Welcome to Gaia! ::

With every evening he patrolled, Themisto seemed steadily more sure of the basics - how not fall and break his ankles, how not to jump too high and miss a landing. He certainly wasn’t the best or brightest among senshi of his particular power level, but surviving each day meant more to him than excelling. Cetus’ advice had paid off tremendously, and now Themisto always carried sensible shoes before he transformed.

That being said, he had very little experience when it came to members of the other side of the war. He’d met youma -- as much as one could meet a youma -- but no one of any substance or sentience. Cetus had told him to avoid anyone with a “terrible” aura, especially anything that seemed oppressive or suffocating. The kappa senshi explained that these auras meant the person was much more powerful than Themisto, and thus very dangerous.

But Cetus didn’t mention anything about felines…

Katya was, predictably, wandering around the city working on her own in the hopes of finding someone out and about who had the potential to become another of her corrupt senshi. She was hanging around a different district as opposed to her usual haunts, in the hopes of having some luck in another part of the city.

She had been keeping to her area for a while now and had not had any luck. It was time to try another area. So far though she had not run into any potential senshi but...she was feeling a senshi approaching her area. They were already a senshi but who knows...maybe she could convince them, over time, to change sides - it was an option. Purring over the idea she got up, she had just been sitting down to attend to an itch, and headed in the direction of the aura. Surely they had felt her by now, at least she hoped so - it wouldn’t due to rudely surprise a possible recruit.

Tail swaying behind her and purring the guardian cat made her way toward the signature, wondering the whole while just what she would find. Would they be male or female...and what would their name and sphere be. Ohhhh...she was excited for this.

Themisto felt the signature long before he saw its bearer. The signature was bad, but different than ones he had felt before. What was this? It wasn't a youma, wasn't one of those evil agent people… it was bizarre, unusual, something he wasn't prepared for. He couldn't help but stop mid-patrol, shock-still and eyes darting from side to side.

It was then that the signature’s bearer appeared - much smaller than Themisto had expected. He didn't expect a cat! This feline had to be the signature… there was no one else around that his senses could pick up. Themisto seemed very confused when the cat appeared.

“Uh… hey there, kitty?” came a confused greeting. This cat, despite the darkness, had that star on its forehead. Just like the cat who awakened him into this whole mess.

She had more than just a pretty star on her forehead, which was attention grabbing enough, but also a little cloth hat and a strand of pearls followed by the single, white gold, chain with a pearl pendant. She stood out, a lot, and it was something she liked - was proud of. The only time it ever bothered her was when someone tried to grab for her necklaces...wanting to take them for themself or fence them - how dare they! The few times that had happened people wound up bitten and clawed, as they rightly deserved.

She was safe tonight though...she doubted this little senshi would try something that stupid, and rude. It was a shame he served the white moon...but maybe in time she would change that; with help of course.

“Katya. I am Katya...and you are who?” She questioned seating herself on the ground in front of him and staring up at him.

Themisto cringed, almost hoping beyond hope that this cat wasn’t the talking variety. Suddenly he was quite relieved that dogs didn’t get in on the act. At least cats were masters of subtlety. Dogs speaking and awakening people would fill the streets of Destiny City with shouting from deranged canines chasing anything that looked chewable. So at least there was that?

“Uh… I’m Themisto. It’s um… nice to meet you, Katya?”

It was still so beyond bizarre for him to be talking to an animal, but it was strangely familiar. How many of these talking cats were roaming the streets now? How many of them were awakening new people every day? Jesus, this whole war mess was so much deeper than Themisto initially assumed. “You um… you have a different star than the other one I met. Why is that?”

He figured, it couldn’t hurt to ask. What’s the worst a tiny cat could do, really? Her energy signature, when he first scanned, betrayed that she was part of another faction, but he didn’t know why. Do cats that work for the agents awaken people like him, but they were… also agents? If worse came to worse, Themisto could likely outrun the cat but how manly was running away from a cat?. 0/10, not manly at all.

Oh! So he had noticed! Staring up at him she reached out with a paw toward his leg, as if in warning, before deciding to leap up and aim for his chest. Hopefully he’d catch her, if not he’d wind up with her hanging from the front of his shirt. “It’s good that you noticed. I’m not like others you’ve surely met. I am tasked with aiding in awakening senshi for Metallia and the Negaverse.” She said rather primly, proud of her job.

“I am one of the few our side has - unlike your side which has many more of us.” So she was special - very special as far as she was concerned.

“I help awaken and guide senshi who are brought into the Negaverse. So I serve the same purpose as the other ones.” The other ones clearly being those who served the white moon...cats she didn’t like...aside from maybe one. She wouldn’t mind bringing him to chaos...not one bit.That was for another time though, she had other things to deal with such as the senshi here.

“It is good to meet you Themisto.”

Themisto was flustered at Katya’s sudden movement and clamored to catch the fuzzy thing in his arms. He was certainly surprised that she jumped at him like that - weren’t they on opposite sides? Wasn’t she one of the… bad guys?

He recognized the term ‘Negaverse’, but not Metallica? Metallia? He knew Metallica much better than whatever Katya had said, and decided saying as much would make him sound stupid. Even to a cat, Themisto did not want to sound stupid. “So… you awaken… people like me? But on the agents’ side?” came a rather slow reply. It was fairly obvious Themisto had very little idea what he was doing, other than running from rooftops in stupid shoes.

Cetus had said the agents were terrible people, which is why they felt so off when their energy signature showed up on their mental radar. Anyone wearing black, said Cetus, was bad news. While Katya didn’t wear black, she bore the same flavor of energy signature that agents did when Themisto traipsed around the city.

Since he was already awakened, Katya couldn’t do anything terrible to him… right? “It… it’s good to meet you too, Katya.” Honestly, Themisto felt quite anxious around the cat, like he was committing a crime somehow by even associating with her. What would Cetus think?

He swallowed a lump in his throat. “Um… Katya, what’s Metallia? Is that an agent too?”

“Yes, I can sense someone who has the potential to become a senshi. I can’t awaken them on my own - not like one of your cats can. But I can identify them, their name and sphere. I can provide the henshin pen as well. It is a General King or Queen who comes to bring them into the Negaverse for me.” But she did a good deal of the work. Without her it would be much harder to find them. She had found, recently, the senshi of nightmares and how proud she was of that.

“Metallia is where we gain our power from. She is our ultimate Queen.” She wouldn’t say god or goddess, as she didn’t subscribe to religion of any sort. But she was higher up than their Queen and the General Queen’s and King’s. So she gave what she felt was the best possible title.

“There is nothing that I know of that I can compare it to...for your side.” She answered while kneading at his shoulder with her front paws. “Walk and talk.” She stated then.

The newly-active senshi thought it odd that Katya was like the cat who awakened him before, but couldn’t awaken senshi herself. And in that moment, Katya was more than willing to provide him with information about what was going on, or answer questions that he didn’t already have the answer to. What was the previous cat’s name? Horatio? Yes, that sounded right. She was wild, rambunctious, and while he was technically willing to undergo the first transformation into Themisto, it wasn’t technically informed consent. Zach didn’t know about a war. All he knew was that Penelope was in trouble and Horatio claimed he could help.

He remembered then that he fired off his attack all of one time, and fat lot of good it really did. Penelope did most of the work, Horatio singing her praises. While Themisto didn’t doubt for one moment than Penelope was 110% Amazing Woman, he himself felt almost… duped.

“So…” He started his sentence, stuttered for a moment and began to walk as Katyka instructed, almost absentmindedly. “...Metallia is your Queen and you gain powers from her, but you can’t awaken people like me on your own. You have to get a higher-up to do it? And… they have to be willing, right? Like, you tell them things. Like you’re telling me, right?”

If the agents and people like him who-worked-for-the-agents served a Queen, who did senshi like Cetus serve? Were they all just aimless without someone to guide them? Suddenly Themisto’s sphere became ironic.

“No, they don’t need to be willing. It’s prefered but not needed. My General prefers it be willing as he figured those not willing, especially if it is against their will, won’t fight or will turn traitor.” She happen to agree, for the most part, she was also a greedy cat who wanted as many corrupted senshi around her as she could get - she liked them. They were all precious to her.

“I may not be able to awaken a senshi to our side but, as I said, I play a big role in it. I get to help and guide them - just as your sides cats do I’m sure.” She answered while reaching up to pat his cheek with a paw.

“That is a guardian cats job after all.” She added then.

Katya was being frank and seemed quite serious, which worried Themisto. The more he spoke to her, the greater the sinking feeling became. He was slowly beginning to realize that he hadn’t the slightest idea what he’d gotten himself into. This whole “terrorists in Destiny City” was so much deeper than he initially believed it to be.

“So some of your agents awaken people against their will too, huh…” It seemed as though people didn’t choose the war, the war chosen them. Like thug life maybe, and just as dangerous without the money and glamor to back it up. “If someone joins up and turns traitor, what does that mean? They decide to quit or something? What happens to them if they don’t want to fight anymore?”

He tried to recall what the Draft was like many years ago in American history. If you were drafted, you went to war whether you liked it or not. Unfortunately, Destiny City didn’t seem to care if you were male, female, other, invalid or what-have-you. Maybe nobody had a choice.

Katya said something then that stung - Themisto didn’t have a guide, and he wasn’t sure he fully trusted Katya to do the guiding for him. Instead, he ran from his awakening like a coward.

“Yes. Our General King and Queens can even take someone already on your side and bring them over to ours.” By force, but she didn’t say that...just hinted to that. She’d rather, over time, to make this little one ask to join or demand perhaps. Either way she wanted this one to join willingly.

“Officers who turn traitor...either that means they are helping the other side or they are joining the other side and are becoming one of you. In either case they will be punished, if we reach them before they change sides that is. Punishment depends on what they have done and who is delivering the punishment.” She knew there were several options with the worse case being death, though she disliked it she could see where it was a necessary thing.

“Officers who go inactive are found and a higher rank officer is put in charge of them.” To get them back on track and get them back to fulfilling their duties. Why did the other side not do such things? They were terribly disorganized and it was a wonder they still managed to cling to this city was they did - rather leech like if you asked her.

“We are known to be rather military like - and we are. I’m surprised you haven’t heard this or learned it somewhere. It is why we have done so well in this war thus far. We aren’t so disorganized and we work and train together. Our higher officers work with the new ones and train them - make sure they will succeed and aren’t sitting ducks going out to be potentially slaughtered. I’ve seen some of yours who seem clueless.” She said shaking her head. It was a pity really. So many had died on the other side...so many who should have been on the side of chaos...who could have done so well and been her’s! The other side had no clue how to treat their own properly.

“I get the feeling you don’t like me very much, Katya.” came a flat, and yet disappointed, reply. Themisto frowned deeply, his brows furrowing, feeling a sense of… shame? Why was it a shame to be like he was? It wasn’t as though he had much of a choice, at least initially. From what Katya was saying, he had plenty of choice, though it made the hair on the nape of his neck stand on end just thinking about it.

Military? Punishment? If you go inactive due to newfound passivism, you get into trouble? Like Katya had said earlier, those who were like him didn’t have much structure - there wasn’t someone they reported to (like it sounded in the agent’s military) and there didn’t seem to be any kind of organization. Free agency at its finest, he supposed. Something terrified him about the information between the lines - that people were always watching in the agent’s military. That thought was utterly terrifying.

“...you said people might get slaughtered, Katya. Have people… really died, doing all this? On both sides, or just… the side I’m on?” Themisto might have been the epitome of cluelessness, but there was truth to the phrase, ignorance is bliss. He was happier before he met Katya, happy to simply revel in the feeling of the wind in his hair as he sailed through the night sky with superpowers. Knowing people were actually dying made being bestowed with superhuman abilities quite a bit less appealing!

“Oh, no I do like you. If it seems that way I do apologize.” She answered reaching up to tap his nose with a single paw before moving to rub her face to his, butting her head against his face gently. “Tell me what makes you think I do not like you - so I know where I spoke wrong.” And she could correct it, learn from it, and not slip in such a way again with other senshi. If she was going to try and get white moon senshi to her side she needed to not make slip ups.

“Yes...there have been kidnappings. I believe, from the files I’ve read, the first was by your side...or rather some branch called the blood moon court. But yes, lives have been lost on both sides. This is a war, it is why training is a must as it helps to up the odds of surviving.” Had no one told him how serious this was? That people did die - had died?

“If you have no training it is best to find someone to assist you.” She would, if she could, get him to join her side and see to it he learned to defend himself. Her General would make sure of it, as well as offering him a place to live - free of charge. Benitoite was a generous General if nothing else. He also happen to act a bit like a mother hen to those under his wing. She didn’t feel a bit sorry for anyone who threatened, or harmed, any under his guidance...they’d get whatever pain they deserved at his tiny little hands and bladed spear.

“There was recently - last year...a slaughter of people for both sides. Was very messy.” She said slowly. Oh how she wanted to bring this poor baby to chaos and help him - he was so clueless and like a sitting little duckling.

While he appreciated being snuggled by a cat (she was soft to boot!), this just didn't feel right. Themisto’s head was swimming in a sea of information he didn't have even ten minutes ago. Slaughter, military, a not-so-secret war. There was a very real chance he could lose his life, and he may not even see it coming. Every time he powered up, he ran the risk of someone not nearly as friendly as Katya finding him.

“I just… I don't know, Katya. I had no idea it was this serious…” His voice was sorrowful, scared and full of shame. “I mean, it's cool to have powers and everything, but nobody said anything about death. I don't want to die, Katya!”

He still had so many items on his bucket list, so many ladies to woo, restaurants to try, places to visit. If he, as Themisto, was put down by an agent from the military, his life would be over in an instant. He was defenseless, just as Katya said. And being on the wrong side, she couldn't train him without running the risk of being branded a traitor. Feline or not, being branded a traitor seemed horrible all around.

“Now you know. I’m surprised no one told you till now. That’s not right.” She said softly, and it was true. The poor dear had no idea what he’d been brought in to - what a shame. How dare another cat bring him in and not at least inform him afterwards. Now more than ever was she glad she was not on the other side in this war. Not only did they involve children, really young little children, but this also!

If she ever saw a cat doing something like this, or bringing a child in, she would seriously kick their a**! Blood and injuries and all be damned! She’d even deal with a bath afterwards from Alexandre if need be.

“I do wonder why no cat told you about this...or anyone else. I assume you’ve met others...and none asked if you were new or anything - did they?” She asked gently, rubbing against his face. Ohhhh how she wanted to make this one a senshi of hers and take him under her wing...make him one of her’s - like all the others were. “It’s not your fault that you don’t know these things and don’t understand - never your fault. A cat's job is to help and fill you in on things, especially right after awakening.” She spoke nodding her head as she did so.

“I’d offer to take you under my wing but I’d have to bring you to my side little one. I’d like to, I really would, you wouldn’t have to worry so much about your safety and not knowing things - you would know. I assure you...you would not be clueless or untrained.” Left vulnerable. No, he would be able to fight.

Katya’s offer was comforting, in a strange and illicit sort of way. Themisto couldn't help but consider it if only based on the promise of safety. He was inwardly grateful towards Katya for her honesty, explaining in plain terms just how lethal the war really was.

“I… I don't know, Katya.” He hesitated. “I need to think about it, okay?” There was so much to consider that even overnight wouldn't be long enough. Themisto had to rethink his entire life at this point. He cursed the cat Horacio who was too hyper and happy-go-lucky to sit him down and tell him the finer points of being a soldier. Instead, he was awoken without so much as a crash course in magical warfare and then expected to figure out the rest on his own.

There was the issue of his family as well. He looked down to the feline in his arms and absently began to scratch behind her soft ears. “...what about my family, Katya? Would they be safe? Would the military be able to protect them? Do the people like me… attack regular folks or something?” Cetus was a cool guy, he didn't seem like the type to hurt people for the fun of it.

“Of course, take the time you need. I would never rush someone into something.” Well...ok that wasn’t entirely honest, she would, but she knew when not to. She knew pushing here would get her no where good, it may make an enemy of this senshi. Wanting him to change sides meant comforting and treating him like he was already one of her own, which he would be if she had her way in the end.

“You’re family would be as safe as could be. The only drawback to changing sides, and I will be honest with you, is that you will lose some memories - either as being a senshi...or your civilian memories...all of them. It is a consequence which we cannot go around, if there was a way around it I would do that if you decided to join our side. Also...to everyone around you...you will not look the same...so you will in a sense lose your family.” Again, it was something she felt bad about. Family was an important thing and she didn’t like the idea of hurting one of her own or someone who could become one of hers. But she would be honest and tell him. If he found out later it could cause more issues.

“The other side tends to leave civilians alone. In general the only thing which happens to civilians is some energy draining...think of it as donating blood. It regenerates quickly. But the energy gathered serves a purpose of keeping us, as a whole, functioning.

“I will, as I said, give you all the time you need in order to decide if you wish to join us. I will not push but I will answer anything you may want to know.” Within reason, but she didn’t say as much.

Themisto stopped walking, dead in his tracks, when Katya explained that he would lose all his memories - and his identity - if he switched sides. He would gain the supervision and protection of the agent’s military, complete with training in self-defense, but he would lose his family in the process. That… that was horrifying.

Katya was honest in that fact, which, despite the abject terror, was appreciated. However, Themisto just couldn't handle this much information in such a short span of time. Desperately he longed to go back in time just a few hours so he could revel in blissful ignorance. He longed for the few carefree days he had before tonight, laughing with Cetus and wandering the streets, complaining about geta over a steaming hot burrito at the local hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant. He longed for Kari.

“I… Katya…” He stumbled over his words, mind racing, trying to piece together the puzzle of feelings. “...look, thank you for being honest with me, I… I have sleep on it at least, you know?” A hesitant laugh followed. He gently set the feline down with as much grace as he could muster, given how shaken he was. Generals, Queens, memory loss, death…

He stepped back from her, shaking his head in confusion. “I… I'll find you again later, Katya. You uh… take care, okay?” Despite it being cowardly, Themisto didn't care in the slightest. His ego was the last thing on his mind as he turned and fled into the night, eager to power down and crawl into his bed, drowning in comforting familiarity.