Equivalent Exchange--Episode 1: Shattered Love

[Rystil Arden]

"Hey, what do you guys think you're doing? You trying to get yourself killed?" a young boy's voice calls out.

*A small group of young boys approaches from the shadows to the road.*

"It's late out, and people have stopped coming this way--what are you two doing here?"

 

[unleashed]

“We’re looking for somewhere to stay for the night,” Rose replies, stepping slightly behind Al as the boys approach.

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Feh, you shouldn't be out this hour, miss. We're testing fireworks for the festival. There's an inn in our village nearby, but you should stay away, on account of the dead girl, and the alchemist's ghost..."

 

[Dire Lemming]

OOC: Deja Vu... I wonder if Al gets Deja Vu even though he's lost his memories. Hm, in the comic they try to bring back Al's memories of the gate, assuming that because he lost his entire body he had gotten farther in than Ed.

Al stares at the boy quizzically, “Well we can’t leave until our train gets here. What do you mean 'ghosts'?”

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Dead people who walk, even though they're gone. People say there used to be a great alchemist who lived here, back before we were born. Some of the older folks thought they saw him, and even we've seen the ghost of the beautiful girl that sometimes appears every so often. Of course, Miss Claus says there's no such thing as ghosts, but we know what we saw, right guys?" the other boys nod in agreement.

"So just stay away before the dead girl kills you too."

(OOC: I'd say he's not likely to get deja vu from something like this, but something big and very major he might, later on )

 

[Dire Lemming]

Al can't help but be a little unnerved by all of this, but tries not to show it.

“Uh, well, we… We need to stay the night here, ghosts or not. That alchemist who used to live here; do you know anything about him?”

 

[Rystil Arden]

"I dunno, but outsiders should get away, unless you're involved with this too!"

*The boy pulls out hit fist and waves it menacingly, although he's small enough that it isn't particularly menacing. Still, a bunch of the others join in, and they make a decent din.*

"Now boys, that's no way to treat visitors," a woman's voice calls out from down the road, a lantern light shining and bobbing forward, revealing a woman in a simple dress in her early twenties with long teal hair, "Haven't we learned better?"

"But Ms. Claus..."

"Shhh, no buts Harel. Now who do we..." the lantern and the girl approach until she is close enough to shine her light on the scene, "You...you're! But wait, you're different, and yet too much unchanged..."

"You're not an alchemist too, are you?"

 

[Rystil Arden]

(OOC: Hmm, let's see if this animation I found works--The answer appears to be yes Here's a little picture then, except she's now older and not smiling widely like that )

 

[Dire Lemming]

Al answers hesitantly, as the question is certainly a bit out of the nowhere (though he supposes he ought to get used to things like this, what with his amnesia and all).

"Um, yes, I'm an alchemist. My name is Alphonse Elric, have we met before?"

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Alphonse?" she looks incredulous, "But you used to be so tall--and now you're just a pipsqueak like your older brother," she laughs, "Have you not been drinking your milk?"

"And wait...it's been fifteen years--how can you still be so little, so young? You and your brother used to be older than I was," she looks perplexed.