Painting with Luci

[Luci]

Luci grins as she teases the over-serious soul-searcher. She paints a long brown branch underneath the chameleon, and steps back, kind of framing the picture with her fingers.

"What do you see?" Luci asks.

"A Dreamer," remarks the Sage.

Luci looks up quickly at the sound of a foot connecting with an aerosol can. She tenses as she takes in the newcomer, his slick suit and warm smile failing to conceal the sharp, angular features of Kuzuru of the Ashen Blades.

Her big gold eyes find the Sage's deep green, and a mutual emotion is shared; caution.

Kuzuru picks up a can, and Luci lets her eyes return to her painting, turning the chameleons branch into the top of a bay window.

Luci takes note of the thick yellow smiley face the bounty hunter leaves on the wall, but continues her painting.

She hears Kuzuru introduce himself, and hears the Sage respond politely.

"Well met, fellow Astralnaut," says the Sage.

"Are you sure he's not a vision?" teases Luci, turning her attention away from her window and onto Kuzuru smiley face.

"No," answers the Sage seriously.

If Kuzuru was confused, he was very polite about it.

"I'm not sure I caught your name," Kazura says, smiling at the Sage.

"Well, I'm quite sure I didn't give it," says the Sage pleasantly.

The two men smile at each other for a moment.

"I think it is a very nice portrait," says Luci as she crouches down to make a similar yellow smiley face.

Kuzuru stares idly at the Sage, his head cocked to the side. "I should like to kill you some day," he muses.

Luci swirls the yellow eyes with her fingers until they shine brightly.

"Oh, perhaps you will," the Sage responds. "I'm sure if we were ever to enter combat, death would be the only possible outcome."

Luci paints a thin line of blue at the borders of the face, then smears it into the yellow, creating a light green that she uses to fill in the face.

Kuzuru sneers politely. "You think you would kill me?" he asks with genuine interest.

Luci paints a pair of thick eyebrows and a large, square nose.

The Sage sighs and says, "I hope never to find out."

Luci paints a bright scarf around the portrait's mouth.

Kasura shrugs. "Hiro Protagonist considers you the toughest bounty of all time," he comments.

Luci paints a dark green hat going over the forehead.

The Sage chuckles. "Well, I don't think it's a contest," he says humbly.

"Done," says Luci, taking a step back. After a tense moment, the two men stop staring at each other and turn their attention to the portrait.




"Does he look familiar?" she asks the bounty-hunter.

"Hmm," says Kuzuru sarcastically. "Doesn't ring any bells. Oh wait, could it be?"

Kuzuru lashes out at the portrait with a series of lightning fast sword slashes, leaving deep cuts in the stone wall. After a moment, the gashes in Ballad's face begin to bleed, and the light fades form his eyes.

"Yep, I remember now!" he says happily as he sheathes his sword.

The bounty-hunter grins at the gangster. The gangster stares calmly back.

"I'm asleep at 76 West Hover Avenue on Teir-5," she tells him unflinchingly. "I have a very busy today tomorrow, but you can come kill me around 3:30 if you like, I will be home and the Deathblades will be at soccer practice. Although if you want to stop by at three, Princess Hellstab is hosting a tea-party, and I'm sure all the Deathblades would be be thrilled to meet you. They are very big fans, you know."