River Tam

"All right," he's saying, "all right, meimei. An hour. Not more. Dong ma?"

Oh, but he's still laughing.

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"I promise."

River's trying very hard to be solemn when she says that.

The giggling is kind of marring the effect, though.

"Cross my heart."

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"Good." His voice is Very Stern, Really.

"So ... where do you want to go?"

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"Outside!"

Nice specificity, River.

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"We're already outside," he points out.

Surely this means they've already succeeded in their objective!

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River makes a face at him. Pointing out the obvious is cheating, Simon.

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"Well, if that was all, I suppose that means we're finished."

He makes as though to turn and head back inside.

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River grabs his hand with both of hers, and plants her heels. Or attempts to.

"I'll throw you in," she threatens.

Even though he has the advantage of her in inches and pounds, and also the lake is a fair distance away.

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Someone else is trudging up toward the bar from the lake himself. Spotting both of them, Duo flicks a wave and meanders over in their direction.

"Nice afternoon for a calm stroll," he says, grinning at River's hold on her brother.

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Simon glances up at the newcomer, straightens, and offers a smile.

"It's ... Duo, isn't it? Ni hao."

It would be an exaggeration to say he looks embarrassed, but the playful manner is gone.

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River makes another face at Simon, though he may or may not be looking.

Honestly, now.

"In the mud," she informs them both.

Might as well consider that a greeting, Duo.

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"Ni hao," Duo responds in a cheerful, if odd accent. (Mandarin seems to get mutated when it travels though space, no matter what universe you're from.)

"Sure is. And I know you're Simon, thanks to the ever informative Miss River. Though I think we met briefly years ago. Good memory, Doc."

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"And I've seen you now and then around the bar," he says -- and in the infirmary, he doesn't mention -- "though it's true we haven't spoken much."

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"He's very silly," River explains helpfully.

She probably means Duo.

Beat.

"The giant robots are tactically improbable," she adds.

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"But not impossible," Duo tells her with a raised eyebrow. "I do have proof. And hey, it takes one to know one."

Pause.

"Not a giant robot. Someone silly."

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"Giant robots?"

Simon has the distinct feeling he's missing a good deal of this conversation.

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"Explanation is a prospective date."

River is really helping with the clarification, here.

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Totally.

Duo takes a moment to parse that one.

"Oh yeah! I wanted to borrow your sister to prove to her that mobile suits are too viable, but she wanted to ask you first."

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"...Borrow my sister."

Simon's eyebrows climb a little higher.

"How, exactly?"

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"It's only a hop, skip, and a jump to my world. Or just a step through the door, really. I thought we could catch lunch, pop over to the scrap yard. I've got contacts telling me about some recent finds." This last is to River. "You'll see."

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"Visit," River clarifies helpfully, "is the ordinary parlance."

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From all he's heard, Duo is trustworthy enough, but --

"How safe is it?"

The question's directed equally at Duo and River.

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"It's the capitol city of a no loner war torn country. Plus it houses the HQ of a branch of international and inter-colony peace keepers, the Preventers. Of which I am a member."

He grins.

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River's looking at Duo.

"Estimated civil coordination code three dash zero," she says. "In the low to moderate ranges."

Beat.

She glances at her brother, and her face lightens from blank abstraction into a half-smile. "I'll be careful," she adds.

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There's no reason, really, not to let her go.

He feels vaguely that he should be feeling more reluctance about this than he is, and tells himself not to be absurd.

"When would you want to do this?" Again, the question's somewhat evenly distributed.

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"Oh, whenever. Fairly soon would be best, I dunno what they're planning to do with our main attraction."

Duo is now looking at River.

"What d'you say?"

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"The agenda is adaptable," River says, unconcerned.

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"Well, then ..."

He turns a hand palm up, in a slightly awkward gesture of assent. "Have fun."

Beat.

"You will be careful," he can't stop himself from saying to River.

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River's face is eloquent.

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"Swear!" Duo says, grinning at River. "I'll bring her back with all her pieces attached."

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Duo is getting a bit of the look now, too.

It's amiable all around, though.

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