Aishe wondered about Pak's leads, curious that her friend's answer would be so very vague on the subject. But she didn't expect complete openness from Pak, who made a habit of being just the opposite. So she kept silent and just nodded as if she found that explanation perfectly reasonable.
She smiled wryly at Pak's outburst and ignored the foreign profanity, instead lifting her shoulders once again in a helpless gesture. "He's sort of a permanent resident," she said, poking her own forehead. "At least I asked first."
Really, Aishe could have just agreed to Pak's plans and not mentioned it at all. But it wasn't always better to beg forgiveness. "He won't yell at you," she said. "He'll understand. But I can't promise he won't be nearby with additional backup. Or at least moral support."
And Now for Something Completly Different... (attn: Aishe)
Her visit from Kem's daughter had Pak thinking. A lot. A whole lot. Most of said thinking had been in the back of her head, she'd worked at not actively considering what Mara had said. There was no way her maker could be 'good'. Even if he wasn't 'good'... he couldn't even be an OK guy. OK guys did -not- grab unsuspecting women/wives/mothers off the street chomp on them, turn them into vampires and then just leave them.
But what if there was something else at work here. What if he'd tried to find her. Well why the hell had he killed that prostitute in Silicon Valley, why had he attacked her again? Pak was forced to admit she'd sort of attacked him first. Still there was no call to kill the girl. But Mara had seemed so sure that he wasn't pure evil. Granted they hadn't talked about it at length but in those few words, well she'd made an impression on Pak.
Finally all the 'buts' and 'maybes' and 'what ifs' culminated, she was actively thinking about this. She needed someone else to talk to. Kem was right out. She was half dating he sonofabitch who'd turned him. Not to mention Kem's turning was far too much like her own. She needed a different perspective.
Aishe.
Pak had set up the meeting a day or two in advance, something casual at her favorite pub, The George and Dragon. She'd showed up very early time enough to get half way through a beer, finish off one clove (she had another one ready to go) and was entertaining herself with a new smart phone. She wasn't sure she liked it, but she also wasn't paying much attention. She had too much else on her mind.
Pak was more than content to skulk in her booth at the back of the room. It was a rainy Wednesday night and only two die hard regulars were there. They were playing darts and didn't even notice Pak. The only person who really knew she was there was the bartender and he had a knack for ignoring Pak when she wanted to be ignored and knowing when she wanted something. Part of her hoped Aishe wouldn't show up. She would though. She had no doubt.
Aishe
14 years ago
Pakpao
14 years ago
"Oh don't apologize. I forget about that is all. I'm glad you asked."Â?
Pak wouldn't do anything to hurt either Aishe or Kem. They were as close to a family as she was ever libel to have. Her children and husband were long dead, she only barley dated, once or twice a decade, and as much as she loved the clan a large extended family wasn't the same as a small nuclear family. Nope, Aishe and Kem were it, she hoped they didn't mind her tagging along for the next few centuries.
"I just don't want him too mixed up in this. He has more than enough going on and he sure as hell has done more for me recently than I have any right to ask of him."Â?
She frowned. Honestly she had no right to Kem. He'd supported her through more than anyone vampire should ever have to. And he was heading up the clan now. No he had a right to some quiet happy down time with Aishe. He didn't need to put up with any more of her melodrama.
All of a sudden Pak felt bad. Even by taking up Aishe's time she was piling more on Kem, even in an obscure round about way. She was pathetic. She should be able to deal with this on her own. Yet, and yet she couldn't. She was going to go brood for a few days before calling Mara at this rate.
"I can manage. He doesn't need to worry. Hell if it comes down to it you have enough to do that you don't need to mess with this. I'll make it work."Â?
Pak wouldn't do anything to hurt either Aishe or Kem. They were as close to a family as she was ever libel to have. Her children and husband were long dead, she only barley dated, once or twice a decade, and as much as she loved the clan a large extended family wasn't the same as a small nuclear family. Nope, Aishe and Kem were it, she hoped they didn't mind her tagging along for the next few centuries.
"I just don't want him too mixed up in this. He has more than enough going on and he sure as hell has done more for me recently than I have any right to ask of him."Â?
She frowned. Honestly she had no right to Kem. He'd supported her through more than anyone vampire should ever have to. And he was heading up the clan now. No he had a right to some quiet happy down time with Aishe. He didn't need to put up with any more of her melodrama.
All of a sudden Pak felt bad. Even by taking up Aishe's time she was piling more on Kem, even in an obscure round about way. She was pathetic. She should be able to deal with this on her own. Yet, and yet she couldn't. She was going to go brood for a few days before calling Mara at this rate.
"I can manage. He doesn't need to worry. Hell if it comes down to it you have enough to do that you don't need to mess with this. I'll make it work."Â?
Aishe
14 years ago
Flashes of empathy helped Aishe follow Pak's convoluted thought process as she tried to fill in the reasons for Pak's sudden self-guilt trip. She nearly rolled her eyes. Honestly, the two of them were so similar sometimes.
"Pak," she said, her green eyes doing their best to try to bore holes into the other woman, "I'm coming with you. And Kem will be nearby in some form. You can't ask us to sit idly by and pretend we don't know, and it would be rude of you to ignore the fact that we want to help!"
It was delivered in a tone that said she would brook no refusal. "Besides, I know what you're planning. Do you think I don't have the sheer stubbornness it would take to stalk you for the next several months?"
She gave Pak her most brilliant smile at this reminder of the fact that if she possessed any surprising skills, not the least among them was a tendency to pursue her objective until it stopped being funny.
"Pak," she said, her green eyes doing their best to try to bore holes into the other woman, "I'm coming with you. And Kem will be nearby in some form. You can't ask us to sit idly by and pretend we don't know, and it would be rude of you to ignore the fact that we want to help!"
It was delivered in a tone that said she would brook no refusal. "Besides, I know what you're planning. Do you think I don't have the sheer stubbornness it would take to stalk you for the next several months?"
She gave Pak her most brilliant smile at this reminder of the fact that if she possessed any surprising skills, not the least among them was a tendency to pursue her objective until it stopped being funny.
Pakpao
14 years ago
More guilt. Ah well, not a lot one could do about it. Under ordinary circumstances Pak might demonstrate to Aishe that she had -nothing- on Pak as far as stubborn and devious went. This, however, was not ordinary circumstances and she just didn't feel up to fighting what was apparently inevitable. So she swallowed her guilt and what was left of her pride and agreed.
"I've never been too worried about what Miss Manners would think, but you've both got enough invested in this mess it doesn't make sense to stop you now."Â?
She said with a warped smile, a smile that held at least some of her usual self.
Pak still thought this was madness. She shouldn't have anything to do with this monster, but she couldn't shake the idea and Aishe seemed to think it was a good idea to confront this fear. The meeting was probably inevitable. Besides, Pak was damned tired of jumping at shadows.
"OK then I've got some homework to do and I will keep you posted."Â?
Pak finished the remains of her beer and oddly enough felt a little tiny bit better. She felt in charge of the situation again, and she liked being in charge.
"I promise no running off to meet the evil git with out you. So no stalking, deal?"Â?
"I've never been too worried about what Miss Manners would think, but you've both got enough invested in this mess it doesn't make sense to stop you now."Â?
She said with a warped smile, a smile that held at least some of her usual self.
Pak still thought this was madness. She shouldn't have anything to do with this monster, but she couldn't shake the idea and Aishe seemed to think it was a good idea to confront this fear. The meeting was probably inevitable. Besides, Pak was damned tired of jumping at shadows.
"OK then I've got some homework to do and I will keep you posted."Â?
Pak finished the remains of her beer and oddly enough felt a little tiny bit better. She felt in charge of the situation again, and she liked being in charge.
"I promise no running off to meet the evil git with out you. So no stalking, deal?"Â?
Aishe
14 years ago
Aishe laughed at Pak's response. "Fine then," she said agreeably. "I won't stalk you and in return you won't go off to some strange meeting alone. It's a deal."
As long as Pak was happy with it, anyway. Aishe would have found a way to be at that meeting regardless of any sneakiness on Pak's part.
"At least, no matter how it goes, you'll have some answers," she said as she stirred around her shake. "You might not be happy with them, but you will have them nonetheless."
There was always something to be said for having asked; the worst that could happen was that Pak's creator would refuse to answer. Aishe hoped Pak would be able to arrange this meeting at all. Right now they weren't even sure of that although she still thought Pak wasn't telling her something.
It didn't matter. It would all come out in the end, if it needed to.
As long as Pak was happy with it, anyway. Aishe would have found a way to be at that meeting regardless of any sneakiness on Pak's part.
"At least, no matter how it goes, you'll have some answers," she said as she stirred around her shake. "You might not be happy with them, but you will have them nonetheless."
There was always something to be said for having asked; the worst that could happen was that Pak's creator would refuse to answer. Aishe hoped Pak would be able to arrange this meeting at all. Right now they weren't even sure of that although she still thought Pak wasn't telling her something.
It didn't matter. It would all come out in the end, if it needed to.
Pakpao
14 years ago
Pak snorted. She honestly didn't foresee this bastard being overly communicative. In fact, she had this vision of him not only refusing to answer but also trying to bite her and possibly kidnap her, she wasn't ruling out rape either. Well she could dwell on her nightmares later.
"Well, we'll see. I suppose it isn't possible I'm not ready for the answers, but I'm not willing to go another three hundred years waiting either. We'll just see."Â?
At least Pak had the impression that Aishe knew how lucky she was. She wondered how Kem would react in her situation, if he met Amir and knew who he was. Mara said there would be violence, and Pak tended to agree. Well, that wasn't the way she was planning on going. It could still happen, but she was at least going to try.
"Next time we have a girl's night out we'll do something fun."Â?
"Well, we'll see. I suppose it isn't possible I'm not ready for the answers, but I'm not willing to go another three hundred years waiting either. We'll just see."Â?
At least Pak had the impression that Aishe knew how lucky she was. She wondered how Kem would react in her situation, if he met Amir and knew who he was. Mara said there would be violence, and Pak tended to agree. Well, that wasn't the way she was planning on going. It could still happen, but she was at least going to try.
"Next time we have a girl's night out we'll do something fun."Â?
Aishe
14 years ago
Aishe raised her eyebrows at Pak. "What do you mean? This is great! Intrigue, plotting, scheming, planning, more scheming... what's not fun about it?"
She finished off the rest of her shake, draining the last few delicious chocolaty drops and delicately licking the end of the straw to make sure she got it all.
"Besides, why wait?"
Pak seemed agreeable enough, so together they left the restaurant and went out into the night, where the plotting and scheming didn't necessarily continue, but they were still able to manage a tolerable amount of fun.
((ooc: Pak and Aishe out))
She finished off the rest of her shake, draining the last few delicious chocolaty drops and delicately licking the end of the straw to make sure she got it all.
"Besides, why wait?"
Pak seemed agreeable enough, so together they left the restaurant and went out into the night, where the plotting and scheming didn't necessarily continue, but they were still able to manage a tolerable amount of fun.
((ooc: Pak and Aishe out))