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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2017 21:07:41 GMT
Between Aisha and David heading north to collect the sabre, and Exo returning with the Doctor, Mary had some time to kill while Erskine prepared his lab.
She sat in Exo's chair, playing with the long dress Aisha had changed her pirate attire for, thinking.
Would Quinn be strong enough? She hoped so. Mary would owe her more than a simple favour after this.
@griffthejack
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2017 21:33:22 GMT
The extraction point wasn't on fire or anything, so it hadn't been a particularly coordinated or well-informed ambush. That was good. Still disillusioned and in owl form, Quinn flew over the neighborhood from her arrival point outside the wards to the house itself. Also not on fire, still good so far. Coming in through the garden with her wand in hand, her eyes and ears were peeled for any unfamiliar shadows or sounds.
Peering around the corner into the sitting room, she carefully aimed her wand at the creature in the chair that might or might not have been Mary. "Prove your identity, please."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2017 21:48:22 GMT
Mary rolls her eyes slightly at Quinn. She raises on hand, and the entire room is engulfed in absolute darkness. "Good enough?" She asks. "Mary we need a password or something, to make this easier. Summer will be over soon, and I'd hate to have to go through this every time we bumped in the halls at school."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2017 22:32:08 GMT
It was enough, for this limited contact. "If you were not you within the wards of Hogwarts, my dear Auntie, we would all be dead regardless. This will do."
Quinn came fully into the room, chose a spot in the corner from which she could see all of the entrances, and held her wand tightly at her side. She was uncomfortable again, just like last time. She didn't like being in Mary's house, not knowing how many vampires exactly were living there. Mary herself was little comfort.
"I am only here briefly, to give my mission report: I very much hope that you've seen Aisha, because she left me for dead out there. If I were a less resourceful or more scrupulous mage, I would be dead. As it stands, I defeated the mage who attempted to ambush us. It would have been more difficult, I'm sure, if you hadn't been there to handle the vampiric side of things, so for that I'm grateful. Now, tell me, how close to the final goal of rescuing Mr. Alexander have we come?"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2017 22:55:58 GMT
Mary lets the darkness drop when Quinn says she's satisfied. When she does, Quinn sees Mary's shadow cat sitting in her lap, being petted.
"I am most glad you were triumphant. Had I not been confident of your ability I would've made an attempt to return. Did he suffer?" She asks, smiling slightly. "As for Aisha leaving you, she had good reason. David was there, and sufficiently separated from his captors that she was able to get close enough to touch him, and apparate him away from the scene. At present they are attempting to break a charm that was cast over him, affecting his memory. Both are well. My partner is currently chasing a vampiric conspirator. For my part, I took the one responsible for all this, and he awaits my displeasure."
She looks from Quinn to the cat in her lap, scratching it under the chin, then back up to Quinn.
"So, thanks to your skill, Aisha's quick thinking, and a host of other opportune moments, we have been triumphant. I owe you a service."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2017 23:25:08 GMT
"Hm. Indeed. A most fortuitous evening. Let me know if and when you gain further intelligence regarding the remainder of Rene's organization. Vengeful underlings are best snuffed out quickly." Quinn's face was blank as she spoke, her body tense.
"Tell Aisha that I will return the resources she lent me to her accounts in one week, minus expenses. You and I can discuss our exchange of services once things are fully settled. For the moment, while you remain my... employer, is there anything else you would like me to put my efforts towards?"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2017 23:34:54 GMT
"I'm told his ship is anchored off the coast east of ... Gisleham. That's where they went to break the charm. Whatever crew remains will be here. If there are others, I'll soon find out and we can deal with them then."
She watches Quinn. Her granddaughter had never been truly comfortable in her presence, but recent changes had amplified her distrust. Pity.
"I'll tell Aisha. Don't forget to take something for yourself, it's only appropriate. As for being my employee ... I find that rather ... cold. Family, helping family. And there's nothing more I require, except perhaps your discretion. You have perhaps learned more than a witch should about my kind, and the Accord exists to keep our secrets from the world. So, it shouldn't be a great ask that you keep silent anything you may have learned."
Mary smiles. It's as natural and open as she can manage, no malice or deceit. "Agreed?"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2017 23:59:53 GMT
Quinn noted internally that having an undead monster lecture her about being cold was a bit rich, but she didn't acknowledge it openly. She really was acting out of line, if she wanted to remain in Mary's good graces. Which she did. Damn it.
She let herself loosen up and straighten, though her wand grip remained tight. "Perceptive as ever. I must admit, I am feeling particularly uncomfortable at the moment. Any swells of familial admiration have been suppressed. Perhaps you can help to ease my mind. Did you, your partner or Aisha have any idea that the enemy would be upon us this night? Our fortuitous victory is... suspicious, to say the least. It smacks of withheld intelligence, or greater players manipulating both belligerents. I feel like your employee, Auntie, because I feel like you have kept very important things from me, things that might have helped me to avoid the killing I was forced to do tonight. As for discretion? Such things are a matter of course. I would not deign to break your confidences."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 1:04:24 GMT
Mary shakes her head no.
"No, we had no idea. Aisha had heard from him, as I'm sure she mentioned, and she wanted to be somewhere they both knew, just in case. We, myself and Exo, came as backup in case something happened. And they did." She pauses, watching Quinn, and her grip on her wand.
"As for the motivations of the enemy ... David said it was supposed to be a test. One he managed to manipulate in our favour. I'm not sure what you might feel has been withheld. I am happy to answer questions, within limits. And those limits are for your safety, mine, and that of others involved."
She smiles to herself. For some reason, sitting up in Exo's chair, with Balthazar on her lap, stroking the Abyssal feline while almost lecturing Auinn, she felt like a Bind villain, and found that rather amusing.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 1:17:15 GMT
"Indeed. It would of course be foolish of you to allow me to know too much, in case I'm compromised by your vampiric enemies. I have fewer resistances to their powers than your fellow undead. I will simply say, while you're interrogating the ringleader, include a probe or two involving greater powers he is in debt to or otherwise involved with. Vampiric powers, magical powers, with the two worlds mixing there will surely be overlap between our respective criminal elements."
Finally, Quinn sighed, and looked away from Mary. "Such victories as this are always possible, if rare. Until you complete your interrogations I will speak no more of it..." She gave a sidelong glance. "Would your information restriction include empirical testing on your new prisoner? After you're done with him, but before the execution... There are many things that I would like to know, for your benefit and mine, and an expendable subject should never go to waste."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 1:23:37 GMT
"A very wise suggestion, Quinn, thank you. I shall ensure such is done before he is terminated. Alas, there will not be an opportunity for testing with this one. He is too old, and too dangerous to risk his possible escape. But I will promise you this. Should one younger and less of a flight risk come into my hands, and they are expendable, they are yours for whatever purposes you wish. It is only fair."
There were bound to be a Camarilla neonate or two she could donate to the cause. One sufficiently unlike herself or her pack to give Quinn a false sense of security in that regard.
"I would offer you refreshments, but I know you would decline." She smiles. "Since I am unable to use it personally, would you like your mirror returned?"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 1:45:01 GMT
Quinn bowed slightly. "My thanks. Ah yes, the mirror. I will have to devise an alternate method of communication. You're a good person to stay in instant contact with. Patronuses work in a pinch, but something that you could initiate would be preferable. I do own a cellular phone, but I am so often around magical auras that it only rarely connects to any towers. No matter! I will devise a similar device to the mirrors, engineered to transmit only sound. Working around the visual element is child's play. Hm. I will have it to you before the week is out. And, if you would like extras to give to other people, I will be happy to oblige. I'm always tinkering with such things, and I produce a lot of working prototypes. More people using them means more opportunities to identify problems!"
She had regained some of the off-mission cheer that she sometimes displayed when talking about her non-violent work, the face she often wore while teaching. She was not quite relaxed, but the distrust was lessened. "Anyway, I do hope Aisha and her husband are able to find some peace, after this strange ordeal. Do you know of any previous mage-vampire marriages? What do you think about their chances?"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 1:53:57 GMT
"Yes, at school, a phone is useless. Though we are closer then." Mary gets up ... slowly ... and retrieves Quinn's mirror from the mantle, laying it on the coffee table, then returning to her seat. She knows better than to try and hand it to the paranoid witch directly.
"I quite like that you are ... inventive. It shows a future for wizard technology. I never did understand, as muggle science advanced, wizards seemed to remain in the dark ages. I was more than happy to leave them." She smiles, genuinely. "Though the lack of photograph but does cause me issue for identification documents in this age. Fortunately we have some wonderful forgers now, too." She laughs with genuine mirth.
"I hope they are happy, too. So much to experience so soon in their relationship. I've known of a couple, yes. Of course, in time, they end with the death of the mortal partner. One way or another. I think their chances are good for a long and happy life together."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 2:19:29 GMT
"Hah!" Quinn barked. "Yes, long and happy. Emphasis on long, I'm sure. I can only hope Aisha waits for a while before taking that road. Us mages often live well into our second century, you know, and the world is changing much more quickly than it did back when you were alive. The places humanity could be in a mere century are astounding..." She realized suddenly that she had to maneuver away from this topic, her vision of the future had a very pointedly empty vampire-shaped hole. Mary might pick up that "humanity" did not include her kind, but hopefully she wouldn't take that as an actual threat.
"At any rate, Aisha's power and wisdom can only grow with time. If she can stave off undeath, her life will be filled with great purposes, indeed." Almost absentmindedly, Quinn used her wand to levitate the mirror off of the coffee table and towards her. Her left hand withdrew a magical pouch from her pocket, and once the mirror entered the pouch a glowing runic seal appeared, closing off the mouth. She looked up again at Mary. She would try a single probe, and see where it lead. Her calculations were inconclusive, the gamble could go either way.
"Mary... what do you think of eternal life without undeath? Do vampires retain their souls?"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 2:37:09 GMT
"Long, whichever way they choose. I was in my sixties, old for my day, but then I had children to watch grow. Whatever course they choose, it is their lives. I will not interfere there." She smiles as Quinn goes off on her tangent, wondering if she considers humanity to include wizard folk or not.
"As for the soul ... we do, yes. There is .. empirical evidence for the belief, too, though you might not quite understand." She pets the cat on her lap, which eyes Quinn with as much suspicion as Quinn herself eyes Mary. Mary will not mention that part of her souls was given in exchange for Balthazar's service. That would likely freak Quinn unnecessarily.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 3:05:04 GMT
Now that was interesting, they had their own evidence of souls, just as mages had theirs. This warranted further study. There were already a dozen additional experiments Quinn was going to have to run if she ever actually got her hands on a test subject.
"Fascinating! I wonder if your souls are made fragile by the process, or by the killing that accompanies your condition, or if they're actually more resilient to such things than our own! And if your souls can fragment just like ours... the possibilities." Her eyes were wide and her voice a whisper, as she considered a Horcrux-empowered vampire. That would be bad. Very bad. And if they had souls...
"Mary, can vampires love? True love, the sort that has distinct magical properties?"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 3:14:17 GMT
"An interesting question that I may have to investigate for myself," Mary responded, to the question about fragmenting souls. Of course, she knew they could, but she wasn't about to let on that she knew. Quinn was far too curious, and Mary didn't want to become one of her granddaughter's research experiments.
"Once, I would have told you no. As that was what I believed for a very long time. Now ... I will say yes. Because I know that I do love. And love truly. It was a ... learning experience for me, earlier in the summer. As for true love with magical properties ... does such a thing even exist?"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 3:39:17 GMT
"Oh, yes! It's just as well-documented as the existence of the soul. Loving, willing sacrifice is probably the oldest magical ritual that we have records for. Love for a mate, love for a family member, love for a deity, love for an ideal, it's all very powerful stuff. Deep magic, pre-civilization, before the first wands were ever carved. Now, if vampires have souls, and your condition is not inherently mutually exclusive with love, that opens up huge inroads to manipulating the very nature of the curse itself! Mary, you could be cured! Or the immortality aspect of vampirism could be reverse-engineered without the negative psychological side effects... If truly loving vampires can find mages who love them in return, the resulting sacrifices would be ab..." Quinn stopped. She was getting too excited. This was not a safe place, Mary was not a safe person to talk about these things with. She had what she wanted to know. Vampires were not so unlike mortals after all. She might not have to commit genocide. A productive conversation.
She recovered her train of thought. "Ahem, I'm getting ahead of myself, of course. The important thing is, there is much still for me to learn about your kind, and as you have warned I must tread carefully. These would be dangerous ideas, in different hands. I... thank you for what you have told me, Auntie. It has been eye-opening."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 3:43:36 GMT
"You are welcome, Quinn. We are family, however far removed. If knowledge I have will not endanger you, or me, I will happily share it. I'll just stop short at letting you experiment on myself. Over the centuries, I've come to like myself just as I am. Thank you!" She laughs gently. Quinn had some amazing ideas. Dangerous ideas, but amazing.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 4:05:21 GMT
"Indeed, indeed. Future generations, then." Quinn bowed low, actually sweeping her eyes down to the floor for a brief moment.
"It has been a pleasure working with you again, my dear ancestor. For now, I think it's time I returned to my preparations for the upcoming term. Until I complete your new communications device, Aisha should be able to reach me by Patronus in an emergency. If you will, relay my wishes of good luck to her, along with the message about her funds. Until the next time, I bid you adieu."
-Disapparation and exit thread, unless Mary has something more-
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2017 4:10:43 GMT
As the wards preventing apparition are still up, Quinn may need to leave before she does that, but mary has nothing to add but a pleasant goodbye and thank you.
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