Bayonetta peered into the portable holographic projector before her, then finally reached out to tease the palm-sized projected model. "You look so cute like this, my dear little boy." Her tone was as affectionate as ever. The holographic Salomon was as tiny as Thumbelina; any toad could have carried him away. He was fiddling with something with his head lowered. Although the scanning device faithfully rendered the item in his hands, the model was simply too small for Bayonetta to make it out, even with her glasses on.
"When are you coming back? Cheshire Cat is already complaining that all he can do is look after the child." She poked Salomon's illusory cheek with a finger, as if that could remind her lover on the other end. "I think Cheshire Cat's mental health needs some attention."
A little girl in shark pajamas came whizzing out of the study, her two short legs pumping so fast they were a blur. Like a chubby cannonball, she shot down the hallway with a silly laugh, followed by a sighing gray shorthair cat—before the girl could crash into a vase or statue, Cheshire Cat would pounce, bite down on her shark pajamas, and drag her away from the dangerous object. Salomon looked up and set aside what he was holding. Only then did Bayonetta realize it was a Praetorian Guard helmet dismantled into a complete mess, apparently being manually upgraded. There were also disassembled firearms, explosive rounds, and several blades scattered across the table. The distant rumble of engines poured into the microphone like a chorus, and she could almost smell the coming war.
Salomon wore a teasing expression. "Cheshire Cat's, or yours?"
"Both." Bayonetta admitted it readily. She picked up a piece of Turkish delight from the gift box before her and took