Huh. Maybe. But that couldn't last long then. She needs someone smarter. That straw or voodoo rookie maybe if she really wants to go younger.

[There's the briefest flicker of an expression. Thatch didn't take the bait about Ace. So he had to know something was up. But Marco breezed by it.]

Vista and his damn train tracks, yoi. He's lucky Izou didn't shoot him. [It was harder for Marco to feign interest in this part, since he already knew better how it played out. Thatch's death changed everything and Izou missed him as much as the rest of them, the panicking over Ace sent Vista back home and they rounded up the allies. Still, there was a part of him that did have a genuine interest, and Marco grins.] I mentioned our own Miss Tattler here on campus, right?

[Marco loves idle chatter like this. More listening than spreading it, and maybe discussing favorite ships among people, real or not. Which also is what has him dying to drop hints on who Miss Tattler is. Thatch and her would obviously bond well over it! Right? Right? Maybe not. It has him a little worried, but itching either way.]