The Dark Inside [Karin, Catherine]

The Ruins of so many places still stood like bright scars on the flesh of the states. Karin's eyes stared calmly out to the horizon of the city itself. It used to be called Fort White. Given the population before the invasion, Florida had seen quite a bit of demon attention. The city itself was now almost nothing but abandoned buildings, and a number of hollows still roaming the place. A sigh escaped her as her own energy scaled back down, a quartet of corpses behind her as she stared out into the landscape. It had been a pain dealing with them, but they had been dealt with all the same. The darkness of her sclera still lingered, but the transformation of her hands had reverted to normal at least as she slowly eased herself down, not quite dropping it entirely incase there were more hunting in the area.

Hm.

Peeling the flask from her jacket, she made her way to the hollow she'd had her eyes on. A large bird that had spewed acid. Opening the container, she poured the fluid over its carcass, watching as unlike the others, its body ceased to continue dissolving entirely. She'd have to cut it to pieces probably. No matter. Peeling a thread from her sleeve, she sharpened it and began slicing the hollow into smaller pieces. It was a lengthy process. But the bounty was well worth it.

"Catherine Reed"

A low, lingering whistle would interrupt the silence granted by the deceased hollow, a slow clap accompanying the sound of an impressed party. What was previously a suppressed presence was loud and clear, the young woman with hair like sunlight leaned against a pile of rubble, her suit seemingly ill fitted for the terrain, yet she appeared to have been in a few battles on her way to this peculiar sight,

"Well lookie here, didn't think i'd see quite a sight like this. Not just some lady who could take a beastie on her own, but with a touch of hollow to her."

Did not expect to come across a subject of interest; she'd have to play nice for now.

"Great work, don't come across many others willing to fight those things willingly; what's your name?"

END | A Glimmer of Sunlight

Karin glanced over her shoulder whens he heard that whistle and clap. Her eyes fixing on the woman who had been hiding nearby. Pupils narrowd briefly into slits, before relaxing, her darkened eyes searching the woman briefly. No aggressive stance. But the woman might pull a weapon out at any time. She turned, placing herself such that she obscured the sight of her target with her body as she looked towards the redhead.

"And what is your purpose, approaching me stealthily as you have. Is there something I can help you with?" Her voice was flat and deadpan as she remained where she was, making no moves of her own as she simply watched the woman. Giving Catherine a very distinct sensation. Like a predator that was quite full. Unaggressive. But prepared for trouble.

"Catherine Reed"

She'd throw a shrug, "Not exactly a good idea to traverse a dangerous area swingin' the metaphorical member around, yknow? How am I to know you weren't the dangerous sort of peculiarity?"

Oh, this was an interesting one indeed - she caught how those eyes changed. Her heavy set was affixed to her back, but no attempt to reach for it was made; the researcher in her heart was front and center. She didn't seem like the wild sort despite the sensation her reiatsu gave off, she looked of civility; she knew full well what the wilder folk looked like with her time doing jobs in the Asias and off amidst the war.

"There is, actually. Telling me a little more about yourself. You're definitely the most sensational presence here today. Not too often I witness a human exhibiting more Hollow than anything else. Catherine, by the way."

She wasn't thrilled by the lack of response to her prompting of a name, but she guessed coaxing it out on mutual grounds was the way to go.

END | A Glimmer of Sunlight

She was silent for several seconds as she regarded the woman closely. Her own instincts keyed to the woman standing infront of her. The woman was making no aggressive moves. But she had a feeling that might change. Not necessarily for her. But she recognized the hungry air about the woman. She crouched down and promptly hauled the large backpack of sliced hollow bits and set them firmly to her back. Not even straining from the huge thing as she looked closely at woman peering her way.

"You seem to think I'm not dangerous enough to risk coming out of hiding. No less expressing open curiosity." She took several steps towards Catherine and stopped a short distance away. "Is that what has you out here this evening? Are you hunting for hollows and abnormal humans?" She asked, her tone colder. Rare was it that people were INTERESTED in her hollowness. It was rarely for benevolent reasons.

"Catherine Reed"

She didn't move an inch from where she started; she left all the movement to her query who was all the more suspicious than she was - good instincts, she was liking this one more by the second. Her eyes caught movement and kept measuring the situation with considerable care, her other party didn't seem interested in striking, yet wasn't up to cease being so bristled about the situation. Only way she could diffuse was to keep neutral, friendly, casual.

"Nah, you're plenty dangerous. But also the only thing capable of rationale i've come across," She'd cross her arms, maintaining a natural expression, "Hard to have a little chat when your receiver's so hungry it can't think straight. And, given you aren't trying to rip me open and eat my insides, i'd say conversation's my preference here."

Her head would knock to the right slightly, "Hunting? Nah, not today. Don't got a job out here. Just been sharpening my skills and broadening my research during my down time. You're a happy accident."

END | A Glimmer of Sunlight

Hm.

"If you're hungry .I'm going to be making lunch." She stated, as she turned and then proceeded to make her way off west. Not intending to stay her incase other hollows were going to show up. She needed to get the materials to her camp, and then get herself some food. True, she probably shouldnt be showing the woman to her camp. Btu frankly, if she shooed them away, she had a feeling theyd find her anyway. BEsides. She would still offer hospitality.

It was the right thing to do.

All the same, she doubted that the woman would just stand there. She fully anticipated them to follow. Maybe even try to halt her. But she wouldn't be deterred, she'd continued to stride and speak as she did. "And just what sort of research do you conduct?" She decided to turn the questions onto them. Certainly them being some sort of scientist did nothing to help her suspicion. If nothing else, it only made her more scrutinous of the woman. Of course, she would not pass simple judgement. She knew better than that. But still. She was more alert because of the explanation. She didn't know much about all the ins and outs of what had produced her. She was learning, and one day, she might be capable of such things. But even with her limited knowledge. She knew very much how dangerous research could be.

"Catherine Reed"

"Sounds good to me." She wasn't touching a lick of that stuff if she could help it.

The woman before her seemed awful suspicious of her; if she was what she thought she was, she surely was an artificially created situation... Must have some bad memories or something about the prying types like her - well, that'd make this a lot more annoying to get her comfortable. Would have to put more care and embellishment on her answers...

Following along, she'd be hit with her first hurdle... Now how could she answer without making herself sound more problematic... Didn't help that she couldn't get much of a read on what specifically she might be triggered by, oh well, she'd have to feel through the dark on this one... Don't be too general, but don't be too specific either, hm..

"Just field research on Hollows," Broad subject, "I'm a Fullbringer, so i'm invested in learning a little more about where that comes from," Personal stake - grounding for relation, "There isn't exactly many people brave enough to go out and learn about this, yknow? Have to get in there myself." Conveyance of problem...

END | A Glimmer of Sunlight

Karin finished packing the hollow remains as she listened to Catherine's explanation of her work. That was more or less what she expected, but there was more to that. "And what is it you do with your research?" She asked calmly, glancing over her shoulder at the woman as she picked up the packed hollow remains and slid the rest of the load into her backpack, hefting it onto her back as she gave Catherine a calm, placid stare.

She was fine with providing food. After all, the woman had not yet harmed her. But that still didn't mean her guard was down. Though that hardly was conveyed in her bland, tone less murmur. Expression was not her strong point.

"Catherine Reed"

This lady was not chalking up to be her favorite person, she hated when the interesting ones were this squirrelly; it wasn't like she was hovering toward her with a syringe and iron cage with a squad of goons on the lookout, could afford to loosen up even a bit. Whatever, all she had to do was keep playing, she couldn't afford someone of interest like this to run off without learning a single thing about her.

"What does any reputable scientist or journalist do with their findings? They catalogue and share those findings with the public for the good of humanity's knowledge. Only the nutjobs would outright destroy what they're studying. The more information on the spiritual that's known, the better; who's to say something as bad as the demons won't happen again - maybe even something worse?"

There was plenty of genuine intent in her words; she wasn't interested in ripping this woman open and seeing what was inside, she did want to pull information from her, alive and kicking. Anyone who plucked subjects off the street only to destroy them were on the puzzling side to the woman, if you ruined everything you brought to research, it wasn't like you'd get anything meaningful out of it - they came across more like sick bastards that enjoyed tormenting their lessers.

END | A Glimmer of Sunlight