[Action] Fourth Wall

[selfhelp]

BILLY KAPLAN will be either a) flying/teleporting around or b) wandering through the chaos just wondering what the hell is going on; he's never seen this in Luceti before, and it's definitely something to look at. He'll be watching for familiar faces, definitely, or just poking at interesting-looking people.

EDWARD ELRIC is, surprise! Back from his kidnapping. Sort of. Temporarily. And he's trying to get himself home, but who knows what he'll run into on the way... eh-heh.

ASCH is in Good Spirits, mostly unruffled because he's been through like five years of this madness and refuses to get his feathers ruffled. But he will anyway, because he's like that. You might catch him outside as well, if he decides he's had enough and tries to drown himself in the lake or something. (This is entirely possible.)



[ooc: please put who you want to ping in the subject line or something, this is a catch-all! And Ed's just back for 4th Wall, his real return will be a few days after this. |Db]

Comments

[supersoldiered]

[That's... Not the reaction Eli was expecting. It's not the muted depression from the Billy he knows.]

You're. ....It hasn't happened for you yet, has it?

[selfhelp]

[Oh god. Oh god oh god that's his future. That's the horrible future Tommy wouldn't tell him about. That's why they weren't talking, isn't it.

Oh god what did he do?]

Eli... Eli, you have to tell me. You have to tell me what happened...

[supersoldiered]

I messed up. That's what happened. It's all on me.

[Because he can't lay everything on Billy's shoulders. He can't crush him like that. There'll be time for guilt whenever he's allowed to get home again.]

[selfhelp]

That's not an explanation.

[His voice is a little desperate now, his mind racing. What could've happened? How could they not have prevented it somehow?]

Tommy said- when he was here before, Tommy said that we went looking for the Scarlet Witch. That a lot happened. Was that it...?

[supersoldiered]

We found her. Things went bad after we did.

It wasn't your fault. [Except for the bits that were totally Billy's fault. They were fairly equally to blame.]

[selfhelp]

You wouldn't have said that if it really wasn't.

[So not buying your BS, Eli. And it's terrifying to consider, but- if anyone would have instigated a search for the Scarlet Witch, it would've been him.]

[supersoldiered]

Billy. Don't do this. You haven't even lived it yet. You'll just drive yourself crazy until they send you home.

[selfhelp]

You think I'm not gonna go crazy worrying about it now?

[supersoldiered]

I'm sorry I brought it up.

I thought you knew already.

[selfhelp]

I didn't... I had no idea. Teddy, either... he doesn't...

[Oh god, what's he even going to say now...?]

[supersoldiered]

Then keep not knowing. When we go home, we'll forget this all happened anyway. So let's just keep trying to get home.

[That home they don't deserve to see again because they're MURDERERS.]

[selfhelp]

But...! [That's not good enough for him, now.] If we forget, then- then Cassie still dies! I'm not from that time, so maybe- if we find a way to remember, she won't...

[He trails off, swallowing hard as he remembers what happened with Iron Lad. What if it's a timeline thing? What if she has to die?

...No, no, he can't think like that! Cassie... he can't let that happen to her.]

[supersoldiered]

She won't try to save her father if she's got half a chance?

[selfhelp]

Is that what happened...?

[He still doesn't have the full explanation - and he seriously doubts he ever will until he actually lives it - but each piece of the puzzle helps to create the bigger picture. Of course... the Scarlet Witch is the one who caused Cassie's dad to die. So finding her could bring him back.]

[supersoldiered]

Lots of things happened. I set off the dominoes. I made a bad call and now Cassie's dead.

[There's a tremble in his bottom lip, but like hell he's going to entertain the idea of crying about it. Again.]

[selfhelp]

Eli...

[He doesn't know what to say. He's not going to blame his friend for what happened - especially with what he already suspects - but he lacks the knowledge to properly disagree. He opts for a hand on the other teen's shoulder instead.]

[supersoldiered]

Don't.

[He shrugs the hand away. It's not fair. Nothing is fair. He's stuck in the interplanetary ghetto that barely has running water, and Billy gets to stay in the suite that's got cafes and electricity. Probably internet too, somewhere. Why does he always have to work twice as hard for everything? Cassie's dead. They should all have to pay for it equally.]

[selfhelp]

[Well, that was kind of a horrible bust. Billy leaves his hand hovering for a moment, empty, before he finally lets it drop. There really are no words for this.]

Sorry.

[supersoldiered]

Don't be.

[He sighs.] Look, I'm sorry. You don't need this dumped on you. Why don't we talk about something else? [Not that he has much of a somehting else to talk about.]

[selfhelp]

[Now he wonders what other bad news people might be hiding from him. It's kind of scary. Eli does have a point, though, even if that point is just that they're going to be running around in circles if they keep this up.]

...Um... you should see Teddy, and Jonas. I can take us there?

[supersoldiered]

[sdghgfdjkk cracker say WHAT?]

Did you just say Jonas. Is here?

[selfhelp]

[That reaction makes him nervous, bro.]

Uh- yeah. He got here about a month ago. I didn't even recognize him at first... he looked just like Nate.

[supersoldiered]

You're sure it's Jonas. It's absolutely not Nate?

[It's a different kind of tension from the Cassie thing. If Nate is here masquerading as Jonas then it's an issue. If Jonas is here even without Nate, that's just as much of an issue.]

[selfhelp]

[This face.]

I think I know Nate well enough that I'd recognize him, Eli. Anyway, why would he fake that?

[supersoldiered]

You have to listen to me, Billy. If there's anything you remember when you go back home, remember that we can't trust Nate anymore. He's lost it.