012. [Text/Action for Olivine City]

[explosivecombat]

[ACTION]

[So it had happened again.

Kimblee had been keeping largely to himself since the incident - another three days gone, another batch of bizarre dreams that he normally wouldn't have been prone to involving alchemy and fighting and...Miss Rockbell, of all people - and as such, he had kept the exploring to a bare minimum. This place wasn't necessarily a pleasant one for him; he had been here before, to meet with Miss Farron - that had gone over like a lead balloon, really, and while he wasn't one to dwell on unpleasant things of that particular nature, it had put quite the damper on his mood. All in all, Olivine City was one of those places he had no intention of returning to again once he had defeated the local gym.

Of course, that had changed as soon as he saw the location of the gym, and the view that it had offered.

He had assumed the stretch of water near Goldenrod City, on Route 34, was an inlet of some sort, or perhaps a large lake; he hadn't worked out exactly what that water had been connected to, simply taking for granted that it was there. However, there's no doubt in his mind when he sees it in Olivine - it's incredibly vast, seeming to go on forever.

Amestris is a landlocked country; he had never seen the sea before.

Even if the sun is out, eighty-three degrees is hardly a good temperature for swimming, and Kimblee doesn't know how, besides; that doesn't seem to have stopped him from wandering out into the ocean, stopping when the water is about waist-deep. He at least has the common sense to not do this in the white suit - the shirt he has on is a deep crimson, high-necked with the collar pulled up over his throat; the pants are black and made of heavy, stiff fabric. Unseasonably warm, perhaps, but he doesn't seem to mind; the water is rather cold anyway.

He doesn't have his gloves on, simply allowing his hands to trail lightly through the water, just under the surface; he's been in Johto for seven months, and his hair is getting long, the ends of it sinking just below the soft crests of the waves and wicking up water, soaking his back.

He seems rather peaceful today, all things considered; tranquil, compared to the manic shrieking and loud explosions during those three days. He's alert as usual, listening for sounds of an approach despite the calm exterior; however, that doesn't mean he's opposed to company on that beach.]

[TEXT]

[A text will hit the network a few hours later; don't worry, it's actually signed this time, and he surprisingly has no intention of trolling the hell out of everyone who responds - he'll leave that to Anon for now.]

As eager as some of us are to return home, it can't be denied that this place has provided most of us with far different opportunities than we would have normally had.

Tell me your memories of this place. Good, bad, it doesn't particularly matter - tell me what it's offered you.


[OOC]

[There are now hard spoilers for the plot of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga in the thread with Envy; read at your own discretion!]

Comments

[explosivecombat]

You already gave it to me two or three times before - shall I just assume some of it carries over?

[determinator]

[ALKEMRNWKELKSMEKLWNKE]

[YOU KNOW WHAT]

[HE'S JUST GOING TO DIE ON YOUR SHOULDER IF YOU DON'T MIND]

[BECAUSE FUCK YOU OKAY]

[explosivecombat]

[O-Oh.

That gets him to freeze a bit - he wasn't exactly expecting that - and he hesitates for a good long moment before returning to playing with Archer's hair; don't worry, he'll let you calm down a bit, all right.]

[determinator]

[This is your fault! How dare you get the tsun to critical levels of fail!!]

[...Yes, well. He'll just stay here if you don't mind. It's better than facing you and dealing with the inevitable orz that follow.]

[Not to mention that this is kind of nice. Maybe. Just a bit.]

[explosivecombat]

[He can feel Archer relaxing a bit; he laughs a little, quietly, more to himself than anything.]

They'll say I've gone soft, you know.

[determinator]

[Archer glances up then. The tsun is dying down a bit at least.]

They don't need to know.

[...Because let's face it bb, you have gone soft.]

[explosivecombat]

[And if you ever tell him that he will end. you.

Just saying~!]

They had better not, simply because that would involve you managing to humiliate both of us.

[determinator]

[Oh come on now, he knows better than to say it~!]

I--!

[...That's entirely too true, isn't it.]

...Oh shut up.

[explosivecombat]

You can't deny it, can you?

[determinator]

[Oh like he doesn't humiliate himself on a daily basis? Shut up, shut up, shut up.]

[He'll just go back to tsuning and claiming your shoulder as his own, then. Because ugh.]

[explosivecombat]

[He plays with Archer's hair for a while longer, not saying anything; it isn't something that he thinks about doing very much - again, it's just a means to an end, a way to fix a problem that's rearing its head at an inopportune time - but the longer they remain like that, the more obvious it becomes that the problem has been fixed for a while now. There's really no point to what they're doing; there's an element of teasing behind it, yes, but it's not the usual rough play that they engage in sometimes. Somehow, within the last several minutes, this shifted from something he had to do into something he wanted to do - because Archer likes it, because he quite simply feels like doing it - and he didn't even realize that something had changed, or when.

For a brief moment he wonders if this is what normal people feel like on a regular basis, experiencing a complete lack of control over oneself; it's the second time this has happened to him, here in Johto, and he doesn't understand why.

It's deeply unpleasant; he doesn't like it.

He doesn't seem to have realized that he's stopped playing with Archer's hair, nor is he aware of just how much his expression has darkened; he's never had much of a poker face in the first place.]

[determinator]

[Everyone can read your poker face, Kimblee...]

[That said, Archer does notice that Kimblee has stopped after a moment; he glances up but doesn't move for a second. It's only when he noticed just how much Kimblee's expression has darkened that he does move, sitting up and running his hands through his hair to fix it. As much as he enjoys the hair-playing, you do tend to mess his hair up horribly.]

Kimblee? What's wrong?

[He's known Kimblee to go off into his own little world every so often; that isn't a big deal, but he doesn't like that expression.]

[explosivecombat]

...ah, that was incredibly rude, wasn't it?

[And yet again, just like that, things seem to have been reset once Archer pulls him out of his thoughts. As though nothing had happened.

It's something he's become rather accustomed to doing over the years.]

My apologies, then - I didn't realize. You know how it is.

[determinator]

...You can talk to me, you know.

[That... wasn't supposed to sound as pouty as it did, um.]

If something's bothering you, I'd like to hear it.

[Kimblee has helped him through all sorts of issues, usually by pressing him until he gets pissed enough to shriek about whatever the hell it is that's bothering him. Archer doesn't know how he does it, or how he manages to make everything better, but at the very least he can try to help.]

[...And fail horribly, but that's not the point!]

[explosivecombat]

[Spoilers: It involves far more social skills than you will ever have; Kimblee is just good at faking such things.]

I know I can talk to you, Archer.

[And he does. There just isn't a way to explain this - how do you even put that into words? "I think I malfunctioned for a moment there"? Please.]

It isn't anything to worry about; just thinking, that's all.

[determinator]

[You really enjoy being difficult, don't you?]

You're sure it was nothing?

[He isn't buying that for a moment.]

[explosivecombat]

[Yep!]

Nothing of consequence, at least.

[determinator]

[UGH]

Very well. If you do change your mind, you know I wouldn't mind discussing it.

[explosivecombat]

Of course, Archer.

[He knows better than to assume that it will remain a nonissue, but for now, he's content to move on.

And move on he does!]

Ah, I've received some advice for the evening, regarding the beach; care to come with me while I follow up on it?

[determinator]

"Some advice," Kimblee?

[He's not sure he likes where this is going...]

What sort of "advice" was it?

[If it has anything to do with getting on top of that lighthouse.....]

[...Also Operation: Distraction might have worked like a charm. Maybe.]

[explosivecombat]

[The advice itself had nothing to do with getting on top of the lighthouse!

...Kimblee is just going to choose to interpret it as "Get on top of the lighthouse!"...]

It was nothing terrible, Archer, don't worry - it was simply something regarding the view. Are you coming or not?

[determinator]

[THAT'S NOT HOW WE ANYTHING, KIMBLEE!!]

The view? Fine, fine.

[If only because he... doesn't really want to be alone right now. And okay, the view might be kind of nice.]

[...Just as long as it doesn't involve getting on top of that fucking lighthouse goddamn.]

[explosivecombat]

[We are totally going to be getting on top of that lighthouse!

Either way, Kimblee stands up, brushing wrinkles out of his coat as he does so; he's smiling a bit again.]

Have you taken any time to explore the city, by any chance? Or has it been entirely work?

[determinator]

[OH WHAT DO YOU THINK]

Work, of course. No, I haven't gotten a chance to explore; I take it you have?

[explosivecombat]

[HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL........]

A bit, yes. This is where I met with Miss Farron those few weeks ago, but I didn't have any time to look around before I had to return to the base.

[You know, and deal with you being a basket case thanks to some quaint Londoners.]

So I suppose you could say that I've been curious about it for a while; I didn't realize that it was a harbor town when I was here the first time.