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Recently the park had been Athene’s patrol place of choice and initially this evening was to be no different. In fact the evening had initially started off to plan with a stop off at a coffee house his first port of call. It was only once armed with a hot drink, that the dark-haired teen had found somewhere private to power up into his senshi alter-ego, before heading in the direction of the park, every now and then taking the odd sip of the hazelnut mocha topped with whipped cream – his hot drink of choice for the night.

Athene was passing a series of alley ways when he picked up on the aura and headed to investigate. It was not a youma – that much the dark-haired senshi was sure off – and it wasn’t that far away. Close enough that after investigating that Athene figured that he could probably continue to make his way on to the park if he still wanted to.

Athene didn’t have to go very far out of his way to find the source of the aura – in fact the dark-haired senshi stumbled across it on as he started across the entrance to an alleyway situated near to a bar. Further down, Athene could make out a figure in grey and gold stooping over something or maybe someone.

Actually it was a someone, something the dark-haired senshi found hard to miss as he made his way closer, while trying not wrinkling his nose too much at the smell of alcohol and other more unsavoury smells. “Excuse me” he called out to catch the other’s attention. “What are you doing to that man?” It didn't look good whatever it was.

As the other spoke, Athene found himself blinking at the blond in surprise. The senshi? Well at least the blond looked like a senshi, had sounded way too cheerful over what to the dark-haired senshi was essentially stealing. Although he’d thought that energy stealing was a Negaverse thing.

More blinking ensued on Athene’s part as the blond cheerfully went on to introduce himself, the dark-haired senshi managing a somewhat lame “Sailor Athene” in response, before shaking his head at the other senshi’s earlier justification. “Actually it’s only borrowing if you’ve asked the person and are planning to give it back.” Somehow Athene doubted that this ‘Sailor’ Virtus had asked the poor man slumped over in the alley for said permission and he doubted even more that the blond was planning to give back the energy at some later point.

“You’re part of the Negaverse aren’t you” Athene hadn’t quite meant to say that out loud, but the words had kind of slipped out once the blond finished speaking. “One of those Negaverse senshi.” Although the blond didn’t seem to be like the other Negaverse senshi – that one had attacked Athene for no reason. He added quietly “And stealing energy from people isn’t right – it doesn’t matter who says it’s okay.” He said quietly. “You’re taking something from someone without their consent, while they’re helpless to stop you – like they’re some sort of cattle or something.” Athene’s one experience of mass-energy stealing had been a negative one. “I mean if it’s so important to get energy, why can’t you just donate your own.”

Athene blinked at Virtus startled “You mean the Dark Mirror senshi steal energy too?” He was too surprised to stop the words blurting out. That other Dark Mirror senshi, Remarque, hadn’t said anything about that little point during their meeting in the park. Given how much Athene disliked the notion of energy stealing, the dark-haired senshi was pretty sure he’d have remembered it coming up during the conversation with Virtus’ fellow Dark Mirror senshi team mate. “That makes you no better than the Negaverse.”

Although hadn’t Remarque said something about them being allies. Maybe the Dark Mirror senshi stole starseeds too. He bit his lip when Virtus started talking about not hurting people, about having to do a job, not able to understand why the blond didn’t seem to be able to hear how wrong the whole thing sounded, seemed even able to smile at the whole thing “I can’t let you” he said at last, wondering if the other senshi was quite all there “I can’t let you go out there looking for more victims, not without doing my best to stop you.” Athene wasn’t keen on the whole fighting thing, but if it meant stopping more people turn out like the drunk then he’d do what he could.

Athene wasn’t sure whether Virtus was actually being serious when he asked him what made the Negaverse bad, but he answered the Dark Mirror senshi all the same. “They steal energy from people too and they steal people’s soul batteries, I mean starseeds too – a bunch of them did that at a city council meeting last year” it was around about the time that all those civilians had gone missing. “And then they set their youma on the civilians.” He looked at the blond who was tilting his head at him “But I guess you probably already know that” after all Remarque had said they were allies and Virtus hadn’t contradicted him – so mayhaps the other blond Dark Mirror senshi had been telling the truth on that point at least.

He watched as Virtus raised his fists “To be honest I’d rather not fight either” it wasn’t something he was particularly good at either, although if the awkwardness of Virtus’ pose was anything to go by then maybe the Dark Mirror senshi wasn’t much of one either. “And if you’re not about to go looking for more people to steal energy from then I won’t either.” He wasn’t particularly hopeful that the other would take it, but Athene felt he should at least try to make the offer anyway.

Athene clenched a fist reluctantly at Virtus’ words “Then I have to do my best to stop you.” If the clenched fist looked awkward then it probably was because the dark-haired senshi was not a particularly good fighter – in fact it was probably safe to say he was a pretty rubbish fighter – although it didn’t stop Athene from holding his ground.

Biting his lip, the dark-haired senshi contemplated using his senshi ability on the dark mirror senshi – maybe being trapped in beads would convince the other to stop, or at least slow the taller blond down – that is if it worked.

Athene had hesitated for a few moments, not very long mayhaps but long enough that the dark-haired teen had only managed to get the words “Blue beads…” out before the older senshi had managed to make up the distance between them. Breaking off on the words that would have completed his senshi attack with a yelp, Athene tried instead to move out of the path of the Dark Mirror senshi charging towards him.

His movements were somewhat awkward, although if able to avoid the blond’s head on charge then Athene was planning to shove out at Virtus. Partly an attempt to put distance between them, all the better to try and give himself time enough to call on his senshi ability.