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 Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 1:08 pm
EchosSweet Backdated to March 1, 2022
He’d never really been an ‘evening coffee’ kind of guy, but ever since he’d met Maya, a lot of his routines had been… unpleasantly altered. After nearly eight months, he was starting to settle into the new norm, but he still didn’t find it appealing. It wasn’t what he wanted. But late hours and a penchant for dangerous situations was just a consequence of his knighthood. Antisana could live with that reasoning, even if he didn’t like it.
This evening found him loitering out behind a local coffee shop, standing at the chest-high decorative stone wall with his drink resting atop it while his gaze lazily scanned the scattered passerby.
He looked out of place; he knew he did. The weather was too cold for his powered uniform to not stand out, and he should have stashed a coat in his space pocket to better conceal himself, but it felt like the chill barely reached him while he was powered up. Throwing more layers on would just be superfluous and unnecessary. Antisana sipped his warm mocha latte and cared decidedly little for what strange civilians on the street thought of him.
It was just better like this, better for him to sense if anything was around… He shouldn’t be in a populated area. That was careless and maybe a little heartless, but Antisana had never claimed to be perfect or thoughtful, and regardless of how true it was, he felt safer in a populated area, so… That was where he took himself.
Antisana had been keeping his guard up in case of danger. He was out here at all because home was barely safe from the youma. Monsters were what he’d been expecting. Imagine his surprise when it wasn’t another aura he was sensing, but he definitely saw a plump and fluffy gray feline striding down the side of the little wall. Maybe it noticed him, maybe it didn’t. But Antisana definitely noticed the soft lavender star on the cat’s head.
A Mauvian.
He’d known they were here, in the city, but he’d never seen one before. Hadn’t even realized he wouldn’t feel its approach. Antisana canted his head slightly, staring the creature down as it ambled ever closer.
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 1:14 pm
Miros had always thought the chilliest evenings were the best ones to be out. The temperature had never bothered him, and he found that people were always especially open to seeing a cute cat striding down the street, looking all warm and fluffy. They cooed and called to him, and he was happy to oblige for the attention and praise.
’Look at this beautiful boy!’
’Oh, he’s such a sweetheart. He must belong to somebody to be so well-cared for.’
’I could just scoop him up and take him home right now!’
And Miros didn’t think he would’ve minded if that had been the case. As an intelligent creature, he was hardly deterred by doors and windows. Spending a chilly night with a loving and attentive human was just good for everyone’s spirits.
He was taking a soiree through downtown this evening. Not a populous time of day, but Miros didn’t mind. He was fine to enjoy warm restaurant scents (and snag a few offered leftovers from strangers trying to coax him near) and the crisp breeze that ruffled his fur. It was a fine night to be a wild and free tomcat!
At least, it would’ve been, if his Mauvian duties hadn’t beckoned him.
Mirosnjha was often happy to ignore them, but by the time he fully realized what was happening, a young page was looking him dead in the face, as if expectantly. Miros didn’t know what the expectation was, and he’d just as soon ignore it, but he sauntered along the wall anyway until he was within speaking distance of the man. …The man with something a little off about him. Like he was lonely or tired or maybe a little paranoid?
His wonder hadn’t seen fit to grace him with much power, yet, so maybe a lot of this was still new to him. Mirosnjha wasn’t shy about ambling right up to him, ducking beneath the man’s arm and smearing himself against the page’s hand. “Ooohhhh, it’s a sad knight,” he hummed melodiously. “Very strange to see your type standing around so casually.” Though not the first time he’d seen someone powered out just grabbing a snack. He’d never been a fan of the potential exposure.
“What brings you around in such a state?” He queried, tail flicking out to swat the page’s chin as Miros nuzzled near.
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 1:29 pm
A sad night?
Antisana’s head turned slowly, gaze meticulously scanning his surroundings for some evidence of whatever had brought on this ‘sadness.’ He assumed there had been an attack elsewhere in the city: a senshi had perished, or maybe they’d lost a knight to the other side. But everything looked and sounded even more normal than usual, and nothing of interest rung on his mental radar, so…?
”Has something happened?” He queried quietly. If a Mauvian was coming to him with such a statement, Antisana thought it was fair to assume the creature was asking for assistance. That was what they did, right? Since they were just cats with no particular combat ability, they had to rely on someone else in the face of danger. Antisana didn’t fancy himself an ideal candidate for this, given his lack of magic, weapon, and general knowledge, but if it was a Mauvian asking, it would be harder to refuse.
And this cat definitely seemed like it was trying to butter him up for something with all the nuzzling it was doing. He wasn’t hugely a cat person, given that his main companionship were animals a feline could easily make a snack of.
They probably wouldn’t appreciate it if he came home smelling like a predator.
Antisana straightened, picking himself farther away from the wall so he would be more out of range of the Mauvian’s attention. “If there is something you need assistance with, please be straight about it. I am unsure of exactly how much use I would be to you, but you must be aware of that already.”
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 1:37 pm
”Whe-?” Miros made a curiously confused sound as he tipped his head and stared large blue eyes back at the man. Had something happened? Did Mirosnjha need help? Well, not to his knowledge, but people were usually much more excited to see him! He was a beautiful, fluffy kitty with a perfect feline demeanor! The guy was a sad knight for sure, but Miros’ presence should’ve cheered him right up.
’Sad knight.’
’Sad night.’
’Has something happened?’
Oooooh! Understanding came as abruptly as a falling brick. This poor man expected a catastophe (he looked like someone who expected a catastrophe), and expected sweet Mirosnjha to be the bearer of bad news. Well, quite the opposite! Even though the page had pulled away, the guardian sat his plump bottom on the wall right in front of the poor thing. His tail folded over his paws, and he stood a little straighter.
His purr was sweet and soft, but his words were less so. ”Well, I don’t mean ‘sad,’ like ‘unhappy.’ I mean ‘sad,’ like pitiful.” Like a puppy out in the rain. “And I didn’t really mean ‘night,’ like the time of day, either. I meant ‘knight,’ like you, someone given power by the Code. You’re awfully pitiful to be standing out here powered up and alone.” And since he’d thought it earlier, Mirosnjha decided to bring it up now. “I’m not really a fan of senshi and knights powering up in public to get coffee or McDonalds or whatever. It’s dangerous for the people around you. Very careless and thoughtless… A bad look, for sure.”
“I don’t need your help,” Miros continued. “But you look like the sort who needs mine.” But not here. He didn’t want to draw any more attention to either of them. “So what do you say? Wanna get out of here?”
If possible, he stood just the tiniest bit taller, ears perked and gaze lifted as if he was giving some signal that he was ready to be carried. Raised up and taken away elsewhere.
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 1:42 pm
He definitely wasn’t a cat person.
The creature’s bold choice in words elicited some uncomfortable emotion in Antisana that he couldn’t quite identify. It didn’t carry the offense of something like ‘annoyed.’ It was colder than that. Some kind of unhappy resignation and acceptance. Antisana was a sad-looking man that made the Mauvian pity him. Gross, but fair.
“Youma will be in populated places, where they are more likely to find victims,” he argued quietly. It wasn’t why Antisana was here. He did not consciously choose to go seeking monsters to try and punch out of existence, but some cat who didn’t know him hardly had any place to comment on what ‘looked bad’ on him. He was sure the exhaustion and fear weren’t a great look, either. He could be sitting alone in an old, run-down, abandoned building where no civilians would be endangered, but to achieve what? He’d take his ******** coffee in public any day.
Antisana wore a perfectly flat mask as he stared down at the Mauvian. If he could be helped, if something could stop the youma from seeking him out everywhere, it would most likely be a Mauvian with that power.
Could it tell there was some curse on him? Maybe… It was practically an animal, itself. And he wouldn’t mind getting out of here if something useful came of it.
But he didn’t rise to the task of lifting the Mauvian. Antisana picked up his coffee and moved off at a brisk stride along the side of the wall, expecting the cat to follow. “I am not sure how you can help me, but if you are offering, it would be foolish of me to turn it down. My name is Antisana.”
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 1:46 pm
Mirosnjha didn’t even try to hide his pout as the man set off, but he offered no complaint as he followed. “I’m Mirosnjha. Miros is fine,” he greeted back. He would say, ’it’s a pleasure,’ but it so far kind of wasn’t. Antisana was a hair away from being complaintive and argumentative. Not Miros’ favorite type of person. His ear flicked as he kept pace with the other.
“I thought I might try and get rid of that glum look,” he continued. Something he was usually quite good at! “Do you wanna tell me what’s up? How long have you been awakened for?”
It could be stressful, Mirosnjha understood that. In fact, it seemed a very common occurrence that it was most likely to be stressful, if anyone Miros had spoken to previously was any indication. Even he, as a guardian, shirked his duties quite often to do more enjoyable and relaxing things… And he never even had to fight! He canted his head, peering curiously at the young man as they managed to get out of the streetside shopping area.
In his opinion, young knights could have it especially difficult, especially if they awoke alone. At least senshi would always have a guardian beside them the very first time they powered up. A cat should be able to tell them any necessary information and guide them down the right path all right from the beginning!
Miros didn’t know exactly what information knights had, but regardless of what this one had learned in his time, he was still wandering around alone, now. Knighthood seemed as solitary as Miros had always expected…
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 1:50 pm
”I am not ‘glum,’” Antisana grumbled softly.
Not right at this second, anyway. This was just how his face looked, and it was a little distressing that a Mauvian would just come out and call him ‘glum’ and ‘pitiful.’ He glanced away, finding interest on the side of him where the cat wasn’t walking. He wasn’t sad or pitiful, but he was under duress, and not in a position to refuse aid, even if from a Mauvian he wasn’t sure he liked.
“It has been… seven months or so,” Antisana admitted with a little shrug. Probably longer than Mirosnjha was expecting him to answer. He was hardly new at this, even if he didn’t have all the skills or information someone might expect. “I have been staying alive,” and that was about all he was doing. “But youma come after me frequently, even when I am not powered up. The first time I had even seen one was when I was awakened, and now it seems as if they hunt for me, specifically…” Any time of day or night, sometimes with just a few hours between attacks, sometimes days.
“I can only feel them while I am powered up, so I do not power down very often,” he murmured. The last few sips of his coffee sloshed loudly in his cup before he brought it to his lips to polish it off.
He still didn’t glance back at the guardian as he grumbled, “I have not heard of that being the standard occurrence…” But he didn’t have much communication with other knights or senshi, either. He was out here alone, after all. It was all he could do to keep himself going for a few weeks and then spend a few peaceful nights at his wonder- as long as he could, really.
“I go to Antisana often enough, but when I do, I spend less time ‘investigating’ and uncovering memories and- whatever else, and more time sleeping.”
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 1:54 pm
”That’s- Yeah. News.” Mirosnjha’s eyes were wide as he stared at the page, body going still as he tried to will Antisana to look at him, to no avail. He knew senshi and knights would often go out with the express intention of hunting youma. He was sure some were good enough at it to find them often enough. But he’d never heard of youma hunting specific people. Even when powered down! That sounded treacherous. If anything intelligent had found him, he’d surely be on the Negaverse’ radar now…
“This is the first I’ve heard of it,” Miros agreed. It must just be weak youma that could find him, or he’d be dead. And if only weak youma could find him, a page, at his weakest level of ability, was it connected to that somehow? Like, his own aura was resonating with some- No, that couldn’t be it. He would have no aura when powered down.
It was probably just that there was a greater abundance of ‘weak youma’ than there were anything else.
“And who are you relying on for support? You must have people who are willing to come help you in a fight. Even now, you don’t look too beat up.” Just sad. “So there must be someone who comes to your aid, or heals you, or something. I have a few senshi I could put you in contact with. They would probably appreciate knowing when youma are in the city, and would love to come finish a fight…”
It wouldn’t solve the greater situation, though. Ideally whatever was chasing him would stop, eventually, but that could be a lot to expect when he could die at any moment.
“Have you spoken to the Code? The piece on your wonder might not have much to say, but the Cornerstone Piece on the Moon is infinitely wise, and it might have a suggestion or advice! More than me or another knight or a senshi would, I’m sure.”
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 1:58 pm
Great. The little beast didn’t have much to offer him, either. A stiff sigh escaped his lips, and he side-eyed his cat companion.
“No one is helping me,” he retorted, carefully flat, but with a sharp edge. “I met one other page, Maya, but we have not kept in contact. I have tried to message her, but I think she might not have her ring.” Or he hoped that was the case- or maybe he didn’t. On one hand, he liked the idea of their being some excuse for her to not respond to his messages: ’How often do these monsters come out? Do they always attack you? They broke into my business??? Do you want to meet up sometime?’ Indra barely reached out to people like that, but she was the only one he knew who he could talk to…
But if she really didn’t have her ring, it would be embarrassing for her to ever get it, check the messages, and see a dozen from some guy she’d met once. Maybe it would be better to simply expire. He thumbed the back of his own signet ring.
Heat dusted his cheeks, but his skin was dark, and the evening light was dim enough, and he was facing away from Miros still such that the cat could hardly tell he was uncomfortable. ”I am unsure how I would get in contact with anyone else,” he continued, voice now practically a whisper.
A stiff shake of his head was the next answer. “I know of Antisana’s Code piece and the large piece at Olympus from past memories, but- The Moon? I have never been, would have no idea how to get there.” And he wasn’t sure how comfortable he was with talking to something that he was pretty sure was as close to a ‘god’ that existed in this world.
Or was that just an excuse to not have help?
For his own security, he should at least investigate any potential avenue available, and if he could really go to the Moon ever, that would be one more place he shouldn’t have to fear youma finding him. Presumably. If there was a whole Cornerstone Code piece there.
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 2:01 pm
’No one is helping me.’
“Alright, alright, no need to be snippy. I’m helping you, right?” Mirosnjha retorted back. But it was just as he’d expected. No Guardian meant no one was there to guide him. No one had been there to give him any advice or instruct him on what he should do if he was fighting alone… And if he was being attacked unpowered, he had to fight. There was nothing to be done about it. Being a knight sounded so terrible.
Miros sighed heavily in response, but his pretty blue gaze wandered searchingly to the hand Antisana wore his signet ring on. If he’d only met the one knight, it probably wasn’t very upgraded, and until he just happened to run into someone else by coincidence, he probably wouldn’t have much luck finding allies.
“Here, let me see your ring,” Mirosnjha demanded, stretching out a paw to bat at the page’s arm. “I can give you this little Moon Pearl that’ll let you visit the Moon Palace when the moon is full. It’s not a ‘go very often’ thing, but it’ll be useful sometimes.” But… not for talking to the Code, probably. Miros’ suddenly-sheepish expression, with slightly lowered ears may have given away a bit of his doubt. “The Code will just… summon you of its own accord, though. You can’t really choose to see it, until you’ve already been. I’m sure if you want it badly enough, it’ll know to bring you.”
Omnipotent space energy, right?
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 2:06 pm
”My ring?” Antisana had never been more wary of giving something to anyone, and for a brief moment, he was stricken by just how impulsive and bizarre the sensation was. He really did believe Miros would help him more than hurt him. He was sure the Mauvian meant no harm. And whether he had the ring in his possession or not did not change very much of what he was able to do. It didn’t make sense for him to not trust the cat with it.
But he still had to smother down that discomfort as he slid the signet ring from his finger and mechanically forced himself to set it down on the stone in front of the cat.
He did like the idea of being able to visit the Moon Palace, but Antisana was less enthused about having to internally beg the Code to please freaking take pity on him and help him. “Mmph,” he grumbled softly.
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 2:11 pm
For a moment, Mirosnjha kind of thought the page was going to refuse. It wasn’t like he wouldn’t have understood, but he still would’ve fought the decision. In the end, it didn’t come to that, as Antisana set the ring down in front of him.
“Great, yeah, unsurprisingly, it looks like you don’t have all the features you could have. I can fix it up so that it can locate other senshi nearby, and you’ll even be able to send messages to their phones. It shouldn’t change the look of your ring very much at all, but those kinds of updates will be helpful to you if you need someone to come to your aid, right? There is kind of a downside, though.” And he was pretty sure he was going to lose him, here.
“I’ll have to put you in the Mauvian database, so it might take me an hour or so. I don’t really do this kind of thing very often, so I might be a little slower than some of the other Guardians.” He tried earnestly to catch the man’s gaze, something that had eluded him since they’d started walking. “But it will help you, I promise.”
Miros gave a little shimmy as he opened up his space pocket and produced a little pearl screen that he could affix to the underside of the ring, beneath the gem it already had. “For now, this is the Moon Pearl.”
“If you can hang around here for just an hour, I’ll go to Headquarters and can get you into the database, get the chip input and set the rest of the updates you need. I’m sure you probably don’t want to, but this is kind of the most I can do for you right now. Giving you the ability to request aid when youma are attacking you, that could be really vital later, don’t you agree? So, if it’s alright…?”
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2022 2:18 pm
’No.’ The word felt hot and solid in his throat. Something that he had to physically swallow down to keep from erupting. Antisana didn’t distrust Mirosnjha, but they’d only just met, and he didn’t exact trust the Guardian, either.
Despite the fact that he probably should. If he couldn’t trust Miros, who could he trust?
No one seemed like the safest and most reasonable answer. But it wasn’t the most uplifting, and the thought boded poorly for his future. Antisana watched his ring with guarded intensity, waiting for the cat to take it and run, take it and forego any trepidation Antisana had. He could barely even register the cat asking for permission for any reason besides to just throw him off guard.
But Antisana was being so unreasonable, and he couldn’t justify any of the doubt or trepidation or mistrust with any sound evidence besides just fear and paranoia.
He couldn’t bring himself to give a verbal response, so all he was able to do was a crisp nod of assent towards the Mauvian’s question. It wasn’t what Antisana wanted- to have his ring taken for any amount of time, but it would be helpful down the road if it actually worked. And if the ring never made it back to him… He would just be out a method of communication that had never helped him before. …And the special magic it could channel, and a strained sense of security.
It was worth the risk. It had to be.
Mirosnjha took his ring and departed.
And… everything was fine. Antisana waited impatiently for an hour, picking up another cup of coffee and loitering down the nearby alleyways until the cat returned to him, barely more than a minute overdue. He received his signet ring back with the instruction that he should play around with it a little! and the pair went their separate ways without further incident. Mirosnjha had a bounce in his step like he’d done something productive, and Antisana was still a little suspicious, but hopefully the cat was right, and whatever new features there were would come in handy later.
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