May 1st, 1979. Midday [1:15 P.M.]

[Neili]

Jennings, who had appeared frozen in time when the guitar fell, slowly looked over to Rina- a look of horror, sorrow, and despair looming on his face. Good job Rylla...You led me to another nasty situation. Ah...Covers almost blown. Unless~ I find every wanted poster around town and tear them down! .... No. Think reasonably. You're doomed and you know it.

Thread the needle, huh?... Well, looks like I caught it a little too close this time.

He exhales, realizing he had been forgetting to release his breathe- a sure sign of stress and nervousness.

[Throndir]

Rina Goodsworth

The maid was confused at first. Though she reached her hands out to give the letter back to Jennings.

I'm not a burglar, so watch as I give you back this letter! But in that moment, something clicked in Rina's head. Ian? Who's Ian? And wouldn't a letter be addressed to the person it was for?

"...Ian?"

Her eyes widened once again. He is a burglar! Stealing from this Ian!

[Neili]

Ian sighs and closes his eyes, lowering his head. He completely ignores Rina's attempt to return the letter, and he doesn't move to pick up his guitar.

"...Yeah...That's me."

His voice is much more faint than usual.
Failure. Faaaaaaailure. Note to self: Keeping confidential letters for sentiment in the strings of a guitar in a broken case is a very bad idea.

[Linwelin]

'Ah, so zat's your real name. I vas wondering when ve'd find out. Zough I vasn't expecting like zis." He looks at the mess and sighs. "You know, if you tell us now, tings could still be repaired." Sebastian hints. As sorry as I feel for him, it's ze truth.

[Neili]

Ian sighs heavily before drawing his breath to speak, "I'm Ian Delrain. May have heard of me, or seen my face. I'm a good model for wanted posters...Haha...Been cutting it close with jobs recently, and...this girl I've been trying to protect- Rylla- was in danger. So I stepped in. Nearly got myself killed. Then she took my rifle and dragged me here. End of story."  He covers his eyes with one of his hands, stressed. "Understandable if you turn me in for the bounty. Won't hold anything personal against you."

Good job Ian....

[Linwelin]

Sebastian slowly begins to laugh, "And you said ve vere nothing alike...I bet you vouldn't believe that I stumbled onto the doorstep here a decade ago in a similar manner to zis. I knew zere vas someting familiar about you." Sebastian turns and looks Ian in the eyes, "So, vat vere you hoping to accomplish here after being stranded? As a former hired gun myself, I assume you had a plan in progress out of habit. It's survival after all."

Sebastian gives a side-long glance to Rina, giving a slight smile. I hope zis doesn't shock ze girl too much, I'm not sure if she knows my past vell or not. Please don't think I'm somevone else after zis, Rina.

[Neili]

"Well," Ian says, glancing to Rina. "I was originally planning to get some loot and get out, try to get back to my jobs. But...meeting Rina changed that. She reminds me of Rylla in a lot of ways."

He smirks and laughs. "I'm just a dog, after all."

[Linwelin]

Sebastian grins, looking at Rina, "Hear zat, Rina? Zat's two men you've helped turn zeir lives around." He turns back to Ian, "Vell, how determined are you to work here, Ian? And I mean living out an honest life again. I can vouch zat it is possible."

[Neili]

"I'll do what it takes to make sure Rina's safe, and by doing so..." He pauses, straining to say her name." Rylla...would be happy too, I think."

Finally he gathers his guitar and strums a few chords. He then plays a beautiful melody.

Spoiler

I'll post a link later

[close]

"Wrote that for her after we first got in a brawl. Heh...I loved her from the very start, but she had no idea."

[Throndir]

Rina Goodsworth

The girl for one did not know how to react. She had been 'working' with the Jameson family ever since Diana and Desmond Jameson were born, though at the time she was simply a play-mate and the daughter of a chef and gardener working for the Jamesons. In all that time, she never realized that she would be able to help others save for her masters of course.

Friends... co-workers... but they're like family. Rina thought remembering an idea she had a few weeks ago when Doctor Reginald was first hired. It's natural to help! Her inner-self smiled widely.

"I'll do what it takes to make sure Rina's safe, and by doing so..."

Of course until she heard those words from the stranger, now called Ian. Which, not only would have left her speechless outwardly, but also stemmed the flow of thoughts in her head. All she managed to do was blush and look to the floor.

[Linwelin]

"Good." Sebastian states, "You'll need a strong determination like zat to get trough to some of ze staff here during hiring. Just tell ze truth and be sincere. If anything, ze Jameson's can do someting about the bounty after hiring, so don't let zat scare you. Zey did so for mine ven I vas hired." Sebastian somewhat looks in the distance, thinking for a moment, probably an=bout the past. "All ve look for are level-headed, capable and trustworthy individuals, and vith zis conversation, I feel I can trust you."

[Neili]

Ian laughs. "So they're in the habit of giving criminals a new walk on life? Been so long since I've felt...respected, I guess, enough to be given the benefit of the doubt."

He plays a few small notes on his guitar before clasping the strings, silencing the sound in the air. Then he replaces the battered guitar in its case and latches the locks.

"...Now, let's see if I can get to where we're going without it dropping out again. Haha..."

[Linwelin]

Sebastian smiles, chuckling a little, and leads the duo to the front door, then stops and says, "Be ready to convince zem of your determination, zough. Zey are certainly not as easy-going as I am." With that, he opens the door and leads him into the mansion.

[Neili]

Upon stepping foot into the glorious mansion, Ian's eyes drift from place to place.

"So who's the head honcho I have to talk to about a job?" He inquires, still examining the interior d?cor. "He uh...won't hold my appearance against me, will he?"

[Throndir]

Rina Goodsworth

The head butler usually recommends people to hire... But it's master Jameson who has the final decision. Rina thought, she wanted to voice her thoughts but she ended up staying quiet, instead listening to the conversation between the two men.