In Black Hawk, Colorado; American Colonies:
Yukiko: Oh… I think this town is what is called provincial. Why is everyone staring at me? Haven't they ever seen a girl before?
Victor (to Yukiko): Oh. Dear. Hello, Village of the Damned.
Yukiko (to Victor): Are you sure this place is where we're supposed to get the parts Tesla needs for the Sister? Doesn't look very modern.
Victor (to Yukiko): Yes. That is one way to put it. These are the coordinates he gave us.
Yukiko (to Victor): Well then, let's get this over with, shall we?
Victor (to Yukiko): Yes let's. There's no harm in asking, right?
Yukiko (to Victor): Heh. Famous last words.
Victor (to Yukiko): Heh. That's why I'm lucky you agreed to come along, isn't it?
Yukiko (to Victor): Uh huh… Why does that fill me with an immediate sense of dread? And, seriously why are these people staring at me?
Victor (to Yukiko): Because you're smart enough to know that it's the kind of thing that SHOULD incite fear when a member of my family says it... I fear we may be a bit to "exotic" looking for the locals. Let's get this done with and quickly.
Yukiko (to Victor): Lead the way, Captain. :-P
Victor (to Yukiko): Now I'm "Captain," huh? Wow. I think that gentleman may be bigger than Uncle Bernard. Is that a man or a bear? Be right back.
Yukiko (to Victor): Heh. I think I need a drink.
Victor (to Yukiko): Heh. I don't blame you. I'll be with you as soon as I can. BELIEVE ME.
An hour or so later, at the Black Hawk Saloon:
Victor (to Yukiko): Yuki? I have the... Good GOD! Are you al-... Oh. Yes. You seem fine. Do you need a... No? Right. I'll wait here then.
Yukiko (to Victor): Here… Hold this for a second…
Victor: Oops! I beg your pardon, sir! ... (to Yukiko) Got him! Did you start this fight, or are you just ending it?
Yukiko (to Victor): Here… Hold this for a second… Behind you, Victor...
Victor: ... Well, then, sir. I hope you've learned a lesson about making inappropriate statements to young ladies.
Yukiko (to Victor): That little bloke over there started it. The one under the table over there… Oh damn! I got beer on my shirt. He didn't seem to think I spoke English. For one thing, I'm Nipponese, not from Qin. Stupid gaijin. He propositioned me for a wallbanger. Then those other men got involved. Apparently, they didn't like the idea of their friend getting beat up by some girl. Though, shagging me for money was acceptable. Pigs.
Victor (to Yukiko): We'll leave him to deal with the mess and the local authorities, shall we?
Yukiko (to Victor): Yes, let's. I can't think of anyone that deserves it more…
A short time later, outside the Tesla's Monastery; Colorado Springs, American Colonies:
Yukiko (to Victor): Did you get what you needed?
Victor (to Yukiko): I believe so. The blacksmith's name is George. He invited us back when the repairs are made so he can see the ship. Heh. I will give Mr. Tesla one thing, he is very good at finding talent and intelligence in unlikely places.
Yukiko (to Victor): … That George fellow must be a genius judging by the state of intelligence around there.
Victor (to Yukiko): Actually, I think he is. A proper one. You should have seen some of the creations in his workshop. Apparently, he dislikes cities and has family in the area for whom he cares... Heh. He also was very excited to speak to someone who knew what he was talking about. A little bit. I'll admit a good portion of it went over my head. :-P
Yukiko (to Victor): Heh… You could make friends with a hungry tiger, Victor. And talk him out of not eating you & giving you a ride to wherever you wanted… You're amazing.
Victor (to Yukiko): Not as amazing as a having a tiger friend I could ride on... What? Don't make a face at me. Tell me that wouldn't be amazing. And not as amazing as you are. You took out--what, four, five--guys three times your size with a bar stool.
Yukiko (to Victor): Oh well, it WAS a very well-made bar stool. :-P
Victor (to Yukiko): Ha ha ha! Yes, I suppose it WAS the stool that did all the work.
Yukiko (to Victor): Heehee… You liked watching me fight, didn't you? I could tell. Heh. I think I should get into more fights around you.
Victor (to Yukiko): Heh heh. I may have have been more than a bit impressed, yes. I wasn't kidding when I said you were amazing, you know.
Yukiko (to Victor): … Victor, marry me right now. No jokes, no funny business.
Victor (to Yukiko): Wha--what? Right this second?
Yukiko (to Victor): Yes. I know it's impulsive but I can't imagine being with anyone else. Besides, if we were married your parents couldn't tell you where you could be… And, you could stay here with me.
Victor (to Yukiko): Oh. Wow. Well, I certainly wasn't planning on going back... But, this is a big step. Are you sure?
Yukiko (to Victor): I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't sure… I've been thinking about it ever since our conversation the other day. If you don't want to, just say so. Heh. Saying you would when it's a joke is probably a bit easier than saying it for real.
Victor (to Yukiko): Yuki, I meant it when I said that I'd say yes if you asked. Heh. I just wasn't expecting you to ask me to run off and elope.
Yukiko (to Victor): So, that's a no, then? Fine. I'm fine. I'm gonna go… for a walk. I'll meet you back at the monastery in a bit.
Victor (to Yukiko): Yuki... Yuki! Wait a minute. Why are the only options that we get married right this second or not at all?
Yukiko (to Victor): I'm sorry, Victor… Your mom gave me a letter from my sister, Mariko. It was mailed to me before my "death". She's pregnant & the baby has probably been born already… It just made me realize what I have given up & that I don't have anything to hold onto. I have no family, all my friends are in New London. I guess I'm just feeling a bit lost. It was a stupid idea, anyway. I mean, what am I supposed to do while you're off being Victor Harrison, Captain of the Wicked Sister? Learn to knit? Simply follow you around & be your mechanic? I can kill a man with one finger but I have no idea what to do with myself.
Victor (to Yukiko): It wasn't stupid. I do love you, Yuki, and I do want you to be a part of my family. Um, if you want to, I mean. I wish I knew what to tell you.
Yukiko (to Victor): … I'm going to go for a walk & clear my head, Victor. I'll be fine.
Victor (to Yukiko): Oh. Um, are you sure?
Yukiko (to Victor): Yes, I'm sure.
Victor: Shit.
A short time later, in the gardens, at Tesla's Monastery:
Marlena (to Victor): Whoa there, pardner! You almost fucking knocked me over. Victor? What's wrong? Are we under attack? Do we need to get the fuck out of here?
Victor (to Marlena): Mars! Oh shit. I wasn't expecting to find anyone else out here. No, no. We're fine. Everything is bloody strawberry dreams.
Marlena (to Victor): Uh huh… You're such a terrible fucking liar.
Victor (to Marlena): ... It's fine. I'm just... Yuki's feeling a little unsure of what to do with herself, and she, uh, she asked me to elope.
Marlena (to Victor): I take it you said no, huh? Otherwise, you two would be off making sick, gooey faces at each other & getting hitched.
Victor (to Marlena): Like you and River are any better...
Marlena (to Victor): What the fuck ever. I can't even get River to stay with me at the apartment for a week & we've been dating a lot longer. It's not the same thing at all… So, what are you going to do?
Victor (to Marlena): I don't know... What if she doesn't want to be around me anymore after this?
Marlena (to Victor): … Well, it'll be fucking awful for awhile & then, you'll get over her. What? Don't make that face at me. I'm being honest. You're not going to die without her… You'll just feel like you want to.
Victor (to Marlena): ... I'm not so sure about that.
Marlena (to Victor): If you want to be with her so fucking much, why'd you say no? Aren't you the one that's always going on about how on this side you're treated like an adult? Well, by everyone except your parents.
Victor (to Marlena): Are you seriously telling me to run off and get married?
Marlena (to Victor): Hell, no! I just think you forget about the fucking differences between our two worlds, sometimes. Not to mention the fact, that you have a fucking ability to go back in time & fix this little tiff, if you wanted to.
Victor (to Marlena): ... Shit. Yeah. I do. I'm gonna go talk to her. ...Wait. What are you doing here?
Marlena (to Victor): I came over to collect Mom… And ended up harassing Tesla in his lab for awhile. Dad was getting worried about Mom being over here, so I asked Nate to bring me. I'm sure he's wandering around, getting into trouble or swearing at someone.
Victor (to Marlena): ... Heh. Why am I not surprised? I'm going to go talk to Yuki.
Marlena (to Victor): Heh. Good luck.
Victor (to Marlena): Yeah... I think I'm going to need it.
A little while later, in the woods, outside Tesla's Monastery:
Nathaniel (to Yukiko): Alright, who the fuck... Yuki! Jesus. You are the sneakiest motherfucker I've ever... What's wrong with you?
Yukiko (to Nathaniel): … Nothing at all, Nate… Forget you saw me, okay?
Nathaniel (to Yukiko): Why? What the fuck are you up to? ...Victor said something fucking stupid, didn't he?
Yukiko (to Nathaniel): Heh… No, the opposite in fact. I just realized I don't belong here. I'm heading to Australia, I've got contacts there. I figure I can get work & start a new life.
Nathaniel (to Yukiko): Yeah? Tell me another one, and make me believe it next time. How do you figure you belong more in Australia than here?
Yukiko (to Nathaniel): What does it matter to you?
Nathaniel (to Yukiko): Nothin', I guess. Other than Victor's gonna be a total fucking wreck when you leave. I got three fuckin' realities rattling around in here, and in every one you two were all kinds of fucking sloppy all over each other. Trust me. It's never been fuckin' pretty. Heh heh. Christ, Yoyo. You think you're the ONLY one having a hard time adjusting to this shit?
Yukiko (to Nathaniel): … Yeah. He's a real fuckin' wreck. Which is why he said no when I proposed to him.
Nathaniel (to Yukiko): You didn't. You fuckin' idiot.
Yukiko (to Nathaniel): … And, thus my point is made. Thanks. Now, get out of my way. I want to grab my stuff off the Sister.
Nathaniel (to Yukiko): Get bent. You know what I fuckin' meant. He's been a civilian for--I dunno--how long has he been going to school? Two years? He gets a ship, he's got crew he's fuckin' responsible for, passengers he's fuckin' responsible for, a military airship boards y'all, his sister gets abducted, marauders fuckin' try to shoot you outta the skies... In case you haven't noticed, your beau there's kinda uptight. Fucker probably feels all kinds of responsible for that shit. Like he's not makin' some real smart choices lately. Did you ask him to get engaged or just run off and get married now?
Yukiko (to Nathaniel): … Run off now, of course, like the idiot that I am.
Nathaniel (to Yukiko): Ha ha ha! Of course you fuckin' did, because you're a spy. ...Fuck! Put that shit away! C'mon, Yoyo. I'm on your side, here.
Yukiko (to Nathaniel): Yeah? You have a funny way of showing it.
Nathaniel (to Yukiko): Heh. Probably. Apparently, I was a fucking mess before I got scrambled and spent three years with robots and psychopaths.
Yukiko (to Nathaniel): Heh. Sounds like most of my childhood.
Nathaniel (to Yukiko): You have my fucking sympathy. Seriously. Look, I get it, alright? You fucking worked for the ISS. You didn't make long-term plans. Everything is now or never, cuz those are the only fucking options. Hell, way I was figuring it for a while, I wasn't gonna last another year let alone a decade, or some shit. But, Victor, I'm guessing he's banking on the long-term with you. Growing old together shit. When he says something like, "Not right now," it's not a no. He seriously feels like you got time.
Yukiko (to Nathaniel): … Shit.
Nathaniel (to Yukiko): Betcha a fiver he comes to find you in like 10 more fucking seconds.
Yukiko (to Nathaniel): What do I fucking say to him?
Nathaniel (to Yukiko): Hell if I know. Whenever Aiden and I start fighting, we always end up making out and then fucking. Take your top off.
Yukiko (to Nathaniel): Heh. I didn't think I had anything you wanted to see, Nate? :-P
Nathaniel (to Yukiko): I've already seen it, and awww shucks gee! What a shock. I still like dick. I'll let you call my mamma and tell her no grandkids for her. 'Course your boyfriend hiding behind the fucking tree like a WEIRDO might enjoy the show. (to Victor) I felt you open that portal, Fancypants!
Victor (to Nathaniel & Yukiko): Oh. Right. Um, hi.
Yukiko (to Victor): … Hi. (to Nathaniel) Bye, Nate and thanks.
Nathaniel (to Yukiko & Victor): Yeah. I'm gonna go find someplace else to be. Later! You owe me five fucking dollars. And seriously. Take your top off. :-P
Victor (to Nathaniel): Nate! Fat Christ!
Yukiko (to Victor & Nathaniel): Heh… It's probably not such a bad idea.
Victor (to Yukiko): Yuki! I'm sorry! I really am. I forget, sometimes, about how different things are socially over here... I mean, when you grow up in both you tend to... Are you really getting undressed?
Yukiko (to Victor): Yes. I thought I'd take Nate's advice. I clearly can't trust my own opinion.
Victor (to Yukiko): I'm not sure I can trust my opinions either. ...And I never thought I'd say this, but I think I agree with Nate.
Yukiko (to Victor): I'm sorry that I ambushed you like that, Victor. I'm used to having only all or nothing type of decisions… you know, there's a lake that looks perfect for a dip right through these trees.
Victor (to Yukiko): That sounds like the best idea I've heard all day.
Yukiko (to Victor): Let me help you out of that suit, watashi no ai.
Victor (to Yukiko): You have NO IDEA how relieved I am to hear you call me that. Come here for a second. I... I was afraid you were going to leave. Heh. Sorry. Right. Let's get me out of this suit, and find your lake.
Yukiko (to Victor): Heh... We don't have to find the lake... And, to be honest, I almost did leave but Nate talked me out of it.
Victor (to Yukiko): H--he did? I... I have no idea what to say to that. Or what to even THINK about that. Whatever he said, I'm grateful.
Yukiko (to Victor): All I can say is that I love you very much, Victor. And, when you're ready to ask me, I'll say yes but for now, we stay like we are. Though, I really do need figure out something to do with myself.
Victor (to Yukiko): In this family? I'm sure someone, somewhere is doing something dangerous and sneaky, and could use a hand. I love you very much too.
