"You're a good man, Captain Reynolds," Melanie assures him, patting him on the shoulder like she's some what more grown that she looks. Almost makes him feel bad about not being much of a good man. Surely wouldn't be saying that if she knew Mal'd just imagined her setting this as bait for some town-wide trade. Wouldn't be the first incident of the sort he wandered into. All the same, not the nicest thing to go around assume of anyone. "But I'm not confused, and I'm not crazy. Because I don't want you to be upset when you don't find your ship here."
On some level that's just about the kindest sentiment Mal's ever heard anyone express, at least from the ones directed his way (which tend to be a lot less charitable). Gāisǐ Shàngdì. To think he'd been hoping this could've ended without turning into a tangled mess and certainly without Mal feeling any worse than he's already started.
"That's a might fine thing for you to say, miss," Mal replies, repaying the compliment with a quick bow of his head. "And don't think I ain't relieve to hear that you ain't guòq-" cuts himself short, awkwardly recalling that she wouldn't understand what he meant. "That you ain't all crazy-like," Mal corrects after a slower start up before getting back on track with what he'd been trying to say. "Not that I'd been thinking you were a fēn--" He sighs as he has to pause once more to think up the word he wants in English. "A total madman with a rambling mind."
While Mal's trying to be as gentle as possible about introducing Melanie to the idea that mayhaps staying all alone in some terrifying old woods for however long ain't the healthiest place for such a little girl to be living - mentally or physically judging by her slight size and all even if Mal's still not much sure where to peg her age - and back on his ship he just happens to be good friends with a fine young doctor that could likely fix her right up or at least a sweeter than honey mechanic that will get her fed.
For such a little thing, though, she sure is full of determination, probably holding more in than grown men four times her size. It's a trait Mal find very admirable under the right circumstance, just ain't sure this is one of those. Because in this case Melanie just goes on insisting that they really are living out nothing ore than a dream which.... Well, young ones like her should be plenty tankful to the roly-poly buddah above that they ain't actually in Mal's dreams. It's not a place kiddies belong, or any human beings whose minds weren't very well left behind in the war and so who relive it with the dead at their side every night. No, here she is just a child, she don't need to know about the sort of horrors Mal has seen and she certainly shouldn't be dreaming about them.
No need to even bring up the fact that Mal shouldn't be dreaming this, either. It ain't a war valley or a ship caught between fleets of alliance cruisers and running short on supplies or the blackened, unlivable terrain of Shadow. For as wicked as it might feel sometimes, when it comes straight down it, this isn't nothing but a bunch of trees and not ones Mal's ever been around before. How could he be dreaming this in his whole head if he doesn't even know the place?
Melanie keeps on persisting, though, and eventually Mal relents with a tight nod. He ain't scared for either himself or the horse although honestly don't have the slightest clue as to what she might be planning. Still, the bronco seems to be pretty brave as far as horses go, and more than anything Mal's just feeling confused.So, sure, let her go and prove that they're just sitting around sharing he same weird dre--
"Xié'è de fūhuà guǐ dàn." Mal had been making something of an effort to avoid Chinese ever sense Melanie insists she didn't know any, as impossible as that still seems. Still, the situation really did call for it in this case, tumbling out of Mal's mouth before he's had much time to reconsider.
At first he just blinks some because who knows how long he's been in this place, could be he's suffering from sever dehydration and don't even know and this is just his eyes playing tricks on him. "Now how'd you do a thing like that?" Mal stands back up, looking at all the branches around them for some sign of the owl. He'd seen his fair share of street magicians, tricksters and the likes but, still, not like she's got a box of props around in order to hide and grab what she needs, and hardy seems like just standing around in the woods is any sort of distraction technique most of those charlatans use.
Still, what's more likely? That the girl has just had lots of time on her own to prefect these little tricks of hers or that she's actually some kind of witch...
Course, suppose that at one time or another River had some off as a normal enough girl, least far more so than she does know, and it that's true than it go be-
Is Mal really even considering that possibility? Might as well just accept he is dreaming at that point if he's going to start believing that just 'cause kid can pull off a stage trick that it makes her some kind of real witch. Not that there aren't folks out there that believe in those sorts of things but Mal isn't one, least he wasn't, Seem since he picked those two Tams up back on Persephone that things have been getting a mite weirder 'round, well, which ever parts they just so happen to be passing through. Like this moment right here which, again, Mal's sure there is plenty of reasonable explanation for, even if he don't see any immediately around.
Decide it might just be time to go on the defensive here. "Not saying that weren't plenty impressive, but I've seen men on traveling fairs make whole elephants disappear with just a sheet, so you're going to have to pull something a bit more out there if you're hoping to convince me." Mal's not daring her own, oh boy not at all. He's just really hoping that's all she's got.
Without even thinking on it Mal reaches out for the stallion, running a steady hand down his neck. Don't know why the horse has bothered sticking around so long but Mal's starting to think he's actually looking for a traveling companion and, well, Mal don't mind the company so it's fine by him. "Now I have a ship to go and find...."
At that point Mal should just turn his back and take off, but it hardly seems right jut up and abandoning the child, regardless of what she might be. "You're still free to come along, of course, since you had to bothering getting down from your tree."
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On some level that's just about the kindest sentiment Mal's ever heard anyone express, at least from the ones directed his way (which tend to be a lot less charitable). Gāisǐ Shàngdì. To think he'd been hoping this could've ended without turning into a tangled mess and certainly without Mal feeling any worse than he's already started.
"That's a might fine thing for you to say, miss," Mal replies, repaying the compliment with a quick bow of his head. "And don't think I ain't relieve to hear that you ain't guòq-" cuts himself short, awkwardly recalling that she wouldn't understand what he meant. "That you ain't all crazy-like," Mal corrects after a slower start up before getting back on track with what he'd been trying to say. "Not that I'd been thinking you were a fēn--" He sighs as he has to pause once more to think up the word he wants in English. "A total madman with a rambling mind."
While Mal's trying to be as gentle as possible about introducing Melanie to the idea that mayhaps staying all alone in some terrifying old woods for however long ain't the healthiest place for such a little girl to be living - mentally or physically judging by her slight size and all even if Mal's still not much sure where to peg her age - and back on his ship he just happens to be good friends with a fine young doctor that could likely fix her right up or at least a sweeter than honey mechanic that will get her fed.
For such a little thing, though, she sure is full of determination, probably holding more in than grown men four times her size. It's a trait Mal find very admirable under the right circumstance, just ain't sure this is one of those. Because in this case Melanie just goes on insisting that they really are living out nothing ore than a dream which.... Well, young ones like her should be plenty tankful to the roly-poly buddah above that they ain't actually in Mal's dreams. It's not a place kiddies belong, or any human beings whose minds weren't very well left behind in the war and so who relive it with the dead at their side every night. No, here she is just a child, she don't need to know about the sort of horrors Mal has seen and she certainly shouldn't be dreaming about them.
No need to even bring up the fact that Mal shouldn't be dreaming this, either. It ain't a war valley or a ship caught between fleets of alliance cruisers and running short on supplies or the blackened, unlivable terrain of Shadow. For as wicked as it might feel sometimes, when it comes straight down it, this isn't nothing but a bunch of trees and not ones Mal's ever been around before. How could he be dreaming this in his whole head if he doesn't even know the place?
Melanie keeps on persisting, though, and eventually Mal relents with a tight nod. He ain't scared for either himself or the horse although honestly don't have the slightest clue as to what she might be planning. Still, the bronco seems to be pretty brave as far as horses go, and more than anything Mal's just feeling confused.So, sure, let her go and prove that they're just sitting around sharing he same weird dre--
"Xié'è de fūhuà guǐ dàn." Mal had been making something of an effort to avoid Chinese ever sense Melanie insists she didn't know any, as impossible as that still seems. Still, the situation really did call for it in this case, tumbling out of Mal's mouth before he's had much time to reconsider.
At first he just blinks some because who knows how long he's been in this place, could be he's suffering from sever dehydration and don't even know and this is just his eyes playing tricks on him. "Now how'd you do a thing like that?" Mal stands back up, looking at all the branches around them for some sign of the owl. He'd seen his fair share of street magicians, tricksters and the likes but, still, not like she's got a box of props around in order to hide and grab what she needs, and hardy seems like just standing around in the woods is any sort of distraction technique most of those charlatans use.
Still, what's more likely? That the girl has just had lots of time on her own to prefect these little tricks of hers or that she's actually some kind of witch...
Course, suppose that at one time or another River had some off as a normal enough girl, least far more so than she does know, and it that's true than it go be-
Is Mal really even considering that possibility? Might as well just accept he is dreaming at that point if he's going to start believing that just 'cause kid can pull off a stage trick that it makes her some kind of real witch. Not that there aren't folks out there that believe in those sorts of things but Mal isn't one, least he wasn't, Seem since he picked those two Tams up back on Persephone that things have been getting a mite weirder 'round, well, which ever parts they just so happen to be passing through. Like this moment right here which, again, Mal's sure there is plenty of reasonable explanation for, even if he don't see any immediately around.
Decide it might just be time to go on the defensive here. "Not saying that weren't plenty impressive, but I've seen men on traveling fairs make whole elephants disappear with just a sheet, so you're going to have to pull something a bit more out there if you're hoping to convince me." Mal's not daring her own, oh boy not at all. He's just really hoping that's all she's got.
Without even thinking on it Mal reaches out for the stallion, running a steady hand down his neck. Don't know why the horse has bothered sticking around so long but Mal's starting to think he's actually looking for a traveling companion and, well, Mal don't mind the company so it's fine by him. "Now I have a ship to go and find...."
At that point Mal should just turn his back and take off, but it hardly seems right jut up and abandoning the child, regardless of what she might be. "You're still free to come along, of course, since you had to bothering getting down from your tree."