and if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones [CLOSED-ISH]

[punkisntdead]

WHO: Chloe, Ann, Subaru, maybe others?
WHAT: One surly punk's arrival and adjustment in the days leading up to Shit Going Down between factions
WHEN: Vaguely early February/mid-Emru
WHERE: Tree of Life, Highstorm, maybe other locations

Closed starters here for stuff Chloe's getting up to before the event. If you want a thread with her, wildcard something here or let me know and I'll toss a starter up!

Comments

[zauneyete]

[ Like with the first statement, he balks, the look of disgust flickered across his face yet again. Silco, after all, was a man of distinct opinions about such things, and this was one of many. He didn't like that, disapproved, even, but more than that, he knew the tone.

She might not be as... excitable, as the person he'd mistaken her for (read: insane) but she was every bit a teenager as well, and Silco could only lift his only real eyebrow. ]

Obstinate.

[ He says. He doesn't deign her with a response to her fighting back. After all, he'd meant it when he'd said he didn't really care if she believed him or not. after all, her opinion didn't really matter to him, now that he'd realized she wasn't who he thought she was.

Trick of the light. How often had that happened recently? ]

A small word to the wise, hm?

When in Kowloon, it is best to read your surroundings a little more carefully. It is not for those who refuse to look carefully.

[punkisntdead]

[Obstinate. Yeah, whatever, she’s been called worse and by way more annoying people. But she hates the way it almost feels like he’s lecturing her—especially when he does go on to offer his little bit of unsolicited advice. She bristles against it, glaring down at him.]

I saw you coming, didn’t I? I can take care of myself here, thanks.

[Said a lot more confidently than she truly feels about it, but whatever. It’s just because she’s new here. She’ll get the hang of it and run circles around everyone here before long.]

A city is a city. You find where the good shit is, avoid the freaks, [hmm, pointed,] and move on with your life.

[zauneyete]

[ He doesn't point out that he'd called for her, before he'd realized who she was, that led her to "see" him, but his lips quirk anyway, as if what she'd said was extremely funny. ]

Avoid the freaks?

[ He asked, a single real eyebrow lifted, and his smile was a ghost of a real one, but it was there for only a second. ]

Well then, you're doing an excellent job thus far.

[ He gestured with a hand toward a sign, down the walkway. 'DRAUMAHOL' it read, the 'o' replaced with a large eye. ]

The goods you're looking for? Might make that a touch difficult, of course. I do suggest you find your footing, before you decide your survival tactics will work here too.

[punkisntdead]

[Look, nothing Chloe ever says could possibly be wrong, so of course that look of amusement of his only prompts her own expression to sour further. She’s nearly bristling enough that she’s tempted to snap at him about it, but manages to bite her tongue long enough for her gaze to follow that gesture to the indicated sign.

Okay, that’s something to work with at least. And it makes that vague as hell advice she’d been given by the one she’d pestered directions to get down here from to “find the eye” make a whole lot more sense. She looks back his way, dropping the agitation from her tone just a tad.]

Well, you’re just Mr. Know-It-All, aren’t you?

[She’s going to frown so deeply when she realizes who owns the place. Connect those dots, girl!!]

Like I said, I’m more than capable of handling it. [A beat in which she crosses her arms over her chest, and then with the flippancy of totally not asking for real, totally:] Got any other unsolicited advice, since you’re feeling so charitable?

[God, she needs to get her hands on a gun or something asap.]

[zauneyete]

[ There's almost a derisive tip of his head. Alright, so for one: it was insulting that she wasn't Jinx, but the fact that she hadn't immediately put things together meant she wasn't as intelligent as his daughter either — because Silco was a wholly logical man who did not hold Jinx up as the standard that everyone fell short of (😬) — which left him mostly... disgusted and annoyed that the tree had wasted the effort to bring someone yet again, and it wasn't even someone who could meet the standard.

Silco really just. Needs to be a slightly calmer person, and he clearly isn't doing it. ]

Just one small, little tip.

[ His lips twitched, before they turned back down into his usual, derisive sneer. ]

A place like this requires observational skills. [ One of his eyes blinked, the other, stared up at her with distinct malice. It wasn't even personal, Silco just looked at everyone like that. ]

I would brush up on them, before you happen to... annoy someone with enough power to make your life difficult. Particularly if you're looking for goods.

[ A shrug. ] Ah, but what do I know? I'm only an old man, hm?

[ The sarcastic tip of his head was, perhaps, the death knell. ]