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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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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What do you do in the city?
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Well. Not total innocence. There's a hint of warning in her eyes. Do you really want the answer to that?]
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Yes. [Pavel is treading lightly, leaving room for Pai to deflect or flat-out refuse to answer.] Are there things that you like to do, other than eat?
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I don't know. [Spend time with my brother is the only answer she can think of, but that's not quite what Chekov means, she thinks.]
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Do you read?
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