Nails Painted Red [Verdada, Catherine]

Huh? She wanted the feather back? What, was she gonna stick it back in her skin or something? Narrowing her eyes, she'd open the book back up, but not to give it back, rather she'd pick the thing between three fingers and inspect it carefully.

"Well then, let's have a little lesson in analysis, eh?" Her stormy gaze looked upon the woman briefly as her casual tone rolled from her lips, "Although it's quite small, the vanes come together to make it pretty sharp - like a properly sharpened knife i'd say? It's light, not particularly rich in energy, and the quill isn't even remotely as sharp as the vanes. Clearly, this is meant to be a projectile and nothing more. If it was, for example, explosive in any way, it'd be easy to tell via energy concentrations."

Calmly placing it back in the pages and shutting the book, she'd give the scrawny lady a pointed smirk, "Also, you're an awful liar. If it really could do anything remarkable, you wouldn't say it, especially not so casual and dismissively. I'm one to take the path of least resistance with figuring things out, and currently it's far less energy to determine you're lying about it being anything special than trying to suss out if you're lying about lying."

"Am I a kid or a 'big sis'? Make up your damn mind.." Mild irritation crossed her face as she'd cross her arms with the book held close to her body. This arrancar was a weird one, but she was interested in if she was hiding anything else. The sneaky and weird ones always seemed to have more to offer than they initially led on, but she wasn't going to offer anything up front if she could help it - the more she could freely study, was the more she learned at little cost.

Looked like she was headed north, to a camp? She knew that there were settlements outside of the perimeter, she'd been to them herself as they seemed pretty welcoming of anyone who came across as taking care of the hollow problem, which she fit right on into. Her eyes followed where she started speeding off to, sighing; really had to give chase just for research, huh? Oh well.

Slingshotting herself up to Verdada's speed, she'd keep close but not too comfortable with her until the two reached the encampment, hardly even a broken sweat as she slowed her movements, "Y'getting a place to lie down or what, Arrancar? It's getting late anyway. Still have questions for you."

Approaching the tent herself not long after Verdada had, she knew exactly what to supply; these spots valued information as much as money, it helped keep people mobilized efficiently and aware of threats, something Catherine had no minding to contribute to. Not that she gave everything away, but she had sanitized copies of her notes on her at all times, providing sheets of research and marked maps. Thankfully that seemed to be sufficient for having a place to stay for the night, not like she brought cash with her.

Catching up with the Arrancar after little delay, a low sigh left her with Verdada's comment, "Yeah, you could say i'm fit to burst."

Keeping along with her, they'd enter the repurposed building, though before Catherine took a step inside she noticed that giggle; it sounded like the Arrancar, but definitely didn't come from her, it sounded lower and further out of the way. It was too brief for her to pinpoint it other than being dubiously near her... Hopefully it was just her imagination, worrying about it would be a waste of energy.

"Already have rent covered. I always blow those guys' minds with my findings," Climbing the stairs, she'd press on without any other word til they reached a room, not that she was particularly tired. It was about time for another shot, anyway, and she wasn't comfortable with the idea of sleeping around this one.

Well this spot sure looked inhabited, noticing all the fiddlings within the enclosure, taking care not to mistakenly step on anything. Was this where they hosted a server before the collapse or something? Surprised nobody decided to pick the place clean and bolt, rather it seemed like she had a nice little setup about, more of those feathers everywhere... Why were there even feathers everywhere, they were better off as knives, why have a bunch strewn about? Seemed wasteful, but this one was a weirdo at the end of it, not like she'd expect sense.

"Well you look pretty settled..." Her eyes scanned the room until something strange was heard. Was the building settling? No, it was too soft and breathy to be settling, it sounded like someone talking in her ear. Gaze flashing to Verdada as she made a little request for her to relax, to be 'comfortable with her own kind', she'd stare, "Oh, so you figured me out huh? Wouldn't call myself an Arrancar, though."

That whispering was still everywhere, no way she couldn't hear it. Was this some kind of mental attack? Calmly, she'd reach and grab her notebook, passively making notes; even if she was being lured, it was information she could jot down. She wouldn't let whatever this was win out in the end.

"Yeah, like for starters, you're making that noise aren't you? How?"

God that was getting annoying to listen to. Deciding to take a breath, looking back to Verdada with those unique eyes of her's, that comment causing her to glower, "I'm perfectly human. I've just learned how to do what you do to get an advantage. They're all just tools to me, nothing more, now answer my damn question."

It wasn't noise? Her spiritual pressure? How was she hearing it, there shouldn't be any way for her to hear... Her thought trailed off as she was given the answer right here and now, blinking slowly. Pesquisa? Shit, that was something she adapted to using, her senses were still active even without an intentional wavelength-

Everywhere, she heard that singing everywhere. No, no not everywhere, it was more like someone was hammering the words into her brain. Panting slightly, her heart raced in her ears as anxieties kicked up, her equilibrium thrown off with the constant ringing and tones. Even covering her ears didn't spare the mental fuzziness it brought, but she wasn't going to let some careless whispers throw her off. A minute or so, she was balancing out - she just needed to hang in there and get used to it.

"What's this, a demonstration?" The desire to vomit was lingering, but she was able to right herself, "Or are you planning on killing me..?"