They say time flies when you are having fun. What they should have said was that time crawls at a snail’s pace when you are waiting for something to happen.
That was how the next few days passed for Delilah. Ever since she had left Acrucis’ side, time had seemed to nearly stand still. Everything she had to do, she flew through leaving her plenty of moments to sit and stare at the clock wondering if her decision was honestly the right one. Of course, morally the right course of action would have been to go back to HQ and fill them in on what she had been approached for. That there was hope of a weakness and that they needed to be ever more on their guard with General Kazenite running around.
But then where would that get them? Right back to square one? They might have asked her to agree to it but on their terms.
Bet Kazenite would have known about that 30 seconds after it happened. She did not want to find out what the woman’s weapon was the hard way or lead to an all-out battle that did not need to happen.
Not to mention, where would that have left her?
Her, a human who had made a life for herself by gathering information all while organizing it for others. Her, a senshi that time and time again had proved served very little value to the whole community. Of course she had spent years learning and knew quite a few of the ends and outs but what good did that serve in the long run.
The only thing that had proved to be useful was what she lived for now: knowledge. Information was strength and power. That was all she could fall back on now. Her family was distance after the discovery and her ‘sister’ was safe and doing her part in all of this.
As the moon began to rise, Delilah found herself on an all too familiar path. Her ‘nest’ was the roof top of a building where she could escape. Of course she only went there for the sunset and the moon rise. Tonight was the full moon.
By the time she stood on the roof, watching the sun slowly sink behind the horizon on another day in Destiny City, a place that no longer felt like home, Eternal Sailor Phact knew what she had to do.
The winds of change were blowing.
“Hmm” Kazenite purred from atop a rooftop nearly five blocks away from the doves nest, stroking her guardian cats head. With her back resting against one of the escape ladders the General Queen sat in silence for several moments with her leg hanging off the edge.
Like a predator stalking their prey, her pupils dilated nearly consuming her teal-blue irises completely while her gaze fixated on Phact’s back as the senshi watched the sunset. “How long do you suppose we should make her wait?” In truth they could make her wait several hours if they wanted to, one of the many benefits of having her own personal Guardian Cat; it made life easier when she wanted to remain occluded from others ability to sense her presence.
“I would suggest not making her wait too long, least of all she grow tired and decide to fly away. Then where would you be?” Golden yellow eyes slid closed as the little cheshire cat reached out with her front paws to stretch her back.
A sharp sound of annoyance escaped Kaze’s lips as Xyla felt, or rather heard, a dull thud haven being on the receiving end of a warning flick to the ear. “Claws,” came the hiss behind her. “Do not put holes in my uniform.” or my leg for that matter…
With an eloquent roll of those feline eyes, Xyla retracted her claws and nestled back in the General Queen’s lap. “Do you think she will accept your proposition?” she purred between licking her paw and cleaning her face.
“She would be an utter fool not to. Regardless, all I offered her was a courtesy; a choice. Should she say... make the wrong one and turn me down, I will be left with no other option but to corrupt her and make her mine.” She would be lying if she said she wasn’t entertaining the possibility of being turned down. In truth the likely probability kind of excited her more than it should.
“If it comes to that can we play with her a bit? Just enough to ruffle those pretty feathers.” A thought that made Xyla salivate and lick her lips, oh she’d very much enjoy watching her Queen break the dove. There was always a sense of thrill when their target realizes for the first time that Kazenite was no mere General…
The teal haired woman raised her arms above her head to pop her back then pushed herself up off the short retaining wall “Of course,” she replied “It’s more fun that way is it not?” Leaning over she lifted the guardian cat and tucked the little one carefully under her arm for a brief moment; at least until they got to the other building and Kaze could set her down “I think we’ve made her wait long enough” came the only warning Xyla would receive before her General Queen stepped off the ledge of the building and teleported behind Phact several blocks away.
In one fluid motion, Kazenite loosened her hold around the blue-black guardian cat allowing her to slink from her hold and took a step forward closing the very small distance between herself and the senshi. No longer was her complete signature hidden as she wrapped one arm around Phact’s shoulder and the other around her abdomen. “Looks like I found you.” she whispered softly, tightening her arms around the senshi in a way one would describe as a lovers embrace.
Cold lips pressed themselves to the outer shell of Phact’s ear before the ‘general’ released her hold and teleported several feet away. Despite the smile splayed across her face, calculating eyes fixated on the eternal in anticipation of some form of retaliation.
For as long as man has walked the Earth, there has been some internal fear of the night. When the sun set, darkness covered the land and it was in that darkness that evil roamed free. The night brought the monsters out with it. Every creature that had ever scared a human lived and fed in the shadows that covered the world. To remain unseen and unknown was what brought nightmares to life.
Yet like all things, darkness has a second side that many forget. For all the fear it drives into the hearts of humans, it is also is home to something humans crave: pleasure.
It was for both those reasons that Eternal Sailor Phact believed the woman had some of the most impeccable timing.
As two arms wrapped around her body, Phact felt herself tense in surprise but then, something unexpected happened seemed to happen. The Senshi of Doves could have done what her kind did such a startling moment: fly away. Instead, she felt herself almost relax into that embrace and into the woman behind it. There was a strange comfort in a way she had never felt around those that walked the same path as her. Something both dangerous and yet, wanting. Wanting of something only Phact could give her.
Kazenite was a different woman. One that Phact was beginning to find herself more and more fascinated by as she felt a chill run all the way down her spine when those lips touched her ears. It caused her eyes to close and a small gasp to escape red lips.
There was not much information out there about the woman in blue and black that stood behind her. Not as much as Phact would have liked anyway. For all the raven hair girl knew, the woman was placing her under a spell of her own making. Truth was, if Kazenite was, Phact might not be minding as much as one would expect.
It was not until the ‘general’ released her that Phact moved on her own. Eyes still closed, she slowly moved to face the woman who wished to make her a ‘pet’.
“So you have, General.” Phact said as she slowly opened those red rubies and let them shift from that dangerous female over to the ball of blue fluff that sat watching. “Though I have the strangest feeling right now” red eyes began to turn and slowly harden back to the calculating look she wore normally “that the term General is incorrect.”
Kazenite just shrugged her shoulders at Phacts observation. If one were to get right down to it, she was a General just a higher ranked one than she was momentarily allowing herself to be perceived.
It took another moment before the woman who had become so wrapped up in the surprise by the general changed completely. In the last breathing moments of daylight, the harden, calculating, information seeking woman that was the Eternal Senshi of Doves returned.
Raising her arms to cross under her chest, Phact stood smiling at the mistress of secrets. “I do apologize if you expected me to strike out just now. I find useless violence gets people no where.” Especially if her hunch was now right and that woman was something more powerful. “But that is not the point now is it? You did find me and sooner than I expected. I suppose you want you answer, no?” Phact’s smile became playful in a way as she leaned her head to the side, exposing more of her neck. She was playing a dangerous game now but was willing to do so to learn more of the woman who had come after her and her alone.
To say she was expecting some sort of reaction would be a little bit of an understatement; yelling - maybe, a pink tinted face - perhaps, a kiss in return - she could only hope. Okay so maybe not that last one, but she was indeed slightly hoping for something…
Oh well it is what it is. “So eager to jump right into business. Seems like this decision of yours has been weighing on your mind these past three days hmm?” It was more of an assumption than anything. “An answer would be great but I don’t see why we need to hurry things, the night is still young is it not?”
“The night is only beginning.” Phact commented back knowing that it was less of a question she was being asked and more of a statement. “And the moon is full. They say this is the time when crazy things can happen. Yet, I have to say I don’t know how much crazier this world of ours can get.”
Uncrossing her arms and placing one on her hip, Phact began to look off to her side and glance around as the lights in the city began to come on. “I figured you had other matters to attend to this evening, thus my hurry. If not, I am in no rush. Frankly it has been awhile since I have been able to stretch my wings anyway. You all make it rather difficult for a girl to be herself around here.” Those rubies quickly glanced out of the corners back at Kazenite looking to see how she felt about being lumped in with everyone else out there.
“It’s a shame really. So much has stopped happening at night since the new Mayor came. Years ago, it was the most active time. Now, well, you heard the meeting I am sure.” She shrugged. “I wonder how well new recruits will take to a curfew.”
Kazenite remained unphased to being grouped with the whole lot of other Negaverse Agents and instead merely shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes. “Oh I’ve heard, and trust me I am far from pleased.” She replied, leaning her back against one of the rooftop AC units. Thankfully she had not been a part of that meeting nor included on that decision otherwise there would have been a bit of an uproar. How else was she suppose to get information when everyone was locked up at night. Fools…
“New recruits likely won’t have much to fear” chances are they would likely be put on enforcer duty. Drafted into the police department possibly if Kadavarite had anything to say about it. “And like most children they’ll push the limits.” Such is the way of most children. Now it’s what those recruits chose to do with those they apprehend violating said curfew that held Kazenite’s curiosity. No matter, one way or another she’d weed out those sympathisers and beat the pity out of them if she had to.
A bit of surprise flooded Phact’s eyes at the admittance of disapproval from the woman before her. Disagreeing with the General King Mayor? While she knew it could happen, Phact did not believe she would ever hear a member of his guard admit to it! The full moon could still hold surprises in a world such as this.
“And their pushing will get them in trouble with their guardians. Same as any side.” Phact admitted as she stepped closer to the edge of the building and gazed out once more. The breeze on her face from the cooling night wind was refreshing. It was something she missed about not being able to power up as much. “But they learn their place or learn they are not cut out for this so called war.” Turning back around to face the woman, her eyes went towards the feline. Anytime she saw a cat around a powered, she knew one thing: it wasn’t a normal, everyday cat.
“And might I ask the name of your companion here? Or is it best to just accept that those two eyes will be stuck on me for as long as I am here.”
Kazenite raised an eyebrow and glanced over sideways towards the Guardian Cat. With an eloquent shrug she pushed herself off her perch and walked over to where Xyla sat just a few feet away. Reaching down she picked up the soft feline and was rewarded by a nuzzle against her cheek. “You know as well as any she can speak for herself. Though I do believe your many feathers have done a wonderful job attracting her attention.” What cat could resist a good feather to try and maul.
There it was that ever widening cheshire grin. Black pools filled her yellow eyes as her pupils dilated, leaving only a thin ring of yellow haloing them like a solar eclipse.
“I also know there are quite a few out there that do not wish to speak.” Phact commented back as she allowed herself to close the distance between herself and the pair of chaos aligned. “Be it from some experience in the past or just distrust, I have met too many that only talk to their personal charge.”
There was only about three feet left between her and the pair when she reached up and plucked one of the feathers out of her hair piece. “Here. So you can enjoy a small piece of me instead of sinking your claws into the rest of me.” Offering the cat the white feather, the senshi had to admit those eyes were causing a dark chill through her body. She felt like a piece of fresh meat in the eyes of a hungry lion. Oh what she would give to be wrapped somewhere warm right then.
“So what is your name? Or do I need to guess?”
A rather loud pleased purr broke whatever silence lingered between the two women as they spoke with one another as Xyla eyeballed that feather… ohh feather. Over the several years she had learned that the more she acts like a feline than an intelligent creature, the more at ease humans were around her despite her odd coloring. Thus she played the part of house pet well, a near perfect facade to get close enough to hear what’s going on.
Sharp claws reached out to swipe at the pristine white feather as it floated towards the ground. Slightly irritated yet more than determined to get that piece of fluff, the teal-blue and black colored cat pushed off Kazenite freeing herself from the women's’ arms and landed gracefully on the rooftop without so much as a sound. With the aid of her claws, Xyla curled her paw around the little gift and picked it up to rub her face against it before sneezing causing her ears to pin back. Cursed thing I shall eat you was the only mental warning the defenseless piece of offending down got before sharp teeth bit into it.
Haven appeased the huntress for the successful kill, the guardian cat shook her head releasing the prize and gracefully walked over to where Phact stood and rubbed the side of her face against the side of her leg. “You may give me a nickname if you’d like.” she purred before standing up on her back paws and reaching up claws extended to bat at the senshi’s tail feather skirt.
There was a bit of surprise in Phact’s face as she watched how feline like the guardian cat acted. The last chaos aligned cat she met was a bit, well, insane. And all the order ones seemed more like students than four legged balls of fluff. So to see a the talking one play with a feather, well it made the senshi chuckle.
“Alright then. If that is your wish.” Phact turned slightly so the feathers along her skirt moved with her. “How about Mari? It is the name of a wind ruler. I think it fits with the term ‘Kaze’.” Phact moved to glance from the cat to the general before her. “A pair of wind riders”
If Kaze meant wind, and Mari was the name of someone who ruled the wind… Xyla turned to Kazenite with a smug look on that feline face. “I like it!” She declared receiving a rather ‘whatever’ eyeroll from her General Queen.
“Careful, you may give her an Egyptian cat superiority complex.” Next thing you know she’d be demanding something other than feathers; live mice and full body massages… It wasn’t that felines didn’t already possess such an attitude around others, still no reason to boost her ego. Such a comment, so crude yet so true, elicited a rather pointed glare from Xyla which quickly melded into a wide smile.
Raising a white gloved hand to her red lips, the dove was working to stifle a small laugh at the exchange between the two creatures. If anyone would have seen this sight, they would have had their jaw drop. Almost a lovers’ quarrel between the pair with a senshi watching...and laughing? What was this dark world coming to when a senshi was allowed to laugh at a general?
“I think it might be a little late to be concerned about that. It sounds like she might have started one already.” Her eyes shifted between the pair. “But I am sure she has earned it in one way or another. Otherwise, she would not be here.”
Turning her eyes back to Kazenite, Phact’s face stiffened slightly, back into a business like mood. She wasn’t there to play. Playing meant she got nothing in a case like this. So unless Kazenite planned on taking her dancing or drinking, she did not want to stay in powered form too long. She was already playing with fire doing it twice in three days.
“So, what exactly is it you need a white moon senshi ….no...need me, to do that cannot be done by a lacky? In detail please.” Her hand was back on her hip as she gazed with fire burning in her eyes. The idea of information pleased her more almost to the point that the nickname of Mari pleased the new feline she had a feeling she would see alot of. “Because I want a complete understanding of what this arrangement intells before I give my final answer.” Suddenly, her face seemed to soften, into an almost drained look. She had not completely gotten over the secrets being kept from her and it hurt, physically. Her chest ached deep down at the pain on Hannah’s face when she had walked away from Acrucis that day and she could not forget the look in her eyes. No, she would go back to Acrucis. This would not be the death of her. Eternal Sailor Phact would not let this woman kill her. She had to keep an upper hand….somehow. “I would be surprised if you did not already have have sources and spies out there keeping you well informed. You knew about my sister. So what else do you need that you cannot get with the members you have?”
Ugh more delays, was this not what the three days were for? Kazenite drew in a steady breath then exhaled to calm her growing annoyance. It mattered little that the Senshi had laughed at them, if it made her feel more comfortable in their presence then so be it; a small price to pay to see one of her other faces. “I feel like you would be a far more effective asset in helping me figure out who in the negaverse is walking the very thin gray line between being loyal and disloyal. I want to know who is conversing with those on the side of Order and swapping intel. I’m sure we would both benefit to some degree if this information leak were to stop, don’t you agree?”
“I find that though my spies, as you so eloquently put them, keep me well informed however some are less likely to divulge any information that might incriminate their allies. Least of all they find a knife in their own back.” Nobody liked snitched, except Kazenite, they were pretty reliable when it came to their information so long as there was some sort of personal gain in it for them.
Not completely should have been Phact’s answer to the idea of stopping the information leak. The benefits the followers of the White Moon had been seeing far outweighed even the notion of stopping it at the forefront of her mind. Had she been in a different position, she would have suggested using those ‘leaks’ as a way to feed false information. Mix it in with the good and use it to ones advantage. It should not have been hard to convince a few people to pretend to show interest in a side change. Least of all with the promise of being able to run their weapon into the gut of the person whose trust they had won.
Instead she held her tongue. This was not a time to argue but a time to listen. Phact would not have to worry about a knife going through her back if this did not work out. Not many of the Order members went in that direction. However, she did have to worry right then and there. With luck, Phact knew she could handle a general if she decided to turn and walk away from all this. She would at least escape with her life though Acrucis might kill her when she showed up at the Oasis.
Of course, when something as tempting as this came up, who walked away? Not to mention, a secret part deep within her wondered what it would have been like to be held like that again...to be needed. Too much of her time as a senshi she had felt useless. For the first time, Phact felt good.
“I understand where you are coming from then. I have no ties to them and they do not have any to me so the chances of me hiding something from you to protect them is slim.” Especially if it meant less agents they had to fight later on. “I take it that it is safe to assume should we happen to cross paths outside of just the two…” She gazed down to Mari “Excuse me, three of us, we don’t know each other, we never met each other, and for all intents and purposes, we completely dislike each other and want to throw each other off the building side and see if either of us is able to fly.” Phact left the tone in her voice very plain and dry as she spoke through all of this. The agreement would be mute if anyone put two and two together. The night wind blew once more, this time, from behind the senshi towards the pair causing her feathers to ruffle.
Xyla head butted Phact’s legs affectionately, grateful for being included in this conversation. Most would have already forgotten her completely.
“Seems like it would be the most natural course of action. A small facade to appease those who would in turn be spying on us.” Funny thing about this ‘facade’ is in truth it really wasn’t one for Kazenite. Oh how she itched to play with her little dove but for now she’d be good; at least till she stopped being useful, then all bets are off. Teal-blue hair danced in front of her face, yet she paid it little mind. If she were to be completely honest with herself it wasn’t so much as she disliked the Senshi of Doves, rather that she didn’t completely trust her - yet. In time maybe that might change but for now and ever more the General Queen would be ever wary. Do not get caught else the wings beneath those pristine wings will no longer keep you aloft.
“Alright.” It was a simple word that carried more weight than any others would have. A word said in passing that could be taken so many ways. “I find that to be completely understandable and acceptable.” Frankly she would have been more surprised if Kazenite had extended protection or offered more. But let’s be honest. She was an agent of Chaos. Bottom line was she was in it for herself.
“But I told you I wanted something in exchange for this as well. Is there anything you would not be willing to give?” Arms crossed as she watched for any sign of change. A deal with a demon had a cost on both sides. Phact just wondered which one of them was the demon this time.
“It all depends on the information you bring to me.” As with most things in life, the more work and effort put into gaining these secretes, or how relevant the information is, the more she’d be willing to offer in return.
Her response was nothing more than a nod. “And how do I contact you then once I have something I would consider as valuable?”
“Considering I don’t forsee you learning anything that would constitute as an emergency. Weekly or bi-weekly meetings at pre agreed upon locations would likely be the most convenient. Though we both know the dangers in that method.” Too easy to set up an ambush. Neither of them are stupid enough to walk out into an area without scouting the location first, even then, things get missed.
Crossing her arms in front of her chest Kazenite regarded the senshi steadily. Recruiting a white moon senshi had it’s benefits but also its drawbacks; communication was definitely at the top of that list. As a Queen she was able to summon other agents to her or there was always their communication crystals; this… this left little else in terms of options. The only thing they could do at this point was to make it work one way or another.
“Then we should change them up each time. This place is already compromised seeing as I would be surprised if someone had not already picked up on my signature now.” Phact’s words began to hold a bit more urgency in them. Even with an agent there, it did not mean she was safe from others appearing to see what was going on. “Are you free Saturday?” She glanced back over at Kazenite, her work face on. “The business district Plaza on Monore Street. It’s empty in the evenings.”
Walking over towards the ledge, Phact continued “I know it’s soon but I already have something you might be interested in. I need to confirm one more thing before I am willing to pass it on. Should have it by then.”
News so soon? How delightful. Kazenite’s expression remained unphased despite how pleased she may or may not of been. Instead she walked over beside the senshi and rested her elbows on the ledge looking out across Destiny City towards the district she just named. “Tell me when, and I’ll be there.”
“Unless a curfew is set between now and then, just before sunrise.” Looking out over the night covered city, Phact watched the lights flicker. Those still on in the business district were business men and women. Some would work hard into the night, others, hardly working. Her office had long since gone home for the day leaving the place empty. That was the perks of working for someone that kept timelines. “But something pretty drastic would have to happen for that to go into effect. No matter what your ‘fearless leader’ says, take away too many freedoms and even ones safety becomes less of a priority.”
“I have little to no say on what becomes of this so called curfew; that’s up to the General-Kings and Queens to decide” the other ones at least… With that said, Xyla hopped on the ledge between the two women bumping her head against Kazenite’s shoulder. Side glancing at the cheshire looking cat, the ‘general’ reached over and scratched the top of her head, raking her nails through that soft fur in a most pleasing way. “I will see you in four days time before the sun rises.” So much did she wish to add on a little threat of ‘I suggest not making me wait’ but that would do her little favors. Her dove had accepted; now it was time to be patient and wait for that delicious flow of knowledge to begin trickling in. Not skipping a beat, Kazenite lifted the guardian cat into her arms and used her most favorite ability bestowed upon her when she was conscripted into the Negaverse so many years ago and teleported away from the nest leaving the Senshi of Doves to dwell on her decision to shake hands with a demoness.
