There was nobody out to talk to…and Retzian did have a quota to keep up with, so when she saw the sleeping transient she sighed and stood against a tree, slowly pulling energy from the dirty, hairy man and sighing as she glanced up through the trees to the moon.
It was lovely tonight, bright and big...
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden flare of an aura nearby, and with a scoff, Retzian cut off the stream of energy, slipping the orb into her subspace pocket so that she didn’t lose it if whoever it was decided to attack.
“Let me guess, you’re here to stop me from doing my evil deeds and chastise me for taking energy from this poor hobo here who has nothing but the smelly clothes on his back and going to tell me I should be better? Is that your spiel today, whoever you are?”
She sounded bored, but her whip was summoned to her hand, just in case.
At least whoever it was wasn’t stronger than she was. That had to count for something.
Lizbot
Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:54 pm
Hestia had been lurking on top of a nearby wall, angled and ready to snipe the agent with a blinding flash. She just needed to know if there was a starseed at risk, if the body was simply drained or in one of those terrible comas. The senshi rocked back on heels when the woman started talking, relaxing at taking energy.
She considered the question and then considered her answer. Or at least how she should answer, how a Hestian should answer. Hestia decided to move in closer, getting within normal speaking range, though not quite within weapon range.
"If you asked him, and offered compensation, he'd probably consent. There are always less harmful ways to get what you need." Hestian belief embraced the needs of others, not dismissing or shaming them. But needs that bring harm should be...well, decluttered.
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Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:01 pm
“And I would offer compensation why??” Retzian snorted, shaking her head. “He was sleeping anyway, it’ll come back and he’ll go right back to panhandling and stinking up the general area around him, if anything, I’ve done him a favor of a good nights sleep and he should thank me. Don’t you think?”
Her thumb rubbed up and down the hilt of her small cat o’ nine tails and she tilted her head, looking the Senshi over with some amusement.
“...Did you just come from one of those maid cafe’s or something?
…Not that there was anything wrong with the maid cafe’s. In fact, they were a great place to people watch and you got great service from the wait staff. And it was fun.
Lizbot
Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:09 pm
"What's not yours is not yours. You don't seem to respect this man very much," Hestia glanced at him and for a brief moment, her solemn expression scrunched up a bit before smoothing out once more. The urge to give people baths was not one that could be indulged at will. Unless those people were also cats. "It wasn't done out of care for him. Acts like these are debris. They clutter your life and the lives of others."
Placing her hands on her hip, eyes flickering to the weapon, the senshi stated proudly, "I'm Hestia, the Senshi of Housekeeping."
Sure it wasn't as intimidating as some spheres, and there was a time she would have swapped for Senshi of Grievous Bodily Harm in a heartbeat. But hers was a noble one.
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Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:15 pm
Retzian blinked slowly, trying to process what this Senshi of…housekeeping was trying to say to her. It was English sure, but…
…it was a level of cryptic that she wasn’t fully equipped to handle at the moment, so she pivoted.
“Do you want applause for that? Congrats for being the Senshi of cleaning and all that, hey.”
The Captain’s eyes brightened after a moment and she took a half step towards Hestia, looking her over. “Just…a question. But. What would it take for you to give up being a Senshi and to embrace Chaos and join with the Negaverse? If you were going to, would you rather do it of your own will or…be forced and just…start over? Which would be better for you? Hypothetically, of course.”
At least, she could get an answer from another Senshi that seemed to be filled with her own ‘greatness’...it could help her figure out a game plan for Dagon.
Lizbot
Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:34 pm
Chin tilted up, Hestia nodded at the congratulations. It's true, being the Senshi of Cleaning And All That was something worth celebrating. Even if there was a certain tone to the words, didn't make it any less true.
Hestia's eyes flickered toward the weapon at the slight movement toward her. They were talking and that should be the interaction of choice, always! But that didn't mean she wouldn't be ready. Glancing back up at the agent's face, she decided that the question was sincere and worth answering with some thought.
"I have an entire world, of my own," she began slowly. "I don't think the Negaverse could offer am entire world, or even a cause more compelling than that. Well," she added after a moment, "...sometimes a person can be just as compelling. But how could I trust someone that important to an organization that doesn't care about people?" Hestia gestured to the man on the bench, "You think this man is unimportant. But in the face of uncaring power, anyone less powerful is unimportant."
She'd learned that very, painfully well outside Destiny City.
"It would depend on if the offer was more like 'join freely or else by force.'" Hestia's voice turned grim by the end. "Why?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:43 pm
“Just have someone I’m trying to get to join me. Wanted to ask another Senshi her opinion. And if the offer was join freely or by force…which would you choose?”
Retzian took another step towards Hestia, not really planning on doing anything…but it was fun to act like she was a threat from time to time. Like she was the bigger kid on the playground.
She was obviously better than this self righteous maid. The comments about her own personal world didn’t even warrant a response, and the insinuation that the Negaverse didn’t care about people was utterly laughable.
They did care. About those who were on the right side.
Lizbot
Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:53 pm
"Then it's already by force and it doesn't matter which is better for me, but what's better for you, right?" Hestia's eyes moved from the agent to the sleeping man and back again, body shifting slightly. Weight toward her forward foot, voice steady even as other words, summoning words were ready in her throat.
"If you have to force them, you don't respect them. It's just taking what you want regardless. It's not any better than how you decided to treat him."
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Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 2:20 pm
Retzian was quiet, watching the Senshi for a long, thoughtful moment. “I suppose that’s true. So maybe I’ll just start with you. See what happens when it’s someone who doesn’t want it.”
It would be knowledge, she would get to see what would happen, and…see what the consequences were.
With a sneer, the Captain lunged for Hestia, drawing back her small whip and flicking it, trying to grab on, to get her and teleport her.
To take her into Negaspace and find a General Sovereign who could bring her over.
No matter if she wanted it or not.
Lizbot
Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 2:38 pm
"The Sparkling Finish!" Despite whatever readiness she had, Hestia still took a glancing hit of the whip as she shouted her attack. Fortunately it was only glancing, not binding. Within the blinding light of her attack, her movements were still stable and swift. Though it was less satisfying, to be honest, that she used the advantage to dash toward the sleeping civilian. It would be so, so much nicer to just hit agent until she agreed with her. Or at least, was too scared to disagree.
In all honesty, that may be the better enticement toward Chaos than most anything else. Their methods are so much more satisfying! Maybe not in the long term, but the long term doesn't really exist in a fight like this. Especially not if you go out to find one every night.
The nice part about her super attack, though, is that the civilian no longer smelled of anything other than soap and laundry detergent.
Super Sailor Scout Attack: The Sparkling Finish!
(debuff) A person-sized scouring blast hits a surface, giving it the appearance of highly polished metal. It causes a highly blinding glare and makes everything within its circle extremely slick and difficult to maneuver in.
effect duration: 35 seconds attack range: 15 feet size: circle with a 15 foot radius optional after effects: those in the affected area feel extremely fresh and clean afterward uses: 2 - Hestia is immune to this effect -
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Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 2:44 pm
Retzian was pleased that she even got a glancing blow. Honestly, this had been a half baked idea, and she hadn't expected for it to work...though it would have been nice if it had, the knowledge that she had gleaned was the real prize for the night.
The magic though, it was unexpected, and the Captain threw her arm up to cover her eyes from the sudden blinding light, and managed to slip on the suddenly slick ground, grunting as she fell.
By the time she got up again, the Senshi was gone...but...
At least the sleeping homeless man didn't smell any longer.
