Trash Duty [Eiji/Natasha]

"Yea, yea. Knowin' the great Eiji, ya probably woulda' threw out some undiscovered ability in the spur of the moment, eh? Sorry for stealing yer thunder, sugar. I'll let ya' have yer main protagonist moment another day. Far as how I did it, well, I'm a Quincy. I gather reishi in nearby environment, and boom, I shoot things. Nine times out often, said things usually go tumblin' and crumblin' down."

Childishly egotistic as always, Natasha mused. It was somewhat endearing, truth be told. After hurriedly carrying him off to the hilltop, Natasha hadn't been able to ascertain whether every single threat had been eliminated in their entirety, but judging by the lack of pursuit, there was no longer any need to worry about it now. The more glaring matter was addressing Eiji's condition. Hazel eyes surveyed his body, analyzing any injury that could potentially have long-term effects.

Outside of a few scars that would likely linger well after today, there wasn't anything particularly frightening to worry about on his frame. Exhaling softly, the blonde-haired woman sat beside him on the hilltop. For what it was worth, outside of the close brush with danger that he faced, he seemed to handle everything relatively well.

Whether it was sheer tenacity or a form of foolish pride at work, he boasted about himself with a playful conviction in his tone despite the injuries. Kid had fire in him, that much was certain. A thought slowly formed in her head as she stroked her chin in contemplative silence. Now that he knew what this world felt like, Natasha highly doubted he would go avoiding it.

Eiji struck her as the type who would undoubtedly go out and prove a point to himself rather than walk away completely. Then, she recalled those words he had said before, the sort of uneventful life he had lived up until now. It would take some time to adapt, but perhaps she could overlook his progress and look over him long-term? It was worth posing the question. If he turned her down, that would simply be the end of it.

"Hey, Eiji... how are yer livin' arrangements right now? Ya ever thought about goin' elsewhere and spicing yer' life up?"

"Of course you do."

Of course he wanted more. That was to be expected at this point. His admission practically proved her intuition correct. Now that he knew what the spiritual world felt like, she was wholly confident that someone with a brash mentality such as his own would continue pursuing this world well beyond today. Based on what she had been told before, compared to the life he was living up until now, this realm of excitement was far more entertaining. His mind seemed made up.

Naturally, Natasha was worried about what that might entail, but even beyond that... he was pretty entertaining to be around. His foolish bravado was somewhat endearing, truth be told. The potential idea of taking someone under her wing was a train of thought she never would have humored in the past, but here she was - contemplating that very thought. He viewed it as pity, but it was merely a means of equipping him properly. After all, his mind was already made up.

"Pity, eh? Nah. It ain't nothin' like that, sweetheart. Ya' view me as the reckless type of young man who thinks he can take on the whole damn world. It's a little endearing, sure, but worrisome also. What would you say about bein' welcomed under my wing as a protégé of sorts? Free house to live in with yours truly, a new city, and I'll train ya' until I feel yer ready to operate on yer own. Plenty of adventure, potential to cultivate an ability, the works... In return, I get to ensure yer stayin' out of trouble. Whaddya' say, Eiji?"