Reality Crisis

Even in a place where so much of her everyday life had changed, Murphy still got up early for her morning workouts. She was glad that die Festung had a gym of sorts because she'd learned very quickly that Harry got a little cranky when woken up too early in the morning.

The day after Carlos's visit, she woke up and worked out just like usual. After that, she was starving so she headed to one of the restaurants in town in search of food. She didn't bother to change out of her workout attire so she was in sweatpants and a tank top. She'd mopped up some of the sweat and her blonde hair-now longer than she'd ever kept it-was tied back in a ponytail.

She was simply planning to stop in at the restaurant and get something to go. In spite of the fact that the people of die Festung were quick to offer things to the Chosen for free, Murphy didn't like accepting something for nothing so she brought a few trinkets to trade. Just a few things from the time spent outside the wall patrolling for anything that might threaten the town.

After a rather heated 'conversation' in which he made it clear he was NOT drinking something that looked a lot like milk Ed managed to piece together a pile of 'ham' sandwiches. Once outside again he took the time to finally examine the world he had fallen into. Broken and falling apart were polite. "It's like Liore, only less hopeful. Great." Well, that was the intended thought. Around mouthfuls of food it came out more jumbled and less intelligible.

Not really having a clue where to start he sat down on a broken wall to make some notes and review the situation. So they aren't familiar with Alchemy here. At least that's the claim. I'm pretty sure that Peter guy is hiding a Stone someplace, but if he is...why not just FIX things? With a heavy sigh and a stomach that was emptier than he'd like (would a bag of chips or one of Mrs. Hughes' pies be too much to ask?) he started looking around for something to do. "Welp, they could definitely use some help here." He found one particular structure that was taller than the rest and looked like it had been more stable and well constructed prior to the earthquake.

He had snatched a few pieces of paper and a pencil from the hospital and sta about working out a blueprint. With something that big he wanted an idea of where he was going. Quick works for solid structures or temporary ones. This he wanted to get right.

“AL!” The word echoed through Edward’s mind as he fell. Had it worked? Was Al back in his body? No chance to find out...Ed was back at the Gate. All around him was black...clawing, grasping black hands and those damned weird eyes. Again, Edward found himself in front of the gate and again it had demanded a price. His life for his brother’s and it was an easy trade. The only problem was he didn’t stop at the Gate. Edward wasn’t quite dead yet and it was starting to bother him.

“Think...what happ...” Before he could finish the thought a blinding white line opened in the blackness around him. Slowly it began to widen, as if watching the Gate open from the other side and again Edward found himself falling. It seemed as if he would fall forever in this blinding white. Unfortunately for Ed, the concrete he found himself on had different ideas. “Ow!” As the boy was picking himself up and checking for injuries he was also observing his surroundings.

It was dark, but not quite as dark as the Gate. Stone floor...check. Correction, MOVING stone floor. "I hope I didn't do that!" As the ground beneath him continued to rock, Ed slowly went on with his survey of the area. Man made walls, some thirty feet in each direction, and a few catwalks near a high vaulted ceiling. “I must be in some kind of warehouse. Alright, let’s get a bit of light and see what I'm working with,” there was a sharp CLAP! as Ed brought his hands together sharply, then slapped them down on the floor in front of himself. A flood of bluish light and a rather large transmutation circle began to etch itself in the floor as the stone began to change into a mix of magnesium and phosphorus. As the circle became complete Edward stepped back and began looking once again at his surroundings, now illuminated in the bright flame that was coming to life behind him.

[[Anyone in about a one block radius would notice a large flash of blueish light that quickly fades and is replaced by the rather unique white/red of a road flare on a massive scale pouring through the large windows of a warehouse. The light is accompanied by the sound of a magnesium/phosphor fire]]

It'd become a strange sort of routine to sit on the floor against the wall her studio flat shared with Aidan's one-bedroom next door. Months ago, the rattling of the wall would tell her that he was in, and that he was struggling. Now, it was always quiet -- all the better for her to wrestle with the question she still couldn't answer for herself: Why hadn't she called Peter in the wilds? What was it that kept her from making reasonable decisions? And how could she avoid such foolishness in the future?

Peter was an ever-present force in her head, now, but he was letting her work this question out for herself. When she nudged a thought or perspective his way, he seemed to make only the mildest of judgments on it -- as if he knew something, but wanted her to work it out for herself. It was maddening.

When the shaking started, her heart leaped -- not out of fear, but out of a wholly irrational excitement. She knew Aidan wasn't in the next room, but for the first moment, she imagined...

And the second second, she was getting to her feet. Earthquake? It must be. Her duffel bag from her journey had been re-packed one night after she returned from finding Aidan. In it were supplies she'd found useful. Now, her thought was to add a few more pieces of clothing that would serve as makeshift bandages or just extra warmth for someone who needed it. She grabbed another pair of shoes - well-worn sandals - and threw them in before another hard shaking knocked her sprawling across her bed.

Without thinking about it, she knew that Peter was occupied at the hospital -- but wordless urging pushed her up again. He wanted her out, he wanted her safe. Evey wanted that too, and her mouth went twistingly wry as she lurched against the wall and used it for support. The front door was surprisingly far away. She'd made it to the couch just as a familiar person walked right through the wall beside her front door.

"What th--!" Another hard tremor sent her careening against the couch she'd just passed. This was ridiculous!