She looked the same. Everything about her was the same. He knew, though, he knew she was a different person. Martin scowled at the monster that stood across from him. Those pink eyes of hers glowed a bit brighter, her posture seemed relaxed but he could practically feel her body coil like a serpent ready to strike. The pressure came next, the weight of Ishtar’s gaze pushing down on him as luminous digital eyes appeared in the room, flickering to life and staring down at him in judgment. He forced his way through the instinctual animal terror that raced up his spine and into his brain.
This is a predator. This is a killer. This is a person fully capable of bringing this entire city down around her without a blink or breaking sweat. This is a person without qualms or any sort of restraints.
“Ishtar,” He growled.
“What can I do for you, detective?” She said that word again with derision in her voice.
“I’m not a detective anymore,” He said sourly.
“So I heard,” Ishtar hissed, a series of panels of light appearing behind her in the form of free-floating steps. She took a few steps back and sat down on the last one, the rest vanishing as she crossed her legs and looked down at him from above. “Couldn’t handle the pressure after signing away your principles. Stepped down with honors even though you felt nothing but disgrace. Fitting for a washed up old cop like you.”
He bore his teeth, “I’d ask you why you’re doing all this, but you can’t hide anything from me anymore,” He said, “Not with the Gaze of Mimir.”
Ishtar tilted her head up a little and raised her eyebrows, “My, you really lucked out didn’t you?”
He ignored her and let his gaze burn. His vision in one eye dimmed as everything that was Ishtar, that was Sonya Chernovna, burned through his retinas and into his brain. Nothing could be hidden from his gaze even if his deal with her prevented him from speaking it to the world. He would know the truth, the whole truth and-
Fire.
He stumbled back.
Death.
He shook his head and gripped his skull.
Grief.
“What the-” He gasped, clutching at his head, “What the hell are-” He tried to squeeze his eyes shut, to cut off the power, but the die had already been cast. Truth was his whether he wanted it or not. He reeled and slammed his back against the door as visions of nightmares swam in his head, truths, wretched truths, when it all finally past he just lay there against the wall and caught his breath, sweat dripping down his face.
“Stare into the abyss and all that,” Ishtar said casually, checking her nails, “Enjoy the show?”
His eyes flicked back to her, “I get it now,” He growled and forced himself to stand up straight again.
She frowned and gave him a disappointed look, “Of course you do, is that all?” She asked, clearly growing bored of the conversation, “If you’ll excuse-”
“I don’t give a shit,” He bit out, stepping forward through the soupy air as his body screamed against him to not approach the living breathing source of death standing in front of him. “I can’t kill you,” He bit out, working up every single nerve he had to keep staring her in the eyes even as his knees trembled and his palms sweat, “I can’t fight you. Not myself. I can’t win on my own. I only have these two eyes and this wasted body of mine.”
She raised her eyebrows, her attention coming fully on him, “Oh?”
“But I’ll find a way. I don’t care how noble, you are a murderer, a psychopath, and a villain. Worse than a villain. Supervillain suits you well,” He snorted, “Nah, that isn’t even fitting enough anymore is it? After you basically orchestrated Vegas and then gave a god damn speech at Firestorm’s funeral!” He shouted. “For what? A fake peace? A balancing act born out of the promise of mutually assured destruction all to get back at some punk kid?”
Her lips thinned, “That ‘kid’-”
“I know who he is!” He barked and pointed at his eyes, “I’ll bring him down, not you! I’ll bring you down and the rest of your disgusting cabal, I swear it.”
She tilted her head to the right and blades of light appeared around her, “I could kill you now, you know? Be done with you as an interloper.”
“But you won’t,” He said with a grin. “Because you’re just as crazy as he is. You want an opponent, you want someone who will bring you down in the end so you can heroically die knowing that you did the world a favor,” He spat, “Fuck you. I’ll see to it that you spend the rest of your life in a box, reminded every day of the crimes you committed.”
In a flash of movement Ishtar was in front of him, floating, her eyes boring down on him. He felt his heart lock up and his breath catch in his throat. Fear was everything, but he wouldn’t back down, couldn’t back down from the monster standing in front of him. Not if he called himself a proper human being still. He clenched his fists and stared back into those cruel mechanical eyes as the worlds most hated supervillain stared down at him with naught but malice.
“I’ll find like minded people, people you’ve hurt, heroes who know. Bringing down your public image is basically impossible at this point, but there are people out there who will stand up to you, the real you,” He said, “People who aren’t swayed by your puppet ‘Pandora Committee’.”
Her lip twitched, “I like your drive, Detective,” She said coldly.
“Figured you would,” He shot back.
“I wish more people were like you. Maybe humanity would have had a shot last time around,” She said, still not leaving his personal space.
“We’ll get it right this time, on our own, thanks,” He grunted.
“Sure you will,” Ishtar snorted and floated away, landing on the ground with her back to him. She glanced over her shoulder, “Astaroth is in the city. He’s guarding the French Representative for Pandora.”
He narrowed his eyes. Astaroth. From what the Gaze of Mimir had told him, Astaroth was a lunatic who would help bring the world to ruin. A slaver who treated humans like cattle and fed them to his mindless demon pets as treats. Ishtar was bad, one of the worst, but at least her intentions were ‘noble’; he could trust she wouldn’t go out of her way to cause harm just for fun. Astaroth on the other hand… His stomach twisted and his scowl deepened, “Why did you tell me that?”
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Because you won’t be able to leave it alone, knowing he’s here,” Ishtar said with a chuckle, “I have no intention of causing trouble during my visit, Detective, I’ll meet with the committee and go back home. That’s my plan anyway. What are you going to do?”
He clenched his fists, “You’re manipulating me.”
“Of course I am,” Ishtar laughed, “It’s working, isn’t it?”
He spat and looked away, “This isn’t over, I will find like-minded people, I will bring you down. I refuse to do any favors for you. I’ll figure out how to get the truth out on my own.”
Ishtar waved a hand and a pane of white light appeared next to her, the center of the pane distended and twisted until it turned into a deep dark hole. She glanced his way and smiled at him, “I’m looking forward to it, good luck, Detective,” She said and stepped inside. It closed behind her and her presence vanished from the room. He felt every muscle in his body sag as he collapsed, his hands on the ground as sweat dripped every pore in his body. He heaved, coughing and shuddering as all that terror he’d pushed away caught up to him.
His knees trembled every time he tried to get to his feet. Eventually he just gave up and fell onto his side, coughing and shaking. “M-monster. I’ll stop you. I swear it.”
But first… I’ll build a case against Astaroth.
–
Ishtar stepped through the portal and into the hotel room, a smile on her face despite the confrontation. She’d enjoyed herself a little bit. His power is fascinating. It’s too bad he’s discredited himself so thoroughly. Even so, he has some fire in his belly, he might actually be able to pull something off with the right push. For now I’ll have him go play with Astaroth. That will help in more ways than one, she thought as she stalked past the bed where Marta was sleeping. She walked to the bathroom and shut the door behind her.
“Now, I think it’s time we had a candid conversation, don’t you agree?” She asked and turned to the mirror.
Sonya stared back at her in the mirror and frowned, “I’m getting worse.”
“We are getting worse,” Ishtar said, “There’s no point in dawdling about the point anymore, Sonya dear.”
Sonya looked away, her expression pained.
“Sonya,” Ishtar said and rest her hands on the counter, looking into the mirror, “Darling listen to me, please, I swore to you that I would never go against you, I exist to protect you, to help you get where you wanted to be. I gave you my word, between us, you know what that means,” Ishtar implored the young woman, “I can’t lie to you, to anyone.”
Sonya turned and looked back at her in the mirror, “I know. I just don’t want to hear what you have to say.”
“One of us has to say it,” Ishtar said, “Since I’m the bad guy, allow me.”
Sonya frowned, “You’re not the bad guy,” She said uncomfortably, “You’re more like…”
“A security blanket? A mask?” Ishtar chuckled, “We’re way past that, dear.”
“We’re still the same person!” Sonya protested, “I- This isn’t- We’re-”
“You can take the mask off at any time, you’re just talking to yourself with two different perspectives, yes, you’re right,” Ishtar said, “This brain of ours is very impressive, isn’t it? To be both fragmented and whole at the same time?”
Sonya went silent again.
“Take the mask off if you want me to be quiet that badly,” Ishtar said, “I’m here to do whatever you want, to support whatever you want. You and I both know that I am the only person who you’re going to listen to when it comes to the tough stuff,” Ishtar pointed out firmly, “Marta will tease but she doesn’t see herself as having a right to call you out. The rest? They worship you.”
Sonya looked away, “Just… say what you’ve got to say.”
“You’re tired, and you’ve only just begun,” Ishtar said softly and pulled herself up to sit on the bathroom counter, leaning her head against the glass of the mirror. Sonya’s head shifted in her reflection, and it felt a little like they were leaning against one another,, “You have to stop pretending that you haven’t changed. You aren’t the Sonya from before. You belong here now.”
Sonya sat up in the reflection and glared at her, “I am not from this timeline!” She snarled, “I can’t belong here, I know too much, I’ve seen…” She trailed off, “I’ve seen too much. I can’t let myself just do that. Not after everyone else died. Why do I get to live again, try again, when everyone else-”
Ishtar clicked her tongue, “Really?”
Sonya frowned, “What?”
“Of all the pathetic things to say, after what you’ve sacrificed of your own soul and mind, after what they died for?” Ishtar growled, “You’re going to sit there and wallow in survivor's guilt? You? The most impressive woman in the world? I’m honestly a little disgusted with you right now, Sonya.”
Sonya flinched and looked down, “I-”
“Sonya, you cannot function here if you’re stuck in the past!” Ishtar barked, “Listen to me, please, I’m trying to help you. You can’t expect this world to be the same as the last one, it isn’t anymore. You’ve already changed things. The world is different. Events are different. People are different.”
Sonya leaned back against the glass again, it was warm this time. She was silent, her face contemplative instead of petulant. Ishtar supposed that was a start at least.“Then what should I do?” Sonya asked in a small voice.
“Reconcile yourself with your new life,” Ishtar said, “Otherwise,” She pointed between the mirror and herself, “This? This is going to keep getting worse. I will not allow you to fade away, Sonya. This isn’t my life, I’m just a mask. That’s how it should be.”
Sonya sighed, “I don’t even know where to start.”
Ishtar gave her a sidelong look and raised an expectant eyebrow.
“Are you telling me to forgive Chunhua? After what she did? After how-” Sonya paused and frowned.
“After she was a different person than the previous timeline and met you under different circumstances and hadn’t had time to become the person you knew?” Ishtar asked pointedly, “It’s a start I suppose.”
Sonya clicked her tongue, “I can’t just do that,” She crossed her arms and flushed.
“I’m not saying sleep with her!” Ishtar laughed, “Heavens no. You’re different people now, both of you,” Ishtar said, “It’s time you started accepting that she isn’t going to do what you want her to do just because of some idealized image you have in your head. And you cannot live as the Sonya from that time either. You aren’t. Stop it, if for no one else then for Marta who is worried sick.”
Those words seemed to hit harder than the others, Sonya slipped a bit on the counter and played with her fingers, guilt on her face, “I know,” She murmured, “Will I stop seeing you in the mirror as much, if I can do that?” Sonya asked quietly.
“Isn’t that for the best?” Ishtar asked.
Sonya lowered her head a bit more and smiled a little, “So, until it's over, I’m allowed to be happy?”
“Yes, you’re allowed to be happy, you foolish girl,” Ishtar said before adding slyly, “Maybe if you’re a bit less grumpy all the time I can have a bit more fun with my role too. I am you after all and all that baggage is just a pain to lug around.”
Sonya sniffed and laughed, “You’re so mean.”
“What can I say? I’m the villain.”
Sonya slipped off the counter and set her feet on the ground, glancing over her shoulder as a small, small amount of weight slipped off of it. For the first time in a long time she saw her own face looking back at her and not those cruel eyes. Even so, she smiled at herself, “Thank you,” She said, “I needed that.”
She took a much needed shower after that before heading into the bedroom. She crawled into her bed, exhausted, but lighter than she’d been in a long, long time. Behind her, she didn’t see Marta’s teary-eyed smile.