Fifty Shades Of Fear

[Stephanie Swail]

He looked at her for a second and then pulled back her index finger. The bone cracked, and her wrist went weaker.

”Your enemy will not listen to your plea to stop! Your weakness is something that will be exploited and I am the only one willing to give you a chance to beat it.”

He moved his hand over her small finger, dainty and moist with sweat – the fear was evident, and he hadn’t even started.

”If you don’t use your Force power, people will continue to abuse your trust, play with your emotion and bully you into following a path not of your own.”

Asterion looked at her.

”I’m doing this because I care. But I also care enough to cause you the most unimaginable pain you’ve felt, and survive.”

He pushed back her finger and shook her wrist.

”FOCUS! Use the essence of life – me, you – the air around us, the fauna and beasts outside – use it to enhance your muscle, your mind and cut yourself off from what your head tells you and overcome this!”

[member="Felicity Mason"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

Another sharp snap as yet alone finger bone broke. She cried again, shaking from head to toe as she tried one again to pull away. He was right, of course. Nobody would listen to her cry. Nobody else would care. That thought, the realization that she was at least going to be kept alive with this man, calmed her some. Soothed her enough that she could at least hear his word over her own sobbing.

The word Focus shook her, stopped her tears for a moment. What he was asking was impossible. Cut herself off. Use the flora and fauna. Overcome. Her breathing slowed some. She was trying. She was, but she wasn't there yet.

"I'm trying," she whimpered, closing her eyes as she let her wrist go limp. She felt like she could faint at any moment. Was that how it was supposed to feel?

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Asterion felt a wave of calm radiate from the girl; only slightly, but it was there. But it wasn’t enough, and more fool him he actually cared enough about this girl kept hidden away that he would deem himself responsible to give her a chance like he did.

”Pain is just a feeling; it will go. It is used to mask your senses, cloud your mind with the why, what, and where. Eradicate those and you are left with the now – you will be able to think, to focus and to use the Force to flow through your muscle.”

He paused a moment, watching her try through the tears and maintained the grip on the 3rd finger he was ready to break.

”Pain will be used to exploit your weaknesses and it will be used to manipulate your perception of the truth. See past the pain to see the truth; that will make you a force to be reckoned with alone.”

As she focused, he shifted his grip on the wrist and finger – and in that moment he quickly and brutally pulled the small finger back at a blinding speed. He did it moments after talking and it would tell him if she had found that core to not feel or see the pain he had just inflicted on her poor, swollen hand.

[member="Felicity Mason"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

Was her hand just going numb now? She flinched and moaned weakly as she both felt and heard the tiny finger snap. Still, she didn't scream this time, or cry. She was sure she would be suffering some sort of nerve damage from this. What if her bones never healed properly? What if she was never able to write again? What if she couldn't even hold a saber now?
She felt dizzy. Her head was spinning, both from the pain and the struggle to concentrate. Her wrist hung limp and lifeless in his hand. She didn't bother to struggle anymore. Struggling against him was useless. He was stronger than her, faster. But in a sick way, she was starting to believe him when he said he was doing this for her own good. Or at least, she was starting to believe that he believed that.

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

With a small sigh, Asterion shook his head and placed her small red hand in between his and focused on nothing with dark eyes. He simply began a healing process that was easy one person with no resistance, minor injuries and small bones. His eyes closed momentarily.

He used the Force inside his body and around him to fuse with Felicity and her broken bones. The tiny fragments of bone would simply speed up their repair fuelled with the Force coming from Asterion. The girl would feel more pain, but great relief and a sense of numbness.

He could have carried on breaking each finger, but if she truly gave up, it would achieve nothing. But now she knew he wouldn’t hesitate to use force to help her see the harsh reality of the galaxy around her.

Opening his eyes, he moved his hands and took a few steps back away from the table he had been sitting on and over towards an ivory table full of armour plates and helmets from the One Sith army.

“Push me back. I’m not going to move. Stay where you are and push me back – one, two steps, doesn’t matter.”

[member="Felicity Mason"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

She kept her eyes closed, ready for yet another break. She wasn't going cry or flinch this time. She was sure of it. She couldn't. All the pain in her poor little hand was enough that she wasn't sure she was capable of feeling more. Surely she had reached her pain capacity.

..Wrong again. She hissed as her splintered bones popped back into place. Still broken, but somehow less so than before. Was he actually healing her now? Had she done it? Had she succeeded? Somehow, she doubted it by the way he sighed at her. He'd given up on her. He was moving on. Somehow, she felt disappointed in herself.

She opened her eyes at last when he let go of her hand and examined the damage. Bad idea. Just looking at her red swollen fingers made her feel queasy. She swayed on the spot, fully in danger of passing out, but then his voice once again snapped her out of it.

"P-push...?" she stuttered, awkwardly holding up her uninjured hand, "Like this?"

She knew how to do this... mostly. It was weak, Celeste was more skilled with her manipulation of the Force, but after working a lot with Graxin, she'd gotten this basic technique down. She pushed forward, wincing with the effort, all while her injured hand swung limp and useless at her side.

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Again came the timid response, stammering with fear and uncertainty. The Sith couldn’t tell if she was actually trying to push outwards or wave at him. She’d failed to respond to the first wave of fear he’d administered; helplessness. Now he would try another.

He scoffed.

”No, like this.”

Raising his right hand, he didn’t move it as he called the Force around him to push outwards in a shockwave that sent his armour up and around Felicity, and hopefully would send her up and back across the room into the far all, dangerously close to the stacks of heavy iron shields. More implements for the training of Sith warriors.

[member="Felicity Mason"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

Pathetic. She was pathetic. When the back of her head hit the far wall, when she slumped to the ground again, dizzy and hurt, she didn't feel the least bit upset about it. Much as it hurt, she couldn't help but feel that this was entirely deserved. She'd failed too many times today. Her injuries were justified. This was her own fault.

She rose to her feet, wincing as she almost pushed herself up with her injured hand. Stupid. So stupid. She felt the back of her head, wincing. No blood. At least there was that.

"Should I try again?" she asked, dizzily stepping forward.

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

He beckoned with his hands, paying no attention to her little dizzy spell.

”Try again. And if you don’t push me back with your try, I’ll push you back with mine.”

Why did he feel they were almost comfortable with this dangerous game of Force powers? It would be something he would focus on, to see what she hid inside and what it would take to draw it to the surface. She was frightened, in pain and alone, but still she was here asking questions, being brave and trying.

”Come on.”

[member="Felicity Mason"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

Oh. Great. Now she was expected to excel, or get hurt again. Was this going to be her life now? She was starting to think it might be better to just get on good terms with him. At least then, he might try to heal her fingers the rest of the way, like mom could. She stopped where she was, taking a deep breath. It had to be better than last time, just like Graxin taught her.
This was frustrating. Her brain still felt like it was ringing in her skull. Thinking was hard, remembering was even harder.

Concentrate, dummy! she reminded herself, Concentrate!

But just telling herself to concentrate wasn't going to make it happen. She reached up with her good hand, pressing her fingers to her forehead, as if that would make any difference.

Dammit!
She curled her fingers underneath, digging her nails into her palm. The pain was nothing, the little moon shaped marks she left on her palm were nothing. She pressed her knuckles into her forehead, frustrated. All that she could focus on was that ringing in her head, but she had to do something soon. She couldn't just stand there.

Felicity, you can do this.
Her brothers voice this time echoed in her head right as she pushed out again. Just remembering him gave her just enough to focus on now. She may not be very strong, but she knew that at the very least, this was better than last time.

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

With a rise of his shoulders, Asterion looked to the ceiling. This was becoming farcical. She had it in her, so what was holding her back? He could feel he trying to summon the Force, but that was all. Giving an unfortunate smile, Asterion raised his right hand and repeated the burst of Force energy, this time hitting her side to send her more of balance going backwards.

"What's with all the head touching? You watch too many holovids. The Force comes from inside you, naturally. Not from in your head."

The crash was louder than before, and he couldn't help but chuckle a little at the ragdoll before him.

"Again, or I'll do something you'll really hate me for."

[member="Felicity Mason"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

She went flying again. Her left shoulder hit the ground hard first. Her knees were bleeding from the impact as she rolled. She could feel her lip bleeding now, if only slightly. She was getting beat up, and only from a few waves of energy hitting her. This was outrageous. If this was the Academy, she'd the bully. She'd be the one doing the beating. She struggled to her feet again, holding her broken fingers with her other hand. The pain had faded some by now, or she'd just gotten used to it. She couldn't even tell anymore.

"What are you gunna do? Beat me up? Break more bones?" The girl was swaying on the spot still, but she managed to snap at him all the same. She spit on the ground at him, ignoring the blood. "Bring it on!"

Her head still hurt from the impact, but she was starting to snap out of it little by little. Somewhere she found that spark inside of her. She'd never give up. One way or another, she needed to find a way to beat this thing. He couldn't break her, not by hurting her. She was a Mason girl. Mom never broke and gave up, neither would she. She'd fight back, and she'd push him to the ground so hard she'd make something of his bleed too!
...That was the plan anyway. The problem with that was she was still a bit dizzy and try as she might, hard as this next wave was, she missed spectacularly, instead hitting everything to his right.

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Feeding from her sudden burst of rage and anger, Asterion clapped his hands and beckoned her on, as if he was finally getting somewhere. He was about to speak, noticing the wonderful pool of blood in front of him that she spat like a true warrior, when the armour plates suddenly kicked up on his right.

The layers of dusty armour went spiralling back into the far wall and the table they were on screeched across the floor with her blast of Force energy.

He turned and looked at the mess she had made, then back to her. He grinned.

"Come on you pathetic little brat, that's it!"

Asterion rooted his footing, as if ready to play a contact sport. Nodding, he gave a half-smile.

"Prove your little whore of a Mummy wasn't totally a waste when she bore you as a runt. Come on. Prove it. If not, I'll find that sister of yours and do so much worse to her that'd she'd probably enjoy it."


[member="Felicity Mason"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

Whore. The word whore made her grit her teeth. Nobody said that about her Mother. Her Mother was a Mason girl. Nobody was allowed to say that about a Mason girl. She wanted to throw something, lunge at him, hit him again and again until his face was nothing but a mess of teeth, bone and blood. The thought of it was chilling, but it give her something close to hope.

"You stay away from her!" she screamed, taking another step forward, "You stay away! Keep them out of this!"

She was closer to him. She wanted to hurt him, but not by throwing stupid waves at him. She wanted to pick something up and lunge at him, broken fingers or otherwise. She was beyond caring. With her uninjured hand, she reached out, eyes flashing first to a scrap of armor on the floor, then back to him. When she curled her fingers, she sent it flying at him.

"This is between you and me!"

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Asterion felt the tremor ripple from her, causing a few loose items to shake in the room. She came closer, looking beaten and bloodied but never more resilient to fight and defend what she believed in.

When she moved her arm, Asterion was ready, and the armour plate came flipping across the room, which he side-stepped as it banged against the rear wall. Brilliant.

"You're right - you and me. Teacher and student. But, again, you're not convincing me you actually care about the power you have. You could be the greatest of your bloodline, to tell others how to fear your name and to respect you; to obey you."

He took a step forward, the Force spiking with a built up aggression.

"Maybe you could slip a blade through your sister's heart while she sleeps so she doesn't take your place as the greatest daughter of the Mason family, or will you wait for her to do it to you? Coward."

If she used her emotion correctly, this was going to be a big one.

[member="Felicity Mason"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

That stung. That honestly stung. She knew her sister was better than her. She was jealous, yes, but she'd never once considered hurting her! But as he said it, the idea was planted, and it hurt.

"Shut up! You don't get to tell me that! You don't know her!"

Something else went flying but she didn't get to see what it was. She hardly knew she was even doing it. She scrunched up her freckled nose like a snarling animal. It was all very unattractive and if mom were here, she'd be horrified. Good thing she wasn't. Black robes and a bloody lip was not a good look for anybody.
A flash of silver whizzed across the room again, then again. Something had to hit him. Something had to hurt him. She wanted to see if she could make him bleed too. He looked human. did he bleed red like one?

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Asterion knew he should stop, but why cage a beast? The Minotaur couldn't be tamed, so why should one so young with so much angst and power be caged? He repelled another plate, and then half a dozen helmets, all clanging around behind him.

Asterion waved his hand from the side to kick up the shields on the left side of the room, the only side untouched with the Force eruption and sent it her way. Hitting her or not, he knew she was entering a state of rage.

"Stop thinking about hitting me, and come and HIT me!"

[member="Felicity Mason"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

She was too angry to pay attention to what she was too, and she certainly didn't have time for what he was doing. She stumbled forward as she was hit not once, not twice, but three times, until she found herself on all fours on the ground. Her broken fingers cracked under her weight, they hurt like they were on fire, but her anger burned brighter. She pulled herself up, bruised and bloodied, but not beaten. Not even close.
With a roar like a hungry nexu, she launched herself at him, bruised and battered fists aimed at any part of his she could reach. She forgot everything she was taught. There was no technique here. There was no skill. It was pure rage fueling her, the killing instincts of a wild animal. She wanted to go for the throat now. She wanted to taste blood.

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Laughing at her, Asterion opened his arms ready for an attack, but this time it came from the girl herself.

Perfect!

Using her body as a weapon, her muscles and mind controlled by the Dark Side of the Force she let absorb into her. It was not something that automatically made someone a monster; it made someone focused, deadly and precise. Coming into range for a swift kick to the ribs, Asterion was taken aback by how fast Felicity moved after a beating such as she had endured.

She was light, but heavy with her punches. Stronger than it would be without the surreal build in her small muscles, she was the ambodiment of a broken spirit but one that wanted to surive. Just as he had told her - you train to survive.

Blocking the hits as he saw fit, Asterion moved around carefully, her wild face snarling and her body rigid. It was after a few hits he came to the discarded blades lying on the floor under the shields, durasteel knifes that could be concealed in a sleeve or trouser leg for a swift stab to the heart or neck.

Asterion called one to him, hitting his palm, and as he caught her good hand, he quickly pushed the handle of the blade into her palm and titled his head back.

"And now end this! One more push, and I die. You can go back to your family and forget this. Ignore the pain and fear - think with your head. Do it."

The blade was aiming at his throat. Their blood and sweat was mingling, they were so close, and time seemed to slow down.

[member="Felicity Mason"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

Blood. He did bleed. The moment she saw it, she knew her victory was in her hands. Before she realized what was happening, she felt the cold metal of a blade in her hand. She didn't even have time to question how it got there. All that mattered was what she would do with it. She stopped, blade less than an inch from his throat. She could kill him. End it. Use his ship. This was her moment! This was her chance. She'd wanted to kill him. Protect herself, protect her family. Who knew what sort of unseemly things he would do to her if he was allowed to continue? She didn't want to be used and abused. She didn't want to be the plaything of some animal.

End this.

The voice in her head made her fingers twist uncomfortably on the blade. The moment seemed to stretch on forever. Time felt frozen as she stood there, panting as she held that blade to her tormentors throat. Bright blue eyes searched his face. No. This wasn't right. If she did this, Graxin would be ashamed. If she did this, she'd be lost. He wanted her to do this. He wanted her to fall. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
...But she did want to see more blood. With a growl, she slashed at his face once, just his cheek, before throwing the knife as hard as she could against the wall. She didn't care now how close she was to him. She didn't care if he hurt her again. As long as he didn't... touch her, she would deal with it. Her shattered hand was bruised and swollen beyond recognition, and the other one was looking no better now. She hit hard. And she didn't even want to know how badly the rest of her body was bruised and bleeding. She'd deal with it later. For now, she reached up with one of her devastated hands and wordlessly wiped blood from her broken lower lip.

[member="Asterion"]