XII: [ visual | location: Shelley ] Would you like me to lie to you now?

[revivedqueen.livejournal.com]

Her sarcophagus. Her resting place. She had gone to visit it mere moments ago, as a means of connecting with a past she can no longer return to.

Too many things to ponder on. Too long had she been held in this place, against her will, against her desire. And she can find no means to alleviate her increasing discomfort. Her recent bout with Spike, and even with the vampire leader, had helped little to comfort her. Her conversations with the younger Wesley only confirmed her thoughts.

She had no purpose here. She had no place here.

And yet this realization is not new.

Illyria reaches out to touch her sarcophagus - when the glitch hits.

She watches, disturbed, as her skin, her armor changes. How can this be? She had no desire to look like Winifred. Illyria had not willed it. She throws her head back, closes her eyes - nothing.

She grits her teeth as suspicion begins to gnaw at her. Lashing out, she pushes her sarcophagus away until it crashes and destroys one of the walls.

Amidst the dust and debris, Illyria stands panting. Her tablet, attached to her wrist now, records her movements as she begins to inspect her borrowed form.

Comments

[Voice]

[bigbad]

...Bloody hell, quit it, Illyria. Change back.

She's not even gone here.

[Voice]

[revivedqueen.livejournal.com]

You speak to me as if I'm yours to command.

[Voice]

[bigbad]

Fine, change back please. Thought you were over this.

[Voice]

[revivedqueen.livejournal.com]

[ admitting it - that those who hold power in this place can also lord it over her as well - is unacceptable. ]

You thought wrong.

[Voice]

[bigbad]

[Something is off here.]

Least you don't think you're her this time. Still, it's not your form to take. Why won't you change back?

[ visual ]

[undoing.livejournal.com]

Angel frowns at the screen and rubs his right temple. Great. This again. He'd be less disapproving of this if Fred weren't also here - nevermind Wesley, though it's not as bad as it could be, given that the Wesley that's here in Taxon is from a point in time before the former watcher became truly infatuated with the physicist whose body Illyria was now inhabiting. The form she was now wearing.

"Is this some sort of game?"

[ visual ]

[revivedqueen.livejournal.com]

"And if it is?"

Let them think that this happened because Illyria wanted it to happen.

[ visual ]

[undoing.livejournal.com]

He could ask her to stop. Tell her to stop - but since when did she listen to anything he said? Angel had tried that before, when she was tearing apart Wesley's office and it had landed him bruised and bloodied by way of detouring her from that task when she refused to listen to reason. It would be futile to request, futile to order. Angel knew that. So, he tried a different strategy.

"What are the rules? The stakes?"

[ visual ]

[revivedqueen.livejournal.com]

She adopted a more 'Fred-like' expression, now. "Oh, lord, Angel. Can't I have a bit of fun every now and then?"

[ visual ]

[undoing.livejournal.com]

...that expression is a little unnerving, given that Angel knows this is Illyria and not Fred. He doesn't show any signs of being phased by it, though.

"Fun. You're doing this for fun?" Somehow, he doubts that, but he'll play along. For now. "What fun do you intend on having as Fred?"

[Visual]

[demonologist]

Wesley's not sure what's going on. He sees Fred who's breathing hard and disheveled, as though she's just been attacked. Is that...a sarcophagus behind her?

"Winifred?"

[revivedqueen.livejournal.com]

He does not know.

He does not know who she truly is. Unlike Spike and Angel, who took one look at her and--

Illyria allows the expression on her face to soften, now. "Wesley. Hi."

[visual]

[demonologist]

"What on earth is going on? Are you hurt? It looks like a wall's collapsed behind you."

The former watcher had resolved not to allow himself too much interaction with Winifred after their talk in the kitchen. Not after he'd told her they should just be friends. It had seemed easier just to find excuses not to be around her more than was absolutely necessary in the course of his day.

Still, he can't just ignore that she may currently be in need of assistance.

[visual]

[revivedqueen.livejournal.com]

Illyria looks behind her, at the sarcophagus and the wall that she destroyed. "I, uh... I was just walking around. And then I heard this explosion and I had to investigate to see if there's anyone hurt and in need of our help, but..."

She shakes her head. "There's no one here, and now I'm beginning to wonder how this happened. Oh! And, um... I'm not hurt, Wesley."

[visual]

[demonologist]

"That does sound unusual. Have there been random explosions before? Perhaps I should make my way to where you are, just to be safe. It might be something worth investigating. The work of our invisible captors."

He's already grabbing his jacket.

"Where are you? Should I look for your marker on the map?"

[visual]

[supercompacted.livejournal.com]

She doesn't even take the time to compose herself before she switches the visual on, so have a good look at Winifred looking appalled at the current scene before her.

"Why would you do this? Why do you want to look like me so bad?" Her tone is sad, but there is anger mixed in. "I could understand when I wasn't here, but I am now. You can't- you can't just do that!"

She's not sure why it makes her so upset. Perhaps she managed to pretend it was someone else when Illyria was her blue, icy self somehow.

[visual]

[revivedqueen.livejournal.com]

Just this once, Illyria can understand Fred's anger. She feels it, herself. The powerlessness. The inability to change anything.

And yet, this she will not admit to anyone.

Instead, she adopts a playful manner, and asks, in a tone very similar to Fred's own, "Why not?"

[visual]

[supercompacted.livejournal.com]

The question releases the sadness and only anger remains. Hatred laces her expression as she scowls at the doppleganger. "What is this? Rubbing it in my face, what's going to happen to me? Fine, I get it, I wasn't strong enough to stop you."

She's moving with sharp enough steps that the video of her jerks around a bit. She's walking toward the lobby of the hotel. "But it hasn't happened yet, not to me, and as long as I'm here, you have no right to take my form."

[visual]

[revivedqueen.livejournal.com]

"I have a right to do what I please, with this form," Illyria replies, her tone still light and almost saccharine sweet. "You seem to be under the impression that just because you're here, I'm not allowed to assume your appearance, Fred. Says who? You?"

She's upsetting the shell. She's upsetting the shell and it's wrong because the spasms in her function system are going haywire and telling her so, but Illyria can't stop.

[visual]

[supercompacted.livejournal.com]

"As a matter of fact..." She trails off as she reaches the weapons cabinet and starts to dig through it. It's stupid- she knows that even with a weapon, she doesn't have the sort of strength or agility she'd need to even hurt Illyria, but at the same time she just can't let her get away with this. The aliens here make her feel helpless enough, she's not going to let this pass.

She pulls out a small, light sword and stops suddenly, realizing something. The tone of her voice is ice cold. "But you know what? It doesn't matter what you do here. I'm not giving up. Now that I know, I'm going to stop this. When I get back, I'll make sure Knox gets what he deserves. And you- you will never be reborn." She is dead serious about this. "You can sit in that coffin forever."

[voice]

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

[he watches, trying to work out what, exactly, is happening]

Something wrong?

[voice]

[revivedqueen.livejournal.com]

[ she seethes at the sound of the voice. but, just like Wesley, perhaps this one, too, is ignorant of what is truly going on. ]

Doctor?

[voice]

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

What's happened to you, God-King?

[and yes, even after all these months, he doesn't know her name]

[voice]

[revivedqueen.livejournal.com]

Nothing. Nothing at all.

[voice]

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well, you are always damaging things when I see you.

But this is different, you weren't pretending to be Fred, then.