Myrr: Reincarnated Timemage Assassin

Chapter 102: Questioning

*Splash Splash Splash*

Two little kids charge Meera who lifts her foot off the first kid. He splutters, his head coming out of the mucky water. I chant rapidly, trying to defuse the situation-

[Stormy Breeze of My Loneliness, Gather Forth-Gust]

A strong breeze flows through the tunnel, slowing the children who run headlong into it. Meera throws me a look over her shoulder, rolling her good eye at me, before disappearing. She reappears in-between the two kids. Lashing out, she spins on one leg and roundhouses the boy into the wall. Simultaneously, the deadly fan appears in her opposite hand and whips around to crack it's blunt side into the girl's shoulder. Oof. She's sent catapulting into the sewage. Luckily for her, Meera completes her spin kick, rotating around before the girl lands, and smoothly slips the heel of her boot under the girl's neck. Nice catch. Did Elina teach you that one? The little Demi-girl's face stops just a hair shy of the disgusting water. Unfortunately, the boy Meera kicked doesn't receive the same gentle treatment. His head smacks into the wall with a resounding clap that I sympathize with. And people say I'm sexist. Now that's just cruel.

"Worried about something, Boss?" Meera glances at me, effortlessly hauling the girl up with her ankle as if she's playing hackysack. The little Demi-Raccoon is shivering, completely distraught at the sudden change in orientation. Meera's brutal violence has stunned the children into hushed gasps and pained whimpers. "Did you really think I was going to kill them? What, you think I'm like Echo or something? Rainstoppers only kill for a contract. We're not like Merekeep trash."

You sure about that?

During the Trials, you definitely wouldn't have hesitated to kill a kid.

"Hehe, nah, I knew you wouldn't do that." I chuckle nervously, trying to hide my doubt. However, I think Meera can still tell I'm not entirely confident in her 'honor'. Examining the biggest Demi-Raccoon, Nika, who's managed to slowly clamber onto his hands and knees, as well as the girl who's just realized what's happened and is frantically trying to back away from Meera without being noticed, I sigh. "Did you have to hit them? I'm trying to have a conversation here...Small Cat."

"..." Meera's annoyance at the code name the Stranger chose for her is obvious. I'm only doing it to annoy her since I blurted out her name earlier already. She reaches over and yanks the fleeing girl towards me before disappearing and collecting the unfortunate boy who got slammed into the wall. Within seconds, there are three Demi-Raccoon children in front of me. Two boys. One girl. Meera polishes her palms before backing away. "You deal with them then. Let's see it."

"Watch and learn!"

Smoothly, I bend down and look them in the eyes. Three pairs of scared eyes greet me. Errr...actually I'm not really good with people either. Thinking it over, I sigh. Sliding my fingers through my hair, I pull up the cat-mask to reveal my face. The children shy back as if expecting some sort of unspeakable monster to appear, but when they see my face, they stop. Still, a certain wariness remains in them. Perhaps it's because I'm human. Damn, I wish Kisa was here. She'd be good at dealing with them.

"Hi. You guys look hungry," I take in their waifish skinny frames, and sigh. Most Demi's in Merekeep are hungry. But these one's seem extra hungry. "Would you like some cheese?" Reaching into my coat pocket, I remove a delicious block of wrapped cheddar. Peeling back the paper, I expose the yellowy-goodness and take a bite. Alright now we just smile and... "See? It's good!"

"He's one of them...a kidnapper!" The big one, who tried to protect his friend, yells out. I think his name's Nika? Now what's going on here. All three of the Demi-Raccoons immediately shy away from me. However, they've at the very least learned that running isn't an option with Meera standing behind them. I can't make any sense of this. Why are they so afraid of...cheese? Sniffing the block of cheddar, I shrug. Seems fine to me. "Don't take his cheese! Or he'll take you!"