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 Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 6:35 am
Soleiyu arrived fifteen minutes after Jeremy had left, not because he was waiting for it but because he had the dual task of collecting a slew of necessities and making his way across town to see Michael.
Devyn had a way of speaking that was both flattering and alarming, and Soleiyu couldn’t even be upset that he was being asked for more help because he liked how much he seemed to be appreciated for it. Even though he usually got harassed for not upgrading Devyn by the end of any of their meetings, it sounded like they’d found themselves in another pickle.
Typical, he supposed, but he couldn’t blame anyone if their heart was in the right place. He just needed to make sure they didn’t get into any sort of trouble, he needed Knights and Senshi to be out and about making Destiny City safer.
He’d shoved what he could in his subspace and had to make careful decisions on what he might need to leave behind; he didn’t have much time to plan before he’d taken off. The phone call had been short; he knew his phone and Devyn’s were safe, so he wasn’t afraid of someone overhearing, but it sounded like they were preoccupied trying to make a reasonable plan and get everything ready. He’d gotten a brief run down of what they were asking, and he’d agreed that it seemed feasible. So, he was just here to play his part.
He checked Chad’s pen before he headed over and so far as he could tell everything seemed like it was still functioning.
He told himself he wasn’t worried, but it was easy to get flustered when it was important.
Grateful for Michael’s cameras, he didn’t have to demean himself by pawing on the door or jumping up to ring the doorbell, he just settled himself expectantly and waited to be let in.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 6:53 am
It didn’t take very long for Michael to open the door to let Soleiyu in, and he nodded at the Mauvian in greeting. He hadn’t had much experience with Mauvians. Hadn’t needed their help other than upgrades to his centuries old magical items every so often. But even if he wasn’t a Senshi, he understood their importance. Or at least as much as he could understand it.
Without them, Senshi couldn’t awaken. Maybe Senshi had been reborn on Earth, or elsewhere, before, but without a Mauvian… well, they were not better off than Caedus had been without one.
“Thanks for coming over so quickly. I wasn’t sure what you like, but I made some salmon last night, so we have some leftovers. And some smoked trout. Oh, and various deli meats and cheeses if you’d like… a pile of that.”
Did cats eat sandwiches? Well, he thought it was polite to at least offer him something to eat. As for a drink, he’d already pulled a glass mixing bowl out, because it was wider than a normal bowl and Michael knew how fluffy Soleiyu was, and filled it with some of the refrigerated, purified water.
“Would you like a sandwich?” he asked Devyn, because it would be rude if he only offered one to Soleiyu.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 6:59 am
Devyn glanced up; he’d been distracted by his phone, again. There were no messages whatsoever, and now he was torn. If Chad was fine, he’d have said something, right? He wrote little messages all the time. But he hadn’t written anything. Was he mad? Should he have done something different to protect him? –Was he upset that he hadn’t done more? Was he let down?
“No, I’m fine,” he answered, and had to force himself not to look at his phone again. “Thank you.”
Soleiyu gave him a look, if only because he’d never known Devyn to turn down food, but maybe he’d finally settled into a more normal schedule since the last time they’d met.
“You can keep your pile of meats and cheeses, thank you. I don’t want to get into anything, especially since you two seem so worried. I’ll want to borrow your phone for a minute, Devyn. I can track where the pen is right now on my device without the GPS button being pressed, I can just make a little update for you so you know where he is if there’s an emergency. Just for right now, since you’re worried about him. Are you two just extra worried because it’s in your nature or are you really thinking he might get hurt tonight? I don’t mind being an extra pair of eyes spying to keep you two out of trouble, don’t get me wrong, I just want to be prepared.”
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:09 am
Michael frowned, although he made sure he wasn’t looking directly at Devyn as he did so. It was pretty clear that Devyn was distracted if he didn’t want food. He was always hungry. But Michael understood him being worried about Chad. Michael was worried, too.
As for Soleiyu commenting about it being in their nature to be extra worried, Michael gave him a look.
“We don’t know if he’ll be hurt, but I have a bad feeling,” he admitted. If Chad’s father was vengeful, who knew what he planned on doing.
Maybe Jeremy was right. Maybe Chad’s father really just wanted the best for Chad but didn’t know what he was doing. Or something. It seemed a little too optimistic for him, and he knew that Devyn had bad feelings about the whole thing too. Especially since Chad hadn’t messaged anything yet.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:19 am
“Well, that’s good enough for me,” Soleiyu sighed. “In this City, you never know what’s going to happen. Better to be safe than sorry. I can set up camp for tonight near his place and keep an eye on things. If anything’s wrong, I’ll send you an alarm so you can do whatever you need.”
Soleiyu didn’t seem too worried, but he also seemed like he might have kept it to himself if he was. He was confident in himself and confident in them, at least.
“If nothing happens, at least we were ready for it. Maybe they can help him tomorrow. Though whatever legal venues they have. But if you really are this worried, I might just set up some extra cameras to keep an eye on things. You know, just to make sure.”
He was a Mauvian, so it wasn’t creepy.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:43 am
Devyn was being quiet, and while Soleiyu was doing his best to reassure them and offer plans for how they could take care of things, Michael couldn’t help but worry about his friend.
He knew Devyn had taken a liking to Chad, or at least in a protective sense. He’d wanted to make sure he was safe since meeting him. He’d mended his clothes, patched up his wounds, and had asked Soleiyu to make that pen for him. Not only that, but Chad had been sending little notes to Devyn ever since getting the pen. Michael knew because Devyn showed him each time he got a new message. Chad called for Devyn when he needed help, and had likely been the one to make the bracelet he was wearing.
Chad seemed to like Devyn just as much, and if he didn’t have Elliot or Oliver or Asher, Michael suspected that Devyn would easily be the one Chad would always go to for help, or even just company.
“What about Devyn? If something happens, he’s better off having his full power,” Michael said, because it was true. He knew that Soleiyu would probably say that Devyn’s starseed wasn’t ready, but if something did happen, an Eternal being there would be much better than a Super Senshi.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:48 am
Ah, there was the question.
Soleiyu had expected it, of course, and though he sighed he wasn’t even agitated about it. “I don’t know, do you want me to check it again? I’m not going to do anything that might damage you. A healing starseed is better than a cracked one, so I’d rather a Super Senshi than a broken one.”
Devyn had glanced up, away from the phone again. “He’s just a man, I don’t think I’d have a problem if I wasn’t powered up at all.”
“No, but if you had to go to Alastor? If you had to protect Chad there until everything cleared up down here?” Soleiyu pressed, and he saw the way Devyn’s jaw clenched just slightly. “I can check now. It won’t be hard for me to smother your aura if you power up here.”
Devyn immediately looked to Michael, like he knew this was a horrible idea. Don’t power up in the house, Michael had said as much, and Devyn wasn’t going to do anything to risk that.
Soleiyu must have sensed his alarm because he also looked to Michael, “Well, I can do it on the street when you walk me over to Chad’s if you want, but at least if we’re here it’s behind closed doors. I’m good at what I do, and if it’s just for a minute or two, it’s hardly even any drain on me.”
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 8:29 am
There was immediate alarm for Michael, but the only thing about him that changed was a slight stiffness in his shoulders. Devyn would know. Maybe even Soleiyu, since he was good at picking up on things like that. Others he doubted would be as observant.
Michael tried relaxing a little, and tipped his head to the side enough to relieve at least a little tension in his neck. Even if it cracked at the same time. And then he closed his eyes, not because he was avoiding Devyn or Soleiyu, but because he was trying desperately to sense anything that might be around them. Even just a little.
“If I can feel your aura at all...” he said as he glanced over at Devyn. He didn’t have to say anything more. There was nothing but trust in his voice, because beyond the wariness and caution, he knew that Devyn would power down the moment Michael asked him to, if there was any chance that Soleiyu couldn’t smoother out the aura.
He knew it would be more of a risk to do it out in the open. They were at least safe here. Not that his walls would stop an agent from teleporting, but they wouldn’t be able to see who they were.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 8:35 am
“I don’t have to do it here. I can go to the park,” Devyn said instead, because he saw that look on Michael immediately and he didn’t want to be responsible for giving him one more thing to worry about tonight. Even if Michael trusted him, he didn’t want to lay any extra burden on his shoulders.
“We can,” Soleiyu agreed. “I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t confident that I could handle it, but I understand. I’ve got a lot of people back home so I know what I’m capable of. Not that we power up there, they’re safe. But,” he looked at Michael very seriously, “You’ve trusted me before, so I’d hope you know I wouldn’t make that claim if I wasn’t absolutely positive that I could handle it. If there’s nothing I can do, that’s that, we’ll all know.”
He shrugged, because he really didn’t anticipate that Devyn was any closer today than he was last week, but he did know that he’d been taking it all very seriously and asking for advice.
And, of course, Devyn wanted to know. Didn’t want to upset Michael but didn’t want to waste the free time that they had now while things were calm. He didn’t want to risk that something might be happening later and he might need that power.
“If we do it now and get it over with, we can focus on the technology I’ll need to bring with me and make an action plan later, so the sooner we get it out of the way, the better,” Soleiyu encouraged.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 8:43 am
Michael glanced up to look at Devyn more fully now, and whatever tension he still had in his shoulders eased. Not because he wasn’t worried about someone feeling Devyn’s aura while he was powered up, but because Devyn was always so thoughtful.
Soleiyu was right. They would be wasting time if they went all the way to the park just to find out that Devyn still needed more time. They could be using that time to figure out a way to help Chad, instead.
“It’s okay,” he said, with a nod to Devyn, and then to Soleiyu. He was still anxious, but he knew the risks and he would try very hard to trust in Soleiyu’s Mauvian magic. Yes, he had trusted him before, but it wasn’t a natural trust like with Devyn, but one he was actively working on. So far Soleiyu hadn’t let them down…
“If you would be comfortable having one of your own do this inside your home, Soleiyu, then I’ll trust you.”
If it wasn’t something Soleiyu would have his own people do, well.. Michael sure as hell wouldn’t want him experimenting with Devyn.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 8:49 am
Soleiyu’s confidence was convincing enough that Devyn would have trusted him, too–not just out of any sort of desperation but because he said he could do it.
And Michael was willing to give him a chance. Devyn mostly trusted Soleiyu, but he trusted Michael more, so when he said it was okay, Devyn figured it was okay.
Devyn set his phone down on the table so that if Chad sent a message while he was powered up, he wouldn’t miss it. He always had his pen on him, and by the time he’d stood up it was already in his hand.
“I’ll go fast,” Soleiyu promised, because he really didn’t expect this to go any differently than any other time, even if he was ready to argue that Devyn needed to be patient.
Except, it wasn’t like every other time, because suddenly there was a Super Senshi in front of him, and Soleiyu could feel it.
Even while he was suppressing the energy signature completely, he could feel the familiar warmth of a starseed bursting with power. Devyn’s felt different, like some beast trapped in a cage, scratching desperately to get out.
“Oh. Well, I can see that you two have been busy.”
Alastor looked at him, expecting the same news he’d been given before, but Soleiyu didn’t argue. “Give me the pen, I can make this work.”
Only once did Alastor shift positions because he’d never get comfortable with handing over his pen, but they trusted Soleiyu, so he did. It took seconds, maybe a minute, and then Soleiyu was handing it back. He didn’t even have time to tell Alastor what to do before he’d already done it.
Because he knew.
The transition was comfortable, familiar. He still remembered the first time he’d been granted the title of Eternal Senshi. He remembered the years he’d served as one.
This felt right.
For a second, he closed his eyes and let himself relax. Let himself appreciate the perfect fit of an outfit he hadn't forgotten. He didn’t have time to scrutinize it or examine it, because as soon as he’d released one calming breath, he’d powered down again.
He didn’t want to make Michael uncomfortable or risk something going wrong and someone finding out he was there.
“Thank you,” he said. To Soleiyu. To Michael.
He didn’t put the pen down, though, like it was taking a little extra time just to settle in. “I can’t promise it won’t keep me out of trouble, but I appreciate it.” And, maybe Michael could relax a little more.
Or–worry more, maybe, since Devyn already had a habit of finding trouble.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 9:09 am
Michael almost wished that he’d have more time to take everything in. He’d been focusing hard on trying to feel any aura, in case their position was compromised, but when Soleiyu took Devyn’s pen, Michael was not only glad that he’d asked, but relieved that Devyn was finally ready to receive his powers back.
Wings and silk in black and bold blues and greens and gold --
He would have to look Alastor over more thoroughly later. Not because he was interested! He was just sure that Devyn would want to show off or something.
But he did look at Devyn with barely contained pride. He didn’t want to start showering him with praise while they had more important things to do, like make sure Chad was okay, but he couldn’t help but be impressed.
“Thank you, Soleiyu. At least now we won’t be bothering you about giving him his power back,” he pointed out, but then glanced back to Devyn with utmost fondness.
“Maybe it won’t keep you out of trouble, but I’m hoping it will stop others from wanting to cause trouble,” he said. If there was an Eternal Senshi around to make them change their mind about what they were going to do, then that was the best Michael could ask for.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 9:16 am
There was a brief moment where Devyn let himself feel pride, and if he hadn’t been thinking about Chad he most certainly would have been gloating about his power, showing off his outfit. He’d have probably found an excuse to drag Michael out so he could show off his outfit and give it a proper inspection, and probably tell him stories about every little thing on it, because how could he not.
…But tonight it was more important to make sure Chad was all right. He couldn’t imagine there would be anything to celebrate if something had happened to him.
“I’m sure you’ll find something else to pester me about. Although, I’d be disappointed if you didn’t. Especially because I’ve got a table and a half full of projects for Devyn already. Some of them are finished but they’re too big for me to carry over so you might have to come pick them up.”
Devyn nodded and offered another word of thanks, because he knew he’d been asking for a lot but Soleiyu huffed and puffed and then demanded to be involved. “Thank you for those, too.”
Soleiyu shrugged, but it was obvious by the way that his tail twitched that he appreciated the praise.
And, for the first time since Devyn had gotten home, he managed a quick smile. It wasn’t really happy, it wasn’t stress-free. But, it was a little more hopeful than before. “Well, if it doesn’t keep me out of trouble, maybe it’ll keep someone else, you’re right.”
He probably wouldn’t have gotten here without Michael. Wouldn’t have gotten here this quickly, or had this many resources, so he had a lot that he wanted to say to him. Just, maybe not now. Maybe when he got confirmation that everything was okay, or–well, whenever he knew that Chad was safe.
He reached to check that his wedding ring was still on his necklace–a habit he might not ever shake–and checked his phone despite the fact that he knew there hadn’t been any new messages. “I’ll have to do something nice for you to make up for all of this.”
Maybe he meant for Soleiyu, too, but he was looking at Michael when he said it.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 9:21 am
“If you do get into trouble, you know I’ll help,” he snorted softly. There wasn’t much to be amused about, but he knew how Devyn was. If he got into trouble, then obviously Michael would just have to do something about it.
And his offer of doing something nice for him…? Michael’s lip twitched and he lifted his shoulders in a slow shrug.
“Don’t mention it. Besides, you did most of the work on your own. I think it’s well deserved.”
Devyn was back to his power from before, which meant that once they figured out how to help Chad maybe they would be able to figure out how to help Alastor itself. He knew it would probably take time, and a lot of planning, but one day they would be able to rid Alastor of its Chaos.
A moment of panic set in, because what if they couldn’t? What if something happened to Devyn once they restored the world? Was the Chaos the only thing keeping him young like he was? Would his world want to start over once it was freed?
They had no way of knowing, but Michael had to reach for his own necklace to hold and feel the steady beat. He didn’t think his heart would be able to handle losing Devyn… But he would do everything he could to make sure Devyn’s goals were reached.
“Should we get started?” he asked, nodding to Soleiyu to indicate that he was ready to help set up whatever was necessary to keep Chad safe.
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