[network/action] @LELRIC; STUCK SHENANIGANS; Day 041

[armoured]

A: Network (Video & Action to anyone in house 58); 9am - Open

[Alphonse has always been careful of his body, and he's being doubly careful of it here in Norfinbury. The cold and wetness of the surroundings could easily cause rust or for his joints to seize up, and Ed didn't even have alchemy here to fix him up if that happened. Add into that equation that, considering the way injections work on him and he has to eat here, he has no idea what rust would actually do to him here and he is extremely diligent about maintenance.

Which is why that morning saw him carefully rubbing himself down with a wet towel and some scented soap that he's been carrying around in his backpack. It's not ideal lubricant, but he can't wait any longer before giving his armour a proper cleaning, instead of just drying himself off at night, so it will have to do. Unfortunately, he has never cleaned himself in such cold temperatures before and he forgot to factor that in, leaving the towel on his face too long and...

...it's stuck.

He's done his best to cut off most of it, but it's left him with a weird half beard and sideburns of towel. Cutting it can't do any more, scrubbing it isn't helping, and he doesn't have any hot water, so he's at his wits end. Which is why there's a very sheepish looking suit of armour on the video feed right now, gesturing helplessly to his new facial addition. He doesn't really like to use the video often, it raises too many questions, but needs must.]

Um, does anyone know how to get cloth off metal when it's frozen on?

B: Network (Voice); 10pm - Open

[Hopefully the day's travelling will have blunted people's memories of his embarrassment earlier, and he can make the broadcast he had actually been intending to make.]

Things kind of went crazy for a few days, huh? I still don't really understand what happened and I know some people got hurt during it, but I hope everyone is okay now.

[As okay as anyone can be given the circumstances. He knows a lot of people are still hurting, and he can't deny he's worried about Tim after the crazy messages yesterday.]

We have to try and focus on the good things we're achieving, even despite these obstacles and hardships, and be proud of that. There are people finding ways over the walls, and new clues being found all the time, and we just unlocked a door down in the tunnels that leads to a whole new area with a hospital. It might not seem like much, but it all adds up and the more clues we get, the closer we are to finding a way home.

[This has been your regularly scheduled dose of ridiculous optimism.]

Comments

@TW; text; A!

[maskintape]

stop ripping off my style
dick
sideburns are my thing you can't just move in on my territory

private;

[armoured]

Tim!

[He fumbles with the tablet for a moment to get it onto a private filter, not even acknowledging the asshole comments right now, too happy to see him back to normal.]

You're okay! I was so worried about you.

private;

[maskintape]

uh
why
I'm a big boy I can be on my own and not explode
shocking, I know

[ MUST BE AN ASSHOLE TO DEFLECT CONCERN

MUST TIM THIS UP ]

A - @TOTALLYANATION; video

[bydefacto]

Are you a robot?

[Yeah, about that raising too many questions thing...

He'll answer the question Al asked as best he can, but first things first.]

[armoured]

No!

[Why would anyone assume robot and not just a person wearing armour?]

I'm wearing a suit of armour, that's all.

[Nothing unusual here, move right along.]

[bydefacto]

Oh.

[Well, that just leads to more questions!

Like:]

Why? If you didn't, you wouldn't get towel stuck on your face.

@MarbleHornets; text; A

[genreblindness]

No idea but A++ job getting it on there like that well done. You're like a master of facial hair.

[Yeah, someone hasn't forgotten about that time you drew a moustache on him.]

video; @LELRIC

[armoured]

[That moustache was totally justified.]

Yeah, I get it, very funny... now can you help me, or not?

[genreblindness]

Like I said, I don't really know how. Warm water would probably be a good idea, but there's not exactly a lot of that around.

ACTION

[lancingintherain]

[Freya's given her hair and face a quick morning wash in the kitchen sink, with a chip of soap and a bowl of meltwater that she'd slept curled up around all night because being clean is important. She doesn't want her hair or fur to freeze, though, so she's vigorously towel-drying it as fast as [in]humanly possible as she shoves open the kitchen door with a hip and comes into the main room.]

Food's starting to run low, Al. We should think about...

[but he doesn't find out what they should think about, because she's moved on from drying her face and can see him properly. Specifically, the bits of cloth sticking to his helmet and laying all around him.]

...Um.

[she looks from his face, to the scraps on the floor, then back to his face again. Her nose twitches. He smells like soap. What has he done.]

[armoured]

[Oh no...

He feels embarrassment wash through him in a fresh wave when she stops and looks at him like that. He'd be blushing like the goddamn sun if it was possible, but he still manages to give off an almost palpable aura of discomfort.]

Um...

[It's like an echo. But really, what does he say?!]

[lancingintherain]

[and she thought you were sensible. That's what she gets for befriending a ghost kid from another dimension. Jeez; you think you know a guy...]

...Gods' sake. The day's barely started, Alphonse.

[she pads over to him, her towel on her head like a lopsided nun's veil. It's not warm in the kitchen, but it's not this cold, either, and she rubs at her arms through her shirtsleeves.]

What are you up to? Ah, it's freezing in here...

A, video, @JPHawkins

[rattlingthestars]

[ Al.

Al really.

The first few seconds of Jim's message is the sound of someone who's tried really hard to stop laughing for a few minutes, and thinks he has it under control, but then goes to say something serious and starts all over again.

Give him a second. ]

-Okay. You're going to have to melt it off somehow, that's the only thing you can do.

[armoured]

[This was a bad idea, wasn't it?

Why did he think that the residents of Snowhell could be kind enough to help out a poor guy without laughing at his misfortune? He rubs awkwardly at the bits of towel still covering his face.]

I don't have anything to do that with, and I can't try an open flame in case it damages the... helmet.

[rattlingthestars]

[ Sorry, at this point it's laugh or cry at their situation, and there haven't been enough inspiring speeches lately for Jim to cry. Try again later. ]

Anything you can melt water in?

@newangle; video

[baymaxing]

[Sorry, Al. Initially, all he will get is Hiro chuckling a bit.

Because this really is kind of hilarious. Also the first time he's seen Al with the armor.]

I've mostly heard of people being idiots and getting their tongue stuck to metal, but not so much cloths. Would warmer water help? I've never had to actually deal with something like that before myself.

[armoured]

[Stop laughing at him everyone!

He huffs when he hears that chuckling, but at least Hiro is pairing it with some potentially useful advice at the same time.]

Maybe, I'm not sure. I've never got anything stuck to m-- my armour before.

[Whoops, he almost said 'me'.]

audio; @standardissue - A!

[deus_ex_phs]

[Good thing Kunsel's using audio right now, because he is staring at Al's armored face. He recognizes that voice. But it's a voice that doesn't belong in a suit of armor that size.

Only one way to confirm.]

Al?

[He'll get to answering Al's question in a minute.]

[armoured]

[At least he isn't laughing? That makes Kunsel one of his favourite people right now.]

Y-Yeah!

[He chuckles sheepishly.]

I've kind of made a mess of things, huh?

audio; @dreamsnhonor A~!

[heroproceeding]

[ He really doesn't mean to be an asshole here, Al.

Truly.

Seriously, he does care for you a lot, kid. Which is why he's been trying for the past five minutes to get his composure back. He thinks he's got it. Really, he does!

...But then as soon as he flicks on his audio, he just freezes.

... ] Pft.

Pht-Phffffff-aah-hahaha!!

[ Yep, just. Completely losing it again. HE'S SORRY, KID. ]

[armoured]

[Wow. Just wow.]

Zack! Hey, there's no need to be mean!

[His life is suffering this morning. Why can nobody just look past the hilarity of his new towel facial hair and help a poor guy out?]

@Spoiler ; video ; A

[spoileralert]

[ Steph turns on video so that Al gets the privilege of seeing her laugh hysterically. ]

video -> action

[armoured]

[He huffs, and then stalks inside to clank right up to the laughing Stephanie. Is this any way to behave when they've just reunited?]

You couldn't even come outside and help?

[Harsh.]

C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER - B - voice - @claytonator

[dr_unconscious]

[Well goodness me Al, that was one of the sweetest things Clayton's heard all day! The words themselves don't strike much confidence in him, not like they used to--forty days in snowhell and even Clayton's starting to feel a little jaded about their situation--but what's most important to him is that Al appears to be in good spirits. This much he can rely on.]

A-men. Always one step closer. Ain't nothin' else but t' look after one another an' keep on keepin' on.

[Speaking of which--and this is something else the people of Norfinbury can probably cross off on their snowhell bingo cards-- ]

How're you doin' after all that mess, Al? Didn't have a whole lotta time t' chat the day after, I know, but it don't hurt t' check in.

voice; @LELRIC

[armoured]

[He has absolutely no idea that Tim spilled his big secrets in the most useless and non-informative way, so he lacks any of the awkward tension that he would have had speaking to Clayton otherwise.]

I'm okay, how about you?

[Best not to mention how sick he got.]

I know a lot of people weren't feeling so good, so I bet the ones you were with were grateful to have a doctor around, huh?