The Nameless Girl Let Out A Breath Of Relief She Didnt Know She Was Holding In, Nodding Slowly. I...yes,

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

Mary nodded with a soft sigh, looking over at Ed. “Yep, they sure did. Outta nowhere, I was just minding my own damn business! I was walking home from the bar when suddenly I felt that awful pulling sensation you likely felt...then I find myself here, listening to these whack jobs telling me some ‘you are the chosen one’ nonsense and handing me my kidnapper gun,” she answered, pointing to the pocket that held the offending relic. “That was six months ago, and they’ve been dragging me on their missions ever since, telling me to use this thing to kidnap them more ‘heroes’. The majority of them fit the part, but I’m no warrior or master strategist! I’m a performer, Ed! I sing, I dance, I play the music! My job was to make people happy, now I’m a glorified kidnapper! Risking my hide for their war!” the summoner ranted, steaming at the thought, but deflating a little at the thought of how long it had been.

“...I’ve been trapped here for six months, if I remember correctly. Maybe longer, I don’t even remember. I know it’s felt like forever, and god I hate it. And y’know what sucks the most? People don’t even call me by my name, most of the time. To most people ‘round these parts, I’m ‘the Summoner’. Only the commander, and the prince and princess call me by my name anymore. It’s like all they give a damn about is the fact I can basically kidnap people for them, they don’t actually care about who I am, who I was! Alfonse asked me about my world once, Ed. And when I asked how I was gonna go back? They dodged the question and said that this was my home now...” she trailed off, worrying her lip. “I’m so sorry, Ed. I’d send you right back to where you came from if I could...”

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

rxinbowtrxveler

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.

Ed nodded in response to Alfonse, and waited for him to walk away before he turned to Mary. The smell of food was definitely tempting, but he felt disgusted at the thought of eating their food after what they’d just done, 

“So, they got you too, huh?” he mumbled and looked Mary over, “How long have you been  here?”

Mary had bathed, switched to a nightgown, and was singing different song at this point while trying to braid her hair for bed by the time Ed had finished flipping through the pages. The four knocks on her door startled her a touch, but not much as she unraveled her hair and opened the door. Honestly, it was a good thing she had a cloak and mask on often, because Mary was a beautiful girl; soft, pale flesh, rosy cheeks and lips, thin fingers, a button nose, and thin, but gentle purply-blue eyes with long lashes. Her dark brown hair fell in waves down her back, and if it wasn’t for her nose, gentle gaze, and small bosom, she’d resemble a certain busty homunculus.

“Ed...? What’s the matter? You look so anxious, did something happen already? Do come in,” Mary spoke softly, moving so the alchemist could step inside. She was so worried for the man that she hadn’t even put on a dressing gown, wearing only her slip.

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

rxinbowtrxveler

Answers Fullmetal sought, answers he would get. It seemed that in Zenith in particular, the flow of natural power was stronger than nearly any other world, it’s mana and mater easier to manipulate. Alchemy and magic in general was most effective there; even if someone off world had somehow lost their ability to use it, the powers that be were strong enough to breech the hidden barrier, or force open Ed’s gate once more, as it were. Even those who couldn’t use alchemy or magic before coming to Askr had the potential to learn, if they could learn to harness the flow of energy within the earth. The closer to, and longer you stayed Askr, the more in tune you’d be with that energy source. The stronger your transmutations would become. Some formulas and circle compositions were different, due to some elements of Askr being different, but most of it was just like the alchemy practiced in Amestris. There even seemed to be bits and pieces of alkestry in the mix, funny enough.

At the back of the book Ed was reading sat a reference sheet of different books on the subject of different branches of alchemy and where to find them in the main library, but some were listed as residing in the summoner’s room…

Ed flew through a lot of the book, and when he noticed the reference sheet in the back of the book he was even more motivated than before. Seeing all of the different tools he could pick up would definitely help. He was fascinated to read about the different ways that alchemy was used in this world, and he was going to learn ever bit of information he could. 

“The summoner…” he read aloud. A moment passed before a though crossed his mind and he collected the books. 

Four loud knocks sounded at Mary’s door. It took everything in him not to knock more than that as he anxiously waited for the door to open. He hadn’t even realized how much time had passed since earlier, and he still hadn’t even cleaned up or changed yet.

“I’ve tried, they check every morning if I have it,” Mary muttered angrily, recalling every time she’d tried to loose it in a battle, or bury it. Every single time, she was thwarted. She even saw Commander Anna dive for it once, and every time she’d get a lecture about how precious that monstrosity, and ‘she’ was to their cause. Only once did she feel this thing had done something remotely good, and that was when Princess Fjorm of Niflheim used it to perform the Rite of Frost to defeat King Sutur of Múspell to stop him from torching every realm he could get his claws into. However, hearing Ed’s resolve to free them both gave her some measure of hope.

“I’ll try to slow things down at least, but for now, tossing it seems to be out of the question. We might have to take it with us when we escape, so they can’t use it,” she added, knowing everyone was in the banquet hall anyways. The two were completely alone. The kingdom had been preparing for the Spring Festival all week, and tonight, everyone was resting and recouperating for the tourney come morning.

“...so...do you even feel like eating? Or do you just want to show me where you’ll be staying? I could even bring you a plate later, if you don’t feel like looking at them. That’s what I do sometimes...” Mary spoke after a few moments.

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

rxinbowtrxveler

Mary nodded with a soft sigh, looking over at Ed. “Yep, they sure did. Outta nowhere, I was just minding my own damn business! I was walking home from the bar when suddenly I felt that awful pulling sensation you likely felt…then I find myself here, listening to these whack jobs telling me some ‘you are the chosen one’ nonsense and handing me my kidnapper gun,” she answered, pointing to the pocket that held the offending relic. “That was six months ago, and they’ve been dragging me on their missions ever since, telling me to use this thing to kidnap them more ‘heroes’. The majority of them fit the part, but I’m no warrior or master strategist! I’m a performer, Ed! I sing, I dance, I play the music! My job was to make people happy, now I’m a glorified kidnapper! Risking my hide for their war!” the summoner ranted, steaming at the thought, but deflating a little at the thought of how long it had been.

“…I’ve been trapped here for six months, if I remember correctly. Maybe longer, I don’t even remember. I know it’s felt like forever, and god I hate it. And y’know what sucks the most? People don’t even call me by my name, most of the time. To most people ‘round these parts, I’m ‘the Summoner’. Only the commander, and the prince and princess call me by my name anymore. It’s like all they give a damn about is the fact I can basically kidnap people for them, they don’t actually care about who I am, who I was! Alfonse asked me about my world once, Ed. And when I asked how I was gonna go back? They dodged the question and said that this was my home now…” she trailed off, worrying her lip. “I’m so sorry, Ed. I’d send you right back to where you came from if I could…”

He frowned as he listened to her, understanding completely what she had said. Just a little while ago he’d been in a world he was familiar with, one that he called home. A place where he’d fought his hardest to get somewhere comfortable with himself and his family. Now, these people were trying to make him some soldier of their war… In a universe he didn’t even know existed. 

“We’re both going to get out of here.” he said and looked around, “Just give me some times to figure it out. In the meantime, why don’t you find a way to get rid of that?” he asked and pointed at her pocket, “There has to be a way to stall them from bringing more people in.”

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