"So, dropped off the mask already?" Prodded 435.

Dove was taken aback. He was just walking down the cobblestone path, and then a visor popped out of the bushes. "Yes?"

"Is that a yes or not?" Smirked the woman.

"Yes. It's a yes."

"Good." She stepped out of the bush with an explosion of branches. "I'm looking forward to my cut."

"I actually told him that you'd be coming to him to divide it with him."

Dove could see her eye twitch through the visor. "What?"

"Was I not supposed to do that?"

She raised a fist and steadied herself. "I didn't say not to, so I can only blame myself."

"Fair enough." Dove made to head elsewhere, not entirely sure where, but somewhere where she wasn't. Until her hand gripped his shoulder. "What?"

"Where are you headed?"

Dove knew he had to do one thing: don't say the docks, don't say the docks. "The docks." Damn it.

"Excellent, I'm headed there soon as well!"

Why. "Oh. Okay." Grimaced Dove. "Sounds good." He wanted nothing more than for her to go away. Not sure why he didn't like her, but it might have had something to do with the fact that she could essentially get him killed whenever she wanted to by reporting him, or simply arresting him for his lack of papers. Right, it was probably that.

"So, most people go insane by going alone. What's been happening to make you not scramble the eggs?" Dove didn't like how she smiled at him.

"Been talking."

"You know that talking to yourself is a great way to slowly get disconnected from others, right?" She snickered. "Only natural instinct. The pack isolates members which are sick or a danger to the rest."

"Good to know." Dove increased his pace.

"So, tell me, how far north did you get, because you're obviously not from around here."

"Eyeshot of the city. What remains of the capital." Answered Dove in a robotic fashion. "And how could you tell?"

"You're too competent. D'aw, don't look at me that way."

"Too competent?"

"You're a threat." She leaned her arm around Dove. "You hide and let everyone do as they want, because you know that they don't know what you know. And you know," 435 said, while booping his nose, "That you know too much."

"That's a funny theory." Dove brushed her arm off of him.

"I know I'm probably not entirely right, but then again, how can I be, when you don't open up to me."

"I'm just trying to get back to Vale, alright? I don't want to deal with some random guard messing with my head. I've gotten to far to get snagged up in your games now."

"True." 435 took out a pair of cigarettes and a lighter. "Want one?"

"No thanks. I don't smoke."

"Your loss." She shrugged and lit both. With a deep breath, she exhaled a cloud of smoke. "You know, it would be a shame if our Fish Monger lost some labor because his labor was misplaced."

Dove stopped and looked back at her. "Is that meant to be a threat?"

"Are you trying to be cool? Aloof?" She leaned on him again, spewing smoke into his eyes. "Who knows? Entertain me."

Dove sneered through the smoke. "So, where would you like me to start?"

"Humor me. I'd love a story to tell."

"It all started in a small town. So, small it didn't have a name. There, there was born a boy. We'll call him Jay. Jay grew up in a loving family, but he never was good enough. Not for his parents, but for the world at large. No matter what they said, he would never match their expectations. So, he ran. Ran to a place where he could be a hero. Found a mentor. Found himself in the classic bully relationship. When things went belly-up, he grew into a man, or at least filled the position of one."

"Sounds like a good origin story. Very nice."

"It's not mine."

"Oh, you naughty boy." She jabbed him with an elbow. "Good story, nonetheless. So, where did he end up?"

"Don't know. Probably is either dead or miserable in a hole in the ground somewhere."

"Why not give him a happy ending. One with a daughter and a chance for the future?" 435 gestured. "What do you think?"

"Feel like that's too canned." Growled Dove.

"Hmm, I can see where you're coming with that." She rubbed her chin. "What if she messed with time and went back to meet her father!"

"Again, that's super canned. Done before. Not new."

"No one will know, and most authors are dead now. No point not trying to!"

"I don't think I have enough time to write that."

"Oh, come on, enjoy the idea. Can opener!"

"Really?"

"Why not? It's not that bad."

"Yeah, there's no way someone doesn't go through this world without growing up a little warped." Dove looked down at her. "How long are you going to go at this?"

"As long as I want to. Firing pin!" She snickered to herself. "Besides, it just seems like you just have a lack of faith in all of us. The kids will be alright."

"If you really want a title, the I'd go with 'A Story by Any Other Name.'"

"Poo! Lame!"

"You do better!"

"Tin Town."

"Tin Town? How come?"

"Basically, it's a bunch of canned concepts, but then you get to warp and melt them into something new. It's not just a bunch of cans anymore, and becomes a new thing, a Tin Town." Gestured 435.

Dove paused for a moment. "Methinks that you're already using too many braincells on this."

"What I do with my braincells are none of your concern."

"Fair enough."

"So, tell me another story. You're not bad at it!"

"I'd rather not."

"We have at least another ten minutes before the docks. We have the time."

"Fine. Chose a number, one or two?"