Mouse: So, it looks like I start my new job next Monday... I am both excited & nervous about it.
Vincent (to Mouse): Hi, sweetie. We've got a window where we can get communications through. Just checking in to let you know we're OK. Well, mostly OK. Poppy's not speaking to me at the moment.
Mouse (to Vincent): Well, I'm glad you're okay. Should I ask why Poppy isn't speaking to you?
Vincent (to Mouse): I think she's mad at me, because I wouldn't kiss her last night while she was drunk.
Mouse (to Vincent): Oh... Little brother, I'm sorry.
Vincent (to Mouse): Only I would manage to entangle myself in this kind of teeth-gnashing angst while hunting down clues about an air pirate in another dimension, and being perused by a crazy robot and murderous teenager. I suppose that's the price I pay for being so insufferably irresistible. :-P
Mouse (to Vincent): Yes, well you are wonderful. Did you find out what you needed to, at least? When are you coming home?
Vincent (to Mouse): Hopefully, we'll be home again soon. I have to follow up a couple of rumors that I can't imagine are true.
Mouse (to Vincent): Have you figured out why Hiiri wants the locket?
Vincent (to Mouse): She wants both the locket and key. I have my suspicions. I'm not sure, but I'm fairly certain that the key is somehow connected to some sort of political intrigue with the Royal Family.
Mouse (to Vincent): Do you know where it is?
Vincent (to Mouse): I know where they both are. You know I never throw anything away.
Mouse (to Vincent): Yes, you are a bit of a packrat... Are they safe?
Vincent (to Mouse): I hope so. I know the locket is safe for sure. I don't keep them together. And don't worry! I haven't stashed the key someone else's apartment.
Mouse (to Vincent): Heehee, did you stash it in your apartment, then?
Vincent (to Mouse): Oh no. That would be incredibly dangerous. I've stashed it at my family's estate at the Hamptons.
Mouse (to Vincent): What!?! Your family has an estate?
Vincent (to Mouse): Hee hee. No, of course not. I'm teasing. I'm the very epitome of white trash, hun.
Mouse (to Vincent): Well, I certainly don't think you are.
Vincent (to Mouse): Oh. Well, thank you, sweetie.
An hour or so later:
Poppy (to Vincent): I've got a possible lead on what Hiiri is up to... I'll be back in an hour or so. (to Emmett Davenport) Hey honey, I need to talk to you... Can you be at our Old London meeting spot in 15 minutes?
Emmett Davenport (to Poppy): Sure, Poppy. Is everything okay?
Vincent (to Poppy): Hun, wait! I know you're mad at me, but that's no reason to storm off by yourself!
Poppy (to Vincent): It's alright, I can handle myself, I'm just going to check something out with Emmett... (to Emmett Davenport): Yeah, I just need some information... it's a face to face talk.
Emmett Davenport (to Poppy): Alright, I'll see you there in fifteen.
Vincent (to Poppy): Just be careful, hun.
An hour later:
Poppy (to Vincent): Hey honey, According to Emmett, Hiiri has been hiring some rough characters for something.
Vincent (to Poppy): Oh dear. That doesn't bode well, does it. Any rumors about what she might be plotting?
Poppy (to Vincent): Klaude thinks this is part of her plan to destroy CLANNG, but they're still working on that angle, at the moment.
Vincent (to Poppy): What do you think, hun?
Poppy (to Vincent): Honestly, I think there's something else going on here. We just need to know the right place to look.
Vincent (to Poppy): Would Royal Intrigue fit the bill? I think the locket and key Hiiri's been trying to get from me are connected to the Prince.
Poppy (to Vincent): Oh well, that would certainly fit the bill.
Vincent (to Poppy): Mmm. I'd imagine so. I don't know why she wants the locket and key so badly. But, I know for a fact they once belonged to Prince Alistair.
Poppy (to Vincent): Well, I've got one more person to check in with & see if they've heard anything, but I need to change...
Vincent (to Poppy): Are you sure you don't need an escort, hun?
Poppy (to Vincent): Thanks for the offer, but I have to go visit someone... and it may not be safe for you to go with me. I haven't been back for a very long time & I don't know what kind of welcome I'm going to get. Isn't it funny, how you spend your whole life running away from something & when you least expect it, you have to go back?
Vincent (to Poppy): I know the feeling all too well, sweetie. Are you sure you don't want to come? I'd hate for you to have to face this alone.
Poppy (to Vincent): Can I borrow a some of your clothes? My stuff won't really work...
Vincent (to Poppy): Of course! You can borrow whatever you need.
Poppy (to Vincent): Honey, haven't you ever wondered why I didn't speak about my past to you? Well, this is part of it... I don't know, if I'm ready to share it with you. But, I'll be okay, I think. I'll be back in a few hours. If I'm not, call Emmett, she'll know what to do.
Vincent (to Poppy): As I said, sweetie, I understand all too well. Please stay safe. Let me know if you need anything.
Poppy (to Vincent): Thanks, I'll see you shortly.
Four hours later:
Eep: OK. I give up on painting or sketching right now. Breaking things can be a form of self expression, right?
Mouse (to Eep): Can I see before you destroy them?
Eep (to Mouse): Oh. Uh, yeah. I guess so. If you really want to. They're not any good. I just can't get my hands to do what I want. I'm sure I'd probably have any easier time, if my hand wasn't banged up. Not that it matters. I can't paint when I'm stressed.
Mouse (to Eep: Oh, what can I do to help de-stress you?
Eep (to Mouse): Heh. Short of giving me a lobotomy? I'm not sure. :p
Mouse (to Eep): So, why are you so stressed? Same old, same old?
Eep (to Mouse): Yeah. Sorry. I'm worried about Vincent. And Poppy too, I guess. I guess I'm not very good at waiting.
Mouse (to Eep): I know, me too... Umm, I've been doing a little thinking about that... Remember that chest that the Davenports gave us?
Eep (to Mouse): Oh, yeah. What about it?
Mouse (to Eep): Well, we've got everything we need in it, if we wanted to crossover and find them...
Eep (to Mouse): Which is what you want to do, isn't it?
Mouse (to Eep): Well, it might be better than sitting around worrying, but it's up to you.
Eep (to Mouse): Might be. Do you know how the hell to crossover, or even where to begin looking for him? Cause I'm fucking clueless.
Mouse (to Eep): Hmm, I don't know.
Eep (to Mouse): Well, it's an option if we need it. I gotta admit, it makes me feel a little better to know we're not TOTALLY helpless.
Mouse (to Eep): Yeah, there's all sorts of things in here - weapons, clothing, doohickeys. There might even be something to help us crossover...
Eep (to Mouse): Doohickeys? Thank fucking God we've got doohickeys!
Mouse (to Eep): Well, they might be thingamajigs. :-P
Eep (to Mouse): Jesus. Sorry. I'm, uh, I'm a little freaked about the idea of crossing over there again, honestly. I know. I'm a chickenshit.
Mouse (to Eep): Sweetie, we don't have to go... Oh shoot, Ripper should be here in a minute for our sparring match. You want to come & watch?
Eep (to Mouse): I know. Just cause I'm scared doesn't mean I don't think we should go if we need to. And, yeah. I kinda DO wanna watch you beat the tar out of Ripper. That, uh, that makes me a shitty person, doesn't it?
Mouse (to Eep): hmm, I don't know. Does it make me a bad person that I want to oblige you?
Eep (to Mouse): Yes. We're the worst kind of people.
Ripper (to Mouse): Ready to spar?
Mouse (to Ripper): Yeppers, be right there.
Three hours later:
Eep (to Ripper): You're a glutton for punishment, aren't you?
Ripper (to Eep): Did the laying on the floor gasping for air give you that clue?
Eep (to Ripper): Heh. Yeah. I'm perceptive like that. So, do I owe YOU a beer now, because my girlfriend keeps beating you up?
Ripper (to Eep): Yes, I think you do. :-)
Eep (to Ripper): Heh. Fair enough. Thanks, by the way. For sparing with Mouse, I mean. It helps. Even if you DO keep getting your ass kicked.
Ripper (to Eep): Well, I guess so long as it helps... Though, I think next time I'm going to have to get her to show me how to do some of that stuff. I'd like to be able to, at least, be standing for longer than 5 minutes at a time.
Eep (to Ripper): Heh. Well, don't feel too bad. You're lasting longer than I would.
Vincent (to Poppy): Hey, sweetie. I haven't heard from you in a couple of hours. I'm just checking in. Are you OK?
Poppy (to Vincent): Yeah, I'm on my way back now, I'll be there in just a minute. Sorry it took me so long... After the initial threats & then hugs, things went fine.
Vincent (to Poppy): Threats and then hugs? Sounds like you had a hell of an evening, hun. I'm glad nothing went awry. We've got rum onboard if you need it.
Poppy (to Vincent): I may indeed need it. Though, after my behavior yesterday I should probably avoid it.
Vincent (to Poppy): Oh now. Don't stress your pretty head about it, sweetie. I'm not upset. No reason you should be.
Poppy (to Vincent): Oh well, in that case, honey, give me some of that rum.
Vincent (to Poppy): Are you sure you're alright, hun? You seem more upset than I've seen you since... Well, for a while.
Poppy (to Vincent): I'm fine...
Vincent (to Poppy): If you say so. Here's your drink, hun. Were you able to get the information you were looking for?
Poppy (to Vincent): Yes & no. Hiiri apparently has a "guest" who knew of yours & Alejandro's activities in detail, but I couldn't get the name. And, CLANNG is quite aware of Hiiri's intentions and are willing to sit back and see how this all plays out… They seem to think they know how to stop her if she succeeds & well, if she fails that eliminates the competition.
Vincent (to Poppy): Huh... Well, isn't that just like CLANNG? And Hiiri has a "guest" who knows about my connection to Alejandro, Alejandro's connection to Alistair, AND about the locket.
Poppy (to Vincent): Apparently, though thankfully it doesn't seem to be common knowledge that Alejandro & Alistair were one in the same.
Vincent (to Poppy): No, I wouldn't imagine. Aside from myself, there's only one person I can think of who would be able to connect all those things together.
Poppy (to Vincent): Who would that be?
Vincent (to Poppy): Alistair himself, hun. Pass me that rum, would you? Wait. How did you know Alistair and Alejandro were the same person, sweetie?
Poppy (to Vincent): I met him when I was working for Tesla. Nikola & Alistair were friends. Nikola outfitted your ship, as well as, most of "Alejandro's" weaponry.
Vincent (to Poppy): Well, aren't you full of surprises today? It does explain how you know so much about the Falcon, however.
Poppy (to Vincent): So, anything else you need to know, honey? If not, I just got some bad news and I think I need to go cry for a bit.
Vincent (to Poppy): Oh hun! Are you sure you want to be alone? You sat with me the other night after Hiiri... Well, I'm willing to return the favor. As a friend, of course.
Poppy (to Vincent): Honey, that's nice of you to offer, but... I don't think I need a friend, right now. Can I have some more rum?
Vincent (to Poppy): Oh. Of course. I'm sorry, hun. If there's anything I can do...
Poppy (to Vincent): Can I ask you a strange question, honey?
Vincent (to Poppy): Of course. What do you want to know?
Poppy (to Vincent): Have you ever come across a pair of brothers by the name of Gideon & Markus Longfellow? They often worked together with a fairly rough crowd.
Vincent (to Poppy): I'm fringe, hun, but I'm not quite rough trade fringe. But I think I've run across the Longfellow brothers around the edges. Why do you ask?
Poppy (to Vincent): Uh, they got someone I cared about killed... and that's why I'm upset. I didn't think it would affect me like this... It's been a long time since I've seen any of them. It's been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster today.
Vincent (to Poppy): I know the feeling, sweetie. If you don't mind me asking, what's your connection to the Longfellow brothers? I thought you worked for Nikola and the Davenport sisters. I can't imagine any of them having any association with that sort.
Poppy (to Vincent): Oh, uh, it was long before I worked for them, honey. It's so far in the past that I shouldn't even have mentioned it... Listen to me carrying on like a silly girl... I should really have some more rum & then go to bed.
Vincent (to Poppy): Sweetie... I understand more deeply than you can imagine. Shall we have one more drink to pasts we'd rather forget?
Poppy (to Vincent): I will, indeed, toast to that, honey.
Vincent (to Poppy): Cheers! Aaand, that was one more shot than I should have had. I'm heading to bed. Is there anything else you need before I wander off?
Poppy (to Vincent): By any chance, could I have a hug, honey? I promise no funny business.
Vincent (to Poppy): Of course, sweetie.
Poppy (to Vincent): Oh my... um, I really hope that is something in your pocket, honey.
Vincent (to Poppy): Oh dear. Good heavens. When did I turn into Eep? I'm... Oh for God's sake. I should head to bed now. I warned you that I wasn't lying when I told you I found you attractive, hun. Good night.
