Aubrey never thought she would be so excited for a sparring match. Despite the fact that she had to drop her siblings off at her parents house that morning, and had dubious conversations with her father, Aubrey felt almost happy as she returned to her empty apartment and got ready for the nights activities. She first cleaned her apartment, having plenty of time to get to the warehouse with the expedience of mirror walking. She then showered and in general made herself feel more presentable. Even if she wouldn't see him in her normal form she still felt better making the effort.

When it was finally an hour before their scheduled meeting time, Aubrey powered up and grabbed some of her art and cleaning supplies and made her way back to the abandoned warehouse. Fortuna was careful not to be spotted and was constantly scanning for energy signatures to make sure she would not be spotted or noted as she slipped into the building.

Fortuna set about sweeping up the floor and in general making the place a little more presentable. If this was to become a regular occurrence, the place might as well look a tad nicer. She mopped the floor and set out more candles, then made her way back to the wall she had started her mural on, at this point it was about 15 minutes until Lopezite was supposed to meet her so she began working on her art.

Fortuna had brought more colors with her so that she could start to bring to life the scene on the wall. For now the figures were still hard to decipher, but it was clear there were definite sides between foes and allies. Most of the figures on the foe side were being slowly filled in with white, but there were others she wasn't sure of.

She had met few people and it was hard to truly tell where their loyalties lie. Newgrange for instance, didn't seem like a threat, could almost be a friend but they were on opposite sides. Lenka had clearly been a foe, but where would Lopezite be? Her heart wanted to draw Lopezite next to her own figure, but she would have to wait and see. For now she had the outlines of Remarque, a strong dependable force behind her.

Lopezite made no effort to conceal his energy signature—nor did he have any idea if such a thing was possible. He crept in quietly, more out of habit than anything else. It felt like high school again, sneaking into abandoned buildings late at night and poking around in places where you probably shouldn’t have been. He had a canvas bag slung over one arm and glanced around the warehouse.

He could tell that she had cleaned up the area but he was less interested in looking for piles of dust and more interested in seeing what she was working on. He stood for a moment, in silence, just watching her work, before he asked, "What is it you are working on over there?"

Fortuna heard Lopezite come in but she did not turn around, she was concentrating on a particular intricate part, trying to get Remarque's eyes right while still being obscure enough to not give peoples identities outright.

"Just a mural... I guess of people I have encountered." she paused again as she carefully drew in a line, the corner of her tongue stuck out of her mouth in concentration. "You can come look if you want."

She added after she successfully managed to not screw things up, sometimes one stroke could ruin an entire face, change the expression or it could also bring a picture to life. Her own form was still mostly unfinished, it felt odd to draw herself on the wall, especially since she knew she would continue to grow and change. Remarque had probably achieved the highest rank he could, but then it wouldn't surprise Fortuna if he eventually found another greater power to control.

She did not feel overly eager to fight, but she was happy that Lopezite had decided to come. She felt a pleasant buzzing in her stomach, was she actually nervous? It was silly to think about, why would she possibly be nervous about this meeting, there was no way he could hurt her. And all other possible reasons for being nervous were of course, ridiculous.

Lopezite did not pass up the invitation and moved closer. He stood to her right, near to her so he could see but far enough away that he wasn't obstructing her work. After a moment of analyzing the scene, he nodded.

"You're very talented," he mused, eyes tracing every line. "I'm not much into art, myself. Not because I didn't want to be, but because I never could quite master it. Not on paper, at least. I tend to work with my hands, more. But I don't know that I've really got anything to brag about."

He shrugged and shifted the bag on his arm; for a moment, he'd forgotten about it. "Oh," he said, now recalling it. "I brought that wine," he said coyly. "…And a few other things. It's just not proper to bring just wine, you know. You ought to be able to sit down and enjoy it properly."

"I'm sure you are very talented at what you do as well, after all we should all do what we love."

She flashed him a quick smile at the compliment and gave up on the eyes momentarily and placed the pastel into it's case and turned to look at him. "Oh goody, now it's a real party." Fortuna responded as she sized him up as she brushed her hands off on her skirts. Pastels really were a pain to work with but they did the best coloring on walls.

"What Else did you bring me? Sadly I didn't think to bring you anything." she added with a pout as she rocked back on her heels. She then leaned towards him, trying to see what was in the basket.

Playfully, he drew the basket away so she couldn’t see it's contents. "Ah, ah. You brought the candles, I brought the wine. Just like we planned. I'm afraid it's nothing special. I considered stopping at getting fast food, but then I thought, I must make a good first impression. You've already done such a fine job of setting up such ambiance. Here," he paused and pulled a blanket out, first. He shook it out and spread it on the ground before settling himself on one corner. He placed the basket in front of him and gestured for Fortuna to take a seat.

He removed his bottle of wine and two glasses, setting them and the opener that followed down.

He withdrew a carefully wrapped loaf of bread, a platter of assorted cheeses, and a box of chocolate dipped strawberries. "I love these," he said, gesturing to the strawberries. "Don't think too much of my intentions, but I simply must have these with wine. I will share, of course," he grinned, pulling out some paper plates and napkins, next.

Fortuna grinned, this was seeming to be more of a date than a sparing match, but what the hell. She quickly grabbed a few more candles from a small shopping back and then knelt on the blanket across from him. The drawbacks of senshi skirts meant that she couldn't simply sit indian style which would be more comfortable so she went with the princess style with her legs together and out to the side, not as comfy but less likely to give Lopezite a free show.

She lit a new tea light for each object he withdrew and carefully set them around the outside of the blanket where they wouldn't catch fire accidentally. She read the wine bottle, it was classy stuff, not something she would normally buy for herself but would be interesting to get a chance to try. The bread and cheese would pair well with them but then she raised an eyebrow when he withdrew the strawberries.

Grinning at his explanation she dipped her head in acknowledgment. "I can understand the need for a proper pairing, you've dealt quite the hand." Fortuna told him with a playful grin. "But I thought we came here for a sparring match... perhaps later, I am not in any rush to get home." An empty apartment was far less appealing than what this evening was shaping up to be.

His lips pursed in mock horror, "You can't spar on an empty stomach. And I'll have you know, I worked nearly all day. I'm two meals behind already, and I'm far less likely to keel over mid-spar if I've got at least a little something. Besides."

He reached for the bottle and the opener, removing the cork with a skilled hand. He let the wine air in the bottle for only a few seconds before pouring each of the cups halfway.

He replaced the bottle in his hand and instead picked up one glass for himself before offering Fortuna the other. "Who could ever resist free food?"

Fortuna grinned and took the offered glass. "Touché" she responded before taking a sip. The wine was pleasant and she felt warmth spread through her cheeks. "Though I bet a burger would have been more filling than bread and cheese and strawberries." She couldn't help but quip as she watched him.

Fortuna felt at ease in his presence even though they had just met she felt as tipoff they were destined to be great friends, or perhaps more than friends, only time would tell for sure.

"How is the negaverse treating you?" She questioned after a brief pause to pop a wedge of cheese in her mouth.

"But too heavy on the stomach," he objected. "At least, if the end goal of the evening is to have a sparring match. After I'm spent, I'll probably go out for a proper meal. But, that being said," he sipped at his wine and then helped himself to a chocolate covered strawberry.

He was still indulging in it when he spoke again, though the food was pushed to one side of his mouth. "The Negaverse treats me well enough. I'm still learning, but they're patient. I'm very interested in learning about them. I'm still surprised such a large organization could have been in hiding for so long. And the senshi!"

He laughed and shook his head. "I don't know how all of this is kept under wraps. It fascinates me. It makes me wonder what else is out there—or, what else our leaders are hiding from us. I mean," Lopezite shrugged and looked at her. "If they can keep this much hidden from the entire world, imagine what they could keep hidden from us."

Fortuna took another sip of her wine and then helped herself to a strawberry, sighing in contentment as she let the chocolate melt in her mouth for a moment before chewing the strawberry.

"I guess it's easy to hide the truth when people don't really want to know. I think it's best for the civilians to be spared what we know. How would you sleep at night knowing there are forces far more powerful that have you at their mercy."

She paused to consider what Remarque could be hiding from her, but there was never a question she asked that he did not answer. "Perhaps we just don't ask the right questions"

Lopezite shrugged and helped himself to another strawberry. "In the Negaverse, I suspect there are some questions you shouldn't ask. I'd warrant that they've got a lot of secrets. I'm still new, and far from their strongest rank. I'd like to think that as I get stronger, they'd share more, but—that's the thing with big organizations. Or any, I suppose, in a war."

He leaned forward, putting his face closer to hers and looking into her eyes. "They tell us only what they think we 'need' to know. They expect unwavering loyalty but don't return it. We're supposed to be happy, just doing their bidding, right? What do they care about truth, as long as they have compliance. I mean, certainly that's blasphemy! There's a part of me that squirms, even just thinking about it. The Negaverse is scary. Our stronghold, this Dark Kingdom, in Negaspace? Your skin just crawls, down there. It feels like someone's always watching. And, you know? Someone just might be. But…they must have some good secrets, if they're working this hard to hide them, yes?"

"I don't think the Dark Mirror Court tries to hide any secrets, but there are mysteries surrounding mirror space that we just cant piece together, at least not as far as I know, I haven't been back long but our leader has always answered any questions I've had." Fortuna responded after another sip. When he leaned towards her, she was once again caught off guard by the gold of his eyes and it took her a second to catch up to what he was saying.

Fortuna frowned when she heard him describe the Dark Kingdom, it seemed like an evil place, she did not have a lot of experience with Mirror space but it didn't seem outright evil. It was mysterious and unwelcoming at times, and it wasn't really clear what it was for, or why they gathered energy but if anything it was a convenient method of travel.

"You just don't seem like the type of person who belongs in a group like that, I haven't met any other agents, but I have heard stories, and have had several altercations with Youma.... I just hope they don't change you too much as you grow in ranks and learn those secrets." Fortuna mused as she watched him. A guy who brought wine and strawberries to a sparring match seemed a little too nice for the bloodthirsty ranks of the Negaverse.

Lopezite laughed, clearly taking it as a compliment. "I doubt anyone could change me too much. I am stubborn in my ways, Fortuna. I rather like who I am. I don't think any job, or organization, could do too much to change that. I mean, I confess, I barely know what we're doing. The Negaverse claims to be fighting off—you know, evil aliens. Which I assume you must be, in some way?" he prompted. It was a senshi thing, he was sure.

He didn't dwell on it though. "But it's odd, you know. Being enemies with someone just because you've been told that they're evil. I've never much run with blind faith. I much more prefer to make my own way. Though, I do make mistakes along the way," he shrugged. "That's what the learning experience is for. And I've not really met many warriors in this war. Sort of just you, a few other faces. But, you're really the only one who has made an impression so far."

He smiled, friendly, and then sipped at his wine.

"evil aliens? That's silly, I'm just as human as you are." Fortuna responded with a shrug as she snagged another piece of cheese. She watched him for a moment before she took another sip.

"I try to reserve my opinions on other factions until I interact with them. So far it's been mostly neutral, but I have had people attack me for no other reason that I am a Dark Mirror Senshi, It makes no sense blindly assuming people are our enemies or allies without first getting to know them." Fortuna added with a sigh.

"I hope the impression I make has been a good one, would hate to disparage the Dark Mirror Court name for you."

"Oh," he shrugged, and cracked a crooked grin for her. "I think you've done a good job making me a bit fonder of your Faction. I'd like to know more about all of them, I think. There are times I think that this can't be real, that I've imagined all of it—and then I'm powering up, dropping off a two story building and walking away like it's nothing. It's fascinating. I love it," he confessed.

"Even if the Negaverse isn't doing something I necessarily agree with, it's been interesting all the same. But, in that same vein, so far they haven't done something I disagree with. It's hard to make a judgment on the matter. I'd like for them not to let me down. They don't seem like the sort of people who would take criticism well. But," he shrugged. "It's fun, so far. An adventure, like the sort you read in fairy tales from when you were a child?"

Fortuna matched his grin with a smile of her own and finished up her wine before snagging another strawberry. "I do try to give the Dark Mirror Senshi a good name, sometimes it doesn't work out, but for the most part I have been civil with most I have met." she shrugged again, maybe her other obligations made her empathetic with the other factions.

"It certainly has its perks, and if it means I am better equipped to protect those I care about... So much the better." Fortuna added with a determined look in her eyes.

"I was still just a regular girl when I was first introduced into this world, I was attacked... by a Youma, but Remarque, he saved me, and saw potential in me to be more than just a victim, and the power to protect myself, that is the best feeling."

"But then," Lopezite said suddenly, "Who do you have to protect, and from what?"

He leaned back, seemingly very relaxed. He had forgotten the wine and strawberries and snacks and was instead focusing on her entirely. He knew who he had been before the Negaverse had recruited him, but it had been just him. He had never needed more power, but he wasn't the sort to turn it down. He wasn't a hero, necessarily—not because he couldn't be, but because he never painted himself one.

He was just himself, doing what felt right, when it felt right.

Joining the Negaverse had seemed like it could have been an experience, but even before he'd awakened he'd never met the youma, or knew much about the Senshi or Knights or Negaverse. He could handle his own in a regular fight, and he'd done a good job of staying out of trouble.

But wanting—needing—more power to protect your loved ones, even before joining the war? That was a story just waiting to be told.

Fortuna eyed him steadily for a moment before she sighed. "My sisters, I have to protect my sisters." She responded quietly. She didn't talk about her normal life when she was powered up, it just wasn't something a person was supposed to do, but even though Lopezite was negaverse, she still felt like she could trust him.

"I've always protected them, and I always will, whatever the threats." Fortuna shook her head and leaned back, and closed her eyes for a moment before she opened them and looked at him.

"Wasn't this supposed to be a sparring match?" she questioned with a small smile on her lips.

Lopezite must have been satisfied with her answer—or he must have noticed her reluctance to speak of them. He didn't want to pry beyond what was welcome, so he made no effort to press for further explanation. Instead, he nodded and grinned. "The night is still young, Fortuna. Are you afraid the wine is going to affect your senses? Or that the cheese will sit too heavily?" he teased.

Fortuna grinned back at him, glad for the easy conversation change, she loved her sisters and wouldn't risk them falling into harms way for any reason, including talking too much with a little wine.

"Not even remotely, maybe you're just stalling because you don't want me to beat you again." Fortuna quipped back with a wink. There was no winner or loser from their last fight, however she was more than confident that she could handle Lopezite in a fair fight, but she was still interested in helping him get better. It was in her nature to be a teacher, and to help those she cared about.

He hummed in thought as he mulled over her claim. "I wouldn’t say you beat me," he said, undeniably glib. "I mean, considering the fact that you're a whole rank above me, and you've got magic and I've got—you know, my flimsy leather—I think I held my own very well. But."

He sat up and stretched a bit before snagging some bread. "If you put a real sword in my hands? That's a weapon I know how to wield. A scabbard can be handled, but it's not the same. It's a totally different shape, weight. Requires a different form. This?" he reached for his sheath and examined it, once again. "…I wonder whose idea of a joke this was."

Fortuna grinned and leaned back, resting her palms on the ground behind her as she looked up at Lopezite as he stood. "I was going easy on you, wouldn't want to break a baby nega in his first fight." Fortuna teased lightly.

"How do you know how to wield a real sword? That's not exactly a common practice now a days." Fortuna mused as she watched him examine his sheath.

"I think most nega's don't know how to wield weapons when they first join, so their weapons are supposed to evolve along with them? Not really sure on the specifics. I'm sure once you catch up you will be a formidable opponent, though I hope we remain... friends."

"Oh ho," he laughed, seeming quite amused. "Look at you, Miss Knowledgeable. Cocky, too." He winked at her for good measure, but continued, "Well, my friend, I will have you know that I can most certainly hold my own in a fight. I have many brothers, that makes a man grow up tough."

He was still smiling, though made himself a bit more comfortable before he explained, "I was always fascinated with weaponry when I was young. My grandfather had a large collection. I took lessons from him for many years. My mother, oh," he laughed. "She would get so mad at him. Said I was too young, it was too dangerous. But I loved it, and so did he. When I got older, I started making my own, you know. I've practiced lots with them."

Fortuna grinned back at him as she pushed herself up off of the ground and stretched her arms over her head. "That's pretty amazing." Fortuna responded as she watched him talk. "That sort of art is rare these days, but I bet you make some pretty nice swords." she added as she bounced briefly on the balls of her feet before she paced a few steps away before turning to face him.

"Don't hold back, I would like to see where your skills are at, perhaps later you can teach me some sword play, and I could teach you some Aikido." Fortuna added as she smiled at him.

"I'll have to show you my swords some time," he winked, standing to his tallest and stretching to prepare himself. "Do they let the Dark Mirror Court carry around weapons or are you just a girl who could use a few more swords in her life?"

He was still preparing—perhaps watching her to analyze where to strike. This time, he didn't try to pull out his sword sheath. He didn't entirely wait for her to answer, but as he was sizing her up and preparing for battle he added, "You must forgive me—what is Aikido, exactly?"

Fortuna grinned at the wink and then shrugged. "Maybe you should." she teased back as she stretched her arm out to the side. "We don't really have weapons, I guess our magic is supposed to be our weapons." she added as she took another half step back.

"Aikido is a form of martial arts, it is more about redirecting attacks or neutralizing opponents without hurting them." She answered as she watched him cautiously, waiting for his attack.

“You oughta see if you can get a refund for your magic, my dear. I’m worried you got a bit unlucky. But then, maybe I’ll just have to see more of it in action, eh?”

He smiled, peaceful even in the face of the expected attack. “Your Aikido sounds interesting. Don’t you have opponents that you want to hurt?” he inquired, just as he lunged at her; it was clear he wasn’t aiming to hurt her; instead, he moved as if he were going to scoop her up over his shoulder.

"Perhaps, I don't really mind though, I can do plenty with my own skills." Fortuna responded as she shook out her hands and feet in preparation for their fight.

"I guess I never really did before this war, but just because it's passive doesn't mean it can't do damage as well." Fortuna responded before he lunged at her. She was trying to gauge his attack in order to prepare for it, but she made a move to side step his lunge, and give his back side a little push with her foot.

The pressure on his back wasn't enough to throw him off balance, and there was a part of Lopezite that might have been a bit deceptive with just how fast he really was; he spun far quicker than he had shown capable of during their last battle, this time sweeping his leg low to catch her in the back of the knees.

"I'd rather have magic that could guarantee damage, rather than trust that someone's going to hurt themselves. But I'm a man who likes to see. I can't trust in blind faith so easily. I much prefer the sheath--even if it is a poor weapon, at least I know that it's capable enough in my hands."

Fortuna was surprised by the attack and felt the connection at the back of her knees threaten to make her lose her balance so she took the momentum forward and tucked and rolled away from him. She rolled quickly to her feet and turned to face Lopezite with a pleased grin on her face, she did love a challenge.

"I make due with what I have been given, it may not seem like much to you, but I will use it to my advantage at every opportunity." She told him in regards to her magic before she pivoted and aimed a kick towards his chest following through with a sweep towards the legs.

The surest sign that Lopezite was hiding something was that he grabbed her ankle and jumped over her leg sweep. It was either a stroke of luck or Lopezite played a lot of jump-rope as a kid. He didn't drop the leg that he'd been holding and instead rushed forward, using their momentum to try and pin her between himself and the wall. Somewhere along the move, his hand slid from her ankle to her thigh as he tried to incapacitate her leg.

They were close, nearly nose to nose, and for a moment, Lopezite seemed transfixed just by being so close to her--just by being able to see into her eyes. And then, in a split second, he leaned forward and planted a kiss on her lips.

When he caught her ankle she narrowed her gaze in suspicion but she did not have much time to react before she was distracted by the hand sliding up her leg and her back being pushed into the wall. It left her breathless, and not just from the impact. Their bodies were pressed together as Fortuna supported her weight on her free leg and her other leg was being held against his thigh.

Her heart thudded in her chest as there was a pause where neither of them moved, not wanting to break the fragile spell they were under. Heat flooded her body from head to toe as she admired the gold of his eyes and the charcoal of his hair. When he moved forward she almost considered pushing him away but when their lips touched she felt a spark stronger than she had ever experienced. Her hand fluttered against his chest uncertainly for a moment before she slid her fingers up to the back of his neck and pulled him closer to deepen the kiss. She could taste the strawberries and wine on his lips and her heart hammered with excitement.

Perhaps it was wrong, they were on different sides, even if they cooperated most of the time... But then why did it feel so right?

Fortuna didn’t pull away and Lopezite found himself spurred on. She had pulled him closer, she wanted it.

And so did he.

His free hand slid up her side and his thumb brushed her cheek before he cradled her head to pull her closer. His heart was hammering in his chest, moreso now than when they were fighting. This felt more dangerous than anything he’d gotten involved in before, partially because he knew they weren’t exactly on the same side, but there was something else.

Maybe it was because she could keep up with him, because she was beautiful, because she was witty. Or maybe it because she was magic, in a way other than what the Dark Mirror Court gave her.

He didn’t want to pull away, but when he felt a burning in his lungs he realized he hadn’t been breathing.

He parted his lips from hers, but stayed less than an inch away from them.

There were no words to describe the electric sensation she had sent through him and he didn’t want to ruin the moment with words that meant nothing.

“...All our fight should end like this,” he said, instead, as if worried that the silence would indicate displeasure or chase her away.

All there was was this moment, the heat and excitement raced through her body as she used her trapped leg to wrap around him and pull his body closer to hers as she pressed herself against him wanting to feel him against her.

It was crazy, she barely knew him but every second brought her closer to the realization that she wanted to.

When he broke the kiss she took in a deep breath and looked into his eyes, a smile creeping onto her lips and a blush rising in her cheeks. When he spoke it pulled a chuckle from her and she dropped her head onto his shoulder to hid her face while the laugh shook her body.

"I could agree with that." she said her voice muffled for a moment before she lifted her head to meet his gaze, her eyes were challenging, asking him for more without her having to say a word.

Lopezite decided that their sparring match was probably over for the evening; he doubted there was any chance of concentrating on anything other than her lips, or the way her body had felt pressed against him. He nodded, and a part of him very much wanted more--but a part of him thought there should be more flowers, and chocolate, and talking before he pressed his luck.

He didn’t pull away from her, but he didn’t move closer.

“Then, instead of a spar, let’s schedule a date for next week. We should go out to dinner and talk.”

Fortuna giggled at his words. "Go out on a date... like this? Somehow I don't think that would work out to well, don't you think that might raise suspicion, or like cause a scene?" she questioned with a laugh and then shook her head, grinning up at him.

Talking was the last thing she wanted to do right now, and taking advantage of their close proximity, she leaned forward and licked his neck, tasting a slight saltiness.

"Talking might be good later... but right now I don't feel much like talking." she whispered in his ear before giving his lobe the tiniest of nips.

Lopezite was having a difficult time focusing on words when Fortuna was moving as she was--and it was easy to almost miss the energy signature of something else on the horizon. Something powerful.

Probably, for them, something bad.

Reluctantly, he pulled away and cast his eyes towards the door. "...We should probably finish this later. Let's meet up again next week. We'll talk dates then. Maybe get a real sparring session in?" he asked, cracking a grin. It was short lived though; he didn't want to put her in danger or alert the Order signature on the horizon of their location.

He'd rather like to use this place again some time in the future.

When Lopezite pulled away Fortuna began to pout, but then she felt the tingling at the back of her mind, the warning she had been too distracted to notice. She let out the air in her lungs in a quick sigh then nodded.

"Agreed... It would have been fun to... Continue this but it is getting late and this will probably be for the best." She smiled at him and then pressed herself against him and pulled his head towards her in a quick kiss before releasing him and stepping away.

"I look forward to getting to know you, Lopezite." She told him softly with a twinkle in her eyes before heading towards the full length mirror tucked discretely in one corner.

Lopezite didn’t have the luxury of a mirror to disappear through, and he wasn't a high enough rank to teleport yet.

Which meant, he was going to have to leg it. He flashed a grin and waved to Fortuna. He blew her a kiss before he turned and disappeared out of the warehouse.

He didn’t know if the Order energy signature would be able to track where the warehouse was--but if they were even remotely interested in either of the energy signatures, he was going to do his best to distract them and drag them away from their meeting place.

The night was still young--and a chase sounded fun.