[Alita was still exploring, but a drink did sound pretty good. She simply showed up without bothering to call ahead. She slipped onto one of the stools. She'd discarded her robes - they weren't really needed here, after all - and that left her in just her fatigues and armor.]
[Rather unfortunately for the poor woman, the man at the bar is under the influence of the thought-revealing truffles. For the moment, the bubble over his head is... in Chinese. Nonsense, really, just bits and pieces of words.
He looks over at her with a slight smile, though.]
Apparently, it's free on this boat. One of the few benefits.
[He looks up, as the images flip between the harbor, streets, some kind of college campus, an apartment, an orange cat, someone's smile... And his cheeks color, faintly. He takes a drink.]
[He studies the bottle for a moment, while the pictures continue to cycle through, suddenly there are people launching themselves at a car, there's a gas station, there's a gas station on fire, and someone's hand is reaching forward--]
[A polite question. A polite inquiry. Flashes of a badge, a gun, uniform--cutting to campus again, bitterness. Hands on his. Mouth on his--zombies on fire.]
I actually haven't had a drink in a while...
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He looks over at her with a slight smile, though.]
Apparently, it's free on this boat. One of the few benefits.
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[She blinks and glances up.]
...what's that?
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[He follows her gaze, frowning. The thought bubble switches abruptly to a question mark.]
... I've got... no idea.
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[She waves a hand dismissively, eying the thought bubble.]
...really?
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[He stares at it a moment longer before he shrugs, and goes back to his beer. The image shifts--a coffee mug next to an opened flask.]
Really. I... never noticed it before.
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...so, this isn't... normal?
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... Not that I've seen. This is the first time I've had something over my head.
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Is that where you're from?
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[He looks up, as the images flip between the harbor, streets, some kind of college campus, an apartment, an orange cat, someone's smile... And his cheeks color, faintly. He takes a drink.]
Yeah. That would be home. A whole lot of home.
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[She sounds a bit wistful as she finally takes a sip of her drink. She savors it for a moment before swallowing - it really has been a while.]
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[He studies the bottle for a moment, while the pictures continue to cycle through, suddenly there are people launching themselves at a car, there's a gas station, there's a gas station on fire, and someone's hand is reaching forward--]
Where are you from?
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[She glances up again. Interesting. It also serves to mask the look of homesickness in her eyes.]
Looks like you've lived some interesting times.
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[A polite question. A polite inquiry. Flashes of a badge, a gun, uniform--cutting to campus again, bitterness. Hands on his. Mouth on his--zombies on fire.]
I... yeah. That's putting it mildly.
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[She blinks.]
Huh.
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[The places he names off suddenly appear in the thought bubble. Delightful maps!]
... What?
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