14 Friend or Foe?

Bunny lady immediately went on guard while warily eyeing me, I for the most part was considering what to say- should I stick with trying to sound like a child or sound normal? I decided that normal would be less creepy (I couldn't speak much Japanese anyway) and opened my mouth to say hello… then realized she could probably only hear some muffled words when she looked confused… woops, forgot I basically had a helmet on.

I brought my hands forward in a placating gesture as I tried to feel my helmet and create a hole where my mouth was… with little success, screw it! This mask was either gonna work with me or I'd make it work regardless! I flexed my jaw as hard as I could downward, some slight cracks were heard and I jammed one of my hands toward these cracks and lightly pulled. And my goal had been achieved… kinda. My mouth was free but it was behind what looked like a second set of jagged teeth... Probably still better than the holes I'd been punching and healing whenever I ate something though.

Bunny Lady POV

I'd been on my way to my apartment when I'd felt someone eyeing me, it wasn't unusual but this felt more intense than normal… I'd discreetly dissuaded some people who had shown too much interest before so I figured this would just be another like the rest, I noted where I'd felt the gaze originate from before making my way over once they stopped focusing on me.

I reached the part where the city met the forest. It wasn't hard to follow my admirer since they left broken branches and heavy footprints all over the place… it actually got me excited to see that I might get to fight someone big. They really went far… I was considering if this was a trap since we'd well and truly left any of the more habitable areas behind. There was a small clearing coming up and I approached as sneakily as I could.

There's the target… and I was right about them being big. This guy just screams villain, spikes all over and claws galore… plus that armor means I can afford to hit harder… perfect. They were currently sitting down and… flailing their arms around? I couldn't see in front of them so I assumed they were looking at a phone or book. This was a good chance for a sneak attack! I silently came out from behind a tree and got ready to pounce at them, but they immediately turned around and looked right at me… without any eyes!

Okay this is creepy! I can feel them eyeing me, but they don't have any eyes? I got ready to fight but they stayed sitting and looking at me. I could hear some muffled sounds coming from them… that's also creepy! They stopped for a second also seeming to realize this before they put their hands up. I could hear some cracking sounds coming from them and was prepared to dodge a possible attack, but then I noticed it originating from their 'face'.

Their face had sprouted cracks all along where a mouth would be as they used one of their hands to crack it open. With a slight hiss and more cracking the front of their face split open into a horrifying jagged set of teeth with another set directly behind it… was this fucker trying to scare me or did they not realise just how much of a villain they looked like?

"Finally ready for a fight now?" I goaded them, "If you think your little display can scare me you've got another thing coming!" I readied myself into a stance to pounce at them.

Alex/Adrien POV

I could only understand a few of the words she'd said, not that I really needed to since her actions made her intentions clear. Plus she was obviously a battle maniac and probably wouldn't listen… crap. I had to get my message across, if she attacks me then with my looks I'd probably be thrown in prison no questions asked.

I tentatively tried to say some words to her- "Me Alex, me no hurt, look scary but not" I spat out the few lines I'd rehearsed in case I did meet someone (also of course I sounded like a classic deep voiced villain), she looked surprised to hear it but didn't get out of her stance… though I did notice she wasn't going to immediately jump at me… it was still on the table though. I continued- "Me grow fast, look old but not, please no hurt, this alex h-". She cut me off with a long sentence, I couldn't understand much- only a few words like 'old', 'fight', 'scary' and 'fuck'... that last one I repeated back at her in a questioning manner… though it didn't have the desired effect as she stopped for a second and (I'm assuming) explained its meaning.

Still I think I'd mostly defused the situation, she was still wary but didn't look like she was 5 seconds away from kicking my ass anymore which I took as a good sign. I continued speaking to her- "This Alex home" as I pointed toward the cave house hybrid. Even with me being cheery it was obvious that she was very conflicted, she looked disappointed and sad- disappointed she couldn't with good conscience kick a childs ass and sad since said child probably looked like he'd been abandoned in the woods (could be wrong but that's my interpretation).

I started showing off my home- some logs I'd made into tables, chairs and containers for water. I also showed off my half finished tablet and some scrap materials I was oddly proud of scavenging (you live where I have and you come to appreciate all the uses for people's garbage). She followed me around and commented a bit on every new thing I showed her. I couldn't understand too much but some charades solved most of our communication issues.

The latest question she'd asked me seemed to have thrown both of us off- her in disbelief and me in confusion. She'd made a gesture of 'eating' and then motioned with her hand around the area, I assumed she wanted to know what I ate. I tried speaking again- "Alex hunger, no need eat", I mean it was true, ever since I'd eaten the catfish I'd had slight pangs of hunger crop up again but not bad enough to drive me insane or make me want to stop working… probably sounded a bit bad though.

She seemed lost for words, she opened her mouth to say something before closing it again multiple times. She eventually settled on a single question- "Why live here?". I answered her almost immediately- "Monster" while pointing to myself. She pinched the bridge of her nose while muttering words I didn't understand. I decided to strike while the iron was hot and ask her my own question- "Can teach Alex?" She looked up at me and shot back- "Teach what?". Here we go "Teach Alex to Hero!" I didn't have to fake the excitement I felt while asking the question, she wasn't my first pick by any means but hey; you take opportunities as they come.

She stayed silent while staring me in the… faceplate I guess? Before asking the big question- "Why?". I didn't have to lie or come up with a half-assed reason for this- "Want help, want friends, want be happy". A grin split her face as for the first time her guard seemed to drop and she patted me on the back- "Then a hero you'll be! I'm Rumi and from now on I'll be your teacher!". I mean I couldn't understand most of that and it felt like her pat on the back would break a normal person's spine but I understood enough to see she'd accepted… hopefully not just as an excuse to kick my ass… She wouldn't, right?