SRW Specials: Meet n Greetin' the Earthshaker!

You could always tell when Cirkot was nervous, because he would start to shake so much one could hear his leafy hair shake around. Leaving a small, almost hissing sound to linger in the air. It seemed as soon as Eros arrived, the flora man began to stutter and shake. Was he really so scared of Eros? The Bakeneko seemed like a petite young woman compared to the two titans he Cirkot just stood up to, yet he avoided eye contact with her and at some points didn’t look at her at all. He could only sputter that he thought she needed help before trying to move on and agree with Eros’s speculation. The Bakeneko turned towards her secretary with a smile, but as her secretary, he knew what smiles were genuine. And he knew what sort of smile she was giving him now.

“Well, I’m happy you agree with me, Cirkot~ It almost makes up for my surprise to see fifty or so of my own guards rush in without my authorization. Or my shock in seeing them heavily armored with weapons drawn on my fighters~ and of course, scaring the guests at the SRW.”

Eros was being rather calm, almost peppy. But the way she held herself, teacup in hand, poised, but with narrowed eyes staring at Cirkot unblinking said it all to the floral man without saying a word. He’d stepped on her toes, and clearly screwed around with whatever plan the Bakeneko had. And she wasn’t happy about it. She had observed the whole situation, and now the Bakeneko had to wonder what would be talked about from this: The rematch, or the horde of armed guards that acted like her Titan’s were a serious threat! If it was the latter, it would seriously impede her plans and undermine her work.

Thankfully Hathiya spared Cirkot from Eros’s attention by asking a question lingering in her mind. Just how long was Eros there? The Bakeneko turned her back on Cirkot, sipping her tea as she peered up at Hathiya with a quizzical look. Almost like she was asked an obvious question.

“How long was I there? Hathiya, didn’t you hear him? I never left~”

Cirkots nervousness seemed to increase with each thing Eros checked off. He was praying in his heart he hadn't fucked up big time. He tried pointing at the broken table pieces, the chair, the craters in the ground, and was about to remark that people had already been scared off by Croo-El's ambush, but Eros turned her back on him, causing him to quickly pull his phone out, and try finding the construction company contact for floor repairs again.

Hathiya's eyes widened in shock at hearing Eros never left.

"Y...you....you never left? You...saw Croo-El come up behind me and...and...." she seemed at a loss for words, and then found it, now with a undertone of anger in it, "...almost flatten a child? You did nothing?" Now the anger was apparent in her voice. It was subdued, but it was clear how she was feeling right now.

"I'm sure your ratings would have gone fantastic when news of a small child being killed would spread, her parents taking the incident to court, and who knows what else, simply because you can't control your own fighters. Is that what you're looking for?"

The small, shaking voice that came from Hathiya was unable to change the smiling expression on Eros’s face. The Ganeeshay was sweet, but she could come off as intimidating when she sounded angry. But if anyone could somehow come off as even more threatening, it was strange that it was the Head Warden of the facility. The cat’s tail twitched and swished around as Hathiya accused Eros of negligence and what could have happened. There were no guards in ear shot, and Eros produced some of her purple smog in order to place her tea cup away. Unlike Cirkot, it seemed Hathiya had Eros’s full attention. Though, at the moment that might not have been a good thing.

“Hathiya~ You’re still very new here so I’ll ask you to simply calm down and breathe.”

Eros’s tail continued to flick, but her eyes were locked firmly on Hathiya’s own accusatory gaze.

“The child was never in any danger. That’s why I was here. My primary position is to protect the citizens of Tsubar and those under the Overseer’s protection. If I truly thought that girl was in any danger, I most certainly would have stepped in.”

Eros’s tone was different there. Her poised posture hadn’t changed at all, but Hathiya would be able to read the Bakeneko just a little. The Warden seemed annoyed, almost offended by Hathiya’s accusations. Cirkot seemed keen on being interested with his phone call as Eros took another step forward, her eyes looking far more predatory in nature as her smile shrank away.

“It’s a natural reaction to catch oneself when they fall, but even had you failed to do such an instinctive reaction that I trusted you to do you would have never gotten anywhere near the girl on my watch. And if it wasn’t for my secretary taking things into his own hands, I easily could have satiated our guests' panic and the girls by telling them it was all part of the show! Now I’m stuck with a mess to clean up and a burning curiosity as to what kind of fit you just threw. Or did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

Eros didn’t like not knowing things about others. Especially if it was potentially dangerous to others. Hathiya’s rage, her change in aura was something Eros had no clue about. And that made the Warden suspicious. Paired up with the knowledge of Hathiya’s true life and her hunter, the Bakeneko was beginning to wonder if she got the entire story, or who exactly she was dealing with.

Hathiya felt the change in the Eros mood, her face, and her voice. She didn't change the look on her face, and kept the glare locked.

Then she broke it with a blink, and sighed. Raising a hand to her forehead, she rubbed her temple, while her other arm raised into an open palm.

"Y....you're right. I am still new here. I.." she seemed to be at a loss for words. Then her face softened as she looked at Eros again, ".....so...the girl was in no danger, then.... At all. If...that is true..." she raised an eyebrow, "....then...." then she closed her eyes, covering her face with one of her hands.

"I...I'm sorry. I lost my calm and that was highly unprofessional of me. I should...I should have placed more trust in you, the same way you put in me." She looked again at Eros. What kind of fit, she asked?

".....my anger is...." she looked away for a second.

"...I can't tell here. Just....know it's... something I....I myself don't like."

With that Hathiya turned around, her back facing Eros, while Cirkot was standing over the craters Hathiya had made, seemingly analyzing their dimensions.

When Hathiya tried to turn her back on the Bakeneko, she would be surprised to find that Eros would be right in front of her! The Head Warden’s figure seemed to glide, always directly in the center of Hathiya’s sight without Eros herself moving. Left, right, even upwards! Eros’s smiling face was inescapable from the Ganeeshay no matter how much Hathiya wanted it to be! Eros was displaying incredible speed that even Hathiya couldn’t match, and she seemed to do it just to prove a point. Her thin smile splitting apart ever so slightly to reveal small, pointed feline fangs.

“Trust is a two way street Hathiya. I’ll let you go on account of the stress you’ve had for the day…but we will discuss this.”

Eros would finally let Hathiya free to look at something else so that the Head Warden could observe the damage. Guards were still ushering people out, the floors were cracked and damaged, with only a few nervous and scared customers to show for it. Worst of all, she would have to report this to the Overseer. To return to him with a problem was something she never expected she’d have to do with so many years of success! Her exacerbation of the situation would have been palpable were it not for her unbreakable poker face, only letting people see what she wanted them to see. In the few seconds she had, she made a decision. Her gaze returned to her titan and her secretary, her eyes gleaming…or glaring, at the two.

“I’m going to be gone for a while. I’ll have to explain this event to the Overseer. This will be a fine chance for you two to get acquainted, so while I’m gone Hathiya, Cirkot will be your little helper. He will keep an eye on you and be in charge of your protection.”

Judging by her tone, this wasn’t up for debate. Already, her thick smog began to grow at her feet, slowly crawling up the feline’s legs and shrouding her in its darkness.

“Don't contact me unless it's an emergency. When I get back, I’m going to have a talk with both of you. Until then, try to get along~”

With that, Eros’s smog would completely envelop her! Only to suddenly dissipate seconds later, with Eros nowhere to be seen. The Head Warden’s tone had been the same usual charming voice she almost always had, but the way she spoke made her disappointment clear. The Head Warden left the two alone, with only their her order to work together and the last remnants of the smog dissipating in the air. An absolute order to work together, one way or another.

Hathiya watched the smog fade as Eros made her final statement. Cirkot's jitteriness seemed to lessen (it was hard to say), as he turned to look at Hathiya.

"The repairsmen will be here in about 30 minutes." he then stroked his arm awkwardly. "So uh..." he wasn't really sure what to say right now. "Rough day, huh?"

But Hathiya wasn't listening. She was just staring at where Eros had been. Eros's speed had caught her offguard, and she knew now (if it hadn't been clear before) that there was more to the Warden than she had gathered at first glance. Probably a mutual feeling between the two. But right now, whether the mutual feelings between the two were gonna last longer was...rather unclear. And Cirkot himself could tell, not inspiring confidence in him. Eros hadn't told him any of what Hathiya had told her, as per the promise, but Cirkot knew something was up. Eros would never be this interested in any of the roster at SRW...so what was going on here?

Hathiya just folded her arms, staring at where Eros had disappeared, and muttered, "Bitch..", which made Cirkot panic a bit.