Quarantine, a Fullmetal Alchemist Fic (2/2)

[crazybeagle]

Title: Quarantine (2/2)

Author: crazybeagle
Characters: Edward, Alphonse
Rating: T
Teaser: "Do you think that they're right, brother? To keep me away from everyone?" Alone and recovering, Al remembers some things he wishes he couldn't. 
Notes: Set directly post-manga/Brotherhood. Vaguely based on this very old but very lovely chapter 53 fanart by Glyf

Comments

[crazybeagle]

Okay. Time for my thorough response.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! I believe that sums up the initial reaction I had to this. I was in the middle of getting dressed for the day when I found this, and I'm glad my roommate wasn't present (even though she would've been amused anyway), because I wound up happy-dancing around my room half-dressed. I've never gotten art for a fic from somebody I didn't actually know or wasn't collaborating with for a fic challenge, and to have such an incredible and elaborate illustration to be done for by very first ever Fullmetal Alchemist fic, especially one that I had some massive insecurities about during the actual writing process (characterizations and minor plot points gave me a massive headache), is absolutely unbelievable, and it's even more of an honor that I already know who you are because of DA. As to the art itself- Oh goodness, where do I start? Everything about the setting is almost freakily dead-on and gorgeously done- the soft lighting filtering through on gray, the height/width of the sill, even what little you can see through the window...and oh man, Ed and Al themselves...augh, exactly right, with the hand on the knee and Ed's "I'm gonna fix this" expression and Al's ineffectually trying to stop himself from breaking down....As well as the fact that, while I had a rather vague idea in my head of just how bad Al would look, you've made it impossible to overlook, and hard to take, and make me feel just as panicked for Al as I'd intended for Ed to feel. All this translates to: I love you so much right now. Also- I looked up that Yiruma song- it's gorgeous. Hilariously enough, while actually writing the fic, I was listening almost entirely to two bands whose music is almost hilariously UNfitting- Flogging Molly (angry Irish rock) and Rasputina (awkward creepy steampunk tunes).... XD
As to your commenting on the nature of the fic- I am so glad you like the direction I took with it. I was disconcerted when I thought about the logistics of the last manga chapter and considered exactly what they weren't telling us about exactly what Al would've went through before heading back to Risembool, or what his mental state might've been, and factoring in that people who could've prevented a scenario like this- both medical personnel and people who might've guessed that the situation with Al might need to be handled delicately due to knowing the whole situation, like Mustang, would've been stretched so thin and pulled so many different directions that it would've been impossible to manage. So yes, thank goodness for stubborn, impatient big brothers.
I'm so so so flattered you read it so many times. I actually smiled like an idiot when I read that bit. And actually, I had a whole bunch of minor things I realized I wanted to edit and tweak as I reread bits of the manga and watched some episodes of Brotherhood, and now that you've pimped it for me so nicely on your own page, I decided to go through and do that today. So if you by any chance read any of it again, there will be a few new things scattered throughout. I mentioned Baschool, and a bit more about Mustang, for example.
Anyway.
I LOVE YOU.
Ahem.
That is all.
PS- I haven't read that many post-108 fics of this type that you mentioned, which is a big reason I wrote this- could you possibly link me to any good ones?

[dzioo]

first of all, I am sooo glad you had this kind or reaction and not any other^^ it was a real pleasure drawing it and if it was your first contribution to the fandom, I can't wait to see your future stuff^^ if you ever decide to write for it again that is^^ you don't have to worry about characterisation at all, I think you got both of them spot on. it's true that you're showing a little more angsty side of Al, but damn, the kid just got his body back after 5 years without it, thought he would be able to finally be with people and they still lock him in isolated room>< anyone would break down crying ;_;
I'm honored that you know me and my works^^

you described that scene very well so it was no problem setting everything up^^ Al's body was a little painful because drawing such a skinny body makes you cringe>< it took a great effort to not look at poor african children and just study a skeleton>< but I'm happy it gave the effect you wanted to get.
hahahaha I often do that too XDD either Incubus, Foos or Three Days Grace for super fluffy pics^^;

but that's something that could actually happen. the doctors don't know the details of his condition, why his body ended like this and the concept of body and soul existing seperately would probably make anyone freak out. of course they want to approach this particular patient with maximum care and precaution.

ooooh changes! I'll have to go through it again, some time soon^^ it's great so it'll be a great pleasure for me^^

awwww thank you! glad to know I made someone happy^^

ad PS
there aren't many good ones and because I am not a writer, I can't trust my own judgement when it comes to written things aaand English isn't my mother tongue, so my idea of 'nicely written fic' may be far from reality....
but I'll gladly link you to a few I find especially adorable and nice, some of them expand even further than just recuperation of the brothers:
[Get Over Your Hill and See What You Find There] by missgoalie75
[Down the Back] by SonjaJade
[The Calm After the Storm] by _newworld
[To Live and Become] by chiiyo86

[crazybeagle]

Thank you so much for the recs. I loved them all.
<3