I was waiting right outside of Red's door with a focused expression plastering my face, can't give myself the chance to fuck this up when I'm already making progress... so do I go with a more suave approach? She seemed adamant about her 'Granny' and that story can't end well, so going forward will be dangerous.

But my options are limited, I either dive into the wolf's mouth or just get nothing, just as I did with the Knight. Even if that one was personal for me, sometimes I'd like for things to be simple...

"You look serious, something on your mind?" I glanced to my left, seeing Rober approach me, I looked up and down at his E.G.O gear. He has Red's suit, but his weapon is still from Punishing Bird.

I scratched the back of my neck, "Just thinking-"

"That can't end well..."

My eyes turned into what would only be called perforating weapons since I tried to stare a hole into Rober, "Funny, that aside, I'm just trying to prove something." I said while glancing at Red's door and steeling myself.

Rober sighed, "The Knight changed you... not in a bad way, hope you can pull off whatever you are trying to do." He gave me an encouraging pat on the back and I gave him a thumbs up along with a smile.

Now I just wait for Malkuth to give the signal...

"Orders from the top, Trigger! Start Instinct work on Red Riding Hooded Mercenary"

My favorite, by default.

My body moved on its own, walking forward and entering Red's chamber, her posture was different too. She was in a corner reading the small book she had shown me, she hid it again once I came in.

She rose her eye and met mine, alright... go big or go home.

Walking to the middle of the room, I took a seat on the floor with a small smile on my face, trying to appear as welcoming as I could, "I felt like our last conversation ended... a bit abruptly, I hope you don't mind my curiosity." Red gave me one simple stare and joined me on the floor.

After a brief moment of silence, she spoke again, "The forest around my home was always calm, even then... a forest is always a forest. Animals are bound to come around, but it was nothing the Huntsmen couldn't handle." I perked up at that, so more than one?

"Like reindeer and stuff like that? Sounds easy enough to handle." My comment got Red to stare at me for an uncomfortable amount of time.

She pulled out the notebook and stared at it for a moment, "It was." Because I love stepping on land mines...

Red didn't need to look at me, I could tell she was busy in her own mind. That didn't stop her from continuing, "Things had been okay, until they weren't. One day the Huntsmen didn't come back, something smarter entered the forest, trying to appear harmless, he tricked them all... and the survivor? He left in fear." Red's hand was shaking and quickly hid the book, almost as if she was afraid of causing any kind of damage to it.

This time she pulled out her weapon, looking at the blade as if entranced, "Things seemed to be fine, but my Granny stopped going to the forest, and she always told me to visit her ONLY in the morning, I was a kid and didn't know better. One day I couldn't sleep because of a dumb childish nightmare of the dark, and I wanted to cuddle with her." I frowned at that, as kids you fear something's just because they seem scary.

"That's normal, we all hate being afraid." I muttered, touching the E.G.O gift from the Knight.

She snorted almost hatefully, to whom? She may not even know herself, "I shouldn't have been, not that day... not ever. At the time, I didn't know, but HE followed. I... took that 'Cunning Bastard' to her home." She pulled her gun and started to grind her blade, what she needed to calm her nerves.

"That night I spoke of a nightmare that wasn't real, while never seeing the real one followed me home... but Granny did. She always knew what was best for me, but maybe that day... she misjudged." The grinding became louder, and I weighed my options here.

I could say she didn't, and Red was alive because of it... bad choice really. Ask if she really thinks that even though it's clear she fucking DOES, or...

"You'd rather she was in your position?" I asked, what was seemingly the best option available and received a deep glare in response, only the hate wasn't aimed at me, but it was just... aimless.

She stabbed her Ax/Knife on the floor, going through the metal plates, "Never, there isn't a good option here. She hid me under her bed while I heard the screams of pain, he was bigger and stronger. He could have ended it quickly... but he knew I was there. He was looking at me, taunting me, he swallowed my Granny whole, flipped the bed and showed me his belly, almost asking me to TRY and gut him." She dragged her weapon, creating a bigger tear on the floor.

"I tried and lost one eye, I tried and my stomach flew from my body, I tried and kept trying. Scars piling up... until he also left with scars, and it felt good, but he looked at me with those mocking eyes and I needed to keep going, to find HIM!" She tore her weapon from the floor and slammed it again and again.

But this... is almost like the Wolf wanted Red to look for revenge...

I tensed and flipped back, avoiding a slash to my face, "You have him here... and I will finally get what I want!" She rose her voice while getting up, and I did the same, giving her a pitying stare.

"Don't you mean what HE wants?" I asked back, and her single eye zeroed on me. An animalistic growl leaving her mouth, preparing both weapons and missing most of the usual grace her posture carried, now what seemed more like an animal was in front of me.

Red moved, and I saw a red blur flow through the air. She wasn't as fast as the swords of the Knight... but she had more skill. Even when her anger was clouding her mind, she still knew where to aim.

Time to put my borderline empathic abilities to use again. Trusting her feelings and my own body to react accordingly, I ducked under the first swing and threw a palm strike to parry her gun hand, a shot went off, and I kicked her in the abdomen while jumping back and using my Butterflies to call Solemn Penitence to my right hand.

But my eyes were glued to her hood. At her right side, there was a small stitched up bag with a zipper... that must be where her Granny's book is, and most likely the only way I have to end this without a rain of blood being involved.

Red moved, and I held my gun defensively... this is just going to be painful.