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 Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:27 am
Roselite felt like a failure.
His assignment had been simple: find Ganymede and determine what she knew about the threat currently on its way to Earth. Information in the database indicated she might have known quite a bit. Roselite didn’t know if that was true or not. Under different circumstances, General King Jet probably would have utilized Cymophane, but Cymophane had a cover to keep and talking to Ganymede face to face would potentially blow it. Roselite had been deemed sufficiently non-threatening and generally uninvolved enough in the Princess’ capture to potentially earn her sympathies.
But Ganymede remained elusive. Roselite consulted the file he’d been building on her and searched every area of the city she’d been known to frequent in the past, only to come up empty handed. No one he encountered knew where to find her. Some were outright hostile; Roselite had to make a quick escape in those instances. Others offered to get a message to her, but she never responded. Either she had no interest in helping, or she had means to accomplish the White Moon’s goals without involving the Negaverse and saw no reason to communicate that with them.
Roselite spent every waking moment committed to his search, but as weeks trickled down to days he was forced to accept defeat. They were running out of time.
“I’m sorry, Sir,” he said, hanging his head in shame as he stood before Jet in the General King’s office. Normally he would report to General Bloodstone, or directly to General King Axinite for anything involving Information, but Jet was the one who had given Roselite the assignment, so it was to Jet he broke the news. “I couldn’t find her, and no one I’ve spoken with has been able to put me in touch with her.”
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:30 am
The look on Roselite’s face said it all, even before he apologized. They hadn’t been able to get any additional leads about the information Ganymede knew, despite the database saying that she likely had more information.
Jet wasn’t mad at Roselite. He knew there was only a slim chance at finding out more information, especially since Ganymede was being elusive.
But he could also tell that Roselite took his inability to obtain more information as a personal failure. It was partially why Jet had asked him to try to find out more. Along with the fact that Roselite was pretty removed from him and everything that happened before with Ganymede and Empyrean.
“When was the last time you had a good night’s rest and something to eat?” he asked instead of telling Roselite it was okay or that they would just have to figure something else out. It probably wouldn’t help ease Roselite’s mind, anyway.
He pushed himself up from where he was sitting behind his desk, but only so he could gesture to the little area he had in his office that was filled with snacks and drinks. None of it was a meal but having a bar of chocolate was better than nothing.
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:31 am
“Oh… Um…”
Roselite hadn’t been expecting the question. He hadn’t been expecting a chastisement (Roselite had witnessed enough of Jet to know their honorable General King wouldn’t hold an absent Princess against him), but it hadn’t crossed his mind that Jet would respond with concern. Jet had more important matters to be busying himself with, after all. As a Captain, Roselite should be able to look after himself.
He paused and thought back, uncertain what the answer was. It wasn’t that Roselite had been avoiding sleep or meals. Jet had probably done so more often as of late, knowing his work ethic, but Roselite wasn’t a stranger to a late night or a skipped meal for the sake of duty.
“I… slept for a few hours last night,” he said. “And… I had lunch today… and a snack…”
He wasn’t usually hungry enough for breakfast. Dinner had slipped his mind. He’d been too preoccupied with following up on a lead that turned into a dead end.
Roselite shifted nervously but picked a bottle of water and a bag of chips from the snack area, mostly so Jet wouldn’t worry. He’d hate to cause an inconvenience after returning empty handed.
“Is there—Um… If there’s anything else I can do… to contribute?” he stammered. “I’ve been gathering energy of course, but… I’m available if there’s a need elsewhere…”
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:31 am
There was still so much to do. Still so much energy they needed to collect. He didn’t know what to expect from what was coming, and he hated the unknown.
He hated that they would potentially be leaving themselves defenseless as well.
Jet appreciated the attempt at placating him. He didn’t say anything about Roselite’s choices for snacks. He crossed his arms over his chest as he thought about Roselite’s question for a bit.
“Your General -- Bloodstone. I don’t know what’s going to happen, or what he plans on doing when it comes to making the final stand but. I think you, and he, would be better suited here. I don’t know how many casualties we’ll have, but we’ll need someone to help him. If that’s something you’d be willing to do, of course.”
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:33 am
Roselite had spent the last several weeks trying not to think too far ahead. He’d focused on the task at hand. He couldn’t do anything about the creature approaching Earth, but he could help with preparations. He could search for a Princess and gather information and collect energy, and when the time came he would follow orders to the best of his abilities.
But if he were honest with himself, he hadn’t been looking forward to the inevitable confrontation. Roselite liked to think he’d gained new skills during his time in the Negaverse, that he wasn’t as helpless as he used to be, but defending himself against a basic senshi was far different than defending the Earth against a creature that could consume worlds. The battle, if there was one (and there was likely to be), would be chaotic. There was a very good chance Roselite would be nothing more than a liability.
“I—I haven’t actually—I mean… General Bloodstone hasn’t decided what he’d like to do…”
It seemed to change hour to hour. Sometimes Bloodstone insisted he would meet the creature in the field (wherever that field happened to be) and strike fearlessly. Then he would change his mind and consider staying behind; with everyone else gone maybe he thought he’d have the run of the castle and have less competition for another promotion. Whenever Roselite (nervously) reminded him he may be needed in the medical bay, Bloodstone would frown and scoff and decide he’d be of better use in the field again (so he could triage effectively, he said, although Roselite suspected Bloodstone was much more interested in taking a swing at the serpent with his pick).
“But… I think I can convince him to stay,” Roselite said. “I can help when the time comes. He’s taught me… Well, I’ve—I know more than a little basic first aid, I think…”
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:34 am
Jet knew that Bloodstone was a bit prickly. Okay, very prickly. And that he didn’t like Jet very much. Not that he cared if anyone liked him, as long as they followed the Queen -- and thus Metallia’s -- will.
“Do you think it would help if I spoke to General Bloodstone?” he wondered, tilting his head curiously at Roselite’s stuttering. He knew the Captain was often nervous about things, but he hoped nothing he was doing was causing that.
“Maybe if I suggest that he come fight it, he’ll stay out of spite,” he suggested, unable to stop the small grin from tugging at his lip.
“I’m just kidding. I know he doesn’t care for me, but I have a lot of respect for your General. He helped me out when I needed it, and I don’t forget things like that. I want people who I can trust here in the Dark Kingdom. But if General Bloodstone decides he would rather fight, then I wouldn’t fault him for it. Even if the White Moon takes advantage of our absence, we’ll just have to take control of things again when we return,” he decided.
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:34 am
A small, shy smile twitched onto Roselite’s face.
“I—I think I can handle him,” he said, not exactly confident on the subject, but not as apprehensive as he usually was. “Bloodstone is… difficult and not always kind, but… he does care about me, I think, in his own way, so… if I’m stubborn enough… or if I happen to get a little emotional—Definitely not on purpose, of course. I’d never be that manipulative…”
The tone of his voice said otherwise. It wasn’t that Roselite enjoyed such things, or that he looked for opportunities to do so. He would much rather Bloodstone listen to him without him having to be skittish or turn on the waterworks. More often than not, those actions were genuine anyway, it just so happened to also be what Roselite would resort to in order to get Bloodstone to listen to him and take his fears seriously.
He might never know why Bloodstone actually cared about him, but Roselite was more certain with each passing day that Bloodstone did.
“But if I did… he’d listen. Maybe. Mostly likely,” Roselite concluded. “If you tried he might let you think he was going to do the opposite… then as soon as you’d planned for it he’d do the opposite of that.”
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:34 am
Jet couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped. Of course Bloodstone would give him trouble like that. The man was probably still pissed at him after he’d been made to sweep the floors after Jasper had tried to punch Jet.
Maybe Bloodstone should have controlled his subordinate better. Jet was at least grateful that both Roselite and Carnallite were perfectly reasonable.
“You’re probably right. Hey, don’t beat yourself up over that Ganymede lead, okay? It was unfair of me to ask you to go on a wild goose chase. I thought she’d at least be more likely to talk to someone cute like you,” he confessed, but clearly grateful for Roselite’s efforts.
“Thank you for your efforts. Would you be able to take a break tonight and get some good sleep? Start again with collecting energy tomorrow? Don’t bother looking for her, still. It was probably a dead end anyway.”
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:35 am
Roselite would of course continue to beat himself up over it, no matter what General King Jet had to say about it. He wasn’t good in a fight, so the things Roselite could do he took very seriously. It was at least reassuring to know that Jet wasn’t disappointed in him. If only Bloodstone and Jasper could get over themselves long enough to see how suited Jet was for leadership.
Then again, what did Roselite know? It wasn’t like he was suited for such things himself.
“Thank you, Sir. I—I promise I’ll—I can rest tonight. I’m—I really am sorry things didn’t pan out, but… as scared as I am about all this… I still have hope…”
The Negaverse was powerful. They were inventive. They had able leaders and dutiful soldiers and an alliance with the Velencians that would surely benefit them. The threat they faced now was perhaps bigger than any they’d faced before, but Roselite liked to think they were as prepared for it as they could possibly be.
He offered Jet another small smile and a respectful bow.
As disappointed as Roselite was to have no news, he was still proud to be of service.
Fin!
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