02?. [Action/Text - Fourth Wall]

[explosivecombat]

[Kimblee has just kind of accepted this sort of thing, regarding those odd weekends where, for some completely arbitrary reason, everything is beautiful and nothing hurts (assuming that no one happens to get in the way of the explosions he's usually laying down); however, this time around he hasn't seen Archer all weekend, he's been unbelievably agitated for some reason he can't work out, and about the only saving grace is that he seems to have awakened in the Lake of Rage area today.

He can't say he minds.

He's got his gloves off today, if anyone is in the immediate area through either intent or chance; surprisingly, he isn't transmuting...obviously, though what he's doing makes it rather clear that something's going on before too long - he's never been any sort of particular genius when it comes to chemistry, but he knows certain things when he sees them, and he's currently picking up rocks along the shore, appearing to assess them as he holds them before a flash of blue fires off and he throws the result into the water.

It's surprisingly easy to get a good transference going, to get sodium out of the rocks by the waterfront; of course, sodium in water is known to make one hell of a bang. Admittedly, it's not a very aesthetically pleasing bang, but he's working on it, okay.

Of course, there are some other signs in the area that his activities haven't been quite so docile (if blowing up the surface of a lake filled with terrifying sea serpents can be considered docile); there are some rather impressive swaths cut into the ground by what look like something ripping it all up from within. However, for the time being he seems pretty content to be bored, seeming to have calmed down from the earlier...fit that caused all that; he'll be having at the whole sodium thing for a while tonight.

Granted, for those not in the area, he'll be showing up over the device later - not via video, but via text, as per usual.]

I trust you've all been enjoying playing with your toys. Some of my most prized ones weren't returned to me this time around; I'm assuming this means they're still in the region somewhere.

I imagine I'll find them eventually.

However, for the time being I find that I really can't complain; the most relevant part of what I can do is functional again, and if I had to select between having my abilities with no enhancements and no abilities at all, choosing the latter to spite the former would be tantamount to solving the problem of a low doorway by cutting off my head.

Indulge me in my curiosity, however: were things like this weekend to be something controllable, something you could do at will, what would you bring here and what sort of abilities would you retain from you world - given power like this on a regular basis, what would you do with it?

Comments

[terminarcher]

I suppose I should have warned you. I didn't think it would startle you that badly.

[He has no idea how bad it looks, is it obvious?]

[explosivecombat]

[...okay, now he's just staring again, thank you.]

Well, it's a bit alarming-looking.

[terminarcher]

Ah, is it?

[Head...tilt...]

I've never seen it, obviously.

[explosivecombat]

...you don't want to, believe me.

[terminarcher]

That bad?

[Well, he sounds a bit amused by that.]

[explosivecombat]

Let's put it this way, shall we - have you ever known me to startle easily, to that extent?

[terminarcher]

No, of course not.

[...]

Well, my apologies for startling you so badly. Had I known you would have reacted that way, I would have simply told you rather than shown you.

[explosivecombat]

...some warning would have been nice, yes...

[SERIOUSLY ARCHER YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE SOMEONE A HEART ATTACK ONE DAY]

At the same time, don't let it concern you; as I said, that was just a bit...unexpected.

[terminarcher]

[HE PROBABLY DID, JUST LOOK AT ALL THOSE POOR SOLDIERS HE MUST HAVE TERRIFIED]

Of course. At any rate, you won't have to worry about it again. I won't be using it.

[explosivecombat]

After this weekend, I'd imagine it's going to be a moot point anyway.

[not to be a killjoy or anything]

[terminarcher]

Yes, of course.

[...]

Although I do have to wonder if it will remove the gun entirely. In that case, I should be able to eat properly.

[...Huh, weird.]

[explosivecombat]

[That makes him pause, actually; he can't exactly conceal how relieved he is at that idea.]

That would certainly make things easier on us, wouldn't it?

[terminarcher]

It certainly would. Of course, if it removes this gun, [he gestures to the one on his arm] the automail will be nearly impossible to balance properly. Hmm.

[But he looks quite a bit relieved as well. There might still be hope! He's glad to see that Kimblee's looking relieved.]

[explosivecombat]

...We'll worry about that if it becomes relevant. Ideally speaking, it'll repair everything; I don't think it's done that with Fullmetal, admittedly, but his wasn't nearly this extensive, and this place seems to want to keep us alive.

[terminarcher]

That's true. I do hope it repairs everything. It would be much easier to move around that way, not to mention sleep.

[explosivecombat]

[...head...tilting...]

I imagine that sleep would be a bit difficult, wouldn't it...how have you been managing so far?

[terminarcher]

I can't lie down or the automail will crush me.

[Stated matter-of-factly...]

I sleep sitting up. It's not very comfortable, but the pain medication does a good job of assisting me.

[explosivecombat]

I...see...

[...okay, he's really going to have to work with you on that whole filtering thing, automail or not.]

Well, I suppose that makes sense; we'll see what can be done about that, then.

[terminarcher]

Excellent. Again, thank you, Kimblee. You're far too good to me.

[explosivecombat]

I wouldn't say that; I do what I can for you, you know that.

[terminarcher]

Still, I appreciate it.

[Archer falls silent after that, briefly wondering when everything just suddenly became alright again. Shouldn't he be bitter at Kimblee for not returning his feelings (or well, as close as Kimblee could get, at any rate)? Shouldn't he be upset that Kimblee isn't even willing to try for a relationship?

The answer is so obvious, he feels stupid once it comes to him. They already have a relationship that's much closer than most friends, and possibly even closer than some couples. They know each other better than anyone else and while yes, they do fight, they also work well together in ways Archer never would have imagined.

He's not upset because the status quo doesn't need to be changed. Everything is perfect just the way it is.

For some reason, this thought comforts him. It makes him feel like he's not really replacing Kimbley.]

...You really are a good friend. I'm very pleased to have met you.

[explosivecombat]

[Kimblee takes that pause to resettle on the bed, to come to a general understanding that Archer hasn't just burst into flames and is likely not going to kill him, and he sits down next to him again, his positioning far more casual and less apprehensive than it had been before.

...and then Archer says that and just gets looked at strangely for his effort.]

Oh? Don't misunderstand, I'm flattered and you can consider that returned, but I'm not sure what brought that on.

[terminarcher]

[Well that will get him to flush a bit again. Stupid brain-to-mouth filter...]

I was just thinking about our... relationship. I thought I would be upset that you don't return my... affections, I suppose, but I'm not bothered at all. It's because we're already so close, I believe.

[That flush might be getting darker...]

Regardless, it is nice to have a friend like you.

[...Tsun.]

[explosivecombat]

...they really will say I've gone soft.

[He sounds highly amused at that, at least, though again, he doesn't laugh; at least the tsun is familiar.]

Don't mention it, Archer.

[terminarcher]

[Good, now let him tsun for the rest of... ever.]

Yes, well. Good.

[Now can he die of tsun, because that sounds great. He kind of wants a soft thing, but that would look really goddamn stupid, so he'll suffer without one.]