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Albite knew when he was being watched - sensed the aura of the being he couldn't yet see. Larger than himself, radiating quiet power. Not like a Knight or General, so smaller..like his bossette Nembus almost. If not for the fact that nothing about it registered as 'friendly'. He might've stopped - as it was?

The rush of wind was his friend, past the city line, and the old church - Into the shrub and brush there. His long legs carried him with ease, ate the ground beneath his feet. Albites grin wide enough to eat the whole of his face, sharp and gleaming in the quarter mooned haze of the evening. Where the sun had just barely set - partial little rays casting off dying hues into the darkness.

Albite had always liked a good chase; liked making the battlefield his own. Let the little light follow him straight out - see if they could mark him down - talk it out - bleed over it and laugh afterwards.

The thought coalesced into joy - vicious excitement at what could be as he leapt a felled log, and skirted out into the scarred woods. The area loomed ahead, cratered and damaged; a monsterswept mess of felled trees, brambles and branches that still lay in the waste of the merchants star dazzled appearance. The cleanup from wispzillas untimely tantrum and subsequent explosion was still well underway, would likely take months upon months - which made it the perfect playground for him and his new friend.

Pretty~ Was the first thing that came to mind. The initial thought followed by a cascade of others as he lazily took in the view of her perched before him, just out of reach. Noting the bows, the dainty silvers, greens, and purples that stood out in the burnt out, stamped out aftermath of it all.

Catching himself on a felled log, delighted grin as he understood the source of the aura - it wasn't like the Swans had been and it wasn't like his bossettes. She was undeniably Senshi though. Strong feeling thing, and better than what he could've hoped to run across. She stood out like a sore thumb almost. Glinting antlers adorned with grapes.

Even as casually crouched as she was, she looked like someone he shouldn't mess with...

Maybe if he were smarter?

"See, that's where you're all sorts of wrong! I see treasures aplenty - comes in Senshi packaging, sure, but still? A treasure's a treasure." all big dumb tease as he carefully paced closer to her. "Starseeds" the roll of his eyes for that. He wondered if she was old guard, or if she knew someone who was - because starseeds? They didn't need them anymore. All sorts of optional in the line of work - didn't mean people didn't gank 'em on occasion. It'd become endemic in a lot of ways. Rights of passage s**t; he was sure they still handed out medals for it

"There's more to best friends than diamonds n' stars, like questions? The sort I've got that maybe you can answer?" closer and closer still - heel to toe showy across the ground between them - arms open - offering of an easy target if she'd make him one. He would've likened what'd happened with the merchant to a fire sale. He was gone now, moved, back to space or outta sight - who coulda known. Guy had auras n' fields - n' all sortsa get outta trouble baubles up in his shop, as far as Albite could've guessed when he'd been there.

"Definitely not mine - not staking any claims on that..." a roll of muscle, simple one sided shrug. Not his treasure, definitely, but hopefully someone's? Sharp, defensive, surely there had to be someone out there who treasured her. Nothing in her look spoke of amusement though, taking in her flinch of self, like clutched pearls; the vicious gaze that followed and promised hurt.

Albite would've been lying if he said he wasn't curious about what she could do. Terrible enough at it that there was no point in trying - "Sooo, totally wouldn't mind that either - after? Never get to see any Senshi in action." Not any that looked like they could fight, that had the will and want for it.

All he knew that fell beneath the shadows of the Negaverse seemed like such whipped, useless, watery beings. Cursed with being Senshi, rather than blessed by it. Every other one he'd met - unless they had a physical advantage on their side? All such gossamered glamor's; paper thin beauties. All flash and fleeing, no substance.

"Questions first though, yeah? That's all sorts of fair-" the sigh for a waste of advantage, settling back one step, then another - "So! Met a dragon recently, merchant man yeah? Then got tasked with figuring out Senshi s**t - and just - it makes sense to ask other Senshi?" at least it had to him, and after the first few he'd realized hew as overwhelming, and that people didn't always have answers....

"You're like - power of the cosmos - white light 'n such - planets aplenty! How come?" and the question showed on his face, absolute lack of understanding. Because the merchant could have the stars regardless of metallia, he had a freaking rock that took him across space at whim. He didn't need a cat, or metallia, or whatever the powers of the side of order granted. "How come the cats, the stars, and the absolute useless a** powers? I mean..okay, it's not all useless...but like...I ran into this swan who blamed it all on corruption, except she didn't seem all het up about having a planet. Said it was dead. The others all say we can't have 'em at all. Trying to wrap my head around just alllll of this - uh - feel free to pick the a thing since I'm like, unable to be 'succinct' " a direct quote from someone, and he wasn't sure if he was making sense.

Knew he hadn't really to anyone else, but he'd gotten stories out of it at least, explanations that made up pieces of the larger puzzle in regards to everyone's choices.

The eye roll for the run on diatribe about Metalia. Spooky talking shadow head lady bad, white moon good, blah. None of that explained what it was, and everyone cut it black n' white when there were so many shades in-between. He wanted those, the myriad of different grays that explained all the choices. That laid out the reasoning of the stars.

"No - I - Listen, I started out like this yeah? Chose Albite - I know Praxidikes floating around up there, doing something. The ******** cats made sure of it. I just Thought there'd be a work around that didn't involve cutting ties, yanno? Merchant has one - none of this down here earth side factors into ******** up his vacation plans - he just goes." Albite hoped, continued to hope, and how it always circled back around to the same things; snakes eating tails.

It made the whole endeavor of getting information frustrating.

Then she was moving, seemed done with talking, done with his bullshit. Suddenly up in close and the way she stalked screamed fighter. Swift, soft, and the ribbon and flow of it all could've been a lie; for how her voice screamed of velvet wrapped steel.

"How do you use it then?" an obvious 'ill show you mine if you show me yours' bounce in his backstep. Drawing himself up and making the slightest bit of space - letting her increased presence press him into moving away in the barest of increments.

"Follow up question - is that why you picked up a bottle of bleach? For planet access, or like...I keep meeting people like you - a little context is always nice." The grin remained in his voice, joy in every line for the excitement of it all.

The swan had been so sweet, he looked forwards to picnics, meeting her boy. Feared he'd never get better answers from anyone, because no one had them. No manual, no stone tablet, no search engine on his phone that would've filled the void for that. Even the cats didn't seem to have enough insight into it all.

Whatever - at least he'd get a good workout from it all and a story about a huntress.

'Oh, well ******** me' and instantly he liked her. Thought of an infinity of 'what if's' and 'could've been's'. The endless possibilities that might've occurred if she'd still been on his side, or if he'd started on hers; because she was what a Senshi should have been. What he wanted with all Senshi he ever met. Not soft spoken, weak seeming things that played word games and minced it all in their frailty. Someone who said what they meant, and then backed it up without having to so much as sneer at him.

Power. Tactical purpose. Succinct perfect little movements that spoke of time spent doing, living, wrecking other peoples s**t.

She gave him time to back up, let him watch her come in close, enough time to doge back, a wave of dreads and movement. Her pretty little fist skimming in front of his face -

Eyes wide for that particular name, because he knew the firebrand. His firebrand. As for Benitotite? Aside from thinking '******** him', he knew soo little of the man. Maybe he'd start asking questions on the other side of things? All he knew of most of the Generals was a solid sense of '******** you' and avoidance of them all for his own betterment. He didn't do offices, he didn't mess around with the higher ups. Maybe it was time that he did?

"Kay - that - just yeah to alll of that. You go on and make sure you keep that promise, huh? When it comes down to it." Because it would come down to it, he knew it in his soul "I'll go on and ask 'them'." the words low and whistled. Wary excitement, and he wanted to see her do something else; be deadly, stunning, magical.

"Word's my bond and all - heh - you could even say it's my Binding Retribution?" the way his tattoos appeared to loose themselves from his flesh, aimless, more curiosity than threat as they sought their target - and the will of the magic only wanted to keep.

Albite wanted to keep her there. A twist to his grin, and overly bright eyes.

Have her nice and close, see what she did - if it the tether took - if she would shred it with her power - if she'd do more than step in and swing at him like an especially vicious dance partner.

"Good girl" the words a thrilled purr, and he was overjoyed for the honesty he felt from her. How it made him grin, sharp, bright and wanting. He wanted to meet a thousand people like her; understood what an asset she must have been to them when they'd had her as one of their own.

Wondered who's teeth he should kick in for ******** that up. Such a loss - regrettable - but maybe it was better too? Certainly it was way more fun to meet her like this. With her chiding remarks and promises. Offering up death like most offered up oaths. Deadly and perfect.

"Hey, I resemble that comment!" Three feet was a wonderful circle to dance within, better to see her move, the look on her face. The near sneer as she admonished him for his poor tactics. He wondered if he could make her smile that same way, if he could be just stupid enough to drag the conversation out longer. Bleed it out...

Threw his arm up and let the kick land, too close to dodge, better to curl into it; move with it and feel the power as it landed across his arm and ribs. Knew it'd bruise. The sting for that lit him up, made him yank hard on the tether that held them leashed, try to throw her off as he swung at her with a closed heavy fist.

He so often forgot about the strength and speed that lay hidden in their form; what the magic gave them that went beyond mere muscle and lithely appearance.

Albite yelped as he was yanked in on his own tether like a small dog ripped towards its owner on a retractable leash. Stumbled into her oncoming fist. The thrilled shock for the sting of it connecting across his jawline; drawing blood even as it wiped away his satisfied grin.

Snapped his head back with the blow, snapped the magic with it. The inky tether unraveled in a fizzle of black sparks as it timed out.

How little fifteen seconds mattered in the span of a fist fight. It was always just enough to parry words and blows alike; little more than that.

His resentment for the natural weakness internet in the fact that his magic was practically designed for having a partner at his back. Leaving him beneath her in status even though he was over her in stature.

He was never smart enough to ask for such a thing though. Help. A team.

Where was the fun in that?

Albite let the blood run even as he lunged back at her heedlessly, gaze lit up with something a little more hungry as it slanted over her form. Though the grin was gone the joy remained in his eyes. A sharp edged thing as he imagined getting his hands on her - getting even and grappling her down - fast ******** that she was.

Clever b***h- and if he’d had the breath in his lungs to snarl the words he would’ve.

Instead it was all driven from him. Her knee sharp in his guts and the way he hunched for that; wounded huff of a noise that came with the flash of blinding pain.

Strong, fierce, and the smile he’d caught on her face before. Internally he preened over the knowledge that she had one up on him. That she would be a challenge who could enjoy a good fight. Such a shame that they’d lost her to this - to white flowing garb and soft pastels - such an absolute joy that she wasn’t any weaker a person for it.

“M’a slow learner” spat to the side, bile, blood and pained smirk as he bore down. Clawed for one of her wrists to pin and grind into the earth; raised a fist to swing down at her pretty face. His balance on his knees precariously off amongst the loose debris beneath them; a little slower from the pull of pain on his left side.

He did learn - sometimes - sort of - maybe? He was never a once bitten twice shy sort. All trials had to be by fire or what was the point of it?