001 ۞ March 14th Afternoon [Video/Action]

[armorbound]

[When Alphonse finally starts to make his way back through Death City towards Casualty Communal to see what living quarters has in store. He's currently somewhere in the middle of the shopping district when he finally turns his communication device on, it's focus set on his large gunmetal gray chest plate and leather fingers that are curled around the edges of the mirrored device. He doesn't speak up at first, because a he's managed to earn quite a following as he makes his way down the street. Just over the clunking of his metal feet the hushed voices of those he passes closest to can easily be heard.]

Is that a robot?

Whoa - that guy is huge!

Mommy that thing is scary!

[Besides the part about being confused for a robot (what's a robot?) most of the whispers are things that by now he's quite used to hearing. He keeps moving and when he's gotten to the a section of streets where he recalls turning earlier with his tour group he stops and finally brings up the communication device towards his 'face'. His face of course being a giant metal helmet and he does his best to use his tone of voice to 'smile', because his face can't.]

Hello? I'm pretty sure I got this to work correctly and if that's true then other people should be able to hear me, right?

[His tone wavers just for a second with uncertainty, but after a brief pause he does his best to focus on the point of using this device.]

My name is Alphonse Elric and I'm hoping someone here might be familiar with anyone else from my world. I'm looking for my brother Edward. He's ...

[Haha describing Edward was always interesting, because let's face it most applicable adjectives were just short jokes waiting to happen.]

Well, let's just say you'd probably remember him if you've met him!

[The nervous laugh is pretty much a dead give away that he's trying to avoid listing any specific identifying features.]

I'd really appreciate being told any and all information you have about him or his whereabouts. Even if there's the chance that he's not here. [A thought which makes his voice take a much more worried tone.] Speaking of information! Does this place have a library? The tour ended before I had a chance to ask.

Comments

[weaponry]

Whoa! You're all metal! That's so cool!! Do you have any built in weapons on you? Like, does your arm have a hidden blade or something? [ Tenten's more fascinated than put off by Alphonse's new appearance. She seems very intrigued. ]

As for the library, I can drop by and show your way there if you want. Navigating around the city based on directions can be a little overwhelming. Just tell me where you are and I'll be there as soon as possible.

[armorbound]

[So many questions! Hopefully Tenten doesn't mind if he takes a minute to process them all and it's pretty rare that someone takes an instant interest in his metal body. He's actually reminded a lot of Winry when she finds a new tool or machine to fawn over.]

Sorta and no. I've never exactly been the type who likes fighting with weapons. My teacher taught me to use a few, but I prefer hand to hand combat if I need to defend myself.

[And alchemy, but he didn't really think it was worth mentioning because it doesn't work here.]

Ah that's great and I'm pretty sure I've already manage to get turned around. I'm probably no where near where I was trying to go to begin with. I'm pretty sure I just went past the mall?

[Usually he pays a lot more attention to details, but he's got a lot on his mind - which at the moment is the biggest understatement ever.]

[video]

[heavenly_earth]

[Oh-kay Ed has a big brother]

Edward Elric is a patrolman in my district of the city. I can inform him you've arrived if he does not find you first.

[ ᴠıᴅᴇᴏ ]

[armorbound]

[A really big little brother!]

Edward's here?!

[It doesn't show but he sure does sound excited and relived all at the same time. He'll think about that part about Ed being a patrolman later.]

That would be wonderful. Thank you Mr.... ?

1/???

[toukakoukan]

[There were always loads of new people that got dumped in this city a couple times a month, but it had been awhile since Ed had paid much attention to them. It’d been awhile since anyone he’d known had come in—Hughes had been the last, and since then people had only disappeared.

But something felt different this time. Or rather, Ed felt different. He couldn’t put his finger on exactly what it was, but something tugged at him.
He’d gone to his Watch shift, trying to ignore it, but when he’s checking his communicator in the afternoon, he nearly drops it when a post begins with that familiar clanking down, a view of metal that he knows so well.

And then—it’s Al. Al’s armor face shown in the mirror before him, his voice speaking.]

[toukakoukan]

[Ed’s frozen in place for a moment, heart going to his throat. He can’t even believe that it could be real for the first moments of the feed; there’s a malfunction, or he’s hallucinating, or he’s just wanted to see Al for long enough that his mind is applying this image to another strange suit of armor.

And then Al says his name and his eyes go wide. Clutching the communicator with shaking hands, Ed can’t remember how to work it for a moment, fingers fumbling until he’s somehow managed to hit ‘reply’]

[toukakoukan]

[Once he’s got it in reply mode, his voice rips out of him before he can stop himself, gripping the communicator so hard he might break it.]

Al!!

okay done

[toukakoukan]

Al!! It’s really you?? Where are you?!

[He’s poised to run wherever he’s directed, staring down at the image of his brother as if he looks away, he might disappear. How long has he waited to see him there, to finally have Al in this lonely place with him? It feels like it’s been years, but suddenly now at an end.]

voice;

[thorny]

There is a library in the city, but I feel that someone ought to warn you that the levels they allow most guests access to are rather lacking.

[ ᴠıᴅᴇᴏ ]

[armorbound]

[Well, he'd frown over that news if he could.]

Limited access? Sounds just like the Library back in Central City. A lot of their books and documents were off limits unless you had proper military clearance.

Do you know of a way to gain access to some of the higher level books?

[Voice]

[yamagishi]

Is that really...

[In which Fuuka looks closely at him. Was he really a robot?]

Um y-yes there is a library but I'm not sure if the doors are big enough?

[armorbound]

... really what?

[His voice can be heard repeating softly, but he's more or less thrown off by the news that the doors might not be big enough for him.]

NOT BIG ENOUGH!?

[Sobbing. Well, he would be if he could, because the day an Elric Brother is too big to get into the library of all places is a sad day. Without his alchemy he can't exactly make the door any bigger either.]

Oh no.

[Video]

[ninjainviolet]

[Have a curious-looking Sheena coming over your communicator's screen, Alphonse.]

I haven't met your brother, so I don't know if he's here, but...

Are you a knight?

[Because knights on her world wear armor like that.]

[ ᴠıᴅᴇᴏ ]

[armorbound]

Well, a few other people have already told me he's here. So I'm just waiting to see if I can get a hold of him.

[Sheena's question would have earned a blink, though he understands where she might believe he was a knight given his body.]

Not exactly. I'm an Alchemist!

video;

[computations]

Yes, there happens to be a library here.

[She would know. She spends too much time there.]

[ ᴠıᴅᴇᴏ ]

[armorbound]

Someone mentioned it's on the opposite side of the city. I'm afraid I've gotten a bit turned around.

[He admits realizing finally he should have paid more attention to the tour instead of worrying so much about other things.]

... but someone mentioned I might not fit in through the doors?

[He's so worried sounding about this, because he's going to need books to pass the time and he'd really like to be able to see Death City's library if possible.]

Video

[shadow_star]

There is! Would you like me to show you the way?

Oh - but - I'm afraid I don't know the boy you're speaking of, I'm sorry.

[ ᴠıᴅᴇᴏ ]

[armorbound]

He's here! He's on his way actually.

[He's quick to explain happily, because so many people have been quite helpful since his arrival. It's nice to see so many people reaching out to answer all his questions and help get him information.]

So I think my trip to the library might have to wait till later... if you wouldn't mind?

video;

[donttelldaddy]

[This is Ed's brother? Not quite what she was expecting...but interesting. She gives him a smile.]

It's nice to meet you, Alphonse. I'm Lili, a friend of Edward's.

[ ᴠıᴅᴇᴏ ]

[armorbound]

[He's quiet for just a few extra seconds as Lili's faces comes across his communicator.]

Ah- it's nice to meet you Miss Lili! You wouldn't happen to know where I might be able to find my brother would you?

[Video]

[usedforcepalm]

[Oh wow, that is an interesting body.]

Edward Elric is in my cousin's Watch district. And yes, there is a library. Unfortunately, you have to have special permission to even read some of the books, but there's still plenty for one-star Meisters and Weapons that aren't Deathscythes to read.

[Video]

[armorbound]

[A little girl? Alphonse sure is surprised to see Hanabi over the network, but he's no less pleasant - in fact, he goes out of his way to be even more friendly.]

You must be related to Mr. Neji! We've spoken a little and he's informed me of the same thing.

[If he could frown he certainly would when it came to hearing about how he needed special permission to read certain books.]

It's good to know there are still plenty of books for me to look through, reading is something I like to do in my free time.

[Which he has a lot of given he doesn't need to sleep at all.]

You wouldn't happen to know how I could gain access to the other books would you?

[Video]

[socialbutterfly]

Are you really a robot, Alphonse-san? [Such a gentle voice from such a big frame, though...]

[ ᴠıᴅᴇᴏ ]

[armorbound]

[There's that word again and he raises a leather strapped hand towards the back of his 'head' and rubs in confusion.]

Considering I don't even know what a robot is, probably not?

[He hopes not at least.]

Video

[nofarplaneyet]

His brother? Edward didn't say he had a big brother. *In a suit of armor no less.*

I know he's doing fine and has someone crazier than he is as a Weapon partner.

[ ᴠıᴅᴇᴏ ]

[armorbound]

I'm actually his little brother.

[He explains patiently as one of them always has to do when they meet either him or Edward for the first time. It's always impossible for people to believe that he is in fact the younger Elric brother and not the infamous Fullmetal Alchemist. As far as his current straight of dress, he's just going to ignore commenting on that for now - while some of these people may be friends with Ed, he's not sure if it's safe to share his state of being just yet.]

Ah that's good to hear, I was afraid when other people mentioned he was here that he might have ended up in some sort of trouble.

[Though he pauses towards the end when he hears the part about a Weapon's partner. Being new he still isn't sure he understands a lot about this Weapon and Meister business.]

Someone crazier than him? They haven't done anything bad have they?

[He hopes not at least.]

action; hope this is cool, if not I can delete and repost.

[splinterstrider]

[Dirk notices the crowd before he sees what it's following after. When he does spot Alphonse, communicator in hand, he quirks one eyebrow upwards. His curiosity is quickly piqued and he finds himself following after. Rather than muttering himself and following behind (like some kinda chump), he quickly steps alongside Alphonse, looking him up and down.

He's pretty sure they just look all the weirder now, teenager in regal purple pajamas following the big robot(?) guy down the street.]

"Nice carapace, bro. You design it yourself?"

[ ᴀсᴛıᴏɴ ] totally cool

[armorbound]

[He doesn't actually take notice of the purple pajama person beside him. He's met a lot of different people upon his arrival and sadly the young man walking beside him isn't the strangest of them. However, when the voice picks up and he catches the fact that it's directed at him he pauses as his entire body shifts to allow him to look down.]

Carapace?

[Alphonse's tone of voice is all too clear: What's a carapace?]

{ video }

[comradery]

Oh~! It's Al! The two Elric brothers are now together again! How about that!

[Yes, do ignore the fact that he is supposed to be dead.]

[ ᴠıᴅᴇᴏ ]

[armorbound]

[Much like Edward did moments ago when he saw Alphonse on the communications device so to does Alphonse begin to respond in a flurry of physical and vocal reactions. If only he had a body, because the look on his face when he sees and hears Hughes's voice ranges from heart breaking to ecstatic.]

Lieutenant Colonel Hughes!

[He needs a minute, because he's about ten seconds from dropping his device on the ground.]

You're ali -- [He can't even say the word alive. It just sounds wrong.] -- here! [And then his voice gets really really quiet.] You're really here too?