FOURTH REBELLION ❅ ACTION [LAKE OF RAGE] | FOURTH WALL

[glaciates]

[The very first thing Isaac did this morning was accidentally freeze his Surskit. He learned the hard way back home that getting a whole array tattooed on the palm of your hand was a stupid idea. He had gotten used to it though, and had worn gloves at all times. Besides, he used the gauntlet for the most part. It had worked well enough when he was constantly on the run. After taking the Surskit to the Pokémon Center, freaking out a bit, and apologizing to the Pokémon, he was finally able to reflect on just what had happened.]

[Why is he suddenly capable of freezing things again? He couldn't do it before. The tattoo was useless here. He didn't have to wear gloves, and he's just gotten used to not wearing them. The tattoo itself is pretty ragged - the ink hasn't fallen out yet, but that's just a matter of time. If he can use his alchemy again, he really should get the tattoo fixed.]

[So after herping at his hand for far longer than was really necessary, Isaac set out to test his alchemy on something. The Lake of Rage, to be specific. He's always liked water and for some reason he woke up here in Mahogany Town. That didn't bother him half as much as it probably should have.]

[If you happen to be in the area, you may notice that Isaac is doodling something near the edge of the lake. He has his Mamoswine out as well, but she isn't paying much attention to what he's doing. Isaac finally sits back on his heels and examines the drawing.]

Done. Let's see if this works.

[Isaac presses his hands to the array; blue light crackles around the array - it's a much weaker version of the one he attempted to use to freeze Central over. The lake begins to freeze slowly, gaining momentum as it spreads out across the lake. It's a weak cover - the Magikarp in the lake will be fine. Isaac smiles; he's glad he can still pull this off. Not that he has the Philosopher's Stone or any interest in freezing over an entire city, but the capability is back.]

[Needless to say, it feels good to be able to use his alchemy again.]

Comments

[bloodcrests]

[ISAAC...]

...taller.

[Right. Moving. On. We are moving on.]

I see. So leaving isn't an option for you, then, based on what you've said - if you were brought here after your death...

[Actually, no, this one isn't dead; he's just a busy man who cannot afford to be distracted by gallavanting all over the countryside befriending adorable fluffballs.

However, when it comes to death...]

...I still don't see how else you expected that raid on Central to end, you know.

[glaciates]

[orz orz orz orz!!!]

Yeah, I was. I'm fine though; being here is much better than being dead.

[Oh Kimblee... he's totally assuming you're dead. That's going to suck. But for now let's focus on another horribly awkward issue!]

...I was fine with dying, Kimblee. If I had to die to send a message, then fine. I thought I could handle it.

[bloodcrests]

[Kimblee listens to that in silence, thinking it over; he pushes away from that tree after Isaac is done speaking, though he doesn't move to approach.]

That isn't the point; the point is that the odds were never in your favor to begin with. If you failed, it would render the entire thing pointless - you'd be written off as a madman, nothing else.

[He pauses.]

Exactly what happened, by the way.

[Moving on.]

I know that the benefits of success probably made it seem worth it, but the odds were stacked in favor of failure. It doesn't matter how good your cause was, you stood almost entirely to lose if you went ahead with acting on it like that.

Do you understand?

[glaciates]

[Oh here we go. Like he hasn't heard this same thing from everyone else? ...Not that this version of Kimblee would know that. Isaac folds his arms and listens though; not interrupting him despite having heard the exact same thing before.]

Yeah, I understand. I weighed the options carefully before I did anything, Kimblee. It wasn't the best decision and yeah, I could have made some better ones. I could have attempted to spread word of what I was doing and why I was doing it before attacking. I could have attempted to talk to some of the State Alchemists - both Mustang and Armstrong weren't pleased with the way things were going. I could have at least explained myself a bit better to those who tried to stop me.

But I didn't. I made mistakes that ultimately cost me my life. If I had a chance to return and do things differently, I would. I don't regret my actions - I still do think drastic measures needed to be taken - but I do regret the lives I took. There could have been another way to solve this.

[...Considering how little he spoke in Ishval, this is probably the most you've ever heard him say. Whoops.]

[bloodcrests]

[Well, that's improvement, at least, though he's not entirely sure what to make of exactly how many words you're using there. He's not sure if he should be proud of you or facepalm really hard.]

Which is it, Isaac? You're saying you don't regret your actions, but those actions were what resulted in the lives being taken. Either you regret it or you don't; pick a stance and stand by it fully.

[glaciates]

[...orz tho]

Why can't it be both? I don't regret my actions - I thought it was the only thing I could do - but I should never have taken lives.

[What's... so hard about this?]

[bloodcrests]

So do you want to tell me exactly how you could have carried out those actions without taking lives, or are we done here?

[glaciates]

[...whoa okay, sit down Kimblee. No reason to start bitching!]

I couldn't do it alone, obviously. If I'd had more help then yeah, I could have avoided taking lives.

[bloodcrests]

You just said -

[...oooooh.]

You can't have both, Isaac. That's the point.

[glaciates]

Why not?

[No but he doesn't get it. You can totally have both! ...Also are you frustrated, Kimblee? He's beginning to suspect that he's actually managing to frustrate you. :| ]

[bloodcrests]

[What in pluperfect hell gave you that idea?]

Because the concept itself is contradictory.

[glaciates]

[The bitchy expressions...? He's used to you smirking like a douchebag. ...Or well, the other version of you.]

How so? I'm still not following you.

[.........herp.]

[bloodcrests]

...I...yes. Yes, of course.

[Right, right. Isaac is prone to a lot of social failure, isn't he?

...god, he's not used to you anymore; give him a moment.]

I suppose it doesn't make sense, from a logical standpoint, for you to regret the consequences of your actions without regretting the actions themselves in some way. Is that better?

[glaciates]

[Thank you. He doesn't exactly have a ton of pride to begin with, but admitting that he doesn't understand something has always been hard for Isaac - especially when it comes to things as simple as social interactions. ...Well, things that should be simple but really aren't. orz]

Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's better.

[That... does make sense now that he thinks about it.]

I can see what you're saying, yeah. I guess I'm not really looking at it from a logical standpoint, then. It's not something I can really judge unbiased. Obviously.

[bloodcrests]

[Kimblee honestly can understand where Isaac is coming from in terms of the lack of social understanding; he had been largely the same way in Ishval, after all. His time in prison hadn't exactly changed that for the better - it could be said that it had done the exact opposite in several ways - but it had reminded him of a lot of things that he had lost in the direct wake of the influence of the Philosopher's Stone: to temper his speech and when to keep his mouth shut, how to make sure that everything he didn't understand was clarified for him, how to avoid being roundabout if he didn't understand something and bluntly ask if he didn't know.

He and Isaac had always been similar in regards to their lack of normal social behavior; it's almost funny, really, that Kimblee has spent so long training himself to behave like a normal person that he can't communicate with someone who isn't. Not the way he used to, anyway.

He chooses to disregard it for now; that smirk is back.]

Of course, Isaac. Either way, I suppose it's a bit of a moot point now, isn't it?

[glaciates]

[...Yeah, it would be kind of hard to forget about that time you asked everyone why they were having issues with committing genocide...]

Yeah, it is. I've discussed it enough. With the exception of Hughes, everyone's been telling me I could have done things differently.

[orz orz orz Thank you for not being an insensitive douche, Hughes.]

[bloodcrests]

[...Isaac, it isn't insensitive douchery if it's true...

Ah, but that is neither here nor there, is it.]

Well, I can't say that I disapprove of you doing as you thought you should have, for what it's worth. I don't agree with how you went about it, but I've always respected those who stand by their ideals, especially when the stakes are so high.

[glaciates]

...Thanks. Like I said, I was fine with dying if I had to.

[Not that he managed to really do anything but... at least things turned out alright eventually!]

That... really means a lot to me.

[...Oh good lord, what does he do with this. You're the version of Kimblee he grew to respect and care for during Ishval. You're the one he... kind of fell in love with, right? So what... does that mean exactly? Oh god what does he do??]

[bloodcrests]

Of course. You've come a long way since I've seen you last.

[glaciates]

I'm... not really sure how that's possible. I mean, I don't think I've changed any.

[Not since the incident in the prison, at any rate...]

[bloodcrests]

Since Ishval, then. Your confidence and willingness to stand up for yourself have improved exponentially; your alchemy is far more impressive as well, though that may just be because you actually have water to work with, here.

[...he smirks a bit after that's out there.]

And your hair looks much nicer grown out - you no longer look like a shaved cat.

[glaciates]

Hey, it's not my fault they thought it would be a good idea to send me to the desert.

[But he relaxes a bit after that.]

Thanks. I mean, if I hadn't changed at all in years that... would've been weird, I guess.

[...And that comment about his hair... Why are you so blunt...?]

Yeah, it's... better this way.

[orz orz orz]

[bloodcrests]

Very much so - I admit I hadn't expected you to grow it out quite that long, but it's a rather nice difference, I think.

[But now that the teasing is out of the way, he'll go back to addressing the reasonably important part of all that, all right?]

Don't mention it, Isaac. It's good to see you again.

[glaciates]

Yeah, I had it long before I enlisted. Not quite this long but...

[...orz pretty aptly sums this up.]

It's good to see you again too.

[And in some ways, it is! You're still just as bitty as he remembers! ...That's uh, not the point at all. But he's trying! You're bitty and cute and... not the version of Kimblee he's dating, but there's no sense dwelling on that!!]

[bloodcrests]

[Say any of that and he'll end you.]

Well, you certainly seem to have done well for yourself, failure at Central notwithstanding; I can certainly imagine worse possible afterlives.