*Flashback*

"Mercy… I'm hungry"

Their feet felt raw against the cold stone as they wondered the streets, their stomachs eating themselves from the inside out as they held onto the only thing they had left. Each other.

"I know Hope… So am I…. We'll find something, I promise"

Mercy knew her words were a lie. What could she ever really hope to provide for either of them? She bit her lips as they passed by the local ale house, men heckling at them and chanting lewd words at the girls barely into double figures. Was this what life was meant to be for them? Begging for what little they could get, only to realise that it would never be enough…. Unless they made the only choice left.

"Forgive me Hope…. Please"

Mercy let go of Hope's hand, feeling how poignant that notion seemed in that moment. The only way to survive was to give up all hope and surrender to what life deemed fit for her.

Hope felt her lip quiver as her sister moved towards the men and allowed one to pull her around the alley beside the building, the heckles of his friends as they each took turns going into the secluded area, each returning with a warped look of satisfaction upon his lips as they all sent twisted grins towards Hope, one whispering in her ear as he stumbled away.

"Your sister's cunt was tight, cried every time a cock fucked her… Wonder if your tears are as pretty?"

Hope felt her blood run cold as the truth hit her and hatred boiled within. They had hurt the only thing she loved… They had destroyed her Mercy without a second thought and, as she screamed with all the pain and hatred she felt, she realised that no truer word had been said. These men had destroyed what little mercy she had left within her heart.

She felt her being rip apart as she lunged at the one that had spoken to her, forcing him to the floor with her meagre body weight against his drunken form and she bit her teeth deep into his throat. She'd kill them all, she'd make them pay for what they had done. She vaguely heard the shouts of the other men, blood thirsty eyes turning to see clones of herself exacting the same treatment upon each man, confused by what she was seeing but fuelled by rage as she chose to focus upon her own kill, small fist taking the dying man's hair in thick clumps as she rammed his head into the cold floor until nothing remained of his face and she found herself surrounded.

"Mercy"

Their voices sounded in unison as six figures gathered into the alley and found the broken body of her barely alive sister.

"Mercy…. Mercy? Please wake up…. I don't want to lose you too"

Her voice shook as tears fell from her eyes. What would she do without Mercy by her side? The tears fell thicker as she knelt to take her sisters hand, her hand pounding as mismatched eyes met her own and a weary voice drifted weakly to her ears.

"I don't feel right Hope… The pain… is fading"

Hope's eyes widened at her sisters words, darting to each cut in time to see them stitching back together, to see each bruise fade to leave only skin once more.

How could this be? She helped Mercy to her feet, wincing slightly as her sister shrieked in shock and pointed to the relieved looking copies of Hope that still lingered.

"Why are there six of you Hope!? And why am I healed, what the hell is happening?"

Neither had an answer, only questions as Hope half shrugged, too worn out to really care about anything now.

"I don't know… We'll figure it out"

*End Flashback*

Mercy's eyes fell silently on the sleeping form of her sister as the memory faded away to the back of her mind, where she wished it would stay. They had figured it out, slowly they had realised that they were different, that crime was easy for them with their mutated bodies… And why shouldn't they have turned to crime? The world had shown them no love, no pity for their forsaken souls.

But maybe they could have been different? Maybe if that night had never happened then Hope wouldn't have found her ability in the midst of rage, hadn't sworn to shut her heart from everyone other than Mercy. And maybe Mercy wouldn't have felt pain at the touch of a man's hand, wouldn't have found her own talent in the midst of a hellish nightmare , it was a pain she felt even now whenever someone touched her with affection… Maybe she could have still dreamt of finding someone special if only that night had never happened.

Was it really too late for them now? Was there really no salvation for two souls that had been forced into hell and survived?