to trail ten thousand miles in a dead man's shoes

[snoobs]

WHO: HEMALI and JACK
WHERE: The Porter, Heropa.
WHEN: Afternoon of 9/10.
WHAT: A date that isn't really a date.
WARNINGS: Both of them have eaten people. References to attempted and then murder, cannibalism and violence happened.

---

[ Hemali hasn't quite gotten past the irritating and nauseating feeling going through these so-called Porters. Useful as they may be, suddenly zipping from one state to another in the blink of an eye is disorienting and she needs a moment to collect herself. About a minute after she feels her feet have properly settled and her eyes adjusting does she compose herself as if nothing had ever happened.

She hasn't been able to expand upon her current wardrobe since her arrival, compelling a man flaunting his riches during a poker game in a seedy Maurtia Falls bar to buy her some clothes she couldn't afford. She shows up in dark red pumps, with a similar coloured top and pants to match. Jack doesn't strike her as the kind of man who appreciates a well-dressed woman, but she would be damned if she walked out in public without throwing on something nice.

She makes her presence readily apparent, tapping her heel against the floor as she waits for her strange new companion. ]

Comments

[neverdied]

[Jack's making the most of the porters while he still can. Once he refuses to register, he's not going to appreciate the constant checks to get through. That, he thinks, is where his wings are going to come in handy.... but for now, porters!

His wardrobe definitely hasn't been expanded upon, in fact it might be that he's wearing the identical outfit to the one they originally met in. Heropa is still warm so he's kept with jeans and t-shirt, and yup, it's a worn black one just the same as their meet and his network post. At least it's clean...]

Hi.

[The usual barely there greeting as he approaches, hands in his pockets.]

[snoobs]

[ Naturally she wrinkles her nose at the unchanged wardrobe. It's not possible that Jack hasn't noticed himself, but perhaps he doesn't care? That's still something of an oddity... even the strangest of people changed their clothes. God, she hopes he's been changing his undergarments at least. ]

Hello, Jack.

[ She beckons him with a slender finger. ]

Do we need to shop first?

[neverdied]

['Doesn't care' describes pretty much the entirety of Jack's approach to life in general. Why have a vast wardrobe when all clothes pretty much serve the same purpose? Sure, he's gotten himself a few extra items than just what he ported into this world in, but he likes this t-shirt. It's comfortable and hides blood well, two important features he needs from any garment.]

I'm okay. [Shopping isn't really high on the list of things he wants to do. But neither is much else. Still, he comes in closer when beckoned, enticing as she is. She can take the lead, he's happy to be the awkward tagalong.]

[snoobs]

[ Skepticism creeps into her features, though she isn't overly concerned either by Jack's boring and unchanging attire. It's strange, but so far there isn't really any other word to describe him as but that.

She turns around, heels clack clack clacking against the floor as she walks forward. She's wearing her bangles and earrings, the very same ones she was ported in with, so they make a soft jingling noise with every step she takes. ]

You should buy a new shirt eventually. [ Her dark eyes scan his expression for a moment. ] You'll start to smell in those ones.

[neverdied]

I'll buy more. [He agrees dutifully, staring pointedly at the ground just in front of him and scuffing along after her. He's far from charming and entertaining company, but she managed to have a coffee in his presence before so at least she has some rough idea of what to expect.]

I have washed it. It got stained. [With blood. Lots of blood. His point is he's clean, okay! In fact it takes a hell of a lot of effort to truly scrub out blood, even on old black t-shirts.]

[snoobs]

[ She scoffs lightly, shaking her head at his response. ]

That's why you get more.

[ But he's already said he will, so that's that. She continues to eye him as they step outside, the bright sun immediately beginning to beat down on them once they're out of the shade. She squints at first before her eyes begin to adjust. ]

Someone told me there's a cafe here run by an imPort. Very popular. [ What was it called again? She pauses. ] Lucky... Kitty? Kitten? Or cat... I can't remember.

[neverdied]

[Kittys. Great. Because Jack truly looks like a man who would sit in a cafe with that kind of word in the title. But whatever, it's a cafe and she's suggesting it so he'll meet the comment with a shrug while he literally stares into the sun.]

Does it have cats in it? [He's heard of this whole growing trend of cat cafes. It's just... he's just not entirely sure he'll resist wanting to chow down on a passing cat, which is something he imagines no one will appreciate.

It's just been a while since his last proper meal and maybe meeting up with someone to be social wasn't a great idea when all his mind wants to settle on is flesh and murder. His logic that the distraction might help seems pretty stupid in hindsight but... eh. She'll just have to forgive him if he seems a little more distant or twitchy than normal, but then again 'normal' for him is being odd as fuck anyway.]

[snoobs]

[ That's a good question. She pauses, screwing up her face in thought as she digs through her memory for that answer. She can't actually recall if it had animals in it, which doesn't sound hygienic if that is the case, but this is a woman who's eaten people before so...

The difference between her and Jack is that she doesn't hunger for flesh the way he does. If she's hungry she can enjoy actual human cuisine and get her fill there. ]

I have no idea. You don't like cats?

[neverdied]

Nn, they don't like me. [Because cats are smart little fuckers who know when to avoid old world people eaters, although there's always that odd one that appreciates any attention it can get. Or perhaps it appreciates his efforts at slowly culling the human race so the cats can eventually take over. Who knows with cats, man.]

It's okay. We can go there.

[It's fine, he can't see cats avoiding him as a bad thing anyway. At least then he's only got to focus on not eating one thing, aka his company. He's still willing to follow a step or two away, and there's nothing odd at all about the slow, deep inhale he does while craning just slightly closer.]

[snoobs]

[ Cats have never been fond of her either, sensitive enough to see what she really is, perhaps. That's okay; she prefers the company of other reptiles herself. Dogs are also decent company, especially those fancy breeds.

If he's encroaching on her space, she doesn't seem to mind. He really doesn't seem all that interested in her the way most men are, but the fact he's here means something. If there's anyone from their group she's been the most intrigued by, it's Jack simply because he hasn't revealed anything about himself besides having little to no sense of fashion and no interest in alcohol. ]

You're not a social butterfly at all, are you?

[neverdied]

[Jack was mostly hoping for the alluring scent of fresh human, but what he gets is... something similar but not quite. Working her out is going to be an equally interesting endeavour, he thinks (if he doesn't accidentally attempt to eat her first). Interesting, but also not entirely off the menu-- jesus, he needs to stop thinking about food.]

No. [Case in point. So much so that he reflexively adds:] Sorry.

I don't... get to talk much.

[Which isn't a lie. Self-imposed exiles back home meant his interaction with people was often extremely limited. He got out plenty, walking but always alone.]

[snoobs]

[ She looks over him again, somewhat amused by his honest response. ]

People don't let you? You should make them listen.

[ It works for her. Hemali's never liked being ignored if she's deliberately seeking attention. ]

[neverdied]

[A shrug, heavy and slow.]

Nothing to say.

[He's made people listen in the past. Been there, done that. Everything from mad dictating, to monologues, to lectures and preaching. What else is there left to say that he hasn't already said a thousand times before?]

[snoobs]

[ She laughs aloud, almost mockingly for that reply now. The laughter dies down into a soft chuckle here and there and she grins at him, eyeing him from the corner of her eyes. ]

Everyone has something to say.

[neverdied]

[He doesn't take it personally, doesn't even seem to care to much about why she finds it so amusing.]

Not me. Nothing interesting.

[snoobs]

[ Without warning she stops in her tracks, hair whipping over her shoulder as she turns to face Jack properly, standing in his way at the same time. Her heels are noisy as she leans closer toward him, but never actually touching him.

A smirk draws across her face and her voice is low as she says: ]

Liar. There is something.

[ In any average human's case, she might have agreed they were boring, but Jack is... well, he's something. ]

[neverdied]

[Her movement gets him halting in his tracks, solid and unmoving as she whips around. She's quick, he thinks, but it's hard to judge how quick.

That lean in is met with his own, slight but obvious as he locks eyes with her and just for a second there's something sharp in his gaze.]

You too.

[snoobs]

[ Hemali doesn't shrink back the way most would when faced with someone much stockier than them. No, she remains rooted to her spot almost defiantly, almost daring Jack to do something about her remark. A man of his stature could do some damage if he truly wanted to. ]

Oh? What are you thinking, Jack?

[neverdied]

[There's that sniffing again, this time slow and deep, a savoured inhale that makes the most of their close proximity. And then his upper lip curls briefly, snarling through gritted teeth. She's not budging, but he's not sure whether her newfound imPort powers have made her cocky or her confidence comes from elsewhere.]

Dont tempt me.

[snoobs]

[ Is he smelling her? Now she certainly isn't expecting that, so that gets pause for a brief moment before Hemali steps forward, bold and unblinking. ]

Or what?

[ What is he, some kind of perverted loner who gets his rocks off sniffing women? Would he try to hurt her? She's curious to see what he'll do next. ]

[neverdied]

[Oh, he was definitely smelling her. And her persistence at challenging him is warranting an irritated growl, one that builds into something not quite human, the barely there hints of something animalistic (or demonic), before being swallowed back to wherever the fuck it came from.

He stays locked onto her gaze for a few slowing, snarling breaths, and then he's turning his head away, letting out an exhale that seems to relax his posture. It's not an easy thing to fight, but he's had more than enough time to at least learn how to keep certain 'urges' away.]

Where's the cafe?

[Back to that apathy like he doesn't have a huge craving to murder everything in the vicinity.]

[snoobs]

[ Disappointing, but given Jack's decided to follow her anyway Hemali figures she's got plenty of time to continue prodding him and figure out his deal.

She wheels around on her heel, her heels louder against the pavement as she walks ahead to direct him to the Lucky Cat Cafe. She reaches into her pocket for a piece of paper, unfurling it to double-check the address and directions she's written for herself on it. ]

It shouldn't be too far. Follow me.

[ A small, knowing smile. ]

[neverdied]

[Lead the guy acting crazy on a random trail, totally a great idea.

Whether he realises she may well lead him astray or not doesn't seem to worry him too much, eyes downcast as he sulks heavily about his life choices. It wasn't a good idea to come out today.]

One drink then I'm leaving. [He has stuff to do, people to eat, sleep to be had.]

[snoobs]

Just one? It's coffee, not vodka.

[ She does deliberately take a longer route when she realizes they aren't too far from their destination. It looks like there's an alleyway they can cut through, which she turns into and beckons Jack to follow her across. The paper slides back into her pocket then. ]

Though alcohol might loosen you up a little, you brick wall of a man.

who was that guy

[neverdied]

I don't drink...

[Of course there'd be an alleyway. Of course. And as she beckons him on he gets the distinct impression this isn't a standard route.

Well. He's given her enough warning and the chance to just have a drink with him then let him go, if she must persist on trying then he can hardly be blamed for what happens.

With a slow sigh and a swift glance over both shoulders to make sure they're not being watched, he slinks after her, reluctant but prepared.]

I guess I don't need to warn you about taking shortcuts with strangers.