Vernon is regretting directing his boss to buy this hunk of junk ostensibly known as a vehicle. Not very much, but a little. Mostly because she then made him drive it, and this is a finicky and temperamental beast that keeps listing to the left, but in amounts that change a bit on every single bump. They are driving through what is colloquially called 'the wasteland,' which is a desert about half as hospitable and twice as rocky as it sounds. He is having to adjust often. It's annoying. Not very, and honestly, having a functioning vehicle that is not potentially going to explode is a bit of a novelty for him, but enough that he will think fondly of that other vehicle boss-lady had been eyeing before he steered her this way. That sure would have been nice to drive. It would have been painting a gigantic target on their backs, but still. He can dream.
"Much more explicable to travel with family than friends, out here, unless you've got a proper scheme with some real meat to it. And we don't want to pretend to have one of those."
"You just picked fake marrying me off because you thought it'd be funny! You're a terrible fake uncle."
He pouts exaggeratedly. "I can too bodyguard! I'm bright red and yellow, I draw all of the attention so no one goes for her!"
"Anyway, she's not supposed to be important enough to need a bodyguard. She's had several years of schooling and thinks that means she knows the whole entire world, but no tangible proof of any of it. If you're her husband then you can be just as dumb as she is, and want to protect her anyway."
"You are just absolutely enjoying this chance to spin a narrative that paints us all as idiots."
"You bet I am. Acting stupid can get you further than you'd think, if you do it right."
"Yep, there you go, you're doing great. Just remember to leave the word 'fake' out and you'll be good to go."
"Rosa will never buy it," Zash says. "Nor will most other people in Jeneora, either, but Rosa definitely won't."
"I guess we'll need to get their buy-in." He lifts one finger in front of his lips. "It'll be our little secret."
"Great. I've been forcibly married off to a man I just met. I thought this only happened in silly stories about the old world and the like."
Despite her words, her tone is a bit amused.
"Cheer up, you could do much worse than me. I even have a cool robot arm!"
"But I don't know very much about your uncle, my love. I especially don't understand why he's with us, when it could be just the two of us, having a lovely romantic time while we rescue this poor backwards town's plants."
"Because unfortunately, he does actually know his way around this area, and occasionally has smart advice. Even as I want to strangle him. Often."
"And probably because my parents wouldn't let us have this crazy stunt unless we had a chaperone to make sure we don't get shot. You may form your own opinions of my fake parents, my real parents are lovely and are concerned but supportive of my ridiculous scheme."
"Your parents are lovely, and they really like me. I'm charming and polite and well-spoken and I am clearly so head over heels in love with their daugher." Accompanied by the sappiest, most adorably saccharine devoted look ever.
"I'm more than having fun. Even your stick-in-the-mud uncle isn't enough to ruin our lovely trip together to a place dear to my heart. We will have the most delightful of times."