HyperAid [Bambietta, Ryouko]

Of everything that had crossed her awareness, everything that she'd needed to do in the wake of what was happening, Bambietta had to admit that one of the few things she at least found a degree of purely personal commitment to was the woman she'd taken in from the 2nd Division. It wasn't the first time that Bambietta had engaged with Amou; but it was the first time she'd done so from any real position of what could be called "authority." The 2nd hadn't had the resources or the knowledge to handle the issue, so Bambietta had simply come in and taken the woman off their hands.

Frankly, it wasn't just better for 2nd. It was better for Ryouko, too. Other people wouldn't have understood the situation, certainly wouldn't have been able to access the research notes of prior captains and those who'd been aware of the project that led to the woman's situation.

Bambietta had access to all of that, though. She understood exactly how dangerous Ryouko could have been. She understood, more importantly, how much worse this all could have turned out for the woman. She'd set up observation at the SRDI as unintrusively as possible; she let Ryouko roam the facility as she wished, was even willing to accompany her out of the building for a meal if she wanted. In many ways, some might have said it resembled a motherly or sisterly kind of behavior, but Bambietta didn't really see it that way. She just didn't want someone else becoming a tool because of things outside their own control.

"Hey, Amou-san. How're you feeling today?"

It was the usual question as she greeted Ryouko, casual rather than trying to pry. Being aggressive was kind of pointless.