It must have been destiny that brought the two together. Destiny that brought him to East Mistral that day. Destiny that small fingers were so sticky and that his lighter was so shiny against the black of his gloves; even when he was young he had the bad habit and the craving for the smoke in his throat.
Neo could feel it welling up in her chest as she sat, thinking about the day they met always made her feel so empty.
Cue the rags, the way her jeans were always too big no matter how much rope she used to tie them around her frame. Cue the bare feet that ached from always walking on toes, trying to stay silent. Neo could even remember the way that he struck a cold in her despite the sweltering heat that come from the sun upon her shoulders.
She trailed him all day, her heart pounding in her ears and her eyes a pale white. He looked like a man from money. The moment she found him alone she struck quick, hand in and out of his pocket as fast as she could before she stepped back. If only he wasn't faster.
His gloves were so rough around her wrist, and she felt her heart drop from her ears to the pit of her stomach. "You can't the upper-hand on a professional sweetheart." Neo could even hear the creak his glove made as Roman tightened his grip around his cane, and the way the metal sounded as it dragged across the pavement.
But even more, she remembered the scene after, as if it had happened yesterday.
The shift of her feet, the way it felt as she left her double, even the groan as her double shattered as she leaned against the brick, dizzy from the movement. Her semblance was always with her, but she could never get used to how much of her it kept in that double. From her balance to her breath, the doubles were easier to create with practice, but still took everything from her.
Everything.
Neo even allowed a gasp to come from thin lips as she realized she had left the lighter behind. An entire day's work gone in a moment. The poly-chrome girl settled back on her heels as she sat, trying to keep the burning in her throat from developing any further.
The Tiny girl jumped as she heard the voice again. "That's a pretty neat trick you know, the whole disappearing act." As she connected the voice to the face the first thing she noticed was vibrant green eyes, the second being his smile. "You got real potential, we should team up; you might learn something." Even the way he spoke held the condescending tone that his smile carried.
Neo was quick to reach for something, anything, just in case the situation turned out like the last time she was caught and cornered. No condition to work if she was covered in bruises. Great, the only thing she could find was a stick; at least it was something.
"Come on now kid, you've gotta be smarter then that, if i really wanted to hurt you i would have by now." The smile was plastered on his face, and she wanted it gone.
"You got a real name?" The taller man leaned against his cane, awaiting an answer, but neo just stared, scanning his face for any sign of deceit.
She gripped the stick in her right hand, carefully scrawling into the dirt.
Neo Politan