|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 10:44 am
It was the weekend, and Delphine was taking a little time for herself. She was heading towards a little internet cafe that she liked to hang out at from time to time. The schoolgirl was dressed in dark, skin-tight jeans, brand new flats, with her common tribal-designed hoodie covering up her shirt. The vibe she gave off clearly screamed 'do not talk to me'. The girl was hardly even paying attention to her surroundings; rather, she was texting a few friends, in-between playing a game on said cellphone. Delphine... clearly wasn't the socializing type.
She paused just in time to avoid getting run into by a group of kids, her eyes flashing up to meet their retreating backs. The time to make an insult had passed, and she almost regretted letting it slip by her. Oh well, sometimes she had to be nice. Soon enough she would be comfortably seated in the little cafe, having a sip of hot cappuccino, out of the winter chill. She was so in the mood for a nice, warm meal. This weekend was dedicated to 'me-stuff'. No patrolling, no senshi meetings. Delphine needed the vacation.
That and her family was beginning to suspect she was becoming even more antisocial, and Delphine couldn't have that. She hated having them breathe down the back of her neck. Her brother had already tried underhanded ways to get her to open up to other people. Delphine would not risk another incident of 'Friendship and You'.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:09 am
The worst thing about this was, Sue understood. He could spot a "******** off" signal from fifty yards, and it was damn near sacrosanct. He'd spent so many damn years wearing the social equivalent of GTFO clothes, they'd practically grown into his skin.
And yet here he was. Following some nameless girl into a cafe, trying his best to look uninterested while he sweated over how to approach her.
If it helped any, he wasn't actually interested in Delphine at all. It wasn't like he was planning to ask her on a date or anything - he liked to think that his type (if he had a type) was a little less, erm. Venomous. If he had been anyone else, in fact, he would have been only too happy to let her walk by when he's spotted her on the street, without a word, a thought, or a second glance.
But Sue wasn't just anybody. He had this little thing in his head, and around Delphine, it lit up like a circuit board - yo yo Z-man mah feline dawg, it exclaimed, dat dere be a ******** senshi!
(Why his senshi alarm chose to be a gangster today, Sue didn't know. Probably, it was because he was the only Guardian Cat that had spent a childhood watching TV instead of chasing mice.)
The problem was - Sue didn't know what the hell he was supposed to do now. With the Zodiacs, it had all been very straightforward - they weren't awakened, they needed their pens, Sue fell right into step and did as he was told, and then yaaay, the day was saved. But out here? Other than the Zodiacs and Foramen, Sue didn't know what he might find. There was another princess somewhere that Astraea wanted to find - hell, Astraea must be somewhere too, not that Sue had seen her since he'd passed out. But everything else was one big unknown.
The only thing he did know was that this girl was a senshi. And that was supposed to be important.
He thought.
Enough dragging his feet in the doorway, though. With a stiff, nervous gait, Sue strode over to where the girl had only just seated herself, getting the chair across from her.
"Hi."
Head will be ripped off of shoulders in three... two... one....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:24 am
She had made it to the cafe without further inconvenience, had found a seat with just one glance away from her phone, and had taken it. The student was finishing up a text to one of her friends (and very strictly ignoring any texts she had from her brother) when she noticed that someone was sitting down right across from her. Her first tactic was to ignore him, even as he said 'hi'. She just continued texting, even bothered herself by looking at the 'where r u?' text her brother sent her. In a few minutes he'd give up hope and go on his way again. Surely he got the signal already that Delphine was not interested. Really, why else would a boy sit across from her, other than to try and get her to go out on a date? Besides, she was sure she had seen this kid a few times on her way here to the cafe. Clearly, he was interested in her.
Very clearly, she was not interested in him.
Delphine glanced back up at Sue after a few moments. Still there, huh. With a sigh she closed her phone, put it in her pocket, crossed her arms over her chest, and leaned back in her chair. Let the intimidation game begin. Her eyes narrowed at him just slightly, gaze scrutinizing, as if she was sizing him up. She really was sizing him up. Was he a creeper, or just one of those kids who constantly fell in love with the wrong kind of people? Judging by the purple hair, the piercings, she might as well go with 'creeper' for now.
"Hi," she responded shortly. Clearly he wasn't going away, so now it would be the waiting game. Let him say whatever was on his mind, and chase him away with a quick turn-down. It worked countless times before, so she didn't see why it wouldn't work now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:31 am
Sue had been waiting for just the right moment. While Delphine had been playing the coy game (because really, why else would she pretend not to notice him for so long? God damn it, Sue wasn't trying to attract her), Sue had been stealing glances around, watching people as they passed. They were nearer to the door than he liked, so he had to be extra careful. Didn't want anybody in earshot....
The moment arrived. Sue leaned forward very conspiratorially, and motioned for Delphine to do the same. Carefully - quietly - he mumbled under his breath:
"Do you know that you're a senshi?"
Quick! Time for Sue to lean back and look casual!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:40 am
He motioned for her to lean forward, and just to be a b***h, she didn't. Rather, she leaned further back, so he would have to strain himself to make communication. She was expecting some sort of compliment from how the other student was acting, and she was already beginning to tune him out. Hmmm, did she want french vanilla cappuccino, or would a soda be enough to satisfy her right now?
Hey, HEY, wait minute. WHAT?
Delphine stared at Sue in muted shock. How did he know she was a senshi? More importantly, how could he be so incredibly stupid as to say that in a populated place? ********, why did she end up with all the idiots. This was panning out to be the worst day she had ever experienced so far. Some stupid kid knew she was a senshi, and she couldn't figure out how. She never transformed where someone could see her, she was certain of it. What was she supposed to do now that he knew? Dispose of the evidence? Delphine wasn't against killing bad guys, but this kid clearly wasn't bad...
Whatever course of action she needed to take... she needed to do it now. She stood up, and with one icy glance to Sue, and the gentle incline of her head in his direction (as much of a signal to follow as she was likely to give), she walked away, outside of the cafe, instead going around the building and into a more secluded alleyway.
It was there she rounded on him, voice venomous, "How the ******** do you know?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:47 am
Whoops. Well, uh. It looked like she already knew.
The thing was though, Sue hadn't even planned for what he'd do if he got this far. And now she was looking at him like she was planning where to hide the body, and Sue was suddenly feeling... blank. Something like, oh. Well. I see that you do. Good day to you, then.
But of course, he couldn't rightly walk off like he wanted to. He'd followed her, after all. He was the one that had chosen to get involved; and ********, he'd ignored every sign that told him to back the ******** off in order to do it. So he'd see it through. Sue fell in line, stayed with her, and showed no signs of backing down, even once she started hissing at him like an angry feral.
"In my other life," he murmured, "I was Zue, of the Zodiac Guard." He had no reason to think that this wouldn't explain everything - everyone else he'd met had been fully up to speed, after all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:24 pm
"Uh huh, and I was Queen Serenity," she scoffed at him. Really, she had no idea what he was talking about himself, but a witty comeback was required, and so she provided him with one. Delphine had no need to know who the Zodiac Guard was, let alone any specific member of it. Delphine could hardly remember what zodiac she was, honestly. This was ridiculous, she needed to make sure this boy kept his mouth shut. She could easily do it by intimidation, the threat of killing him... But she wasn't really that violent. Delphine couldn't quite bring herself to do it and actually mean it. So, she was pulling back on the bluff.
Instead, she folded her arms across her chest, waiting for Sue to better explain himself. "You're not making any sense, buddy." She informed him after a few seconds. She really was impatient when it came to these things, and having him stumbling around trying to figure out what to say was eating up her time. "Look, how do you know I'm a senshi? That's what I need to know. You can babble on about the zodiac guard AFTER I know this. I won't guarantee I'll stick around to listen, but you can try me." There. Get to the point, boy. Delphine pretended like she didn't have all day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:31 pm
Sue's jaw tightened. You know, he didn't do this s**t often. Here he was, trying to be all nice and respectful, and this chick was just throwing attitude at him. And it was really starting to wear on him.
Just for that, Sue wasn't going to tell her that he'd met her friggin' Queen.
"I can sense it," he answered, a bit of gravel grinding around in his throat. "Look, I don't know what I'm doing, all right? I didn't know if you were awakened or whatever, but I figured I should do something about it if you weren't, so give me a ******** break here. You're the first senshi I've met outside of Barren Pines! I'm at the low end of the learning curve right now."
There. Suck on that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:38 pm
"Obviously you don't. Let me clue you in, the last thing you do is try to tell someone they're a senshi in a public place. It's called tact. If someone overheard you I'm going to be eternally ticked off. That was stupid, you were risking my head." Fight fire with fire, and when Nemesis fought, her fire was enough to melt the hardest of elements on the face of the Earth. "I value, you know, my secret identity. I do what senshi are supposed to do, kill youma, try to kill the Negaverse, wait for our all-hailed Queen to show up. I do not deserve to be put at risk for being exposed."
She ran a hand through her hair, lips pulled down in a harsh frown. She was so unhappy, and for once she had some right to be. Still, she was overreacting, she was always the sort to take an opportunity to get pissy and amplitude it. "Look, just don't pull that s**t with someone else who can't take care of themselves." God, what was this, preach to every goddamned newbie around? Delphine was trying to get over it, now that she had gotten through her little rant. It was time to calm down, think clearly, and resist the urge to pummel the idiot standing across from her.
"Okay, so, yeah, what are you then? Senshi? Senshi of Hide-and-Seek?" It was the best guess she had.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:46 pm
She thought he was a ******** idiot. Sue drew himself up, his usual growly, angry self starting to crack his facade. She really thought he was a ******** idiot?!
"Nobody was in ******** earshot, so straighten out the damn panties," Sue snapped back. "And ********, how many people even know what the word senshi is supposed to mean? It's like like I was all, oh hey, you're one of those god-damned terrorists, aren't you?"
God, just... God. And he'd thought his Zodiacs were morons. Just look at what their allies were like!
"And I told you, I'm Zue. I'm the Guardian Cat of the Zodiac Guard." Half a beat passed while he battled with his snarkiness, and then he couldn't resist throwing it in; "We have our princess."
That's right. He went there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:54 pm
Her attempts at being nice had reaped no rewards, and so with a mental 'screw it', she approached him until she was but a few inches away from the boy. He was a ******** cat, she was a ******** senshi. If it came to fists flying, Delphine was positive that she would have the upper hand. As it was, she was just happy yelling right back at him. "How can you be so ******** sure, dimwit? We were in a cafe, for christ's sake. You may think no one heard you, but how can you be so damned certain? Why the hell would you want to risk the word 'senshi' flying into circulation? There is still a ******** risk to it, and I can't BELIEVE you would think it reasonable to ask someone if they were a senshi under those circumstances. God, you're worse than Chloe."
Chloe was still on her s**t list for waking up Alkaid.
With a little growl she backed away from him, paced a little in that alleyway to diffuse the urge to strangle the cat. "You don't ******** look like a Guardian Cat. And good for you, glad to see you have your princess. At this rate I don't give a rat's a** if our's even shows up. I don't think she will. That's fine with me right now, just ******** dandy." She did care, deep down, if her princess showed up or not. That didn't mean she was going to share it with Zue.
...What the ******** kind of name was that?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 1:03 pm
"At least I said it quietly in a ******** noisy room! You're the one screaming in a ******** alley," Sue hissed back. He wanted to make sure that Delphine knew - HE WAS NOT IMPRESSED. She did not impress him. She may be a senshi, but from the looks of it, she was a damn lousy one. Hell, if that admission about not caring meant anything, it was that he had ******** wasted his time in every thinking she might need his help!
"You know what? ******** this. You can't even be half-assed to care about your own situation, so what the god-dang am I hanging around for?" Waving a rude farewell, Sue turned to leave. It was no ******** wonder he couldn't stand living at the Moon Court in that dream of his - if Delphine was any measure, their senshi were worthless.
... But then there was Astraea. And that gave him pause. Because there was someone he owed; he did have reason to at least try.
Though Sue could see why she'd been so damned frustrated about her situation when they'd met, now.
"So what're you doing, then?" He turned around, rounded on her. "What's your goal, if you don't care? Why were you brought back here."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 1:15 pm
Thank god he was leaving. Delphine didn't want to deal with this, didn't want to argue with another goddamned cat over some stupid s**t. She had tried to be helpful, in a roundabout way, show him that some s**t just wasn't cool to do. But damn, it didn't seem like it worked out. She didn't like him, and he definitely didn't like her. He'd not listen to a thing she said. Fine, screw it then, she wasn't going to be nice, not to some cat. Let him walk away, she'd go have some coffee and try to end her day on a good note.
But he turned around, he came back, and Delphine didn't want to deal with this. She wanted to get away, because clearly he wouldn't leave first. With a soft intake of breath that sounded like a hiss more than anything else, she made to leave. In the end, though, she didn't. She stopped, she stared at Zue with bitter eyes. "I don't know. My only question is, why should I care for someone who hasn't bothered to show up yet?" She felt so bitter, defensive, and she couldn't explain it, where it all came from. "I am going to do what I can to protect people. If I'm better off doing it without you guys, all the other senshi and the cats, then fine. I'm going to do what I think is right." She glanced away, to the floor. It was better than staring at some stupid cat's face.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 1:26 pm
"If you remembered, you'd care."
Not a prediction; a promise. Sue could make it because he'd already been there. Even with just... bits and pieces, half-memories and dreams, he knew.
The boy was softening up a bit. Not getting friendlier - no, the chance for that had passed, and now Delphine could just deal with a gruff, snarky Sue for the rest of their acquaintance. But he wasn't trying to barrel her over with accusations anymore, and that was something.
"I'm an idiot. And I'm sorry. If you've got... that much," meaning, that she was at least trying to do right, "you've got something that's worth... I dunno, something. But I'm trying to help here, all right? Even if I'm doing a damn sorry job at it." What was he getting at, Sue had to be getting at something - there it was - "So - ********, I don't know what to call you, but you ought to call me Sue. And if there's something I can do, lemme know, all right? The Zodiacs owe you folk. Astraea and your Queen got us out of our mess, so we ought to be helping you with yours."
Whether Captain Aries would agree with him had yet to be seen, but Sue was pretty sure that the princess would.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 1:34 pm
Would she...? Delphine wasn't sure, so maybe she shouldn't remember. At least how she was now, she cared a little bit for their princess, even for the other senshi. It wasn't much, but it was something. The will to argue and fight had left her, it was one of the rare times she was being reasonable to someone she didn't exactly like. Well, if he put the effort forth to be nice to her, she would return the favor. Of course, if he started getting pissy, it was very likely she would still return the favor and get just as pissy as him.
"It's fine," she replied with a short, dismissive shake of her head. Her gaze lifted from the ground, back to the cat standing across from her. He really didn't look like a cat, but Delphine would trust him. "You'll do better as you get more used to it. I ******** sucked when I started out." There, she was actually... being twenty times more nicer now than she had been even from the very beginning of their interaction.
"I'm Sailor Nemesis, the senshi of decay. Delphine if you ever care to look me up some time. If you need me for anything, I'm not saying I'll be happy to help... but I will, you know?" She always did end up helping, even if she didn't exactly agree with the action at the time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
