Welcome to Gaia! ::

The mandated increased quota was certainly easiest to manage when he was alone. He didn’t have to be looking out for what anyone around him was doing, and he could keep farther distance from his targets (often several at once) for more measured discretion.

It was easier… but also a bit more tedious. He was only one man trying to accomplish the undefined “more” that had been assigned to him, and with university in session, many nights were so quiet that much of his time felt wasted just waiting for someone to drain. These times, at least, it would be better to have one of his subordinates along. Not necessarily because he was interested in the company, but because they needed to learn, and if he had to be out, waiting, he might as well be teaching.

He tried to cycle through them evenly, but Cervantite and Calaverite were experienced enough now that they didn’t need him to accompany them on simple draining assignments, so long as they went together. Which worked out just fine. He liked them the least.

He could focus more on Weissite and Diasporite and say that the extra time they were out draining was just because they were new. He didn’t mention anything about an increased quota. This was just standard practice for someone who still had a lot to learn. He made schedules biweekly, giving everyone plenty of time to know when he expected them to accompany him, for how long, and to do what. No one had any business being surprised when he summoned them.

He sent a preliminary warning message five minutes in advance through the tablet, ’We are meeting at the back edge of the commuter west parking lot for the university.’ Enough time to ascertain that he was alone so far as any other signatures he could sense were concerned, and it would be safe for his lieutenant to land here before they went together to find someplace nearby more lucrative for their purposes.

The parking lot was set far off of campus, used only by those who lived away from the dorms and couldn’t afford the expensive parking pass to park on campus. It was mostly empty at this time of night, with only a few scattered cars from stragglers remaining. A scattering of trees obscured the lot from the lot from the road, and the only overhead lights were set directly over the bus stop, dozens of yards from where Rakovanite stood in the grass.

In all his time with the Negaverse, Rakovanite had never known anyone who preferred energy-gathering to pretty much any other task. Even he thought his time was better spent pursuing the goal his general had trained him for: hunting and eliminating the enemy.

But Diasporite, at least, acted enthusiastically toward whatever Rakovanite requested of him.

Another moment, and with a thought, Rakovanite pulled the younger man to him, to land at his side in a patch of grass and the dark shadows cast by the trees late in the night. “We will only be out for a couple hours,” he promised. “It is not my intention to keep you long, when I am sure you must have classes to prepare for.”


Receiving Rakonavite as a General had been, in Miers opinion? A blessing, in more ways than one. Not only because the man had played savior to him in his hour of need, though that did put him up on a much higher pedestal than most, set him up under a spotlight to be heeded and watched with wide seeking eyes. Regardless - it was his mannerisms. Which really did it for Mier, which intrigued him to no end.

The man’s sense of planning, timing, and scheduling that ran parallel to so much of Miers entire life. His schooling, which had contained endless lesson plans and daily drills. Falling under Rakonavites command felt like sliding into a pair of worn slippers. Comfortable. It created an easement of burden under the new expectations, leaning into the task of quickly absorbing as much information as was possible through the materials that had been provided to him.

Mier had been playing with the database actually - scrolling idly - picking apart pieces of the prescribed manuscript. Reading material to be lingered over late into the evening; when he’d received the ping from the tablet-pen. Expectant little grin that had spread over his face as he spared a moment to check it - just to make sure they were still on for the scheduled training. Not that he doubted Rakonovite to be one to change things up - unless something dire had occurred. No, the General seemed like the sort of man who tied his shoes with the same motions, had such an ingrained routine that he maybe even ate the same thing for breakfast, lunch and dinner, at the same time, on the same days.

Predictable rigidity. Appreciable given the stark newness of it all...

Mier sat up, checked a small marked box off on his own personal planner - and then diligently slipped out of his upstairs window - wisp of pink and blue on slim legs as he slid over the railing. Off the second story, angled towards the alley below. Diasporite pulled on power as he dropped, tips of metal spiral heels that touched the ground as he hit in a crouch. Summoned up the tipped nails as broke into a run to make some distance between himself and his home.

It’d been explained to him that his ‘presence’ could be sensed. He knew he’d have to work at it - finding acceptable places to ‘power up’. At the moment though? He felt the alley worked fine, he could change it up on days where he was far less busy.

Got a few steps deeper into the alleyway, skirted a stagnant stash of trash bags - before he was suddenly pulled through the space between spaces - snatched from the void and deposited out onto the grass in a slight stumble. Sidestep and slip of a slightly botched dismount, Diaspora hissed softly and pulled himself together enough to toss Rak’ a grin that touched on fevered, with the joy that seemed to chase it into his gaze.

“Of course! I’ve waited all week for this - truly - if you must have me out longer, ah, whatever is needed to ensure I get a grasp on...well...the whole of what this entails? I promise I’ll not perish simply because I have a little less sleep to run on for tomorrow. That’s what caffeine is for~” flare of splayed fingers as he motioned in such a way that encompassed *himself*. Flicker of tipped cosmetic gold nails that flashed over gloved hands - which had Diasporite frowning - because he’d not meant to summon them. The jewelry that was meant to serve as his weapon, and yet there they glimmered, shone and had him sighing for his lack of control over the thought of them. However was he supposed to take over the world with little more than glitter and flash of toy nails? Maybe he could ‘cute’ the enemy to death - blind them with his glossed smile?


The younger man landed in front of him a bit off kilter, staggering from the pull and hissing slightly as pointed heels hit soft grass. Rakovanite was not unfamiliar with the lurching sensation, but he had the good fortune of it rarely being sprung on him without warning. Sylvite had asked before she summoned him, and his own general had informed. And it had not been lost on him at any point that there was a certain respect that came from at least letting someone know.

He tried to offer the same courtesies. They were all fighting for the same thing. They were teammates and allies. They deserved that much.

But that didn’t make it any more stable of an entrance, no matter how much warning he gave. “It will get easier as you grow more accustomed,” he murmured quietly. “But it is still the most convenient way to get you to me.” Given the smile Diasporite hastily shot at him, Rakovanite assumed there were no injuries and moved to walk away, across the parking lot, tossing a beckoning hand over his shoulder. “Come.”

It was incredibly tempting to push for more, as was being done to him. His subordinate was eager, and it would be a waste to squander that enthusiasm by not nurturing and encouraging it… But Diasporite was a young man, just a teenager, and it would be inconvenient for him to burn out too quickly from being pushed too hard, too fast.

“We will stick closely to our assigned time, for now. This is not the only facet of your life that needs attention, and I will not be responsible for negligence of your civilian duties. You should be careful to apply yourself in any important aspects of your life, ensuring you have the necessities to make this work possible, efficient.” No one broke, homeless, and hungry was going to make an effective agent, though he supposed the Negaverse did supply whatever it could to those of its soldiers in need. Rakovanite hardly expected anyone was “happy” about it.

Rakovanite thrived in his personal space, with all of his wants met. He had no qualms giving his time to the Negaverse because it made him happy, and he was not struggling in his civilian life to make ends meet while he worked essentially for free toward the Negaverse’s goals.

Balance in all things. As it should be. Diasporite would learn.

From the corner of his eye, not pausing in his stride, he caught the younger man frowning at the golden tips atop his glove, and felt yet another wave of nostalgia for his initial introduction. “Mine was a pair of bottle caps,” he admitted. “Worthless trash. I never summoned them. I barely knew how by the time I’d become a captain; had no idea how to use the real weapons I suddenly had.”

“Those,” he gave a very slight gesture, a notch of his head toward Diasporite’s fingers. “Do not seem incredibly inconvenient to keep with you. Summon them as practice. Tip them in paint before you spar- you will see where your strikes land. Until then, we will predominantly practice martial arts and combat techniques that require only your body, and should be used to flee from fights. It is only in the most dire circumstances that you should be facing an enemy alone at this point. Even for a simple patrol, you should try to keep someone with you. The weak weapon should not be a burden to you, if you are careful, thoughtful, and precise.”



“Oh, you’ve no idea how I look forwards to that day.” Sharp tease of a grin, and Dia fell to heel with ease. Practically skipped in step along behind Rakonovite; quick to keep up with the mana steady, even stride. Energy that bubbled over, barely contained beneath his skin. Barely caught and held under wrap of the heavy flow of fabricand ruffled frill of his uniform.

It was the draw of it, he realized, no matter how much energy he spent on this - what little bits of lingering exhaustion tugged at him if he pushed himself just that barest bit beyond his burgeoning abilities?

There was the pull to have more. Hungry thing that gnawed at mind and spirit.

The need to consume, time, knowledge, power! To fall in line and get *answers*. If he had to claw his way into it - to take his destiny in hand and hold on tightly enough to mold it into his own image of a future self, because he detested the idea of being a weak link, and Rak? He seemed anything but weak, didn’t seem like a man who tolerated it either.

Dia would strip himself of it - would use the softness he’d been granted in appearance as a guise itself - veil that hid sharpness beneath it. Would let Rak give him that. A gift of a thing.

“I think, I like very much that you are responsible for me! It’s made the whole of this - the acclamation? Much easier. I do promise to be careful with myself though.” Words that lay warm, trimmed with joy for the pragmatism of this one. How Rak proved time and again to be a being of logic; layered and applied inside and out like mortar over cracks in a foundation.

A man who knew how to build something. Dia ticked points off in his head, took mental notes, as he played with the glittery give of nail tipped gloves. Thoughts that ran on all the things he’d have to carefully organize to manage all that Rak thought best practice…

“It’s very sweet of you to think on these things, the lives we lead outside of this~ I’ve a friend, I think, he encourages the ‘gym-life’. I may make use of this, if physicality is going to become a focus of my training.”

Softly surprised glance, that Rak had started with bottle caps!?! What a horrid image - to think of being left with even less than the little he had. “Especially if it will aid in ‘fleeing’. It makes terrible sense. These are no more than costume pieces - ooh, the idea of using them to paint a target! Learning precision like that could be very beneficial!” And he had ideas now - playing paintball with his nails - tipping them red and wet and seeing where they landed as he learned how better to use his body.

“Your bottle caps though - did they become something worthwhile?”

Was it more powerful, more grand? Did the risk of starting out with such a weak fledgling item grant the user special abilities later on? He wanted to know everything.

He loved every part of it, very much so. The drip and flow of the draperies that became his outfit, layers that lay heavy and light all in one. Half useless glit of jeweled nails, however dully tipped, they were his. A Weapon - a toy - a tool? How little that differentiation mattered when mirrored against the measure of control he had over them. Could call them forth, flick them gone. Knew if he did it often enough he’d feel the sap of power for it, like a muscle overused.

Liked that — didn’t matter what would be asked of him. For how readily it’d be given to gain mastery of it all, and set himself on a path worth seeking. A path deserved of his golden quick clipped steps. Under a General who deserved him.

At least, that was how it felt. He didn’t need to kiss at Raks heels, the General had come to him. Saved his hide and marked him worthy for surviving the experience. The fact that it was Raks gift that left him with options open to more — with precious, precious, knowledge of more!

A world that lay beyond all the small boxes outlined for him before.

Mier placed great importance in that. As himself seeking connections - as Diasporite seeking ascension in rank and attention. The way he felt powerful, even if he lacked the know-how of what to do with it.

Rak knew what to do with it though. That much was clear to him from their very first meeting. A man so succinct and set in form, how could he not know what he was doing? How could his cold stare and steady gait be mistaken for anything other than the utmost care — buttoned down, but care still. He said it, showed it, and Dia drank it up. Parched earth welcoming the rain.

“Ideally.” coy little something set in Dias tone, appreciative to be considered as a whole person. How little he intended to become anything that resembled an afterthought. No. His heels were far too bright to be background noise on the battlefront.

“There is the cause, yes, but also - I hope - you?” soft smile and hopeful eyes cast up. “Because a cause is certainly worthy, it’s true. A thing to achieve for, but so too are the people in service of it?“ thought of how he wouldn't even be in it at all if not for Rak, and that for him, it was fine.

Their enemies were capable of violence, same as any being or beast. He needed little reminder of that thing. Of the fact that he was on the right side of it —- and even if he wasn’t?

Well — Right, was subjected to a person's perspective. And this? Oh, for him? It felt right.

“That is to say, if I’m going to become an asset at all? Then it should be for you as well. You think of me as a whole person, and I appreciate that. I wish — very much — that I’d had more people like that before. Thinking of the whole. That school had been more like that? For as well as they tried to round us out — it felt so often like being pegged in.”

Sidelined shrug while he splayed his nails to the moonlight to see — could he disappear them finger by finger? Did they catch the light just so?

Rak would see him succeed, sent his mind spiraling towards future possibilities. Vital statistics with end results he could feel — could see — tamped down with realism, because Rak was right about much. Loath as he was to admit that he was small. Could turn that into fast? Into something that went ignored until he was on them? Maybe a game of snatch and grab from the safe side of a partner. From a smarter angle, than simply throwing himself at the problem of how to gain his quota through trial and error with brute force.

He could be intelligent enough to train to his strengths. Once he narrowed down what those were. Aside from looking lovely of course!

His wandering musings interrupted by the noise the weapons made. Ozone humm and crackle of something summoned. Stunning things. Thrummed with something otherworldly and Dia couldn’t help but coo for the sight. Twitched to touch, and was awed that Rak would offer up his prize and joy so readily — “Their lovely —“ and he squeaked a little when he took the weapon on, held it careful in both hands, because it was indeed *sharp* —

The glow though? Did all weapons glow eventually? Would his glow? Did it do — anything else, or was it merely decorative embellishment.

“Can you show me what it does?” didn’t bother to hide his immediate interest as he thumbed the grips. Tried to imagine something so powerful once being as small and simple as a trick coin…

His face took on a pinched sort of expression for a moment, while Dia wondered if maybe he was being childish? If it was silly of him to harbor some bit of lingering post-adolescent ire for not feeling any amount of 'enough'-- Maybe it wasn't even the people around him who had thought that? Not insomuch as it was his own perception of himself. That there was always some new everest to climb, that no amount of effort gained it for him, that his own perceived summit was ever out of reach!!

He stabbed his spiraling thoughts with his own play nails, played once more at summoning and unsummoning them, clenched them into his soft gloves and nodded somberly along to Rakonovites advice. Maybe he shouldn'tve pointed all of his blame directly at the people who had taught him; housed him, structured him in iron-clad moldings into the person he wasn't sure he was now that he was no longer stood within steady routines and garish-gray-purple walls. It wasn't as though his auntie had done better, not for all her trying, and the school had done some good for him...

It'd made him this--

Someone Rakonovite could be proud of, apparently!

Such a surprise to him! A sparse flush lit his features up for the praise he plucked out of the Generals words, that at least, in this? He'd not yet proven to be a burden. Not yet. That he might even be useful in this new space Rak was carving out for him with practiced ease and a patience Dia couldn't even begin to fathom. A life where he saved the earth and killed space aliens, and....

"Really?! O' thank you thank you th--" He swallowed his yes's, his brightly lit grins, feeling as though he was a held breath, a pause waiting to become an exclamation! Waiting for orders. He nearly skipped after the man with joy for being acquiesced to so easily; the flood of it for Rak's easy encouragement for all his curiosity at least, until he realized that wouldn't keep him up at all with Rak's long, sure stride simply by skipping. But he certainly tried, mind open, a sponge ready to soak it all in--

Happy.