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[ Three years may have passed, and Yako may have grown, but for Neuro, it had been nothing more than the blink of an eye, and when he returns, he's much the same as ever. The only thing changed is his battered appearance - it's as though he'd never been injured at all, nor spent a year draining his abilities - and, perhaps, just maybe, a slight change in his behavior towards her, though with Neuro, it's hard to tell. A less controlling hand; an occasional sense of pride towards her. Little things that couldn't be clearly quantified. And they're even more uncertain coupled with the fact that the number of attacks and beatings hasn't changed at all. Still, there's a faint sense that he sees her differently, as minor a shift as it may be for a stubborn old demon. Less pillbug and more partner, though he seldom decides to honor her with any nickname nicer than "slug."

And though he still insists on dragging her into absolutely everything. Case in point: she's just had a good chunk of her bank account vacated to buy two tickets onto this luxury cruise liner. Almost meeting his death in the water clearly wasn't enough to scare Neuro away from it. After two of this line's ships went missing out in the Pacific Ocean without a trace, a more serious investigation was called for - not looking for the ships or the bodies, of course, but the criminal behind it. According to Neuro, it's not an accident. Also according to Neuro, the culprit should be aboard this ship, and the mystery should be quite sumptuous!

Well, he's excited.

They're nearing the end of the first day aboard, and, evidently, the mystery is stil "ripening," according to him. As such, there hasn't been any serious investigation yet, although there's little doubt that Neuro's minions are scuttling about the ship. The sun is starting to set on the deck, and the view is quite stunning. The other passengers are watching peacefully. Predictably, Neuro is ignoring it entirely. ]

Look, Yako. I have found a drinking straw made in your size. [ instead, he's prodding her face with one end of a pool noodle. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ miraculously, there's no trick this time! Count your lucky stars, Yako. This is an important part of their work - and his meal - tonight, so it's necessary that she actually understands it.

Which is why Yako's comment about her not being let in draws a blank look from him. Obviously, this wasn't even something he'd factored into the equation. ]

What. [ flat. ] You appear to have a rotating wardrobe of various stupid schoolgirl outfits, but you do not have anything suitable when my food is at stake. What kind of failed woman are you?

[ at least she wasn't called a bug?? small victories. It's almost 100% guaranteed Neuro is raking her over the coals for fun rather than being actually troubled by this development, but it does mean they'll have to think of something. Or, rather, she will. ]

Then I shall have to provide for you. My Evil Attire can fit any shape of demon. It may try to strangle a human to death or leave permanent welts all over your body in its attempt, but it is a small price to pay, in the end...

[ Stupid schoolgirl outfits?? Despite everything, some part of Yako still manages to take offense at that -- what does a demon know about fashion, anyway -- though her original point is still correct. This is a very rich, very nice boat, and while Yako had scrounged about her closet for the nicest things she had, she can sense the wealth rolling off everyone else on the boat, everything branded and too fancy for her detective's salary to afford (even assuming she didn't spend it all on food in the first place).

Any sense of upset, thought, swiftly vanishes with the alarm of Neuro's proposed solution to her predicament, which makes her instinctively taking a few steps back, as if the distance is any sort of effective shield from Neuro's evil devices at all. ]

No thanks. [ She says firmly, instead, managing to look even more hunted for a moment. Knowing how Neuro's fashion choices tend to look, it's probably going to be covered in eyes, disturbingly organic looking ... and Yako would put that may try down as definitely will. Instead of further arguing the point, she tries to race towards a different solution: ]

They can't be expecting all those guests to come without needing to prepare for it. [ She starts, thinking out loud. ] We could learn more if I get among the servers first, to see if there's anything unusual going on.

closed

waits for you like fry's dog

SURPRISE I'M STILL TAGGING TIHS

ME TOO time for arts

ART WITH THE RIGHT ACCOUNT THIS TIME