Fungus Amongus from Morgana's POV.
There was something to be said for love at first sight – it had its uses.
Morgana had believed in such things when she was a little girl, but then she also believed in fairy tales and the Easter Goblin. Children grow out of these fantasies, but much to her own embarrassment, she continued to believe that love existed. She loved her father - she loved her schoolteachers -but that was different from the longing she'd have when looking alone at the moonlight through her window. She would try to reason with her herself that only money and the power it came with would bring happiness, yet time and time again she'd wistfully sigh at an imagined lover's kiss.
Independence drove her to the world of 'Normies', despite – rather, because of – her family's warnings. Her father was the loudest of them all, until he learned the actual truth of her pizza parlor plan. "Well, if it's going to harm Normies", he had said with a hand under his chin in thought, "then I suppose it won't be too harmful." She'd simply agreed in order to end the matter. Her wish of love wasn't her only strange quirk.
Throughout her life she had been warned against the normal people, those without magic and without the advantages of extra appendages. For whatever reason Morgana couldn't hold the same hate for them her kind did. Instead, she felt pity for them. How difficult life must be without potions and spells! How noble they were for coming this far without any help! How easy it would be to take from them! St. Canard had been chosen as the base of her operations after learning about the over abundance of strange criminals known to terrorize the area. They'd blend right in.
Her small base of loyal servants and extremely old family members weren't her first choice of helpers, but beggars couldn't be choosers. They were the only ones who could fit in with Normies, but their blood thirst always gave her pause. The first rule about this operation, she had told them, was absolutely no hurting Normies. That had gotten a good laugh before she told them she was serious. That was probably when the first seed of mistrust had been planted, but she hoped their profits would shut them up.
She also told them not to eat the damn mushrooms until they were finished, but they complained so much she let them off with a simple 'Don't say I didn't warn you'.
That one night that ruined it all she was about to enter the meeting when she heard the other doors slam open and a new voice announce himself while spewing smoke. Even without hearing his name, she automatically knew who he was. Research into St. Canard's villainy has also given her information about its solve savior. There came that pity and admiration again. A mere Normie trying to protect his city and his city responded by rants in the newspaper and insults on TV. From what little she could see of him in blurry photographs and disinterested interviews, he wasn't a bad face to look at. He chose colors to blend in the shadows and typically only worked in the night. What an interesting little creature, she had mused, before setting the paper aside to resume training her bats.
Now there he was, about to become a late snack for her board members. She'd better save the poor soul and get him out as soon as possible. She had interacted with a few Normies in order to get the business off the ground, and it became clear that while her beauty was somewhat appreciated in her culture, to the Normies she was a goddess. A few bats of her eyelashes and taking her time in walking with her hips swiveling side to side, and she got the cheapest advertising in town. Once they got a better and longer look at her, however, they would notice she was paler than usual, gulp at her unusual topics of discussion, and ultimately decide she was more demon temptress than goddess. Pretending it didn't bother her was another lie to add in her heart.
She calmly announced her presence, and it was love at first sight for him. He had blinked – hard – shook his head – hard – and she was flattered by how quickly he smiled. There came the goddess effect. No, he wasn't bad looking at all, up close. He lost the ability to form a coherent sentence and his palm was sweaty to shake and she suddenly found herself enjoying his twisted tongue. In a bit of sadistic pleasure, she found herself leaning in, accentuating the silkiness in her voice, and watched him all but melt under her gaze. She could tell herself that love didn't have a purpose, but lust would always be a great tool. This sweet little fool could be wrapped around her finger…
"The pizza toppings? You knew that?"
… Or not. For one of the first times in her life, Morgana had been caught completely off guard. She jerked her head back to him, and saw that he had, momentarily, seen through the fog and was focusing on what she had babbled on about. She'd later tell herself that he had been at this crime-fighting thing a few years, and it would be natural that other female villains had tried to use their charms on him, and so he would develop a resistance to it. There was nothing to be flustered about.
Yet there she was, flustered. Utterly flustered.
"Well, I... deduced it."
He accepted that explanation overly easily enough and he was a slave to her curves once more. The slip stayed on her and she kept it in mind as she goaded him to tour the mansion with her, while her board members made sure the rest of the evening went as planned. She told him little lies about the family business and he listened with rapt attention. He noticed her paleness – he heard her tip on strange topics – and he remained infatuated. Granted, he didn't share the fascination with spores and slime molds as she, but he made the effort to listen for her sake. She wondered if she could lead him straight him to the gates of Hades without argument.
There was something comforting about having his presence there. She was almost – almost – reluctant to get to the front door to see him on his way. But if he wanted to live, he had to leave, and hopefully he'd keep that nice beak of his out of her business. She sent him off with a compliment and a wave –
And he was suddenly at her side again. "I have to stay here to protect you – I-I mean the mushrooms!"
Morgana was utterly flustered twice in one night. This was not a good sign. He nervously twisted his fedora in his hands, desperate for her approval as she tried to find words. He was like a knight out of fairy tales she'd read so long ago, pledging himself to his fair lady before they lived happily ever after –
Oh goodness. That was getting a tad ahead of herself. She stopped herself from agreeing to his very generous offer, in part thanks to the glare she caught from her elders. Mentally she urged him to flee, to go away and never return and never entangle himself in her affairs again for both of their sakes – lest he find himself in mortal danger, lest she seize him out of greed and whatever was spiraling in her chest. His attention was suddenly diverted to a call from his 'Ratcatcher', and he was finally gone. Yet she stayed on the porch watching where his figure had gone, and found herself smiling.
What a noble little creature. He enjoyed the night and the strangeness it could bring. He was quite strange himself – a Normie and yet not Normie in every way, save for the obvious. Perhaps it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if they met again. Perhaps she had finally found someone she could be honest with. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps a million things –
And then her board members berated her judgment and she was reminded that they were criminals above all. She did her best to keep a neutral face on while she reprimanded herself. He'd been able to question her about her knowledge of the stolen toppings, so he wasn't entirely subservient to her. There was no guarantee he'd let her slide the next time. At least until Lady Janice offered her the magic lipstick. Morgana dismissed it immediately, but her mind was reeling on two fascinating paths.
Use it, and have a devoted angel of darkness at her beck and call. Don't use it, and enter into a battle of seduction versus righteousness. Neither of them equaled love but they did equal enough excitement to generate electricity throughout her veins. She was a greedy person, it was what had started this whole scheme, and she found her greed not attaching itself to a flashy man in purple with a giant ego and a giant heart. But that was in no state of mind to conduct a meeting, and so she shook her head, went for the door –
And noticed Uncle Nero was missing. Oh, that's right, he was on duty to steal anchovies that night. She then stopped – Darkwing had been called away because someone was in danger. Time to add coincidences to her growing list of beliefs. She hurriedly adjourned the meeting without explanation, and a faint teleportation spell got her to the assigned warehouse. She snuck in among the shadows just in time to see Darkwing make his grand entrance. To be fair, he put up as good a fight as a Normie could. He was very dynamic and brave as he stood up to Nero, and she swore that this man would be the end of her.
Again, she interrupted a feeding frenzy, and demanded Nero to leave. She ignored his warning about the others - oh, please, she was in charge! What would they possibly do to her? – and set Darkwing and his friend free. She kept the delightful image of him being bound tucked away in the back of her head while feigning ignorance of the matter to why she was there. The friend – Launchpad - wasn't as suddenly beset by her beauty as his boss was, though given the life threatening circumstances this was understandable. Unfortunately, Darkwing wasn't either. He questioned her why she was there, and when her spiders continued their thievery, he set into action –
The spiders! The poor dears!
On her knees, she scooped up one innocent bay of a bug and cuddled it while the two men stared at the absurdity of it all. This was the sort of thing that had led other Normie men to end whatever interaction they had with her as swift as possible, and she could hear Darkwing call that 'thing' dangerous. But as she explained how sweet they could be, she glanced at him, and he was her faithful supporter once more. He could only muster up a few resistances at a time and he'd already used them all up in this meeting. Still, it was best not to push her luck. She delicately excused herself, feeling Darkwing's eyes on her as she walked – and so deliberately measured each slow, luscious step to accommodate him.
He had accepted her unusual nature and still desired her. She found herself constantly distracted in her mind, and often Janice had to say her name three times in order to get her attention. Morgana would lie and say she was thinking of the next heist, and go back to her research. They would soon be at their last theft, and that was left up to Granny. In the meantime, Morgana went back to the newspapers and interviews she collected, and this time actually paid attention. He always won against the criminals he faced, despite no gratitude, despite no reward, despite – bafflingly – no profit. Was he really going against insane toymakers and deadly plant manipulators for the sake of helping others? Was his sense of right and wrong so instilled that he cared more for others than his own life?
It became quite clear to Morgana that as long as a crime was committed, Darkwing would do his best to stop it. As long as Morgana continued to commit crimes, Darkwing would try to stop her. She wondered why that wasn't so upsetting as it should have been. She found herself tracing his image on the newspaper before realizing she'd be late to see the others. She didn't expect too much trouble when she came to the sewers to see their progress.
She didn't expect to see Darkwing and Launchpad cornered by the board members. Too clever by half, indeed. If only they had waited a little longer, or at least been confronted by only one of her sinisterly cohorts. But as it was, there was no letting him get away with this time or the board really would be against her. There was no deep familial bond in this group, and if one was in the way of riches, then they would be eliminated at once. It was her or Darkwing. Unless…
Janice's lipstick rolled into her hand. Temptation and familiar greed beat in her cold body. Thankfully that strain of goodness that never died had her murmur a few words to nullify the lipstick's power. There were other, less guilt inducing ways to change a man's mind. She walked out into the light and saw Darkwing's hope for her begin to dwindle in his wide eyes. Yet it did not die, not even as the others chained he and his sidekick up. They were definitely going to eat these Normies. To let them leave would be the end of the business.
She made one last valiant effort. She coaxed him, she purred at him, she stroked him – and he absolutely refused to give in. It was physically killing him not to be lured in by her advances, but he would not join her side. He would rather be killed than turn to a life of crime. What did that say about herself?
She felt she'd had only just met him. She'd known the board members for months. She had planned this entire scheme for over a year. As she watched him lower his head and mutter about the loss of hope, she found she absolutely hated him. For a Normie, for someone with absolutely no magic, he had control over her and she couldn't go back on what she was about to do. She declared that he had potential, and proceeded to put on the switched lipstick. Darkwing blinked rapidly – apparently he had dealt with the subject of mind control before. He had a good guess as to what was coming. Her clever, clever creature.
The kiss most likely lasted longer than it needed to be. He had inwardly jerked at it, and then his body went slump. In seconds he understood his mind was still his own, but that there was a role to play. She'd be madder at him if he didn't taste so delicious. She pulled back, gave him a simple instruction, and all hell broke loose. Everything was ruined and she spoke honestly for the first time since – she couldn't remember. It wasn't a true change of heart but it would have to do for now, and they ran.
How a lightning-storm would help him defeat ravenous killer mushrooms, she never would have known. So she watched with amazement as he proved the power of Normies with butter and a well time strike. He truly was a marvelous man. It didn't hurt to lose the mushrooms as badly as she thought it would be – she was glad to be rid of the things. They weren't coming along as they were supposed to. She was relieved to realize this plan wasn't going to work even if she hadn't betrayed the board. There was still time to come up with something else , and with someone else, not these stupid wicked men and women who frankly deserved to shrink under the sun. She wouldn't miss them.
Darkwing's voice carried the guilt she didn't have, lamenting that he'd still have to arrest her. There was that sense of justice again, carrying through despite how deeply he longed for her. But who said the game was over? She'd never deeply feared being arrested, what with her easy spells. Before Darkwing came along, she thought it'd be deeply annoying to have to start all over again. Now she looked forward to it. It would be better planned, better constructed, and best of all, more chances to lure her – oh yes, most definitely hers now – Darkwing to her again.
She placed his fedora on his head, and pet him tenderly. Once she had him nicely mystified by her again, she made her way back to the mansion, willing a much larger teleportation spell to life. She took slow steps again, smirking as she heard Darkwing beg her not to be like this. She bade him farewell with a blown kiss, and vanished.
Let the games begin.