Once upon a midnight dreary…

The words lingered in her head as she wandered through the cemetery, the hour late and the mist rising. Destiny City Memorial Gardens was beautiful at all hours of the day, hauntingly so as day turned to night leaving the moon to rise through the brush of thin clouds streaking the sky. It had rained earlier, as it often did on and off throughout the month of October, threatening to bring more than just cold damp on its wings. Within the next month they’d see winter -- soon, but not yet. She was skipping ahead.

The sound of heels along pavement was distinct, echoing in an eerie fashion as she wandered along the paths that would lead her between the rows of tombstones and mausoleums. There was history here, both buried beneath the ground and now walking above it. Her history and the history of so many that had come and gone before.

“Corvus, must we… Shouldn’t we just go home. It’s late and…”

“Late is the point, Eta. The later the hour the less likely we are to be interrupted when our friend arrives. You remember how it’s gone every other time.” Moments of conversation, the attempt at making a connection with someone on the other side and then suddenly an absolute shitshow as parley became grandstanding became an all out battle. Wars couldn’t all be won on the battlefield.

“The others… They’re not going to like this.” The silver tabby trotted along after her mistress, a look of concern lingering on her delicate features. It was the concern of a feline that had missed too much in this lifetime, the concern of one determined to do better to keep her lady safe in the here and now where she’d failed to do so before. Coming into the picture with Corvus already a senshi of Eternal rank had lit a fire beneath her, serving as a reminder that she had to catch up. She needed to do more.

“I know. There’s a reason why I haven’t told them and I’ll thank you for doing the same.” The other members of her team had reason to distrust the General King -- any General King, really. They all did. They acted on instinct, out of desire to protect and serve the people of Destiny City and the homes that had fallen to Chaos eons before. She understood and yet what she couldn’t explain to any of them was that this Negaverse agent, this servant of Chaos, General Sovereign to Metallia’s army, was someone that she needed to reason with.

“I need you to trust me, Eta. I know why everyone else is worried, but you… I need you to trust in the bond that we have enough to know that I am acting for a reason -- a good reason.” She stooped down, extending a gloved hand to the feline who instantly trotted up to butt her head into Corvus’s palm. The senshi kept the touch brief, lightly stroking the feline’s cheek before gently scratching behind her ear.

“Drop the guard, please. I’d like to let him know that I’m here.”

--

As the guard around Corvus dropped, so too rose the wave of power of a General Sovereign. The heart of that familiar pulse of power leading just ahead to the steps of a mausoleum. He sat there on the steps of it, as casual as though he were waiting for an old friend.

In a way he was truth be told.

He enjoyed the talks with Corvus on a deep and fundamental level. There was a resonance with her and her ideology that he approved of. With him, of course was a thermos of hot tea, and two reusable cups. Good conversations, after all, demanded good tea.

As she came into view he pulled something from his pocket, a trinket, a pendant on a chain that he dropped around his neck. As it settled there, the near overwhelming push of power that radiated far into the city was pulled back to that which might have made him dangerously mistaken for nothing more than a General.

“I hope you won’t object to this new token I’ve been gifted.” He called. “I thought it would rather reduce our risk of being preached at by boys in togas, for all that I appreciate the precautions you have already gone though.” He nodded respectfully to her and then cast his gaze about them to the stones, the tributes to the dead.

--

“Avoiding that would be my preference, truth be told.” Her laughter was soft, warmer than one might expect for a white moon senshi in her current situation. Few would consider what she was doing wise, but Corvus liked to think of it as a calculated risk.

It wasn’t the first time she had arranged a clandestine meeting with the General King and it wasn’t likely to be the last. They were from a school of learning that dated far back to the petty squabbles of current-day -- a time when one tried to outwit their ‘opponent’ instead of just out manning or overpowering. There were few remaining from those days, the old days. It said something about the early warriors.

It said something about the two of them.

“It’s made a good dead drop so far -- pun not entirely intended.” A wry grin curved the corners of her mouth, eyes gleaming with a trace of amused mischief in the light of the pale moon. “We have history here and, from experience, not many tend to patrol the cemetery at night. It’s just far enough to this edge of town that it’s mostly inconvenient which makes it entirely convenient.”

It wasn’t something that she would have ever considered in her early days as a senshi. She hadn’t learned to embrace things like this, to respect them. Death was something that came at a moment’s notice, something to be afraid of, something that stole loved ones away and never came swiftly enough for the true evils of the world.

“Your new toy -- is it something that others have access to? Or just something that you’ve managed to obtain?” An answer for an answer. If he answered he would do so truly at the cost that she too would have to offer up information. The questions were never things whose answers would truly harm the opposition to know -- not really, at least -- and they often played, unfairly, with fairy logic. The truth as one saw it could be an answer while not being entirely helpful, as was the way of things.

---

“I am afraid it was a gift, and thus I find myself hard pressed to answer that question. It would not have been something I would have thought to seek out on my own. In fact I wouldn’t have assumed it possible.”

He did give a soft laugh at ‘dead drop’, no disrespect intended in the sound, simply a small delight at the play on words.

“How much things have changed since we first began. It’s hard to believe how different things have become since I was first swept into this life.” He murmured.

“Tea?” He added after a moment, lifting the cup that he had designated as ‘hers’. - There was in point of fact something new added to it, if not especially well rendered. An inky smudge that gave at least the vague impression that it was, at least intended to be, a bird.

--

Her lips had pressed together in a firm line, brow knitted in a combination of frustration and concern. She understood, of course, why he couldn’t answer, that was the way of their game, but it didn’t mean good things for the white moon court and their knight allies if General Sovereigns could hide themselves like this…

She ignored the offer of tea for a moment before finally taking it least she come off as rude for refusing, holding on to the cup for warmth while mulling over the sort of questions he might be able to answer about the medallion. “Can you tell me how frequently you can use it?” If she could get that answer she could, in theory, know how long to wait before planning their next meeting… Or whether or not it was a single use item; something that he would have to barter for with whomever again if he wanted to keep this level of secrecy between their parleys.

“We were much younger when this all started, naive in ways I hadn’t considered as a child. Nearly ten years as a senshi seems so long…” Ten years as a senshi, ten years at war. While she hadn’t spent every day of those ten years fighting it almost felt like she had on some days. The weight of those that had come and gone along the way had once held her down, tethering her to the ground, crushing her spirit and choking out what will to fight she had within her. She’d learned since then, of course. It was one of the reasons why it was so important to her to meet with the General King here even if it was never at the same tombstone, providing him with no links to who she was in the other side of her life.

“Does it feel as though it’s been that long for you, old friend?”


--

“Once a day, don’t worry, I don’t think anyone but myself has such a thing. I am after all the one who’s perhaps a little too soft.” He had a smile in his voice, even if it couldn’t be seen behind the mask he wore.

“It’s at least more convenient than trying to convince a cat. They’d all argue to me about corrupting you by force, though I will never do that again.” His words trailed off to a near whisper at this oath, but he shook it off, refocusing on her, and her last question.

Nearly ten years, how strange. Sometimes it seemed like no time at all, but most days it seemed like it had been a whole lifetime of this war.

“If I’m being honest, it almost feels like that’s too short a span to encompass all we’ve been through.”

He lifted the now metal hand, flexing the jointed fingers, they were almost soundless but not quite. “On the positive side, it’s been some time since your side turned up with any incendiary leopards.” He said with a thoughtful hmmm.

--

“One could hardly call it a weakness to learn more about one's enemy. I would consider that more strategic than not, wouldn’t you?” Her head tilted in a manner that was almost bird-like, eyes bright and curious. His reference to the flaming leopards was missed entirely. Memories that she’d forgotten, buried somewhere beneath the other traumas that had happened in rapid succession early on in her senshihood, perhaps? Or maybe just something that she had missed.

Her expression changed, eyes rolling as her lips pressed together once more, head tossing and raven-black curls tumbling in the process. “Please, if you were going to force corrupt me you would have done it by now.” Never mind that the opportunity had presented itself to him at least once if not on multiple occasions. Even when she’d been at her most broken he’d tried to make it seem as though it was her choice, as if it was the only answer -- the only way out.

Beyond that first time it had always been a joke, a tease, a taunt. The option is here when you’re ready. Should you ever think about it, it’s there. Abilities like yours could better serve our side…

“How many leaders has your side seen come and go?”


--

He huffed, almost a laugh and glanced away at her question. “mmmm... “ He intoned noncommittal. “Enough.” He said with a small nod. “Some have even simply vanished to lord knows where. And if I had to be completely honest it’s not a loss. Others… I will miss them.”

“And what of you? There are at least a few of your winged fingers that I haven’t seen in some time. Not that you could convince me that they were doing you much of any good, Organized Chaos that your side tends to be.”

He settled himself again and tapped the metal of his fingers against the stone.

“But, yes, I would call what I do strategic as well, at least as strategic as what you do as well.

“Not that I’d trade these meetings for anything.” He added and tugged down his mask with a small sigh, filling his own cup with tea and taking a small sip.

“Though if it gets much colder, I’m going to start bringing us mulled wine.”

--

“Drinking on the job?” She laughed, the bright, warm sound oddly out of place for their surroundings. “Old friend, if we’re to resort to spirits to keep us warm I would suggest doing so somewhere other than amongst them. You know Destiny City as well as I do to know that some things should not be mixed.” Some company shouldn’t have been mixed either, yet here they were…

Corvus ran her gloved fingers slowly around the rim of her cup, drifting distantly into thought for a moment before continuing on as her silvered companion butted her head against her calf. “I shouldn’t tarry too long. While your trinket might shield you for the day, I’ve yet to truly put a test to Eta’s abilities and there are some who pay close attention to what goes bump in the night… I’ve a suggestion, however. For our next meeting.”

Waiting a brief moment to make sure she had his attention, watching for that lifted brow, a sure sign of piqued interest, she continued only after he’d lowered his cup. “Next time we meet I will take you to the stars. I would take you tonight but the pieces for the chess board I ordered are taking a tad bit longer to come in than I’d expected.” Her tone danced with teasing notes leaving it up in the air as to whether or not she was serious -- about the chess board, at least. Sailor Corvus was very much serious about the offer to bring General King Zinkenite to visit her home amongst the stars.

“I’ll draw up the papers detailing what I have in mind and leave it in the drop in a week’s time. It should be cold enough for mulled wine then.”

--

“Well, I look forward to both a game and the company, you’ll have to work a little harder to sell me on the stars.” He smiled, hands wrapping around his own cup and tipping his head curious.

“Eta, is there anything I could bring for you that you’d trust as an offering if I’m to be so scandalous as to offer libations in mixed company?”

He cast a wary glance at the cat, he was stronger now than his first encounter with the guardians but it didn’t mean he trusted them any better.

He hesitated and then, offered a rare sliver of secret uninvited. “Did you know Sailor Lyra?”

--

Did, not Do. There was an implication lingering in his words -- had the other senshi lost or life or had she been one of those drawn to darkness early and… Wait…

“She was the one with you the night…” Her brows knitted again, always so serious and expressive when it came to things that drew a pained response, even if she was distanced enough from the pain now to no longer feel it as strongly, to no longer carry the same regrets along with her. “She came to me first, found me before you did. That is all I know of her.”

It had been enough. The corrupted senshi hadn’t given her name then and Corvus hadn’t bothered trying to find out who she was until later, scrolling through information in a database until she’d come across a profile that had looked familiar. The White Moon was disastrously lacking when it came to their information and their archives… They liked to forget those lost, bury their memory and hide their shame. At least it had always seemed so to her.

Eta watched the General King with as much wariness as he regarded her with. It went against every instinct that she had to even be there with her senshi and the high ranked Negaverse officer. Unlike her mistress she had no reason to trust him. She was here on behalf of Sailor Corvus and for no other reason than that. “I’m afraid I have to decline on all accounts. Someone has to keep their wits about them around here.” Her huff was small and delicate and might have been amusing were she not so ruffled by the very idea of colluding with the enemy.

--

“Yes, that was her.” He murmured. “She used to be part of Order. She took me to her world half by accident.” He admitted. “Her world was something of a death trap of long drops, and broken glass. So, consider me cautious about your dead planets.”

He stood and dusted himself off though it was hardly necessary.

“She didn’t … she didn’t do well with corruption in my way of thinking. I’m sure others found the results very satisfying though.” He almost said more, at times it was too easy to speak to her, dangerous though it was.

“Next time then, I’ll see you and your distrustful friend.”

—

“I think you’re in for a surprise, then, old friend, if all you’re used to is dead planets and death traps.” Corvus returned the tea cup to him before stepping back, practically beaming as her eyes danced with amusement. “Corvus is very much alive. Its people might be long gone, but its spirit is there. Enough that -- well, no, you’ll just have to see for yourself.”

They could discuss their ideas on corruption later. For time time being, Corvus let it be as she knew it wasn’t something that Eta liked to consider. She’d already distressed her feline companion enough for the night and it would do no good to do so further.

“Until we meet again, General King.”

Sailor Corvus stooped down to retrieve Eta before bounding to the top of the mausoleum, using the height to leap from building to building before disappearing into the night.