[Video] [Week 18, Day 6, dawn] When the stars fall from your sky
[A silent scream--a scream that cannot be heard but only felt, as it is mentally projected--is the first thing picked up by the Hitomi.
It is dropped immediately, and it is quickly made clear why, because as Elfangor falls beside the device, it captures his mangled state. The red light of dawn makes the torn flesh seem all the more grotesque. Blue ( Read more... )
It is dropped immediately, and it is quickly made clear why, because as Elfangor falls beside the device, it captures his mangled state. The red light of dawn makes the torn flesh seem all the more grotesque. Blue ( Read more... )
Comments 47
He scrabbles for his Hitomi, but he already knows. Relief crashes into him, with guilt and worry hard on its heels. How can he be glad, when he knows damn well what just happened? Oh god, oh god, blood everywhere, just like before…
But not like before, and the relief is still there, a chant of oh thank god, thank god he came back, in the back of Matt's mind as he pulls on his boots (he's still in Elfangor's clothes) and all but sprints for the door, for Himorogi.
He sends his message on the way, and he knows the reply might be Who are you?, and he knows it might be Don't come. There's nothing on earth or Kannagara that could stop him.]
I'm on my way.
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He takes a long moment to just breathe, to swallow the terror down once more.] Matt--
[But that's all he can get out before emotion tries to claw its way out of his throat, choking him, and it's all he can do to just try to get himself under control before Matt gets there.]
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Matt has to walk most of the way, one day without nicotine not remotely beginning to counteract almost a decade of chainsmoking, and he knows it'll take a half-hour no matter how fast he runs. And he spins through it all on the way, the relief he knows is selfish, because Elfangor being here means he's dead, like Matt, no home to go back to; the need, like an ache, to hold him, look into his eyes, know he's here; the certain knowledge of how awful it's been for him, so much pain, death upon death. Matt doesn't know how to make it better, but he'd give anything to be able to.
He reaches the tree. Sees the man curled under it. And his voice breaks on the name.] Elfangor…
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And he sees him standing there, looking like hell, rumpled and wearing his clothes. They're too large for his frame, and they make him look even smaller than usual, lost, and the guilt crashes into him--even though he logically knows there is he could have done to prevent this, he also is aware that he is the cause of the pain he can almost viscerally feel emanating from him. (An echo of his own memories, etched into his flesh.)
He has to say something. But there is nothing, nothing he can say to make this better. So he just says the first thing that pops into his head.]
I suppose that was... abysmal timing for deciding to take a run, huh.
[The lame attempt at humor falls flat.]
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His attention is jolted to the Hitomi and the sight of the mangled mess on the screen is almost enough to send Ed into a panic.
He doesn't know Elfangor, but he knows when something is dying, and for just a moment his-world logic takes over as he tries frantically to think of what he could do--Ed's no doctor, after all, and living systems are too complicated for most alchemy anyway...
--And then it changes into something human-shaped and Ed's mouth just hangs open in shock for some moments.]
What the--
[No, Elric, now wasn't the time.]
...H-hey, do you...need some...help, or. Something?
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Ed? I'm here. Um, obviously. But yeah. We could use some help.
[He doesn't think alchemy can help them get back to Yomisato any easier, but you never know, and Matt both likes and trusts Ed.]
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[That wasn't the voice he was expecting to hear back, but Ed shakes off the mild surprise easily enough.]
On my way. Can't get there any faster than a half hour, though. [Since he's nowhere near Himorogi at the moment.]
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[Ed will figure it out soon enough without Matt having to explain.]
I know. Thanks, man.
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Elfangor?
Eyes wide at the sight---so much blood, injured like that even in Himorogi---that he barely notices Matt's message. But Matt, Matt is going to him, too. But-
Allen's shouting an apology to the carpentry crew he was with and running before he really thinks anything through.]
I'm coming, too.
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Really, Elfangor, he's always running off after you it seems. There's a forced smile behind his tone, though. The kind that says to keep your eyes forward even when...]
It'll be alright. People are coming. We'll be there soon. [Matt too. Which he feels bad for and hopefully the other will check this, but...
Even if this is personal, he'd go crazy if he didn't go as well. It's not in his nature.]
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[Matt stops himself.]
You're coming no matter what I say, aren't you?
[Does he ever understand that, and he likes Allen more because of it.]
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[There's a little surprise at that, but... not really.]
Yeah. [A smile, a little sorry except... not really. Sympathetic, maybe.] Sorry.
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Which means during Elfangor's death here, he went through the real death back home.
The ripped flesh, the spilling blood, the puncture wounds. He knows what it is, having dealt with it so many times himself: the wounds of teeth tearing the muscle and bone apart.
Eaten alive.
Whatever chance Marco has to safely tell Elfangor of his son's fate is gone out of the window now.]
Where are you?
[Except, he knows already.]
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That... Witnessing that, had been his initiation into war. And the awareness of this, it curdled in his stomach. No. no, didn't want to think about stomachs...
He is too exhausted to do much else but offer a brief response. To let Marco know that he is... perhaps not okay, but not in need of immediate assistance any longer.]
Home, now.
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Rin remembers what it feels like. What it feels like waking up under that tree with the certainty that you died. Remembering exactly how, too.
So she knows that there really isn't anything you can say, and it's against better judgement that she says something.]
... Elfangor?
[Just his name, just a tentative attempt at reaching him. If he wants to be left alone, he won't answer, or answer in away that will make it clear, and she will back off.]
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