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 Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 12:20 am
The Reservoir (4) : The Destiny City Reservoir opened about two years ago and is an easy escape from the big city. It's a five minute drive outside of the Eastern side of town and features clear water and sandy beaches--although, the sand here is notorious for squeaking when you step on it. It's a hot spot for all fun summer activities, but it's been in the news for mysterious reports of some strange, aquatic monster. Some accounts say they've spotted a twenty foot long, snake like creature capable of rearing a long neck high above the water. It's hard to tell if the videos are doctored, but there are too many rumors to dismiss easily. Something strange might be lurking deep in the water. Or it's just a hoax to get people out to the Reservoir!
But…Sometimes, people feel like something is grabbing their ankle, even if they are just wading in the shallow end. In the deeper parts of the water, it gets a little more intense: something has been said to grab onto ankles and pull. People have been warned about dangerous pranks, but so far no one has been caught. In the shallow end, anyone unfortunate enough to be targeted may feel themselves being knocked off their feet and tugged into the water; anyone in deep water may feel a firm grip on their ankle, tugging them lower and lower. Somehow, anyone it targets is freed--either by wriggling and fighting, or because someone intervenes and pulls the would-be victim up. No one has drowned in the lake. Yet. It's impossible to see who, or what, is doing this, but it usually gives up after one failed attempt. Usually.
While you may find yourself harassed by the supposed cryptid, or see something visibly odd in the distance, you cannot take any pictures of the creature. Who knows if you're even being attacked by the cryptid–or just another youma?
And move forward, he did. Work had been at a steady incline, both at the hospital and his online commission work, and his work as an agent had been...slow, still, but steady. Consistency was certainly key, and keeping dedicated office agent hours had been working out well for him. He was even doing a bit of fight training on the side, putting it in his agent hours rotation, and trying to expand on his contact outside of just the Negaverse.
Hell, he was even getting along with a select number of Order individuals.
Well. Exactly one, but that had to count for something.
The memory of the chibi senshi doing most of the work to dust that sorry excuse for a chicken brought a little smirk to his face, and it stayed even as he turned toward the Chaos signature that had just joined him.
"Evening!" He greeted the General brightly, and closed the gap between them so she didn't have to.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 10:49 pm
“Good evening,” Lavendulan greeted in return. It felt nice to know that there were at least a handful of agents who didn’t hesitate in their approach because of her appearance. Then again, the Captain was perhaps more than just an acquaintance, not quite a friend but somewhere in between. What mattered was that she trusted him, and in one of the most critical moments it was his efforts that had likely saved her life. “I’m sorry for calling you out here so late. I’m sure you have other tasks to tend,” likely a home to go to and bed to sleep in. Unlike her, who had little concept of time since the Dark Kingdom didn’t experience days and nights like Destiny City. “But I wanted to check in on you, not for official business but just to see how you are doing.” Lavendulan would have reached out sooner, but in the aftermath of being struck by black lightning, she was left blind for nearly two weeks. Though she wasn’t sure how important it was to explain that to him now that she could see again. “I understand we could have had that conversation through the tablets, but I have other reasons to ask you to meet me here this evening that I’ll get to shortly.” Her expression was softened by the moonlight reflecting off the reservoir.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 10:53 pm
After the events with the giant snake, Staurolite was pretty comfortable considering the Generals as...well. Certainly more than acquaintances, but somehow friend felt like he was pushing it. Maybe it had something to do with him being of a more subordinate rank, granted not directly under either of them, but still. In the time he'd known her, she'd never given him reason to hesitate when approaching her, so...he just didn't.
He was, if nothing else, a pretty simple guy.
Staurolite waved a hand to gently dismiss her apology. "Thanks, but there's no apology needed. Especially not if you're just wanting to check up on me." If anything, he sort of felt flattered that a higher-ranking officer would think of him. For all his time in the Negaverse, it was probably the first time he'd been called on for a wellness check as opposed to something more work-related.
And, apparently, for...something else?
The Captain blinked curiously at her. "Other reasons?"
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 11:29 pm
“I’m not your General, it’s not my place to give you tasks unless a Sovereign gives me instructions to give you a message directly.” Which was severely unlikely since she often ventured into the Rift, where communications were limited. Beyond that, to a certain extent, she still felt responsible for him ever since she found him out here facing a squire. Lavendulan smirked as she leaned down and picked up a smooth, flat rock. Appraising the weight of it in one hand, she tossed it in the air like a flipped coin and caught it in its descent. Wrapping her finger around the edge of it, she pulled her arm back and skipped it across the reservoir. She brushed the sand off her hands before opening her subspace pocket, and from it Laven pulled out a small box. There was nothing fancy about it, no ribbon or card. Unassuming, but it was what it held that was important, rather than the presentation. “I owe you a debt of gratitude, Staurolite.” Stepping toward him, she reached out, offering him the gift to open at his leisure. “It’s my understanding that after I was struck by the black lightning, you had carried me across the battlefield to Wolframite.” “I may be small compared to most, but I’m certain that was no easy task.” Lavendulan said quietly, her voice more serious but still full of gratitude. “You could have left me, and honestly, nobody would’ve blamed you. But because of your actions, I was able to leave the Calamitous Hollow’s prison mostly unscathed.” Mostly because she had some lingering burn marks from the lightning and was blinded for a significant amount of time. Other than that, most injuries were superficial and nearly fully healed. “So… I made you a gift,” she nodded at the box in his hand. “It was my responsibility to keep you safe, but you stepped up, and your efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Hopefully, it will prove useful to you.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2025 10:19 pm
The Captain blinked, more curious than confused when she mentioned owing him something. As far as he was aware she didn't owe him anything, even as she explained why she felt that she did. But he'd been taught not to refuse such a gesture if it was something the other person felt he deserved, so when she offered him the little box he carefully took it with a grateful smile.
"You know, when I saw you go down," he said slowly as he looked on at the unassuming little box, "there was barely any time to think. I just...acted, and the singular thought that I had was that there was no way I was leaving you behind." It wasn't even a consideration that he made at the time, now that he thought back on it. "I had to take you back home, knowing there was someone who was waiting to see you again. Even if it'd be just one more time, y'know?"
His thoughts had been bleak for a while, though those slowly but surely started to clear as time went on (and with a steady trickle of good news coming in from all sides). It was like the light slowly creeping up over the horizon, a sign of hope that things would eventually get back to normal.
Staurolite popped the box open then, and was surprised to find a rather sleek looking ring inside of it. He made a small "o" with his mouth as he plucked it out of the box to get a closer look at it, lips soon setting into a small smile.
"But thank you! I'll take good care of it."
Slipping it on his left forefinger, he flipped his hand back and forth, his smile growing as he admired the little piece of jewelry. "Is it just a ring?" he thought to ask, glancing over the General with a noticeably brighter expression than earlier. "Or some super-secret, super-magical accessory type thing that I need to learn how to use?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2025 10:56 pm
“Well,” an amused smile tugged the corners of Lavendulan’s lips. “I’m not proposing, and it’s not a promise ring, I can tell you that much.” She jested, her voice barely able to contain the air of laughter that threatened to follow. “There’s nothing super secret about it. Or super anything- really.” Her shoulders rose and fell in a small shrug. If it were super special, then it would likely be in the hands of a Sovereign rather than a General, let alone Captain. Artifacts, old and ancient or newly made, would likely be archived and preserved instead of actually used. “For lack of a better title, I would call it a Ring of Resilience. It won’t make you invincible, but it should dampen the worst of whatever hits you. You’ll still get hit, but the ring should lessen its impact.” Laven tilted her head curiously, wondering if he could sense any magic within the ring. “You’ll still feel the pain, and you’ll still have to be smart in a fight. Might not seem like much, but when things go sideways, and they always do, it might buy you a few extra seconds to get back on your feet or retreat” She was certain that if Wolframite were here, he would insist that they test it to make sure. But Laven wasn’t much in the mood to spar this evening.
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2025 12:35 am
The Captain smirked. "I'd return it if you said it was either of those two things," he said quickly, and in an equally joking tone. "Would rather not have General Wolframite out for my blood."
Staurolite chuckled then, and listened carefully as she explained exactly what it did, nodding when it seemed like she'd finished.
"Oh, this is plenty," he said, starting to fidget with the ring by turning it with his thumb so it spun around the finger that it was on. "You really never know who or what you'll run into out there, and if I'm unlucky enough to run into someone or something that actually wants to kill me..."
He let the sentence die there, his loved ones flashing through his mind as they often did when he had such thoughts.
"But thank you! Again." And he offered her a broad smile at that. "This is...more than I deserve, honestly. It's very generous of you, General."
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