|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 4:52 pm
Being new to the Negaverse meant that Amesite had enough on his plate to stay focused. He couldn’t afford to start slipping in quotas; he needed to look good not only for Cavansite but for anyone else. He wanted to start out strong—the more ambitious he was, the more he could get out of this.
Or, at least, he hoped.
After his run-ins with Whisler he was feeling relatively positive about Knights and Senshi, though realistically he knew it was arrogant to base all interactions off of a single one. But, he found that when confronted with a stronger energy signature than his own, he did not flee. He did not immediately seek it out, but they were in the same area for long enough that he finally took it as an invitation to approach.
Her energy was unique—a Senshi, he assumed, once he got close enough to see what she was wearing. He had done what research he could but he knew full well that the best way to get experience was to do so on the field. She didn’t seem particularly threatening—a girl, with a soft looking expression.
She wasn’t the stuff of nightmares.
But, he probably shouldn’t fight her.
Talking, though. Maybe he could get something out of it.
Or, at least, sneak some energy while she wasn’t paying attention.
“Hey,” he called when he was close; he feigned a certain bit of awkwardness. He paid careful attention to his body language; he didn’t walk straight up and kept his brows knit; one hand fell by his side and with the other, he hooked a thumb through a belt loop.
“You’re a Senshi, aren’t you?”
He kept his voice softer than he might have usually, but girls always seemed to appeal to uncertain men. Like there was something in them that the girls could fix, some masculinity or confidence they could coax out.
So, he’d play shy. He’d play nervous, and curious, and meek and see where that got him. He could tweak his plan as need be—but first, he needed to know just what type of person he was dealing with.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 4:53 pm
Kari still hadn’t been able to move, not since Epidote had gone, she had been sitting on the bench for over an hour now at least. Of course she had felt the other agent come onto her radar, but she honestly hadn’t cared. They were weaker than she was…it would be stupid to cross her…especially when she felt as bad as she did right now.
When the lieutenant decided he did have the nerve to approach her, she was kind of annoyed, and when he sounded so hesitant, she sighed, finally looking up. At least she wasn’t shaking anymore. That was a good thing. One of the few good things that had happened tonight.
“Yeah. What’s it to you? You’re a Negaverse Agent. Do I get a prize for knowing that?” She sounded so bitter, and honestly, she suddenly felt on edge. She didn’t want to talk to any other agents tonight. Epidote was enough. She was tired and should have just gone home but…
But she had been too stupid to, so now here she was, looking bedraggled with her hair hanging down and a scowl on her face.
“What is it you want? I don’t really have the patience for any fooling around, so if you came to bother me…please just go away now.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 5:09 pm
Amesite blinked, surprised by the abrasiveness of the Senshi. It wasn’t what he expected, but he could work with it.
“I’m not fooling around,” he insisted. “I’m not sure what type of night you’ve had tonight, but I didn’t come here to give you grief or bother you. You don’t need to be so crass. But,” he paused and gave her a quick look over.
“…You don’t seem like you’re having a good night, so I won’t hold it against you. If it’s a bad time, I can leave. It’s only, I haven’t really had the chance to talk to many Senshi. I know I’m not supposed to, I could get in trouble, it’s just,” he shrugged.
“All of this is still new to me. I’m still adjusting. I thought you might know what you’re doing, and…I couldn’t help but seek you out. And if it’s not too forward…” He paused and then stood up a little straighter. “Are you all right?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 6:05 pm
Kari watched him, and while she felt a stab of guilt for her attitude…he kind of reminded her of when she met Epidote. When he was new and unsure of things. And then when he ripped out her starseed. She drew in a sharp breath at the thought and stood up. “I’m fine. Thanks. But, I have no desire to talk to you, and you should just leave me alone. All of you people should just leave me alone.
Her hands had started shaking again and she once again clamped her arms against her chest, trying not to let this guy detect any hint of weakness. That had been her issue before. She was done with that. She was done with the Negaverse…and quite honestly she was done with the senshi too.
This was it, she was quitting and there was nothing anyone could do to change her mind. “So. Seriously. Get lost.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 6:11 pm
Amesite was not so quick to give up; he wasn’t leaving without something. He cleared his throat and shrugged, careful to give her space. “All right,” he said, taking a slow step away.
He paused, as if contemplating. Rolling over some thought in his head. He glanced over shoulder and sought out her gaze. “When you say ‘all of you people,’ who was it? That hurt you, I mean. I don’t quite know my role in all of this, and it’s hard to consider myself…the same as anyone else. With anyone else. I don’t know what I’m doing right now. Someone said I was on the wrong side. Only, I don’t know what’s on the other side, only that they say all of you are bad. You know, hostile. Eager to fight. Want to destroy us. Is there anyone out there that has answers? I can seek them out, instead.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 6:28 pm
Again, a wave of guilt moved through Kari and she closed her eyes, counting to five. Ten. Finally she just shook her head. “Whoever told you that you were on the wrong side wasn’t wrong. I used to want to help you. To help you meet your energy quotas, whatever. It seemed like a good idea, give my energy and help other people out, sounds reasonable. But your buddies in the Negaverse, and I use the word you lightly, because I don’t know you. I get that. But. But how am I supposed to know if you’re honestly curious or if your…just being…”
She paused and straightened up, holding out a hand. There was a way to find out. “This might hurt, or it might not. It all depends on you, and I say you, meaning you. This time. Loyalty Hurts”
If he had a bad reaction…she could just leave. If he didn’t…well. Perhaps she would keep talking. Either way…she wasn’t going to go in blind again. “I’m not a plaything.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 7:04 pm
Amesite wasn’t sure what she was going to do at first—and then she…attacked him? He recoiled, expecting pain, only after a few seconds there was nearly nothing. It was a strange itch, like he had been outside in the summer heat while wearing too much clothes, or like he was on the tail end of dealing with a run-in with poison ivy.
“What?” he demanded, totally perplexed. He was uncomfortable not in pain; he just wished he knew what the hell was going on.
“—What was that, what did you just do?”
He looked over himself, trying to figure out if there was some curse slowly working his way through him. Nothing looked different so his eyes shot up at her. He was partly accusatory, but mostly because he’d been caught off guard.
“Who’s playing?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 7:32 pm
Her attack didn’t...do anything. When she had attacked Epidote...he had seemed as though he was in real pain...and this guy…
Nothing. Nothing at all.
“I just wanted to see how much you were lying to me about what you were saying...and I suppose you weren’t lying. So. I’m not quite sure how to handle this information.” Kari took a step backwards, frowning, the guilt washing through her again. It felt as though with this wave of guilt, all of the bravado, all of the anger she had stored up was suddenly washed away and her shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry. I guess you weren’t...really trying to just mess with me after all.”
Or if he was...he was good enough to lie to himself. “I’m just tired of people in the Negaverse using me...it gets really, really old...and I just...I’m so tired. I’m sorry.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 7:34 pm
Amesite just seemed confused; he had wanted to talk to her, wanted to do something productive, but he wasn’t in real pain. An ache, a sting, but he was working his hardest to cover that up—and for what it was worth, it seemed like it was working.
He couldn’t let it get the best of him now so he took an extra second to make sure his voice stayed even when he replied. “I’m sorry to hear that. I admit, I have no idea what you just did, but I’m sorry you felt like you had to do it. It’s…okay. I mean, I don’t hurt or anything. I feel a little weird, but…what was that?”
Something he couldn’t explain, something he didn’t understand…
Something he wanted to learn about.
If he couldn’t do anything else this evening, he wanted to learn.
And if she wasn’t ready to talk about who in the Negaverse was doing what to her, he’d just have to keep talking until she trusted him enough to let him in.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:13 am
“It was just my attack. Hurts you more with the loyalty you feel to chaos. I suppose I was just waiting for you to start writhing on the ground screaming in pain, or at least doubling over…but if you’re not even loyal to them…”
Kari was suddenly beyond exhausted and sat down quickly on the bench, rubbing her head. She hadn’t thought about how using her attack would make her feel…she just wanted to make sure he was the liar she figured he was.
But even that…
She was so stupidly hopeless. “It’s just senshi magic. Nothing amazing. Just…magic. I’m the senshi of loyalty so…that’s what I do.” Kari rubbed her eyes roughly, trying to force them to stay awake. The energy that Epidote had taken had been a lot more than she figured on and all she wanted now was to go home and sleep. Maybe for days. “I guess it means that whoever told you that you were on the wrong side of things wasn’t lying. They don’t have a hold on you yet or something. What, their murdering propaganda hasn’t yet gotten through your sweet innocent exterior?” At least she still had the energy for some snark.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 11:06 am
Loyal to them.
Wasn’t he, though?
The thought curled around his head quickly, tightening like a vice grip. He worked for them, he liked the attention, but if he wasn’t loyal to them, who was he loyal to?
Himself.
But, the image of an angry Cavansite in his head made him hurt a little more, though he wasn’t sure if that was her magic or his imagination.
“Must be,” he answered, and while he was getting answers, he wasn’t sure she was the best person to be getting them from. She seemed worn, jaded. Too guarded. “Or, maybe they’re not all about murdering and evil. But, I’m knew, what do I know? Except, that I’ve still got an optimistic outlook on life and I’d like to see where all of this is going. I’d like to think, that if there is sides, I’m on the right one. How do you know you’re on the right side, anyway?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:54 pm
Kari frowned and scoffed softly. “You’re the second person to ask me that. I don’t think that being tired and done with this and annoyed about the fact that me trying to help people is doing nothing but hurting me is a reason at all to think that I’m on the wrong side of things. Not caring anymore does not indicate that I like people getting hurt. It’s not the same thing.”
The more she spoke, the worse she felt and finally Kari just shook her head, slumping in the seat completely.
“I suppose it doesn’t matter though. If you do nothing and people die because you did nothing, it’s pretty much the same as you killing them, isn't it?”
She looked up at the lieutenant again. “Who knows what the right side even is anymore.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:54 pm
He could nod at the last part, at least. “The right side is your side. As long as you’re doing what feels right to you. At least, that’s what I was thinking. I apologize if you thought I overstepped any boundaries. I didn’t mean to imply that I thought you were on the wrong side just because you’re distressed. I’m sure you have your reasons, but it’s because of these ‘sides’ that nothing I say is going to come out properly. I’m sorry. I said I would leave, but I’m still here, and I don’t want to add to your distress any further.”
He drew in a breath and ran his fingers through his hair before adding, “For what it’s worth, I hope you are all right. I hope you have someone you trust that you can talk to.”
Because she didn’t seem like she was going to trust him any time soon; it was dangerous enough that he spent so much time with Whisler, but he got things from Whisler. He didn’t want someone to start rumors about him fraternizing with the enemy but he knew how it was going to look if he wasn’t getting results.
He hadn’t lost faith in her, but she seemed hurt—and didn’t want to let anyone in.
“I understand that you don’t want people to get hurt, but…I hope you don’t forget that you don’t deserve to be hurt, either. Is it really worse to do nothing and let someone else get hurt if it means you have to do something and you get hurt?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:56 pm
Kari shrugged, pushing herself up off of the bench and getting shakily to her feet. “I don’t know anymore. Maybe I’ll just...I think I should just give all of this up as a bad job. That’s my biggest thought right now, and if it’s the best thing for me…”
She flashed what she hoped was a tired smile at the lieutenant and took a step towards home. “It was nice meeting you. Sorry for attacking you. I really hope that you find the answers that you’re looking for...I...Stay safe I guess. Don’t kill people.”
Kari turned fully away then and walked off, not wanting to hear whatever else he had to say, all she wanted right now was her bed, perhaps for a day or two.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:57 pm
Amesite watched as she drew away; he didn’t try to attack or fight. She had said her piece and he knew there wasn’t a word he could say that would mean anything.
But.
This evening was not entirely lost; he had learned a bit about her, a bit about Senshi magic. If he couldn’t get into her mind, at least things weren’t entirely lost; a Senshi that wouldn’t power up was as good as no Senshi at all.
It would have been easier if they’d all just stopped powering up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
