Starling (to Carver): Mister Carver, I have some bad news to report... It seems Miss Hiiri's locator has stopped transmitting.
Carver (to Starling): We wish we could say we're surprised, Miss Starling. Calm down, Other Caver. We'll collect her soon enough. Let's see what we do to find her, Miss Starling. Other Carver is MOST keen to see her again. I suppose we now have two teenagers to find, don't we, Miss Starling?
Starling (to Carver): It certainly appears that way, sir... Do you think I could play with Miss Hiiri when we collect her again?
Carver (to Starling): Of course, miss. You will have to share with Other Carver, however. We're personally interested in seeing her again.
Starling (to Carver): Of course, sir... I have a suggestion as to how to find our young gentleman. He seems to be well-acquainted with the Kobayashi family especially the youngest girl... I could perhaps find her & draw him to us.
Carver (to Starling): Excellent suggestion, Miss Starling. See what you can do for us, miss.
Starling (to Carver): Right away, sir.
In West Piedmont:
Hiiri (to Poppy): Oh, is that platter of breakfast for me? Thank you, Poppy. That is awfully kind of you.
Poppy (to Hiiri): Yes, well, don't get to excited, honey. It's simply oatmeal & coffee. I hope you're enjoying your accommodations.
Hiiri (to Poppy): To be honest, they're a step up from the room at CLANNG, but I can tell you have the inhibitor set so I can't leave.
Poppy (to Hiiri): I thought that would be for the best. I'll be back to retrieve the tray in a little while.
A short time later:
Hiiri (to Victor): Good morning, Victor. What brings you into my prison cell? Do your parents know you're in here?
Victor (to Hiiri): Good morning, Miss Hiiri. I'm sure they'll find out soon enough. There's not much that they miss.
Hiiri (to Victor): That is very true. Is there something I can do for you or are you just here to look at the freak?
Victor (to Hiiri): I wanted to ask you some questions without my mom in the room, if you wouldn't mind.
Hiiri (to Victor): Ask away... I can't imagine there's anything I could tell you that isn't already in that ridiculous file your mother has.
Victor (to Hiiri): The files aren't always accurate. My dad's certainly isn't. But that's not what I wanted to ask. Why did you lie yesterday?
Hiiri (to Victor): Heh. That's cute. You think I lied about something, yesterday... I'm evil, that's just what I do. I lie, cheat, kill, take candy from babies, you name it, I've probably done it.
Victor (to Hiiri): Have you? Done any of those things? You PERSONALLY, I mean. Not some other clone version of you.
Hiiri (to Victor): Oh well, not me personally... but does it matter?
Victor (to Hiiri): It does to me. Are you ever going to tell me why you didn't tell Director Carver about me? And please don't bother lying again. You have the same tells as my aunt, you know. They're not hard to spot.
Hiiri (to Victor): You are a clever one, aren't you? Fine... I didn't tell Carver about you, to put it simply because he's awful. I was planning on getting rid of him before he grew up, but Mister von Clegg put an end to that little plan. Heh. I bet he regretted that decision... I would have, at least, left him alive.
Victor (to Hiiri): You wouldn't have. Not that it matters now, at any rate. Did you mean it? When you said you wanted out of this game?
Hiiri (to Victor): Yes... Look at me. I'm trapped in this teenager body. No one is going to take me seriously. All my allies have grown old & retired or won't return my calls. I have no idea what has gone on since I've been gone. If words get out about my abilities, I'm just going to be used as a pawn in some scheme. I wish I hadn't woken up. And, your parents certainly aren't going to let me go... They're probably going to give me over to Tesla again, which isn't going to be fun, at all. A lifetime of being a prisoner is pretty much what I have to look forward to... unless I can run, which is highly unlikely, judging by the measures they're taking at present.
Victor (to Hiiri): Being a teenager isn't a problem, and you know it. You'll age just like the rest of us, and you can make new allies. Besides, it didn't stop Director Carver; he took over CLANNG at 17. Do you want out because you want out, or are you just saying you want out, because at the moment, you don't have better options?
Hiiri (to Victor): Does it really matter? I have distinctive memories of my teenage years... I mean, Mouse's teenage years. I'm not looking forward to experiencing my twenties again & being imprisoned doesn't sound all that fun. And, to be honest, it's a little of column a & b.
Victor (to Hiiri): Can you feel the inhibitor field? I mean, would you know without being told if it were shut off?
Hiiri (to Victor): I can feel it on, right now... It's like a tingly sensation or an itch I can't quite reach. Why do you ask?
Victor (to Hiiri): I owe you a debt for not telling Director Carver about me & for warning us. Even if, as you claim it was for selfish reasons. I'm going to turn the inhibitor field off. If you want out, if you want something different, this is your chance.
Hiiri (to Victor): Really? Your parents are going to be angry with you.
Victor (to Hiiri): I know. Don't remind me. This is the only time I'm willing to do this, Hiiri. If you get up to the same kind of shi... um, shenanigans as before. We can find you. I'm able to track you, you know. I hate to disrupt that nice little bit of self-loathing you've got going on, but you're not the biggest freak in the room.
Hiiri (to Victor): Really? You're a defective clone of a mass murdering robot that can use portals & has no future? I hate to say it, Victor, I think I have you beat. You also have people that love you & care about what happens to you.
Victor (to Hiiri): Well, I can't argue with the last bit. Good luck. Don't take this the wrong way, but I really hope I don't see you again.
Hiiri (to Victor): Oh well... thank you.
A moment later:
Poppy (to Victor): Honey, what are you doing?
Victor (to Poppy): Hey, Mom. Just checking this stupid thing. I know, I know. It has to stay on. It's just so bloody annoying.
Poppy (to Victor): Honey, I love you & I can tell when you're hiding something from me.
Victor (to Poppy): I know, but you're just going to be angry with me, and tell me why I'm wrong, so I'd rather skip the argument. It doesn't matter anyway. I shut down the inhibitor field. Just for a minute, but I'm sure that was enough time.
Poppy (to Victor): What!?! Why would you do that? (to Hiiri) Oh... You're still here? ... Why are you still here?
Victor (to Poppy): Wait. What? (to Hiiri) Why ARE you still here?
Hiiri (to Victor & Poppy): I didn't know where to go and, I didn't want Victor to get in trouble. Plus, I thought it might be a trick. (to Victor) You were really going to let me go? Just like that?
Victor (to Hiiri): Of COURSE I was! Why would I lie about it? Great. Just great. Now we're both going to be locked up for life.
Hiiri (to Victor): Come with me right now! Together we can totally fry that inhibitor.
Poppy (to Victor & Hiiri): Wait! What!?! Don't listen to her, honey.
Victor (to Poppy): Calm down, Mom. I'm not going anywhere. (to Hiiri) I don't want to leave my family, Hiiri.
Poppy (to Victor): Thank goodness... And, you're not going to be locked up for the rest of your life. (to Hiiri) Hiiri, just go... I'm turning off the field. You're clearly not the same as you once were. If you ever get up to your old tricks, however, I will personally hunt you down & kill you myself. Understand?
Victor (to Poppy): I'm going to remind you that you said that later.
Hiiri (to Poppy): You're really letting me go? Just like that?
Poppy (to Hiiri): I highly recommend a nice island somewhere remote. (to Victor) And, Victor, your aunt was right. We can't keep you from using your powers or telling you what to do with them. It's going to end badly. I'm done with it. Good, Bad... They're your decisions and mistakes to make.
Hiiri (to Poppy): Oh well, thank you. (to Victor) Thank you, Victor!
Victor (to Hiiri): Oh. Um, you're welcome. (to Poppy) I… What? What just happened?
Poppy (to Victor): I'm taking you off the hook, honey... I'm tired of you thinking of your father & I as your keepers. All I've ever wanted was for you to have a normal life & not be treated like a freak, but I apparently, failed. And, if Hiiri comes back & starts up again with her old tricks, I want it to be on my head, not yours.
Victor (to Poppy): Oh. Thank you, Mom. And, I don't think of you and Dad as my keepers. Well, not, not all the time, I mean. I know it's just because you worry about me. Were you really worried I was going to run off? With HIIRI?
Poppy (to Victor): Honestly? Yes, a little bit. Sadly, she's the only one in the world that might have an inkling of what you're going through & looking at her as a young girl, I just kept seeing your aunt looking at me. It's hard to imagine her doing the horrible things that the other Hiiris have done.
Victor (to Poppy): I didn't think it was fair that she would be locked up in a laboratory forever, especially for something she didn't do. I mean, just because she has Hiiri's memories, doesn't mean she's the same. She has Aunt Mouse's too, right? She hasn't done anything horrible yet. Maybe she won't.
Poppy (to Victor): Well, we can only hope, honey. Now, I think it might be a good idea for you to get out of the house for a little while I'm going to have to explain to your father what I did & he's not going to be happy about it. Why don't you go see your girlfriend or one of your cousins?
Victor (to Poppy): Oh... No, he's not, going to be happy, is he? I'll, um, I'll either be at Aunt Mouse and Uncle Eep's or over at the Inn. I love you, Mom. Thanks again.
Poppy (to Victor): I love you too, Victor.
Several hours later:
Vincent (to Victor): Hee hee. Why aren't I surprised to find you here instead of at the inn? As much as you love spending time with your cousin, somehow I think Persephone can't compete with young Miss Kobayashi's charms. Have you been sitting out here long? You must be chilly by now.
Victor (to Vincent): Oh. Hi, Dad. Mars and Yoyo had to study for the last of their tests. I've haven't been out here too long. I've been a little of afraid to go home, if the truth is to be told.
Vincent (to Victor): Hmmm. I can imagine. So, you've been sitting out here in the dark, on the infamous porch swing. I was your age when I ended up here. I thought I was more than grown up enough to take care of myself at the time. Your Mom told me everything: about how you turned off the inhibitor field, about what Hiiri offered you, AND about what you told Yoyo.
Victor (to Vincent): Oh.
Vincent (to Victor): You don't have to look so nervous. I'm not angry. You were right, Victor. I would have liked it if you came to us, and discussed your concerns rather than gone behind our backs, but I understand why you felt you couldn't. Heh heh. And, if, as you said, the truth is going to be told, I was going to "let" Hiiri escape when I delivered her.
Victor (to Vincent): Wait, you were going to WHAT?
Vincent (to Victor): Well, much like your mother, I couldn't really look at her and see the Hiiri we knew, and not a scared teenager.
Victor (to Vincent): Oh. I really should have talked to you then, I suppose.
Vincent (to Victor): Maybe. But, maybe the way you handled it was the best. I have to admit, Victor, I'm impressed with how you handled yourself. I know your mom and I have been--ARE--way too overprotective of you, but we worry about you more than you can imagine. But you're a smart, capable, and a damn good young man. It's well past time we recognized that. I'm sorry it took us so long.
Victor (to Vincent): Don't worry, Dad. I'm sure I'll fuck up plenty. Um, thanks though.
Vincent (to Victor): I don't doubt that. You wouldn't be a member of this family, if you didn't make plenty of massively stupid decisions. Come on. Let's go home.
The End?
