[ Contrary to what one may think there's actually marsh in parts of Arizona, in some of the national parklands; out and out swamps, however, are a bit different and Jon isn't even 100% sure how he got here in the middle of the night, but here he is, wading out in mud in denim and bare feet, walking with what was once a lantern and is now a thinking, walking light-source, picking up small stones and marveling at the nighttime wildlife.
He takes photos without flash and collects swamp water in jars, humming snatches of random pop songs to himself. He hasn't memorized any of them yet, just give him time. ]
[ it's the light in the not-so-distant distance that catches her attention first, too large and too consistent to be a lightning bug or anything else native to the swamps. a light, however, isn't alarming enough to put her on high alert, but it is very... curious.
and somewhat annoying, because lights in the dark typically come with people attached to them and josephine has never had a reputation for being particularly sociable, or hospitable, at that. still, a stranger in the dark is interesting if only for the potential for temporary entertainment. the swamp and its inhabitants can be difficult to navigate for those who don't know what to expect, and someone who butchers pop songs while wading through mud in the middle of the night seems like the perfect candidate for 'in too deep'.
so josephine watches, ankle deep in the water just a little ways down from jon, her hands cupped and full of dark mud ready to be deposited into a filthy, metal tin waiting just a couple feet away on the bank. her hands drip quietly, but the sound blends seamlessly with the rest of the noises natural to the swamps.
for a handful of seconds, josephine just watches him as the mud in her hands starts to creep between the gaps in her fingers, the corner of her mouth curling with a small smirk as she finally works out the tune he's attempting to hum, faint in the space between them, and when she speaks, her voice cuts through the dark. ]
The gators might eat you alive if you keep singing Taylor Swift, you know.
[ her tone is more amused than anything else, and lacking an accent. ]
[ Jon does startle, a bit, which really means he freezes and his shoulders tense. His head and the little lantern golem turn in her direction, though the light isn't anywhere near as blinding as it would be if she had been a gator; it's a considerate little creature, after all. He grins, though, open and without fear. She's also a transplant; that's cool. ]
[ some of the mud in jo's hands plops down into the water she collected it from, a bit louder than the rest of the little drips she's been the main source of like a tiny reminder that if she waits too long, it'll all creep through and she'll have to scoop again — not that it'd be particularly difficult to do over, but there's no point in wasting the effort. she moves almost a little too quietly as she wades through the water to the bank and bends low, parting her palms and letting the mud ooze into the metal pan waiting by the edge. ]
If by catchy, you mean like a virus...
[ said casually to her coated hands, but loud enough and meant for jon. she turns back, then, shifting her attention back to the man and his curious little light, her eyes lingering on it briefly. she bends again, this time to rinse her hands in the water.
is he trespassing? kind of. does she care? ... kind of — but only because she's curious as to what he's doing out in the middle of a swamp at who knows what time in the night. and also, his light. she's curious about the light, but she doesn't ask anything about it, yet. she doesn't offer her name in return. instead, as she straightens up and uses the back of her wet wrist to itch the edge of her jaw, she asks, ]
What are you doing humming questionable music in the middle of a swamp at night, Jon?
[ Either his attempts at the songs or the singer herself, he's not sure, but Jon decides to take it as he takes most things: in stride. Annoyance isn't the same as rageful screaming, after all, though he'd like to avoid becoming a full-on nuisance if at all possible.
The smile stays where it is, though he's not going to go into personal detail. He doubts this woman wants to know why he can't sleep like most folks at this hour. ]
Looking for plants. Mint, lobelia, that kind of thing. If I happen upon some snakes and their eggs, all the better.
[ The lantern-golem makes an inquisitive noise in Jon's direction and he glances down at the construct. ]
He wants to know if the light is too bright for you.
[ if she's completely honest, the constant smiling is a little bit weird, but so is this whole encounter so far, really. the swamp doesn't get too many visitors aside from the curious, adventurous tourist every once in a while — and, more than once in a while, an annoying, scaly, ass-fish-boy — so it's not common, it's also not terribly unusual for jo to run into someone who doesn't seem to know or care that they're trespassing.
it's never happened in the middle of the night, though.
josephine pats her hands dry against her pants, rolled messily to her knees to keep from getting wet, which seems rather pointless after this. for a moment, she just looks at him in the dark, her head tilted slightly and her eyes narrowed just the tiniest bit. the mint and the flowers she doesn't really mind or care about, but the snake eggs? that's curious. something to ask about in a minute or two, after she investigates this little light and the soft sound it definitely just made at jon. ]
... He. [ not a question, just acknowledgement as she glances down at the animated lantern, then crouches down a little to get a better look, still standing in the water, still some distance away, but close enough for now. close enough, now that she's paying more attention, to feel the magic. she leans slightly, then lifts one of her hands a little to try and block out the glow from the light for a better look. ] No. No, it's not too bright.
[ and finally, she smiles, faint and fleeting, but somehow, she's charmed by the little golem all of the sudden. there and gone, and then she's looking up at jon, still crouched low. ]
[ The lamp makes a pleased noise and dims the light when Jo puts up her hand, swinging directly into Jon's eyes once she says 'no', causing him to flinch and cover his eyes, cursing quietly. ] Jesus, yes, I heard her.
[ Something...no, someone at this point, might have a crush on Jo. They just happen to be a living lamp. ]
They're good? They suit some rituals. Raw eggs, the less like chickens the better.
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He takes photos without flash and collects swamp water in jars, humming snatches of random pop songs to himself. He hasn't memorized any of them yet, just give him time. ]
no subject
and somewhat annoying, because lights in the dark typically come with people attached to them and josephine has never had a reputation for being particularly sociable, or hospitable, at that. still, a stranger in the dark is interesting if only for the potential for temporary entertainment. the swamp and its inhabitants can be difficult to navigate for those who don't know what to expect, and someone who butchers pop songs while wading through mud in the middle of the night seems like the perfect candidate for 'in too deep'.
so josephine watches, ankle deep in the water just a little ways down from jon, her hands cupped and full of dark mud ready to be deposited into a filthy, metal tin waiting just a couple feet away on the bank. her hands drip quietly, but the sound blends seamlessly with the rest of the noises natural to the swamps.
for a handful of seconds, josephine just watches him as the mud in her hands starts to creep between the gaps in her fingers, the corner of her mouth curling with a small smirk as she finally works out the tune he's attempting to hum, faint in the space between them, and when she speaks, her voice cuts through the dark. ]
The gators might eat you alive if you keep singing Taylor Swift, you know.
[ her tone is more amused than anything else, and lacking an accent. ]
no subject
They're not fans? Her stuff is catchy.
Sorry if I'm trespassing.
[ He gives a little wave. ] I'm Jon.
no subject
If by catchy, you mean like a virus...
[ said casually to her coated hands, but loud enough and meant for jon. she turns back, then, shifting her attention back to the man and his curious little light, her eyes lingering on it briefly. she bends again, this time to rinse her hands in the water.
is he trespassing? kind of. does she care? ... kind of — but only because she's curious as to what he's doing out in the middle of a swamp at who knows what time in the night. and also, his light. she's curious about the light, but she doesn't ask anything about it, yet. she doesn't offer her name in return.
instead, as she straightens up and uses the back of her wet wrist to itch the edge of her jaw, she asks, ]
What are you doing humming questionable music in the middle of a swamp at night, Jon?
no subject
[ Either his attempts at the songs or the singer herself, he's not sure, but Jon decides to take it as he takes most things: in stride. Annoyance isn't the same as rageful screaming, after all, though he'd like to avoid becoming a full-on nuisance if at all possible.
The smile stays where it is, though he's not going to go into personal detail. He doubts this woman wants to know why he can't sleep like most folks at this hour. ]
Looking for plants. Mint, lobelia, that kind of thing. If I happen upon some snakes and their eggs, all the better.
[ The lantern-golem makes an inquisitive noise in Jon's direction and he glances down at the construct. ]
He wants to know if the light is too bright for you.
no subject
it's never happened in the middle of the night, though.
josephine pats her hands dry against her pants, rolled messily to her knees to keep from getting wet, which seems rather pointless after this. for a moment, she just looks at him in the dark, her head tilted slightly and her eyes narrowed just the tiniest bit. the mint and the flowers she doesn't really mind or care about, but the snake eggs? that's curious. something to ask about in a minute or two, after she investigates this little light and the soft sound it definitely just made at jon. ]
... He. [ not a question, just acknowledgement as she glances down at the animated lantern, then crouches down a little to get a better look, still standing in the water, still some distance away, but close enough for now. close enough, now that she's paying more attention, to feel the magic. she leans slightly, then lifts one of her hands a little to try and block out the glow from the light for a better look. ] No. No, it's not too bright.
[ and finally, she smiles, faint and fleeting, but somehow, she's charmed by the little golem all of the sudden. there and gone, and then she's looking up at jon, still crouched low. ]
... What do you want with snake eggs?
no subject
[ Something...no, someone at this point, might have a crush on Jo. They just happen to be a living lamp. ]
They're good? They suit some rituals. Raw eggs, the less like chickens the better.