1st Video

[ella_of_frell]

[ When the NV turns on, Ella isn't really paying attention to it - though her intention might have been to use it, that thought is derailed by the chatter of several others nearby. ]

No - no no, I don't need - Excuse, me could you please stop pushing baskets at me, I don't want your brochures. Really, I appreciate it but - [ They are totally not listening. ]

No, thank you that's kind of you but could you just ... take... these -- but I - [ Yea, Ella, keep trying to talk over the company representatives. With a clatter, she drops the NV, and it now shows a crooked image of Ella with her arms full of baskets from AGI and SERO both, looking a bit lost, frustrated, and confused. Yet she perseveres! ]

I'm just trying to say - this is really too much so - oh! [ Aaand the bundle of baskets in her arms abruptly topple over when she loses her grip, tumbling onto the floor, papers scattering everywhere. Those representatives? Totally off to harass another newcomer. Help her? That's silly. ]

Could you h- oh, no, of course not, yeah, no walk away, that's just great... thanks. No, thank you,I've got it, not that you were lifting a finger to help or anything...

[ Sighing, Ella kneels to gather up what was foisted into her arms, though she catches sight of the NV recording. ]

... Is it always this...chaotic?

[ Maybe she can give this stuff to someone else. What she really needed was warmer clothing. ]

Comments

[makeflowersgrow]

[No. Eponine won't tell. She's proud - far too proud to withstand the pity people are bound to show. She will soldier on alone and somehow get out of her mess.]

there must be something. If she really did not want Hattie to know, she could take a loan with SERO or AGI. Or you. You could pay me for her?

[icy_heavens]

[Because she's so good at that, clearly.]

[Eyebrow goes up. Yes, he looks condescending. He's good at that. Even during this whole argument, he hasn't raised his voice once. It's almost creepy.]

I'm not going to let her get herself sucked into the companies. And what part of "blackmail is unacceptable" hasn't gotten through your head?

[makeflowersgrow]

[She hates that look. It's the look of the rich judging the poor. She hates it. She hates him. She hates Ella. She hates everyone.]

They are not so bad. People would pay a lady well at XXX. They like that, the men. But, M'sieur, it is NOT blackmail. I am not doing it to hurt her. It will help her and it will help me. We both win, yes?

[icy_heavens]

Your intention doesn't make it any less blackmail; it changes nothing.

[And you thought he was looking at you coldly before? It's worse now. Because you just implied that his friend should become a prostitute.] You had better not be seriously suggesting that.

[He could have said something quite a bit more cruel, here. Like if that's such a good way to make money, she can go do it herself. But there are lines he doesn't cross. Telling a girl to whore herself out is one of them.]

[makeflowersgrow]

[He'd be a little late anyway. It's a job she's been doing for years now.]

There is nothing wrong with prostitution, M'sieur. It's a living. And I tell you, it is not blackmail.

[icy_heavens]

A lot of things are a living. It doesn't make them all acceptable.

You can tell me that all you like. That doesn't change the definition of the word, and the fact that this is a textbook example.

[makeflowersgrow]

[She shakes her head]

you do not understand. You are too young, perhaps, to understand. Perhaps when you are older...

There is nothing you can do, anyway. This has nothing to do with you, and Madame Ella has agreed.

[icy_heavens]

[There's a firmer set in his jaw, here. If this weren't such a serious issue, he'd have twitched at her assumption. But he'll still correct her, at the very least.]

You assume to much from appearances. I'm probably older than your father.

Threatening to make a friend's life hell if she doesn't do as you ask is sure as hell my business. Her agreement does not justify your actions.

[Because he knows it has to be because you gave her a command. Ella would do no such thing otherwise.]

[makeflowersgrow]

You?
[She laughs contemptuously]
you are but a child. You cannot be older than my Papa.
And there is nothing for you to do. Ella has given me her sword - and now I will sell it. We are all happy, apart from you. and there is nothing for you to do.

[icy_heavens]

[He'd be angrier about the fact that she's laughing at him, but he's more focused on Ella's welfare.] Perhaps you should learn to make note of the fact that not everyone here is human.

And if you've deluded yourself into thinking she's happy about what you've done to her, then you're more of an idiot than I thought.

[makeflowersgrow]

You are not human, M'sieur?

[No, it is silly to think that. Nobody seems to be just ordinary.]

I am NOT an idiot though. I'm not. I'm cleverer than you think. I can read. And Madame Hattie has taught me writing and numbers. Everyone has to survive. She might not be happy, but she has lost a sword. Me, if I did not take that, I would lose everything.

[icy_heavens]

No. I'm not.

And if you're so clever, you can find some way to survive without doing something like this. And that woman [He does not use Hattie's name. Ever.] is the last person you should be learning anything from, as it seems you've picked up some of her ways of dealing with people.

[makeflowersgrow]

You mean Hattie?

[Eponine half smiles] She is not nice. She hit me the other day because I was bad. Right on the face. You see, I save Ella from that. I let her do that, and now I will make sure she does not do it to Ella.

Perhaps I am too clever. I do not know where else to get money. There are not enough hours in the day.

[icy_heavens]

Is there some reason you can't just stop associating with her? [Ella's situation is different. He knows why she has a hard time getting away.] It hardly makes any sense to let her be in the position to abuse anyone. If anyone should be punished for that, it's her. Not Ella, an no, not even you, as despicable as you're being.

So what you're saying is, you have other means to make money, but you just have no idea how to manage it.

[makeflowersgrow]

She will have me arrested. Or AGI will have me enslaved. I was caught, M'sieur, doing something bad... and if I leave My Lady, then M'sieur Jack... I do not want to talk about it.
[She shrugs] It is the way of the world. But it means I cannot work at Afterglow any more. I am not despicable, M'sieur.

[Eponine folds her arms, a determined expression on her face] I am just not ready to give in.

[icy_heavens]

[Sigh.] Frankly, it's a little late to bother mentioning that to me. Can you honestly expect me to suddenly think it's okay that you're taking advantage of my friend because you're in a bad situation?

If you're not despicable, don't act like you are.

[Does her stubborn posture affect him at all? Nope. You see this kind of attitude all over military establishments, and he's well-accustomed to those.]

[makeflowersgrow]

My position is none of your business. I am dealing with it. I am fine. But you - you have no business with me. Please. Please leave me alone. I do not want your pity.

[money, yes. Food donations, sure! But pity? No, never pity]

Just leave it. It is done. It was only a sword. She still has her other things.

[icy_heavens]

It wouldn't have been pity. And I don't have to accept your way of dealing with it.

It had better be done. Or we won't be.

[If anyone can make a hangup sound extra cold and condescending, it's Hitsugaya. For the time being, he's through with her. But if he catches her at this again, there may be frozen hell to pay.]