I Go Out Walking

[nowhere_winry]

Characters: Winry Rockbell and....
Time: Late afternoon/Very early evening
Location: On the way back from the Field Museum ( Re: this thread)
Content: Mysterious Plot Sign-Up!
Format: Prose
Warnings: Ummm...?

Comments

[secondcity_npc]

A dark haired woman was walking along the same stretch of sidewalk, a calm, contented expression on her lips. Her silver-grey eyes flickered over the empty city; it was a pleasant place for a walk, without the crowds. She'd forgotten how nice it could be. A single word, however, broke the relative silence, and she turned towards the young blonde woman who had spoken. Stopping on the sidewalk, Lara turned on one designer pump and gave the young woman a curious look.

"Excuse me?" she asked, her voice lyrical and lilting. "Did you say something?"

[nowhere_winry]

"Oh, I - " Winry hesitated for a split second. "I...said 'apples'. I'm going shopping for apples to make pies."

[secondcity_npc]

When Lara smiled, it was something to behold, all effortless sensuality and something utterly indefinable and magnetic. She smiled now, at the young woman's words. "Ah. I thought you'd been talking to me. My apologies, miss...?"

[nowhere_winry]

Winry blinked once or twice as the woman spoke. She wasn't sure if she heard all the words she'd said. "I...I'm Winry." She took a deep breath.

[secondcity_npc]

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Winry," Lara said, every word seeming to flow off her tongue, savoured like honey. She paused, giving Winry a curious look. "You're not like the others, are you? You were brought here."

[nowhere_winry]

"Yes, I'm...I was brought here." Winry twisted her hand in the general direction of the Bean. "I guess you were, too? Are you one of the new people?" She'd heard a few new voices through the community links over the past week or so. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name?"

[secondcity_npc]

"I came voluntarily, hoping I could help." Lara blinked at the question, looking genuinely surprised. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Lara."

[nowhere_winry]

Winry tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Voluntarily? Really?" The words filtered through and she shook her head, trying to concentrate on them. "Lara, who asked you to come here and help?"

[secondcity_npc]

Raising one slim finger to her lips, Lara gave Winry an apologetic look. "I can't tell you that, I'm sorry." She shook her head. "Everything has its price, and that was mine for coming and bringing something that might help."

[nowhere_winry]

"Price?" Winry shot Lara a look of surprise. "Like equivalent exchange?"

[secondcity_npc]

At the mention of equivalent exchange, Lara looks momentarily shocked, but the expression melts into pleased approval. "Exactly. Equivalent exchange is exactly the right way to put it." She patted the sleek, leather purse hanging from her arm. "I was allowed to bring something that might help those of you here, but in exchange I'm not allowed to give you actual information." She shrugged helplessly. "It's not quite fair, is it?"

[nowhere_winry]

"No, it isn't." Winry chewed on her lower lip. "There's something that could help us? Would it help us get home?" Her heart leaped at the idea.

[secondcity_npc]

The supernaturals of Chicago (and beyond) were never one for fair. They just held to the rules. And Lara was like any other in that. She shook her head, looking regretful. "Nothing quite that powerful, unfortunately," she answered, reaching into her purse and taking out a small velvet pouch. She shook the pouch and a small, silver ring fell into her palm. "It's only a little thing. A little power to keep you safer, help you keep up with things that are faster and stronger than you."

[nowhere_winry]

"Oh." Trying to hide her disappointment, Winry gave the ring in Lara's hand a cursory glance. "How can a ring do something like that?" She raised her gaze to meet Lara's, wondering at the peculiar color of the other woman's eyes. "Is it magic?" It felt so weird, saying that word.

[secondcity_npc]

Hiding a smile at Winry's expression, Lara caught the ring between two fingers, holding it up to the light. "It's only a little magic," she answered. "It takes up a little bit of your energy, your speed, when you're walking along, doing every day things, and stores it for when you need it to let you move a little faster, or hit a little harder." She shook her head, the subtle power that clung to her like a second skin sliding into her voice, alluring and enticing.

"Like you said, it's equivalent exchange. If there was something powerful enough to get you home, the price to pay would be far too high."

[nowhere_winry]

Sucking her lower lip between her teeth, Winry glanced down at the ring again. It seemed like she should take it, but she wasn't sure. "If it's equivalent exchange...what do I have to give you?"