The house is really dirty...

[carduus]

He looks out of the widow through stacks of books and rolled up array designs. Watches the happenings in the courtyard located in an enclosed area of his residence. Nina plays with Alexander, just like he had sent her to.

“Alexander is lonely”

And she, like the good daddy’s girl, obeyed. He couldn’t help but smile. His good girl. His good Nina.

He walked – well, more ‘swam’- through the mess in his study room to get to a book on the bookshelves opposite. He really ought to clean a bit… since there is no woman in the house to do it. He quickly pushed that thought aside.

Two years… sometimes it still brought back memories. He drowned them in the pages of the book. There’s no time for them. He has to do his work – be the Sewing Life Alchemist.

He felt lonely.

[Ling Yao]

Al was standing next to Mr.Tucker's door. He knocked on it and waited. There was dead silence. Maybe they aren't at home.

[carduus]

Some more silence, but then thrilled laughter and dog's barking is heard from behind the doors. A small girl's high pitched voice rips through the silence in excited expectations:

"DADDY! SOMEBODY IS AT THE DOOR! DADDY!"

More barking is heard and scratching of paws on the massive wood of the entrance doors.

It takes a few more moments before the door opens, first a crack then just fall open by the sheer force of the dog pouncing out and welcoming the guest in its familiar fashion - however, it's hard to knock Al over, thus he just wags its tail and sniffs around.

Tucker stands there, with a slight glimpse of surprise passing over his features: "Ah, Alphonse?"

Nina shrieks in childish joy and dives onto him: "BIG BROTHER HAS COME!"

[Ling Yao]

Al said "Uh" when Alexander jumped over him. It was really difficult to balance but he coped.
"Hello Mr.Tucker. Hi Nina" he turned to Nina and gave has a wide smile.
"Nina. I have brought you a cat. Do you like cats? Here take it." Al handed the black cat to Nina.
"Mr.Tucker we were going to the HQ but I though I'd stop by."

[emelie]

Winrey followed Al into the house. She felt a little awkward since no one noticed she was there. They probably couldn't even see me behind Al's huge armor. She laughed to her self ans she stepped around Al's big frame.
"Hello Mr. Tucker. My name is Winrey Rockbell, I am a good friend of Ed's and Al's. It's nice to finally meet you, Al talks about you often." Winrey introduced her self and reached out to shake his hand.

[carduus]

Nina accepted the cat with surprise mirroring in her eyes, but then smiled with that satisfaction children display while being gifted with something - showing that they are glad somebody remembered them and cared enough to bring a present.

Tucker eyes the cat more on the biological scale of the matter - must be also due to the stuff he has been reading beforehand. He says in a voice away from reality while thinking of possible arrays in his head, his round glasses reflect light and thus cover his glazed over eyes: "Oh sure, Alphonse... do come in" But in his thought he doesn't step aside.

Alexander goes crazy, but a brief high-pitched scolding from Nina cuts him off.

Tucker snaps out from the world of arrays and transmutations when Winrey appears from behind Al and offers him her hand. He blinks in brief disorientation at the happenings: "Ah," Quickly smiles and shakes her hand, "Welcome and do come in..."

He finally steps aside and allows them into the building: "Ah just, do excuse the mess..."

Nina, holding the cat close to herself eyes Winrey and then smiles: "If you are big and small brother's friend, you are my friend too."

[emelie]

Hmm, I am guessing he is a little scatterbrained judging by how he keeps dazing out and the look of his house but he seems pretty nice.
And his daughter is so adorable!
Winrey crouched down to Nina's height.
"You must be Nina. Aren't you the cutest little girl ever!" She gave Nina big smile and followed Al into the house.

[Ling Yao]

Al sees the mess all around Mr.Tucker's table. It looks like he was making new designs of arrays. "Mr.Tucker what have you been researching lately?"
Something in the drawings caught Al's attention. The array look like a human stansmutation sircle, but it was't . It was very misterious array. It looked like this:



"Mr.Tucker. What is this array? What is it's function?"

[emelie]

Winrey followed Al and Mr. Tucker around the house looking at all of his experiments, it was all sort of boring to her. There weren't any fancy mechanical items or automail. She sighed. When they got to his table, she could tell something there had Al concerned by the sound of his voice. She looked at the table and recognized the circles. These look simlar to the the circles Al and Ed used to use when they were younger to do their alchemy except different. I wonder why Al is so concerned about these circles?

[carduus]

Nina tugs along with the cat and Alexander tugs on behind her.

Tucker picked up some books matter-of-factly along the way. He stops when Al asks his question, turns abruptly on his heel and strides to the table where he drops the books onto a pile with a bit of a louder bang than he actually intended. But his voice is surprisingly calm to the action beforehand:

"This is a very interesting piece. Very interesting indeed. I am still conducting some research on it..."

[Ling Yao]

"Ah Mr.Tucker. My brother and I will want to look into this later. He's at the HQ" Wonder why it takes so much time for brother to arrive. Maybe The Colonel has something important for him.

[carduus]

His lips form a thin line and he shakes his head in denial: "That's not possible."

Changes the topic while rolling the designs into tubes and placing them into a separate box with several heavy and old looking tomes: "How have you been lately?"

[emelie]

Winrey yawned. This is getting so boring. I don't understand much of what they are talking about. I think I would rather be with Ed, then I could be tinkering with his automail.She smiled at that thought. Besides its like I am not even here. She sighed.
"Hey Al, I think I am go and see if Ed is waiting for us outside HQ. That's where he said he would meet us and knowing him he is probaby getting worried what is taking us. You can stay here if you want to talk to Mr. Tucker, I will keep Ed busy. His automail probably needs to be tightened anyway. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Tucker. Bye Nina, I hope you have fun with your new kitty."
She waved good bye as she headed out the door.

[Ling Yao]

"Uh, Winry. Go if you want but tell brother to come here. I want to show him something"
*Waves to Winry*

[carduus]

Wonders whatever Al wants to show Ed, because there is NOTHING here for showing...

Nina makes a displeased whine when Winrey wants to leave, but otherwise does not strain the situation further.

Tucker looks at Winrey: "Um... bad host am I... I do apologize, miss Winrey. You may return with Edward, if you wish. I may think of making some food later... if more would be interested in a dinner..."

With that he smiles slightly and looks towards Al in expectations of an answer to his previous question.

[Ling Yao]

Hm Mr.Tucker feels somehow uneasy about something. I have to find out what is it that makes him uneasy and why.
Al waves to Winry as she leaves. He looks at Nina and smiles again. Can't wait to tell brother about the discovery.
"Oh yes, thank you Mr.Tucker for asking how it was going. Well we didn't have much success yet. We are still looking for the way to get our bodies back. Maybe you know something?"

[AG]

Ed lead Winrey and Black Hayate to Tucker's house. He looked at little Hayate, "He will love Alexander, or at least Alexander will love him." Ed laughed as he looked back to Winrey. He reached the door and knocked a couple of times before slowly opening the door. "Al, are you still here?" He asked as he walked farther into the house.

[Chip]

Black Hayate followed close behind Ed on the journey through the city, watching everything that went on around him. When they arrived at the house, the small dog looked around apprehensively. He could smell another dog lived here, an if he had to guess, Hayate would've guessed a large dog. He peeked his hea between Ed's legs an into the house. He let out a quiet, curious "rour" that echoed into the house.

[Ling Yao]

"Ah, Brothyer has come. Let's meet him Mr.Tucker"
Al heard a roar. It was Black Hayate? What is he doing here?

[AG]

Ed saw Al approach them from another room. "There you are Al, sorry it took so long. Mustang had some stupid tasks for me." He said, "I am still on dog watch, so we brought him here. We were supposed to bring him to the park, would all of you like to come? Alexander and Hayate could play with Nina together." He offered.