|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon May 12, 2025 4:46 pm
The weather was nicer, and with the sky now cleared up, patrols were a lot easier. With so much going on from before, it just felt natural that everyone took a moment to not rustle anything up for the time being. Everyone wanted to a moment of rest. Even with quotas to be filled, no one was starting a assault with so many still reeling from everything.
Wolframite had only been out to get some bearings, do his quota for Laven and himself, and head back home. The bare minimum - which he didn't like too much. Patrols were the one thing he was made for these days. It was his job. However, it was understandable with how things were.
The night was crisp with spring air, the wind a gentle breeze through the streets. Streetlights were lit. Somewhere smelled of fresh cut grass and diesel.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 12, 2025 5:08 pm
Well, Narcissus hadn't started the evening alone, but that didn't say much for how things were now. Which wasn't his favorite development to have occurred because he generally preferred to not be on his lonesome while powered... Not because he thought he would run into trouble! Most people didn't really have many problems with his Court in the same way they took issue with anyone else. Everyone was (presumably) good-spirited and just trying to do what was best for Earth!
Er, mostly.
Narcissus didn't think anyone was out to get him. He was usually perfectly safe. Usually. Not always. And it was that one percent of the time that just made it seem more reasonable to go out while powered with his fiancé. Narci donned this guise so infrequently that it was never troublesome to just tag along with Rakovanite, who powered up pretty much nightly, anyway. They'd started off together. Narci didn't need to patrol or 'investigate the enemy' or anything more specific than just harvest a bit of energy with his wraith to offer to Mirrorspace. He didn't need or want to be out long.
But something had grabbed Rakovanite's attention and he'd departed hastily. Narcissus scuffed a sandal against the concrete, staring at where his fiancé had been literally seconds before.
The departure was unexplained and abrupt enough to be startling (and worrisome, given all that had happened barely even a month ago).
But Narcissus didn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary around them... Nothing that would suck him in. And while Rakovanite was not generally expressive, Narci was familiar enough to know what to look for. A sharp drop in tone, narrowed eyes, and snappish rumble. Something he'd seen on his tablet had made him absolutely furious, and he'd left with only a promise that 'he would be back in a moment.'
Nothing to worry about, nothing to worry about, nothing to worry about... Do not freak out, Narcissus. He was sure it was fine, and he would hear more specifics when Rakovanite returned... eventually.
He swallowed, recalled his wraith to his mirrorshard and tucked it away. He needed to be calm, not jump to conclusions, just go home, and oh-!
Barely a stone's throw from where he stood, a General's aura flickered to life. So- resolved before Narcissus could even start to hyperventilate! Wonderful! He set off at a brisk jog across the street, turned the corner to find-
Not his fricken fiancé.
Narcissus nearly jumped out of his skin at the distinctly-not-Rakovanite half-youma General standing on the sidewalk. And that was uniquely the type of someone he did not want to run into. His experiences with half-youma were very few but also aaaaaaall negative. Narci drew back sharply, stumbling a bit. "U-uh, oh! I'm sorry- I felt your aura- I thought you were s-someone else..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 12, 2025 6:25 pm
Wolframite has felt the DMC agent close by but hadn't thought much of it. Since there was a tentative alliance, there wasn't any reason in particular to bother them. If anything, it was better just to keep good relations up to say hello, but he always had a twisting feeling in his gut whenever the Dark Moon Court was involved. It had been ages since everything that had happened, but the guilt was still present, mingled into so many issues that he had hoped were mostly resolved and some that would forever stick with him. There was also the worry that he was somehow known to them in the worst possible regard, and that just made talking to them seem less than ideal.
And there was also the mirror walking.
The idea alone made his tail bristle.
Not making a show to leave, he just stuck to his patrol spot for the night, checking his phone to see where he might want to teleport for the evening. Then again, 1 DMC wouldn't be bad for energy harvesting. There were plenty of blocks around to find someone to drain.
As he considered this, the energy signature started to come closer and Wolframite jumped at the voice that nearly rushed right at him.
Jumping back, he turned, claws raised in a defense position to face whatever the senshi was trying to pull. That was before their stuttering threw him off and, clearly just as confused, started to lower his hands.
What was going on?
"Oh."
Looking for Someone else?
"Do you - know the officer's name?" He guessed some of the Negaverse would make alliances with the DMC with them not being their direct enemy. People who trusted more easily and regarded the DMC as more friend than possible foe. Those who never had seen the DMC as a foe before.
Maybe the more new-age officers, right? Was he too old school now? Outdated with his ideas?
Wolframite's hands fully dropped to his side, not seeing any apparent moves to attack him. Still, his tail was swaying with agitation and tense nervousness.
Not sensing any other Negaverse, he wondered who they were looking for.
"A general?" They'd have similar energy signatures he supposed, though his was a bit different due to his youma half. "Or...a youma?"
Then, more importantly.
"You shouldn't rush at a officer. You could get stabbed." Or burnt, electrocuted, skewered, or set on fire. Really, anything. When it came to fights, it was attack first and ask questions later - if they were still alive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 3:18 pm
This not-his-fiancé General was gonna rip his eyes out. Narcissus only became aware of those large, raised paws and even bigger claws after he'd stumbled and stuttered through some semblance of a greeting. But once he'd noticed them, he froze with all the rigidity of a glass sculpture- still, stiff, brittle, delicate. Magenta orbs were wide as saucers, and even his typically-overactive thoughts were condemned to silence.
It was probably only the breadth of a second that the General seemed likely to strike, and only a handful of seconds more that Narcissus started to reboot, triggered in part by how non-confrontational the question sounded.
'We're fine, we're fine. And we're gonna stay that way. Don't do anything to make this worse.'
"Uuuhhhhmm." Despite his self assurances, the long note still came out unnaturally high, pitching enough to make Narcissus' voice crack. "Well- yes, I-I do... But it's- it's not important, or anything. I mean, I'm not looking-looking for him, I just thought that s-since there was an aura here- that you were him. But you're not- It's f-fine. I just wasn't expecting s-someone else. That's all." There probably wasn't any harm in just telling this General who he was with and explaining the situation better than he had, but it felt like it should be Rakovanite's decision to admit any affiliation with him, more than Narcissus'...
Rakovanite shared both of their identities openly with his team, so obviously he didn't feel compelled to secrecy... But Narcissus didn't know this General at all, and when it was someone else's security (his fiancé's) at risk, he had to be careful.
"I d-don't usually run at anyone- uh, definitely someone I don't know. It's just that I thought you were someone safe, who wouldn't stab anyone from my Court just for approaching them. -At least, Ithinkhewouldn't." Blurted quick and unsure because it was genuinely impossible to know who Rakovanite might think deserved to be stabbed- or starseeded. "...It's hard to tell, sometimes. But I must've startled you? I'm s-sorry for the trouble."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 4:16 pm
The stammering and quick admission that they really did think he was about to stab him was delightful to say the least. As much as Wolframite knew he had to play nice, seeing a DMC shake at the sight of him still overjoyed him. True, he didn't know this senshi at all and at the end of the day, he just looked scary. As much as his half-youmafication had made him unable to blend into normal society, it at least had the positive of making people tense around him. Well, aside from the weirdos who wanted to pet him. That group had no sense of self-preservation.
Glowing-yellow eyes stared at this stammering senshi as he smiled. "Well, maybe in the past I would have." He definitely had, and much worse than that. Even now, the idea was there, whispering in his ear that they were alone. Still, a DMC starseed would not be welcomed if it wasn't for any reason. It was hard to say self-defense when you had a starseed in your hand. Still, stories could be made up.
No. He promised the Queen and himself he would be better. The past was behind him. " - but I'm better than that now." This was more spoken to him than at Narcissus.
Sighing, he took a deep breath to suppress any old desires for murder. That war was a old one and long since dead.
"I'm not going to stab you. Just - don't run up on officers. We have a alliance of sorts - but that won't stop anyone from claiming it was an accident when they cut into you or worse."
They regarded the other slowly now that they had a few steps of distance between them. It was strange that, outside of the energy signature, how many DMC just looked like the usual Corrupt Senshi. It was the lack of a crack mark on them that did it.
"There are a lot of generals in the Negaverse. You can't be rushing to anyone thinking they might be your friend. Not everyone has found memories of your lot." He said, trying hard not to let his tone slip on that one.
Calm down. It's fine. They're just some random DMC looking for a agent. Apparently people are kinder to one another these days.
"Though - you're not sure the person you are looking for won't stab you? So shouldn't not be rushing at even them?" Seemed a bit of a confusion friendship.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 14, 2025 3:22 pm
'I don't-' was on the tip of his tongue again, but Narcissus bit it back. The advice was sound for pretty much any agent outside of Rakovanite's team- and even some of them Narci would prefer to not risk startling. Whether he usually would or wouldn't run at someone from the Negaverse didn't really matter when he had this time. He'd thought it was Rakovanite, and it wasn't. He could have been perceived as a threat and attacked.
"Right. Sorry again... Though I think we have a- uh- a s-slightly better reputation than 'your lot.'" It was out before he could even have the thought that he should keep it to himself. Narcissus' nose scrunched, wincing as he recognized the insult.
"Well, what I m-mean is- We don't usually go around causing problems for other people. The draining, I guess is the same, but we don't have a handbook suggesting we kill people, so... I think uh- whatever the unf-fond memories are- they're probably caused by you."
And that explanation probably didn't make the first statement any less offensive, and Narcissus was aware of that as his expression continued to look pinched and his fingers twisted tightly around the bottom hem of the fabric overlaid across his shoulders. "N-no. It's just that a solid percentage of Negaverse agents and senshi d-don't even have fond memories of the Negaverse, so just- Why would you expect anyone else to. Uh- rather- Who would?" Oh, God, what was his point? What had he been trying to say? "W-we don't do anything that would give people bad memories. Not like you guys do..."
He was apparently going to keep digging this grave until he was buried in it.
"Not me, though. Y'know, I have lots of g-good memories with the Negaverse. My closest friends are agents and Negaverse Senshi, who would almost d-definitely not stab me in any way I didn't agree to. Uh, hi. I'm Narci." Smooth as butter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 14, 2025 4:09 pm
He was always a reactive kind of person. It's what got him into a lot of messes. That passion, but also that anger. It was hard to control, but on the battlefield, it made for great fuel.
But in times of peace, it was hard to leash.
The DMC senshi continued to apologize, and Wolframite was about to just let things smooth over and move on to more generalized talk. Was this their patrol area? Should he not hunt for energy here then if it was visited too often? That kind of basic intel gathering.
But they kept talking, and his ears shot back at the implications that the Dark Moon Court was somehow sparkling pure compared to the Negaverse. Then it was the accusation that he caused any unfound memories.
The words hit their too-tender mark, and he was up in the senshi's face in a instant, claws gripping that arm that was clutching their hem in a firm grip.
"I DID NOT cause anything. It was YOUR people and that b***h Ares that - " And he stopped, seeing his glowing eyes in the others before he stepped back, releasing.
Gritting his teeth, he stepped away, shaking off the sudden flaring anger that made him all the more inclined to want to decapitate the senshi.
"You best be mindful that your side is no cleaner than ours. Your people have a very bad history. One I'm personal with." He stated, turning to round back on him, but stopping only two feet away again.
Down boy.
"You might have better leadership now, but you didn't before." The large claws at his side flexed, itching for carnage. It was orders and the obedience to those orders that kept him in check.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 25, 2025 5:00 pm
Although there was definitely shock on Narcissus' face as claws snatched at his arms, there was also a very notable lack of fear. He did generally believe the best of people, and if this General was going to kill or hurt him, it would've happened already. Instead, he'd only warned Narcissus to be wary. Continued panic just hadn't held in him. He didn't want to be afraid of anyone simply because of their allegiance.
No fear, no panic. Just that shock... and concern.
"Did... did s-someone hurt you...?" Narcissus asked softly.
He couldn't imagine anyone reacting like that without some trigger. Narcissus wasn't involved enough to know everything that occurred between the factions. His knowledge stopped at 'we're allies,' and that was the most important arrangement for him. He'd never even heard of an 'Ares.'
"I never m-meant to imply any side was 'clean...'" The Negaverse was more dangerous and more volatile than his Court: that was objectively true. Dark Mirror Senshi did not assign people to go out and murder civilians... But they were both under the broad umbrella of receiving their abilities from Chaos. It should come as no great surprise if both factions had 'dark' histories. Narcissus knew better than to believe they were 'clean' and 'pure.' ...And Rakovanite would've been so devastatingly disappointed if Narcissus had even implied that only 'bad' people joined the Negaverse.
...He was still sure that more people had bad memories of the Negaverse than of his Court, but that was a moot point, obviously unnecessary to voice a second time.
It didn't sound like this General really wanted to be around someone like him, but sweet and gentle Narci had to at least offer, "Do you want to talk about it? O-or... I just mean... I would listen, if you wanted to share?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2025 8:36 pm
He gritted his teeth. Despite him being a half-youma, a general, and fully equipped with claws, the other didn't seem phased. Surprised, but not terrified. It hurt his ego a bit. Then again, he wanted to be civil. This was the best option, though he secretly hoped he wasn't loosing some kind of edge. Or maybe his short statue was throwing things off a bit - but the heeled boots tended to help with that.
He stepped a few steps back, and when that didn't sooth him, he started to slowly pace. "It was - old management. Older officers. Back in the day. It's - it's all ancient history. Seems - just - pointless to dig up the past that way. What with everyone being civil and moving on. Playing nice." He had been far more bitter back when it happened. Back when they were rescued and then were told they were being on neutral terms with the Dark Moon Court.
"I don't want to be bitter about it when it's been years." Many years.
"It's not your fault." It wasn't. It wasn't any officers fault now from back then. He hadn't even seen any of the responsible parties in decades. What point would there be in talking about something when no one else remembered it, and when they should be getting along? It felt like stirring up a very dusty pot just for the sake of drama.
"Sorry. You weren't there for responsible for anything from back then. And your lot has Leto now." Which he didn't want to cross paths with.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2025 4:49 pm
"I-I'm sorry... I shouldn't have pushed you. I d-don't know who you are or what you've been through. You-you were concerned about me..." Warning him about the dangers of running up on a Negaverse agent. Cautioning him to take care of who he could trust. "...and I j-just made you feel bad. I'm sorry."
Five years he'd been a Dark Mirror Senshi. It felt like a long time, like he could barely remember not being 'Narcissus,' but in actuality, he couldn't recall anything significant happening within his Court during all that time. Most everything that happened just targeted Destiny City as a whole. The others like him were 'around,' but... he knew so little of them. Obviously something much bigger had happened in the past- decades ago. Ill blood between the Negaverse and the Court.
...It was probably best he hadn't been there to witness it.
Narcissus' expression pinched just the tiniest bit because, well, he didn't know Leto, either. He didn't know any of the names this General had mentioned, and that made him realize with full clarity that he wasn't very involved with his Court. He didn't know what was going on now- or what had gone on in the past.
They weren't with the Negaverse, but they were still Chaos Senshi, and no matter how much the Negaverse called the 'painting of all Chaos as evil' propaganda... There were definitely things he'd done, and things other people had done that he'd accepted, that weren't. Quite. Right. Because of the Chaos. Things he wouldn't have been comfortable with before, but could glaze over it now. ...It shouldn't be impossible to believe that Dark Mirror Senshi could do something that would hurt people... Agents especially, maybe.
He scuffed his sandal, tossed a quick glance over his shoulder as if to make sure that Rakovanite wasn' there and didn't seem to be coming back soon.
"Mm... Well, I d-don't really know if it would help, but... But I could take you? To Mirror space? And show you that there's nothing really so bad in there. There probably won't even be anyone else around- N-not that you have to, just if you think it might help give you closure or reassurance, or- or I don't know..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2025 6:27 pm
He rubbed at one ear, self-soothing a little before giving a exasperated sigh. "It's not your problem. I'm just - trying to be better with your lot. Treating you more like one of us than - what you are." He explained, trying not to let his own dislike seep in too much as he pushed himself to be better about it all.
This is when he remembered he didn't even know who he was talking to. They just met, but things had spiraled off the proper path of introductions into this.
"We never did - start things off right." He turned, his time more straight-spined and at attention. "General Wolframite."
This DMC was far too concerned for a random General, and that somewhat helped to endear Wolframite to not be too much of a b***** about things.
Yet, as much the senshi was trying, Wolframite was still clearly nervous.
"I'm sorry but - I just met you. I - " He had to get over this fear. Of them. Of that time.
Yet, they had no idea the context of why. "This is all old news. Very old. You're people aren't even the same anymore." He had to preface all of this in hopes they didn't think this was the current situation right now. "Many years ago, your people jumped friends of mine and myself. Took us through your mirrors, and into a warehouse. They wanted intel - and used whatever came up in their heads to get it. It's hard to trust you all now after that."
He still was terrified of fires too close to him. Scared of small rooms in warehouses.
"How can I know - that you won't try something if I go with you? You could abandon me somewhere I can't escape."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 5:13 am
They were all... very aware of the sides each other was affiliated with. 'Your lot,' 'your people.' Not friends, barely allies. Maybe Narcissus was just being willfully naive, but shouldn't it be a source of comfort to know how many people were protecting their home? They really had faced horrible things, even just recently! And they'd all managed to come together for that, despite not being on the same 'side' typically. The only reason the Mirror Court and the Negaverse should really be at odds was the method of how they were choosing to protect, and how the Negaverse really seemed like it was more pulling the world down than lifting it up, but Narcissus would never, ever say that.
...But it just made everyone paranoid and afraid. So that was upsetting.
"Narci," Narcissus reminded him, since he'd said it earlier in his babbling, but he didn't blame Wolframite for a name stuck on the end of what was perceived as insults for not being the thing that stuck out the most.
He swayed in little side-to-side motions, his own self-soothing technique. "Well, I'm not g-going to pressure you to agree- It is kind of intimidating- Mirrorspace, I mean. But there shouldn't r-really be very many places you can't get out of? You can teleport. ...Oh, but I guess not out of Mirrorspace. Aaand I won't lie and promise that it's looking out for anyone's best interest. I don't really know what it's looking out for... But it has never hurt me."
Babbling again. Babbling generally unhelpful things to someone who was already nervous about a place he wouldn't really have much control over. "Oh, maybe it is best we don't... I'm not-" He held up the crinkled, transparent ends of his fuku. "I-I'm not the Mirror's most knowledgeable- or strongest- soldier, so..."
He doubted anything bad would happen to Wolframite while Narcissus was there, but it wasn't like he knew for sure, so...
"But I've taken my fiance," He admitted. "He's a General, like you. My little island is cute and quaint. I don't do all this," he made a vague gesture to the space between them. "As often as he does, so it's not as fixed up as it could be, but it's nice. Quiet. Maybe next time?" He offered, allowing an escape.
And more time for both of them to think on it, if Wolframite needed it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2025 5:48 pm
"Uh right. Narci." He remembered, having felt like a lot of what had happened was starting to blur together. He hadn't expected to feel so conflicted and overwelmed all at the same time, but he often found himself a bit out of it when it came to socializing with strangers. That's what he got for staying down in the Negaverse all the time and being out at night. It didn't make for great social skills.
The offer was set on his feet, and despite how kind Narci had been, Wolframite took a mental step back to look over all the facts that were presented to him.
Narci was in love with a Negaverse General. This meant he had ties to the Negaverse and wouldn't want to get his own fiance in trouble.
Killing or betraying would not only put his life in danger, but that of his faction, and his relationship.
They had not attacked him.
They were taking a lot of time to just - talk.
They weren't pressing the issue.
The offered to take him, a complete stranger, to what seemed like a private place to them. If it was anything like the Knights with their Wonders or Senshi with their planets, he knew this was a bit of a big deal.
He was listening. Trying to understand.
If he was going to get over all of this, this probably was the best option the universe could offer him.
It just came with one tiny, uncomfortable thought. He didn't like being seen as so weak to what wasn't exactly a ally.
"Being the most knowledgeable and strongest doesn't often make the best soldier. I've been around a long time to know that much."
"I - want to trust you. With this. I want to .." How did he even explain or express everything tied up with years of hate, spite, loss, and pain to the point he was at now to someone who just met him. "I want to move forward. Your place - it sounds like the Wonders Knights have. Or senshi. Little planets or places everyone has." It was strange the Negaverse didn't have that, but they all shared one communal space. Unlike the knights who weren't connected in such a way to always commune in one area, he felt it was better. To have them all gather in one place they could see as a home.
"If you are willing then - maybe I can try?" His once stronger, more confidence disposition was wilting in the face of uncertainty.
"And maybe I can help in that knowledgeable part you're lacking. If I can help answer any questions." It wasn't like he had top secret information. He wasn't that close to the Queen to be entrusted with something so safely guarded.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2025 4:19 pm
Narcissus was very, extremely aware that he did not instill a significant amount of confidence in the people he spoke to. As a doctor, it was probably his greatest failing. His mentors had expressed often that even if he was smart and doing things properly, is finicky speech and movements definitely made people... wary, at best. Uneasy, hesitant, frightened at worst. It wasn't the ideal bedside manner for someone in his position, but... Because of the extremely frequent dangerous goings-on in Destiny City, no one was in the position to turn away a knowledgeable medical specialist.
And Wolframite seemed to be in a similar situation: uneasy, but with few other options if he wanted a Dark Mirror who would help him step past his fears.
Personal failings aside, Narcissus at least had the benefit of patience. It didn't bother him to give the General time to mull the idea over, to come to terms with what he wanted to do and how he wanted to achieve it. Even if Narci didn't have a complete understanding of the events that had scarred him so, it was enough to accept that it had been traumatic, and it would please him to be able to help, if he could...
"It's- Well, it's just a little like a Knight Wonder, I think. I haven't been to very many of those, but from what I've seen, they're j-just like somewhere you could find in the real world! B-but my island... It's not really like that. It's very small, and y-you can tell that it's not connected to anything. It's just- just sort of floating, with dozens and dozens of other little islands around it- the islands the other Senshi have. Oh! And- and there's a big Citedel that you can- Well, I m-mean... I want to prepare you, but maybe I should just let you see it."
Wolframite wanted to try, and as important as Narcissus thought it was to prepare him as best he could, it was pretty hard to prepare anyone for literally anything that happened in the War, all magical aliens and such...
He extended a hand, slipping it around one of Wolframite's large paws. "I can take us to a mirror, i-if you're ready now?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
