Another Mercenary Among Merchants

[Felypsa]

Grandma looked over at Taro, seeing the cold light in his eyes. For a moment, she worried for his eternal soul; a conscienceless killer had no place in paradise. But she decided a moment later that she did not care. He chose his own path, and now she could take advantage of it. There are innocents whose lives I must save from that vile vampire, she thought. I must prevent tragic deaths like that of my husband. And this is the only way to ensure that the job gets done.

“Taro,” she said, her voice level. She abandoned the tea at his request and sat down at the little table opposite him. It was a strange picture: a huge giant of a man sitting across from a little old woman. But she possessed a demeanor as cold as Taro’s. “I would like to believe that what you are telling me is truth and not boasts nor hyped-up fiction. If indeed you can do what you say, I shall gladly hire you. Name your price.”

On the couch in the next room, Rosaline stirred and awoke, breathing heavily. She could not remember her nightmares, only that they had frightened her considerably. But she did not get up. She lay still and listened to the conversation in the kitchen. Not long had she been listening when she realized that her grandmother was organizing a deal with the giant man—a mercenary—to kill Fortuné. And maybe Zayn too. Rosaline shuddered and kept listening. Even now, despite all that had happened, despite her great fear of Fortuné, she did not want them to die.



That Fortuné would get angry at her was not something December expected. She got angry, in turn, that he could compare them so easily. In her view, they were entirely different. “I do not like to be closeminded,” she said, keeping her voice steady, “but perhaps you haven’t noticed that my kind and yours are eternal enemies.”

As if to prove her point, she whipped out Seraphim, which glowed brightly even in the dim light. She expected Fortuné to shrink from it as he had done in the past. “I am of light, and you are of dark. I am one of the seraphim, and you are one of the creatures of the night. Our two types have waged war since the beginning of time. And while you and I, as individuals, are not waging war against each other, our kinds are incompatible.”

She sheathed Seraphim, her anger cooling. When she spoke again, her voice was ringed with sympathy. “I do not understand your feelings for me, but I suppose I do not need to. I am sorry, Fortuné, but this kind of emotion is not something I have ever experienced. I do not mean to hurt you, for you are my friend if nothing else. But while you have lived for centuries, my existence—and, consequently, my experience—has been short. I have not fully grown yet, Fortuné. You may have, but I am still maturing. This kind of thing is not something I am ready for.”

December then observed him rubbing his eyes and remarked, “But enough of this talk. I am relieved to see that Rosaline has done no harm to either you or your brother, and I am keeping you from your much-deserved rest.” Her voice grew soft and almost tender. “Farewell, Fortuné. For now.” She turned away from him as he had done, and began to walk down the stairs. Her thoughts had become anxious. I should find Taro again. I fear he has decided to take the job…he is a mercenary, after all. As am I, I suppose.

[Aveilthé]

OOC: I guess I'll keep posting until you're ready to jump in, Z. ^^;

"Oh please, ma'am," said he lightly, waving his hand airily,
chortling some. "I dun mean it like dat. But yuh, I'll get da job done
like I says. S'matter of fact, I brought a resume if ya wanna see it."
Beady eyes watched the old lady calmly, respecting her status as
an elderly lady. He did, however, narrow his eyes, not necessarily
at her, but at the thought of the boodles of money he could get
out of her. He reached into his back pocket of his dark baggy pants
and procured a white peace of scroll. He layed it out flat and gave
it to the elderly lady with care, that is, if she wanted to look at it.

"I dun ask fer much, but p'haps s'much as you asked for n' yer
posters," he said mildly, rubbing his tanned chin all the while.

Dog, in the meantime, seemed to have been momentarily
forgotten. Outside of the cottage, it was lying upon the dark
mats, whimpering for Taro.

December's anger wasn't unexpected to Fortuné. As a matter of
fact, he wanted to see her angry, and thus there would appear
to be an auspicious smirk over his attractive features. Before he
could speak, however, December had unsheathed her holy sword
and brandished it before the vampire. This stimulated a violent
response from Fortuné. Jerking away his head, he fell away from
the bright light, yelping as if he had been kicked in the face.

"We are still a thing of legend," he replied, breathing hard and
shielding his eyes from the light as he crouched like a child in a
a dark corner of the staircase. "You are wrong!" he called after her
as she left. "Just because our kin had faught against one another
does not mean two different worlds cannot love!"

[Felypsa]

“I do not need—” the grandma began, but she accepted the scroll as Taro held it out to her. She had better not make a mistake; this was vengeance for her beloved husband’s most unnatural death. She still had sharp eyes for one of her age, and she glanced over the mercenary’s credentials in a matter of seconds. Handing it back to Taro, she said, “I could not have asked for a more qualified person for this job. I will gladly part with the coins I stated on my posters for such a person as you.” She paused thoughtfully, for the reward was substantial, even steep, and there was still Rosaline to think about. It perhaps would not be wise to give so much money away at once. “I will give you half in advance, and you will get the rest of it when you have finished the task,” she said at last. Let the bargaining and haggling begin.

Rosaline had heard enough. She slowly eased herself off the couch, feeling a little faint but otherwise healthy. She needed some fresh air to absorb what she had just learned. She quietly left the house so that neither Grandma nor Taro would notice. Once outside, she observed Taro’s Dog, and smiled. She was about to pet him until she thought of all the fleas he must have, so she just waved to him and move on. She sighed and looked out at the center of Escavas. Briefly she thought she saw an urchin girl run by, but she dismissed it. Urchins were always out and about trying to survive, the dirty little kids. Rosaline massaged her temples, trying to figure out what she had to do now. Should she let Grandma kill Fortuné and possibly Zayn? Should she hurry to Father Hyde and try to get him to exorcise Fortuné, regardless of what Fortuné said? Do nothing or do something? Rosaline couldn’t decide.



December heard Fortuné’s words, but did not answer. She would not have thought of a decent reply to that, anyhow. She hurried down the stairs and out of the house. Imi was not with her, but she did not worry. Imi would find her when she pleased. Right now, December had to check up on Taro. She feared he had gone to the poster-maker and taken the job. If he had, what should she do to dissuade him? There were few jobs for mercenaries in this city of merchants, and even fewer that would pay as well as the poster promised. If December had not had emotional investments in the person she was supposed to kill (meaning friendship only, of course), she would have taken the job in a heartbeat.

She found the nearest poster and memorized the address. What she was going to say to Taro, she was not sure; perhaps the inspiration would come to her. She hurried through the crowded streets of Escavas, looking for this one address. Without Imi by her side, she felt terribly alone, but she shoved that loneliness out of her mind. She was a mercenary; she was meant to be alone. It was not a bad thing.

Right?

[Aveilthé]

OOC: Scruffy men are sexy. Bwah. Oh, and I read somewhere that real men wears fluffy shirts. >___> *Thinks of Matt*

Taro paused as he took back his resume, looking off to the lady's
many windows that showed the sea. He did not exactly understand
Escavan money, but he knew that even 250,000 Es's was a
helluva lot of money anyway.

"I'll take 200,000 off yer hands, 'stead of 250," said he, ready
to bargain also.

Fortuné sat huddled in the dark like a cold child, and sniffled.
Slowly, he stood up, stumbled some due to dizziness from
December's magnificent sword. He found that from the fall his
hair came undone, and there were locks of dark brown hair
falling about his face, making him look oddly older and perhaps
even more scruffier and handsome. Not caring in the slightest,
he turned away from that terrible moment and moved along down
furtively, very much glad that it was dark so that nothing could
see the unmanly tears on his face.

It didn't take long for him to reach the abode that belonged to
his brother's. With that, he called out to him.

[Relairah]

Bare, calloused feet carried this young girl swiftly along through
the city of Escavas. She was heading back in the dirrection of the
vampire's house... though she had only recently been able to
actually learn much about it... in hopes of finding December along
the way. As she darted by, hardly caring at this point if she were
seen or not, people in the market began to chase after her,
yelling threats and throwing different things at her.

One man who she tended to steal from quite a lot for his fruits
stepped away from his stand, telling his customers he'd be back
momentarily. He rolled up his long, puffy white sleeves and
looked around momentarily. He moved toward a friend of his,
working a different stand and whispered something in his ear.
The man dashed off aways and soon came back. "Where, Burt?"
he murmered, yet his question was soon answered as Jolene ran
by in a haste. The one called Burt smirked slightly and turned
toward a guard who was nearby. "See tha' girl? Damn, urchin...
she's th' one I 'as tellin' you 'bout th' otha' day." He spoke with a
thick accent, and not a moment later was the guard moving after
Jolene. He made different signals with his hands for other guards
that were a bit further down, and the chase was on.

It didn't take long for the girl to figure out she was being
followed and a frown adorned her lips. "Shit..." she muttered
under her breath. "I should've known... why didn't I think? The
one time it really matters that I do something, that's the day I
get chased down like some animal." She spoke with herself, not
noticing it and she glanced around at the angry people following
her. "I'll have to lose them," she muttered, moaning in frustration
to herself. She whisked around a corner and into an alley, bright
orange eyes glancing for an easy escape. She slipped behind a
pile of old crates that were full of old food and worthless things.
She ignored the stench and waited, letting her breath calm
slightly before she looked up. 'A, windows.. perfect...'

She bit her lip, before moving away from the crates, bending
slightly and leaping upward, grabbing the bottom of the place in
the wall where it was cut out for the window. She grinned, and
swung upward easily. "Ha, once again I escape," she thought
proudly. Swinging up again it didn't take much to reach the roof
where she slipped down a different side of the building and
snuck into the shadows. Only her orange eyes could give her
away now.

She paused, listening, forcing herself to breathe softly. And as
she did so, she realized she could hear the footsteps on the
ground that neared the alley she had only just disappeared from.
She counted the minutes in her mind before she heard the
footsteps stop, and she heard the voices of the confused guards.
She could hear their footsteps as they moved into the alleyway,
and she could guess they were looking for her. "Damn, that's our
luck..." a man's gruff voice muttered.

She grinned to herself, yet didn't leave there immediately. She
hadn't ever really noticed before that she could hear that well.
She could hear the loud clamor of the market, of the people in
the building she stood against, and she wondered... As she
moved away, once again moving in Zayn and Fortuné's dirrection,
she had that thought on her mind, along with December. Why
hadn't she noticed before? With this on her mind, she didn't pay
attention as much on where she was going and whether she
noticed or not, she was swiftly approaching December, and if
December didn't notice... there was bound to be a rough collision
of the two.

[Mama Z]

His hand been hovering over the keys of the ancient looking thing for sometime. The sudden mood to play had fled him, leaving him sitting at the keyboard like a child who had barely seen it for the first time and not sure what to do with it. The keys were a faded yellow, and some had a very fine layer of dust. Fingers folded in on themselves, cracking just slightly. He had no clue what was happening between Fortune and December, but he had an idea of where it would lead. Two different however similar beings coming close. One was a dreamer, his brother, the other was a lost soul trying to find a way, December. One was more alive then the other, physically. Yet, both had a long way to go.

He took in a breath and released it with a sigh. Why was this beating down upon his mind? Concern for his brother? A realization of how stupid in love he was at one point? He felt it was a lot of both. One hand unfolded slightly and he rested his hand over the keys. This time, he pressed down on the keys one by one producing a one solitarie note at a time. It was a simple chromatic scale, but it helped his mind slightly, like a child hearing a lullabye. He continued to repitious pattern, thinking of past times. Times when he was younger, and learning what music was and striving for perfection to please those around him. Zayn heard the faint steps of his brother and his words, but made no move to stop. Instead he rested his other hand on the other set of keys, and began to move the duo in unison, adding more sound to the darkened room.

[Felypsa]

oOc| loooooong post x.x


The old woman narrowed her eyes, considering the deal. “150 now, 100 once you’ve completed the task and brought proof of the vampire’s demise,” she maintained. The total would be 250k Es’s, 50k more than Taro was asking right now, but he would lose 50k if he failed to bring back proper proof. Grandma was deadly serious about this task.

Outside, Rosaline overheard their bargaining and thought of something. The idea was so daring, it took her breath away. But she remembered the story of an evil queen who wanted to kill a young girl. The queen had ordered a hunter to kill her and bring her heart back as proof, but the hunter helped the girl escape and showed the queen a pig’s heart instead. If somehow Rosaline could sabotage the “proof”…she could help Fortuné get away yet still satisfy her grandmother’s vengeful heart.

All she needed to do was consult Taro. The giant mercenary was fierce, like December, and Rosaline shuddered with fear when she thought of him. He looked the type who could kill her without batting an eye. She thought of Fortuné’s deadly vampiric state, but thought she would rather be with him than with Taro. Still, she hung by the door, waiting for when he came out.



December hurried away from that house, but she could not run away from the deep, sonorous notes that echoed from it. Like sorrow and loneliness personified in music. She remembered the organ music she had first heard when she entered that house, and thought of Zayn. A true master to put his own pain into something beautiful and moving, she thought. She heard Zayn’s music, but all she could see was Fortuné’s eyes, full of emotion.

She finally pulled herself away from such images and rushed on, needing to get to Taro before he made the deal. She had roused herself not a moment too soon; for speeding before her, not noticing, was that urchin girl she thought she had left behind for good. December first felt surprise, then annoyance. Still, she stopped running and stood firm in Jolene’s path.

If Jolene continued to be unaware of her presence, December would hold out her arms to stop her in her tracks. “Be careful,” she warned gruffly. “Only bad things can happen to a daydreamer.” She then caught a glint off a weapon that was no ordinary knife and suddenly remembered the curious dagger they had found the night before. So Jolene still had it.

“Where are you off to in such a rush, anyhow?” December asked her, though she suspected the answer. Few passerby came this way. The manor that Zayn and Fortuné were staying in was well away from main Escavas. And a ragamuffin like Jolene, who lived and thrived in the streets, would find little out here. So she had to be going back to the vampires’ residence.

December waited for the girl to answer, but she was antsy. She kept imagining the worst; Taro, having pledged his honor to the task, stalking through Escavas with one simple purpose: to kill Fortuné, and Zayn too if he found him. She knew her mercenary friend would not stop to eat or rest until the task was done. He would question everyone he met relentlessly until he figured out where the vampires were hiding. And if he encountered December along the way, there would be no way she could dissuade him.

Unless he was promised more money to stop. But surely the reward was exorbitant, and December was penniless as it was. It seemed to be hopeless.

She could only hope that Taro hadn’t yet pledged himself to the task yet. It seemed a feeble and dim hope.

Zayn had his audience; a little mockingbird, her head tilted curiously to one side, drinking in the vampire’s masterful performance. It was hard to imagine that someone like Imi could relate to the loneliness played out in those melancholy notes. But the bird understood more than she perhaps let on. She was respectfully silent, seeming to understand that Zayn was sharing a significant piece of himself in the music he was playing. And it brought an image to her mind: a little girl lulled to sleep by her father’s enchanting violin music.

“No, what I love best,” Lotte said,
“is when I’m asleep in my bed,
And the Angel of Music sings songs in my head
The Angel of Music sings songs in my head…”

The little girl would slowly close her eyes, and the father would smile, and Imi would warble a sweet harmony with his beautiful tune. And when the little girl finally dropped off into sleep, the father would whisper, “Goodnight, Lotte,” and Imi would follow him out into the lonely night. He would talk to her, and she would chirp in respond, and he would understand her; he was one of the few humans whom she had allowed to understand her. And she was with him till the end of his sweet life, and would have been with his little daughter as she grew up too. But Imi was forced to return to her home in the drealm-realm, where she stayed until December found her.

It seemed to Imi that this music that Zayn was playing had an aura of that man’s daughter in it. It was greatly different, yes, but strangely reminiscent of young Lotte Engel. Why Imi made this association she did not know; all she knew that Zayn’s music reminded her of the human she had been attached to before December. The bird was older than she let on, for there had been many human companions in the past. The violinist Engel was only the last one prior to December.

Of course, Imi could say nothing of this to Zayn. She stayed silent, listening to his powerful music.

oOc| um, yeah. Lotte Engel = Christine Daaè. just to make that absolutely clear xD

[Aveilthé]

OOC: Everytime I hear that, 'Lotte'... I think of coffee. But yes, very emotional post there, makes me feel all jittery inside too. I feel ya, December. *Nods emotionably*

Rosaline is as dim as ever. At least she has an important role in this plot now. *Cackle*

"Sounds like a rippin' good time," Taro nodded, grinning grimly.
"Pleasure ter do business witchya." He'd thrust out his hand for
Vaux to shake before he'd stand up and walk heavily out, his large
boots thudding the house. Before the threshold, he'd turn around
and state indifferently, "you've nothin' ter fear, madam. I'll git
dat creature and bring 'im back alive if yuh want."

As soon as that was said, he crossed the threshold and greeted
the winter air. He almost didn't notice the blond girl, but turned
his head and let his dark beady eyes fall onto her's. "Well well,
Miss," said he, halting as he closed the door to the house behind
him. "Yer catcha death out her' if yuh stay out her' too long, yah
know. Too cold n' stuff."

As the despondent vampire crossed into his brother's domain, he
fell silent also. He felt too dejected to say anything more, so
instead he listened to the brilliant notes played by the magnificent
Zayn. Inspired, he felt his heart lighten considerably. Nearby,
an old, dusty violin lay upon a stand with it's bow on top.
Walking towards this, he'd pick it up gently, blowing the dust off
of it. It looked oddly familiar, and so old, so ancient, nothing like the
one he left back at his broken-down house so far from this
gloomy mansion.

He slid his finger across the strings of the violin, careful as to not
exude the oil from his hands onto the strings for that would ruin
them. They were fine, white horse hairs, and the wood itself
was dark and gleamed in polish since he had blown the dust off.
As he swiped dust particles gently from the neat rows of strings,
he'd place the end of the violin to his chin and whipped the bow
in arch and rested it on the strings. His fingers held onto the other
end of the bow, and with ease, he pressed a string down. He
slid his bow upward. A bittersweet note was then released, in
tune to Zayn's notes. It flowed in a clear, ringing tone. With it,
it manifested all the essence of his own life that would slowly
intermix with his brother's gloomy anthem and the bird's forlorn
cries.

[Felypsa]

Grandma Vaux nodded her head austerely, then shook Taro’s hand firmly when he offered it. “Such an evil being does not deserve a single breath more,” she said coldly. “He needs to be sent back to where he belongs, in the world of fire and brimstone. Bring me proof that he has indeed gone there, that is all I ask. Farewell.” She turned her back to the mercenary, already closing her eyes and letting grief take over.

Rosaline drew in her breath sharply when Taro encountered her. She was deathly afraid of him. He was so huge and frightening. “I’ll be fine,” she said faintly. “But, please, sir…are you going to kill F—the vampire that killed my grandfather?” She had nearly given away Fortuné’s name, which would surely have been disastrous.

[Aveilthé]

OOC: Fely and I are embarking on a duet sub-roleplay while we wait for everyone else to reply and whatnot... in case anyone was wondering. XD

Taro narrowed his beady eyes sharply at Rosaline, but veiled it
with a look of concern more for her wellbeing, as if he were
shaming her for being in the cold. He was a wily fellow, though not
smart in the fields of grammar and math, he possessed enough
wit to outsmart most people. Doesn't miss a trick; his older days
of being a mercenary taught him to always be sharp and quick-
witted. With Rosaline's caliginous demeanor, Taro had the
upperhand. He could have sworn that she had almost given him
the slip of some very important information about this vampire
he was supposed to hound out.

If Rosaline knew where this vampire lived, Taro would score
big without having to go out and investigate.

"No, I ain't gonna kill 'im," he stated slowly, watching Rosaline's
every move. "Can yuh tell meh where he lives? I wanna warn 'im
that there are others that're comin' out ter kill 'im." He paused for
a moment. "All dis is n' act, I onleh did dat ter yer... err, grandma
so I could see who else is after this creature's neck. 'Parrently
there's lots, so I wanna warn 'im meself."

[Felypsa]

Rosaline’s eyes widened as Taro spoke, and she did not know quite what to believe. On the one hand, she trusted her senses; she clearly heard the deal he’d made with her mother. On the other, if he spoke the truth, would that not be helpful to Fortuné? Oh, how desperately she wanted to believe Taro, but how strange it was! She was not quite willing to just give away Fortuné’s location; she would guard that information out of sheer jealousy, if nothing else. “Oh, I will warn him,” she said passionately. She was a fool; she was letting on that she did know him. But she did not think of this. “I am so glad to hear that you are not after him! For surely he’d die if you were. Thank you, sir, oh thank you! I will warn him now; your part is over now. God bless you!” She meant it sincerely.

And she turned away, knowing where she’d go. Now that she had more time, she wanted to talk to Father Hyde. Unaware that Taro might be following her, she headed for the cathedral in main Escavas.

[Mama Z]

Already he could feel his spirit become at ease as they played on together. His body relaxed and he felt a little more into the music in which he and his brother were producing. His brother, he glanced over his shoulder briefly at his blood brother then back at the keys. This was the first time in decades they have played together and it seemed almost as if they hadn't stopped playing together. Years were wiped away and he felt like a teen again. Playing in the music room, trying to please their family and friends with a stunning preformance. And to think, if he hadn't been so big headed and stayed at home, they could have brought riches back to the family by prefromances.

[Aveilthé]

Taro's brows lofted some at Rosaline's response. He couldn't
believe how dim she really was. Trying to keep a straight face,
Taro nodded his head with a painful grin. "Righty den, you can
go do jus' dat." He waited until Rosaline would leave, and without
further ado, he followed her behind, but stuck closely to the
shadows. Odd; his boots should have made plenty of noise, but
he went soundlessly in the darkness, his beady eyes never
leaving Rosaline's form.

On he played, his eyes closed, though he walked around the
dark domain. The power that he and his brother were creating
through these songs allowed Fortuné to think more clearly
and release all thought of the past. As he walked near the edge
of a seemingly dark void that trickled faintly of what sounded
like water, Fortuné halted, though continued playing softly.
He saw his reflection in what looked like a puddle - but as he
gazed on, he realized that he was looking at a vast lake.

[Felypsa]

Though Taro followed her stealthily, he would disappointed; for Rosaline did not head immediately for Fortuné’s residence. Instead, she entered the great cathedral once again, dipping her hand in holy water and crossing herself. She did not know that she was being followed. How could she! Her mind was focused on one thing: the salvation of the man she was infatuated with.

“Father Hyde,” she cried out as soon as she saw the priest. He looked up from his studies, his face impassive. The innocent, virtuous blonde hurried up to him. All at once everything spilled out of her; she told him everything that had happened since she left him. “Oh, he was so frightening,” she recalled. “To see a goodly and wonderful man transformed into such a devil! But, Father Hyde, I am not willing to give up. There is good in him still, I feel it! And we have more time now,” she went on. “For the man my grandmother hired as an assassin has no intention of killing him, but rather to warn him. You know, it is like that story, where the hunter helps his victim escape and deludes the person who hired him into thinking he actually did the deed. He bought us some time, Father! But we must hurry, before the devil completely takes over the good man I know.”

Father Hyde listened intently, and it seemed to him that the girl was only deluding herself; yet he could use this to his advantage. He honestly did not believe that an exorcism could save the vampire. Only death could. But he did not tell Rosaline that, for she knew vital information. She knew where he was hiding. A plan began to form in Father Hyde’s mind.

“Where is that assassin your mother hired now?” he asked her.

“Oh, he went his own way; he allowed me to warn Fortuné myself. He said that he had found from my grandmother that there are a lot of assassins who are ready to kill Fortuné, and he wanted to warn Fortuné. But I will do that myself; Fortuné knows me, he would listen to me rather than to a mercenary he doesn’t know.” She nodded fervently.

Father Hyde began to see the truth. The hired mercenary meant to follow her, for she would lead him to the vampire. Which meant that he was probably near the church now. “Stay here, child,” he said to Rosaline. “I must go make preparations for the exorcism.” He left her there, praying, and silently asked forgiveness for the deceit. He opened the doors of the cathedral, asking the divinity to lead him to the mercenary who was undoubtedly nearby.

As the doleful tunes joined in melancholy harmony, Imi unwittingly began to sing the melody she had known. The violinist Engel had often played it for his daughter Lotte.

“Little Lotte let her mind wander,
Little Lotte thought, Am I fonder
Of dolls, or of goblins, of shoes
Or of riddles, of frocks
Or of chocolates…

Little Lotte thought of everything and nothing
Her father promised her that he would send her
The Angel of Music
Her father promised her
Her father promised her…”

And Imi thought that if there were an Angel of Music, he was here in this room, for surely these beautiful harmonies could only be created by a divine angel. In Fortuné’s case, his music was perhaps inspired by an angel after all—an angel who knew nothing of love, and in her inexperience and unwillingness to be distracted, caused him sorrow.

[Relairah]

A short shout of surprise escaped Jolene's lips when she tried to
stop in the middle of running, and she quickly pulled herself
together, taking just a moment to catch her breath. She frowned
up at December, and folded her arms across her chest, bright
orange eyes narrowing slightly. "I wasn't daydreaming," she
retorted, "I was-- nevermind. Actually, I was looking for you.
Rather awkward way to run into you. ((No pun intended there
xD)) Where are you going to," she asked, returning the
question. She wasn't imparticularly interested, but it had come
out.

She paused, then held up the dagger she had found the night
before. "I need to talk to you... about this. And I have some
other questions as well. If you don't mind, I'll be going along with
you for a bit." Jolene didn't really care if December minded or not.
She had made up her mind on what she was doing, and she'd
spent the last few hours looking for December. She wasn't about
to just walk off and wait for a different time. She could see
December was trying to get somewhere, and she didn't really
want to be in her way, thus the reason for her stating she'd be
going along with her. Perhaps she could talk of what she wanted
to while the two of them went where December was going.
However, she did not get ahead of herself, but rather waited on
December's answer.