Stavanger Bay hyperparadise

Well, at least the kid was having fun. Less and less Aesop was thinking that he was dealing with a true trespasser. The kid didn't quite seem to have the guts for it, since he shied away like he did at Aesop's approach. If he was an intruder, he was probably regretting it now and had not thought the move through all too well. As it stood, Aesop doubted that that was truly the case. He gave the youngest a solemn nod, as though acknowledging that even though the road ahead may be tough, they were comrades in arms.

He almost cracked up at the youth's input. Precious. He was trying so hard, and hopefully the kid would learn a thing or two from this. And maybe the stranger, too. The earlier slight (old man, the nerve) still stung, but he was magnanimous, and so long as the kid was a good sport about this, he'd probably let it go. Forgive and forget, and then they could all be friends.

Not a trespasser, the stranger said, and Aesop was inclined to believe him. If he had really sneaked (snuck? whatever) in, he probably would have turned tail the second Aesop's young comrade at arms found him. His young comrade at arms who, apparently, was Thistle's son. Interesting. The stranger seemed to get more and more strained, while Aesop did his best to appear composed. Once the youth was done speaking, Aesop took his turn.

"Hey now, no need to be so harsh there. You'd do well to learn yourself some manners, boy," he said, as unaffected as ever, "but I've got a good idea of what's goin' on here. I think my associate here has just about the right idea. Reckon you're just new around here, same as me. Am I right, mystery solved? Because it seems like we've still got some business to settle between you two."