[ First Photo - Video ]
[The feed on the PokeGear starts off with a screen full of puppyface, and then a nice view of teeth and a pink tongue as the Growlithe picks it up in his mouth.
A man's voice can be heard offscreen.]
H-hey! Stay out of that please, I don't know what that's--
--Growl, growl!
[The Growlithe drops the device at his feet and stares up at the man, ( Read more... )
A man's voice can be heard offscreen.]
H-hey! Stay out of that please, I don't know what that's--
--Growl, growl!
[The Growlithe drops the device at his feet and stares up at the man, ( Read more... )
[He's not too keen on revealing himself right away; who knows what this guy knows, if anything. Better to be safe, so he keeps it on audio.] I haven't seen anybody else from Amestris in a long while.
This is Private Victor Smith, sir, and we're a long way from home. [The name he came up with on the spot, but he figures he might get more out of this person if he thinks Envy's some other, harmless military man.]
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If I may ask, where is this, if not Amestris?
[A moment of debate. Hesitation might be just as risky as giving his name and rank outright.]
Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes, Private Smith.
[The reaction he gets will likely tell him what he needs to know.]
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[Envy notes Hughes' brief hesitation, and wonders at what it could mean. Then again, the name does sound somewhat familiar. He has to think for a few moments before he can remember.] Lieutenant Colonel Hughes...you're in Investigations, aren't you?
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But...how is that possible?
[If it's true though, then this probably isn't some sort of afterlife, after all.
He flinches slightly at the next bit, but forces his voice to remain even.]
Yes, that's right.
[Well. That doesn't sound like the shocked tone of someone speaking to a dead man...hrm. So confused. He almost wishes Roy were here, but then again it's probably better that he's not.]
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[He puts a bit of admiration into his voice.] I thought so! You've helped solve so many cases, it's an honor to talk to you, sir. [Look, Hughes, what a young and innocent and totally not dangerous at all person!]
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That sounds about right...
Did you happen to find...any of your belongings missing when you arrived here?
[Not going to say outright that he's unarmed, but he's curious if the private is too. He's thinking about asking about a face-to-face meeting, but precautions need to be taken first.
That tone does manage to disarm his wariness somewhat, though, and he chuckles slightly into the Pokegear.]
Ahah...thank you. I'm nothing special, though.
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...oh, you probably mean weapons, right? There aren't any here at all. Even knives I only see in kitchens. I lost my pistol when I showed up too. Did you have anything else on you? Some people keep whatever was in their pockets if it was harmless. [Envy doesn't really care what the guy had in his pockets, though. He just wants to keep up the guise of Victor; the last thing he needs is to get figured out, because who knows what this Hughes might try.]
From what I can tell while I've been here, sir, the Pokemon are weapons enough. Just for protection and the sport-fighting they have here, though.
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I still have my wallet. [One set of pictures. And he's so utterly grateful for that link to home, but that's neither here nor there.]
Yes, so I've heard. [Which is apparently normal here? It still feels a bit uncomfortable to him, even if he understands it a little better now.]
[Finally, a pause, before he switches back to video.]
...Would it be at all possible to arrange meeting, in person?
[He really is sorry for the inconvenience, but...even if this line was secure he'd be more comfortable talking where there was no chance of being recorded.]
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[Envy almost startles at the sudden switch to video, cursing internally and wishing for his transformation back. But he keeps a nonchalant face on, even though he knows he doesn't exactly look military, and salutes.]
I wouldn't have a problem with it, sir, but it might take some time. I'm in Goldenrod City, and that's several weeks of walking from where you are if you don't stop in any other towns.
I'd meet you halfway, but [he wants to postpone any meeting as long as possible while he figures out what to do] I have a responsibility to several travel partners and they can't leave just yet.
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Hughes instantly freezes, dropping the Pokegear and recoiling as if it had bitten him. Growlithe notes his distress, and starts barking loudly at the device as if doing so will dissipate the source of it.
That...hair. That matched Ed's drawing of one of the homunculi he'd met at Lab 5.]
Y-you're...a homunculus...
[Shit. Shitshitshit. He should have noticed something was off when this man had opted for an audio transmission when this other capacity was available, but he'd been so disoriented by waking up here and all the strangeness that had accompanied it...
And Hughes is angry, both at himself for being deceived, and at this...thing for his trickery. He's angry that he might have put himself and those that have spoken to him through this device in jeopardy by giving his name when he thought he was safe.]
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Hughes picks up the Pokegear again, trying to look as boldly defiant as possible despite the slight shaking of his arm.]
So, what do you want from me? Isn't killing a man once enough for you monsters?
[It's probably a good thing he doesn't actually know which of the homunculi this one is, or he would be a hell of a lot angrier.]
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One of us killed you? Ha, no wonder you looked so confused to show up. Were you poking around where you shouldn't, Lieutenant Colonel? You must've been if you know about us homunculi. It couldn't have been me or I'd remember your face better, so maybe Lust or Gluttony. They always do everything fun without inviting me.
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You were tricking me all along, bastard.
[Too bad he can't seem to point to anything glaringly false Envy's said about Johto so far.]
[Lust. Gluttony. 'Deadly' sins taking on whole new meaning. But what the hell did it matter which one it was? There's a sharp, bitter huff of a laugh.]
My face, huh? Imagine one of you knows a thing or two about faces. Since my wife's was stolen to shoot me with.
[Oh yes, he very, very mad.]
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[Envy's eyes narrow slightly at that, because if Hughes' killer was stealing faces then it had to have been him. But he didn't remember a damn thing about anything like that, and he does not appreciate getting in trouble for things he hasn't even done.]
[But hey, Hughes still didn't know it had been him. Or would be him in the future, whatever.] Hmm, well...maybe if you can catch up to me I'll tell you which of us it was.
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