"A Drugged Meglomaniac, and You! A Beginner's Guide." [Flashback]

Toonami had given Higure an amazing tour, or it would be if she could remember even half of it. Part of her time was spent hanging off her, and the other half exploring the different drugs Toonami had available. Higure could see how others could get addicted to it to escape reality ... if only she wasn't so addled that she lost sight of Toonami somewhere, but she did thankfully have other plans she wanted to deal with before they left.


If she were truly a member of the Bartheon, if they were truly going to rule the criminal underworld. It was lucky that they ran into her, because there plans were too small, and doomed for failure. At least from what she heard of it. No they could go further, get more powerful, spread the home for the lost and wayward throughout the entire world. And slowly but surely, they would be so strong no one would dare oppose them.


She stumbled into a study, and found whom she was looking for, "Ko~na~mi~! I found joo! Joor sistar introduced me to things ... but ... but words are things? Shorry kinda need to catch my thoughts for a second after all that shtuff."


Looking up at the ceiling she take a deep breath and look at Koonami, with a serious glint in her eyes, "I don't want joo and the smexberry to end up like that dumb fuck Akeno. Getting hershelf killed cause she wash being fucking retarded. Your plan ish doomed for failure. Thankfully I hash a plan!"

Stumbling to Konami's desk, she noticed she was feeling parched she remembered she was holding a bottle of something gold colored she couldn't put a name on, and chugged it before continuing, "CONQUER THE MINOR NATIONS! MWAHAHAHA! Joo shee? They're shmall an' weak. But if we gather them all under one ban ... ban ... flag thingie. Under one nation, shpread out, but united. When one is attacked, we all attack back. And when one goesh to war, we all do. Strength in numbersh, res ... reece ... stuffsh that landsh have that we want.

"And causesh we gather all the minor nationsh, we can more easily have the forcesh to go after the bigger landsh. Then we can rule the world!!! And mosht importantly, joo will have a fighting force to have joor back ... I ... I can't loosesh joo guysh too."

She'd slump down on top of the desk looking sideways up at Konami, and gave a smile, "I don't haff the power to protect the onesh that matter to me yet. Sho ... letsh conquor the world firsht. Get an army bigger than anyonesh ... then we can go after the harder targetsh. Alright? I ... wanna shtay with joo two ... and I don't wanna losesh joo two. Not like Akeno. It'd hurt too much."

[1]

Konami was gathering together engineering blueprints for the new factories that she would build in Kumogakure along with more investment portfolios for Baratheon. The tall woman sat at her desk diligently working and occasionally rubbing her temples. She could hear the commotion that Toonami was causing as she gave her newest plaything a tour. The chaos appeared to die down and Konami assumed that her sister had fallen into a stupor as she so often did. The more serious and mature twin continued working when she was interrupted by their latest apprentice.

Konami looked up from her work and raised an eyebrow at Higure. She confessed that she had been given something by Toonami whom she referred to as "smexberry". She then went on to lament that she didn't want them to end up like Akeno. She proceeded to then lecture her employer about tactics to which Konami audibly scoffed and crossed her arms. She leaned back in her chair as the young girl proceeded to make a proper fool of herself.

She shouldn't have been surprised. Higure didn't have the guile to fend of Toon which meant she'd quickly be introduced to mind altering substances. Konami didn't mind so long as Toon kept her away from heroin and she guessed that her twin sister was too fond of Higure to put that poison in her veins.

The girl's plan was to conquer the minor nations. She fell on top of her boss's desk which sent a few papers scattering. She smiled at Konami but the woman only returned a stern frown.

"You're high Higure....and probably drunk too." Konami stood up and helped Higure off the desk and into a comfortable chair. She then poured her a glass of ice cold water and then handed it to her new student. The woman was fierce and very amoral, but she wasn't without her soft side. She had mentored others before and she saw a bit of herself in Higure. The tall woman knelt down so that she was eye level with the Tatsuda-Kazehana hapa.  

"Drink it and listen to me...." Konami would wait for Higure to finish the drink. "Higure, know that any plan you could ever think of has already been considered by me and my sister. You aren't wrong....but you have no idea how difficult and complicated it is to take over a minor nation...and hold that territory. The Great Nations have more military might than entire regions and most have been cautious when it comes to taking territory. Consider this your first lesson Higure: Patience. I know my sister finds you amusing and the amusements that you two share are your own"

Konami was essentially giving Higure permission to be with Toon. It might create complications later down the line but she knew that if Toon had her sights set on Higure nothing would stop her from seducing and/or corrupting the girl. If she forbid them from seeing each other it would only increase the passion between them. Better to bless it and monitor the situation.

"However. You are an employee of Baratheon now. And I have a dream of making this corporation the greatest organization in history. Power, wealth, and land. We will have it all. A place for all outcasts to call home. That's what you want right?"

Once Higure responded in affirmation, Konami would continue:

"Then you'll need to listen to me. Follow my every order. My sister is spontaneous, quick on her feet, chaotic, and innovative but she is terribly disorganized and undisciplined. You can learn a lot from us both...but I want you to understand at the end of the day, you should think twice before falling down the path she did. "

As Higure looked at Konomi as she was told she was drunk and possibly stoned, Higure gave a happy affirmative hum, "I've never been either before. But Toon," Higure burst out laughing as the older woman got up and walked around to help her up, as she leaned against her. She gave a light, hesitant hug as she giggled and continued with her train of thought, "That's a fun name to say .. but yeah she gave me this brown stuff. Then this gold stuff. And then some other things, and for once I don't feel angry all the time. You know? Like I can actually let my guard down ... it's weird."

When she was set down on the chair and told to drink the glass of water. Higure drank it and looked at Konomi, and listened to her as she told her, her first lesson. As well as her blessing to find whatever amusement she'd find with Toonami. Higure gave a happy smile as she wiggled into a more comfy position on the chair, "Alright, I had a lot of practice with patience. It's just after all of that stuff. I felt worried about you two. I just want to help make sure that we all make it, and that I don't loose anyone I care about ever again, even if I have to find a way to curbstomp death and rip you two back from the underworld ... I hate losing ... I'm sorry if I was being impertinent. And ... what exactly do you mean by the amusements we share? Do you mean like the stuff the Smexberry gave me and the hugs?"

It was an innocent question, but at the same time spoke of the depth of her naivety in certain areas. Sure she had heard of sex, she'd even seen stories about it. But hearing something, and having experience in interpreting that in real life was a wide gulf in some areas. Of course being drunk and stoned out of her gourd didn't help, but she had putted her trust to these two. And didn't think they'd allow anything truly horrible to happen to her.

Still it was nice that she had her blessing for whatever she was getting a blessing for. Even if a small less intoxicated part knew she was starting to ramble. She would find a way to bring the dead to life some day. And when she did, no one she cared about would die on her ever again.

But nonetheless when asked if making a home for the outcasts Higure would nod, and enthuse passionately, "A place for all the outcasts everywhere. It's not fair how some people are just used by their clan or nations and then tossed aside. It's not right that a person could try and fit in, or work hard to gain acceptance. But in the end just isn't seen as good enough. It's not just, that those who can't fit in are deemed criminals, and hunted down. I want to give them all a place where they can belong."


When she was told that she needed to learn from both of them, and that Konomi didn't want to see her fall down the same path her sister did. Higure gave a head tilt, and replied, "What path did she fall down? Is there a way I can pick her up again? Cause if I can I will, you know? As for learning from you ... I'd like that. I'm sorry if I got caught up in all of this. Affection, getting shown how to deal with pain in a way that actually makes me feel happy ... emotionally speaking. And probably short term. But I unwittingly ignored you,

She'd lean forward and attempt to give her a hug. She was still new to that whole thing, but knew they felt awesome, [color]"I'm sorry for that, but I'd love to learn from both of you. Maybe find some middle ground, so I can help you both. Make your lives easier, and where and when I can help you out. I'm a good study, and fast on my feet ... mentally speaking."[/color]

She'd give one final squeeze and flop back onto the couch. Looking at Konomi as she listened to what the wiser ninja had to say.

[2]

Konami was visibly startled when Higure mentioned "brown stuff". That wasn't good. She'd need to have a serious talk with Toon after she was done here. Rather than pry further into matters that would only piss her off greatly, she decided to let the comment go. Higure's heart was in the right place. She desperately clung to them in search of strength, identity, and fulfillment. They were founding a criminal organization but ultimately Higure seemed to be thinking in terms of family. Konami knew that when it came down to it, she'd cut Higure off to save her own skin but she was increasingly getting the feeling that Higure might be willing to sacrifice herself (or a part of herself) to save her newfound bosses. It was an intriguing suspicion.

Higure then asked what was meant by "amusement". Konami sighed and elaborated.

"Hugs. Drugs. Whatever you want." she said truthfully, although she'd have to converse with Toon about which drugs the lass would be introduced to. If she turned the bronze skinned hybrid into a junkie too soon she'd be utterly useless to them. "I imagine sooner or later, Toonami won't be satisfied with just hugging you an-, look it doesn't matter. All I'm saying is that so long as you are comfortable you two have my permission to take your relationship as long or as short as you want. If you want to know what that entails. Ask my sister yourself."

Konami wasn't comfortable talking about this. It wasn't that she was a stranger to Toon's debauched ways. Its just that Higure was relatively innocent and Toon was very wild. Trying to explain to her what Toon was doing was awkward and would only distract them both. She'd rather leave those considerations out of this discussion.  Konami nodded at Higure's dream. It was admirable and coincided with her own plans. Together, they'd achieve but only if 2/3rds of their new group could stay focused enough to see it through. Higure asked what path her sister had fallen down and what she could do to pick her back up. Konami sighed and shook her head. Toonami had been like that even before she had so much as touched a joint. The girl craved danger, affection, and recognition to the point where it had cost them their first home. Toon had developed a complex as a result of being the submissive twin and this complex had led her down the path of addiction. She had done everything to make herself feel free and wanted. It had cost them so much and no matter how hard Konami tried, her sister could not break out of it. There was nothing Higure could do on that front.

"You can't save her. Not even I can. She'll have to save herself." Higure went in for a hug but she was stopped by Konami's long muscular arm. She'd then shove Higure back into the couch with a surprisingly dominant show of force. Higure had gotten the wrong idea. Konami wasn't all that touch-feely. She was very professional and she established clear boundaries. Higure was her subordinate, and while she was a very important subordinate with a lot of potential and room to grow, she didn't want the girl thinking that they were closer than that.

"You'll make my life easier because that's what I pay you to do Higure." she remained crouched on one knee and her eyes gazed into the emerald pupils of her newfound student. "I'm not Toonami. I care for your well-being only in so far as you are a loyal ward of mine. We are not friends nor are we family. If you do as I say, learn what I have to teach you, and serve us well...I can promise you that what I offer is far more meaningful than hugs and friendship. If you want that kind of affection seek it from the arms of my sister. Until then...."

She offered a modest handshake in lieu of a hug.

"Consider this your second lesson. Restraint. In the criminal underworld, tears, affection, and trust are weapons that can be used against you. Be careful who you show your sweet side to"

Higure drunkenly nodded at the clarification of 'amusement', and would definitely be talking to Toon first thing in the morning after she got up and they both were fed. But upon hearing that no one but Toonami save herself, she felt a small frown form, "Then I'll just have to be there for her for when she needs me. If that's the only thing I can do, then that's what I'll do for her."

And it was true. It was rare that others earned her loyalty, but it was something that since she gave it. It wasn't so cheaply tossed aside, that and she had to admit that the blueberry twin had through grandiosity, charisma, and just being herself. Had crashed through her walls like they were tissue paper. It didn't really help with her guard when she then introduced her to all the fun things she'd been missing out on.

Higure listened to the lecture, and while a bit of it stung, she nodded as Konomi explained that they were neither friends nor family. But rather a paid employee, and paid to be her student. But facts were facts, and as long as she could be useful to her, and as long as she finally had a place to belong, along side them as they worked towards their dreams. She could accept that fact, and after her handshake and second lesson, she gave a determined nod, "I won't let you down, and I'll work hard on being the best student you could ask for. As for showing those emotions? I lasted this long simply by being angry at the world, and keeping everyone at arms length ... I honestly don't know how your sister blasted through those walls. But ... yeah, you got yourself a deal.

"As for letting others see that sweet side, other than your sister and yourself, no ones earned that in a while. So I can keep others at a distance, I've a lifetime experience with that. Only you two've earned my loyalty since I ran from home. Everyone else can suck my furry peach and die in a fire for all I care."

Higure let loose a powerful yawn as she wiggled deeper into the chair, [color=gold]"I'll follow you two and your lessons to the end of the world. Even if I have to lose an arm and a leg proving myself worthy of this, Not even death will keep me from being there for your two and following you all,"[color=undefined] Letting loose a stronger yawn she felt herself slip into unconsciousness but not before say, "before we leave. I'll tell your sister about your blessing, and get started on whatever tasks I need for the day. I'll prove worthy of your time and help ... I won't let you down."

[3]

// Exit Thread.