04X. [Action/Fourth Wall.]

[explosivecombat]

[A.]

[They say that time heals all wounds, and most everyone who's had any sort of serious wound can tell you that "they" are full of absolute shit; the fact that this guy's shown up with the front of his jacket ripped open and covered in blood is probably enough to say that that he totally agrees on the "absolute shit" front.

That isn't to say that he's alone, though; Kimblee remembers him (partially because Kimblee remembers everyone but mostly because it's sort of hard to forget an alternate-universe version of yourself that's so different you're absolutely certain the world made some sort of fundamental error when it spat the guy out and called him you), and he'd managed to catch his attention in an entirely reasonable, perfectly affable way when he'd seen him - ...or, well, okay, he'd caught his attention via an explosion across the way that may or may not have been very well-controlled, because he imagined the mulleted moron would like that.

But! Either way, they seem to have made nice and now they're out in the open messing with something, and whatever it is it's probably nothing good because Kimblee's actually deigning to kneel on the ground in that white suit of his, sitting back on his heels and trying to disregard how dirty he's going to be when he stands up again, but for the time being he seems more interested in whatever his counterpart's got going on in his hands. That particular "whatever" seems to be a mason jar, presumably full of water from the lake they're hanging out next to.

And it looks like the mulleted one is explaining something, and his eyes slide closed while he's talking and he's smiling in a vague, pleased sort of way, and there's a brief flash from his hands and when he tips the jar and pours the water out the grass fucking corrodes.

Ask him to do water into wine and he'll laugh it off; water into hydrochloric acid, however, is apparently entirely doable.

Kimblee just kind of stares at him, before he smiles and asks him to demonstrate again; the guy he's with shrugs and says he can do one better.

...We might not want to let him do one better. Just saying.]



[B.]

[Of course, when he's not participating in the chem lab from hell, Kimblee can be found elsewhere; it's been a good long time since he's had his alchemy back, and like hell if he's not going to actually use it. He seems agitated this time around, though, as though he's not entirely sure what he's doing with it; it's far less elegant than it usually is, more explosions for explosions' sake.

It's not good enough, for whatever reason; after a moment of deliberating following a rather hard aftershock, he brings his hands together again and the energy he's using shifts from blue to red.

The Stone he's using isn't visible, but it doesn't really need to be for it to be obvious that he's using it; the sheer destructive power of it is going to absolutely destroy the shit out of a large distance down the route.

He laughs a bit once he has, the sound strange and breathless; that's better.]



[OOC: The idiot in question in scenario A is Kimblee's 2003 counterpart, who's sort of a hot mess; if you want to yell at one of them in particular, specify which and the mulleted wonder will be replying from alchemicals.

Otherwise...welcome to the semiannual KIMBLEE SIT THE FUCK DOWN party.]

Comments

A - Both

[sadisticwarfare]

[As usual, Archer's not entirely sure how he wound up here, but he's not going to question it right now. Instead he's noticed a very familiar white suit. What's throwing him is the fact that Kimblee's kneeling and probably getting his suit horribly dirty. So of course Archer has to investigate, and it isn't long before he recognizes another familiar alchemist.

He stops, just watching the two of them for a moment. Archer is probably close enough for at least one of them to see, but he doesn't move to come any closer. It's not that he's afraid of a fight (he's pretty sure they both know better than that), but he knows that nothing good can come of both of them being in the same general vicinity, especially if Kimbley has managed to get Kimblee to get on the ground.

...He's not wrong.]

Why.

[It's not a question, Archer just can't believe he thought anything halfway sane was going to happen here. He almost looks pained before he reaches up to pinch the bridge of his nose.]

[alchemicals]

[Kimbley just smirks at that, and he doesn't look up, but at the very least he does stop killing the grass.]

We met up because your butler threw an explosion at my head. I decided to give him a chemistry lesson in exchange for the physics demonstration.

[explosivecombat]

I'm not his butler.

[...He did, however, throw an explosion at your head, no one's denying that.]

[sadisticwarfare]

He's not my butler. Though I suppose it is good to see you two getting along.

[Archer finally approaches. He addresses his next remark to Kimblee.]

May I borrow him for a little while? You'll have plenty of time to continue your chemistry lessons afterwards.

[He knows better than to try to stop either of them from going crazy with the explosions. Besides, it is pretty fun to watch. But as usual, he wants to talk to Kimbley for a little while.]

[explosivecombat]

Of course, Archer.

[As usual, Kimblee doesn't seem particularly inclined to argue; he...does seem a little disinclined to get up, because god, he is going to need to change after being on the ground, but he'll do so anyway eventually.]

You'll let me know if I'm needed, I assume.

[He'll leave you be once you give him confirmation of that much, at least.]

[sadisticwarfare]

Of course I will.

[Kimblee is still his primary line of defense, especially during these weird weekends where everyone else seems to magically manifest powers. He kind of hates it, honestly.]

I'll see you later.

[He'll also have to thank Kimblee when he next sees him again; keeping Kimbley busy and not destroying an entire city block is something Archer really does appreciate, after all.]

[alchemicals]

...Okay, you cannot hear him say stuff like that and then tell me that he doesn't talk like your butler.

[AT LEAST HE HAS THE GENERAL COMMON SENSE TO WAIT UNTIL KIMBLEE IS OUT OF EARSHOT TO SAY IT, BUT.]

B

[glaciates]

[Luckily for everyone involved, Isaac doesn't appear until after Kimbley's laid waste to most of the route. He doesn't recognize exactly what's happened at first, but it doesn't take him long to realize it.]

Kimblee...?

[OH COME ON HE LITERALLY CAN'T LEAVE YOU ALONE, CAN HE

That said, it's not like Isaac's any better. He spent this morning attempting to freeze over some lakes again so. Yeah. That was a thing. Anyway, Isaac will continue down the torn up Route in search of his probably-very-overstimulated boyfriend. What are you up to now, Kimblee?]

[explosivecombat]

[OH COME ON WHY THE HELL ARE YOU ASSUMING IT'S HIM CAUSING THIS

HAVE YOU NOT SEEN THE PERSON WITH THE GIANT ROBOT okay no his sort of destruction tends to be really obvious, doesn't it

He's...around, though, and he's admittedly not up to much because it's been quite some time since he's used the Stone's power at all; he's...vibrating a lot and he may be laughing in a way that's not altogether promising but at least he's not immediately moving to fire off another one.

It was beautiful, Isaac.]

[glaciates]

[OF COURSE IT'S YOU, WHO ELSE CAN DO THIS???

Isaac notices Kimblee after a moment and approaches. He doesn't reach out to touch the alchemist, but he does speak up to hopefully get Kimblee's attention.]

Hey. You having fun?

[explosivecombat]

Oh yes.

[The answer is immediate, though it's a little breathless, and he isn't looking at Isaac when he speaks.

His attention is on the route, and the destruction, and how he really liked the sound of that one.]

It's been a little while since I've done this.

[glaciates]

Yeah. It's been six months.

[He's missed his alchemy too, but he's never quite as excited as Kimblee.]

Are you going to keep doing this for awhile?

[He already knows the answer to that, but he's not sure what else to say.]

[explosivecombat]

[That's not...quite what he meant, but he's not about to correct him, either.]

Mhm, I think so.

[He shakes his head a little. Kind of laughs again.]

Can you really blame me?

B

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[A deep rumbling in the distance had drawn a certain someone's attention. As per usual, Veronica was wary of what she could find out here on the routes now. She had already dealt with someone raising hell the last time everyone got their powers, who was to say that it wouldn't happen again? She had gotten stabbed, and that sucked.

She wasn't sure what she expected when she came up the route and found someone hurling explosions into the distance. It wasn't that, of course.

There was a hushed exclamation of shock as the explosion rocked the Earth in the distance. Veronica could smell the smoke already.]

What the hell....

[explosivecombat]

[...Oh. Well. Hello there.

His gaze isn't exactly too focused once he becomes aware of her - and he does, eventually, because it's always been his job to be aware of his surroundings and it's not like he survived Ishval because of his good looks; he just glances over and kind of smiles before he returns to surveying his work.

If you have something to say you're more than welcome to say it; he seems to have paused in what he's doing for the time being, at least.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Veronica usually kept quite aware of her surroundings. That was why she found herself here, staring at the man who was blowing things up for shits and giggles.]

Geeze... [She muttered under her breath.] What's with people around here...?

[explosivecombat]

Good question.

[And it is, even if his tone is about as unfocused as the rest of him.]

It seems everyone likes to have a little fun on days like this.

A - if you didn't see this coming you were WRONG

[bravehoratio]

...Ah, s-sir...

[And suddenly there is a voice a little off to the side, awkward but dutiful and rendered with the same tone and inflection as one might hear in a phrase like, "Sir, I left you alone for two minutes..."

God bless this man, the bravest hero of the Amestrian military.]

...I don't...think that's very good for the grass, sir.

[explosivecombat]

[...Oh, look, it's you again. It's been a while since he's seen you last, and a while still since you've seen him last, you just don't quite realize that (because you never really do seem to realize that).

Kimblee never did keep up with this one's activities after the war; hopefully he didn't die a lot and he received the commendations he completely and unironically deserves, goodness.]

Oh, not at all, I'm sure.

[You can practically hear the "...and?"]

[bravehoratio]

[Oh, he hears that "...and?", all right, which makes for a sticky situation because now it's on him to actually explain the thing, to a man who categorically seems to need the thing explained more often than any given person really should.]

So...wouldn't it be better to not do that? So then the grass won't die.

A, either's fine!

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

[Who even knows when Cobra's made it over here. Either before some idiots messed with his stuff or after or...look fourth wall's a mess and this isn't saying it could be during, but this time of year is a mess, so it could be during.]

What on earth is that?

[Because he wants some sort of deforesting agent to unleash upon the poor unsuspecting Pokemon world. That way the next time he gets an inkling that the Slowpoke Well needs to pay, he can just ruin the entire neighboring forest while he's at it too.

...this is probably a great reason for things and people warped in not sticking around.]

[alchemicals]

[...Well, fortunately (...unfortunately?) the version of Kimblee that Cobra is used to is perfectly content to watch this clusterfuck happen, because there's no way this won't be hilarious.

The one he's not used to, though...]

It's...acid? Pretty straightforward stuff, easy to make if you know what you're doing.

[He's a little fixated on your fucking face or lack thereof there, buddy. What are you wearing.]

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

[A mask. The better question is what are you wearing not!Kimblee because that ponytail is sort of ridiculous.]

What sssort of acid? Is it something replicable here or is it ssspecific to your world and your abilities?

[He's such an idiot, but man, all he really remembers from the stuff he's heard about alchemy is

1. It's complicated
2. It requires symbols
3. It blows shit up and other completely ridiculous things.

So he has no idea if this is special alchemy acid or just something he could make with a chemistry set on his own time.]

[alchemicals]

[It's not ridiculous, it's...okay yeah it's a little ridiculous, but that's not the point here, clearly.

...That said, if he finds that question stupid, it's not obvious in his reaction; he just sort of settles back and smirks a bit, because at least this guy seems to get what the hell is going on even if he doesn't understand the specifics.]

Nah, it's pretty straightforward. Hydrochloric. I don't make any sort of magical chemical compounds that aren't already known.

[...]

...I mean, I guess I could, it'd just take a while to draft 'em out. I like to stick to stuff that already exists - acids, napalm, nitro, that sort of thing.

[cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

[Okay, not that it's noticeable, but sir, you have his full attention behind his stupid faceplate because that is quite the laundry list of horrible awful things you can just whip up with alchemy apparently.]

It's disappointing you mossst likely won't be sssticking around. As...

[What's the appropriate way to refer someone to their alternate universe counterpart...uh...okay, he's got nothing.]

As you can probably imagine, sssssomeone with ssssuch creativity would certainly be able to leave their mark on thisss place, even with its limited resources.