Graceangel
For months, Cerise had been mostly living at Xander’s house. While most of the time, she spent all her time working around his long hospital shifts. Sometimes she would still go out and go to the bars. She just went to dance and have a few drinks. She had been going less and less as she found the nightlife having lost some of its luster if he wasn’t able to go with her. It was at times like this that she would be out and about. She’d be walking down a Destiny City street wondering about herself.
Less than a year ago, she would have been powering up just about now. She’d be going and seducing people to steal their energy for the Negaverse. In all honesty, she didn’t avoid them now for that reason. She failed to perceive any ethical conflicts regarding stealing people’s energy if she didn’t kill them. She had barely managed to get by without accidentally killing someone while learning how far she could drain them to make the most out of her time.
She fell down a rabbit hole of thought as she trotted along. Truth was; she had more of a conscience than she had realized going into it all. Not to mention her personal conflicts in her civilian life. Deep and lost in her revelry of thought she was. Then, a blue glow. A soft blue glow. It seemed a little odd to her the direction it was coming from. She followed it’s faint and vague impression. As it grew larger, she came around a corner to see a man. Her perceptive eyes looked him over from the safe distance.
She had seen enough of the powered life to realize he was someone who also lived that dual life. What side was he on though? She lingered and spied. After a while she discerned the lack of black and overly dark colors must have meant he was for sure not part of the Negaverse. She was pretty sure she should just stay away. She’d done such a good job of keeping her low profile. Yet… curious. So curious. She saw him holding something in his hand. She edged just a bit closer. As she got closer, she could see the glowing blue etched in his skin.
She then thought of an idea to approach him. What if she just pretended that she thought he might be a lost tourist in town. What with the fur lined clothing in this summer heat.
Less than a year ago, she would have been powering up just about now. She’d be going and seducing people to steal their energy for the Negaverse. In all honesty, she didn’t avoid them now for that reason. She failed to perceive any ethical conflicts regarding stealing people’s energy if she didn’t kill them. She had barely managed to get by without accidentally killing someone while learning how far she could drain them to make the most out of her time.
She fell down a rabbit hole of thought as she trotted along. Truth was; she had more of a conscience than she had realized going into it all. Not to mention her personal conflicts in her civilian life. Deep and lost in her revelry of thought she was. Then, a blue glow. A soft blue glow. It seemed a little odd to her the direction it was coming from. She followed it’s faint and vague impression. As it grew larger, she came around a corner to see a man. Her perceptive eyes looked him over from the safe distance.
She had seen enough of the powered life to realize he was someone who also lived that dual life. What side was he on though? She lingered and spied. After a while she discerned the lack of black and overly dark colors must have meant he was for sure not part of the Negaverse. She was pretty sure she should just stay away. She’d done such a good job of keeping her low profile. Yet… curious. So curious. She saw him holding something in his hand. She edged just a bit closer. As she got closer, she could see the glowing blue etched in his skin.
She then thought of an idea to approach him. What if she just pretended that she thought he might be a lost tourist in town. What with the fur lined clothing in this summer heat.
Silverah
Babylon was doing his best to stay out of trouble, although that was easier said than done. He’d already skirted a few fights tonight, making sure that the order-side participants seemed capable of handling themselves and that there were no civilians involved and then slipping back into the dark. His aura tended to attract curious - or overly ambitious - negaversers, as well as the odd youma, and he didn’t want to complicate any otherwise straightforward fights simply by being there.
Despite his better efforts, he’d already had to dust a youma tonight. It was growing late, and he didn’t want to have to fight another, so Babylon was preparing to pack it in and head home. He didn’t feel the civilian approach, because of course he didn’t - civilians had no auras. It was possibly even a little embarrassing how close she’d gotten without him noticing - he was supposed to have more situational awareness than that!
A light blush colored his cheeks. “Um,” said Babylon. “I was just… leaving.”
It wasn’t good to be seen by civilians, he thought. Usually, having knowledge of the underworld got people into a lot of trouble (unless, like Iouri, they disavowed all involvement - and even Iouri was at risk). “You should probably… pretend you never, ever saw me.”
Despite his better efforts, he’d already had to dust a youma tonight. It was growing late, and he didn’t want to have to fight another, so Babylon was preparing to pack it in and head home. He didn’t feel the civilian approach, because of course he didn’t - civilians had no auras. It was possibly even a little embarrassing how close she’d gotten without him noticing - he was supposed to have more situational awareness than that!
A light blush colored his cheeks. “Um,” said Babylon. “I was just… leaving.”
It wasn’t good to be seen by civilians, he thought. Usually, having knowledge of the underworld got people into a lot of trouble (unless, like Iouri, they disavowed all involvement - and even Iouri was at risk). “You should probably… pretend you never, ever saw me.”
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At being discovered in her cloak and dagger method of approach, her eyes grew wide. Having gotten much closer, her shrewd eyes took in more of a look. He didn’t have one of those sailor collars, so she surmised he probably wasn’t a senshi. A slight feeling of panic rose in her heart. Every beat of her heart speeding steadily feeling the fear of being discovered or found out. She desperately hoped he wasn’t some other Verser agent in disguise. The last thing she wanted was to get dragged into some kind of confrontation with her uppers.
Still, Cerise was nothing if not suave and in full control of her senses at most times. Hearing him warn her, her eyes for a few moments held silently evaluating.
“Sure, sure. I could do that. If I was willing to let you in on a secret, would you be willing to not run away just yet?”
Really she hadn’t learned nearly as much as the average person who powers up in the time she had since being corrupted. Probably most agents were progressing along that ladder into the upper levels of power. Who was she to judge anyone for that? Her reasons for distancing herself from them had nothing to do with that.
There was just so many things left to be learned. Those glowing blue markings on his skin seemed one she couldn’t pass up on. That seemed new. She hadn’t seen anyone with that sort of marking in her meetings.
“I have another side to me too.”
Still, Cerise was nothing if not suave and in full control of her senses at most times. Hearing him warn her, her eyes for a few moments held silently evaluating.
“Sure, sure. I could do that. If I was willing to let you in on a secret, would you be willing to not run away just yet?”
Really she hadn’t learned nearly as much as the average person who powers up in the time she had since being corrupted. Probably most agents were progressing along that ladder into the upper levels of power. Who was she to judge anyone for that? Her reasons for distancing herself from them had nothing to do with that.
There was just so many things left to be learned. Those glowing blue markings on his skin seemed one she couldn’t pass up on. That seemed new. She hadn’t seen anyone with that sort of marking in her meetings.
“I have another side to me too.”
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Babylon narrowed his eyes at her, confused by her behavior. He could bet with some certainty that she wasn’t just any civilian, but the fact that she hadn’t just flat out powered up meant it was highly unlikely that she was order. That really only left one other option, and he wasn’t going to let her get close while he was still unsure of her motives.
“Alright,” he said, raising his lantern suspiciously. He activated his magic to be safe, the light intensifying to illuminate a circle around them. Would she realize that he was enchanting her? Most people did, but she was a civilian and blind to auras. Either way, it was a fairly obvious piece of spellwork. At least she wouldn’t be able to suddenly hit him with a sneak attack if this was some kind of trap.
He’d heard too many stories of Negaversers trying to unravel transcendence to not suspect it might have been.
“Alright,” he said, raising his lantern suspiciously. He activated his magic to be safe, the light intensifying to illuminate a circle around them. Would she realize that he was enchanting her? Most people did, but she was a civilian and blind to auras. Either way, it was a fairly obvious piece of spellwork. At least she wouldn’t be able to suddenly hit him with a sneak attack if this was some kind of trap.
He’d heard too many stories of Negaversers trying to unravel transcendence to not suspect it might have been.
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She desperately didn’t want to have to out herself all together. What if he was really still an agent? That was her fear. Due to not being powered up, she wasn’t able to feel his energy signature to be sure or not. She could power up. For a moment. Then power back down, but if he wasn’t; her signature might still arouse suspicion.
Still, that glow; before she could stop herself. “I’m a Lieutenant. Part of a PR group I guess. Well, was going to be. Though I’ve been kind of…” Then she made herself stop. “Before I continue, can you promise or guarantee you’re not a Negaverse agent? Who’s eager to turn me in exchange for a promotion or reward? It would be a shame if I so handily outed myself after spending all this time laying low.”
Even in the face of a force pushing her to spill the truth like wine out of a broken bottle; she was still selfish and self preserving. If she was good at one thing; it was looking out for numero uno.
Still, that glow; before she could stop herself. “I’m a Lieutenant. Part of a PR group I guess. Well, was going to be. Though I’ve been kind of…” Then she made herself stop. “Before I continue, can you promise or guarantee you’re not a Negaverse agent? Who’s eager to turn me in exchange for a promotion or reward? It would be a shame if I so handily outed myself after spending all this time laying low.”
Even in the face of a force pushing her to spill the truth like wine out of a broken bottle; she was still selfish and self preserving. If she was good at one thing; it was looking out for numero uno.
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Babylon sputtered at her. She thought that he was an officer? What?! “Good lord, no,” he said, trying not to laugh at the ridiculousness of the question. It had come out under influence of his magic, so he knew for certain that she’d meant to ask it, but still - did the white not give it away? “I’m a knight,” he said. “Babylon. Of Mercury. Have - have you never met one of us before? Or heard of us, even?”
He’d thought that the Negaverse trained their officers better than that - but as she’d said, she was laying low, and there was no telling how long it had been since she’d been quote-unquote in the loop on these things. Not longer than there had been knights around, probably, but maybe she’d just never made it that far in her training? In which case, disillusionment must have set in quick…
“What do you mean, laying low?” he asked. Perhaps she was a good candidate for purification? That was something he could help facilitate. He felt confident in his experience with it now. “Not all fun and games in Metalia’s Dark Kingdom?” he asked.
He’d thought that the Negaverse trained their officers better than that - but as she’d said, she was laying low, and there was no telling how long it had been since she’d been quote-unquote in the loop on these things. Not longer than there had been knights around, probably, but maybe she’d just never made it that far in her training? In which case, disillusionment must have set in quick…
“What do you mean, laying low?” he asked. Perhaps she was a good candidate for purification? That was something he could help facilitate. He felt confident in his experience with it now. “Not all fun and games in Metalia’s Dark Kingdom?” he asked.
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For all the bravado and show she usually put on for everyone’s benefit and advancement of her vanity that knew few bounds; she found herself more than willing to spill her guts. This was serendipitous. For a long time, she had been feeling like this; but who could she safely tell? She didn’t trust a single person in the Negaverse to not rat her out. No matter how close someone seemed; it seemed like everyone there was absolutely willing to cut their noses to spite their faces; and far worse.
“I haven’t.” The brief admission about not having heard of them. Her instinctive prideful and haughty spirit making her stand tall if not a little defensive. “I wasn’t making it my life’s work to really get to know everyone. Obviously, I was supposed to, but I don't’ consider this aspect of me to be my TRUE SELF. That isn’t my whole life, and I have no intention of making it my whole life. I went in hoping to obtain certain promises and results. Though having since pledging my allegiance; I have found that I no longer am desiring those things. To be perfectly honest, I really dislike fighting. I’m a lover; not a fighter.”
She sighed as she felt the relief in telling a living person the thing she had till then unable to share. The unburdening feeling with these confessions.
“I was told if I did everything they told me; my dreams would come true. There are just a few problems with that. My dreams have changed, but also, I am no one’s little peon. I don’t exist to take orders from people who have lost all sense of themselves.”
She felt more than a little bashful to tell anyone her dreams had gone from being famous to having a family with someone she fell in love with. Who would have imagined she of all people would fall in love like that. She was a player up till then. Still, such passionate feelings; she couldn’t fight them ever. They ate her up. That passion firing up even there within her.
“I haven’t.” The brief admission about not having heard of them. Her instinctive prideful and haughty spirit making her stand tall if not a little defensive. “I wasn’t making it my life’s work to really get to know everyone. Obviously, I was supposed to, but I don't’ consider this aspect of me to be my TRUE SELF. That isn’t my whole life, and I have no intention of making it my whole life. I went in hoping to obtain certain promises and results. Though having since pledging my allegiance; I have found that I no longer am desiring those things. To be perfectly honest, I really dislike fighting. I’m a lover; not a fighter.”
She sighed as she felt the relief in telling a living person the thing she had till then unable to share. The unburdening feeling with these confessions.
“I was told if I did everything they told me; my dreams would come true. There are just a few problems with that. My dreams have changed, but also, I am no one’s little peon. I don’t exist to take orders from people who have lost all sense of themselves.”
She felt more than a little bashful to tell anyone her dreams had gone from being famous to having a family with someone she fell in love with. Who would have imagined she of all people would fall in love like that. She was a player up till then. Still, such passionate feelings; she couldn’t fight them ever. They ate her up. That passion firing up even there within her.
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Babylon’s expression eased, and he lowered the lantern, its light fading. His magic had smoothed the conversation over its initial awkward moments and he could count on his own charming personality to do the rest - or, at least, he hoped he could. Of course her negaverse identity wasn’t her true self, he thought. It was just a corrupt glamour twisting her knighthood into a cruel parody of itself, a power that couldn’t even speak its own name.
It sounded to him like she was most of the way there already. Purification could be for her - if only she knew it existed, and he didn’t think that she did. Her experience was clearly limited, and the Negaverse probably didn’t go around advertising that there was a way to quit. “You could leave,” he suggested gently. “Be a knight, with your own power and no need to seek Metalia’s favor or take orders from anyone else.”
Maybe that would sound appealing to her - it wouldn’t be getting out of the powered game for good, he didn’t know of any way to do that, but it was the best he could offer.
It sounded to him like she was most of the way there already. Purification could be for her - if only she knew it existed, and he didn’t think that she did. Her experience was clearly limited, and the Negaverse probably didn’t go around advertising that there was a way to quit. “You could leave,” he suggested gently. “Be a knight, with your own power and no need to seek Metalia’s favor or take orders from anyone else.”
Maybe that would sound appealing to her - it wouldn’t be getting out of the powered game for good, he didn’t know of any way to do that, but it was the best he could offer.
