Snowblind Body Shenanigans

[armoured]

This is an open post for anyone set in Norfinbury. It's a random scenario where @Admin has (for mysterious meme reasons) decided to give Al his body back. This isn't game canon, obviously, I just wanted to play about with Al in his body as it will never happen in game. Action and network responses are welcome, as well as fudging the locations of characters.

---

[Al has become used to his periods of unconsciousness during the night now. He still can't think of them as sleep, not without dreams or his real body to rest in, but they're at least predictable. Usually he wakes quickly and without any grogginess that would come from real sleep, but today everything has changed.

He wakes up slowly that morning.

As soon as he wakes up, he knows everything is different. He can feel the wooden flooring under his back, rough and splintered, and hear the thud of his heart beating in his ears. He lifts one stick thin arm in amazement to stare at it, almost uncomprehending as he looks at his fingers splayed out in front of his eyes. This must be a dream. It has to be a dream, his first one in years, but... God, it feels so real.

He's in a state of shock as he pulls up to unsteady feet and scoops up his tablet automatically. He can barely keep hold of it, his fingers have none of his usual dexterity and his hands are trembling violently. It's this trembling that causes his fingers to slip and activate the video feed. The camera is at a strange angle, but it shows the upper half of a teenage boy in an extreme state of emaciation. His ribs are protruding and his stomach is concave. He has long blond hair that hangs down over one eye, the other one is wide and staring in surprise.

His legs seem ready to fold almost at once, but he forces himself to walk to the door and open it. The sunlight on the snow almost blinds him, and the wind causes goosebumps to raise on his skin immediately. He sets one bare foot in the snow and gasps, a delighted and amazed sound.]

Wow, it's so cold...

[He laughs softly, unable to stop the sheer wonder bubbling out of him. Is this real? Can it truly be so?]

Comments

[armoured]

[He sighs as he feels the coat draped around his shoulders, but Zack is a fool if he thinks that Al will be that easily diverted. He may not say anything right now, but he will wait and sneak it back over his friend when night falls.

For now he allows his attention to be taken by the foil-wrapped food.

Food.

He is suddenly acutely aware of the hollowness beneath his ribs, and the way that his stomach is literally concave. He knows that logically he probably shouldn't eat anything, his system won't be able to cope with solids right away, but there's a longing in his eyes that's so strong as to be painful.]

What is it?

[heroproceeding]

[ Oh, he knows stubbornness... because that is what he is made of. We'll see who's truly the fool in all of this!! Coat War I!!

But oh, yes. Oh yes, Al. Look at it. SAVOR IT.

...Yeah, he's probably going to puke it out, but if he's okay with that fate.... Then Zack's... stupidly okay with it, too. The kid's not eaten anything amazing in ages.

What better way to introduce him back to one of life's simple pleasures than... ]

Oh, not much. Just some chocolate I picked up. It's not the best, but...

[ He's already starting to peel back the wrapper. It's already been opened. He's been slowly savoring it throughout the last month, offering it in tiny bits between friends... Not around Al though. He caught on soon enough how much that might have been kinda... a dick move to do, even if Al never complained. But... Now's definitely a good time to bring up this particular snack. ]

[armoured]

[Bring it on, Coat War I victory will belong to the Amestrian!

His eyes get even bigger when he sees that distinctive hue and catches the scent of cocoa. It's strange... even though it's been years since he last smelled chocolate, he recognises it immediately. It's so distinct, and it definitely gets his mouth watering.]

Wow!

[He leans forwards to get a closer look.]

I can't believe you haven't eaten it all by now, you must have an even stronger will than Brother.

[He's mostly joking, nobody has a stronger will than Ed, but there is a kernel of truth in there. If he found such a delectable and rare treat, he sure as hell would have eaten it by now.]

[heroproceeding]

[ THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK, MAN. CLEARLY, YOU'VE NEVER DEALT WITH A BACKWATER GONGAGAN.

But the excitement in Al's voice is more than enough to get him to start hella grinning, all teeth, once more- even as he claims indignantly: ]

Hey! Believe it or not, I can have some self-control- Sometimes! [ Really, if he didn't have self-control, he would have hurt Al only moments ago. All the same, he pops off a little piece and holds it out. ] Up to you.

[ He knows this might be a very fucking bad idea. But... retrospect didn't really hit until he'd already peeled it out of his pack and he would'a felt like too much of a dick not to offer it. That and a part of him's hoping if they're just careful that maybe they'll get lucky... ]

[forfeits]

[ Ed cannot think of snow or cold right now -- he can only think of his brother, wrapped in his arms. His real live brother, in his real body. it makes his heart practically burst. ]

It's... it's not a trick? It's not ...

[ he falls with Al of course and laughs the whole way, happy tears streaming down the apples of his cheeks. ]

I didn't think -- It's you, Al.

[armoured]

[He can almost taste that chocolate even before it gets into his mouth, but even so he hesitates on taking it. He knows it's a bad idea too, he knows that he should start with simple things, but... on the other hand, this is a place where you have to take every piece of nourishment that you can.

So he does take it. Slowly, he lifts it up to his nose and just inhales the aroma of it, rich and warm and sticky, letting that fill his senses before he even thinks of tasting it. The anticipation is unbearable by the time he does pop it into his mouth, and surely the look on his face has to be comical.

His eyes are so wide, shining with genuine tears and amazement, and his expression is a mask of wonder. He's clearly overwhelmed, and all just from a small piece of chocolate.]

[armoured]

Yeah.

[It's more of a stunned exhalation than it is a proper reply. He is aching all over from his crash backwards into the snow, and there's a dull pain in his right shoulder that suggests he might have cracked one of his stupidly brittle bones.]

I don't know what happened, Brother.

[That's the only concerning thing, the only thing that's keeping his joy from being complete. What if they used a philosopher's stone on him? What if--?!]

[heroproceeding]

[ Without context, for real? It... had to be the most ridiculous reaction to a tiny piece of chocolate.

But that's without context.

With it?

...Well, there's the underlying well, fuck, I hope this ends well. ...But. There's also just this... real moment. Where all over again, there's that reminder of just how much Al lost that he's finally experiencing all over again after so, so long. And it really does warm him to be his audience in this. To see him be so happy despite all the trials Zack knows he's going to be in for from therein. Especially in snow hell.

So, he sits there and watches with his head now tilted and resting on his hand, that hand with the rest of arm balancing with an elbow on his knee. He knows better now to clear his throat when he speaks. ] So? [ Like he couldn't tell what Al thought... ]

[forfeits]

[ funny, how quickly joy can turn into utter dread. it's almost instant, the way the fear rushes through him, stunts the happiness he felt before. he sits back, offering his hands to his brother to help him up. ]

... this just... happened?

[ he isn't sure how to battle his emotions, because there are a million reasons it could be this way. people in Norfinbury died and came back different. they just didn't wake up different like Al did. right? so if Al didn't just return differently, but changed...? ]

H-hey, let's get you in out of the cold, okay? Get you bundled up. You must be freezing.

[maskintape]

Well, he - he'll be happy, right? I mean, you seem pretty happy about it, so.

[ He still doesn't open the door. It feels like he's carrying the plague or something. ]

And I'm guessing less people will think he's the, uh, the little brother now.

[ Because you're a FUCKING TWIG ]

[baymaxing]

[Hiro's not sure if he could begin to try understand if Al did explain. From the way Al talks, it's as if previously the armor itself was his body. Then again, the size of Al now certainly wouldn't match up with the armor in him being able to use and wear it properly. So it's all the more confusing, but for now he focuses on attempting to help as best he can, letting Al dress as he joins him at the sofa next to the scrawnier teen.]

I did wonder. I can usually always hear the clanking from the armor. I haven't seen you without it until now. But the armor isn't here now at all? That is weird.....

[Maybe less so if he knew the truth behind it. But all the same. It's concerning. Al can't manage much at all in this condition. Can barely manage to stand or walk far at all.]

[armoured]

[He feels the cloying thickness stick to the roof of his mouth and then slide down his throat, and it's the most perfect sensation in the world. He hopes that he never gets too used to it that he can't appreciate the wonder of just being able to eat again.

He grins at Zack's question, displaying teeth that are now spotted with a light coating of chocolate in a not at all attractive fashion.]

It's delicious! I'm glad I forgot how good it was, or I'd never have been able to cope without it.

[He chuckles to show that's a joke. Mostly. Probably.]

[armoured]

[This would have taken on a whole extra layer of NOT OKAY if he had come back like this after dying. To come back at all after dying would have been a traumatic experience, but to have his body back too would have simply made him all the more sure that a philosopher's stone and human transmutation were involved.]

R-Right, sorry.

[He takes Ed's hand and tries to get to his feet, but tugging only makes him absolutely sure that he's cracked his shoulder and he falls back into the snow with a pained exclamation.]

A-AH!

[armoured]

I don't know.

[Now there are two of them nervous to go in the front door, this will clearly end well. He's frowning more completely at the door now, a sliver of fear in his eyes.]

We've wanted this for so long, but... I don't know how they did it, and Brother is sure to worry.

[armoured]

[If there was one thing Al had never considered, it would be that he still had to conceal this situation from people when he actually had his body back. But he can't bring himself to tell Hiro the truth, because it would lead to the Truth, and neither one of them wanted that.]

R-Right, I'm not supposed to take it off, that's why you haven't seen me without it before. It's part of my training, so--

[AHEM.]

But it's just not here today.

[maskintape]

Does it matter how they did it?

[ Knowing Al, it probably does. Tim's pretty sure that he's already trying to calculate the cost of a new body in souls or something. Jesus.

He's also pretty sure that this means Al isn't going to go in on his own. Fuck this fuck everything fuck snowhell fuck. ]

If - if we're quiet, we can probably avoid disturbing him until you're ready. Right?

[armoured]

Yeah.

[Whether that's in answer to the question about it mattering, or if they could avoid waking up Ed, is unsure. Perhaps it works for both, because Al isn't offering up another answer.

Instead, with a soft 'oh' of surprise, his legs finally give out properly and he sags next to Tim. Whoops, sorry about that, man.]

[maskintape]

[ Welp. That decides it. With a huff of annoyance aimed more at himself than anyone or anything else, Tim oh-so-quietly presses down the handle and opens the door before helping to bundle Al inside. This is so many different kinds of terrible.

With the door safely closed behind them, he offers Al a questioning look. He isn't sure where Shorty McBigbrother is likely to be, so he doesn't know where he should be heading in order to best avoid him. PLS ADVISE?? ]

[armoured]

[Al is equally eager not to wake Ed for now, not until he's had the chance to sort through this and try to figure out what it means. He's only just now starting to realise that his real body will be more of a hindrance here than he could have imagined. He doesn't want to be a burden on anyone, but how can he help to be when his legs won't even carry him for five damn minutes?]

Um, that one, there was nobody using it but me.

[He answers the unspoken question in an undertone, nodding towards one of the closed doors off to the side.]

[maskintape]

[ He nods silently, then holds up a finger for quiet. Tim is a grizzled veteran when it comes to sneaking through abandoned buildings, and unlike certain idiot friends of his he's actually good at it. NOBODY'S GOING TO WAKE ANY SNOOZING BROTHERS ON HIS WATCH.

Meaning yeah he's scooping up Al and carrying him into the other room because now is not the time for stumbly bumblefuck footsteps. Sorry about the brief indignity, kiddo. He puts Al down again once the door is shut and immediately begins rummaging around for anything even vaguely resembling clothing. ]

We have to - you know, we have to get you warm. You got any sheets around here? ...Pants?

[heroproceeding]

[ There's something in Zack's smile that wavers for a moment when Al addresses things like that. But in the end, he just chuckles and shakes his head. Sheesh, it's still weird to see him as an actual kid with a messy smile. But it's definitely not a bad thing to see. No, not at all. He makes a mental note to stuff that bar in Al's pack when he's not looking. Bad enough they'll be having Coat Wars so openly. Maybe this he can be more subtle with...

Softly, he prods: ] And that's only the start, yeah? Heh, maybe we'll get lucky and find another house with a fireplace soon. Get you some good eats!

[armoured]

[Except for the softest murmur of surprise when he's initially scooped up, Al doesn't make any further protest against it. His body is stupidly light and trembling with the combination of exertion and the cold.]

No.

[He has the grace to at least look a little embarrassed, hand coming up to rub the back of his head.]

I didn't haven't needed to wear pants or use sheets for five years, I don't really have that sort of thing.

[armoured]

...Here.

[Al bends down to the side of the sofa and struggles to lift his pack up onto his lap. It's so surreal to him to struggle with something like this, when yesterday he had been able to lift it with barely any effort at all.

He fishes around inside for a few moments before pulling out a tattered notebook, which he hands over to Zack. Inside are lists upon lists of food and drink items, with the ink faded enough near the beginning to show that it was begun long ago, and the pages worn enough to show how often it had been read by wistful eyes.]

See? Chocolate was on there, right near the top. Just under Granny's apple pie and Miss Gracia's quiche.

[heroproceeding]

[ Zack starts when Al goes for his pack, but in the end, the kid manages and he relaxes and sits back on his knees, watching him patiently. In a few moments, there's a notebook being handed off to him and the ex-SOLDIER at first just glances at it with a tilt of his head. He's not really used to getting dibs on people's secret journals or something and makes it a point not to go nosing around in business like that unlike some bunkmate he knows.

But understanding he's more than got permission, he does finally gingerly flip to the first page. And there they are, just as he noted. Some of it's in older scrawl than others. Some of it's been moved down or up the list. And some of it's definitely been smudged and harder to discern. And it's a pattern that continues with torn pages here and there as he starts to page through the rest of its contents. The list goes on for a while before it finally peters off and Zack bows his head with closed eyes a moment.

When he's next opening them, it's so he can glance back to his own bag. Unzipping its front pocket, he pulls out a pen and offers it to Al. Then, he flips open the notebook and points to chocolate. ] Looks like you've got something to cross out now. [ He wishes he could somehow get a hold of his granny or let whoever "Miss Gracia" know about Al, too. But... this was still a start, right? ]

[armoured]

[Al can't help but lean in and watch the pages turn, though his expression is one of wistful happiness than of sadness or loss. He had a lot of happy memories keeping this list of things to eat - true, it may not have stemmed from a good situation, but to him it had been a symbol of hope. To write down things to eat one day, was as good as reaffirming that he believed it would happen one day.]

...I guess you're right.

[He takes the pen in slightly clumsy fingers, as he doesn't really have the dexterity for delicate movement yet, and puts a tentative line right through the word 'chocolate', giggling like a kid caught doing something naughty.]

That feels really weird, like I'm a vandal now.