IC Inbox

[armoured]

This is the IC inbox for Alphonse Elric at Snowblind.

Network name: @LELRIC

This is the place to contact Al over the Network. Contact by voice, text, or video is all perfectly acceptable, and there is no need to plot with me prior to posting in this inbox.

Comments

[darkincrement]

[ He tenses as Al approaches, but wills himself to relax again.

He'll skip the part about something being off with Gabriel. No need to give Al more reasons to worry hover. ]

They were responding to him and then this happened.

[ He is waving a hand between tablet and Gabriel, but seems like he's pretty deep in whatever it is. ]

He didn't give me details.

[armoured]

[He sets a hand on Sylar's shoulder tentatively, more checking that he's still breathing than anything else.]

Do you know what was being said right before this happened?

[He cranes to try and get a look at Sylar's tablet.]

[darkincrement]

[ The corner of his mouth lifts up just a bit as he looks at Gabriel. ]

He was baby talking a ghost cat.

[ That was very important for Al to know. ]

Then he was trying to get Andromeda's attention when it happened. He didn't tell me what was being said and whatever conversation they had wasn't on the network.

[armoured]

[A ghost cat... this whole thing is so incredibly unnatural.]

That has to be what happened then, perhaps... perhaps he just got Andromeda's attention, maybe he's talking to her right now?

[He's not sure, though, this seems very wrong.]

[darkincrement]

[ He should really watch it. Blackmail on their friend traveling companion.

The amusement he has felt for the earlier events dissipates with Al sounding unsure.

Hopefully that is what's happening. That he is talking to the Andromeda or some other ghost here. There's an unpleasant lurch as his mind does touch on if it could be something terrible. Someone messing with Gabriel's head or making him like this. It could even be permanent. ]

You haven't seen anything like this before?

[armoured]

No, not like this exactly, though it's hardly the first time that people have become non-responsive here. Maybe he's been bitten by one of those robot spiders and he's just paralysed for now, but listening to everything we say?

I don't know, I'm not sure how we can know.

FOREVER SHAME

[darkincrement]

[ Listening to everything, huh?

Just going to reach over to pinch Gabriel's cheek. It's totally a test and not him acting out cause Gabriel isn't with them. Yup. ]

Can your eyes move while paralyzed?

[armoured]

I'm not sure, I think I remember being able to look around, but I'm not certain how much of that was wishful thinking.

[He doesn't exactly have conventional eyeballs anyway.]

[darkincrement]

[ Al's eyes are like those paintings that just follow you every where. He has to already tamper down the urge to poke them. They are just asking for it at this point.

Instead, he'll give Gabriel a final prod in the face. ]

There's nothing. It's like his brain left.

[ Or spirit. The change in his demeanor is abrupt as he remembers the last time he's seen someone lie that. There's another urge to just force Gabriel to pay attention. To hurt him to make him look at them. Closing his fist as he turns away from Gabriel to keep from giving in. ]

I can't be alone with him.

[ He's hurt him in the past in the building. He can't do it again. ]

[armoured]

[There's no hesitation before Al takes a seat next to Gabriel, looking across at Vanitas calmly.]

Then I'll stay with you, we can both wait with him until he wakes up. Because he will wake up.

[He's not dead, and if he's not dead that means there's still hope.]

[darkincrement]

[ That's okay. He'll settle down, but stick close enough that he can poke Gabriel with his foot if needed. ]

He better.

[ He doesn't have Al's optimism. ]

[armoured]

Trust me.

[He knows that's a big ask for Vanitas, but he's not about to let Sylar die this way.]

You should try and get some rest, I can watch him for a while.

[darkincrement]

[ It is a big thing. He knows Al will keep him safe, but that's because he trusts what he knows about Al. The one thing he knows he can target to hurt Al the most is that Al will do everything he can to save others.

Looking at Gabriel again and deciding to give Al a form of acknowledgement. ]

He trusts you.

[ He knows it's also giving Al a weak spot. That Gabriel has sway in Vanitas' choices. Leaving it at that as he crosses his arms and closes his eyes. Going to make an attempt to rest. ]

[armoured]

[He knows that's probably the best he's going to get, and that's good enough for him. It's a small step forwards and that's all he can ask for. He just needs to keep proving himself trustworthy so that Vanitas keeps taking those steps.

He doesn't reply, just sets himself up for his vigil.]