Well then. All she has to keep in mind is her timetable. She'll need to have dusted and be gone by the time Hughes could be getting close.

She can manage that, as long as she doesn't go too slowly. She'll start to cramp before then, if nothing else. (Elsewhere, the ex-victim is doing quite a good job of being obstructively hysteric.)

Once she's a little over halfway, the fun in dragging it out is gone, anyway.

She gathers up the dust, brushes off her clothes, and stops at a store that's still open on her way back home.

There's plenty of late night grocers on her walk back.

Great. Some vegetables and any fruit that's still fresh.

Bellona's back after her.

"Hughes took over the investigation. He's got people kinda swarming all over the building, but I didn't hear if they found anything."

"I don't think they will. Nothing incriminating, anyway."

"For us."

Teasingly: "Don't leave me out next time, okay? I kept thinking about that the whole walk over to Hughes's..."

"Next time don't almost get caught." She smacks Bellona on the arm.

She laughs. "I'll pay better attention next time I'm hunting a serial killer, then."

"Or make sure there aren't any bystanders that need to not see things."

She laughs. "A bit harder, that."

"Well, whichever you feel capable of."

"I'll do my best."

"Good. I only have so many limbs, you know. Don't get careless."

"...Yeah. I'll be careful."

Shoulder bump. "Come on. I'll show you the decompositive technique. And then I should sleep. And Hughes will want to talk tomorrow, I bet."

Shoulder bump. "That sounds good." Off, to learning! And soliciting descriptions of using it on a person out of El. For science reasons.

El was quite observant and remembers how it went very well.

Heeeeee best sister.

Yep.

"I don't wanna - do things that'd cause problems for Akira-sensei, but... I really hope I'm with you when we catch Dante. For a lot of reasons."

"Yeah."

Shoulder bump. "But you should sleep now. I can practice on my own."

"Okay. Try not to bring the house down around your ears."