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Faeruy
Follow the Green Faeruy
314 posts
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Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder
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last online Dec 21, 2014 3:44:56 GMT -5
Knight
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Mar 25, 2013 12:03:35 GMT -5
Post by Faeruy on Mar 25, 2013 12:03:35 GMT -5
Shanti had to admit; she had not expected him to kiss her; not like that. The eighteen-year-old had some experience to be sure, but the drunken, sloppy and frantic make out sessions with others of her own age weren't like this. Niko had experience. Which surprised her; the older man seemed far too uptight and married to the hunt and his hound, she rather thought he would be as stiff as he looked. And not in a good way. But even though they were just trying to throw off the Twi'lek, Shanti's eager response to his lips on hers was not entirely feigned.
She only responded to his earlier, whispered warning after they broke apart and had seen that their watcher had moved on."Konchee ta moulee-rah noleeya da, murishani?" She grinned cheekily at him, though there was a bit of bitterness there. Her parents had always played it safe, and as a result they were poor. Well, Shanti wasn't rich, but she intended to be someday. No one ever got anywhere by being careful. The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.
She let him keep his arm around her the rest of the way; she would have insisted on it anyway. The crowds were still large, and it helped with their ruse. She didn't say much more; in either Huttese or Basic. In the Mid Rim, it was safer to assume that the people around them knew both. He walked briskly, which annoyed Shanti, as her shorter legs made it difficult for her to keep up the pace. As soon as they were waiting for the lift to come however he let go, and she stepped a few feet away. Shanti made an inspection of her clothes; they were her ratty dark synthleathers; the kind she normally wore when she was on the hunt, but she could still see the blood congealing on her shoulders, and her hands were red and sticky. She tried fruitlessly to wipe them off on her pants.
"Scratch what I said before. I need a shower, then I need a drink." Shanti grumbled as the lift came down, hitting the ground level with a thud. It appeared that the trio was the only one getting on the lift which was all to the good; Shanti leaned against one of the walls, as far away from Niko as the small space would allow. She folded her arms and looked at the tattooed bounty hunter.
"You think that Twi'lek was connected to the other Jedi? Or just curious?" If it was the latter, they certainly had given him an eyeful. If it was the former though... "Maybe he'll go tell his masters that Niko Bellivengi's distracted and an easy target." Shanti grinned at the other bounty hunter. "Gotta say, the growl was a nice touch, though a bit unnecessary. It's not like he could hear us."She lifted up her hand, examining the blood that had gotten under her fingernails. Niko's blood, some of it anyway. There had been a lot of dead Jedis today. And they were far from done.
The lift clanged to a stop several levels above the ground.
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Dutch
Darth Awesome, Specialist at Everything
4,164 posts
372 likes
King All the Easy
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last online Apr 30, 2020 12:47:50 GMT -5
Master
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Mar 26, 2013 1:16:59 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Mar 26, 2013 1:16:59 GMT -5
"That can be arranged."
Niko said in response to Shanti. He was half a step behind her as they stepped onto the lift, his dark eyes noting that blood still pattered from down his arm onto the ground. Lorda padded onto it and trotted to the opposite side from where they entered, and stared woefully as the lift began to ascent. The Hapan set his weapon down with a thud before rotating his right arm, the shoulder joint popping audibly. A sigh of tension releasing sounded from Niko, and he turned his attention back to his arm. The shrapnel still glinted wetly in the setting sun, though the blood that oozed from around it aided in the shine. His face made no sign that it hurt, even though the hot pain still throbbed through his forearm. He knew that it would be a good idea to stop and patch up anyway.
As Shanti spoke again, Niko tilted his head back slightly to look down at the little red-head. He passively stared at her and pondered if she was serious, or just attempting to get a rise out of him. Niko didn't remember growling at all, but as he brought up the memory of the kiss, his blood ran hotter and he looked away from Shanti. It was true though, from his research, it was apparent that the Jedi Investigators did have a network of eyes all about Druckenwell, and that this part of the city was their primary location of operation. Either way, they needed to get off the street sooner than later. Andsom's place wouldn't be opening their doors for a bit longer, and he could perform some first aid as necessary. Niko's eyes turned back to Shanti again, and looked her up and down. Her clothes were dirtied and blood stained, from him and Jedi alike. They wouldn't get near the club in their current state.
"With any luck, he was just a spacer."
Niko responded bluntly, not giving her a response to anything else. He ran down a mental check list of what was in the area outside Andsom's. Luckily the promenade district they were heading towards had a grand hotel around it. One where Niko had a room. The Dynasty if memory served, a place normally held for the famous of Druckenwell. Or the rich, when credits fell into the right hands. Niko's hand slid to his belt to remove his comm device from it. He keyed in a couple commands and stared at it waiting. After a couple moments, a Bith greeted them in Bocce. Niko returned the greeting with another and for a moment, spoke to the Bith in Bocce before the tiny holo man bowed respectfully and the call ended. Niko clipped the comm back onto his belt before he turned to gaze at the walkways they passed on the lift, once he could have sworn he saw that same Twi'lek from before, but the lift moved too quickly for him to tell.
It clacked to a stop at their level, and Niko stared out at the still unlit promenade. He stepped away from the lift with Lorda at his heels and his mace slung once more on his shoulder. His free hand would motion for Shanti to follow, a quick look back at her checked to see if she did. The promenade was busy, but not quite to the point where the streets were packed. Niko didn't quite like how much more open the promenade felt, but doubted the authorities nor Jedi would be searching that level. Scum tended to hide in the bowels of society. The entire reason why he preferred to avoid them.
"I got a place we can duck into for a while before meeting up with Handsome Andsom. Can't fix this arm on my own. We'll be safe here for a while."
Niko said as he stepped up a short stairwell real quick. As he reached the safety bar of the walkways that circled the inner promenade, it was as if it stirred from slumber. Neon lights began to flicker on, signs depicting food, drink, and dancing. The smell of restaurants preparing for the evening wafted through the area, and music of several different cultures began to blend and meld together. More and more sentients began to gather in the streets, queues began to form and conversation were picked up, their voices adding to the murmur of the awakening district. Niko raised his bloody arm to point at the very up rim of the district, where a tube-like building wrapped itself around the curve of the promenade to loom over the entire area.
"That's the place. Entry lift is down the block."
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Faeruy
Follow the Green Faeruy
314 posts
47 likes
Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder
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last online Dec 21, 2014 3:44:56 GMT -5
Knight
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Apr 6, 2013 15:28:28 GMT -5
Post by Faeruy on Apr 6, 2013 15:28:28 GMT -5
Shanti listened passively to the conversation Niko was having with the Bith. She only knew a few Bocce phrases, none of which were polite, so she was completely lost in terms of the conversation. So she affected a bored expression, and watched as the lift ascended. They were definitely getting into the fancier parts of the city; no longer the underworld that Shanti was used to. She frowned, feeling a bit uncomfortable and definitely out of place. Looking down at her own outfit, Shanti realized that there was more going on.
"Remember what I said about needing a shower and a drink? I'm adding new clothes to the list." She didn't add that she expected Niko to pay for them, though she certainly had no intention of paying for them herself. For one thing, she didn't have any money.
And they were in a section where it was needed. When the lift stopped moving, spilling the trio out onto the promenade, Shanti's green eyes bugged out, in fear and greed. Here was the cream of the crop; luxurious and extravagent shopping and entertainment. The life that the eighteen-year-old street rat wanted for herself, but couldn't yet afford. Niko walked with all the confidence of a man who belonged here, despite his odd and currently bedraggled appearance. Shanti realized just how poor she appeared here. As much as she wanted to stay and explore everything, it would be a very bad idea given the circumstances. Her gaze followed Niko's arm.
The Dynasty. Now that sounded really snooty and expensive.
How rich was this bounty hunter?
A different thought began to form in the girl's head; she was a slicer after all - maybe, just maybe, instead of collecting a bounty on the bounty hunter, she could steal his credits instead. It would be the safer, easier option, though theft wasn't really her style. She wasn't above it; necessarily, but in general theft carried severe penalties that she'd rather avoid. But stealing from a bounty hunter with a large price on his head carried far less risk than trying to fight and incapacitate that same bounty hunter. It had distinct possibilities, ones to be considered later. Too much had happened today already to go off half-cocked on another plan, especially since this Niko Bellivengi was still little better than a stranger to her. A stranger she had killed with, and kissed in the streets.
"Let's get out of here quick. I have a feeling even if nobody knows who we are, we'd be arrested just for looking out of place." Shanti followed Niko to the entry lift of the hotel, trying to ignore the stares of the other passengers, who stood as far away from them as possible. Whether it was because they were frightened or disgusted, Shanti wasn't sure. At the top, they were met by the same Bith that Niko had spoken to over the comm, who gestured for them to follow him.
"Could you have some suitable clothes sent up to the suite?" Shanti asked, with as much arrogance as she could muster, trying desperately to sound like she belonged. "I'm afraid my current attire is a disgrace. As is his." She said, nodding her head towards Niko. "Charge it to his bill of course."
The Bith nodded, and used his own comm to send a message to someone else, presumably to get the ball rolling on her request. Shanti grinned at Niko, not at all apologetic for her actions.
She was even less so when she saw the Niko's room.
"Nagoola." That was a massive understatement. The room was beautiful; very modern and filled with all sorts of amenities. A full bar in the room and a tub the size of a swimming pool. The bed was large, dominating the room and she had no doubt it held all sorts of other surprises. There was even a bed for Lorda; one that was much nicer than the one she grew up with. Shanti found herself jealous of a hound. "Clearly you've done pretty well for yourself."
Just then there was a buzzing sound. A holo vid popped up near the door, where yet another Bith stood next to a rack of clothes; apparently the creatures moved quickly. Shanti opened the door to let the Bith inside.
"Thanks." She said, and started to examine the rack. One thing became very apparent, very quickly. These were not clothes meant for society women; these were meant for 'friends' of male guests. She'd seen more fabric on dancers. She found a lime green and black number that didn't look to atrocious, and headed for the bathroom. "Shower time. Ta-ta!" She called over her shoulder to Niko.
The Bith stood there the entire time, merely staring at the pair of them, his hand held out; waiting.
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Dutch
Darth Awesome, Specialist at Everything
4,164 posts
372 likes
King All the Easy
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last online Apr 30, 2020 12:47:50 GMT -5
Master
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Apr 7, 2013 0:38:03 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Apr 7, 2013 0:38:03 GMT -5
Niko nodded at Shanti's suggestion that they make their way. She was correct, the busier the district would get, the more the trio would stick out. He snapped his free hand for Lorda to follow, and ignored the cold sticky sensation of his congealing blood between his fingers. Niko would never admit it, but he could feel himself beginning to tire from the loss of blood. Not to dangerous levels, but between the fighting and the wound he needed some rest. The level they were on did not have much foot traffic- yet- but even in the short span to the lift more and more people began to fill the streets. The Hapan payed no mind to the others in the lift, even when not dirtied and bleeding the higher members of society instinctively seemed to avoid Niko. More to his concern, was whether any of them were not mere patrons of the district. The Investigators of the area had little birds everywhere on Druckenwell, and any one of the people in fancy and expensive clothing could be clad in feathers as well.
Upon leaving the lift and strolling into the Dynasty's lobby, the concierge beckoned them to follow him. Niko thanked the Bith in Bocce once more. As they walked Shanti made her request of the Bith. Niko turned his gaze to look at the little red head, his expression unchanged. The Bith went about following her orders. Shanti had spoken as if she knew exactly how to talk to folk among the Promenade. Niko had to admit he was impressed, and returned her grin with a slight nod of approval. If there was one thing Niko never had any concern about, it was credits. Working for the Cartel was more than lucrative, and the fact that he did not have to tap into the Cartel's accounts for his current hunt alone spoke of the wealth the Hutt's paid for their dirty work to be completed. Especially when it came to dispatching anyone who had information on the Cartel's less than savory business ventures.
The Hapan swiped them into his suite, and Lorda immediately trotted over to his bed to flop down in it. Niko stepped into it as well, and set his mace down onto a work bench he had set up days ago. He would need to clean his weapon well before leaving again. Practiced motions lead to Niko removing his pistol's chest harness as well as the weapon. He turned dark blue eyes to Shanti as she spoke.
"My employers pay generously."
Niko said in response. Play your cards right, and you'll know how generously... he thought to himself. Over his years travelling the galaxy, and more specifically the underworld of the galaxy, he had learned to spot those who would succeed at the hunt, and who would not. Given the right teacher, Shanti could prove to be a shrewd and clever hunter. Anyone could pick up a blaster and play hunter, but few could play angles the way Shanti seemed to have a knack for. The fact that she realized that Niko could only lead to profit alone had shown this. He paid no mind to Shanti as she let the a new Bith into the room, and proceeded to check out the clothing he had brought. Niko already had a change of clothes in his suite, and thus had no desire to see what was brought.
Shanti lilted that she was off to clean herself, and Niko turned to see the girl let herself into his bathroom. A clearing of his throat led Niko to look over at the Bith who made the sound, hand open and waiting. Credit chits were retrieved from one of his pockets, and slapped into the Bith's awaiting hand. Once gone, Niko shut and locked the door. The click of the lock caused Lorda's ears to twitch. If anyone approached the room, the hound would give sign of it clear before they touched the door. Niko moved over to the bar, and poured himself a beverage of clear, potent alcohol. In one swig he downed the glass before he held his injured arm over the small sink. The man would grit his teeth as he poured that same alcohol over the wounds, the silver of the shrapnel metal glistened as his blood flowed away from it. The throbbing pain of the alcohol on his wound caused Niko to pause and take another swig straight from the bottle before he turned the water on and rinsed it. His hand reached under the bar to retrieve a small medkit. Gauze and medical padding were taken from the kit, and as he listened to the shower running in the bathroom he worked the wrappings around his forearm tightly. Enough to temporarily slow down the seeping wounds.
Satisfied with his work, Niko took his time to mix a martini for Shanti as well as one for himself. He reached down to pull his undershirt out from being tucked, and slid it up and off his torso. Niko tossed the shirt, dirtied and bloodied, into the trash receptacle. His good arm grabbed the martini glass to down that drink as well. He rested his hands on the bar and looked at the large mirror on the wall across from him. The many scars that laced his upper body were barely visible from the tattoo work on his body, except for his abdomen and lower pectorals where there were none. Satisfied with the warmth that spread from his core to the rest of his body, he decided he had had enough for now. As he stepped over to the large closet next to the bathroom door, he could hear the water shut off. Niko opened the closet to look at the wardrobe he had brought. Several coats of the exact same cut and color hung, and within drawers were many more of the same, skin tight black undershirts he wore. From hooks on the wall hung a few of each type of bandoleer he donned, and Niko nabbed some of each before he tossed a shirt, coat and bandoleer onto the massive bed behind him. Before he could dress though, he heard the door open. Without looking, Niko spoke to Shanti.
"There is a drink for you on the bar."
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Faeruy
Follow the Green Faeruy
314 posts
47 likes
Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder
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last online Dec 21, 2014 3:44:56 GMT -5
Knight
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Apr 7, 2013 15:34:56 GMT -5
Post by Faeruy on Apr 7, 2013 15:34:56 GMT -5
Getting in a shower was marvelous. Sloughing off the blood and durocrete and other nasty things that had gotten into her clothes and skin had never felt better. It helped that the shower actually worked; a rarity in Shanti's experience. The soaps left there also smelled pretty damn good; though more musky than floral, and Shanti made liberal use of them. They were probably expensive, but Shanti didn't care. A man who could afford a hotel room like this could afford to buy more expensive soaps. She stayed in the shower until her hands were pruny, and even then, she was reluctant to leave. Searching around the bathroom further, she saw no sign of a hair dryer; Shanti rolled her eyes and made do with a towel instead; wringing out the excess water as she contemplated her outfits. The one she had worn originally was ruined, and dirty, and clearly cheap. It was a shame, but she really had no choice but to toss it away entirely. As for the other one....
After a long period of time, Shanti emerged from the bathroom, looking ready for a night out on the town, though not much else. The bright lime green skirt was micro-length, and the matching bandeau top covered her chest but little else. To compensate and complete the outfit, she wore a shiny black synthleather jacket and knee-high boots. Not a practical outfit by any stretch of the imagination but it was the best out of the options she had been given. She was still rubbing her hair with the towel, her dark-red hair damp and curly, and surveyed her surroundings. The Bith had gone, leaving only her, Niko and the hound.
A half-naked, tattoo-covered Niko; turned away from her, she could see the muscles tensing along his back. Shanti tried not to stare.
"Thanks."She said, and strode over the bar to grab the martini glass. Shanti took a large swig, and made a face; trying not to spit it out. The drink was strong, and not at all sweet. Shanti much preferred fruitier drinks. "Shower's all yours if you need it. May have used up all the hot water though." She said, and drained the glass. Booze was booze; and even though she wasn't fond of the taste, she could still get pleasantly drunk off of it. She leaned back against the bar, and twirled the empty glass in her hands. "So... Mr. Filthy-rich bounty hunter, I've gotta ask. If you can afford all of this, then why still hunt? If I had the bounty on my head that you've got, and all of the credits in the world, I'd get myself a secure bunker and spend the rest of my days doing whatever I wanted. Not trying to get myself killed." She gestured to his patched up arm. She had to admit; this man was different. Interesting; he peaked Shanti's curiousity. And it wasn't just because he was attractive; though he was that, in a dangerous sort of way.
Which wasn't her type. She normally liked boys closer to her own age; well-groomed and ready to party. This older, glowering man who seemed so serious wasn't her type at all. At least that's what she told herself as she looked at Niko; admiring the flow of his tattos over well-defined muscles, and seeing the scars that surely had a story to them. He looked like a man who had lived. He definitely wasn't a boy.
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Dutch
Darth Awesome, Specialist at Everything
4,164 posts
372 likes
King All the Easy
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last online Apr 30, 2020 12:47:50 GMT -5
Master
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Apr 8, 2013 0:16:42 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Apr 8, 2013 0:16:42 GMT -5
Niko turned to look at Shanti as she thanked him, and did a double take. No words were spoken as she offered his shower to him. His dark blue eyes looked her over, the scantily clad body causing a single eyebrow to rise slightly. They continued to watch as she brought the drink to her lips to down it, the look travelling down her slim neck to the bottom of her skirt. This was a different Shanti than the one he had rescued earlier. The ragged, scared and dirty girl was replaced by a vivacious and much more confident appearing woman. He gulped at nothing and turned away from the pleasant sight of Shanti and began to reach for the clothing on his bed until she spoke. Niko paused and listened to her words. An intrusive question to be sure, but one that he could certainly understand. The man would turn from the bed to move his gaze to Shanti once more. His eyes would glance to his mace without expression, before he nodded once.
"You wish to know, Mesh'la?"
He started as he walked slowly towards her. The clothes lay forgotten on the bed still as he approached. His good hand reached up to take the glass from her dainty hand. Without another word he stepped around to move behind the bar. He would need another drink after all it seemed. Niko chose a couple new bottles, and quietly mixed a concoction of sweet and sour alcohols, a Nar Shadaa specialty. Shanti's glass was refilled, and Niko drank straight from the mixer deeply. Condensation would run down his hand to drip onto his torso, but the man paid no mind to it. After he had gulped down the drink, he set the metal mixing glass down. His eyes found Shanti's, a glowering, almost thoughtful look on his face.
"Any man can kill for credits." Niko began as he raised his injured arm to flex his stiffening fingers. He would need to get the wound tended to soon. "I don't kill for credits."
Niko turned on the sink behind the bar, and waited a moment for the steam to rise from the basin as the water turned hot. He slid his hands into the scalding hot water to begin to splash it across his face. His hands slid up into his hair a few times, bringing water with it. Once he was satisfied, he reached out to take the towel that Shanti had. The slightly damp fabric was warm to the touch, and he used it to towel off his face, head and chest. Niko slung the towel over his right shoulder before he looked at Shanti once more.
"I kill because I'm good at it. I kill because it gives me purpose. And that purpose, is vengeance."
After he spoke, Niko sniffed once and moved away from the bar. Without looking back to Shanti, he strode to his work bench. Using the same towel he had just used, he began to wipe down his mace with practiced motions. It didn't take long to clean, the weapon's curve leading to the metal under the gore to be revealed swiftly. Once it was cleaned, he tossed the towel into the same receptacle that his ruined shirt had been thrown in. Niko still felt the urge to busy himself, and picked up his pistol. His head began to swim as the alcohol worked its way through his system, and despite himself began to feel woozy. He looked at his arm to see a slight tinge of pink begin to touch the bandaging. They needed to get going, and soon. Without a word, Niko strode to the bed. His hands began to undo the broad leather belt around his waist. The shirt was slid overhead and tucked into his pants, followed by him buckling the belt once more. Piece by piece he redressed into nearly the exact same outfit as before. People always dressed when they went out to the Promenade. Niko did not.
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Faeruy
Follow the Green Faeruy
314 posts
47 likes
Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder
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last online Dec 21, 2014 3:44:56 GMT -5
Knight
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May 3, 2013 22:54:13 GMT -5
Post by Faeruy on May 3, 2013 22:54:13 GMT -5
Shanti drew in a sharp breath as he approached her, his... proximity more disturbing than it should have been. Maybe it was because he was still shirtless, but she became painfully aware of how little she was wearing. A thought raced across her mind, fleeting, pleasantly, though somewhat frighteningly. He was too old, but she couldn't deny that there was something magnetizing about him, something that was very exciting. She sipped her remade drink more thoughtfully, savouring the sweetness. Much more her style.
Like the boys they were bound to meet at the the nightclub they were going to. Niko may have business, and he may need to get patched up, but other than being a bit shaken, Shanti was just fine. And after a day like today, she needed to release some tension. Dancing, drinks, and some stupid boy would do just the trick.
Definitely not this serious and threatening man. Not so threatening though, that she bothered to hide a dismissive snort at his answer. "Seriously? I've never heard so much poodoo. You're a bounty hunter, and a rich one, and you don't kill for credits. You kill for vengeance. You, one of the most wanted bounty hunters in Republic space. Who do you have to seek vengeance on? I can see it being the other way around, but please. Look. I'm a bounty hunter too, remember? You don't have to try and impress me with some mysterious sob story. You're a pscyhopath who likes to kill. I get that. I mean, I just like the credits, but I know plenty who just like hunting." Maybe not plenty, but at least one or two. They were even older than him though, and generally missing teeth, and had the glazed over looks of addicts. Shanti tried to imagine Niko looking like that in just a few years time. It helped distract her from the fact that as of this moment, she was slightly disappointed that he had decided to put his shirt on.
Which was exactly the same shirt he had on earlier, only clean. She raised an eyebrow; after all, she got all dressed up to go out. Why shouldn't he? Because he doesn't need to. Something in her thought traitorously.
This was stupid. It had been an interesting day, she was probably in shock, and she had two drinks and no food already. A Toydarian would probably look good to her right now. She needed to be around people right now; hide in the crowd and that sort of thing. She downed the rest of her drink quickly. "Well, if you're done primping, let's go and find this flying gasbag." She said irritably, and headed towards the door of the apartment, forgetting that she still didn't actually know where she was going.
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