Best Laid Plans: A St Mercury Story

Disclaimer: Contains fictional material intended for adult audiences.

This story was done for a friend of mine, the wonderfully talented artist Psi. It follows events that fall outside the scope of his comic, St. Mercury's Academy. Do note that this story is not strictly canon. You also do not need to be familiar with the comic to understand this story, and indeed may spoil yourself if you read the comic first. I'd say this is not the usual type of story from me, but well it's already the second. Either way, I do hope you enjoy!

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St. Mercury's Academy for young women. A school with one principle in mind, nurturing the growth of only the best women in society. It was the rite of passage for any woman worth anything to pass through these doors and establish their place among the elite.

It was only natural then that Mary Tennyon would grace these halls for the third year, following in the footsteps of her mother. The stories her mother shared shaped Mary's childhood, inspiring tales of illustrious accomplishments like no other. The alumni spoke of the best years of her life with such reverence, eliciting a vivid notion of perfect elegance that guided Mary before she even stepped foot on the grounds herself. The weight on our shoulders is heavy, my dear, but it must be endured. Your time there will hopefully allow you to understand your obligations as my daughter. Mary had no intention of letting her mother down.

However, reality often had a way of disappointing. Truth be told, the school had become rather lax with its... exclusivity. Gone were the elegant noblewomen that Mary had come to expect. In their place was nothing more than commoners, those that not even ten years ago would have been laughed out of the building for holding any such aspirations of attending.

It shocked her at first, the stark contrast of what the school had become. How she wished she could have seen school during its glory days, where the goal of both professor and pupil was refinement.

But dwelling on such deficiencies was a fool's errand. The school may have changed, but the name Tennyon would not falter because of it. Her reign, much like her mother's, would be worthy of its own story for years to come. And this year would be the one in which she was given due recognition, regardless of its rocky beginnings.

The building itself was as regal as ever, much to her satisfaction. With vaulted ceilings, priceless artwork, and marble floors that shone with such beauty, owing to meticulous maintenance. It was a setting that suited Mary just fine as she walked the hallway.

If only it wasn't marred by the students that gossiped inside, like a rubber streak scraped along a stone floor.

"Good morning, Mary. You look pretty today."

Mary only gave the girl a knowing but dismissive grin, hardly slowing her pace as she strode past. Even though the poor girl was the same year as Mary, she had nothing to offer other than feeble attempts to better her standing by sucking up.

If anything, it was almost insulting that she had to make such a statement. Of course Mary looked great. Her perfect light brown hair, a stylish cut just shy of her shoulders, was done at a boutique that rivaled the school for exclusivity. Her perfect uniform, a standard outfit consisting of a blazer, tie, and skirt, was altered by the best tailor France had to offer to cover her perfect body. Her makeup, the way she moved, the way she laughed and smiled... Every last aspect of her life was faultless, and she didn't need others to point it out. One doesn't need to remind a lion of its strength, or a flower its beauty.

Unfortunately there were those that still didn't recognize this. Even after a month into the year, too few of the new students had learned who was in charge, who to respect, who to fear. That's why every day was important, each one an opportunity to calibrate their grasp of the school's hierarchy. Your presence should be known at all times, and let it be formidable. Any weakness will stick out like a loose thread, and those of lesser repute will seek to unravel you to mend their own shortcomings.

As for the returning students... A break of any length shouldn't have been long enough for them to forget, for their own sake. There was one in particular that had been an egregious thorn in Mary's side, but she would be dealt with. And then...

A yawn caught Mary's attention. "Remind me why we needed to be here so early?" Sofia walked alongside Mary every day, the only other person in this school that was worth a damn. She was taller, by a good half foot, with long, dark, curly hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her beauty and style almost matched Mary's. The girl had Mary's respect, but still knew her place.

"To be seen," Mary said. "Don't let an extended weekend lull you into a sense of complacency." This year was going to be grand, Mary could feel it, and it would all turn around today. She saw herself, high above all others, surrounded by commoners showing their adoration. It filled Mary with such joy. "You stay up too late."

"More wise words from her, I take it?" Sofia asked, but Mary only shrugged her off. Sofia chose not to push the topic any further. Any criticisms about her mother were only met with excuses. With a stretch and an exerted voice, she said, "Weekends are a necessity, I'll be damned if I'm not going to make the most of them, with loud music, a house full of strangers, and plenty of booze. You should have come."

Mary scoffed. "I had more important things to do."

Sofia gave Mary a sly smile. "Things? Or was it just one hard thing? Do tell!"

Mary let out a practiced laugh. "What, you mean Colin? Puh-lease, I got what I needed from him and dumped him weeks ago. Kept begging for me to take him back until I blocked him. It was sad, and goes to show exactly why it had to happen."

The largest frustration, not to put it lightly, for most of the student body was the complete ban on any males on the premises. Not that Mary wanted to share this space with the likes of men. No, the refinement, the core purpose of the school, would still be reserved for women alone. But that didn't mean the lesser sex wouldn't have their uses. Servants served a purpose, after all.

The downside was that even after two dominant years at the school, the only dicking Mary could get was when she made the trip back home. That is if you didn't count the faux representation she kept in her nightstand. The next few months would be dry, with nary a cock in sight, but she was more than capable of persevering. And then she'd find someone else to use in the interim, nothing more than a biological sex toy.

"And you didn't tell me right away?!" Sofia said through another yawn.

"He wasn't important." Your value in this world is as much about who you are as it is about who you associate with. Never limit yourself through anyone unable to add to that value.

"So..." Sofia stopped, wringing her hands as she averted her eyes to anywhere but Mary's face. "Are you saying he's available now?"

Mary sighed. "If you're going after my table scraps, there are better ones to choose. He was barely serviceable. He's beneath you."

"If only," Sofia thought, and was glad to not have said it out loud. "So what were you doing, then?"

The thought of her experiences over the last few days brought a devilish grin to Mary's face. "Preparing. Planning."

Sofia had an expectation that there would be more to come, but she was let down. "Uh, cryptic much?"

"Trust me, it'll be more fun if you don't know. Consider it a surprise. But let's just say by the end of today, all our problems will be done away with." She knew it would drive Sofia crazy, and truth be told, that was half the fun. Seeing Sofia's reaction after the fact would have been the mint at the end of a meal.

"But now this is going to be all I can think about!" Sofia whined.

Mary shrugged her off. She already envisioned how things would go, and would not let one aspect be altered. "Deal with it, and come on. Let's get some coffee. Your yawns are annoying me." Despite some grumbles, Mary was glad Sofia wasn't one to push things with her.

The cafeteria was the oasis of the school. It fueled each and every student, preparing them for even the most grueling of days. All the most important gossip occurred here at the gathering. The only downside...

"What the hell is this?!" Sofia said, gawking at the giant line. "This early?!" She estimated the time it would take to get to the counter, and did not like the answer. With a pout, she shuffled over to the end to join the queue until a hand grabbed her sleeve and pulled her away.

"Nuh-uh, we don't wait," Mary said as she dragged Sofia right up to the counter. The student in front made to protest, but a quick scowl from Mary had her cowering back. The moment the cashier turned around, Mary was all smiles. "Hi, I would like a venti decaf soy milk nonfat mocha latte frappuccino with three pumps of sugar-free hazelnut syrup and two spoonfuls of cold foam on top for myself, and a grande low fat caramel latte with one pump of sugar-free vanilla and half the normal froth, but not too hot, and only do one shot of espresso instead of three, for my friend here. Thanks!"

The cashier gave one look at the black credit card that Mary held out before turning to address the girl that Mary had left quivering. "What can I get for you today, hun?"

With the stunned silence that followed, the timid girl took a cautious step forward. She saw the indignation in Mary's eyes, and against her better judgment, decided to answer the cashier's request. "Um, I would li-"

"Excuse me!" Mary said as she pulled the girl back by the shoulder. "I believe I just gave you our order, and you are going to fulfill it. I do not repeat myself!"

"Of course I will," the cashier said. She paused just long enough to give Mary hope that her request had been effective. "After you wait in line like everyone else, that is. I'd be happy to serve you then. I do apologize, though. My coworker isn't feeling all that well today, so it's just me for now." She then made a show of glancing down the cafeteria, one hand shielding her eyes from the light. "That sure is a long line. Might be a while."

"Listen here"--Mary glanced at the cashier's name tag--"Rachel. Do you have any idea who I am?"

"You appear to be a student here, like everyone else in the room. Although maybe a touch on the shorter side, if we're talking averages." Rachel's eyes gleamed, relishing the animosity her comments brought forth.

"I am nothing like these ignoble charity admissions! I am Mary Tennyon, and I own this school. One simple phone call and I can have you replaced with someone that understands their role in life. And that's if I'm in a good mood! So I suggest you quash this dream of righteousness you have and perform your duty of making our coffee for your paltry allowance, or I swear on my family's name that I will absolutely bury you."

The smile faded from Rachel's face, leaving Mary to believe she had finally gotten through to her. Students like this were the reason the school was falling to such ill repute. If anything, it was Mary's duty to educate them on simple etiquette. All that was left was to take the order, of which Mary once again held out her card to get the process going. "I trust you'll be smart enough to make the right decision."

That incensing grin returned, an affront to the reputation that Mary had built up over the years.

"Here's the thing, Molly. I don't care if you were St. Mercury herself," Rachel said. She ran her hands along the counter, as if admiring the craftsmanship. "Where I'm standing, this is Sweden. Or maybe Switzerland, I hear they're known for their chocolate. Either way, the cafe is neutral. Meaning everyone is treated the same. Throw all the empty threats you want, you aren't getting a drop from me until I see you traverse that line like everyone else. Do stand up straight though. I might lose you beneath the crowd."

Any amount of grumbling fell on deaf ears as Rachel went back to addressing those that followed proper procedures.

At a loss of words over such an affront, Mary stormed off with Sofia in tow. She could feel the stares of those waiting as she walked past, and the few snickers she got, whether real or imagined, only served to further boil her blood. "Find out what you can about that little cunt. I want to know everything about her. Where she grew up, who her friends are, what her parents do. Everything."

"I'm on it," Sofia said. It had been some time since they last tore someone down, and the thought of inflicting another deserved lesson left quite the smile on her face. If Mary didn't have such faith in her loyalty, she may have otherwise grown to fear her friend.

After reaching the end of the line, Mary glared at Rachel from the far end of the room, her arms folded, cursing under her breath every time Rachel checked to make sure she was following the supposed rules.

This was supposed to be a grand day, the day she finally brought her to heel. Instead, she was humiliated in front of the whole damn cafeteria. She'd recover, no doubt, but that was beside the point. She didn't build her reputation up just to be challenged by some upstart. Worse yet was the notion of having to approach that counter a second time, give her order a second time. Face that bitch with a please and a thank you like a good girl.

Admit defeat.

Mary could already hear her mother's voice in her head. If that's the best you are capable of, then perhaps my expectations were misplaced.

It hadn't even been a minute before Mary groaned in frustration. "Fuck this! I don't wait."

"What about our coffee?" Sofia asked, fear in her voice at the idea of altering her morning routine.

"Oh, we're still getting some," Mary said as she began her prowl, hunting for the perfect prey. As more students arrived, the hallways became a cacophony of gossip. Flocks of girls catching up on what one another did over their time off. They were all oblivious to the horrendous transgressions that Mary had just endured.

Her eyes lit up as the perfect target rounded the corner, ignorant to the fate that awaited her. Mary couldn't have asked for a better person upon which she could vent her frustrations and get what she wanted. She went in for the kill.

"Hollie! Sooo good to see you." Mary wrapped an arm around the shoulder of her target, the girl jumping in response and clutching her books tighter to her chest. "Hope you had a productive break. All that free time, seems like a wonderful opportunity to get a quick job and earn some money, hmm?"

"Um, hi M-Mary, I..." She was a mousy girl, about Mary's height, with brown hair tied back in a braid. Once her heart left her throat at the scare, she closed her bespectacled eyes and took a deep breath, mouthing through a trembling jaw the words her father taught her to find confidence. As she let the breath out, she squared up to Mary and looked her right in the eyes. "I'm sorry. I was busy all weekend with studies and didn't have time to make any money. My parents wa-"

Mary looked away in annoyance as her hand clasped around Hollie's jaw. Violence was unladylike, so she didn't put all her strength into pushing Hollie against the wall. "I don't want to hear about how your parents are teaching you self-reliance or whatever lame thing you said last time. We both know your family is poor, and the only reason you were allowed in this school is because of what your parents did with the superintendent's poor, innocent son."

"That's not true! Sofia made that up and has been telling the whole school!"

Sofia's eyes went wide as she covered her mouth in shock. "Hollie, what are you saying?! I would never do something like that!"

"Liar!" Hollie squirmed against Mary's grip.

"Eyes on me now," Mary said, tapping Hollie's cheek with one finger from the same hand that held her still. "None of us want this, Hollie. But you know, that Lancome Paris foundation wasn't free, and I'm certainly not going to be spending my own hard-earned money replacing something that you broke."

"But it was an accident, I prom-"

"We all make mistakes!" Mary's voice was like that of a parent explaining life lessons to a child. "Well, most do, at least. But as proper ladies of St. Mercury's Academy, we have to learn to atone for them. Don't you agree?" She leaned in close, her warm breath tickling Hollie's nose. "I started the day off in a good mood, but now I have to right some wrongs. If you help me with that, I may be generous enough to give you until the end of next week to make me whole. And hey, I won't even charge interest!"

Hollie squirmed some more, but dared not fight back. She knew no good would come from it. She glanced over at Sofia, who only stood there with a smirk on her face. No help would come from her, either. With a defeated sigh, Hollie deflated and said, "Fine. What do you need?" She shuddered to think what Mary could possibly ask of her.

Mary flashed her best smile at Hollie and let her go. "See? That wasn't so hard. I'm sure by the time all this unpleasantness is over, you'll understand why I had to do this, and thank me for helping you grow as a person." Mary even helped straighten Hollie's uniform for her. "There, all ready to get in line."

"Line? What line?"

"Here's the thing. Sofia and I haven't gotten our morning coffee. You see, that line is just so long, and the cashier is being cruel to us for no reason, and... well you do kind of owe us anyways. Since you are so helpful, we thought you'd be willing to get some for us. Besides, you know how irritable Sofia can get without her caffeine. I know I don't want to deal with that all day."

"But... I have class, a-and I don't even drink coffee!"

"So get some water then, or something," Mary said with a roll of her eyes.

The longer Hollie hesitated, the more intense the glare from her two tormentors grew, until she caved yet again under the pressure. "What will you have?" she said, her voice defeated. She considered asking how they planned to pay for it, but experience told her exactly how that would go over.

The moment Mary finished giving both orders, Hollie said, "I-I-I'm not going to remember all that!"

Mary arched her brow and said, "I thought you were smart."

"The looks of a nerd without the brains of one. How embarrassing," Sofia quipped.

"If you can't remember two simple orders, then write it down." There were only so many times Mary was willing to allow her patience to be tested. Stress was bad for the complexion, after all.

Hollie scrambled through her bag to pull out the first paper she could find that wasn't important. However, when she brought her mechanical pencil out to begin writing, she noticed something that caused the pit in her stomach to grow. "I think you broke my pencil when you pushed me." She held it up for Mary to confirm, showing that the tip was snapped clean off.

"Don't go blaming that on me! It's your pencil, you broke it!" Mary pinched the bridge of her nose, willing the annoyance to go away. The slightest inconvenience, and you resort to attitude. Only a petulant child is so incapable of controlling their emotions. A Tennyon always kept her cool, Mary wouldn't let this get to her. "Sofie, you go wi-... Sofia!"

A smack on her shoulder distracted Sofia from the peculiar sight she had witnessed down the hallway. "Hey! What?"

"Since she's so worthless on her own, then you go with her. You know what I want."

"But there's..." She glanced once more down the hallway. A few doors away stood two girls. The taller one had her back turned. Sofia swore she recognized the girl's luxurious raven hair, flowing halfway down her back, but couldn't seem to place it at that moment.