Chasmic Centre, Residential third-ward...

[Mayor Nardine]

[Anjole]

Anjole's face was set into a determined grimace as he made his way, Juniper in tow, towards the small hovel he called home. Nestled deep within the dregs of this area, he knew she would be frightened if they did not hurry and night fell. The centre was no place to be during the evening hours and so he pulled out his keys and had them ready as they approached the door. After finally unlocking the fifth lock, he swung the door open.

"Welcome home." Anjole grinned as he flipped on the lights, revealing worn carpet, sheets covering the windows and a ragged couch. The things he hoped she did not pay much attention to were the brand new pool table, pinball machine and stereo/tv set. Anjole was not proud of what he had done to get the toys and had promised to make it up some day to the vendors. For now, he had to deal with the guilt.
"Make yourself comfortable."

[Juniper]

Juniper was too busy bent over her waist, hands on her throbbing thighs from the long climb, trying hard to breathe. The air in this city was already too thick for her lungs and the long ascent to this creature's apartment wasn't helping things.

Breathing laboriously, Juniper slowly lifted her eyes to study the conditions of his apartment and coughed, her body still bent. "Where's..." she started breathlessly. "the... couch?"

[Anjole]

"Right over there." Anjole pointed behind the pool table, glad Juniper was distracted from the climb. "I will make us some tea, if you want." He neglected to tell her that it was herbs he grew himself and the contents were sleep-inducing. Since crashing on the planet and coming to Metropolis Cove, it was the only thing that eased him from his nightmares.

[Juniper]

She shook her head. "No tea," she mumbled, trudging toward the pool table and paused, glowering at it. Placing her hands on her hips now, she rose slowly and huffed another breath. "Just how many stairs were they?"

[Anjole]

Anjole froze, hand hovering over the hand-wrapped tea bag, when he noticed Juniper standing close to the pool table.
Don't notice the newness.. don't notice.. don't notice...
"Erm, uh lots of stairs?" He grinned at her nervously and went back to making the tea.

[Juniper]

Juniper merely frowned and sighed again, shuffling her feet to the saggy couch. She eyed it silently, taking in the dusty spots and sunken cushions. Somehow it didn't look as comfortable as she'd hoped. Still, it was a place to rest her head. Trudging forward, she collapsed on top and closed her eyes, reminding her heart to slow down.

[Anjole]

After his tea was prepared, Anjole went to the tiny living area and sat on the floor, leaning against the wall, taking the tea in tiny sips as it was still hot from the rehydrator.
"Mmmm." He closed his eyes and leaned back his head, savoring the warmth of the mug in his hands. He popped one eye open and a thought occured to him: he had a pretty, alien woman resting on his couch. You don't see that everyday!

"So, Juniper... " The Harmoni kept his voice neutral, calm. "Were you running from those guys? And my guess is yes. Why for?"

[Juniper]

Juniper kept her eyes closed, taking in the muggy air around her, the uncomfortable wood and springs pressing against her back and the soft lilt of the man's voice across from her. She turned her face to him. "How did you know they were the Taretians?"

[Anjole]

Anjole felt his eyebrow raise at the diversion away from his question, but answered any way.
"Well, when I first stumbled into the edge of the city, I ran into a gang who planned on robbing and then killing me. When they realized I had nothing to give, they would have killed me, but I was able to..um... calm them enough to befriend them." He let his mind wander back to the time when he would have surely died had his music not helped him. He had been shocked since the mutants never had been affected. Having the power over another was intoxicating. They had told him everything he needed to know and then some.

"The gang I had temporarily hung with helped explain the different races to me. They described the Taretians and sure enough, they certainly are not difficult to identify. The shiny metallic skin is a dead give away." He stared hard at the girl. "Tell me, won't you, why you are running from them?"

[Juniper]

Juniper opened her eyes and stared at him silently from under the pool table. This creature knew about the Taretians. What else did he know? Her brows furrowed, studying him intently. "Do you know what I am?" Even though he had asked her earlier in the cafe, she wondered if he wasn't working for those ready to make her species extinct.

[Anjole]

"Oh! I know this one..." Anjole teased playfully, "You are a martian!" He peered over at her, wondering why she was so closed off about herself. He had been open with her, but perhaps she just had serious trust issues. It was not too hard of a stretch to imagine that being the case.
"It's all right. You don't have to say what's going on. I just thought since I risked my life to get you some place safe..." He made a 'kill me now' face at her, hoping to bring out sympathy, despite the fact he was just teasing.

[Juniper]

Juniper snorted in laughter and turned her head away, attempting to sleep. In the silence of the room, she curled her arms around herself and stared hard at the dusty cushion pressed against her nose. She stifled a sneeze and released a breath. "They killed off my species..." she said after a moment of quiet.

[Anjole]

Anjole was taken aback by her words. Not really knowing either specie, or even his own for that matter, the man felt a pang of sadness for the girl. She must have suffered greatly, just like he did only his own people's demise had been brought about by a natural disaster. Not by a warring, evil race of beings.

"I'm sorry." He said softly, standing slowly to his feet. He reached for the light switch and decided to leave it be. She probably would have felt better for lack of darkness, he thought. "I will let you rest. Remember how I said I needed at least twelve hours?" He was beginning to feel the effects of the tea. "Well, I sleep like one of the dead, so if something happens, you'll have to pour cold water on me." He grinned one last time before entering into the tiny bedroom and preparing for the long rest.

[Juniper]

Juniper didn't respond to his comment, didn't laugh at his attempt to be friendly, didn't even cringe or relax her shoulders at his sympathy. She just lay there, staring at the cushion and let the stifling silence close in on her submissively. It'd been a long time since she mentioned her history and her past, choosing to quell every memory down. It was better that way.

Still, a shiver crept down her spine when she recalled the shrieking and crashing from the Taretian attack outside the cafe. They were here--how could she have never known about that? Her fingers curled into a fist and she clenched her jaw. Then she remembered how vicious they were, according to hearsay. Her hands relaxed. For now, she was helpless to doing anything about them. For now.

Her eyes drifted close into a dreamless sleep.