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Howling outside your door

2 posters
Mindo Pereira
Messages : 313
IC Posts : 302
Mindo PereiraBlessed by ????
When she wiped her nose, the back of her hand came back bloody.

Mindo disregarded it.

She'd been a fool. No different than she's always been. Clinging to a sliver of light until there was nothing left, and she irrevocably returned to the dark. There was no use in denying the dark, rotting soul that sat in her body. Because she had tried. She had sold her gun, given up on drugs, taken a job - no, two goddamned awful jobs, fixed and apartment, all the bullshit a normal, stable person would do. She'd tried it all, given her very best to conform and change her ways. But just as awakening her fire affinity had set her on an attempt to be better, losing it changed her ways, too.

For this strange feeling of cold and dark had not gotten her power at all. That was evident from the nosebleed and bruises. It had not gotten her glory or riches or anything good at all - but she hadn't been defeated just yet. If vermin was all she could ever be, she'd be equally hard to kill.

And it did hurt. Of course it did. The look of worry in Soot's eyes, the dreams of normalcy she'd had shattered once more; to be here, at this Arceus forsaken place. She'd lost, once again. But by now, she had nowhere else to go anymore. It was just her, the address scribbled on the piece of paper, and the promise of money.

In front of the Golden Eye, she came to a halt. Soot let out a soft growl, but Mindo ignored the houndoom next to her. The bar looked entirely too fancy for the attire she was sporting. Her clothes still smelled like smoke, and her blackened eye and bloodied nose did nothing to make her look any better. Mindo clenched her teeth. "Fuck it," she whispered. No going back now.

So, looking like a hungry, lost stray dog, she entered the Golden Eye, looking for the woman who had given her this address in the first place.


&Kaye

Character sheet
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Nickname: x
Age: 23
Birthday: Sep 30th
Occupation: unemployed
Sexuality: Confused
Kaye Mercer
Messages : 298
IC Posts : 201





















Kaye Mercer
The door to Kaz's office fell shut behind her with a soft click as Kaye’s guests left to depart, their meeting concluded as their footsteps faded away. Her brother’s absence for the day meant that she had the luxury to take up meetings in his  office instead of her own. All without his consent of course. She would make sure to leave the empty glasses and dinner plates for him to clean up to give him some extra things to be annoyed about.

Kaye rolled her shoulders, stretching her neck to let some of the tension out. With the remainder of the meetings out of the way for now she would have some time to herself. A rare occasion she wanted to cherish. With Vik’s business doing as well as it did, it was only natural that she had taken up even more responsibility. Responsibility that fell outside of Kaz his eye of influence as her dear brother had no clue she was running her own show behind the scenes.

The thought made the corners of her mouth curl upward. How wonderfully rich had she become of it too .. Her wealth expanded. Influence growing. Everything according to plan.

Perhaps she ought to eat out. Book a place at the fanciest restaurant she could find and spend enough to make her weep by the time she would sober up the next morning. Oh, how wonderfully that sounded ..

She made her way downstairs, coat flung over her shoulder and set to leave through the backdoor when she was stopped by one of Kaz his Syndicate members that was on duty on the floor tonight. “Ma’am, a stranger has just entered the bar and she is upsetting the customers.” Sadira said, lowering her eyes at Kaye’s piercing gaze. “Well, send her away, then.” Kay replied, unable to keep the annoyance out of her voice when she spoke. Honestly, she ought to remind Kaz to step up his game when it came to his hiring personal staff. They were all sorely lacking the ability to operate without her little brother.

“She looks .. hurt. We think she is looking for the Syndicate’s help?” Ah, one of Kaz’ his strays, then. A poor soul that was in need of aid. Kaye brushed past Sadira to poke her head out of the door. Her eyes widened soon as her eyes landed on the girl standing in the doorway. She looked horribly out of place against the backdrop of the establishment with her rag tag clothes and beat up face. Fuck. It wasn’t one of Kaz's strays. It was one of hers.

Kaye let out an annoyed hiss. “Get her out of sight of the customers and take her ‘round back. Carefully. I do not want that creature to light up this palce.” Was her only order as she quickly turned back around with one last lingering look on the pokémon by Mindo's side. Leaving no room for argument. She brushed off the guards that were situated at the backdoor and stepped into the alleyway where she had parked her Masserati.

Leaning against the side door of the car she took out her pack of cigarettes. There was no need to lit it herself as from the folds of her coat suddenly appeared a tiny flame, bobbing up and down as it floated towards the tip of her cigarette. A toothy, disturbing grin was the only thing Kaye could discern from in between the folds of her coat before Isolith retreated again.

Not long after she had taken the first drag of her cigarette she heard footsteps approaching. One of Kaz’ boys and one of her own dumped the girl unceremoniously in front of her, before they turned and closed the door behind them. Leaving them alone at last in the filthy alleyway and away from prying eyes. "Well, I see the barista life has not been treating you, has it?" She remarked with the casuality of one talking about the weather.

Character sheet
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Relationship:
Nickname: K, Mercer
Age: 30
Birthday: 25 February 1994
Occupation: Lieutenant (The Syndicate)
Sexuality: Lesbian
Mindo Pereira
Messages : 313
IC Posts : 302
Mindo PereiraBlessed by ????
The stares her unruly appearance elicited were met with a fiery gaze of her own. Mindo made no effort to appear polite or kind; any hungry eyes would lovely be greeted with the visage of her favorite finger. She looked out of place. She felt out of place. And if luck had its way, that witch of a woman wouldn't even be here. Unease pricked along her spine. Regardless, she stood her ground. The words repeated in her head: no turning back now.

The reality was, she didn't have much of a choice.

All her options had been depleted; it was this or losing her apartment and ending up back on the streets, robbing and running with gangs. And, as evident from her current state, she'd been out of practice with that for far too long. She was all out of luck. Again.

As she'd expected, it didn't take long for her appearance to stir some movement among the personnel. Generally speaking, bar owners didn't quite like someone scaring off their patrons. The red-headed girl stood her ground, staring at the duo approaching her with a darkened gaze, accentuated by the circles under her eyes. "I'm looking for Kaye Mercer,"she spoke out before they could, her voice still raspy from the smoke she'd inhaled a few days prior. They shared a wary glance but assured her they'd take her to see Kaye. Well, good. At least she was here. Mindo trusted none of these folks, but despite that, she let them lead her to the woman. When the man placed a hand on her shoulder, she violently brushed it off. "Don't fucking touch me," she hissed through gritted teeth, adjusting her jacket. "Just lead the way, I'm not here for trouble," Though clearly unhappy with her rude demeanor, the stranger, surprisingly, just nodded and let her walk in front of them. Heh. Perhaps Kaye had warned them about her. Good.

Though her leg still hurt from an earlier injury, Mindo kept up the pace without wincing. The strangers led her through a dodgy backdoor, away from the prying eyes of customers. She was fine with that. Even from the short moment she had graced the place with her presence, she could tell what kind of people drowned their sorrows there; it reeked of the filthy rich. She hoped they'd all choke on their horribly expensive drinks.

Once the cool air hit her face, hands were placed on her shoulders once again. "You-" she hissed, but before her hands could find those that held her, she was pushed roughly toward a darkened figure. Mindo snapped head back at the guys manhandling her, but they had promptly left and shut the door behind them. With the click of the door, the bustling life of the bar gave way to silence, the streetlights the only source of illumination for Mindo and the tall, looming woman in front of her. Slowly, Mindo turned to face her, heart pounding in her chest.  Kaye stood before her, a cigarette Mindo desperately craved placed gently between her pale lips. Her features were as sharp and pristine as she could remember. She looked well. Of course she did.

Once again, unease prickled on her cold skin. Soot stalked closer, brushing his figure against her thigh. "Actually, as you can see, it's been fucking peachy,"Mindo reached into her pocket and withdrew a crooked cigarette, lighting it with a lighter. "I'm here for your offer," she said, taking a long drag and feeling the sweet relief of nicotine flooding her system. Mindo closed her eyes for a moment to revel in it, and to swallow her pride. "To accept it, that is."



Character sheet
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Nickname: x
Age: 23
Birthday: Sep 30th
Occupation: unemployed
Sexuality: Confused
Kaye Mercer
Messages : 298
IC Posts : 201





















Kaye Mercer
As soon as the two man unhanded her, Mindo had turned around with visceral fury in her eyes that made her chuckle. Just the sight of that alone made their entire last conversation flood back to the forefront of her mind. She had to admit that having the girl join up with her had been the least of her concerns as of late.

Mindo turned to face her. Their eyes meeting for the first time in months. Prompting the taller woman to raise one eyebrow at the sorry state Mindo was in. Even her cigarette looked like it had been through hell. The smell of cheap tobacco prickled in her nose, prompting Kaye to take another drag of her own to cancel out the awful smell. It made her nose scrunch up in disgust at the memories it elicited.

“Have you, now?” She tapped her chin as if lost in thought. “As I recall you had your mind set on being a subpar barista, serving your inferior coffee and living your second-rate life you fought so hard to acquire.” Her words cut through the stale air in the alleyway. A mix between disdain and mocking amusement. ”Well, you certainly embraced the look of a unsuccessful subpar barista with nothing in life to show for it. As I predicted you would. Pray tell, does bitterness taste as bitter as it looks?”

She blew a large puff of smoke towards Mindo. The tobacco mixed with Mindo’s smoke. Curling around each other like a ghostly dancer. Kaye looked down on the redhead with condescending eyes. Reveling in this moment to torment her a little. See how long she could poke the bear before it would strike.

Character sheet
Icon:
Relationship:
Nickname: K, Mercer
Age: 30
Birthday: 25 February 1994
Occupation: Lieutenant (The Syndicate)
Sexuality: Lesbian
Mindo Pereira
Messages : 313
IC Posts : 302
Mindo PereiraBlessed by ????
She knew people like Kaye. Not many , but more than the number she preferred, which was zero. The redhead was willing to bet that in some dark past, she'd been no different from herself. The difference was that Kaye managed to outsmart the right people, or just got fucking lucky. So now, she just got a kick out of looking down on people. Snickering from behind her fancy schmanzy cigarette about them in that condescending manner that made her skin crawl, just to feel better about her empty soul that was as rotten as hers.

She could explain. Elaborate that she was genuinely trying to be better. Of fucking course she didn't want to be a shitty batista, but it beat being all drugged up and living off of scraps. It beat being in the same dark hole for years and years on end. But what difference did it make? Kaye didn't care about her childish and naive desires. She cared about money. About making her feel like dogshit.

Mindo wished she could spit in her face, rip that cig from her mouth and just... Just...

Ugh.

It made no difference.

"Are you done berating me?" She asked through clenched teeth. The look in her eyes did nothing to hide her desire to strangle her, but Mindo bit back her anger. She needed something from her. Perhaps more desperately that she'd like to admit. She couldn't fuck it up. Not this time.

Kaye knew that. Of course the fucker did.

The smoke she blew in her direction smelled fucking delicious. The condescending look in her eyes, however, made bile rise in her throat. She despised her.

"Look, the fuck do you want me to say? Have your little fit if it makes you feel better about your own miserable life, I-" Mindo snapped her jaws shut and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, I'm in a bad place, alright? That what you want to hear? So go ahead, take advantage of me, give me some shitty, illegal job. I'm good at it. Just pay me, and ill shut up" her voice was cold, distant. One belonging to a person who had nothing.

Character sheet
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Relationship:
Nickname: x
Age: 23
Birthday: Sep 30th
Occupation: unemployed
Sexuality: Confused
Kaye Mercer
Messages : 298
IC Posts : 201





















Kaye Mercer
Kaye’s words had their desired effect. She could tell Mindo was getting riled up, though unlike last time, it seemed she was more intent to keep a leash on her emotions this time. Albeit be it slightly.

It underscored just how desperate Mindo must be. Desperation made them vulnerable. Easier to control. To manipulate. To cheat. A few honeyed words and a promise of something better and they were hooked.  Just how Kaye like them.

Mindo nevertheless was about to chew her out. Gazing at her with her bruised face and furious eyes burning as bright as the wild locks that framed her face. Kaye raised her eyebrows expectantly. The same, smug smirk never leaving her features.

It sounded like music to her ears. “Ahh, there it is.” Kaye said. Taking a slow, deliberate drag from her cigarette, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. “So, you want a job.” Kaye continued, her tone turning icy. “Something ‘shitty’ and ‘illegal’, because that is all you’re good for now, right?” She took a few steps to the side. The heels of her boots clacking on the pavement as she began to size Mindo up like a predator, savoring the moment.

“Do tell me one thing,” Kaye took a few steps closer as her voice lowered to a whisper. Leaning in slightly as her piercing gaze held Mindo’s. “Just how desperate are you? How much are you willing to endure? Because working for me isn’t just about doing a job. It’s about obedience, loyalty, and the ability to keep your mouth shut. Can you handle that?”

Kaye watched Mindo's reaction intently, waiting for any sign of hesitation, any flicker of weakness. She wanted to see just how much fight was left in her, how far she could push before Mindo snapped again. Only then would she decide whether to grant the desperate request or let Mindo crumble further into the abyss.

Character sheet
Icon:
Relationship:
Nickname: K, Mercer
Age: 30
Birthday: 25 February 1994
Occupation: Lieutenant (The Syndicate)
Sexuality: Lesbian
Mindo Pereira
Messages : 313
IC Posts : 302
Mindo PereiraBlessed by ????
Oh how that devil of a woman could drag the blood from under her nails. She slithered her way under her skin and tugged at ever last bit of self-control Mindo had. Something about her haughty demeanor, that sense of I was right about you all along, it made her skin crawl. And the worst of it all; she was right. Of course she'd never be a barista, or a normal goddamn person, for that matter. Of fucking course, she was only good for the streets, amongst vermin like herself. Like the both of them. In the end, she really did come crawling back, with no other options left. But Arceus how she despised it. How she despised her.

Kaye asked her if this was all she was good for. Yes said her thoughts. "No," said her voice. "Because that's all that folks like you offer,"

Kaye's heels clicked on the cobbled ground when she stepped to the side, her piercing blue eyes sizing her up like she was a snake about to strike. Mindo refused to be intimidated, meeting the woman's gaze with a fiery intensity of her own. She didn't like it when she turned and stepped even closer, as it made her painfully aware how the woman towered over her. Fuck, from here she could smell her cologne, those blue eyes pools of something... Something-

Soot let out a warning growl, one which Mindo silenced with a click of her tongue.

Though she had to look up to that she-devil, she refused to let her corner her. Let her have a taste of her own medicine. See who backs down first. The redhead mirrored her and leaned forward, too. Their faces now mere inches apart, she ignored the sense of unease tightening in her chest."You've only seen me in my shitty fucking outfit at my shitty fucking job. Before that, I've been out on the streets for as long as I can remember. I know this world, this life. I've lived it many times before," Mindo clenched her jaws, her eyes flickering over her facial features, resting at the red of her lips for a moment before returning to her blue eyes. "Yeah I can fucking handle it. If not, I'd have been dead years ago. But what do you know, I'm still breathing,"

Character sheet
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Relationship:
Nickname: x
Age: 23
Birthday: Sep 30th
Occupation: unemployed
Sexuality: Confused
Kaye Mercer
Messages : 298
IC Posts : 201





















Kaye Mercer
Kaye's eyes narrowed as she assessed Mindo, her posture remaining impeccably composed despite the hostility radiating from the other woman. She took in the defiance in Mindo's gaze, the barely restrained fury simmering beneath the surface, and felt a flicker of amusement. It was a look she'd seen many times before, a look that screamed of resilience born from desperation.

Her lips curled into a knowing smirk, the corners of her mouth lifting just enough to be infuriating. Mindo’s bravado was almost admirable, almost. But Kaye had no intention of coddling her illusions. She had seen countless others like Mindo, each one convinced that their tenacity set them apart, that their fire made them special. They all eventually broke.

It mirrored her own life. How she had been less than the dogs on the street. Fit for nothing but the dirt under the soles of those above them. Mindo, in many ways, reminded her of herself. Too much or herself.

She leaned in closer in response to Mindo’s defiant stance. Her height advantage becoming more pronounced, her shadow casting a long line over Mindo. Kaye's eyes flicked to Soot, the loyal companion growling at her feet, and she noted the way Mindo silenced him with a mere click. There was control there, yes, but control born out of necessity, not strength.

"And let's get one thing straight," Kaye continued, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper, "I don’t offer you anything. I am giving you a chance, a chance you don’t deserve but one I’m willing to extend. And it's not because I see potential in you. It's because you're a tool, a means to an end. Nothing more, nothing less."

Her smirk widened as she took in Mindo's clenched jaw and blazing eyes, the stubborn refusal to back down. It was almost endearing, this misguided determination.

"You think you're still breathing because you're strong?" Kaye's laugh was cold, almost cruel. "No, darling. You're still breathing because you haven't faced the right kind of opposition yet. But don't worry, you'll learn. And when you do, you'll realize just how insignificant your bravado truly is."

With a flick of her wrist she turned around and opened the car door, hesitating a moment. “Make sure you put that mutt in its ball. I do not want it filth on my new leather seats.”

Character sheet
Icon:
Relationship:
Nickname: K, Mercer
Age: 30
Birthday: 25 February 1994
Occupation: Lieutenant (The Syndicate)
Sexuality: Lesbian
Mindo Pereira
Messages : 313
IC Posts : 302
Mindo PereiraBlessed by ????
She could deal with anger. Reveled in it, even. When she managed to get under someone's skin; when they yelled and raised their fists, that was when Mindo was in her element. It proved to her that she was worth getting angry for, worth getting noticed in some sick, twisted way. Negative attention was still attention. It was a something that had wired itself in her brain in her youth, and dissipated. The flip side was that when she failed at just that, she was left feeling completely disarmed.

And Kaye did that. She didn't take her seriously. To her, she was nothing but a pawn. Nothing but an unruly child, barking up the wrong tree. And to feel like that, to be seen as a harmless object of ridicule, that was truly the way to hit her where it hurt. It left her filled with so much rage that she could barely contain it. She needed to lash out, fight, use her fists, do anything to elicit some other emotion than this dismissal, that laughter. It brought her back home, in front of her mother. That cruel smile reflected on Kaye's face.

Mindo unclenched her jaws. It wasn't worth the fight. Perhaps it was her newfound affinity. Perhaps it was nothing more than the fact that she had once again hit rock bottom; but Mindo decided to swallow the poison that lay sharp, sour, and deadly on her tongue. Oh how the desire to wrap her hands around Kaye's beautifully white neck coiled in her stomach, but she ignored it. Her eyes flickered to the side, but she didn't back down. That was one thing she would never do. And when her eyes met those of Kaye again, she still had to look up, but they were as bright and defiant as ever.

"I have no illusions of greatness," her voice proclaimed bitterly."Call me your little minion, dog, whore, whatever you fucking like. I'll do what you tell me to, alright? But I'm not lucky to be alive. In very fact, I'm a fucking unlucky piece of shit. No, the only reason I'm alive is because I don't give up or give in," Mindo leaned in, trying not to lose her focus over the gentle heat of Kaye's breath on her face. "And you've seen it too, or do you go around trying to get every stupid looking barista into this little illegal cult of yours?"There was a crooked grin on her face, the cocky hint of a challenge in her gaze.

Finally, Kaye turned to open her car door, breaking the building tension between them. Mindo took a breath, feeling uneasy as she stepped back, creating more distance between them. Her eyes lingered on the grossly expensive brick of metal Kaye was inviting her to get into. A scoff rolled over her lips. Soot was far cleaner than the filth she likely kept company with. Mindo took a deep breath, biting her tongue. "Fine," was all she hissed. The girl reached for the ball deep within her pockets and kneeled, not caring for the wet cobblestone staining her pants. "Only for now, I'll keep you close," she whispered, only for Soot to hear. The large, canine-like pokémon rested its head on her knee, before Mindo returned him to his ball. Feeling disarmed without her partner, Mindo stepped towards the car, giving it a suspicious look. "Where are you taking me?"



Character sheet
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Nickname: x
Age: 23
Birthday: Sep 30th
Occupation: unemployed
Sexuality: Confused
Kaye Mercer
Messages : 298
IC Posts : 201





















Kaye Mercer
Kaye waited with the car door half opened for Mindo to put her Houndoom in his pokeball and enter the vehicle. She did so with visible reluctance but did it nonetheless. Good girl. She was learning her place already.

The taller woman chose not to answer her. Capturing her gaze for a moment before turning around, sliding into the comfortable drivers seat and tossing her cigarette into the ashtray next to the cup holder. She waited until Mindo was seated, cringing at the filth that the girl no doubt was getting all over her seats.

The engine roared to life, but the radio remained silent. Kaye preferred it that way. The quiet allowed the tension to settle into the car, festering. Contrasting their earlier standoff in the alleyway. She glanced over at Mindo’s rigid form through the rearview mirror. The girl was almost where Kaye wanted her. Desperate, malleable, on the brink of surrender. She could become her most valuable asset. A pawn she could maneuver over the board as she so desired. Manipulated as needed. The thought was honestly intoxicating.

But there was something else, a nagging feeling that Kaye couldn’t quite shake. One that grew in volume as she stopped at a red light.

As much as she relished the control she held over Mindo, there was also a flicker of recognition that unsettled her. Mindo reminded her too much of herself- her defiance, her unyielding spirit. The way she bared her teeth at the world as if daring to challenge it. It was a reflection she wasn’t sure she liked.

Had Mindo approached her four weeks ago when she was still knee deep into proverbial shit, she would not have spared her even a thought or a glance. Had it been empathy that drove her to this? A reminder of Kaye’s own past struggles she so hard tried to drown each night when she took her sixth glass of scotch?

Kaye’s grip tightened on the steering wheel as the lights turned green. She pushed the thought aside, frustrated that she was second guessing herself. Turning a corner and heading for her old apartment where she had spent so many recent nights in solace.

Character sheet
Icon:
Relationship:
Nickname: K, Mercer
Age: 30
Birthday: 25 February 1994
Occupation: Lieutenant (The Syndicate)
Sexuality: Lesbian
Mindo Pereira
Messages : 313
IC Posts : 302
Mindo PereiraBlessed by ????
Silence. No answer came.

Mindo was visibly annoyed, staring Kaye down for what seemed like forever to her, but was in reality mere seconds. In the end, though, she kept her jaws firmly shut, and entered the vehicle. Mindo winced when she bent down, her ribs still aching from the little shuffle that had left her nose bloody earlier. Despite the pain, though, she sat down nice and quietly. Though she often ignored it, Mindo did, in fact, recognize danger when she faced it. And this haughty piece of trash inviting her to Arceus knows where, well, she was the epitome of it. Especially since she heard through the grapevine that her dearest bother had been absent for a while. So, to step into this metallic piece of junk worth more than a year of her rent, in the company of a known crime lord, and let her take her wherever... It was reckless and stupid. She could steal the very last thing of worth still on her body; Soot's pokéball. Mindo clenched her jaws, rubbing her thumb over the ball in her jacket. What choice did she have?

As she sat down, the luxurious leather felt plush and comfortable against her back. She had to try her best to keep her expression in check, as to not let the disgust she felt shine through. In the silence that stretched on for a cruelly long time, she wondered just how she could ruin this metallic piece of junk. She despised it. Just like she hated all the rich. They spent their money just to spend it, to flaunt it in others' faces, for no other reason than to show that they're different. They're special, and better than you. And for Kaye to do the same, when she likely had been just where Mindo was right now... Arceus how she wished to rub her bloodied hands and dirty soles against this very leather. But she had a feeling Kaye would shoot her on the spot, so she didn't.

Instead, she tried to focus on anything else than this festering silence that hung thick and heavy between them. She knew Kaye was doing it on purpose. And still, it had the desired effect. Mindo sat rigid and uncomfortable, her hands aching to turn on the radio. To speak; ask a question; to do anything to break this silence. But instead, they stopped at a red light, the motor quieting down as well, leaving them with nothing but the hushed sounds from outside. Mindo pressed her hands so roughly against the pokeball in her pocketthat it started to hurt.

The light flickered green. She could breathe again.

Another turn, and they stopped. Mindo didn't wait for Kaye to open her door, eager to escape that confined hellhole of a car. Once outside, though, she found the outlining of a house, lit up by a streetlight. Her frows burrowed. She'd half expected Kaye to take her to an abandoned warehouse, or an alley; anything dark and shady looking. But this, this place seemed rather nice. Had she taken her to her home?. Mindo decided not to ask, instead, she stood outside and gave the woman a questioning look.







Character sheet
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Nickname: x
Age: 23
Birthday: Sep 30th
Occupation: unemployed
Sexuality: Confused
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