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Rifts (12) : Maybe it’s a trick of the eye. Maybe it’s a firework, or it’s too hot and you’re seeing things. Maybe something is actually just wrong. Strange tears are appearing throughout the city, as though something has clawed right through reality. Maybe you can’t exactly see it, but you definitely feel it. There are strange, cold pockets, and random air currents even in closed rooms. These strange rifts either appear transparent or, if you are close enough, you might see a strange blackness inside. Sometimes you can make out a strange sound, like a croak or a wail, but nothing ever comes out. There’s something magnetic about these weird rifts and it’s almost as if they’re trying to suck you up. They appear and disappear randomly, and quickly, and never show up on film.

Etamin had suited up fast when the rifts began, and Darius on his shoulder, they began to investigate. Pasithee and Leaena were out investigating too, but at another area.
Etamin was doing what he could to investigate, which at this point, going toward them, as close as he dared, and writing down notes as he observed them. Dari (cat form), though but a kitten, offered scientific observations himself. At a certain point, Dari got a little too close to one, while attempting to sniff it and gain some olfactory data and subsequently was tugged on by the rift. He yelped in fear.
Etamin dropped his clipboard in surprise and called out, "Get away from there, Darius!" in alarm. Darius managed to pull himself from it as it closed and leapt into Etamin's arms. Darius was shaking and crying. "Are you okay, Dari," Etamin asked Dari, as he cradled the shaking, and mewing kitten. "I ... think so... Daddy.." Darius managed to get out, his lower lip trembling.

Etamin and Dari looked at the Knight. "Yeah, they are," Etamin answered, "Be very careful." Dari was still shaking, but his face now turned toward the Knight, clearly showing his Golden Star.

"I am Eternal Sailor Etamin of Hieroglyphics, and this poor little guy who just got frightened out of his wits by nearly getting sucked into one of those rifts, is my bonded Mauvian and Guardian Kitten, Darius Ammun. And you are?"

Dari shook himself out of it and sniffed at the scaredy-cat description, his bonded and Daddy had given him to a complete stranger. He leaped out of Etamin's arms and did a mighty show of being fierce, including a bunch of hissing. "Who's the one scared out of his wits? Not me! I'm ya worse nightmare. Come on, put your paws up! I'll take you one on one!" It was like seeing a eight-year-old pretending he hadn't been scared out of his mind a minute ago was now challenging a much older, much more powerful opponent (so much so that it was a farce) just to prove that he hadn't, and it got a chuckle out of Etamin.

Dari was in complete shock, when Spei grabbed him up. He was completely terrified of the rifts. He did NOT like being handled by humans other than Etamin, and sometimes Etamin's sisters, lesser than more the youngest (they were both Senshi as well), due to very traumatic reasons, however, he had practically just saved Dari's life - and then knew to hand him to Daddy. And then to ask him for his help?

Etamin was also in shock, What just happened? He just knew he was never going to hear the end about this Page later on and whether that was good for the Page he did not know.

Dari slowly came out of his shock and decided to look on the bright side.
"Uh, sure. Just so you know, I'm no expert - I'm still learning."

Dari pulled some tools, a miniature workbench and blueprints out of subspace and put them before him. "If you put the ring on the work bench, please, and I will get started. This will take a few minutes and I will need the two of you to protect me from the rifts, please."

Etamin took up guard, really confused at what was going on.

After a few minutes of working Dari nodded and said "All done! Go ahead and check it ahead out." He returned the ring to Spei and returned the tools and workbench to subspace.

"Oh, that's awesome!" Etamin said. "However, that's not what I was confused about." While Dari was cleaning up Etamin gestured toward and said quietly to Spei, "I don't see him behave that way towards any Human, Civilian, Chaos, Order, Knights or Senshi - except my sisters and myself. He's fine around other Order Mauvians. There's only one explanation - he likes you. And he doesn't like anyone. I think it started when you saved him. You see..."

Etamin leaned in close and whispered to Spei, about finding Dari feral and homeless, and furthermore, near death, because some teenager thought it be fun too... he let Spei use his imagination. Suffice it to say the vet wanted to put him down, not for his injuries, but for his lack of will to live - it had taken Etamin a long time to convince otherwise, and earned a lifelong friend in the process, but the damage had been done.

"Hey, you guys talking about me behind my back, again? I hear you from over here!" He was dusting himself off when his tail knocked against the corner of a brick chimney, knocking lose a dusty Star Charm.

Etamin chuckled. "Just talking about brave and smart you are, Dari."

Etamin stayed in his position to protect Dari, and just watched the scene before him.

Dari gazed up the Moon Knight for a few silently. The Knight had saved him twice tonight. Surely that was worth a small head-rubbing.

He nodded slowly and quietly and then leaned his head forward.

Etamin watched in amazement.

Dari actually enjoyed the head rub, it was clear, but he didn't anything, just nodded at Spei's thanks. It was his own way of saying thank you for both saving him twice and the head.

Etamin nodded as well. "No problem and thank you. Hope to see you soon."