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 Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 10:51 am
Mirrorwalking with the two teenagers took nothing out of Remarque and, just as he’d said, there was a mirror tucked away in a nondescript, clean(ish) part of the alley. There were no energy signatures nearby, nobody nearby.
Just him and the two he’d brought with him.
But, he couldn’t exactly go into the diner looking like this, so after he’d released them, he took a few steps forward before he powered down. He was dressed nicely, because he always was these days. Business kept him busy, and that meant keeping up appearances, too.
There was just the small matter of introducing himself to them. Again.
Better to do it here than in public. He turned to face them and extended a hand in greeting. “Jett.”
He faced Kaelan first, because he seemed the calmer, less excitable of the two, and he seemed a bit more easily influenced. He wasn’t surprised when Kaelan took the hand, perhaps out of obligation and social courtesy only, and shook.
Wide-eyed and surprised, Kaelan shook his hand a few extra times and offered his own name, but color had already stained his face. He might not have known Jett, but it was still embarrassing–he thought he’d have never had to see the man from the antique store again.
…He had to recognize them, didn’t he? But he didn't seem awkward or judgmental at all. Kaelan couldn’t really get a good read on him, but when Jett had finished shaking his hand, he turned to Orien and seemed to expect the same.
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 1:15 pm
For a few moments, Orien was distracted by the mirrorwalking and by the location they’d appeared. There was no one else around -- except suddenly it was no longer Remarque standing before them.
Instead it was the man from the antique shop.
Orien immediately tensed as he stared at the man, could feel the frustration and embarrassment growing because--
“Have you been following us?” he growled, not taking Jett’s hand and instead balling his own by his sides. He was sorely tempted to drag Kaelan away because how long had they been stalked??
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 1:58 pm
Jett clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, but he wasn’t going to let himself get worked up or upset. He’d been expecting this, it was fine. He lowered his hand to his side without any apparent insult.
“You saw the mirror in the trees. I think you would have noticed a guy carrying a mirror that size around after you. I hadn’t expected to run into either of you two again. You left pretty quickly. So, no. Although, the reason I knew you were Senshi is because I had someone there with me that said as much. I should have followed you then, but you said you weren’t feeling good. I was going to let you be on your way, but the universe seems to have had other ideas.”
Kaelan looked quickly to Orien, and there was something faintly pleading in his expression; when Orien lowered his hand to his side, Kaelan took it. Squeezed, gently, to say everything he wouldn’t say out loud.
If nothing else came from this, at least there was dinner. If Orien wanted to spite the guy, he could just order everything off the menu and get more takeout than they could fit in the fridge. And, this guy had answers! Hopefully. He wanted to learn how to do magic! Maybe.
Getting through the mirrors would be neat, it would save on bus fees, and maybe they could put off buying a car, and–there were a ton of other ways they could use that! Maybe! Hopefully!
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 6:02 pm
Orien continued to bare his teeth, trying to figure out if this guy was being a jerk on purpose, or if he really thought pointing out the obvious was a good way to diffuse the situation.
Kaelan’s hand around his seemed to temper the fire, and while he didn’t relax completely, he did step closer to Kaelan as if to keep him protected.
From what, he wasn’t sure. But this guy could apparently use magic, and he knew about them already, and he had them walking through mirrors.
And he was offering to buy them food.
Gently, so that Kaelan didn’t think Orien was mad at him, Orien pulled his hand away from Kaelan’s grasp. But only so he could lift his arm and wrap it around Kaelan’s shoulders and pull him close enough to press a kiss against his temple.
He didn’t apologize for getting riled up, but he didn’t say anything else to counter Jett. He hoped he didn’t mess this up and make him change his mind about feeding them.
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 6:15 pm
There was a split second where Kaelan was worried he might have upset Orien; his heart sank when the hand was retracted, but his fears were mostly eased when he got a kiss instead.
Jett gave them a moment and then nodded. “Well, I’m going to get dinner, so if you’re coming, keep up.”
He’d only taken a few steps when Kaelan was hurrying after him. He snaked one arm around Orien’s waist to bring him, too. “It’ll be okay,” he whispered. Jett was giving them a bit of space, so he assumed it was either because he knew they’d follow or he wasn’t going to be upset that they didn’t.
“You’re doing so well, I’m really proud of you.”
He hadn’t hit anyone! Or yelled! Or run off!
“What are you going to get for dinner?” he asked, trying to make sure he was focusing on the positive of all of this.
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 6:28 pm
He kept his arm around Kaelan, but decided it was worth his time to glare at Jett’s back. He couldn’t read him. He didn’t like that he didn’t know what this guy wanted from them. There was always a motive, always something that could be taken and manipulated. And Orien didn’t want Jett doing that with Kaelan. Or himself, but he could handle himself. Kaelan was so easily obedient for the sake of being polite.
“I don’t know,” he said, his voice softer now that he was just focusing on Kaelan. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a restaurant. You’ll have to help make sure I don’t do anything stupid.”
Had he ever been in a restaurant? He couldn’t remember. He couldn’t recall sitting down and looking at a menu. And ordering from a waiter.
“I don’t know if we can trust him yet. Just… be careful,” he requested, and gave Kaelan another kiss as they followed Jett. “What about you? What are you going to eat?”
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 6:47 pm
Jett was at the door already, but he’d pulled out his phone so he could go through it and text someone while he waited for them.
Kaelan took the opportunity to lean against Orien and answered, “I don’t know, but I’m not going to pick the cheapest thing on the menu.” Well, he might still. He didn’t want to be imposing. “Something warm with a lot of iron in it. Or, something sweet. I’m not sure. I can’t decide. We’ll see what’s on the menu. Just sit next to me, I’ll take care of you,” he promised. “And, I’ll be careful. I don’t know if he’s trustworthy, but…we can figure it out. I’ll be okay as long as I have you,” he promised.
The distance between them and Jett was small, and closing rapidly; he pulled the door open for them and stepped aside so they could go first. The large windows on the building offered a transparent view inside; it was a clean place, and most of the patrons were at tables near the front.
“Head to the booth in the back, it’s private. We’ll be able to talk without worrying about anyone overhearing.”
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 6:55 pm
Orien didn’t want to walk in front of Jett, especially since he was still trying to figure him out. But he was determined not to ruin this for Kaelan. Once Kaelan was fed and happy, then maybe Orien would start picking fights again. And win, of course.
He looked around at everything as he went. Looking for anything out of the ordinary. Not that he was familiar with that place or diners in general. He worked in a restaurant -- as a dishwasher. He wasn’t ever in the front of the place, and he certainly had never ordered from the menu. He didn’t eat there, he just did his job and went home. They wouldn’t feed him, anyway.
But he wanted Kaelan to eat. And he would be lying if he said he wasn’t hungry, too. So he made his way towards the booth in the back -- but since he got there first, he immediately ushered Kaelan into the inside of the booth so they could have their backs to the wall and face everyone else.
He didn’t hide the fact that he looked a little smug for getting the first pick of where they were sitting. He let the bag of coins thunk on the floor between his feet.
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 7:30 pm
Kaelan jumped at the sound of the coins, and then immediately laughed at himself for it. No matter what happened, they had a good haul of coins. He nudged Orien’s foot with his own and chewed on his lip as he watched Jett.
He couldn’t make out what the blonde was saying, but while he was talking to a waitress, she handed him three menus and was jotting something down. There wasn’t enough time for him to get nervous; when Jett took a seat across from them, he handed them each a menu.
“I ordered a few appetizers, if you want more we’ll let her know when she gets over here. They’ve got a fried platter I should have stopped ordering years ago, but my heart hasn’t given out yet. Mozzarella sticks, fried mushrooms, fried pickles, whatever they can throw in a fryer and have out, fast. Order whatever you want. Milkshakes are good, waffles are good, cheeseburgers are good. Pork chops and steak strips are subpar. Fries are good.”
He opened the menu to peruse it, but he seemed well-versed with it already.
Kaelan thanked him for the menu, but he was still a bit anxious about all of this. He opened the menu first to the drink section so he and Orien could look there first. There were an array of sodas, coffee, water. Almost instinctively, he wanted to order the water, but Jett had said anything.
A cheeseburger and fries sounded good. And a milkshake. And some soda. And fried food. And–everything. Everything sounded good. Even subpar pork chops and steak strips.
“What are you getting?” he asked Jett, hiding behind the menu. He’d said he wasn’t going to order the cheapest thing on the menu, but he didn’t want to order anything more expensive than Jett.
“Cheeseburger,” Jett answered, still skimming the menu. “With a side of sweet potato fries. I’m not kidding when I say order whatever you want.” He lowered the menu. “Get to-go if you want, too. I could go on for hours about this whole Senshi stuff, so make yourselves comfortable. We don’t have to do it all tonight, but I don’t want you going out and doing anything until you know what to expect.”
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 7:48 pm
Orien’s expression faded a bit when Jett didn’t even blink an eye to having to keep his back to the rest of the restaurant. Fine, whatever. He didn’t care. As long as he was able to protect Kaelan, that was all that mattered.
But he blinked curiously at all the strange things Jett listed out that he got, and didn’t quite stop himself from making a face at the thought of fried mushrooms and pickles.
However, he was so hungry, he was willing to try even the weirdest things.
He tapped Kaelan’s foot back with his own, and glanced down at the menu. There were so many things to choose from. But if Jett was serious about them getting whatever they wanted.
“You should definitely get a milkshake if they’re good,” Orien suggested to Kaelan, leaning close to him so their shoulders were brushing. “If we get different flavors, we can share. I think… I don’t know. I think I’m going to try the cheeseburger, too. And fries. And… actually, don’t judge me, but I don’t remember the last time I had a salad, so maybe one of those.”
Was that weird? That was probably weird, but hopefully Kaelan didn’t mind.
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 8:02 pm
“Oh, good. I’m glad you’re eating vegetables!” Kaelan said, maybe a little too excited about that. “I will, too. I kind of wanted a cheeseburger too. Can I have a bite? I kind of want to get waffles. And a spinach salad. And the broccoli and cheese soup.”
He lowered his menu to look at Jett, and had to suck in a breath before he asked, “Is that okay?”
Kaelan was holding his breath, prepared for rejection–as much as he could be–but Jett surprised him with a simple, “Sure.”
Didn’t even question the weird assortment.
“And a milkshake?”
“Go for it.”
Kaelan chewed on the inside of his cheek and leaned into Orien’s shoulder. Jett hadn’t even looked like he’d needed any time to consider it. Which, on one hand, good! They could get as much as they wanted! On the other hand, he felt a bit more squeamish about being found scooping coins in the fountain, and he wondered if Jett was dragging them into something illegal, or dangerous.
…They could say no. They could just leave. This could just be a meal.
Or, they could leave with magic.
He’d stick through it, just to hear what they had to say. The waitress was already headed over and he panicked, rapidly scanning the menu like he had to make sure he knew exactly what he was ordering so he didn’t make a mistake.
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 8:15 pm
Orien still wasn’t sure about this guy. He seemed too ready to just let them have whatever they wanted. There had to be some catch. Was being magical really that bad? Or was this some kind of prank? He sure hoped not.
“You’re not going to walk out on us and leave us with a huge bill, are you?” he frowned, but knew he probably wouldn’t hear the answer until they’d finished ordering because the waitress was already there.
So that just meant Orien had to hope that Jett wasn’t there to lead them into something that they couldn’t get out of. He knew he would wash dishes or whatever he had to to pay an outstanding bill, but he didn’t want Kaelan to have to suffer through that.
He ended up getting a milkshake, cheeseburger, fries, house salad, and a chicken noodle soup. And since he didn’t want to miss out on any dessert, he went ahead and ordered some apple pie and some chocolate brownies with ice cream. He knew it would probably melt, but they would just have to eat it first -- Oh, and some chicken tenders with some different sauces. And some cheese stuffed meatballs.
Maybe he was overdoing it, but Jett said anything they wanted, and he was hoping he wasn’t right about this guy.
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 8:37 pm
Jett hadn’t even so much as raised a brow when they made their order; he kept it simple with just a cheeseburger and fries, no milkshake, no dessert. Kaelan only ordered what he said he would, but he seemed to understand the limitations of his stomach–even if they could take home what they couldn’t eat.
The waitress took their order and left, promising their appetizers soon.
Jett waited until she was a good bit away before he assured, “That would be awfully rude of me. Especially because you know where I work. I promised you dinner for hearing me out, I meant it. I’m a man of my word.”
He rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward a bit. “I’ve got a Mauvain who will meet up with us after all this, we’ll get you set up with your pens so you can transform when you like. Don’t be surprised or anything, it’s a talking cat.” He didn’t expect it to sound believable, but they’d already seen so much already. He was mindful of keeping his voice low, but loud enough to be heard across the table. “They’re aliens. I’ve got a lot to go over with you, but the important thing is that you two be careful with your identities. Don’t tell anyone about this unless you trust them. Don’t transform in front of anyone. There’s a lot of people trying to fight for power in Destiny City. A lot of people who don’t understand us. I’ll have to take you into Mirrorspace sometime. It’s a between world, a realm that exists between the mirrors. I’m sure none of this sounds believable. I got the whole spiel after I’d been sucked up into some rainbow road in space, so I’m not going to hold it against you if you think it sounds insane. It might take some time to sink in, but you’ll see. I don’t expect it to be an easy transition. But our goal is simple, when you get past the bullshit of it all. Keep Earth safe. And, build a backup world in Mirrorspace just in case we can’t.”
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 9:11 pm
Oh… they did know where Jett worked. Orien hadn’t really thought of that. But then again, he’d never been in a position where he was actually able to retaliate beyond punching someone in the throat -- and then getting beaten up for it.
He scowled and slumped down in the booth a bit. Nothing he did seemed to bother Jett, and it bothered Orien that it didn’t bother Jett. Which was probably stupid, but. He wasn’t used to anyone but Kaelan not immediately finding him abrasive and impossible to deal with. Okay, that wasn’t true, there were others. But only Kaelan had really found the patience to get to know him.
Everything Jett was telling them, though… It was a lot. Maybe too much. He felt a little overwhelmed. And while he didn’t want to show any weakness, he couldn’t help but lean a bit heavier against Kaelan, as if he was his anchor in this storm of information being thrown at them.
He knew it sounded unbelievable, but after everything they’d already experienced, how could it just be made up? Especially when Jett didn’t seem like the kind of person to waste time on stories like that.
But one thing did bother him enough to be able to speak up, “Is Earth really in danger…? From what?”
Building a world with Kaelan in another realm of existence seemed too good to be true, but… would they be alone, or would Jett and others like them be there?
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 9:19 pm
“Everything,” Jett answered easily. It could have been an effort to dismiss the question entirely, but instead he gave them a moment to digest that.
Kaelan stiffened, at first because he thought there must be some great, awful, imminent threat, but everything? Everything seemed so…unimpressive. Climate change, overpopulation, deforestation, greed, whatever–he already knew those things were destroying Earth.
He’d expected something a bit more substantial, something a bit more jarring.
Jett’s tactic worked, because by the time he continued, Kaelan had already been eased into the topic.
“More than I can say now, and more than I know. There are threats in every direction. Agencies here with their own powers. And the untold threats from off of this world. Because, there are aliens, and we don’t know what they want. The Dark Mirror Court is underrated. There’s a bigger war waging. There are other Senshi, outside of our Court. And Knights. And this group called the Negaverse, they’re the ones that are leaving people comatose and sending the monsters out. So be careful with them. But try to stay on their good side. I’m not sending you out into this alone, so don’t think you’re just jumping right into the fire. I want you to take some time to process all of this. Here,” he paused briefly to pull a business card out of his wallet; he slid it across the table for them.
He hadn’t spared any expense; it was a heavy, smooth cardstock, with shiny black font. Classy. Simple. Along with his name, a phone number, an email, and an address.
“You can text anytime. Don’t call past ten unless it’s an emergency, I have kids at home and they’ll make any excuse to ‘wake up’ past their bedtime.”
Kaelan accepted the card and showed it to Orien, partly because he didn’t really know what else to do with it. He was nodding along, carefully categorizing each little piece of new information as best he could. It still felt like jumping right into the middle of a sci-fi story and skimming the SparkNotes.
“There are a lot of threats,” Jett continued. “So I strongly believe that Mirrorspace is our best bet to making sure we have a future. I’m not sure the others aren’t going to destroy Earth in the process of trying to eradicate each other. As long as we play our cards right, it’s easy enough to avoid getting s**t on by either side. I’ve spent the past decade building bridges to make sure we’re safe when the s**t hits the fan. But we can’t afford to get sloppy. Mirrorspace takes energy to build, and we don’t have nearly enough people working on it. But once you get started,” he shrugged, “It gives back what you put in.”
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