A Strange & Winding Road: Day 49

Percy (to Vincent & Poppy): Hello? Is it safe to bother you?

Vincent (to Percy): Possibly. What's up, Percy?

Percy (to Vincent): We've been hearing things about the Pleasant Street gang, honey... It's looking like Smith is trying to consolidate the Tombs gangs with him in charge of them all. We think he's kidnapped one of the leaders teenage daughter.

Vincent (to Percy): Good heavens! Well, that's certainly not good news.

Percy (to Vincent): No, it's not... If he manages to consolidate all of the gangs, he'll be a definite a force to be reckoned with, honey.

Vincent (to Percy): Shit. I knew something troublesome was brewing. Perhaps it's better that we stay on this side of the universe for a bit. I didn't like the way Achilles was sniffing around Poppy a few weeks ago.

Percy (to Vincent): Well, he was very upset when she left the gang. It is probably for the best that you stay over there... You both don't need any more excitement, what with the baby & all. But, I just wanted you to know what was going on.

Vincent (to Percy): I appreciate the head's up, Percy. Can I ask you a huge favor, hun?

Percy (to Vincent): Of course, honey.

Vincent (to Percy): When you're able, would you mind checking in with Bernard and Molly when you're able? I would appreciate it hugely!

Percy (to Vincent): Oh... You don't think that might be a tad awkward, honey?

Vincent (to Percy): It's going to be totes awkward, I'm afraid... but I'm sure that Achilles has already worked out who Bernard and Molly are in relation to Poppy. Better safe than sorry. Besides, you're a genius automaton, hun. I have faith that you can work some kind of excuse for popping in.

Percy (to Vincent): No, I'm sure I can come up with an excuse, honey... But, I've been avoiding them since Poppy went into stasis & woke up. I may be my own person now, but I still have a lot of Poppy's memories & emotions... No, no. I can do it. It'll be fine.

Vincent (to Percy): I know, hun. And thank you. There's just something about this whole situation that sets my teeth on edge.

Percy (to Vincent):  I'll let you know if there's any trouble.

Vincent (to Percy): Thank you! I owe you one.

Percy (to Vincent): No problem, honey. Give my regards to the missus.

A couple hours later:

Carver (to Percy): Hello, Mr. Meriwether. We certainly didn't expect to see you here, sir.

Percy (to Carver): Oh bugger... Carver, what are you doing here?

Carver (to Percy): Watching, sir. We were told to watch, so watch we shall. The trouble is, sir, it's not very interesting.

Percy (to Carver): So, nothing of interest has happened at all, honey?

Carver (to Percy): Just seeing you, sir. To be fair, sir, we're a bit torn on how to proceed. You're not on our List, you see. Other Carver is especially curious about your insides, sir. We've learned so much about humans...

Percy (to Carver): You can certainly try something... Actually, I am dying for you to try something, honey... Please, try something. But, I suspect you'll be very disappointed.

Carver (to Percy): That's what gives Other Carver pause, sir. We don't know much about automatons... But, we're fairly certain there's not much we can do to harm you. And we did promise to watch, sir. And Miss Starling is VERY anxious for us to experiment, sir. I'm sure you can understand our dilemma.

Percy (to Carver): Dear god, which lever do I pull to be crushed by a safe? ... Oops. Too soon? I would love to stand here & chat about the difficulties of being a psychotic little killer, but I too have a mission to fulfill.

Carver (to Percy): We're sorry to dash off, sir, but there's someone else we really should go investigate. Good bye, sir! 

Percy: Okay, Percy... Buck up. You can do this. You're a man, now. It's time to act like one. You're just going to walk into the Inn... pretend you don't know them & inquire after their health and make small talk. It'll be fine. (to Carver) No need to apologize.

Achilles (to Carver): Is there something I can do for you, young man?

Carver (to Achilles): Hello, sir. We were wondering if we can ask what you're doing sneaking out of the inn, sir. We were told to watch, you see. 

Achilles (to Carver): Watching, are we? That's very interesting. As for the child... It's, well, mine now... (to Questionable Vernon) Mister Vernon, please take the baby.

Carver (to Achilles): Also, who's baby is that, sir? It looks familiar to us, and we're wondering if it's on our list, sir.

Achilles (to Carver): Look at you in your nice little suit... You must be with CLANNG. Bunch of posh bastards, if you ask me. I highly suggest you go back to whatever you were watching & continue with your task.

Carver (to Achilles): We're afraid you don't understand, sir. If the baby is on our List, we can't let you leave with it.

Achilles (to Carver): No, you don't seem to understand, boy... <whistle> You're surrounded and I'm taking the baby.

Carver (to Achilles): Mr. Clegg will be very disappointed, sir. We've only got Gretta out now, sir. We are being reasonable.

Achilles (to Carver): I think it's time I said goodbye... Have fun with your playmates... Mister Vernon, come along.

A short time later:

Percy (to Vincent): Honey, I have bad news... Someone has taken Persephone. You need to get here as quickly as possible.

Vincent (to Percy): WHAT? Dear God! I'll be right there.

Percy (to Vincent): Hurry! I've never seen Bernard or Molly like this, they're freaking out, honey.

Vincent (to Percy): I can imagine. Dear God... Do what you can to keep them calm. I'll be there in a flash.

Percy (to Vincent): I'll do my best, honey.

Vincent (to Poppy): Sweetie? I need you to sit down, and try not to freak out.

Poppy (to Vincent): Okay... What's going on, honey?

Vincent (to Poppy): I just spoke to Percy. Persephone's gone. Someone has taken her.

Poppy (to Vincent): WHAT!?! Oh my god, Molly & Bernard must be beside themselves.

Vincent (to Poppy): Percy said they're freaking out pretty badly. I'm headed over to see what I can do. I didn't mention it this morning... But Percy called me and told me Achilles Smith has been trying to consolidate all the street gangs in the Tombs. He apparently kidnapped one of the other leader's daughter. I don't think this is unrelated, hun.

Poppy (to Vincent): I'm coming too, honey... I'll call Eep and Mouse and have them come over to babysit. Damn, they're not back yet.

Vincent (to Poppy):  I know this may be too much to ask, but will you do me a favor, and stay here with Victor? I know he should be safe on this side, but if anything were to happen to him... Well, I can imagine exactly what Molly and Bernard feel right now.

Poppy (to Vincent): Damn it, honey, they're my family, too! I... Fine. I'll stay here with our son. But, you better come back in one piece and find our niece, honey or there's going to be trouble. (to Victor) See, little man, your mother is learning to stay out of harm's way. Now if only your father can learn the same trick... (to Vincent) Dear god, lover, I'm going to be a wreck while you're gone.

Vincent (to Poppy): I know. I know, hun. I'll be careful, I swear. Honestly careful, not MY version of careful. I'll make sure Percy never lets me out of his sight. I love you, Poppy. (to Victor) I love you too, Little Man. (to Poppy) We'll have Persephone back and me home before either of you can miss me. Don't worry!

Poppy (to Vincent): I love you too, Vincent... Please come home safe.

Vincent (to Poppy): I will!

A Strange & Winding Road: Day 48a

Victor (to Persephone): Hey, Seph! I... uh oh. What's that face about?

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.