She smiled at him, the perfect picture of warmth on a pleasant Saturday afternoon. "Hah, your number? Someone's a smooth operator." Of course, it had taken two of them to tango, but Juniper enjoyed placing the playful burden on his shoulders. "Tell you what, we've had a stunning conversation so far, so I'll give you mine after we enjoy our dessert." She took a bite out of her cake then as if they were just two young adults reveling in each other's presence.<br/><br/>The more he spoke about his family, the more she felt for his wounded past.<br/><br/>"It sounds like your sister loved you very much. It must have been an interesting childhood. Home-school sounds a little lonely, but considering your family's line of work, it sounds like it must have been a much needed break from all the craziness. But yeah, welcome to Uni, Kuram! Must be a big change for you. You liking it so far?"<br/><br/>She paused to give him time to answer. "Of course I did, no one actually dreams about slaying beasts for a living. I wanted to be a vet, still do. Working on getting there eventually - hey!" He stole a bite of her cake and she snickered. Instead of complaining, she retaliated by reaching out for his own plate and swiping a bite with her fork. She looked at him smugly then devoured the bite in one feisty chomp. They were even now. A bite for a bite. "Not bad, but it's still the second best berry."<br/><br/>The quaint ambiance of the cafe was torn to pieces when people started to scream.<br/><br/>It was one passerby at first, a man who yelled about an attack outside by the alley. He was the first, but his voice triggered a domino effect of sorts, and in a heartbeat, the screams grew into a frightening chorus spilling from countless of lips. Someone was wailing, someone was praying, Juniper flinched.<br/><br/>There weren't supposed to be any monsters in the area, their unit had cleared the city last night.<br/><br/>"This isn't good," she hissed. Klause and Sera would already be at Headquarters by now and her one-on-one experience in monster fights was close to none. She could call Klause and Sera and wait it out. No, the screaming of the crowd told her otherwise. If she didn't act now, lives would be lost. Juniper rose to her feet, leaving Kuram at the table. The customers were rushing out of the cafe, so she ducked behind the counter and pulled at the gem she kept by her belt. It was a round stone that pulsated a stormy purple. It was hot to the touch and Juniper brushed her fingers over the smooth surface before holding it tightly in her hand.<br/><br/>Purple light burst from behind the counter, and Juniper emerged in a sleek, almost knightly outfit of purple and gold. A dark, helmet shielded her identity from view and a steel saber, with the gem embedded in its hilt, hung threateningly by her waist.<br/><br/>"Kuram," her voice was muffled behind the dark glass of her helmet. "We need to evacuate everyone. Get them out of the square."<br/><br/>He was a retired Scythe, but from what she'd heard, he'd be more than capable for the job. In fact, his presence helped quell the erratic beating of her heart. She was fairly new to this, and when she did participate in fights, it was always under the watchful eye of her teammates. There was no time to doubt.<br/><br/>Junper rushed out of the cafe and into the chaotic street. People were running in all directions, and at the heart of the alley, was a monster bones and dark flesh. It was atrocious to look at, but Juniper's stomach didn't sink until her eyes landed on what remained of its victims. Someone had already perished. She'd been eating cheesecake when it happened, she was right there and she let it happen. It was a jarring thought, but she chased it away, and tightened her grip on her blade.<br/><br/>"Everyone! Move!"<br/><br/>Unsheathing her sword, she dug her shoes into the ground then rushed forward, propelling herself at the monster. If it didn't turn to focus on her she would go all the way, slashing at it the moment she got within arm's length. If the monster turned to face her, Juniper would pull two sticky bombs from her belt and toss it at the monster's face. After blinding it, she would then rush in to slam her blade into its flesh. She wasn't the most skilled, but even Klause had praised her for agility.