⁰² video (𝗎𝗇: 𝗌𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽)

[alkahestic]

[ once the festival is over, as elrics tend to do, they've turned a corner of the room into a research space for the time being, surrounded by books as they read on the couch. although things started productively enough, after some time leaning against his brother reading, ed slips down to stretch out facing the back of the sofa where he's eventually fallen asleep, long hair loose down his back and draped over the cushions to the floor - whatever book he's been reading forgotten in favor of getting more comfortable.

al, meanwhile, is sitting up with a frown on his features. his fingers card through his brother's hair in a slow, affectionate gesture, one that denotes just how close the two brothers are. at one point, he reaches over to grab his brother's slowly falling book and sets it aside before addressing the feed. ]

So many people have forgotten things. It's strange; I thought things were settled when that god was put to sleep. I think it's affected my brother too.

[ he pauses to card his fingers through his brother's hair again. ] He's been acting a bit differently, but don't tell him.

Anyway, how many people have lost memories? I've seen at least three people on the network so far. Anyone else? Maybe if we figure out who's affected, we can find a solution...

[ ooc: post is also open for floor 6 people and visitors! ]

Comments

Video @arcarius

[angelic_archer]

[Alec knows that his memory loss isn't related to anything in Quarantine, but he has to wonder about Jace. Their memories don't mesh the way they should even when he considers how his life had been rearranged in Idaho. If something else has been altering their minds...

He keeps his expression thoughtful, almost neutral, even as he feels a bit of envy at how close Alphonse and his brother seem, thinking of his bond with Jace that's unraveling.]

I lost my memories before I arrived here, but I've noticed my parabatai doesn't remember things he should.

[alkahestic]

I have experience with memory loss too, from before I arrived, but I got them all back... [ a pause as he glances down at ed again, fingers toying with flaxen strands. ]

Brother, however, he's... acting as if he doesn't remember something that happened to him and it's changed him.

So I guess that makes five people so far—er, six including someone on my floor. It can't be a coincidence.

video; @crimson.duelist

[verflair]

[ The video starts out a little clumsily, with the camera too close to X'rhun's face before he pulls it back and the picture falls into focus. He's used to the concept of communicating with others from a distance, but the devices from home allow for audio communication only. ]

I've but recently arrived. Am I understanding you correctly that several people seem to be suffering from bouts of amnesia at once?

[alkahestic]

[ there's a small sense of vertigo for al as the camera adjusts, but it doesn't show and he's quick to recover. he's still frowning, glancing between his device and his brother as his fingers brush across ed's brow. ]

That's what it seems like. I haven't figured out a cause yet, but I hope to soon.

[verflair]

[ He'll get used to the camera eventually! Hopefully. ]

I am aware of certain herbs that could cause such an effect, though I confess that I've no idea how it could have be slipped to people en masse.

[alkahestic]

And they might not even grow here. I'm not sure if something like that is the cause.

[verflair]

What do you suspect, then? You mentioned a god, so some sort of magic, perhaps?

Video | Private - un: Treasure.Princess

[thegreatninja]

[Yuffie is holding the video screen upside down. She isn't going to mention the fact that she'd forgotten how to use it and eventually got the screen going by hitting the damn thing against her mattress. She's laying on her bed and has her arms and legs sprawled around her.

When she speaks she's whispering.] Does forgetting how to do shit count? Because... Al... I need help.

[She doesn't want to tell anyone with what.]

I wouldn't have sent you a video from the other side of the floor but I don't want to wake Ed... Please come to my bed and keep this a secret...

private; → action

[alkahestic]

[ as reluctant as he is to leave his brother's side ( which is very reluctant because he likes it when ed curls up against him like this ), he nods as yuffie indicates where she's at and slowly unwinds himself from ed. ]

I'll be right there.

[ and the feed goes dark as al pockets his device and heads towards where yuffie's at. when he gets there, he looks around, wondering what the issue might be. ]

Yuffie?

action

[thegreatninja]

[Yuffie drops her phone onto her chest and waits. She doesn't have to wait long before Al appears. She knows this is hard for him to leave Ed alone, even while sleeping. Maybe if she had a sibling she'd have someone like Al in her life. At least that way she wouldn't be alone or calling someone else's brother to help.]

Hi Al...

[She sounds completely demoralized.]

I forgot how to tie my shoes...

[Yuffie has never felt more defeated.]

action

[alkahestic]

[ for a few seconds, all al can do is stand there and blink. of all the different things people are forgetting, this has to be the most trivial. but he imagines it must not be for yuffie, who looks frustrated and defeated. so he gives her a gentle smile and slowly kneels at her feet. ]

It's okay. I can help you. After all, you could be like Jason and forget a lot more.

action

[thegreatninja]

[Her shoes are partially laced up but she only got about half way to the top of her boot before she got to frustrated to continue and one of her laces is in a knot. Yuffie can't untie knots to save her life.]

What has he forgotten? And I don't see how this doesn't suck! I'd rather forget all the shit that's happened then how to tie my shoes! [She realizes that her voice and rising and she falls back into a whisper.]

I've always done things on my own. Ever since I was a kid...

[She's been very self-sufficient for a young age.]

How's Ed doing?

video | undertaker

[somakemelaugh]

[Have this face.] There's a boy here who lost a bit of time. You'd know him as Ciel. Whatever you know about what's going on, I'd like to know it, too.

[alkahestic]

[ well, that's a little suspicious, but al knows better to judge a book by its cover, so he doesn't comment on that smirk, choosing instead to address the message. ]

I don't think I've ever met him, but I'll add him to my list. There are quite a few people, it seems. If I do figure it out, I'll let you know, Mr....?

[somakemelaugh]

[He just always looks like this. Most of the time anyway.] Maybe another quirk of the portal.

Undertaker. Just Undertaker. And what name should I call you?

[alkahestic]

Could be. [ he hasn't ruled it out yet. ]

Hm... Okay, Mr. Undertaker. [ what a weird name. ] I'm Al. Alphonse Elric.

[somakemelaugh]

[It wouldn't surprise him.] Al, then. Well, if there's anything you find, or anything at all that I can do to help, you be sure to let me know. I want this done and over with as much as anyone, portal or no.

And please, just Undertaker. Sounds weird the other way around.

action

[alchemyfreak]

Ed is still asleep when Al returns from helping Yuffie, seemingly unaware that his brother had left - or posted to the network - at all. The movement of the couch when Alphonse settles back down is the first thing to get his attention, pushing himself up onto an elbow and offering a mild scowl, the obvious glare of someone just woken up and trying to piece together their current situation.

Right, research. He pushes himself upright with a slow stretch before glancing around as if to see where he'd left off, muttering quietly "Did you just continue without me?" It was such a familiar concept that Edward was so many years removed from at this point there was almost a sense of déjà vu he couldn't quite place about it, even if he was fully aware of the reason.

action

[alkahestic]

Settling more comfortably into the couch and waiting for Ed to resume his position, Al gives a shrug. He'd promised Yuffie to not tell Ed her struggles and though he doesn't like keeping things from his brother, it's a promise he resolves to keep. So instead, he picks up the book he'd been reading shortly before posting and stares at the words a bit before responding.

"I was helping somebody with something," he says, as if it explains it all. It's not an uncommon occurrence by any means, so he figures Ed will be okay with that. Then, sighing, he leans against his brother and closes his eyes for a few seconds.

"Brother...?"

[alchemyfreak]

Of course Ed isn't going to pry, they share everything so for such a vague response he figures Al has his reasons. For how close they'd all gotten Floor Six was full of secrets and if Al was helping someone Ed didn't know, all the more reason it wasn't his business.

He seems to accept that answer with a nod, stilling as Al leans against him, the notion of research forgotten in favor of glancing his brother over curiously as the word hung in the air. "Hm?"

[alkahestic]

"People have been forgetting a lot of things," he says, setting the book aside as he's clearly just staring at it. He's worried about approaching the subject given that he likes this more relaxed Ed. It's comforting having his brother like this and he fears if he brings up whatever Ed may have forgotten, his brother will go back to being tense as he was.

video | un: j.jones

[hardedged]

[ i mean, this is normal. two siblings indulging in some familial affection. totally... normal...... ]

Jesus. You really do have him whipped.

[ classy, jess. real classy. ]

[alkahestic]

[ guess who's surprised by this comment and blinking a bit as he tries to understand ]

...Whipped?

[hardedged]

[ god, both of them are oblivious morons. good to know it runs in the family. jess merely sighs. ]

Forget it.

[alkahestic]

No, tell me what you meant. [ frowning a bit. ] I would never hurt Brother like that.