IC Contact

[a_sin_for_him]

You've reached Lust. I'm not available at the moment, please leave a message.

If it's important enough, I'll get back to you.

Comments

[Text] May 11th

[wing_attack]

Did you know?

The word "nerd" was first coined by Dr. Seuss in "If I Ran the Zoo."

The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets.

The elephant is the only animal with 4 knees.

Paraskavedekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th.

I know way too many random facts and I'm bored.

[Text]

[a_sin_for_him]

I think you sent this to the wrong person.

Are you looking for Henry? This sounds like a Henry conversation.

voice;

[fourwayconnection]

[This comes in the middle of the night, when no reasonable person should be awake, but apparently Kirikou missed that memo.]

Hey Lust, do you read a lot?

voice;

[a_sin_for_him]

[Lust is well used to random calls and texts at all hours of the night. Hr voice is only vaguely thick as she responds.]

Hello, Kirikou.

I do, actually. I quite enjoy reading.

[envy_the_sinners]

[In the wee hours of the morning of June 6th, Lust will receive this treasure:]



[No explanation provided. Just the picture. Why? Who knows how Amit's mind works.]

voice

[envy_the_sinners]

[It's early evening when Scar sends a voice message. She's always quite quick to return these, anyway.]

I have a place, now.

[And a job, but it doesn't cross his mind to mention that.]

voice

[a_sin_for_him]

Oh?

[She hasn't brought it up again, but she's inwardly relieved.]

How do you like it?

[text | probably at like 2 in the morning]

[exeggutorhead]

the head bone's connected to the neck bone

[exeggutorhead]

the neck bone's connected to the neck bone

[video]

[dangerousidol]

[Rise pops up on the screen, a Larvitar peeking over her shoulder.]

Hi Lust! I'm Rise! I know we only talked once, and I don't even know what you look like, but anyways!

[She smiles and holds up an mp3 player.]

I'm wondering if you ever found any drama CD's. If not, I've got an mp3 player right here that has a ton of them on here. I can send it to you if you'd like!

[video]

[a_sin_for_him]

[Lust is in the middle of a post-break-up drinking binge, and stares blearily and tearily at the video that pops up on her open 'gear. She's been looking at her meager collection of pictures of Scar. She can't even begin to comprehend it.]

....what?

[video; 8/21]

[gemofthedeep]

[Lapis hasn't talked to Lust since that night Lust had contacted her and acted all... weird. She wasn't sure how her friend was now, but if she was anything like Lapis and the other long-lived members of her race, she probably hasn't given up whatever funk she was in.

She probably needed cheering up, and while Lapis probably isn't the best person to do that, she has to try.]

Hey, Lust!

[The camera is unusually close to Lapis's smiling face, but she doesn't seem to notice.] I don't know if it's the same by you, but it got really cold here the past couple of days. It's not so bad, because I finally got to wear this!

[The camera pulls back, revealing the two-toned blue scarf that Lust had given her at the beginning of her stay, wrapped snugly around her neck]

It's perfect, see?

[video]

[a_sin_for_him]

[For the last couple of weeks, Lust has only been answering calls from Envy and ignoring the communication aspect of her 'gear entirely otherwise. She's found herself sunk into a listless and apathetic state for most of the time. It's punctuated by bouts of guilty sorrow and bitter frustration at camping and trekking about.]

[When she sees a call from Lapis, though, she hesitates only a few moments before flicking on the feed. She looks tired and pale and worn, lacking makeup and sporting unbrushed hair in a messy braid. Something softens around her eyes when she sees the other woman.]

It looks quite nice. I'm glad.

[Her voice is strained and tired, as well. But it's sweet of Lapis to contact her like this.]

The cold is here, too.

[video | morning of 8/20]

[exeggutorhead]

[Envy usually calls later on in the day than this, but today is...kind of a special case.]

Hey, you awake yet? Is it snowing where you are too?

[YOU GUYS DIDN'T FREEZE IN THE NIGHT, RIGHT? He sighs, trying not to look too overly worried. Traveling in snow can get bad, he's learned that firsthand.]

Can't believe we're getting snow two summers in a row, it's ridiculous.

[video]

[a_sin_for_him]

[Lust has been dozing listlessly when Envy's call comes in. She rolls over, bundled against the sudden surprising cold, and picks up her 'gear.]

It is.

[Video] [Backdated to Aug 30]

[rocketralph]

Hey, pal, you in town? Y'know that junkshop by the gym--the gym for people? Whole place has been turned into some kind of a sports bar-type-deal. Ruined the whole street.

Wouldn't recommend workin' out down there until the hype's cleared out.

[a_sin_for_him]

I'm not, actually. I've been on...I loathe to call it vacation, we barely began before the snow came.

[Now that things have settled, Lust's far more inclined to answer her 'gear. She finds herself pleasantly surprised to hear from Ralph.]

That sounds miserable. Why would anyone do that to a perfectly good junkshop?

action | 9-19

[envy_the_sinners]

A day of all the formalities and difficulties that came with moving in had distracted Scar from thinking about the conversation he had overheard on the network, yesterday.

He had known it to be almost inevitable, but he had at least hoped that it wouldn't be Roy Mustang of all the military to show up. He knew that there had been others, some for more lengthy time, some for only a few days, but the mere thought of the Flame Alchemist invading this one escape...

Scar didn't deserve to be here, anyway, he knew that. It had been a struggle, as of late, to bring himself to even function in this world because of it. And even if he did deserve all of this, he couldn't force himself to enjoy it, or to even want to be here, regardless of the undeniable alternative. On the outside looking in, things were better than they had been. He and Lust were managing some form of proper relationship in the wake of their mistakes. Even he could see that. They had found a seemingly viable solution to Scar's inability to keep to one place (another thing that was his fault). Amit was getting along with Lust, now. He didn't have to deal with going to that wretched house. Even Keshet was starting to emerge from her anxious shell.

But Scar was still listless. He spent less of his days angry, now, and that would have been a good thing if he knew how to fill the void it left in its wake. There was nothing to fuel him, now. Nothing to distract him from dark stray thoughts and the memories that constantly prodded at the back of his mind.

Their apartment was sparsely furnished. Lust said she would purchase new things, but Scar didn't particularly care. The floors creaked, many of the doors could use to be reset, the cabinets needed fixing. That could come at a later time. Scar was settled on the couch, for the moment, his mind caught in a loop that always came back to Roy Mustang is here. He eventually spoke up.

"I saw the Flame Alchemist on the video network, yesterday." A hot bubble of rage rose in his throat upon voicing it. If anyone deserved to be here less than Scar...

[a_sin_for_him]

"He's here now?" Lust was heating up some rice and vegetables she'd picked up earlier - she wasn't about to try and put together something on the same day they were setting the damn place up. It was cheap rent, but it was also something of a 'fix up' as they said. But Scar could do that, he'd probably enjoy it.

But now there was the matter of the alchemist. She hadn't been paying much attention to the network, she'd missed that little bit of news. She turned from the stove top to look to Scar. She had no personal feelings about Mustang herself, but she knew full well his.

"Do you know if it's ours, or the other one?" Since apparently there were two of everyone, in some other world that was almost just like theirs but not quite.

action - night before Lust leaves for Goldenrod

[envy_the_sinners]

It was the evening before Lust was set to leave for Goldenrod. Scar had just been starting to settle into the idea of living in the same place as her, and now she had to go return her job at the circus. It didn't really matter. For the longest time, they had kept in touch solely through the video chat function. He had a lot left to do around the cottage.

Now that he was faced with it, though, he didn't really want her to leave.

They hadn't verbally agreed upon it, but curling up on the couch for the night felt like the right thing to do. They had picked out a movie to stream and settled in with snacks after the Pokémon fell asleep. Scar was only half paying attention to the movie. This was really just time to relax with Lust, for him.

"Could you... pass me that?" He spoke up quietly as he reached across Lust for the popcorn.

[a_sin_for_him]

"Hmm? Oh. Here." Lust shifted slightly and offered him the bowl. They hadn't been sharing this space very long, but already it felt so normal and natural. But she had to go back to work, October was one of the circus's busiest seasons, plus there was the Haunted House. And there was Wrath to tend to, and the Eeveelutions. Somehow, at some point she couldn't even remember, she'd stumbled into a very full life.

But it meant taking a break from this. Scar wasn't comfortable in Goldenrod - well, specific parts of it - right now and the cottage needed work anyway. That had been the plan from the beginning, dividing her time between Goldenrod and here.

She pressed a little bit closer.

Halloween night

[envy_the_sinners]

At least Halloween hadn't been ruined.

It was good to be able to talk again. Good that he no longer had to cook for the entirety of Shark House. Scar could recede back into Lust's room for a night of quiet and watch the Trick or Treaters skitter by from the window. Lust had promised Wrath she would take him out. Scar's face softened at the thought. She was much better with him now than she had been. It had only taken some understanding and some... debrainwashing.

He wanted to leave this place soon. This most recent visit had been yet another unpleasant experience, though it was through no fault of anyone here. Scar was ready for the quiet, again. But that also would mean leaving Lust behind, and... what time they had been able to spend together since being here had been broken and unenjoyable thanks to that damn Diglett-Espurr creature.

Scar settled on his cot with a book, back propped against the wall as he waited for Lust to return.

[a_sin_for_him]

Lust begged out of Halloween festivities early. The others were more than enough to finish up, and while they were out the house would be mostly empty. Just her and Scar. After the week they'd had, she just wanted to curl up with him and relax.

So she was home and up the stairs halfway through the night, in a black sweater and orange leggings for the holiday. And a bag of candy, because why should the children be the only ones benefiting?

"I couldn't take another block," she said as she came into her bedroom. "Wrath's having the time of his life." She glanced into her bag. "Would you like my granola bars?"

Those were hardly in the spirit of the season.

[text]

[exeggutorhead]

[It's a little while before noon when Lust's 'Gear pings with a new message.]

Guess what today is

IMAGE ATTACHED: happybirthday.gif

[text]

[a_sin_for_him]

What in god's good name???

text

[shatterings]

[ Shortly after Lust's thank you post shows up on the network, she'll find something waiting for her in her inbox: a drawing of her and Guttle. ]

Happy birthday. I know it's not much, but I hope you like it.

- Naminé

text

[a_sin_for_him]

Thank you. It's appreciated. You're quite talented.

action

[envy_the_sinners]

Scar, in his relieved exhaustion following the battle, had not bothered to sort though his things. He did as usual in Goldenrod, wandering the city during the day, sometimes alone, sometimes with his Pokémon.

So it wasn't until several days later that he discovered a slip of photo paper in his bag.

Scar had not seen his brother's face in more than ten years. It had faded from memory. Warped, lost detail, become faint. It only came flooding back when Scar stared at the color photo of the other man, smiling like he had been alive yesterday.

It had been several months since Scar had fled without a trace, but he was breaking that streak tonight. His 'gear was turned off. His Pokémon were left at the house. He couldn't deal with it, especially not with other people around. Scar curled up deep in a familiar alleyway, nothing on his person but the photo clutched tightly in his hands. The guilt was physically sickening, especially after what had happened between him andown Lust the other night. His eyes burned, his stomach kept flipping over. It was a jarring and sudden reminder that the past was not truly gone. That he still held onto its burdens and responsibilities.

He owed him a thousand apologies. And he could never make up for the life he was living, now.

[a_sin_for_him]

It wasn't like Scar to be unreachable anymore. He hadn't fled, his things and his Pokemon were still here. But he wasn't.

It was the only reason Lust roused Amoz and had the houndour track him down. Her mind went to the worst possibilities - he was hurt, something had happened....

She was a bit startled when Amoz finally whined, and sure enough, there was Scar, in an alley. She frowned, concerned - though relieved he didn't seem to be hurt.

"Scar...?"

Backdated to Halloween morning/noon

[garbagechild]

So people just give you candy.

_{[It's the fourth time he's repeated it, and he still sounds dubious.]}

They don't chase you away with a broom, they just answer the door and give you candy.

_{[He's standing in the kitchen, where he'd been told to await help with a 'costume' for 'trick-or-treating'. Joker had explained a certain amount of Halloween to him, but the big fancy circus with all its surprises and friends seemed like a much more realistic place to go for free treats (at least when you're Wrath and are generally adored by the troupe) than up to random peoples' doors.]}

[a_sin_for_him]

It's a holiday tradition. A very long time ago, people were very frightened of ghosts and spirits and demons. So children dressed up like them and went round to people's homes, and were given sweets and trinkets. To appease the real ghosts.

[Lust has only a tenuous grasp on the history of Halloween, but this all sounds right to her. She's more concerned with what to do Wrath up as.]

Now it's simply a fun thing for children. So let's get you ready. Do you want to look spooky or silly?

Delivery - 11/18

[pipers_son]

[Sent to Homunculus House, there are two items for Lust. One of the is a postcard from the Museum of Science. The other?]

[A choker that is both elegant and macabre.]

[On the postcard, Joker has written in his rather nice handwriting, "Happy Birthday! Sorry it was late. None of the amber jewelry had fossils in them so I decided they were rubbish. Cheers, Joker."]

video | January 29th

[exeggutorhead]

[Today has been...interesting so far, and not all that pleasant. But still, there's things that need to get done today. Namely, that he and Lust agreed yesterday to practice some of their new routine today, and honestly it's really difficult to talk much while actively practicing. And not talking much sounds fantastic.]

Hey, Lust? You still up for practicing today? I can meet you at the circus, I'm already practically halfway there.

Video

[a_sin_for_him]

Oh, yes, practice. I'll meet you there.

[Envy's not the only one having a strange day. Lust almost feels like she's tipsy, except the only effect is a loosening of her tongue. It's maddening.]

[But they need to practice, and it's only Envy.]

[action, Feb 19th]

[garbagechild]

HELLOOOUW?

<sub>[Not unlike a Meowth trying to enter the house with a live Dedenne in its jaws, Wrath sometimes announces his entrances.]

[Fortunately, he's not usually carrying anything living in his mouth.]



[Most of the time.]</sub>

[a_sin_for_him]

In the living room!

[Lust's brushing the house Eevees. Specifically the Flareon she's taken to calling Rioja - Rio for short. She's found herself kissing her Pokemon affectionately throughout the day, but she'd rather subject them to it than all and sundry.]

[Especially after her encounter with Henry.]

Wipe your feet if they're dirty!

February 25th

[garbagechild]

<sub>[When it comes to sleeping, Wrath honestly could wind up anywhere.]

[He has a bunk at the HQ, he has sleeping nooks aplenty in the house, and hell if it came right down to it and the weather was nice, he has no issue just sleeping OUTSIDE somewhere. Because why not! He spent like three weeks in the woods when he was born, he's plenty used to curling up on a cozy patch of moss or up in a tree.]

[Tonight, though, he's in the house.]

[More specifically, he's curled up in a ball on top of the fridge, a place he had to scuffle with at least two Pokemon for.]

[But despite the safety of his spot, slumber isn't holding any peace for him tonight.]



[The silence of the house is shattered by a hoarse, piercing scream.]</sub>


MOMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!

[a_sin_for_him]

[Lust sleeps deeper now than she used to. Her homes are comfortable and familiar. Scar beside her in bed is comforting and soothing. So are her Pokemon. She's actually relaxed when she's in bed. It's a safe place.]

[But the shriek cuts through her dreaming slumber like a knife. It bypasses her controlled surface thoughts, all those parts of the mind she's well aware of. It cuts right through to something deeper, something instinctual and not born of thoughts at all. She's up in a flash, struggling into her robe as she stumbles out the door without a word to her startled Pokemon and likely equally startled Scar.]

[It doesn't quite register just what's happening. Not all the implications of it. Only that Wrath is in trouble of some sort and that alone spurs her to thoughtless action. She follows the sound of the panicked scream, not surprised or bothered to find it coming from the kitchen.]

[There's nothing amiss...save for Wrath himself. On top of the refrigerator. They really need to get him a proper bed.]

Wrath, Wrath, shhhh. [Her voice is soothing but muddled with sleep. Her robe is askew and she hasn't bothered with her slippers.] It's alright...

[It hasn't quite sunk in, that he'd called for his mother and she'd come running from a dead sleep.]

[Action, 7/25]

[garbagechild]

<sub>[There is not a single closet in the house that is safe from Wrath.]

[Short of using an actual padlock, he can and will get into any small confined space that might have the slightest possibility of containing a toy, trinket, or object of interest. ... And when you're Wrath, objects of interest is a group that includes just about anything.]

[There are ominous thumping noises coming from upstairs, in Lust's room.]

[He's at it again.]</sub>

[a_sin_for_him]

[Odd noises in her room isn't that odd. Considering her collection of Pokemon, it's amazing Lust doesn't open her bedroom door to some manner of disaster every day.]

[But she can't remember leaving any Pokemon in her bedroom. She frowns at the door as she sets down her basket of laundry in the hallway. There are a number of options as to what could be making that thumping noise.]

[Guttle is right beside her, so that knocks out option number one. With a not-terribly-annoyed sigh, she opens her bedroom door.]

I'd better not find anything broken in here...

audio;

[secondhandsome]

[This is not a call he was expecting to make. Especially not for... this reason. But here he is anyway, calling Lust. Actually initiating a conversation with her himself.

Funny how life works out.]

--Oh, wait, is it already connected... oh geez... [...He still isn't really used to how Gears work compared to ECHO technology. It just feels so off.] So... Hey, Lust. Uh, this is Jack... Hope I'm not bothering you or anything by calling.

audio;

[a_sin_for_him]

[Well, that's a bit of a surprise. Lust had been meaning to call the man anyway, to discuss possible plot ideas...]

Hello, Mr. Jack.

You aren't bothering me at all. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?

[Action] Sep 2nd

[no_ufo_ending]

_{[The front door opens with such force that the knob makes a dent in the wall. One of many. Henry stalks through the kitchen with his community service vest still on. In his arms are two things--wooden planks and a hammer. Nails rattle in his pockets.]}

[a_sin_for_him]

[What in the world...?]

[Lust's startled out of dozing by the loud recoil of the door against the wall. She jumps up, beckoning her Houndoom to stay at her side...]

[Henry, looking ready to begin household remodeling, is not what she expects to see.]

What in the world...?

[She can't even begin to concoct a guess at an explanation.]

VOICE [Sept 13th, late at night]

[rocketralph]

<sub>[Ralph hasn't been around for their work-outs for weeks now. In fact, he hasn't been around at all. And then, one night out of the blue, a call lights up Lust's Poke'Gear.]

[The wrecker's voice is thick and slow--slurred from exhaustion, drink, and what could possibly be tears. The calls of night-time Pokemon can be heard in the background. He is not in the city.]</sub>

L-lust? Are you around? I gotta--I gotta talk to ya about somethin'.

Voice

[a_sin_for_him]

[Luckily - for a degree of 'luck' - Lust hasn't been sleeping well or deeply of late. She's awake, trying to distract herself from everything with piecing together scripts, and she grabs her 'gear as soon as she hears the alert.]

[She's not expecting to hear from Ralph. He's been hermitting or some such, and being prone to that herself, she hasn't gone out of her way to contact him yet. She's glad it hasn't come to that, but he...does not sound well.]

I'm here.

What's wrong?

[action | September 16th]

[exeggutorhead]

[It's been about seven months since Envy and Heather started dating. And while they've definitely been good, they've also been seven months of secrets, of sneaking around, and worrying. And he and Heather have kept it up! Until just the other day, when Henry had found out.]

[And it had been hard, coming back from the total freedom of being out on the road alone and back to stealing time and affection where they could manage it. Especially considering the rest of...everything going on right now. After Henry's discovery, there had been a Talk. Lust has been doing much better than she was when they first frantically realized that they'd have to keep things on the down low. It's been a secret long enough.]

[Envy's the one to go and look for his sister sometime in the early evening; they'd figured that it'd be easier for him to tell her on his own. He knocks on her door, thinking that's probably where she is.]

Hey, Lust? You in there?

[a_sin_for_him]

Mmhmm!

[Lust is on her bed, looking over her notes for possible script ideas. Avalon, her shiny Altaria is perched on her head, also looking at the notebook in her hands, like some sort of elaborate cloud bird hat. She's helping!]

Come in.