Fire, fire!

[Nessy]

"Oooooiiii!"

A voice called out. And it was certainly no ordinary voice - if anyone was in the Cigarettes long enough, they wouldn't even recognize the voice. However, if someone was in New Pork long enough, they'd at least heard about the figure standing there in the middle of nowhere, with an unlit cigarette between her lips - not that you could be sure that person was a she for sure, since that person wasn't very feminine. At all.

"Oooiii!"

Again, she called out. Poet scratched the back of her neck, and looked around. "Well, then.", she put her hands to her hips and arched an eyebrow. "Oiii! Does anybody have fire, or are you all still discovering it?", she called out, cackling.

[Nessy]

"Well, fuck.", Poet threw her arms on the air and sat there, right there, where she was standing. She tapped her head, before resting her elbow on her knee, placing her chin on the back of her hand, as if waiting for someone to come by. "Seriously, whenever they could make themselves slightly useful, they're never around. When I'm trying to write my poetry, they have this annoying way of coming at me and barking. Oy vey.", she sighed and coughd again, holding the unlit cigarette between her fingers.

"Oooiiiii!", she called out again. "Oooiii, you bunch of useless dorks! Do you primitive bastards have fire?", she looked around and sighed. "Aw, damn.", Poet half-pouted, arching her eyebrows.

[Nessy]

Poet waited for a while longer, before scratching her nosetip. "Bah. They fail at life.", she said, scratching the back of her neck. "Besides, where the hell is that pyromaniac person slash thing?", she always seemed to wonder and think outloud, ignoring her surroundings. She looked around. Were there cameras here too? Probably.

"Say, Pinky.", she asked, as if someone was really there by her side. Poet curled the hair that peeked under the coconut hat at the back of her neck around her fingers, idly. "You seem like a smart person. Ever wondered why the freaking hell we ended up here?"

She tipped her head to the side. "Me?", she asked, as if someone had questioned her. "I think fate and destiny are bullshit. Your logic too. I think there is definatelly something going on. I'm just trying to discover what.", she grinned.

[Nessy]

"Ah, for fuck's sake. They're there if you want some peace, they're not there if you need them. Stupid tribeaholics.", Poet spat, "Oy vey.", she sighed and rested her cheek on her hand, watching her surroundings with little interest.

"Really, now.", she yawned and stretched. "Hmn, I ought to get some sleep, then.", she looked around and walked up to an abandoned chair, which seemed to be close to break apart. She sat there and tipped her hat over her eyes, crossing her arms over her belly to try and warm herself up, sliding down the chair some.

"Nite nite.", she muttered to herself, crossing her legs at her ankles.

[Mina Crow]

"Hi there, Poet." John walked out of a door, noticing the loner and pushing Kal to a corner of his mind on doing so. Vox had been right, they had a new visitor - and this might be just not the right time for Reason to take notice of her. Poet was welcome and even cherished among by the tribe, but this was definitely not the best of times. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he approaached the girl and frowned pensively, waiting for her to open her eyes. "Need something?"

[Nessy]

Poet almost fell out of her chair when John's voice came to her ears. She tilted her head back and away from her eyes. She smiled and arched her eyebrows up, standing up and dusting herself off. She placed her hand on her hip and nodded. "Finally!", she waved her hand. "Hello, Commando.", she snickered, before continuing.

"You wouldn't happen to have a lighter?", she grabbed the cigarette out of her chest pocket and wiggled it between her index and middle finger with her thumb. "Mine's all out. I out to check the limits of the city. I'm pretty sure there are still stuff laying around there, I just haven't had the time."

[Mina Crow]

"Sure." John took out the lighter from his pocket. It was something he didn't get to use much, but at times turned useful, like lighting Aphrodite's candle that once, a few days ago. And, after all, it could be used as a last resource weapon or something like that, if need arose. Bouncing it once on his hand, he offered it to Poet, shrugging at his alias. Their choice - he shouldn't care about it, despite the fact that, in fact, he did. John took his time to look at the girl. She was more haggard than when last he'd seen her - probably not eating nor sleeping much. And those cigarettes... He almost regretted proffering the lighter. "You should stop smoking", the Cigarette said quietly.

[Nessy]

Poet grinned and arched her eyebrows up. "Thanks.", she put the cigarette between her lips and lit it, taking a long drag before exhaling the smoke through her nose. She gave back the lighter to John and looked up at him with a weird expression, as he told her she should stop smoking. She was quiet for a moment, before chuckling and taking another drag, grabbing the cigarette between her index and middle finger, scratching at her right temple with her thumb, the other hand tucked inside her pants pocket.

"No, no, no. Everyone has a vice, you know? Or else we'd be insane. Some of us even more.", she snickered and took yet another drag, a little longer this time. The girl tapped the cigarette, letting the ashes fall, and holding the smoke, talking as if she was repressing something because of it. "Mine's probably this little killer.", she breathed out the smoke and grinned. "What's yours, hmn?", Poet arched her eyebrows and smirked.

[Mina Crow]

John returned the lighter to his pocket, letting his left hand there. The right one rose to his head, which he brushed absently. He took a long while to answer, apparently thinking whether or not to do it. Finally he shrugged again, right hand going down to play with ID dangling from his neck. "Well, it's not smoking", he joked, evading the question. "Err... This is not the best time for a visit. Reason's on a terrible mood, best to keep away from her." He wrought his eyes away from Poet, staring at the street, dusk shading the buildings and enhancing the silence. Blessed silence.

[Muse broke free and ran away from the detention center.]

[Nessy]

Poet laughed at his answer. "Good one, good one.", she took another drag and looked around. Arching her eyebrows at his advice - which was pointless, because, wether she did so or not, it was because she wanted to, not because someone was advising her - Poet tipped her head to the side and blinked.

"Is that so?", she smiled, taking a drag from the cigarette, slowly. She stayed in silence for a long time, before frowning a little. "Ah, I see. Well. Why is that Reason is in such a bad mood? PMS?", always so blunt.

[Mina Crow]

He couldn't help it but laugh, even shortly. "No. Tribe problems; the Vampires, again." It would not do to add anything more - after all, Poet was a loner. Despite being most surely crazy, she might as well blurt out their issues to another tribe. The last thing the Cigarettes needed were the Wildcats or the Wharf Rats sniffing around, ready to take the spoils of whatever outcome they might face. And besides, John was simply not talkative. Maybe with other Hunters, maybe with Vox, perhaps with Seraphim he would express his opinions, but otherwise he just kept to himself, and that was it.

[*Kicks muse.*]

[Nessy]

Poet arched her eyebrows and made a "ah" sound, nodding to herself. "Vampires, Vampires.", she snickered to herself and hopped on the wobbly chair, as if unaware that it was dangling dangerously on its legs. She frowned and placed the cigarette on her mouth, sliding her hands inside her pockets, one eye closed. She took a drag and sighed, before grabbing the cigarette between her fingers again. "Hmn... I see.", she looked at him and then lost that thoughtful look, laughing.

"Tribeaholics. Y'all going to die sooner than you should because of that problem. That's your problem. You guys have not only a vice, as you have a tribeaholic problem.", Poet pointed her finger at John. "Right?"

[Mina Crow]

He shrugged absently, without answering. "Take care with that chair. And get down from it, before Reason notices you." That was probably useless; trusting Vox, Poet had been shouting at the top of her lungs. Her presence would be no surprise for any Cigarette in Castle Smoke by now. "We all die sooner or later. That's the truth, and at least we have a family in the tribe. That's good enough for me." He took his hands out of the pockets, arms now hanging loose by his sides; despite his absent look, John readied himself to catch Poet lest she fall from her precarious perch.

[Nessy]

Poet laughed out loud at John's words, even tilting her head back. She bent over her stomach, still laughing, and shook her head. "A family? That is an illusion, Commando.", she said, still on that chair, as if she had not heard him. "Tribes are not a family; they are a matter of convinience.", she stated, rocking on her heels back and forth, the chair wiggling dangerously.

"You see, if your Tribe was a family, there would be no need for such a big hierachy.", she hopped off the chair at the exact time it gave away. She blinked, looked over her shoulder and then shrugged. "Anyway, the level of trust is so low in this... family of yours it's laughable.", she took a drag of the cigarette and arched her eyebrows up. "Just think about it."

[Mina Crow]

John never dropped that absent look, but slipped his hands back on his pockets as soon as Poet hopped down the chair, straightening his back as he did so. "We're not Vampires. Nor Wildcats. They don't trust, but we do. We have to." So few of us still believe each other, though... Hopefully all will be better when we get Lucifer back - but how are we to do it? Exiling himself - he's nuts. "It's as close to a family as we'll ever get, anyway. Together, we are stronger than separate. That's simple." He was staring again at the street, then moved his eyes to the windows of Castle Smoke. Reason... What are we to do now?

[Nessy]

Poet listened with a silly smile and an arched eyebrow. She snorted when he stopped talking and waved her hand. "Of course, Commando, of course.", she laughed and shook her head, rolling her brown eyes behind her mutilated glasses. "Everyone's free to believe in whatever they want, I reckon.", she chuckled, before taking another drag of the cigarette, finishing it. She exhaled the smoke from her mouth and dropped the cigarette on the floor, stepping on it with her flip-flop.

"But when, Commando, when will you Tribes stop playing? What is this all for? A matter of survival?", she snorted and waved her hand dismissevely. "Oh, please. If it was, there would be no Tribes. It would be one man for himself. No, this is convincing ourselves that we can escape our animal side. You know, sometimes I think Berserker is the wisest of all.", she laughed, a hand at her hip, the other gesticulating uselessly. "But still, she's also a tribeaholic.", Poet shook her head in disappointment and sighed. "No, Commando. If it was a matter of survival, it'd be either save yourself, or just one big happy family. But whatever for? What is the meaning of trying to survive here? Sometimes, I wonder, I wonder...", she tapped her own forehead. "What is the meaning of this all? Why do we want so desesperately to survive? Are we expected to want anything at all? What do we have here? A chance of what? Vox is right in her own way, you know? Although, I have a feeling she might die even sooner than us all.", she frowned for a moment, before smiling and waving her hand. "I'm thinking too much again.", she muttered, as if she had forgotten that John was still there.

[Mina Crow]

John didn't answer; he was still staring at the windows of the tribe's headquarters, musing about the recent developments. Apparently, he was not listening to Poet, but in fact he was recording her talk to the last second. "You sound like Pixie. You're both out of the tribes. Am I finding a pattern there?" John whispered, almost more to himself than to Poet. Then he shook his head, letting the thought fade away. "Listen. We're all in an uproar here. If Reason gets you, you might not like it. I think you'd better go", he advised, not shunning the girl, but trying to keep her in one piece.

[Nessy]

"Christ, alike Pinky?", she snorted and shook her head. "It's not my fault that people can't see the difference in a genious, a philosopher and a lunatic.", she rolled her eyes and smirked. "We're just smart enough to not to be in a Tribe. You know, the biggest problem of the Tribes are definately the leaders. If you take them down, the whole Tribe falls apart. How pathetic."

She sighed and then laughed at his advise. "Awe, stop worrying about me.", she chuckled and scratched her jawline absently. "What can possibly Reason do to me? Lock me in? Try to kick my ass? Or any other violent actions? You should know by now that none of those affect me.", Poet smirked and kicked the floor idly, looking at the sky. "And what can I do for you to give me a lighter or something? I'd ask for one of Seraphim's, but we all know he's a little clinggy to flamable materials.", she snorted, unaware he being kept prisioner of the Vampires'.

[Mina Crow]

"You won't like it if she uses you as a target for her airgun - but it's your choice." John frowned. This was taking too long, and they were too exposed for his own habit. He almost clenched his fists when Poet referred Seraphim. "Sorry - no lighter. The tribe can't spare the ones we have. Don't go looking for one at the Vampires, though", he added with a weak smile. "Seriously, Poet, you should think about leaving now..." For John, such a long speech implied impatience and nervousness, characteristics quite uncommon in him.

[Nessy]

Poet looked at him, semi-surprised at his tone and how tensed up he had became, and then smirked. "Oh... Is that so?", she smirked again - it was one of those dangerous smirks, which probably meant troube. A lot of trouble. Poet snickered and dusted off her knees, before sliding her hands inside her pockets. "The Vampires, hmn?", she laughed and shook her head. She didn't seem to listen to John's warning about Reason. "How interesting. Why are you telling me this, Commando? Is there some problem?", she arched her eyebrows.

"And if you're that nervous, don't worry - you'd better go inside, I don't want to cause you any troubles. Afterall, you are kind. That'll be the downfall of the Cigarettes, though.", she sighed. "Too good. Want to know the downfall of the others? The Vampires' are their leaders. The Wildcats, their lack of trust. And the Wharf Rats, their animalistic rationality.", she arched her eyebrows. "I'm telling you. Your reigns are going to fall.", she adjusted her hat and smirked. "But I shall talk no more. Afterall, this might be a bit too much of philosophy for a soldier.", she tapped her nose, before sliding her hands in her pockets and laughing. "The Vampires, hey?"