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It is lower than you were expecting. Most people tend to be at 40% as a base, even among strangers. It looks like what Kenji and the others have said is.. about right in their characterization of her..

Gotta tread carefully... You don't know how much control she has over her form. While you may be able to rush and overwhelm her for a moment if needed, you aren't the best fighter around. You can do hand-to-hand and growl/bite pretty well. But you weren't hired to be muscle. Nor are you armed.

Hopefully, one awkward answer or question won't lead to immediate hostilities.

"Did I know where you live? No, I didn't. But they don't call me bloodhound for nothing." You try to punctuate your words with a bit of humor and well-placed concern. "The Boss wanted me to check up on you, you know how he gets. He said something about you getting shot at and things going bad."

Eiko's ears seem to twitch at the mention of the Boss, but she stays quiet and lets you continue.

You clear your throat and press on, "Anyway, you're not looking so hot. Are you doing alright?"

She doesn't face you, so you don't quite see her expression. She stands still with the food in her hands. Your senses are still off from the nauseating scent a second ago, but she looks tense, shoulders hunching in and tail flicking side to side.

Eventually, she gives a dry laugh, a sharpness to her voice. "I'm hungry. You should go sit down."

Your body moves to obey quicker than you expect, just barely catching the scent of tea before you're already sitting on the couch that feels... Weirdly damp. The fuck happened here?



Eiko moves to set the food down on the coffee table, tone more conversational, "So you followed my scent all the way here.. I assume from the base?"

You find yourself sitting up straight, claws resting on your thighs as you try to act like you aren't starting to sweat through the beans, "Oh well, I picked it up nearby. It kind of happened by chance."

She nods as she moves to open the various foodstuffs, her gaze fixed on the food.

"He didn't want anything else?"

"Well, it'd be bad if it turned out you were actually hurt.. Not that he's the type that cares about our hopes and dreams, but he loses money if we try to work while we're sick."

Eiko seems to be mulling over your words. You're hoping you don't sound too suspicious.

"That's true."

You nod. Though you want to make it clear this is about her, have her soften up to you gradually, "Yeah, he'll want you back to it soon. Maybe a week or two? Once you're feeling better."

Eiko snorts, this slight turn of disbelief in her eyes.

"That's funny."

Damn. Does she hate you already? You start to become hyperaware of your jeans getting damp, subtly shifting so you're more on the drier cushion. "So, you order takeout every day? Can I have a shrimp?"

She looks at you now, this slight upward turn to her brow, deadpan. "I'll think about it."



She still heads to the kitchen, so you assume she's getting some plates for the food. You take this moment to look around, a bit unnerved by the minimalism of her apartment. It's like she moved in here yesterday. Your place isn't exactly the most well decorated, mainly filled w/ posters and albums you enjoy, but there's at least a... sense of personality. It's like you're staring into a void.

While your sense of smell slowly returns to you, vague outlines of her moving around the area forms in your mind. This is definitely her living space. The scent of the suspect is here too, more subtle, clearly not here long enough to imprint more than a vague caterpillaring of movement from kitchen to balcony.

An odd clanking of what must be a pot breaks your concentration, your head turning to the sound.

Ah. Hmm. Damn.

As she moves to stand, you immediately turn your head and pretend you were appraising the food.

"Soo, there's been some.. Weird stuff going on around here lately. Have you noticed anything?"

"Weird in what way?"

"People dressed weird. Something hard to explain. Maybe a pig with wings?"

"Nothing any weirder than usual."

Ah, still giving you nothing. As you eye her again, you notice her shirt's slightly more tucked in as she comes back from the kitchen, only sporting a pair of chopsticks and a small plate. Not quite friendly enough to share yet, it seems.

She sets the plate down and sits in the space in front of you where the table surface is empty.



Now that you're facing each other, you find yourself nervous again, moving straight to the point. "So, you had someone here? A boyfriend?"

Eiko's eyes narrow-- as if she expected the first question-- then blinks in surprise. Quickly, she turns her head and laughs, damn-near guffaws, arm curling around her middle as she tries to contain it.

You find yourself getting flushed watching her. Her friendliness rises a bit more. Up to 45%. Nice?

She continues to laugh, her words punctuated with a breathless haha. "Fuck. That guy? No, no, hell no. Fuuuuck no. I'd rather eat shit and die."

You nod quickly in agreement despite not knowing anything about this guy. Besides that Eiko seems to hate them. Maybe you hate this guy now. Maybe you'll throw them off the balcony if they come back.

"Have they been bothering you?"

Eiko leans back and moves to dig into the food right out of the takeout box. In front of you.

"In a way. I'm still deciding if you're bothering me."

You pause at that. "What would decide that?"

"Do you like the gang? Our boss?"

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