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Someone clearly hadn't been thinking of weather and the elements when they'd designed senshi garb, came the idle thought. Obsidian himself had been roaming the mostly empty streets, taking note of patrol routes, be they Negaverser, Knight, or Senshi. The familiar aura of corruption had caught his attention, and it was a most pleasant surprise to see a senshi he'd become acquainted with during Laurelite's glorious ascension.

His hands were tucked in his pockets, and the shaggy-haired general hummed a few off-key notes as he moved through the sparse patches of street light towards the girl. "Sailor Hydra," He called out, almost singsong as a grin let up his face. It didn't reach those green eyes, but that was hardly uncommon anymore. "I think you outta file a complaint to your manager. That outfit's hardly practical. How are you supposed to show off the latest winter trends?"

The redhead didn't quite crowd her space, but comfortably fell in at her side, matching his pace to hers. He had time to kill... and, if he recalled correctly, Hydra had caught his interest. Nothing wrong with keeping an eye out for those who might be persuaded to think outside of the box.

His grin twitched a little wider as she mentioned of appearing threatening, looking rather approving that she'd even considered such a thing. "Well, you aren't wrong." After a moment of thought, he swept the cape from his shoulders in a dramatic gesture to wrap it around her. "Viola," The general droned in a terrible impression of a French accent. "General Queen Hydra, your loyal servant awaits."

Obsidian swept into a bow, not quite willing to kneel in the snow, because that s**t was cold. It also gave him a fantastic opportunity to eye those beautiful boots of hers. "You've been surviving ,I see." He straightened to look her over more closely in general. No missing limbs, no despondent, broken spirit...

Generally, these things all pointed towards thriving, truth be told.

"I'm glad." He added, "Because a pretty face is so hard to find these days. You'd think we're looking to recruit the ugliest people in Destiny City or something."

"As you command, my lady." He purred, prowling beside her with such a cheeky grin on his face. This felt familiar. Like the old days, almost, back when everything had been so much more simple. It was easier for him to set aside his feelings when he wasn't muddled by starseed addiction. He'd never be normal again... but he was better. Stronger, he'd like to think. He'd learned from his mistakes and failings.

He'd learned that he was much better than most of the Negaverse's other mistakes and failings by far.

"You think?" Obsidian snorted. "I could grow out a unibrow. Maybe ask someone to break my nose. You know. Lessen up that pretty a touch." He stroked his jaw as though contemplating, but ruined it with a cackle.

A nearby cafe caught his eye, and he jerked his chin at it, sweeping Hydra along with him as they stepped inside. The wonderful smells of coffee and hot chocolate washed over them, and general inhaled blissfully. It was late enough at night that he didn't really care who saw them powered up.

"A drink for the lady and me." He said almost lazily, glancing at Hydra. "Whatever you want, sweets. This one's on me."

Oh, but she was special. Her potential usefulness was still untapped, and Obsidian saw a tool--a weapon--that had yet to be shaped. The more young, strong hearts and minds he could sway under his influence, he better.

There was a rough bark of laughter at her words, and Obsidian waggled a finger playfully with a grin. "Oh, you'd be surprised, your majesty. A real bloody beat down on both sides gives you an adrenaline rush like none other." But not everyone could fight like that. No, he didn't ignore pain. He embraced it. Once you did that, it was easy to shrug it off after it was all said and done.

"Two hot chocolates, then." He noticed that flicker of movement from the corner of his eye, and with a slow smile, extended his hand, palm up. He hadn't quite decided what he was doing with the idiots behind the counter. Kill them and be done with it? Or let them live? There was time to decide, he supposed.

For now, he'd guide Hydra over to a seat in the corner of the cafe, still watching her. "Tell me more about you." He prompted gently, settling back to get comfortable. "Besides the fact that you have fabulous tastes in fashion."

Dem boots tho.

Something flickered in his gaze at that, and his mirthful expression slid into something more of a thoughtful frown. "I could." He said after a pause, stewing it over. "But my teaching methods tend to be... aggressive. Hands on." Meaning he usually tended to beat the s**t out of his trainees until they learned how to move quickly enough to counterattack. He gave her hand a slight squeeze, but fell silent to better listen to her speak.

Hm. It was an admirable goal though, choosing to rely on something more than just her senshi abilities alone. He temporarily abandoned his thoughts on how to use her in order to give it serious though, his tongue rubbing against one canine. "I can teach you." He finally said, and Obsidian stared her down without blinking. "But it will be hard. I'm going to push you, force you to get better. If people are going to take you on, they're going to know that you're one of mine."

It was a hint of possessiveness, but he meant every word. He'd be damned if someone he trained was going to be weak, easy prey. No, they'd be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

Obsidian stared in silence down at the corrupted senshi, weighing her words as if to judge them worthy. She believed in what she was saying, but he still didn't think she really knew just what she was getting herself into. How could she? She was soft and delicate, not knowing the true horrors of war.

And yet, she was willing to throw herself into the jaws of the unknown, her eyes sparking with the passion of what she was saying.

The general wordlessly dropped himself into the seat across from her, tilting his head almost imperceptibly. "You're going to hate me," He told her frankly, "But by the time I'm done, you'll be ready to crush the Order underneath your fabulous heels."

And after his claws were sunk in, he had no intention of letting her go.

Those words brought a smile to his face, a slow, almost sinuous thing. Still, Obsidian was pleased. Back and already getting his feet wet. Well, he'd make good on his promise. Hydra would become something worth fearing and find herself securely under his thumb.

"Tomorrow night, the track field by Hillsworth." He said, even as one of the girls behind the counter brought over their hot chocolates. He reached out, a gloved thumb gently brushing itself against her jawline before he grasped one of the cups and got to his feet.

"Be good, Hydra." Obsidian all but crooned, offering a wink before he strode out into the night, leaving his cape still wrapped around her shoulders.

Things had just gotten much more interesting.