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 Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:17 am
Amidst all the strange happenings in Destiny City, Arnica knew he couldn’t just sit around and do nothing. Just because he had access to magical powers and a magical world didn’t mean he could let all the other anomalies just happen around him without proper investigation.
He’d been researching the strange tears in space but he hadn’t been sucked in or really figured out any of what that was all about.
Maybe he’d just been a little distracted of late–especially with his sisters being how they were.
Tonight had been mostly unimpressive, and might have been disappointing if there wasn’t a Corrupted Senshi’s energy signature prickling on his radar.
He could have avoided it. Could have just popped into Mirrorspace or headed home.
But, he was bored and curious, and the two together were usually enough to get him into some sort of trouble. Maybe he’d get lucky and find something interesting tonight. And, if not, at least he couldn’t say he hadn’t tried.
When he spotted her, she appeared to be reading something, and he couldn’t help but think that might have been a little dangerous, especially because she hadn’t even looked up.
So, he approached with caution, and when he was near enough to her he asked, “Good book?”
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Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:10 am
Helena had been enamored by the book that the merchant had given her. Even more so due to the fact that it was from the library on Helena, though…she wasn’t quite sure how he had come to take it from the library but…that was besides the point. And the fact that she couldn't read the text didn’t really matter either, the images were fascinating enough to look at that the words were meaningless.
She had felt the other aura, but as it wasn’t one of order, she hadn’t thought much about it, at least until the voice spoke from far too close and she jumped, her glasses slipping down her nose.
“I…yes.” She looked at the senshi and pushed her glasses up her nose, tilting her head as she took in his…well. Everything.
“You’re one of those others right? The mirror senshi? Never met one of you, but you have style, I’ll tell you that. The book is very good. Traded a head whisk for it, it’s got lots of different space monsters and creatures. Can’t read it, but the pictures and diagrams are fantastic.”
Helena hesitated and held the book out to the stranger, shrugging. “I’m Helena. Negaverse Senshi of Wit.”
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Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:54 am
Arnica raised a hand in apology and offered a quick, “Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. You looked like you were really interested, I thought it might be worse if I walked in front of you without saying anything.”
Of course, she was offering him the book to look at, and how could he resist?
He accepted it with both hands as he introduced, “I’m Arnica. Dark Mirror Senshi of Mandragora. Can I sit next to you?”
There was room on the bench, and he waited to make sure it was okay before he sat down next to her. He crossed one ankle over his knee so he could prop the book up so they could both see.
“It’s nice to meet you. Your book looks neat. These creatures look neat. How old is this thing?”
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Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 12:02 pm
“It’s old, I know that much. The guy said he found it in the library on my homeworld at some point so, I don’t know if he just robs places or what but. I’m not complaining since I can’t get up there anymore.” Helena grinned, nodding eagerly. “I love it! It’s so interesting how some of the creatures look kind of what some of the Earth cryptids look like, like…” Yanking the book back she flipped through some of the pages and pointed to a shadowy, winged creature with bright eyes. “Tell me this isn’t mothman? Like. You can’t tell me it isn’t because it has to be!”
Helena grew more excited as she spoke and then sighed. “If I could have traded him for some kind of a translation device, I would have. Maybe I should have but when I tried going back, his little lair was gone so…guess he’s off robbing for a while.”
She gave a heavy sigh and winced, handing the book back. “Sorry about just. Snatching it. I got excited. I love cryptids and creepy stuff. I’m starting to relearn that about me.”
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Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 12:15 pm
His eyes snapped up to her face briefly to make sure she wasn’t just teasing him, but when she seemed sincere, his interest increased. She’d snatched it away so quickly that he was worried he’d done something wrong, or that she’d changed her mind, but when she apologized he couldn’t help but smile.
“No, I totally get it. That’s so neat. I didn’t meet any weird magical space thieves, I’m really jealous! I’m usually in on all the good gossip. I love that sort of thing–cryptids and monsters and folk legends. I mean, there’s a grain of truth at the core of every story, I think. I was investigating all this weird stuff even before I became a Dark Mirror Senshi–and there’s still so much we don’t know. What sort of creepy things do you like? –Like haunted houses? Like, if I told you I like to investigate them, would you be interested in that? Or only mothmen?”
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Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 2:34 pm
She blinked and broke into an eager smile. “Wait, you really investigate things like that? I would be completely down to help you if you’d want company.” Helena felt a strange new excitement. This…was something she must have really loved before.
Hopefully Aimee wouldn’t see any issues with her picking it back up.
“I think…I think I’d prefer looking for creatures, but if you’re in the market for investigating haunted houses, I’d be happy to come with you if you’d want to come with me to search for cryptids in the city. Though…I suppose most of the cryptids in the city were just youma…I do understand that now but…” She shrugged. “Maybe we’ll get lucky.”
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Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 3:20 pm
“I’m in the market for investigating all sorts of things. Haunted houses, local lore, unsolved mysteries. A lot of the cryptids I’ve seen reports on really do just seem like youma, but there are more that aren’t. Like–you know those rumors about the thing at the reservoir? I’ve been there a few times but–you know, how you can sense a youma? I never have. But I’ve seen things out there. I’m on some pretty underground forums. Here,” he paused and fished around in his subspace for a moment before he pulled out a blank white card with an email address on it. “Shoot me a message, you can keep it vague. Tell me you’re the girl with the bestiary and we can set up a time to meet. I love this book though.”
He’d flipped through a few more pages. “I should really suck up to a few more White Moon Senshi. I mean, I don’t even think they’ve got livable worlds or anything, but. If things like this could exist on your world, I don’t see why they couldn’t exist here, too. And with aliens and magic here already–it’s really no surprise that old, powerful, or strange things could be hiding right under our nose. I can’t help that I want to find them.”
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Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 3:29 pm
Helena snorted softly. “Don’t suck up too much to them that you join them, that would be bad for everyone around, and no matter if we’re friends or not, I would have to kill you.”
She took the card and grinned, nodding. “I’ll be in touch, and if you want to borrow the book, I’ll be sure to bring it the next time we hang out and you’ll be welcome to it, but…I just got it so I can’t let you have it just yet.” Winking, Helena got to her feet and slid the book away from him again, slipping it into her subspace pocket. “Just think of it as my payment for you not cozying up too much with the White Moon~”
With a slightly feral grin, Helena chose that moment to teleport, and was just gone.
She was happy though…and excited and planned to go right home and write an email to her new friend. The sooner they could hang out again, the better.
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