Beauty Meets Beast

---------------------------------------------- based on the world of Firefly by Joss Whedon

Gecko never was one for the finer things as Cat stepped in another foreign substance, her nose filled with the smell of rotten food and poor whiskey. 'Ski was to the right and back of her, unusually silent for him, the thirteen cigarette he had had this day dangling from his mouth. Either the dream had stirred him sideways or the thought of what it could imply by way of her control worried him. All she knew was they both frightened her.

Mal moved on her left, his strong presence at least able to calm what nerves she still had left. It might have been a dream, but it made her feel guilty that something like that could come out of the very heart that belonged to him. Sadly, the beast had always ruled the sleeping hour, maybe the reason why she slept so little.

Jayne grunted behind them with Zoe tense and alert next to the fully armed man. Both made Cat feel strangely safe, the one could kill efficiently and the other could kill her. It was only this morning that she had pulled Zoe aside and told her how to kill the beast if it should arise and the warrior woman just stood, nodded, and stared. To her, it was odd for someone to tell the woman who swore she'd end you if you made a false move, the way to take you down. After all, enemies don't roll over and expose their bellies in combat or explain their weakness to you. Cat, though, was different. She knew that once she lost total and utter control, there would be only one way to stop her and she wouldn't risk the lives of those she loved for the sake of trying to rescue the good side from the bad. Zoe nodded and then did something that took the assassin completely off guard. She offered her a hand in truce.

Cat smiled back at Zoe, who in the dark couldn't see and then ran her tongue over her teeth for the millionth time, always scraping it on the right canine. It has a point that was sharp, but still it was just that, a tooth and not a fang. This alone made her feel slightly better, but it didn't stop the voice and the hunger.

A small hand in hers woke her from her thoughts as River came up next to Cat, a voice entering her head. 'I will help you control.'

Cat shook her head, tightening on River's hand, but not enough to hurt her. It had been a long while since she had spoken this way and it was only to one other that had been around the Academy when she was. 'Too dangerous.'

It was two words, but it took all of Cat's strength to say them. River frowned and gave the look she seemed to always give Cat when she told the reader something she did not like to hear.. 'I am stronger than you think and smarter than you know.'

A voice and mind rose up in Cat and it growled menacingly. 'If you want to control me, you must know what it's like to be...me.” River screamed as the beast's mind hit her with a flash of what it had done in the past,

... the village and its occupants being torn apart as they fought to kill her...blood bathing the ground like water from a rainstorm and the monster wanting more and more...each one dying because as fast as they wounded it, it would heal....

....another flash, another scene....wounded almost to the point of death, the beast lashed out to save itself from death, the wounds healing like they had never been there and the guards fleeing as she tore through guard after guard, flesh torn from limbs still quivering with life and one brave man fighting to right his partner from the monster within, pinning it down as it tore open his chest...

....another flash...another scene...this one worse than any before...the sight of Simon, Inara, Mal, all standing as the beast went to work slaying creatures not meant for life, mouth full of tainted blood, the word 'mine' being repeated over and over as each creature fell, this one without a head, the other without a heart, ripped from his chest with claws and pure unadulterated rage... 'I was the first and I will be the last...the only way to control is to kill...'

Mal rushed to River's side as Cat retreated back to the corner of the alley they had traveled. Her eyes were the only things visible as she even closed them. Breathing in deep, she choked on the stench of the alley, but also drooled at the smell of fresh blood. 'Ski began walking toward her, but stepped back at the growl she issued from her throat.

“Don't come near me.” She spoke gently and then another voice issued. “Come closer, Little reaver, and I will show you what a nightmare really is.”

“Let her go.” 'Ski spoke with a harsh whisper.

“Bite me.” She laughed, a very creepy sound that could and did send chills down everyone in hearing range. “In fact, I prefer if you did.”

* * * Mal held tight to River, the girl he had come to find as like a daughter trembling in his arms. She had screamed loudly and then crumbled to the ground, as the woman he seemed to love backed away from her. Now, her partner stood between the group and Cat.

“Monster. Blood. Trembling. Tearing. Ripping. Blood. Fangs. Death. Savage.” River stared at the corner shadows, her sad eyes staring through the dark at a Cat that was losing control and fast.

“Zoe,” Mal called back to his second as she came up beside him, the long dark barrel of a shotgun held in her hands. “Yes, Captain.”

“Did you bring those tranqs I told you too?”

“Yes, Sir, but I think you should reconsider killing her instead.” Zoe wasn't playing patty cake with this creature. Unlike Mal, she had seen it and exactly what it could do.

“It ain't her fault.” River called next to Mal. “She's still in there, in the dark. She needs to be called home.”

“And how the hell are we suppose to do that?” Jayne yelled, listening in on the conversation.

River, her eyes slightly illuminated looked toward 'Ski. “We don't.”

* * * * * “So, Little Reaver, gonna bite me?”

“We've danced before and I beat you. What makes you think I can't this time?” He heard her hiss.

“Ssssuch pride, but very little brain.” The beast paced in the shadows unwilling to show her face. “You were better as a Reaver.”

“Would you like that? Me being as crazy as you.” He sighed.

“Crazy makes sense here.” She growled as the glowing green eyes shifted to the onlooking River. “Even she knows that.”

“Touch her and I will end you.”

The beast chuckled. “You end me?! And those thoughts?! Tsk. Tsk. Could be your daughter.”

“Get out of my mind.”

“Why? You liked it when I was in there last night.”

“Tell you what. I'll give you what you want, if you give me what I want.”

“And what's that?”

“For you to help me finish this mission.”

“Bargain with the devil, huh?”

“Better the devil you know, they always say.”

“And if I do this, what exactly do I get?”

“Me. I don't care how you want me. You got the shit to turn me Reaver so we can fuck like a pair of animals or tear into each other like rapid dogs. I really don't care, but damn it, do this for her at least first.”

“Why do you care? She's doesn't want to mate with you. In fact, she considers you a dear friend. So instead, she would rather screw some ship's captain because at least he can get the job done. Pathetic.”

'Ski's hand went to the shotgun so fast he didn't realize he had moved. The rage was building and it was something he could not let happen. “Because she deserves better than to be subject to a monstrosity like you and because I'm the closest you'll get to harming any one or thing that she holds dear..”

“Too much talk. You had my attention when you spoke of fucking me. Angels and demons,” She snapped another few joints here and there before moving out of the shadows. The transformation was complete and what came forth was not Cat. Long claws fell from hands and the once beautiful face was contorted by two inch fangs and eyes that were no longer human. They were full on feline.

The beast stepped lightly, her long legs no longer the soft supple skin, but lanky and muscular, her stomach and chest, where once they had been that sexy figure with that slight bit of fat made things sensual was now pure muscle and ribs lengthened to allow for a bigger lung capacity. She breathed in as she growled at each member of the crew she passed. The captain and the reader were last. The beast stopped and licked her fangs, her long claw pointed at River. “Stay out of my head and you, Captain Sargent Reynolds...try to save her or try to put me to sleep and I will make you wish your crew was taken by Reavers.”

Mal stared at her and his blue eyes got cold. He spoke harshly, like the Captain he was and like the war hero he no longer thought himself to be. His hand on his gun, half wanting to kill this creature in its tracks, half wanting to call out to the woman underneath. “Lay one hand on any of my crew and it won't matter who or what you are. I will place a bullet betwixt your eyes and regret that decision later, but NO ONE threatens my crew or my ship, not even you.”

The beast growled, lashed out, but an invisible hand yanked her as if she were leashed. Eyes glowing in the darkness stared at the Captain and then in a voice, half Cat, half beast. It spoke. “Being able to kill us for the safety of your crew is a noble thing, Captain. Just know this...she won't be able to stop me next time. Don't hesitate and make your aim true.”

She then walked to the front of the group, most reminded of a legendary werewolf or were-cat. Turning back, there was no longer Cat and strangely, every single one staring at her began to realize exactly why the Academy called her an it and why she alone was the weapon to end all weapons. “You're stepping into hell, boys and girls, and I'm your gorran tour guide.”

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