Enjolras drags his feet on the way to the markets. "Just because I love my vest doesn't mean my Republic will turn out like Robespierre's..." he mutters.
Suddenly, someone blocks his path. Enjolras sees a woman with short blond hair and no front teeth. He doesn't know who it is, but I, the Authoress, am willing to bet that the Reader knows. Anyway, this Mysterious Woman points at Bloody-Red. "What are you doing with that vest, my boy?"
"Selling it," Enjolras pouts.
"Hmm," she says. "I suppose you must make sure it will go to a good home."
"What?"
"Well, if you sell it to the wrong person, they could... mistreat it. Make sure it's new owners would love it as much as you," she adds before disappearing.
Enjolras is more concerned about her words than the fact that she just dissolved into midair. I mean... it's Bloody-Red we're talking about here. What if the person he ends up giving to... abuses it? He clutches the vest to his heart and murmurs soothingly, "Don't worry, my dear. I won't let you be hurt!"
In another part of the town Gavroche and his boys are still in search of La Magnon and Mamselle Miss. They are, however, confronted by a tall shadow.
"Hello, little boys," says the tall shadow.
"Hello, Monsieur Gypsy Lawman," Gavroche answers. He and his boys try to pass, but the lawman steps in front of them.
"Where are you going, little boys?" he asks.
Gavroche huffs and points at the boys. "To find their mother! Will you just move?"
"But, little boys," says the gypsy lawman, "shouldn't you be going... that way?"
Gavroche frowns at him.
"In fact," continues the gypsy lawman, "I'll get a carriage and take you there... Oh, look! Here's a carriage just sitting here..." He points at a carriage that seems to be waiting for them.
"Oh, okay!" says Gavroche. He and the boys climb inside.
The driver of the cab looks at the gypsy lawman. "Where to, Inspector Javert?"
"To the jail, of course," says the gypsy lawman. He climbs up next to the driver. "I'm not sitting in there with those dirty streetrats."
The cab rolls away, and our friend the baker steps out from an alley where he was spying on the boys and the evil gypsy lawman. "Two brats without a home," he gasps.
"Jacques!" calls Claire. "Jacques, dear!"
Her husband rolls his eyes. "I told you to stay home!"
"But... you forgot your red scarf!" she protests, holding the item out to him.
"That's because I don't want the stupid red scarf!"
"But I made it for you! Is that how you think of me?"
"Go home, Claire!" he says again.
Claire stamps her foot. "I – "
They are interrupted when Enjolras walks by, clutching his vest and muttering about the new Republic.
"A vest as red as blood," both say aloud.
Jacques claps his hands. "You follow the vest, I'll follow the brats, okay?"
"Great," says Claire, and they split up.
"Um, m'sieur? Excuse me!"
Enjolras looks up to see a young lady he doesn't know.
"I couldn't help but notice your lovely red vest... Is it for sale?" she asks.
"That depends," Enjolras says. "Can you give him a good home?"
"Oh, of course! I'll give him the best home any vest could ever hope for."
"Do you promise?"
"Absolutely."
Enjolras looks at the vest in his hands. "Well, I guess this is goodbye, old pal," he sighs. Claire holds out her hands, and Enjolras shoves the vest at her, then runs away crying.
The old man from earlier, who we shall call Valjean, of course, has gone to visit the baker's little sister. You know, the one he hid away from the world? That's where he's gone. Valjean approaches a gate in the Rue Plumet.
"Cosette? Cosette! Let me in, my dear..." he calls.
His "daughter" appears and pushes a loosened bar aside for him to enter.
The two don't know it, but they are being watched but a handsome young lawyer-baron. He has fallen in love with Cosette and decides to ask her to undo the bar the next day after the old man leaves.
Well, I suppose I shall stop here, because if I don't the whole story will end up being about four chapters long, and we don't want that.
nebulia- The strangeness does not stop here, I warn you... I'm certifiable, you know.
Kang Xiu- Yay it's amusing... my warped mind thanks you.
ArgentineRose- One of the Pythons? I don't think so... it'd be cool if I was, though... like an illegitimate grandchild or something... or maybe just a child... hmm... Now I have something to ponder for the rest of the day!
Devonny Strauss- Ah no, the Punjabbery disease! I went through a "shoot you with a carbine" stage, and a "whack you with a red flag" stage, but I don't think I've gone through Punjabbery yet...
Robyn-Enjolras- Don't worry, I don't even know it that well! I haven't seen the show in five years, although I do have the CD. I like your copyrighted word, by the way.
the parasols- Does that almost make you think of Javert as Orin Scrivello, DDS? Muaha... but that's another crossover for another time...
