with the river's flow (open)

[unerasable]

Characters: Alphonse and whoever!
Content: This place just took in an alchemist, and it's a lot to take in.
Location: The fountain in Traverse Town, Fourth District
Time: Morning-ish
Warnings: None for now!

[At some point early in the day, there's a sudden crackling burst of blue light - and then, without further fanfare, a large key nestled in a hollow in the cobblestones that wasn't there a minute ago.

It's perfectly formed; the only giveaway that he didn't just find this thing is a couple of very, very tiny rectangular cracks along the side, and that's if you know what you're looking for. Still, that doesn't stop the nearby kid in the red duster from looking a shade disappointed as he picks it up. Sure, it's about the right size to fit the keyhole he remembers, but what's he going to do with it, stick it under his head the next time he takes a nap and hope that if he happens to dream the same thing again he'll be lucid enough to carry it in with him? Geez. He'd been hoping he was done with dreams like these.

Then again, the way that bat-winged cat thing had put it, maybe it won't be too much longer. He has to get his bearings first, though, and he won't make much progress there if he just sits by the water for the rest of the day. He can practically hear that in his brother's voice already, even awake.]

...I think we've both got a lot to get used to.

[The Meow Wow beside him tilts its head sympathetically.

Then, without warning, it springs up and snatches the key out of his gloved hand.]

H-Hey! [Al scrambles to his feet so quickly he almost trips on his own coat.] Look out - don't -

[He's too late. The Meow Wow collides head-on with whoever was in its path and bounces helplessly away, losing its grip on the key, which clatters some distance across the cobblestones.

Al hurries over to help it right itself before looking up.] Are you okay? I'm really sorry!

Comments

[skysmirror]

Kooma Pandas were pretty resilient, so when the Meow Wow ran into Pooh, he was just fine. In fact, he was about the help the poor thing up himself when its person ran over. Then the person started speaking and..oh, bother, Persons couldn't understand Spirits. Where was his to help explain things?

There she was! Person, could you help him let this other person know everything was all right, please?

Xion had hurried over as soon as she realized her Spirits had wandered on their own. Unfortunately, she hadn't quite seen everything. "What happened?"

[unerasable]

At the sound of a stranger's voice, Al finally managed to tear himself away from his not entirely intentional nonplussed staring. "Oh! Well, I looked away for a second, and they must've run into each other..." He gave the big bear-like creature another apologetic look, too. "Is this one yours? Do you know if it's okay?"

Meanwhile, the Meow Wow, supremely unruffled, bounded over to where the large key had fallen and picked it up in its mouth again.

[skysmirror]

"Pooh? He should be fine. Kooma Pandas are pretty tough." Xion offered a small smile, which Pooh imitated. Yes, he was fine, really. Now, if you please, he was looking for some honey. You wouldn't happen to have seen any, would you?

"I lost track of them myself. Pooh must have gotten hungry and wanted to go looking for honey again..." She trailed off as Alphonse went to look for the key. That was interesting.

[unerasable]

Having extracted the key from the disappointed-looking Meow Wow, Al straightened up and turned back to face the girl with a sheepish smile. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I mean, keeping a pet is a lot of work. My brother's always telling me that."

And now he had one too, apparently. He fidgeted absently with the key for a second. This was kind of making him wonder what Ed would think of the rest of his situation - which handily brought his train of thought back round to more pressing business.

"You must be... one of the people living here, right? My name's Alphonse."

[skysmirror]

Oh, so the newcomer had a brother like Bolin. That fact and the key piqued Xion's curiosity, but asking about them might be personal. Anyway, he had offered a conversation topic. "Spirits can be a handful sometimes, but I don't think they'd like to be called pets."

Lightning certainly didn't seem to think much of the term. Pets always needed looking after, and they didn't, they kept an eye on their Person. Pooh simply looked quietly disappointed.

"Yes, I'm Xion." She offered a small smile along with the self introduction. "It's nice to meet you, Alphonse."