[CONSOLE] video; BACKDATED to 8 JUNE

[gistful]

[When Anton turns on the video he looks a little ruffled. His tie is gone, jacket off, sleeves rolled up, and there's blood on his vest, for the observant. His expression is flat but with an edge of exasperation, and behind him ... Behind him is Skulduggery and Erskine. They're bound together with a five-foot length of chain, Erskine with a manacle on his wrist and Skulduggery with a manacle around his neck-bones.

[Skulduggery is missing his hat, and his suit is tattered. Erskine's in obviously clean clothes, but he's missing a jacket, he's limping slightly, his arm is in a sling and he has a spray-bottle. And they're arguing. Loudly. Anton's voice is raised to be heard over them and, perhaps notably, he keeps his hands out of view of the camera.]

Let it be publicly known that these two reprobates are grounded.

[He jerks his head at them without looking around.]

If anyone sees them on the streets while Erskine, that's the ridiculously pretty one, is not wearing a dog-collar, please punch them both and return them to the Midnight Hotel. If anyone finds them not in the company of each other, please, again, punch them and return them to the Midnight Hotel.

Rest assured that the damages they caused will be repaired at their expense and any loss of revenue reimbursed. We'll be by in the next few days to arrange this.

[Pause.]

Ah. Yes. Skulduggery, that's the idiot who's forgotten his skin, has lost his hat privileges. No hats for Skulduggery. Thank you.

[This broadcast is also available as action, for those staying at the Midnight Hotel.]

Comments

[unetrustworthy]

[He was the one who brought up shooting. She was merely following along that particular subject.]

I'm more of a cat person.

[Because of course she is. Although, after a moment's pause:]

...but puppies can be nice, too. Very...energetic.

[edgeoftheknife]

Right, yes. Energetic. Wiggly tails and wet noses and whatnot.

And I've just realized I don't even know your name. Do you have a name?

[unetrustworthy]

[There was once a time when she would have hated to admit as much. Where she came from, names carried baggage. Families. Responsibilities. Identities that one couldn't shake. How many times had she quietly mused her own jealousies of Nanashii? A boy whose moniker literally translated to No Name, because he was completely free of all that.]

I do.

[After so many years in Keelai, however, she readily admitted it.]

It's Midii. Midii Une.

[edgeoftheknife]

Pleasure to meet you, Midii. Have I introduced myself yet?

[It's an honest question. He really doesn't remember.]

[unetrustworthy]

Not formally, no. But I've heard others refer to you as...Rah-vehl, was it?

[An attempt to recall the name she'd heard from memory. It had been a passing conversation, and the name wasn't spoken to her, directly, so her pronunciation might have been slightly off.]

[edgeoftheknife]

Just Ravel--as in unravelling a thread. Erskine Ravel. And depending on who it was referring to me, don't believe half of it.

[unetrustworthy]

...so, what you're saying is that I should believe the other half?

[Congratulations, Ravel, you've discovered her wisecracking side.]

[edgeoftheknife]

Probably. The half where they referred to me as handsome and charming, that's the half you'll want to listen to. Disregard the rest of it, it's probably rubbish.

[unetrustworthy]

[She pretended to think about that for the span of a full second.]

No, I don't think I heard anybody mentioning anything like that.

[edgeoftheknife]

In that case, don't believe any of it. They're clearly not to be trusted.

[unetrustworthy]

Is there anybody in this city I can trust?

[Once upon a time, that question would have been completely serious. But she was older now. It was only half serious. Joking, but also curious as to how he would answer.]

[edgeoftheknife]

I can assure you, someone out there finds me charming. Not Skulduggery, of course. Valdis, maybe. Shudder certainly, even if he doesn't say it in so many words. So... Anton. You can trust Anton.

...bit of a short list, isn't it? Congratulations, you bruised my ego.

[He's joking. Mostly.]

[unetrustworthy]

If it helps your ego any...that's still a longer list than I had when I first came to the city.

[She would argue that there were plenty of others that might be able to claim the same, depending upon how many familiar faces were present at the time, but that could be counter-argued by the fact that it took her a lot longer than many of those others to gain new familiar faces.]