An Odd Encounter

[12:55] Stephen Crane: excuse me, young boy
[12:56] Jimmy Branagh: Wot can Oy do faw ya?
[12:56] Professor Ventris: Good evening
[12:56] Jimmy Branagh: ‘ello
[12:56] Professor Ventris: We have been informed about the existence of a pack of kids called Urchins
[12:56] Jimmy Branagh: Really?
[12:56] Jimmy Branagh: Where?
[12:57] Stephen Crane: Certainly
[12:57] Professor Ventris: That is what we want to find out. How many of them there are and their favorite places
[12:57] Jimmy Branagh: Oy dun know anyone named urchin
[12:58] Jimmy Branagh shrugs
[12:58] Jimmy Branagh: Woy ya lookin’ faw them?
[12:58] Stephen Crane: It is just a general description
[12:59] Stephen Crane: Our agency has been hired for that purpose
[12:59] Jimmy Branagh: Wot purpose?
[12:59] Ordinal Automatic Flick-Knife v0.2: Sheathed – ‘/11 draw’ to draw, ‘/11 menu’ for full menu
[12:59] Professor Ventris: Make an accurate report about the urchins in this big city, that is.
[13:00] Jimmy Branagh: Ya pro’bly should talk ta th’ Mayor
[13:00] Professor Ventris: How could him know?
[13:00] Jimmy Branagh: Well Oy mean loike it’s his city an’ awl.
[13:01] Stephen Crane: Mayors are not much into the streets.
[13:01] Jimmy Branagh: Wot agency ya workin’ faw?
[13:01] Stephen Crane: Vexis agency, my dear boy
[13:01] Professor Ventris: Very important!
[13:01] Jimmy Branagh: Nevah ‘eard of ’em
[13:02] Professor Ventris: We solve problems
[13:02] Jimmy Branagh: Wot sort of problems?
[13:02] robertstephenson Resident left the region.
[13:03] Stephen Crane: The agency was behind the strange events in Mulgrave and how the baroness was saved
[13:04] Jimmy Branagh: Oy see …
[13:04] Jimmy Branagh: So wot’s thet gots ta do wit’ these … urchins?
[13:04] Professor Ventris: Not to mention about the lost sarcophagus of the Pharaoh Merenpath
[13:05] Stephen Crane: That was quite a good one!
[13:06] Jimmy Branagh: Mybee Oy’m mis’earin’ ya.  Ya don’t mean merchants, do ya?
[13:06] Professor Ventris: One of our associates makes charity events. She wanted to know how many urchins where around
[13:06] Jimmy Branagh: Ifn it’s merchants, ya moight talk ta Mr. Mornington ove at th’ Brunel
[13:06] Jimmy Branagh: Oh awlroight then
[13:07] Stephen Crane: Holy god, no merchants. I am a Lawyer.
[13:07] Jimmy Branagh: Well, Oy dunno.  Oy dunno nuffin’ ’bout no urchins
[13:07] Stephen Crane: But they are your age, you should have meet some
[13:07] Jimmy Branagh: Well, Oy duly employed, an’ keep me nose to th’ groindstone, sir.
[13:08] Professor Ventris: My friend, I think this boy does not thrust us
[13:08] Stephen Crane: We mean no harm, the contrary
[13:08] Jimmy Branagh: Oy works faw Mr. Dark, doin’ this an’ thet.  Not much free toime ta socia … socia … hang ’round.
[13:09] Stephen Crane: I hope you understood that, Mr. Ventris
[13:09] Millie Jillybean left the region.
[13:10] Professor Ventris: Not a single word, sir.
[13:10] Jimmy Branagh raises an eyebrow
[13:11] Jimmy Branagh: So assumin’ there are urchins about, wot do ya want wit’ them?
[13:11] Professor Ventris: That is up to our associate. We only have to locate them and check their numbers
[13:12] Jimmy Branagh: Well, assumin’ there wos urchins, they pro’bly wouldn’t want to be checked on wit’out known’ woy.
[13:14] Stephen Crane: These guys are rather distrustful
[13:14] Jimmy Branagh raises the other eyebrow
[13:14] Professor Ventris: I am sure they got reasons for that, my good sir
[13:15] Professor Ventris: But we got a job to do… Here is one, so we succeed. Partially.
[13:15] Jimmy Branagh: One wot?
[13:16] Jimmy Branagh looks around
[13:16] Jimmy Branagh: Hoy Becky
[13:16] Stephen Crane: One Urchin. There should be more. Oh, egads!
[13:16] Becky Blackcinder: Hullo Jimmy and two adults.
[13:16] Jimmy Branagh: These two gennilmin are askin’ bout urchins.  Oy said Oy dunno nuffin’ bout ’em.
[13:17] Jimmy Branagh: You ain;t seen none ‘ave ya?
[13:17] Becky Blackcinder: Yeah. Not really our area of expertise.
[13:17] Professor Ventris: Blimey, Mr. Crane! this goes better and better
[13:18] Stephen Crane: So, where do you live, guys?
[13:18] Second Life: Items successfully shared.
[13:18] Becky Blackcinder asides to Jimmy, “Wot do they need urchins for?”
[13:19] Jimmy Branagh: Oh, Oy lives back thata-way …
[13:19] Jimmy Branagh thumbs behind him
[13:19] Becky Blackcinder: I live in a mansion. I dress this way out of solidarity with the proletariat.
[13:20] Jimmy Branagh: Oy dunno, Becky.  They wants ta count them Oy think.
[13:20] Professor Ventris: Our associate is a philantrophist.
[13:20] Jimmy Branagh: Dr. Watson may ‘ave a pill faw thet.
[13:20] Becky Blackcinder: Hey Myrtil.
[13:20] Myrtil Igaly: Hey Jimmy, hey Becky!
[13:20] Jimmy Branagh: Hoy Myrtil!
[13:21] Myrtil Igaly: ‘ello Sirs
[13:21] Myrtil Igaly: Visiting our fair city are you?
[13:21] Stephen Crane: Oh, look, Professor
[13:21] Professor Ventris: For saint George!
[13:22] Professor Ventris: three urchins! glad to meet you all
[13:22] Jimmy Branagh: These foine gennilmin are lookin’ faw urchins, Myrtil.  Seen any?
[13:22] Myrtil Igaly glances at Jimmy
[13:22] Becky Blackcinder: It’s a kind of sea creature I think.
[13:22] Jimmy Branagh: Urchin?  Do Oy looks destitute an’ impecunious to ya?
[13:22] Myrtil Igaly then shakes her head. “No no, hard to find with the canals frozen and all”
[13:22] Stephen Crane: Maybe we should ask them
[13:23] Myrtil Igaly: The sea urchins?
[13:23] Jimmy Branagh: They dun talk much.
[13:23] Jimmy Branagh: Usually
[13:23] Becky Blackcinder: They just say “blub.”
[13:23] Myrtil Igaly moves closer to the gentleman in a hat, eyeing his coat pockets
[13:24] Myrtil Igaly: What are you looking for urchins for, if I may ask?
[13:24] Professor Ventris: Maybe one of you saw a man  leaving a museum recently
[13:24] Myrtil Igaly: Which museum? There are plenty around.
[13:24] Becky Blackcinder: Fair number of men, too.
[13:25] Professor Ventris: Indeed. But this man has lost a curious item
[13:25] Myrtil Igaly: Oh?
[13:25] Myrtil Igaly: In the museum?
[13:25] Professor Ventris: I would say from the museum
[13:25] Myrtil Igaly: A thief?
[13:26] Stephen Crane: A thief stolen!
[13:26] Becky Blackcinder: Somebody is stealing thieves?
[13:26] Becky Blackcinder: Gear!
[13:26] Myrtil Igaly: That man has been robbed from the object he just stole in a museum?
[13:26] Professor Ventris: would not be strange. A man steals from a museum and is stolen as well
[13:27] Myrtil Igaly: Hah
[13:27] Myrtil Igaly: What was that object?
[13:27] Becky Blackcinder: I think it’s called kidnapping when you steal people.
[13:27] Myrtil Igaly: We can help you find it back maybe, we’ve got connections and all, and just for a little amount of quatloos
[13:27] Myrtil Igaly grins
[13:27] Myrtil Igaly moves to check the other man’s pockets
[13:28] Professor Ventris has a couple of shillings
[13:28] Jimmy Branagh: ((kback))
[13:29] Stephen Crane: (wb)
[13:29] Myrtil Igaly: ((welcome back!))
[13:29] Jimmy Branagh: ((thx thx))
[13:29] Myrtil Igaly swiftly extracts the shillings from his pocket and moves back to the stairs, smiling angelically
[13:30] Jimmy Branagh: So wot did th’ man look loike?
[13:31] Professor Ventris: Fat, of course. A bad dude.
[13:31] Jimmy Branagh: Hmmmm …
[13:31] Jimmy Branagh: Mybe Popplefart?  ‘ee’s real fat.
[13:31] Stephen Crane: We believe he stole an amulet. Egyptian
[13:31] Myrtil Igaly: Oooh
[13:31] Stephen Crane: green beetle shape
[13:32] Becky Blackcinder: Oh! I think I saw that in the museum!
[13:32] Jimmy Branagh: Not Popplefeet then.  ‘ee’s spoineless.
[13:32] Myrtil Igaly: There were Egyptian things on display at the Babbage Canals library once
[13:32] Becky Blackcinder: I promise I didn’t take it.
[13:32] Myrtil Igaly: which museum Becky?
[13:32] Becky Blackcinder: I don’t remember now.
[13:32] Professor Ventris: Its dangerous for an urchin to have such item
[13:32] Jimmy Branagh: Woy?
[13:32] Becky Blackcinder: I think Dr. Jekyll took me there.
[13:32] Myrtil Igaly: We could go ask him then
[13:33] Becky Blackcinder: He might know!
[13:33] Jimmy Branagh: Oy know!  It’s a scarab!
[13:33] Jimmy Branagh: Oy read about them.
[13:33] Myrtil Igaly: But where can you find a scarab?
[13:33] Becky Blackcinder: Did you know scarab is “baracs” spelled backward?
[13:33] Myrtil Igaly: Is it?
[13:33] Becky Blackcinder nodnods.
[13:33] Myrtil Igaly: It must have special powers and all if it’s an amulet
[13:34] Jimmy Branagh: Scarabs can be cursed an’ give ya th’ itch an’ stuff
[13:34] Professor Ventris: Lets just say, this scarab belonged to a man who lived long ago
[13:34] Myrtil Igaly: mummy?
[13:34] Myrtil Igaly: There was one running around here years ago
[13:34] Myrtil Igaly: He was after a ruby
[13:34] Jimmy Branagh: Yeh, ‘ee wos stinky
[13:34] Stephen Crane: His sarcophagus is lost, thankfuly
[13:35] Myrtil Igaly: He was a bad man?
[13:35] Stephen Crane: Merenpath? worse than bad
[13:35] Myrtil Igaly: so how big is that scarab thing?
[13:36] Professor Ventris: not very
[13:36] Myrtil Igaly: like a pocket watch?
[13:36] Professor Ventris: can fit into a pocket
[13:36] Myrtil Igaly nods
[13:36] Myrtil Igaly: And do you know the man who lost it?
[13:36] Professor Ventris: But believe me young ones, anything that belonged to Merenpath is very dangerous
[13:37] Myrtil Igaly: I believe you!
[13:37] Myrtil Igaly smiles
[13:37] Jimmy Branagh shines his fingernails on his coat.
[13:37] Stephen Crane: It may cause, some personality disorder on its owner
[13:37] Jimmy Branagh: Danger is our middle name!
[13:37] Myrtil Igaly: Personality disorder?
[13:38] Myrtil Igaly: Gad, anyone in New Babbage could be owning it right now then
[13:38] Myrtil Igaly: I’d bet on Lady Moldy
[13:38] Jimmy Branagh laughs
[13:38] Stephen Crane: Yes. Paranoia. Anger. That was what our associate said.
[13:38] Myrtil Igaly: Hmmm
[13:38] Myrtil Igaly: She’s not angry though
[13:38] Myrtil Igaly: Mister Hyde is, all the time.
[13:39] Becky Blackcinder cleans her glasses on her scarf. It only sort of helps.
[13:39] Myrtil Igaly: Mister Tenk too I guess
[13:39] Jimmy Branagh: Yeh, ‘ee’s a bit disordered
[13:39] Jimmy Branagh: Hyde Oy mean
[13:39] Myrtil Igaly: Baloney is loony too but not sure he’s angry
[13:39] Jimmy Branagh: Mr. Tenk’s just Mr. Tenk
[13:39] Professor Ventris: We believe the first thief was protected, but if he was stolen by another person…
[13:39] Becky Blackcinder: What good would havin’ a beetle amulet do someone?
[13:40] Jimmy Branagh: Awl thet old stuff is worth a lot o’macaroni, Becky
[13:40] Stephen Crane: The scarab its a means to an end
[13:41] Myrtil Igaly: Seeing as the first owner was a terrible man, I guess it does horrible things like open gates through worlds to let Old Ones get in or something like that
[13:41] Jimmy Branagh chuckles
[13:41] Myrtil Igaly: but yeh, the Spider would pay gold to have it I bet
[13:41] Jimmy Branagh: Yeh ‘ee would
[13:41] Professor Ventris: Not the old ones. But equally disgusting
[13:42] Myrtil Igaly: So what would you two give us if we find this beetle back for you?
[13:42] Professor Ventris: Money. Food. A hug.
[13:42] Myrtil Igaly: .le laughs
[13:43] Myrtil Igaly laughs too
[13:43] Jimmy Branagh: Just a ‘andshake ‘ere, thenks
[13:43] Myrtil Igaly: And where could we find you ?
[13:43] Stephen Crane: Professor, we should go back to the agency and inform about our discovey
[13:44] Jimmy Branagh: Yeh, where are you gennilmin stayin’?
[13:45] Professor Ventris: Lets think. We could come back later. ¿What about the wax museum entrance?
[13:45] Myrtil Igaly: Alright, we’ll ask around, see if we find it and meet you there. Hmmm, when?
[13:45] Jimmy Branagh: Well … this could take some toime …
[13:46] Myrtil Igaly: Yes it could
[13:46] Myrtil Igaly: One week from now?
[13:46] Stephen Crane: tomorrow. In one week, Merenpath will be awake and would be too late
[13:46] Myrtil Igaly: Oh
[13:49] Professor Ventris: It seems Merenpath would not be the end of the world
[13:49] Stephen Crane: He will only consume a few hundred of innocent citizens.
[13:50] Myrtil Igaly: Oh right…
[13:50] Jimmy Branagh: Cor, a lot of eaters aroun’ lately …
[13:50] Becky Blackcinder winces nonetheess.
[13:50] Stephen Crane: But we are not experts in that theme. In fact, we never have seen one of those
[13:51] Myrtil Igaly: I thought Merenpath’s sarcophagus was lost and all, I don’t understand why it’s so urgent to get that scarab back
[13:51] Professor Ventris: Lets hop we keep it that way
[13:52] Professor Ventris: Any item who was close to Merenpath during his life is a key component for his comeback
[13:52] Myrtil Igaly: Oh I see…
[13:52] Professor Ventris: the most obvious was the sarcophagus but
[13:53] Stephen Crane: Our agency already got rid of it. Thankfully.
[13:53] Myrtil Igaly: Tomorrow I have two important meetings with the others so we can ask them if they’ve seen the scarab, but that means we can’t meet you here at this time. Maybe 3pm, otherwise that’ll have to be Monday. Unless Becky or Jimmy wanna come during the meeting?
[13:54] Professor Ventris: Correct, 3 pm, monday
[13:54] Professor Ventris: write it down, stephen
[13:54] Myrtil Igaly: Oh I meant 3pm tomorrow, otherwise earlier on Monday
[13:54] Myrtil Igaly: well I dunno, what’s best for you Jimmy and Becky?
[13:54] Professor Ventris: so 3 pm, sunday
[13:55] Jimmy Branagh: Pro’bly not tomorrow.  We gots matters of import ta discuss
[13:55] Professor Ventris: write it down again, stephen
[13:55] Myrtil Igaly: Yes tomorrow will be a busy day
[13:55] Myrtil Igaly: Monday 2pm?
[13:55] Myrtil Igaly: Sorry for making you change hehe
[13:55] Stephen Crane: Should I write that?
[13:56] Professor Ventris: Yes
[13:56] Becky Blackcinder: Monday at 2’s fine.
[13:56] Myrtil Igaly: We’ll try to find it until then
[13:57] Stephen Crane: Do not touch it!
[13:57] Myrtil Igaly: How are we to bring it then?
[13:57] Myrtil Igaly: Gloves work?
[13:57] Jimmy Branagh: We can get Max ta carry it
[13:57] Stephen Crane: use a bag, a stick, a… we do not know
[13:57] Myrtil Igaly: hehe
[13:57] Jimmy Branagh chuckles
[13:57] Myrtil Igaly: Ok, we’ll find a way
[13:57] Myrtil Igaly: If we find it
[13:57] Professor Ventris: bucket
[13:58] Myrtil Igaly: And what of the first thief, should we find him too?
[13:58] Professor Ventris: Oh, one final words… its sightly possible you can see people looking for it too
[13:59] Myrtil Igaly arches an eyebrow
[13:59] Stephen Crane: And maybe, they could not look entilery human
[13:59] Becky Blackcinder: Lots of folks don’t look entirely human.
[13:59] Myrtil Igaly: Not human? What would they look like?
[14:00] Professor Ventris: You better never figure it out
[14:00] Jimmy Branagh: They gots face tentacles Oy bet, Myrtil!
[14:00] Myrtil Igaly: Bah!
[14:00] Stephen Crane: Please do not scare the children!
[14:00] Jimmy Branagh: Awl them wackys gots face tentacles
[14:00] Myrtil Igaly: Scared us?
[14:00] Myrtil Igaly: Pfah!
[14:00] Myrtil Igaly: We’ve seen worse
[14:01] Myrtil Igaly: Alright, we better get going if we wanna find it before Monday then
[14:01] Professor Ventris: Be safe young ones
[14:01] Becky Blackcinder: Well, maybe we haven’t seen worse. We haven’t seen this yet, so it’s hard to judge.
[14:01] Myrtil Igaly: True true…
[14:02] Professor Ventris: Mr. Crane, time to leave
[14:02] Jimmy Branagh: Awlroight sirs.  Wotch yer backs.  It’s Babbage.
[14:02] Myrtil Igaly: Mr Crane? And Professor?
[14:03] Stephen Crane: Yes, these should be us
[14:03] Myrtil Igaly: Just Professor?
[14:03] Stephen Crane: for now. He is looking for a legal name change
[14:04] Professor Ventris: I´d like Duncan
[14:04] Professor Ventris: Its a distinguished name
[14:04] Myrtil Igaly smirks
[14:04] Myrtil Igaly: Yes sounds good!
[14:04] Becky Blackcinder asides to the other children, “is my name legal?”
[14:04] Jimmy Branagh whispers: Mybee Oy should change me name to “Beauregard”
[14:04] Myrtil Igaly: Nice meeting you Mister Crane and Professor Duncan!
[14:04] Jimmy Branagh chuckles
[14:04] Myrtil Igaly: hehe
[14:04] Becky Blackcinder: Stay warm.
[14:05] Myrtil Igaly: See ya Monday!
[14:05] Professor Ventris: Pleasure was ours, come Mr. Crane.
[14:05] Jimmy Branagh: Noice meetin’ ya gennilmin.
[14:05] Professor Ventris left the region.
[14:05] Stephen Crane: See you guys