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[alotmorehorrible]

"Not here right now, go on and leave a message."

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[krasnaya_smert]

[ Natalia finishes the vodka previously poured then holds out the empty glass to be refilled and used to toast said departed, disappeared friend. ]

Do you want to explain what has you so hung up against enhanced humans? Or do I need to get more alcohol in you for that one?

[ She speaks slowly, tone laced with doubt that Butcher will actually explain the source of his animosity. ]

[alotmorehorrible]

they're put on pedestals like fucking gods. People sit around worshipping them and ignoring all the shady shit that comes along with them. The lives they ruin along the way... Somebody has to do something.

[He refills both their glasses.]

There's no sense in getting into it.

[He's not talking about Becca and how her story ended bloody and unnecessarily soon.]

[krasnaya_smert]

[ Natalia reaches for Butcher's free hand and lures him towards the living area. ] You know, we tried registering super powered individuals once, making them less freelance and to have them act under official regulation. It resulted in a civil war amongst ourselves, the teams obviously for and against, national security versus civil liberties. If you make it back, maybe you could try for something along those lines?

[alotmorehorrible]

[He lets her guide him for now, giving a thoughtful hum of noise at her suggestion.] Don't know that I'm ever leaving here without a bloody miracle, but... we've made some progress back home.

[Not as much as he'd like, but... at least Homelander is effectively neutered a fair bit against doing too much.]

Should have known it'd be fucking Homelander I'd get stuck with indefinitely, and so many people would be his number one fan down here too.

[What was it about the cunt that drew people in anyway?]

[krasnaya_smert]

[ Natalia releases him and gracefully lowers herself onto the sofa, drinking more before speaking. ]

There's quite clearly a story there, only I'm not sure which pieces you feel like sharing with me. Like, how is Discount Captain America not a good guy? Or is this just personal bias speaking ill of the supe?

[ Jealousy tained glasses and the like. ]

[alotmorehorrible]

He ruined my fucking life, for a start. Helped ruined it anyway. [He's not sure he can pin it all on the cunt anymore, but he definitely set it off.]

Not only that, but he's not a fucking hero. He's a fucking celebrity that plays as one.

[krasnaya_smert]

That happens, sometimes. The power gets to you or the pressure of the role. We're better in some ways, but still human in others; prone to certain vices. Emotions. [ Variables of the past and present, and in some cases (like with Cable or Strange) the future too. ]

That Translucence or whatever, him too?

[alotmorehorrible]

Translucent... what kind of bloody name is that?

[He tilts his head curiously, watching her.] What did Hughie tell you about the cunt?

[krasnaya_smert]

A bloody stupid and inaccurate one, since he was invisible. Not translucent at all. Mind, not everyone in my universe has the move cleverest of names, but at least they're on point?

[ Beast comes to mind. ]

Why don't you tell me your version and we'll compare notes? Two sides and all the shit, da?

[ Because the narration and Hughie's handwaved their interaction after a few tags and details were reduced to bullet points. ]

[alotmorehorrible]

That's what I bloody told him. [Then again, he didn't expect him to be the cleverest of blokes.]

He compromised the operation we were trying to pull off, came to confront Hughie about it... He'd have killed him or blasted our names all over the news if we hadn't killed him. Letting him go weren't an option, letting him live... oh, that definitely wasn't happening.

[Plus, he was a supe. He keeps that part to himself.]

Did everybody a favor, disgusting as that bastard was.

[krasnaya_smert]

[ Natalia kicks off her heels then brings her legs up under her and sideways, angling to face Butcher and brushing his thigh with her knees. ] So, more or the less the same story. He said you kidnapped Translucence, that Hughie was the babysitter and also the one to detonate the bomb inside the supe. And he also confirmed the guy was a creep; I take it he used that invisibility for fucked up uses?

[alotmorehorrible]

Oh, you wouldn't believe the shite he got up to.

[He wrinkles his nose up. About the only decent goddamn thing he heard was he was invested in his kid. The rest? Bloody disgusting.]

Why so curious, by the way?

[krasnaya_smert]

Habit. Aligning stories to get a better understanding of you and your motives. [ Natalia's shoulders pop up into a quick shrug. As she gives her drink a swirl, the redhead adds -- ] Sometimes talking helps; Hughie's no longer with us, here, so stories will have to suffice.

[alotmorehorrible]

And what do you think about those motives? [He gives a curious look, tilting his head to meet her eyes.]

[krasnaya_smert]

[ She holds that gaze, equal parts empathetic and calculating. ] I can relate to killing others with a means to the end. With vengeance in mind. I can also relate to killing because it's the job. But it would seem that your intentions were well meant; removing evil.

[ Natalia cants her head slyly to one side, brow barely arched. ] You still haven't my name. [ A beat and with a one-handed finger quote -- ] My "supe" name.

[alotmorehorrible]

Mm... [He watches her, quiet and thoughtful for a moment. Vengeance, removing evil... sometimes those things crossed real close.]

Yeah, you're right... What do you call yourself, love?

[krasnaya_smert]

[ Natalia uncurls herself and sets the drink aside. She draws near enough to lowly rumble in Butcher's ear, scratching lightly at his beard with a set of nails. ] Why don't you tell me which room is yours and I'll show you what they call me? Unless, of course, you'd rather keep drinking...