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Crocoite loved it when a hunt went off without a hitch. That could only really happen if the white moon decided to mind their own business, but he found paying attention to patrol routines and finding areas with lower aura traffic was the key. He spent time getting to know different parts of the city each night, and tried to pick times for hunting that not only would produce targets, but reduce his chances of being interrupted.

He felt another Negaverse soldier in the area, but that did not bother him too much. As far as he knew, they all seemed to work well together, and were at least respectful of hunting zones.

No one had tried to take his kills so far, at any rate.

Holding a starseed in his hand, the dying man it came from crumpling to the floor, Crocoite turned and spotted the other Lieutenant. He smirked, looking proud of himself and preening a little at the attention. He knew it was nothing a hundred others couldn't do, but this ONE other soldier hadn't yet so that made it something to be proud of.

"It is a very curious idea, isn't it? That such a little thing has so much importance. It can decide if someone is good or evil, and we cannot live without it. This little star might as well be a soul, if one were to believe in that. And we get to just pull them out, collect them. You said you haven't yet? We should find you a target, then, and see if you can take the next step."

And if not, Crocoite would have a lot of fun making him feel terrible about it, so really it was win win for him.

Crocoite felt that it was a good chance for him to take stock of his 'competition', so to speak. Any other Lieutenant out there right now was competing with him for rank and notoriety, as far as he was concerned. He was not going to openly say it, of course, because it was much easier to win a contest when the others in it did not even know it was happening.

And Crocoite did so hate to lose.

"I saw some christmas carolers a few streets over. They were working through a quiet neighborhood. I was saving them for my way back. What do you think? Four little civilians to barter with. We can see which one will forsake the others first."

He grinned. Making deals for people to save their life was always an amazingly entertaining tactic, and something Crocoite was quickly getting addicted to. If this were a college and he could choose his degree, would certainly master in starseed pulling.

So far, it was the best ability he had been given.

"This way." He moved to get to an easy jumping path up to a roof, so they could cut the distance by jumping over rooftops. It did not take long to find the four singers, who were sitting dejectedly at a bus stop. It seemed caroling was not going well anyway. Their night was not going to get any better from there.

"Call it... morbid curiosity. I find the human mind a miserably interesting little thing, and I cannot help but wonder when instinct and choice intersect which will win out. Besides, if someone proves exceptional, there could always be room for better deals. Recruitment, secrets, something precious: the things people will offer when they are at their most vulnerable are endlessly fascinating."

And he always loved a good deal. usually, of course, he made sure he was the one coming out on top in any 'arrangement' he made. Considering it was usually under threat of death or pain, it was pretty easy to be in control.

"But tonight is for you to see what you prefer, so I will be more than happy to assist, and watch. Though we are both fairly new at this, I think it is a good chance to learn from one another." Maybe he was getting used to the whole 'part of a team' thing, after all.

Maybe.

He followed the path back to the carolers, which was not all that far away, as promised, and pointed to the sad little group. The four had no idea how bad their night was going to go, aside from no one wanting to listen to their awful songs.

"Two for you, two for me?" He offered, grinning like the crocodile on his cane. "Or I can corral three away from one, and you can focus on taking that starseed. I doubt it will be too difficult to scare them into scattering." Somehow, he doubted the group were tight knit enough for them to be willing to die for one another.

Crocoite was into the game now, and was not feeling his usual grumpiness. Maybe he just needed to have some fun, and helping another Lieutenant steal his first starseed was actually quite a bit of fun. So it was working out in his favor as well, even if he was not getting much out of it for himself.

He could take his starseeds for his quota, of course, and that was good enough.

"Alright, then," he said, with a wicked grin. "Let's get you that starseed, hm?" He was eager to see how Chambersite did it, if he just dove in and tried to look cool, or if he over thought it and chickened out. Some soldiers that he had met so far seemed too soft for the demands of pulling starseeds, but he wasn't sure where this one fell. He seemed willing enough but it was all down to the execution.

Quite literally, in this case.

Crocoite pointed to two of the singers who were standing under the street light by the bus stop. Those were his. The two sitting down could be the other nega's. He summoned his cane and opted to approach the duo from the ground, straight on. He drew their attention with a curt greeting.

Crocoite walked up to his duo, not smiling or looking in any way friendly. The turned to address him, as he thought they would, the other two looking over just to make sure their friends were safe.

As it turned out, they were not.

He moved quickly, at least as far as a non-powered person would think, and swung his cane at one of the singers. It connected with their head with a hard crack, dropping them to the pavement immediately. The other person screamed and he turned, reaching his hand into their chest without attacking them. He stopped, looking over at Chambersite so he could see how it worked, and then figure out how he wanted to do it for himself.

It was always a learning experience, and one that was best figured out through just trying. At least, that was how Crocoite had been taught, and what worked for him. It helped him to figure out how fun bartering for lives was, though he opted not to do that tonight in honor of his new companion.

Straight to business, so to speak.

Crocoite walked up to Chambersite, leaving his two bodies behind him on the floor. He left one of them with their starseed, the one who's head he had bashed in, so they would be able to think back on the night and know they might have saved their friends if they had been stronger. Or maybe they would just bleed out on the street, or never wake up at all. Whatever happened, he was content with his one starseed and a different seed of chaos being planted.

That was sort of his thing.

"I can see from your startled expression that you've managed it. The dead bodies are a bit of a hint, as well. Two in one night? That's very impressive, I'm sure your superior will agree. How do you feel?"

He tilted his head curiously, eyes flashing in the dim light of the streetlamp. He could not help his curiosity, wanting to see if killing sat well with this young Nega, or if his stomach would turn. Not that Crocoite had any intention of getting thrown up on: his instincts were on high alert just in case he had to make a life saving leap backwards.

Suit saving, really.

"We should get out of here, and let these be dealt with later. Come on, we'll make a getaway to the roof tops, and you can tell me how you're doing." It was not concern, really, though he did find himself weirdly amicable right now.