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 Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 6:45 pm
“You’re both Knights,” Jet observed the obvious as he teleported close to the two. They looked… like children. They were children. But they were also Knights, which meant they’d been around for a while. Or at least long enough to hopefully have some understanding about how knight stuff worked.
Somehow he was doubtful. But he was still feeling desperate enough to try and convince them to help him.
“You’re a Knight of the Moon… and-- ah, Lysithea. She made me cookies once. Does she still do a lot of baking? It seemed to be something she enjoyed doing,” he hummed thoughtfully as he observed the two of them.
“I’m trying to get some clarification from the Code, just so we’re fully prepared for the attack this… serpent is planning on Earth. I would like to talk to the one located in the Celestial Theatre. You wouldn’t happen to be able to get me there, would you? Or… I wonder if Lysithea would still consider herself a certified older sister to me. Ah, well… I guess her memories might have been messed up since she decided to abandon her Negaverse family. No matter. It’s good to see she’s been flourishing.” There was no time to react. One moment he and Dering were sitting on a bench in the park, waiting for Amarynthos and Reims to meet up with them, and the next they were being faced down by a handsomely youthful looking General with curly hair and a scary looking scar down his face.
Ephesus immediately reached for Dering’s hand to squeeze, then hoped that Amarynthos and Reims were far enough away to not come running to help them. While he was sure that they would want to help them, Ephesus was afraid that, if things turned out poorly, they might all end up killed.
While he hadn’t ever spoken to this General before, he was almost positive that this was actually General King Jet. And now they had to decide to either defy and hope that he would leave, or give him what he wanted.
“I don’t think the Moon would let anyone with… um…” He didn’t want Dering to have to offer his wonder, but it could be disastrous if the Negaverse used this as an opportunity to learn how to get to the Moon. It would be bad if they learned how to get anywhere. And bad if this General decided to kill them.
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 7:37 pm
Dering’s expression didn’t change when Jet appeared. If he were being honest, he hadn’t been the most receptive to just about everything, but it was all he could do to keep his emotions under wraps. He didn’t react to stress well, so it seemed like every little extra stressor just pushed him closer to ambivalence.
He should have been intimidated by a sweet talking General who just appeared, who was so chatty and quick to throw around his relation to Lysithea.
Instinctively, he held Ephesus’ hand, like he meant to console him more than receive comfort.
Practically speaking, he knew things would get bad if Reims and Amarynthos showed up. Reims would attack if he thought they were in trouble, and Mary probably wouldn’t hold him back. The General was too close to them, and they were still sitting. He wasn’t even sure if he could find a way to comfortably wield his weapon, and the General could certainly attack well before he managed to do so if he decided to.
He hadn’t attacked. He wanted something from them.
Dering was tired. He had a sort of exhausted, semi-lifeless look in his eyes, though his brows were knit as if he were still trying to conentrate. He didn’t know if he had the energy to be scared, or if the puppeteer in the back of his mind decided it would be easier to process what was going on if he shut down the unimportant emotions. Like fear.
When he spoke, it was quiet, a little hard to hear, but clear and without emotion.
“The Theatre won’t accept guests from the Negaverse. We can’t take you up there. I’m sorry. I don’t know who you are but I can give Lysithea a message.”
Dering didn’t want to speak when he was half-shut down but he didn’t want Ephesus to wind up having to push himself in an uncomfortable situation.
…And he didn’t want Reims to get hurt.
“What did you need to ask the Code?”
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2025 6:08 pm
They both seemed so wide eyed and innocent. It was difficult for Jet to not sneer at them. The White Moon really had no idea what they were doing, especially when it came to recruiting children.
Lucky for them, the Queen wanted agents to obtain energy and information. These two would be spared only for that reason.
Especially since he was a bit irritated to be told the Celestial Theatre wouldn’t accept him. No matter.
“My name is Jet,” he said with a small smile. “And I want to talk to the Code because for some reason, the White Moon will argue and bicker amongst themselves, but when it comes to ghost Queens and floating orbs, well… Let’s just say I would like to talk to one of the things that apparently has the most authority among you.”
The two Knights didn’t seem particularly frightened, although the Moon Knight looked like he was trying hard not to look directly at him.
“So, will you take me to your Wonder?”
If not, then he did need to collect energy. Ephesus held his breath. He didn’t want to do anything to alert Jet that he knew who he was. He’d been told enough about him, anyway. He knew that Jet was the reason why he would never get to meet his grandfather.
“The Code doesn’t always talk,” he tried, but his voice came out as a squeak. Jet had to know that, right? If he knew the Code said anything at all, he should know that it wasn’t always possible for it to talk to them.
“We don’t want any trouble. Or for you to be disappointed,” he said quietly, holding tightly to Dering’s hand. He didn’t want Jet to have a reason to hurt them if he was unsatisfied by any visit to a Wonder.
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2025 8:20 pm
Ephesus was afraid. Dering picked up on it immediately, and supposed he had every reason to be. Ephesus was the one who had told him about Jet, and that he was a General King. Disguising his aura to appear more approachable, probably.
Dering had a hard enough time staying present in this moment; now, he felt the coldness of the air around him. It was like hands were on his shoulders, dragging him into a darkness no one else could see.
Amarynthos might try to reason with him. Reims would attack.
Reims would die.
“I’ll take you,” Dering decided quietly. There was no enthusiasm in his voice, but no fear either. Just a sort of agreeable nothingness. It wasn’t lost on him that he hadn’t had opportunity to take his friends up to his Wonder before. He’d wanted so badly to figure it out a little better so he could show them around.
If the universe had other plans, so be it.
His hand was gentle on Ephesus’, reassuring, even as he stood from the bench. He didn’t drag Ephesus with him. It was a silent invitation for him to stay. Dering stood between him and Jet, and though he picked up his lute, he made no effort to wield it. He carefully slid it over one arm so he could carry it.
He’d have to touch Jet to take him to his Wonder, and though he knew it was impractical, a part of him wondered if his starseed wouldn’t just float out from that contact alone.
“We can go now.”
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Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2025 10:35 am
Jet didn’t comment on how agreeing to taking him was a smart decision. Maybe he would remember that in case a time came where he would need to visit a Wonder again. Or maybe when there was a chance to rip out their starseeds, he would keep this one’s in its own little jar.
He knew he should have been more cautious about going into space with a couple of Knights he didn’t know, but despite them both being magically strong, they still looked like a strong wind would knock them over. He was surprised neither of them had burst into tears yet. They looked the type to get emotional.
“Thank you for your understanding,” he smiled politely, even with a sharpness in his eyes. He was grateful. And if he managed to get some answers, he would be even more grateful.
With the Knight’s hand held out, Jet reached out to place his on top. This wasn’t his first trip into space, but he didn’t really want to get used to it. Ephesus could feel Dering’s hand loose in his own, and he knew he was giving him the chance to escape. Jet wouldn’t even know that he’d not gone with them until they arrived at Dering.
But then what?
He knew Jet was a murderer, and the thought of leaving him alone with Dering had his stomach churning.
His hand gripped tighter to Dering’s as he stood up as well. And for a moment, his hand slipped into his subspace. He held one earring tightly in his palm, while casually allowing the other to fall onto the dirt at his feet.
He knew Amarynthos and Reims would be there soon. And he had a feeling that was why Dering wasn’t wasting any time. The sooner they left with Jet, the less likely of a chance that they would all be murdered. If they could spare Amarynthos and Reims, then that was better than nothing. Ephesus just hoped that whatever Jet wanted, he could get it quickly and then let them go.
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