A/N- Yeah, so I've developed this chronic short-chapter syndrome... is chronic short an oxymoron? Anyway...
AmZ- Hmm... Now that I think about it, it's pretty... thought-provoking...
Robyn-Enjolras- Yay! I enjoy that word.
nebulia- Ah, yes... the plot... well, maybe not "thickens," but it moves, anyway.
Argentine Rose- Yay, support the ignored characters! Muaha. As for the candlestick, this is my choice weapon for braining Javert... but sure, Jacques can look like Liam Neeson... and Javert can be Barbossa! Arrgh.
Kang Xiu- -grabs pen and paper- Shibby... sporfle... How amusing.
Tziporah- Yeah, this is mostly directly from the synopsis, seeing how I haven't seen the show in five years and don't remember much... but I do have the CD.
The day draws to a close as Claire chases the vest down various streets. She runs into Enjolras.
"Er... hello..." she says, watching the vest blow into a tree and get tangled in the branches.
Enjolras seems excited about something. "How is Bloody-Red?" he asks, beaming. "I trust he is well."
"What?" Claire asks as a squirrel begins sniffing at the vest. "Oh, it's great, just great. How are you?" She winces as a family of birds elects Bloody-Red to be a target as they fly overhead.
"I've been off antagonizing the government!" Enjolras announces proudly. "I told them that on June the fifth I was going to kill them all! They... they didn't seem very worried... But they will be! You just wait... What are you looking at?"
The squirrel had knocked Bloody-Red to the ground, and a stray dog picks it up in his mouth and trots away. "I... I have to go..." Claire says, running after the mutt.
"See you later, then!" Enjolras calls after her.
It is too late, however, and Claire has lost track of the dog and the vest. She comes across Jacques, who is leading the youngest brat by the hand.
"Look, Claire! Look what I have!" he cries. "A brat without a home!"
"That's wonderful, dear."
"Now all we need is the boot and the hair!"
"And the vest."
"What? I thought you got the vest!"
Claire shrugs. "I lost it to the wind, a squirrel, some birds, and a stray dog."
"Well, go find it, then!"
Claire nods and continues on. As she is passing through the Luxembourg Gardens a familiar shape distracts her. The handsome young murderer from the sewer, Montparnasse, and another good-looking man seem to be conversing on a nearby park bench. Intrigued, she listens in.
"Girl troubles, then, Pontmercy?" Montparnasse sighs.
I must say that I don't really know how they met and came to be on speaking terms, but apparently they have. Plot convenience, perhaps?
The other man nods. "There's this pretty girl in a garden... Her father keeps her locked in there... the Rue Plumet..."
"Mine keeps running away... I'm not sure why. Am I not gorgeous and pretty and cold as I'm handsome and rich from my work?"
"You are everything... robbers... could wish for."
"Then why no?"
"Do I know?"
"The girl must be mad," Montparnasse mutters.
"Yes, well mine sits in the garden with her beautiful hair of blonde... or was it brown? Ah, no matter. Her father keeps her locked in there."
"Hair of blond or brown?" Claire whispers.
Montparnasse nods. "Where did you say she stays?"
"The Rue Plumet, in the house with the grate."
Claire chooses this moment to take her leave of the men.
Jacques looks at the little boy. "What's your name, son?"
"I don't know, monsieur."
"Did you see that lady I was talking to a moment ago? My wife?"
The boy nods.
"She lost the vest."
He nods again.
"I mean... honestly, how empty-headed could she be? She lost the vest!"
"Begging your pardon, sir, but she hasn't," says a stranger's voice.
Jacques and the boy turn to see the same blonde Mysterious Woman from earlier, holding the tattered remains of Bloody-Red in her outstretched hand.
