The Rain goes on

[Al fan]

As she looked to him he swallowed hard, his look of concern rising again, his eyes showing the sadness he felt at her story, and what a story...if only he knew that it was all a lie, well, most of it anyway, that she had concocted it merely to get what she wanted from people, but he couldn’t see it, or was it that he didn’t want to? “Please...don’t cry” he said his voice lowered in a hushed tone, as he once again placed his hand upon her shoulder, trying to be comforting...but was it even helping. He frowned and sighed deeply, keeping those grey eyes upon her, he wanted to help her, wanted to make the obvious pain that she was feeling go away...but of course that was easier said than done now wasn’t it. “I could help.....I mean....if you wanted me to” he said.

[Rina Eichel]

After a minuet or two she continued to pretend to cry or to fight back tears. She looked back up at Alphonse and gave him a sad smile. "Thank you. but you have done so much for me already. Besides there is no telling if she is even in Central I just thought it was a good place to start." Actually this part was a complete lie. Lila was terrified of people. Central would be the last place she would be so this was also a very safe lie. there as no was he would ever meet her sister. "I just worry about her. Shes so gentle. I don't think she has what it takes to survive on her own."

[Al fan]

Alphonse’s frown remained and he mulled over her words, he could understand the loss of a sibling, to worry about them constantly, after all, he had Ed, and no one was more important to him than his brother. If anything had happened to him...well, sufficed to say that he would do everything in his power to find him, and it seemed that Rina held that same affection for her sister. “Well like you said, it’s as good a place as any to start a search, a lot of people come through Central” he said trying to sound positive to aid the return of some happiness in the girl. It was true, people passed through Central everyday, and it was likely that her sister could have been among them, though he felt a twinge of sorrow at the thought of her sister being lost in this place, it was after all a pretty large city.

He was about to say something else when the waiter arrived back at their table carrying a tray with the items they had ordered upon it. “Here we are sir, madam” he said placing the tray down on the table gently. Alphonse looked to him and smiled, retrieving his tea from the tray, placing the spoon inside the cup before he looked back to the waiter. “Thanks” he said politely before the waiter simply nodded his head slightly and walked away, leaving them to their order. “Well, enjoy, I promise I’ll help you any way I can with your sister” he said with a somewhat cheery tone, before he poured some sugar in his tea, giving it a stir before gripping the rather dainty handle bringing it to his lips to take a sip.

[Rina Eichel]

Rina pretended to put on her brave face. "Yes I'm sure i will find her." HA! this was hilarious. Lila wouldn't come with in a mile of such a huge city. plus even if she was curious if her sister was alright she was in no hurry to find Lila exactly.

And then the food arrived that was great she as starving. "Thank you again. I wish I could repay you somehow. your being so kind and we barely know each other." She gently wiped the fake tears from her eyes and started to slowly eat her food.

[Al fan]

Grey eyes peered at her from over the top of the teacup and although he was swallowing his drink, he still managed a small smile behind the cup. Placing it down gently he leaned forward slightly, shifting in his chair, well, she was grateful to him, and for that, he felt somewhat better about the whole situation. It was sometimes hard to feel helpless in these sorts of situations, when you wanted to help but knew that realistically there was little you could do, but if he could provide her with hope, and perhaps an amount of kindness, then that was a victory in itself. “Your welcome....I couldn’t leave you out in the rain now could I?” he asked that smile of his widening. He looked back to the window, his eyes briefly gazing at the rain before he turned his attention back to her. “...Will you be alright...if the rain doesn’t stop?”.

[Rina Eichel]

"Oh yes I'll be perfectly fine. I don't get sick easily." She smiled but it was the smile of someone who is hiding their worries. Would he fall for this one too? Was he that kind? She could tell from looking at him, his eyes that their was no another motive for his kindness. could a person actually be so kind? And she was a stranger, he was a very odd boy. Rina took another bite of her food and glanced out the window at the rain. It had been raining that day too...... NO! She shook her head a bit to clear it once again. She didn't need to be thinking about that. It would cloud her judgment and she would make a mistake and end up having to sleep on the streets.

[Al fan]

He frowned slightly listening to her words, it seemed he was doing a lot of that lately, frowning, he was always the happy one, always being in a cheery mood, but even he had his limits, and his worry for this poor girl was causing conflicting emotions. On the one hand, she needed help, and if anyone needed it, you should provide it if it is at all possible, and he could help, he could provide her with a roof over her head temporarily...at least for the night anyway, and on the other hand, he had only just met her, and perhaps it made her somewhat nervous, that he was so eager to help. “You know if you want...” he swallowed hard looking somewhat nervous as he tried to get his next sentence out, succeeding after a moment of rolling the words around on his tongue. “...you could stay with me for a while, I mean...at least until you find your sister...I’d hate to think you were out on the street”.

[Rina Eichel]

"Oh no, I couldn't really. You've already done so much for me." So he would fall for it. He was actually nice enough to let a complete stranger stay in his house. She was looking down again pretending to be all shy. But really on the inside she was trying not to laugh at how gullible this poor boy was "Really your to kind. I couldn't do that to you." She almost felt sorry for him, almost. He really didn't do anything to deserve his but oh well. As she had said before when she wanted something she got it no matter what she had to do for it. And maybe is she gained enough of his trust he would be useful, after all he was very happy to help.

[Al fan]

The shyness was very endearing, and he could almost forget that she was obviously older than him, the way she acted, it seemed so innocent, so pure, and yet behind it all she was scheming, trying her best to use her charms to get what she wanted from him, and unfortunately if was working, perhaps a little too well. Alphonse had always been the type to want to be kind to others, he was just naturally kind, it was a trait that so many people adored about him, but it seemed it often had a downside. He couldn’t see it, couldn’t see that she was playing a role in a somewhat malicious game, all he could see was a girl who was apparently in great distress, and it spurred him to want to help more. “Listen...I know you feel like I’m doing a lot...and I understand if that makes you uncomfortable..” he said quietly lowering his eyes for a moment. “But...if someone’s in trouble, you help them...no matter what”.

[Rina Eichel]

"Thats so sweet." She smiled at him. "Well when you put it like that how can I refuse." The look that Rina was giving him was very appreciative and very sweet. She took another bite of her food. And again gave him a sweet look. "Thank you so much. I don;t think I will ever be able to repay you." She wondered just how much he knew about this city and how many people he knew. Actually nice as he was Alphonse could be a very good information source. She looked down at her plate and noticed that she was almost done.

[Al fan]

At her next words he blushed, his eyes closing for a brief moment as a wide grin spread across his lips, it was sweet? Well, perhaps it was really, but it seemed that she didn’t mind in the least. Alphonse’s eyes moved to her almost empty plate and it was in that instant that he remembered his drink, and he lifted the teacup, swallowing what was left of the lukewarm tea before placing it back on its saucer. “You don’t have to repay me, really, all the thanks I need is seeing you be happy” he said cheerily.

[Rina Eichel]

Rina finished up the last of the food and pushed her plater back a little. "Nobody has ever been this nice to me before." She gave him a half sad smile. This time she spoke the truth, even if it was just to add to the lie. This time she wasn't lieing. No person had ever been this kind to her before. Well besides her family. The past few years especially. Nobody had time for homeless girls unless they had something to offer or unless Rina worked her charms. Sure people could be nice... but nobody took time to actually help another person. They were all to busy..... "Your really something you know that." Her voice lost some of its light and Innocent tone and she mentally scowled at her self. She must be getting tired to be letting her emotions effect her like this on the outside as well as the inside. Well She wouldn't let it happen again. She smoothed out the sunshine colored dress and absentmindedly fluffed her still drying hair. She put a small look of despair on her face. hopefully he would think that the change in her voice was due to the emotion not a personality change.

[Al fan]

He watched her silently for a moment, a somewhat calm if not cheery expression held upon his face, perhaps he was being a little overly kind, but he couldn’t help himself really, after all, she needed help and what sort of person would he have been, if he had left her in trouble like this? He frowned slightly as she spoke again, noting the change in her voice...he wasn’t really sure what to make of it....frankly he was somewhat confused by the change in behaviour, but when that innocence and sadness returned, he forgot his thoughts and focussed on her. “....I guess there aren’t a lot of people like me around...” he said quietly.

[Rina Eichel]

Rina gave him a shy smile. "No there aren't. At least not that I have met. Thank you so much." Now instead of wet, cold, and hungry, she was dry, warm, and very content. This cafe had pretty good food. She would have to remember it later on. So she would stay the night with Alphonse and then the hard part began. How was she supposed to start her search..... Yes she was actually searching for something but not her sister as she had told Alphonse. Rina was after the men who had made her and Lila's orphans. The thing was she wasn't exactly sure how she was going to do it. After all this had happened several years ago.

Rina was gazing out the window as she thought completely transfixed by the falling rain. It was quiet beautiful even in the city. Though it made everything a dull grey color. Still it wasn't completely unattractive. Lila however would hate it. The Innocent girl would never come here. It would seem oppressing and gloomy to her. Lila was a farm girl through and though. Give her green fields and the smell of rich soil and she was the happiest person on earth. It was funny how Opposite Lila was from her.

[Al fan]

Alphonse blushed slightly, but he smiled all the same, even though he felt some slight embarrassment at all of this, perhaps he was being too kind, but was there such a thing? Was there a point where it bordered on too much? He wasn’t really sure, and frankly, he didn’t really care at this point in time, it felt like the right thing to do...that was all that really mattered. “You’re welcome” he said as she thanked him, well, he would have done the same for anyone, still, it seemed as though she had not known much kindness, that much he could tell just from the way she acted, almost as though she were confused by his good nature, and perhaps he could understand that to an extent.

As she gazed out of the window, Alphonse frowned slightly, it seemed she had been through a lot, much like himself really, but whatever it was that had befallen her in the past, it seemed it had not affected her sweet nature, if only he could see through the facade, see that he was being used, but he could not see past that innocence, and it was doubtful he would, until it was too late. “Well....” he said quietly adjusting his shirt slightly. “If you’re ready...we could leave now..”.