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As a Lieutenant Reinerite had often found herself trawling the bars in search of victims donators to her quota totals and her promotion hadn’t changed things.

Bars were a good source for drunks who in turn were a great source for collecting energy from–

And whilst she could have done without subjecting herself to the smell, Reinerite also knew that it was a needs be as needs must situation.

The soles of her pumps tapped lightly against the sidewalk as she walked away from the alleyway where one such 'donor' lay slumped, her nose wrinkling slightly at the smell of vomiting that wafted from somewhere further up the alleyway as she tucked the results of her latest energy gathering efforts into sub space.

She would go for a little longer she decided - would hit up a couple more bars - and then she would head home for the night to the mug of hot chocolate and the cupcake that as Ashley she had treated herself to earlier–

Or at least so her thoughts had run right up until the point where the aura with the sickly too sweet feeling that she had come to associate with Order had flared to life, the sense of the aura strong - as if its owner was somewhere nearby.


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Tonight was one of those nights where he planned to patrol an area he didn’t typically, he did tend to have an area he stuck to, for no other reason than to do something different. What Venice wasn’t expecting was that the moment he powered up he was hit with an aura of chaos. Whoever they were seemed to be equal in power? It seemed that way, but he didn’t quiet trust it, cats were a thing and he didn’t know if they could just lessen an aura rather than canceling it out altogether.

Deciding to investigate he headed towards it, or at least he assumed he was headed towards it. As he walked he was pulling on and buttoning up the puffy, long, coat he had bought for himself so he could keep warm in the winter when powered up. Unlucky for him his uniform left a lot of skin showing and was rather thin in material, a coat was a must have, so he’d done some shopping for himself and come up with a really warm coat.

The problem was that it was long and it made fighting a bit...difficult, to say the least, but if he kept warm maybe it was worth it? So long as he didn’t get his a** kicked too bad anyway, because he really didn’t think he could manage a fight if he was distracted by how cold he was.

As he felt the signature get closer he figured he’d picked the right direction...but where were they now?



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The aura was stronger than the ones that she had come across in the past and the sickly-sweetness of it much more pronounced–

Although that may have been down to it being closer than she’d anticipated.

She frowned for a moment, her grey eyes considering, before shifting direction and stepping down a nearby side street - because now she was aware of the aura she figured that she might as well check it out.

Because dealing with Order pests was something that also fell under her Negaverse duties–

And whilst the soles of the pumps that had come with the change in her uniform post upgrade was quiet on the ground, Reinerite wasn’t really trying to be particularly stealthy.

Instead she continued after the aura, doing her best to try and track it down as she walked down one alleyway and then another, until at last it didn’t just feel close but felt virtually ‘on top on’ close and then she called out "You might as well come out - I know you’re there."

And whilst she was taking a chance on the statement, the other aura felt too close for her to think that she might be wrong.


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As the owner of the aura drew closer to him he did the same, approaching the dark aura. He was keeping to the rooftops as he made his approach, till he felt like it was right there with him. He was approaching the rooftops ledge, planning to look down on the alleyway, when he heard a voice call out to him.

“I’m up here.” He called out in answer to the voice. He really hoped this didn’t turn into a fighting but he had a feeling it would. If it did he was certainly ready, as he summoned his feather duster to his right hand. This was, thankfully, just a Captain and that he could handle all on his own. “Not hiding.” Why would he? He had been headed there way all on his own. He had no reason to hide, he just didn’t care to walk around out in the open and he wasn’t much for wandering alley’s tonight.


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Grey looked up at the sound of the voice that floated down from one of the nearby buildings as Reinerite calmly summoned her staff to hand.

"Given that you are up there and I am down here, that seems pretty much like hiding to me" she said cooly even as she tried to scan the rooftop for movement.

It wasn’t exactly easy, the roof tall enough that she had to crane her head somewhat, but the irritatingly sickly-sweetness of the other’s aura was there too and eventually - after a moment or two - she caught a shift of what appeared to be movement.

"But you may as well come down now that I’ve spotted you - unless you plan to leave me to my work…?"

And whilst Reinerite let her voice trail of in question she personally doubted it would be the case, because Order tended to be annoyingly irritating like that - at least from her experience of previous encounters.

Not that she had any issues about the potential for a fight to break out - because she was confident she could handle it - and she did have her new weapon which could with a proper try out–

But whilst Reinerite thought that she could teleport up if needed there was no point in wasting a teleport at least not if she could get the whoever was-up-there to come down to her.


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“It does? Was up here before you.” So it wasn’t hiding, Venice wondered why she thought it was. He’d been up here the whole time, though it was honestly a bit harder to jump rooftops with the long coat he had on. At least the officer wasn’t threatening to come up here and beat him, or try to, that was a plus. But she was making it where he was going to have to go down and deal with them...but to what extent?

It felt like he’d have to, somehow, assure she wasn’t able to walk away from this encounter to go collect energy. Climbing his way down, using the fire escape, he finally let himself drop to the ground the last few feet. Landing with a fair amount of ease, his weapon in hand, the squire took the time to look the Captain over.

“You know I’m not going to just let you wander off to harass people.” Harass and drain energy. She knew it, she wasn’t stupid, it was her way of getting him down here on her level.


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To be honest Reinerite hadn’t seriously thought that the other would really let her get on with continuing to work on her quota, but mentioning it had seemed a good way to get him down to ground level, thus avoiding her having to waste a teleport on teleporting upwards–

And it had worked like a charm.

"Well there was always a chance that there would be a first time" she said as her grey eyes looked him over, noticing that the two of them appeared to be of height, before shifting to take in the unholy mishmash of feathers, red waistcoat and pinstripe trousers combo that seemed to make up his outfit because really?

"Just what are you anyway - I know that you’re not a senshi" because whilst the aura was most definitely not a chaos aura, it was also not a senshi one either.

Her gaze shifted, landing on the object that the other was holding - an object that seemed to very much resemble a feather duster, a blue eyebrow raising as it sunk in that it really was some sort of feather duster - because seriously? Really?

Reinerite’s voice when she spoke again however was calm, her lips quirking in a small smile that did not reach her eyes as her hand tightened on her staff "And do you really think you can stop me?"

Because she seriously doubted that he could and was happy to put this 'not a senshi' in his place if he wanted to try.


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Did she seriously not know what he was? Or was she just asking because of well...his uniform. He had to admit it was a bit odd but he’d gotten used to it, he really had no choice after all. If he had a choice in uniform he knew he’d change things up… alot. He really wasn’t big on the metal, though it was protective it was a bit heavy and annoying. And as much as he knew he was a knight of Ganymede...did he really need to be a walking advert for that? There were a lot of changes he’d have made...too many to think on.

So rather than think on that he focused on the Captain. “I’m a knight…” Oh he really hoped she wasn’t being sarcastic, or asking due to his uniform, and that she actually didn’t know what a knight was.

While she had a weapon, which he lacked, he had magic and he knew it could serve him well. That was why his grip tightened onto the handle of the feather duster he held. If he used it now it would take advantage of her possibly being clueless and unexpecting of it. It would, hopefully, leave her open for him to attack.

That in mind Venice focused his magic through his weapon and decided to go with it - using magic on her.


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As it happened Reinerite didn’t know what the other was other than the fact that his aura denoted that he was most likely part of order because - whilst she had heard of knights - this was her first time actually coming face to face with one.

She wasn’t particularly worried however because the other was holding what appeared to be a glorified feather duster for heaven’s sake, instead Reinerite started towards in with the aim of closing what was left of the distance between them, hand tightening on her staff as she told him "Well then Mr Knight with no name - I’ll make this..."

And she had been intending to say that she would make this quick, but her words trailed off and grey eyes widened in startled surprise as her surroundings started to melt and shift around her.

It couldn’t have been more than a moment, maybe two - but when her surroundings reformed with a sudden jolt Reinerite found that she was no longer in the alleyway with the knight, but rather in the middle of what appeared to be a ballroom of sorts–

A ballroom would not have looked out of place in the Labyrinth as dancers garbed in elaborate dresses and feathered and crystal masks bowed to partners garbed in equally elaborate costumes as a tune struck up.

And for a moment she was just standing there, surprise intermixing with confusion even as the first of the dancer pairs began to dance.


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It wasn’t until he noticed his magic had started to work, her eyes had gone rather wide, that Venice moved in close and with the butt end of his feather duster he smacked her in the face before aiming to hit lower. If he had to do this he was going to try and make this fast.

At least he’d been able to stop her from striking him, for the moment, as he really wanted to avoid as many injuries as he possibly could. It wasn’t like Terry, or their family, didn’t have a clue where he’d have gotten the injuries from. It was just that he didn’t like coming home hurt and having people worry over him.

It was going to get even more important, that he doesn’t come home too beaten up, once he and Terry were finally able to adopt and had a child under their roof. He’d have another family member….someone dependant on him. But he also knew he wasn’t going to stop and give up what he was...who he was - he couldn’t.

That was why he was out here anyway, his feather duster being used as a weapon again a Captain. He knew his magic wouldn’t hold for long, knew she’d snape out of it sooner or later, and she would without a doubt attack him. Till then he would try and hold his magic. Once she illusions broke the fight would really begin…


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Getting smacked in the face hurt as the end of the feather duster rapped smartly against a cheek, but it did the trick of dispelling the magic, grey eyes blinking as the strange ballroom was suddenly once again replaced with the alleyway.

The sudden shift from crowded ballroom to empty alleyway was disorientating - enough so that it sunk in almost too late that the knight was pretty much in her face, Reinerite awkwardly raising her arm–

Or at least attempting to - although it wasn’t enough to prevent the feather duster from rapping against the arm not holding the staff.

And was annoyance in her grey eyes as she let go of the staff, the staff falling to ground with a clatter as she raised a foot before deliberately trying stamping down on the knight’s foot - because whilst Reinerite had no idea of just what he’d done - she had a nagging inkling that the other had done something.


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Oh, he had most certainly done something. Having found out, rather privately, from Terry what his magic did he figured it could be used as a way to not just distract people but disorient them. It wasn’t a tactic he’d used till not, so he was hoping on it working, and seeing as it allowed him to hit her with his feather duster the second time he was glad he’s tried the tactic; he just hoped the trick would work multiple times against the same person.

When she brought her foot up, and then down, Venice wasn’t expecting it and yelped as his foot was smashed by the females shoe. Glad, at least sort of, that it wasn’t a heel that had stomped down onto his foot the squire took a step back from her. His feather duster lashing out as he aimed to hit her in the face.

He wasn’t going to make her night pleasant, hopefully he’d keep her from wanting to remain out tonight, he wasn’t the sort to try and land someone else in the hospital...or worse. He just hoped they went home once they’d come against him...it was the best he could do. He wasn’t a killer and he couldn’t be vicious like some could; it just wasn’t him.


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Unfortunately for the knight, Reinerite was equally as vindictive as her civilian counterpart Ashley and a good deal more vicious–

And whilst she had never killed anyone or taken a starseed she was not particularly troubled by the thought of potentially landing someone in hospital - not when said someone was from the other side.

Reinerite had stepped back slightly herself after stomping on the knight’s foot fully intent on summoning her staff back to hand only to find herself forced to raise her arm up to block the feather duster as it swung back towards her face.

Grey eyes narrowed, although her face was impassive as in retaliation Reinerite balled her free hand into a fist before calmly stepping forward as she swung out at the knight.


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The fist hit his cheek, forcing his head to turn to the side with the force of impact, slowly he did turn back to face her. His cheek throbbing, it was going to be bruised soon enough, his feather duster was passed from his left hand to his right hand.

Swinging his left arm towards her face, figuring he might as well put the metal covering his left arm and hand to use, Venice may not want to send her to the hospital but he was going to hurt her - give her a reason to go home for the night. For once he was putting the metal covering his uniform to use, he’d always wondered why he had metal on his uniform given which senshi he...belonged to and their sphere. But he was happy for the metal right now - it helped.


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For the second time Reinerite put up her arm in an attempt to try and block the incoming blow - but the metal of whatever the casing encasing the knight's hand was supposed to be hurt - but it was far preferable to being hit in the face with it - because the metal was far heavier than the the duster had been and was almost certainly sure to leave a bruise–

And a bruise to the arm was easier to hide than one on the face.

Reinerite hid the wince - or at least tried to as she stepped backwards - although it was hard to tell if she had been entirely successful–

But she wasn't about to back down, the thought not yet even a remote possibility as she summoned her snowglobe staff to her other arm before awkwardly trying to swing the snowglobed end towards the knight's side.


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He wasn’t fast enough to avoid the snowglobe, having not expected it, he had been expecting her to need a bit more time to recover from his own blow to her arm. Foolish of him perhaps, also maybe not, but he was able to at least lessen the blow by being able to move a bit. The globe hit him, with less than full impact, and had him biting down on his bottom lip to cover up any sound he might have made.

A snowglobe though…? Really? Why something so nice at the end of her weapon? He didn’t ask though, doubted he’d get an answer even if she had one to give. For the moment his own weapon was allowed to vanish, he’d summon it when he needed it, for how he was going to try and punch her in the stomach, left handed again. If nothing else he was going to turn the metal on his uniform into a weapon, of sorts, and put it to good use. It seemed to be a good idea.



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The knight was persistent, Reinerite would give him that–

And he appeared to be less useless than the - admittedly small - amount of those from Order that Reinerite had had the irritation of facing.

It wasn't something that she would admit to though - not aloud as she tried to bring the staff back around in an attempt to try and have the metal encased arm hit against that rather than flesh–

But whilst the snowglobe staff had the potential to be a lot more damaging than the cheap toy snowglobe that had been her initial weapon, Reinerite was still relatively inexperienced in its use - and it was something that most likely showed in her awkward and less than smooth movements.


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He did consider suggesting, to the Captain, that she give up and go home. He wanted to be nice, to not continue this, but as his arm hit against her weapon he reconsidered. She was obviously in need of practice with her weapon, either out of practice or new to the weapon, and if she was new to the weapon perhaps new to the Negaverse.

He also knew she wasn’t likely to give up and just go home, as he wished she would, it didn’t seem like she was that sort of person. Then again...what officer was?

“Are you going to give?” He asked, though he was sure he knew the answer. He was already moving to swing his arm again.


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She wasn’t new to the Negaverse–

And whilst it was true that maybe she hadn’t been part of the organisation for as long as some Reinerite had already seen her first year since that spring day when Aurostibite had offered her power and then bought her in and had already made Captain.

She was however new to her weapon, still transitioning from something that was at best a 'projectile' to something that was ranged - that needed distance to work at its best, a quiet hiss, half bitten back escaping her throat as the encased arm hit the staff with enough force for the impact to be jarring.

The knight was right in his assessment that she wasn’t about to give up, even if a raised blue eyebrow was as much answer as she was prepared to dignify it with.

No if he wanted her to 'back off' then he was going to have to hurt her - at least more than she already was - or something else, some outside force was going to have to interrupt–
One big enough or important enough for her to justify - to herself having to step away - but unless or until then Reinerite had her pride and said pride would not let her just walk away.

Instead she was backing up in an attempt to try and put some more distance between them, before once again swinging the staff - this time aiming for a leg.


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He saw her backing away, knew the reason for it, and still he didn’t move to close the distance...at least not quickly enough. He wasn’t expecting the shot to be aimed for his leg, he was expecting something else aimed for his upper half. So when tie hit came it took his leg out from under him and left him on one bent leg as he gathered himself.

That had hurt, it really had, the staff she had was well made and could do some damage. The pain throbbed in his leg and as he brought his leg back up and under himself, standing back up straight, the squire called his weapon once more and put his magic to use once more. He didn’t figure he had much more time to use his magic for but it would serve as a good distraction, one he needed. He had realized, at this point, he was going to have to really do some damage to handle this Captain.

As much as he didn’t want to hurt a person, at least not too badly, he was going to have to this time. He had to remind himself that he’d once been ready to assist in killing someone. This wasn’t anywhere near that point but he was going to have to hurt this Captain in some serious manner.


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The staff connecting had been oddly satisfying as was the way that it had tripped him - had caused him to stumble down to one knee.

Reinerite had no plans to leave it just there though, her pump-clad feet stepping forwards, her staff raised to swing - and then suddenly her surroundings were fading out for the second time that evening as she found herself once again back in the strange ballroom–

And if she hadn’t been certain before that the knight had done something before she was certain now - a sound of frustration escaping from her throat as once again the dancers began to whirl.

For a moment she hesitated, grey eyes glancing about her before her eyes narrowed as her arm with the staff started to raise.


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Well now, that was new though he honestly hadn’t used his magic much, he was expecting it to keep her captive enough that she wouldn’t be raising her weapon. Stepping back, to avoid it if she swung it, he kept his own magic going for a few more seconds before the squire stepped back in close.

He didn’t have the time, or the free hand, to knock her staff away and hit her again so he settled for backhanding her with his metal clad arm. He felt a bit sorry for how hard he swung, if she didn’t move to avoid it, she was going to be hurting from it...potentially a lot. But it would hopefully get his point home.



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Maybe if she’d been less disorientated from the stupid dancers then Reinerite would have been able to see it coming.

Maybe if she hadn’t had that moment of hesitation - if she’d just struck out blind - then things would have been different.

Maybe, but they weren’t as the metal-encased hand slipped past her guard - what little there was - and hit the side of her face with enough to make her head ring.

She stumbled back a few steps as for the second time the alleyway faded away, the taste of copper in her mouth as grey eyes watered in pain–

And whilst she wanted to keep fighting, it was enough to give Reinerite pause - because much as it pained her she couldn’t afford to get tooo injured - and it was bad enough that she had taken a hit to the face that she was going to have to find some way to explain to her parents.

Grey eyes glowered at the knight at the knight as without warning she teleported, a promise had he but known it that she was not going to forget this.


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He didn’t like how she looked, with what seemed to be watering eyes, but what was done was done and he couldn’t take it back. Moreover he wouldn’t...not really. It helped, it got her to leave. He still felt bad though, and he knew he’d be telling Terry about this encounter later - once he got him.

Biting his bottom lip he touched at his own areas of pain, he still could feel the throbbing from the various hits he’d taken from her. She was going to be dangerous as a General - really dangerous. He’d keep an eye out for her. She hurt, a lot, and he would be sure to handle her in battles if he spotted her.

Right now...home and some ice sounded like a good idea...and warm blankets, since the ice would leave him freezing cold.

When he got far enough away he powered down and headed for home, sending Terry a text on his way to let the other know. He wanted blankets on the living room couch and two or three ice packs, he was bruised and he figured it was best to ice them once he was inside. He may have also asked for a change of clothing also, bed clothing was more comfortable, and a movie to be picked out.

Pressing his hand to his side, wincing in pain, he sighed. He really wished he had some heavier clothing. His was so thin and absorbed nothing when he got hit.


litian