(Contest Entry) AusHun [APH]

Elizabeta sighed with relief when she walked into the local culinary store. Sure, it was 9pm at night, but she didn't know what time a small store like this would close on a weeknight. She'd been hoping to be able to buy a frying pan before stopping buy at her weapons dealer, Vash Zwingli's house to fix up her sword. Glancing around, she spotted only two other customers, an intelligent looking blond man who was carefully examining a red kettle, and another man dressed in a trench coat, wearing sunglasses and hanging around the knife section of the store.

She was glad when she saw the assortment of frying pans in front of her. There were so many different frying pans she could select from…some were larger, and some were smaller; some were of course heavier, others lighter. The culinary store also had various materials of different pans, like cast iron, aluminum, and stainless steel.

Then again…it wouldn't really matter what kind of frying pan she bought, so long as it was strong enough to hit Gilbert things with to knock him out let out her anger or emotions, yet not too heavy so she wouldn't drop it on anything extremely valuable, like, say, her foot.

Recently Elizabeta hadn't used her frying pans to cook (at least, not the ones she hit people with) because she had found a couple strands of Gilbert's white hair stuck to the pan before…having been disturbed by that she decided never to cook with those pans again.

Finally, she settled on a relatively reasonably priced (Yet still too expensive for Vash – the frugal Swiss who just couldn't bear to part with his money. But Elizabeta was pretty sure this frying pan was worth her money).

Heading towards the checkout line, the elegant looking man in the indigo trench coat stopped her. "Excuse me, young lady," he said to her in a German sounding accent. Just smile and be nice…maybe he's a normal guy and likes to wear sunglasses and coats all the time!

"Hm? How can I help you, mister?"

The man gave her a half – smile and gestured at the knife section.

"Do you think you could recommend the best knife here to me? There's quite a variety and I don't know what to choose from," he told her.

"Well of course! This knife here…it's best for cutting vegetables, and fruits as well. This one is better though, if you ask me," she said, pointing out a couple of the knives. "And then, if you're cutting meat, you might want this. I have it at my home, it's very good!"

"Thank you very much. I think I'll take this one," he nodded at the one she had mentioned was good for slicing meat. "I have some friends coming over, and I have to make dinner for them."

"Oh, sounds fun!" She smiled as they walked to the checkout line. "So what are you going to be making for them?"

"Something we call Wiener Schnitzel in my home country Austria. I may also end up cooking some wurst, because some of my friends really enjoy those…although myself, I am more of a cake and coffee kind of person."

As they walked out of the store, Elizabeta commented, "So you're from Austria? I heard it's beautiful there, and there's so much good coffee and music. Do you enjoy music? Or...am I just being stereotypical?"

The Austrian shrugged. "I suppose it's a stereotype we deal with, but I actually am a musician myself. A pianist."

Elizabeta smiled again. She always did think the piano was the best of all the instruments…even if she wasn't that into classical music, or any music at all. She looked up, noticing the sign for Vash's street.  "Well, I have to turn right here, so I guess this is goodbye." They stopped when they reached the corner.

"You know…you seem to be a really trustworthy lady…" the Austrian man began. Elizabeta raised an eyebrow but indicated for him to continue. "Trustworthy enough so I can reveal my identity to you…"

Wait...what was that supposed to mean? Was he some sort of a secret spy, trying to gain information about her country? Was he an agent against GERUN, the demon hunting organization she worked for? Or could he be an insane murderer that enjoyed killing young women - such as herself - just for the fun of it? Because if he was any of those, or something worse, then Elizabeta was in deep trouble.

But at least she would be able to protect herself with the new frying pan. I knew it would be worth it!

The man removed the large sunglasses covering his eyes to reveal shining violet irises.  Where have I seen those eyes before…?

"I am actually Roderich Edelstein, the world famous pianist." Way to be modest. "That would be the reason why I am wearing such…peculiar attire for the nighttime. I was worried people would recognize me, and the paparazzi…oh, the paparazzi. It's happened to me quite enough times now…"

Elizabeta's jaw literally dropped. All this time, she had been carrying out a conversation with possibly one of the best pianists in the world? Even she knew who Roderich Edelstein was…everyone knew who Roderich Edelstein was!  And she could just tell he wasn't lying…it was something about his face and the just…the way how he was definitely Roderich Edelstein.

"Well I – um – uh - ?" Was her response to his revealed identity.

The Austrian pianist laughed a little. "You seem rather special to me, you know? Maybe we can get together again sometime?"

Elizabeta regained her composure and nodded slightly. "That'd be wonderful! Would you like my number? And my name is Elizabeta, by the way. Elizabeta Héderváry."

The two exchanged a few more words and soon Elizabeta left for Vash's, with Roderich telling her he'd call her soon.


Quickly arriving at Vash's humble home, she knocked two short knocks, two long, and drummed her fingers against the wood, indicating it was safe and that she was there for GERUN needs.

The door was soon answered by Vash's adopted little sister, Lili. She welcomed Elizabeta in where Vash was organizing some rifles.  "Hey Vash! I just need you to check my sword out? It seemed to be acting kind of strange the other day on one of my missions!"

Vash turned to her and shrugged. "I'll see what I can do. At least you had your gun from me, right?"

"Yes, of course, I think it saved my life!"

Vash simply went "humph" and turned back to work on the sword. Lili shrugged, "You know how big brother is, Eliza…"

Elizabeta smiled at her cuteness and went to another room to wait and think about what had happened between her and Roderich Edelstein. Well, he seems like a nice man. I suppose being with him wouldn't be bad at all…even if we just end up being friends…but a little more wouldn't be terrible…as long as he let me have dominance.

Elizabeta sighed, a little sad. What had happened to her just now? She had gone from being strong and independent just earlier that night to a being a timid and delicate flower. I just hope it doesn't ruin me too much…

Elizabeta felt a strange feeling. She hoped she wasn't falling for someone she'd only met less than an hour ago…that would be a little strange…at least, for her of all people.

Well, maybe I'll just hit Gilbert and Francis tomorrow with that new frying pan, and I feel much better. Elizabeta thought, feeling a little excited to see a certain two idiots the next day at work.