The Succubus Files-1: Purgation by Lynceus Once upon a time, I was a young man in love, with a bright future. My life was stolen from me, but my love gave me the strength to endure. But then I found out what it means to truly have nothing left to lose..

Sequel to Sin and Steel: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/21302/sin-and-steel

A Tale of the Comics Retcon Universe!: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/20577/comics-retcon-universe

Prologue: The Emperor

Lex Luthor slammed his fist down on his desk. Mercy jumped; her employer was typically a man of carefully restrained emotion. “Unacceptable! This is unacceptable! I've given them everything they've asked for, and this is what I get in return? First, some of the most promising test subjects escape, setting us back months so that the government doesn't catch wind of what we're doing...and now this?”

Luthor fumed for several moments until he spoke again. “Alright, so did Dr. Renko have any ideas about how this went wrong?”

Mercy coughed. “According to her and Dr. Donovan's findings, the metagene, if it is, in fact, genetic in nature...as you know, Dr. Renko has her doubts...”

Luthor chuckled. “Yes, I'm aware of her disagreements with Dabney. There's a reason I split up the research between them.”

“Yes, well, Dr. Renko believes that the trigger is chemical; she's convinced the trigger is DMT...that is, dimethyltryptamine...”

“I'm aware of what DMT is, Miss Graves.”

“Sorry, of course. Uh..yes, DMT produced by the pineal gland. Then, for whatever reason, the presence of other factors, such as the subject's mental state, or environmental factors, direct the transformation into a metahuman being.”

“Right. So the next step was to inject DMT into test subjects, and attempt to use deep hypnosis to trigger the metagene. And we had success...like subject #19.”

Mercy nodded. “Who, I'm afraid, the government likely has in custody. But apparently what's happening is that these transformations are unstable, and they can be rejected.”

“Reverse mutation. How many?”

“Only two of the test subjects we still have in custody have fully retained their mutations; one has partially reverted, with weaker powers than before, and the rest have lost their powers entirely. Some physical changes remain, but they are all completely human.”
“What kind of changes, exactly?” Luthor's brow furrowed as he thought.

“Well, for example, one subject who grew about a foot in height, after being disempowered, still retained several inches of increased height over their original appearance. Gender changes don't seem to reverse, save in one case. Ah, subject #11.”

“Eleven...oh yes, the woman who turned into a man. What happened?”

“She reverted to full female appearance, but according to Dr. Renko, she's still chemically male, with both an X and a Y chromosome.”

“Alright. Has the good Doctor tried to restore their mutations?”

Mercy shook her head. “She was wanting to administer the Athena-2 compound, rather than try to force mutations on them.”

“All but #11. Send Dr. Renko an ampule of Apollo.”

Mercy's eyes widened. “Apollo isn't ready for human testing yet!”

Luthor grinned. “I know.”

Chapter One: The Tower

I paced nervously outside the hospital room. Mr. Faraday looked irritated by my restlessness, but he didn't say anything. My emotions aren't exactly stable on my best days, and this was definitely not one of those. We'd been training in the secure facility Mr. Faraday had provided for us; I had my doubts about our current arrangement, but it's not like we had much choice.

Without warning, Alyssa had grown weak, and fallen to the ground. Her outer skin, which normally looks like shiny metal, had lost it's luster, and the bright light that normally shone from her eyes had dimmed. By the time we got her to the hospital (no easy task, her metal body is heavy!), she'd slipped into a coma.

Looking into the room, I could see cracks developing in her skin. Her vitals were weak, and a cold ball of fear had taken up residence in my gut. She had just given me my new name last night. Stefani. With an 'I'.

There was no way I could have coped with my transformation without her. And if I lost her now... No! I couldn't think about that. Once I'd been a tall, athletic football player. Broad shoulders, handsome.

Now I was a cute demon girl, not even 5' tall. I flexed my wings, some part of me wishing I could just fly away from this. I hated hospitals. Always have. But I couldn't abandon Alyssa, I couldn't!

Eventually I sat down, exhausted, and my eyes refused to stay open.

-

King Faraday shook me awake. Gently; I've been known to wake up with a fireball in hand. “Kid...got good news and bad news.”

I perked up at once. “She'll be ok?”

He nodded, running a hand through his hair. “Damnedest thing. Her skin cracked open, and, well, see for yourself.”

I rose and stood on tip-toe, looking into the room. To my amazement, Alyssa looked human again! In fact, she looked pretty much the way she had before the accident! She looked ridiculously tiny in the hospital bed, which had been set up to accommodate her 7' 2” frame. Now she was easily a foot and a half shorter (though still taller than her original height).

“She's...normal?”

King nodded. “I contacted Jade, she's going to get Dr. Zeul in here.”

“So what's the bad news?” I looked up at him.

He sighed. “She doesn't remember anything after the accident.”

I felt weak, and I reached out blindly for something to support my weight. King grabbed my arm, and helped me sit down. “That's...you can't mean that, it can't be true!”

He sighed. “Believe me, I didn't wake you until we were sure. She keeps asking for you...Steven, that is. We asked her to describe him...you.” He sighed. “She wouldn't know you to look at you. I'm sorry.”

-

I don't remember flying away, or even how I got out of the hospital. I was flying now, that was certain, as fast as I could (something like 120 MPH, according to the tests they did on me). I don't really fly; my wings are pretty much cosmetic. I pretty much tell gravity where it can go stick itself; I found that I could hover upside down, treating 'up' as my subjective 'down'. Technically, that would imply I don't fly so much as fall in whatever direction I choose, but it doesn't feel like falling...plus, I'd move faster if that were the case.

Right now, I was flying over a lake. All I had to do was fall into it...I never learned how to swim...

I shivered. Fuck! I'm too much of a coward to off myself! Plus, death by drowning was high on my list of least favorite nightmares. What the hell was I going to do? Without Alyssa, I really was a freak. And all alone.

I must have been flying for awhile, it was getting dark. And my stomach growled in protest. I burn up a lot of calories by flying, and my body doesn't have much reserve fat to begin with. I slowly descended, skimming over the lack, and landed on the shore, which bordered a rather heavily-forested area.
I can see perfectly fine in the dark; apparently my cat-like eyes aren't just for show. I stumbled across some nocturnal animal. It attempted to flee, but I called a flame to my hand and, within a few moments, the smell of burned hair assaulted my nose as it's body lay smoking on the ground.

I was so hungry I didn't care, I pulled away the outer layer of flesh, revealing half-cooked meat and bit into it, blood spurting into my mouth. I'd noticed before, when I bit Giganta, how good blood tasted to me. This wasn't quite the same but I devoured the salty blood greedily, like some kind of vampire.

Part of me was disgusted by my behavior, but really, what difference did it make now, if I was some kind of monster? I went looking for more prey, little caring about the tears falling from my eyes.

-

I was covered in blood, my clothes ragged and soiled, but at least the hunger was gone. I found a small cave and tossed a few fireballs inside to clear out whatever might be living within. Then, the walls still warm to the touch, I curled up and fell asleep.

I dreamed about Alyssa. I was a man again, and we were walking in the woods behind our school, hand-in-hand. I pushed her back to a tree, and we started making out. God, she was so beautiful...

I started kissing her bare neck, feeling the veins under her skin. So warm, so full of life. I sank my teeth into her neck and began lapping up her sweet blood...

-

“No!” I sat up, instantly awake, smacking my head against the cave's low ceiling. “Ow...fuck!” Shit did that hurt! I sat there, groaning in pain, for several long minutes. It was early morning, and I crawled out of the cave. I could see the lake's surface in the distance; mist rising off of it, the morning sun reflected on the water.

It was beautiful, and I smiled. Alyssa would love to see this.

Thinking about her was a mistake, I felt like I was all twisted up inside, and my eyes stung with tears. I sat down on a rock and wept. I wanted to die, and end this nightmare! I plunged my nails into my wrist, so blinded with grief that I didn't feel anything. No blood. I mean, there was blood, but I don't bleed. In fact, as I stared in awe, the wound began to heal before my very eyes, and within seconds, there wasn't even a scar!

A giggle formed in my throat, and before I knew it, I was howling with laughter! “Oh man, talk about epic fail! I can't even die right!”

“Uh...what's so funny?” I heard a female voice from overhead.

I blinked, looking up, to see a girl, maybe 15 or so. She had dark green hair, and was dressed in a green-and-black costume that resembled Jade's uniform, but showing a lot more skin. A black mask covered her eyes, which glowed with a soft green light.

I nearly fell off my rock, a ball of flame forming in my hand. “Stay away from me!”

“Hey...I'm not here to hurt you. Everyone is worried about you. Look.” She held up her hand, and I saw a glowing ring on it. “I'm a Green Lantern too, see? Jade sent me.”

I dismissed the flame, feeling kind of stupid. “Sorry. You just surprised me...I thought I was alone.”

The girl descended to the ground. Her method of flight seemed very similar to mine.

“Are you a metahuman too?”

The girl shook her head. “No...or at least, I don't think I am. It's kind of complicated.”

I snorted. “What isn't? Look, you can just go tell Jade I'm fine, I don't want to be saved.”

She looked me up and down. “You don't look so good at the moment.”

“Just leave me the fuck alone!” I stood up, shakily.

“No.”

I blinked. “What?”

“I'm not going to leave you.” She walked closer to me.

I threw a punch at her. “Leave me alone!”

She never even dodged, my fist hit her in the face, and she spun halfway around, and crumpled to the ground, lifeless. I looked at my hand in shock. It's hard to remember how strong I am now; I keep expecting to be a weak little girl, but my grip can deform metal.

And I just punched a kid! “Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck!” I knelt at the girl's side. “Please don't be dead! Please!”

The girl stirred, and I could see an ugly bruise on her jaw. “Ow at uckin urts!”

“Fuck me, I dislocated it...look, hold still, I'll fix it.” I'd always played rough with my friends, especially on the field, so I'd seen injuries like this before. I carefully placed my hands on her jaw and set it back into place.”

“Fucking ow!!!” She yelped. “Oh...hey...I can talk again. Fuck this hurts though...” She touched her jaw and her fingertips began to glow with greenish light. The bruise faded away before my eyes.

“Woah. You can heal like I do.”

I never saw the slap coming, and I found out that the girl was stronger than she looked; she knocked me right over! “What the hell is wrong with you? If I'd been a normal girl, you could have really hurt me!”

That did it. I couldn't even bring myself to move. I just started to cry, shaking helplessly. “I don't want this! I don't want it! I just want to die!”

The girl put her arms around me, and held me tight. “Shh, don't say that. It's going to be ok.”

“No it's not! Nothing is going to be ok ever again!” I wailed.

She rocked me like I was a baby, and began singing something softly. I could barely make out the lyrics, but it sounded vaguely familiar. I finally recognized it, and I couldn't help but smile. “Strawberry Fields Forever?”

“Shut up, my Mom sings it to me when I'm hurting bad.”

I relaxed in her arms. “No...it's ok. Your Mom must be a great person.”

“...she's the best.”

“What's your name?” I realized I didn't even know this mystery girl!

“Alena.”

“That's a pretty name. Guess you're not worried about the whole secret identity thing?”

“Heh. Here's where you'll freak out. I used to be Alan.”

I turned in her arms. “No fucking way!” This pretty girl used to be a guy?!

She laughed. “I know! But...it's weird. It wasn't even all that long ago, but sometimes, it feels like all that was a dream. I'm a girl now, and that's just how it is.”

I looked away. “I...I'm Steven. I wish I felt like you did. I don't want this. I never wanted this. I was a man! I had a girl I cared about...I was going to marry her one day...and now...and now...”

“Steven? That's a funny name for a girl.”

I glared at her, but she just grinned at me. It was so infectious, I couldn't keep a smile off my own face. “Stefani, now. Yes, with an 'I'. It was Alyssa's....” Stupid tears! Just when you think you can't cry anymore, they come back! “Fuck! Do girls ever stop crying?!”

“No, not really. Trust me, I have my own waterworks. Honestly though, I don't think it's because you're a girl. It's because you're a girl.”

“Huh?”

She laughed. “It isn't the body, is all I'm saying. You don't cry any more than a guy would. It's just...guys don't cry. Right? We got to be strong and tough, and only weep manly tears!” She puffed out her chest and flexed her arms.

I howled with laughter, she looked so lame! “Oh God...stop!”
“Whew. Sis is so much better at this than I am. Feel better? Just a tiny bit?”

I nodded. “It hurts still, but I don't want to die any more. Your sister?”

“Yeah, Alison. She doesn't put up with much bullshit. I can hear her now, actually. 'Stop being so fucking emo'!”

“Wow. She must hate you.”

Alena grinned. “I used to think that. Now I know better; she loves me so much it hurts.”

“I...that's how Alyssa was for me. Even though I look like a little girl...she was still...”

“Jade filled me in. She's fine, by the way, condition stable.”

I froze in shock. “Oh...God...I've been so fucking selfish!”

“Don't make me slap you again! Come on! Look what you've been through! Do you honestly think anyone wouldn't go psycho in your situation? Don't blame yourself...and...” She paused. “I'm a total hypocrite. If Sis heard me say this, she'd laugh her ass off.”

She sighed. “Look, no matter how much you care about someone, there are times when your brain has to shut down your ability to care about others. Because what's happening inside is so intense it's enough to make you crazy. I've been there. Everyone has. It doesn't make you a horrible person! At least, if it does, then I'm a fucking monster.”

“You're too cute to be a monster.” I clamped my mouth shut. “Uh...I mean...”

“It's ok. Honestly, I like being cute. I guess that means there's something wrong with me, I mean, what guy would actually like being a cute girl? So gay.”

I giggled. Then frowned. “Fuck.”

“Yeah, that takes getting used to. You think you're the same, but everything is wired different. And worse, you have this programming in your head that says 'guys act like this', 'girls act like that'. So you try to macho up, because you're a guy, damn it all...but subconsciously, your brain is thinking 'well, if I look like a girl, I must be a girl, so I should act like one'.”

I tilted my head at an angle, trying to wrap my mind around what Alena had just said. “That shouldn't make any fucking sense, but it does.”

“We are not our bodies or our minds, or the weird chemicals floating in our bloodstreams. We're all that, and more. Inside, you're still you. Who you are changes over time, that's natural. But I mean, let's say you lost a leg. That changes your life in so many ways, right? But it doesn't change who you are, even though who you are changes because of it.” She frowned. “Wait...that's not right...”

I shook my head. “No, I understand what you're saying. I used to be an athlete, a loss of a limb or a serious injury would be like the end of the world.” I considered that. “Hm. I'd be doing the same things I'm doing now, I bet.”
“Yeah except for one major difference. You didn't lose anything, you gained something. It may have been something you never wanted, but it's here now, to stay.”

“Well..I did lose one thing...”

She blushed. “Ah, yes, there is that. I guess it was easier for me. Girls thought I was a freak, so I wasn't getting much use out of it.”

“You were a geek, weren't you? Funny how that works, a geeky guy is just a loser, but a geeky girl is really cute. I ought to know, Alyssa is a total brain. She was even going to graduate early. So we could be together at college.” I sighed. I didn't want to cry any more.

“Hey. She's still alive. She's ok. And you know, maybe she'll remember one day. You got to have hope!”

“No, maybe it's better this way. She can go back to her life, and not have to be in love with a little girl.”

She hit me lightly in the head with her palm. “God, it's like I'm looking at myself! Stop that, will you?”

“I can't help it. I think she really should move on.”

“Uh huh. So tell me, Jock Boy...what if she had turned into a guy? Would you have run screaming for the hills?”

I opened my mouth, and shut it.

“It's ok, you don't have to answer that. You may very well have, it would freak a lot of people out. But she didn't, did she? She stayed with you. She may have even shown you that you don't need to be a guy to please a girl.”

I was suddenly very happy my skin is already red. Because I felt my face get very hot. “Uh...”

She chuckled. “Ok, sorry, I was definitely channeling my sister there.”

“I'd like to meet this sister of yours, she sounds like someone special.”

“Oh she is, she is. Anyways, she stuck by you. That's rare. So the least you can do is not give up on her.”

“I don't know...it's so hard...”

She stood up and held out her hand. “There are people who can, and will help you. I'm one of them.”

I slowly reached up and took her hand, and she pulled me to my feet. “Woah, you're really light!”

I nodded. “82 lbs., yeah. It's pretty weird, like the rest of me.”

“You mean weirdly pretty, right?” She winked.

“Uh...yeah. That too. I never wanted to be pretty though.”

“Would you rather be ugly?”

I frowned. “Well...no.”

“So then, being pretty is a plus. You at least get some eye candy when you look at that stranger in the mirror.”

“That...were you dropped on your head as a kid?”

She laughed. “Twice. Sis always yells at my warped logic, but it's her fault. She's the one who dropped me on my head!”

I couldn't help but laugh. I didn't want to let go of her hand. And she never let go of mine, even when we flew back to the city.

Chapter Two: The Devil

By the time we got back to the safehouse, I was exhausted. I barely acknowledged Mr. Faraday, just went right to the bathroom and took a shower. I'd thought I'd never be clean again! Afterwards, I climbed into my bed, which now seemed way too big for me without Alyssa. I reached over towards the depression her sleeping body had already made in the new mattress.

I missed her terribly. I drifted off to sleep, and I dreamed.

-

I was standing on a wooden platform, naked, a collar around my neck, and shackles on my hands and feet. A dusky-skinned girl stood next to me. She was tall, with a mature, womanly figure, but she wasn't much older than I was. She had long black hair and blue eyes that made her seem exotic and mysterious. She was also quite beautiful, too beautiful to be a slave girl.

But slave girl she was, dressed in a simple shift. She glanced at me. I didn't recognize the language she spoke, but I understood it all the same. “You flatter me with your eyes, my friend.”

I blushed and looked away. “I cannot help it, you are so beautiful. I know it is not proper, but I have such strange feelings whenever I see you.”

“They say my beauty is a curse, for that very reason. Men and women alike desire me, but only for my body. Never for who I am.”

I moved as close as I could to her, my arm brushing against hers. “I'm not like that, Sakkara.”

She smiled. “I know. If only life was not so cruel.”
-

The scene changed then. Gone were the shackles and the crude markeplace. Now I stood on a marble dais, still naked, but I had been scrubbed clean, and my hair brushed until it seemed to shine. Sakkara stepped into view. She looked the same, but her eyes were infinitely older. Saying nothing, she placed her hand on my chin, turning my head this way and that.

“You seem familiar to me.”

I smiled. “As you do to me. I remember...your name was Sakkara.”

She gasped. “How is this possible? I saw you whipped to death!”

“I don't know, but it seems I am alive again. And still a slave.”

She smiled. “We will see about that, my friend.” She produced a bag of gold, and tossed it to the slavemaster. I was now hers, and I was never happier.

-

Much later, I lay next to her, sharing her bed. I knew I was far from her only lover; I had seen them as she led me to her chambers. Young men and women alike, and their eyes burned with jealousy as they saw me. Sakkara had been gentle with me, and showed me pleasures that I had never imagined!

“Sakkara?” I was quiet, not wanting to wake her.

She turned to face me, and gently stroked my cheek. “Yes, precious one?”

“Why did you choose me? The others are so much more beautiful.”

“Silly girl! You have come back to me, across so much time, how could I turn down such a gift?”

I smiled. “Your words warm me.”

“My body will do more.” She smiled and pulled me close...

-

She was betrayed again, of course, and I was the first to die. I died with her name on my lips. I slept for a time, and then I slowly became aware. I was floating in a warm place, and I could hear the heartbeat of a living woman...the woman in whose womb I slept...my mother!

It seemed strange, to have my memories intact when I had not even been born yet. I did not know why I kept returning, but I knew I would see Sakkara again. She was the only constant in my life, other than violent death.

I was all of six when I saw her. All the people had gathered in celebration, to hail their new Queen. She had liberated us from a cruel tyrant, so beautiful, that she seemed like a Goddess. Already they were calling her a daughter of Ashtar!

And yet, she had a dark side, they spoke of traffic with demons and dark magic. I knew these things to be true; Sakkara had ever been attracted to such things. It was part of her nature; I could not love her without accepting that.

As she left the marketplace in her chariot, I called out to her, in the language we had shared in my first life. “Beautiful Sakkara, do you remember me?”

She halted her chariot and got out, moving to me quickly. My mother tried to shield me from her, but I could only smile at my immortal lover.

“Is it truly you, reborn again?” She gasped.

I smiled and hugged her fiercely.

-

She brought Mother and I to her palace, adopting me as her own. We assumed the roles of mother and daughter so naturally that I might have well been the fruit of her own womb. She doted on me, and gave me everything I had ever lacked.

I learned to read, and to write. For the first time, I was no crude slave girl, but an intelligent young lady. It seemed I could never be happier!

Of course, that life ended badly as well. And so did the next. And the next.

It was Sakkara's nature, really. Born a slave, she grew to understand that there were those with power, and those without. And she wanted power, more power than anyone. So that she would never be a slave again. But time and again, she would give up that power, and enslave herself to another.

She couldn't help herself. Some part of her would always be that slave girl, used and betrayed by others. And I would always die, and come back. Until finally, the day came when she killed me herself.

Her immortality came at a price. Like the vampire of myth, she had to fuel her powers with living blood. It was inevitable, I was always close to her. Weakened, injured, close to death, I gave her my own life so that she could live.

-

I woke, but I wasn't in my room. Instead, I was laying on an old-fashioned, four-poster bed. I was wearing an unfamiliar nightgown that fit me like a glove. Rising, I saw the woman, Sakkara, sitting on a loveseat. Watching me.

Except she was no human woman. Her skin was as red as my own, I saw her wings, like mine, but larger. It was like looking at an older version of my own body!

“I don't understand. Who am I? Who are you?”

She sighed. “I don't have the answers either, sweetling. I look at your body, and I see a daughter, a child I never had. A nameless slave girl who was cursed to love me. And something...very different. Something surprisingly male.” She purred.

I frowned. “I'm not her. I can't be her, I'm a man!”

She quirked an eyebrow and laughed. “Maybe once, sweetling. But I can assure you, that body you wear is anything but a man's. Even though your soul is deliciously otherwise. So tortured you are, I would dearly enjoy seducing you, making you renounce your very gender, and feasting on your blood.”

She shook her head then. “Forgive me, old habits die hard.”

“Are you a metahuman? Or...are you really a demon?”

“Hm? Ah, yes, that new word. In my time, we had another term for it. Special ones like ourselves, we were said to have the blood of Fallen angels in our veins. Nephilim, they called us. For eons, those of our blood would walk, cursed, forsaken by God and Satan. Untold generations would live and die, without ever knowing what they truly were. Occasionally, one such as I would appear; chosen by fate to ascend.”

She shook her head. “And we would seek out others like ourselves. But it was always the same; whenever we gathered in great numbers, we would fight. The great civilizations of the world would blossom at our touch, and fall to ruin as a result of our actions. I have been dead now for some time. Of course, one of the advantages of being worshiped as a Goddess is, you have followers willing to do anything for you. Our current predicament is testament to that.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“For years, the cult that bore my name has worked to resurrect me. And now, at the dawn of the Fifth Age, the blood of the Fallen awakens all around us! It is a glorious time, full of such promise! A time where the boundaries between Science and Magic begin to blur, and Gods young and old walk the Earth! I love times such as these.”

She held up a hand, forestalling my interruption. “Patience, young Stefani. In any age, there are men and women of great ambition. One such was ultimately responsible for your creation. This was not the form your soul would have taken, but one of my cult interfered in the experiment that changed you. And gave you the most sacred treasure of my followers; a vial of my very blood.”

My eyes widened. “Wait...you mean...”

“Yes! They thought to mold you into a suitable dwelling for my essence! You would die, so that I could live. But what they didn't know, what they couldn't know...you saw it. Her sacrifice, on my behalf. An act of love so pure it burns to think of it. How...why could she love me so? I don't deserve her love, I never did. She didn't just give me her life, she gave me her very soul!”
“That's why I dreamed about being her! I have her soul!”

“Oh you are a smart one. And here they told me you were a gladiator.”

I was about to correct her, but...football, ancient Roman bloodsports...not much difference.

“So that's why I'm so damn girly.”

She smiled. “But yes, you are partly correct. Some part of me did enter your body, but along with it, the only part of me that is pure. The remnant of her spirit. Which brings us to our problem. The Science that gave you this body is not perfect. You would have normally rejected this form.”

“Like Alyssa did.”

“I can't say you would have been male again, but you would have at least been human. But you had my essence in you. And that was enough to keep you this way. So now we're stuck with each other.”

“So what, you're going to take me over?”

“No. To be honest...in death, I found the peace I lacked in life. With the only person who hever used or betrayed me. The only person who truly loved me. I want her back.”

I shivered. “I've been wanting to kill myself. That was you?”

She had the decency to look ashamed. “It was wrong of me to try and push you. But your heart was so troubled, and...I need her, Stefani. I need her so badly. Without her...”

I nodded. “She is your Alyssa. That's what you're saying.”

She nodded gratefully. “Yes! We are the same in that regard.”

“Well I don't want to die anymore. I don't know how I'm going to live...like this...but...”

She smirked. “Yes, the bearer of the Green Flame. Meddlesome child, but perhaps this is for the best. Stefani...I can't undo the damage I have done, but I can leave you with something, if you would do me one favor.”

I sat down next to her. “What can I do?”

She held out her hand. “Please, stay with me. She is coming for me, and, even though I want to be with my beloved again...I'm afraid.”

I took her hand and she smiled. “Thank you.”

“Who is coming?”

There was a knock at the door, and the cutest young woman I've ever seen entered the room. She was pale, dressed kind of Goth-like, with dark hair and eyes that seemed to hold all of Creation in their gaze. She wore an ankh around her neck, and there was a strange tattoo on her face. “Hi, did you miss me?”

Sakkara nodded. “Very much so. It seems we've been missing each other for a long time now.”

I blinked. “Uh..tell me I'm not drooling.”

The young woman giggled. “Nope, no drool. My, my, aren't you adorable?” She walked closer and ruffled my hair.

“Who are you?”

Sakkara clucked. “She is Lady Death.”

Death grinned. “No relation to that big-boobed bimbo you hang out with, Purgatori.”

Sakkara laughed then, pure and without malice. “Oh, no, no, Lady. I would never compare you to her.”

Death winked. “Good! Ooh, when I get my hands on her...I mean, I thought the Grim Reaper gave me a bad name, but gah! All that silicone! And that mole!” She shuddered.

“Uh..I'm still here, remember me?” I waved.

“We didn't forget. It's just at times like this, I feel nostalgic. But don't worry, I'm not here for you, Steven. Stefani!” She coughed. “Destiny will yell at me, but I can honestly say we won't be meeting again for some time.” She looked to Sakkara. “Are you sure about this, 'tori?”

“Very much so.”

“Why does she call you that?” I looked at Sakkara.

“Very few people know my true name. Most know me was Purgatori. With an 'I'.” She grinned at me.

I returned her grin, but only for a moment. “So you're going to die now?”

She nodded. “Yes. Death is going to free myself and my love, and we...will rest. Hopefully together. But I have chosen you to be my heir. My powers will pass onto you.”

“I don't want your powers, Sakkara.”

She patted me on the head. People keep doing that! But...I kind of like it. “I know, dear child. But I'd rather they go to you, than any others who would claim them. I know you will be a better person than I ever was.”

“I...I'll try. But without Alyssa...”

She leaned close and kissed my cheek. “Have faith. It may take thousands of years, but you will find your love one day. I did.”

She rose then. “I'm ready.”

Death walked to the door and opened it. I only saw light beyond. “After you, 'tori.”

Sakkara...no, Purgatori, walked to the door. She turned. “I'm not Purgatori any longer. She is.” And then she and Death were gone.

-

I woke up, my nightgown soaked with sweat. What a strange dream! Or...had it been a dream? I held out my hand, and Hellfire appeared in my palm. “Ok, that wasn't a dream.”

I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror, sticking out my chest. Granted, I don't have much up top, but the pose was intensely feminine. “Look out world, Purgatori is back!”

-

Since she'd been declared dead, there really was no way Faraday could easily let Alyssa go back to her family (who would no doubt question how their daughter had grown half a foot in height!). But the question remained; what to do with her? How to answer her questions about Steven and what had happened to her?

Dr. Zeul (who turned out to be Giganta!) examined her and gave us her prognosis. “Basically, her metagene is in some kind of remission. It may be permanent, it may be temporary. I don't really understand it. The memory loss though...I'm positive that's some kind of stress reaction. She's blocking out the memories for some reason, but they will return.”

“...what if she doesn't want to remember?” It was hard, but I was trying to be strong.

Doris crouched down to my height. Even her normal size is pretty tall! “Stefani, listen to me. Alyssa loves you. She attacked me when she thought you were hurt, even when she was pissed at you. That love won't go away. It's the rest of her life that has her confused. I'm sure you can understand.”

I nodded. “Yeah. I think I can. I wish I could just forget everything. Maybe I'd be happier?”

“Maybe. But you're not the kind of person who runs from her problems, are you?”

“No, you're right. That's not like me.”

She grinned. “Then there you have it. In the meantime, Jade wanted me to give you this.” She handed me a green ring.

“Woah...is this...?”

She held up her own hand. “It's not as powerful as hers. It just lets you talk to us whenever, and vice versa. Oh and it can disguise you. I use it to create clothes for when, you know...”

I laughed. “The World's Biggest Supermodel? Yeah, I know.”

She actually blushed! She might be a big girl, but deep down, she was really sweet. And weirdly enough, also a former guy. I was detecting a trend here...

She explained to me how it worked, and for my first test, I hid my 'demonic' features. I looked at my human self in the mirror. “Wow. I knew I was cute, but...this!”

Doris gave me a hug. “I think you're going to be alright, honey.”

I thought so too.

-

They brought Alyssa back to the safehouse. I could tell she knew something was up, and she seemed to recognize the place. We were introduced, and I resolved that if I couldn't be her boyfriend, then I could be her friend. I was so happy to see her smile and laugh again!

Later that night, I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, thinking of all the changes in my life. I was going to be a superhero now. I found myself strangely comfortable with the notion. I had finally drifted off to sleep when I felt something move next to me.

Opening one eye, I turned to find Alyssa curled up next to me. I gently shook her. “Hey, Alyssa?”

“mm...Steve...again...just like that.” She got a goofy smile on her face, and I felt my face burn.

Then she opened her eyes and looked at me. “Steve?!”

“Uh...hi?”

“But...how...” She put her hand to her forehead. “Ow...wait...I remember. I remember!”

Did I dare to hope?

“Oh God, Steve..this has been hell on you, hasn't it?”

I shook my head. “Hon, you almost died, and you're worried about me?”

She smiled at me, and I swear, it was like the sun had come up early. “I told you, I'm not going to leave you. Now kiss me.”

“My pleasure.” I kissed her lips. And then moved on to other, more interesting parts of her body. I remembered watching Sakkara at work in my dream, and I copied her as best as I could. By the time I stopped, I was exhausted, and I lay back on the bed, trying to catch my breath as Alyssa cuddled up next to me.

“my god...” She whispered. “That was incredible!”

“You liked it?”

She smiled wickedly. “Not as much as you're going to.”

My eyes widened, and then I smiled back at her.

-

Sometimes, the hero does get the girl in the end.

To be continued!