[Written / Action]

[automailed]

[A series of separate journal entries would have been posted over the course of several days; Edward will have a somewhat sporadic response time for them, too. He might respond for a few hours and then not until the day following the entry ICly anyway-- I'll be tagging it normally 8|, since the cryptic commentary in each day's entry hints at how he's messed up the journal to see how (and how soon) it fixes itself the next day. Therefore he won't have a journal to respond unless he steals Al's.

If you're not sure of what your character is up to during the week feel free to tag with a placeholder or something and tag later. OR IGNORE THIS TL;DR AND LAUGH AT MY DORKING IDC]



Day 1 - Monday

I don't miss that idiot colonel, but his alchemy would come in handy in this place. At least Al showed up after I did, so the three of us from Resembool are here. Familiar faces make it easier, and if I can't escape easily I can at least keep myself occupied.

My goal is to be out of here within a month.




Day 2 - Tuesday

Woke up at 7 this morning. The fireplace is out, so it's cold that early. I'm still tired; I feel like I could have slept for at least 15 hours. And why do kettles always take forever to boil? I just want some damn coffee before I go out to have a look around.

I don't think three spoonfuls of sugar is too much, either. It dissolves just fine if the water's warm enough.

Addendum from yesterday: A month is too long.




Day 3 - Wednesday

Al got me up an hour earlier today. It's warmer today- I went down by the river for a while. Saw a small flock of cranes, all with white feathers. I thought I'd see some markings, but maybe they disappear when they change into adults?

I counted maybe 16-30 of them. Moved too fast to be sure.




Day 4 - Thursday

Slept in till 9. Sleep schedule's been messed up since I got here. Why is it so inconsistent?

The flock from yesterday didn't show up again today, but there was a spotted chick in a nest by the bridge. A fox or something might've gotten the mother- there were a few torn feathers not far away. Maybe I'll come back tomorrow to check on it. Today I'm getting back to the library.

Addendum: I counted six books on birds alone. Zero on Alchemy. Do books appear here at random the way people do?



Day 5 - Friday

Wake-up was 7 again today. Al, just let me sleep in tomorrow. I'm going further down the river this afternoon, but there's nothing new to see right now. Still no mother at the nest, but the chick is fine, so I guess it's okay.

I'll look into this more later.




[Aaaaand Action bit:

Monday- Edward is at home, since Winry expected him to be around so he could be introduced to Haruhi. And he's kind of wondering if Al needs to be around for the very same thing, but it hadn't been mentioned to him...

Well, none of his business.

Tuesday-Friday - he'll be out and about in the village if you'd rather just bump into him at the locations mentioned.]


[ooc note: Since these happen over the course of the week, it'd be great if you guys could put the day your character comments in the subject line. And feel free to comment again with another day if it tickles your fancy (in your thread or otherwise) or just comment on the last day. It's pretty open.]

Comments

[godbent]

Of course I'm serious - about the game and about... stuff. I'll be right back with a good outfit, and we'll get you in it.

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

Five minutes. That's all you get. If you're late, then - then it's off.

[godbent]

Fine! I'll be back that fast and you can clock it too!

[And she's out the door! ...But then she peeks back in quick-] The dare, not... the game, right?

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

Yes, now go!

[automailed]

[In the meantime Edward has been finishing off his tea and looking kind of bored. Maybe he should get himself a cup of coffee instead.

When Winry returns, he lifts an eyebrow questionably.]

Something wrong?

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

Sorry, she's... a little weird.

[automailed]

A week ago I was traveling with two chimeras and a homunculus. You'd think I would be used to it.

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

Haruhi is... a very different kind of weird. But she's not bad, I mean...

What do you think of her so far?

[automailed]

Huh? She's alright, I guess. She's obviously your friend.

[Honestly he's so used to gathering allies, the concept of making friends is harder to swallow. It's been a long time since he'd witnessed such a... well. Casual scenario- where a group of people could sit around and play a game together. It's always been move, move, move, going from one place to another. Often from one fight to another. But since his arrival (and that incident with the squirrels which is just ridiculous) he hasn't gotten into a single fight. It's weird.

He realizes he's probably been quiet for a little too long, though, and that answer was kind of inconsequential. Hm.]

You're not usually so worried about what I think of your friends.

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

Well... Haruhi's special. I've known her for a long time now - longer than anyone at Rush Valley.

[automailed]

It's good... that you have someone like that. [Without us. It's unspoken, but it's probably obvious that he's kind of wondered about that. He never used to worry about her being back home, as long as she was safe; they could go months and months between visits, and he and Al had often been too focused on their own quest to think about what she was doing in Resembool.

It was all pretty selfish, it's true- he can't really deny that. But she'd always been there for him. Whenever they - he - needed her, whether for simple repairs or her unshakable support, she'd come to their side or been waiting at the house with a smile (and a wrench).

He hadn't been here for her. Had she ever needed him, needed his help, during those two years, when he hadn't followed and found her? She's smiled this whole time, and he's really not great at reading people, but...

He just can't shake those thoughts from his mind.]

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

Mm, yeah. But you know? I've missed you, even then. I've always missed you.

[automailed]

[Ouch. He shifts a little uncomfortably, his fingers tightening around the teacup's handle, and his gaze lingers on his automail hand. The one she'd built for him, just like she'd built his leg- so he could stand, so he could walk. And he'd walked away from her every time.

It's no wonder; walking away had never been as hard as sitting here with her, hearing those words.]

...You don't have to miss me here. [Not now. He can't really promise her more than that, and he feels a little twinge of guilt for that, much as he hates it. He has to go back. He has to. For Al, for all of them. It all comes back to the Promised Day.

One day more. Why couldn't they have waited one day more?]

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

I know. What I meant was that I'm happy to see you again. Whether it's a long or short stay doesn't matter, I'm just glad to see you once more. And one day we'll go back home.

[automailed]

[He reddens at the touch, eyes widening, and he's struck by her words. It's the same- it's always the same for her, isn't it? Even if it's a short stay, a quick visit, she's so...

...dammit. All he can do is nod.]

I'll get us back, Winry. I'll get us home, okay?

[Somehow. And then he'll fight the enemies of Amestris, and he'll kick the Father's ass, and he'll get Al's body back, and- ...well, no one could say he wasn't ambitious.]

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

I know.

[automailed]

[He doesn't know that - and if he did, he'd be pissed at himself - so her response reassures him, fueling his confidence. He'll pull it off somehow. And she can be waiting for them back home with a smile just like always, No more of this... waiting.

She's waited enough already.

Quietly, he reaches out to rest his hand on her head for a moment. Just a moment- long enough for him to express... something. Something she needs to know. That he hears her, that he understands, that for all his failings and arguing, he still cares. There's no words for it, but even so, he hopes she understands.]

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

1/2

[godbent]

[Comfortable, but now broken as Haruhi bounds back inside. She's got a costume under her arm and she's out of breath - she sprinted there and back after all- but the minute she pops back into the entrance to the kitchen whatever exclamation she was going to make - no doubt a loud and joyous one, because she has her mouth open and a grin on her face - dies in her throat. Them like that... them without her. She should have known she couldn't stomach the mood which would happen if she left.

She's not exactly the most perceptive ever, but even she can sense how unnecessary she is at this moment. Or at least how much she believes she is. Really... much of her as she is frozen in time in that entranceway just wants to turn around and not come back. The old her, before Luceti, probably would have.

The delay is only a few seconds, but it's distinct.]

[godbent]

[...No.

Even if she is unnecessary, she wants to be here and she resolved herself for this. Her freeze breaks, and loudly-]

Time!

[automailed]

[Edward jerks back at Haruhi's voice, as if he'd just been caught doing something notorious. With all that serious talk in the middle there, he'd sort of forgotten that they'd been waiting for her to come back.

Oh right- Winry's costume. What did she find, anyway?]

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

You made it. I'll change in the bathroom.

[godbent]

Told- [Puff] you!

[And here, she gets back over to Winry and pulls an arm around the other girl's waist, jerking her towards the bathroom]

You might need help putting it on.

[HEH HEH. or well she might not, but. It's under her arm still. The one not tugging her along a bit]

[automailed]

[Ooookay, now he's definitely going to get himself a coffee. Have fun. (Weirdos.)]

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

What, really?