Black sheep

[Hunk]

Some things never change.

He walked in, grunting a quick apology as he squeezed through the front door.

Ok, some things change. He was a little heavier now. A little softer. A little more "plump."

Actually, let's not mince words: the man was fat; obscenely so. His body, always large but previously well toned, now hung in rolling waves over his belt. Simply walking to the nearest bar stool was an effort and sweat was pouring down his face. Gingerly, he settled his bulk down.

*CRAAAACK*

With an impact that measured around a 4 on the Richter Scale, he fell to the ground. Annoyed patrons looked up from their spilled drinks and disturbed meals as the man sheepishly regained his feet. He moved greasy strings of unkempt hair back behind his ear as he gathered the shattered remains of his dignity.

"Your stool's broken," he said, simply, secretly suspecting that the whole thing had been a set-up meant to humiliate him. He retreated off to a corner booth that looked a little more promising and motioned for the waitress to come over.

The only positive thing was, in his current state, and with the 3 days growth of facial hair, no one would recognize him

[Okashi Zutto]

Being on of the patrons who looked at the, well, man would be an inappropreate word, man and who had almost fallen out of her seat, Okashi looked at Hunk and various little mental calculations went on in her head.

Judging by his weight, height, and age.....Hmmmm. Okashi's fingers started to tap the top of the bar, as she figured out, from everything her parents (who happened, while they where among the living, were very good doctors) had taught her about the human body, how long this man could live if he kept his weight.


"About 3 Cycles, at most." She didn't realize she had spoken outloud, and when she did, she hoped the man didn't hear her.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

The guard opened the door for Jacali Danner as she worked the metal braces on her legs and her crutches to get into the B&G. It was her first time back since she'd been allowed to leave the rehab floor at Coruscant Medical.

"Thanks, Tom." She smiled at one of the guards.

"It's good to see ya back, Jacali." He answered back with a wink and a bright smile on his face.

"It's good to be..."

*CRAAAACK*

The two of them looked over just in time to see the man fall to the ground.

"Oh, dear." She gasped as she looked away so not to embarrass the poor man anymore.

"There went that stool." Tom smirked.

Jacali frowned at him. "Tom, you should know better." By the time, she looked back the man had slipped into a back booth.

"I'll talk to you later." She told him as she headed over to his booth, her leg braces clicking away with every step she took. Her arms and shoulders were definitely getting a good workout with the crutches, at which she would be more than willing to toss aside. One day.

She could feel the stares burning into her as she passed several tables and just kept going.

Finally, she reached his table and stopped. "Hi," she spoke shyly with a smile. "Mind if I have a seat? Looks like you could use some company and I could use a rest and some refreshment."

[Hunk]

Oh great, a woman. What did she want? Money probably. Compliments, definitely. Of course the old him would have lavished the latter on her like it was going out of style.

Of course, that was when he still cared.

"It's a free country," he said, not looking up. "Sit wherever you want."

Still, she was pretty. Nice face (his gazed moved down), nice...(he quickly turned his gaze down further, not wanting to be caught), nice legs. The legs, what was that, a brace? He hadn't noticed when she had walked over. A small part of him, the part that used to care about people, the part that remembered the years spent training to be a healer and a jedi was curious. Besides, she was right, he could use the company.

"So, uh, what's with the brace?" he quipped, pulling his fleshy jowels into the semblence of a smile.

[imported_Jacali Danner]

She'd have to start getting used to it, there was no way around it, the braces on her legs stood out like a sore thumb.

Carefully, she sat down across from him and placed her crutches on the floor beside her out of the way of tripping anyone.

"I...uh...had a spinal injury a while back and both my legs were effected by it, hopefully one day I won't be needing these braces or the crutches for that matter." Her thoughts rendered back to that dreadful day of being plowed into by that drunken speeder.

"I guess, I'm lucky to be alive." She said absentmindedly as the waitress came over.

"Good to see ya back, Jacali." She smiled. "We were all so worried about you when we heard what happened. We came by while you were in the ICU, don't know if you remember."

"Yeah," she smiled. "I remember, Macie. After I was conscious."

"Well, came by while you were unconscious too. Tom was really worried about ya, he was here the day you were hit. Whatcha gonna have?"

"Ice water, please."

Macie looked at the man across from her. "And Sir, what can I get for you?"

[Hunk]

Well, what would it be, water or...

He reached into his pocket and drew out his remaining coins. Ah, excellent, just enough.

"Vodka and orange juice, please. Three of em."

He turned back to the woman across from him. As long as she seemed determined to stay, he may as well make with the small talk. "Hi, I'm Hamilton. And you are? And what do you do for a living?"

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali smiled gently as Hamilton made his order and Macie quickly walked off.

"My name is Jacali Danner, it's nice to meet you, Hamilton. And as as far as what I do for a living I'm a Padawan, but for now I'm trying to get back on my feet, literally and not doing too bad so far. I just wish it would hurry along. How about you, what do you do?"

[Hunk]

Padawan?

The word sobered him up like a sledgehammer blow across the face. Suddenly, the questions came. Did he know her? Did she know him? Where in the city was he? Of all the places to stumble into, certainly this couldn't be...

He did a sweep of the room, reaching out with force powers that hadn't been used in many months. She wasn't the only force sensitive patron in here--the place was crawling with them. Gah! Of all the stupid things to do he had to walk in here. He was about to make a hasty retreat when he remembered the drinks. Did he pay for them already? He didn't remember giving the waitress the coins, but he didn't see them anywhere, he must have.

Oh well, after the drinks he'd leave.

He realised she was looking at him, as if expecting some sort of answer. Had she asked a question? His senses were muddled. Where was that waitress? He needed some drinks to clear his mind.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?"

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali gave him a strange look. He seemed a bit lost or out of place. He hadn't heard a word she'd said. Oh, well that wasn't surprising, nobody took notice to her anymore besides noticing the braces.

Was that all her life was coming down too, these stupid braces? When and how she would finally get them off, the constant questions of how they got there in the first place....

She saved a little boy....saved him from certain death. Her life had once been full of enthusiam and happiness. She often couldn't find it now, but she tried, even when it seemed no where around.

Hamilton could almost be in the same state she often found herself, lost and alone. But, she was rarely alone, her friends were always there and as was her master. But, still they didn't understand quite what was going through her mind, so she still felt really alone in more cases than one.

"I wasn't saying anything, Hamilton." She said Macie brought back their drinks and left them alone.

Jacali was more than happy to have received her drink, if anything she could hide behind it. She took a drink, it's icyness soothed her. She sadly thought, if coming over to this man had been such a good idea at all....

[Hunk]

He downed the first two shots quickly, exhaling sharply after the second as the burning liquid splashed down his throat. Mmm, he really needed that.

The last, he looked at, almost like he was looking for the last time at a friend who was going away. He raised it, and gave the girl a melancholy smile.

"To the last of my money, and, probably the last of my fun." And with that, he threw his head back and swallowed what really was the last of his money. His reason for being here gone, he squeezed himself out from behind the table and gave an awkward bow.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Jacali, but I really must be going. Good day."

And just like that, he was gone

[imported_Jacali Danner]

That was the strangest conversation she'd ever had and a short one at that. She sighed and shook her head as he walked out the door.

There was no way she could go after him, he would've been disappeared before she even got to the door. But, oh well...

Life went on...and on....and on.....

[Okashi Zutto]

Before the man could make it through the door, Okashi was standing in his way. After seeing his talk with the young woman in the braces, and his choices of drinks, she had decided to do something

"Excuse me sir, but your not leaving until I'm letting you leave." She spoke in the tones of one talking to a misbheaving child, or a nurse to a patient who wanted to leave their bed before they where fully healthy. She then spread her arms out, in an attempt to block the doorway.

[Hunk]

He looked down at the little string bean of a kid. Was this a joke? She'd better be careful or he might end up accidentally crushing her.

"Move it, kid. I don't have any candy for you."

Stepping to move past her, he shoved the side of her head with surprising force. This place was quickly becoming some place he didn't want to be.

[Okashi Zutto]

"I DON'T want any......" But she was cut off by the 'push' to her head, which caused to fall down. She was used to stuff like that, getting pushed away by those she was trying to help, but that was in the slums where people thought you wanted something if you cared too much, and thus fought you with every bit of their being. But this, this, MAN, should know better.

She couldn't help it, and she did something she would never had done had Hunk been a sick man in the slums, she started to scream.

"FINE I DON'T CARE! WHEN YOU DIE FROM YOUR HEART NOT WANTING TO WORK ANYMORE, IN A GUTTER, I WON'T HELP MOURN! IN FACT I HOPE THE RATS EAT YOUR FAT BLOATED CORSPE!" Her voice had gone up about three decibles, so she sounded more like she was screeching then screaming, and she had started, for some reason, to cry.

[Hunk]

He looked back over his shoulder before heading out the door.

"Well, kid, at least we agree on something. I don't care either."

He tripped over some invisible obstacle.

"But, hey, at least the rats'll get a good meal, eh?"

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali had just turned around and saw Hamilton push the young girl down.

What was this guy thinking? He may have been in a bad mood, but there was no reason for that!

Grabbing her crutches she headed their way as the young girl started yelling and then crying.

"Hamilton!" Jacali yelled as she hobbled over to them. "There was no sense in that! I don't care who you are!"

[Hunk]

Damnit. Would he ever be able to just leave this damn place in peace?

"There it is again, 'I don't care'," he said, not bothering to turn around. "Listen, lady, I don't care either. So save your pity, save your righteous anger. It doesn't do anything in the end."

"For what its worth, though, I'm sorry, kid. I didn't mean to knock you down."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

"You think I'm pitying you??? I think, you need to take a look around. I only pity those who rightfully deserve it and from the looks, you don't. Anyone can hide from their real fears, but only the strong ones can overcome it. I thought you were strong, I guess I was wrong."

She looked down at the girl on the floor. "Are you alright, Miss?"

[Okashi Zutto]

Originally posted by Hunk

"For what its worth, though, I'm sorry, kid. I didn't mean to knock you down."

"No, I'm not accepting the apology of some, some........Lost cause!" Okashi stood up, and stared at Hamilton's back.

"I'm just doing what is right, trying to help, that's what Jedi do! They don't pity, or hate or other stuff like that!
And I don't pity people! You learn how to drop pity when you live in the slums, because no one wants it, or gives it." She was breathing heavily, as she always did when she got upset, and usually if someone who knew he well was here they'd try to calm her down, but that wasn't the case. This Hamilton, guy was going to get a piece of her mind, even if it meant feeling bad about it later.

She looked at Jacali, "I'm fine, and it's Okashi, not miss."

[Hunk]

"Whatever. Save it for someone else."

And, with that, he disappeared back into the city

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali shook her head again. This was her first confrontation since being back out in the 'real' world.

"Let him go, Okashi. He's not listening anyway." She said in a more gentler tone. "Care for a drink, it seems we both could use one. I'm Jacali Danner, it's nice to meet you, though I wish in better circumstances."

[Okashi Zutto]

Still abit angry, more at herself than at Hamilton, she just nodded.

"Yeah, same here. I hate not being able to help when someone is sick, that's just how I was raised." She wiped at her face with her arm, and smiled at Jacali.

"Sure a drink would be great, Jacali, I'll pay if it's okay with you."

[imported_Jacali Danner]

Jacali smiled and nodded. "Alright, only if I can get the second round. Who knows, maybe the guy will come to his senses on his own and return to apologize. Would be nice, but I won't hold my breath."

Jacali turned herself around and headed back to the table at which she came from, her braces clicking away.

With a deep breath, she sat back down and carefully put her crutches back on the floor out of the way.