Monster X Samurai

"You fools!" A guttural roar left the face of a wickedly grimacing child as his eyes became red and far larger than they ever were meant to be. The hunters in white trench coats that surrounded this child stepped backward slowly as violent winds took to the street they stood upon. The child's form melted into a mix of mud and blackish red bile that swell and grew into giant misshapen monster with red eyes and a hole for a mouth. Masses formed and expanded from it's round body to resemble arms. Despite bullets being shot directly into the monster's body, the holes quickly sealed over with the mud and bile that it consisted off. A disembodied laugh took to the air around them, as though this evil force was all around them. Even the sky clouded black, blotting out the moon and the stars. Even a nightmare couldn't be this bone chilling.

The white coated fighters with melee-ranged weapons began to organize with rushed words and very audible signs of exhaustion. "We might not have the arsenal to deal with a thing like this." Came a more calm tone from an older male whose long white beard stood out even as he wore the same coat as the others. Even with the shift from their hurried discussion to his much more relaxed words, what he had to say had a touch of horror to it. This could be seen in the eyes of his companions. The look that carried with it the notion of never seeing their home again, never seeing their family again. It was enough to put a pit in the stomach of almost any human.

The winds that surrounded the area took on a greenish light as they sharpened noticeably. With this speed, it created it's own roar that rivaled that of the manic freakish mud monster. Upon a rooftop, not too far away, these green-lit winds arced and shaped into that of a swirling cone. From within this cone, several slashes of a blade created tall arches of this green wind that'd launch directly into the mud monster. Unlike the other weapons that had next to no effect, the dozens of slashes ripped right through it until all that was left was a big nasty puddle in the street. A thousand ear-piercing screeches that seemed to come from different throats haunted the air as the bile bubbled. And yet, these painful sounds faded slowly until the night sky was once again visible and the remains of the monster melted down into undigested gore.

The stars could only be matched by the thousands of little lights in the windows of the buildings surrounding the scene. Such a fight couldn't be hidden from the populace as it came from nowhere and modern technology allowed for such spontaneous recording and file sharing. Upon the very same rooftop that the attacks were launched from, Eto Roman reviewed the scene below along with the white coated hunters he's never seen before. His long white hair and decorative sheathed katana were hard to miss, but he could tell that the man with the long white beard knew exactly who he was. Leaping from the rooftop, Roman's tall form landed near to the shook hunters.

"Ah, if it isn't an agent from the Vale? Did they send you because they knew of this hell-spawn?" The older man spoke up with a cheery grin that only a grandfather could provide. To this, Roman didn't respond. The ceremonially dressed, blue robed agent of the Vale didn't know exactly what to say as this bearded man knew exactly where he came from. And Roman was beginning to think that the older man knew who he was more specifically as well. Roman and those he hunts for has a reputation with a few hunter groups around the world. Though, they largely prefer to work by themselves.

"I'm here for... other matters." Roman finally spoke. He couldn't fight the urge to not be rude to someone with such an inviting and warm smile. Though, exactly what to say was a much more difficult concept here. Could he trust this group with the information of his mission in the city? He dropped the idea of opening up about that. They both knew he was here on business, anything more than that wasn't necessary.

"Did they give you a place to stay, young man?" It was at this point that Roman was reminded of his true age. He most certainly was this bearded gentleman's senior in the competition of years on this earth. Could he accept this man's offer? Roman trusted hunters in general. They were often to be seen as honorable warriors, even in this corrupt and crippled modern world.

"Is that an offer?" Roman smiled softly, implying that he may go ahead and accept it. Upon closer inspection, these hunters weren't alone. Roman could tell that there were more competent hunters in the area. Perhaps he didn't need to show off and save these humans this night. But, he couldn't bare the thought of letting anyone die if he were wrong.

Marco leaned against a bus shelter up the street and he watched the events unfold. A slime demon. poped up and these men in their flashy white coats seemed unprepared. He thought he would have to step in before an unexpected face showed up. Roman Eto, what was he doing in town? Well regardless his presence made Marcos intervention unnecessary, so he hung back and continued to drink his coffee, hoping not to be noticed. His relationship with the hunters was a mercenary one. He helped them and worked for them when it suited him, and only. Often times it did, sometimes it didn't. This relationship was allowed because he was very good at what he did since he understood their enemy intimately, in a way he doubted any others did also because some at the top had some idea of who he was and were all too happy to pat him on the shoulder and shew him away when they were done with him. That was alright by him. He was have been surprise if Roman thought him any more than a sorcerer, assuming he knew who Marco was that is. He expected that he, like most of the best hunters would disprove of him and have their righteous moment on their soap box where they told him about the error of his ways.
His coffee was gone, he dropped the cup into a garbage can and started walking away from the scene of the battle. He had his own business in this city, but also his own desire to stay out of the lime light. For now he woudl go back to his Hotel and get a drink while he mulled over what the arrival of this man meant for him and his plans, if it meant anything at all.

His shift in tone seemed to momentarily pause the bearded gentleman and the white coated hunters around him. For a figure such as Roman, who initially seemed unwilling to open up, to suddenly smile and talk like this? It was definitely different than one would expect. "Yes, well, I can certainly put you up in a room for a few days at a nearby hotel." The scruffy voiced 'Gandalf the grey' looking hunter suggested while making a gesture with his hand in the rough approximation of said hotel. "It's hardly an issue for covering our butts here." The bearded hunter knew he couldn't just take an Agent of the Vale back to the houses of one of the hunters or where they gather. Despite cooperating with the Vale, such a group was definitely outside of the militia-like smaller hunter groups and it would be wise to practice this caution.

...

The lobby was rather quaint despite the size of the city itself. Despite this being a gift, and even considering Roman's generally polite and humble attitude, he could tell this most likely the cheaper option among the hotels in the city. Most certainly not the only one. One of the white coats joined him at the desk to pay for the room before tossing him the keycard and just walking out with a wave. The whole ordeal was over with in such a short time, and consider how late it was already, Roman was starting to feel a little lightheaded. It almost didn't feel real. Such a big monster bagged as soon as he showed up? A friendly group of hunters out in the open who offered this much assistance with so little as just asking for it? What was going on in this place? Would he have to deal with more massive monsters like that before his mission was over? Part of him hoped he wouldn't have too. There just wasn't much fun in the concept of having humans in harms way. And then, the more daring side of his heart enjoyed the concept of finally having formidable foes again. And a good number of them. His smile was long gone as he headed for the elevator with his eyes on his keycard. The number for his room having been memorized by now.

The slim man at the bus station wasn’t the only observer to the battle between the mud monster and the hunters. A quiet, somewhat nerdy-looking blonde woman watched the goings-on from her hotel room window, her right hand straying from the thick volume she was reading to one of a matched pair of pistols she kept nearby at all times. While the dangers didn’t usually come up to her 6th floor room, she always kept herself prepared, just in case.

Arianrhod was readying herself to join the fight, seeing as the white-cloaked hunters were fighting a losing battle, when a green flash lit the area, tearing the monster to shreds. A chill swept through her. Only an agent of the Vale could wield such powerful magic. Shaking her head, she withdrew from the window, placed a bookmark in the heavy tome and set it on the desk, then grabbed her light jacket, making sure she had her keycard (and her guns, which were nicely hidden under her jacket). Deciding that it was time to force herself to be sociable and have a drink at the hotel’s small bar, the slightly pudgy woman made her way towards the elevator, which, to her mild surprise, opened to allow a man dressed in a deep blue yukata to step out. Arianrhod ducked her head and murmured an unnecessary apology, tucking her hands into the pockets of her jeans and stepping aside to give the man a wide berth. It wasn’t too unusual for people to check in late at night, especially with the monster attacks becoming more and more common, but every new person made Arianrhod that much more wary.

Entering the elevator, Roman kept his eyes directly on the keycard that he held. Even as the door remained open that little moment longer after he pressed the relevant button for the floor he was heading, he kept his eyes on the keycard. It was more advanced than the flimsy laminated excuse for a keycard he remembered the last time he was at a hotel across the country years ago. Before that was simple keys. He never enjoyed fiddling with a key in a lock, but at least those had weight to them, unlike the flimsier cards he remembered before this one he held now. Just what were humans getting on to while he was off slaying monsters all these years? And then the door before him opened before he realized the elevator even began to move. It was his floor, but a particularly peculiar blonde woman stood before him now. With her head ducked she mumured an apology that made him silently wonder if he had been sent to any country besides the one he thought he was in. She was polite to him, despite her body language and tone seeming to suggest it wasn't entirely forthright and voluntary. He'd smile and tuck the keycard into his yukata where it'd touch his chest, where a small convenient pocket awaited it. Stepping to the side within the elevator, he motioned for her to enter.

Although he couldn't see her weapons beneath her coat, he had the faintest feeling that she was an interesting girl. While he was here on business, such business was going to take a few days anyway. He might as well get a little social in the meanwhile. After all, what were hotels even for? "No need to be so meek." He tried to extend a verbal allowance for her to open up to him, his tone being softer than his voice casually allowed. He wanted to foster a window of opportunity for her to engage in conversation with him. Even if his staggeringly handsome appearance often didn't allow for such. "I'm Roman. What might your name be?" He smiled for her, his eyes on her own.

Arianrhod’s green eyes flicked up from the floor to meet Roman’s, and she unconsciously reached up to adjust her glasses. “G...Gomen’nasai, I’m sorry,” she repeated, just a slight bit louder for him. Her Japanese, which she assumed he knew based on his dress, had an American accent to it. “My name...” She hesitated, dropping her hand to her side before extending it to shake his lightly. “Arianrhod. Arianrhod Williams.” The blonde woman gave the tall man a small, unsure smile. “It’s, uh... n-nice to meet you, Roman.”

Normally, she would have been content to leave the conversation there, but her whole goal in leaving her room was to force herself to be sociable, so... “I was, um... j-just heading down to the bar for a drink,” she said, a light blush coloring her rounded cheeks. “I-If you want, you can join me...?” Her inflection made her invitation sound more like a question than a statement, but it was clear (at least to her) that she actually did want his company.

He heard her apologize in Japanese, likely a nod to his clothing of choice. The Agents of the Sacred Vale were primarily Japanese themselves with Roman being the odd one out. Although the Sacred Vale's members had saved his life and given him the occupation he humbly lives on through, he was quite the poor Japanese speaker himself. His native tongue even slipped back to the recesses in his mind in favor of English granted the Vale's frequently demonstrable bias for sending him to missions based in areas with this language. He could read and understand Japanese, but vocalizing it was always an embarrassing affair for himself. He simply wasn't meant to be bilingual in the first place. "Arianrhod?" He couldn't think of the last person he knew with a name similar to her own. This could easily be explained away as his primary physical gifts did seem to come at the cost of a few social traits that most humans prefer. Memory fails him in dates and similar topics. "Now that's an interesting name. And It's been a treat to meet you as well." His large hand took her own, allowing her to set the tone for their light handshake. Despite his apparent strength and confidence, he didn't squish her hand or shake first.

"To the bar for a drink?" He questioned primarily as he was unaware that this place had a bar. And it piqued his interest as intoxicating himself was often a fair use of his money. It'd remind him of the days he had spare time at the shrine with both his mentor and his friends. He had a certain advantage when it came to hard stuff, but his tongue certainly found itself better suited for sweets despite his appetite for discipline. There was a pattern he started to notice in his own communications here with this woman. For some reason he'd preface most things he'd say by repeating something she'd say as a question. He'd make a mental note to avoid that odd behavior further. "I'll join you. There won't be much entertainment awaiting me at my room, anyway." His eyes returned to the buttons of the elevator as he gave her the space to push the buttons. With his Caucasian genes and his preference for English, he wondered if the yukata he wore or anything else on his person might continue to invite his new companion to use or suggest Japanese words or themes. It would be interesting for sure.

So they were going to the bar, this might be a good opertunity to observe them a little more and try to discern their intentions. Two high profile hunters in the same city and the same hotel, now they were going to be shearing drinks. He wondered if they were together, that could make things much easier or much harder depending on what exactl was going on and how it played out. So he went to the bar and found a seat tucked into the corner so he could stay out of notice and casually and slowly nursed a drink while he waited for the other two, then he observed and listened to their conversation. Roman Eto and his magic sword, a known quantity if not completely, but who was this woman?

Residing in her temple of marble, High Priestess Shana sat upon her silk-seated throne. Incense drifted throughout the air, as she ate food from a platter on a nearby table. She was watching a set of three demon woman, all naked except for their masks and silk belts, danced in the hall, spinning and twirling about. Her acolytes watched on, cheering and whooping, as they saw the three do their dance. Shana, meanwhile, rubbed a finger down the length of her shaft, down to the base, rubbing it as she watched the trio of dancers. As they finished, she clapped, although she was quite aroused, her cock erect and dripping with pre, as the three bowed.

The three demon dancers had not let this gone unnoticed, and so when the priestess gestured for them to follow her into her chambers, they did so, making sure to shut the door behind them.

(Appearance of Shana's acolytes (NSFW):

Arianrhod gave a soft laugh, finding Roman’s mild confusion amusing. “Of course there’s a bar!” she said, reaching to press the button for the ground floor. “It’s right by the lobby.”

As the elevator doors slid shut, she lapsed into silence, unsure of what to say to continue the conversation. The blonde woman’s eyes flicked over the tall man’s garb, intrigued by what looked like a scabbard for a katana at his side. “You’re... you’re a Hunter, aren’t you?” she asked quietly. Despite not looking like she was about to move, she made sure she was ready to grab one or both guns if needed. Arianrhod couldn’t tell if he could sense that she wasn’t fully human; then again, she couldn’t exactly tell if he was or wasn’t. “W-Were you one of the ones fighting e-earlier...?”

From any and all of the tiniest entrances to this chamber came a dark red mist that expanded, shrank and moved like a living creature. It'd gather quickly into a humanoid shape, even weaving together thin black threads that wrapped and dance around each other. Almost as though it were a seamless movie scene, a black and red sculpture of a tall handsome man in a complex cloak stood before the door within this chamber. The pale white, even more haunting than the marble, soaked down from his forehead as color took him proper and his eyes opened to reveal a truly evil red glow. "A humble abode." Dekard mused as he let his smile draw itself across his face and a big pale hand came up to stroke his facial hair. "Am I interrupting something?" He nodded to the three dancers.



Roman

He couldn't hide his honest smile as he enjoyed her soft laugh despite the context. Roman had a reputation among those close to him in the Vale. He was always sort of derpy in some subjects and he certainly didn't read up on this place before he'd find himself being given a room here by those accommodating hunters. There was an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach as she grew silent and eyed him over. He thought she was cute, but he didn't get the vibe that she'd move so quickly as to get seriously invested in spending alone time with him. This man just didn't operate that way. And yet, he was disappointed in himself when she spoke and revealed her reason for looking him over. He misread the situation entirely. To this, he nodded and he didn't lose his small smile. "I am the Sword of the Sacred Vale. This here is Futenbayashi." He motioned towards the decorative long grip of the Katana in a gentle way with his index finger. Though he couldn't tell that she was tense or why, his motion wouldn't give any reasonable person any notion that he'd draw the blade. "I didn't plan to fight with the monster. But, those guys weren't equipped to deal with it."

Marco watched from the corner of the bar, just keeping track of the conversation and sipping his drink. He was careful to never stare or look at them in a way that would draw attention. Until his eyes stopped and he stared out into space as his mind locked onto a change in the flow of magic. Someone new had entered into the game, but he could not quite tell who.

Haruka soon arrived at the bar herself, not one for drinks or anything but more of the idea that it was a good place to hangout around a large group of people even if she didn’t know anyone. Slipping inside the girl looked around to find a place to just sit and relax alone, ignoring the various conversations around her and just sitting quietly to relax.

(Just FYI, we’re not actually in the bar just yet...)

Arianrhod visibly relaxed when Roman moved his hand away from the hilt of his katana- Futenbayashi, he’d called it- and let out a soft sigh, closing her eyes for a brief moment. The blonde woman leaned back against the elevator wall, seeming to not notice when the doors slid open with a cheery ding.

“I’m... I’m glad you helped them,” she said after a moment’s silence. She opened her eyes and looked up at the tall man, then out towards the bar across the hotel lobby. “I was going to help before you did...” She gave a soft laugh as she started out towards the lounge. “You must be a pretty powerful magician to use wind magic like that.”

Marco noted the newcomer. Another piece had entered the game. This one not a hunter but not his concern either. He sipped his drink and ignored her while he waited for his actualy intrests to arrive at the bar. Still, although he was veiled in shadow and his own power and nature was kept a mystery. He could tell from the energy radiating from this one that her current form was only a disguise for something more deadily.

Roman watched her to see if she'd loosen up or grow more tense based on his body language after seeing his weapon. Luckily, it appear that she was something of a hunter herself as their conversation continued uninterrupted. Even going so far as to make it appear that she either didn't notice or didn't care to make immediate mention or notice of the fact that they had arrived and the elevator doors opened with a ding. As he listened to her and smiled, his eyes left her to take in the bar in all it's glory and even move to exit the elevator before she did. Though, a brief glance back to her was made to show that he was still listening and not just ditching her immediately as the elevator opened. Her initial comment made him think about what she'd bring to the table in a fight against a monster that continuously repaired itself like the one he defeated just over a moment or two ago. She didn't appear to be as rigidly physically trained as he was, but looks could be decieving. And he found the way she looked to be more visually pleasant than particularly muscular women anyway.

He'd stop himself from prying deeper mentally. Lacking sensory powers or any above average detective talent of note, he wasn't going to deduce what she had up her sleeve like this. "Yeah, if I weren't there to help that group out... I don't even want to think about it." He joked lightly before getting right to the heart of the bar, foregoing any table to catch a stool in front of 5he bartender. He'd turn to face back to her as he sat aloof while the bartender wasn't ready for another order yet. "Futenbayashi handles the magic for me. Otherwise I'd just be as useful as the next guy with a Katana and a lifetime of training under a legendary mentor." Roman's words alone could be considering bragging, but his tone and expression implied that Futenbayashi's wind made up for more of his potency as a hunter than his words would suggest. His eyes left the nerdy cute blonde for an oddball young woman with a suspicious tail at the corner of the bar. He was so unsure about his initial sighting of this creature that he seemed to very noticeably pause without action for just a second. As his eyes and brain were allowed to reevaluate the tailed monster woman before him, his eyebrows raised just a bit. "So, ugh... Is that just a really good cosplay? Or are you seeing what I am seeing?" He tried to remain humorous, and he somewhat did despite a significantly more serious shift in his tone. Without a moment between his left hand resting on the bar at his side and then having it rest on Futenbayashi's decorated grip, Roman appeared ready for the hunt.

Arianrhod followed Roman into the bar, snagging a stool beside the tall, white-haired man. “That’s very interesting. Futenbayashi must be an ancient weapon,” she said quietly, voice barely audible above the decently loud music. At Roman’s words, though, her gaze followed his across the crowded bar, landing on the girl with the draconic tail.

Arianrhod’s heartrate inceased upon seeing the woman, and she began to unzip her jacket. “I... I think she’s a shifter,” she said after a moment, watching the girl interact with the bar patrons around her. The blonde woman reached under her now open jacket, gripping the stock of one of her twin pistols. “Of all the times to leave my claymore in my room...” she sighed.

The girl sighed, sitting down at the corner hoping no one had noticed her though of course with her obvious form it was not hard at all to see she was a monster not like she gave any effort herself to hide her form.

Haruku just sat there boredly as her tail swished from side to side casually, leaning back against the table behind her as she turned to look around not caring about any hunters who saw her like that even as a potential threat, but more like if they wanted to pick a fight themselves as her gauntlets flowed a faint metallic red waiting for her to use some of its power if and when she would end up fighting.

Marco hadn't wanted to do more than observe but that seemed like his cue. If these three tore up the building he woudl have to get involved anyway so he had might as well do something before another incident happened and he had some control over the situation. He walked up behind her, his foot steps muffled under magic and he grabbed her shoulder and forearm.
"Easy, you might not find trouble if you don't look for it." He said in an accent that wasn't placable, it didn't sound familiar but it didn't sound like any flavor of any nation. He released her and eased into the chair next to her before he shot a warning glance at the other girl. He took off his bowler hat and waved to the bartender. "A round for me and my friends." The barhop nodded and brought out three rounds of rum, then one to Haruku. "It's a very odd sort that is gathering in this city. There is some interesting magic coming off of all of you. The little dragon tail included. Familiar with the dragon clan Mr. Roman? I think you just did." He picked up his drink and downed the shot.

There was some desire to discuss his knowledge of Futenbayashi's past with his earnestly interesting new companion. However, in the light of their latest discovery with the misplaced monster girl, he figured that now was just not the time. His expression grew sincerely lethal at the sight of the glowing gauntlet. Even with the curiously laidback man entering the scene and buying everyone drinks, Roman remained silent in this moment following the man's comment. The expression didn't change and his remained glued upon the shifter/dragon with sharpness written across his features. Even with two of the shots being placed between himself and the blonde who seemed to be preparing along the same lines as himself, Roman didn't relax or release Futenbayashi's grip from his left hand.

Securing the serving of rum intended for himself within his right hand's slender lengthy fingers without looking, Roman stood and approached their table in the corner. "How bold can some one be if they bare fangs in the midst of innocent powerless humans and a business unrelated of our fued in some cowardly display like this?" Any sense of play left his tone as his eyes didn't leave the tailed girl. His shot was placed before the purchaser. "That's nothing to drink to." He finished before turning and stepping out of the building. Knowing full well that a coward would sit inside and any monster worth their weight in salt might try to make him pay for his words.

The girl seemed part of the scenery even if she was obviously the most odd thing about the whole atmosphere around them. Feeling a sudden touch to her arm she pulled it away quickly, almost knocking the glass that was placed next to her though raising her arm as she pulled away than merely pulling it straight back.

“ who said I was even looking for trouble.” Crossing her arms with a slight pout, “ I know I’m the odd one out obviously with all this but I’m not someone compared to other monsters to go on a mindless rampage. Even someone like me has some damn standards, what’s wrong with a monster relaxing among humans once in a while?” Turning to finally taking the shot and sticking out her tongue as she wasn’t use to drinking alcohol at all so the taste was a bit bad for her. Haru just ignored the man making the stern comment at her as her tail flicked back and forth boredly before stretching a bit in her seat. “ I don’t intend to fight or do anything to any humans I come across unless there’s a good reason to. Besides threatening me as a monster what did you want anyway?” Tilting her head a bit to the side casually.

Arianrhod wasn’t sure what to make of the situation. One moment, she was getting ready to defend the innocent patrons, the next she was being pulled aside by a rather strange-looking man. Immediately, she clammed up, green eyes going wide with fright at Marco’s intimidating appearance.

“How bold can someone be if they bare fangs in the midst of innocent, powerless humans and a business unrelated of our feud in some cowardly display like this? That’s nothing to drink to.” Roman said before turning and stepping out of the building.

“W-Wait!” Arianrhod stood, reaching to take the sleeve of Roman’s yukata. Her fingers barely brushed the cerulean fabric, though, and she had to take a couple steps to regain her balance. A soft, canine-like whimper escaped from the woman, as she found herself alone in the middle of the bar. Roman wasn’t a hard man to miss, though, and she followed him out of the building to the surprisingly busy sidewalk. “Roman!”

Marco sighed. "We wouldn't spend nearly as much time fighting as drinking if we could display an ounce of civility." He help up a toast to the dragon girl and downed his shot, then the samurai's. The man's comments had dug at Marco to. Weather the swordsmen knew it or not he was in the company of something far more repulsive to his kind, and the general public, than a dragon. Something he was more than aware of himself. Only once had he met a human who did not fear or hate him, and rarely had he met a monster who didn't consider him something fowl and disturbing that was only resented, used, and destroyed, preferably in that order. When he didn't wear a human skin, he was truly a monster to the world, and once he was done with those who had enslaved him he woudl be done with this world. He slid the other woman's shot across the bar to the dragon. "On me." His sly voice breaking into something more cockney and common in his bitterness.

“ well yeah I guess...” as she looked back over to the one who sat next to her, “ already feeling comfortable around him just by the simple words of agreement and sentiment that he had now given her though she now had the feeling it was because he was wearing a less obvious disguise to hide his monster form than anything.

“ ummm...thanks...I guess...” blushing embarrassingly at his sudden unexpected but appreciated kindness before taking the shot and again having the disgusted look on her face with her tongue sticking out. “ I was hoping to meet at least someone nice sooner or later even if they were hunters but guess not beside you though, I think your cool.” Scooting a bit closer as her tail swayed side to side as she laid on her arms on the table casually.

He offered a weak smile. "I'm a hunter of convince. I'm about my own business and usually it helps me to work with them. I'm not some monster killing zealot. I do my research. You're a dragon kin dangerous but largely neutral not a sex demon who enjoys bathing in the blood of virgins and right now your just a cute girl. No need to make a monster just because I can't find one." He call for another round and downed the shot when it came. "So, what does bring you here? Not that it's my business but if you're feeling conversational."