Chapter 205: Chapter 172

Ishtar turned away from the glass and with a thought the cooling system inside the helmet began to wind down, a low hiss of pressure releasing came out of it. She rolled her neck and 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 storage space. She reached up and tossed her hair out, sighing as she enjoyed the taste of the air before turning her attention to the room around her. The ‘Oversight Lounge’ as Charon called it, was where he met with villains the world over. There, with the help of her contracts and sometimes Colin himself, he made deals on her behalf or for his own benefit.

Charon stood next to her, leaning on his wicked cane. His milky white eyes had a faint reddish light within them. He’s growing stronger. His appearance had changed once again compared to the last time she’d seen him. Before he had a slightly darker jaw stitched on using his grafting ability as well as jet-black skinned forearms and hands. Now a portion of the upper-right side of his face had been removed and replaced 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 reaching 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 was an up-and-comer who got a little too big for her britches, and tried to steal one of my cabs.”

“That’s inadvisable,” Ishtar commented with a laugh, “Is the ability a good one?”

“My skin can now 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 cane 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 than permitted to see what she really looked like. Tenebra had not yet earned that 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 distorting her features for those she didn’t want to see. It wasn’t as imposing as the mask, but it would do for this conversation. “I heard she suddenly appeared in Australia and started stirring the pot.”

“Yes,” Charon said, glancing again at the door and cracking an amused smile, “She’s impatient, brash, and more than anything, wholly untested on the level that we are at. Yet she’s managed to make quite a name for herself. Her ability is strong and quite similar to Blackrazor’s.”

Someone scoffed off to the side and the two of them turned to see Blackrazor sitting on one of the couches next to a very calm but pale middle aged woman with dark brown hair clinging 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 comes in. She’s a bit of a fan of yours,” Charon pointed out patiently before turning back to Ishtar, off to the side, Blackrazor frowned and looked away, “I saw value in her ability and popularity and reached out. She’s become quite the asset and has brought more and more business to the Styx. I’m going to have to expand soon.”

“We’ll work on relocating you, I have something in mind for the future, do what you can with the space you have for now,” Ishtar said.

We do?

I do.

Are you going to elaborate?

No. It’s not pressing and you need to focus on Liberty. We’ll get there, I’m sure.

Tch. Fine! Fine! Fair enough.

Ishtar kept her expression plain even as she sighed inwardly. There was only so much she could share with Sonya without distracting her. It felt at times that Ishtar had taken all of the focus from her, she was always eager to jump into the next 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 and gestured 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 landing on Ishtar’s blurred visage. “No helmet. Got it,” she murmured before looking at the others in the room.

Besides Ishtar and Charon there were four people present. Blackrazor sat next to Bernetta Lucci, the European head of Ishtar’s ‘club’. It was an organization of those who had made deals with her to ensure their own wealth and privilege during this new time. In exchange, they heeded her requests when she wanted something done in the region. A shadow government of sorts. On the other couch sat a sandy-blonde haired man in a shiny suit. His legs were crossed comfortably and an easy smile spread across his face. Prichard Earl, the North American 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.

Next to Prichard was Cass, or rather, Taurus. She wore her blonde hair back in thick braids and her body was covered in an elastic leather-like armor that Amos had developed to adapt to her size-changing ability. Her face was concealed 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 changing the pitch and timbre of her voice to disguise it, “Sit down Tenebra, you’re joining us for this meeting.”

“See it as an opportunity still being extended to you despite somehow ending up on the Pandora Committee’s radar in spite my best efforts, no doubt,” Charon said, his voice pleasant but laced with deadly warning.

Tenebra winced but nodded, “R-right, sorry sir,” she cleared her throat before meeting Blackrazor’s eyes. She swallowed hard, “Hi.”

“Hello,” he said flatly, “Sit. The Mistress has given you instructions. Follow them.”

Tenebra jumped at the whip-crack in his voice and hurried to sit at one of the free spots, to the opposite side of Bernetta Lucci who actually relaxed a little at her presence. “That is a beautiful dress,” Bernetta said politely. “I think I designed a similar one when I was a girl.”

Tenebra brightened at the compliment while Ishtar stepped over to the last remaining couch and sat down. Across from her Blackrazor leaned forward a bit and met her gaze, “Companion?”

“I have her working on something for me back home,” Ishtar said casually as Charon walked up to sit down next to her, grinning ear to ear. “We settled back in after our trip yesterday. Though we’ll be going back out soon enough. I have some rumors to address.”

Blackrazor tilted his head before his eyebrows rose, “The Cult in Japan.”

“Quite so,” Ishtar said with a nod, “If they can be turned into a useful blade against Liberty I want to draw on them sooner rather than later,” she paused and clenched a fist, “If they’re more trouble than they’re worth, I will need to deal with them. I do not want such an organization sullying my name.”

“Prudent,” Prichard finally spoke up, “That’s what I’d do.”

“How are things with the North American 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 our goals,” he said, “I have a meeting with Dimitri Weller next 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 Canada and Mexico?”

“We’ve made headway up north, down south it’s a bit more complicated,” he said, “Apparently they have a guardian angel who is more than happy to work outside the law to protect pretty much everything south of the US border with impunity.”

“Drastic,” Charon grumbled, “Didn’t you send Colin and Kera to negotiate 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 homeland,” Prichard said, “The various nations of that region have a tacit agreement with him but have been forced to acknowledge his existence. Hence his position on the Pandora Committee most wanted list.”

Ishtar clicked her tongue before glancing towards Bernetta, “Any updates on your end?”

“We’ve sifted through the locations on that list you provided us,” Bernetta said, “None of them appear to have the potential to become such a potent mana hotspot, but we’ll keep looking. Are you sure its in Europe?”

“I’m sure, keep searching. When that mythic dungeon manifests in the future I want it under lock and key. Only those who I say can enter will ever be allowed inside. I’ll complete it myself if I must,” Ishtar said cooly, “I am quite confident in my prediction of what’s inside.”

“We’ll redouble our efforts,” Bernetta said, “Otherwise, we’ve completed expanding the club to the remaining members of the Union and the UK. The only outlier is the President of the Commission who is a bit of a moral paragon. If you truly want Europe, you’re going to have to go through him. Since the flash, the Commission has held even more sway than the member nations. I wouldn’t be surprised if more unifying agreements are proposed in the future.”

“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 Europe right now towards consolidation out of a desire for self-defense,” Bernetta said, “If it becomes one of his platforms, he might be one of the only people who can do it.”

“Find out his real position on it,” Ishtar said before glancing towards Blackrazor, “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,” Blackrazor 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 next to him. Her arms were crossed and her gaze was steady as she looked straight at Ishtar. “It’ll only annoy her. Something’s changed as well, she’s acting differently and taking measured action.”

Prichard frowned at Taurus, “Explain.”

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 seen the things she can do. Most of the functions of her ability she doesn’t bother to use since it doesn’t empower her. That’s changed and so it’s become relevant,” she sighed and leaned back, looking at the others. “You’re aware that she can create agents like the Round Table as well as provide temporary power boosts to those who follow her?”

“I’ve seen the recordings from the raid, yes,” Blackrazor said, “I’ve been studying them thoroughly,” he frowned, “She crossed a line with the Night Society that I fully intend to avenge.”

The others nodded as well and Taurus continued, “The first time her ability manifested 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 silence for most of the meeting sat up, “How would you-” Taurus shot her a glare and the idol-turned-supervillain blinked before her eyes widened, “Oh… Interesting.”

Ishtar glanced towards Tenebra, “We’re going to have to talk after this, Tenebra,” Ishtar said flatly and Tenebra paled but nodded. Ishtar turned back to Taurus, “Continue, Taurus.”

“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 comparable to a fighter well above her weight class at the time. Anyone who idolizes her experiences this,” Taurus explained.

“We know that much,” Charon said, “What about the juicy bits?”

“Her ability is thematic,” Taurus said, “She can designate places and objects to ‘represent’ her. She rarely uses this function but she can effectively declare a building or area as hers and as long as no one contests it, that place or object will take on unusual properties. They don’t do her any good personally, but those who follow her will experience it.”

“Do you have an example?” Ishtar asked, “You explained this to me earlier but I’d like the others to understand 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 later, wearing the shirt gave her sister minor self-healing. Liberty is an abuser, though, and confiscated the shirt once she understood what was happening in order to continue torturing her little sister,” she said, her voice dripping with hate.

“Like a battle standard,” Blackrazor 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 can field armies. In them, a unit carrying the faction’s battle standard can project a strengthening aura of sorts to those in its area of effect,” he paused and turned to her, “I assume that buildings and places declared as hers also develop properties like this?”

“Yes, though she has more control over those than the ‘standards’ as you call them,” Taurus said flatly, “She created a room at the main compound that maximizes discomfort and suffering to those inside.”

“So declarations of loyalty to her are only half of her ability,” Ishtar mused, “The other half is dedicated towards strengthening things under her protection or that she sees as belonging to her,” she turned to face Taurus, “Why didn’t you mention this facet before?”

“Liberty said that she would never use that facet of her ability since it didn’t benefit her personally, she saw it as a useless thing to strengthen that which she could just replace,” Taurus said as she clenched her fists. “Now, with her behavior changing and her focus turning inward with a lot of construction happening in the places she controls, it’s the only conclusion I can come 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 last,” Taurus crossed her arms and looked away, “She finds that kind of thing tiresome.”

“So her forces will be exponentially 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 contest of her territory and people. Something she will have to constantly defend against in order to maintain the growth she’s trying to foster.”

“Correct,” Ishtar said, “The villains won’t be of any use taking her down directly, but they can be turned to cripple whatever she’s attempting to do. Ultimately we will have to ensure the heroes have the resources and numbers necessary to deal with her themselves when the time comes. It’s better to be prepared in case she decides to lean on this function.”

“Then perhaps it’s time to add new regions to the club, the more the merrier, yes?” Beretta asked.

Ishtar turned to her and smiled, “If all goes well in Japan, that’s exactly what I intend to do.”