HOME | DD

Until Next Time... — Description
A coppery taste seemed to lay heavy on the back of TK's tongue as she awakened, the throbbing drumbeat of pain in her head like a marching cadence, driving her back to the land of light and awareness. She rolled a bit, moaning fuzzily, and blinked muzzy eyes in a desperate attempt to get the blurry world to resolve back into something coherent. When it finally did, she gave a startled grunt, and mumbled thickly. "Wuh-whnnh...what? M-my...house...?" That's where she seemed to be; her own living room...

"Yep!" came Sonya's voice suddenly, drawing TK's attention and setting her to trying to spin in that direction...only to find herself drawn up short by the ropes on her wrists and ankles. "See...told ya I know lots of things about ya, kitten..."

TK growled low and dangerous in the back of her throat, aching eyes narrowing in hatred and anger. She flexed against the ropes...found them as tight and well-tied as any Sonya had subjected her to since their first encounter. Though there were far fewer of them, those cords would hold TK only too-well, if only for the moment. Getting free would be much easier this time around - but would still take time and effort. The former she didn't think she'd have enough of, and the latter would be too easily noticed by her captor...so she bided her time. For now.

The two tigresses just stared at each other for long moments, heroine and villain, captor and captive...the hatred radiating between them hot enough to fry an egg. Then TK broke the silence, as she growled, "Suh-so...now what?" She gave her head a little shake to clear it...which worked, if only because the throbbing stab of pain tore through the lingering daze like a knife.

"Well..." Sonya began, smiling through a muzzle full of maliciously-bared teeth. "Now...I leave ya here and get the hell on my way."

TK's angry retort died in her throat as she suddenly realized what Sonya had just said. "W-wait...you're lettin' me go?" She could hardly believe the words herself.

Sonya nodded, her smile becoming even more predatory, if that were possible. It seemed at odds with the sentiment of the moment, but only until she spoke again. "Oh yeah... After all the fun I had with you, I decided that it would be a waste to kill ya now. We could have so much fun again in the future. So...I'm lettin' ya go. 'Catch and release'..." She laughed, seeming surprised herself. "Never done that before, kitten. But there's just somethin' about you..."

"Gee...thanks," TK grumbled, twisting hard at her hands, still finding no slack. "I feel honored."

"Well, ya should!" Sonya rasped brightly. "You're the only one who's ever made it back outta my play-land... Even if I did hafta carry your sorry butt out myself... Couldn't very well let the jolly green giant have ya, could I?"

TK let her head sag to the floor for a moment, in weariness and aggravation, then looked back up again with a snarl. "So how much of that stuff about 'The Keeper' was the truth, and how much was BS?"

"Oh, all of it was true...except for the parts about me being sorry and all. Actually, I'm glad he took me...taught me. It's in my blood, kitten. I'm a huntress, a predator... I love what I do...or I wouldn't do it. Appreciate ya tryin' to 'save' me and all...but there's never been anythin' to save. Ya self-righteous priss."

"I thought you promised to turn over a new leaf," TK asked dryly.

"Yeah, well...I lied," Sonya snickered.

"No kiddin'," TK grumbled flatly. "Seem to be really good at that."

"Well...ya can't expect a leopard to change its spots...or a tiger her stripes. Right, kitten?" She looked down and smiled with a mixture of malice, admiration, and burning hatred. "Not like you're gonna become any less of a sanctimonious little hero, are ya?"

"Nope," TK answered simply, without the slightest hesitation.

"Well...there we are then." Sonya let out a long, slow sigh, her eyes glimmering again, eagerly. "Think it's gonna make for some interesting times in the future. Don't you?"

"Get out. Now." TK growled in response, sounding more annoyed than enraged, more weary than angry.

Sonya laughed then. "Fine, fine. If you're gonna be like that, then I don't wanna hang with you anymore. Snotty little punk." She actually stuck her tongue out, making an almost silly face...before that near-permanent, malicious sneer returned. "And besides...I can take ya again anytime I like. I mean...you're good...but ya ain't me."

"I'm sure not," TK said, weariness masking the irony in her tone.

Sonya's eyes narrowed dangerously, as if unsure for a moment whether she'd just been insulted. Apparently - and wrongly - deciding not, she smiled again, predatory and mocking as always. "Well, so long as ya can admit that, guess I'll get goin'. Take care kitten... Can't wait to see ya again." And then she left the room, and TK heard the door close quietly a moment later.

"Yeah," TK growled, head falling back in mingled weariness and relief. "You too... And next time...you're goin' down."

She meant it, with all her heart and soul; it was hard to say whether this encounter was a victory, simply on the basis of pride. It certainly didn't feel that way. But by the most important measure of all - survival - TK felt a great sense of accomplishment. At that game...the one Sonya had been claiming to play all along...TK had won. And that...she could accept. For today, at least.

"Nuh-n-now...to get...loose..." TK mumble-growled softly a moment later, starting to twist against the ropes again... Before rolling to her back, eyes closing and breath going smooth and steady, in much-needed, well-earned, slumber.

== The End ==

=========================
And so ends TK's most epic tale to date, and Sonya's grand introduction. Hope we've all learned a good bit about these two, what they're made of, and what the future may hold for them. Most of all, though, I hope everyone enjoyed it. Personally, I had a grand time doing these up...and want to thank everyone for the opportunity. Means a lot to me that folks paid attention. Thank you, my friends.

If I have one regret, it's that I couldn't keep up the original pace of the work... Appreciate everyone sticking it out for as long as you did, and for the patience during those long "down-time" periods. They couldn't be helped, but still... Suspense and cliff-hangers only work to a point, and I hope the delays didn't wear that tension too thin.

And rest assured, this isn't the last we're going to see of TK - not by a long shot. Or Sonya either, for that matter. (In case anyone had any doubts on those fronts... ). With that said, I have the third act of Cody and Bryn's current tale (titled, "of Rescues and Reversals") to do...along with requests, gift pieces, a story being written by Spiffylemonz (which involves TK, at the very least... ), and working on a list of other peoples' OC's as long as my arm. So those are what I'm going to be working on next, as well as doing some single-shot pieces, finishing up "Intruders", and probably working a text-only story into the constant rotation around here, running alongside the Poser-based pieces. So there'll be plenty to see in the weeks ahead. Hope you find things in there that ya enjoy.

And, I'm busily working on decorating my DA Christmas tree...in a manner which I think most of you will find entertaining...

But, above all else, thanks for taking this long ride with me, folks. Been a blast, I've loved all the Comments and interest, and most of all the fact that people simply had fun. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about...so it makes me very happy to know that folks did so. Be well, my friends, and take care.