Equivalent Exchange--Episode 1: Shattered Love

[Dire Lemming]

Al suddenly feels a strange preasure in his throat that feels as if he is choking and a strange pain in his head. Still staring at the corpse, he starts absently tugging the collar of his shirt, until his brain catches up with his body. He tears his face away from the sight and loses his dinner on floor. He doesn't really notice that he is feeling, physically, much better as he coughs and sputters and spits the remaining stew out of his mouth. He looks up at Rose from his hunched posision with an expression of fear and disbelief. "Rose... it's Claus... It can't be, right? RIGHT?!" he raises his voice at the end as if yelling will somehow make what he sees untrue.

 

[unleashed]

*Moving up hurriedly in concern for Al as he turns and loses his dinner, Rose looks into the room. Her hands flying to her mouth and her eyes wide open in alarm, as she spots the body on the floor and recognises the clothing, struck speechless by the sight. Not looking at Al as he starts to speak, she is suddenly snaps out of her stunned state, looking away from the body and down at him when he yells.*

“I... I don’t... it looks like... it must... poor Claus,” she says softly, tears starting to form as she says Claus’ name.

 

[Dire Lemming]

Al stands up abruptly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve and glaring at the door. "Damn it! K- Karin did this! And I- didn't stop her!" he turns his glare to Rose, not that she deserves to be glared at but because he's too upset to have any other expression "I'm going to find her!" without so much as a second thought Al dashes out of the room and after Karin.

 

[unleashed]

*Ignoring the look from Al as she knows he’s upset, Rose glances back sadly at Claus’ body, before hurrying after Al... hoping she can keep up with him.*

 

[Rystil Arden]

(OOC: Going to give Al another Hero Point for complications--save this one to do something cool if/when you catch up to whoever did that to Claus [Or use it somewhere else--either way ])

 

[Dire Lemming]

Well much thanks for the hero point, but what happens next? Also, merry happy Chrismanaca

 

[Rystil Arden]

(OOC: Ah, right--he ran out to chase after Karin )

*As Al dashes through the house, he sees lights from outside. He races to the door just in time to come across a small group of villagers carrying lanterns.*

"What's this now? Mel heard loud sounds and smashing walls and saw a huge flash of fire from here. What were ya doing in that old house, boy?" the innkeep asks suspiciously, "An alchemist, and snooping around the old alchemist's stuff...ya wouldn't happen to be our ghost now, would ya?"

 

[Dire Lemming]

Al skids to a halt in front of the villagers. Desperately looking past them in hopes of catching a glimpse of Karin, he stutters; "Karin, she- she killed Claus. Let me by, I have to find her!" He starts attempting to get around the villagers and head for the graveyard if he can't find any sign that Karin headed in a different direction.

 

[Rystil Arden]

*Al doesn't see any signs of Karin anywhere.*

"Sure, blaming it on the dead girl again?" the innkeeper asks sceptically, "It wasn't that last time either--it was a deranged alchemist. I bet that's what it is this time too!"

"Claus is dead?" the innkeeper's son asks, aghast, "Oh, Claus!"

 

[Dire Lemming]

Al ignores the innkeeper and tries to get past the villagers so that he can get to the graveyard. If they won't let him pass he shouts, "It's true! Karin's soul is bound to one of Majihal's dollls! Let me go, I have to find her!"