not even the stars are safe in the sky.

elektra natchios. a fun inconvenience. usually seeing red.

[unsafestars]

 notdaredcvil:

Elektra was someone that Matt cared about. It would take an extremely oblivious person not to see that, or someone who was actively attempting not to look too closely. There had always been a part of him, although for a long time he had loathed to admit it, that continued to hang onto her. Ten years later, she had shown up in his apartment, and he had fought alongside her. Being there when her father died was something that neither of them had envisioned being a part of their relationship, especially after they had spent years fighting against each other, but quickly Matt found himself falling into familiar patterns. He knew, after all, what it felt like to grieve, to love his father more than he loved himself. He also knew that despite outward appearances, Elektra was not the emotionless assassin that some pegged her as, or that the legends professed her to be. Things might be easier if she was.

In reality, Elektra had just as much of a capacity for love, for good, inside of her as anyone else did. Matt may have been biased in the fact that he believed she had even more than the grand majority of people, though it was buried deep down, kept hidden by secrets and grief. Death seemed to follow her, in a similar way to how the darkness followed him. Stick had tried with her the same way as he had tried with Matt to make them emotionless, to remove their ties to humanity, to make them entirely loyal to him, and he had failed in both regards. Matt doubted he had ever been prouder of a fact in his life.

“Trash cans?” Matt repeated, raising an eyebrow, a smile developing despite himself. “I’ll keep that in mind. I spend enough time bleeding out in dumpsters as it is, I might as well find a use for their little brothers.” There were many times when Matt tried to dissect why it was that he fought best with Elektra, but here was the explanation - she was glib about everything, meaning he could be too. “I don’t think there’s a group of anything out there that could come out on top against the two of you,” Matt said. Bias wasn’t to blame for that sentiment, experience was. “I’m prosecution now. Any clients I seek out are pro bono, so I don’t think my chances of getting a nice Parisian champagne any time soon is likely.” The expensive stuff did taste better. Matt didn’t need enhanced senses to know that, but he had always felt more comfortable with the cheap stuff. “I assumed you left no survivors,” Matt commented, “but then again, bringing someone back to life is likely to be an organisational venture, right?” He remembered the smell of blood, how those kids had been drained, how they had ran from the hospital and followed their captors into the night. The things that the Hand did, they were unforgivable, they were dangerous, and they were unexplainable. That was perhaps the most terrifying thing.

When Elektra mentioned the potential that they might not be coming back, Matt furrowed his eyebrows. “What makes you think that?” Matt asked, though he knew there were few things he could count on more than Elektra’s reading of a situation. “Stick and luck doesn’t typically go together, but small mercies have happened before.” Matt wasn’t exactly sure what he would feel like to see Stick again. He assumed it would be anger. Another part of him remembered how it felt to hear the man say he was proud. It was pathetic, but it was something Matt clung to, even when he recognised it as manipulation and nothing else. “Are you offending my good looks?” Matt asked, bringing his hand to his chest in mock affront, but the humour faded somewhat when Elektra’s voice did. “Yeah,” he said softly, “but that doesn’t mean I did a good job of it.” He had been saving the city while hurting his family. What did that make him? “I’m going to take that as a compliment. Newspaper coverage is only interesting when I’m in it. You can say the words, Elektra. I won’t record them.”

Although Elektra had never offered an honest explanation of how she had known Matt was Daredevil, he hadn’t pressed the matter. At the time, he had just been looking to get rid of her. He didn’t push or pry because anything she had to say was unimportant unless it led to her next departure. Elektra did know Matthew’s physique exceptionally well, and the part of his face left bare would be enough for her to ID him if given a good enough look. But it was his movements, the fighting caught on camera and broadcast on local news that left no question in her mind that the man she had once seen fight with a scarf wrapped around his face was Matthew. She didn’t think about his failed rescue attempt of her father very often, but in retrospect, it was foreshadowing. At the time, she’d thought it was her alone that emboldened him enough to risk his life. Ultimately, he might have done the same for anyone.

It took a decade, but she proved that she was willing to die if it meant protecting him. Even if she had been looking towards a future where she fought to protect others, she’d still had a long way to go before she got anywhere near a typical hero’s level of morality. Because it was him, she could take a fatal blow from a sai. He believed in her ability to be good but she doubted she would ever do the same for a stranger. Yes, she could fight off a robber in an alley, or make sure men trailing behind a woman at night would regret ever leaving their homes. That didn’t require sacrifice, and after everything Matthew had given up to be Daredevil, it certainly seemed that sacrifice was an essential part of what he and many others did.

“Alleys are full of them,” she said by way of explanation. Demons and other foes did like to congregate in alleys, she wondered if someone else had kicked trashcans at wrongdoers. “What an adorable metaphor to employ while describing the way you regularly allow your stab wounds to become infected.” All of the education she accumulated as she followed the path to one day become a lawyer was useless 90% of the time. She wondered if she should have set her sights on medicine instead. "I wish anything that tries the best of luck.” Elektra and Natasha had similar skill sets but they were nothing alike as people. Still, if a third party was to assume Matt had a type, they might not be wrong. “Oh, Matthew. You went about this lawyer thing completely the wrong way.” She was certain that had her life continued on the intended path, she would be partner at a high powered firm by now. The youngest in their history. “But speaking of French wine, you should look out for a package within the next few days. I’d be very put out if you allowed one of your neighbors to steal my gift.” She would love it if she didn’t regularly have nightmares about her resurrection, but she supposed that was part of the deal. “Coming back to life was a tad disorienting, I may have missed a ninja or two.” Her thoughts hadn’t been on revenge, just on escape. Her work had been less thorough than normal.

She let a soft self-deprecating laugh slip before looking up at the ceiling. “Not everyone was thrilled by the decision to bring me back. And I’m sure that would be the case no matter their resources, but I think I was something of a last ditch effort. A better bet than one of their own who had already died.” It could be flattering, if she wasn’t already tired of being treated like something to be wielded against others. “They don’t have the means to bring anyone else back.” Since she had failed to take them down with Matt, it was a comfort to know she could do them this blow. When he mentioned small mercies, she felt hopeful. Because she’d already been dealt one, for once she believed that they were real. "Never. Everyone knows I have extremely discerning tastes." She dropped down onto the sofa beside him, reaching out to quickly pinch his chin between her thumb and index finger. Elektra intended to drop her hand but then he had to go and deny all that he had accomplished. Instead, she ran her thumb along his jaw, always much better at conveying sincerity through touch than with her words. “You did the best you could. Better than anyone else could have.” And truly, even after her more recent run ins with other do-gooders, she believed that. “Would you accept less boring?”

[unsafestars]

 notdaredcvil:

Matt knew what he was, who he was. He knew that for all of his fighting against what Stick had tried to encourage him to be, he had ended up right at the same spot he would have if he had walked that straight line in the first place. That didn’t mean that the fight wasn’t worth having, though, and it didn’t mean that he was going to give in to it just yet. Stick had wanted him to be alone, to be stronger in his suffering, to use his pain and graft it into power. Matt had tried that – it sucked. Now, he was trying something different, being part of something bigger than himself. There were only so many things that the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen could accomplish, but with others by his side, there were so many more people that he could reach. He could be useful. He could build relationships, build trust. He needed to prove to himself that he could do it.

Daisy was someone that he had grown up with, someone who could hold his life in her hands and he wouldn’t flinch. The fact that she hadn’t mentioned Elektra’s name was something that he wasn’t particularly concerned about, though his outer reaction may suggest otherwise. He knew why she hadn’t. Elektra being a part of the Secret Warriors would’ve encouraged him to join regardless of whether he was ready for it or not. At the end of the day, despite their teasing, Daisy always had his best interests at heart. He appreciated her for it, and he had to admit, he never fought as well as he did when he was with Elektra.

“I’m guessing your definition of ‘working well’ with someone else is a lot different to mine,” Matt said, but there was a smirk pulling on the side of his mouth as he said it. “I knew Daisy was on the team. I knew there were other vigilantes on it, as well as an inhuman princess. Seemed like enough reasons to join. Besides, having teammates will bring Foggy’s blood pressure down, so it’s a win win all around.” Matt paused for a minute, pulling his legs to his chest rather than letting them swing down over the edge again. “Are you disappointed?” Matt asked. “Working with me has to feel old hat by now.”

There was something refreshing about fighting for a cause of her own choosing, one that, while she wasn’t passionate about, she at least felt was worth fighting for. Part of Elektra knew, or suspected, that Stick’s feeling towards her and Matt in particular extended beyond the sensei/student relationship he’d cultivated with them both. But he treated them like weapons in his war, one that she hadn’t been looking to join when she sought out the Chaste. Joining the Secret Warriors felt infinitely more important and the people at the helm weren’t full of ancient mysticisms, they didn’t treat their mission like it was the end of the world. Lives were on the lines but they were taking it one person at a time.

It was always nice seeing Matthew caught off-guard. As far as she could tell, nobody made him feel that particular sense of dread quite like she did. Her heart beat would always foretell her arrival but it didn’t give him any warning of when she would drop into his life. She hardly liked admitting it to herself, but sharing a common goal, a team, was reassuring. It was almost impossible for her to ask him what he was doing with his days in a way that didn’t betray her continued interest in his life. At least, in situations like this, she had some kind of idea. There was also nobody else she completely trusted with her life and while she would have to work on her confidence in the rest of the Secret Warriors, it was already embedded in her relationship with both Matt and Daredevil.

“You’d be right. As I recall, your definition is nitpicking and criticism of perfectly well thought-out plans.” Because he’d had the decency to crack a smile after his comment, she reciprocated by shouldering him lightly. They both knew, under any circumstances, their team work was both effective and daunting for whoever they came after. “Vigilante was a broad term, unless you think I qualify. In which case, Daisy didn’t completely lie to you.” Elektra wasn’t trying to stir up trouble, at least not yet, but it was funny to think about. Whether she really belonged among these people. “Oh, yes! Working with me, late into the night, will comfort Foggy to no end.” She assumed Foggy’s approval of Daredevil remained non-existent and the fact that the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen would once again force the two of them to work together wouldn’t help matters. “Don’t be silly,” she replied immediately, her tone finally devoid of humor. “We were barely getting started, before. And I have to admit, I don’t particularly care if you’re disappointed. There has to be a reason my involvement was kept a secret.” Daisy, whether she was right or not, must not have thought it good news.

[unsafestars]

@quakesjohnscn

In the life she led largely after dark, Elektra’s name was no secret. She had fallen into the world of costumed people desperately hiding their true identities behind masks and alter egos, but she didn’t relate to their concerns or priorities. Had she desired to list her skills for the president, she wasn’t sure that she would even qualify. Maybe one day, when the Secret Warriors were, well, less of a secret, she might be held to the same standards are her team mates, but for now, she could walk the streets of New York following the big blow out without fear of being berated or attacked. Which was probably best for anyone who felt aggression towards the people who risked their lives to protect the city, because unlike Captain America or Wonder Woman, she would have no qualms with showing them exactly why she was not one to be trifled with.

She had yet to speak with Daisy after signing on to her new team and it somehow seemed fitting that they would come face to face again after one of the more dramatic weekends New York had faced recently. Naturally, the list of people who had complied with Doom’s demands was short and she had immediately been drawn to Crystal and Daisy’s aliases. She was completely unsurprised at Daredevil’s missing name, along with the rest of the warriors. Patsy was the only one with a public identity and Elektra had to wonder how their team planned to continue their work during such hostile times. She entered the warehouse Daisy had indicated and decided to speak first. “Long time no see, Johnson. You must be having a pleasant week. If New Yorkers mob those who didn’t list, what do they see fit for those who have? Fruit baskets, perhaps?”

[unsafestars]

 ofelements:

Elektra’s purposes were different from Crystal’s own, she understood that, of course, she was no fool. Elektra was a woman driven by whatever moral compass she had created for herself, but truthfully, Crystal saw no problem with that. Elektra wasn’t purposely seeking out innocents and ending their lives promptly, she wasn’t a ruthless killer, driven by bloodshed. Elektra had traveled a different life path, and as a warrior, Crystal could understand implementing her gifts as Elektra did. Her purpose would be fuelled by the safety of the inhumans and their need for money, but in a sense, that seemed similar to Elektra. All that being said, however, Elektra Natchios was now a member of the Secret Warriors. Crystal’s intuition had served her well, trusting Elektra to aid her in finding rogue inhumans, and that had ultimately lead to this partnership. Honestly, she was extremely pleased, grateful for the unexpected friendship. With Elektra, Nightwing, Patsy and Daisy, Crystal felt largely invincible. After enduring so much doubt throughout her life, primarily Medusa’s, it was incredibly liberating. (And if Elektra viewed her as worthy, a difficult woman to impress, Crystal reasoned that there was a reason why.)

“I always imagined that you could be,” Crystal said honestly, smiling at Elektra. She seemed like a difficult woman to say no to, and in the end, if all else failed, they could resort to violence. It was hardly the way Crystal wanted to begin their missions, but a rogue, angry inhuman would be murdered by the government or demons if they didn’t intervene — especially a confused one. “In the beginning, I thought that they were native to the planet and defending it,” she said thoughtfully. “Now that seem to be targeting people specially, I’d bet that you’re right. There’s got to be a purpose with the demons,” she said with a sigh. Crystal didn’t mind fighting them, but the repeated danger of New York City was a little exhausting. “I’m honoured to have you at my side for the first try,” Crystal said honestly. Elektra had been loyal thus far, she had no reason to believe otherwise. “It shouldn’t be too different from connecting with my people, right? I persuade them to trust me all the time.” On Earth especially, the inhumans had been terrified and desperate, but Crystal had managed to rally them. “Well, most of the time people already know,” she said with a laugh. “We can try from the beginning, but I think you’ll have to say it. It’d seem egotistical coming from me,” Crystal said. 

After taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door. Within a moment, the presumed parent opened and Crystal smiled. “Ms. Leon? Hi, my name is Crystal Amaquelin and this my associate, Elektra. We were hoping to speak with you and your daughter.”

It was the best for everyone that Elektra had so few personal connections. Her beliefs were tied to her emotions, and in this way both things made her a more menacing adversary. But she knew, too, that Stick’s reasoning for removing her from the Chaste was not without merit. She never wanted to watch someone she loved die again. Elektra acted out of instinct and protection. It was why she had slashed throats to save Matthew’s life, why she’d taken her own sai to the gut, and she knew that she would do the same again. Being on a team, she had to believe, would do her more good than harm. Maybe growing to trust, even to care for, others would make her a better fighter. If nothing else, it was more convenient. She could sign on to missions instead of seeking out crime rings to disrupt herself. And when it came to tracking people down, Elektra knew that not many had her skills. They would serve the Secret Warriors well, and she deemed them (or, at the least, Crystal) worthy of both her time and effort.

“Can’t be brandishing my weapons all the time,” she quipped, a teasing lilt to her voice. When she was Elektra Natchios, former Greek ambassador to the United States’s daughter, her skills of persuasion helped immensely. Then there was money. Elektra Natchios, the well-known assassin and mercenary, didn’t need to use her words as weapons. They didn’t cut quite as deep as her sai. “I can see why you’d think that, after coming to Earth. We humans tend to attack first and ask questions later -- or never, as the case may be.” These demons didn’t seem as intelligent as mankind. Though, that wasn’t saying much. “It’s a surprising choice, on your part. But I intend to be of as much assistance as I can.” Usually, she knew herself to be a powerful ally. With this, her confidence was shaky. “I think we should be prepared for anything.” Elektra glanced at Crystal, smiling a little too widely. “I’d love to. But you should know, stating facts is never egotistical.”

As promised, Elektra waited for Crystal’s introduction to end, before adding, “She left out the part about her being a princess. Little girls love princesses, don’t they?” Elektra wasn’t sure if her mother would consider the child a little girl. 

[unsafestars]

 quecnofcrime:

Honestly, missing out on watching Elektra fight was a little disappointed. She knew that Elektra Natchios was one of the best in the world, widely admired for a reason, but ensuring their comfort and safety was a little more important than admiring the woman. They had a long night ahead of them anyway, perhaps asking for a demonstration would be possible. Once the demons were locked outside the hotel, the creatures crowded around the door, obviously attempting to antagonize them into leaving the safety of the hotel. It was foolish, but knowing New York’s heroes and their immense egos, Felicia had to admit that she could see how the demons’ theatrics worked. “I was hoping you’d say that,” Felicia replied. “I have to admit that I would be happy to watch you ‘exercise’ sometime though.” No use in hiding the fact that Felicia admired her. The training she’d undergone to be Black Cat hadn’t been easy, her knowledge was great, but not complete, and she could never compare to Elektra. Few people could, she imagined. “A penthouse is exactly what we deserve,” she agreed, leading Elektra towards the elevator. “We can pamper ourselves for free.”

Once they arrived in the suite, Felicia let out a low whistle. She’d seen countless luxurious places throughout her years, but this one was incredible. “I can handle this for a night,” she decided as she headed towards the stocked bar. “Hm, there’s a decent champagne here. Should we make a toast?”

Unlike Black Cat, Elektra was not a thief. She borrowed sometimes, as necessary, and even if she didn’t always return things like ID passes and weapons, that was still different, in some way. Usually she didn’t keep these things for herself. She took as she saw fit, in order to deprive someone of something she’d rather they not benefit from. That wasn’t to say she was against stealing, though. Money had never been an issue and nothing about taking from others gave her a thrill. Her adrenaline spiked thanks to far more interesting hobbies. In this case, if she was morally opposed, it would be pretty easy to blame it on demons and desperation. The demons she could take, especially with Black Cat’s help, but Doom’s men were another matter. Too messy to get her hands dirty with. “I think my gym is offering discount memberships this month,” she replied with a smirk, her tone not out and out joking. Elektra, she thought it obvious, didn’t belong to a gym. All of her exercises could be done at home with little more than a dummy to kick around. “That’s something you have experience with, I’m assuming?” She asked, walking barely a step behind her ally for the night.

Elektra’s response wasn’t as audible as the Cat’s, but she had to admit that she wouldn’t be complaining about their accommodation. Even when she left the city, she always kept a place in New York. Just in case. She knew there was at least one reason to come to this place, swarming with various gangs and immortal ninjas as it was. Seeing Matt was never entirely off the table. It had been a long time since she’d been inside a New York City hotel room. “It might even suit me for a week. A...what do they call it, staycation?” She laughed, knowing she’d never use that nonsense phrase again. “Sometimes even simply pretending to get away from your life can be rejuvenating.” Now that she was on a team, she wondered if she’d be able to leave on a whim, assuming they returned to Earth eventually. “Sure. To what, do you propose? Thwarting idiotic demons and besting high tech security systems? I admit, it’s wordy.”

[unsafestars]

 notdaredcvil:

Matt wasn’t quite sure that there had ever been a point in his life where things were simple. Even in the orphanage when the nuns told him that God had made it possible for him to feel nothing but love in his heart for other people, he had raised his eyebrows, had considered them with nothing other than suspicion and disbelief, and had asked so many questions that they eventually stopped talking to him altogether unless it was to whack him around the back of the head for failing to get along with the other boys. He had tried to find simplicity in his father’s dedication to education, but there was nothing pure and innocent about Jack Murdock. Stick had taught him to be at one with himself, but he had also taught him how to draw blood, how to fight to the death, and how to want that to be the case. Even his religion brought no comfort to him in the darkest of his moments. It made sense that Elektra would be complicated too, true to fashion. Her death, her resurrection, what she had done before and in the meantime, they were all shrouded in secrets and darkness, but Matt didn’t see that. He had spent far too long close to the fire that he barely even recognised how hot it was on his cheek until it was gone, and he found himself missing it.

It was something Foggy would never understand, though there was a part of Matt that thought Karen did. After all, she found herself close to danger more times than he could count these days, too. “Perish the thought,” Matt deadpanned, hearing the humour in her voice, the sharpness that it brought to it. It took a lot to return the simple he could hear in her words. “They seem to adapt to the attacks you use against them,” Matt commented. “They organise themselves as an army. If they have you and Nat on guard, that’s …” Terrifying, even for the Man Without Fear. “Not great.” At that, of course, Matt found himself laughing. The sound as usual caught him off guard, but it was something that seemed inevitable when Elektra was around, much to his frustration. “I don’t drink it for the taste,” he said. “Besides, if I start drinking the expensive stuff, I’ll get a feeling for it. I don’t have the salary for that.” It was the same with gourmet food. Foggy called him a food snob, but there was good reason for it. “We need to do something different this time. If they’re here, they know we’re here too. They know you’re – back again, I’m assuming?” The Hand would come for them both sooner rather than later, Elektra because she was Elektra, and Matt because he was a pain in their ass. “He came with some of the Chaste the last time. I could hear them on the rooftop.” He had kept that much a secret, but he had to know Matt was aware. “I think it would be better if he stayed out of it, but that’s never going to happen.”

The fact that Matt actively preferred working with Elektra over Stick was something he had never imagined himself saying. A year ago he would’ve died to get away from both of them (not entirely true, but close enough when it came to fighting alongside them) and now here he was, trusting her. Whether that was a death wish or not was yet to be discovered. “You’re right. You’re insanely boring at night.” Matt had to smirk at that, barely managing to suppress another laugh. “I think I’d believe it, considering you brought me into it too. I was a good Catholic boy before that.” Matt remained quiet for a moment, then shrugged. “I retired for a while,” he explained. “When I came back, I was less interested in gang wars, more interested in saving people. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before Daredevil gets Jameson’s attention again.”

The moment Elektra was born, there was a shroud of death hanging over her. It influenced every relationship she had and every decision she made. Her father clung to her tighter, guilt and protectiveness making him a better parent to his daughter than he’d ever been to his son. She was estranged from her brother, never knew her mother, and loved her father too dearly to question why it was only the two of them growing up. She wasn’t sheltered, but she was isolated, and even as a girl, making friends had never come easily. College was supposed to be different, in part because her father wouldn’t be around, and in part because New York was advertised as a city where new beginnings were possible. For Elektra, it had been the city where everything ended, first her father’s life and then her own. And yet. She wasn’t sure if there was anywhere else she belonged.

Forging new connections was still difficult, which might explain why she often fell back into old patterns and relationships. That would be the most straight-forward explanation, but it was an incomplete one. “They don’t respond well to having trash cans thrown at them. If you’re looking for tips.” There was at least one thing she had that the demons didn’t, and that was her sai. Instead, they had armor, which was not an obstacle she was forced to reconcile with often. Most of the people she fought against attacked first and neglected defensive tactics altogether. “Natasha and I aren’t challenged nearly enough. As long as we always win in the end, I’m not too worried about these demons.” It was easy to be cavalier about these things when you’d already lost to something far worse. “Clearly,” she said as she looked down into her glass, taking another sip against her better judgment. “Perhaps it’ll motivate you to seek out clients that can afford to send you a good bottle of wine when you win their case. In addition to paying your fees.” She knew that in the past, he had accepted much worse than a nice Cab as payment for his services. Elektra sat her wine down on his counter, casting her eyes downward as the resurrection ritual flit through her mind, the last time she’d seen any of the Hand’s members. “They know. Bringing me to life again cost a number of their men.” Elektra hadn’t gotten out of there without slashing a few necks. “And I think...they might not be coming back.” It was disorienting, awakening from death, but there had been talk. Arguing. It sounded like investing in her had been a sacrifice, one ultimately not worth making. Like their resources were running out and they had wasted them on her. “We could get lucky. He might not have been in New York when we left Earth.”

Seeing Stick again would be...she was undecided. She’d know if she saw him. It was impossible to tell exactly where she stood with him, whether he had felt anything over her death or if her return to the world of the living would come as a relief. With his knowledge of the Hand, he might not be surprised. “Beauty sleep is important. You should consider getting more of it yourself.” There was an energy to him that made it obvious that he never got as much sleep as he should, though he always looked good, even with cuts and bruises healing on his face. “You were always interested in saving people,” she said quietly, though there was a forcefulness to her tone. For her, wanting to help people had been secondary, of some concern but not exactly the point. It was becoming more important, especially considering how many people were put in danger by their unique situation. “Good. Reading the paper over coffee has been awfully boring these days.” The coverage of President Doom often left her without much of an appetite.

[unsafestars]

 notdaredcvil:

@unsafestars

Matt’s experience with teams wasn’t exactly the best. Daisy would argue that the reason for that, of course, was that Matt had never truly opened himself up to teams, but Matt didn’t think that was entirely accurate. He had worked with people before, it just never ended well for him. People had secrets, he knew firsthand how easily they could lie and keep an entire part of themselves hidden, and that was all well and good during the day, but when it came to fighting, you needed to trust someone with everything that you had. Daisy’s presence on the Secret Warriors was the only reason that Matt had even entertained the idea of joining, and now here he was, at the meeting point where he was meant to debrief with another member and work out their next step.

The city was quiet that night, or at least as much as Matt had ever heard it before. There was still the strange humming, obviously coming from outside the border or whatever was buzzing in the atmosphere, but the criminals seemed to have been somewhat deterred by the curfew (eventually) and the rest of New York’s heroic population seemed to be taking a well deserved break. Matt had never been entirely comfortable with the silence, had always waited for the boot to drop, and then he realised why. A slight exhale broke through it, no other sound to accompany it, and Matt turned his head towards the noise, pulling his legs up from where they had been dangling off the roof.

“Elektra?” he said, furrowing his eyebrows together. “The Yakuza aren’t out tonight. Neither are the Irish, or the Russians. Is there something I’ve missed?” Or was this one of those meetings they seemed to have more frequently lately? Slowly, Matt began to realise something. “Wait. Are you part of the team?” That was almost less believable to him than Matt being there, and that was saying something.

It was hard to explain precisely why she had agreed to join the Secret Warriors, although the leadership was persuasive. Not only did she like Crystal, but they had worked together in the past, and well at that. Crystal’s reasons for forming this team were obvious and Elektra respected them, even if she couldn’t pretend she felt as strongly about the subject. Her death was recent enough that it was on her mind regularly, but time and distance from the event had also dulled her desire to be...good. It didn’t seem as important when there was not some great big mission to work towards, especially not when she was regularly working alone. A team was what she needed to convince others to trust her and to convince herself that she had some control over who she was and what she did with her skills.

Aside from her tentative friendship with Crystal, Elektra had known Daisy for longer than almost anyone else she was likely to cross paths with in her line of work. They had gotten along in the past and this didn’t mean they still would (Elektra was by far not the same person she had been in college) but at least she wasn’t incompetent. She might not write Elektra off right away, especially if she had Crystal vouching for her. All things considered, the Secret Warriors were about the best Elektra could do. It was excellent timing, she liked to think.

Matthew had not been a determining factor, though she knew they would be teammates once again. This suited her just fine -- there was nobody else she was more lethal with, if she had to pair up with someone. The moment she dropped onto the roof, his tone made it abundantly clear that at least one of them was surprised. She allowed him to rattle off a list of enemies, more his than her own, as she crossed the roof to sit down beside him. “Don’t sound so surprised. I work well with others, sometimes. You ought to ask more questions before you agree to a mission.”

[unsafestars]

 sniktcd:

Killing had been what Laura was quite literally born to do. The Facility had ensured that she was excellent at it, that she treated it as a massacre and an art form, but Laura had boundaries. Unlike when she was X-23, controlled by Kimura, she would not kill anyone, endnote every enemy. There were some that could be reformed as she was and she strove to give them the opportunity. If there was no chance at redemption, then Laura wouldn’t hesitate to murder them, and alongside the X-Force, she did as Betsy ordered, assuming it didn’t contradict everything Laura stood for. That being said, knowing that Logan and Betsy were wholeheartedly good people, Laura rarely questioned their decisions. Elektra, she knew, performed similarly. She would not murder anyone for any price, it was something that Laura admired, especially in a profession as gruesome as Elektra’s.

Her friend was not remotely surprised by her appearance, and she didn’t question it until Laura explained. She appreciated that, appreciated the fact that she would have respected her privacy had she not chosen to share. “Thank you,” Laura replied. The men she had killed were beyond what Laura considered redemption, all of them committing countless crimes (and sins if someone was religious). “That sounds like a good idea,” she agreed. Elektra’s company was always welcome. “I’m willing to bet it was the demons, but I would be flattered if it were me. Do you have any food at your place? I don’t think we’ll find people that’ll serve us past curfew.”

There something deeply ironic about the so-called city that never slept closing shop earlier and adhering to a curfew. For the average New Yorker, she could argue for this rule, but anyone willing to risk attack by demon should be allowed to do as they please. As tricky as the things were, she was positive that no demon could kill Elektra Natchios. Most store owners and their employees were not up to the task and would likely shorten their hours whether it was the law or not. And given the state of supplies in the city, these businesses were hardly worth breaking into for midnight snacks. Elektra could afford up-charging from those who had been hoarding valuables, but most people couldn’t. She wasn’t the kind to steal from the poor and give to the rich -- namely, herself. For now, this all functioned as little more than a minor convenience, but with the more time that passed, the more frustrating their predicament became. She would not end her second life by starvation.

“If you ask me, either scenario is likely.” When it came to mutants, there were many who were afraid of even the most harmless amongst them. The X-Men were all powerful, and therefore threatening, in their own right, but it was the Wolverines that made people nervous. She could relate to the feeling, of creating panic with the sudden emergence of something sharp or by wearing a particular costume. For this and many other reasons, Elektra was fond of Laura and Logan. “You’re in luck, I could practically run a restaurant from my penthouse. I just might have some ice cream, if you’re into that sort of thing.” Technically speaking, it was gelato, because Elektra had never been the type to watch her figure. It was hard not to stay in shape between climbing mountains and leaping between rooftops.

[unsafestars]

 ofelements:

@unsafestars

The Secret Warriors were still very much in their developmental stages, but Elektra Natchios had agreed to be among her team. While Crystal wasn’t sure whether that would last — Elektra didn’t have a background with teams like the others that she was aware of — Crystal did trust Elektra for the time being. After all, had done nothing but prove that Elektra would risk everything for the inhumans as she searched for those that had gone missing and they had worked closely together, reuniting the inhumans lost during the Syndicate and Panel’s wrath. Now they were aiming to reunite the inhumans lost on Earth, not so different from before, and working towards bettering New York City as they did so. The Secret Warriors weren’t solely invested in the inhumans, they cared for the vast majority of the public as well, and Elektra seemed hesitantly on board with that as well. All in all, Crystal was immensely pleased to see her friend (tentatively) among her teams ranks.

The first mission Crystal had for herself and Elektra was simple, similar to ones that they had been on in the past, demons excluded. Presumedly, once they finished the rescue, the demons would attack. They were constantly watching, but Crystal was unconcerned. Her priority lay with a young inhuman boy had been exposed to Terrigen Mist and he was now capable of healing others. The mother hadn’t been sure who to turn to, but through Daisy’s tech ability, the Secret Warriors had been notified before she made any rash decisions. Thank god for Daisy Johnson’s hacking ability, and the search perimeters she used! Standing outside the home, Crystal looked over at Elektra. “We’re going to persuade the boy and his mother that coming with us is their safest option and then most likely be attacked,” she said, glancing over at the demons that had congregated around them. “I suppose they don’t like the idea of the inhumans growing more powerful,” she mused. “He’s only nine, though that’s the normal age to be around the Mist by Attilan standards…” she trailed off, shrugging a shoulder. “I assume they’ll be panicked and untrusting, yes? Have you done anything like this before? I haven’t, I was always a fighter.”

Being a member of the Chaste, she knew, was nothing like being on a team, even if they had all undergone the same training, all in service to the same cause. The way Crystal had explained the Secret Warriors to her, forming the team with Daisy had been for reasons quite different from fighting in an ancient war. In a sense, though, the inhumans had been fighting a war of their own and Elektra knew what side she was on. Some of Elektra’s mercenary work had seen her working with people like the Avengers and organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D -- it wasn’t that she was uncaring or disliked serving what some may refer to as the greater good. It was just much simpler when she looked out for herself above all else. Her goodness streak had been cut short by her own sai and when she reawakened from death, her desire to do better was still there but it had weakened over time. Joining this team seemed like the correct next step and she trusted a new team more than she might a more established one. Besides, Crystal and Daisy actually liked Elektra, which was more than she could say for most.

Despite the sorts of people Elektra surrounded herself with, she didn’t often consider what powers she would want if given the choice. Mostly she found herself liking the more convenient abilities, things like flight or teleportation or, even, healing. If nothing else, it would save a lot of time that she wasted stitching others up in alleys. “I can be persuasive,” she said confidently, although in a scenario like this, someone else may have been better suited. “I don’t think they like much of anything.” The demons seemed to have many different objectives, all of them equating to an anti-powered people and vigilantes stance. It was doubtful these were feelings the demons personally held. “No, I suppose it will be a first for both of us.” Convincing people to believe or trust her, no matter how temporarily, was familiar, but never like this. Her experience with children was minimal, in general. “How soon do you usually throw around the princess thing? People tend to be impressed by titles.”

[unsafestars]

 shurayuki:

Elektra, despite their differences, was someone that Betsy genuinely related to. They’d had similar childhoods, both privileged and then upheaved, albeit in vastly different ways. Elektra had began training, Betsy had developed a mutation, and then similarly,  began training, both in martial arts and her abilities. “I should have never doubted you,” Betsy said fondly, though Elektra knew she hadn’t for a second. “I could find an old blade to try that with.” Surely around Xavier’s there was one dull sword that she could temporarily borrow. “I’ve been wanting to work on creating shields during combat.” With her PSI ability so well developed, Betsy expected that it would be easy, but without experience, she was hesitant to attempt it. “You earn trust,” Betsy pointed out. “When I originally joined the X-Men, I had just finished fighting them — literally. I was misguided to say the least, but they accepted me as a member, and after some time, they did learn to trust me. It’s never immediate, and I’m sure some people would give you the chance, Elektra. I know I would.” Admittedly, telepathy made it easy to trust people, especially those with complicated pasts, but Elektra had earned some of that as well. “Maybe you’ll have to take me out,” she suggested with a mischievous grin. Elektra understood a world that Betsy had absolutely no access to, it was enticing. “Why did they?” By the sounds of those who had resurrected Elektra, they would not do something without reason, especially not reanimate the dead. Perhaps that wasn’t the right term, Betsy mused, considering that Elektra hadn’t changed from what she had observed throughout their conversation. “Addicted,” she repeated. “Technically, I assume it’d be to the adrenaline spike, but I started to… crave it. The people I went after hurt mutants in unforgivable ways.” Betsy would never murder someone innocent and thanks to her telepathy, the distinction was easy to make. “Unfortunately, they don’t have one that I can find. I’ve mostly just been forcing myself to hold back. Thank you, it’s quite an accomplishment, and I have an amazing group.”

Some people liked being underestimated and used that to their advantage. Not Elektra. She preferred the fear and awe her name elicited. It was well deserved and she didn’t need false pretenses to win a fight or disarm someone. Those who were best prepared to stand off against her were those with similarly rigorous training, Betsy easily qualifying. Her friend knew what she was capable of. Elektra, in return, would never underestimate Betsy. “It would be unwise to go straight for a sharpened blade, huh?” She said, mock disappointment in her voice. Elektra could not imagine the two of them practicing an essentially useless maneuver like that when they had better uses for their time. “Now there’s an idea. Have you ever used one successfully mid-fight?” Of all the things Elektra could do, and do well, manifesting shields out of thin air was not one of them, nor did she have any practice is wielding a more traditional shield. “I appreciate the sentiment, I do, but you and the X-Men have...a bond. Something that ties you to them. Rejecting you would have gone against their entire moral code.” Or whatever they would call it. Professor X was well-known for giving second chances to mutants, or even 100th chances. “Thank you for that, though. I’ve been making unexpected alliances more recently -- that’s something.” It seemed like the idea she had been getting at with Betsy’s situation proved true in multiple scenarios. When there was a common goal, people were more likely to cooperate, even with her. Elektra mirrored Betsy’s grin, although when it came to the Hand, she would not be dragging anybody else into that hornet’s nest voluntarily. “They thought I would be their weapon, but they miscalculated.” Something strange had happened to her soul, something that didn’t allow the Hand to control her as they had predicted. She still wasn’t sure what went wrong (or, in her opinion, right) but as long as she remained herself, it didn’t matter. “It sounds like they deserved it, if you ask me. Killing with just cause can be rewarding, strangely. It is easy to get caught up in it. Willpower can get you further and your intentions are commendable. They are lucky to follow your lead.”

[unsafestars]

 quecnofcrime:

Obviously, Felicia had very little interest in being a law abiding citizen. She stole items of all shapes and sizes and price points without any regret, breaking numerous laws in the process. Realistically, she would be jailed for twenty years if anyone realized who she was. Considering her assets and lack of outright murder, she liked to believe she could avoid a life sentence. What Felicia did have an interest in was avoiding law enforcement, especially with diamonds concealed in her bra — a safe place as long as she wasn’t meeting anyone later in the evening — and one she attracted the NYPD’s attention, she wouldn’t be able to lose ti easily. They were already aware of renowned thief Black Cat, they didn’t need to know she was safely (ha!) in New York City.

Luckily, she had run into Elektra and not one of Earth’s mightiest heroes. They had a passing camaraderie, but they rarely worked together, experts in their respective fields. If there was one person Felicia trusted to keep her alive while it was in both their best interest, it was Elektra Natchios. “That’s what I like to hear,” she said with a grin before stalking off towards the lock. It wouldn’t be an easy pick, but Felicia had handled harder. Ignoring the sounds of the skirmish not even a block away, Felicia felt around the lock for a moment, keeping her breathing calm as she focused. Once the lock clicked, the security system immediately alarmed, and Felicia rushed over to the computer. Hacking was well within her realm of practice, and within a minute, the alarm was turned off. Moving back towards the door to allow Elektra’s entrance, she called back, “We’re in! Just don’t let the demons follow.” As if Elektra would ever be so clumsy. Once they were safely inside the hotel, Felicia walked over to her hacked computer and glanced over empty rooms. “Does a penthouse interest you? I’d say we deserve it after a job well done.”

It might not appear as if Elektra used her education to her advantage very often, but this was untrue. She had studied the law, knew all the rules front and back, she simply chose to ignore them. Elektra was smart enough to get away with murder, had certain connections that ensured she never left any evidence in her wake. Besides, she was doing the NYPD a favor, as well as the hero community, disposing of people who belonged in prison more than she did and without any fuss. She understood that many who considered themselves to be good people didn’t want blood on their hands, though she thought this was somewhat misguided. It shouldn’t weigh on their consciouses if she did the killing for them, in a sense. They didn’t write her checks but they didn’t, couldn’t, stop her, either.

In the time that it took Elektra to fend off the nearest demon, Black Cat had unlocked the hotel door and subdued the security. Even if they were caught, she doubted two women out past curfew would be a priority when soon there would be demons lurking outside. The two of them were about as good at protecting as they were at causing harm. Elektra followed her into the building, throwing one last glance at the demons who had not been quick enough to attack. “I admit it’s tempting, but I can live without the additional exercise.” Letting a demon into the hotel would be an interesting plan if she wanted to make herself look like a hero, if a crowd gathered and watched her kill a demon before it could attack any innocents, but her reputation with the general public had never been a concern. “That and more. Anything devoid of demons or police sounds like heaven right now -- but a penthouse in particular just might make me forget about my own bed.” A minibar would be nice, too.

[unsafestars]

 notdaredcvil:

There was a part of Matt that wondered whether, if everything that night had gone as they had planned, he would’ve been able to leave the city. Elektra didn’t think that he was capable of that, he had heard the hesitation in her voice, how her laugh had faltered when she agreed to run with him, but he wasn’t so sure. New York was his home. It was the only thing he had left that was anything close to family when his father died, and so he had clung to the familiarity of the streets, had relied on them when everything else seemed too loud to cope with. Then he had met Elektra. Foggy had tried to pull him out of their room a thousand times that year, encouraging him to take a night off and telling him that it would help everything make sense, but Matt hadn’t listened until it had been Elektra saying it. He had leaned back on an island counter, had talked to her about Paris and Montenegro and how one day they would be together forever. It had seemed within reach then, just as it had before they went out on that rooftop, before Elektra had taken the blade that Nobu had meant for him. She had died then, but it felt as if something had died within him, too. That was part of the reason that he had retired, no matter how briefly it had been. The other part was that after fighting with her again, being out there alone had felt hollow. Purposeless.

Now, she was back, and Matt, as always, had no idea where that placed them. Were they going to work together again to bring down the Hand? Would they be friends, getting together at Christmas to laugh over shared memories? They had never been meant for something like that, but maybe, maybe it was possible. All he knew was that, for all his posturing, he didn’t want her out of his life. Matt laughed, shaking his head as he did so. “Maybe you’re the one that gets rowdy,” Matt suggested. “I had my first experience with one of the invisible variety, actually. Not as much of a big deal as everyone made it out to be. Foggy suggested that might be because I’m blind, but I just think people like exaggeration.” He made his way into the kitchen, pulling out a bottle of wine that he had bought after she showed up the last time. “More than twenty dollars a bottle,” he said, holding it up. “Does it meet your specifications?” He would need a drink to get through this, he figured. As he reached for glasses, pouring the wine into them, he paused. “They’ve been hiding out since you …” Matt cleared his throat, walking over to the sofa. Elektra had always been able to trivialise things better than he had. “I think they needed to regroup after one of their own took out the Black Sky. If we go after them, Stick will show up again.” Was this the time to tell Elektra that despite everything, their mentor had been at her funeral? Probably not. “I’m guessing that was a coincidence, then? You being out this late?” He raised an eyebrow in her direction and attempted to dampen down the smirk that threatened to appear. He was pretty sure he failed. “Okay, if we’re not talking ninjas and resurrection - my two favourite topics, of course - then what are we talking, Elektra?”

Escape was familiar for Elektra. Running when life became unbearable, when her feelings were too large to be contained in one city -- yeah, that was easy. Dying, too, had been easy, because she did not have much to give up. Coming back from that and returning to a place she knew so well proved a much larger challenge, the least of which included fending off the Hand in order to claw her way back to the life she had barely started building for herself. Had the situation been different, had she never reconnected with Matthew, she may have been willing to join the Hand. Happily, even. She had no loyalty towards Stick, though her brief stint with the group he had sworn war against had been entirely driven by a desire to prove herself to him. Forced to fight for herself instead of a cause made her a colder person and the woman who had not yet lost her father to shoddy police work became nearly unrecognizable. Elektra had never been loving, not in any conventional sense, but grief wasn’t something she could handle with grace. Her mother’s death had shaped her life, not because she had loved her, but because she had never had the chance. Elektra had never worried about Matt dying because of Daredevil and even taking a fatal blow on his behalf didn’t change her view on vigilantism. Perhaps it was selfish to ask that he put his life on the line for her causes, but there were certain things she felt impossible to do without him.

“You’re implying there’s a time of day where I’m not,” she grinned, knowing that even when she had to be composed and elegant, underneath the surface was a willingness to fight at the slightest provocation. The invisible demons had been a headache for Elektra. Not the average variety, either, more of a migraine. They made her envy (or maybe it was respect) the way Daredevil fought, relying so heavily on senses that many never thought about. Elektra was more in tune with her hearing and smelling than the average person, but she depended too much on her sight. “I loathe that you’re making me utter these words, but Foggy may be right. Black Widow and I took one down together and it took much longer than it should have, for either of us.” Spending time in France had spoiled Elektra in many ways, good wine certainly being one of them. She wondered if Matthew had ever drank expensive wine outside of her company, if he cared at all about the difference between what she bought herself and what he kept in his own home. “For a man with a powerful sense of taste, I don’t know how you stand cheap alcohol. I’ll give it a try, see if it’s an improvement over the last glass I had here.” At least it was nicer than something a college student would purchase. “They were in the city, still,” she stated, not expanding on how she knew this. The reason was obvious. “If we’re lucky, perhaps they’re trapped like the rest of us.” If they were not within reach, it would not be a disappointment or a relief. Until she repaid them for killing her, she felt like she was just treading water. “Think he’d come alone again?” Her tone was measured before she took a first sip of the wine, deeming it passable. “I am more of a morning person,” she retorted, a clear smile in her voice. “But, if you’d believe it, this isn’t the first time I’ve almost been caught after curfew.” Even as a teenager, Elektra hadn’t been made to adhere to a curfew. “You, for starters. I haven’t seen your name in the papers recently. I’m not sure whether to congratulate you or not.”

[unsafestars]

 shurayuki:

Years ago, Betsy would have never believed someone if they informed her that she had the X-gene, and that in the future, she would be working and living among the X-Men. Betsy had of course accustomed to her action packed lifestyle now, but reflecting back, her path did seem surreal compared to the privileged lifestyle she lead alongside her parents. That being said, she did find her mother’s calm reaction to the information that Betsy could read minds suspicious, but ultimately, with the unfortunately Braddock’s deceased, Betsy would never discover the truth about her heritage. Unlike most people, she had never found the mystery tragic. It was her path, unchangeable, and Betsy had learned to adapt to situations.

Betsy chuckled at Elektra’s quick reply, “Or you would learn to duck within a split second.” Elektra most likely already knew that particular tactic, she was one of the world’s most accomplished martial artists. Her movements were impossibly graceful and impossibly lethal at once, and truthfully, Betsy admired her friends skill endlessly. From firsthand experience, she knew how difficult that level of skill was to accomplish and maintain. “Maybe you just haven’t found the right team,” she suggested. “I understand the appeal of working alone, I do it often, but I have my team for the fights where I will be greatly outnumbered.” And her team had some different priorities than her. Betsy enjoyed going out alone, stalking those that tormented mutants ad were out of the X-Men’s reach. “As long as you find people with similar priorities, you learn to work around each other.” Betsy had learned that firsthand, though in the early stages of the X-Men, she’d found it difficult. “Ninja magic,” Betsy repeated, raising her eyebrows. “That’s… something I’ve never heard of before. Did you know it was real before the — is reanimation an offensive term?” God, that was quite the story. “Nothing as exciting,” Betsy replied with a snicker. “I left the X-Force and X-Men for a few months, I got addicted to killing, and I might still be… it’s unclear. But I recently rejoined, I lead the X-Force now, actually.”

Living such a picturesque childhood had entailed plenty of moving around and Elektra had never had the chance to forge friendships with other children her age. She was often left in the care of various nannies, which often felt no different than being alone. Once she became a teenager, her social skills were not up to par and she got by on looks and intimidation. She seemed too cold to get close to, but truthfully she didn’t know how to let anybody see her. Deciding to go to college was a commitment, to be in one place for at least four years. But that opportunity eventually gave way to heartbreak and further isolation. Elektra was a decent team player because of what she had to offer, but other people were still a blindspot. It was easier, if not always better, to rely on herself. It was a weakness she wanted to improve upon, something of a second life, do-over ambition.

“Ducking I think I have covered. Stopping a blade by grabbing it with the palms of my hands, though? I’ve always wanted to learn how to do that.” Based on how often she sharpened her own weapons, she thought this was entirely an impossibility used strictly in action sequences of movies and television shows, but if a blade was flat enough, slow enough, maybe. Betsy wouldn’t be the one to give her that opportunity. “That seems like a distinct possibility. Your team, you must trust them. And they must trust you. I might be capable of trusting enough people to form a team, but I do not know many who would trust me in return.” Even when she proved herself willing to play by somebody else’s rules, she knew that most people’s trust in her had limitations. “Really? You should get out more,” she joked, knowing that only an organization as old as the Hand could do what they did, and they didn’t exactly make themselves widely available. “Yes.” Daredevil, if he was Daredevil at the time, had proven as much by putting a temporary end to Nobu and this only made Elektra further convinced that killing Hand members was not nearly unforgivable. “I never expected them to spend their resources on me.” Served them right, in her opinion, no matter that she had betrayed them by escaping to her old life. “Addicted,” she echoed. Matthew had said Elektra’s heart spiked when she made a kill, but it wasn’t how he had made it sound. Protecting what she cared about, yes, it gave her a sense of accomplishment, perhaps even joy. She was not, however, addicted to murder. “I don’t suppose they have a rehabilitation program for that? But congratulations, on leading your team.”

[unsafestars]

 sniktcd:

@unsafestars·

Taking out an entire cartel in one night had been incredibly easy. The look of utter shock and confusion on the drug dealers’ faces had been priceless as they shot at Laura and she continued moving, claws retracted, dispatching them one by one. Their bullets had little affect on her as long as she removed them, allowing the wound to heal, and of course, as long as she was not riddled with hundreds of bullets. Although she was curious how many she could realistically endure before succumbing, it wasn’t an experiment that Laura felt was necessary to conduct; she valued her life. Once she left the warehouse, all of the men incapable of continuing their life of disgusting, depraved work, she tipped off the police to their location. Some of them would most likely die waiting for medical attention, but after the lives they had destroyed, Laura couldn’t bring herself to feel remorse for her actions.

Covered in blood, she glanced down at her phone to check the time. It was only nine o’clock, two hours until curfew — it was not a law Laura abided by, but she did go to lengths to conceal her presence as military patrolled — and she had already finished her nightly plans. Searching for another target, Laura paid close attention to the smells that surrounded her, and when she recognized Elektra’s, she immediately sought her friend out. When she found her roaming the streets, Laura fell into step beside her easily. “It’s not even past nine thirty and I dispatched an entire cartel,” she informed Elektra. Glancing down at her body, she noted that all her wounds had closed. “Do you have anything exciting planned that I could join you on?”

Sometimes, Elektra went looking for trouble on the rare occasions it didn’t find her first. Her chosen profession had little to do with the money, though the pay was good. Unlike many of the others in her field, men like Bullseye and Militia, she wouldn’t do anything for the right price. She also cared little about establishing herself as the best, largely because she already had a formidable reputation in an industry ruled by men. No, Elektra was called upon to dispose of the bad guys, a distinction that she liked to believe set her apart from them. Wolverine, both of them, were a rarity, especially among a group like the X-Men. Misunderstood, thriving in a moral ground that made many uncomfortable. Perhaps for this reason, she found them both particularly easy to get along with.

When Laura approached, drenched in red, all Elektra offered in response was a raised eyebrow. Usually, so-called heroes were covered in their own blood, a result of the additional punishment they took in a concerted effort not to take a life. Elektra smiled at Laura’s explanation for her appearance. “Impressive.” An upside to their current predicament was how the filth was trapped, same as they were. Made it impossible for them to escape or hide for too long. “Actually, I think you deserve a break. And it seems you’ve scared off all the fun. Well--you or the demons.”

[unsafestars]

 punishcrcastle:

It was always hit or miss, what side of the ‘murder’ line someone was going to fall on. Frank was firmly of the belief that, if you pushed the right buttons, anyone could be a killer. It was human nature, he figured, the way people were wired. If someone managed to avoid it all their lives, it just meant they hadn’t been given the right motivation. It seemed the woman in front of him now, whoever she was, had been given no shortage of motivation. The way she held her swords made it clear that she was ready to use them at any moment, and Frank respected her for it. He might have respected her less had it not been for the fact that they were here for the same man tonight, of course; half the time, the people who were willing to kill were the ones who found themselves on the other side of Frank’s scope. “Did you know him like that, when the two of you fought together? Know what he was thinking?” He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t interested. How’d she get from a rooftop ninja fight with Murdock to an assassination gig here? It didn’t seem like the sort of thing Daredevil would condone, and she didn’t seem like the sort of woman who’d listen to him yammer on about hope every time she went to pull the trigger. “Yeah, well, the pawn shop was all out of swords.” His voice was light, joking. Frank could hold his own in a fist fight, but he’d been trained as a sniper first and everything else second. “You’re Ivy League, huh? They have some kind of ninja course there I don’t know about?” He didn’t hear her trailing on behind him, but he knew she was back there. He knew she’d follow, and he was banking on the hope that she wouldn’t put one of those swords in his back while it was facing her. When he glanced back at her, he nodded at her look, kicking the door open and holding his guns in front of him as he entered. This, he figured, was the fun part.

There were not many times when Elektra cared about deserve, what people did or did not do to earn an unexpected visit from her, often because she was only known in circles where she was both hired by and sent after the worst of what humanity had to offer. She was not the assassin that a scorned husband would send after his wife. Elektra killed people who had, what they might believe, was a fighting chance to defend themselves, save their own lives. In this instance, she knew Frank’s story, she knew that he was doing these things on behalf of his whole family, while Elektra had been driven to become who she was largely in reaction to one death. If not deserved, at least his kills were more personal. “I know him better than he’d like. Particularly how he fights, yes.” Elektra knew that there was a core part of who Matthew was that she knew unlike anyone else, which is why she had a place in his life that he couldn’t ignore. But college was a long time ago and he had more of an ability to surprise than she was prepared to admit openly.

“I may have a surplus. If you’d ever like to give it a whirl, I’m not an awful teacher. Just ask Daredevil for Elektra, he’ll give you my business card.” What Frank did, the way he could fire without missing from distances she could never throw her sai, it was valuable. She was biased, though. Guns were so easy to co-opt. It was no mistake that only a ninja could have possibly been the one to take her life with her own weapon. “If only. It took more than a pretty penny to train as I have.” All of her life, doors had opened to her because of her father, whether it was his power or his money. Columbia had taught her how necessary hard work was, but the Chaste had taught her that she could not survive without it. Usually, Elektra wasn’t much for witty quips, though when they came to her, it was hard not to utter them as her target struggled to accept that she had finally come for them. It was surprisingly hard to keep her mouth closed as she followed Frank into the building at a leisurely pace, opting instead to look over those gathered as if any of them could be looking forward to a swift death -- although, she didn’t know for a fact that swift was Frank’s plan.

[sakura-haruka]

[unsafestars]

 quecnofcrime:

The martial law had been a real annoyance in Felicia’s life. Thus far, she hadn’t once complied with the President’s demands, but there were unfortunate… problems when she refused. Once she had been stalked throughout the night by demons (though she suspected that was inevitable, everyone was being targeted), and another night on a more government-ordered note, she had been pursued by a police force. Of course she avoided arrested, that went without saying, but it didn’t make her job simple! She supposed that was Doom’s intention, forcing the superheroes and civilians inside, away from the demons and drama of being on another planet, but it did not mean that Felicia had to enjoy the laws being forcibly imposed upon her.

Once again out past 11 pm, Felicia sighed, glancing around the street. There was no sign of law enforcement or the demons, but with the latter’s invisibility, she never really knew when they were moments away from attacking her. When she caught sight of a woman, Felicia’s eyebrows rose, interest peaked. She had run into people often, few seemed to obey Doom’s martial law, but she rarely recognized them. Elektra was not so forgettable. “Hello,” she replied, offering her a smile in return. “I always make poor management choices,” Felicia replied, though Elektra could infer that based on her Black Cat costume. A thief worked best during the night. “It would be my pleasure,” she responded as the noise began. She recognized the sound of… hooves, maybe, slapping on pavement, a warning that demons were en route. Without hesitation, Felicia took off in a light jog towards the hotel. Thanks to Doom’s martial law, the front doors were locked, staff home for the evening. Luckily, locks and security systems were no match for Felicia. “Make sure nothing kills me and I’ll get us the penthouse key,” she requested as she got to work on the lock.

Elektra had never been a huge proponent for the law, so it was strange that she was humoring Doom now, when it seemed they were all probably going to be killed by demons or something she suspected far more sinister. Once the city was discovered to be floating off in space or sucked into another dimension or whatever the hell was going on, she thought it was implied that all bets were off, as it were. Perhaps it was because NYC had faced so many strange occurrences already, but the public was behaving more or less as if nothing was off, if one could simply get past those pesky demons running about. And the heroes occupied their time with smaller matters, because nobody had any solutions to such an outlandish problem.

Now that they were standing face to face, she managed to make out the Black Cat’s familiar ensemble. While they had only crossed paths in a less traditional sense, Elektra was not hard to identify out of her costume, and her name conveniently stayed the same no matter what she wore. People were so protective of their double lives and Elektra, too, had people she needed to maintain relationships with who had no inkling as to what she did with her nights. Heroes hid their identities to keep others safe and Elektra had nobody to protect. Then there were people like Black Cat, who couldn’t go around committing crimes without a mask. “Easy. We have a deal.” She was relieved, though not surprised, when her companion for the night ran towards the hotel. When a single demon eventually rounded the corner, it was nice that at least the thing was visible, though she shot another glance in Black Cat’s direction to see how she was progressing. Hopefully she’d have the door open by the time this demon’s friends joined the skirmish. Once the demon was within striking distance, Elektra closed the distance, immediately ducking an attack before pulling an unassuming switchblade from her back pocket. She jammed the blade into its eye, pushing with both hands until it was deep enough that she knew she was never getting it back, but she had plenty of others at home. She always felt most comfortable when her sai were on her, though she didn’t always plan for these sorts of scenarios. By now, perhaps she should have known better. “How’s it coming along with that lock?”