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When Zinkenite had done it, it appeared so easy. That's what Buddingtonite told himself, and at Benitoite's prompt, he pushed a little harder, a little deeper. This, of course, brought the woman some discomfort, and her shouts began to grow louder and more frantic the deeper his hand went in. The moment his hand passed through her and he felt his gloved hand touch something, she let out a shrilled scream, and Buddingtonite knew that he found it.

"There... found it," Buddingtonite said, though his voice was barely above a whisper without even thinking why. What did it matter if he whispered? Who was he trying to hide his act from? Benitoite? NO! He wanted the general to see what he was capable of, that he made the right decision in joining the Negaverse. Her screams and struggling had escalated to the point that she almost spooked the lieutenant, but he held fast to her starseed and gave it a tight squeeze, releasing her wrist and grabbing her face instead to slam her head against the wall. "Quiet! It'll only hurt for a moment more!"

"Please- I don't know what you're doing, but stop!" She begged, but Buddingtonite wasn't going to hear any of it. He placed his gloved hand over her mouth, covering not only her mouth, but her nose and jaw as well, and he continued to press her back, more and more, until he wasn't quite sure what would snap first- her starseed when he ripped it out, or her jaw! She gave one last, heartfelt, muffled scream, before Buddingtonite pulled his hand back, starseed clutched in his trembling hand. The light in her eyes faded almost immediately and the way her limps flopped to her side startled the lieutenant more than seeing his hand pass through her body, as he released her form and jumped back, letting her crumble to the ground in a lifeless heap.

He gave her only a glance, before looking down at the faint, glimmering object in his hand, and he gave a breathless shudder, as he looked to the general at the mouth of the alley. "Well?"

His sudden meekness was uncharacteristic of him; even he knew that, but how was he suppose to feel after that? Perhaps Benitoite could tell him...

Buddingtonite wasn't really paying attention to Benitoite's words. He was talking about bringing her back to life, or something like that, but the words weren't really registering with the lieutenant. He stared down at the starseed in his hand, the digits trembling and wanting to curl around the glimmering seed, as though to protect it, to cherish it. He wanted to pull his glove off and feel it against his skin, but he fought the impulse. Her life, her soul, was resting in his hands... it almost felt profane to touch such a thing with his bare hands, he thought to himself.

He wasn't quite sure when he was able to finally pry his eyes away from the starseed, though it was likely when Benitoite crouched next to the woman and felt for a pulse. By then, there was no point in putting the starseed back, and Buddingtonite stood at his full height, straightening up and quickly placing his prize in the pocket of his heavy jacket before he got too distracted by it again.

Benitoite's question would not go unanswered, and there was little hesitation in Buddingtonite's voice, and he was surprised with just how strong he sounded, when on the inside, he felt... wibbly-wobbly, if that made any sense. He couldn't show weakness, and he hoped that Benitoite couldn't see any of it as he gave a firm nod. "Of course, if I thought I was unable to convince them to reconsider their wasted alliance with the White Moon Court. What use do I have for someone that won't join the right side?"

Which made his mind snap to another being, a certain page of Uranus, with blue hair and a ladle. How could he have forgotten Dallol? He tried not to act too surprised, and he figured how would have been the best time to bring it up, now that he had Benitoite's full attention. "By the way, there's someone I'd like for you to talk to. Her name is Dallol, a Page. Maybe I'm a little hopeful, but I think we may have a potential recruit with her... Eternal Sailor Remarque recommended for her to seek you, if that helps her case."

And then of course, there was his input. "I believe her to be valuable. She's smart, strong, willing to make a stand for herself, and most of all, she feels as if she was brought to the wrong side. She sought -me- out, and she mentioned wanting to see you. Should I plan for an arrangement for you two?"

"Don't worry, General... I have no intention of holding back from an enemy," Buddingtonite said, the resolve clear in his voice, and to those that knew Buddingtonite, or Richard, they would have been surprised to hear such crystal clear resolution coming from the man. For a fellow that picked and chose his battles and abandoned problems at the drop of a hat, to hear him so committed to a single purpose or act would have likely blown their minds. But Buddingtonite thought little of it. He didn't care what they think- some things were worth hard work and effort. "If I cannot convince them, then I'd rather them dead then to allow my enemy to grow stronger."

And that was a sentiment that the two seemed to share, undeniably so. Buddingtonite respected Benitoite, and Remarque's recommendation did not go without merit, as he seemed to know just what to do when he broached the subject of Dallol. This pleased the lieutenant, and it was clear by the way is crimson eyes glistened, as he nodded happily. "As irritating and smug as Remarque was, it seems he at least has a keen eye for potential and I can't complain with results. Dallol is perfectly willing, and her fighting skills and her tenacity would do well with the Negaverse."

All she needed was a little push, a purpose, both of which Buddingtonite could help with, even if it was to simply set up a meeting between the two. And he was pleased to see that Benitoite was eager to take him up on his suggestion, trying to fight down the urge to skip in place like a giddy child being told he could go to the circus. "The next time I see her, I will arrange for a meeting. Would it be best to bring her back to the coffee shop we met, or was there any other place you'd like to meet? What would be the best way to get in contact with you, should I need your assistance?"

"I'm no fan of children, as you are now well aware of," Buddingtonite said, not at all concerned for the inevitable guilt trip that would likely hit him when the moment arrived. He knew it would come, eventually, but that would be a matter for Buddingtonite of the future to deal with. The Buddingtonite of present didn't care about the topic of morality and the thought of just how young his enemies were. Instead, if anything, he seemed more disgusted with this, and he had little shame in admitting this to Benitoite. "Well, if people don't want to fight and kill teenagers, then the cosmic powers that be shouldn't be recruiting them at such a young age! The minute they suit up, they're soldiers, nothing more."

He was certain that he'd be eating his words eventually, but once again, that was a matter for future Buddingtonite. For now, he simply focused on the matter at hand, which was picking a perfect rendezvous point to meet Benitoite in the future for when he worked his charm and enlisted Dallol into the winning team. That was far more important to him than any annoying guilt trips he may experience. "I'll give Remarque my regards then, the next time I see him. Maybe I'll decide to spare the life of a senshi or two if I thought he'd find them useful to his court instead of ours."

Which meant he couldn't just go about ripping out starseeds all willy-nilly, as he feared Remarque's retaliation more than remorse later on down the road. If the Negaverse had no use of them, then maybe the Dark Mirror Court would? It was worth a shot. His mind wandered back to Benitoite, and he immediately declined the offer to exchange phone numbers, doing his best to explain his situation without it coming off as insulting. "Pass on the phone number. I don't make it a habit to keep numbers of ones so young on my phone- apparently that looks suspicious and it's highly frowned upon in this society. However, I'll keep this location in mind and I'll be sure to use the crystal for when it's time to interview the potential recruit."

He tipped his hat to the young general, and his confidence was astounding, but that's just how certain he was that he could seal the deal with Dallol. "I'll do what I can to please General-King Zinkenite- I might even ask if he could make it a little less painful for her. Then again, she'll have the benefit of not being stone-faced drunk like I was... I'd hope. I hope to return with good news, general, and I'll find a way to pay you back for this important lesson, whether you want that payment or not."

And just like that, Buddingtonite had turned to leave, not once giving Benitoite the chance to power down and return his change. It may not have been a lot, but he wasn't going to let the general walk away empty handed! Benitoite would get his birthday gift, and Buddingtonite would leave with a starseed in his pocket. Tonight was a good night.