Eva McCulloch

“Oh did you? Girls’ night?” He raised a brow, beginning to get a little bit fidgety. Joker had trouble with long, drawn-out conversations when he wasn’t the one doing the talking. He wanted to know the details to the game so he could start rewriting the rules to suit him. 

Joker liked that. All business and then she went away. He won and that was that. “Sounds good to me. Are you going to play along or is this really a favor you need and in return I get stuff? If so, I’m happy to help out. All I need is a big, fat please.” Giving a bright grin, he raised a brow.

-

“Something like that.” Sure they’d ended up drinking and talking about things that she’d never planned on divulging, but they’d also gotten into a fight with police and there may have been some murder. Honestly, if that was what these people considered a girls night, she was concerned.

Harley listened to the advice, clearly out of her element as she jokingly quoted Juraddic park.

“They do move in herds,” she mumbled to herself as she put her head between her knees and breathed deeply. It was like being drunk without all the fun side effects. Once she got her bearings, Harley poked around the office a bit before remembering her original question.

“So did ya fall into a magic mirror or did that canon come with the crown for this place?” She asked before plopping criss cross on the desk. “How did the lovely Ms. Monarch come to exist in this fucked-up empty verse?”

Harley was still on the case, and as excited as she was about margaritas and nachos, she wanted more to report back to Mistah J. Who was this chick? How could they use her? Did she even want to use her? Well, probably. She might end up more than that…but probably.

“Not ta mention take over the joint and learn how to make clothes crystallize,” she giggled a bit at how silly it sounded, but hey Gotham was full of weird shit. Always had been.

Originally posted by i-am-my-own-app

-

“What?” she asked, turning back to Harley while the reference right over her head; she’d never really got out much, even before she’d been trapped.

“Less of fall, more of a blast.” she sighed, “S.T.A.R. Labs’ Particle Accelerator experiment caused this. It happed a little over seven years ago; the blast caused by the accelerator moved through the city, it threw me back and my body, the particles and the structure of the mirror all seemed to combine in that split second.”

So she’d become part of the Mirror-Verse. But unlike everything else within, she had sentience.  

“Since I’m part of the fabric of this world I can exert my will to change the particles into whatever I need. Though it took several years before I could reach that point. When I learned how to pull outsides in and make use of them, I engineered my escape.”

It had taken years, but now she was free, of both her confinement and of her husband. Though, even as she thought it, a hand crept up to harshly scratch her itching forearm.  

She built it? How interesting. Loki did not know much about these machines, but he supposed it was impressive that a mortal could build something of that sort. He was not, however, surprised that her husband had taken something intended to improve the world and turned it into a weapon instead. “I hate to tell you this, my dear, but that is something that mortals tend to do far too often. I attempted to show them the error of their ways, but they sadly would not listen.” He was also not entirely surprised someone else had claimed to be a god. The difference was that Loki was not claiming to be a god. He was. “Perhaps not, but I guarantee I am the only person who can back it up.” 

Again Loki was tempted to let her have it. If she truly wanted it for such a purpose, anyway. But if she did, then surely she should be upfront and ask his compatriots about it. “A noble use, to be sure. But if so, I regret to say I still cannot let you take it. If that is why you wish to have it back, you shall have to speak to the mortals who are in charge here.” He tried not cringe at saying so, but it was unfortunately the truth. For now. Not human? Fascinating. “What are you, then? Because there is no one else like me in existence either.” No matter what she was, Loki had no concerns. He was clearly far superior. “I would prefer not to fight either, which is why I truly must insist that you ask for these things if you want them. Otherwise I shall have to stop you from taking them, and believe me, you do not want that.”

-

“People never listen to what’s good for them.” she murmured, still a little more engaged on the technology then the deity in the room with her. There were so many memories in the little thing; hours spent working in her lab, messing with different calculations, Joseph coming in to laugh at her working herself silly, forcing her out so they could have an evening together. What happened to him? What happened to her. If he’d just helped her and not turned away... “They never listen.” she quietly repeated. Eventually, she turned to look at Loki again and sighed, “Well so can I,” she flicked a hand and every window in the room cracked, broken lines running through the once pristine glass.

She hoped a small show of ability would encourage the man to let it go, she wasn’t going to answer to any heroic groups; they’d never been there when she needed them, why should she return any kindness now? “I don’t answer to the mortals in charge here.” she told him, “I don’t answer to any of you. This isn’t my world, this isn’t my war, but this is my technology. I built it and I’ve already had it stolen once.” There was practically nothing left for her in this world but these small scraps, each one full of memories of her life before; whether she chose to destroy or preserve it didn’t matter right now, she would have it regardless. “I’m something better.” she told him quietly, “And, regardless of wants or needs, I will fight for what’s mine, I don’t need to explain myself to the people here. So, try and stop me, and we’ll see how well you do.”  

The idea of dying in any way, shape or form absolutely terrified Anton, in prior years. Once he figured out the specifics of his temporary immortality, having used a pinky toe to test certain theories, that fear of a permanent sleep washed away to a brazen and almost psychopathic desire for danger. That appetite only grew with time; the majority of people found it unsavory. “I see no difference,” Anton returned with humor and a smile hidden behind the lip of his glass. 

Gin - he was good. Anton watched the bartender scurry away, both to fulfill her wishes and get the hell away from them, before offering her his undivided attention. He leaned against the bar, left elbow pressed to the counter with palm wrapped defensively around his glass. Right ankle was hooked over left knee; he looked like a cool guy, the kind of guy who looked like he could ruin someone’s life and enjoy it. He looked too cool for his own good. 

Anton ran a fingertip around the rim and regarded her. “Now, why would anyone want to arrest you?”

-

She raised a brow, “Remind me never to let you take the lead in bed.” Her voice was a deadpan, the joke easily spotted and she raised her fingers to continuing typing on her tablet for a few more moments, letting him mull over her words as he may. One thing Eva had noticed about herself now she was back around so many people: years in isolation had somewhat dulled her verbal tact. Whenever something came to mind, more often than not, she simply said it.

She placed the tablet down and rested her arms on the bar, “Oh the usual, murder, theft, breaking and entering, property damage, endearing lives, assaulting offices.” she shrugged, “The law’s terribly narrow minded; content to leave me to fend for myself for years but heaven forbid I come back and take what’s mine.” her voice dipped at the end just as the bartender placed her drink down and quickly backed away.

“Because when people take what’s mine, I take it back.” she said simply, raising the glass to her lips. “What do you do, when someone takes something from you?”  

Scoffing, Slade sipped from the drink in front of him. How right she was, he thought. His IQ was higher than most people in general, but he didn’t feel the need to point that out. “You kill him?” He asked about the husband. There was a small smirk on his face, so she could take it as a joke if she liked. Or maybe she did. Here? Anything was possible. In this city, he had heard weirder.   

He grinned at the question before shrugging a shoulder. “In the eyes of the law? Or are we we talking morally?” Hard to talk morally when his code was absolutely nothing like anyone else’s. Slade had a Code, but it was very much his own code. “Either way, it’s a personal question, isn’t it?”

-

She paused slightly, fingers hovering over the tablet before they continued typing. “Not in any manner a person could prove.” she said simply; the Mirrorverse was an excellent place to dispose of unwanted trash as she needed. “How about both?” she replied, “It’s makes the conversation more interesting. For example, morally, I’ve a perfectly clear conscience. In the eyes of the law?” she shrugged, “I’ve already met resistance to my goals.

She let out small breath, a tiny smirk at her lips, “I haven’t had a chance to talk with people for a while, guess my tact suffered for it.” Seven years of isolation would do that to a person. Just thinking about it had her scratching at her forearm. Eva noticed a moment later and quickly stopped; it was a nervous tick she would leave behind.  

“Precisely,” He tells her. “ As are most creations by the Olympians. I’m sure you’ve heard the tales of them breathing life into a tree, seafoam, and even clay-” He knows about that one all too well. “-but it’s not as simple as a wave of hand. It’s all methodical.”

He was hesitant to take the food in front of him at first, tales of Circe have left him weary of ill intentioned hosts, but figured if the other wanted his demise she could have just left him to deal with all the parademons alone.

“How curious,” He mused. “The possibilities are endless as to why that is. It must recognize that you’re a foreign to it’s realm but genetic signature must be familiar enough that you’re able to control it at whim.”

-

“All originally considered fables, parables or just narratives devices to link a large number of people beneath a common belief.” she replied, her words slow, considered as she thought about the impact of Jason’s words. All of it some advanced form of alien science; it wouldn't be a stretch to think more primitive societies would consider those people godly.

“It’s not poisoned.” she said, rolling her eyes when he hesitated at the food.

“I was hit with some form of particle accelerator which blasted me into the mirror and through it.” she said, “It changed my genetic makeup; I’m not a visitor in this world, I’m part of it.” But in a way more powerful than even she knew at present.  

Associate. That had Joker’s head falling back so he could properly cackle. “So professional. Like we’re a business. But yeeees, Harley mentioned that she had made a friend. That’s why we’re here.” As for the mafia… Joker hated organized crime. So systematic, so expected and done before. It was boring and he wasn’t interested in it. If he had his way he’d wipe ‘em all out just for the fun of it. 

The words that followed had his attention, therefore, and he considered. “Beat ‘em at their own game with their own game. That could be a real gas.” Eying her over, the clown’s brow rose as he reached out to dance a gloved hand over the surface of the mirror glass. “What’s in it for you? You just lookin’ to make friends? I don’t have too many of those.” Usually because he lost his temper and shot them, but was that really worth discussing? He didn’t think so.

-

“I’m a business woman.” she replied; even if she’d spent most of her time in the labs she’d helped Joseph build every facet of McCulloch Tech and she knew there was safety in business. Especially if both parties went away happy. Not that ‘happy’ seemed like any safe measurement when Joker was concerned. “We, had an evening together.” One that she’d enjoyed, odd as it had begun.  

Steve narrowed his eyes. But he wasn’t afraid. Wanda had once conjured Red Skull and a Nazi fire squad to aim at him. Loki could make copies, too. And if he got shot, at least it was doing what needed to be done. It didn’t have to end in a fight. “You’re choosing violence over negotiation. We don’t have to be enemies. But you’re in this world, too, aren’t you? If it goes, then we all go.” He shook his head. “If this isn’t your planet, I understand feeling like you have no stake in it, but skills like these could be invaluable to us. We can help you.”   

He wouldn’t attack first, but he wouldn’t stand by and let her kill him, so his shield came off his back and he took a readying stance before putting himself between her and their resources.

-

“There’s no room for negotiation.” She repeated, “I’ve spent too long without power to save myself and what’s mine. I will not be moved now.” she smirked, “I have my own world and this one; the former’s been kinder to me.” The Mirrorverse may have been her prison but she ruled there, it had never, could never, move against her. She made a noise of disgust, “Seven years too late.”

But... she didn’t want to attack. And he wasn’t making a first move either. They stood facing one another for several moments before Eva growled in frustration, her clones remaining ready to fire while she gestured and all the glass of a window shattered to pieces, each one flying down to her and rebuilding in front of her. “I’m going to leave now. With my technology. I’m only going to attack in defence.” she turned to begin gathering up her work while the clones kept their canons trained on Steve and the others behind him.    

Slade sat down at the bar, looking over at the woman as she spoke. He hadn’t come for anything of the sort, but her bite made him snort. He shook his head. “You look capable of buying your own drink,” he answered simply. His eye tracked over to the paper she had just dropped down and he raised his brow at the headline. Sometimes he wondered if they weren’t all completely fucked. Full scale war meant chaos, though, and chaos was good for business. His pockets were swollen with jobs well done, like they all came out of the woodwork to have people killed now that the risk was so much less. All too easy for a target to become the victim of Darkseid’s shuffle, right?

“You done something worth being arrested for?” he asked. “Or are you simply paranoid?”

-

“And like that,” Eva looked up from her tablet for a moment, “You’ve already proven to have more of an IQ than most men in this establishment. Not that the bar’s been set particularly high.” she added dryly before focusing on the screen again. “Liberated myself from a foul husband and reclaimed what is rightfully mine.” she told the man, brushing her hair back, “In the eyes of the law it’s described differently but that’s the crux of it. As for the paranoia, well, who isn’t paranoid these days?”

The sooner she could finish her business with Joker and Harley to get the mafia off her back, the better. “And what about you?” This wasn’t the most reputable of bars, even by today’s standards, “Paranoid, criminal, or both?”

Harleen looked at the mirror and wondered in obvious curiosity what it would be like to step inside. Would it be like her Puddin’s fun house mirrors? Would she look different? She figured the worst case scenario was dying, which admittedly wasn’t great, but it was an easy enough possibility to shrug off.

“So I gotta ask,” she said as she stepped through and lost all train of thought. She was processing the Monarch bit appropriately now and wanted to know how her new friend managed it, but the weird feeling she got at seeing the reverse world had her pausing. “Holy shit,” she hummed excitedly as she looked around, “It looks so normal in here.” 

Harley wasn’t sure what she was actually expecting, but it wasn’t what she saw. It felt off, like her equilibrium wasn’t quite center, and it was so quiet.

“You live here? Where even are we?” The doctor in her was cautious, feeling the uneasy tension in this version of the world. The clown in her simply wondered if there was a mirror Mistah J or if this was just another black and white world.

“Is this real? Or like some freaky Superman mumbo-space-jumbo?”

-

Eva didn’t hesitate and walked into the Mirror-Verse, immediately relaxing once they were through; this was her world, no longer her prison and nothing could touch her here. Not the mafia, not Harley, not anything nor anyone. Looking back at Harley she raised a brow, “Ask what?” With someone like this woman she suspected the question could be literally anything.    

“Well it should, it’s just like the world outside.” she paused, “Minus the destruction of the invasion.” She gestured and the armour on her body quickly became a flurry of tiny glass crystals that reformed into a simple black dress and heels, “I can live here. It’s an inverted version of the world outside. Like the flip side of a piece of paper. Always there, but never seen and inaccessible.”

Till her.

“This is my work office within the Mirror-Verse, I can create, well they’re wormholes I suppose, that let me make doorways into anywhere in this empty world.” she raised a brow, “It’s very real, but a little disorientating at first.”

“You’ll get used to it. Close your eyes and count to ten.”

His now-humored gaze flicked up to the precariously placed mirror and back down to the row of empty glasses before them; most men would have turned for the hills and tried their ilk on another unsuspecting yet normal woman, but Anton wasn’t like most men. Normal was boring. He tapped the fingertips of his left hand against the bar top and offered her a boyish grin, clearly interested in her prickly shell. Fixing it would never be the intent.

“Not much of a threat if some people are into that,” Anton pointed out before he wordlessly called over the bartender. “Let me guess.. Vodka? Gin?” He queried as he hurried over her features, but made no move to take his gaze off of her visage, even with the bartender’s presence.

-

She raised a brow at his words, though the cockiness of his grin was enough to coax a tiny smile out of her. It had been years since she’d done anything like this and, well, she’d missed it more than she cared to admit. Tearing down her husband’s empire was a priority, but perhaps still thinking of him as her ‘husband’ was another folly all in itself. “There’s kinky and then there’s having a death wish.” she said wryly.  

Her mouth twisted to the side a little before she admitted, “Gin.” Her mother had called it an unfashionable drink but things were very different now. She flicked her thick hair back and rested her cheek lightly on her hand, “Double with tonic and a few cucumber slices. Sooner, rather than later.” Her last words were directed at the bartender who, after seeing what she did to his prize mirror, didn’t hesitate to make it a priority.  

“Outside the possibility for mortals, perhaps,” He agrees, nodding his head as he takes a seat. “There are science practices that humans haven’t evolved to fully become aware of yet. It’s within those practices that the creation of the Amazons exist, their creators being extra dimensional beings themselves.” He wouldn’t have been able to even begin to explain the creation of the Amazons without the wisdom of his sister powering him, but not most explanations were possible.   

“But you are living proof that mankind is well on their way,” He remarks, still in awe of the new realm he stumbled upon. He couldn’t see much outside the small area they were in now though and he was very curious about this realm’s state. “Does this world automatically shape itself after the world it mirrors?” He asks. “Or is it untouched by the destruction Darkseid has brought?”

-

Eva turned to look as Jason properly, his words finally garnering her attention in a form that wasn’t dismissive. “Are you implying that the creation of the would-be mythical female exclusive warrior race is rooted in science? Extra-Terrestrial science?” Suddenly a mono-gender society made a little more sense, if their technology had evolved beyond the need for sexual reproduction. “I suppose you aren’t boring after all.” she added, pulling out a chair and taking a seat. With a wave of her hand tiny light particles swirled swiftly in the air and reformed into food.

Eva took a sandwich and gestured to the others, “They’re perfectly edible. I can manipulate the matter of this world into whatever I need.” To an extent, but she wasn’t going to reveal that. “I’m... something better.” she said after she swallowed, “This dimension is a flip of the original and should change as it does but then something new arrived in this empty place that I believed stalled its reflective evolution: me. It hasn’t changed at all since I was trapped here, not unless I changed it.”    

“I think you’ll find that threats don’t tend to deter us,” Steve said. “But we really don’t need this right now. I’m really sorry for your misfortune, Ma’am, but we need to be on the same side right now, unless we want to end up under Emperor Darkseid.” Steve shook his head, stepping closer to her with even, steady eye contact. 

“I really suggest you take the negotiation. I won’t offer again.”

-

“Then perhaps action will.” She said, her calm tone at odds with the fire in her eyes, “You have a team, so I’ll show you mine.” Suddenly, hundreds of tiny shards of glass morphed from the side of her body and into an exact replica of Eva, then another stepped out, and another till half a dozen of them stood firm, hand-canon’s raised.

“Your world, your war. I just what’s mine.” All the clones spoke at once.  

As soon as he landed inside wherever the strange woman had taken him, he felt bewildered. It was as if his brain couldn’t focus or grasp what was in front of him. He stayed firm though, his hand touching the center of his armor. “Wisdom of Athena,” He grunted, eyes closed shut to stop the spinning. In an instant Jason felt clarity again. Another dimension, reverse of their own. Yes, it made more sense now.

“Like one’s reflection, only an entire dimension,” He said, his eyes roaming his surroundings before resting on the one who brought him here. He couldn’t help but smirk. “You have the technology and science to bring you to another dimension yet you find it hard to believe I am the son of a warrior queen?”

-

“You have some very strange sayings.” she said idly, feeling much more at ease now they were back in her domain, her kingdom really. She made sure the technology was placed down gently and then turned back to her guest, really she could do whatever she wanted with him now but Eva wasn’t a monster, she had no quarrel with the man so long as he didn’t get in her way. She’d just drop him off wherever he needed to be.

She scoffed and put her hands on her hips when he started getting smart (though she was a little impressed he’d managed to acclimate to the dimension so quickly) “Science makes sense, that’s the point. Repeatable experiences. Amazonian Deity parents is supposed to be outside the realms of possibility.” Just like so many other things that were apparently commonplace these days.

Harley tilted her head with a crooked smile, “Ya said you’re name was Monarch, and ya got that whole metallic bug thing goin’ on. Not in a bad way, like metallic doesn’t work for everybody, but it works for ya.” Harley was babbling a little, which was pretty par for the course when it came to talking to her in general.

“Is that not the motif?” She asked with a snort, “That’s totally not the motif is it? Oh well, I still think it’s cute!”

When Monarch mentioned their outfits Harley paused. They absolutely could go as they were if they wanted to. As far as she was concerned, Gotham belonged to Mistah J and her, and anyone who disagreed could talk ta her bat.

“Ya wanna go grab some new clothes?” She understood wanting to be lowkey, she guessed. “The place I was thinkin’ of is on the payroll, but I’m always down for a shoppin’ spree!”

There was going to be a lot to learn about her new friend tonight, and Harley knew more than anything that trust was going to open the door.

Originally posted by lovemadnessharleyquinn

-

Eva’s eyes narrowed in confusion and a little disbelief, “Mirror Monarch, as I rule the mirrors.” Specifically the Mirror-Verse and it wasn’t as though there was anyone else to try and oppose her to steal the title. Sam Scudder was long since dead after all and his abilities didn’t even compare to the things she was capable of.

“N-no!” she groaned, “It was designed to reflect light and help my body reacclimatise to this dimension.” she paused and shrugged, “And green always worked well with my eyes.”

“We don’t need to do that.” she wasn’t about to go into a shop like this, “Look, just come into the Mirror, my clothes might fit you.” She should just leave but with the mafia threat and... well, she might’ve been a little lonely. Seven years of isolation would do that.

“Then I need to a drink and we,” she gestured at the two of them, “Need to figure out what to do with the damn mafia out to kill me!” Her voice might’ve gone up an octave or two in those last few words.  

There were two spots available - one next to a pair of gentlemen, and while they both were his ‘type’, Anton found the filth that came out of their mouths was too unintelligible for him to ignore, so he sidled himself into the space beside another - a woman, who seemed far too engrossed in her personal affairs to care.

He assumed incorrectly. Her own assumptions missed the mark entirely, though the longer he took in her face, Anton mulled over the idea of buying her a drink; perhaps he had a death wish.    

Anton paused just mementarily before settling into the stool beside hers and wrapped a set of knuckles down against the bar top. He’d lifted one of his brows in question. “As far as pick-up lines go, I think yours needs a bit of work. But I can’t say that my interest isn’t piqued - what would happen if I were to buy you a drink?”

-

Eva had no patience for pathetic men, or anyone else making sleazy attempts at her attention; she’d already dealt with two men earlier and now her patience had reached its end. She narrowed her eyes and the large mirror hanging convienently above the bar (the place was called The Looking Glass after all) cracked in several places.

“Imagine every shard from that mirror shooting forward and ramming themselves into all the vital points of your body, coming out the other end and then reforming while your blood drips down to fill up the glasses.”

“And then-” she turned to finally look at the man and paused. Well. The first two had been very sorry specimens but this man, well he happened to be very handsome, enough to give her a slight pause. Her eyes flicked down his body and up again to his face, the whole package was very nice in fact. “Or they may not.” The cracks in the mirror faded away, “You’ll have to chance it and see.”  

“Ooh, sweet talkin’ me?” He shook his head with a great big grin. “Well, tell me more.” He wasn’t really a team player usually, but he didn’t often get to talk into a mirror, either. If it was enough of a kick, Joker would consider anything. Even if he ended up shooting out the lights and walking out with a laugh, it would at least be a lark to listen. “Normally I like a drink while doing business, but I am the king of unorthodox, aren’t I?”

So she knew him. Good. Good. He liked his deeds to speak for themselves. It saved a lot of explanation. 

“What a trick!” he cried out. “You could be your own back up dancers. What a bang you’d make in the theatre scene. But I’m still waiting on some details, Snow White. I’d like to get through this before your prince finally shows up.”

-

She’d handled business meetings and a damn viva, she could handle this man who couldn’t harm her right now. Deep breath. “I made it my business to take back technology that belongs to me and in the process managed to gain the ire of the Mafia within Gotham. While doing so, I came into contact with you,” she paused, “Associate, Harley Quinn.” Were they dating? Married? She had no idea.

And she wasn’t about to take a guess when it came to a man who was likely so insane that he came full circle back to sanity.