Round About Town (open)

"Yeah, I got that part. I figure Tinkerbell was synonymous with someone else. So does this mean you're here to make someone clap their hands and shout 'I believe?'"

The way he said it made it sound like he wasn't really buying her story.

She smirked.

"Fuck that. I'm here to strangle Tinkerbell until she stops acting like a selfish, jealous whore."

Chase smirked as he said, "Well, sounds like you've got your plan all worked out."

She shook her head.

"Not my plan. Some little redheaded bitch's plan. I'm just hanging on for the thrill ride."

"Little Redhead?" Chase went on to describe Griselda before he asked, "That sound like her?"

She touched her finger to the tip of her nose.

"That'd be the one. Pretty sure she hates me, though."

"Entirely possible. She's occasionally cold and heartless, certainly stubborn, and generally thinks she's never wrong about anything. We have some history."

She smirked.

"Let me guess. It's 'complicated'," she said, with a specific inflection and emphasis on 'complicated.'

"It's only complicated if you make it complicated. We understand the situation perfectly." He said it almost matter of fact.

She laughed again.

"I bet you do. At least she's cute. That helps."

"Sure, but you know, the more I think about her, the more I think I'm over her. Just kinda happens with love/hate relationships I guess." He shrugged.

"Besides, you can only handle bat shit crazy for so long."

She laughed and touched the tip of her nose with her index finger.

"It's really true. She didn't strike me as the batshit crazy type. But then, I've met her twice. Should I be worried that she's going to be like a monkey and start flinging poo at me if I get too close?"

"More like that Eagles song, Witchy Woman. She's pretty good at keeping her crazy under wraps, but when you've known her as long as I have... Well you get the idea."

She nodded.

"Yeah, I hear you. Anybody else in that house crazy? Because I've apparently been given the guest-of-honor status and told to sleep there."

"Crazy's infectious. Esteban, Areron, and Griselda are all breezy to some degree or another. And Areron is generally dangerous. Just don't get on any of their bad sides and you'll be just fine."

Her brow quirked.

"Why is the little princess so dangerous?"

"She's got a vindictive streak, and she's good at the revenge game. Not to mention she's got the ears and opinions of all the most important people in town. There was this anarchist/capitolist sort from Tallahassee that apparently pissed in her cheerios. Rumor has it that she knocked his ass into next month and dropped him off with a whole carnival worth of real bad people."

He shrugged, "Not to mention she's really good with all the sharp and pointies."

She smirked.

"I'm not exactly a slouch with sharp and pointy things."

"Good to know, just don't get on her bad side, which can be easy to do, and you'll be fine. She won't ruin your good name and she won't run you out of town. But like I said, she's got all the important people on her side if it comes down to it."

She smirked.

"You might be surprised. She done pissed off the commander-in-chief. And I'm not worried; she loves me."

That got his attention. "When you say commander-in-chief, are you referring to the Scotsman or the petite redhead?"

She shook her head.

"The bitchy second-in-command."

"Batman..." he said with a nod, "got it."

She tapped her nose.

"Well, to be fair. He didn't seem like that much of a bitch to me. Just doing his job and shit. Areron said it was a personal issue between the two of them and that he didn't like her or some shit. Hell if I know, he told me to get the fuck out of town. Areron sent me off to talk to the tall Scottish guy instead."

"Yeah, he's a little on the cranky side most of the time, but whatever. Why the hell would he tell you to get out of town?"