If you came across a fork in the road, which path would you choose?

Jackson was full blown crazy. This was Mabus’s handiwork; his masterpiece creation. He manipulated him so thoroughly that Jackson launched a nuclear missile to eradicate me. I didn’t understand why he would go to such extremes, but I know that the results of such destruction would make fine dining for the pain devouring monster.

I couldn’t focus on that now. Perhaps there was a way stop the missile dead in its tracks. I don’t know a lot about military technology, particularly weapons of mass destruction, but either way, if there was a solution to this very difficult situation I found myself in, then I had to go through Jackson first. My mind was totally set now on dealing with this man before me. There was no going back now.

“It doesn’t matter what you do now!” he cried in exuberance. “I told myself I would kill you, no matter what it takes! I would have my revenge, even if I have to take everyone with me!”

I should panic. I should fear for my very life. But that’s what Mabus wanted. I couldn’t allow that. I promised myself I would save this man. If I was destined to die then I would die, together, around my man’s arms, regret free.

“What is it?” he began to mock. “You mad? You want to fight me? I wouldn’t blame you. I would at least get back at me, even though this battle won’t change a thing. To be honest, killing you with my own hands would be far more pleasurable. So come on then, get to it, you won’t have another chance.”

I stared at him, determined. I’ve never been so motivated in my life. This needed to end now.

So with my hand on my holster, my eyes meeting his, I did the only logical thing I could do:

I pulled out my gun, dropped my clip, and laid it down on the ground.

“What it this?” he questioned, not certain what I was up to.

“I’m not going to fight you, Jackson,” I stated adamantly as I proceeded to drop the rest of my armaments. “That’s what they want. I won’t do it.”

He laughed, albeit nervously, still uncertain at what he’s witnessing. “Don’t be a fool!”

“You said it yourself,” I continued. “Win or lose, I’m still going to die. I’m not going to die fighting the man I love!”

“Love!?” he said, appalled at the thought. “You used me, just like you used Miriam! Twisted my thoughts just to take her place! You talk about love!? Your kind knows nothing of the sort!”

“That’s not what my body…my soul, tells me,” I commented. “Was all that we shared, was that not love? Did it not feel passionate, feel real? Because I remembered, and it wasn’t just some casual one night stand. It was the two of us, feeling each other in a deeper, much more spiritual manner, like our souls were in complete synchronization with each other. What would you call that if not love?”

He was beginning to crack, I could see it. He pulled out his gun in self defense and began to to threaten me with it. “Damnit!” he yelled. “Why don’t you fight me? I’ll kill you, you know that!”

“If that makes you feel more at ease,” I replied, “then I’ll gladly give it. Anything to free you from your pain.”

My nonviolent disposition shocked Jackson. He truly believed I would fight him. Why did he assume so? For so long he was made to believe I was some succubus, I never wanted to be Miriam. I never wanted to be a woman at all.

“This is a trick,” he assumed. “This was the same trick you used on me to kill Miriam! I know it!”

“Do you really think I killed her?” I asked. “I once loved her. Actually, I still do, even now. She gave me a place to call home, and taught me how to be the woman I once was. I didn’t love to spite her, Jackson. I loved you because you were there for me. My mind and my body were feeling all these feelings. I was confused, and upon retrospect, I should’ve tried harder to restrain myself. But she understood. She knew I was a woman now, and she knew that she couldn’t offer me the same affection that she could when I was male. She gave me her blessing, Jacks. She wanted me to be happy, regardless of how or with whom. And I know deep down she wanted you to be happy too.”

“Stop it!” he growled as his arm began to shake. I was getting through to him, seeing how hesitant he was at pulling the trigger. “Stop lying to me!”

“Fight him, Jackson,” I implored him. “The voice inside your head isn’t yours. You’re stronger than this!”

“Stop…messing…with…my,” he began to kneel in utter pain as he held his head. It was like he was having a massive migraine attack, albeit a lot worse. The blood began to flow from his nostrils, his eyes red and bloodshot. Mabus had been inside his head for so long it became a part of him, and now it was damaging him physically as he tried to cast him out. I began to panic. I wanted him to fight, but I didn’t expect this! If this keeps up…

“Jackson!” I cried. It was no use though. He was in his own world, fighting tooth in nail for control. He was trapped in his mind, unaware of the toll it was taking to his body. Blood was rushing down his face like a fountain. I couldn’t bear looking. He was losing too much blood. If feared he might die.

I never felt so hopeless in my life. The screams, the torment; this was the most traumatizing experience in my life, even above Miriam’s death. I could only do one thing, pray. Please…please don’t die!

Beating his head against the ground, trying anything to get Mabus out his head; it only made the notion of his survival even less likely. I needed a miracle.

“Let me help,” I heard as a hand was placed on my shoulder. It was that girl I found back at the lake, still naked with only my blanket wrapped around her.

“Y-you,” I stuttered, “you were…”

“Thank you,” she said. “Your strength gave me strength to break the chains of my own past. Allow me to assist you in his battle.”

“Can you save him?” I asked.

“I can only do what I can,” she said. With her hand clenched tightly around her blanket she raised her arm and cried. “Now, Mabus, my dear brother...there will be no more pain…no more suffering. You will be stopped, here and now!”

She put her hands up to the temples of her forehead, and suddenly her eyes went eerily cold, as if she was no longer in her body. Much like earlier with me, I could almost one hundred percent verify that she was inside Jackson’s head as of right now, battling her brother for control over him. It must’ve been hell for Jackson as his hands rose from the ground and towards the sky and he let forth a blood curdling scream. A second later his battered body fell lifeless to the floor. The battle, for all intensive purpose, was over.

“Jackson!” I yelled as I rushed over to him. I set his head across my lap, my clothes stained in his blood as I held him close in my arms. He was alive, but barely.

“S..Saoirse,” Jackson struggled to get out as he laid helpless on the ground before me. It was a name I hadn’t heard for a long time. He remembered.

“Jacks!” I cried with tears in my eyes. Why did it have to come to this?

“I…I didn’t mean…all those things,” Jackson stated. “I was childish, it was so difficult to believe you were…”

“I know,” I told him, trying to put his mind at ease.

“No,” he countered. “When I found out you were once male, I couldn’t help but feel betrayed. When I realized you were once Miriam’s boyfriend, I felt even worse.”

“I shouldn’t have taken it this far!” I exclaimed. “I was stupid.”

“No,” he denied, struggling to take in his deep breaths. “It…it was me who kept pushing. You couldn’t help what you’d become. You just acted on instinct.”

“I could’ve held back,” I tried to tell myself.

“I don’t know how it got this far,” he continued, “but once the anger latched on it refused to let go…making me worse and worse. I could’ve lived with it…I said I would do anything just to be with you. I’m so happy that you were the one to finally free me.”

Trying to hold back tears as I saw the life fading from him, I recited the same words Miriam had said to me so long ago.

“No matter what the circumstances, we are one. No matter where we go, or what we may become, we will always find each other. For you’re the yang to my yin, the love of my life, and through all of this, the proof of our union is justified.”

He grinned, “That sounds like something Miriam would’ve made up.”

I giggled slightly in between the sobs, knowing these last seconds would be our last. “She was a great teacher.”

“I see,” he said coughing up blood. He looked at me and smiled. “Y-you w-would’ve made a great wife. Please…l-live. Live…for me now.” His body went limp as the last breaths of life left him.

I sat there, stroking his dead face as he lay lifeless on my lap. The young woman, the former Mythos, once again put her hand on my shoulder, this time for emotional support. I knew she did what she could. I couldn’t hate her for it.

I didn’t know what else to do. The bomb would hit Toledo in mere minutes. Whatever few minutes I had left, I would spend it with him, waiting for a miracle.

I never believed in miracles. I always thought there was meaning to everything, even this Wyld phenomena. At this night that changed. I truly felt Jackson’s final words resonate with me, and somehow, something made me feel at ease, like everything was going to be all right. When I saw the missile off to the horizon, I wasn’t scared, and when it blew up in the atmosphere above us, I believed it was Jackson, sending me one last gift, even after death. I knew, he would be there, protecting me. It was now my job to carry out his last wish.

Morning came. The battle was over, but we weren’t celebrating. The casualties were heavy, and even though the bomb never hit us. Somehow, someway, it drifted into space, and blew up beyond our reach. Whatever did it, we just accepted it.

A certain someone came to my room that day. It was that girl. It was rather convenient; I could now thank her for all she did.

“I wanted to apologize I could not save him,” she said, feeling guilty over it.

I responded not by words but by actions. I gave her a heart filled hug and simply replied, “Thank you.”

“I…don’t understand,” she said, rather dumbfounded.

“Without you, I could have never found peace,” I explained, “from my past, from my mistakes, and from me. Without you, I wouldn’t have any resolution, and although it wasn’t the way I would’ve hoped, I won’t live my life with any more regrets. Neither Jackson or Miriam would want that.”

“I thought you would hate me,” she assumed. “I failed.”

“Never,” I said. “I could never hate you, um…”

“Leandra,” she answered for me. “My name was…is Leandra.”

“So, then, Leandra,” I said with a smile on my face, “What do you plan on doing now? You could always live here in Toledo. I’m sure it’s way more comfortable than living in a swamp.”

“To be a part of society again,” she imagined. “I hope one day I can take you up on that offer. However, as long as my brother still exists, I’m afraid my job isn’t done. What I did last night only stunned him, to say the least. He will return, and I must stop him, permanently.”

“I hope you can,” I said, “Just be careful. If you need any help, don’t forget you have friends here.”

“Friends,” she repeated, “I haven’t heard that word in a long time.” She made her way to the door. “Thank you, Scott Ryan.”

“It’s Saoirse now,” I corrected, “and I think it’s about time everyone knows it.”

With help from Ian, I decided to call all my friends over for a meeting. It was time for me to lay all my cards out on the table for everyone to see.

“I loved that man,” I told them bluntly. “The man you saw, you fought the past 10 years, that wasn’t him. What you saw earlier, that was my love. I could tell in his eyes the pain he had. The guilt for all the atrocities he committed. I thought I felt it all…but I never felt this.”

I paused a second to gather my thoughts and continued. “Miriam couldn’t love me exactly as I was. As we grew distant Jackson entered the picture. Something within me blossomed and all of a sudden I fell for him. I was so happy, so at peace with myself, I could have dropped everything- every masculine thought and behavior, just to be with him. And I did. My mind naturally became more feminine, seeing I wasn’t fighting it anymore, but rather instead embrace it. I purposely made myself behave like a girl.”

That might have shocked a couple people. To believe at one point I was actually embracing my femininity might have a tough sell.

“The name Saoirse was given to me on the fly by Miriam. Means Freedom. I suppose that’s how I feel now. I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to hide my true nature any longer. I’ve lost two of the most important people in my life. But Jackson gave me something just before he died. He gave me the strength to finally forgive myself. Today I can accept what I should have accepted 10 years ago. My name is no longer Scott Ryan. My name is Saoirse Ryan. I am no longer a man, I am a woman, and I am ok with that. For the rest of my time on this very earth, however long that may be, I will live my life to the fullest, and not think twice about what could have been. And I will be happy. Thank you guys for being there for me. I truly love each and every one of you, you don’t even know.”

I walked out of the room feeling like a brand new woman. I finally felt relieved for the first time in a long time. Thank you, Jackson, my love.

“Hold on!” I heard someone scream as I continued to walk down the hall. Sienna was running heavily trying to catch up with me. Apparently Mabus was weakened enough that his influence on her waned.

She finally closed in on me, panting rather heavily. I stared at her and asked, “What’s up?”

I could see the pain in her eyes. Obviously she was feeling guilty from earlier. It wasn’t her fault, but I knew how it felt when Mabus controlled me. I couldn’t help but feel for her.

She gained enough courage and began to apologize profusely. “I’m so sorry!” she cried as she wrapped her arms around me in a truly heartfelt embrace. “I was so stupid! I was so upset and heartbroken with you and Ian and all.”

I tried to get her to slow down. “Sienna,” I said.

It was to no avail though. She just laid everything out there on the open as her emotions continued to flood out.

“I should be more accepting of your desires!” She continued. “I mean, you like guys, it’s totally understandable. I mean, you are a woman and all, it’s only natural, I mean, maybe not for me, but for you…I shouldn’t have been so surprised and-“

I raised my voice as I tried to get in a word or two. “Sienna!” I cried. She immediately paused and I went in for the kill; planting a nice juicy kiss on her succulent lips.

Her eyes wide and totally speechless I finally was able to get my point across. “Yes, I do find guys attractive,” I admitted, feeling no shame as I did so. “But…” Putting my face up next to her pointy ear I seductively whispered, “I never said I didn’t love women too.”

She gave me another kiss and I couldn’t help but indulge myself in the euphoria of it all. With all my hormones building I decided maybe it was time to get to know my little Fuzzball just a little better.

“So,” I flirted, “You said you could show me how wonderful it was being a woman. Perhaps now I’m willing to take you up on that offer. Maybe you can show me what that bushy little tail of yours can do.”

She picked me up as I held onto her shoulders. It’s amazing how quickly her mood changed. Then she remarked excitedly. “Guess we oughta get a room then!”

And so begins the next chapter. I didn’t think this fight was all over. It never is. But for now I can truly begin my new life. My life as Saoirse Ryan.

Epilogue:

Kneeling on the floor, wrapped in her kimono, Kami took a sip of her tea as she heard the sudden ring of her videophone. She pressed a button, and a young woman appeared on her screen

“I’m sorry, Kami-chan,” the young lady apologized profusely. “Whatever mental signals this ‘Mabus’ had released disappeared. Forgive me, my mind wasn’t strong enough.”

“Do not be so hard on yourself Emily,” said the tactful untamed. “One thing you can at least say about this foe is he is very deceptive. He obviously knows we’re after him.”

“So what do we do then, my lady?” Emily asked.

“There is only one thing we can do unfortunately,” She replied. Both of them knew what that meant: they must wait. “Still, this was not a complete loss. Thanks to Miss Ryan his plans have faltered entirely. Perhaps with a little mediation this war may finally come to an end.”

Kami proceeded to put her hand over her head, which concerned Emily. “Kami-chan, are you alright?”

“It took a lot of willpower sending that missile into space,” she stated. “It took a lot out of me. I’m not invincible as you may think, Emily.”

“Will you be okay?” she asked.

“Of course, dear,” she insisted. “Please, mind not of my ailments.” She began to look her over from beyond the screen. “I can sense much stress in you as well. Perhaps it is you who needs a vacation?”

“Oh no,” She countered shaking her head, “I couldn’t bear leaving during such troubled times.”

“The best worker is one who knows what she works for,” she stated. “Go to your family, take some time off, and recuperate. You may never know if you’ll get another opportunity.”

Bowing graciously she replied, “You’re too kind, my lady. I will follow your advice then.” She bowed once more and the connection dropped.

Now alone, Kami took another sip of her tea. She sighed, realizing the difficulty of the future.

“Mabus,” She said aloud. “So much you wish the world destroyed. Your true happiness lies in the destruction of others. But once it’s said and done- what then? I know not what you plan, but I will hunt you to the ends of this universe and beyond. You will be dealt with, for the sake of humanity, Wyld and human alike.”

The end...