Onboard the Wicked Sister:
Zoe (to Victor): Good morning, big brother. Care for some breakfast? I made waffles. It looks like we'll be arriving at the monastery soon.
Victor (to Zoe): We should be. You're in a good mood this morning.
Zoe (to Victor): … Oh? Do I? I just had a really good night's sleep, I guess. Tea or Coffee?
Victor (to Zoe): Coffee's fine. Just a good night's sleep, huh?
Zoe (to Victor): What are you implying, big brother?
Victor (to Zoe): Ha ha ha! Alright. Alright. Put down the spatula. I'm not implying anything. I know you haven't been sleeping in your own bunk lately. I'm just teasing you. :-P
Zoe (to Victor): Oh. Well, there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for that… Which is none of your business... You're a right pain, you know that?
Victor (to Zoe): Yes, I've heard that about myself. Besides, it's not like you're fucking subtle. No one in this family is.
Zoe (to Victor): That's for damn sure… So, let's have it. C'mon, give me the speech about dating a pirate & a crew member. I know you want to. I'll even sit here enraptured while you do it. It'll be fun.
Victor (to Zoe): ... Heh. You fucking arsehole! Are you really going to give me a hard time for worrying about you? Besides, I'm dating a former assassin. What could I say that wouldn't be MASSIVELY hypocritical?
Zoe (to Victor): I don't know but you often seem to forget that we're practically the same age & you like to act like my bossy older brother. So, I figured this would be one of those times. I appreciate you worrying about me. But, in this case, it's not necessary.
Victor (to Zoe): Heh. OK. I'm sorry. I know I'm a bit, uh, overbearing. I'll back off.
Zoe (to Victor): Oh... Don't be all Mister Pouty! You know I love you & your overbearing ways. Come here! You're gonna get such a hug.
Victor (to Zoe): Oh god no! Not a hug! Ha ha! You're going to break something.
Zoe (to Victor): Well, stop running away! You know you wanna one of my hugs, big brother!
Yukiko (to Victor & Zoe): Am I interrupting something? … And, here I thought you two were going to be all serious & moping about having to be towed to Monastery.
Victor (to Yukiko & Zoe): Yes! An attempted homicide.
Yukiko (to Victor & Zoe): Heh. I just came into get something to drink. Please, don't let me get in the way.
Zoe (to Victor & Yukiko): Drama queen.
Victor (to Zoe): Brute! :-P (to Yukiko) I should probably go relieve Felix and see how much longer it will be until we arrive. I'll know how much time I have until Mom and Dad get a look at the ship. They're not going to be happy.
Zoe (to Victor & Yukiko): I think they're going to be happy that we're not dead.
Yukiko (to Zoe): Zoe, where do you think you're going? Clean up this mess.
Zoe (to Victor & Yukiko): Oh, right. Sorry about that.
Victor (to Zoe & Yukiko): Oh no, they'll be thrilled we're not dead, but they won't be happy all the same. Speaking of which, let me get to captaining. Thanks for breakfast, LITTLE sister. :-P
Zoe (to Victor & Yukiko): You're welcome, Captain Bossy Britches.
Yukiko (to Victor): I'll head up with you, Victor. I need to do a couple repairs on the bridge.
Victor (to Yukiko): I'm certainly not going to complain about the company.
A short time later, on the bridge:
Victor (to Felix): There's breakfast in the galley, Felix. Oh, excuse me. Mr. Baldwin, I mean. I'm sure Zoe saved you some.
Felix (to Victor): Aye, Captain. You CAN call me Felix if you like, you know.
Victor (to Felix): I think it more depends on what you'd like me to call you, doesn't it?
Felix (to Victor): Felix is fine. Call if you need anything, Captain. (to Yukiko) Ms. Yuki.
Yukiko (to Felix): Enjoy your breakfast, Felix. (to Victor) Would you relax, watashi no ai? The ship is in better shape than it appears. We're not plummeting to our death, the mechanical systems aren't too terrible. And, we're on our way to get upgrades.
Victor (to Yukiko): I know. You're right. It's not like my parents haven't gotten themselves into worse trouble than that. Especially my father. Heh. Not that it keeps them from thinking that when I get into trouble it's another matter entirely.
Yukiko (to Victor): Heh. True… Hand me that spanner, I need to crawl under this panel… So, what was going on with you & Zoe?
Victor (to Yukiko): She thought I was going to lecture her about Felix.
Yukiko (to Victor): … And, you didn't? I'm impressed.
Victor (to Yukiko): Heh. Yes. Miracle of miracles, I managed to keep my mouth shut. What am I going to say to her? Date some normal boy again? Heh. That doesn't seem to work out too well in this family. :-P Zoe's smart, and Felix is guarded as hell, but not mean.
Yukiko (to Victor): No. He's clearly been through a lot. And, despite my natural tendencies to distrust everyone, I like him quite a bit... And, besides, Victor, he's in love with her.
Victor (to Yukiko): Heh. Yeah, no shit. Whether he likes it or not. Wait. Did he tell you that?
Yukiko (to Victor): Yes, he did. It appears that he and I have a special rapport… We're the only ones not related to all of you. We share an outsider's perspective. Oh damn! I owe Una & Eva ten pounds each. I thought for sure you'd give Zoe "the talk". :-P
Victor (to Yukiko): You bet against me!?! And twenty pounds too. Damn! ... If you give me ten pounds I'll go give her "The Talk" right now. You win the bet, we split the proceeds.
Yukiko (to Victor): Heehee... I'm very tempted to take you up on that. But, I'm training with Zoe later, I don't want her to kill me. It's only money. I wouldn't have made the bet if I couldn't afford to lose it.
Victor (to Yukiko): Heh. Alright. Have it your way. Consider it a lesson: you can't always bet on a Potter doing what you'll expect us to do. :-P
Yukiko (to Victor): Heh. That's for damn sure.
Victor (to Yukiko): That's what's written on our family crest. If I've got this estimated right, we should be to the Monastery in about two hours.
Yukiko (to Victor): Well, that's good. I'll try not to be too long with this repair.
Victor (to Yukiko): Heh. Is that where I cracked the panel with my skull? :-P
Yukiko (to Victor): ... Actually, it is. And, I don't think it's all that funny.
Victor (to Yukiko): Come on. It's kind of funny. I head-butted the ship and lost. :-P
Yukiko (to Victor): You have a very odd sense of humor... Captain.
Victor (to Yukiko): Captain, huh? You're still mad at me.
Yukiko (to Victor): Yes... It was a dangerous, risky stunt. And you were damn lucky that all you got was a few stitches. You shouldn't be making jokes about it... I know, I took some really dumb risks with assignments but I didn't have anyone that would miss me if I didn't make it back... If this going to be the kind of captaining you're going to be doing on this ship. I don't know if I want to be a part of it... I'm sure I can book an airship to New London when we get to Colorado Springs.
Victor (to Yukiko): Yuki... Yuki, wait! I wasn't trying to take a dangerous stunt just to do it, you know! In another two minutes, that marauder ship would have had us, and at the time, that seemed a lot more dangerous than a bloody crash landing into the Boston Bay.
Yukiko (to Victor): ... You and Zoe are skippers, Victor. And quite powerful ones by all accounts. Zoe's pulled that ridiculous pocket trick on me several times when we've been training. You could have hidden all of us while the marauders landed on the ship & then when they didn't find anyone, we could have either ambushed the ones left behind or if we were very lucky, they would simply abandon the ship where it was because it's a junkheap to anyone but us.
Victor (to Yukiko): Or they could have hit us with a lightening bomb, or set the ship on fire, which marauders have a habit of doing! There were too many people, and too many variables, and I'll be bloody 'anged if I'm gonna let something 'appen to you, Zoe, or Felix, or the twins cuz I let bloody CLANNG on board... Sorry. Ahem. Sorry. I made what I thought was the safest choice at the time. It wasn't the best one. I know. I'm only joking about because I don't know what else to do. I am sorry. And, I should have never let Captain Roth board us in the first place. The Air Force doesn't bother with private ships unless they're looking to arrest someone. I knew that, but I really wanted to avoid trouble my first time out.
Yukiko (to Victor): ... I'm sorry.
Victor (to Yukiko): I am too. I didn't mean to shout. Heh. Or get all "tombsy" on you. I can promise that I take the safety of everyone on this ship, including myself, very seriously, and I won't put us in risk if I can help it. But, um, I'm new to this. I won't always make the right call, and sometimes it might be dangerous. And we might get hurt. If you don't want to be on board anymore, I'd understand. I really would.
Yukiko (to Victor): I am truly sorry, watashi no ai. I'm still not used to this kind of life or the whole having a crew to protect. Even when working with Fiona, we both had very specific tasks to do & they were solitary. I shouldn't have been mad at you for trying to save everyone... You just scared the hell out of me and that's a bit of a new sensation for me. Apparently, it makes me hostile. I'm sorry.
Victor (to Yukiko): Heh. It's alright. I can deal with hostile. I live with Mars on the other side, after all. Will you stay?
Yukiko (to Victor): You still want me to, after all that?
Victor (to Yukiko): Of course I do. For one, like I said, this is my first time doing this. It can't hurt having someone hold me accountable. And for two, I love you.
Yukiko (to Victor): Heh... You drive a very hard bargain, Captain Potter.
Victor (to Yukiko): Yes. I am a tough customer.
Yukiko (to Victor): I'd kiss you but I have a sneaking suspicion that someone will interrupt & I'd have to kill them. :-p
Victor (to Yukiko): I'm willing to risk it.
Yukiko (to Victor): Well then, come here.
Several hours later, at Aiden's house; New London, Britannia:
Mrs. Esterly (to Fiona): Hello, dear. You're here to run that errand for me, I take it?
Fiona (to Mrs. Esterly): That I am, Artemis. Where can I find the parcel?
Mrs. Esterly (to Fiona): The trunk is in the basement, dear. Would you like anything to eat before you go?
Fiona (to Mrs. Esterly): No thank you, missus. I've got a particular schedule I'm keeping. I'll be more than glad to drink all your whiskey some other time. So this is the end of Balthazar, is it? Can't say I'm sorry to see it. No need to see me out. I know the way. I'll be back sometime after the deed is done.
Mrs. Esterly (to Fiona): Very good. I'll see you then. Thank you, Fiona.
Fiona (to Mrs. Esterly): Ha ha ha! Isn't the first time, is it. I'm sure you'll return the favor if you haven't already. Cheers!
A short time later, on the street; New London, Britannia:
Fiona (to Winchester): Well, fancy meeting you out here, pretty boy. Why are you out making the streets unsafe, Fox?
Winchester (to Fiona): ... I had a date. Should I ask what's in the box?
Fiona (to Winchester): Ha ha ha! What do you think? Had a date tonight, did you? That would explain why you're so powdered. :-P
Winchester (to Fiona): Yes, her husband sadly didn't approve... Never trust a woman you meet from an advert, McGillivray. Words to live by.
Fiona (to Winchester): Ha ha! You could have come to me, and I could have told you that and saved the cost of dinner. And, this may come as a shock to you, but I don't go in for ladies.
Winchester (to Fiona): That's a real shame, firebug, because I have this fantasy where you and... Heh. This is probably not the time for that.
Fiona (to Winchester): Oh, you did, did you? Heh. Sorry to disappoint you, lovely, but I've tried it a few times already. It holds no interest to me. Besides, I much prefer having you all to myself. ;-p
Winchester (to Fiona): ... Oh, pardon me, Fiona, I was imagining your sojourn into the Sapphic lifestyle & it gave me pause... And, possibly heart palpitations.
Fiona (to Winchester): Really? If you want me to do something WORTH giving you heart palpitations, follow me down to the docks. I can stand around holding this trunk all day, but sooner or later it's going to start to stink.
Winchester (to Fiona): Well, I've always had a good time with you on the docks. So, I'm game, firebug.
Fiona (to Winchester): I was hoping you'd say that. Hurry along, pretty boy.
Winchester (to Fiona): You know, I just love it when you call me pretty. However, it seems to make other men uncomfortable... I suppose they're not as in tune with their feminine side as I am... HAHA. Stop making that face at me, I was just joking, firebug. Oh wait, is that why you like me? Did you think I was a woman upon first glance? Wait. Don't answer that. My delicate male ego might not be able to take it. :-p
Fiona (to Winchester): HA! Sorry, Fox. Pretty and powdered you may be, but you're not feminine in the slightest. Don't think for one moment I fall for that frail and fastidious persona you put out. I know me a bawdy Tombs boy when I'm with one. And don't you start pouting. You wouldn't bother with the likes of me if you didn't have a bit of mud beneath your nails. :-P
Winchester (to Fiona): One can only hope, you fiery minx.
Fiona (to Winchester): Heh. If you were as helpless as you pretended to be, you'd be dead by now... OH! Good reflexes. Let me get rid of this auld crazy bugger, and I'll put your reserve to the test.
Winchester (to Fiona): Heh. I'm all yours & at your disposal... My lady. ;-p
Fiona (to Winchester): Don't call me "lady." I'll think you're talking to someone else. ;-)
