Silver Umbrellas

Seventeen-- Allies(?)

December 15th

Nine days to lift-off

Giddiness like a virus welled up in Tino's heart as the days passed, bringing the four of them closer and closer to their fated day called 'Christmas Eve.' His energy was contagious, spreading to both girls while Yao seemed immune. 'He must still not be too happy that we're here' Finland hypothesized, not that he blamed the young country very much for his surliness. 'I'm sure he'll come around when it gets closer to Christmas. Then we'll be on our way to Norway, and he can see his family again.'

After a quick check on their inventory, Tino set the trap door back down and turned to his three cabinmates. "Well, it looks like we'll have to visit Costco one more time before Christmas Eve arrives."

"Ve need more vater, don't ve," Lili guessed without looking up from the embroidery threads she was weaving together. Alice was showing her how to make the flag bracelets, and the one she was working on was for her big brother: two reds, one white, and two more reds was the pattern.

"It looks like Uncle Denny's, but that's okay," Alice had commented at the start of their "lesson."

"Yes, we're going to run out in two days at the rate we're drinking them," Finland reported. "Alice, are you going to come with me again?"

China sat up quickly and looked at his best friend with a hard expression. "You got hurt last time, Alice. Don't go, okay?"

"I'm fine," she stated, paying no attention to the little starburst scars winding their way up her leg. "I healed up, so I can go."

"It's not a good idea," he insisted. "This time... something worse can happen!"

"Yao, Alice, it's alright," Tino spoke up. "No one else has to go this time if they don't want to."

"You shouldn't be going alone, though," Lili interjected softly. "I vill go vith you, if Alice and Yao von't."

"I'd feel better if you stayed here, where it's safer," he responded. "Not that I don't trust you to take care of yourself, of course."

'Of course, he vants to keep me safe to fulfill his promise to bruder' she thought.

"But I wanna go," Alice piped up in a complaint. "I like the walk! I'll be fine this time, I promise!"

"Maybe Yao's right that you shouldn't go, Alice," her uncle said gently. "We shouldn't be risking anyone's safety needlessly."

"I don't care about the needles," she muttered, having misunderstood him. "I wanna go again."

Maybe it was the way she looked, or how she was certainly about to pull the "it's my umbrella and my city!" card again if he refused to let her come. Not to say that he was often very easily persuaded, but Tino shook his head tiredly before looking her straight in the eyes. "Alright, you can come, Alice, but on a couple of conditions."

Her mouth had stretched with a wide smile until he mentioned conditions. "Like what?"

"We're going to make sure you hide a bit closer to the store, in case something happens this time as well. We're also going to have some sort of signal. And you're going to have to listen to exactly what I tell you because we don't want a repeat of last time. Got it?"

"Got it!" she cheered, and jumped to her feet nimbly. Yao glowered at Tino and hugged his knees, unsure if he would be able to say anything about this turn of events.

'If she gets hurt again, I swear...' he thought dangerously in his native tongue.

As before, Alice took off her beaded necklace and gave it to Yao for safekeeping. "It worked last time, didn't it?" she reasoned calmly.