Test Drive Meme #1

[proximods]

The sun is shining and the weather is nice and toasty. Overly toasty one might argue, even. It's a great day to be laying around at the beach, so it's a good thing that that's where you've found yourself today, whether you'd made plans to be there or not. Bathing suit and sunscreen ready, you're going to get your tanning time on.

But with heat comes the expected side effects for a place like Proxima Gamma. While the cool water can sometimes slow the effects, the heated beaches and freshly popped flowers seem to have made getting close to someone else just seem like a really great idea. You can try to fight off the side effects much as you want, but the scientists like to believe everyone has a breaking point.

Comments

[recombined]

I meant in general, Brother. If you spent years trying to find an answer and couldn't, I doubt they'd just leave it lying around.

But there's so many other things here.

[hermetics]

... They never give any answers to even the smallest thing. [ Frustrated? A LITTLE BIT. ] Though this place is a little more forthcoming so far. At least they tell you how to use these stupid devices.

[recombined]

It was really nice of them to demonstrate that, yeah. [But on to other topics.]

You mentioned being in another place. What was it like there? [Because prying is what little brothers do best.]

Was anyone else there with you?

[hermetics]

[ Ed stiffened, the redness in his face arguably not from the heat anymore. ]

It was a small island, a lot smaller than this one, and with a lot less variety. You had to walk on foot to get anywhere and it was all run by some bullshit woman who said she was a goddess. I never figured out how she did some of the things she did, but a lot of it didn't make a lot of sense.

Ling and Lan Fan for a little while. Colonel Mustang, Lieutenant Hawkeye, Greed, Major Miles, Mrs. Hughes... Lieutenant Colonel Hughes. W-Winry. [ >///< ] You.

[recombined]

I was there? I....

Wait, did you say Lieutenant Colonel Hughes? She brought people back from the dead?!

[hermetics]

[ A slow nod, because it's a little rough to think about. ]

A lot of people. They looked to it as a... a second chance, I guess.

[recombined]

I wonder if they can do that here too. [Although, don't think he missed that mention of him being there.]

I was there?

[hermetics]

It's really disorienting when you see them. No matter how many times you try and get used to it.

[ He tensed a little, biting his tongue and giving a nod. ] Yeah. For a pretty long time.

[recombined]

I think it'd be a good kind of disorientation though?

...Was it that bad there?

[hermetics]

Depending on the person they bring back.

It was... hard. There were great things, you could really build a life for yourself - you did, even. But it made for a lot of tension between you and Winry. I don't think she handled the curses and the changes from home very well.

[recombined]

...What kind of curses? [And the idea of tension involving Winry didn't sit all that well. ]

Did I...do something to Winry?

[hermetics]

Um - kind of... weird... ones. They would change a person's state of mind, make them more prone to doing things they wouldn't normally do. You'd have sex with people you didn't want to sleep with, you'd do things to people you wouldn't normally do. It was intense.

[ He shook his head, but it was a little more hesitant. ] No. No, you didn't do anything. It was just... You'd been on the island for years and we just sort of got thrown in there. I think she felt unneeded. I dunno. Winry's weird.

[recombined]

...Maybe I should apologize to her when I see her again, anyway. I mean..if she's here. I don't like the idea of Winry being mad at me or ...

She's family, she'd never be unneeded. She was there for us through everything.

[A long pause as he tried to parse the curse information.]

Do you think this place is going to be like that too?

[hermetics]

She might not even remember. You never know with this place. I don't think you've got anything to apologize for.

[ He was quiet for a second, before shrugging. ] I really don't know. It's a possibility. I doubt it'll just be some peaceful vacation, that's for sure. Not with these things in our necks.

[recombined]

But, if she does.

[Al rubs a hand over his eyes.]

You're probably right. You'd know better than I would anyway, Brother.

[hermetics]

You okay, Al? I know it's gotta be a lot to take in.

[recombined]

Yeah, I'm fine. [And he sounds totally believable, except not.]

It just doesn't sound like a very good place...

[hermetics]

It wasn't. At all. I don't know if this place will be much better, but at least it can't get much worse.