An Olive Branch (Cardia and Valkoinen)

Cardia forced a smile as she stared at this peculiar assassin, trying her hardest to figure out what is wrong with this girl. "Uh... thanks for that. I... er... really... appreciate it." She seemed to be going out of her way for Cardia's sake. That seemed the best way to respond. "Is... that something you have to do often? Strangling men with other men's intestines? I've... managed to go about my business for quite some time without killing anyone, so uh... forgive me if I'm not good with the specifics, but do you see yourself doing a LOT of killing here or just a little?"

Pausing for a second, Cardia realized that this tack of conversation was likely to end up somewhere she didn't like. She hastily added, "And... uh... do you do any, er, non-killing related activities? Hobbies? Stuff for fun?" She smiled sweetly to try to butter Valkoinen up, while still trying not to leer at her naked form.

"I am with the only seeing myself when I am looking in the mirror." She said tilting her head. She then looked over Cardia. "I am only with the having to do that when there is with the being dire consequences. I am with the seeing myself doing as much of the killing as am having to do. I am with the knowing that weakling poolboy is with the trying to be professional wrestling punching bag, but I am with the only doing it as hobby. I am with the killing. I am with the being assassin. Killing is with the being my business." She said emphasizing it as much as she could.

She then reached into the basket and ulled out a chocolate and began to nibble on it. She unwrapped another and offered it to Cardia, popping up for a moment and turning to face her before bringing the chocolate close to her mouth, as thougyh she would feed it to her. "I am with the having little time for hobby. Being with the studyingof files, the taking care of equipment and the patroling area, keeps me with the having no free time. I am with the using rest of time to do the work of Lukretia or to be with the taking other job." Valkoinen looked down.

"I am with the being best at what i do because it is with the only thing I am doing." Her tone was as flat as it usually was so it was hard to tell if it held any kind of regret in it.

Cardia pursed her lips at Valkoinen's verbal jab, "I'm hardly a punching bag, I just... you know... Oh, thank you." She nervously allowed Valkoinen to feed her the chocolate.

She arched her head to the side, listening to Valkoinen's story. As she finished, Cardia stood up and leaned in, grabbing Valkoinen in a big hug, "Sorry, you're just too dang adorable." She chuckled softly. "What I... guess I really meant to ask is are people going to be trying to kill us often?" She released her embrace, "Because, if so, I need to be ready." She took a soft breath, deciding that if she was going to be a part of the von Cruezfeldt madness, she may as well go into it full bore. "I want you to be able to count on me to have your back."

Valkoinen was about to tell Cardia exactly how she was a punching bag when she was suddenly embraced by the girl. Her eyes widened and she felt a chill run through her spine as Cardia hugged her tightly. "I am witht he being adorable?" She said unable to comprehend what was going on, becoming stiff in Cardia's embrace. She then narrowed her eyes. I am with the being as sweet as cyanide." She said in a cold tone. She flopped down on the bed when the hug was released and looked up at Cardia.

"Us?" She said tilting her head. "I am with the not understanding of this "us." She meant it. "I am with the having to forever run for my life now. I am with the being rather foolish for having the staying in one place for a long time." She admitted, looking downward a bit. "But I am with the never giving up job! I am with the having blame for taking non-assassination." She clenched her fist. "So I will be with the having burden of it." She looked back at Cardia.

"Lukretia is with the being rich and powerful. She is maybe with the having enemies that are with the having enough hate to be wanting the killing. But I am not with the thinking they are always being after her. Certainly no one would need to waste skill or money to be with the killing poolboy." She scoffed. "So you are with the being able to breath easily." She then stood up. "You are witht he wanting me to know you are having my back?" She said. "I am with the hating to be disappointing pookboy but...." She then leapt forward and grabbed her gun and pointed it at Cardia, With expert accuraccy she fired off a shot that would hit just a little to the left of Cardia. The silenced weapon would not make more than a muffled hiss, but she was sure it would prove her point as she scrutinized the look on Cardia's face for her reaction.

Cardia's eyes shot wide at the sight of the gun. She froze for an instant before diving to the ground and rolling forward. The bullet would whiz by over head as she lunged forward to lock up with Valkoinen without trying to really fight her. "Ack! That is some awful firearms etiquette!" She shouted, "What, do you think you're in some kind of Tarantino flick?"

Valkoinen remaind stoic as Cardia began her outburst. She then set the gun down. "I am with the being perfect shot." She said. "If I am with the wanting you dead, then I am with the having you dead. If I am with the wanting you alive, then you are with the beign alive." She then tilted her head curiously. "Though I am with the regretting that small arms is not being my specialty. I am with the used to using much larger guns. Has poolboy ever been witht he firing of gun before?" She said.

Cardia took a cautious step back, sighing, "Perfect shot? Is that you with the being..." She sighed, "Is that with being you..." Strike two. "Is that Norwegian modesty there?"

"Anyway, I... actually HAVE fired a gun before. I used to shoot at a firing range as a hobby." She smiled with a bit of pride, "Really scared the parents. The look on my Mom's face was priceless..." She chuckled, reminiscing. "Anyway, I was not a perfect shot but I could hit a target at 15 yards a hell of a lot more often than not." She shrugged, "That was a while ago, though."

She looked back at Valkoinen curiously, "Who are you on the run from, anyway? It seems kinda pointless to kill a hitwoman, she's just the hired gun, right?"

"I am with the being Finnish." She said mildly correcting Cardia. It wasn't something she particularly cared for and she knew Cardia had a bad habit (whether on purpose or not) of getting it wrong but For one time, Valkoinen would correct her. The Finn was as much Russian as she was Finnish in state of mind so she never had as much national pride as someone like Lukretia.

"I would be with the guessing you could not be with the hitting broad side of bar." She said, mildly impressed at Cardia's words, though still thinking her skills were laughable. "But having the hobby and being professional are not with the being same thing. I am with the being able to hit with deadly accuracy from close to mile away with good conditions and gun." She said truthfully.

She then sat down next to Cardia. "I was witht he being member of Finnish Spec Ops. Then during mission I was witht he being captured by Russians where I joined GU, Russian Special Ops. In russia, you are with the being member of Spetsnaz for life." She said with a serious tone. "Since I am no longer with Russian Government, I am with the no longer having life.'

Cardia's eyes widened at Valkoinen's story. "W-wow... you're... aren't you like 16?" She shook her head, "You're pulling my leg, right? Spetznatz? Swe... Fin... Nor..." She froze, forgetting what nationality Valkoinen had just told her. Trying to save face, Cardia tried to slur the name, "Hrumhish...ian... Special Ops?"

"And... they really just... conscript you and never let you leave? That's... awful... if you're not telling me tall tales." She smiled, leaning in to hug Valkoinen once more. "I still think you're... like... super teddy bear adorable every time you do that whole serious thing."

Valkoinen furrowed her brow. "I am with the having twenty years." She said simply. "I am with the being older than Lukretia." She said as though the comparison would somehow make her seem as old as she actually was." Never one to mess around, Valkoinen shook her head. "They were with the conscripting me because they were with the being sick and tired of me killing their men. If they could be with the having me on their side then it would be being great benefit. Now it is with the being if they are the one who cannot have me then no one is being with it." She stated.

She then furowed her brow as she was hugged again. "I am with the always being serious." She said in a low grumble as her body stiffened in the hug. She leaned her head forward and sighe, breathing on Cardia's neck. "I am still witht hebelieving that you are not with the understandign scope of situation. Those who are witht he wantign me dead would not be witht he blinking after killing you. You woudl be with the not even knowing you are dead until after it happens. You are innocent civilian. There is with the being no need to have the staying here. You are with the only asking for pain and death." She said. "Do you not wish to spend all your years of being pool boy and dreaming of being with the not a punching bag alive?" She asked.