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[Unlike the people who panic, get angry, or ask a lot of questions, Yin just stares at the screen for a moment. It isn't that she's level-headed, but there is a distinct lack of concern for her situation. After all, the real reason for even doing this is to let Hei know of her presence.]

I have read the guides. [What she doesn't mention is she's also read a good number of entries. She hopes everyone takes that to mean as she understands the situation, curses and all. There's no introduction - you don't need her name - just the background behind her. A moonlit night, silvery snow glistening around Yin, and the frozen over fountain not far behind her.] And understand this place is referred to as the City.

[What's not noticeable in the video is her feet are in a puddle of freezing slush, bare. She barely even shivers from the effort and continues, determined Hei will find her.]

[Click.]

[ooc: Feel free to meet her in action by the fountain, but she will not go anywhere with anyone that isn't Hei, for now. She won't say why, either. In the future she'll allow people to take her home and dress her up.]

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[That will be nice. You're not nearly as squishy, Hei. :| ]

[Yin gives Hei a short nod. Another birdbath later and she's giving him the directions to the place of a young man.]

[ At Justin's place. Nice. Very nice. ]

[ Gear up, team. Time to go Hunting Wabbit. ]

[Yin, of course, starts in that direction, more or less behind Hei, just slightly. When Mao goes completely unconscious, her expression - while it might be hard to tell the difference from her usual one - darkens. Her shoulders droop, just a little.]

[ Hei spares a brief look over his shoulder as Mao passes out. (For a moment, it's like being back inside the Gate -- each teammate, each link to reality, dropping away like a fly). ]

[ He brushes it off, approaching Justin's address. To Yin, he says only Wait out here, before going into the building. Entire demeanor rewired to timidity and politeness. 'Li's bogus smile in place. ]

[ Knock. Knock. ]

[Of course Justin is home. He opens the door eventually, leaving the chain-lock in place.

It's the City. Caution is a good thing, even though he recognizes the person at his door (albeit vaguely).]

Yes?

[ Li offers an embarrassed little smile, one hand rubbing the back of his head, as if marshaling a suitable explanation for bothering a stranger in the middle of the night, ]

Hello. S-Sorry to drop in like this, but -- I was told by a few people on the street that you'd taken in a cat earlier? A black one. Sort of chubby. I just wanted to check if it was mine. [ His shoulders droop a little, ] My cat went missing earlier this weekend, you see. I've been looking for him everywhere.

It's fine. [He unlocks the door fully as motions for Li to come in.] Let me get the cat.

Thank you. I really appreciate this. [ Hunched diffidently, hands in pockets, Li shuffles in. He doesn't go beyond the entryway, as if adhering to a back-at-home custom of not stepping indoors with shoes on. ]

[ But that's not his real reason. ]

[ He simply prefers to obstruct the exit in case there's any trouble. ]

[He mumbles something that sounds like "Don't worry about it" before retreating to grab Mao. Good job, Li; Justin would prefer it if you didn't come in any farther than absolutely necessary.]

Is this your cat?

[Justin returns with Mao in his arms.]

[ It's fine, Justin. On any day, BK201 is all about space. Right now, though, he's willing to break his own comfort zone and anyone else's to cover his tracks. ]

[ 'Li' lights up like a child when Justin returns with Mao. ] That's him! [ He reaches happily to take the cat off Justin's hands, ] He's been a little sick the past week. He didn't, um, give you any trouble, I hope?

[ Mao's server is glitchy. There's no telling how un-catlike his behavior might've been. It's automatic for Hei to probe and pry in case the Helpful Human was privy to anything unusual. ]

[He hands the cat over. It honestly doesn't occur to him to mention the fact that the cat was babbling nonsense; Justin has met enough talking animals to be relatively unimpressed by the incident.]

He wasn't any trouble.

[Li will have a hard time reading Justin. He's only slightly more expressive than a doll around people he doesn't know.]

[ Justin may be slightly more expressive than a Doll. But that's the norm in Hei's world. He's been trained to focus on nuanced tones and emotion. That said, Justin isn't telegraphing anything odd -- blatant or subtle. Instead, 'Li' tosses a remark to test the barometer, ]

I'm glad. [ More tentatively, ] These weekends are terrible when all you want is peace and quiet. Talking furniture. Animals getting possessed. [ He cringes, ] It's like a horror novel.

[That evokes something that almost counts as an expression. Unfortunately, all that expression conveys is mild disbelief that Li is so bothered by something that happens so often.]

It can be worse. Have you been here for an epidemic or zombie attack?

Epidemic? [ 'Li' pales, readjusting his arms around the cat as if to instinctively hold it closer. ] This place has those too? I thought the monsters at Halloween were bad enough.

[ Of course he knows the City's spectrum of surreal. Everything is recorded to sift through at a newcomer's leisure. But 'Li' is hardly that observant or self-aware. ]

It's been a while. Monsters seem to be more common than outbreaks of mysterious diseases.

[Everything about Justin's body language implies that he would like Li to leave. He would be friendlier (for a relative definition of friendly) in a public area, but having a stranger in the apartment feels like an intrusion. If only there was a polite way to ask someone to leave...]

Take care of your cat.

[ Ordinarily Hei would respect a fellow misanthrope's privacy. Leave without further fuss. But he can't discount the possibility that Mao spoke to him; that Justin saw or heard something he shouldn't have. It's nothing personal, dude. Just self-interest. ]

I will. [ He extends a hand to shake; his smile is bright, ] Thanks again. I can't tell you how relieved I am.

[Justin shakes Li's hand reluctantly and forces a small smile.]

It's nothing. I like cats.

[More than I like most people. It isn't said, but the lack of verbalization doesn't make the sentiment any less obvious.]

...Li, right?

[ Well, cats don't whore, lie or dissemble like humans. The non-Contractor ones, anyway. ]

That's right. And you're Mister Justin.

[ Still cheerful, still polite -- even as his eyes do an imperceptible sweep of the livingroom. He can always leave Justin propped on the couch after he knocks him out. ]

[They don't knock people out, either. Generally.]

Just Justin. I doubt I'm older than you.

[ Unless it's a special occasion. ]

Justin. Right. [ Again, he flashes that spuriously sweet smile. ] Well, thanks for your help. I really appreciate it. [ He extends his arm as if to give Justin a companionable clap on the shoulder. ]

[ But his hand detours midway. To his victim's temple. ]

[ The voltage is so low that the buzzzzz is inaudible. But the effects are instantaneous. ]

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