Cyrus

We got up the Victorrus’s steps, and I turned towards Angelica. “Go see wha’ the other crew members managed to find ou’.” I told her.

“Yes Captain.” She said before marching off to go find them. Vic, Vincent, and I all walked into the ship’s dining cabin to find Em. She was cleaning a pot in the kitchen, using a rag and a tub of soapy water. She was sitting on her knees on the wooden floorboards, she looked up and smiled at us. Her large doe eyes glinting in the light. It looked so sweet and nice until you saw the two bodies on the floor behind her.

“Wha’ the ‘ell ‘appened?” I asked as we hurried over to them, they were alive, just unconscious

“They got dirt on my kitchen floor.” She smiled sweetly. I looked at the small girl in horror, she was a monster in a tiny adorable body.

“You are one of the many reasons captain is too terrified to kick us off.” Vincent stated deadpan. I nodded in agreement.

She reverted back to korean and spoke to her brother. “Wha’ she say?” I whispered and he translated.

“She says that if we get dirt on her floor we will wake tomorrow with a knife in our chests,” He said it casually, like we were talking about the weather instead of murder.

“Uh- Um. OK.” I said. Stepping out of the dining hall and removing my boots before stepping back in. I shalt not risk it. The others (exept Vincent) followed my lead, not wanting to get murdered by someone who wasn’t even 5 feet tall. Or had access to oil vats….

“So, what do you need?” She asked us. I felt reluctant to ask what I was about to ask.

“Wha’s for dinner?”

“You missed dinner.” She continued washing her pot, refusing to look at me. I felt a tear well up in my ear.

“N-no food?” I asked, my voice high.

“No food.” She stated plainly. I felt my being crumble. A day of reading and now no food? This- This was absolute torture!

“Aw come on Emma Jane!” Vincent made the mistake of saying. She was up in a flash, a wooden spoon in hand. She smacked him across the head, he clutched his head and hopped backwards. Moaning the whole way.

“Don't call me Emma Jane!” She shouted at him, looking oddly like an angry cat.

I stood there frozen, looking between the two nervously. “Ahahaha, we can go ea’ elsewhere.” I hardi-harred, pushing the crew out. “Have a nice nigh’ Em.” I smiled, shutting the door to hell. I looked to the stunned members hand on hip. “Any recommendations?”

We ended up going to an Italian restaurant down the street that Vic swore had the best pasta. Vic immediately picked up the menu for drinks.

“Are you still obsessed with beer?” I groaned.

“I am not obsessed, I just appreciate good beer.” She huffed. I rolled my eyes. “You’re just upset because you can’t handle it better than me.” I inhaled with dignity.

“Can too.”

“Can not.”

“Can too.” I say again, my chin high.

“Guys.” Angelica cut in. My head swerved in her direction.

“What?” We asked, Vic adding the t at the end.

“The waitress.” She said drily, pointing to the lady in an overly short dress standing next to us.

“Drinks?” The lady asked for what I assume was the second time.

“I’ll have a Bavarian Beer.” Vic ordered. I looked at her stubbornly, my eyes crunched together. I knew I would immediately regret what I said next, but I said it anways.

“I’ll ‘ave wha’ she’s ‘aving.” I say confidently, my pride getting in the way of my basic reasoning skills. Vic raised an eyebrow at me.

“You sure about that ‘captain’?” She jested.

I scowled, ignoring her. “And to eat?” The waitress asked. “Or should I come back?”

“I think we can order now.” Vincent replied, rattling off some order from the menu. Angelica ordered next, then Victoria (who obviously ordered pasta), and finally me.

“I will take the spaghetti!” I proclaimed loudly.

“Um, OK then.” The waitress said nervously. The waitress walked off to place our orders and came back a few minutes later with our beers. She left

us to entertain ourselves until the food came. Vic gulped down a large chug of beer, licking her lips happily. I followed suite, not letting her show me up. It burned, but I made no remark. Angelica and Vincent took smaller sips as they watched us. Whether it was out of amusement or disgust, I had no idea.

“As we have a while until our food comes,” Victoria began, her features contorted in a mischievous grin. “I say we play a game.”

“Which game?” Angelica asked.

“When I was fixing a man’s mechanic leg he told me about a game he learned in the Americas,” She replied. “Its called truth or challenge.” Sounds fancy, I thought.

“How do you play?” Vincent asked leaning forward.

“One person asks another truth or challenge and they pick one or the other. If they pick truth then they have to answer any question completely truthfully. If they choose challenge they must complete any challenge they are given.” She explained. Oooh, I must play this with a cute guy one day. “Ill start to help explain it.” She turned to me.

“Truth or challenge?” She asked, grinning.

“Challenge!” I declared triumphantly.

“I challenge you to…” she thought for a moment. “Embrace the first person who walks past our table in a hug.”

I smirked. Easy. A random man walked past, unfortunately for him, as I jumped up and pulled him into a large bear hug. Before he could even react I let go and sat back down, acting as if nothing had happened. He stammered something then continued forward, completely confused. We all burst out laughing.

“Alright now you ask someone else.” She gestured to Angelica and Vincent.

“Vincent, truth or challenge?” I asked sweetly.

“Truth.” He replied, looking mildly concerned.

“Hmm.” I thought for a moment. I got an idea, and my eyebrows shot up wards. “Are you a virgin?”

The girls giggled and he turned a shade of red. “Yes.” He muttered and the girls started cracking up.

“Fine, Angelica!” He turned to her. “Truth or challenge?”

“Oh, uh, Truth.” She replied quickly.

“Are you a virgin?” He asked. Tsk, how unoriginal.

Angelica scoffed. “Do you think I look like I’m a virgin?”

“You look like someone no man in his right mind would have sex with.” Vic smirked. Angelica gaped at her in rage.

“Truth or challenge, Victoria,” She sneered.

“Challenge.” Vic looked confident for someone who just handed over all her movements to Angelica.

“I challenge you to kiss Vincent.” She said smugly. She thought about it for a moment, “On his actual mouth.” I nearly choke on air.

“YOU WANT HER TO DO BLOODY WHAT?!” Both Vincent and I shouted.(Ok, maybe I screeched, still.)

“She has to do it now.” Angelica smiled slyly. I tried to burn to eye shaped holes into her skull. Vincent looked scared for his own safety at this point as well.

“Alright.” Vic said plainly, not seeming to notice my look of death.

I contemplated hopping out of my seat, and dragging her away from here. Never to be seen again. Before I could do anything Victoria slid over to Vincent’s lap and pressed her lips against his. My mind went blank for a second as I stared at them, after what seemed like eternity she pulled back. Vincent looked up at her in shock and then at me in horror. My face must have been pretty scary. That’s not the usual reaction I get from men.

“Vincent.” I said, my voice dangerously low.

“Yes Captain?” He asked nervously.

“...”

“You have five seconds to run.” I seethed, and I must have had fires in my eyes, because he was sweating so much he looked like he could melt.

“Oh, calm down. Its part of the game, Cyrus.” Vic sat back down in her seat. “There was no harm done,” My eye twitched.

“Ah yes.” I mused. I glared up at Angelica. It’s this one's fault.

“Now, Vincent. Truth or challenge?” She asked sweetly, he flushed when he looked at her, and it made my blood boil. Would we get kicked out if I threw a table? Looking around, it seemed like it happened quite often.

“Challenge.” He muttered.

“I challenge you to drink your entire glass of beer in one go.” Vic said, gesturing to his mug.

He picked up his mug, peering at all the beer he had to drink sadly. He lifted it to his mouth and tipped his head back, chugging all of it’s contents. We looked to him in wonder (I silently hoped he choked on it). He slammed it down on the table, gulping down large breaths of air, we nodded in approvement at the empty mug.

“Cyrus, Truth or challenge.” Vincent said without looking at me.

“Truth.” I decided, folding my arms over my chest.

“What did you steal?” He asked gesturing at my mech arm, (which Vic had fixed before we left for dinner), it became eerily quiet at our table as we stared at one another. I felt a crushing weight on my chest for a second before clearing my throat.

“A dress.” I said, my voice hoarse. Everyone except Vic stared at me for a second.

“A dress?” Vincent asked softly.

“Angelica, truth or challenge?” I asked, changing the subject. Vincent crinkled his eyebrows.

“Why a dress?” He asked again.

“Its none of your bloody business,” Victoria snapped, her gold eyes flashing. “So shut up.” I looked away uncomfortably. It was a sore subject.

“I uh. I choose truth.” Angelica replied, ending the discussion. I turned towards her.

“Who do you fancy?” I ask, going for a more light hearted question. Victoria snorted, while Vincent seemed too lost in thought to care.

“‘What are you talking about?” She let out a high pitched laugh. “I don’t fancy anyone!”

“Completely truthful,” Victoria reminded sweetly. Angelica shot Vic one of the meanest glares I’d seen, before her fistst clenched and unclenched.

“I. Have. No. Idea. What. You’re. Talking. About.” Angelica forced out through gritted teeth.

Before any of us could pry her anymore the waitress came back holding large plates of steaming hot food. The smell wafted over to us and made my mouth water, I only just realized then how hungry I was.

“Pasta.” I said plainly, I grinned and looked across the table at Vic.

“Pasta.” She repeated, also smiling.

“Pasta pasta pasta pasta.” We chanted. Vincent and Angelica looked at us weirdly.

“Pasta?” Vincent asked Angelica jokingly.

“Pasta pasta.” She replied, nodding her head in confirmation.

“You disgust me.” I said to them. “Insulting the pasta Gods with your heresy.” Vic shook her head in disappointment.

Angelica and Vic looked at us confused. “But- What?” They asked us. We ignored them as we ate our pasta, ashamed of our fellow diners. They sat there stuttering. I chugged a portion of my beer down as Vic did the same.

I was halfway through my pasta, and completely done with my beer, when something occurred to me. “Angelica.” I said. She looked up at me.

“Why haven’t you informed me of what Yeulin, Remora, and Antoise learned?” I asked her. Vincent and Angelica blinked at me.

“What?” Vincent said. I looked at Angelica, ignoring Vincent.

“Yeulin, Remora, Antoise. Did they learn anything?” I repeated. Angelica just stared at me, her mouth gaping. I ‘tch’ed at her. “What is it? Out with it!” I said, she startled, and emitted unintelligable sounds.

“Y-you remembered their names.” Angelica stuttered.

“Of course I remembered their names! They’re my employees!” I said to her. Vincent also blinked at me.

“Your accent.” He said, his voice hollow.

“What about it?” I snapped.

“N-nothing.” He replied. Vic started laughing in her seat.

“Hahaha, he’s baaackkk.” She snorted, leaning back in her seat.

“Who is?” Angelica and Vincent asked. I rolled my eyes, knowing the

ridiculous nickname she was about to say.

“Sir Cysalot.” She wheezed, putting her forehead on the table, banging her fist against it. Vincent and looked at her confused.

“Angelica!” I called out, pulling her attention away from the dying fit of laughter that was Victoria.

“Yes sir?” She asked.

“What did they learn?” I asked one more time.

“Oh yes, where

“Well um.” She said.

“Go on.” I pressed. She cleared her throat.

“The missings person list has spiked in three different areas this month, one of the places being the area around Cardigan Hall.” She stated. “The other two being Kalvington.”

“Kalvington?” I asked. She nodded.

“Odd.” Vincent pondered.

“And the third place?” Victoria questioned.

“Firlington.” She said. I raised an eyebrow.

“You mean where Lucian lives?” I asked.

“Yes, if you can count him as a part of Firlington. Happened before the Cardigan Hall incident.” She said.

“Hmm.” I said, sitting back as I thought about it. “Anything else?” I asked.

“Umm just a few rumors. Nothing we’re certain of.” She told me. I scowled.

“Just tell me.” I demanded.

“Something about the prince. He’s rumored to be dying.” She said, “Although it doesn’t seem related to our case. Another one about some affair between Lord Rickswire and Lord Yorling. And the event with the scientist, which we already knew about.” She finished, her fork shuffling around her plate.

“I see…” I said, resting my head on my clasped hands. Vincent looked me up and down.

“Vic?” He asked, still looking at me. I raised an eyebrow, still sceptic of him from kissing Vic. I’d have to deal with that later. Too many witnesses right now.

“Yes?” She asked him.

“Tell me more about this ‘Sir Cysalot.”