#believingyourwords⭐

[reach4thestarz]

Bendy perks up, catching the train in their hands as it rolls close to them, lifting it up and hugging it tight to their chest, like a reunion with a loved one.

They blink welling black tears from their eyes, producing a smear when they rub at it. They hadn't realized just how scared they'd gotten.

They're relieved. Anything more, and they probably would have shifted... and then, she'd definitely not have shown this kindness. But, they'd be safe.

Quietly, they look up at her and make eye contact again. They smile gently. Her apology seems to have been accepted.

So, it can understand her. Kikuno assumes it either can’t speak, or doesn’t want to. She nods lightly, more to herself than to the creature. She follows its gaze to the abandoned train it had picked from among the long-unused sets.

A memory comes to her easily when she reaches her hand out to the toy, gloved fingers merely tracing its well-modeled details. One from years in her past, of a small hand tugging her’s along when she should have been doing something else, eager voice hushing and pleading for her to indulge in these luxuries as a playmate for once. Innocent laughter is the last thing her mind lets her grasp of the moment, leaving her with a fond smile to herself.

“You were only playing, weren’t you?” Kikuno retrieves a handkerchief from her person, and polishes away the specks of dust undisturbed by the creature’s use. Once she’s sure all that can come off of it has, she sets the toy upright, and pushes it along the floor, its wheels carrying it not far from where the stranger has chosen to hide before it slows to a halt.

“Forgive my startling you. I’d thought you were an intruder.” And, technically that wasn’t…untrue, but the entity’s lack of malice is what lead her to this in the first place.

[reach4thestarz]

"See, this is what I mean. I'm not sure why this is so important. Any of those things could've bitten someone. And have, before. What difference does it make?"

"Anyway, I don't remember. It was probably Mangle or something. Maybe even the worst Chica to be designed by human hands. Nothing against her."

It scoffs, hands on its hips.

"RIGHT, BUT BY WHO. YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE THOSE DETAILS OUT."

[reach4thestarz]

The caution and the distance at which she approaches makes him less wary, but clearly doesn't rid of it entirely. He scoots back a little from where he sits, wringing his hands anxiously and glancing from side to side, like he's checking for easy exits.

...He should respond to her question somehow, but he is not going to use his voice. He offers her a shrug and a shake of his head. He's not sure how he ended up here.

He looks back at the toy train he dropped, still releasing a harmless 'steam' from its chimney. He thinks very hard about making a mad dash to pick it back up... but decides against it. This lady is probably here because people aren't supposed to mess with anything in this room! He doesn't want her to consider shooting him again.

He clasps his hands together and bows his head in apology.

She's seen shadows cower before. The weaker ones can sense the sheer strength of a persona user; she's witnessed the panic that fear itself is consumed by in the presence of her fellow shadow operatives. But never has one fled from her. This brings her to tentatively holster her handgun after several seconds of consideration.

This curiosity, she's decided, is worth the risk. She can defend herself in the case of something going awry. What kind of servant would she be if she couldn't? Noting how skittish the creature was, she carefully lowers herself to the ground until she's knelt, maintaining her distance.

It takes the appearance of something not unlike an old cartoon, but somewhat beaten, almost frail. Childlike. Kikuno feels something stir deep in her heart.

"What are you doing here?" She tries, gently, after several long moments of remaining still.

[reach4thestarz]

Bendy jumps when he processes the other presence, and the gun pointing directly at him. Dropping the toy train he was fiddling with, he scrambles behind the nearest cover, terrified out of his mind.

This always happens. This is why you should never let yourself have anything, this is why you should stay the way you "truly" are, and reign with terror. There will always be something that wants you gone. No matter what you look like, no matter what you do.

He doesn't show himself again very soon at all. It takes a good few minutes for him to look out and see if that person is still there. He isn't sure what them clearing their throat suggests. A change of heart? Doubtful.

Still trembling, little horns and piecut eyes filled with fear peer out from behind a table in the back, locking eyes with the woman at the door. A silent question: will you take it out again? No matter the answer, there will be no trust. Not yet.

Bullets hardly put down a shadow. Normal bullets, anyway. Of course the gun strapped to Kikuno's chest is loaded with anything but. These are the same rounds developed for the pride and joy of ergo research.

Her instinct, when she opens the door is, of course, to unlatch her weapon and aim. This isn't the first time a shadow has gotten loose in the manor. Its not an infrequent occurrence, and Kikuno's the only one who really knows when it happens aside from her lady's mother, the other servants blind to that which lurked in the dark. Although, with the Dark Hour having dispersed not long in the past, its far less of an issue.

With that in mind, it should have been as easy as emptying a handful of rounds into the entity beyond the door's threshold. Quick work of the threat and back to her duties, just like that. But something is strange about this one. She doesn't feel the cold chill of a shadow's presence, and, well...she's certainly never seen one that likes to play.

Kikuno lowers her handgun, and squints into the room, trying to wrap her head around the display. Taking an interest in a room with long-abandoned toys... She hasn't the words. So she clears her throat instead.

[reach4thestarz]

Takes a drag off his cigarette.

"I mean, it's public knowledge. Someone got their frontal lobe bitten off. There's not much else to it."

Squints.

"WELL, WHAT WAS IT."