[hr][center][h2][b]N i k k i[/b][/h2][color=808B96]Sculpture Copse and the Fall[/color][/center]
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Nikki pulled the papers away from her face with a noise of protest.  She wasn't a trash can!  She ran her eye over it before setting it aside.  Surprising he wasn't from the downed plane, but before she could ask further questions, he suddenly shouted at the papers, and then started trying to gather them back up.  [i]Make up your mind, kid,[/i] she thought, but she did what she could to grab the ones near her and pass them back.

Xell's comment got a raised eyebrow.  "I didn't draw it," she said, letting the last bunch of papers go when the kid didn't bother to take them.  She looked up to see Taffy joining them, with a reminder that it was getting late.  She nodded assent, glancing back at the troubled kid one more time but deciding to let him be.  If he didn't want to talk, he didn't have to.

As they continued on, she caught Xell passing the kid -- Yonath, the paper said his name was -- a drink.  He was underage, but that hardly bothered Nikki.  She'd had her first drink even younger, and maybe it'd help.  God knew he looked like he needed it.

When Xell split off, she trailed behind, partially out of curiosity, partly to make sure he didn't get lost.  He really wasn't looking so good.  He ended up staring into a fractured mirror, and she couldn't help but crack a joke.  When he met her eyes, though, the laughter faded.  "Hey, you feeling alright?" she asked.  "You seem...Iunno."  She waved a hand.  "C'mon, let's get back with the others.  Hopefully it's not too much further to Taffy's uncle's place, yeah?"

Of course the spicati pilot was going to be an ass about it.  "Yanno, if you don't wanna stick with us, you can just go off on your own, neh?" Nikki pointed out.  Sure, she'd prefer to stick together, but if he had such a beef about them, goodbye and good riddance.  "I'd've thought someone just off a wrecked plane would be glad of a hand and a place to stay for the night, but nobody's making you come."

With a lash of her tail, Nikki turned away, not interested in discussing it further.  Taffy said they were all welcome, and that was that.  She was just in time to see Xell drop.

"Hey, Xell?  Xell!"  She was glad to see his eyes crack open again, even if they were oddly reddish.  When he plunged off the trail she watched him go, taken aback.

...Only for him block the way forward, looking like he might just draw a knife on them.

[i]Really?[/i]

[i]Mush-brained druggies, man,[/i] she thought to herself, glancing around for a good angle.  [i]How is anything worth this kind of pain if you don't get a fix?[/i]  "Man, you really are a mess, aren't you?" she said softly.  She felt bad for him, but all the same, if the knife came out she wouldn't hesitate to tackle him.