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Now there was player Navi hadn't seen in quite some time. The Senshi of Tumbleweeds paused in her wandering along the streets of Destiny City, head turning to the side as she picked up an old and familiar aura at the edge of her senses.

There wasn't much difference between the power signitures of the various soldiers in the war for the city, at least not beyond the basics, but Navi had learned early to recognize the subtle nuances that let her recognize ones that had become significant to her in someway. Good, or bad. This particular one put a rather nasty smile on the dark senshi's lips as she altered the path she'd been taking to bring her closer to the owner.

Celsus, Page of Earth, though no longer a page by the feel of him. Like her, he'd moved up on power since the last time they'd crossed paths, and that had been quite a long time ago.

In all honesty she'd wondered about him. Curious if someone had managed to beat her to ending his worthless existence.

No, Navi had not forgotten the sins she blamed the young man for, and although the wound left by the loss of her family and life was no longer bleeding, her opinion of the knight and his ilk had not improved significantly.

She met him just as the first lazy drops of cool rain began to fall on the city, stepping out onto the sidewalk at the cross streets he'd been walking towards. "Celsus. You're still alive." She almost sounded disappointed.

She waited for him to turn and face her, pale arms raising to cross below the swell of her bust. already irritated with him, and he'd done nothing yet but answer her casually and fail to turn quickly enough. To her his attitude was far to cavalier. It was infuriating, and there was a good possibility that a lot of it was all in that pretty little head of her's. She hated him, them, the knights and those of the Zodiac, so she'd never painted them a very charitable picture in her mind.

They had all failed her in the past, either letting her friends die, or turning on her, and she simply had no forgiveness for them in her heart.

Celsus himself carried a heavy portion of her blame.

He finally turned to face her, smiling easily, and she answered the gesture with a smile of her own that was really more of a harsh baring of teeth then anything else.

"Well enough," was her quick retort. She didn't have the patience for small stalk, especially not from him. Still, she was curious. "I thought someone had beat me to ending you, but I see otherwise now. Where have been hiding all this time?"

The smile had softened, but his disposition was far to at easy for the Senshi of Tumbleweeds. No matter what he did to try to convey he wasn't mocking her, all he really did was make it worst. The rocking on his heels, the hands in his pockets, the oh so casual way in which he'd informed her of abandoning his post for while.

Hazel eyes narrowed as his focus sharped upon her, but he sighed seconds after and spoke. "For last time?" She nearly chuckled. "You think I'm mad over what happened last time?" Boy, was he wrong.

Certainly their last scuffle hadn't helped things, but her anger continued to stem from beyond that. Back to their first meeting. That he didn't remember, or didn't care, that he'd caused her to lose everything, inadvertently or not, actually stung. That sort of thing should stick with a person, shouldn't it?

"We're done talking now," she declared firmly, letting her arms fall to her sides, dainty fingers curling up into loose fists. Every word he said only served to irritate her further, but else could be expected when his very presence grated against her nerves?

Shalott had been tolerable, but she was only one of an entire faction of infuriating idiots. When they weren't being self righteous martyrs, they were cowardice or cavalier. Add to that the fact they were utterly useless to the Dark Mirror court.

Nope, the Knights just need to go.

"And why shouldn't I?" She growled, voice low as she slide into a more battle ready stance. Something between offensive and defensive. "I've suffered enough for it, I think." If there was a sliding scale for grudges, surely the lose of everything you knew or loved was justifiable. Of course her retort hadn't really been directed at him, although he had made the comment. It was more a self training, and with her tone low as it was it was unlikely he'd even hear her.

As he invited her to make the first move the girl smirked, pale pink lips twitching upward. Almost pretty, if not for the cold determination mingling in hazel eyes. The last time they'd faced each other aged let her emotions rule her actions and that had cost her. She was irritated now, but she wasn't one to make the same mistake twice.

She charged at him, very linearly, but barely a yard away she feinted to her left, then to her right almost as quickly. Back and forth with as much speed as she could muster before cocking her left arm back as if she meant to strike him. She did, but it was her right fist that drove forward, aimed to connect with his gut.

Hit or miss she hopped back quickly, not keen to stay within arms reach. The palm of one hand was out, directing at him before she'd finished backing away. Wind picking up to blow ginger hair around both their faces as she gathered power for an attack.

"Ginger?" Her voice was rough as she moved to attack again, but before she could do so much as raise her arm he'd wrapped a hand around her wrist, yanking her forward and causing her to stumble.

She avoided his leg sweep, but what came next was nearly as effective. She tripped, barely catching herself before from falling, and stared at the Celsus with wide eyes. The complement had caught her by complete surprise, and she had no idea where it had come from, or what to do with it.

It took nearly a full minute for the girl to recover enough to yank on her arm, the other sweeping up to aim her elbow at the side of his head.

Flustered now, on top of her original anger, she was having a b***h of a time coming up with anything witty or even appropriate to say in retort. That in and of itself was also aggravating, and if she didn't get a reign on her temper now she was going to loose this fight before it had even really started.

"Flattery, really?" It was almost a growl. "I suppose I should thank you for the compliment."

it wasn't often Navi felt bad about striking a Knight, but when she realized what Celsus was doing just before she'd planted her elbow against the side of his face she could dismiss the sudden pang of guilt. Nor did she like it much.

Clenching her teeth was the only thing that kept her from apologizing, and even with that she almost blurted it out.

Likely, that was the only thing that kept her from going at him again as another smile crossed his lips.

Dark clad arms crossed across her chest as he explained himself, and she found her anger starting to leak away, replaced by confusion. The frustration remained, but it was having hard time fueling her into action at the moment.

He rushed forward, and while she made a move to dodge away from him she wasn't fast enough and his fingers curled around her arm and twisted it, and her, around with a pained and angry yelp. A futile struggle followed, but that was stopped pretty quickly as he pressed his free hand to her throat.

"What's your angle?" It was almost a hiss.

He wasn't applying enough pressure to her arm to hurt her, but it was enough to cause a fair amount of discomfort, and once she realized he want letting go she ceased her struggles and just did there. Not happy, but not in any hurry to twist her own arm out of the socket, or make him choke her out.

His voice rumbled behind her, and the base of it thrummed along the back of her neck and down her spine when he leaned closer, his head coming to rest against her own. It was strangely tender, and very confusing.

This was weird. She'd faced him, expecting a fight, and though she'd managed to get a good elbow in there, he'd still managed to use her own anger against her to gain the upper hand. And now he had it he didn't seem at all keen on taking advantage of it in a way that would let him finish things.

So she listened while he talked, taking in the resignation in his voice, and surprised herself by not even struggling when he shifted his grip so he could turn her to face him, now claiming both wrists. "Yes, bad things are always going to happen."

Maybe she was tired of being angry, maybe that's why she wasn't fighting back anymore. He wasn't trying to purify her or preach at her, he hasn't callinf her evil. His only real sin had been witnessing her awakening, and that hadn't been planned..

He asked her angle, and she sighed, looking up at him with a somewhat lost frown. "To serve my queen, and bring about the future she dreams for us all. The rebirth of my court." That was obvious, ingrained even. "But beyond that, I don't know. I hated you, wanted you dead even, but you don't have any malice towards me, do you?" She sounded puzzled.