Poppy (to Vincent): Hey honey, I'm running to the café to get coffee before our trip. Want anything?
Vincent (to Poppy): A latte would be amazing, hun! Thank you.
Poppy (to Vincent): Will do! I should be back in a flash.
Forty-five minutes later:
Vincent (to Poppy): Hi, sweetie. You've been gone for a while. I just wanted to check in to make sure you're OK.
Poppy (to Vincent): Oh sorry, honey, I'm on my way now. Should be back in a minute. It was really busy & Oliver was bugging me. And, that is a box of something that I just don't feel like examining, at the moment.
Vincent (to Poppy): Yikes! Well, I don't envy you, hun. I'll see you shortly.
Ten minutes later:
Poppy (to Vincent): Alright, coffee is here. Sorry that took so long. Are you all ready to head out?
Vincent (to Poppy): Yep. All suited up. I'm ready when you are. Shall we get this business done? (to Mouse & Eep) Poppy and I are off. We'll keep in touch as best as we can.
Poppy (to Vincent): Yes, let's go. And, might I say, honey, you look quite dapper.
Eep (to Vincent): Be careful! If anything happens to you two, Mouse will kick your ass!
Vincent (to Poppy): Thanks, hun. I thought that if I want Alistair to treat me like a Captain, I should looks the part. (to Eep) Awww. You're so adorbz when you worry!
Poppy (to Eep): Don't worry, Mister Mouse, I'll make sure nothing happens to him. :-)
Eep (to Poppy): Mr. Mouse... you're a laugh riot.
Poppy (to Eep): What, honey? I thought it was better than calling you Mister Giggles.
Eep (to Poppy): Yeah, well... just be careful.
Poppy (to Eep): Thank you, we will. And, good luck on your job training today!
Eep (to Poppy): Oh, uh... Thanks.
A couple hours later:
Poppy (to Vincent): Well, should we give the Davenports a holler for a ride or is your ship around here somewhere?
Vincent (to Poppy): No, I have the Falcon nearby, hun. I thought it would be less awkward that way. (to Emmett Davenport) Greetings, Ms Davenport! I just wanted to let you know we've crossed over safe and sound. We're making our way to the Falcon now, and then we'll be off to Colorado Springs.
Poppy (to Vincent): Honey, it's going to be awkward eventually no matter how you slice it, but I'm glad it's held off for a bit.
Emmett Davenport (to Vincent): Glad to hear it, Captain. We're actually making preparations to leave the monastery in a few hours...
Vincent (to Poppy): Looks like it's for a very little bit, I'm afraid, hun. Emmett, and I'm assuming Percy, are at Colorado Springs.
Poppy (to Vincent): I'll be good, I promise... Are you going to be okay, honey?
Vincent (to Poppy): I should be fine. Mostly fine. I think. And if not, well, I can fake it with the best of them, hun.
Poppy (to Vincent): It'll be fine, honey... I hope.
Vincent (to Poppy): You and me both!
Mouse (to Eep): Hey sexy man, I'm just wrapping up work, but I wanted to check and see how your training day at the new job is going?
Eep (to Mouse): Uh, OK so far, I guess. The POP & inventory system is easy enough. The owner, Josh, and I got into a big argument about communism. I think he likes the fact that I'll argue with him.
Mouse (to Eep): Wow, a boss that actually encourages you to be surly & argumentative. I think you may have found your perfect job. :-p
Eep (to Mouse): Shit. I may end up management. :p How was your day, missus?
Mouse (to Eep): Good, I helped Lee & Dana make desserts, today. I made a Pear Clafoutis, Tiramisu, and a bunch of tarts. They had a big catering order to fill, so they needed an extra pair of hands to make the desserts for the restaurant.
Eep (to Mouse): I'm not sure what any of those things are, but they sound delicious.
Mouse (to Eep): Oh well, I'll have to rectify that sometime.
Eep (to Mouse): Heh. I love it when you talk pastry to me.
Mouse (to Eep): I suddenly have the overwhelming urge to bake something...
Eep (to Mouse): Oh. Um... Heh. I have nothing else clever to say. I should be home in a half an hour.
Mouse (to Eep): How do you feel about going out for dinner? I'm in the mood for sushi.
Eep (to Mouse): Sounds good to me.
Three hours later:
Percy (to Vincent & Poppy): Well, well, well. Look how cute you look. It's like The Black Stallion & My Little Pony.
Vincent (to Percy): I don't recall you ever complaining about my fashion sense before, hun. (to Emmett Davenport) Hello, Emmett. I hope you're well and that "Percy" here hasn't been too big a trial. I'm afraid he's none too happy with me at the mo.
Emmett Davenport (to Vincent): Well, he's still a bit miffed about being stuck in the boy body. But, it's either that or be offline.
Percy (to Vincent): Oh honey, you look more like a woman every time I see you.
Vincent (to Percy): Awww, puddin'. I'm 5'4" and less than 120 pounds. If you want to insult me, you're going to have to try harder than that.
Percy (to Vincent): Alright, Thumbelina, you got me... I remember when you used to be fun. Alistair is in the library.
Vincent (to Percy): Mmm. I know. I'm such a bore these days. Thank you, Percy. (to Poppy) I should be out soon, Poppy. Hopefully.
Percy (to Poppy): And, you're awfully quiet, honey. Cat got your tongue or does a certain boi?
Poppy (to Percy): Look, honey, I'm sorry for whatever you think I've done and, I do mean it. So, take the apology in the spirit it was intended, or I'll kick you in the gen'als.
Percy (to Poppy): Oh my, the little flower has thorns...
Poppy (to Percy): Hush you!
Four hours later:
Vincent (to Poppy): Hey, hun. I know it's a bit of late, but are you ready to head back to our side?
Poppy (to Vincent): Yes please, honey, I don't know about you but this has been the weirdest visit I've ever had...
Vincent (to Poppy): Not THE oddest, but it certainly ranks in the top 5.
Poppy (to Vincent): Well then, maybe it was just me... I've never had a robot copy of me staring at me before. I'm just glad that s/he left with the Davenports when s/he did, or it was going to get ugly. And, I was trying so hard to be good.
Vincent (to Poppy): You were practically an angel, hun. Personally, I thought it was a tad more awkward when she showed up at my apartment. But as you said, I think that's just me. :-P
Poppy (to Vincent): Did the chat with Alistair go alright?
Vincent (to Poppy): It started a bit shaky, but went better than I expected. I think I should be very grateful he wasn't able to get out of bed when we first laid eyes on one another.
Poppy (to Vincent): Oh... that doesn't sound good.
Vincent (to Poppy): Well, I expected that there would be some tension. I DID commit mutiny, after all. But, I honestly didn't expect him to still be that upset over it. I thought he'd more or less forgiven me when he left me the Falcon.
Poppy (to Vincent): I'm sorry, honey.
Vincent (to Poppy): It's alright, hun. I was right to do what I did. He knows it, but I think he expected I'd be a bit more contrite about it. You know how it is with royalty. They never really expect that anyone will disagree with them.
Poppy (to Vincent): Don't get me started about royalty, honey... especially, not the royal family of Brittania. I have some very choice names I like to call them from time to time.
Vincent (to Poppy): Hee hee. I take it you've had your own experiences with the Royal Family?
Poppy (to Vincent): Honey, being the wizard's assistant wasn't all test tubes & bunsen burners, let me tell you... some other time.
Vincent (to Poppy): Good heavens, that certainly sounds ominous. I'm more than a little afraid to imagine what that could entail, hun.
Poppy (to Vincent): I'll tell you all about it, later. I just want to know what happened with the prince. Or do you still need time to process?
Vincent (to Poppy): Of course, hun. I'm sorry. It's been a very long day. I'm sure you've surmised that Alistair left me the Falcon when he "retired" from pirating and from public life. He also left me a key and a locket, along with a letter that instructed me never to keep together.
Poppy (to Vincent): The key & locket that Hiiri wants, right?
Vincent (to Poppy): Those are the ones. He wrote that if I was captured, or found myself in a tight spot with the royal family... I could use them as leverage to barter my freedom. He never said why, but the locket has the royal seal stamped inside it.
Poppy (to Vincent): Well, that seems curious... Did he explain?
Vincent (to Poppy): Eventually. They fit together to make a key that opens a safe in the Royal vault in the catacombs under the Royal Keep. According to Alistair, it's the only way the vault can be opened. Inside it is some rather filthy royal laundry, apparently. Namely detailing exactly how the current empress, Elizabeth III, came to sit on the throne. I'm guessing it isn't pretty.
Poppy (to Vincent): Oh my, and that would definitely be something that Hiiri would want, honey.
Vincent (to Poppy): Mmm. Those were my thoughts exactly. And, now that I know what I actually have in my possession... I have to decide what to do with them.
Poppy (to Vincent): Give them back to Alistair or the wizard and let them deal with it, honey...
Vincent (to Poppy): Again, my first thought as well, hun. But... Possessing these things seems to be more than a bit dangerous. The wizard and I aren't exactly on the best of terms after I refused to continue hiding his plans off-world.
Poppy (to Vincent): Well, I can get him to agree, honey, I think it's the least he can do. He owes me for... oh, so many things. No offense, but I think royal espionage is a little out of your league, honey.
Vincent (to Poppy): No offense taken. "Royal espionage" isn't a talent I'm looking to cultivate. Heh. I do wonder why everyone thinks I'll take offense to the words, "out of your league." If you can get the wizard to agree to take possession of the key, at least, that would be a grand help, hun.
Poppy (to Vincent): If that doesn't work, I might know of a safe place to hide them.
Vincent (to Poppy): Really? Where?
Poppy (to Vincent): My father's house in the Tombs... Everyone thinks I'm a robot. They don't know that I have a family or where I came from.
Vincent (to Poppy): Oh. That may work. No one is living there currently, I hope?
Poppy (to Vincent): Not that I know of... My brothers, Gideon & Markus, would use the place to hide out from the city guard quite a bit. My family still owns it, but no one wanted to actually live in it, too many memories.
Vincent (to Poppy): This might be our best option then. We'll have to make a second trip. I didn't think it was a good idea to crossover with both key and locket in tow. Honestly, I was angry enough to throw the locket back into Alistair's face.
Poppy (to Vincent): Well, I can crossover & hide the key, if you'd like. That way, you won't know where it is & be done with the whole thing. I mean, you had mentioned retiring from the whole pirating business... this could be a great way to end the career of the Dandy, and word would get around to Hiiri that he was dead. And voila! No more having to deal with crazy evil robot.
Vincent (to Poppy): I had... It was all fine and good when it was just me doing a little bit of trading and smuggling but people have been getting hurt due to me. I'm still not sure how I'm going to process that when this is all said and done. I think at this point it's a bit too late to disengage myself with the crazy robot. I have the distinct impression Hiiri won't be so keen to forgive and forget even if I do retire. At any rate, none of that means I'm keen on letting you go into the Tombs by yourself, hun. If you don't want me with you that I understand. But, I'm not going to ask you to clean up my mess.
Poppy (to Vincent): Well, I'm not going to let you get yourself hurt or worse, when I can help. And as far as you going into the Tombs with me, you're not very good at incognito, honey. Plus, I'm not sure I want you to see where I grew up... I know I'm being silly, but I'm a bit embarrassed by it.
Vincent (to Poppy): Heh. As impossible as it is to believe, I CAN blend, hun. I've been in the Tombs several times before. I've run more than a few jobs for one of the doctors at the Charring Cross Hospital.
Poppy (to Vincent): Oh? I had no idea...
Vincent (to Poppy): Hee hee. I'm not surprised. Getting bandages & disinfectant for a small hospital doesn't an exciting tale of daring do make. With the right clothes, I'm just one more kid on the street. But, I understand if you don't want me to see the homestead. It's not silly. It's not silly at all.
Poppy (to Vincent): Well, if you decide that you want to hide the key there or with the wizard, let me know & I'll help make the arrangements.
Vincent (to Poppy): Thank you for everything, hun. I'll sleep on what I want to do with the key. It feels like I could sleep on it for three days! I'm exhausted as well. We should be home soon.
Thirty minutes later:
Vincent (to Eep & Mouse): Hello my favorite Gloomies! Poppy and I are home, healthy and whole. I am going to go to bed and snooze forever. (to Poppy) Poppy? Hun? Are you awake? We're back.
Poppy (to Vincent): Really? Sorry. I dozed off quite soundly for a minute there.
Vincent (to Poppy): Hee hee. I'll say. I thought I was going to have to carry you for a minute. Come on, hun.
Poppy (to Vincent): While that would have been incredibly sweet & sexy, honey. I think I can manage it. Thank you, none the less.
Vincent (to Poppy): Heh. As someone who's been carried off to bed while drunk before, I can tell you it's often more disconcerting than sexy.
Poppy (to Vincent): Should I head to the couch or the bed, honey?
Vincent (to Poppy): The bed is yours. I've made it to the couch, and I believe this is as far as I'm going to go. Good night, hun.
Poppy (to Vincent): Alright, good night, honey, sleep sweet.
