thisavrou_log | closed;

closed;

Who: Alphonse Elric, Edward Elric, Bruce Banner
When: 9th June
Where: A couple of locations on the Moira
What: Ed tells Al about a conversation, then science team ups happen
Warnings: None

One; Ed and Al

[Al has been down to the vacation planet a few times in the last few days, helping out new arrivals and generally relaxing after the stress of the fake Ingress and the scraplets before that. It feels good to have some calming time, it allows him to catch up to himself and regain his positive equilibrium.

He's where he's been frequently over the last few days, poring over the journal he found in their room. He has a few pages of notes scattered around him.]

Two; Ed, Al, and Bruce

[Sometime later, the two brothers - one tall and one very short - approach the laboratory in order to visit Bruce. Al is a little nervous, more than a little actually. He always is when someone knows his secret, but not the reasons behind it.

He's worried about how Bruce will react to him, he likes the gentle scientist and doesn't want to ruin what was a budding friendship over what he and Ed did. He pokes his head inside and whispers back at Ed.]

Are you sure this is a good idea, Brother?

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[ Ed's been using his MID a lot today, glued to it, in fact, and when he does finally look up, he looks a little exhausted, maybe even a touch sad. It's hard to tell, because the sixteen year old often looks older than he should when he's lost in thought. ]

Hey, I was thinking of dropping by to see Dr. Banner. I want to learn more about the lab, how to use it to help research. He... he mentioned wanted to see you, too.

Really?

[He closes the book he's been working on and carefully places it in a drawer by his bedside stand, not wanting to lose it anywhere. His initial response is enthusiasm, he likes Dr. Banner and enjoys learning more in the lab, but he knows Ed and scientific excitement should be brightening him up right now.

But it's not.]

Why's that? Is everything okay?

Yeah, I think everything's fine. I trust him.

[ Ed hasn't had many conversations with the guy, but his frankness and genuine attitude have definitely helped. ]

He knows about you, Al. He knows your hollow. He asked me, and he'd figured out, so I couldn't lie to him. He didn't ask for an explanation, though, and promised he wouldn't tell.

What?!

[He jerks, unable to hide the uncomfortable reaction because of the clinking sound of his armour that accompanies the movement.]

I had no idea he even suspected, do you-- do you think that's why he wants to see us?

I don't know, and even if he does, we can only tell him how it happened, you know? I don't think he's going to judge us, Al. He's a scientist, he knows how to look for things like that. Some people here have figured out about my automail before I told them about it, too.

[ He smiles a little, trying to reassure his brother, but the whole ordeal worries him all the same. ] I think he was just worried for you, that's all.

I think he probably thinks I'm some kind of robot... a few people have thought that.

[It's a disturbing thought because it reminds him too strongly of what Barry the Chopper had made him believe. That he was just a false brother, a puppet created by Ed. He doesn't believe that any more, but he doesn't want anyone else to believe it either.]

I guess we should get it over with, hiding in here isn't going to make it any easier.

Yeah, I can see that. There are a lot of those around here. I dunno, you don't act like a robot, you know.

[ Ed smiles at him and wads up a piece of paper from his little journal and throws it at Al. ] It's not gonna be that bad you know, he's pretty nice! Maybe if he knows a little bit more about alchemy, it'll help his work, too. It's pretty complex alchemy you know.

[Wow, rude.

He picks that piece of paper up and throws it right back, aiming for between Ed's eyes. Voice fond, how can his brother always make him feel more secure?]

I know he's nice, he puts up with you sniffing around his lab, doesn't he?

H-hey!

[ Ed almost squeaks in protest when the ball hits him between the eyes. He makes a face at his younger brother. ] Hey sure puts up with you, too, or so I hear!

Edited 2016-06-25 16:46 (UTC)

Well... I'm the nicer brother, of course he puts up with me! I'm not rude with a mean face like you are.

[He chuckles, reaching out thump Ed on the shoulder half playfully.]

H-hey! I'm nice, too, thank you very much! I don't have a mean face!

[ He huffs and makes a mean face at his brother, trying not to laugh. ]

It'll be fine. I think he already knew, Al, and... he said we don't have to tell him if we don't want to.

[ Though, admittedly, even Ed is nervous as he peeks into the lab as well. ] But I think if anyone on this ship is going to listen, and understand, it'll probably be him. Guess we should go in, huh?

[ He smiles, trying to reassure his brother and opens the door, stepping into the department. ] Hey, Dr. Banner?

[ To be honest, Bruce hasn't even given it too much thought. It's strange, out of the ordinary, but it hardly makes him look at Al any differently. In fact he'd already been with Al after realizing he was just an armor and he'd never shown any signs of discomfort, and the only reason he chose to bring it up with Ed instead was because he was worried that Al himself would feel uncomfortable about it.

So when the brothers step into the department and Ed calls out his name, Bruce's smile is easy and genuine as he looks up. ]

Hi. Come on in. [ He sets his work aside for now, turning to greet the boys. ] How are you two doing?

[Al looks about as nervous as it's possible to look as a giant suit of armour with no visible facial expression.

He's hunched as if he can hide behind Ed, a laughable impossibility, and his voice is higher pitched with discomfort.]

Uh-- okay! I'm great, fine, uh, how about you? Sorry I haven't been by to help in a while, I got kind of caught up investigating the journal.

[ Ed glances behind him, at the way his brother tries to hide and he can't help but a laughing a little. It's pretty ridiculous, this whole thing, but he understands his brother's nerves. He rubs at the back of his own head. ]

Yeah, we're great, just thought I'd pop by, since I said I would. Promise not to make any more statues. [ He turns to his brother and out of habit, places a hand on his arm, metal to metal. ] Al here's had that journal -- it's pretty complex, could be useful though to figuring out the Ingress!

It's... fine. [ He looks curiously at Al. ] I like having you around but this isn't your job or anything.

[ He figures soon enough why Al's so nervous, though. Ed would've told him of their conversation, of course he would, so now he's probably freaking out just because he's aware that Bruce knows of his situation.

Well, best way to handle it is to not address it at all, like he's been doing so far. Hopefully that'd help Al relax around him again. ]

That's appreciated. The one is already more than enough, I think. [ And it's still at the corner of the department, where Al last left it. ] I can handle complex. What I have right now is little more than energy readings, but I can show you, if you want?

Yeah, we'd love to see those, maybe we can even help you extrapolate some more data from them?

[He's still not great at using the machines to do that, even after practising for weeks, but they can use alchemy to determine a lot about any data presented.

Al moves out from behind Ed, straightening up deliberately and trying not to let his discomfort show. If Bruce can pretend this is normal, so can he.]

I'd be more than happy to show you the journal in return, though I'm afraid we haven't got very far in figuring out anything it says.

I haven't used any of the stuff in here but I've used some of the equipment in the medical labs. But maybe we can help you.

[ Ed smiles all the same, practically itching to get more information. He can't help it -- he spends so much time reading and researching that it's practically in his blood at this point when he's not sleeping. ]

The code will probably be easier if we can figure out what base language it's in, anyway, but even that is a toss up.

That's alright. We can take a look into the journal together and see about figuring it out. Maybe a trip to the library wouldn't hurt either.

[ There's a lot of knowledge from all kinds of different worlds there, so for all he knows, they might find a lot of answers there. For now, he pulls up a screen with all the information on the Ingress he's compiled so far: energy readings, established patterns and a few predictions, among other things, and the feed of a camera set up near the Ingress. ]

Feel free to look through that. I'd suggest trying to see if alchemy can interact with the Ingress, but I'm a little worried about complications coming up. [ Basically, he doesn't know nearly enough about that piece of technology to feel confident enough about risking the safety of the ship. ]

Right, I wouldn't want to break it more than it already is broken.

[He knows it's damaged and that's why they're all brought in, but at least it still has partial functionality, Al doesn't want to risk ruining that through experimentation.]

Are there any ways to know when it's about to start bringing people in again? Maybe we could take readings during that time and compare them to when it's dormant so we can try and figure out what exactly is bringing people in and then replicate it in reverse?

[At least with the science talk, Al is becoming less tense around Bruce. For now.]

There's a lot to learn in the library, but I haven't found much on codes, really. But it's worth another look.

[ Ed shrugs, giving a nod to Bruce. But he follows his brother, curious. ] He's right, though, maybe if we track it's activity we can find some patterns in it. I'm not sure if you're doing that yet or not, but it might be worth a shot, right? I wonder if there's any rhyme or reason to who is chosen, too. Like what compels it to find and pull the people that it does. The hows, too, are important. Different times and universes are involved here.

[ Which just blows his mind even still. ]

Ahead of you there. [ He points in Al's direction, then pulls up files on those exact readings. ] The Ingress has a pretty regular schedule— or used to, at least. Every month, first day, new people would be brought in. We skipped a month recently, but I'm not sure what that means in the long run, if anything. Maybe it just skipped, maybe it's settling into a new pattern. It's too early to tell.

[ He steps aside to let the brothers take a look at the data he's gathered over the past few months. ]

We'll have to wait and see what happens from now on. If the pattern's shifted, or if it just stopped following a pattern altogether.

[Al eagerly shifts in closer to get a look at the data that Bruce has gathered, the lights of his eyes glowing brilliantly with enthusiasm.]

This is great! I wonder why the pattern has been changing... There has to be a pattern, there's a pattern to everything if it can only be decoded. Do you know if anyone has tried to enter the Ingress while it's active and bringing people in?

[If not, he will volunteer.

With a non organic body, he's the least likely to get injured doing it.]

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i didn't get a notif, sorry for the late!

no problem! :>

it happens <3