[ Of course he's worried. Though his team had escaped the brunt of the punishments, it was a small relief compared to the number of names he recognizes on that list. He grinds his teeth, swallowing down his temper and trying to focus on the bottom line. They're fine. They'd survive this. His tone is still buzzing with agitation, but it's more the usual, directionless anger he has. Hot air. ]
Not for long, because I'm gonna punch you in the throat when you get here. [ .... ] Is someone helping you, at least?
[ because ed is ed enough that maybe he would try to drag himself back. ]
[ Even when weak, the response comes fired up and haughty. ]
Bring it. You know I could kick your ass -- even while like this. [ While, perhaps he isn't quite cocky enough to believe that he could flip Jean in his half-dead state, but he is confident in his ability to win against Jean when it came to mere hand-to-hand combat. The guy relied way too much on his 3DMG.
shut up jean you are also ed enough to do the same thing ] ... Al's here. [ AND CARRYING HIM. But Ed won't admit that. Jean will find out soon enough when they reach medical. ]
by that presumption each person left unharmed agrees with their objectives and each harmed did not
FROM: leonhart.annie@cdc.org
can you say you know how it is the depth of those disagreements were determined
[ because she sure as hell doesn't think it's that simple, not when she sees the names there. even if it had, there needed to be that announced context. what dagger had provided wasn't context; it was a partial apology, and it was also political hot air. punishments are effective when there's a guiding force behind them.
this one is disguised. so it makes her wonder: because if agreeing had been the determining factor, then she'd be as liable to be punished as anyone else. following an objective didn't mean agreeing with it. she knew that intimately. ]
I have every right! 8ecause I don't care, so it doesn't 8other me, and also, you literally never fail to rise to the 88. Have you ever actually considered the fact that maaaaaaaay8e
FROM: serket.vriska@cdc.org
if you stopped presenting such an easy target, we'd all stop giving you such a hard time?
FROM: serket.vriska@cdc.org
8ut all 8ullshitting aside, I'm glad to hear that, Ed.
FROM: serket.vriska@cdc.org
8ut keep in mind that whenever it does happen, dying pro8a8ly won't 8e your choice. No matter how stu88orn or gr8 or awesome you think you are.
[ Yeah well he's not the one whose insides got run through a metaphorical woodchipper so there. Anyway, ed is way more ed than jean is, so he should just shut his fat face up and get to medical.
But thankfully, it sounds like he's got some help. After a few seconds of recollection, mentally going over his file, ]
[ There's still some rustling of leaves in the background, of footsteps on the grassy, macha terrain. ]
We're ... almost there.
[ i dont want to trouble xae by making her join in this thread so we could maybe timeskip to after ed is on the bed and jean is about to treat him?? jean will see al carrying ed to the medical rover. ]
I don't know. It seems so harsh and I'm not sure what lesson we're supposed to take away from this. All we can do is try harder the next time and hope it will be enough.
[But that feels like groping around in the darkness, unsure of what you're supposed to be looking for in the first place and unaware of where the blackness ends and the walls around you begin.]
[ the other option is to protect themselves. find a way to be less vulnerable. another form of life support. ed is so tired of living by the whims of these people. ]
What ...? [ Looking through the cuffs was not his top priority before, but now Ed that he doesn't have to worry about the possibility that he might not make it back to camp, he can investigate. Fishing out his blackglass, he goes through the recent network posts to find that list. ]
No -- [ And a lot of names that he actually recognizes. Ed gets visibly agitated as he continues to go down the list. Garrus, Marco, Tsuna -- There were just too many they had hit. ] This is way too many people! [ He needs to stop, because the exertion conjures up a pang of pain and he clutches at his abdomen. ] How is this right? What did they even do?!
[Just leave the transportation to Al, he'll get them back. Then Ed can worry about everyone else on the list while his brother is fussing over him.
He's quiet when Ed gets riled up by all of the names on the list. Some of those people are those Al has talked to too. They were his friends. Al's worried about them and hopes they stay close to camp so they can receive medical treatment.] I don't know. They all went on the recent mission, though.
[It's the observation he made when looking it over. All of those people had been gone for days at the same time.]
[She scowls and her fists curl up tighter, the automail creaking ever so faintly from the pressure.]
Is that supposed to make me feel better about this?
[It's so frustrating, having so much anger and nowhere to direct it. Even furious as she is she doesn't dare to turn on one of the instructors; even if it was one of them doing this personally she would be flattened before she even could attempts a chance at revenge. And that fact only makes her angrier and more frustrated, everything feeding back in on itself.]
[This is the part where he would rather go and see for himself. But medical is swamped, and he doesn't need to be a doctor's son to knows they don't want or need him underfoot.]
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org get back on your feet.
FROM: jaeger.eren@cdc.org let me know when you're out
[He's got a lot of unkind words about what's happened today. But now's not the time for them.]
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