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It had taken a couple weeks to get back to draining people at night, caution fading nearly as fast as the unpleasant memories had. With the semester and more importantly, his stage roles over, Hybris was more free than ever to spend his nights at clubs, leaving every fortunate partner of his with a nice memory and a little less energy. The less fortunate partners were dumped with friends or in cabs. They'd be fine. And he was getting much better at not letting the wraiths drain them to that point, anyway. Tonight there had only been one.

He'd been feeling fairly accomplished, ready to go home via the Mirror Express, when the fire alarm had gone off in the club. It was a combination of recent events and a lifetime of fire safety drills that made him leave the building in an orderly manner with the rest of club-goers, rather than make his way to the nearest bathroom mirror.

And this was how Hybris, Dark Mirror Senshi, found himself on a bench in a nearby park, idly petting a stray dog that had also been wandering the neighborhood in a daze.

Should he send out a Dark Mirror SoS? Help, I don't know another mirror in this neighborhood!

Power down and call a ride?

Walk home...which meant both effort and a 50/50 chance of being chased by a youma...

Stiffening at the Order signature, Hybris mindlessly scritched along the dog's spine, seeming even more dazed than before. "I um...I don't think the mirrorwraiths consider other animals to be drainable?"

Tilting its head up, the stray began to lick at his chin, which he tried to lean away from but didn't otherwise discourage. "Are you going to hurt me?" Hybris's voice was soft, but carried well and clearly, each word distinct.

"I haven't hurt anyone," he shook his head. "I don't have any attacks or anything like that, and I'm not strong," Hybris readily admitted. In fact, it could be said that he'd never hurt anybody in his life, unless one counted things like broken hearts, hurt feelings, or stealing parts from other students. Which he did not.

"It's just that Order is a little...violent? The Negaverse too," he added, remembering the youma that got sent at him and Lete. "It's scary being in the middle."

Giving her a very brave look, Hybris nodded and shakily inhaled. "Yeah, I just don't have a mirror to get home safely with. Youma seem to really like to chase me, and I'm a little afraid to run the whole way. This guy seemed to be in the same situation." He lifted one of the dogs paws to wave pathetically at her.

Watching her offer for help, the body language, the way she was truly, truly trying against some sort of instinct, made Hybris's smile extra sincere. How fun! Standing up, he still held on to the dog, a one eyed toy poodle upon closer look, possibly white or possibly black underneath all the grime. "Would you really? That would be so...just really kind of you," he enthused softly at her, visibly filling with hope.

Starting in the direction of a mirror that wasn't the closest, but also (hopefully) wasn't too much further than the length of her patience, he introduce himself, "I'm Hybris. Of eggplants! Angelica is a really beautiful name, like the flower?"

Her reaction to his comment on her name pretty clearly signaled that flirting wouldn't net any enjoyable reactions. So when Angelica offered her advice, he simply nodded and gave her a thankful look, "That would've been a lot smarter, I'll do that next time."

The dog wiggled a little in his arms, so he shifted it into a more comfortable baby carry. "There's one in Wysman Park, it shouldn't be too far.."

Leading her toward the park, Hybris continued chatting, "I'm still pretty new to all this. Do you have any other advice for someone like me?"

Staying away from big things was really good advice. Hybris probably already learned that important life lesson, so hopefully the next time something really big happened it would not...look super interesting to peek at. Since learning a lesson isn't exactly following it, after all.

The poodle rubbed its head against her hand, giving it a little lick before she drew away.

He listened to her, clearly attentive, and nodded in agreement as Angelica went on, right up until she mentioned leaving the Mirror Court. Eyebrows scrunching in conflict, he replied, "There's a couple people in it I really care for. I can't just leave them." He paused to look over at her, a little pleading, "But I will encourage them to stay out of things more, and to stay out of Order's way."

After a moment of hesitation, Hybris took a deep breath and nodded, "I will. We're all pretty vulnerable. Especially with princesses and general sovereigns that can suddenly show up." He didn't mention Mirror Daddy because Mirror Daddy was more mysterious and lowkey. He wouldn't show up at a big ugly bank explosion, he'd be doing something much smarter and cooler.

"I'll talk to them...I think a lot are like me, weaker and just needing someone brave willing to hold out a helping hand."

Wysman Park was soon visible, just up ahead.

Well, if they built up Mirrorville enough, wouldn't they all be able to decrease the Chaos in the world? In a way, getting back to regularly collecting energy would get the results Angelica was hoping for, if by a slightly different means. She'd appreciate it in the long run!

"That is really powerful," he agreed, eyebrows raised. "That's like having a military chemical attack at the ready, isn't it?"

Pausing before entering the park, and feeling a little soft-hearted when she made it clear she'd watch the park without also trying to find the mirror location, Hybris was entirely sincere when he said, "Thank you for taking the time to help me and give me advice, I won't forget it."

He waved the poodle's paw and said nighty-night for it in a surprisingly good little kid voice, then turned around and lightly jogged into the park.

Maybe Order wasn't all bad. Or at least, some of its members were trying to be good.