'So... run this plan by me one more time,' said the curious mushroom with a cockney accent. 'I just wanna make sure I'm prepared for every eventuality, as they inevitably come up.’
​
'Okay, Mr. I-don't-trust-this-nice-guy-whose-actually-very-smart AND an-apprentice-to-the-world's-greatest-wizard.'
​
'Look, mate,' Vermillion, the sentient scavenger mushroom says, 'I don't know if you're pulling my leg or not, but Tarlog ain't the sharpest shroom in the fungus, if you get what I mean.'
​
'You take that back! My Master is a wonderful, powerful wizard! One blast from his magic wand and you'll be in a whole new world!' Jacob says, either completely genuine or pulling an elaborate bluff that follows no train of thought beyond his own personal amusement.
​
The giant mushroom stands up, bows politely and proceeds to the exit. 'Okay, I've had enough of this. I need to find my crew.'
​
As he takes a step out of the dingy building, he suddenly finds himself back in there again! He exclaims a very British curse-word as the teleporting man behind him pushes him back down to his seat.
​
'Okay, I didn't want to have to do this, but you're officially my new apprentice. And that means you have to do what I say.'
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'How did you do that!? One second I was there—' Vermillion points to the open door that Jacob pulls closed '—and the next, I were 'ere! It's like some sort of... distance moving power. Bloody hell kid, you brought the whole damn house closer to me!'
​
'Ah yes, welcome to the ways of Winterland's greatest Wizards.' Jacob gives a flourishing jazz hands to prove the point. 'If you help me out on this, I promise you that I'll teach you all my magical ways. And that's if — and this is a big if! — if you're good enough.'
​
Vermillion sits upright like an attentive child at Scavenging 101. 'Yes Master Kane! That magic will make Scavenging so much easier! Think of the things I could find, all the bloody nooks and crannies that we can't squeeze into!'
Jacob lets Vermillion vent a little further before calming him down, once again, very proud of himself.
​
---
​
Jacob peers over towards the crowd of crew-members that have gathered around the ship. In big, faded letters, its imprint says 'THE BASTILLE'.
'So, you think you could do it? I'm happy to have someone of your expertise on this very important mission.'
​
The small teenager beside him looks over at the crew members. Two celebrating pilots, a very tough-looking man, and a much stranger-looking man with robotic tentacles.
'Do you even know how to pilot that thing? Aren't you from like, the 2030's?' Flea says.
'2010's, actually. It's actually much more different than you’d think.'
'I bet,' replied the terrible teen sarcastically. 'You didn't answer my question.'
'Let's just say, I'm not just an incredibly gifted wizard. I'm also; an incredibly gifted improviser. I can 'Yes, and' until the deer come home.’
​
'I bet,' the Fleas't of Fleas says again.
The two run through the plan again. Despite Jacob's extreme ideas, Flea manages to hatch some modifications that might pull this heist off. He's vividly aware of the ludicrous nature of the young man's crude preparations, but there's something else there too. A soft hue of emotion sits at the core of Jacob. There's complexity in his nature. Even though he himself is younger, Flea can see it clearly in Jacob. He sees the need to respond to such a genuine feeling by transforming it into something less intimidating. Something playful and silly.
This small fear, it seems to be born from great love.
​
If anything, that's what sells him on this plan. Empathy powers be damned, the Quartermaster of the Flagship is starting to get on board. Plus how different is this to any one of Grub's plans or pranks?
​
---
​
'Are you nervous?'
​
'Pfft,' Jacob lies. Then, in an effort to change his nature, 'Absolutely.'
'You know him better than most. What's the worst he'll do if it doesn't work?'
Jacob takes a moment, as Stellan stands beside him. Trying his own best to change his nature. 'He'll laugh.'
'What? You're scared about something like that?'
'He'll laugh, and he'll cover up how he really feels.' Jacob scratches his head and sucks in a deep breath as if he's about to pick up something incredibly heavy. 'Look, he's always doing this. He's always burying away anything that mildly inconveniences anyone. He'd rather take all his disappointment, bury it in the backyard and hope it doesn't get discovered by the neighbour’s dog on Christmas Eve.'
'That sounds oddly specific.'
'I don't wanna talk about it.' Jacob sighs. 'I want to give him something that doesn't disappoint, something that blows his socks off! That he'll still remember even when he goes back to his time.'
'Time-travelling boys, huh.' I know what it's like, is what Stellan wants to say. But he's not quite confident enough in his own affection to say it.
They take a bit to look down at the town of Winterland. At the giant setup behind them. The stage, the dormant lights, the set-up of Japanese food stalls where Cookie stands behind, readying the ingredients as Val brings them over in a woven knapsack.
'So that's why it has to work. It has to be the best Christmas ever for him.'
Stellan, like most who have been wrapped into this daring escapade, can't help but feel an infectious warmth hearing this.
Such is the nature of the Winterland party where Jacob brought everyone together.