Girl Talk and Shadow Puppets

[Csilla Angelis]

Well, it was official. Csilla was alive. She had reported to Spade the following day, after spending the night dancing around the fire with Shula and her two new acquaintances, Grimm and Aishe. While she believed that Spade was happy to see her alive, she was sure that he was much happier with the "gift" she brought him. What better way to stop Spade from asking questions by offering him a handle of Jack Daniels? While Spade had been staring at the bottle, Csilla had informed him she would be staying on in the town nearby in their motel, rather than in the makeshift camp. She wasn't quite ready to deal with being around many people yet. She explained that she would be reachable by her cellphone and she would report every morning to the camp for orders on what to do for the day. But the nights were hers and hers alone. Putting on a good face in public was still a trial and by distancing her self from most of Central, she didn't risk slipping up and someone noticing her sadness.

Csilla had spent a long day rushing around, doing what needed to be done. As she finally trekked into her motel room for the evening, she was ready to relax. She had picked up a ready-made extra cheesy pizza at the local grocery store, as well as a large bottle of Cherry Coke. She set the pizza and and soda next to the small TV and threw herself onto the full-size mattress. It wasn't like her bed in Central City, but it still felt pretty good. She removed her uniform and went into the bathroom in her underwear. She took a quick shower and throwing her wet hair into a messy ponytail, put on some clothes. She kept it comfortable, a pair of loose gray sweatpants and a dark blue tank top. She flipped the TV on as she grabbed a slice of pizza and began to stuff her face. She grew sick with the reruns on TV and put on a random channel, leaving it quietly on in the background. She cracked open the Coke and took a swig, smacking her lips. She then glanced around her room, smiling faintly. Her palms still itched. She went to each light in the room, flipping the switch on before returning to sit cross-legged on her bed. She held her palms up and her smiled widened as each light in her vicinity darkened, the light causing her tattoos to glow. She let the light become three separate balls around her and began to “throw” them in the air, watching the light play against the bare walls and the TV. Ah, yes. It definitely felt good to be using her alchemy again.

[Shula Brighton]

It had been one of those days. All yesterday she'd been fasting and making her giant spiral and all night she'd danced until she had been the last one conscious, and even then she'd stayed up meditating until dawn. Shula was exhausted. It was a good kind of exhausted, though, unlike the constant and incurable exhaustion she'd grown accustomed to living with all her life. It was the kind that told her she was tired, for a change, from staying up all night and copious amounts of physical exertion. It was a wondrous concept, and had she not been out all day walking to the ends of the universe and back multiple times, she would have been rather appreciative of getting to experience the difference.

The sun was already setting as Shula made the last of her errands in Rosenhelm. Since she was on better terms with some of t eh people in charge of the town, she had been sent back and forth between the little military campsite and it, fetching and toting ordering supplies to be brough in from other places and trying to still do her job and.... She was freaking wiped out. The last of her work would wait until tomorrow. She didn't feel like walking all the way back to camp alone in the dark, knowing she would never make it back before the last of the golden shadows left the ground.

She pulled out her phone and sent a quick message out to let everyone know she was staying in town that night and would be back by morning, and then paused. Csilla had gone back to the camp this morning and told them she'd be staying in town too, didn't she. Couldn't hurt, Shula mused, opening up a new text message.

Hey Csilla~ Staying here in Rosenhelm tonight at a motel somewhere. About to grab dinner if you want some company!
-Shu

[Csilla Angelis]

RRRRrrrrrRrrrRrrRr ”We are the Muses, goddesses of the arts and proclaimers of heroes.” “Heroes like Hercules.” “Honey, you mean 'Hunk-ules!' Oooh, I'd like to make some sweet music with him!”

Csilla jumped, startled at the sound of her phone going off. She chuckled at her favorite childhood movie and reached for it. Hunk-ules meant... text message! Shifting her light balls to float around her head, she grabbed her phone with one hand. She flipped her phone open and saw a text from Shula.

Hey Csilla~ Staying here in Rosenhelm tonight at a motel somewhere. About to grab dinner if you want some company! -Shu

Csilla smiled at the text message. Yes, she had told Spade she didn't want to deal with people. But Shula wasn't really people. She was a good friend. Maybe she did need to see people a bit more. She definitely wasn't ready to talk about things such yet. But talking about other things... well that wouldn't be half bad. She kept her light balls floating as she texted back with her other hand.

Hey Shula~ I've got an extra-cheesy pizza and some Cherry Coke that you're more than welcome to share. I'm at the local motel, room 126. Just come on by!

She tossed her phone back onto the bed, leaning back against the headboard. She then tossed the light balls back towards her other hand. She loved the warmth from the light, letting it seep down into her bones. Her alchemy made her feel closer to her mom and she loved it. She dropped the number of light balls from three to one and began to toss it back and forth in the air. Light was beautiful.

[Shula Brighton]

Pizza and the holy elixir of life it self... COKE! Ishvalla was trula a kind and generous and loving God... CSILLA HAD CAFFIENE! I'm so there! Let me go grab something sweet for us, and I'll be right over!

Shula practically bounced as she shut her phone and jammed it back into her pocket, walking to the nearest convenience store. They were truly a magical place and so... convenient. The bright overhead lights made an annoying buzzing noise as Shula cruised through the little aisles until she settled upon her prey.... A medium chocolate ring cake that had a gooey fudge center through the whole ring and white drizzled icing. OH. HELL. YES.

Paying for the cake as fast as she could, Shula hurried back out and down to the motel. The good news was that it wasn't hard to miss it; it was the ONLY motel in the village, and it seemed to be doing pretty well in profit from all the displaced people taking rooms. She bounced up the stairs and counted doors until she found 126, the bells on her pants' drawstring tinkling as she went, glad she'd changed out of her uniform on one of her last runs to camp. Tromping back and forth in that thing had been FAR too hot. There was a warm giggle as she looked at the cake, her knuckles tapping happily on the door. "Csi-lla~ I'm the magical cake fairy, here to grant your wishes... OF CAKE!"

[Csilla Angelis]

I'm so there! Let me go grab something sweet for us, and I'll be right over!

Csilla grinned down at the text message. Sweet! That was something she forgot to grab for her evening feast. Thank goodness Shula had texted her. Maybe this would turn out to be a pretty good night after all. And Csilla definitely needed one of those. She sat cross-legged on the bed, continuing to toss the light back and forth until she heard a knock on the door.


“Csi-lla~ I'm the magical cake fairy, here to grant your wishes... OF CAKE!” She quickly dispersed the light to the four corners of the room, where the orbs glimmered gently. Bouncing up from the bed she grabbed at the bottle of Cherry Coke and taking another quick gulp, flung open the door. “Welcome, welcome! Come on in, cake fairy!” With a laugh, Csilla stepped aside to let Shula in, switching the cake and Coke bottle in their hands as she did so. Sliding the cake down next to the pizza box, she flicked the obnoxious TV off. She then picked up the pizza box and opened it, facing Shula. “We have many fine dining options this evening. We have pizza... pizza... and pizza.” Csilla couldn't help but grin at Shula. She had some company tonight, which as the broken pieces of her heart leapt for joy, she realized she really needed. Plus Shula had brought the ultimate cure-all... chocolate.

[Shula Brighton]

The door was opened and Shula was met with one of her favourite people, the cake in her hands swapping for one of her favourite things as Csilla held up the large and very cheesy pizza. She let out a warm laugh, playfully hugging the bottle just for emphasis; she wasn't a caffiene junkie, but dammit her battery acid addiction was usually what had kept her awake when she was half-asleep through work. "Sweet, glorious, wonderful Coke and pizza... CSilla, you need to be moved up in rank from amazing to demi-goddess!"

Shula laugheed softly, taking a quick sip of the sweet Cherry Coke and let out a very happy noise. There was far too much blood in her caffiene system. She put the bottle down, looking up around the room at the humming balls of light. There was something to be loved and admired about practical and useful alchemies. In a pinch, Shula's fire was useful for camping and heating up the water if the bath had gone cold. Csilla? Power outages had nothing on this girl, and who the hell needed a nightlight or flashlight when you could make light. She took a slice of the pizza with one hand before the box was put down again, and wrapped her free hand around Csilla in an affectionate hug. "Your light is so pretty... Thanks for letting me over to keep you company!"

[Csilla Angelis]

“Sweet, glorious, wonderful Coke and pizza... Csilla, you need to be moved up in rank from amazing to demi-goddess!”
Csilla laughed, shaking her head. “No, no. No need for that. Amazing is good enough for me.” After Shula had taken a piece of pizza, she set the box down back on the table, grabbing another piece herself. She returned Shula's one-handed hug with one of her own.

“Your light is so pretty... Thanks for letting me over to keep you company!” Csilla laughed, glancing at the light sprinkled around the room. “Well thank you for texting me! And thanks.. although I should probably put it back for a little while.” She stepped away from Shula, lifting her free hand palm up to the ceiling. The light gathered into the tattoo on her palm before returning back to their respectful places in the lights around the room. She then turned most of them back off, leaving the two on each side of the bed on. She then grabbed the cake, swallowing her last bite of pizza. She plopped onto the bed, the cake in her lap. Grinning at Shula, she cracked up the plastic lid. “I'm afraid I don't have plates or anything. Fingers are going to have to do.” She offered the cake first to Shula, since it was obviously her purchase. Grabbing for the TV remote she flipped it on again. And there did seem to be something interesting on at last. “Oh, Ever After! Pizza, Coke, cake and Ever After? Sounds like an awfully girly sleepover to me.” She propped a pillow up against the headboard and leaned against it, leaving space on the bed for Shula. She then turned her attention to the TV again. It was about... halfway through the film, if she was remembering. Danielle and Henry were spending some time with a gypsy troupe. Although it was not a time Henry seemed to be enjoying, since Danielle was trying to lift him over her shoulder. Csilla laughed. Definitely a good part to come in on.

[Shula Brighton]

There was something oddly amazing about pizza. It was absolutely terrible for you, but it was one of the ultimate comfort foods, and unless it was the kind with a tougher crust or lots of things that really needed, chewing pizza was optional and could just be swallowed in large mouthfuls. And dammit walking that much made a girl hungry! Shula was hardly certain she'd even tasted the pizza as she swallowed the last of it happily, the warm cheesy taste lingering on her tongue as she sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. Watching the light come back to where Csilla tell it to was always such an intriguing thing. Like she commanded the light without being forceful with it. It was gentle. Beautiful. Csilla kind of reminded Shula of Princess Ilonwe and her magical light orb the way they floated around at her will.

There was a light cracking noise as the plastic lid was split and served as both a cutting and serving tool. "I'm afraid I don't have plates or anything. Fingers are going to have to do.” Oh. Oh that cake looked even better than the label made it out to be, the gooey center of the cake reflecting the light dimly in the dark chocolate ooze. salvation, thy name was chocolate. "Psh, who needs forks and plates? There's plenty of traditional Ishvallan foods that you eat with your hands to be polite. Cake deserves the same honour!" Shula let out a warm giggle, glad to start feeling like herself agan as she pulled off a chunk of the cake and savored it.

The TV came to life with that faint whine that they usually make and the movie that was on lit up the glass screen. There was a beautiful young woman in her underclothes in the woods hoisting up a very good-looking man onto her shoulders. Ahhh, that was how marriages SHOULD be settled! Woman's pick! None of her mother and grandparents finding her a suitable match nonsense. "Oh, Ever After! Pizza, Coke, cake and Ever After? Sounds like an awfully girly sleepover to me.”

"Be a first for me," Shula replied after swallowing the decadent mouthful of cake. "When I worked in South I never really had any close girl-friends. My best friend was a boy, sp that was out of the question." She let out another soft laugh, thinking of all the times Gustav had offered to stay the night with her just to make her feel better about things when problems were overwhelming; even now she'd stay out all night with Acra and Spade, and there had been more than one time she'd fallen asleep with her head on Acra's thigh, but never let him sleep over. Her attention focused back on the film and how drunk Danielle and Henry were becoming by the campfire, a distant, thoughtful and happy smile moving across her mouth. "Hnn... This movie is so damn romantic.

[Csilla Angelis]

“Be a first for me. When I worked in South I never really had any close girl-friends. My best friend was a boy, so that was out of the question.”

Csilla smiled, picking up her own chunk of the delicious looking cake. “Well, now you have me! I used to have sleepovers when I was a little girl. I miss them.” Settling back, she took tiny bites of the cake in her hand, savoring each morsel as if it would be her last. She could only murmur in reply to Shula's statement, already absorbed in the movie. Shula and her sat in a companionable silence, watching as the “real” tale of Cinderella unfolded before them. They gasped and laughed as Danielle and Henry fell more and more in love and her stepsister and mother plotted against her. Csilla seemed perfectly content until the time came for the ball. She had sat up a little straight, watching as a beautifully transformed Danielle stood at the entrance of the ball, every intention to expose her true identity to Henry. She took a shuddering breath as Baroness de Ghent blatantly attacked her in front of everyone. Her hands clasped together in her lap as Danielle looked pleadingly at Henry.

“First, you're engaged... and now you're a servant? I have heard enough.”
“Henry, please!”
“Do not address me so informal, madam. I am a Prince of France. And you... are just like them.”

Csilla released another shaky breath as a tear rolled down her cheek. Oh, that hurt. She could feel her heart breaking again as Danielle's heart broken on the small TV screen. It was like she could hear him in her head again. “Who do you think you are? You're just a prisoner here-- an enemy. … Get. Out. Now. Leave or I will kill you.” Taking several deep breaths she tried to regain her composure as the movie played on. She hoped that Shula would just think her emotions were due to the sad part in the movie... not because of the sadness in her own heart. Why did it still have to hurt?

[Shula Brighton]

Danielle's wings were ripped from her dress, she was in tears, the crowd was shocked, and the handsom prince was being a spoiled dick. GOD where was someone to smack an idiot when the time called for it? Shula sniffled as her own red eyes glazed and misted. Sure, she'd seen this movie a thousand times, but dammit, that was just cruel. A shuddering breath caught her attention, for once not her own from not being able to breathe. She glanced up at Csilla, her own large brown eyes shining with liquid and leaking slightly. Yeah. That's what happens in sappy movies like this.

Shula leaned to the side of the bed to tug at the tissue at the top of the room's tissue box and held it up, offering it to her friend as she herself sniffled. "Stupid boy," Shula said quietly. Not that she had any real experience with them romantically, but having them as friends and siblings, she knew that boys were kinda dumb as a genetic whole.

Returning her gaze to the movie, Shula leaned over and rested her head slightly on Csilla's shoulder, almost holding her breath as Danielle was sold. Tried not to laugh at the Spanish princess sobbing through her own wedding and as Prince Henry concluded the obvious (and should have gotten an award in derpdom). "If only arranged marriages could be that simple. And grinned broadly as Danielle took the dagger and threatened to guy the man if he didn't let her go. The happily ever after came, making the little Ishvallan sigh in distant thought, a faint smile on her lips. "Do you think real love is anything like that?"

[Csilla Angelis]

Csilla gratefully took the tissue from Shula, dabbing at her eyes and nodding to her comment. Stupid boys indeed. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Csilla rested her head on top of Shula's as the rest of Ever After played out. It was hard not to chuckle as the merger of two countries ended abruptly. Csilla could only really nod at Shula's comment about arranged marriages, totally absorbed in Danielle's liberation. She teared up a bit more as Henry proposed and laughed as the Baroness finally received her comeuppance. As the credits began to roll, Csilla raised her head, dabbing at her eyes a bit more. She really was a sap for a good romantic movie.

“Do you think real love is anything like that?”
Csilla turned a little to face Shula, taking another piece of cake as she did so. She glanced at the TV as the Disney castle rose into view and a familiar tune filled the room. Ah, Hercules. How fitting. She ate her cake, turning the TV down a little. “I don't know if it's quite so dramatic. I know that love can hurt. It can tear you up inside. Make you feel like your world is ending and there's nothing you can do to stop it.” Yes, she knew the hurt. She still wasn't sure what the feelings in her heart were for Elastor, but... they were the closest to love she had ever felt. Even with her boyfriend in high school... she had been so hurt when she found out he was cheating on her. But thinking back, she had been angrier that he insulted her family than the fact that he had been cheating. But what she had felt in her days with Elastor. It still boggled her mind.

Csilla smiled weakly down at Shula. “I can't say I've ever experienced love. But I've seen it. With my parents... my grandparents. The looks they always gave each other. Like they were the only two people in the world. There's no real way to describe love. It's magical... transcendental. It can heal any hurt and right any wrong. It's like... nothing matters when that person looks at you and smiles. No...” Csilla said with a shake of her head, “I've never felt it. But one day. It's going to happen to me. And it's going to happen to you too, Shula. We're both going to find someone who completes us and makes us feel whole. We'll be ridiculously happy.” Csilla laughed, wrapping Shula in a hug. “One day.” Yes, one day. Csilla would move on from her idyllic week in Creta. She would try to pretend like it never happened. Love was waiting out there for her somewhere.

[Shula Brighton]

Love really was strange, wasn't it? The movies made it look so easy, even when their plots stretched out to over a few weeks to make it seem a bit more realistic that people weren't just falling forever in love in the span of a day or two, or like in the cartoons how they'd meet once and that was all they needed. Surely there was more to it than that or Spade would have had a harem by now. Shula tilted her head as she listened, taking another slice of the thick chocolate cake and thought about it. It made sense that it would hurt; if you are devoted to another person like that, not having them would be losing a part of you. Shula knew what heartbreak was, but hers had only ever been to loss and try as you might it's pointless to hold a grudge against Death.

"I can't say I've ever experienced love. But I've seen it. With my parents... my grandparents. The looks they always gave each other. Like they were the only two people in the world." That... sounded beautiful. Shula looked down at her lap in thought. She'd never seen love, not like that. She assumed it had been there when her grandmother was still alive to keep her husband in check, but the woman had died long before her grandchildren were born. And Amira never talked about love to she and Aaron, not really; she said that you should be devoted and loyal to your spouse and be happy, and that when the time came she would help them both find a respectable person to spend their lives with. Of course, Shula had been scratched off as not being marriage material due to her health, but now that she was cured she could only wonder how long it would be until her mother wwas calling up kin out in the settlements to arrange things long overdue.

Shula blushed lightly, listening and thinking. "It's magical... transcendental. It can heal any hurt and right any wrong. It's like... nothing matters when that person looks at you and smiles.." That... sounded like something that was hitting very close to home. Of course it wasn't love, though; why would it be? But when he smiled at her... the world would stop existing, and her heart would leap into her throat. The way he'd do things just to make her smile, or pick on her just a little to make her puff up her cheeks and pout at him. How he'd cave whenever she shot him with big red puppy eyes... She let out a light sigh, smling softly as she hugged Csilla back.

"I'm forbidden from dating or even kissing; as it is I take too many liberties," she said quietly, looking down at her lap a moment. It was a long pause before Shula's smile warmed back up fully. "But...there is someone. If I could have just one kiss from them, I think I could take that and hold that as my happiness in whatever arrangement is made for me."

[Csilla Angelis]

“I'm forbidden from dating or even kissing; as it is I take too many liberties. But... there is someone. If I could have just one kiss from them, I think I could take that and hold that as my happiness in whatever arrangement is made for me.”

Csilla smiled faintly. “Shula, I think you should hope for more than that. A kiss is wonderful but love... that's always the goal. Why shouldn't you hope to be with this guy?” Csilla was itching to find out who Shula was talking about, but didn't want to pry. If Shula wanted to open up, it was her decision. So instead she would focus on this concept of arranged marriages. She knew that in the Ishvallan culture they were common. And while she understood and respected other cultures, she couldn't help but wish that Shula should be an exception to that rule. She got up from the bed for a moment, going over to grab the coke bottle. She went again and turned the TV off, turning all of the lights on. Coming back, she sat cross-legged on the bed, taking a long drink from the bottle. “You deserve that kind of happiness, Shula.” Csilla gathered the light from the lamps back into her palms, letting it rest in her tattoos for a moment before she released the light. She gathered it into thousands of tiny specks of light, throwing them up onto the ceiling, making it look star-studded.

[Shula Brighton]

Csilla had a fair point; would a single kiss really be enough to keep her happy through a lifetime with a person she didn't really want to be with? Her own mother had married an Amestrian, and it had ended terribly, neither willing to compromise, yield or learn for the sake of the other beyond a certain extent. It was a small miracle that Amira still got on well enough with her father in law to take up the offfer to take her children and live with him in Meissan all those years. But after how badly it had ended between Amira and Phillip, Amira had made it clear that her children should only consider marrying other Ishvallans since the values would still be there.

"Why shouldn't you hope to be with this guy? You deserve that kind of happiness, Shula." Shula smiled a little more, watching as Csilla got up and began to turn the TV off and the lights on. Why shouldn't she go after him and be happy? You outrank him and there's plenty of rules against that, even though you're both officers. And... "Well... he's my best friend," Shula replied shyly as Csilla began to pull the light in the room to her hand. "So I don't think he'd see me like that."

The light danced in Csilla's hand for a moment before rising up and splintering into hundreds of little stars across the ceiling, a soft and adoring "[i[Oooh"[/i] passing Shula's lips in admiration and fascination. It reminded her of how Aaron once caught a jar full of fireflies and snuck them into Shula's darkened room so she could see them. "I had to fight so hard just to learn alchemy and then to join the military after my brother did... She hasn't made any arrangements for me yet, but even if I did get to have my choice in it, she'd never let me have Acr-er, him. He's Amestrian, and his whole family comes from a completely different social status." Shula leaned her head back, looking up at the beautiful "stars" and smiled lightly. "Maybe if she didn't know..."

[Csilla Angelis]

“Well... he's my best friend. So I don't think he'd see me like that.”

Csilla shrugged her shoulders with a chuckle. “That is true. But I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere, he has feelings for you too. Guys just have a much harder time of seeing them.” Guys had a tendency to always make things complicated. Beyond complicated, actually. Csilla watched the “stars” flicker across the ceiling as Shula continued to speak.

“I had to fight so hard just to learn alchemy and then to join the military after my brother did... She hasn't made any arrangements for me yet, but even if I did get to have my choice in it, she'd never let me have Acr-er, him. He's Amestrian, and his whole family comes from a completely different social status. Maybe if she didn't know...”

“I feel like hiding a romance and marriage from your mother is not really the best idea. You may end up losing her forever. Are you willing to risk that?” Csilla gathered the light from the ceiling into a ball in her palm again. She rolled it around her hand before letting it settle into a oblong shaped light, the large oval of light blared against the empty wall of the motel room. Sitting up, Csilla situated herself so that she was sitting on one side of the ball of light, indicating that Shula should sit on the opposite side. “We'll just have to figure out a way for you to marry the man of your dreams with your mother's approval.” With a smile, Csilla put up her hands, the pointer finger on each hand pointed in the air. Putting the fingers in front of the light, she watched as their shadows appeared against the wall. She then mimed out the two fingers dancing around each other, while her pinky finger on one hand waggled disapprovingly. “See, if your mom understands, then you get to live happily ever after.” The pinky finger stopped wiggling and she twisted her two pointer fingers together with a laugh.

[Shula Brighton]

Shula watched with a distand, child-like fascination as Csilla's light bounced around gently at the will of her hands as though it were alice and playing with her, stretching and forming and shaping just because it could. Csilla had a fair point, there; Acra was brilliant and so damn smart, but sometimes the boy was more dense than bread dough. Hell, when he met her he refused to believe she wasn't fourteen, and then when he'd met her at work and she'd caught him in his lie to her he still didn't believe she was an adult and that she was just a child dressed in uniform and had snuck into the office for the fun of it. It had taken ages for her to see the man for how smart he really was except when it came to women; always the same kinds of women. Tall, leggy, huge tracks of land... and always the same vacant expression that only seemed to understand words that correlated to shopping, nice dinners and having Acra buy them stuff.

Csilla moved and stretched the light so that it became oblong and sat between them. "I feel like hiding a romance and marriage from your mother is not really the best idea. You may end up losing her forever. Are you willing to risk that? We'll just have to figure out a way for you to marry the man of your dreams with your mother's approval.” Shula sighed, looking indirectly at the light and loving its warmth. Damn, Csilla made too much sense. At least she knew she could safely introduce her friends to her mother without fear of dirty looks. Shula knew she and her mother butted heads a LOT. The woman was firm as hell, stubborn, overbearing, over-protective, but.... "No... I love my mother too much to date soemone without her approval." Shula's cheeks blushed darkly at the thought, a nervous giggle passing her lips. "Think marrying the man of my dreams is a bit of a leap... Think I'd like to try a proper date first. I know my grandfather likes him okay, but Grandfather is Amestrian and still an important man in Amestris and knows Acra's family's reputation."

She watched as Csilla's fingers danced around each other for a moment, the pinky finger waggling with disapproval. Yeah, that looked about right. Dancing around things but not wanting to cross that line. Shula had too much at stake right now to put Acra at risk, too, no matter how badly she might have wanted it. The fact that his family was pure Amestrian and came from high society just made her mother's voice in the back of her head pop up louder about marrying out of their social status. "See, if your mom understands, then you get to live happily ever after." Shula smiled. This was also true. Amira didn't know much about Acra beyond what letters vaguely mentioned... She didn't know Acra was her best friend, that they both worked together a lot, of that he'd saved her life the day they met. And his family was kind of like royalty, so maybe that would impress her just a little. Shula moved her hands above Csilla's in the light, forming a heart with her fingers together. "Maybe you're right... You think I should tell her more about him and ask for her permission myself?"

[Csilla Angelis]

“Maybe you're right... You think I should tell her more about him and ask for her permission myself?”

Csilla smiled as Shula made a shadow heart. “I don't think it could hurt to ask her. Maybe bring it up slowly so she gets used to the idea of you having Acra as a close friend first, then add to the story, step-by-step. Eventually it'll lead into permission to date, then maybe even permission to marry. Although you should probably wait for him to ask you that first.” Csilla laughed, falling backwards on the bed so that her head hung upside down. “And if you happen to go on a few dates with him before you tell your mom... no harm really.” Csilla laughed again, her head growing heavy as all the blood slowly rushed into it. She let her smile falter for a second, wishing for a moment that she had a family around, so her future husband could ask for her hand from her father.

Csilla sat up, shaking her head to clear it and let the blood return to its rightful place in the rest of her body. There was no use wondering about it now. What's done is done, and that's all there was to it. She began to bend and twist her hand slightly before popping it up in front of the light again. A DOG! Csilla giggled, her dog-hand-shadow bouncing and bobbing in the light. “Shula, you're going to make a beautiful bride. I know it. Sure, might be a few years, but... so pretty!” Csilla thought wistfully of her mother's dress, resting in her trunk in Central City. One day, maybe.

[Shula Brighton]

"Eventually it'll lead into permission to date, then maybe even permission to marry." Permission to date Acra.... The concept seemed so foreign, yet made so much sense at the same time. She knew her grandfather would give the green light on Acra; he'd met him before once or twice, and occasionally asked how he was doing and giving his granddaughter the wordless, raised eyebrow when she insisted that there was nobody special; she was in Central to work, and study, and push herself as far as she could. She knew that life would be short and she needed to decote as much of it as possible to doing what she could; but that was before Raislin changed the rules of the game on her. Now everything was upside-down like Csilla was...

Shula let out a small giggle. Marrying... Acra? She moved her hands over the light and crossed them, entwining her thumbs and bending one slightly to create a large bird. It was too bad she couldn't change the colour of the light to make it a phoenix, or figure out a way to make the wings bigger to make a swan. Oh well. She smiled, loving how warm the light was as she flapped the 'wings' of her bird. "Maybe a few wouldn't hurt anything... I'd just need to figure out first if he was interested in me that way... Last thing I want to do is jump the gun and scare off my best friend."

The words from Wouldn't It Be Nice came to mind, Shula bouncing a little to the dated tune without realizing it. It would be nice to be Acra's and not have to stop at just snuggling during movies. To actually hold his hand and mean it, or let him kiss more than just her forehead... Or even, return it, even if only just his forehead for now. It WOULD be nice. She pulled her hands away from the light as Csilla sat up and made a dog in it with her own hands. “Shula, you're going to make a beautiful bride. I know it. Sure, might be a few years, but... so pretty!” Shula blushed warmly with a smile.

"A lot goes into dressing an Ishvallan bride. I'll be wearing at least twenty pounds of clothing and as much or more than that in jewelry," she said with a laugh. There was so much ornamentation, and the whole day before would be spent covering her hands, arms, feet and legs with dark-stained ink in intricate patterns for good luck."You will, too. Pretty blonde hair and light skin and white dress.. You'll look like an angel!"

[Csilla Angelis]

“You will, too! Pretty blonde hair and light skin and white dress... You'll look like an angel!”

Csilla couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head. “I was hoping for at least a goddess, but I guess angel is good too!” Csilla smiled and yawned a little bit. She had no idea what time it was, but her body was beginning to tell her it was time for some comfier arrangements. Shula and Csilla continued to banter back and forth about dream weddings as Csilla returned the light auras to their respective lamps. She then stood and turned off all the lights in the room, leaving one lamp next to the bed on. With a giggle, she leaped onto the bed and crawled under the covers, waiting for Shula to do the same. They laid there in the almost dark for what seemed like hours longer, sometimes talking and sometimes just thinking to themselves. Csilla noticed that Shula began to doze and smiled when Shula snuggled up to her. She watched as her friend fell asleep, no doubt dreaming about her own knight in shining armor.

Csilla flipped off the light and let the room fall into darkness. She stared at the ceiling, noticing how the minimal light came through the curtains of the window and danced around. She tucked one arm underneath her pillow, her mind drifting to her own knight. Or rather... what was left of him. She couldn't deny that this idyllic image remained in her mind of the man she would marry someday. The difficult part was now to scrub out the face she had associated with it for so long. Csilla finally felt that she was past the sadness. Oh, there was still a lot of hurt, yes. But she didn't feel so sad. She could feel the stirrings of anger but she quickly shoved that away. There was no point in being angry. She would likely never see Elastor Ito again. All that mattered now was forgetting him and his ice blue eyes. Csilla yawned and rolled onto her side. Soon enough, she was asleep, just like Shula. The two friends lay in the dark motel room, dreaming dreams and waiting for the sun to rise and bring a new day.

[END TOPIC]

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