[Mark Ward]

 Post all roleplays for this match here.
One RP per week

Good luck!

[Devona]

 10/08/2017
Brisbane Powerhouse - Brisbane, Australia

The evening had been talked about for weeks, culminating in a special edition of Climax Control where there would be no questions as to the legitimacy of anyone moving forward to challenge the reigning champions of Sin City Wrestling. Devona, who currently held the Bombshell division's own Internet Championship, sat on the bench inside of the joint Bombshell division's locker room, eyes closed and lips pursed, breathing in deeply so as to draw in a sense of calm. Easier said than done as all around her was the noise of her peers getting ready for their own matches while chatting away, idly gossiping about their careers, their own personal lives, or the world itself around them. It was a common misconception that everyone had their own private dressing rooms in SCW, or at least the majority did who viewed themselves above those they worked with. In truth, only the World Champions of both the men and women's divisions, both singles and tag team, had their own private quarters to get prepared. Everyone else had to share, and more often than not, learn to play nice.

Devona learned to live with that. She thought of herself as a fairly nice individual, warm and open but also brutally honest. Say what you will about how girls mature faster than boys and how men are much more aggressive, but to Devona? It's all bunk. In a competitive world like professional wrestling, she learned fast that there was very little support between the women when they were all clamoring with sharp claws and teeth to reach the very pinnacle of their chosen profession. Oh certainly there were friendships that developed over time and professional respect, but it was hard for anyone new to enter the locker room and expect to be welcomed with open arms.

Devona certainly wasn't. Almost from the very beginning, there were hushed whispers all around her; insinuations that she only got her foot in the door and made her way to where she was now because of "who she knew." And by who, she assumed that her detractors were referring to Gabriel and Odette Stevens, the husband/wife duo who not only trained her, but also played a major factor in getting her signed to SCW when many other applicants were turned aside. "Well, let them talk." Devona would think often to herself. After all, if they wanted to ignore what was in front of their face in favor of professional jealousy or malicious gossip, that was their right. Did Gabriel and Odette get her prepared for what was to come on the road ahead? You're damned right they did! Both held wrestling pedigrees in the sport, both having successful resumes a mile long. Gabriel was a former two-time World Heavyweight Champion, and along with his best friend Despayre, still holds the record to this day for the longest reign as World Tag Team Champions. And Odette? Her credentials were just as long as that of her husband, being a former World Champion in the singles ranks as well as three times with three separate partners in the tag team division. Add all that golden success with their respective non-title victories and successful feuds and rivalries and you'd be a fool not to answer their calls at the office with a supposed "fresh talent."

So yes. Gabriel and Odette did, in fact, get Devona's foot in the door. Their own successes as wrestlers and reputation as trainers (hello, Evie Baang anyone?) solidified Mark Ward and Christian Underwood's decision to offer the young woman from "N'Awlins" a contract. They also helped arrange her travel and where she would be staying during her stays out of Louisiana, but everything after that? Everything that happened once Devona left the dressing room and set foot inside of the ring? That was all on her. There was literally nothing the Stevenses could do for her once that bell rang to start the match until it rang once again to herald its end. They could prepare her and give her advice before, and either congratulate or console her afterwards, but Devona was on her own once staring across the ring at another woman who was only seeking to earn a living the same way as she. As it should be. Wrestlers with friends or managers who openly interfere in their matches to help them achieve victory, really have no business calling themselves wrestlers. Not if they can't win on their own.

And Devona has won on her own. Achieving wins over some of the top ranked women, not just SCW, but that the entire wrestling community, has to offer. SCW only employs the very best, and wins over the likes of Amy Marshall, Mercedes Vargas and Mikah herself, stated the obvious; that Devona knew what she was doing. And after tonight, there would be one more.

And now? Devona admits she has no real close friends in the Bombshell dressing room, at least not yet. She had come to appreciate the company of Amy Marshall and Jessie Salco when they hung out on the rare occasion, and being her training peers, the recent coming of Mackenzie Page and Charlotte Elliot of London Underground was a welcome addition. Samantha Marlowe also always found time to stop and chat, and she (and Ben Jordan and his Club) always invited her to sit with them during the pre-show buffets backstage. So while she might not have the sort of intimate friendships that she shared with her boys back home, it was a fine way to start.

Tonight, however, she had other things on her mind. For starters, she would soon be defending her Internet Championship against Valora Thomas, a woman who was as physically dangerous as any she had come across. A trained MMA fighter who shocked everyone by knocking out former World Champion and her own student peer, Evie Baang, in order to walk away the victor in a match. Devona herself has some training as far as kickboxing and muay thai, but this chick was simply beyond that. She was currently running through her mind her strategy and backup plan for Valora, or she was attempting to at least. Also at the back of her mind was the fact that currently outside in the arena, another match was taking place that had much to do with her. Or it would in a matter of weeks.

Amy Marshall was currently out in the ring, competing against another great, Crystal Millar Hilton, and the perhaps forgotten third member of the tandem known as the Fallen; Diamond. Why was she supposedly "forgotten?" Who knows? Ever since the Fallen firs5t arrived in SCW, it was all about Raynin and Gothika, two women who dominated both the tag team and singles scene. But the entire time they were doing so, the third member, Diamond herself, was looming in the background, watching and waiting for her own opportunity to arise. And it would seem, that time was nigh.

That being said and currently prevalent in her mindset, Devona stood up from the bench she was seated on in front of her designated locker area. She reached down for her purse and started for the door when one of her fellow Bombshells called out to her.

"Where are you headed?"

Devona paused as she had the door opened partially. She cast a look back to the one who addressed her and a handful of others had looked up.

Devona: Just going to get something to drink real fast.

Of course that wasn't true, at least not entirely. She indeed felt like raiding the wrestlers' stash of drinks for something other than water, but she had an ulterior motive for taking a breather from the dressing room. There wasn't a television monitor in there, but she knew of where there was. The recreation area backstage had one predominantly featured. She knew because she had competed in a little PS4 session with the leader of London Underground, Daniel J Morgan. Or she tried to, at least. She strongly suspected video games were not his cup of tea but he was a gentleman and indulged her whim when they arrived at the building. For now, however, as the show was in progress, there would be staff and wrestlers alike gathered loosely around the large, plasma screen to watch the proceedings. Some would be critiquing, others quietly observing. Devona, however, simply wanted a question answered so that she could clear her head and get back to focusing on her own task at hand; leaving this building with the Internet title still around her waist.

As she came up behind the sofa, she saw a handful of people gathered around it, watching closely at the proceedings while Amy Marshall, Diamond and Crystal Hilton all beat the holy hell out of one another to try and emerge victorious. Among the gathered stars and staff, one Ben Jordan aka the Cockney King, glanced up and his usual bright smile lit his face as he patted the vacant seat on the sofa to his left. Taking him up on the invite, Devona slid down into the spot beside him and while his eyes returned to the action, so did her own. Few words were said as a spoken rule during the matches as nobody wanted to detract from the work of their peers, and one might even need be studying what was going on for a future encounter.

The three women inside of the six-sided ring each apparently wanted the title shot against her in the worst way, because none let up in the slightest. It was only after Amy Marshall was neutralized that Diamond was able to strike with the Voodoo Rain finisher on Crystal to emerge not just the winner, but the number one challenger to Devona's championship.

As everyone watched Jacob Summers raise Diamond's arm on the large screen television, Devona could feel some eyes on her, perhaps wondering what her feelings were to her brand new challenger. Yet she was not going to indulge their idle curiosities -- at least, not quite yet. The main one not blatantly stealing a glance her way was the man beside her. However after a moment when she slowly started to stand, Ben cleared his throat and she turned to him as he looked up to her with those gorgeous baby blues.

Ben: Nervous?

Devona: Nervous? No. Surprised?

She contemplated this for only a brief moment before she yielded with a nod.

Devona: I can't lie. I wasn't expecting Diamond for the win, though I have to give the girl mad props. If I have to be honest, I was expecting Amy to walk away the winner. Maybe Crystal, if not her.

She bit her lower lip and smiled with a nod.

Devona: I wouldn't have minded a rematch against Amy. That chick beat the hell out of me in my debut. Welcome to SCW indeed!

Ben laughed audibly, and Devona glanced at the clock on the wall and rotated her shoulders.

Devona: As it stands, looks like it's my turn out there. I just needed to see who was next to help clear my mind. Wish me luck!

Ben: Always!

He winked and saluted her as the Bombshell Internet Champion turned and made for the gorilla position, ready to defend and retain her championship, so she could move on to who was next.



Devona was on a flight, the lights on the jet's First Class seating area turned down low as they flew through the night and early morning, en route to the chosen destination. While there was the quietest of chatter between only a scattering of passengers, that was lost on Devona who was leaned back in her seat with her legs stretched out as far as she could. Her head rested back on a soft pillow while her eyes remained closed. The road to becoming a wrestling star was a long and arduous one, and once you made it? It became even longer and harder to maintain that career momentum. So as she was advised numerous times by Gabriel and Odette, she grabbed sleep wherever she could get it.

Devona: That was then, of course, but we're in the here and now. And the here and now is on a jet, first class seat thanks to Gabriel and Odette, as I take a brief foray from the tour of Australia to head back home to New Orleans. I know. So many of the rest of my coworkers in SCW have remained on the tour for the entire duration, but as I explained to Gabriel, this was just something I had to do. Or if I am to be completely honest, something that I wanted to do. A bit of both, rather. I've been away from New Orleans and my family since the "Thunder From Down Under" tour first started. I need to see them again, in person. Five plus weeks is just too long to be away from one's loved ones. I don't ask for much, at least I don't think that I do. Maybe that's why Mark Ward agreed to let me make this journey home for the time being, rather than keep me confined to Australia. He also knew that as the Internet Champion, I had an interesting advantage to hype the shows from anywhere when I was abroad from their own chosen destinations.

After all, they don't call it the 'world wide web' for no good reason. The Internet Champion represents just that, and so they can and will be able to represent SCW from a much larger stage than most. It gives me goose bumps, if I'm to be completely honest. The sheer reach we have as Bombshells and Superstars! And I'd like to think that I've done my part in accordance to what I represent in the bosses eyes. I've granted my share of interviews on internet webcasts, never radio or television. Part of the burden I imagine of standing up for a championship such as the one I'm holding. And not just a championship, but SCW itself. I think we all know that Climax Control and the many Supercards that they promote are broadcast over the Internet on the SCW website. It's not just a sweet deal that gives fans easy access to everything we are, but if you think about it, it also allows us to reach out to an even broader and much larger fan base. Because, let's be honest. Not everyone has cable television or access to some of the channels wrestling is broadcast on. But few people don't have some form of internet access, and what does that mean?

They have access to us!

So here I am, on a flight back home for a visit before I turn around late next week and return to Melbourne for High Stakes VII. Diamond won't be no weak sister to go up against. I think she all but proved that when she came from out of nowhere to silence her critics and beat two top sistas in Crystal and Amy. Can't fault the girl for wanting to get ahead and doing something to achieve that goal. I just wish someone out there in the world would take a cue from Star Trek and invent one of those teleportation gizmos. Because these twenty two hour flights are killing me! Still, at least I have the comfort of knowing who will be there when I get home.



Beast: Didi!

She heard the affectionate nickname called out to her before she even saw him in the throng of people waiting for disembarking passengers in the Louis Armstrong International Airport. Which said a lot about the buzz of the passengers all around them, and the number of people greeting them, because Beast was full on heads above the rest -- literally! He was a giant of a man but the size of his body matched the size of his heart where friends and family, and well, anyone else was concerned. Devona thought of him as the world's biggest teddy bear. if you asked him little brother, Beauty called him the world's biggest Boy Scout.

The mere sight of Beast standing by the luggage carousel lit up her face with the brightest of smiles, immediately making her realize just how much she missed her boys and family while being away on tour. She broke into a light jog toward him, dropping her carry on and leaping into his arms for a welcome home hug! She wrapped her arms around his thick neck, and dangled over a foot off the ground as he returned the embrace with a single arm whole giving the woman he saw as a little sister a peck on the cheek. After a brief moment of reconciliation, Beast lowered her back to the floor.

Beast: God we missed you! It's great to see you!

Devona playfully drew a lock of hair from her shoulder to behind her ear and looked up at him with her chestnut brown eyes.

Devona: It is, isn't it?

Beast scoffed and playfully shook a finger in her direction.

Beast: Careful now Didi! You're beginning to sound like that brother of mine!

Devona rocked back on her heels playfully, placing a hand over her heart and gasping deeply.

Devona: How could you even say such a thing!? There are just some things that you don't say, even if it's in jest!

Beast chuckled, but had the good grace to back off a step with his hands held up in mock surrender. It was then that Devona looked around and saw that there was someone missing from the usual party that greeted her when she got home.

Devona: Speaking of, where is that brother of yours anyway? Didn't he want to come pick me up?

She then slowly turned her head to Beast and her eyebrows rose up.

Devona: or did you take him out to some lonely country road and pretend to ditch him again?

Beast chuckled before he caught himself.

Beast: Yeah, 'pretend.' No, actually he's off talking to some women, signing autographs.

Devona: Autographs? What for? You guys aren't fully trained wrestlers yet.

Beast: I know. I think that dumbass brother of mine is still trying to explain to the women who he is.

Beauty: Didi!

Devona: Well, speak of the devil...

Their heads turned and a smiling Beauty strutted up to his and Beast's mutual best friend/pseudo sister and gave her a big hug to welcome her home. Arrogant and brain dead as he was, Beauty still thought the world of 'his Devona' and did not shy from showing anyone just how much he appreciated her. It was only after the pair separated that Devona and Beast saw the tell-tale red print of an open hand on Beauty's cheek, a cheek that was swelling lightly even as they spoke.

Devona: What's up with that?

Devona pointed to his cheek but Beauty preferred to play dumb. (Go ahead and appreciate this inside joke. I can wait for the laughter to die down.) He shuffled his feet and stuffed his hands deeply into his jeans pockets, a monumental feat considering he usually wore them so tight they looked painted on!

Beauty: Nothing.

But Beast wasn't fooled. He knew his idiot brother well enough to read him like a book. (If he were a book, it'd be titled "Beauty For Dummies" Beast thought privately.) Beast smiled and shook his head.

Beast: One of those women slapped you, didn't they?

Beauty shared a look with Devona before he frowned at his brother.

Beauty: You don't know me!



New Orleans
The shotgun house, as they were called, located in Mid-City New Orleans, was not a big house by any stretch of the imagination. Then again, it didn't have to be. It was originally the simple but loved home to Devona's grandparents, and later, to Devona as well during her teenage years when the part of raising her fell to her beloved Grand-mère and Grand-père. And after her grandfather's passing, it became her Grandmother's house alone. It was only too recently that Devona had given up her own apartment while in training for a career as a professional wrestler and moved back home. Of course, doing so in order to keep her grandma company was a much anticipated added bonus. At the time, Grandma Victoria openly groused about sharing her house again, but secretly she had been delighted that her little girl had moved back home.

And despite the modest size of this house, it was often the place where one would find Devona's closest friends, accommodating Beast's massive stature and beauty's even more massive ego. And today, while the brothers were indeed there, one more body was present in the form of the woman who raised the often-quarreling brothers, known simply as Momma.

It had been Beauty's idea to throw Devona this little "welcome home" party, and the moment Beast had picked himself up off the floor -- the end result of fainting from his dipstick brother actually having a GOOD idea -- Beast immediately went to work planning it and getting everything ready. Beauty would have helped but he already did the hard part; thinking. I mean, thinking the idea up. Beast was the Harry Potter of the cooking world, despite appearances. After all, when they were kids and Momma was working, it often fell to Beast's responsible shoulders to fix his little brother lunch and dinner.

And boy did Beast ever come through with a feast for Didi, her Grandma, Beauty, Momma and himself! Of course there was Devona's favorite food, the staple of any Cajun cuisine, po'boy sandwiches. Then there was fried oysters and spicy seafood gumbo, and of course, bread pudding for dessert. Strangely enough, all Devona's absolute favorite foods. But then again, the party was for her, wasn't it?

The gathering was a merry one, as they sat around the table in the dining room, filling the time with conversation between family that did not have to be joined in blood. Devona had marveled that they had went through so much trouble for a little party on her behalf.

Beauty: It was no trouble at all!

Beast: Yeah, for you! I did all the work!

Even the quibbling between the two brothers was something Devona missed in person, despite the fact that while chatting on Skype while she was away, they indulged her almost every. Single. Time. And while indulging Momma and her own Grandma with a story about holding a koala while Down Under, Devona stifled a mighty yawn behind the back of her hand.

Devona: Oh my god! I'm sorry!

Momma: Don't worry about it sweetheart. I can't imagine it is too easy getting back into your own time zone and sleep schedule.

Devona: Jet lag doesn't help much either. Comes with a twenty one hour flight and a layover.

Beauty glanced up from his gumbo with wide eyes and asked casually.

Beauty: You met someone? -- OW!

He yelped, rubbing the back of his head and shooting his brother a dirty look.

Beast: Sorry. Bee.

Beauty just looked at his brother through one narrowed eye, silently critical on whether or not he believed what Beast's reasons for giving him yet another slap upside the head. Plus he thought all the bees were out of season during the Fall. Beauty brought a hand up and was THIS close to flipping Beast the bird, when Momma cleared her throat. Beauty turned to find all three women staring at him and he put on his best innocent expression while idly pretending to scratch behind his ear.

Beast ignored him and instead turned back to the conversation at hand.

Beast: Won't be any easier hopping back on a jet for another twenty one hour flight back to Melbourne for your title defense.

Momma: Then there's the flight back home.

Devona groaned audibly, and her Grandma rested her chin in the cup of her palm and shook her head.

Grandma Victoria: Remind me again why you're torturing yourself just to see us?

Beauty: Uh, hel-LO?

He said, motioning towards himself with both hand. Everyone else just rolled their eyes and chuckled, except for Beast. He just growled and shook his head.

Devona: Everyone was given the option of time off between the last show and the big one at the end of the tour. I just decided to extend it a bit longer on my part so the boys here and I could attend the ball.

She turned her attention to Momma and her face appeared eager, like a little girl's almost.

Devona: Speaking of, by any chance did you...?

Beast paused from taking a sip from her wine glass and gave Devona a simple nod, giving her practically adopted daughter a faux sigh of exasperation.

Momma: Yes, I got the tickets and invitations for the friends that you wanted to invite. I still can't believe you went through all this trouble, just for an event like this.

Devona: Well I love Halloween, and besides, it's one of the biggest events for the holiday in all of N'Awlins. We have to go, and I want to invite a few from SCW to go with us.

Momma: Well count me out. I never was much for this ridiculous holiday, other than giving candy to the kids in our neighborhood. I'll be just as happy sitting back and watching an old movie than getting dressed up with a bunch if strangers.

Grandma Victoria nodded in agreement.

Grandma Victoria: Me as well.

Beauty frowned in concentration as his elbow was propped up on the edge of the dining room table, and his chin was in his hand.

Beauty: I wonder where I can get that much body glitter at this time of year?

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances with one another before Beast barked again at his brother and his lack of common sense.

Beast: How many times do I have to TELL you!? It's not THAT kind of vampire!



Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1

It was midday in New Orleans, just past the hour of four and the weather could not be any finer; with barely a cloud overhead and clear, blue skies and a  temperature that was quite pleasant for this time of year. Lower eighties but with a slight breeze that felt cool and pleasant against the skin. Perfect for touring perhaps the most famous of cemeteries in the Big Easy. Famous for one reason, and one reason alone. A name, a single name synonymous with both the city as well as a certain faith. Mostly constructed during the 18th and 19th centuries, the vast majority of the graves here were above-ground vaults, but it was a single one that drew tourists here from clear across the world, and it was also the reason why the city's resident Devona was walking along the cobbled paths, taking part in a guided tour.

Devona: It's a shame, you know. There was a point in time in the history of this place where tourists and citizens could come in to walk these paths and pay their respects without restrictions. Sad to say though that it is no longer the case. And why? One word; vandalism. The place where I am headed here, it had been vandalized numerous times. One time the crypt I'm speaking of was actually painted pink by some hoodlums. Pink! Then there was another time where a group of drunks actually attempted to break into the vault in question and steal the remains of one of my city's most famous historical figures.

Devona shook her head with a frown.

Devona: I just don't get it. Someone always has to end up spoiling things for everyone. This tour? It was the only way that I could get inside of the gates legally to talk about what I needed to for what's coming my way. And I'm speaking, of course, about Diamond. You see, Diamond here has me at a bit of a disadvantage. It's like I was stating earlier; ever since their incarnation first manifested in SCW, the Fallen has almost always been about Raynin and Gothika. Diamond made her appearances, but the ones inside of the six-sided ring? They were few and far between. Virtually nonexistent. Raynin and Gothika dominated the scene in the earliest of days in the Bombshell division. They both held the World singles title, and a record setting three reigns as the World Tag Team Champions. Hell, if Charlotte and Mackenzie aren't careful, the Fallen may end up breaking their own record with a fourth reign.

Devona smiled.

Devona: But I have confidence in London Underground. I don't see them letting go of their titles quite yet, just like I am not ready to give up the hold on my own. But again, the advantage is in Diamond's court as far as knowing and not knowing what to expect. When the woman decided to prove herself and take that step from out of the shadows of Raynin and Gothika, she did so by making as much noise as possible! I don't think anybody expected her to walk away from Amy and Crystal and get this title opportunity, but damned if she didn't do it, and damned if she doesn't have a shot at me at High Stakes VII! And now that she has, I can only look back and wonder how anyone could have expected anything less, including myself. After all, she is a member of perhaps one of the most successful teams in SCW history. If she's a member of the Fallen, that speaks for itself in VOLUMES. You wouldn't be at the side of Gothika and Raynin if you weren't one of the very best, and now that it's out in the open? I have to admit; I'm feeling excited over what she's going to bring to the table when we're in the ring together.

The tour group paused at a crypt that was the final resting place of wealthy pioneer of the sugar industry and the first mayor of New Orleans, Etienne de Boré. While the guide read off from memory a script he had spoken so many times over the years, he had lost count, Devona bided her time while awaiting the reason for her visit.

Devona: Diamond stated that she was lost to the memory of the fans and the SCW Universe alike, perhaps forgotten to the masses in what she was capable of inside of the ring.

Devona shrugged.

Devona: I hadn't forgotten her, but I also know that I know little about her save for what I've seen in the odd promotional material here and there that she took part in. I also seem to recall she took part in the second ever Blast From the Past tournament. And like she did two weeks ago in Brisbane, she proved herself well in that event as well. She may not have won the entire grand prize overall, but she showed she was more than capable of handling herself in unique situations inside of the ring. Singles, mixed tag -- the chic has done it all and proven herself successful. So it comes as no real surprise that she has risen above the rest of the women who want a shot at the Internet title, to claim one for herself. But wanting a title shot, and then following through and winning it...

Devona held up two fingers.

Devona: Two very different things.

The tour proceeded to move on and Devona continued.

Devona: The disadvantage I spoke of is just the simple fact that Diamond has more to go on if she chooses to look me up and study me from a singles perspective. I have some of her matches to go on, just not quite as much. But I learned a long time ago that sometimes in life you have to adapt to the situation at hand. Even Gabriel and Odette drilled that into me from the first day I set foot in their gym. Anything unexpected can happen in this business to throw you off your game. Anything! The key to success is to adapt and make the most out of that situation, and take advantage of any opening that life -- or your opponent -- happens to throw your way. And there was one juicy thing that Diamond threw me way. Something that I couldn't help but grab hold of and hold onto, from the moment I heard it with my own two ears.

Devona turned her head to look into the camera.

Devona: I'm talking about the times that Diamond referred to herself as the Voodoo Queen.

Devona then started to walk again and smiled, scoffing behind pursed lips.

Devona: Stating your history is from New Orleans, and calling herself the Voodoo Queen? That's bad enough, but taking the surname of Laveaux just compounds the issue. Because you see, I can't help but feel with no small sense of pride, that in this city, there is and was only one Voodoo Queen, and I am speaking of course about the famed Marie Laveau.

Devona gives the camera a scathing look.

Devona: Marie Laveau. You know that name, don't you? I would imagine so, considering you are sharing the same name. Or, I should state the obvious, you're attempting to. Not to downsize any fantasies you might have about being descended from this brave, strong woman, but anyone from this city knows that the proper spelling of her surname is Laveau, not Laveaux. An oversight on your part I suppose, but an understandable one. There was much controversy surrounding Marie over the past century plus; including her surname and her final resting place.

The group then finally comes to a stop before a single crypt, above ground and bearing the name of Glapion, the surname of Marie Laveau's husband's family. There had been a time when tourists from as far away as Europe to Washington state would come to this crypt for the sole purpose of drawing a cross on its exterior, and entreating the spirit of the Voodoo Queen for a wish to be granted. Now, after the family crypt had been restored to its early beauty, the city of New Orleans carried a heavy fine for anyone who dared to try and write on her grave. Such was the respect for this woman.

Devona: Some scholars disputed this as being Marie's final resting place, but overall it is agreed this is where she now rests. Marie herself was an outstanding person, and carried herself as strong, prideful and yes, willful. She was a free woman of color in a time of slavery, and she walked the streets of New Orleans as if she owned them. And given how many famous politicians and upper class society matrons she had in her back pocket, she might as well have! But it was her religion that carried her name through time. Thousands of people would come to watch her perform her sacred rights. Powerful merchants and business men, white businessmen, would seek her advice and her counsel before they risked a business decision or venture. And considering this was a dark time in the slave times, that is speaking volumes on just how respected and revered this woman was, and is to this day! And I can't help but wonder at your taking of this name, as if you were trying to claim her legacy for your own.

Devona shook her head with an obvious frown.

Devona: Perhaps there is miscommunication or a misunderstanding. Considering Marie's daughter, also named Marie, was a Voodoo priestess, it wouldn't be the first time. But each and every time I look to you and yours and the things you surround yourself with, I feel as if I'm watching an episode of Supernatural. As the most powerful Voodoo Queen in New Orleans, Marie performed sacred rites and rituals. She gave gris-gris bags, charms and amulets, cast spells and crafted powders and elixirs to heal and to charm. To draw love or to harm an enemy. She. Was. Beautiful. As a fellow woman of color, I can say I may not practice Voodoo, but I sure as hell respect the one and true Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau, for all she accomplished in life. She allowed no one to walk all over her. Voodoo is a sacred religion, one much steeped in history the world over. It's not Supernatural or Harry Potter, and it sure as hell isn't American Horror Story. For Marie and the men and women who practice it to this day, it is a way of life.

If that's what it is for you, Diamond, then I can't help but applaud you for living your life how you choose, be damned your naysayers. But if you are inferring that you are descended from the line of Laveau....

Devona shook her head.

Devona: Then shame on you. That I will not accept. But time enough for that I suppose. We have enough on our plate, you and I, with what's mine the only thing between us. The Internet Championship. Surprised as I may have been, I applaud your win, and your coming from behind to prove yourself and earn a championship match. But girl? My championship isn't going anywhere. I have no doubt in my mind that you and I are going to have the match of the night and show the fans and our peers just what we're capable of. But I learned when I entered this business that if you wanted to be a successful wrestler and a champion, you not only had to be able to dish out the punishment but you had better be able to take it! I fought some tough competition since I signed on the dotted line, and I fought back!

Devona held up a hand and counted off on her fingers.

Devona: Amy Marshall. Veronica Taylor. The current World Champion Mercedes Vargas. Valora Thomas. And, last but certainly not least, Mikah. The very woman I took the Internet Championship from in the first place. I wasn't going to let Mikah end my dream before it really started, and I'm not going to let you do so either, Diamond.

Marie Laveau's part of the tour was the final part, and the tour guide started to escort the group from the crypt and down the path that would lead to the exit of the cemetery.

Devona: This dream of mine? It's just getting started. I'm not about to give it up by losing the Internet title so soon. So bring everything you got, girl. When we lock it up, I am going to apply the pressure to you. I am going to put the heat on you. And do you know what happens when enough pressure and heat is applied to a diamond?

As Devona approached the exit, she cast a glance back over her shoulder and winked.

Devona: I'm going to prove to you, that despite all evidence to the contrary, diamonds are most definitely not forever.

[Raynin]

   
</iframe>


>
"For a star to be born, there is one thing that must happen:  
A gaseous nebula must collapse.

So collapse.  Crumble.  This is not your destruction...
This is your birth."  
 

The words of N.T.


From the Journal of The VooDoo Angel, Diamond...

10-19-17

Cher Journal, { Dear Diary, }

Je suis tellement excitée, et je ne peux pas le cacher !! Je suis sur le point de perdre le contrôle et je pense que je l'aime !! Oui, je sais que c'est une chanson, mais qu'allez-vous faire? C'est juste la meilleure façon d'exprimer ce que je ressens. Je suis sur le nuage neuf !! Je n'arrive pas à croire que j'ai pu revenir comme je l'ai fait. Et pour moi, avoir une chance, c'est un rêve devenu réalité! Pour moi d'être allé là-bas et sorti deux autres Bombshells pour devenir le Numéro Un des Compétiteurs pour le Championnat Internet! Et j'ai maintenant ma chance de prouver que ça devait être! Que je suis censé être le Champion d'Internet!

{ I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it!!  I'm about to lose control and I think I like it!!  Yeah, I know that is a song, but what are you going to do?  It's just the best way to express the way that I feel.   I'm on cloud nine!!  I can't believe that I actually was able to come back the way that I did.  And for me to get the chance that I've gotten, it's a dream come true!  For me to have gone out there and taken out two other Bombshells to become the Number One Contender for the Internet Championship!  And I now have my shot to prove that it was meant to be!  That I'm meant to be the Internet Champion! }

Mais tout le monde pense que ma victoire initiale était juste un coup de chance. Ils pensent que je suis un faux et une fraude. Mais à la fin ... Ils connaîtront et comprendront la vérité. Je suis plus que juste un manager qui ne peut pas le couper dans le ring. Enfer, je l'ai juste pris à deux anciens Champions Bombshell comme ils ont volé quelque chose. En fait, Crystal était Champion Bombshell il y a seulement quelques mois. Et je l'ai sortie après avoir été hors du ring pendant près de quatre ans. Alors qu'est-ce que cela dit à tout le monde? Que DEVRAIT dire à tout le monde? Je suppose que cela devrait dire à tout le monde que je suis plus que ce qui me vient à l'esprit. OH MON DIEU ... est-ce que je viens de citer les Transformers? Je suppose que je l'ai fait. Ha!!

{ But everyone is thinking that my original win was just a fluke.  They think that I'm a fake and a fraud.  But in the end...  They will all come to know and understand the truth.  I'm more than just some manager who can't cut it in the ring.  Hell, I just took it to a couple of former Bombshell Champions like they stole something.  In fact, Crystal was Bombshell Champion only a few months ago.  And I took her out after being out of the ring for almost four years.  So what does that tell everyone?  What SHOULD that tell everyone?  I guess it should tell everyone that I'm more than meets the eye.  OH MY GOD... did I just quote the Transformers?  I guess I did.  Ha!! }

Peu importe ce que tout le monde pense, je suis tellement content que mes amis aient encore confiance en moi. Ils auront toujours mon dos. Mais alors, ils sont plus que de simples amis. Ils sont la famille. Et chaque fois que je regarde au bord du ring et que je les vois m'encourager, ça me donne envie de travailler beaucoup plus dur dans le ring. Je ne me bats pas seulement pour mon honneur, mais pour le leur aussi. En tant que leur gestionnaire, j'ai vu à quel point leurs pertes ont des conséquences néfastes sur eux. Et je veux faire savoir au monde que les Anges des Déchus ne sont pas seulement de la chair à canon. Nous sommes une force avec laquelle il faut compter! Nous nous sommes battus depuis notre arrivée dans cette entreprise et nous continuerons à nous battre. Peu importe ce que! Nous sommes fidèles et nous soutenons cette compagnie et nos fans. C'est l'une des raisons pour lesquelles on m'a donné ce cliché, et je ne vais pas le laisser passer.

{ Regardless of what everyone thinks, I'm just so glad that my friends still have faith in me.  They will always have my back.  But then, they're more than just friends.  They're family.  And every time I look out to the ringside and I see them cheering me on, it makes me want to work that much harder in the ring.  I'm not just fighting for my own honor, but for theirs as well.  Being their manager, I've seen how much of a toll their losses are having on them.  And I want to let the world know that the Angels of the Fallen aren't just cannon fodder.  We're a force to be reckoned with!  We've fought hard since coming into this company, and we will continue to fight.  No matter what!  We're loyal and we stand by this company and our fans.  It's one of the reasons why I was given this shot, and I'm not about to let it pass me by. }

Mon adversaire est plutôt nouveau dans l'entreprise et elle est forte. J'ai gardé son œil sur sa montée à travers les rangs, et je dois admettre ... Elle est bonne. Mais il y a une chose qu'elle n'est plus. Elle n'a pas vraiment faim. J'ai constaté que ce sont les gens qui se battent pour quelque chose qu'ils veulent vraiment qui ont tendance à réussir. Mais Devona semble être devenu complaisant. Elle a eu un avant-goût de ce que signifie être au sommet de la montagne, et je pense personnellement qu'elle s'est vraiment arrêtée. Je sais ce que c'est. Cela m'est arrivé dans le passé dans d'autres entreprises. Mais je suis hors de combat depuis si longtemps, ma faim d'aller au sommet et d'y rester est forte. C'est plus fort que tout ce que n'importe qui peut jeter mon chemin! Je suis comme un homme moribond qui a plus à faire avec sa vie, s'accrochant à ces derniers moments, suppliant et plaignant avec qui que ce soit pour plus de temps. Il ne sortira pas facilement. Il va gratter et griffer et sortir balancer. C'est moi. Je dois me prouver comme personne d'autre.

{ My opponent is pretty new to the company, and she's strong.  I've kept my eye on her rise through the ranks, and I have to admit...  She's good.  But there's one thing she's not anymore.  She's not truly hungry.  I've found that it's the people who are fighting for something they truly want that tend to succeed.  But Devona seems to have become complacent.  She's gotten a taste of what it means to be at the top of the mountain, and I personally think she's stopped truly trying.  I know what that's like.  It's happened to me in the past in other companies.  But I've been out of action for so long, my hunger to get to the top and stay there is strong.  It's stronger than anything that anyone can throw my way!  I'm like a dying man who has more to do with his life, clinging to those last moments, begging and pleading with anyone that they can for more time.  He won't go out easily.  He'll scratch and claw and go out swinging.   That's me.  I've got to prove myself out there like no one else. }

Mais mes amis me préparent à quoi m'attendre. Ils savent et comprennent à quel point je veux gagner. La chance de tenir mon premier championnat de singles ... Oh, comme c'est mignon! Et je sais que je vais sortir de cette arène en tant que nouveau Champion Internet Bombshell. Je l'ai vu!! C'est mon destin! Et il n'y a pas de destin qui s'échappe.

{ But my friends are preparing me for what to expect.  They know and understand just how much I want to win.  The chance to hold my first Singles Championship...  Oh, how sweet it's been!  And I know that I'm going to walk out of that arena as the newest Bombshell Internet Champion.  I've seen it!!  It's my destiny!  And there's no escaping destiny. }

Au Revoir!!  (See you again soon!!)

Diamond

**********
Time: Monday, October 15, 2017...  5:30 PM
Place: Brisbane, Austrailia… Location: MacArthur Central Shopping Center...  The Costume Shop
**********

The Angels of the Fallen have had a lot of fun looking for costumes for a Halloween Party that they've been invited to.  Especially Diamond, as she's gotten to see her fiancée Jeremiah in a whole new light.  So far, she thinks she likes his Thunder from Down Under look the best, but that's one that she's going to reserve for a private showing.

Right now, she's dressed like as the dancer from Jabba the Hut's court, minus the body paint.  But she knew that she'd be able to pull it off if she wanted to.  After all, blue IS her favorite color.  And she could shake it much better than that dancer could.  But she'd already made her mind up on what she would be, so if she did get this outfit, it would probably just be for a little bit of role play fun with Jeremiah.  She walks out of the dressing room, and sees Jeremiah standing there, dressed like Luke Sky Walker, complete with light saber and grins.

Diamond:  "Ohhh, don't you look sexy.  Am I the droid you were looking for?"

She poses with her hands behind her head and bats her eyelashes at Jeremiah who grins and comes over, kissing her softly.

Jeremiah:  "Always my jewel.  You know that.  And damn baby...  You look so fucking good in that outfit!   I think you should go with that."

Diamond chuckles and shakes her head.

Diamond:  "Oh no baby.  You know what I'm going as."

Jeremiah frowns and shakes his head.

Jeremiah:  "I do?  Well that's news to me.  If you already have your outfit picked out, why are you still trying on stuff?  Just go and buy it?"

Just then, Gothika steps out of the dressing room, dressed like a pirate in a pair of skin tight leather pants, thigh high calf skinned leather boots, with a ruffled peasants blouse on and a blood red velvet corset and a matching bolero jacket.  She's pulling on a pair of leather gloves and smooths her hands over the corset with a sigh.

Gothika:  "Well, I'm guessing I know what the outfit is that she's going to wear, and it's not in this store.  It's probably already packed in her suitcase.  Am I right?"

Diamond shrugs and looks petulantly at her friend.

Diamond:  "Maybe."

Jeremiah frowns and looks from one of them to the other, scratching his head.

Jeremiah:  "Um, am I missing something?"

Diamond frowns and clucks her tongue at her friend.

Diamond:  "You know you talk too much sometimes, Mia."

Gothika shrugs and straightens her boot.

Gothika:  "I'm just speaking the truth.  You need to tell him."

Jeremiah looks from Gothika to Diamond, his frown deepening.

Jeremiah:  "Tell me what?"

Diamond shakes her head and pouts.

Diamond:  "It's nothing. I don't want to talk about it."

Diamond steps into the dressing room and pulls the curtain shut quickly as Dmitri steps out of another dressing room.  He's dressed as Steven Q. Urkel, complete with saddle shoes, suspenders, lab coat and glasses.  He has a pair of goggles on the top of his head, and he's wearing a pair of long black rubber gloves.  He frowns at Gothika and looks down at himself.

Dmitri:  "Um, is this how this is supposed to look?  You know I'm not used to all of this."

Jeremiah takes one look at Dmitri and chuckles.  

Jeremiah:  "Oh my God!  Please, please PLEASE say, 'Did I do that?'… Just once... for me."

Dmitri looks at Jeremiah confused.

Dmirti:  "Did I do that?"

Jeremiah bursts out in raucous laughter, holding his stomach until he hears a growl and sees the look on Dmitri's face.   Jeremiah coughs, clearing his throat and tugs at the collar of his shirt a bit.

Dmitri:  "I do not like being made fun of."

Gothika comes over and kisses Dmitri softly.

Gothika:  "Don't worry my love.  You look amazing.  That outfit is totally thorough.  You'd win best humorous costume for sure."

Dmitri shakes his head and frowns again.

Dmitri:  "But I don't want humorous.  I want intimidating.  I thought this was like a mad scientist's outfit or something.  I think I need to choose again."

Gothika nods and Dmitri goes back into the dressing room as Jeremiah grabs her arm and pulls her to the side.

Jeremiah:  "Damia, you've got to tell me what's going on with this costume thing.  What's it all about?"

Gothika is about to speak, but Diamond steps out of the dressing room and points at her friend.

Diamond:  "Don't you do it Mia!!"

Gothika throws up her hands in the air and shakes her head.

Gothika:  "But he needs to know!!  You've kept it from him for too long!  You guys are engaged for pete's sake!!"

Diamond nods and sighs heavily.

Diamond:  "I know.  I know.  And I'll tell him.  But not here.  It's just too much to talk about right now."

Gothika takes a deep breath and straightens the outfit, flipping her hair around a bit.

Gothika:  "Good.  It's about damned time too.  Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to change back into my normal clothes and go buy this, then go help Dmitri find something for himself."

Just then, Raynin steps out of the dressing room all clothed.  In her hands, she's holding what looks like a couple of strings.  Gothika frowns at her and looks in the dressing room.

Gothika:  "Um... Ray Ray, where's your costume?"

Raynin holds up her hand and nods towards it.

Raynin:  "This is it."

Diamond frowns and looks in the dressing room again.

Diamond:  "Uh huh, I see, I see.  But where's the rest of it?"

Raynin reaches back in the dressing room and pulls out a pair of ears with a single horn on it and puts it on her head, then holds out a belt with a horse's tail on it and puts it around her waist.  She then holds up the strings and reveals a rainbow bikini which is so tiny, it would leave very little to the imagination.  She grins and wiggles her hips, making the tail swish back and forth.

Raynin:  "See... sexy unicorn.  So when someone asks, I can say "oh, me so horny', and it'll be true.  I've had to order the boots and gloves with hooves, but they'll be shipped to Zatanya's mother's house in a couple of days, so I'm all good."

Raynin strolls off to the counter to make her purchase as Jeremiah's jaw is dropped to the ground, and he shakes his head in confusion.  He then turns back to Diamond and nods slowly.

Jeremiah:  "Ooookkaaayyy...  Morganna, I'll be talking to you about your own outfit soon.  First, I need my brain to process what I just saw."

Diamond chuckles and lifts an eyebrow at her fiancée.

Diamond:  "Oh, that outfit Raynin's picked out's not too bad.  You should have seen some of the things I used to wear.  But then, maybe I can show you some of them when we get back to Vegas.  But first, let's see if we can't pick our costumes."

Diamond winks at Jeremiah and blows him a kiss before they both head back into the racks to keep looking for their costumes.  The scene fades out.

<hr size=1 color=cornflowerblue>

</iframe>
**********
Time: October 19, 2017... 11:58 AM
Place: Melbourne, Australia… Location: Crown Towers Melbourne Hotel...  Diamond and Jeremiah's room…
**********

The scene is one of leisure and to the untrained eye, everything looks perfect.  The hotel room is immaculate and luxurious.  The bed's been perfectly turned down, and there are chocolates on the pillows.  In the sitting room, the television is lazily droning on some random soccer match, and all of a sudden, you hear the announcer scream, "GGGGOOOOOOOOOOOAAAALLLLLLL!!!"  At that point, Diamond comes storming out of the bathroom with her arms crossed and Jeremiah is right behind her.  He's quite upset, and he grabs her arm and spins her around gently.

Jermiah:  "Don't walk away from me, Morganna!!  You promised, and I'm holding you to that promise!!"

Diamond shakes her head and tears are flowing down her cheeks.

Diamond: "But I already promised you that I wouldn't wear it!  I'm going as something else!  Why do you have to know so badly?!!"

Jeremiah pulls her into his arms and strokes Diamond's back.

Jeremiah: "Because, this is obviously something important to you, but you've kept it from me.  What is this outfit and why is it such a secret?"

Diamond sniffs and shakes her head.

Diamond:  "It's not that it's a secret.  You've seen me in the outfit before."

Jeremiah frowns and scratches his head.

Jeremiah:  "I have?"

Diamond nods and sniffs, wiping her eyes.

Diamond:  "Yes, it's the harlequin outfit."

Jeremiah nods and frowns.

Jeremiah:  "Yeah, you used to wear it all of the time.  But why would Gothika think that I need to know about it?"

Diamond sighs and sits down on the bed.

Diamond:  "Because of what it represents."

Jeremiah sits beside her and kisses away her tears.

Jeremiah:  "Whatever it is, it can't be that bad."

Diamond shakes her head and rubs her arms softly before she lowers her head, trying to hide her face behind her hair.

Diamond:  "It's bad.  Which is why I'm worried about you finding out about it.  I don't want you to think any less of me."

Jeremiah pulls her into his arms and holds her tightly.

Jeremiah:  "You know I would never think less of you."

Diamond sighs and sniffs.  She pulls herself gently from his arms and wipes her eyes.

Diamond:  "Ok.  I'll tell you all of it."

She stands and walks over to her bag and pulls out two small stoppered vials.  She holds them up, looking at them for a moment.

Diamond:  "Now, you know I've always been attracted to the bad boys.  Well, there's a reason for that.  And the harlequin outfit is a part of it.  I guess you could say it represents a side of me that I have kept repressed for a very long time.  And when I need to let it out, that's when I put on the harlequin outfit."

She comes and sits beside Jeremiah and swallows heavily, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

Diamond: "See, I wasn't just into a bad boy...  When I say I liked them bad, I meant... like psychotic bad.  And it all started because I met a boy as a kid who helped me.  Meeting him changed my life, and sent me along a spiral into insanity, and thrust me into, I guess you could call it a love triangle... or square really because it involved two men and another girl...  Maybe a love quadrilateral describes it more clearly.  I really don't know.  All I know is, I was put on a path that I couldn’t escape no matter how I tried.  It was like I was meant to be driven insane.  Because with my family, looking back at it all, it was a road I was destined to walk."

Jeremiah sighs and shakes his head.

Jeremiah:  "You can't mean that.  No one is meant to be crazy."

Diamond chuckles and shakes her head.

Diamond:  "Oh yeah?  Tell that to Raynin.  Sometimes I think that our lives were written out in the stars and we were meant to suffer.  But only because it's been written that what we suffer would make us stronger.  I mean, look at what we put our bodies through daily just for wrestling.  All of that is just as much of a preparation for suffering as anything else we go through.  But we do it because it's what we're meant to do!  We don't walk away from the hard shit because we know that we're going to come out on top in the end."

She runs her fingers through her hair and clasps her hands together in her lap as she tries to settle down her emotions.  She licks her lips before she speaks.

Diamond:  "The worst part of it all is that a lot of what happened to me in my childhood was stolen from me, and I didn't know about it until I was much older."

Jeremiah frowns and strokes her shoulder gently.

Jeremiah:  "What do you mean it was stolen from you?  What happened?"

Diamond looks down at the vials in her hand and holds it up with a rueful smirk.

Diamond: "It's so much that talking about it doesn't convey everything.  I think it's best if I show you.  This will let you into my memories so you can see things as they transpired for me.  Though a lot of what I learned was in a flashback or magic induced dream state too.  So, this is kind of like an Inception situation.  You know, a dream within a dream?  Some of it is a flashback within a dream within a dream, so, yeah.  It even confuses me sometimes.  But then, all I ask is for you to be understanding and patient."

She hands Jeremiah one of the vials of the potion she's finished, and nods towards it with a soft sigh.

Diamond:  "So, are you sure you want to know?  If you want to back out, I'd understand.  It's a lot, and it's intense.  Hell, I lived through it and the thought of just remembering it all gives me the chills."

Jeremiah reaches out and strokes Diamond's cheek gently, nodding slowly.

Jeremiah:  "I think that it's needed.  Knowing more about what you've been through will help us to become closer.   I mean, I've opened up to you, but there's a lot of you which you keep hid from me.  And I don't like being kept in the dark about things.  And I've been patient.  I've given you time to try to come to grips with telling me.  And now is the time.  We're engaged for pete's sake.  There should be no secrets between us."

She chuckles and shakes her head.

Diamond:  "Now you know that there has to be secrets between us.  You had black ops you took part in when you were on active duty, and I have secrets to protect not just you but the entire world from a plane of existence that very few ever have the pleasure of learning about."

Jeremiah leans over and kisses her softly, stroking her hair gently.

Jeremiah:  "Now you know that's different.   I know it can't be that bad really."

She hangs her head and lets her hair hide her face again.

Diamond:  "I wasn't the same person back then.  I let myself get mixed up with someone who... Well... Let's just say he wasn't the best for me.  I was in a company called Mid-West Championship Wrestling, where I met back up with the boy once more, and he was... well, crazy doesn't quite describe him.  He was abusive.  Both mentally and physically abusive.  But I stayed with him because I thought I loved him.  I thought that I could help him... Change him... make him not so...  Well, so much like him.  But even with the cuts, the bruises, I thought that I was something special to him.  But I was a fool.  I thought he was at least my friend, but in the end, I found out that he wasn't even that."

She puts her face in her hands and sighs deeply, then looks at the vial again.

Diamond:  "But you'll see what I mean soon enough.  Ok.  Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale..."

Jeremiah interrupts her with a smirk.

Jeremiah:  "A tale of a fateful ship?"

Diamond frowns and slaps his shoulder gently.

Diamond:  "Hell no!!  This ain't got nothin' to do with flippin' Gilligan's Island!  Now stop playing!  I'm trying to tell you about some really serious shit here!"

Jeremiah wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her shoulder softly.

Jeremiah: "I'm sorry my love.  It's just that hearing you like this is so different.  You're usually so confident about everything that you do, and I don't like hearing you sounding so... vulnerable."

Diamond takes a deep breath and lets it go slowly.

Diamond:  "What can I say.  This time of my life was so chaotic that when I look back on it, I can't even believe it was real.  Everything I thought I knew was flipped upside down.  Not just once, but time after time again.  Like I said... The only way for you to understand is to see, so..."

She nods towards the potion in his hand and lifts the vial to her lips.  Before she drinks, she whispers to him.

Diamond:  "You'll experience my memories like you're in virtual reality, but you won't be able to interact with anything.  And...  please try to be understanding."

Diamond downs the potion as Jeremiah brings the vial to his lips.

Jeremiah:  "I could never think less of you.  Bottoms up!"

Jeremiah downs the potion and as he swallows, he feels it hit his stomach like a ton of bricks.  He sees the world swimming, and feels Diamond's hand take his as they both fall back onto the bed.  He hears her whisper to him as the world swirls around him.

Diamond:  "I love you so much Jeremiah..."

He closes his eyes as the swirling takes his mind deeper and deeper into darkness...

-♥.•*¨*•. .•*¨*•.♥-

{ When Jeremiah opens his eyes, he feels Diamond's hand clutching his like a vice grip.  He looks over and sees her as she stares at a younger version of herself.  She whispers to him softly.

Diamond: "I remember this day.  This was the day that I found out so much about myself.  I'd had memories that had been seriously repressed, and after a really bad hit to the head, something had gotten knocked loose in my mind.  This was the day when the memories started to come back.  Right now, we're looking at a representation of my mind back then.  This was the day that changed my life..." }

The younger Diamond has come to in a hall of mirrors which are hanging on the wall.  She stands slowly and shakes her head to try to clear some of the cobwebs.  The mirrors are showing Diamond in various stages of her life, from childhood to her current age. She runs a hand through her hair and turns around in a slow circle. As she does, the other versions of her in the mirrors stand still, like they're snapshots of her. She stops in front of a mirror and it starts to get a bit fuzzy. Suddenly, the version of her standing in the mirror is her as an eight-year old girl. She's playing with a little hand-made doll, it's red hair made of yarn. Diamond reaches out to touch the cool mirror where the doll is.

Diamond:  â€œI remember that poppet... My Grandmere made it for me. She taught me that poppets could be used to control others, and so I had to make sure that the one she made for me looked so unlike anyone else that no one could say it was used against anyone else. So, she had one green button eye and one orange. Her name was Fiona...”

She sighs deeply and rubs her temples, closing her eyes as she tries to keep the headache that's threatening her at bay.

Diamond:  â€œI remember the day I lost Fiona... It was the day that I had my first conscious experience with the other side of my magic... I'd forgotten it, just like I'd forgotten Fiona... but never again...”

The scene in the mirror ripples and the younger Diamond steps through the glass and into the past, taking her current self and Jeremiah along with her...

**********

Suddenly, the younger Diamond disappears, as she's stepped into the body of her childhood self.  She's about seven years old, with her hair long and hanging down her back in two long wavy ponytails.  She's playing with Fiona on the front porch, having a tea party with imaginary Lords and Ladies.  She suddenly stops, feeling something approaching.  She turns around, and looks out over the still waters of the bayou that surrounds the house.  She hears the mental call, a caress almost of someone very special to her and she jumps up, spinning around with Fiona in her arms.  She runs to the railing of the porch and looks out into the stillness.  

She sees her grandmother coming home through the bayou, poling on the flat-bottomed boat she uses to get around and into town.  She's so excited, that she doesn't just stand on the porch of the house, but is jumping up and down because she is so happy to see her. Her mother Antoinette had just gotten the new house and moved them away so it would be easier for Diamond to get to school and she'd missed her grandmother something fierce.  As the boat comes closer though, she sees that her grandmother isn't alone.  She runs down to the water's edge, still jumping, Fiona flopping around in her hand.  She's so excited to see her grandmother that she doesn't notice that the boat is the only thing in the water.  She's still jumping and crying out happily to her grandmother.

Little Diamond: "GRANDMERE!! GRANDMERE!! GRANDMERE!! I'VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH GRANDMERE!!"

Diamond’s grandmother, Marianne is beaming at her granddaughter because she’s just as happy to see her.   But as she gets closer, her smile becomes a look of horror as she sees what's approaching young Morganna.  She reaches out a hand towards the child and screams...

Diamond’s Grandmother, Marianne Le Veaux:  "ALLEZ!! ALLEZ!! LOOK OUT CHILE!!!"

Young Diamond's hand is flipping Fiona around and it's at that moment that a fifteen-foot long gator strikes.  It snaps towards her hand, and Diamond pulls her hand back at the last possible moment.  Her hand is safe, but poor Fiona takes a trip down the gator's gullet.  Diamond shrieks in shock and anger.

Little Diamond:  "FIIIIOOOONNNAAAA!!!"

She looks like she's ready to leap down the gator's gullet after the poppet, but instead her eyes glow bright green and she reaches her hand out at the gator and whispers guttural words that sound almost non-sensical.

Little Diamond:  "dkow shophtw hilwr fhovelkwhy HFONELWYER NOWLE ETIEPE!!"

As the last syllables are flowing from her mouth, the gator has opened its jaws and he looks as if he's about to make a meal out of young Diamond, when suddenly it looks like his skin is bubbling.  The gator flips over onto it's back and starts to roll and flip back and forth on the ground.  It's eyes pop with a loud sploosh sound, and white-hot steam comes pouring forth from its eye sockets.  It's making a mewling sound, which I'm sure no gator was ever meant to make and it rolls over one last time on its back, it's paws flicking uselessly in the air, and the body suddenly starts to shrink, almost as if it's imploding in on itself.  The skin splits and falls from its body and the muscles inside look like they're cooking on the bones of the skeleton.  The gator’s skeleton turns brittle and then breaks apart into dust as the internal organs split open and spill their contents onto the ground.  Everything organic inside of the gator is turned to dust, and we can see the remnants of a cat, a dog, and a human arm slowly start to disintegrate.  And last, we see the poppet.  Diamond jumps and screams happily to see that the poppet is intact.

Little Diamond:  FIONA!!"

But because the poppet was made with wool yarn, and cotton fibers, the poppet too begins to disintegrate. The only thing that is left when the spell completes are the two buttons used for her eyes, and the metal eyelets from off of her dress. Diamond watches in horror at what she's just done to her first and only friend and she drops to her knees, shrieking.

Little Diamond:  "NOOOOOO!!!  FIONA!!!!"

When the poppet is completely gone, Morganna's grandmother has finally gotten the boat tied off and is helping three women out of the boat.  Morganna runs to her grandmother and throws herself into her arms, sobbing into the skirts of her dress as her grandmother strokes her hair gently.

Diamond’s Grandmother, Marianne Le Veaux:  "Hush now chile...  It's gonna be alright."

Diamond is inconsolable.  She's sobbing, her whole body trembling at what she's done.

Little Diamond:  "I didna mean ta do it grandmere!  I sweayah...  I didna mean ta do it!  Fiona!!!"

Her grandmother strokes her cheeks and pulls out an old bandana and dries Diamond's tears from her face and makes her blow her nose as it's running gunk down her face.  She takes the young girl's cheek in her hands and lifts her face up to look her in the eye.

Diamond’s Grandmother, Marianne Le Veaux:  "Where did ya learn dat trick petite?"

Diamond sniffles and shakes her head and shrugs.

Little Diamond:  "I dunno grandmere. It kinda jus came in my head and I jus did it."

One of the women behind her grandmother stepped forward and takes her hand.  As soon as she does, the woman goes stiff, and her eyes snap open, showing pure white as she gasps.  When she speaks, she's got a slight creole accent, but it's more of the upper class of the fine women who live in the plantation houses out in the middle of town.

Miss Aeron:  "Marianne, you done right by gettin' us here as quickly as you did. This here girl...  She's more powerful than you can evah imagine.  She's tapping into genetic memories of every powerful witch, mambo, voudun priest and priestess, root worker, druid, shaman...  anyone with any type of magical powers in your ancestry, and who's ever been buried anywhere neah this building...  She's speaking with their spirits!!  She is gaining their knowledge as she grows oldah!  She's is gonna be the most powerful worker of magic ever to grace this earth!!  Oh my!!  And she will be so GLORIOUS!!"

When the woman finally lets go of Diamond's hand the power leaves from her eyes.  She sways a bit and the other women around her place a supporting hand on her shoulders, as she regains her composure.  She then smiles down to Diamond with bright and shining blue eyes the color of the deep blue sea.

"Why hello there Morganna.  I'm Miss Aeron...  It's so wonderful to finally meet you."

She extends a hand towards Diamond who takes it and does a slight curtsey.

Little Diamond:  "Thank you kindly Ma'am. It's nice to meet ya too."

Miss Aeron throws her head back and laughs, and her steel grey hair which is tied back in a bun doesn't even move.  When she looks back at Diamond, she's grinning from ear to ear.

"And so polite too.  You and Antoinette are really teachin' this heah girl to be somethin' special.  Did you know that I am from a long line of Druids Morganna?"

Morganna nods and smiles as the other women step forward and introduce themselves to Morganna.  Miss Vivienne is a Voudun priestess, and Miss Patricia is a shamaness.  When Morganna touches each of them, it's like a window opens in her mind, or a book she never knew was there opens, and she suddenly knows new spells.  She looks up at her grandmother and smiles.

Little Diamond:  "I know some new tricks now Grandmere!  Watch this!!"

Diamond starts to bounce around on one foot, then the other, mumbling some words in a sing song voice, sounding like she's chanting in an Indian drum circle.  Miss Patricia's eyes go wide as she watches Diamond.

Miss Patricia:  "Dat is a rain dance chile!!  How did you know dat?"

Diamond stops suddenly with her arms widespread and lifts her face up to the heavens as rainclouds form over her head, and a sudden downpour opens out and drenches everyone.  Diamondis grinning from ear to ear as she spins around in the cooling rain.  The women grab her and move towards the porch and Marianne slips inside of the house, coming back out with towels for everyone.  She wraps the towel around Morganna and starts to dry her drenched hair.

Diamond’s Grandmother, Marianne Le Veaux:  "How ya do dat petite?"

Diamond points to Miss Patricia and she looks at her grandmother a bit worried.

Little Diamond:  "I saw it inner head Grandmere. I saw a lotta thins in dere, but I figured dat one was da safest one ta do.  Did I do bad Grandmere?"

Morganna's bottom lip starts to tremble as she's worried she's disappointed her grandmother and Marianne sweeps her up into her arms and shakes her head as she holds onto the little girl.

Diamond’s Grandmother, Marianne Le Veaux:  "Hush hush hush ma petite...  No, you didna do bad. You did wondaful!  You did a trick perfectly!"

Miss Patricia looks around and leans in and whispers to Marianne.

Miss Patricia:  "Marianne, now ya know If she be able ta do dat, it be trouble.  You know who will get wind o' it fo sho and he'll pitch a fit!"

As Diamond's grandmother dries her eyes, the scene starts to ripple outward and we're back in the hall of mirrors...

********** cont.

[Raynin]

 **********

Once back in the hall of mirrors, Diamond and Jeremiah seem to hover as the scene freezes.  They hang over her younger self as Diamond tries to give him more insight into what he’s seeing.  Jeremiah turns and looks towards her, still holding her hand tightly.

Jeremiah:  â€œYou and your Grandmother were very close, weren’t you.”

Diamond nods and sighs heavily, wiping her eyes.

Diamond:  â€œShe was my mentor, my teacher, my disciplinarian…  My Grandmere was my everything when I was a child.  She was my best friend.  She taught me how to stir a potion, sew a poppet, bake those garlic cheddar biscuits you love so much, and so much more.  We were considered outcasts when I was a child, and not just because everyone feared what we could do.  My Grandmere was worried that I still didn’t have a handle on what I could do, so she thought it best that I stayed away from the rest of the community until I could control my powers.”

Jeremiah pulls her closer and strokes the back of her hand with his thumb slowly.

Jeremiah: “It must have been very lonely.”

Diamond shrugs and takes a deep breath.

Diamond:  â€œIt wasn’t so bad.  There was one kid I just couldn’t get rid of.  His name was Jonathan.  And by fate’s decree, he was thrust into the insanity.  But in the beginning, we were…  Well, we were like oil and water.  We were a fiery conflagration waiting to happen.”

Diamond points at the mirror and a scene of herself as a child.  

__________
 
Diamond is seven years old, and she looks like herself, only in miniature.  Her cheeks are a bit chubbier, bit her legs are still long as she skips along holding her poppet in one hand and a basket in the other.  She's wearing a pair of cutoff Jean shorts and an old cookie monster tank top hat's so faded, cookie is almost baby blue instead of his normal dark blue color.  Her hair pulled back in two French braids, the ends hanging loose in thick curls down over her shoulders.  Her canvas gym shoes are old and they are making a soft slapping noise as she walks down the dirt path into the bayou near her grandmother's house.  
  
Little  Diamond is skipping along, singing softly to herself, her basket swinging slowly.  She's off to pick some wild mushrooms and berries from the nearby patch so she and her grandmother can surprise her mother with a special dinner and dessert.  She loves her grandmother's chicken cordon bleu with string beans and wild mushrooms, and just thinking about the wild berry pie she's going to help her grandmother make has her mouth watering almost uncontrollably.  She lifts her poppet, Fiona into the air and spins her around, swinging her in the air and giggling to herself.  
  
Little Diamond:  "I can't wait Fiona!!  I'm gonna eat an eat an eat till I can't eat no mo'!!  Dat pie's gonna be so good, I kin already taste it!!"  
  
She starts to skip along, stopping here and there to pick various herbs for the dinner that she can find like some wild Rosemary and lemon thyme that had sprouted from the old herb garden and spread through the bayou, tucking them in napkins she'd brought along just in case.  She starts to sing a silly song to herself about pie.  
  
Little Diamond:  "I like pie!!  I like pie!!  All diffrent kinds!!  I like pie!!"  
  
She's so engulfed in what she's doing, she doesn't realize she's no longer alone in the bayou.  She finds a shady spot for her poppet to sit while she gets to work.  She's kneeling beside a tree stump, digging out some lovely and large mushrooms with Fiona resting nearby when everything else goes quiet.  She's still humming to herself so she doesn't realize it till it's too late.  It's not until the shadows start to stretch out in front of her does she realize that someone was behind her.  
  
She jumps, startled and gives a shriek when someone grabs her pigtail.  She twists around in their grip and sees a group of older boys from her school circled around her.  They're all in the fifth grade while she's in the third grade.  Her insides start to tremble and her heart starts to race wildly.  
  
Little Diamond:  "Lemme go!!"  
  
She starts to struggle trying to get away, twisting around and trying to slap at his hands and kick him, but he's much bigger and stronger.  The boy holding her hair gives it a vicious yank and she shrieks again.  He grins evilly and looks down at her.  
  
Bully Boy 1, Beau:  "Well now boys.  Lookie what we got here!!  We done caught ourselves a bayou rat!!"  
  
She struggles again, but one of the other boys steps up and slaps her.  She shrieks and holds a hand up to her face, looking at the boy in shock as he laughs.  The one holding her hair gives it a shake and she whimpers as huge tears start to roll down her cheeks.  
  
Bully Boy 1, Beau:  "Awww look...  You done made da wittle rat cry.  Poor wittle rat faced bayou trash."  
  
One of the other boys is looking around nervously, rocking from foot to foot.  
  
Bully Boy 2, Frankie:  "I don' think we aughta be doin' dis Beau.  Dat's da Le Veaux girl...  Her granny's da Bayou Hag... You 'memba da stories bout Lil Johnny Trammell who she turned into a frog for takin' crabs from her traps."  
  
The boy holding her hair shakes it again roughly and she whimpers again, her whole body trembling.  She's trying to think of any spell she can to try and get herself put of this mess, but she's so frightened, no words can come to mind.  The boy pulls her head back roughly and sneers down at her.  
  
Bully Boy 1, Beau:  "Is it true?  Yo granny's a witch an' she turned dat boy inta a frog?"  
  
Diamond's mind is reeling, and she's so scared she can barely think of her own name.  Her heart is pounding so hard against her chest, it sounds like a bass drum in her ears.  She doesn't answer immediately, and the boy yanks at her hair again and se howls in pain.  Diamond starts to struggle again and his grip loosens enough for her to turn around and bite his hand and kick him in the shin.  He yelps and let's go of her hair and a light of triumph shines in her eyes momentarily, until it's squashed in the form of a punch to her jaw.  She's literally spun around like a top from the blow, blood flying from her mouth to splatter on the ground, and she crumples to the ground in a half conscious heap.  
  
He kicks Diamond in her stomach, and she curls up protectively, sobbing as she rests her head on the ground.  She watches as the boys start to rummage through her basket and kick Fiona off into the bushes.  The two smallest boys grab her roughly.  They pull her up to her feet as Beau dumps the mushrooms she'd worked so hard to find on the ground and crumples them up, he holds them up under her nose, smashing them into her face.  
  
Bully Boy 1, Beau:  "What, yo granny gotchoo out pickin' toadstools an' eye o' newt ta curse some otha helpless boy?  Or is dis fo' yo OWN collection, yeah?  Yous a witch too huh?  Is dat it?  ANSWER ME BITCH!!  Yous a witch too?"  
  
She whispers to herself.  
  
Little Diamond:  "Grandmere, I'm in beaucoup trouble!!  Ti tante Brigitte protect me!!"  
  
Diamond hears a low growl behind her, but she can't pinpoint where it's coming from.  The pain from Beau's attack is just too much.  She sobs softly, huge tears rolling down her cheeks.  
  
He pushes her head back and she sags between the boy's arms, her eyes rolling in their sockets.  Beau grabs her chin and looks down at her with a sneer, his dark grey eyes looking like steel to her.  
  
Bully Boy 1, Beau:  "You ain't no witch!  You just a dumb bayou rat.  Dat's what I think.  You ain't nohin' but a waste of space, you useless bitch.  Just like yo momma AND yo granny!!  Dey shoulda burned you all up befo you was even born!!"  
  
Hearing her family talked about like that seeped through her pain fuddled mind and her rioting insides go as still and chill as the grave.  The boys holding her arms sense the change within her and their knobby knees start to knock.  The one boy who spoke out against this action starts to look around as a chill wind picks up.  He shakes his head and starts to back towards the path.  
  
Bully Boy 2, Frankie:  "Dis ain't right Beau...  Can'tcha feel it?  Somefin ain't right!!"  
  
Beau smears more of the crushed mushrooms in her face, mixing it with the blood that is seeping from the corner of her mouth.  He's so preoccupied with what he's doing he doesn't notice that she's no longer sagging but is rigid.  The agitated boy shakes his head.  
  
Bully Boy 2, Frankie:  "Dis ain't right Beau an' I ain't takin' no part in dis!!  I'm outta here!!"  
  
Beau turns on the boy and bellows at him.  
  
Bully Boy 1, Beau:  "You leave right now Frankie, an I gonna tell everybody you ain't nothin' but a yellow belly chicken!!"  
  
The boy turns back and shrugs.  
  
Bully Boy 2, Frankie:  "Don't care right now cause I feel like I wanna crap a egg!!  I'm gone!!"  
  
He turns and Beau gets a calculated look on his face as a slow smirk cuts across his face. He speaks with a low growl.  
  
Bully Boy 1, Beau:  "You leave an I'll tell everybody day dis was yo idea.  I'll tell dem dat you wanted ta rape dis here lil girl and when we tried ta stop ya...  Well ya just plain went nuts, an..."  
  
Beau turns his back on her and bends over to pick up a big rock, so he misses that all important moment.  He doesn't see the two boys eyes go empty and back away from her like a pair of puppets.  He misses the look in her eyes when she finally opens them.   He misses the flashing green flame that blankets her eyes completely when the magic takes control of her.  He misses the look of unadulterated rage that shouldn't be on the face of a girl so young.  What Beau didn't miss was the look of abject terror on Frankie's face when he saw her face.  Nor did he miss watching Frankie piss his pants and pass out.  
  
Beau lifts the rock and turns slowly to see her standing there, arms wide spread, he eyes blazing like twin green suns.  He lifts an eyebrow quizzically, then smirks evilly.  
  
Bully Boy 1, Beau:  "Well whaddaya know...  The little bayou rat bitch IS a witch!!  That makes this so much sweeter..."  
  
He lifts his arm over his head and is about to bring it down when she flicks her wrist and the rock goes flying out of his grip to strike a nearby tree.  He looks around, his jaw dropped in shock.  
  
Bully Boy 1, Beau:  "WHAT THE...."  
  
Beau doesn't get to finish his sentence because a ball of fury suddenly bursts out of the underbrush and tackles him to the ground.  All he can see is fists pummeling his face and body.  He curls up defensively and just lays there crying.  The weight on top of him is suddenly pulled off and he hears her voice.  
  
Little Diamond:  "Jonatan!!...  Jonatan, stop it!!  You gonna really hurt him!!"  
  
Beau looks up to see her holding another boy he recognizes as the runt from school that everybody avoids.  He has anger issues, which Beau is now seeing first hand.  He watches as she struggles with the boy, her eyes still blazing green.   He throws the rock and it whizzes over both of their heads, but the boy pushes the girl hard, and she falls back and hits her head on a root and everything goes black… 
 
When she comes to, she's got her head on his lap and he's stroking her hair gently.  Jonathan smiles down at her and moves her hair out of her face. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "I tol ya Emme…  Ain't nobody gonna ever hurt ya…  You's my gal…  all mine…" 
 
She sits up and winces at the pain in her sides from the beating she's taken and shakes her head. 
 
Little Diamond:  "Too little too late as always…  I was already hurt ya idjit!!  I almost haddim Jonny…   Whatcha doin' here anyways?" 
 
Jonathan keeps stroking her hair and looking at her with a strange look in her eyes. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "My ma tol me yo granny was sending' ya ta get some stuff fer dinner, so I thought I'd come an help ya." 
 
She pushes his hands away from her, but he keeps trying to touch her and she finally gets agitated. 
 
Little Diamond:  "Wouldja just stop Jonny?  Why ya always touching' me anyways?  It creeps me out!!" 
 
He looks down at his lap and sighs heavily. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "Cause I love ya Emme…  You're mine, yeah!  You're my Diamond…" 
 
Diamond rolls her eyes and shakes her head, trying to clear the rest of the cobweb s from her mind.  She holds a hand to her forehead and sighs heavily as Jonathan picks up her poppet and straightens her clothes and hands it to her. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "I found her on da way here.  Dat's how I knew somethin' was wrong.  You would neva leave Fiona anywheres." 
 
She takes the doll back and smiles softly then leans over and kisses his cheek. 
 
Little Diamond:  "Thanks Jonny…" 
 
And a lightning flash ricochets through the air, echoing that same line of 'Thanks Jonny' over and over again... [/b]
  
__________

The scene ripples back to the hall of mirrors where Jeremiah and Diamond hover in front of the mirror, with her younger self still frozen in front of it.  Jeremiah looks from the mirror where Diamond’s seven-year old self sits with the young boy beside her, to where the older version of Diamond stands and sighs, shaking his head slowly.

Jeremiah:  â€œIt’s no wonder you have always felt so different from everyone.  You were bullied to an extreme, which is so sad.”

Diamond nods and takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

Diamond:  â€œYeah, and I didn’t get my pie that night either.  My Grandmere took one look at my face and she went ballistic.  Mrs. Le Blue, Jonathan and I spent the rest of the night trying to stop her from doing something really mean to the boys who attacked me.  But I did end up having macaroni and cheese with Jonathan.  It really made his day.  But that was just more evidence of how we needed to be apart from everyone.  We hid what we were because folks didn’t understand it.  And you know what happens when people are faced with something they don’t understand.  They fear it and they try to destroy it.”

Jeremiah nods and sighs softly, bringing her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it softly.

Jeremiah:  â€œI know that’s what usually happens, but it’s not always what happens.  Look at The Angels, Uncle Seb, Dmitri and James Tuscini, and of course me.  You know that I couldn’t even come close to understanding all of what you’re able to do.  But I don’t fear it.  I trust you.”

Diamond chuckles and reaches over and strokes Jeremiah’s cheek with a soft smile.

Diamond:  â€œOf course you trust me.  It’s because you’re in love with me.  But everyone else…  They’d want to try to hurt me.  Just like those bullies when I was a kid.  Look at my opponent for High Stakes!  Devona fears me because she doesn’t understand me.  So what does she do?  She denies the possibility that I am truly what I say I am.  And even worse…  She disrespects my family.  She heard only what she wanted to hear, so she could try to use my own words against me, but she is dead wrong about me!  But her being wrong is all of the opening I need!  She’ll slip up because she doesn’t believe what I’m capable of.  I’ll give her a reason to fear me!!  Just like everyone else feared me as a child!!”

Diamond snaps her fingers, and her younger self starts to move again as she and Jeremiah look on…

**********

Diamond gasps as she shakes her head.

Diamond:  â€œI’d forgotten all about that...  I ended up spending years with Miss Patricia, Miss Aeron, and Miss Vivienne, learning to control the new spells I'd gleaned from their minds.  And Grandmere brought around other women to teach me...  I learned so much all in that short time before... before..."

Just then, a familiar voice comes through the darkness behind her.

Diamond’s Mother, Antoinette Le Veaux:  "Before you went to see your father."

Behind her, Diamond's mother and father appear in the swirling fog of the hall of mirrors.  She cries out a happy sound and runs towards them, but when she reaches them, her hands go through theirs.  She sobs and reaches out towards them, and white lightning flashes from her fingertips and into theirs.  Antoinette and Donovan gasp as the power flows through them, and she latches onto them, holding their hands tightly.  She collapses into the arms of the parents she thought she'd never get the chance to see again.  Her body is racked with horrible sobbing and her whole body shakes visibly as she buries her face into the crush of their arms.

Diamond:  "Mama!!  Daddy!!  I'm so so sorry!  I failed you!  I'm sorry!  You died because of me!"

Antoinette shakes her head and strokes Diamond's hair gently.

Diamond’s Mother, Antoinette Le Veaux: "No no no child...  It wasn't your fault!  You did everything that you could!  We have been so proud of you!  You've overcome so much, and done so much...  You've travelled so far, and seen so much...  We couldn't have asked for a better daughter."

Diamond continues to sob in her mother and father's arms. Her mother pushes her back and shakes her head for a moment.

Diamond’s mother, Antoinette Le Veaux:  â€œBabygirl,  you can't stay with us like this.  You are using too much of your strength to keep us solid."

Diamond shakes her head and throws her arms back around her parents.

Diamond:  "I don't care.  I just want you back."

Donovan shakes his head and leans down and kisses her forehead.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  â€œBut we can't come back Emme.  Not all of the way, and you know that.  We only came back to guide you through this tough memory you're about to face."

Diamond wipes her eyes and looks up at her father.

Diamond:  "You mean about what happened when Nana Mori and Pawpaw Li took me to the hospital?"

Donovan nods slowly and points to the mirror which is rippling into memories...

__________

Donovan is driving his new car that his parents bought him through the streets of New Orleans.  It's a Ford Mustang Convertible in cherry red, and he's got it shined up just right.  Young Diamond is about eight years old, and her hair is flying wildly behind her as she leans her arm on the door, trying to look sophisticated.  Donovan comes to a stoplight and looks at his daughter.  She's pulled his sunglasses out of the glove box and has the huge things on her face.  She turns to him and smiles, her front tooth slightly chipped and the look on her face is one of pure joy at being able to spend the weekend with her father.  He can't help but laugh at the look on her face.  It's pure, unadulterated adoration of her father.  He leans over and kisses her cheek and runs his fingers through her wavy hair.  His accent is not as thick as hers, it's more posh and refined.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell: "Do you like the new car babygirl?"

Diamond nods and even though he didn't think it was possible, her grin gets even wider.

Little Diamond:  "It's really perty daddy! Kin it go any fasta?"

Donovan grins and guns the engine, like he's going to peel out when the light changes and Diamond giggles, shaking her head, tossing her hair around.

"GO DADDY!  GO GO GO!!"

He burns rubber and pulls out when the light changes, even though he's still only going the speed limit, Diamond howls in excitement!!

Little Diamond:  "WHOOOOOO HOOOO!!!!"

He throws his head back and laughs, happy to spend these few moments with his daughter.  He pulls into a McDonald's and orders her a happy meal and a quarter pounder meal for himself, and she's content just to be with her father for the first time in what her mind views as forever.  She leans over and lays her head on his arm and he puts his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer for a hug.  He looks down at her with a serious look on his face for a moment.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell: "You know I love you right Morganna?"

She nods, snuggling up against him, wanting to memorize the scent of him.

Little Diamond:  "Yes Daddy.  I know ya do."

Her father strokes her cheek again and sighs heavily.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "You know that I love your Mama too.  I've not wanted to be with anyone else but her."

She nods again, her happiness starting to seep slowly from her as she realizes how serious the conversation is turning.

Little Diamond:  "I know ya do daddy.  Mama's too perty to not love like dat."

He smiles softly and chuckles.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "Yeah babygirl.  You're right.  Your Mama's right pretty."

Diamond looks up with a hopeful look in her eyes.

Little Diamond:  "An mama still loves ya Daddy!  She still wears her ring ya gave her an everythin'!  She ain't got no otha fella or nothin'!  She says nobody else but you is for her!"

Donovan smiles softly at this and nods slowly.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  Yeah babygirl.  I feel the same way about your Mama too.  But...  Do you know why I left?"

Diamond lowers her head and nods slowly, her bottom lip trembling.

Little Diamond:  "Yeah Daddy. I know.  It's cause I'm diffrent.  I got da tricks in ma head."

Donovan sighs heavily and nods slowly.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "Yes babygirl.  That's right.  And I just can't handle that kinda stuff.  Your mama...  she was raised around it, but not me.  Do you understand?"

Diamond nods slowly and big hot tears slide down her cheeks.

Little Diamond:  "I didna ask ta be diffrent Daddy.  If I could stop it I would, but grandmere say it'd be dangerous if I didna learn.  She say I could do somethin' wit out meanin' too an' somebody could get hurt!  An.. an...  I don' wanna hurt nobody!  I wanna be a good girl!"

Donovan unbuckles her seatbelt and pulls her onto his lap and kisses her tears away as she throws her arms around his neck.  

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "Oh babygirl...  you ARE a good girl.  I know it's not your fault."

He holds her as he moves the car up towards the drive through window.  The check out girl sees the huge tears spilling down Diamond's cheeks and slips an extra set of French fries and a second toy in her happy meal box before handing Donovan the food.  He pulls out a napkin and dries her tears before setting her down on the seat and having her put her seatbelt back on.  He drives to a nearby park and they get out with their food and sit at one of the picnic tables, eating quietly.  Diamond has a new poppet with pink and black hair in her arms, snuggling her as she eats slowly.  He leans over and strokes her hair as she tries to feed the poppet a french fry.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "Does your poppet have a name hon?"

Little Diamond shakes her head and continues to eat her French fries.

Little Diamond:  "No Daddy.  She just... well... bebe."

Donovan throws his head back and laughs.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  Baby.  I like it.  So, I've got a question for you.  How would you like to meet your Nana Mori and Pawpaw Li?"

Diamond looks up at her father, her face scrunched in confusion.

Little Diamond: "Who dey be?"

Donovan sips his coke and clears his throat.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "Well, they're my parents.  Moira and Liander McConnell.  But they want you to call them Nana Mori and Pawpaw Li.  And they're anxious to meet you."

She cocks her head to the side, chewing on a french fry.

Little Diamond:  "Why dey wanna meet me daddy?  I thought dey hated me."

Donovan shakes his head and leans over and kisses her forehead.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "No babygirl.  They love you.  They just didn't know how to handle the things that you can do.  But you've gotten your...  thing under control, and stuff doesn’t happen randomly around you anymore, so they want to meet you."

Diamond shrugs and smiles up at her father.

Little Diamond: "Okay Daddy.  If you say I should meet dem, den I will."

Donovan smiles softly down at her and strokes her hair.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "That's my babygirl.  Are you enjoying your milkshake?"

She nods and takes a big sip of her milkshake as the scene starts to ripple.....

**********
The scene comes back a little later in the day.  Diamond is in a place she’s never been before.  She's sitting in a living room on a flowered couch that's covered in those thick plastic slip covers everyone remembers.  She's swinging her feet, holding the poppet in her arms as she strains not to listen to the conversation that's taking place in the other room between her father and her grandparents, but she can't help but hear how agitated Donovan is.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "Are you sure about this mom?  If Antoinette ever finds out about this, she will murder me."

Diamond hears her grandmother's voice and still wonders how she can have a mixture of a Louisiana and an Irish accent all at the same time.  But her Nana Mori managed to make it all her own.

Moira McConnell:  "Well, I would na put it past her.  Heathens they be!  They don even know how ta live in proper society now do they.  And I'll no have a heathen for a grandchild!"

Diamond hears her grandfather's calming tone chime in.

Liander McConnell:  "Now now Mori...  I don't think they're as bad as you're making them seem.  But Don, we have to make sure she's...  Well, she's okay.  Nothing will happen to her.  We promise.  They're just going to observe her."

Diamond hears her father sigh heavily.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "Alright...  if you promise it will only be for an evaluation."

She hears her grandmother again.

Moira McConnell:  "We promise Don.  You always were a good boy."

And the door to the dining room opens and Diamond's Nana Mori comes in with a big plate of oatmeal raisin cookies and a big glass of milk.  She sets it down in front of her and hands her a cookie.

Moira McConnell:  "Here ya go love.  Eat up!  You're all skin and bones!"

Diamond looks up at her father who nods, but there's a strange look in his eyes.  She looks from Nana Mori to Pawpaw Li and shrugs and bites the cookie.  It's a bit dry so she grabs the milk after chewing and takes a big gulp of milk and smiles at her grandparents with a slight milk mustache, trying to throw on a bit of the old Le Veaux charm.  Nana Mori smiles and picks up a napkin, wiping her mouth off.

Moira McConnell:  "Good isn't it?"

Diamond nods and takes another bite.  She tries to talk around the cookie.

Little Diamond:  "Yesh Ma'am. Ish dewishish!"

She continues to chew and takes another big gulp of milk.  She swallows the bite of cookie and smiles again. That's when she feels it.  Diamond can feel the heaviness start to seep into her limbs.  The room starts to spin, and everything starts to go dark.  Before she is swallowed up by the darkness, she hears her father's voice.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "I'm sorry babygirl.  But they promised, it won't be for long..."

Then the darkness swallows her up...

**********

When Diamond wakes, she's strapped to a bed in a stark white room.  She looks around and sees she's alone and starts to panic.  She struggles against the restraints and starts to scream for her father.

Little Diamond:  "DADDY!!  DADDY!!  WHERE ARE YA DADDY!!  DADDY!!  HELP ME!!"

A nurse comes in with a syringe in her hands and a cotton ball with alcohol on it.  She moves towards the bed where Diamond is strapped, and starts to wipe her arm with the cotton ball.  

Nurse Denise:  "Hello Laura.  I'm Denise.  Don't worry, this is just something to help you sleep."

Diamond gasps and looks around.

Little Diamond:  "Who ya talkin' to?  I'm Morganna!  Not Laura!  I'm Morganna!"

Denise keeps wiping at her arm and sighs heavily.

Nurse Denise:  "They told me you had multiple personalities and one of them was named Morganna.  Hello Morganna.  Is Laura in there?  Is she safe?"

Diamond watches as Denise comes closer with the syringe and she flinches back away from her.  Denise grabs her arm roughly and pulls her closer.

Nurse Denise:  "Don't move!!  If you move, I'll end up hurting you!"

Diamond screams in fear and her eyes blaze bright green.  Denise gasps and stops.

Nurse Denise:  "What in the world?!!..."

Diamond’s scream gets higher pitched, and Denise suddenly is thrown backwards, flying six feet to smack into the wall of the room with a thick wet SSMMMAACKKK!  She slides down the wall slowly, leaving a trail of red and gore smearing down the wall as she slumps limply her eyes not moving. Diaomnd keeps screaming, shaking her head from side to side as others come running into the room.

Little Diamond:  "I DIDNA MEAN TA DO IT! I'M SORRY!! I DIDNA MEAN TA DO IT!"

Someone plunges a needle into her arm and the room suddenly starts to spin and darkness overcomes her once more....

**********

Back in the hall of mirrors, Donovan's body is trembling in anger and sadness, big tears of rage slowly flowing down his cheeks.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "They told me you were going to see a doctor for a few hours.  I didn't know what they were planning until we got to the doctor's office.  He was waiting with a straight jacket and they bundled you up and carried you off.  I fought as hard as I could to stop them, but the doctor shot me up with something and I was out for hours.  I didn't know what happened until I woke up back at my parents' house.  I asked them where you were and they just said 'somewhere safe' and wouldn't say anything more.  I went back to the house and collected your mother and we went to the police.  The only thing that we had to identify you was the picture and description and the black and pink haired poppet."

Donovan rubs Diamond's shoulders as the tears continue to fall from his eyes.  He shakes his head and sighs heavily.  

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "They'd had you committed babygirl.  They gave false documents and claimed you were their orphaned granddaughter with multiple personality disorder.  They said...  They said..."

Donovan bites his bottom lip and shakes his head. Antoinette sighs heavily and pats her daughter's back.

Diamond’s Mother, Antoinette Le Veaux:  "They told the doctors that your father had sexually assaulted you, and tried to use you in a black mass.  That you'd created a personality named Morganna who thought she was the famous witch, Morgan Le Fay.  They had you transferred to a different hospital each week with a different name to try and keep you hidden.  By the time we'd found you... well...  It wasn’t pretty.  But while you were there, you’d met Matthew…"

Antoinette places a kiss on her forehead as they turn towards the mirror once more.

Diamond squeezes Jeremiah’s hand as the scene freezes again.  She swallows heavily and she looks over at Jeremiah whose jaw is dropped in shock at what he’s just seen.

Jeremiah:  â€œYour own grandparents betrayed you?!!  They kidnapped you, and they had you committed?  All for being different?”

Diamond nods and her bottom lip trembles as huge tears spill down her cheeks to splash on the back of Jeremiah’s hand.  She swallows heavily before she can try to speak again.

Diamond:  â€œThey feared me more than they liked to think they did.  Much like my opponents, my father’s parents didn’t see me as Morganna.  They saw me as a freak or a monster.  They thought I was mentally ill, or lying to get attention.  They made up excuses for why they did what they did, saying it was for my own good.  It was harder for me than you could imagine.  Every time my parents would get a whiff of where we were, my Nanna Mori would have me shipped off somewhere new.  I didn’t know where I was at all.  They kept me doped up for the most part.  But it was at the last hospital that things changed.  For some reason, my grandparents kept me there for a little over a month.  I guess they thought that their trail had been successfully covered.  But it was there that I met the boy who would become the wrestler known as Xstatic.  And it was there that the harlequin side of me was born…”

Diamond snaps her fingers again and the scene before them starts moving again…

This time, the scene in the mirror isn’t of Diaomnd, but of a young boy.  Diamond’s mother Antoinette points to the mirror again and the scene ripples into the past...

**********

And the scene in the mirror starts to take shape. On the mirror’s surface, a young boy sits on a bed in a stark white room, which you can tell is a hospital room. Young Matthew has got his knees pulled up to his chest and is rocking slowly back and forth. We see splashes of red on his face and arms and long drips of it decorating he nearby wall. He keeps looking up at the camera in the corner of the room, and is mumbling to himself repeatedly.

Young Matthew:  "He made me do it. He made me do it. He made me do it."

The door to the room opens slightly and a girl with long wavy black hair sticks her head in the room.  She looks to be no more than eight or nine years old.  Matthew lifts his head and sees her standing there watching him, her hands tucked behind her back.  She looks around the room and sees the body of an orderly lying on the floor between them.  She takes a step forward with her hand outstretched and he growls at her for a moment, so she puts her hand back down.  He puts his chin on his knees and starts to rock and mumble to himself again.

Young Matthew:  "I did the bad thing again Mommy.  I did the bad thing again Mommy.  I did the bad thing again Mommy."

She cocks her head to the side and holds out a hand-sewn doll with pink and black yarn for hair to him.  He looks up from the doll to her face, which is open and almost innocent.  When she speaks, her accent is extremely thick and very creole.

Little Diamond:  "I gotta bebe, yeah.  She jussa poppet I made.  Ain't got no name.  You wannit?"

Matthew frowns and looks at the girl for a moment who is completely un-phased by the blood, gore, and death that's surrounding them in the room.  He shakes his head and sighs.

Young Matthew:  "It won't help.  They're coming.  I know it.  They always come."

She raises an eyebrow curiously, pointing to the mess on the floor.

Little Diamond:  "Why?  Cause 'o dis heeyah?"

Matthew nods slowly and she steps forward, stepping over the corpse as if it were just spilled milk on the floor.  She climbs on the bed beside him and starts to swing her feet.

Little Diamond:  "I kin help ya, yeah.  You wan me to?"

Matthew looks at her skeptically and cocks his head to the side.

Young Matthew:  "You can't help.  Nothing can help the bad thing when it happens.  They just come and get me and try to make me disappear for a while."

She smiles and pats his hand, then leans over as if to tell him a secret.

Little Diamond:  "Den we jus gotta make da bad ting disappeyah, yeah.  An I kin do dat."

He looks at her with an upraised eyebrow.  He turns his head as he hears a commotion coming down the long corridor.

Young Matthew:  "And just how are we supposed to do that?  They're watching right now...  And they're coming."

She giggles and swings her feet.

Little Diamond:  "Me an de poppet gotta secret.  I know a trick dat will take care of everythin.  You wan me ta try?"

Matthew hears the commotion getting closer and nods his head.

Young Matthew:  "Just...  Whatever you do, just hurry.  I don't want to disappear again."

The girl giggles and nods and she unbuttons the back of the pink and black haired doll.  She slips her hand inside of it's back, pulling something out, and then hands her to Matthew.

Little Diamond: "You keeper safe, yeah.  She got all da magic I got right now.  Had a stash dat Nana Mori an Pawpaw Li didna know bout."

She goes to the body and sprinkles some sparkling dust on the body, then throws some up at the camera.  The sound of feet running towards the door makes Matthew huddle down more on the bed.  She starts to chant over and over again...

Little Diamond: "Maman Margueritte, Maman Bridgit, Uncle Samedi, let dem see what I wan dem to see.  For twenny-four hours make him seem to be jus da way he used ta be.  By da power 'o three times three, let it be.  Maman Margueritte, Maman Bridgit, Uncle Samedi, let dem see what I wan dem to see.  For twenny-four hours make him seem to be jus da way he used ta be.  By da power 'o three times three, let it be."

A hand reaches for the door and it starts to open.  The girl's eyes flash bright green, and Matthew blinks rapidly as she walks over and puts a hand on his shoulder.  She brings a finger to her lips and shakes her head and points.

Another orderly leans his head in the door and looks around.

Mean Orderly: "Come on Randy.  Ain't you done harrassin' that crazy bastard yet."

Matthew growls and is about to jump up off of the bed, but the girl puts a hand on his wrist with a steel grip and holds him back.  She leans over and whispers in his ear.

Little Diamond: "Donchoo move!  Touch 'im an da trick will break!  I made you safe from it so's you can see an understand."

She points again and Matthew sees the dead body standing, shuffling around like it's still alive.  It gurgles because of the slashes in its throat, but the other orderly seems to understand what it's trying to say.  He waves at the boy and shakes his head.

Mean Orderly: "Yeah, I see the freak's got a girlfriend now.  Look, just hurry up so we can get our drink on."

The corpse mutters something again as Matthew watches on in shock.  The girl is sitting there, swinging her feet an humming softly to herself as she finger combs the doll's hair.  The green glow in her eyes is slowly fading out and he leans close to whisper in her ear.

Young Matthew:  "How did you do that?"

She puts a finger to her lips and giggles.

Little Diamond:  "I tol you I hadda secret.  Is just a little magic is all.  Just magic.  I laid a trick on 'im an ever'body dat saw what happened.  All dey know is he came in heyah ta pick witcha an he gonna work until he drop...  Litrally.  He gonna work till eight in da mornin' den go an jump off a bridge.  Ever'body gonna tink he off himself an nobody gonna tink any different."

He looks at the corpse that is shuffling around like it's working but not actually doing anything, then he looks back at the girl.

Young Matthew:  "Why are you helping me?"

She shrugs and taps his face with the doll and shrugs.

Little Diamond:  "Cause you is like me.  An I could.  We gotta watch out for each Otha...  AN fo' da bebe."

She taps his nose with the doll and makes a smooching sound and he smirks.

Young Matthew:  "You know, you talk funny."

She pouts and shakes her head.

Little Diamond:  "No I don...  I talk like I from da bayou.  Which I am thank you very much."

She rolls her eyes and he chuckles.  She tucks a lock of her wavy hair behind her ear and he notices something different...  She has about five locks of her hair wrapped in bright pink embroidery floss, the ends of which are tied off with pink feathers.  He plays with the end of one of them and she shrugs.

Little Diamond:  "Dey tease me bout my poppet, an I didn't wan her to feel bad so's I did it too.  Dey called Indian braids."

He gets a content look on his face.

Young Matthew:  "Pink and black...  I like it."

She blushes and tucks them back behind her ear.  

Little Diamond:  "Dey is jus a couple o' indian braids."

Matthew shrugs as the corpse finally shuffles out of the door, leaving them there with the door still slightly ajar.  

Young Matthew:  "I'm Matthew."

She looks at him with an upraised eyebrow.

Little Diamond:  "Mattieu?"

He frowns and shakes his head.

Young Matthew:  "No... Matthew."

She frowns back.

Little Diamond:  "Dat's what I said... Mattieu."

He shakes his head again.

Young Matthew:  "No...  Matthew.  Maaaaatttttthhhhhheeeewww."

She chuckles.

Little Diamond:  "I said, Mattieu.  Maaaaatttttiiieeeeuuu!!   Dat's how we say it in the bayou.  Why don't I just call you Matty?"

He nods and takes the doll from her, looking at it with a frown.

Young Matthew:  "Ok.  But only cause you helped me.  What's your name?"

She grins and is about to speak when the door suddenly bangs open and the orderly from before stands in, pointing at the two children, with about five or six other orderlies behind him, along with a very familiar looking doctor.  The girl looks at him in shock.  The orderly sneers at her, then walks over and grabs her by the arm roughly.

Mean Orderly:  "See!!  I told you there was a girl in here!!  Randy must have been slippin'!"

The orderly is followed by a doctor, who is writing on a clip pad.  

Doctor:  "How did she get in here?"

The orderly shakes his head as he shakes her by the arm.  She shrieks in pain and fear and her eyes start to glow a bright green.  

Little Diamond:  "NO!!  LEMME GO!!"

She hits the orderly in the stomach and he gasps, then lets the girl go and grabs his stomach.  Matthew is still just sitting there, looking from the girl to the orderly as she starts to back up from him, shaking her head wildly and screaming.

Little Diamond:  "I DIDNA MEAN TA DO IT!!  I'M SORRY!!  I DIDNA MEAN TA DO IT!!"

The blood comes flying out of the orderly's mouth, ears, nose, and eyes as he holds his stomach.  He crumples to the ground and his body starts to fold in on itself, almost like he's trying to do some serious contortionist movements.  The other orderlies are standing there speechless as they watch his innards actually come flying out of his mouth at the force of his body's convulsions.  Matthew just stands there as the blood goes flying everywhere.  He smiles and nods slowly.

Young Matthew:  "Cool!"

The girl suddenly springs into action and tries to run out past the other orderlies and the doctor, but she's simply not fast enough.  She's grabbed by the arms and she tries to struggle free, kicking and biting and scratching at them, as she screams.

Little Diamond:  "IT WEREN'T MY FAULT!!  LEMME GO!!  IT WEREN'T MY FAULT!  HE SHOULDNA HURT ME!  LEMME GO!!"

Matthew gets upset seeing her in trouble and he moves to leap into action, but she shakes her head.

Little Diamond:  "No Matty!!  Protect da bebe!!  She all I got left!!  Keeper safe!!  Keep da poppet safe!!"

The orderlies start to drag her away, still kicking and fighting like a wild cat, and the doctor backs slowly out of the room and shuts.  Matthew picks up the pink and black haired poppet where he'd dropped it, then leans his head out of the bars on the door and yells to the girl as she's dragged off.

Young Matthew:  "I'll protect her!!  I promise!!  I'll always protect her!!"

He steps over the body of the orderly on the floor, feeling such a sense of de ja vu as he curls back up on the bed, putting the poppet in his lap and, putting his arms around his knees and rocking slowly as he repeats over and over again...

Young Matthew:  "Gotta protect the poppet... The no named poppet... Pink and black hair... Gotta protect the poppet... The no named poppet... Pink and black hair..."

_______________

Later that day, two orderlies are taking Matthew out for a bit of exercise.  They open the door and are chatting to themselves as if he's not even there.

Dumb Orderly 1:  "Yeah, that crazy creole girl is really about to get it for what she did to Steven.  They say she hit in so hard, he puked up his own lung."

Matthew doesn't say a word as they continue walking down the hallway, just listens.

Dumb Orderly 2:  "Yeah, she went absolutely nuts when he touched her.  She's down in the treatment ward.  They're gonna fry her up real good.  By the time they're done with her, she'll probably be able to stick a light bulb in her mouth and light it up like Uncle Fester."

When he hears this, Matthew mutters to himself.

Young Matthew:  "They're going to make her disappear!  She can't disappear!!  What about the poppet?  Who else can protect the poppet?"

And we start to see things in two scenes at once... almost like it's a split screen.  We see a flashack of the scene where a young boy is trying to rescue Diamond, and we see her side of things...

{ The boy suddenly turns and launches himself at the two guards, screaming as he attacks them, knocking them both out by banging their heads on the concrete floor.  He takes one of their sets of keys and their keycards and starts to run down the hallway, making his way towards the treatment ward.  As he gets close, he drops to his knees and crawls past the nurse's station, and as soon as he's a good distance away, he jumps up and takes off running again.  He can hear her from down the hall, pleading with them. }

Outside of the treatment room, Diamond is fighting against the orderlies who are dragging her towards the room forcefully.  She's kicking and screaming, tugging at her arms, but they've got her in a vice like grip by each arm.  

Little Diamond:  "PLEASE!!  PLEASE!!  I DIDNA DO NOTHIN'!!  PLEASE!!  DON' HURT ME!!  PLEASE!!"

They drag her body into the room and throw her like she's just a ragdoll onto the treatment bed and strap her down.  It's not until they start to strap her down on the bed and shove a bit onto her mouth that she realizes that they're not really orderlies, but zombies.  As they shave the sides of her head, removing her precious indian braids, letting them fall to the floor and attach the electrodes to her temples, she sees it then.  Their eyes are blank, empty, and soul-less.  It’s at that moment she starts to scream for real.  Her eyes go wide in shock as she sees a form she's never seen before step out of a cloaking spell.  It's an old man, his face painted to look like a half skull and he's carrying a walking stick with skulls so small you can tell that they are from infants, or worse.  They’re tied to the stick with leather cords she doesn't even want to think about they're made from.  He leans over her and whispers to her, his breath smelling like something she can't even describe.

Lucky Le Fay:  "Marianne tought she could protect you chile, but now, yo soul be mine!!  An wit it yo powwa'!!  It will belong ta me!!  Lucky Le Fay!!  I will steal it all wit dis heah soul jar!!!"

He holds up a clay pot that's almost completely sealed with wax in one hand, and holds up a handful of dust in the other before he blows it on her face.  She coughs as she feels her limbs start to go numb, and she turns her head slowly to see that one of the orderlies has tears slowly sliding down from his eyes.  He mouths two words to her.  'Help me!' as he reaches towards the switch with trembling hands.  The old man feels his control over the zombies slip and he starts to chant, blowing more dust into the face of the man who was crying.

Lucky Le Fay:  "No!!  You be my creatcha!!  Mine!!  Yo body an soul be mine ta control!  You will be mine an mine alone!  Do my biddin'!!"

Diaomnd is able to feel the power start to build within her and her eyes start to glow bright green, and the green quickly builds brighter to a blinding white. Lucky Le Fay’s zombie powder might have given him control of her body, but not her soul yet.  Her power builds higher and higher and her body lifts from the bed as much as the restraints will allow her to go as she starts to mutter words she's never heard before.  In her mind she sees a dark face, hair covered in mud and stringy, dancing around a fire pit as strange shapes flit in the dark jungles behind a face she feels she should know.  Her eyes go brighter white and the face melds with her inner face, becoming one as the words flow out of her in two voices.  

The man is shaking a rattle over her body made from a rattle snake and he's shaking is head.

Lucky Le Fay:  "NO!!  NO!!  YOU S’POSED TA BE MINE!!  MINE!!  YOU S’POSED TO BELONG TA LUCKY LE FAY!!  IF I CANNA HAVE YA POWWA, DEN NO ONE WILL!!"  

He points to the orderly whose trembling hand is falling slowly towards the switch.  The orderly looks at her and mouths 'I'm sorry' to her as his hand inches towards the switch.  She screams behind the gag wordlessly. Diamond’s power shoots out at everyone in the room like green snakes of lightning just as his hand falls on the switch and sends white hot lightning shooting through her mind.  Her scream becomes one of agony and is joined by the screams of those in the room as their bodies are lifted through the air to smack against the white walls with wet smacks.  The soul jar falls to the floor and shatters, the pieces actually disintegrating as they come apart, becoming not even dust.  As soon as her power hits the strange old man, another spell is lifted, and the real nurses and attendants suddenly appear from behind a cloaking spell where they were being concealed and paralyzed.  They look around at the scene and all start to scream in shock and horror as they look at the two zombies and the old man.  Their bodies are pinned to the walls spread eagle and their eyes and mouths open as the white lightning joins her power going out of her body in twin snakes, curling through the air and into the bodies of those who are pinned against the walls.  

The power and the lightning travel down her fingers and out into their bodies as their bodies jerk, their eyes explode and from out of the now empty sockets green and white beacons of sheer power fill them and spill out from their eyeholes, ears, noses and mouths as their screams become keening howls of inhuman agony.  Their bodies begin to turn into something indescribable as the lights start to flicker from the electricity going through her body from the machines.  They start to smoke and spark and overload, and suddenly go up in flames with an explosion as the bodies drop to the ground and her body falls to the bed with a thump, her eyes staring into nothingness as she drops into the darkness...

{ The boy hears her screams become muffled as they stuff the bit in her mouth, and he shoves the key into the door as he tries to get to her before they can flip the switch....  But he's too late.  

The boy hears her shriek of absolute agony, and the lights start to flicker and a green almost like lightning starts to go from bulb to bulb, shattering them.  He's trying to get into the door, when it's suddenly yanked open, and he's almost bowled over by the attendants who are trying to get out of the room.  They're running down the hallway screaming in horror.  He peeks around the corner and looks into the room.

In the treatment room, he sees the stark white walls are splashed with black and red.  The room smells like cooked meat and blood.  He sees the splashes are roughly human shaped, and crumpled on the floor up under each splash is the cooked form of what used to be a human.  He then sees what he was hoping he wouldn't.  She's strapped on the treatment bed, the bit still in her mouth, and her eyes staring straight up at the ceiling.  He walks over and pokes her arm, over and over again.

Young Matthew:  "Hey...  Hey...  Come on, we gotta go!  Hey!!"

She doesn't move, she doesn't speak, she just lays there, staring up at the ceiling, the pink and black indian braids having been shaved from her head to make room for the electrodes lie in small twists at his feet.  He removes the restraints from her hands and feet and takes the poppet from the back of his pants.  He tucks the poppet under her arm and looks down at her.

Young Matthew:  "I kept her safe for you." }

As soon as the poppet is tucked under her arm, she feels the magic stored within it calling out to her, like a beacon, or a homing signal.  What the boy didn't know was she'd turned that poppet into a mojo bag.  Inside of it were not just her magic dust, but a protective spell.  The shine from that spell was a pinpoint in the deep darkness.  It's bright sparkle lights the way in the darkness, leading her slow way back up from out of the dark.  At first, she can't see, or feel, or hear, or even tell if she's breathing.  She just can only follow the sparkling light coming from the unnamed poppet.

{ More orderlies come running and the boy's whole body starts to tremble.  He turns with a look of rage and hatred propelling his small body like a bullet at the group of orderlies who stop just outside of the door of the treatment room.  He is a ball of fury, throwing punches and kicks, dropkicks and bashing skulls into walls and floors.  The commotion goes a small way down the hallway and he loses track of how many people he's actually fighting.  He looks over his shoulder and sees the doctor heading towards the treatment room, and turns to run toward the room, but six orderlies all pile on top of him. He turns, fighting, kicking, punching, even biting at one point.  He swears, he pulls a chunk from one guy and spits it in the face of another.  He breaks free and runs to the door of the room...  only to find it empty.  He turns to the doctor who's just inside the door and growls.


Young Matthew:  "YOU MADE HER DISAPPEAR!!  BRING HER BACK!!  BRING HER BACK!!" }

She sees something in the darkness.  The doctor is coming.  She's helpless...  No magic, her whole being still on fire from the white lightning ripping through her body, and it won't respond.  She's still trapped in the darkness.  But she feels a familiar presence...  and then another. She concentrates on those presences, and in the darkness she can see through their eyes. It's Antoinette and Donovan. The orderlies bring them around the corner while Matthew is fighting the others. When Antoinette turns the corner and looks in the door of the treatment room, she shrieks in agony and horror.

Diamond’s Mother, Antoinette Le Veaux:  "MORGANNA!!!!!"

She runs over to her daughter, picking up her limp and lifeless form, dropping to her knees amongst the gore and blood, rocking her slowly.  The doctor is talking fast, trying to explain.

Stupid Doctor:  "Her?  She’s Morganna Le Veaux?  They…  They said it wasn’t her name!  I swear, I didn’t know!!  They said she was Laura!  Laura Donoldson! They said she was their granddaughter and had multiple personality disorder!  They had a file and everything sent from St. Marc's in St. Louis!  I didn't know!  I swear, I honestly I didn't know!"

Donovan turns on the doctor and punches him in the jaw, knocking the doctor to the ground.

Diamond’s Father, Donovan McConnell:  "You didn't think to check out the file to see if it was real?!!!  WHAT KIND OF CRACKER JACK INSTITUTION IS THS??!!!  SHE WAS KIDNAPPED YOU ASSHOLE!!  SHE'S BEEN MISSING FOR THREE GOD DAMNED MONTHS!!  AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO CHECK MISSING PERSONS BEFORE YOU ADMIT SOMEONE?  YOU HAD HER PICTURE ON THE WALL OF YOUR OFFICE WITH THE CURFRENT MISSING CHILDREN'S LIST YOU SON OF A BITCH!!  AND YOU MIGHT HAVE JUST TURNED HER INTO A VEGETABLE!!"

Antoinette is still just rocking Diamond slowly and singing softly to her as she sobs.  The poppet is crushed between the two of them, as she holds her daughter close, kissing her face.

Diamond's Mother, Antoinette Le Veaux:  "Please babygirl... Mama's here now... Please come back to us. Please babygirl..."

She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a second mojo bag and slips it around Diamond’s neck.  As soon as it touches her skin, Little Diamond jerks and makes a gasping sound.  Her eyes blink once, and that's all, but it's some recognition that she's still there and Antoinette starts crying all over again.

Diamond's mother, Antoinetter Le Veaux:  "I'm gonna take you home, and when you wake up I'll make you a big pot of gumbo.  That's your favorite.  And your daddy is gonna be there.  And we'll have cake and ice cream, and any kind of candy you want babygirl.  Just please, please come back to me.  Don't leave me babygirl.  Just stay.  Please...  Morganna...  Please...  Come back to me."

Donovan points at the doctor, who's still rubbing his jaw from the hit and the orderlies step between the two men.  He balls up his fist and shakes it at him, then turns around to place a hand on Antoinette's shoulder and help her to her feet.

Diamond's Father, Donovan McConnell:  "You'll be hearing from my lawyer!  Count on it!"

They carry Diamond out of the treatment room, and when her unseeing eyes happen to fall on Matthew, her hand clenches into a fist and she moans. They disappear around the corner, leaving the doctor in the room before the brawl at the other end of the hallway is done.

{ The orderlies tackle him and hold him down and the doctor injects him with a huge dose of tranquilizer. Matthew's still fighting though, struggling against the men and the drugs. As the drugs start to take affect, his struggles get less and less.

Young Matthew:  "You made her disappear!  Bring her back!!  Gotta protect the poppet with no name!  Pink and black hair!!  Bring her back!!  Protect...  Pink and black hair!!  Bring her back!!"

As the fight slowly drains out of him, he collapses into a heap of bodies, swirling down into darkness... }

Antoinette doesn't let go of her daughter as she carries her out of the hospital and into the waiting van. She puts Morganna in her lap and holds her close, singing softly to her all the while and rocking her.  

Slowly she comes out of the darkness. The twin lights of the mojo bag and the poppet help her find her way out. All she can think about is him. The little boy who fought for her. The little boy she helped by doing a trick. Th

[Raynin]

 
Back in the hall of mirrors, Antoinette points to the mirror and sighs.

Diamond's Mother, Antoinette Le Veaux:  "That was the night. The night the hex was put on you and Matthew. I know you can feel it, burning away inside of you whenever you and he are together. It's meant to destroy love. It's meant to turn it into hatred. It's meant to turn anything good and pure into something evil and dark and rank. You must be very careful. If it continues to stay, it will grow stronger. You must find a way to undo it."

Diamond starts to stumble a bit, putting a hand to her head. Her mother and father slide back away from her, and she starts to protest but they shake their heads. Her mother holds up a hand, stopping her from coming any closer.

Diamond's Mother, Antoinette Le Veaux:  "No babygirl. I almost lost you that night... I don't want to lose you again because you're being stubborn. It took you a week before you could blink normally and three weeks before you were functional again. And when you finally came back fully, all you remembered was you were in a hospital and you'd made a friend named Matty who helped you somehow. You couldn't remember specifics, just Matty. We didn't want to tell you, we didn't know how to tell you what actually happened."

Diamond sinks to her knees and curls up, sobbing.

Diamond:  "I don't want you to leave me again Mama... Daddy... please, just stay a little longer."

Donovan shakes his head and puts his arms around Antoinette.

Diamond's Father, Donovan McConnell:  "We'll never leave you. We're always with you Morganna. But if we stay in this place much longer, we would hurt you, and I can't have that happen."

She sighs and nods slowly. She looks up at her father and wipes her tears.

Diamond:  "You know, they never did accept me. After you both died in the house in Detroit, they took me in, and had me committed again when I was fifteen. I'd gone to the one bit of family I had left, hoping I'd find some kind of... I don't know... something... I wasn't there but about two weeks and they put me in an asylum. This time under my real name. I got transferred around a lot again because they didn't want to risk a repeat of what happened before I guess.  But, it hurt, you know. To know that my grandparents thought I was a freak."

Diamond rubs her upper arms and her father shakes his head.

Diamond's Father, Donovan McConnell:  "That wasn't it at all.  My mother had magic in her and it frightened her. I found out when she came to me after she died. Turns out she was a druid.  She turned her back on her heritage, her ancestry, and locked her magic away inside of herself because she didn't know how to control it.  She didn't think you were a freak babygirl. She saw in you everything she could have been, and she was jealous.  Jealous and scared.  She really did love you Morganna, she just didn't know how to show it."

Diamond sighs heavily and shrugs.

Diamond:  "So, what now? Why is all of this happening?"

Donovan smiles softly.

Diamond's Father, Donovan McConnell:  "You're healing babygirl. All parts of you are healing. The damage from the electroshock is finally being healed. Memories will flood you. New magics will reveal themselves. You'll have powers unlike anything you could have ever imagined."

Diamond nods slowly and her mother reaches out with the last bit of energy she has and caresses her cheek.

Diamond's Mother, Antoinette Le Veaux:  "You will do great things my beautiful daughter. Always remember, that we love you and we are so proud of you."

Donovan blows her a kiss and she reaches out to catch it and blows him one back as they begin to fade away. She turns around and holds her arms out as the memories continue to flood into her. Just then, the twin colors of lightning strike her hands, one green hits her left hand, and one white hits the right. This time, it doesn't shock her as it has in the past. She just accepts it, drawing it into her.

Diamond:  "Power... Power... It's always about power! Lucky Le Fay tried to take my power! Tried to use it for his own gains... And look where it got him? A splat on the wall!!"

Diamond's eyes start to change colors and the bands of lightning get stronger.

Diamond:  "I don't do what I do in a pursuit of power. I don't do what I do for any other reason besides love! The man I love has been taken from me and I'll do whatever it takes to get him back!"

Diamond's eyes take on the green glow and in the center, the white appears, looking like a big spot amongst the green. It swirls around, making her eyes look almost like they've been tie dyed, or camouflaged. She is breathing deeply as the power continues to flow through her.  The scene ripples and the mirror clouds over once more... [/i]

**********

Back in the hall of mirrors, the scene freezes and Diamond looks at Jeremiah with a look that concerns him.

Jeremiah:  "So after all of that, they put you back in the hospital?  All because your grandmother was jealous of you?"

Diamond nods and swallows thickly.

Diamond:  "Yeah, that's where I met back up with Matthew.  He'd taken on the persona of Xstatic by then, but he didn't remember me because of the hex.  But I knew him.  But that wasn't the only way he was affected, nor were we the only people that the hex ended up hurting.  It seemed that the hex made me forget anyone I was close with back then but Matthew. And the Lucky Le Fay that I ended up splatting on the wall wasn't really him, but just a golem he'd created from another dead person.  He continued to terrorize my Grandmother and her friends until that day she showed me a few weeks ago.  But I didn't know it at the time, which just added to all of my big ball of drama, and just gave my grandparents more ammunition to put me back in the asylum..."

She points at a mirror and it shows a picture of her at about aged sixteen.  She's dressed in a hospital gown over some old pajamas, and she's got a series of hospital armbands going up both wrists...



 The mirror ripples and reveals the asylum again. There she is... curled up on a chair in the mess hall, her long hair streaked blonde and straightened, cut short to just about her shoulders, but the look in the eyes lets you know it's the little girl from before. She's now about sixteen years old, and has filled out to a preview of her soon to be glorious form. Her pajamas are a little worn, but she doesn't care. It's an asylum after all. You can finally see the resemblance and just who it is...  

Diamond is sitting across the table from him... He's in a straight jacket, his face covered in the now recognizable face paint. She leans forward, chewing on a fingernail and whispers to him.

Teenaged Diamond:  "Matty... Matty, it's me! Please tell me you recognize me..."

He doesn't speak, just sits there with a strange smile on his face. She leans forward again, taking the finger from her mouth. Her accent is greatly lessened, but you can still hear the hint of the creole. She looks at him imploringly and whispers again.

Teenaged Diamond:  "Matty, please say something. I know it's you. It's been so long... but there's no way I could ever forget you."

He slowly turns and looks at her, blinking as if in slow motion. His smile turns really evil and he jumps at her as if to attack her, but she doesn't move. This surprises him and he stops, leaning over the table towards her.

Teenaged Matthew:  "Don't call me Matty! You can't call me Matty! Only she could call me Matty!"

Diamond reaches out to touch his shoulder and he snaps his teeth at her as if to bite her. She pulls her hand back and looks around, hoping that no one saw the attempt to hurt her. She tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear and turns back to him, trying to reach him.

eenaged Diamond:  "Matthew, do you know who I am? Do you remember? The poppet?"

He frowns slightly and looks at her, trying to concentrate.

Teenaged Matthew:  "Poppet? The poppet?"

She nods, hopeful that he finally remembered her.

Teenaged Diamond:  "Yes Matthew... the poppet. The pink and black haired poppet. Do you remember?"

He nods slowly.

Teenaged Matthew:  "I remember... The poppet with no name... pink and black hair... I protected her. I protected the poppet."

Diamond nods excitedly and leans forward again.

Teenaged Diamond:  "Yes! Yes you did, you saved my poppet, and me! Oh Matty, I thought you'd forgotten..."

She stops as he continues to talk, rocking back and forth.

Teenaged Matthew:  "I protected the poppet... she came to me, and I protected her... She came back to me... the pink and black hair... She's come to life and came back to me... She has a name now... it's... it's... She's so beautiful... She's mine now... I protected her, and I will always protect her... I promised... I promised her..."

Diamond looks at him confused and shakes her head.

Teenaged Diamond:  "Matty, I don't get it... she came back to you? What do you mean?"

He jumps at her again and snaps his teeth at her, growling.

Teenaged Matthew:  "I said don't call me that! You can't call me that!!"

She jumps back this time and he practically crawls across the table, trying to get at her, but he stops as she slides her chair back. He inhales her scent and cocks his head to the side.

Teenaged Matthew:  "You smell familiar... you... you... who are you?"

Diamond swallows slowly and reaches out a hand to touch his shoulder.

Teenaged Diamond:  "Morganna... I'm Morganna. Don't you remember? The indian braids?"

She lifts the lock of hair over her ear and reveals five indian braids, but they're blue with crystals and feathers on the end instead of pink. He shakes his head, growling.

Teenaged Matthew:  "No!! NO!! NO PINK AND BLACK!! PINK AND BLACK!!"

He jumps off of the table and shoulder tackles her, and she falls backward. The orderlies come and grab him, dragging him away from her. He's going wild, screaming his head off as the doctor follows them out into the hall.

Teenaged Matthew:  "GIVE HER BACK TO ME!! YOU PROMISED YOU'D GIVE HER BACK!! PINK AND BLACK HAIR!! GIVE HER BACK!!"

Diamond puts her hands over her mouth as she watches the boy who once saved her being drug off in the arms of the orderlies. She looks around and follows them out, watching as he's taken into a room with a one way mirror. She reaches in her pocket and pulls out a mojo bag with crystal dust in it and sprinkles some over her head and whispers...

Teenaged Diamond:  "I'm a shadow on the wall, look away look away, I'm a shadow on the wall, let your glance not stay. I'm a shadow on the wall, look away look away, I'm a shadow on the wall, let your glance not stay."

She sees the doctor come out of the room where he's stashed the boy and he opens the door to the room beside it. She slips in not a step behind him and looks through the one way glass at the boy she's been in love with since she was a child and she gasps...

He's holding a girl... a girl with pink and black hair... she's wrapped in his arms, her face hidden in his chest and he's repeating the same line over and over again...

Teenaged Matthew:  "You're mine now... I'll protect you... I promised. You're mine now... I'll protect you... I promised."

Diamond's heart drops to her gut and she stifles the sob that wrenches from her throat. Hot and heavy tears fall from her eyes to land on the doctor's hand where he's sitting and taking notes. He looks up to see where the mystery drip is coming from and looks around confused.

Stupid Doctor:  "Damn old pipes..."

Diamond slips back out of the door of the room...


 The scene freezes, and Diamond sighs heavily as she looks at the sight of Teenaged Matthew and the girl with the pink and black hair.

Diamond:  "Her stage name was Pandora, and she was placed in the asylum while I was away with my parents.  The doctor dyed her hair pink and black and used her to placate Matthew's obsession over the poppet that the hex caused.  But it was bad enough that I'd been replaced.  I couldn't keep him in that place with her.  I'd become as obsessed with him as he'd become over Pandora and the poppet.  I'd escaped that day because I couldn't stand seeing him with her, but I couldn't leave him in there.  So, about three years later, before I joined up with the Angels of the Fallen, but after I'd finished my training with Sensei Mosley, I returned to the asylum to help him out.  And I'm afraid I'm being quite literal about that statement.  But at this time, it's not Matthew that I help out, but Xstatic.  He's completely been subjugated by the other part of him, and I didn't care."
__________

The mirror turns hazy again and the scene changes...  

It's raining, and it's dark. In the darkness and explosion rocks the neighborhood. A lone figure steps out of the chaos that's ensued and stands, his purple trench coat flapping in the hot wind that's emanating from the blast zone. Coming from the darkness in the other direction steps a feminine figure, her steps a mirror of his as they walk towards one another. The rain stops as they finally come within a few feet of one another. They stand toe to toe, nose to nose with the sounds of mayhem echoing behind them.






He looks her up and down, taking in the make up that rivals his own. He breathes deeply and gives her an evil grin.

Xstatic:  "Are you mocking me?"

She shakes her head slowly and smiles softly.

Diamond:  "Never."

He grabs her by the upper arms and sniffs her, inhaling her scent, then he looks into her eyes and watches as they turn from dark brown to a glowing green.

Xstatic:  "I know you... Are you her?"

She cocks her head to the side and looks at him questioningly.

Diamond:  "Am I who?"

He lifts a finger to her light brown hair and shakes his head slowly.

Xstatic:  "You're not her... Pink and black... that's what it's supposed to be... pink and black..."

He inhales her scent once again and growls softly.

Diamond:  "But you smell so familiar... Who are you?"

She smiles and winks to him.

Diamond:  "I was a Diamond in the rough when you met me. Now, I'm battle hardened and ready for some fun. I've been watching for you... waiting for you... waiting for the right time for you to see the truth... Do you remember the girl with the poppet? The one who knew the trick that helped you? The girl with the poppet with no name?"

He nods slowly, then shakes his head confusing her.

Xstatic:  "The poppet with no name... she has a name now... it's... but she's gone again... I had to leave her behind... but I'll find her again... But you're not her... you're not the one..."

She smiles and shakes her head.

Diamond:  "I was always the one. I always will be the one... And one day you will remember that fact. The other... she's not me. She never was, she never will be. She can't help you like I can... Mattieu... My Mattieu..."

She reaches out and strokes his hair and smiles. He looks down into her green glowing eyes and they get kind of muddled and cloudy. He points his finger at her, frowning in concentration.

Xstatic:  "I know you... I think... I know you..."

She nods and takes his hand and starts to pull him away from the scene...  

__________

The scene in the mirror switches to a different scene where Diamond is in her mid-twenties.  They're standing in her trailer with magic swirling all around them.  She has her hands on his temples, and their eyes are glowing green as she's trying to help him remember what years of medication, electroshock therapy and lies have caused him to lose.  She can feel him finally starting to remember...

And her head explodes in pain as someone hits her in the back of the head. She stumbles to the ground, using the dresser to try and keep her balance as she tries to pull herself back to a standing position, and she gets blasted again, knocking her to the carpeted floor. She struggles to turn herself over, and sees Xstatic yelling at someone... but that person is shrouded in blackness. It's like she can't see who they are, as if they've been cloaked. Xstatic is upset, but not overly upset.

Xstatic:  "Why did you do that? She didn't do anything!"

Diamond struggles to hear a reply, but it sounds to her like the grown ups on the Charlie Brown cartoons. All she can hear is, 'wah wah wah wah wah, wah wah wah wah...' Xstatic is gesticulating, pointing at Diamond.

Xstatic:  "She wasn't doing anything wrong. She was just trying to help me remember something from my past!"

Diamond hears the strange talking again, and tries to look into the darkness that's consuming the form, but she can't see anything. She just blinks over and over again.  

Xstatic:  "I know my eyes were glowing. She was using magic to help me. She wasn't hurting me at all, she was helping me."

Diamond struggles to sit up again, leaning against the dresser as she continues to hear the muffled speaking. Xstatic points at the door and shakes his head.

Xstatic:  "Just go for now. I'll handle things here."

The dark form walks out of the trailer and Xstatic walks over and squats down in front of Diamond. He holds a hand out and helps her up off of the floor.

Xstatic:  "So, it was you?"

Diamond nods slowly, looking up into his eyes. She reaches up a hand and strokes his cheek gently.

Diamond:  "It was me. It was always me."

Her eyes suddenly go wide and she gasps, putting her hand down on her stomach. She lifts her hand up and sees that it's covered in blood. Xstatic looks down and shakes his head.

Xstatic:  "NO!! NO!! NOT AGAIN!! I DIDN'T DO THIS!!"

She grabs her phone and dials the first number on speed dial. Xstatic grabs her phone from her as he hears the phone ringing and grabs a towel from a basket, pressing it to Diamond's slashed stomach. When he hears Darknyss's voice speaking, he's frantic.

Xstatic:  "Zatanya! I swear, I didn't do this! Get here, now!!"

Darknyss gets a confused tone in her voice.

Darknyss:  "What? Who?! X? Is that you? What are you doing calling from Morganna's phone?"

He holds the towel in place and growls into the phone.

Xstatic:  "She's hurt! She's bleeding, and I don't know why! Get here, NOW!!"

He tosses the phone on the bed as Diamond lays there, gasping, blood starting to bubble up and drip slowly down from the corner of her mouth. Xstatic hears Darknyss yelling into the phone.

Darknyss:  "Get her to Nyla's if she's hurt! I'll meet you there!!"

You can hear Darknyss peeling out through the phone, and Xstatic yells for Ed.

Xstatic:  "GENOCYDE!! DIAMOND'S HURT! GET MY CAR!!"

Xstatic picks up Diamond gently and rushes out of the trailer, headed for the car. As he runs past the door, we see a poppet with brown buttons over green small light bulbs for eyes. Spearing it right through the stomach is a knife that looks mysteriously like Pandora's favorite blade...

**********

The scene returns to the hall of mirrors and Diamond looks over at Jeremiah once again.  She's got tears rolling down her cheeks as she waits for him to speak, but he doesn't say a word.  He just keeps his death grip on her hand as his jaw works from him clenching his teeth over and over again.  He takes a deep breath and turns to look at her slowly.

Jeremiah:  "So, he really was insane wasn't he."

She nods slowly and wipes her tears with the back of her hand.

Diamond:  "I was obsessed.  The hex that Lucky Le Fay had put on us turned love and affection into its darkest, most evil forms.  And it caused me to forget about someone who was very special to me.  Though I didn't know it at the time, I'd apparently had an entire separate life in the asylum with Jonathan that the hex stole from me.  But once I'd started healing from the damage, it started to come back.  The next part I have to show you is going to be hard, because it has some intimate parts that I never wanted you to know about.  But... You asked for complete honesty, so...  I have to show you."

She points at the mirror once more, and the scene shows her younger self in her mid-twenties once more....

__________

Diamond has had a rough day of training and dealing with the insanity that is her relationship with Matthew, and she has flopped on her bed, growling softly to herself.  She grabs her pillow and holds it over her face and kicks her feet, screaming her anger out to the sky. She sighs heavily and seems to collapse in exhaustion after about 5 minutes of screaming her rage into her pillow.  Diamond tucks the pillow underneath her head and traces a fingernail along her tummy with a sigh. 
 
Diamond:  "It would be so damned easy to just stir a trick and lay it on him...  I could have him as my love slave in a heartbeat...  But I made a promise to him that I would never force him to do something he doesn't want to do.  I promised him a long time ago... and I'll not break that promise." 
 
Diamond shakes her head and flips herself up off of the bed and opens a drawer, pulling out a towel and grabbing a short, dark blue kimono robe with a silver dragon on the back. She steps behind an oriental screen, turning on the light behind it and her silhouette shows on the screen in all its voluptuous glory. She starts to remove her clothing slowly, one piece at a time as she talks. 
 
Diamond:  "Dang it Sensei... why did you have to drill Zatanya, Nyla, and me with all of this honor stuff. I'm always the honorable one.  Sometimes I wish I could just forget my honor code and just do what I think would make me happy." 
 
She removes her underwear and stands there behind the screen in all of the glory nature intended, and the shadow on the screen shows off her curves in the bests of light. She shakes her head and starts to pull her hair up into a clip on the top of her head before putting her hands on her hips again. 
 
Diamond:  "But then, could I really be happy with Matty as a zombie? Just mindlessly doing what I asked? No... I wouldn't. It was his wildness... his fierce loyalty... his intensity that drew me to him...." 
 
She slips on her robe and picks up her towel. 
 
Diamond:  "If he weren't inside of himself, it just wouldn't be the same.  The body without the mind and soul...  it's just not the same..." 
 
She steps out from around the screen and screams in shock as she's confronted with a squawking raven, flapping its wings at her.  She starts to make gestures instinctively to protect herself, and she hears a voice call out to her. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "HEY!! DON'T YA HURT MY BIRD!!" 
 
She jumps and shrieks again as the bird flies back to the shoulder of the man whose voice she just heard, and she throws her towel at him as he lounges on her bed.  He's dressed in black leather pants and a black long-sleeved shirt that has some rips here and there, and he's wearing black combat boots.  His face is covered in white and black face paint, and his long black hair hangs down over his face in damp waves from the rain that had recently fallen outside.  She growls at him and shakes her fist at him.
 
Diamond:  "JONATHAN LE BLUE, I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!" 
 
He ducks as the towel goes flying past him and chuckles softly. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "What? I didn't do anything!  I've been a good boy... well, today at least...  And.. well, as good as I'm gonna get..." 
 
She puts her hands on her hips and frowns at him. 
 
Diamond:  "You call breaking and entering being a good boy?  And get your feet off of my spread!  Were you raised in a barn?" 
 
He shrugs and moves his feet to where they dangle off the edge of the bed and crosses his ankles. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "Ya know where I was raised Emme.  We did grow up together ya know." 
 
Her face softens and he looks her up and down slowly, licking his lips lewdly. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "And I must say...  ya did grow up very nicely... Very nicely indeed." 
 
Diamond pulls the edges of her robe closer together and kicks his calf. 
 
Diamond:  "You perv!!  Were you peeking at me while I was changing?" 
 
He shrugs and puts an arm behind his head stretching languidly. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "Not peeking per say... J ust enjoying the view while ya were behind the screen.  Is it my fault that ya have one awesome shadow?" 
 
He runs his hand up his stomach languidly and licks his lips with a wicked grin. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "I must say...  ya always did put on a good show while you were changing...  Even as a kid when I used to peek in your window, I always did find ya so enticing..." 
 
Diamond launches herself at him, swinging wildly. 
 
Diamond:  "You filthy, nasty, perverted little shit!!  You used to peek at me as a kid??!!  Everybody told me you were a pervert and I used to DEFEND YOU! HOW DARE YOU!!" 
 
He grabs her wrists and pulls her on top of him so that she's straddling his body and pulls her down roughly so that her face is only an inch over his.  She looks down into his eyes and she gasps at the intensity of emotion that is swimming just behind his eyes. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "Mmmm, that's it Emme...  this is where I've always dreamed of ya being..." 
 
He takes both of her wrists in one hand and slides his hand down her hip to her naked thigh and she keeps struggling. 
 
Diamond:  "STOP IT!!  You're just as bad as the rest of the boys back in the bayou!!  Always trying to do something nasty to me just cause I was a witch!!  I was treated like a freakshow freak!  I was nothing but a dare, or like some wild animal everyone wanted to try to break, and you were apparently no better than the rest of them!  Now get your hands off of me!!" 
 
He shakes her roughly, her head flopping around on her neck almost like a ragdoll. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "At least all I did was peek, yeah...  I didn't do ya like the other boys and try to beat the crap outta ya, just to get a piece of swamp rat tail by force!" 
 
She grimaces and yanks a hand free and slaps him.  He barely flinches, and licks his lips again, grinning wickedly. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "Is that all ya got girl?  Come on...  that's just the foreplay...  really give it to me!" 
 
She wrenches her other hand free and lifts it to hit him, but suddenly stops herself and puts her hand down.  She just remains there, sitting on him. 
 
Diamond:  "You're not even worth the effort Jonathan.  You probably do get off on being hit.  You always were a strange one boy.  You always pushed me like that, and I never knew why." 
 
He cocks his head to the side and wipes along his lips, checking them to see if he's bleeding. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "Because...  I liked seeing the fire in your eyes, but ya always would hide it from me.  I don't know why." 
 
She shakes her head and sighs heavily. 
 
Diamond:  "I hid it from everybody.  It always frightened people." 
 
He shrugs and stretches out again. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "It never frightened me.  It fascinated me.  I didn't peek on ya because I wanted to see ya dressing...  I just wanted to see YOU...  You as you were when no one was looking.  I wanted to see the Diamond that was underneath all of the gruff exterior.  I wanted to see whatcha had hiding under that swamp rat guise ya always wore, and when I finally did, I was hooked.  I knew we were meant to be the first time ya smiled at me.  Ya let me finally look ya in the eyes and I could see your soul.  Ya were my world back then.  Of course I wouldn't be frightened of ya." 
 
She rolls her eyes and waves off his statement with a backwards wave of her hand,' trying to hide how flustered she truly is. 
 
Diamond:  "Pfft...  that was cause even as a kid you were an obsessed, crazed, stalker." 
 
He grabs her hand and shakes his head. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "No, that was cause even as a kid, I was in love with ya, yeah.  You were always meant to be mine, and it scared ya for some reason.  Why do ya think when ya got tossed in that hell hole as a teenager, I did everything I could to get in there with ya?  Cause I knew ya'd need me, yeah...  And ya did." 
 
She shakes her head and looks down at him confused. 
 
Diamond:  "You weren't there..." 
 
He shakes his head and looks at her in shock. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "Yes I was Morganna!!  I WAS THERE!!  I WAS THERE FOR IT ALL!!  THE PILLS, THE CRAZY ORDERLIES WHO HARASSED AND BEAT YOU WHENEVER THEY WANTED TO...  I WENT THROUGH ELECTROSHOCK THERAPY, AND GROUP THERAPY...  HELL, I GAVE YA MY CHOCOLATE PUDDING EVERY F*ckIN' DAY!!" 
 
She glares down at him and puts her fists on her hips. 
 
Diamond:  "Jonathan, if you're gonna sit there and lie to me, then you can just get out." 
 
He grabs her around the waist, and lifts her easily, holding her tight as he scoots higher up the bed to sit up, leaning against the headboard.  He looks her right in the eye. 
 
Jonathan Le Blue:  "Emme, I wouldn't lie to ya about that.  I was there..." 
 
She goes to move off of him, but he grabs her around the waist again.  She starts to struggle, twisting in his grip.   She keeps slapping him on the chest, trying to push her arms between his to break his grip.

Diamond:  "Let me go!!   You're lying to me!!   Matthew was in the asylum with me!   I've even got a picture to prove it!!   Jonathan, let me go!!"

Jonathan lets her go and she jumps up off of him, grabbing the picture of her in the harlequin outfit, with the arm of the man around her.

Diamond:  "See!  I told you!!  It was Matthew in the asylum with me!  Not you!"

Jonathan nods and holds up his hands.

Jonathan Le Blue:  "I wasn't saying he wasn't there, but I was there too.   And I can prove it."

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a picture, but doesn't show it to Diamond.  He chuckles softly to himself, looking down at the picture in his hand.

Jonathan Le Blue:  "Ya know, for the longest time, I couldn't quite understand what this picture meant...  Not until this moment.  Ya see, there's still gaps in my memory too about that time.  Matthew said it was from me being hit in the head while we were escaping."

She frowns and shakes her head.

Iamond:  "No way!  You weren't there!  I'd remember if you were there!  It was just me an Matty that escaped..."

He shakes his head and points to the picture she's holding in her hand.  There's a scar on the wrist of the arm that's wrapped around her.  

Jonathan Le Blue:  "This proves it Morganna.  Did ya ever see a scar like that on Matthew's arm?"

She opens her mouth to speak, then closes it, thinking.  He smirks and nods slowly.

Jonathan Le Blue:  "Think really hard now...  It wasn't just Matthew and you who escaped... I was there too.  Matthew went back for Pandora, which was why the two of ya were separated..."

He holds up his wrist where there's a scar, the twin of the one in the picture running down his arm.

Jonathan Le Blue:  "It was ME who helped ya escape Emme...  Matthew didn't even make it outta the building when this was taken.  It was just me and you.  By the time this picture was taken, Matthew was probably smashing guards' heads in to get back to Pandora's room...  From what he told me, he just couldn't reach her and had to come back out to meet us.  You were out of it, having taken a billy club to the head from a guard, and I had to carry ya to the rendezvous.  He was flippin' out and well...  He gave me a new scar for my troubles.  When ya came to, I was out for the count, and he'd apparently carried ya off somewhere to wake ya up."

She shakes her head, running a hand through her hair.

Diamond:  "This is just too damned crazy!  There's NO WAY this is true!"

He grabs her shoulders and shakes her a bit roughly.

Jonathan Le Blue:  "DAMNIT, WOULD YA JUST LISTEN TO ME??!!  IT'S TRUE!!  EVERY WORD I JUST SAID WAS TRUE!!"

He suddenly kisses her deeply, and her entire body freezes, before she melts into the kiss for a moment, kissing him back.  She then pulls her hands up and pushes him off of her, wiping her lips off with the back of her hand.  She shakes her head and pins the picture back up on the mirror.

Diamond:  "You're lying Jonathan!  I love Matthew and you just can't stand it!  How DARE you try to take credit for him saving me!  Now get out!!"

He looks back down at the picture, then up at her and shakes his head.

Jonathan Le Blue:  "Matthew said ya had some kinda mental block...  Said ya didn't want to believe the truth, even when it's staring ya in the face.  I guess he was right..."

He walks over and pins the picture he'd taken from his pocket next to the other one and walk back over to her.

Jonathan Le Blue:  "I'm not giving up on ya Morganna...  Soon, you'll remember the truth, and you'll know you're meant to be mine...  Maybe then you'll forget all about Matthew and be where you're supposed to be."

He walks out of the door and his bird, Malicai squawks at her, flapping his wings.  Jonathan slams the door, and she stomps over to pull down the picture he'd pinned to her mirror.  She stomps back over to the door and pulls it open to throw it at him, but he's gone.  She has her hand up and something about the picture catches her eye.  She shuts the door, looking closely at the picture.  It's a picture of the same asylum.  The guy in the picture is clearly Jonathan in makeup, and there's an arm wrapped around him.  She frowns as she looks at it and notices the edge of a harlequin outfit.  She puts a hand to her mouth and her eyes go wide with shock.  She goes back to the picture she'd pinned up and pulls it down, looking at it closely.

Diamond:  "What the F*ck??!!"

She holds both pictures up to one another, and the torn edges match up.  They are indeed two halves of the same picture.  She shakes her head in disbelief.

Diamond:  "No way!  No F*cking way!  It wasn't him!!  It was Matthew!!  It was Matthew!!"

She grasps her head as her eyes blaze bright green with black streaks floating through it and she shrieks as the light flashes to a blinding green brightness.  When the green finally fades, she's sitting on the edge of the bed, holding her pillow tight to her chest, rocking slowly, repeating the same line over and over again to herself...  
 
"It wasn't him, it was Matthew!!  It wasn't him, it was Matthew!!  It wasn't him, it was Matthew!!   It wasn't him, it was Matthew!!  It wasn't him, it was Matthew!!"

__________

The scene in the mirror finally fades out and Jeremiah puts his hands to his head, shaking it slowly.  He looks at Diamond and takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

Jeremiah:  "So, you went from one insane guy to the other?  Is that it?  First you let Matthew or Xstatic or whatever in the hell he was calling himself that day treat you like shit, beat on you, cut you, and GOD KNOWS what else, and you go to this Jonathan character who's just a crazy?"

Diamond looks down at her hands and nods slowly.  

Diamond:  "Yeah, that's about the long and short of it.  But I didn't stay!!  I got out of it!  I couldn't take the insanity of it all, and all of the Angels walked away from the company!  It was just too much for me to bear!!"

Jeremiah rubs his hands over his face and shakes his head again.

Jeremiah:  "Is there more?"

Diamond nods again and wipes her nose with her hand.  Jeremiah throws his hands up in the air and growls.

Jeremiah:  "I can't see any more right now!  This... This is just too damned much!  How can you have let this go on??!!"

Diamond sniffs and tries to hide her face from his behind her hair.

Diamond:  "I told you...  This was magic induced, coupled with the things that my grandparents had done to me!  I'm not the same person though...  I hope you can see that."

Jeremiah blinks quickly as he looks at Diamond and shakes his head.

Jeremiah:  "I need to wake up.  How do I wake up?!!"

Diamond lifts her hand and snaps her fingers, and the world is consumed in a bright green flash...  

**********

Jeremiah blinks slowly and looks over at Diamond who is lying beside him.  He looks at his watch, and sees that they've been laying there for only about ten minutes.  But during that ten minutes, his whole world has been flipped upside down.  He looks at the woman he loves, and wonders how she could have come through all that she's been through and not wound up nuttier than a fruitcake.  He watches as her eyes come open and she looks at him.  She blinks at the big tears that fall from her eyes as she whispers to him softly.

Diamond:  "I can understand if you hate me now.  I just didn't know if you would want to still be with me after knowing all of that."

Jeremiah reaches out and strokes her cheek gently.

Jeremiah:  "You didn't lie to me.  It's a lot, and you were right.  It's a lot of craziness.  But after seeing all of that, I look at you and I see a strong, beautiful woman who overcame so much to become someone wonderful!"

She gasps and shakes her head.

Diamond:  "But... You were so mad!  I thought..."

Jeremiah puts a finger to her lips and shushes her.

Jeremiah:  "I wasn’t' mad AT you.  I was mad FOR you!  You know I'm a protector, and I just wish that I'd known you back then so that I could have taken you away from all of that mess.  You deserve the world my jewel.  And I'm going to try to give it to you."

She buries her face in his shoulder, and sobs.  He wraps his arms around her and holds onto her tightly as the scene fades out.

-♥.•*¨*•. .•*¨*•.♥-


<hr size=1 color=cornflowerblue>

<img src=http://i67.tinypic.com/of0w0j.jpg width=400>

<hr size=1 color=cornflowerblue>

 
_______  >>>>>  *******  <<<<< _______    
 
 â€¦  END OF FEED  ...    
 
_______  >>>>>  *******  <<<<< _______    
 
***  Word Count, 25,500  ***