Notes: It's been so long since Wren and Socket have been in this story that I had to reread their chapters to refresh my memory a bit. Sadly the thing I noticed the most was how many little mistakes I'd made back in Chapter 11... I really should do a big edit of the earlier chapters in this fic sometime to sort out the grammar niggles.
As the train made its way up north, Badger's mind left him with little to do except worry. Which wasn't surprising, given how ominous Louis had seemed the whole time he'd been in Liverpool. Now that Badger had time to think about it, maybe he should have pressed going to the house more. He hadn't asked much about what Louis's parents were doing or even if Mr. Shackwell had recovered from his spending addiction. Perhaps the problem could lie with his family, which was why Louis had kept Badger away from them.
On the other hand, it might not have anything to do with them at all. Something about Louis always gave off the vibe that he could fall into the wrong crowd if he was given the chance. Misthallery had been so small and the market was so inclusive that there weren't many crowds Louis could have fallen into other than the Black Ravens back then. But Liverpool was a big city. There were so many people who could cause problems for Louis...
Eventually Badger tried to force himself to accept there was nothing he could do for Louis right now and that most of his worries were currently baseless. Hopefully they'd turn out to be wild stories that his head had created and whatever was bothering Louis would clear itself up in time.
Though as soon as he got Louis off his mind, Badger just launched into thinking about Crow. He knew that Crow had sounded all right when he'd talked to him on the phone, but Louis and Badger had kind of just dropped the whole idea of Badger travelling onto his lap. He hadn't had much chance to object. So maybe he wasn't actually so sure about the whole thing. And who could say how he was really holding up with the help that Dalston had sent? After all, Crow was the best actor that Badger knew. He was an expert of coming across as if he was fine when actually he was struggling inside.
Many different worries bounced back and forth in Badger's head. By the time he reached his stop he was thoroughly miserable. This matter wasn't helped when he got off the train and remembered that the village Wren and Socket lived in was actually many miles away from the one that the train stopped in. These rural areas could be a nightmare.
To top everything off, it seemed that either Socket hadn't managed to tell his family about Badger's visit or else they just didn't have the time to come and get him, because there was no one there waiting for him at the train station.
Badger knew there was no point in grumbling though. So he just headed up the hill and went on his way. It turned out not to be so bad after all. Although Badger had never tried hitch-hiking before, a kindly old farmer's wife gave him a lift in the back a trailer attached to her car for most of the way. Once he got to Chillingham, Badger simply jumped off and thanked her, then made his way to the house.
Phant found him before anyone else did. The dog shot over to Badger like a hairy, white comet and jumped up against his chest.
"Leave it off, Phant!" Badger laughed.
Though the two people he'd came to see soon rushed over after Phant. Wren gently but firmly pulled her away from Badger. Not that it stopped Phant from barking noisily and turning her head from one person to the next in excitement.
"Nice to see you made it, Badger," Wren greeted, "Sorry we couldn't come down to the station to get you. We were going to go now, since Mum's finished work, but we had no way of calling to tell you."
"Nah, it's fine," Badger dismissed, "So 'ow are you two getting on?"
"We're doin' great! Can't ya tell?" Socket boasted.
He puffed out his little chest and Badger stepped back to take a look at them. Socket had grown slightly since the last time Badger had seen him, he'd possibly caught up with Crow, but that wasn't saying much. Ultimately he was still very small though. And just like he would have been back in Misthallery, Socket was proudly wearing the scruffiest clothes he could find, which were entirely covered in oil stains. A dirty rag stuck out of his pocket, suggesting that he'd been working on some project right before coming out here.
As for Wren, she couldn't look like more of a contrast in her smart uniform. It was a different one to what Badger remembered the siblings wearing the first time he'd come up here, but it had been well more than a year since then, so perhaps Wren had moved to a different school. The black blazer of the uniform suited her a lot.
It seemed like both of them had been working hard, but in very different fields.
"Does look like yer doing well," Badger complimented.
"I wish I could say the same, but ya look like a proper scruff, Carrotnose," teased Socket.
"As if you're one to talk!" scoffed Wren, "Standing around dressed like that."
"So wot if I'm dressed like this? Just means I'm a 'ardworkin' member o' society an' Badger can tell that, can't ya?" challenged Socket.
"I'm sure yer both work 'ard," Badger tried to soothe.
"See? Badger can tell wot I do is worth it," Socket stated.
This felt like a bit of an unfair claim to Badger, given that he actually had no idea what it was that Socket did. He could take a guess, but that was about it. And Badger's intuition told him that there was more to this situation than his guesswork could tell him about it.
"Let's just get inside," Wren dismissed, "Better let Mum know that she won't have to go pick Badger up before she starts the car."
Socket rushed off to do that, with Phant following along at his heels. With them gone, Wren helped Badger carry his bags into the house. She stayed silent all the while and at one point Badger would have done as well, because he didn't like to bother people if they seemed not to want to talk. But after everything he'd been through with Crow, Badger was starting to learn that where were times when he needed to speak up.
"So what were that Socket were gan on about?" he asked, once they'd got the bags up to the siblings' shared bedroom.
"Take a look around you and guess," Wren sighed.
Badger took in the room. Since his last visit here the contents had... progressed. That was the nicest word he could think of to describe it. All around were scattered parts of half-finished projects, laid out on scraps of newspaper. There were diagrams all over the floor and various tools littered between them. The only exception was Wren's corner of the room, which had been kept meticulously free of Socket's influence. It looked comically clear compared to everywhere else, with only a bed, a packed bookshelf and a desk that had various workbooks left out for study.
All in all, it was admittedly what Badger had expected the room to look like after the two of them had been there for long enough.
"Doesn't look that bad t' me," he confessed, "Just looks like you and Socket."
"That's just it though," Wren said, "This place was supposed to be our fresh start. That was why we wanted to stay here instead of going back with the rest of you."
"But a fresh start doun't mean yer 'ave t' drop everythin' yer good at. Weren't the school idea about gettin' the qualifications yer need t' do it all propeh?" asked Badger.
This was where Wren's face fell another notch.
"...Socket hasn't been to school for weeks," she told him, "And whenever he does go he usually just ends up arguing with the teachers and storming out again."
"But yer said that the school noticed 'is talents! What about that metalwork class 'e was put on?" Badger checked.
"The thing is... Socket is very talented and the school could see that. They saw it about both of us. And they did everything they could to give us the chances we needed," Wren explained, "I went along with it. And I'm doing the best I can. My grades are good and I'm predicted to do well in my exams. But Socket... Well, just look at this place. I'm not saying he isn't amazing, he's probably even a genius. It's just that he doesn't have the focus. When he starts on a new project he'll throw himself into it with all his heart, but then he'll think of five other new projects and want to do them instead, leaving the first one unfinished. Which is exactly what he did with school. At first it was fun for him to use tools that he didn't have at home, but then he kept getting annoyed when the teachers wouldn't just let him do whatever he wanted." Here Wren looked away, before she added, "...I'm sorry for dumping all this on you, Badger. You just got here."
"Nah, it's ah'reet," Badger assured her, "I'd much ratheh yer tell me about this stuff then leave me in the dark. That way I might be able t' 'elp."
He thought back to Louis and how the scouser had refused to open up to him at all. If Wren was trusting him with this then he was determined to do something about it.
"Thanks, I appreciate you saying so," replied Wren. She looked back at him now, "But I'm not sure what anyone could do for Socket. Whenever we try to reason with him he just gets angry and goes to shut himself in the shed."
Badger thought for a moment and then said, "Do yer still write to Marilyn?"
"Oh yes, all the time," Wren answered, "But there isn't much she can do from Misthallery except offer advice and she's so busy with the Black Ravens these days that I don't want to bother her."
"Let me think on it," Badger offered, "I were plannin' t' go there afteh stayin' 'ere fer a few days. So mebbe I can work summit out."
"I hope so," Wren concluded.
There wasn't much of a chance to talk about it after that, since Socket came upstairs to join them. Just like last time, he had so much he wanted to show Badger. The difference being that now his excitement wasn't focused on the different villages, the rare cows or the apparently haunted castle, but instead were on all of the different inventions he'd been working on. He gave Badger a full tour of everything in the room, though much of what he said went over Badger's head. While they did this, Wren excused herself, saying that she needed to revise for her exams, and sat at the desk, scribbling away in a notebook.
After a while Socket led Badger towards the door.
"There's even better stuff in the shed! I need to show ya that," he informed.
Badger followed him out of the room. He took one last look at Wren before he left, but it seemed that she was deep into her studies to hear them, so he left her to it.
Once they were inside the shed, Socket shut the door and turned on a light that was hanging from the roof. It looked as if he'd wired it there himself, which wouldn't surprise Badger, knowing Socket. And it illuminated all of the other inventions in the shed, which Badger assumed he'd be getting a full talk about in a moment.
However, instead of reeling off facts, Socket suddenly looked very solemn and put his hands behind his back.
"Well, aren't ya gonna say somethin' about it?" he challenged.
"About yer inventions? They look... eh, nice?" Badger offered, completely lost.
"Not about them! I mean about Wrenny!" corrected Socket. He shot his hands up into the air in a dramatic fashion.
"She looks ah'reet t' me," Badger replied, now more confused than ever.
He hoped that Socket hadn't got the idea that Badger fancied Wren into his head. Once Socket decided upon an area of gossip it could be hard to shift him on the matter. Though fortunately for Badger it seemed that wasn't what was concerning him right now.
"Couldn't ya see it up in the room? All she ever does is study, study, study! She only stops to sometimes eat an' sleep, then she goes to that horrid school an' studies there. It's no life for someone our age, Badger..." Socket ended his speech with a heavy sigh.
"Wren says she's got exams coming up though," reasoned Badger, "It makes sense that she'd studeh fer 'em now."
"Yeah, but they're not until June or wotever an' Wrenny's brain might've exploded by then!" cried Socket. He waved his arms out in demonstration of an explosion.
"That woun't 'appen," Badger assured.
"Ugh... I should 'ave know ya'd take Wren an' Mum's side," spat Socket, "But I just don't get it, Carrotnose. It's gotta be bad to force yaself to keep workin' on borin' things until ya 'ead pops off. I really worry 'bout 'er... But no one listens..."
"She worrehs about you, too," Badger promised.
"I guess. But she's got no reason to worry 'bout me. I'm gonna do really well even without some stupid degree or wotever it is she's gonna get," huffed Socket.
Badger knelt down a little and put his hand on Socket's shoulder. That made the little mechanic shut up and stare at him.
"Leave it with me. I'll figure summit out," Badger concluded.
Later, he wished that he had any idea what he was going to do for either of the siblings. Especially since they were both worried about each other for the opposite reasons. And it was hard to say who was right in this situation. They both had good points and picking a side didn't seem fair.
For the second time that day, Badger wished that he could talk to Marilyn about the matter. But then he realised that there was nothing stopping him from doing exactly that. He needed to call her anyway to sort out his visit to Misthallery, so might as well get two birds with one stone and ask her advice on this matter as well.
He made an excuse to pop out sometime in the evening, saying that he wouldn't be too long. Of course he probably could have called Marilyn from the Turner family's phone, but there was too much risk of being overheard, so instead he went to a payphone and shoved in all the loose change he had in his pocket. Then he dialled Marilyn's home, feeling glad that for all he was terrible with words he could remember numbers like nobody's business.
"Hello?"
It was Marilyn. Badger breathed a sigh of relief.
"Mal, 'ey there! It's Badgeh," he said.
"Really? It's great to hear from you after so long," she gasped.
"Yeah, but yer woun't believe where I am. I'm onleh up at Chilling'am staying with Wren and Socket," he replied.
"You're right, I wasn't expecting that. Especially not since you and Crow were sorting out your shop last time I heard from him," Marilyn said, "Is he with you, too?"
"Nah, I came on me own," answered Badger, "Been doing a bit of a trip around the country, checking in on Black Ravens. I just went from seeing Louis t' where I am now and I were planning on coming to visit the rest of yers next, which is what I called t' ask about. But also there's summit else as well."
"We'll have to do a bit of planning around it if you are coming to visit," Marilyn hummed. She sounded distracted, but went on, "Before that though, what else did you want to talk about?"
"It's Wren and Socket. They're both fretting about each otheh oveh this school thing," explained Badger, "Wren thinks that Socket isn't sticking in at school and it's ganna cause 'im trouble if 'e can't find 'is focus. And Socket thinks that Wren is throwing 'erself too 'ard into 'er studies and she's ganna burnout oveh it."
"Wren has written to me about Socket," Marilyn admitted, "I didn't know the worries went both ways though. Honestly, it sounds as if they're both right to worry about each other."
"So I should tell 'em to find some 'appy medium between the two?" Badger checked.
"No, not at all. That does work for some people, but other people... I guess they function differently," claimed Marilyn. It sounded as if she was struggling to put into words what she meant, which was unusual for her; "Both Wren and Socket are very similar in that when they want to do something they throw their whole selves into it. But the difference is that Wren will solely focus on one thing for as long as she needs to until someone pulls her away, while Socket will bounce between a million different things without being able to settle on one for long enough to finish it. That's just how they work. And while it can be dangerous for both of them, telling them just to tone it down isn't the way."
"What is the way then?" Badger asked. He knew that if anyone could answer that it had to be Marilyn.
"It's hard for me to say without seeing them face to face again. It's been so long and Wren's letters only put so much across," answered Marilyn, "If only I could talk to them again I might be able to find some way to help."
Then an idea struck Badger.
"Why doun't I bring them down with me when I come t' visit? Sure, we'll 'ave t' work around Wren's school schedule, but I'm sure we could figure summit out," he suggested.
"I think half term is coming up," Marilyn said, "If you could get Wren to agree to leaving her studies for that long then it might be an idea. However, there's a bit of an issue on my end as well."
"Oh?" Badger prompted.
"It's nothing major," assured Marilyn, "It's just that Dad's got a big delivery to make for Dropstone. They're becoming a regular customer of ours. It's going to take all of my family to get the supplies there, even Gus is helping out. And then we're staying there for the week to help with the celebrations, because every bit of money helps, right? I'm not saying that you can't come to Misthallery while we're not there, but I do think it would be a shame to miss you. And particularly if you bring the other two with you, since I want to talk to them."
"Yeah, if we're coming back 'ome then I want t' see all of yer," Badger answered, "I think it'd be best if I talk this through with Wren and Socket, then work out when would be best fer all of us."
"That does sound like the right idea. And I'll be here for a couple more days if you need to call back and sort anything out," Marilyn added.
"Will do. Well, I betteh let yer go, Mal. It were great talking to yer again," concluded Badger.
"You too, Badger. See you soon!"
With that the two of them hung up and Badger made his way back to the house. His mind was buzzing with how to work around this. If Marilyn was leaving in a couple of days and then would be away for a week then that was potentially nine or ten days before they could even think about going there. And on top of that there was Wren's school term. Badger doubted he'd be able to convince her to go before the holidays started. So many elements got in the way of spontaneous decision-making... Badger had no idea how Crow could do it as much as he did.
When he got back into the house Wren and Socket were already waiting for him in the hallway.
"Ya took forever!" Socket scolded.
"That's 'cause I were sorting out a surprise," Badger said.
"Wot sorta surprise?" questioned Socket.
"Part of me wants t' say that if I told yer then it wouldn't be a surprise, but I kindeh do need t' tell yer," Badger explained, "I were talking to Marilyn about gan down t' Mist'allereh fer a while afteh 'ere."
"I guess you would need to sort that out. So when are you going?" checked Wren.
"That's the thing, Mal and Gus are ganna be away fer a bit more than a week and it'd be a waste t' not see everyone if I'm gan back," Badger said.
"But that's okay. Ya can stay 'ere until then," chimed Socket.
"It's a shame though, since not long after you'll be going I'll break up for a week," Wren added, "I would have been able to spend more time with you then than I can do now."
"That works out pretteh well though, 'cause Mal and me were talking about the two of yer coming with me. They'd all want t' see yers again," Badger suggested.
"Yeah, that'd be great!" Socket cheered, "I really wanna see everyone!"
"But..." Wren mumbled.
"No buts, Wrenny. It'd be the best an' ya know it," whined Socket.
"What about my studying though...?" Wren asked.
"Take it with yer," suggested Badger, in a spur of the moment idea, "Sure, yer not ganna get t' do it the whole time, but if yer would feel betteh to 'ave revision books there sometime then why not? Doubt anyone would mind."
"I suppose so," said Wren, "If it's all right with Mum."
They talked the whole thing through with Ms. Turner not long after that. It went much smoother than Badger had expected it to. In fact, she sounded keen on the idea of her kids getting a break from everything. The way Socket had put it across, it seemed as if their mother was on Wren's side, but to Badger she seemed just as worried about Wren as she was about Socket.
So between her and Marilyn they arranged the trip to take place in two weeks time, which was when Wren broke up from school. That meant Badger would be in Northumberland for two weeks, which was longer than he'd intended, but when he'd called Crow to tell him about it nothing seemed to cause any problems.
The biggest problem Badger found was that after the second day he'd gotten a little bored. It was a horribly selfish thing to say, but it was true. Wren still had to go to school, so she wasn't around for most of the time. And while Socket enjoyed showing off to Badger, he soon ran out of things to show and shut himself back in his shed to work on more projects. It seemed to Badger as if the siblings had locked up in themselves without having the big group of friends around that they used to have. Hopefully the trip to Misthallery would do them good.
Badger didn't have too much problem with walking through the countryside and its various villages to keep himself occupied, but part of him did wish that he had something else to do.
On his way back to the house from one such walk he passed a village noticeboard and something caught his eye. It was an old flyer, only just sticking out from behind several newer ones. The rich purples and deep blues on it grabbed Badger's attention, so he looked around to make sure no one was watching and then carefully unpinned it from the board to take a closer look. He had to replace several of the newer posters, which tumbled down when he took out the pin, but once he did that he was free to admire the curious flyer.
There wasn't much he could make out on it without being able to read the text, but the picture showed an impressive circus tent with various clowns in front of it. And the most impressive of all was a white tiger wearing a blue hat. Badger tucked the flyer into his pocket, then went to show it to Socket.
"Oh yeah? That was for some circus from ages ago," Socket informed, when Badger had got to the shed, "They 'eld it at Sea'ouses, that's a town near 'ere, and it was pretty amazin'. They 'ad all those clowns an' the tiger. But I don't think they're gonna come this year. Apparently they mostly stay in Monte d'Or an' tours are pretty rare."
"Monte d'Or...?" echoed Badger.
"That's right. Ya gotta know about Monte d'Or, dontcha? It's that city in the desert where those mega rich Ledores live an' there's always magicians, so everyday is like bein' at the circus!" Socket concluded his explanation with a wistful sigh; "I bet they 'ave loads o' fun there."
When the Ledores were mentioned, Badger's mind was brought back to Dalston. He remembered that Dalston had said he knew them and he'd mentioned that Ascot guy as well. Then he left in a hurry once his friend had got there with news about a baby. It certainly seemed as if it was all happening in Monte d'Or right now. And from what Socket said, the whole place sounded like nothing that he'd ever seen before.
Badger looked back down at the flyer.
"I'd like t' go there," he admitted.
Socket snorted; "Well yeah, everyone wants to go to Monte d'Or, Carrotnose. But 'ow are ya gonna find the time to do that?"
"I've got time now," Badger guiltily pointed out.
"Woah, ya actually serious about this?" Socket gasped. He put down his wrench and stared up at Badger in awe. Part of Badger had expected him to be annoyed about suggesting leaving, but that wasn't the case at all; "Are ya really gonna go? Even though ya might run into the Masked Wotsit an' then get set on fire or turned into stone or wotever 'e does?"
"That guy got stopped years ago," dismissed Badger.
"So they say! But I saw this magazine that said it was a 'uge cover-up an' actually the Masked guy still lives in the Ledore's attic. So I'm not takin' any chances. Ya well brave if ya goin' there, Carrotnose," Socket insisted.
It was such an out-of-nowhere idea. But now it has stuck in Badger's head and he wasn't going to shake it free. For whatever reason, he really wanted to do this.
"Mebbe I should go, just so I can stop this Masked Gentleman from bothering anyone. Then I can bring 'is mask back 'ere as proof that I did it," joked Badger.
"Do it! Ya have to do that!" pleaded Socket.
"Do yer mean it?" Badger laughed.
"O' course I mean it!" Socket wailed.
"I reckon I will then," mused Badger, "I could 'ead off t' Monte d'Or then be back 'ere in time fer our trip t' Mist'allereh. It takes ages t' get to Monte d'Or from what I've 'eard, so two weeks would be plenty of time t' make it there and back while 'aving a good stretch in the city as well."
"And ya promise ya gonna bring back that mask?" pressed Socket.
"I can't promise that!" Badger protested.
"Okay, okay, I know that. I'm not stupid," huffed Socket, "But at least punch that guy in the face if ya see 'im. For all the bother 'e caused nice people like Mrs. Ledore."
Part of Badger suspected that suggestion might have something to do with the fact that all those glossy magazines always said that Angela Ledore was one of those most beautiful women in the world and that perhaps Socket was a little star-struck with her. Not that Badger could blame him. Although he was only interested in Crow, he had to admit that both of the Ledores looked very pretty. They seemed like the ideal rich, famous couple to Badger.
And after settling the idea with Socket it was just a matter of waiting for Wren and her mum to get back so they could talk about it. Neither of them seemed that upset by him leaving, since he wasn't tied to staying at their house. And he did promise that he'd be back before the two weeks were up or else send a message to Marilyn to pass on if he couldn't make it. Worst case scenario, if he ran late then the siblings could go on ahead and meet him down at Misthallery.
Then he phoned Crow to let him know about this absurd idea. Somehow Crow seemed almost as keen for it as Badger was. Everyone was a little curious about that mysterious desert city, it would appear. He also made Badger promise that he'd call in to see Dalston, to thank him for all the help he'd given to the shop.
Once everything was sorted, Badger packed his bags once more and left. Honestly, he thought to himself, he was turning into quite the traveller all of a sudden...
