The Cat in the Hat cometh knocking

Hathiya thought on what she said carefully. She was feeling a bit unsettled by how calm Eros was. Though unsettled gave way to bit of relief when Eros mentioned the face sticking out in a crowd.

"I...I suppose you're right. I mean, I think it'd be pretty hard for that...bastard to...use an effective disguise. Or anything to hide himself with. I....admit though, I had run for long so I'm not fully su...sure what else he can do and....." Hathiya again shook her head. "I'm sorry, I... it's a memory I haven't thought of in a while and it's..."

She then looked straight.
"So, I told you my h... history. So what I want...."

She paused, and said, "I want you to keep this information between you and me. Just you and me. My personal history, it's between you and me. If you want someone to keep an eye out, or look for the assassin, or... anything just... please, for the love of all the gods, do not mention me. It's why I didn't tell you my real name."
Her voice was pleading.

Eros conjured up the purple smog once again, placing the tablet into the smoke where it was gobbled up by the shrouded smoke and disappeared within. The Head Warden dispelled the smog as easily as she conjured it, leaving just her and Hathiya once again. Eros finished her part of the deal, now she could finally learn what it was that the Earthshaker wanted from her. Eros had thought she had a pretty good idea already what Hathiya’s desire was, but once again the titan surprised Eros. The one thing she seemed to have wanted was simply to share her story with one other person, but no one else. A secret that she apparently could not bear holding onto alone. Eros was almost disappointed that was what Hathiya wanted from someone as influential and powerful as the Head Warden. Eros could have provided so much more, and her smirk flashed that obvious fact.

“Hathiya, I’m almost hurt. I understand a secret better than you think, silly~ If you say it's just between us, then that's that!”

Eros’s tone seemed a bit more light and playful, the Bakeneko stretching and walking back over to the crate she had first sat on. Hopping up without much care, she faced Hathiya with a warm smile that seemed real enough to the Earthshaker.

“I don’t like unlicensed assassins running around my town or threatening the Overseer’s citizens. So long as you are a citizen of Tsubar, you have his, and my, protection. So, I’ll have my staff look into this monster of yours and I’ll see what I can learn. In the meantime, I’ll print fake documents to show you’ve been here longer than you truly have, giving you a false history that might help throw off anyone trying to look for you. In return?”

There was that playful grin again…

“I want you to smile, and continue making the citizens of Tsubar happy by participating in SRW events~ Whether that be becoming a hero the children can look up to or a titan that inspires others. Does that sound like a fair trade?”

Eros stuck out her hand…waiting for a handshake to seal the agreement between them.

“Now…will you join the meet and greet~?”

Listening to all of Eros' words, Hathiya sat there, lookin at her. She looked down at Eros' hand, and then back at Eros. Her eyes closed, and she took a deep breathe.

She raised her right arm, and lowered her sleeve. With her other arm, she slowly ran it over her exposed arm. And Eros could see, in the light, strange markings appear on her arm. They were various floral marks, and other geometric patterns and calligraphy. On the palm of her hand was a symbol, the symbol of a flower with a elephantine's head wearing a crown in the center of it. They were of a brilliant white color, and when the light from the bulb hit them, it actually reflected the light, making it seem like it glowed. It was a fascinating sight to behold, like as if an artist had woven and sewn these right into her skin with the utmost care and precision.

Hathiya opened her eyes, and said, in a new voice that rang with a mind calming tune, "This is the seal of my royalty. It is my identity, my truth. And with it..."

She lowered her arm, wrapping 2 fingers around Eros' hand.

"I seal this deal, Head Warden. I shall participate in whatever event the SRW has to throw at me, and I will entertain the good people of Tsubar."

With that, she let go.

"And I will appear for the meet and greet." she said with a smile, her voice returning to normal, as she ran her arm over her right arm again, causing the symbols to disappear.

Suddenly, a bright white light seemed to erupt from Hathiya’s arm! All Eros saw was the Earthshaker adjusting the sleeves of her outfit when there were strange, somewhat alien and floral patterns on her arm! Before the Warden could comprehend what was going on, the symbols captured and absorbed the light from the lights on the ceiling, a heavenly shimmer blinding the yokai temporarily, causing the Warden to retreat a few steps! The fur on the Head Warden’s tail puffed up to look bigger while she pulled her ears back and flashed her claws. The White light was a shock, but the heavenly voice that came after drove a nail right through Eros’s surprise and struck her core! Eros had her doubts about Hathiya’s story, but this display…

Well, Eros was shocked to say she believed Hathiya entirely now.

Slowly, Eros approached Hathiya and shook her hand tentatively. Her tail relaxed, and Eros clearly didn’t like being startled like that, her eyes still in their predatory state. Her hand clasped Hathiya’s, with Eros shaking it slowly.

“I think…I would have preferred a simple Yes Ma’am if you don’t mind.”

So, not only was Hathiya the biggest prospective fighter in her roster, but she was also a queen on the run from an assassin. If Eros found this boogeyman of Hathiya, then not only will the Earthshaker’s mind be free from that stress, but she would be indebted to the Head Warden.

Eros knew she would have to throw away her previous plans for Hathiya. With what she knew now, she was an even bigger treasure then first imagined! And Eros would take advantage of that!

To Be Continued