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 Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 4:33 pm
Valjean had not yet stepped out on his own, while powered up. He knew he needed to; knew he needed to get familiar with what it meant to be a Senshi, and what his magic could do. He felt....that it may have changed, shifted with the powers of Chaos at his fingertips.
Unfortunate, that, since he knew Faustite had found his magic valuable.
But he would have to test and prove the viability of his new magic. And demonstrate that he was otherwise a worthy recruit to the Negaverse. To that end, he'd set a sort of lure on an empty street--an unconscious civilian on a bench. Their starseed in his hand.
He could feel an Order aura. Interesting--would they be willing to approach and challenge him? Or would they flee?
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 5:00 pm
Ingrid knew that she was being more than a little silly of making her way to the chaos aura eagerly, but she hoped that it was Ferris. She wanted to see her friend again and wanted to talk to her…but if it wasn’t Ferris. At least it would be someone else willing to talk, she thought at least.
So, when the Senshi of Holly saw that it was a stranger she was approaching…a stranger who held a faintly glowing gem in his hand with a prone figure laying on the bench, she slowed in her hurry, beginning to frown slightly.
He…didn’t look too terribly mean. And actually, he was quite handsome, enough that as her eyes took in his fuku and hair, she felt her cheeks growing warm, not that she would admit it.
But…as to what he was holding…
She stopped a few feet away from him, eyes now on the starseed. “...What…is that?” Her curiosity was getting very much in the way of any manners that she would have had…but.
The look of it…bothered Ingrid more than a little bit.
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 6:57 pm
Valjean smiled at the Senshi who approached him. She was pretty, certainly, and apparently very, very green.
"This," Valjean said, and he tossed the starseed from one hand to the other, "is what's called a starseed. It belongs to the gentleman next to me, and if it doesn't go back into his chest, he will definitely die."
He said it like he was describing the weather, not talking about ending a human life.
"Unfortunately, sometimes the Negaverse requires sacrifices from ordinary citizens for the protection we provide this city." He regarded her with interest, and curiosity. What, exactly, would she do, confronted by this?
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 7:22 pm
Ingrid paused and stared at the gem, watching as he tossed it from one hand to another and swallowed hard in what might have been fear. “...What…did he do to you? Did he hurt you? Or say something that offended you? Is that why you took it?”
She drew a step closer, not quite knowing if she was going to try to take the starseed back or just…try to get more information on what he needed it for…
“...How does…the starseed help you? What does it do that you need to take it…and why will he die? Don’t…you feel bad about it at all?”
Truthfully, she couldn’t quite picture Ferris talking about killing someone so blithely…Ferris said she didn’t like killing at all so…maybe not everyone…had to do it?
“Do you have to kill? To be in the Negaverse? Is it…like a requirement? Or can you leave that to others to do…?”
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2022 8:14 pm
"Put his hand on my a**," Valjean said, dryly. It was even the truth--the man had been drunk, and handsy, and didn't particularly respect the word "no," even coming from someone bigger than him.
Valjean didn't want to guess what he'd have done to someone smaller or more delicate, who couldn't enforce their "no" with murder.
"Starseeds provide us with energy. My General in particular requires them, as he's half-youma," which wasn't entirely the truth, but was close enough for the situation, "and human food doesn't supply all the nutrition he needs. They can also be used for healing, but only sparingly--eating too many is dangerous."
No reason to obscure the facts, especially since she seemed sympathetic.
"So no, I don't feel bad. It's a necessary sacrifice, as I said." He shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose you could be an officer and never kill, but you would be depriving yourself of resources, and there would be missions you would be unable to perform." He smiled, a bit more predatory. "Why, are you interested in joining?"
Perhaps he could deliver her to Faustite. Prove his worth.
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2022 6:41 am
It wasn’t an answer that Ingrid had been expecting, and it made her pause, somewhat confused, and more than a little embarrassed. “...Are you okay? That. That’s incredibly rude and I can see why you don’t feel bad in taking it. I know there are a lot of people in the world who must wish they can just…stop assaults so easily…”
Hesitating for a moment, Ingrid moved just a little closer. “...I don’t…know. I’m still considering my options but…It’s nice to learn more…um…but…is there any way I can…persuade you to put it back? I’m not sure…I mean, I know that he deserves it…but…maybe…I don’t know…we could not kill him?”
Ingrid shrugged. “...Or just…even…put it back now and…take it again when I leave just…I’m pretty sure I’m going to feel a lot of guilt about this and I have enough bad things on my mind at any given moment so…it would really make me happy if you…could?”
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2022 3:58 pm
"Oh, I'm fine," Valjean said, and he shrugged, juggling the starseed between his hands again. "I think he mistook me for a sex worker, and frankly, if that's how he treats them, he deserves this."
He tilted his head to the side. Looked thoughtful, and slowly, a smile drew its way across his face.
"How about this?" Valjean said, and he held the starseed close. "I'll put it back, and unleash this miserable menace back on the world, to assuage your guilt--but you have to come with me, and accept joining the Negaverse. Your service for his life. A fair trade, don't you think?"
This, Valjean thought, was going to be very interesting.
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2022 4:01 pm
Ingrid was quiet, brows furrowing slightly as she thought about it. Honestly thought about the choice like it was one that…required thinking. But. Finally.
“How long will he last without it? I’m…not ready to just pledge myself yet. I don’t…want to just vanish on my family like my brother did. I don’t want to just…go missing and have them worry. And there would be things I would want to bring with me…I…I’m going to assume…that things would change? What will happen to me if I go over? Will I still be me?”
She…shouldn’t be considering the offer so much…but she couldn’t quite help it.
“Will I be required to kill, or can I trust you to do that for me? I don’t think I want to take lives.”
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2022 4:13 pm
Oh. Valjean could not help but feel incredibly smug. Part of him couldn't believe she was actually considering it, but at the same time, well...
It was a good offer, wasn't it?
"You won't be yourself anymore, no," Valjean said, "but how much you lose is entirely dependent on how cooperative you are." He crossed one leg over the other. "I lost all my memories, because I fought it. Stupid," he said, "but I suppose I didn't realize what a good deal I was getting."
He hummed. Reached over. Shoved the starseed back into the civilian's chest.
"Consider that a gesture of good faith," he said, and he stood up. "We should go, before he finishes waking up. Find somewhere more private to discuss this."
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2022 4:43 pm
Ingrid watched with some fascination as he shoved the small gem back into the unconscious person. Hesitating, she frowned. “...How does that even work? How can a little jewel keep someone alive or kill them but…yeah. All right. I’ll follow you. But I can’t go tonight. But I’m happy to keep talking.”
She should run. She should attack him and run…or attack him and try to grab the civilian and run but…
No, that would only end poorly for everyone involved and she wasn’t that great of a runner, so instead, she crossed the distance between herself and the corrupted senshi, making a slightly confused, slightly unhappy…almost smile at him.
“...Lead the way.”
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