Bet your Bottom Dollar [Verdada, Catherine]

Verdada couldn't help the smile that caressed her lips as Catherine insisted upon herself. Not just that she complete the task alone, but also that Hollows were .... what. A Choice of convenience? She couldn't hide the mirth in her features as Catherine continued to go on. What she got ...stuck with Quincy? Shinigami wouldn't TELL her what she wanted to know? And that Demons were of no value? It was all so adorably transparent. But she didn't say a thing. As Catherine delivered her speed, she simply watched her with practiced calm and allowed the woman to take her leave. Following them towards the door and watching them vanish out into the evening with a thoughtful little hum.


She was back inside when Catherine returned. Truth be told, she didn't quite expect Catherine to return within 24 hours, much less the time she DID. The chime of her phone met with a raised brow, and when Verdada finally emerged from her little hideout, she whistled appreciatively at the sight of the pitiful creature. She let her head cant a bit to the side and she circled it a few times, then turning her attention to Catherine and raised her brows. "That was rather fast. And efficient. I have to say I expected it to be ....gagged. Does the screaming really not bother you?" She ventured with growing intrigue. Her attention now entirely focused on Catherin as she ... tapped her chin.

As if considering something.

"Bring them inside. If you like, you can watch the experiment." She offered with a smile as she slipped her hands into her pockets and nodded to the captive hollow. No need to offer help what with her being so independent.

"Catherine Reed"

The only response to that question was the woman's face darkened by the long shadows of sunset, an unreadable expression beneath mud and blood covering her face. It took little to give indication she didn't appreciate the questioning as the hapless creature looked to Verdada to whimper requests for help, any might to struggle or squirm beginning to melt out from exhaustion.

"Sure. I need a shower. Or a lake. Any water will do, unless you want puke on your floor. Skin itches."

The scents. The sensation on her body. She reviled the end product of her work, but it was always worth it in the aftermath.

END | A Glimmer of Sunlight

Verdada glanced down at the creature and tilted her head a bit. "Shhhhh shhshhshh. My my my, you really ARE sentient. How strong you must be. I'm impressed that she snagged you~" She chimed and reached down to rest her palm on the hollow's mask. "Now enough whimpering. I'm rooting for you to live after all. So just sit tight, yes?~" She hummed. Giving a bit of hope as she spoke warmly, even....gently to the creature. Good copping to Catherines hot scruffy cop. She nodded up to Cath.

"Of course. Theres a washing station right upstairs, first area to the right. I'll get this one to the testing area~" She informed Catherine.

"Catherine Reed"

Silent disgust was marked on her face with Verdada's doting on the miserable thing's cries, as if it deserved that sympathy. What, did she feel it was necessary to lie to the thing's face? The only thing that made her skin crawl more than the blood and fluids on her was...

Shower. She beat it as soon as she was instructed, now under the chilling comfort of raining droplets after a rough hunt. Hosing her clothes off wasn't a problem either, and it was a good thing she brought a change of clothes... Even so, as the red washed off her body, she couldn't help but look at the scars dragged across her flesh, like she always did...

...She'd reemerge, covered up in an identical suit to the one prior, the wet garments having been put to hang in the room she showered in until she was done watching whatever Verdada had wanted that Hollow for, gotten herself down that lift and into the room again.

"Hey, i'm ready to watch..." She had her notepad ready for writing down observations.

END | A Glimmer of Sunlight

Verdada paid Catherine no mind as the woman ran off to wash herself off. Humming gently as she looked over the subject. Taking a moment to review its physical state. She peered for a moment at the injured creature before grasping it and hefting it up off the floor, dragging it into the central laboratory. Speaking softly to it, giving very specific instructions as she dragged it down into lower section. A calm smile on her lips this time as she walked through a staircase that slid into view as she pushed one of her books to the side. Down down down~

When Catherine finally returned, Verdada would be waiting for her, but not just was she waiting, but Catherine would SEE that staircase that hadn't been there a moment before. And as it was. A surprisingly serious expression was on Verdada's face.

"If you're alright to begin. There are some instructions that I need to give you first and foremost. And I'm not joking when I tell you that this is a very delicate experiment. If you do not follow my instructions exactly. You may very well lose your life. If you waish to abstain from observation, thats fine. However, I need your verbal confirmation that you will follow my instructions. Otherwise, I won't be held responsible for what happens to you. Is that understood, Catherine?"

"Catherine Reed"

That... Was new.

Verdada had a lot of faces she showed to her, a bounty of masks. The cheerful friend, the mirthful tormentor, the motherly touch... Never had she seen her grow this serious. Was she about to tell her something that dire about this experiment? She recalled the photos, whatever it entailed it was pretty violent, but that was her typical playbook. She could only surmise from her experiences with Verdada it was something tampering but...

"Yeah. Sure." She'd let out with a sigh, "What do you think I am, five? I can follow basic instructions."

END | A Glimmer of Sunlight

Verdada did not smile at the response, but continued that baleful dead look at the woman. She regarded Catherine, having half expected them to leave. But it seemed her curiosity got the better of her. She turned and promptly gestured for the woman to follow her down the staircase. As the rather grungy makeshift bunker slowly gave way to cleaner, more sterile looking hallways, save for the train of blood from dragging the hollow down. And once they reached the very bottom, the hallway opened out into a surgical theatre that had been modified. The central area had the hollow strapped down, and a thick extra layer of glass was in place. Some sort of insulate foamed around the corners, and the door was heavily modified. Not exactly professional, but it was clear, a lot of work had been put into things.

One could only wonder if it was her or someone else who had built the place. She made her way over to the nearby seats and held up a set of earmuffs.

"When it begins, I'll be walking into that little section there." She gestured to a glass chamber connected to the surgical theatre. "I'll begin the experiment there. I'll be singing, and my voice will be filtered into the chamber with the subject. Under no circumstance, are you to take off these headphones. The chamber is designed to muffle sound. But if the creature struggles and breaks the insulate. Theres a chance you'll be exposed. Therefor, its very important that you keep these one throughout the experiment. I will sing into the speakers filtered into the surgical theatre. Then, if that goes fine, the panel will open and I'll allow my unfiltered voice to fill in. Exposing it directly. I'll then stop singing, and see if the subject settles down. Do you understand?"

"Catherine Reed"

...Sheesh, she really was serious. Not a single hint of that smarmy smile she was used to...

Silently, she followed the woman along into... Huh? Was this always down here? Didn't look ramshackle like the rest of the place... Something she'd keep note of, an oddity to think about. No matter, she'd grab the earmuffs with only a quiet inspection to the set, listening to the woman's explanation - All she had to do was keep these on, and watch what happened. Great, lovely; she guessed she'd be watching some kind of morbidity before her - good thing she hadn't eaten in a few hours.

"Sure." Was spoken with a less than excited tone, pulling the set over her orange locks and picking a place to sit. Pen in hand. Note open to a clean page. It'd be some break from the dipshit's screaming...

END | A Glimmer of Sunlight

Verdada caught the woman's wrist as she went to put the earmuffs on. Those eyes hardening as she stared firmly at Catherine and shook her head. "No Catherine. This is a dangerous experiment. If you're to be a part of it. I want you to verbally confirm the steps that I've given to you back to me. I need to know that you understand what you're supposed to do." She added firmly. She wasn't going to take any chances. If anything went wrong, then Catherine may very well wind up a bloody mess on her floor. Not only would she have to clean it up but. It would mean that this valuable fascimile of a human might be lost.

She wasn't insipid.
She didn't have any delusions that they were friends or even close acquaintances. She understood what they were to eachother. But even so, with what little connections she had in this ridiculous realm. Losing one of the only ones she had was still not something she wanted to imagine. And so, she watched Catherine pointedly, and waited for them to give her the confirmation she was looking for.

"Catherine Reed"

Her body stiffened, she damn near gave Verdada a left hook from that grab. What the hell was her problem? Her expression read uncomfortable, confused even as the Arrancar imparted this severe warning. God, she wasn't a moron, she could understand basic instructions - why was she being so weird about this? What, was she this committed to pretending to be worried? She would've laughed if she wasn't so busy trying to pretend to heed her warnings so she'd show her what she wanted to see already.

"You'll walk there," She pointed to the area the arrancar identified, "And start up the experiment. Under no circumstances am I to take these," She'd wave the headset, "Off. At all. If you wanna be comfortable so bad, you're free to throw a hand signal for when I can remove em."

She'd roll her eyes, pulling her wrist away, "I'm not a kid, I can follow basic instructions - especially since you're insisting upon it so much."

END | A Glimmer of Sunlight