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 Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 5:42 am
He had all of the attitude of Mali but none of his biting cruelty, and that made Karone smile. And the way that he had caught on to getting rid of his new second skin…it boded well.
“There are talking cats. I’ll explain those a bit later, but…really, you won’t have much to do with them. It’s a long story, but we have time. And if I don’t get to it all tonight, you can ask me questions whenever you have them. And I’ll pull you in for meetings and debriefings too.”
Karone followed him to his car, not seeming at all uncomfortable with driving somewhere with a stranger. If anything was the truth…she could handle herself.
“Your weapons will grow as you do. My spear? Started as a flimsy fairy wand…” She gave a soft laugh, remembering how enthusiastic she had been. “…I hit someone over the head with it once and it broke. I thought I just didn’t have a weapon after that for a good long while…a good word of advice? If your weapon breaks, it will fix itself by the next time you power up. If someone had told me that, I would have looked a bit less of a fool.
She glanced at him and there was a fierce pride in her eyes. “This was a good choice. I can see that you’ll go far.”
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 5:55 am
“FYI, “ he said through half gritted teeth, trying to make the car turn over so he could actually drive. It sounded like it might refuse for a good moment before rattling into sputtering life. “I have a job, like actual job without talking cats, and school. Do I get warning that you’re going to drag me in for a briefing or should I give up on food and paying too much to have people agree that I can read books.” He was probably going to get stabbed, he’d pretty much come to that conclusion after deciding her spear was real. He might as well earn it. “And other than these... meetings and debriefings how would I even find you? Do I just ... walk down the closest alley way with garlic chicken or something?” He shook his head skeptical that she was already extolling how ‘far’ he’d go. “I really want to think you’re kidding about the cats, but you’re still in my car, so either I have brain damage or my co workers slipped something funky into the rue tonight.” He pulled out of the lot, still huffing his irritation and disbelief and turned towards the McDonalds
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:25 am
“You having a job is fine. I had one too when I started all of this. In fact, it’s better if you have your own life outside of this job. Just let me know your schedules, if you can, and we’ll plan things out in a way that works best for you. I’ll be giving you your supplies when we finish up dinner, but you’ll have a tablet that will be able to get messages to me and also allow you to access all of the information in our database. Plus, I do have a cell phone, you know. I’m not…some crazy old witch who lives in the stone ages.”
…not all of the time, at least.
“Sadly I’m not kidding about the talking cats. There are monsters too. And people that have been turned into monsters. Some officers are more than half monster themselves…so don’t be alarmed if you see someone with scales or wings or strange dog ears…that’s just.”
She shrugged. “…How things are sometimes.” Karone hesitated and grinned at him. “…How much am I allowed to order? I am starving, also, if you wanted to bring me garlic chicken when we meet, I would never say no to that.”
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:40 am
“... I am a broke a** student, if you order like... a family size nugget thing I’m stealing some.” He folded his arms, also.... you have a SPEAR, I was waiting to find out a time lord dropped you off.” God his head hurt, not for any of the reasons he expected it to by now but more of a ‘reality hasn’t reasserted itself’ sort of way. “So... tell me what you’re ordering because I just keep having more and more questions. Like... why are they monsters, how come I’ve never seen one... are they going to want leftovers too...”
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 7:21 am
At his words, Karone began to laugh. “Fine, fine. We’ll get a family sized nuggets to share. That sounds good to me. And yes, I do have a spear now. But, your weapon will grow with you as you do. When I have decided that you’re ready for a promotion, your crochet hooks will grow into something else. I’m not sure what, I don’t know if anyone knows what their weapons will grow into…and I’m not sure what determines it either.”
Idly, she wondered if there were studies that could be done…if weapons were decided based on how the agent fought…or perhaps it was something to do with who did the corrupting.
Perhaps Axinite knew the answer.
“The monsters—youma we call them. They won’t want your leftovers. And be glad that you haven’t seen one. They won’t harm you now, but they don’t know better if you aren’t powered. Sometimes they can be a real pain. They take energy and starseeds, which are people’s souls. That was how I brought you into the Negaverse. It was what I was touching inside of your chest.”
She gave a sudden grin. “No worries though, I’ve done this enough, and unlike some people I know, I’ve never botched a corruption.”
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 7:37 am
He ordered the family nuggets, a few sauces and drinks for both of them. He pulled into a parking spot that was closer to a near by all night drug store so they could eat and set the nuggets on the dashboard. “Starseed.” He said at last. “I thought it was some kinda... ‘Kahn-lees-mahhh’ moment. He raised his hand in the best imitation of the old Indiana Jones movie. “And... corruption? Botched?! Did I just get recruited to like... energy mafia over leftovers and Mc Donald’s?”
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 10:33 am
Karone stared at him for a long moment, not quite understanding the reference but shrugged. “Yeah. Starseed. I’ll show you one when I take you on a patrol. They’re quite useful. If you get injured or if something happens…if you eat one…you get a boost. It heightens everything. But you don’t want to over use them. They can be dangerous if you consume too many.”
She took a nugget, dipped it and popped it into his mouth. “It’s not a mafia…we’re just trying to protect the planet. There are those…who aren’t from the earth. Senshi who have come from space. Who have been embroiled in wars for millennia, they have destroyed their homes and have come here to destroy ours as well.”
Her voice was quiet and Karone’s eyes were suddenly quite far away. “There are those called knights too. And of them…I’ve met several…but Cosmos knights…they’re the worst. The first starseed I took was from a Cosmos knight…They spread a lot of lies. The White Moon. But you…don’t seem like the type to be taken in by lies….what’s your name anyway? You still haven’t told me.”
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 10:40 am
“….how can you not have seen Temple of Doom, even I’ve seen temple of doom.” Except there was suddenly a nugget in his mouth, he crinkled his nose but ate it anyhow, chewing so he could talk again after listening to her retail him about the ‘war’. His scowl was skeptical as hell. “Ok… so if you’re protecting the planet, maybe don’t call it ‘corruption’? that sounds like I’m on the take.” He shook his head trying to process the idea that there were…well, actual aliens or whatever on top of everything else. “Why… are um, cosmos knights the worst? That sounds like a history beyond taking the uh…star-seed.” You could practically hear the ‘air quotes’ when he said ‘starseed. - He watched her curiously and made a hmmmm sound about her desire to know his name. “You mean, other than Parisite?” He quipped. “Yu.” He shrugged. Waiting to see if she’d be confused by his name or not.
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:26 pm
She shrugged. “Maybe you can show me it sometime so I know what you’re talking about? I’m up for seeing anything.” Karone looked thoughtful, taking another bite. “Recruitment, then, does that sound better? And…I don’t know. Most of the knights I’ve faced have been Cosmos…and they’re just…” She sighed, finishing the nugget.
“They know how to get under my skin. Preaching peace and wholesome…ness. I don’t…have time for that. I like action. I like getting things done and I like being strong.”
Karone gave another shrug and took a sip of her drink. “It’s just who I am, and I’m far too old to change it up now. By the time you turn thirty, those bad habits stick, and from what I’ve seen, there’s no changing them. At least for me.”
She glanced over at him. “Yeah. Other than Parisite…Me what? What did I do?”
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:40 pm
He blinked at how... wholesome they sounded. “Is that like some.. “we come in peace we’re totally not here because we screwed up planet... cosmos or wherever they come from?” He tilted his head trying to process that. He did laugh slightly at the familiar reaction to his name. “No, YU.” He said and gave it another moment to sink in... watching for the normal round of confusion and then pointing to his chest. “Y.... U... like the letters... that’s how you spell it...”
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:50 pm
“We come in peace, you’re wrong about everything you think, why don’t you just come with us and be who you’re really meant to be…it’s nothing but brainwashing.” Quickly she shoved another chicken nugget into her mouth and gave the male an exasperated stare. “…You wanted me to make that mistake. How difficult would it have been to give the whole spiel, my name is Yu, not just…Yu.”
Karone was talking with her mouth full, but she didn’t really care. This guy was easy to talk to. Almost like a younger brother.
Just the kind of recruit that she wanted to have. Someone she could be friends with. Truly help nurture.
“You’re a little punk, and I hope you know that. Well. Yu I hope that you make me proud. I think you will. You have attitude, and you seem smart. I look forward to working with you.”
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 3:50 pm
“If my Name weren’t what it is, would that even have been an issue?” He replied arching an eyebrow. He flashed a sharp tooth grin and snatched a nugget and said teasingly . “Americans.” Calling him a punk just made him look pleased though. “No I am… a full blown punk. Not a little one, that would be doing things by half measures. I’m also a flat out a*****e.” He shrugged. “I am however the a*****e with good leftovers.” He smirked. He grabbed another nugget and made a face. “Should I … ask about he ‘who you’re meant to be” s**t? Like… what the hell. I was -meant- to be a civilian as far as I know, or a cook or…whatever.” He shrugged. “How many people do you go around … ‘corrupting’” He gave in and did air quotes this time, even with the half eaten nugget before dipping it and finishing it off.
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:25 pm
Karone gave a soft laugh, nodding. “Leftovers that I hope you’ll bring me one of these days. It would be good for me to have such nice food for a change…and, let’s be real, your housemate doesn’t need it so badly, right? What about your poor, sweet General who spend all of her time in her office…”
She put on a pout, and then grinned at his face. “…Americans, hm? And, for your information, I haven’t recruited anyone for quite some time, so please consider yourself special, because obviously I saw potential in you. If I hadn’t, I would have just…you know. Stolen your starseed and your leftovers and called it a night. But now, you’re one of the elite, and you’ve gained the spot in my life of ‘favorite little a*****e’, if you’re willing to take it.”
She folded her arms over her chest, nodding in a pleased sort of way. He didn’t have to know that she hadn’t been out of Negaspace long enough to recruit anyone in the past several months…well. Out for longer than it took to grab fast food every once in a while.
“You can still be a cook, but now you get to be a cook with power. You get to be an a*****e if you want to, and some people can’t do a thing about it…and you have the power to protect those you care about.” Provided he cared about anyone.
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:40 pm
“Yeah but if you DID kill me, then here would only be one round of left overs, recruit me, and you can tell me how hard your life is without them.” he huffed a laugh and glanced away for a moment, out into the dark and blinked, thoughtful. “… Yeah yeah…now I’m … a super hero who cooks I guess.” He snorted. “Or, anti hero or something. I am not ‘hero’ material, especially not with…knitting hooks or whatever you call them.” “Whatever, fine, if you… message me or whatever that you’ll be around I’ll see about extra left overs, I just can’t PROMISE anything.” He added firmly. “I don’t suppose I can ask that no one ******** with my housemate, I can NOT afford that place on my own, and I am not in any mood to hunt for a new place as back up.” He shrugged and glanced at her. “Which is not….to say recruit him, He’s like… a fluffy kitten or something. He’s unreal… He makes deserts because people have bad -days, he... mmm." He shook his head cutting off whatever he might have said next.
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Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 4:53 pm
“Ah, I suppose that would be true. And I wouldn’t be having such a fantastic conversation with you either. That would have been a shame.” She pulled her phone from a pocket in her jeans and flipped open the contact list. “Here. Put your number in so I have a conventional way of contacting you. As for protecting your housemate, I’ll see what I can do, but you’ll be his best protection if you don’t want him recruited.”
She gave a small smile. “Don’t power up too near to home or the other side may catch on where you live. You can always patrol near there, but make sure you actually put on the guise of Parisite when you’re well away from where you live. We don’t want him taken hostage or anything like that.”
Karone laughed softly. “I sure don’t have the money to pay your rent for you, but…” She shrugged. “If you ever need a place to stay. We do have barracks down in Negaspace…which is to say…ah. You know, I think it’s better if I just show you one day. So, tell me. When are you free? We’ll have a field trip and get you set up with the rest of what you’ll need to know, and perhaps we can have a spar sometime too just so I can see where your fighting needs work.”
He was willing, maybe not eager, but he was willing. And she was quite excited.
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