The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

I woke up screaming again. Crying. Sobbing. Shaking, and nauseous. And... it wasn’t the first time.

The nightmare had seemed to real... and so important, yet even now, just seconds after awakening, I had to struggle to keep it in my memory. Not that I cherished such terrible images or anything, but it was another dream about Jessica. And now... dreams are all I had left of her...

I’d been in the sky, high above a city on fire, circling above Grimalde Tower, the shattered broken wreck of it, fighting Sureshot, my nemesis, trying to take him down before he finished destroying the city and all of the rest of its people. I was hitting him with everything I had, holding nothing back, but I couldn’t seem to hit him. And instead of his sniper’s rifle, he was carrying some kind of huge laser powered weapon, bigger than he was, yet he was wielding it as if it weighed mere ounces. After several long grueling minutes, I managed to hit him... just as he got a lucky shot himself.

The blast struck true, and I fell back, stunned. Worse, the blast, whatever it was, had removed my powers. I was falling, falling down below to a sea of flames, an inferno that seemed to be miles below me, stretching out as far as the eye could see. I screamed, flailing, trying desperately to fly, to lift off, or at least grab onto something. I was falling faster and faster... and then a beam of light shot out as the thick stormy clouds parted... and strong supple soft white arms grabbed me from behind, catching me, lifting me away from the flames.

“It’s okay, Katie, I’ve got you. You’re safe!”

I’d turned around, expecting to see Sioban’s pale smiling face... only to find a different angel altogether. “Jess?” I’d gasped in surprise. “It’s you! But... but... you... you died!”

“Yeah, I know,” she’d replied with a smirk, that subtle twisting of lips that I loved so much. “That’s why I have the wings, the halo, and the sparkly white robe... you know, the whole angel motif?” Giggling slightly, she held me tight, kissing me deeply... as the skies cleared, and the flames vanished. We were together again, floating over the peaceful city, just like old times, only this time it was her carrying me. I clutched to her like a life raft, kissing, snuggling, simply enjoying having her again after so long.

“Oh, baby... I’ve missed you so much. It’s been...” I shook my head, “you can’t imagine how it’s been without you!”

“I know, sweetie,” she replied with a melancholy smile. “I’ve been watching. All this time... all the good and the bad. I know you’ve been hurting Katie. That’s why I’m here now. I couldn’t let you fall that way. I care about you too much. And I love you, Katie... always have, and I always will. But... I’m gone. And I’m not coming back.” Circling around the base of Grimalde Towers, we glanced down, finding a small crowd of people looking up at us. Sioban and Tawnya, and Connie all waved. “See, Katie? It’s your friends. I have to go back now... just let go and I’ll drop you back off with them.”

But... I couldn’t let go. “No, Jess,” I’d said stubbornly, clinging even tighter, “I don’t want you to go. Just... just stay here, a little bit longer. Please! I’m not ready for you to leave me just yet...”

She shook her head. “Sweetie, I would if I could... but I can’t. I’m not even really supposed to be here. Please, Katie, just let go. It’ll be fine, I promise.”

“Katie! Just let go!” Sioban’s voice called out to be from below. “Just jump. We’ll catch you!”

But I couldn’t let go. I knew that the moment I did, she would return up into the clouds, and I’d never see her again. I held on tightly, fighting her as she tried to pull my arms free. “Katie... Katie, you have to let go!” Jess kept yelling, struggling as the sky began to darken once more. “Please baby... I’m running out of time! I can only stay here a few more minutes. Please, Katie... let me go back!”

“I can’t,” I cried out instead, wrapping my legs around her as well. “I can’t give you up! It’s not fair! I don’t want you to go!”

And in a flash, everything had changed. The flames were back, the sky was black at pitch, and instead of a few feet from the ground, we were both miles high in the sky once more. Jessica let out a plaintive cry as her beautiful white wings darkened, turning black, before falling away, a rain of raven colored feathers sweeping over us. And then we both began to fall, careening down helplessly into the terrible flaming abyss...

And that’s when I’d awoken. The message seemed clear enough. I’d killed Jessica again. She’d saved me, saved me from that evil bastard, just as before... had been my lifeline, my savior from on high... but in the end my selfishness had doomed us both. I’d pulled her down into the abyss with me just because I was too self-absorbed to let her go to where she belonged when I’d had the chance. If I’d sent her back home that day... if I’d MADE her go back home... she would have still been alive. And I don’t know why my subconscious insisted on hammering that point into me when I already KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was my fault... but the nightmare continued to haunt me.

They say your dreams are how your subconscious tries to work out its problems, tries to make sense of something it already knows the answer to but just hasn’t quite accepted yet. My subconscious was apparently something of a sadistic masochist. Tumbling out of bed, I made my way across the room to my dressed, and opened the bottom drawer, digging underneath my socks and underwear to pull out a small baggie from my stash. It was either this, or go insane.

Well, fuck it, I thought morosely, staring at the bag of small dark gray powder. My eyes are already stained so gray it will probably take months for the blue to come back. Taking a deep hit, I placed the remainder back with the others, covered them back up with clothes, and slid the drawer back closed. Then, finally, blessedly, feeling my thoughts and emotions flatline again, covered under a thick layer of dust, I slid back into bed and closed my eyes.

The girls took a moment to rest and regroup as DeeDee recovered from the shock inside one of the small huts. After similar offers were made, Patty and Angela both agreed to drink it, marveling anew at their younger youthful selves, and the sheer energy and vitality they felt. Tawnya and Sioban, already young and in their prime, decided not to partake. And strangely, Ellen also refused.

“No thanks,” she commented, hugging herself slightly as the cup was offered to her. “I appreciate the sentiment but... well, no thanks.”

“It will not hurt you, Ellen,” Lien, a lovely, long limbed young Goddess assured her. “I know you are worried about your friend Delores, but it was merely the shock of discovering what had happened that made her faint.”

“No, no, it’s not that,” she protested, trying to find the words. “It’s just... this becoming young again, regressing back to yer glory days... it just feels... unnatural to me.“

“I assure you, Ellen, it is VERY natural,” Gina replied with a chuckle. “It is merely the leaves of the tree mixed with water from Urdarbrunnr—”

“Yes, yes, I know. I meant...” She sighed. “I’ve lived my life pretty much the way I wanted to, y’see? I have few regrets... and the ones I have can’t be fixed by trying to do it over again. I’ve got a fella back home, a really swell guy, and all I’ve ever wanted in life is to grow old gracefully with him, and pass on to the next life with him at my side. Giving me another thirty or forty years while he’d already passed on wouldn’t be a blessing... it’d be the worst kind of hell.”

“Ah, I understand,” Lien nodded simply. “Very well. The offer remains, however, if you should ever change your mind.”

Lacie nodded as well, walking over to Angela, who stood staring up at the huge tree, lost in thought. She sighed heavily, leaning in to hug the younger woman gently from behind. “I know what you’re thinking, sweetie,” she said softly, kissing her cheek. “But it won’t work. You can’t take anything from this realm across the Veil back to our world.”

“You’ve tried it then?” Angela asked, sighing inwardly. Inside, she’d already known the answer even as she’d began thinking of ways to try and bring across a few of the leaves. It was everything she’d been trying to achieve, everything she’d been busting her ass for the past two or three years now to duplicate. These goddesses literally held the secret to immortality, to everlasting life and youth and vitality. It was all here, right in front of her... and yet it did her no good whatsoever if she couldn’t bring it back to Nigel.

“I have. Ever since I first arrived here, and understood what it was. The leaves, the water, the fruit... everything that grows here has healing and restorative properties. And I’d tried everything I could think of to try and bring it back across.” She shook her head sadly. “I even tried taking a swallow of elixir, holding it in my mouth, stepping across and kissing Gene, giving it to him mouth to mouth... but as soon as it left my lips it dispersed before it even touched his.”

“I see,” Angela replied, slumping against her. “Dammit! It is sooo frustrating! It’s like dangling the prize right in front of you, just out of reach, to torment you with it!” She shuddered, fighting the tears that threatened to overwhelm her. Lacie moved around to hug her from the front, caressing her face, gently wiping the tear tracks.

“I know, Angie. Believe me, I know. But... it’s not hopeless, right? You’re the smartest bio expert I know. Having you here isn’t a waste of time! If anyone can figure out how to duplicate it, it’s you. And seeing it action, experiencing its effects yourself... now that you know such a thing exists, it only gives you something to shoot for, right?”

The blonde beauty nodded, her smile returning. “Right. You’re right. I can’t let myself get discouraged. If anything, this should fire me up.” She kissed Lacie deeply on the lips, giggling. “Goddess... I feel like a damned teenager again! Thanks Lace... I needed that. All right... no more moping. The answer is a puzzle, and you guys just gave me a major corner piece. I just need a little more time to put it all together.” Lacie nodded in agreement, then glanced up as DeeDee made her return, with Isabella at her side.

“Okay, your friend is feeling better,” the Goddess replied solemnly. “If everyone is ready, I can lead you all to shrine, and to the reason for your visit.”

“Ahh... finally,” Tawnya said with a sigh, getting back to her feet, coming over to join Lacie and Angela. “I’ve been looking forward to this. So, um... Lacie? What is this shrine exactly? What are we talking, here? Is it some kind of huge cathedral, or some small little Japanese style memorial with little incense sticks?”

Lacie chuckled. “I don’t want to spoil it for you. You’ll see in just a minute.” She sighed softly. “It’s very sweet. It always brings me to tears every time I visit it.”

A short walk later, and they reached the site. As one, the visitors gasped collectively in awe. Home itself was beautiful, tranquil, a true paradise. But the Shrine of the Valkyries brought the experience to a whole new level. Along the edges of a meadow lay a small field surrounded on all sides by an abundance of rare and beautiful flowers: daisies, tulips, roses, bluebells, poinsettias, sunflowers—flowers of all kinds, growing together in perfect symmetry. A soft low fog seemed to cover the field, giving it an ethereal quality, yet despite the cloud cover, a shaft of perfect sunlight shone down, perfectly illuminating the meadow.

A large stone monolith sat at its center, surrounding by nine statues, spread in a semi-circle. As one drew closer, one might notice that each statue bore the likeness of a different young woman, dressed in a flowing robe, with angel wings sprouting from their backs. Each statue was lovingly carved, with intricate detail, their faces and postures so lifelike that each one looked as it if might simply move and walk away at any moment. Most striking, however, were their faces, each one showing an expression of such deep and abiding sadness, that to stare into one was to feel the subject’s despair as your own.

“Oh my,” Delores breathed softly, pausing to simply stare at it for a moment. This close, you could almost hear... or feel a soft sound like a hum coming from the meadow, like an angelic ‘aahhhhh’ being whispered softly from all around. She noted dimly that the others seemed to feel it as well, and without consciously thinking about it, she’d reached out a hand, clasping the one of the woman next to her, Ellen, finding all the present and former Tearbearers were holding hands.

“This is the Shrine of the Valkyries,” Isabella intoned in her serious solemn voice, “known to us as Skuld’s Folly. Each of you that had born the Tears of the Valkyrie known as Brunhilda know of the story... of our Sister and forbearer, Skuld, who, at the advice of her Sisters, gathered together nine weary souls, nine lovely young maidens, and offered them freedom from their mundane and meaningless lives... offered them adventure, power and immortality. They were each offered the chance to change the world in ways that they could not even begin to fathom... and each one accepted, pledging their lives, their very souls, into the service of their Goddess.

“And so they served at Her behest. For a time there was much joy and laughter, much loving between the Nornir and their servants. They served faithfully and truthfully, fulfilling their duties with love and devotion to their blessed Mistress.” She paused, glancing down. “But slowly, as time passed, the duties they were given became less joyful. Less appealing. They were used to stir the hearts of men, not to peace but to war. They brought about destruction. They brought about death. At each turn, the asked their Mistress... begged her, to relent, to spare them from their charge, to deliver them from the torment of a seemingly endless culling of human lives. But Skuld rebuffed them. They were servants. They were tools. And an axe does not question the tree feller of its use, saying it is tired of cutting down trees.”

Several of the girls grumbled at that, taking offense to the analogy, but Isabella continued on. “Skuld’s actions were not without merit. Every life taken by her Valkyries saved countless other lives. Every civilization brought down at her servant’s hands paved the way for a newer, brighter one in its place. Every single death helped to secure the future that each and every one of us now enjoy. Understand this. Every death caused was a necessary sacrifice. Had a single life been spared in sympathy, perhaps none of us would be here now.” She sighed heavily, the tale and the memory of her predecessor’s actions taking its toll even on her normally stoic heart. “But alas... the Valkyries were told none of this. They never saw the necessity of their deeds, were never shown the brighter future they were bringing to fruition. And so... when they could no longer stand what their lives had become... they chose to end them.”

“You all know what happened then,” Lacie said softly, taking up the story. “You know how Skuld cried and raged against the loss of her ‘servants’... how she pleaded with Brunhilda at the end, begged her not to go, and promised to show her the fruits of all of their labors. Her promises fell on deaf ears, however... it was too little and too late. A simple ‘I’m sorry’ couldn’t make up for several dozen lifetimes forth of pain and suffering. Brunhilda died... and passed on her legacy to you... to all of you, to make use of her Goddess given powers, for the benefits of mankind instead of its destruction. But... what some of you may not know is that after Brunhilda passed, Skuld, in her pain and sorrow, chose to give up her own life.” That grabbed the attention of the visitors.

“She gave up her immortality, and chose to cast away her life, to merge her spirit with Yggdrasil, and enter the cycle of death and rebirth, again and again... to join her daughters in death. And yes, for she truly thought of them, as each of YOU, not as her servants, but as her true daughters. She had been proud, and aloof, secure in her role as Mistress, thinking that she knew what was best. But, as I myself can contest... being divine does not necessarily mean all-knowing. Even a Goddess can make a mistake. And even WE Nornir, guardians of existence, of past, present and future... even WE answer to a higher power.”

“Before she ended her life on this plane,” Isabella resumed, “she created this shrine, and explained its meaning to her Sisters. She was the guardian of the future, and knew that one day, long after she had gone, you, the progeny of her beloved Brunhilda, would one day journey here.” She gestured to the circle. “Please, step forward. The monolith at the center contain her words to you, passed down through the ages...” The visitors did so, stepping into the clearing to take a closer look, but as Sioban and Tawnya, the current Tearbearers, stepped across the threshold, the Tears within them began to glow—

—and they found themselves in a mist covered clearing, surrounded on all side by a dense overgrown forest. Glancing around in alarm, they found themselves alone, the others having mysteriously vanished, and once again completely naked. “What the hell?!?” Tawnya yelled, instinctively moving to cover herself. “Again with the unprompted strip-search? And where the heck are we? How did we get here? And where is everyone else?”

“I dunno, T,” Sioban replied, glancing around. “All I remember was a bright flash as we stepped across into the meadow—”

“AH! Blessed day! You are here!” Whirling around, both women found themselves staring at a naked young girl, a small pale skinned young woman with long flowing raven black hair and clear crystal blue eyes. She smiled, and the entire clearing seemed to sparkle with her grin. “I have awaited this day for so very long.”

“Holy Shit!” Tawnya yelped, staggering back in utter shock. “Its... it’s... HER!”

“I... I see,” Sioban replied, just as shaken, staring with wide eyes. “I see it... but I don’t believe it.”

Skuld, youngest of the three Norn sisters, the Goddess who guided the future of mankind, and shaped its destiny... the being who had created the Valkyries, and then through her harshness and her cruelty, had driven them to kill themselves... she stood before them now, in all her radiant resplendent glory. She extended a hand, and both Tearbearers knelt before her, partially in reverence, partially in fear. But Skuld merely shook her head.

“Be calm, my children,” she said gently, approaching them slowly, as not to frighten them more. “I mean you no harm. Indeed, I am in your debt! By journeying here this day, you have at last given me a chance at redemption.”

“Redemption?” Sioban snapped before she could help herself. “How can a Goddess obtain redemption from a pair of mere mortals?” Wincing, she covered her mouth with both hands, ducking her head back down, wondering idly if she were about to be struck by lightning for her impertinence. Instead, she felt a gentle touch on her chin, lifting it up to stare into the face of her Goddess.

“You are well within your rights to feel as you do,” she said quietly, her expression pained, speaking to them both. “I was a fool. I thought that the great work that we were doing justified the use of my children. I believed that the ends justified the means. But I was wrong. I hurt the ones that I cared for so deeply... drove them to take the most severe, most horrendous actions just to end the suffering that I had placed them in. For that, I can never be forgiven. But,” she said, with a small tremor of hope, “through you, I may at least ease the torment of one of my beloved daughters.”

Stepping back, she extended her hands. “The amber stones you carry... Mohini’s Tears. May I see them for a moment?”

Both girls jerked slightly, the need to submit and acquiesce to even such a request nearly more than they could bear. “You... you won’t... h-hurt them... will y-you?” Tawnya managed to ask, her voice trembling noticeably.

“It is not my wish to cause anyone suffering, child,” Skuld replied sadly, “only to end it. I promise you that I intend only the ease the suffering of my most beloved one.” Glancing at one another, agreeing silently, both Tearbearers relinquished their tears, which rose gently from their palms, dropping lighting into Skuld’s open hands. “I thank you, my daughters,” she said softly, closing her eyes, muttering softly as she began to glow. The two stones rose gently, glowing as well, circling slowly, then faster, and faster, glowing brighter than the sun for an instant before shattering! Both girls gasped in alarm as their precious Tears turned to dust, floating gently to the ground at their feet... but before they could voice their anguish, a miracle occurred.

The haze of sparkly dust swiftly coalesced, assuming a vaguely human shape, which swiftly resolved itself into the form of a beautiful naked young woman. Soft pale skin, long slender and tone limbs, supple breasts, and long flowing golden blonde hair came into view. As the glow faded, the girl’s identity was revealed in to all, and though long dead for more than a millennium, Brunhilda glanced about the clearing in wonder.

“I... I live?” she breathed, touching long slender fingers to her face in amazement. “But... how? I died... turned to stone... centuries ago...”

“Yes, my Beautiful One,” Skuld said, coming into view as the blonde Valkyrie turned. “You did die... and long have I mourned your passing. But now... now I have brought back your wandering spirit.”

“M-m-mistress Skuld!” Brunhilda gasped, dropping to her knees. “But... how is this possible? My body and soul were destroyed... cast to the four winds—”

“Destroyed, yes,” Skuld replied, moving hesitantly towards her most beloved daughter. “But not entirely. You yourself made this possible when you bequeathed a small part of your power, and your essence, to progeny,” she answered, gesturing to Sioban and Tawnya, who stood silently amazed at seeing their long lost Sister again in the flesh. “A part of your spirit remained with your Tears, as did your memories and your sorrow. And from that tiny spark, I was able to restore your spirit fully back to this plane.”

“I think I understand,” Brunhilda said slowly. “But... what is this that I’m feeling? I feel so... so calm. So light.”

Skuld smiled, gesturing again at the two young Tearbearers. “These two, and the others who held the last tiny spark of your soul, did what I was unable to do. By sharing their lives, and the lives of the others who bore your legacy, they have healed the terrible wound to your heart and eased the suffering of your soul. Each of them that carried your Tears has also carried your essences, and thus, their lives have intersected with yours. Your soul has shared in their every experience good and bad—every pain, every pleasure, every sorrow, every joy, but as in most lives, the good more than outweighed the bad.”

Brunhilda nodding, turning to gaze at the pair. “I... I know you,” she said after a moment. “You are... Tah-nee-yah of Parkinson,” she said to the tall dark-skinned beauty, “and you are Show-bon of Macmillan,” she said to the shorter redheaded vixen. A smile broke out on her lovely face. “It is strange. I cannot explain it, but just seeing your faces... fills me with joy. I feel as I did back when I first met with my sisters...“

“I know,” Sioban replied, as she and Tawnya reached out and took one of her hands. “We feel the same way.”

“It’s because you are all sisters,” Skuld replied, “bound together not by blood, but by your experiences. Brunhilda, my beloved, that, and those who came before them were able to fulfill the last wish you made, the wish that the gifts you had been blessed with could be used for good, to aid people, not destroy them. Behold,” she said, filling the meadow with a bright glow, as she poured forth her power. Sioban and Tawyna gasped, as they too began to glow, a glow that swept from them into Brunhilda through their clasped hands. “Behold, my children, the lives of those who carried your Tears. See now, how they lived!”

And indeed they did. Their minds opened by the Goddess’ power, the three found themselves experiencing the complete lives of the previous Tearbearers, how they had lived, and died, parts of which Bonnie and T-baby had experienced in memory, but never before in such detail. Furthermore, through Skuld’s power, they were able to see how each and every action the Tearbearers had made, all the people rescued, all the lives saved, affected the future: how a young boy rescued from a fire had grown up to become a leader for civil rights in the sixties... a young girl saved from a potentially violent mugging had grown up to become a doctor... and even more recently, how a young Delores Gutierrez had saved a certain young inventor, who had grown up to become a hero, in turn saving the entire world many times over.

When it was over, all three were truly awed and humbled by what that had experienced. “Goddess,” Tawnya breathed, nearly struck dumb, shaking her head. “I never knew... never realized...”

“Me either,” Sioban replied, wiping eyes wet with tears. “Talk about a small stone thrown into a pond causing huge ripples... I would never have imagined...”

But it was Brunhilda who was the most deeply touched. She sank back to her knees once more, sobbing openly, hands clutched above her heart. The women glanced at her in alarm, concerned, until they noticed the bright smile on her face... the tears were tears of blissful joy. “By the Goddess,” she managed, her voice heavy with emotion. “It is... so much to take in.” She stared up into the face of her Goddess. “Mistress... such a thing... it was all I had ever wished for... all I had ever wanted. To know that all the terrible things I... that all of us had done... were truly worth it.”

“I know, my Beautiful One,” Skuld said sadly, dropping to kneel on the ground next to her. “I am only sorry that it took so long for me to truly understand.” She stared down at her feet, her expression of anguish so deep that it tore at one’s heart-strings. “A Goddess must be above such concerns. Before you and your sisters were recruited, I myself handled the... culling of the population. I long ago hardened my heart against the pain and destruction that was sometime necessary. Divine from the moment of my inception, I was always a Goddess. I did not know truly what it meant to have a human heart, to truly FEEL for those whose lives I guided. It wasn’t until I felt your pain, you anguish... it wasn’t until I lost my most precious daughters that I truly understood what it meant to suffer heartbreak.”

“Mistress,” Brunhilda said softly, touched by her Goddess’ admission.

“I know that I can never be forgiven for unbearable pain I have caused you,” she said, closing her eyes, hands clenched tightly, in that moment seeming only too human. “I only hope that this... sharing this moment with you here and now... has at least eased your burden somewhat...” A soft tentative touch on her chin caused her to look up, and gasp in surprise as Brunhilda clutched her, pulling her close, giving her Mistress a deep and loving kiss.

“Goddess Skuld,” she said lovingly, tenderly, “my beloved Mistress... how could I not forgive you, when your suffering has been even greater than my own? When I died... I was so full of despair, grief and self-loathing that I simply could bear it no longer. I truly hated myself... hated what I had become. But even in the very depths of my anguish I never for a moment hated YOU.” She smiled sadly, reaching up to wipe her tears. “And now... by your will, I live again, brought back to witness the fruits of the small seed I had planted. Through you, and the actions of dearest Show-bon and dearest Tah-nee-yah, my heart is light and my soul is at peace.” She kissed Skuld again. “Would only that you too, my Mistress, once again know such peace.”

“Perhaps one day,” she said wistfully, brushing aside a lock of Brunhilda’s golden hair, “but not for many a turn of the wheel. That your burden has been eased, my daughter, brings me joy... but until I have found a way to atone for the suffering of your eight sisters, then I will continue to endure the cycle of death and rebirth, living and dying as the mortals do.” Standing once more, she turned her attention to the two visitors. “And to you, my other daughters,” still smiling sadly, “no words can repay what you and your fellow Tearbearers have wrought.” Two small tears ran down her cheeks as she spoke, flashing a pale soft white before solidifying into crystal, floating into her outstretched hand. “My beloved daughter no longer has sorrow to cry such tears as she did before... so let these serve as a replacement.”

“Wow... cool,” Tawnya replied, taking hers, holding it up to the light. “It’s pretty... kind of sparkly, like mother of pearl.”

“Tears of the ‘Goddess’ this time,” Sioban mused, holding hers as well. “Um... if it’s not rude or anything, might I ask... will they work the same as the other Tears?”

“Yes, and no,” the Goddess replied, placing an arm around her ‘Beautiful One’. “These new stones will convey upon you the full power of the Valkyries. You will continue to age very slowly, and keep the knowledge and wisdom of those who came before you, though those who follow will experience YOUR memories, and so forth, down the line. You can still summon and banish your wings at will, however, you ability to control and manipulate your appearance is increased. Your healing has been increased, however, as well as being to heal those injured around you with the laying on of hands. You will not, however, be immortal,” she said with a soft sigh. “From experience, immortality can seem like a gift at first, but can soon become the most terrible of burdens.” Both woman nodded in understanding.

“With this increase in power, comes an increase in responsibility,” Skuld continued. “In accepting them, you accept a new geas from me—of servitude, not to me, but to the ideal that Brunhilda aspired to. With these tears will come the compulsion to aid the weak and defenseless, to protect the downtrodden and help whenever and wherever you are needed. I know of your lives as heroines, and that you already accept such a burden gladly. Future generations, however, might find such a selfless choice less appealing. And... there may soon come a time when you also may choose to set aside the responsibility and focus on your own personal needs, as your mentors all have. When the time comes, know that the Tear itself will choose its new bearer, not your partner. Your Master has become a man of extraordinary character and will, however, the choice of Tearbearer is too important to be left to the whimsy of any man, no matter how intuitive or insightful he might be.”

Sioban nodded in agreement. She remembered only too well the frustration she’d felt during the weeks of presenting candidates to replace Patricia when she’d retired, the antsy feeling of wanting, no NEEDING, to find another partner, someone to bear the remaining Tear. She dearly loved Nigel with all her heart, but before he’d settled on and accepted Tawnya, her slave training was the only thing that kept her from strangling the man in sheer pent-up frustration. Taking the choice out of their hands completely was a little disconcerting, yet also liberating.

“As such, my children,” Skuld continued, eyes closed in concentration, “I ask you now. Do you so swear, on the sacred tree Yggdrasil, of your own free will, to accept this charge... to pledge to use your power, your strength, and your courage to shape the future of this world for the better—not by the taking of lives, but from the saving of them?” As one, both Tearbearers knelt, bowing their heads in reverence.

“We so swear, great Skuld,” they replied in unison.

“So be it,” Skuld replied, opening her eyes, as the world turned a bright crystal blue—

“...words that serve as a reminder to all of us to never again let ourselves become too jaded, or detached from the lives,” Isabella continued, the conversation in mid-sentence, even as Sioban and Tawnya stumbled, momentarily disoriented at their sudden return. Isabelle glanced at them with concern. “Dear ones, are you well? You both look pale. Is something amiss?”

Tawnya and Sioban glanced at one another. “How... how long were we gone?” Bonnie asked.

“Gone? Gone where?” Patty asked, confused. “You didn’t go anywhere. You just stepped into the meadow with us and then faltered like you were about to faint or something. Why?”

“You’re not gonna believe it,” Tawyna said, staring down at the sparkling gem in her hand, reassuring herself that it wasn’t a dream, “but wait until you hear this...”

“You see, Ms. Galore,” Nigel said idly, staring out the window at the plainclothes police car parked several yards away beyond the fence, “we were right to keep Mr. Bond alive, if those are indeed his friends there.”

“Indeed,” Constance replied with a grin, sipping her mint julep. “And he’s been so very useful too. I just LOVE all those interesting gadgets we pulled off him.” She glanced again at the unusually large stack of items taken off Mr. Bond: an exploding briefcase, a wristwatch with a laser inside, another wristwatch with a high powered magnet, an exploding ink pen, a whistle activated keychain, a belt with a tiny steel line grappling hook, a tiny air breather for underwater swimming, a third wristwatch containing plastic explosives, a tiny slim plastic phone capable of controlling his car by remote control, and final wristwatch with a tiny but powerful buzzsaw capable of cutting through hardened steel embedded within. “He certain does love his wristwatches, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, quite,” Nigel said, holding one up to the light. “Ms. Galore... I think perhaps our friends might be reassured if they saw firsthand that we were taking good care of Mr. Bond. Perhaps you should change into something more... comfortable?”

“You want me to seduce him?” Connie said with a visible pout. “He’s kinda hunky, I suppose, but not really my type. Maybe if he was a sweet suave blonde with supple curves and a nice rack... An image flashed in her mind, Evangeline Snow, as she’d looked stepping out of the hot tub after their last session, only to fade sharply as a voice murmured insistently in the back of her mind—”

DO NOT TRUST HER.

“Ms. Galore?” Nigel asked, waving a hand in front of her face. “Are you okay?”

“Ye-eah,” she replied, frowning slightly, shaking her head. “Just peachy.” Forcing back the smile, she ran a hand lightly along Blackfinger’s chest. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like one of my girls to tend to Mr. Bond... so that I can attend to you? Personally?”

Nigel chuckled. “Normally, I’d say yes... but given his predilection for creative escape and seducing female minions, I’d feel better having someone I trust watching over him.“

DO NOT TRUST HER.

Constance frowned, clutching her head slightly. “I... I’m sorry... what did you say?”

“That I TRUST you—”

DO NOT TRUST HER.

“—Ms. Galore,” Blackfinger replied easily, taking a drink from his glass. “In fact, there is no one I TRUST—”

DO NOT TRUST HER.

“—to aid me in these endeavors more than you,” he finished, even as Constance closed her eyes tightly, clutching at her temples. Something was wrong. One of her favorite dreams, some of her best jilling off material, ruined but some dark insistent voice in the back of her head, getting louder and more insistent all the while.

“Ms. Galore?”

It seemed so familiar, yet she couldn’t quite place where she’d heard it from...

“Ms. Galore?” Nigel asked again, scowling at her.

Which only confused her more... since it was telling her NOT to trust Eva... a woman who had proven herself nothing but trustworthy. She was even helping her, teaching her to hone her powers. She’d let Constance into her mind repeatedly, allowing her to see that she had no ulterior motives, that she had done nothing evil or sinister to her each time she’d pierced Constance’s defenses in training. Yet the thought that she simply COULD NOT TRUST Eva Snow.

“Ms. Galore, is something wrong?”

Constance sat up abruptly in bed, gasping, shaking her head. “Something is wrong,” she murmured softly to herself.

Devon sat up in her bed, nearly breathless, her face and cheeks wet with tears. She’d just awoken from a strange dream, one that left her feeling deeply sad, and yet hopeful. The details were fuzzy, but she remembered the important parts all too clearly. In her dream, she’d been talking to her two new friends from River City, the ones that had helped her find and rescue Jimmy all those weeks before. There was also another girl... a beautiful blonde, one that she had never seen before, and yet that seemed so familiar...

A name came to her unbidden. Brunhilda.

Brunhilda... yeah. I know that name. I remember hearing it in my European History class and that stuff Jimmy mentioned before. She was the queen of the Valkyries or something like that. And with that figure and that blonde hair, she certainly looked like a Scandinavian goddess in the flesh. But... no. In that dream... I was the goddess. And she and the others... what was it they kept calling me? That name... ughnn... it’s on the tip of my tongue... Scarr? Chord? Scud?

Skuld. Yes... that was it. The Nornir Skuld. Tawnya’s nemesis... Goddess Skuld! And yet... in the dream they weren’t enemies, they were close, almost... intimate...

Devon closed her eyes, and for just a moment, she saw an image of herself, and two other women, an elderly woman with long silver hair, and a younger woman with bright golden hair. And though she had, again, never seen either of them, she somehow knew them both.

Urdr... and Verdandi.

It was strange. First, the weird visions of the future, then her killing people and plants just by touching them... now she was dreaming of people she’d never met yet seemed to somehow know intimately. It couldn’t be a coincidence; something strange was happening to her. She just didn’t understand what it was.

A soft sigh at her side caught her attention, and she glanced over at Jimmy, sleeping next to her, his dreams peaceful for a change. She was tempted to wake him to tell him about the strange dream she’d just had... but it wasn’t often that her love managed to sleep through the night without nightmares. And it was only a few days before midterm exams began. No... he needed his rest. They BOTH did. Sighing gently, she slid back underneath the covers, and closed her eyes.

I’ll talk to him about it tomorrow. It can wait.

I was lying in a meadow, simply relaxing in the warm sunlight, tail twitching, scritching the side of my face with a paw as the windblown grass tickled my cheeks. It was a beautiful sunny day, and I was taking a break. Sioban lay on the grass beside me, eyes closed, a light puff of smoke issuing forth from her cute little lips every so often, no doubt dreaming naughty dreams of roasting valiant knights with her dragon breath, or holding certain lovely young blonde damsel’s in distress in her ivory tower just off the western side of the meadowlands. Tawnya and Connie were annoyingly awake, fluttering back and forth across the sky, the dark haired raven toying with the smaller white dove, chattering and squeaking at each other in their play. It was all in fun, I knew, but we cats are lazy by nature, and we appreciated our rest.

“Rrrrrhhhhhaaaaaahhhhhh!” Sioban roared suddenly, letting out a huge plume of flame as she yawned and stretched. “Mmmm... that was a good nap.” Sitting up, she glanced sidelong at me. “Still sleeping, Katiecat? C’mon... let’s get up and do something. There’s a nice clear stream just over that rise... how about a swim?” Eyes still closed I wrinkled my nose, batting a paw towards her.

“A swim? With water?!? No thanks. I’d rather lie here and relax in the sun.“

Sioban merely rolled her eyes, standing up. Lifting her arms, she shimmered slightly, shedding her silky green dragon scaled dress, letting it slide down her body, revealing the all too human body beneath. “Okay, fine. Connie? T-baby? Wanna swim? I’m heading over to the stream.”

“Yeah, sounds like fun,” Constance replied, dropping down lightly, discarding her ivory white feathers, revealing her lovely nude self. A moment later Tawyna landed as well, molting her feathers to stand beside her in all her naked dark skinned glory. “Yeah, count me in,” she chimed in as well. I merely scoffed, eyes still closed. You would think a fire-breathing dragon and two birds would dislike water nearly as much as a catgirl, but there was no accounting for dream logic.

“All right, Katiecat,” Sioban announced, “we’re all taking a dip in the stream. Call us if you need anything. But remember, Kitten... don’t go playing around with the dust bunnies roamin’ around in these woods. I’ve warned you several times now. If you keep messing with them, the evil Dust Fairy is going to some fluttering down and turn YOU into a dust bunny as well!”

“Oh, Bon-bon,” I said dismissively, “there’s no such thing as the Dust Fairy. She’s just a silly superstition.. like Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and Ronald Reagan. Besides, who wants to go messing around with those stupid little bunnies anyway? That’s boring. I’d rather finish my nap.”

Rolling her eyes, beautiful Bonnie and the others headed for the stream, leaving me to bask in the sunlight. But... dammit to heck, now that she’d put the thought into my head, I found myself thinking about playing with those helpless little dust bunnies again. I tried to ignore it, tried to push it out of my mind... but I just couldn’t get back to that nice relaxing place I’d been before I’d thought about it. Opening my eyes, I sat up, and shook myself, straightening out my fur.

Well, she CANT complain about it too much, since she put the thought in my head in the first place, I reasoned, glancing over my shoulder at the stream where the girls were frolicking. Besides, I told myself as I sprinted toward the thick grove of trees, it’s just a little harmless fun. It’s not as if I’m really doing anything wrong. Ears up, I felt a smile creasing my face as a song seemed to fill the air:

Little Katie Foo Foo,

Romping through the forest,

Scooping up the dust bunnies,

And bopping them on their heads.

“Ahhh! C’mon! Quit it!” Debbie protested weakly, batting ineffectively at my paws with her own. “This is, like, so unfair! Why do you always pick on me?”

“Because it’s fun,” I replied with a giggle. “It’s simple enough to follow. I’m a cat. You’re a dust bunny. I catch you and bop you on the head.” I shrugged. “Besides, I’m not really hurting you, am I?” I asked, teasing the cute little gray eyed bunny girl, making her blush as I rubbed and stroked her fur.

“N-n-no,” she murmured, squirming enticingly in my grasp, “b-but that d-doesn’t m-make it r-right. Better let me g-go... or I’m gonna t-tell on you...”

I laughed again, really enjoying myself. “And who’re ya gonna tell? The mean ol’ Dust Fairy?”

“Oh? You mean me?”

Hearing a voice I’d never heard before, I glanced up sharply, to see a tiny young woman with spiky black hair and pale milky white skin, floating down at me from above. She was dressed in a ripped black skull t-shirt, ripped black cut off jeans, and mid calf black leather shitkicker boots. Contrasting the total Goth chick look, however, she sported a tiny pair of sheer, sparkly, jewel like butterfly wings at her back, fluttering gracefully. “Huh... wait, what the fuck?!?” she yelled, glancing back at herself. “What the hell is up with this? Actual fairy wings?” She scowled, muttering softly to herself, as if she was talking on the phone. “...gotta be kidding me... part of the whole ‘dream’ motif... just roll with it, huh?” She sighed heavily, rolling her eyes. “Fine. I’ll go with it. But under protest. And word of this had better not ever get out... or else...”

Huh. Ohhhhhkay. Sometime my subconscious was a very strange place to visit.

“You have no idea, kid,” the Dust Fairy murmured, as if somehow reading my thoughts. “Anyway, let’s get down to business.” Gesturing with her hands, a great puff of silvery gray powder plumed out, surrounding me. I held my breath, and closed my eyes, not wanting to get turned into a ditzy little dust bunny like the one’s I’d been toying with. It worked, her magic failed to transform me... but on the downside, it ended up trapping me. Opening my eyes, I found myself lying face up on my bed, my wrists and ankles tied with rope...

Wait... bed?

No... for a minute there... but no, I’d forgotten, I wasn’t on a bed, I was in the forest, lying on a bed of soft grass. My paws... that cursed fairy dust had caused the nearby trees to extend their roots, wrapping them around my tender paws, keeping me pinned. I squirmed seductively, even as my ears went back. It wasn’t fair. I was just having a little fun. Why did the mean ol’ Dust Fairy have to rain on my parade?

“There, now that I have your full attention,” the Dusty one said, crossing her legs as he hovered lazily just above me, “let’s talk about what a naughty little kitty you’ve been lately. I can understand you taking offense to having my bunnies working in your city. To be honest, things are growing and spreading out further and faster than even I imagined. And I’m not a greedy woman. I don’t need to dirty up EVERY city in the nation.” Her eyes narrowed then, an expression that would have been fearsome as her little pixie face wasn’t so cute. “But... that doesn’t mean I can just sit back and let some little blonde upstart disrespect me that way.”

Another burst of fairy dust sprayed out on me, before I could close my eyes or mouth. I groaned as I inhaled, feeling my will and my wits fade. “Ohhhh nnoooo...” I moaned, softly, squirming again. “Not.... not the... catnip... my one weakness...”

She couldn’t help it. Dust burst out into laughter. “Ohhh man... and I thought Silver was silly with a head full of dust. This kid is really something else.” Shaking her head, she dropped down lightly onto the middle of my chest, her sturdy heavy boots leaving small tread marks against my soft fuzzy skin.

That was weird. Didn’t fairies usually dress skimpier than that?

“Huh? What the hell?” Dust scowled as her boots vanished, and her clothing changed to a brilliant jade green resembling Tinkerbell’s costume. Her expression went totally nuclear. “OH FUCK THIS!” With a growl, the green faded, returning to its previous black, though it returned the same shape and design. Rolling her eyes, she sighed, shrugging. “Tch... fine. I don’t care. It’s just a dream anyway.” Crossing her arms behind her head, she lay back against me, crossing her legs, a bare pale foot kicking idly. “Listen, sweetie... normally I’d dirty up your mind with so much dust you’d have to run a snowplow through your ears just to manage a single coherent thought.” I groaned softly. I felt pretty much that way now after that dose of yummy catnip she’d dusted me with... I couldn’t even imagine being even more that I was now.

“Still,” she continued, rubbing her cute tiny little feet lightly against the underside of my left breast, causing my nipples to harden, “you are, kinda, a friend of a friend... and I do owe Sarah from way back...” Her costume changed again, thinning out to an ebony lace bra and panties, but if she noticed, she didn’t seem to mind this time. “Besides, it’s crowded enough in here already as it is. And... you are kind of cute... if you’d bothered to simply ask, I’d be glad to extend you the ‘friends and family’ discount.”

I had no idea what she was talking about... but the sensation of her tiny little nearly naked body rubbing against my own was nearly more than I could stand. She chuckled softly, leaning forward to kiss me on the lips, a tiny kiss, yet it felt so much bigger. Almost like the kiss from a full sized woman. My paws flexed and wriggled, claws extending and retracting. Oh, wow I wished my hands were free! The Dust fairy’s smile grew wicked.

“Ooooh... such dirty thoughts! I was right—your thoughts are dirty enough as it is. Well... almost,” she added, pursing her lips. Another cloud of sparkly shimmery catnip rained down on me, as my thoughts slowed, and the world itself went fuzzy around its edges. A black coated fingernail flicked lightly across my diamond hard nub, telegraphing my arousal.

“Now, then,” my evil little Dust fairy cooed, just before everything went black, “let’s have some REAL fun...”

Morning came entirely too soon for me. With my powers, sunlight had never been a problem for me before; I could stare at the sun without even blinking. This morning, however, the light streaming in through the windows stabbed directly into my brain like a railroad spike, and I whimpered, slamming my eyes back shut and pulling the pillow over my head. And my head... goddess bless... it felt swollen three sizes bigger than normal, like someone had stuffed an inflatable life raft inside my ear and pulled the tab. Groaning, keeping my eyes tightly closed, I made my way slowly but carefully towards the bathroom, splashing a bit of water on my face to help wake me up. Feeling a bit better, I turned on the hot water, figuring a nice hot shower would help.

And it did. My forehead pressed against the cool bathroom tiles, I felt much better. As my head cleared, I noticed a sticky grimy sensation on my feet. Glancing down, I noticed that I was standing in a large pile of discarded dust, which had apparently poured out of my head while it was tilted forward against the tile. Damn, there was a lot of it; my toes were squishy with it, despite how much had already gone down the drain. Maybe I’d overdone it a bit more than I’d thought last night.

Stepping back into the room, I received another surprise. My room... was trashed! Papers were scattered all about, my desk chair was overturned, lying on its side in the middle of the floor, and clothes were lying about on the floor, out of their dressers. And speaking of which... a sneaking suspicion had me down on my knees, checking the bottom drawer only to groan in confirmation.

The baggies of dust I’d.... um... confiscated, and hidden away were all gone. I’d used only a little more last night to help me sleep, yet the amount that had poured out of my head in the shower was close to the amount I’d used that first time to suppress my anguish at Jessica’s death. Now, my room had been ransacked, and my stash had been taken. I thought back to my strange dream... the evil Dust Fairy...

No. No way. It was just a dream... right? It had to be just a coincidence... right?

Wrong. In the center of the night stand was a hastily scribbled note: ‘Tonight was fun, kiddo. Feel free to look me up the next time you’re in Midas. I’ll show you a good time! And the offer for the ‘friends and family discount still stands. Ta ta!’ And it was signed with a kiss, an imprint of lips colored in black lipstick... matching the marks left on various spots of my naked body!

Needless to say, I decided then and there to give up the habit. No more dust for me. Talk about scared straight... you’d need to put a gun to my head to get me to take an aspirin after this.