I1: Priority Mail

by **Narrator** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:41 pm

The day after John arrived on campus with Rail in tow there's a black envelope with a gold border and lettering waiting for Sam.

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 1:48 pm

"Someone's feeling dramatic," Samantha mutters as she pulls the envelope from the mailbox, looking it over.

by **Narrator** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 1:54 pm

It has stamps from being send per air mail and a return address in Madripoor. It appears to have been labelled by hand with gold ink and there's a faint hint of perfume that still seems to cling to the envelope.

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 1:56 pm

Samantha shakes her head.

"Of course," she mutters as she walks back upstairs with the envelope.

She heads back into her flat.

by **Narrator** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 2:01 pm

Nailah still seems to be out, presumably at the Lighthouse. Some of her notes are still loosely spread across the dining table though.

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 2:02 pm

Not wanting to disturb said notes, Samantha sits down at the far end of the table with a letter-opener.

Gingerly, she opens the letter.

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 2:11 pm

All that's inside is a neatly folded letter with gold trim. It is hand-written in dark ink.

Dearest Sammy,

By the time this letter reaches you I'm sure your tame lap-dragon has reported back to you and you're no doubt considering a visit to scenic Madripoor. I'm deeply sorry I had to stay out of touch for so long and I'm certain you're as torn up about it as I am. Of course unlike you I don't feel any unnecessary restraint towards alleviating the situation by acting on my feelings. Or maybe you have taken things out on some unsuspecting but surely deserving low-lifes, in which case I would have to congratulate on finally shedding some of your restraints.

But I very much suspect that isn't the case and I can't help but wonder whether I was mistaken about you. At the very least I might have been erroneous in the things that are holding you back. Clearly the old friend you enshrined in your mind didn't hold as special a place in your heart as I had thought, because I understand you didn't care for my gift. Speaking of gifts, the associate that was so rudely wrangled from my grasp was not intended to be send your way, as I'm sure you suspected she was. I don't expect you to take my word for it, but as you'll find I simply didn't have the time to convince the young woman of the error of her way decisively.

Now, if you haven't already stormed out the door to board a plane to Asia I would really appreciate it if you could lower yourself to respond to this correspondence. There's no need to pretend that you would want to, which is why I will add some incentive to possibly make you reconsider. You see, as we speak we're preparing another batch of merchandise. Thanks to Mister Hino we had to change our logistics so don't bother hunting down Hereford Construction shipments. But regardless of those delays, eventually these people will find their way into London and I rather think I will grant some of them what I promised Rail I would. An undefined number of them will be set free to be absorbed into London's masses and in the case that I don't hear back from you they are groomed to cause some very unpleasant incidents in the name of the Phantom Queen.

On a rather different note, my associates tell me that you recently came to learn about having a biological daughter you're looking to adopt. I do have to say that I was very surprised to say the least. I hope everyone in your little family of misfits is doing quite well and please forward them my regards.

~ Melpomene

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 4:09 pm

What's holding me back is why you're even still alive.

Samantha frowns, and looks over the envelope again.

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 4:17 pm

It's a really fancy envelope. It's addressed to 'The Morrigan' and the apartment number on top of the school's address. The return address doesn't list a name but actually lists a phone number. From the way it's written out it seems to be an extension. She certainly doesn't seem to be too worried about being found at this point.

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 5:24 pm

Samantha grits her teeth and takes out her phone.

She stares at it, and the letter, for a long while as she decides what to do.

by **Narrator** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 5:37 pm

The letter continues to be a mundane piece of paper that somehow still threatens to win a staring contest.

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 5:46 pm

Ultimately with a frustrated huff, Samantha dials the number.

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 6:15 pm

The phone rings for a while before finally being picked up.

"Yes?" Mel's voice answers with the tone of someone who assumes this to be important solely based on the fact that someone actually dared to bother her.

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 6:17 pm

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 6:22 pm

"Oh Sammy, you can wake me any time." she answers, her tone changing immediately. "You got my letter."

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 6:26 pm

"It was hard to mistake."

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 6:36 pm

"It just feels more personal than an email and it had been a while. I'm sure you understand why I had to stay out of touch, I don't particularly care to be thrown into a pit again. The food at Muir is just dreadful."

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 6:42 pm

"I'm afraid the renewed interest Scotland Yard has in hauling you in is entirely on your shoulders, given what you did when you were still in London."

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:02 pm

"Oh please, we both know they won't. They're out of their league and they know it. No, credit for keeping me at a distance belongs solely to you, I'm not above admitting credit where it's due."

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:06 pm

"I hope you don't think flattery is going to work in convincing me to play whatever game you have in mind."

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:15 pm

"Of course not, but that doesn't have to mean we have to be uncivilized. I would invite you to have a talk over dinner, but I suspect it might dissolve into violence. Which wouldn't be my fault, I'd like to point out. Be honest, would you have done this if I hadn't provided you an incentive?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:20 pm

"I would have put you back where you belong, Mary."

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:51 pm

"Not all of us are happy with the name our parents chose for us, Morrigan." she says a little colder than usual. "You're so set in your ways, it's a wonder you manage to muster the impetus to change your body at all. Rules, names, minds, there's nothing that can't or hasn't been changed. Nothing that is pre-established deserves to be taken on blind faith."

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:57 pm

"I've been dealing with you for nearly half my life. It's only recently that I managed to beat you."

"Is it really that unreasonable that I'm looking to make it stick?"

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:08 pm

"Unreasonable, no. Unfortunate, maybe. You do realize that I never intended to imprison you, yes? You and me, we're different than those around us yet you cling to some idea of equality when that is demonstrably false. I didn't think you would resist ridding you of that notion this much."

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:21 pm

"Because you've never truly seen me. You've never seen anyone as anything other than a mirror you've held up."

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:37 pm

"I'll admit that I've drawn some wrong conclusions about you, but believe me when I tell you that I know people better than they know themselves. I know their pain, their exhilaration, their secret fears and their darkest pleasures. I've seen their infatuation and their love and the lies they tell themselves to make it through the day. I even know their hope and their selflessness, their generosity and their heroism. I've spend decades in their minds and none of it means anything. None of it sticks. It's all the same in the end. Tell me Sam, when you made this call, did you even think about why I would want to talk to you? I mean really think about it and not just assume I wanted to taunt you."

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:41 pm

"You did it for the same reason you do anything. You want something."

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 9:07 pm

"I won't deny that, but the truth is that there are few people I can talk shop with. For all our disagreements, you do provide a curious perspective. What I want, barring things I cannot have, is a conversation. Maybe it's because you don't want to learn about me beyond something you could use as a weapon. Do you even know why I despise the name you now seem to insist on calling me? And I don't mean the conclusion you jumped to by yourself. You found a weapon yet you won't even learn enough to wield it properly, instead choosing to jab it at me out of spite."

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 9:22 pm

"And what reason have you ever given me to want to see beyond spite? Especially given what you think are 'gifts' to me?"

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 9:39 pm

"Even if you continue to insist on catching me I would expect that you would try to find ways how to. Isn't that why you dug up the past to begin with? I try to understand you. I presented that woman to you to see what you would do. I'll admit that part of me wanted to tempt you. You barely acknowledged it when I brought up your dead friend. As with most things, you stubbornly reject so much that I wonder if you even know why her mind is entrenched in yours. I tried to provoke your thoughts, even gave you the chance to spare her life. Didn't you wonder why?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 9:47 pm

"I don't want someone, anyone to die for me. That girl needed help, and all you thought of her was an experiment. She's doing better, no thanks to you, but looks don't make her Becca."

"Becca died fighting."

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:50 pm

"I helped her and gave her what she wanted. She was happy. You're the one who keeps convincing people that they should be suffering because of me. You don't agree with what they are thinking and feeling so you tear down what I built up just so what they feel falls in line with what you think is right. I didn't mean to replace or even imitate your friend. I thought you might be more receptive to her wishes if she reminded you of your friend. But it opposed your pre-conceived notions, so you dismiss it as a madwoman lashing out at you. I won't deny that I consider these people below you and me, you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette after all, but you don't even try to see past what everyone else sees." There's a faint sigh at the other end of the line and a brief pause.

"But that doesn't keep me from trying to make you listen, because you're the only one who has a chance to understand."

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:20 pm

"So you'll continue to send people with heads filled with lies, unless I keep calling you."

by **Melpomene** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:23 pm

"Unless you keep talking to me. I do care for your perspective, if not your morals."

by **Samantha McManus** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:38 pm

"This isn't going to end how you think it will."

by **Melpomene** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 12:44 pm

"Sammy, I don't believe that you know how I think this will end. You read a couple of old files and now you think you have me all figured out. You don't want to talk about yourself because you're worried I'll abuse that knowledge and you're probably right. So lets talk about me then. Tell me what you think you have so cleverly deduced about me."

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 1:19 pm

"Patronizing doesn't suit you."

by **Melpomene** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 1:40 pm

"I mean it. I already know you think I'm a lunatic and a sociopath and I certainly don't believe I'll be able to change that, but I want to know what conclusions you drew from the things you dug up."

by **Samantha McManus** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 2:17 pm

"You treat people as objects. You use them up. You try to claim you're helping them, but I think you're just of the view that everyone's here for your benefit."

"The first person you broke was Norma, and I'd wager you tell yourself it was because you were inexperienced."

"Well congratulations, you're much more efficient at breaking people now."

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