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	‘If by Chilli you mean a vicious little winged vermin that rips your skin off with its fucking razor sharp claws while screaming like a demon and breathing ice… then yeah, I did indeed encounter one of those.’ 

Amber snorted, body jiggling and twisting a little as she tried to refrain from laughing hard.  

She said, ‘You say that like you’ve never seen one before.’ 

‘I haven’t,’ Jack told her straight, ‘similar things, maybe, actually some pretty crazy shit, but never one of these.’ 

‘Well at least you survived, that’s a bonus, right? Most people aren’t lucky enough to actually interact with one, most they can hope for is seeing one pass by or something. Count yourself luck.’

He lowered his brow, finding her words peculiar. 

She thought for a moment before saying, ‘You act like you have never even heard of one before.’ 

‘I haven’t.’ 

‘Wait…’ said Amber, body twisting now out of strong curiosity instead of amusement, ‘How could you have never heard of one before?’

He stared quietly at her. 

‘That’s weird,’ she said, ‘everyone knows about Chilli’s. They’ve been around for... for, since before people have. Some of the most famous literature was written about them. Never hearing of a Chilli before is like not knowing what an Aminje is.’ 

‘A what?’ He asked her. 

She pushed back in her seat again, this time with a screwing up of her nose, as if picking up on a foul scent she wanted to distance herself from. 

‘Are you teasing me?’ She asked. 

‘No.’ Jack replied. He pushed his mug aside as though readying himself for a serious conversation. He coupled his hands together on the table. 

‘Where are you from, Jack?’ 

‘A very long way away from h –‘

‘No!’ She cut him off. ‘You said that already. Give me a name. I want you to tell me [i]where[/i] you’re from.’  She paused. ‘Please.’