how could i ever forget // outside the morning was cool and wet

[monoceroscaeli]

[It's not often Ajax finds himself getting his head slammed down onto the hood of a car, least of all a cop car. Usually it's him doing the slamming.

But today the young man finds himself denting the hood, the sound of metal caving in under his head ringing in his ears. Not exactly the ideal situation he was hoping for, but he figured sooner or later he'd have a run in with the cops due to the sensitive nature of his profession, but that doesn't mean he has to like how inconsiderate they are with him as they cuff him and throw him in the back of the paddy wagon. Not that he was considerate to them when he was discovered, as evidenced by the blood all over his clothing and knuckles from the fight he'd gotten into with them. How he managed to avoid getting shot is beyond him- plenty of shots were fired, but that hadn't stopped him from knocking a few of them out.

It's just too bad he'd been instructed that he couldn't kill anyone, or else he'd of gotten out of there without being caught.

The lights of the police station are bright, almost too bright from the contrast of how dark it was outside. Ajax squints as he's dragged inside, held tightly by two cops who hurry him through the station, but not fast enough that he doesn't catch a glimpse of the secretary behind the desk as they come in. Pretty, blonde, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. Gorgeous eyes, ones that catch his attention almost immediately as he's being shoved towards the back, shining with a radiance that captures him instantly. His eyes lock with hers, feeling something silent yet powerful surge through him from this tiny, insignificant interaction. He doesn't even have a moment to think further on it, before he's so rudely interrupted.

Get moving.

The curt voice of the bigger cop on his right cuts through the moment, anger welling up in Ajax's chest and something dark stirs in his core. If he wasn't cuffed and being restrained, he'd turn that guy's face into a new work of art, something so abstract some insane art collector would gladly pay millions for it.

No sooner had Ajax been ushered in, he disappears from sight as he's taken back into an interrogation room, the mysterious blonde no longer in his sights, now getting shoved into a corner of a room.]

What's with this? Don't you even have the courtesy of giving me a chair to sit in, at least?

[From outside of the room, muffled noises of a scuffle as the cops lay into Ajax can be heard, the loudest of which is a thud of a body slamming into a wall, accompanied by a groan from the ginger kid. Though little do any of them know, their real problems haven't arrived just yet, waking from their slumber right outside of the city...]

Comments

[niwabi]

[ Behind the desk of the Fontaine Police Station sits a bored blonde who has lost count of the many times she's hummed and hawed over the course of this dull, uneventful evening. Having already finished half of her workload for tonight's shift, she's searching for any means to kill some time; which includes texting a friend from her home country of Inazuma. ]

( 10:33 pm )

Yoimiya:
Another long boring night of file sorting. (；￣Д￣)
Please tell me your evening has been more thrilling than mine.

Shinobu:
Define thrilling.
I'm spending my night at the detention center trying to bail some knuckleheads out. Boss and the boys got hauled off for disrupting the peace.
They were dueling a rival gang in a card game until Kujou Sara caught wind of them being loud and obnoxious...

Yoimiya:
AGAIN??? (⊙_⊙)

Shinobu:
Again.

Yoimiya:
WWWW (≧▽≦) Make sure you give those boys a good beating!
Gotta go, I hear some ruckus outside. Looks like they're bringing someone in for questioning.
Talk to you later!!!! ヾ(＾ ∇ ＾)

[ For the umpteenth time this evening, a heavy sigh spills out of her lips. At least I was able to get some sort of laugh tonight... Yoimiya muses to herself, setting her phone to the side before any of her superiors walks in on her slacking around. The job itself pays well and she's grateful for the opportunity to work in another country but it's the farthest thing from exciting, every day becoming more mundane than the previous as she sorts through names and writes up court summon letters. Once again she sighs, bored out of her mind while typing up a notice for a guy who got caught trying to scam some poor sap. Same old song and dance. Her gaze flickers back over to her phone, chuckling in amusement at the Good luck message sent by Shinobu. By chance, she glances at her lock screen with the group photo she took with her friends before traveling off to the Hydro nation.

Fontaine is a beautiful country full of incredible technology but truly, she misses her parents and friends back home in Inazuma.

But that's enough reminiscing for tonight, there's still work that needs to be done. As she's adding the finishing touches to the letter, her ears perk up at the sounds of the door slamming open, her attention focusing on the two police officers rushing in a very dangerous-looking guy with blood all over his clothing. She's trying not to make it seem obvious she's intrigued by the sudden common but one look into his eyes is enough to draw her in. Curly ginger locks, eyes blue as the ocean surrounding Fontaine, dashing good looks... he's the best thing she's seen all evening. Even as he's being ushered to the back, Yoimiya is unable to avert her stare, feeling a powerful rush blazing within her body.

That was strange. Geez, her life must be that unexciting if she's admiring a criminal's handsome face. On the plus side, some form of excitement has finally entered the building. Quietly, she starts working on the next court order, carefully honing in on the inquisition taking place in the room behind her. She can hear the sounds of a body slamming against the wall, punching, yelling, the ginger letting out a painful groan. It's hard to hear what the officers are saying, only able to make out one part of the conversation. ]

Scumbags like you don't deserve the slightest bit of courtesy. Now, tell us what you were doing. There's no doubt in my mind you have some connection with them.

[ Yikes. Yoimiya doesn't know what's going on but if the blood splatter all over that mysterious man isn't already a huge red flag, sirens blaring in her head the more she listens to the yelling from outside the interrogation room; the guy in custody is bad news. All of the fist flying and shouting has her full attention, completely oblivious to the unknown entity slowly slithering its way into the station. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Ajax has absolutely no way of defending himself without making this situation way bigger than he's allowed to make it be. All he can do is take another punch to the gut from the officers who are clearly pissed about what he did to them prior to getting cuffed. His face gets slammed into the wall, gritting his teeth as pain radiates through his entire skull from the strike, wishing he could fight back even a little bit. But orders are orders, and to escalate this would endanger everything- so he can't do anything but take it, and mouth off.]

I plead the fifth. Don't you know my rights? You didn't even bother to read them to me. Not that you care about a lawsuit, right?

[A knee connects right with Ajax's stomach, doubling him over before a well-aimed punch knocks him to the floor, hearing a sickening crunch of something breaking in his chest. That's a rib for sure, he thinks, fighting through the pain to stay conscious.

Cut the crap, kid. We've been on this case for months now, and you're not walking outta here without giving us some answers.]

Sorry...ngh. Can't help you, don't know what you're talking about.

[One of the cop's feet comes in and kicks him right in the side, causing Ajax to cry out in pain again as he lies on the floor. At this rate, he wouldn't be surprised if he "accidentally" died, but there's no way he's going to let them take him out here. Not that he's in any position to be doing anything about it at the moment, but he'll escalate things if he has to.

Meanwhile, something black, something dark emerges from the shadows of the city. The light emanating from the station isn't great, but it won't stop it from finding the source, the pulsing outward like a signal tower. For so long, it, they have been looking for this.

From underneath the door, a jet black, as dark as the night itself, slime squeezes into the station. The linoleum floor seems to stain the colors of a far distant galaxy as it makes its way across it, a grotesquely beautiful pattern of stars painted black and purple left behind in its wake. The creature has no interest in Yoimiya, though it doesn't ignore her- only makes a note that a being in here radiates with a dangerous power it needs to be aware of. Slipping past the front desk and into the interrogation room, it crawls up the wall, in full view of Ajax. The cops have their backs to it, not noticing how it slides upwards onto the ceiling, but even through Ajax's brutalized face, he can see it. His eyes widen as he stares up at the ceiling, but the smaller cop is more focused on their task than to follow his gaze.

Hey, go get something else to convince this guy to talk, will ya?

A creature like he's never seen before, stretching downward from the ceiling, wrapping its all-consuming tendril around the bigger cop who'd growled at him to start. It snakes quickly around his head, silent as it finds the guy's eye and begins to feed itself into it. The entire scene plays out in front of Ajax in slow-mo, the cop's face freezing in surprise as he feels something entering into his body through his eye, the eyeball moving just slightly to the side to let it through- until the entirety of it is gone, leaving only the trace of purplish black stars as a streak across the leathering skin of the cop. There's an eerie silence as he stands there, face contorted into something more terrifying, body quivering as the creature adjusts to its new home. Ajax's jaw drops in horror, not knowing if he really saw what he just saw, or if all of this was a nightmare and he just needs to wake up.

I said, go get something-

The smaller of the two men slaps the other with the back of his hand against his chest in irritation, but never gets to retract it. The monster grabs the wrist of the smaller cop, pupils dilated and veins popping out from his neck, staring at his former partner now with an intensity that only can come from the voracious appetite of the abyss. It cuts off the cop mid-sentence, before the creature heaves him through the door with an unworldly force that shatters the wooden frame around it, sending the cop sliding across the floor and slamming into the front of the station right in front of Yoimiya.

Ajax feels as if his breath has left his body, like he's unable to breathe and paralyzed from the horrifying sight of the monster in front of him. It turns its head back towards him, black tendrils seeping out from the skin on the guy's arm as it reaches towards the ginger. He can't...he can't die here, not like this. Struggling to stand, he fumbles himself pushing up against the wall to get to his feet, eventually managing it as he stares down what he believes is his own death, but he won't give up here. The creature lunges, and thankfully he's agile enough to dodge and get around him, running out back towards the front area.]

Let's go!

[It's the only thing he yells the second he's out, looking over to see if the secretary was still sitting there. Everything happened so fast, he doubts she had time to react to it yet.]

[niwabi]

[ At a certain point, listening to the suspect cry out in pain becomes too much for her. Although she can't see what's going on, she can hear every punch thrown at him, every time his face gets slammed into the wall. The sharp crack causes her to wince, such an awful sound pulls at her stomach, making her feel sick. She winces, bringing her hand over to her chest as if she can feel his excruciating pain from his broken rib. Sure, there's a good chance he's done something beyond horrible, but this interrogation is going too far for her liking. At this rate, he might actually die.

Just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, she picks up on more of their conversation; Hey, go get something else to convince this guy to talk, will ya? Her golden eyes grow wide with shock, absolutely stunned that the two are such dirty cops that they are willing to stoop so low.

To hell with it. Who cares if she receives a reprimand for what she's about to do, it's better than listening to someone's murder. Everyone has their rights and for all she knows, this guy could have done nothing wrong. No longer taking this sitting down, Yoimiya slams her hands down on her desk, mentally preparing herself for a screaming match with her coworkers. However, before getting up out of her chair, the eerie silence that falls afterward sets off alarm bells in her head. It's difficult to ascertain what's being said next but Yoimiya is given no time to react when all of a sudden, one of the police officers comes flying out through the door with a force unlike anything she's ever seen before. The blonde's jaw hangs open as the cop slams into the floor in a heap, the sheer power of that throw surely crushed a few bones, his body convulsing and twitching in ways she didn't think was humanly possible.

It all happened so fast that she's unable to register what in blazes is going on. Did the man in custody do this? Shaking, she slowly looks up to see the suspect in question. He's battered and bruised so there's no way he had the power to do this. It's then, that she finally pays attention to the linoleum floor now stained with a hideous black and purple pattern reminding her of the galaxy, if it wasn't so distorted, the stars shimmering across the floor might have been beautiful. Her eyes dart across the floor, following the residue until she comes face to face with a horrible creature so foul, so terrible that not even her worst nightmares could conjure up.

Unable to move, Yoimiya is paralyzed with fear from the sight of this monster. What's even more horrible is how she's vaguely able to recognize the true form of the abomination, it's taken over the body of the other police officer, leaving him with black leather flesh and a warped wicked face. Trembling, all she can do is scream in terror. Maybe this is what she gets for wishing for a bit more excitement in her life.

BANG!

A shot is fired. The sound alone is enough to pull Yoimiya out of her panic-stricken fright. Looking down, she notices the cop lying on the floor, using his remaining energy to pull out his gun and fire a single shot into the monster.

Get out of here Miss Naganohara!

Even if she didn't approve of his methods, she still feels terrible about leaving her coworker behind, especially since he seems to be prioritizing her safety as a civilian. But at the same time, she can't afford to die. Not while her parents back home need her. Unfortunately for the police officer, the shot doesn't even make a dent in the monster's skin, the flat shell simply falls to the floor. Now with its attention turned on the cop, horrible gurgling sounds escape from the creature's contorted mouth as it trudges over to the fallen man, picking him up by the neck.

Realizing there's nothing she can do at this point, she takes the advice of both men, grabbing her things and making it a mad dash to the mysterious ginger. He might be a wanted criminal but their chances for survival drastically go up if they work together. This man could have easily left her behind while he escaped but from the way he yelled out to leave together, he's clearly not heartless. Not wasting any time, she holds onto his arm cuffed behind his back, knowing that he probably needs a bit of extra support as they make their way to the front door.

However, Yoimiya does make one mistake and that's looking back. From the corner of her eye, she sees the helpless officer writhing. Not even using a fraction of its strength, the creature easily crushes his neck. The color drains from her face as she watches her former associate's head limply fall to the side. Already a horrible sight, what shakes her to her core is that this isn't the end of the monster's lust for blood. Even with the corpse in its grasp, it uses its sharp claws like a blade, sadistically puncturing a hole clean through the dead officer's chest. ]

Oh... oh... oh my god.

[ At a complete and total loss for words, she's speechless, never having seen this much blood oozing out in all her life. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[It's known that monsters and other aberrations exist in Teyvat, and have been since since written records from ancient times. How old those scripts are is anyone's guess according to Ajax, who doesn't concern himself with history all that much unless he needs to know for a job- which isn't often- but the information is widely spread enough with enough witness testimony and a few captured monsters here and there for the populace to know that outside of cities, there's always a risk even in modern times to get caught by one. You can kill them all you want, but they keep coming back, and researchers still don't know where, how or why that is. But what is surprising, is that one has bothered to crawl into the city, gone undetected, and seemed to be looking for something, or someone.

And as his heart races with fear, his body pumping with adrenaline, Ajax can't help but feel that this monster is definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, here for him.

The bullet bounces off of the monster, the cop being lifted by his neck, it's all Ajax can do but stare on in horror at the sight of the creature snapping the cop's neck as Yoimiya grabs a hold of one of his restrained arms. He barely notices for a moment that she's joined him, his eyes wide with fear and his legs trembling from the sight of the blade that punctures through the cop's chest. It rattles him enough that all his instincts finally kick in, turning towards the door and jerking his head at it.]

Open it, or we're next! C'mon!

[The urgency in his voice can't be understated, and would be slamming the door wide open if he were able to. But of course, he had to be handcuffed in the worst situation possible, as the monster admires its handiwork before violently dislodging the body from its blade with a sharp sweep of its arm. Off the dead cop slides, hitting the floor with a sickening thwop, blood spattering every which way as it covers the floor, seeping out from the body in a pool. It turns towards them, a strange wicked expression of joy at the sight of Ajax and Yoimiya in front of it, lumbering towards them slowly. It made sure that they couldn't leave, so there's no hurry.]

[niwabi]

[ Even with the urgency in his voice, he definitely doesn't need to tell her twice. Hands shaking, she reaches for the door handle, swallowing down a sob from the stomach-turning noises taking place behind the pair. Given the nature of her work, she's heard of violent crimes but this is her first time witnessing someone killed right in front of her eyes, on top of it being such a brutal death. She steels herself, trying not to let the noises get to her. All they have to do is make a run for it, call Wriothesley for help, and soon this nightmare will finally be over.

Except there's one problem. Yoimiya pushes on the door, only for it to not open at all. Her eyes grow wide at the realization, body trembling as she gives it another attempt. Still nothing. ]

Huh?! It's not budging...

[ A combination of desperation and adrenaline begins to kick in. Letting go of his arm, Yoimiya throws her whole weight against the door, slamming the side of her body against the bulletproof glass in vain hopes of forcing it open. Damned if she gets hurt doing this. Between cuts or being turned into a human shish kabob, she'll take the glass shards any day. With no regard for her safety, she's trying with all of her might, tackling the frame over and over again but to no avail. As she contemplates shattering the glass with a nearby folding chair, Yoimiya stops dead in her tracks, horrified at the sight of that same galaxy-like substance painting the floor now also oozing out of the door gap. ]

Eeek—!

[ Immediately backing off, she thanks the Archons for narrowly avoiding the repugnant purple slime. Looks like they aren't escaping out the front, the creature made sure of that.]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Ajax's eyes dart between Yoimiya and the monster who's edging closer and closer to them from across the station, until now it's gotten too close not to give it his full attention. He's waiting for the unmistakable noise of the door opening, but all he hears is a soft thud, once, twice, and a "huh?!"

The door isn't opening. Yoimiya is slamming her whole body against it, and without skipping a beat he joins her, ramming his shoulder into it as hard as he can over and over again, cursing the bulletproof glass. He can't do anything with his hands like this, and it's only a matter of moments until they're caught between a rock and a hard place. And to make matters worse, the slime from the creature is oozing out of the door itself, daring them to touch it with how it seeps out onto the floor and towards them, as if it too, were alive.

Ajax backs off as well, horrified that this thing has managed to trap them in here like animals, wishing now that he was still getting beaten half to death in the interrogation room with the cops instead. That, at least, would've proved to be a less horrific death than what they're about to experience, and Ajax does the only thing he can do, prepare himself to fight or die trying.

A sick, twisted smile appears on what might of been called a face of the monster, happy with this outcome. Now, all it has to do is finish what it came here for. The dark tendrils that had reached for Ajax before slither out from underneath the skin of its arm, reaching towards the the criminal, letting out a pleased gurgle that bubbles and pops out of somewhere around its throat.]

Hey, [he begins, slowly backing up towards the wall that only lies a few feet behind them,] listen, it's coming for me. You need to run and get out of here when the opportunity presents itself. You can't die here.

[He doesn't plan on dying either, but he also doesn't want to see this innocent girl get slaughtered in the process.]

Don't hesitate, okay? Run.

[He glances over at her, his ocean eyes deeply serious, his tone even and calm to give her something to lean on so she can gather the courage just to save herself. He can't make her save herself, but he hopes she digs up something deep from inside herself to do it.

Just as he finishes, his gaze lands back on the monster, who sees its own opportunity- and lunges right at Ajax, determined to get a hold of him. Ducking and rolling out of the way, the monster's whole body slams into the wall, sending small chunks of concrete flying outwards and onto the floor. Ajax turns in terror, realizing that whatever had entered that guy's body made it even more dense than what a human could ever dream to be, and how much more dangerous this has become. He wishes his hands were free, at least then he could fight back, but he can't imagine kicking the thing. He'd break his foot instantly, or that thing would just slice it off before he even had the chance.

His eyes scan for Yoimiya now, wondering if she decided to take off in the midst of that short scuffle, hoping that maybe he'd catch a flash of blonde heading towards a different exit. What a day, if he survives this, he's demanding at least ten times the pay than what he was supposed to get for this job >:| ]

[niwabi]

[ Never before has Yoimiya felt so weak and helpless in her entire life. She maps out the police station in her head, there's the fire exit in the back but with how fast and powerful this aberration is, they'll be caught before even making it to the emergency door. Trapped like rats with little means to escape, it's starting to feel like their only option is to accept their untimely deaths.

If they by some chance make it out this alive, Yoimiya promises she will never complain about being bored ever again. Ultimately, doesn't look like she'll receive a chance to appreciate life, time ticking with each passing second. All she can do is watch in horror as elongated tendrils spurt from the skin of it's arm, stretching out to grab the man standing beside her. If she was in the right state of mind, she might have noticed the monster seems to be here specifically for Ajax but as she backs up to the wall right alongside him, the only thought in her mind is praying for her death to be as swift and painless as possible.

Suddenly, his voice snaps her out of wallowing in the depths of despair. She sends a glance his way, carefully listening to everything he has to say. The revelation that the monster is here for him shocks her to the core. A tempest of questions swirl around in her head but there's not enough time to ask. She's left stunned by his selfless request, it would be so easy to use a helpless girl like her as bait while he makes his escape. Criminal or not, no one deserves to die in such a brutal matter. ]

Then you'll be left all alone with that thing. I...

[ I can't bear to see you die.

For some inexplicable reason, her heart sinks at thought of him dying. It's more than just her moral compass, every fiber of her being aches and twists at his demise. This guy is a complete and total stranger to her, on top of possibly having connections to some terrible organization. Why is she so torn up over him?

She doesn't get a chance to finish that train of thought, the monster surges forward, hellbent on capturing it's target. Yoimiya barely has time to react, dodging just in the brink of time by throwing herself on the floor. Slowly, she looks up, her face paling at the sight of the hole in the wall left by the creature. Just being on the receiving end of that tackle would have ended their lives in an instant.

Her whole body sputters and shakes as she stands up, glancing back and forth between the hallway leading to the back and the mysterious ginger. No longer conflicted, Yoimiya knows what she has to do.

Gathering all of her courage, she makes a run for it but in a different direction that Ajax might not expect. Instead of sprinting to the back door, she maneuvers to the desk, recalling there's an extra set of handcuff keys inside the draw. An indescribable feeling snaps within her, as if a burning flame just got cranked up to the hottest degree, her fight or flight instinct kicking in to the fullest. If this truly is her end, she at least wants to die fighting.

She takes a deep breathe before exhaling, setting her sights on the sickening warped smile of the monster. Once again, it turns its attention towards Ajax, making its way over to the young man with it's limb outstretched. That cursed thing looks way too pleased having it's prey trapped in a corner, she can't take this any longer. ]

BACK OFF YOU FREAK!

[ Armed with only a folding chair, Yoimiya rushes into the fray. Putting all of her power into this strike, she slams the metal chair right onto the monster's head. While it's certainly not enough to knock it out, the creature hadn't been expecting the blonde to stay and fight back. A vicious roar spills out of it's mouth from the contact of the object bashing into it's skull, staggering back, dazed and confused as the world spins around it. Adrenaline pumps through her veins, keeping a firm hold on the chair that now has a dent in it due to the monster's tough exterior, but she's still not going to back down.

Behind her soft golden irises lies an intense fire burning behind them as he locks stares with Ajax, sending him her answer. It might be stupid but she's either going to escape with him or die trying. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Instead of seeing Yoimiya make a run for it, she does the exact opposite thing he told her to do, getting to her desk. What was she doing? Foolish, he thinks, what in the world is in that desk that's more important than her life?

Any other thoughts he might of had instantly evaporate the moment the monster turns towards him again, determination renewed to get its tendrils around him. Lumbering towards him again, it doesn't seem the least bit hazed at all from destroying part of the concrete wall, and to top it off it seems to have learned that this scrawny guy is a lot more agile than it gave him credit for. Arching off of its arms, the tendrils stretch out now instead to close the distance, something Ajax hadn't been expecting, and are about to grab a hold of him until a scream from Yoimiya and-

BAM.

His face frozen in an expression of pure fear, Ajax barely registers that Yoimiya's taken a folding chair from wherever she found it in the station and slammed it across the monster's head as if this were some kind of wrestling match. The black tendrils falter, stopping just short of Ajax as the monster stumbles backward, clearly been knocked out of it a bit. As his mind catches up with what just happened, he realizes that this thing isn't totally indestructible. Sure, Yoimiya's strike did no damage at all, or perhaps the monster can't make the entire body as hard as diamond. It's got a weakness.

He meets her gaze for a moment, completely shocked at the fact that she's still here and just saved his life. That takes some guts, and you don't find girls like that every day- anyone who's got the bravery to take on something this unworldly usually meet their end pretty quickly, and he won't say that they're not out of that part of the woods yet.]

Well done-!

[He yells as he runs past the monster, joining her at her side as he jerks his head towards the back.]

We can get out of here now, just show the way-

[As if it knew exactly what their plan was, the creature turns through its haze to let those same tendrils twine and shift together until it forms a large, abyssal extension of its own arm, that it uses to shoot out from the middle of the room into the wall, blocking their path to the only other exit in the building, sending more parts of the building flying off and onto the floor. The action gets Ajax to jump back a few feet, visibly shaking from how much the situation has turned for the worse.

It heard that, and now it's pissed. Dangerous or not, that lady is going to be a problem now, even if it can sense that build of fire within her. Best to kill her before she gets in the way. Its gaze changes, locking eyes with her with a sinister, twisted look, the smile no longer evident. Instead, murder reflects in its eyes, and Ajax sees it immediately.]

Nowhere to run...not good...

[He says through gritted teeth. He can tell a murderous gaze when he sees one, and this woman just sealed her own death warrant. The thought of being unable to stop it from tearing her to pieces triggers something deep within him. He's not sure what it is inside of him that snaps in that moment, some kind of welling darkness that begins to envelop all of his senses and drives forward a desire to slaughter this enemy and keep her safe, at all costs. Even if it costs him his own life...]

[niwabi]

[ While the monster is momentarily stunned by her strike, Yoimiya takes this brief respite as a chance to stay close to Ajax's side, producing the key she got from the drawer out of her jacket pocket. She steps behind him, inserting said key into the lock of his handcuffs, finally freeing him from his binds. Relief floods her senses as she hears that clicking sound, the handcuffs immediately fall to the linoleum floor with a clank. Now that he's able to use both of his hands, they have a fighting chance of getting out of here alive. She saw the way he expertly dodged the otherworldly even while debilitated, there's no doubt he's strong.

Unfortunately, the celebration is cut short. Their other means of escape is cruelly taken away from them. Yoimiya gapes at the abyssal blockade preventing their chances of survival, confining them in this death trap.

To make matters worse, the aberration regains its senses after her swift blow and it looks pissed. Yoimiya can feel its bloodthirsty stare burning into her soul and theeven worst part? That look directed at her. She just sealed her fate with that folding chair.

The otherwordly being's abyssal limb grotesquely stretches out, rushing over to its new target— Yoimiya. In a swift dexterous move, its tendrils coil around her neck, ripping her away from Ajax by lifting her in the air. Even in the face of certain death, she's still trying to fight, clawing at the creature's limbs with her nails, kicking her legs, and yelling, but to no avail. Try as she might, the feisty blonde is unable to break away, its hold on her is far too strong for her small mortal body. ]

Let go! Let go of me...!

[ Hearing this woman's voice further incites the creature's murderous desire, looking forward to shutting her up permanently. Its tendril loop around her neck tightens, cutting off her oxygen. The abomination's warped smile returns, pleased at the sight of squishing this girl like a pesky bug that keeps getting in the way. Unable to scream, all Yoimiya can do is cough and gasp for air, feeling the life being choked out of her with each passing second. Her consciousness slowly starts to fade away, her hands that were fighting back to the bitter end limply fall to the side. Her bright honey-colored eyes normally so full of radiant energy lose their shine. This still isn't enough to satisfy the monster's cravings for blood. With a sickening squelch, another set of elongated tendrils rip out from its back, all of them with ends as sharp as a blade, pointing in her direction.

Is this really how she's going to die...? In her final moments, her parents come to mind, the news of their only daughter's death will surely break them. Tears spill out from her eyes, feelings of regret stir within her heart, how she wishes she was stronger, how she wishes she was smarter. Maybe then, she could have escaped such a pitiful death. Using what little vitality she has left, Yoimiya glances over in the direction of Ajax, mouthing what she assumes will be her last words:

Please... escape. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[The feel of his hands being free gives him a slight bit of renewed hope in their chances of getting out of here alive, rubbing his wrists as he takes a deep breath. The front door is still out of the question, and their other means of escape is completely blocked off, for now. He's trying to think, to somehow trick the monster into removing its other arm from where it's attached to the wall to let them through. But, what happens next throws all of those possibilities out the window in an instant.]

No-!

[Fast, it's the only way he can describe how the creature's tendrils shoot out and wrap around her neck, yanking her out of his outstretched reach and into the air in front of it, its twisted delight on display. It had sensed this power within her, one that could get in the way of its mission here, and now it seems it'll be easy to dispose of her since she's decided to try and stop it. Ajax can feel the panic rise in his chest, her choked breaths audible and indicative of how much oxygen she has left before she passes out- if the blades that snake out of its back don't cut her to pieces first.

The widened, terrified eyes of the young man meet the fated gold of the woman trapped with only moments left to live, her last words that she's able to mouth are just to tell him to go, to escape and live. It's a simple, caring gesture, and it's that that makes that welling darkness rise inside of him.

Ajax feels a sudden burn sear across the left hand side of his chest, his skin feeling like it's on fire, along with the compelling need to crush this aberration into the ground with nothing left but its mangled corpse on the ground. The sight of the tendril around Yoimiya's neck sends him into a frenzy, a madness reflecting in his eyes as he lunges forward, completely disregarding the bladed tendrils that float near, ready to slice anyone into bits that dares to come close. But his speed is unworldly, a fact he doesn't notice as his own left arm glows as armor seems to almost digitize in from nowhere, a purple abyssal light shining outwards towards it not unlike the colors stained on the ground.

His newly clawed, armored hand reaches out not just for the tendril that's wrapped around Yoimiya's neck, but for the very arm that it's attached to, gripping a hold of it as he gives the aberration one look of pure unadulterated rage before he closes his hand and crushes it.

The undeniable sound of of bones snapping, how its arm seems to bend and break in such an unnatural way under the strength of Ajax's grip echoes off of the walls of the police station. The tendril around Yoimiya's neck loosens, enough for it to finally let her go, the monster screeching in pain and surprise at the action. Ajax, the one it was here for, was never supposed to attack him. It hadn't even anticipated it, so when it loses functionality of its limb, its feral instincts kick in completely. Its ire is now turned on both of them, but the major threat now is the very person it came to retrieve- but that doesn't matter anymore, having lost control of its own being from that attack alone.

The tendrils housing blades rise up at Ajax, and the monster removes its other arm from the exit to instead, throwing all of its strength into getting a hold of the ginger man. As black as the night itself, the arm seems to transform and into something more amorphous, slamming into Ajax's chest and pinning him to the wall as his body thuds against it. His arm fades back to normal, now staring down death itself as the creature turns with its blades focused on him. All he can see is his own impending death, teeth gritted and eyes wide.

Not the way he thought he'd ever go out, but at least he can rest easy knowing that his own family would be safe from a fate like this. They're back home in Snezhnaya, somewhere where the biting cold can keep even the worst of monsters at bay. Not seeing a way out of this, he says a small prayer to the Tsaritsa, thanking her that at least he got to go out while fighting an insurmountable enemy, maybe the best thing he could of asked for. A small apology goes out to his family, for dying so early on them. He hopes Yoimiya escapes, because he can't even see her now, the monster being so close that it envelops his vision. All he can do now...is wait for his end.]

[niwabi]

[ Just as her vision starts to fade to black, the off-putting sound of a bone being cracked in half rings inside her ears, and shortly thereafter, the grip on her neck loosens. Ajax's devastating blow forces the abomination to let go, sending Yoimiya to the ground sputtering for air. Having just escaped a near asphyxiation death, it takes her a moment to gather her bearings, fluttering her half-lidded lashes, hurriedly breathing oxygen back into her lungs. It's not long until she picks herself up, her blurry eyes coming back to focus as she gazes upon a truly incredible scene.

In a most amazing feat, she sees Ajax with a dark armor sheathing his entire left arm, his hand covered with a claw that looks like it's capable of ripping the creature into two. Yoimiya is awestruck by the mangled arm of the monster, bent and twisted beyond recognition. No matter how strong he might be, no human should be capable of crushing a whole arm, let alone a monster's arm coated in a dense diamond-like layer. What exactly happened while she was down for the count? She reasons that surely he would have whipped that power out to break the handcuffs apart.

There's no time to ponder on that train of thought, as the creature seems to pivot from its mission to take the mysterious ginger man with it. The monster's savage rage overtakes any reasoning it might have had, opting to dispose of both of them once and for all, starting with the biggest threat in the room; Ajax. Aghast that the monster still has the energy to fight even after having its arm broken beyond repair, Yoimiya watches in horror as the otherwordly being's limb transforms into a force strong enough to fling Ajax into the nearby wall. The sharp tendril blades that were about to cut her into pieces are now aimed at him. A sinister laughter-like gurgle rips out of the monster's throat, its eyes and smile growing wide to have its sadistic taste for blood satiated.

A sharp pang seeps into her soul, unable to bear witness to watching him get torn from limb to limb. Feelings of protecting him at all costs wells upside of her, a mantra plays in her head: He must not die, he has to stay alive at all costs, I can't bear to see him die! The sight of the sharp blade aimed straight at Ajax's stomach sets her over the edge.

Cool as a drop of water, a pleasant sensation soaks onto the right side of her chest, as if she was submerged into the ocean. A crackling thunder fills the air before a shimmering purple bow embedded with the electro symbol manifests into Yoimiya's hands. It's been a while since she used a bow, the last time being in high school while dabbling in a bit of archery. As if a force is riveting her to destroy this sickening abomination, the feeling of holding a bow comes naturally to her. Out of pure instinct, she raises her newfound weapon, tugging on its strings. The arrow loaded inside ignites with a bright, burning flame. ]

Hey, freak! What did I tell you earlier?! Back off!

[ The biggest mistake the creature made was turning its back to Yoimiya, it languidly twists its head to stare at her, eyes widening up realizing it's oversight. With her target perfectly in sight, she releases the fire-infused arrow, hitting it right on the mark. The arrow punctures its leather skin, discharging fire into the human portion of the monster's body, burning it from within. As if an explosion of flames is bursting out inside of it, the creature screams in pain and anguish, releasing Ajax from what was going to be his untimely demise. It can't even turn to face the girl, clenching its head, rolling around on the ground as its innards smolder.

There's more where that came from, she's determined to make sure it never uses those horrifying appendages sprouting out. Another shot is fired, one for each tendril, the arrows hit their marks, starting off with a fire that burns from the sharp edges, erupting to the elongated limb connecting to its back. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[So, this is it, huh. He won't ever understand where he got the sudden strength to fight back against this beast, won't ever get to see his family again, see the sun shining on their wonderful faces. He dies here in a police station by the weapons of some unknown entity that came from beyond anywhere in Teyvat. He can't move a muscle and that strength doesn't seem to want to return to him right now to give him a last minute save, his end right here in sight.

He'd nearly forgotten about the woman in the room with him in that moment, concentrated on saying his last prayers when her shout distracts the monster, capturing its attention before everything explodes.

In one moment he sees it turn its head around, the next thing he sees is it exploding into fire as the first arrow lands on its mark. His ears feel like they're going to rupture from the awful screech that resounds from it, its cry unworldly and horrifying, reverberating off of the walls of the station as it goes down onto the ground in pain. The amorphous black stump of its arm releases him, with Ajax a little weak in the knees from the near-death experience, looking up to see his savior with a bow that just looks like it came straight out of some kind of high-fantasy novel. The fire arrows she looses from it burn away more of the monster's weapons, the sight of it making his jaw drop for more than one reason.

But now's not the time to reflect on that, his eyes widening as he calls out to her.]

We have to go, now! C'mon!!!

[This time, he expects her to follow, running towards the back to find the exit out of here before that thing decides that the fire isn't enough to keep it down and out. This is their one opportunity and they need to take it, as he finally finds the door to break out into a side alleyway to take off with her in tow. He won't stop running until they are an exceedingly far ways away from the police station, not knowing if that thing will follow or not before he'll even think about talking to his savior about what happened.]

[niwabi]

[ Utterly focused on taking down her target, she hadn't even realized they forced the monster to free up the pathway leading to the fire exit. It's not the horrifying screeches of the abomination but Ajax's voice that finally snaps her out of her combat reverie. As quickly as the ornate bow materializes, it soon vanishes having fulfilled her duty to save his life. Where did all of that firepower come from? Since when has she been able to wield a bow so skillfully? She's not sure if she will ever understand what happened but now is not the time nor the place to dwell on that.

This time, she absolutely follows him, sprinting out the exit door right alongside him with nothing but adrenaline pumping through her veins. Through an alleyway and onto the streets, they run as fast as their legs can take them to who knows where, so long as they are far away from the death trap that once was the police station. She doesn't bother looking back to see if the creature is chasing them, only focusing on the road ahead. At some point, her ears perk up at the loud splashing of an aquabus heading off to its destination just above them. A quick glance through their surroundings puts them in an alleyway behind the main hub for the water vehicles, right in the center of Fontaine's capital.

They did it, they are a good distance away from that horrific nightmare. All at once, the exhaustion, stress, and pain hit her right then and there, she quickly falls to her knees, needing a short respite to take a breather. ]

We... we made it.

[ Yoimiya swears to the Archons above, she will never take life for granted ever again. There are so many questions she wants to ask, so many thoughts to share with him but in this moment, all she manages is a relieved smile at her comrade in arms, just thankful the two of them get to live to see another day. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Just as Yoimiya falls to her knees in exhaustion, Ajax finds a wall to lean against heavily as he tries to catch his breath. His whole body is exhausted as well, the toll of that unworldly power he used in addition to the beating he took from the monster and the cops finally take their toll on him. He glances over at her, too tired to even return the smile, before all of his strength gives out on him as the adrenaline runs out of his system as he falls to the ground right on his butt. Thankfully the wall is there, leaning up against it as he sits, eyes closing as he recuperates.

He can't even think about Yoimiya's condition right now, but at the very least he knows that they're both alive, and that's all that matters.]

We did.

[It's all he manages to get out after several moments, turning himself to let his entire back sit up against the wall. Ajax's eyes open to look at the woman who saved him from certain death, memories of it flooding back to him as he looks at her. That bow, and that power. It might of gotten them out of that mess, but that doesn't spell good news for her, especially in front of someone like him.]

Hey. Have you always been able to do...that? Back there, with the bow.

[It's said between labored breaths, but he needs to understand what he's dealing with here.]

[niwabi]

[ Now that they are no longer stuck between a rock and a hard place, Yoimiya feels like she's able to breathe again. As their eyes meet, she studies his current condition, bruises everywhere on top of the memory of his cracked rib causes her to frown. The poor guy was on the receiving end of a terrible beating and now with the injuries from the unknown creature, she can't begin to fathom the amount of pain he must be in.

But even if Yoimiya feels sorry for him, she still needs to air on the side of caution. At his question, she shakes her head. ]

No, I've never been able to wield a bow like that. If I did, I would have cooked that monster long before the situation took a turn for the worst.

[ She contemplates to herself, thinking back on his courageous save. If it wasn't for his sudden burst of power, she would have suffered a cruel end. ]

I take you were never able to pull the stunt you did back there with that armored arm either? If you were able to whip out that kind of power, you wouldn't have gotten arrested.

[ A gentle reminder that she is very much aware she's potentially dealing with a criminal. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[With that fiery disposition, he believes her when she says she'd of incinerated that monster before it could do what it did to the both of them. He closes his eyes for a minute, the terrible image of the tendril wrapped around her neck dancing behind his eyes, the rage that filled him at the sight now surprising him. Why had he acted like that?

Ajax's hand comes up to gingerly touch his chest, but the searing pain is gone, and the only thing that's left is the pain all over his body from the entire encounter. Just what was that?]

You're right, I had no idea I was capable of such a feat. I don't even know where that power came from...

[Shifting, he coughs hard a few times, the instant pain from a broken rib or two reminding him that he needs to see a doctor. Ajax's eyes open once more, to lock them with her own, his expression dead serious.]

Listen, do you think you could do me a favor? You're in better shape than I am, and believe me when I say that I don't ask this lightly. You're in danger once it gets out that you've got some sort of power that no one can explain. And I'm willing to bet all those security cameras inside of the station caught it all. I need you to get the recording from it, in fact, it might be best to go back tonight before your entire precinct learns what happened...

[Ajax groans, trying to shift himself into a better sitting position, but everything hurts.]

If you don't, there's a chance that you'll end up somewhere even worse than being killed by whatever that thing was, trust me.

[niwabi]

[ She winces at his coughs and groans, he really ought to go see a doctor. Watching him maneuver his body fills her with pain, must be hard to do with a fractured rib. As she's getting ready to offer her assistance in taking him to the nearest hospital, she falls silent upon listening to his plea. For a girl like her who has lived a completely normal, mundane life, that's so much information to take in.

At first, she's not sure if she wants to inquire, a part of her is content to just walk away from this and live out the rest of her life in ignorant bliss. But... there is a nagging feeling she can't rid of. ]

We just escaped from near death and you want me to go... back? What if that thing is still lurking around?

[ She furrows her eyebrows, trying to make sense of all this. As awful as those cops were, they surely had a reason to bring him into the station in the first place. ]

Listen, I truly appreciate that you saved my life, especially when you could have left me to die but it's a bit difficult for me to trust the word of someone who was incarcerated.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He gives up after a moment, breathing hard as he deals with the pain his body is in, but at least he's a little more comfortable. There's a clinic around here somewhere, he's pretty sure, and if not he can at least get on a aquabus to the nearest one. His head feels like it's spinning, but he can deal with that soon enough. It's far more important to him to make sure Yoimiya does this, to protect not only herself but him as well. He'd do it himself if he could, but as it stands he'd pass out before he ever got back to the station, and time is of the essence.

But why he's so concerned in making sure this woman is protected, is something else he can't explain, but thankfully he's not thinking too hard on it.]

I know what this sounds like, but really, you have to believe me. Think about it, they find out you have special powers, and you become every scientist's favorite lab rat. You don't think the government- or someone worse- wouldn't jump at the opportunity to stick you in a tube and study you? You wouldn't believe what some of these people would pay just to get their grubby hands on you.

[He can feel that he's getting dangerously close to passing out, so he needs to move, get to a hospital. Slowly pulling himself to his feet, Ajax fights to keep himself from throwing up as nausea hits him from the sudden change in elevation, swallowing back as much spit as he can to keep himself from losing it in front of Yoimiya.]

You don't have to give it to me once you get it. Destroy it, and go back to your normal life after all this blows over, forget about me and move on. If that thing is still around, blow it up like you did back in the station- but I've got a feeling it's going to come looking for me before it bothers with you.

[Another thing that's unnerving. It wanted him...is there anywhere that's safe for him to stay if it's still alive?]

[niwabi]

[ This whole time, she's been trying her best to stay calm and keep it all in but the longer she listens to him, all of her emotions she's kept bottled up are about to burst like a dam. Fear, exhaustion, stress, Yoimiya can feel her temper coming to a boil from this overload of information. The government, becoming a lab rat... since when did her life suddenly take a turn into a science fiction novel?! ]

Just blow it up like back at the station... are you even listening to yourself?!

[ She really shouldn't be yelling at someone who is in immense pain and later on, she'll absolutely feel guilty about the whole ordeal. For the time being, the stress of this whole situation has gotten the better of her, especially since it feels like he's sending her back to her death. ]

You're seriously telling me to go back to the station on my own while there's still a chance of me running into that thing?! Up till now, I've never been able to use powers my entire life. What if I go there, the monster is still lurking around and I'm unable to conjure up that bow? Then what?!

[ Fist balled up, she sighs heavily after letting her emotions out. She didn't mean to let her temper get the better of her and there's a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach telling her she's being somewhat unreasonable but the uncertainty of this plan is absurd. ]

Excuse me for not being thrilled over this plan but this is my life we're talking about. I can't just hinge it on chances, possibilities, and the word of someone I just met.

[monoceroscaeli]

[It's unsurprising to him that she protests, and reasonable too- what he's asking of her is insane and he knows it. But he also knows what's going to happen to her once news get out that she's on camera using what effectively is superpowers, and that's not a fate he wishes for her either. Sure, he'd be in trouble too, it's not like he isn't on camera doing something just as crazy, but he doesn't care about that nearly as much. He can take whatever they do to him- but her, he can't bear the thought of the terrible things they'd do to her once she's in their grasp.

So the only thing he can do to mask all that concern is laugh, a quiet chuckle that escapes him, labored with pain from the broken ribs.]

You're right, I shouldn't of asked.

[If Yoimiya won't do it, then someone's got to. At least he's standing, and he's pretty sure if he takes it slow he can get there with enough time passing that it's possible the creature has moved on looking for them. He'll just have to be careful. So Ajax turns, holding a hand across his chest as he begins to walk away from her.]

Get yourself to a hospital then, they'll think it's strange that you walked away scot-free after all the destruction that happened in there. Just don't mention your newfound abilities when they interrogate you later, okay?

[niwabi]

[ Oh gods, he's serious about destroying that footage. A pang of guilt eats away at her conscience as she watches him struggle to stand up, let alone walk. Even though he's trying to conceal the pain with that strained laugh, she knows, she heard the sickening sound of those ribs cracking. If he keeps going, there's a good chance he's going to pass out before even making it to the police station.

Yoimiya falls silent watching him walk out of view. The easy way out would be to take his advice, go to the hospital, forget all about him, and wipe her hands clean of this whole mess. All she has to do is agree and she'll be back to her mundane yet peaceful life free of monsters, strange powers, government conspiracies, and Ajax.

...

This plan is beyond insane but Yoimiya is steadfast in her decision. From the moment she first laid eyes on him, she couldn't bear to see him in any sort of pain, concerned for his well-being to the point she's willing to risk her life over this complete and total stranger who could potentially be dangerous. ]

A passcode is needed to gain access to the security footage.

[ With those words, she briskly walks over in his direction, there's no way she can let an injured person take on this responsibility all alone. ]

You're in way worse shape than I am. Just go to the hospital and get your injuries treated. I'll... do my best to see this through.

[ There's no doubt she's scared out of her mind. Going back to that place feels like she's signing her life away but as easy as it would be to walk away away and never look back it's far too late to back out, she's already in too deep. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Ajax is slowly moving away, his back completely turned as he walks with a heavy gait due to his injuries, when the voice that pops up behind him surprises him. Stopping, he turns to see that Yoimiya has trotted up to his side, worry in those honeyed eyes of hers, but a level of determination, too. It gets him to smile, the first of which that he's really been capable of all night, impressed that after all of that she's decided to take this on. But she brought up a lot of good points too. It really is too dangerous to go by herself, not with the unpredictable, volatile nature of her power.]

Haha, no can do. You put up a pretty good argument, and who am I to disagree? We should go back together. If we split up, it'll be easier for it to pick us off, if it's still looking for us.

[Without missing a beat, Ajax continues forward, his own determination setting on his expression, even despite his condition. If he can just stay focused, he can make it. He hopes.]

Sorry...ngh...for asking something like that of you. It's definitely too risky to bank on it only wanting to attack me. Who knows, maybe I just smelled good and it wanted to eat me first...

[Ajax wobbles a bit as he walks, feeling lightheaded, but he won't tell her. He's got to make it back with her first, and then he can worry about a doctor.]

[niwabi]

[ Despite all the awful injuries he received, this man is able to press on with determination, pushing the limits of his body to ease her fears. It's touching, she truly wouldn't fault him if he prioritized his condition but for the first time since this nightmare began, she's filled with the slightest hint of relief. They got out together and maybe, just maybe, the trip back to the station will be fine so long as they stay by each other's side. ]

It's okay, we're in a stressful situation where every second counts. I'm sorry for getting as heated as I did. You're injured and I should have never raised my voice at you.

[ Gotta learn how to keep her fiery head cool, she does feel guilty for getting so up and arms when this is an awful situation for both of them to be in.

Faint but she definitely takes notice of that slight wobble. Without any hesitation she grabs onto his arm and stays close by his side, doing everything her small body can do to support him. He's going out of his way for her and she wants to do the same. ]

Is that so? Might wanna avoid whatever cologne you used from now on, if it apparently attracts monsters... hehe.

[ His smile is precious and even if this ordeal took a turn for the worst, she's grateful to see that lovely expression. In turn, she warmly smiles back at him, his joke drawing out a chirpy giggle out of her. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Ajax lets a small sigh out of his noise, a content sound as she apologizes and grabs a hold of him when he feels himself wobble a bit. She's a nice girl, and it's really too bad she's gotten caught up with all of this, and with him- it's the last place she needs to be. His mind momentarily floats back to his employers, imagining the consequences of what might happen if they found out about Yoimiya and subsequently himself. He knows that normally, he wouldn't go so far out of his way for someone else like this, and that's what nags him at the back of his head. Sure, he's got to do this to save his own skin too.

But the concern is more on her, and this isn't really like him, not for a situation like this. Maybe, she's just that charming, and maybe he's still learning and growing as a person.

Either way, he pushes that thought out of his mind, laughing at her little follow up joke. Yeah, she is kind of charming now that he's got a moment of respite to allow himself to think about anything else other than their objective and what happens if they fail, or if the monster is still out there looking for them.]

Guess I'll have to look into whatever they put in their cologne, haha. Hey...I didn't catch your name. Mine's Ajax. Sorry that we had to meet under such extreme circumstances.

[Talking helps, at least he thinks it's helping him. His head gets more and more lightheaded, but he puts his focus on her now instead. It's easy to stare at her, even under the dim light. She's awfully pretty, so maybe he'll just focus on that for now.]

[niwabi]

[ For someone considered dangerous by the police, he's been nothing but kind and selfless to her, a stranger he just met. Although she's not going completely to rule out the possibility he's manipulating her, his actions speak for itself. He easily could have left her to die at the hands of that monster, he's going out of his way to come along with her to the station while terribly injured, it's hard to believe he's some awful person.

His smile, his laugh... all lovely charm points that draw her into his charisma. It's easy to feel at peace with him despite the current situation, giggling at the joke he throws back at her. Never before has anyone captivated her from the get-go. For some unexplainable reason, this chance meeting with him feels so incredibly right, as if she's found a missing piece to her puzzle. ]

Don't be, if anything, I feel like this is partially my fault. I was bored out of my mind sitting behind that desk, wishing for something exciting to happen, and well... I guess I got what I asked for.

[ She'll take this as a lesson to watch what she wishes for... ]

Ajax... that's a cool name. It's nice to meet ya, I'm Yoimiya. Are you from Fontaine?

[ If there's one thing she's good at, it's carrying a conversation. He's in a lot of pain and she hopes that being by his side and talking will help put his mind at ease and away from his injuries. ]