Mary, Too, Was Fidgeting With A Piece Of Home That Sat Beneath Her Cloak. A Pendant, A Ladybug On A Sturdy

Mary, too, was fidgeting with a piece of home that sat beneath her cloak. A pendant, a ladybug on a sturdy chord reinforced with magic thanks to a spell she’d learned, to keep it safe as she was dragged along by the Order. Maybe she didn’t remember the details of home, but she remembered pieces. She knew that she was a performer; a dancer, singer and musician, someone who brought joy. Now? She was a professional kidnapper and battle strategist, but she knew she wasn’t meant for this, no matter what the Order said. Mary wanted out, and as of the moment, she didn’t know how she’d get there.

It wasn’t much longer until they reached the castle, and the scent of food immediately wafted out as the front door opened. Commander Anna and Princess Shareena were the first to rush in, but Prince Alfonse took a moment to look back at the two still outside.

“Please...try to make yourself as comfortable as possible, if you can. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions or concerns. When you’re ready, Mary will lead you to your rooms,” he spoke up before following the two women.

A Summoner’s Tale (closed FEH AU with traceofalchemy)

rxinbowtrxveler

Honestly, now that Mary was calmer not that anything was calm in this kingdom of crazy, but she digresses, she could notice things about the poor guy she accidentally kidnapped; he did seem strong, and intelligent and too fucking gorgeous to be remotely human, and she hoped to be able to talk to him at some point. Mary hadn’t been able to figure out herself how to get the hell out of Askr, but maybe if she and Ed put their heads together…

Maybe they could escape…

Ed was quiet the rest of the way to wherever they were taking him. He was focused on mentally repeating everything he could remember of what he’d been told. If he remembered the details, maybe they would lead to something helpful. He held his notebook tight. It was a piece of home, and the first chance he had he was going to write everything down.

The summoner wore a rather...simple outfit; a white coat with a hood, and gold Askran embellishments (much like the alchemist’s red coat back in his heyday, but much larger to completely cover her head and face), loose pants that matched the coat, a blue tunic also trimmed with gold, a brown belt, and brown boots with golden accents, plus a black and gold mask that covered her eyes. It was as if the outfit was meant to erase all sense of identity and self outside of being the summoner.

“Right? Can’t mess up hair like that, it’d be a tragedy,” Mary joked along with him, before answering the questions she was sure he had. “I don’t think so, your clothes will likely be a lot closer to what the royals and Commander Anna wear. Only I’m not allowed to have my hood down, unfortunately. I’m pretty sure at this point those three have forgotten what I look like without it, and like it that way. Can’t say I’m anything but what they want me to be if I don’t have a sense of autonomy or identity, right?” She joked, but it was easy to tell how much it wore on her. All you could really see was a few of her dark chocolate waves, really. Nothing else that defined her as Mary.

“Alright... I’ll be going, then. Knock on my door four times, so I know it’s you.” Mary instructed before turning away from the man and leaving for her own private rooms. Oh, if only she could change these awful, ugly clothes, even just a little! Maybe then she’d feel herself again...

A Summoner’s Tale (closed FEH AU with traceofalchemy)

rxinbowtrxveler

“I…have my doubts, but perhaps,” Mary murmured before stopping at the door to Ed’s room. Sighing softly, the summoner lowered her gaze before pointing down the hall. “I’m five doors down, left side of the hall. If you have any ideas, or want to talk to someone sane, I’ll be in there. Otherwise, the war room is a couple halls to your right,” she informed him quietly, drained from the day. Happy, that she finally had a true ally, but worn all the same from the guilt of another kidnapping.

“Do you need anything else before I leave you in peace? Prince Alfonse likely had clothes left for you inside, and the castle is magically heated, so you should have hot water available for bathing…”

“Maybe I’ll swing by later.” Ed said. His eyes darted over her outfit and he wondered what in the world he’d be forced to wear. The idea of being left alone in a completely new world was definitely strange, but he knew a few hours alone might do him some good. “I’ll be alright. I hope I don’t have to wear a hood up all of the time too, it’ll mess up my hair.” he joked.

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The nameless girl let out a breath of relief she didn’t know she was holding in, nodding slowly. “I...yes, that hits the nail on the head. I figured that was the case, yeah... I mean, considering how far you got so quickly...” she answered, relieved that he was willing to answer her questions. The girl was so lost, and confused, and scared. Nodding again at the mention that this was not a topic for out in the open that alone seemed clear when other alchemists kept saying it was impossible, she was about to say he didn’t have to offer her food, but her stomach betrayed that statement before it was even made, growling loudly. Cheeks pink, she nodded again, though this time, it was more strained from her shame.

“That...sounds wonderful, thank you. I kind of...had to sell almost everything I had for food while looking for you, even my shoes had to go,” she told him, indicating her feet, which she had torn strips of her now fraying shawl apart to wrap them up after all the walking had injured the soles of her feet. “All I’ve got left is what’s in my suitcase, and it’s not a whole lot. I kept what I found with me when I woke up in Liore, but most of what Cornello gave me had to go...”

‘It’s impossible to transmute something without a circle; it’s the conduit for the energy necessary for a transmutation, it focuses and dictates the flow of energy pulled from the earth and matter itself. Simply understanding the sequence of transmutation and the laws of Equivalent Exchange aren’t enough, circles are integral for a transmutation to work. No circle, no transmutation. It’s impossible to transmute without drawing one,’

That’s what they’d told the unnamed girl in the last town she’d passed through; she knew that this sorcery she could now use was called ‘alchemy’, and that it was no easy feat for any common person to achieve (it requires study, innate talent, and an understanding of chemistry and the world around you), but she didn’t know how other alchemists did it. Cornello had told her that her ability to transmute without a circle, or a stone like he’d used, had meant she was a god. Now, she’d doubted that she was anything but human, no matter what the conman had made the citizens of Liore, and in part, her believe (she had taken his word on being a holy man, but not quite on his claims of her godhood)...but she still didn’t know why all she needed to do was clap to perform a transmutation. According to the few alchemists she’d run into after fleeing the desert, you needed a circle, no ifs ands or buts... unless you were her, and that boy with the red coat who’d gotten rid of the faux priest, apparently. The teen hadn’t been able to catch him, or his massive armored companion before they’d left Liore. Wanting to know more about what was going on in this strange world around her and why she could do these things, she’d decided to track him down for answers. Having sold the golden crown Cornello had made her along the way for food, she’d mostly traveled on foot with naught more than a suitcase to hold what little she had, and the clothes on her back to find him. Traveling for weeks had garnered nothing... until today.

Walking down the streets of East City, the girl sighed to herself. It felt like she’d never find the mysterious alchemist at this rate, but as she was turning a corner... she spotted a silhouette cloaked in red ahead of her, a golden braid down his back. At last, she’d found him! The dark haired girl ran as fast as her legs could carry her to catch up to him.

“Hey, guy in the red coat! Please, Hold up a second!”

@fullmetalhexrt

The small girl lit up at this, beaming at the other alchemist. “Oh, thank you! You’re so kind, I can’t even begin to describe how thankful I am that you’re willing to help me,” she chirped, following after the ‘Fullmetal’. She was all smiles...until he asked for her name. She looked away for a second, but continued to follow him.

“M-Mr.Elric, I... I don’t remember my name, I thought I mentioned that... sorry if I forgot to. I mean, Cornello called me ‘Aurora’, but that was mostly to go on with his lie that I was the daughter of Leto, ‘the Goddess of Dawn’, or something like that...” she explained, sighing softly. She knew it wasn’t her name, and it felt odd, using the name he gave her only to fit his con.

‘It’s impossible to transmute something without a circle; it’s the conduit for the energy necessary for a transmutation, it focuses and dictates the flow of energy pulled from the earth and matter itself. Simply understanding the sequence of transmutation and the laws of Equivalent Exchange aren’t enough, circles are integral for a transmutation to work. No circle, no transmutation. It’s impossible to transmute without drawing one,’

That’s what they’d told the unnamed girl in the last town she’d passed through; she knew that this sorcery she could now use was called ‘alchemy’, and that it was no easy feat for any common person to achieve (it requires study, innate talent, and an understanding of chemistry and the world around you), but she didn’t know how other alchemists did it. Cornello had told her that her ability to transmute without a circle, or a stone like he’d used, had meant she was a god. Now, she’d doubted that she was anything but human, no matter what the conman had made the citizens of Liore, and in part, her believe (she had taken his word on being a holy man, but not quite on his claims of her godhood)...but she still didn’t know why all she needed to do was clap to perform a transmutation. According to the few alchemists she’d run into after fleeing the desert, you needed a circle, no ifs ands or buts... unless you were her, and that boy with the red coat who’d gotten rid of the faux priest, apparently. The teen hadn’t been able to catch him, or his massive armored companion before they’d left Liore. Wanting to know more about what was going on in this strange world around her and why she could do these things, she’d decided to track him down for answers. Having sold the golden crown Cornello had made her along the way for food, she’d mostly traveled on foot with naught more than a suitcase to hold what little she had, and the clothes on her back to find him. Traveling for weeks had garnered nothing... until today.

Walking down the streets of East City, the girl sighed to herself. It felt like she’d never find the mysterious alchemist at this rate, but as she was turning a corner... she spotted a silhouette cloaked in red ahead of her, a golden braid down his back. At last, she’d found him! The dark haired girl ran as fast as her legs could carry her to catch up to him.

“Hey, guy in the red coat! Please, Hold up a second!”

@fullmetalhexrt

Thought so, bingo. Mary nodded excitedly, beaming with joy. Ed actually believed she was capable of actually learning to use this wonderful science he could do, he thought she could help.

“Oh yes, absolutely! I will! Whatever it takes..and...if I don’t get something... you’ll help me figure it out?” She asked, nodding again. He could take whatever he needed, it was all fine with her.

“Of course, keep them as long as you need to. Come back tomorrow, everyone’s going to be at the Spring Festival, so we should have plenty of time to study uninterrupted,” she told him, giving him her first real smile in months.

“Gnight, Ed...and...thank you...”

A Summoner’s Tale (closed FEH AU with traceofalchemy)

rxinbowtrxveler

Mary listened with intrigue and awe at his explanation, enchanted with the thought of this almost magical science existing. She did cringe a little at the idea that alchemy was prominently used in their military, and she could only imagine what kind of damage that could do. After all, she’d read the one on flame alchemy, and she knew there was something about bombs somewhere in the books she hadn’t pulled out for Ed yet… at the mention that the philosopher’s stone was a real thing, and it was the most dangerous form of alchemy they had…then what the hell had Nicholas Flamel made, if he’d even succeeded at all like the legends said.

“That’s…just… so amazing and terrifying at the same time. I mean, I’ve seen magic here, but…nothing like alchemy. It…makes more sense than sorcery, it’s the closest to true science you can get here…and the stone, I can’t believe it’s real for you…but…what’s it made of, if it’s so dangerous? Is it made of poisonous stuff like the ‘alchemists’ from the history of my world thought? Or…is it worse?” Mary asked, not meaning any harm by any of her questions…she just, she wanted to know. Even though it was mostly fantastical in her world, Ed’s world and its alchemy was the closest to her world in its own way, around here at least.

Listening to her excited rambling, he couldn’t help but think of a lot of the dark… and not so dark things that alchemy brought him. It had allowed him to fail his family, and bring parts of it back… And although it had destroyed cities overnight, it had also saved cities. It was a strange balance, and he’d learned to use the science in ways that others wouldn’t even think to. It was fascinating, and he would always find a way to study it, but what needed to be changed was the way it was used… and that’s part of what he’d been working on before he was sucked into this world.

“I wouldn’t have guessed you’d be so interested in alchemy.” He commented, “You seem to know quite a bit.” A small sigh escaped his lips as he set the books down on her desk, “Now, the stone…? I’d rather not be spewing secrets on something so powerful, so if one’s not been made here yet… it’s best we keep it that way.”