I hate Elli *smiles*

Most dialogue taken straight from the game-I'm just fleshing out the inner workings of Claire.

Disclaimer: I doth dis/the claiming of this

I scarfed down a piece of bread for breakfast and gave Watson a pat behind the ears. I had woke up late - it was eight in the morning as opposed to the six I had intended. I had went to bed about six the previous night, and I had went to bed a smurf. Apparently, I was pushing myself too hard, but I wasn't about to call it quits.

After Gray had left, I'd ignored his advice and spent the day in the field, slashing grass. I wasn't done, though, and I let Watson out as I headed to finish the job. By one that afternoon, I was a smurf again. I took another long soak in the hot springs, and then spent an hour scavenging before I hit the fields again.

I went to bed early, and got up late. But on Thursday by noon, I had a clean field - minus the huge boulders and tree stumps. I smiled to myself as I looked my future farm over, and I was darn proud.

But now that that was finished, I had a job to do - and a bill to pay.

Since it was all I had, I bottled more honey and headed out towards town.

As soon as I stepped into the clinic, a young boy with bouncy black hair bounded past me, rushing up to the counter. "I want to show you something, Elli!"

The young woman behind the counter smiled to him. "What it is?"

"Here!" The boy shoved his hands towards her and opened them wide.

Elli peered down curiously, then shot back up, looking angry. "Stu! Don't play tricks on me like that!"

The boy just laughed. "Don't get mad, Elli! You don't want to get gray hair, do you?"

"What!?" She looked positively indignant, and I didn't blame him when Stu backed up - until he rushed behind me as a shield.

"Hey, where are you going?" Elli marched over, but when she saw me, she smiled angelicly. "Hello. You're not from around here, are you?"

I shrugged. "Not really. I'm Claire."

"Oh, I'm sorry. You must be the new girl from the farm, right?"

I nodded and she laughed lightly. "I've heard rumors about you."

...rumors? What kind of rumors? Before I could ask, she continued like she hadn't said anything odd.

"My name's Elli. I work here at the clinic. By the way..." her face went from serene to threatening in a second. "Do you realize there's someone hiding behind you?"

"Don't get so mad, Elli!" Stu shot back.

"Stu is so much trouble!" She shook her head at him. "What shall I do with you!"

"Don't get so mad." Stu repeated, calmer now. "All I did was show you a bug!"

"Don't you know I hate bugs?" Elli countered.

Stu just smiled up at her. "I thought you might like this one!"

Elli shook her head again. "Don't play games with me, Stu!"

Stu grabbed my pant leg and yanked it lightly. "You understand me, right, Claire? You're still young at heart."

I debated internally for a moment as to the possible repercussions of any reply I chose. But it didn't take long for me to decide - I had always been a bit of a brat, anyway, and something about this Elli girl rubbed me wrong. Besides, Stu was just too cute.

"You bet I do, kiddo."

"I like you! Let's play together later." Stu grinned up at me, but at his sister's glare, he took off out of the clinic, leaving me to face her wrath alone.

"You don't need to humor him, Claire." She glared at me for a few more seconds before looking away and sighing. "My brother has always been such a handful!"

I shot Elli a glance that said clearly 'whiner' before whirling around and heading to where I had originally intended to go - the doctor's office. The building didn't really have rooms, though - it was divided up by curtains, and the doctor had his own little office sectioned off. I stepped up to his counter and watched as he dutifully filled out papers.

"I understand how Stu feels, though." His comment took me off guard, but then I realized he obviously must have heard the siblings little tiff. "All children want lots of attention, so they bother the people they like."

I gave him a curious look. "Observation, Doc, or experience?"

He looked up at me oddly. "Experience."

I nodded, deciding it was best not to pry. "I brought this for you." I pushed the bottle across his desk, careful not to hit his papers. "As thanks. I don't know how much I owe you, but I'll pay it. This is just a thank you."

He stared at the bottle for a moment as if confused, but then he smiled widely. "Thank you very much! You really didn't have to - but this will be a great help in making salves and medicines! I really appreciate it!"

I was taken aback by how enthusiastic he was being about this - moments ago he'd seemed quiet and aloof. I found his smile...cute. "It's no problem - I have a tree on my farm with a hive. I can bring you some each day, if you'd like."

"I couldn't ask you to." You shook his head, still smiling. "And don't worry about the bill - it's on the house."

"Thank you very much, then." I gave him a big smile - his happiness was really contagious. "I guess I'll be seeing you around then."

"I hope not." He said, looking serious again. "This is a doctor's office, after all."

I had to laugh at that. "True. I'm Claire, by the way."

"I'm the doctor."

I frowned. "Just 'the doctor'?"

He frowned deeper than I did. "...yes."

I was a tad hurt, but I shrugged it off. If he didn't want to give out his name, that was his business. "Well, then I'll be going, doc. It was a pleasure doing business with you."

"Be sure to come in for regular checkups - and don't over work yourself!" He called after me, and a winked to him in reply.

I pushed open the door and stepped out, but before it closed I heard Elli's voice. I couldn't make out what she said, but the doctor seemed concerned when he replied: "Don't push yourself too much, now."

I opened up the door enough to see Elli's glowing red face. "Doctor...I'm touched you're worried about me!"

I weird pang shot through me, and I fought back the illogical urge to chunk my sickle at her.

"Well, I couldn't run the clinic without you!"

Now I had to bite down a fit of giggles as Elli replied: "Is that all...?"

"What's wrong now?"

"No-nothing." Elli looked positively downcast, and I felt like the sun was shining a spot light on the very ground where I stood in my honor.

"Okay, if you say so..."

With a spring in my step and an odd love of Elli's suffering and the doctor's innocence, I headed back to my farm.