[Rina Carmen]

Unlike most travelling by flying was a cheap method for Raven, particularly being as she could literally fly just by the means of thinking about it. For this reason she had managed to go from state to state, managing to explore the highest points around.

She had been about New York City for but few minutes, her landing on top of a large building in order to take in the sight before her. A grin made its way over her lips. With how busy the place was below she would have no problem in stirring up some trouble. Even just something small. Anything was possible.

She moved to the edge of the building and looked down below. Anything down on the ground looked no more bigger than a tiny speck of dirt. That was at least one disadvantage for her, she wouldn't have minded having super sharp sight to be able to see more detail.

With a small shrug of her shoulders she stepped off the edge and allowed herself to free fall down the many storeys below, getting a certain adrenaline shrug as for that moment it was the same as any human falling from such a great height. As the ground drew nearer, just a mere eight feet above she suddenly slowed until she landed virtually silently onto her feet.

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

283

Rina Carmen

Metahumans were unpopular in New York. They had been ever since the Shockwave attack shortly after the event. Hundreds of people had died and one of NYC's most famous monuments was still currently in the process of being rebuilt. Despite the best efforts of the Hero Program the people of NYC seemed to be showing no signs of growing more fond of metas. Documented metahumans were leaving the state in alarming numbers as a result.

Due to this public attitude, dropping from the sky was a sure fire way to get abuse hurled at you. Which promptly happened.

"Get your freak ass out of here"

The man hurling said abuse was dressed fairly roughly, with cheap, worn jeans and a stained hoody. That didn't stop the people passing by him from throwing dirty looks in the metahuman's direction. Except for one, a woman dressed in a thousand dollar, designer pant suit.

Sonnet Matsuda had no problem with metahumans, likely as a result of her own similarities. Her specific ability was to teleport, and it made her one of the Yakuza's most valuable assets. She had been a lieutenant before she'd been a metahuman, but the Event had only benefitted her criminal career.

Knowing that it would only be a matter of time until the dirty looks and dirtier language escalated, she stepped forward, taking the woman by the elbow. Her voice was clipped and mechanical, the kind of tone you only get when you learn something as a second language. It wasn't helped by the ugly red scar that worked awkwardly as she spoke, making her voice hoarse.

"Unless you want to be pelted with bottles and trash, we should go somewhere else."

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Rina Carmen]

Upon hearing the almost immediate abusive attitude from those that were nearby, Raven rose a single eyebrow up. She was actually somewhat amused by it. She chuckled under her breath, virtually waiting for the trouble to start, therefore giving her an opportunity to start some real trouble. She flexed her fingers a little, feeling a charge of strength go through her in preparation.

She was just about to make a derogatory remark about the verbal abuser's mother when her attention was caught, via the smart dressed woman who had now taken hold of her elbow. She settled her gaze on the woman, and noted the way that she spoke. It was just enough to pique her curiosity.

"Alright then." She gave a slight nod as she spoke. There however was a hint of suspicion on the motives. "Lead on."

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

208

Rina Carmen

It could have gone very badly, the woman could have simply shot straight up, taking Sonnet with her. She could have started a fight with the guy who had thrown the abuse. Sonnet had no idea what this woman's power was, flight was clearly a part of it, but there was every chance she could have another ability on top of it. Who knew what kind have carnage might have occurred on the street.

Sonnet was not exactly sympathetic to the average meta-hating New Yorker, but she didn't particularly want to see a bloodbath occurring on her territory, it would be bad for business. She steered the woman away from the man, around the corner. He didn't follow, people might dislike metahumans, but they weren't stupid. Confrontations with normal humans might lead to nothing more than a fist fight, when those fists were laden with explosive energy people tended to be leery of physical confrontation.

"You're clearly not from around here. So let me just say that dropping out of the sky like that probably shortens your lifespan dramatically."

She kept walking with the woman until she saw a sign that she knew would mean they would be safe. The patrons of this particular place wouldn't bother them.

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Rina Carmen]

Raven went along with the woman, watching where they were going, as well as the manner in which she moved. She glanced briefly over her shoulder, a part of her disappointed that they weren't going to be followed. She wouldn't have minded finding out just how this woman would have reacted to that.

As it was remarked that she wasn't from around the area Raven started to chuckle to herself. "Was it the accent that gave it away? I know I don't sound like a typical yank." She spoke, not able to help herself in referring to American's by the very typical English slang. Her accent wasn't as severe as what was considered to be a cockney as depicted in television, but it was still noticeable to an extent.

"I figured that there were enough weirdos in these parts that another one wouldn't matter." She added with a shrug, before slipping a hand casually into the pocket of her jeans.

For now she waited to see just where they were going to end up. Taking note of her surroundings and whether she needed to be on guard in regards to her helpful stranger.

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

214

Rina Carmen

So she was an idiot as well as a metahuman. Sonnet almost rolled her eyes. "No, nothing to do with your accent strangely enough."

She walked the woman into the burger joint. The tables, mostly empty, were lined up in three columns, with stretches of dirty unwashed tiles separating each column. A man idly pushed around a mop and bucket, he was evidently supposed to be cleaning, but it was pretty clear that his efforts were having little effect. Two south Asian men were stood behind the counter, talking quietly in another language. They stopped when they noticed that their new potential customers included Sonnet. One of them said a word that was clearly an expletive, then disappeared further back into the kitchen. A clatter of pots ensued, followed by angry shouting.

The other man simply watched Sonnet warily, at least until she dropped a twenty on the counter, then pulled her new acquaintance over to a seat. "You were going to get into serious trouble acting like that."

She didn't bother looking around the small diner. The other customers were clearly making a point of ignoring the two women, looking steadfastly in the other direction, though no one was so explicit as to actually get up and leave. "They don’t like Metas here…"

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Rina Carmen]

Raven followed the woman into what appeared to be a burger place. Her wrinkling her nose very briefly, more from going from what was fresh air and into somewhere with the usual mesh of cooking smells. She would be able to ignore it however momentarily.

She watched in mild amusement the reaction that the woman received from the workers. It seemed that she wasn't a stranger to the place, and possibly not particularly a welcomed sight either. Her attention was brought back as she was urged towards a seat.

She gave a mild shrug of her shoulders and sat herself down casually, one leg draping over the other. She half let out a mild chuckle as the woman then explained that those dubbed as Metas weren't liked in the area. She tilted her head a little to the side, her dark eyes lighting up in amusement. "Oh, I wondered what all the fuss was about. Thought it was just because I'm a woman. I mean sexist pigs are pretty much everywhere." She commented. It was clear however that she wasn't being serious.

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

152

Rina Carmen

Sonnet snorted, "Right."

Sonnet had been bothered by men before, it was extremely unusual that any of them would bother her again. Usually they only required a casual brush off, occasionally some men required more… determined responses. Sonnet was happy to oblige. Men that didn't take the hint might receive a broken finger, or worse. They didn't bother her again after that.

There was a shout from behind the counter, then three greasy burgers and four bags of equally greasy fries were tossed onto the metal surface beside them. Sonnet glanced over, then stood, crossing to grab the food, carrying it back and dropping it carelessly onto the plastic table between the two women. Sitting, she divvied up the food, pushing one of the burgers and fries towards the other woman.

Ripping open the paper of one of her burgers, she paused before taking a bite. "I'm Sonnet… Why are you here?"

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Rina Carmen]

After the woman left in order to collect her food order and sent some in her own direction, Raven rose an eyebrow up. She wasn't exactly used to random strangers being quite so sharing. Particularly when she wasn't even expecting anything in the first place. "Uh, thanks." She spoke, digging in her own pocket and grabbing out a bank note enough to cover it, and sliding it across to her. She didn't really like to owe anyone anything.

As Sonnet introduced herself while digging into her food, Raven picked up a single french fry and popped it in her mouth. "I'm Raven." She responded, choosing the nickname that she was getting used to, rather than her actual name. She wasn't sure if she could ever trust anyone enough to say the name Rina again.

She picked up another fry, the touch as slow and stable as the first, almost as if she were barely touching it. In a way she was, she was forever testing her limitations. "You could say I've been floating about from place to place. Thought I'd see how the situation was out this way." She answered with a mild shrug of her shoulders.

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

118

Rina Carmen

"Ha."

Sonnet eyeballed Raven, entirely unimpressed with her attempt at humour. "Flying meta has been 'floating around' you're hilarious."

Her tone couldn't really have been much flatter if she'd tried. "You don't watch the news? Read the paper? Have any connection to the rest of the world at all?"

It was difficult to imagine someone, a meta in particular, could have come to New York without being aware of what was going on here. There had been the Shockwave attacks, and more since then, all carried out by metahumans. New York might not be the only city that had suffered since the Event, but the situation here was particularly delicate.

"Well it's not good for people like you."

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Rina Carmen]

Raven smirked slightly at the sarcastic remark that her comment was hilarious, she could easily appreciate a little sarcasm now and then. "Can't say I was trying to be funny. Granted it possibly sounded that way." Came her response, her popping another fry into her mouth.

She watched Sonnet for a moment as she hinted that Raven likely paid no attention to news worthy goings on. She then gave a small shrug. "I know there's trouble about. But I also know the media, and its bad habit of embellishing things." She stated, gesturing slightly with the next fry that she picked up. "Guess you could say that I wanted to find out if it really was all that bad. And from your rather stern reaction to my 'entrance' then it would seem that they were actually right."

She tilted her head back a little, another hint of a smirk going over her lips. "You say it's not good for people like me ... does that count you as well?"

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

134

Rina Carmen

Sonnet snorted. "When I say people like you, I mean idiots."

There must be enough places in the world where metas weren't welcome that simply floating down into the street would attract unwanted attention. Either this girl was just that stupid, just that arrogant, or just that tough. Judging by her behaviour, she at least thought she was just that tough.

As one of the most powerful metahumans active in New York she had a habit of keeping up with the metahumans active here, and she knew there were one or two she would think twice about crossing. Not least being Tank, the super-tough, highly controversial Hero that had beaten her in their only confrontation to date.

She shrugged, "I'm a meta."

That still left the obvious question open though. "Why are you here?"

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Rina Carmen]

Raven let out a brief yet sharp laugh as she was referred to as an idiot. "So that's what you think of me." She found herself grinning at that, her half waving a fry at Sonnet. "You know what? I think I like you. You're just so... well serious."

For her it was somewhat of a compliment, she very rarely found anyone that she didn't find annoying in some fashion. Sonnet's current demeanour, seem to show a tough edge, but without being so over the top. A trait that she had found in the few inmates that she didn't mind while she had been in prison.

She gave a nod of her head as the woman stated that she was met. "Yeah, I kinda figured that. What with the whole not batting an eyelid at the flying, and the knowledge of how they're treated and such."

She shrugged as well to the repeated question of why she was there. "Well for starters you brought me in here." She grinned again, assuming that the answer would be exactly what Sonnet expected being as she was considering her an idiot. She then leaned forward. "What I'm really doing here though... I like chaos, and I like trouble. The more chaotic the better." She told her in a lower voice. It was followed by her leaning back on her seat, the action causing it to groan from the added strain. "So far, I'm not disappointed."

[Sonnet Matsuda]

In the end everything collides

235

Rina Carmen

So she was an idiot as well. Sonnet snorted, taking another bite of her burger as the woman described her as serious. It was true, but that was because Sonnet was a lieutenant in the Yamaguchi-Gumi. Her father had been an Oyabun, and she had every intention of returning her family's honour to that vaunted position.

Unfortunately the woman continued talking, Sonnet nodding along to show that she was listening, meanwhile she was wondering how she'd managed to get herself tied in with this woman now. Chaos… she liked chaos. It reminded her of another woman she had run into in New York, Evelyn. She'd liked chaos too, and had been dangerously unhinged on top of that. Was this woman as unstable as the strange, scarred amputee had been? Or could she be a useful resource.

It depended really, if flight was all she could do then she would nothing but a liability. If she came with the rest of the superman package then she could do some serious damage to someone, including the gangs that were currently attempting to encroach onto Sonnet's territory.

"You start things don't you?"

She already had a good idea of the answer, of course she did. Sonnet was not averse to a brawl. Her temper was held, at best, on a very flimsy leash, but she did good business.

"How hard are you looking? And do you want help?"

My childhood spat back out the monster that you see

► kaigra ◄

[Rina Carmen]

Raven peered briefly at the burger in front of her, and brought her attention back to Sonnet while she ate hers. She however wrinkled her nose a little, more due to the grease than anything else. That was one thing that was off putting, all that grease. It made sense to her right then why a large portion of American's were considered to be obese. Still at least the fries weren't as bad, hence her keeping to them instead.

She wasn't blind to the fact that Sonnet seemed to perk up a little more compared to how she had been at the mention of chaos. She now grinned at her and tilted her head a little in amusement as she was asked whether she started things. "Well you saw my manner of making an appearance. If that can't cause a little bit of chaos among regular humans, then what else will." She commented with a chuckle.

"Trouble tends to follow me around, heck that was the case even before the whole meta thing happened." She responded, her attention back on Sonnet once again. "Help? Is that meant to be an offer or something?" She rose an eyebrow up slightly, her debating on whether she'd even consider causing chaos alongside another. Now that fell into the whole trust thing, something she didn't like to do. Granted it didn't need to mean that at all.