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Serpentine allowed Buddingtonite's words to rush over him like calming water. In a way, it was comforting to be able to float among them again. Wearing his green and gold uniform, feeling the Chaos run through him, strengthening him... and now, his best friend at his side, however drunk, and complaining felt like normalcy, which the florist had been lacking quite a bit in recent weeks. It was a balm to the most recent blows to his rather large ego.

All the same, he could not help but feel a sour taste in his mouth as they traveled together. No, they had not seemed to make any friends at the recent gathering. Serpentine had always been a man to have few friends to begin with, and surrounding himself with only the best... but his vanity would not allow a bruise to come and not feel tender. His king had been the one to nominate him as a wolf, when he of all people should know that had the agressive man been guilty... there would have been blood spilt on the very first night. Buddingtonite had been the only one to stand by his side... and it had cost him his life, figuratively this time, but who knew what it would cost in the future? The silence had not bothered the taciturn man but the suffering, the humiliation... those stuck in his craw.

Serpentine did not much feel like laughing, given what had happened to the two of them this night. He also, in general, did not approve of anyone relying on alochol to the point of stumbling. There was the added matter that, since Buddingtonite had a death grip on his green, decorative sash, not just one but both men fell down. Yet, his deep chuckle resonated in the night air whenever they hit the ground friend. His friend was bumbling around in a manner that he knew was at least partially for his partner's benefit as well as his own. Like the jovial puppy that he had brought to Buddingtonite's home, he was attempting to cheer him up. The efforts were appreciated.

"Yes, jealous," he eventually responded dryly, reaching to remove Buddingtonite's hand from his sash. "Clearly based on your ability to hold liquor." A snide comment, but a jesting one. He was certain his partner would understand.

Buddingtonite had expected Serpentine to catch him, but not so much was he expecting the two of them to go crashing to the ground like this. It didn't hurt, and even if it did, it was likely that Buddingtonite wouldn't have been aware of his injuries, as he wsa simply that drunk. No, when he went down, he went down laughing, no, cackling uncontrollably, and it came to an abrupt end when he thought he heard a peculiar noise. A noise that he seldom, if ever, heard. A noise that took him completely by surprise and left him speechless... for a second.

"Serp'nt'ne... was that... was that a laugh?" Buddingtonite asked, looking at his friend's golden eyes and pointing to his lips with a wobbly, shaky finger. He stared at it with rigorous intent, as if determined to spot it should it escape again, before he broken into uncontrollable laughter again. "Oh no... you laughed... you face... gonna break now. See... there it-gooooooooooes!"

When Serpentine tried to pull him off his sash, Buddingtonite went falling backwards though thankfully it was not a long fall. Soon, he was on his back, and staring at a peculiar figure, with shiny yellow boots and large, black wings. And that was only the start, and like a moth to a flame, Buddingtonite could not take his eyes off of the figure that approached them. He looked familiar, everything about him looked familiar, but it wasn't until he saw that face that the very, very drunk Negaverse captain gave an elated squee. "REMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYY-oh, you changed... new wardrobe... I love the eye... on your hat..."

He reached for that extended hand without question, making little grabby-grabby hands like an infant would when a mother waved a bottle just out of reach. "Hiiiiiiii... Serpy, say hello... you 'member Remy... right?"

Remarque's lip twitched; he was still coming to terms with this new form, and while he was certainly elated to be toting around such a powerful aura…it was a powerful aura.

It wasn't suited for dealing with drunkards.

And yet, he kept it. Not because he was not yet fluid when it came to slipping between forms, but because he had not missed the look on Serpentine's face, and took particular interest in the way he looked like he was bracing for an attack. "My concern? Serpentine, when were you ever of concern to me?" he asked; in this form or any over, he was not above a little playful jabbing.

He made no effort to wipe the smirk from his face and despite Serpentine's protest, gripped Buddingtonite's outstretched hand tightly. When he had a good grip, he pulled him up to his feet in a single motion and then promptly retracted his hand and began to wipe his palm against the fabric of his pants.

"You two gentleman ought to power down if you aren't out looking to give the Negaverse a bad rep. I'd hate to read about how two outstanding men like yourself got into some sort of trouble while dressed like this."

Serpentine could not help but growl. Remarque had already been more powerful than he at their last altercation - to see him rise higher, and now without the 'alliance' tethering him... no, perhaps he had never been a matter of concern. And that concept challenged his enormous ego and made him all the angrier. He watched in disgust as his partner accepted the offered hand.

"I know him, but--no, Buddy, stop!" Serpentine hissed to his partner, his eyes shooting metaphorical daggers that he hoped would p***k his partner into obeying. What happened at any of their Negaverse exercises--no matter how small, no matter how seemingly insignificant--were not to be shared with Senshi. No, the green-and-gold clad Captain did not trust the Dark Mirror Senshi any more than those of the White Moon, and he made no more effort to hide that now than he had when Remarque first appeared.

Nevertheless, he made it perfectly clear that he would not be powering down. It would not trust Remarque with his true face. He would not lose the power of Chaos that flowed through him, that allowed him to use his whip. His own power might be considerably less than that of the Senshi... but that did not mean he was willing to give it up. It was the only security he had - for all he knew, the only protection he could offer his drunken, overly friendly partner. His hand fell to the butt of his whip, but he did not draw. Not yet. "Leave us, Remarque. He is in no condition for anything but sleep."

Getting his drunkard friend home safely was top priority. If that meant having to engage in a fight that even the vain Serpentine was certain he would lose, then so be it.

"Stop? Stop what?" Buddingtonite was simply too drunk now, too confused, and now, getting a little annoyed with Serpentine's behavior. He couldn't understand why his friend was acting like this- was he just as drunk as he was? Did he miss something? He knew that Krishna hated senshi, but surely that didn't include Dark Mirror Senshi? Buddingtonite was confused, and he let it be known as he hung off of his friend. "Not doin' nothin' wrong… you crazy, Serpy…"

He tried to pat his friend on the cheek but missed horribly, hitting air and he clung to his friend all the tighter when he feared he was going to fall. He pressed his head against Serpentine's chest, swaying ever so slightly and listening to their exchange, fighting the urge to sleep so hard right now. Sleep… sounded so damn good right now.

When Remarque turned his question to him, he remained exactly as he were, speaking into Serpentine's chest and making it hard to hear him, as well as hard to breathe. He mumbled, trying to make the motions with his hands but all they could do was sway in rhythm with his body. "Exactly… what's not to love? They don't… *hic* love me… hate me. Fed me to wolves… after they hung Serpentine… monsters…"

"Oh, you poor thing," Remarque replied, sounding utterly sympathetic. "Well, I suppose the Negaverse is not well known for caring about your lot. It's too bad the Dark Mirror Court can't steal you away. You two charming gentleman," he looked at Serpentine smugly as he spoke, "Would make wonderful additions."

He couldn't necessarily understand getting drunk over a game, but a bruised ego? That, he could excuse. "It's a pity that they'd turn you against yourselves, at the very least. Perhaps it was the guise of a game, but I suppose that just goes to show how quick they are to betray their own kind, no? You two had best watch your backs. I suppose I'd offer to have your back for you, but I suspect that wouldn't help you sleep at night, would it, Serpentine?"

He was amused, watching the Buddingtonite cling to the other in such a way. It was comical, though he couldn't imagine ever being in the same state while powered up. "For the trouble that you are, though, I find you amusing. If the Negaverse keeps picking on you, let me know."

Not that there was anything he could do about it, per se, but he was nosy, and always loved to hear of the Negaverse's shortcomings.

Serpentine was, truly, a patient man. In his line of work, one had to be patient. Flowers bloomed on their own schedule, seasons cycled in and out and could not be rushed. Even tea took time to steep. However, even his patience had limits. Remarque's concern he could not accept as genuine - so every word felt like a snide taunt. Buddingtonite's actions refleted not only on himself, but also on his partner, who had groomed him. (And the organization to which they both belonged, but that didn't matter as much as how Serpentine appeared.) The damage done to his uniform, however, was merely the final straw to his bruised ego. No one, not even his best friend, could tarnish his looks - not even as a side effect of positive sentiment. When the other Captain looked to move away, the Indian all but shoved him and looked down in disgust at his left overs. Perhaps Laurelite had been correct in caling him a crutch. ... but what else could he be, if that is what his friend needed? Crutches were for temporary support during healing and not always indicative of a cripple.

Perhaps the whole situation was made worse because he did not want to agree with a Senshi and a drunkard. He did not want to admit aloud how disgusted he had been with the game, even if he and Remarque thought the same - that it tore apart, rather than brought together. He did not want to admit in his heart that his friend voiced a sentiment he had long held himself -that the Negaverse, for all its talk of comraderie, rarely exhibited it. The one he felt closest to was the one who had originally been given to him as a responsibility and slowly had become a friend. His only friend.

Still, Remarque had spoken first, and he spat a response, "No. "I don't need protection. I will also watch Buddingtonite's back." It was much a threat to the Senshi as it was a promise to his partner. He was rather proud of his partner for denying the possibility of shipping sides...but then the next question was dangerous. Very dangerous. "Buddy... we cannot mirrorwalk."