witchesreign | 9. [PM] + [Action] (forward-dated to the 24th)

[PM to everyone who so much as spoke to his AU, if he knows their name] [ooc: this can be handwaved or backtagged!]

If you remember the guy asking after me a couple of weeks back: I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.

- Edward Elric

[Action]

[After those slightly cryptic PMs go out, Ed is absent from his usual hangouts for the rest of the morning. It's pretty difficult to miss him if you venture into the training centre, though - he's standing around a small clearing fairly close to the entrance, although after a little while a more accurate description would be miniature wasteland. Fallen grats lie here and there in the torn-up earth surrounding him; a couple are wounded in a way that suggests he impaled them somehow, but most just look like they've been rather viscerally beaten.

Presently, he settles down at the base of a nearby tree, on top of his untidily folded coat. He pulls at the hem so he can start polishing his right arm, but then stops and hangs his head. There's clearly something on his mind.

Not too far in the distance, a large animal roars.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You can't exactly talk. At least the stuff I read is productive. [He's fairly sure she hasn't seen him with a comic book more than, like, once or twice...

It's not long before most of his new books are neatly lined up on the shelf. He leaves the final, blank one out on the desk next to the photos, and begins to load all of the displaced books into the box instead.]

We read for different purposes, so what? Just means at the end of it you've got some cool new alchemy idea and I've got an awesome new flying move in mind.

[He just laughs.] Maybe you should try taking up photography for a change. Do something about that one-track mind of yours. [Astonishingly, the world doesn't instantly stop spinning under the sheer weight of that much hypocrisy.

With all of his books more or less squirrelled away, he straightens up and, in one sweeping, unnecessarily ostentatious movement, pulls his coat back on.]

Speaking of which, you never paid me back for putting up with that flying thing last break...

Sure thing, Mr. Alchemy!

[Rainbow finds this hilarious enough to burst into giggles as she looks at him over a hoof. And yes, she finds that melodramatic flair cool, not that she's gonna squee over him or anything.]

[Even what ought to be considered an overt threat can't break her spirit.]

Yup, I still owe you.

[Not even with this clearly less than benign smile slowly spreading across his face?]

Just making sure you didn't forget. We wouldn't want you thinking you could accuse me of anything, would we?

I wouldn't forget! I made a promise and I'll stick to it.

[She raises a hoof solemnly. Rainbow knows to expect the worst, but she won't renege.]

Ha. That's almost cute. [That, not her.

He points a thumb over his shoulder as he heads back out, and adds, in a more normal voice:] You gonna put that piece of junk away before or after getting lunch somewhere? 'Cause I don't know about you, but I could - [Wait, no, that would be the worst figure of speech imaginable in this particular conversation. He hardly skips a beat, though.] really go for some food right now.

[Fortunately, Equestrias are not at all familiar with that turn of phrase, so Rainbow doesn't even blink.]

I'll take it back on the way! Where are we going?

[There are benefits to being as fast as her.]

Uh... [He stops and scratches the back of his head absent-mindedly.] Somewhere, I guess.

[A less terrible friend would probably have explicitly asked her if there was anywhere she especially wanted to go, but close enough.]

Well, you wanna go all the way into town, or should we go raid Pinkie Pie's stock of baked stuff?

[He puts a hand to his chin as he thinks about this, but then realises who she's talking about and blanches.] Hell no. The woman's a lunatic.

Oh come on! First of all, Pinkie's great -- once you get to know her. Second of all, it's a lot more fun if we don't get caught by her.

Could be. But I sure would like to see her try. [He cracks his knuckles.]

And she won't mind if I tell her later. Since she'd just offer us some anyway if we asked.

[He lets his hands fall to his sides.] See, I'd say that makes it sound less fun.

I'd rather not make a friend angry... or actually steal from one. This is more of a prank!

A prank's not gonna make her any less crazy.

Nothing will. Besides, Pinkie LIKES pranks. She and I used to pull them all the time back in Ponyville!

I TOLD you she's not that bad... but you don't have to come with me when I tell her later.

And then what do I do? Spend the rest of my life waiting for her to burst out of a closet at me or something?

Don't worry, she'll do it sooner rather than later. She's not the most patient pony.

[And this is coming from Rainbow Dash...]

[He gives her the absolute weariest look possible from anyone under the age of about a hundred.] Suit yourself. I'll find something in town.

Okay, okay! We'll go to town! It was just an idea.

[Rainbow shakes her head. Well, Pinkie Pie is an... acquired taste, Rainbow can admit to that herself.]

[Non-committal noise.] Come on, don't be like that. It wouldn't even be a bad idea if you had any sane friends who baked.

[Rainbow laughs, and rolls in midair.]

I'll meet you at the entrance then!

[And she's gone in a flash to return the camera.]

Just don't keep me waiting. [He grins.

...then, when she's gone, darts back inside his room, picks up both of the photos, looks them over one more time and surreptitiously shoves them into a pocket before leaving again.

Which probably means he'll be the one keeping her waiting, but hey. It's not like she'll know why.]

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elementofloyalty - 2013-01-03 15:09 (UTC) - Expand

rewritethis - 2013-01-03 16:15 (UTC) - Expand

elementofloyalty - 2013-01-03 16:34 (UTC) - Expand