The Beginning
August 13th 2015.
London.
“I got the deal for you, boss.”
A tall, wiry looking man in his early 20s spoke as he sat down in a restaurant.
He had black hair and brown, almost amber like eyes. A small yet playful smirk and all in all looking like a pushover.
But he certainly wasn’t.
“Sparrow. Good to see you again.”
He smirked.
“Already told you to call me Tony, you know?”
Heretic smirked, taking a sip of her tea while waiting for her lunch.
“Eh, not my problem. Now, tell me about this deal.”
Sparrow crossed his legs haphazardly.
“Well, I got in touch with my buddies in the parts of east Asia, they’ve got more people willing to make melee weapons of all kinds for you.”
Heretic hummed and a curious look appeared on Sparrow’s face.
“Why though? You already have someone for that. Why get in touch with others?”
“Easy. So when my present dealers start getting any ideas, I can dump their ass without a second thought.”
Sparrow snorted, both quieting for a moment as their waiter got back with their food, placing it on the table and leaving with a polite ‘enjoy your meal’.
“So…”
Heretic began.
“Have you found a sword master for me? The ones teaching The Orphans are good enough but I need one of the best.”
An amused look appeared on Sparrow’s face.
“Well… perhaps I should find a way to get in touch with Ra’s Al Ghul for you then?”
Heretic rolled her eyes.
“What can he do? The bastard is psychotic and I’d rather not have any connections with him. That alone would put me on the watchlist of our… esteemed heroes.”
She finished her sentence with a small sneer and Sparrow nodded.
“Well, there are a number of sword masters, but to gain them under your employ is a problem. The best ones, as you say you want, are either not interested in training you, are vigilantes, or assassins… the only way you can probably learn the way of the sword at this time, is to learn it from someone who can get you a great teacher for it… and that is if you are serious about it.”
Heretic raised an eyebrow.
“Seems to me you already know who?”
Sparrow grinned.
“Of course! His name is Sensei Yoru. A martial arts master not well known but that is because he values secrecy and shadows more and doesn’t train just anyone.”
He leaned in with an excited look on his face.
“It’s a well kept secret but… he was one of Batman’s teachers.”
Now Heretic was interested.
“Oh? So when can I meet him?”
Sparrow grinned.
“Well that’s just the thing, hm? You go looking for the best masters. They don’t come looking for you except they want something, and Yoru? I don’t know him, just from connections, but you’ve got to impress the bastard for him to pick you up. And for that… well, you have to go to Japan for that.”
Heretic’s eyes bulged out.
“What?? Japan??”
Sparrow nodded as he took a sip of his whiskey.
“Yes. That’s the only way, and believe me it’s a great opportunity to try for. Don’t you wanna be like Batman?”
Heretic scoffed.
“Why would I want to be like him, when I can be better?”
Sparrow shook his head amused.
“Sometimes you scare me.”
“As I should. Now… about my other request.”
“Ah yes… I don’t know why you’re looking for him… I heard he’s an asshole… one of the biggest, with an uncouth mouth and a smoking problem.”
Heretic shrugged.
“All those things don’t matter to me. He knows what I’m after, or rather yet I hope he does. Also, his abilities… they intrigue me.”
As they should.
Last year when Heretic found out her parents were alive and well but had abandoned her for having no ‘magic’, she seethed for a while but then got over it.
No magic?
If what she could do was something she was born with, then wasn’t it magic??
And if it is, had they been blind to it?!
How could they abandon her so easily?? And without even keeping an eye on her while at it…
But then, her curiosity for the Wizarding World grew.
She wanted to know all about it… see it… dip her fingers into that world and see what she could grasp and if possible, control.
But…
It had been difficult.
How was she to find something that seemed like it didn’t exist??
She had searched… even hired some to help her but they always came back empty handed.
Her respect for the world grew just a little bit even though she was irritated.
The fact that their world was not known by anyone she knew and anyone Sparrow knew said a lot about their ability to keep things from public eye.
Until she heard of this guy anyway…
“Is that all?”
Sparrow asked as he put the piece of paper Heretic handed him in his pocket.
“Yes. Do the job quietly and take your time. I should be heading to Japan at the end of the month to find this elusive martial arts master. But one way or another… I need you to help me find a way to get in touch with this… John Constantine.”
Heretic’s eyes glowed.