Could you exchange pleasantries with people who just committed murder in front of your very eyes and in your establishment? Sure, why not? There was little if anything left of the person who had been so indefinably rude to the trio of mutants.

In fact, it all seemed like a kind of dream. Kai knew that it had actually happened. He did. But it didn't feel real; there was no blood, no screams. On his part, his actions had been in self defense and instinctual. Actually, that part was a little hazy in his head. He had two accounts of what happened overlapping in his head and it felt like the didn't quite line up. Kai felt kind of dizzy trying to sort things out, so it was easier to move past the whole episode for now and process it later.


>>"I believe the term is femme fatal." One of the girls answered in response to his query. The other introduced herself as “Petunia Gardner.” But both of the smiled at him. Not really very friendly, happy smiles. Which, considering the circumstances under which they were meeting, was probably appropriate.

Kai gave them his own reassuring smile- he, at least, was a non-threat to them.

>>"Now now, be nice to our friend here. After all. I think he’ sort of cute and my friends things he smells good. My bugs are right by the way. you do smell quite awesome."

“Umm... thank you,” he mumbled, mildly uncomfortable, “It's the nectar from being around the flowers all day.” How does one respond to someone smelling them? Petunia was odd, but she defended him to the Scary One.

Moral compass still spinning wildly, Kai fell back on formality, asking about the family Petunia had mentioned previously, “You have a brother?” And maybe a little less politely, “Is he a mutant, too? Do you have family?” He asked the other mutant girl. Kai latched onto the only real topic offered by the two to keep talking. Because if you talk about unrelated things, you don't think about unpleasant things. And murder counted as unpleasant.

Oops... There goes 'not thinking about it'. Kai felt the blood run to his head. He blushed at the awkward situation and in response to his own discomfort. The only thing left for him to do was pray that they didn't notice or would forgive his poor social graces. The last thing he wanted to do was provoke two powerful mutants with abilities seemingly perfectly matched to be devastating to his own.

Lori was giving Petunia the benefit of the doubt when it came to the bugs. She wasn't about to cuddle up to them, especially when she'd just seen what they could do. And she sure as heck wasn't going to watch them mulch the one who had attempted to damage her person. Nope. She had enough of an imagination to take care of the nitty gritty details in that department.

"Lauren Frost, you can call me Laurrie." It was the little things in life that made one happy. Like lying. Killing. Making friends. Driving them away. That circle of life business was all very... well, cyclical.

Flopsy plant man was back into non-threat mode. That was fine by Lori. Things were honestly wrapping up here, her good deed done for the day with help from several hundred hungry writhing bugs. She hazarded a glance over her shoulder at what was once a man and regretted it. So much for not looking at it.

'Tuny was taking care of the pleasantries with plant man, and Lori found herself rather bored. There wasn't a lot to keep her here, she'd come for a friend, but honestly she didn't feel like watching another plant wither and die no matter what she tried. Perhaps this was just one of those life lessons -- stick to murder and let the gardeners garden. Well, lesson learned.

Lori stood and stretched, she was about to make some excuse when Kai dropped a bomb of a question on her. "Do you have family?” It sounded sincere and like he thought the topic might be neutral territory. Mistake. "I used to have family... they're dead now." That wasn't exactly true. In fact, it wasn't true at all, but it might as well have been for all that she saw them these days. Lori brushed her hair back over her shoulder as she started toward the door.

"I'll see you around, gardeners. Have fun with the new mulch." The door bell jingled. Her good deed was done for the day. Now it was time to go be bad to even it all out again.