-In the afternoon on a cold day in Ireland, Eoin O’Rourke and his wife, Apathy, return to their home. They are immediately greeted by their former co-worker, and failed Viking experience himself, Norns DeGroot.-
Norns: Master and Mistress O’Rourke! How unexpected to see you. You both had been away for so long, I thought you would be staying in the States.
Eoin: We’ve only been gone for around, what, five months? Compared to last time, I’d say it was just an extended vacation Norns. And, what have you done with the place?!
-The house was fine with a couple of leaves, Christmas lights, small pouches of snow, and a decorative scarecrow wearing a Viking helmet, with rusted metal armor on the chest-
Norns: What? I thought that it made the place more relatable.
Eoin: Fucking hell, get the leaves together, burn 'em down. Tear off the lights, it's going towards Valentine's Day. Take out that scarecrow and send the armor to a scraper for some money, and get the flamethrower. We aren’t fucking commoners DeGroot! We are O'Rourke's! Get on going!
-Norns sighs heavily and walks down the steps of the house entryway-
Norns: As you wish, Master O’Rourke.
-Liz eyes Eoin and he notices-
Eoin: What? Why do you always look at me when I give him orders?
Elizabeth: It’s not so much you that I’m looking at with disapproval love. In fact it isn’t disapproval at all. It’s more amusement. He used to BE somebody. Now he’s an Englishman in a dress.
Eoin: The dress that he demands to be removed of, but he knew the deal when we were in Muspelheim. Remember that?
Elizabeth: I remember quite a few things from that timeline, though you and I remember it quite differently. But what the hell did he expect? It’s not like cosplaying Vikings are in high demand. He’s lucky we were so willing to give him employ.
Eoin: Indeed he is. Let’s head inside,it’s too cold out here. Hopefully it’s not a trainwreck like it is out here.
-Eoin takes Liz’s hand and they both walk up the cold stone steps up towards their home. Eoin opens and holds the door open for his wife and after she enters, he follows right behind her and he takes off his sunglasses-
Eoin: Good god… Ugh.Why does it smell like someone has been sitting in their room for a month, and never left to even take a shower. Why in the world is that? It can’t be just him! There’s gotta be more staying with him.
Elizabeth: He’s one of those “naturalists”. That is his natural “musk” scent. He seems to think it makes him more manly. Small dick energy, obviously.
-Eoin snaps his fingers-
Eoin: He naturally smells like shit. Got it. Probably gonna fire him if he won’t get his ass clean.
-Eoin takes his jacket off and begins looking through mail as Liz takes a stroll to the kitchen-
Eoin: So is this normal for you, love?
Elizabeth: Normal is such a bullshit concept. What’s normal for one, is abnormal for the next. This is growing on me. It’s cozy and familiar.
Eoin: Well what I meant, was getting sent home away from your job, while on the job, prevented from doing your job… job?
Elizabeth: Yes. You come to get used to it when you are moi. It comes with the territory. I look at them like little mini vacations. Oh? Suspended a week? Well, off to Fiji! Oh? I’m not necessary? For the week? Well, off to book a Vrbo luxury rental. Only peons use AirB&B.
-Eoin chuckles out loud as Norns turns out the leaf blower outside-
Eoin: Oh mo gra, you are so right. It’s how we got here, and how we get out of the Emerald Isle. And it’s…
-Eoin walks behind Liz and hugs her-
Eoin: Always truly home when you are there angel.
Elizabeth: Far from it, but I respect the sentiment.
Eoin: Oh, why do you say that love? We have a steady income, a fine place in the agency, have a nice home here, what would be your ideal home? I want to provide it. Surely whatever it may be, I or the lads in the Club will find it for you.
Elizabeth: Hiraeth.
-Eoin lowered his arms from his wife and gave her a long stare-
Eoin: Thats… Welsh.
Elizabeth: Yes. Very good. But do you know what it means? I mean you hate the Welsh so most likely no, thought I’d be polite and ask.
Eoin: … I don’t know…
Elizabeth: It means a lot. It is the spiritual longing for a home which never was. The desire to return to ancient places you never can. A bit like wanderlust, only deeper. The echo of the lost places of our souls past. Do you understand?
-Eoin groans but ultimately calms down-
Eoin: Yes, yes. I do understand. Just, hurts my heart that you spoke in Welsh there to mean what you meant. Traveling is a great passion, seeing relics that could tell you about the past could help your future.
Elizabeth: Well, every people has a word for what I just described, but the Welsh was the first to pop into mind. Look, I speak way too many languages, including Welsh. It comes with the territory. I don’t like it any more than you. I mean imagine having to learn the language of Sheep Fuckers willingly.
-Eoin shakes his head slowly and smiles as he reaches behind him and pulls out a wine bottle-
Eoin: Is this more of your language my sweet?
Elizabeth: It’s not full vintage but a proper Frenchwoman never turns down free wine. Never.
Eoin: Well lass why not you take this non vintage wine, with you up the stairs, and I’ll meet you up there in a little while huh? There’s some mail here and I’ll get it over with as soon as possible to see you up there.
Elizabeth: I believe I will. I promised Papa I would check in once we got settled. I’ll go and do that while you finish up down here.
-Eoin followed Liz up to the stairs and held her hand as long as he could before letting go. As he does, he finds something right from IIW about a booking for himself and Apathy-
Eoin: Oh, what's this now?
-Eoin tears up the seal of the paper as Norns enters through the door-
Eoin: Well fuck.
Norns: What is it master O’Rourke?
Eoin: Seems that “boss” of mine Shaun Hart doesn’t know what’ll happen here in Ireland does he?
Norns: I’m afraid I don’t follow sir.
Eoin: The daft bastard thinks he can send a bunch of freaks in masks over here to not only fight me, but also Lizzy.
Norns: What kind of masks sir? I can’t give an opinion on the matter without a description.
Eoin: You know the type those bloody… Fuck, can’t think of the movie… Purge?
Norns: You mean those masks that have the X’s on the eyes and are lit up with a neon color?
Eoin: YES! Those stupid things, that angsty rebellious, anti-authority people that pride themselves on being “agents of chaos” so-to-speak.
-Norns DeGroot puts his hands behind him and slowly reveals a green and black purge mask that Eoin notices immediately and is given a quick flashback-
Eoin: Where the fuck did you get that?
Norns: Well I was cleaning your room three months ago, and found it in your box that read “burn it all” on it, I think? And I was in need of a mask for Halloween so I used this.
Eoin: Listen, yes, I went through a phase. Alright, I’m man enough to say that I was young, dumb and pretty shitfaced when I wore these blasted things. I have many regrets and that box should’ve been burnt when you saw it!
Norns: I apologize master O’Rourke! I’m terribly sorry!
Eoin: Just… Fucking burn it soon, will you?
Norns: I will, I promise. But, before you do, can I ask, where exactly are you and the mistress going?
-Eoin grabs he booking sheet and reads it-
Eoin: Says here… Aviva Stadium. Yeah, just down the street.
Norns: Huh. Well so it is. Shall I order you and the mistress an Uber?
Eoin: What? No, We’ve discussed all of this before Norns! We are not normal commoners that utilize Uber here!
Norns: Oh, yes I’m sorry I-
Eoin: Get us a Lyft.
-Norns dumbfounded confused what the difference would be but would quickly shake off the confusion-
Norns: Oh alright that I can do for you master O’Rourke.
Eoin: Thank you Norns and… Is something burning?
Norns: Yes sir, the leaves are burning.
Eoin: Oh, amazing. Please go get the flamethrower and get this snow out of here. It's in the garage.
Norns: On the way sir.
-The 6’8 cosplayer rushed out the door to find the household flamethrower and Eoin began to walk up the stairs-
Eoin: This is a real carnival show. With Hart running roughshot, doing this… Mecca? I don’t fucking know. Turning away a hot high profile act for his show and neglecting having me, Liz and Cav for a late show really kills the ratings. Maybe thats not his goal? Either way, I’m not concerned. My worry goes as far as Johnny boy will pay me. And I know he will. He needs the numbers to keep that belt safe. And the lad knows I’m good for it. Eiherway I’ll destroy my inner demons by eating the Purge bitches alive.
-Eoin opens the door to his master bedroom to find Liz-
Eoin: Oy love, how was that bottle.