Mouse and Nathan
Mouse was talking with Nathan, Fafnir having decided grudgingly to accept the older man as no competition.
"New Orleans is nice." He smiled slightly. "But too bright for me."
"No, you got to see the city when it's all done up for Mardi Gras! But I mostly spent my time in the bayeaus...alligators be creepy though. All...ticklish and cold. Much prefer mammals."
"Liked the bayeaus...quiet. Peaceful. But deadly."
"Oh yeah, deadly. Ya gotta watch your step." Mouse nodded and leant back into Fafnir's side as they lay out on the grass lawn. "But that's the beauty of the place. Ya can never forget where ya are, or she'll bite you on the ass. Punish you for forgetting what she be."
"Yeah." They lay around in silence, Mouse just basking in the sun and relaxed, Nathan smoking quietly. He didn't usually smoke but his nerves had been shot to pieces lately what with all the visions he'd been getting, all bad no good. All blood no roses. No...peace. He'd seen violence and looting and a world gone mad. Not even glimpses of reconstruction. Machines click, clicking. Computer code, and he didn't even understand it so he hoped the mind walker took it out of his head and give to someone who did. Could be useful, ya never know. He blew out a stream of cigarette smoke.
"Why is it that everyone around here smokes? Or seems to?"
"I seen smokes in your bag."
"I don't smoke 'em. They're kinda...doctored. Call 'em my KOs. They laced with datuara and stuff like that. Someone trying to rough you up, they steal your bag, they'll go for the smokes first. Smoke them, get a lung full of that crap, they go out like a light. Then I grab my bag and run." Nathan nodded in respect. "Girl gotta look after herself on the streets. Don't need 'em no more, but it's habit more then anything else."
"Yeah...everyone has habits." Nathan stubbed out the smoke on the lawn, eyes flaring as the grass burnt but used to the small deathflare by now. He lit another. "This place is full of secrets...people with pasts, people with no futures."
"You see too much."
"I see what's there to see..."
"Ouiai, cher, wha'ever y' s'y."
"You being mouthy?"
"Damn straight I'm being mouthy."
"How was the hunt?"
"Hunt was fine, hunt was good."
"How was the Danger Room?"
"Logan is certifiable. He wanna do that after hunting all night?"
Nathan chuckled, and then dropped his cigarette as a vision burst in. "Oh god..." Mouse screamed in sympathy and then was up and running. She couldn't stay near him. Not after she'd already gone feral once.
"S'il te plait, je suis desole, I can' stay!"
"Run, and the Spook is after ya!" Mouse shook and ran faster. "She's coming back! She's coming back, before you go down in the ground. Safe. Hidden. She's coming and her eyes shine like poison." Nathan bit his tongue and then slowly got to his feet. He hoped that the girl knew what he meant.