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 Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:37 pm
The first Order of business—Negaverse business, at least—was to clear out his office of anything that might have betrayed his intentions. He’d taken all papers on youma and organized them neatly; it wasn’t a secret that he was working on researching youma, though his intentions had been deliberately hidden from everyone but Bellite.
Who, should be messaging him back to pick her up at any moment. As much as he wanted to just disappear, he figured the better excuse he gave for being gone, the less likely they were going to try and find him.
His office was reorganized—clean, for the first time in a while. In a while, he’d never see it again. Probably. Hopefully.
He just needed to sell Bellite on everything.
A good night’s rest and he seemed like he was at the top of his game; most of it was a façade. He didn’t trust himself while he was powered up and he wanted to get this done and taken care of before he got caught. It was paranoia at its finest; he knew the likelihood of someone reading his mind was probably slim, but after what he’d been through, nothing would have surprised him.
A shiver ran down his spine and though he was in a locked office, he still felt the sensation of someone watching him. He craned his neck over his shoulder and shuddered. He had jus finished clearing out the two lowest drawers of the desk; the only thing of real importance were the medals he’d gotten. He didn’t quite know what to do with them, so he just shoved them in the box of things to take home alone with some of the notes he’d taken on youma.
He might not have planned on being a part of the Negaverse for long but he didn’t want them to have his information.
His eyes wandered to the clock; he hadn’t finished packing as much as he’d wanted to, and that meant he’d probably have to come back here after he was done talking to Bellite—or, he’d just have to bring her here while he finished. Maybe he could even convince her to help him?
…No, he wasn’t sure he wanted anyone poking around in his things.
He had his crystal on the desk, waiting for the notification that she was ready.
He’d just bring her back here and finish the job himself; she might enjoy an extra trip to the library. It might be the last one he was ever able to give her.
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:47 pm
Bellite had gotten the invitation to meet Sanidine and was quite pleased with it. She loved little more than trips to the library in Negaspace...honestly she found all of this, everything so fascinating.
Plus she had a great general.
He had told her to contact him when she was ready for him to pick her up, so when she was ready--basket of a new cookie recipe in hand, she drew out her communication crystal, laughing a little at how silly she felt using it and spoke quietly into it.
“General Sanidine, it’s Lieutenant Bellite. I’m ready for you to bring me to Negaspace if you’re ready for me, sir.”
Sometimes it still surprised her just how easy it was to slip into the role of a soldier. But...perhaps it was due to all of the books she read...now that she was part of this...part of this organization, she just...knew what to do.
Or maybe she was meant to have been part of it...not that she really believed in destiny or anything like that...but perhaps...maybe she still did. A little.
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:48 pm
When Sanidine got the call, he suddenly wasn’t sure if he was ready for it. He had to be, of course—because she was ready—but it wasn’t easy to dispel his concern and play it cool. He lifted the crystal to his lips and replied, “Coming,” before he pocketed it and drew in a calming breath.
It was cool. He had this. He was a master with words, and Bellite was too sweet to know when he was lying to his teeth—he hoped.
With one final calming though, he teleported to the rendezvous point.
“Evening,” he greeted, with a crooked grin that didn’t feel quite right. He eyed the basket. “Snacks?”
He didn’t wait for an answer before he hooked his arm around hers and teleported her to his office. “You staying for a while, tonight?”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:49 pm
She handed the basket to him. “A new recipe. I figured you wouldn’t quite mind being my guinea pig. It’s a dark chocolate cherry cookie. I thought it was pretty good but, hey. What do I know?” Bellite grinned and nodded. “Yeah, I’d like to stay for a while...I really just want to make some progress on Evan. I don’t know, but I feel like maybe I’m getting close to a breakthrough. Or if I’m not, I really want to be getting close to one.”
Hesitating, the lieutenant drew a cookie from the basket and took a bite. “I just wanna help him, that’s all. Where is the little bugger? I feel like I haven’t seen him in ages. You said you got him back from the girl, right?”
She sighed. “And how have you been. I feel like it’s been a while. Did you have something you needed to tell me? It’s rare for me to get a ‘let’s talk’ message from you, General.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:50 pm
Sanidine wasn’t much in the mood to eat, but he was also trying to be extra nice. He accepted one and took a bite, contemplating the flavor before he nodded. “It’s good,” he said; he took a second bite, now just trying to bide his time.
He had to tell her something.
“…I did actually call you hear to talk. About Evan. We’re…He’s not a project anymore,” he said. He was torn between taking another bite of the cookie and just spitting it out. He held it up to his lips and then finally sighed, lowering it.
“Some things happened. He’s okay. But…I’m going to have to take a leave of absence. I’ve got some stuff going on in my life. I’ve put in some papers, had some appointments. But you’re the only one I’ve told so far, outside of that.”
He lied well enough; she was the only person he’d talked to in the Negaverse. Like didn’t want anyone snooping around; she had always trusted him. Theoretically he hadn’t given her any reason not to, so he hoped she wouldn’t go around asking too many questions after he was gone.
“I’ve gotta transfer out for a bit. Which means there’s going to be some changes around here. I don’t want you to be on your own, so I wanted to talk to you about getting another General to keep their eye on you while I’m gone.”
He could have drawn it out, but he wanted to get the basics out; there was time for questions, and time for conversation, and for all that he wanted to just come clean and be done with the lies, he couldn’t. He couldn’t risk her betraying him—or going to someone in a few weeks, a few months.
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:52 pm
Oh!” Bellite looked excited. “You fixed him? He’s human again? How did you manage it, Sanidine?” Her eyes were sparkling. “Give these to him, won’t you? I’m sure he could use something good to eat…” The happy expression began to leave her face while he mentioned leaving...giving her to another General.
“O-oh…” For a moment, she couldn’t speak, her throat felt as though there was a stone in it. “But...when you get back you’ll...you’ll pick me back up again, won’t you?”
She had failed him. That was the only logical reason for this. She hadn’t been quick enough on finding a solution...and how could she have been? Those texts...some of them were centuries old by the look of them and trying to decipher some meaning from them was next to impossible.
But she had been trying. She had thought of hardly anything but helping Evan, of fixing the small youma and bringing him back to the life he deserved…
Or...or maybe something else had happened…and he wasn’t okay...and Sanidine was upset about that…
Had some senshi destroyed him and...and he hadn’t come back? If that was what happened…
She couldn’t even think of that...but it went back to the same issue.
Bellite was the issue. “I...I swear I’ll be stronger when you get back. I won’t disappoint you again, General. You...won’t have to be ashamed of me anymore.” Her eyes were locked on her boots now, hoping that if she didn’t look at him, he wouldn’t see just how upset she was.
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:52 pm
”Hey,” Sanidine said; he reached out and rested a hand on her shoulder. “It’s not you, Bell. You’re doing great. You have been for a while. This doesn’t have anything to do with your performance—which, by the way, I’ve written you a glowing review. I just want to make sure you’re taken care of while I’m gone, I don’t want you trying to do this on your own. But…”
He sighed and dropped his hand, planting it instead on his hip. His eyes wandered to a corner of the room and he tried to figure out how best to word this. No amount of preparation had really satisfied him, so now he was just winging it.
“I’m having some family problems. And, truthfully…”
He was quiet for a moment and then caved; she had worked so hard to help Evan and he didn’t want to burn this bridge; not when there might have been some hope for her in the future.
He spoke softer, cautious about someone overhearing. “…I’ve gotta get Evan out of the city. It’s too dangerous for him. I can’t file any reports or anything, I don’t want them dragging him in for experimenting. He’s been through enough already. But he’s home, and resting.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:53 pm
Bellite finally looked up at him, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. Quickly, she wiped them away with her sleeve and tried to put on a convincing smile. “I understand...thank you for the...the glowing review, sir. I...I have to admit, I’ll miss you...are you...are you planning on bringing Evan in for real, now that you’re...strong enough to do it?”
Honestly, she would like to meet him...and she did really understand the need for the two of them to get away for a while, it would do them good. The both of them. “Seriously though, take the cookies to him, let him know that...well. Let him know whatever you want him to know, and I’ll look forward to your safe return. Please don’t be gone too long, Sanidine. I...I don’t know. I don’t think another general could be as patient as you’ve been with me. I really am not much of a fighter at all...I feel like...without you I’ll just...be an even bigger failure…”
She drew in a breath and stood up a little straighter. “But, I won’t think about that now. I’ll do my best to make you proud, so don’t you worry. If you can check in, please do. I won’t tell anyone about your success with Evan, I’ll just be waiting here to welcome the both of you back when you’re ready to truly bring him into the fold.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:53 pm
There were some questions Sanidine wouldn’t touch; no lie seemed appropriate. He accepted the cookies and nodded. “He’s been eating everything in sight. I’m sure he’ll be grateful. I’m grateful. I just want you to know that. This isn’t your fault,” he insisted, resting against his desk. He seemed exhausted; the past few days had been draining and it was showing.
“I appreciate you keeping quiet about Evan, though. When he’s ready, I’ll bring him over,” he promised. He didn’t mean it; Evan would never be ready. “Right now, the Negaverse would eat him alive. When he gets a little stronger, I’ll do it right.”
No, he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t ever reach his hand into Evan’s chest again. The thought alone made him feel like he was going to vomit.
“I just want you to know that you’re a good agent, though. Fighting doesn’t have to be your forte. You’ll do great with research and data, you just need to work on making sure you can defend yourself. Maybe after you get a little more comfortable—after you get your first promotion—you can just focus on research? That seems right up your alley. You did great, collecting all that information on youma. I’d have been lost without you.”
That much was true, at least, and he’d stand by it. He’d already written the report to pass on to someone else. He might not have cared for the Negaverse right now, but he wasn’t going to screw her over.
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:55 pm
“Well, good then. I bet he’s hungry...eating a diet of nothing but...what...did he ever really eat? Starseeds and energy, I’m assuming. That’s some of what I gleaned from the books that were readable enough.” She gave another smile and then sighed. “Why don’t you go home, Sanidine. I can finish cleaning up in here...perhaps...you could just, I don’t know...let me have your office until you get back? It would be ideal to be able to bring my research back here and not spend hours cooped up in the library all the time.”
Bellite ignored the bits about the promotion. The way she saw it, she would never be more than a bookworm lieutenant. She could hardly defend herself...and she had done nothing worth receiving a promotion.
But...if he thought she was better than that...well. Who was she to argue?
“I’ll find someone else to transport me home when I’m ready to go. You go and be with Evan. He needs you. And please tell him that his big sister Bellite says hello...give him a squeeze for me, all right?” She gave another smile, trying to put all the strength she had behind it.
Truthfully...she wanted to see Evan...but she was sure she’d see him when he was her partner in the Negaverse...perhaps she would have gotten a promotion by then and she could show off...that would be nice. That would be very nice indeed.
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:55 pm
“Ah,” Sanidine shook his head. “I can’t leave just yet. I’m going to be here for a little while, I think—but thank you for the offer. My appointments and all, I figure it’s best to get everything ready. But you go on, go do what you need in the library. I’ll let you know if I’m leaving before you are, we’ll touch base then, all right?”
He wasn’t leaving anytime soon; he would make sure he got her out of here, as one last favor. He owed her that much at least. “You go ahead and keep my office as long as you want, to. Keep it clean and organized, but go ahead and move things however you want. I figure you’ll make more use of this place than I will. Here,” he said; he fished around in his pocket and withdrew the key. “I’ll leave this with you.” He handed it over and smiled. “And I’ll make sure Evan knows how happy you are. He’s grateful, we both are, for everything you did. I don’t know if this would have happened without you.”
He didn’t know; they might not have been the ones to figure out how to purify Evan, but he didn’t know if he would have been able to handle the pressure of doing all of that research and work by himself.
He was grateful to Bellite—for volunteering to help when she owed him nor Evan any allegiance. He wished he could be more honest with her—wished he could repay her. Wished he could make sure she didn’t start losing herself like he had.
Sanidine leaned over to give her a hug. “Thank you, Bell. Really.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:56 pm
Bellite returned the hug, feeling a strange, awful almost premonition that this would be one of the last times she would see Sanidine...and that frightened her. But...the fears and feelings were completely unfounded. This all made sense. He had to help Evan, and that was absolutely understandable...so why did she feel like this goodbye was forever…
Why was he almost acting like this goodbye was forever…?
Slowly, she pulled away and flashed a smile. “I should get to the library. If you’re going to stick around, I won’t take too terribly long.
The lieutenant took the key that Sanidine had given her and pocketed it, feeling that of course with this, he would be back. He couldn’t just walk away from the Negaverse.
She knew that much at the very least. He’d be back as soon as Evan was ready to come back with him. It was all going to be okay.
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