Hathiya vs Kaihua: The strings behind the curtains.

The two strangers who had only just met shared a quiet and touching moment with each other. In the strange and winding path of fate, these two lonely souls had found one another and found comfort in each other. Hathiya’s kind and caring nature soothed the neglected tiger that truly wanted acceptance. Would this be enough to quell his anger? His lashing out? Could Hathiya find solace and peace with her past chasing her? Literally lurking in the shadows? The future was still uncertain for each of them…but the two had each other now, to help teach and support one another in their journey. A beautiful friendship had blossomed, leaving Cirkot to stew in confusion to the point he had to retreat from the sappy scene.

–

Not long after, Cirkot’s confused state of mind seemed to drag him to the one person who might give him answers. The large doors seemed to tower over the floral being like looming giants. The casual, wooden appearance of the office doors hid the strange personality that resided inside. A mischievous master of misdirection whose plans always seemed to be just out of view for those around her. Cirkot might be uncomfortable around her, but it seemed this was the place his body took him after the strange experience he just had to endure. Pushing the mighty door open, Cirkot would find his Head Warden standing in her office, peering out the window with her hands behind her back.

Eros Zuul, One of the few Warden’s directly beneath the Overseer.

"Well well...it seems your intrusion worked out for the best Cirkot!” The bakeneko purred, her eyes still looking out the window as the plant man closed her office doors. She didn’t even peek over at him as he shuffled into the room. She probably already knew why he had come to her office, but she didn’t say anything for a while. She let the silence hang between them, letting the tense atmosphere born from her biting comment simmer in Cirkot’s mind for the time being.

Finally, Eros' sharp eyes flashed at her agricultural acolyte with a sense of amusement, the thin smile peeling away into a grin that revealed the Head Warden's true teeth...a sight that sent the memory of when the two first met straight to the front of Cirkot's mind like a violent bolt of thunder!

But unlike in those horrendous memories, Eros' smile quickly disappeared into one that perfectly fit her human features as she turned towards Cirkot in a proper greeting.

“For once, your attempts to be helpful to me actually worked! Even if it was only by sheer luck and accident. Not only is Hathiya taking responsibility for Kaihua, but she’s agreed to pay his fines as well!”

The bakeneko looked elated to finally have Kaihua's debt off the table. The head warden even rubbed her shoulder as though a weight had been lifted off it. It was clear Eros was planning something. Papers were arranged on her desk the Cirkot would recognize instantly. She was looking at combatant profiles…but why?

The Bakeneko’s eyes narrowed at Cirkot from beneath the rim of her hat as his befuddled words spilled from his mouth like so much word salad. For her own personal acolyte, Cirkot could be surprisingly rude to her even if it was by accident. Had he really thought Hathiya had something over Eros that could be used to wrench a prisoner from her claws? Or did he simply think that Eros was just a ruthless dictator who threw every and all person in her custody in a cage with no chance for redemption? A part of the yokai knew that if it weren’t for the fact it was all unintentional, she would have taught Cirkot a very dangerous lesson about respect months ago. Although with his recent run of mistakes tripping up her plans and even getting her in hot water with the Overseer himself still fresh in her mind…Eros wasn’t sure she wouldn’t end up giving Cirkot the lesson anyways.

None of Eros’s feelings or inner thoughts appeared on her face. Staring at Cirkot was a small woman with a thin smile. Her poker face unintentionally made Cirkot all the more nervous as he stepped closer into the room to take a peek at what was on her desk. He got a few steps closer to her desk, his eyes so focused on the papers he didn’t see what happened next.

Suddenly, a pair of hands gripped Cirkot’s shoulders! The grip strength was strong enough to keep Cirkot’s from whirling around, and practically kept him stuck in place. Struggling as he was, the only thing that would budge would be his head, which if he turned to face his sudden attacker would find…Eros? If his head looked to where she was, the Bakeneko would indeed be gone. He was practically looking directly at her when he was grabbed, and she was right there! It seemed the Head Warden had pulled a trick on him, appearing behind him when he thought he was still looking at her…something she knew he hated!

“Do you know what this means? Because Hathiya set up a payment plan, she’ll be making less profits until she pays off Kaihua’s debt. Along with having another mouth to feed, expenses are sure to go up in our Champions household! Which means she will be participating in more SRW events!”

Along with finally giving me a string to puppet that walking question mark…even if it's only a little.

“So, Cirkot~” Eros purred, gently rubbing Cirkot’s stiff shoulders as things finally seemed to be going her way… “The Ursa siblings you told me about? Ring them up~ Our Earthshaker has some money to make~”