Re: Apartment: Mingmei & Donna
Donna was lit up with excitement as well. Maybe the journal land wouldn't be so bad if there were more people like Mingmei around. "I want to learn everything. I want to know as much Mandarin and Cantonese as you're willing to teach me. I would love that." Of course, that started to change when she learned about nine different tones. Nine. Woah. But Donna was up for the challenge. "That is so interesting. I know that Japanese kanji has different pronunciations because they 'borrowed' the written words from China." Oh yes, there were air quotes. "Do you think it's easier to learn Cantonese first, in order to get all the different tones?"
"I understand different cultures. I still shouldn't pry." When she was in Tokyo, one of her co-workers had to explain the Black Buses to her and how Americans weren't welcome, which was followed by political leanings of the surrounding countries. Donna never had the chance to talk to someone from there, and it didn't even occur to her how deep certain ideologies could run. "I ask questions before I get a chance to think about them. I'd like to know more of how it was there, but we don't have to talk about that now."
Donna tried to help stuff one of the dumplings, and gave a small laugh, "Two is lucky? How about three? My oldest brother is back home, still. Well, if he's here, he hasn't said anything." She listened intently about Mingmei's brother, and nodded as she spoke to acknowledge as much since her attention seemed to be more with struggling to stuff the dough. "Sometimes we do what's best for others before ourselves, and that's the most honorable thing there is. Especially family. Sometimes family is all we have." But then there was that word. Oh. Oh my. "Metropolis? Like the Metropolis?" Was this ever going to get any easier?
Her brow furrowed once more. Donna didn't like things she would never understand. "We just don't have the knowledge to understand it yet. One day it may not seem so strange. Unfortunately, it's going to remain so until we find that one key discovery." She had no idea what that could be, but she did know that according to history things that once were considered magic hundreds of years ago were commonplace today. That frustrated look softened to something much more contemplative, and Donna nodded at the question, "Yes, I talked to him. I mean, I talked to him that night, obviously, but afterwards. On the journals. It made me realize the whole night was real." A small smile flashed across her face and she idly played with a silver atom pendant around her neck, "He was very patient with me. I understand it could have turned out far worse than it did."
"Before here?" Mingmei obviously didn't mean back home. There was more weirdness besides this? "Honored?" Sharing mind space with someone? Not like these dreams? It sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie. "Less weird? This is less weird?" Yeah, she was gobsmacked and babbling the questions softly, the last one much more solidified. "What was it like?"