Prompt 1: The weatherman said it was going to be a nice day today. Perfect time to go get some of those errands taken care of. Unfortunately, while you were shopping, heavy clouds rolled in and it began pouring outside. Do you chance it and run for your car or duck inside the nearest shop until the weather clears up?
Honestly, Siegenite was beginning to believe that any promise of good weather would be a lie. This was the third time he'd found himself caught in the rain on a day that was promised to be much nicer and sunnier, and the entire experience was really starting to get to him. He'd even discarded his jacket into subspace, because it had been warm when he started out, and now he was pondering if it was worth the effort to pull it back out and throw it on, eve if it'd look unaccountably messy.
Ugh.
Once was bad luck, twice a coincidence, thrice was a pattern, and Siegenite was just tired of having to duck under a shop awning and hope that no one felt like picking a fight in this weather.
His hopes had been dashed before, of course, and he was still stinging over the strange alien Senshi that had attacked him, considering the undignified nature of the entire experience. So when he felt another aura nearby, he sighed, heavily, and pulled out his weapon, ready to defend himself from someone who might just decide that it was a good day to bite a Negaverse officer who was, realistically, just goddamn existing.
Daekie
Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2023 8:47 pm
The rain was undoubtedly preferable to the heat, no matter if it was dry or humid, but that did not mean it was preferable in and of itself. It was a very average rain that did not threaten their physical health in any way, lest perhaps the threat of illness if Róka caught cold; this was, objectively, a good thing. It was a very normal and very manageable rain.
It was also dreadfully boring, and in all this downpour, their layers of clothing were proving more of a problem than a benefit. Damnable fuku wasn't as waterproof as it ought to be. Maybe at Super, again...? --Ah, no, no point in wondering on that. With their luck, their starseed couldn't sustain that power any longer the way it once had; they would deal with that once they got to it, whenever that time came.
Normally they would've risked those wet rooftops without question, but Róka was not quite back to themself today, and the storm had come so out of nowhere they'd almost brained themself on an air conditioning unit. Embarrassing enough on its own. If anyone had seen that? They still retained enough shreds of their pride for it to burn.
At the very least, their descent down to street level looked -- if not controlled, than purposeful. No ill done. And the flicker-flare of the Captain had not moved in that time, now that they were paying attention.
Always a pleasure to make new friends. There was enough restless movement under their skin that they'd near flung themself off the rooftop just to have a direction and an aim; with his weapon bared, he might want to make this something a little less kind. Róka wouldn't mind. Still, they had a façade to continue, and that did not involve unprompted assaults.
"Is that how you greet every stranger on the street?"
Siegenite had to take a moment to reorient, because at first glance, this Senshi looked quite human--until his eyes fell on the strange fins on their ears and he realized that, oh, those were not an accessory.
Ah. Another of the alien Senshi. How many of them were there, Siegenite wondered, that he'd managed to find three? (And every single one with a terrible attitude of some sort or another. The aggressive one with the silver hair, Miss Sterrennacht and her arrogance, and now this snarky fish-finned brat. Though, he had to acknowledge, a little sarcasm wasn't the worst thing he'd endured.)
He shifted his grip on his weapon, leaning on it like a proper cane rather than brandishing it, and shrugged.
"You'll forgive my caution. I got bitten by another Senshi recently, and I'm not eager to have it happen again." He raised his eyebrows, in a way that he hoped conveyed exactly how little he wanted to repeat the experience. Hopefully whatever strangeness this one had, it was not that particular variety.
Daekie
Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2023 10:10 pm
Róka's slight smile was close enough to sincere. Some expression they'd made unconsciously, was the idea; just another slight feeling that any normal being might go through. "An understandable caution." And it meant he had a little more wits about him than half the Negaverse, it sometimes seemed. Biting -- well. Nobody expected biting, which meant it was frequently an excellent option, depending on the strength of one's jaw and the sharpness of one's teeth. They'd have to do their own research on who this feral little senshi was; an unknown like that could serve as a good scapegoat, in time, or something to direct. Someone else from a foreign land who'd had it all go to rot, perhaps.
And this Captain was tall. Which didn't mean anything, as it was, but did Destiny City have something in the water? Really, now, it was getting unreasonable how often people had a foot or more on them. "Though I do like to believe I'm rather more civilized than that. Is there space for two under your awning? I've no intent of drowning in this... deluge." If this didn't get them an interesting response, then perhaps they'd switch tactics, or switch something about their approach.
Siegenite gave a brief nod. Perhaps this one was a little better behaved than the alien Senshi he'd dealt with previously; if nothing else, they knew how to pretend decency and courtesy. So he took a step back, to make more room under the awning, and allowed himself to lean on his cane--a lazy, casual sort of posture, but one that could easily shift to something defensive if this little chat got feistier.
"I suspect there's space enough," he said. "So, which planet do you hail from?" So far, this one hadn't made any unusual suggestions or demands, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. Still, Siegenite had to admit, he hoped they were chatty, so that he might be able to learn some more about whatever the situation was beyond Earth.
Daekie
Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2023 9:58 am
That would suffice. Róka took a spot approximately arms-length away from the Captain, keeping him on their right side, and started trying to wring at least some water out of their hair without getting it on either of them; it wasn't the simplest task they'd ever undertaken, but it was something to do with their hands.
Siegenite shrugged. "Consider it a desire to learn about the wider universe. I'm a scientist--not a biologist, no, but even for someone whose work is earthbound, the idea of exoplanetary civilizations does ignite a sort of curiosity."
It even had the benefit of being true. Siegenite no longer remembered much at all about his Wonder--just a deep-seated sense of disdain and anger. But he still couldn't help but want to know more about everything out there. Who knew what might end up being relevant?
Daekie
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2023 11:16 am
"Shame you've only been born now. Most everything's gone to rot." Róka knew they sounded remarkably unconcerned, but on this point they didn't bother with as much pretense. Why would they worry at something that no longer hurt?
"If you've specific questions," a one-shouldered shrug, hands still at work pressing the water out of their hair, "we may be here for some time. You're welcome to ask." Not that they promised to be truthful, but there were only so many stories they could spin without knowing a borrowed name wasn't somewhere in the city. Easier for it to be half-true. And he couldn't hurt them with that, regardless.
Seigenite considered. This was a unique opportunity, he well knew; anything he learned would require verification, as much as he could verify anything coming from an ancient alien speaking from personal experience.
Still, a unique opportunity.
"I suspect we'll have time, waiting out the rain." He considered exactly where to start--there were so many options. But there was also, as he'd said, time. "Did you ever make your way to Mercury, in the past?"
It was personal, yes. But he was also curious. How many might have known of the Mycenae there, the research facility? It was something he couldn't help but be deeply curious about.
Daekie
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2023 10:53 pm
Not a question that they had expected. Róka took a moment to think on it and determined -- no, the information alone ought not be weakness. Even if he'd wanted to conspire against them, Mercury had hardly been at the end of the universe, and they had hardly been its only visitor. "On occasion."
It hadn't suited them much then, but those details were long ago. "Does it hold meaning to you?"
"It did, once." Siegenite shrugged. "I used to be a Mercury Knight. Not anymore."
That was the extent of what he was willing to reveal. But, in truth, he had plenty more questions for this stranger, and Siegenite would ask as many as he could squeeze in.
