Paperdoll: Seven Faces

[imported_Taja Loraan]

I saw them all around today
They don't stop they won't go away
They love the darkness in my eyes
Help me find a way out when I'm lost within myself
Lost within myself... when I'm lost within myself

They show me everything I need
There's nothing wrong with a little greed
Never enough to satisfy
Such a driving desire that burns inside

My life came with its own scars
I don't need you to tell me about your sorrow
I can't say I've seen it all
But I live for the things that keep me hollow

Everyday I look into the mirror
Staring back I look less familiar
I've seen all seven faces
Each one looks a lot like me

They all look like me

***

Taja's fingers absently ran over the damp surface of the glass. Tiny rivulets of condensed water trickled down the mirror, unveiling the image that had so far been only a faint silhouette. The Dark Jedi's breath caught in her throat at the sight of her reflection: the ashen face of a young woman, also looking somewhat stunned, glared back at her. The girl had obviously been crying - the path of her tears had been marked in black over her cheeks.

But that smile, that horrible smile... her expression was lewd, and her pale lips twisted into a dark, wretched smirk. Taja canted her head to the side. The woman imitated her movements, her own crimson hair falling across her neck. Taunting. "I look into the mirror," Taja whispered to herself. The girl had heard, somehow, for she replied.

The whore is all I see.

Taja frowned. "Like you..."

...like me.

"I never want to be like me." Taja's voice grew louder. What was this girl trying to prove? She was a stranger, albeit a distantly familiar one. How dare she!

Now she spoke again, in that same, sardonic tone. Do you think I'm a whore?

That was it. With an outraged cry, Taja drove her clenched fist into the woman's face. The glass shattered, causing a ripple effect as a wave of energy washed over the scant bathroom, destroying its few contents. But still the voice persisted. I'm a whore. I'm a whore... whore... whore...

"The mirror lies!" she screamed. She ran out through the open door into her main chambers, and from there rushed into the corridor. Most others would perhaps be asleep at this hour, but there was one... one still awake. She was the one. Teeth gritted, Taja unleashed a telekinetic blast on the entrance to Jibrielle's room. The door easily gave way from its hinges but the force of the attack carried on further, slamming the unaware girl into the wall against which she had her back faced.

[Jibrielle Abunai]

Her eyelids were heavy as she struggled to concentrate on the pages of the book. "Bast Castle is an obscure, foreboding place located on the barren planet, Vjun. Acidic rains pour from the atmosphere ..." She already knew of all of this - she lived here ! Letting out a frustrated sigh, Jibrielle looked at the candle whose dim light was all she had. The flame flickered; yellow, orange and red mixed in together danced around merrily. Her Master, Hobgoblin, had taught her how to create and control her own fireballs not too long ago.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Suddenly, she stopped breathing, straining to hear the footsteps.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

They were coming closer now.

Pushing back the old chair she sat in, Jibrielle closed the book and set it on the desk. Who else would be up at this hour ? Most were sleeping in their beds. Turning around to face the door, she hesitated before taking a step forward.

The door flung open as a blast hit her, crashing her through the desk and into the wall. Immense pain shot through her body as she let out a yelp. The candle had died out leaving her in complete darkness.

"W-who .."

Each breath she took was like fire burning in her chest, threatening to break at any moment. It couldn't have been an intruder ... was it a member of the Black Hand ? But ... who ?

[imported_Taja Loraan]

Two bright crimson orbs glared down at Jibrielle from the doorway. Taja's pale skin, in contrast with her red hair, gave her an almost inhuman appearance in the darkness of the room. Her fists were clenched by her sides and her lips curled back in a snarl. "I am no more a whore than you!" she hissed.

Sellout, it whispered. Harlot. You sold your body. You betrayed your soul.

She strode over to where Jibrielle had fallen and wrapped her fingers around the girl's thin neck. The Dark Jedi's knuckles were bloodied from the broken glass and the shards still embedded in her palm cut into Jibrielle's skin. Taja's hand was numb as the glass drove deeper into her own flesh, but her touch felt velvety and light to the Apprentice.

Her tone softened. "You," she breathed, caressing Jibrielle's face with the feathery tips of her fingers, "you. You alone I trusted. You were the only one. You were always the one." Both hands were now on the girl's throat. The burning sensation in her chest escalated: her lungs were on fire and her trachea constricted from within, threatening to collapse.

Now you will steal hers.

[Jibrielle Abunai]

Taja. It was then as if the precious world she had molded for herself had shattered into pieces like the wood that laid scattered about the room. Her own eyes grew wider as she opened her mouth in an attempt to speak, but nothing but a strained groan came out.

Taja's beautiful face was contorted with an inner demon Jibrielle had never seen before, and the girl was almost petrified. The Dark Jedi had her fingers wrapped around her neck and the glass shards were cutting in easily through the soft skin, causing the girl to close her eyes. The other hand was caressing her face as Taja muttered, but then found its way to her neck. She was being strangled.

It felt as if her heart was going to explode in her ribcage as it beat furiously, causing the aching in her chest to escalate. Her throat hurt from the grip, and no matter how hard she tried, no sound could pass from her lips. Am I her ragdoll ? she thought. Yes. Just ... give ... in.

Blackness began to fill her world.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

Blood seeped through the cracks between her fingers, tightened around Jibrielle's neck, but it was impossible to tell whether it belonged to the Apprentice or Taja. The girl's eyes were closed as she was being choked. The Dark Jedi frowned, and brushed a strand of blue hair out of her eyes. "Look at me when I'm talking to you."

There was no response. You aren't going to let her ignore you like that, are you?

Her grip slackened then released altogether. "Say something, damnit!" Nothing. She backhanded Jibrielle viciously across the face and the girl's head rolled to the side, unrestrained as a marionette's. Still nothing. "Wake up," Taja whispered, grabbing her by the shoulders. "I said, wake up!!!" A feeling of intense cold washed over the Apprentice upon contact and her dulled senses were suddenly, and brutally, awakened.

[Jibrielle Abunai]

She felt as if her insides were being torn apart as she began to die. Her body was shutting down as the blood flow began to cease. And then ... she went unconscious - until her peace was rudely awakened.

Eyes blindly snapping open as she drew in a deep, raspy breath, Jibrielle coughed weakly afterwards. Her senses were quite alert and she was in slight shock, struggling to remember where she was. Her neck felt sore and raw from the strangling, and oddly enough, her face stung. My scars ...?

Reaching up with a trembling hand, she touched her face before making sense of what she was staring at. A strangled noise came out of her throat as she stared at Taja before suddenly thrashing wildly.

"G-get away from me ! Taja, stop ! Let me go !"

Her shrill voice pierced the woman's ears as she continued to struggle to get away.

"Monster !!"

[imported_Taja Loraan]

Her hold relaxed completely as soon as the Apprentice began her fierce onslaught. There was a feral rage in Jibrielle's eyes that she had never before seen, much less anticipated... and Taja admired it. The voice silenced itself, reveling in the pain inflicted through the struggling and making not the slightest attempt to resist. Monster, that was the word she used. Flattering.

"Aren't you the little sycophant," she said, laughing quietly to herself. When next Jibrielle's arm swung around with blind aim, Taja caught it abruptly with one hand and twisted it around, forcing the girl to lean backwards. She pressed her chest close against the Apprentice's torso, her breaths quickening and her face mere inches away. "I wonder if you've been tasted before..."

Taja's lips brushed along the girl's cheek, then covered Jibrielle's mouth, kissing her deeply and forcefully.

[Jibrielle Abunai]

Her eyes widened as she began to gag, feeling her stomach lurch. Unsuccessfully Jibrielle tried to get her one arm free before trying to squirm away. Taja's lips were wet and tasted salty to her, and the force that was was applied began to hurt her mouth. But it also created another feeling inside the Apprentice that she wasn't used to, a feeling that made her, well, nervous.

If she could think straight, it would've been wise to mentally call for Hob's help, but right now all her thoughts were a jumbled mess. Only primitive emotions controlled her now like an untamed beast.

"Mmph," were the only things that could come out of her as her chest heaved up and down, her heart threatening to burst.

[imported_Taja Loraan]

Slowly, reluctantly -- miserably, Taja drew away. Her eyes had once more begun to leak, the tears following the discrete trail left by its forerunners of only a few minutes earlier as she gently pulled forward the seized arm from behind Jibrielle, her hand sliding into the Apprentice's own. Their fingers intertwined and the Dark Jedi pressed the back of the girl's hand against her cheek. Her cold tears seeped through into Jibrielle's palm.

Taja closed her eyes. "Why won't you love me?"