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There were a few small gallerias in the Short West, as well as some music studios and atelier art schools. It was a neighborhood known for a bohemian flare that hadn't suffered any gentrification yet, so it could be a little sketchy when its handful of trendy but cheap holes in the wall let out at 4am. It was earlier than that by far, but the reputation as it was drew the Senshi of Gardens- people staying late in any place was a draw for the Negaverse, the Mirror or general Youma if the parks around the metropolis were any telling.

It was only a matter of time, likely, until he found some enemy in the little walk of blocks, so he liked to drop by it once in a while for his patrols. For now, the Super Senshi of Gardens perched behind some pseudo crenellations, looking out as some shoppers left a glassbower gallery with some Black Friday weekend deals on witchballs, no doubt- nothing out of the ordinary. There were no other auras present right that minute, but he kept alert and stood.

Should make a circuit around the neighborhood anyway, in case there's anything without auras like those RabbitShades.

Thraen felt the weaker signature appear, startling from thought and consideration of an alley where a plethora of dumpsters for the nearest businesses marched in lines. He resolved immediately to investigate, in case it was someone he had not met- he badly needed to meet more on the side of order. It would be a good opportunity to relax, to hopefully make a friend, and as something to break up the stress of frequent patrol.

When he heard the voice, calling out, he startled all the more. He couldn't help but repress a smile when the other senshi, a bon and brawny looking guy, came into view. There was something instinctively admirable and inspiring in someone that bold and welcoming, and Thraen couldn't repress the small curl of a smile as he hopped down from the rooftops to the sidewalk to walk over to conversational distance with the other. "You feel new more than old, but that is my fault of assumptions. Its a pleasure. "

"Would you come to the roof?" Thraen thumbed in the up direction. "We're less visible there and less likely to draw the attention of the local brass, since we're 'terrorists'. "

This guy was....really upbeat. Following and finding the steel infrastructure of a letter to lean against casually, he looked the other over given the invitation of the iconic pose. He couldn't come up with any complaints. The cadence of the menshi's speech was delightfully casual, and brought to mind the banter of sporting events and big Greek, Italian, and Slavic families. Or maybe Romani. Something where one had to be quick with one's tongue and quicker of hands if expecting to get a chance to eat at the dinner table and not miss everything in the vacuum. Thraen chuckled at the thought - I'd bet money he's an extrovert.

"I've been at this a bit under a year, myself. I think a good deal of it comes from a bunch of expose back during summer and spins on recent events courtesy of WKDC, Channel 6 News. I don't watch a whole lot of news, but lots of people do...and they have at least seen Tag Swagger's swing on everything. I don't know what he's got against senshi, but he's certainly spinning everything he gets a hold of against us. "

"And it isn't like any other news sources have been doing anything of contrary view. There's been a lot of strikes against public events form the Negaverse- at the local Carnival and the pop culture Convention. While there's been civilians there who've survived and seen we were plainly fighting to save them, none of them has found a voice in the mass media. Whether that is by someone's design or because they're afraid....I can't say. "

"I CAN say that I've learned the Negaverse has a division or squad dedicated to something of the sort. Called 'Infiltration'. "
He paused with the information dissemination and held out his hand to shake, trying to don an open, glad expression, "Thraen, Senshi of Gardens. Its a pleasure."

Noooo, some of us certainly aren't. Another indication to his amply hot self, but Thraen pointedly forced himself not to just gawk. It was a pleasant diversion from his own usual Sturm und Drang, but the senshi of gardens didn't want to come across as A) desperate or B) a perv. The thought was there, though, whether or not he'd have a chance in hell of convincing the other senshi to sit for sketches or a sculptural study.

"Well, interesting is one word to describe it. Useless is another, at least for war. Gardens are things of prosperity and peacetime- made for healing, relaxation, nourishment...."

"Ink isn't something I'd considered there would be a whole sphere of magic around. But why not? All those images of magic scrolls and pens writing on their own. "

"You said you were awakened early on...how long have you been away? "

"The 'older' senshi I know, " older seemed a reference more and more to years in the war than chronological age, "are Maia and Athene. Maybe you know them? I suppose there's also Aquarius, but she called herself one of 'The Guard' and didn't feel in aura like anything I'd sensed before."

Honestly, just from first meetings, Aquarius and Eridanus seemed like maybe they'd get along really well. Or maybe really terribly, he was no expert at matchmaking when it came to friendships or otherwise.

"I'm afraid I haven't. But I don't know a great many. I've never patrolled with another the whole time I've been in action. better than a year.....well...its difficult to figure what may or may not have been important developments..."

"There was a Primer sent out to all the phone, maybe? It was already loaded on mine when I got it. Its a start, if you haven't read it- things like...were there Knights when you started? I've only met a couple, but they're ....something of Allies. They feel of Order's touch, and they are titled and sworn to the various planets- whether there's a senshi to those or not as far as I can tell. I met an Aventine of Venus, for example. "

"Senshi power level titles haven't changed. Athene, he's an Eternal, suggested that it might refer to being a Zodiac. Her 'home' isn't a planet or asteroid like yours or mine are- she said it was an outpost or part of a Surrounding. "

" There are Some Princesses, I've heard. I think two? I haven't met them, so far as I know. Nor seen them. One at least is on a team, but my knowledge of teams is limited to knowing ********* has one, and Athene is on two. There was a Prince, but he's been missing since at least when I was first given my pen. A scout...Aegir...he knew the guy and hadn't heard from him in forever already by the time Aegir was helping me out figure what my magic did."

Qualifications like 'after' and 'not fancy' were technically negative, so he followed up in the next logical line, "Alright...do you have a phone, then, to start? If you don't, I believe it is the cats that make them and hand them out. The cat that gave me my pen and phone and upgraded me was *********, I got her information to be able to message her with questions as well. They can .....become people with cat ears. But the cats do have their own phones. If you don't have one, I can text her some times and places you would find convenient for her to catch you up sometime and get you one, maybe. Or at least she might know what cat has things for you. "

"Let me see, " Thraen pulled out his phone and crossed to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other menshi, holding the device in front so that Eridanus had a good view of the the thing as he navigated the menus. "Here's what the Primer looks like. It doesn't have everything by far- it's missing the highest rank of the Negaverse, for instance, being General Kings. I've not encountered one of those and I hope not to. Or things people might have found out since then- like dealing with starseeds you take off of enemies." Navigating around some more he pointed out the other pertinent buttons, "This one here is for scanning info so you have someone's contact info, and this one lets you concentrate and visit your homeworld. Have you been to Eridanus yet?"

"If you're already in trouble, it is difficult to get the chance to pull out a phone. I tried once. There wasn't really time to talk or text, and there wasn't anyone around anyway." It wasn't the best sort of system, but it was better than nothing at all. "Do you mind if I scan you? We can test if our phones interface and if we can call each other."

It was a good excuse to step back from shoulder to shoulder to conversational space again. Considering his own life of late, the close proximity to someone with that much energy and charisma was too intoxicating for polite or important conversation, and he really, really didn't want to come off as a flake if he just started blankly staring at the senshi of ink. Space allowed breathing, and thinking, room. Information sharing was more important than hormones, and Thraen knew he could pull one to the mastery of the other with just being smart about it.

"Do you know about the Dark Mirror Court led by Ares and their wraiths? "

"They aren't just youma, and that will be an important change you'll need to know. I don't know how they came to be, but they're led by someone named Ares. They wear dark fuku like the corrupted of the Negaverse, but they don't serve the negaverse. They don't have the holes over their starseed or sigil, either. They use magic like we do, but they can also travel through mirrors like doors. "

"Their wraiths drain energy like youma do, but you can't touch them at all until they are bloated with it like a leech after feeding. Then they become real enough to touch and shatter. The things went wild a few months ago and were everywhere. "

"I haven't had a lot of experience with them, just a wraith once and one of their number with white hair and almost Tudor-like dress. He was attacking some poor civilian at the DCU field house...there are a lot of mirrors in the weight room. " Thraen thumbed along his own phone menu again and scanned Eridanus in the usual procedure. A few more blips and he tried to see if the phone would call the other senshi's phone.