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31_days2012-05-16 12:53 am
insaneladybug.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2012-05-16 12:53 am
[May 16th] [Perry Mason] A Villain's Ruminations
Title: A Villain's Ruminations
Day/Theme: May 16th - A little less with every dawn
Series: Perry Mason
Character/Pairing: Vivalene (OC); important mentions of many of the main cast, from Hamilton Burger to Paul Drake to Lieutenant Tragg to Leon
Rating: T/PG-13
Part of the "Missing Scenes from The Broken Ties" series.
Takes place around chapter 8.
By Lucky_Ladybug
Her power was slipping.
Vivalene recognized that each morning when she awakened and saw the crackling of the dome overhead. Yesterday it had been more intense than the day before, and today, moreso than either of the other days.
Her lip curled in annoyance as she whirled away from the window. She never would have thought that Paul Drake and Hamilton Burger could do so much damage to her plans. Now they had managed to reunite Perry Mason and Della Street, something Vivalene and all of her cohorts had tried to ensure would never happen. They had all feared that, were it to occur, the bond between those two would be stronger than the spell. And indeed, it had been after that first meeting that the bubble had started to show signs of wear and tear.
Of course, she would not have been so stupid as to allow Drake and Burger that leeway if she had been able to control it. They had been supposed to lose their memories like everyone else. She had been stunned to realize that they both remembered.
At first it had amused her. It made her punishment of Hamilton much more poignant and cruel, after all. She could see how badly he was breaking from the falsehoods everyone believed were true about him. He had lost all of his true friends. Even Jefferson Pike, who had saved Hamilton’s life many years before, was now lukewarm at best. Although he was not cold like some of the others, lukewarm was hurtful enough.
And working with Paul to try to save everyone was a disaster waiting to happen. Vivalene knew they had trouble getting along. There had always been a cool, unspoken tension between them. Pushed to their limits, that would eventually break forth as well. She looked forward to that.
But as she saw the increasing amount of damage their stubborn behavior was causing, she was growing less amused and more furious. There had to be some way to stop their campaign against her.
When Heyes or Vann called and complained, she brushed off their concerns and acted as though everything was fine. In reality, she was tenser than they were.
She still had her tricks, however. Whenever someone seemed likely to start surrendering to Hamilton and Paul’s words, she used more magic from the box to make the cruel memories more prominent. Although sometimes it was unnecessary; Mignon Germaine was so badly crushed by her memories that she did not need any of Vivalene’s assistance to make it worse.
And then there was Leon, Hamilton’s still-faithful secretary. He was an enigma to Vivalene. He did not remember, but either the untrue memories had not taken hold at all, or worse—they had but made no difference in his devotion. He was worried about Hamilton’s state of mind yet refused to do anything against him. He was Hamilton’s loyal old dog, ready and willing to do anything for him. And Hamilton, she thought with a sneer, must be very grateful.
Or simply confused. Vivalene knew that he had faltered, unable to believe it really wasn’t something she had arranged to blow up in his face. For all she knew, he still had doubts.
Her lips curled in a bit of entertainment. Hamilton was trying to protect Leon from her. He had tried somewhat to get Leon to remember the truth, but upon realizing Leon’s continuing faithfulness to him he had determined that Leon should stay away from the main body of the action. He thought Vivalene had made an oversight with him. She had not; she simply could not figure out how to handle him.
Well, no matter. She could go after Leon any time she chose. It was possible that killing him was the only way she could use him against the district attorney. And she would, if it came to that. For now she would let Hamilton think he had scored a victory, however minor. It would make the later blow all the more devastating.
And meanwhile, she still had Tragg.
Poor Lieutenant Tragg, who, thanks to the spell, saw her as the image of his dead wife Maureen. He was still in love with her. And Vivalene used that to her full advantage. Even if some part of him knew the real Maureen was no longer there, he was willing to accept Vivalene as a substitute. After all, she did a very good imitation. And he had no idea that she was draining him of his strength every time he was asleep.
Tragg was the key to everything, really. Vivalene had set it up so that upon his death the spell would be permanently sealed.
Well, of course, there was always some way to break a spell. Or at least, that was what she had been learning. Even if Tragg died, some fool might discover the secret and try to break this one.
If they did, though, they would have to sacrifice themselves to do it. And most people loved life too much to think of such a path.
Vivalene smirked. Yes, as far as she was concerned, the weakening dome was only superficially frightening. Perhaps her enemies would have some success, but not all.
She still held the most important cards in this game.
Day/Theme: May 16th - A little less with every dawn
Series: Perry Mason
Character/Pairing: Vivalene (OC); important mentions of many of the main cast, from Hamilton Burger to Paul Drake to Lieutenant Tragg to Leon
Rating: T/PG-13
Part of the "Missing Scenes from The Broken Ties" series.
Takes place around chapter 8.
Her power was slipping.
Vivalene recognized that each morning when she awakened and saw the crackling of the dome overhead. Yesterday it had been more intense than the day before, and today, moreso than either of the other days.
Her lip curled in annoyance as she whirled away from the window. She never would have thought that Paul Drake and Hamilton Burger could do so much damage to her plans. Now they had managed to reunite Perry Mason and Della Street, something Vivalene and all of her cohorts had tried to ensure would never happen. They had all feared that, were it to occur, the bond between those two would be stronger than the spell. And indeed, it had been after that first meeting that the bubble had started to show signs of wear and tear.
Of course, she would not have been so stupid as to allow Drake and Burger that leeway if she had been able to control it. They had been supposed to lose their memories like everyone else. She had been stunned to realize that they both remembered.
At first it had amused her. It made her punishment of Hamilton much more poignant and cruel, after all. She could see how badly he was breaking from the falsehoods everyone believed were true about him. He had lost all of his true friends. Even Jefferson Pike, who had saved Hamilton’s life many years before, was now lukewarm at best. Although he was not cold like some of the others, lukewarm was hurtful enough.
And working with Paul to try to save everyone was a disaster waiting to happen. Vivalene knew they had trouble getting along. There had always been a cool, unspoken tension between them. Pushed to their limits, that would eventually break forth as well. She looked forward to that.
But as she saw the increasing amount of damage their stubborn behavior was causing, she was growing less amused and more furious. There had to be some way to stop their campaign against her.
When Heyes or Vann called and complained, she brushed off their concerns and acted as though everything was fine. In reality, she was tenser than they were.
She still had her tricks, however. Whenever someone seemed likely to start surrendering to Hamilton and Paul’s words, she used more magic from the box to make the cruel memories more prominent. Although sometimes it was unnecessary; Mignon Germaine was so badly crushed by her memories that she did not need any of Vivalene’s assistance to make it worse.
And then there was Leon, Hamilton’s still-faithful secretary. He was an enigma to Vivalene. He did not remember, but either the untrue memories had not taken hold at all, or worse—they had but made no difference in his devotion. He was worried about Hamilton’s state of mind yet refused to do anything against him. He was Hamilton’s loyal old dog, ready and willing to do anything for him. And Hamilton, she thought with a sneer, must be very grateful.
Or simply confused. Vivalene knew that he had faltered, unable to believe it really wasn’t something she had arranged to blow up in his face. For all she knew, he still had doubts.
Her lips curled in a bit of entertainment. Hamilton was trying to protect Leon from her. He had tried somewhat to get Leon to remember the truth, but upon realizing Leon’s continuing faithfulness to him he had determined that Leon should stay away from the main body of the action. He thought Vivalene had made an oversight with him. She had not; she simply could not figure out how to handle him.
Well, no matter. She could go after Leon any time she chose. It was possible that killing him was the only way she could use him against the district attorney. And she would, if it came to that. For now she would let Hamilton think he had scored a victory, however minor. It would make the later blow all the more devastating.
And meanwhile, she still had Tragg.
Poor Lieutenant Tragg, who, thanks to the spell, saw her as the image of his dead wife Maureen. He was still in love with her. And Vivalene used that to her full advantage. Even if some part of him knew the real Maureen was no longer there, he was willing to accept Vivalene as a substitute. After all, she did a very good imitation. And he had no idea that she was draining him of his strength every time he was asleep.
Tragg was the key to everything, really. Vivalene had set it up so that upon his death the spell would be permanently sealed.
Well, of course, there was always some way to break a spell. Or at least, that was what she had been learning. Even if Tragg died, some fool might discover the secret and try to break this one.
If they did, though, they would have to sacrifice themselves to do it. And most people loved life too much to think of such a path.
Vivalene smirked. Yes, as far as she was concerned, the weakening dome was only superficially frightening. Perhaps her enemies would have some success, but not all.
She still held the most important cards in this game.