Array 148 // Video

[bloodseal_soul]

Dammit. Dammit, dammit.

[Clank, and Al drops the PCD on the kitchen table. He's covered in dirt and mud, braid sticking to the side of his face, and his teeth are gritted. He's holding his right shoulder.]

Hey-

[It's a little breathless. He tries to move his right arm and there's a painful-sounding, grinding creak. Metallic. He chokes off a

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[notamageiswear]

[Oh, fuck that. Negi's right there, hovering. This is one of those instances where he's fussing.]

What did you do?

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[bloodseal_soul]

Pebble got in through the joints earlier while I was digging and I didn't notice, so I kept moving. Now it's somewhere in the port, and it's digging-

[He has to break off to breathe.]

I need to take this off.

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[notamageiswear]

Dammit, idiot, be more careful.

[But it's in a soft tone, not at all chastising.]

Sit down, I'll be right back.

[And he's going to retrieve the bag from the garage.]

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[bloodseal_soul]

[Al tried for a smile for him and didn't quite make it. It hurt too much. Instead he concentrated on breathing, on not moving. The bag would be heavy, filled with metal parts.]

[Video]

[motherofalchemy]

[Here's Mama checking in for the first time in a few days...]

Alphonse...?

[Video]

[bloodseal_soul]

Hi. [Al breathes, tries to manage a smile for her.]

M'okay. Malfunction, it's minor.

[Video]

[motherofalchemy]

[She doesn't quite smile back.]

Perhaps I can do something to help make your arm more...comfortable.

[Video]

[bloodseal_soul]

Ah -- you don't need to go to any trouble. I know how to fix it.

[ff_red_turk]

What happened?

((OOC : Vincent is twenty-seven and a Turk, but he's sill a Mama Chocobo anyway.))

[bloodseal_soul]

Automail mishap. [Al sighs a little, sounding the barest edge annoyed, rather than in pain. He doesn't like anyone to worry.]

It's an easy fix.

[ff_red_turk]

[bloodseal_soul]

Absolutely. It's just a little bit of work.

[coraltaijiya]

A-al?

[She's confused, she hadn't noticed anything metallic or creaky when she talked to him earlier.]

Are you alright?

[bloodseal_soul]

Miss Sango?

[He flushes a little. On the camera, he's taken his shirt off so Negi can have a look at it -- his shoulder is gleaming metal, plates like armor, but no armor ever behaved like that. And no armor was ever literally bolted and screwed into someone's body, like this is.

Scars radiate out from the ports, slice across his chest. More are at his neck and throat. Bite marks, knife marks.]

Oh -- yeah, I'm fine! I just -- managed to get a rock or something between the joints here and didn't notice.

[coraltaijiya]

[Sango flushes a bit too, but not because of the scars so much as... shirtless man right there. If anything the scars would be interesting - her personal philosophy is that they serve as mementos - though not as interesting as the automail.]

Oh, I'm glad you're alright, then. [Her small, relieved smile freezes and then melts into inquiry.] But... that arm, is it -- metal?

[bloodseal_soul]

[Al smiles a little, he's had to whip off his shirt so many times, he doesn't think of it much anymore.]

Oh... yes. It's metal and wiring, and it's hooked into my nerves. [He wiggles his fingers a bit, and winces.]

It's called automail. A friend of mine makes them professionally.

[bunny_flower]

A problem, Alphonse-san?

[bloodseal_soul]

Something's stuck in the automail. [Slow, deep breath.]

I'm going to get it out, but it should be fine.

[bunny_flower]

You sound in pain.

[bloodseal_soul]

The automail is connected directly to my nerves, and it's ground itself into the port.

[He half-smiles.]

It's not... the most comfortable thing, but if I stay still it's not too bad. With a little help I can get it out, no trouble.