Welcome to Gaia! ::

Shahar strolled leisurely through the streets as Titanite, trying to find comfort in her new power... like it was a new coat to wear, new jacket, instead of being a whole new skin. It felt different, unusual, and she hadn't yet grown accustomed to it. The change in aura, the change in the weapons on her hands; the uniform itself was the same, just more knots.

She lay draped across some warm electric box thingy, relishing the heat against her back as she stretched her senses out as far as they could go. Stretched out her legs, one at a time, flexing her toes and her calves into the cold before bringing them back to the heat. Then her arms, next, then a repeat of the cycle. Then up, and down, a circular pace...

Indolence. Laziness. Solitary experimentation.

Her hands still felt dirty from before, from her hand in a chest, instead of in it. She could still feel her gut wrenching with it. The boy-child had not realized she was saving his life by pointing out the ignorance in his desperation, or not cared; and now the man she had killed was on his conscience, but the stain was still on her hands.

A throat cleared, and she blinked, pulling senses inward- Order. Strong. Close. "Hello!" she called cheerfully, accented voice lilting into the air. "Come closer. I will not bite unless you do, or unless you ask me to. I will even spar if you wish. It is such a nice night, let it be a peaceful one, no true violence."

"All depends on me?" She caught sight of him at last, and he was quite upside-down. "I would not say much depends on me when you are at least the one standing up." she did not move from her lazy position, considering him with a casual expression, her mind spinning in calculating circles. "Blue is a name that no one has yet called me."

She considered his question. "It has been peaceful. I visited a few of my regulars for some energy earlier- they didn't like the new laces on my boots- have one a nice new blanket for her services. Left everyone nice and alive and awake."

She rolled up, cracking her spine as she rose. "Titanite. It is an ancient name. Unimportant, until the recent promotion from Lieutenant to Captain. Now is adjustment, and consideration of new responsibility and skill. Like new legs on an old chair."

"I came to this little hole of a town in... 2011? Of yet, I am unable to escape. Someday, though, Kairatos of Mars, I will get to return home. For now, I serve." She knew of Titanlavenite- there were few who hadn't heard of the giant. Another Titan, and she could not resent him with how appropriate the name.

"My insides were not what was warm and fuzzy," she agreed dryly, rolling her shoulders. Six feel of lean muscle, plus some, with heels; long, tanned arms and legs enclosed in black material. "There are many things that are 'worn down' as you call it, though I do not commonly look at my insides. I would prefer not to see myself for what I am. If I am a monster through inaction, it is better than being dead."

Realgar was not a familiar name to her, but she was not a social agent. She did her minimums, and had thought that one day she would be able to slide through the cracks. She had more friends on the side of Order now; they meant more to her than the uncertainty of a future with the Negaverse. "Why must there be only two camps?"

Waving her hands, she added, "Spar with me, Kairatos. I have not tested my new powers against another, and you look like you could defend yourself against me underestimating my new strength. Maybe you will get a few good licks in and I can go home early and claim that as why I do not have enough energy, instead of laziness."

Bluster and braying, he said, and Titanite felt the corners of her mouth twitch. "They say sometimes people do not realize they are dead yet," she countered, and shrugged. "Perhaps this is- what do the Christians have- a purgatory? This is a waiting ground, and we are only fighting for the right to go home early."

She raised a brow, and shrugged. "Not many are willing to take the risk and spar. So much fear of death, or corruption, yet they come out anyways, and hope for... what? I find it interesting." Her lips quirked. "I have no interest in your starseed, Kairatos of Mars. Plenty of your kind behind to tell the tale, if it reassures you. And you will have the chance to join them, and further diminish my already terrible lack of a name.

She had been kickboxing since she was small. Some girls chose things like dance, or ballet. Even young, Titanite had felt the drums of combat in her bones, and she rejected it regularly. "Good. Then I will not hold back, knight. I will test my new limits. Perhaps after, I will buy you a soda, in gratitude." the humor was rich and overflowing. Soda was not her drink of choice. But she'd yet to meet an agent of Order who knew how to appreciate a good drink.

"Chaos holds no interest to me," she told him as she began to circle, stretching her arms and legs as she went, considering him with a half-eye. "It was given to me, long ago. I was proud to serve. I was called. And the man I served was killed. And now I remain." Others had expressed concern for her. Tried to care for the adrift, alien Titanite. Alcohol was all the care she needed. Alcohol, and to be left mostly alone. Both, so far, had been sufficient. Perhaps.

She tested him first with legs, moving in and aiming for his ankles. Test his balance. Her speed. A low kick, clearly meant more to be testing contact than anything else. The difference in their height, with her heels, was minimal enough; testing reach would be fun. "Three years is a long time for anything," she agreed with a laugh. "I would have little interest in corrupting you even if I did have the power. You didn't want it, why would I make you take it?"

To each their own. She had no alternative. Her family- her life- meant something to her. Sometimes. Usually. "That is an interesting reason to fight. Someone needs to? Is there not enough fighting? Or do you think yourself a resistance?" It's always easier to throw yourself down that hole than climb out. "You would need something to climb to." she said simply. "All I have is here. I have 14 siblings, Kairatos of Mars. Dozens of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles. Climbing from this hole would be lonelier than staying in it and being as useless as possible."

Beer- a man after her own heart. "Have you ever had Egyptian beer? Or do you prefer the weak swill that can be found on so many taps?"

She could not tell if he was probing for information; she did not give it. Instead she feinted, aiming for contact with his upper arm.

Titanite couldn't stop herself making a face, shifting, feeling her muscles respond with more... energy... than they had before. She was six feet of lean power and in some ways it felt like she couldn't even control it all anymore. She knew her body, knew her reach, the feel of her breath and how she was supposed to respond.

It just wasn't cooperating.

"Most people do not give a s**t if you are lonely whether you are in the Negaverse or not," Titan countered, feeling the familiar dance of muscle and bone, the cold air on flesh, hair whistling around her ears, her boots clicking on cement.

Egyptian beer wasn't for everyone; and the wine was frequently s**t. By some standards, at least; but she'd grown up with it. "I suppose it is a thing of pride, to so easily know that you are you, and not have to place any additional strings on your identity." He danced away and she stepped back as well, taking the moment to assess their situation.

"No," she said at last, and darted in, swinging at his face. "No talking. Not tonight, Red." He had dubbed her Blue; it was only fitting.

Her hand made heavy contact with his cheekbone, and she winced as her knuckled glove came dangerously close to his skin. Welp. That was not what she had intended to do, but neither did she wish to pull her punches. He had agreed to this, after all, knowing the risks.

Still, the incident distracted her enough that his sweep at her leg made her stumble- she covered for it by letting it take her all the way to the ground, where she rolled as best she could to get out of his reach. Tried to get up off the ground. Tried to look impressive, and competent.

She hit the ground harder than she remembered ever having done when she had tried this maneuver before, knocking her off; she rolled faster, overshooting what she intended to do. The only option she had, in the end, was to lay face down on the ground, giggling helplessly into cold cement.