Late one night in the Rhy"Din Memorial Cemetery " what should be a sacred place - a terrible deed was being carried out. Where the mysterious enchanted rose bush had appeared months ago' Something was happening.

Muffled screams were being forced from an angel by the name of Sandrine. Rose was still lost within her own mind " which presently occupied the form of the rose bush. She had no idea what was happening, having no true awareness of her surroundings.

However, the rose bush responded to Sandrine's agony " almost as though the plant itself were being physically violated. As her limbs were being twisted and smashed violently' So were the vines and branches " twisting and breaking terribly.

It shifted, no the branches were pulling in on themselves. Blood started falling from the broken plant as it transformed back into a woman. Tears streaming down her face, Rose screamed once and crumpled. She fell to her knees and collapsed into a little heap.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg32/RoseDeLioncourt/l_0bd5efad882e4a858517557260ca940b.jpg

And there was Rose, confused and disoriented. She hurt " her mind had actually tricked her body into having real wounds " sort of like stigmata. Having a bond as strong as these twins was not always an advantage.

Reflexively her mind was already working on shutting down the link that was the source of her agony, so she could recover. But for that moment' She was helpless, naked, bleeding before them.

A moment was all Dr. Mass needed. He clamped a collar around her neck. This was no ordinary collar " It was designed to suppress a mutant's powers. Back on Earth humans had invented them trying to manufacture a sense of control. The red flashing light showed that it was armed.

Through her tears Rose looked up at the man standing over her. She knew him' His name was Brian Mass. The last time she had seen him was several life times ago. How was he still hunting her"

The doctor had a smile of triumph " he had caught her at last.

Rose flinched at the use of the nick name that had almost been forgotten. It was from a past which was now little more than a distant dream. A glance was given in the direction of her twin, furious eyes then returned to the doctor.

"As tactful as ever you were. Not a very good way to go about getting my attention if your aim is cooperation. Whatever sick game it is you're playing now....If you don't let my sister go and leave her out of it' There's no way in hell I'm going to play by your rules."

To this the doctor would laugh. He answered her declaration with amused tones, "Come now Rose, I know better than that. I'm not about to set her free. If you want your sister to have ANY chance of seeing the light of another dawn, you will play this my way."

Rose's response to his words was a broken smile. With a little shake of her head she said, "I loved a man once" It was said that this man had no heart, but I knew the truth. I knew why he did such terrible things....and why he pushed people away."

Those emerald eyes reflected a sadness that no words could have expressed as she continued, "He gave me everything - then took it away. I suppose it was his right' But I am so tired of starting over. I am sick of building a life that I will fear every day I am just going to lose again."

"I understand your pain my angel" You have fought against your nature and what you were designed to be for years. Yet all you have reaped for your efforts has been tragedy and suffering. Be honest with yourself, you were never so happy as when you didn't have to deal with the burden of decision." Was said in a soothing voice. He kept his eyes locked intently on Rose's as he offered her his hand. "All you need do is surrender and let me free you from guilt and responsibility. Just take my hand and I will take your burden."

Rose let him go on with his little speech, by the time he was finished a smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. "If you are quite finished..." Was replied with an arch of her brow. "These power games no longer work on me, and I have faced far more skilled players than you. I may have lost my hope and my desire for life, but I still have my will and it is stronger than ever."

"If you do not set my sister free there will be no negotiations." Her voice made clear the finality of the statement. Without a pause she continued before he could interrupt again, "In losing all that I clung to so desperately - I no longer fear - thus I am already free. You can not hurt me, not in any way that matters" Was said with defiant eyes, daring him to do his worst. She knew better than to do such things" She just didn't care. "Do what you will, there is nothing you can do to me that I have not already done to myself."

A cruel smile made the doctor appear more mad than ever, the dark lust which had drove him to these insane lengths was betrayed by his eyes. "As you wish, we will do this the hard way." Was sneered as he grabbed her by the hair. Leaning down he whispered, "You will break" and I will enjoy every moment."

Rose clenched her eyes shut against the blood that sprayed all over her. Holding perfectly still as Sandrine collapsed and the body of Brian fell next to her. Blinking, she rubbed the blood from her eyes and her face. Her naked form covered in the dark red liquid as she crawled over to her sister, placing a hand over her heart.

Mutant powers may be suppressed but her healing ones were divine and she felt her unconscious sister's life force hanging on by a thread. Too many veins were cut and she was slipping away faster than her healing factor was working to repair the damage. Rose tried to stem the flow of blood but the razor wire was in the way of putting veins, muscles and skin to rights. She had to remove these binds.

If only she didn't have this damn collar on that would be simple enough. She grabbed the end of the wire, where a tiny bit protruded, and leaned over to try to pick the lock. Unfortunately, pressure caused it to slice into her fingers, shredding the flesh from the them as she worked. But her persistence paid off and finally the lock clicked and she tore the wretched device from her neck with bloody, shaking hands.

The razor wire binding Sandrine's wrists and legs disappeared with the thought and Rose placed her hands on her sister. A soft light glowed as all wounds of the body were healed. It would have been far more difficult telling the body how to knit itself back together but this was Sandrine. Her body already knew what to do, it just needed a little help. Energy poured into Sandrine from Rose until she was conscious again.

Sandrine looked up with hazy eyes. "I'm sorry." Was said with a weak voice, as though this were her fault.

Rose shook her head. "No I'm sorry. I had no idea what he was doing to you? It's my fault he went after you." That much was true, and it wasn't by any means the first time Sandrine had been subjected to such treatment because of Rose's involvement with the wrong people.

"I wish I could stay but I can't' I have to go Sandrine?" Rose smiled gently as she stroked her sisters bloody hair from her face. If only wounds of the heart were as easy to heal.

"Don't go Rose?" But even as the words were said Sandrine knew they were pointless. The connection between them was such that she felt the crushing weight of the pain that was all her sister could feel anymore. She knew it was wrong to even ask her to endure it even a moment longer.

"I have found my place" Here with others who have lost loved ones. I can make it just a little bit more beautiful for them while they mourn. This is what is left for me now." She pressed her brow to Sandrine's. "I love you, but you must go to Samantha. You can have a life. Raise that beautiful daughter together. Do not take a single moment for granted. Those moments are all that matter."

Though she managed a smile, it was a broken one. It was all she had left to offer her beloved twin sister. There's was nothing more - she had given it all away.

She slowly rose to her feet and walked backwards to her place at Lucy's grave, her eyes never leaving her sister. The transformation happened effortlessly, one moment she was there, the next she blurred as though a mirage. Her form shimmered and her wish became reality once more.

All that remains of the broken angel now is the most beautiful Rose bush, that will bloom in the cemetery for the rest of time.

((Thank you to all the people who participated in playing with Rose. As of now she is still retired and I suspect she will stay that way indefinitely. I believe she has suffered enough and deserves her rest. But she is still here in her true home of Rhy?Din. She can always be visited at the grave of Lucy Kitty.))

Kyra came to the cemetery that night, having been woken up due to excruciating pain that was not her own. In a dream she had connected to the enchanted rose bush and knew that it was more than it seemed. She knew inside of it was a person, an angel, a being a light and love.

Kyra had been trying to avoid the other realm full of the intricate web of life. But ever since going there she couldn't stop seeing it, especially when she dreamed. Having been one with this particular thread she knew its soul as if it were her own.

Standing there for a long time, she just looked at it. A rose blossomed before her eyes, a phenomenon that happened whenever anyone approached with good intentions in their heart. What a beautiful yet tragic way to spend an immortal life.

It was more than just empathy though. She knew that her and Rose and were not so different. She may have found herself twisted by dark forces herself had she not been protected from them. Rose had been born a human and had been scarred by evil before she was old enough to know better" But she had broke free " dedicating her life to helping and healing those who were lost and suffering.

Yet there was none to do this for her. She had done such a good job at selflessly giving of herself that she had been made into an angel with divine powers for healing so she could do even more good for this world. It inspired Kyra, she knew her calling, and right now it was here, in this place. With divine power came divine responsibility.

Maybe there wasn't anything that could be done. Maybe this was the only way that the angel could stand to exist now. Kyra closed her eyes and reached out with her mind to touch to the sleeping Rose. Her mind was in the realm of dreams but Kyra could see it. Reality hurt so bad that rather than wake Rose wished to dream forever and get away from all that she could not face. But it was no escape, it was a self imposed imprisonment because she blamed herself and thought she didn't deserve a life anymore.

Kyra knew that she might have gotten tangled in the same evils had she not been sheltered from it. Maybe if her father had not sent her to this world" or if Drake hadn't kept her safe and given her reason to be herself" Who would she be now without Drake's love" What horrible fates could have be fallen her if not for how blessed her life was"

"If you want to stay this way then I have no right to interfere" But perhaps I can help ease some of the agony - purge some of the poison. Keeping it inside this way " it will eat you alive. So I will be your voice. I will speak the words your soul screams.." Speaking simultaneously aloud and to Rose's essence.

Somewhere in the course of connecting to the music that was Rose's heart a piano had appeared. She cared not for the need for caution she should have when making the impossible happen. The music took her then, her body becoming an instrument to this soul. The voice and the music echoing what was inside the suffering Rose.



Forgotten - Avril Lavinge

((Music is the universal language they say. So rather than make the impossible attempt to describe I would like to share this. It is a song of Avril's " performed live - it is extremely intense and expresses emotions beyond my abilities to describe. Perfect for this particular character. So please, click the link above. Even if you have heard it before you have to see and hear it live to understand this.))



When she was done she reached out and brushed her fingers over the rose that had bloomed just for her. "It is not your fault that they left. One day I hope you can realize that you don't deserve to be hurt the way you have, and you can cease punishing yourself."

She had to add one more thing before she could walk away though. Rose had to know that she was not as alone as she thought."You have not been forgotten."