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Monty is not home when you make it back, so you kill some time watching Guppy make an ambiguous creature ("a squid," she says) out of the leftover newspaper. You make covetous eyes at the squid and are rewarded when she presents it to you— "The LEAST I can do. SHEESH."
Richard, meanwhile, spends most of the time murmuring to you about "working with the enemy" (Lucky) and being lazy and unproductive, to which you remind him about last night, and he shuts up. He switches to critiquing the squid-in-progress, to which you ask if he just wants a paper snake instead, and he shuts up again.
Finally Monty returns, looking... well, sort of haggard, honestly. Not great. His SPOOKY ARM twists limply. He doesn't look excited to see you, but not overtly angry, either, which you suppose is a step up. He quirks an eyebrow at Guppy. "New acquaintance, Charlotte?"
You explain the situation. He appears confused. "This woman looks nothing like Madrigal. No offense."
...You explain further. Guppy cobberrates. Monty runs his hand through his hair not once but twice, but when you come to the end of it he seems more-or-less resigned. "I'm glad it seems to have ended well, I suppose. The gist is that you're homeless?"
"I HAVE a home," Guppy corrects. "I'm just not <span class="mu-i">AT</span> it."
"And nowhere near, I'm guessing. Well... we're tight on space, but I'm sure we can squeeze a cot in somewhere. Provided Eloise will pitch in for a cot, but I'm sure she wil. You're welcome to stay for however long it takes to get your bearings. We take care of each other." Monty looks sideways at you. "Or try our best to. Is that all, Charlotte?"
You've been on tenterhooks waiting for him to ask about rescuing Madrigal, but it doesn't seem to have occurred to him that you'd do so so soon. "Yes! That's all!"
"Then I'll assist Ms. Villalovez as best I can." He pauses. "Thank you for doing the right thing."
>[+1 ID: 12/13]
Once again you're caught in the gloat/defer trap and can only nod mutely. (But in a way that, you hope, expresses triumph and vigor.)
-
On your way out, you inform Eloise that you'll be leaving properly around midday. She flashes you a thumbs up, then reconsiders. "Charlotte. Do you have a blood sample?"
"What?"
"Just a drop! Not enough to do anything nefarious with, I promise. I need some way to sync the two of you guys up— my acquaintance and you."
You look down at Richard around your neck. Richard flicks his tongue at you. «...A droplet should not be damaging. Particularly of your blood.»
You sink a fang into the pad of your thumb and obligingly drip onto a piece of cloth Eloise provides. She flashes you another thumbs up.
(3/4)
