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Youma were things he’d learned to dislike. They might grab energy, the same as his wraiths, but they also attacked people and could do damage and cause injuries to people. They were bad and needed to be dealt with, no question about it. That was why when he’d seen the youma attacking several people he’d gone after it himself, powered up of course, and was now chasing the fleeing things. The area was a rather closed off apartment complex, the apartments were rather high end and expensive. The youma didn’t seem too strong for him to handle, it certainly was trying to flee so he figured it knew this fact.

Kiuchi just hoped he was right and it was weaker, weak enough he could handle it. He didn’t need to have another too strong youma to deal with, he’d had that happen before to him, he didn’t want to repeat the past.

What he didn’t realize, till he got there, was just where the youma was headed. It was headed right into the indoor pool the place had, of course it had an indoor pool why wouldn’t it? This place had an indoor pool and the youma broke the door slamming into it and rushing inside with the super senshi right on it’s heels. Slippered feet nearly slid out from under the super senshi, and for a moment he almost landed on his face. Had the youma somehow planned this? He doubted them being so smart but this put but him at a bit, or a lot, of a disadvantage. Slippers and tile...and potentially wet tile...this was dangerous and he couldn’t run which meant he might not dodge things either.


Colorful, sheer fabric fluttered violently as Ptolemy rushed toward the source of the disturbance. It was chaotic in nature, of that there was no question, but it was not the brand of chaos he was most familiar with. At least not all of it.

Though it was somewhat tricky to make out at such a distance, an energy signature of his court’s chaos was also present. Ptolemaeus was not fond of dispatching youma because, aside from not really having much in the way of combat skills or magic, he knew those youma had once been people. However, there was the fact that they also attacked other people and wreaked havoc wherever they seemed to go. He generally liked to avoid them altogether if he could, but the Dark Mirror energy signature had him curious.

By the time he was close enough to spot the pair of combatants, he thought he might have vaguely recognized his fellow court member. It was a little difficult since the last time they had met, Ptolemy was pretty sure that Kiuchi had been a basic senshi, but now he seemed to have the energy signature of a super, same as him. Furthermore, the youma appeared to be fleeing him and it looked like Kiuchi had everything in the palm of his hand.

Just as Ptolemy was about ready to sit back and let the Senshi of Gorgons finish up, though, he noticed the mishap in the indoor pool and blanched. Was Kiuchi hurt? What if the youma pounced him before he had a chance to get up?

His magic wouldn’t have been any good against a youma. Still, Ptolemy wasn’t about to just watch the creature assault the other sailor scout without lifting a finger. Dashing toward the indoor pool, he snatched up a folded chair and hurried over to Kiuchi’s side.

“Hey,” he greeted with his Cheshire grin. “This one giving you some trouble?”

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“A bit.” He hadn’t noticed the incoming senshi, too busy being focused on the youma, but he was glad to see a member of his own court. They might be small in number but it seemed that somehow, whenever he needed someone, a member suddenly turned up.

“I wasn’t expecting a pool and slippers and water on tile...they don’t mix.” Not well anyway. Looking at the chair the other held he smiled up at the other. “I think we can handle it together.” At least if he fell on his face the other could finish the youma, he didn’t think this one was all that strong. He just didn’t like it wandering around grabbing up energy from people.

Reaching out for a moment, gripping the others uniform just to let the other know silently that he was thankful for him, Kiuchi moved away and went to get closer while edging to the youma’s side. The youma, for it’s part, was moving closer to the water itself.


Laughing lightly, he nodded in agreement at the comment about what didn’t mix. “Yeah, definitely doesn’t sound like it. And it looked like you had this guy under control, but I figured I could be your backup just in case.” He raised the chair a little higher. “You got a plan, or were we just going to have at it? I don’t think my magic will be much use in this situation.”

Ptolemaeus wondered vaguely how mirrorwraiths and youma interacted with each other. Perhaps they could have used one or more of their wraiths to distract the thing. He was distracted by the grip on his clothing, however, and warmed by the action before Kiuchi moved to go after the chaotic beast.

The tan-skinned sailor scout circled around the other side, still brandishing the chair and watching closely. It seemed like Kiuchi had some idea of what he wanted to do after all, but it still wouldn’t have hurt to stick close by just in case things went wrong.

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"I can hit it with magic...it should distract it enough for you." He didn't know what the others magic did but he knew what his did, his was certainly distracting. "Once I use my magic...any movements from it should make my magic more effective." Knowing his magic would make it sick, and knowing movement made stomach sickness worse typically, he was figuring it would make things worse for the youma.

“I mean...it’s not the best plan….but it should work. My magic makes a person sick - youma also.” And he was hoping it would be enough to allow the other to finish the youma off with that chair, since he hadn’t thought to grab a chair to put to use. He was more focused on his magic in this case.
“It’s why I won’t use it in training against any of our court...I don’t want to make any of us sick.” Even if it was a temporary thing. He didn’t like the idea of using his magic against his family, as he did consider the dark mirror court to be a family at this point.

That said, and in what he figured was a good position, he reached up for a ‘hair’ and plucked it. With it glowing green he called out his attack “Gorgon's assault. “ and let the green strand of light go. And he moved, just incase the youma decided to come for him, moving towards the youma’s back in the hopes it wouldn’t turn around to him and he could remain safe.


The Senshi of Change nodded to acknowledge Kiuchi’s plan. It was better than what he had, which had basically been to try to use his makeshift weapon to get the youma to submit or return to wherever it came from. That might have worked still, but if they could at least cripple it or something with magic first, Ptolemy definitely wouldn’t have been opposed. It sounded impressive to have magic that could increase effectiveness with its victim’s movements. Once he learned what the magic actually consisted of, that seemed to make more sense.

“A plan’s a plan and all we need is for it to work once,” he pointed out. Since his own magic used the magic of others, he couldn’t have used it on the youma alone. He had considered using his own magic with Kiuchi’s, of course, but that ran the risk of harm coming to Kiuchi himself because the nature of his attack was so unpredictable. It was a good tactic for one-on-one battles, but not so much for plans involving teamwork and coordination.

Ptolemy watched and made mental notes on Gorgon’s Assult as it was unleashed with a single strand of its user’s hair and its spoken name. He wasn’t certain when the magic would take effect, but he thought it would be evident by the youma’s behavior, so he kept his eyes on it. As soon as it began to falter, Ptolemy dashed forward, swinging the chair in a great, sweeping arc toward his intended target, knocking him toward the water. He wondered if it could swim.

To his great horror, the creature caught hold of the chair as he swung it. The momentum was enough to knock the youma into the pool, but it dragged its assaulter and his weapon down with it. Ptolemy fought back, yanking the chair back and slamming it against his opponent, but even as it poofed, he knew all was lost. His balance had been thrown and he fell into the pool along with the chair.

A few seconds later, he pulled himself back up onto dry ground, gasping and sputtering. His thick, wavy black hair, usually slicked back, hung limp about his face, dripping and drenched. Ptolemy’s face itself was dark with some ominous expression and he didn’t even bother trying to fish the chair out of the pool. As if he’d been contaminated by some fatal disease that he had but mere seconds to cure, the teen ran for the bathrooms near the entrance of the pool. He didn’t speak a word nor look back once.

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Kiuchi was happy that his idea was approved of, that meant something to him as it always did, and he couldn't help the smile it brought to his features. He was glad he could come up with something; though he always had been rather imaginative. What he hadn't expected, and maybe should have, was the youma going backward.

In the wrong place, as he was still standing behind the youma, he went to get out of the way as quickly as he could but that wasn't meant to be. His slippers did just as he feared they would - they slipped. He slipped on the wet tile, someone really needed to keep those tiles dry, and towards the pool he headed with a surprised yelp passing his lips.

At least, as he was falling into the water, he watched the youma vanish. The idea of the youma falling into the pool wasn't a pleasing one, he didn't want to see if it could crush him or beat on him while in the water. it, unlike him, might not need air and a fight in the water would not be good for the teen. Instead of the youma entering the water though it seemed Ptolemy did.

Dark eyes, opened in the water, spotted the other right before he was kicking his legs and making for the surface. As he breached the water's surface, coughing up water, he blinked and rubbed at his eyes as the chemicals in the pool had bothered them.

"Don't like swimming...even less now." Pouting as he made for the pools edge in order to haul himself out he sat himself on the wet tile for a moment in order to continue rubbing at his irritated eyes, furthering their irritation.

He didn't see, as he was still in the water rubbing at his eyes, but he heard the other take off to who knows where. Had they been hurt? Worry settling into the senshi of Gorgon's body the teen stood up, maybe a bit too quickly, and powering down so he didn't have to deal with slippers. Normally he didn't mind his slippers, they were comfortable and not clunky on his feet, but they weren't a good idea here.

Once powered down Xi-Wang called out, hoping the other was still around. "You're still here?" Ok, so maybe it sounded lame, but he sort of hoped the other was still around and was ok. He felt bad for the other falling into the pool, and would feel even worse if he'd gotten hurt. "You're not hurt - are you?" Again he called out, worry coloring his voice as he bit down on his bottom lip as he shifted about where he stood, unsure if the other was still here or not. Had the other left? If he was still here was he within hearing distance? Xi-Wang was really hoping the other was ok - that he hadn't gotten hurt helping him.


There were very few things that could actually get to Ptolemy and getting wet was one of them. Even just a little bit was unpleasant, but to be completely drenched was nearly unbearable. He had rushed to the bathroom in order to power down as soon as possible, because unlike Xi-Wang, he was rather guarded about his civilian identity.

Even if Kiuchi was from the same court, one never knew if others might have been nearby or watching. Aside from that, it was entirely possible that other Dark Mirror Senshi could have unwittingly or purposely betrayed the identities of their fellow court members to those who bore them ill will. And, of course, there was always the persuasion of torture to get information out of someone if they knew it. For all these reasons and more, Ptolemy had not wanted to risk revealing himself as Kit Paine to the other super.

When he heard Kiuchi call out to him, though, he realized he owed the other some sort of explanation as to his behavior. After several long, silent minutes, he answered, “I’m here.” Dressed in his hoodie and jeans, Kit bent over the sink trying to wring out the water from his hair as best he could. Since it was chin-length, it was long enough to retain the liquid, but short enough that trying to dry it in such a manner was a pain. “And I’m fine. Just...just trying to dry off.” A heavy sigh was carried out of the bathroom by echos bouncing off the tiled walls. “Don’t worry about waiting up. I might...be here a while.”

He wasn’t about to go out again, running around with the wind in his dripping wet hair. He was pretty sure he could catch a cold that way, but it wasn’t like there was a hairdryer readily available to him just then. At the very least, powering down had allowed him to be rid of his drenched clothes. He just didn’t want to risk powering back up immediately until his hair was completely dry and he was sure his senshi outfit wouldn’t be dampened by it.

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Hearing the others voice, knowing they were close, was good. It meant they hadn’t just run off, as he’d feared they had, and to hear why had him laughing softly. “You don’t like to get wet?” He asked, loud enough for the other to hear, heading in the direction of the others voice.

Xi-wang was dressed in a turtleneck tonight, made from a soft material, that was a medium grey color and dark wash jeans that hugged his legs tightly and simple sneakers. There was nothing unexpected in his clothing choice, the sleeves and the turtleneck over all, was a size or two too big for him so his fingers were almost entirely covered. It was, in part, an attempt to seem smaller but also it was comfortable wearing shirts he felt like he could snuggle down into because they were big on him.

“I can help...if you ummmm...want me too.” Offering as he continued towards the others voice, his footsteps as silent as possible, he didn’t like how the pool room echoed. Reaching the bathrooms he pushed into the mens bathroom, which also served as a locker room, and right there in the doorway he stopped to stare. He knew them...that wasn’t expected. “Kit…?”

Biting his bottom lip he waited, watching the other with his hair, maybe there was some way to dry the others hair? It looked really wet and drippy...and it was still chilly outside. He might get sick going out with wet hair, that wouldn’t be good.


“...Did I say that?” he asked, wondering if there was something funny about wanting to dry off. But he supposed he had vanished pretty quickly. Not that he minded if the other laughed. He was just surprised he had managed to guess the true reason for his sudden disappearance so quickly.

“Heh, thanks, but I think I’ve got - “ As preoccupied as he was with his hair, Kit took a while to respond and he certainly hadn’t realized his companion had entered the bathroom. Not until he heard his name. He went rigid before swerving to face Kiuchi. But it wasn’t Kiuchi he saw; it was a different familiar face. One he had only come to know more recently. “Xi-Wang?”

He blinked and stared a few minutes. Then he laughed. “Just more proof of how small our world is. But Xi-Wang, you should be more careful. Why did you power down?”

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“Mmm, no - you didn’t. I was just guessing.” And maybe teasing a bit as well. He hadn’t though he’d be right in the guess, which he assumed he was. The other didn’t like getting wet? If it was true was it just wet like...in a pool or the ocean or an in general thing? As curious as he was he didn’t ask, too busy being surprised by who the other senshi really was.

Taken away from his own thoughts, by the others voice, Xi-Wang found himself ducking his head a bit. “I was wet and I didn’t want to get cold and sick.” Not to mention he really didn’t like the feeling of wet clothing clinging to his skin. But he didn’t mention it, it wasn’t really important. “It really is small...at least when it comes to this city. I’m glad though…” He was glad it was someone who was a friend, someone he knew. Though had it been a stranger they were still in the same court, and he would have tried to make friends with them.

“You look really wet...well your hair. Maybe they have a dryer of some kind in here, so you don’t go out with wet hair and get sick.”


“Good guess. Most things I can handle, but...not being wet.” He nodded at Xi-Wang’s answer to his question, as it was a perfectly logical one, but it wasn’t exactly what Kit was wondering about. He attempted to rephrase his question. “How come you didn’t wait to get someplace more private before powering down? I mean, that’s why I came in here first. You never know who might be watching even when it seems like no one’s around. Or who might use your civilian identity against you.”

It wasn’t his place to lecture, though. He had been in such a rush to power down, he hadn’t even bothered going into one of the bathroom stalls to do so. “A dryer…? Well I know they don’t have any hair dryers...oh. That’ll work.” Kit glanced over at a hand dryer set into the wall and walked over to crouch next to it. “Thanks! Nice thinking.” Once he got it dry enough, they could power back up and get out of here as soon as possible. And after that...maybe they could have a nice little chat. “Say...you got anywhere to be after this?”

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“No one was around from what I saw.. You’re the only person around...and I thought you might have left.” Which bothered him more than anything else really. Someone from his own court leaving, leaving him to think he might have done something wrong. He hadn’t thought revealing his civilian side to another of his court as a problem, why would it be? They were in the same court and for Xi-Wang that meant a lot, he trusted the members and hadn’t questioned any so far. Perhaps, in part, it was because he’d had to rely on several members of their court already and hadn’t been harmed in any way by any of them?

“Mmm, no problem. They seem to have lots of them now...to stop using paper towels.” All the saving trees, and the environment, thing. It made sense, it really did, and right now it helped as it played a second role.

“No...Nischal and Jason don’t expect me home at any particular time...so I’m free. Why?” Curious at what the other might have planned, though really he doubted it would be anything he’d be against. “And umm...thanks for the help. It worked out good having the help.”


“Mmm...maybe. But even then, what if I was someone dangerous?” Though he continued to smile, there was a funny look in his eyes for a moment as he met Xi-Wang’s dark ones. “Just because someone’s a part of our court doesn’t mean you can trust them, does it? After all, there’s no way to tell who the Black Mirror will choose. And we are a faction running on chaotic energy.”

After a few rounds of running his head under the hand-dryer, he pushed himself back on his feet. “My pleasure, angel-face. Glad I could be of assistance. It’s not often I get a chance to meet other Dark Mirror Senshi when out on patrol.” Taking out his henshin pen, he powered up again before slinging an arm about the other young man’s shoulders in an amicable fashion. “And it’s even nicer to find out we know each other as civilians.”

Kit cast Xi-Wang a sidelong glance. “I thought if you wanted, we could hang out and talk. But wait a sec...Nischal is the friend that set you up with that matchmaking thing, right?” His brows steepled slightly. “Not that it’s any of my business, but if you feel like indulging me, is Jason in a relationship with either of you?”

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The idea that anyone in their own court might harm them, in any manner, was something he’d never really considered. They felt so small and close knit, even if he didn’t know every member. He liked to think that if he needed help he could count on any other member...that is was like a family. The idea of anything bad happening was unsettling, causing him the hug himself gently, as he watched Kit finish drying his hair to a suitable level.

Ducking his head at the others words, angel face...that was nice to hear, Xi-Wang lifted his head in time to see the other powering back up. “Mmm, I don’t like the idea of anyone in our court being dangerous to other members..” He answered softly, taking out his own henshin pen and powering back up.

“Mmm, it is nice to know you as a civilian also. It makes it more comfortable.” Plus they could talk about more things and he didn’t have to keep any secrets from his friend, which was a plus in Xi-Wang’s opinion. “Jason is with Nischal and a friend of mine...we awakened around the same time and we’re friends before Nischal and Jason started to date.” Tilting his head a bit he smiled. “Mmm, we should get moving then. Incase our auras attract anything...since we did just kill a youma.” And what if it belonged to someone who came looking for it, he really wasn’t sure how that whole youma thing worked. Did they belong to Negaverse officers like they all had wraiths? Although...were the wraiths he summoned his and only his? Or did it not even matter cause they had no personality? Best not to think about right now.


Ptolemy’s easygoing smile faltered slightly. “Oh, I gotcha. So...you don’t live with your boyfriend, then?” Perhaps it might not have been the best way to broach the subject if it was a sore one, but he also hadn’t wanted to misunderstand by automatically assuming they had been staying together.

From the way it sounded, though, it hadn’t been his own partner who might have been concerned about him going missing for too long. For all Ptolemy knew, maybe they trusted each other enough not to worry about that sort of thing. There was no need to jump to the worst conclusion immediately.

Agreeing with the other Super Dark Mirror Senshi, the slightly taller male let his arm drop from the other’s shoulder so they could move more freely. “Alright. Did you want to head home or get something to eat?” He cocked his head. “Or did you want to hang around my place for a bit?”

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“N-no...not anymore.” Licking his bottom lip, right before his teeth caught on the bit of pink flesh and held fast. “We...umm...had been.” His answer a whisper, dark eyes turning away from the other. He still was upset over it. Not that it had ended, though that did bother him, but more the guilt which ate away at him when he thought about it. It was still, in his opinion, all his fault...including whatever had led to all of this happening.

“Food or we could hang around your place. It’s likely Jason and Nischal would be home and I don’t want to just bring people to their home without asking.” As much as they wanted him to feel at home there, and he understood that, it was still too knew and didn’t feel like home yet. He was just so used to moving, and never getting to settle for too long or feel comfortable in any one place, that he wouldn’t let himself consider it his home as well - not yet.

“Maybe food...if you have something in mind you’d like to eat?” He offered gently.


“I see.” Oops. Perhaps things hadn’t gotten better between him and the person he’d been dating in the end. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Bringing it up might not have been all that great an idea, but Ptolemy figured it was better finding out now than learning later in a worse way. At least now that he was aware, he could try to be tactful about it.

Brows rose at the mention of bringing people to homes without asking. “Huh? Oh, no, when I said ‘head home’, I didn’t mean I wanted to invite myself over to your place! I just thought you might have wanted to go home without me,” the other senshi explained. “If you’re not in any hurry to go back to Jason and Nischal, though, we can grab some food and head back to my apartment. Gets pretty lonely there by myself and I’m a little too tired to eat out just now, I think.”

With another gentle smile, he started back in the direction of his residence. “We both like Chinese food, I think, right? How about we grab something to go?”

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“Oh! I’m sorry.” He had, it seemed, misunderstood but it wasn’t that bad. The other didn’t mind and he had gotten part of it right, an invitation to the others home. “Have you thought about a cat or a dog?” He questioned gently. Either option seeming like a good way to handle being lonely, at least he thought so. Had he been living alone he’d have considered a cat, just because he was still rather low energy and a dog would be too much for him.

“Mmm, sounds good. Authentic right...not the cheap Chinese.” At least he hoped, and assumed, as much as he motioned for the other to lead the way. Chinese food and time with a friend sounded like a good idea right now, a nice way to end the evening really.