001 Enter the Alchemist

[snacklist]

[Sometime after the initial panic of finding himself in a strange place where books talked at you when you opened them, there were no Homunculi or anyone familiar at all, and... everything ever; much later at night after things have started to sink in, there is a polite sounding voice over the journals after a self conscious throat clearing.]

Good evening! My name is Alphonse Elric and... do any you know Brother? His name is Edward and he's the... [little] ...alchemist with a red coat.

[What more can he really say? This is still so overwhelming and ridiculous.]

...I hope I can meet you all in person soon, talking over... a book seems a bit impersonal for a first meeting. [And then, in case that made anyone think he didn't want to talk now, he hastily added:] But it's nice to meet you anyway.

[ooc: Open to all]

Comments

[bloodsugar]

Sweet tooths find no shortage of entertainment around here, that's for sure... [heh. he'll double back, now...]

...Ah, Al -- you remember how we were talking about 'losses,' earlier?

[snacklist]

Mm. I remember.

[Resisting the urge to pat himself down again.]

[bloodsugar]

Sometimes there are things that happen to groups at one time, like 'losses.' Or things that happen to the entire castle... that even make it mimic other worlds, or places in time.

Some are harmless, but others... [not so much, this face says.]

For that reason, you should be very careful, even when something seems innocent on its face. Listening to the journals when things start changing around here is a very good idea. People are usually quite vocal about discoveries and warning their fellows when problems arise, okay?

[snacklist]

[He's quiet for a moment, trying to take all this in. Someone had to be running this place, and these changes... it sounded like something that could only be done using a Stone.]

...I'll be really careful, I promise.

[bloodsugar]

[a little nod.]

Good...

And-- if you ever need to find me, I run the church in the Satis Tower. I can show you where it is, alright? If I'm not there, my wife or one of the others will probably be able to tell you where to find me if they can't help you themselves.

[snacklist]

Church?

[He's not accidentally falling prey to another false priest, is he?]

I didn't know there were churches here.

[bloodsugar]

Mm! It's similar to a Catholic church, if you've ever seen one? [Amestris; different world -- you know, there might not be a Vatican there.]

[snacklist]

No, sorry.

[The only church he has seen is the one in Lior, and he really hopes Abel doesn't turn out the same way.]

Amestris doesn't have many churches.

[bloodsugar]

Ah! Well. The Holy See is a major power in my world... I work as a priest for the Vatican. But the church here is much more humble... I guess you could just call it a quiet place to worship or seek out some peace of mind. There's really no specific religion tied to it... but people need a place to clear their heads and find some guidance from time to time.

[snacklist]

[That sounds really good, somewhere without pressure that existed to help people in trouble. But... he was wary of the church after Lior, it had taken those in need of guidance, like Rose, and manipulated them.]

I've never heard of the Vatican or the Holy See, we must be from really different worlds. People in Amestris usually live by the laws of Equivalent Exchange... but there are countries that worships Gods.

[Like Ishbal.]

[bloodsugar]

Equivalent Exchange?

[snacklist]

Mm. If you want to make something, then something of equal value has to be given in return... that's how alchemy works! You can't just create something out of nothing.

[bloodsugar]

Hm, I see! That seems like sound logic to me.

[snacklist]

It's all about balance, and the world needs proper balance. That's what alchemy is based on.

[bloodsugar]

What kind of alchemy do you practice exactly, Al? [lots of different kinds, after all... especially in Paradisa.]

[snacklist]

I've studied lots of different types of alchemy, but my specialisation is in battle - offence and defence.

[Though with a much less flashy style than his brother.]

[bloodsugar]

In battle? [he's so young-- then again, so is his brother and he's in the military...]

What kind of combat? [yeah he has no idea what alchemy you're talking about.]

[snacklist]

Um, like fighting?

[What kind of combat does he mean? Guerilla warfare?]

Like this!

[He claps his hands together to make a transmutation circle, the stone from the wall dissolves in bright light to reform as a large flat shield.]

1/2

[bloodsugar]

[...!!!]

[bloodsugar]

[....!!!!!!]

--How did you just--?!

[snacklist]

[He chuckles a little sheepishly.]

With alchemy; I transmuted the material of the wall into something else.

[bloodsugar]

[slkdjf... he... tentatively pokes it OH MY GOD THIS IS COOL.]

...!

[snacklist]

[He hands it off to Abel to inspect.]

I should turn it back into the wall, people might not like there being a hole there now.

[bloodsugar]

You can... d... do that? Just... [wow. he takes it, turning it over in awe. WHOAAAA fanboying you forever AL...]

[snacklist]

[Haha...]

Mm! Transmuting things by alchemical equations is what we do.