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

[glaciates]

[Oh orz. Can we not, Kimblee...?]

No he... didn't.

[That says everything, doesn't it? Also what the hell is eye contact? Not something you're getting any more, obviously!!]

[bloodcrests]

[And for a good long moment he isn't sure if that's better or worse; he falls silent for so long that it seems almost as though he isn't going to answer, foregoing words in favor of simply staring and trying to work out what to say.

He doesn't like the implication.]

So you...

[Not at all.]

...I see.

[glaciates]

[Isaac doesn't look up. He doesn't know what to make of the silence; it's awkward and he feels like he should say something, but he doesn't know what to say...]

[Finally Kimblee speaks. It's... not really helping matters much.]

...Yeah.

[He shifts slightly, still refusing to make eye contact.]

It's been a little over a month.

[Nearly a month and a half, but it's not like he's keeping really close track or anything!!]

[bloodcrests]

[Awkward indeed.]

And if I may, what led you to approach him with that in the first place?

[glaciates]

Well it... kind of happened accidentally. I mean, I wasn't really sure I was going to say anything since it's... awkward.

[...orz...]

I accidentally sent out a message to the entire network here, asking about the differences between... friendship and uh... romantic interest. It was supposed to be private to Hughes. Anyway, he saw it and confronted me about it. He... was under the impression that I was interested in one of our mutual friends and he eventually got it out of me.

[You guys are really good at that. orz some more.]

He... agreed to it obviously.

[...There's slightly less orz and more 8D now, but either way...]

[bloodcrests]

And how long have you known him here?

[The question is prompt; no, he isn't going to stop interrogating you anytime soon.]

[glaciates]

[...Oh boy, you're going to judge him so hard...]

Nearly four months. He spoke with me the day I arrived. We spent quite a bit of time together the first couple of months I was here.

[bloodcrests]

That's hardly enough time to -

[He cuts himself off then; this is uncomfortable as hell, and honestly, he doesn't want to ask. At the same time, at this point he has to.

Isaac, please don't tell him the initial assumption he made about this was correct.]

...did you realize, at the time, that he wasn't the person you knew before?

[glaciates]

[Oh, that's going to get a wince.]

Well, yeah, I realized it on some level. I mean, he looks a bit different. But he had memories of me and everything seemed to be exactly the same between our two worlds.

[...orz orz orz orz]

[bloodcrests]

...I see. Well, he certainly must have been very good to you in the span of those few months, if he caught your interest in such a short span of time.

[Because the interest couldn't have actually started in Ishval, could it; really, he doesn't think a few months is long enough to work these things out - there's no way you developed valid interest like that in a matter of weeks.]

[glaciates]

Yeah, he was but... it didn't really start then.

[...oh boy this is gonna be fun...]

I didn't realize it at the time - didn't realize it at all until he asked me exactly when it started, really - but I've been interested since Ishval. He's... not you, but the only similarities I noticed at the time were in appearance.

[Even now the only real differences he's seeing are that you're... less inclined to stare him down at all times and you're kind of a bitch.]

[bloodcrests]

[...wait wait WHAT]

Since...Ishval, Isaac.

[glaciates]

...Yeah. Since Ishval.

[SENIOR HE'S SORRY HE'S DISAPPOINTING YOU]

[bloodcrests]

...Isaac, how do you manage to get in these sorts of situations...

[glaciates]

...I have no idea...

[orz orz orz orz]

[bloodcrests]

[orz indeed.

Either way, that response does get a bit of a laugh out of him; this is genuinely the most ridiculous thing he's heard of in a while.]

Well, enjoy him, then; has he put out a guess on how long he thinks this is going to last yet?

[glaciates]

[And just like that, all the tension is gone. Isaac isn't entirely sure how you've managed it, but you've made everything okay just by saying that.]

Yeah, already beat him to it. You really think he'd give me longer than a week? Come on.

[bloodcrests]

Ah, I see he was feeling optimistic that day.

[glaciates]

Yeah, he was. Maybe next time he tries to guess how long I'll last he'll remember I tend to survive for longer than expected.

[bloodcrests]

[Kimblee thinks he sees what's happened - so this other one is trying to prove a point, as he has with the others who have tried to "change" him in the past. After all, if they're close enough to share an appearance, general personality and basic history, at least as far as Ishval goes, then the chances are good that Kimblee knows how this other version of himself handles relationships.

...oh, this poor idiot. He's not going to be able to get rid of Isaac that way.]

That determined to make this work, are you?

[glaciates]

[...at least you've realized this...]

Of course I am. He means a lot to me; why wouldn't I want this to work?

[bloodcrests]

[Of course he has, Isaac. He is still your senior, you know.

And it's for that reason that he can't be entirely comfortable with this; it isn't jealousy, exactly, as whatever Isaac does in his personal life is none of Kimblee's business and bluntly put, he doesn't exactly care whom Isaac dates - he would never date Isaac himself, after all.

At the same time, there's something about hearing Isaac talk like that - going on about how much this other person means to him - that isn't settling well with him at all.]

Does he? You technically don't know him, Isaac.

[glaciates]

What do you mean?

[...Oh, right, right. He's not the exact same person.]

I... guess you're right? I've known him for as long as I've been here. It's not very well, no.

[...orz]

[bloodcrests]

...as I thought.

[Ugh, why can't he just let this go - ]

Either way, I suppose it doesn't matter.

[glaciates]

You wouldn't have mentioned it if it didn't matter.

[He gets the feeling there's more to this. Is he wrong?]