[Pai takes the opportunity to quickly reassess her surroundings, triple check that nobody followed them in. (She's also curious to see if Hei is tailing them. During the rare down times in South America, it had almost become a game between them -- she would go out, he would follow, and she would try to spot him in the crowd.) No sign of him, which doesn't mean he isn't here.
She smiles at Chekov when he comes back, and immediately starts digging into the stack of burgers. Hei would know how to fake small talk, but that's never been her purview.]
[Chekov half expects Hei to be nearby. He's paranoid enough to spy on his "assets"; surely he would want to keep an eye on his sister.
Small talk is overrated and, for the moment, Chekov is too amazed by her ability to inhale burgers to start any himself. Seeing Hei eat his weight in food is fascinating. Watching little Pai tuck away enough food for a small village is nothing short of awe-inspiring.]
[Pai isn't socialized to blush and feel embarrassed.] She just shrugs in answer to his question. When is she not hungry? She's never really felt full. When food was plentiful, she'd eat to the point of queasiness, where she couldn't eat any more without throwing up, but there was never that sense of satisfaction and "I don't need any more." Her body is always trying to prepare itself for the next famine.]
How did you meet my brother? [Returning to the purpose of her mission.]
How? [She's astute enough to notice how he's dodging the question, but she doesn't have Hei's ability to charm and soothe and wheedle an answer out of people.]
[Memory loss. Pai had taught herself that little trick, but she never mastered it really. She'd never had much of a reason to. Of course Hei would have added it to his repertoire.]
Yes, I would say that. [Whether or not Hei would say that is another story. They shouldn't even be friends, really.] I think that we get along fairly well now. Both of us like to look at the stars.
[That's justification enough, obviously, and "fairly well" leaves room for a little abuse. Obviously...]
Other times? I have not found revenge necessary. I'm not sure what these other times would be, I only think that there must be times when it is acceptable.
[She spends a long, eerie moment just staring at him, trying to find any hint of deception or hidden malice in his expression. Chekov wouldn't be blamed if he found it creepy.]
[Pai isn't going to be able to find so much as a trace of deception or malice. Chekov has a number of talents; subterfuge is not among them.
And yeah, the staring is creepy (at least Hei usually has the good graces to keep his creepier tendencies hidden). Chekov lowers his burger to stare back.]
[She isn't a little girl, not really. There are sharp edges to her that she doesn't hide very well (or maybe Chekov is too eager to assume that she is a less subtle and more even-tempered extension of Hei). Regardless, she doesn't radiate the cold anger that accompanies Hei in his more dangerous moods. That's something.
And she's forward. That's appreciated, and it's a fair accusation.]
I have been told so before. I never know if I should be insulted or flattered.
Why do you have to be either? [As far as Pai's concerned, the facts are the facts. They may lean towards the subjective rather than the objective, but still, nothing to get emotional about.]
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[WORST PLAN EVER. There aren't any better ones.
Their number is called and Chekov retrieves their food.]
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She smiles at Chekov when he comes back, and immediately starts digging into the stack of burgers. Hei would know how to fake small talk, but that's never been her purview.]
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Small talk is overrated and, for the moment, Chekov is too amazed by her ability to inhale burgers to start any himself. Seeing Hei eat his weight in food is fascinating. Watching little Pai tuck away enough food for a small village is nothing short of awe-inspiring.]
Are you hungry?
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How did you meet my brother? [Returning to the purpose of her mission.]
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I met him several times.
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There were... incidences of memory loss. I think that I met Li once and Hei three times before I was able to remember.
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And you're friends?
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[That's justification enough, obviously, and "fairly well" leaves room for a little abuse. Obviously...]
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Sometimes it is best to forgive.
[Like when no one really dies and they're all trapped until mysterious powers decide to return them home.]
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[Revenge is a dish best served cold, as the cliche goes. Is the young Russian simply biding his time?]
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[If Chekov has learned only one thing in the City, it's that he's kind of an idiot by any world's standards.]
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And yeah, the staring is creepy (at least Hei usually has the good graces to keep his creepier tendencies hidden). Chekov lowers his burger to stare back.]
What is it?
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Nothing. You're just weird. [Or naive -- she doesn't know enough about his world or his life to be sure which.]
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And she's forward. That's appreciated, and it's a fair accusation.]
I have been told so before. I never know if I should be insulted or flattered.
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Well. For normal people.]
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