001 Enter the Alchemist

[snacklist]

[Sometime after the initial panic of finding himself in a strange place where books talked at you when you opened them, there were no Homunculi or anyone familiar at all, and... everything ever; much later at night after things have started to sink in, there is a polite sounding voice over the journals after a self conscious throat clearing.]

Good evening! My name is Alphonse Elric and... do any you know Brother? His name is Edward and he's the... [little] ...alchemist with a red coat.

[What more can he really say? This is still so overwhelming and ridiculous.]

...I hope I can meet you all in person soon, talking over... a book seems a bit impersonal for a first meeting. [And then, in case that made anyone think he didn't want to talk now, he hastily added:] But it's nice to meet you anyway.

[ooc: Open to all]

Comments

[bloodsugar]

[f... fff; all the warm fuzzies for brotherly love.]

Yeah? I wonder what he'd say if he could hear you talking him up like this, Al.

[snacklist]

Mm... He hears it back home too, it's not a secret.

[bloodsugar]

[oh god his heart HIS HEART HISHEART]

A-ahh. Brothers should always know they're loved... I'm glad to hear that, Alphonse.

[snacklist]

Do you have a brother, Abel?

[bloodsugar]

Mm, I do! His name is Cain. [he flashes a thumb's up YEAHHH BROTHERS.]

[snacklist]

[Abel and Cain goes RIGHT OVER HIS HEAD.]

Is he here too?

[bloodsugar]

[herps.]

Ah-- no... no. Not anymore, I'm afraid...

It's a shame. He would've liked you, Al, I'm sure of it. But he might come back one day, hm?

[snacklist]

I think it's a good thing Brother isn't here, even if I'm going to miss him. We have things to do that are more important, and I trust him to be okay when I get back.

[bloodsugar]

[oh... right, right. time...]

...That's the funny thing about staying here, Al. Time doesn't behave like it should.

You could spend years in the castle, but when you're sent back home... you won't remember any of it, and it'll all have taken place in the blink of an eye!

[snacklist]

Really?

[...He's silent a moment, processing that (hard as it is to actually process).]

Good, then I know Brother won't be worrying about me.

[bloodsugar]

Mm. We wouldn't want that, would we? Or for you to miss out on something good at home, too!

Everything'll be waiting for you right where you left it when you head back one day.

[snacklist]

[Like them getting their original bodies back, which he knows will happen one day!]

I guess I can enjoy the vacation then, huh?

[Or at least, that seemed to be the best way to look at it.]

[bloodsugar]

Exactly!

...Though...

[it really wouldn't be fair of him to paint the picture of paradise, when Paradisa was anything but.]

This place isn't all roses and sunshine, Al. There are a few things that you should know about while you're here.

[snacklist]

[Nowhere ever was all roses and sunshine, what mattered was moving forwards through it.]

What?

[bloodsugar]

[let's start at the beginning, shall we...]

...When you first woke up here, Paradisa took something of a 'price' from you for entry. I guess it's an 'entry fee,' even if we never asked to be here to begin with. Courteous, isn't it? [ahem.]

It can be anything from one of your senses, to memories, to an ability to do something. Silly, like putting on your clothes -- or serious, like no longer being able to see from an eye. Whatever it is, there's no way to tell what you've lost for certain without discovering it yourself.

1/2

[snacklist]

It can't do that! That's horrible, taking away things from people like that, it's just...

[snacklist]

I'm missing something?!

[He starts frantically patting down his... body, making hollow clanging sounds, as though searching himself over to make sure he still had all his bits.]

[bloodsugar]

--Ah! Al! Don't panic! [slkjglksjdf]

It's only temporary and it's never so vital to your person you can't live without it! Even if... it's precious. [sob.] It doesn't look like you've lost anything you'd notice right off the bat, so... it's probably a memory or ability, okay?

[snacklist]

But what if it's a really important memory? How will I know?

[What if he's forgotten Brother? (Except, obviously he hasn't). Or how to do alchemy? Or..?]

[bloodsugar]

[;(... he looks sympathetic.]

Even if it is, just like your brother, it'll be waiting for you where you've left it at home. So keep your chin up, alright?

[snacklist]

[He clears his throat, sounding thick even if he can't cry, before... actually raising his chin and trying to sound more optimistic.]

R-Right!

[bloodsugar]

[sldkjgsdg wh-what. his heart...

well whatever who cares if you're a foot taller YOU STILL SOUND LIKE YOU'RE TINY AND ADORABLE so he sets a hand lightly on his (big ass) shoulder.]

Don't worry, Al. Memories are not so easily forgotten, even if we misplace them for a while. Especially the important ones.

[snacklist]

You're right, I know I'd never really forget anything important, not forever.

[Ah, he enjoys the touch at his shoulder... affection like this has been so rare since he got stuck in this suit of armour.]

[bloodsugar]

[pat pat pat. there there.]

Things like that stay in our hearts no matter what! So, just remember it's still there, even if you can't bring it to mind. Whatever it might be.

[they're coming up on town, now!]

[snacklist]

Mm.

[He nods again, this time much more determinedly. He's still going to try and find out what it was he was missing, but he won't let it slow him down too much (until he finds out what it is...).]

Wow, it's bigger than I thought it would be.