|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2022 9:40 am
There was a youma. Starlight could feel it. He could feel a Senshi nearby, too, and even though he was a Squire it didn’t mean he was going to be reckless about any of this. Nick and Arias were having something of a date night, and Leah was busy with her own things. He was supposed to be at home drawing or something, but he’d hit a roadblock and just needed to burn up some energy.
He wouldn’t have powered up if he hadn’t had the strange sensation of something off about the area, and his suspicions were confirmed when he felt it.
Immediately, he gravitated towards the Senshi. He didn’t know where the youma was, or if the Senshi was tracking it, but he didn’t want to be caught off guard.
“Hey,” he called, as soon as a person showed up. He hoped youma couldn’t disguise themselves as Senshi, but he supposed he was about to find out.
“Hi, I’m sorry, did you see a youma or anything around here? I felt something weird, kinda got the impression that something bad was going to happen so I thought I should stick around. Oh, I’m Starlight, nice to meet you.”
He hoped.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2022 5:43 pm
Tristan blinked, looking up at the sudden aura and the sudden voice. “God! You scared me! There’s a youma around here you know, I’d keep your voice down if I were you, I mean…Ah. I’m Tristan, Senshi of Trust…actually it’s um. A relief to have help. I’ve never actually fought one while I’ve been a senshi, as shameful as that might sound. But I have almost been killed by one, so there’s that!”
She gave a sheepish grin and her eyes kept flickering around, so sure of the fact that the youma was just going to pop out of nowhere and scare her half to death.
Sure that was what Starlight had just done but…at least he didn’t feel like death crawling over her skin. And he seemed friendly.
“...My magic isn’t offensive at all, so I’m going to do my best, no promises though.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2022 8:05 pm
Oh, the Senshi of Trust? He could trust her, that was a relief. He nodded, more than ready to keep his voice down–especially if it meant they could find this youma and take care of it before it hurt anyone.
“You’ve never fought a youma?” he asked softly, little more than a whisper. He sounded incredulous, but quickly shook his head so she’d know there was no reprimand in his voice. “I keep finding them everywhere. I won’t let you get almost killed by one while we’re together. Um.” He moved a little closer, just to make sure that it didn’t sneak up behind her. If she could have his back, he could have hers.
“If you hit them hard enough, they still get dusted. I’m still not totally sure what my magic does, so we’re in the same boat. But if things get too scary, we should have an escape plan. You good at running?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2022 9:43 pm
“I know right! I’ve never really done much fighting. I’m pretty lousy at the whole business. Used to power up once a year or so but…I’ve been trying to be better.” Tristan kept her own voice low, but couldn’t stop a yelp of surprise when the leaves from a nearby bush rustled, and what looked like a cross between a snake and a ferret came rushing at them.
The thing must have been six feet long, and Tristan wasn’t sure that either of them could actually out run it…and the idea of trying to fight ws…
It was concerning to say the least.
She yelped as it snapped a jaw filled with needle sharp teeth at her ankles and she flung her magic at it, hoping that perhaps it would to the creature…listening to them. Doubtful but. Maybe.
“Can you stomp on it? Can you stomp on it?”
She tried, and she failed miserably, stumbling and nearly falling.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 8:04 am
Well, at least they knew where it was. Starlight was hoping it would have been smaller. And had a lot less teeth. But, this was okay. Maybe. His thoughts were pending. For now, he just gripped his paintbrush tightly and wished he understood his magic.
“I can stomp on it,” he promised, and while it was trying to get at her, he jumped up and came down, hard on the nasty little thing. “It’s gonna be okay!”
He hoped! He’d just said she was going to be fine with him, he couldn’t mess this up so soon!
Starlight wasn’t aggressive, not unless he was backed into a corner, but this was close enough!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 4:01 pm
The magic did seem to have some effect on the Youma, it grew a little slower once it hit, eyes narrowing in some confusion as it regarded the senshi and the Squire.
When the pair of feet began to stomp on it though, it hissed angrily, the moment of docility ended, and when another pair of feet came down right on the creature’s head, accompanied with a squeal of terror and…some excitement, it cried out in pain and felt itself slipping, turning to a long line of dust a moment later.
Tristan blew out a breath and looked at Starlight with wide, bright eyes. “...Oh my god. We did it! You stomped it so good!”
She flung her arms out and hugged the younger boy, clearly just pleased to death that they were both alive. Thankfully the youma wasn’t too strong even if it was big.
“That was exciting!” And terrifying.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 6:03 pm
Starlight was visibly flustered; his hair was standing on edge and he didn’t seem to believe that they’d done it, not like that! That was easy, like how Whisler made it look. And he had done it–they had done it! Was it goofy to want to celebrate? To want to text Whisler and tell him?
Oh, probably. He might worry, too. And think Starlight was uncool. He’d have to casually bring it up later and not act like he was really proud of it.
He smiled at Tristan and gave off a bit more confidence than he felt and returned the embrace. “I told you we’d be okay!”
Had he? Or had he just told himself that? It didn’t matter, they did it.
“You did a really good job, I’m proud of you!”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 6:38 pm
Tristan nodded. “You did too! Oh my god, I thought for sure this was the end.” She gave a little laugh and drew away from Starlight, looking at the long thin line of dust that was quickly being blown away as a breeze chilled the air.
“If you ever want someone to patrol with, you seem like you’re really good at this! I’d love to be friends, seriously. Having someone so skilled with me would be a weight off my shoulders!”
She meant every word. And since she didn’t have Mizuki…since she still couldn’t find the other senshi, this Squire would be good to have as well.
Assuming she really kept up this patrolling schedule.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 9:01 pm
He blinked and couldn’t help but smile. “You want to? I mean, I can’t guarantee that every time is going to be like that, but I think it’s better to have backup. Usually I go out patrolling with my–”
He had to quickly bite his tongue before he said something embarrassing.
“--Family. Um. It’s complicated. Do you–uh, I don’t have any paper on me, or I’d give you my phone number. I’d like to try doing this in different ways. Maybe my mentor won’t have to baby sit me every time I come out. He’ll probably be relieved to hear that, um.” He shook his head and had to rub at his face to try and ground himself.
“I’m not that skilled. But I’m working hard to get there. And maybe we could work together and help each other get stronger, so that sounds like a good plan to me if that’s something you want to do.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 9:10 pm
Tristan nodded and grinned. “That’s so cool that your family does all of this too!” She glanced around and then let her powered form drop, drawing her cell phone out. “I’m Cadence! If you know your number you can pop it into my phone and I can text you when I’m planning on going out again!”
She held out a smart phone and unlocked it, grinning broadly at him.
“If you’re not comfortable with that, it’s fine! We can just arrange some time to meet up again!”
Maybe it wasn’t the smartest to just reveal herself in every interaction but…maybe one of these friends would stick.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 9:18 pm
Oh, that was easy. He hesitated for a moment and then joined her in powering down; it wasn’t worth it for anyone to see her interacting with him and put a target over her head, and now that they’d caught the youma he probably didn’t need to draw any more attention to himself. He’d had enough trouble for one night already.
“Caius,” he introduced, and accepted her phone. He worked deftly, obviously no stranger to navigating a phone.
“I’m fine with this. You’re the Senshi of Trust,” he reminded. “I don’t think the universe would be so cruel, you seem like a great person. I put a star emoji in front of my name so you can find me easier. If you want to go patrol or something–if you need backup or you’re bored, you can text. I don’t have a whole lot of friends, powered or otherwise. But my family told me I should make some. I’m ‘at that age’, you know.”
Whatever that meant.
He was pretty sure they just wanted him to realize that they weren’t giving him up and were trying to encourage him to plant his roots but he wasn’t sure he was quite there yet.
This was a start, though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2022 12:39 pm
Cadence laughed, nodding. “At that age. Well, I hope that means that soon you’ll have lots of friends!” She took her phone back and quickly sent a text message to the number he had put in her phone, one with a smile face at the end, and then sent a gif of a dumb looking purple blob.
“It’s really nice to meet you, Caius! And thank you for being so awesome and fighting with me. I hope we can do this again soon, only without such a large youma. And of course I hope that we win. Obviously.”
She beamed and gave a little wave. “I’ll see you soon! Be safe going home, and tell your fam that you made a new friend, so they can stop picking on you!” Not that she really thought that they were picking on him, but. Whatever.
Turning, Cadence broke into a run, hoping to get home before she turned into a popsicle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
