Guild hadn't given the cowboy a second glance until now, and that second glance was filled with suspicion. Every new thing he discovered about 'Gabe' was only making the man's shadowy identity all the more confusing. "And who exactly are you?" Guild finally demanded. "You stroll in with no past and barely a name, and you're suddenly Pleasant's partner? Where do you come from? What happened to the girl?"

"Valkyrie." Pleasant smiled. "Her name is Valkyrie."

It wasn't a... threatening smile, exactly, but it wasn't a nice one either. It hinted at possible threats in time, like the smile's owner wouldn't think twice about it, and so the person it was directed to had better watch their step. It was unnerving. This time Guild did look away, and he didn't try to catch the former skeleton's gaze again. "Have you finally let her have a normal life again?"

"Valkyrie Cain is still very much my partner, Thurid. She just doesn't happen to be here at the moment. In the meantime, you may treat Gabe as a detective on loan who deserves the same level of respect I do. Which you're already managing admirably."

"On loan from where?" Guild snapped.

"Does that matter? I don't think that really matters." Pleasant's hands were on the railing at the foot of the bed now, supporting him as he leaned down to look Guild in the eye. "What does matter is that you are down a Desolation Engine. Dusk, for some reason, wants a Desolation Engine. Do you have any idea why?"

"Stop smiling," Guild muttered before he could catch himself.

Pleasant hesitated. "I'm always smiling."

"Not like this."

The smile slowly vanished, and it was, if possible, even worse. "You have lost one of the most destructive bombs in existence, and you're more worried about my smile?"