That Old Black Magic (Grimhilde)

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(February 20th. Set the same time as A Day To Relax. Closed to Maleficent and Grimhilde for the first page, but it’ll open up after that)

The thin layer of snow crunched beneath Maleficent’s feet as she walked through the forest. She spared a glance over her shoulder to make sure that Grimhilde had managed to keep up – it felt as though they had been walking for a long time, trying to get to the middle of the woods. The deeper into the woods they went, the less likely it was that someone would stumble across them.

Maleficent knew this well, yet she couldn’t stop her eyes from darting up to the branches of every tree and around those few boulders large enough to camouflage a foe. This was the first time she had been here since she had been attacked. The forest wasn’t giving her the comfort she usually took from it, something that frustrated her to no end. She hadn’t been so on edge since before she cast her curse on Aurora, and the fairy hoped Grimhilde wouldn’t notice.

At last, Maleficent stopped in what seemed like the ideal place for combat training and turned to look at her friend, waiting for her to get her bearings.

[Queen Grimhilde]

Queen Grimhilde followed her out into the woods thankful they had a lot of coats at the house so she could borrow one. It wasn't purple but it was warm enough. She stopped seeing Maleficent had stopped. She wasn't sure if she was upset and paused as she remembered this was where she was first injured by the attack from Black Lantern Spoony and Insano.

"Maleficent if you wish to go somewhere else we can." said Grimhilde.

She had just thought of it as an open public space Maleficent could use her magic without them being spotted or anyone getting mad at them breaking anything. It had slipped her mind this was where she was attacked. There was times she didn't want to be on the front porch because that's where the attack had happened. So she knew where Maleficent was coming from if she was upset. Although Maleficent would probably never admit it but she felt she knew her well enough by now to think something was bothering her at least.

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Maleficent found herself feeling grateful that Grimhilde couldn’t see her face, for it kept her scowl hidden, at least for the moment. Apparently her emotions weren’t quite as hidden as she had hoped.

When did I become so transparent?

The thought distressed her far more than it should have.

“Hmm?” The dark fairy tried to play it off casually, turning back to her friend and tilting her head slightly to the side as if she wasn’t sure she had heard her properly. “Oh no, I’m quite fine practicing here.” She arched a thin, black eyebrow and continued, “Unless you want to go somewhere else, that is.”

She ran a finger lightly over her emerald-topped staff, the sudden silence indicating that a positive answer would not be well-received.

[Queen Grimhilde]

Queen Grimhilde looked at her curiously but Maleficent seemed to be okay with being here.

"Well if you're sure then go ahead. Perhaps you could start with something simple like trying to melt some of the snow. And work your way up." said Grimhilde.

She didn't want to upset Maleficent and if she said she was okay then she'd let her try here. She wasn't sure if Maleficent was ok but if Maleficent wanted to be here she wasn't going to say no.

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Maleficent bit down on her bottom lip to keep any noise of relief contained. The attack had left her bedridden for the better part of the month, and because of that, people seemed to have gotten it in their heads that she needed to be coddled and protected like a child. While deep down (way down), the dark fairy appreciated her allies’ concern and was grateful for the care they had given her, she was also determined to show that she wasn’t the fragile doll she was (in her own mind, at least) being made out as.

Maleficent didn’t give a verbal answer to Grimhilde’s suggestion. Instead her gold eyes honed in on a particularly deep-looking patch of snow not far from where they stood. She pointed her staff in its direction, and from the emerald top, flames of the same color poured, the heat of which melted the snow down to water.

In spite of this, Maleficent frowned. Her fire wasn’t as big or bright as it usually was…

[Queen Grimhilde]

Grimhilde watched as Maleficent used her magic to melt the snow however it wasn't that big. But she didn't want to upset her friend who didn't look happy herself. She decided to speak and attempt to cheer her friend up/

"Well your magic is still working. That's good news. Next time it be Facilier and the others who'll leave the battlefield wounded." said Grimhilde.

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“Well your magic is still working. That’s good news.”

“Hmm, yes,” Maleficent remarked. Though her tone was laced with annoyance, she knew that Grimhilde was right. She had taken quite a beating (more than she cared to admit), so the fact that her magic was working at all came as a relief, even if it wasn’t quite as strong as it should have been.

“Next time it will be Facilier and the others who’ll leave the battlefield wounded.”

Maleficent smirked. Oh yes. If there was one thing the dark fairy knew how to do, it was hold a grudge, and all that time on bed rest had given her a lot of time to consider exactly what she was going to do.

“Your turn, Grimhilde,” she said, turning to look at her friend.

[Queen Grimhilde]

Grimhilde heard the annoyed tone and sighed. Hopefully Maleficent could get back to her full power soon. She smiled though as Maleficent seemed to be a better mood after she had mentioned Facilier and the others would get hurt next time. She paused Grimhilde said it was her turn.

"My turn? I don't have magic like you. Although I wish I did. But I have been working on some new potions I'd like to try." said Grimhilde.

She pulled out a potion and threw it at a tree as it exploded as only the stump remained of the tree and it was on fire. Grimhilde quickly doused the flames with snow not wanting to start a forest fire and draw attentinon to them. She did the same to Maleficent's flames as well.

"Well this potion is a lot more powerful than I expected. I should make more of these. Even if they don't hit they should be great distractions." said Grimhilde.

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“My turn? I don't have magic like you.”

“I’m well aware of that, Grimhilde,” was Maleficent’s cool reply. “If you recall, however, the whole purpose of coming out here was to continue our training, magic or no magic.”

“But I have been working on some new potions I'd like to try.”

“Then by all means…”

The dark fairy gestured to the expanse of forest around them, indicating that she should hurry up, and watched with a faint level of curiosity as the queen took one of her many potions and threw it at the tree. Almost immediately, the aforementioned tree exploded, leaving only a flaming stump in its wake. Seeing it made Maleficent’s dark lips curve upward in a smirk.

“Quite impressive.”

[Queen Grimhilde]

Grimhilde smiled impressed with the potions work and was glad Maleficent was impresses as well.

"Thank you. That's one of my most powerful ones. I'm not sure how effective it will be on magical creatures. As their magic might protect them or weaken it somehow. And well knowing Critic and the others as I do they'd think this was an unfair advantage if I tried to use these on non-magical creatures." said Grimhilde.

She chuckled at that. She really wanted to use this on magical creatures anyway. Perhaps on Black Lantern Spoony for hurting her friend.

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“I’m not sure how effective it will be on magical creatures.”

Maleficent frowned – she hadn’t thought of that. Grimhilde had a point. Although certain things were universally bad, different types of magical creatures were affected by different things. It all depended on what sort of creature you were trying to target. Some might even have a particular magic capable of resisting the potion or things like it.

“And, well, knowing Critic and the others as I do, they’d think this was an unfair advantage if I tried to use these on non-magical creatures.”

Maleficent couldn’t resist laughing along with Grimhilde at that. It was true – even now, much to the dark fairy’s amazement, the other members of their little army couldn’t let go of their misplaced nobility. If they weren’t careful, it would be the death of them.

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” she remarked, amused. “Although it might be easier to find out how this would affect certain types of creatures.”

[Queen Grimhilde]

Grimhilde smiled glad she was amused as she was. She was glad she'd gotten her to laugh. It had been awhile since she'd been in good spirits. She hoped to keep it that way.

"They'd probably take these away from me saying they were too dangerous to use or something like that. These could be useful. At least in the rescue. We could blow up a wall and make our own way in and rescue our friends. Or at least be a good distraction if nothing else." said Grimhilde.

She paused as she was liking the idea more and more.

"They won't be prepared for something like this. With the right plan we could bust in there with these and rescue our captured friends. If someone's near the wall the most they'd probably get is get knocked out or a few brusies. But this could be what we need for a rescue." said Grimhilde.

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“Oh, I was thinking of lighting far more than a mere wall on fire,” Maleficent remarked, a dangerous, almost feral gleam entering her golden eyes. The “thing” the dark fairy had in mind was Mechakara. Her blood-red lips twisted into a smirk at the thought. Despite what she might tell herself and others about not caring, she was still furious that the robot had taken Patch from them – and called her weak in the process.

Let’s see if he can recover from that.

“Regardless,” Maleficent snapped back into reality quickly, “I doubt Critic and the others will deny you permission to use your new potions, particularly since you’re still recovering. And if they do –” that smirk again “– you tell me. I’m sure between the two of us, we can… persuade them to think otherwise.”

She pointed her emerald-topped staff at a tree not far from the one Grimhilde had made combust. Lightning exploded from the tip, splitting the trunk in two and prompting another grin from Maleficent. That, at least, was in working order.

[Queen Grimhilde]

Grimhilde nodded listening to her.

"You're right. If necessary I could always weaken the potions or something. After all a live prisoner is worth more than a dead one. Especially if it's one of the more important members." said Grimhilde.

She paused and smiled as Maleficent said she'd help persuade them.

"Perhaps we can tell them together. That way they'll have no reason to say no." said Grimhilde.

She smiled and then watched as Maleficent made another tree combust with lightning. She smirked and applauded. She paused as another idea came to her. She looked at Maleficent.

"Perhaps when we're done we should try to restore what we destroyed. At least for appearances sake. If people suddenly find a few tree stumps they might think an arsonist is running around. And we really don't need nosy people snooping around." said Grimhilde.

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“You're right. If necessary I could always weaken the potions or something. After all a live prisoner is worth more than a dead one. Especially if it's one of the more important members.”

It was true. Maleficent nodded in agreement. Live prisoners could be used to gain information and, if they were important enough, obtain leverage over the other armies.

The dark fairy couldn’t help but chuckle at Grimhilde’s answer to her offer of persuasion. The implications of the statement seemed to have gone right over the queen’s head. Regardless, she returned the smile.

“We can go tell them after we’re finished here, if you wish.”

Grimhilde’s next suggestion surprised Maleficent. Logically, she knew her friend was correct. Deep in the forest though they were, people could still come by and, if they were to witness the random destruction, they would begin to suspect something was amiss.

Her pride was the issue. She was a dark fairy. By nature, restoration wasn’t something she did. Besides, it drained her more than her usual brand of black magic.

Still, attracting unwanted attention was the last thing they needed to do.

“Very well,” Maleficent sighed.