(( This is an origin tale for my newest alt, Sweet Seduction. currently she's a level 3 Illusion/Sonic 'troller on Virtue. ))
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Sometimes one little decision can change the course of history.
Such as the decision Cynthia "Sin" Seward made to cut thru the back alleys of the Gish on her way to school. The streets were safe, but they took longer, so she'd figured on shaving off a couple of minutes. That decision didn't exactly work in her favor, for it ran her smack into a pair of Circle of Thorns guards, who immediately corraled her.
"Ah, yes, she will do nicely. Bring her!" The Energy Mage's features were hidden within his tall hooded cloak, but she could see the unearthly glow of his eyes. This was bad. This was VERY bad.
She struggled against the grip of her captors, but to no use. Suddenly she found herself suspended, awash in green light, and then the pain and disorientation struck. It was as if her entire reality were being torn asunder, only slowly. She began to scream.
The mage laughed. "Scream all you like, girl, for soon you will be gone, and the creature we summon will have taken your place!"
Do not struggle, child. These fools know not whom they have called, this time.
'What was this? Who are you?'
I am Molpe, a Siren, one of many creatures of the ancient Greeks. But, I am no monster. I will aid you, if you allow me.
'I don't understand. What is happening?'
These mages are attempting to summon me into your existence. They probably think I am a spirit or a demon, and that I will simply take your soul and your body. However, I am not a demon, nor am I a spirit. Therefore you will not cease; we will be fused to one being. I will protect you, in exchange for allowing me to exist once again in your world.
'Do I have a choice?'
Of course. If you say no, their spell will fail. However, this will not mean you will live. They will probably just kill you outright rather than let you go.
Sin thought for a nanosecond, and then made up her mind.
'I accept.'
And so it shall be, child. We become one!
The green fountain of magical force both surrounding the child and suspending her in place suddenly changed to blue, and then flared so brightly that all the surrounding mages and guards were dazzled. The girl was gone. In her place stood a slightly elfin-looking being, with bluish skin, large almond eyes, a long tufted tail, and the buds of two goat horns showing thru her black hair.
"What?? This is not the demon we summoned!! Reveal your name, so that I may banish you!"
"You shall not know my name, mage. You shall only hear... my WILL."
With that the being let out a simple ululating note, and all of the Circle fell to their knees, clasping hands to ears. One of the guards shook his head, then opened his eyes. What was he doing? Oh yes, he was protecting this sweet maiden from these foul ruffians. He drew his crossbow and fired a bolt point-blank into the chest of the mage next to him. The mage barely had time to gasp before he expired, his heart transfixed. The guard then turned, and took aim at one of his brethren.
"Brother Mason, what are you...??"
"HOLD! he has been dominated! Kill him!" The remaining guard draw his kris-sword, as did the thoroughly confused Mason.
The one mage left looked at the girl-being, and gestured. "I know not what you are, but you shall not survive here for long!" The eldritch energy slammed the being to her knees, yet she stood back up smiling.
"Oh now is that any way to speak to your beloved?" Again, she sang, and the sound caused the mage's posture to grow slack, as his mind was taken by the Siren's call. He felt knives flaying him, fires burning his flesh away, and the icy chill of water closing over his head, drowning him. The sensations were too much to bear, and he passed out.
"Hah! Warriors of MY time were smarter than to listen to a Siren. These men are but fools."
'Molpe, what just happened?'
Ah child.. Cindy, is it? We have become one. We are both human, and Siren. I am you... and you are me. My abilities will be manifest to you as you grow, for I see you are yet too young to hold sway over men's hearts in all but the most trivial ways. But first, let us attend to this Mason fellow.
The being turned to Mason, who was standing off to one side, having no more targets to kill after he'd somehow managed to dispatch the other guard. He bled profusely from several deep cuts, and his unsteady stance indicated he was in shock and about ready to collapse.
"Mason, for your service, you will be ... compensated. I will not kill you. But for your crime, you must atone."
The being walked up to Mason, kissed him on the cheek, and then lithely ran down the alley as heroes and cops alike closed in, following up on reports of a girl screaming and an otherworldly flash.
-----------------------------
'Molpe, I'm just a little girl. What do I do now? I look wierd, my skin is all grey and I have horns and a tail, and I can't say anything without people getting all googly-eyed.'
I do not know. I doubt that it is that big of a problem, as there are many here who look different. Perhaps we, or rather you, should simply explain what happened and see what happens?
'I dunno, my parents can be really uptight sometimes....'
I doubt they will be. You're a charming girl, even without my gifts.
---------------------------
Sin tried to keep the tears from flowing. Molpe had long ago faded to a back corner of her soul, or perhaps she had simply become more of Molpe as she had matured. People still sometimes made remarks about her appearance, but those remarks faded when she spoke or sang. She'd learned to dampen the compelling effects; the everyday person just heard an extremely charming and sexy voice.
But now, at her parent's funeral, she had sung their eulogy, and the entire congregation had gotten caught up in the emotion of her loss, and her desire to make things right. She couldn't bring them back. Molpe said they would be honored in the afterlife, for living the way they did, and that was good. But the criminals that had killed them, there was a different fate.
Cindy left the church, and in so doing, turned her steps towards City Hall. She'd turned 18 only weeks before the tragic car chase and crash that had ended her parent's lives. When she'd talked to them about her plan to become a heroine, they had expressed reservations, but as always since the day she'd come home changed, they'd seen things her way. She felt guilty about letting her power charm them, but in many ways that's what she'd become. A charmer. Just like Molpe had been, in ages past.
"So, what name do you wish to be called, young lady?"
"Ummm... the Siren?"
"Taken, dear."
"The Charmer?"
"Taken."
"Seductress?"
"Taken."
"Oh dear..."
"Miss, might I make a suggestion?"
"Well, yah."
"Many heroes use two words instead of just one..."
"You mean like ... "
"Well, you're modeling yourself after the Sirens of ancient Greece... yes, says here that you actually ARE one of them, in some way or another... and what they basically did was seduce men with their voices. But you're a sweet girl, not fickle like they were."
Fickle? Oh she wounds me!!
'Shh, Molpe. You're a mythological figure. Myths always get twisted up and around. She doesn't mean you specifically.'
"Sooo... How about Sweet Seductress?"
"No that's taken.... but Sweet Seduction isn't."
"Hrmm... OK! I'll use that!"
"Good! Here's the orientation packet, and your pass to the Outbreak area. It's a community service thing, but we also look on it as additional training. Once your'e done with that, go see Azuria downstairs. She's our local expert on magic, mythos, spirituality and all that. I'm sure she will be most interested in you!"
"City of Heroes. April 27, 2004 - August 31, 2012. Obliterated not with a weapon of mass destruction, not by an all-powerful supervillain... but by a cold-hearted and cowardly corporate suck-up."
(( This is an origin tale for my newest alt, Sweet Seduction. currently she's a level 3 Illusion/Sonic 'troller on Virtue. ))
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes one little decision can change the course of history.
Such as the decision Cynthia "Sin" Seward made to cut thru the back alleys of the Gish on her way to school. The streets were safe, but they took longer, so she'd figured on shaving off a couple of minutes. That decision didn't exactly work in her favor, for it ran her smack into a pair of Circle of Thorns guards, who immediately corraled her.
"Ah, yes, she will do nicely. Bring her!" The Energy Mage's features were hidden within his tall hooded cloak, but she could see the unearthly glow of his eyes. This was bad. This was VERY bad.
She struggled against the grip of her captors, but to no use. Suddenly she found herself suspended, awash in green light, and then the pain and disorientation struck. It was as if her entire reality were being torn asunder, only slowly. She began to scream.
The mage laughed. "Scream all you like, girl, for soon you will be gone, and the creature we summon will have taken your place!"
Do not struggle, child. These fools know not whom they have called, this time.
'What was this? Who are you?'
I am Molpe, a Siren, one of many creatures of the ancient Greeks. But, I am no monster. I will aid you, if you allow me.
'I don't understand. What is happening?'
These mages are attempting to summon me into your existence. They probably think I am a spirit or a demon, and that I will simply take your soul and your body. However, I am not a demon, nor am I a spirit. Therefore you will not cease; we will be fused to one being. I will protect you, in exchange for allowing me to exist once again in your world.
'Do I have a choice?'
Of course. If you say no, their spell will fail. However, this will not mean you will live. They will probably just kill you outright rather than let you go.
Sin thought for a nanosecond, and then made up her mind.
'I accept.'
And so it shall be, child. We become one!
The green fountain of magical force both surrounding the child and suspending her in place suddenly changed to blue, and then flared so brightly that all the surrounding mages and guards were dazzled. The girl was gone. In her place stood a slightly elfin-looking being, with bluish skin, large almond eyes, a long tufted tail, and the buds of two goat horns showing thru her black hair.
"What?? This is not the demon we summoned!! Reveal your name, so that I may banish you!"
"You shall not know my name, mage. You shall only hear... my WILL."
With that the being let out a simple ululating note, and all of the Circle fell to their knees, clasping hands to ears. One of the guards shook his head, then opened his eyes. What was he doing? Oh yes, he was protecting this sweet maiden from these foul ruffians. He drew his crossbow and fired a bolt point-blank into the chest of the mage next to him. The mage barely had time to gasp before he expired, his heart transfixed. The guard then turned, and took aim at one of his brethren.
"Brother Mason, what are you...??"
"HOLD! he has been dominated! Kill him!" The remaining guard draw his kris-sword, as did the thoroughly confused Mason.
The one mage left looked at the girl-being, and gestured. "I know not what you are, but you shall not survive here for long!" The eldritch energy slammed the being to her knees, yet she stood back up smiling.
"Oh now is that any way to speak to your beloved?" Again, she sang, and the sound caused the mage's posture to grow slack, as his mind was taken by the Siren's call. He felt knives flaying him, fires burning his flesh away, and the icy chill of water closing over his head, drowning him. The sensations were too much to bear, and he passed out.
"Hah! Warriors of MY time were smarter than to listen to a Siren. These men are but fools."
'Molpe, what just happened?'
Ah child.. Cindy, is it? We have become one. We are both human, and Siren. I am you... and you are me. My abilities will be manifest to you as you grow, for I see you are yet too young to hold sway over men's hearts in all but the most trivial ways. But first, let us attend to this Mason fellow.
The being turned to Mason, who was standing off to one side, having no more targets to kill after he'd somehow managed to dispatch the other guard. He bled profusely from several deep cuts, and his unsteady stance indicated he was in shock and about ready to collapse.
"Mason, for your service, you will be ... compensated. I will not kill you. But for your crime, you must atone."
The being walked up to Mason, kissed him on the cheek, and then lithely ran down the alley as heroes and cops alike closed in, following up on reports of a girl screaming and an otherworldly flash.
-----------------------------
'Molpe, I'm just a little girl. What do I do now? I look wierd, my skin is all grey and I have horns and a tail, and I can't say anything without people getting all googly-eyed.'
I do not know. I doubt that it is that big of a problem, as there are many here who look different. Perhaps we, or rather you, should simply explain what happened and see what happens?
'I dunno, my parents can be really uptight sometimes....'
I doubt they will be. You're a charming girl, even without my gifts.
---------------------------
Sin tried to keep the tears from flowing. Molpe had long ago faded to a back corner of her soul, or perhaps she had simply become more of Molpe as she had matured. People still sometimes made remarks about her appearance, but those remarks faded when she spoke or sang. She'd learned to dampen the compelling effects; the everyday person just heard an extremely charming and sexy voice.
But now, at her parent's funeral, she had sung their eulogy, and the entire congregation had gotten caught up in the emotion of her loss, and her desire to make things right. She couldn't bring them back. Molpe said they would be honored in the afterlife, for living the way they did, and that was good. But the criminals that had killed them, there was a different fate.
Cindy left the church, and in so doing, turned her steps towards City Hall. She'd turned 18 only weeks before the tragic car chase and crash that had ended her parent's lives. When she'd talked to them about her plan to become a heroine, they had expressed reservations, but as always since the day she'd come home changed, they'd seen things her way. She felt guilty about letting her power charm them, but in many ways that's what she'd become. A charmer. Just like Molpe had been, in ages past.
"So, what name do you wish to be called, young lady?"
"Ummm... the Siren?"
"Taken, dear."
"The Charmer?"
"Taken."
"Seductress?"
"Taken."
"Oh dear..."
"Miss, might I make a suggestion?"
"Well, yah."
"Many heroes use two words instead of just one..."
"You mean like ... "
"Well, you're modeling yourself after the Sirens of ancient Greece... yes, says here that you actually ARE one of them, in some way or another... and what they basically did was seduce men with their voices. But you're a sweet girl, not fickle like they were."
Fickle? Oh she wounds me!!
'Shh, Molpe. You're a mythological figure. Myths always get twisted up and around. She doesn't mean you specifically.'
"Sooo... How about Sweet Seductress?"
"No that's taken.... but Sweet Seduction isn't."
"Hrmm... OK! I'll use that!"
"Good! Here's the orientation packet, and your pass to the Outbreak area. It's a community service thing, but we also look on it as additional training. Once your'e done with that, go see Azuria downstairs. She's our local expert on magic, mythos, spirituality and all that. I'm sure she will be most interested in you!"
"City of Heroes. April 27, 2004 - August 31, 2012. Obliterated not with a weapon of mass destruction, not by an all-powerful supervillain... but by a cold-hearted and cowardly corporate suck-up."