"Like a deep sad note
played beneath the ocean
waving through the orb
the memories of you
the bittersweet echoes
infixed forever in my heart"
― Pawan Mishra

The borough called Empires is known for two main things: the first is the overwhelming amount of bloodshed between rivaling gangs. Everyone knows that Empires is held in a tight grasp by those gangs, each one vying for territory and power like kings wishing to build a legitimate empire. The other well-known fact about Empires is that it has one of the most well-rounded black markets. The really bad things are sold in Sandlands and Las Nevadas always has rare finds in their auctions, but the majority of goods can be found at cheap prices in the underground sections of Empires. It is known as the Trading Station, an innocuous name for a dirty and greedy place.

Tommy has been to the Trading Station multiple times in his life. When he was living on the streets, Wilbur took him once because no one was there to watch the toddler. While with the Hunters, Tommy went a few times with different members of that group- mostly with Reishi to get new, exotic plants or with Pan to see new animals brought in cages. His visits got less frequent when he officially partnered with Croupier, as the Jester did not like rival businesses to his auctions, but Tommy couldn't help but return when he needed pertinent information. Some of the best informants in the entire city came to the Trading Station in order to get customers and sell secrets they already procured. Tommy's entire business was in information and training his body, so the Trading Station was a good place to visit when Croupier was turned the other direction.

Tommy has been in a few weeks, and it certainly shows. He stares at the many new booths that have popped up around what the locals call the Treasury, a straightaway between the two main entrances of the Trading Station that people navigate from. The booths along the Treasury are always the best ones, operated by people who are more than willing to be patient for the buyers to come to them with more than the asking price. Tommy recognizes a few of the booths still up along the Treasury, but the new ones immediately grab his attention. He even thinks he sees a booth selling goods from End Isle. It was hard enough to get items from there before the Syndicate held Snowchester hostage, so this seller must have been hoarding these goods for a long time.

"Where is your informant?" A voice coaxes Tommy out of his trance. Dyscardia stands next to Tommy with a displeased expression barely hidden by her mask. This is accompanied by her cold tone, another item that cannot be warped by her voice modifier. Earlier that morning, Dyscardia came to Paradise Apartments to whisk Tommy away to a mission he demanded to be sent on. He would have gone alone, but the rest of the Syndicate insisted on everything being done one way. Dyscardia must have drawn the shortest straw because she did not look at all happy to be following Tommy through the Trading Station. She didn't even care to glance at the booths for something that might have caught her fancy. She was singularly focused on finishing this mission as soon as possible. Tommy wasn't quite sure if her qualm was with the Trading Station or with him specifically, but either way, she was not making pleasant company.

"Easy, Dyscardia. My informant wouldn't be around the fucking Treasury. She prefers a sense of mystery around her. She's a bitch like that. But she's an honest bitch, and really, what else do you need in an informant?" Tommy shrugs. He reaches for Dyscardia's hand. She glares at him as his fingers come to wrap around her wrist. He smiles sheepishly at her as he starts dragging her through the crowd. He keeps his tight grip, refusing to lose her in the bustling market.

While the main street was a fancy name, the disorganized grid system sectioning off the other booths are not as well addressed. To make matters worse, since the Trading Station was a 24 hour service, no one had specified booths. When people wanted to leave, they packed up all their stuff. The empty space would be given to whoever could get there first or whoever the former seller had a bargain with. Very few people were able to threaten the people around them to give them the same spot every day. Unfortunately, Tommy's informant did no such things. She petitioned that it was because she liked popping up in random locations to mystify her customers, but Tommy doesn't believe that blatant lie. Thankfully, Tommy seems to have an uncanny ability to find her. Really, he just trusts his feet to take him to wherever she goes. His informant tells him that it's her doing, and he does believe that one.

Tommy stops in front of a red tent, the flaps lifted up to expose the interior to anyone who passes by. A table is set up inside the tent with three chairs- one behind the table, two in front. A sign sitting on an easel in front proclaims that the magical fortune teller, Passerine sits waiting to share the secrets of time with anyone who passes through her birdcage. Tommy grins at the tacky wording, staring at the person sitting in the one chair behind the table. "Quit scamming people, Passerine."

The teenage girl startles, looking up to see Tommy and Dyscardia. She snarls immediately, leaning back in her chair. "I don't scam anyone, you bampot! Stop telling people that shit."

Tommy laughs to himself, plopping down in one of her chairs. Passerine lives up to her name. She wears a teal-green and brown bodysuit with clear avian symbols sewn across the surface. This compliments her brown wings with white splotches. Her dual-colored hair, one side inky black and the other straw blonde, is left to lie across her shoulders, barely obscuring her ear-feathers. Her bright emerald eyes are hidden behind a pair of aviator goggles. She doesn't seem pleased to see Tommy or Dyscardia, but she never turns away his patronage.

"Let me guess, you aren't here for a reading," Passerine asks, lifting up a large deck of tarot cards. Passerine is an esper who uses objects like the tarot cards and crystal balls to focus her temporal visions. She can see into the future, the past, or the present in another location. Visions are tricky, however, so Passerine has to use her cards or other fantastical items to focus her ability. As an additional income, Passerine gathers information and secrets the old-fashioned way to sell. She only uses her esper ability for a select few people.

"We're here about the Cult of Erythr," Tommy whispers, leaning in closer to avoid eavesdroppers. He trusts that Passerine has kept her booth from being bugged.

"Isn't that fucking hilarious? The cult has been asking questions about you, Vendetta," Passerine begins, shuffling her tarot cards with agile fingers.

"Why?" Dyscardia asks before Tommy can. The Syndicate's assassin sits in the chair beside Tommy. She does not look at him as she asks, so Tommy decides not to read too much into it.

"I don't know. Bastards didn't ask me," Passerine shrugs, baring her teeth at the thought of her competitors getting more deals than her. When Passerine calms down, she returns her attention to the matter at hand. "Look, here's the shit I know: the Cult of Erythr are looking for two things right now, grunts to join the Red Army and specialized members to join the higher ranking positions. Other than building a secret fucking army, they are amassing every type of power in the books. They've corrupted politicians, taken over prominent companies, and stuck their noses in gang activity without being fucking killed. As I see it, the cult can either take over the government by force with the Red Army or a clandestine operation using their vast network to pull strings."

"Why?" Tommy asks slowly. If the Cult of Erythr has been doing all of this, they have been doing it for a while. The Hero's Guild didn't get lucky learning about the cult's existence, the cult wants to be known. Tommy doesn't understand the timing. Why is the cult choosing to act now?

"Who wouldn't want unlimited fucking power?" Passerine asks, tilting her head to the side. Tommy smiles bitterly. He doesn't want that, and he also knows that Passerine doesn't want that. Tommy wants his revenge. Passerine likes living luxuriously. Although their goals can be helped by unlimited power, that is not what either of them really want.

"I have a hard time believing that is the cult's only motivation," Dyscardia responds. Tommy glances at her from the corner of his eye. He wonders what Dyscardia wants. For as much research as he's done, Tommy is still unsure what the goal of the Syndicate is. If she willingly became an assassin for the institution, she obviously believes in their cause.

"Maybe. Be that as it may, I don't have more information on the subject," Passerine agrees while shrugging her shoulders. She tilts her cards at them. "Care for a reading now?"

Dyscardia scoffs, a noise full of disbelief. Tommy finds himself reaching over to transfer some credits from his account into Passerine's work account. She grins at him, sliding the cards out in an impressive display. She sits upright in her seat, grinning knowingly at him. "I will pull three cards. One for the past. One for the present. One for the future. Let the cards fall where they may."

As Passerine runs her fingers along the cards, the intricate silver designs drawn across the black begin to glow. The color leaks out of her eyes until gray irises stare at the cards unflinchingly. Passerine stops on one of the cards. The glow is far more intense on this card than the others. Passerine picks the card up with a completely neutral expression. She flips it over, placing it on the table to Tommy's left. A figure wearing a midnight blue cloak holds a golden lantern uplift in one hand and keeps himself steady with a staff as large as himself in the other hand. A dark green sky swirls behind him and a white ocean beneath him, highlighting his natural appearance with unnatural additions. The ink on the cards moves subtly, the waves moving and the lantern flickering. Unfortunately, the card is upside down to Tommy. Passerine's voice carries no emotion as her ability speaks through her. "The past is guarded by the Hermit. He casts light upon your isolation. He remains a figure out of reach to a lonely soul. He hammers down the feeling of withdrawal with his mighty staff. Your past was cruel. It was dark and bothersome, but the light of the Hermit has guided you to the present."

Passerine finds the next card in the glowing stack. She places it down in the center of the table. A knight wearing golden armor lies on an altar with his hands crossed over his chest. His flowing gold hair falls off the edge, glimmering as brightly as his armor because of a window half-shown along the upper left corner. On the wall beside the window, three plain swords are hung up, the points directed at the knight's head and neck. A more intricate is placed on the altar right beside the knight, silver and cool gray in complexion. As Tommy stares at yet another upside down card, he sees red lines appearing across the knight's jawline. It was reminiscent of Tommy's own scars. "The present slumbers alongside the knight of the four swords. Although he rests, he is brought to this position by his profound exhaustion. He continues to wield his sword even when he feels his own soul disappearing due to burn-out. His heart stagnates and his mind contemplates. You are faced with a disastrous present threatening to come undone in your hands. Can the knight wake up to save you from the future, or shall the unknown beast kill you as you are tormented by memories?"

The final card flips over without Passerine needing to touch it. Like a well-mannered pet, it lines up with the others in a position at the right of the table in front of Dyscardia. A young man with a bandage around his head stands with a determined expression in front of a twilight sky. He carries a large stick in his hands, holding it firmly in his grasp while leaning against it. Behind him, eight other sticks of similar height grow from the light green grass. The ink creates the image of wind rippling across the world, and Tommy leans in closer to the card that is finally facing towards him. "The future has been cultivated by a peasant who prepares for the trials and tribulations the river of time presents. He is prepared with one weapon, and he has more to follow. He stares with resilience and courage even in the face of the unknown observer. His suspicions will be proven true. His faith will be tested. Are you prepared to stand alongside the peasant as the final stretch approaches?"

Passerine deflates in her seat after the final word. Color glows back in her eyes. The cards across the table flutter back into a stack. Tommy stands to his feet, watching as his past, present, and future return to Passerine's stack. He smiles at the Scottish brat. "Thank you for your time. We'll be leaving now. Stop scamming people!"

"Get your ugly arse out of here!" Passerine growls. Tommy laughs at her words as he and Dyscardia rejoin the area between Passerine's booth and the neighboring ones.

"Do you think she was right?" Dyscardia asks as they start walking back to the entrance they went in when they arrived.

Tommy frowns. He knows that Passerine's visions can be misleading, so he never really pays much attention to her readings. He notices in hindsight when she's right. He assumes this time will be much the same- he'll understand in time. "The past is right. I was lonely, isolated, and withdrawn. It was a fucking depressing time. The present... I guess. I do feel exhausted all the damn time. I haven't been contemplating much lately. I just do, you know. My thoughts are reserved for hot women. The future, though, I hope it's true. Everybody likes being proven right."

"I wonder if I should get a reading," Dyscardia questions with a much more lax expression on her face than she did when Passerine originally proposed a future reading.

"Hey! We can go back if you want-" Tommy stalls when he notices a familiar face in the crowd. The Scarlet Demoness stands among the people. She seems to be speaking to another person. Tommy tilts his head to see the side-profile of Retro, another member of the Cult of Erythr. "Fuck, Scarlet Demoness and Retro are over there. Are we to engage?"

"We have no reason to. It would only cause a panic. It doesn't seem like they know we're here, so we should leave before they find out," Dyscardia orders. Tommy frowns, but he follows behind Dyscardia while keeping eyes on his target. Dyscardia's powers work on two factors- her hand movements and her line of sight. In a crowded place such as this, Dyscardia will have trouble maintaining her power. Even worse, Tommy is probably going to be the only person in this fight who wants to keep civilian casualties to a minimal. There might be other heroes in the crowd willing to help him, but it's just as likely there are vigilantes or villains willing to capitalize on two titans fighting. It would be better for everyone involved if no one fought, even when Tommy watches the two cultists enter Passerine's tent.

"We should head back to the base," Dyscardia proclaims, very explicitly using 'we'. Tommy frowns at her back. He has no clue what happened for her to change her tune.

"Hate to break it to you, but we have one more stop," Tommy tells her, remembering that there is one more informant in the area he needs to speak with before he brings any information back to the Syndicate. He's really going to prove his worth, if Dyscardia doesn't stop his heart before that point. "Cheer up, it's in Empires."

Tommy leads Dyscardia towards the bridge between Empires and Las Nevadas. He tries not to remember the last conversation he had with Serenade on that bridge as he turns into an alleyway. He runs his fingers along the walls, smearing some of the spraypaint as he goes. Dyscardia huffs angrily, probably reckoning with the fact that certain gangs will be upset with Vendetta. What Dyscardia probably doesn't know is that most gangs hate Vendetta. The only reason he's still alive and allowed to be in the area is because as a nuisance to everyone, the gangs keep him alive to annoy the other gangs. Tommy made certain his life was not subject to forfeit. He wants to go out on his own terms.

Tommy stops when his fingers wrap around the metal handle of a run-down diner. Tommy glances up, smiling at the name. Schlottzksy's Family Diner. Niki washed dishes for this place sometimes in order to get some extra cash for the family of runaways. When birthdays came around, as Niki was the one to keep track of them, she would sneak that person into the diner to bake a cake with them. Tommy made certain this place didn't shut down even with all its health violations simply because he likes getting cake every now and again. It will never be better than the kind he had with Niki, but it was close enough that it always brought tears to his eyes.

Tommy doesn't share a word of this to Dyscardia as he pushes open the door. The jingling bell has conditioned him to smile, and he does so freely knowing his mask will hide it. He turns around to beckon Dyscardia in, but her eyes are staring up at the name of the diner like she's reminiscing. Tommy supposes he isn't the only one with heartfelt memories attached to this place. Tommy keeps the door open for as long as Dyscardia needs to step inside the building. She wistfully touches the walls, glancing around with what Tommy thinks are tears in her warm brown eyes.

"Vendetta from the Hero's Guild! Dyscardia from the Syndicate! Hello, Brother Slime!" A voice cheerfully calls out. Tommy grins brightly as he looks at the only other customer in the diner right now. The Ace of Hearts, better known as Slime, sits at a booth. He wears a green outfit with white accents. His mask is hidden by a mask covering the entire top half of his face, decidedly not covering his hair. This is because a tiny slime creature is resting in the ace's brown curls. The creature emotes as vibrant as Slime does. "How are you?"

"I am fan-fucking-tastic, Slime! Life has been treating me good!" Tommy practically hollers as he slides into the booth across from Slime.

Dyscardia blinks awkwardly at them both. "What was that? You were just telling me that you were-"

"Absolutely fine," Tommy cuts her off with a sharp glare. She responds with a glare of her own, slowly sliding into the booth beside Tommy. The hero turns back to Slime. The Ace of Hearts has a curious expression on his face, but it snaps back to happiness when he notices how kindly Tommy is looking at him. Tommy asks, "What does Croupier have for me this time?"

Slime claps his hands together. He reaches beside him to put a folder on the table. He slides it over, but he doesn't lift his fingers off of it until he says, "I got most of the information on my own this time!"

"That's amazing, buddy. I'm so fucking proud of you," Tommy promises Slime, reaching up to run a hand through the brunette's hair. Slime giggles, and the creature stuck in his hair practically purrs at the positive reinforcement. Dyscardia takes the folder, leafing through it, obviously trying to ignore staring at Tommy and Slime's interactions.

"Can I get you two something to drink? Perhaps something to eat?" A waitress asks, stepping up to the table with a nonchalant expression. Slime perks up, looking between Tommy and Dyscardia. The villain hardly notices. Tommy does, however, so he orders a burger with all the fixings and fries.

Tommy nudges Dyscardia's side with his elbow to prompt her into action. She glances at the waitress. "No, thank you."

"She'll take the same as me! Also, I want a coke. Thank you," Tommy speaks louder than Dyscardia's when he picks up on what she's going to say before she finishes. The waitress nods absently, writing down the orders before walking away.

Dyscardia openly glares at Tommy. "Shouldn't you be eating your gray powder?"

"Shut up," Tommy hisses, but he can tell from a glance that the damage is done. Slime's happy expression is gone as he stares at Tommy, tilting his head to the side. His voice is drastically colder as he asks, "What gray powder?"

"Dyscardia is joking. She has a silly name for pepper. You remember pepper, don't you? It's the spice you put on foods. It can also make you sneeze, so you aren't allowed to sniff it," Tommy points at the pepper shaker sitting on their table. Slime continues to frown even as he glances at the shaker. Tommy taps his hand against the table. "I learned a new magic trick, Slime. I'll show it if you're good, okay?"

Slime's uneasiness dissipates immediately. He leans closer to Tommy as the blonde picks up the pepper shaker he was talking about earlier. Tommy holds it to Slime's face before running his fingers along it. When the shaker is hidden behind his palm, he switches what hand it is in. Slime doesn't notice at all as Tommy removes his hand, revealing that the shaker has disappeared. Slime's eyes widen as he laughs, poking the empty air. Tommy puts the shaker right back in a similar way, eliciting a laugh from Slime.

"Wha-"

"Here are your burgers," The waitress interupts, setting the baskets on the table in front of Dyscardia and Tommy. She also places down Tommy's coke. He grabs a handful of fries before sliding the basket over to Slime. The brunette's eyes light up as he starts devouring the food set out before him with little grace.

Dyscardia avoids looking at that to glance at Tommy. "Why did you give that to him?"

"Are you going to question my actions every fucking time?" Tommy answers with a question, hissing through his teeth in an attempt to keep Slime from understanding.

"Need I remind you that you're the one that brought me here," Dyscardia says like Tommy doesn't already know. He thought Dyscardia would catch on quicker than this, but it seems he overestimated her sense of empathy or intelligence.

"The Syndicate told you to babysit me. I would have been fine on my fucking own," Tommy reminds her. He is sick of being stuck with people on his missions.

Slime makes a saddened noise. Tommy wants to curse, but he knows that will only ruin the situation even further. He reaches to pat Slime's head. "That's my bad, buddy. I should be paying attention to you, not having a friendly conversation with my bestest friend, Dyscardia. Say, Dyscardia, I'm sorry I was mean to you. Do you forgive me?"

Despite his set-up, his voice is genuine when he apologizes. Dyscardia picks up on this even with his voice modifier shuffling his tone. She eyes him warily, even taking a turn to glance at Slime. She eventually sighs. "I forgive you, Vendetta. I'm sorry I was mean to you as well."

"I forgive you. See, Slime, we're cool again," Tommy explains to the hybrid sitting across from him. Slime smiles as he stuffs his mouth with the burger. Tommy leans closer to Dyscardia, subtly raising his hand up to whisper to her. "Eat a little bit of your burger."

She looks like she wants to question him, but for once, she does as she's told. She takes a few bites of her burger. She's barely made a dent in it when Slime takes the basket from her. She nearly chokes on her food as she drops the burger into the basket. Slime doesn't seem to care about her sharp frown. Before this situation can escalate beyond Tommy's control, he pushes Dyscardia out of the booth, following after her. "Goodbye, Slime. Have a good day. Make sure to wait for one of the others before wandering off. You remember how upset Croupier was last time, don't you?"

"Okay," Slime proclaims. Tommy waves goodbye, forcing Dyscardia to mimic him, and they leave the diner.

As expected, as soon as the door shuts, Dyscardia turns to look at Tommy. "What was that about?"

"Slime's power fucks up his head. Croupier found me a few days after I went to him. Slime was a complete blank slate. He knew absolutely nothing about the world. Croupier has taught him a lot, but he's still a fucking idiot. He's childish but powerful. He's so fucking powerful. It's easier to play along and keep him happy than deal with the monster he becomes. This means you can't be harsh around him. No fights, no arguments, no glaring, that sort of thing," Tommy explains to her. He remembers seeing Slime wander into the casino. Croupier didn't know what to do with him, so he was stuck in a room with Tommy. Slime- Charlie, as he called himself- liked to mimic Tommy. The two of them became close, so Tommy got to watch the way Charlie forced Croupier to grow a heart. Even if he's employed as the Ace of Hearts, Charlie is as much Croupier's child as he is the borough's most powerful assassin and second-best information gatherer.

"What were the papers about?"

Dyscardia hands him the folder, but she starts talking before he reads. "It's a complete rundown of the cultists. Every high ranking member and all that can be known about them. There's even formulas for a compound that is being injected into the Red Army. I don't know the purpose, but I'm sure Warden or Jolt will be able to tell us."

"I guess we'll need to bring all of this to the Syndicate," Tommy says with a smug smile. All of this information they have was gained because of him.

"I guess so," Dyscardia replies evenly.