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

[monoceroscaeli]

[She seems more calm than how he feels. For him, it's the danger of what happens if they slip up, something he's familiar with being so close to the actual danger itself. But that cheery exterior lifts his own spirits, returning the greeting with a warm smile and a small sigh.]

I'm okay, perhaps not as well rested as you are, but I'm still confident we'll be alright. You look nice.

[She looks sharp too, his eyes dilating visibly the more he looks at her. It's a cute outfit. She looks really cute in it.

He stares for a second too long, before his focus seems to come back from her to their objective ahead, though his eyes don't break from Yoimiya. He inclines his head towards the entrance to the station, so they can head inside and get this over with.]

Maybe I should get you to come with me shopping, haha.

[niwabi]

[ Hopefully he got plenty of rest. But it's understandable if he did some tossing and turning, given the gravity of the situation. Once they get this out of the way, Ajax deserves some well-earned rest.

The compliment is sweet, earning him both a bright smile and a soft giggle. Now it's Yoimiya's to get a good look at him, her eyes shimmer and shine at his cool appearance. His ensemble might be a bit simple but he still looks handsome, the blue jacket accentuates those brilliant blue eyes she's been enamored with. He really is a handsome man. ]

Are you sure you need my help? I think you look pretty sharp yourself.

[ Catching his head gesture, Yoimiya proceeds to stride into the station, all while continuing their lighthearted conversation. ]

But if you really want to go shopping one day, I'll be happy to join you. I'm sure we can find an outfit that looks super cool on you.

[ Once more she's giggling, finishing off with a wink now that they're inside the station. A worker at the front desk recognizes Yoimiya and knowing the reason for her appearance, her colleague points in the direction of the interview room.

The officers will be ready to question you in a few moments. Feel free to have a seat while they're getting things together.

Nodding, Yoimiya gives her thanks and leads Ajax to their destination. Right outside the interview room are several folding chairs they can sit down on while they wait. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

Haha, then it's set. I'm putting my fashion fate in your hands.

[He returns that wink with a smile of his own, before they're pointed to the interview room. He notices that all the damage that was done to the station has been fixed for the most part, save for the wall that the abomination had smashed into and subsequently ruined the video of the whole encounter. His eyes make a pass over it, remembering the nightmare of it slamming up against the wall and barely dodging that attack, and for a second he feels his heart speed up from the pure fear of the memory. The spot where the other officer died is something he keeps out of view, trying to not remember that cold blade sticking through the guy's chest. He takes a deep breath to calm himself- he can't get worked up now.

Ajax diverts his attention to the room they're being lead towards, but he can't help but look up to where he knew that sludge had dropped from the ceiling and taken over that officer's body. The slight stain of black is still visible from its path up the wall and onto the ceiling, and he shudders at that memory too. Thankfully, there's more than one interrogation room, and they pass by the one that he'd been beaten inside of. He takes a seat next to Yoimiya at the entrance of the room, sighing quietly to himself.]

They fixed this place up fast. Guess you can't exactly have a destroyed building to run your day to day operations out of. When are you supposed to return to work, by the way?

[niwabi]

[ Ajax's observation is spot on, it's impressive how fast they've fixed up the station considering the state it was in. Yoimiya glances around to get a good look at their surroundings, her eyes momentarily growing wide from shock at the sight of the damaged wall that once had a security camera. It's no wonder they weren't able to recover any footage, it looks like a meteor struck the inside of this place. During their time off, she's been trying her best to push the harrowing ordeal out of her mind but now that they're back, the horrifying memories are back with a vengeance. ]

I'll be going back next week. So thankfully once we're done here, I'll have a few more days to rest up before going back to the grind.

[ The bubbly blonde isn't the type to sit around and while there's a part of her that's ready to go back, there's another side to her that's terrified of sitting behind that desk. She'll never be able to forget the grotesque scene of her coworker getting skewered right in front of her eyes. There's also the paranoia of the abomination coming back to finish the job while she's on duty. Doing everything she can to remain calm, she keeps her small hands clasped on top of her lap but now that they're back where it all began not even the happy, cheerful Yoimiya can hide her shaking hands. She lets out a deep exhale, doing her best to put on a smile. ]

Has your job made you go back yet?

[ Of course, she dares not to say his job out loud for obvious reasons. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[His eyes dart between each of hers, sensing an uneasiness from her that only radiates more and more the longer they sit there. He can't blame her, they're back where all the action happened, and he catches the sight of her shaking hands as they talk. Strange powers and marks aside, they really were just two people who had a terrifying experience together and barely managed to scrape out of it alive. Without thinking, Ajax reaches down to take both her hands in his, slipping one underneath while covering them over the top with the other. It's unfortunately the only comfort he can give, returning the smile she offers with a gentle one of his own.]

No. They've got others covering for me right now, so any work that pops up they can handle. I was told to rest, and to take care of any important matters first before I return.

[That being the whole interview here today. The company needs those ends tied up to make sure they're not going to get caught.]

I assured them I'd take care of everything, and once I've got things in order I'll go back.

[He rubs her hands a little between his own- it's not exactly great news and he doesn't want her to shake anymore.]

Everything's going to be fine. I promise.

[niwabi]

[ She's not sure to what extent the Nizhnii company knows of their horrific night at the police station but it only makes sense that they also want this interview to go smoothly for the sake of continuing their twisted experiments. So much is at stake, not only is Ajax's livelihood at risk, Yoimiya isn't sure what to make of indirectly covering for that terrible company. The weight of this interview is finally starting to dawn on her, Yoimiya hasn't realized just how stressful getting through this actually is, to the point of not even noticing just how badly her hands are shaking.

In the haze of her frantic thoughts, a tender warmth reaches out to calm her nerves. Yoimiya's gaze shifts downwards to see his big hands enveloping hers. It's not all about herself, Ajax has been through the same harrowing ordeal, albeit even worse with the beating he received shortly before coming face-to-face with near death. It says a lot about his demeanor that he was able to pass by that same interrogation room, keep his cool, and even go out of his way to comfort her. Another reminder that at the end of the day, the two of them really were just two people who survived a traumatic experience together. ]

Thank you Ajax, I appreciate that a lot.

[ From the bottom of her heart, she means it. Might be the only sense of comfort he can offer but his gentle rubs do wonders in soothing her spirit, feeling all the more ready to pass their interview with flying colors. Glancing upwards, a soft smile settles on her features. What he's doing truly means a lot to her. ]

We will overcome this.

[ She slides her fingers in between his, interlocking them to strengthen their connection. It's not much but she hopes to provide him even with a little bit of comfort. ]

Together.

[monoceroscaeli]

Yeah. Together.

[There's something calming about how she gazes upwards at him. His expression softens, looking downward at their hands now twined together, feeling a sense of relief at the gesture and her words. It's comforting to know he's not in this alone, even if he wishes that she didn't have to suffer through this trial. It seems fate had other plans for them, and it's all they can do but move forward together on this new mystery they've found themselves in the middle of.

A monster that sought him out specifically, the special powers they'd acquired, the marks on their chests. The intimate connection they feel towards each other because of it. Hopefully, they'll be able to uncover all the answers...]

Yoimiya? Mr. Volkov?

[He hadn't even noticed the police officer that had materialized next to them, startling Ajax so much that he lets go of Yoimiya's hands as he looks up.]

Y-Yes, sorry. Are we ready to start, I take it?

[Not Ajax trying to act cool and not act like the guy got the jump on him]

[niwabi]

[ He's got such a lovely expression. As she locks gazes with him, Yoimiya's worries are washed away. So long as they have each other's backs, she's assured that everything will be okay. The uncertain future that lies ahead of them is somewhat frightening but with Ajax at her side, she feels like they will be able to take on any challenge thrown their way. Fate must have brought them together for a reason, a reason that the two of them will hopefully discover one day.

Oh! The officer's sudden appearance takes her aback as well. Yoimiya is quick to calm her racing heart and once the beating has settled, she can't help but giggle at Ajax's reaction. He's trying so hard to act like mister cool guy over there but can't quite hide the stutter in his voice. Goodness, who knew he had a funny side too? ]

Yup! Mr. Volkov and I are ready as ever.

[ She gets in one last chuckle before reaching over to give Ajax a reassuring pat on the back. There, there. The guy came outta nowhere. Thanks to his reassurance, she's able to stand up with a pep in her step. ]

Right this way please.

[ The police officer motions for them to follow, leading the pair into a simple interrogation room with a table and three chairs. Once the officer in charge takes his seat, Yoimiya is quick to join him at the table, mentally steeling herself for the questions thrown their way. ]

All right. I just want to clarify that the two of you are not being questioned as suspects, we just want to get to the bottom of what happened. [ Shuffling through his papers, the officer turns his attention to Ajax to start. ] Mr. Volkov, I was informed that you are a friend of Yoimiya's. What brought you to the station to begin with?

[monoceroscaeli]

[Man, that's kind of embarrassing. He sighs at the pat on his back, deciding that it's probably just best to take the L here and roll along with it. Yoimiya's little giggle is cute anyway, taking that as the consolation prize as he stands to follow into the interrogation room. He looks around, noting how similar it is to the one just down the hall that two of their police officers had been beating him senseless in. How on earth this officer isn't immediately asking who he is is beyond him. Maybe another stroke of luck happened- maybe they didn't report it yet that he was at the station. Probably so they could beat him without getting reprimanded for it.

Suddenly, he doesn't feel as bad for them, the little that he might of felt from the horror that had happened to them. Karma sucks, doesn't it.

Taking a seat, he sits calmly as the officer starts, nodding his head.]

Nothing particularly special. I was just dropping off her key after picking up some groceries for her. And...

[He turns his head to look at her, his eyes narrowing with a smile on his face. He did not forget about the fish LOL]

...to take care of her poor, helpless Hanabi. If he's not fed, she practically has an anxiety attack about him.

[niwabi]

[ Welp, he's not wrong, Yoimiya would go into a tizzy if her sweet baby Hanabi isn't fed. However, there is just one bit of information he got wrong and it's enough for the blonde to slowly turn her head in menacing fashion. She doesn't say anything, only widening her eyes in response to his smile. It's great he didn't forget about the best fish in all of Teyvat but... ]

I see. She is always worrying about that fish during her late-night shifts. [ Chuckling, the police officer can already imagine Ajax being on the receiving end of Yoimiya's many, many Hanabi tangents. ] Yoimiya, I thought you told me that Hanabi is a girl.

[ Poor sap has listened to his coworker go on and on and on about this goldfish. ]

That's right. Hanabi is a girl.

[ Shoot. Probably not the best look that they got something wrong from the get-go but Yoimiya is certain she's able to salvage the situation. ]

Pay no mind to him, he doesn't know much about goldfish. He's just now learning how cute and adorable Hanabi really is.

[monoceroscaeli]

[The turn of Yoimiya's head is not unlike one of those dolls in a horror movie. He catches the menacing look she's shooting him and he knows instantly that he fucked up.]

Hahahaha...

[Though that was probably something he shouldn't of messed up, he knows Yoimiya well enough now how she is about her goldfish that it's probably okay to look like he's worried about the scolding he might get for forgetting. Holding up his hands, he looks at her apologetically, nervousness allowed to show on his features.]

Hey, I remembered all the detailed instructions you left for me though, [he counters, hoping that the officer will buy this part of their banter,] I just misspoke, is all.

[He looks to the officer for a little support- he genuinely doesn't want to be on the receiving end of a Hanabi monologue.]

Let's continue on, shall we? I'm sure Hanabi isn't offended at my mistake.

[niwabi]

[ On the plus side, the cop seems to be buying into their banter and doesn't pay mind to the slip of the tongue. He's trying to keep a straight face but he can't stop the chuckle that slips out from Ajax's nervous features looking like he's about to get it to Yoimiya defending the honor of a fish. ]

That's true... you did listen to all of my instructions and did a good job taking care of her. But!!! [ HUFFS 😤 ] Make sure you apologize to Hanabi later! If you are humble enough, I'm sure she will forgive you.

[ The officer catches the look Ajax shoots his way, he nods and quickly clears his throat to interject. He gets you, pal. He knows what it's like to be on the receiving end of a Hanabi monologue. Time to change the subject to spare their ears. ]

Next question. Mr. Volkov, do you mind telling us a bit about yourself? What is your occupation? And as for a question for the both of you, how long have the two of you been friends?

[ ... Uh oh, definitely didn't plan this far ahead. Darn, she just kind of assumed they would buy into her WE ARE FRIENDS story immediately with no further questions. Okay, Yoimiya, think!! Use your brain to come up with something believable. ]

We met at a coffee shop not too long after I came to Fontaine. I asked him for some directions, we started talking and the two of us hit it off right away because... [ 💦💦💦 ] we're both country bumpkins! I felt an immediate kinship with him and from that point on, Ajax has been a huge help in getting me settled into this vast city. Couldn't have done it without him.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He's about to thank his lucky stars when the officer cuts the Hanabi scolding short, but he asks a question they really didn't go over. He didn't think they'd want to know about their history, and he's about to object to it and ask what that has anything to do with them getting attacked by a monster, but Yoimiya beats him to it. He lets out a sigh and smiles, folding his arms over his chest. He's going to skip the occupation question and focus on following up with Yoimiya's statement.]

That's Yoimiya's way of saying she got completely lost and clung to my side until we finally got her home.

[He laughs, giving her a look. A kinship over being country bumpkins? Girl...if she were anyone else no one would buy that.]

Oh, so where are you from Mr. Volkov?

[He takes the opportunity for the follow up question, and Ajax replies coolly, without skipping a beat.]

Snezhnaya. I'm from a backwater town in the middle of nowhere. Yoimiya's right, we're definitely both country bumpkins, but you get used to it here pretty quickly.

[niwabi]

[ Glancing over, she sees the look he sends her way, giving him one right back. What's wrong with bonding over being fellow country bumpkins? :c It makes perfect sense in her mind. She'd be tempted to wrinkle her nose at him if it wasn't for the police officer sitting right in front of them. Instead, an amused grin tugs at the corner of her lips as Ajax adds more to the story to make it sound more believable.

Clung to his side until she got home, huh? Interesting way to spin the tale, Mr. Volkov. Once they're done here, she'll be sure to poke fun at him later. ]

That's right, this is my first time being in such a big city. I had no idea where to go until this country boy from Snezhnaya came to my rescue. I owe a lot to him.

[ For all of their fibbing, the latter part of her story isn't a lie. If it wasn't for Ajax, she wouldn't be here to tell the story. For that, she reaches over to give him a hearty slap on the back! Good boy. ]

He's done a lot of favors for me and we've been friends ever since!

[ Maybe this guy is a simp... crosses the police officer's mind, but he dares not to share those thoughts outloud. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Ajax catches onto the double meaning there. Maybe he really didn't help her settle in at all, but he appreciates the gesture of her being thankful for what had happened that night. He shoots her a soft smile, perhaps revealing some of that potential simping nature of his to the officer. He leans forward involuntarily at the slap to his back though, eyes widening a little from surprise, wiping the smile off his face and getting him to cough. Girl's got a good slap going on there. It didn't hurt, because it's not like she hit him hard, but he didn't think she'd be that strong for that frame.

Guess you'd have to have some strength to draw that bow she had...]

Yes, yes...anyway, as much as I'm not fond of the idea of reliving a nightmare, why don't we move on to what we're really here for.

[He's afraid if this line of questioning goes any further, there will be another slip up and he's not sure if he can take another slap on the back. The police officer seems to accept that, nodding as he writes something down on his pad.]

Alright. You were here with Yoimiya on the night that some monster got inside and mutilated two of our officers. Did you see the thing before it got to them? Where in the station were you both before the incident happened?

[His mind instantly flashes back to the moment he'd saw the thing on the ceiling, dripping down and infiltrating the body of the officer standing behind the one beating him senseless. A chill goes through him, but he manages to keep his cool on the outside and answers.]

I was at the desk chatting with Yoimiya about Hanabi and handing over her key. I didn't see a thing when it entered. I still don't know how on earth it got in to begin with.

[niwabi]

[ Oh! Maybe she doesn't know her own strength. Yoimiya wasn't expecting that slap to double him over the table. She's a little taken aback by his coughing at first but it's not long until she's chuckling. It gives her hope that maybe if she hones her abilities, she'll be able to grow stronger to better defend herself. But for the time being, it's best to focus on this interview.

It's a good call on Ajax's part to move on to the questions pertaining to the night of the incident. If they had to keep making stories up, there's a good chance another slip-up might happen. She's quick to follow up her partner-in-crime with a confirmation. ]

I can attest to that. One minute Ajax and I were chatting and then the next, we were attacked by that... [ A beat. She's quiet for a few short seconds, the memories of her coworker's gruesome deaths come flashing back but she's able to fight down those fears by exhaling. ] thing.

[ Satisfied with their answer, the officer nods and scribbles more notes onto his pad. ]

Do either of you recall where the creature emerged from?

[ A horrifying thought just now occurs to her, Ajax was not only the first one to witness the monster, he had the misfortune of watching it take over the police officer's body in such a grisly fashion. How he's able to stay strong in the face of trauma is truly something else. And come to think of it, she's not sure how the otherwordly being entered the interrogation room, to begin with. And speaking of that, dreadful room, she figures it might be best to avoid bringing up the two dead officers who were inside of that place to begin with. Yoimiya ponders for a moment, debating what to say until she finally speaks up. ]

I was so busy talking to Ajax that I don't recall where it came from. All I remembered was hearing the sounds of the officer's screams until suddenly, one of them was thrown at my desk. Thankfully, Ajax was there to make sure I wasn't hurt.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He wishes so much that the answer Yoimiya gave was just acting. But the reality is that it's not, it's very much a terrifying reality for the both of them and he has to take a breath to calm himself as he recalls it. He has to fast forward through his mind as to where he would have seen the monster first as if he really were at the desk chatting with Yoimiya. It had all happened so fast, he's not even really sure if Yoimiya's recollection of it is correct or if she's purposely lying about exactly how she first saw it herself.

So he just nods along, to build off of what she had just said, to keep it all straight and together.]

I too, remember first hearing the screams, and trying to get Yoimiya out of harm's way. I barely remember what happened in the immediate aftermath. The only thought that sticks out in my mind after it first appeared was...

[He has to stop himself. He's seen some relatively terrible sights, but nothing comes close to the image of the dead officer on that blade.]

...the sight of it mercilessly killing that officer.

[His eyes point to the floor, trying not to think on it too much. It makes his stomach twist in knots, knowing how close they both were to suffering the same fate. To know it wanted him...and not knowing why.]

[niwabi]

[ She hears Ajax stop mid-sentence to collect himself. The poor guy has witnessed even worse horrors than she has. Absentmindedly, her hand reaches over to hold onto his, her fingers grasp around his as she gently brushes her thumb over his knuckle in hopes of providing him any semblance of comfort. Just like what he did for her in the waiting room. He did so much to ease her fears while they were waiting outside and she wishes to do the same, not at all caring how the two of them holding hands might look in front of the police officer.

For a good few seconds, Yoimiya doesn't say anything, needing a quick breather to gather her thoughts together. She still has night terrors over watching her coworker getting skewered by the blades. A fate that nearly befell her had Ajax not stepped in to save her. She recalls the tendrils gripping around her neck, squeezing the life out of her with it's deadly blade drawn. It's almost hard to believe she escaped death that night. ]

It's... hard to pinpoint exactly what happened. The creature... impaled that man while using the body of the other officer.

[ Archons, does she feel bad for Ajax. Seeing the contorted police officer was a horrifying scene but he was an unfortunate witness to the gruesome body snatching. ]

It's unlike anything neither one of us has ever seen. A creature that can take over someone's body.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Her hand on his is a welcome comfort as he tries to process everything they'd been through that night. From here, very little lies will need to be told to keep it all together, and he'd rather be doing just about anything else right now than having to recall it and recite it for this officer. Every brush of her thumb is another wave of solidarity he feels between himself and Yoimiya, letting his fingers curl with hers. It's not really until now, when he's being forced to really face the events of that night, that it hits him. He'd managed to keep his mind off of it for the most part, but not anymore.

He can't imagine the nightmares Yoimiya has probably had too, in relation. She didn't deserve any of this.]

Can you recount what happened after that?

[Looking up, he can feel some bit of gauntness appear in his eyes, to be asked to go through it with the best details as they can remember. But giving him this information now will get them out of here and so the police can continue their investigation into the matter. Be compliant, and they'll stay out of the law's hair.]

After it killed the officer, it came for us. The hole in the wall...it was trying to body slam right into us but we managed to dodge it. That's why that hole was there. It tried to get a hold of me, but she stopped it. With a metal chair, if I remember right.

[The officer scribbles that down, waiting for an opportunity to ask them about what else they found on the floor- handcuffs and the key to them.]

Go on.

[niwabi]

[ A warmth of solidarity seeps out from his fingers. It's comforting, his presence helps put her mind at ease as they recall this traumatic event together. She's thankful they were questioned together, Yoimiya doesn't think she would have been able to tackle this interview on her own without breaking down from stress.

It's thanks to Ajax that she's able to stay strong. ]

After watching our coworker get killed, my heart couldn't take the thought of seeing my friend murdered as well. Since I was in a panic, I opened the desk to try and find the key to the station's gun safe. But since we were running out of time, I grabbed a metal chair to fend off the creature.

[ Another deep exhale passes through her lips. Her mind sorts through the events of that night. After witnessing the officer's horrific end, she recalls running back to the desk to grab a key to the handcuffs and a metal chair to save Ajax. That's right... there's the matter regarding the handcuffs and key on the floor. No doubt for the officer questioning them, those two pieces of evidence would certainly seem suspicious. ]

I guess the monster didn't like that so it grabbed me by the throat with the intention to kill me next. It's kind of hard to recall what happened next since I was blacking out from the thing trying to strangle me but I believe... Ajax threw a set of handcuffs at it to distract it?

[ Not the best explanation but she hopes it will be enough to clear the air as to why the handcuffs have her's and Ajax's DNA on it. Kept purposely vague to give Ajax the floor to make any necessary clarifications. Although he couldn't lie his way out of a wet paper bag when she teased him about wanting to spend more time with her, Yoimiya has faith he will be able to come up with something that will get them out of this pinch. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Ajax, admittedly, had forgotten about the handcuffs. That definitely would of been a question for the cop to ask, and he's so thankful that she thought of it and addressed it so easily. On the surface, he seems a little distraught from the memory of the attack, but underneath there's relief that he can go off of that and continue the story to keep all of their threads together.]

Yeah. I had no idea what to do when I saw it grab her so I grabbed the nearest thing to me at the moment. In the confusion, some handcuffs must have fallen off of the desk or fallen off of the dead officer and got kicked around in the ensuing scuffle...so I grabbed them and threw them as hard as I could at its head. It didn't do much, but it was enough to get the attention off of Yoimiya to make it more mad at me instead. I don't think whatever it was was very intelligent to be distracted so easily.

[Whether that's a burn on the monster or the police, he'll let Yoimiya decide- since she's the only one who knows he was there for other reasons than delivering an apartment key.]

But because of my actions, it came after me next. I'm pretty quick, and it destroyed more parts of the station trying to get to me, but I wasn't so lucky in the end. My injuries that were treated at the doctor ended up from it hitting me and eventually getting a hold of me- but I was able to light it on fire with a lighter in my pocket. Turns out it doesn't reinforce a human body all that much. It's just as flammable as anyone else.

[He hadn't forgotten what had happened with Yoimiya's bow...how on earth it was charred is another thing they'd have to explain away. He just has no explanation of how its arm was broken.]

It let me go as soon as it realized it was alight, which was fairly quickly, but it wasn't smart enough to figure out how to put it out. That gave us time to recoup and get out.

[The officer writes more down, and most of what happened seemed to line up with the investigation. But surprisingly, the question of the broken arm doesn't come.]

And where did you go after that?

[niwabi]

[ I don't think whatever it was very intelligent to be distracted so easily. If it wasn't for the interview, she might have snorted a little at that jab. Admittedly, Yoimiya knew the body-snatched cop as someone who wasn't the brightest crayon of the bunch, using his brawn more than his brain... so Ajax's burn isn't exactly wrong. ]

Yes. I truly owe my life to Ajax, if it wasn't for him...

[ She would have been just another corpse for them to do an autopsy on. Just thinking about it sends a shiver down her spine, a grim thought she dares not to say out loud.

Thank the heavens for Ajax's quick thinking, Yoimiya had already forgotten about charring the monster. That's a question the cop would have eventually inquired, so she's grateful he came up with a very reasonable explanation for the fire. Internally, she's letting out a sigh of relief but curiously, the matter regarding the broken arm doesn't come up as a topic. She can't help but wonder; is the cop holding back the question for a reason? For the time being, she'll refrain from saying anything about it while she comes up with ideas to explain it away. Might be easy to pinpoint it on the metal chair... ]

After that, we ran as fast as we could to the nearest aquabus station. If memory serves correctly, we were near the main hub before Ajax's injuries got the better of him and he passed out. Thankfully, there was a taxi driver nearby and we were able to make it to the hospital just in the nick of time. [ She pauses for a brief second. ] If you're able to get in contact with the taxi driver in question, he'll be able to confirm our story.

[ Bless that cabby driver. They not only saved Ajax's life but are also coming clutch in securing their alibi. The police officer takes note of that, reminding himself to question the taxi company in question later. ]

Did anything significant at the hospital?

[monoceroscaeli]

[Afterward, he's going to make sure to take Yoimiya somewhere to get her ice cream or snacks or any kind of treat she wants. It pains him to see the look on her face whenever she has to recount that horrifying night. But the rest of the story seems to go off without a hitch, all the way up till the end when she had to get him in a taxi to the hospital. That's all there is, right? He's pretty sure there's nothing else in need of being recounted, not that it all couldn't be explained by their investigation anyway. Surely they would have found the back door wide open, noting how they escaped...and they hadn't done anything anyway to draw suspicion towards them.

All the evidence they need is plastered all over the ground in the form of that strange abyssal texture, and the DNA should be all over the place too.]

No, thankfully. I was out for some time, and stayed there for as long as they told me to.

[Ajax is relieved to say that. Nothing significant, that is, in regards to the monster that attacked us.]

The hospital reported you recovered quicker than most people with the injuries you had, Mr. Volkov. We're all glad to see you're in good health now. Thank you both for your help with this, but I do need to tell the both of you this.

[The officer pauses, to put down his pen and notepad.]

We discovered the monster here at the scene, lying on the ground and seemingly either knocked out or dead. No one was allowed to touch the body until we had all safety precautions in place, but before we could investigate, it got up and made its way out of the building and somewhere into the city.

[He feels his blood freeze at that information. They had worried that it hadn't died, that it was still alive and might come for them. Ajax can't even hide the terror on his face.]

As you can imagine, his family is besides themselves that there's no telling what's become of their husband and father. But whatever thing took him is out there, and might still possibly be using his body. Be on the lookout.

[Ajax nods and swallows hard- this isn't what he wanted to hear. No wonder he hadn't asked about the broken arm. He looks over to Yoimiya, his eyes wide. They were in trouble.]

[niwabi]

[ So far, so good, Ajax ties up their harrowing story in a neat little ribbon that should hopefully satisfy the police. There's no need for her to recount what they've said in her head, confident the two of them explained every last detail so perfectly and drawing suspicion away from them. Internally, she's letting out endless sighs of relief. There might be a few questions relating to the hospital but soon, they will be able to go home and finally put this nightmare behind them—

But any hope for peace of mind is instantly shattered by what the officer shares with them next. That bit of information plays over and over in her head. After everything they did to damage, after just barely escaping with their lives... the monster simply got up and is roaming around Fontaine somewhere? As if her night terrors are coming back to haunt her, Yoimiya can feel a bead of cold sweat drip down the back of her neck. ]

I... I see...

[ This is one of those rare moments when the normally chit-chatty Yoimiya is at a complete and total loss for words. A look of sheer terror plagues her face as she turns to look at Ajax whose expression matches her own. Poor guy. She can see that expression of dread all over him. And the worst part of all this is knowing that the creature came to the police station for Ajax.

It's only a matter of time before it comes back for him. It's terrifying to think about, her heart shatters into a million pieces at the thought of him going through that same trauma once more, or worse... ]

We'll... do our best to stay vigilant. Can you keep us updated on any information that comes your way?

[ The police officer nods, writing down one last note in his folder before closing it up. That should be it for the questioning, their recount has matched up word for word with their investigation. ]

Will do. And if the two of you spot anything relating to the creature out there, please report it to us. It might be best if the two of you stick together in order to stay safe. And Yoimiya, if you need an escort to work, you're welcome to let any of us know and we'll be happy to pick you up.

[ Living on her own is starting to sound more frightening by the minute. It's hard not to be paranoid at the idea of that accursed thing crawling into her window at night to finish the job. ]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Ajax is trying his hardest not to let himself shake like a leaf knowing that the monster was still out there, possibly looking for him so it can finish him off once and for all. He doesn't want to show too much of that fear, but thankfully even in the face of the outward terror he wears on his features, it's understood. The police officer can't blame the guy sitting across from him for shaking visibly, they'd both went through one of the most terrifying things of their lives. He saw the creature himself...he can't believe that they were still alive.

Standing up, the officer goes to open the door for the two of them, grateful for their cooperation with the investigation.]

I appreciate both of your time. Please stay safe and don't hesitate to call us if you need anything.

[Ajax stands, his legs a little wobbly from absorbing the shock of that information, looking to Yoimiya to go before they make their way out of the station. He doesn't seem like he wants to speak or need any comfort while they leave, but once they're out and around the corner, he stops to look at her and breathes out what's definitely a stress sigh.]

Well...as good as that went, I hadn't expected to have confirmation that our troubles may not be over. Are you okay?

[It's the second time he's asked her today, but after that information, he's not sure if he's okay let alone her.]