An idea that could change everything.

Helena crept down the hallway, her black cloak hiding her face and form well. She was headed to Nin's library, in search of a way to remove nightwitch. She could barely remember what it felt like to be alone in her head, but she wanted that again. The last time she could remember feeling anyway normal was when nightwitch fought hiei, and something had happened to them. She was not afraid, for those short sixty seconds, and nightwitch had not been enraged. they had felt complete. She'd gotten nightwitch to admit that much.

However nightwitch had become increasingly cruel as helena asked about what had happened, and she'd tried to force helena out. somehow, helena won, she didn't understand it, but she had won and trapped nightwitch. Now she had very little time to do something about it, to get rid of her or something, anything. She planned on going to see nin, but it was unlikely he could do anything. However he might have a book that could help. He had lots of books, she'd seen, and she wanted to read them all.

She didn't want to hurt people anymore. And she didn't want to be afraid either. Afraid of kano and Adalicia or the mean man who almost became leader, or even nin. As much as she liked him, he still scared her. And most of all, she didn't want to be afraid of nightwitch. Some people would think theres nothing a person who lives inside you could do to you but Nightwitch had ways of hurting her, and she wanted that to end.

After a few minutes of walking, She arrived at the library, a smile crossing her face as she stepped into it. She looked at all the books in wonder, and crossed the large room quickly to the closest one. Slowly and hesitantly, she touched the spine of one, and gently took it from the shelf, now completely in her own little world.

Nin sat alone in his library books lined every corner of this room, it was his heaven, his treasure vault, and inner sanctum. He leafed slowly through a heavy and ancient tome bound in leather and preserved in human fat, it was one of the few books to actually be written in hell and survive long enough for him to recover it. The pages were worn and brittle but Nin moved them carefully his fingers expertly adept at turning each page in a taught but loose manner so as not to damage the already frail binding. Suddenly the doors opened and though the chair was facing away from the door Nin’s eyes became jet-black and he could see in all directions. She crept in like a mouse, her eyes amused with wonder and awe… it was the other Nightwitch, Helena the meek and timid.

Reaching out the woman grasped a first edition copy of Edgar Allen Poe ‘s Decent into the maelstrom, one his favorite short stories. Despite having read it enough times to memorize it, the spine on the leather book was in near perfect condition. Speaking in a calm and pleasant voice as he read he watched the girl carefully to make sure she did not damage the valuable book. “Good evening Helena, to what do I owe the pleasure of your and Nightwitch’s company?”

Helena jumped and almost dropped the book when Nin spoke. She quickly put it back and turned around, her back to the book shelf as she cowered in the corner. "Lord nin, I I didn't know you'd be here. I'm just... I was looking for a book that could help me..." Helena looked at nin, unsure if she could tell him what had happened. He might be angry if he found out she'd done something to nightwitch. After all nightwitch said he only needed her for nightwitch's power.

She wasn't going to be able to trick him either, if she tried to lie, all he would have to do is accuse her and she'd admit to it. Maybe he would help her, if she just asked. There were things she could do to repay him if he got rid of nightwitch, although she was to afraid to try them, fighting wasn't her thing, and she Already liked someone. That would be wrong. But still, it would be worth it, to have Nightwitch gone, or to not be scared anymore.

"I... Nin i need your help... I.. I want Nightwitch gone! please, please help make her go! i'll do anything, I'll even fight if i have to. I can be strong, I can be like we were when We lost to that arrancar, when we weren't afraid or angry anymore." She didn't mean to mention that, but it was to late now. Nin would probably ask her questions, he might even be angry that they lost a fight.

Nin raised an eyebrow in curiosity slowly closing the book on his lap and placing it on the table next to him he stood and turned towards Helena, the dark black void of his eyes receded revealing his bright red retina. This seemed to be an interesting turn of events, obviously he cared nothing for Helena and much preferred Nightwitch to her docile and weaker counter part. However, the mention of a third state was intriguing if he could harness Helena’s innocence and Nightwitches cruelty into a more controlled state then she would fall perfectly into his plan to break into soul society. However regardless the opportunity now presented its’ self to remove the sickeningly fearful personality, he had enough of that pathetic weakness from Basileus. His smile conveyed friendship and warmth while his eyes conveyed curiosity and desire as he spoke in his velvety voice.

“Interesting, please tell me more Helena… take seat, I would like to hear of this arrancar, and of course the point where you were no longer angry or afraid.”

Gesturing to a small table on the opposite side of the room as he spoke Nin walked over placing himself in one seat while he waited for Helena to take the other. Within his mind his plan was already forming, he would use this to his advantage if he could. No matter the outcome of this night Helena or Nightwitch would be indebted to him, and one could never finish paying off a debt to the devil.

Nin didn't seem angry, so helena Joined him at the table. She curled into the cloak, thinking of what to say. He wanted to know about the arrancar, but she didn't want to tell him incase he hurt the arrancar. But she wanted nightwitch gone, and If Nin did kill him, She'd have a friend in hell. "About a week ago Nightwitch faught an arrancar in the human world. Something was up with her, I could tell, and I felt it too. The arrancar, there was something about him, I think nightwitch was attracted to him. I... I didn't want her to hurt him either. After he Broke her golem, She went to attack him and she stopped. Then She was gone, and i was gone and we were one, i think. And we took off the mask, and Kissed him. After that I was me again, and Nightwitch was back and we were dragged to hell."

Helena took a deep breath. Nightwitch would be furious if she found out Helena had told Nin. But if he could do something, it would be worth it. "Can you do anything? please.. . I can't hold Helena back much longer. If she gets out you'll never fix me!"

Nin looked at Helena, the whole situation was quite perplexing and as of yet he wasn’t sure on how to handle it. In truth he needed an idea a truth that was etched in the back of her mind. Yet he could tell she was holding back, the cardinal idea was there but not yet developed enough. The wording she used was intriguing; people rarely understood the complexities of words and the significance of the vocabulary we choose. In this case the word that rang in his mind was ‘fix’, she could have used a plethora of words there, improve, change exedra but instead she choose fix. Leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs he placed his right hand on his chin slowly running it down the light stubble that had grown there in the last few hours. His eyes glared into hers as the moments of silence past almost as if he was attempting to look into her very soul. Beneath his clothes he jewel around his neck darkened in color deepening to an even darker infinite void of endless darkness. It would be subtle but Nins’ will reached out gently grasping at the very edges of Helenas’ mind a whispering suggestion, the desire was simple; Comfort, you can say everything and anything. Then the silence broke as Nin’s voice softly slid through like a dagger in the heart.

“Interesting, very interesting. Tell me; tell me more of how you felt. What was happening exactly when this occurred? I wish to know were you loosing? Dying? Afraid? Driven to edge of your abilities? Every detail counts my dear.”

As Nin listened he slowly pressed harder with the simple suggestion of comfort and a desire with hold no secrets. Slowly he was worming a niche into the subconscious of her mind, each time it succeeded the suggestion would become stronger. Soon he would be able to suggest anything, and then he would show her the crystal. Though the process would possibly fracture and destroy her already fragile mind, the whole situation was too intriguing to let it go, after all he could always just kill her and find a new horsemen of pestilence.

Helena listened, starting to feel calmer as nin spoke. She relaxed in her chair as a strange feeling washed over her. "No, we we're not loosing... I was afraid though. Afraid nightwitch would kill the arrancar. She wanted to kill him though, she wanted to have him to herself in hell. " She said. Helena was smiling a little bit. "I like him. I think she does too. She's never tried so hard to kill someone before. But in the end she stopped herself. I think..."

Something shifted inside her, and her eyes widened as her posture suddenly excanged. "Contrary to popular believe, little bitch, I did not. I alsmost had him." Nightwitch looked at Nin. "Lord nin, pay no mind to this fool. I Do not feel anything for that arrancar. The only reason I stopped was because my mask fell off." She said.

"Your lying Nightwitch! The mask didn't fall off, We took it off when we kissed him. You remember it to. You remember feeling whole." Helena insisted. "You will shut your mouth now you little bitch. It might be I can't hurt you out here, but i can tear your mind appart! I'll Drive you out once and for all!" Nightwitch shouted back. "You cant.. You cant because, because I'm not afraid of you! I'm not afraid of... Me.. you're part of me.."

Nin eyed the two women sharing one body listening in silence to all they said, this was slowly becoming quite entertaining and he couldn’t help but feel a certain sense of pleasure watching the two struggle and fight for control. Even more interesting was what appeared to be a backbone growing in Helena as for the first time to Nin’s knowledge she stood up to her demonic overlord the succubus Nightwitch. However this also presented a problem for if these two were to come to mental blows while on an assignment for him it could endanger his plans, and that was one of the few wagers he was not willing to accept. Raising a white gloved hand to his lips he cleared his throat to let them know it was time to listen. His voice was calm but carried a weight and authority that clearly stated he would not be questioned in this matter. “Nightwitch you will be silent, I shall hear what Helena says then I shall hear your version of the events. I will not tolerate deception in this matter, You are a general in my army the horsemen of pestilence. Yet, you lost to mere arrancar the reasoning is unclear and I refuse to accept your mask simply fell off, such an excuse is acceptable for squires and Sins a horsemen is a force of nature they do not fail for trivial reasons.”

As he spoke the jewel beneath his shirt once more darkened its powers reaching across the space between them and gently caressing the two woman’s subconscious mind, it whisper like the snake to Eve; Listen and obey It was not a command but a suggestion a subtle push that ran down the spine like a cold shiver yet hundreds before them had bowed to the madness his gem could produce, and hundreds more would in the future.

Nightwitch growled in reply and fell silent when nin spoke. He made it very clear, that he would not tolerate them fighting. The fact that he believed she had lost for no good reason pissed her off though. "Fine then, listen to her lies.." Nightwitch said. Helena pushed her aside, and surprisingly she subsided with ease. "Nightwitch had just used her final power, and it broke against the arrancar's own final attack. she made it out unhurt because of the golem, and moved to slash at the man with her claws." As if to emphasis the word, the claws slid from her fingers, then retracted again.

"I was afraid she was going to hurt him, and then suddenly I wasn't me, And nightwitch was gone too." She said. Nightwitch pushed her aside. "Not gone, i was part of it too. It was like we became a single entity." Helena took control again. "Yes. We took off our mask and dropped it, then kissed the arrancar." Nightwitch once again pushed her aside. "What was strange was, we didn't get dragged into hell straight away. Only when I regained control were we dragged back."

The pair fell silent then Helena spoke. "I remember one thing, from when we were one. We felt happy, right? Like, a stange calm. We didn't want to leave him.." Nightwitch suddered. "Like we were in love or something. Not that he wasn't good looking. If he were a little more dead, I'd-" Helena giggled, cutting her off.

Nin listened carefully to each word as the two described the situation. It seemed strange to him, he had in truth never understood the fractured personalities of his subordinate. Yet one thing became abundantly clear these two had become one, and in this new form of great clarity they had reached power enough that like him they could escape the wrath of hell. It seemed Nightwitch felt some sort of confusion about this, almost like she was attempting to preserve his own feelings by hiding her love for this arrancar. The thought was foolish; Helena and she were but pieces on his chess board, easily discarded. Yet the mere attempt showed a level of loyalty he enjoyed, one that made her value as a piece stronger. Plus the idea of ridding his ranks of the feeble Helena personality was quite tempting. Reaching out into the air he snapped his finger and a weak soul came running into the room with a pot of steaming tea and two cups. While his cup was fine hers would be lined with a powerful poison one which would cloud her mind and make her even more susceptible to his influence. A practice he kept with all his guests.

“I’m going to tell you something Nightwitch, Helena I would ask you remain silent until after I hear Nightwitch’s response. I am not bound to Hell, and neither is my daughter. It is a well-kept secret that those with enough strength need not fear the binding chains of hell and may enter the world above without a mask. It is my belief that you have reached this level of strength and the darkness within you is weary of your fractured loyalties. Your mind and your powers are at war, my dear. Helena holds you back as you do her; I count you as a trusted and loyal general so I will speak bluntly and with truth. Your powers are fighting to unite your minds and the process will likely leave you shattered like your fellow horsemen Death. Yet if you survive and your minds are whole once more, you shall obtain power which would be far beyond your current limits. I cannot force this upon you, you must wish it and if you do… If this power is what you seek, I shall grant it. But the journey will be arduous and even I do not know the outcome. For this to work you both must agree, and you will suffer greatly in the attempt. As I once told a young woman in garden, all it takes is a single bite a single taste on the lips and the power is yours, but so too are the consequences.”

Pouring the tea into their cups, he then pushed her poisoned glass before her. One sip would cloud her head, two her mind, three and her reality would disappear and all that remained would be Nin’s words and he would guide her mind to the trials ahead.