[Action]

[flickerflash]

[Today, Katie visits the Item Shop.  It's a short visit, and she's there to pick up anything remotely string-like that she can find. Why?  Kittens like string, and she's all out of the stash she had.

...okay, she may have other less frivolous reasons.  By this time she's mindful that certain grown ups may be looking for her, and thus her visit is hopefully timed for as few people around as possible.  In, out, a polite nod to the person behind the counter with the pretty hair, and back to the woods she goes.  Anyone that does see her in person might note she's thinner, but clean and tidy, unlike her last accidental appearance. 

She goes far deep into the forest with her string, sitting on a large, flat rock in the sun next to Rei's charm, and unwinds every different strand around her in the grass, threading it all carefully and lovingly between her fingertips as if blessing each one.  In a sense, she is.   The glamour she's stolen recently is going to a good cause, even if the cause is not readily apparent.]



((ooc:  you can run into her in the item shop by all means.  She's all the way down at the southernmost edge of the forest for anyone who might be out that way-- or might be using other means to search for someone.

Chances of hostility are pretty high.))

Comments

[flickerflash]

[This far south, Katie thinks she's alone. And while she isn't deliberately drawing attention to herself, there's the soft humming, barely heard on the breeze, barely carrying-- but maybe enough for a perceptive gunman.

She's humming an Enya song, mind. Boadicea, to be precise.]

[goldenglasses]

[Vash picks up on the soft humming. He moves towards the sound, not knowing the song. After some time he finally finds Katie, he doesn't like how thin she's looking, but he's just glad to finally have found her.

He moves forward as he speaks her name quietly. Not wanting to startle her too much.] Hello, Katie.

[flickerflash]

[Katie doesn't so much as look up. The song that precedes him everywhere gave him away some time ago.]

Hello, Vash.

[Her words are soft. She knows Vash will know she attacked Wolfwood.]

[goldenglasses]

[He moves closer to her. Looking to sit next to her.] How long have you been out here? You've lost weight. [Blunt seems the better way to start for now.]

[flickerflash]

I'm on a diet. [Still not looking up. He might want to hesitate before sitting-- Katie is surrounded by string and wool, laid out in colourful strands all around her. He'd end up sitting on it.]

[goldenglasses]

[He changes his mind about sitting when he gets a good look at just how much string Katie has around her. Huh, strange, but he thinks better then stepping on any of it. So instead he'll move in front of her, crouching low to be at her eye level.]

Well, I think you've lost more weight than you needed to. [He frowns, looking Katie over carefully.] Have you been living out here?

[flickerflash]

For all you know, Vash the Stampede, I could be training to be a tightrope walker. It's very rude to comment on a girl's weight, you know.

[She finally glances up to him-- and her eyes lose focus, shifting past him to the treeline.]

You haven't changed at all, I see.

[goldenglasses]

I know it's rude, but I worry, it's not healthy to lose too much weight too fast you know. And, did you want me to change?

[flickerflash]

As long as you never stop singing.

I'm fine.

[goldenglasses]

But I'm not- [Vash shakes his head. Katie still manages to confuse him, but he's not going to let that stop him from talking about what he's been looking for her for.]

Katie, why did you attack Wolfwood?

[flickerflash]

Who says I attacked Wolfwood?

[goldenglasses]

Well, for one... Wolfwood does.

[flickerflash]

And of course, you believe him. Why wouldn't you?

[Another thread slides through her fingers, resting across her knees.]

Are you here to punish me, then?

[goldenglasses]

No, I'm not here to punish you. We're worried about you Katie, that's why I'm here. Wolfwood too. We just want to know what's wrong, why did you attack him?

[flickerflash]

Why didn't you?

[goldenglasses]

Because he is my best friend and I trust him with my life.

[flickerflash]

Are you stupid?

[goldenglasses]

No, it's true, Luceti changed Wolfwood that one time, but I would never hold that against him.

Do you think I'm stupid, Katie?

[flickerflash]

Is that "no" an answer to my question or just a denial of the obvious?

[goldenglasses]

It's a no to your question. I do not think I'm stupid. [And he notices you didn't answer his.]

Luceti made me think I had to kill him once and he's never tried to make me feel bad for it or held it against me. What kind of friend would I be if I did the same?

[flickerflash]

If you don't think you're stupid, why are you talking with the little girl that sent your big, bad assassin friend running on his heels?

[goldenglasses]

Wolfwood is not an assassin. [Not anymore.] And I like him better if he had run instead of attacking someone he thought was in trouble and taking it out in the wrong way.

[flickerflash]

[Hmph. Honestly, she's disappointed.] Do I look like I'm in trouble to you?

[goldenglasses]

You're attacking my friend who didn't want to fight or hurt you. It sounds to me like you're in trouble.

[flickerflash]

[The look he gets is somewhere between disbelieving and amusing. Are you serious?]

Are you sure you don't think you're stupid? Is that how you and Wolfwood became friends? He tried to kill you so you decided he was in trouble?