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General Serpentine had not been to a junkyard since the night Bischofite had set one ablaze in an attempt to kill him. Even before then he had not been overly fond of those massive mounds of metal. There was nothing organic there, nothing but a few paltry weeds pale and feeble from having grown in too much shade and with too little water. He came now not because it was his normal hunting ground, not because he wanted to feel the rusty metal beneath his feet, but because this was the location to which his prey fled. The Senshi in chevron-patterned shorts would have been easy to find in the late afternoon due to sheer garishness even if his energy signature had been dulled.

It did not bother him that the Senshi was a few steps ahead. That was exactly where Serpentine wanted him. A crack of the whip sent a precariously stacked pile of metal down onto his opponent with a clang. With the Senshi pinned it took no real effort to take his starseed. The General crouched and plunged his hand directly into the boy’s chest. The screaming that resulted had long ceased to bother him, though he still took no intrinsic pleasure in it. What he did enjoy was the object he pulled out, admiring how it glimmered in the twilight. Along with its beauty came blessed silence.

Which left Serpentine’s sensitive ears to hear another sound - of metal being moved, some distance away. Not another enemy, for he would have detected their energy just as he had detected that of the now dead Senshi. Some other interloper then, perhaps someone who worked in this place or a wandering vagrant . Either way, one with which he needed to deal.

“Come out.” It was a command, not a suggestion.

The General had raised his whip as a precaution, in case the one who emerged was foolhardy enough to try a direct attack on him. Yet, the one that emerged was simply... a boy. A bespectacled, rather calm... highschooler, he supposed, judging by the boy's age.

"I did." Serpentine had no shame in his actions and certainly would never seek to hide them. If anything, he was amused at the rather cavalier attitude the boy had towards the situation. Under the amusement, however, was irritation. He had not intended to deal with two individuals this night - the Senshi itself had been an unexpected run in on his way home from a late afternoon of floral arrangement.

"Tell me - why should I not kill you as well?"

Such a demand was not much of a reward for the courage shown, but it was what the frosty Negaverse officer could provide. Were Buddingtonite here, he would rightly point out that it would be bad PR to kill a teenager no matter what he had seen. There was no way it could be pinned to the dead Senshi, whose brightly colored outfit was already beginning to fade away. His partner would also take advantage of the opportunity to add another name to the Negaverse roster. The ginger was not currently here - but if the two acted as one, then it was up to Serpentine to do what needed doing.

If the boy spoke well, then he would bring him into the fold. If the boy showed some sort of fatal flaw that made him unfit for service, then a second starseed would be join the one currently in his hand. One way or the other, it would be settled.

Serpentine didn't think less of the boy fro the obvious fear in his eyes. Fear was an appropriate response to a threat on his young life, particularlyl given waht he had already witnessed. The stoic general was measuring other, less obvious responses. The amount of time it took for the student to come up with an answer. How much his voice shook or remained steady. Whether or not he broke down emotionally, whether he screamed or begged, whether he tried to run. All would factor in his ultimate decision.

Thus far, Serpentine was pleased. The reason given was not an actual impediment, as the police would never be able to catch him, but it showed that the boy was shrewd enough to appeal to his attacker's needs and not resort to pleading or bargaining. He had kept his head, had realized that fleeing was only going to get him killed in retaliation. He did not waste time, or words, and his question showed a desire to understand rather than just react. Yes... so far, he showed potential. And who better to induct him than a general as great, as proven, as Serpentine? Buddingtonite and others would aid in the new lieutenant's education and indoctrination, but his corruption belonged to him. This would be the first lieutenant he inducted... but it would not be the last.

First, however, the question needed answering. The rainbow-haired officer would not wax poetically. It was not his style; his partner was the seducer. He also did not pitch the byline of defending the Earth from space invaders because, frankly, Serpentine didnot fight for this purpose. He fought for vengeance, for those who fought beside him, for praise of his skill. Ideology played no role, and he did not seek to instill it. He simply pointed to the body twisted amongst the metal, "Not random. Senshi, like him, are enemies. There are others - knights, Dark Mirrors - that I also fight. You will learn of them, in time."

Golden eyes locked onto the boy's face. Not a smile cracked across Serpentine's lips, not a hint of mirth to indicate that he might be joking or otherwise speaking anything but the truth. He was a patient man, but he would not tolerate dismissal. "I am General Serpentine, and I fight in a militaristic organization known as the Negaverse. I have killed many... but I need not kill you. You can join me instead."

His tone on the last sentence made it clear that he considered the invitation a high honor.

‘What do I have to do?’

“Endure.” One word was the only warning for the teenager of what was to come. Serpentine immediately shot his hand into the boy’s chest. Experienced fingers sought out the starseed and found it with relative ease. He grabbed it hard and almost pulled from sheer muscle memory… but he caught himself and loosened his grip. The pain would be enough naturally without him adding any more. Confident as ever, he began to focus on pouring Chaos into that pulsating warmth. ’I must be careful.’

Too much Chaos energy, and his recruit would be nothing more than another youma. Too little, and all the pain endured would be for nothing. The rainbow-haired man was not like others in the Negaverse, who looked to inflict pain as some type of artistic tool to shape someone’s destiny. The pain of Corruption was incidental, a side effect of absorbing and using the Dark Gift. It was up to the new lieutenant to heed his superiors, to face the trials that their organization would put before him. Serpentine would not coddle him, for he never coddled. But he would plant this seed and guide its growth… perhaps not as much as he had with Buddingtonite if only because no one could settle as deep as his friend. This curling vine would, however, find in him a stalwart support rod.

At the first sign of emerging cloth, the General withdrew his hand. His fingertips tingled from the prolonged contact with the starseed, but Serpentine allowed a small smile of satisfaction to cross his lips. The Dark Gift burned like frostbite in his heart, perhaps to inform him of how much he had given away, but he did not care. All that mattered was his success and the new officer before him. “Stand tall, lieutenant.”

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