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Lunch was good, and doubly needed after a battle against a youma. Owen was still in shock that he had been able to take the monster out with his weak chibi magic. It wasn't like his powers did anything but annoy more human opponents, after all! (Though... that had been a good thing, after his accidental battle with Massalia in the swamp-park...)

But he couldn't focus on the free food forever - Miss Jessie had to be wondering what was going on, and he was the only one here who had any chance of explaining things to her. So, as he finished nibbling on a fry, he looked at the older woman with a thoughtful expression, and shrugged.

"So.... where do you want to start?"

"That's the thing," Owen said, sighing and gabbing another fry to chew on. "We're not. But the people sending the youma? I'm pretty sure they have people working to blame things on us. Since most people don't want to believe in monsters - and I dunno, maybe they an't even process what they are right since they're not magic? - it's really easy for them to fall for that. We're trying to help, but... we can't tell people that."

He sighed andshrugged, frowning. "You hear about events and things where there's been trouble? A lot of people getting tired - maybe they're overheated, maybe partied too much, who knows. And sometimes that's really what's going on. But sometimes..." He swallowed and shivered. "The Negaverse - the people who make the monsters - they drain people of their energy. Regular people, people without magic or who don't know they're magic yet. It's awful."

Was he explaining this right? He hoped so; he'd never had to try to explain things to someone who knew nothing before...

"No, no, we're allied groups," Owen said, relaxing a little. It was nice to have a real grown-up to talk to about this. And one who sounded like she knew what she was doing, too. It made everything feel just a little less scary.

"I'm a senshi, and you're a knight, I think. I... don't really know what your group can do? My friends might know more but I've never really met anyone from it myself. I just know that there's order - that's us - and chaos, and chaos has people that are like both of our groups. They... feel wrong, so you'll know when one's close, and you'll know if they're stronger than you, too."

Another fry disappeared as he thought over her ideas, then shrugged. "...They tend to wear a lot of black. But of the magi users there's two chaos groups and one is more.. .hm. Neutral? Than the other. If you run into one of them, look for black holes in the chest and forehead - if so,that's a corrupt and they're bad news. If not they're probably dark moon, which you need to be careful but might not have to fight. They're ... kind of weird, their goal isn't the same as the others. Otherwise... dark uniform, kind of military, and no magic? That's a Negaverse officer."

.... Seriously. Was he doing this right? He wished Daniel and Bailey were here... they could make sure he was getting the explanations right. And maybe introduce miss Jessie to more of her group. It wasn't like he could help her learn knight stuff!

Owen blinked, then shook his head and frowned. "Not really posing? They are a military, I think, since there's ranks like Lieutenant? An independent one, aligned for their own goals. And stuff. I got my powers really young, but never found a good teacher so I don't know as much as I probably should." Never mind that he was halfway to fifteen and still a chibi...

Eh. He didn't need to tell her that much yet.

"As for ranks, there are! But there's nobody who promotes you. Just just sort of... do enough, then get a power boost. For us, stronger magic. I don't know what you'll get. But we all get a little more physical strength and speed, and such, especially while we're in uniform."

Now he grinned, the sci-fi nerd in him getting a little more apparent. "The best thing about it? We're linked to places on different planets. And we can go there!"

Wait. Why was you asking him about self-defense...?

"...No? Why?"

"...I think I'd like that," Own said, frowning thoughtfully as he considered the offer. Then he blinked and looked up at her. "... I have some friends that could use that kind of help, too, if you want? Or - at least one." He wasn't sure Bailey would want to learn how to fight like that, but he could make the offer. And Daniel?

Daniel needed to,. Maybe it would help him feel better.

Wait back up - had she just offered to let him learn how to drive a monster truck?!?

"That would be awesome! But. Uhm. I'm not fifteen until May... will that be a problem?"

"It does sound really interesting," Owen said, then grinned. "Especially the truck stuff. I have a big model collection I work on, it'd be nice to work on something real." A truck wasn't a space ship or anything, but it was still neat! But more than that, the ability to actually protect himself and others if and when they were attacked again...

That was a nice thought.

"What kind of self-defense, exactly? Because the bad senshi have magic, but the Negaverse officers have weapons. Some are silly, but the stronger ones.... the stronger ones are really dangerous."

"I don't... actually think it'd be practical, since our clothes change when we do," Owen said with a shrug. "So hand-to-hand is fine on my end, but I dowant to learn how to disarm people,or even just slow them down a little so people can get away. My magic isn't strong at all right now, so being able to get away - and help others get away - is important."

Hopefully, once he figured out how to get stronger, that would change, but for now this was the best he could do.

"... I woke up to my magic when I was nine," he said softly. "It's not common, most of us seem to wake up at the age I am now or older, but there's still little kids that do, and... the bad guys don't care that they're little. All they see is easy targets. I want to help kids like I was, and I think... I think your lessons might help with that."

"Yeah - nobody forces us into fighting, though, if that's what you're worried about." Owen sighed and shrugged. "But... there's still monsters out there, and it's not like the Negaverse cares if you're just a kid or not. Things happen; we go to a concert and someone attacks, or head to the park and there's a youma. All kinds of things can happen, and we can't avoid every one of them."

He swallowed and shivered. "..Besides, they can sense us if we power up, and little kids aren't... they're not always careful. So I just... I want to help more of them be ready. I don't want them to feel trapped like me and my friends have. We're supposed to be stronger by this point, but none of us three have managed it yet, and ... honestly, I think it's partly because we didn't get much chance to get ready for what we were tossed into. I don't want anyone else to have that problem, not when it could get them hurt or killed."