Ishtar turned away from the gss and with a thought the cooling system ihe helmet began to wind down, a low hiss of pressure releasing came out of it. She rolled her ned reached up to touch it, the helmet suddenly turning a sharp shade of blue before dissolving into millions of tiny cubes of blue light. They scattered in the air, returning to her ste space. She reached up and tossed her hair out, sighing as she ehe taste of the air before turnitention to the room arouhe ‘ht Lounge’ as Charon called it, was where he met with vilins the world over. There, with the help of her tracts and sometimes himself, he made deals on her behalf or for his own be.
Charon stood o her, leaning on his wicked e. His milky white eyes had a faint reddish light within them. He’s growing stronger. His appearance had ged once again pared to the st time she’d seen him. Before he had a slightly darker jaw stitched on using his grafting ability as well as jet-bck skinned forearms and hands. Noortion of the upper-right side of his face had been removed and repced with slightly lighter skin than his own grayscale. Sonya snorted in the back of her mind.
He’s starting to look like a panda.
Ishtar smirked. He does, doesn’t he?
Charon raised an eyebrow and read her face for a moment before reag up to touch the stitched on flesh, “Like it? Came from a defensive ability user.”
“Did it now?” she asked, “Anyone I know?”
“Not really,” Charon said with a shrug, “She -and-er who got a little too big for her britches, and tried to steal one of my cabs.”
“That’s inadvisable,” Ishtar ented with a ugh, “Is the ability a good one?”
“My skin ow take on a rubber-like quality and reflect most blunt strikes and even bullets, to a degree. Post-pandora arms are not on that list, unfortunately. Every little bit helps, though,” he said casually, tapping his e against the floor. He shifted his gaze towards the door, “Tenebra is here.”
Ishtar pursed her lips as a flickering static swept over her face, blurring her visage. Charon and the other people in the room were more thated to see what she really looked like. Tenebra had not yet earhat favor and her habits were making it difficult to trust her with such sensitive information. “She’s new,” Ishtar said as the augmented reality settled, the illusion fully dist her features for those she didn’t want to see. It wasn’t as imposing as the mask, but it would do for this versation. “I heard she suddenly appeared in Australia and started stirring the pot.”
“Yes,” Charon said, gng again at the door and crag an amused smile, “She’s impatient, brash, and more than anything, wholly ued on the level that we are at. Yet she’s mao make quite a name for herself. Her ability is strong and quite simir to Bckrazor’s.”
Someone scoffed off to the side and the two of them turo see Bckrazor sitting on one of the couches o a very calm but pale middle aged woman with dark brown hair ging to a luxurious purse. He tilted his head, “She is a rabble rouser, not a killer.”
“Not always mutually exclusive, you’d do well to keep that opinion to yourself when she es in. She’s a bit of a fan of yours,” Charon pointed out patiently before turning back to Ishtar, off to the side, Bckrazor frowned and looked away, “I saw value in her ability and popurity and reached out. She’s bee quite the asset and has brought more and more busio the Styx. I’m going to have to expand soon.”
“We’ll work on relog you, I have something in mind for the future, do what you with the space you have for now,” Ishtar said.
We do?
I do.
Are you going to eborate?
No. It’s not pressing and you o focus on Liberty. We’ll get there, I’m sure.
Tch. Fine! Fine! Fair enough.
Ishtar kept her expression pin even as she sighed inwardly. There was only so much she could share with Sonya without distrag her. It felt at times that Ishtar had taken all of the focus from her, she was always eager to jump into the big thing. It just wasn’t practical. She was learning, though, and steadily smoothing out the wrinkles in her personality that had developed as a result of her trauma and their schism.
In front of her, Charon nodded, “I appreciate it,” he said aured to the door before schooling an expression of frustration onto his face. It wasn’t real, but it was good enough. The door opened and Tenebra swept inside looking flustered. She crossed her arms, “Why make me wait boss? I-” she froze as she took in the room, her eyes first nding on Ishtar’s blurred visage. “. Got it,” she murmured before looking at the others in the room.
Besides Ishtar and Charon there were four people present. Bckrazor sat o Bera Lucci, the European head of Ishtar’s ‘club’. It was an anization of those who had made deals with her to eheir owh and privilege during this ime. In exge, they heeded her requests when she wanted something done in the region. A shadow gover of sorts. Oher couch sat a sandy-blonde haired man in a shiny suit. His legs were crossed fortably and an easy smile spread across his face. Prichard Earl, the North Ameri head of Ishtar’s ‘club’. She’d recruited him during her visit to Vegas on that fateful day when her personality crystallized into something distinct from Sonya’s.
o Prichard was Cass, or rather, Taurus. She wore her blonde hair ba thick braids and her body was covered in aic leather-like armor that Amos had developed to adapt to her size-ging ability. Her face was cealed by a domino mask and a small respirator over her mouth.
“Oh,” Tenebra murmured, “You uh… you got some names here.”
“We do,” Ishtar said, her illusory abilities ging the pitd timbre of her voice to disguise it, “Sit down Tenebra, you’re joining us for this meeting.”
“See it as an opportunity still beieo you despite somehow ending up on the Pandora ittee’s radar in spite my best efforts, no doubt,” Charon said, his voice pleasant but ced with deadly warning.
Tenebra winced but nodded, “R-right, sorry sir,” she cleared her throat before meeting Bckrazor’s eyes. She swallowed hard, “Hi.”
“Hello,” he said ftly, “Sit. The Mistress has given you instrus. Follow them.”
Tenebra jumped at the whip-cra his void hurried to sit at one of the free spots, to the opposite side of Bera Lucci who actually rexed a little at her presehat is a beautiful dress,” Bera said politely. “I think I designed a simir one when I was a girl.”
Tenebra brighte the pliment while Ishtar stepped over to the st remaining coud sat down. Across from her Bckrazor leaned forward a bit a her gaze, “panion?”
“I have her w on something for me bae,” Ishtar said casually as Charon walked up to sit dowrinnio ear. “We settled ba after our trip yesterday. Though we’ll be going back out soon enough. I have some rumors to address.”
Bckrazor tilted his head before his eyebrows rose, “The Cult in Japan.”
“Quite so,” Ishtar said with a nod, “If they be turned into a useful bde against Liberty I want to draw on them sooner rather than ter,” she paused and ched a fist, “If they’re more trouble than they’re worth, I will o deal with them. I do not want su anization sullying my name.”
“Prudent,” Prichard finally spoke up, “That’s what I’d do.”
“How are things with the North Ameri club, Prichard?” she asked, turning to him.
He grinned, “Profitable, as always. We’ve inducted a few new members and are getting closer to one of oals,” he said, “I have a meeting with Dimitri Weller week.”
Ishtar smirked, “Good, set up a meeting for me. I’d like to speak with the Senator as well and perhaps give my endorsement afterwards. What about ada and Mexico?”
“We’ve made head north, down south it’s a bit more plicated,” he said, “Apparently they have a guardian angel who is more than happy to work outside the w to protect pretty much everything south of the US border with impunity.”
“Drastic,” Charon grumbled, “Didn’t you send ao iate with him?”
“I did,” Ishtar said with a frown, “You make it sound like he’s a rogue patriot.”
“He is, this is new information. He doesn’t take kindly to outsiders trying to influence his homend,” Prichard said, “The various nations of that region have a tacit agreement with him but have been forced to aowledge his existence. Hence his position on the Pandora ittee most wanted list.”
Ishtar clicked her tongue befng towards Bera, “Any updates on your end?”
“We’ve sifted through the locations on that list you provided us,” Bera said, “None of them appear to have the potential to bee such a potent mana hotspot, but we’ll keep looking. Are you sure its in Europe?”
“I’m sure, keep searg. When that mythigeon mas iure I want it under lod key. Only those who I say enter will ever be allowed inside. I’ll plete it myself if I must,” Ishtar said cooly, “I am quite fident in my predi of what’s inside.”
“We’ll redouble our efforts,” Bera said, “Otherwise, we’ve pleted expanding the club to the remaining members of the Union and the UK. The only outlier is the President of the ission who is a bit of a moral paragon. If you truly want Europe, yoing to have to gh him. Sihe fsh, the ission has held even more sway than the member nations. I wouldn’t be surprised if more unifying agreements are proposed iure.”
“You think he has the clout to pull that kind of thing off?” Ishtar asked.
“I think that both sides of the aisle respect him and there’s a movement in Eurht now towards solidation out of a desire for self-defense,” Bera said, “If it bees one of his ptforms, he might be one of the only people who do it.”
“Find out his real position on it,” Ishtar said befng towards Bckrazor, “Have your people look into him and his political rivals. We’ll support him rather than tear him down. A unified Europe will be easier to direct.”
“Yes ma’am,” Bckrazor said with a nod.
“Now onto the primary reason I’ve gathered you all here,” Ishtar said and leaned back to cross her legs, “Liberty.”
“That bounty will put her into a tight position,” Prichard said with a grin, “She’ll-”
“No it won’t,” A raspy voice cut him off. He turned, surprised, and looked at the girl who had been sitting silently o him. Her arms were crossed and her gaze was steady as she looked straight at Ishtar. “It’ll only annoy her. Something’s ged as well, she’s ag differently and taking measured a.”
Prichard frow Taurus, “Expin.”
Taurus shot him a withering look and he cleared his throat but she spoke anyway, “Her ability has a lot of facets to it that people aren’t aware of. I’ve seehings she do. Most of the funs of her ability she doesn’t bother to use si doesn’t empower her. That’s ged and so it’s bee relevant,” she sighed and leaned back, looking at the others. “You’re aware that she create agents like the Round Table as well as provide temporary power boosts to those who follow her?”
“I’ve seen the recs from the raid, yes,” Bckrazor said, “I’ve been studying them thhly,” he frowned, “She crossed a lih the Night Society that I fully io avenge.”
The others nodded as well and Taurus tinued, “The first time her ability maed there was only one person who truly idolized her at the time,” she cleared her throat, “Her little sister.”
Tenebra, who had been sitting in silenost of the meeting sat up, “How would you-” Taurus shot her a gre and the idol-turned-supervilin blinked before her eyes widened, “Oh… Iing.”
Ishtar gowards Tenebra, “We’re going to have to talk after this, Tenebra,” Ishtar said ftly and Tenebra paled but nodded. Ishtar turned back to Taurus, “tiaurus.”
“Her little sister was strengthened by Liberty’s ability as you might expect. She wasn’t even an adult yet and still she possessed physical strength parable to a fighter well above her weight css at the time. Anyone who idolizes her experiehis,” Taurus expined.
“We know that much,” Charon said, “What about the juicy bits?”
“Her ability is thematic,” Taurus said, “She designate pces and objects to ‘represent’ her. She rarely uses this fun but she effectively decre a building or area as hers and as long as no one tests it, that pce or object will take on unusual properties. They don’t do her any good personally, but those who follow her will experie.”
“Do you have an example?” Ishtar asked, “You expihis to me earlier but I’d like the others to uand what we’re dealing with.”
“She gave her sister a shirt and reminded her that it was ‘her property’ after her awakening. For a while, nothing happened. A week ter, wearing the shirt gave her sister minor self-healing. Liberty is an abuser, though, and fiscated the shirt once she uood what was happening in order to ti her little sister,” she said, her voice dripping with hate.
“Like a battle standard,” Bckrazor said and the others looked at him. He cleared his throat and looked askance for a moment before sighing, “There are video games where one field armies. In them, a unit carrying the fa’s battle standard project a strengthening aura of sorts to those in its area of effect,” he paused and turo her, “I assume that buildings and pces decred as hers also develop properties like this?”
“Yes, though she has more trol over those thaandards’ as you call them,” Taurus said ftly, “She created a room at the main pound that maximizes disfort and suffering to those inside.”
“So decrations of loyalty to her are only half of her ability,” Ishtar mused, “The other half is dedicated towards strengthening things under her prote or that she sees as belonging to her,” she turo face Taurus, “Why didn’t you mention this facet before?”
“Liberty said that she would never use that facet of her ability si didn’t be her personally, she saw it as a useless thing tthen that which she could just repce,” Taurus said as she ched her fists. “Now, with her behavior ging and her focus turning inward with a lot of stru happening in the pces she trols, it’s the only clusion I e to as to what she’s doing. Even so, I don’t know how much she’ll lean on it, or if she does, how long that will st,” Taurus crossed her arms and looked away, “She finds that kind of thing tiresome.”
“So her forces will be expoially more powerful if they fight on home soil, so long as she bothers to lean into that facet of her ability,” Prichard said with a frown before his eyes widened, he looked up at Ishtar, “The bounty. That’s a test of her territory and people. Something she will have to stantly defend against in order to maintain the growth she’s trying to foster.”
“Correct,” Ishtar said, “The vilins won’t be of any use taking her down directly, but they be turo cripple whatever she’s attempting to do. Ultimately we will have to ehe heroes have the resources and numbers necessary to deal with her themselves wheime es. It’s better to be prepared in case she decides to lean on this fun.”
“Then perhaps it’s time to add new regions to the club, the more the merrier, yes?” Beretta asked.
Ishtar turo her and smiled, “If all goes well in Japan, that’s exactly what I io do.”
