Video

[fullmetalbrat]

[The video feed cuts in on a blond teenager squinting dubiously at the camera. His eyes widen a moment later when he notices the video display on the screen.] —Is it working?

Uh—hey. Can people really see this? If there is anyone watching, I'm looking for a guy in a huge suit of armor. Goes by the name Alphonse. [He leans closer to the camera, pointing emphatically.] If you see him, tell him his big brother's looking for him!

Now that I've got that out of the way, I got some more questions for all of you. Someone told me that when people leave this world they forget everything about it, but they might remember if they come back. Is that really true? Is there anyone who's left and come back that I could talk to?

I want to know more about this registration scheme they've got here too. I heard plenty about what you get for it, but what's the catch?

And, [he starts, pausing to glance at something laying just below the camera's field of view], what's a "pop star"?

Comments

[fullmetalbrat]

It's a start. I don't know what I'll do with the information yet, but knowing it is better than knowing nothing.

What's your name?

[wing_it]

Hey, they say knowing is half the battle.

Dick Grayson. Nice to meet you. [ Let's just skip right over the fact that he'd had at least one conversation with Ed in his previous stay, aaand... ] Do I want to know why you're asking about pop stars?

[fullmetalbrat]

Edward Elric. And the pop star thing . . . just something I heard about. I don't really get what it is.

[All he really knew was that being a pop star was supposed to be some kind of secret persona for him; best to keep exactly why he was asking about it under wraps.]

[wing_it]

Not a thing where you're from, huh? They're basically super famous singers.

[fullmetalbrat]

You're kidding. Where the hell does pop come into singing?!

[wing_it]

Hah. "Pop," short for "popular music"...

[fullmetalbrat]

Ah . . . Do I even want to know what passes for popular music these days?

[wing_it]

You know that just makes you sound like a grandpa.

[fullmetalbrat]

I hate to say it, but I probably could be your grandpa. It was 1915 when I pulled out of my world.

[wing_it]

Oh, wow. Great grandpa, even.

[fullmetalbrat]

Don't add a great onto it! It's weird enough already.

[wing_it]

The greatest grandpa there ever was...

[fullmetalbrat]

I don't even have kids yet!

[wing_it]

That you know of! Wait until they arrive from the future.

[fullmetalbrat]

Does that happen?!

[wing_it]

All the time.

[fullmetalbrat]

[Enjoy watching the flurry of emotions that follow in the wake of that revelation. A strange mix of wonder, amazement, alarm, and . . . eventually a resigned kind of dread settles into place. Because, let's be honest, Edward Elric does not really expect to survive long enough to even get to see potential nieces or nephews at this point, much less have kids of his own. Which just leaves the uncomfortable prospect of meeting a bunch of future relatives who only know him from pictures.

Awesome.]

Ugh . . .

[wing_it]

I hope that's not the face you'd show them.

[fullmetalbrat]

Oh yeah? Well what face would you make?

[wing_it]

I've never really thought about it. But maybe I should preparing for surprise fatherhood too!

[fullmetalbrat]

You're the one who said it happens all the time.

[wing_it]

Yeah, but preparing facial expressions is a whole other level!

[fullmetalbrat]

How can you prepare those for someone you don't know anything about yet?