closed; homeward bound?

[armoured]

Who: Alphonse and Edward Elric
When: 2nd May
Where: Amissis-Re
What: Discussing potential homecomings
Warnings: Possible talk of death

[Al heard what the old woman had to say the previous day, he heard what the ones who had gone through it already had said, and it threw him into a turmoil. Should he and Ed go back when they knew it wasn't permanent? Was it even truly a way home or all a clever illusion? It sounded more like a trick than truth, but Al so desperately wants it to be real.

After thinking all night, mind in a swirl of conflicting emotion, he is still no closer to his answers.

Which is why he's sought out Ed. Even if they wouldn't have gone home together, which of course they would, it's always his brother that Al turns to when he needs guidance or to talk things over. They can reach a decision about this together.]

Brother-- did you hear what she said?

[He knows Ed will have done. There's no need to clarify which she and what was under discussion, it was just a way of broaching the conversation.]

We could go back.

Comments

[armoured]

I can't agree with anyone who thinks that way.

[The lights within his eyes flare brightly the way they always do when he talks about something passionately.]

Amestris isn't always easy to live in, and a lot of bad things have happened to us there, but it would never have got better if we just ran away. How would those places ever improve if everyone abandoned them? This place-- the Moira, it's just a place to hide, and whatever was so bad that made anyone want to stay here won't ever really leave them alone until they face it.

[Maybe that's idealistic, maybe it's unrealistic and unfair, it's just how he feels.]

[forfeits]

I don't know that I can agree, either, but I guess we don't know, Al. Especially here, you can't really guess what people have gone through.

[ But Ed has never given up -- not once since everything happened to them and it's much the same here. He won't give up on finding a way back to their friends and family. But he can understand how some people might need more time away, might want to hide away a little longer.

Ed had, certainly. He's felt that before, the longing to give in and just break everything. But the struggles make them stronger, and only continue to. ]

You're right. This is just a stopping point, it can't be a final destination, huh?

[armoured]

[He understands why people would hide away. God only knows their lives have been hard enough that both of them have nearly broken more than once, but they haven't. And that's because they kept moving forwards.]

Mm, even the ship is always moving onwards.

[He settles next to Ed, clanking to sit on the ground with his back to a nearby wall, voice getting softer.]

I think we should help the people who feel that way. We've got each other, we keep each other walking forwards, a lot of people don't even have that.

[forfeits]

Yeah, I guess a lot of people here won't have that. I don't know, I'd say we're lucky we have each other, but we both got pulled to this place, so I don't know.

[ Ed frowns, mind working over the dilemma. They really could go back home, they could fight and finish the battle, put an end to father. ]

But yeah, we gotta do the best we can either way, huh? One foot in front of the other -- and maybe we'll have to be that person for someone else, too. [ He smiles a little up at his brother, leaning to nudge him with a shoulder. ] If anyone can figure this out, we can.

[armoured]

[Al feels a sweeping sort of contentment now that Ed is fired up, this is the brother he knows and loves, and now there'll be nothing that can stop them.]

I wonder if Miss DeWitt has any books on the Ingress in the library... and if she'd even let us back in there after what you wanted to do to her books.

[Or what he wanted to do. Whichever.]

[forfeits]

H-Hey! That wasn't my idea, that was yours, you jerk! [ He means it affectionately, mostly. Ed flails his arms a moment, then folds them over his chest and huffs. ]

You have no idea what they would have done to me if they thought I would sacrifice the books! I'd never do that, Al. [ He shakes his head, frowning. ] But I guess I could have taken 'em if they came after me. Thank goodness for alchemy, huh?

[armoured]

Right, at least that's something we'll always have.

[It's been a shared drive between them since even before their mother died. Alchemy was like breathing.]

[forfeits]

Yeah, I don't know what I'd do without it. It'd be pretty weird, huh?

[ He grins either way and finally lets out a sigh, stretching. ]

We better get to work, Al. We have a lot of people to talk to.

[armoured]

Mm!

[He reaches out and punches Ed on the shoulder lightly, galvanised for action.

It's amazing to him that Ed can manage to breathe life and fire into him without any effort, like he can't do anything other than his best when he's in the presence of his brother.]

I'm on it. I'll meet up with you again later and we can exchange notes. Be careful, okay?