03 VXXCX

[sociomonere]

[ He's been hiding for a while now, wandering the city and feeling enclosed, like he's about to be caught at any moment. The tick-tick-tick metronome of the clock has done him no good either, like the footsteps of something hideous following him everywhere. The witch is laughing in the back of his mind, always. Joined now by recent memories of once again residing within Momma's house. There is no escape. ]

Please let me out.

[ A pitiful little voice. ]

Comments

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[sleepingstar]

[Pai lounges almost bonelessly at one of the cafes, poking at her parfait. Hei forced her out of the apartment, but there are only so many parfaits a girl can eat.

She's.

So.

Bored.

She notices Tallendi walking past, and vaguely recognizes him.]

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[sociomonere]

[ He kind of recognizes her too. She was one of the pretty girls who saw his flailing freak out when he first got here and Bethle lost her shit. It embarrasses him, and he never really got the chance to flash a smile at this one and smooth it all over. ]

[ He is also... very hungry, and that parfait she's not eating looks pretty good. So he puts on a wan smile that tries to be charming and comes over. The crow watching over him is nearby in a tree, shifting back and forth to make itself comfortable. ]

Hey there.

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[sleepingstar]

[If he's aiming for charming, he misses it by a mile. Of course, that might not be his fault. Pai is, by nature, impossible to charm.]

What are you doing?

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[sociomonere]

Saying hi, being friendly.

[ He says this with authority, as if educating a newb.]

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[sleepingstar]

Why?

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[sociomonere]

Because that's what people do.

[ And he takes the opportunity to sit in the chair across from her. ]

We've met before, right?

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[sleepingstar]

[She nods.]

You were upset about some birds and a witch.

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[sociomonere]

[ Shrug! Like it's no big deal! ]

Witches are a pain, man.

[sleepingstar]

Why? [There aren't any real witches where Pai is from, but she can certainly imagine why they would be annoying. She's curious if there's a reason she hasn't thought of already.]

[sociomonere]

They're... really nasty. They can make you do what they want, so they do.

[sleepingstar]

Same holds true for everyone with power. [See: humans using Contractors as disposable weapons.]

[sociomonere]

Not everyone with power wants to eat you.

[ Deadpan! ]

[sleepingstar]

Depends on what you mean by "eat."

[sociomonere]

Ew.

[ He gives her an exaggerated look of grossed out. ]

I mean literally hack you to pieces and cook you eating.

[sleepingstar]

[Pai doesn't look bothered at all.]

Do humans taste good?

[sociomonere]

[ It's her casual tone that catches him off guard. Usually it's easy for him to hear a note of discomfort in the other's tone when this question comes up, and he can play it off, answer sarcastically so no one really knows how truthful he's being. Right now, however, he doesn't have that ease, and his expression goes a little blank, and he lowers his eyes, getting out a cigarette. He's too young to smoke, but it makes him feel better. ]

Depends on what you season it with.

[ His tone is low, almost flat. ]

[sleepingstar]

What would you recommend?

[You said you wanted to make conversation. This is conversation.]

[sociomonere]

I wouldn't.

[ He hadn't enjoyed it. ]

[sleepingstar]

Why not?

[sociomonere]

It's wrong... to eat your own.

[sleepingstar]

There aren't any of my own here. [More flat than teasing. The closest she has to another Contractor in the City is Hei, but no matter how much he pretends, he's still agonizingly human.]