Take this while you can…[Closed, Incomplete]
Who: Edward Elric (ohshitnotmilk), Alphonse Elric (armored_alchemy), and Nina Tucker (magic_flowers)
What: A surprise on the boat and subsequent arrival in the city
Where: The boat! … Later, the docks
When: Day 136
magic_flowers: Nina’s chubby hands grasped the rail of the boat as her eyes peered over the edge, barely able to see the great amount of water. Two long braids went down her back, and there was a big, white dog next to her. She patted the dog, and went back up on her tiptoes. She let out a gasp of wonder as the land came into view, "I know Daddy sent us here with his magic circle!"
The little girl’s face shone brilliantly with happiness, as always. Alexander barked at her, so Nina stepped down and petted his big head. "I’m glad Daddy sent you too, Alexander." She was short, though, and couldn’t see anyone on the boat quite well. Her face fell slightly. If only Daddy had been in the magic circle, he could’ve come too!
She petted Alexander, giving the world another of her brilliant smiles.
ohshitnotmilk: No. This wasn’t right. Something was very, very wrong. Either he was in another strange, bizarre world - or those drugs they had given him were really sending him into a trip. Because Nina Tucker was not human anymore - he had seen her after the transmutation. She was a chimera. Both Nina and Alexander. So how were they both in front of him, staring off into the ocean with their faces pressed to the ocean breeze like this were some sort of vacation?
A look of horror crossed his face, and all Ed could think was that this was some sort of nightmare. He’d pinched his flesh arm, he’d bit the inside of his lip, hard. But Nina Tucker was still standing there. He was still on this boat. What happened to Germany? Was he even still there? Ed tried to calm his nerves, to think of a reasonable explanation for this.
The doubles. It had to be. He’d seen people who had disturbing likeness to those in Amestris, in Germany. Hughes, Noa, Alfons. Maybe this girl was just another one of them who bared a resemblance. That had to be it. But could he really be so sure?
Taking a deep breath, Ed tried to take in his surroundings - just the boat he was on, and the never-ending ocean. And a strange journal and quill that he was not familiar with. It wasn’t his; he knew that. But it had his name on it. He would investigate that in a few minutes; he couldn’t concentrate on anything but this girl who so much resembled Nina.
Frowning softly, Ed picked up the journal and pushed himself to his feet shakily. "Nina...?" He called out, quietly. He gathered his wits and spoke up again, this time louder, and stronger. "Nina Tucker?"
magic_flowers: Nina turned at the sound of her name. If it was possible for her grin to get bigger, it did. "LITTLE OLDER BROTHER!" She ran and hugged his legs. "You grew, little older brother!" She said, giving him a simply angelic smile. "I knew you and bigger older brother would remember!" The only way he could be here was if Daddy had sent him too! And they could play now!
Alexander also seemed to remember the alchemist, giving a bark and walking over. He leaped up, pressing his paws to Ed’s chest and licking his face. Nina’s face was squished harder into his legs. One was flesh, and the other hard, but Nina was used to it.
Nina was estatic to see him again, even if he was older than she remembered. "Where is bigger older brother?" She asked sweetly.
ohshitnotmilk: Ed could feel his stomach twisting with every word Nina spoke. Oh god. It really was Nina. It really was. She hugged his legs, and Alexander jumped up on top of him - and it was all real. He could tell. This was not some twisted dream. It was not a horror story. Nina was alive. So was Alexander. They were their own separate beings.
The blond man didn’t know what to do. He fell back against the wall, his eyes wide in horror as he stared into space. His foot gave out beneath him, and he slid down the wall, taking Nina and Alexander down with him. "Nina…? Nina, oh god..." He muttered, turning his gaze to the little girl. He pulled a glove off his flesh hand and reached out, touching the side of Nina’s face with his hand - it was warm. Her body was warm like a humans should be.
In his nightmares, they were never warm. They were always cold.
Before Ed really knew what he was doing, he’d pulled the little girl into his arms. He didn’t know why she was here, or what was happening - but she wasn’t a chimera. She was human. "Nina, Nina… And Alexander; my god..." His mind kept screaming ‘HOW?!’ but his heart just kept repeating ‘Thank god.’
He didn’t seem like he wanted to let go of the little girl anytime soon.
magic_flowers: Nina’s face fell slightly. "What’s wrong, little older brother?" She asked quietly. But she gave into the hug, wrapping her little arms around him, grinning again. She’d missed them. It wasn’t that she had been afraid they’d forget, she’d always hoped they would, and here he was! "You just left this morning!"
His clothes muffled her words slightly, but she was happy to be hugged. After all, he seemed to be sad, which she couldn’t understand why, but he could play with her again! This was an odd place. "Daddy sent me, little older brother!" She explained after squirming a little to settle into his lap. "He drew me and Alexander a magic circle!"
Alexander layed himself next to Ed, white head resting on a leg, tail wagging with excitement.
ohshitnotmilk: Ed could only stare down at her as she spoke. Daddy sent her? He drew her a magic circle? Ed had only left this morning…? What was this place? Nina had been turned into a chimera four years ago, nearly - what the hell was going on? Ed began to wonder if his dreams were beginning to play with his mind. Changing the way they freaked him out.
"No - Nina… I left six years ago. Remember the birthday party?" He asked, his voice shaking and his eyes still a little wide as he tried to explain this to her. "I turned… You remember how old I was, right? I’m eighteen, now, Nina." How did he explain this to a little girl? Ed could remember when he was twelve, and she was only four. He’d never bothered to use the tone one normally would with a child. Why did he suddenly feel the need to, now?
Nonetheless, he was not going to tell Nina about this mess. He was not going to tell her what had happened to her that night.
And god forbid someone take the girl away again so Tucker could do something else disgusting to her.
"I don’t get it, Nina, but I’ll figure it out." He glanced over at Alexander, reaching a hand up to pat the dog with a prosthetic hand. "We’re not dreaming, though, right, Nina?"
magic_flowers: Nina’s face scrunched a little harder. "No! I was just in a magic circle Daddy drew for me and Alexander! You and bigger older brother left this morning! You promised to play with me again." Her eyes filled a little with tears as she spoke. But he was older, that much her mind could manage. She pressed her cheek against him again.
But Daddy had sent her. Everything had been glowing like when little older brother made her magic flowers, and she’d woken here with Alexander. She’d hurt a little, but it quickly went away.
She bit her lip, looking very much confused. "I hurt when I came, little older brother. Does that mean I’m not asleep?" She leaned forward to pet Alexander as well, then dropping back to lean on Ed.
It had been night… Daddy had taken her downstairs past all the animals… Then he drew her and Alexander a magic circle… Nina scrunched her face cutely. But if little older brother said it had been six years, then she must be wrong, right?
ohshitnotmilk: Ed let Nina lean up against him; pretty much let her have whatever she wanted right now. He was too confused, trying too hard to wrap his mind around this place. Wherever he and Nina were heading, it was not a place that followed the natural rules of life. It was a messed up place. Nina was clearly still four years old, and he was eighteen. He’d left her house six years ago. Come back, and she had been a chimera. What had happened that he’d missed?
Or was this place just screwing with time? It had to be. It must have been.
"It’s weird, Nina. I don’t understand myself. When I get it, I’ll explain it to you, alright?" He pat Nina’s head a moment before he glanced out over the ocean. "I think we’ll be docking soon. " He shifted slightly so Nina was sitting on his prosthetic leg, and not cutting off the circulation on his good leg anymore.
magic_flowers: She beamed again, happy that at least he could be here to play with her. "Is bigger older brother here too?" If he was here to play with her, then bigger older brother should be too! They were never apart in Nina’s memories. Bigger older brother was in his armor all the time, but he still played with her!
Nina yawned a little. Alex let his head settle to the ground. "Where are… we?" She mumbled, eyes closing a little from exhaustion. She still managed to be awake, but she was tired, and yawned again. Little older brother was warm, and she was tired.
ohshitnotmilk: Ed was lost in his thoughts until she mentioned Al. Bigger old brother. Was he still bigger? Was Al even human, now? He’d thought about it so much. Those few moments before the gate.
Was this even Amestris? If it was Amestris, than maybe… Maybe Al was here. Maybe even if this wasn’t Amestris, Al had somehow ended up here - it was worth the hope.
"I don’t know, Nina. I’ve never been here before." He glanced down at the journal, before he looked at Nina. "If I see him, I’ll let you know." If. That was the key word. But Nina’s question had brought up an entire new situation. A new possibility.
magic_flowers: She wanted to see bigger older brother, but little older brother didn’t know if he was here! Nina’s mind was tired from the excitement of this place. It was winding down. But little older brother could take care of her, she was certain. He was fun to play with, and if bigger older brother had been sent by Daddy too, then surely little older brother would tell her.
She grasped the front of his shirt. "You can take…" She yawned and her eyes slid shut a little more. Alexander grinned and wagged his tail more. After all, the dog had been friendly with the alchemist prodigy. "Take care of me." She mumbled before she slid into sleep. Her hand relaxed a little and her breathing slowed to deep breaths.
ohshitnotmilk: Ed blinked at the girls words. Take care of her? He suddenly felt like she was just thrusting this huge weight onto him. But he was probably the only one here that she knew. And could he honestly just leave her? Who knew if Tucker was lurking around? Who knew if he’d find her again and try something else?
"Yeah. Sure, Nina," He said, absent mindedly before he turned his head and glanced at the notebook that he’d found beside him not too long ago. Strange. He flipped open the pages, noticing the writing and trying to find some sort of understanding of this place. Every time Alexander got too close, or got in his way of the book, Ed shooed him off, trying to make him lay down but not quite succeeding. There was a guide, he’d noticed - he flipped through it, reading through it with ease. Maybe it was all the strange things that had happened to Ed before, but this didn't seem so far fetched to him.
There were so many things he figured out. Al was here, so was Envy -- and some bizarre woman who had apparently grown some sort of grudge on him and intended to murder him for some odd reason.
He always ended up in these situations, didn't he?
But the boat was docking soon, which meant Al was somewhere close -- waiting by the docks, he hoped. When he noticed the boat getting closer, minutes from docking, he tucked away the book in his vest for now before he shifted Nina off his leg and onto his back so he could stand. He was the first off the boat, and glad to be.
Now was just the task of finding Al; who probably didn't stand out as much as he had when he was still just a suit of armor.
What: A surprise on the boat and subsequent arrival in the city
Where: The boat! … Later, the docks
When: Day 136
magic_flowers: Nina’s chubby hands grasped the rail of the boat as her eyes peered over the edge, barely able to see the great amount of water. Two long braids went down her back, and there was a big, white dog next to her. She patted the dog, and went back up on her tiptoes. She let out a gasp of wonder as the land came into view, "I know Daddy sent us here with his magic circle!"
The little girl’s face shone brilliantly with happiness, as always. Alexander barked at her, so Nina stepped down and petted his big head. "I’m glad Daddy sent you too, Alexander." She was short, though, and couldn’t see anyone on the boat quite well. Her face fell slightly. If only Daddy had been in the magic circle, he could’ve come too!
She petted Alexander, giving the world another of her brilliant smiles.
ohshitnotmilk: No. This wasn’t right. Something was very, very wrong. Either he was in another strange, bizarre world - or those drugs they had given him were really sending him into a trip. Because Nina Tucker was not human anymore - he had seen her after the transmutation. She was a chimera. Both Nina and Alexander. So how were they both in front of him, staring off into the ocean with their faces pressed to the ocean breeze like this were some sort of vacation?
A look of horror crossed his face, and all Ed could think was that this was some sort of nightmare. He’d pinched his flesh arm, he’d bit the inside of his lip, hard. But Nina Tucker was still standing there. He was still on this boat. What happened to Germany? Was he even still there? Ed tried to calm his nerves, to think of a reasonable explanation for this.
The doubles. It had to be. He’d seen people who had disturbing likeness to those in Amestris, in Germany. Hughes, Noa, Alfons. Maybe this girl was just another one of them who bared a resemblance. That had to be it. But could he really be so sure?
Taking a deep breath, Ed tried to take in his surroundings - just the boat he was on, and the never-ending ocean. And a strange journal and quill that he was not familiar with. It wasn’t his; he knew that. But it had his name on it. He would investigate that in a few minutes; he couldn’t concentrate on anything but this girl who so much resembled Nina.
Frowning softly, Ed picked up the journal and pushed himself to his feet shakily. "Nina...?" He called out, quietly. He gathered his wits and spoke up again, this time louder, and stronger. "Nina Tucker?"
magic_flowers: Nina turned at the sound of her name. If it was possible for her grin to get bigger, it did. "LITTLE OLDER BROTHER!" She ran and hugged his legs. "You grew, little older brother!" She said, giving him a simply angelic smile. "I knew you and bigger older brother would remember!" The only way he could be here was if Daddy had sent him too! And they could play now!
Alexander also seemed to remember the alchemist, giving a bark and walking over. He leaped up, pressing his paws to Ed’s chest and licking his face. Nina’s face was squished harder into his legs. One was flesh, and the other hard, but Nina was used to it.
Nina was estatic to see him again, even if he was older than she remembered. "Where is bigger older brother?" She asked sweetly.
ohshitnotmilk: Ed could feel his stomach twisting with every word Nina spoke. Oh god. It really was Nina. It really was. She hugged his legs, and Alexander jumped up on top of him - and it was all real. He could tell. This was not some twisted dream. It was not a horror story. Nina was alive. So was Alexander. They were their own separate beings.
The blond man didn’t know what to do. He fell back against the wall, his eyes wide in horror as he stared into space. His foot gave out beneath him, and he slid down the wall, taking Nina and Alexander down with him. "Nina…? Nina, oh god..." He muttered, turning his gaze to the little girl. He pulled a glove off his flesh hand and reached out, touching the side of Nina’s face with his hand - it was warm. Her body was warm like a humans should be.
In his nightmares, they were never warm. They were always cold.
Before Ed really knew what he was doing, he’d pulled the little girl into his arms. He didn’t know why she was here, or what was happening - but she wasn’t a chimera. She was human. "Nina, Nina… And Alexander; my god..." His mind kept screaming ‘HOW?!’ but his heart just kept repeating ‘Thank god.’
He didn’t seem like he wanted to let go of the little girl anytime soon.
magic_flowers: Nina’s face fell slightly. "What’s wrong, little older brother?" She asked quietly. But she gave into the hug, wrapping her little arms around him, grinning again. She’d missed them. It wasn’t that she had been afraid they’d forget, she’d always hoped they would, and here he was! "You just left this morning!"
His clothes muffled her words slightly, but she was happy to be hugged. After all, he seemed to be sad, which she couldn’t understand why, but he could play with her again! This was an odd place. "Daddy sent me, little older brother!" She explained after squirming a little to settle into his lap. "He drew me and Alexander a magic circle!"
Alexander layed himself next to Ed, white head resting on a leg, tail wagging with excitement.
ohshitnotmilk: Ed could only stare down at her as she spoke. Daddy sent her? He drew her a magic circle? Ed had only left this morning…? What was this place? Nina had been turned into a chimera four years ago, nearly - what the hell was going on? Ed began to wonder if his dreams were beginning to play with his mind. Changing the way they freaked him out.
"No - Nina… I left six years ago. Remember the birthday party?" He asked, his voice shaking and his eyes still a little wide as he tried to explain this to her. "I turned… You remember how old I was, right? I’m eighteen, now, Nina." How did he explain this to a little girl? Ed could remember when he was twelve, and she was only four. He’d never bothered to use the tone one normally would with a child. Why did he suddenly feel the need to, now?
Nonetheless, he was not going to tell Nina about this mess. He was not going to tell her what had happened to her that night.
And god forbid someone take the girl away again so Tucker could do something else disgusting to her.
"I don’t get it, Nina, but I’ll figure it out." He glanced over at Alexander, reaching a hand up to pat the dog with a prosthetic hand. "We’re not dreaming, though, right, Nina?"
magic_flowers: Nina’s face scrunched a little harder. "No! I was just in a magic circle Daddy drew for me and Alexander! You and bigger older brother left this morning! You promised to play with me again." Her eyes filled a little with tears as she spoke. But he was older, that much her mind could manage. She pressed her cheek against him again.
But Daddy had sent her. Everything had been glowing like when little older brother made her magic flowers, and she’d woken here with Alexander. She’d hurt a little, but it quickly went away.
She bit her lip, looking very much confused. "I hurt when I came, little older brother. Does that mean I’m not asleep?" She leaned forward to pet Alexander as well, then dropping back to lean on Ed.
It had been night… Daddy had taken her downstairs past all the animals… Then he drew her and Alexander a magic circle… Nina scrunched her face cutely. But if little older brother said it had been six years, then she must be wrong, right?
ohshitnotmilk: Ed let Nina lean up against him; pretty much let her have whatever she wanted right now. He was too confused, trying too hard to wrap his mind around this place. Wherever he and Nina were heading, it was not a place that followed the natural rules of life. It was a messed up place. Nina was clearly still four years old, and he was eighteen. He’d left her house six years ago. Come back, and she had been a chimera. What had happened that he’d missed?
Or was this place just screwing with time? It had to be. It must have been.
"It’s weird, Nina. I don’t understand myself. When I get it, I’ll explain it to you, alright?" He pat Nina’s head a moment before he glanced out over the ocean. "I think we’ll be docking soon. " He shifted slightly so Nina was sitting on his prosthetic leg, and not cutting off the circulation on his good leg anymore.
magic_flowers: She beamed again, happy that at least he could be here to play with her. "Is bigger older brother here too?" If he was here to play with her, then bigger older brother should be too! They were never apart in Nina’s memories. Bigger older brother was in his armor all the time, but he still played with her!
Nina yawned a little. Alex let his head settle to the ground. "Where are… we?" She mumbled, eyes closing a little from exhaustion. She still managed to be awake, but she was tired, and yawned again. Little older brother was warm, and she was tired.
ohshitnotmilk: Ed was lost in his thoughts until she mentioned Al. Bigger old brother. Was he still bigger? Was Al even human, now? He’d thought about it so much. Those few moments before the gate.
Was this even Amestris? If it was Amestris, than maybe… Maybe Al was here. Maybe even if this wasn’t Amestris, Al had somehow ended up here - it was worth the hope.
"I don’t know, Nina. I’ve never been here before." He glanced down at the journal, before he looked at Nina. "If I see him, I’ll let you know." If. That was the key word. But Nina’s question had brought up an entire new situation. A new possibility.
magic_flowers: She wanted to see bigger older brother, but little older brother didn’t know if he was here! Nina’s mind was tired from the excitement of this place. It was winding down. But little older brother could take care of her, she was certain. He was fun to play with, and if bigger older brother had been sent by Daddy too, then surely little older brother would tell her.
She grasped the front of his shirt. "You can take…" She yawned and her eyes slid shut a little more. Alexander grinned and wagged his tail more. After all, the dog had been friendly with the alchemist prodigy. "Take care of me." She mumbled before she slid into sleep. Her hand relaxed a little and her breathing slowed to deep breaths.
ohshitnotmilk: Ed blinked at the girls words. Take care of her? He suddenly felt like she was just thrusting this huge weight onto him. But he was probably the only one here that she knew. And could he honestly just leave her? Who knew if Tucker was lurking around? Who knew if he’d find her again and try something else?
"Yeah. Sure, Nina," He said, absent mindedly before he turned his head and glanced at the notebook that he’d found beside him not too long ago. Strange. He flipped open the pages, noticing the writing and trying to find some sort of understanding of this place. Every time Alexander got too close, or got in his way of the book, Ed shooed him off, trying to make him lay down but not quite succeeding. There was a guide, he’d noticed - he flipped through it, reading through it with ease. Maybe it was all the strange things that had happened to Ed before, but this didn't seem so far fetched to him.
There were so many things he figured out. Al was here, so was Envy -- and some bizarre woman who had apparently grown some sort of grudge on him and intended to murder him for some odd reason.
He always ended up in these situations, didn't he?
But the boat was docking soon, which meant Al was somewhere close -- waiting by the docks, he hoped. When he noticed the boat getting closer, minutes from docking, he tucked away the book in his vest for now before he shifted Nina off his leg and onto his back so he could stand. He was the first off the boat, and glad to be.
Now was just the task of finding Al; who probably didn't stand out as much as he had when he was still just a suit of armor.