[Action]

[automailed]

[When Edward Elric wakes up in the middle of the forest after his kidnapping, he is not quite himself. Outwardly, of course, there is no change- he looks a little more tired, perhaps, as if he's been sleeping poorly, and it seems like he hasn't eaten well for the past month. If asked, he'll complain about a seemingly perpetual hunger that no amount of food seems to satisfy.

Beyond the physical sense, however, he's not Edward at all. Not that he'll let anyone else know about it. There's a homunculus in control of his body, tied by a twisted bloodline, with a maelstrom of wailing voices in the back of his mind, one he's grown so used to over the course of several hundred years that it's nothing but a dull background noise now. With one additional voice that just happens to be louder than all of the others-

"You bastard! You bastard, Pride, give me back my body!! You think I'm going to sit here quietly while you use me like this!? You can't just take over!! You can't shut me up, dammit!!"

But even with all that shouting, all that effort... it's still nothing more than just that: background noise. And he can ignore it, as long as it takes. Homunculi are skilled at such things.

Still- he lingers in the woods for a while, considering his next step. Separated from Amestris and Father, no goals to be met, no Promised Day of which to ensure the successful passage, no allies to speak of, and a new body to which he needs to adjust. Fullmetal has friends here, people who would fight him if they knew the truth. And as strong as he is, he can't fight off an entire village of powerful fighters.

The alternative is obvious, and not, he assumes, difficult. He's spent more than fifty years pretending to be a young child; a teenage alchemist shouldn't be that hard.

When he finally makes it into the village, his first step is not to head back to his own house. Truth be told, he's not certain where that house is. His priority instead is getting himself a good meal, and for his current stomach, that means ordering a lot. So "Edward" can be found in Seventh Heaven for most of the afternoon, eating enough food to fill about five people, minimum. With a bit of directional help, he'll be heading to the smithy to look for Winry, then home itself. He can be pestered in any of those locations, in the woods, or in the village somewhere on the way. He's been gone for a month, so his sudden return is something to celebrate, right...?]


(ooc: like the post says, Ed's basically shifted to an AU where Pride took over his body in volume 26 of his canon. This means that his body is that of a human-based homunculus, and has the strengths and weaknesses of Pride and (to a lesser extent) Gluttony. The journal prided may occasionally be used for special icons, but he'll be keeping his true identity on the down-low as much as possible. If your character can sense multiple souls or other such things, please contact me! It would suck to spoil the surprise to everyone before it's time |D)

Comments

[markofthewise]

[Even though Sokka now gets all his lunches delivered to him now, sometimes he likes to stop into Seventh Heaven for a little special something on the side. That was the plan, until he spotted a familiar figure at one of the tables.

... that was a lot of food. He approaches Ed from behind.]

If you're trying to fill the voice left by Luffy, you're off to a good start. [All the same, Sokka gives Ed a pat on the shoulder as he comes around the table to face him.]

[automailed]

[Neither the name or the guy interrupting him are particularly familiar to Pride, but to be openly physical usually takes familiarity, so he offers Sokka up a casual wave.]

What's wrong with being hungry? I feel like I haven't eaten in a month.

[markofthewise]

[Okay, Sokka winces at that.]

Wow, they were starving you? I know they're bad in there, but that?

[He plops down in the chair opposite of Ed.]

[automailed]

Close enough. I don't remember that much of what happened while I was there.

[And he is genuinely not pleased about this.]

[markofthewise]

Probably better off that way. It's never good, the stuff that happens in there.

[automailed]

So I've heard. [It's not like he has a plethora of experience with kidnappings, even with Ed's memories to sift through willy-nilly.

And speaking of which-]

Hey, gimme your name. I think they screwed with my memories, because I can hardly remember any.

[markofthewise]

... really? [Well. That surprises him. But he nods and leans forward.]

Sokka. We're both close friends with Winry. Also, you've been teaching me alchemy.

[automailed]

[He snaps his fingers, eyes widening as if the memories just now dawned on him- except that he's fishing through Fullmetal's memories to confirm that he isn't being tricked.]

Ah- right, right! I remember now. Okay, that makes sense. I think we should put off those lessons while I get my head sorted out, though. I don't want to give you the wrong info and have it blow up in your face.

[markofthewise]

Hey, I'm fine with that. I like my face as it is. I worked pretty hard to get it just the way I liked it. So I'm pretty okay with skipping on the explosions.

[automailed]

Yeah, I figured you would be. [Actually, now that he has Sokka's name, he's reminded of something else that escaped explanation earlier.] Besides, I hear you've got your hands full with... Foofoo-whatever.

[Seriously what is with that name.]

[markofthewise]

[... dammit Aang.]

Yeah. My saber-toothed moose lion. He's at home right now.

[automailed]

[Saber-toothed... what...

...a chimera, maybe?]

I'm surprised he's not trying to drown himself in shame, with a name like that.

[markofthewise]

I try to stick with Foo Foo. Or, you know, cooler stuff. Like Jawcruncher.

[None of the names have stuck so far, but a man has to try.]

[automailed]

Just give him a spiked collar. Pretty sure that's the universal sign of a manly pet.

[If it's a fashion statement that crosses dozens of generations, it must be something humans like.]

[markofthewise]

... I may just have to do that. Thanks, Ed. You're a genius.

[automailed]

I've been told that, yeah.

[Fullmetal's ego is much easier than Selim's cheery innocence. He could definitely get used to this body.]

[markofthewise]

[Either way, if alchemy is off the table, then Ed's personal life is.]

So... I guess Winry was happy to see you, huh?

[automailed]

Dunno. I haven't seen her yet.

[Munch, munch. He knows he should look worried about this, but he's getting a little tired of what feels like a constant interrogation. Why does Fullmetal have to have friends?]

[markofthewise]

[Sokka stares. His mouth opens, closes, and then he leans back, astonished.]

You came here first?

[automailed]

[Don't make faces, Sokka.]

Did you miss the part where I'm starving and have a messed up memory?

[markofthewise]

Hey, I got it. Fine. I'll allow it. But you better make Winry your next stop. And maybe downplay the whole 'feasting before meeting the girlfriend' angle. For your own sake.

[automailed]

Trust me, she was going to be my next stop. And I wouldn't dream of telling her about getting food first. She's... at the smithy, right?

[He'd gotten wind of that, so he's hoping it's still accurate.]

[markofthewise]

She should be. Unless she left. But I don't think she left. [He strokes his beard thoughtfully.] I guess she could leave. Raven is always there to watch the place.

[automailed]

Raven?

[The name's not clicking with his memories or Fullmetal's, so maybe it's Sokka's friend.]

[markofthewise]

Raven. She's new at the smithy. You probably haven't met yet her yet.