[quote=@Krauxis]
"I don't like being threatened, though I can't say I didn't see it coming. I'll take your threat as fair play. The truth is," Chloe continued as she stood out of her chair. Sitting was awkward for her when she was transformed, and standing just felt a little more natural. "I just want what's best for me, see. I won't ever be loyal to you, because I... I just can't. I'm not loyal to the Compact, or to Aurora or anybody but myself. That said, you," she said as she pointed to Maria, before shifting her hand and gaze to where Eponine was sitting, seeming a bit shaken by the ordeal, "and you. You're fun. It seems like interesting stuff might happen around you. And one day, if I go along with this charade, I might get to fight you guys fair. Maybe even kill you. I wouldn't be bored for like a week if that happens. Or maybe I'll die. Won't ever be bored again that way either."

This was a lot of talking, more than Chloe was used to doing all at once, though it was her own fault for her rambling way of speaking to others, she knew. "So... fine. Because it's interesting, I'll let you use me in whatever game you have concocted. But I won't... [i]can't[/i] promise loyalty. I might kill you one day. Or smash up your house. Or even betray you. There's just no other option for me. You've gotta take it or leave it, Lady. But it might do you some good to discuss that with your subordinates, they might be a bit restless with the idea."
[/quote]
When Chloe stood up, Eponine did the same, wordlessly grabbing her hammer in preparation for a surprise attack from Chloe.   All this talk of rebellion confused Eponine, and not only was tension rising between Chloe and Maria while they negotiated, Eponine felt an increased tension between herself and Maria.  But when Chloe told Maria to 'discuss her plans with her restless subordinates', Eponine retorted, falling back to her default thinking, "How dare you question my loyalty to Lady Maria?!" For Eponine, it was more of an emotional release; it was so much simpler to not have to think, to fall back on habit, on programmed behavior.  Of course, Eponine would have to ask Maria about it later, but for now, Eponine took comfort in her zealotry, solidarity, loyalty, ignorance, and blindness.

[quote=@Ariamis]
After a moment of sitting silent and staring at the rogue like an overweight man would look at a plate of salad, she finally spoke, in a low voice: "Take these." She called Fantine over and had her deliver two items to Chloe: a flash drive and a cellphone. She explained the items:

She paused for a moment, and then said: "In return, I only ask for one thing: the name of the one who would stand up to me without fear."
[/quote]
Fantine did as commanded, while Eponine shifted from foot to foot nervously until Fantine was a good distance from Chloe.  Eponine worried now more than before since Maria was actually sharing vital information with an unstable deviant, but resolved to hold her tongue until after Chloe had left.  When Maria asked Chloe for her name, Eponine stared at Chloe with a look of judgment, mixed in with a slight smugness.  Of course, Eponine already knew Chloe's name since she ahd told her, but Eponine wanted Chloe to say it herself as Maria had ordered.  For Chloe to tell Maria to ask Eponine to tell her her name would be an act of incredible insolence that Eponine was not going to tolerate.  She gripped her hammer tightly, waiting for Chloe to make that mistake and give Eponine a justifiable reason to smear her bloody corpse-paste along the estate grounds.