Mysteries of Daraku II

He stopped and turned his eyes solely on her. "That's not true. You're clever and intelligent, you've got a Keen eye. Sure, maybe you're not as tough as others or as magically adept, but nothing is hopeless." He placed his hands on the counter and leaned against it. "Adrianna is powerful, but she's bound herself to the Sanctuary and has to rely on us to make our goal reachable. We don't always win, and there are certainly going to be some too powerful for us, but that doesn't change how our efforts can affect things."
He clenched his hands into fists as he spoke. "I've lost fights, fallen to Midara before multiple times. But I'm going to keep throwing my support to this endeavor. I'll keep going, no matter what. That's why I'm going to face Daraku, Why we're going to face Daraku."

Jane raised an eyebrow at him, but a slight smile creeper onto her face.
"Perhaps you are right. And perhaps this..." Jane counted in her head. "... fourth chance to do some good will pay off for us. But I'm not going to hold my breath. Feel free to prove me wrong though."

Jane's expression became more serious. She turned away from Ferro, putting her focus on what she was doing.
"Just don't go getting yourselves killed or corrupted in the process..."

He went right back to work, becoming silent for a moment before saying, "I promise we won't die and we won't fall. This is too big and too important. Besides..." He smiled at her warmly. "A chance to prove you wrong probably doesn't come up often."

Jane let out a genuinely mirthful laugh at that, an unusual sight.
"Anything else you want to know? Or wish to share yourself?" She asked, as the laughter died down to a smile.

"I'd like to know how I can get you to smile like that more often," he shot, half-jokingly.

Jane eyed Ferro, but kept smiling.
"Are you trying to charm me?" She asked, as she continued to work on cooking, without really needing to focus. Her hands seemed to almost move on autopilot as she started moving ingredients into a large pan, and others into the boiling water, then lighting the oven.

"Well, I am Half-Midara," he jested. "Why not? Is it working?" He kept up with her, handling the ingredients as she prepped everything else.

Jane turned the face the pans with a smile, her cheeks turning ever so slightly redder than usual.
"Sorry, but you'll have to up your game if you want to fluster me. I've lived with Kathrynne for a long time now." Jane responded. She shrugged. "I guess that means you'll have to come back and try again."

"Curses! Foiled again!" he cried overdramatically. "So, any interests? Books, games?"

"Books are always interesting. Vast stores of knowledge held upon something as simple as a crushed slice of tree. Even books that hold no facts are entire worlds." Jane commented. "My love of books is the primary reason that my most prevalent magical abilities are related to my book. It's what I studied most." Jane explained.

"As for games, well, I'm not a huge fan of many games. I find most of them too easy for my tastes. Perhaps if I were to face a skilled opponent in a complex game of strategy, such as Go or Chess, I might be more interested. But games of that sort... do not suit Kathrynne or Victus." She commented. "Though I do enjoy bluffing games, such as Poker. Kathrynne has improved and can give me a challenge every now and again."

"And what about you? Are you much of a reader, or a gamer?"

"I like to read during my off time, but I also spend a lot of that time playing with the kids here in the Sanctuary," he answered. "Simple games like tag, board games, even video games sometimes. As for things like games of strategy or wit, I don't think I trust myself to be able to match against you, unfortunately."
He seemed to be in thought for a moment before he turned to Jane. "You know, I'll bet Adri would be more than happy to add a library to this place. Just gotta ask."

Jane considered the thought for a moment.
"That is not going to be necessary. I have more than the contents of a library with me at all times. That, and I'm almost certain my room will contain a plethora of books when I enter it." Jane commented, as she put the large pan into the oven, then took a deep breath as she closed it, signifying that she had finished, and the rest was just the wait.

"True," he admitted. "I should've realized. So do you wanna know anything else? Any specific questions about me?" He went to go lean against the kitchen counter now that they were done prepping the pie.

"Well I suppose I do have another question for you." She responded, contemplatively. "You, and Ixana?" She asked, leaving the question to hang.

"If you're asking relationship wise, I'm not with any one of her," he told Jane. "If it's how we met, well...Dixi and I fought in the first round of a local tournament and we knocked each other around...a lot."

Jane raised an eyebrow.
"I figured that you were not together. I suppose I was wondering why not?" Jane asked. "I mean, you share the same goals, both love to fight for fun, try to avoid violence where you can, and are both half-midara." She commented. There did not appear to be any jealousy in her features, just curiosity. "Has there never even been an interest?"

"Well, I never really saw her that way. I had just befriended her and I was impressed by her skills, but I never really saw them that way," he stated. "She's a friend. All of Ixana are friends."

Jane nodded.
"Good. I would hate for Kathrynne to end up in the middle of another love rhombus." She responded, looking a little relieved. Once again, she seemed to be using Kathrynne as an excuse, but this time her excuse seemed to carry the weight of 'this has happened too many times before'.

He couldn't help but snicker at her response, taking humor in the weight behind it all. Though, he did notice that she doubled it as an excuse. "Yeah, it's better this way," he said with a sly glint in his eye.

"Oh, and in case you were wondering. Me and Kathrynne have never... either. And Victus... I don't like taking advantage of people. Unless it's a combat situation, of course, then I'll use every advantage I can." She commented, feeling the need to reciprocate his information, the slight blush lingering on her cheeks.

"Good to know," he stated with a wider smile. "After all, it'd be a damn shame." He moved away from the counter and approached. "So, is there anyone in particular you would have your heart set on? Hypothetically speaking, of course."

Jane smiled a little.
"Why do you ask? Are you perhaps worried about a little competition?" She asked, eyeing Ferro up. "Let's say, hypothetically, that there was."

"Who can say? Whoever could catch your fancy must be quite the lucky guy," he said with a playful shrug.

"You assume that it's a guy." Jane responded, with a wry smile.

"And what about you? Is there anyone you might be interested in?" Jane asked, her eyes bright again. "Hypothetically, of course."

(Goddamit, that's gonna turn their favorite word, isn't it?! XD)
"Well, hypothetically speaking, there could be someone. Someone smart, clever, and very, very smarmy when she wants to be," he replied.