#heir softening serum

[pure-hill]

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[odditycircus-2002]

Medusa! Reader and Shang Tsung: Story Mode Part 4

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Spoiler Warning: Proceed with Caution

Although you didn't want to leave Baraka behind, and neither did the latter want you going inside without him, Kenshi assured you both that it wouldn't be long and he'd signal if anything went wrong. So, after more reassurances to one another, you led Kenshi, Kung Lao, and Johnny through a seldomly used back entrance into the laboratory.

When the trio eavesdrops on Shang Tsung explaining the changes he made to the serum for Mileena, they are too focused on the Sorcerer and the Princess to notice how your body language has softened and melancholic. You were so preoccupied with how you hadn't seen Outworld's heir for a while and whether or not to speak of your affliction with her, that you almost missed Kung Lao whispering about how Shang Tsung was infecting Mileena with Tarkat.

You try to whisper no, that's not the case. Unfortunately, the trio was already set on the "truth," so much so that they revealed themselves from their hiding place to confront the Sorcerer, along with Tanya and Rain, both you're also familiar with.

A glance at the unconscious Mileena in her chair was all the motivation you needed to tackle Johnny Cage to the ground. The man gave a shout in surprise. Johnny then questions on what the hell has gotten into you. You, in response, yell at Cage and his compatriots for idiotically assuming they know everything. Johnny shouts at you to get off him as he tries to shake you loose, finding you had an iron grip. In desperation, he goes for your mask and nearly rips the thing off but gets a glance at your scales and a few of your hissing snakes underneath. Johnny could only utter a "What in the f-", before you chopped him in the throat with the side of your hand.

At the sound of glass breaking, you glance to your side and find the syringe Shang was holding earlier shattered on the ground. Abandoning your tussle with Cage, you follow the Sorcerer to his work table to help make another serum for Mileena. Shang shouts for Rain to let you pass since the latter doesn't recognize you with the mask on. He complies, granted he is still shocked about your appearance and that you get to work with Shang.

You insisted Shang Tsung instruct you on what to do since you had earlier noticed that he had altered the serum. Shang quickly obliged before directing you to gather a few herbs from your cabinet, which he completely rearranged, much to your annoyance.

"Did you move everything in here? I can't find anything in your mess!"

You two got to work crushing, mixing, and distilling, working eerily well in sync as if you were both a perfect machine.

"I have dearly missed working with you like this,"

"Stuff it, Shang."

You don't stop working even when Kenshi threatens both you and Shang. You're physically stopped when Kenshi holds his blade to your throat while you are in the middle of mixing. In the background, Johnny warns Kenshi about the snakes under your hood. As if to prove him right, you let out a hiss before allowing more snakes under your hood to slither in a threat display. Shang Tsung deeply scowls at Kenshi for threatening you and preventing both of you from working.

Kenshi asked why you're working with the man you made no secret of despising. Shang Tsung quickly explains that you are his lab partner, although you quickly add that you WERE his partner until he turned you into a twisted creature.

The Sorcerer ignores you as he explains he's not trying to infect Mileena but to protect her, so you also put your hate to the side for the moment. Still skeptical, Kenshi dismisses Shang's words and has Johnny and Kung Lao watch you both. Shang did nothing to hide his contempt for the two while you continued hissing with your snakes still writhing from your hood.

You stopped hissing when you heard Mileena struggling in her chair, screaming in pain from the transformation brought on by Tarkat. You scream her name, your heart breaking at the sight of the girl you've known since her birth, unnaturally flaring open her mouth to show the grotesque mess of pointed teeth. You scold both Kung Lao and Johnny for not fucking listening to you before getting to work to desperately prepare her needed serum. You made sure to add some sedatives to instantly knock her out.

You gasped in horror when Mileena impaled Kenshi in the eyes with her sais right before Shang Tsung injected her with the serum. As Princess Katana enters the scene, you work swiftly to summon some water from your flask to rinse the blood from Kenshi's face. Along with General Shao, a man who is not exactly fond of you and vice versa.

When Commander Goro knocked out both Johnny and Kung Lao and then had his guards drag them and Kenshi away, you stood up to tell Kitana that this was a misunderstanding and Shang's suspicious activities. However, Shao bellows over you with his booming voice, commanding you to be silent. He will not believe a word from someone who deserted their post, especially one who was supposed to treat Outworld's heir and the Royal House.

Shao always had a way of getting under your skin, so you didn't hesitate to get in his face, snakes out, and seconds away from tearing into his hideous face. You tell him that if his brain was as big as his mouth, he'd have a shred of intelligence in that thick skull.

General Shao reaches for the large knife on his side when you reach a hand to take your mask off before Shang steps in between you two and barely misses getting bit by one of your snakes. He pulls you back before whispering in your ear.

He offers you another ultimatum: either agree with the lie he devised on the spot or finally learn what's been in the lower levels of the lab the entire time and share the Earthrealmer's fate.

You hiss at Shang Tsung and rip your mask off, but Shang closes his eyes in time as General Shao reacts within a second to knock you back to the stone floor with the butt of his knife. You heard Kitana gasp from where you lay.

"By the Gods, What has happened to you???"

General Shao snaps his fingers, and the rest of his soldiers quickly hold you down as they both blindfold you and gag your mouth, one suffering a deep bite through his gloves. You hear more than see the soldier collapse to the ground, metal scraping against solid stone as he spasms uncontrollably while vomiting blood and bile. He takes one last shaky breath before collapsing on the floor, dead.

You try to scream at Kitana, who you know is wearing a face of horror and disbelief, that you didn't mean to do that. Yet, it was for naught as Shao commands his soldiers to take you with the Earthrealmers since you are just as much a threat as them. Again, you writhe against your captors, blind and silent, as you're dragged into the lower level of the laboratory. You try to scream, one last time, that Kitana is being deceived by the snake in her mother's court. Yet, it all fell on deaf ears.

Shang Tsung is the last thing you hear before you're dragged down the stairs.

"I truly regret it has come to this, my sweet."

You felt a weight sink in your stomach.

Playlist While Writing This:

"Monster" By Lady Gaga

"Darkside" By Neoni

"Never Forget You" By Zara Larsson

"My Demons" By Starset

[hail-americas-ass]

🔆JUNE REC LIST

AU-MODERN SETTING:  🌺 Coming Home by Charlesdk (@transcowboy on tumblr)  (Winter Soldier!Bucky x Farmer!Steve) 42K Words  (very fluffy, perfect fic) 

“Steve, you don't know a damn thing about that guy. The fact that you're even considering keeping him in your house is crazy.”

“I don't care.” Steve glanced over at the stranger, his face softening when he saw him sinking back into the couch cushions and gripping his backpack so tightly.

“Sam, the guy looks like no one's been nice to him for years. How am I supposed to be okay with just sending him off somewhere?” Sam sighed heavily and looked heavenward. “I swear to God, if I come by tomorrow and find you dead in your bed, I'm gonna find a way to bring you back to life just to kill you again.”

OR – in which former army captain, current farmer Steve Rogers finds a bruised and battered and dirty stranger who remembers nothing and doesn't speak in his barn. He takes him in, despite his friends' advice not to, and helps him recover. It's not easy. Especially not when, along the way, feelings get involved.

❄ Winter’s Children by Neery (Post-WS Kid Fic)  66.8K Words (words fail to describe how amazing this fic is READ IT)

When their attempts to recreate the super soldier serum failed, Hydra started trying to breed Captain America clones from his genetic samples.

Unfortunately, the serum's effects aren't passed down genetically, so instead of an army of tiny Captain Americas, they get a bunch of tow-headed, asthmatic, allergic, immuno-compromised little Steves. And then the Winter Soldier stumbles across Hydra's failed experiment...

🏰 Your Heart is a Castle by teenytabris  (Modern!Bucky x Cap!Ghost!Steve) 68.8K Words (THERE IS A HAPPY ENDING)

Becca and Bucky have spent the last few years living in England as they finish up degrees in Anthropology/Archaeology and Historical Engineering respectively. Neither were able to find paying jobs in their chosen fields, and the end of their lease is looming close. London is expensive, and they begin to worry about where they could possibly live.

Then, an unknown Great Uncle dies suddenly, and names Bucky (by way of legal loophole) heir to the castle he lived in. In Germany. And sure, it’s run down, they have barely any furniture, and it’s tucked away remotely in the mountains between Germany and the Czech Republic, but hey? Free house?

Bucky supposes the brush with death that made him able to see the ghosts of Captain America, Agent Carter and the Howling Commandos is just the price he has to pay for it.

🔥 knew we’d be alright by burning_brighter (@burning-brighter on tumblr) (Firefighter!Bucky x Cap!Steve) 82.8K Words (sooo much angst but happy ending)

In 2012, Steve is a man out of time, trying to battle his demons and build a life in a new century when he meets Bucky, an FDNY Lieutenant helping with cleanup and rescue after the Battle of New York.

In 2014, Bucky is a fire Captain, trying to get his life back on track after a rough break up with his super soldier boyfriend.

Going back and forth between past and present, see how they fall in love, how their relationship falls apart and how it inevitably falls back into place.

🌊 lane lines by sparkagrace ( @sparkagrace on tumblr)  (Olympic Swimmer!Steve x Olympic Swimmer!Bucky) 132.5K Words (MUST READ! THIS IS NOT A QUESTION! YOU MUST READ THIS ONE)

Steve Rogers has spent his entire life swimming and now is poised to take the Wakanda 2024 Olympics by storm. The only thing he’s missing is a friendly rival to help get him there. Enter Bucky Barnes, who doesn’t seem to take the sport quite as seriously despite his raw and enviable talent.

Steve hates him. Bucky doesn’t care. That makes Steve hate him more.

💌 And they all lead back to you by pandafish ( @myexplosion​ on tumblr) 1.8K Words (so fluffy, perfect read, and the poem hit me in the heart strings)

Bucky was dancing with Alpine.

It was a slow dance, because she was a sleepy kitten by now, but the radio was playing an old song that reminded Bucky of times past and he didn’t have Steve here to dance with him. He'd be home from his mission tomorrow, but it felt like forever.

Bucky had just tucked the kitten into bed and was preparing for a night without Steve, when he noticed a letter on their doormat.

[imagine-avenger-imagines]

Lifelong (II)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x (Fem) Reader

Summary:The reader decides whether or not to follow the two agents, and a dark part of her past comes back to haunt her. 

Word Count:1.9k

Warnings:violence, gore

A/N: Here’s part two! This is just kind of a “set up” chapter, but it’s kind of short. I hope you enjoy!

The three of you quickly pulled into a parking garage and parked within the third floor. This whole thing felt like a bad dream. One Nick Fury put you up to.

You quickly fell out of the car and made you way up some flights of stairs until an elevator came into view.

“The Matteo’s aren’t easy to get a hold of. Trust me, I went after them for years before I actually succeeded.” The keys that came from your pocket were loud and you rushed into your apartment. The pair of them followed behind, a small grimace on the Soldier’s face.

“Meaning?” Sam’s voice flowed through the tall ceilings of the living room, and you watched as they both walked through. You flicked all of the locks that lined the door frame and walked straight into the kitchen.

“Meaning, it’s virtually impossible to bring them in,” Except you did it. With no help, but they were in the way of other things. “Is Fury on it because of Hydra related things?”

With the mention of Hydra, Bucky’s eyes hardened and sat on the small leather couch.

“Yeah, something like that.” Sam sat down next to his friend, watching as you paced back and forth. You finally walked up to a part of the wall by the kitchen and pushed on it. With a small whir, a 7 by 5 foot opening appeared.

“Well, that’s really the only way I caught them. Hydra had something I wanted and they were in the way.” The tactical suit that stood in front of you made you lose your breath. It was all black and something Fury had given to you before this all happened.

The note he sent was still attached.

I knew yours was getting old. Thank me later.

You smirked at hearing his voice go through your head.

“What was it that you wanted?” This time, it was the Soldier’s voice that rang through. His voice took you by surprise every time you heard it. You had never heard it before, his face was always covered by that black mask.

“Revenge.” Was all you said. You grabbed the suit and closed everything back up. The memories of your last mission made your heart constrict.

The way his gray eyes pleaded with yours before the bullet between his eyes rendered him lifeless. The way his body hit the ground-

With a shake of your head, you turned back to the pair sitting on your sofa. The sight was almost comical, both of their broad shoulders taking up the majority of the room.

Honestly, you didn’t want to get involved with anything. You were happy with your bar and apartment in a place you’ve always wanted to live. Hopefully it’ll stay that way.

“We’ll stay here for the night and get a game plan going. I’m assuming none of you expected them to act this quickly?”

The two of them shook their heads simultaneously.

“Hmm. Didn’t think so.”

You showed them both where they could sleep for the night and ordered some food for them.

Once it got late enough, you retired to your bedroom.

~

“Y/N.” You turned your head, only to find those beautiful gray eyes that made your heart accelerate just a little faster. He stood behind you, hands behind his back and a smile on his face. His full lips caused the wrinkles around his mouth to make an appearance. His ebony hair was perfect, messily framing his face and making him look boyish.

“Jack?” His face softened even more, and he grabbed your face with both of his hands. His eyes searched yours, looking at you with the most love anyone could give. Your eyes traveled down to his uniform, the black suit making him look even taller than he was.

“Why’d you do this to me?” His voice was the same, but his eyes hardened, his smile falling and his eyebrows came together. His dark eyebrows were a huge contrast with his pale skin.

The confusion that filled you soon turned to dread.

“What?”

His eyes roamed your face, his thumb brushing your bottom lip. The love never left his eyes.

“Have you forgotten already?” As soon as the words fell from his lips, blood began pouring from the bullet hole in his forehead.

Your lungs burned with the breath that finally filled them. The tears that fell from your eyes caused your cheeks to dampen and you could feel your own heartbeat throughout your body.

The sheets were a shade darker with your sweat and you quickly pushed them off of your tacky legs.

Jack.

Those gray eyes filled your mind again before you dismissed them quickly.

Your air conditioning was silent in contrast with the city below you. No wonder you were soaked.

“Fucking air conditioner.” You stood, making your way through your room and into the hallway. The small thermostat sat idly on the wall blinking a red light.

Son of a bitch.

The beeping it kept making as you pressed each button was obnoxious.

“Do you need some help?” The small but deep voice that came from behind you caused you to gasp, turning to find the very person you didn’t want to see behind you.

His chin length hair was messy and his eyes looked like they hadn’t slept a wink. You couldn’t look at those eyes without thinking about them through the CCTV footage that you’ll never be able to forget.

“No.” Your snappy reply caused him to look away. The thermostat beeped in your ear, causing you to flinch and punch it without a second thought. The front cover of it popped off, landing on the hard floor by his feet.

A groan came out of your throat, and you covered your face with your now very sore hand. Without another word, you walked back to your bedroom and closed the door with a thud. There was a small light pouring in from your bathroom, and you strutted over but were stopped when a shooting pain went through your chest. You fell, knees hitting the hard marble floor beneath you.

Your watering eyes flew to the small black bag on the sink, and struggled to get to it. Your fingers wrapped around the bag, and pulled it to the floor with a loud clatter.

The small glass vial full of blood red serum rolled out of the bag and a syringe with it. Without hesitating, you jammed the needle into the vial, the searing pain paralyzing you every second. With a couple taps from your fingers, you slowly injected the needle into your arm, and shot the serum. The warmth spread throughout your body and the pains subsided.

It was getting worse.

“Y/N?” Bucky’s voice came from outside your bedroom door, and you held your breath. “Everything okay in there?” 

You stayed silent, hoping he’d leave. The footsteps retreated from your door and you let out the breath you’d been holding.

This situation couldn't get any worse, you thought.

You watched through your window as the sun rose, bringing a new day with it.

~

“As of right now, they are in Florence. Well, that’s the last time we heard from them. Matthias Matteo, their leader, was there as well.” Sam talked about the mission as you read the manilla folder in front of you. They both had cups of coffee in their hands, sipping from them every so often.

“Well I can tell you right now, they’re not there anymore. They were out of there before you even had a chance to report your failure back to Fury,” You received a nod from Sam while Bucky just stared off towards your hallway. He stood, and disappeared before either of you said another word. Sam just glanced quickly and then back at you.

You watched as he went. Unfortunately having memorized the way he walks. No. Stalks.

Because that’s what he is. A predator. Or was apparently.

That’s not something you can just delete out of a person’s system.

“He’ll be okay. Since Cap… left I guess, he’s just been out of it.” Sam’s voice brought you back, making your attention focus back on the task at hand.

You could care less.

“The Matteo’s have a pattern. One I’d been following for a while. New York, Paris, Florence, and then Rio. Repeatedly.”

Sam nodded and stood.

“Well, sounds like we’re headed to Rio. Buck?” His silhouette appeared back from the hallway again, and the two of them headed the opposite direction.

You downed the rest of your coffee, putting the mug into the stainless steel sink. You padded your way back down the hallway towards your bedroom. As you passed, you noticed the thermostat.

It had been fixed and looked perfectly fine.

~

The young heir sat in his father’s office chair and looked down at papers scattered around his father’s desk. His father’s study was huge, and even though it was full of furniture, it felt empty.

He wasn’t used to the view from this side of the desk. He was always used to walking in and seeing his father focused on some conversation with a mysterious person on the phone.

He didn’t know anything about the family business until now. He had an idea, seeing as his father groomed him to take over since he was a young boy.

The door creaked loudly as his cousin, Marco, walked in and adjusted his cufflinks before sitting before him.

“Luca.” He didn’t bother looking up at him, seeing as he couldn’t think about much except for the information that sat in front of him in a locked box.

“Listen, I wouldn’t want to rush you, but we have things we need to tend to.” Marco never had much empathy, so Luca didn’t expect any from him now.

“I know, Marco.”

The silence that filled the room was deafening.

“I think we-”

“Speak another word, and it’ll be your brains they clean up from this desk next.”

Marco snapped his lips closed, standing and strutting out of the door.

Luca glanced over, noticing something on the crystal paper weight on the corner of the desk.

His long, olive fingers grasped the shining crystal and brought it closer to his face.

The small drop of blood glimmered almost as clearly as the paper weight.

His father’s blood.

This caused him to look over to the window where he could see the fresh bullet hole with a webbing of cracks flowing to the window frame.

They weren’t sure who had assassinated his father, but they received a tip on who it could’ve been.

Someone who had caught them once before.

His thoughts were interrupted once again by someone coming through the door. A servant stood without making eye contact.

“Yes?”

The servant was nervously rubbing his hands together before speaking up.

“Your plane is ready, sir.” Luca stood quickly and nodded.

“Get my bags ready.” The servant nodded and replied.

“Yes, Mr. Matteo.”

He left, and Luca turned back to the box on his father's desk. He grabbed the key quickly and unlocked the box. Inside was one manilla folder. He opened it hesitantly, and began to read.

There was only one person brave, or even smart enough, to kill his father.

The Black Lotus. 

[pegtl]

Landlocked Blue (3/10)

COMMISSION

PAIRING: Mikasa Ackerman/Annie Leonhart

SUMMARY:The Ackerman and Leonhart families have been warring over the control of Maria City for years, their conflict only intensified by the events that happened nearly half a decade ago. Seeking compromise, the heiress of the former family decides that forming a friendship with the latter’s heir would be the best course of action. However, circumstances are never on her side, and Mikasa must decide who she’s really loyal to.

CHAPTER SUMMARY: Mikasa works.

Mikasa had been completely and utterly aware of how much they were expecting her to fail, and it’s with just as much disappointment in herself that she expresses to Levi that she did, in fact, fail. Unlike what Eren or Armin might’ve done, she doesn’t soften the knowledge with words, but instead tells him bluntly that the deal didn’t work out, and that Eren had actually threatened the Leonharts for noncompliance. As if he wasn’t aware of the fact that they were the underdogs in this situation, where the Leonharts could easily crush them if they wanted to.

Levi’s hooded eyes, which always manage to look nonplussed no matter what information he’s exposed to, merely blink. “I had expected as much,” he drawls, and that somehow seems to make Mikasa feel even worse.

She knew full well what his intentions were, and yet he was also the man who helped take care of her after her parents passed. Always particularly distant, knowing he could never replace his sister and her husband, but caring nonetheless. Technically her backer, technically someone who was on her side, if only for his own personal reasons, but still family nonetheless. It did hurt, knowing that in some way shape or form, he didn’t believe she would succeed.

“However,” Levi continues, rising from his plush leather chair to walk over to her, placing both hands on her shoulders, “that gives us an opportunity to let loose. They may think we’re incompetent in terms of negotiation, but they also believe that negotiation is the only tactic we have left. A bit ambitious of us to make demands ��– what else would you do, though, if you were on your last leg, and still proud? That means we still have an opportunity to redeem ourselves. As far as the Leonharts are concerned, we’re back here licking our wounds, trying to find some way to apologize. They could do without us, and they think we couldn’t do without them.

“They aren’t going to expect us to mount a counterattack. Luckily for you, there’s a portion of the city that we’ve been keeping an eye on. It’s near the borders of Leonhart territory, but they’ve decided, for whatever reason, not to keep it heavily guarded. Quite a tactical disappointment on their part, a boon for us. I say we make good on Eren’s threat, take them on and make them regret ever denying those very, very simple terms.”

Mikasa swallows; this is the exact opposite of what she wanted. Although her whole plan of ‘making nice’ didn’t exactly work out, she still didn’t want to resort to backstabbing and other forms of violence, continuing the cycle. Even her parents had the same idea. Then again, it’s what got them killed. Maybe it was time to take things back by force. Lord knows it would at least keep the serum off the streets, and a happy Eren meant no broken things.

As if sensing her thoughts, Levi squeezes her shoulders, almost apologetic. “I know this isn’t what you wanted. If I had my way, everything would’ve worked out four years ago and we wouldn’t be stuck in this situation now. But they’re not going to back down, you know, that right? The Leonharts think they can take everything, that the world owes them something in return for fucking potatoes, and that it’s perfectly okay to ignore first come, first serve because of it. We made this place our own, and they just want to tear it from us –– well, they’ll have to do it from our cold, dead hands. The world isn’t ever what we want it to be, Mikasa. I learned that when I was young; it’s time for you to learn that too.”

She knows he’s right. Their line of work doesn’t usually end in mergers and peace and everyone getting their fair share. Anything involving guns doesn’t end until a higher power decides it’s time for them to stop –– and the fact that the Leonharts are run by a council rather than a single head means that agreement is probably never on the horizon for them. Even if one posited the idea of ending the conflict, it would have to go through several other people, who probably all had different stakes in the fight. They would never capitulate. So her attempt was the only solution they’d had, and it failed.

Might as well deal with the reality of the fallout –– retaliation. Better to strike first than be struck first, for obvious reasons.

And yet, she can’t stop thinking about the girl who came to them that night. Mikasa never caught her name, the girl never offered it. She had to be some sort of grunt, then, to find revealing herself irrelevant and time-consuming. Mikasa never introduced herself either, but that was because the Leonharts knew she was sending herself to broker the deal, and anyone they decided to send in return would surely know the fact.

The Leonhart council would never have to come to see her; they figured themselves too powerful to lower themselves to an Ackerman envoy, even if said envoy was the current Ackerman leader. But they also wouldn’t have sent the lowest of the low, because that would’ve been considered an offense and they weren’t dumb enough to do that.

But who was she?

She was pretty enough, Mikasa figured, but she looked like she belonged in a life like this. There was a hardness to the other girl –– a large nose that offset most of her other features, but enhanced her attractiveness rather than detracted it. Even beyond that, there was something about her, a aloofness, distance and detachment that made her seem like she didn’t really care as much as she really did. If Mikasa were an outsider looking in, she’d think the other girl was… cool.

Except, she’s not an outsider. She’s an enemy. They’re on opposite sides of a war, so there’s no point in admiring someone she’s supposed to hate. Even if the nameless girl was someone who seemed far better suited to this world than Mikasa herself, the knowledge would spell nothing but trouble. She might become a thorn in her side, after having been so thoroughly rejected by the Ackerman heiress.

She makes a note to task Armin with sending out some inquiries about the girl, just in case she becomes a pain in their asses somewhere in the near future. At the moment, though she’s more preoccupied with the idea that Levi’s set before her. Mikasa hasn’t been in the field for a long time, but to get back in it would win back whatever respect she lost by letting her plans fall through.

She needs to save face, so that’s what she’s going to do. She can’t have the others believing she was too temperamental to allow the negotiations she’d pushed so hard for to pass, because if there’s anything worse than thinking she’s too soft, it’s her enemies thinking she’s too volatile –– which, if anyone who knew her could attest, she was anything but.

Levi’s brows are furrowed as he watches her, arms crossed as he leans against his desk. He never comments on her elongated silences, instead preferring to observe his niece as she works through things herself. He must’ve realized there’s some sort of caution hardwired into her brain that doesn’t allow her to make any great moves without deep introspection. In many ways, she and her uncle are very alike.

Perhaps that’s why he’s so intent on making sure she remains in power, and why he thinks he’ll have no problems controlling her when she’s there at the top. She wonders if he knows that she knows.

“Are you going to do it?” Levi says, finally. Must’ve gotten sick of her silence.

She looks up at him, and then nods. It would do her some good to get some fresh air, as well. “I will,” Mikasa says. “Let’s wreak a little havoc.”

––

Levi’s always right, and the absolute holds true even as she and Eren (with Jean and Marco trailing not far behind) go along the sliver of city that is right on the border of Leonhart territory. It’s a nice enough spot to be doing business, what with the nearby river and tourist shops lining the pretty view. That’s a good amount of people to be taking cuts from, although Mikasa is sure that the Ackermans would demand a much smaller price than whatever the Leonharts were holding over their heads.

The riverbank is empty for the time being, no tourist of Maria City ever wanting to wake up particularly early to take in the sights and sounds of the location. It was nothing but birds chirping weakly as they too struggled to awaken themselves. But Mikasa was more than awake –– arguably tense, but that was just her natural state these days.

Mostly, at this point, her mode of action is going door to door, speaking to any of the shop owners who are currently within their business at the time. Barely getting ready for actually opening, it becomes easier to pick them over to her side, since there aren’t any witnesses or random citizens to help prevent any sort of altercation into occurring. Many of the people selling things on the riverbanks are of the older generation, people who decided to relax in a not-that-competitive market, despite there being dozens of other stores selling similar wares along the entire street. People will duck into any shop with a friendly looking senior citizen to buy a keychain.

Which means they also sell a lot of keychains, and that’s some profit you’d be stupid not to tap into.

Most of them come willingly. It’s only a few exchanges of words, and they’re usually tempted by keeping a bigger cut than they usually get from the Leonharts, who demand forty-five percent of earnings –– the Ackermans’ thirty percent gets a lot more favorable response. The shop owners keep the majority of the money they make and the Ackermans get paid for their protective services. Those who agree must appreciate the fact that the Ackermans also provide reliable bodyguards, since it seems their Leonhart protectors are nowhere to be found. Maybe it’s because it’s so early. Well. Slackers never prosper.

There are some who hold loyalty towards the Leonharts, for various reasons Mikasa can’t fathom. The territory wasn’t originally Ackerman, it belonged to a smaller gang before the Leonharts swept in and took control. Probably for the best, since tinier syndicates rarely ever did so well with their extortion. They took, and there was no give. Bigger groups were smarter –– they knew that business like these were just as liable to get robbed as any other, and by offering protection in exchange for money, they would be readily accepted.

Because the Leonharts got there first, they were able to ward off any thieves a lesser posse would’ve let slip between the cracks. So Mikasa can’t fault them for denying her. If simple words can’t break them, then she has Eren to cracks his knuckles. Although there isn’t much difference between herself and her brother in terms of height, there’s still an intimidating quality about Eren. The unhinged look in his eyes, more than likely, is what causes them to capitulate.

There’s only one person who refuses to budge, and she really should’ve known better than to push, because there seemed like there was absolutely nothing that would convince the obstinate man of Ackerman superiority, arms crossed and scowl set perfectly on his face. It was the confidence of having the rest of the side of the street on her payroll that made her inner perfectionist absolutely need to have everyone in agreement.

This was a mistake, as it bought the store owner enough time for his original protectors to arrive, and none too happy. There’s only three people that show up, but they seem more than capable of taking care of Mikasa and her three companions. The largest of the Leonhart trio is a blond boy built like a monster truck. He’s all broad shoulders and muscle and there’s so much meat coiled underneath his clothes that they look like they’re ready to burst. The boy next to him is taller by a few inches, and the thin counterpart to the other’s hulk.

In between them is the nameless girl, Mikasa’s mystery woman. She’s dressed more warmly than she was last night; her hood is pulled over her head and a denim jacket serves as her third layer of clothing. There’s a disinterested look in her gaze –– brief recognition flashes across her visage, then promptly disappears –– and she seems more content to just stare them down than actually do anything.

“What do we have here?” she drawls. As if she didn’t know. The lanky boy to her left rolls his eyes.

Mikasa can hear Eren rolling on the balls of his feet. The rustle of fabric as he puts his hands up. There’s absolutely no way she could resolve this peacefully, not when they’ve just been caught trying to sway the Leonharts’ backers and not when Eren’s nothing short of raring to go at them. Well, it wasn’t like she was expecting anything to go the path of least resistance, not after that little disaster she’d be better off forgetting.

The girl cocks her head, looking faintly amused. “You know this is nothing short of a declaration of war, right? Trying this shit was enough to put us on alert –– good thing we had that panic button installed in here, by the way –– and now, thinking you can… what? Take us? That’s going to do nothing but bring down a world of hurt on you Ackermans. Do you really think you could handle it?”

“Wouldn’t have tried it if I didn’t think so.” Mikasa tips her chin upward. A cocky gesture that makes the other girl tsk.

The Leonhart meathead cracks his neck. He must think the gesture looks intimidating. He looks to the girl for confirmation. So she isn’t as low as Mikasa originally considered her to be, if he’s waiting for a go-ahead before trying to bash their heads in. Could it be? Did the Leonharts actually decide to send someone of import to their ill-fated liaison?

Such a shame. Mikasa really doesn’t want this to end with spilt blood on this nice carpet, but she’s rarely ever gotten her way in such situations. Marco is decent enough at combat. He’s not quite suited for it, and is probably better off working a desk job than being on their side. What matters at the moment, though, is that he can hold his own. The disconcerted look on his face aside, it doesn’t look like Mikasa or Eren will have to be babying him. If anything, it looks like the job falls to Jean, not that the other would mind.

Someone lets out a muffled yelp behind her –– probably the store owner –– and the spike of noise is followed by the shuffling of feet. Good. She didn’t want any civilian blood on her hands. This was a display of dominance, but it wasn’t as if she was trying to assert it on the man himself.

No one is particularly sure who throws the first punch. No doubt when both go back to their respective heads (at least, she hopes the Leonharts will be able to go back; it doesn’t look like Eren is particularly fond of easing up) that they’ll be pointing fingers at the other. It all ends up as a blur, anyways.

Eren, the daring young man that he is, goes straight for the blond. He’s got a good foot, give or take, of height against Eren, but that doesn’t stop him from nearly climbing on top of the man as they grapple. Mikasa doesn’t have enough time to watch the outcome of that spat before she finds herself ducking under a quick jab.

How very Vin Diesel, Fast and Furious of them, to have the girls locked in a fist fight. The Leonhart is fast, a steely iciness in her blue-gray eyes. Mikasa would be impressed, if she weren’t so focused on trying to avoid lasting brain damage. The girl’s fists come in a flurry towards her face, but Mikasa finds an opening and drops and goes for a jab against the girl’s ribs.

She manages to dodge, but the hit still grazes her side, and the elbow she meant to jab in the center of Mikasa’s back loses some of its strength. The girl huffs and goes quickly to the offensive. Her knee comes upward and Mikasa does a quick flip backwards to avoid it.

She takes a moment to size the other up, loose in her stance. She’s always been more of an MMA girl, and furthermore just one who would do anything it takes to come out on top, but it seems the other’s a trained boxer. Her stance is very closed and guarded. The only reason Mikasa got an opening was because of their proximity. The Leonhart girl didn’t expect her to be so fast on her feet that she could sidestep her. If Mikasa were her, she’d have kept her distance. It’s the best way she can get any hits in, now knowing the other’s speed. She has yet to gauge her accuracy, and doesn’t get to analyze any more before she’s hoisted off the ground by a pair of burly arms.

The Leonhart girl takes that as an opening. She swings in close, but Mikasa tucks her legs in and kicks with all her strength. It ends up bracing against the other girl’s forearms, but it’s enough to ward off the attack so that she can wiggle her way out of her captor’s grasp.

Somebody behind her shouts, “Hey!” and the boy holding her suddenly grunts in pain. His hold loosens, and she twists in his grasp to dig a knee into his ribs. He lets her go, and she drops on the ground with a thud. There’s a brief sting as she lands awkwardly on her ankle, but she’s otherwise unharmed.

The boy twists around to look at who distracted him, and gets a face full of Eren’s fist. Before Mikasa can fully recover herself, another set of arms wrap their way around her neck in a headlock. For a brief moment, she had forgotten the other girl was there. Stupid of her, to ignore a threat that she had barely managed to abate. She coughs and struggles before sinking further downward onto the floor. It presses the arms further against her windpipe, but it also brings the other girl’s head closer towards her as she tightens her grip. Reaching around her, Mikasa smacks her hands against the girl’s head, open-palmed. The other lets out a strangled noise and releases her. She wobbles on her feet, dazed.

Mikasa uses the opportunity to throw a good left hook. It isn’t her dominant hand. The resounding crack as the girl’s head swings and her hands stick out in front of her to catch her fall.

The look on the other’s face is, were it not for the current circumstances, nor Mikasa’s own ethical feelings towards them, nothing short of comical. It looks as though she’s never been hit in her life. If she had, it had been very long ago. Mikasa usually likes knocking people down a few pegs, but there’s something about the devastation in the girl’s features that makes her a little uneasy. The ruckus around them seems to have stopped, and she takes a cautious survey around the room.

Both of the Leonhart boys have the same look of abject horror on their faces, as if they’d never expected a hit to land on their partner. Eren breaks the silence first by taking advantage of their surprise to start wailing on them. The action resumes, almost like someone’s pressed play on a paused video.

The girl screeches, almost inhuman, and lunges at Mikasa. She moves to grab her around the waist, and Mikasa moves with the hit, dodging any sort of lasting damage that might’ve made her winded by the movement. As they topple over, she swings her elbows down at the girl’s upper back. She makes contact, but it doesn’t seem to faze the other very much; it’s like she’s gone berserk. It’s all Mikasa can do to bring up her arms to guard her face. The other girl still gets a few hits in, and Mikasa knows she’ll be forming bruises by the end of the day. She manages to avoid a black eye, though, and twists with all her might to knock the other girl over. They’re dangerously close to a marble pillar along the wall of the store. If the girl were to throw her weight into flipping Mikasa over, she’d more than likely crack her head over it.

She grabs the girl by the lapels of her jacket and drags her upwards. Mikasa doesn’t want anybody cracking their heads on any pillars, even if they are a Leonhart. The other girl tries to shove her, but Mikasa again falls with the movement. She plants her feet on the other girl’s midsection as she lies flat and flips her roughly. With some luck, the other girl won’t land on her head and break her neck. So much for safety.

Luckily for Mikasa’s conscience, she doesn’t. The girl sways on her feet. Disoriented is a mild way of putting her condition. Mikasa scrambles to her feet, just about ready to tell the girl to step down and take a breather. She has no intention of murdering anyone. Eren is gleefully beating the Leonhart’s compatriots to a pulp, but even he knows that killing them is stepping over the boundary. Lethality needs to be authorized, first. War was brewing anyways; it was just a matter of how quickly they wanted to escalate it.

The girl again tries to lunge. This time it’s sloppy. Her previously guarded stance is nowhere to be found. At this point, she’s just hoping the action won’t be a swing and a miss. Unluckily for her, Mikasa’s just barely out of breath, and it doesn’t take much to twist her arm behind her back and dig another elbow into her shoulder. The girl cries out, and then drops.

Like a ragdoll.

The Leonharts turn tail and run –– that’s the only way to explain their behavior as the girl crumples to the ground. The boys stare with wide-eyed horror when she struggles to get back on their feet, and lunge forward to grab her. They haul her up by the arms and make quickly for the door, muffled curses following their every movement. The girl resists, though, kicking and flailing. Mikasa would think that last hit would put her out of commission, but it seems that she’s driven more by rage than anything else.

“The fuck are you doing?” she shouts. One of her eyes is beginning to swell, face red from the pummeling she took. Mikasa’s knuckles feel a little tender. The girl’s attempts to free herself from her two companions don’t exactly pan out, seeing as they’ve successfully managed to toss her into their car (headfirst, and even Eren has to give a little wince at the thunk of her hitting the opposite door) and speed off.

She turns back to her crew. While she’d been preoccupied with one person, they had two giants to take care of. Eren has a split lip, because he can never control his biting when he’s worked up. Jean and Marco look slightly worse for wear. She probably should’ve helped them out more, and she feels a twinge of sympathy as Marco presses tentatively against his right side and winces. She surmises, though, that they’re okay, for the time being. It becomes easy to forget that others aren’t always as good as taking and dishing out hits as she is. Something she apparently inherited from her uncle.

This wasn’t exactly the confrontation she planned out, but it did end up working in her favor, so who is she to complain? Mikasa tosses her brother a look, and Eren shrugs. Jean and Marco look nonplussed. She supposes that she can consider this a job well done, then.

“Um,” the shop owner pipes up. Mikasa had forgotten he was even there. “How much did you want per month, again?”