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>Back on track
Other business? Well, now that you've returned to your usual habitat, you really ought to buckle down on your current projects; chiefly, blasting Headspace Corp into smithereens. You doubt Branwen would have any clean entrance routes, and you're voting 'unlikely' on her having a large bomb, but surely she possesses something that could help you out? Something you could, say, rent for a small and reasonable sum?
You straighten up. "Actually, yes! But it's unrelated to the whole Earl thing, so— forget about that real quick. Different thing. Um. So I am preparing for a certain excursion into—"
"Fixing to blow them suits to kingdom come?"
"Uhh," you say.
"And they're them same idjits who booted my snake?"
"...More or less..." Damnit! Madrigal's smirking! This must be her fault. "Um, how is your snake, by the way? While we're on the..."
"Still have it, if you're asking that. Thing's locked up good and tight now, but it's been antsy. All'a them's been antsy. Makes me think something's a-coming over the horizon." Branwen says this like she's announcing what she ate for breakfast. "Critters know things, I'm thinking. Harder to know what that is."
"Maybe they're sensing how— how incredible my plan will be? Like... the explosion will be so big it— it reverberates the tides of fate? Or whatnot?"
"Could be." She scratches her face. "Can't say I'd cry too many tears if that's what it were. Were you looking to say something about all that?"
Oh. "Yes! By any chance, would you be in possession of any creatures with, uh, useful properties? Preferably portable-sized? If I could rent—"
"Nah."
"Nah?"
"I'm of the opinion that you're good folk. Patty can think what she wants—" Madrigal's let out a snort. "—but the way I see it, you didn't hafta bust your ass finding the snake back. And you didn't hafta go untangle all of Patty's boy problems by your lonesome, or try to go rescue her sorry ass, even'f she had it handled. And you sure didn't need to come find me 'bout him." She pats Earl's forearm. "But you did. I can lend ya something. Anything in particular in mind?"
This is a strong contender for the longest you've ever heard Branwen speak interrupted. You don't know how to respond. "Uh. No. I mean— I mean, um, something small, and good for... infiltrating... maybe?"
"How about I fetch you some options, and you take a look when I head on back come morning."
How is this so easy? Nothing is ever this easy. "Um... okay."
"Then I best be heading out. Can you get back alright, Patty?"
"Yeah," Madrigal says, a shade tetchily.
"Don't let her fall," Branwen warns you. "Hup," she says to Earl, and clucks her tongue, and pats him firmly, and just like that he's crunching through the underbrush behind her.
You wait until they're gone before turning brightly toward Madrigal. "I'm not going to fucking fall," she informs you.
"I never said—"
(1/2)
