Fifth World Problems (DC, YJ)
PrognosticHannya
Far Too Enthusiastic About Etymology
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Trigon technically isn't a demon, since he's an alien. Demons are from Hell, on Earth, Trigon is an alien who just happens to look like that. The Dreaming in the DCU makes it easy to explain why so many things about alien species resemble each other.
LunaMoth
Wings of Kynareth is my comfort song...
- Pronouns
- He/They
Took this from the Atlantis page on the wiki, I don't know if I really like this explanation, but I guess it makes sense: and explains why some DC aliens are quite literally just humans.
PrognosticHannya
Far Too Enthusiastic About Etymology
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Nah, I don't like this at all. Not only is it dumb in like three different ways, it also doesn't explain why so many aliens are just slightly-modified humanoids (e.g. Tamaraneans, Guardians of Oa, etc.). My explanation has to do with the Dreaming, which works sort of like a snowball rolling downhill. One of the first species to emerge, the Maltusians, looked humanoid (although of course humans didn't exist at the time). As the first sentient species with large population numbers, they were basically the only ones shaping the Dreaming, helped associate the concept of sentience with their own particular body type, meaning that in the future, when sentience evolved on other planets, things were more likely to happen evolution-wise to make it so that those sentient creatures ended up having that Maltusian-like body pattern, which further reinforced the association in the Dreaming, and so on, and so on, until the present day when most sentient species look at least somewhat Maltusian-like.
Jordisk
<Unverified N00B>
- Location
- Blind Eternities
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Hell isn't just for Earth, it is for the entirety of the universe. Also, Skath isn't the name of Trigon's child and portal/anchor, or at least not just that. It is also his true name. Skath, son of Azar. Manifestation of the negative emotions that Azar and her teachings cast away. Also, Azarath isn't a planet, it is a dimension. A small one, even smaller than Gemworld, but used as a hub and landmark for travellers.
LunaMoth
Wings of Kynareth is my comfort song...
- Pronouns
- He/They
I think what the authors doing here is simplifying some of the lore, so things don't become super convoluted, pretty much what happens every time a new Superhero comic run starts and they reset the universe back to a default starting position while changing some stuff around.
Jordisk
<Unverified N00B>
- Location
- Blind Eternities
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
It is much more fun to take all the just-before-the-reset lore and slam it all together. Stir until it makes some kind of sense. Serve with the tears of the comic book nerds that notice the different continuities mixing.
PrognosticHannya
Far Too Enthusiastic About Etymology
- Pronouns
- She/Her
There are about twenty different canons for characters as storied as Raven and Trigon, honestly. I'm not simplifying, I'm making my own AU canon here, because this is fanfiction, and I like worldbuilding. I think the concept of Trigon having a messianic cult dedicated to him opens up some interesting storytelling possibilities, so that's what I'm writing.
Character Picture/Header Image Question
PrognosticHannya
Far Too Enthusiastic About Etymology
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Question: which Eri character picture/story header do you guys like better? I'd like your feedback. Please ignore image quality/jpeg artifacts/etc., because I can clean that up with some editing.
Night_stalker
Slava Ukraini!
- Pronouns
- He/Him
First one by far works better in my books.
I too prefer the first one.
The second brings to mind more of a mysterious wallflower character to mind for me, which Eri, or at least my read of the character, isn't.
The second brings to mind more of a mysterious wallflower character to mind for me, which Eri, or at least my read of the character, isn't.
Jordisk
<Unverified N00B>
- Location
- Blind Eternities
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
If I had to say what fandoms the pictures screamed at me? The first one says "Percy Jackson" and the second says "Persona".
LunaMoth
Wings of Kynareth is my comfort song...
- Pronouns
- He/They
Which I mean is fitting since she is a demi-god
Not sure what would make her look more like a DC character honestly.
I was picturing her looking a lot more androgynous, and more like obviously supernatural in some way, also I was picturing her with like unnaturally white skin for some reason.
That she just looks completely normal gave me a little whiplash. lol
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- Pronouns
- She/Her
The first one has style and personality and panache.
The second one seems almost too clean/sterile of an aesthetic.
The second one seems almost too clean/sterile of an aesthetic.
EnygmaSoul
Company of Negotiable Virtue
- Location
- In your eyes and in your arms and in your head.
First one by far. It feels like it has more of her personality to me, the kind of grim serious confident demeanor she tries to project despite being a total mess inside.
KillerFish
Grumpy Owl, Bird Lawyer
Going to have to agree with the mob here: First one has more character and sass.
Something about the spectacles and smirk.
Something about the spectacles and smirk.
- Location
- Colorado
- Pronouns
- She/Her
First one also rings better imo. Even if I know the source and that's a LITTLE odd it's still better
Jordisk
<Unverified N00B>
- Location
- Blind Eternities
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Skin tight spandex and muscles on top of muscles, obviously. Also, a large cape, scarf, or trailing aura to more easily show dynamic movement in static images.
- Location
- USA
I feel like the sass is kind of unfitting for the character, at least in her mood for this arc, so I'd go for the second one.
2.4 / A Tower Alone on the Sea (Argyra)
PrognosticHannya
Far Too Enthusiastic About Etymology
- Pronouns
- She/Her
PoV: Argyra
I sigh as I wait, sitting in the back room of a Butcher's shop at Carmine's request. The first chapter of our collaboration on how to take down the Skathites, apparently.
I'm honestly glad this is happening the day after he made his offer, because holy shit was that meeting nerve-wracking. I was a mess afterwards, and it took everything I had to not teleport right back to Mooney's to drown myself in booze again.
I… Yeah.
I let out a sharp breath.
I honestly scared myself, with how I got after the-
I swallow.
Well, after.
The drugs, the booze, the partying… I mean fuck, I basically used to be a teetotaler, and in a single night, I became my dad. I was practically weeping on Sofia at that bar, talking about my life was worthless without… her, how I was worthless without her. A wretched, horrible monster.
I scowl. Fuck that. I am strong, I am worth something, I'm not a monster.
If she can't see that? Fine, her fucking loss. I'm not going to let her hangups drag me down with them. I am never going to let her hangups dictate my life ever again.
Never.
Never again to losing control like that, never again to going on a cocaine binge and trying to fight the world, never again to spiraling out into a self-destructive, depressive arc afterwards when I come down from my mania.
Never again to letting someone else have such a hold on my, on my heart, that she can do that to me when she leaves.
Control is the name of the game from here on out. Of my environment, of my life, of myself.
Artemis made her choice. She had the opportunity to accept me for who I was, who I am, and she chose to spit in my fucking face. Calling me a monster, a liar, a cheat, and acting like she's so perfect when her secrets were so much worse than mine, well she can just stick her self-righteous little-
I take in a deep breath, staggering it out. Control, Eri.
I can't focus on her anymore. She doesn't want to be a part of my life, my world?
Fine.
New Eri will just have to show her how high she's capable of flying without annoying, moralistic little busybodies dragging her down.
I've moved on, moved past her, gotten better. I have a new job, which lets me do some fantastic research and tackle enemies of humanity at the same time, something she could only dream of. I even moved my Sanctum to leave the last vestiges of her behind: I found a nice place outside down, big and spacious, that I feel I can really grow into.
My plans, my operations, my whole thing has to go: no more passive, bookish Eri, just waiting for the world to come to her. No, this Eri is going to go out into the world, find what she wants, and take it.
And this, the room I'm in right now, is the first step. The first joint meeting Carmine's anti-Bertinelli task force has together, where we're going to plan out the next week of operations.
I feel a buzz in my pocket, and flip open my phone to check it.
From: Lonsters of Our Own Making
fr ur scaring me whats goin on plz call me its been days
I grimace, putting it away.
Seriously dude, can you take a fucking hint? I'd be more than happy to talk to you, about normal stuff. But he just keeps trying to natter on about feelings and how I'm doing and stuff I do not have the time for right now. She and I stopped talking, I'm better for it, end of fucking story.
The only good thing that's come from talking with him was learning that, for some reason, the bitch has refrained from outing me to everyone at school. I have no idea why, it would be just like her, with how-
Stop. Control, need to have control.
Forcing myself to stop contemplating dark topics, I look next to me, hoping to find something to lighten my mood.
Instead, I see Jinx, very pointedly not looking in my direction as we wait for Carmine to arrive.
I have to suppress a groan. Come on, I said I was sorry. I didn't mean to insult her competence (cough cough even if it was totally deserved cough cough), and I just know she's going to be uptight about this for however long we work together.
There are three other figures, and honestly, I'm a bit shocked to see all of them in one place. Apparently Carmine is pulling out all the stops for this, as every cape in his employ is currently sitting with us.
There's Killer Moth, his longtime enforcer and number two. No powers that I know of, but scarily competent at all sorts of armed and unarmed combat.
He'd still probably lose a hand-to-hand fight with Batman, but he'd take long enough to go down that it'd still be legitimately impressive.
Also, I'm pretty sure Kitty from my History class is his daughter?
Next is Mammoth. He was formerly working independent, like most villains in the city, contracting himself out to whatever group paid the most for any given job. But ever since the Bertinellis brought on Doctor Phosphorus, Carmine's spent an extraordinary amount of money to have Mammoth on retainer to deal with him.
He's got enhanced strength, speed, and durability enough to go toe-to-toe with most of the heavy-hitters in the city, with a surprisingly cunning mind behind the muscle.
I really need to figure out what the polite way is to ask for a sample of flesh to study.
Besides him is Mirage. I don't know much about her, only that she likes arson, has some meta power which lets her cast illusions, and has an intense rivalry with Atom-Master, who has tech that lets him do the same thing. When he took a contract with the Bertinellis, she came to Carmine, offering her services.
Right as I finish my analysis, the door opens, and Sofia, not Carmine, walks though.
"You're all here, good" the girl says. "Daddy's delegated responsibility over this new threat to me, so I'll be the person you're working with."
She looks around the room challengingly. "Any problems?"
Hmm… On the one hand, it's irritating to know that Carmine isn't taking this as seriously as he should, and using it as some sort of test for his heir, but on the other hand, it's probably a good thing I'll be working under someone that I have a pre-existing relationship with.
"You're gonna do great, kid" Killer Moth says, with an oddly paternal tone. I guess he would have been a major presence in her life growing up.
Mammoth and Mirage just nod, and eventually after a moment of consideration, I join them.
"You're gonna kill it, Soph" Jinx says, shooting her friend a supportive smile.
Sofia smiles, looking like a weight's been lifted off her shoulders. "Excellent! I look forward to all of us working together."
"First" she says, "I'd like to introduce the new face in the room. Sorceress would you like to…"
I nod, looking around the room to make brief eye contact with everyone. "Silver Sorceress, pleasure to meet all of you. I'm a freelance mage, with expertise in just about everything and anything. "
Jinx rolls her eyes, and I can practically see her making the jerking-off motion inside her head.
Yeah, yeah, screw you too, bitch.
"I trust you know everyone" Sofia asks.
I nod. "I grew up here, so I'm pretty familiar."
"Excellent!" she says with a smile. "In that case, let's move forward."
She snaps her fingers, and a man in a suit walks in, and begins to hand a manilla folder to each of us.
"This is all the information we have on the Bertinellis' relations with the Cult of Skath. Storehouses, possible ritual sites, number of enhanced suldati, et cetera. Credit goes to Sorceress, she's been extremely helpful in tracking them."
I leaf through the file, looking for information on the places I've tracked down. Huh. This is… surprisingly professional-looking, for a gang.
I don't know, I guess I was expecting blood-stained pages of notebook paper, or something?
Jinx apparently sees my surprise and shoots me a smirk. "What? High and mighty Sorceress didn't think us lowly illiterate gangbangers could read?"
I roll my eyes, and she huffs.
Sofia's phone rings, and she glances down.
"Oh, excellent! Sorry guys, but we actually do have one new member of the squad that I'd like to introduce. She's a contractor that's occasionally worked with us before, very capable, and so Daddy brought her on as some extra muscle for this mission."
Dang, Carmine's really pulling out all the stops.
"You likely already know of her father, but trust me when I say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
Wait.
"Don't think her age discounts her, either. She's already racked up over two-dozen kills on her own, and not on easy targets."
No.
"She was actually the one that took out that meth lab over on Byron Street that was competing with ours."
No fucking way.
There is no fucking way I've pissed off Tyche that much.
The door opens, and Rose motherfucking Wilson walks through, wearing scale mail armor and an orange and black half-mask.
"Hello hello everyone, pleased to make… your…"
She trails off as her eyes land on me, and for the first time since I've known her I see genuine surprise on her face.
A moment passes.
She grins.
Slowly, that grin begins to grow, until a moment later she's standing there looking at me like every single Christmas of her life has just come early, and I'm the collected pile of presents.
Gods fucking above what did I do to deserve this?
"Ravager, meet the rest of the squad. I know your schedule is busy, so thanks for showing up outside working hours."
Rose leans forward, grin blinding. "Oh, don't worry Sofia. I'm very glad I came."
Fuck my life.
After around ten more minutes of introductions and debriefings, Sofia finally, thankfully dismisses the meeting, and everyone begins to file out of the room.
I stay put, as does Rose.
Sofia is the last to head out, eyes shooting between us, but I shake my head at her.
She looks at me strangely, but nods, leaving the room.
The minute the door to the back room closes, I turn to face the only remaining occupant.
"Rose" I say, voice carefully neutral.
She gets up, moving to the seat next to mine, and plops down in it like a lazy cat. "Oh, relax Yra. I already knew your secret. Hers too!"
Of fucking course she did.
"How did you- no, doesn't matter. What are you doing here?" I say with a growl.
She frowns. "What if I said I was just lonely, and wanted to see you?"
I glare at her. "Rose. What the fuck are you doing here."
Her eyes widen, tearing up. "A-Are you serious right now? I came all this way, and did all this stuff, just to be here for you, and you're-"
I stand up, sending my chair screeching backwards and stalking over towards her. "Fuck off. Last time, Rose. What are you doing here. I'm not playing games."
She lets the impression of a spurned lover hold for a moment, but eventually scoffs, rolling her eyes.
"Fine" she says with a pout. "Ruin my fun, why don't you. My father wants me to start taking more solo missions, and thought this would be a good test of my capabilities."
"C'mon!" she says cheerfully, "I thought you'd be happy to see me! You could certainly use a friendly face, the way that Jinx girl was glaring at you."
My eyes narrow. "Pull the other one. I can't imagine Deathstroke-"
"Oh good, so you do know about that."
"Deathstroke doesn't know exactly how dangerous a group of Skathites can be. "
"He does" she says. "He was actually contracted to to root out a nest of them back in the eighties."
Eighties? He doesn't look a day over- No, not important right now.
"My father expects a lot from me" she says with a grin, "I thought you'd be used to it, but… well, I suppose Sportsmaster just has lower standards."
"Speaking of her" she says, "I'm very sad I missed the fireworks, by the way, I've been waiting on this day for a year. If I'd known I was going to miss everything finally blowing up, I would have told Daddy to find someone else to take to Bialya."
"Honestly Yra" she says, faking a grimace but not bothering to conceal the cruel amusement dancing behind her eyes "not the best idea to not talk about the whole magic thing to your little… ex-girlfriend was it, now? I always told you that communication is important…"
I spin, grabbing her costume and slamming her against the wall. "You shut the fuck up about things you don't know shit about."
I feel a tingle in my danger sense, and my eyes flick down to her hand, which is holding a gun pointed directly at my heart. She raises her eyebrows, eyes hard.
I scowl, but take in a deep breath, and let her go.
I take in a deep breath.
Control, Eri. Control.
I sigh. "I do not fucking need this shit, Rose. I'm already working my ass off trying to track these idiots, I can't deal with your… you-ness."
"What a flattering description" she says drolly.
I growl. "Don't play dumb, it doesn't suit you. Skathites are not a joke, I don't need you pulling one of your schemes and getting us all killed."
She scoffs. "Please, Yra. I'm a professional. Messing with you at school is just for fun, this is actual work. I'll be good."
I look at her skeptically.
She rolls her eyes. "If you don't believe anything else, believe that Slade Wilson didn't raise an incompetent."
She sneers out the word with enough acid to make Timothy Leary jealous.
"C'mon" she says, smile widening. "Don't lie, having someone with my skills around it going to make things easier. Killer Moth's good, but he's not a Wilson. I bet he couldn't hunt down a puppy if it was pissing on his leg."
Despite myself, I let out a huff of air at the joke.
I tilt my head up, taking in a deep breath, and slowly letting it out in staggered increments.
"Fine" I eventually say. "Just… fine, whatever."
I run a hand down my face. "I suppose you can't really make things worse."
She chuckles, sauntering up to me. "Oh, please. I'll have your little cultist problem dealt with in a month, tops."
I raise an eyebrow. "We'll be home by Christmas, then?"
She laughs. "You know, I actually have missed you, anxious self-hatred and all. No one in Bialya was even half as fun to play with."
I roll my eyes. "How dreadfully awful for you."
"But really" she says, "you should look at this as a good thing! You're finally free, Yra! No more Artemis" — she smirks as I flinch — "holding you back, no more stupid self-hatred, no more… you-ness, I believe the term you used was? Once you get over her, you're finally going to start being really interesting."
I can practically hear the hunger in her tone at the last words.
She throws an arm around my shoulders.
"Actually" she says, tilting her head so I have a view down the front of her shirt. "if you want to get a head start on forgetting about her…"
My hand clenches at my side.
"Come on, Yra. You seemed stressed, why don't you let me help you relax?"
No.
Damnit, I'm not doing this again.
I'm not going to…
Wait…
…
Why not, exactly?
…
I mean, she's a mean bitch, sure, but… I can handle that. I'm twice as fucking scary as she could ever be, why the hell was I ever afraid of her in the first place?
Slowly I smile.
Fuck it, Let's go New Eri.
"My place, or yours?"
Two hours later, we're laid out on my bed, in my dorm, utterly spent.
Eventually, Rose sits up, rummaging around in one of the pouches on her costume to pull out a carton of cigarettes.
"Want one?"
I shake my head. Nicotine is only technically a drug, but still. Best not to.
Rose shrugs. "More for me, then."
She reaches for a lighter, but I just snap my fingers, conjuring a flame with a brief runic circle.
Rose hums in thanks. "Damn useful."
I chuckle.
"Okay, level with me" I eventually say. "Why are you really here? Why this job specifically."
She rolls her eyes. "Believe it or not, lovergirl, I wasn't actually lying to you. My father has very high expectations, and wants me to learn how to track down and kill mages. Also, it never hurts to brush-up on my skills against super-strong people."
"Hunting down mages, huh? Should I be worried?"
I don't miss the brief assessing look in her eyes. It's gone quickly though, and she just waves between us. "Nah. You're too pretty to kill, I think."
I chuckle.
"But yeah" Rose says, "that's really all there is too it. Princess isn't the only one being tested by her Daddy."
I giggle. "I can't believe no one's said anything, it is so fucking weird she calls him that."
Rose smirks. "If she ever needs a cape name, I'm pretty sure there isn't a famous 'Electra' around."
I let out a long laugh, and we eventually fall into a comfortable silence.
"By the way" she says, "I heard you slept with Mary Kong yesterday."
She smirks at me. "Seducing her, after you broke her heart? Genius. I'm proud I've rubbed off on you."
I roll my eyes. "Phrasing, and don't put that shit on me. She knows what I was looking for. If she wants something more… that's her problem, not mine."
She laughs. "I think I like this new you, Yra. Less whiny, less hero-y. Guess Archery Girl really was your worse half"
I smirk, ignoring the thump in my chest at hearing her name.
"You know?" I say. "All this time, you've been right… she was the thing holding me back."
Lie.
I smirk. "I think I'm starting to like the me without her."
Lie.
Rose hums. "You know, I expected you to be…"
I laugh. "What, trying to drown myself in a pool of my own tears?"
Rose shrugs. "I mean, you said it…"
"Well," I say with a smile that's just a little bit shaky "sorry to say, you're a few days too late. I had a big, weepy meltdown, went totally crazy. You would have loved it."
She sighs. "Damnit, I miss all the fun."
I laugh incredulously. "You really mean that, don't you? You legitimately regret missing out an opportunity to prod at me during my lowest hour."
She sighs, grumpily.
"Well, you're out of luck" I say. "I got that all out of my system, and now I'm back. Better than back."
She chuckles. "Sure you are."
"I mean it" I say, eyes intent. "When I was at the bottom of a bottle, you know what I realized? I don't need her. I'm a badass, genius sorceress, and I'm going to fucking thrive on my own."
"Right" she says, cruel bemused lurking in her tone. "That's definitely how it works. You're not upset at all."
I frown. "I'm fine. More than fine."
"One month, max. Then… I'll be waiting." Her grin is harsh and mean.
I growl. Right, this is why we don't sleep with Rose, Eri. You fucking moron.
"You'll be waiting a long fucking time then. I've moved on, I'm doing better without her."
"Of course, of course" Rose says, smirking. "That's exactly what a person who's moved on sounds like. Can you even say her name?"
I turn clench my jaw. "Fuck off Rose."
"Oh, calm down" she says, rolling her eyes. "I'm just fucking with you. Don't go all Mary on me, now."
She puts on a shockingly good example of the girl I slept with two night ago. "Oh Argie, my tender heart is weeping! Without you, my world is grey, instead of shining silver!"
I something that's in between a growl and a laugh as I sit up. "Gods, I forgot how much of a bitch you are, you know that?"
She turns to face me fully as I throw the sheet off, the moonlight draping itself over her nude body. "Oh don't lie, you love me."
I pause, looking her over.
"Trust me," I say with a snort, "love has nothing to do with what's between us. Your understanding of that is one of your only good qualities. Otherwise, 100% bitch."
"So you're telling me you don't want to try to seduce Sofia together?"
I bite my lip.
"C'mon, it'll be great! I mean, have you seen her ass?"
I hum. I feel like this definitely has the potential to backfire, but honestly, I don't have it in me to care right at this moment. "…Alright, put a pin in that for later."
"But as for now" I say, leaning over her "you up for another round? I don't have anywhere to be tomorrow morning."
She nods, putting out her cigarette on my nightstand.
So inconsiderate.
AN: The last time Mary Kong was mentioned was in 1.4, I highly recommend you go back and ctrl+f. It should prove illustrative.
Also, google the chapter title, I'm proud of how clever I was on this one. The title references Eri's growing isolation, her silver hair color, her poor mental state, cocaine use, and making out with someone named "Rose"? Sometimes I really impress myself.
Alright I need some help. I'm trying to workshop ideas, and I need a big villainous operation that Eri can get hired by a League of Shadows member to do research and/or security and/or oversight for. Like, think Brain's animal research project or the metahuman trafficking ring in YJ show canon (although nothing as openly evil as human trafficking, she won't ever get that far gone). Something with at least a dozen normal henchmen, a big operation that will take the Team at few days to actually infiltrate/take down/dismantle. Right now, I'm thinking drug farming/smuggling, but I'm open to suggestions. If you have ideas for smaller missions she can clash with the Team on, I'd be interested to hear those too.
As always, discussion keeps me motivated, so please let me know what you think. I also talk about story stuff and get writing feedback on my channel in the Gaylor Convention Center.
I sigh as I wait, sitting in the back room of a Butcher's shop at Carmine's request. The first chapter of our collaboration on how to take down the Skathites, apparently.
I'm honestly glad this is happening the day after he made his offer, because holy shit was that meeting nerve-wracking. I was a mess afterwards, and it took everything I had to not teleport right back to Mooney's to drown myself in booze again.
I… Yeah.
I let out a sharp breath.
I honestly scared myself, with how I got after the-
I swallow.
Well, after.
The drugs, the booze, the partying… I mean fuck, I basically used to be a teetotaler, and in a single night, I became my dad. I was practically weeping on Sofia at that bar, talking about my life was worthless without… her, how I was worthless without her. A wretched, horrible monster.
I scowl. Fuck that. I am strong, I am worth something, I'm not a monster.
If she can't see that? Fine, her fucking loss. I'm not going to let her hangups drag me down with them. I am never going to let her hangups dictate my life ever again.
Never.
Never again to losing control like that, never again to going on a cocaine binge and trying to fight the world, never again to spiraling out into a self-destructive, depressive arc afterwards when I come down from my mania.
Never again to letting someone else have such a hold on my, on my heart, that she can do that to me when she leaves.
Control is the name of the game from here on out. Of my environment, of my life, of myself.
Artemis made her choice. She had the opportunity to accept me for who I was, who I am, and she chose to spit in my fucking face. Calling me a monster, a liar, a cheat, and acting like she's so perfect when her secrets were so much worse than mine, well she can just stick her self-righteous little-
I take in a deep breath, staggering it out. Control, Eri.
I can't focus on her anymore. She doesn't want to be a part of my life, my world?
Fine.
New Eri will just have to show her how high she's capable of flying without annoying, moralistic little busybodies dragging her down.
I've moved on, moved past her, gotten better. I have a new job, which lets me do some fantastic research and tackle enemies of humanity at the same time, something she could only dream of. I even moved my Sanctum to leave the last vestiges of her behind: I found a nice place outside down, big and spacious, that I feel I can really grow into.
My plans, my operations, my whole thing has to go: no more passive, bookish Eri, just waiting for the world to come to her. No, this Eri is going to go out into the world, find what she wants, and take it.
And this, the room I'm in right now, is the first step. The first joint meeting Carmine's anti-Bertinelli task force has together, where we're going to plan out the next week of operations.
I feel a buzz in my pocket, and flip open my phone to check it.
From: Lonsters of Our Own Making
fr ur scaring me whats goin on plz call me its been days
I grimace, putting it away.
Seriously dude, can you take a fucking hint? I'd be more than happy to talk to you, about normal stuff. But he just keeps trying to natter on about feelings and how I'm doing and stuff I do not have the time for right now. She and I stopped talking, I'm better for it, end of fucking story.
The only good thing that's come from talking with him was learning that, for some reason, the bitch has refrained from outing me to everyone at school. I have no idea why, it would be just like her, with how-
Stop. Control, need to have control.
Forcing myself to stop contemplating dark topics, I look next to me, hoping to find something to lighten my mood.
Instead, I see Jinx, very pointedly not looking in my direction as we wait for Carmine to arrive.
I have to suppress a groan. Come on, I said I was sorry. I didn't mean to insult her competence (cough cough even if it was totally deserved cough cough), and I just know she's going to be uptight about this for however long we work together.
There are three other figures, and honestly, I'm a bit shocked to see all of them in one place. Apparently Carmine is pulling out all the stops for this, as every cape in his employ is currently sitting with us.
There's Killer Moth, his longtime enforcer and number two. No powers that I know of, but scarily competent at all sorts of armed and unarmed combat.
He'd still probably lose a hand-to-hand fight with Batman, but he'd take long enough to go down that it'd still be legitimately impressive.
Also, I'm pretty sure Kitty from my History class is his daughter?
Next is Mammoth. He was formerly working independent, like most villains in the city, contracting himself out to whatever group paid the most for any given job. But ever since the Bertinellis brought on Doctor Phosphorus, Carmine's spent an extraordinary amount of money to have Mammoth on retainer to deal with him.
He's got enhanced strength, speed, and durability enough to go toe-to-toe with most of the heavy-hitters in the city, with a surprisingly cunning mind behind the muscle.
I really need to figure out what the polite way is to ask for a sample of flesh to study.
Besides him is Mirage. I don't know much about her, only that she likes arson, has some meta power which lets her cast illusions, and has an intense rivalry with Atom-Master, who has tech that lets him do the same thing. When he took a contract with the Bertinellis, she came to Carmine, offering her services.
Right as I finish my analysis, the door opens, and Sofia, not Carmine, walks though.
"You're all here, good" the girl says. "Daddy's delegated responsibility over this new threat to me, so I'll be the person you're working with."
She looks around the room challengingly. "Any problems?"
Hmm… On the one hand, it's irritating to know that Carmine isn't taking this as seriously as he should, and using it as some sort of test for his heir, but on the other hand, it's probably a good thing I'll be working under someone that I have a pre-existing relationship with.
"You're gonna do great, kid" Killer Moth says, with an oddly paternal tone. I guess he would have been a major presence in her life growing up.
Mammoth and Mirage just nod, and eventually after a moment of consideration, I join them.
"You're gonna kill it, Soph" Jinx says, shooting her friend a supportive smile.
Sofia smiles, looking like a weight's been lifted off her shoulders. "Excellent! I look forward to all of us working together."
"First" she says, "I'd like to introduce the new face in the room. Sorceress would you like to…"
I nod, looking around the room to make brief eye contact with everyone. "Silver Sorceress, pleasure to meet all of you. I'm a freelance mage, with expertise in just about everything and anything. "
Jinx rolls her eyes, and I can practically see her making the jerking-off motion inside her head.
Yeah, yeah, screw you too, bitch.
"I trust you know everyone" Sofia asks.
I nod. "I grew up here, so I'm pretty familiar."
"Excellent!" she says with a smile. "In that case, let's move forward."
She snaps her fingers, and a man in a suit walks in, and begins to hand a manilla folder to each of us.
"This is all the information we have on the Bertinellis' relations with the Cult of Skath. Storehouses, possible ritual sites, number of enhanced suldati, et cetera. Credit goes to Sorceress, she's been extremely helpful in tracking them."
I leaf through the file, looking for information on the places I've tracked down. Huh. This is… surprisingly professional-looking, for a gang.
I don't know, I guess I was expecting blood-stained pages of notebook paper, or something?
Jinx apparently sees my surprise and shoots me a smirk. "What? High and mighty Sorceress didn't think us lowly illiterate gangbangers could read?"
I roll my eyes, and she huffs.
Sofia's phone rings, and she glances down.
"Oh, excellent! Sorry guys, but we actually do have one new member of the squad that I'd like to introduce. She's a contractor that's occasionally worked with us before, very capable, and so Daddy brought her on as some extra muscle for this mission."
Dang, Carmine's really pulling out all the stops.
"You likely already know of her father, but trust me when I say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
Wait.
"Don't think her age discounts her, either. She's already racked up over two-dozen kills on her own, and not on easy targets."
No.
"She was actually the one that took out that meth lab over on Byron Street that was competing with ours."
No fucking way.
There is no fucking way I've pissed off Tyche that much.
The door opens, and Rose motherfucking Wilson walks through, wearing scale mail armor and an orange and black half-mask.
"Hello hello everyone, pleased to make… your…"
She trails off as her eyes land on me, and for the first time since I've known her I see genuine surprise on her face.
A moment passes.
She grins.
Slowly, that grin begins to grow, until a moment later she's standing there looking at me like every single Christmas of her life has just come early, and I'm the collected pile of presents.
Gods fucking above what did I do to deserve this?
"Ravager, meet the rest of the squad. I know your schedule is busy, so thanks for showing up outside working hours."
Rose leans forward, grin blinding. "Oh, don't worry Sofia. I'm very glad I came."
Fuck my life.
After around ten more minutes of introductions and debriefings, Sofia finally, thankfully dismisses the meeting, and everyone begins to file out of the room.
I stay put, as does Rose.
Sofia is the last to head out, eyes shooting between us, but I shake my head at her.
She looks at me strangely, but nods, leaving the room.
The minute the door to the back room closes, I turn to face the only remaining occupant.
"Rose" I say, voice carefully neutral.
She gets up, moving to the seat next to mine, and plops down in it like a lazy cat. "Oh, relax Yra. I already knew your secret. Hers too!"
Of fucking course she did.
"How did you- no, doesn't matter. What are you doing here?" I say with a growl.
She frowns. "What if I said I was just lonely, and wanted to see you?"
I glare at her. "Rose. What the fuck are you doing here."
Her eyes widen, tearing up. "A-Are you serious right now? I came all this way, and did all this stuff, just to be here for you, and you're-"
I stand up, sending my chair screeching backwards and stalking over towards her. "Fuck off. Last time, Rose. What are you doing here. I'm not playing games."
She lets the impression of a spurned lover hold for a moment, but eventually scoffs, rolling her eyes.
"Fine" she says with a pout. "Ruin my fun, why don't you. My father wants me to start taking more solo missions, and thought this would be a good test of my capabilities."
"C'mon!" she says cheerfully, "I thought you'd be happy to see me! You could certainly use a friendly face, the way that Jinx girl was glaring at you."
My eyes narrow. "Pull the other one. I can't imagine Deathstroke-"
"Oh good, so you do know about that."
"Deathstroke doesn't know exactly how dangerous a group of Skathites can be. "
"He does" she says. "He was actually contracted to to root out a nest of them back in the eighties."
Eighties? He doesn't look a day over- No, not important right now.
"My father expects a lot from me" she says with a grin, "I thought you'd be used to it, but… well, I suppose Sportsmaster just has lower standards."
"Speaking of her" she says, "I'm very sad I missed the fireworks, by the way, I've been waiting on this day for a year. If I'd known I was going to miss everything finally blowing up, I would have told Daddy to find someone else to take to Bialya."
"Honestly Yra" she says, faking a grimace but not bothering to conceal the cruel amusement dancing behind her eyes "not the best idea to not talk about the whole magic thing to your little… ex-girlfriend was it, now? I always told you that communication is important…"
I spin, grabbing her costume and slamming her against the wall. "You shut the fuck up about things you don't know shit about."
I feel a tingle in my danger sense, and my eyes flick down to her hand, which is holding a gun pointed directly at my heart. She raises her eyebrows, eyes hard.
I scowl, but take in a deep breath, and let her go.
I take in a deep breath.
Control, Eri. Control.
I sigh. "I do not fucking need this shit, Rose. I'm already working my ass off trying to track these idiots, I can't deal with your… you-ness."
"What a flattering description" she says drolly.
I growl. "Don't play dumb, it doesn't suit you. Skathites are not a joke, I don't need you pulling one of your schemes and getting us all killed."
She scoffs. "Please, Yra. I'm a professional. Messing with you at school is just for fun, this is actual work. I'll be good."
I look at her skeptically.
She rolls her eyes. "If you don't believe anything else, believe that Slade Wilson didn't raise an incompetent."
She sneers out the word with enough acid to make Timothy Leary jealous.
"C'mon" she says, smile widening. "Don't lie, having someone with my skills around it going to make things easier. Killer Moth's good, but he's not a Wilson. I bet he couldn't hunt down a puppy if it was pissing on his leg."
Despite myself, I let out a huff of air at the joke.
I tilt my head up, taking in a deep breath, and slowly letting it out in staggered increments.
"Fine" I eventually say. "Just… fine, whatever."
I run a hand down my face. "I suppose you can't really make things worse."
She chuckles, sauntering up to me. "Oh, please. I'll have your little cultist problem dealt with in a month, tops."
I raise an eyebrow. "We'll be home by Christmas, then?"
She laughs. "You know, I actually have missed you, anxious self-hatred and all. No one in Bialya was even half as fun to play with."
I roll my eyes. "How dreadfully awful for you."
"But really" she says, "you should look at this as a good thing! You're finally free, Yra! No more Artemis" — she smirks as I flinch — "holding you back, no more stupid self-hatred, no more… you-ness, I believe the term you used was? Once you get over her, you're finally going to start being really interesting."
I can practically hear the hunger in her tone at the last words.
She throws an arm around my shoulders.
"Actually" she says, tilting her head so I have a view down the front of her shirt. "if you want to get a head start on forgetting about her…"
My hand clenches at my side.
"Come on, Yra. You seemed stressed, why don't you let me help you relax?"
No.
Damnit, I'm not doing this again.
I'm not going to…
Wait…
…
Why not, exactly?
…
I mean, she's a mean bitch, sure, but… I can handle that. I'm twice as fucking scary as she could ever be, why the hell was I ever afraid of her in the first place?
Slowly I smile.
Fuck it, Let's go New Eri.
"My place, or yours?"
Two hours later, we're laid out on my bed, in my dorm, utterly spent.
Eventually, Rose sits up, rummaging around in one of the pouches on her costume to pull out a carton of cigarettes.
"Want one?"
I shake my head. Nicotine is only technically a drug, but still. Best not to.
Rose shrugs. "More for me, then."
She reaches for a lighter, but I just snap my fingers, conjuring a flame with a brief runic circle.
Rose hums in thanks. "Damn useful."
I chuckle.
"Okay, level with me" I eventually say. "Why are you really here? Why this job specifically."
She rolls her eyes. "Believe it or not, lovergirl, I wasn't actually lying to you. My father has very high expectations, and wants me to learn how to track down and kill mages. Also, it never hurts to brush-up on my skills against super-strong people."
"Hunting down mages, huh? Should I be worried?"
I don't miss the brief assessing look in her eyes. It's gone quickly though, and she just waves between us. "Nah. You're too pretty to kill, I think."
I chuckle.
"But yeah" Rose says, "that's really all there is too it. Princess isn't the only one being tested by her Daddy."
I giggle. "I can't believe no one's said anything, it is so fucking weird she calls him that."
Rose smirks. "If she ever needs a cape name, I'm pretty sure there isn't a famous 'Electra' around."
I let out a long laugh, and we eventually fall into a comfortable silence.
"By the way" she says, "I heard you slept with Mary Kong yesterday."
She smirks at me. "Seducing her, after you broke her heart? Genius. I'm proud I've rubbed off on you."
I roll my eyes. "Phrasing, and don't put that shit on me. She knows what I was looking for. If she wants something more… that's her problem, not mine."
She laughs. "I think I like this new you, Yra. Less whiny, less hero-y. Guess Archery Girl really was your worse half"
I smirk, ignoring the thump in my chest at hearing her name.
"You know?" I say. "All this time, you've been right… she was the thing holding me back."
I smirk. "I think I'm starting to like the me without her."
Rose hums. "You know, I expected you to be…"
I laugh. "What, trying to drown myself in a pool of my own tears?"
Rose shrugs. "I mean, you said it…"
"Well," I say with a smile that's just a little bit shaky "sorry to say, you're a few days too late. I had a big, weepy meltdown, went totally crazy. You would have loved it."
She sighs. "Damnit, I miss all the fun."
I laugh incredulously. "You really mean that, don't you? You legitimately regret missing out an opportunity to prod at me during my lowest hour."
She sighs, grumpily.
"Well, you're out of luck" I say. "I got that all out of my system, and now I'm back. Better than back."
She chuckles. "Sure you are."
"I mean it" I say, eyes intent. "When I was at the bottom of a bottle, you know what I realized? I don't need her. I'm a badass, genius sorceress, and I'm going to fucking thrive on my own."
"Right" she says, cruel bemused lurking in her tone. "That's definitely how it works. You're not upset at all."
I frown. "I'm fine. More than fine."
"One month, max. Then… I'll be waiting." Her grin is harsh and mean.
I growl. Right, this is why we don't sleep with Rose, Eri. You fucking moron.
"You'll be waiting a long fucking time then. I've moved on, I'm doing better without her."
"Of course, of course" Rose says, smirking. "That's exactly what a person who's moved on sounds like. Can you even say her name?"
I turn clench my jaw. "Fuck off Rose."
"Oh, calm down" she says, rolling her eyes. "I'm just fucking with you. Don't go all Mary on me, now."
She puts on a shockingly good example of the girl I slept with two night ago. "Oh Argie, my tender heart is weeping! Without you, my world is grey, instead of shining silver!"
I something that's in between a growl and a laugh as I sit up. "Gods, I forgot how much of a bitch you are, you know that?"
She turns to face me fully as I throw the sheet off, the moonlight draping itself over her nude body. "Oh don't lie, you love me."
I pause, looking her over.
"Trust me," I say with a snort, "love has nothing to do with what's between us. Your understanding of that is one of your only good qualities. Otherwise, 100% bitch."
"So you're telling me you don't want to try to seduce Sofia together?"
I bite my lip.
"C'mon, it'll be great! I mean, have you seen her ass?"
I hum. I feel like this definitely has the potential to backfire, but honestly, I don't have it in me to care right at this moment. "…Alright, put a pin in that for later."
"But as for now" I say, leaning over her "you up for another round? I don't have anywhere to be tomorrow morning."
She nods, putting out her cigarette on my nightstand.
So inconsiderate.
AN: The last time Mary Kong was mentioned was in 1.4, I highly recommend you go back and ctrl+f. It should prove illustrative.
Also, google the chapter title, I'm proud of how clever I was on this one. The title references Eri's growing isolation, her silver hair color, her poor mental state, cocaine use, and making out with someone named "Rose"? Sometimes I really impress myself.
Alright I need some help. I'm trying to workshop ideas, and I need a big villainous operation that Eri can get hired by a League of Shadows member to do research and/or security and/or oversight for. Like, think Brain's animal research project or the metahuman trafficking ring in YJ show canon (although nothing as openly evil as human trafficking, she won't ever get that far gone). Something with at least a dozen normal henchmen, a big operation that will take the Team at few days to actually infiltrate/take down/dismantle. Right now, I'm thinking drug farming/smuggling, but I'm open to suggestions. If you have ideas for smaller missions she can clash with the Team on, I'd be interested to hear those too.
As always, discussion keeps me motivated, so please let me know what you think. I also talk about story stuff and get writing feedback on my channel in the Gaylor Convention Center.
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