<hr/><div class="floatleft">(http://24.media.tumblr.com/a16483c2858f862945634d46b9ad41b9/tumblr_mh480oybdg1r64urio1_500.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong>Jaelyn Scot-Jones<br/><strong>Faction:</strong>(n/a)<br/><strong>Date:</strong>May 12th, 1876<br/><strong>Time of Day:</strong>mid-day<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Jones’ Mercantile & Trade<br/><strong>Tagged:</strong>Stranger (exiting,) Jai-Li, open<br/><hr/><br/>She’d witnessed the briefest of exchanges between the small girl-woman and the wretch of a man.  The bow itself said more than words could, for it was not some subservient shuffle but simple acknowledgment.  Jae couldn’t imagine The Stranger got much of that in his current condition, as he could easily blend in with the rest of the mesa dirt and sand.  The fact of the matter was that this simple act of respect said more about the girl than the man.  And so curiosity about this Oriental deepened.<br/><br/>She was only saved by outright staring, oddly enough, by the old man’s puttering departure.  He seemed so out of sorts - nervous - with his touching and stacking.  After such a busy day, it would be difficult to even know if he’d stolen anything.  It was no small relief when he left with a quiet word about visiting the smithie.  It would be some time before she pondered any further about the dusty old man and his need for shackles.<br/><br/>The jet haired girl was quite distracting in her own right, only in a more entertaining fashion.  Keen blue eyes cut through the layers of dirt.  The girl was no child and she was quite pretty.  No... pretty wasn't right, not by the day's standards.  But there was a certain beauty in those cheekbones and smooth skin that the Maze hadn't yet leeched out.  Jaelyn watched wordlessly as the paper was opened with such showmanship.  This had to be good.  Perhaps a fireworks display!  Her excitement kicked up a notch, as she’d never seen any for herself, though it was common knowledge that the Chinese made the most beautiful ones.<br/><br/>As the truth came clear, read in slightly broken but still decent English, Jaelyn stood blinking in wonder.  Her lips parted; dumbfounded, she felt her whole being was ajar if only for a moment.<strong>“Um…”</strong>Her forehead creased delicately, mouth working soundlessly.  Finally sound came out.<strong>“I…  really don’t have many clothes.”</strong>This was true, not even the ones currently on her back belonged to her.<strong>“I will be getting some soon, just… not a lot.”</strong><br/><br/>Besides understanding how to live a frugally, Jae had always washed her own clothes, she worked in the laundry herself at The Cathedral.  Reverend Grimme waxing brimstone about the sin of sloth echoed in her brain.  Would it be lazy to send her clothes out to be cleaned?  Time would tell.  Because if this day was any example, she wouldn’t have time for laundering.  Or anything else for that matter.<br/><br/><strong>“I’m sorry, Miss.  Maybe another day.”</strong>She offered a smile, half apologetic and half just being friendly.  There was no need to cause hard feelings about it.<br/><br/>(next May 12th) (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=167802.msg9976449#msg9976449)