awashlogs | Intro Log.

Entry tags:

Intro Log.

It's raining, it's pouring.
The old man is snoring.
He bumped his head and went to bed
And he couldn't get up in the morning.

ou wake in knee-deep water, cold as ice and stagnant, in a space that is far too echoey and spacious. It feels like a massive cave, but looking up... there's only one small, circular opening that shows grey sky and shines any sort of light.

It looks like a long trip upwards, a small cylinder with walls of brick that's just a little too high to reach, even when jumping. Getting out is probably going to be a bit of a task, especially considering the water is more than cold enough to make limbs go numb.

The dark makes it impossible to see much further, but the space seems large, all filled with water, but with no other way out, stone walls the only thing for an intrepid explorer to find. Oh, and to make things even better, it's raining today. Water from below (though thankfully only like, knee-deep), and water from above... how fun.

But most importantly of all... you're not alone.

Welcome to Awash's second intro log, everyone! Please review the FAQ and rules before playing. New characters have all woken at the bottom of the well in the middle of the town (which seems a lot bigger on the inside, somehow), and it looks like they'll have to put in some work to get out. Thankfully, they have some friends on the outside, this time.

Once out, they'll be free to explore the various locations the Town has to offer at will. Just try not to die on any of the far-too-rickety walkways.

Please feel free to ask any questions here and don't forget to greet your fellow players here!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You wanted me to sit here.

[So it's his own fault that Ling is here and readily available to get his hands all over this screen. As for this paint box thing, he's much more interested than he was in the random typing. This smiley face... jesus. It's very stupid and very cute.]

Is that going to be me?

[where's the ponytail and the charm?!]

Hmm . . .

[There. There is the ponytail and the charm, and also the giant-ass grin.]

Now it's you.

[God it's atrocious. He loves it.]

I see it, I see it. This one is just for drawing? [Hmm, the inevitable,] My turn.

[He at least clears his hands away, though he hasn't the faintest idea how to get a new canvas. Instead his hands settle on Ling's hips, keeping him put, as Greed shifts and squirms and readjusts. This couch is, frankly, kind of shitty, and there's no fireplace, and he hates it already.

He definitely needs an upgrade.]

You even remember how I look enough to draw me?

Maybe I'm not drawing you, [he says, as he literally twists around to look at Greed over his shoulder and studies at his face. He does this several times while he works on his masterpiece, which is just down a little ways diagonally from Greed's artwork because they're both too dumb to use MS Paint properly...

It's a good one. He added the terrible fur collar because it haunts him.]

There, what do you think? [he draws this and just grins perfectly innocently about it.]

[To be fair, he absolutely bares his teeth at least once as Ling glances back at him, for no other reason than he's delighted to have them back. But he watches this masterpiece unfold, and it's . . .

Actually kind of accurate, honestly, and he barks out a laugh.]

At least you drew clothes. What the hell is wrong with my nose?

[Yeah, of course it's good. He should have been an artist instead of an emperor.]

That's how it looks— big.

[He's been twisting around so much that now, when he moves again to bop Greed on the nose, the laptop slips off his lap and he has to make a sudden lunge for it instead. Nothing but slapstick in this household.]

Oye, oye--

[FOR FUCK'S SAKE LING at least they both end up grabbing it, it's fine, they don't break his laptop on the first day they're doing just fine. All that extra strength (and Ling holding onto it too, that helps) means he only needs one hand to keep a grip on it, which is good, because his other hand is absolutely coming up to smack Ling's cheek.

It's not quite a slap. Just sort of . . . scolding.]

Careful. You break it and you're gonna have to learn enough alchemy to fix it, kiddo.

[But that being said . . . he sets the laptop on his lap, scowling at the back of his head.]

It's proportional. My hands are bigger than yours too, because you're like a size smaller than me.

Edited 2018-05-16 20:58 (UTC)

[Don't scold him, please, he abruptly doesn't know what to do with the fact that Greed can do that. Sure, yelling at him with a couple hundred thousand tortured souls was a lot more stressful, mentally, than getting whapped in the face, but also, don't whap him in the goddamn face.

He waves Greed's hand away and looks at his masterpiece again, drawing some random loops just because.]

Ah, was there someone in that body before you? Like me. [He's assuming that's a no, so...] That must be why you look like this.

[Instead of grafted into Ling's brain again, he supposes. With the time disparity, as well... this is his best working theory and it's barely that.]

Nah. This is all me.

[From his pointy shoes to his . . . not actually slicked up at the moment hair. He plunks his chin down on Ling's shoulder again, watching him draw those spirals. Do Ed next!]

I don't understand how I got another stone.

[Because he has it, he knows. He can feel it in his core, all those trapped souls ghosting around, fueling him. There's just one missing, and he's currently perched in Greed's lap, drawing stupid doodles.]

[What, draw an angry peanut? Thankfully he has a square centimeter to spare in this canvas yet to fit Ed in.]

Luck? Whoever did this is probably pretty scary!

[Because they magically produced a fucking Philosopher's stone and then dropped it down a well like it was nothing. That kind of power is pretty formidable. He doodles some more squiggly things in silence for a bit, then,] There isn't one of these things here for me.

[He should resolve that, probably... where is he supposed to go.]

[Pretty scary is right. But surely they'd sense if something like Father was crawling around, right? Ling and Mei both had sensed him from the moment he came to the country, though they hadn't realized it at the same. But what else could revive him?

Maybe somebody's making artificial Philosopher's stones here? But he doesn't feel any different. He's the result of Father's loneliness, his greed for material wealth and companionship and everything all drawn out. He'd surely feel other things if he was an amalgam of other kinds of souls . . . right?

Hmm. His ruminating is cut short as Ling says that. One hand grips his hip a little tighter, an impulsive reaction towards that hint of separation. Stay.]

Isn't stopping you from using it like it's yours anyway.

Edited 2018-05-16 21:52 (UTC)

[Surely, surely - it's strange enough that Greed has been plucked back from death (again) and put into a body that should already be gone, permanently. Ling doesn't want to think too deeply about what kind of thing could do that even more effortlessly than Father; they'll have to think about it sooner or later, but right now he's keeping it simple: squiggle drawings. Greed here and not dead.

And this isn't his house, but Greed's grip makes a wry grin tug at the corner of his mouth. Please, only one of them is supposed to be clingy.]

What's yours is mine? [haha, jokes, but also not entirely because he's special and they both know it. Anyway, after a beat,] I'll come back after I take a look.

You're going now?

[No, he thinks stubbornly, no he doesn't want that at all, and yet he releases his hip, freeing him. Far be it for him to be like some sort of jealous girlfriend.]

[Ling already knows he's jealous... it's not right there in the name, wrong homunculus, but on the list of people who get the "I'm Greed and [your name here] is My Thing" treatment, Ling is pretty high up.

Hmm. But now that he's brought it up, he doesn't really have anything to do here, and he'll be thinking about it...]

You can come with me, you know.

[He considers it for a few seconds, weighing out the pros and cons, but . . .]

Yeah, all right. I'm not carrying you, though.

[Pros: Ling is there. Cons: well, they have to be in this weird town, but whatever. He gets up, putting the laptop down on the couch.]

Let's go! [Back at it again, wandering around breaking into homes like true ruffians. Come on, Greedo, they're off to Flavo for no reason other than narrative convenience.]

[They sure are! Without a shirt, or at least he has no shirt, because fuck putting on wet fur. It'll still be there when he gets back-- or if it isn't, he'll hunt down whatever stylish thief took it.

So off they go, into their grey little world.]

Oye. Did the runt's kid brother get his body back?

[Greed... he sees you giving a shit.]

He did! I haven't seen them in a while, [which is a little disheartening, his only friends are off in Amestris all the time and he's so bored and lonely, but-] I heard he's gotten close to the Chang girl. You know, my sister. Didn't see that one coming!

["my sister that girl i don't talk to ever, whatever"]

Which sister?

[Ha ha, he make little joke.]

You really didn't see that coming? Come on, she's that age. Girls fall in love quick when they're that little.

[Al will undoubtedly get dumped in a few years, in Greed's expert opinion, but that's a heartbreak for a later date. But ah . . . that's good, then. He's glad. I mean, he personally would have loved to have a body like that, probably, or at least known how to obtain one, but. He's glad for the kid nonetheless.]

[Ha ha... it's almost a fair question, shut up Greed. Shut up as well with this knowledgeable about young maidens routine, she's like, eight or something. Greed has never been a little girl!!]

Even so, she gets to travel... [SIGH.... but ooh, look, cute little gray houses!! Ling zips up to the nearest one and pops right inside to look around. Excellent.]

You get to be emperor. Don't tell me you'd trade all that power away for a chance to play tourist.

[This is not the right attitude to have if they're going to take over this town, Ling!! But okay, they're going into the house, just casually doing a B&E, it's all good.

It's all grey, actually. He doesn't like this half as much as his Ruga house, but it's not bad.]

Of course not, I just want a vacation every now and then.

[As emperor, he should be allowed both, so there. Ling wanders all around this quaint little house - the gray is much more offputting here than the other house, even if that one was only red in the bricks - and eventually he will stumble upon two (2) miraculous items:

another magic box, and

a change of clothes!! That are his! Great, because he's still cold and damp and it's getting to be a problem. He holds these up for Greed to see. Check it!!]

[The only reason he doesn't grab those for himself are because they're way too small for his current frame. The only reason! He wrinkles his nose, waving a hand-- go get changed, then-- and grabs for the magic box. It's time for role reversal! And maybe poking around on those forums a bit, with or without Ling.]

God, some of this text is blinding--

[Why is safety yellow a thing . . .]

[Let him learn to log in first, please, then he will go get changed. He realizes along the way that he has no idea how to do laundry... throw clothes in the canal and pray? He'll figure it out. When he returns he's tugging the sleeves straight on a shockingly familiar outfit, the only acceptable one worn by these combined idiots in history.

Notably it still has fucking sleeves, and no big-ass hole in the stomach. It's nostalgic—but when he looks at Greed in silence once he looks away from Ling's cool magic box, it should be obvious what he's thinking about. He hasn't stopped thinking about it since the well, but now it's even more... there.

Regardless, it's all he can do to hold his arms out a little at his sides, like, tada...? But a weak tada.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject