By the time she had finished paying the cashier the sun had already set painting the storefront windows and sliddingdors a near complete black where only the first few rows of cars. She remained unconcerned however and, with one bag in each hand, exited the retail store to head home.
At least that’s what the plan was.
Only after closing her trunk did she spot a figure atop the building. Probably a maintenance engineer fixing one of the roof units but as an evenin roof dweller herself something nagged her in a way that made her convinced that was not the case.
With her drivers door open, Mei tapped her index finger on the metal frame in deep contemplation. Was it worth powering up if only to test her theory? There were still a significant number of people around but it would debunk her theory. Plus, she could always do so in her car then power right back down if there were no signatures nearby.
Juliet, normally, did not spend much time on top of buildings: she was an obedient girl, and there was something inherently dangerous about rooftops, she felt. It wasn’t something she had much experience with. But she always saw so many others of her kind on rooftops - so at some point she’d decided to try it out.
She couldn’t really see what was so appealing about it, honestly? The cold breeze in your face was calming, and the view of the city was nice in some areas, but all in all it was just a change in elevation. You learned no more, did no more, than you did on the ground -- and you were in more danger, too, up high. You could fall, you could break, and things would all hurt.
But she wasn’t worried about that. The texture of things, though, the details -- she rarely had a chance to see such things, feel them up close - and that was the best part.
Digging through her side bag Mei withdrew her henshin pen and powered up inside her car.
There, well within the radius of her senshi senses she felt a signature that made goosebumps race up her arms and hairs stand on ends. How long had it been since she had last felt a Dark Mirror Senshi? A year maybe, if that. Dark like the Negaverse Agents but different in a way she couldn’t explain only that it was.
“Ugh… why?” Why couldn’t it have been one of the employees? Sidouer drew in a deep breath then exhaled and glared at the windshield when it fogged up. So cold out her breath froze in the air; great. She leaned over and reached into her back seat to grab one of the zip up sweaters she often wore when jogging and pulled it on over her fuku before exiting the vehicle.
The Senshi of Static was quick to sprint across the parking lot and in one smooth motion she lept onto the rooftop in pursuit of the Dark Mirror Senshi. If her own signature wasn’t enough of a warning then perhaps a static shock to illuminate the area would be enough to get her attention. “What are you doing out here?”
It took Juliet a few, endlessly slow, seconds to notice Sidouer -- even when the aura should have been a warning, or even the flash of light, she still only turned when she heard a voice. “...Juliet of Whiteouts.” She turned fully, then, a simple but elegant motion, and curtseyed for the other Senshi. “Should I have a meaning to be up here...? I assumed there was a reason for why so many of us can always be found on rooftops - I was curious, really. That’s all.” There was something uniquely unsettling about her, something difficult to place.
Sidouer crossed her arms in front of her and looked at the Senshi in a mixture of skepticism and disbelief. Her hands resting on her elbows in preparation of a quick second attack in case the girl across from her decided to fight.
Although she had a valid point regarding powered individuals, no matter the side, often being found loitering on rooftops, Sidouer found it difficult to believe that curiosity was truly the reason for her being up here tonight. “In this weather? While wearing that outfit? I doubt it.”
“But let's pretend for a moment I believe you. Then what? Once you’re curiosity has been satisfied did you plan to just power down and go home?” Doubtful. “By the way, where’s your pet?” Those wraith like creatures were rarely far away just as youma were often not far from an Agent or Corrupt Senshi.
“It’s really not that cold,” Juliet said, and she did sound genuinely confused. “Is it? I’m not very good at noticing that sort of thing unless things begin to freeze, you see.” She clasped her hands behind her back after tucking a stray strand of hair back into her tiara. “I’m not interested in fighting -- but if you would like to attack me, that’s perfectly fine. As long as I can hide any marks with makeup or clothing, of course.” She said it like it made perfect sense. “And my wraith...? Not in use. I have no interest in draining energy to support my Court today, after all. I have other responsibilities.”
“What?” Thoroughly confused Sidouer didn’t even bother to hide the influx in her voice or the tilt of her head.
A pregnated pause lingered for several moments before the White Moon Senshi could formulate a coherent thought. I can’t tell if she actually wants me to hit her or what. In part the invitation to strike seemed both like a dare and a trap at the same time; not something she was eager to accept.
Not willing to take the bait Sidouer hung on to the other Senshi’s last comment and used it to steer the conversation elsewhere. “Uh huh… okay… Humor me. Other responsibilities like what?” Aside from draining energy like the Agents, the Senshi of Static felt the insatiable desire to learn what reasons Dark Mirror Senshi had for powering up.
“Other responsibilities like schoolwork,” Juliet said, seemingly confused. “I do have a life outside of this, of course, and I would assume so do you, yes?” She kept keen eye contact with Sidouer the entire time, unblinking, unmoving. “I know I’m not particularly dutiful as far as Court members go, so if I have duties besides maintaining our stronghold, I have yet to remember them.” Her tone remained level constantly, unvarying.
“Just because I serve my Royals doesn’t mean I’m permitted to ignore my schooling.”
Sidouer drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. It felt like they were talking in circles. This is such a waste of time. Clearly she is only a threat to herself. Point proven by her open invitation to attach her, which the Senshi of Static still found odd.
“You realize that is exactly what you’re doing by being up here right? Ignoring your schooling.” All for the sake of some wild hair curiosity… she must be new.
“My schooling,” Juliet smiled, “is finished. I keep a regimented schedule - there is time enough for this as well. My responsibilities do not conflict.” Her slender-fingered hands were clasped tight. “I simply had some curiosity as to why so many of our kinds prefer the rooftop approach. But as I said -- if it would make you feel better to attack me, please go ahead. As long as I can cover it up. It’s a learning experience, you see.”
From where she stood, several feet away, Sidouer rolled her eyes in an almost annoyed manner. It really didn’t take a genius to see that the Dark Mirror Senshi was more of a danger to herself to anyone else. Acting like a young child to try and get her to make the first swing; clearly she had no intent on taking the open invitation. “I’m not going to take the bait. Just - go home. If you honestly don’t understand why anyone would hide on the roof top then you probably never will.” Rude? Perhaps, but she was being honest.
It was open and allowed for easy escapes. High enough up that so long as the person wasn’t near the edges nobody would be able to see them and also allowed for an almost birds eye view of the city. In addition… rarely did anyone ever think to look up so it was a pretty good way to sneak up on someone who wasn’t powered or follow them without them realizing it.
“This is just a waste of both of our times. If you have no intention of doing your royal’s bidding as you said, then there is no point to be out here. So go home, and I’ll do the same.“ Sidouer watched the Dark Mirror Senshi for a few moments then turned around. Surely others would power up if the girl decided to make a scene and cause panic in the mall. But as it was she hadn’t the patience to talk in circles and preferred to leave the girl to the cold elements than waste another minute up here.
“Don’t do something stupid.” She cautioned before jumping down off the building into a dark nook.
There was no hint of sarcasm or plot in Juliet’s dull eyes; her hair fluttered in the breeze, and she kept an even, unblinking gaze with Sidouer until the other girl turned around. “It was no bait,” she murmured, watching the Senshi half-sadly, “I don’t want to fight. Nobody understands it. My life is worth less than yours.” The odds were Sidouer was already too far away to hear her quiet tones, or at least most of it: “If I can be of service in any way, even if you’re not of my Court, I only want to help.”
She wasn’t cold. She really wasn’t cold at all. In her fuku, silks and gauze and cold metal, she should have been: but she didn’t feel much of that. “I cannot hurt anyone. I’m only being honest - I simply want to help.”
Daekie
