It’d become even worse after the botched prisoner exchange. Wardite and Piy had lied through their teeth about that one. He was pretty sure Leucite and Stibnite knew they were lying - but the craziness that had gone down had seemed to supersede that. Leucite had become scarce, which Wardite quickly learned was more of a curse than a blessing. His older cousin must not have been seeing to his woman’s needs - because if Stibnite had been bitchy before…
He still had bruises from the last training session - and they were pushing him and Piy HARD. But, the two had formed a tight bond… well a bond wasn’t really the right word. They worked well together - and they shared common interests and goals and ideas on how to achieve said goals with the least amount of effort possible. They also liked to get high as s**t together - which was a plus. Though Wardite was finding actual drugs to be less and less of a pull than their new… treat of choice.
Starseeds were amazing - and tonight was special, because they were going to head out - do some scouting - and building up more for their personal stashes so they could enjoy them later… He was waiting for Piypite to show up - he’d gone on ahead because he’d had an open schedule, and he knew Piy sometimes had to check up on her little black book and cancel dates if there were any. Something Wardite couldn’t fault her for - at least she was organized.
---
The soreness in her muscles was becoming more normal than the relief. Piy had to admit she was in the best shape of her life and had even gone as far as to stop wearing bras outside of special occasions now that her chest muscles gave her boobs a nice perk. The attention that gave her in her summer shirts had been...amusing.
It was one of those men she had met while he was oogling her figure that she had cancelled on that night. Nothing more than a plaything to tie her over while some of her heavy hitters were on vacation. Oh summer vacations with the family. If only their wives knew the truth.
Walking up behind her partner, Piy put both hands on his shoulder, leaned over and nipped his ear. “Sorry I’m late.” She smirked, stepping back. “My date this evening didn’t seem too happy about being cancelled on. I’ve left him blue balled since last week. What’s another one?”
Innocently, she shrugged with a smile that could remind anyone of Harley Quinn. Just alot less makeup.
---
Wardite snorted and leaned into the n**, hissing with a small pleased sound at the attention. It’d been awhile since he’d really been able to get Piy alone and in a place where he could get his own issues sorted how he wanted. Granted his definition of long was a day or two - but it felt longer. Finding solace and comfort in each other while high as kites was a very common occurrence for the two - and for as my as Piy hunted for easy prey…
If Wardite had been a possessive person (he was) it probably would of bothered him (it didn’t.) As much as Piypite was “his,” he had learned early on in their friendship/relationship that she was very much a free spirit and any attempt to cage that in only ended you up with an empty cage and all your stuff missing. No - he’d let other people make that mistake. Besides, she sent him a steady stream of side girls when she wasn’t available - so in the end it was very, win-win.
He met her grin with one of his own, if hers was Harley Quinn-esque, then his probably gave the Joker a run for his money - granted without the Gasglow smile and the paint to match. But, eyes burned with a twisted light, and he ran a tongue over his lips.
“Oh dear, well I suppose he’ll have to suffer himself another week more - after all, we’ve got to stock up the candy drawer, it’s getting a little low.”
He reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled out the last three Starseeds he had in his personal stash. “I’m down to three myself - how many you got left?”
---
There was something reassuring about being around Wardite. Even though the spent a good deal of time together in training, ever since the night at the warehouse, their wardens had done everything in their power to limit their interactions...while in their presence. Piy was pretty sure her cousin was looking into how to put her into a chastity belt at some point. How Robin Hood….
Glancing down at this three, Piy sighed, her smile fading as she put her hands to her hips. “None. The c**t found my stash and made quick work of it. Then she had to give me the same old lecture about how ‘starseeds are dangerous and you shouldn’t be consuming them unless there is no other choice.’ blah blah blah. You know the drill.” She had been mocking Imara’s stance there as she pretended to scold War. Yet she just couldn’t hold it long enough.
“Blah! Whatever. She’s worst than a mother. Your cousin should just put a baby in her belly and shut her up on us.” Piy groaned. “Then they can ride off into the sunset as parents and leave this all behind.”
The more realistic idea was that they hit 18 and got the hell out of dodge but….that still took time.
“Sometimes I have to wonder how much of what they say is the truth. I mean outside of those four cows, we really haven’t seen many of these ‘white moon’ fools.”
---
“Ugh, that’s bullshit. Here,” he passed her two of his stash and pocketed the last for himself. “That should tide you over until we can pick up some more tonight.”
He was in agreement with her. He hadn’t noticed any downsides to the starseeds at all. If anything - the dependency ratio wasn’t awful. He hardly felt like he NEEDED one to get through the day - but he still did at least one a day because the rush was too good to pass up. But, he was PRETTY sure he could quit anytime he wanted. He just didn’t want to. It was all the high with none of the crash as far as he could tell.
He snorted at the thought of Stibnite pregnant. “God, that’d be a shitshow - do you think either of them could even take care of a baby?” He cringed at the thought. “I mean, s**t, they can barely take care of us. If it’s anything beyond our Negaverse training and yelling at out for our grades they haven’t really been parent of the year material.”
Still - this was not the subject he wanted to stay on, so he shrugged his shoulders. “Well, for every one she confiscated we’ll just get you two more - see how she handles that.”
---
When War offered her the pair of starseeds, Piy’s face seemed to light up! A noise came from her that sounded like a mouse squeak of joy as she reached over without questioning and took the pair. “Oh come to momma my darlings.” Piy purred, rubbing them against her face before kissing both and slipping them into her pocket. Those were for later. She didn’t need to rush or energy high right now….all it would do would make her want to screw her partner...well worse than normal.
Now was not the time sadly. They had to be somewhat productive after all. Neither of them wanted to be run harder than they had to be.
“You sure do know how to treat a girl, War.” Piy smirked, coming forward and planting a kiss on his lips. “Who needs chocolate and flowers when they have candy.”
---
Wardite grinned and leaned a bit into the kiss. He liked to spoil Piypite. Being on her good side had its benefits - not the least of which being an open invitation to her attentions at any moment - something that Wardite likely abused. Though, the question really was, was it abuse if she asked for it? He cleared the thoughts from his head lest he give into temptation. His mind mirrored her own. This was not the time, nor the place. If they started now they’d be too tired to restock their treat drawer and then they’d both be hurting for it later.
“It helps to know a girl’s likes and dislikes - and I know how much you like those lovely little things.” He said with a soft growl in his voice. His blood was starting to come up, and he knew they needed to turn their attention to the task at hand or he would just lose his composure and give in to his baser needs. He was a simple man - with simple pleasures after all.
“Have we been able to determine quality yet?” He asked her. She had a better feel for it than him, he’d noticed. For him, every starseed felt the same. He couldn’t tell if the quality of life affected the quality of starseed. He’d also hadn’t really had a chance to have at any order starseeds - so he wasn’t sure if a powered person gave more umph or not.
“Because, if we want a quick harvest - there’s a homeless camp under a bridge about a mile out. I scouted it about twenty minutes ago - I saw… Six, maybe seven? Might be more now.” He added with a shrug. “Or we could try our usual route - see if anyone’s stupid enough to try the death alley.”
---
“When has someone not tried the death alley?” Piy attempted, walking to the side, her hands coming up and fingers interlocking behind her head. For the ditz she acted like, the whore she was, no one could deny that when Piy set her mind to something, she was going to get it. She was cold and calculating just as much as she was anything else. Wardite was one of the few to ever see the face behind the mask.
He was the only one not to fall prey to it as well.
“Problem is now it’s becoming more like a tourist trap. They act like there is some great mystery to those bodies and things we don’t take. I mean rotting flesh isn’t a turn on after all.” With a stretch, she released her hands. “Why don’t we try out the homeless if it doesn’t smell too much like a sewer. No one will miss them. Most are insane anyway.”
---
If there was one thing Wardite respected (it would probably be one thing, honestly, because Wardite didn’t respect anything) it would probably be Piy’s cunning. The mask she wore usually threw everyone off. Because who would believe the easy blonde thought with even an ounce of her brain. But Wardite knew better. He’d seen her figure a way out of the Warden’s house - even if it had only been for a few hours. Had it not been for the senshi that had messed her up in her weakened state - she probably would have gotten away for a bit longer than that.
He’d since learned that if she had - she’d of probably been chased down, captured, and subjected to either death or “rehabilitation” whatever the ******** that meant.
Nodding his head, he motioned with one hand, and slapped her a** with the other. “This way!” he called, before moving toward the homeless camp. It would be good to get away from death alley - it might bring the police presence in that area down if they stopped finding bodies of stupid people who didn’t think to leave well enough alone.
---
“Hey!” Piy’s voice cracked again as she looked over at him. It wasn’t that she minded the attention but even as she stuck her tongue out at him, Piy was holding off returning the favor. Things had changed a bit since they were sent to prison. It had been so slow that Piy had never realized it until she passed up a party to go collect starseeds. The very thing she swore would not change her had.
And she loved it.
“Lead the way playboy. Otherwise your harem may miss you.”
---
“As if they will, they’re probably working their way onto the next poor sod that gives them the time of day,” Wardite replied with a laugh, jumping over to the next roof - but leading the way toward their target. It wasn’t like they were stalking something that could actually sense them coming, and it wasn’t like they could sense them either.
But, they also weren’t hard to find - The lights from their can fires were very obvious from the rooftop angle, and it gave them a good view of their little compound under the overpass bridge. The road cut over what he assumed was some sort of spillway - but it was hard to tell. He didn’t really get American city planning or architecture.
“Besides, it’s more fun hunting with you anyway,” He admitted as he motioned toward their quarry. He counted ten now. “Looks like a few more showed up - probably for the fire.”
It wasn’t cold by any stretch at night - but the fires probably kept away any stray dogs he figured. Plus they were probably burning rubber and God knew what else. Shooting Piy a grin he nodded his head. “Five for each of us.”
Provided they caught all ten, but he was pretty sure they would.
---
Piy followed close on his heels. Since coming to America, she had watched War learn the city, the customs and rules, and above all, how to break them. It had been fun to watch him learn things she had gone through years before. A nice turn of events. But he was a fast learner and caught up to her skills quickly in most aspects.
“Safety in numbers.” She stepped around, glancing towards the fires and the small group of people around each. “The old idea that as long as they are together, people will leave them alone.” Piy gave off a fake sigh. “When will they learn...no one is safe.”
Scanning the area, she glanced back at her partner. “Take north, I’ll go south. Meet in the middle?”
---
“Aye, gobshite tools, the lot of them,” Wardite shook his head, falling into his slang now that the game was afoot. Nodding his head at her plan he rolled his shoulders. “See you in the middle, eh?”
He jumped from rooftop to rooftop, skirting the edge of the camp to get around to the North side, then dropped down to ground level, hugging the shadows. Not because he was worried about being seen - quite the opposite. The homeless didn’t give one s**t about people in their area as long as they were left be - though they tended to congregate near people who looked like money on the off chance they’d get a handout.
Ward had no intention of using bait tonight tough. His blood was up - and that meant he was going to be brutal and enjoy himself a little of the old ultraviolence.
Cracking his knuckles, he got to work, grabbing his targets one-by-one as he could, going for the chest and pulling the starseeds out without any torture or toying. This was a harvest - not an interrogation or power play.
These people were cattle - and they were the wolves among them.
---
Rolling her eyes with a smile, Piypite followed suit, heading South towards the other end of the camp.
By the time she dropped from the rooftops, Ward had already begun. Those on her end were starting to move back behind their fires, seeking protection with the flames. None of them screamed but one tried to throw something at the male. “Silly humans.” Piy smirked as she stepped up to the closest pair to her. She stood behind them and whispered like a snake.
“Don’t you know when it’s no use to fight?” Piy watched as the words sunk in and the blood ran from their face. Before they could move through, their eyes grew then closed. When they dropped to the ground, she held a starseed in each hand.
The three moving towards her stopped. A group of women that clearly had joined together for safety. “Now now.” Piy said, walking towards them. The pair tried to back up but stopped when one turned and laid eyes on Wardite. When she looked back, Piy could see her mouth moving. All three began praying….
“Ugh!” Piy hissed, pocketing the seeds in her hand. “You know, I thought I might be nice and let one of you go…” She hissed, stepping forward and sinking her hand into the first. “But you HAD to start. You just had to start and think God was going to save you. Well listen here…” Piy pulled the seed from the first, quickly claimed the second and sank her hand into the third.
Holding the life in her hands, she gazed into the woman’s eyes. “God is dead and I’m the devil that killed him.” Piy hissed. But instead of pulling the seed free, the blonde crushed it in her hand killing the woman before she could scream.
---
Wardite heard some of the scuffle but he was far enough away that most of the theatrics were lost. Which was a shame, because he would have found it all terribly amusing. Not that he didn’t find this current predicament any less amusing.
They fled from him, like sheep. Fear and horror equal parts on their faces as he culled them, harvesting his half of the stock. His hands moved precisely, darting into and out of chests like a striking snake.
Each Starseed was a precious rush. A delight to be enjoyed and explored to the fullest. His laughter, brought forth by his amusement at their flight and horror, rang loudly through the camp. He turned his attention to Piy once his work was done, and began to make his way to her. Dusting off his uniform where dust had settled from dome of the more… energetic… prey.
---
As the body of the last woman fell, Piypite glanced up and caught sight of the male walking towards her. Her anger cut hard but quickly turned to curiosity as she watched him break into a laughter. “Seriously, did you start without me or did you just go mad?” Piy asked, stepping over the bodies as she shook the shards of the broken seed from her hand.
Taking a deep breath as she scanned the area for any more living things, Piy only shrugged when she deemed everyone dead. “You know this is getting far too easy. Humans really are worthless little….”
Piy’s words cut off as she leaned her head to look over his shoulder. A kid no more than twelve was hiding behind one of the makeshift tents.
“....pests.” She hissed, casting a look back to Ward then back in the direction she noticed.
---
Wardite’s grin was - sly, and he shot her a wink. “Now, now, I would never start the party without you.” He teased lightly, shaking his head. “Just enjoying the moment, is all - this is getting to be laughably easy…”
His eyes moved to follow hers, and his face went into a frown. The kid was young, too young to be here on their own. Their parents were probably one of the bodies at their feet…
Ward was off like a bullet, running toward the shocked kid, watching them turn and bolt - but they wouldn’t make it far. The speeds they were able to achieve while powered bordered on the inhuman, and unlike animals - they could keep it going for hours if the pace was right.
His hand wrapped around the kids wrist, and then he was hauling them up, twisting their arm behind their back, his other hand moving to grip their head under their chin - squeezing hard on the throat - a warning.
He hauled the struggling child back to Piypite, looking at her with his usual crooked grin.
“So, then, Piy? What shall we do this with one, hm?” His voice was almost sing-song in its intonation, and the child’s eyes were large with fear.
---
Tears were in the corner of the child’s eyes as Wardite brought the little annoyance towards her. Her eyes flickered over the form of the child, sizing him up. Had she a heart, she would tell the man to let the kid go. That it was a child.
A worthless child.
Her hand reached out and came to rest gently on the dirt covered face. “Such a precious little thing.” Piy hissed. “Just look at this face War. My it could break hearts of those people who have them.” Grabbing the child’s nose, she gave it a shake and released it.
“You remember when I said humans were becoming too easy?” Piy smirked, that dark twisted smile she got when an idea came to her mind. This child was innocence. But to her, this child was a tool to be used then thrown away. The last part didn’t need to be mentioned yet. “Why don’t we use this little beast to draw out something more...interesting.”
---
Wardite grinned and chuckled. “Big game hunting, hm? Yeah - we would need to bait the trap for that.” He looked down at the captured child with remorseless eyes. To him, the child was just another thing that had failed to provide for it’s own protection - same as its parents had. He didn’t care if the kid lived or died. But Piy had a thought and he was totally down for something a bit harder.
“Yeah, like shooting fish in a barrel, eh?” He said to her humans being easy prey comment. “Well then, I suppose we should find a good place for our trap, and set up the bait, yeah?”
He looked down at the kid and he smirked. “And hey, if you’re lucky - we might even let you live after.”
A lie - Wardite never left survivors. But then - there were no survivors to tell him that.
---
Torvil
