Mind Over Matter: Shadow Games

James wasn’t sure if the dead slept any better than he did that night. He was pretty sure he didn’t move during the night. His arm was still draped over Sophie’s midsection. He rose first from their shared slumber. As he stirred he sat up in the bed, staying close to Sophie. He couldn’t recall a time when he had been as happy as he was in that very moment. He stretched his arms across the headboard of the bed. He took a moment to look around Sophie’s room and noticed without a doubt that something was wrong. Sleep quickly receded from his eyes and mind. Everything in the room seemed to be lifted off the ground including the bed. Something had went wrong during the night. Sophie’s powers were once again acting up. He went to wake her by placing his hand on her shoulder only to find that her shoulder was much smaller than he remembered. He worried for a moment that she had shrank again but she was still bigger than she had been then. He rolled her over and realized that his Sophie had once again transformed on him. Some how she had de-aged by what he would guess twenty years. She looked like a teenager. “You have got to be absolutely fucking with me. We can’t catch a single damn break.”  James again shook the girl next to him in an effort to wake her before he finally said “Sophie you better wake up now.”  

Stirring awake Sophie yawned, "What do you mean we can’t catch a break?" She asked sleepily. As she rubbed her forehead Sophie did not feel the wrinkles that were there before,  "Did I change back?" She asked excitedly as her sleep dazed mind awoke. Her body felt younger much to her excitement, but something seemed off. It was not only the look from James, but her body felt… too young. Looking down she realized just what had happened, "Oh my god!" She exclaimed wrapping herself in a blanket. “Will I ever be normal!?" She muttered burying her face in the pillow. "Oh my god, how did I fuck this one up?" Sophie asked as she gently kicked the bed, “I just wanted my body back! Is that really too much to ask for?”

She asked peeking at James; who was giving her quite the sour look "Hey don't give me that look!  I did not like being fifteen years older!" Sophie exclaimed before James could interject. "I was old, it did not feel right to me!" Sliding out of bed she kept the blanket wrapped tightly around her as she made her way to the mirror. "Wow... I look like I am in highschool." She said rubbing a cheek.

James scrambled from the bed as well snatching clothes that were still floating in air as quickly as he could and putting them on even faster since Sophie had taken the covers from the bed. “You think maybe you can put everything down?” He watched her wave a hand and everything in the room settles back to the floor. As she did so it looked as though another could years ticked off of her. In his mind he knew she was 21 but right now she looked like a kid and so the idea of being in the buff around her made him extremely uncomfortable. “I knew you had to have tried something. Why couldn’t you have just let it go? We could have taken the day off from class since it’s Monday and done research on this Luiga person or whoever the hell and maybe gotten some answers so we could have a better understanding of what the hell is going on with you. Now you’re just a kid, with a Silver streak in your hair.” James was completely exacerbated with Sophie. He was so frustrated that he couldn’t see straight. “Damn it Sophie. I have no idea how we are going to explain any of this to people. I mean we are going to have to go back to class eventually. I mean what are you her unknown kid sister or what?” Too much had happen in too short of an amount of time. He felt lost in all the craziness. His world started spinning and so he ran out of the room and into the bathroom. He was pretty sure he was going to throw up.

“Why couldn’t I just let it go?” Sophie asked with a hint of irritation as she stepped into the bathroom. The settled objects began to float again, “Why? Because I was fucking old!” This time James began to float up as well, “I was uncomfortable with how I felt and looked! That was something I did not want to deal with!” Sophie felt the ground fall away beneath her as she soon came face to face with her boyfriend. “Would you want to wake up fifteen years older? Shall we try that?” Shaking her head Sophie landed on the ground, “I would rather be sixteen and pass off for some unknown sister then try to explain that other form.” With a wave of her hand James began to descend to the ground. With another wave the blanket dropped off and covered the bathroom door, “I need to get dressed.” She muttered grabbing her clothing. Why could she not just leave things alone? Why did she have to try and regress her age when she was half asleep?  All these questions raced through her head as she got dressed. Once done the blanket fell away, “There, do I look more my age?” Instead of the short shorts she wore yesterday Sophie wore a light violet skirt, a pink blouse and black leggings. “Now you won’t feel so awkward walking around with me.” She said tying her hair back in a ponytail. “Let’s go to the library, we can check some things out and bring them back here.” (Done, damn Sophie got mad)

James was fearful of the actions that Sophie had just performed. She could have done anything to him. For the first time he wasn’t totally sure he felt safe around her. He looked at her after she had prepared herself. He wanted to smile he wanted to shrug off her actions and her new look but he couldn’t. He measured his words carefully. “Checking things out from the library will be a good start but we will need to check the web as well. As to how you look Sophie you look fine. I am not ashamed to be seen with you just that your appearance and existence will be hard to explain.” What he wanted to say was that she still looked like little teenager. He fought very hard to keep that thought out of his mind but from the look on Sophie’s face he could tell she had sensed what he thought. “I’m sorry Sophie but a little make-up and cute little clothes from Rue  21 don't make you look any older. No one will believe it’s you. I mean you're several inches shorter and you almost have no boobs. You’re a young girl, and honestly you’re scaring the shit out of me.”

Sensing the distress in James’s mind Sophie walked up to him; the way he stepped back from her touch left her feeling like shit. This should not have been so surprising to her, she was no longer an ordinary human… hell in fact she did not even feel human. The skin she wore was just a housing for her mind that she controlled, or so it seemed.  “Look… I am sorry…” She muttered gesturing to the bathroom, “I am just so fucking furious. I don’t know why they are acting up now, I just wanted to live a normal life.” She said placing her forehead on his chest, “Please don’t leave me… I have always felt this connection between us. Hell I wouldn’t blame you…” Her tone dropped, “Having a freakshow like me around is only going to cause you trouble. I am too afraid to try and change back, I actually don’t think I could right now.” Tears swelled up in her eyes, “I’m stuck and confused and I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t even know if going to library will help, what if that emerald eyed woman was just a dream? What is the point of having these powers if I can’t control them?” The room shook slightly, clenching her fists Sophie tried to calm her frazzled nerves. The floor stopped it's shaking. “I still remember everything I researched in the internet and I can’t find an answer to this. What are the chances of us finding something about a scarlet haired woman in a book?” (done)

James put his arms lightly around his girlfriend. He had no idea what she was going through he couldn’t even pretend to understand or sympathize with the kinds of things she was. James was a practical person though he believed that problems could be solved if enough variables were known. He was convinced that if unknowns were taken off the board then the answer would reveal itself sooner or later. He fought an urge to kiss the girl because something didn’t seem right about it with her looking the way she did. Plus he knew how the passion between them would work. A kiss would not be the end of things and he was pretty sure he wasn't prepared to go all the way with her as she was currently. “Don’t use the words freak show. You’re just different. You are trying to learn what all you can do and see what your limits are. There is nothing wrong with that at all. You just shouldn’t try morphing your body very much that doesn’t seem to work out very well. We can start by looking up the name or word you said. See what shows up. if nothing else I can always wait for you.” He made as if to be very dramatic. She elbowed him in the ribs and the two laughed for the first time that day. “For right now though Sophie you just need to calm your tits.” He made as if to poke her chest that was no longer there and just laughed. Realizing that he was messing with her she laughed hysterically with him for a minute or two.    

“Haha, very funny James.” She said brushing his hand aside with a grin, “I am glad to see you have not lost your sense of humor.” Looping her arm around his she pulled him out of the room. “Well shall we be off then?” She asked as she let him escort her out of the house. Turning around she quickly locked the door, this time with a key instead of her power. “Better be safe then sorry.” Pausing for a moment she pondered on a new name for herself, “Ummm if anyone asks my name is Viola and I am Sophie’s cousin.” She cocked him a brow, “What? Everyone knows I don’t have any siblings. A cousin sounds more plausible.” Letting go of his arm Sophie followed closely behind him as they made their way to the library. “Uh oh… I sense Brandon on the prowl. Best be careful to avoid him” She warned James as they entered the library. “Alright, shall we split up, or no? Sure we could cover more ground, but it would be hard to explain why a sixteen year old is here on a school day. We should start with the mythology and fiction sections, remember her name is Luighseach.” Shaking her head she flicked his forehead at the mispronunciation, “Lee-Shock, it sounds Irish to me.”

“It’s just so cute that you think you can pass for 16.” He bumped her side like they had just days ago in his bedroom when she had gotten back to normal. This time his bump was a little too strong and it nearly knocked her over. I don’t care how much more we might get done I’m not leaving you alone with you in your condition. Let alone with Brandon lurking nearby.”  James urged her to lead the way because honestly he didn't come to the library very often most the stuff he read came from online. As she walked through the aisles of books he followed her all the while trying not to stare at her butt. When she sensed he knew because she shot a glare straight back at him. Damn his libido it was really getting in the way of him helping. Whenever people came near them he acted as though he was showing her around like she was a incoming student. After a whole though they made their way back up to the fourth floor where just a few days before he had found her floating books all over the place right before she shank down to smaller than his hand. He hoped there would be no repeat. “I think this time we should just try and read the books the old fashion way he joked when they were in a private room just down from the one they had been in a few days ago.

“Aww don’t want to see my string act again?” She teased placing the books down on the table. “This way is so slow though to read.” Sophie said with a playful pout, “Guess I have no choice in the matter.” Grabbing a particular large book on ancient Irish heroes and deities she began to page through it. “Hmmm…” Her finger traced along the index, “Noooothing….” She muttered feeling her eyelids grow weary. Was reading like this always so tiring? She wondered grabbing another book. Halfway through this one Sophie ended up passing out and no matter what James tried to do he could not wake her. Something moved behind the young man, something or someone neither of them noticed before. “Well well well…” A hoarse voice whispered, “What have we here? Two little mortals sticking their noses where they don’t belong.” The voice hissed in James’s ear, “She ain’t dead, boyo. Just sleepin’, don’t want her interuptin’ our little chat.” A cold hand rested on his shoulder, “Don’t turn around if yez know what is good fer ya.”

James understood from the unnatural chill in the air that something other worldly was upon him and Sophie. Well that and the fact that it sounded like Warwick Davis from those horrible Leprechaun movies was speaking behind him. ”Well you have my full attention hoss. You have me at a real disadvantage here seeing as I don’t know what the hell it is you want. I can tell you one thing right now you’re going to want to keep your hands to yourself if you don’t want it broken.” James knew a little bluster went a long way. He also knew that whatever was behind him meant what they were saying so there was no real good reason to go stirring up trouble. He was a little surprise when the hand left his shoulder pretty quickly though. He was also going to do what the voice asked within reason. Maybe it could give him some answers. “Well boss you’re the one running this show you want to get on with your point.” His eyes never left Sophie’s body he had to be ready to do whatever it took to protect her if it came to that. He took inventory of the room over and over again as he waiting for the owner of the cold hand to speak again.

The man cackled, “Brave pup, but I don’t think you could break my hand if you tried.” The hand shifted slightly and what felt like claws dug into his skin, “Now be a good lad and listen, dat girl there has something I want.” A clawed hand traced along his neck, “No matter what ye and that meddling woman can do will stop me. I almost had her when she was without a body…” He hissed pushing a nail in slightly; a small drop of blood ran down the ebony fingernail. “Consider yourself lucky that Phoenix intervened then…” The man coughed hoarsely, “Otherwise your pretty little girlfriend would not be here today, as for my point I come here with a warning.” A soft purple light glowed behind James, “No matter what ye do, you cannot stop the hands of fate. She will be mine one day, so if ye value yer life I would stay the hell away from her. I may have failed twice in the past, I will not a third time.” The light grew stronger, “Best run boy.” The voice said before it faded away with the light.

James spun around fists clenched tightly into fists. Ready to fight till there wasn’t a breath in his body. The fact that the character was gone only surprised him a little. he had grown slightly accustomed to the strange. “Yeah, you better run you Bond villain wannabe fucker.” A cold sweat rolled down his neck. James knew he was out of his weight class with the supernatural but he didn’t care the clawed handed bastard wasn’t going to scare him that easy. If he had any sense it might have but no one had ever accused him of having real good sense to begin with. Still with Sophie started to come to a moment later he was still on full alert and more than a little jumpy. “Sophie you had a little visitor while you took a nap. he didn’t leave a name for me to give you but apparently he wants you pretty bad and he said something about a meddling woman named Phoenix. Any of that sound familiar? He said he nearly had you when you were disembodied the other day. Bastards lucky he got the drop on me or else I may be trying to wake you up to help get rid of a body.” He joked with Sophie because she could understand what he was really thinking without having to say it.
“A visitor? He wanted what?” She asked confused and severely unnerved, normally she could sense when someone was around but he caught them unawares. “Phoenix?” She muttered as the gears began spinning, “Oh! What if he was talking about Leighseach?” She said rubbing her eyes, “I mean she did help me get my body back… you know the legends of the phoenix right?” Pulling out her phone she did a quick search on the word, “A mythical creature that when it dies it is reborn from its ashes. What if he was referring to her in that sense? What if she is a goddess of reincarnation or something like that?” Grabbing another book Sophie began to frantically search through it, but to no avail. All information pertaining to such beings had been removed from the text. “What the fuck? You have to be kidding me!” Her stomach rumbled softly, “Craaaap… James can we take a lunch break?” Using puppy dog eyes she begged her boyfriend, “We can check these out and take them back home with me if you wish.”

“You know that look only works when you look like you’re 21. 13 year old Sophie gets whatever I give her.” He smiled because he was making fun of how young she looked. “If the material has been erased from the books then there is no need to check them out. I doubt our claw handed friend cleared off all of Google.” James gathered up all the books and walked the two out of the little room. The two of them had barely had a chance to sit the books down when who should they run into but Brandon. Who looked none too happy to see James. “Just great.”
Brandon didn’t hesitate when he saw James with his young friend. “I just want to know where in the hell do you get off talking to me like you did the other night? Sophie is mine you douche. I’m sure she would be thrilled to hear that your hear slumming with some little high school chick while shes away on assignment.”
James wasn’t in the best of moods but he bit his tongue and replied “For your information you moron this is her cousin Viola she’s thinking of coming here in a couple years.Sophie asked me to show her around. How in the hell do you know where Sophie is?”
Brandon puffed up his chest. “Because she spent the night with me last night before she left.”
James laughed right in Brandon’s face. Sophie snickered as well.
“Just what the hell is so funny about that” Brandon demanded?
James and Sophie turned to head for the door not paying any more attention to this delusional psycho. When they did so Brandon reached out and grabbed James on the shoulder and spun him around hard throwing a punch as he did so connecting with James right square in the face. The blow broke James nose and staggered him. Seeing his own blood on the look on Sophie’s face James lost control and went straight after Brandon.
“Why you lowdown sneaky son of a bitch.” James was on top of Brandon in a moment and he delivered several blows before campus security broke the two of them up. They were both put in handcuffs and taken into the campus police station. James yelled to Sophie “Just go back to my place see if you can find me some bail money I may need some. Meet me at the station in 30 minutes of so.” James may have broken his nose but Brandon still got the short end of the stick.

Sophie could not believe what had just transpired. One moment she and James were walking minding their own business, next Brandon was all up in their face. To preoccupied with their mysterious man Sophie did not register Brandon was anywhere near them until it was too late. A moment later James and Brandon were in a fist fight and before she could intervene they were already being hauled off by the police. With a nod she ran off towards James’s dorm room, but a thought hit her. How the ever living fuck was she going to get in?! To top it all off his room was on the fourth floor as well. Standing beneath the room she looked up, “Fuck…” Looking around she noticed a few people mingling around her giving her some weird looks, “I got no choice...:” Closing her eyes she willed for the people to forget about what they were going to see next, Sophie did not want to risk turning invisible again. “Ok...time to fly…” Again she could have just grown, but messing around with her body was out of the question. Very slowly she began to float off the ground, “Perfect.” Gripping the nearby window she began to pull herself up, and within a few moments she was outside his window. A few seconds later she had the window open and the screen removed, “Good, his roommate is not home.”

Mitchell rarely was sober he normally crashed pretty hard by the middle of the day. So Sophie had no more gotten into the room good when James roommate Mitchell clumsily tried to open the door. After struggling for a moment he opened the door and saw the young girl in the middle of the room. “Heeeeeey, who are you? Are you James’s little gal pal?” He put his finger to his nose just like he had nights before. He stumbled across the floor toward Sophie grabbing her arms he hugged her tightly. “Aren’t you a little young to be in college?” His breathe smelled like a poor dead drunk cat had taken a piss in his mouth. He finished hugging her. “Heeeeey, Who are you? Are you James’s main squeeze?” He was on the verge of passing out but before he did he kissed Sophie right on the lips and said “Our little secret.” Then he fell out in Sophie’s arms, head squarely on her chest where her breasts normally would be on proud display.  

A look of shock and disgust flashed across her features as Sophie shoved the drunk away from her and onto the bed. “What the fuck! Who goes around kissing a random girl!” He tried to get up again, but his blanket wrapped around him like an anaconda. “Stay put you disgusting piece of shit.” She said digging through James’s items in search of some money to use for bail. Sophie was an idiot and left her purse back home, and going back there with a mysterious man on the loose did not seem right. Mitchell squirmed in the blanket, “Tighter.” She muttered and the blanket obeyed, “Aha! Found some!” She exclaimed pulling out an adorable piggy bank. “Sorry dear pig but you must be sacrificed!” Popping the stopper underneath she dumped the contents on his bed. “Ehhh, it will do. Otherwise I will run home.” Making her way to the window Sophie began to step out, “Sleep now drunk ass, in five minutes those blankets will let you go.” She said with a snap of her fingers before she leapt out the window.

Money clutched tightly to her chest Sophie ran to the local police department. Coming up to an officer she asked to post bail for James, but the officer ended up giving her a hard time due to her age. Just as she was about to do something reckless James walked out of a door from the back of the building with a huge smile on his face., “Sup criminal.” Sophie said with a smirk.

“Hell they dropped the charges said it was self defense. So I’m all good but lets get out of here before they change their minds.” James grabbed Sophie by the hand and the two ran from the station as quickly as Sophie’s short legs would allow. She told James about the incident with Mitchell, and James burst out laughing. James took Sophie to the cafeteria on campus again and got them both something to eat. They sat across from each other and James couldn’t help but just stare at Sophie. He was pretty sure he had fallen for her pretty hard.

“Is there something on my face?” Sophie asked curiously as she quickly wiped it off. “Alright, so let’s go over everything I have done since that first night at the library. I have shrunk, grew…” A teasing grin flitted across her lips, “Turned invisible, lost my body, BECAME the internet… umm recreated a body, was a ghost… was ollld.” A shiver ran down her spine, “Now I am trapped in a sixteen year old body… oh plus side I flew!” Taking a bite from her cheeseburger she pondered what else happened, “Oh yeah, met some goddess… am i missing anything?” She asked looking up at him, her crimson eyes sparkling with curiosity. “James did you even hear a word I said?” Reaching into his mind she encountered a few… interesting thoughts. “My my, care to try a few things once we figure things out?” she teased.

He knew she had been talking, he also knew that he had been caught zoned out. He had been thinking about everything they had been through in just a single weekend. It boggled the mind when he tried to think about it all. Now here they sat in a booth on their campus dining hall like everything was just fine and dandy. He still had a little bit of blood  caked on his nose, and dried blood stains on his tee shirt left from where Brandon had attacked him. He still had a little cut on his neck from where some freak with claws for hands had threatened him and Sophie. His girlfriend looked liked Jail Bait. Things were far from normal and yet he felt like this was what he had been waiting for in his life. Didn’t everyone yearn for some kind of adventure, some great quest. Something that could define the life they were living. Having just been caught just staring at her face, he did the only thing any self respecting red blooded american male could and that was fake it till he made it. He figured it had to be something about what he had been thinking about because it was a lot to process and really how could you not be talking about it. “Oh yeah tiny, ghost, old. Check and Check. Hey did you get enough to eat?” He stood up from the booth stepped to her side held out his hand to help her up. He didn’t care who saw them together like she was. What she looked like didn’t matter. He knew who she really was. Her fingerprints, and DNA would all show who she really was. So the rest of the world could fuck off. He stood there waiting for her to put her hand in his.
“What ya say we blow this popsicle stand? Come with me and get cleaned up a little and then lets you and me go out on an honest to God date. Maybe you can find out about the idea’s in my head, because Sophie you and me kind are one team. We are two made one, ya hear me? Well you coming or not short stuff?”

A look of surprise crossed Sophie's face. "My my James, you really know how to treat a young girl." She teased taking his arm. "What were you thinking... You know what no, don't tell me I want this to be a surprise." Allowing James to escort her from the cafeteria she followed him to his dorm. James needed a spare change of clothes, which Sophie totally understood. Though one thought kept coming to mind. She asked with a playful nudge, "Do you just want me all over you?" Sophie could not help but giggle, but there was some curiosity behind it. "Once I can control these abilities I will do whatever you want."

With his clothes in hand the two made their way back to her apartment. "So..." They made their way upstairs. "Shall we shower together? Or do you want to use the spare?" A hand traced along his cheek. "Otherwise I can surprise you later." She said with a playful smirk.

Taking her hand “lead the way little miss.” Sophie holding his hand began walking toward the shower and he followed. James was perfectly alright with giving himself over to the moment. Once to the restroom Sophie started the shower and the two embraced as the water warmed. They took turns helping the other get out of their clothing. As the excitement built the two exchanged kisses. As James was kissing Sophie something began to happen. He felt her body changing even before he opened his eyes. Instead of having to lean over a good bit to kiss her, her mouth was more level than it had been in days. He felt her bare chest swell and push against his chest. His lips broke contact with hers. “What are you doing Sophie? This could cause only God knows what kind of problems.” He looked at her and he realized what was happening she was getting older right before his eyes. He also noticed the surprised and shocked look on his ladies face. She simply shrugged her shoulders not knowing what was happening any more than he did. James was so happy he couldn’t explain it. He had accepted her no matter what and now she was back to normal. He went to kiss her again when he froze in place. Just over his shoulder Leighseach stood smiling at Sophie.

Sophie’s body froze, neither her mind nor her body reacted to the world around it. It was if someone had hit the pause button on the girl, “I see you had an encounter with Balor.” Leighseach said glancing at the cut on James’s neck. “I don’t mean to interrupt your time together, but we need to talk young one.” She slowly faded from view, a moment later Sophie snapped out of her daze. “What...what was that?” Shrugging her shoulders she kissed James again, whatever it was it had passed. Pressing her body close to his Sophie began to slowly grind up against him, “Feeling good?” She asked with a laugh as one thing lead to another in the shower. Sophie had no idea how she got her body back, but she was not going to let this chance pass.

Sometime later James had carried her to her bed, her lips pressed gently against his chin. “Aren’t we supposed to do that after the date?” She teased, “Not that I am complaining…” A yawn escaped the young woman as her eyes drifted close. A moment later she was asleep, “You can put her down, I am not going to harm her.” Leighseach said appearing behind James. “Good, she should sleep for a little bit.” Once James lay Sophie down upon her bed the young man faced the mysterious woman; it was then that he found himself face to face with her. A finger traced along the wound on his neck. “Ye are lucky boy, he could have done some serious damage to ya.”

James was more than a little confused to be standing in front of this being. He jerked away from the woman’s touch and took a couple of steps back and away from the woman just to be safe. “Leighseach, I presume?” The woman nodded and stepped toward James again not letting him retreat completely. Feeling out of his element and more than a little intimidated he stepped back some more as she toward him again.The woman laughed a short quick laugh “Boyo you don’t have a single thing to worry about from me. I don’t wish any harm to come to you or the girl.” James still a little weary of the woman at least stopped backtracking and allowed the woman to advance toward him. He crossed his arms trying to look as menacing as possible. “Ok, well what is it that you do want from us?”  

"You don't need ta act so tough around me. " The woman said holding up her hands, "See, no class or anything like that" Dropping her hands down she smiled, "I am glad to see you survived your encounter with Balor." Closing her eyes she sighed, "I am sorry I could not protect ye, by the time I realized what he was doing it was to late." A frown tugged at her lips, "I did not mean for you ta get hurt."

Taking a seat on the bed she stroked Sophie's cheek, "To answer yer question, he is after her." She cocked him a brow, "Why? Because of the power she possesses. He has been doing this for millennia..." A frown tugged at her lips, "I have not been able to save the last two... Plus there is something different about this little one." Her eyes glowed softly, "Something he has not seen since... Well me." A sigh escaped her, "I was once a human, that was until my powers awoke... That was when old One Eyed took a fancy for me..." A hand through her scarlet hair, "He wanted me he said... At first I thought it was for love, but then I realized what he was truly after... Me power."

"As my power grew I fought him, fought until the day he drove a claw through my heart.." A hand rested upon her breast, "However that backfired on him, for I transcended to what he wanted to become... A god." She stroked Sophie's hair, "I am afraid for your little one... She possesses a power far greater than my own and Balor wants it and he will stop at nothing to get it."

"She's just a psychic. I mean she can change her appearance but power beyond someone like the two of you? I don't believe any of this if she was so powerful wouldn't she have a better handle on things? She almost died when she lost her form? If she's is to be a God then tell me how could she almost die? How can she be harmed by that claw handed bastard?" James blood was boiling he was angry. Nothing made sense. What he did understand was that she was in danger and he wouldn't allow anything to happen to her. "How do I protect her from him? There has to be a way." Then as the goddess smiled he thought about how Sophie had come back to him. "Your fingerprints are all over this. You fixed her didn't you? Why did you make her struggle to get back to her right age?" So many questions but he wanted answers and he had the person to give them to him.

“Just because she has this great power, does not mean she has that control over it.” Leighseach said holding his gaze with her own, “Have you ever tried swimming against the current of a river? How effective is it?” The young man paused to think, “Aye, not very easy it? That is what she is dealing with on a constant basis.  The young woman can barely keep her head afloat.” An image of drowning floated through the air, “The reason why she almost died last time was because she lost control. Her mind almost tore her body apart.”

Stepping up to Sophie she ran a hand along her cheek, “I did not fix her, I don’t have that kind of power anymore. I was only able to guide her in the creation of her body, she just does not recall it.” A sigh escaped her, “Balor and I used to be equals, in life and when we transcended that veil. I don’t know how Balor has done it, but his power has been growing these past few millennia.” She chewed on the bottom of her lip, “You play an important role here too, boyo. Stay by her side, help her through the rough times.” Her fingertip glowed an emerald sheen, “I will keep an eye out for Balor, but this should help her some what.” She drew a rune upon the sleeping girl’s forehead, “It is not much, but this should help her control the power a little bit.”

James wanted to ask more questions about how the rune would help, and how staying close would help protect Sophie, but before he could form the words she waved a hand and dismissed herself from their realm. Again he was left alone with a sleeping Sophie. Unsure of when she would wake up he sat on the bed next to her, then as he cuddled up next to her she awoke. As she wiped the sleep out of her eyes James came up with one more question, why did she speak to him this time and not Sophie. That question bothered him more than any other because it made him wonder about his role in Sophie’s survival.

“Hey handsome.” Sophie muttered wiping the sleep from her eyes. Sitting up she rubbed the back of her neck, “What the hell happened? I thought we were taking a shower?” Reaching for her forehead she rubbed the spot Leighseach touched, “Did I pass out or something?” The rune faded from sight, “Hey, what’s with that look on your face? It looks like you have seen a ghost or something? Is everything alright?” She asked pulling him down next to her. “So, we still going on that date?” She asked with an eager smile, “Keep your thoughts silent, I don’t want to know what you have planned!” Wrapping her arms around his shoulders she gently laid him down on the bed. Climbing on top of him she placed a gentle kiss on his lips, “You know what? I don’t feel my headache anymore! I think I finally have some control over this!” A wolfish grin tugged at her lips as she willed her body to grow ever so slightly, “Yes! It works!” Closing her eyes her body settled down and returned to its normal size.

“Don’t do that. God we just got you back to normal.” As Sophie frowned at his tone, he felt bad for snapping at her but with everything that Leighseach had told him, he was more than a little nervous about her abilities outpacing her body's ability to adapt. He didn’t want her tempting fate to much. If nothing else he would try to protect her that way, if only she would listen to him. Even with all her power he believed her to be fragile and he didn't want anything to happen to her. He also knew he should tell her what had happened but he also didn’t want to worry her. So instead he would just look like the jerk. “You can’t do that kind of stuff, we don’t have any idea what it’s doing to your body long term.” He sat her up and kissed her cheek “yeah I think we should get ready for that date. Put on something nice just not too nice I don’t have that kind of money.”

Pouting playfully she nodded, “Fiiiiine, I will leave well enough alone…” Getting up she made her way to the closet. “I will be out in a minute.” With a wink she vanished into the walkin closet and shut the door behind her. “Alrighty...what to wear…” She pondered flipping through the dresses she had. “Ohhh, I think he will like this.” With a smirk upon her lips she pulled out a beautiful black dress that reached to her knees. Quickly donning the dress she pulled out a pair of matching black converse, “Simple and elegant.” Looking at herself in the wall mirror she spun around, “Very pretty.” Running a comb through her hair she quickly straightened it out, “Alrighty James, you ready for this?” She called, her voice light and cheerful. “I think you will enjoy this!” Pushing open the door she came out to an empty room, “James? Where the hell are you?”

Making her way down the stairs she walked into the living room. “James? Why are you hiding? Don’t make me…” Emerging from a nearby closet James wrapped his arms around her; Sophie squeaked in surprise. “James! You scared me!” She said with a laugh before turning around to wrap her arms around him, “Heeey, you are looking good!”

The kiss James gave her was a good and solid one but one that also held reserve in it. He was being cautious and he knew it. He hope it wouldn’t show too much. “As always you look much better than me.” He took her by the hand and the two walked out of the apartment toward the parking deck where James’s motorcycle was parked. He had not taken a girl for a ride on his bike in a while but for whatever reason tonight felt like the right night. He meant to keep it a surprise but with Sophie one could never really tell about what she knew and what she didn’t but he had gotten better about putting things out of his head so that she would have to really look for them to see or hear or however her mind reading thing worked he wasn't sure how that really worked.
After a few minutes he and Sophie were standing in front of Harley Sportster. He handed her a helmet as he put his on his head. She frowned a little at having to mess up her hair but smiled quickly after James said “Even you’re not hard headed enough to ride without a helmet.” James climbed on first and helped Sophie on the back. She huddled in close to James with her breasts on his back he felt like a normal couple for the first time in their relationship. He cranked the bike easily and Sophie squealed a little as the bike roared to life and vibrated underneath them. James eased the couple out of the parking deck and onto the surface street before really taking off. He planned on taking her for a little ride before stopping for something to eat at a little steak house/barn on the outskirts of town. He turned the throttle up and the bike speed up. Faster and faster they went and the faster they went the tighter Sophie held on to James and the closer she got to him. It wasn’t until they were nearing their destination that James noticed something very different about the way Sophie was sitting behind him. She was still close but not as close, yet her breasts still pressed hard against his back. He took his eyes from the road for only a moment to look  behind him and he was that his beautiful girlfriend in her excitement had almost double her cup size. She had cleavage spilling out of the top of her now much lower cut dress. He nearly drove off the road. “I thought I said not to do that.” It was hard to be upset when she looked like that but he was scared for her. She kept using powers that she didn’t have a good grasp on. This whole thing was going to end in disaster.

A look of surprise crossed the young woman’s face, “I did not mean to James! I just got excited and well…” A blush painted her cheeks, “I accidentally read your mind and you seemed to enjoy them pressing against your back and stuff….” She continued to ramble on, “I guess my body just reacted.to it.” They continued to swell larger, ‘Stop it! I don’t want them this big…” The breasts froze in their expansion, “Look James I am sorry, I don’t want to ruin our date… I keep trying to tune your thoughts out but I am curious…” She muttered burying her face in his back as they receded a bit, “Just go… I will try and tame them…” Her body quivered slightly, “Don’t you start acting up either…” Keeping her thoughts to herself she held tightly onto James as they continued to make their way to the steak house.

A little while later she had her body under control, her breasts had receded to their normal, smaller size. The steakhouse appeared on the horizon, “Oh? Is this the place we are going to?” She asked curiously as they pulled up to it, “I have never been to this place  before. Is it any good?” Hopping off next to him and grabbing hold of his arm. The two then made their way into the restaurant, “It sure smells good in here.”

“Yeah it does smell good in here” he answered back almost in automatic. She was actively reading his thoughts, which meant she was still using her powers. James was beginning to understand that stopping whatever was happening to Sophie wasn’t going to work the way he had hoped. She was using powers now without even thinking about it. They were second nature to her now, so it seemed to be a lost cause. Still none of this meant that anything Liegseach said would come to pass or that any of it was true. Then he saw the look on her face. She had seen what he was thinking about. She knew what had happened when she had been passed out earlier. She took her arm from his and started to back away from him. The only words he could get out were “I’m sorry” before her eyes started glowing and veins pulsed on exposed parts of her body. He knew he was in trouble and his ability to help her or save her was over.

Sophie could not believe what she just read, supposedly one of the deities who helped her earlier had reappeared and James did not tell her. Fear flashed through his mind, he was afraid of her… afraid of what she was becoming. She had realized it earlier, but it did not sink in until that moment that she was in all definition not a human… well not anymore. It felt like she had been punched in the stomach, Her eyes began to glow a rich golden color, “I’m sorry..” She muttered as her veins began to glow silver. “I’m sorry James…” Sophie’s body began to quiver as the power began to build in her body, “I….I don’t know what to...to say….” The floor beneath her began to creak; pushing past James she quickly ran outside. Something was going to happen and she did not want it to happen inside the building.

Sophie began to run from the steakhouse, but ended up only making it about a hundred feet before she collapsed onto her knees. Tears began to pour from the young woman’s eyes as she broke down crying in the middle of the dirt road. Her eyes fell upon her glowing hands, “No wonder James is afraid….” She sniffed, “I am afraid of this…” More tears began to pour from her as she smacked the earth with her fists; the ground quaked from the hit.
“Seems you are in a bit of fit, lass.” A voice whispered softly in her ear; turning around Sophie laid eyes upon a tall, elderly man. The man was dressed sharply in a suit and cloak, a top hat was perched upon his mane of silver hair. His hand rested upon a silver serpentine cane, “Are you in pain?” He asked stepping up to her, Sophie nodded in response. “This world is just too cruel fer ye?” He asked resting a hand upon her shoulder; it was cold. “I can help you if you wish…” His one good eye glowed a soft violet.

‘Get your damn dirty gnarled up hands off of her you son of a bitch” James yelled at the Balor. Sophie had no idea who the bastard was or what he was offering. “I swear to God you lay a hand on her and you will be pulling my shoelaces out of your mouth. You don’t fucking believe me then just you fucking touch her.” James was walking slowing out of the restaurant he was all anger and fury. He understood now how Balor had gotten the last few special ones. He preyed on their moment of weakness. The weakness that Sophie was dealing with right now.

“Boy you are meddling in things you ought not be meddling in.” Balor waved the weak little mortal off and in doing so flung him across the parking lot without ever laying a hand on him. “You had your say boy but the girl says she wants the pain to end. This don’t concern you atall.”

James climbed to his feet. Outmatched he couldn’t help but wonder where the Phoenix, Leighseach was. She was supposed to be keeping an eye on this fucker. Balor placed his claw of a hand on Sophie’s shoulder near her neck and James saw red. “You really are a dumb one aren’t ya. I told you not to lay a hand on her, and now you see you went and did just what I told ya not to do. So I want you to remember that I made you a promise and if there is one thing I do it’s that I keep my promises.”

Balor laughed in the mortal man’s face “and yer going to stop me all by you little mortal self?”
“Buddy I am never really alone. You use to be a mortal man to Balor. Yeah that’s right I know all about you. I know you get by on stealing power from those who have it, but hoss you ain’t taking nothing from my girl not now not ever. I know one thing if you were ever a man then that means you can bleed and if you bleed then you can die.” James quickly drew and fired his old concealed firearm.  The weight felt good in his hand and the pull of the triger was soft and easy just like he had been taught all of his life. The bullet he fired entered the nasal cavity of the man who had been standing next to Sophie before he even had time to raise his hand. James had always believed that you never took a knife to a gunfight and while Balor had all kinds of power a .40 caliber bullet had all kinds of power to if not the magic kind. He rushed up to Sophie so as to get in between her and the body that was laying motionless on the ground. Then to make sure the bastard couldn’t call him a liar James proceeded to kick the living shit out of the body on the ground. When he was tired he stopped and began to walk away before turning back and delivering a savage kick to the mangled up face of the body on the ground. The face that James was pretty pretty sure was putting itself back together. “Sophie I get that you're hungry but I think we need to go because we have a lot to talk about and I’m pretty sure he’s going to get up before too long.. The two ran back to James bike and were riding off into the night when the bloodied man finally got up off the ground. He tried to speak but noticed something in his mouth. Putting his fingers in his mouth he pulled out shoelaces.

“Cocky little fucker…” Balor muttered dropping the laces to the ground, “Well looks like someone got what they deserved.” Leighseach said appearing behind the bloodied god, “Shite, not you too. I thought you lost my scent, woman.” He muttered spitting a wad of blood out as his body mended. “Did not expect the lad to have a gun on him…” Leighseach let out a laugh, “Seems your one good eye is beginning to fail ya.” She said glaring the man down, “Oi, can it you damned bird, I don’t need you cawing in my ears now.” The blood on his suit began to vanish into thin air, “Oh? What are you going to do about stopping me? Oh Balor the One-Eyed Serpent?” She asked taking a step closer as Balor adjusted his top hat, “You know we are equals, Leighseach the Phoenix. Neither one of us can truly stop the other…” He said resting his gaze upon the scarlet haired woman; a grin tugged on his lips. “What’s so funny?” Leighseach asked crossing her arms, Balor point first toward Leighseach then toward his own mending face “You and I, just how long have we been fighting this little war any way? How long must we continue to fight it?” Balor asked these questions as he circled his opposite finger out just lightly touching her face, “ Answer is too damn long, and yet during all those years you never realized one thing.” He said pulling out a pipe, “And what is that, Serpent?” She asked as she jerked away from his wandering finger.

Unphased Balor lit his pipe and took a slow drag from it, “You are just like me. These girls you keep trying to protect, those lives you have been trying to save are nothing but pawns in our little game.” Smoke began to coil in the air, “We may not be able to stop one another yet, but these last couple of pieces are key. With them I’ll finally be rid of you.” He mimed a pained face then grinned a sickening smile through still broken teeth. “You use them as well you know that right, just in a different way.” Balor said with a chuckle. “You’ve a lot of nerve comparing what I try to do for these young lasses to what you do to them. If I do anything it is that I keep them out of your hands!” She exclaimed furiously, sparks dancing through her hair. “Aye, ya give them the knowledge to protect themselves and delay the transformation… still you know what happens when that power grows to much for them? They transend their form and become beings of pure energy and light.” Looking up at Leighseach he blew a puff of smoke in her face, “Poof, and just like that they are gone. I have heard that is pretty damn painful.” He muttered standing up, “At least I release them from the pain.”

“Yes, ye do! Then ya end up taking the power for yerself!” Leighseach yelled closing the gap between the two. “And you don’t? Energy can’t just be wasted, we both know that” He spat at her feet, his one eye dancing with a sadistic glee. “I am not the only one who sucks up the little girls once they are gone, you do that as well.” A look of pure rage crossed Leighseach’s features, “To pass it on to the next, after you have destroyed them! There must always be another.” The sparks in her hair soon turned into flames, “Merely moving your pieces around, Leighseach. See that is where we differ…” His eye glew a soft violet, “I at least play on the gameboard, you hide yerself behind yer pawns…” He pushed by the flaming woman, “Next time think about putting yer own neck on the line instead of some fucking innocent girl.” His cane materialized in his hand, “Until next time, Phoenix.” And with that the old man was gone.

James and Sophie were screaming away from their failed dinner date on the loud motorcycle. Sophie had her arms wrapped so tightly around James as they sped off into the night that he was having trouble drawing a full breath. He didn’t dare tell her to loosen up. Her veins still glowed a soft silver. To James she looked a little bit like a glow worm but he would never tell her that out loud. James knew there was nowhere he could run with her. There was nowhere far enough away that Balor couldn’t reach her. Still Balor had to understand that we was not dealing with someone who would just willingly let her go either. After a while though of just having the roaring engine for sound Sophie put her mouth next to James ear and tried to talk. Once she saw that it he couldn’t really do that she tapped into his mind letting them speak without saying words. She understood it could only further push her towards whatever it was that was happening to her. “What was that…” She buried her face into James’s back, “Was that Balor? What did I almost do?” Tears began to pour down her still hot face and the tears burned as they slipped down her skin, “Oh God James what did I almost do?” James had no answers for her. As an answer he just twisted the throttle a little and tried to outrun what had happened miles behind them. “You don’t need to do the whole mind thing” was all he would say. The silence between them drew out as they neared the city limits and whatever lay ahead.