(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.

[burningbothends]

And no word on where they came from...?

[fullmetalbrat]

The Americans only said there were dangerous mutant animals down there. Nothing about . . . people like that. Obviously they didn't explain any further when we asked after seeing them either.

[burningbothends]

[So there were monsters in the shadows after all. Exactly as the Admiral predicted... Roy feels a cold, burning anger settle in his gut, but the only outward sign is a faint tightening of his jaw. Even assuming the Americans hadn't outright lied about knowing there were chimeras down there capable of human speech, the fact that they were so tight-lipped about it... What the hell was going on in this country?]

And what happened after you encountered these 'mutants'?

[fullmetalbrat]

[If Roy could feel the sullen aura surrounding Ed before, he can almost certainly note the shift to a cold, miserable sort of rage. Ed's voice is strained and tight, threatening to give way to something even more intense.]

. . . We ran into a crowd of them. They saw the light and—it was like moths to a flame. A stampede. [There's a pause punctuated by a miserable little sound, some emotion he's biting back.] Miles and his bodyguard were with us. She and the Americans both shot to kill.

[burningbothends]

Fullmetal... You know there was nothing you could have done for them.

[fullmetalbrat]

[Ed slams his automail fist against the wall with a sharp crack.]

Don't tell me that! Don't you fucking dare! You told me I get my arm back! I get my brother back! You act like I SAVE THE FUCKING COUNTRY!

DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME WHAT I CAN'T DO!!

[burningbothends]

[Roy's surges up, his own hand curled into a tight fist against the surface of his desk.]

And that was enough! It took all that effort, all that sacrifice, just to undo your own mistake. Don't get cocky!

[fullmetalbrat]

When the hell did you become so pathetic? Are you really the man who wants to become Fuhrer? You shit colonel!

If you want to give up instead of even thinking about trying, fine! I'm not going to stand here and agree that murder is the best thing we can do for those people! For any people.

[burningbothends]

Dammit Fullmetal, that's not what I'm saying!

[fullmetalbrat]

Then what the hell are you trying to say?

[burningbothends]

I'm telling you to think about your circumstances! Do you honestly think the Americans would have let any of them live? They wanted them dead and it was more convenient to have the ImPorts do it. If there was any doubt before... We certainly know the character of this government now.

[fullmetalbrat]

Ah . . .

[That's right, the Americans' orders had been shoot to kill. What had that meant for the mutants that he and Miles had managed to spare? The Americans certainly wouldn't . . .

Ed can't finish that thought. He sags heavily against the wall, all the fight draining out of him and leaving behind an uneasy, sick feeling in the pit of his gut.]

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.]

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???]

[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.