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Jadarite did not like spring.

It was muddy. There was pollen. The temperature had a tendency to flip flop wildly between between being bearable and being freezing, or perhaps even hot, in a matter of hours.

It wouldn't have been so bad if she could have stayed in the office, or better yet, at home with her video games, but no. She was an officer of the Negaverse, and her quota was coming up, which meant that she had to go looking for energy, even though it was raining.

Perhaps it would be some cover, although that was a small relief as she made her way through the freezing park. She'd switched out her red heels for rain boots, and she'd brought an umbrella, but she was still shivering, and she'd yet to find any targets. Perhaps that was to be expected, but she'd thought there might be a few of the city's less unfortunates huddling under the eaves of a shed or something.

Instead she ended up with a senshi creeping up from behind her, despite the weather. Unhappy with that development, Jada turned to glare at the girl from under her umbrella.

Jadarite looked the girl over, raising an eyebrow at the tentacles on her skirt, although she didn't say anything about that.

Yet.

She supposed she could try to say something clever and subtle, to try to give this senshi a good impression of the Negaverse in the same way that she tried to win over the public. However, her last few encounters with senshi had ended terribly, and the rain was souring her mood, and she was not particularly concerned with if this girl liked her.

"Looking for energy," she said, matter of fact. "Are you here to stop me?"

The wrong kind of people?


Jadarite had never heard that one before, and it gave her pause. Her scowl turned from one of annoyance to one of confusion, and she was silent for a moment.

"Drunks, mostly," she said.

The homeless were another popular target of hers, but she knew that it would be illogical to admit to that in so many words. "People who don't have their lives together, and who don't need the extra energy to go getting into trouble."

She still stayed tense, ready for the senshi to take offense to her existence, the way they often did.

Again, it wasn't the response that Jadarite had been expecting.

She was quiet for a long moment, considering what would be best to say in response, but the better part of the annoyance had faded from her face.

"That's a good suggestion," she said eventually. She wasn't sure how often it would come up. She hadn't run into many criminals in her patrols so far, other than underage drinkers and the occasional drug dealer. Still, it would be a good look for the Negaverse if they could be seen as the ones fighting crime.

"I think I'll try that," she said, and then, after a beat, added, "Do you know where to find criminals?"

They likely didn't gather places consistently, but it seemed worth asking about.

"Oh, I'm aware of the especially seedy," said Jadarite with a knowing nod. "Those are already on my list."

It was more because they were the easiest to lure off into secluded areas and drain dry than it was because of any other reason, but it was a bonus that the next time around, they might think twice about their actions.

The sparring comment got a thoughtful tongue click out of Jadarite before she nodded again.

"Why don't you show me what you do to these crooks?" she asked. "Now you've got me curious."

Sparring with the enemy wasn't something she would usually consider, but it was a good way to get information on the senshi without risking her own safety.

"Face and head," she agreed, but did not add anything more. Even if she had old injuries or some other type of weak spot, she was not going to reveal them so easily.

To be honest, Jadarite could use the practice. She'd been behind on sparring with her team so busy, and it showed whenever she found herself in a fight.

If she could convince this senshi to go a little easy, it could help her prepare for the next time. Still, she was still wary, not entirely convinced that the girl was not just trying to get her off her guard.

She crouched down into something of a stance, her eyes never leaving the senshi. "I'm ready," she said.

Jada saw how the other girl hesitated. She must not have much training, then. While Jadarite still wasn't necessarily proficient in combat, she at least knew the basics of how to stand and how to hold her fists so she did not break her fingers.

She preferred to use her stapler to avoid that issue entirely, but that seemed like a bit much in this situation.

If the senshi was hesitating, Jadarite was not going to. She attempted a punch, one that was not full strength, but still the best form she could manage, aimed at the senshi's chest.