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Captain Epidote was in a delightful mood.

He was taking his time making his way to the park, boots feeling lighter than ever before. The previous week had only improved as the days passed on since he'd last left Sailor Kari alone on the playground.

He'd not only met his quota for the week (or two weeks, seeing as Kari's contribution had provided a week's worth in itself!) but he'd managed to score himself a lady's number (not that he really knew what to do with it, now that he had it) and a job interview with the local Gamestop at the mall (which he also had no clue what to do with, but it sounded fairly adultish).

The aura met him before green eyes laid sight on the girl in the park. He knew she'd come - she didn't want to disappoint him, after all. Epidote had watched the news for any blurb on the murdered child and mother but it apparently lacked the scandal that the other crimes about Destiny City had that evening. Pft. Whatever. He'd just do better next time.

There only appeared to be one aura, which was a relief in itself. If she'd been stupid enough to bring backup, he'd be out in a flash - but then again, she wasn't smart enough to bring someone else, either.

Poor, poor little Kari.

His voice rang out as he passed from the grass onto the playground gravel, the rocks crunching beneath his boots as he drew closer to the woman standing at a distance. "Did you miss me, sweetheart?"

"You know, if you're going to act all sullen and sad about it, this won't be fun for either of us."

Well, that wasn't exactly true. Epidote planned on having fun, regardless, but having some simpering little crybaby for an energy source was annoying, to say the least. Where was the spark? The excitement? The resistance?

Granted, she'd resisted once and it had cost him dearly. No, maybe resistance was too strong of a word - but having her standing over there glowering did nothing to entice his playful side.

Boots closed in the distance between them as one glove moved out to take hold of her arm. His grip wasn't rough, but it was firm as he moved to stand behind her. "Can't I even get a smile? Surely you gave one to Themisto earlier before you came here, right?"

He offered a wicked grin at the mention of the senshi's boyfriend. It delighted him to no end, knowing the pompous jerk was receiving payback... even if he didn't realize it yet.

He frowned and the grip on her arm got tighter as a result.

"You have plans for tonight? What in the world makes you think that you'll have enough energy to do anything after I'm through with you?"

It was true - he'd been assumptive in thinking about Themisto, though he couldn't help but secretly crow to himself over the notion that she was even avoiding him because of Epidote's presence. Assumptions aside, though, she was getting sassy with him and he found the grin curling back across his face.

"Maybe I planned on keeping you busy for a while. What then, baby doll? You gonna try to escape?"

His other hand rose up and he moved to pluck one of her hair ties out from her short bob, as if to prove that he could do whatever he felt like, whenever he felt like it. The hand on her arm slowly began to seep the energy out from her skin, the blonde Captain musing softly into her ear, "Y'know, for someone who works for the Negaverse now, you don't act very grateful that I'm sparing the lives of several people, tonight."

"You should probably work on your comebacks, baby doll. I think you've been hanging around your lame a** boyfriend; his sense of humor seems to be rubbing off on you."

She was irritated that he was playing with her hair - good. At least it was invoking some kind of reaction out of his wilting flower.

The hand that twisted the tie around its fingers moved into her hair, stroking it gently as his pressed closer to her face, resting nearly cheek to cheek with her.

"You do have a choice, Kari. That's the most wonderful part about it. You choose to work for me - the Negaverse - for the sake of your own conscience. You don't owe anything to these people, but you have your cute little heart set on saving strangers who wouldn't do the same for you, when push comes to shove."

The first energy orb was nearly gathered, Epidote adding a little extra to the first orb's size, just for fun.

"They'd sell you out in a heartbeat to save their own life - and you'd risk yours for them?"

"Oh? Is that what you really want, Kari?"

An eyebrow arched as she worked on calling his bluff - or tried to call it, at least. Epidote didn't believe for a moment that she was willing to let other people suffer for her own comfort. It wasn't in character for her - not for any goody-goody little senshi - to not play the part of a martyr with a bleeding heart. Of course she'd be back. He'd seen the way she'd looked at him after their last meeting and the way her eyes had lingered on the bodies that had been left in his wake before.

Strangers were just that - strangers. The less you thought about them, the less important they became. It was the way he had to look at things online; trolls went out and trolled to gauge a reaction - you had to ignore the people that didn't matter because at the end of the day, they didn't matter.

Releasing his grip on her entirely, he tossed the single orb into the subspace, disappearing with a golden flash.

"Alright then, if that's how you feel - be my guest."

Both hands rose and he made a shooing gesture. "Take off. You're relieved of your services. I'll find my starseeds and energy elsewhere, as soon as you're gone."

"I'll be sure to leave you your starseeds weekly, then. You know, in your honor, since you're no longer obligated to show up."

He was thin-lipped, the strain of his concern only showing near the corners of his eyes as he watched her react to his proposition. She wasn't waffling, but he noted that her hands were shaking. Perhaps he hadn't given her enough credit - she wasn't as weak as he'd taken her for.

Her words replayed themselves in his head - wait, there was a third person?

"You've been donating to more than just Stella and me?" The question seemed to spawn from genuine surprise, followed by a rough laugh. "So you really are an energy slut. Wow. Here I thought I was special, baby, and I find out you've been cheating on me this entire time?"

Taking a step forward, his hands moved to cross over his chest in mimic of her own movement as he peered down at the brunette. Her hair tie was still wrapped around his wrist - a souvenir for the time being.

"So who's the new man?"

"Are you implying that I couldn't have you, if I wanted you?"

He scoffed as his head tilted, ignoring the fact that his unruly blonde hair was becoming exceedingly unruly as several strands fell in front of his face. "It's cute, you acting tough and all. You'll figure it out soon enough, once you realize it's inevitable. The human condition demands, demands, demands and you can only give, give, give until you've given everything you've got."

Eyes narrowed before one glove finally moved up to brush his hair out of his face. "I'm proud of you, honestly. Figuring out that you can't make a difference, that you're being taken advantage of by a city that won't do you any favors for your sacrifice. Just puts you one step closer to joining the right side of the fight."

He stepped forward, moving until he was shoulder to shoulder with her, the fabric of his uniform gently brushing against her fuku as he leaned over. "Maybe once you've joined the winning team, you'll realize that I'm not as much of a jerk as you took me for."

Epidote's face softened slightly as he reached up to tuck a brown curl behind her ear, the length uneven from his earlier playing. "At least with us, there's more of a reward for performance. So give me a call, once you get things figured out, baby doll."

With that last comment, he was gone, abandoning her once again to the same empty playground as he'd done before.