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The rooftops of Destiny City were often empty.

Although, in Quartz's experience, having command of the high ground was a powerful advantage, he was accustomed to seeing senshi and knights keep themselves mostly planted firmly on the ground. It made sense, from a certain point of view -- youma rarely got it in their heads to go climbing up fire escapes or riding in the service elevator -- so most of their would-be targets were down on the ground, easily accessible and more safely fought.

It made sense, for a knight or a senshi. But for a Negaverse agent, that created an advantage.

Quartz always preferred the safety of as many advantages as possible.

Tonight, though, he'd picked up on the auric bleed of a nearby knight -- and since it was alone, and hadn't really moved in quite some time, he'd decided to follow it.

The power differential -- a knight and a captain -- was a little intimidating, and he nearly passed by. It would've been easy -- the smaller glow of his captain's aura meant he could feel the knight's presence long before he would be close enough for his own to be sensed in return -- but on this occasion, he felt compelled to chance the interaction.

He didn't have as much information to put in his reports, this week. Business had been slow. If that meant venturing into higher-risk interactions, he was just going to have to do it more carefully.

Schörl was understanding of caution, but not of cowardice.

Quartz lit from one rooftop to the next in a series of easy jumps. Finally, his movements carried him to within a line of sight of the knight he was seeking, and he slowed to a stop at a safe distance -- where he could teleport out faster than a knight could probably run.

"Hello," he called out -- but his brain was already telling him something was wrong, something was off -- "I just -- "

It was her pink hair, her skinny knock-knees, her gentle nerves --

No, it couldn't be --

But it was --

" -- Astrophyllite?"

"No," Quartz said stiffly, still staring hard. "I'm afraid I can't accept anything from you."

He was silent for a few long seconds, transfixed.

"What were you thinking?" he finally demanded. "You know what they'll do to you. How could you do something so dangerous? You're just -- "

He dragged a hand through his hair, struck again with emotions he didn't want. This was a lapse. He'd have to report himself to Schörl for this, ask her for her help in ridding himself of it. "You're just a kid."

Quartz shook his head. He couldn't accept this. He wouldn't accept this. Not the gummy dinosaurs she was offering, and not her -- dressed in a pristine white and blue dress like a sacrificial calf.

She was waiting to be stained red, waiting to die.

"You just had a lapse," Quartz insisted. "It's okay. You were scared -- you were upset. I have lots of lapses. It's okay, you just have to tell someone, and they'll help you get yourself under control. They'll understand how this happened. You had a lapse and no one was there to make sure you stayed safe."

Quartz looked at her plaintively.

"Please come back. I don't want this for you."

Quartz laughed. It was not a pretty laugh. It was low and chalky, and it had a certain dry-throatedness to it that sounded like someone sounds when they're about to cry, or have been crying for a very long time.

He put both hands to his face, dug the heels of his palms into his eyes, and just kept laughing.

He had no idea what else to do.

"You assumed it was a metaphor," he trilled. His eyes stung. "Just now, you thought it was a metaphor for something else -- ahaha -- ah -- " He was laughing so hard it was difficult to catch his breath.

It took him a minute of gasping laughter before he was able to speak again, pull his hands away from bloodshot, damp eyes. "Astrophyllite," he said, with a bitter laugh still on his lips, "You really don't get it, do you? They did beat me so many times that I'm afraid to leave my kennel anymore."

Quartz snorted. "You can't help me," he said. "There's not a person in the world who can help me." He wiped at his eyes, trying to slow his breathing. "I'm trying to help you. And what you can do for me, right now, is leave and pretend we never saw each other. And then, any time you ever see me, stay away. Get as far away as you can."

He took a few steps back. "That's what you can do, that's what'll help. I can't let you off the hook more than once."

And even this time, I'll have to bring back information, even if it isn't much. Our rank differential's the only reason I can get away with not engaging her here and now.

"The person I used to be had two daughters," he said. "A baby and a toddler. They don't get new glamours, if I purify. Their mom doesn't either. Just me. There's no magic that protects them from being punished if I even try to run." He looked at the ground. "That's reason enough to stay a rock under Metallia's foot. I don't have the luxury of becoming a star anymore."

He turned.

"Goodbye, Astrophyllite."

He disappeared.