[Action / Voice]

[vermified]

[Waking up in a patch of grass in the middle of the woods is more of a relief than it might normally have been for Edward, or anyone else for that matter. The last memory he has of himself in his right mind is of the Malnosso, and their strange and terrifying ability to summon Lunar Rain seemingly out of nowhere. After that, he'd...

...He'd done terrible, shameful things, and he had far too much to apologize for. Which he should get right on doing.

Except he's completely lacking the level of courage needed to do that, so for a while he just sits in the grass, legs tucked against his chest, and watches the sun rise through the trees. It's... the east, right? So that means he's...

....

He has no idea where he is. Where's that journal...?]


...I... I'm in need of assistance.


[He finally returns and all he can do is ask for directions? Pathetic.

Though it'll take him some time to get home and then find the courage to do what he knows has to be done, over the course of the day he'll be attempting to visit two spots: the smithy and Winry's house, specifically, if he can't find her in the plaza. If he happens upon anyone he attacked while he was vermified, he's definitely going to apologize, too.]

Comments

[action]

[vermified]

[Surprised? He was in the wrong here, not Sigmund. It may not have been his choice to change like that, but it's still his fault.]

I'm the only one who should, my lord. I... you did nothing wrong. You killed a monster, not a man. And I'm glad you did it.

[action]

[chaincutter]

I would do it again. [There's something of an implicit threat in that statement. Stay away. He'll do it again if he has to. And again, and again. And he can't keep killing people he cares about.]

[action]

[vermified]

I know. And I would be glad of it, every time. [Sorry, Sigmund. He's not going anywhere.] But... I would rather this not happen again.

[action]

[chaincutter]

Then perhaps we should part ways. [Maybe Edward doesn't remember all the things he said; but Sigmund does. He wishes he didn't, but he can't forget them.]

[action]

[vermified]

[...No, he remembers. But that isn't... it's not something he's proud of, nor will he ever be. He has no idea how to explain it all.]

I don't... my lord, I don't want to leave your side. Ever. [He's about as close to pleading as he can get without looking too pathetic.]

[action]

[chaincutter]

[That's part of what concerns Sigmund, truthfully; especially now that Capell is here. Even so, he can't hold it against Edward. He isn't angry with him... but perhaps it would be better if Edward thought he was. He shifts on his feet, staring steadily out the window.]

If this happens again, you will not have a choice.

[action]

[vermified]

[And Edward just... wilts, because it's not like he can promise it'll never happen again. He'd tried that vow before, and it was obviously not something he could keep. But is he just going to give up?]

If... if it's because you were in so much danger, my lord, I...

[It's not like he's a coward. But vermiforms are terrible creatures to fight, especially one with his level of power. He'd gladly do without if it kept Sigmund safe.]

[action]

[chaincutter]

Do you want to sit down to a meal every night with the man that killed you?

[Or... other things. Sigmund won't say that it was entirely his fault. He wasn't solely in the wrong. But it happened, no matter how one places the blame, and it is bound to have consequences.]

[action]

[vermified]

With the man who spared me from living as an abomination, my lord, I would do so with thanks and pride. [...Wait, is that what's been bothering him? Really?]

[action]

[chaincutter]

[Sigmund can see that he's going to get nowhere with this conversation. Whether Edward honestly feels that way, or is just saying it because he's speaking to Lord Sigmund, he may never know. Finally, he turns around and holds his hands out, open and palms up.]

Show me your glyphs.

[action]

[vermified]

[Edward hesitates, but doesn't protest; he steps over and crouches in front of Sigmund, removing his gloves and offers out his hands, the glyphs now in plain sight.]

[action]

[chaincutter]

[Sigmund takes each of Edward's hands in one of his own. He's not sure what he thinks he'll find. He has no sense for these things like Svala does, no means of feeling out another's state of mind. But... after life as an aristo, a meage, and an unblessed, perhaps he understands the nature of lunaglyphs better than anyone. Not a studied, intellectual knowledge, but a visceral one.]

You brewed a medicine to suppress the moon's power. What became of it?

[He holds Edward's hands while he speaks, staring down at them. He isn't searching for the answer so much as he is waiting for the answer to come.]

[action]

[vermified]

[Edward isn't sure what kind of answer he's going to find, but his understanding of lunaglyphs is paltry at best, so having someone with the sort of knowledge Sigmund must have is definitely beneficial. He doesn't really feel that different, aside from being slightly less stressed in regards to the glyphs themselves. The benefit of vermifying - if such a thing could ever be considered - is that finally releasing all of that energy was like letting all the air out of a pressurized tin or something. He waits patiently while Sigmund examines him, though the question requires a moment of thought.]

I forged it into a pendant, my lord- it was supposed to help prevent this from happening. I'm... not sure where it is now, though. I'll have to look for it- perhaps it broke or came loose. [...During that big fight where he died. Yeah, he's not looking forward to revisiting that scene.]

[action]

[chaincutter]

[Hm. Sigmund can't really say for certain whether it worked or not without the chance to examine the pendant. It's possible that it didn't work. It's just as likely that it did and Edward simply invested too much hope in it and had unrealistic expectations. ...Not unlike other matters Sigmund could name.]

How much do you remember? [Sigmund concentrates on the glyphs, looking - no, feeling - for any sign that something is abnormal. A pulse of energy, perhaps? Infuriatingly, he thinks he was far more sensitive to the moon's power when he had no glyph at all. It was problematic then, but now that he could use that to his advantage, it's gone. Typical.]

[action]

[vermified]

[...Oh dear. Well, there's no beating around the bush with this one, so he glances away, looking uncomfortable, even as he answers:] ...Everything, my lord.

[action]

[chaincutter]

[... that's kind of sort of not the answer Sigmund was hoping for. As if things weren't already awkward enough, now they are twice as awkward. And he is still holding Edward's hands. Letting go of those now.]

What was said - did you mean it? [Might as well just charge into this problem headfirst, no?]

[action]

[vermified]

[What was sa- oh. Oh, dear. Edward wastes a bit of time by putting his gloves back on - for no real reason, since he's just going to his room next - and fidgets. Dammit. Goddammit.]

My lord, I- ...I had no control over what I said. It was... even a fleeting thought from the past can be laid bare when one has no restraint...

[action]

[chaincutter]

That is true. [But not really an answer. Unless the lack of answer is supposed to be his answer.]

Were these thoughts fleeting?

[action]

[vermified]

I don't intentionally think that way. [He's trying desperately to say anything but a real answer. This isn't Sigmund's problem, or at least it shouldn't be.]

[action]

[chaincutter]

[sigh. Fine, Edward. Let's just get this over with.] It was never a question of 'good enough.' I've no interest in such a thing - with anyone.

[Nevermind that he's been feeling guilty all week. Nevermind that he was so distressed by the sudden absence of Edward that he invaded his room. ...Nevermind that he just accidentally accused himself of leading Ed-...wyna on. Dammit.]

[action]

[vermified]

[Actually... speaking of that.]

That... I could understand. It's fine. [....] But why could you be with her?

[Because that's what made it hurt the most. He would be more acceptable in a different body? Was being male really that much of an issue?]

[action]

[chaincutter]

I did no such thing. [Why is that so hard to comprehend? Ed's done a damn fine job separating himself from that week.]

[action]

[vermified]

[...But all you did was not die.]

[action]

[chaincutter]

[Because that's not important at all.]

[action]

[vermified]

[And Edward just. Doesn't know what to do. He's out of his league, and if Sigmund doesn't want this, it's not like Edward can force him. But if that's what's standing in the way...]

My lord... I'm sorry. My intention isn't to try your patience. But if your concern is what happened at Vesplume, then... know that I don't care.