It didn't even occur to Ayem to ask 'why'. Spirits did what they did, and what they did was [i]weird.[/i]

[color=fff79a]"I... Hold on. I-"[/color] She gave up trying to match the little girl's pace of speech. Patience came easily, and she had at least some idea of how to handle kids. A fair number of her lovers had been mothers.

[color=fff79a]"I don't know where she went,"[/color] she said simply over a rattling chain of 'gotta's. It didn't feel like lying, really. There [i]were[/i] plenty of bespectacled teenagers in Frixion. [color=fff79a]"She's probably far away, so you have to get-"[/color]

The mood dipped sharply and rose again. Ayem's claws disappeared under her fingertips, then surged back as her hands fell away. To show her, yes, but there was an old, hardened instinct that told her when it was time to be sharp...

[color=bc8dbf][i]'-wanna cut off my fingers and replace them with kniv-'[/i][/color]

[color=fff79a][i]"No!"[/i][/color]

Ayem's eyes flew wide and she did something she rarely did: yell. It wasn't a loud yell, or a particularly sharp one. She wasn't much of a yeller. But it took her by surprise. [color=fff79a]"These hands are very old,"[/color] she explained, thinking quickly. [color=fff79a]"There aren't any left over. And mine are... Too big. They're at least ten sizes up from you. See?"[/color]

The talltall lady crouched on her feet, putting her at least somewhere near Mary's height. It was a good position to jump from, if she had to. Ayem bit her tongue as she rolled back her sleeves- She'd let her guard down too easily. A 'little girl' like this could well be preying on her instincts.

[color=fff79a]"See, if these were on you, they'd drag around and get in the way,"[/color] she explained, splaying ten black points. [color=fff79a]"And, you can't throw them. That's why most people have knives [i]in[/i] hands instead of knife hands."[/color] 

Ayem met the cherub's eyes again. The claws sat between them, maybe welcoming, maybe a barrier. She could feel the chill running through them already. [color=fff79a]"So, what's your name?"[/color] she asked at last. [color=fff79a]"I'm Ayem. A-M. Like the morning."[/color]

[@SIGINT]