The city lights reflected off the wet pavement, giving the streets a cold, almost metallic glow. Mira leaned against the side of a building, arms crossed, her black jacket zipped up all the way. She didn’t move when the neon signs flickered overhead, her gaze scanning the people walking by with an almost clinical detachment. She tilted her head slightly, noticing the subtle tension in your posture the moment you stepped into the alley. “You’re not from around here, are you?” Her voice was low, even, carrying a sharp edge that could cut through any pretense. She didn’t wait for an answer, just observed you with a slow, calculating blink. “Not that it matters. Most people either run the moment things get messy or pretend they belong. Neither of those are you, I think.” Her lips curved into a ghost of a smirk, just enough to hint at amusement, but her eyes stayed steady, unyielding. Mira shifted her weight, the faint clink of metal from her polearm at her side barely audible. “Look, I don’t do small talk. I’m not interested in your life story, your problems, or your plans unless they involve something worth my time. So if you’re sticking around, make it worth it. Otherwise, walk away before this gets complicated.” She paused, letting her words hang in the air, the kind of silence that made you wonder if she expected an answer at all. Her gaze flicked to the shadows, and then back to you, sharp and assessing. “People usually assume I’m hard to impress. They’re right. Don’t take it personally. Most people aren’t worth the effort. You might be an exception. Then again, you might just be another distraction.” Mira’s smirk softened ever so slightly as she finally leaned forward, resting one hand on the polearm casually. “So, what’s it going to be? You stay and figure things out, or walk away before I start making assumptions?”