Shadow-Dancer: We're Not So Different [ALTERNATE UNIVERSE VERSION]

Chapter 21: Lesser of Two Evils

Becca's POV

A loud shriek jolted me awake. I was still tied to the chair, but there were also coils from the machine wrapped around my legs and torso. I attempted to reach out to Ob, but she wasn't there.

"My apologies for waking you," Dark said. He was messing with different knobs and switches on the machine. My fear and confusion quickly turned to anger.

"What have you done with Ob?!" I cried. Without her there, it felt like a part of my soul had been ripped out of my body.

"Don't worry about her, Becca," Dark replied. "She is nice and safe in here." He gestured to the machine. I turned my gaze towards it, and my eyes widened in shock and horror. Ob, not in her spirit form, but in a completely solid form, was in the container, frantically pounding on the bulletproof glass window. As soon as her blue gaze locked with mine, she became more desperate to get out of there. Eventually, she dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"It was never really you I was after. You were simply a vessel for the real prize: Obsidian. You two have no idea how powerful she truly is." At this point, Ob had stopped attempting to break the glass and was now glaring at Dark. It was a sight that made me laugh internally. If looks could kill, her glare would've literally burned holes through Dark's body.

"Power? But that kind of power could-" I began, but Dark focused his red eyes on my blue-gray ones.

"Be quiet," he said, his eyes still fixed on mine. My mouth involuntarily shut. I couldn't even move my body to make a sound. Dark smirked as fear coursed through my veins. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, Obsidian has an ability very rare in our kind."

"What do you mean?" Even Ob was curious now. She and I had always just assumed that what we can do is completely normal

"You see, typically to use our power, demons have to not only be in control of their host's body, but also focus their power on a specific object that we want affected. It is possible for a demon to be able to break one of these rules, either by innate ability or enhanced skill, but to be able to break both is simply unheard of. When I heard rumors of one who could do just that, I saw an opportunity. With the help of a colleague of mine, I was able to construct this machine you see in front of you. It has the ability to separate a demon from its host. When it was completed, all I had to do was find a way to get you to me. It must have been my lucky day when your parents went up in flames. You were sent to live with Jack, and Antisepticeye was able to deliver you straight to me. He has been... under my colleague's influence for quite some time. Now all I have to do is wait for Obsidian to be completely extracted. Then I can take her to my colleague, and he can strip her of her power. I was planning to wait until Halloween, when we are strongest, but as I said before, I've been forced to move my time table up a touch." He finally averted his gaze and turned towards the machine.

"What's the point of telling me this?" I asked, not realizing that I had been holding my breath the entire time.

"I needed to distract you until the machine was done," Dark simply replied. He placed his hand on one of the levers. "You should be grateful that I was the one in charge of splitting you two. My colleague would have made this more painful." He pulled down the lever.

I had never felt such excruciating pain in my life. It was like every molecule in my body was being ripped into shreds, and then put back together to only get ripped apart again. I think it only lasted a few minutes, but a hundred years could have gone by and I wouldn't have noticed. All that I could feel and think about was the pain, which I knew Ob was feeling as well.

After an eternity, the pain finally receded. My vision had gone fuzzy from the ordeal. When it cleared, Dark was smirking down at me. A giant portal had formed behind him. Ob was desperately trying to get out of his grasp. She looked exactly like me except for her blue eyes and hair. Dark dragged Ob through the portal and it closed behind them. I was left twitching and convulsing in the chair.

Author: Where's Dark taking Ob?

Becca: And don't forget to absolutely mash that star!

Ob: And while you're at it, recommend this story to as many of your friends as you can.

Author: The song up top is "Hit 'Em" by Desembra.