Survival at it's Finest (OPEN)

==Just realized I never attached the menu.==

That's only because they don't really need it, HD. They just wanna sell the shit to a resale shop or to some lame ass on the street for 20 dolla so that they can get money. People suck.

"That's obvious when they pick up pants that are three sizes too small. Although I have seen a few try to wear those pants." Jack shuddered. "You can't unsee some things."

I just want that whole, meat in a bowl option, so... you tell them the meat, and I'll.. eat it. I don't even care, you don't want to know some of the things I have eaten.

"That's just boring, but I got ya." Jack got up to the window. She'd be surprised at some of the things he ate for his craft. "Can I get two combos of the beef and lamb bowl, please? One with the jerk mayo and one with teryiaki. And water for the drinks." He handed over the credits and gave his name. Then he waved Evyn over to the handful of picnic tables set up on the side. "It's pseudo-fast food. Still takes a few minutes to get it all together."

So, what do you do, when you aren't moonlighting as Spiderman?

"I'm an apothecary. I make various potions and prescriptions. Probably why you think I'm a hippy too." Jack's name was called by someone in the shack. He came back with two brown bags. His sniffer was trained to pick out which was which without opening one. He smirked as he dug into his bag. "Although this is great munchie food.

What about you? What do you do when you're not camping outside bakeries?"

Evyn laughed.

She laughed, but she knew what it was like. Sometimes, you were so desperate to get anything that you could put on your body to cover yourself up. Something that wasn't already a glorified rag. Something that you could try to be the least bit proud of you would try to shove that one leg in an entire pair of jeans if you could. It was the sad but true fact of the world that Evyn lived in.

Still, it had some comical moments.

They went and found a seat when he had finished ordering the food. She had no idea what he had ordered her and she didn't care. It could litterally taste like piss and she would probably still eat it. HD sat down across from her and she was surprised that a little place like this would actually bring food to you. Still, she was excited when the bags arrived and the boy pushed hers in front of her.

Don't eat too fast. she had to remind herself.

Opening her bag, she pulled out the steaming bowl of meat and some kind of sauce. The fair back at AP Headquarters was mostly MRE's and crap that was so bland it was like eating the underside of your shoe would make a better meal. But here, in the real world, when she could, she found herself enjoying all kinds of new flavors and the like. With the heat, She took her sweatshirt off and cast it over to the side. Putting it down, it was definitely easy to see how fraile and skinny she was. Not to mention how dirty and in serious need of a bath she was.

Opening the lid, she dove into the food and was grateful. It was so tasty that she couldn't help but let out a moan of satisfaction when she ate. It was heaven. Heaven in a bowl. A bowl of heaven. Whatever you wanted to call it it was amazing.

He told her that he ran an apothocary, which she was glad he promptly gave the definition to because she had no idea what that even was. She knew how to read and she wasn't illiterate but her view of the world was very narrow. A need to know basis and there were a great many things that they AP decided that she didn't need to know.

That's cool. I've never met an .. Apothocar..ian? Before.. Sounds like a cool job. I bet you have a super cool shop and all. I"m not sure what I'll do. No one is willing to hire me, because I don't have a place to live, or a place to really... stay. I don't have any papers, or anything. So I"m stuck here until I figure something out. It'll likely have to do with blackmarket papers or whatever. But dude, girls gotta live, Right HD?

"Apothecary," Jack corrected. He didn't make a big deal out of it, though. It was more professional than 'druggist' but didn't get him confused with pharmacists. Pharmacists used pills. He used poltices. "Mine is a simple shop. Looks more like a mad scientist's lab though. I keep that in the basement where the straights can't see. They like to poke the hot glassware." He then smiled. "Also keeps the nosey buckets from sampling the gender swap potion."

The inventor thought about her employment predicament. He puffed out some of the jerk spice, away from Evyn of course. It wasn't usually this spicy.

"You know, I have a customer that's looking for a little more help this holiday season." Jack tapped the handle of his fork against his lip. "Corner of Fourth and Maple, I think. It's a bodega so the job would probably be stocking shelves. I could see if the job's still available, if you want. You could get fresh pastries for once."

Yeah, I know, it's an Apothocary, but does that make you an Apothocarian?

Nosey buckets? She had never heard that terminology before. Evyn's brows rose. She couldn't help but think this dude got Hippier by the moment. Afterall, he was pretty happy go lucky as he was. She didn't think he could be more Hippified unless he started smoking a peace pipe and grew a beard. One of those shaggy old man beards. Which would look terrible on him.

Gender changing potions? Really? Are they .. permanent?

Her mind was brewing with new ideas. The fact that she had met someone that could do that, might be a boon for her future plans if everything went according to the way she wanted it to. The fact that there were gender changing potions out there, made her think about how big her possibilities were.

He mentioned that he knew someone was looking for help. She hadn't been fishing for a job, but money could come in handy. Especially if she might need potions, and she could probably do all kinds of things to help herself prep. She really needed a place to store the device she needed to steal. She needed to figure out how to get it to a place that was much more secure. That was going to take money.

What she really needed was a benefactor, that wouldn't be too hard to cme by she had ideas all ready.

Yeah? I'd like that, a lot thanks. I could always use a little bit of money. of course.

She didn't know how she could thank him, so she figured that it was one of those situations that just weren't thankable. But someday she would figure out a way that she could be of help to him and that was the day that she would repay him as best as she could. When she had power of her own, she was going to use it and make sure that he was taken care of when he needed it. It was the only way to repay him properly.

So what is an Apothcary .. guy.. doing with a rope shooting crossbow, in a dark alley? she asked curiously.

Yeah, I know, it's an Apothocary, but does that make you an Apothocarian?

"You call both the shop and the guy who runs it an apothecary. I prefer the ye olde word for pharmacist." Jack shrugged. "I can't call myself a pharmacist anyway. Didn't go to school for those fancy pills. Besides, there are some things a pill just can't treat."

Gender changing potions? Really? Are they .. permanent?

{Please tell me she's serious about getting one?} Jack only grinned impishly before deciding it was better worth it to tell her. "Yeah, but it comes in various strengths depending on your desire."

Yeah? I'd like that, a lot thanks. I could always use a little bit of money, Evyn said regarding the job offer.

Jack was a little surprised. Usually people in her situation got insulted at such a comment. "Great. Ask for Boris and tell him Jack Masters sent you."

So what is an Apothcary .. guy.. doing with a rope shooting crossbow, in a dark alley?

He laughed. It was an interesting choice of words. "Don't fret. Most of my experimentation happens during the day. I gather my own ingredients for my potions. Sometimes I blow up my basement, but never on purpose.

What about you? You a big literary buff?"

Evyn's brows rose.

so you can kinda be a boy, and a girl? Is that what you mean by strength? Because, that's creepo with a capitol cee.

She had already demolished her dinner. A girl like Evyn didn't waste time eating slowly. Sure it was good, but she had eaten things nasty and just as fast because it was all about eating as much as you could before someone showed up, or before someone distracted you. There were a lot of people living on the street, more than most normal people thought there were. They all had to fight for each hit, for each jackpot, and for each meal. It was more than a dog eat dog world out there, it was a wolf attack wolf world.

The job was not something she would turn her nose up at. What? Did she have better prospects? No. NO she didn't. And people were idiots that were too proud to take a small hand out like a job and turn it into something good. Because, there were some she knew, that would rather die on the streets than take a hand out. And, those people were idiots. Because if the guy lived in a house and someone offered him a free pie at the holidays he would take it. But, it was different when you didn't have anything. Because then it wasn't kindness, it was charity.

Evyn didn't mind charity.

He dodged the question. Evyn gave a grin, that was something she hadn't missed. But, that was fine. If he didn't want to answer, that was fine. She wasn't going to dig at him. She didn't feel like it mattered in the long run. So she went ahead and answered his own question.

Yeah. I spend a lot of my days sometimes at the library. Especially, in the summer. It's free, and I have a card. But, I don't usually check things out. Because when you start having posessions people start thinking of you more as a target and less as a Bro in So.. so.. you know. she shrugged.

Bro in So meant Brother in Suffering, it was a slang term often heard on the streets. The homeless seemed to have their own little culture at times. She had slipped into her standard mode of speak about the streets without thinking about it. Getting too comfortable, apparently.

What about you? You just get your rocks off blowing your joint up? Or is it this secret Rope Spy stuff that you do at night?

so you can kinda be a boy, and a girl? Is that what you mean by strength? Because, that's creepo with a capitol cee.

"Now that's crazy talk....Oh," Jack realized what she meant by the question. It was rather later (or early) after all. "I meant how strong the potion is. The more potent it is, the longer it lasts. I wonder what the market's like for hermaphrodite potions."

Yep. Definitely late when the noggin came up with ludicrous potions.

Yeah. I spend a lot of my days sometimes at the library. Especially, in the summer. It's free, and I have a card. But, I don't usually check things out. Because when you start having posessions people start thinking of you more as a target and less as a Bro in So.. so.. you know. Evyn said with a shrug.

"I'm sorry. A Bro in what?" That was a phrase Jack had never come across before. Was 'so' a district? Like New York City had SoHo. Maybe it was one of those Hoovervilles set up after the Enlightenment, camp of aluminum siding huts for people who didn't have houses. He figured

What about you? You just get your rocks off blowing your joint up? Or is it this secret Rope Spy stuff that you do at night?

"Depends on the weather. I just sorta go with the flow mostly. Carpe Diem it up." Jack finished the rest of his jerk bowl and tossed it into the nearby trashcan. "Although I don't just Seize the Day. Often times the night too. What'd you think of the hangover food?"

That's really the only reason why people came out to this hut. The food was cheap and heavy enough that your tequila sunrise didn't follow the actual sunrise.

Evyn grinned.

A bro is so. A brotha in suffering. she laughed. Yeah, I know it's lame, but the streets have like their own lingo and sometimes I forget that not everyone knows it.

She shrugged. She didn't mean to make him feel uncomfortable or anything. It was what it was, and though she was going to try her best to change it, she didn't know that she could. Or that she had the power to alter her universe to the kind of thing that she would want it to be. She could only sigh, feeling stuffed and full of good yummy food she had to admit that she felt.. sated, oddly.

She got up with him so that they could throw their trash away and headed back over to him. Hands in the pockets of her oversized Hoodie. It was pretty comfy and she loved the way that it kept her warm even on the really cold nights. Of course, having wings helped that a lot too. They were always like an extra blanket when she really needed them.

I think the food is awesome. I might be able to actually afford it from time to time.

She stood there for a moment. Standing beside him looking out at the city. It was busy, lit, and there were people everywhere even this late in the night. She didn't know if this was the time she was supposed to say good bye or if she was going to get to hang out with him een more. Something she would like to do, of course, but, she didn't think he was the kind of sort that was looking for a hanger-on.

So.. I guess this is the end huh? Time to head off? Go off in our own directions. Thank you, very much for dinner, you know, that's not something that happens often enough. So.. I owe you something, HD. Just ain't sure what that would be yet. But one day, HD, I'll getcha back.

She looked over at him with her blue eyes. Unsure what he might want to say before she left, but if he didn't make any movve to top her, she would give him a bit of a grin, and head off towrds her own way. Back to the parking garage where she slept often.

A bro in so. A brotha in suffering. Evyn grinned and laughed. Yeah, I know it's lame, but the streets have like their own lingo and sometimes I forget that not everyone knows it.

{That explains a lot, actually. I thought some of the gibberish was actually insults.}

"Sounds like a potion swapping event. We never call them by their real names. But some of the potions have really long names."

They got up and threw out their trash. Even though Jack went dumpster diving, he couldn't use a plastic spork for anything. I think the food is awesome. I might be able to actually afford it from time to time.


"It's not something you want all the time. I think they use a lot of salt, and too many spices can give you ulcers. But I got pots for that." Jack offered his own smile. "Shorthand for potions. I said it once, and I think someone thought I had magical cooking pots that healed disease."

There was an awkward moment. It wasn't like they were friends or anything. They had only just met tonight. Still, it had been an experience.

So.. I guess this is the end huh? Time to head off? Go off in our own directions. Thank you, very much for dinner, you know, that's not something that happens often enough. So.. I owe you something, HD. Just ain't sure what that would be yet. But one day, HD, I'll getcha back.

"You're welcome." Jack waved off the debt. "Call it an investment for future business," he winked. "Have a good night, and don't talk to any strangers in dark alleys."

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