Persephone (to Victor): Shhhh... Does this makeup hide the black eye?
Victor (to Persephone): What the hell happened? What did you do?
Persephone (to Victor): You know that stupid jackass, Orrin Thatcher down the street. He was being rude, so I taught him a lesson, but his little tagalong friend, Scout, punched me in the eye. She has a nasty left hook.
Victor (to Persephone): Why on earth would you do that? Orrin is at least three times your size. Do you know what "picking your fights" even means? Let me look at that eye. No. The makeup isn't hiding it in the slightest. Your mom's going to notice straight away.
Persephone (to Victor): You would have done it too, he was talking about our family. How long do you think I can hideout in the toolshed before anyone will notice?
Victor (to Persephone): Oh for... What now? Dad is a poof? Mom is a strumpet? I'm the bastard son of the butcher? Orrin has more mouth than brains. I don't think you can hide for more than an hour or two before anyone notices.
Persephone (to Victor): No, he was saying that my dad's family was a bunch of criminals & that we shouldn't be allowed to be around decent folks. And, that no matter how much we pretended to be otherwise, it was just an act & that we should go back to the Tombs where we belonged, with the other guttersnipes and criminals.
Victor (to Persephone): What? Please. He and his kin barely count as "folk" let alone as "decent." Besides I know for a fact his mom used to be a showgirl at a saloon in the East Gardens before she... This is really bothering you, isn't it?
Persephone (to Victor): Yes, it did... I know he's not much better, but I'd never say it to him. It just made me so mad. I mean, Ma or Da has never done anything criminal... Ever.
Victor (to Persephone): Sure we may have a rather more, er, colorful lineage than most, but it hardly makes us scum. Besides, our family's more upright than 98% of the bluebloods out there, if you ask me.
Persephone (to Victor): I just lost my temper... On the plus side, I doubt he'll be talking smack like that again, I got him good.
Victor (to Persephone): Ha ha ha! I don't doubt it. ... You know. I'll bet if you told your Mom WHY you have that black eye, she'd forgive you. I know your dad would, for certain. :-P
Persephone (to Victor): Probably... But, she'll still give me a stern talking to about fighting not being ladylike.
Victor (to Persephone): Oh yeah. Yikes. Sorry. Oh, um, my dad finally spoke to me, but I'm not so sure you'd want to know any of it now.
Persephone (to Victor): Oh? How bad is it?
Victor (to Persephone): Oh. Well, it's not... I mean, it's kind of... Not good.
Persephone (to Victor): Hold on... I'm going to need some wine... Okay... Let me have it.
Victor (to Persephone): Alright. Who do you want to her about first. Your dad, my mom, my dad or who's been snooping around lately?
Persephone (to Victor): Oh my, I have no idea. I guess, who's been snooping around.
Victor (to Persephone): Apparently, um, my mom used to be in a street gang when she was a kid. Her and my dad had some trouble with the former gang leader, Achilles Fitzhugh Smith, a little while after I was born.
Persephone (to Victor): Oh so, is it that guy that's been sneaking around?
Victor (to Persephone): That's what they think.
Persephone (to Victor): Do they know what he's after?
Victor (to Persephone): Dad said he's not sure this time, but you can bet they won't be letting me out of their sight ever again.
Persephone (to Victor): Grunt... I wonder how your girlfriend is going to feel about having a chaperone? :-P
Victor (to Persephone): What? Why on earth would you say that? Girlfriend... Who said I have a girlfriend?
Persephone (to Victor): Oh, did I say GIRL friend? I meant friend that happens to be a girl. You know, the one that you were having a picnic with yesterday.
Victor (to Persephone): Oooo! You are so damn nosy! How did you know about that?
Persephone (to Victor): Who do you think told her what food to bring on the picnic?She asked me what kind of things you liked, so I told her & then she told me why... She's not very good at keeping secrets.
Victor (to Persephone): Clearly not. So... Say what you have to say.
Persephone (to Victor): About what? It doesn't matter to me who you spend time with... She's very pretty, if you like that sort of thing.
Victor (to Persephone): Mmm hmm. Dare I ask what about Isabelle you don't like?
Persephone (to Victor): Don't get me wrong, she'll make someone a fine wife someday... It's just, that seems to be her only aspiration. She has little to no interest in anything else. I just expected you to like someone with more brains, I suppose. But, I guess the fact that she's so pretty probably makes her a hot commodity. I mean, if you don't snatch her up, someone else is bound to. Now, take Estelle, she's smart, a bit of a tomboy... and I suspect she cleans up rather nicely. But, you boys hardly give her the time of day. I think that's a big mistake. Mark my words.
Victor (to Persephone): Heh. Well, Estelle and I do have a lot in common ... including our taste in women. Besides, it's not like I'm the only one in the family who's a sucker for a pretty face. What about you and the dock worker? Or that guy with the shoes?
Persephone (to Victor): Oh... Well, that certainly explains a few things about Estelle... And, what guy with shoes?
Victor (to Persephone): You know. He had those ridiculous shoes! I'm surprised they didn't have bells in them. I'm not surprised you don't remember. They were the most interesting thing about him.
Persephone (to Victor): Oh, you mean Bertholdt? … He was foreign.
Victor (to Persephone): He wasn't foreign! He faked that accident to make up for his horrible shoes!
Persephone (to Victor): Well, Isabelle pads her corset, so there!
Victor (to Persephone): No kidding. A full set of linens fell out of her top when we were having lunch. I don't know why you're so upset. It's not like I've pledged my undying love to her. Besides, it's not like we ever stay in one place very long. Sometimes it's easier to spend time with someone who won't ask a million awkward questions.
Persephone (to Victor): Well, Isabelle certainly won't ask you questions... I don't think she can even spell the word... Besides, whenever you're all googly-eyed about a girl, you totally lose interest in hanging out with me... And, I get bored.
Victor (to Persephone): Oh ho! So THAT'S what's really bothering you! Don't worry. I'm sure I won't be headed anywhere with anyone until we get back into the air. Bah.
Persephone (to Victor): That's good... So, what else did you find out from your dad?
Victor (to Persephone): Well, apparently your dad and all our uncles were sent to the workhouse after their mom died. That's why he joined the palace guards. To get out. He quit after he was injured in a prison riot. I think your mom made him do it.
Persephone (to Victor): Oh yeah, I sort of knew about all of that from Ma after the first time Orrin was talking smack on the street.
Victor (to Persephone): You never told me that! Did she tell you anything else about our uncles?
Persephone (to Victor): I didn't? Weird. I have a memory of telling you all about it.
Victor (to Persephone): You... you DO? Why would I not remember that? Strange. Usually I'm the one with memories of stuff that never happened. Heh. You've been hanging around me too long. :-P
Persephone (to Victor): Probably... Anyway, Ma just told me that a couple of my uncles were not very nice people & got my youngest uncle killed during a heist gone wrong. His name was Percival... which I found odd after meeting that automaton Percy. I mean, is he connected to us somehow? I swear, the more I found out about our family, the more confused I am.
Victor (to Persephone): I don't know. Dad wouldn't tell me anything about Percy. He said to think of him like a sort of cousin. He sure seems damned well related to us, I'll tell you that much.
Persephone (to Victor): Yeah, he did & he clearly knows your parents really well... Speaking of which, what did you learn about your parents?
Victor (to Persephone): Um, I have a grandfather and grandmother who are still alive. Oh, and I guess an aunt and uncle too. Yeah. I mean, I knew Aunt Mouse and my dad weren't technically related, but I never thought... I don't know.
Persephone (to Victor): Oh my goodness!
Victor (to Persephone): Sorry. It's a bit of a shock to find out you have a whole bunch of family that doesn't want anything to do with you.
Persephone (to Victor): Oh, come here, you look as white as ghost. How are you handling this? So, we're still cousins, right?
Victor (to Persephone): Of course we're still cousins! Why wouldn't we be? This is all on my dad's side.
Persephone (to Victor): I'm just making sure... At this rate, for all we know, we could be siblings. :-P
Victor (to Persephone): Ha ha ha! Not a chance! You are totes your mom's daughter. And we BOTH definitively have Longfellow genes.
Persephone (to Victor): Well, anyone that doesn't think you're great & doesn't want to get to know you is totally grunt.
Victor (to Persephone): From the sounds of it, they totes were. Dad said he was pretty beat up when he left, broken bones beat up. And Grandpa Longfellow didn't sound much better. Remind me about all this next time I complain about my folks. Or yours.
Persephone (to Victor): That definitely explains why everyone's been so secretive about talking to us about this stuff.
Victor (to Persephone): There's one more thing... Um, apparently the reason our folks have been so spooked is because that Achilles guy... He tried to kidnap you when you were a baby. Which is why everyone is so freaked. They didn't want to tell us, because they didn't want to freak us out.
Persephone (to Victor): What!?! Why would that guy want me?
Victor (to Persephone): Man, your parents are gonna kill me for telling you this... Mom was a pickpocket when she lived on the streets. She was good. REALLY good, not that I'm surprised. I've NEVER been able to sneak anything past her. Guess he was hoping it was a family trait. He knew mom was staying at the Inn when she was pregnant, and when he saw you... Are you alright? Seph?
Persephone (to Victor): Oh... I'm just a bit in shock. I, uh, think I need to go lay down.
Victor (to Persephone): Yeah, alright. Come on, I'll give you a hand. I didn't mean to upset you.
Persephone (to Victor): It's okay... I don't think I want to know anymore, at least for right now. I still have to deal with Ma & Da about the fight earlier.
Victor (to Persephone): Ooo. Yeah. I had almost forgotten. Tell your dad first. He'll probably take your side. Night, Seph. Let me know if you need anything.
Persephone (to Victor): Good night, Victor. I'll see you in the morning.
Victor: Someday, I'll learn how to keep information to myself.
