5th Transmutation | FIRST INAUGURAL FOURTH WALL

[armoredsoul]

[The flash of light was...weird, to say the least. Alphonse had been warned and he knew this thing was coming, but somehow he expected it to be different. More...impressive? But instead it's as if nothing had happened at all. Well, not quite--he can feel the tingling flow of alchemical energy again, something he hadn't ever been without until he'd crossed through the Gate with Edward.]

[His brother...]

[Al sighed and flopped down on the bed, staring at the floor. Would they be here, somewhere? People supposedly came and went with much greater ease during these events...it couldn't hurt to look. And some fresh air would probably do him some good, anyway.]

[He got up and was about to head out when he paused and looked back at the sheets on the bed. After a moment, he clapped his hands and a crackle of energy went over the fabric--]

[When Al steps out onto the street, it's with a jacket that some might find rather familiar over his shoulders, pulled closed against the chill.]

Comments

[2/2]

[garbagechild]

_{[.... THAT'S NOT EDWARD.]}

--who are YOU?!

[armoredsoul]

Wha--Wrath? Is that--

[Aaaaaand then the lack fo recognition kicks in, and Al goes from incredulous to just...tired. Very, very tired.]

Oh, jeez, you're from back then, aren't you. [It's not a question at all, and he buries his face in his hands. Whyyyyyyyyyyyyy.] I did not need this today...

[Al lets out a sigh, then crosses his arms as he looks up at the young homunculus.] If I tell you I don't want to fight you, will you believe me?

[garbagechild]

<sub>[YES AL. He's from back when he was basically one of the Wicked Witch's flying monkeys, except without the cute little embroidered organ-grinder hat. AREN'T YOU LUCKY TODAY.]

[Wrath looks bewildered, and-- true to his name-- angry. >8( THAT'S NOT EDWARD. WHO IS IT!]</sub>

You're wearing his coat!

Why are you wearing his coat?

This is a TRICK, isn't it?

<sub>[He looks around, as though expecting to see the Actual Edward (tm) leap out of the bushes somewhere.]

[In a second or two, he'll realize that Al's voice is plenty familiar... but he can't quite reconcile the sight of the petite fair-haired boy down there in the snow with the image of the GIANT SUIT OF ARMOR that clink-clanked around after Edward all over the place.]</sub>

[armoredsoul]

[JUST SO LUCKY. But seriously, can he get a refund on this weekend? He's pretty sure it's defective.]

[Al just sighs and shakes his head when Wrath starts looking for Edward.] Brother's not here, Wrath. It's just me.

[He's just gonna...not address why he's wearing the coat. Yup.]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[NO REFUNDS. CRY MORE, GOLDEN BOY.]

[Wrath's attention whips back over to Al, and he frowns, scrunching his face up and squinting.]

[Wait a minute...]</sub>

... Al?

Wh... where's your ARMOR?

_{[YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE A BODY THE GATE HAS YOUR BODY]}

[armoredsoul]

It's gone. It disappeared along with the Stone. [He doesn't see any reason to hedge around the truth, not with him.] Everyone here is from different places in time. What's the last thing you remember before showing up here?

[garbagechild]

The Stone?

<sub>[But... but it WAS the stone. The stone is GONE?]

[THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!]

[Scowling, Wrath tilts his head to the other side, clenching his fingers on the edge of the roof hard enough to leave dents.]</sub>

You're lying.

You were with that weird alchemist and we were coming to get you, it's not gone!

That's a lie and you're a liar!

[armoredsoul]

[...really, Al should probably be counting his blessings that Wrath has come from before Sloth's death. He's pretty sure Wrath wouldn't just be crunching that roof into bits if that weren't the case.]

Wrath, I have no reason to lie! I've just gone through more things back home. You did find us, and--

[He stops abruptly, biting his lip and looking away, his voice growing quiet.] ...and a lot of things happened. Please, Wrath. You became my friend, I don't want to fight you.

[garbagechild]

<sub>[Oh dear. Poor Al just super said the wrong thing.]

[Wrath's face crumples in rage.]</sub>

I'd NEVER be friends with YOU!

_{[Talk-time is over. Without waiting to give Al a chance to reply, the young Homunculus swipes his hand over the roof-tiles and sends a clattering WAVE of them down towards the alchemist.]}

[armoredsoul]

[Al yelps and quickly transmutes a shield out of the cement, then darts off down the street as the dust settles from the attack. He doesn't think it'll throw Wrath off, but it should give him a few seconds to get some more distance.]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[The shingles shatter against the hastily-erected shield, showering the icy street with fragments of ceramic.]

[But Al's right-- it's not enough to throw Wrath off. If he looks over his shoulder, he'll see the Homunculus hopping from roof to roof in pursuit, face contorted in rage.]</sub>

[armoredsoul]

[Al grits his teeth and starts running faster--he doesn't dare call out one of his Pokemon to help, and a residential area like this is the last place he wants to fight a homunculus. If he can just get to the park...hopefully he can take a stand there.]

Wrath, I told you, I don't want to fight!

[garbagechild]

<sub>[Leading Wrath away from residential areas is a very good idea.]

[Otherwise there'd be at least a few collapsed houses and a lot of very confused people, best case scenario.]

[But they can fight in a neighborhood or they can fight in the park, Wrath is many things but he's sure not picky.]

[In fact, he springs from the last of the rooftops and sails down towards Al, arm coated in hard metal from the house's frame.]</sub>

I-- don't-- CARE!!

_{[With a cry that's more of a monstrous shriek than a human howl of rage, he brings both hands slashing down.]}

[armoredsoul]

[The one good thing about this is that Wrath has no formal fighting skill to speak of--just an over-abundance of agility and strength. So that attack is telegraphed as hell and gives Al plenty of time to dive out of the way, and he claps his hands as he rolls to his feet, transmuting a solid cage of stone around Wrath.]

[He takes off running again--he's under no illusions that it will stop Wrath for long. It's more a question of whether Wrath will think to phase through it or just beat the thing apart.]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[YEP. Wrath runs on anger and souped-up Homunculus reflexes. What little he might have learned from his fellow sins in the time he spent with them doesn't remotely compare to Al's years of training and experience.]

[The walls of stone close around him like a fist and a muffled howl of rage can be heard through them before they start to shudder, pounded on from within.]

[YEAH HE'S. NOT REALLY DOING A WHOLE LOT OF THINKING RIGHT NOW. So beating it apart it is!]</sub>

[armoredsoul]

[OH LOOK AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE HELL OUT OF DODGE...is what he probably should be taking, but he's kind of worried Wrath might take his anger out on someone that can't handle it. So instead he calls out his Pidgeot and climbs onto her back, which makes her chirp sleepily and give him a curious look. If he can get high up, hopefully that will be a safer way to lead Wrath away.] Clara, I need you to take me high up over the roofs here, okay?

[Clara coos and considers that while Al eyes the cracks forming in his little cage with worry. Fortunately just before Wrath actually busts the thing apart she takes off and starts circling upward.]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[Finally, the rock shatters in a shower of shale and pebbles and Wrath emerges, puffing sharply through gritted teeth.]

[He looks around, wild-eyed.]

[Where's the damn human? He can't have gone that far!]

[It isn't until he looks up on a whim (alchemists can do a lot of things but FLYING isn't usually one of them) that he spots the flash of red fabric fluttering off of the Pidgeot's back. It's sort of surprising-- the Elrics had never really been known to rely on chimeras before, or even create them for that matter-- but he'll take it in stride.]</sub>

GET BACK DOWN HERE AND FIGHT, YOU COWARD!

_{[He stomps his foot for emphasis, pounding a small dent into the road.]}

[armoredsoul]

I told you, I don't want to fight! [Al and Clara stay well up in the air, the Pidgeot watching Wrath with a sleepy interest.] Please, Wrath, I don't want to be your enemy!

[Then he lowers his voice, only talking to Clara this time.] Follow the streets, but slow enough so he can follow, okay? We're leading him to the park. [She trills and starts gliding in that direction, careful to keep above the roof-line.]

[garbagechild]

Well, you ARE my enemy!

You'll ALWAYS be my enemy!

_{[Growling, he takes off after the fleeing bird-- not seeming to suspect that he's being led anywhere.]}

[armoredsoul]

[Al doesn't respond this time, concentrating on guiding Clara--she's spacy at the best of times, so it takes a few nudges to keep her from flying off to go check out all the other weird shit going on today.]

[But finally they close in on that big field, and Al jumps off near the ground, recalling Clara back to her ball before turning to face Wrath.]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[The young Homunculus comes stumbling to a halt not too long after the Pidgeot lands. He doesn't need to breathe, but his shoulders are heaving anyway as he lifts his head to glare viciously at Al through his strands of matted hair.]

[He doesn't say anything yet. But his fists are clenched.]</sub>

[armoredsoul]

[Al holds his hands up in front of him, trying one last time to soothe the young Homunculus.]

Wrath, please, calm down. There's no reason for us to fight here. There's no alchemist that would try to hurt you, and Dante isn't even here. I know you hate me for how Brother and I acted in the past, and I'm so sorry for that. We had no right to treat you the way we did.

[garbagechild]

You're lying.

_{[He hisses this between his wolflike teeth.]}

Master is here.

And she's gonna squish you like a bug. Or what's left of you.

_{[The joints in his fingers pop loudly as he flexes them.]}

It's too late to say you're sorry. Should've thought of that SOONER!

[armoredsoul]

Wha--she's here?!

[Al's caught off-guard by that information--when the hell did that happen? Why did this place have to pull Dante of all people here?]

[And in that surprise, he nearly completely lets down his guard, not out of fear but just sheer shock.]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[Ooh, Al, buddy, THIS IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO LET YOUR GUARD DOWN.]

[Like a hawk homing in on a rabbit, Wrath can tell instinctively that this is the moment to strike.]

[And he does.]

[Darting forward, he drags his knuckles across the earth to turn his fist into stone, and brings it swinging upward in a vicious uppercut to the other boy's chin.]</sub>