[action]

[automailed]

[October 3rd again. Don't forget. This marks the second time he's hit this date in Luceti, and the first time in his life since carving the words upon his pocket watch that he's met it without Alphonse. That's probably what hurts the most, this time. No closer to getting home, no closer to regaining their bodies, even though he knows that he's only a day away from victory when he goes home. The second worst part is that he's only one day past an experiment that stole those memories from him- that he had, in fact, forgotten. Hadn't even known what the watch or the date upon it even meant.

Tch... stupid place. For the first time in a while, he hates it again.

He's going to keep up with the annual tradition anyway, for Al's sake as much as his, so tonight at the back of House #23, some time after dinner, Edward will be seated at a campfire, occasionally tossing logs into the flames, with a collection of snacks, some books, and notebook paper piled around him to get some work done. He'll be there all night, so any nighthawks or curious passerbys are free to stop in and see what's up.]

Comments

[automailed]

I'm not saying you should remove it. [Even though he thinks it should happen, he doubts it's such an easy thing to accomplish.] I mean, are you going to try to talk to them? It's not the stone that makes the homunculus monsters, but how they treat the souls keeping them alive.

[They're more than just tools, more than just lost voices.

They're people.]

[avaricious]

Do you think I haven't tried, Ed? Every day I try. For hours. But I still have to live. To sleep, to wake up, to eat, to keep moving forward. Learning to silence them and ignore them is the only way I've managed to remain me.

[He doesn't like it at all, but compartmentalizing them when he wasn't trying to contact them was the only option he really had.]

[automailed]

If you're still trying, then you're not a monster, Ling.

[There's a distinction to be made, there, one he believes wholeheartedly.]

You know how old Hohenheim was. He had hundreds of years to get to know every single one of the souls he had with him. And he had what, half a million? It probably takes a hell of a long time. [He purses his lips in a tight frown, then adds,] But you haven't given up. Monsters don't do that.

[avaricious]

That distinction was of little consequence to those men from Xing. [For a moment, he stares into the fire looking a little lost. Then he releases a hollow laugh.] But it's selfish of me to make my problems yours, now of all times.

[automailed]

You know I don't mind. [Edward shakes his head, kicking a loose twig into the fire.] At least there's still options on how to deal with your problems. Mine are pretty much solved anyway, just... waiting for me back home. The rest is just old memories.

[Xingese people are too damn stubborn. He can respect that, but at the same time it really pisses him off.]

[avaricious]

Options... I'm starting to believe there are far less than those than I thought before. Perhaps it's fortunate that I won't remember Luceti when I do finally return.

[automailed]

Like what? Is there something else on your mind?