Welcome to Gaia! ::

"It's Haymitch!" he said happily, curling around Albite's legs and weaving in between them. Albite had found him in the tower with all the other cats on one of the rare occasions he was actually there. Not that the kitten didn't like the HQ it just... wasn't his thing, you know? He'd rather be sleeping in the rafters of the post office on 3rd street; they always left him food and water and those little treats he liked. It wasn't quiet, but he didn't have anyone lurking over his shoulder or demanding he do his job there! He could just exist, you know?

But... he did have to show up HQ occasionally and keep up to date on things. He had to do at least the barest minimum, after all he really did want thumbs so...

Here he was. Outside Axinite's office. Apparently here for a thing with the corrupt. Probably some sort of power upgrade for Albite, honeestly. At least, he didn't think a guardian cat was needed for a demotion.

"Oh it's probably fine! Come on Albite, what doesn't kill ya makes you stronger!" he said, flashing tiny white teeth and smacking a paw against the door. "General King Axinite? Guardian Cat Haymitch and Corrupt Albite reporting for duty!!"

Sorry Albite, you weren't getting out this that easy.

Been in Axinite's office too many times lately, he told himself. Last few times were to mixed results, oft engendering danger or officer death or blatant insubordination. This time, however… He was certain it gave him more cause for concern than the previous. He'd opted not to sit, thought it better that way.

Faustite peered at the door when he first heard the voices. Hard to feel any aura other than Axinite's, though he assumed the buoys in the sea of a Sovereign's energy were Albite and a cat. It was, of course, the cat that pushed through the door, and announced that they'd finally arrived.

Faustite's attention rose to Albite, brows coolly cocked as he waited for his subordinate to cross the threshold. Strange, the types of things that had him by the balls. Man could tolerate enormous, toothy, devouring youma in their native habitat, but a cat had him wilting at the sight of it. A cat, who had, to Faustite's knowledge, done nothing to warrant Albite's abject fear.

Hand on his hip, Faustite was first to speak. "Move your a**." However harsh, the words came with a subtle lilt.

Hard not to be entertained, he supposed. Big guy cowering so pathetically like that.

Axinite smiled politely at his guests; he hadn’t been seated since Faustite and Nembus arrived, and he seemed to have no intention of returning to his chair now that they had two more guests. There was a small bit of surprise to see Haymitch, but if there was any dissatisfaction with this, he hid it extremely well.

“No, there will be trouble today,” Axinite said as he poured himself a fresh cup of tea. There was plenty to go around, but he suspected it was business first and then he could play host. When it was one-on-one, things were always a bit more leisurely, but with a group here, he wasn’t going to waste their time.

“Albite, come in. Haymitch, too,” he said, though he was not particularly familiar with the cat beyond being aware of his existence. “I wasn’t aware you were bringing a Mauvian, but I suppose you’ve decided to make this easy on me. You can all relax,” he insisted. “If you’d like a cookie, come have some. I can get you a drink as well, I’ve got plenty.”

Oh--no, he wasn’t supposed to be playing host. He took only a sip from his up and set it down on the desk before returning his attention to Albite.

He shook his head to stay focused. “I should be blunt. I’m sure you’ve been made aware that you’re due for a promotion?” he asked. “You’ve been with us for some time already. And you’re fortunate to have such a diligent team looking after you. So I was wondering, Albite, do you think you’re ready for more power? It’s more responsibility,” he cautioned, because he didn’t want Albite thinking this was all just fun and games.

Haymitch trotted in once Axinite invited them in and beelined for the cookies. The fluffy kitten jumped up unto the desk and pulled two of the cookies off the plate to start munching on them. He did in fact love cookies - to be honest, any food was appreciated and loved. He didn't bother correcting Albite. The corrupt clearly didn't like him and Haymitch had cookies so it really was a non-issue now.

He tilted his head at Albite, cookie in his paws and all over his muzzle. "Albert I don't think that's how this works, right Axinite, sir? I don't think anyone's ever needed more cats than just one. Though that would be fun to see if someone did!" Haymitch swished his tail back and forth in excitement.

By their power combined! They were a senshi!

Nembus giggled at the concept of needing more than one cat.

"No," she replied, shaking her head with an amused lilt to her voice, "I only needed Theodore. You won't need more than just Haymitch," she nodded toward the kitten who Axinite was trying to offer some cookies to. That was his actual name, right? She was fairly sure Albite hadn't called Haymitch by his actual name even once...

She gave her best effort at not seeming like being here with a whole general-sovereign was going to send her into a whole panic attack. It was mostly working. Her smile seemed genuine, even if her whole posture seemed a bit stiff when her eyes didn't wander. She tracked Albite, looked to Axinite but only partially, looked to Faustite, and couldn't help the way her cheeks lost what little color they had at her being the full reason why Albite was getting promoted. She cleared her throat gently as Faustite decided to back up, realized she should probably offer her own words.

Probably.

"Yes, Albite. Your experiences were similar to mine before Marcasite and Theodore offered me a promotion." Nembus' words were shockingly even despite the nearby Axinite. "You have experienced many events, several battles, grown stronger for them. I think you deserve this based on my own experiences in the Negaverse and based on what is looked for in a captain or super." She nodded to Axinite, still only partially looking at him, and then nodded toward Faustite.

"As General Faustite said, you will now report directly to him. Make me proud, Albite."

And her smile seemed far more winning than her usual.

He hadn't needed the cat...........

'Oh....w e l l....'

The look that graced Albites face. Consternation layered atop confusion and dolloped with a question that begged 'y tu brute'. Lanced that look Nembus and Faustites way before he schooled it all down under a smile, locked that s**t in, because.....

He hadn't needed the cat......

Except the cat was already there?! All inclusive paid, and packaged trip to Albites inner bits. Invitation levied, signed, sealed, and stamped by Axinite himself. The cat was more aptly dressed than all of them, Albite realized, ready to play up the gig of energy currier to the soul. To deliver unto him whatever Axinite had stored away in the bit of darkness he pulled from his desk.

To imagine that instead of dirty litter paws on a gem. A pseudo-transfer of power through third party cat acting as a transformer. He could've had Axinites long fine-bone fingers wrapped around his goddamned soul.

Cause he didn't want to know if it was safe - he wanted to know if those slender finger's that pushed data into tablets all day had some ******** callouses on 'em!?!

But whatever - it was fine ----

Instead he'd get pain via whiskered cookie vacuum. Was playing test dummy, and maybe he deserved that? Maybe that was fine. To suck it up, because everyone was waiting on him, because Nembus looked so proud to have put in a good word for him, and she wouldn't have to worry anymore, he would be able to take care of himself, give her a little well earned freedom. N he could spend more time lingering in Faustites shadow - less needy - but more present. Was sure he could see the grin on his boss's face for that.

All the time they'd get to spend together - how he'd get to pick up new tricks of the trade. Little thing's he'd been jealous of - like being backseat teleported all hither n thither at the beck n call of whomever. He could take himself into an office now...or not....

He softened, regardless, for how happy they all looked. Even the cat. Fluff that he'd dragged into this, errantly, idotically, except that maybe it was fine? If HayMitchel needed some practice. What better body to offer up than this? At least then, if ever anyone did need an actual honest to gods cat - the little fur-monger could say he'd tested it out already on someone built to take a little bit of punishment.

That the person had survived it. Lived through the foreboding dark crystal that ate all the light as it lay in Axinites hand. Sucked it up like it was vanta black on ******** General Kings had the coolest toys.

Albite wanted to touch it, refrained from doing so, but only just barely.

"Oh, wow, that's. Alright - the crystals pretty cool actually. I guess, uh, if Ham-sammitch is still okay with - yanno - guardian-ing the energy my way? I'm not, ah, opposed to it?" breathed through the words, through the moment it took to steady himself for what it was going to be like. It'd been awhile, it'd been at least two years, and the memory of what had been was hazy when compared to every other thing that had happened since then.

"Course I'll make you proud Nembs. I mean, it's not like I'm gonna say no? Not after all the work everyone's put in? N' they've worked - really, really hard, like, Axinite, man, you've got no idea. If everyone's good with it, n' I'm sure as hell good with it!" poured on appreciation. Took in what Faustite said - hooked himself on the idea of getting to hang out in the office after, to cuddle his wisps, show off for his orbies, intake at speed anymore new info his General wanted to pass his way.

Privately.

"Just uh - please promise you won't kill me oopsidentally, kay haykitten? I'm all sorts of attached to - uhm - this current incarnation of myself, yah?" and maybe if he smiled, or like, if he 'hey kittied' the kitten. Coulda stood to be nicer to the furbaby if he'd have known just how all of this was going to play out in the end.

Changed his mind changed his mind changed his - <********> eyes wide, everything slow motion in the moments before he suddenly had a face-full of cat gone positively postal. Loosed an absolutely undignified squeak of fear-born curses as he shifted to try and escape the rabid, wiggling, crystal bearing beast.

Too late - far too late, and Albite went down with a snarl, in a furl of dreads that caught him up underfoot. Tripped him onto his a** like a tree felled.

All that was missing was the echoed call of timbre.

There was an echo in his mind though. Dark, sultry, soft lapping of shadow born waters that rushed in - ebbed and flowed like the tide meeting the shores of his soul. Waves that steadily became a flood - a tidal crush - that felt like ten-thousand pounds of pressure bearing down on him. Darkness that ran so deep he couldn't see the bottom of it as it cracked him open - a finochietto wielded with a surgeons care.

Promised more - and if he wanted it? If he survived it? If the answer was yes. Hadn't it always been just that? From the word go, from the very start? Easier than breathing to let himself fall to it and drown. Albite gasped for air like he gasped for the feeling of fur and cloth that smothered both, blinked what he thought was oceanwater from his eyes. Salty streaks that clung like tears...because maybe they were...because owwwh - but also? <******** OW!?

"Hokay - Haymitch!!" and Albite was briefly tempted to squeeze the life outta the little furball. Maybe after he used him like a tissue to wipe his ******** tears on, because that had been a lot.

'So much'

"Yanno hayhay..most people buy me dinner before they take me out like that, yeah? Freaking hell...someone owes me, like, the fanciest ******** date." hated that his voice sounded stupidly wet, and cracked at the worst intervals. Loved the slow curl of power that promised him the ******** world crushed and bleeding under his shiny new heels.