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Another day, another dollar, and it was becoming rather easy to delegate the closing night shift to his senior manager. Whereas his employees thought Richard to be hitting the clubs or his liquor cabinet early, he had more interesting things to do, and no sooner had he left Sugar Shanty did he suit up and take to the streets.

Yellow and green pinwheel in one hand, a leftover cinnamon lollipop in the other, Buddingtonite was on the quest to gather some energy this evening, and the best place to look would have been the park. Young teens and romantic couples would likely be hanging out there, and given how much energy these confounded teens seemed blessed with, as well as how gullible and stupid they were, they were basically ASKING to have their energy taken.

And Buddingtonite would be the one to liberate that precious energy from them. He could see a few of the teens right now, with their little skateboards and roller blades, talking smack to each other and wasting their energy on performing stunts, inviting either a broken bone or an over eager Negaverse lieutenant, and Buddingtonite was determined to get to them before the broken bones did (though he'd gladly help shatter a femur or two if gravity didn't do its job).

"Come to poppa," Buddingtonite said, the spicy lollipop in his mouth causing the words to come out muffled and failing to give away his arrival to the preoccupied teens. They hadn't noticed him yet, but that was just fine for him. After all, he lingered back a little longer to think of a memorable entrance. He wanted everything to be perfect...

With how close he was getting to his goal, Buddingtonite felt that he had the stealth ability of a leopard in the jungle, minus the spots, the tree he would have been crouched in, the tail and claws. Well, minus everything, but the comparison was still there. And yet, this leopard's prey was spooked by the sound of someone approaching, and the little tingle in the back of his throat wasn't a cough, but the sensing of the Order energy signature. He hadn't noticed it until she was literally upon them, and when he turned to look at her, the teens had spotted him, grabbed the skateboards and roller blades and took their leave.

Smart teens!

Buddingtonite hadn't noticed their departure, however, as his full attention was on the page before him. And he couldn't help but cringe, even when he felt a bit of excitement growing within him at the sight of her. "This is it? This is the famed ally of the White Moon and counterparts to our glorious Negaverse?"

He approached her, not too threatening yet and merely in observation. He had to admit her attire was rather adorable, though he'd never put himself in that color, at any time of the year, and it had nothing to do with the whole 'Pink is for girls' stigma that came with it. She made it look good, and he was willing at admit that there was some beauty to be had on the other side. He tilted his head, resting his harmless little pinwheel under his chin and circling her, like a fashionista looking over a potential model before they walked out on the stage.

"Now I wouldn't be so hasty as to call me a creep, if I were you. I haven't done anything wrong... yet," Buddingtonite said, continuing to take in her appearance and resisting the urge to use his pinwheel to lift up parts of her ruffles. He hadn't noticed her weapon, yet, as his eyes were pinned on her beauty, and the wasted potential he saw. "I like your attire. Very primp, proper, elegant and worthy of a lady of your refined beauty. But if I had to make any suggestions, I would like to see more of it in black..."

He snickered, then added, "Or freed from your body. I am Lieutenant Buddingtonite. Who are you, my dear?"

Buddingtonite couldn't help but give an exasperated sigh, and he practically mimicked her stance, though his was more mocking than angered. "This city is filled with a bunch of prudes! Or maybe it's just the White Moon Court and its corruption that it fills your head with that makes you and your kind unable to receive a compliment? So be it, Aventine."

Too often were his compliments met with skepticism or downright resistance, and to be honest, it was starting to wear on his nerves. He felt that he was being extremely friendly and approachable to his enemy, and all he was met with was stern looks and downright ugliness. Perhaps he was being too nice? Perhaps he should have taken a more practical approach with his enemy and just go straight into the fight, given them the hostility they craved if they kept outright refusing his hospitality.

He was more than ready to do that, and as unlikely as his weapon was, he drew his pinwheel as though he were holding one of his fencing swords. In response to her question, he shrugged, and answered with a bit of truth, "I was scouting them. For future recruits. Seeing how quickly they fled, though... perhaps they weren't worth the effort in the long run. No matter. They're gone, and seeing as you are the one that let them escape, I feel it's necessary that I recover what I lost with you. Suitable replacement, don't you think?"

To him and his twisted logic, anyway. If he couldn't woo this one, then he's simply have to fight her, and that he held no restraints with. "Now, if you'd kindly draw your weapon?"

He scoffed at her refusal to draw her weapon, and in truth, he couldn't blame her. After all, he had nothing more than a pinwheel at the moment, but he had confidence in his ability to hold his own, should he need to. He felt he was resourceful, and he could imagine the bragging rights he'd have if he managed to defeat an enemy with such a dinky little toy (not to mention how damaging to her ego it might have been). Sometimes, that was the greater victory...

"Suit yourself. We'll just do fisticuffs, assuming you don't bury me to death with questions. I'll answer them first, then if you still feel up to it, we'll see about exchanging blows. Good for you, Aventine."

Though he said her name in a mocking fashion, the fact that Aventine seemed more interested in asking questions instead of straight up trying to fight him was a clear sign that there may have been some potential here, and Buddingtonite loved potential. It opened the doors to opportunity, and being the opportunistic salesman that he was, he was planning on gliding through those doors before they had the chance to slam shut. The thought of giving away valuable information or exposing any weakness never once crossed his mind, as he was simply too invested in enlightening the page he hoped to win over, if not tonight than perhaps later.

"Any and everyone can be of use to us- it's really just a matter of finding their potential and what that use may be. Some could have the potential to become a lieutenant like myself, willing putting ourselves in a position to fight back against the threat of the White Moon Court. Others may have the potential to become senshi and serve us to redeem themselves, or something to that effect- I'll be truthful with you, never met one. Heard of them, though." Buddingtonite laxed in his stance for a moment, feeling little need to hold a combative stance while the two seemed more interested in talking (or, rather, him talking at her). "And those unfit for either lieutenant status or senshi status... well, they'd make for a great source of energy. After all, must be prepared for when the Moon Queen invades, and I'm sure they'll be more than happy to donate their energy in the protection of their planet rather than become victims of the White Moon invasion."

He shrugged. "Noble death verses just another faceless casualty that did nothing to protect their homeworld. Which would you chose?"

It appeared that this Aventine knew a lot more than he had originally thought, and while he did his best to maintain a positive and calm demeanor on the outside, his mind was racing. He took in her words and tried to process them, looking for something, anything he could use as fodder against her. She rose a decent point, but he was merely going by what was told to him, nothing more, nothing less.

He allowed her to finish, and he didn't speak until he was certain that he had maintained a good, solid control of his voice, as he diverted his gaze to his pinwheel. He explained, "The good guys are the victor- always has and always will be. Why, if the White Moon Court wins, they could easily change the records around to make themselves the guiding light they claim to be. Same could be said for the Negaverse, though... a trick subject, this good and evil thing."

In truth, he knew she was right. He admitted to this. "I didn't join the Negaverse to be on the good side. I did it to be on the winning side."

While it seemed inevitable that a fight would break out between the two, Buddingtonite held onto the smallest of hopes that he could somehow convince her to switch sides. Or, in the very least, rattle that pretty little head of hers and leave her vulnerable for someone else to pick away at her. "As for what I'm afraid is going to happen? Simple. Any day now, the Moon Queen could return to try and claim this planet, and when that happens, I want to make sure I'm not caught with my britches down. And if you know what's good for you, you will want to do the same."

He added, tightening his grip on his oh-so-threatening pinwheel. "You will not want the Negaverse as your enemy, Aventine."

He had to admit, she had a very good point, both in regards to his bark probably being much worse than his bite (because, seriously, how powerful could a pinwheel be), as well as the Negaverse's fear of this illusive Moon Queen. And initially, he was willing to admit that perhaps his organization was making a big deal out of a single being, one that apparently had better things to do with her time than monitor her own people and their allies.

However, the fact that the General-King Zinkenite seemed keen on fearing this woman and the whispers he heard of her power, he wasn't going to question his higher ups on this. He placed his pinwheel in the groove of his hat and cracked his knuckles, making it very clear that he was getting ready to fight, though his voice barely indicated this. "She may be one Queen, but she's a powerful one. And a neglectful one, really, to leave you to fight the other threat of the Negaverse and Dark Mirror Court on your own."

He stretched his shoulders, popped his neck, and then, in an almost gentleman like fashion, took a combative pose, as though finally ready to do fisticuffs with the young lady. "Can't say much for others on your side, but my side? They're willing to kill. They almost killed me. Therefor, it's in everyone's best interest to simply join their side, before you become their victim. If not to me, than another, stronger, more terrifying general."

Again, he repeated himself, before lunging at her, "You don't want to be our enemy!"

"Now, now, my dear, there's no need for name calling!" Buddingtonite crowed, not too surprised that Aventine was able to dodge his initial blow. After all, it wasn't like he was being very subtle about it, and one would have had to have been completely oblivious to not see it coming. So, he had to give it to Aventine that she was smart enough to jump back when she did. Her threat didn't quite get through to Buddingtonite, as he laughed. "Besides, it's not best to judge the entire Negaverse based on one bad egg..."

He was basically calling himself a bad influence, but he could think of no other way to describe it. He had failed to convince her to join his side, and since she seemed to have her mind set, he figured that there was no point in delaying the inevitable. It was no longer the time to talk, but the time to attack, and Buddingtonite was not lying when he said he was willing to end her life this day.

"I've never pulled a starseed before, but I'm willing to give it a try. If you beg loud enough, I'll even let you see it..." Buddingtonite's threat, if one knew him well, was empty, but if it would have made the fear in her eyes intensified, than he was willing to play along with his little bluff. He struck at her again, using the oh-so-threatening pinwheel as though it were a short, flimsy fencing sword, aiming to leave a mark on that pretty little face of hers. "Care to take a guess as to what color it might be?"

"Fondling your starseed? Sweetheart, please, don't give me ideas!" Buddingtonite crowed with delight at the turn of events. While part of him lamented the fact that he couldn't convince her to see things his way and likely ruined any chance for another officer to do the same, he was still pleased with how events were playing about around him. If he couldn't lure them over to the Negaverse, then ending their life would simply have to do. He had no idea how to pull a starseed, but that wasn't going to stop him from trying! "Fondling your starseed will only be the start!"

Or would have been, had she not clocked him but good when he got too close. He had clearly underestimated the page's strength as well as her resolve, and he felt that at full force when her fist connected to his cheek with such force that it swept the lieutenant his feet and sent him flying back a good foot or two. He landed square on his back and skid another foot more before finally stopping, and Buddingtonite was not too proud to admit that he was seeing stars.

For all of his taunts, his boasting, he went down relatively quickly, and when moments ago he was cackling and spitting out threats, all he could manage to do now was mumble incoherently and feel the need to spit out a tooth. Thankfully, a quick run of his tongue over both rows confirmed that she hadn't hit him THAT hard, but it certainly felt that way, and he managed to push himself up into a sitting position with his elbows, rubbing the back of his gloved hand to his cheek and surprised he didn't see blood when he pulled away. "Feisty... you're much stronger than you look, Aventine... wasn't quite expecting that..."

Which now brought to question. Should he carry on the fight, or make a calculated retreat? The latter sounded like the better idea, honestly.