Haley and her father fail to see eye to eye on the matter of trust. They remember the death of Mia Starshine.
Cast[]
- Roy Greenhilt ◀ ▶
- Haley Starshine ◀ ▶
- Elan ◀ ▶
- Ian Starshine ◀ ▶
- Banjo the Clown ◀ ▶
- Geoff ◀ ▶
- Mia Starshine
Transcript[]
- Panel 1, Page 1
Roy: Now what's going on here? Explain.
Ian: Family business, buddy. Back off.
Roy: Last time I backed off, someone tried to stab my bard.
Elan: You can also use "shiv" as a verb, as in, "Someone tried to shiv my bard."
- Panel 2, Page 1
Haley drags Ian off.
Haley: It's OK, Roy. You keep an eye on Uncle Geoff and I'll talk to my dad.
Ian: Hey!
Haley: He won't say anything in front of other people now anyway.
Roy: If you move, I will crush you the way that every word out of Elan's mouth crushes my spirit.
Elan: Yikes, no need to get THAT rough.
- Panel 3, Page 1
Haley: Dad, listen: My whole life, you've been the one person who could always tell when I was lying.
Haley: Do I sound like I'm lying now when I tell you that Elan is on our side?
Ian: I don't think you're lying, Kitten. Per se. I just think you're being tricked.
- Panel 4, Page 1
Ian: I mean, you've changed a lot since you were a little girl.
Haley: Thank you for noticing.
Ian: You were so... perceptive back then.
Haley: Dad!
- Panel 5, Page 1
Ian: This blonde fool is obviously using you to get to me, honey.
Haley: Right, because everything is always about you, isn't it?
Ian: Kitten, try to think about this rationally. Why would Tarquin infiltrate your team just to catch YOU?
Haley: No, he's not—ARRGH!
- Panel 6, Page 1
Haley: Stop being so paranoid!
Ian: Start being MORE paranoid! Is this really how I raised you?
- Panel 7, Page 1
Haley: No, Dad. It's not.
Haley: You raised me never to trust anyone. To lie and cheat and steal and keep my feelings locked up in a tiny box inside my brain.
Haley: And you have no idea how screwed up my life has been because of that.
Haley: I almost went capital-C Crazy just trying to learn to open up and love someone.
- Panel 8, Page 1
Ian: Love? Oh, please tell me you're talking about the big bald guy.
Haley: Nope.
Ian: The halfling?
Haley: Wrong again.
Haley: Also, ewww.
- Panel 9, Page 1
Reverse viewpoint on Elan introducing Banjo the Clown to Geoff, much to Roy's dismay.
Haley: I'm talking about Elan, Dad. I love him.
- Panel 10, Page 1
The viewpoint returns to Ian and Haley
Ian: Arrggh! Don't you see? That's how people like that gain your trust. They get you to fall in love with them!
Haley: Yes, Dad, exactly! You trust someone because you love them!
- Panel 11, Page 1
Haley: "Trust" isn't a dirty word, you know.
Ian: Of course it isn't.
Ian: Dirty words are harmless.
- Panel 1, Page 2
Haley: You trusted Mom.
Ian: That was completely different.
Haley: No, it wasn't.
- Panel 2, Page 2
Haley (inset): Do you remember the day Mom died?
Ian (inset): How can you even ask me that?
Flashback to Mia Starshine dying of an arrow wound in Ian's arms in the streets of Greysky City, with younger Haley crying in the background.
Mia: Be better.
Mia: Both of you.
Mia: Be better than this town. Than all of this.
- Panel 3, Page 2
Ian: What do you think I'm trying to do in this crappy desert, anyway?
Ian: I'll tell you: I'm trying to use my skills for something a little better than looting rich folk.
Haley: Me too, Dad. I found something I can do that's better, but... it's hard. I keep slipping up.
Haley: I get sidetracked or dragged down or just plain lost. Being with Elan makes it clearer.
- Panel 4, Page 2
Haley: Elan is the best man I've ever met. Sure, he's a little dumb sometimes.
Haley: Most of the time.
Haley: But he's... I don't know. Pure. Honest. Better than I am, that's for sure.
Haley: He makes me a better person just by being around, and I like feeling that way.
- Panel 5, Page 2
Ian: You're sleeping with the enemy, young lady. He's the son of the worst villain I've ever known.
Haley: So what?
Ian: So blood doesn't lie. You can always trust in family—for good or for ill.
- Panel 6, Page 2
Ian: I'd bet every penny I have that he's as vile as his father.
Haley: I'll take that bet.
Ian: Then you're a sucker.
Haley: Better a sucker than a cynic.
Ian: Cynics live longer.
- Panel 7, Page 2
Ian: Well, I, for one, have no intention of falling into whatever trap he and his father have set for me.
Ian: You can leave with him if you want, but I'm not coming with you.
- Panel 8, Page 2
Haley: Dad! Come on, don't be ridicu—
Ian sits down.
Ian: Forget it. I'll figure out how to get out of here eventually without your help. And then I'll free the people who live here from your evil boyfriend's evil father and make your mother proud of me.
- Panel 9, Page 2
Haley: You—GAH! Fine! Just sit in here and let the bugs eat you! I'm sure that will really impress Mom.
Haley: You'll excuse me, of course, if I just go fix the world while you rot!
- Panel 10, Page 2
Haley storms off, leaving Ian on the floor.
Trivia[]
- This is the only appearance of Mia Starshine, Haley's mother, in the comics.