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

[courageous_wit]

It's a pleasure to meet you in person. I'm Hermione Granger, but you can just call me Hermione.

[snacklist]

It's nice to meet you too, Hermione. Would you like to come in?

[courageous_wit]

Oh! Yes, thank you.

[snacklist]

[He steps aside to let her in, gesturing to the chair.]

Um, can I get you anything?

[courageous_wit]

No, that's all right. But if I may ask, do all alchemists in your world wear armor?

[snacklist]

No, it's... a hobby.

[courageous_wit]

I see.

So! Alchemy. It isn't practiced much anymore in my world, but it's a fascinating subject.

[snacklist]

Why isn't it practised any more?

[courageous_wit]

It started to dwindle as modern chemistry took its place. It's not even taught in school anymore except in History of Magic.

[snacklist]

But... chemistry is the basis for alchemy, not the other way around.

[courageous_wit]

[thinks about this] Does the name Nicholas Flamel sound familiar to you?

[snacklist]

Um, no... sorry.

[courageous_wit]

He was a famous alchemist in my world.

[and a thought] Are you able to perform alchemy here?

[snacklist]

[He doesn't see any reason why not... taking a step back from her, he claps his hands together and the floor glows brightly as the stone shifts and becomes a spear in his hands.]

Yep!

[courageous_wit]

[that... was not what she expected. She examines the spear thoughtfully]

Anyone in your world can do that?

[snacklist]

...Oh, no. Just alchemists, there's not that many of us and it takes a lot of study.

[courageous_wit]

But what I mean is, do you inherit the skill or could anyone learn?

[snacklist]

I think it's inherited, but some people can just... learn. Not everyone can, though.

[courageous_wit]

[she nods, making a mental note to hunt down books on the subject. Yay for living right next to the library]

Well, you showed me alchemy so it's only fair I show you my magic. Let me see....

[she whips out her wand and gives a flick to levitate her journal in the air]

[snacklist]

[He jolts in surprise, staring.]

How--?!

[courageous_wit]

It's magic! A different kind than that of Paradisa, naturally. [she floats the journal down until it's back in her hand again]

[snacklist]

Wow... I've never seen real magic before.

[Only fake magic, like Father Cornello.]

[courageous_wit]

You'll see it quite often now that you're here.

[snacklist]

That's amazing.

But... it ignores the rules of equivalent exchange, is it safe?

[courageous_wit]

Of course it's safe. I've been practicing magic since I was eleven. [she has a thoughtful look on her face, though. She has the weird feeling she's read about equivalent exchange somewhere, maybe]