was all he could do.
He started the Jeep, preparing himself to drive to the old radio tower, when he felt an intense pain. He felt as Isabel and Vilandra died. As their soul was cruelly ripped from their body.
I am sorry Max. She made a Contract. I can’t do much. But I will do what I can.
Through Liz’s eyes he could see Isabel standing, pain fading from her eyes grasping at a brilliant golden gem drifting to her outstretched palms. The Gem in which her soul now dwelt.
And Max cried.
--
Isabel-
Isabel glared at Kyubey as she felt her soul ripped from her body.
The pain was simply indescribable. She felt as her eternity was taken from her, compressed and placed inside a gem. It floated in front of her, a gleaming golden gem.
Kyubey cocked his head to the side, “Your wish has successfully overcome entropy. Fascinating. Your hybrid nature did not interfere. Perhaps it was the nature of your wish.”
Isabel just stared at the golden gem in front of her. She was aware of her body in ways she never had been before. She was now stronger and tougher than she had ever been before, even with her engineered body. An odd human magic flowed through her, like and yet unlike what she was familiar with.
She had been afraid this change would erase her old abilities. And there was some interference. One could not be master of what is real and what is imaginary at the same time. But the bulk of it remained.
Her powers had always been human after all. She hadn’t actually known that until after her wish. After she had wished to be Isabel, to have her mind be integrated and at peace and to remain Isabel. Humans given time and training, and well a few tweaks to the neural structures of the brain, would be able to access some of what she had been capable of.
Although learning to use it, to truly understand how they worked would take many years. It only seemed intuitive to her and her brothers because of who they had been. Rath and Vilandra and Zan had all been masters of the various arts and sciences of their world.
To be honest, much of what she remembered from Vilandra after the reintegration didn’t really make much sense. It was still alien to her. But then she had wished to be Isabel, and Isabel was foremost a human.
That had surprised her too. Just how human she truly was. It had humbled her, and yet…. It made her feel connected to the rest of the people she knew. Her parents…. She had always wanted to tell her mother, at least a little about her life. She had let Max persuade her not to, but in reality if Isabel had truly wished, she could still have simply talked. There wasn’t much Max could truly do.
And in truth he loved his parents as much as she did. He was simply more wary. Zan had been like that too. Hadn’t trusted anyone. Except maybe Rath. Maybe.
Ava too of course, that damn manipulative tart. Vilandra had liked her, had admired her even as Ava had tried to dominate Zan.
Isabel shuddered. Antaran politics was a nasty decadent affair. Vilandra’s hands hadn’t been any cleaner.
No. Now was not the time for this. She let the gem in its egg form, a base holding it of silver resting gently on her palm.
Kyubey said, “Go ahead. Try your powers. You will likely need them here inside this barrier. Why don’t you see what you can do?”
Isabel held it and closed her eyes. She felt a sudden swirl about her. She felt as her old clothes dissolved and new clothes rustled onto her. She opened her eyes and looked down. Her jeans and blouse were gone. She was now wearing a dress of gold and red. The dress covered her only to mid-thigh and had a deep scoop at the neck showing cleavage. In between her breasts the golden gem nestled, half implanted in her skin. She was also wearing a sweeping coat of red and gold that swept down her back almost to the heavy and comfortable boots she was wearing.
Not one stitch of it was made in a human fiber. She didn’t know what the other Magical Girls wore, what kind of fabric, but hers was an Antaran blend, silky smooth to the touch, yet almost impossible to penetrate or cut.
That probably explained the weapon in her right hand. It looked similar to a short handled sledge hammer. And it could probably be used as one. In reality it was a power based projectile weapon. Isabel felt the weapon and sunk her powers into it. She could feel it respond to her.
God she felt so good right now. So very powerful. A smile came to her lips, one that would have, adjusting for different species parameters, been very recognizable. Vilandra was coming out to play with her enemies. And she was going to crush them.
--
Liz
Liz watched the transformation. She even quietly watched as Isabel dispatched a couple constructs with ease.
The weapon she had in her hand wasn’t actually a hammer as Liz thought. It seemed to be some guide to telekinetically control what she had assumed was the hammer head. It seemed pretty effective, and Isabel could cause the weapon to curve in flight as well. But it seemed the warhead lost power the longer it was away from the weapon haft, and so Isabel had to keep summoning it back to pick up steam.
Still a very effective weapon. She herself had started with a staff and Maria with nothing but her voice.
After Isabel had finished the last construct, Liz called out to Isabel, hoping she could hear her. “Isabel! Over here. Please don’t forget me!”
Isabel stopped and turned. “Liz?”
Kyubey quickly jumped onto Isabel’s shoulder, “Who is it you are talking to?”
Interesting. She could still hear Kyubey’s telepathic voice and yet he couldn’t see her.
Isabel looked confusedly at Kyubey. “Liz. She is right over there.” Pointing at me.
Liz coughed delicately, “Actually I am just a projection. My body is still somewhere else remember.”
Isabel’s smile slipped, “I am so sorry. I didn’t really understand at the time. Is, is there anything I can do to help?”
Liz had to smile. This Isabel was different somehow. It wasn’t just that she was a Magical Girl. No, there was something different. Her eyes weren’t closed off. She seemed real and genuine.
The frantic need to prove herself was gone. To prove herself superior. It was gone. In its place was a kind of serenity that Liz had never seen in anyone let alone Isabel. Alex had come closest in her mind, those moments when he was calm and accepted who he was and who he would be.
“Um, don’t leave me behind? Find a way out of the Labyrinth so I can get my body back?”
Isabel smiled, “That I can do. Just follow me.” She turned.
“Isabel, my Soul Gem? That is me after all.”
She placed her hand over the golden gem embedded in her chest. “Ah, sorry. This is going to take some getting used to.” She picked up Liz’s white gem. “So you are actually inside of the gem.”
“Yes. So don’t ever lose yours. And Isabel, if the soul gem is destroyed….”
“I die.”
Liz looked away. There was more. It was just speculation on her part. On just where the Incubators were gathering their power from. The Witch state was genuinely a massive generator of power, as was the conversion of a Magical Girl’s hopes into magic used to fight them.
But Liz sometimes wondered if there were more. If the biggest generator of power came when the wish was made and the Soul Gem was created. Souls were real. What happened after death was a question, but souls were definitely real. There was no doubt about that.
How much energy would be created if you took something eternal and made it finite? And more. For Kyubey ate decaying Grief Seeds. So not only did Liz have to imagine that her soul would slowly be corrupted by her magic and dark emotions, that she would become a Witch and slowly draw others in the area to despair and desperate actions, but also that Kyubey or an Incubator just like him would consume the corrupted remnants of her soul.
Being a Magical Girl wasn’t a good thing. And now Isabel had joined them, had joined the collection of damned souls. But could she tell her? She had told Maria some of her suspicions, but she hadn’t told her everything.
She didn’t want to crush her friend’s spirits after all. It would only speed the process.
Liz knew that she was a special case. She was after all half a witch already. Maybe more than half now.
How Liz wished she could go and save those versions of herself that had already fallen. But she couldn’t. She simply didn’t have the power or abilities.
But there was one who could. A pair of girls actually, one who would eventually have that power. That pink girl she had seen in that other timeline. And a friend who would repeatedly sacrifice everything in order to save her friend.
If you knew what to look for, their actions were engraved in time.
But they hadn’t actually happened yet. It could still be stopped. Liz herself was one who could potentially be so dangerous as to end the possibility of redemption for her kind.
That was why she had to die. Turning into a Witch was not an option.
But Liz wasn’t ready yet. She had so much to live for now.
Isabel was starting to look worriedly at me.
‘Oh. She hadn’t answered Isabel’s question.’ Liz said softly, “And then you die.”
Isabel looked into my eyes. She read something there and nodded. “I see. We will need to talk about this in a different place.”
Liz reached out to touch Isabel’s shoulder, annoyed that her projection didn’t convey any sense of touch at all. “I will answer all your questions.” Liz looked over at the Incubator, its eyes scanning looking for the one Isabel was conversing with. “You can also ask Kyubey. He won’t lie to you. But he is as manipulative as hell, so while he won’t lie, he is far from honest.”
“Right. Um, let’s go.” Isabel picked up Liz and placed the Gem into one of the pockets in her coat.
Liz followed, “You know. You are not just stuck with that hammer thing. It takes some work and a deep understanding to make something else, but in time we can make you another tool to use here.”
Isabel stopped and turned to face her again, “Really?” She cocked her head to the side, “You know, now that I think about it, Alex’s memories say that too.”
Isabel had Alex’s memories? Never mind. Liz could learn about it later. Get out of the Barrier first. Liz said, “When you are ready I can talk you through the steps.”
Isabel smiled, “I think I have an idea now. You don’t mind, do you?”
Liz just sighed and then smiled, “Alright. What is it that you want to create?”
Isabel told her. And all Liz could think about was that Isabel certainly didn’t think small.
--
Maria
Maria was thankful that Michael had followed her. She would never have made it this far by herself.
For the first time, Maria agreed with Liz on the need for her to NEVER become a Witch. Maria would personally smash her friend’s Soul Gem. She already knew Liz would thank her.
But they were fighting a mere Familiar of Liz, and already without Michael’s power blasts she would have been shredded. She hefted her Gatling gun and moved from cover, gunning down a pair of constructs as they slowly advanced. They were tough but slow.
Unfortunately they were not alone.
“Michael, a flyer!”
From a crouch he peeked around the corner and blasted the small helicopter like thing. It had a tiny pod from which it fired needle like projectiles. It was more annoying than effective, but it could distract while the other constructs killed you.
And they were fast. Too fast for her to hit it with her Gatling gun. Thank heavens for Michael.
She had gotten half of the Constructs before she had to dodge a hail of spikes. She felt as the wall she and Michael were hiding behind shuddered under the assault.
Michael was just muttering to himself.
Maria touched his cheek, “Are you okay?”
Michael looked at her and shook his head, “You have to go through this on a regular basis? It’s lucky you are still alive!”
Maria snorted, “It’s not usually this hard! I mean it is always dangerous, but not like this. This is a whole different level.”
The ground began to shake. Boom. Boom. Boom.
Michael said, “What is next, Liz sends in the tanks?”
Maria wailed, “Please Michael, don’t give her ideas!” Could her Gatling penetrate a tank? They had been working on the metallic constructs just fine. But a tank.
Boom. BOOM. BOOM.
Whatever it was, it was here. Maria peeked out to take a look at the new threat.
It was humanoid, its long arms holding a series of pods. She could see a pair of steam stacks peeking over its shoulders, steam rising in a plume from both. She heard as large steam driven air compressors began to pressurize the pods it was holding.
Michael peeked out, his head above hers. “A fucking mecha? We have to fight a fucking mecha?”
Music blared. Ride of the Valkyries.
Of course. Trust Isabel to make a grand entrance.
Maria sent her a telepathic message. Show off.
Hey, when you have got it, flaunt it!
Maria heard a voice she didn’t expect next, Isabel, can we got on with the ass kicking. I would really like to get back to my body.
Liz?
Take cover, Maria. Isabel, crush the enemy.
A mental giggle from Isabel. [Sure thing Boss.[/i]
Maria ducked behind the corner, dragging Michael with her.
All hell broke loose behind them.
Michael asked, “What the hell is going on?”
Maria could only laugh, finally certain that they would indeed escape alive. “The cavalry has arrived!”
Keepsmiling7- Thanks. Help is on the way.
ken_r- Thanks. They came here for a reason. This is one I like, and it fits with the overarching theme of fighting entropy that is in PMMM. And yes I have read some Lovecraft as well as a few stories by those who continued in his footsteps. Most of what I have read are a few short stories though, his dense prose can be difficult at times. It is amazing how easy things can be turned into Cosmic Horror. Roswell itself has a few canon things that could easily be twisted so and still remain canon. I have played with this, as I know you have. I really liked your Thirteenth Floor.
Uninstall Part 19
Max-
Max sighed and opened his eyes. Liz was going to be busy. He kept a portion of his attention on her, and their connection. But more of it he used to carry her body back to the Jeep.
He knew where she was now. And if she could get out of that Barrier, she would need her body.
Max ran another check on the empty body his love used. Basically dead, but in a sort of status. He nodded to himself. It probably wouldn’t start decaying for a day or so.
It was actually quite a fascinating trick. He studied it and wondered how he could use it himself. Not for himself but to preserve things.
No. He might be able to find a way to copy it. But the method it was using felt, well wrong. Not wrong as it bad, but wrong as in inexplicable. He simply couldn’t understand what was happening in there.
Human ‘magic’ he supposed. He grabbed some supplies that were stashed in this room. Liz had been amazingly foresightful to have a room like this. Someplace she could come to without anyone paying her any attention. A place to store things her parents might question.
Max would have to find out how she was paying for all of this.
That could wait.
He carried Liz’s body back to the Jeep. He positioned her carefully, using the seatbelt and his powers to make her appear sleeping in the seat. It was all he could do.
He started the Jeep, preparing himself to drive to the old radio tower, when he felt an intense pain. He felt as Isabel and Vilandra died. As their soul was cruelly ripped from their body.
I am sorry Max. She made a Contract. I can’t do much. But I will do what I can.
Through Liz’s eyes he could see Isabel standing, pain fading from her eyes grasping at a brilliant golden gem drifting to her outstretched palms. The Gem in which her soul now dwelt.
And Max cried.
--
Isabel-
Isabel glared at Kyubey as she felt her soul ripped from her body.
The pain was simply indescribable. She felt as her eternity was taken from her, compressed and placed inside a gem. It floated in front of her, a gleaming golden gem.
Kyubey cocked his head to the side, “Your wish has successfully overcome entropy. Fascinating. Your hybrid nature did not interfere. Perhaps it was the nature of your wish.”
Isabel just stared at the golden gem in front of her. She was aware of her body in ways she never had been before. She was now stronger and tougher than she had ever been before, even with her engineered body. An odd human magic flowed through her, like and yet unlike what she was familiar with.
She had been afraid this change would erase her old abilities. And there was some interference. One could not be master of what is real and what is imaginary at the same time. But the bulk of it remained.
Her powers had always been human after all. She hadn’t actually known that until after her wish. After she had wished to be Isabel, to have her mind be integrated and at peace and to remain Isabel. Humans given time and training, and well a few tweaks to the neural structures of the brain, would be able to access some of what she had been capable of.
Although learning to use it, to truly understand how they worked would take many years. It only seemed intuitive to her and her brothers because of who they had been. Rath and Vilandra and Zan had all been masters of the various arts and sciences of their world.
To be honest, much of what she remembered from Vilandra after the reintegration didn’t really make much sense. It was still alien to her. But then she had wished to be Isabel, and Isabel was foremost a human.
That had surprised her too. Just how human she truly was. It had humbled her, and yet…. It made her feel connected to the rest of the people she knew. Her parents…. She had always wanted to tell her mother, at least a little about her life. She had let Max persuade her not to, but in reality if Isabel had truly wished, she could still have simply talked. There wasn’t much Max could truly do.
And in truth he loved his parents as much as she did. He was simply more wary. Zan had been like that too. Hadn’t trusted anyone. Except maybe Rath. Maybe.
Ava too of course, that damn manipulative tart. Vilandra had liked her, had admired her even as Ava had tried to dominate Zan.
Isabel shuddered. Antaran politics was a nasty decadent affair. Vilandra’s hands hadn’t been any cleaner.
No. Now was not the time for this. She let the gem in its egg form, a base holding it of silver resting gently on her palm.
Kyubey said, “Go ahead. Try your powers. You will likely need them here inside this barrier. Why don’t you see what you can do?”
Isabel held it and closed her eyes. She felt a sudden swirl about her. She felt as her old clothes dissolved and new clothes rustled onto her. She opened her eyes and looked down. Her jeans and blouse were gone. She was now wearing a dress of gold and red. The dress covered her only to mid-thigh and had a deep scoop at the neck showing cleavage. In between her breasts the golden gem nestled, half implanted in her skin. She was also wearing a sweeping coat of red and gold that swept down her back almost to the heavy and comfortable boots she was wearing.
Not one stitch of it was made in a human fiber. She didn’t know what the other Magical Girls wore, what kind of fabric, but hers was an Antaran blend, silky smooth to the touch, yet almost impossible to penetrate or cut.
That probably explained the weapon in her right hand. It looked similar to a short handled sledge hammer. And it could probably be used as one. In reality it was a power based projectile weapon. Isabel felt the weapon and sunk her powers into it. She could feel it respond to her.
God she felt so good right now. So very powerful. A smile came to her lips, one that would have, adjusting for different species parameters, been very recognizable. Vilandra was coming out to play with her enemies. And she was going to crush them.
--
Liz
Liz watched the transformation. She even quietly watched as Isabel dispatched a couple constructs with ease.
The weapon she had in her hand wasn’t actually a hammer as Liz thought. It seemed to be some guide to telekinetically control what she had assumed was the hammer head. It seemed pretty effective, and Isabel could cause the weapon to curve in flight as well. But it seemed the warhead lost power the longer it was away from the weapon haft, and so Isabel had to keep summoning it back to pick up steam.
Still a very effective weapon. She herself had started with a staff and Maria with nothing but her voice.
After Isabel had finished the last construct, Liz called out to Isabel, hoping she could hear her. “Isabel! Over here. Please don’t forget me!”
Isabel stopped and turned. “Liz?”
Kyubey quickly jumped onto Isabel’s shoulder, “Who is it you are talking to?”
Interesting. She could still hear Kyubey’s telepathic voice and yet he couldn’t see her.
Isabel looked confusedly at Kyubey. “Liz. She is right over there.” Pointing at me.
Liz coughed delicately, “Actually I am just a projection. My body is still somewhere else remember.”
Isabel’s smile slipped, “I am so sorry. I didn’t really understand at the time. Is, is there anything I can do to help?”
Liz had to smile. This Isabel was different somehow. It wasn’t just that she was a Magical Girl. No, there was something different. Her eyes weren’t closed off. She seemed real and genuine.
The frantic need to prove herself was gone. To prove herself superior. It was gone. In its place was a kind of serenity that Liz had never seen in anyone let alone Isabel. Alex had come closest in her mind, those moments when he was calm and accepted who he was and who he would be.
“Um, don’t leave me behind? Find a way out of the Labyrinth so I can get my body back?”
Isabel smiled, “That I can do. Just follow me.” She turned.
“Isabel, my Soul Gem? That is me after all.”
She placed her hand over the golden gem embedded in her chest. “Ah, sorry. This is going to take some getting used to.” She picked up Liz’s white gem. “So you are actually inside of the gem.”
“Yes. So don’t ever lose yours. And Isabel, if the soul gem is destroyed….”
“I die.”
Liz looked away. There was more. It was just speculation on her part. On just where the Incubators were gathering their power from. The Witch state was genuinely a massive generator of power, as was the conversion of a Magical Girl’s hopes into magic used to fight them.
But Liz sometimes wondered if there were more. If the biggest generator of power came when the wish was made and the Soul Gem was created. Souls were real. What happened after death was a question, but souls were definitely real. There was no doubt about that.
How much energy would be created if you took something eternal and made it finite? And more. For Kyubey ate decaying Grief Seeds. So not only did Liz have to imagine that her soul would slowly be corrupted by her magic and dark emotions, that she would become a Witch and slowly draw others in the area to despair and desperate actions, but also that Kyubey or an Incubator just like him would consume the corrupted remnants of her soul.
Being a Magical Girl wasn’t a good thing. And now Isabel had joined them, had joined the collection of damned souls. But could she tell her? She had told Maria some of her suspicions, but she hadn’t told her everything.
She didn’t want to crush her friend’s spirits after all. It would only speed the process.
Liz knew that she was a special case. She was after all half a witch already. Maybe more than half now.
How Liz wished she could go and save those versions of herself that had already fallen. But she couldn’t. She simply didn’t have the power or abilities.
But there was one who could. A pair of girls actually, one who would eventually have that power. That pink girl she had seen in that other timeline. And a friend who would repeatedly sacrifice everything in order to save her friend.
If you knew what to look for, their actions were engraved in time.
But they hadn’t actually happened yet. It could still be stopped. Liz herself was one who could potentially be so dangerous as to end the possibility of redemption for her kind.
That was why she had to die. Turning into a Witch was not an option.
But Liz wasn’t ready yet. She had so much to live for now.
Isabel was starting to look worriedly at me.
‘Oh. She hadn’t answered Isabel’s question.’ Liz said softly, “And then you die.”
Isabel looked into my eyes. She read something there and nodded. “I see. We will need to talk about this in a different place.”
Liz reached out to touch Isabel’s shoulder, annoyed that her projection didn’t convey any sense of touch at all. “I will answer all your questions.” Liz looked over at the Incubator, its eyes scanning looking for the one Isabel was conversing with. “You can also ask Kyubey. He won’t lie to you. But he is as manipulative as hell, so while he won’t lie, he is far from honest.”
“Right. Um, let’s go.” Isabel picked up Liz and placed the Gem into one of the pockets in her coat.
Liz followed, “You know. You are not just stuck with that hammer thing. It takes some work and a deep understanding to make something else, but in time we can make you another tool to use here.”
Isabel stopped and turned to face her again, “Really?” She cocked her head to the side, “You know, now that I think about it, Alex’s memories say that too.”
Isabel had Alex’s memories? Never mind. Liz could learn about it later. Get out of the Barrier first. Liz said, “When you are ready I can talk you through the steps.”
Isabel smiled, “I think I have an idea now. You don’t mind, do you?”
Liz just sighed and then smiled, “Alright. What is it that you want to create?”
Isabel told her. And all Liz could think about was that Isabel certainly didn’t think small.
--
Maria
Maria was thankful that Michael had followed her. She would never have made it this far by herself.
For the first time, Maria agreed with Liz on the need for her to NEVER become a Witch. Maria would personally smash her friend’s Soul Gem. She already knew Liz would thank her.
But they were fighting a mere Familiar of Liz, and already without Michael’s power blasts she would have been shredded. She hefted her Gatling gun and moved from cover, gunning down a pair of constructs as they slowly advanced. They were tough but slow.
Unfortunately they were not alone.
“Michael, a flyer!”
From a crouch he peeked around the corner and blasted the small helicopter like thing. It had a tiny pod from which it fired needle like projectiles. It was more annoying than effective, but it could distract while the other constructs killed you.
And they were fast. Too fast for her to hit it with her Gatling gun. Thank heavens for Michael.
She had gotten half of the Constructs before she had to dodge a hail of spikes. She felt as the wall she and Michael were hiding behind shuddered under the assault.
Michael was just muttering to himself.
Maria touched his cheek, “Are you okay?”
Michael looked at her and shook his head, “You have to go through this on a regular basis? It’s lucky you are still alive!”
Maria snorted, “It’s not usually this hard! I mean it is always dangerous, but not like this. This is a whole different level.”
The ground began to shake. Boom. Boom. Boom.
Michael said, “What is next, Liz sends in the tanks?”
Maria wailed, “Please Michael, don’t give her ideas!” Could her Gatling penetrate a tank? They had been working on the metallic constructs just fine. But a tank.
Boom. BOOM. BOOM.
Whatever it was, it was here. Maria peeked out to take a look at the new threat.
It was humanoid, its long arms holding a series of pods. She could see a pair of steam stacks peeking over its shoulders, steam rising in a plume from both. She heard as large steam driven air compressors began to pressurize the pods it was holding.
Michael peeked out, his head above hers. “A fucking mecha? We have to fight a fucking mecha?”
Music blared. Ride of the Valkyries.
Of course. Trust Isabel to make a grand entrance.
Maria sent her a telepathic message. Show off.
Hey, when you have got it, flaunt it!
Maria heard a voice she didn’t expect next, Isabel, can we got on with the ass kicking. I would really like to get back to my body.
Liz?
Take cover, Maria. Isabel, crush the enemy.
A mental giggle from Isabel. [Sure thing Boss.[/i]
Maria ducked behind the corner, dragging Michael with her.
All hell broke loose behind them.
Michael asked, “What the hell is going on?”
Maria could only laugh, finally certain that they would indeed escape alive. “The cavalry has arrived!”
Re: Uninstall (XO Roswell/PMMM, ML, MM / Mature) P 19 - 08/1
Sorry, don't have a lot of time. Hope you folks enjoy this part. I should have the next possibly tonight, tomorrow if not tonight.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. In this part we learn WHY you don't want Liz to be a Witch.
Natalie36- Thanks.
Uninstall part 20
Max
Max stopped the Jeep and looked around. It seemed so normal.
But to his other senses, to the entity known as Zan, it was anything but normal. Space was twisted like a knot right about here. Energy was being created and siphoned away to some unknown purpose.
The reason he had invaded, the reason he had used precious and irreplaceable ships to reach this world and take its riches…. It was all right here.
Max began to chuckle. It began to fill him from his core, from the entity that had once ruled an interstellar empire. It rolled on, switching from minor laughter to peels of near irrational mirth. Anyone who saw the normally fairly stoic Max Evans then would have been afraid.
Tears were rolling down his eyes as Zan peered into the mystery that had launched so many of his people on an ill-fated expedition. How many had even reached this world? How many were lost now, in deep space or the oddly warped dimensions one needed to travel swiftly between the stars.
None of them were as alien as the twisted space before him. It was impossible. Unreal.
And yet he stood before what Liz called a Witch’s Barrier. It was here. It was impossible, it was unreal, and yet here it was.
Imaginary space. Power being drawn from beyond Creation.
Hope. It was pure hope itself. Hope and salvation for a universe doomed to slowly die.
Zan didn’t understand hope. He truly couldn’t, not really. It was an alien concept.
But Max could. And Zan could partly understand the concept through him. Through the human host he had created so that he and his truest followers could survive on this harsh world. The dominant sentient species of this world.
Insane. Impractical. Irrational. Powerless.
Or so his species had thought. But he stood in front of this anomaly and laughed at the foolishness of it all. How exactly had they assumed they would ever be able to harvest this power? How did they anticipate they could use this incredibly HUMAN power for their ANTARAN interests?
They would have to have done what he did, no, one step further. To use it they would have to be human themselves. They would have to change and adapt, something their race hadn’t done in millennia. They had forced their environments, molded their captives to suit their purposes. But this was beyond them. To succeed they would need scores like Max to Bond and captivate those who could stand and manipulate the energy. Those who had the innate power to resist them.
The Magical Girls were the key here. But even if every single one were eliminated it would not stop this from happening. To stop this energy field you would either have to significantly alter the human mind and how it worked, or kill them all.
Which would destroy this mind destroying phenomena at the cost of destroying the whole reason they had come here in the first place. The humans were what was producing this power. The Witches were merely an efficient engine for that power to be harvested, and while Zan could see through Max’s eyes the Barrier itself, he could never be able to understand how it worked.
For another Race was involved. The Incubators Liz once spoken of. The ones who offered wishes in exchange for an eternal fight from the girls, leading either to their deaths or to become like this horrific machine. Max could feel it feeding on him even now. Could feel as it stole away his hope for the future. As it made him truly see the futility of it all.
He should simply end it. His existence was pointless. The mission his alien creators had made him for was pointless. His own life amongst the humans was worthless. It was only a matter of time before they realized what he truly was and then they would experiment on him. Vivisect him. Better if he simply died first.
Vision after vision of what would be played out in his head. Vision after vision of either him or his sister or Michael being found out. Of them running and being caught and tortured to death. He could see as Isabel became nothing more than a living womb for hybrid children that would be used as tools for the government. As Michael was turned into a living battery.
As he himself was slowly killed in a way to discover how his healing powers worked, wounded enough to trigger his bodies desire and ability to heal, but not so much as to kill him.
Yes. Better to die now. On his own terms.
Max began to pull in power. Power that would not only kill him, but with luck would destabilize the Barrier and kill all those inside. Michael and Isabel would be safe then. Safely dead with him. Liz wanted to die, so she would be okay with it. Maria, Maria made him pause for a moment. But she too was a Magical Girl, who would suffer a fate worse than death if she didn’t die in her duties to protect mankind from itself.
Max could feel his body begin to feel the strain as he pulled in greater and greater strands of power.
Here now it was Zan that saved him. Had Max been solely human, he likely would have died. His hopes and dreams drained to the point of despair. He wouldn’t have had powers to destroy himself and the landscape like he planned, but he would have found a way. To kill himself and quite possibly others. To save them from life.
Zan’s people, the Antarans were realists. They saw the world as it was, to the point where they could manipulate it. It was their strength, and it was their eventual curse. But the key was they saw the world as it WAS. Zan wasn’t inside the Barrier; he wasn’t being forced to comprehend the incomprehensible. He wasn’t being forced to make a comforting reality out of unreality. That was a human trait, a human gift. Antarans didn’t let their desires override their perception of reality. To them, that was a sign of insanity.
Humans do that all the time. Driven by hope, they will take risks that are insane. They create comforting realities to escape the harshness of what is going on around them. They create art work that depicts what was and never was. They have told each other stories, adding or changing elements of things that were true or partly true or entirely made up, to inform or entertain. Often both.
They didn’t see the world as it was…. They sought to shape the world to what they desired. And often crumbled when every last hope was crushed. That was what was happening to Max now. The Familiar that had been created from Liz’s darkened Soul Gem when Max under Zan’s tutelage had pushed out the darkness in it had drained every last hope or wish that Max had ever had. It had drained all his vitality and desire to live.
Max Evans was now a danger to himself and anyone he cared about.
Zan turned him off, sending Max into a deep sleep. Hopefully his friends could figure out a way to recover him. Zan wasn’t ready to die after all, even if his own personal hopes had just been crushed. He wasn’t going home and he wasn’t going to save his world, let alone his Empire.
Another way would have to be found. Without him. Now he simply needed to survive and perhaps learn what he could to help his former people.
He felt the Barrier behind him shimmer and begin to unravel. He walked over to the body of the woman he loved and he carried her towards the remnants of the Barrier. The sooner she was revived the sooner they could recover Max.
He lifted Liz easily and waited for his friends.
--
Isabel
Isabel piloted her steam punk Mech. She would have to thank Alex for this insane idea. But she wasn’t sure she would ever use it again. Not unless she was desperate. It was slow for one thing. Powerful but ponderous.
She was grateful for both Michael and Maria now too. Maria could easily clear out smaller pockets of enemies, and Michael knocked down those annoying flyers.
Her Mech was simply overkill on most of it, and the flyers were much too fast to hit with the Mech’s weapons.
But the real reason she didn’t think she would ever use it again was simply that it was hard to maintain. Isabel could already feel the strain of holding it together, and that didn’t even include repairing the damage that had been done to it. Her Soul Gem wasn’t gleaming as brightly as it had been and she certainly didn’t feel as good.
They came to a large central area. In the center there was an operating table. There were several multi armed robots that surrounded the operating table.
They were assembling a robotic girl.
Liz said, “We need to hurry. Can’t you feel the change around us? The Familiar is turning even as we speak.”
Isabel began to charge up the air pods so she could fire her weapons.
Maria took a good look at the robotic girl, “It is you Liz. I, I don’t know if I can.”
“Please Maria. You are going to have to kill me here.”
“No. I just can’t. I, I love you too much Liz. I can’t do it.”
Isabel looked over at Liz’s projection, “I will do what I must.”
Liz sent her a tight smile, “Please hurry. I am stopping her from seeing us, but it won’t last much longer.”
Michael simply built up a massive blast and fired. One of the robots moved and got in the way, turning instantly to rubble.
The fight was on.
Isabel was almost ready when the other robot sent out its probes all the way across the room and punctured multiple places inside the Mech. It was too much. She couldn’t hold it together.
She fired off the limited bolts that she could, reducing the other robot to rubble. But the doll they had been working on was untouched. It sat up.
Maria was taking cover behind some of the wreckage and Michael leveled another blast at the robot.
It should have been a direct hit. It was a bolt of energy, no possible way to dodge.
But the robot girl dodged, just slightly. Its eyes were closed except what looked like a large camera between its eyes.
Isabel escaped from the damaged Mech. Liz’s Image was dragged along with her, tied as it was to the Soul Gem.
Michael blasted again.
Again the robot girl dodged, a large grin appearing on its face. There was a loud click and whirring sound. Clockwork wings began to form on the robot girl, and she flew up into the air.
A spike from another of the clockwork soldiers hit a spot right next to Isabel. “Isabel you will have to deal with robot me, Maria deal with the robots. Michael, just kill whatever you can.”
Isabel nodded and summoned her hammer to her. She watched the flying robot pull out a staff and prepare an attack run. What she didn’t expect was for the staff to spit bolts of fire at her. One of them singed her, burning her dress and frying half her hair. Isabel returned fire with her hammer, its hammer head launching at the robot Liz, who dodged effortlessly over and over again.
Liz growled, “Damn. She can use my powers. Isabel, I need to help you. Hold my Soul Gem in one hand. I will try to guide your aim.”
The robot Liz prepared another attack run.
Liz spoke softly, “Okay, close your eyes and feel my mind embrace yours.”
Isabel took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt a sudden surge of confidence and knew exactly what she had to do. At the last minute she dodged the incoming fire. It was so easy, the opponents movements obvious. Unfortunately she was having the same problem with the robot girl. None of her attacks hit her.
Behind her Michael and Maria fought off a small army of robots. Michael was already wounded, hit by a spike and losing blood. They had to get him out of here. He was still human. He couldn’t simply heal himself.
She concentrated hard. Yes there was a way. She had only one chance and she had to hit it in a critical spot. Right there, the chest plate hadn’t been firmly tightened. Isabel could launch a shot into that critical area and the robot would fall.
But to hit her she would have to take a blast herself. A risk. She held her ground and let the hammer fly. The robot’s staff again spat fire and Isabel tried to dodge, knowing that at least one of those bolts would hit her. It if hit her Soul Gem she would die.
And if her suspicions were right, more than simply die. Her eternity traded for a powerful now.
She had moved just enough to take the blow beneath the gem, her belly to her upper thighs sizzling in the horrific blast. She fell down screaming in agony.
It HURT! She felt as she frantically began trying to heal herself.
“Isabel, look out!”
Isabel looked up. The robot girl was torn nearly in half, her right arm and wing gone. But in her left she still had her staff.
Isabel tried to move out of the way. She didn’t want to die. Not like this.
The robot raised its arm and the staff blazing with a spear tip of fire jabbed into her upper chest, just above the Soul Gem. And into the ground underneath Isabel. Isabel was now pinned to the ground and totally helpless.
In a voice that sounded like a broken musical box, “Do not worry Isabel. I will allow you to turn into a Witch. I will save you. I will save all of the Magical Girls.” There was a buzzing noise as the robots left hand changed slightly. It rammed into her chest, surrounding her Soul Gem. “You will have a prized place in my collection, Isabel. The first of those whom I have saved.”
Isabel felt intense pain as her Soul Gem was ripped from her body. She could feel herself weakening with each passing moment.
The robot girl appraised the Soul Gem and raised it to her mouth. “I will bring you peace, Isabel.” She placed the Gem on her tongue, “I just need to process you first. To consume your consciousness. Then you will be safe forever in my collection.”
Isabel felt as she began to flicker out of existence, the essence of her soul safe, but no longer containing her.
Her last thought was a bitter one. She had utterly failed. She had had two lives and in both she had failed.
Darkness took her.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. In this part we learn WHY you don't want Liz to be a Witch.
Natalie36- Thanks.
Uninstall part 20
Max
Max stopped the Jeep and looked around. It seemed so normal.
But to his other senses, to the entity known as Zan, it was anything but normal. Space was twisted like a knot right about here. Energy was being created and siphoned away to some unknown purpose.
The reason he had invaded, the reason he had used precious and irreplaceable ships to reach this world and take its riches…. It was all right here.
Max began to chuckle. It began to fill him from his core, from the entity that had once ruled an interstellar empire. It rolled on, switching from minor laughter to peels of near irrational mirth. Anyone who saw the normally fairly stoic Max Evans then would have been afraid.
Tears were rolling down his eyes as Zan peered into the mystery that had launched so many of his people on an ill-fated expedition. How many had even reached this world? How many were lost now, in deep space or the oddly warped dimensions one needed to travel swiftly between the stars.
None of them were as alien as the twisted space before him. It was impossible. Unreal.
And yet he stood before what Liz called a Witch’s Barrier. It was here. It was impossible, it was unreal, and yet here it was.
Imaginary space. Power being drawn from beyond Creation.
Hope. It was pure hope itself. Hope and salvation for a universe doomed to slowly die.
Zan didn’t understand hope. He truly couldn’t, not really. It was an alien concept.
But Max could. And Zan could partly understand the concept through him. Through the human host he had created so that he and his truest followers could survive on this harsh world. The dominant sentient species of this world.
Insane. Impractical. Irrational. Powerless.
Or so his species had thought. But he stood in front of this anomaly and laughed at the foolishness of it all. How exactly had they assumed they would ever be able to harvest this power? How did they anticipate they could use this incredibly HUMAN power for their ANTARAN interests?
They would have to have done what he did, no, one step further. To use it they would have to be human themselves. They would have to change and adapt, something their race hadn’t done in millennia. They had forced their environments, molded their captives to suit their purposes. But this was beyond them. To succeed they would need scores like Max to Bond and captivate those who could stand and manipulate the energy. Those who had the innate power to resist them.
The Magical Girls were the key here. But even if every single one were eliminated it would not stop this from happening. To stop this energy field you would either have to significantly alter the human mind and how it worked, or kill them all.
Which would destroy this mind destroying phenomena at the cost of destroying the whole reason they had come here in the first place. The humans were what was producing this power. The Witches were merely an efficient engine for that power to be harvested, and while Zan could see through Max’s eyes the Barrier itself, he could never be able to understand how it worked.
For another Race was involved. The Incubators Liz once spoken of. The ones who offered wishes in exchange for an eternal fight from the girls, leading either to their deaths or to become like this horrific machine. Max could feel it feeding on him even now. Could feel as it stole away his hope for the future. As it made him truly see the futility of it all.
He should simply end it. His existence was pointless. The mission his alien creators had made him for was pointless. His own life amongst the humans was worthless. It was only a matter of time before they realized what he truly was and then they would experiment on him. Vivisect him. Better if he simply died first.
Vision after vision of what would be played out in his head. Vision after vision of either him or his sister or Michael being found out. Of them running and being caught and tortured to death. He could see as Isabel became nothing more than a living womb for hybrid children that would be used as tools for the government. As Michael was turned into a living battery.
As he himself was slowly killed in a way to discover how his healing powers worked, wounded enough to trigger his bodies desire and ability to heal, but not so much as to kill him.
Yes. Better to die now. On his own terms.
Max began to pull in power. Power that would not only kill him, but with luck would destabilize the Barrier and kill all those inside. Michael and Isabel would be safe then. Safely dead with him. Liz wanted to die, so she would be okay with it. Maria, Maria made him pause for a moment. But she too was a Magical Girl, who would suffer a fate worse than death if she didn’t die in her duties to protect mankind from itself.
Max could feel his body begin to feel the strain as he pulled in greater and greater strands of power.
Here now it was Zan that saved him. Had Max been solely human, he likely would have died. His hopes and dreams drained to the point of despair. He wouldn’t have had powers to destroy himself and the landscape like he planned, but he would have found a way. To kill himself and quite possibly others. To save them from life.
Zan’s people, the Antarans were realists. They saw the world as it was, to the point where they could manipulate it. It was their strength, and it was their eventual curse. But the key was they saw the world as it WAS. Zan wasn’t inside the Barrier; he wasn’t being forced to comprehend the incomprehensible. He wasn’t being forced to make a comforting reality out of unreality. That was a human trait, a human gift. Antarans didn’t let their desires override their perception of reality. To them, that was a sign of insanity.
Humans do that all the time. Driven by hope, they will take risks that are insane. They create comforting realities to escape the harshness of what is going on around them. They create art work that depicts what was and never was. They have told each other stories, adding or changing elements of things that were true or partly true or entirely made up, to inform or entertain. Often both.
They didn’t see the world as it was…. They sought to shape the world to what they desired. And often crumbled when every last hope was crushed. That was what was happening to Max now. The Familiar that had been created from Liz’s darkened Soul Gem when Max under Zan’s tutelage had pushed out the darkness in it had drained every last hope or wish that Max had ever had. It had drained all his vitality and desire to live.
Max Evans was now a danger to himself and anyone he cared about.
Zan turned him off, sending Max into a deep sleep. Hopefully his friends could figure out a way to recover him. Zan wasn’t ready to die after all, even if his own personal hopes had just been crushed. He wasn’t going home and he wasn’t going to save his world, let alone his Empire.
Another way would have to be found. Without him. Now he simply needed to survive and perhaps learn what he could to help his former people.
He felt the Barrier behind him shimmer and begin to unravel. He walked over to the body of the woman he loved and he carried her towards the remnants of the Barrier. The sooner she was revived the sooner they could recover Max.
He lifted Liz easily and waited for his friends.
--
Isabel
Isabel piloted her steam punk Mech. She would have to thank Alex for this insane idea. But she wasn’t sure she would ever use it again. Not unless she was desperate. It was slow for one thing. Powerful but ponderous.
She was grateful for both Michael and Maria now too. Maria could easily clear out smaller pockets of enemies, and Michael knocked down those annoying flyers.
Her Mech was simply overkill on most of it, and the flyers were much too fast to hit with the Mech’s weapons.
But the real reason she didn’t think she would ever use it again was simply that it was hard to maintain. Isabel could already feel the strain of holding it together, and that didn’t even include repairing the damage that had been done to it. Her Soul Gem wasn’t gleaming as brightly as it had been and she certainly didn’t feel as good.
They came to a large central area. In the center there was an operating table. There were several multi armed robots that surrounded the operating table.
They were assembling a robotic girl.
Liz said, “We need to hurry. Can’t you feel the change around us? The Familiar is turning even as we speak.”
Isabel began to charge up the air pods so she could fire her weapons.
Maria took a good look at the robotic girl, “It is you Liz. I, I don’t know if I can.”
“Please Maria. You are going to have to kill me here.”
“No. I just can’t. I, I love you too much Liz. I can’t do it.”
Isabel looked over at Liz’s projection, “I will do what I must.”
Liz sent her a tight smile, “Please hurry. I am stopping her from seeing us, but it won’t last much longer.”
Michael simply built up a massive blast and fired. One of the robots moved and got in the way, turning instantly to rubble.
The fight was on.
Isabel was almost ready when the other robot sent out its probes all the way across the room and punctured multiple places inside the Mech. It was too much. She couldn’t hold it together.
She fired off the limited bolts that she could, reducing the other robot to rubble. But the doll they had been working on was untouched. It sat up.
Maria was taking cover behind some of the wreckage and Michael leveled another blast at the robot.
It should have been a direct hit. It was a bolt of energy, no possible way to dodge.
But the robot girl dodged, just slightly. Its eyes were closed except what looked like a large camera between its eyes.
Isabel escaped from the damaged Mech. Liz’s Image was dragged along with her, tied as it was to the Soul Gem.
Michael blasted again.
Again the robot girl dodged, a large grin appearing on its face. There was a loud click and whirring sound. Clockwork wings began to form on the robot girl, and she flew up into the air.
A spike from another of the clockwork soldiers hit a spot right next to Isabel. “Isabel you will have to deal with robot me, Maria deal with the robots. Michael, just kill whatever you can.”
Isabel nodded and summoned her hammer to her. She watched the flying robot pull out a staff and prepare an attack run. What she didn’t expect was for the staff to spit bolts of fire at her. One of them singed her, burning her dress and frying half her hair. Isabel returned fire with her hammer, its hammer head launching at the robot Liz, who dodged effortlessly over and over again.
Liz growled, “Damn. She can use my powers. Isabel, I need to help you. Hold my Soul Gem in one hand. I will try to guide your aim.”
The robot Liz prepared another attack run.
Liz spoke softly, “Okay, close your eyes and feel my mind embrace yours.”
Isabel took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt a sudden surge of confidence and knew exactly what she had to do. At the last minute she dodged the incoming fire. It was so easy, the opponents movements obvious. Unfortunately she was having the same problem with the robot girl. None of her attacks hit her.
Behind her Michael and Maria fought off a small army of robots. Michael was already wounded, hit by a spike and losing blood. They had to get him out of here. He was still human. He couldn’t simply heal himself.
She concentrated hard. Yes there was a way. She had only one chance and she had to hit it in a critical spot. Right there, the chest plate hadn’t been firmly tightened. Isabel could launch a shot into that critical area and the robot would fall.
But to hit her she would have to take a blast herself. A risk. She held her ground and let the hammer fly. The robot’s staff again spat fire and Isabel tried to dodge, knowing that at least one of those bolts would hit her. It if hit her Soul Gem she would die.
And if her suspicions were right, more than simply die. Her eternity traded for a powerful now.
She had moved just enough to take the blow beneath the gem, her belly to her upper thighs sizzling in the horrific blast. She fell down screaming in agony.
It HURT! She felt as she frantically began trying to heal herself.
“Isabel, look out!”
Isabel looked up. The robot girl was torn nearly in half, her right arm and wing gone. But in her left she still had her staff.
Isabel tried to move out of the way. She didn’t want to die. Not like this.
The robot raised its arm and the staff blazing with a spear tip of fire jabbed into her upper chest, just above the Soul Gem. And into the ground underneath Isabel. Isabel was now pinned to the ground and totally helpless.
In a voice that sounded like a broken musical box, “Do not worry Isabel. I will allow you to turn into a Witch. I will save you. I will save all of the Magical Girls.” There was a buzzing noise as the robots left hand changed slightly. It rammed into her chest, surrounding her Soul Gem. “You will have a prized place in my collection, Isabel. The first of those whom I have saved.”
Isabel felt intense pain as her Soul Gem was ripped from her body. She could feel herself weakening with each passing moment.
The robot girl appraised the Soul Gem and raised it to her mouth. “I will bring you peace, Isabel.” She placed the Gem on her tongue, “I just need to process you first. To consume your consciousness. Then you will be safe forever in my collection.”
Isabel felt as she began to flicker out of existence, the essence of her soul safe, but no longer containing her.
Her last thought was a bitter one. She had utterly failed. She had had two lives and in both she had failed.
Darkness took her.