[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/eEnGkkI.png[/img][/center]

Roscoe’s growl tapered off as the girl stepped out, Evie’s grip firm on his collar until his hackles finally eased. The bat stayed in her hand, but her posture softened the moment she saw the stranger’s face.

Blue hair, waist-long, catching the green-gold light through the canopy. For just a second, Evie blinked—and then let out a low whistle.

[color=#697DFF]“Damn, girl… that’s some hair.”[/color] Her mouth tugged into the faintest grin. [color=#697DFF]“If I had half a bottle of shampoo and a brush, I’d kill for that kind of shine out here. You pull that off in the jungle? Respect.”[/color]

Roscoe huffed once, mismatched eyes flicking between the two women before settling into a guarded sit at Evie’s side.

She nodded once to Aoi, her grin fading into something steadier.

[color=#697DFF]“Evie. This here’s Locke—”[/color] she jerked her chin toward the rifle still at half-ready, [color=#697DFF]“—Bigs,”[/color] a glance toward the Marine, [color=#697DFF]“and the dwarf’s Androph. We’re with the Guild.”[/color]

Her bat shifted back across her shoulder, eyes sliding past Aoi toward the yawning stair. The masks hovered there like a school of jellyfish in a dark tide, each face lit with its own sickly glow. Joy. Rage. Grief. Disappointment. The air shimmered around them, and the longer she looked, the more her stomach tightened.

[color=#697DFF]“...Alright. Someone tell me I’m not losing it. You all see those, yeah?”[/color]

She dragged a hand down her face, exhaling sharp through her nose, then turned to Locke. Her tone was calm, but edged with the grit of someone forcing herself into command.

[color=#697DFF]“I’m gonna walk through. Test what they do. If I start talking sideways or acting strange, you put your helmet on, hold your breath, and drag me out. Clear?”[/color]

Roscoe growled again, uneasy this time, his ears flat as he stared at the shifting masks. Evie crouched, brushing her fingers against his ruff.

[color=#697DFF]“Easy, boy. I’ll be right back. Promise.”[/color]

She stood, bat gripped tight, eyes fixed on the staircase.