« 001 » first circle. audio.

[disembodied]

Winry! Zampano! Jerso! May! Scar! Can any of you hear me?

[ there's a cla-clank-clank in the background of this and a strange echo to the voice. The snapshot only captures flashes of forest and snow. ]

It's no good... we must have gotten separated somehow. But these wings, and the talking animals... this strange book. Just what is going on here?

[ PLUNK... PLUNK PLUNK PLUNK. CLUNK. ] Huh? [ the clanking stops. the journal's picking up on the loud, angry sounds of squirrels now. ] I-I'm sorry! I'm going now, you don't need to worry- [ CLUNKCLUNKCLUNKCLUNK! that actually hurts when you aim for the wings! ] Hey, stop throwing that!

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[truthhides.livejournal.com]

[ THE VOLUME OF THAT YELL ONLY SEEMS TO INFURIATE THEM. Al's backing away, arms held up in front of him to ward off any projectiles.

The journal catches a snapshot of the small army amassed in the trees. They're all chattering and fluffed out, and the whole thing is very noisy. ]

Brother!

[automailed]

Al! You're here!?

[Oh god so excited. So excited. Al's here!! The team is complete! The Elric telepathy worked!]

[truthhides.livejournal.com]

[ god he's so happy to hear you, but... but. ]

Where are you? [ the book? ]

[automailed]

There's a village nearby- [Oh dammit, he's just hearing the book; that's probably really confusing. Edward has no idea how to show the guide to him using the journal yet, so he grumbles in frustration. He wants to see Al right now, why did he have to be in the forest?] Hey, describe what's around you, alright? I'll come and find you.

[Besides... you know. Squirrels.]

[truthhides.livejournal.com]

[ looking. looking. there are a few large rocks and some... rather enormous paw prints. ]

It's a forested area. There's a rock with some deep gouges in it. And... [ listening, or trying to, despite the high pitched chatter. ] I think I can hear a river.

[automailed]

[Well sadly there's like three river paths, so that is only marginally helpful... hmm.]

What about mountains, can you see any through the trees? And try to get to the river, I'll start heading down.

[truthhides.livejournal.com]

[ looking up. ] No, only trees. [ the metal clanks noisily as he starts creeping towards the sound of water, and when that only angers the poor squirrels more, he decides run! ow ow ow ow. ] That hurts- [ he needs... a shield? maybe something to- ] I'll make something that you can see.

[ RUN RUN RUN RUN. and the trees are thinning! he can see water-- and they're still there. ]

I have no better "running" icon so enjoy this one

[automailed]

[Hurts? Hurts? Had he heard that right? He makes a note to ask Al about it later, but for now he'll focus on finding him. He's out the door and following the river now, gaze searching the air for some sign of Al's location.] I'm on my way!

[truthhides.livejournal.com]

[ he claps his hands together and slams them into the ground! a massive pillar of dirt rises upward, alarming and further infuriating the squirrels!

... and deciding that this is a good time to hide, al quickly transmutes a large dome of dirt to protect him from their angry onslaught. by the time ed arrives, the squirrels will have angrily attached themselves to the sides and will be chattering loudly. ]

[automailed]

[Pillar! That's where he wants to be. Even with that power cap the guide mentioned, it's a good thing their alchemy still works well enough. Edward feels a confident grin cross his lips and picks up the pace, beelining right for Al's location.

And eventually he arrives to find... an army. Of squirrels. ALL SQUIRRELS.]

Al!?

[truthhides.livejournal.com]

Brother!

[ and that army is turning their squirrely gaze to you, ed. before al can break through his makeshift shield, the squirrels are launching themselves at you! ]

[automailed]

[kjsdhaflksdjflkadjaskljglkfjgkljlkjlkfdgf SUDDENLY A SQUIRREL ARMY ATTACK WHYYYYY

AND DOWN HE GOES and Al will find a pile of squirrels with a flailing automail arm sticking out of the top when he breaks free.]

[truthhides.livejournal.com]

[ the shield isn't nearly as thick as it would have been had they been home, so al pops out easy enough - oh no! ]

Ed! [ ... one thing to do! gently shaking off the squirrels and grabbing bro! we have to run! ]

Which way?

[automailed]

[Edward grabs Al's armor by the arm and starts running back in the direction of the river, trusting Al to keep up which isn't hard because he's so short. The moment he reaches the shore he claps his hands together, reaching down.] Al, the water...! [Surely the threat of getting soaked would frighten the squirrels off, right?]

[truthhides.livejournal.com]

Right! [ and he's following suit! clapping his hands together, kicking up a spray of water without needing to touch the actual surface of the water at the same time his brother does. ]

[automailed]

[The squirrels scatter as the water gets close, spraying a few and pushing others back. With a grin, Edward taps his automail hand against Al's armor again and takes off running, hoping to put some distance between them.

The village isn't that far off, thankfully, so once they reach the outskirts Edward slows down and trails to a stop, resting a hand against a tree to catch his breath.]

Haa... and you were supposed to be good with animals!

[truthhides.livejournal.com]

Those weren't normal animals! [ but now that he's not fleeing from the forest dwellers, he notices the wings. It was difficult not to notice his own. The fact that he could feel them was almost impossible to ignore. ]

You have them too. [ but he knew that. and what a blinding color. ]

[automailed]

Ah... that's right! [Edward pushes himself upright and wanders around to look at Alphonse's wings, poking at them.] You can feel that?

[truthhides.livejournal.com]

[ asdghakdhakj! standing straight up!

processing feeling is really freaking weird. it's a mix of tickling and sore and tingles! ] Ed, don't-!

[automailed]

[THIS IS SO COOL THOUGH YOU CAN FEEL IT POKE POKE POKE]

How did they do it!? An advanced soul-bonding...? Al, sit down, I want to see the seal! [Heading back around to the front. GET DOWN HERE you tall armor person.]

[truthhides.livejournal.com]

Stop that, Ed! [ it is cool but pain is new to him and everything is like a jolt... come to think of it, he's not sure how his nervous system is working in this body to feel this. he shakes a bit, rattling as the feeling processes.

alright. now he's sitting down. and... cautiously stretching these wings out for the first time. he can feel that, and it's the most bizarre thing in the world. The feeling stops where the wings meet the metal. ]

These Malnosso must be years ahead of us.

[automailed]

[Edward hums vaguely in response, lifting off Al's head and setting it aside to look into the armor at the seal binding soul and metal together. ...Weird.] It looks the same as ever. How did they manage to affect the link and let you feel the wings without breaking it?

[He thought he was the only one who was capable of doing that- anyone else even attempting it was such a huge risk.]

[truthhides.livejournal.com]

Maybe they've done something to the armor and the wings to make a connection? [ perhaps it's all in the composition of the wings themselves? al makes a thoughtful sound... ]

Something else just feels different. [ he has to think back to the mountains and that weakness...

and then suddenly he's remembering. ] Brother, the country-!

[automailed]

You mean Amestris? I know- but we can't do anything with how things are now. Not yet. [Edward shifts back, giving Al back his head and crossing his arms.] How much do you know?

[truthhides.livejournal.com]

Scar's brother knew about the circle. [ he takes a second to secure his head. talking when doing that has always felt a little weird. ] We found something in the notes he left. There's an opposing circle, built around both alchemy and alkahestry.