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Tonight's show wasn't much different from the past few. Bombastic as always, of course- and with the help of his new assistant Betty, the organizing aspect had become a breeze!
She was smart, hilarious and committed to anything she set her mind to— they clicked so well it sometimes felt like she could...read his mind! A much needed upgrade to his last assistant, really. Scatterbrained, incapable of committing to a single thing...he really couldn't work together with people like this.
So, sure, Betty made every of his shows feel better by just doing her job and doing it pretty damn well- mind you- but it shouldn't feel so different tonight.
And yet, somehow.....it did.
It took him until his final trick to realise just what had been throwing him off. Hundreds of eyes were on him, observing each and every of his moves.
One pair however, belonging to the gentleman sitting in one of the furthest rows, caught his attention.
They were barely peeking out from beneath the man's sleek fedora, watching with the kind of intensity you'd expect from only the most avid of magic connoisseurs. Oh he'd loooove this one, then!
The "mermouse for dinner" trick got his audience hooting and hollering each time..!
He really couldn't imagine pulling this one off during any other time of his performance. Freeing himself from his restraints while inside a water filled tank, before he could either drown or that whole tub of bloodthirsty piranhias was poured into the tank alongside him, definitely needed some preparation and energy.
But just like aaaaall the times before, he came out well and unscathed- basking in the applause from the ecstatic crowd. All that attention directed at him felt better than the most expensive of fondue ever could! Or...well....at least got close to it.
His gaze trailed across the audience, looking for the stranger he'd spotted by mere chance before. And soon enough he did, but the man didn't carry the thrilled expression he'd expected.
His body language was a lot more tense, crossed arms and a grim frown. Neither of which had been there the last time he had checked.
Huh, odd....well anyways~!
Once the magic was over and most of the guests made their way outta the theater, it was time to start the cleanup.
Eughhh, how he hated having to walk back to his dressing room while dripping from head to tail...
Far too many exposed live wires were spread across the backstage, ready to finish what the water had started. 'Least it helped with waking him back up, so Betty wouldn't have to do the cleaning again while he napped like a deadbeat somewhere.
Ohoho....the scolding she'd given him the last time would've made even a hard boiled sergeant weak in his knees! What a woman..!
He barely had enough time to take off his cape and drape it over the chair before someone already knocked at the door.
'Steve Bandel.'
Immediately he could tell the voice didn't belong to Betty or any other lady, really— deep, rumbly.
"Uh...sure am! The man himself, haha."
Not like the mystery man had been asking anyways. Which....only held so many more concerning implications. At least a dozen of flashy escapes came to mind as the visitor opened the door, inviting himself in like he owned the place.
All of those thoughts came to an immediate halt though, once he got to have a proper look at the man.
Not only was it the stranger who he'd noticed during the show that stepped into the light, but more importantly— he carried a familiar face.
No wonder he'd stood out so much to him!!
"Jack?! What in the- cheese and crackers are you doing here??"
Steve couldn't fight back the smile that quickly spread across his face. Just how long ago was it that they last saw each other?! Back then, when he had....oh yeah, right.
The magician cringed at that memory— of Jack finding himself in the middle of his mess. And instead of arresting him as did to to every other criminal scum, he just....let him go. Looked the other way, like the soft fool he'd always been.
The mouse standing before him now was a far cry from the one who had confronted him all those years ago. Hardened features, confident albeit tired stance..! You'd hardly believe this was the same guy if it wasn't for the warmth still embedded in those dark eyes. Never went away, he doubted it ever could.
'Am looking for a big-time cheeselegger who went missing a couple weeks ago. Little birdie told me he worked for you before giving himself a promotion.'
Ouch- he really should get fined for his dangerously sharp tongue. But where'd be the fun in that?
"So, you went to one of my shows and sat the whole way through, instead of just catching me after? Gottta say, your commitment remains unmatched, Mr. ........"
Steve trailed off at the end there. It was no secret to him that Jack had left the force a good while ago, soon after their last run-in, which only amplified the already near suffocating awkwardness he felt around him.
'....Detective.'
The other man finished for him, ever so politely.
"PI, huh? Oh wow, someone's making a name for himself!"
Right, right....like he wasn't already a thing of legends. Jack Pepper..! The trench sweeper, as they'd called him— clearing out enemy turf like it was nobody's business, a demon roaming no-man's-land.
But he knew the man behind the legend, knew what he looked like in his most desperate moments and just how much he wanted to forget.
So uh, maybe this really was his attempt of starting anew, with a clear slate.
....Was that why he had come here?
It took the magician a good second to realise the other mouse was already in the middle of talking again.
'.....Peter van Gorgonzola— just what typa name is that? Doubt it's his real one, else I'm gonna have to track down his parents next.'
A snort escaped Steve towards those words, even with the few he caught.
"It's just his stage name, Detective.
I guess he thought it was good enough to keep after his...promotion."
That got the man's attention, eyes narrowing.
Remaining surprisingly silent while leaning against the door behind him, as if inviting him to continue talking. All while caging him inside the room, mind you....
"Really? Are we- seriously gonna do this now-?? Jack, Jack...that's legal information I'm not allowed to share, you kno—"
'Since when do you care about legality?'
Good point, far too good.
"Well, I...try to.
You might think I'm still the same mouse as when we last met, but....."
Maybe not the best thing to bring up, seeing how the other's stance reverted into a guarded one- right in front of his very eyes.
"...I'm trying to not fall back into bad old habits. This-? This is like...throwing myself right into a pool of sharks!"
He gestured wildly, trying to bring his point across.
The detective didn't immediately answer, continuing to stare him down for a good minute.
'You literally locked yourself into a water tank, like...an hour ago, genius.'
That joke caught him by genuine surprise, startled sputtering transforming into laughter. Always bet on Jack to catch him off guard..!
"Whatever, you smartass— you know what I mean."
Surely this man had to have some sorta soft spot for him, as he'd seen him use his fists already the second someone wasn't willing to talk. Instead, the other's hands remained neatly tucked into his pockets. Not looking like they were gonna leave them anytime soon.
'You're the best lead I have right now, Stevie boy. C'mon, throw me at least a cheese crumb.'
Another whiplash on the menu today- using his old nickname like that....he really *was* desperate, huh?
His attempt at playing off his suspiciously red face by coughing immediately failed, as his dry throat only made him cough further.
'Pfft, damn- you good?'
The other man's acknowledgement only made it worse, honestly— his shaky hand rising up to give Jack a thumbs up.
As he tried to get his violent cough under control before it could rupture an ink vessel or, even worse, embarass him further, he suddenly felt a hand on his back.
'Don't you dare die on me now.'
He felt pretty close to it, alright- with his friend patting his back while holding him with a sort of tenderness he was sure he wouldn't deserve in a hundred lives.
It reminded him of when they were still young...only the three of them. Every day could have been their last, so they had treated each other like living lifelines.
What was Cornelius up to nowadays, he wondered...last thing he'd heard of the man was about him getting into politics.
'Are you trynna catch a cold or something? Geez Louise....' The moment he processed those words a towel was already tossed onto his head. How very thoughtful..! He'd expected no less from Mr. tough guy over here.
"My charming knight in shining armor..!! Thanks~"
Now it was the other's turn to become flustered, rolling his eyes while slightly turning away from him. Reaaaal smooth, Jack....
Alright, so— to the surprise of absolutely no one, stalling didn't work. He tried to switch the topic several times but the detective of course didn't let up, repeatedly asking what he knew about the suspect. Once he was fully backed into a corner only one trick remained: The disappearing Act!
As smoke began filling the room and obscuring the view he used the chance to quietly slip outside, deciding then and there that he'd stay in his mansion's cellar for the next couple nights until his good friend finally gave up. Moving onto better cases instead of trying to squeeze any infos out of him.
His planning got quickly interrupted by a booming voice echoing through the hallway, followed by harsh coughs. Hah, yeah— sucks, doesn't it??
...Oh wait shit he was right on his tail-!!
It took a couple of laps around the interior of the theater until he got enough distance between himself and the man, so he could quickly slither behind a couple stacks of wooden boxes.
After catching his breath he suddenly remembered something- opening the door to the bathrooms right next to the stack, intending to lure the man inside before making his daring escape.
Barely in time he managed to slip back into his hiding place, as the other mouse already made his way over to his little corner. Heading for the bathroom until he suddenly....stopped.
Crap— had he been spotted in the middle of executing his plan-?!
It sure seemed that way, as the mouse detective trotted into his direction. Eyes hidden beneath the shadow cast by his fedora, making it impossible to tell where the man was looking.
Steve held his breath, afraid to make even a squeak.
...Not only did Jack go directly up to him but also outright JUMPED over the boxes, landing in front of the magician with his back still turned to him. For...some reason.
Which he quickly found out to be something the other one had noticed and snatched off of one of the boxes surrounding them. Did he find a newspaper clipping or...
Curiosity piqued and caution thrown to the wind, he soundlessly crept up behind his friend- gazing over his shoulder to get a look at what he was inspecting.
Huh, would you look at that- a comic strip!
Featuring a dashing criminal on the run, who hid behind a couple of boxes to escape a policeman. Only for the man chasing him to totally ignore him and instead focus on something laying on one of the boxes.
.....
Hey, wait a seco—
BONK
As far as he knew, it could've been hours or even days since he got knocked out.
Or maybe it really were just a couple of minutes...seeing how his fur was still pretty damp, once he came back to his senses.
The handcuffs now sitting on his wrists were DEFINITELY new, though-!!
"...Not even giving me a chance to defend myself, huh? You're playing real dirty, detective."
This time he didn't get any banter in return, only a scowl from the man standing above him.
'Speak for yourself, damn it— you lied to me, Steve. Again!'
The other's outburst caught him by surprise, so much so he struggled with forming a reply at first.
A thing he never usually struggled with, mind you-
"That's- uh, where you're wrong, actually....no seriously, I didn't lie to you! I'm not involved in the way you think I am-!!"
Great, what an amazing way to phrase that, making the other mouse grow only more suspicious and even causing him to crouch down to his level. For uh, purely wholesome reasons, surely.
"The last time I did any of that cheeselegging business was when you caught me, all those years ago- I haven't touched it since!"
It was hard to tell whether the other male believed him or not. He probably shouldn't.
'So how are you involved, then? You're clearly in deep enough, if snitching threatens your cozy ass...'
It took some serious restraint to not spill the cheese right here and there. He knew it wouldn't do him any good, even with how tempting it was..!
"Welllll....no, not exactly my own, but—"
Ah damn it, here he went running his big mouth again- even when he'd specifically tried not to. He'd revealed too much!
At first he thought the other man simply didn't understand what he'd meant or was with his thoughts elsewhere. Until.....
'...You're covering for him.'
Maybe the guy really had found his calling in his new profession, now if only he didn't use those talents against him in this very moment..!
"He's....a kid, Jack. Barely any older than either of us were during the war."
He hated being backed into a corner, forced to lift the untouchable veil from his face and allow anyone to get a glimpse at what was hidden beneath.
Like this, he felt- exposed, naked.
...A feeling he'd never wanted to experience again.
'Took ya long enough to grow a conscience...'
Was what the man still crouching closely above him thoughtfully mumbled, after a long moment of silence.
'...And all because of one kid. Huh.'
That look on his face- he was reminiscing over something himself, wasn't he? Or...someone?
The other's gaze focusing back onto him felt akin to thousands of needles pricking his exposed flesh at once.
He didn't need his pity- neither did he want it!
"Great! Splendid! Now that we're done here—"
With how fast he attempted to get up he nearly knocked himself back down from sheer dizziness.
His still cuffed hands didn't make it any easier to hold his balance..!!
Being the real gentlemouse he was, Jack of course didn't just let him flop down like a fish and risk hitting his head, catching him by the waist before he could land on a box. No, see— he still needed him.
'Not a chance, you still haven't answered my questions yet.'
A genuinely frustrated groan left him at that, attempting to push the other man off. A futile and admittedly pretty stupid struggle.
So instead he went for a different tactic, trying to bring Jack down *with* him to get to that pesky key.
Which turned out to be a loooot more challenging than expected- each step he took the other male followed, their clumsy movements becoming a mock dance in no time.
It was easy then to ignore the dread settling in the back of his mind, by guessing just how ridiculous they had to look right no—
The back of his knees hit wood, pain shooting through his nerves in a split second. Still not enough time to stop him from folding over the box like a cheesy omelette.
Ever the loyal friend Jack went along with him, intentionally or not- landing on top of him with an exhale sharp enough it answered that question on it's own.
'Goddamn it, Steve— calm down already!'
He was calm, more than calm! He'd never been this calm before, in fact!
Even his attempts of wiggling out from beneath the other mouse while veeery subtly moving his bound hands towards the other's belt were incredibly calm. The key was right there...barely outta reach..!
Subtlety like many other things in life tended to be...subjective, so he wasn't all too surprised by the other's hand snatching ahold of both of his wrists, pressing them down.
'I'm not gonna hurt the boy, got it?? The longer you keep quiet about him, the more likely he's gonna get in trouble with someone else- someone who's not gonna give a damn about his age!'
That genuinely got him thinking for a moment, considering if he should finally squeak or figure out another escape plan.
Ah, to hell with it....Jack really was the best option he had.
'Pete Simms— the Simms-?! Goddamn....this really is a mess.'
Wasn't that the truth! The son of Mouseburg's legendary Police Captain, getting himself into some hot water.....threatening his family's squeaky clean image in the process...
He knew it'd be a whole train wreck the moment he caught wind of the kid's risky activities.
A chain reaction in the making.
His gaze returned to the detective now sitting beside him, who was still deep in thought.
It felt weird seeing someone like Jack look so conflicted....he'd always had the strongest moral backbone outta the trio, after all.
Then again- maybe that was exactly why he was so worked up.
A few more seconds of silence passed until his friend turned back to look at him, directly- earning a sheepish smile from the magician in the return. Crap, he got caught staring.
'Y'know- back when I was still a badge, I always tried to get the Captain's attention.
Taking on bigger jobs than I could handle, work long hours, bring whole trays of cheesecake on my birthdays....heh, never worked.'
He honestly wasn't sure why the other man was telling him this, but it was oddly nice for them to just- talk. Something they hadn't done in a long time.
"You think...that's gonna change now? After you find Pete and knock some sense into him?"
.....
'Nah, I'm just reminiscing.'
Fair enough.