[log] Did the devil say to you, you can make it through [closed]

[spoileralert]

Characters: Steph, Zach, Al, Church, Luna, Kesara, Watson, Quark, Tifa
Location Building 58 and environs
Date: Days 157/158
Summary: A meeting of many people
Warnings: In comment headers, please!

58: A simple single-story building, the snow weighs uneasily on it, and it creaks and groans under the strain at the best of times. It's very dark, and only the kitchen and living room are intact. The kitchen has a back door. Two snowmen have been built outside. A message has been written on the wall in blue ink: "Don't wreck the snowmen! That's super mean!" "ALPHONSE ELRIC, MAMI TOMOE, FREYA CRESCENT, GREED, EDWARD ELRIC, STEPHANIE BROWN, DAY FORTY ONE, TRAVELLING EAST." has been carved into one of the walls. The following has been written on the wall in blue pen: "This is Building 95 97 on the composite map. Contact @CaptSteveRogers for details." Underneath this is a fairly accurate map showing the house in relation to the school and buildings 29, 35, 35, 37, 40, 41, 47, 48, 50, 53. House 34 is labeled "Medical assistance; hot, clean water. Contact Dr. Epps @claytonator". The school is labeled "School. Food available in cafeteria; DO NOT STAY HERE OVERNIGHT." The shed is labeled "Shed".

Comments

[jumpthegun]

[John can feel his facade cracking, wanting to laugh along with the kid, but he maintains it, putting on a thoughtful frown and nodding.]

Yeah, I can see that. Took me a minute to figure out who you were. Blend right into the background, you do. You should wear a funny hat. Might help people recognizing you.

[armoured]

[He's already constantly wearing the stupidest pink scarf wrapped around his helmet, obscuring everything but the lights of his eyes, he can't get much more obvious.]

I don't have any hats, but maybe I could carry a sign? HELLO, I'M ALPHONSE, something like that? Or I could whistle when I enter a room so people know I'm there.

[Why is he getting so into this? Maybe because it's nice to have some levity in the midst of all the sorrow.]

[jumpthegun]

Can you whistle? Go on and let's hear something. D'they have 'Ba Ba Black Sheep' where you're from?

[armoured]

Uh, yeah, they do!

[He has no idea if he can whistle. Don't you need lips to whistle? There's a moment of hesitation before he does start to whistle (thankfully) though it sounds a little tinny.]

I haven't sung that since I was little kid, Granny taught it to all of us. It's kind of nice to know even if the worlds here are so different, we have some things in common.

[jumpthegun]

[Instead of bracing John, that little comment makes him freeze for half a moment. He searches Al's face, but there's nothing to see there with the armor. Is that a jibe?

It takes another half a moment to realize that Al doesn't mean anything by it, and John forces a smile onto his face again.]

Yeah. Odd, some of the parallels.

[armoured]

[That was a weird reaction. He won't mention it, but he'll be on the lookout for any further hesitations.]

There's not actually a lot between Amestris, where I'm from, and where other people are from. Even this one song is pretty much the most similarity I've found in months.

[jumpthegun]

[Okay. Calming down. This is fine. John consciously forces himself to relax.]

Kid songs, yeah? Maybe there're more. You're speaking English as far as I can tell. Is that your native language, or did the Admin change it?

[armoured]

It is my native language, but I'd call it Amestrian, that's where I'm from. I'd never heard of England or English before talking to the people here.

[He keeps his tone bright, as if he hasn't noticed anything.]

It still amazes me sometimes, that all these different worlds actually exist. There's a lot that's terrible here, but I think-- maybe being able to meet all these people and make the friends I have, that's something that's wonderful.

[jumpthegun]

[That gets a small smile from John.]

It is pretty cool. I hope when we all get out of here we might be able to find a way so that we can still visit each other, maybe hop across dimensions for a reunion or two. That'd be nice.

[armoured]

No!

[Whoops, that was a little too vehement, try and dial it back.]

What I mean is-- it's probably dangerous, and we don't know how the Gates are being powered, it's better not to risk something like that to go between worlds.