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Since his return to Destiny City, Colin had been busy; between moving in with his once-again lover (and Nischal) to figuring out what job he should take to dancing with Paris, he'd found very little down time. Even so, he'd made the effort to go out on patrol as Sailor Aegir as often as he could. And boy was he rusty! He'd gotten into several altercations, some of which had ended well...but the ones that hadn't?

Well, he was still having nightmares from them. That poor man. The way his star-seed had crunched in Halite's sharp little teeth...

The blond shook his head to clear it, pulling out the phone Pray had given him (along with the pen that allowed him to transform) and thumbing through the small number of entries. 'Thraen.' Leaning his back against the rough bark of a tree, Aegir hesitated - it had been a long while since he'd allowed the other senshi to test out his magic. Would Thraen even remember him?

Was he even alive?

Only one way to find out, he supposed. As he chewed the inside of his cheek thoughtlessly, Aegir's gloved fingers tapped out a message and sent it before he could think twice and chicken out. Ever since his run-in with Halite, he'd been...hesitant. Scared. He was afraid that he wasn't strong enough to make a difference, to protect the people he loved and cared for.

But he still had a "job" to do - and doing that job meant catching up. Which meant talking to another senshi. He just hoped that Thraen was still alive and would be willing to meet up with him, to talk.

It would have amused Aegir to know that Thraen of Gardens referred to him as Leotard..likely because he would have figured the other senshi to not mean it as a wholly unkind thing. He was well aware that his "costume" was - for all intents and purposes - a glorified woman's ice-skating leotard. It wasn't as though he'd picked it and though he dealt with it as best he could, he did hope that one day he would no longer find himself so thoroughly exposed.

When his phone chirruped at him he smiled down at it; Thraen's response amusing and heartening all at once. He started off towards Destiny Tower whilst thumbing his reply, knowing that the distance was not insignificant and he didn't wish to have the other man waiting overly long for him.



As he made his way to Destiny Tower, Aegir couldn't help but wonder about Thraen, the thoughts of the two senshi strangely similar. 'I wonder if he's changed any...how he's doing. It's been so long...he probably won't recognize my face. Maybe the uniform...ugh, I really wish it were a little less....'

He was correct in his estimation, it took roughly nine minutes for the curly-haired senshi to make their meeting place, the gold accents on his uniform glinting in the available light and giving him away completely. Aegir's eyes took in the Tower and came to the thought that being up top was the best vantage point - that's where Thraen would be. It's where he would have chosen to wait as well.

"Hullo up there!" Instead of hopping up immediately - which would have been something of an effort for him - Aegir waved upwards, trusting that the other man would be waiting for him, watching from the high ground.

Aegir's continued and current status as the most basic of senshi would likely have been a point of contention to him had he not made the decision to take time off from being a warrior to be Colin the civilian. As much as he felt it important (as well as being his duty) to defend the civilians from harm (be it caused by the Negaverse or the Senshi side), he had also felt that the opportunity to learn from the instructors at the Royal Academy of Dance was important.

It had been no easy decision, either. To essentially take a year or more off to be a civilian? To travel to another country, leaving all of his loved ones behind for a long stretch of time during what he knew was a serious war? Aegir had spent many agonized hours debating with himself, but in the end he'd made his choice...and he had to live with it.

Of course, having been a way so long meant that he was pretty rusty at the whole business of being a senshi. That's not to say that he hadn't gotten into a fight or two whilst in Battlesea, but...he'd gotten his a** handed to him by Halite and while his assist to defeat that dark-haired girl with the totem bat had gone pretty well, he could tell he needed some work if he didn't want to end up dead...or worse.

Thraen's dismount caused him to step back in surprise, green eyes wide. Apparently Thraen had been busy in his absence! From newbie senshi as fresh as the driven snow with no clue what his own magic could do to...Eternal butt-wings.

"Thraen. I'm impressed, you've got wings. Congrats." Grinning, Aegir took the proffered hand and gave a firm shake before letting go. "It really has been too long, but you look like you're doing well." With no small amount of jealousy, the blond looked over his companion's costume - the coverage in and of itself would have been quite welcome, though Aegir found that whatever power dressed him also kept him from freezing to death.

Although he was still dressed as he had when first stumbling into the business of being a soldier Aegir could, after seeing how Thraen's costume had changed, hope that his too would be something less godawful.

"Thanks for meeting me...I've been back in Destiny City a few months and it seems like things have changed. Had a few run-ins with the Negaverse already. Nasty business." One of which had left him needing twenty or so stitches to one arm that was turning into quite the scar, thankfully his gloves hid that when he was powered up. Not so easy hiding it when he was a civilian, much less so hiding it from his lover. Oops.

A more accurate or amusing description of life as a senshi had never been offered and Aegir found himself laughing lightly and shaking his head over it. The concept wasn't foreign to him, being a Trekkie in his civilian life, so the whole alien cat thing was just...amusing, whereas the fact that they were kind of stuck at the mercies of said alien cats...to help them get stronger so they could more effectively protect the planet was a bit scary. Especially when he thought about the cross-eyed kitten that first gave him his pen and taught him to transform.

"If only it worked like that..be much easier 'leveling up' with boundaries and rules, rather than some random sense of...something." Aegir chuckled - senshi as pokemon. It was surprisingly apt, really. "But it would be nice to meet another. I've met three, one a person turned into ca cat and one was...a kitten. With crossed eyes. Very sweet but she couldn't exactly tell me much." And Laoise had just snapped at him for not kicking a youma's a** fast enough to please her, not that he was going to offer that information up. Thraen didn't need to know he'd been dressed-down by a Mauvian. "The last I only met briefly, so...I doubt it even counts."

He listened intently, but couldn't quite keep from glancing down at Thraen's costume, there were so many little details, christ. He'd gone from a few posies to one of those flower-covered parade floats and in a year! Regardless of the changes in his companion, Aegir found that for the most part things were very much as he'd left them, save for the consolidation efforts between the Knights and Senshi. "No, doesn't really sound like much has changed." Nightmares? He had those often, but he wasn't sure if they were similar to what Thraen spoke of or just your typical type. No point in mentioning it, really.

"Um, I was in London for a bit over a year. I did think to look at the primer when I got back, defintely noticed some changes from the last time I'd given it a read, but didn't get far. I've been too busy trying to move and figure out a job..." Which was lame but true. His green eyes widened at the mention of the Black Watch and it's function. "Black Watch? I should think that name would better suit a protection racket in the mob or something. But that's fantastic, really." Not that he knew why such a thing would be needed, but it appealed to Aegir quite a bit; people in need should have help. Simple as that. "Can't believe there's so much support now. We need it, we always did..." He chewed the inside of his cheek thoughtfully, wondering how many of the Senshi he'd known before - dark mirror or otherwise - were still alive.

With everything Thraen had told him rolling about his head, sitting might have been the best idea, but two energy signatures sitting, stable...that was a bit of a risk. But then again, he didn't sense anything else nearby and there was quite a bit to go over. "Sit and chat, I think. Tell me more about the Black Watch? I'll make time to re-read the primer, now that I'm settled again."

Heading to the top of the tower wouldn't necessarily be easy, but he'd manage it. Aegir was nothing if not a determined and willing creature, even if his stupid boots (god, they couldn't really be called that, could they?) were as inclined to slip as anything at the most inopportune moments.

"Ah, I see. Well..it makes sense and is certainly evocative, either way." He could recall how it was that he'd come to know of the 'Black Watch' of Scotland and the knowing made his lips quirk - a book series his mom had been into. One summer he'd picked up the first book and given it a go, but had found the reading slightly disturbing. He could see the sections his mom had found most interesting and that was just creepy. "I'm passing familiar with the historic version."

Up atop the Destiny Tower, Aegir bent slightly to catch his breath before straightening and looking out over the city they were both keen to protect. It was beautiful and looked far more peaceful than it really was, something he knew from experience (exhausting as it was.) When Thraen spoke again Aegir turned to face him, smiling a bit at his explanation. "I understand, it's nothing to worry about. I do a lot of public speaking too."

Just not as a Senshi.

He listened and tucked the information away for further thought sometime later, though as far as he could tell the Black Watch was a wonderful idea. There was no part of what Thraen was describing that the curly-haired Senshi found objectionable. It was quite the contrary and the more he heard the more he felt that it was perhaps something he could get behind and be a part of.

"That sounds incredible, Thraen. Putting information at the head and making it available..." Honestly it was kind of overwhelming to think that new Senshi had so much available - of course the older ones (like himself) could access and benefit from it too, but having those resources would totally have made a huge difference in how his 'debut' as a Senshi went. Something stood out to Aegir and his brows drew together, "Missions to homeworlds? I've never thought about it, but it's possible? I've always considered that Earth's my home." He'd disliked being called an "alien" by Dark Mirror Navi, but understood now that even though as Colin he'd been born to the Earth, Aegir was otherworldly. It could be a difficult thing to reconcile both halves of the whole.

Looking out over the city, he shifted his weight to one hip and ran a gloved hand through his hair. "It really is amazing what you've accomplished since I've been gone. I'd love to help in any way I can." So much he'd have to catch up on! But he'd known that would be the case, he'd made his decision and now he'd deal with the fall out.

"Mmhmm...I'd rather talk than fight, but if someone's being hurt..." He shrugged; starting a fight wasn't really his style regardless of whether he was civilian or not, but finishing one? Or reacting when someone (say a Captain of the Negaverse) was attacking civilians...that he'd do. "Can't stand by, y'know?" Being a pacifist just didn't seem the eternal's style - hadn't seemed that way back when their roles had been reversed so long ago, either.

Aegir watched Thraen working the phone - a smart phone, clearly an upgrade to the one that Derpraline had presented to him at the start of his career as the Senshi of Silence. "Oh yeah, I remember reading that...it's been a while. It's still weird knowing we're aliens." He frowned a bit that their home-worlds were basically ruins, desiccated and good only for the archeological aspects and perhaps memories. "Dark Mirror Navi, told me before I'd read the old version of the Primer. Castor'd said something like it too, but I don't think it really sank in until she confronted me about it. Probably 'cause Castor set a youma on me almost immediately after, to train. It took a while to stop feeling weird about it."

Of course, as a Trekkie he'd found it an attractive idea, but as a boy born to a planet he loved? Bit harder to take. "How...can I ask, how've you taken it?" Aegir was curious - he was always so intently curious about things like space and aliens - which of course meant that he felt the need to ask, to compare with another his own experiences in that arena. "Being an alien, I mean." He smiled again, neat white teeth showing as he thought on the whole "reincarnated alien" thing and what that meant - and might mean - for him, for those he loved and those he protected because it was the right thing to do.

"Sure, happy to look for that sort of thing. Mm, I think I'd prefer you, honestly. I...maybe it's stupid but I feel like I know you some, so...I trust you. Home-worlds sound like they're awfully personal things, y'know?" Here Aegir shook his head a bit and chewed at the inside of cheek, expression thoughtful. Thraen had knocked him off his feet when they'd first met - with permission! - and he'd come to no harm and he was fine now, so Aegir supposed the other Senshi to be safe enough to take to some desiccated, long-ruined "home" planet somewhere among the stars.

As to the rest, well...he wasn't good with keeping his mouth shut, especially not when he felt he was either right..or in the right. Hearing Thraen's stance on the Negaverse took the laughter right out of his smile, but then that was a similar approach to how he felt, really. "I don't like bullies...and I don't like the thought of killing anyone. But there are those that need put down, for the good of others." Gloved fists clenched and unclenched, long fingers twitching with memory or thought or both and he looked Thraen in the eyes, resolute and certain. "Redemption's beyond some I've met and had I the strength..." But he hadn't and still didn't - as far as he could tell Sailor Aegir'd never been meant to fight alone, but rather as part of a larger group - with most of his 'wins' to date having been delivered not so much via his magic, but rather by guts, luck and fists. "I'm not very strong on my own though. I mean, I can hold my own in a flat-out brawl, but that's not very effective in a magic-based space-alien battle for soul-gems."

This was a War, for all that the pretty sounding titles, fantasy elements and magic that made it seem almost something less visceral. It was still war at it's most naked and he had been ill-prepared. Was still so, but trying to amend that. A war that like all others took the young and innocent, chewed them up and spit them out as something harder, harsher and often far less whole than they once had been; something he was experiencing first hand, as much as he didn't like it. But like it or no, he was no pacifist - he never had been.

Aegir's brows rose as Thraen spoke, almost disappearing against the gold of the circlet spanning his brow - it was not a goddamned tiara! (It so was a tiara.) "Jesus. You're...really smart, aren't you? I mean, I figured you were but...damn." The blond shook his head a bit and chuckled; he might have been amused or shocked into amusement by the things his butt-winged companion said regarding being - or rather, not being - an alien, but it also made him feel better.

"I actually..I'm a Trekkie...don't laugh." Aegir wet his lips and cleared his throat before continuing, "So for me, being an- er...maybe being an alien's not really a bad thing. Just surprising to hear from someone else, though thinking on it...I'm pretty sure Dark Mirror Navi wanted it to bother me."

"It's not like I'm not used to being part of 'them'." His expression was wry, lips twitching as he shrugged inelegantly. "She was pretty clear that it was because we're ah, originally from another planet." Christ but Thraen was dangerously smart - the way he spoke, the words he used and the way they were spoken..he could well see how this Senshi had ended up in the role he had. He couldn't help but be impressed.

Being touched didn't phase Aegir at all - he was a very touchy-feely sort of person and usually couldn't be bothered to remember that some people didn't like having their personal space invaded - but he did give his companion a crooked smile. Thraen he managed to behave around though, there was something about the way he held himself that just didn't lend well to the idea of having someone else draped over him. The friendly connection pleased him, as did the way that Thraen kept saying things that made him feel like less of a screw-up. "I think you must be doing a pretty good job to be where you're at." Yes, he was eyeing the butt-wings. And thinking that no matter what the Senshi of Gardens might think, his powers were likely a good bit more useful than his. "Heh, yeah...pretty sure I was supposed to be part of a group, if out on the field at all."

"That'd be great. Last time I went out I kinda got my a** handed to me." He lifted his shoulders and had the grace to look sheepish. "I'm good to work with just about anyone, honestly, so if you can't I'm good with someone from the Black Watch too. I haven't gotten back into a specific time, just keep an eye out in the mornings when I jog or run errands and then nights. Mostly Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays." He used to have a more settled schedule for his patrols, but there was a whole new life to work around now what with home life and work.

"Yeah? My mom wanted me to go to college, once. Gave it up eventually. I'm a dancer, so my schedule tends to be up in the air." Aegir tilted his head, shifting his weight a bit as he tucked away the information that his friend attended college for Art History. "That's why I was gone, actually. I had the chance to attend the Royal Academy of Dance in England and took it."

Wetting his lips nervously, he looked back out over Destiny City and continued softly, "Now I'm trying to settle back in, figure out where I want to go with it...and how it all fits in with being the Senshi of Silence."

The Eternal Senshi's pause-and-blink reaction to being called smart - without it being some sort of semi-veiled insult - was almost comical. He really did mean it in the best way though, Aegir was the sort of optimist and genuinely nice guy some people wanted to throttle. He also tended to believe the things he was told, especially from those he trusted like Thraen. It got him into trouble sometimes, but it wasn't something that was going to change any time soon.

"Definitely. I think maybe it's like planning choreography: you don't want to overload on either side or get predictable by doing the same things over and over again." It made sense to him, it really did, just like it made sense that finding a good balance that worked was really difficult. The Negaverse was chaos "Next Thursday?" A quick mental check and he smiled, nodding assent, "Thursday works for me. Did you have a starting point in mind, or would it be easier to text me that day?"

Getting to meet Faust - another Mauvian and hopefully one that wouldn't talk smack at him for...well, for being him.

He rubbed at the back of his neck and worried his lower lip thoughtfully, eyes looking over the lights of the city below. "Thanks, by the way. Talking to you, I feel better about all this than I have since coming back." Aegir felt a little bit like a dork saying something like that but it was true - he'd felt some measure of guilt leaving Destiny City, more coming back and realizing he had no idea about where things stood...and even guilt over failing to save a civilian when he'd tried.

He turned and tilted his head, smiling a bit. "Well, while I'm figuring things out, I'm definitely interested in helping as much as I can. I know being a dancer probably makes me sound kind of lame, but it's actually a great way to stay in shape."