[ for the first time since her return, satoko isn't preoccupied with her plans. plans can wait for another day. right now, she is on her way to meet a lovely, amicable, really and truly talking cat. a cat interested in meeting her lovely rika. and who is she to say no?
she's given a safe place for the meetup with the cat's owner - or her human, as the cat so eloquently put it - in one of the many parks of the emerald district. and if it turns out it isn't safe after all, well. what on earth should she worry for? after all, it isn't as if death means anything to her.
and so, free of worries, she sits on a bench. she looks over the lush greenery of sumarlok's emerald district. she feels the comforting weight of the knife along her calf.
[Not more than ten minutes pass before the man Satoko's meeting arrives: dark-haired, a long scar over his left eye, utterly casual in bearing as he takes his seat on the other side of the bench.]
You're Satoko, right?
[Jeane's here too, padding along before sitting at Travis' feet, tail flicking anxiously. He casts a glance down at the cat. It's odd: on their way she'd been raring to go, ready to meet a cute girl, who lives with another cute girl!, but something about her manner now seems much more hesitant.
Weird.]
I'm Travis. You already met Jeane. [He gestures down at her.] Y'know, I always take the talking thing for granted. I'm way too used to it with her going on and on at home.
[Jeane rolls her eyes. That much is enough to break her out of whatever funk she's in:] Please. You're the one who never shuts up, Travis.
Ignore her. She's rude as hell, but she'll love you. [He grins crookedly.] You can pet her if you want, she doesn't bite or anything.
That's correct, yes. And I assume you must be Travis?
[ she meets travis's gaze for a moment - and only a moment. she's far more focused on jeane in the moment, after all. she looks down at her. she takes her in. when jeane speaks up, satoko gasps, delight clear on her face.
she might be a person of questionable moral integrity. she might have committed some light murder. she might be older than travis and jeanne added together, three times over. but wow, does she genuinely adore this cat already. ]
How wonderful! I'm glad you know better than to take insults from someone like him. [ she reaches forward, to jeane's head - hesitates - and draws her hand back a bit. ] Ah, I know he just said, but is it alright if I...?
[Satoko doesn't need to finish her thought. Jeane boosts herself up, butting her head against the girl's hand, a faint purr rolling in the cat's throat.]
Oh, knock yourself out. I like it behind the ears.
[Travis snorts.]
See? I told you she likes girls.
[He throws an arm over the bench as he keeps a leisurely eye on Satoko and Jeane; leaning here, he takes in the pleasant day, the warm sun beaming down, the faint breeze of the late spring. Dragging his cat around for kids to meet? It's all so... quaint. Nothing at all like what his life's become after so many years in the business. A dose of innocence, he recalls, some old match with a kid Satoko's age replaying in the back of his head.]
[ ohhhh. now, this? this is good. satoko doesn't hesitate in giving jeane the scritches, with some extra love behind the ears. ]
As well she should! Young men are so brutish with their affections, are they not? [ feel that, jeane? that's the good shit. satoko's even rubbing lightly with her fingertips right at the base of the ear. ] Miss Jeane is a discerning woman, clearly!
[ she laughs, high and pleased - almost theatrical in the way it comes out. and while it may be a bit of acting, it's not for any untoward reason. right now, she honestly isn't thinking about looping, or the knife wrapped in silk around her calf, or the pain she's given and been given in return. she is thinking entirely about cat.
well, almost entirely. travis's question does bring her back to reality, though, and she responds with a smug, snaggle-toothed smile. ]
My, who can really say? Some days I feel seventeen, and some days I almost forget how many years it's been!
[Jeane's really eating this shit up, isn't she? The cat shuts her eyes in bliss, purring away, and Travis leans back, easing up a little.] Ha! Sure is. You two look like you're best buds already.
[Oh boy, that's almost a fuckin' ojou laugh. It's ridiculous, but a little contagious: even Travis feels the grin tugging at him in response. And then--
Well, and then she answers the question, doesn't she? His smile fades a little and he raises an eyebrow.]
I meant on Noctium, actually. Only been a few months for me. [It's an honest misinterpretation of the question, even if something about it... rubs him the wrong way. He shakes it off and continues.] So, you're an old soul, huh? I sorta get that vibe from you.
[At last, Jeane breaks away from the head scritches. She starts slinking over Satoko's feet, rubbing her furry body against the girl's leg...]
[ oh. for a brief moment, satoko entertains the thought of just restarting the loop now and not dealing with that awkwardness - but it's only for a moment. it's not like she enjoys dying, after all. so she just lets it happen, clearing her throat and trying to answer in a substantially more cowed tone. ]
It's only been a few months, yes. Three, I think...? Something like that. [ she manages to pull herself together, at least a little, before he mentions the "old soul" bit. (jeane's cuteness is probably helping on that front.) ] ...you do realize it's rude to call a lady old, yes? Besides, I'm hardly as bad as Miss Mion. She calls herself Uncle Mion, you know.
[ she looks down to the cat rubbing on her leg and smiles.
the cat rubbing on her leg.
that leg.
gingerly, and with all the respect that she can muster, satoko moves the leg jeane is dangerously close and daintily crosses her legs. for one, it'd be awkward to find the knife bound to it; for another, she really doesn't want to watch jeane nick herself on it. it's not like she has a sheath for the knife, after all. (maybe she should go shopping...? but that might look suspicious... oh, this is a dilemma, isn't it?) ]
[For the moment, Travis still speaks casually, if not a bit bemused.]
Heh, obviously, you're still a fresh-faced teenager: it's just the kind of air you've got around you. Don't mean anything by it. Unless you're gonna start making me call you Uncle, too.
[So she's a weird kid. So was Haru when he first met her. Oddballs and eccentrics are hardly new territory, so he's content to brush this off too, for now.
He nearly moves on, too, until Jeane brushes up against Satoko's leg; until the girl crosses herself with care. Of course the cat feels something, although she can't be fully sure of what it is. She utters a confused chirrup, eyes big as they flicker up to Travis; she bounds back to his side a moment later. In itself, it doesn't mean very much. It isn't like Jeane's figured it out yet. But, a warning flag lifted by Jeane's behavior, Travis looks at Satoko again.
For the first time, Travis really looks at her.
Feeling out his own kind is one thing. The career killers are all different, but the weight of their presence is always the same, like a frequency Travis is always tuned to tease out of the white noise of everything else. This girl, however, radiates something else entirely. Even Kamui Uehara-- walking through the doors of a roadside diner, his innate bloodlust emanating from every pore-- didn't feel quite like this.
Something is wrong here.]
You find a job here yet, Satoko? [he asks, tone tentative.] Been looking for a better gig myself.
[What the hell is this kid? An assassin? Something else entirely?]
[ for all travis's trepidation... for all jeane's newfound wariness... satoko completely misses the heavy air in the room. she's more torn up over jeane leaving than someone potentially thinking ill of her, clearly. ]
I've little interest in joining the workforce. Certainly, I can accept taking jobs from Mr. Ardbert, but the idea of becoming a kyariauman sounds simply miserable!
[ she breathes out in a huff, finally letting her irritation at the idea drain away before she looks up at him again. ]
If you're looking for a job, though, might I suggest checking the network? Someone was just looking into such things the other day. They... goodness, what was their name? Sha Haoiu?
[ xia haoyu, actually. but it was. it was a good try, satoko. just don't mind that part where bringing up an assassin probably isn't the best way to distract travis from his current line of thinking. ]
[That’s it, then, isn’t it? His suspicions have been totally confirmed. Travis’ hand strays to the beam katana at his side, and Jeane, sensing her human’s own trepidation, ducks behind him: after all, a cat’s no match for a human in the end.
His voice drops lower, in volume and tone.]
You, me, Haoyu. No wonder we all ran into each other here: we’re like sharks, attracted to blood.
[All the leisure’s gone out of his bearing—- every muscle coiled spring-tight, even as he sits in this verdant park on this lovely day; no longer a friendly cat owner, now the assassin that he truly is and always will be, Travis’ voice signals warning. If Satoko strikes, he’s ready to strike right back.]
Little young to be an killer, though, aren’t you? By far the youngest I’ve seen in years.
[ something's gone wrong. travis's hand moves, and even if she hasn't read the room so far she can certainly pick up on that - the motion to something he's kept hidden, the way jeane hides behind him. this wasn't safe. she knew it was a possibility going in; she has nothing to fear from dying. so why does this feel different? why does this feel dangerous?
"we're like sharks." "attracted to blood."
"little young to be a killer, though, aren't you?" ]
Goodness. That's quite an assumption, isn't it, Mr. Touchdown?
[ her tone is calm, though only through sheer force of will. he knows. what does he know? what she's done? what she is? is it an assumption, or an accusation, or a joke? it doesn't matter. this was a failure of judgment. she must fix it immediately.
she sighs, almost wearily. kicks her leg up onto the bench, methodically, smoothly, calmly. rolls up her right pants leg. ]
Was it the employment? Or was the knife simply too obvious? [ it's not the knife of a trained assassin. it's a regular kitchen knife, clean and well-sharpened, strapped to her calf with a bit of adhesive bandaging. she slowly unwraps it, sets the knife in her lap when she's done. ] Come now. Surely two killers can exchange tips, yes? Consider it a professional courtesy.
[He follows the glint of that blade as it moves from the girl's calf to her leg to her lap. A normal weapon sometimes belies an assassin's real killer instinct-- he'd learned that the hard way, nearly getting his skull caved in by some woman with a plain wooden baseball bat many years ago. There's the most minute shift in a muscle in Travis' arm. He's got his finger on Blood Berry's activation trigger.]
You hid that knife pretty well, I'll give you that. I didn't notice until Jeane did.
[Be careful, Travis... murmurs the cat herself, her tail finally pulling out of sight as she tucks it beneath her furry body.]
Your "age" and Haoyu tipped me off. The guy's a mercenary: his hands're as bloody as you or me. Really, it's on me for just looking at you like some kid... [He huffs, displeased. A few inactive months on this planet haven't done him any favors: he's getting sloppy.] Now that I'm actually paying attention, I can feel it. People like us change the atmosphere the moment we step into a room.
[Par the course, isn't it? It's like he can't walk five feet without picking up on somebody else's bloodlust these days, even all these lightyears away from Santa Destroy. Travis continues, cool and even.]
Frankly, I don't give a fuck. Ain't like we're fighting over a hit here or anything. So long as you don't hurt what's mine, you can do as you please.
Clearly not well enough. [ it's odd; like this, barely suppressing the panic, satoko's voice takes on an almost lecturing tone. ] I should have chosen somewhere less likely to disturb Miss Jeane, at the very least.
[ she listens intently to travis's explanation. that was it? an off-beat comment about her age, and the mere mention of the chinese man asking for jobs? goodness, what sort of supersleuth is this man? how utterly inconvenient. ]
I do appreciate your openness, Mr. Travis. But to be quite frank, I've no interest in giving you the opportunity to let my secrets out.
[ her hand tightens around the knife, but her muscles don't tense. what is it she's doing...? ]
...Miss Jeane, my apologies for the first impression. I do hope our next meeting goes more smoothly.
[ she doesn't move with lethal intent. she doesn't strike like an assassin, or lunge like a snake. she just raises the blade, slowly and with absolutely no wavering, up to her own throat.
and then, in a single clean thrust, she neatly severs her own jugular. ]
the knife is gingerly taped between her shoulder blades, just below her gem. she's thought of options, of ways to avoid repeating the previous scenario. this can end normally for everyone - though clearly she'll have to take more caution around miss jeane than she anticipated. ]
Mr. Travis. [ it's a polite acknowledgment - not quite brusque, but certainly less affable than the first go round. that said, though she is repeating her actions precisely, her focus on jeane is still entirely genuine.
she gasps when jeane speaks, smiling wide and delighted. ]
How wonderful! I'm glad you know better than to take insults from someone like him. [ she reaches forward, to jeane's head - hesitates once again, giving the impression of propriety - even draws her hand back again. ] Ah, I know he just said, but is it alright if I...?
Oh, knock yourself out. I like it behind the ears. [Just as before, the top of Jeane's head bumps against Satoko's palm; the cat purrs, urging her to continue petting. Travis snorts.]
See? I told you she likes girls.
[Once more, Travis drapes his arm over the bench. If he stretched his fingers out a little straighter, just a few inches further, he might touch her shoulder-- but Travis isn't some creep, especially not to some teenage girl he's simply introducing to his cat. Instead, he takes in that warm sun beaming down. The faint breeze of the late spring. Again, he recalls Kimmy Howell and her childish innocence. Until she pulled a weapon on him, anyway, but it'd been refreshing while it lasted.
Why is he thinking about Kimmy, again?]
So, Satoko.
[Jeane tilts her head up to afford Satoko access to the underside of her chin. Travis' eyes are on her, not Satoko, when he poses his question. It's no big deal, just some small talk. Maybe he could even get this kid to catsit one day.]
[ once more, satoko doesn't hesitate in giving jeane the scritches, extra ear love and all. this isn't the part she's worried about, at least. ]
As well she should! Young men are so brutish with their affections, are they not? [ she considers her options as she rubs at the base of jeane's ears. her earlier response, even in jest, had ended up costing her dearly. for now, she should answer directly and forthcomingly - as a teenager, not one who lives in loops. ] Miss Jeane is a discerning woman, clearly!
[ right. and here she is - the moment of divergence, the roll of the dice she intends to tamper with. rather than a smug grin, this time it's a casual indifference. ]
I wouldn't say long, exactly. Though certainly longer than I thought we'd be kidnapped for... [ scritch, scritch, scritch. ] It's been three whole months now. Time's certainly passed by quicker ever since Rika arrived.
[ the blush on her face, the fond smile - neither of those are acted, at least. ]
[Both Travis and Jeane remain content, wholly ignorant; Jeane shuts her eyes, Travis leans back on the bench, relaxing.]
Ha! Sure is. You two look like you're best buds already.
[Jeane breaks away from Satoko's attentive scritches and rubs herself against the girl's leg all over again. Travis follows her with his eyes, expression fond, as she hops onto the bench, settling comfortably against Satoko's thigh. Jeane's a smart cat, more perceptive than most-- and that'd been well before she somehow figured out how to speak. If she's already fond of Satoko, she has to be all right. Right?]
So Rika's your girlfriend, huh.
[Satoko speaks about her with such affection that even Travis can feel that warmth. It's cute, really. He chuckles and gives her a genuine smile.]
She sounds like something special. You're really lucky, getting to spend time with her here... even if we are still technically stuck.
Edited (my html fail ate HALF THE TAG) 2021-06-04 07:11 (UTC)
...mm. That's right. The most beautiful girl in this city, I've no doubt. [ an extra rub just under the ears; satoko leans in with a grin. ] Perhaps Miss Jeane can confirm it for us another time.
[ she glances down at jeane again, still smiling as she answers. ]
And... I suppose I am, yes. [ her thumb runs over the cat's ear, gently, delicately. ] One mustn't take these things for granted, after all. And who can say? Even with all the hubbub of this place, perhaps it isn't so bad as long as she's around.
Oh, yeah. [he scoffs, raising an eyebrow down at Jeane.] She's definitely gonna wanna be the judge of that, but she thinks all girls are cute, to be honest. You can totally catsit her one of these days, just hit me up if you and Rika want.
[Jeane relishes in all the extra attention, simply purring her contentment. Travis watches her fondly and continues without waiting for an answer.]
It helps a lot, though... not being alone. Might sound silly, but getting to call Jeane out here makes everything feel more like home for me, y'know? I've had her since she was a kitten. Even if a couple people from home eventually showed up with me, it didn't feel right without her by my side.
[Having a partner here, however... is a whole other can of worms, so he'll pointedly avoid that...]
Goodness, the two of you have quite the bond then! [ a polite but not ingenuine chuckle; she finally pulls back her hand, not wanting to overstay her welcome. ] Honestly, it's much the same with Rika. The first month in this place was simply miserable. We'd lived together since we were young, so...
[ a beat. she chuckles, speaking without even a hint of malice: ]
I didn't sleep at all the first night I was here without her! It took a few days of setting up traps around the house before I managed to sleep at all.
[ she's working so hard on not being suspicious, but this is something that simply doesn't occur to her. she is a trapmaster, after all. this is what she does! why would something so elegant as traps be suspicious? ]
[He's all too happy to listen politely to her story about Rika: childhood friends to a romance, how sweet. But, of course, it's the mention of traps that both he and Jeane stumble over this time. Jeane utters a trilling chirp as she looks up at Satoko-- puzzled, but not quite on her guard just yet. Travis himself raises an eyebrow, looking from the girl to the cat and back to the girl again.]
Traps?
[It's... odd, but surely there's some logical explanation for it. World full of blood-sucking monsters. Puzzle VN. Extremely big fan of Home Alone. He's seen all sorts of shit in the few months of being on Noctium alone, much less his whole life.]
Don't tell me you and Rika came from somewhere that was that dangerous.
[ okay, if she's given away over something as completely sensible as trapping her house, she's going to have to figure out a convincing lie real quick. it's not weird to set traps!! anyone could do it! she's talked to the network about this before!! ]
...mm, ah, it wasn't that dangerous? [ now that is a bald-faced lie - a lie with one hundred years of experience to the contrary. ] There was... um, there was an incident, when we were much younger. But past that, it's really nothing so strange as that. I just... Needed something to distract myself with, so...
[ she's going to have to reset again, isn't she? ]
Dunno. Not like a security system's that out of the realm of possibility. But traps? That's a little weird.
[Maybe Satoko's just weird. Or needed some sorta hobby. It doesn't have to mean that she's as paranoid as the whole trap deal sounds without context. Travis' expression is quizzical, nonetheless; he reaches over to scratch under Jeane's chin as he contemplates the way the young girl trails off.]
Somebody broke into your house or something? Stuff like that happening is pretty scary. The idea of home not being safe can really wig you out.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
action!
she's given a safe place for the meetup with the cat's owner - or her human, as the cat so eloquently put it - in one of the many parks of the emerald district. and if it turns out it isn't safe after all, well. what on earth should she worry for? after all, it isn't as if death means anything to her.
and so, free of worries, she sits on a bench. she looks over the lush greenery of sumarlok's emerald district. she feels the comforting weight of the knife along her calf.
for now, she thinks, life is good. ]
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You're Satoko, right?
[Jeane's here too, padding along before sitting at Travis' feet, tail flicking anxiously. He casts a glance down at the cat. It's odd: on their way she'd been raring to go, ready to meet a cute girl, who lives with another cute girl!, but something about her manner now seems much more hesitant.
Weird.]
I'm Travis. You already met Jeane. [He gestures down at her.] Y'know, I always take the talking thing for granted. I'm way too used to it with her going on and on at home.
[Jeane rolls her eyes. That much is enough to break her out of whatever funk she's in:] Please. You're the one who never shuts up, Travis.
Ignore her. She's rude as hell, but she'll love you. [He grins crookedly.] You can pet her if you want, she doesn't bite or anything.
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[ she meets travis's gaze for a moment - and only a moment. she's far more focused on jeane in the moment, after all. she looks down at her. she takes her in. when jeane speaks up, satoko gasps, delight clear on her face.
she might be a person of questionable moral integrity. she might have committed some light murder. she might be older than travis and jeanne added together, three times over. but wow, does she genuinely adore this cat already. ]
How wonderful! I'm glad you know better than to take insults from someone like him. [ she reaches forward, to jeane's head - hesitates - and draws her hand back a bit. ] Ah, I know he just said, but is it alright if I...?
no subject
Oh, knock yourself out. I like it behind the ears.
[Travis snorts.]
See? I told you she likes girls.
[He throws an arm over the bench as he keeps a leisurely eye on Satoko and Jeane; leaning here, he takes in the pleasant day, the warm sun beaming down, the faint breeze of the late spring. Dragging his cat around for kids to meet? It's all so... quaint. Nothing at all like what his life's become after so many years in the business. A dose of innocence, he recalls, some old match with a kid Satoko's age replaying in the back of his head.]
So, Satoko, you been on the planet long?
no subject
As well she should! Young men are so brutish with their affections, are they not? [ feel that, jeane? that's the good shit. satoko's even rubbing lightly with her fingertips right at the base of the ear. ] Miss Jeane is a discerning woman, clearly!
[ she laughs, high and pleased - almost theatrical in the way it comes out. and while it may be a bit of acting, it's not for any untoward reason. right now, she honestly isn't thinking about looping, or the knife wrapped in silk around her calf, or the pain she's given and been given in return. she is thinking entirely about cat.
well, almost entirely. travis's question does bring her back to reality, though, and she responds with a smug, snaggle-toothed smile. ]
My, who can really say? Some days I feel seventeen, and some days I almost forget how many years it's been!
[ satoko, you little shit. ]
no subject
[Oh boy, that's almost a fuckin' ojou laugh. It's ridiculous, but a little contagious: even Travis feels the grin tugging at him in response. And then--
Well, and then she answers the question, doesn't she? His smile fades a little and he raises an eyebrow.]
I meant on Noctium, actually. Only been a few months for me. [It's an honest misinterpretation of the question, even if something about it... rubs him the wrong way. He shakes it off and continues.] So, you're an old soul, huh? I sorta get that vibe from you.
[At last, Jeane breaks away from the head scritches. She starts slinking over Satoko's feet, rubbing her furry body against the girl's leg...]
no subject
Oh.
[ oh. for a brief moment, satoko entertains the thought of just restarting the loop now and not dealing with that awkwardness - but it's only for a moment. it's not like she enjoys dying, after all. so she just lets it happen, clearing her throat and trying to answer in a substantially more cowed tone. ]
It's only been a few months, yes. Three, I think...? Something like that. [ she manages to pull herself together, at least a little, before he mentions the "old soul" bit. (jeane's cuteness is probably helping on that front.) ] ...you do realize it's rude to call a lady old, yes? Besides, I'm hardly as bad as Miss Mion. She calls herself Uncle Mion, you know.
[ she looks down to the cat rubbing on her leg and smiles.
the cat rubbing on her leg.
that leg.
gingerly, and with all the respect that she can muster, satoko moves the leg jeane is dangerously close and daintily crosses her legs. for one, it'd be awkward to find the knife bound to it; for another, she really doesn't want to watch jeane nick herself on it. it's not like she has a sheath for the knife, after all. (maybe she should go shopping...? but that might look suspicious... oh, this is a dilemma, isn't it?) ]
no subject
Heh, obviously, you're still a fresh-faced teenager: it's just the kind of air you've got around you. Don't mean anything by it. Unless you're gonna start making me call you Uncle, too.
[So she's a weird kid. So was Haru when he first met her. Oddballs and eccentrics are hardly new territory, so he's content to brush this off too, for now.
He nearly moves on, too, until Jeane brushes up against Satoko's leg; until the girl crosses herself with care. Of course the cat feels something, although she can't be fully sure of what it is. She utters a confused chirrup, eyes big as they flicker up to Travis; she bounds back to his side a moment later. In itself, it doesn't mean very much. It isn't like Jeane's figured it out yet. But, a warning flag lifted by Jeane's behavior, Travis looks at Satoko again.
For the first time, Travis really looks at her.
Feeling out his own kind is one thing. The career killers are all different, but the weight of their presence is always the same, like a frequency Travis is always tuned to tease out of the white noise of everything else. This girl, however, radiates something else entirely. Even Kamui Uehara-- walking through the doors of a roadside diner, his innate bloodlust emanating from every pore-- didn't feel quite like this.
Something is wrong here.]
You find a job here yet, Satoko? [he asks, tone tentative.] Been looking for a better gig myself.
[What the hell is this kid? An assassin? Something else entirely?]
no subject
[ for all travis's trepidation... for all jeane's newfound wariness... satoko completely misses the heavy air in the room. she's more torn up over jeane leaving than someone potentially thinking ill of her, clearly. ]
I've little interest in joining the workforce. Certainly, I can accept taking jobs from Mr. Ardbert, but the idea of becoming a kyariauman sounds simply miserable!
[ she breathes out in a huff, finally letting her irritation at the idea drain away before she looks up at him again. ]
If you're looking for a job, though, might I suggest checking the network? Someone was just looking into such things the other day. They... goodness, what was their name? Sha Haoiu?
[ xia haoyu, actually. but it was. it was a good try, satoko. just don't mind that part where bringing up an assassin probably isn't the best way to distract travis from his current line of thinking. ]
no subject
[That’s it, then, isn’t it? His suspicions have been totally confirmed. Travis’ hand strays to the beam katana at his side, and Jeane, sensing her human’s own trepidation, ducks behind him: after all, a cat’s no match for a human in the end.
His voice drops lower, in volume and tone.]
You, me, Haoyu. No wonder we all ran into each other here: we’re like sharks, attracted to blood.
[All the leisure’s gone out of his bearing—- every muscle coiled spring-tight, even as he sits in this verdant park on this lovely day; no longer a friendly cat owner, now the assassin that he truly is and always will be, Travis’ voice signals warning. If Satoko strikes, he’s ready to strike right back.]
Little young to be an killer, though, aren’t you? By far the youngest I’ve seen in years.
no subject
"we're like sharks."
"attracted to blood."
"little young to be a killer, though, aren't you?" ]
Goodness. That's quite an assumption, isn't it, Mr. Touchdown?
[ her tone is calm, though only through sheer force of will. he knows. what does he know? what she's done? what she is? is it an assumption, or an accusation, or a joke? it doesn't matter. this was a failure of judgment. she must fix it immediately.
she sighs, almost wearily. kicks her leg up onto the bench, methodically, smoothly, calmly. rolls up her right pants leg. ]
Was it the employment? Or was the knife simply too obvious? [ it's not the knife of a trained assassin. it's a regular kitchen knife, clean and well-sharpened, strapped to her calf with a bit of adhesive bandaging. she slowly unwraps it, sets the knife in her lap when she's done. ] Come now. Surely two killers can exchange tips, yes? Consider it a professional courtesy.
no subject
You hid that knife pretty well, I'll give you that. I didn't notice until Jeane did.
[Be careful, Travis... murmurs the cat herself, her tail finally pulling out of sight as she tucks it beneath her furry body.]
Your "age" and Haoyu tipped me off. The guy's a mercenary: his hands're as bloody as you or me. Really, it's on me for just looking at you like some kid... [He huffs, displeased. A few inactive months on this planet haven't done him any favors: he's getting sloppy.] Now that I'm actually paying attention, I can feel it. People like us change the atmosphere the moment we step into a room.
[Par the course, isn't it? It's like he can't walk five feet without picking up on somebody else's bloodlust these days, even all these lightyears away from Santa Destroy. Travis continues, cool and even.]
Frankly, I don't give a fuck. Ain't like we're fighting over a hit here or anything. So long as you don't hurt what's mine, you can do as you please.
1/2; cw: suicide
[ she listens intently to travis's explanation. that was it? an off-beat comment about her age, and the mere mention of the chinese man asking for jobs? goodness, what sort of supersleuth is this man? how utterly inconvenient. ]
I do appreciate your openness, Mr. Travis. But to be quite frank, I've no interest in giving you the opportunity to let my secrets out.
[ her hand tightens around the knife, but her muscles don't tense. what is it she's doing...? ]
...Miss Jeane, my apologies for the first impression. I do hope our next meeting goes more smoothly.
[ she doesn't move with lethal intent. she doesn't strike like an assassin, or lunge like a snake. she just raises the blade, slowly and with absolutely no wavering, up to her own throat.
and then, in a single clean thrust, she neatly severs her own jugular. ]
2/2
the knife is gingerly taped between her shoulder blades, just below her gem. she's thought of options, of ways to avoid repeating the previous scenario. this can end normally for everyone - though clearly she'll have to take more caution around miss jeane than she anticipated. ]
Mr. Travis. [ it's a polite acknowledgment - not quite brusque, but certainly less affable than the first go round. that said, though she is repeating her actions precisely, her focus on jeane is still entirely genuine.
she gasps when jeane speaks, smiling wide and delighted. ]
How wonderful! I'm glad you know better than to take insults from someone like him. [ she reaches forward, to jeane's head - hesitates once again, giving the impression of propriety - even draws her hand back again. ] Ah, I know he just said, but is it alright if I...?
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See? I told you she likes girls.
[Once more, Travis drapes his arm over the bench. If he stretched his fingers out a little straighter, just a few inches further, he might touch her shoulder-- but Travis isn't some creep, especially not to some teenage girl he's simply introducing to his cat. Instead, he takes in that warm sun beaming down. The faint breeze of the late spring. Again, he recalls Kimmy Howell and her childish innocence. Until she pulled a weapon on him, anyway, but it'd been refreshing while it lasted.
Why is he thinking about Kimmy, again?]
So, Satoko.
[Jeane tilts her head up to afford Satoko access to the underside of her chin. Travis' eyes are on her, not Satoko, when he poses his question. It's no big deal, just some small talk. Maybe he could even get this kid to catsit one day.]
You been on the planet long?
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As well she should! Young men are so brutish with their affections, are they not? [ she considers her options as she rubs at the base of jeane's ears. her earlier response, even in jest, had ended up costing her dearly. for now, she should answer directly and forthcomingly - as a teenager, not one who lives in loops. ] Miss Jeane is a discerning woman, clearly!
[ right. and here she is - the moment of divergence, the roll of the dice she intends to tamper with. rather than a smug grin, this time it's a casual indifference. ]
I wouldn't say long, exactly. Though certainly longer than I thought we'd be kidnapped for... [ scritch, scritch, scritch. ] It's been three whole months now. Time's certainly passed by quicker ever since Rika arrived.
[ the blush on her face, the fond smile - neither of those are acted, at least. ]
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Ha! Sure is. You two look like you're best buds already.
[Jeane breaks away from Satoko's attentive scritches and rubs herself against the girl's leg all over again. Travis follows her with his eyes, expression fond, as she hops onto the bench, settling comfortably against Satoko's thigh. Jeane's a smart cat, more perceptive than most-- and that'd been well before she somehow figured out how to speak. If she's already fond of Satoko, she has to be all right. Right?]
So Rika's your girlfriend, huh.
[Satoko speaks about her with such affection that even Travis can feel that warmth. It's cute, really. He chuckles and gives her a genuine smile.]
She sounds like something special. You're really lucky, getting to spend time with her here... even if we are still technically stuck.
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[ she glances down at jeane again, still smiling as she answers. ]
And... I suppose I am, yes. [ her thumb runs over the cat's ear, gently, delicately. ] One mustn't take these things for granted, after all. And who can say? Even with all the hubbub of this place, perhaps it isn't so bad as long as she's around.
[ scritch, scritch. scritch. ]
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[Jeane relishes in all the extra attention, simply purring her contentment. Travis watches her fondly and continues without waiting for an answer.]
It helps a lot, though... not being alone. Might sound silly, but getting to call Jeane out here makes everything feel more like home for me, y'know? I've had her since she was a kitten. Even if a couple people from home eventually showed up with me, it didn't feel right without her by my side.
[Having a partner here, however... is a whole other can of worms, so he'll pointedly avoid that...]
We've been through a lot together.
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[ a beat. she chuckles, speaking without even a hint of malice: ]
I didn't sleep at all the first night I was here without her! It took a few days of setting up traps around the house before I managed to sleep at all.
[ she's working so hard on not being suspicious, but this is something that simply doesn't occur to her. she is a trapmaster, after all. this is what she does! why would something so elegant as traps be suspicious? ]
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Traps?
[It's... odd, but surely there's some logical explanation for it. World full of blood-sucking monsters. Puzzle VN. Extremely big fan of Home Alone. He's seen all sorts of shit in the few months of being on Noctium alone, much less his whole life.]
Don't tell me you and Rika came from somewhere that was that dangerous.
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[ okay, if she's given away over something as completely sensible as trapping her house, she's going to have to figure out a convincing lie real quick. it's not weird to set traps!! anyone could do it! she's talked to the network about this before!! ]
...mm, ah, it wasn't that dangerous? [ now that is a bald-faced lie - a lie with one hundred years of experience to the contrary. ] There was... um, there was an incident, when we were much younger. But past that, it's really nothing so strange as that. I just... Needed something to distract myself with, so...
[ she's going to have to reset again, isn't she? ]
CRAWLS IN POST-HIATUS
[Maybe Satoko's just weird. Or needed some sorta hobby. It doesn't have to mean that she's as paranoid as the whole trap deal sounds without context. Travis' expression is quizzical, nonetheless; he reaches over to scratch under Jeane's chin as he contemplates the way the young girl trails off.]
Somebody broke into your house or something? Stuff like that happening is pretty scary. The idea of home not being safe can really wig you out.