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omg_fmaWho: OOC!Scar, OOC!Psiren, npc:Moshe, npc:Rachel
When: 3/8/08
Rating: G
Category: Misc. Happenings, Side Plots
Summary: Continued from this thread, this thread right here. Mal and Clara explain to Moshe and Rachel why Central is lacking in certain ethnic groups. Moshe does what family does best, which is find out what baby brother Mal is hiding from him. Emo ensues.
OOC!Scar: *after two or so hours comes down the stairs, fiddling with the cuffs of his hoodie and looking determined, but realizing that he's just gotta get this done* Hi, Clara.
OOC!Psiren: *scribbling some notes, planning out meals for the week, glances up* ...Hey, Mal.
OOC!Scar: *shifting his weight from foot to foot, nodding his head towards the bedroom Moshe and Rachel are sharing* Could we- uh? *weak smile*
OOC!Psiren: *sets her scribbles aside, standing* Sure, of course. *steels herself... has a feeling this is going to be less than easy*
OOC!Scar: *heads over with her, knocking on Moshe's door with an almost mulish expression on his face, gnawing the inside of his bottom lip*
OOC!Psiren: *sort of hovers at his elbow, a couple of steps behind, an even expression on her face*
Moshe: *opens the door, his shirt sleeves rolled up and his glasses on, the bed covered in various papers and Rachel sitting in a chair near the window reading a small book*
Rachel: Oh, Clara, Malachi! *beckons them in brightly, folding the book closed*
OOC!Scar: *slouches in, hands in his pockets, avoiding eye contact with either of them, leaning against a chest of drawers and trying to look relaxed ... very unconvincingly*
OOC!Psiren: *steps in, smiling slightly* Thank you. How are you both today?
Moshe: We are doing very well, thank you. We were going to ask Malachi to take us into the town this afternoon to show us where he works - would you like to come with, Clara?
OOC!Scar: *almost laughs, just almost; it comes out instead as a somewhat suppressed hiccup*
OOC!Psiren: *smile sort of freezes in place* Oh, yes, um, absolutely. Actually, that's what we came to talk to you about. We realized that things are a bit different here, and so we thought we ought to, ah, let you know, so you wouldn't, um, be surprised....
Rachel: *sets the book aside onto the windowpane, paying closer attention, now, sensing something in that tone of voice*
Moshe: *intrigued as well, though his expression doesn't change much; rests his hand on his chin and nods at them, waiting*
OOC!Psiren: Um... well, you might notice, um... there aren't very many Ishbalans around the city in this dimension. Err. Well. There aren't any.
Moshe: *glances between Clara and Mal, expression indecipherable, then says in a measured voice* I see. *taps his chin, scrutinizing Mal, now* It stands to reason. Malachi has written to us of things in this world which do not exist in ours. That there is no Ishbal here should not surprise me. It does surprise me that my brother did not see fit to tell me. *suddenly, after a short sigh, says in a harsh voice to Mal* That means you haven't been going to Temple, have you? Oh, Malachi.
OOC!Psiren: *internal wince* Um, actually, no, Ishbal exists here, um. It's just that... a few years ago... there was a rebellion. Um, and a war. A really bad war.
OOC!Scar: *definitely external wince, scuffing his feet on the ground and thinking that maybe he isn't going to tell Moshe after all, but, well, Clara makes that a no-go rather quickly; jumps in, now before he loses his nerve* I looked. I mean, I did, when we got here. There aren't any in town. *voice gradually getting quieter, thinking that this isn't going well at all* I don't know if I would have gone or not, because it was so different here and- *realizes he's rambling, stops*
Moshe: *looking very hard at his brother now, can tell that something is Seriously Not Right; turns to Clara* There was a war between this country and Ishbal?
OOC!Psiren: ...Yes. ...Sort of. Um, here... they're kind of the same country. I mean, Ishbal is under the Amestrian government. Um, so alchemy... I don't think you have alchemy in your dimension? Ah, here... it's against Ishbala, I think. There were riots... people got hurt....
Rachel: *listening silently, taking note of all of this*
Moshe: *nodding along with her words with a very serious look on his face, but keeping his eyes locked on his brother* I understand. *can understand why that alchemy he saw Edward doing might be against Ishbalan teachings, if the two existed in the same world* Our people came off the worse, didn't they? *with muffled emotion*
OOC!Scar: *can tell that Moshe is looking at him and avoids meeting the gaze, looking at his shoes as though they are fascinating; gnaws on his lip in earnest*
OOC!Psiren: ...It was a bad war. Everyone lost. ...But yes. Ishbal lost the most. They sent the State Alchemists in. *clenches her jaw, eyes darkening briefly* ...Most Ishbalans in this dimension, and mine... are in military run camps.
OOC!Scar: *turns to Clara, surprised out of his silence despite the fact that he just resolved to stay quiet, and says in a rather choked voice* Oh, I didn't-- --know they had them in your dimension, too. *uncomfortable shift, feels compelled to keep talking because everyone is looking at him* So. We just wanted to let you know that. So that when we go in town... you'll know. *finishing lamely, because really, they don't have to add that whole lingering hostility aspect, they just don't*
Moshe: *looking quite concerned at this point, standing up and taking a few steps closer to his brother, but not saying anything just yet*
OOC!Psiren: There's talk of dissolving them. My government's kind of flaky.
OOC!Psiren: *frowns a little, watching Moshe*
Moshe: *rests his hand on Mal's shoulder, looking him in the face and trying to catch his eye, despite the fact that he's looking down still*
OOC!Psiren: *sneaks a glance at Rachel*
Rachel: *catches the glance from Clara and meets it with a rather shuttered look, returning her gaze to the brothers soon after*
OOC!Psiren: *glances back to the boys as well*
OOC!Scar: *chewing on his lip resolutely, heart beating very quickly, wishing that Moshe would just give him some space but at the same time not wanting him to move at all; winces a little as his lip starts to bleed*
Moshe: *sighs once more, pushing his glasses further up on the bridge of his nose and then asking in a soft voice* That isn't all, is it? *in an uncommonly gentle voice* There is more you aren't telling me.
OOC!Psiren: *argh, he's psychic... feels bad, because she suspected this might happen... sort of thought Mal should tell him anyway, because of her own keeping secrets from her family fiasco*
OOC!Scar: *has basically forgotten that Clara and Rachel are there, his entire attention focused on his brother, on the awful decision pressing itself against his chest; swallowing hard, he gives a bare, tiny shrug, and one nod*
Moshe: *draws Mal against his chest at once, giving him a rough hug with a look half of exasperation and half of terrified love* Oh, Malachi. When did you stop trusting me? *had meant to end the hug after a moment, but is surprised to see that Mal clings to him, not to be moved, burying his face in his shoulder and grabbing fistfuls of Moshe's shirt*
OOC!Psiren: *swallows, looking at her toes*
Rachel: *getting tactfully if slowly to her feet, comes over towards them and lays a gentle hand on Clara's forearm, nodding towards the door with a question in her face*
OOC!Psiren: *glances at Rachel, then lets herself be herded toward the door*
Rachel: *closes the door on the scene of the brothers, walking away with Clara in silence for some moments, hands folded in front of her; eventually* Someone hurt him again, didn't they? *sad, quiet, resigned voice*
OOC!Psiren: *swallows, looking at her toes again* ...Yes. *sounds slightly choked*
Rachel: *nods, as though she isn't surprised by this, though the look in her eyes is sad* That poor boy.
OOC!Psiren: ............It was bad. He was hospitalized.
Rachel: *whirls towards Clara, her composed and beautiful face twisted with shock, her mouth dropping open* He what?! *a breathless gasp, leans rather hard against the nearest wall with her hand, unsteady*
OOC!Psiren: *bites her lip* ...Sorry... I'm sorry....
Rachel: *opens her mouth as though to say something, but then closes it, shaking her head; finally* Don't you apologize, Clara.
Rachel: *prepares to wait there for one or both of the boys to come out of the room, far enough away that they cannot overhear, but close enough that she can watch the door avidly*
OOC!Psiren: *looks at her toes* ...I just... people are horrible sometimes... I feel ashamed by association.
Rachel: *touches Clara's shoulder briefly, her eyes still on the door* You are anything but a bad person. *waits the rest of the time in silence, breathing slowly, hands resting on her stomach*
OOC!Psiren: *sort of emos quietly in the direction of her toes*
Moshe: *without any warning, a few long minutes later, slams the door open with a vicious swing and stalks down the hall past them, not sparing either even a look, his expression murderous; must have kept on and out the front door, for the sound of it slamming soon reaches them, as well*
OOC!Scar: *just visible in the room sitting on the bed facing away from them*
OOC!Psiren: *winces... winces again*
Rachel: Oh- Ishbala. Perhaps I should go after him... *glances down the hall, then back at Mal, then shakes her head* He must need time alone. *heads towards Mal, instead*
OOC!Psiren: *sort of hovers by the door, feeling more than a little awkward*
Rachel: *sits down next to Mal, putting an arm around his shoulders*
OOC!Scar: *wiping his face on the back of his hand hastily* He's such an idiot, Rachel, he thinks it's his fault, and I can't- *voice breaking*
Rachel: *shushes him* Don't fret, Malachi. I'll talk to him. You just worry about yourself, alright? *squeezes his shoulders, then turns and goes past Clara in the direction of her husband, holding her skirts up and out of the way of her feet*
OOC!Psiren: *looks after Rachel briefly, then takes a tentative step into the room* Hey.... *doesn't know what to say*
OOC!Scar: *gets to his feet quickly, eyes rather red but otherwise composed now, much calmer than he has been since Moshe and Rachel came* Clara- I'm so sorry about all this ... this nonsense. *shrugging, with a very weak smile* That's the way I pay the rent; I help with the cooking and chores and provide the melodrama. *once more displaying his fantastic tactic of using sarcasm when he's feeling off*
OOC!Psiren: *shakes her head* No Mal, please, don't worry about it....
OOC!Scar: *nods absently, running his hands through his hair and taking a steadying breath* Yeah. Yeah, OK. *massaging the back of his neck with one hand; then, with another weak smile* I- *shaky exhalation* I ... it's so strange. I'm not sure if I feel better or worse, now. Both, I guess.
OOC!Psiren: *returns the smile in kind, coming a little closer* ...I think I know exactly what you mean.
OOC!Scar: *half-laughs, his smile widening and becoming fragile even as he looks down at his hands* Oh, I don't know. You might not. *with a suspended kind of delicacy* It's .. horrible in its own very special way, what happened. *glancing up at Clara, then away again*
OOC!Psiren: *was about to say "try me", but reconsiders... speaks softly* ...He blames himself.
OOC!Scar: Yeah. *presses a hand over his eyes briefly* I'm sorry Clara, I just - I really don't want to talk about it any more. Sorry to drag you into all that. Rachel will make sure he doesn't run off anywhere, I think I'm gonna take a nap. *is one of those guys who gets a bad headache after crying*
OOC!Psiren: *still softly* Sure, yes, alright. ...I think, I sort of dragged you into all that, a bit... I'm sorry too. *nods* Alright. ...You know where to find me. *offers a small smile*
OOC!Scar: *can't quite return the smile; goes past Clara and off in the direction of his room, tired to the bone*
When: 3/8/08
Rating: G
Category: Misc. Happenings, Side Plots
Summary: Continued from this thread, this thread right here. Mal and Clara explain to Moshe and Rachel why Central is lacking in certain ethnic groups. Moshe does what family does best, which is find out what baby brother Mal is hiding from him. Emo ensues.
OOC!Scar: *after two or so hours comes down the stairs, fiddling with the cuffs of his hoodie and looking determined, but realizing that he's just gotta get this done* Hi, Clara.
OOC!Psiren: *scribbling some notes, planning out meals for the week, glances up* ...Hey, Mal.
OOC!Scar: *shifting his weight from foot to foot, nodding his head towards the bedroom Moshe and Rachel are sharing* Could we- uh? *weak smile*
OOC!Psiren: *sets her scribbles aside, standing* Sure, of course. *steels herself... has a feeling this is going to be less than easy*
OOC!Scar: *heads over with her, knocking on Moshe's door with an almost mulish expression on his face, gnawing the inside of his bottom lip*
OOC!Psiren: *sort of hovers at his elbow, a couple of steps behind, an even expression on her face*
Moshe: *opens the door, his shirt sleeves rolled up and his glasses on, the bed covered in various papers and Rachel sitting in a chair near the window reading a small book*
Rachel: Oh, Clara, Malachi! *beckons them in brightly, folding the book closed*
OOC!Scar: *slouches in, hands in his pockets, avoiding eye contact with either of them, leaning against a chest of drawers and trying to look relaxed ... very unconvincingly*
OOC!Psiren: *steps in, smiling slightly* Thank you. How are you both today?
Moshe: We are doing very well, thank you. We were going to ask Malachi to take us into the town this afternoon to show us where he works - would you like to come with, Clara?
OOC!Scar: *almost laughs, just almost; it comes out instead as a somewhat suppressed hiccup*
OOC!Psiren: *smile sort of freezes in place* Oh, yes, um, absolutely. Actually, that's what we came to talk to you about. We realized that things are a bit different here, and so we thought we ought to, ah, let you know, so you wouldn't, um, be surprised....
Rachel: *sets the book aside onto the windowpane, paying closer attention, now, sensing something in that tone of voice*
Moshe: *intrigued as well, though his expression doesn't change much; rests his hand on his chin and nods at them, waiting*
OOC!Psiren: Um... well, you might notice, um... there aren't very many Ishbalans around the city in this dimension. Err. Well. There aren't any.
Moshe: *glances between Clara and Mal, expression indecipherable, then says in a measured voice* I see. *taps his chin, scrutinizing Mal, now* It stands to reason. Malachi has written to us of things in this world which do not exist in ours. That there is no Ishbal here should not surprise me. It does surprise me that my brother did not see fit to tell me. *suddenly, after a short sigh, says in a harsh voice to Mal* That means you haven't been going to Temple, have you? Oh, Malachi.
OOC!Psiren: *internal wince* Um, actually, no, Ishbal exists here, um. It's just that... a few years ago... there was a rebellion. Um, and a war. A really bad war.
OOC!Scar: *definitely external wince, scuffing his feet on the ground and thinking that maybe he isn't going to tell Moshe after all, but, well, Clara makes that a no-go rather quickly; jumps in, now before he loses his nerve* I looked. I mean, I did, when we got here. There aren't any in town. *voice gradually getting quieter, thinking that this isn't going well at all* I don't know if I would have gone or not, because it was so different here and- *realizes he's rambling, stops*
Moshe: *looking very hard at his brother now, can tell that something is Seriously Not Right; turns to Clara* There was a war between this country and Ishbal?
OOC!Psiren: ...Yes. ...Sort of. Um, here... they're kind of the same country. I mean, Ishbal is under the Amestrian government. Um, so alchemy... I don't think you have alchemy in your dimension? Ah, here... it's against Ishbala, I think. There were riots... people got hurt....
Rachel: *listening silently, taking note of all of this*
Moshe: *nodding along with her words with a very serious look on his face, but keeping his eyes locked on his brother* I understand. *can understand why that alchemy he saw Edward doing might be against Ishbalan teachings, if the two existed in the same world* Our people came off the worse, didn't they? *with muffled emotion*
OOC!Scar: *can tell that Moshe is looking at him and avoids meeting the gaze, looking at his shoes as though they are fascinating; gnaws on his lip in earnest*
OOC!Psiren: ...It was a bad war. Everyone lost. ...But yes. Ishbal lost the most. They sent the State Alchemists in. *clenches her jaw, eyes darkening briefly* ...Most Ishbalans in this dimension, and mine... are in military run camps.
OOC!Scar: *turns to Clara, surprised out of his silence despite the fact that he just resolved to stay quiet, and says in a rather choked voice* Oh, I didn't-- --know they had them in your dimension, too. *uncomfortable shift, feels compelled to keep talking because everyone is looking at him* So. We just wanted to let you know that. So that when we go in town... you'll know. *finishing lamely, because really, they don't have to add that whole lingering hostility aspect, they just don't*
Moshe: *looking quite concerned at this point, standing up and taking a few steps closer to his brother, but not saying anything just yet*
OOC!Psiren: There's talk of dissolving them. My government's kind of flaky.
OOC!Psiren: *frowns a little, watching Moshe*
Moshe: *rests his hand on Mal's shoulder, looking him in the face and trying to catch his eye, despite the fact that he's looking down still*
OOC!Psiren: *sneaks a glance at Rachel*
Rachel: *catches the glance from Clara and meets it with a rather shuttered look, returning her gaze to the brothers soon after*
OOC!Psiren: *glances back to the boys as well*
OOC!Scar: *chewing on his lip resolutely, heart beating very quickly, wishing that Moshe would just give him some space but at the same time not wanting him to move at all; winces a little as his lip starts to bleed*
Moshe: *sighs once more, pushing his glasses further up on the bridge of his nose and then asking in a soft voice* That isn't all, is it? *in an uncommonly gentle voice* There is more you aren't telling me.
OOC!Psiren: *argh, he's psychic... feels bad, because she suspected this might happen... sort of thought Mal should tell him anyway, because of her own keeping secrets from her family fiasco*
OOC!Scar: *has basically forgotten that Clara and Rachel are there, his entire attention focused on his brother, on the awful decision pressing itself against his chest; swallowing hard, he gives a bare, tiny shrug, and one nod*
Moshe: *draws Mal against his chest at once, giving him a rough hug with a look half of exasperation and half of terrified love* Oh, Malachi. When did you stop trusting me? *had meant to end the hug after a moment, but is surprised to see that Mal clings to him, not to be moved, burying his face in his shoulder and grabbing fistfuls of Moshe's shirt*
OOC!Psiren: *swallows, looking at her toes*
Rachel: *getting tactfully if slowly to her feet, comes over towards them and lays a gentle hand on Clara's forearm, nodding towards the door with a question in her face*
OOC!Psiren: *glances at Rachel, then lets herself be herded toward the door*
Rachel: *closes the door on the scene of the brothers, walking away with Clara in silence for some moments, hands folded in front of her; eventually* Someone hurt him again, didn't they? *sad, quiet, resigned voice*
OOC!Psiren: *swallows, looking at her toes again* ...Yes. *sounds slightly choked*
Rachel: *nods, as though she isn't surprised by this, though the look in her eyes is sad* That poor boy.
OOC!Psiren: ............It was bad. He was hospitalized.
Rachel: *whirls towards Clara, her composed and beautiful face twisted with shock, her mouth dropping open* He what?! *a breathless gasp, leans rather hard against the nearest wall with her hand, unsteady*
OOC!Psiren: *bites her lip* ...Sorry... I'm sorry....
Rachel: *opens her mouth as though to say something, but then closes it, shaking her head; finally* Don't you apologize, Clara.
Rachel: *prepares to wait there for one or both of the boys to come out of the room, far enough away that they cannot overhear, but close enough that she can watch the door avidly*
OOC!Psiren: *looks at her toes* ...I just... people are horrible sometimes... I feel ashamed by association.
Rachel: *touches Clara's shoulder briefly, her eyes still on the door* You are anything but a bad person. *waits the rest of the time in silence, breathing slowly, hands resting on her stomach*
OOC!Psiren: *sort of emos quietly in the direction of her toes*
Moshe: *without any warning, a few long minutes later, slams the door open with a vicious swing and stalks down the hall past them, not sparing either even a look, his expression murderous; must have kept on and out the front door, for the sound of it slamming soon reaches them, as well*
OOC!Scar: *just visible in the room sitting on the bed facing away from them*
OOC!Psiren: *winces... winces again*
Rachel: Oh- Ishbala. Perhaps I should go after him... *glances down the hall, then back at Mal, then shakes her head* He must need time alone. *heads towards Mal, instead*
OOC!Psiren: *sort of hovers by the door, feeling more than a little awkward*
Rachel: *sits down next to Mal, putting an arm around his shoulders*
OOC!Scar: *wiping his face on the back of his hand hastily* He's such an idiot, Rachel, he thinks it's his fault, and I can't- *voice breaking*
Rachel: *shushes him* Don't fret, Malachi. I'll talk to him. You just worry about yourself, alright? *squeezes his shoulders, then turns and goes past Clara in the direction of her husband, holding her skirts up and out of the way of her feet*
OOC!Psiren: *looks after Rachel briefly, then takes a tentative step into the room* Hey.... *doesn't know what to say*
OOC!Scar: *gets to his feet quickly, eyes rather red but otherwise composed now, much calmer than he has been since Moshe and Rachel came* Clara- I'm so sorry about all this ... this nonsense. *shrugging, with a very weak smile* That's the way I pay the rent; I help with the cooking and chores and provide the melodrama. *once more displaying his fantastic tactic of using sarcasm when he's feeling off*
OOC!Psiren: *shakes her head* No Mal, please, don't worry about it....
OOC!Scar: *nods absently, running his hands through his hair and taking a steadying breath* Yeah. Yeah, OK. *massaging the back of his neck with one hand; then, with another weak smile* I- *shaky exhalation* I ... it's so strange. I'm not sure if I feel better or worse, now. Both, I guess.
OOC!Psiren: *returns the smile in kind, coming a little closer* ...I think I know exactly what you mean.
OOC!Scar: *half-laughs, his smile widening and becoming fragile even as he looks down at his hands* Oh, I don't know. You might not. *with a suspended kind of delicacy* It's .. horrible in its own very special way, what happened. *glancing up at Clara, then away again*
OOC!Psiren: *was about to say "try me", but reconsiders... speaks softly* ...He blames himself.
OOC!Scar: Yeah. *presses a hand over his eyes briefly* I'm sorry Clara, I just - I really don't want to talk about it any more. Sorry to drag you into all that. Rachel will make sure he doesn't run off anywhere, I think I'm gonna take a nap. *is one of those guys who gets a bad headache after crying*
OOC!Psiren: *still softly* Sure, yes, alright. ...I think, I sort of dragged you into all that, a bit... I'm sorry too. *nods* Alright. ...You know where to find me. *offers a small smile*
OOC!Scar: *can't quite return the smile; goes past Clara and off in the direction of his room, tired to the bone*
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