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You're momentarily rattled out of your horny thoughts at the question.. What WOULD buy you? What matters more than money? In your mind, you find yourself going through the basics of living that you haven't thought about in so long; safety, shelter, stability, fulfillment.

You're not exactly an easy target. People within the gang respect you and people pause or avoid you when they see you on the street. It was funny at first.. but now it just feels lonely. The work's been getting more dangerous, demanding, more people upset, more people one rough day away from popping a cap in your ass.

There's always been threats in every corner. It comes with the territory of being in the Bites. When you joined, you knew you could handle it. How about now?



When was the last time you felt safe? How many days? Months? Has it been years? When did it start to feel normal? Did the anxiety become manageable or just easy to ignore? You've been in survival mode for so long you didn't even realize it.

To live is to survive, you reasoned. You eat up what you can and snap your jaws at every opportunity to live better than before. You aren't that pup going from rundown motel to motel anymore, your parents constantly fighting over jobs they can't hold down. You're grown up. You have a place to stay. It's empty without you in it, but at least it's yours.

The work is good, but when was the last time you had a choice in it? To believe in it?

You consider reporting back with nothing, essentially failing the mission. Would the boss kill you for that? Normally, you wouldn't think it would be that serious. But he's been getting more paranoid, and if he's willing to try and kill off Eiko for an association, he might just shoot you himself thinking you're the next Brutus.

It doesn't help knowing some outsider has been whispering in his ear and he damn near hangs on every word.

Traitorous thoughts... But what's another knife in the back of a guy clearly willing to do the same?



You finally speak, "I want a few things. Security, for one, some assurance that I'm not gonna get shanked in my sleep. Maybe a new place to stay, if I tell the Boss that this was a dead end."

She considers you with softer eyes, "I see. I can work on both those things. You can stay here for now if you want, and I'll work on getting you a rental on the nicer side of the city. It's not my plan to make people that help me disposable."

Despite the vagueness, there's some weight to her words that makes you want to believe in her. You almost sigh in relief, finding yourself emboldened, "And I want a guarantee. A promise. You get it done and kill the boss."


You believe that. Just by going off of her vibes, her home, the way she interacts with the gang, she has nothing to lose. There's nothing more dangerous than someone with nothing left but a single goal. Even if she dies, she doesn't seem like the type to go down alone. Though you don't have much time to think of the fallout, you have to believe that it will be good in the end.

Eiko doesn't even hesitate at your terms, just nods at you, and reaches her hand out. You grasp her hand in yours as you shake on it. Deal sealed.



After that, you both quietly eat together. It's a strange, damn near surreal atmosphere. Just hours ago, the You of the past would have never expected to be where you are now. The realization that you could be sleeping in her home hasn't even fully hit you.

You kind of want her to call you a good dog again...

Eiko, still eating directly from the container, pauses, "Can I ask you something?"

You blink. "You haven't had a problem asking me things."

She does snort at that, her gaze turning serious. "It's different. More personal."

"Go ahead."



Eiko takes a deep breath. "If you had to decide between these different things, what choice would you make?"

>A) To venture into the unknown of endless possibility and wonder, at the cost of everything familiar to you.

>B) To dedicate yourself to rebuilding something with obstacles every step of the way, if it means to earn fulfillment and stability.

>C) To let go and start over completely somewhere new and easy to acclimate, in the hope that your past and your choices will not haunt you.

[Friendliness level: 75%. Your choice/reasoning will impact Eiko's future actions.]

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