Witherite sighed and took off at a run, jumping from rooftop to rooftop headed towards the signature, for a moment or two before the general came into his sight. He continued on landing on the rooftop where the general stood.
“Hello bossman,” he gave his usual greeting. The only time he refrained from calling him that was when they weren’t powered and outside of Beni’s house. The nickname remained if he was in the house, though he might sometimes call him Alex, maybe.
“I may have potentially run into a little problem tonight.”
He never kept to a routine, he’d been told not to a long time ago by another General. But he did, when he was out on patrol, let his agents know where he was and when he was moving elsewhere. It wasn’t to mother them, or act like some overbearing parent, but this was a war and he was well equipped to protect any of his teammates should anything befall them.
He liked that they knew where he was, incase they needed to come to him or for him to head their way.
He’d gone out only half an hour ago and had already sent out the message to his own team that he’d be in the downtown area. Last time he’d gone out he’d started in the theater district, wanting to watch people hurrying off to make early shows and such.
While he was watching people move about on the street below he felt it - a Captain. It didn’t bother him, there were plenty of people in the city who held that rank. He didn’t have reason to figure it was one of his own officers. But when he heard that greeting he turned, a smile in place though concern filled his eyes.
“Witherite.” Nodding his head as he approached slowly, looking him over as if he could find something wrong...was there something wrong even? He didn’t see blood or any obvious injuries. So he was well, right?
“A little problem?” He questioned leaning up and taking hold of the others face in order to meet the other's eyes, searching. “What happened?” Letting his hand fall back to his side.
Witherite frowned and looked a bit sheepish, “... well you see I may or may not have drain another officer and he may or may not have threatened to report me to the higher ups.”
He crossed his arms and frowns, “it’s own fault really and I told him as such. I mean what negaverse walks around at night completely oblivious of their surrounding in the civies. Honestly, his head was completely in the clouds and it's not as it I know every officer personally.”
His frown deepened, “I even let him walk by me, if he’d been paying attention he would have noticed me even hidden in the alley. A good officer wouldn’t have been caught long enough to actually let me drain them. I mean I was actually able to pull energy from him before he realized. Poor excuse really … poor excuse for an officer … it's not as if I was trying to hide my uniform or anything.”
”You drained...a fellow officer?” He questioned, as if it didn’t make sense. Parroting the others words he tilted his head to the side a bit, staring with unblinking eyes. When Witherite mentioned him being in civilian form he shook his head and laughed. “I doubt he can do anything then. I had it happen to me, I was in his position.” He said before stepping back and smiling up at the other.
“I was new...maybe a week...or two. I was sick as well and out on my own at night, I didn’t know much then.” He’d been too new. Now he knew a lot, some things he wished he didn’t know...or at least not so first hand anyway. “Flourite grabbed an drained me. I managed to power up...just long enough for her to know. She treated me to dinner and scolded me if I remember right. She trained me some, taught me to teleport and told me to never keep the same schedule for patrolling - don’t be predictable.” She had close in weapons unlike himself. But she was fierce and tiny like he was. He missed her, and her brother, he was clueless as to where they were or if they were even ok...or alive.
“I doubt he can report you. He was in civilian form, as you said, and didn’t notice and should have. We know what goes bump in the night - at least I’d hope we all do by now. He should be on alert at night. Just because he’s an officer doesn’t excuse him from it, especially when as a civilian and thus vulnerable due to officers not knowing who everyone is as a civilian.” Shaking his head, fingers ran through his bangs. “No, you should be fine.”
”Well that’s relief … I mean I wasn’t totally sure, but you know better safe than sorry. Report to you before I got dragged into a whole heaping mess. I definitely scolded him for not paying attention. He like asked me if I was going to mug him before I even started to drain him … if he took the time to look at me he would have noticed the metals … or something. It wasn’t until I was pulling energy from him that he realized what was going on.”
Wither shook his head, “I really don’t understand, maybe he was new like you were. He actually asked me for my name and rank so he could report me … as if.” Witherite laughed, “my rank is right here on my jacket and I declined to give him my name. I guess maybe I shouldn’t have antagonized him when he asked for an apology … but it was his own fault.”
Wither figured, he probably should have at least apologized for the groceries, but he didn't really care that much. What he cared about was not getting into trouble for something that was definitely not his fault. “Either way, hopefully he takes this as a lesson learned.”
”He even spoke to you, so saw you, and didn’t realize. Your uniform is not hard to misplace.” Reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes for a moment. Some uniforms were, indeed, hard to place but he liked to think Witherite’s was easy to figure especially for those who were involved in the war themselves. “I’m glad to know about this. If anything gets brought up to the higher up’s.” Or even to another General. “I’ll handle it and explain things.” It wouldn’t be the first, nor the last, time something like this happened. Mistakes happened...though this one shouldn’t have happened. The other person involved should have been aware, should have seen who was approaching him and talking to him.
“I agree, you shouldn’t have. But you are right, but given he didn’t notice you...I’m unsurprised he didn’t notice your rank.” Placing a hand on the others shoulder he leaned in close, having to get onto his toes to come closer to the others height.
“It’ll work out. Do not worry, if anything comes of this I will handle it, you are my Captain.” And it was his job to keep his officers, his team, safe. “Shall we spend the rest of the night together on patrol? Perhaps find a knight or a senshi?” If at all possible. It might make the Captain feel better, and himself.
Wither worried about the endeavor were easily put behind him when Beni said he would handle it. He was glad he had the sense to come to his general and make sure things would not go array. This was totally the other’s fault for being unobservant, even if he hadn’t noticed before he was snatched than he should have noticed afterwards, even if Wither didn't outright say he was going to drain him. Seriously though why would he tell a civilian that.
He grinned at Beni at the suggestion of patrolling and potentially finding a magic slinger to torment. He was definitely up for that, and kind of wished they would run into a certain page that was a thorn in Wither’s side. He laughed lightly, “sound like a plan boss man. Lead the way. I’m sure we can find on of those white mooners around.”
He felt kind of lucky, even if he had been planning on going home. At the moment this was a good way to put the whole thing behind him and to let off some steam. He might even be able to get a amusing drain of a magic slinger, maybe even snatch a starseed and hopefully not worry about having his a** handed to him. The night was young and Wither was nothing if not eager.
From reluctant, angry, resentful lieutenant, to eager and willing captain fighting fully for the cause. It was quite a journey thus far.
Sleet Tempest Snape
