「zwölf ۞ video」

[transmutates]

[ When the feed turns on, at first, there's nothing but a dizzying view of the stars. The fansuwoth turns in Ed's hands until he's looking into it, setting it nearby where he's sitting atop Iki's rook. Yeah. He climbed up there. And he's currently sitting on a blanket he's brought up with him, the ever present journal with him too. The place it's

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[alkahestry]

[The day and Mr. Nagi did not allow for the free time to spend in the library or besides his brother as he would have liked, but chores and lessons were easy enough tasks to complete. He returns to his room, well after Ed has made his broadcast. It's late enough he doesn't bother to even use the fansuwoth to contact Ed and he heads back to room under the assumption that he's already there

video;

[transmutates]

[ As the screen fills with a view of Al's pie-filled mouth (aww, look at how those cheeks stick out), crumbs and all, a slight smile forms on Ed's lips and he pulls a knee to his chest to set the fansuwoth on. With the limited space atop Iki, this makes it a bit easier and there's also the bonus of seeing the way Al speaks with his mouth full. ]

Hey. I'm glad you found it. Been waiting for you.

[alkahestry]

[He can not help it, damn the pie for being so delicious. He swallows and has to actually resist eating another mouthful.]

Ah you left it?

[He grins and leans forward a bit to try and get a better idea of where Ed is based off the background. All he can really see though is Ed's limbs and that it is a bit dark. Taking another bite he asks...]

Where are you?

[transmutates]

[ His grin is his response to the first question, his response to the second is to tilt his head back, gazing up at the stars again. ]

I'm on the roof. Rope's tied outside the window.

[alkahestry]

[The video screen shifts as Al looks up and away, to the very window Ed spoke about and he can only laugh as he catches site of the rope tied to the upper portion of it. The device is shut off awkward, almost as if he didn't mean to, but his voice would ring clearly now out from the window.]

Be up in a second.

[He slips his house sandals from his feet and pulls off the toed socks. And he finds a small cloth and cuts a two more pieces of pie after he finishes his own. Tucking away the pieces carefully he slips them inside the folds of his yukata and heads for the window. It takes only a small bit of maneuvering and not long after another head of blonde hair is peeking over the edge of the roof of Iki as Al climbs his way to the top and finds a spot to rest besides Ed.

A quick look at Ed's notes as he fishes around inside his clothes for the pie he tucked away. He speaks as he eases out the small bundle and sets it in his lap.]

You're making star charts?

[transmutates]

[ Leaning over into Al's lap, he helps untie the bundle there in order to help himself to the pie he bought earlier. It might not be as warm as it was when he picked it up from Pan Bakery, but it still tastes good as he shoves it in his mouth. In answer to Al's question, he grabs the journal he's been working on and pushes it towards his brother, chewing as he replies. ]

Mm, yeah. Kinda. They're rudimentary right now 'cause I don't have a telescope, but it's a start. They're... a lot different from home.

[ A slight smile. Being stuck on the other side of the gate really gave him an appreciation for the night skies of Resembool. He misses them, maybe a bit too late. Even the awkward night, like the evening he tried to ask Al that one question, failed, and was interrupted by Armstrong's insistence that they gaze at the sky. ]

[alkahestry]

[Al smiles as he lets Ed trades looking at Ed's make shift charts for pie. He's careful not to smudge the ink as he draws a fingers over the circles and words. Rudimentary to the Elrics of course meant full of notes and tiny details. Neither of the boys ever skimped on the details.]

Another reminder of how far we are...

[He pauses, recalling something Ed mentioned after he arrived.]

Do you think it's out there ... home that is?

[transmutates]

[ Chewing thoughtfully, Ed turns his gaze back upwards, leaning back on a hand as he continues eating the slice in his other. ]

Somewhere. Maybe millions of miles away, on some other planet, separated by galaxies and star systems. But it's there. Our world is just one small part of a greater universe, full of lots of other stars, moons, and planets. All is one, one is all, remember?

What it takes is just figuring out which planet we're on now, where ours is, and then build something that'll take us there.

[ He shifts his gaze to Al, expression still thoughtful, if a bit affectionate. ]

That's what I figured when I was trapped on the other side of the Gate. If I couldn't get back by using alchemy, I'd find another way home. And maybe rocketry is a way. Dad... he thought it was funny, but- There's ether up there. And who knows what else.

[alkahestry]

Well, it does sound a little silly...

[He can't help but laugh, at least a little. Even if he knows it to be true, though he himself would have hardly thought it possible, travel by rocket and through space itself. It certainly does leave one to wonder. What else... who else is out there.]

Even if it is up there, all those lights ... they're far away, right? Do you think we could reach even one in our life time?

[transmutates]

[ Rolling his eyes, he gives Al a bit of a dig in the chest with his shoulder. Sure, the idea seemed strange, but at the time, he didn't have many other options. ]

Yeah, it's pretty far. Think of it this way. A galaxy to us is like all of Amestris would be to a single ant. But we don't know for sure how long it'll take us until we give it a try.

[alkahestry]

[Finished with the notes, he offers the journal back to Edward as he reaches over to take the remaining piece of pie. He bites into it, eyes easing up towards the sky again.]

It could take years.

[The books in the library, the ones Ed had shown him, his thoughts drift back to them.]

I read it's cold in space.

[Instinctively, he draws closer to Ed.]

[transmutates]

[ Sensing Al's movement, he shifts to adjust, slipping his arm around Al's back to draw him closer still. Then, he gives Al a bit of a smile. ]

There's this author, an American guy on the other side of the Gate, that had a lot of ideas about building ships to take into space. His name is Jules Verne. There might be some books by him in the library.

[ A beat and he's leaning over to snatch up his journal, turning back a few pages until he reaches one with a sketch of a liquid-fueled rocket. ]

Dr. Oberth-that's the guy I studied under with Alfons-figured it might be possible to use rockets to help the ships fly. Remember what I said about people reaching in the moon in the future?

[alkahestry]

But even at it's closest point the Moon is still over two hundred thousand miles away from the Earth. It would take...

[His eyes blink as his head tries to wrap around the idea of traveling that far. How fast would you have to go to even get that high, how long would it really take? He doesn't know, but in his gut a really long time is the only thing that comes to mind. He doesn't want to discourage Ed from his ideas, but he has to look at things from a somewhat more realistic stand point.]

The technology you're talking about ... what I saw and read ... I haven't seen anything like that here. This world ... it's closer to ours than anything else. Maybe what Xing would have been like.

[transmutates]

Al... we're in a world where things we don't understand happen. There are people here from worlds where they use technology we've never dreamed of. Who's to say we can't build it if we find the right material?

[ Heaving a sigh, he leans against Al and rests his head on his brother's shoulder. ]

I know it's farfetched, but if it's possible somehow, I want to see if we can do it. After all, we've done the impossible before.

[alkahestry]

Well, if you think we can do it, I know we can.

[His eyes follow Ed's movements as he comes to rest against his own shoulder. Reaching up, Al brushes some of Ed's bangs aside so that he might get a better look at his brother's face. It's his job to be the voice of reason, but even so, anything Ed wanted he would do, no questions asked.]

You're going to have make a list of materials we need to gather.

[transmutates]

[ Curling a bit closer (it is a bit chilly), he flips through a few more pages of his journal before tapping the page he's found. ]

Already have most of the materials here. We'd have to start small, smaller rockets. But I bet Nagi would be cool with us working here in Iki. Makes you look even more like a genius, and such.

Once we get a telescope worked out too, we can get a better look of what's up there too.