Alphonse Elric (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
armoured) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fossilised2015-09-29 11:06 pm
armoured) wrote in fossilised2015-09-29 11:06 pm
Entry tags:
For Tadashi Hamada
[Al had been experimenting with a transmutation circle that he had never seen before. It didn't seem to bear any similarities to a human transmutation circle, though it did require a large amount of energy and earth as an equivalent exchange, when everything just... changed.
He saw the bright sing of blue light that accompanied alchemy, felt a rushing wind in his hair, and then landed all of a sudden outside a large and strangely designed building. He stumbled and nearly fell to the floor, pressing all his weight on the crutch by his side. His body was still not up to a lot of physical exertion, cheeks hollow and muscles weak.
Where... was he? What happened?
Golden eyes widened when he saw the sign just outside the building: San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. San Fransokyo, that... that was where Tadashi said he came from, right? He thinks of his friends from Norfinbury often, though he never expected to see them again after they got free from that hell, so surely this can't be what he thinks it is.
Confused, he just sort of stares at the entrance to the building as if it might give him the answers he needs, looking lost, weak, too thin, and dressed in obviously old fashioned clothing.]
He saw the bright sing of blue light that accompanied alchemy, felt a rushing wind in his hair, and then landed all of a sudden outside a large and strangely designed building. He stumbled and nearly fell to the floor, pressing all his weight on the crutch by his side. His body was still not up to a lot of physical exertion, cheeks hollow and muscles weak.
Where... was he? What happened?
Golden eyes widened when he saw the sign just outside the building: San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. San Fransokyo, that... that was where Tadashi said he came from, right? He thinks of his friends from Norfinbury often, though he never expected to see them again after they got free from that hell, so surely this can't be what he thinks it is.
Confused, he just sort of stares at the entrance to the building as if it might give him the answers he needs, looking lost, weak, too thin, and dressed in obviously old fashioned clothing.]
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Wandering until his feet found familiar streets that night had led Tadashi to be snowed under in one unbelievable moment after another.
He hadn't come back when he should have -- he'd somehow arrived after his death (he and Hiro had later theorized it was because he had aged in Norfinbury, possibly leading to some sort of temporal anomaly since he should have died younger and at an earlier date back home).
Coming back from the dead hadn't been easy, but he was on the downhill shamble now. Back in school, reconnecting with friends who couldn't stop hugging him. It was overwhelming enough that he hadn't even processed that he had been supposed to die.]
Catch you later, dude. I've got a brit lit paper and a five-cheese pizza with my name on it. [Fred puffed himself up, jerking a thumb towards his chest.] I'm going to have 'em both for lunch. Well. I'll have the research book for lunch. Osmosis education.
[Tadashi laughed, shoving Fred toward the trolley stop.]
Just try not to bite off more than you can chew...
[With a final wave, Fred jogged off, and Tadashi's attention was free to finally fix on the anomaly in front of campus. He frowned slightly, uncertain as he started toward the other boy.]
Hey... can I help you? Are you okay?
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Aside from the gut-punching shock of moving between worlds which, sadly, he could almost shelve after his experiences in Norfinbury, this place was enough to fill all his senses and make him feel dizzy. At least the snow-covered ruins of the other town hadn't presented much beyond the tablets for him to take in, but this-- There were cars everywhere, moving faster and more noisily than the few in Amestris. Billboards lit up the night, neons and flashing lights that had him squinting.
And then all of a sudden someone was talking to him.]
T--
[Tadashi? He thought he was hallucinating for a moment, that he was seeing Tadashi because that was who he dearly hoped to find in this place.
But it only takes him a moment to start moving. He flings himself forwards, crutch clattering to the floor beside them, and envelops the older boy in a tight embrace. His throat is tight and his eyes feel scratchy, but he's beaming all over his face.]
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It had, after all, only been a month for Tadashi.]
Al...?
[It couldn't be -- but it had to be -- but this was a boy made of flesh and bone and...
Thoughts spinning, Tadashi hugged the boy back tightly.]
It's... you got your body back? I... wow... I.... It's so good to see you.
[Especially since, until this moment, he didn't realize how lost he felt here sometimes. A significant event in his life, lost. Unprovable and unexplainable. Not even Hiro remembered it happening.]
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[The implications of all this still haven't sunk in for him yet either, this whole thing feels surreal. He'd think that he was dreaming, except that no way in even his wildest imagination could he come up with something like San Fransokyo.
He finally loosens his grip a bit and takes a half step back, though he keeps his hands on Tadashi's forearms in order to support himself now that he's dropped his crutch.]
You have no idea how good it is to see you too, I just-- I don't really know what happened, I was at home researching some new alchemical reactions and then I was, uh, here.
[Life is weird as hell sometimes. He chuckles, grin covering his whole damn face.]
It's so weird to have to look up at you.
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[Tadashi's lips quirk a little with the joke, but his eyebrows knit together the next instant as he finally takes note of the way Al needs the support and just how worse for the wear his young friend actually looks without the impermeable metal body.]
Hey... are you okay? Can I get you something?
[Immediately, his thoughts jump ahead to where he parked his scooter when he came to school earlier that day. It's a bit of a walk, but it shouldn't take him long if he goes to get it and drives it back. Hiro is still working on a project in the lab, but Tadashi's certain his brother won't be too offended if he takes his friend home to get some of Aunt Cass's food into him.]
Actually, can you hang tight for a moment? I'm going to take you back to the cafe while we figure this out, okay?
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Right, that sounds like a good idea.
[He's not sure where the cafe is, but anywhere out of the public eye and in safety where they can figure out what's happened has to be a plus.]
I'm okay as long as we don't have to walk too fast to get there, I kind of need to go at my own pace right now.
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Oh, don't worry. We're not walking anywhere.
[He makes certain to assure his friend that it will only be a moment before jogging off. Al will have less than ten minutes to wait, bemused, before the sound of a motor reaches him. Another few seconds, and Tadashi pulls to a stop in front of him, holding out his spare helmet and dismounting. He offers his hand to help his friend out.]
I can drop us off right at the door. Hope you like sweets. Aunt Cass is going to freak out when she sees I brought home a guest.
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Wow!
[Shaky legs are forgotten in an instant as Tadashi zooms up on that moped.]
I've never seen anything like that! I guess it looks kind of like some of the old motorcycles, but this is way smaller and faster, it's amazing.
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[He gives the machine a fond pat before moving to guide Al onto the back of it, if Al's willing -- waiting patiently to hold the crutches or do anything that's asked of him.]
Do you know anything about riding motorcycles back home?
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[He tries to tuck his crutches awkwardly under one arm, though how well that's going to work when he needs to hold onto Tadashi as well is anyone's guess.]
Um, are you sure this is safe?
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[Look at this open, innocent expression, Al. Like he's never even considered that his precious scooter might be dangerous. And it's not -- right up until he starts using it to dump over thugs using questionable ramps. Or makes the mistake of letting Gogo fiddle with anything attached to it.
He steadies his friend again, helping out with this process as best he can.]
I'm no Wasabi, but my track record is clean. No accidents. Not a single ticket.
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Ed would kick him for even thinking of it when his bones are still so brittle, but he climbs on all the same and gives Tadashi a nervous thumbs up.]
Then I guess I'm in really safe hands, huh? I'd hate to be with you the day your record was broken.
THIS IS SO LATE, LIFE HIT LIKE A TRUCK
[Tadashi is probably more confident than he should be -- after all, his almost-death should have been caused by his own recklessness. He starts the scooter up before Al can change his mind, then eases the vehicle forward before pulling a u-turn to head back in the direction of the Lucky Cat Cafe.
Here is where he never worries about the strangeness of his being here -- or about what happened back in Norfinbury. Driving clears his mind like nothing else.
He glances back over his shoulder quickly, assessing his friend.]
You going to be okay back there? My aunt's place isn't far.
Life is so rude!
He feels his heart thudding in a mixture of exhilaration and fear, he's not travelled this fast on such an open vehicle before and it's a heady experience especially in the middle of San Fransokyo traffic.
His fingers hurt from gripping on and he's a little worried he won't be able to hold on all the way, but he's not going to disgrace himself by saying so.]
Mm! I've got this.
[His cheeks are flushed and eyes bright with excitement, this is like a goddamn rollercoaster to someone from Amestris.]
You travel like this all the time?!
Time liiiiines. I kept thinking it was night, then looked back at the beginning
Usually. Aunt Cass has an old truck, but if I'm going somewhere on my own, this is the way I do it.
Here we go--
[He eases into the next turn, then continues going slowly as they make their way through a narrower street before he pulls to a stop outside of the garage. It's deep into the lunch rush, and the cafe out front is packed with people. He waits to help Al before he slides off himself and moves to open the garage door.]
Sorry about the mess -- we keep most of our projects back here.
[When the light from outside pours inside, it's easy to see that the Hamadas haven't slowed down at all with their inventing. One side of the room has a digital projection glass computer screen. There are various other machines in the room, including scanners and 3D printers. Tools are everywhere. The geniuses aren't tidy.]
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His eyes open wide with astonishment as he steps into the garage and looks around. It's like Aladdin's cave of wonders, and he can't help the amazed gasp escaping him.]
Wow! And I thought the technology in Norfinbury was incredible, but it's got nothing on this.
[And this is only the bits in someone's garage. This world is dizzying in its possibilities.]
At least the mess is familiar, Brother and I aren't the tidiest when we're working on new theories either.
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[Tadashi scratches sheepishly at the back of his head as he leads the way in and drops his helmet off on the nearest cleared space. He'll take it up to his shared room with Hiro later, but it can wait. Their room leaves him uneasy sometimes. His side is closer to normal now with the boxes of things mostly moved back to the lab on campus, but there's still a ghost of an untouched feeling to things.
He shakes that off and offers Al a smile. He gestures for the other boy to take a seat and taps at the desktop, bringing up the holographic keyboard. Another few taps, and the screen generates between the projector hubs spaced to either side of the desk.]
We've got a few things here that would have definitely come in handy back in Norfinbury. So what're you feeling like? Aunt Cass won't mind if we grab a donut or two while real food cooks.
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Um...
[He forces his gaze back to his friend, sheepish smile at his lips.]
That sounds really good, actually, I love cakes. But are you sure your family won't mind me being here? I don't want to impose.
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He waves off Al's concerns in the next moment.]
Are you kidding? Aunt Cass will be thrilled. She loves feeding people. I think that's half of the reason she opened the cafe. Just for the excuse...
[Hiro, though...
Tadashi sobers slightly.]
Hiro won't mind, either. Just... Look, keep it in mind that he doesn't remember Norfinbury. I told him everything, but it's like he never went. Or hasn't gone yet.
[Some parts of the situation have left Tadashi slightly uneasy.]
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[That pulls him up short for sure. He wasn't as close to Hiro as he was Tadashi, but he had tried to look out for the younger Hamada after the trauma of Tadashi's death and disappearance from Norfinbury.]
I guess that's probably for the best, it wasn't exactly a luxury holiday spa.
[But he can grasp how hard that must be, he can't imagine Ed not remembering such an important shared experience.]
How has he dealt with it?
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[Tadashi's expression is tight for a moment before he slowly forces himself to relax. It's going to be okay.]
I think he still has a little trouble believing it, but they... had to believe something. They were all a little shocked when I showed up.
[Shocked is probably a mild way of putting it, and Tadashi's smile is a little forced as he says it.]
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[At least his brother had remembered and everyone else hadn't noticed any time pass, they had simply stepped back into their lives and worked it out between them. But to return not only from an ordeal like Norfinbury, but apparently from the dead as well?
There's sympathy in his eyes and he moves to put a hand on Tadashi's shoulder in solidarity.]
I bet they were happy to see you, though. I know how much Hiro missed you when you'd gone.