open } i'm trying to be nice i'm trying to be reasonable but it's oh so hard when i don't want to be

[transmutate]

Who: Edward Elric and YOU
Where: Hedge maze and the Wonderland grounds
When: 11/21
Rating: PG-13ish
Summary: Ed arrives in Wonderland and is not particularly happy to be here.
The Story:

"Al?" Edward yawns and stretches and blinks. This… is not the train he had been on with his brother and Winry. This is, in fact, some weird sort of maze. He stands up, looking around in alarm. "Alphonse? Winry?" When there's no response, he growls in annoyance and starts moving.

It doesn't take him long to get tired of running around through hedges and getting nowhere. He growls in frustration and claps his hands, then hits the bush in front of him, setting out a burst of explosive alchemy and blowing a big hole in it. There's another hedge, but that's okay. He can keep doing this until he finally reaches the last one. He steps out onto the grass and blinks around.

He doesn't know this area at all, and he still doesn't see Al or Winry around. Just some big house in the distance. He still has no idea where he is, but if he's going to find his answers, they'll probably be there. Maybe there'll be people, maybe there'll be newspapers or books or something for him to research, but there has to be something. In any case, it's not like he was having any luck in the hedge maze. He stalks towards the mansion. Information would be welcome, of course, but if he finds out anyone in that mansion has hurt his little brother, there will be hell to pay.

[ooc: prose or brackets welcome! I'll match format.]

Comments

[naughty_nurse]

[And just as Edward opens the door... he smacks it into someone's face.]

Eek!

[And down she goes! Excellent first impression - although it's also possible she waited and did this on purpose. Anyway, there's a sniveling teenage girl on the ground now.]

Owwww....

[transmutate]

[Ed just stops and gives her an impatient look. He doesn't look especially sympathetic.]

I'm looking for my brother and my [a beat as he mentally flails for the right term] mechanic. He's wearing full armor, she's about my height. Have you seen them?

[naughty_nurse]

[RUUUUUUUUUDE

I mean, she tries to sit up.]

H-Huh...? A mechanic...? Armor...?

[smolmedium]

[ Congrats Edward, you get to encounter a kid who's actually shorter than you.

Norman was exploring the mansion a bit when he heard the first hedge being blown up. And then another. And another. He's figured out that whatever's been happening to the poor hedges is happening on purpose when Edward steps out through the latest hedge hole. ]

...Why did you break the maze? [ That's not how mazes work, Edward. ]

[transmutate]

[Ed bares his teeth, fists clenching, then forces his hands down when he sees that it's just a little kid. Littler than him, even. Not that Ed's little.]

I'm trying to find my little brother. He's not in the maze.

[uncoils]

[Jolyne'd been looking forward to relaxing outside when she hears the first explosion. Then the second. Third. Okay, she's going to have to check this out, and manages to get there just as this guy starts heading over towards the mansion from it. Looks like the culprit to her.]

The hell did the maze do to you?

[Look, she's not a fan of Wonderland either, but she doesn't go around blowing everything up left and right. So excuse her for looking confused, both as to why and also well...how did he do that? She doesn't see any sort of bomb or cannon, so that's definitely got her attention as well.]

[transmutate]

[He whirls around, clapping his hand as he moves and touching the back of his metal hand. It extends into a blade. Then he... actually sees her and lowers his hand. He doesn't think she's looking for a fight. But he's not changing his hand back.]

Got in my way, obviously.

[cuteshit]

[It's a little ways into Ed's explorations when Kanji comes across him in the kitchen. The metal arm is the first thing that catches his attention, but next up is all the leaves and burrs stuck to his clothes-- and the twig that's sticking out of his hair. Huh.]

Dude. What the hell happened to you? Looks like you got into a fight with a bush.

[More accurate than he knows, really.]

[transmutate]

[Ed makes a frustrated noise and throws his hands in the air.]

Why is everyone getting so worked up over me blowing up those bushes? No one wants to be here anyway, who cares what I do to some dumb bushes?

[beatupgrass]

[Rocket stays bored in Wonderland. It's a terrible thing that leads to him doing and building ridiculous things, like practicing tactical maneuvers in the hedge maze. So just as Ed starts blowing things up, he happens to attract the attention of a certain not-a-raccoon with an unfeasibly large gun. Just not his usual unfeasibly large gun.

He looks at Ed and lowers his gun, looking overwhelmingly put out. not even your arm and leg can save you from his annoyance... for now.] Aw c'mon, dude. I'm workin' here.

[transmutate]

[Ed stops, eyes widening. He takes a step back.

This isn't the first time he's seen a creature (a chimera? it has to be) that can talk. But the first time was recent enough that Nina's horribly transformed face to flash through his mind. He doesn't even respond, just inhaling and making a sharp noise.

What good is alchemy if it can't let him help undo things like this?]

[normandysbest]

[Shepard is on her daily run through the gardens, tank top and pants with her omni-tool playing music to her earbuds. Interestingly enough, she feels the blast from the maze before she hears it, and gingerly takes out a headphone to see... a kid, it seems, emerging from the wreckage not far off. Well, not like anyone was using the maze as a maze anyway.

Still, very few people go around just ruining stuff if they've been here a while, so she calls from a few feet away as she approaches.]

Gonna guess you're new here, huh?

[transmutate]

[Ed's on edge enough that he raises his fists as she approaches, but she doesn't look like she's on the verge of attacking. He lowers them again.]

Why does everyone keep saying that? Maybe I just don't like bushes trying to trap me.

[hairdont]

[Josuke's taken to walking the grounds every day, just as a way to stretch his legs and get him out of his room after so long shut up in there. It's not the most entertaining, but it helps.

He isn't expecting a flash of blonde hair in the distance and judging by the height, it looks like Koichi! Finally, someone from Morioh! Breaking into a run, a grin splits across Josuke's face.]

Koichi! Hey! -- [Oh. As he gets closer, it becomes obvious.] Sorry, I thought you were someone else. Just show up?

[Just judging by the severe expression.]

[transmutate]

Obviously, apparently. [He scowls, turning to glower.] And no one seems to have any idea of how I can go.

[Besides claiming it's impossible.]

[pottershotter]

[James is only mildly surprised to see a large gaping hole in the hedge maze - he's been guilty of that himself, or of flying up and above it, or any of the other ways one could possibly magically cheat a hedge maze. He peeks in the hole, but he doesn't see anyone around, so he decides to go looking. Mostly he's curious to see if it's another wizard, and if their number is growing.

Once he spots Edward he knows exactly who was behind it though. He calls out to him, and waves a hand to get his attention.]

Edward? I didn't know you were back in Wonderland!

[He could probably have more tact about talking to people who obviously aren't going to remember him, but tact is for people who aren't James Potter.]

[transmutate]

[It gets Edward's attention, all right. Ed whirls around, clapping his hands and extending his arm into a blade.]

Who are you? How do you know me? Where is Alphonse?

[memory_unlocked]

"...How the hell did you do that?" Because people blowing holes into bushes like that is definitely a new experience and possibly something he should be aware of.

Christ, this place liked yanking in the assholes with stupid power levels, didn't it?

[transmutate]

"Alechemy, obviously." Ed scowls, shrugging a shoulder like it's not a big deal. Because it isn't. Alchemy is just science. "Though I realize it looks different from most alchemy. I learned it from an enemy."

[walkingheroin]

[Oh, look. Another person he's never seen before wandering the halls. And if he doesn't know who they are, they must be new.

Actually that's super presumptuous of him, but I don't know what anyone expected.]

What is it with this place and children?

[transmutate]

Who are you calling a child? [Ed turns and glares. He hasn't felt like a child in a long time.]

[mviw]

[It's been a couple weeks since the surgery and the addition of his new arm. He has it in a sling over his turtleneck and he's venturing onto the grounds with his trusty cane. The whole affair makes him feel as old or older than he is, so his countenance is a little less friendly than usual in account of a slightly soured mood.

Upon both hearing and seeing the nearby and very strange explosions, he tucks the cane under his new arm and reaches for the gun at his hip. He doesn't draw, but he stands absolutely still.

All he wanted was a calm, quiet walk through the garden! Why this?!

What did that maze ever do to you, Edward???]

[transmutate]

[Edward storms past, then hesitates. As much as he hates to acknowledge how completely he doesn't know what he's doing.... he has no idea what he's doing.]

Hey! Old man! Which way to the train station?

[So far he's been told there is no train station, but he's not ready to give up hope that they're just foolish. He needs there to be a train station.]

[craterwave]

[When a huge hole blasts suddenly through the hedge near her, Jack's hand instantly goes for her pistol in surprise -- but when a kid walks out she calms down for now. Not that she's letting her guard down, she knows that kids can be just as dangerous as any adult, especially one that can punch holes through the landscape. She's just not instantly assuming he's attacking her just yet.]

Fuck, give some warning next time, okay? But you know those bushes are just gonna grow back, right?

[transmutate]

[He definitely has his guard up too, but she doesn't seem to be attacking him, so he won't attack her either. He does glare at her suspiciously.]

Really? Cause everyone was acting like I'd blown up their house. Anyway, I don't care, I just needed them out of my way.