Loose Screws 7 [Video]

[hands4healing]

[There's an image of a wet nose and a white muzzle, community, and a dog pulls its head back before pawing and sniffing at the communication device again. Some of you might recognize Winry Rockbell's dog, Zoey.

There's the sound of a door opening and the dog turns away, wagging its tail and putting on a doggy smile for the person walking into the room.

You can see her legs and the hem of her dress and part of the dog's back. And you can hear her voice.]

I don't get it, Zoey. Why would the Porter bring Al in just to take him away again? Geeze!

[The legs move again, to sit on a bed. The dog turns to face the legs, tail wagging slowly.]

And now Mr. Castle is gone, too.

[Her voice thickens.]

I'm tired of people vanishing, Zoey.

[She pets the dog, who lays its ears back and shifts closer. Finally, Winry leans down, wrapping her arms around her dog. While bent over, she realizes the device is on, and reaches for it, her expression surprised.]

Zoey, did you turn this on?

Comments

Permavid

[governorkang]

Are you sure Castle is gone?

[hands4healing]

[Oh, great, so it transmitted...]

Yes. I sent him a message...he's always answered. This time it came back 'unknown'.

[governorkang]

[He frowns, and nods. He knows it's selfish to want Castle to come back, but he can't help feeling it.]

Then he's been ported out. Hopefully for good.

video

[fastballspeciaaaaal]

What? Castle's gone? Nooooooooooooooo.




Really? Are you sure he's not... on vacation or something?

[perma-vid]

[hands4healing]

[A soft sound.]

I tried to contact him and it came back 'unknown'.

[Winry's trying not to look sad, but she's not doing a good job of it.]

[fastballspeciaaaaal]

Oh.

I'm sorry hes gone. He was a really cool dude, I liked him a bunch.

video;

[flamels]

[Ed himself is at work at the time, a quiet period between customers as she checks his phone to see this. Oh. Well. Now Castle's gone. Admittedly, Ed wasn't as close to him as Winry was but even so.]

Winry....I--. Shit. I know you were close. Sorry.

[He's not sure what else to say. Knowing how she felt when he broke both times at losing Al, even. It's the helplessness that gets to him. And he's not sure what to do in comfort. Get home, hug her? Nothing like that would bring Castle back.]

[perma-vid]

[hands4healing]

[Oh, and Ed saw, too. So much for being strong for him.]

Yes, he um. I tried to contact him and it came back unknown.

...thanks.

[perma-vid]

[flamels]

It's....hard. We never know when someone might be sent back with the Porter. You going to be okay?

[Stupid question. Of course not. But all they can do is keep moving forward regardless.]

video

[malodorous]

That's just the way it goes, hm? People come and go all of the time.

I guess the right line is something like... 'Just be glad that you got to meet 'em.' Right?

[perma-vid]

[hands4healing]

[A soft sigh. This is probably the best advice she's heard.]

You're right.

[It's not exactly what she wants to hear, but.]

1/2

[malodorous]

Yeah. I'm good at that.

[malodorous]

Anyway, uh... I hope you feel better about your friend soon.

Video

[knifecollecting]

[Jo doesn't know who the two mentioned people are, but she knows the voice and since Winry was nice...She'd try to say something nice. It's only polite.]

Were they here long before they disappeared?

Video

[hands4healing]

[Oh, Jo. Hi. Have a Winry who's trying to keep it together. She's very good at it. Very, very good, having the experiences of her young life to learn how to do it.]

Al...he's like my little brother. He's from my home world. I can't think when I haven't known him. He was here too, when I arrived a year ago, but then he went away. He came back for just a few days then he vanished again.

And Mr. Castle was here for a long time. Months? Not as long as I've been here. But he was always very kind to me.

Video

[knifecollecting]

[Jo knows a little bit about holding it together.]

I'm sorry they're gone. People can really just disappear without warning?

Voice

[gentledheart]

Do people disappear often after arriving?

[There's a note of concern to her voice over this thought.]

[perma-audio]

[hands4healing]

Sometimes. Sometimes they're here for a while before they leave, sometimes they're only gone a few days and come back. Sometimes they never come back.

[A tone of wistfulness to her voice.]

[gentledheart]

That's... I'm sorry your friend left. Maybe he'll come back.

[illuminescent]

I'm very sorry your friends have left. But they haven't left you.

[hands4healing]

[That's a little different. Winry peers at the screen then colors.]

Oh, hello. I'm sorry you had to see me feeling sorry for myself!

[illuminescent]

We all do it, from time to time, don't we?

text; ID: Maine

[maime]

[Well, this is the second time Maine's seen someone complain about someone named "Al" going missing. Given what Maine knows, he can form a fairly probable conclusion.]

Your boyfriend is very loud
[This is the proper response at this clearly emotional time, right? Right.]

[Video]

[hands4healing]

Maine?

You've talked to Ed?

[She's sorry, really.]

[Video]

[maime]

Maine.

Blond hair, kinda small? Then yes.

[He's not so much annoyed now, it was a few days ago.]