tvk | 1.1 - Hydrogen. [Voice]

Entry tags:

zolf j. kimbley

1.1 - Hydrogen. [Voice]

Okay, so, this is...

[Well, whatever this is, it's coming from someone clearly not familiar with the concept of cell phones; his voice quiets for approximately two seconds - just long enough to mutter a soft, disgruntled "This feels so stupid..." before he continues on at the same volume he had been speaking at before.

"The same volume" being one that implies he's holding the phone about a foot from his face and yelling into it.]

Yeah, so I'm out of flagpoles to run things up and no one's saluting anyway, so I thought I'd give this...radio thing a try. This is Lieutenant Colonel Kimbley of the Amestrian military - I guess I can appreciate your medical support, but this whole situation here stopped being okay as soon as this place stopped being Liore. If you want to tell me who you are or why you brought me here, that'd be great - otherwise there's going to be some problems, like your little city going up in flames.

[More fidgeting with the phone; awkward awkward awkward, I think I'm a hostage and what's this.]

Anyway. Right. Answers would be good. You have half an hour to return the damn transmission - I'd suggest you start with the answers before I start with the fireworks, this place looks like it'll go up real easy.

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[...Ar...cher...]

...okay?

[No, really, what is he even supposed to do with you at this point? He still isn't entirely sure what's happened; he's pretty sure he's dead, despite the initial screaming at the phone...so the question he's asking right now is what the hell killed Archer?

Right now it looks like he caught some sort of blunt object with his head or something. Oh boy.]

Are...you okay, or is there someone I need to be preparing to take on or something here?

What are you talking about? I'm fine.

[No, really, what did he do? What the hell is Kimbley even talking about? Again, the confusion is blatantly obvious; Archer isn't aware of just how open his expressions are now.]

You seem a bit different, that's all - but if you say it's nothing, then it's nothing, I guess.

[Honestly, he'd rather focus on what all of this is, anyway.]

So where are we even supposed to be, anyway?

Different?

[...Yes, he would seem different, wouldn't he? Again Archer looks troubled for a moment. The automail. Yes, of course he's different. It's not a realization he likes.]

[But Kimbley is quick to change the subject and Archer eagerly seizes on it.]

This is Prospero. It's a town in... "America" I believe. From what I've been told, we're in some sort of alternate world, though I have a hard time believing that. Amestris doesn't exist here, which rules out the possibility of going home.

[A brief pause. There's no sense in hiding anything from Kimbley.]

...Not that I would have anything to go back to.

[He shrugs. Not a big deal. It really isn't; Kimbley's here. Why would he want to go back?]

[Kimbley doesn't say anything for a moment; he just kind of stares for a moment, his expression open - it's somewhere between confusion and something best described as "mildly disturbed" - before he seems to realize what he's doing.

He relaxes a bit; his tone is casual when he speaks again.]

So you too, then. Shame, I guess.

[They've only seen each other for five minutes and already Archer's getting the urge to headtilt. He's really missed you, asshole.]

I suppose. I went out attempting to defend the Fuhrer; I don't regret it.

[He did everything in his power to protect Fuhrer Bradley. He was too late, unfortunately, but at least he got to shoot Roy Mustang in the face!]

[...His priorities...]

We can discuss all that later, if you'd like.

[As much as he'd like to know what happened in Liore, he'd really rather just spend time with Kimbley. It would be nice if things could go back to the way they were. Normalcy would be wonderful right about now.]

[Well...he's able to take a hint, at least, provided you're the one giving it.]

...that can wait, definitely. You said something about showing me around?

Yes, I did. As a fair warning, I haven't explored the city fully yet.

[Not mentioning the reason why, but...]

Come on, then.

[...honestly, he will just kind of wander after you because he figures you have more of an idea where you're going than he ever does. Really, you could lead him into a snake pit or something and he wouldn't know the difference until suddenly, hey, a pit of snakes.]

You haven't? Well, consider me surprised - I'd think you'd want to have as much information as possible.

[Oh come on now, don't you trust him? He'd send you into the snake pit first, Kimbley! ...Wait, hang on that's not the point is it.]

Yes, well. I've been using the network mostly.

[Oh man, awkward. It's a damn good thing he's in front otherwise you'd see that incredibly flustered expression.]

I haven't had the easiest time adjusting, I suppose.

[He's never lied to Kimbley. There's no reason to start now, so why does he want to? The automail was amazing - the sense of power, the ability to actually fight... Why is he so hesitant to tell Kimbley about it?]

[Well, you said you hadn't been everywhere yet; maybe you'll get adventurous now that he's here. And then WHAM, snakes.

...you never know, okay.

Either way, snakes or not, Kimbley is quiet for a moment before he replies; there are a lot of questions buried under what Archer just said, somehow. He suspects they'll both be happier if he doesn't ask any of them.]

...adjusting to...what, exactly?

[Oh, like hell if he could keep his mouth shut. The morbid curiosity would drive him nuts.]

[...You can quit derping any time, Kimbley. Really, he won't mind. In fact, it might be a nice departure from the norm! Maybe you should try it, hmm?]

[Anyway, Archer is silent for what seems like entirely too long after that question is out there. How does he go about explaining what happened? Does he even want to? There's no sense keeping it from Kimbley - he'll get it out of Archer eventually.]

...Don't worry about it. It's nothing.

[Yes, Kimbley will get it out of him eventually, but that doesn't mean he needs to worry about it now.]

[...Or at least, he wouldn't need to worry about if Archer had managed to retain any semblance of balance after the automail. The sidewalk picked that exact moment to trip him up, okay. Anyway, he lands hard, catching himself from faceplanting at least with his right hand rather than his left.]

Shit--!

[There goes any chance of passing this off as nothing. Still, Archer doesn't say anything for a moment, instead choosing to examine the scrape on his hand for a moment before getting slowly to his feet. He's bleeding, but it's not anything that needs urgent attention.]

It's nothing. Don't worry about it.

[Maybe repeating it as an order will help. He doubts it.]

[Yeaaaaahno. You aren't getting away with that, Archer. Kimbley has never been too opposed to disobeying his superior officers when it suits him, remember; that "order" is no sooner spoken than defied. He steps forward, closing the distance between them as he reaches out, gripping Archer's wrist; the action is firm and aggressive, but not enough to hurt - just enough to get the point across. He means business, okay?]

"Nothing"...? The way you've been acting doesn't tell me it's "nothing." And this - [he jerks Archer's hand up a bit at that] - really isn't helping your case any.

You don't lie to me. Don't start now.

It's--!

[He stops himself there. Kimbley's right; he doesn't lie to him. Archer doesn't pull away, but he finally nods. It's not an apology, but it's the closest Kimbley's going to get.]

...Automail.

[Archer's no longer looking in his direction, instead frowning off somewhere down the street.]

I didn't die in Liore. It was a trap; Scar set up a transmutation circle out of the entire city. We invaded and the array went off. I lost...

[He moves to gesture with his left hand, indicating a clean slice straight down the center of his body.]

I lost half of my body. The left side. It was replaced with automail. I don't know how long I lived after that. I did die attempting to defend the Fuhrer. I was unsuccessful, unfortunately.

[A pause.]

The automail was built specifically for battle. I was a gun, Kimbley.

[He's not sure if he's trying to sound pleased, but either way it doesn't really come across that way.]

[Sorry, anything you may have said beyond a certain very specific name is lost on him. The sudden shot of rage pulsing through Kimbley's system is intense, almost uncontrollably so; his expression shifts abruptly into something closer to a snarl than anything.]

Scar...should've seen that coming, shouldn't I? That son of a bitch...!

If he shows up here, he's a dead man. I don't care how many times I have to kill him to make sure he stays that way; he's a goddamn dead man.

You're not the only one who wants him dead.

[Still, the amount of rage there is not something Archer was expecting. He's never seen Kimbley this pissed.]

It's not worth worrying about now. I don't believe he's here. You're the only one here I recognize.

[So just... calm down?]

...right. That...right.

[Well, it hasn't calmed him down entirely, but at least it'll get him to settle a it.]

For everyone's goddamn sake, it'd better stay that way. I'll level this entire damn city if I have to.

[...okay...not quite settled, either, apparently. He has several damn good reasons to dislike Scar right now, let's put it that way.]

Calm down, Kimbley. There's nothing that can be done about it now.

[If Scar does show up here, Archer is going to flip a fucking table. Not because of the automail - he really couldn't care less about that; it had been fun, end of story. He's pissed about what that asshole did to Kimbley. Clearly the alchemist has the same idea.]

He's not here now. You can relax. Don't get so worked up over something you can't do anything about.

[...right. Scar's not here. He's not here and everything's fine and Kimbley can punch some walls or something later to get this out of his system and everything. is. fine...

For now he settles for raking a hand backwards through his hair, tangling his fingers in the short, unkempt strands at the top and tugging lightly as he does so to get some of the frustration out.]

Yeah. Yeah, okay.

[Archer has never seen Kimbley this upset over something. It's troublesome; his expression says that much.]

It's okay, Kimbley.

[He reaches out to touch Kimbley's arm lightly. Physical contact isn't something they really do, but it's the only thing he can think of to try to calm Kimbley down. Whatever happened in Liore must have been horrible. He's not sure he really wants to know just how Kimbley died anymore.]

...The rest of the city can wait. I haven't been getting any sleep.

[The subject change is abrupt and the words are as empty as they usually are. Kimbley knows what he means. Kimbley always knows what he means.]

[The touch on his arm startles him a bit; the tensing of his body is sharp and obvious, and he shoots a look at Archer before he can stop himself. He relaxes quickly enough, though, and those last few words go a long way toward calming him down.

Of course he knows what you mean, Archer.]

...can't have that, can we?

Of course not.

[For a brief moment there was a flash of something when Kimbley flinched. Archer's not sure what it was and he's not sure he wants to know. He's never been very in-tune with his own feelings. That's not going to change any time soon.]

[He'll lead Kimbley back to his room though, pausing once they're inside to remove the uniform jacket and boots. He doesn't like how much longer it takes him. He has changed; he doesn't like that knowledge.]

Make yourself at home. You'll be staying here.

[That is an order, thank you.]

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1.1 - Hydrogen. [Voice]

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