- Tale Number Two: Don't Talk to Me -

Though he certainly wouldn't admit it to anyone, not even himself, Pad rather liked Melody's slaps. Sure, they hurt like hell, but by the same token, through them he felt just how much spirit and spunk she had. And that was one of the things he liked most about her. She was more full of life than anyone he'd ever known.

What he didn't like was her keeping her pain bottled up inside. Seeing her suffer and not being able to do anything about it frustrated him like nothing else. It cut right into his heart.

"If she's got that much energy, I'm sure she's just fine!" Carlos had said. God, how he'd wanted to punch that scuzzy sleazebag right in the jaw.

Even I can see that she's about as far from "fine" as you can get! Melody talks tough, but emotionally, she's as fragile as they come. I'm not sure why what that creep Hartmann said upset her so much - maybe because she thinks it's her fault that her ma died - but whatever it is, I have a feeling it's the sort of thing that could change her forever, and not for the better. She'll just bury that hurt in her heart and let it eat a little hole in there, if someone doesn't stop her.

"Pad?" I was Fiona, approaching him with an uncertain look on her face, hands clasping and unclasping. "May I talk to you for a minute?"

"No one's stoppin' ya," he grunted. He didn't move from his position, which was leaning against the wall of the lower deck, arms folded.

"I don't like to pry," she began, her tone very careful. "But I care about you and Melody and, well, I was wondering what you did to make her slap you like that."

"What makes you think I did somethin'?"

"Well, usually when one person hits another, there's a reason. And when I asked Melody about it, she just told me to ask you. I assumed that meant -"

"I didn't do anything!" he snapped, getting up from the wall, fists clenched. "Okay, you want to know what I did? I asked her what was wrong, so that maybe I could help. And she slapped me! That girl is crazy, and that's all there is to it."

"Oh. Well." Fiona laid her hands on the front of her skirt, one over the other. "Melody is a proud person. Maybe she thought you were prying into the matter just to make fun of her... after all, you rarely have anything nice to say to her when she's in a good mood."

"That ain't it," Pad returned. "I told her I wanted to help, and besides, if she didn't want to tell me, she could have just said so. She didn't have to slap me." He rubbed his cheek. It still stung. "I mean, I guess I wasn't taking no for an answer, but come on! Is that any way to treat someone when they're tryin' to be nice to ya? I wish I had someone who would talk to me like that when I was feeling down."

"You... care about her, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" Fiona gaped, apparently startled that he admitted it so quickly. "Why else would I be tryin' to talk to her when she's feeling so sad? And really, I don't mind that she doesn't feel the same about me. I just wish she'd open up for once!"

"Well... She may be doing -"

"No, you know what? Screw her," he said, folding his arms and leaning back against the wall. "I go out of my way to try to help her, and what do I get for it? Slapped in the face like I was sexually harassing her! I don't need that - I don't deserve that. If she doesn't want my help, then fine! From now on, she's on her own."

There was a minute of silence. Fiona finally found something to say, and opened her mouth to speak.

Then a worried look fell over Pad's face and he pushed himself away from the wall. "I'd better go try talkin' to her again. She's probably feelin' really bad now that she's had time to brood."

"But Pad -" Fiona began.

"I know, I know, it's a waste of time talkin' to that nutcase, but someone's gotta at least try, right?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," she said. "She's already having a talk with Eddie about it." Pad froze, but he didn't say anything. "After she had calmed down a bit, she went to Eddie's cabin to get some of her feelings about her mother off her chest. I was stopping by to ask Eddie where we store the spare engine parts, and I overheard. She was a bit shy about it at first, but by the time I left she really seemed -"

"Are you freakin' KIDDING me?" Pad hollered, clenching his head with both hands. "I can't get a meaningful conversation out of that girl with a steel crowbar, but she's giving it out free to anyone else with ears?"

Fiona fidgeted. "Well... that's a bit of an odd way of wording it, but..."

"What did I ever do to her, huh? I've always tried to be nice to her, so why's she hate me so much? That rotten -" He turned and punched the wall with all his strength, then let out a howl of pain and clutched at his throbbing knuckles.

Fiona moved to help him, but he turned away and stormed off. "That is it!" he snapped. "I'm done! I'm not being a lousy chump for her anymore! If she doesn't want me to be there for her, then fine! I won't be there."

She stared after him. "Oh, my."

It seemed such a shame. Before the incident with Hartmann, Fiona had really thought the two of them made a nice couple. If only there were something she could do. But of course, Melody's mind was her own. Poor Pad.

Fiona's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Looking up, she saw Melody approaching. "Hey, Fiona," she said. "I thought I heard Pad yelling about something."

"Oh, yes. He was very upset that you wouldn't talk to him about what was bothering you."

"Was he?" Melody's tone and countenance was one of cool lack of concern, but there was a faint raised note in her voice that Fiona managed to take note of. "Maybe if he wasn't so pushy and condescending, I would have. I don't know how Pad manages to find so many girlfriends when he's so bad at relating to other people." She gave an exasperated sigh. "Eddie, now, there's a guy you can talk to. I'd sure like to have him for a boyfriend."

"Really?" Fiona said, surprised.

"No, not really," Melody laughed. "You're so gullible, Fiona! No, really, Eddie's very cute, but he's too mild-mannered. I'd want a guy who has a bit of a roguish side. That is, if I had any hope of getting a boyfriend."

"Why, what do you mean?"

Melody gave her a look that suggested that Fiona had just made a very lame attempt to pull one over on her. "I'm not stupid, Fiona. I know I have the kind of personality that drives guys away in droves. The only reason a guy would even talk to me, much less date me, is if he wanted something."

"That's not true! Eddie and Pad -"

"Wanted me to fix their airship for them," she pointed out, "...and now they're my friends. Well, Eddie is, anyway. So, did Pad try prying you for information?"

She shook her head. "He's not like that, Melody. He respects your privacy; he just wanted to help."

"Well, if you talk to him again, you can tell him that I don't need any help. Especially not from an insensitive creep like him."

She made to leave, but Fiona said, "What did you mean about Pad finding so many girlfriends? The whole time I've been with you all, I've never noticed him show an interest in other girls."

"Obviously, he's been too busy with our fight against the Cabal to have time for girls. I just know that he's a skank because he bragged to me about it."

"Oh. I see. ...Well, I'd better head up to the deck so I don't miss the view of the mountains."

Fiona went to the ladder, which was just down the hall, and began climbing. As she went up, she heard Melody say, "Hey, wait a minute... What did you mean by 'other girls'?"

But she pretended not to hear. Let her figure it out on her own.