Pride IV

My relief was only very short lived. Almost as soon as I had slowed down I suddenly had an image of the woman brushing shoulders with another man while she walked and felt horribly jealousy. I wanted to catch up to her so I could be the one brushing her shoulder, of course I still also wanted to move slowly. This was getting really confusing, my body had become a battle of wills between my brothers and sisters, and I was starting to become nothing but a mass of desires. If Envy was now practicing on me then I was in big trouble, and about to lose my conscience completely. The only thing I had left to be totally overwhelmed would be if Gluttony joined in, though I couldn’t see how he could be of help to Lust. If he had sided with me then he would have been useful, distracting me with the restaurants that at the moment I barely noticed I was passing. It was a shame really, a waste of his talents.

I grew aware, in a vague way, that I now staggering through the streets as if I were drunk. Too many conflicting desires, and they were all pulling me in different directions. For all I knew I was drooling. I probably looked like a wandering lunatic and this thought almost focused my mind. I could feel both allies and enemies losing their grip on my on my thoughts, not completely but enough that I was able to stand totally still. I still felt myself pulled in a thousand different directions but I was able to, while not ignore them, at least resist them.

Fighting over my body, who did they think they were? I was not some toy, nor was I a human to be pushed around. I was Pride, the eldest, the strongest; it was time that they remembered that. I could feel myself grow stronger and stronger with these thoughts. Now the others were merely a small nagging in my head. How dare they make me look like a fool in public? How dare they make me sink to the level of a raving lunatic, a fool?

As a final good measure I cast my power on myself. Now I was Pride like I hadn’t been in a very long time. I was Pride full of pride. I felt glorious. Now that I was back to myself I imperiously mentally dragged all of my siblings before me. They had to obey, no one can order like I can. They were suddenly standing before me in the middle of the street. Even Lust still wrapped in her blanket. I glanced over at a couple kissing and gave a little mental twist of my powers. Now the woman pushed away from the man, gave him a haughty look, and said something. He stormed away in disgust. I could see Lust visibly flinch. It was as good as if I had hit her.

I didn’t bother to say anything to my siblings. I had declared my superiority once again, in a way much more effective then words. I had defeated all of them, even those who had been on my side. They wouldn’t forget soon. I didn’t go back to my apartment; it wasn’t good enough for me. I was thinking maybe a mansion this time.