[ Backdated to the 14th, Action, Video ] .001

[contentedly]

[After waking up in an unfamiliar place and receiving an unorthodox welcome and exhilarating ride over the mountains and to the edge of the forest, Gracia Hughes is a woman on a mission. Prerogative One: Make sure Elicia's not here. Prerogative Two: Find out where exactly here is. From there... get home. But first, one step at a time.

Although an excellent transportation system, Hulk was not exactly the most eloquent when it came to explaining this place, but Gracia knows that in any town of this size there has to be some sort of Official Building. So once she makes her way into the main square she is going to start systematically entering buildings, looking for anyone who can help her. She'll be coming down by the north bridge road, making her first stops the Good Spirits and the Seventh Heaven. From there, it's just a short skip across the road to the Welcome Center.

Hopefully someone will take the time to tell her that the clothes here are free and... do something about her bare feet. Tender and unused to this kind of treatment, they're bleeding from the walk at the forest's edge.

Sometime before she actually reaches the town, however, Gracia will have stopped to fiddle with the book that has her name on it.]

Hello, my name is Gracia Hughes. I was told that we were all taken from our homes and brought to this place. Is there any way of finding out exactly who is here with us? [She hesitates, not wanting to mention Elicia's name over an open network in case a stranger used it to find her and win her trust - basic common sense precautions still holding true.]

I'd really appreciate the help. Thank you.

[There's some awkward fumbling before she closes the book. She'll check for replies once she's actually made it into town.]

Comments

[ video ]

[idkmybffroy.livejournal.com]

[ And believe it or not, the first thing he does when he sees her face is freeze. She's been in Luceti before, but it's been a while; the first thing he can think is you're not going to stab your wife, are you- is it really her-

-and what kind of messed-up guy goes straight to that, every time? What kind of messed-up world do they come from, where it's perfectly reasonable to be suspicious?

And damn if he isn't almost equally terrified that it could really be his wife. So many ways to lose.

Really only one way to get things going, Maes, you great coward. He does his best not to sound- well, not to sound like he's not sure this is actually happening. ]

... Gracia?

[ video ] 1/2

[contentedly]

[And wherever she is, Gracia sits down hard.

She'd know that voice anywhere. It still haunts her dreams.

Maes.

That's not - possible.

Her instinctive response is to slam the book shut.]

[ video ]

[contentedly]

[For a countless amount of heartbeats, she sits there trembling. She's alone, scared, doesn't know where she is or where her daughter her daughter is, and now the book is talking with the voice of her dead husband.

This puts the wings she's received in a whole different light.

Does that mean... Elicia...

No.

Several heartbeats later, Gracia takes a few shuddering breaths and - opens the book.]

...hello?

[ video/private ]

[idkmybffroy.livejournal.com]

...

Hello. [ All things considered, he should have expected a reaction like that. He manages to scrape up a short-lived weak smile for it before speaking again.

It feels like it's been forever since he got to hear that voice. But this isn't the time for getting emotional- he has to be sure before anybody rushes out to meet anybody. So he's switching to a filtered conversation, because when it comes to things only certain people know about, sometimes it's safer to keep it that way. ]

Mind if I ask you about something? [ Not that an answer to the negative would likely deter him, to be perfectly honest. He wants to get this over with, so that if it is her- if it is her... ]

[ video/private ]

[contentedly]

[One hand trembles its way up her mouth. She whispers through it.] This isn't possible.

[But that's his voice. That's his voice.

Through her stunned numbness, habit determines her response.]

Of-of course not. What do you want to ask me?

[Video]

[asobouyo]

[Meanwhile, Elicia's got her own little journal and her own little shocked-and-awed look to offer like her father has; she's sitting on her bed and by the time she addresses the book she's wibbly from just the sound of her.

They said she'd come back—people'll've said she'd get to see her again soon...! And here she was! She really was here, right? It can't be a silly mistake like when the fog rolled in; she knows is just has to be true—]

Mama!!

[Video]

[contentedly]

[Mama's a little shook-up right now, honey. She's talking to your dead father. She has a pair of wings. And you're here too. Does this mean...

Well, you're safe. You're not hurting. And if they're all dead, then at least they're all together.

...you look bigger. She leans forward, trying to catch a better look.]

Elicia?

Re: [Video]

[asobouyo]

Mama! Mama, Are you okay?

[Guh, fine, she's getting the waterworks going, because she's just so happy.]

Are you out in the forest? We can come get you! Where are you?

[Video]

[contentedly]

['We?']

I'm fine, honey - I met a nice [man? thing?] person who brought me close to the town. Are you okay? Who's with you?

[Not really here]

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

[Not saying a word, actually, given she never met Gracia. She's just having too much fun listening to Elicia ;A; Stay longer this time, Mama Hughes.]

[Voice]

[automailed]

[Whoa, whoa, whoa, that's an unexpected voice. Not that he's unhappy about it, mind you, since he knows how happy certain other people will be.]

Miss Gracia...!

[Voice]

[contentedly]

[Well, assuming she's already heard from Elicia, Gracia is sitting pretty by the fountain... and knows that he's here

So she is going to put her brave face on, because things are still very weird and dizziness-inducing.

And it is a bit of a relief to know that he's here - wherever here is.]

Hello, Ed.

[Voice]

[automailed]

H... hey. Are you okay?

[Yep, can't decide whether it's good or bad, but it's not really his place to comment on it anyway. But the family is back together again, and there's nothing better than that.

It's good that she's already gotten an explanation of this place, too, so that means he can avoid all that awkward explaining-business. And Hughes and Elicia will want to see her first.

...Now doesn't he feel useful 8|; Hmm, hmm.]

[Voice]

[contentedly]

[Actually, not too much has been explained - just the very basics Hulk felt like communicating. It's why she's still barefoot and in a New Feather dress.]

Mm, I think so. Elicia and - and -

[Okay, no. She's not okay. And she sways a little on her feet.

Pull yourself together.]

- they're coming to get me.

[Voice] 1/2

[jollygreenjerk.livejournal.com]

[AW, she found her wittle daughter. :______;]

[Voice]

[jollygreenjerk.livejournal.com]

[Not that it matters to him or anything.]

Told you, you were gonna need it. [The journal he means.]

[Voice]

[contentedly]

[Good, then he totally won't care about the relief in her voice either.]

Yes, you did. You were right.

video

[stilldontgotit.livejournal.com]

[Hughes, Hughes...

Wait a minute!]

Hey, you know anyone named Elicia?

video

[contentedly]

[Her daughter was pretty quick on the draw this time, but still some confirmation that this is real would be kinda nice, so-]

Yes, she's my daughter. Do you know her?

video

[stilldontgotit.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've known her for a while now.

[Sweet kid. Riku's just not going to say that outloud because he's a stubborn dude.]

video

[contentedly]

A while? [...] How is that possible?

[Voice]

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

Miss Gracia!

[Voice]

[contentedly]

[And there's a familiar and welcome voice.]

Hello, Winry.

[Voice]

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

It's been a while. Are you all right?

[Voice]

[contentedly]

[A while? ...does she look older too?]

I'm... as well as I can be. And you?