Welcome to Gaia! ::

“Hey Heartbreaker!”

It was the strangest sort of Deja-vu, a weird reversal of roles wherein now he was the one finding her out, calling her out. Albite was quick on her heels once he felt her Aura, buzzing with nervous energy that wouldn’t quit. The rush of it all clung long after everything had ended. All those highs upped by the fact that he’d been enjoying himself the whole time! He wanted to live in those small moments forever; win, lose, it didn’t matter because having fun had been the entire purpose of the night! A stress free free-for-all, he’d get some trinkets, admire the spectacle, become a spectacle!

Then *Nikki* (********, was he even allowed to call her that?!) Nectaris had called him out, and oh the blinding as the sun in his eyes meaning behind that was unmistakable. No matter how dense he sometimes felt he must’ve been. She’d made her intent crystal clear. She was breaking up with him, finally. Wanted it known, felt, heard by all the world who was watching even if it didn’t mean anything to them.

Point was that she wanted him specifically to get it. Though he was sure she was doing it for herself too! The odd bit of pride he felt for her was all jumbled up in the spiky mess of feeling ‘<********>’ and shocking scald of ‘butwhy!?’ The whole of which was hard to manage since he still loved her, still cared, knew she’d looked badass as she sounded in front of all that crowd!!!

None of which changed the fact that he’d ******** up—

Done her wrong in a way where there now needed to be this sort of finality. Where he now needed to come up with actual answers for himself, lest all the bits of hurt n anger he’d refused to acknowledge consumed him wholly. He owed it to himself to do this as much as he owed it to her; to treat her like the person she was demanding to be seen as. It felt like that night on the rooftops all over again, where he wished he had simply kept going and avoided what now felt like the inevitable culmination of all the buildup surrounding them.

Except this time he wasn’t going to just vanish into thin air….

“You got a minute? Just the one– consider it a special request from a former fan,” it might’ve been the last minute alone together they’d ever get, so he was gonna make the most of it.

“You were, weren't you? Heh, you still are, right now, because what I did was wrong, Nectaris. You can say that aloud– you said it aloud already, or did I miss the meaning of alluv that entirely?” hands spread, and when she stopped he stopped, less than six feet away, staring into those wide eyes that he’d love till the day he died. Every splotch of pink on her, every bit of power; he should’ve at least hugged her before he’d demanded they pull Fulgurite into the mix.

He wanted to hug her now—

The way she was standing there as bold and beautiful as she’d been when she’d first asked him out over snow-cakes and cacao, brazen, upfront. She’d gone and dumped him the exact same way and for Waru? That felt the most poetic sort of right, it felt like justice and retribution the same way throwing Cyrolite’s name out under Fulgurites bus had felt like getting a little bit of his own back – even if it’d been petty as ******** and rude to do. Outing someone else’s boyfriend without their permission.

Just as rude as outing someone else’s husband….

“I think—I think I need to be serious too. I think I needed some boundaries when we started all of this up under that tree, before we ever kissed that first time,” and it hadn’t been the first time, but it also had? His first time kissing *Nectaris* like she’d died even when she hadn’t, loving her without understanding the half of it and thinking he could win her back over to his side with something soft, while she called him seductively into the light, “you’ve always been better at setting them then I have. Just because I didn’t, n now I’m feeling bitter for it all? That doesn’t mean I can blame you or Fulgurite for it…”

There were things he could blame them for though.

Things to be angry at other than himself, questions laying unanswered, flayed alive and bleeding in the streets. Past all her lovely pink he could see the red glare of them in the offcast light from the backends of bleachers. Even on the outskirts where they stood, where all that blaze of glory from the long since emptied stands bled n shattered over the shadows cast by trees n her gorgeous moonlit aura.

“I should’ve been more honest with you, more trusting,” and far less trusting with others but he was only realizing that right about *now*. Their relationship couldn't've lasted when they were both having to keep so many things pocketed away. He knew he was far too in his feelings and emotional for that to last. Honesty was the only reason he and Faustite worked so well. Why Ei’ got the ring even though Albite felt so strongly for so many others! There were no lies between them, nothing hidden, nothing to hide— Faustite would never judge him and he would never judge his boy back and they could have it out bloody and bright or soft and calm. The love wouldn’t fade and the feelings wouldn’t change the day after.

“There are questions I have though…just the two, really? N’then I promise this’ll be the end of it....” he’d made so many promises, hadn’t he? He liked to think he did good at keeping them up. Sylvite asked him never to use his powers against her, that was fine, easy, yes! Nectaris wanted him to drop the ‘join my dark coven’ bullshit, it was good and right and of course he could drop it he ******** loved her so soo sooo soooo much!! She hadn’t wanted to fight. He hadn’t either.

N then he found her line, the one he toed across that sparked something defensive because in her, Nectaris could handle herself. Could handle him too, something that became so suddenly clear on that rooftop, facing her down while she was defending Fulgurite of all people! Albite remembered that he could be her enemy easily as he could be her lover, that his actions would get reactions and that – while Nectaris wasn’t inherently violent? Oh, oh, his girl with secret ninja abs could sure as ******** throw down if he pushed wrong enough in all the bad ways—

“...Cause no one deserves to be less n a person, no matter how pretty I thought you were up there on a pedestal.” He could be sorry without saying the words, this time, could do it easily, openly. With his face showing every thought, with his chest out and his head held high. The words were messy and unnecessary bullshit, he needed to speak with actions now.

You won’t be going home—

The thought sat, dead center of his eyes, a little flash of something darker, something raw. She needed to go home, that was only proper, and right, and how things should’ve been. Nectaris had an entire life outside of them now! Separate, sacred, secreted away in the safety of a ‘home’. Initially he’d been so glad for it, to know she was loved and protected, to know she was somewhere safe and sound with people who cared for her. Not just purified n then left on the moon or abandoned to the streets…

Nectaris had left him, and he hadn’t ever cared about that. Nectaris had betrayed him, in some small way, and initially that hadn’t hurt beyond their first encounter. The guilt for Jet though, for Aqua, the guilt he felt for possibly betraying them their win? Oh, that’d always stayed, a dagger sharp shard center mass of his personhood. Guilt for the loss of the princess Nectaris had so bravely stolen like all those heroes in story books!!

Being a hero had just as many consequences as being a villain did. Albite knew she knew that, had warned her of it time and again – he simply hadn’t wanted to be one of those consequences. Not now, not ever. If Nectaris had simply wanted to leave and live a life free and far away from them all, Albite thought he could’ve accepted that forever. Could’ve run into her once or twice on the rare occasions she maybe did power up and been soothed somewhere deep in his soul for it. But she continued to power up, didn’t she? The night had happened, her intentions were clear, and he knew she could never be the hero who stood idly by when she thought there was a world to love back together!! It was why he loved her so much from the go of things.

As Sylvite before, as Nectaris right now.

He couldn’t begrudge her her beliefs, her viewpoints, wouldn’t cast any shade on them even as he had to step up and own the parts of himself that were less than good intentioned and pure. He’d never agreed with how the keeping of Gany had gone down; they they’d kept her so well, kept her alive for so long! That’d always rankled him, and he wished Nectaris could’ve just handed the princess over from the start…

They she’d never saved Gany at all.

“Why did you want me to purify so badly? I just, it feels like something I should know? I know why I – I know why I asked you back – why I tried, till you asked me to quit and I promise to honor that. Shits really simply complicated on my end though. Right? A-uh-one of those contradictory double negative kinda deals? I love you, I want you alive, even if you can take care of yourself I wanna have you alive n out of danger *with me*, wanted to keep you as you are now just as much as I wanted to get you back the way you were before. Most importantly though–I wanted to see you without the risks to the other people in my life who are just as important as you are. Never personally cared about what happens to my own a**, but for them? It matters….” which made the extra publicity of the whole night rankle a little extra sharply, even as it thrilled him to his core, made him listen, made him hear her out!

He hadn’t powered up thinking anything through though, just wanted to win or lose in the most showy manner possible. Course he could’ve lied, but when ever was he good at lying to anyone about anything!? So he couldn’t do that – he wouldn’t – he wanted to own his everything, every mistake, every success! He needed to especially now that he was owning up to how badly he’d wronged the sweet moon-beam before him!

He could text Aqua though, and get firmly reminded that he was a whole a** Eternal who occasionally did have a job to do!!

Nectaris had never been part of that though—

Not until now.

Albite wanted *more*, a grand overture, a dying sigh, a last stand of a confession! He wanted chaos, eternity, the kind of devotion that his ancestors had scoured the sands amidst a sea of stars and died for! Nectaris was herself though, her answers honest, and he took them because he loved her for who she was, always had, always would.

Do I still love her right now the same way I did before? Is it all past tense?

His heart wavered as he asked himself important questions, skated by the glancing blow of *still do’s* spoken by her so softly. The way all his pent up fears and hurts for acknowledging to himself how he honestly felt about that because even if she did, even if it was for all the clearest of reasons? Did he?

He didn’t.

What she was asking made so much ******** sense to his heart, an eternal sort of easy friendship, a soft love unbroken and unthreatened by the world. Then he thought of all his friends, his enemies, his lovers, his husband. Purification as an escape? Fine, sure. As a way to save, to leave the old and embrace the new? Yeah, why not! But as a cure all for the evils that ailed the world?

As if the Negaverse was the worst of it—

No. He couldn’t acknowledge that with the experience he had, having seen blights and alien planets from up close and afar. He couldn’t imagine everyone he loved and knew on his side of things possibly losing the entirety of their minds just for the chance to ‘all be on the same side’! He flinched away from the thought of that, for all that he could acknowledge some of the negaverses evil inherently (after all, people like Schorl existed), could acknowledge his own evil even (his hands were hardly clean).

What he couldn’t come to terms with was the necessity of an absence of the negaverse entirely. It didn’t fit his mental picture of the way things needed to be. Or maybe he just wanted what he wanted and taking change that far was too far a chasm for him to cross right now. He didn’t care if Praxidike wailed in the darkness because that ******** could have a turn next time, this time, this one? It was his now and he wasn’t about to change his mind when he was so far into things!

Alignment be damned he had chosen what he’d chosen— just like Nectaris had. He respected her for it, wanted to ask for that mirrored sameness, but then he hadn’t, had he? Couldn’t have done so because he wanted the kisses, the games of tag, the loving embraces in quiet groves while being star-crossed in just the right ways!

He’d wronged her and himself – it felt awful –

“Thank you, Nectaris. You’re probably the sweetest person I know? Much as I love the world — I don’t think I could ever love it as much as you do. You maybe deserve better n what I can bring, yanno…” and he needed to swallow past the lump in his throat, to breathe out the next question before he got sidetracked and hung up on how he still struggled as all ******** to lay down a single boundary — don’t purify me unless I ask for it – I swear I wont corrupt you – I…..

“Next question though! D’you wanna know why I was really so, so, sooo mad at Fulgurite before? I, uh, I finally figured out some of why I was angry at least. At you, at him. Realized that getting the answers to the questions I wasn’t willing to ask meant I had to actually go on out and ask you things!! Things I didn’t want to ask at all – cause I was afraid I’d end things between us – or, no, I was afraid of being lied to, and then of being told the truth to, and none of that makes sense. I know it doesn’t, but?” A small shrug and his embarrassed smile was sad as it was sheepishly wary, a nervous scuff of heels following all his wordy sounds, cause it was kind of funny that she’d dumped him n all his worrying had come to naught..…

“But I finally figured it out n’ imma tell you honestly— but only after you tell me who told you about Me n Faustites wedding.”

He should’ve asked months ago, that very night she’d said it. Hadn’t. Couldn’t. Didn’t. What did it matter if he asked now? What was the worst that could happen, him getting broken up with?

“Don’t worry, I won’t, I promise – n you know how good I am about keeping promises with you. Fulgurites gonna stay our little secret…” It was as much a relief as it was a nail in the coffin of his decisive process, hearing her speak so freely, like it was nothing. The way she dismissed him after and tried to make her way out—

She was saying things he’d already sort of known, but had needed confirmed. Another desperate grab for finality. Things that a little pink note with hearts and glitter had sparked his awareness in. Fulgurite had known Nectaris for months – hadn’t said a single word – and of course he hadn’t asked because he’d been being a coward about it all! Because chaos was deadly, dangerous, blah, blah, blah, and he shouldn’t ask it’d drive his love away! Fulgurite had attended his wedding and probably told Nectaris before Albite’d told anyone else! That she knew before his mother, his sisters, all the people he loved who couldn't attend. How he could only show Faustite to the world in the most humanly acceptable of ways (if he was not on fire and missing organs) for only a few hours at a time….

That wasn’t fair.

His family would’ve loved Faustite. He knew this. He should’ve been able to take Faustite everywhere, everyday: in the rain, sleet, snow, a hail of comets! Should’ve been able to introduce him to the world! Instead they’d introduced themselves to their team, the people as close and loved like their own family as anyone could’ve ever been. At least, Albite firmly thought they were family—

If Nectaris hadn’t purified? She would’ve been invited too. He would’ve called her down, but as things stood it was only the treasured few in that moment – and Albite realized he was maybe more upset that Fulgurite had told Nectaris without asking his permission about it first then he was about anything else. That maybe he’d wanted to make sure of their relationship together and everything it entailed before sharing such intimate details about himself and his life like bright, poignant gossip.

It wasn’t her fault though, was it? Wasn’t Fulgurites now, either. Not anymore, so many months after the fact. The onus was his and remained so until he owned the ******** up and shifted it over. Until he took an actual action and made a change in response to – to everything — so he wasn’t going to go after Fulgurite. He wasn’t going to ask Nikki anything else, either. Not tonight. If his water sprite was or wasn’t the mole? Maybe it was something he’d deal with once he sorted his feelings out. He knew Fulgs could’ve just talked to Nectaris the way Albite talked to Nectaris and oopsidentally let slip a detail he couldn’t possibly have known was so very close n coveted to Albites heart, because he was loud as ******** with everything in his life, wasn’t he? That he’d be quiet about a vow ceremony. A marriage. That he supposedly loved Nikki and hadn’t yet wanted her told?

Those contradicting images maybe didn’t meld very well…

“You have a good night Nikki, you get home safe—” even as he was saying the words to her back, he was pulling out his tablet, putting out a distress call to the select few agents he knew were in the area, because he was very good at keeping his promises!! He’d sworn all sorts of oaths to others —- the most binding sort — and so even though his magic roiled to snare *something*, it didn’t. He’d ******** promised, afterall. Wholeass Eternal and man of his word. He had to be both of those things for his own sanity. Had to give Jet his justice while keeping those other pieces of himself intact….

Just because he couldn’t do anything about her retreat didn’t mean others couldn’t, did it? Sure as ******** seemed that way to him! So as she walked away he pulled his tablet and put out a call.

Helio teleported in just behind Albite, and moved casually to the man's side. His eyes glanced over Albite checking to see if the man had any signs of fighting on him beyond the ridiculousness that had transpired at the He-Man competition earlier. Finding nothing he gave Taenite a glance of disinterest before turning to Nectaris. How interesting that the little butterfly knight was here and, with no one else around, the obvious point of interest.

"Lovely night, isn't it?" He remarked as he offered their guest a smile. "Have you decided to share tonight, Albite?"

Funny how this knight seemed to keep finding herself in the presence of chaos aligned. Even running to meet them, considering his last encounter with her. He'd done his due diligence since meeting her before and dug on her history. Not just a mere Knight but a traitor at that. "Perhaps our little mouse is missing home?" He said, playing off of Taenite's comment.

Didn't he always share? Everything with everyone, his toys, his friends, his lovers. He glanced between the three who'd showed, shrugged at some distant ping of -- it felt like feathers? Felt like 'one of theirs' and so he minded it less, because his focus needed to be on Nectaris---

"No one's gettin to run tonight, Firebrand. Cause she's no mouse," offered with caution, tinged with relief for how reassuring the auras flared up on either side of himself felt; hot, playful, violent. Harder edges and voices he knew and loved so well. He felt secure in how His the trio were, without question, in fall and flaming colors while Nectaris was soft and fuzzed at the edges, like a distant lights pastel halo. Not his anymore. Fulgurites, maybe? Her new families? The vicious little wolfmistress who'd eyed her the entirety of the event till she'd fallen over from it...

Not mine though, not in that way.

"And we're not playing tag anymore." Albite didn't think they were playing anymore at all, that maybe they'd never get the chance to play again -- not in any ways that weren't for keeps. That didn't have the same kind of finality as her breakup had for him. Sylvite had evolved out of her chrysalis labeled General, and into the lovely new visage of kick-a** butterfly on the moon. She was in every aspect a Knight, and it was about time he started treating her like one. "S'bit more like capture the flag now. Just don't kill her--" in this he was serious despite his grin. He knew that maybe Jet would've, but they'd talked months n months ago, and when all was said and done and fallen down it was up to Laurels to make that call. He didn't have the heart to do it, no more than he had the heart to bind her up. He eyed her staff though -- got ideas about it -- the way she always put it between herself and him, the way she put herself between him and Fulgurite.

"Go"

If he could just get the staff--- maybe then they could bring her in without anyone getting too injured. It was worth a try, the only thought in his head even as he put a foot forwards -- and stepped between spaces in order to appear in front of Nectaris like a body-made blockade, leaving the trio of boys at her back.

The minute that the distress call came in, Skoll was moving. The cute knight who'd won the He's the Man competition was asking for help, and she was not going to miss it. Besides, if a knight needed help, it meant she was out numbered. Skoll wasn't about to let someone who seemed like a really decent person - and was a cutie to boot - get overwhelmed.

She landed next to Nectaris, eyeing the five - five - Chaos auras in front of them. Of course that ******** Albite was here. She didn't recognize the other four, but there were at least two auras more powerful than her. Well, she'd fought worse odds before.

...Granted, the worst odds had been a street fight and any time the odds were against her in a larger fight, Cosmos or someone stepped in. But Skoll wasn't one to back down, ever, and if that meant she had to fight off a flaming General, three corrupts and another other agents? It was just gunna be a challenge, that was all.

"Looks like you could use a few extra hands," said the tall senshi of the Pack as she assumed a fighting stance, arms up and hands balled into fists. She glanced at Nectaris for a moment, giving a nod of support.

stari_maga

Strickenized

kolina

Guine

shiningamisgirl