"Ah, she's awake," he told the room, his peaceable unassuming smile still in place. "That's much better..."

Prof. Montclair leaned against his desk, arms crossed. "Well, since you asked, I suppose there's no need to run around pretending any more." The calm set of his lips took on a menacing cast, the shadows that had been swirling around his head highlighting the predatory angles of his face.

"I did not like your tone, Ms. Portman. For that alone, I believe that Fate has put you in my path so that I must punish you. That, and you have a clue to my true nature..."

The pale skin on his angular mien took on a deceptive alabaster cast, like fresh porcelain as his golden eyes sunk deeper. From where she was bound, she thought that his clothes were loosing their creases, the material melting into his skin. Through it all, the grin remained present, even as the Savant revealed himself, bit by bit as the deepening gloom took on a thick taste, like wet velvet scented by dried roses.

And I can't let you leave now, with you knowing as you've found out...

"Like i haven't known already? All of you so called teachers are fake, every single one of you."

Ok most of them are fake, some are actually good teachers but for the moment she can't separate them because all teachers in her eyes are just as bad as he is. He was morphing in front of her eyes though, turning into something she knew it will have happened. She hasn't seen his kind before so might as well ask since she isn't moving anywhere from her tied up position.

"Might as well, who the hell are you anyway?"

He stood there eerily quiet, caught between his mask and his true form. From his half-masked face, he looked down upon her with an unearthly disdain, the way she would look down at a speck of dust upon her uniform.

Upon an unspoken command, the shadows slid forth and, forming a vague shape, slid around her head and gagged her. The material tasted of fresh-burning smoke.

"Your voice annoys me so. And for my name, it would not matter to a perceptive one such as yourself."

The inkiness that had coiled itself around his pale hands suddenly unwound, the narrowness of it coiling about his feet.

"Now, if you don't mind," the being known as Magadon said as he cocked his arm. "I would like to get on with carrying out your punishment now."

The first blow landed across her stomach, the pain sending sharp blue signals arching throughout her body.

Dawn saw the hit coming, she was a fighter after all, although this was a secret to almost everyone except a safe few. Dawn took the punch in the stomach, it was hard, even by her standards. I gasped for air but it didn't seem to do as much as he thought he did.

"heh, that is all you got? i fought males that hit harder then you."

Dawn still has to catch her breath though, the blow did knock air out of her but that was it.

"you let me go and i will guarantee you, you won't be able to beat me. maybe that is why..." Dawn shook her bondage, "you had me tied up."

One thing did piss her off, other than the punch, he said her voice was annoying? how DARE he say that? this thing isn't even human how dare he say such blasphemy?

Something in Dawn's tone irked Magadon. He could feel that her experiences lent her a strength he'd yet to see among the other students in the Academy. Her inner strength burned from within clear eyes the color of the soaring tropical skies.

This should be fun...

The Savant usually took on a clinical approach to what he called 'Practical Application of Corrective Discipline'. And he took to heart (figuratively speaking, of course, as he did not have such an organ) her comment in that he wasn't hitting her hard enough.

His husky, well-echo voice sounded in her mind. Apparently, the concept of 'punishment' has escaped you when you were not here, Ms. Portman.

The shadows coiled around her legs, twining sinuously as he spoke in her mind. While I am tempted to, what's the term? 'Make you choke on that promise', which I assure you, I will, if I do let you go... As if to illustrate his point, her bonds weakened ever so slightly.

I grinned to myself, he was willing to take the chance. of course running at the moment isn't exactly what i can do, i honestly have no clue where i am so running isn't an option. Oddly enough, for some weird reason, most monsters i keep running into have some mental capabilities. Most of them some how know about hers as well, since i figured he knew about her little secrets. Instead of talking out loud, i just said what i had in mind, in my mind. Fine, i am going to guess you have something in your sleeves for me? He hit me already once, was he planning to fuck me or spank me until i gave into his desires? Whatever he was going to do, he knew my background very well, not to my surprise anyway.

Just as quickly as he'd relaxed the bindings, the shadowstuff tightened and yanked her back down, her head slamming painfully against the tough wood. Golden eyes that seemed brighter and pupiless narrowed in thought.

Then you would not learn the lesson.

That handsome face sitting atop the ink-smothered body tilted to the side as an obscene claw-like digit scratched the cheek.

However, I believe you and I are quite reasonable for our respective races, the voice in her head mused. You have made me very curious, particularly in how you saw through my glamers. What you say you to a deal, Ms. Portman?

So he can read my mind, seems everyone is able to these days, or is it because of her new abilities they send people with the same abilities, anyway, he made her a proposal, what do you have in mind? How would i know you will keep your bargain if i win? I won last time against someone only to have him go back on his promise, how would i know you won't do the exact same? Dawn wasn't afraid of him, nor most of the monsters she ran into, only thing is they are usually find a way to go back on the promise.

You are cautious and unafraid, that is unusual. Quite forthright, too. I must admit, I have never encountered your type before and find that I cannot help but...

The last statement had a grudging note behind it, one that fought to hide a very withheld respect. Her bonds loosened again. This time, while they held Dawn's limbs easily the way a panther's claws grip its prey, she found that he had allowed her movement, just enough to allow her to shift on the desk comfortably.

As I mentioned earlier, Ms. Portman, my glamers, or 'spells' as you'd understand them, have never been pierced or even been discerned. Ergo, I am a hint curious how you saw through some of my most intricate work.

The bottomless witchfire orbs narrowed again. But know this, Ms. Portman, you can hide nothing from me. Try, and I will take what I want.

Magadon took a seat upon shadows which had formed themselves into a sort of throne as the cold familiar smile formed itself on the half of his face still remotely human. Therefore, do you believe you really have a choice as to whether or not I shall hold my promise?

Heh so you are all the same, curious and angry when you find someone with the same abilities in a human. Fine since i am in no position to resist anyway, i would tell you. Dawn shifted a little in her position, just enough to get her conferable.

I am sure by now you know the N.I.C.E. Labs in the waters off of the campus, i am one of the last seniors of the campus. I think for that reason they decided to take me for experiments, using me for god knows how long. Machines, monsters, you name it, i am sure i been through it, i believe through some process, N.I.C.E. Labs accidentally, gave me a sort of 6th Sense, of sorts. however it does have it's draw backs, usually vague, and the flash images i get from what happened during my, abduction.

Really now... The tone within her head sounded amused, the fingers of shadows twirling elegantly, lazily even.

Gears clicked and whirred within Magadon's mind. Suddenly, the excuses of his students (and the subsequent mental probes) made sense. The blank spots he'd detected within their collective subconscious must have been side-effects of N.I.C.E. experiments.

The notion irked him, just as he was mildly annoyed with the sound of Dawn's voice.

It felt like the universe was fond of irking him lately.

So you have no memories on what they did to you?

The monster in the coat and tie of a respectable teacher quite suddenly heard something click louder than anything else within his mind.

And it all started as his tendrils pulled her panties off with an indolent flick.

Heh, i don't need them to tell me what they could have done to me. Doesn't take a genius to realize that.

I look down to see my panties gets removed, yup he is going to fuck me, or in some way.

So what is the deal here, still the same?

She can hear, or realize the tone in his voice, he was either amused or annoyed at the fact that i can do things like this. If any student as this ability i am sure he is interested in how it happened.

(Sorry about taking so long...)

Dawn heard a whole gamut of surprisingly human emotions sounding behind the Savant's voice. But the last thing anyone would have expected to hear the purest regret that gave the sound an odd resonance.

I'm afraid you were right, Ms. Portman... He sounded like an affable churchman who had recently lost his favorite pet. I did turn my back on my word. But there is something you're not telling me. And I do so hate that...

The tendrils spread her legs into a 'V' shape, his tendrils sliding around her legs like the ribbons on a may pole. The voice chimed in her head, almost chiding and sympathizing with her plight.

Again, I am very sorry, but it's very hard to unhurt someone one you've started...

Even before she could draw a breath, the smoky blue whip he'd been coiling and uncoiling in his hands landed on the unprotected area, striking with significantly more shocking force than she'd felt earlier.

I gasped and then growled in anger,

I wasn't HOLDING anything back you fucking bastard!

It was true, i don't remember too much about how it was like in the N.I.C.E. Labs. Her only memories are the ones that are slowly coming to her via Flash Images, and even then they are very sketchy. This guy was pissing her off too, that last hit stung like hell.

What in the hell are you trying to prove here? Talking like 2 people don't confuse me, you monsters are all the damn same.

Prove? His voice cruelly mocked the word, the darkness coating the walls and bathing the room with a heaviness that rested in the soul and subconscious roiled with peal after tolling maniacal peal of laughter. Every mental patient the world over heard it in his sleep and cringed, for evil was abroad that night.

What is there to prove, Ms. Portman? He sounded so exultant, the half face blazing in sick triumph so brightly from within the gloom. I'm merely taking out my frustrations on you!

The tip of his weapon rose with such slowness but landed such a blow that appeared to gather force and pain from the last three blows he'd landed.

And so it was, he whipped her bared bottom for uncounted ages that spanned half an hour.