(Untitled)
I'll give Sam credit for one thing. He was really specific about what he didn't want happening as far as the time travelling thing. 'Under no circumstances' and 'I don't give a damn if' and 'I swear Arianna, if you ever try' and stuff like that was used a lot. He said the same things to Madsen, except I'm pretty sure he was nicer about it
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I see I've been wrong. A witch she is, after all. If only they all looked like that, I'd say we'd all have less fear.
"Not a bad kind. I'm not here to hurt anyone. I promise."
"And what makes you think I'll be takin' your word for it?"
I kept me eyes on her carefully, though I can't say as though I minded. She's not to be trusted til' she tells me more 'bout herself. I can't have her runnin' round here with the type of mischief she has it in her to raise, 'specially not now that I've seen it with me own eyes.
"And if you're Joe Byrne, I'm here to meet you. And your friends."
Wonder if that's her recognizin' me from the posters. I'm thinkin' she'd best clear out of here before the rest of them find her. They'd not take lightly a smart witch who knows us. Maybe Ned'd understand, but at best he'd be sendin' her on her way, n' who knows where she's come from.
She claims she's a friend, I don't want t' believe she'd lie. With the state of things the way they are, it'd be nice t' have one girl t' trust in the valley, witch or woman.
"Mhmm." I nodded, keepin' the revolver raised, but movin' in her direction. Its been a while. I can see it in her eyes that she'd not be opposed. "And what would you like with us?"
"Joe. You're not exactly one for holdin' a woman at gunpoint, I'll assume there's a reason for your makin' conversation this way."
"She practically fell out o' the sky, Ned." I grinned back at the girl. Arianna. "Like 'n Angel." I looked over at Ned, attemptin' t' get his reaction t' all this. "Said it was by magic."
"And what would your name be, Miss."
"Dontcha think I 'lready asked her that?" One o' my first questions, even. "Arianna. And she's heard o' us, too."
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Well, I can hope, can't I? Not like I expected you to trust me, but still. The hope was there. And it's really hard for me to be convincing to someone who's very pretty. I could think of ways to get around this if it was back in my time, people there can be convinced. Here it's just suspicious.
Think, Arianna. You can do it.
"Mhmm. And what would you like with us?"
With you? I could think of a few things... Damn it! Stop! Stop stop stop. Thank God Ned's here to keep me from just babbling. Or I might anyway. I'm not sure if it's going to make a difference. It's sort of my thing.
"Joe. You're not exactly one for holdin' a woman at gunpoint, I'll assume there's a reason for your makin' conversation this way."
"She practically fell out o' the sky, Ned. Like 'n Angel."
He called me an angel! Best day ever!
And what would your name be, Miss."
"Dontcha think I 'lready asked her that? Arianna. And she's heard o' us, too."
I'm trying to figure out just how funny it is that Ned resembles Heath Ledger, since that's the one guy I think my brother might sleep with, sort of like Uma Thurman's the one girl I'd sleep with. We had this one night where we were hanging out and started saying random things, and he ended up mentioning that.
I've always thought Sam might be a little bit gay, that one sort of confirmed it. He's still very obviously a lot straight, I just don't he is entirely. I've never said anything to Carly though, so I don't know what she thinks of that. I think if she really knew, she'd freak out.
Oh, I should probably get back to explaining, shouldn't I.
"A lot of people have heard of you. But I'm still not here to hurt anyone. I wanted to meet the two of you because... well..."
Alright, here goes nothing. "... What I'm dressed in probably looks strange to you, right?"
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"There's not many about who haven't." That doesn't really say much of anythin'. Or at least, doesn't make her a threat just now, aside from how much Joe's enjoyin' havin' her here. And really, that's as per the usual.
I'm thinkin' it'd be best to send her on her way, just the same. Joe can find himself a woman to be interested in once we're in town tomorrow.
"A lot of people have heard of you. But I'm still not here to hurt anyone. I wanted to meet the two of you because... well..."
"Because why, Miss? Excuse me if I seem impatient, but it seems as though you're gettin' at somethin', and I'd like to know exactly what."
"... What I'm dressed in probably looks strange to you, right?"
"It does." Enough to raise a question or two about where she's from, but that doesn't answer what she's gettin' at. If you ask me, that's a bit of a bad lead in.
"That's because I'm not from here. I'm from the future. And I came here to invite you both to it. Just for a little while, I mean, you've both got things to do, but still. It's sort of like an adventure for the both of you."
"... Excuse me?" From the future? And she expects us to just go ahead and believe somethin' as mad as that? What does she take us for? We may be seen as monsters by anyone who buys into the lies in print, but as far as I know, they haven't started referrin' to us as gullible.
"I know it sounds weird."
"Weird's one way to describe it."
"Well... Look. Joe saw me come here through a portal. That led back to my time. I want to take you two back with me."
A portal? And Joe saw it? So she's a witch then. I can't say I've ever seen one m'self. And I don't think Joe has either. I've heard more than enough stories about witches, though. Enough for me to think maybe it's not as right to trust her after all.
I looked back over at Joe, and wondered what he thought of all this, aside from the obvious. "Did you see what she's talkin' about?"
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I nodded, lowerin' my weapon since it didn't seem like she'd come t' cause us harm. Ned's as confused as I am, but I'm bettin' its different seein' as how I'd settle on knowin' what a portal is. I know what I saw, 'cept its hard t' put my head 'round it. No one's ever come t' us with the intention of bringin' us t' another time. If she wasn't so lovely, I think I'd be tellin' her t' be on her merry way. We got enough problems 'round here without dealin' with a woman who has a bad case o' crazy.
"S'why I drew me gun." I thought it over for a minute before addin', "I apologize, miss."
I'd call her Arianna, though I don't think it'd be proper. We may be outlaws, but Ned likes t' make it certain that we keep our manners. Our situation doesn't need t' make us any less gentlemenly than we were back home, no matter what they be callin' us when we're not 'round t' hear it.
"What are you thinkin', Ned?" I'd like t'know what's goin' on 'ere, but I'm not the person t' be tellin' Ned what to do. He's kept us all alive for this long.
"The boys'll be lookin' for us soon, I don't think they'd be buyin' this, whether I saw it or not."
I want t' believe her. Its just a question of whether or not she's sane. She doesn't look crazy, but that doesn't add up t' a damn thing when I'm thinkin' 'bout the way she made her entrance.
"But..it was there."
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That's sweet. Even though I don't think he believes what I'm saying, that's still sweet. "No problem." I smiled to show it was alright. The hard part's here anyway, a little bit of being held at gunpoint isn't so bad.
... Oh come on, who couldn't forgive that face?
"What are you thinkin', Ned? The boys'll be lookin' for us soon, I don't think they'd be buyin' this, whether I saw it or not."
I can't take all four of them. I'm pushing it with two. I'm already risking my brother and Carly's hissy fit, I would be even if I just took Joe one of them. So all four would probably be bad.
Still, I can't say anything. I have to let them work this part out.
Damn.
"But..it was there."
At least he isn't in denial about seeing it. Ned looks like he doesn't know what to believe. They both probably think I'm crazy. I don't blame them, technically it's asking a lot to think they'd just believe.
I can really only convince them by showing them, and that might freak them out. So I'm not sure what exactly to do.
Okay, I don't regret this, but this is turning out to be a little harder than I thought it would be.
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"I know." Honestly, I'm not sure what I'm thinkin', other than that we have a mad witch standin' before our eyes.
And one of us should get 'round to lettin' Dan and Steve know things're alright, but I'm tryin' to figure out what should be done about what's happenin' here.
"But..it was there."
So whatever this 'portal' thing she's on about is, it's real. I trust Joe with me life, so if he says he saw it, I believe him.
"Miss, I have to say, what you're tellin' us here sounds a bit crazy." And that'll be the understatement for the day. "And in any normal case, I'd be sendin' ya along your way. In fact, that's what I'm inclined towards at this very moment."
"I understand."
She seems to, that doesn't mean she's all that happy about it. I'm thinkin' she had her heart set on this for some reason. Which is almost as strange as the situation at hand.
"But, since Joe did see what you're speakin' of, that does make me curious. So I'm thinkin' maybe you better show us what this portal thing is. I'd like to see it with me own eyes."
"I can't keep it open that long. Could you maybe tell your friends that you're alright first, and then I'll show you?"
I nodded. "That's probably best." I said finally, and looked back to Joe. "Get back to Dan and Steve, and tell 'em everythin's fine. I'll stay here with her." Because there's less things that are likely to happen if I stay here, than if he does.
Like I said, I trust Joe with me life. I just don't trust him with a woman he's clearly got an interest in. Which isn't really anythin' against him, I'm sure if it was a decent enough man before us I'd be the same way.
But since it isn't, he'll be the one goin' back.
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"I understand."
Oh bloody--why's he tellin' her that when she understands? This isn't someone who came t'us lookin' for trouble. She says she wanted t' make company with us. And hearin' that she's from the future, he's as curious as I am now. And we might not have the time for such things, but I'd like t'think we'd make it up in the next town. Keepin' on the move's important, but its gettin' t'be that stayin' on the run's all we have left.
The girl, Arianna, is from the future. I'd like t'know what becomes of us. If not to change it, t'see if there's any peace t'be had for a few men who the law took a proper loathing to.
"But, since Joe did see what you're speakin' of, that does make me curious. So I'm thinkin' maybe you better show us what this portal thing is. I'd like to see it with me own eyes."
"I can't keep it open that long. Could you maybe tell your friends that you're alright first, and then I'll show you?"
"That's probably best."
I may just be hearin' what I want t', but it sounded to me like Ned just told me t'go and tell them...
He believes her too. And we're gonna be followin' her through that thing. Well, that was unexpected.
"Get back to Dan and Steve, and tell 'em everythin's fine. I'll stay here with her."
I turned back the way I'd come, not botherin' t'tell Ned t'wait for me. He'd not go without me, no matter how poorly he thinks of me takin' an interest in Miss Arianna.
I found em' settin' up for the night, diggin' 'round for the water and handed Dan mine.
"Ned n' I are goin' to look at somethin'. Don't be movin from this spot 'less you have to."
I made sure they didn't ask anymore questions before headin' back to where I'd left them, not wantin' to be away for too long, lest the girl'd wander off.
Luckly, I never have to worry 'bout leavin' Ned with a woman.
"I told 'em to stay where they are. They should be safe there, but if we're goin' t'do this, I think its best we go now."
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Alright then, now it's my turn. Just saying the counter spell to get it open should work, since it's like walking through the same door.
I dug around in my pocket for the paper. "Just a second." I muttered, and realized it was in my back pocket. Alright, there we go. Brilliant, Arianna. Really.
I unfolded the paper, and started speaking the spell.
... Nothing. Whoops.
"I pronounced it wrong." And now I feel twice as stupid. "Sorry about that, just a second." Wonderful, I'm embarassing myself in front of Pretty Joe Byrne and Ned Kelly. At least they look amused.
Let's try that again.
The second time around, the portal opened up. Much better. I looked back to Joe and Ned, and smiled. "So, are you in?"
I think Ned needs a second to process what he's saying. Well, it should be staying open for a minute.
"I don't have too much time."
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"Right." Maybe the girl's mad after all. If she can't do it, we'll be movin' along in a minute, and puttin' all this behind us. I still don't doubt Joe saw somethin', but--
... So that's a portal then?
"So, are you in?"
Just a minute, I think I need a moment to get my head around what I'm seein'. No stories I've ever heard about witches ever spoke of somethin' like this.
"I don't have too much time."
So if we go to that, we go to the future. Doesn't mean it'll be our future really, who knows where we'll end up. Could be dangerous, we could end up never comin' back.
I looked at Joe, then back to Arianna. Only one chance at this...
Well, what the hell, not like we're not riskin' our necks either way.
"Alright." I nodded. "Let's go then." I walked to the portal, and watched the colors for a second, before goin' through.
Here goes nothin'.
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Not the best time t'be makin' errors, now is it? If she doesn't get somethin' up soon, I think Ned's likely t'tell her we're t'head out. He's already questionin' her sanity, I should think a mistake would end this before it had the chance t'start. An' that would be a bloody shame, seein' as how she came all this way t'find us. The girl deserves our cooperation, least for a little bit.
"Right"
"Everyone makes mistakes." I reminded him, waitin' to see if she could get it right. Ned's not patient enough to wait for a third try, this is her last shot at gettin' us to where she came from.
"That's it." I told Ned, my eyes trained on the portal. It doesn't look like the kinda thing ye just approach and walk though, but she got her in one, didn't she?
"So, are you in?"
"I don't have too much time."
I looked t'Ned, keepin' my mouth shut since it wasn't my decision t'make. I'd never sway him on somethin' that he's likely to regret, and this isn't any different.
I'll go if he goes. I'll stay if he stays. Got no reason t'do anything else.
"Alright. Let's go then."
Not very memorable last words, are they?
I sighed and followed him through, hopin' the girl could be trusted.
She's too attractive to be evil, I don't care what kind o'men Ned prefers.
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