entrancelogs | [OPEN] She don't wait to begin, she bets on long shots;

Who: Jo (Harvelle) Lauchlan & you!
Where: The bar, the shooting range, the training center.
When: 1/17
Rating: PG for now.
Summary: Spring is still a ways off, but Jo has contracted a bad case of cabin fever.
The Story:

[Weeks have now passed, but the events that residents of Wonderland had experienced over the holiday season are still weighing heavily on Jo’s mind. She’s always been one of the most insistent residents when it comes to defending staying in Wonderland as being a valid choice, but Christmas had left her shaken. As much as she wants to stay, she doesn't want her future to look like that-- empty and with no memory of what made her who she was.

She spends the first part of the day in the bar as per usual, heading in early to take care of some so-called housekeeping-- salt beneath the floorboards in front of the doors and windows are a must, and she makes sure that all of the usual supplies are still in place behind the bar itself. Wonderland, after all, is home to all kinds of people, not all of them necessarily human, and while circumstances have forced her to be a little more lenient on who walks through those doors than she would be back home, she doesn't believe in leaving the people who help her run the place unprotected. The bar has seen enough bloodshed over the years, and she refuses to leave any blatant openings for an encore. Holy water, vervain, salt rounds and other various hunter stand-bys are all topped off and put in their place as necessary. Once noon rolls around, she'll be serving people as needed, doing what she can to keep herself busy, but eventually the itch to throw herself into something more involving takes over, and she lets the bar go self-serve for the afternoon, or at least until Simon or Cami make their way there to take over for her.

The first place she heads to is the shooting range. The last time she'd been down here, she'd mostly been spotting for Clint, though she'd gotten in some time with her rifle. Truth be told, she didn't have a whole lot of opportunities to use it these days, although she always made sure it was fully loaded and well-cared for in the even that she did need it. Today, however, she opts for something different-- she shows up with a recurve bow and a quiver full of arrows. It's been a long, long time since she's given archery much thought, but it's a skill she doesn't want to fall out of her repertoire. More than that, with all of this thinking about memories and how they contribute to who a person is, archery reminds her of her dad, and spending countless hours in the field out behind their house, shooting at the straw-stuffed targets he'd put together for her.

She'll stay out and practice until her arms start to grow stiff and the cold starts to feel more miserable than it's worth, at which point she'll head in. The evening will find her in the training center, mostly working over a couple of dummies and one of the hanging bags to keep herself in fighting shape, but she'll be happy to spar with anyone looking for a partner-- just don't expect her to pull punches. In addition, she'll make herself available to anyone she's discussed doing a little hunter training with in the last few weeks, more than happy to put all of her focus into helping someone else rather than dwelling on what's bothering her.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ he's a consummate regular to the bar at this point and while he's certainly seen and heard of jo, he's yet to actually meet the young but fierce blonde that has insofar eluded him. (with good reason, as he's heard.) klaus has little (see: no) remorse for his past transgressions and not only because it was not technically him. it was the way he did things and still would, if necessary.

for now however he has no diabolical intentions. he hardly could, barring time and/or blood-letting, if the sweet scent of vervain in the air is any indication.

he's looking for camille, of course, when he enters the bar so early. it's easier to say hello and grab a quick drink in the morning these days; he's avoiding lux and night crowds for a time. clearly this isn't the blonde he's looking for.

klaus slows in his tracks, his brow lifting as he stops. ] Jo, is it?

[Her stomach turns when he says her name, her fight-or-flight instinct threatening to kick itself into overdrive.

He's been back for quite some time. She's known that, just as she's known that actually engaging one another was inevitable, but damn if she hadn't managed to dodge him like a pro so far. She'd always made sure to have something else to do, or slipped out when he made his way in, letting Simon or Cami handle the bar instead, but the length of time that this dance had gone on?

Honestly, it was starting to get ridiculous.

She exhales, bracing one hand against her hip. She's not armed, though she wishes she was. Knowing that a weapon is within reach is calming to a degree-- but more than anything, it's the fact that she trusts Cami that wins out here. Cami wasn't worried about Klaus. Jo shouldn't be, either.]

Klaus.

[Their history, of course, was much more complicated than the two of them, even if he didn't remember. Elijah was a part of it, too, but that was a name she didn't dare say out loud these days for fear of causing Simon to let out a very real growl.]

Figured we'd find ourselves here sooner or later. Was kind of hoping for later.

[ it's a familiar, even satisfying reaction to incur: fear. he scents it in the air and in the tension of her shoulders no matter how valiantly she covers it with a casual stance and a witty response. how little he seems interested in it, in large part it does bear no consequence to him, not unless she makes it so:

camille is right to not be worried about his interest in jo and her family of hunters. (she is wrong, in other ways, but not in this.) with a show of insouciance; the pulling of his lips down in respect and indifference to her comment, klaus moves to take a seat at the bar. not too close, but not far away. ]

Well I can't say I hadn't noticed.

We didn't exactly get off on the right foot the last time you were here.

[It's been a long while now, but still-- and of course, things had only gotten worse over time, though they'd been forced to work together on more than one occasion. Jo wasn't interested in finding herself in that position again, but knowing he means something to Cami means that she has to at least be civil. Mostly.]

What do you want?

So I've heard, [ he admits, because camille has been quite clear about this: jo was his victim. he made her his spy, not unlike he did camille. not unlike he's attempted to sway leopold to his allegiance. the thought sobers him, just so. as much as jo believes she must be civil for cami's sake, so does klaus believe he owes jo a little better for the same, and his own, reasons. his devil-may-care smirk fades momentarily: ] But I have little interest in repeating past mistakes.

[ the closest he'll get to acknowledging what his past self did was wrong lbr

as to her question, the answer is obvious in how he brightens. ] I was looking for Camille.

Edited 2017-02-10 04:42 (UTC)

Good to hear.

[She folds her arms across her chest, unmoving, unwilling to let herself be seen as uneasy or shaken, even though she knows he can smell it. It still manages to make her feel better, even if only a little.]

Well, as you can see, she's not in. With a patient, I'm pretty sure.

[ he does admire her conviction despite her discomfort. perhaps at a different time and with actual motive, he might linger to exploit one or both. as it stands and considering he's clearly not welcome... klaus glances away with minute but not uncomfortable awkwardness. ] Well, if you could tell her I was here, [ he suggests lightly and moves to his feet. ]

I'm not your messenger.

[Really, it was a simple request. One she would have done for anyone else without a second thought, but Klaus? She's already done enough on his behalf, thanks.]

Look. I know you and Cami are close. [More than that, she realizes, but she doesn't say as much.] But I'm watching you all the same. Your siblings, too.

[ her refusal stops him where he stands, in part because of the prickling of amusement he feels at her righteous anger, but it quickly turns into something much more volatile: a building, swirling awakening of angers even he knows are better left checked.

(she can threaten him just fine, no matter how it may aggravate him. his family, however...)

klaus glances away, something violent in his dimples. if this is what she'd like to deal him... he walks closer, steps slow and measured but nonetheless casual. ] I suppose it's only fair you know: [ his voice has lowered an octave, and his smile fades. ] I've been watching too. [ his eyes drop from their stare to the ring on her finger: a clear warning. there are people she loves, too.

aka don't fuck with him. ]

[If she were a lesser hunter, or hadn't been through even half the experiences she had, she might have been naive enough to think that his thread was empty, that because death didn't stick in Wonderland or because Simon couldn't die that there was nothing to it. Quite the opposite. There are much worse fates than death, and the Klaus Mikaelson she knows isn't shy about letting others know exactly what she's capable of.]

Haven't threatened anyone yet, have I? Kept my hands and weapons to myself.

[But watching-- she has good reason to do it, and she plans to continue.]

I'm not coming after anyone unless they give me a reason. You don't hurt anyone, you've got nothing to worry about. Same goes for the others.

[OPEN] She don't wait to begin, she bets on long shots;

the bar, to no one's surprise

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