Arakana Tower, 30th Floor, the Lagoon Lounge
Collaboration between @Chrys and @enmuni

Nibbling on the samosa, Ruby was starting to question what was even the point of her being here. Surely she could figure out this on her own, after all that’s how it had always been in the past. That was when her attention got caught by a woman in some disturbingly hideous gettup, and her face did not hide her opinion in the slightest.

What in the actual fuck is she wearing?!

Gods above she had heard of villains and heroes with their horribly flashy outfits before but this was a whole new level. It was like villainous narcissism itself being made into a piece of clothing.

These thoughts crossed her mind and decorated her face as she stared at the woman for a bit too long before the words seemed to finally settle in her consciousness. Leaving Ruby raised one pale white eyebrow as she looked up at the lady, seemingly asking many questions. Who the hell are you, what are you wearing but most importantly … Why the hell should I help you?

Noting Ruby’s stare and eventual suspicious expression, Georgia let out a sigh as her face shifted into a deeply exasperated expression.

“You don’t talk much, do ya?” she commented, placing her hands on her hips, “Look, this ain’t exactly my normal getup. I’d’ve been happy in a hoodie and shorts. But Solaris has me wearing this…whole…thing.”

Hearing the explanation and the use of the word ‘thing’ to describe her outfit had a little silent chuckle move Ruby’s chest as she watched the lady with an amused smirk on her face. It seemed this stranger knew exactly how strange she looked at the moment.

Georgia held the bridge of her nose with another sigh, and continued, “I can annihilate that Auction, no problem at all. Unfortunately, Solaris needs some people there alive. So I can’t exactly do my normal shtick, can I? I don’t exactly know what he’s offering you, but if you’re takin’ that deal, I’d sure like a hand.”

Ruby’s eyebrow rose up again as she thought to herself exactly who were these people that needed to be kept alive and even more interesting, what was this known villain offering this woman to make her do his bidding. It didn’t seem like simple money was going to buy the interest of someone like her.

Georgia clicked her tongue, realizing she had neglected to introduce herself, “I know your name, but I realize you probably don’t know mine. Not that it seems you’re fixin’ to use it any time soon, but it’s only polite anyways. Georgia Gray. You may have known me as Hostess back in Ironclad, or, if you watch the news, Anathema. But I’m Georgia to anyone I ain’t fightin’. So. You wanna gimme a hand? Or do I have to ask some damn men for help instead?”

The outfit was starting to make some more sense now. Ruby had heard of the name Anathema, more in passing and the fall out that had happened from her gleaming hero life to … well what she was now. Though, surely there was something more fitting. Something simpler, sleaker…. Why was she even bothering so much about this?

Her thought track was broken by the last question and a snort of laughter broke from her lips. Looking up with bright amused red eyes, she couldn’t help but be entertained by this larger woman and her way of phrasing things.

That didn’t change the fact that she needed more information before she even considered going along with her. So in a voice uncannily the same as Anathema’s she repeated the words, “needs some people there alive.” Her words didn't sound like a question, reflecting the exact same tone she had heard the statement said in. Though the expression and her head cocked to the side said otherwise as she looked up at the overdressed woman for answers of who exactly these people would be.

“Like a parrot, are you?” Georgia commented, a bemused expression flashing briefly across her face, “Well, long as you don’t steal my soul…But yes, Solaris needs some people alive. The prisoners they’re sellin’, specifically. Because sure, may be the twenty-first century, but some people can’t do without a goddamned slave auction. So we’re gonna put a stop to it, but I need a hand getting the poor bastards who ain’t done nothin’ out of there before I torch the place. You think you can be of help with that?”

An instant frown decorated Ruby’s face as she rolled her eyes and let out an exhausted sigh at Georgia's comment. This was exactly why she hated speaking. It was either freaking out like she was some kind of demon spawn or does Polly want a cracker? Couldn’t someone just take it in stride or hell, at least come up with something a bit more creative?

She was about to walk away from this whole annoyance when the strange woman’s next words hit her. Her eyebrows instantly rose up as she stopped frozen in her spot. She really shouldn’t be surprised, as much as she hated it, this shit happened all the time. This, however, was one of the first times that she was hearing about such sales before they happened. That was instead of seeing the awful aftermath from supposed ‘reputable’ brothels.

Looking back up at Georgia, her face seemed set as she in that moment made the decision that this was her chance to actually do something about this. She nodded resolutely. Ruby would help, she had no idea exactly how she was going to manage this but she was determined nevertheless.

Georgia brought her hands back to her hips. Seeing Ruby’s mixture of expressions prior to her eventual confirmation, Georgia traced her tongue along her teeth idly, until stopping and grimacing. Every damn time. Georgia sucked in, and then clicked her tongue.

“Don’t like the parrot thing, huh,” she commented. Georgia patted Ruby on the shoulder suddenly, and said, “Well I’m sorry ‘bout that. I don’t like being called some names myself. Not that I imagine you’d need a list to guess.”

Ruby didn’t seem to like being touched much either, as she flinched from the sudden touch from the stranger.

Georgia withdrew her hand, and cracked her knuckles. “Read your file by the way. Figured you’d have a soft spot for the poor S-O-Bs in that Auction. Maybe you can figure out what to do with ‘em once we got ‘em outta there.”

My what? Ruby looked at her with wide eyes as her mind started to run through the fact that she had a file and what it could even contain. It seemed to already contain her powers, which could be worrying in the wrong hands but the real alarming part was it seemed to contain her motives. This knowledge could easily be used to bring worse visitations upon her current home. Her thumb went up to her lip, as she bit at it uneasily. She needed to rethink how she was putting The Mystique in the middle of all of this.

Georgia sighed, and clasped the bridge of her nose again, “But I realize I gotta tell you how we can even do all ‘at. Look, I can make a, fucking, uhhh,” Georgia gestured vaguely for a moment, rolling her hand as if the word was escaping her, “Portal type thingy.”

Georgia sighed, and pulled off her left glove, showing a well-worn, fresh scar on her left wrist.

“So, I cut this open, smear a circle of blood on the wall, and then burn something of mine in it,” she concluded, “And rip a hole to wherever the hell I wanna go. Fuckin’ satanic or some shit, but hell if it ain’t more convenient than flyin’. That make sense?”

Ruby looked at her strangely for a moment, as if taking in all that she had heard and the supposed demonic side of this strange woman’s powers. That though, did not seem to stop her suddenly foraging through her sling bag as if she was looking for something in particular. Pulling out a small jar, she reached out her hand expectantly as she looked towards Georgia’s left hand.

“My blood? Honey, it won’t work for you,” Georgia stated, shaking her head, “If you were to try it, you’d summon me. Which I s’ppose is useful in its own way. But you don’t need my blood to do that. Just, like, a sock or sumn like that that’s nice and flammable. That does need to be mine, otherwise you’re just burning some shit in a circle of blood.”

Ruby shook her head in frustration at her point not getting across. She shoves the small jar in Georgia's hand. Now in her hand she could see a weird coloured balm that looked anything but made elegantly. A little sticky and a little smelly, but the mix of onion extract, honey, lavender and coconut oil should help with keeping the scar soothed.

“Thank ya, but it’s really alright,” Georgia assured Ruby, still taking a dollop of the balm and rubbing it on the wound all the same, “If I didn’t need to reopen it all the time, it’d heal just fine on its own…”

When Ethan made his entry into the conversation, Georgia subtly shifted closer to Ruby, though her body language made no indication as to what she meant by it. Ruby looked at him like he had two heads as she took the plate of food and notebook absentmindedly. What the hell was this guy thinking suddenly acting all nice and even serving them drinks?

She shook her head a little before she pulled up the notebook and wrote two simple words. Showing the messy handwriting to Georgia, she could see the words, ‘Twice Daley’. Ruby pointed meaningfully at the jar now in the other woman’s possession. Georgia nodded and tucked the jar away.

After letting Ethan make his commentary, Georgia looked back to Ruby and declared, “Looks like we’re playing more dress-up tonight. I can handle the burning no problem. My only trouble’ll be not killing everyone. You reckon you can score a few more discerning kills for me, Ruby? Oh, and are you any good with restraints? I can probably snap ‘em, but that’s likely gonna get some of those so-called specimens broken bones. Figure that ain’t in the spirit of the idea. So? Whaddaya sa—think. What do you think, Ruby?” Georgia made a small grimace at her own perceived jab, looking at Ruby expectantly all the while.

Ruby winced at the idea of dressing up in whatever this Masked Solaris had chosen after seeing his idea of fashion. She wasn’t normally that picky about what she wore, but this was just ridiculous.

Luckily the conversation actually went to how they were going to be breaking out these prisoners, and Ruby was already scribbling in the notebook again. Though as she heard the little poke at her … condition, she rolled her eyes at Georgia before shoving the notebook into the other woman’s hands.

In it she had just written, ‘I do restreants.’

Reading it passively, Georgia gave Ruby another nod, and patted her hand softly, affirming Ruby’s statement.

“Then it looks like we just need to get tabs on whoever else is meant to be going there. We got any buddies comin’ along, Solaris?” Georgia asked.

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