Morgaine The Malevolent Mentor (Morgaine)

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Morgaine was glad Hiromi chose to kill Ignatius. He barely uttered a sound as the creatures tore at him, and Hiromi's impassiveness at their deed was heartening. She realised they must know each other from school, but more victims would hopefully strengthen the 'animal attack' explanation. She stepped out of the trees, the darkness still thickening around them. "I suppose he was," she replied, looking at him briefly. Her perception of beauty and attractiveness had long been dormant, but she had recognised the regularity of features often called cute.

"Very well done, my dear. Not only are you merciless, but you think quickly, too." She levitated Ignatius' corpse off the path, then lazily dragged her hand through the air, her wandless magic creating streaks across it, towards the unfortunate Thomas' hut. She stood back to admire her work. "The extra corpse will help distract from any irregularities. Should anyone happen to suspect something, the seeming randomness of the victims will throw them right off."

She pursed her lips, then put her hand out for them to Apparate again. "Best be off," she said. "If there was one lonely fool wandering about, there could be more." She quickly scanned for any other witnesses before they Apparated.

@hiromi

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"Mmmm... shame," said Hiromi as she watched the wolves finish Ignatius off. "I might have asked him on a date next term. Oh well."

Hiromi then smiled wickedly when Morgaine congratulated her. There were a lot of people in Hiromi's life who's approval she could give a damn about. Morgaine's approval was dark music to her ears though.

"I'm delighted to please my mentor," she said. She then watched Morgaine at work. It was a bloody wise move and now no one would believe that this was anything more than a wild animal attack. "Terrible, isn't it? The wolves running loose in this area. Who knows what they're capable of doing?" Hiromi was having too much fun.

She knew the fun couldn't last, as the victims couldn't stack up in one place, so she quickly grabbed Morgaine's hand. When they arrived back at the shop, Eligos was awaiting them. Hiromi was in such a wonderful mood that she almost wanted to attempt to pet the wolf, but decided against it. A wild wolf was easy to command, but Eligos already had his loyalties.

"I had two people killed tonight," she said. "Tell me, Morgaine, was what I felt the same as what you did when you took your first life?"

@morgaine

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Morgaine grinned when Hiromi commented on the horror of animal attacks. "I heard that there's been an increase in the wolf population these past few years. Increased maulings are to be expected, when idiots are out on their turf."

They Apparated, and Morgaine gave Eligos a welcoming pat. She knew he sometimes got anxious when both she and Dathan were out. Understandably so; he was not human, but neither was he a fool. She assumed he realised that his mismatched pack was involved in dangerous things.

She considered Hiromi's question a second. "My first kill was... well." She exchanged a small, conspiratory smile with her pupil. "Some of us are well suited to it, as you well know. It felt like coming home. I have never forgotten it. I did not kill for any purpose, but in a way that made it better, I think, as did the fact that I could not use magic, as I was underage." She was lost for a moment in the memory. He wouldn't stop looking at her, then said something about her being 'sweet sixteen'. She had responded by cutting out his eyes, so he could never look at her like that again...

"You have excellent command of your natural gifts. All the better; I can teach you nothing of them. Tomorrow, I will introduce you to a man - a client, actually. I suspect you will not like him, but you must not show it. If you are to succeed in winning all your battles, your innermost emotions must be so well hidden they may as well not exist."


@hiromi

((Client is a supplier of vampire dust, but old, obnoxious, and getting past it. Just a heads up.))

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Hiromi laughed wickedly at Morgaine's statement before they vanished. The woman was wicked good fun.

When they returned, she listened as Morgaine told the story of her first kill. Hiromi was intrigued.

"Perhaps there was a reason, even if a small one," said Hiromi. "But if there was, I'm sure it was a good one. After all, it's obvious you're a woman who isn't to be trifled with. Someone obviously didn't stop and think before they trifled."

Hiromi then smiled proudly as the woman complimented her. True, she followed the compliment with another favor, but Hiromi didn't mind. She would do anything for her new mistress and friend.

"I am prepared to meet this man and hold my tongue and my temper," she said. She could pull it off. She had to be polite in front of her mother's in-laws, the relatives of the pathetic dead Muggle that her mother said was her father. The only one of them she liked was her "cousin" and that was because he let her use his nice house when he was away, and let her and her mates drink his booze.

The next night, Hiromi prepared to meet this gentleman. She was determined to remain civil, not matter how appalling the man might be.

@morgaine

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Morgaine sat with Hiromi in her office above the shop. The unseemly gentleman was Flooing in from somewhere, probably a high-class bar, in a few minutes. She hated having to deal with him, but he held lots of the contracts and connections her father had used and abused in his day running the business, so, for now, she had to put up with him. Furthermore, he was the most reliable procurer of vampire dust in the European continent. It was a fairly big risk, letting Hiromi meet him. One barbed exchange, let alone a show of fangs or force, and the consequences could be very far-reaching.

She explained all this to Hiromi as they waited. "He is due in about four minutes, so expect him in fifteen," she added. "He is what is affectionately known as an 'old boy', a relic of a distant, hateful past that is long since due for death. However, given his importance to my business, we must be calm and courteous at all times with him at all times - no matter how much we want to watch him scream and burn." She sniffed distastefully, then smiled. "One day soon, I'm sure we will get our wish to watch him suffer. Until then, you are my intern, training to take over one day. He will be crass and obnoxious about everything from your race to your age. Prove to me you can hide your delightful instinct to eviscerate him, and we can finish up and move on to the next lesson."

@hiromi

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Hiromi listened as Morgaine went about how horrid this man was. She smiled a little when she got to the part about him being biased toward her age and race.

"Oh that doesn't bother me," she said. "If the man things he knows how to hate, then he's met his match. I hate people for any number of reasons. Hate's what makes one strong, and allows one to only reserve love for those that count." She smiled at Morgaine at that. This woman was already more of a mother than her real b***h of a mother ever was. Hiromi still hadn't gotten over how her mother lied to her about who her father was.

"Still, as you request, I will be civil to him," she said. "After a bit of bulls**ting is fun now and then, isn't it? It lets one know how big of a fool the person they are talking to is. After all, not everyone is smart enough to pick up on it like you and I are."

(Sorry for the shortness. Had to bolt)

@morgaine

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Morgaine grinned viciously and was about to agree when Mr. Hogmeister, the obnoxious 'old boy', arrived. Instantly, her professional mask was in place, her posture tall and straight. He waddled into the room, his appearance like some sort of Monopoly Man caricature, a pipe billowing noxious fumes in the side of his mouth. The veiny redness in his face and his watery blue eyes lent a more sinister tone to his persona. He grinned piggishly and extended a hand to Morgaine.

"Ms. Deluna! How good to see you again," he said, his eyes fixing intently on Hiromi as he did so. Morgaine bristled a little on Hiromi's behalf, but returned his handshake courteously. Her professional manner was so detached he didn't notice, as always.

"Mr. Hogmeister. The pleasure is all mine. This is my new assistant and future business partner, Miss Hiromi Yen. She will sit in on our meeting today, if that's alright, and see how professionals work, to mutual advantage. I have a lot of faith in her potential." Morgaine wanted to catch Hiromi's eye but she refrained. She thought the girl would most likely pick up on her meaning. The vampire dust dealer nodded thoughtfully.

"Quite alright, quite alright," he replied. "I must say, it's odd to see one out in the open like this."

Morgaine did her best not to purse her lips in displeasure at his obvious bigotry. 

@hiromi

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Hiromi did indeed hate the man from the start. He was some pompous, close-minded old beast. But she sat politely and with civility and greeted the old man with smile. She said nothing though, and it was best if she wasn't placed in a position to open her mouth. She certainly had a lot of things she wanted to say to him... and do to him. But again, she remained calm.

She caught Morgaine's meaning perfectly. The two were playing roles before the man, and she planned to play hers to perfection. She had no doubt that Morgaine would do the same.

But then the man said something that almost made her lose her cool, and that was the line about seeing a vampire out in the open like that. She wasn't upset that he hated vampires. A lot of people did. What pissed her off was that she felt he had degraded her personally. How dare she allowed to be about and about? Why wasn't he hidden away like some freak? She was Hiromi Yen- beautiful, intelligent, and on top of the social ladder. She improved the bloody world by being out and about.

But she stopped herself and just listened on.

@morgaine

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Morgaine covered her grit teeth with a forced smile, indicating the chair opposite her desk. Hogmeister sat, his piggy eyes shifting from Hiromi to Morgaine.

"Well, the times have changed since Van Helsing," she replied, as gracefully as she could manage. "Now, to business. I've noticed a decline in the quality of your merchandise. When we entered into this partnership, it was agreed that I would pay the going rate. I'm sure you are aware that the price for top-quality produce is substantially different from the stuff you've had shipped to me of late. If you cannot guarantee the quality, I suggest we re-negotiate our terms." She observed him coolly down her nose. "What do you propose?"

Hogmeister's complexion darkened slightly. Morgaine hoped he would drop dead then and there - Merlin knew he was due for it. "Ah, yes, well, that..." He stalled by coughing into a silk handkerchief. Morgaine waited calmly, her piercing brown eyes fixed on him. "I am getting on, you know, and the nasty buggers aren't getting any weaker - er, no offence," he added quickly. "I just don't have the stamina to go after the big game any more, and..."

"So send your children." Morgaine interrupted. "It's a family business, after all. As I recall, your youngest is only about my age... Jonas, wasn't it? Lovely boy. We've never met, but I've heard he's quite the sportsman. Well," she smiled, her gaze still direct and cold. "He'd have to be, wouldn't he, what with spending each summer boating in... Chelsea, was it?"

The words were innocuous enough, but the meaning hung in the air between them like a thick cloud. Hogmeister's eyes displayed a quick glimmer of fear. "But, we'e not really here for family chitchat, are we? I just thought I'd let you know, in case it was a minor error on your end. Business is business, and everyone makes mistakes. Perhaps we should revisit this in a week, when you've had time to sort things out on your end. Good day to you, Mr. Hogmeister. Give my best to Martha." She rose, and he quickly followed suit. When he was almost at the door, she added, "Oh, and one last thing. Whatever you decide, I shall expect to be reimbursed in full for the previous shipment." He nodded, sweating, and left in a hurry. Morgaine just smiled and turned to Hiromi.

@hiromi

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Hiromi scoffed as soon as the man left. She was impressed with Morgaine's business like manner and ability to endure such a beast. She almost lost it, but managed to control herself in the end. But once he was gone, she left all that anger out.

"What a nasty old pig!" she said. "You've got some wicked mad skills, Morgaine. I'm surprised you didn't end the nutter's life right in front of me. Hell, I'm surprised I didn't. If he hates vampires, then so be it, but treating me... me like I was some sort of social outcast? I happen to be at the height of popularity at Hogwarts."

Hiromi then suddenly relaxed herself and laughed wickedly. For some reason, she suddenly found the whole thing funny.

"Bloody good show you and I put on, eh?" she said. "I think we should celebrate with a few drinks. Do you think Mr. Burke would mind if we poured a little of his firewhiskey?"

(Hiromi's done here)

@morgaine

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Morgaine laughed and stood up. She grinned at Hiromi. Finally, things were starting to look up in the Black Army. For a time, patient though she was, Morgaine had desperately waned to attack; to rip, and kill, and take what was rightfully theirs. But now she felt she could enjoy the process, training Hiromi as she went.

"Stick with me, my dear, and in time violence will be leisure activity. You can take everything else you need with cunning."

FIN