driftfleet | First Transmutation

Who: Alphonse Elric and you!
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: October 15th

[Video]

[Hello, Fleet, there's a fearsome-looking suit of armor peering at the screen- though right now only one of his eyes is visible.]

So this is like a telephone or a radio, right? Except there are pictures and words on it, too! I really like it!

I'm Alphonse. Uh, don't mind how I look- I wear armor for protection. [Al wasn't under any delusions that he'd be able to keep the fact that he was hollow inside a secret for very long- he never seemed to be able to- but he was going to try.]

Brother, are you here, too? Major Miles? ... Winry?

[Action, on the Marsiva]

[There wasn't much Al could to do make himself look less conspicuous- he'd accepted that long ago- but here, in this unfamiliar place, he wished more than ever that he could. The Homunculi had eyes and ears everywhere in Amestris, and he had to be working under the assumption that they were here, too. He could only hope that they wouldn't be putting any innocent people in danger trying to find him.

He was also worried about Edward. He knew his brother would be fine in the storm, watched over by Major Miles, but what would happen to him afterward? And what about Winry, May, and Dr. Marcoh? He could care less about Scar, but he'd gone out to try and warn them that Briggs was unsafe, and now there was nobody to deliver that message.

Of course, if he kept blacking out... if this was it, if his soul was going to let go of his armor body... he might not have been able to get to them himself anyway.

Al let out a sigh. At least the view was pretty. Stars were everywhere.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Huh. That is weird. Surely if you wanna grow taller, you do the thing that'll make it happen.

I guess Brother is just that stubborn. I'm definitely not- so I end up having to remind him to take care of himself a lot.

That's good, though. That you even things out.

We do make a great team- sometimes it's like we're two halves of one person.

That sounds really nice. I hope you're not away from him for long.

I hope so, too.

Hey- I never did get your name.

[He'll tip a hat that has just appeared on his head from apparently nowhere.]

Cheese. Cheese Sandwich.

[Y.E.P]

That's an original name! And one of my favorite foods...

Where did the hat come from?

It's pretty regular for us ponies, names like that. [Cheese, no, it isn't. You're just weird. ]

Huh? Oh. I always carry an extra when I need it.

Oh, really? What other kinds of names do ponies you know have?

[He laughed with delight.]

Just in case you need to make any impromptu introductions?

Welll there's Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie stuff like that. There's a pegasus in Ponyville called Bulk Biceps.

You got it, buddy. You always got to be prepared for these things.

And let me guess what Bulk Biceps does- he's a bodybuilder.

[Al tipped an imaginary hat in return.]

I should try that sometime- maybe it'll make me look more dashing.

Nah, he's part of Ponyville's Weather Team. They make sure the weather does what it's supposed to do over their area.

[He nods excitedly. ]

You bet it will! The mares will be all over you. [...] Ladies. Ladies.

Huh, I never would have guessed that! You guys have control over the weather?

[He laughed.]

... I'm suddenly remembering the time I ended up in the livestock car on a train... my friend Major Armstrong thought he was doing me a favor, since the luggage fee was cheaper than a ticket.

We sure do! Well... the pegasi do, anyway. Outside our country and in the Everfree, weather does what it likes by itself, but otherwise? Pegasus powered!

Oh. Well that's... kinda harsh. But good for him on economising...I guess?

That sounds pretty handy- you can make a snowstorm or sunshine any time you want!

Yeah, he had good intentions. Brother wasn't happy about it, but being with sheep wasn't so bad, I guess.

Yep! Though they gotta be careful. I mean, weather exists for a reason, we don't wanna throw nature outta balance.

Sheep are okay as animals go. Not great conversationalists, but what can you do?

Mmhmm- balance is important in anything. Equivalent exchange- things always have a cost, even if you can't see it right away.

Yeah, they can't help it- and they're kind enough to give us their wool!

Well, sure! ...I mean, sometimes magic doesn't have a cost, but that's unicorns for you.

[Unicorns and their LIMITLESS POWER. ]

Which sure is helpful in winter. Imagine what we would be without scarves and hats!

It'd be nice if things worked like that in my world! Alchemy is pretty strict about cost, though- I couldn't, say, just conjure a wall or a weapon out of thin air, I'd need to pull the ground up or transmute something from my surroundings.

Yeah, exactly!

Well, that sounds a lot fairer. I mean I'm sure it's better t the world that way, right?

And it makes you think before you transmute, instead of causing wanton destruction or harm. Well, I try to think, anyway- Brother doesn't always do that when he's focused on a goal.

Kind of an act first, think later kinda stal-guy, right?

Still, I'd be all for the cautious approach, especially if destruction's involved. Nopony wants that.

Especially when he's angry- he's even more dangerous then. I tend to agree with "the less destruction, the better", though- we can repair stuff using alchemy, but we can't depend on it always being available to us, either.

So it can be turned off? Like blowing out a candle?

Edited 2015-11-26 23:30 (UTC)