Morbid Melodies: Hölle Hölle Hölle

Tez leaned back in her sitting position on the ground, hands splayed behind her. "What kind of arrangement?" she repeated. A smirk twisted on her face. "For starters, one that doesn't end with you dead on the floor. I'm in a very generous mood, so don't muck it up with sarcastic quips. I'm warning you to also not take this opportunity for granted, because I'm only offering once. I'm willing to coincide with this relationship of yours if you promise me one thing: I need you to find a way to separate us. I'm getting soft in my old age, Major Dear. I had no intentions of letting Tessy call the shots for us, and was very upset when I first heard her ask you the same thing not too long ago. I want to give her this body and get one of my own. I don't care what I would look like or how it would be done, but I want to at least try. If I die in the process, well, swear on your black soul you'll never abandon my sister. What do you think?"

Tez crossed her arms, wary of the sudden turn of the conversation. "What are you saying?" she asked cautiously. "Why and what are you trying to instigate? If you're trying to make me mad, you're succeeding and if you're serious you obviously haven't been listening to me. I already told you why I want out of here. I already told you why I want Tessy to take over. You already said you were in love with her and this face- how could I claim ownership of it after that? Are you the one that shouldn't be trusted here? You'd easily go from her to me if I took you up on that plan? What do you gain by betraying someone you claim to love?"

Tez squinted her eyes and examined Major. "No, I call shenanigans on that. I can sense your true feelings for her. You're trying to test me for some reason. I may be mean spirited, bull headed, and act impulsively but this time I'm being sincere when I say I have no tricks in mind. Maybe Tessy told you some things about me, or the story about the bantha farmer (he deserved it, by the way) but that doesn't mean I'm trying to ruin hers or your life. Anymore. Honest. Now will you help or what?"

Unintentionally, Major revealed a part of herself Tez never expected was in existence- the hopeful romantic. The stories the lover's "twin" had heard were ones of maniacal violence, bountiful bloodshed and baseless endeavors. To see her strive for a higher goal for another person would have once disgusted Tez, but she hypocritically respected her for that. Hypocritically because she would be the one to benefit from this experiment. This new semi-optimistic perspective was oddly refreshing.

The alternate copperhead was tired, and it wasn't due to sleep deprivation. She silently reflected on all the years she had wasted looking for answers for questions that didn't exist. Her family never understood their plight. The other students shunned them. Their teachers thought it was a cry for attention. Tez would meet Tess in dreams, leave her notes on the other side, but it all felt futile. Tess implored her to remain silent and not reveal to anyone else what was the truth. They had to constantly lie to everyone and act the part of a well adjusted girl; it was not easy with two individuals sharing the same space. It was even more difficult to try to recap the time the other had to make their transition as seamless as possible.

Tess' fears took over her side of consciousness and intensified when she learned of Tez's secret: she was able to utilize the power of the Force. Tess became more distressed as time went on when she woke up to hear of the deeds she was accused of committing. If Tez was an adept of the ancient powers, which side of the spectrum was she on? Her power derived from her anger and vengeance, but it wasn't as if she did things to really hurt anyone without just cause. Often. It would appear that the only side she was on was her own; it was the only way she could remain sane in an unfeeling and intolerant world.

When Tez sought out the ruthless leader she thought being her officer would be her ultimate decision in life. She didn't care what Tess thought anymore. How much respect can someone have for a person afraid of their own shadow? They had such potential, but Tess refused to work with her. Their possibilites in life were endless, and she refused to squander them any longer. Who would have known the enigmatic woman known as "The Major" would be the catalyst of the only dream Tez was forced to repress. Finally, she and Tess could work together for a common goal.

"Okay Major," Tez said as she rose from her spot. "Your offer is quite generous indeed. I'm tempted to take you up on it. What does employment entail exactly? Any further benefits besides eventual release? I don't need to, you know, sleep in the same bed as you or anything, right?"

What?! How?! Why?!

"What the hell is your problem?!" Tez shouted back at Major. Where had that outburst come from? "Are you crazy? That was incredibly uncalled for! Why the hell would I be insinuating you were a rapist? You clearly missed my black humor there! Hello, you just admitted to being in love with a person whose face LOOKS LIKE MINE. The JOKE I was making was that just because I LOOK like your girlfriend, it doesn't mean I will ACT like her!" Tez's temper flared exponentially. Of course there was much she didn't know about the Major, but that knowledge was now updated to include apparent mood swings. She stomped away, then realized there was a limited amount of steps she could take before realizing that the dark void was never ending. She puffed and turned right back around.

Tez walked in front of Major, forcing her to make eye contact with her brow furrowed and lips tight. "I'm not going to argue with you," she said almost inaudibly. "I don't know your childhood trauma, but I'm not trying to offend you. Get your head out of your ass- we just agreed to work together. I wasn't trying to insinuate anything, nor do I have any reason to argue with you. Now calm down." Tez crossed her arms and through the haze waited for Major to stop mumbling.

A heavy sigh and a roll of the eyes. A common trademark for the Bola girls, one would note. "Like I said, Major," she began with a considerably lighter tone. "I have no reason to quarrel with you. However, I really do want to just strangle you right now, but I shall refrain. Don't think it isn't still tempting despite who you are. Honestly, I don't know how my sister puts up with you. She is a saint, and you better treat her as such. You better because you are such a--" Tez cut herself short and shook her head. "Okay, sorry. I am determined to make this work so I'll keep my snide comments to a minimum. If you are sincere in your affections for Tessy, then I won't interfere. As long as you hold up your end of the bargain, I won't 'lurk about,' as I'm sure you have mentioned before. So you two can go about doing whatever it is you do, drinking and making out and stuff, and I'll be content in knowing that this arrangement won't last forever. Please don't push her away because of me."

All things considered, Tez was finally developing a sense of optimism she never knew she had. For once in their life, things were finally looking like they would turn out alright. They no longer had to run away and hide because of Tessy's self imposed doctrines of fear. They found someone willing to help them. If they achieved their ultimate desires, this whole life long ordeal would be worth it. If Tez had to put aside her pride for once, she'd do it. If she had to wake up like she had been doing since the day she was born, she would do so with less chagrin. If she had to endure living between the relationship of her sister with an evil/borderline pyscopath, she would do so with a tune in her head and an ultimately menacing smile on her face. As long as this relationship Tessy was embarking with Major didnt't become a repeat of her last failed relationship.

But then again, the stupid bastard should've listened. He posed as the bleeding heart claiming to be the only person in school who understood their plight. He was a liar. Tez implored Tess to see the truth, but she refused. She likened Tez's arguments to being petty jealousy and spite. However, after several months, Tez discovered his ultimate motive: a full university scholarship and scientific recognition. They were his thesis--
"A Tale of Two T's; An Explorarion of Bipolar Schizophrenia in a Teenage Girl With an Elaborate and Heightened Sense of Self and Paranoia."

He was still coining the name for their "condition" when Tez snuck into his room by the open bay window. She confronted him well in to the night, and he merely laughed it off. He claimed to really understand, seeing Tessy as a naive and hopeless girl unable to see past her own self righteous ideals. She was too trusting where Tez was too critical and more adapting to how the world really was. He saw Tez as the threat she posed and offered her a compromise. If she were to remain silent and act the part of Tess' "schizophrenic" side, he would make sure to bail them out of the prestigious psychiatric ward they would be commited to after he published his work on them.

Tez's eyes glowed beautifully as she watched his "research" burn to cinders. It wasn't her fault the runt ran away as the bed, drapes, and furnishings also became caught in the blaze. Thick plumes of smoke enveloped her as she laughed in satisfaction. This was her victory. Her justice. Her vengeance. This night was the night she assured that their lives evolved from victims to enablers of their own fate.

"Oh, but I do have one thing I want to stress," Tez stated, coming out of her reflections. "Don't waste my time in this solution of yours. I don't want to begin life when I'm too old to have one. I've dealt with enough nonsense in my time. I want to shake things up while I still have the audacity to do so."

"It's hard to tell when the switch will happen, doesn't it?" Tez began to explain. "Tessy told you it happens whenever she gets angry right? Well, since you and I are partners now to an extent, I'll let you in on a little secret- I can control it." A toothy grin erupted upon Tez's face. She discovered long ago how to maneuver through her circumstances, but let her sister believe otherwise the entire time as a way to manipulate things to her favor. She needed a back-up plan from time to time, and this was the in the forefront of them all.

"I have always believed that I have been able to control it because of my sensitivities to the Force. The transformation is aided by it, but I don't really care if that's true or not. I let her think that that I only bleed through when she's angry because it is a simple enough explanation for her and can keep her fear to a healthy low rate. She does understand that when she's upset I am too, seeings how we have at least that in common. We get easily offended, I'm sure you've noticed."

Tez's shot Major a radiant smile. "Can we change the scenery? This gaping void is making me naseous"

Tez's eyes narrowed, feeling incredibly skeptical of Major. "What's wrong now?" she asked rather bluntly. "Now what did I say wrong? You know what, nevermind. You're weird, and/or you just might need therapy. Go have a drink and relax. It's been, like, half an hour since your last, right? You might be getting withdrawals."

Tez exhaled. She settled her thoughts, rearranging them before the transition took effect. She closed her eyes and said, "Don't forget our bargain, Major. You abandon Tessy, I'll see. You hurt her, I'll find you. Say hi to her for me, willya?"

Major's sweetheart opened her eyes. "Oh no," she breathed. "Where have I been this time!? Are we still in your mind, Rip? What time is it?! Please tell me she didn't hurt you!"

The confused brunette dashed to her fallen dark featured lover. She skid against the floor on her knees, and attempted to place her palms on either side of Rip's face. She nearly fell forward through this mock representation but was able to catch her balance with some difficulty. Tess made a sound akin to that of a wounded stray as a look of terror creeped upon her face. What was happening? Why was Rip semi-coherent and rapidly fading? She looked like she was in some far along agony, too inconsolable for amends. "Rip, look at me," she said hurriedly. "What did she do to you? Why are you like this? Are you hurt? Where is the pain? When-"

Tess stopped speaking while she took in the scenery. What happened to the replica of Shili? She vaguely remembered the screeching and the tremors, but what was this horrible vision they were in? Tez had to have said or done something incredibly horrible to have upset Rip like this. "Rip, please, you need to answer me," Tess said, trying her best to hold back the flood of emotions swelling in her throat. "It's me, Tess. Your Tess. Yours and only yours. Please trust me. I'm so sorry for whatever happened, but tell me if you're okay; start simple if you have to. Don't think for a second I abandoned you. Won't you come back? Just let me know how to make things right." Tess motioned her hands to reach out to Rip's shoulders, but there was still nothing more than a phantom facing her.

"Uhm, uh, ah. What?" Tess stammered. She was still trying to assess Rip's claim of internal injury, but since the shadow woman's request superseded her own ailments, Tess had no choice but to comply. "Okay, I'll try, but I'm more concerned about helping you. Is there a way I can help make you whole, or the equivalent to, again? Actually, I'll figure it out. Just stay calm, and concentrate on me. Think of the hotel room, the smell of lavender, a starlit night..." Tess trailed off as the gruesome and pulsating enviornment became a dull haze of cobalt blue. From out of the ether, the haze solidified and became walls. Twin beds manifested on the far side of where they stood with crumpled sheets and strewn about articles of clothing. A living area and kitchenette swirled from the previous nothingness, complete with the gigantic bathroom. It was the perfect place to be: their self same hotel suite. Tess smiled, feeling the familiar sensation one feels arriving home after a long trip. "Honey, we're home," she said in a jovial fashion.

Tess reached for Rip's slender hands, and was finally able to grasp on to them. She squeezed firmly, assisting her as she helped her up from the ground. Tess concentrated on returning her to her rightful postion as the creator of this universe. She focused on her feet first, then legs, then torso. Rip was still a shadow, but at least she there was substance now. Torso was next, then arms, neck, head, hair, and lastly, face. Tess thought of those cerulean orbs filled with morbid dreams and curiosity. She mused upon the lips that were always twisted with a smirk. The long nose, then dainty earlobes. Soon enough, her color returned, almost good as new. Tess thought she'd be cheeky by imagining her lover in a different scenario: she decided to place the warmongering woman in a dress. Tess stepped back to admire her handiwork while still holding hands with Rip. Her feet were clad in mid-calf length dark brown boots adorned with buckles. Her dress was just past her knees, made of a flowing cotton material. It was a pale pink with red straps, exposing her pale freckled shoulders. A line of buttons trailed down the center, the last one on the bottom left undone. Her hair was in a braid, secured in place by a bow that was a deeper shade of pink. "I wish I could take a picture of you right now," Tess remarked with flushed cheeks.