Welcome to Gaia! ::

Linnea had stared at her other phone for the longest time before she'd finally pushed the "dial" button and set Pollux's phone, somewhere, ringing. Somehow it felt like an intrusion. Of course he'd offered his help to her, but somehow it didn't seem like it was "important enough" to merit calling him. Well, it wasn't an emergency... but she needed to know the full details about what this Senshi business entailed if she was going to do it correctly, right? It had been over two weeks since they'd fought that youma together and there were still questions she had. A number of them brought up by her meeting with a certain blue-haired Negaverse General. So they would meet up.

She'd spent so long picking out her outfit, putting on this shirt or that and then stripping them off, anxiously changing her look, that it almost made her late. Maybe that had been the point. Subconsciously perhaps, the clothing was another way of delaying going and meeting him. In the end she'd settled on a pale summer dress, cinched at the waist with a turquoise belt, and some cute heels. Battle gear, she thought, though it was silly. She already had battle gear as Euanthe, and that outfit was only slightly more sensible for fighting.

Still, she managed to not only be on time but also early. Which was worse than late, because it gave her time to think. God, she'd seemed such a jittery little thing when they fought that youma... and with Sailor Iris too, they must both think that she- No. She stopped herself. This was no time to fall into one of her moods.

She twisted the chain of her necklace between her fingers nervously, spinning the tiny bird cage at the bottom with the motion. Behind her the modest fountain was sputtering happily, glittering with reflections of the summer sun. Linnea hadn't known what they should do; she figured lunch would be the easiest thing to discuss over but at the same time there were certain social connotations associated with inviting a member of the opposite sex to a meal which she wanted to avoid. So she picked the pleasant little square with its multitude of outdoor cafes and said the fountain. If they got hungry they had plenty of options and no one need feel awkward. Linnea might have congratulated herself on the little scheme if she hadn't been too preoccupied with wondering if she was taking advantage of Pollux's kindness - or was it pity?

Linnea regarded the stranger blankly for a long moment. Of course she couldn't be certain it was him. After all, that greeting was really the most vague thing she'd heard in a long time. Could just be some guy making a move. But the dressy, business-like clothes, the reference to tragedy and decidedly uncreepy smile went a long way towards convincing her that this was probably Sailor Pollux. Especially the tie. Pollux really did seem like the kind of person to wear a tie.

"Yes," she said slowly. Even if he seemed a good match for her Senshi ally, it was still an estimated guess at best. And it would be terribly embarrassing if she started talking to him about battles and magical girl skirts and he turned out to have nothing to do with Senshi at all. She tilted her head and regarded him with a wary smile, the movement displacing her bangs so that she had to brush them aside again. "Though I've only met him once, and we ended up in a fight."

That seemed like a good answer. Specific enough that Pollux would get it immediately, which was the important part. Now she stared at him expectantly, visibly tense.

Ah, she thought as he mentioned her Senshi name, the tight muscles in her shoulders relaxing. She nearly let out a sigh. It was odd how worked up she was about that. And why? It wasn't like it would really matter if he was some stranger, no one else would have known. There was something weird about their acquaintance crossing over from Senshi to civilian life. Like meeting a pen pal for the first time. Years of intimate correspondence would shatter in the face of first-meeting awkwardness... and Euanthe and Pollux hadn't even had the benefit of a long lived correspondence, either.

It was only when Marlo mentioned Zeus Linnea realized she hadn't actually caught most of what he'd said about her. Well, what Euanthe actually was didn't actually interest Linnea much. She was Sailor Euanthe, whatever that meant. That was all.

"Maybe so," she said with a smile. "But their lives were never boring. It's nice to meet you, Marlo. Again. That's an interesting name," she said amiably, starting in the direction of the park. Though she frowned at the mention of a manager and the obligations she'd called him away from. "I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you this way," she added, regardless of his own remarks about the day being too nice for work. It was just her nature. Though now her curiosity was really piqued. He hardly looked any older than her, yet here he was showing up in a nicely pressed shirt and tie, called away from management duties and goodness knew what else. Maybe he had some kind of fancy internship, except interns sure as hell didn't have managers working under them.

"Ah!" She started, realizing she hadn't made her proper introductions yet. "I'm Lene, by the way. Well, Linnea Akelson, but Lene is better. If you please." She folded her hands behind her back as they walked, looking at the tops of the trees absentmindedly, though her thoughts were racing for the right questions to ask. It seemed strange to launch straight into Senshi matters. Right now, in the sunny park with the gentle breeze, that whole world of darkness and blood seemed so far away. It was crossing a line, somehow. She could almost pretend that Linnea and Euanthe were separate people with completely separate lives, but that barrier would be broken with this conversation.

"A Q and A is what we will have." This needed to happen. Better to do it now. She drew in a breath. "So, first question: why are there people fighting for the Negaverse?"

At the mention of the office girls she'd nearly rolled her eyes. Not even privileged, pampered Lene could let him live that remark down. "Oh I know," she said with mock indignation in her voice. "It must be unbearable to be so attractive. Goodness only knows what kind of bodily harm you might have suffered at the hands of those girls, had I invited you to lunch like I was planning in the first place." And then she smiled. Wide. Hopefully he'd get that she was teasing. Then again... Marlo seemed to be a very serious individual.

She added, flatly, "I'm only teasing, of course." Never hurt to be safe. And anyway, he'd already moved on to a the important subject. Serious Marlo, serious Pollux.

Lene frowned. "Well, when you put it that way it's very obvious. Yes, they think they're right. It's just - monsters. I thought they'd complicate the matter a little- guess not."

The heels of her shoes crunched deeply into the gravel of the path, suddenly making an effort to outpace him. A view of her back was less likely to reveal her uncertainties the way the emotions on her face could. What if the answer to this question was obvious too? Looking dumber than she probably already did was certainly unappealing... But it was so important and after that night and her conversation with Zinkenite Euanthe hadn't killed a single youma.

"He - the one I met on their side - he said," she began quietly, the words coming reluctantly, "that they- they were people once. The monsters. That they were made into what they are by that Princess. That I was wrong... for killing them."

She stopped walking, turning sharply on her heel to face him. "That's a lie, isn't it?" The look on her face made it clear Linnea desperately wanted to believe it was.

"No," Lene said with a small sigh, her gaze slipping from his face to the sunlight-dappled ground. "You're right. Our actions in the past don't matter. What counts is what we do now. The same goes for monsters too, I suppose."

For a few long moments she stood in thought, her unfocused eyes making small, quick movements as if she were reading over some invisible book. Really, she was collecting her thoughts and reforming her conviction. Zinkenite put a temporary dent in it. Even if Pollux couldn't verify the truth of the General's statements, his reasoning was sound enough for her. Until she really knew the truth, what could she do but prevent them from harming others in the only way she knew how? She would fight.

"You are a curious man, who can go from talking about mercy kills straight into lunch," she said. The way her shoulders straightened again indicated some her composure had been restored, though not enough to make her comfortable with the doubt and vulnerability she'd just shown him. And she couldn't let that quip go unanswered. "I'm fine with the Mexican. And as for the teasing, you may choose whichever you like," finished Lene blithely, for all that last bit implied.

Marlo Xanis seemed like the sort who could handle a little harmless flirtation, anyway. That was really the only fun part, in Linnea's opinion.

"Aah... hah," Lene said, still sounding a little skeptical of that explanation. Well, it was logical, sure... but it was kind of funny, all the same.

"Yeah, something like that," she said as she perused the food cart's picture-menu. The look on her face was one of extreme contemplation as she scrutinized the pictures and the actual food itself. If Marlo knew what she'd had for breakfast (it didn't have a name, but it involved putting kale, cabbage, avocados, apples, carrots, peaches, and chlorophyll into a blender - it was unholy) he might have been surprised that Lene didn't just faint at the mere suggestion of eating from a food cart. She settled on tacos with carnitas.

"They mean much more than that, though," she said as she juggled the food between her two hands, too hot even when wrapped up in paper... and desperately trying to avoid it dripping on her dress. "Because what we do is who we are, no matter what we think. Intent is secondary to action, isn't it?"

Sure, tough talk, but would Euanthe be able to walk any of it? She wasn't sure she'd be able to face a youma by herself even with her convictions restored. Nor was she sure that the people of the Negaverse deserved worse than a prison... she didn't really want to see Zinkenite die for what he believed.

"Then if that is what you like, that's what it will be," said Lene with a shrug of her small shoulders. "But it comes with a price," she continued, pausing for dramatic effect and looking as forlorn as she possibly could. "Now, how can you ever be sure I dialed your number for business? Maybe I just wanted to see your pretty face again. How sad, now our relationship is utterly poisoned and can never be restored. My heart is broken in two, just like your office girlfriends. If only you'd chosen the other option."

"I really hope I haven't been rude calling you out here. I would hate to fall out of your good graces," she said lightly. Especially since Marlo's good graces (assuming she was in them) were icy enough for her already. "And anyway, that you might be gay didn't ever cross my mind."

She stared down at the tacos she'd bought as thought she were having second thoughts about her decision to buy them. Somehow she was getting less hungry as their conversation continued. "Well," said Lene, frowning, "that's a very pragmatic way to look at it. But it's very..." How could she do this without making a pun about his sphere? She gave up. "It's very cold. Don't you think that if we strip ethics from our actions, all we're left with is senseless violence? I don't think there has ever been a truly ethical war either, but I don't think that reducing the world down to blacks and whites is necessary. To fight with principles."

"I just mean," Lene paused and bit her lip, trying to condense her thoughts. "That if we don't have morals to back our actions, and if we don't examine them every now and again too, then all we'd do is fight for fighting's sake. That isn't the kind of Senshi - the kind of person - I'd want to be."

She let out a little sigh, as if making that assertion had taken all of her energy. Then, fearing she was waxing far too melodramatic for the tone of their conversation, Lene took a decisive bite of the taco.

If you do want to be a senshi at all.

That made it sound almost optional. I shouldn't start thinking about it like that, Lene chastised herself mentally. It's not. This is a duty. This is an- an honor. This is a- She broke the train of thought before she went any further, afraid of where it might go.

"I don't know what drives me, I don't know what my blinders are. I'd like to say yes, I can handle what's coming but-" she crumpled the taco in her hands idly, the crunch of it between her palms feeling satisfying. Oh, wait, wasn't she still going to eat that? Lene frowned at it. Well, at least there was another one. That was what she got for not paying attention to what she was doing. She sighed and continued. "But if I don't find those things then I probably can't. That's the truth of it, isn't it. There needs to be some measure of willful ignorance or absence of feeling to survive it."

She allowed a moment of silence to settle in. Her thoughts needed gathering.

"Marlo," she started again, "thank you. I don't know exactly where I'm going yet, but this conversation- your words- I think that I am going in the right direction, at least. So, thank you. Again."