The Crimson Files: Chapter 19b - In Dreams
"Good evening, Mai," a voice said from somewhere in front of her. "I have a proposal to offer you."
Mai narrowed her eyes. "Who are you? And what is this?" As Mai found herself wishing she could see the speaker, a figure became visible in front of her. Red hair, red eyes, too little clothing - there was no question who it was.
"I believe you should recognize me," the Crimson Maiden said. "As for what this is, it's your dream. It would seem that something is on your mind."
"If this is my dream, then you should know damn well what's on my mind," Mai said. It certainly didn't feel like she was dreaming right now. Granted, it looked like a dream - there was absolutely nothing in existence except for her and the Maiden - but it felt all too real. Something fishy was going on here.
"Oh, I certainly have my suspicions," the Maiden said. She took a step toward Mai, and Mai found it suddenly a bit harder to think straight. There was something about the Maiden's presence that did this to her, but she wasn't falling for it again.
"No. Stop," Mai said, taking a step back so she could clear her head a bit. "I'm not falling into that trap again."
"Oh really?" the Maiden said. "You find yourself having trouble resisting me in your own dreams - where you hold all the cards - and you think that you might be able to resist me in real life? You might wish to rethink this assumption."
Mai was silent for a bit, as she glared at the Maiden. Was this her subconscious telling her that she might still have her doubts? But that didn't mean the influence here would be anything like what she'd face in real life. It had certainly been a lot more subtle when she'd faced the Maiden before. She hadn't even realized anything had been going on until long after the fact.
"No," Mai said, shaking her head. "You're just a manifestation of my own doubts. But I'm not going to succumb. I'm going to go through with this."
"I think you misunderstand," the Maiden said. She stepped toward Mai again, but the influence wasn't quite as strong this time. "I'm not a mere figment of your imagination. I am the Crimson Maiden. You're feeling my influence exactly as you will if and when we meet in real life once more. However, this is your dream, and I am a mere visitor. You have the power to wish me away." The Maiden took another step toward Mai. "You have the power to alter the world so that I will have no extraordinary influence on you." One more step, and Mai found herself frozen in place. "But I notice that you haven't done that yet. You're curious about why I'm here, are you not?" One final step. The Maiden reached out and placed her hand gently against Mai's cheek. Mai gulped as she looked into the Maiden's eyes.
With an effort of will, Mai reached up and grasped the Maiden's wrist. She pulled it away from her face and glared at the Maiden. "I am curious. So speak now, or I will take advantage of the fact that this is my dream to get my revenge here and now."
A fire seemed to light up in the Maiden's eyes at this. "I knew I saw something in you. I'm impressed, Mai," she said, taking a step back. "I wish to talk. Let me ask you: Why did you agree to fight me the first time?"
"I thought you were Anh Lu," Mai said, trying to keep her focus. "I figured if I could unmask you, I'd have the edge, and I could then beat you."
"And what then?" the Maiden said. "Suppose I was Anh. Suppose you won. What did you have in mind for her? Would you make her perform for you, perhaps a sensuous striptease? Or would you strip her yourself, giving her no choice but to let you do as you might to her? It would all be up to you, of course."
Mai remained silent. Such thoughts actually had run through her mind, but she certainly wasn't going to admit that. She'd even had thoughts like that when she was in her dorm room, and certainly out of the Maiden's influence. Or perhaps it did extend even that far.
"Perhaps I'm wrong," the Maiden said. "I've heard tell that the vast majority of women are submissive, though this does not appear to be the case for the subset of women who are capable with magic. You would be surprised indeed how much the thrill of power can affect certain people."
There was a flurry of light around the Maiden, and where she'd stood there now was Nao Zhang in her place. Nao cocked a grin. "Then again, perhaps you wouldn't be surprised."
Mai blinked. It couldn't be this easy. There was no way the Maiden would just reveal herself like this, particularly after all the trouble she'd gone to to protect the truth of her identity. "Are you-?"
"Maybe. Maybe I'm just trying to screw with you," Nao said, her grin widening just a bit. "But listen carefully, Tokiha. You aren't playing with an amateur here. If you want to challenge me, come planning to win. You're good. You just might pull it off. But if you come planning to back out of your forfeit if you lose, I promise you that I can be very creative with ways to make you regret your loss." Nao took one more step back, away from Mai. "Very," she emphasized, before she vanished.
Mai narrowed her eyes. "Who are you? And what is this?" As Mai found herself wishing she could see the speaker, a figure became visible in front of her. Red hair, red eyes, too little clothing - there was no question who it was.
"I believe you should recognize me," the Crimson Maiden said. "As for what this is, it's your dream. It would seem that something is on your mind."
"If this is my dream, then you should know damn well what's on my mind," Mai said. It certainly didn't feel like she was dreaming right now. Granted, it looked like a dream - there was absolutely nothing in existence except for her and the Maiden - but it felt all too real. Something fishy was going on here.
"Oh, I certainly have my suspicions," the Maiden said. She took a step toward Mai, and Mai found it suddenly a bit harder to think straight. There was something about the Maiden's presence that did this to her, but she wasn't falling for it again.
"No. Stop," Mai said, taking a step back so she could clear her head a bit. "I'm not falling into that trap again."
"Oh really?" the Maiden said. "You find yourself having trouble resisting me in your own dreams - where you hold all the cards - and you think that you might be able to resist me in real life? You might wish to rethink this assumption."
Mai was silent for a bit, as she glared at the Maiden. Was this her subconscious telling her that she might still have her doubts? But that didn't mean the influence here would be anything like what she'd face in real life. It had certainly been a lot more subtle when she'd faced the Maiden before. She hadn't even realized anything had been going on until long after the fact.
"No," Mai said, shaking her head. "You're just a manifestation of my own doubts. But I'm not going to succumb. I'm going to go through with this."
"I think you misunderstand," the Maiden said. She stepped toward Mai again, but the influence wasn't quite as strong this time. "I'm not a mere figment of your imagination. I am the Crimson Maiden. You're feeling my influence exactly as you will if and when we meet in real life once more. However, this is your dream, and I am a mere visitor. You have the power to wish me away." The Maiden took another step toward Mai. "You have the power to alter the world so that I will have no extraordinary influence on you." One more step, and Mai found herself frozen in place. "But I notice that you haven't done that yet. You're curious about why I'm here, are you not?" One final step. The Maiden reached out and placed her hand gently against Mai's cheek. Mai gulped as she looked into the Maiden's eyes.
With an effort of will, Mai reached up and grasped the Maiden's wrist. She pulled it away from her face and glared at the Maiden. "I am curious. So speak now, or I will take advantage of the fact that this is my dream to get my revenge here and now."
A fire seemed to light up in the Maiden's eyes at this. "I knew I saw something in you. I'm impressed, Mai," she said, taking a step back. "I wish to talk. Let me ask you: Why did you agree to fight me the first time?"
"I thought you were Anh Lu," Mai said, trying to keep her focus. "I figured if I could unmask you, I'd have the edge, and I could then beat you."
"And what then?" the Maiden said. "Suppose I was Anh. Suppose you won. What did you have in mind for her? Would you make her perform for you, perhaps a sensuous striptease? Or would you strip her yourself, giving her no choice but to let you do as you might to her? It would all be up to you, of course."
Mai remained silent. Such thoughts actually had run through her mind, but she certainly wasn't going to admit that. She'd even had thoughts like that when she was in her dorm room, and certainly out of the Maiden's influence. Or perhaps it did extend even that far.
"Perhaps I'm wrong," the Maiden said. "I've heard tell that the vast majority of women are submissive, though this does not appear to be the case for the subset of women who are capable with magic. You would be surprised indeed how much the thrill of power can affect certain people."
There was a flurry of light around the Maiden, and where she'd stood there now was Nao Zhang in her place. Nao cocked a grin. "Then again, perhaps you wouldn't be surprised."
Mai blinked. It couldn't be this easy. There was no way the Maiden would just reveal herself like this, particularly after all the trouble she'd gone to to protect the truth of her identity. "Are you-?"
"Maybe. Maybe I'm just trying to screw with you," Nao said, her grin widening just a bit. "But listen carefully, Tokiha. You aren't playing with an amateur here. If you want to challenge me, come planning to win. You're good. You just might pull it off. But if you come planning to back out of your forfeit if you lose, I promise you that I can be very creative with ways to make you regret your loss." Nao took one more step back, away from Mai. "Very," she emphasized, before she vanished.