installing | ♨ 1 Apple Pie + Seventeen Apples and Cinnamon

♨ 1 Apple Pie + Seventeen Apples and Cinnamon | Voice+Action ♨

[Voice]
Hello? I'd like to personally speak with all the friends and "guardians" of Elicia Hughes. It's very important, and I would rather speak in person. Meet me on the bridge passed houses thirty one and thirty three.

Everyone else? What are your favorite dinner recipes? I need to spice up my cooking, and sometimes cookbooks just won't do it.

[Action]
[And those who will come to meet her shall see her standing in the middle of the bridge looking over the side. She's not alone, though. Not too far off will be one alchemist around to make sure everything is okay.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Nami turns up. 'Very important' and 'in person' sets all kinds of alarm bells ringing, so when she arrives she's already frowning.]

[Winry isn't in the best mood either. She's intensely staring at the reflecting of the sky in the water, and when Nami shows up she turns her head to look at her.]

Hello.

Hi. What's happened?

[Straight to the point.]

Someone got Elicia caught in the middle of a fight. I want to make sure that doesn't happen again.

[There's a slow blink. Elicia is obviously okay...

...but seriously?]

Which fight was this?

A man shot the person Elicia was talking to. The important thing is that I make sure this never happens again.

[Well okay, not that Nami finds that vaguely offensive, if she takes Winry's drift right-- she's babysat Elicia before just fine without any such incidents. There's also the matter of being realistic. She can understand the other girl being upset, though, so she speaks cautiously.]

And... you think that telling us this is going to somehow ensure that. In Luceti.

I'm saying that if it ever happens again the involved parties won't be able to see her again. I might not be able to ensure the last part one hundred percent, but I can try.

[...

...nope. That does piss her off.]

I see. So if droids burst into my home while I happen to be babysitting Elicia, or the Malnosso make one of my close friends suddenly crazy, I can't see her again? I sure hope you're ready to have one upset little girl on your hands as you pick off her friends one by one. Nobody is exempt from violence in this place. Including you.

You have it wrong. The man who was visiting Elicia knew he was being stalked by a hostile force and still decided to visit Elicia. He knew he was trailing danger around with him, and thought that it was okay to be around her anyway. I understand there are unavoidable circumstances, but I cannot have people putting Elicia in danger on stupid whims like that. I'd rather have an unhappy little girl than a seriously injured or dead girl.

[With context, Nami's hackles settle. And now she wonders who exactly was idiotic enough to do just that.]

...that, I understand. Sorry.

I'd never drag her into that situation. Not while I have even the slightest say in the matter.

Thank you. I figured you wouldn't, but I'm asking this of everyone. It's not personal.

Is Elicia all right?

I think she's still a bit shaken, but she's getting better.

Good.

I'll pass it on to the rest of my crew, though...chances are you'll see half of them turn up here today.

Thanks, that means a lot to me Nami.

[And, perhaps in the long run, it will mean a lot to Elicia.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only