ZZZ: Fading Echos

The request echoed in Jane's mind. Never in her life had she expected such simplicity from a person such as Astraeus. For a moment, she entertained the possibility that she had been transported into an alternate universe. She paused, letting the absurd situation sink in.

"You're not sure how to set it up either?"

Astraeus sighed, a flash of disappointment crossing his otherwise gloomy face.

"Oh, that's not it at all boss~" she chimed, her voice perky and playful as she strutted towards him with effortless grace. "I can definitely set this up for you. I was just surprised at the simplicity of your request."

Jane flashed a smile as she reached for the movie, her movements fluid and confident. Her expression gave away that the movie was familiar.

"The Port Peak, huh?" 

"You've seen it before?"

Astraeus asked, the subtle tilt of his head betraying his curiosity.

"I have," Jane answered without hesitation, a reminiscent flicker behind her eyes. "I watched it with the store's manager."

"I thought you weren't a frequent customer."

He reminded her, the sinister undercurrent of his words swiftly pulling her back to reality. The person before here was still dangerous, no matter how casual he tried to appear.

"Well, they had some free time, so..." she paused, glancing at the television. "It was just a whim," she assured, her fingers deftly setting up the movie to play properly.

"I see. They seemed like nice people."

Astraeus remarked, his tone casual, but his eyes scanning her intently, as if weighing every word. Jane cursed under her breath, hoping that his words had no deeper meaning, praying that the managers wouldn't somehow be entangled in the man's dark dealings. Usually, she wouldn't be so desperate, but the Random Play Video Store had come to be a safe haven—a place of comfort. She wouldn't know what to do if something happened to them.

Meanwhile, Astraeus considered whether he should visit the store more often to show his support. For one, the two managers were kind—and efficient with there work. Secondly, they clearly left a lasting impression on Jane, which meant they must be great people. The fact one of them had taken time out of their day to enjoy the movie with her only further proved it.

"Is something the matter, Miss Jane?"

Astraeus questioned, noticing she had been silent for a while. 

Jane's brows scrunched tightly. The great and infamous criminal boss was being polite enough to refer to her as 'Miss?' Jane Doe, who had spent hundreds—maybe even thousands—of hours studying criminal behaviour, could not discern if this politeness was a façade to break her caution.

"You're full of surprises, boss~" She said with an impish smirk, "Why the formalities?"

Bemused by her question, Astraeus shifted slightly in his seat.

"Why wouldn't I?" he finally answered, blinking a few times, like he didn't entirely understand why she was asking. "I don't exactly run an official business, so its not like I'm actually above you in hierarchy. And besides, it's just polite." 

Apparently, today, confusion would dance around the room. This time, it landed on Jane once again. Her mind raced through all the previous infiltration missions she had been apart of. Not a single one of the bosses had acted like Astraeus. The others had either been grotesque beings unworthy of being called human, money-hungry, or incredibly arrogant.

However, from what she had seen, Astraeus didn't fit into any of these categories. Aside from the natural darkness he exuded, everything about him seemed offbeat... almost out of place within the world she knew.

Perhaps this was why his organisation had grown so powerful. Their leader wasn't arrogant, nor was he money-hungry, and from his views on manners, he certainly wasn't grotesque like some other criminal bosses. In fact, the organisation had most likely risen to power because of him. He operated on an entirely different wavelength—one Jane couldn't quite decipher yet.

Jane's mind buzzed with a newfound interest—Astraeus was that interest. While his presence still gave her chills, her thoughts and theories branched into different possibilities and endless questions. Even though he was still a criminal, there was something uniquely... calculated about him. Astraeus was unlike anything she had ever seen, and she couldn't shake the feeling that unravelling him might be more than just a challenge.

She wouldn't let him slip away so easily.

"Surprised once again. You sure you aren't magic, boss~" Jane teased, her smirk playful, yet laced with a keen edge of fascination.

"In this context? I don't believe so." 

Jane, befuddled, recoiled slightly. For a moment, she stared at him, not quite sure why he seemed unsure about it. Her brows furrowed, her mind returning back to the words 'in this context.'

What does that even mean?

"In this context? What, you going to pull out some cringy action movie superpowers on me, boss?" she shot back, her tone laced equally with confusion and amusement.

Astraeus gave the woman a strange look, his expression unreadable. After a brief moment of silence, he finally spoke, his voice temporal but tinged with something more.

"Superpowers? Not exactly. I was referring Ether aptitudes and resistances."

Jane couldn't help but feel a sense of estrangement from her usual calmness. His explanation, so matter-of-fact, pointed out the obvious—something she had overlooked in the heat of the moment. In the midst of the tension, she had forgotten something so clearly fundamental...

Of course, the boss would have Ether Aptitude, one of the many ways criminals transport their goods is through Hollows. Without a strong Ether aptitude, dealing in Hollow materials wouldn't be possible.

Ignoring her embarrassing slip-up, Jane quickly shifted her focus. This was the perfect moment to gather information about Astraeus' Ether Aptitude, especially since they're already on the topic. Subtly, she leaned in a little, trying to appear casual as she asked:

"So, are you much of a fighter then?"

Astraeus went quiet, his expression deep and thoughtful. His hands intertwined, every now and then he squeezed his hands, as if weighing what he should say next. The stillness hung in the air, thick with anticipation.

Piercing the extended silence, Astraeus finally chose to speak up:

"Technically, I should be," he paused, chewing the inside of his cheek. The small action betraying his reluctance was shocking to Jane. "At least, it's in my genetics to be."