However Claire hadn't been there to hear Vero's words. She'd long woken up, folded her clothes neatly and packed her pen and journals. She tucked her revolver in her pocket.<br/><br/>She picked up her bow and quiver, slinging both over her shoulder, then gingerly took the rifle in one hand and her pack in another. She made her way to town, her backpack half full and pushed open the door to the blacksmith's shop. A blast of hot air hit her face.<br/><br/>"'Ello Claire. Need something made?" The blacksmith was friendly enough, and more importantly, very trustworthy.<br/><br/>She shook her head. "Got something to drop off. I've got a long assignment ahead."<br/><br/>"Alrightey then. Be careful, ya hear me little lady."<br/><br/>Claire smiled. "Always am." She handed him the rifle and thanked him once more as she went back out.<br/><br/>She looked around the marketplace. Something cheap. She didn't want to carry much but buying items would also leave a trail in case they were being tracked. Fruits and vegetables couldn't be held for a long time either. In the end she'd settled on a couple of loaves of bread, a bit of slated meat and two apples as well as a pouch of water. She bought more arrows and brought bandages just in case, although she doubted she'd let Vero touch her nor that Vero would need it. Then again, the others might.<br/><br/>Done her shopping she started heading for the Great Oak tree as well.<br/><br/>She tried not to look at Vero as the who'd arrived before her. She'd gotten over the shock of being partnered with him. She'd just have to bear it, get the job done quickly and then... then she could focus on other more important things. The group of five would be travelling together for a bit anyways.<br/><br/>She halfheartedly wondered what she would do after she'd perfected the firearm. Ever since that day, it had been her sole goal. Sell it? Find a sponsor? Then what? She wasn't particularly interested in Money and had nothing else to look forward to. Universities would never accept someone like her, not a female with no education. She wasn't particularity interested in money nor finding a husband, besides who'd want her for a wife? She wasn't interested in being a mercenary forever. She'd fight, but only for a cause. She'd come to respect and be grateful to Ghaleon, who called all of them family. She'd always found it weird, what kind of person called their little group family if it took five years to call her by name? Of course. A bunch of near immortals. By the time she would be old and wrinkled, chances are they wouldn't look more than a decade older. She was the youngest, but not for long.