What he’d originally mistaken as a gun was undeniably sharper and more immediate a weapon this close up. A sword. It was hard to miss when one was so close to the throat, he could smell the sharp tang of metal and old blood across the blade. Kuro was suddenly aware of the lump in his throat as he swallowed and how damn close it was to the business end of the girl’s toy.<br/>This wasn’t normal. She shouldn’t have known, nor should she have been armed. In this day and age he would have expected a pistol or a knife or even pepper spray… but a katana?<br/><br/>Not only that but there was… he didn’t know how to describe it… like a… a sinkhole of power around her. As though somehow the girl had her own magnetic field and drew the smoky edges of his very being into her own intense whirlwind of aura, it brushed across his skin feeling both alive and writhing and like static all at once.<br/><br/>Kuro kept his hands raised, but daren’t move otherwise, none of this evening had gone as expected, but that was what happened when you charged in half drunk and completely blind.<br/><br/>From here however, he could eyeball her just that little bit better. It was his mark alright, though she had grown up a little since the picture, but there was no confusing it. Doubly so when she demanded to know if there were others…<br/>How long had she been dealing/ dispatching quietly with his own rotten kin? Why the fuck was he always the last to know?!<br/>Ah…<br/>Yes…<br/><span style="font-style: italic">Ranking!</span>That old pickle!<br/><br/>“Just me ma’am, just this lonely soul,” Kuro kept his voice low and calm, like someone would when they were talking to a hysteric on a rooftop, only it was his blood everyone’s hard earned taxes would be scrubbing off of the pavement come tomorrow morning, not hers, “tell me, do they usually bring back up? Am I the only idiot dumb enough to follow you on my own or have there been others?”<br/><br/>He should have stopped there, adrenaline bucked through his veins like gasoline through a fire hose, the fear had its teeth in.... but his inner smarm couldn’t stand being shown up by someone one fifth of his age and he couldn’t help but to add, “By the way, your sword stance…" he drew his breath through his teeth and leaned back a little to study her like a mechanic with a rust bucket -- hands still up of course, peace and goodwill to all men yada yada!<br/>"Whilst it’s clear you’ve had<span style="font-style: italic">some</span>training, I hope to God you didn’t pay one yen for it! Shift your left elbow outwards a smidge, you’ll be surprised how much pressure it takes off of your arm, particularly as you don’t know how long you’re gonna be threatening me for. The way you’re stood I need only keep you talking ten minutes before I could take advantage of the cramp in your arm to disarm you,”