driftfleet | Tenth Transmutation [Video]

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Tenth Transmutation [Video]

Who: Alphonse Elric and YOU
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: The Vanquish if you wish
When: October 23rd

[Al smiles bashfully as he addresses the Fleet.]

Clay asked me to be the First Mate of the Vanquish, and I've accepted. It seems fitting that it happened so close to my first anniversary here, doesn't it? I'm honored, and I'll do my best to keep supporting my shipmates.

I'm glad to have been on such a great ship and met such great friends, and I wish all of you who are working on the shipwreck the best of luck. And if you're staying closer to the Fleet and are able to scavenge any usable ship parts, I'd be happy to fix them up with my alchemy.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Thank you, lady. And yes, I have. It's been quite an interesting journey here, but I've made some good friends along the way.

I suppose that is something to celebrate as well.

Forgive me for asking, but what exactly is 'alchemy?'

It's a science from my world... some might compare it to magic. Alchemy involves changing substances into new forms. Here, let me demonstrate... [Al roots around until he finds a piece of wood. Setting it on the floor, he takes a piece of chalk and draws a circle with markings around the edge around it, then touches his fingers to the edge. The wood is enveloped in blue light, changing into the shape of a duck.]

[She felt her breath catch in her throat as the light seemed to blind her. One moment there was a piece of wood, suddenly there was something in the shape of a duck, transformed like magic, as he said.

There had been rumors in her worlds about sorceresses, but she'd never believed them before. Not until now.]

That's...incredible. [And frightening, but that seemed rude to say.] What would you do with the ship parts, if you had them?

It's very useful, too. There are limits- I couldn't, say, turn this wood into a stone, only things that have the properties of wood. It's about knowing the chemistry- what things are made of.

[He thought for a moment.]

If something was broken, I could put it back together- make it whole again. Or if, for example, I found something that was rusted, I could make it clean once more.

[He was extremely good at explaining this. She felt as though she could actually follow him.]

So if you had steel or iron, you could repair parts of the ship?

Is that what you do in the fleet?

[Al's glad she seems to be following along- he knows alchemy can be difficult to understand, but he also hates dumbing things down TOO much.]

Sometimes, yes... other times I make clothing or furniture. We recently visited a star system where there were three rival factions that differentiated themselves by the colors they wore, so I helped out by letting people make accessories and outfits to match their chosen faction.

[The last thing she expected someone to use these powers for was making clothing. It's so sweet and surprising that she finds herself laughing.]

What a strange thing to offer. I'm sure that it must have been useful in that star system. Why clothing though? You could do so much with this gift, why use it for something so small?

Alchemy is also bound by something we call equivalent exchange. If you want to gain, something must be lost. So I couldn't conjure things out of thin air- I have to work with what I have. Trying to take too much can resort in... ... backlash.

So what would you need to make clothes?

[There at least seemed to be a method in all of this, one that she could understand and actually agree with. Magic should always have a price and a limit.]

Cloth, thread... any zippers or buttons. Enough to make it to that person's size and specifications. Brother always wears a long red coat, and he was able to transmute a new one just from a bolt of cloth once.

You have a brother? Is he among the fleet as well?

If I were to provide a button, cloth or thread, would you make me a gown?

Sadly, no. I do miss him, but back home we were preparing to go our separate ways anyway... so we would've been apart, anyway. I try to look at it that way.

[He nodded.]

I would be happy to- besides the materials, if you could give me a description or sketch of what you're looking for, it would be even easier.

Why were you going your separate ways? Forgive me if I'm prying.

Of course, I can do that. I appreciate this, thank you.

No worries. We were going to seek out knowledge, in fact- I was headed east and Brother was going west. There's a form of alchemy taught in the country of Xing that originated for medicinal purposes, and I wanted to learn. I don't like causing destruction, and I figured it would be nice to know how to heal instead.

[Al grinned.]

It's not a problem. I like being able to keep my skills sharp- Teacher pounded the importance of that into me.

I have a bit of familiarity with healing and experience in nursing. It's what I will be doing on my ship. If you like, I could teach you a little?

Your teacher?

I would appreciate that. I think we're short on people who know how to deal, so I'd like to learn.

Yes- she taught me and Brother alchemy at an early age. Teacher is the strongest woman I know. I love her, but she can be a little... scary, too.

I'm not as skilled as a... [what was the word again? Not maester...] doctor? [She's fairly certain that's the word.] But I would be happy to teach you.

Scary? I think everyone feared their teachers when they were young. I imagine that she was formidable and skilled.

[Al nodded encouragement.]

Anything you'd be able to teach me would still be useful.

[Al chuckled.]

She can still best me and Brother in a fight- and when she was doing her own alchemy training, she survived in a cold, snow-covered environment on her own for a month. Including breaking into a military fort that's considered impossible to breach to steal supplies.

Are all the women in your world so courageous? She sounds remarkable, she must be a highly sought after teacher.

[With that sort of reputation, how could she not be?]

All of the ones I know are. Teacher prefers to keep to herself and her husband, though- she only took me and Brother in because we begged her to. Most of the time, she likes doing things the old-fashioned way and prefers being a simple housewife.

Why did you stay with her? Why not with your family?

Your world sounds very exciting. Women have a choice in such things?

She lives a pretty far distance from my hometown- she'd only been passing through while on vacation. Granny saw how much we wanted to learn and gave us permission to go back with Teacher, though.

They do. I know a lot of high-ranking women in the military, too.

So would that make you her ward?

Women actually serve as soldiers? But...I.. [She feels speechless at the idea.]

Mmhmm. We lived with her for half a year or so while she taught us, then she sent us back home. [To try and bring their mother back to life, but that was a story for another day.]

... they don't in your world?