"Your what?" Phact looked mildly insulted as this woman purred over her. A cat watching a caged bird
"I do not believe I stuttered." she replied, reaching out to cup Phact's face. "Join me and I will take care of you." she offered once more. Chance two…
Reaching upward, Phact brushed her hand away in a gentle motion. She did not show disgust but was still making it very clear she did not want to be touched by the woman. "Take care of me? I'm sorry but you need to realize that I have spread my wings for a long time. The idea of being caged is not appealing."
Withdrawing her hand with a shrug of her shoulder, Kazenite crossed her arms over her chest "Caged?" she asked with a bit of a surprised. "No no dear. Allow me to be the wind beneath those glorious wings. As a creature of wind I know more than anyone how we need our freedom." Spread those wings little dove and fly where ere' the winds may carry you. Be my eyes and ears for no one will question when a bird perches near.
Her head turned slowly to the side as she watched the the woman closely. For years she had been a bird on the window finding friendship only in being alone with other doves high on the roof tops. "How are you of the wind? Assassins are more creatures of the shadow, especially ones who find such pleasure in chaos."
"There is wind in my blood, from another day another time." Before she had been conscripted into the Negaverse she had been a Knight of Pherkad, best friend and sister to the Senshi of Fans, and together they made the winds sigh in pleasure. "Someday I will show you the truth behind those words. So what say you?" Chance three "Will you join me?"
Phact stood still. Her words echoing in the senshi's ears and mixed with the words of so many that came before this woman. Closing her eyes, the sailor lifted her hands up and placed them in front of her chest. Was it wrong? Something about this woman. Something cried out inside of her to be released. "What is your name?"
"Kazenite" the sound of her name flowed from her lips freely and without hesitation. "Though only those I trust are allowed to call me Kaze..." direct translation ... wind. “Can I trust you?” She asked.
"Kazenite." The word flew from Phact's mouth without emotion. "Well Kazenite, if you have singled me out, it must be for a reason." Phact's eyes opened and locked onto the face of the woman before her. "And I doubt it is just my starseed within me. What do I have that you desire?"
"Knowledge" She replied simply her gaze never leaving that of Phacts. "All I desire is knowledge. And that is something I believe you to have in spades."
A twisted smile played over Phact's face. "I take it a little bird then told you of my interest." The smile softened to one of assurance. "I do have some and access to a good deal more." Her phone already held much and she knew of the word of other senshi as well. "Though might I caution that having limitless knowledge has always come with problems." She would not admit her mind went fluttering back to the images of Indian Jones and the Crystal Skulls.
There was a twinkle of fire behind those teal-blue eyes of hers, "It has indeed, which is why I have dealt with many of them. Knowledge has more power than anything in existence and can cut sharper than any blade. I did not merely stumble on you by chance my Dove. I know more about you than those you call allies."
The look Phact sent was a warning. She was not Kazenite's dove and she was telling the woman do not even test her on that. "Really now? Would you indulge me in what you know?"
Kazenite did not miss that look in the senshis' ruby colored eyes, and in response she smiled and looked away, reluctantly conceding for now. She did not wish to ruffle Phact's feather so to speak, nor did she want to scare her away should her cat decide to play a cruel trick and reveal her true nature. "I know you often patrol with another, the Senshi of Prayer, I have been told you two are like family no?" she glanced out of the corner of her eye watching for any sort of reaction. "Yet often when you are not in each others company you seek solace in the company of your cooing friends atop rooftops. Quite lonely if I do say so."
Phact's upbringing in society taught her to mask emotions and it paid off right then. Her eyes were locked strongly on the woman. While knowing she worked with Acrucis was one thing, the family part concerned her. What really bothered her was the fact this woman knew of her stay above the city. Only those who stumbled upon her and Acrucisknew where she liked to go. And she never took the same route to get there. "They say it is lonely at the top."
"I don't know, you tell me. Is it?" She would know better than most. An eternal senshi who spent nights looking down on her beloved city. Ever watching, ever waiting. Kazenite was no fool and knew the raven haired woman spoke with double meaning.
"I could ask you the same thing." Phact responded as she watched the woman. She did not know the rank but knew that for her to approach an eternal senshi like she was the boss meant one of two things: equal level or ego. "But I can tell I don't have to answer. If you know me so well, then you should already have a guess." She glanced away towards the right and looked out into space. "So are you blackmailing me?"
"Me blackmailing?" she straightened up almost as if she were offended by the accusation "No, that is not my style I assure you. She is off limits to me as another General-King had already taken interest in her early on." An olive branch perhaps? A taste of the fruit of knowledge. "I have no say on what becomes of your beloved sister"
And that was when Phact's mask dropped and the shock over took her eyes. They went wide as she looked back at the woman and then closed. The senshi of doves was processing what this woman had just told her and it was hard. Hard to accept that Hannah could have attracted the attention of a chaos. Hard t believe she would be made off limits. Hard to understand why this would not be something Kazenite would touch. "Interested in how?"
"Over several years he has watched over her. His methods... questionable in my opinion; at least in our eyes. Though shes served to be quite an asset aiding those who are injured in battle." There was more she knew about this little one, this senshi of prayer. Something she had whispered to Benitoite once upon a starry night oh so very long ago.
"She has never discriminated in who she helps. That is something we all know. Many have questioned it over the years." Phact responded not hearing anything new in her words. Phact herself believed in corporation and that the sides could work in peace. The unwanted deaths bothered her. Over time, she herself had spent many hours keeping watch for Acrucis. "It would not surprise or concern me that someone finds her for that."
"She serves a purpose to both sides this much is true. Though he protects her from those who would forcefully corrupt her because her time is almost spent. A courtesy unto her as thanks for her aid; she is ill is she not?" The general queen had been made privy to this little one's fainting spells and inability to rise once she's expended too much magic. "And you..." She paused watching her reaction. "You watch over her, is that not why you're always so close?" Both literally and figuratively. She had seen from afar how frequently the dove and her light walked side by side, arms linked through each others.
"Does she know this?" Phact asked bluntly about the courtesy. How well did they know her sister? Too well it came out to be. A flicker of pain went across those red eyes at the mention of her time being short. If Hannah did not take to a transplant, this much could be true. But Phact had not yet given up hope. "Does she know that she has a Negaverus guard dog?" There had always been something there. Something Phact felt she was not being allowed to see. Was this it?
"To her he's nothing more than a guardian angel. I have heard... that this general had teleported her away from a battle on several occasions." She raised an eyebrow curiously, wondering if Phact was privy to these incidences or not. "If it was not for his unwavering loyalty to the Negaverse and much convincing on his part to the other General King's and Queens; neither would be here with us. So for now, she is safe."
"I have shared with you a glimpse of how deep my well of knowledge runs. So I offer you my protection so you may continue to keep an eye on that shining light you follow so closely; and in return all I ask is you help my well run deeper."
Phact's eyes closed. She did not know about this protection or the favor that a man showed Acrucis. And today she had found out about it in a way no one should have. To say she was shocked was one thing. To say Phact believed this woman 100% would have been to be a fool. Phact would confront her sister about this later and find the truth out from there.
"Your protection?" Her eyes reopened and gazed stone like. "And in return I grant you information? Let me guess, upon the senshi."
"Hmm" Her voice was a purr upon those upturned lips. "I will welcome such information with open arms but I assume such actions do not sit well with you correct?" She paused for a moment watching Phact. A hard one to read but still there were signs evident in her expressions that expressed curiosity and desire, a desire to serve a bigger purpose and to protect the one she cares for most.
"And if they do not." Phact stated clear as day. For as little as she enjoyed the company of the other white moon senshi, she knew that lives would be at risk. That was what worried her the most. "Becoming a warrior of chaos has never been a top goal of mine. I awoke a White Moon Senshi for a reason. I have no desire to hand over a star seed or my home world."
Kazenite tilted her head and smiled, there was amusement in those teal-blue eyes of hers, amusement and something else. Maintaining eye contact, she stepped forward and slowly raised a hand to place her open palm above Phact's heart all the while leaning forward to whisper in a soft tone for her ears alone "I do not want your star-seed, my Dove. You are of far more use to me exactly as you are." The teal haired woman took a step back and lowered her hand to her side. "I wish to know who on my side is unfaithful; to know who is sneaking around behind closed doors. Of course I will accept anything you wish to share."
Not a wink of fear or terror crossed the young woman's face as she felt the open hand press against her chest. It was warm against the fabric that covered her body and acted as the only barrier between herself and the weapons dawned by these dark followers. Ironic in it's own way how cloth and feathers were to keep her safe and alive. But the words spoken to the wind drew a slow smile on her lips. "You might be surprised the doubt so many have and the attraction I have witnessed. For as strong as your side appears, there are many holes."
"Indeed there are, which is why I hope to fill them" with blood if she had to. "And that wherein lies why I request your aid."
Phact stood there without words for a moment. It was not until a wind blew softly through her hair that she spoke. "And my methods for getting such information? Do you want a say in those?"
“I am curious as to how you intend to go about it yes, but ultimately your methods are your own.” Do not fool yourself into thinking I will trust everything you bring to me. If the Senshi of Doves truly believed that the ‘general’ before her would take the information without so much as following up, she was sorely mistaken.
“And in return?” Phact asked as she eyed the woman closely now. Protection had been mentioned but protection from what? And to be honest, that was not enough to make her even sure she would do such a thing.
“Your sister will have two watching out for her on our side.” Not that anyone would truly mess with her but it might ease Phact to know that she is safe-’er’ than she otherwise would be. “I unfortunately cannot protect you, not as I would like to at least. Especially if you agree to aid me and spy on those on our side. If you are caught and I am not near there is no way for me to intervene. Plus… it would not do either of us any favors in anyone were to become privy to our meet ups hmm?” It would put a kink in her plan if any of those under her charge became aware that she was in cahoots with a senshi and had not killed her nor corrupted her… yet. She had a reputation but above all else, if this senshi could prove more useful to her than those under her, then nobody would have reason to question her judgement.
However if there came a time and she were found out… I will make you my pet, and I will keep you safe from all else. “No reason to make your task any harder if people were to become wary of your presence hmm?”
The terms were conflicting in the darkness of Phact’s mind. On one hand, Kazenite was only asking for information for those that had aligned with chaos. On the other, she would be agreeing to work with that which she had worked so hard to hold back. And in return she knew that the information would be weeding out the week among their side. In turn, it worried Phact this would result in a strong force the White Moon Senshi would be going against.
“That is not enough.” Phact finally responded. Deep down, she knew one day that if she agreed to this, this general would want more. More than to just spy on those who fought under her. Phact was no fool. “I want something of equal value in return. You sought me out because I ask questions and gather information. Then you should know that physical protection would not be enough. My life has been on the line for years now. What would you consider of equal value to that which I would grant you?”
A General-Queen could hope that would be all it would take to win her over. Oh she was pleased, quite please that the little dove knew her true value. It would ensure she wouldn’t do anything stupid at least. “Ultimately it does not matter on what I view as being equal or fair, for I have offered you quite a lot; favors I have offered to no other. Rather it comes down to what is it you truly want. Is it knowledge in return? Or something else.” All flirting and coyness had been tucked away, now all that remained was serious tones. “What can I offer you so that this is mutually beneficial to us both. Please,” a word that tasted rather foul falling from her lips “tell me Phact, what do you want.”
The senshi of doves, a human form of the creature that symbolizes hope and peace, remained silent. Her eyes never flickered or faltered and her own aura seemed to have a steadier strength than normal. Anyone who saw these two would think there was a staring contest going on between heaven and hell with the colors that adorn their forms. Opposites they were but with something Phact was finding in common. How long they passed in this moment, only the setting sun would be able to say for it was not until Phact’s eyes caught the rising moon behind Kazenite that she let her body shift once more.
“You do not know me as well as you think if you cannot answer that.” Phact’s tone was even though her lips curled into a soft smile. Finally she moved passed the woman towards the east where the moon was lifting into the sky, it’s white light bringing a warmth to the coming night. “In three days time, the moon will be full.” Phact stopped, her back to the general. “If you can find me that night, I will give you my answer.” In one steady motion, the senshi turned back to look at the general and nodded.
Kazenite nodded her head with an amused smile on her face. A game? How fun. “Three days it is. I hope you have your reply ready for me by then.” since you seem to be stalling in the way you are avoiding my question.
Xyla, a teal-blue and black cheshire looking cat, peeked her head out from behind one of the roof vents and walked up behind her General-Queen and bumped her head against the woman’s calf. “Time?” Kaze asked with a questioning influx in her voice. It would not do well to linger here too long. With a purring mew the guardian cat bumped her leg again. “Three days, I will see you in three days my Dove.” She said , leaning down to pick up the feline.
Her last action was to only give a single nod as her eyes moved from the woman towards the ground were a creature on four legs appeared. That was a cat unlike any she had seen before, let alone any running around around the senshi HQ. A breed she was unfamiliar with to say the least.
Still, Phact turned her back on the pair and started to walk away. She would keep walking in that form until she could get under cover and out of sight of anyone to be the wiser that she was a ‘terrorist’. The alleyways, though as expected as they might have been, still seemed to provide adequate cover. As she moved into the shadows, Phact once more became Delilah and slipped into the back of a restaurant. As she walked through the kitchen and then through the main dining room, ignoring all the looks, the woman had one goal in mind: to find Hannah.
Phact - Sirene
Kazenite - Shanyume
