Eye of newt, wing of bat (open)

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria was not a happy camper.

She knew that this was one of the downsides of her magical school. She even understood and agreed with the reasons. The path to responsibility in magic led to understanding power and the lack of it. Finesse counted for quite a lot, after all. Sadly, that didn't stop her from being pissed off when she reached a part of the Winding Way that was far from powerful.

Still, one didn't get as far as she had without knowing how to get around it. Which was why she was standing near the edge of the forest, smoking another of her trippy incense cigarettes, and trying to call faeries out of the forest to her.

Which, of course, led to a lot of fey giggling in her direction, and no faeries coming to her. Which, of course, led to her glaring angrily into an apparently empty forest, considering how much giggling they'd do if she made a tree burst into flame.

[Emily Inque]

A shadow swirled around the ground at Victoria's feet. It stretched away from the sun and took on a vaguely feminine form.

"I do not think they like you," Emily says.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Yes, well, right now it's mutual," Victoria said, studying the newcomer. "Well now... this is certainly interesting."

[Emily Inque]

"Yes. I am very interesting. Thank you for noticing," Emily says.

[Victoria Valentine]

"No, not that, that you don't look more like your mother." She took a drag off of her cigarette. "Pity that, really. Smoke?"

[Emily Inque]

"I do not have lungs," Emily says. "And I am glad not to look like my mother."

Emily forms from a shadow into a person, like liquid rising out of the ground. She gains definition and texture but, as always, still looks like a living ink drawing.

"She is a disgusting whore. I hope that I am nothing like her."

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria's hand shot out, and if the physical force of the slap didn't affect her, the freezing cold surrounding her hand probably would. "Watch your mouth, you insane little blob."

[Emily Inque]

The slap catches her by surprise. Emily is knocked to her knees, where she bursts out laughing.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Oh god, she was right about you," Victoria sighed, taking another drag from her cigarette.

[Emily Inque]

"I doubt that, Mistress," Emily says. There's a venomous edge to her usual monotone, but she looks pleased.

[Victoria Valentine]

"So you aren't utterly insane?" Victoria mused.

[Emily Inque]

"I am a completely normal teenage girl," Emily says. She holds onto her knees and rocks back and forth on the ground. "Don't you remember? I lived in that small ranch house down the street. I had a golden retriever named Nemo and you used to come over and climb trees in my backyard."

[Victoria Valentine]

"...Darling, I've never seen you before in my life."

[Emily Inque]

"You have such a terrible memory," Emily says. "Who was laughing at you?"

[Victoria Valentine]

"Generally no one. What are you talking about?"

[Emily Inque]

"There are small shadows in the woods. They've been laughing at you," Emily says. "Can't you hear them?"

[Victoria Valentine]

"Oh. That. I've learned to tune out faeries laughing. LIttle bitches are just trying to get a rise out of me."

[Emily Inque]

"You shouldn't let them get away with it. You should kill them all."

[Victoria Valentine]

"Well now, you're a pleasant one. Even if that wasn't a gross overreaction, you kill enough faeries and a bigger faerie will come along to return the favor. Bad idea."

[Emily Inque]

"So? That's how things go with the Masters and Mistresses," Emily says with a shrug. "Do what you want until someone is strong enough to make you stop."

[Victoria Valentine]

"...You are a very twisted little girl. And this is me saying that."

[Emily Inque]

"I'm sorry, Mistress," Emily says. "I don't mean to offend."

[Victoria Valentine]

"So do you call everyone mistress? Or is this just my special week?"

[Emily Inque]

"Isn't that what you are?" Emily asks, "You don't look like a slave."

[Victoria Valentine]

"Well no, I'm certainly not a slave," Victoria said, bristling. "I wasn't aware you were anyone's slave, though."

[Emily Inque]

"I wasn't," Emily says. "But that whore you love so much had different ideas."

Ink-like material shifts around Emily's neck, showing a gleaming, silver collar.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Ah. And whose slave did she make you?" That doesn't sound like Onyx...

[Emily Inque]

"I don't know."

[Victoria Valentine]

"...All right, I'll bite. How did she make you a slave to some unknown person?"

[Emily Inque]

"She put a collar on me," Emily says.