The mousey woman turned away, and though her face was hidden from view, Josette could easily imagine the grimace. The knight, on the other hand, finally allowed a smirk to curl her lips. Not here entirely legally, just as she had assumed. Not that she actually admitted as much. Women such as this hardly had to say anything, as their reactions told the entire story. As if she were an open book.

"The gate?" Josette pressed, a single eyebrow cocking at the back of the brunette's head.

"The gate," came the answer, an echo that was tinged with pain. "Right. Yeah. Follow me." She stalked away, the lantern swaying back and forth with each step. Cloaked in the situation's humor, the knight momentarily forgot how the light caught the junk in such a way that made it look a bit like glowing eyes. She even overlooked the actual pair, a piercing yellow against the inky darkness, which glared out from the base of a nearby pile.

They moved in silence, though the waves of emotions rolling off the brunette told Josette all she needed to know. Her shoulders were tense, her spine was rigid, and her arm trembled slightly as it clutched the lantern. Fear? Josette mused. Frustration? Anger? Whatever it was, a sliver of sympathy suddenly mingled with the amusement. The result was a curiosity quite uncharacteristic of the dark-haired knight.

"So," she began, careful to mimic the stranger's words, "what brings you out here tonight?"

The other woman did not stop, did not turn, but she did hesitate. Josette could almost predict the lie before it came. "Work," was her answer. Perhaps it was not a lie after all. "Getting some things for work."

Josette's head tilted, and she asked, "What sort of work is it that you do?"

This time, there was no doubt of her sincerity, as the answer carried a sort of pride. She even lifted her chin a bit as she spoke. "I am a mechanic."

"A mechanic?" This caught Josette off-guard, the fact evident in her voice. Why in the world should she be so surprised? She was nearly to Ettermire, the technology hub of all of Althanas. Yet the thought of the tiny woman tinkering with an engine was nearly impossible for her to conjure up. Furthermore, the machines were so foreign to Josette that she struggled to imagine making a career, a living, a life out of them. Without quite realizing it, she gave a low, throaty grunt of approval.