(no subject)

[milkisgross]

Who: Edward Elric and YOU~
What: Ed's arrived to Vernos Bay and he's confused. He's also a bit frustrated. Please help him.
When: All day
Where: Out and about as he gets his bearings
Warnings: Well, it's a loud-mouthed alchemist tossed into where he's going to have to accept that gods exist. Mild swearing and yelling are inevitable. Will update if anything else develops.



The past couple of weeks had been pretty hard on Ed. First, he was stuck in Briggs, and wouldn't you know it, Kimbley finds a way to dangle Winry in front of his face as a hostage. When they finally find a way to get her out of that, he and Al are forced to separate and he ends up with a steel rod through his gut. Then he has to lay low while healing up and is forced into hiding. No matter where he goes he can't seem to find Alphonse, and when he does run into someone he knows and trusts, she greets him with a wrench to his face. Now, to top it all off, he's not even in Resembool anymore, despite being there a moment ago. Hell, with the architecture here, he was pretty sure he wasn't even in Amestris! Winry, Greed (Ling? GreedLing? Gring?), Gorilla and Lion man are no where to found. Frustrated, Ed does the only thing he can do. Walk around to try to get his bearings and try to find out what the hell just happened.

The locals don't seem to be very helpful. He tries to ask a few people where he is, but they seem strangely unable to answer his questions. Whether it's because he's speaking a language they don't understand or if they're just too xenophobic to respond, he's not entirely sure. At the same time, it's evident that the town has some kind of pollution problem as the air is chocked with smog. It seems to get thicker in areas where the breeze is more stagnant, but regardless of where he goes it's thick and difficult to breath. He walks with his hand over his mouth, covered int he sleeve of his shirt to help filter the air, but it doesn't help all that much.

Getting increasingly frustrated, Ed continues to try to find someone who will at least try to communicate with him. By this point though, his attitude alone might be pushing people away.

Comments

[frozen_witch]

He wasn't the only one frustrated. Elsa had gotten an impression of why she was here, mostly because it was painfully obvious to her that she had been called here because of what she was capable of. How she was here, how she got back, or what she needed to do really wasn't clear, and the lack of clear communication didn't help anything.

There were so few people who spoke proper English right then that she felt even more alone amongst a crowd than usual. Standing at the entrance to her newfound temple, she looked out to the light fall of snow that was coming, gloved hands reaching out to a flake or two on its way to the ground. She needed to get a proper freeze in before the winter ended, but for now she just wanted the people to know that the seasons were starting to return to normal.

As she saw him walking along with his hand over his mouth, her eyebrow climbed. "Excuse me, can you understand me?" she said as he came closer.

[milkisgross]

Ed stopped dead in his tracks and looked around for whoever spoke out. It seemed to be a young woman standing at some large building, and it looked like she was talking to him. He removes his hand from his face. "Yeah!" Finally, someone he could talk to.

He turned from the street and approached her, taking note of the white hair. Her eyes weren't red, nor her skin dark, so she couldn't be Ishvalan. At least, not completely. "You're the first person I've found that's said anything to me. No one else is talking." He shivers and glances up at the snow. When did that start? Whatever. Not important. "What is this place?"

[frozen_witch]

There was a look of relief on her face when he replied. He wasn't the only person who understood her, but the number could have been counted on one hand. Breathing in and out once, she relaxed a little visibly, though she kept a little distance as he approached. Elsa was still far more comfortable with her gloves on and with a little bit of polite space between her and others.

"They are not able to, it seems. I have only been here for two days so far, and what the few who I can speak to have shared is that something keeps them from speaking." She looked out towards the city and frowned. Nothing here made sense. "I am not even entirely sure of this city's name. It is surreal."

Oh, wait, had he meant the temple? No, she could wait. If he needed to know about it, she could clear that up. It was bound to happen eventually.

[milkisgross]

Ed's brows furrowed as he listened to the young woman speak. Ed thought that maybe it was because the locals didn't understand his language, but if there was something keeping them from speaking entirely, then something bad was going on. He didn't like it, and he found himself glancing over his shoulder in case anyone was listening in on them, assuming it was some work of whatever government was here keeping its people from talking to outsiders.

He also didn't like the fact that the person he bumped into who could speak to him was just about as new to this place as he was. He'd just have to work with what he was given. Come to think of it he was probably lucky enough to find someone to talk to. "Do you remember how you got here?"

He rubs his arms a bit. It's snowing and he doesn't have a coat since it was a fine Spring day where he came from.

[frozen_witch]

The glances of suspicion were just visible enough that she could notice and Elsa simply nodded towards him, beckoning deeper into the temple itself. She could understand suspicion right now. The need for a mortal to sit on a throne and claim 'godhood' to allow the people of this world to speak and write? It was, to say the least, suspicious. "Come inside. I apologize if it is a little cold. I am still getting used to things here."

As she walked, she shook her head. "I do not remember arriving at all. I remember only going to sleep in my castle and waking in this strange place, surrounded by a world that is sick and in need." Her eyes looked back towards the arm he rubbed, curiosity there. "Are you feeling well?"

[milkisgross]

"I'll live." He follows the young woman inside.

Ed had mixed feelings about her response. On one hand, it showed that he wasn't insane and it gave him a little comfort to know that she experienced the same thing he did. On the other, it also meant that she wouldn't know how people got here or how they could leave. "That sounds like how I got here, though I don't even remember going to sleep. It was like I blinked and suddenly I wasn't where I was before." He shrugged off the last part of her statement there. She wasn't wrong. There was definitely something wrong here, but Ed cared less about the problems of people he didn't know and had no relation with than his own problems.

"I'm fine," he said has he continued to shiver. "It's just cold." He glanced at her outfit. She was certainly bundled up, even wearing gloves. "You know where I can get a coat?"

[frozen_witch]

If he looked carefully, the gloves might have been the only part of her outfit that was truly that bundled. Her dress, while it covered her skin entirely, was not a heavy winter one. When she breathed, there was no mist that formed in her wake. She looked back at him for a moment before unfastening the cloak over her dress and offering it to him.

"I should do something about the temperature in here," she said in an apologetic tone. As she turned, her hands moved in front of her and she focused, breathing in and out slowly. When she did the air temperature started to settle, to warm noticeably and some of the frost that rimmed the pillars faded a little.

"That should help." Turning back, she shook her head. "Go ahead and use my cloak in the meantime. It is taking time to get used to this."

[milkisgross]

Ed gratefully takes the cloak. "Thanks." He was about to ask her if she would be ok in the cold, but then she mentioned raising the temperature. Was this place hers? After being here for only two days?

And then she just kind of...waves her hands. Ed raises a brow, wondering what the heck she's doing, but notices the temperature rise a bit, and it's not because he has a cloak on. He looks around, expecting to see something that would explain it, but there's nothing. No lit fire place, no heaters, nothing that could immediately explain it. "How did you do that?"

[frozen_witch]

She turned and looked at him quietly for a moment. Not more than a month ago, she would never have displayed her powers this openly. But the acceptance of her people, of her sister, it went a long way. Still, she couldn't help being a little nervous about it.

"I do not like to talk about this very much, but magic has always flowed strong in my family. I am a friend of the cold." It was a roundabout way of beginning to get at it, without really saying everything. He hadn't reacted with active suspicion of her yet, so the word magic was a good way to test how he would to the topic in general.

[milkisgross]

Ed's face fell at the word 'magic.' This isn't the first time someone used that to try to explain away what they were really doing. However, the last person that claimed to be using magic or creating miracles was a power-hungry egomaniac, and whoever this young woman was, she was clearly not that.

"Look, I don't know what you feel like you have to hide, but I'm an alchemist. You can just tell me who's pulling the strings here." Perhaps the wavy arm thing was a signal to someone hidden from view, and they did something to raise the temperature inside. Granted, it was a pretty quick change, but come on. Magic? Please.

[frozen_witch]

This was a first. When she demonstrated her powers in the past it usually didn't result in immediate skepticism, especially from someone who said that they were a follower of one of the ancient arcane arts. It actually felt a little endearing in a way, to see someone doubt her powers, so very different from what she was accustomed to. One hand reached out with the palm up and she gently removed her glove.

Focusing, frost formed along the palm of her hand before it sparkled and scintillated in an ever growing ball. Crystallizing in her palm, the ice gradually formed into the form of a rose. "I would think that an alchemist knows a thing or two about magical power. I control ice, snow, frost and the cold of winter." A tap of her foot, and the floor around the two of them turned into ice, radiating out from where her foot landed as she gave him a bemused grin.

[milkisgross]

Before he could say 'Alchemy is a science, not magic,' the young woman took off her glove and displayed her abilities. Wide-eyed and speechless, Ed gazes at the frost condensing in her hand, then form itself into the shape of a rose. He stumbles back when she taps her foot, caught completely off guard. He slips on the now icy floor and lands on his rump. He's more flabbergasted than hurt. Major General Armstrong suddenly had a contender for her title of 'Ice Queen.'

He picks himself up, his breath condensing and forming little puffs from the cold. He scrutinizes her. There's no sign of any transmutation circle anywhere. Even if there were, there was no light like there would have been if she had transmuted something. It wasn't alchemy, that much he was sure. But he was a skeptic to the core. He was not about to accept magic.

Still, upon his closer look, he noticed that her breath wasn't showing like his. He was intrigued. Still in the mindset that magic could not exist, he wanted to investigate and find out the secret to her incredibly elaborate and convincing trick. "Ok, ok. That was...pretty good."

[frozen_witch]

She definitely couldn't compete with how much of a hard-ass the Major General could be, even if she could pull off a literal ice queen routine very easily. Suppressing a laugh when she saw him tumble, she moved her free hand over the floor, causing the ice to slip back and disappear once again before walking towards the main throne of the temple.

"Thank you. I can do a lot more, and I may eventually but I want to be sure of my control. It feels as if I have much more power here." It was like plunging just a finger into a deep pool, one whose wellspring had almost no limits. Her power was already incredible, but there was so much here now that she had the throne. It was frightening in its own way.

Slipping her glove onto her hand, she walked up and settled herself down on the throne. "I am sorry. I should have introduced myself earlier. I am Elsa, Queen of Arendelle." And currently the goddess of winter, but no. She wasn't going to use that title with someone like her.

[notdreaming]

Kara hasn’t had much luck learning about this place, where nobody speaks her language. Of course, that’s not much different from Earth, but at least Kal-El had been there to explain some things to her. She finds herself spending more and more time in the air, away from the frighteningly silent people and the looks they keep giving her for the leotard and cape. At least she hasn’t felt the need to eat or sleep since she’s been here.

An angry voice in the otherwise quiet city catches her attention though, and when she touches down to the ground again to investigate the native Ed is yelling at looks a little afraid. She frowns and puts a hand on his arm.

“Stop it. He isn’t going to talk to you.” Of course, she only speaks Kryptonian, but she hopes her tone gets the meaning across.

[milkisgross]

Ed jumps when he feels the hand on his arm. He whips his head around to find a young woman speaking to him, which is an improvement. However, she's definitely speaking in another language. He glances back at the native and takes a step back. Jumping at the opportunity, the native leaves in a bit of a hurry. Ed never was much one for tact.

"Uh," he stammers a bit, never having been in this kind of situation before. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

[notdreaming]

Kara sighs, relieved that he isn't going to try to fight her on this. She even smiles a little, though she has no idea what he's saying.

"It's alright. Just leave the poor people alone."

Really, it's just kind of comforting to hear her own voice in the quiet.

[milkisgross]

Well, that was most certainly a 'no.' Ed felt a pang of guilt. He had been harassing these poor people and they likely had no idea what the hell he was even saying.

At the very least, he had found someone who was trying to communicate with him. While he didn't think he could get much out of her, surely he could get something to work with. He pointed to himself. "Ed." Then he pointed to the young woman, taking the time to notice her style of dress. It was a lot different from what everyone else seemed to be wearing.

[notdreaming]

That message, at least, is perfectly clear. Kara can't help but be a little excited by the one bit of communication she's been able to manage in this place.

"Kara," she says, a hand on her chest.

[milkisgross]

Hey, progress! The frustration Ed had felt up until now was subsiding, though now he realized that he wasn't sure how to move on from here.

He tried spreading his arms out, hoping that she would catch that he was indicating the town they were in. "This place." Then he shrugs. "Where are we?"

Was shrugging a universal sign? He had no idea. Time to find out.

[notdreaming]

Ah, the town. Shrugging is a universal sign, and it's easy enough from her own experience to guess that he wants to know where they are. She shakes her head apologetically.

"No," she adds, in case that's his language. She can't honestly tell, but at least she knows the gesture and the word go together. Then she shrugs as well, for good measure. She has no idea where they are. Although-

"Earth?" She frowns as she says the word. That was what Kal-El called it, didn't he? Is she still on the same planet?

[milkisgross]

Ed raises a brow. She knew the word 'no,' but it certainly wasn't from him. Then she said 'Earth,' but with a clear questioning intonation. Ed glanced around. Everything looked like it was a part of Earth. Why would she think they were on an alien planet? That was ridiculous, wasn't it?

Ed nods. "Yes." It's a curt answer, as if it's something she shouldn't have questioned in the first place. He crosses his arms, his automail hand flashing from the movement before it's hidden away again but his other arm. There were so many questions he needed answers to right now, but the only person he had to work with wouldn't be able to understand any of them! His frustration was starting to well back up again as he thought of what he should try to find out next.

Well, he had no idea how long he'd be here. Might as well ask about the necessities. He mimicked holding a bowl and eating. "Food?" Then he mimicked drinking from a cup. "Drink?" If worse came to worse, Ed could transmute some clean water from the filth he had seen in some fountains, but he would still be stuck about something to eat.

[notdreaming]

She nods, somewhat comforted by the reassurance. It would be a little too insane if somebody told her she had been sent here from Earth, which had also been destroyed. Still, it had been a nagging thought.

Then she frowns. The miming is pretty effective, actually. "Food," she repeats, and "drink." But is he asking where to find such a thing? She scans the nearby buildings, but there aren't any convenient pictures on windows or doors that she can see from here.

Putting a hand to her temple she focuses on x-ray-y thoughts. That does seem to do the trick, and depending on how hard she squints she can look through all the different buildings. She finds what she's looking for in the form of several people all eating in the same building.

She blinks and her vision goes back to normal.

"Food, drink!" She points.

[milkisgross]

The more Ed tried to converse with Kara, the weirder she got. It wasn't the fact that she didn't understand him, but the rest of her behavior. He had no idea what she was doing by putting her hand up to her head, nor did he know what they hell she was looking at when she scanned the area. Ed tried to follow her gaze, but couldn't see what made her think there was food or drink in the direction she pointed at. Still, he started walking that way, curious as to what made her so excitable. He waves at her, indicating that he wanted her to follow.

It turns out that the place she pointed to was some kind of restaurant. People were seated here and there, quietly enjoying their food. Well, that answered that question, but...

Ed glanced back to Kara. How did she know? It couldn't have been a lucky guess. She knew, even though all of the customers were inside the building and it wasn't possible to know what it was without being able to read the sign. He looked at her suspiciously, wanting more than ever to just ask how she knew but also knowing that she wouldn't be able to answer.

[notdreaming]

Kara, on the other hand, is not particularly interested in Ed's reaction. The food here smells so good. When was the last time she ate? She's not hungry at all. Does she even need to eat anymore?

Also, how does she get food here? Everybody's already eating, she doesn't see a place to pick anything up. Maybe if she just... asks someone?

The only person not eating is standing at a podium, watching the two of them expectantly.

"Food?" Kara asks the stranger. The hostess holds up two fingers. Table for two? Kara looks to Ed, deeply confused by this response.

[milkisgross]

Ed couldn't say he was too hungry at the moment. Suddenly finding yourself in a strange city without knowing how you got there seemed to dampen any appetite he might have had otherwise. Money might also be an issue. While he wasn't completely broke, most of the money he had the Gorilla guy get out from his account was used to pay the doctors that had treated him in the north, and a lot of what was left was used to help get around to try to find Al.

Ed started to shake his head at the hostess, but realized that Kara didn't seem to be able to communicate to the people here either. His experience with treating people wasn't very good, but he didn't think it would be good to leave if Kara was hungry. He pointed over to the people eating, a questioning look on his face. Hopefully she would catch on that he was asking if she wanted something to eat.