(no subject)

[fullmetalbrat]

WHO: Edward and YOU
WHERE: Anywhere, but mostly Heropa 02 and Heropa libraries
WHEN: Throughout May
WHAT: Catchall!
WARNINGS: idk yet but probably traumatized children, PTSD, teenage defiance, being real offended at people calling alchemy magic

Comments

POST-CAVING STORY

[fullmetalbrat]

[It'd been a hell of a trip, but Ed managed to make it back to Heropa with only 80% as much of a lecture as he'd expected to get from the Americans. Now he's knocking on Roy's door, feeling incredibly grateful for once that Roy can't see just how worn and ragged he looks. There are a lot of things to talk about that he'd rather not address, but at least that doesn't have to be one of them.]

[burningbothends]

[Roy really didn't have to be able to see Ed to feel his mood. He'd known him too long; he could read that sullen air and what it meant far easier than a report. Something had happened, something more than just jail. He had been restless to know what.]

Fullmetal? Come in.

[Ed will find him sitting at his desk. Not an unfamiliar sight, though his desk here was much smaller, and pushed against the wall rather than commanding the cente rof the room.]

[fullmetalbrat]

[He steps in, closing the door firmly behind himself, and crosses the room to lean against the wall by Roy's desk.]

. . . So. I can get the biggest news out of the way and tell you they aren't philosopher's stone.

[burningbothends]

[Roy pulls in a slow breath. He hopes that's good news.]

What else?

[fullmetalbrat]

They don't let us break equivalent exchange. It looks like they really are just . . . formed in the earth. But . . .

[There's a soft clank—Edward clenching his fist.]

The whole place was filled with . . . with whatever this world's version of chimera is called. Miles called them mutants.

[burningbothends]

[Ah. That brought about more questions than it answered, but at least it explained Edward's mood.]

Mutants... Were they hostile?

[fullmetalbrat]

[He's nodding again; a hard habit to break. At least this time he launches into an explanation before he even realizes his mistake.]

All of them were. But . . . some of them . . .

Colonel, some of them spoke.

[burningbothends]

... What did they say?

[fullmetalbrat]

It . . . It wasn't clear. I don't know if they . . . really understood anymore. It was definitely speech, but—off.

May 2nd, Lucky Cat Cafe

[fullmetalbrat]

[Ed hasn't actually been out of H02 since getting back from the caves—not until now. He knows there are some discussions he needs to have with Miles, maybe even other members of the Dendarii group, but he's not looking forward to it. So, instead of actually paying a visit to DC7, he's stopped by the cafe for lunch instead. Decent odds of running into one of them, but just as decent that he might not.

He's trying to help the odds of avoiding them by taking a seat tucked into a back corner where he can slouch over his table (hopefully) unnoticed and pick listlessly at his meal.]

[dendarii]

[ Alas for Ed, Miles is in here almost every day. Mostly he likes watching Gregor be an imperial barista (it's right up there with his father's coffee regency), but it's a pleasant spot to read or strategize or just let his brain run in circles for a little while. Not to mention he's nearly convinced Mochi to come sit in his lap ...

He's waggling a treat at the cat when he sees Ed come in, in fact. Watches him go to the back ... and reluctantly drops the treat for the cat. Ah, well. Better catch him now before he escapes. Miles strides over to Ed purposefully, his expression quiet and sympathetic. ]

Mr. Elric? Mind if I join you?

[fullmetalbrat]

[Ugh. Uuuggghhhh. Ed looks like he'd rather just sink into the table than let Miles sit down, but after a long hesitation and a miserable, whining groan, he kicks a chair out for him.]

Fine.

[dendarii]

[ It's not as though Ed could get Miles to go away anyway. He sits down bodily, then hitches himself back up so that he can lean on the table properly. It mostly involves sitting on his knees. ]

How are you feeling?

[fullmetalbrat]

[He grumbles out a muffle curse and slumps even further on the table, practically muttering his response into the wood grain.]

Like I watched a massacre and had to leave the survivors to rot in a fucking cave.

[dendarii]

[ Miles quiets at that, and decides to pick his way very carefully here. ]

The creatures we encountered? In the caves?

[fullmetalbrat]

[The look Ed gives him is sharp and piercing.]

People. Maybe they didn't . . . couldn't understand anymore, but they were speaking.

[dendarii]

[ Not quite the right step, ah. He recalibrates - and refrains from comparing them to parrots. ]

People with speech but not words. Is this something you've seen before?

May 2nd Night, Heropa 02

[fullmetalbrat]

[FINALLY Edward's fallen asleep. Sure he's sprawled across the couch with a textbook on his face and a couple of others left open within reach, but sleep is sleep. Surely nothing exciting or upsetting can happen now, right???]

Re: May 2nd Night, Heropa 02

[heart_wrenching]

[ IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN RISEMBOOL THE SUN IS SHINING AND- and actually that's about it. The sun is out and the sky is blue, but it's very quiet. The air is still and cold, and maybe even a little damp. ]

[fullmetalbrat]

[Holy shit, home Risembool! Man, it's been ages since he's seen Pinako or Den or that kid down the road that never gets a name.

Ed heads down the road towards the Rockbell home, keeping alert for any familiar faces.]

[heart_wrenching]

[ It HAS been a while. And there's something toying at his mind, a reason that it's been so long, but for some reason he can't put his finger on it.


Well, here comes the Rockbell home, but it all looks pretty empty! ]

[fullmetalbrat]

[Weird . . . Maybe they've gone out for supplies?

He lets himself in to investigate, idly trying to remember why he's been gone as he moves from room to room. Had he just been busy . . . ?]

[heart_wrenching]

[ Maybe it's because he shouldn't be here.

It's dark inside, darker than a place with big windows on a bright day should be. ]

[fullmetalbrat]

[It does feel uneasy being here the longer he looks . . . but since when would he be unwelcome here?]

Hey . . . Is anyone home?

[heart_wrenching]

[ There's the distinct thump of Den's automail on the ground from the other side of the room. But the familiar sound for some reason tugs up a sick feeling of guilt and shame. Huh! ]