[005] Arrays {Video; Broadcast Mind}

[braided_icarus]

[There's a peaceful scene, at first. Two young brothers returning home, about ten and eleven, racing one another with their arms full of groceries. The elder, obviously Edward, goads the younger one to keep up, pausing as he approaches the house and enters, opening the door.]

"Hey Mom, sorry we took so long, we're home no--Mom!" [A shriek, voice

Comments

[ voice | private ]

[lonestray]

[He shouldn't have seen this. That he knows right away. Whether or not he should pretend he hasn't seen it and say nothing is a different matter altogether. It was unlikely it would ever come out if he did--he and Edward barely spoke, had little to do with each other but being of the same world and formerly enemies.

But...there is familiarity in this memory of Fullmetal's and, well, he and Hawkeye had been enemies once. Anatole had given him the chance to come to know her, and she him. Perhaps this was the chance for something similar with Edward.

Sharing something of himself...makes this feel a little less intrusive. After all, alchemists believed in Equivalent Exchange, didn't they?]

...My brother once attempted to bring someone back, as well.

[ voice | private ]

[braided_icarus]

[The voice causes him to stir, it takes Ed a few minutes to realize what must have happened. When he does he scowls at the Forge, muttering under his breath. But when he hears Scar and takes in what he said...]

What? [That would mean, if he was from the same alternative Amestris as Lust that his brother had created a Homunculus, wouldn't it?]

[ voice | private ]

[lonestray]

Yes. His fiancee had fallen ill, and died on their planned wedding day.

[...]

Ironically, I was about your age from the memory, at the time.

[Eleven. Just before everything had come crumbling down.]

[ voice | private ]

[braided_icarus]

Fiance....? [A beat.]

You don't mean...Lust?

[Voice]

[braided_icarus]

....Yeah, thanks. [He kept flicking back, the answer had been right there in that grave Pinako had dug all along. That they could get Al his body back, lost to the Gate in the aftermath, the consequence of their hubris attempt to bring back their mother.]

[Voice]

[braided_icarus]

I meant.....back home, in alchemy, I read about 'homunculus'. It was basically creating a human body from the ingredients, but I thought if you get the soul attached, maybe....

[A sigh, hand through his hair.] Anyway, it obviously...didn't work. Human Transmutation isn't possible.

VIDEO, private.

[raketen]

[ He's still for what feels like a long time. ]

Edward...

[ There aren't words for things like this. ]

VIDEO, private.

[braided_icarus]

...Alfons. Sorry. That....nobody was supposed to see that, dammit.

[Video]

[beast_trainer]

...

[She just stares at the feed, obviously confused and upset about what she has seen.]

What was that...?

[Video]

[braided_icarus]

What was what....? Which part?

[Video]

[beast_trainer]

All of it? Why could I see that?

[Video]

[braided_icarus]

This place....can broadcast people's dreams every now and then, apparently.

[voice]

[threedoctorates]

[There's silence at first. Because while Reid's mother isn't dead, she does shape a lot of what he does.]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[voice]

[braided_icarus]

She was sick. It just....happened. I got mad, got too arrogant and thought I could fix it. [He's not so quick to flare up and blame Hohenheim quite as much, now he's had time to consider his father's explanations.]