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 Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:49 pm
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Retzian had been hoping to see Oliver again, and so she kept coming to the spot she had seen him last and just waiting, hoping that he would come rolling down the street on his little bike…but, it had been too cold for bike riding…and too snowy so she did understand, even if she didn’t like it…but today?
Today she was in luck.
She wasn’t paying much attention until the breeze from his going past brought her brain back to reality. Swiftly, she poked her head out from behind the shrub she had been half hiding behind and saw that it was her friend after all.
Grinning, Retzian called out. “Oliver! Wait up!”
She gave it a moment, not wanting to frighten the jumpy man, and then teleported about ten feet in front of him, and just off to the side. “It’s me, did you miss me?”
She hoped so. “I’ve missed you! How are things?”
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Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 11:37 am
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It was a bit chilly outside, but there was the benefit of no ice–probably. Maybe. Oliver had gotten a bit overconfident last week and slid over a patch of it on his bike. Though he’d limped home with scraped knees and a bruised ego, he’d been fine, but it just meant that today he was taking a nice walk. The weather was warmer than it had been, though he was still dressed as if he expected the sky to open up.
He had a backpack strapped on and seemed very focused–until he heard someone call for him.
Retzian was practically unreadable. Realistically, he knew she was a Negaverse agent and she was dangerous if she wanted to be.
Recently, she didn’t really seem to want to be. He clutched the straps of his backpack tighter–an instinctive response because she’d startled him both by calling out to him and then teleporting. It wasn’t that the teleportation in itself was nerve-wracking, he just always thought he must be losing his mind.
But–no, magic was real. Magical people were real. She was real.
“Oh–you know, cold,” he answered quickly. Not nervously, not really. He’d been startled out of his thoughts and was trying to figure out if he’d ever understand her.
He was glad she wasn’t trying to kill him anymore, and despite their original meeting and her organization’s history, she really just didn’t seem bad.
“You–there’s a leaf in your hair, were you just in those bushes…?” he asked, letting himself glance towards the shrubbery where he’d first heard his name called.
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Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 1:07 pm
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Retzian laughed and nodded. “Was I in the bushes? Yeah, yeah I was. I didn’t want to just…be out in the open and scare everyone, and I didn’t want to make you nervous if you came by and like, avoided me when you saw me, so it seemed like a good idea at the time.”
Leaning forwards, Retzian ran her hands through her hair, pleased when she felt and saw the leaf fall to the ground, before grinning up at Oliver. “Do you mind chatting with me for a bit? I know you’re cold but I’m fine with walking and talking if you are, I just…have a strange…kind of personal question to ask you.”
Honestly? It would make him uncomfortable, and she knew that but…
It was one more perspective on the whole subject.
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Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 6:14 pm
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Grinning, Retzian shook her head. “Everything’s fine, yeah. Nothing bad just. Doing a lot of thinking…and, if you were part of all of this stupid fighting…what would it take for you to join the Negaverse? Like…if you fell in love with someone…or, thought you did–and obviously you weren’t married, so this is all a whole string of what if’s! But, you’re not married, you see someone that just…takes your whole breath away, would you give up everything for them? Leave your chosen path and join them just so you could be with them?”
Oh. Wow, this got so much more confusion than she had anticipated it getting, and she gave a rueful smile. “I can’t remember what it is I’ve told you, but like. I want to bring someone into the Negaverse. She’s a Senshi, and if you were a Senshi, what would it take to get you to join us? I guess is the simple version.”
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Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 6:51 pm
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Oliver looked at her, not unlike a deer in headlights, as he tried to process everything she was saying. “The um–well–uh. Hold on.”
He had meant to keep talking, but the question was so overwhelming that he felt his brain freeze.
What would it take to get him to join? Was that the core of her question? If he were a Senshi? What did that even mean, how was he supposed to imagine that?
“Well–I don’t know.” His tongue felt like cotton in his mouth. “The truth is, I can’t really–I don’t know enough about all of it to have much of a concrete answer. I mean, I can’t imagine myself fighting at all. I’d be so much more trouble than it’s worth. If anyone tried to recruit me, I’d have to pack up, change my identity, move outside of the country–oh, but that–that’s not what you’re asking.”
He sucked in a big breath, held it, and then tried to give an honest answer.
“It sounds like–well, it sounds like you’re asking what you should do to make her come to you. But…I know that if it were me and Asher…I wouldn’t be the one expecting him to do anything for me. I’d be the one going to him. So, um–I mean, is that an option? Could you leave to be with her? Maybe?”
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 6:01 am
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Oh, more wires to untangle. But, Oliver was a teacher! He was supposed to be good at thinking, and problem solving, and listening, and–
Okay, but he wasn’t qualified to talk about magic and senshi and reincarnation
A moment passed, after he’d taken time to collect himself and really think about his answer. “Well…I suppose there’s still so much that I don’t know. I don’t know the difference between her joining you or you joining her. But I know that if you love her, the best thing you can do is talk to her. My husband and I…I mean, that’s how we made it this far. I’d have been miserable if I’d only pined. And I like to think that we’ve both made sacrifices to make things work, but really, I feel like he’s done so much more for me than I could ever do for him. But I know what it’s like to be so madly in love with someone that you’ll do anything for them, so…”
Oh, it was such a muddled answer, he knew. He had to reach up and brush his bangs behind his ear. He wasn’t looking at Retzian but it seemed only because he was focusing intently on a rock by the sidewalk as he tried to stay on track.
“...I think–and I might be wrong, but…Is she ready to move on? Does she know you’re the, well, the reincarnation? I mean–I can’t imagine being that old! I don’t think I’d make it that long if I lost Asher. I mean–I’d be a mess. I’d have to stick to it for our son, but–”
No, off track again.
He managed to look up at her but was visibly apologetic. “I’m sorry, I don’t know. I don’t think I’m much help. If I was trying to win her over, I’d take her flowers and sweets and read her poetry, but that–that just sounds like flirting. Honestly, Asher’s the one with good ideas, I’m just lucky he loves me. I wish I had a better answer for you. I can keep thinking on it.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 4:32 pm
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“She’s told me that I am…and it makes me feel so uncomfortable, honestly…but. If you think that talking to her will help…I’ll try it. I trust your opinions, Oliver. You’re a good friend to me, and I’m glad that I have you.”
Maybe he did have a point. Maybe trying to woo her would be the best thing to do but…
It wouldn’t make her stand out as an agent, it would just…bah.
The one thing that Retzian knew was that she had to keep control of the situation, and that…would take the control out of her hands and…she wasn’t sure that was the route she wanted to go down. “If you wanted to keep thinking on it, I would be obliged, honestly. And I’d appreciate it. If you want, we can plan to meet up sometime? I can bring us something to drink, and that way you’ll be expecting me so I won’t end up startling you like I always seem to…”
Retzian gave an almost sheepish grin. “And I won’t have to hide in the bushes either. Which will be nice.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 5:45 pm
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Something about this conversation was just–different. She seemed surprisingly vulnerable, and he supposed that made sense if she was in love, and talking about something–someone so personal. Sometimes, he wondered if he knew too much about her and the Negaverse, and he feared that it might get him into trouble some day, but…
She wanted to meet up again, and–
Well, he was always better in a planned situation. Sort of. Sometimes he could just overthink everything and get himself riled up in advance, but it didn’t really feel like that this time.
“Well, I’d have to let my husband know–he’ll worry, otherwise. But–I think, yes, we could probably meet up. I don’t drink drink, but–I mean, I’ll ask him if he has any advice, too. He’s very smart, I ask him for his thoughts on everything important.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 6:05 pm
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“No, no I was thinking…I mean.” Retzian gave an almost sheepish grin. “To be honest, I was thinking milkshakes but it’s still kind of too cold for those, I guess so…coffee or something warm? Maybe a milkshake for me, but.” She stretched, a joint in her back popping as she did so. “You’re welcome to bring your husband too, if he’s worried or you just want to introduce him to your bestie. I’d love to meet your family.”
It was true, she was curious about them, and hoped that some day she would get introduced, even if it was only as Celestina. Oliver was good...and she was sure the rest of the people he loved would be too.
“So, when is good for you?”
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Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 4:20 am
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The mental gymnastics of planning when he had free time made him stop again, and he looked like he had to put a great deal of effort into figuring that out. Eventually, he just pulled out his phone and clicked over to the notes.
“Thurs…day? I think? I have some time then. But I don’t know if he’s made plans.” He had suspicions he was free, and it was unlike Asher to just make plans without telling him, but he wanted to make sure his husband wasn’t forced to show up.
Oliver sort of didn’t know what he was doing. He could think of a good share of people who would not be happy with him interacting with her.
Now that he knew her, he didn’t think she was as bad as he’d first thought–certainly not as bad as the officer that tried to kill his family–but he didn’t want to upset her. He knew that even if she was the sweetest person under all of that Chaos, it still had the final say. So, maybe it wasn’t her that she was afraid of, just it.
He didn’t want to make the wrong move. He didn’t want some Negaverse Agent to see them together and think he knew too much. He didn’t want some Senshi or Knight to see them and think he was an Agent.
He didn’t want any trouble.
She seemed so good natured, he couldn’t figure out what she saw in the Negaverse and liked. And–maybe she could leave for someone she loved. He didn’t know. He hoped. One less tie for the Negaverse meant Destiny City was a little safer, right?
“Does that work? I can try another day if you’re busy. I don’t think I’ll have too much work that day. Just grading papers. But we have a test on Thursday, so it should be light.”
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Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 12:07 pm
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“That works perfectly for me, Oliver. Honestly, whenever is best for you is best for me too.” Giving a little wave, Retzian smiled and turned to go, pausing for a moment. “Have fun at the store, and get yourself a treat, you deserve it you know. You work hard and you’re a great husband and father, and a great teacher too, I bet. I hope your kids do well on their test!”
Grinning now, she waved and hurried off, avoiding the bushes this time.
The idea of getting to meet Oliver’s husband was a good one, and she had to make sure she made a good impression on him as well!
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