[Action / Voice]

[automailed]

['Sup, Luceti, guess who's back? So missions totally suck, but at least he wasn't on the ocean this time. It was still snowy and wet and miserable in general, but hey, he can't complain too much. It beats being experimented on.

Still, it's not like it was a particularly troublesome or dangerous mission, so he'll be tromping and looking rather cranky to House 23.

And it only gets worse from there! Because Winry is still sick (of course), and someone will surely be kind enough to tell him that Al's been kidnapped. Again. And there's going to be a draft now, and he's not on it, even though the enemies are being captured instead of killed, and goddammit this week sucks.

In other words, it's not long before he's out and about again, slightly more aggressive in his stance and occasionally punching trees, because there's very little else he can do right now. He will pop by to visit the friends or acquaintances of his that are drafted, though (or at least get close enough to where they live to look like he's thinking about checking on them).

...Well, there's at least one thing he can do to distract himself, so he'll try the journal later that night.]


[Voice]

...Hey, got a question. What kind of a gift can you get a girl without giving them the wrong idea or something?

Comments

action;

[automailed]

...They've got Al again. ["They" being the ever-obvious Malnosso; he's assuming Hiccup can sort out that much. It certainly shows on Edward's face how thrilled he is at this development.]

action;

[dragoneer]

...He's been kidnapped? [That's what he figures Ed is getting at, anyway. And again--this isn't the first time, apparently. That...can't be very easy to deal with.]

...They can't keep him forever, at least. It just a matter of waiting it out. I know that can't be easy, though.

action;

[automailed]

I know. It's just- [He pauses there; he's not used to coming out and sharing what's on his mind with anyone but Al. But Al's missing now, and his problems are about Al, and it's just-

Sometimes you have to let a little bit out before you burst.]

...We've always been together. Ever since we were really little- since before I can even remember. We did everything together. When we split up before, it was always by choice. [That lengthy separation after Briggs- that had been his fault, he knew. Carelessness, a stupid mistake with Kimbley very nearly leading to them both losing their lives... but still, Al had left him to find Winry because they'd decided it together.]

It's different, here. We don't control anything.

[And he hates feeling so helpless like this.]

action;

[dragoneer]

[He recognizes what a rare instance this is, for Ed to let him in on his worries like this. He can't really put the sort of bond he's describing into relative terms to his own life--even Toothless, his closest friend, he'd known for less than a year. What would it be like to have someone that close to you just ripped away? It'd been bad enough when his dragon had been taken. But a brother?]

And now they've come and taken away something you always thought you could count on. [He looks up towards the heavy clouds.] But...you still know you can count on him, right? Because he's your brother. So he'll be back. They can't keep you separated forever. Even if you got sent home or something.

[...Which is probably not the best thing to bring up at this unhappy moment, but still. It's true!]

[automailed]

...I know. It's just... [His hands clench in the sleeves of his coat, so tightly that the shaking of his automail can be heard.] He's my little brother. I'm supposed to protect him...

[Even being sent back would be preferably to this, not knowing if he's safe, or getting hurt, or if they're screwing with the seal, or- dammit...]

[dragoneer]

[He glances over sadly. It might not be much, but...he has to try and help.] I know it's not really the same, but...I felt kind of the same way when I lost Toothless. I had no idea what had happened to him, and when I found out...

[The dragon perks up and looks at them, having a guess at what Hiccup is talking about. He may not like you, Ed, but you don't look very happy right now...]

It wasn't easy. I was miserable. And for awhile, I really didn't think I was going to get him back.

But I did. And it was because of something the Malnosso did. I'm not saying I trust them or even like them, but...sometimes, they do good things. So things might not be so bad for your brother.

[automailed]

[That's a really hard thing to swallow, especially since thus far, the Malnosso have done nothing but bad things to him and his family. Drafting them, getting them hurt, changing them in messed up ways, changing him... it's all really sucked. But he can't just discount Hiccup's testimony just now, and really? They've offered to help him get Al's body back. And through a method he understands the best, too- equivalent exchange.]

I guess... I've already given them a chance to help me undo a mistake I made. Maybe there is a possibility that they'll do some good.

[dragoneer]

...Yeah. [He won't ask. But you are missing limbs, bro.] A-and...you know? He might be back before you know it. It's just a matter of waiting it out.

[And not feeling too bad about the draft in the meantime.]

curse you, html

[automailed]

...I've never been good at waiting for anything.

[Patience. Ugh. And Al's the one who's always saying he needs more of it...]

I feel your pain.

[dragoneer]

I don't think anyone is, really. I mean, when you want something...[When you want your best friend--or your brother--back, who wants to wait?]

...It's definitely not easy. Pretty bad timing of everything, huh?

[automailed]

I should be used to this by now, I always have really lousy luck. [Oh, god. Still shitting on the little guys for performing taboo-

....

Little...]

[dragoneer]

[He shrugs.] Hey, you never know. Maybe this is the day your luck changes for the better.

[Hard to imagine, all things considered. But...optimism!]

[automailed]

Heh, probably not today. But when they bring Al back- that'd be a good day for it.

[dragoneer]

[He glances back out towards the village, with a small sigh.]

...Let's just hope we both have a little bit of luck coming up here.

[automailed]

[Yeah... Hiccup's got enough on his mind right now. He shouldn't be worrying about anything else until after the draft.]

You'll be okay. Just stick with your dragon and try to keep with the camp as much as you can.

[dragoneer]

[He nods.] That's the plan. And hopefully I'll be able to help out with strategy a bit, too. I'm a lot better at that kind of stuff than...actually. Fighting.

[automailed]

I'm sure guys like me who don't really worry about strategy would appreciate having somebody with a clear head around.

[Which is sometimes hard to admit, but if he's being honest tonight, it's easier than it ought to be.]


[ooc: Ed's icons are about to expire, so if you wanna continue, please go here!]