Destiny City was a booming metropolis with scores of people living within its limits. As such, it was to be expected that there were scores and scores of apartments, tenements, and condos for those living within the city proper so that they might be able to enjoy everything the City had to offer. Andrew Collins wasn’t much different, being young and gainfully employed. However, he’d been suspiciously absent from Hillworth in the past few days and the petite bluenette was not pleased.

So now Audrey Collins, pretty but totally unrelated to Andrew, was standing outside the twenty year old apartment building, packages in hand, eyes darting back and forth from the cell phone in her palm, to the building number. Finally, she took a deep breath and stepped up to the com system. It didn’t take long to confirm that there was indeed a Collins, A living here, and she pressed the button while clearing her throat.

“Ob…er, Drew? It’s Audrey. I brought you something, will you buzz me up?”

It had been a damn long time since anyone had ever bothered to use that damn com system, and the man groggily lifts his head off the couch for a moment to stare at it. If it had been anyone else besides one of the Negaverse members he actually remotely knew... With a grunt, he pushed himself off the couch, staggering over to grunt into the speaker of sorts before he'll smack at all the buttons until one of them dings and does something pretty.

She wouldn't have to bother to open the door, as he kicked it open enough that hopefully she would get the hint and just come in. Drew would skulk back to the couch and flop himself back down on the couch again. Every part of him hurt, still. And there was still those words drifting through the back of his head, ever since he'd encountered Beryl. He... owed her. He indebted to her. If she'd given him this strength, she could rip it away again without even thinking.

The thought alone was enough to make him feel sick.

The first thing that came over the threshold was a glowingly silver bow, topping a mass of perky blue curls. Audrey’s head leaned into the dim light of the apartment before she all but hopped inside, pressing her entire body back across the door to close it. In all truth, it was the first time she’d ever dared to come visit another Negaverse member in their own home. Aree really had no home, and she wasn’t quite on speaking terms with the rest. Their time at Barren Pines had made the slightly creeptacular Obsidian a bit more approachable, though you were never truly safe with him.

Audrey, however, was not worried. Peering through the thin beams of light, his form wasn’t quite hard to make out on the lone sofa. “I knew you weren’t ok. You’d never miss a chance to kick the boys at Hillworth through their detentions.” Dropping the phone and the package into her large shoulder bag, she crossed the small space. Stockinged knees, then a black skirt, and finally a silver sweater were at his face level as the teen got onto her knees by his head.

“What happened? Did they get to you too? You’re not hurt like Khaldun, are you? If so, I’m going to drag you to the hospital myself!” For other girls, Audrey would’ve been scathing and more than a little catty. For the trusted men in her life, however, she was a bit like a bothersome little sister. All the time.

A faint snort would be offered when the girl's voice rang through the apartment, and he at least shifted a little so a green eye could roll and focus on her. Luckily, his job was made easier by the way she crouched near the couch. "Khaldun?" Drew narrowed his eyes and, with a wince, he'd ease himself up into a sitting position. "I knew the ******** was missing, but didn't care why. What'd he get himself into?" He was genuinely curious, though not exactly concerned. If he was going to be dramatic about it, he might as well could have at least killed himself off entirely.

"No." The man seemed to decide he'd answer her question after all. A heartbeat of silence passed before he went on. "...I got promoted." He'd finally offer, eyeing her rather ruefully. That should have been a happy thing to say, or at least something to rub in the lieutenants faces. He really just wasn't feeling it at the moment, not when the night before had left him feeling painfully aware of where he stood as far as ranking went.

Son of a b***h. Her eyes flickered once with quick anger, before her mind kicked her heart back down into her chest where it belonged and cool logic took over. Another captain? How fortuitous. Linarite was convinced that her one and only queen was Queen Beryl, and as such, she didn’t have to change her approach to Nealite overly much. Another captain meant she could probably avoid the b***h entirely, unless the orange-haired secretary was feeling like a stalker again. Which she probably was, knowing how they’d always been running into each other lately.

“I’d say congratulations, but you don’t look like you want them.” Easing back and smoothing the skirt under her legs, Audrey dropped down onto the carpet and crossed her legs. “I thought you were sick, so I brought you some cobbler and leftover pasta from last night. Mom’s cooking, not mine, so it’s really good.” Though the teen thought Meadowview’s cafeteria pizza was quality eating, it was generally agreed that her mother’s cooking was delicious at worst.

“But…if things are looking up, why are you holed up in here? The windows are closed, no air, no light.” Her lips quirked. “Trying to really be Batman?”

He was watching her face in that instant, saw the anger and felt some grim flicker of satisfaction in his chest before he let it fade. "She was the one who changed me." Drew went on casually after a moment, and it was the mention of food that made him perk up unconsciously. "Pasta?" There was a thoughtful sound, and he was watching expectantly as though to say 'where is it?' The man would stretch a little before he seemed to relax with a sigh, long fingers rubbing tiredly at his brow.

"She's ******** up." Drew said flatly, meeting Lina's gaze without question. "Beryl. Nealite. Whoever she is now." And if the girl was paying attention, she might notice how he shifted a little uneasily, remembering the events of last night. "S'painful, to. Figured I could rest up a little before starting the new job." That was a deliberate piece of bait he was flinging her way; it seemed as though he wouldn't be returning to Hillworth after all. Just as well, considering Nealite was probably flouncing her a** in there to get laid whenever the whim struck her...

Picking up the package she’d tossed into her back, she unwrapped it to show a butter knife, fork, and two Tupperware containers. One was stained red with the tomato sauce of the pasta, and the other seemed to be somewhat pinkish. “Raspberry cobbler and spaghetti. The cloth is a napkin, and I hope to God you know how to use silverware as something other than a throwing implement.” Ah, there was the cat within! Now that Drew wasn’t in his death throes, she felt somewhat on more solid ground and was quite happy to be herself.

“As for Nealite, you’re finally noticing? I’m wondering if she didn’t get the job because she was the only one willing to spread her legs at the snap of a male pair of fingers.” Her look was more than a little disgusted, but she still fidgeted at the idea of badmouthing her Queen. Why Beryl had chose the trampish Nealite as a vessel was beyond comprehension, but she had to respect that choice. But only out loud right? Shaking her head to clear the thoughts, honey eyes peered back over to the couch. “Did she do this, or is it just a side-affect of the power? And what new job? You have to spill.” Teenage girls loved gossip. It was like air, or water, and Audrey was no exception to this rule.

Interest surged tenfold as he eyed the two tupperware containers, and he grunted a little until she'd give his way. A wry glance was offered briefly at the mention of silverware before, just to tick her off, he'd pop the top off the spaghetti and stab it a few times with a knife. "Goddamn it, it's not working." Drew complained before abandoning said butter knife for the fork. It was good, and he'd offer a noise that said as much. Then Audrey made her little quip about Nealite, and he practically snorted noodles outof hi nose.

"That's why she's getting married after all." He had to put down the spaghetti for a moment to sneer. Of course, then the subject was switched again, and he'd reluctantly go along with it so he could resume eating. "Gym teacher at Meadowview." There was a brief, cheeky sort of glint to his eyes, so he had to be feeling a bit better. More training sessions with Audrey after all, eh?

Pleased that he was eating, and enjoying heartily, Audrey used the opportunity to pounce on the vacated section of couch and all but slung her legs over the arm. Black stocking-covered legs crossed daintily, and she rolled her eyes as the wedding comment. "Don't remind me, god. I'm supposed to buy some gift? Like what, a good testing facility?" Her voice was acid, leaving no doubt how ecstatic she was that there was going to be such an event.

The teen had started to recline, blue hair falling lazily over the fabric of the couch when she realized his final words. "Gym? At Meadowview?!" Her mouth dropped a bit in astonishment, and turned swiftly into a grin. "It's about damn time we got someone useful over there! And the semester just changed so I can drop an elective for more gym, easy excuse to train, easy A." Already, she could see her GPA soaring, getting her straight into a good school. It'd be amazing. Fantastic. Glorious.

"Best news I've had in ages, you wouldn't even believe it!" Had she been any more of a loving girl, she might've thrown her arms around the man and hugged tightly. But she couldn't really forget that it was Obby, and she was Lina, and they just didn't do those things! Sometimes, it wasn't cool, being in the Negaverse.

"I'm gonna s**t in a bag and wrap it real nice." The man mumbled into the noodles, ignoring her as she pounced like a cat onto the couch and coiled herself up nicely. "Get her a vibrator, maybe. No, a strap-on." With tiny little balls on it to reflect Nealite's true personality. It was Audrey's excitement that made him glance over with a bit of a snort, sitting up a little. "You think it's all fun and games now, but you just wait till I make you run that first mile in the rain..."

Still, at least it'd be a little bit of a break from the norm of whining boys. Sure, it wasn't Crystal, but he'd take what he could get. Yes, underage, flat-chested girls. Fantastic. He wanted to shoot himself in the face already.

The man would snort at her again, but something about his attitude seemed a little pleased. "You're just easy." A pause, perhaps a deliberate waggle of his brows, and then he returned to scarfing down the spaghetti. "So? What've you been up to? Getting to play bridesmaid?" As if.

"Oh no, not the rain! Oh god, Drew, what if my hair gets wet!" Rolling her eyes dramatically, the teen chortled continually over his choice of wedding present. What she didn't say, however, was the thought that the sexually depraved Nealite would probably enjoy such a wedding present. Might even use it in front of them all, knowing her. "And please, I have a list of people who dearly wish I were easy. As it is, I'm simply driving them mad with my feminine charms."

Again came the snort, as it was clearly known that the only boy she'd had (that anyone knew about) was Khaldun, who was no longer even really talking to her. Let alone pining! "And man, don't I just wish I got to stand up there for that wedding. That way, when I vomited due to disgust, everyone would absolutely be horrified and it'd be in all the pictures. No, if you must know, I've mostly been watching Khal in the hospital. Looking for you, since nobody tells me what is going on anymore, and generally trying to sneak around without getting caught. I haven't seen Tanzanite for awhile, and I don't particularly trust any of the others to watch my back for the Scary Kunzite Man."

It was a simple fact that Audrey just didn't work well with many others. She and Drew worked well together because they agreed that they'd do whatever it took to get the job done, and Tanzanite had similar sympathies. But some of them...some weren't so sensible. It was an absolute frustration. "I suppose now, you're my boss...sir." The smile was wicked.

"Could shave it off--or better yet, dye it pink. Heard that helps it stay water-repellent." There was a sneer at that, and the spaghetti was shouldered aside so he could take a look at that cobbler. "Is that so." He looked sly, though wisely took a bite instead of commented further, and decided that was a good goddamn choice on his part. It was even better than the spaghetti.

"I'm gonna skip it." He said ruefully, and then the girl brought up Khaldun again. "Oh, yeah. So, the hell did he do to himself now?" That was right, he'd distracted himself. Bad enough to get himself in the hospital, huh? That was something. "Hope he's dead. Or close to dead." So, Tanzanite was was MIA as well? And Kunzite... There was a snort. "Figure we could crush him if we teamed up, maybe." It was more a thoughtful musing to himself than a serious statement.

Finally, he'd grin at that last statement. "And what a good feeling it is... There's gonna be boot camp." Whip some of these goddamn lieutenants into shape, that was for sure. "My first order to you is more of this home cooked food." Drew snorted, casting a rueful eye at his mostly empty cupboards. He needed to go grocery shopping.

Briefly, Audrey considered shoving the container up into his face and smearing cobbler everywhere. She knew that Obsidian had every idea who had messed with her hair, and deliberately was not confirming her rather obvious suspicions while taunting her to boot. But that would probably end up with her having several bruises and a possible concussion, if not more. The petite, tiny Collins had no chance against the more muscular one. "I had no idea you were into such alternative girls, Drew. Really!" Instead, she fluttered her eyelashes playfully, and all but ignored the comment.

Sobering up somewhat, she kicked her feet idly in the air. "I don't quite know who did it, but some senshi really messed him up bad. From what I hear, he nearly died and the General King was furious. We don't talk anymore though, I've been cut loose on that end." Rolling her eyes dramatically, she mimicked scissors cutting a thread. "But you know me. Mobbing traitor generals, senshi, throwing idiot new recruits through boot camp, I don't care. As long as we keep pulling in seeds, and get things done. As for the food, that's easy. Mom loves to help the hungry, and I somehow get the feeling that you're not exactly a cordon bleu chef."

Dryly, she surveyed the surroundings. "Probably eat take-out every night, or throw something in the microwave. I like a greaseball as much as the next girl, but really it's not good at all for you." Stretching lightly, the lieutenant hopped up off the couch and prowled into the adjoining kitchen. "Do you even HAVE food in here?"

Smart girl! Drew snorted into his cobbler at the thought. Alternative his a**. Audrey was simply too easy to tease, was all, and he paused as she seemed to wilt a little when discussing Khaldun's injuries. "******** p***y." Too bad they hadn't just nixed him and been done with it. Clearly, he had no lost love for the other, though his eyes seemed to glow as he reflected a little more on the situation. "Maybe our next order will be to bring the bitches down." Clearly, to Obsidian, there were no male senshi--the only one he'd seen, after all, had purple hair and pink eyes.

There'd be revenge to pay later, that was for sure.

As the girl wandered into the kitchen, Drew grinned like a shark. Hook, line, and sinker. "No. Sounds about right, honestly. And so, my first official order as Captain is for you to go to the goddamn grocery store and get me something to eat. Charonite's orders, swear to god." Lying through his teeth, but it wasn't like he actually expected her to believe him. He was fishing around in his pocket, and he threw something small and leather at her. His wallet. At least he wasn't expecting her to pay for him, too.

"Now get going."