At the Longfellow bunker, The Tombs: New London, Britannia:
Zoe (to Felix): Felix, why are you being so bloody upset about this? I thought you'd be glad to have some time away from me & it's not like I won't be back all the time. I mean, you were the one encouraging me to find my own path. I thought you'd be happy. Besides, you're going to be busy with the ship, especially since Victor isn't quite himself, yet.
Felix (to Zoe): I'm NOT BLOODY... I'm sorry. Alright. Yes, I'm upset. It's my own damn fault. I'm going to miss being with you all the time.
Zoe (to Felix): I'm going to miss you, too. But, I'm terrible on the ship & you know it. Victor needs a crew who'll listen & help him, not his sister who will question everything he does, gets in the way & distracts his first mate.
Felix (to Zoe): Heh. I suppose I *do* tend to get rather distracted about you, don't I?
Zoe (to Felix): Heehee. Just a bit. To be fair, you're quite a distraction yourself. Besides, I'm not going right this second. I still plan on going to Nice with you guys. And, I haven't even talked to Mars about it, she might say, "go fuck yourself". So, you're stuck with me for a little while longer. Poor you.
Felix (to Zoe): Heh. Somehow I think I will manage to survive your company a while longer.
Zoe (to Felix): Well, that's good cuz I'm terribly in love with you & that would really put a damper on our relationship, otherwise. :-p
Felix (to Zoe): I am too. Heh. Why else would I be pouting like a babe just because you'll be living off-world without me?
Zoe (to Felix): ... You could come and stay with me any time you like. Say the word & I'll get you wherever you are. I hate to see you pout... even though, you're damn sexy when you do it. Which is really no fair.
Felix (to Zoe): You like fussing and fuming at you like an old man? You've peculiar tastes, pretty lady. Suppose I should be glad of that, shouldn't I?
Zoe (to Felix): Yes, I think you should. :-P
A little while later, in the infirmary, at Tesla's Monastery; Colorado Springs:
Amunet: Huh? Where am I? ... Oh, why do I hurt all over?
Eva (to Amunet): Oh good. You're awake. We worried for a while you might not ever regain consciousness.
Amunet (to Eva): ... Oh... So, I'm not dead? For a brief instance I thought perhaps I was.
Poppy (to Amunet): How you feeling, honey? You scared us for quite awhile there. We thought we had lost you. Don't try & move. You're going to be stiff and sore for a bit.
Amunet (to Poppy): I feel like I was run over by a truck, Mrs. Potter.
Poppy (to Amunet): You practically were, honey. I'll go fix you some food, I'm sure you're starving. The twins will take good care of you.
Amunet (to Poppy): Thank you... (to Eva) I suppose I have you to thank for keeping me alive. Thank you.
Eva (to Amunet): Myself, my sister, oh, and Ms Meriwether's son kept you breathing, I believe. Your young man will be happy you're awake, I'm sure.
Amunet (to Eva): ... My young man? ... Oh, you mean, Luc... He is not my young man. We're just friends. He doesn't like the idea of being tied down to one person. He thinks it's a sign of weakness.
Eva (to Amunet): My mistake. From the way he was carrying on last night I assumed you were more than that. He was most distressed. Extreme circumstances do have a way of forcing one to confront one's feelings the way few other things can.
Amunet (to Eva): Really? ... That's odd… I'm sorry I just realized that I don't know your name... I'm Amunet but you probably already figured that out by now.
Eva (to Amunet): Yes, of course. Where are my manners? I'm Eva Greymalkin. My sister and I work at Colorado Spings.
Amunet (to Eva): Nice to meet you, Eva.
Eva (to Amunet): Quite. <sigh> And yes, I realize I resemble a homicidal clockwork monstrosity. It's where the similarities end, I assure you.
Amunet (to Eva): I wasn't going to say anything about your appearance... You look like a homicidal maniac? I had no idea.
Eva (to Amunet): Oh? So the suspicious sideways glances were for due to something entirely different. Again, my mistake.
Amunet (to Eva): I beg your pardon. It's been a very trying last few days... Mad scientists, imprisonment & near death experiences. I find I can't keep help from feeling there's another shoe about to be dropped. And, I'm very sorry about your mother.
Eva (to Amunet): Yes, I'm afraid I'm intimately familiar with the feeling. Mad scientists and all. My mother ran Vernian Industries. There may be another shoe. Not to worry. Mr. Tesla is working on it. There isn't a problem he's come up against he cannot solve.
Amunet (to Eva): I think I'd like to sleep for a bit, if that's alright. I feel very tired, suddenly.
Eva (to Amunet): Of course. Get some rest. There's an intercom near your bed should you need anything. ...Thank you for the condolences.
Una (to Eva): How's the patient, sister dear?
Eva (to Una): Awake and lucid, if a bit tired.
Una (to Eva): Well, that's good. I was worried she would need to simply sit at the window doing a very good fern impression.
Eva (to Una): Heh. No. It seems she suffered no ill effects. If we can find a way to stabilize her in this time, she should be quite alright.
Una (to Eva): Well, that does seem to be a bit of a sticky wicket. Mister Tesla is working on the problem, but he's concerned by all the converging and collapsing timelines that seem to be happening around the Potters at the moment. He compared it to a box in which something is neither dead or alive until you open the box, which then solidifies the outcome making all other outcomes impossible. He's trying to find a solution that disturbs the least amount of outcomes.
Eva (to Una): I rather think the smell would clue you in as to the life status of something in a box... And yes, the Potters DO seem to have a knack for disturbing the order of things, don't they?
Una (to Eva): Yes, they do. Do you think it's simply a genetic anomaly or is it a learned behavior, sister dear?
Eva (to Una): I should think equal parts one and the other, shouldn't you, Una?
Una (to Eva): Heehee. Very likely.
A couple hours later, in Victor & Yukiko's quarters:
Victor (to Yukiko): Hmmm? Oof! I slept like a ruddy log. What time is it? Have I slept all day?
Yukiko (to Victor): Practically. It's almost supper time. Heh. I spent the day annoying Felix & Zoe... Are you feeling any better? I need to hop into the shower and wash this grease off of me. I'm sure food is almost ready if you're hungry.
Victor (to Yukiko): Aren't I always? :-p I'm feeling better. I don't suppose you need a hand, do you?
Yukiko (to Victor): ... Well, if you're offering. I could always use a hand.
Victor (to Yukiko): It would be my pleasure, Miss Kobayashi.
At Casina de la Renard; Nice, French Republic:
Ariadne: Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! I'm getting married in 4 days… Am I ready? I think so… Oh god, I'm not ready… Zoe better be here soon. I need help from going crazy… There's so much to do!
Bianca (to Ariadne): Would you relax, Hari? You are making me dizzy just watching you. See? This is why I prefer the simple approach to matrimony.
Ariadne (to Bianca): … I know you're just trying to help, Bianca, but shut it. And for your information, the wedding is very small. Neither of us happen to have a lot of family or folks we'd invite. If I'm going to have a wedding, I want it to be nice.
Bianca (to Ariadne): And, it shall be. Don't worry. And, I found you the perfect dress. You'll look like a princess.
Ariadne (to Bianca): Oh… But, I had a dress picked out, already.
Bianca (to Ariadne): I know you did but the seamstress said she couldn't let it out any more to compensate for your growing shape, so I took the liberty of finding you a new one. I didn't want to bother you with it, you have enough to worry about… I think you'll like it.
Ariadne (to Bianca): Boszhe moy, Bianca! It's perfect! Ty prekrasna, tetushka! Thank you, thank you. I need to go try it on, right now.
Bianca: Heehee. I can now see how that little firecracker thawed the Iceman's heart. (to Ariadne) Go, little one Before you explode…
A little while later, in Ji Yong's quarters:
Ji Yong (to Ariadne): Hari? I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I... Mon dieu. Vous êtes belle.
Ariadne (to Ji Yong): Shit! You're not supposed to see the wedding dress before the wedding. It's bad luck… I'll be changed in a second.
Ji Yong (to Ariadne): ...Is it? Oh. My apologies. Would you like me to leave?
Ariadne (to Ji Yong): No. It's alright. I've got the dress put away… Just forget you saw it. What do you need? Am I late for work?
Ji Yong (to Ariadne): Not at all. I was going to let you know that it's slow, if you wanted to take the evening off.
Ariadne (to Ji Yong): That's very nice of you. But, I'm fairly certain that Patrice was hoping to get off early tonight. She mentioned it was her parent's anniversary. A big one. I think I can handle working so she can go. I've been feeling more like myself, lately. Or are you just being overprotective again? ;-P
Ji Yong (to Ariadne): ...Yes, perhaps a bit. I will see you on the floor.
Ariadne (to Ji Yong): Wait a minute, handsome… Would you prefer it if I took the night off? I don't want to stress you out.
Ji Yong (to Ariadne): Heh. Je suis un idiot... If you want to work, you are more than welcome. Gee has pointed out that I cannot control everything. Or everyone. And that I should not attempt to do so with people I don't wish to push away.
Ariadne (to Ji Yong): Heehee. He's pretty smart for a big pain in the butt. And, you are not an idiot. Tu es un homme doux et attentionné. But, I'm not as fragile as you think. I promise that if I feel awful I will let you know immediately. D'accord?
Ji Yong (to Ariadne): D'accord. I love you, Hari... I should get back. I will see you shortly.
Ariadne (to Ji Yong): I love you, too. I'll be down as soon as I finish getting dressed.
Ji Yong (to Ariadne): I will see you then.
A couple hours later, at the Longfellow bunker, The Tombs: New London, Britannia:
Luc: Oh, my bloody head… Is there any aspirin in this room? For that matter, where the hell is the light switch?
Victor (to Luc): Oi. Luc. You decent?
Luc (to Victor): I've got pants on, if that's decent enough for ya.
Victor (to Luc): More decent than most. Here. Figured you might need some painkillers.
Luc (to Victor): Thanks. I was just wondering if there were any in this room… So, uh, how do we do all this? I mean, you're my brother, right? I mean, you still have your little brother Lucas… How do I fit in? That is why your mother sent the ginger behemoth to grab us. Cuz we're family, right?
Victor (to Luc): ...I dunno. This is fucked up in ALL sorts of interesting ways. Just because Baby Lucas is here, doesn't mean there's not there innit room for you too... If you want to be here. Heh. Mum had Fiona snatch you? That would explain your face. Fancy a drink?
Luc (to Victor): A drink would be dandy… Heh. Big brother.
Victor (to Luc): Lord. Now I've got two of you doing that. Here. I grabbed this off Fox yesterday when he was being obnoxious. And, if I'm not mistaken, Zoe said there was whiskey... Heh. Right here. Excellent! You wanna mixer?
Luc (to Victor): Why bother?
Victor (to Luc): Heh. I don't know how delicate your sensibilities are, do I? ... Oh! The twins called. Amunet woke up. She's stable.
Luc (to Victor): And, she's okay?
Victor (to Luc): Yeah. Seems to be.
Luc (to Victor): Thank god...
Victor (to Luc): Heh. This is awkward, isn't it?
Luc (to Victor): Yeah. Just a bit. What say we drink some more?
Victor (to Luc): Heh. Works for me... How long have you been watching the family? Ha ha! You look a little shocked. Don't be. Nate mentioned you let it slip you remembered him.
Luc (to Victor): Heh. I should have known that he caught that… I figured out you all were my family a year ago. But, it took me a little time o figure out what Hiiri was up to & well, two years from now, I talked Amunet to jump back with me to this point in time. I read Hiiri's files on you. Her information was apparently a bit out of date or incorrect. It never mentioned Nate being in CLANNG or that your parents have a bunker under the city.
Victor (to Luc): Heh. Yeah. I'd say it's out of date. Nate is probably a bit more complicated than his file, and the bunker... Hell, I was living right on top of it for years and didn't know it was here. Wouldn't imagine Hiiri had any clue.
Luc (to Victor): You were doing what? I thought you grew up with the Potters.
Victor (to Luc): I did. And I didn't. Heh. You aren't the only family member to change the timeline. In my version, Mum and Dad died when I was 13. Hiiri made it pretty much impossible for me to be anywhere, so I was living in Mum's old house upstairs.
Luc (to Victor): … Man, that is messed up… And, I thought I had it bad… What the hell is this stuff? I can't feel my tongue.
Victor (to Luc): Heh. It was awright. Nate had it worse. So did Zoe, actually. And Felix. And Yuki... Shit. Does this family 'ave a ruddy aversion to well adjusted? Seems to be the case.
Luc (to Victor): … Heh. I used to be all sorts of resentful about you & Zoe after I found out who my family really were. I thought that I'd been tossed aside cuz I wasn't a skipper. I mean, it had to be the only explanation. But, seeing how much you all have done to protect me... I mean, Little Lucas. Clearly I was wrong... I feel like a right bloody tool.
Victor (to Luc): No offense, mate, but that's fucking stupid. We don't give a shit if yer a skipper or not... Oh 'ell. Heh. I'm smashed.
Luc (to Victor): Yeah well, how was I to know that? It's not like I was raised in much of a loving environment. I mean, my pops was pretty nice to me until he got murdered by that bastard, Fitzroy. But, Maladori always shuffled me off on other people like she couldn't be bothered & that I was some sort of burden. Now, I at least know why. So, sorry if I'm not all instantly hugs & smiles towards all of you. You've had your whole life to be a Potter, mate.
Victor (to Luc): I wouldn't expect you to be. ...Sorry. I didn't mean to be a gruff, suspicious arse. This can't be easy. Heh. To tell you the truth, I'm trying to learn to cope with... Well, with all this family and such myself.
Luc (to Victor): ... Is this the part of the male bonding where we punch each other? Cuz I'd really prefer to skip that bit.
Victor (to Luc): Is that what male bonding usually involves? Cor. ...No. Let's skip that. Oof! I think I should get to bed.
Luc (to Victor): Yeah, me too... Thanks for the drink... Drinks.
Victor (to Luc): Not a problem... I haven't seen much of Dad around lately either. I'm sure he'll make his entrance sooner or later. I think I prolly ought to get back to my room while I can still walk. Night.
