riverviewlogs | [Open - Memory Share.]

Entry tags:

[Open - Memory Share.]

who: Edward Elric and Anyone Interested
what: Memory Share Event, First Person in the post, Dreamscape/Network in the comments
when: October 9th-23rd
where: Around the city for First Person, Dreamscapes and Network for the rest.
warnings: Individual Warnings Below
Notes: I've included some scenes that I have on Youtube for unrelated reasons if anyone wants those.

Characters may choose to contact Ed, bring it up next time they see him, or never mention it and just have that insight on a moment in his life without ever telling him they know. That's entirely up to player discretion.

(If you would like to use a scene from '03 that's not listed here or the subtitled version, I'm fine with that as well! Just let me know which scene so that I'm aware.)

1. Reunion of the Fallen (Short Reaction)
cw: assault

This can be broken down any way you'd like through the month but it might start with seeing the rock go flying and slam the first guy in the face out of nowhere.

The next flash is could be the second guy demanding, "who the hell are you?" This scene would be dark, as Ed's eyes are closed. You can't feel tossing the rock in your hand, but you're aware of the movements.

Third flash, you're speaking but it's Ed's voice. The scene is still black. "Come on, guys. A band of thugs in the forest, that's so cliché."

The same voice from before, "What was that short stuff?" In an instant you're up, kicking this guy straight in the face with the sole of your boot.

His group of friends descend to attack, the girl they were bothering previously already forgotten. Whether or not your character sees the off-screen pummeling is up to you and may also be a separate fourth vision at a later time.

2.Night of the Chimera's Cry (Faint)
cw: body horror, physical violence, body post murder, dark themes, children present

This one is very brief. There's a child in an alley crying out for his mother, military all around. Flashes may come in single second shots, broken up through the day or weeks, everything happens very fast.

"That makes five."

"Hasn't investigations found anything, yet?"

"Don't blame us."

One woman tries to remove the child from the cloth covered corpse in the alley, but he holds on. When she picks him up, he pulls the cloth with him, crying for his mother and screaming "No!" while revealing the body.

She's on her back, arms bent and covered in blood. You feel yourself gasp, and suddenly there are flashes of other memories. A distorted upside down face followed by a happy woman in a purple dress, smiling, sitting at a table, and then lying on the floor. The distorted image returns and you can see it struggling to breathe before everything goes dark.

In your mind you might feel yourself sinking to the ground as someone behind you shouts, "Ed! Pick him up!"

"Sir!" Then silence.

3. Hohenheim of Light (Father Issues)
cw: assault

From a distance there's a man and a woman sitting at a table on a porch of a large yellow house. The first flash may just be a visual of them, but as the scenes grow longer and more clear through the month you'll be able to piece together the conversation that's happening. Some characters may notice a resemblance between the man at the table and Ed.

"A long time ago I saw an eagle with wings as black as obsidian, your hair is the exact same color. I never thought I'd see it again. Thank you, for bringing such a beautiful memory back to me."

The woman at the table is blushing at the attention, "And thank you. What a lovely thing to say."

No time is wasted before you charge forward, "What the hell are you doing flirting?!" You launch into a punch, right hand nothing but glove-less metal, knocking the man straight off the porch to the ground below.

In case you didn't recognize the voice, the woman sitting there confirms that this is Ed's memory, "Edward, what the-?"

He's not listening, you feel and hear yourself shouting in Ed's voice.

"You're gone for over ten years, and I come back home to that?! Damn you, old man!"

4. Hohenheim of Light (Milk Rant)
cw: assault (probably best combined with 3.)

There's a man on the ground, presumably Ed's father if this memory is coupled with flashes of the previous one. He smiles up at Ed where you're standing on the porch, who seems aggravated at best.

"Edward," Your eyes widen in surprise at being addressed, before setting once more - still hostile. "So, do you still hate drinking milk?"

Immediately you jump off the porch, kicking him to the ground. "Who are you calling a micro-sized half pint who didn't grow up because he doesn't drink milk?!"

From behind, you hear three voices chime in "That's not what he said, Edward."

5. Arm Wrestling
cw free! Also available if anyone's interested, but I didn't write it up.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

cw: allusions to child/animal abuse and experimentation, body horror, physical violence (child assaulting adult), implied death, dark themes

A:

The scene starts with Ed and and a suit of armor walking down a hallway after entering a building through the window. The armor looks about as uncertain as a suit of armor can look and Ed - much younger, at only 12 here - appears angry about something.

Concerned, Al's voice asks from the armor, "Do you really think this is a good idea? What if you lose your certification for this?"

"If that's what it takes to prove me wrong tonight, so be it." Is Ed's only answer.

As they come to the bottom of a flight of stairs the cries of several creatures - chimera - in cages can be heard. They pause briefly there to take in the sight before them before a voice pipes up from the next room.

"Over here." Ed looks visibly startled but they follow the sound of the voice to the room in which a man is standing with his back to them, only approaching once he speaks.

"Come on in, boys."

There are transmutation circles all over the room, along the walls and ceiling. A book is open on the desk beside some notes and a pen. Once again, Ed's expression is visibly disturbed by the atmosphere before setting with determination as the man speaks once more.

"I told you I'd let you see."

He steps aside and Ed gasps in surprise at what is revealed there. A creature that appears to be a blond dog with long brown hair growing down the spine and tail. There are a few notably odd things about this "dog" including the length of the toes, but at first it probably doesn't look like too much to any onlookers.

"It's a perfect version, a chimera that knows the human tongue." The man continues to explain. Ed's expression changes as he talks, but he doesn't seem to even notice. Crouching beside the creature as it watches him, the man speaks directly to it instead, "Listen Dear, that's your friend Edward, look."

Look it does, speaking haltingly "Edward friend."

"Yes, exactly. That's very good!" The man praises the words.

"That's very good." The dog parrots automatically.

Al's excitement is undeterred by Ed's solemn reaction, gaze lowered as his brother exclaims in awe. "Unbelievable! It really can talk!"

"Ah, I'll have no problem getting the funding now." He sounds and appears relieved by this realization, "I can't believe I didn't see it. The other one was too old to adapt."

Ignoring both of them Ed approaches the creature and crouches down so that they're face to face. The dog sniffs him before going for his pocket watch, tugging it from his pocket but unable to get it free from his belt as it bounces to the floor.

"Edward, my friend?"

His voice breaks at this point, looking outright heartbroken as he speaks softly. "Yeah. That's right."

"Edward, why does it hurt here?"

Ed grits his teeth, having enough of this whole scene and gets to his feet.

"Brother...?"

Finally, he addresses the whole thing by speaking to the man in the room. "So, Tucker."

There's a quick flash of surprise before he questions Ed at that reaction. "Something wrong?"

Anger is starting to edge into his tone, as Ed speaks again. "When was the first time you made one of these? Human speaking chimeras?"

Tucker answers flatly, "I thought I told you, it's been two years now."

"And when exactly did your wife leave you?"

Without skipping a beat, Tucker responds with "Two years ago, why?"

"And those letters. That Nina wrote. Did any of them ever reach her?"

"What are you getting at?"

Looking up at Tucker, Ed finally reaches his point. "Tell me this, where have Alexander and Nina gone to?" Al gasps in surprise, but Tucker only sighs as if the whole thing was tiresome.

"I hate prodigies like you, Ed. Too damn perceptive."

Edward doesn't give him time to react, closing the distance between them and grabbing him by the shirt collar.

"Brother-!"

"This guy used his own wife, Al!" At this point Ed is practically shouting, all emotions at the surface.

"A-and this time-?"

"His daughter! And his dog. He transmuted them into that thing. An easy process when you use people, right?"

"Why are you getting so upset, Edward?" Tucker doesn't seem to mind the way Ed's grip tightens on his shirt. "It's the nature of scientific progress. Animal testing, experimentation, trial and error. All advancements have a price."

"Shut up! I'm not going to let you rationalize this, you monster. That was your own family, damn it, you've been toying with people's lives!"

"Toying with lives?" Tucker laughs at Ed's accusation, "What, like your arm and leg there? Or your brother's body, or trying to bring your mother back? That's toying, isn't it? You don't really think you're any different from me, do you Ed?"

Without warning Ed punches Tucker in silence, knocking his glasses from his face in the process. Anyone familiar enough with Ed may be aware he's using his metal hand. Tucker only laughs again as Ed pulls his arm back once more - this time stopped when Al grabs his wrist to ask his own question.

"Why, Mr. Tucker? The whole point was to pass the assessment and continue your way of life. But now your family's gone. What life is left?"

"That's the funny thing I didn't have a reason." Ed gasps, but Tucker continues before he can speak. "I fully understood no matter what I did my life would be ruined. I could either do it with the science or without, and so I chose science to see if I could."

"What kind of man-" At this point Ed's voice is shuddering as he speaks, but Tucker interrupts him.

"When you have the power to do something it's hard not to try, isn't that what we agreed on Ed? Aren't we so much alike?"

"No!"

"Sure, part of me did it for respect and this house. Just as you partly did it for your mother. But there's more, you're desperate to put your mind to use, Ed. To see what you're capable of, to put the world under your fingers. That's the essence of alchemy. You did it for knowledge, control, above all - you did it just to prove you can!"

Without pause Ed punches him again, this time so hard he hits the ground, voice trembling as he speaks.

"You're wrong. Alchemy isn't meant to be-" His voice breaks, "I'm- not- like- you!" Ed starts punching Tucker over and over, repeating with increasing desperation as blood covers his glove and face each time his hand connects. "I'm not! I'm not! I'm not!"

Al gasps, "Brother, you'll kill him-" before Ed shouts, pulling his automail arm back for one more punch when the growling of the chimera catches his attention. Nina has him by the red coat, growling softly to stop him. When he turns to look at her his frenzied expression softens, replaced by sadness.

"No, Big Brother..."

Ed turns, bending over and speaking softly to the chimera, "Nina, I want you to bear with me, okay? This may hurt..."

As Ed straightens up to bring his hands together Al interrupts him. "What are you doing? You're not planning to split them up, are you?" There's a desperation and fear in Alphonse's tone, "You don't know how!"

From the floor behind Ed, Tucker only laughs. "The chimera's a perfect transmutation fused to the core. There's no way to separate them, now. Careful, you'll just do to them what you did to your mother." He gasps at that, lowering his hands without clapping, as Nina continues to watch him in silence.

After a moment she tilts her head and turns to Al, "You promised you'd come play with me."

Alphonse reaches out to pet her, answering softly, "I know."

The military rushes in at this point and a large man takes in the scene. "Assaulting army personnel, what the hell's going on?"

Ed doesn't move from his position or even look up, "Spare me, Sir. He used his own daughter."

B:

The scene fades out, going blank before opening again on a dark alley filled with pouring rain. There's blood on the wall and your hand clap together before pressing against the wall, it's obvious from this new perspective that you're Ed - the red sleeves of his coat, the blood covered glove in your line of sight. He's crying, fingers trembling against the wall before drawing back to clap again, once more slamming his hands into the wall.

This continues every five seconds, the clap and press of hands to a blood soaked wall. At least five times before he stops finally, arms still outstretched - hands pressed to the stain of blood and trembling with pain. A shuddered breath leaves him before Al speaks, resting a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

When Ed looks back there's a man standing in the alley behind him, wearing a military uniform. "There's no use, kid." Edward turns on him, baring his teeth as if ready to fight. "You can't go around trying to bring every living creature that dies on you back to life, Edward. It's not possible, and it's not healthy. Anyway, who'd you be helping by bringing back a malformed chimera?"

Edward's aggression diminishes as he steps back with those words as if they're a physical blow.

"It's an ugly world out there and from here on out it's only going to get uglier on the path you've chosen. Just be thankful it wasn't you and get on with your life."

"Get on with my life?!" Ed demands before flinching as his arm is grabbed by one gloved hand.

"There's a reason you became a State Alchemist, right Ed? Can you really afford to get distracted by every little lost cause?"

If there's any response to that it isn't revealed here as the scene fades out to black once again.

C:

The first thing to notice is being on the roof of a building, there's a child nearby looking quite upset with his shirt torn in half. He sighs and looks at his hands before bringing them together, but they obviously don't match up. One arm is considerably darker than the other, and the hand is clearly larger when they're brought together in that way. He shifts on his perch before moving his feet to do the same.

Like his arms, his legs don't match either - only in opposition, where the right arm is darker the right leg is lighter and matches the rest of the boy's skin tone. Putting the soles of his feet together knocks him off balance and he begins to roll down the roof of the building, shouting in surprise before being caught by a gloved hand.

Edward, and a suit of armor (which may or may not be recognizable as Alphonse to your character) are stretched down the length of the roof in order to keep them from falling off while retrieving the boy.

"Wh-what happened?" The child glances up to catch sight of Ed and Al.

Ed, still holding the kid by the waistband retorts, "What happened? We just saved your dumb ass."

The scene changes to the three sitting on the edge of the roof together. The suit of armor is watching the child as he peers at his own hands curiously but Ed's focus seems to be elsewhere. The child looks between Ed and the armor curiously before lowering his gaze back to his upturned hands and speaking again.

"How come my arms and legs look so different from both your's?"

Ed glances at him in surprise for a moment before lowering his gaze once more, answering in a solemn tone, lifting his own arm to look at his hand as he speaks, "That's because this arm and one of my legs aren't real."

Automatically, full of curiosity, the kid says "That's dumb, what'd you do with the real ones you were born with?"

His tone doesn't change as Ed meets the child's gaze, "That's hard... To explain."

He glances away again before golden eyes widen with the next innocent question, "Well, where are they now?" His gaze remains straight forward, with no response as the kid continues to watch him, but Al's voice interrupts from the suit of armor.

"What about you?" He points at the darker arm on the child, "Are you sure you don't remember how you got this scar?"

"Hm?" The kid glances at his arm curiously where Al is pointing before answering straight forward. "No."

Edward and Alphonse share a glance before moving up away from the child on the roof, speaking in hushed tones as he swings his legs oblivious behind them.

"You know, it could just be a coincidence." Al offers, hopefully.

"I don't think so, Al."

"But your arm and leg were both taken in Equivalent Exchange, right?" He insists, "So what would they be doing back here? You have to admit that's a little weird."

"Yeah, it's more than just a little weird." Ed retorts, "But as long as we're stretching the limits of of possibility, let's just say he was able to salvage my limbs from the Gate. Then possibly, we could get your body too."

D: Wrath's Limbs. Also available if anyone's interested, but I didn't write it up.

Edited 2017-10-28 22:54 (UTC)

I wasn't planning to use these, but I have them on youtube for other reasons so if in anyone's interested, either as First Person, Network or Dreamscape let me know!

Sloth:
E: Sloth Arrives
F: Sloth Fight

Yock Island:
Arrival
Sleeping
Fox Bite
Fishing
Lost Hope
Meaning

Risembool:
Grave Robbing

Edited 2017-10-29 08:50 (UTC)

[cw: This is strictly audio, but it's still a rather graphic death scene.

A voicemail will be conveniently dropped in the inbox for any character whose player wants that.]

The distinct sound of a single clap interrupts the silence before a transmutation - a sort of electric static - comes over the feed. The first voice heard over the network is Al's, confused and uncertain.

"... Brother? What are you talking about?"

There's the sound of shuffling feet, and then a bump. No reply from Ed before Alphonse speaks again.

"Edward? Brother!"

There's a shout, and then a long, terrified cry of pain, which is suddenly cut off, followed by the sound of something wet splashing, and a great deal of it. After a few seconds, there's nothing more than dripping.

And then a horrified scream recognizable as Ed's, which dissolves into sobs. When the sobbing stops, there's no sound for a long moment except for the gradually decreasing drip from the blood. Nothing until a very quiet, very pained whimper.

"No, no, no- Al, I-"

"I didn't mean.... I didn't want-"

"This wasn't supposed to- He-"

"This isn't what I wanted. He... Al..."

There's a sniff, as if he's trying to keep himself from crying, and the word that follows is more a pain filled whimper, than anything.

"Al... I- I..."

"No. No, No... This can't-"

"I didn't want this... You-. You did it, I didn't ... I was only trying to help"

"Why did you do that.... No, not me. No. You-"

There's no indication of who he's talking to, no other voice comes over the feed as if no one is there at all. His voice changes from something desperate and miserable to anger, suddenly.

"No, no- GET OUT OF MY HEAD! I WOULDN'T HAVE- HE WAS FINE, HE DIDN'T NEED T-"

"SHUT UP. SHUT UP, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU- I'M GOING TO KILL-"

"I don't care. I don't care if I have to die, too. You're not- I'm not hurting anyone else, you bastard. You..."

"Just... stop."

The crying resumes very quietly, until the recording times out.

Edited 2017-10-29 11:16 (UTC)

[ Jason hadn't been sleeping well at all. Hell, it took almost a week and a half before the lack of sleep drove him to start acting out of sorts, and another two days before he stumbled in from work and fell face first into bed. He was asleep before his face hit the pillow. He slept in his boots until he zombied out of the room at some point to use the bathroom. his boots... were left near the sink along with his guards jacket. his T-shirt on the floor in the doorway and he was asleep again in just his boxers in a matter of minutes. He walked many dreams that night and day, almost sleeping twenty four hours straight.

He had only been up long enough to start his morning routine feeling absolutely wreaked when he woke up. Coffee was brewing as he lifted his phone to his ear and started listening. His bruised eyes going wide as he listened. Oh fuck.

Oh fuck.

He didn't know if Ed was home. So, instead he got a few simple words in text. ]

Catch up with me when you get a chance... I just got a voicemail from you we should talk about.

Edited 2017-10-30 17:58 (UTC)

[This whole month was a nightmare for everyone and Ed was no exception. Between his own memories and dreams haunting him to trying to avoid any ghost sightings, coupled with the new arrival of Val, Ed was barely getting any restful sleep.

He'd been back and forth between the General Store and Floor Six enough that a text was probably best to catch him. Ed blinked at the message in confusion before sending a text back, as unclear as he could be about technology he understood how phones and messages worked and a voicemail he didn't leave sounded strange enough without adding in the weird business going on this month.]

A voicemail? What are you talking about? I didn't leave you any voicemail.

[If Jay was going to suggest they meet up or hash this out over the network now would be the time, because knowing what had been posted for everyone to see already? Ed was inclined to try to shut this one out if no one had seen it but Jason.]

Yeah, dude, you did. I don't think you intended to either. Probably more fucked up shit going on. I know what you sound like screaming now though, just what I needed hung over. When you come home bring me an energy drink and I'll pay you back. Otherwise, tell me where you are. I'm not doing this on the phone.

Definitely not.

[He's ignoring that comment about screaming for now, because 1. he doesn't want to think about it, and 2. for all he knows Jay just means he was screaming at someone, which wasn't too unrealistic considering the Lyle broadcast. There's a pause before he sends another text.]

I'll be over shortly.

[Sure enough Ed only stopped long enough to grab the energy drink Jay requested before arriving back on Floor Six. Whatever this was he probably didn't want anyone else hearing about it, and chances were anyone in the communal building was sleeping, at work, or heading out so that seemed the safer option.

He looked wholly unimpressed as he arrived, pulling the drink from the bag and holding it out for Jay as he set the bag on the counter. He didn't like the sound of this, not if his network broadcast of the day being stuck to Lyle was any indication of the direction things were going in. He had too many memories, too many memories of screaming in particular, to be comfortable with this. Still, he tried to sound casual, disinterested, more annoyed than anything. It could be literally anything, there was no reason to assume right away that it was one of the worst possibilities.]

All right, what is this about?

[ At least by the time Ed arrived Jason had found it in himself to tug his jeans and an sleevless shirt on. The shirt lovingly said 'Bite me.' He was in the kitchen rubbing his temples more, with a half cup of coffee in front of him which he was nursing when Ed walked in. Taking his phone out without a thought he unlocked it and looked around to make sure no one was standing around before hitting speaker, and repeat message sitting it down as the tired blue eyes locked on Ed. Without speaking he answered by replaying the message.

Always the facts, that was Bruce's first lession.]

[Golden eyes snapped to Jay's curiously as he answered wordlessly. When the recording started, his eyes widened at Al's familiar voice. "... Brother? What are you talking about?" He didn't need it to go any further than that, grabbing for Jay's phone to shut it off at the sound of Al backing into the counter as if in an attempt to escape the inevitable.

The last thing he wanted was to hear it played out for him again, he remembered it well enough himself, the fear in his brother's voice, the scream of pain- his expression shifted abruptly from one of controlled anger to something like queasiness. If Jay got the message, that meant others could too, and he couldn't handle that thought, couldn't wrap his mind around Al hearing that scene.

He glanced away, a hand over his mouth as if he might be sick, before his expression set again, muttering quietly as if Jay was making a big deal out of nothing.]

I told you that happened.

[ Jason reached out as soon as Ed did.reaching to snatch it back once Ed turned. He turned the volume back up long enough to hit a button as a electronic voice spoke. 'Message Deleted'. Friends didn't save their friends truama. Sitting the phone down. His background was blood-splatter on white. Reaching over to crack open the energy drink and drank down a lot in one go he waited a second to let Ed just breath. The same as he would need. ]

You did. And if you heard me being beaten to death, wouldn't you have come to me to?

Nina: A and/or B. [cw notes below.]

Wrath: C and/or D.

Additional Scenes

[VOICE | username edward.elric - Al's Death (Purg)]

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First Person Scenes:

First Person - 3 & 4

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Closed to Alphonse

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