[Riza's not quite the drinker he and the Colonel are. She takes a sip from her glass while trying to figure out the math between memories in one world and another.]
[Yes, well, Maes isn't expecting the Lieutenant to keep up with him while he tries to not mourn his own death. She'd probably do well to not attempt it.]
Combined with a year here, no wonder it seemed as if Roy had seen a ghost.
[He had. Literally.]
I suppose that clears up a few things. Now, tell me about the Führer. He's never been one of my favorite people, but there's something more going on and I need to know what it is. He seemed fine yesterday, aside from addressing me two ranks above what I know is my current one.
[Although, if he died in the line of duty, a promotion like that would have been standard. And a slap in the face to both himself and Roy, considering all the work they both did for Amestris.]
[Considering how well that went the last time it happened.]
There's a lot you need to be made aware of, all things considered. The Führer and his son are both homunculi. They were a part of the group responsible for everything happening at home, and a similar tragedy here.
Envy? Is that the name of the buxomly woman who stabbed me in the shoulder?
[Because that shit hurt, okay? In fact, a day later, it still pulls when he moves his right shoulder too much.
When he hears her next statement, he freezes and searches her face. Riza is a sensible woman, not taken to flights of fancy or exaggeration. No, she says what she means and she never tells half the truth. That's why he'd come to her in the first place.
He holds out his glass for a refill.]
Homunculi, huh? I always thought they were old wives' tales. I mean, I've never been into Alchemy, but you can't be around Alchemists without hearing some stories...
[She may have already reached for the bottle when he asks for clarification on Envy. The ice in his glass will be going to waste this round as Riza's emotions end up nearly freezing the alcohol. It takes concentration to keep it in check.]
No, that would have been Lust. Envy was the shapeshifter.
[She can't bring herself to complete the thought of - the one who killed you.]
There were of seven of them: Lust, Envy, Wrath, Pride, Sloth, Gluttony, and Greed. Three are here in Empatheias: Wrath, Pride, and Greed, but Greed isn't a problem.
[She won't go into the fact that he's not even their Greed. One confusing set of details at a time.]
Alchemists like to talk or theorize about all sorts of things no one would expect. This was certainly a shock for everyone.
[He may have caught on, but for the wrong reasons. Not that she'll mind. Lust and her own reactions to that whole discussion are still a sore spot for her.]
I'd say he's the most dangerous. Pride. [She won't be fooled or call him Selim ever again.] Don't let his looks fool you, he's apparently the oldest of them.
[As for Eleanor...] Mrs. Bradley is innocent in all of this. A victim as much as the rest of us; although, she's trying to reform or reclaim what she can of her child.
[Look, if she wants him to get stuff, she needs to tell him things. In order.
As it is, that second glass of bourbon is quickly down once again, leaving a slight buzz behind in its wake as he tries to digest everything Riza is telling him.]
So, the kid's older than Bradley? Shit. And you think that Mrs. Bradley's wasting her time with... Pride, I take it.
[Dammit, woman. This is why he's here talking to you! He needs answers.]
Perhaps. Every time I'd seen the two of them together, he seemed pretty taken with her as his mom. And she's a good, kind woman from all reports. She doesn't deserve what you're telling me her family is.
Though, them being homunculi makes a lot about Lust make sense. Her fingernails literally grew like ten inches to stab me.
[There are things (okay one very large thing that is more like ignoring the elephant in the room) that they just do NOT talk about.]
When I first arrived here I didn't know as much as I do now. [And she's not going to lay the blame for that on anyone] The fuhrer set me up as an unwitting hostage and apparent babysitter for Selim.
[The temperature in the room drops again enough that Hayate nuzzles at her leg. Riza leans down to pet him.]
He's an exceptional actor.
They all have some ability to watch for. Bradley can pretty much see any move an opponent is going to make before they make it. Pride [she has to pause for a moment taking an actual drink from the glass in her hand] Pride can send out shadows that can see and hear what's going on around him. They aren't just shadows, though they're physically real.
[He notices the temperature drop, but doesn't comment on it. Instead, he makes sure his heavy uniform jacket sits a bit better on his long arms as she pets her dog.
Now, though, he regrets draining his glass quite so eagerly.]
Shadows that are real? What the hell? And the others, do you know what they do as well?
[This is the voice of experience, Maes. Listen to her.]
As for the others...I'm not sure about Sloth. Greed can turn his skin into something akin to a diamond - carbon based and impossible to harm. And Gluttony could eat anything, as in there seemed to be no limit size wise or amount.
[He doesn't need the verbal confirmation to know that she has personal experience with this phenomenon. As such, he doesn't reply. Instead, he frowns and nods at her to continue. He'll take mental notes as they go along.]
Gluttony... He sounds...slightly terrifying, if I'm honest. Are they all so aptly named then?
He was. In a way, they all are. They were all parts that their Father purged from himself, each a vice he removed to make himself more godlike. He didn't do a very good job.
Their father? Is he someone that we know or...another person entirely? [He takes off his glasses to rub at his eyes. There's a headache coming and he knows it.]
Start at the beginning, Riza. I'm going to need all of the information you can spare, not just in bits and pieces.
We're going to have to go back into ancient history then.
About 400 years ago, [she did say ancient history] an alchemical transmutation destroyed Xerxes. There were two survivors - one who came to Amestris and one who went to Xing, both teaching different forms of alchemy to the people they found. The Philosopher from the East not only brought alchemy to Amestris but decided to do so, because he wanted to be god.
This is the Father of the homunculi and the one responsible for turning our country into a giant alchemy array.
[That last bit he had already figured out, just not the whole who and why. Over the next several minutes she ends up explain almost everything that happened - does she really need to go into just how far his death pushed the Colonel or all the detail of the Promise Day?
Once done, she's going to refill both their glasses again.]
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At home, it's been about six months.
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Combined with a year here, no wonder it seemed as if Roy had seen a ghost.
[He had. Literally.]
I suppose that clears up a few things. Now, tell me about the Führer. He's never been one of my favorite people, but there's something more going on and I need to know what it is. He seemed fine yesterday, aside from addressing me two ranks above what I know is my current one.
[Although, if he died in the line of duty, a promotion like that would have been standard. And a slap in the face to both himself and Roy, considering all the work they both did for Amestris.]
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[Considering how well that went the last time it happened.]
There's a lot you need to be made aware of, all things considered. The Führer and his son are both homunculi. They were a part of the group responsible for everything happening at home, and a similar tragedy here.
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[Because that shit hurt, okay? In fact, a day later, it still pulls when he moves his right shoulder too much.
When he hears her next statement, he freezes and searches her face. Riza is a sensible woman, not taken to flights of fancy or exaggeration. No, she says what she means and she never tells half the truth. That's why he'd come to her in the first place.
He holds out his glass for a refill.]
Homunculi, huh? I always thought they were old wives' tales. I mean, I've never been into Alchemy, but you can't be around Alchemists without hearing some stories...
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No, that would have been Lust. Envy was the shapeshifter.
[She can't bring herself to complete the thought of - the one who killed you.]
There were of seven of them: Lust, Envy, Wrath, Pride, Sloth, Gluttony, and Greed. Three are here in Empatheias: Wrath, Pride, and Greed, but Greed isn't a problem.
[She won't go into the fact that he's not even their Greed. One confusing set of details at a time.]
Alchemists like to talk or theorize about all sorts of things no one would expect. This was certainly a shock for everyone.
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Lust, eh? That seems pretty accurate. I can see how she'd appeal to other men. [But Maes is super married for life.]
Since this Greed isn't a problem, I'm going to say that the others are the Führer and his son. But, really, Selim too? What about his wife?
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I'd say he's the most dangerous. Pride. [She won't be fooled or call him Selim ever again.] Don't let his looks fool you, he's apparently the oldest of them.
[As for Eleanor...] Mrs. Bradley is innocent in all of this. A victim as much as the rest of us; although, she's trying to reform or reclaim what she can of her child.
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As it is, that second glass of bourbon is quickly down once again, leaving a slight buzz behind in its wake as he tries to digest everything Riza is telling him.]
So, the kid's older than Bradley? Shit. And you think that Mrs. Bradley's wasting her time with... Pride, I take it.
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Who knows. Maybe she can get through to him, or drag something out beyond the arrogance. I have to credit for trying.
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Perhaps. Every time I'd seen the two of them together, he seemed pretty taken with her as his mom. And she's a good, kind woman from all reports. She doesn't deserve what you're telling me her family is.
Though, them being homunculi makes a lot about Lust make sense. Her fingernails literally grew like ten inches to stab me.
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When I first arrived here I didn't know as much as I do now. [And she's not going to lay the blame for that on anyone] The fuhrer set me up as an unwitting hostage and apparent babysitter for Selim.
[The temperature in the room drops again enough that Hayate nuzzles at her leg. Riza leans down to pet him.]
He's an exceptional actor.
They all have some ability to watch for. Bradley can pretty much see any move an opponent is going to make before they make it. Pride [she has to pause for a moment taking an actual drink from the glass in her hand] Pride can send out shadows that can see and hear what's going on around him. They aren't just shadows, though they're physically real.
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Now, though, he regrets draining his glass quite so eagerly.]
Shadows that are real? What the hell? And the others, do you know what they do as well?
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[This is the voice of experience, Maes. Listen to her.]
As for the others...I'm not sure about Sloth. Greed can turn his skin into something akin to a diamond - carbon based and impossible to harm. And Gluttony could eat anything, as in there seemed to be no limit size wise or amount.
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Gluttony... He sounds...slightly terrifying, if I'm honest. Are they all so aptly named then?
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Start at the beginning, Riza. I'm going to need all of the information you can spare, not just in bits and pieces.
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About 400 years ago, [she did say ancient history] an alchemical transmutation destroyed Xerxes. There were two survivors - one who came to Amestris and one who went to Xing, both teaching different forms of alchemy to the people they found. The Philosopher from the East not only brought alchemy to Amestris but decided to do so, because he wanted to be god.
This is the Father of the homunculi and the one responsible for turning our country into a giant alchemy array.
[That last bit he had already figured out, just not the whole who and why. Over the next several minutes she ends up explain almost everything that happened - does she really need to go into just how far his death pushed the Colonel or all the detail of the Promise Day?
Once done, she's going to refill both their glasses again.]