InsaneJournal

Who: Ganieda, the parental figures, her parish priest,Merlin and Belle
What: A Very Bad Idea
Where: A church in Manhattan, Merlin and Belle's home
When: tonight
Warnings: PG-13 for violence, will edit as needed.


Ganieda felt...pleasantly sleepy. It was rather nice to be riding in the car as the night fell, and she was relaxed and felt almost happy. She wasn't sure why she was going to church at night, or why there was so much tension in the car, but it was lovely outside, and she gazed up at the purple evening sky, her eyes blinking sleepily.

She didn't remember the car stopping or getting out of the car, but soon the three of them walked into the church and the priest, in purple robes and stole, came out to greet them. Ganieda liked the priest. He seemed a kind man, and to care very deeply for his church. She could respect that, even if she did not believe the same way. She felt very agreeable tonight, even when Dave took her arm to lead her into a small chapel beside the main altar.

The priest took Ganieda's hands gently and patted them, looking concerned. "Come child. Kneel here." He had Ganieda kneel on the cold stone floor of the church. She still felt strangely acquiescent. "I am going to tie your hands," he said.

Ganieda blinked. "What?" Dave had her hands, the priest had a rope, and they tied them behind her back. She looked at her mother, who was pale and looking sickly. "Mother, what is going on?" She struggled then, in fear. "The rope is hurting me!" She felt as if she had been bound with ropes of fire.

The priest looked up at them, his face stricken. "You didn't tell her?"

Dave's voice came from behind her. "I drugged her to get her here. How would I have told her?"

Ganieda's eyes widened. They drugged me! Her mind seethed with hurt and betrayal, and she struggled more, though it hurt to do so.

Her mother was wringing her hands. "She's frightening David...I had to do something," her mother said.

Ganieda growled as she struggled but then there was more pain as the priest started to pray over her, sprinkling her with holy water. She cried out and struggled more as the priest began to pray over her, sprinkling her with holy water, touching her with his hands.

Ganieda struggled against her bonds, whimpering and crying. And suddenly, in a burst of power, she broke her bonds--though the rope was still attached to one wrist. Not that she could feel specific pain any longer--it was all lumped in with excruciating pain going through her body.

But she could also feel the magic coursing through her, stronger than ever, and though she was still on her knees, every candle in the church flared into life and all of the lights surged to full brightness.

Suddenly, the three adults were blown back, as if by a strong wind, and the pews were lifted off their foundations and flung against the side walls. The candles flared like torches, wax dripping down over the altar.

Back at the apartment, the gas stove switched on and ignited the very air.

Ganieda herself was blazing, her eyes like melted gold, her face terrible and beautiful with fury.

She was on her feet again, turning to the priest with an expression like vengeance. "You hurt me!"

And she'd liked him. She'd never before played tricks like making the candles flare up, and never treated him with anything but respect. She sniffled, everything still in chaos around her. "Why?!"

Back at the apartment, the plastic containers were melting inside the refrigerator. The post and pans in the cabinets were melting. Ganieda's room was suddenly empty, as she wished it to be barren, not one thing to indicate that she had ever lived there. Let them forget her.

The priest was speechless and wide-eyed, unable to move because Ganieda was holding him there as her pain and fury grew greater. Fires began to erupt inside the sanctuary, simply because she thought about them. She was crying and so angry and so powerful. Wind howled in the church. Her knees trembled as if in weakness, but she did not waver.

She didn't know what she was going to do. She just wanted to go home. "MERLIN!"