The Cat in the Hat cometh knocking

Hathiya looked at her in confusion.

"A...meet n greet? Is that like...a public meeting with fans?" She stroked her trunk, thinking on it. "Well...after my first match, I..suppose some time with fans wouldn't hurt, but..." she sighed, her head slumping.

She shook her head, and looked up at Eros. "I...I just...I can't tell anyone why I'm here, and I fear thats exactly the question I will be recieving most." She then seemed to be refusing to make eye contact with the bakeneko. They quivered.

Eros waved her hand in a slightly dismissive manner, “Pretty much. A meet and greet is something people do to meet up with fans and give them a short window of one on one time. You wear your outfit, you shake some hands, maybe take a picture and pretty much thank them for being fans. Maybe someone will ask you a question or two, but they are almost always the same ones over and over again. Since you’ve only had one match, I imagine most people are just going to ask you about when you’ll fight next.”

Eros had been to an event before, though it was for an idol group in a different district to see how it played out. It wasn’t bad, and it certainly turned a profit. But it was long, and could get exhausting in a short time even for someone as busy as Eros usually was. But the SRW hadn't had a chance to do something like this yet. And due to Hathiya’s popularity, a small scale meet and greet could prove to be a valuable experiment if Eros ever wanted to do another one in the future.

Warden:

But Hathiya seemed nervous. She didn't want anyone knowing why she was there, and it scared her that someone might ask. Naturally, Eros kept her smile, but her eyes noticeably narrowed. The Warden peered at Hathiya’s shaken expression and hesitant body language. Hathiya had trouble looking into the Bakeneko’s eyes, but Eros only tapped her foot gently on the crate, her cheerful tone never wavering for a second.

“Relax Hathiya~ No one will ask you that, and on the off chance they do? Tell them you want to reveal it in a future match.” Eros said with a shrug, her accusing eyes gone the second Hathiya looked back at the Bakeneko, “Trust me, the most embarrassing thing you might have to deal with is if someone asked you to pose for a picture. After all, you know how kids can be when they meet someone they think is cool~”

Eros knew Hathiya enjoyed children, and used the fact that some fans are parents that bring children to the events of SRW. The likelihood that at least a few kids arrived to the meet and greet were relatively high.

Hathiya looked at Eros's eyes again. Her golden eyes, even in the dim light, seemed to have a light of its own. Despite Eros's smile, in the dim light of the bulb, the smile on top of the hat casting shadows on her face, the only thing clearly visible being her 2 glinting eyes.

She looked almost predatory. Hathiya couldn't shake that odd feeling off, and now she couldn't unsee it.

Raising her eye brows a bit, she adjusted her butt again as she thought again on it all.

"I....I suppose I could...make up a backstory. Something else." Her face brightened a bit. JUST a bit. "I suppose that would make me feel safer." Hearing about children, her face perked up. Children! She thought. She hadn't thought of how many children would have been mystified from seeing her battle Croo-El. She must be like a superhero to them now!

She looked up at Eros again. "I suppose I caught the cat's curiosity the first time we met, no?" She raised an eyebrow. "And I may have just peaked it with our little chat here."

It was almost amusing how naive Hathiya could come off sometimes. Despite having a natural tank of a body, the elephant woman had a fairly sensitive heart. Probably more sensitive than that tough skin of hers, which seemed to be the only reason she could feel pain from something as simple as a scrape. Eros knew if she wanted to encourage Hathiya and get her on board with Eros’s plans, that materialistic means would not work. One look around and it would be obvious that Hathiya is living this way for a reason. Not much point in having a fortune if all you can buy is groceries and load bearing furniture. No, the sensitive heart was what Eros would use. Counting on Hathiya’s gentle nature as well as general curiosity. The Bakeneko was well aware of Hathiya’s interests…she just needed to sprinkle them into the conversation.

Hathiya concluded she could always make something up, to which Eros only kept up her smile and watched her connect the dots. When Eros lets the fact that kids would likely be at the meet and greet, Hathiya’s eyes went from nervous and shaking to nearly beaming! While she hadn’t run the numbers yet, Eros was confident that at least some younglings watched the SRW, whether in secret or with approval of their parents. And she was certain Hathiya did have young fans, looking at some of the profiles on the fan websites. To say she was of disinterest to SRW’s younger demographic was simply untrue.

Of course, the majority of people who would come to the meet and greet would be older fans, or closer to young adults…I suppose I can arrange a few raffle prizes to get some of the younger ones here if it makes Hathiya’s day.

Suddenly, Hathiya would look at Eros again. Saying something about catching the Bakeneko’s interest and perhaps getting it at its peak now. Eros peered at her, faking an expression like she didn’t know what she was talking about…before snickering a little.

“Of course you piqued my interest, Hathiya~ It’s not every day we get a competitor like you in our roster! But I’m always interested in the lives of the SRW fighters. What announcer wouldn’t be?”

Eros didn’t mind playing the announcer’s card when it suited her, acting like her interest in Hathiya was perfectly innocent. Her tail swished about, gently twitching at the tip as Eros remained relaxed.

“So, how about it Hathiya? Will you agree to a meet and greet event?”

Hathiya considered the question carefully, her eyes locked with Eros'. She replied, "If I come there....I want you to...."

She looked away for a moment, then looked back, and opened her arms a bit.

"....I want you to come here and listen." she said as she tapped her lap. "I want you to listen...very carefully. Only for your ears. Between you and me."

She paused, and said, "If you want to know more about me.... then I will tell you. But when I tell you, we'll make a deal."

Eros had quite honestly expected a “yes” from Hathiya, seeing how this could really only benefit her career. So when Hathiya seemed to respond with some hope for negotiation, the yokai went silent. Eros had figured they were just about to shake hands on the Meet and Greet, but found her hand curling up into a fist instead as Hathiya seemed too nervous to spit out what it was she wanted. Eros tilted her head, subtly letting the elephant woman know that she was waiting for her desire to be verbalized. Eros kept up a cheerful expression despite the wait. When Hathiya opened up and said how she wanted Eros to visit her more and listen to her story.

“Sounds to me like you’re asking for a friend.” Eros muttered with a smirk on her face.

Eros really had no idea what angle Hathiya was trying to take with her. The Bakeneko had done dozens of deals before, some rational and others not so much, but Hathiya was a unique puzzle in this business. Having a kind hearted person wasn’t unheard of in this line of work, and people who fought in the arena were much kinder than anyone gave credit, but they were financially motivated overall. Hathiya asking for a talk was…strange.

Of course, the Head Warden of the SRW was incredibly busy most of the time. She had plenty of appointments, documents, and staff to deal with daily. Hathiya was a valuable asset, certainly. But Eros was unsure what the Earthshaker was hoping to ultimately accomplish. When it came down to it, Eros was curious.

So she shrugged.

“I don’t have any reason to deny your request, Hathiya.” Eros said as she crossed her arms and leaned back on the crate she was sitting on, “But before I accept or deny your terms, let me ask you two things. First, what do you mean exactly when you say We’ll make a deal? And the second is simple: Why me? You know my job is to get the audience hyped up for the fighters. So why share secrets with me?”

Hathiya raised her head at the response.

"What I mean by a deal is, I'll tell you about myself. It's my most valued possession, and I will give it to you. But when I do finish telling you, I will want something back in return. And if I gave you what I value most, then you should be ready for what I demand. If I'm really as big a deal as you claim, then it shouldn't be too hard to keep me around. I mean, look at this place." -gestures at the interior of the storehouse- "All right?"

Then she leaned forward.

"And the reason I want to tell it to you, is because...well, you have mentioned it, and I've heard it from others, but you are a Head Warden, correct? You have a high position and status, and I doubt someone like you is only an announcer. That would be a waste of talent for a high position like that, and neither do you strike me as someone who doesn't take their job seriously, nor as someone incompetent. I...I want to tell it to you, because, I believe you could help me the most at this moment."

Hathiya sighed as she closed her eyes. Then she chuckled a bit. "Even when I'm placing my trust in you, I...feel so scared. I'm... actually terrified right now." She opened her eyes again, her eyes again having that gentle look, but now more sombre. "I want you to listen. But not from over there." She crossed her legs, and tapped her lap. "Here. Where not even the wind can eavesdrop."

Hathiya’s response made Eros’s eyes narrow once more. Hathiya had something about her past that she wanted to hide. While Eros would certainly be able to dig up Hathiya’s previous life given time, the fact that the Earthshaker wanted to tell the Head Warden only was concerning. It was either a very illegal matter or one that was incredibly dangerous. Neither of which was something a Warden of Eros’s status would tolerate in Tsubar. Hathiya’s compliments fell on deaf ears as Eros was now watching the elephant woman stew about in her own fear and anxiety. The sweet, cheerful Bakeneko seemed much colder and ridged than before, the smile on her face going from comforting to nearly predatory as her pupils shrank in her eyes. When Hathiya finished talking, Eros hopped off the crate…but not to sit in her lap.

Despite their huge difference in size, Hathiya might just feel incredibly small going up against such an intense gaze. This wasn’t just Eros anymore, the cute Bakeneko that gave everyone excitement and joy in matches…this was The Head Warden of the SRW! The Warden who served directly beneath the Overseer himself! And it was readily apparent why someone so small had such a direct hold over her entire staff.



“That’s right. I am the Head Warden of the facility. Which means I am directly in charge of maintaining the security and safety of the SRW building, its roster, and the citizens of Tsubar. Should there be something threatening any of whom I just mentioned, I have full authority to arrest and imprison any subject I deem a threat.” Eros purred, her words like ice cold water dripping into someone's veins!

“Which means, at this moment, I am invested in protecting you Hathiya…but I’m not sitting on your lap~ Now, tell me what’s the issue.”

Hathiya's eyes widened as she saw Eros' face seemingly change. If her gaze hadn't felt predatory before, it sure did now.

Really, it almost felt like she was talking to someone else now. That same menacing presence, that odd feeling, that she was in the presence of a demon, came and shook her at mind, hard. She blinked, with a rather concerned look on her face. She was, at that moment, thinking that perhaps this was a mistake. But then decided that she probably had no other option and pulling back might be a bad idea.

Putting a composed face, she mumbled, "All right, sorry about that."

She looked away, and then back at Eros again, her fingers tapping. A small awkward silence passed, and she took a deep breathe and said

"I fear an attempt on my life. Not from anyone around Tsubar....but from the Waygates." She quivered as she finished the sentence.

The Head Warden tilted her head, her gaze never shifting from Hathiya’s guilty looking body language as the elephant woman confessed that she feared someone wanted her dead. However, rather than the assassin being from the city of Tsubar, Hathiya claimed that they would be from the Waygates, earning a puzzled look from Eros. The Waygates were incredibly well guarded by the Overseer’s Wardens. Nothing got in or out without their notice, and most everyone were thoroughly vetted before being allowed entry into Gaia. Of course, with so many beings coming from so many different realms, there was always a small chance something could get through…but an assassin? They would have incredibly limited means, with the Wardens making things even more difficult.

But those were not the proper questions to be asking. Instead, the Warden would simply sigh, crossing her arms as she peered at Hathiya.

“Why do you think someone is trying to kill you? And why do you think they will be coming from the Waygates?”