Yes. He was an American police officer in Los Angeles.
[He hums softly and thoughtfully.] I am from China, but I have lived many places, mostly with my grandfather up until very recently. [The smile he gives Fei Du is tight and not much of a smile at all.]
There was an incident with my father, is all. So it was time to move.
He returns to gazing at the wide mouth of the shark and all its sharp teeth, lips thin.]
He was trying to protect the world, but... [His shoulders shift like he draws in a breath, but no air comes back out.] The detective shot him.
I had wondered if I too would follow the same path and share the same fate, and I guess I have if I am here. And after me, the son I have now as well. And back around again, again and again until the end of time, or until the end of the world.
[He hums softly in his throat, still peering at the shark... though his eyes do unfocus a bit, and he looks through it, then down slightly.]
Such are the way of things. Our duty doesn't end until the world stops facing destruction from humans who take and do not give, who have forgotten the magic of the planet.
[He finally turns his head and offers Fei Du a smile.]
This must be funny to hear considering, but life is very important, President Fei. I hope you won't ever forget while we're here.
this is one of the things fei du likes about talking to d - these sorts of phrases, the wide, philosophical nature of them all, the tantalizing hint at something else. it's a reflection of himself, really, one he doesn't often see in other people, and it's...
... there's a thoughtful pause. ]
... Don't worry. I never intend to.
[ when he tilts his head back, his gaze in return is a little intense, though not in an angry way, or anything - just understanding. searching, maybe, before he returns it back to the exhibit. ]
[Curiously, he watches Fei Du's face and expression, interested. The understanding is different. Like for Fei, D also does not have very many people understand most of his plights.
(A lot of them are not aware of his plights at all.)]
It's a difficult lesson to learn belatedly. [Even he can empathize with that.] What was it that made you realize?
[Not that Fei Du absolutely has to tell him. It's intrigued, but not forceful.]
A car accident rendered him braindead a few years ago.
[ so, not quite sick, but. this information is delivered very calmly, though he hasn't looked away from the shark. ]
There one day, gone in a flash. His medical records indicate that he be kept on life support should anything happen, though, there's been no sign of any brain activity since.
[He looks again at the shark with Fei Du, something idle and not overly interested. Thoughtful.]
So this is how you became the illustrious President Fei, I assume? [Shackled by a duty.] I had not seen my father in a very long time before what happened.
He had methods I didn't care much for in how to conduct Grandfather's pet shop.
That's correct. I took over the company immediately after.
[ shackled by a duty, indeed.
there's a soft noise in response, matching in tone - fei du's eyebrow raises. ]
Is that so? [ light, just curious enough. the door's open for him if he wants to explain, though he doesn't have to. ] A lack of care, in the opposite of the way you've treated it since, or...?
[He does not answer for a long time, but it doesn't seem like he won't ever answer. He's mulling it over, his lashes lowered slightly over the purple eye and the yellow eye.]
When he was younger, he became the assistant to a scientist so he could have access to a laboratory for his own personal work. He was interested in genetics.
[Haha. Yeah! Fei Du is right. D hums in affirmation.]
He wanted to save extinct species. [Gazing at the bones of the shark in front of them.] To find a way to keep them alive, or bring them back. He wanted to save the world from destruction, too.
[It feels like what D isn't saying, however, is very much how far the man was willing to go to do it.]
[ haha!!! whew. while this conversation continues, there's a quiet noise - very faint, but the sound of his foot absently tapping against the ground, in a four/four. ]
fei du's expression - shutters, there. the tap stops, for a moment, and he stares up at the shark with a sort of intensity, dark eyes of the abyss. it feels like time itself stops, at least for him, or like staring off into nothingness, into the very past itself. ]
...How rotten. [ is his response, finally, and this time, the undercurrent of bitter is clear.
a pause.
and then, this time, lacking the delicacy and care of his usual responses, fei du asks, blunt: ] Are you glad he's dead?
[The expression on his face pinches very gently in uncertainty. He turns his head away, lips thinning into a frown. What do you do when your father is a piece of work, when you haven't seen most of your life, when he is dangerous, but when he is still your father?
His eyes lower, face conflicted.]
I suppose it's better this way. He can try again in the next life to... perhaps do it all differently.
That's one way to look at it. [ but, the unvoiced question hangs in the air instead of verbal - would he?
family can be such an ugly thing, in the most familiar sort of ways. like chewing on a piece of his own rotten heart, he stays still and silent, before he finally responds. ]
...I hope you've managed to spite those last words, D. [ don't embrace hope, again. sometimes all you can do is flip it the proverbial middle finger and do exactly the opposite. ] Truly.
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[He hums softly and thoughtfully.] I am from China, but I have lived many places, mostly with my grandfather up until very recently. [The smile he gives Fei Du is tight and not much of a smile at all.]
There was an incident with my father, is all. So it was time to move.
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Ah.
[ maybe it's by understanding, or maybe it's just good reading of people's facial expressions, but fei du doesn't extrapolate or ask questions. ]
I understand the feeling. [ a little smile. ] No shame in that.
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He returns to gazing at the wide mouth of the shark and all its sharp teeth, lips thin.]
He was trying to protect the world, but... [His shoulders shift like he draws in a breath, but no air comes back out.] The detective shot him.
I had wondered if I too would follow the same path and share the same fate, and I guess I have if I am here. And after me, the son I have now as well. And back around again, again and again until the end of time, or until the end of the world.
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fei du's quiet for a moment as he finishes, expression neutral - he's just observing d as he speaks. ]
A vicious cycle.
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Such are the way of things. Our duty doesn't end until the world stops facing destruction from humans who take and do not give, who have forgotten the magic of the planet.
[He finally turns his head and offers Fei Du a smile.]
This must be funny to hear considering, but life is very important, President Fei. I hope you won't ever forget while we're here.
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this is one of the things fei du likes about talking to d - these sorts of phrases, the wide, philosophical nature of them all, the tantalizing hint at something else. it's a reflection of himself, really, one he doesn't often see in other people, and it's...
... there's a thoughtful pause. ]
... Don't worry. I never intend to.
[ when he tilts his head back, his gaze in return is a little intense, though not in an angry way, or anything - just understanding. searching, maybe, before he returns it back to the exhibit. ]
That's a lesson I learned a long time ago.
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(A lot of them are not aware of his plights at all.)]
It's a difficult lesson to learn belatedly. [Even he can empathize with that.] What was it that made you realize?
[Not that Fei Du absolutely has to tell him. It's intrigued, but not forceful.]
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...It was taught to me from a very young age. I'm not sure I would call it belated.
[ a pause. ]
My father's on life support, you see.
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So Fei Du has been through some shit. Same, though. (thinks about d's past)]
I see. He's ill?
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[ so, not quite sick, but. this information is delivered very calmly, though he hasn't looked away from the shark. ]
There one day, gone in a flash. His medical records indicate that he be kept on life support should anything happen, though, there's been no sign of any brain activity since.
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[He looks again at the shark with Fei Du, something idle and not overly interested. Thoughtful.]
So this is how you became the illustrious President Fei, I assume? [Shackled by a duty.] I had not seen my father in a very long time before what happened.
He had methods I didn't care much for in how to conduct Grandfather's pet shop.
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[ shackled by a duty, indeed.
there's a soft noise in response, matching in tone - fei du's eyebrow raises. ]
Is that so? [ light, just curious enough. the door's open for him if he wants to explain, though he doesn't have to. ] A lack of care, in the opposite of the way you've treated it since, or...?
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When he was younger, he became the assistant to a scientist so he could have access to a laboratory for his own personal work. He was interested in genetics.
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well. fei du can read between the lines! boy howdy. he keeps idly focused, glancing up at the shark, but: ]
...I see. [ man. dads, right.
there's another pause, and then, dryly, sardonic - almost a little bitter, if you squint. ] Some people shouldn't be allowed to have hobbies.
[ this is the darkest joke in the way that it is not really a joke. jesus christ ]
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He wanted to save extinct species. [Gazing at the bones of the shark in front of them.] To find a way to keep them alive, or bring them back. He wanted to save the world from destruction, too.
[It feels like what D isn't saying, however, is very much how far the man was willing to go to do it.]
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Did any of his dreams come to fruition?
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I suppose one did. Me. [Lil D.] Do you know what his last words were to me?
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the tapping stays. it's quiet, but very steady. ]
What were they?
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After a long moment of not speaking, he finally says:]
"Stray no further, do not embrace hope again."
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fei du's expression - shutters, there. the tap stops, for a moment, and he stares up at the shark with a sort of intensity, dark eyes of the abyss. it feels like time itself stops, at least for him, or like staring off into nothingness, into the very past itself. ]
...How rotten. [ is his response, finally, and this time, the undercurrent of bitter is clear.
a pause.
and then, this time, lacking the delicacy and care of his usual responses, fei du asks, blunt: ] Are you glad he's dead?
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His eyes lower, face conflicted.]
I suppose it's better this way. He can try again in the next life to... perhaps do it all differently.
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family can be such an ugly thing, in the most familiar sort of ways. like chewing on a piece of his own rotten heart, he stays still and silent, before he finally responds. ]
...I hope you've managed to spite those last words, D. [ don't embrace hope, again. sometimes all you can do is flip it the proverbial middle finger and do exactly the opposite. ] Truly.