Broker

A modern shower was a glorious thing. Warm water on her back, running through her hair, a cleansing after all of her experiences. The realm within Titania’s ability hadn’t been truly real, but it had felt that way. The dirt, blood, tears, pain, and shame that the old goddess had inflicted upon her. After everything she’d been through, everything she’d seen, everything that she’d done, she finally felt truly whole. A light heart beat in her chest that wouldn’t be extinguished by a single foul mood.

She looked at herself in the mirror. The eyes were new; Amos had made them himself apparently. White sclera and picture perfect irises that glowed nicely in her favorite hue. She reached up and ran her fingers through and down her long white hair, stark white and shimmering with a silver finish. Witnessing an apocalypse and being sent back to her original body had started the change. Broker’s awakening had been the final straw that had irrevocably altered her appearance from the grungy black-haired girl who’d crawled her way through the hellscape of the past timeline.

Her pale white-as-snow skin glittered with the remnants of the earliest abilities she’d collected and merged into her own. She reached up to the mirror and traced a nail across her own lips, tilting her head and smiling at herself. "It’s just me looking back now,” she murmured. "Lookin’ good, Farsight. You’ve come a long way,” she chuckled and rest her head against the cool surface. "That’s the last time I’ll call myself that, I think, it’s about time I let her go too,” she stood back up and winked at herself, a bit of smugness rising to her face. "Ladykiller,” she snickered and grabbed a towel before slipping out into her bedroom. 

The bedroom was spacious but not overly so. The dominating feature being the overlarge California king she’d picked herself set up at the far end. The walls had changed from their usual opaque white to take on the look of a field of flowers, the floor altered as well to add to the simulation. It made it seem like her bed, vanity, and closet door were simply free standing in the middle of a massive garden. She smiled at Marta who was standing next to her vanity, the woman dressed in her immaculate black-and-white maid attire. Brown hair fell down around her shoulder in neat tresses. Her white gloves gripped around a hairbrush. 

Next to the small seat was a white-furred hound monster, its luminous eyes an ever changing wash of color. It sat at attention and stared back at her as she approached. Levi, her familiar, had stayed out of the battle for obvious reasons. It was not yet strong enough to survive that level of violence. Packs of wild, near-mindless monsters were one thing. People were far more dangerous. Sonya reached down and stroked the side of his face as she sat down.

“Miss Chernovna,” she said politely with an inclination of her head.

Sonya looked up at her face and decided not to bring up the slight red rings around the woman’s brown eyes; their tearful reunion had been enough. “I’ll be troubling you again, Marta.”

“It’s my duty,” Marta said with no small amount of joy in her voice as she started brushing Sonya’s hair.

Sonya closed her eyes and touched the wall in front of her with her technopathy, turning it over to the news broadcast. The speakers behind the wall turned on.

“It has been six hours since what the general population have unofficially begun calling ‘World War Liberty’ came to an end with the arrest of the Special-Class Supervillain and War Criminal by her sister and now famed Hero, Harbinger. With the death toll still being counted and two dungeon breaks being addressed in the aftermath, some experts are saying Humanity has been brought back from the brink of disaster.”

“How’s the clean-up?” Sonya asked.

“Most of the monsters from the second dungeon break have been dealt with by follow-up teams. They weren’t especially strong, but the damage to the surrounding area and towns isn’t small, people aren’t going to forget three breaks in one year,” Marta said.

Sonya nodded. "It could have been a lot worse.”

“Nations are still reeling from the appearance of a giant humanoid monster that was later confirmed to be the Special-Class Supervillan Kingshark who ruthlessly attacked the compounds belonging to Liberty across the globe. The Pandora Committee has already announced that they are reassessing his threat level, and global sea trade has ground to a halt over concerns of his presence in the world’s oceans.”

Sonya glanced up at Marta who was grinning ear to ear as she worked. "Your boyfriend is pretty popular.”

Marta flushed. "Isn’t he? He looks great in that new form,” she sighed wistfully.

Sonya raised an eyebrow. "You’ve got some crazy tastes lady.”

Marta pursed her lips. "I don’t want to hear that from you, Miss ‘gaming mix as my intro music’.”

Sonya laughed. "Fair enough!” she closed her eyes again and kept listening to the broadcast.

“As of this reporting, Liberty has been remanded into the custody of the Pandora Committee and her first hearing is set for tomorrow. Of her so-called ‘Round-Table’ only Sir Pence was arrested during the fighting and is currently being interviewed by Pandora Officials,” the reporter continued. "Of the Round-Table, Dame Ito is believed to have escaped as well as Dame Kant, who has been confirmed to have escaped after suffering serious injuries during the chaos of Ishtar’s vicious onslaught near the end of the battle. The fates of the other members remain unconfirmed.”

Sonya hissed through her teeth and scratched at her chin. "Ahh… Chunhua is gonna give me an earful for that. She lost her eye to Kant, didn’t she?”

“As I understand it, yes,” Marta said quietly as she tied Sonya’s hair up. "Your usual outfit, ma’am?”

Sonya shook her head. "It’s an afterparty; just grab me something casual.”

“Of course, just a moment,” Marta said and stepped away. Sonya looked down at Levi who hadn’t left her side since her return. “Good boy,” she murmured. "Are you growing well for me?”

The familiar huffed out a short breath in response. She chuckled. "I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Social media and various hero-following organizations have been in a frenzy in response to the filmed conversation between Liberty and Harbinger during their vicious confrontation. Harbinger, a young US Hero who recently graduated from the US Hero Camps was confirmed to be Liberty’s biological younger sister. Liberty is noted to have made several statements in regards to her sister having been kidnapped by the Pandora Committee. Current speculation ranges wildly about Harbinger and her background, with questions ranging from her treatment during her time in Liberty’s cult to her apparent familial relationship with CEO Sonya Chernovna.”

Sonya’s rolled her eyes. "Saw that coming.”

“They’re going through her life with a fine toothed comb right now,” Marta said with a sigh from within the closet.

“She’s a top hero like her friends,” Sonya said with a shrug. "It comes with the territory. Don’t worry, I’ll help her through it if she needs me.”

“You’re such a doting mother,” Marta laughed, coming out of the closet with a designer t-shirt and a comfortable pair of jeans.

Sonya huffed then smiled to herself, tilting her head down a bit to hide the flush to her cheeks as her smile widened even more. That was, of course, impossible given her skin tone. Marta was kind enough to say nothing. She was so proud of Cassiopeia, of how much she’d grown, how far she’d come, and the decision she’d made. She only wished she could have been there to hear her say those words to Ishtar herself. She let out a breath and glanced up to meet Marta’s eyes. "Daw… don’t get all teary eyed again,” Sonya teased.

“Hush you,” Marta scolded and started brushing her hair again.

“The international community is currently split on Liberty’s fate. The majority are calling for her to be extradited to Japan for the death penalty after sentencing at the International Criminal Court. Others are calling for her to be the first to be subject to a new punishment developed by Russian Post-Pandora researcher Alexi Baev. The procedure would involve the direct implantation of a mana-suppression device into the subject's spinal column. Rendering them permanently unable to utilize their abilities,” the reporter paused. "Some opponents are stating that this procedure is unnecessarily cruel and should be banned.”

Sonya raised her eyebrows. "That’s… extreme. That didn’t exist in the past timeline.”

“What do you think?” Marta asked, handing Sonya the shirt. She checked it, it was her favorite ‘SODA’ shirt. 

Sonya pursed her lips, running her thumbs over the glittery words. "I think it could be abused. Imagine if they just started doing it willy-nilly to anybody they felt was threatening before giving ‘em a chance,” she tilted her head. "The last thing I want is a shortage of light-touched,” she pulled the shirt on over her head and turned to the bed. "What about you?”

Sitting on the bed, her legs and arms crossed, was a woman that looked like a more severe version of herself. Her jaw was sharper and more narrow with harder eyes. Her white hair was cut into a stylish pixie, with emphasized bangs, faded sides, and a slight undercut in the back. Scars adorned her face, muscular arms, and fingers. She was wearing a pair of cargo pants and a no-nonsense tank top. “I have no real preferences about it. I think that Alexi gentleman is going to have a lot of problems in the future, though.”

Sonya snorted. "Of course you wouldn’t care,” she laughed. "How are you liking my handiwork by the way?”

Ishtar flexed her hands and looked at her arms. "It’s just a Legionnaire with a fancy coat of paint,” Ishtar said. "but it will certainly do. I can’t use any of your powers, though.”

Sonya rolled her eyes. "Endless pragmatism, won’t it be nice to have a little fun at least? Get out a little? Now that Heavenly Legion is a part of you, you can do this whenever you want really.”

“Fun? What fun can I have?” Ishtar asked, squinting at her. "Sonya, I don’t officially exist.”

“I’ll get some papers made up, come up with a name; it’ll be fine! Trust me!” she chuckled. "My big sister in the flesh!”

Ishtar frowned. "Did you have to make the ‘flesh’ so realistic? I don’t think your Augmented Reality ability was intended to be used this way.”

Sonya pouted. "You don’t like it?”

“I don’t need that!” Ishtar barked.

Sonya waggled her eyebrows. "I’m sure there’s a certain voyeuristic fallen-great one that would wholeheartedly disagree.”

Ishtar raised an eyebrow and sighed. "Are you done getting ready yet?” she shook her head. "I just don’t understand how a person can take so long to get dressed.”

Marta and Sonya spoke up simultaneously, their fingers raised and their brows furrowed. "Perfection takes time!” 

Ishtar leaned back, her lips thin and her shoulders up. "F-fine, fine, whatever.”

Sonya turned back to her vanity and Marta began picking out earrings as Sonya relaxed a little more. She really just wanted to savor this for a bit longer. She knew she didn’t need to get gussied up for her guests but it just felt good after so long. Levi trotted away to hop onto the bed and sit next to Ishtar.

“...hosting the contest for the Sapporo memorial statue commission. The Japanese hero has been lauded for his sacrifice to hold Liberty at bay while the rest of the vanguard made their way through her territory. The Japanese Government has announced that he will be posthumously awarded the Supreme Order of the Crysthanamum and that a park will be erected in his honor at the epicenter of the Tokyo blast zone. According to his Will, his assets and any profits made from his name in the future will go to international youth after-school programs. The Japanese Hero Association has stated they will match those donations in perpetuity in honor of the fallen hero.”

“He was Yakuza before becoming a hero, right?” Marta asked.

“Mhm, joined young,” Sonya nodded. "I wish I’d gotten to know him better.”

“He was friends with Logan,” Marta said sadly. "I hope he’s doing alright. He’s lost two friends now to hero work.”

“Sapporo. I respect him,” Ishtar said quietly, petting Levi who had settled his head in her lap. "He was a remarkable man.”

“Hero Harbinger and her team are currently at The Hague and will be there for some time. They are expected to receive commendation awards during their stay while Harbinger will be testifying against her throughout the trial. Liberty’s official legal representation has yet to be chosen.”

“Colin said that he’s pretty sure they’ll have to drag someone in chains to take her case,” Sonya laughed. "I don’t blame them,” Marta stepped to the side and grabbed a small box of makeup and Sonya took it from her. "Thanks.”

“Hero Otis, who single-handedly held off Ishtar during the conflict, will also be given accolades. His apparent rivalry with the Queen of Villians has elevated his status, though there have been some questions raised about him hiding his apparent invulnerability. ASTA Corporation, who currently holds his hero contract as part of their guild program, released a statement informing the press that Otis will be holding a press conference in the coming weeks.”

Marta snorted. "If it weren’t for that invulnerability of his, he’d be long dead by now. Single-handedly, what a joke.”

“He’s getting stronger somehow,” Ishtar pointed out. “We’ll need to talk about what I learned about him soon.”

Sonya nodded. "We do, but it can wait, I think. We all need some time to relax.”

“I’m genuinely happy to hear you say that,” Ishtar said with a sigh. “It’s really good to see you like this.”

Sonya reached up and twirled her hair with her finger. "I’ve… got a lot to be thankful for. Still need to introduce you to the friends I made. Wish I could bring them out here like you.”

Ishtar shrugged. "Perhaps one day.”

Sonya tugged on her pants and hopped to her feet as the news kept going in the background. She looked herself over in the mirror.

“In other news, the Middle East's diplomatic situation remains tenuous as Spice King Erebus continues to expand his territorial claims. Very few territories in the region remain out of his control and governments in exile have issued complaints to the UN citing Pandora Committee inaction. The Chairwoman of the Pandora Committee, Carla Mint, issued a statement reminding the middle east nations of their refusal of external support after the Queen August incident. The complaining nations have not issued a rebuttal.”

Sonya whistled. "Ruthless.”

“She tends to be when you aren’t around,” Marta said. "I’ve heard the girl is quite frightening.”

Sonya smirked. "Damn, I love that woman,” she chuckled and wandered over to the door to her bedroom. She could hear faint talking, laughter, shouting, and some playful arguing through it. She ran her fingers over the surface. "They are so noisy.”

Ishtar stood next to her. "What do you expect? You picked them.”

Sonya shook her head and laughed. "Can’t argue that,” she said and the door slid open. She turned only briefly to check on Levi who had settled onto the bed. The lazy hound probably wasn’t a fan of the big crowd. She shrugged and stepped out into the hall before wandering down towards the outlet. She could see the glass railing that overlooked the living room. The hall around her lit up as she passed, carefully illuminating her path. "Man, Amos did a good job.”

“Yes, he did. I adore the kitchen,” Marta said, cupping her face with a hand and smiling merrily. "Those spherical drones of his are a godsend as well. It’s like having a full staff for the house. There’s significantly more square footage than the old apartment.”

Ishtar huffed. "At least you make good use of the space. I can appreciate the efficiency.”

“Luxury is nice, but luxury and utility is better,” Sonya said as they exited the hallway. She stepped over to the railing and leaned against it, looking down at the scene below. Four people were sitting on the couch. On the far left was Colin who was laughing, his long brown hair done up in that usual thick braid of his. He was wearing a hoodie that looked just a size too big for him with an ASTA Research logo on the back and a pleated skirt. His usually ruby red eyes were a more natural brown and they twinkled a little as he laughed.

Amos was next to Colin, leaning forward and clutching a controller with a focused look on his face. He was in a short-sleeve shirt, a little underdressed for the cool fall night. Sonya wondered with amusement where his warmer top could have gone. He ran his fingers through his messy mop of dark brown hair and scratched at his stubble as something exploded on the screen before him. “Shit! Gia! The hell was that?”

Gia-Kerauna-was waving her controller around like it did her any good. Her off-gray hair and purple highlights sparkling a bit in the light coming down from above. She was wearing a tight-fitted purple turtleneck that audaciously emphasized her already dramatic figure. Her fingers were covered in rings that glittered and sparkled. She snorted out a laugh. "Get good, Carter!”

At the end of the couch was Ozzie. The undead manager of the Styx was in his favorite suit and tie, way overdressed for the evening. He’d even brought his cane with him, leaned against his shoulder as he fumbled with the controller. His stitches twisted in consternation as he waved the device about. "Two thousand zombies linked to me and not a single one of them is any good at this damn game! Which one’s the gas button again?”

The couch was set in the middle of the large living room, the outer walls had been turned opaque to prevent anyone from looking inside. Part of those walls currently had a massive image of four vehicles racing down a rainbow-colored track and bumping into one another. Two were in first and second place, one was trailing at fifth, while another was going the opposite direction in last place. 

Sonya rest her chin on her palm and turned to look at the wall far to the left where two men stood, talking quietly and sharing drinks. Beyol was dressed in a black turtleneck and simple dark slacks. His black hair was styled to the side instead of just letting it fall around his face, and it looked like he was actually wearing some jewelry, a necklace with a lightning bolt on it. He sipped at a light beer and nodded amicably while his neighbor, Barry, waved his hands about dramatically. 

Barry stood head and shoulders taller than Beyol, short russet hair styled with a bit of gel. His muscled frame was adorned with a polo and a pair of jeans. He scratched at the faint gill lines on his neck and brought his lager up to his lips, sipping as, to her surprise, the stoic Beyol raised a hand to his mouth and laughed a little, shaking his head at whatever Barry had said.

“Ready to go say hello?” Marta asked.

Sonya turned to look up at her and nodded. She and Ishtar made their way to the stairs as Marta cleared her throat loudly. The reaction was immediate. The game paused on the wall and the four players rose to their feet, turning around and standing as one. Kingshark and Blackrazor pushed off the wall and walked over to join their comrades in a line as Sonya descended the steps. She flushed a little at the serious looks on their faces. Why are they so-

“Oh great,” Amos said loudly. "There’s two of ‘em now!”

The moment of tension broke as Gia burst into laughter and Ozzie hung his head. Barry threw his head back in a guffaw and slapped Beyol on the back who stumbled forward and dropped to a knee. Sonya beamed, That’s more like it.

“Hey guys,” Sonya said. "Been a while since we were all together.”

“It’s good to have you back, boss,” Amos said with a grin. "Up for a game?”

Sonya glanced at Ishtar. "Wanna join us? Up to twelve players.”

Ishtar made a face. "I don’t think…” Sonya weaponized her greatest asset, her most powerful, unbeatable, and terrible force. She rounded on Ishtar, leaned forward, and opened her eyes wide as she stuck her lower lip out and pouted. Ishtar winced, stepping back. "Wh-what the hell? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Puh-leeeeese? Big sister?”

Ishtar looked away, trying to focus on anything but Sonya’s face. She glanced back and Sonya watched in mischievous glee as Ishtar’s defenses crumbled beneath her terrible onslaught. She let out a world-weary sigh. "You’ll have to show me how to play.”

Sonya hopped down off the last step and threw her hands up. "Yay!” she shouted. "Ishtar’s in!” She ran past the kitchen and before she bee-lined to the couch she skip-hopped off the ground and practically tackled Barry into a hug. “Thanks for everything, Barry. You really gave it your all.”

He hugged her back and set her down. "Glad to be of service, boss.”

She rounded on the others. "That goes for you all too!” she said. "Enjoy tonight! We’re gonna relax and take a load off, have some snacks and booze. Soda for me, but you know,” she said with a shrug as Marta huffed in displeasure behind her. She rounded on Marta. "I can have snacks! It’s been…” she tapped her fingers. "Way too long!”

Marta hung her head before looking up at Sonya and giving her a resigned smile. "Cola and your favorite chips, miss?”

Sonya put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest. "That would be fine.”

She turned to Ishtar who was looking at all of her subordinates with a strange mix of emotions on her face. Sonya turned to her and held out a hand. "Come on. Let's do some living. We’ve both got a lot of moping about to make up for.”

Ishtar chuckled and nodded. "Very well, I can agree to that,” she said and took her hand.

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