We work hard... [Open]

[in_the_latin]

Characters: Everybody on Serenity
Content: After the pig hunt, the crew earned a well deserved break! And some well deserved music, and well deserved food, and well deserved alcohol.
Setting: An open market in Garrettstown
Time: After the pig hunt. It'll last for a few days, so there's plenty of time to hop in and out of the festivities.
Warnings

Comments

For anyone who wants to find out about her secret joy...

[legallygreen]

Jennifer had had nothing to do with the pig hunt, but there was no reason not to make herself cordial for the festivities. She smiled a little as she finished pinning a curl in place on her head and put a hat over it, this one made of delicate velvet and decorated with a curling feather. She was already dressed in the brilliant peacock gown she had purchased, the dark plum colored velvet of the gown setting off the peacock patterned brocade that made up the bodice and the underskirt of the bottom.

Her delicate shoulders were covered but her chest open in the dress that had a high collar in the back and was open over the breast, but there she had placed a delicate necklace at her throat set with amethysts and emeralds to match the gown. Feeling prepared, she checked to make sure her shoes were buttoned up properly before leaving the ship, and making sure she was leaving alone.

Bodyguards would be of no use to where she was going.

Pride was a sin, she knew that, but when she used it for some kind of end that helped others, it was not that bad. And frankly, Jennifer knew where her strengths lied. It was why she was dressed like a fine lady, and yet heading for one of the seedy taverns full of sailors who were already well on their way to drunk and did not expect to see a lady of her caliber there.

The tavern she chose did not even have a sign on it. The only reason she knew it was a tavern was because the door hung open, having been removed for the festivities, and she could see the bar inside, as well as the rowdy drinkers. Smiling just a bit, she picked up her skirts and stepped gracefully into the tavern, quite aware of the sudden stares as she walked to the bar unabashed, a unique thing for the normally shy ambassador, and asked for a drink.

There was no fine wine on the menu, or aged sherry. There was ale and whiskey and bathtub gin that burned and threatened to cause blindness in the weak. Jennifer did not mind in the slightest. She watched as the bartender fumbled around for the only bottle of single malt scotch he had, and poured it slowly over ice in a tumbler, which had seen better days. A smile touched her lips as the drink was given to her, and she thanked the bartender before putting it to her lips and drinking.

It would not take long. Oh no, not in that gown. Not with a hat pinned into her hair with a pin ending in a large crystal. And she was not mistaken. Jennifer resisited the urge to glance up as the massive figure that sat down next to her smelling of booze and tar. After she took her second sip, she glanced up at the hulking man looking her over like she were a steak and he a starving man.

"Better be careful." He said, drinking his own ale. "Little lady like you won't be able to have too many of those without someone to take care of her."

"I won't?" She asked innocently, finishing the scotch in one graceful gulp and having the bartender refill the glass. "Now I'm sure I can drink more than you think. In fact, I think I could drink more than any man here."

He chuckled. "Oh really? And what are you willing to wager for that? Maybe a night with me, should I win?"

Jennifer shook her head, and took a wad of cash out, slapping it on the counter. "On the contrary, I am willing to put down cash."

The sailor roared with laughter, obviously certain that he had come across a spoiled little girl looking for fun that had a higher opinion of herself than she should have. Jennifer lifted one delicately plucked eyebrow and peeled some cash off the top, handing it to the bartender.

"Bartender, please pour the rest of that bottle of scotch into shot glasses here. In fact, I invite anyone else who would like to wager to do so."

By that time, there were more than a few interested patrons in the tavern, and money began coming out as the bartender poured shots and took in the bets. Jennifer smiled, quite pleased with how it was all going to end.

Ah, seedy bars. One of Dimo's favorite places to be. <3

[theschmotone]

If there was a low-class, seedy drinking establishment in a town, it was more likely than not that Dimo knew about it and regularly terrorized its regular customers when he was in the area. This one wasn't bad, though it didn't serve anything that would get him seriously intoxicated. Few places had the money for that much alcohol, or that strong of alcohol.

As it was, the Jäger was seated at a small wooden table set off to the side of the bar. It had been painted once, but whatever bright color it might have been was long faded to a dull gray, with only flecks of the paint hanging on to the wood. He'd been nursing a tall mug of ale for the better part of an hour when the Ambassador walked in. What was a lady of her caliber doing here? Dimo cocked his head to the side, listening intently to what Jennifer said. When the sailor laughed in disbelief, the Jäger walked toward the bar with a friendly smile on his face, setting a small pouch of coins on the cracked wood.

"I iz betting on de girl," he said smugly.

[legallygreen]

The tray of shots was set on the bar, and people were starting to crowd around them slowly, staring at an entire bottle's worth of shots. It was like they expected someone to die, or someone else to pass out. And the someone else was certainly Jennifer. Undoubtedly, some of them thought they would have a chance at her necklace or her money, or possibly her virtue while she was drunk off her ass. It made her smile a little.

"Whatever you want, lady." The sailor said, settling himself on the opposite stool and putting down his cash.

Others began to bet, and most of the money was bet against her. She looked to make a massive amount of money that night if everything went fine. It was then that money was placed on the counter, and it was Dimo that had put the money down on her side.

Jennifer smiled. "Thank you, very kind of you."

Reaching over, she took the first shot and raised it in a salute to the sailor before downing the scotch, feeling the pleasant buzz that would never grow further than it already was. He picked up his first shot, and Jennifer watched as his downfall began.

[theschmotone]

Dimo was impressed. He'd seen the Ambassador take a drink before when he'd first met her, but that had just been sherry. He'd been under the impression that she didn't imbibe alcohol, and so to see her go through an entire shot of scotch as though it were water piqued his interest.

"Hyu's velcome, dollink, though I don't tink iz gonna help much." The Jäger allowed his yellow eyes to stray over to the burly sailor on the barstool beside her. "Dot guy iz probably gonna drink hyu under de table. But hyu gots to support hyu friends, eh?" He patted her arm reassuringly. "Und if any of dese eediots tries to take zometing from hyu vhat hyu doezn't vant dem to vhen hyu iz drunk under de table, hyu gots me on hyu side."

[legallygreen]

"Then I guess I just have one more person to surprise. But thank you for the offer, Dimo." She replied with a smile, patting Dimo's hand gently in return.

Not that anyone believed her bravado. The patrons of the bar all watched on as she took another shot, as did the sailor, and then a third in turn. She smiled at them as she reached for a fourth, her hand firm and quite gentle as she picked it up and raised a glass to the sailor yet again.

He on the other hand was looking a bit peaked already. But he was determined to drink the tiny woman under the table or die trying. He took another shot, matching her shot for shot up until the sixth. And then he began to slow down. Jennifer smiled as she took her sixth and pressed it against her lips, winking at Dimo before tipping her head back and downing the shot, already going for the seventh.

Maybe it would be a short night. He was already swooning.

[theschmotone]

Dimo had to admit that he was impressed. He grinned back at Jennifer when she winked at him, then drank the shot of whiskey. Was it possible that she was a demihuman? She certainly didn't look like it, but in his long life, he'd never met a normal human woman who could put away that much alcohol and not be sprawled on the floor by now.

"How does hyu do dot, sveethot?" he asked curiously. "Hyu doezn't even look a little shaky at all."

[legallygreen]

Jennifer smiled at him. "It is one of the secrets of being a fine lady. I cannot ruin the feminine mystique."

The sailor across from her reached for a seventh shot, and an eighth, but he was slow to the ninth. Jennifer on the other hand was calmly downing her tenth when he was staring at it as if he were willing it to disappear without him having to drink it. She giggled softly and waited for him to drink it and put it down.

Her empty shot glasses were in little upside down shot glass pyramids in front of her, two perfect ones and a third started, the tray more than half empty. The money in front of her had grown rapidly at first, but now was slowing down as nobody could even tell that she was even a little buzzed. Jennifer went for a twelfth, and as her sailor did the same, he slipped off the stool, completely unconscious.

Just to make it even, she took his twelfth shot, and downed it herself to the sound of silence, then deafening cheers as the tiny aristocrat finished the shot and stood, bowing neatly to the crowd. She took the massive amount of money, and handed Dimo's cut to him, and then another pile to the bartender.

"A round for everyone, please."

Another cheer went through the dive bar, and she found herself surrounded by people who wished to congradulate her. The bartender got himself busy pouring drinks, and she tossed him a tip before excusing herself and heading out of the bar with her winnings. If Dimo wanted to follow her, that was his choice. Jennifer already had a plan for her winnings.

[theschmotone]

Dimo happily scooped up the pile of coins from the bar, depositing them in the pouch on his belt. If that were one of the benefits of being a lady, then he clearly had to hang around Jennifer and her like more often. He'd never seen Anthy drink such a prodigious amount, but perhaps it was a more secret thing for her? The possibilities seemed endless to Dimo as he downed the shot that the Ambassador had so kindly purchased for him. He was curious as to where she was going next, though, and followed her out the door of the bar and into the street.

Get ready for an 'awwwwwwww' moment

[legallygreen]

There was no need to count her money, she had a rough idea of how much was there. She also walked with some purpose through the streets, having already planned out her route. Jennifer was in posession of the names and addresses of several different orphanages in the various towns around the world, as many as she could get ahold of. And there was certainly one in this town.

It was a very short walk, a distance that made her cringe inwardly to think of the children being that close to places like the dive. But sometimes there was no choice, and at least they had a home for now. Her feet stopped in front of a tall building made of aging brick, with windows that were covered in dilapidated curtains. The front door was a heavy number with rusting handles, and the paint peeling off of it.

She knocked brusquely.

The door opened slowly by a mite of a child in a wincy dress obviously made a size too large so it would not have to be replaced for a while. The little girl blushed as she saw Jennifer standing there, awed to be in the presence of a real lady.

"Could I speak with Mrs. Harris please?"

Nodding, the little girl turned and ran inside, bawling not for Mrs. Harris, but "Mother Harris". A few moments lady, an older woman with tired eyes but a gentle smile came to the door, wearing a dress of brown not unlike those of the girls inside. Jennifer smiled kindly at her and held out a hand.

"Mrs. Harris? I sent word earlier, I am Jennifer Walters."

"Lady Walters!" The woman had obviously not expected her to come herself, reaching out eagerly and taking the delicate morsel of a hand in her brown one. "Would you like to come inside?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Harris, but I am in a hurry." Jennifer replied, shaking her head.

She took the bag of her bar winnings and held them out to the woman. "Here is the donation I spoke about. Hopefully it will do some good."

The woman's face brightened as she took the bag and felt how heavy it was, and her eyes glazed over with unshed tears. "Oh Lady Walters...we can repair our windows with this. So many of the girls have been sick because of the faulty latches not keeping them closed tightly at night."

"This should take care of it." Jennifer replied, glancing down as she felt something tug on her skirt.

The little girl from before was there, holding onto her skirt, smiling. "Are you a real lady?"

Jennifer knew that she should have just patted the child's head, but there would be no little wide-eyed girls of her own. She scooped the girl up in her arms and nodded. "I am. And just think, it's going to be nice and warm now when you go to bed."

The little girl wordlessly hugged her, and Jennifer felt her own eyes burn slightly, as Mrs. Harris reached out and took her free hand with both of her own. "I can't thank you enough. We can't thank you enough."

"Thank you for letting me help." Jennifer replied, stroking the girl's hair before handing her back to Mrs. Harris. "Good day, madam."

"My lady." The orphanage matron replied, trying to curtsey only to be waved off by Jennifer.

The ambassador turned then, and headed back to the ship, smiling to herself as she thought about the orphanage getting the help it needed without being degraded into something pathetic. She had not even noticed Dimo following her.

Awwwwwwww! :D

[theschmotone]

Dimo had served as a scout in the past, and his experience in not being seen was definitely helpful in this instance. He wordlessly observed the entire exchange, smiling a little despite himself. Something in the way that the child embraced the Ambassador reminded him of one of his own younger sisters.

He quickly caught up to Jennifer as she made her way back to Serenity, and quietly asked, "Hyu do dot kind of ting often, sveethot?"

[legallygreen]

Bloody hell.

Jennifer turned to see Dimo walking with her and sighed softly, moving so that she might walk in stride with him. "Once per town, generally. If I try to do it more than that, even the drunkest sailors get wise to the fact that I am just not going to get drunk."

Well, he had found her out then. She should have assumed that he would follow her, after that little display of alcoholic prowess, to see what else she did with her time. The young woman did her best not to fidget as they walked.

"My agents keep an eye out for places like that orphanage, that do not get state allocated funds for anything more than just barely keeping those children alive. I some tavern or likely place with just enough swaggering, swarthy sailors to make me feel uncomfortable and play my game with them. Then the charities reap the rewards. What do I need that money for?"

[theschmotone]

The Jäger's sensitive hearing picked up on the sigh, and he gave her a curious glance. He was familiar with strategy, and with the need to plan such things out in advance, but what he didn't understand was her need for secrecy. "Vhy does hyu need to be all qviet-like about doing zometing goot like dot? Make sense dot hyu doezn't vant dem sailors und vhatnot coming after hyu, but vhy does it matter who zees hyu giving money to dem poor pipples?"

Jennifer's restlessness was also readily apparent. Something about the situation made her very uncomfortable. "Vhat hyu done back dere...it vas a goot ting to do," he added in a more serious, though still hushed, tone. "Dem keeds needs taking care of. Und iz not to be vorrying, sveethot. I vill be qviet as de grave about it if hyu don't vant it getting out."

[legallygreen]

"If those sailors were to come after me, I believe they would be in for a surprise." She replied quietly as they walked together. "As for not letting other people see me donate, it is more a desire to not be thanked than anything else. Handing over a bag of money is nothing."

Jennifer stopped and put a gentle hand on Dimo's arm. "I would appreciate your silence in the matter. You need not lie if anyone inquires, but I would prefer the facts of the matter to not come up in conversation. I know I can count on you, Dimo."

She then looped her arm into his, and walked down the street with him slowly.

[theschmotone]

It wasn't hard to look threatening to the rest of the populace of the city if one were Jagerkin, even if the correct phrase for it was probably that it came "unnaturally" to them. Still, Dimo was now official bodyguard for the Ambassador until she got back to the ship, at least in his own mind. His shoulders straightened, and he shifted his attention from sight to sound and smell, the better to keep alert. This was what he'd been made for, after all.

Just then, though, Dimo's mind backtracked to what the woman had just said. "Vhat kind of surprize vould dey be in for?" he wondered aloud. "I thought hyu vasn't trained to fight or anyting."

[legallygreen]

"Another part of the feminine mystique of being a lady. Which means I am not going to tell you. At least...not right now." Jennifer replied, patting his arm gently.

"But I do believe that if I were to tell someone, someone I could trust, it would be you, Dimo. And some day I might be able to. For right now, though, I have to keep it a secret. My secret." She continued as they walked through the street together. "It was very kind of you to come after me to watch over me. Thank you."