[ VIDEO/ACTION | OPEN ]

[ohthehughesmanity]

Video leaving the Bay
[Maes Hughes has accepted the fact that this is the end. Some shapeshifting freak is pointing a gun to his chest disguised as his wife and he just can’t bring himself to harm them even though he knows it’s not her. So this is how it’s going to end, huh...

The next thing he knows, he’s in some weird… thing in some weird place and he really has no idea what’s going on. He figures this must be the afterlife (not at all what he pictured, really) until he watches the video - and boy wasn’t that a trip - and reads over the info that was provided in the Bay. It was all very troubling, really, but since never in his wildest dreams would he be able to come up with this kind of tech he has to assume this is actually real and he’s not dead.

Well, there’s some good news at least.

He fumbles around with the device for a few minutes and has an uncharacteristically serious face on when he finally figures out how to work it and get the video feed up on his way to Genessia City.]

My name is Lieutenant Colonel Hughes and I have just one question:

[He stares hard before he’s suddenly the picture of absolute adoration as he whips photographs seemingly out of thin air and holds them in front of his face.]

Have you seen my baby girl? Her name is Elicia, she’s three years old, and she’s just the cutest little girl on the planet! Look at her, isn’t she stunning? And she’s smart, too! Why just the other day…

[Either mute your devices or interrupt him, people. There’s no limit as to how long he can talk on this subject (or how many pictures he has).]

Action in Genessia City
[Hughes is very certain that the intro video did not mention a single thing about monsters. He’s going to be having words with these Schnees about this. But that’s for later. For now, he lodges a knife square in the face of a… whatever that thing is before he ducks for cover behind a car.]

What the hell is going on? First that… thing and now this? Just where the hell am I?

[He pokes his head out and sees that the coast is clear before he runs another burst down the street towards the Guardian Office. He figures he can get some answers there and maybe help out, but it looks like he’ll have to fight his way there. He’s decent enough in a war, but for this? He could probably use some help.]

Comments

video

[his_queen]

[No. No no no... it can't be. Riza just stares for a few minutes at the video, first in shock, then fear, then sadness and anger combined, and replies when she regains her composure.]

Stop.

Just... stop. Whoever you are, you aren't Hughes.

This is a sick joke, and it's not funny.

Video | so much for a happy reunion!

[ohthehughesmanity]

[A friendly face! Or, well, he thought it was going to be but then Hawkeye just had to be a Debbie Downer over there. His expression of joy quickly turns to shock.]

What? Of course it's me; who else would I - Oh, I get it, you know about the shapeshifter, too? Then I'll just have to...

[Well, that's going to make things difficult. After all, the only reason he had known it wasn't Ross was...

Wait a minute.

The thing turned into Ross. Into Gracia. And then... what? He remembers the barrel of the gun, the actual terror he felt, and then... then he was here. Riza was here too, and from the looks of it, she arrived before him, so why was she so adamant that it wasn't him? He racks his brain. If this place takes people from all different places, then could they take them from different times? So if he was taken, then he must be missing back home. And she must be from after he went missing.

Unless... had the gun gone off? He can't remember.

Ross. Gracia. No one around.

Fuck.

His expression slowly changes as he thinks this through. Perplexed. Sharp. Focused.

Empty.

He closes his eyes for a moment, taking it all in, before opening them and slowly meeting hers. He can figure out how to convince her later; he has more pressing matters on his mind.]

Is my family okay? That thing knew who I was. It took the form of Gracia. Are they...?

Video | she just wants to make sure it's really her future bro-in-law xD

[his_queen]

....

Before I answer, I need to know it's really you.

[She searched the video feed for his eyes, then his face, attempting to try and find anything off or different in his features. Nothing... it was like he hadn't changed. She didn't know what this world was up to, but was it possible?]

On the final night before the end of that horrific War in Ishval... you, Mustang, and I were playing poker. You made fun of our hands. Why?

[Action]

[koishi_komeiji]

As usual Koishi was near the bay. And, as usual, she floated over to see who had just arrived. Her unconscious nature would keep her cloaked for now... Then again a 4 foot nothing scrawny girl wasn't that intimidating. Even if she was floating and had a weird extra eyeball.

She tilted her head a little, drifting over, hovering above Hughes' shoulder. First one side, then the other, drifting around in front of him and floating backwards. She could appreciate someone wearing that shade of blue. It was quite nice.

She continued like this for several more minutes before she drifted to one side, reaching out and tugging on his sleeve.

"Hey. Hey mister? Can you see me? Can you hear me? Heeeey!" It would work eventually.

[Video]

[chocobosnap]

[There's someone on the screen showing off pictures of his daughter.]

Oh she's so cute!

Re: [Video]

[ohthehughesmanity]

Isn't she? She was cute as a baby and she's only gotten cuter as she's gotten older!

[Video]

[chocobosnap]

Definitely cute.

[He has a soft spot for small children, baby animals, pictures in general...]

[Video]

[rando_dork]

Oh god. You're like my dad when I was younger.

[Video]

[ohthehughesmanity]

[Hughes laughs.] It sounds like your dad cares a lot about you, then. Most people think that it's excessive, but it's something you can't understand until you have kids of your own.

[Video]

[rando_dork]

Yeah, it was a little suffocating at first but I know his heart is in the right place. Now that I've seen you in action I'm starting to think it's just a dad-cop thing.

Action

[borntolove]

[There's a werewolf with peacock style head hair, wearing a tie and red chucks with the toenails popping through the front and stops and looks over but isn't snarling mindless but eyeing curiously]

It's alright. I won't hurt you. Promise.

Action

[ohthehughesmanity]

[Wat.

Seriously, where the fuck is he? He's seen chimeras before, sure, but this goes beyond what even Tucker was able to do.

He keeps a push knife raised, but makes no motion to attack; it's purely self-defense. He'll admit that he's 100% freaked out, but he's also immensely curious.]

What are you?

Re: Action

[borntolove]

[Were! Ten holds his ground and doesn't move any closer - and with a calm voice remarks]

I'm The Doctor. I don't usually look like this. I'm a person but at the moment thar's something going on that's changing some of us into Halloween creatures or showing projections of our worst fear depending on which city you're in.

As far as what I'm am right now - werewolf. Wolf at night and humanoid during the day.

video;

[truesmiles]

Cute kid, though probably not as cute as my kid.

[Okay he doesn't have pictures, but Sakura-chan was adorable, even though she wasn't actually related, he considered her something akin to family.]

video;

[ohthehughesmanity]

Nope, that's impossible! Just look at her: she's even more adorable when she's sad!

Though I can't fault you for considering your own child to be the cutest. Are they here with you?

action;

[growsveggies]

[Haru walked through Genessia, her clothing much more suited to having her succubus wings and tail, dealing with the monsters that went bump in the night when she was able. As she turned the corner, she paused for a moment. It seemed like someone was running and she was quick enough to wave her hand.]

Sir, run into this building. They won't be able to follow you there.

action;

[ohthehughesmanity]

[Hughes looks over at the voice and stops in his tracks. What the hell. Was there no one normal here?

On the plus side, that meant that even though there didn't seem to be any alchemists around, there were people with some sort of freakiness to deal with what was going on, so he's not ashamed to run to the building. No use risking his average-human neck when there are people more equipped to deal with the matter at hand.

He approaches the succubus, albeit cautiously with a push-knife in hand. You never know.]

Is this kind of thing normal around here?

[action]

[helghasten]

[ A stealthed Helghast Colonel was risking himself against monsters as he eyed the man]

"Col. Mael Radec, Let's get you out of here." The stealthed man teleports toward a safe building and nods "This isn't a normal occurrence here, step in a building until it's over."

[action]

[ohthehughesmanity]

[What the fuck. That is some next-level alchemy right there, that's what that is.

Thank goodness. He'll leave this crazy battle to them, then; he's just an average human, after all.]

Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes. [He gives the man a salute.] So you don't normally have monsters terrorizing the place? That's a relief.

[video]

[heptagram]

Hey. Hey! Slow down for a second! Let the interested parties take it in.

It's quite clear that you care greatly about your daughter, sir; does she have someone at home who can look after her in your stead?

[video]

[ohthehughesmanity]

[Hughes lets out a laugh but does stop flicking through them so quickly.
But then she just had to open the floodgates to the other woman whose picture he carries.]

My gorgeous wife is a wonderful mother! She's had to take care of Elicia all on he own when I was assigned on a big case and couldn't come home. My poor baby girl gets so upset when I'm gone for long, though!

video;

[initia_nova]

[That is clearly a man who loves his daughter. Even if he's rambling non-stop about it, Scott thinks it's very sweet.]

I haven't seen your daughter but she's really cute. You could check the CPU of the communicator. If she's here, her name would be listen in the database.

video;

[ohthehughesmanity]

[Hughes actually lowers the photographs. Congratulations, Scott: you've done the impossible.]

I could check the what-now? [He has no idea what a CPU is. The tech here is way beyond what he's used to dealing with.]

[ Video ]

[mortal_son]

[ This guy was going on and on and on, but then again. Even he could admit: ]

... Cute kid.

Re: [ Video ]

[ohthehughesmanity]

Isn't she, though? Just look at her cute little pouty face!