5 Formulae || Video

[ironysoul]

[The scene is chaotic, to say the least. It seems to be the middle of a battle, and the camera focus is shaky -- but it still manages to center on a large dog, advancing and snarling. In the next moment, a Xingian throwing-knife strikes the dog in the eye, and it transforms, mid leap, into a snarling, androgynous young man.

For several seconds, the camera is too shaky to make out anything, but the audio is still there.]

We'll go after the target.
Colonel!
Alphonse, what are you doing here?
It's related to Mr. Hughes's case, isn't it?
Are you coming?
Yes!

[There's more shouts and some murmuring as the camera stabilizes. Al appears to be in the backseat of a car, leaning forward between the front seats.]

Colonel, I just saw a slender person with long black hair. Uhm, someone who has the ouroboros tattoo. I've run into him once, at the 5th laboratory. I believe his name is Envy. And I met someone called Greed, Envy's comrade, I think, in the south. They were homonculi.

[The camera goes out of focus again as the car nearly skids off the road.]



[OOC:
Al
Roy
Falman/Action]

Comments

[notbritishgdit.livejournal.com]

That was really weird.

What's an homonculi?

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

An alchemical construct. They're supposed to be impossible to create.

[notbritishgdit.livejournal.com]

Like..robots?

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

Not exactly. They're organic, like a chimera, and they're supposed to have supernatural powers. Speed, strength, and so on. But they're completely created with Alchemy, not like a chimera where you take two animals and fuse them together.

[notbritishgdit.livejournal.com]

Why would anybody fuse two animals together? What happens to their souls?

[Chase is..was catholic :|]

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

[Oh, Chase, you just sent Al to his UNHAPPY place.]

Why - because you create beasts that way. Stronger, faster, much harder to kill. They make very good weapons.

As for what happens to their souls... Nothing. They stay, just as they are.

[notbritishgdit.livejournal.com]

[Sorry Al :( ]

What a stupid thign to do.

Two souls in one body?

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

That's what it seems like.

[notbritishgdit.livejournal.com]

It's disturbing.

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

At least -- the ones made from animals don't seem to realize what's been done to them.

[notbritishgdit.livejournal.com]

That's not a excuse.

You can use your powers to creat that creatures?

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

I guess I could, but I don't like chimera. Neither does Brother. The theory makes me feel -- dirty, I guess.

[notbritishgdit.livejournal.com]

No offense Al, but I'm not sure if I like all that Alchemy of your world. It seems to do more harm than good.

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

I'm not offended. You've seen the worst of it -- Alchemy is supposed to help everyone; that's why the creed is, "Alchemist, be thou for the people," but it's a tool. it's like any tool, it depends more on who's using it, and it seems like some of the people...

I think, maybe, if you met our Sensei, or Colonel Mustang, you'd feel differently. Although Colonel Mustang likes to pretend he doesn't care...

[notbritishgdit.livejournal.com]

Your Sensei is that woman that left you and your brother in the islan with that crazy man, correct?

Colonel Mustang,? What can he do?

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

Uhm. Yes. But she's really nice when she's not totally scary.

The colonel's specialty is controlling flame.

[notbritishgdit.livejournal.com]

To be honest, she seems a bit like House.

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

I know she seems harsh, but Sensei really cares for us. She took us in when we were kids, and she'd do anything to help us. She just doesn't tolerate stupidity.

[notbritishgdit.livejournal.com]

As i said, more or less like House.

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

I thought you didn't like him, though.

[notbritishgdit.livejournal.com]

House is complicated, I don't dislike him.

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

I see.

[truthinfortune.livejournal.com]

What the hell was that thing, Al?

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

It's called a Homonculus -- its name is Envy. He can change form at will. And there are others....

[truthinfortune.livejournal.com]

A Homonculus? In the stories I've heard, they're living constucts--often fashioned to look like humans--who are created as servants for the one who brought them to life. Is that true in your world?

With a name like Envy, it's natural to assume that there would be seven in total, each one named after a Deadly Sin. Do their abilities have something to do with the sin they are named after?

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

You're very astute, Naoto.

They are constructs, animate, at least, if not human. I'm not sure if they're serving someone greater than themselves although it certainly seemed that way. They spoke of needing "sacrifices." As for the name -- I've met Envy, Gluttony, Greed, and Lust. I'm not sure if their abilities are related, but their personalities certainly are.

[truthinfortune.livejournal.com]

I do tend to read a lot, though I always have to assume that the stories I read about in my world won't mesh up with the stories in another world, so I always have to double-check my facts.

Greed... He's a member of this community, isn't he?

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

He is, yes, but he's from a different time than I am. A-And maybe... I don't know. Alchemy seems to work differently for him.

[truthinfortune.livejournal.com]

From the future? Or the past?

Differently? How?

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

The past. His -- friends -- uhm... they were friends of mine, too, but they died.

[truthinfortune.livejournal.com]

I... see. It's often difficult to deal with others from your world from alternate timelines... Dojima-san is from my past, as well... but I think his time is slowly catching up to ours.

In any case, I wish you didn't have to be separated from your brother like this. I'd feel a lot better if you two were together to watch each other's backs.

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

Yes. Anyway, we were speaking, to see if we could use what we know to save them, and we got into a disagreement about alchemy. Either one of us is wrong on the principles of it, or where we are, it functions differently.

I don't like being apart from him either, although it seems like we get into the same amount of trouble either way...

[truthinfortune.livejournal.com]

Hm... Perhaps neither of you are wrong. Is it inconceivable that one could learn different principles to reach the same conclusion?

Even so, I don't trust that Mustang fellow at all... At least with your brother around, I'd worry about you less.

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

No. No, the conclusions we reached were entirely opposite.

But Colonel Mustang is so good to us!

[truthinfortune.livejournal.com]

Huh. That's certainly an interesting observation. Perhaps Homonculi can utilize alchemy in a way different from ordinary humans?

I'm not saying he's not good to you, but... I don't know. I feel like he has some ulterior motive...

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

Homonculi can't use alchemy at all.

Oh, he certainly does! Right now he's looking for Brigadier General Hughes's killer, and he says he wants to be furher, but there's probably even more than that!

[truthinfortune.livejournal.com]

Eh? Does that make them more difficult to fight?

He sounds like a very ambitious man, yes. I just hope that ambition won't spurn him to use others as stepping stones to reach his goals.

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

Ah -- not exactly, what makes them difficult to fight is their speed, their strength, their agility, their abilities -- and, of course, the fact that they just don't die.

I don't think he would.

[truthinfortune.livejournal.com]

Now that's something I can't believe. Everything dies. Even gods can die: they're just very, very hard to kill.

Hm... You seem to admire the Colonel very much. Why is that?

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

I guess some people know how to defeat them... Like the Furher... but Brother and I just don't have those skills, yet.

Well, the Colonel helps a lot of people, and I believe he's genuinely trying to make the world a better place...

[truthinfortune.livejournal.com]

That's not to say you won't get stronger. Knowledge is power. You're both seeking answers to important questions, and you're bound to pick up some unexpected information along the way. I have a feeling you'll learn more about these Homonculi as you continue your journey throughout the world...

I see. He certainly has some lofty goals. Exactly how does he intend to make the world a better place? Or is he keeping his plans to himself?

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

Well... I know our current administration flings us into civil conflict -- wars on two fronts, another that could erupt at any moment, internal conflict in the South... I believe that he'd stop that. I think... I think he'd make this country a place where doctors don't die in battle, and twelve year olds don't join the military. Even though he acts careless and immature, I've seen him fight for those under his protection.

[truthinfortune.livejournal.com]

It's a noble goal, certainly. With this current state of affairs, it would take a very strong and capable leader in order to unite these warring factions. The current administration doesn't appear to have any solution for the problem, so perhaps now is the best time for change...

You and your brother are living in a pivotal time in your world's history. I pray that you both will see an era of peace in your lifetime.

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

I don't think the current administration wants a solution...

Thanks, Naoto.

[truthinfortune.livejournal.com]

I didn't want to say it, but I was thinking the same thing...

Well, if there's one thing we've learned from history it's that no war can last forever. People eventually grow tired of the constant fighting, regardless of the circumstances that perpetrated the conflict in the first place.

[ironysoul.livejournal.com]

I hope so, Naoto. Thanks.