For trans_9

[false_hime]

It had been a long day, and since his return to the ship, Ed had been busy as ever. Bidding his latest customer farewell, he closed up shop and with a sigh, leaned against the table. Rubbing his eyes, he turned his thoughts inward.

Hey, Shiori... you want to take over for a while?

It would be appreciated. Do you think anyone will find us here?

Comments

[drowpaladin]

This could not be right. Could it?

May had met Ed Elric a few times, and that...was definitely not the one she knew. She hadn't known that...what?

Ed had a girl living in him?

All caution thrown to the wind, she stepped over to the door and knocked.

[false_hime]

The sound of the knock startled Shiori out of her peaceful reverie as she threw up her hands in shock. She fumbled for her card which slipped out of her hands -- and slid under the front door.

"..." said Shiori, realizing that she was going to expose herself. Thinking quickly, she removed the jacket, throwing it into the cauldron and making her outfit a touch more feminine as she quickly threw the door open breathlessly and reached for her pactio card. "S-sorry I was tidying up! Hello!"

[drowpaladin]

"Hello," Maydril said, though she was not smiling. "Who are you? What have you done to Ed?"

She hadn't invoked a shield yet, but the half-elf had made certain that her mental shields were very, very tight.

[false_hime]

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF! went Shiori mentally. She had seen her turn back, she had seen her! Oh crap oh crap oh crap!

"Um... that is to say..." stammered Shiori, realizing that she had been caught red handed so to speak. "Um... well he's..."

Turning a crimson shade in embarrassment, she bowed deeply as it came out in a rush. "I'm sorry May, I didn't mean to deceive you for months! Ed got repodded and he asked me to look after everyone in his steed!"

[drowpaladin]

Catching flies--something Maydril found herself becoming intimately familiar with.

"He..asked you? But who are you? Why did he not just...I do not know, tell someone? Leave a note?" Not that Maydril read anything truly well but Servryn tradetongue and Drow, but...

[false_hime]

Shiori shook his head. "Sorry but it didn't work that way before. Back then, no one knew GlaDOS took anyone, or anyone was repodded. Since I could BECOME Ed-kun, no one would forget him. Of course that became moot later..."

Shiori sighed and allowed May to enter the shop. "I... after a while, just being Ed was natural for me. It's all I'm really good at."

With that whipped puppy expression, she really did look kind of cute like that. "I'm... Shiori by the way. Nice to meet you. Again."

[drowpaladin]

"Maydril val Mandrian, but apparently, you knew this?" She gave a half-hearted sort of smile.

She was beginning to seriously hate GlaDOS, despite the fact that she had been told the machine was a necessary nuisance. Her lips pursed.

"Why do you feel the need to be good at being Ed? Is there something wrong with being yourself?"

[false_hime]

"I... well I suppose it's what I do best, being other people." She held up her card which displayed her image. "I can become anyone. I mean anyone. I guess... being someone else is how I feel real."

[drowpaladin]

"Impressive skill, I think," Maydril said, considering she had the possibility of learning shapeshifting. Someday, maybe. But it did not lend itself to mimicking other people...not well, in any case.

"Still, does that not mean you shortchange yourself, by being a chameleon?"

[false_hime]

"Maybe. But seeing the smiles, makes it worthwhile." Shiori sighed as she shook her head. "it doesn't make any sense, does it?"

[drowpaladin]

"I would not say that," Maydril mused. "I feel...making people happy is important. But I would think that there are ways to do that by being yourself, rather than by using a deception. For good or ill, there is always a part of deception that brings pain, whether you will it or no."

[false_hime]

"I know. But I bring it upon myself willingly." Shiori sighed as she rubbed her arm, feeling the warm skin rather than cool metal. "I just... now with Ed-kun's friends and family gone, for the most part I have been considering being just myself."

[drowpaladin]

"Perhaps you should," Maydril said. "You might be given a chance with the others, I cannot speak for any but myself, but I will certainly give you a chance. I would like to get to know you. I assume you know me a bit already."

[false_hime]

"Heh, just a little. You know, from our little talks once in a while." Admitted Shiori with a nod.

"But I'd like to get to know you better, before anything else happens."