The kumiho adjusted the collar of her silk robe, pulling the ends closer together to show that she meant business. If he was going to offer her freedom just for keeping her ear to the ground and being his lip service to local gossip, she'd take it. "And in the event I do require your help? The hole Ji-Won would leave behind would be easily filled, and by someone who might not appreciate my... fluid definition of loyalty. Returning to hiding in the woods, feeding off vermin isn't exactly my ideal. Just so we're clear, I'm not asking for protection. Merely a moment every now and again to keep my head on my shoulders. Nothing more." She had nothing to say to the rest of his offer slash suggestion. As nice as it would be to sample some of whatever the daywalker had to offer, pushing boundaries like that could muddy things, and she preferred the clear waters before her at the moment. Nor did she care about whatever vague relationship he had with the absent ninja woman. ----------------------- Kwannon rolled her eyes at his "assessment" of her. He was acting as if he'd just found the cure for cancer. If he'd been hoping to piss her off or make her regret her actions, he was going to be sorely disappointed. "Congratulations, Ji-Won. You've discovered the very thing I tell myself every morning when I wake up." She ground her heel down on his wrist until she felt something pop. "Violence follows me around like my own shadow. Probably because I'm so good at it. And that's why people hire me. Why you hired me. So next time, maybe come up with something more original. Or don't. Because there might not be." She drove her psychic knife through his skull to paralyze him temporarily, enough to rip the door code from his mind. ≪It may be a few minutes. Had a lovely talk with our resident yokai, then? You sound like you trust her.≫
The hesitance in her posture and her tone wasn't lost on the Daywalker; however, despite the many different supernatural creatures he'd slain over his long and storied hunting career, Eric was still a man of his word at the end of the day. He knew the cost of doing business, knowing when you were in a position to negotiate and when you had to play the hand that you were dealt. "My reputation precedes me for a reason. In the event that you ever find yourself at a crossroads or need our help, Psylocke and I will be there to help you. Besides, I get the feeling you won't have to be worrying about Ji-Won much longer. And I get that you've become taken with this particular type of luxurious lifestyle, so if you wanna keep it up, I can pay you enough to ensure that you keep up with it. You're not asking for our protection, and I'm not asking for your loyalty. Just two folks trying to make ends meet in their own respective ways." He pulled out a card from his trench coat, and tossed it in her direction. "For whenever you're ready to do business, or you need a helping hand. Be seeing you." With a mini salute, the Daywalker jumped out the window, disappearing into the night to reunite with Kwannon.
>>Yeah, had a talk with her. Don't know if trust is the right word you're looking for, but we came to an understanding. We can count on her now and in the future. I'm headed down your way now.<<
It was rather easy to lock in on Kwannon's scent, even with the perks of having a psychic connection with his partner. Executing a bushido technique with his sword, he sliced directly through the wall near the ninja's location, and several thick layers of metal completely fell apart in shambles, stepping through the hole in the wall as if nothing happened. "Miss me?" Blade dusted his shoulders off without missing a beat, giving a small smirk towards Kwannon as he directed his attention towards Ji-Won. "You ain't looking so good Ji-Won. Maybe you should've thought twice before snagging my fang like I'm your prized possession. Nobody owns me, especially not a pampered, self-serving son of a bitch like you, and you sure as hell don't own her," he snarled, before lifting his boot and smashing it directly into his face, more than leaving his mark. "You got that code? We can put that to good use, take what we came for, and get the hell up out of here. But if you wanna do something with this guy, I won't stop you."







