[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

365

Evelyn Winters

The impact against the back of the bar had nearly knocked Sonnet unconscious, the sudden rush of wind had taken her by surprise and she hadn't been able to teleport in time to avoid hitting the shelves. It took her a while to come fully back to her senses, and she was pleasantly surprised to find that there were still senses there. Neither the man, nor the woman had tried to kill her while she'd been unconscious, or if they had, they hadn't succeeded.

She heard a scream of pain as she came to, and slowly pulled herself to her feet, looking over the bar as the scarred woman apparently had her fun with the unresisting man. One of the injuries inflicted must have been to paralyse him, but not so much as to remove sensation. She watched expressionlessly as the woman tore him apart. It was not a pleasant way to go, and Sonnet felt a pang of sympathy for her enemy. He might have tried to kill her, but he was just a man doing his job, and he had not deserved the treatment that the other woman had visited upon him.

There was professional courtesy after all. Sonnet might be a vengeful person, but she had her own twisted sense of honour. What the scarred woman had done was unnecessary, but Sonnet had seen worse.

As the woman collected a miraculously intact bottle of whiskey from the wreckage Sonnet searched about and found a glass for herself. A spiderweb of cracks crazed one side, but it held firm. She dropped it onto the bar, watching as her erstwhile opponent poured the whiskey into the glass. She picked it up again, taking a sip and rolling her eyes.

Her voice was heavy with sarcasm as she replied. "No shit? Alcohol does that?"

Maybe the woman was stupid, more likely she was arrogant. It took a special kind of stupidity, or arrogance to fight someone like that metahuman. She seemed to have forgotten her earlier anger, which was fortunate, Sonnet really didn't want to add another body to the carnage.

She sipped again from the whiskey, "Sonnet", she said by way of an introduction.

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Evelyn Winters]

Evelyn didn’t appreciate her sarcasm, but her heart was pounding too hard for her to care. She gripped the glass harder to keep her hands from shaking. Her small slice of revenge had carved away a good portion of her fear, but some of it still remained. He knew she was still in New York. He could find her. She didn’t want to think about that though, not right now, so she decided to numb her fears, along with her pain, in alcohol.

Evelyn did appreciate, however, that she stuck around, despite watching her torture a man to death. She felt a sense of respect towards her. Someone with morality like that, morality that doesn’t require one to intersect to help an ailing man, that will stick around and interact with the perpetrator afterwards and not try to bring them to some sense of justice, is, at the very least, admirable.

Sonnet. Like the poem. Interesting. She grunted in return before replying. “Evelyn.” She downed her glass and began pouring another one. “I apologize for the earlier attack. I get paranoid. Were I in my right mind, I promise I would have been much more effective.” She examined the glass in her hand. “You don’t have to worry now. I’ve gotten all the aggression out of my system. The fight with him provided all the exhilaration I was looking for.” She indicated to the pile of meat on the ground. “And more. A lot more.” She took a sip of her drink.

Evelyn looked Sonnet up and down. “Yakuza.” She had mixed feelings. The Yakuza are a gang. Gangs are involved in drugs. Drugs are what killed her brother. Although, she doubted the Yakuza had anything to do with her brother’s death. Everything she investigated pointed to something local, American. Still, the very idea of a gang put her on edge, but she was too injured to get into another proper fight (although she was certain she would win, she didn’t want patch herself up anymore than she had to), so she decided to focus on her goal, on those she knew were responsible. “Do you know anything about the New York heroin trade?” She asked casually, sliding down to the floor to prop her back against the bar to support her ailing back and ribs. “For that matter, how long have you been in America?” She asked, looking up at her. Although seemingly an innocent question, that information may be crucial to understanding if she had any knowledge of Glasgowman and his gang.

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

438

Evelyn Winters

Well at least the other woman was extend a hand of friendship, even if the metaphorical hand in question was rather bloody at this moment in time. Although if it was intended as a true apology, it wasn't exactly effective when she followed it with what sounded more like a threat.

"Oh," Sonnet tipped the glass to her lips once more, "That makes me feel much better."

Her voice was harsh, with an almost breathy quality that made her sound hoarse and on the edge of losing it altogether. The scar at her neck worked uncomfortably as the vocal chords beneath it moved. She ignored the woman's apparent inspection of her, it wouldn't be the first time, and it wouldn't be the last. People were always surprised when they discovered she was Yakuza. She wasn't surprised, female members were uncommon in the world's largest criminal organisation.

The Yamaguchi-Gumi had members in every major country, and several minor ones as well. They were active in corporate fraud, blackmail and intimidation. Their business in gun trafficking had slowed down since the reduction of demand in Japan, but it was still going strong elsewhere. And weaponry wasn't the only thing they trafficked in and out of the country, humans were a lucrative market, although Sonnet steered clear of that one in favour of her own areas of influence. Namely weaponry and drug smuggling.

Which the women baldly asked about…

Sonnet blinked in surprise at the apparently casual question about a decidedly non-casual trade. The casual tone of it instantly seemed suspect, after all, one didn't simply ask such a question of a criminal, and for all she knew, drug dealer.

"You don't talk to people very much do you?"

She smiled, "But I suppose that means you won't go telling anyone." She'd also just watched her butcher a man like he was a slab of meat, it was highly unlikely she was a cop.

She sipped the whiskey again, "We rarely deal in Heroin, but occasionally some passes through our hands. Mostly we export."

The next question was a complete change in topic, and Sonnet shook her head to herself. "Since I was eleven. I moved here with my family then."

She hadn't sat down, instead remaining standing. "You know that the cops will be here soon, and I'm sure you're very good with the knives you have left, but they'll have reported that metahuman. There'll be a Hero with them."

Maybe it would be Tank, Sonnet wouldn't relish having to fight him again, but she would find it amusing to watch Evelyn attempt to penetrate his skin with her knives.

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Evelyn Winters]

She was right, she didn’t talk to people much, not since Axel’s passing. He was always the one that got her into social situations, for the practice, he said, so that she could act normal, blend in when she needed to. Not that she could do that now, even if she wanted to. The only role she could play to help her blend in was the victim. Most would assume a scarred woman would to be shy and cowardly, that’s how many would believe a normal person would react to trauma, that’s a person one would feel comfortable approaching, but it was not a skin she at all felt comfortable wearing. The only people she’s really talked to since the incident were Jared and Marcy, but she’s long since lost touch with them. ”You’re right, I don’t talk to many people.” She responded, downing her drink. ”I talk to a cat.”

“And me.” Axel pouted jokingly.

”You don’t count.” She joked back in Axevian, smirking for a split second while pouring herself another glass.

Hm. Not helpful. It didn’t sound like she had much knowledge on the subject. Still, it didn’t hurt to try to delve a little deeper. ”Do you happen to know any gang leader operating in New York from Glasgow?” She asked, switching back to English. ”He’s very proud of his heritage.” She said with almost a hint of disdain. ”How much of my interaction with the hired help did you pick up on, by the way?” She asked. She wondered is Sonnet might have any input on the information.

”And yes, I’m aware. I’ve never been up against a Hero before. As much as I’d like to defeat one, I’d rather not risk more injury. It’s a pain in the ass to get patched up when you have to do it yourself, even if most of your bones have already been replaced with metal.” She downed the rest of her drink. ”I could do it though, even in this condition. And you’re right again. I should be gathering my knives before I have to leave.” She grunted as she stood up, having to use to bar to support herself. She made her way to the body of the bartender and pulled the throwing knife out of her neck. She then went around the remainder bar, gathering the rest of the knives she’d thrown about and placing them in her leg.

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

376

Evelyn Winters

Again the woman spoke in that strange language, smirking off to the side as though at some shared joke. It was like she was talking to someone, someone that Sonnet couldn't see. She might have considered the idea of an invisible metahuman, but it didn't make sense. Maybe she was wearing a wire, although considering how much they had been knocked about, Sonnet would have been shocked if such a device were still in place. Either that or the woman was simply stark staring mad.

The next few words were in English again, a question about dealers in New York, or more specifically, a leader in New York. As it happened Sonnet did know of such a man, though by reputation rather than personally. He was a big fish, big enough that it would require Kenshin, her superior, to do a deal with him.

"There's a Scottish guy, runs a drug gang. We've had dealing in the past, usually in guns."

Heroin might not be a main part of their business, but guns were, and that meant they had dealings with other gun-running gangs in New York.

"They're assholes, his gang, racist. Don't think he is though, cause they've dealt with us before. I'm not sure why I should help "

Sonnet was a business woman, she might pass on information to her friends, but this woman had been trying to kill her only a few minutes ago.

She allowed a little more of the amber liquid to wash across her tongue. "He's big, and I'm not poking around in that for free."

What the woman, Evelyn, said next made Sonnet choke on her drink in laughter. After a moment of spluttering she managed to clear her windpipe and laugh for real. The arrogance was breath-taking, except now it was veering into the realms of stupidity.

She looked Evelyn up and down as the sound of sirens began to penetrate the bar. "You could be in perfect condition and they'd still snap you in half without breaking a sweat. Although I'm sure they'd appreciate your guts before they pulled them out through your throat."

She stood, extending a hand. "Now do you want to test that or are you coming with me?"

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Evelyn Winters]

Everytime she bent down to pick something up, she felt a stabbing pain in her ribs. They were definitely fractured. The alcohol was helping to numb the pain, but she still barely held in a wince every time she bent over.

”Guns. Useful.” She grunted. She was aware that he’s been dealing in guns, kind of. The days after her brother’s death were a fog. She was like an animal, following a scent of leads and interrogations, attacking enemies at full force, driven by feral emotion rather than logic and reason, simply following the chain dealers and destroying them. Weaponry may have been mentioned in regards to Glasgowman, but she wasn’t consciously aware of it; it had rested in the back of her head, pulled forth by Sonnet’s words.

Evelyn picked up her last knife and stared at Sonnet when she started laughing. Her comments came off to her as close-minded. Anyone can be defeated, metahuman or not, you just have to interpret their combative strategy, break down their patterns, and attack their weakness. Everyone has one. One just has to find it and adapt to it, and Evelyn could do that better than anyone. But more importantly, ”I’ve lost once, I don’t intend to lose again.” She said, looking into Sonnet's eyes. In terms of exactly what that loss was, she figured her body would speak for itself. She looked at her extended hand. ”And I don’t touch people unless I’m fighting them, but I will come with you.” Maybe it was because she was slightly buzzed (maybe more than slightly), but this woman seemed admirable, and perhaps if she got closer to her she would reveal more information, although it was far too late to turn on the “human” act.

“Guess you’ll just have to use your natural charm.” Axel smirked.

“Guess so.” She muttered humorously in Axevian. Then it occurred to her. ”Do you intend to teleport out? Would I have to make physical contact to come with you?” She asked in English.

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

279

Evelyn Winters

Sonnet hadn't missed the wince, clearly she was injured in a less visible way. Ribs perhaps, judging by the way she was moving. Sonnet was injured as well, still favouring one leg, but that wouldn't slow her down. She could travel through space without moving. The pain in her foot was an inconvenience, but little more.

She shook her head a little in amused disbelief, apparently the woman was convinced that she would have a Hero beat. And some of them she probably would, but she was guilty of desperately underestimating the people she might be going up against if she thought she could take them on. Some metahumans were still essentially human with a gift. Sonnet, for all her ability to step through space, was still ultimately human, she bled, she felt pain. Others were on a whole other level, walking around this world like gods in human flesh. She pitied the fool who thought they could take on those Heroes in this condition.

She dropped her hand a little at the rejection but kept it extended. The sirens were getting louder after all, it sounded like the Police would now be here in a matter of seconds. Maybe she should leave her here to take them on. No doubt it would be in the news the next day, but knowing there was a metahuman in the bar wouldn't make the Police any more careful with their fire discipline.

"Well going out the front is clearly not an option, and they'll follow you out the back. You can't outrun them in that condition, so either you come with me, or I leave you here for them to find."

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Evelyn Winters]

The alcohol was dulling her paranoia, but it was still present, buzzing in the back of her head (although not as loud as the booze). What if Sonnet was planning to take her away? Planning to teleport her to him?

“Well, that would be perfect, wouldn’t it?” Axel interjected.

That gave her paranoia pause. It would. Even if Sonnet was leading her into a trap, she could fight her way out of it, and maybe it’d bring her closer to the man she was hunting. Maybe it would bring her directly to him. That, or it would just bring her to safety. Either way it was a win/win. That is, if she wanted to be brought to safety. Part of her wanted to stay here, fight the cops and whoever they brought with them. She could. She could be independant, her usual lone wolf self, show Sonnet what she was capable of. Although, Sonnet would likely have teleported away before she could see any of the action. That and she couldn’t afford to irritate her fractured rib. Well, she could, but it would hurt, and it would be a real pain to patch up, and she didn’t want to have to put herself through any more pain than necessary. She’s been through enough pain for a lifetime.

After a few moments of thought, Evelyn grunted and held out her hand, accepting Sonnet’s offer. Although the physical contact would be uncomfortable, she figured she could bear it for the short time it would take to teleport away.

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

337

Evelyn Winters

Evelyn eventually accepted the offer, holding out one scarred, damaged hand. For a moment, Sonnet wondered whether the reason for the scars was the same man that had sent the metahuman after her. It seemed to fit after all. This woman had pissed off the Scotsman. Either he simply wanted her dead, or there was more to the story. That story could wait however, and Sonnet felt the familiar pull in her stomach as she forced them through the very fabric of the Universe.

She stepped smartly away when they came out at the other end, knowing that she wouldn't want what came next on her clothes. After the first few trips most people's stomachs started to settle down, but everyone threw up on the first one. Sonnet might have done on the first one, if she hadn't been so busy bleeding out. As it was, she'd never noticed the nausea that passengers complained about, and she wondered if her body was adapted to it in some way.

She only felt a light pull in her stomach and depending on how much she had already eaten or teleported, a ravenous hunger. It seemed that whatever her ability did, it fed off her own body. The last time she'd teleported far without a good deal of food in her she'd lost six pounds, in half a second. She made sure to eat a lot more now.

She crossed the room to the sink set against the wall. This wasn't her apartment, it was a small concrete room, water stained and smelly, with a rusty sink that sputtered out brown water for a moment before the stream cleared. Wetting a cloth, she tossed it in the direction of her 'guest'.

"Don't worry, it affects everyone the first couple of times, I'm told you get used to it after a while."

She pulled open a metal cabinet, revealing a small store of food, just in case. She pulled out a couple of chocolate bars, tearing one open with her teeth.

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Evelyn Winters]

There was a strange sensation as the fabric of reality seemed to bend and she suddenly found herself in a different place altogether.

Evelyn felt her stomach lurch, saliva start to build up in her mouth, and before it could bother her any longer, she promptly stuck her fingers down her throat, forcing herself to throw up, quickly relieving herself of the nausea. She stared at the vomit intensely. It mostly consisted of alcohol but there were some remains of her meager lunch of cold canned beans from a few hours earlier. ”Well there goes the liquor.” She muttered, somewhat dissatisfied. While she was grateful it wouldn’t additionally alter her consciousness, she was disappointed it wouldn’t numb the pain any further.

In the meantime, she whipped her hand around like it was on fire. The sensation of human touch, unless it was combative, has always been highly unpleasant for Evelyn. She waved her hand around until she could no longer feel the heat of a person’s living flesh, then wiped it on her pants like she was wiping off dirt or drool along with her other hand, rubbing off the saliva and vomit. She caught the cloth, and liberally wiped off both of her hands before absentmindedly dropping it on the ground.

The place seemed like your typical sketchy hideout, the kind of place Glasgowman would have his cronies hiding out, but there didn’t seem to be any around. It didn’t seem like a trap, but Evelyn stayed on her guard, as she always did. ”Where are we?” She asked. She started digging around in the apartment, looking through all the cabinets and drawers. ”Do you have any medical supplies?” She asked while she searched. She’d like to patch up her fractured rib before it caused any further damage, and she even if she couldn’t find any designated medical supplies, she could find something to improvise with.

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

410

Evelyn Winters

Sonnet raised an eyebrow at the woman's strange actions. She was flinging her hand about as if she had dipped it in acid. It took her a while to calm down, and Sonnet wondered if it had been something to do with the contact with her? Although why that would cause such an extreme reaction she had no idea.

She picked up a heavy metal bucket, holding it under the tap as it sputtered and gurgled out an inconsistent stream of water. It was slow, but she waited patiently while the bucket filled. Turning to look in the direction of Evelyn, who was clearly curious about the location she had transported them to.

"This is a place I keep that's always safe to go. It's a shithole so the rent is nothing and there are no ties to me. It's pretty secure."

She glanced at the heavy metal door. It was steel, with peeling paint and so much rust it looked as though it hadn't been opened in years. That was probably true, Sonnet had been renting this place for about that long, and she'd not opened the door since she'd handed over the first wad of cash in a brown envelope. The landlord didn't ask any questions, and why would he. He knew very well what Sonnet's connections were, and he was smart enough not to mess with them.

It was one of a few different properties she leased or rented across New York. With the bucket finally full enough, she carried it over to the stained floor, using it to sluice the vomit into the drain in the corner. The room stank but adding rotten vomit to the mix would not improve things. She tossed the bucket down behind the sink and indicated a cupboard by the door. "First aid kit in there."

The large green box that Evelyn would find there would be worn, but it's interior was immaculate, almost complete, only missing half a bottle of antiseptic and a few bandages. There were similar stashes in each of her 'apartments', although it wasn't as if she couldn't simply disappear and reappear with anything she needed.

She flicked on the tiny, tinny TV as Evelyn took out the plastic box, a news channel flickered to life, showing a cluster of police cars outside the bar they had been drinking in. A moment later a Hero emerged, shaking their head.

"Looks like we left at the right time."

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Evelyn Winters]

She hurried over to the indicated cupboard and pulled out the first aid kid. It was fully stocked, but the only thing she needed from it was the roll of bandages and the painkillers. The wound on the back of her head had long since clotted up - she could feel the dry blood stiffening her hair - and risk of infection was minimal, so she had no need for disinfectant, and she didn’t have any other significant injuries. She downed several painkillers before unashamedly removing her tank top, revealing yet even more twisted scars covering her body. She was kept decent by the black sports bra she had on underneath. She took the roll of bandages and twisted it tightly around her chest three times, covering the area where the fractured rib was. While this is generally not recommended as it could possibly restrict her breathing and increase risk of pneumonia, she knew she wouldn’t have the luxury of rest and relaxation (nor the patience for it), so she needed to immobilize it before could get irritated any further.

She pulled her shirt back on as she walked over to the television, looking over Sonnet’s shoulder, slinging her blood-soaked jacket back over her shoulder. ”Shame.” She grunted. ”I would’ve loved an encounter with a Hero.” She looked at Sonnet, a finger on her chin. ”Maybe I could provoke one. Do you think I could come off as a metahuman?” She tapped her finger. ”I think I could.” She smirked inwardly. ”I just fought two in a row, defeated one, and made it out with barely a scratch, that’s considered pretty significant to the general public, and they tend to have a narrow-minded view of who exactly as the ability to defeat metahumans. I definitely think I could.”

She looked around the apartment. ”Where are we exactly? How far from the bar are we? She wasn’t planning on going back, she’d already made her decision on that matter. She was just curious how long a walk she would have to take to get back to her trailer. ”And more importantly, do you have any alcohol? It’ll take a while for the painkillers to kick in.”

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

345

Evelyn Winters

Sonnet frowned, irritated at the woman's attitude, and her dismissal of Sonnet's own contributions. "You defeated one?"

She shook her head, "You didn't do that alone, if I hadn't stayed, he would have beaten you."

Sonnet shrugged, "And you didn't beat me."

The tone of her voice was challenging. Sonnet didn't take insults lightly, certainly not when it came to her capabilities. Even when the person challenging her was a woman. More often it was someone in the Yakuza, which inevitably meant it was a man. There weren't many left who would dare to challenge her now. Her reputation for responding savagely made sure of that, powers or not.

"I'm sure you could, and it wouldn't make a difference."

Sonnet knew better than most the mortality of Heroes, having put one of New York's in hospital herself. But she was not so arrogant as to underestimate them. The requirements for the Hero Program were strict, it was obvious from the level of the metahumans they had recruited. She'd met two, and while she hadn't seen Glacia fight, Aaron had vouched for her, and she at least trusted his opinion when it came to combat.

It seemed that the woman asked a lot, despite having just tried to kill her. Sonnet almost had to admire the woman's ability to brush over the fact that only a few minutes ago the two of them had been enemies. Sonnet pushed open another cupboard, the door swung back, bouncing off the neighbouring cupboard to reveal that the rotting wooden box was empty.

"No booze, but it's about time now that you start paying your way. My help isn't free, definitely not when I don't owe the person asking for it anything."

She leaned back against the sink, grateful to be taking the weight off her leg. It still hurt, but not so badly that there would be any lasting damage. It was only because of that damn metal leg that Evelyn had done as much damage as she had.

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Evelyn Winters]

“Oh, the human folly of challenging magnificence.” Axel quipped in a mocking tone, although he certainly wasn’t mocking Evelyn. The twins had found when people were confronted with their vast intelligence and superior athleticism, they had one of two reactions: to bow down at their feet, or to become defensive, insecure, attacked, insulted. Axel typically preferred the former, while Evelyn was inclined towards the latter, him seeing worship it as an ego boost, her seeing disdain it as an opportunity for an altercation, physical or otherwise. This happened to fall in the latter category.

”One, that is not assured. And two, you were a prop I used in the environment, a distraction. Don’t give yourself so much credit.” She turned her head toward her, golden eye shimmering, ”And, of course, three, I didn’t beat you simply because I was interrupted. I’m sure if given the opportunity, I could've come away with two metahuman defeats from that bar instead of one.” She stretched her arms, careful not to upset her ribs. ”At the moment, however, the mood has passed. Perhaps another time, we’ll meet, and then we can decide a victor.” She dropped her arms back by her side. ”For now, reluctant allies, I suppose?”

She shook her head again at Sonnet’s wariness of Heroes. She must’ve had some past experience with them. Axel’s illusion knelt by Sonnet, his hand caressing her face. “Aw, who hurt you?” He cooed in an exaggerated tone, pursing his lips. Evelyn chuckled slightly. ”I wonder.” She said in Axevian.

Her face quickly returned to its natural blank state when Sonnet spoke again. She was trying to establish authority. Cute. She blinked. ”Interesting, because I recall you offering to help me. Trust me, I would never ask for it.”  She replied in English. She shrugged. ”I am interested though. What do you mean by payment? Might be fun.”

She noted how Sonnet took her weight off her injured foot. Evelyn could easily remedy it; begin healing it, take away some of the pain, but she saw no reason to. If anything, it was better to keep her weak. If not for practicality’s sake, then simply to boost her ego.

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

308

Evelyn Winters

It was all Sonnet could do not to laugh. The woman's arrogance truly was breathtaking. That she could stand there and suggest that Sonnet played no part other than a prop in the man's defeat took her back. Sonnet may well have done what Evelyn asked, but there had been no real reason for her to return. If she hadn't, then Evelyn would have been dead. It was that simple. The man clearly hadn't had a problem dealing with them one at a time.

Eventually her self-control was overwhelmed however, when after Evelyn had finished insulting her, she simply offered an alliance. She laughed, though the laugh too, had the strange breathy edge that her throat wound gave her.

"Sure."

At the very least it might lead to some amusement. Sonnet was confident that she could escape whatever mess the scarred woman would eventually end up in. The posturing was growing less impressive as it continued, if anything it was even growing less irritating, becoming more pathetic, and by extension, amusing.

Again, she spoke in that strange language, not quite looking at Sonnet, but at a spot just beside her. Sonnet glanced there, becoming more and more convinced that this woman was less than stable.

"No, I didn't. I asked why I should, and you still haven't given me an answer on that one. I'll repeat what I said then, the guy you're after, he's big. I'm not going near that for free."

The question made Sonnet roll her eyes. "Is this the first time you've done this? You exchange something of equal value for my help, that could be money, merchandise, or information, I already gave you info, but we can consider that a freebie. If you want more then it's going to cost you, and in this town information like the kind you want isn't cheap."

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄