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Once upon a time, Erythrite had liked crowds, and clubs, and anywhere else she could disappear as she meandered among the bodies, swiping just a touch of energy from everyone she bumped into while she enjoyed being surrounded by people.
These days, though, she was much less enthused by people, both in the specific “diving into a crowd to gather energy felt like a miserable waste of time” sense and the general “large crowds rapidly became exhausting” one. She knew that as the Negaverse had leaned on her more, she’d changed, withdrawn, even dropped out of her Master’s program even though getting it had been her dream once, but nothing had illustrated how much it had changed her quite like powering up, teleporting to the club that used to be her favorite draining spot, and realizing rapidly that she wanted to be literally anywhere else.
So, “literally anywhere else” was where she’d brought herself, to a much quieter side street several blocks away from the one she used to patrol, and she’d so far had little luck finding anyone at all to drain. She might have called it a night, but she could feel a Knight and an Eternal, not too far away, both bearing the extra-bright auras of the ones called “Transcendent,” the ones that glowed and couldn’t be corrupted.
Erythrite inhaled, and then set off towards them. If anyone might be willing to talk, and not fight, someone safe from corruption or starseed pulling seemed like her best bet, especially if they came in a pair.
These days, though, she was much less enthused by people, both in the specific “diving into a crowd to gather energy felt like a miserable waste of time” sense and the general “large crowds rapidly became exhausting” one. She knew that as the Negaverse had leaned on her more, she’d changed, withdrawn, even dropped out of her Master’s program even though getting it had been her dream once, but nothing had illustrated how much it had changed her quite like powering up, teleporting to the club that used to be her favorite draining spot, and realizing rapidly that she wanted to be literally anywhere else.
So, “literally anywhere else” was where she’d brought herself, to a much quieter side street several blocks away from the one she used to patrol, and she’d so far had little luck finding anyone at all to drain. She might have called it a night, but she could feel a Knight and an Eternal, not too far away, both bearing the extra-bright auras of the ones called “Transcendent,” the ones that glowed and couldn’t be corrupted.
Erythrite inhaled, and then set off towards them. If anyone might be willing to talk, and not fight, someone safe from corruption or starseed pulling seemed like her best bet, especially if they came in a pair.
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There was no game that night that he had to go to, so Valhalla took advantage of whatever time he had to go out on patrol. His mother was watching the babies. Well, two were toddlers now. It was a little crazy when he thought about it. Almost a decade ago, when he was pulled into the world of magic and monsters, he had no idea that he would end up where he was now.
“You didn’t have to come with me, you know,” he said with a glance down to his wife. It wasn’t that he liked going out on patrol to try and make sure people were safe, but he felt like he was meant to do something more than just sit around.
“But I appreciate it,” he added after a moment, not wanting her to get upset with him. Luckily, there was the aura of a Negaverse officer that caught his attention, and he was sure that Ganymede felt it too.
He let out a breath, hoping nothing bad would come of the encounter. Valhalla didn’t bring out his weapon. Not yet. Instead he lifted his hands to show that he was unarmed as the Negaverse officer approached them.
“You didn’t have to come with me, you know,” he said with a glance down to his wife. It wasn’t that he liked going out on patrol to try and make sure people were safe, but he felt like he was meant to do something more than just sit around.
“But I appreciate it,” he added after a moment, not wanting her to get upset with him. Luckily, there was the aura of a Negaverse officer that caught his attention, and he was sure that Ganymede felt it too.
He let out a breath, hoping nothing bad would come of the encounter. Valhalla didn’t bring out his weapon. Not yet. Instead he lifted his hands to show that he was unarmed as the Negaverse officer approached them.
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Ganymede didn’t like patrolling. She didn’t like the war. She didn’t like being a Senshi. If she had it her way, she never would have gotten involved in this nonsense. But patrol she did — often enough that she didn’t feel guilty about sitting out more than she used to. As much as she hated it, she couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t do her part, if she didn’t at least try to use her powers for the sake of her family, and the other people she’d met over the last eight years.
“You didn’t have to come out either,” Ganymede mumbled back, tossing a quick look of incredulity her husband’s way. He was the one with the career that required him to travel often and keep himself in tip top shape. He shouldn’t be putting himself in harm’s way.
Fortunately, it seemed to be a quiet night. She felt the Negaverse officer’s approach, of course, but it seemed unhurried, and not strong enough to warrant too much concern. Still, Ganymede kept her guard up, focusing on the aura and the surrounding area to make absolutely sure the officer was alone.
“I’d run along back to your lair if I were you,” Ganymede called out as soon as the officer was close enough to hear her clearly. “If you’re looking for trouble, you should have picked someone less likely to flatten you.”
It was mostly talk. There was nothing about the situation that demanded her full strength, but a warning seemed fair. She’d never known how much information the Negaverse actually had on her. It’d been awhile since she’d been up against any of the higher-ups.
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Erythrite exhaled. As she’d thought, a Knight and an Eternal, neither of them anyone she’d met before. The Captain put up her hands, as well, to indicate that she wasn’t armed and, hopefully, that she posed no threat.
“I’m not here to fight,” she called back, “I just want to talk.” Please let them be willing to talk. She had a good feeling about the Knight, at least, since he had no weapon either—and it wasn’t hard to imagine that the Senshi might be protective of her partner, thus the bravado. “I promise, I know the both of you outrank and likely outclass me. I’m not much of a fighter, really.”
She knew the scars all over her body likely gave a very different impression, but the irony, of course, was that the reason she had them was because she was no good in a fight. She took a few more steps forward, to that they were more in speaking range than shouting, keeping her palms up and open the entire time.
“I’m Captain Erythrite.” She inhaled, briefly. “And I’m...looking for information. On purification.”
“I’m not here to fight,” she called back, “I just want to talk.” Please let them be willing to talk. She had a good feeling about the Knight, at least, since he had no weapon either—and it wasn’t hard to imagine that the Senshi might be protective of her partner, thus the bravado. “I promise, I know the both of you outrank and likely outclass me. I’m not much of a fighter, really.”
She knew the scars all over her body likely gave a very different impression, but the irony, of course, was that the reason she had them was because she was no good in a fight. She took a few more steps forward, to that they were more in speaking range than shouting, keeping her palms up and open the entire time.
“I’m Captain Erythrite.” She inhaled, briefly. “And I’m...looking for information. On purification.”
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Purification.
Valhalla frowned, wary of the topic as it could mean one of two things. This person could be sincerely interested in purification because it might be a viable option for them, or they knew who Ganymede was and knew her power and wanted to attempt to harm her to prevent additional purifications.
“What about purification?” he asked, taking a slight step in front of Ganymede, although everyone who knew them knew Ganymede was the stronger of the two. But that didn’t mean he didn’t feel any less protective.
“I’m Valhalla,” he introduced after a moment, and glanced down at Ganymede to see what she would do. He wouldn’t introduce her if she rathered to try and stay under the radar if this Captain didn’t know who she was already.
“If you just want to talk, we can talk.”
Valhalla frowned, wary of the topic as it could mean one of two things. This person could be sincerely interested in purification because it might be a viable option for them, or they knew who Ganymede was and knew her power and wanted to attempt to harm her to prevent additional purifications.
“What about purification?” he asked, taking a slight step in front of Ganymede, although everyone who knew them knew Ganymede was the stronger of the two. But that didn’t mean he didn’t feel any less protective.
“I’m Valhalla,” he introduced after a moment, and glanced down at Ganymede to see what she would do. He wouldn’t introduce her if she rathered to try and stay under the radar if this Captain didn’t know who she was already.
“If you just want to talk, we can talk.”
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Ganymede wasn’t the type to trust easily, especially when faced with a Negaverse officer. She came to a stop and stood there, eyeing the Captain carefully in an attempt to place her, but Ganymede couldn’t recall if she’d ever seen this one before. Not that it would be surprising if she hadn’t, given how many of them there seemed to be, but she always studied the agents she came across, just in case. She let Valhalla take his protective step forward, but eyed him, too, in case he did something stupid and put himself in harm’s way.
The topic was… suspicious, to say the least. Either this agent was genuinely curious and running into them was nothing more than a coincidence, or the Captain knew exactly who they were and was trying to… what? Lure them into a trap? Wear their defenses down until several more agents teleported onto the scene in an ambush?
Cautiously, Ganymede refrained from introducing herself. If this Captain didn’t know who she was, then it was probably best to keep it that way until they had more information. If the Captain did know… well, she’d probably end up giving that away during the conversation.
“What kind of information?” Ganymede asked, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. “What makes you think we’d know anything about it? You’d have better luck with a Prince or Princess. Or a Royal Knight. Last I checked, there weren’t too many of those wandering around.”
The topic was… suspicious, to say the least. Either this agent was genuinely curious and running into them was nothing more than a coincidence, or the Captain knew exactly who they were and was trying to… what? Lure them into a trap? Wear their defenses down until several more agents teleported onto the scene in an ambush?
Cautiously, Ganymede refrained from introducing herself. If this Captain didn’t know who she was, then it was probably best to keep it that way until they had more information. If the Captain did know… well, she’d probably end up giving that away during the conversation.
“What kind of information?” Ganymede asked, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. “What makes you think we’d know anything about it? You’d have better luck with a Prince or Princess. Or a Royal Knight. Last I checked, there weren’t too many of those wandering around.”
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Erythrite couldn’t be sure what she’d expected, realistically. Anyone smart wasn’t going to fall all over themself to help a stranger on the other side of the war. Hvergelmir was a unique case, and she’d been kind, and more open than Erythrite had any right to expect.
“I want to know how to do it.” Blunt, to the point, open. That might be dangerous; Erythrite’s placement in Information meant that she more than knew that the Negaverse had informants on Order’s side, but no risk, no reward. “My brother purified, a few years ago. My sister has pingpongged around, but I know she’s a lot happier now that she’s out of the Negaverse. And I’m….tired. I’ve given the Negaverse a lot more than it’s given me. I know I’d have better luck with a Prince or a Princess or whatever else, but like you said, they’re not exactly easy to find. If you don’t know, then fine, but I’m hoping I get lucky and you know at least a little bit.”
And maybe she was lucky. And maybe she wasn’t. She’d have to find out.
“I want to know how to do it.” Blunt, to the point, open. That might be dangerous; Erythrite’s placement in Information meant that she more than knew that the Negaverse had informants on Order’s side, but no risk, no reward. “My brother purified, a few years ago. My sister has pingpongged around, but I know she’s a lot happier now that she’s out of the Negaverse. And I’m….tired. I’ve given the Negaverse a lot more than it’s given me. I know I’d have better luck with a Prince or a Princess or whatever else, but like you said, they’re not exactly easy to find. If you don’t know, then fine, but I’m hoping I get lucky and you know at least a little bit.”
And maybe she was lucky. And maybe she wasn’t. She’d have to find out.
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It was difficult for Valhalla to not step forward, reach out, and offer whatever help Captain Erythrite needed. Thankfully, he had his wife tethering him to safety. He’d promised to be careful, and had she not been with him that night, he would almost certainly have fallen for the trap this might be.
“Why not ask your siblings, if they managed to get out?”
He was trying to be practical and prod for information. Did she know where her siblings were? Was she keeping away from them for their safety, or vice versa? It seemed like the easiest route to take - ask someone who already knew, instead of hoping complete strangers would help.
But more importantly, he didn’t want Ganymede putting herself at risk. If this Captain was just fishing for information, then what would that mean for Ganymede if she was discovered to have such unique abilities as purification? She would have a target on her back, more-so than she already did. Especially after that stunt of proclaiming herself the Moon Queen to General Sovereigns of the Negaverse.
“How do we know we can trust you? That you’re sincere in wanting out?”
“Why not ask your siblings, if they managed to get out?”
He was trying to be practical and prod for information. Did she know where her siblings were? Was she keeping away from them for their safety, or vice versa? It seemed like the easiest route to take - ask someone who already knew, instead of hoping complete strangers would help.
But more importantly, he didn’t want Ganymede putting herself at risk. If this Captain was just fishing for information, then what would that mean for Ganymede if she was discovered to have such unique abilities as purification? She would have a target on her back, more-so than she already did. Especially after that stunt of proclaiming herself the Moon Queen to General Sovereigns of the Negaverse.
“How do we know we can trust you? That you’re sincere in wanting out?”
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The more the Captain spoke, the more suspicious Ganymede became, but try as she might to sense any other agents in the vicinity, no more auras popped up on her radar. Erythrite could always summon them somehow, with whatever means they used to communicate, but as long as Ganymede and Valhalla didn’t let their guard down around her, they could probably stop her before she had the chance.
Maybe. Negaverse agents were often a tricky sort, and Ganymede was slightly out of practice.
“We don’t know,” Ganymede answered Valhalla’s last two questions before Erythrite had the chance to do so. Valhalla was still too naive; this Captain could offer whatever sob story she wanted, and as long as it sounded legitimate and she seemed sincere enough, Valhalla would be inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Ganymede was not so easily swayed. She couldn’t afford to be.
“Her siblings might not remember her,” she reminded Valhalla, still eying Erythrite to catch any change in her posture or expression, even the most subtle — any sign that she might be lying in wait or plotting something, or that her interest in the topic might truly be genuine. “There isn’t much to say about how it’s done. You have to want it. No one can force it on you. I know of one Prince and three Princesses, and a Royal Knight. They do most of the work. I might be able to direct you to one, if you can be trusted. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you it isn’t always easy to judge an agent’s character. You all like your devious schemes.”
Maybe. Negaverse agents were often a tricky sort, and Ganymede was slightly out of practice.
“We don’t know,” Ganymede answered Valhalla’s last two questions before Erythrite had the chance to do so. Valhalla was still too naive; this Captain could offer whatever sob story she wanted, and as long as it sounded legitimate and she seemed sincere enough, Valhalla would be inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Ganymede was not so easily swayed. She couldn’t afford to be.
“Her siblings might not remember her,” she reminded Valhalla, still eying Erythrite to catch any change in her posture or expression, even the most subtle — any sign that she might be lying in wait or plotting something, or that her interest in the topic might truly be genuine. “There isn’t much to say about how it’s done. You have to want it. No one can force it on you. I know of one Prince and three Princesses, and a Royal Knight. They do most of the work. I might be able to direct you to one, if you can be trusted. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you it isn’t always easy to judge an agent’s character. You all like your devious schemes.”
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Erythrite winced, at the pointed questions, and took a brief breath. She should have expected the interrogation; it wasn’t like she had anyone to speak for her and confirm that she was sincere. She didn’t have anyone, really. So she’d have to make her sales pitch all by herself, and hope that it landed.
She could do that.
“She’s right,” she nodded to Ganymede, “they don’t remember me. My sister...she started as one of you, an Order Senshi. Some...stuff happened, I don’t know all the details, and she corrupted into the Negaverse. That’s when she forgot me. That didn’t work out, and she’s since....I guess she purified? But only for a little while? Because she’s in the Dark Mirror now.” She crossed her arms, though the gesture was a little closer to “hugging herself” than any kind of defensive posture, and shrugged. “My little brother started in the Negaverse, but it brought him to a...pretty dark place. He got out a couple years ago, like I said, but he didn’t tell me anything about it before he left and I haven’t been able to track him down since, and I kind of don’t want to.”
She looked Ganymede in the eyes. “Is there any way I can prove to you that I can be trusted? That I really mean it, when I say I want to get out? Because I’ve got a sob story, obviously, but ‘the Negaverse tore my family apart and please, I’m tired, I just want to get out before they decide I’m too much of a treason risk’ is just a lot of words. Is there something I can do] to prove it to you?”
She could do that.
“She’s right,” she nodded to Ganymede, “they don’t remember me. My sister...she started as one of you, an Order Senshi. Some...stuff happened, I don’t know all the details, and she corrupted into the Negaverse. That’s when she forgot me. That didn’t work out, and she’s since....I guess she purified? But only for a little while? Because she’s in the Dark Mirror now.” She crossed her arms, though the gesture was a little closer to “hugging herself” than any kind of defensive posture, and shrugged. “My little brother started in the Negaverse, but it brought him to a...pretty dark place. He got out a couple years ago, like I said, but he didn’t tell me anything about it before he left and I haven’t been able to track him down since, and I kind of don’t want to.”
She looked Ganymede in the eyes. “Is there any way I can prove to you that I can be trusted? That I really mean it, when I say I want to get out? Because I’ve got a sob story, obviously, but ‘the Negaverse tore my family apart and please, I’m tired, I just want to get out before they decide I’m too much of a treason risk’ is just a lot of words. Is there something I can do] to prove it to you?”
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Valhalla glanced down towards Ganymede at her response, knowing she was right but also wanting to help if they could. He knew he should be more careful about who he trusted, but what if this Captain really needed the help and wouldn’t get it from anyone else?
“What do you think?” he asked quietly enough for Ganymede to hear, but hopefully not the Captain. He wasn’t sure how to feel at the moment. To have a family so torn apart by the Negaverse was… miserable to imagine. He wasn’t sure what he would do if anything happened to their family. If something happened to his brothers, or if he didn’t know he could trust them because he wasn’t sure what side they were on in this war…
“There has to be something. I know we don’t know her, but we can’t just let them kill her. If they knew she was talking to us about this,” Valhalla paused and shook his head not wanting to continue the thought.
But he knew it all came down to what Ganymede believed was best. She had the power needed to save this woman, but only if they could really trust her, and that she would not be so miserable in her new life.
“It’s not easy, losing memories,” he said, this time to Erythrite. “My starseed was damaged some years ago. I couldn’t remember years of my life. My memories returned once my starseed healed, but… I haven’t heard of anyone regaining memories after they switch. Not full memories. Are you okay with that?”
“What do you think?” he asked quietly enough for Ganymede to hear, but hopefully not the Captain. He wasn’t sure how to feel at the moment. To have a family so torn apart by the Negaverse was… miserable to imagine. He wasn’t sure what he would do if anything happened to their family. If something happened to his brothers, or if he didn’t know he could trust them because he wasn’t sure what side they were on in this war…
“There has to be something. I know we don’t know her, but we can’t just let them kill her. If they knew she was talking to us about this,” Valhalla paused and shook his head not wanting to continue the thought.
But he knew it all came down to what Ganymede believed was best. She had the power needed to save this woman, but only if they could really trust her, and that she would not be so miserable in her new life.
“It’s not easy, losing memories,” he said, this time to Erythrite. “My starseed was damaged some years ago. I couldn’t remember years of my life. My memories returned once my starseed healed, but… I haven’t heard of anyone regaining memories after they switch. Not full memories. Are you okay with that?”
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Ganymede did her best to hold onto her suspicion. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down, not when Valhalla was so willing to do so, often around the wrong people. She kept her expression distant and her posture defensive, but it was difficult to continue to pretend as if she didn’t care at all. She wasn’t heartless. She had a conscience, and a deep well of sympathy, she simply couldn’t allow herself to forget the danger inherent in these situations.
She spared a quick glance at Valhalla, but couldn’t hold much of a conversation with him while Erythrite could overhear, and she wasn’t about to turn her back on the Captain simply to debate the pros and cons with her husband. Ganymede shrugged, a little helpless. She didn’t know if they could trust Erythrite, but it also wasn’t in her nature to turn someone away when they were asking for help.
“Personally, I’d like more information,” she decided. She kept her voice steady and stern. As much as Erythrite’s sadness was starting to chip away at Ganymede resolve, Ganymede still didn’t think she could afford to be obvious about it. “Before the purification, since you might forget it all after. There’s no telling what memories you’d lose.
“I want to know about the General Kings and Queens,” she continued. “Who they are. Where they come from. What we need to watch out for when dealing with them. I want to know as much as you can tell me about Laurelite.”
Ganymede paused for a moment, forcing her own guilt back. It felt cruel to her to require so much, when all she had to do was make the switch to her Princess form and utilize her crystal. If Erythrite was telling the truth, the purification would work. If she was lying for some reason, trying to draw them into a trap, the purification would fail. For someone she knew better, Ganymede would have been willing to risk it, but she knew nothing about this Captain. Besides, information shouldn’t be hard to come by. Right?
“If you know what Generals have the most influence, I’d like to know that, too. Who should we be concerned about? Which ones might become a bigger issue in the future? That sort of thing. Anything about Metallia would be useful, too.”
But if Erythrite didn’t know, if she had nothing to share… Perhaps Ganymede was being unfair. Maybe she was expecting too much from someone who already seemed so uncertain.
“It doesn’t have to be tonight if you need more time,” she amended, trying for sympathy and understanding when every part of her was telling her to hold back. “We can set up another meeting if you need. There are safe places we can go where the Negaverse won’t be able to find us.”
She spared a quick glance at Valhalla, but couldn’t hold much of a conversation with him while Erythrite could overhear, and she wasn’t about to turn her back on the Captain simply to debate the pros and cons with her husband. Ganymede shrugged, a little helpless. She didn’t know if they could trust Erythrite, but it also wasn’t in her nature to turn someone away when they were asking for help.
“Personally, I’d like more information,” she decided. She kept her voice steady and stern. As much as Erythrite’s sadness was starting to chip away at Ganymede resolve, Ganymede still didn’t think she could afford to be obvious about it. “Before the purification, since you might forget it all after. There’s no telling what memories you’d lose.
“I want to know about the General Kings and Queens,” she continued. “Who they are. Where they come from. What we need to watch out for when dealing with them. I want to know as much as you can tell me about Laurelite.”
Ganymede paused for a moment, forcing her own guilt back. It felt cruel to her to require so much, when all she had to do was make the switch to her Princess form and utilize her crystal. If Erythrite was telling the truth, the purification would work. If she was lying for some reason, trying to draw them into a trap, the purification would fail. For someone she knew better, Ganymede would have been willing to risk it, but she knew nothing about this Captain. Besides, information shouldn’t be hard to come by. Right?
“If you know what Generals have the most influence, I’d like to know that, too. Who should we be concerned about? Which ones might become a bigger issue in the future? That sort of thing. Anything about Metallia would be useful, too.”
But if Erythrite didn’t know, if she had nothing to share… Perhaps Ganymede was being unfair. Maybe she was expecting too much from someone who already seemed so uncertain.
“It doesn’t have to be tonight if you need more time,” she amended, trying for sympathy and understanding when every part of her was telling her to hold back. “We can set up another meeting if you need. There are safe places we can go where the Negaverse won’t be able to find us.”
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Erythrite waited, tensely. This was a negotiation, and she knew it--and she was not the one holding any of the cards. The truth was, she was scared--she knew that eyes had to be on her, with her siblings’ defections, even if both of them were a long while ago, and she had never exactly bene a standout officer. Maybe she was risking too much, trying to get out.
But she had to risk it, didn’t she? She had to hope that if she was honest, and open, and demonstrated that she meant what she said, she would be able to find a door out of the Negaverse. Alex had found one. So had Cait. She would too.
To Valhalla’s question, she let out a brief breath. “I’m aware. My sister forgot me entirely, and I think….I’d be okay with forgetting. I won’t ever be able to see my family again anyway, right? And I don’t really...have anyone else. Truth be told, the fear of what might happen if I stay in the Negaverse? If someone finally decides I’m too risky of an asset to keep around, because my family’s got a pattern of turning traitor? That scares me a lot more than the potential of losing memories.”
Ganymede’s request, though, made her perk up. That, she thought, was a fair trade.
“Answers for answers, right? So, okay. I don’t know too much about the current crop of Generals we’ve got--most of the ones I know are long gone. I worked with Cinnabar for a while, but she got out, I think? I have no idea what happened to the General who brought me in, he’s been gone for years. And I haven’t been assigned to anyone specific for a while. I’ve been doing my best to keep my head down and stay out of everyone’s way.” She shook her head.
“Which means, right now, I’m under General-King Lepidolite. I don’t know everything of what he’s up to, but I do know our job, as a branch, is supposed to be recruitment.” She gave a wan little smile. “Once upon a time, I figured I could use my looks and my wiles to get pretty far, there. Back when I wanted to get far. But he’s a schemer--he and two of the other General-Sovereigns came in from outside the state after you all killed Apatite in that invasion of the Castle, and he’s apparently got a pretty fantastic recruitment record across the country. He’s a big, beefy dude with a big, hefty hammer, and my experience so far has been that he’s a pretty relaxed guy.
“The other two that came with him are Axinite and Hessonite. Axinite runs Information, the intelligence branch. He had...some kind of really awful time at his old assignment. Doesn’t talk about it much that I know, but it was bad, and it’s made him protective of the agents under him. Hessonite….she’s a wild card. Runs Special Operations, and from what I’ve heard, she’s got a heavy hand. Made a lot of agents upset when she came in. She’s young and hotheaded, and that might get in her way.” A brief grin. “She also used to be a Knight, from what I’ve heard. As for Metallia...” Erythrite paused, and shivered.
“I don’t know a lot about her. They don’t want us to know a lot about her. But I’ve seen her in person, once. When she took Laurelite from General-Queen to just...outright Queen of the Negaverse. She was….cold. Terrifying. She came to us in the form of a woman, but I don’t think she’s human at all. She’s just…she’s sapient darkness. A walking nightmare. I wish I could forget what it was like to see her up there, hear her give us orders…” Another full-body shudder. “Other agents worship her, I think. I don’t.”
Erythrite looked between the two of them, feeling her heart pick up speed. This had to be enough. She needed it to be enough.
But she had to risk it, didn’t she? She had to hope that if she was honest, and open, and demonstrated that she meant what she said, she would be able to find a door out of the Negaverse. Alex had found one. So had Cait. She would too.
To Valhalla’s question, she let out a brief breath. “I’m aware. My sister forgot me entirely, and I think….I’d be okay with forgetting. I won’t ever be able to see my family again anyway, right? And I don’t really...have anyone else. Truth be told, the fear of what might happen if I stay in the Negaverse? If someone finally decides I’m too risky of an asset to keep around, because my family’s got a pattern of turning traitor? That scares me a lot more than the potential of losing memories.”
Ganymede’s request, though, made her perk up. That, she thought, was a fair trade.
“Answers for answers, right? So, okay. I don’t know too much about the current crop of Generals we’ve got--most of the ones I know are long gone. I worked with Cinnabar for a while, but she got out, I think? I have no idea what happened to the General who brought me in, he’s been gone for years. And I haven’t been assigned to anyone specific for a while. I’ve been doing my best to keep my head down and stay out of everyone’s way.” She shook her head.
“Which means, right now, I’m under General-King Lepidolite. I don’t know everything of what he’s up to, but I do know our job, as a branch, is supposed to be recruitment.” She gave a wan little smile. “Once upon a time, I figured I could use my looks and my wiles to get pretty far, there. Back when I wanted to get far. But he’s a schemer--he and two of the other General-Sovereigns came in from outside the state after you all killed Apatite in that invasion of the Castle, and he’s apparently got a pretty fantastic recruitment record across the country. He’s a big, beefy dude with a big, hefty hammer, and my experience so far has been that he’s a pretty relaxed guy.
“The other two that came with him are Axinite and Hessonite. Axinite runs Information, the intelligence branch. He had...some kind of really awful time at his old assignment. Doesn’t talk about it much that I know, but it was bad, and it’s made him protective of the agents under him. Hessonite….she’s a wild card. Runs Special Operations, and from what I’ve heard, she’s got a heavy hand. Made a lot of agents upset when she came in. She’s young and hotheaded, and that might get in her way.” A brief grin. “She also used to be a Knight, from what I’ve heard. As for Metallia...” Erythrite paused, and shivered.
“I don’t know a lot about her. They don’t want us to know a lot about her. But I’ve seen her in person, once. When she took Laurelite from General-Queen to just...outright Queen of the Negaverse. She was….cold. Terrifying. She came to us in the form of a woman, but I don’t think she’s human at all. She’s just…she’s sapient darkness. A walking nightmare. I wish I could forget what it was like to see her up there, hear her give us orders…” Another full-body shudder. “Other agents worship her, I think. I don’t.”
Erythrite looked between the two of them, feeling her heart pick up speed. This had to be enough. She needed it to be enough.
xxGuine
copied over the docs logs!
xxSunshine Alouette
this way we can continue things here~
