— just who the hell is this woman — 

— she should call 119 — 

Is this woman going to do that to her??? Is she safe to call an ambulance? 

"What did you just do, he's going to die you moron —"

She tilts her head, and starts signing, "Threat to you, made you upset."

Is he going to die? She... is not sure. She feels like she should know?

Wait, is she deaf? Fuck she can't even know if she's hearing her — 

She's also let go of her hand and everything is getting worse rapidly —

She collapses to the ground next to the downed mugger and tries to staunch the bleeding. Oh god there's so much blood. 

She turns her head and vomits onto the street away from the mugger. 

Immobilize the object in the wound, keep it still, she can use his shirt, god she's going to throw up again — 

She staggers away. She can't help like this, not when being against the bloodied man is going to make her throw up onto the wound. 

She needs the other woman's hand — 

She grabs it, wipes her other hand on Neo's shirt feverishly, and tries to call 119 on her phone. 

"What's going on?" A passerby approaches, their phone in hand. 

"Bastard tried to mug us but this woman fought back too hard and I think he might die, please, call an ambulance! I think I'm going to puke again, I'm sorry —" 

She dry retches onto the pavement, and thankfully nothing comes up. 

Neo had a brief moment where things made sense and she knew what to do next. Did she enjoy it? Who can say!

For now, she's sad that the pretty lady's still upset. She has no idea why she's upset, the threat isn't still being a threat (as far as she can tell (not very far)). She doesn't seem to be saying anything else to Neo, and it's hard to judge what's making her so sick. She doesn't have an objection to being wiped against?

(She doesn't really have objections to much.)

She has... a memory of rubbing someone's back when he was sick? A guy older than her, and a bunch taller, with bright orange hair?

Why is she remembering that now?

She could try doing it? She guesses?

She kneels down beside her and rubs her back with her free hand.

Ohhhhh that touch feels good. 

Fuck. 

She is so screwed overall. 

Meanwhile the bystander is dialing.

Ishaza slumps against the deaf woman. She wants to cry but tears won't come. 

This is being a very, very bad night. 

Okay, that seems to be working? And the touch sure feels nice.

She wishes she knew why the bystander poking at their phone feels so notable.

She'll just keep petting the pretty girl. That at least makes plenty of sense.

The next few hours are rather a blur. The police show, interrogate them, and eventually depart with the wounded man, though not before one of the officers gives Neopolitan a searching look or two. Somehow they fumble through it all, and a few hours later Ishaza and Neopolitan stumble into Ishaza's apartment.

Ishaza slams the door closed behind her and Neopolitan and tries not to collapse of relief. 

That was kind of exhausting and confusing, but she's alone with the pretty girl now. What does she do now? She kind of has no idea.

She can hug the pretty girl, maybe? Touching her feels good, so maybe a hug would feel better?

Ishaza hesitantly hugs the only beautiful girl in the whole world. She's dangerous, clearly, but it's hard to keep that in her head when she's the only thing that doesn't make her disgusted from how she looks.

Neo rests her head on her shoulder, sighing out voicelessly in relief, arms wrapping around her waist.

Gradually, as she presses against her and breathes, the fog lifts a bit. 

It's easier to judge things in and about memories than the now, and it's easier to judge things about this girl than the rest of the world.

A memory flits through her mind of her confusion as Neo was signing to her, her utter lack of response to that.

After a minute or so, a connection clicks.

She briefly pulls one hand away to slip her phone out of her pocket, then types something one-handed while continuing to hug.

After a moment, she holds the phone up to her. It's a notepad with a message written.

You don't know sign, do you?

"No, I don't." 

She hugs Neo back despite herself. She's clearly dangerous but she can't help but cling to the only beautiful thing in the whole world.

Neo nods at that and types a new message while continuing to hug her.

It's... hard to think. I can see, I can hear, I can remember, I can act, but things meaning things is hard. Easier when I'm touching you, and easier about you, but still hard.

She's really not sure what to do, but this girl seems to have some kind of plan? So she's giving her information.

Ishaza tries to focus. There's been so much going on. What is this? What's happening? 

"Think it's an Esper awakening. Don't know how you got there but the apartment is safe and the fridge has groceries so if we have to shelter for a while and wait it out we should be able to. I don't know..." She sways a little. "I don't know if I'm going to be able to eat. Everything is absolutely disgusting. Food is probably bad." 

She shakes her head. "No clue why both of us awakened at the same time and are compatible, seems incredibly unlikely, but I'm going to need to touch you to be able to eat and drink and make it through the week almost for certain - and from what we've seen from you your judgment is seriously compromised. Where did you even learn moves like that?" 

She can't remember telling a lot of people about that? But. Thinking about that is hard, and this girl's been helping her.

Decisions are hard.

Former Yakuza daughter. Escaped.

Actions are easier.

She holds the phone up for Ishaza to see.

She what.