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Description
Sonya shook her head a little and worked her jaw around as she put her smiling, cocky mask back in place once more. "Yeah...I was right about you. Fire to spare. Always have been that way, haven't ya kitten? Or should I say 'Tiger-Kitten'?"

"Ooooh..." TK mocked, wiggling her fingers in the air in a traditional 'creepy' gesture. "Ya know where I got my name from. Big deal. What the hell do ya think you really know about me?" TK demanded, mouth set in a sour, dubious twist.

"Oh, I studied you long and hard before I took ya, kitten... I know stuff about ya that you never will..."

TK came within a breath's length of asking, 'Yeah? What?'...and then stopped herself. Sonya was baiting her again - the insane villainess seemed very good at doing that, TK had to grudgingly admit - and this time the young heroine was determined not to give her the satisfaction. Besides...what could she possibly know about TK that she herself didn't, and would be worth knowing? That question gnawed at TK's over-developed curious streak like a hungry mouse...but she fought it off. The look in Sonya's eyes said she did know things...but just then TK didn't care. She was done playing Sonya's games.

As much to help send her weary mind off on another tangent, something else to occupy it and draw her thoughts away from Sonya's curiosity-baited trap, TK grinned suddenly and nastily, and stared Sonya in the eyes once more. "Yeah? Well... I know somethin' about you that I'm pretty sure is gonna come as a surprise, ya self-centered psycho... You're gonna spend a long, long time behind bars. 'Cause I'm takin' you to the authorities. And after they hear about all this," TK rolled her head around, indicating the complex and all that had transpired within its halls, "They're gonna throw away the key. How's that grab ya?"

And TK could see that it had grabbed Sonya; by the short hairs, if the expression of horror which slowly stole over her face was any indication. If TK had just threatened to torture Sonya to death slowly, she didn't think the wicked white tigress could look any more fearful. "N-no... Ya ca-ca-can't...DO that...k-kitten... Please... Please! I c-can't...live in a...cage!" She let out a hard, harsh sob, and pleaded, "Just k-kill me... Okay? Do that instead... Please...just not a cage... Not that..."

It was a disturbing, horrifying, and frankly pitiful transformation...to watch the terrible, sadistic villainess go from gloating mockery to this shattered pleading. It tore at TK's heart in many ways...most of them filled with disgust and loathing. Not for seeing Sonya "weak" - it was actually almost refreshing to see that there might be something remotely humane in the insane witch. No, it was sickening to see this because Sonya actually seemed to believe she was entitled to some measure of compassion, as if TK were the bad guy, threatening her with an ignominious and undeserved end.

But still, there was, even after all she'd done to TK, pity in the heroine's heart as well. Mercy. She knew only too well what Sonya was talking about...the thought of losing her freedom forever was the one thing in this world which could truly frighten TK. Her spirit was too free, her love for life too great... To have that taken away forever...TK didn't think she would be able to cope either.

But did that mean Sonya didn't deserve it? The vindictive part of TK screamed that yes, yes she did. Death was too easy for someone like her... But hadn't TK just fought a battle to spare her enemy that sort of fate? The answer was, of course, yes. And the logical part of TK also clamored to do it, to turn Sonya in: After all, it was the just and legal thing to do; this was a madwoman and a criminal, a kidnapper, a torturer, and by her own admission a murderer. This little "playland" of hers clearly hadn't been built just for TK's torment. Who knew how many people the monster had brought down here and hunted. To their last?

And yet... Something in Sonya's eyes, in that unguarded, terrified, pleading expression... It was like looking at a frantic little girl who was about to face some hideous punishment...and had no real understanding of why.

"Sonya...why do you do this?" TK asked, her voice suddenly low. Concerned.

And in a flash, the mask of malice was back again, Sonya's eyes glittering like wet blood. "Because I like to, moron!" But then her face softened, the scared little girl creeping back out of hiding. "And...because he made me this way." She looked away.

"Who did?"

"The Keeper," Sonya replied, and TK could tell just from the way that she said it, that 'The Keeper' wasn't a title. It was a name. She could hear the capitals. Sonya's face came back up, and there was something unreadable on it this time. A mixture of emotions so complex TK couldn't identify them. "It could have been you, y'know," Sonya said softly. "It almost was. I got dumped off at the same orphanage you did...only about a year earlier. Ya hadn't shown up yet. You didn't get adopted...but I did. He came...he was lookin' for something. Something like...us." Her ears teared up. "He found me...."

"Who is he? Where is he?" TK felt a flash of anger, reflexive and hot, at this individual she knew nothing about. Someone who could turn a person into something like...Sonya.

Sonya gave a harsh, growling sob, and shook her head dismissively. "It doesn't matter...he's gone now. I killed 'im. And took his fortune for my own. So I can have all these nice toys and places to play." She sounded almost bitter about that.

TK felt that she could suddenly understand something of this monstrous, wicked...pathetic creature who sat before her. And while that realization didn't make Sonya's behavior the least bit forgivable...it meant that there might be hope for her. Maybe... A little voice screamed in the back of TK's mind not to listen, that Sonya was lying, playing her again...but she was tired, and fuzzy-headed. She didn't listen to that voice. Didn't really hear it, through the buzzing, bone-weary haze.

"Sonya," TK began, hesitantly. "Do you want to keep doing this kinda stuff?"

The white-furred miscreant seemed to mull the question over, her face still locked in that sad, sympathetic expression. "I...I don't know. I like it," and her face flashed hungry and evil once again, before relaxing back, "But...it's wrong, isn't it?"

"You bet your butt it is," TK growled angrily. Before her own tone softened out again. "You can stop, though. Turn over a new leaf. Ya don't have to be a monster, Sonya...you can get help. And make up for...all of this."

"Not from inside a cage, I can't," she said, her voice a piteous, mewling whimper.

And there it was, at last. Whether she'd been guided to it - and the little voice screamed into TK's weary, heedless mind that she had - or not...there was the crux of the matter. It all came down to trust and pragmatism. Of the former, TK had little to none for her vile former captor and grand foe... But of the latter, there was an abundance. Once more, her time was limited, and her options even moreso.

"Okay," TK said at last, each word feeling as if they were being dragged from her. "Tell me how to get out of here, safely...and I won't turn you in."

Sonya looked up, her eyes shining with hope and a the relief of a dire fate avoided. But there was no treachery there, only the scared little girl...who maybe thought she found someone who would at last show her some kindness. "D-do you...give your word?"

TK gritted her teeth, and her fists, but nodded once, tightly. "Yeah. I promise." She meant it...and hated herself for it.

-----------------------------
On to "Turnabout...Not Fair Play..."

Description
Sonya shook her head a little and worked her jaw around as she put her smiling, cocky mask back in place once more. "Yeah...I was right about you. Fire to spare. Always have been that way, haven't ya kitten? Or should I say 'Tiger-Kitten'?"

"Ooooh..." TK mocked, wiggling her fingers in the air in a traditional 'creepy' gesture. "Ya know where I got my name from. Big deal. What the hell do ya think you really know about me?" TK demanded, mouth set in a sour, dubious twist.

"Oh, I studied you long and hard before I took ya, kitten... I know stuff about ya that you never will..."

TK came within a breath's length of asking, 'Yeah? What?'...and then stopped herself. Sonya was baiting her again - the insane villainess seemed very good at doing that, TK had to grudgingly admit - and this time the young heroine was determined not to give her the satisfaction. Besides...what could she possibly know about TK that she herself didn't, and would be worth knowing? That question gnawed at TK's over-developed curious streak like a hungry mouse...but she fought it off. The look in Sonya's eyes said she did know things...but just then TK didn't care. She was done playing Sonya's games.

As much to help send her weary mind off on another tangent, something else to occupy it and draw her thoughts away from Sonya's curiosity-baited trap, TK grinned suddenly and nastily, and stared Sonya in the eyes once more. "Yeah? Well... I know somethin' about you that I'm pretty sure is gonna come as a surprise, ya self-centered psycho... You're gonna spend a long, long time behind bars. 'Cause I'm takin' you to the authorities. And after they hear about all this," TK rolled her head around, indicating the complex and all that had transpired within its halls, "They're gonna throw away the key. How's that grab ya?"

And TK could see that it had grabbed Sonya; by the short hairs, if the expression of horror which slowly stole over her face was any indication. If TK had just threatened to torture Sonya to death slowly, she didn't think the wicked white tigress could look any more fearful. "N-no... Ya ca-ca-can't...DO that...k-kitten... Please... Please! I c-can't...live in a...cage!" She let out a hard, harsh sob, and pleaded, "Just k-kill me... Okay? Do that instead... Please...just not a cage... Not that..."

It was a disturbing, horrifying, and frankly pitiful transformation...to watch the terrible, sadistic villainess go from gloating mockery to this shattered pleading. It tore at TK's heart in many ways...most of them filled with disgust and loathing. Not for seeing Sonya "weak" - it was actually almost refreshing to see that there might be something remotely humane in the insane witch. No, it was sickening to see this because Sonya actually seemed to believe she was entitled to some measure of compassion, as if TK were the bad guy, threatening her with an ignominious and undeserved end.

But still, there was, even after all she'd done to TK, pity in the heroine's heart as well. Mercy. She knew only too well what Sonya was talking about...the thought of losing her freedom forever was the one thing in this world which could truly frighten TK. Her spirit was too free, her love for life too great... To have that taken away forever...TK didn't think she would be able to cope either.

But did that mean Sonya didn't deserve it? The vindictive part of TK screamed that yes, yes she did. Death was too easy for someone like her... But hadn't TK just fought a battle to spare her enemy that sort of fate? The answer was, of course, yes. And the logical part of TK also clamored to do it, to turn Sonya in: After all, it was the just and legal thing to do; this was a madwoman and a criminal, a kidnapper, a torturer, and by her own admission a murderer. This little "playland" of hers clearly hadn't been built just for TK's torment. Who knew how many people the monster had brought down here and hunted. To their last?

And yet... Something in Sonya's eyes, in that unguarded, terrified, pleading expression... It was like looking at a frantic little girl who was about to face some hideous punishment...and had no real understanding of why.

"Sonya...why do you do this?" TK asked, her voice suddenly low. Concerned.

And in a flash, the mask of malice was back again, Sonya's eyes glittering like wet blood. "Because I like to, moron!" But then her face softened, the scared little girl creeping back out of hiding. "And...because he made me this way." She looked away.

"Who did?"

"The Keeper," Sonya replied, and TK could tell just from the way that she said it, that 'The Keeper' wasn't a title. It was a name. She could hear the capitals. Sonya's face came back up, and there was something unreadable on it this time. A mixture of emotions so complex TK couldn't identify them. "It could have been you, y'know," Sonya said softly. "It almost was. I got dumped off at the same orphanage you did...only about a year earlier. Ya hadn't shown up yet. You didn't get adopted...but I did. He came...he was lookin' for something. Something like...us." Her ears teared up. "He found me...."

"Who is he? Where is he?" TK felt a flash of anger, reflexive and hot, at this individual she knew nothing about. Someone who could turn a person into something like...Sonya.

Sonya gave a harsh, growling sob, and shook her head dismissively. "It doesn't matter...he's gone now. I killed 'im. And took his fortune for my own. So I can have all these nice toys and places to play." She sounded almost bitter about that.

TK felt that she could suddenly understand something of this monstrous, wicked...pathetic creature who sat before her. And while that realization didn't make Sonya's behavior the least bit forgivable...it meant that there might be hope for her. Maybe... A little voice screamed in the back of TK's mind not to listen, that Sonya was lying, playing her again...but she was tired, and fuzzy-headed. She didn't listen to that voice. Didn't really hear it, through the buzzing, bone-weary haze.

"Sonya," TK began, hesitantly. "Do you want to keep doing this kinda stuff?"

The white-furred miscreant seemed to mull the question over, her face still locked in that sad, sympathetic expression. "I...I don't know. I like it," and her face flashed hungry and evil once again, before relaxing back, "But...it's wrong, isn't it?"

"You bet your butt it is," TK growled angrily. Before her own tone softened out again. "You can stop, though. Turn over a new leaf. Ya don't have to be a monster, Sonya...you can get help. And make up for...all of this."

"Not from inside a cage, I can't," she said, her voice a piteous, mewling whimper.

And there it was, at last. Whether she'd been guided to it - and the little voice screamed into TK's weary, heedless mind that she had - or not...there was the crux of the matter. It all came down to trust and pragmatism. Of the former, TK had little to none for her vile former captor and grand foe... But of the latter, there was an abundance. Once more, her time was limited, and her options even moreso.

"Okay," TK said at last, each word feeling as if they were being dragged from her. "Tell me how to get out of here, safely...and I won't turn you in."

Sonya looked up, her eyes shining with hope and a the relief of a dire fate avoided. But there was no treachery there, only the scared little girl...who maybe thought she found someone who would at last show her some kindness. "D-do you...give your word?"

TK gritted her teeth, and her fists, but nodded once, tightly. "Yeah. I promise." She meant it...and hated herself for it.

-----------------------------
On to "Turnabout...Not Fair Play..."