Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from Magic. This story/pairing actually came about as a running joke between me and some friends. And it blossomed into this. So...enjoy! Will try to update as much as I can!

The black lotus. It was a flower of myth and legend. Some told in fairy tales and to small children on all planes of the Multiverse. Only few had ever seen it. None had even obtained it. To all things—sphinxes, angels, deep-sea merfolk, and even elementals—it was the rarest.

And it was something Jace Beleren wanted for his own.

It was out of pure curiosity, he claimed, as to why he desired such a flower. Something that he could study and observe. He knew he would have no problem keeping the flower alive once he had it. It was just a matter of finding it.

He sat on the floor of his personal library, looking through book after book. Flipping page after page until his fingers bled. And when that was not enough, he wrote down what he knew and took his notes to the last person—rather creature—he wanted to see.

The red dragon Niv-Mizzet sat on the ledge of a building overlooking a steam-powered district. Jace bowed his head reluctantly as the dragon flicked his tail.

"Your notes?"

"These," Jace replied. He offered the notes and the dragon took them with firm claws.

It took Niv-Mizzet only a brief minute to look over the notes. "You're bold to look for something like a black lotus."

"Is that your way of calling me a fool?"

The dragon chuckled and tossed the notes aside. "Perhaps. Have you utilized all of your resources here?"

Jace rolled his eyes. "And just who do you think you're talking to? One of those Rakdos lunatics?"

Niv-Mizzet shifted, unfurling his wings and folding them tight against his body again. He propped up his head on a lazy claw. If he had eyebrows, they definitely would have been raised high at Jace's tone.

"You should try another plane."

"Another plane? Which other plane would have the information I need? Zendikar didn't. And I know Mirrodin won't…"

"Kamigawa or Innistrad, perhaps?"

Jace sat down on the edge of the building, looking out over the district. Blue and red mana seemed to fill the sky. Jace raised his hand and felt his own mana at his fingertips.

"Kamigawa maybe. And Innistrad; that place is in shambles. But it does have vampires. They tend to be of some intelligence."

The dragon laughed again. "You should consider watching that tongue around vampires. I've heard their bite can be a rather nasty thing."

Jace rose and brushed his off his robes. "I'll keep that in mind when I have their books.