"Wait!" Kirei's voice cut through the air, sharp with desperation. I paused at the open window, my hand reaching for flight, and slowly turned back.
Her eyes were wide, a flicker of something raw and intense in their depths. "Do you... do you really need the inverters that much?" she asked, her voice softer now, almost vulnerable.
"Why do you think would I increase the amount by ten times," I stated, my Perman voice unwavering, though my internal self was reeling from the sheer absurdity of this negotiation.
She looked at me for a long moment, then a slow, almost resigned smile touched her lips. "Fine," she breathed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I'll give them to you. For free."
My masked face must have betrayed my shock, because she let out a small, breathless laugh. Then, she extended her hand. In it was a sleek, black card, embossed with a silver logo I recognized as her father's company.
I pushed off the window frame, gliding smoothly towards her. My hand reached out for the card. As my fingers brushed hers, Kirei moved with startling speed.
Suddenly, her grip on my hand tightened. She pulled, and I, caught completely off guard, stumbled forward. My smaller frame, accustomed to the agile balance of flight but unprepared for such a sudden, human tug, lurched. I tumbled towards her, my cape tangling around my legs, and landed awkwardly, practically in her lap. My mask-covered head bumped against her chest, and I felt the unexpected softness of her sweater, the subtle thrum of her heartbeat beneath my ear.
"What are you doing?!" I shouted, my voice a muffled protest against her. The close proximity, the soft but firm hold, was utterly disorienting. Here I was, Perman, hero of the city, an eleven-year-old in disguise, now trapped in the lap of a fourteen-year-old girl.
Her arms, slender but surprisingly strong, wrapped around me, holding me in place. I could feel her breath warm against my hair. "Don't you dare get up, Perman," she whispered, her voice surprisingly firm, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Not if you want those inverters. I won't sell them."
I froze. My mind was a whirlwind of panic. A beautiful girl was... holding me. And threatening me. This was completely outside the scope of superhero duties.
Then, the Copy Robot's voice cut through the chaos in my ear, calm and utterly pragmatic: A Small Price.