((Part 3 of the Collab))

Jack happened to be hanging out in that alley that night, just watching people passing through it in a rather passive matter. She was looking for someone to 'play' with that evening. So far none of the few people that did pass through had been interesting. However, she then noticed four people passing through and recognized Ascot from E3. If she recalled, he was a rather strong mage and might kill some time if he didnt die too quickly. She noted he seemed to be close to a certain girl and decided it would be fun to play around a bit.

With a wave of her hand, a wall of mist rose up and solidified into stone, seperating Rose and Amaya from Amelia and Ascot. Donning her mask, she descended down into the alley and landed gracefully in front of Ascot and Amelia.

"Youre from the E3 incident if we recall... Ascot Harper, if we've done our research correctly." she said.

"Hide behind me, Amelia," spoke Ascot as he went into a defensive stance, drawing his Nemesis Kalis. He then addressed the assassin who came before them.

"You're the one who managed to infiltrate the Agency that time," spoke Ascot, "what was your objective that time; to kidnap Amelia? If so, you're going to have to come through me, first."

Jack glanced at Amelia and quickly sorted through the information she knew about the Mafia's activities and quickly realized who Amelia was. Of course, she knew all about Ascot.

"Why should we care about your fellow whore?" she asked. "She means nothing to us. No, we just did it for fun but it was rather boring. Your security was horrible. Maybe we should try again sometime. As for getting past you to get to her."

Amelia let out a cry of pain as a something cut her shoulder and the cut began bleeding.

"Its rather easy to do."

"Amelia!" shouted Ascot as he used Energy to bring a wind forward, blowing apart most of the mist except for the wall barring Amaya and Rose from entry, which was too tough for him, for now. As for Jack's words about him being a whore...Ascot figured out almost instantly that the assassin was referring to the incident that he had erased from his own mind. For now, however, said mind-wipe held, preventing Ascot from recieving the trauma of said incident...although there was nothing saying that Jack can't push the boy into a position of greater emotional vulnerability...

Jack laughed at Ascots reaction to Amelia's pain.

"What is this? Concerned for the whore while your life is in danger?" She asked, summoning more mist with ease" You should focus on the enemy if you want to protect her, assuming you even can."

Ascot tried to calm himself; he tried to focus. He needed to protect Amelia, but at the same time, he needed to keep his attention at Jack. Casting a dome of energy to protect his girlfriend, and making said dome of energy lasting with Law Magic, he then surged towards Jack, Nemesis Kalis in one hand, sparks of electricity gathering in another. However, mid-charge, he teleported, appearing above the assassin, and launching a coulumn of Law energy at her position.

Ascots attacks hit but at the same time they had completely missed. When the dust that was kicked up from his attacks finally settled, Jack would be by Amelia, choking the younger girl to the point that Amelia couldnt speak and just barely breathe. Before Ascot had summoned the energy sheild, Jack had cast an illusion of herself and moved so she was behind Amelia, so that when Ascot struck she could take her hostage.

"So, what now little boy?" She asked.

"Don't hurt her," Ascot said, returning the Nemesis Kalis to its Dimensional Pocket. "Please," he implored, "I'll do anything."

"Anything?" Jack said, smiling victiously behind her mask. "Careful what you say boy. But for now, we just want to see you sink in despair, and try to come out. Try to remember the despair you felt before and seemed to have blocked off."

With that she made a dagger out of mist and stabbed Amelia in the knee, causing the younger girl almost scream in pain, though Amelia held it back just barely.

"All right, all right!" spoke Ascot. "I'll try to remember, I'll try to remember!" And with that, he reached down to his mind, and allowed the suppressed memory, the memory of despair, of futility, of the desire to die, to make itself felt once again.

It was overwhelming. He saw...flashes, flashes of events best forgotten, mental wounds that had been barely bandaged. He remembered what it was like to be used as a toy, an amusement. But he didn't weep yet; not until the exact narrative made itself apparent.

"You're not amusing us enough." Jack said, this time stabbing Amelia in her already injured shoulder.

"Stop!" shouted Ascot as he remembered now, remembered his botched mission; about how, sneaking in a 'hotel lobby' he was surprised by about two score Mafiosi, who had emerged from the ground, and rushed towards him all as one unit, forcing him into a desperate battle in which he had managed to take down about half their number, but then got struck by a microwave gun, breaking his shield and causing him to pause for the crucial second needed for a Mafioso to clamp a Supression Collar - a piece of Magitech made with all Nine Schools - around his neck.

"Stop..." continued Ascot as he began to remember what happened next.

"Getting close now but we think these kind of injuries aren't going to work... how about something more painful?" Jack said before slashing across Amelias back, from her right shoulder to her right hip, causing Amelia to scream in pain.

"No!" screamed the boy, as more memories began to arrive. He remembered being taken, struggling, to a Mafia secret base, where, after the various Mafiosi talked with each other, he was forcefully stripped of his clothes, before being forced to stand before various camera drones, which circled around him, recording every inch of his body...

Ascot remembered being humiliated, feeling shame, and knowing that worse was yet to come.

"Not enough it seems. Fine." Jack said, raising her knife to stab Amelia in the neck. It descended but just before the blade could connect with flesh a small, flameless explosion occured, blasting the blade away while someone seperated Amelia from Jack and got between the assassin and Ascot.

"Heinz better double my pay for this." Their savior muttered. IT was a man in his late 20s to early 30s, with gray hair with one bang that fell over his right eye, although his left was a vivid storm-grey hue. He wore a plain white t-shirt, light blue ripped jeans, and a pair of plain white sneakers "Honestly, this might be a pain. Oi, kid, you okay?"

"'Yeah..." the boy said, although his body language showed that he was anything but. He was shaking now, remembering how, after his 'exhibition', he had been tied down to a torture rack, where, after stretching him out so hard he feared dislocation, they whipped him, struck him with cattle prods, and then resorted to the same microwave guns that had allowed him to be captured.

Then, they healed his body with Life magic, and, and...

The man walked over and quickly hit Ascot in the head, although it was a light hit.

"Snap out of it and watch this little lady." He said before turning to Jack" So, the Maiden of the Mist herself deems someone worthy of entertaining her. I've been trying to think of some way to lure you out for months now but in the end all I had to do was find you."

"You know of us it would seem." Jack said.

"Being on your trail for over a year will do that."

Ascot's composure and reserve returned with military speed, and the boy took up arms again, his Nemesis Kalis in his hand for a second time. Now, he was watching Jack with an intense focus, his drive having returned as well. He waited for further orders from the mysterious man.

The man noted Ascot's stare and shook his head.

"Look after the girl. You can't beat this opponent kid." He said calmly" She's passed out but I think it would be a good idea if you protected her while things get a little crazy around here.

"You make it sound like you can beat us." Jack said, summoning more mist. "Do you really think you stand a chance?"

"No, not really." The man said as a strong breeze whipped up around him" But right now I simply have to drive you away. Shouldn't be too hard now should it?"

The boy ran over to Amelia, cradling her body in his arms. He looked at the wall separating him from Rose and Amaya, but he also knew that, right now, they would not be of help. He had to do this himself. Brushing aside the last remnants of his mind-wipe, he allowed the last of the memories to return, so that the full trauma would hit him.

He now remembered the sensation of being raped by both men and women, of the feelings of pain, shame, and involuntary, unwilling, pleasure. He remembered being violated over and over again, and almost dying, before being healed again for another go. Then, he had been left behind in a corner, while his uncle, Heinz, assaulted the Mafia compound. Once the assault was over and the Supression Collar broken, Ascot had mindwiped himself, and thus appeared to be mentally unscathed...

Why did the boy have to remember this, one asks? Simple, because with the memories and the trauma, came power. Instant proficiency with a School, in this case Life. And with Life, comes the healing of Amelia's body...

Slowly, but surely, Ascot repaired the damage to his love's form, regenerating wounds with surprising ease.

"Amelia...Ascot...crap.."Said Rose gently thinking of a way as Amaya walked towards the wall touching it 

"Everything has moisture in it right...so I can do..." said Amaya touching the stone as a white aura outlined her as she focused on freezing the middle of the stone wall before removing her hand as the ice shattered. Amaya stepped through the hole as Rose followed only to stop dead in her tracks. 

"Why the hell are you here?!"she exclaimed to the man not concerned about anyone else as Amaya moved over assisting in the healing before moving between the kids and the man and infront of Jack. 

"Go away girl...your fight is not with us," she commented.

"Amaya," spoke Ascot, "don't...you can't take on the assassin; I don't even think [i]I[/i] can. That said, I have discovered a new power, though..." And with that, Ascot appeared in two places at once, thanks to Timespace; with Life and Mind, his double was able to think and act differently.

"Now, I can do what Uncle Heinz can and guard multiple points at once..." he said.

"I know that but right now you need to get Amelia to safety," she commented. "I dont have to defeat her just attmept to hold her off enough to let you guys escape.."Said Amaya "I will be fine I have mother and that man there to assist...you and her need to get going now..." she added.

The boy nodded, and fused with his double, before taking Amelia in his arms and flying off; there were no real social rules against flying, but it was considered unfair to flaunt such power unless it was an emergency.

((End of Part 3))