"Welp... that's the last box," Maxwell said, wiping his hands after finishing up the mess. It had taken him at least an hour.
"Wow, not a sweat... Wulmar is really strong," he thought to himself, marveling at the power the transformation gave him.
He looked toward the exit, curious. "I wonder how Glade is doing..."
Maxwell walked into the shop, seeing Glade talking to a customer. He decided to wait until Glade finished.
As the customer left, Glade noticed Maxwell. "Hey Max... did you finish with the boxes?"
Maxwell nodded. "It was quite a lot, but not tiring."
Glade smiled. "Thanks, dude. You saved me a lot of time."
Suddenly, Glade's phone started ringing. "...Oh, damn it..."
He answered the call, walking into the storage. "Can you please take care of the shop? It might take a moment."
Maxwell nodded. "Alrighty."
There was a silence as Maxwell stood, looking around the shop, his tail wagging slowly behind him. "Hm..." he murmured to himself.
Suddenly, the door chimed, startling Maxwell a little. He turned to see a woman entering. She had striking pink hair with a light yellow hue inside, porcelain skin, and red eyes. Her outfit was a mix of punk and elegance, featuring white punky clothes that contrasted sharply with her delicate appearance.
Maxwell felt a pang of anxiety seeing her. The woman glanced at Maxwell, then began browsing the merchandise, her eyes scanning the shelves with interest.
Maxwell thought to himself, "Wow, who is this girl... she seems like a normal human." He watched as her eyes were glued to a simple black book. "I wonder what she is buying..."
Suddenly, his phone started ringing. He took it out with his huge hand. "Huh... Hito?"
Maxwell answered the phone. "Hey, Hito. What's up?"
Hito's voice came through, sounding urgent. "Maxwell, listen. Akuro and I found some important information. We need you to stay alert. There's a possibility that someone dangerous is in town."
Maxwell glanced at the woman still looking at the black book, feeling a twinge of anxiety. "Got it. I'll keep an eye out."
Hito continued, "Good. We'll be back soon. Just be careful, alright?"
"Yeah, I will," Maxwell replied, hanging up.
Suddenly when Maxwell hang up, he suddenly saw the woman looking up at him.
"O-OH SHIT...!"
Maxwell quickly composed himself, realizing he must have spoken aloud. "Uh, sorry about that," he said, trying to sound casual. "Can I help you with anything?"
The woman smiled faintly, her red eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Just this book," she said, placing the black book on the counter.
Maxwell nodded, ringing up the purchase. As he handed the book back to her, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something unusual about her. "Is there anything else you need?" he asked, trying to sound polite.
"No, that's all," she replied, her gaze lingering on him for a moment longer than necessary. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Maxwell said, but suddenly he froze when he felt a hand touching his.
He looked down and saw the same woman with a strange look on her face. "...what a nice scent..."
Maxwell abruptly removed his arm.
The woman glared at him with a grin. "You must be new, huh? Interesting... Be careful of the feathers; they often hide the sharpest claws."
Before Maxwell could ask what she meant, the woman was already gone.
"W-what the hell..."