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 Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:26 pm
The sound of the wind was loud in his ears, especially from Aurostibite's position on top of the building. He'd come up here because it was easier to deal with things quickly and efficiently, rather than having the constant concern that a civilian would walk past and see what he was doing.
The rooftop was deserted, save for the two of them. Aurostibite walked in a slow circle around his particular victim for the evening (though he found the term rather crude in and of itself), eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the cowering figure, crouched with their arms wrapped around their middle.
There wasn't much strength in them left; Aurostibite had already drained a significant amount of energy, and now he was wondering what it was he should do, how far he wanted to take this. He could perhaps drain more, or maybe he could simply walk away.
But he felt he didn't want to do that. Aurostibite lifted his chin, regarding the young man - a drug addict he'd found shooting up in an alleyway, most likely homeless, judging by the state of his clothes - with a mixture of pity, distaste, and vague annoyance.
"Please," the man mumbled, half out of his mind, the words slurring together. "Whaddaya want, man, please..."
"Quiet."
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Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 8:21 pm
It could have been a sense of duty that had sent the general out wandering that evening, but she preferred to call a spade a spade. The girl was bored. Had been bored for days now. The apartment was currently empty, save for herself, and she wasn't keen to linger there alone in her free time. In the quiet of solitude her mind had a tendency to drift where she would rather it didn't. Old memories and the hard emotions tied to them. Introspective discovery and revelation was not something she was keen to experience quite so soon after coming to terms with certain changes. Keeping busy was so much easier. Wanderlust set her down nearly randomly in the city, and it was the very first aura she felt that caught and held her attention. A captain by the taste of them, and there was something a touch...familiar about it that she couldn't quite place her finger on. It became clear to her soon enough. A small search, and she narrowed the source of the aura down to the roof of one building, easily reached with teleportation. The victim was nothing. Some nameless, faceless junky plucked off the streets below, but the officer, him she knew. "Aurostibite." It had been years, but the general had a keen memory. Silvery eyes dipped again to the man begging at his feet, and the benign smile she'd been wearing grew into something a lot less harmless. "Taking out the trash, are we?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:20 pm
He caught the faint traces of a power signature growing nearer, though Aurostibite didn't waver from where he stood, looking down at the man at his feet. The aura felt a little stronger than his own, vaguely familiar, though he wasn't entirely certain if it was in a good way or a bad way just yet. Walking away from the civilian was not an option, so instead Aurostibite simply waited for the person to come into view.
And she did, a few moments later. His gaze turned towards her, eyes flicking over her features, and he recognized her, in spite of the time that had passed, and she was stronger now. It was slightly shaming that he had been here so long and had not yet proved himself, but he wasn't about to think about that now.
"General," said Aurostibite, ducking his head in a slight bow of respect towards her. He followed her line of sight to the man and then gave a nod.
"I found him a short while ago," he said, lifting his chin in disgust as the man swayed from side to side, a look of dazed incomprehension on his face. "I've already drained quite a bit from him, as hard as that might be to believe, since he's too drugged up to even notice much."
Aurostibite took a delicate step back as the man swayed forward, looking pale and drawn.
"I was trying to figure out where to go from here."
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 6:19 am
Hands coming to light on her hips, Xenotime sauntered closer to the pair before stopping beside the junkie, weight shifting to c**k one side. This wasn't the sort of conundrum the young general was usually faced with. It had been a long time since she'd give to mere humans for energy, and her powered prey either died at her feet, or managed some manner of escape from her. The former the more likely scenario. Watching the man sway set dark lips in a thoughtful purse, though disgust pulled them up in a cold sneer. She didn't need to ask what state he'd found the man in, there were bruises under his eyes, the bends of his arms. Skin an unhealthy pallor. "He had a foot in the grave before you drained away what energy he had to spare. Take the rest, it would be closer to mercy than heartlessness." What was one less piece of trash wandering the city streets. Weight shifting, the general brought her arms up to fold across her chest, silver gaze rising from the prey and onto the hunter. Though hunter was a generous title. Her standards for the officers under her more immediate command were exceptionally high. Those cool eyes watch his face, looking for the weakness, the flinch at the command, if there was one. It surprised her still how many officers in the Negaverse had never taken a life, though she'd once been in a similar place. Until a certain general had taught his hard lesson on half measures and whole notes.
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 1:26 pm
The man on the ground was still swaying, the movement making Aurostibite's lip curl with distaste. His mind was already lost to the drugs, his complexion pallid, eyes unfocused, and sweat was beading on their forehead, giving them the impression of someone terribly sick and feverish.
Xenotime was not his general, but it didn't mean that he didn't respect her position in the Negaverse anyway. Aurostibite was nothing if not loyal to his fellow officers, especially those in a position above his own. He had made it to Captain, but General seemed almost far off to him, just out of reach.
He would get there,though, he told himself. He would.
Aurostibite did not flinch, nor did he make any expression at all as he lifted his head to look at Xenotime, dark eyes shadowed by the moonlight that backlit him. He simply gave a little nod before he glanced down at the human once more, at the sunken eyes and the broken spirit.
He was already gone. There was no need to prolong.
Aurostibite knelt down in front of the man, eyes narrowed in concentration. He reached out a hand, and his fingertips pressed against the man's chest, a light touch, because he didn't want to get too close. There was a tingling sensation that spread up his arm, and the man grunted in a discomfort he didn't quite recognize, eyes rolling back in his head.
"Sleep," said Aurostibite quietly, but he did not mean the kind of sleep that one wakes up from, drawing more and more energy out with each moment that passed.
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 7:25 pm
Having only met the captain once, years ago, Xenotime couldn't have said what sort of reaction she'd been expecting from him, but the lack of one pleased her. A cool little smile graced dark lips as he nodded, gaze turning down to the druggy at his feet. Obedience was always appreciated, but there was something to be said for the sort of cold detachment Aurostibite appeared to be demonstrating. If he didn't so much as flinch at the idea of taking the life of the man kneeling before him, he wasn't likely to do so when he had a senshi at his mercy. Or so she reasoned, in any case. She watched him in silence as he knelt down, her weight shifted to her other hip. A critical sort of interest, pale eyes taking in every detail of the scene as it played out before her. It could have played out a number of ways, but the captain chose the cleanest route. The most humane. Draining him dry was a kind nudge towards death. He'd simply fade, as if falling asleep. Slipping away into black oblivion, never to rise again. One less piece of junkie trash littering their streets. When it was finished, and the man had slumped over onto his side, the general stepped closer, one small hand extended, palm up, for the little pearl of energy the captain now held. "Good work." Silver eyes rose from the body to the agent. "Is this the first time you've taken a life?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 1:44 pm
He remained calm and collected, even as he drew more and more energy from the man - the civilian, the prey, because he wasn't much more than that. Someone who wouldn't be missed, who would be lost alone on the top of a rooftop, and the police would probably say they were a drug addict, overdosed, that's life.
It should have been sad, but it wasn't.
After it was done, Aurostibite leaned back, hand falling away slowly. The man's chest had slowed until it had stopped moving altogether, and now he was slumped back against the wall, one arm fallen at his side so that the needle marks showed clear against his pale, wan skin.
His face was expressionless. Aurostibite stood up slowly, wincing a little at the stiffness in his legs from having crouched so long, and turned to look at Xenotime, no regret, nor remorse, anywhere to be seen. He gave a little bow of his head in her direction, but his fingers closed around the energy, rather than extend it towards her.
"It was," he said quietly. "And I expect it won't be the last."
He glanced down at his hand, at the soft glow he could see emanating from between his fingers.
"If you don't mind, I'd prefer to deliver this myself," said Aurostibite. "It's my responsibility, after all."
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Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2015 8:26 am
There was that immediate narrowing of eyes when he refused to give up the energy, but his response quickly cooled any rise of temper. It was a reasonable enough sort of request, and so long as it got where it was meant to go, she didn't actually care. The hand lowered, once again coming to light on her hip. "No, not the last." Not by far. This was a war, there would be casualties. Preferably within the white moon, and not their own ranks, if the general had much say in the matter. She would see the recruits among them trained, as she had trained. Too often she met those that knew nothing of combat. Aurostibite's capabilities were as of yet unknown. He had made it to captaincy so he had to be capable, but in what way? Xe was curious. "Does it bother you, taking a life?" It didn't appear as if he felt much of anything for it, let alone remorse, but still she asked, gaze still lingering on his face. A level of scrutiny that might have been uncomfortable, but was not meant to be.
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 7:51 pm
He didn't have any doubts that it wouldn't be the last; the place they were in, the war they would need to fight in order to survive. Aurostibite would do what it took to protect not only Mintaka, but those he was loyal to, and he would make good use of his time and his efforts to accomplish that.
His eyes flickered towards Xenotime, and slowly Aurostibite shook his head. Already he was distancing himself from the man on the ground, acting as though he didn't exist, as though he were simply trash on the ground that would later be picked up.
"Not when the life was meaningless to start with," he said quietly, and tilted his head, a few strands of dark hair waving about his face.
"Did it bother you, during your first time?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2015 5:38 pm
Again that pleased smile as he answered her. If he did not reval in the taking of lives, than he was at least accepting of the inevitability of it. The necessity. Her chin dipped in a small nod, eyes sliding down once again to the body laid out at heir feet. He'd been a junky, nothing more. Hos energy would go to something greater than he would ever be on his own. His question brought her attention up again, and full lips twitched in amusement. "No." Her first time had been unique, but more than that, it had been a task set upon her. Something she had accepted gladly. "I killed my doppelganger. Technically that was the first, but a senshi followed soon after." She'd pulled the seed from his chest and watched the light fade from his eyes as she waited to feel something more than the rush of victory. Not everyone killed so easily.
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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 3:03 pm
He would, perhaps, never revel in the taking of a life, but Aurostibite viewed the draining of energy as something to be considered a fact of life when it came to the Negaverse. It was simply another duty, one he would have to partake in every now and then.
Xenotime was given a small nod, Aurostibite's dark eyes moving towards her. A single brow rose in mild surprise.
"Doppleganger?" he repeated, slightly confused, but then he turned his head away, glancing briefly back down at the newly dead civilian before his eyes fell to the energy seed still pulsing in his gloved fingers. Aurostibite watched it for a moment before his attention returned to the general.
"I appreciate your guidance in these matters," he said, giving her a little bow of respect.
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Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 5:19 pm
She nodded, smiling up at the captain. "Yes. Last year there was some strange magic afoot, and it caused shadow copies of people to run wild through the city. They sought out their originals, trying to destroy them. It was quite interesting." A sharp exhale, lips twitching. "And bothersome." Aurostibite's gratitude was met with a small wave of her hand, but her expression was undeniably pleased. She could play humble all she liked, it was obvious she enjoyed the positive attention. Or perhaps attention in general. "Think nothing of it. I am more than happy." Guidance could very well have been seen as meddling, in this case. "If you're ever in need of more guidance, don't hesitate to seek me out."
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 12:46 am
Aurostibite sincerely hoped that there was no such strange magic later; that he would not someday wake up to find a carbon copy of himself running about, wreaking havoc. He was quite satisfied that there was only one of him, thank you very much."
"It sounds..." He would have made a face, if he was any less of the person he was, but as it was, Aurostibite's lip merely curled a little before his expression shifted back to his normal one. "It sounds problematic."
He inclined his head towards Xenotime once more, because she had assisted him in what could have been a rather unfortunate affair; and also because he was nothing if not respectful to those above him in rank, especially considering his own.
"I will remember that for future times."
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 6:06 pm
"Problematic is one way of putting it." It didn't seem adequate, but it was very accurate. There had been a rather intense clash between Nega and senshi alike, as well as their doubles. It had been a ********, to say the least. Her weight shifted to the other hip, head turning as if she were listening to something, or perhaps sensing something. A subtle ping, as if something powered had walked in and out of her internal radar, right on the edge. There and gone again too quick to be sure if they had been order or chaos. "I'm sure we'll cross paths again." Especially now that she was around more. "I'll leave you to the rest of your evening, and hope it finds you well."
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