Pai walks quickly along, trying to follow Lettuce. Of course, She avoids all the loose stones, unlike a certain someone, who is a magnet for disaster at the moment. Lettuce and Candy are in deep conversation. "Oh, yeah," says Candy. "The town used to be just fabulous. Kid friendly, churches nearby, bars in isolated places so you don't have to worry about drunks: yup, Mist haunt had it all." "Was there anything at all to make you believe something bad would happen?" Asks Lettuce in fascination. "Well, actually, yes. There were a bunch of old superstitions. Kids that didn't fit in, too. You know, like Kothra. Instead of regular eyes, she had the eyes of a cat. Pink ones, too. She wasn't normal, and she could hear, like, a mile away, or something ridiculous like that," says Candy. "Really?" asks Lettuce. Candy nods. "Yup. Some people in the town just didn't fit in. We even had a local prophetess, who warned us not to join the church. They dismissed her as crazy, but I don't know... there was something too wise about her, too, you know, sane to be crazy. I mean, She wouldn't hurt a fly. She would feed the stray dogs, return lost cats, heck, she even ran out into oncoming traffic to save a turtle. And she never struck out at the people who hit her. And she knew a lot about the Bible. You know, a local gay couple who were cast out of the church. Well, she told them that in the old testament, things changed, and she couldn't remember a passage from there that mocked or cursed homosexuals. 'Love is love,' I believe she said. Her middle name, which everyone called her by, was Hannah. Of course, people used her first name as a formality, but she was always Hannah to us kids. She'd have small treats for us, little cookies and chocolate bits," Candy smiles at the memory.
"She sounds nice," says Pai, tripping over a misplaced rock. "Careful," calls Candy absently, still lost in her memories. Lettuce stifle's a giggle at Pai's clumsiness. It used to be Lettuce did all the tripping, but now Pai is taking the record. Pai trips yet again, this time hitting the ground. Lettuce turns. "You okay?" she asks sympathetically. "Yes!" snaps an embarrassed Pai.
Lettuce withdraws her hand, hurt. She turns and quickly walks away. 'Now you've done it,' Pai curses himself. Why couldn't he just be nicer? Why couldn't he be less of a total jerk? Why does he always hide his feelings? Great. Now Lettuce probably hates him. Pai sighs to the shadows and begins to walk towards Candy. Lettuce is still walking quickly. 'Why did you have to embarrass him? Huh? Huh?' Lettuce thinks. He was almost happy before. Lettuce smiles, thinking of when they were together. How he would look for flowers just for her. And the time he showed up sopping wet with a water lily in his hand. He'd fallen in the water fetching it for her. She giggles quietly.
Candy, however, hears, and turns around. She discovered one of her comrades, pink-faced and giggling like a preschooler. Candy can't help but realize she must be giggling about their male companion. Candy smiles to herself. Young love. She remembers her boyfriend. Of course, he was a cheating louse, but still, the pecks on the cheek have to count for something, right? Candy smiles, thinking of her 16th and last birthday, when he brought her 16 roses, one for each year of her life. He'd counted them, too. Pai hears a giggle escape Candy's lips. Pai wonders what on earth is going on. He can't help but think of Lettuce, though. The time she brought him a cheese Danish, and they sat and ate it together. That was the first time they kissed. He remembers so clearly how soft her cheeks were as he brushed his lips against them. Pai sighs happily. Despite all those years, he still loves her. He slept on the sofa during his arranged marriage. He dreamed of her. Some more unpleasant dreams, involving her yelling at him, but that really isn't her fault. Even Kish laughs at Pai's lovesick state now. Which is a rather scary thing, if you think of it. I mean, come on. Kish is a pervert. He dreams in scantily clad women. And reads XXX rated magazines. Sharing a ship was not pleasant. Especially when Tart found one of the XXX rated magazines. Of course, Kish blamed Pai, and Pai blamed Kish, and then Kish blamed Tart, Etc. Pai winces at the memory. They ended up at each others throats, even Pai. It all ended when Tart screamed he just wanted to know what he was seeing. Pai had become so flustered, he'd ditched Kish, who gave a vague explanation on most things. Pai wonders now though what really went on. All he knows was that Tart locked himself in his room and swore he'd never look at another dirty magazine again. Kish probably gave a full explanation. Pai shudders at the thought.
Lettuce thinks again of sweet Pai. She still loves him, even after the fiance thing went on. She just wishes he still felt the same way. Of course, there's just no way. He probably fell in love with his fiance, even though they divorced. Lettuce feels jealous at the though of another girl holding Pai's Hand. She pushes her feelings down, though. She has to search for Melody now, not daydream of handsome Pai... with that thought, She's gone into her own little world of love.