[The feed clicks on with Alphonse inside a dark room, with the camera (and lit screen) shining toward a door with an old lock.]

Ed? Brother!

[Al tries the lock again. It won't budge.]

Oh for- now? Really?

Yes! Really, really! [Ed's voice comes from the other side of the door.]

You could have at least left the light on.

What? And make it easy ( Read more... )

[For anyone listening who knows, that's the familiar roar of the Zoomer -- Al's bike-like hovering contraption. The one he's had for the past few years. But something sounds a bit off about the engine, even to the untrained ear. It keeps fading in and out, sputtering.]

Oh no, nonono-, come on-

[The engine roars back to life, but then sputters ( Read more... )

[Al has his PCD in his hands, sitting outside somewhere. It's night by now, and the stars glint overhead here and there. Naked tree limbs claw across the sky, and he sighs deeply.]... there's a lot of pain tonight. This past week, even before that. It hasn't been easy ( Read more... )

[Al's idly playing with the ruffles on his sleeves. He's been relegated to something in dark forest green, gold and white. His hair has grown by now, enough that he's tied it back with a green ribbon to match ( Read more... )

[The video feed turns on. Alphonse is sitting outside -- probably because he can't feel how cold it is. He keeps opening and closing a hand as the steady raindrops blur the screen, as if he can will himself to feel them ( Read more... )

[It's a soft hiss of breath, coming out in a sigh. He sounds tired. So. Very. Tired. Maybe it's something to be relieved about, or something to worry over.]

I wonder when disappearances stopped being awful and became expected.

[... click.]

[Private to Mustang and Unohana]I confronted Yuca. I talked to him. The situation is as resolved as it can ( Read more... )

[Al's up, though it's late for him. He's usually up around dawn and everywhere in the city, gathering supplies, making deliveries, checking up on his many projects, everything from the bridges on the river to making the rounds and checking the City's walls ( Read more... )

[The man's deep voice is mostly calm, but it sounds forced, as though he's keeping his composure only for the sake of those around him. The gentle but troubled look in his eyes seems completely out of proportion with the stern countenance and sharp lines of the masculine face.]This is the weirdest event that's ever happened. I mean, not even ( Read more... )

[The PCD clatters to the floor, and someone takes a breath, followed by several more, and then a cough. It looks like a hallway that's not the Elric household, early morning, and by the sound of it, there's no one else awake. Alphonse is not in view. However, after a moment, there is a small noise of some sort of thick liquid pattering to the floor ( Read more... )