Al had to admit that it had been an indulgent, frivolous thing to buy that journal. Sure, he could explain it to himself that it might be a way to find his brother, but first, he'd have to find someone who might know him. Not only that, but he'd gotten all those fancy features, like cross-world capabilities, large monitor, fancy stylus (the fingers of his gauntlets were so big they wouldn't let him type properly), and glowy screen
( ... )
Zexion paid no attention to the metal footsteps. He dropped his gloves into his lap, catching the ends of wire with his bare fingers. There was a low hiss of pain as he unwrapped it, careless and irritated that he couldn't keep it from cutting his fingers. (The gloves limited some of the manuvarability required to dig fishing line out of one's neck.)
His fingers made it halfway to his lips before he dropped them into his lap again. He knew better than to suck on them like some backwoods islander. "Bastard." He muttered under his breath, leaning back against the wall.
He was mildly startled to see a suit of armor standing there. Everything living thing had a scent, be it human, heartless or nobody - this creature did too, but something about it was so strange he hadn't recognised it as living at first. He'd completely dismissed it; the sound of the armor moving, the words, everything.
Zexion tilted his head very slightly, uncomprehending and curious. It showed in his voice. "And what are you?"
Al watched with horror as the figure unwound something from around his neck. The guy had had wire, dangerously thin, wrapped around his throat, and from his expression and mutters, it had not been pleasant. Al doubted that it had been done voluntarily.
When the stranger turned to look at him, Al was a bit surprised at how calm the guy was. How could he be so calm when it looked like someone had tried to kill him? He only half noticed the question that was posed so mildly, and did not notice the "what" that he used instead of "who" at all. Kneeling down as best he could in front of the man, he spoke in a worried voice, "Uh, I'm Alphonse. Are you okay? That looks like a terrible wound."
Zexion gave the suit of armor a bemused look. Was it a puppet of some kind? He didn't smell anyone near enough to control it.
He ran his thumb along the wound in response to its question, apparently trying to wipe away some of the blood. It had the opposite effect. "It's only terrible if I lose more blood than I need."
It sounded like a child. The strangest thought filtered across his mind, something about the heart and how thin a shield that suit really was, but it was gone again before he could grasp it.
"Why so concerned about a stranger? It's dangerous to wonder on your own."
Al wished he could close his eyes. But that was sort of hard when you didn't have eyelids. To be honest, he'd not closed his eyes, even for a blink, in more time than he could remember. "Uh...well, when I lost my body, I was..." He raised his gauntlet to the top of his leg armor. "...this high. And I had short blond hair, um, brown eyes."
He paused, frowning. It was hard to describe himself. He'd gotten used to describing Ed, but it was much harder for himself. Maybe, if Zexion was really interested, he should draw a transmutation circle and create an image of himself. That might be easier. "I...I can show you?"
"All right." Al looked around the quiet street. All he really needed was a bit of rubble, or maybe some trash...ah!
Al walked toward a discarded can, reaching into the waist of his loincloth. He always carried a bit of chalk with him. He quickly drew a transmutation circle, doing calculations of mass and volume as he wrote the formulas into the edges of the ring. The amount of trace elements in the can probably weren't enough for what he wanted to do, however.
He looked up at Zexion. "Um, can I use that bottle?" he asked, pointing to the empty bottle that Zexion had been tossing.
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His fingers made it halfway to his lips before he dropped them into his lap again. He knew better than to suck on them like some backwoods islander. "Bastard." He muttered under his breath, leaning back against the wall.
He was mildly startled to see a suit of armor standing there. Everything living thing had a scent, be it human, heartless or nobody - this creature did too, but something about it was so strange he hadn't recognised it as living at first. He'd completely dismissed it; the sound of the armor moving, the words, everything.
Zexion tilted his head very slightly, uncomprehending and curious. It showed in his voice. "And what are you?"
Reply
When the stranger turned to look at him, Al was a bit surprised at how calm the guy was. How could he be so calm when it looked like someone had tried to kill him? He only half noticed the question that was posed so mildly, and did not notice the "what" that he used instead of "who" at all. Kneeling down as best he could in front of the man, he spoke in a worried voice, "Uh, I'm Alphonse. Are you okay? That looks like a terrible wound."
Reply
He ran his thumb along the wound in response to its question, apparently trying to wipe away some of the blood. It had the opposite effect. "It's only terrible if I lose more blood than I need."
It sounded like a child. The strangest thought filtered across his mind, something about the heart and how thin a shield that suit really was, but it was gone again before he could grasp it.
"Why so concerned about a stranger? It's dangerous to wonder on your own."
Reply
He paused, frowning. It was hard to describe himself. He'd gotten used to describing Ed, but it was much harder for himself. Maybe, if Zexion was really interested, he should draw a transmutation circle and create an image of himself. That might be easier. "I...I can show you?"
Reply
Reply
Al walked toward a discarded can, reaching into the waist of his loincloth. He always carried a bit of chalk with him. He quickly drew a transmutation circle, doing calculations of mass and volume as he wrote the formulas into the edges of the ring. The amount of trace elements in the can probably weren't enough for what he wanted to do, however.
He looked up at Zexion. "Um, can I use that bottle?" he asked, pointing to the empty bottle that Zexion had been tossing.
Reply
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