Seventh Transmutation [Video]

[sonofgold]

Who: Alphonse Elric and you
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Vanquish if you really want?
When: April 14th

[A rather disgusted-looking Al is holding up what looks like a stack of magazines when he turns the camera on.]

Today, our lovely sponsors have sent me a stack of armor catalogs. I guess they figured that I miss my armor and would want to wear a set again... but I don't, really. I found a way to reuse my old body for other things back home, so I don't need to buy more. But that's not all... [He holds up a few images of a boy roughly his age and height modeling a very gaudy outfit.] They also want me to dress for this upcoming huge party, I guess. I don't know, do you all think I would look good in this outfit?

Comments

[sonofgold]

Homunculi are artificial humans who have extraordinary physical and healing capabilities- they're very difficult to create, though, so there were only around 7 of them in existence.

[bythewaves]

Artificial humans? So beings made, not born? I do have to wonder why some worlds seem so interested in creating beings like humans but not actually human.

[sonofgold]

Yeah... they saw themselves as superior to humans because of it, too. Like they were the next evolution of us.

I think some people do want to improve on humans. Make them better, stronger, more durable, able to live longer lives. We do have our limitations.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor snorts softly in amusement ]

They are made by humans but think themselves superior? That is foolish. And while Men do, I find them also to have just as many strengths to counterbalance those. I confess I once thought differently, but that was a very long time ago.

[sonofgold]

It didn't make much sense to me, either- and we ended up besting them in fights more than once, so their enhanced abilities didn't make much of a difference in the end.

[Al smiled.]

We really do. Humans are good at combining their strengths in order to be more powerful together.

[bythewaves]

So they are. [ Maglor smiles ] Any who forget how great the sons and daughters of Men can be are destined to fail, I think. All the abilities in the world do not matter, if one has not the wit to use them.

[sonofgold]

[Al nodded.]

Arrogance can be a big hindrance, too. [He and Ed both knew from experience how that could be a killer.] Thinking you're inherently superior to someone means you're more likely to believe you can't be defeated. Nobody is invincible.

[bythewaves]

Even so. [ Maglor agrees ]

Not even the Powers themselves, as one learnt to his very great humiliation.

[ It may have been grievous news when Fingolfin's death came to them, but there is not a single one of the Eldar who does not take vicious pride in knowing their High King wounded Morgoth seven times before he was slain, and did so so well that the Fallen Vala limped forever after ]

[sonofgold]

Who are the Powers? [He sounds genuinely interested.] I mean, if you don't mind- I like learning about others' worlds.

[bythewaves]

Not at all. [ Maglor assures him ] I seem to recall quizzing you quite extensively about your own world - tis only fair I answer any questions.

But the Powers... we call them the Valar, and the Maia - collectively, the Ainur, the Holy Ones. They are beings of spirit, not flesh, although they can don a physical form, and usually do, to interact with us. And they are those who in the beginning sung our world into being, and who now sustain it, as they themselves are sustained by it. They are, quite literally, the Powers of the World. There are seven Lords of the Valar, and seven Queens, and one who is fallen, whose name we no longer speak. The Maia are their servants, beings of lesser power, I suppose you would say.

[sonofgold]

Wow... [Al listens, genuinely fascinated.] I guess I've never given much thought to how my world was created. [Well, he knew that Father was responsible for the creation of Amestris, but that was a long story.] So your creators still exist, and they have a symbiotic relationship with the world. That's really interesting. I assume they're very powerful, too?

[bythewaves]

Not ours, but the world's. [ Maglor corrects and nods ] They call us the Eruhini - the Children of the One - who is their creator - for we were not of their making or devising, Elves and Men and Hobbits, and the Dwarves, the children of His adoption.

Aye - the last time they intervened directly in our affairs... well. There is a continent that is no longer above the waves. And that was them holding back. These days they do not intervene at all, openly.

[sonofgold]

I can understand that... when you wield that much power, it's easy to cause a lot more destruction than you intended. And interfering too much deprives one's creation of free will.

[bythewaves]

Even so - there is some argument to be made that several of the things that happened would not have done so if they had not interfeared, but then again, things could easily have been much worse, also.

[sonofgold]

[Al nodded.]

So there's good points and bad points. And I'm sure even a powerful being can't predict the outcome of any situation perfectly.

[bythewaves]

Aye - they have reminded us of the fact themselves in the past. Lord Namo is the Doomsman, and sees further than most, but even then he cannot see all things. I suppose the fact that we have Free Will comes into play there.

[sonofgold]

Makes sense. Besides, if you knew everything that happened before it did, I feel like life would be pretty dull. No surprises, no real choice.

[bythewaves]

Agreed. [ Maglor hums ] Even the prophecy given to us about our fate... I am old enough now to understand - he did not cause it - we did. He was only telling us what our inevitable end would be.

[sonofgold]

Is it a bad fate awaiting you?

[bythewaves]

"Tears unnumbered ye shall shed; and the Valar will fence Valinor against you, and shut you out, so that not even the echo of your lamentation shall pass over the mountains. On the House of Fëanor the wrath of the Valar lieth from the West unto the uttermost East, and upon all that will follow them it shall be laid also. Their Oath shall drive them, and yet betray them, and ever snatch away the very treasures that they have sworn to pursue. To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well; and by treason of kin unto kin, and the fear of treason, shall this come to pass."

[ He quotes, voice hollow in memory ]

And so it has come to pass.

[sonofgold]

[Al looks very sorry indeed at that.]

That makes me very sad to hear... especially that kin will betray each other. It's just... not right.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor shakes his head tiredly ]

Thank you, but we were warned. And it was us who were the betrayers, in the end.

[sonofgold]

[Al nodded and sighed.]

Forewarning that things can go differently depending on your actions often isn't enough. Sometimes, you're set on one path and will keep going no matter what.

[bythewaves]

We were young, and blinded by grief and pride, aye, and love, also, for if all of history forgets, but we started on that road for love of our father. And by the time we realised... it was far too late. Most of my brothers went mad, I think. Looking back, even I can scarce reconcile the joys of our childhood with the monsters we became.

[sonofgold]

Love for a parent can be a strong force, definitely. And when you're young, it's easy to think that you're doing all the right things... especially if it IS for that parent's sake. Everyone changes, too, even if you don't recognize it as it happens.