001 ☯ Alma [VIDEO]

[alma_karma]

[The camera lens is partially blocked when the feed clicks on, fuzzy pinkish edges suggesting fingers to be the culprit. Whoever it is holding the device is moving if the shifting light and soft padding sounds are any clue. After less than a minute of traveling the footsteps stop and a small voice cuts through the silence.]

What’s going on?... Doctor Edgar? Yu? Where'd you go?

[When no answer comes, movement begins again, slightly faster than before as a steady light source from one direction becomes apparent. Maybe a window or a door...

There's a little gasp and the camera's view suddenly blurs, the faciliberry clattering loudly as it hits the ground. A cloudy sky comes into view, as well as an extremely foreshortened view of a young boy. He's staring up at the sky with an almost disbelieving expression, apparently unaware that he's dropped his device.]

Comments

[alma_karma]

[Blinkblink. Someone still isn't quite grasping that he's not somehow where the Order is, or that not everybody here is a part of it.]

Yeah.

[tothelastbreath]

[O-Oh. That explains some things.]

I er― So am I. I mean, I'm from the Order too.

[alma_karma]

Which branch are you from? 'Cause I've never seen you before.

Oh, and I'm Alma!

[tothelastbreath]

I'm serving at Headquarters. Allen Walker, Exorcist. [courtesy kicking in now] Sorry for not introducing myself earlier, by the way. It's nice to meet you.

[alma_karma]

[BIG EYES. BLINKING RIGHT AT YOU.]

... You're really an exorcist?

[tothelastbreath]

[That's... endearing, even if the enthusiasm is sort of alarming. Have a smile in return.]

Yes. [We'll save the whole suspected traitor thing for another day. Turning away briefly to grab his extra coat, Allen heads outside.] Alma, was it? Please stay where you are, I'll be right there.

[alma_karma]

That's so cool! [Enthusiasm. GROWING. jsdbfhjdbk.]

Yeah, Alma! I'll stay right here!

[tothelastbreath]

[Is glad all of this GROWING ENTHUSIASM is toned down somewhat by him not actually being there, although that's about to change. Soon. The scenery's blurring behind him as he races straight for the library.

...Literally straight. Walls are being leapt over, rooftops scaled.]

Cool? I've never really thought of it that way. Are you training to be one?

[alma_karma]

[Alma will just be sitting on the steps of the library waiting for him. In the cold. 'Cause he's smart like that.]

Yeah! Me and Yu are both gonna be exorcists!

[tothelastbreath]

[That name again.]

Oh? Funny, I know someone named Yu too. Who's your master? [And then, pausing on the edge of a roof to peer closely at his communicator.] ...You should probably wait inside. Aren't you cold?

[alma_karma]

Master? I don't have a master...

[He rubs at the back of his head sheepishly.] I'll be okay! Winter can't beat me!

[tothelastbreath]

That's strange, perhaps they simply haven't assigned you to one of the generals yet. It does explain why I haven't heard of you, though.

I doubt it can, but you might get sick. We don't have access to medical facilities here. [That thought's enough to speed him up further, he'll be there in just a few minutes.]

[alma_karma]

[He shrugs.] I've never heard of you either.

No medicine at all?

[ACTION]

[tothelastbreath]

[muttering] Not unless we steal some.

[Silence from his end for a moment, but then he's bursting out of an alleyway a few feet away and running right over, Tim in tow.]

Alma?

[ACTION]

[alma_karma]

[Alma starts a little when Allen appears, but quickly recovers and stands, giving the older boy a bright smile.]

Hi!

[ACTION]

[tothelastbreath]

Hello!

[Allen's returning smile is just as bright, and he's shaking out the extra coat even as he jogs up to Alma. It's too big for a child, but it'll have to do.]

Here, you can have this.

[ACTION]

[alma_karma]

Oh, thank you! [He reaches out for the coat with a grin. He's certain to be swimming in the thing, but his new friend brought it to him, so he'll wear it!

... And it is kinda cold.]

[ACTION]

[tothelastbreath]

Don't mention it. [Timcanpy's trying to help him put it on by tugging here and there with pointy teeth, while his owner stands back and eyes the overall effect rather critically.

...Kid will have a hard time running if his legs get tangled every two steps, and Allen is quite sure he'll have to do a good lot of running at some point. Crown Clown, get. Don't mind the claw o' doom Alma, he's only going to cut that coat down to size.]

Hold still Alma, I'm going to make it fit better.

[ACTION]

[alma_karma]

[Alma's torn between staring at Timcanpy as he flits about and staring at the sudden appearance of CLAWS.

... He'll just have to do his best to stare at both during QUESTION TIME.]

Is that a golem? How come it's a different color? What happened to your arm?

[ACTION]

[tothelastbreath]

[Allen isn't helping with the whole staring-at-both thing as he crouches, and with a look of great concentration, starts scissoring off the coat somewhere above Alma's ankles.]

Yes, his name's Timcanpy. My Master made him so he's a little different. [He's not at all sure about Tim being Cross's golem anymore, but habit still makes that reply slip easily from his lips.] And that's what my Innocence looks like when it's Invoked. I'm a parasitic type, you see.

[ACTION]

[alma_karma]

[The Innocence wins out over Tim in the staring contest, and Alma peers down over his shoulders to watch Allen's progress.]

Oooh, that's a rare type, right?

[ACTION]

[tothelastbreath]

That's what I've been told. [Snipsnipsnip, there we go. Crown Clown's deactivated to leave behind just another boy with a scar on his face, funny white hair, and a strangely intact sleeve.] Ready to go?

[ACTION]

[alma_karma]

Yeah! [Checking out that work there, Allen... very nice job.]

Where're we going?

[ACTION]

[tothelastbreath]

Back to that safe place I was telling you about. [Allen still has MAJOR RESERVATIONS about that place because of Libitina, but it's the best option right now, so he'll make do. He's good at making do.] It's an apartment building we're all staying at... Temporarily, of course.

[aside to his golem] Lead the way, Tim.

[ACTION]

[alma_karma]

Okay. [And he's all set to follow Allen... wherever! Ah, but he does have a question!]

Um... you said you knew a Yu, right?