# Equivalent Exchange--Episode 1: Shattered Love



## Rystil Arden (Oct 28, 2006)

(OOC: This episode is for Al and Rose only.  Just for fun, here are some pictures of our heroes--)












(OOC: And now to set the scene--click here for some familiar music)

_'Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return.  To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.  That is alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange.  In those days...we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.'_ --Alphonse Elric  


*Al has finally decided to leave Resembool altogether and begin his journey to search for Ed, no matter what it takes or where it takes him.  To that end, he has decided to head to Central to check the libraries there, even the regrowing First Branch, burned down over six years ago but slowly repleneshing its lost books due to the sedulous work of Lieutenant Scieszka.*  

*Rose has always supported Al's dreams, even when Winry would rather he stay in Resembool so she can keep an eye on him, and she has come along to help Al search for Ed.*  

*We begin our story on a train, the periodic chug and clank of the rails beating into monotony as Rose and Alphonse stare out of the window into the distance and eventually pull out a deck of cards to play a few games.  Unlike Ed, Rose doesn't cheat at cards, so Al doesn't find himself losing as much as he used to when he was little.*

*Eventually, the train pulls to a halt at a stop for a transfer at a bigger station that heads straight to Central.  The layover is significant though, and it is getting dark, so they might want to check in at an inn in the nearby village.  However, as they head towards the edge of the station, they hear hushed whispers from some of the people at the station:*

"The living dead...you hear me?"

"It isn't safe here, let's go."

"We'd better stay away, the dead are haunting that place."


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## unleashed (Oct 28, 2006)

“Al, it sounds like there’s some trouble here... do you think we might be able to help them?” Rose asks softly, concern in her voice.


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 28, 2006)

OOC: You know, I just realized how hard it'll be to role-play Al accurately without Ed around.  Well here goes nothing.

Al takes a moment to stretch and yawn after the long train ride.  However, this ritual is interrupted when he notices the strange talk of the people in the station.  He looks around to see who was speaking, just as Rose speaks up.  Al turns to her with a surprised expression; “The dead don’t come back to life… But there’s definitely _something_ strange happening here if people think they are…  We probably should take a look.”  Assuming Al can find the person who was talking about it in the first place he asks them “Excuse me, what was that you said about the dead coming to life?” otherwise he suggests they try to find the inn.


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

*The old man shys away.*

"I don't know, just something I heard about this place...the dead walking--I'd stay away..."

*And he backs off warily.*


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## unleashed (Oct 29, 2006)

“Please sir, we’ve just arrived, and it seems we’re going to have to stay for a while as we wait for our train... so if you could tell us what to avoid, it would be most helpful,” Rose says gently, stepping towards the man a serene smile on her face.


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

"The village is cursed," he mutters, before walking away from the station in the opposite direction of the nearby village.


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 29, 2006)

Al looks at Rose with a puzzled expression, "He wasn't very helpful, well maybe we should just see for ourselves.  We should probably try to find an inn anyway." he finishes, glancing at the darkened sky.


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## unleashed (Oct 29, 2006)

“Yes, I suppose we will,” Rose replies, as she watches the old man walk away, “though perhaps someone in the village will be able to tell us more. Let’s look for an inn first though, Al,” she adds, glancing at the darkening sky as well.


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

*The pair heads out towards the village in the deepening darkness, first taking a horse and buggy a short while that is headed their way to a nearby farm, and later walking the short stretch towards the village.  As they walk along the quiet dusty path, is it their imagination, or do they hear something moving out there?*

*As they continue onward, there is a burst of bright flames of various colours that explode just off to the side in a flash of light, illuminating several human-shaped figures in the darkness.*


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## unleashed (Oct 29, 2006)

“Who’s there?” Rose calls warily, when she sees the figures.


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

"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?"


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## unleashed (Oct 29, 2006)

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


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

"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..."


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 29, 2006)

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'?”


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

"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 )


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 29, 2006)

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?”


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

"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?"


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

(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 )


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 29, 2006)

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?"


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

"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.


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 29, 2006)

Al feels a bit embarrassed as he explains what he's been told by Rose and Winry, but is mostly just excited to have met someone who knew him and his brother from before.

“So we have met!  Well, you see... er...  Before, my brother, he, er well before my soul was attached to this suit of armor, but then well, I became the philosopher’s stone… and, but I somehow got used up and my brother he did something… and brought me back, but I lost my memory of everything from when my soul was in that armor… Uh….”  He looks at Rose somewhat desperately.


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## unleashed (Oct 29, 2006)

“Don’t worry Al, you’re doing fine,” Rose assures him, smiling and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “As I understand it, when Ed brought Al back, he was returned to his younger self... seemingly before the time his soul was attached to the armour. I don’t know if that’s what Ed intended, as we haven’t seen him since, but for all intents and purposes it appears Al never experienced those years.”


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

"Hmm...that seems so strange.  Where is Edward these days?  Anyway, this doesn't sound like something we should be discussing in front of the children--come on boys, you've got the fireworks all set up, I'm sure.  Time for you all to go back home to your families."

*They nod and head off, heeding the young woman.  She turns to Al and Rose.*

"Come on, now.  You two look like you could use some supper, and we can talk more about what happened...it sounds strange."


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 29, 2006)

Al turns to Rose and nods as he starts to follow their 'new' aquaintance.  Answering her earlier question about Ed he says, "Well that's the thing, my brother disapeared, just vanished, Rose and I are going to Central to see if we can find something in the libraries there that might help us find him with alchemy.  The train to Central isn't due to come for a while though so we were going to the town to find an inn when those kids came up to us talking about ghosts, heh.  So how is it you knew my brother and I?"


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

"Fifteen years ago...he saved my life.  You both did," Claus says simply as they walk along the path, "Back then I was just a little girl, a tomboy even after my sister's death.  The alchemist who lived here, Majihal...we thought he was protecting our village, but he was kidnapping girls to use with soul binds..."


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 29, 2006)

Al stares at Claus in aghast disbeleif, "That's- That's terrrible!  Alchemists are supposed to help people!  Why would he do something like that?!  What... happened?  I mean, did he try to do it to you too?"


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

"Majihal transmuted a sword to attack Edward, and Edward deflected the sword, impaling and killing the corrupt alchemist..."

"But I learned from Edward, and from you, that alchemy should be used to help people.  That's why I became an alchemist too, to help people."

*They continue along the path, her lantern light shining ahead and illuminating the outlines of buildings in the distance as they approach the village.*


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 29, 2006)

"I-" Al starts but then he stops and falls silent, his enthusiasm quelled by the uncomfortable truth.


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## unleashed (Oct 29, 2006)

Sensing Al’s discomfort, Rose quickly changes the topic, “So what are these rumours of walking dead, curses, and ghosts all about?”


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 29, 2006)

"Nothing more than rumours," Claus waves the hand not holding the lantern dismissively, "It would be silly to believe in that kind of thing...Of course, even stories like those are grounded in reality.  When I was at my sister's grave back then, fifteen years ago, I thought I saw a dead girl back to life, but it was...it was someone, probably my sister even come to watch me, soulbound to a doll of that dead girl who wasn't even dead..."

"This time, it seems more like wild rumour, but then, a few of the older folks swore they saw Majihal again.  It was likely just someone who looked similar--if Alphonse walks around the village, they'll likely have deja vu and think it is Edward in a similar way."

*They arrive at one of the houses.*

"Ah, here we are.  The alchemist who saved our village is always welcome here, and your lady friend too," Claus unlocks the door and sets the lantern on a table, gesturing them in, "Here, take a seat--you must both be tired."


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 30, 2006)

Al listens silently to Claus' story as they walk.  It's all a bit much to take in at once, but as famous as Ed and he had apparently become he figured he’d better get used to things like this now that he was traveling.  Lost in thought as he is, he doesn’t notice that they have arrived at their destination until Claus announces it.  He steps inside and takes a seat as their hostess directs.  “Er, thank you.”  He stammers, coming back to his senses.  “You have a very nice house…  It seems like something strange must be happening if so many people really think they’ve seen this alchemist walking around.  Maybe I should take a look.  Where do people say they see him?”


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## unleashed (Oct 30, 2006)

“Thank you... the train ride was a little tiring,” Rose offers as she follows Claus inside, blushing a little as she takes a seat, “I’m sorry, in all the excitement of meeting someone from Al’s past, I forgot to introduce myself, I’m Rose... Rose Thomas.”


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 30, 2006)

"Hello there Rose," Claus offers, sitting down herself as well, "They said they saw the alchemist walking  near his old abandoned house or the graveyard, but there's no need to hold stock in such rumours.  _However_, there have been girls vanishing again, even boys too, particularly travelers who will not be missed...so I think it is more likely that one or more of those Karin dolls have come back for revenge..."


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 30, 2006)

Al still has hardly any idea what she is talking about, and his face shows it, still if people are disapearing then something needs to be done.  "Revenge? Dolls?  What's a... Karin?"  he finds himself feeling kind of stupid, like he should somehow understand all of this.


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 30, 2006)

"Karin--the girl that Majihal wanted to bring back to life, except he didn't realise she had never died in the first place.  So he created lifeless dolls in her image and animated them with the bound souls of the village girls..." Claus shivers, "That almost happened to me, too."


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## unleashed (Oct 30, 2006)

“That’s... terrible,” Rose says falteringly, her eyes wide as she hugs herself.


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 30, 2006)

"Yes," Claus sighs in agreement, "Fortunately, that was so far in the past that it almost seems a bad dream to me now.  Anyway, there's no need to concern yourself with all this.  We'll work it out, one way or another...Would you two like some supper?  I can fix something, and put some tea to boil too--it's getting cold, and something warm would be nice, I'm sure."


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## unleashed (Oct 30, 2006)

“Oh, that would be lovely... thank you Claus,” Rose sighs appreciatively, a small smile coming to her lips as she regains her composure.


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 30, 2006)

*Claus heads off into the kitchen.*

"Klaus, is that you?" a man's voice calls out.

"Yes father, don't worry.  I'm just boiling some tea for our guests and fixing them some supper."

"Oh, we have guests?"

"Yes, Alphonse Elric, one of those two alchemists from fifteen years ago, and his lady friend, Rose."

"Oh, the big one in the armour--" a greying but still decently-athletic man comes out of the kitchen to greet the two of them, "Well hello there--hey, you've gotten smaller...and so young.  Never thought we'd see you again all the way out here.  Thanks again for saving my dear Claus and helping my elder daughter rest in peace by avenging her."


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 30, 2006)

Al glances down at his feet and rubs the back of his head, all he says is "Er, well, you're welcome.", still remembering his embarrasment from the last time I tried to explain things.  Anyway, Claus can explain it to her father if she feels like it.  "Thank you for your hospitality."


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 30, 2006)

"Sure thing," the man replies, "Say, where's the little guy--where's Edward?"


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 30, 2006)

Al chuckles slightly "Eheh, brother doesn't like being called little..."  he has yet to answer the man's question though and he becomes a bit more serious, he doesn't much like explaining this to people.  "Actually, that's kind of a long story my brother is well... lost, I guess you could say...  and I'm trying to find him.  That's why we're going to central."


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## Rystil Arden (Oct 30, 2006)

"Oh, I see.  Well, good luck then."

*He heads back off to the other room, perhaps going off to bed.*  

*After a little while, Claus returns with some tea for the guests.*

"I'm cooking up some stew for you guys too.  It will be done soon," she assures them.


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## unleashed (Oct 31, 2006)

Taking a sip of the tea, Rose says, “Thank you, the tea is delightful, and the stew sounds and smells lovely... though you needn’t have gone to so much effort for us, Claus.”


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## Dire Lemming (Oct 31, 2006)

Al silently nods in argeement with Rose.  After a moment he finds himself again wondering how Ed is, where ever he is...


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 7, 2006)

"Oh, it's no trouble.  Besides, you and Edward saved my life, Alphonse.  As far as I'm concerned, you're both heroes in this town."

*As the stew finishes, Claus ladles out two warm steaming bowls for the weary travelers.  Alphonse finds himself remembering how brother refused to drink milk unless it was in a stew.*


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 7, 2006)

Al chuckles at the memory; "Heh, brother loved stew even though it has milk in it, and he hates milk.  I wonder if it's still the same for him."  He digs into the food, realizing that he is quite hungry.


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## unleashed (Nov 8, 2006)

Rose looks sadly towards Al as Ed is mentioned, as she takes a little of the stew on her spoon. As she raises it to her mouth she stops and says, “Thank you, Claus, both for your words and your kindness,” before quietly eating the stew.


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 8, 2006)

"You are quite welcome, Miss Rose," Claus gets some tea for herself and stirs it idly, "And you can feel free to stay here the night if you like, both of you.  Though it still isn't a good idea to wander after dark, the disappearances are far more rare recently.  Probably just wolves or the like, moving on as their packs wander."


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 9, 2006)

Alphonse is already nearing the bottom of his bowl as Claus and Rose speak, and he finds himself growing restless with all the talk of disapearances.  As he scrapes out the last of the stew he says; "Thank you very much, the stew was delicious, and so was the tea."  He pushes back his seat and stands, taking his long red coat of the back of his chair.  "Thank you, for letting us stay here, I... It seems like something bad is happening around here, I'm going to see if I can do something about it, even if it is just wolves.  If people have been thinking they've seen Majihal, or something, around the graveyard, maybe that's where I should look first."  He puts on his coat and walks for the door.

Just as he reaches it stops and turns, with an embarassed grin, "Ah, where is the graveyard?"


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## unleashed (Nov 9, 2006)

As Al heads for the door Rose places her spoon beside her unfinished bowl of stew, before rising to follow him, “You’re not going without me, Alphonse Elric... who knows what kind of trouble you’ll get into on your own!”


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 9, 2006)

*Claus sighs.*

"I guess there's no stopping you then.  It's cold and dark out, though.  If you get hurt, you come back here by the warm fire, okay?"

*Claus gets up and fetches them a lantern.*

"The graveyard is down the road and on the other side of the nearby hill, by the woods.  Just follow the path past the old house and around.


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 9, 2006)

Al blushes at Rose's scolding as he takes the lantern from Claus.  Nodding to her directions, he opens the door and heads out into the night.


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## unleashed (Nov 9, 2006)

“Thank you Claus, we will,” Rose offers softly, as she follows Al out into the night.


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 9, 2006)

*They follow the trail past the big old house, as instructed, and around the next hill by the woods, they do indeed see a graveyard in the distance, by the light of the shining lantern.*


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 9, 2006)

Al shudders involuntarily as he sees the lines of graves lit only my moonlight.  "Uh, well, there is it, Rose.  Let's go."  He advances, being careful to keep a lookout for anything suspicious.


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 9, 2006)

*The graveyard is quiet and still, peaceful.  There is no sound except for Al and Rose's feet as they advance slowly, not even the hooting of an owl.  The graveyard appears solemn and orderly, with rows of graves marked with the names of those who have passed on.  Al shivers as one gravestone's shape reminds him of Mother's, and the first two letters in the name 'Tracy Hallman' had at first glance almost looked like they could be the beginning of 'Trisha Elric'...*


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 9, 2006)

Al exhales sharply, in surprise, and shakes his head, reminding himself of how silly it is to be scared of the dead.  "Eheh, well, it doesn't look like there's anything here, does it Rose?" he says, chuckling nervously.


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## unleashed (Nov 10, 2006)

“Not right now, anyway,” Rose agrees quietly, her eyes darting around uneasily for any sign of movement. “Do you want to check the woods, Al?” she asks tentatively.


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 10, 2006)

Al swallows dryly as he stares into the darkness between the trees, but it's not a graveyard.

"Uh, ERRR, why am I scared, it's only a graveyard!  Uh, right, I guess we should check out the woods, but we shouldn't go too far in."


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## unleashed (Nov 10, 2006)

Rubbing her arms to ward off the chill, Rose nods in agreement as Al voices his fears, before she gently adds, “If you think that’s best, Al... though you do _want_ to help these people, don’t you?”


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 10, 2006)

Al is surprised by Rose's question and he stares at her for a moment in confusion, not sure what she means.  He looks frustraited "Of course I want to help.  I-  I don't know why I thought I should come here, it's not like there's anything to see.  Maybe we should talk to some of the people who say they saw this ghost.  What do you think, Rose?"


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## unleashed (Nov 11, 2006)

“I’m sorry Al, I shouldn’t have said that... I was just afraid you weren’t going to search the woods properly, and these people sound like they really need your help...” Rose replies contritely, her face reddening. “Since we’re here already though, why don’t we have a look in the woods first... then if nothing comes of that, we can look for people who have seen the ghost.”


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 11, 2006)

Al takes a deep breath, "Yes, lets go."  He walks slowly between the headstones, holding the lantern aloft beside his head, looking back every now and then at Rose.  "I just don't think we should go too far into the woods because we could get lost in the dark.  It would be stupid if all we ended up doing was disappear ourselves." he says, with a slight smile.


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 11, 2006)

*The pair walk slowly amongst the headstones past the graves of the villagers, solemn grey sentinels to the deaths of those whose names are carved on the stone.  As they exit the opposite side of the graveyard, they approach the wood, walking into the thin tangle of branches, leaves of various colours blowing in the cool breeze and sometimes falling to the ground, washing the forest floor in a sea of crimson, orange, and gold as the confiers stand on ever-unchanged.*

*And yet, there does not seem to be any disturbance in the woods, just the same eerie silence that covered the graveyard like a sepulchral pall.*


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## unleashed (Nov 11, 2006)

Rose smiles back at Al, as they head towards the woods. “Perhaps it’s just imaginations running wild,” Rose remarks softly, though her actions bely her words, as she hugs herself tightly... her head snapping around at the slightest sound.


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 11, 2006)

"I don't know..." says Al, a thoughtful expression, on his face as he stoops to look at the ground more closely.  "I wonder if whatever it was they saw left any traces."


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 11, 2006)

*Al doesn't see anything on the nearby ground that he takes for a trail.  Then again, he was never particularly good at tracking.  Even when he and Brother were on Yock Island, they had to wait for rabbits to spring one of Ed's traps, rather than tracking them down, and they hadn't seen that fox coming.*


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 11, 2006)

OOC: Well actually I was looking for something that no normal animal would leave behind but I guess there's nothing like that either so oh well!

Al sighs as he stands up and looks around again "I don't think we're going to find anything here unless it shows itself to us."  He peers into the dark forest.  "Do you see anything Rose?"


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## unleashed (Nov 11, 2006)

“No, probably not, and I don’t see anything but trees and leaves...” Rose replies, relaxing a little as she peers into the woods, “Back into the village then, Al?”


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 11, 2006)

"Yeah, let's go back, maybe we can find some people to talk to about this at the Inn.  I wish I'd asked Claus where that is too."

Al takes one more quick look around before he starts heading towards the village, keeping an eye out for a sign indicating an inn.


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 11, 2006)

*The pair heads back towards the town, looking around for any signs.  Though they don't see a sign, they surmise that of the two big buildings, the one that looks better-kept and is in the centre of town is more likely the inn.*


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## unleashed (Nov 12, 2006)

“That building looks promising Al, let’s try that one,” Rose suggests, pointing toward the better-kept building.


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 12, 2006)

Al nods in agreement and heads towards the building.


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 12, 2006)

*They enter the inn, where a cozy fire is blazing in the hearth.  There is a tiny common room, where a few locals are sipping a few pints.*

"Oh, ho there--we haven't had travelers in a little while, that we haven't," the innkeeper greets them, "Say, aren't you--no, that couldn't be.  Anyway, we have plenty of rooms.  How many nights will you be staying?"


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 13, 2006)

Al feels a bit guilty, disapointing the friendly innkeeper like this as he shakes his head and replies.  "Oh no no, see, we've already got somewhere to stay, we heard about the strange things going on here and thought that maybe we could help.  Um, Claus told us that people were seeing ghosts, or something like that, and something about people disapearing.  Could you tell us more about it?"


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 13, 2006)

"Claus," the innkeeper harumphs, "That young woman, always filling their head with her stories."

"C'mon pa, don't be so hard on her," a young man turns from his mug of ale, "She's a good teacher and she loves the children.  She's just trying to help."

"Loves the children, does she?  Bah, a girl like that should be married and mothering them herself if she wants 'em, I say.  Anyway, besides she's an alchemist.  I heard our last alchemist had his own way to 'love the children'."

"Pa, don't say that.  It's ghosts this time, it is.  Maybe the spirit of old Majihal seeking revenge on this place after he died unfulfilled."

"Bah, she ain't normal, that's all.  What normal person would spend time in that place?"

"Where else was she gonna learn alchemy pa?"

"Francis, I want you staying away from that girl, understand?"

"I know, pa...but you didn't seem to mind when she was leading us to set off fireworks or dig traps or hunts."

"That was children's games and the wild imagination of youth.  Girls change when they become women, lad.  They become different people.  Your mother...but we'll speak of this another time.  Travelers, if you're staying with _that woman_ and you don't want an ale, then I see no reason for you to linger here, yes?"


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 13, 2006)

Alphonse is taken aback by the man's sudden change in mood. "Please sir, I just want to help.  Is there anything you can tell me?  Anyone whose seen these things?"


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 13, 2006)

"Hmmph," he harumphs, "All sorts of excitable folks will say crazy things, but they're just chasing shadows.  There aren't no such things as ghosts."

"I've seen the ghost!" a drunken man stutters, "A sheet around it like a cloak...or a cloak like a sheet...or..." he hiccups, "The ghost took my Dorothea.  She disappeared the same night the ghost appeared!" he guzzles more ale.


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 13, 2006)

Al finds himself torn between the absurdity of the man's description and the serisousness of this supposed ghost's actions.

"A ghost in a white sheet? .... Uh, where did you see it?"


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 13, 2006)

"White?  No, gray.  Yes, it was gray.  Or maybe brown.  Walking down the path to the old cemetery..."


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## unleashed (Nov 13, 2006)

*Allowing Al to continue with his questioning, Rose silently watches the speakers to see if she can discover any falsehood in what is being said.*


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 13, 2006)

Al frowns, this guy isn't in his right senses, still if he's seen whatever it is, maybe he can give some useful information.  "Is there anything else you remember?  Why do you think it was a ghost?"


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 13, 2006)

*Rose doesn't think anyone is lying, though they could always just be mistaken.*

"Cause it just kind of billowed in the wind and walked to the graveyard in the dead o'night," the drunk hiccups, "What else could it be?"

"Yeah, well I seen it too!  It weren't no sheet, it was a man," another drunk says

"It was a sheet!"

"A man!"

"Yeah, what kind o' man?"

"I dunno.  I didn't see it real good.  Weren't a sheet though."


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 16, 2006)

OOC: Sorry I haven't posted, I looked at the thread a short while after the last post and decided to think about it for a while before I posted, but then I forgot.

Al sighs, it doesn't look like there is much he can learn from these two but it's not like he's got any better leads.  "Are you sure it wasn't a man in a cloak?"  Is Dorothea your daughter?  How did she disapear?


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 16, 2006)

"Well it looked like a sheet," the drunk mutters, "Yeah, Dorothea was my liddle girl.  She just was gone that night, and nobody ever seen'er again.  It must've been the ghosht!"


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 16, 2006)

Al nods, a pained expression on his face as the man speaks of his missing daughter, "I see, I'm sorry, I'll do everything I can to find her, but I need to know more.  Is there anything else you can think of?  Even something that might not seem important.  Can you tell me where she might have been when she disappeared?  When was the last time you saw her?"  Al feels a bit guilty drilling the man with questions, but this is about his only lead so far and it’s to help him and everyone else in the village.  If the man seems to be too inebriated to answer the questions Al will look around in an attempt to find a means to use alchemy to create a floating brown sheet in an attempt to scare the man sober and at the same time refresh his memory.


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 16, 2006)

"Wh...I don't know.  It was the ghosht...he took her," the man guzzles down some more ale.

*Al could try to transmute a tablecloth or a curtain into a floating brown sheet.*

"Hey, you boy--stop bothering the poor man.  If you aren't staying and you don't want a drink, just get outta here."


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 16, 2006)

Al turns to the innkeeper, a frustrated look on his face.  "Alright alright, I'll buy a drink.  I'm sorry to bother your customers; I just want to get to the bottom of these disappearances.  I don't believe in ghosts either but if people are disappearing then don't you think something ought to be done to stop it?"


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## unleashed (Nov 16, 2006)

*Content there are no tall tales being told, Rose continues to watch the mood of the room, trying to discern if anyone is interested in the conversation about the ghost, but is hanging back... perhaps afraid to speak up.*


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 16, 2006)

(OOC: It might be a tall tale, but if so, the speaker still believes it is true by now.  Funny how our minds and memories play tricks on us sometimes.)

"If you want to stop the disappearances, it's simple--get rid of that creepy alchemist girl, who--"

"Stop da, it's not true.  Don't say those things!"

"Hush up, lad.  It's true.  What else could it be?  There aren't no such things as ghosts."

*The innkeeper takes Al's coin and fills a mug of ale for the young guest.*


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 16, 2006)

Al takes the mug and thanks the innkeeper, saying "There are lots of other things it can be, besides, Claus wouldn't do such a thing. She was almost a victim too."  He returns to the table at which the man who's daughter disappeared is sitting and puts his ale on the table cloth.  "I need you to try to remember, did what you saw look anything like..."  he knocks over his mug, spilling the dark liquid onto the tablecloth and claps his hands to gather, forming the sign of a circle.  Placing his hands on the tablecloth the ale starts to die the cloth a darker color and it's edges start to flap in a strange breeze, Al lifts the tablecloth and the breeze pushing up it's sides makes it look as if it is levitating on it's own. "...this?"

OOC: Ok, so I don't know much about real physics and even less about chemistry but I figure what Al is doing is changing the air pressure around the table to create an updraft which makes the tablecloth start to lift, and then he holds it in place where he wants it.  All I want to do is make the tablecloth brown and make it float and blow in a breeze.


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 17, 2006)

(OOC: No real-world physics or chemistry required--FMA is all pseudo-science anyways.  If it makes sense and seems cool, you can do it.  Just to note, you can't do slap alchemy on the tablecloth because it isn't stone or metal, but you can draw the circle with the ale like Marcoh did once with his blood, so you're good for a six-second circle deal)

*Al draws the transmutation circle and there is a flash of light as the tablecloth's colour changes and it begins to float menacingly.*

"What the?  It's the ghost!"

"No it aren't.  Too flappy, no substance.  The ghost was a man, not a sheet!"

"So you're an alchemist too, newcomer?  Hmm...were you going to pay for that tablecloth?"


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 17, 2006)

OOC: This is getting very silly.  I have no idea whether or not I'm completely wasting my time.   

Al sighs, his trick does not seem to have had the desired effect.  He lets the sheet drop back to the table.  "It wasn't a ghost, just a tablecloth.  See?" he turns to the grumpy innkeeper, "Oh yes, I'm sorry, I'll fix it right now." With that, he claps his hands together and touches the sheet, returning it to it's original color.  Turning to the second drunkard he asks; "You said you've seen it but it was shaped like a man?  Where did you see it and if it looked like a man what made you think it was a ghost?"


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 17, 2006)

"It weren't a man, it was a ghost--no man walks the path to the graveyard at midnight, even if it did look like the blurry indistinct outline o'a man."

"It only looked like that because you couldn't see the cloaky sheet!  I bet it has huge fangs too!" the other drunk responds

"See what you did, you're encouraging them, lad.  Why don't you just let them forget their worries in their cups?"


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 17, 2006)

Al turns to the barkeep, "Alright, I'm sorry, I'll go now.  I just wanted to make sure that I learned everything I could.  Whatever it is, it seems to appear at midnight, so I guess I'll just have to wait out there until then."  He starts to leave, and then turns back, "Thank you for your time."  he says to everyone he's bothered, before heading out the door.

Once outside he decides to head back to Claus' house first to tell her what he's going to do.

OOC: Heh, well this is why investigation got a low score.


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## unleashed (Nov 17, 2006)

Rystil Arden said:
			
		

> (OOC: It might be a tall tale, but if so, the speaker still believes it is true by now. Funny how our minds and memories play tricks on us sometimes.)



OOC: Yes it might be, but my post was talking about tall tales in relation to lying, and Rose is happy that a tall tale isn’t being spun as a _deliberate falsehood_ just for someone’s amusement.  

*Rose smiles a little when Al raises his ghost, watching the reaction of all the patrons for some sign of recognition, before following Al from the room without a word when he leaves.*


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 17, 2006)

Al nods to Rose as they leave the Inn, "I think we should go talk to Claus.  I wonder if she knows what that innkeeper's been saying."


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## unleashed (Nov 17, 2006)

“Yes, let’s do that... though she probably does know... it’s sad to see a village turn on one of its own,” Rose remarks sorrowfully, pulling her cloak tight around her to keep in the warmth from the inn, as they head back to Claus’ house. “Are we really going back to the graveyard around midnight, Al?”


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 17, 2006)

"I havent found any leads so far except for that.  You don't have to come though, Rose.  One of us ought to get some sleep."


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## unleashed (Nov 18, 2006)

“Don’t worry Al, we can sleep on the train. I think we’ll both need to go, if we’re going to solve this conundrum before we leave... anyway what sort of friend would I be, if I let you go by yourself,” Rose smiles.


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 18, 2006)

Al returns the smile "Thanks Rose."  When they reach Claus' house Al knocks lightly on the door, calling out; "Claus?  It's me, Alphonse."


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 18, 2006)

*The door is unlocked, so Alphonse and Rose let themselves in.  Claus has left some more stew for them, and there are two hot cups of tea beside the bowls of stew.  Claus herself is nowhere to be seen.*


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 18, 2006)

"I guess Claus went to bed.  I wonder what time it is.  It must be getting late."  Al looks around the room for a clock.  Wondering if they have time to finish the stew Claus left for them before they go out to the graveyard.


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## unleashed (Nov 18, 2006)

“She can’t have left this for us very long ago... the tea is still hot,” Rose replies as she stands near the table, looking around to see if any cloaks, coats, or footwear are missing... in case Claus headed out instead.


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## Rystil Arden (Nov 28, 2006)

*Al thinks there should be time to finish the stew.*

*Rose spots a missing cloak and pair of leather boots from amongst the clothes on the coat rack by the door.*


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## Dire Lemming (Nov 29, 2006)

OOC: Well I was actually more interested in knowing how late it was.


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## unleashed (Nov 29, 2006)

“Looks like Claus may have headed out, Al,” Rose comments, pointing out the missing cloak and boots.


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 2, 2006)

Al glances at the coat rack,  "That's strange, I wonder where she could have gone at this time of night."  He doesn't seem to think on it too much though.  "Well I guess we ought to eat the food she left for us before it gets cold." he says, sitting at the table and tucking in to one of the bowls.


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## unleashed (Dec 2, 2006)

A little shocked by Al’s quick dismissal, Rose says sharply, “I’m surprised at you Al! Claus has probably gone out looking for this ghost thing all by herself, now that we’re back here safe and sound...”


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 2, 2006)

*Al barely gets one spoonful of the tasty stew into his mouth before Rose's reprimand.  If his judging of time is accurate, it should be somewhere around two hours until midnight.*


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 2, 2006)

Al stops with the spoon still stuck in his mouth and turns to look at Rose with equal surprise.  He then looks  down at the untensle and quickly replaces it in the bowl.  He hurriedly chews and swallows his mouthfull of stew.  "Huh?" He looks sheepish as he continues "I didn't think of that... It seemed like she didn't beleive in the stories, but I guess neither do we and we're trying to find it..."  he thinks for a moment, "I wonder why she would go off by herself though, we could have gone together."  He stands up and once again heads for the door.  "Maybe she went to the graveyard to look for us."


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## unleashed (Dec 3, 2006)

Rose smiles as Al works his way though his reasoning aloud, evidently pleased to see him thinking it through. “Well since you decided to look into it Al, she probably feels it’s her responsibility too now... don’t forget she’s an alchemist too, and wants to help people just like we do,” she then pauses for a moment, thinking as she follows Al to the door. “As for why she would go off by herself... well she probably didn’t want to put us to any more trouble.”


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 10, 2006)

*Rose and Al reach the door, standing on the threshold out of which to exit into the cold night air.*


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## unleashed (Dec 11, 2006)

Pulling her cloak tightly around her, Rose steps outside and starts towards the graveyard, “Coming Al?” she asks, glancing over he shoulder.


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 11, 2006)

Al is in fact close behind her and moves of beside her as she turns.  "Of course."  he says, with a slight smile.  "Let's go."  As they head to the graveyard he keeps his eyes peeled for any sign of Claus.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 12, 2006)

*They walk down the road again towards the graveyard, through the village, lanterns in windows to provide flickering illumination through the streets to ward away the darkness, and past the big old house again, light flickering from inside as well, then around the hill, the ground packed more loosely here as they walk towards the trees and the peaceful stillness of death that hangs over the graveyard like a silent requiem.*


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## unleashed (Dec 13, 2006)

“It doesn’t seem like anyone’s here, Al,” Rose remarks, hugging herself as they stand before the graveyard once again.


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 13, 2006)

"Well it's not midnight just yet." Al remarks  "Let's find somewhere to wait where we won't be quite so easy to spot." he says, as he walks off in search of such a place.


Wait a sec, is that old house you were refering to Majihal's house?


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## unleashed (Dec 13, 2006)

*Rose nods and follows Al, as he searches for somewhere to hide.*


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 15, 2006)

(OOC: It isn't really clear, particularly since Al doesn't remember anything about the town's layout--it's a big old house)

*Looking around, Al and Rose see that perhaps some of the bigger gravestones could be used for cover.  Farther out, the trees provide many hiding places.  Hiding around the hill might make them difficult to spot from certain vantage points, but it would also obscure their own view of the scene, and any path that went over the hill would see them easily.*


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 15, 2006)

(OOC: Were the lights on the last time we passed that house?)


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 15, 2006)

(OOC: Nope)


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 16, 2006)

(OOC: Oops, I thought someone had said that the old house was Majihal's at one point.  My mistake.    Oh and sorry for the slow posting.)

Al gazes back at the large house, "Hey Rose, the lights weren't on in that house earlier tonight were they?  Do you think that's where Claus went?  Maybe we should take a look."


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## unleashed (Dec 17, 2006)

*Rose takes her eyes from the graveyard and looks around as Al speaks.*

“No, now that you mention it, Al, I don’t think they were... let’s go take a look.”


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 17, 2006)

*Al and Rose head back to the big old house from behind, and they find the back door ajar.  A light shines from somewhere deeper inside.*


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 17, 2006)

Al peers in through the door and tries to determine the source of the light.  He calls out "Hello?  Is anyone here?" and waits for a moment to see if anyone answers him before opening the door a bit more to enter.  Once inside he moves toward the source of the light.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 17, 2006)

*There is no immediate answer to Al's shouts, and the source of the light is not immediately apparent.  He will have to go through the house a bit to find the light, though it shouldn't be particularly difficult--the house is big for this village, but not incredibly large.*


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 17, 2006)

Al glances at Rose as they listen to the silence following his call.  After a moment he steps forward into the house, intent on finding the source of the light.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 17, 2006)

*Al moves cautiously into the house, circling around the rooms and edging towards the light, which turns out to be a lantern sitting on a table in a small study near another hallway leading back and around.*

"I thought I heard meddlers," a woman's voice says softly and coldly, though the voice itself would be quite beautiful if not for the menacing intent, "Why don't you mind your own business and get out of here, hmm?  Outsiders aren't welcome in this village."

*A cloaked figure walks forward smoothly, almost gliding, lowering her cloak for emphasis and revealing a beautiful face unusual for its flawless nature, almost as if manufacted rather than born.*


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## unleashed (Dec 18, 2006)

*Following Al into the house, Rose stays just behind him as they look for the source of the light.*

“Outsiders aren’t welcome? Really? Why is that?” Rose asks, taking a step back unconsciously as the woman approaches.


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 18, 2006)

Al, shocked at the sudden appearance of this beautiful woman does not manage to say anything until Rose speaks.  He realizes just how threatening her words seem and regards her cautiously as he waits for her to reply.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 18, 2006)

*Instead of answering Rose, she regards Alphonse from the better lighting.*

"_You!_" she nearly growls, and she claps her hands together.

*Suddenly her arms transform into long twisted thorny tentacle-tendrils bedecked with strange glowing blue flowers, and the tendrils snake forward through the distance towards Alphonse, who manages to duck away from the brunt of the attack and only take a minor injury to the arm.*

(OOC: Alphonse has 1 Injury.  Alphonse and Rose can go )


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 18, 2006)

[sblock]OMG, Majihal somehow had his soul transmuted into one of his dolls when he died! GAH!  [/sblock]

Al jumps to the side, and grunts in pain as the strange attack clips him in the arm.  Though the woman is clearly hostile he does has no reason why and does not want to cause her harm if he can help it.  "Wait," he shouts, "we just came in here because the door was open and no one answered!  Wha- we're not trying to steal anything!"  He doesn't want to take any action that might be viewed as aggressive; still he keeps on his toes, ready to dodge again if the woman continues her bizarre rampage.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 18, 2006)

(OOC: Alright--staying on the defensive.  I'll wait for Rose and then we'll continue )


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## unleashed (Dec 19, 2006)

“Leave Al alone,” Rose cries. Dropping to one knee, she quickly draws a transmutation circle and slaps her hand down on it, as she tries to use the floor to create a wall between Al and the woman.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 19, 2006)

*The floor heaves up between the two, forming a wall that cuts the room into two and slams the vine whips against the ceiling.  There is some sound from the other side, but the woman seems to be thwarted for the moment at least.  There is no continuing though with that wall up.*

(OOC: I presume you wanted to block the entire room, since otherwise she could easily go around it with her reach)


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## unleashed (Dec 19, 2006)

OOC: Yep, that'll do nicely.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 19, 2006)

(OOC: Sure thing--Al and Rose can both do something now if they like)


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 19, 2006)

Al exhales wearily as he looks over to Rose with a grateful smile "Thanks Rose, are you alright?".  He listens for a moment to the noises behind the wall before calling out.  "Uh, I'm sorry we startled you, we just noticed that your door here was open, but no one answered when I called out.  a-Are you alright?"

If the woman seems to have calmed down, and is no longer hostile Al will transmute the floor back to normal if there is no response from her he will do the sam to make sure she is not injured.


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## unleashed (Dec 19, 2006)

“Yes, I’m fine Al... the question is, are you alright?” Rose asks, standing and moving to look at Al’s arm. “You know, that woman sounded like she knew you, Al... from before. I wonder what you and Ed could have done, to cause such an angry response.”


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 19, 2006)

*There is no response from the other side.*

*Rose hurries over to Al and sees that his arm is bleeding from a cut, but he should be fine with a quick bandage.*

*Also, since there is no response, Al transmutes the wall down to see if the woman has been injured.*

*She seems to have made it out alright, but numerous viny thorny tendrils are extending from her arms now and spreading against where the wall used to be as if she had been readying to burrow through and knock it down.*

"Die Edward Elric!--Murderer!" she cries, turning the tendrils against Al as they reach forward and slam into him, coiling around him and lifting him up into the ai, cutting him with the thorns as they do.

(OOC: Al takes another Injury, two in total now.  Also, he is grappled and lifted up

Al and Rose's turns.  Al will need to make an Escape Artist or Grapple check to get out before he can do any Alchemy, unless Rose does something first to help with that)


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 19, 2006)

Er, how much of this can he take anyway?
To his horror, Al suddenly finds the life being squeezed (and poked) out of him by this mad woman's strange alchemy... well what else could it be?  As he struggles to escape he yells; "Th-That's not true!  My- *guh*- My brother is not a murderer!  Stop this!"

If he cannot escape and the woman does not stop he will try to transmute his metal bracer into a blade and cut himself free from the strange plantlike "arm".


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 19, 2006)

(OOC: Infinitely many until he fails one of these Toughness saves by too much   Going to need to make a Grapple or Escape Artist check if he wants to break free enough to slap)


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 19, 2006)

(OOC: Well yeah, uh, do you want me to do it myself?)


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 19, 2006)

(OOC: Oh, I'll do it--just making sure you know )

*Alphonse somehow manages to wriggle free just enough to transmute the metal bracer into a blade, though he can't cut the vines just yet.*

"Brother?  Then you're the armour?  I was so sure..." the woman says, surprised.

(OOC: Rose goes next)


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## unleashed (Dec 19, 2006)

“Put Al down, you monster!” Rose cries in panic as Al is lifted from the floor. Bringing her hands together quickly, as if in supplication for prayer, she then slaps a hand on the floor once again. This time though, instead of a wall, several fragments of the floor fly at the tendrils between Al and the woman, in an attempt to sever them.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 19, 2006)

*The sharp floor-piece spikes cut through the viny tendrils, leaving the vines around Al separate from the woman herself and probably easier to break now.  Her arms twitch and knit back into normal human-looking arms with hands at the end.*

"Not Edward, are you?  Then stay away and leave me be!" the woman exhorts, clapping her hands and slapping one of the flowers on the ground between them and then backing away into the hallway from whence she came.


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 19, 2006)

Uh... did Rose just trasmute without a circle?

Al drops to the ground and starts trying to cut away the vines again.  But when he notices the woman start to leave he calls out to her; "Wait!  Who are you?  What do you know about my brother?"


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 19, 2006)

*Al drops to the floor and easily slices away the remaining vines, breaking free.  The woman does not respond to his calls.*

(OOC: Yup, that she did--looks like her prayers were answered 

DL, give yourself a Hero Point for an excellent portrayal of Al's naivete leading him into the face of danger (When you put down the wall to check to see if she was hurt, I was thinking "Wow, that's going to hurt--but that's _exactly_ like what Al does in the show"

unleashed, you get a Hero Point as well for overall portrayal of Rose's faith and determination throughout and then particularly here.)


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 19, 2006)

Except in the show it doesn't hurt!   

"Rose, are you alright?" Al says as he struggles to his feet and starts to persue the woman.  He stops short before he reaches the strange flower that she so deliberately placed between them before she fled.  Given a moment to stop and think it only now dawns on him just how many strange things had happened in the last minute, he turns back to look at Rose.  "Rose?  Did you just transmute... without a circle?"


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 19, 2006)

(OOC: That's because in the show, he's in a suit of armour, so it hurts other people instead   I'm thinking of the times Al saved Kimblee and Sloth, for instance   Anyways, I wouldn't worry about it--two injuries aren't really a big deal (they each just give -1 to future Toughness saves until they heal), and Hero Points are pretty sweet (you can use them to do a special transmutation not on your list, to take two standard actions, to reroll a bad roll and get at least 11 no matter what, and more ) )


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## unleashed (Dec 20, 2006)

“Yes, I’m fine Al, after all she didn’t even seem to notice me. Though you’re looking a little worse for wear,” Rose says, concern in her eyes as she looks at Al’s new wounds and watches him start to go after the woman. “I... did I? I guess, I did!” Rose says, smiling as she looks down at her hands in wonder, “I was just so frightened, I prayed for you, and my prayers were answered with Alchemy!"


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 20, 2006)

Al can't help showing his disbelief on his face.  "But...that doesn't make any sense..." Al stares at Rose for a good long moment before suddenly shaking it off; "We should follow her," he says, looking back down the hall, his eyes stopping for a moment on the strange flower "it sounded like she knows something about brother, and... it seemed like she was an alchemist... or something." 

Al doesn't want to get too close to the flower so he'll try to make out anything about it from where he is (not much hope for that though) and then transmute a ten foot pole out of the surrounding area and try poking it, and then pushing it.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 20, 2006)

*Al looks at the flower suspiciously and transmutes a ten-foot pole.  Just then, before he pokes at it, the flower surges in growth from a tiny blossom to a giant monstrous thing with a huge gaping maw, and it snaps at Al.  He twists away and easily avoids the attack, bringing the pole to bear like a bo staff and blocking the brunt of it as he moves to the side.  The flower seems mindlessly oblivious of its failure.*

(OOC: Al and Rose's turns)


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 20, 2006)

Al, by this time quite tired of being shocked finds himself begining to wonder just how much stranger this night can get. "Look out!" he yells as he dodges away from the creature's grasp.  Realizing that neither his small blade or his pole will have much effect on a giant carnivorous plant...thing he suddenly remembers the light he'd seen earlier and looks around for it's source(hopefully something flameable).


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 20, 2006)

(OOC: It's a lantern on a nearby table)


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 20, 2006)

Alright, can Al use it as an alchemical flamethrower?


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 20, 2006)

(OOC: Absolutely--that's going to be a Full Round transmute though, so it'll finish just before his next action if Rose can keep Al from being interrupted.  He could also use Extra Effort or a Hero Point to get an instant Flamethrower just this once, Roy Mustang style)


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 20, 2006)

(OOC: Huh, how does extra effort work again?)


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## unleashed (Dec 20, 2006)

Rose looks a little upset by Al’s reaction, he voice losing most of it’s fervor as she says, “Well... I suppose it could be... something else...” before her eyes begin to tear up and lose focus, as if she’s remembering something. “No... it can’t be that...” she sobs, paying no attention to Al, as she turns away from him, caught up in memories of the past.

Turing back as Al shouts, Rose steps backward, as she sees the monstrous plant for the first time, “Where did...?” is all she gets out, before she composes herself. “I don’t think she wants us following her, Al,” she remarks, a look of determination coming to her face, as she bring her hands together in supplication again, as if to prove Al wrong. Slapping her hand on the floor for a third time in as many minutes, nothing appears to happen for a second... then the floor around the plant begins to move and reach up to restrain it.


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 20, 2006)

(OOC: Well I guess if Rose is going to restrain it Al will take a full round action.)


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 20, 2006)

*The floor near the flower creature twists and writhes around the flower in a vicelike grip, and though the flower struggles to free itself, it fails, remaining ensnared.*

*Meanwhile, Al finishes his complicated circle, adding a few lines based on what he's seen on Roy Mustang's gloves and hoping for the best.  As the transmutation finishes, a gout of searing-hot flame shoots forth from the lantern and engulfs the entrapped flower, disabling it as it is wreathed in flames, though it is not quite slain.*

(OOC: Rose's turn)


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## unleashed (Dec 20, 2006)

Rose watches carefully as Al finishes the complex circle, smiling in delight as the flame shoots forth from the lantern. “Wow, Al... what made you think of that?” she asks, watching the flower in case it breaks free, but not making any attempt to initiate further alchemy against it herself.


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 20, 2006)

Al watches the flower for a moment in silence before responding to Rose.  "...I don't know actually.  Maybe it was Fuhrer Mustang's flame alchemy, I guess.  But... you did it again didn't you, Rose?" He asks.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 20, 2006)

(OOC: The flower isn't dead yet--it is stunned for a round and it is disabled, so it can only take one standard action or move action a round, and it is ensnared as well.  Someone might want to finish it off eventually, but it'll be a while before it can do anything, so you don't have to)


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 20, 2006)

(OOC: Sure, just insert another blast of flame from the lantern before Al speaks.   )


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

(OOC: He used up the flame with the fire burst--he'll need to light it again and then make another circle.  Or he could try another attack--he has plenty of time)


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

(OOC: Oh, well in that case he'll just do the classic impaling spikes from everywhere attack.   )


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

(OOC: An oldy but a goody )

*Alphonse slaps his hands and impaling spikes come from everywhere, still not quite finishing the flower, but keeping it unable to react so that after one more slap, a final single stone spike can rip through its middle.  Defeated, the flower shrinks down just as rapidly as it grew, becoming a simple blue rose, torn to shreds.  The lighting in the room is dim now, lit only from the moonlight shining through the window.*


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## unleashed (Dec 21, 2006)

“Yes, I did... didn’t I,” Rose says proudly, smiling, “Hmm, I wonder if I could have done Alchemy that way all along...”


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

"Um, hm." Al looks confused, but he doesn't say anything else about it, remembering her reaction the last time he said something about it.  "I think it's safe to go after her now." he says, as he claps his hands together and places them on the ground, causing the spikes to retract.  "Still we should be careful, she seems to think we're a threat and she has that strange alchemy..." he picks up the lantern again and attempts to light it. Once he does he looks back once more at Rose and then heads forward in the direction the woman fled.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

*Al manages to light the lantern without much trouble, and so they continue in the direction the woman fled, walking down a hallway towards a small room with some stairs.  However, there are loud sounds seeming to come from within the wall on the hallway's left side, though there is no sign of a door.*


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

Al moves to the door and puts his ear to it.  If he can't hear anyting clearly he will trasmute a peephole into the wall.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

(OOC: I said there is no door   The sound is coming from a bare wall.  Still making the peephole)


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

(OOC: Ack! I knew there was no door, I could have sworn I typed wall. Oh well, yes, peephole.)


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## unleashed (Dec 21, 2006)

“If you think so, Al,” Rose answers cautiously, supplicating and placing her hands on the floor, as she returns the section that was restraining the plant to it’s normal state as well. When Al looks around, after lighting the lantern, she nods and follows him, a smile on her face.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

*Al tries to listen to the wall.  He makes out a bit of talking, though not clearly:*

".........her off quickly........_Elric_ is here.......can't let........again, my love!"

*Al transmutes a peephole to peek beyond the wall.  There is a secret room that looks like it was an alchemical laboratory, but it was turned into a battleground, transmutation circles drawn in chalk on several surfaces and pieces of the room torn up as if transmuted into walls, attacks, and the like.  The woman from before stands near the wall just in front of it, though she has her back turned to Alphonse's hole so she can't see where he is peeking through.  She is occluding the view of what appears to be a figure, or perhaps two figures locked in an embrace or grapple, in the back shadows.*


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

Al doesn't want to provoke the woman into attacking him again, as such he figure the best thing to do would be to get her attention while there is something solid in between them.  He turns back to Rose and whispers, "I'm going to try to talk to her one more time, but if she still acts crazy when she sees me be ready, ok?" He opens his peephole to about six inches and says "Um, Excuse me, Miss?  Look, we're not a threat, I just want to know what you know about my brother."  He watches her cautiously getting ready to leap away if she still starts attacking again.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

"You!?" she hisses, "What's your problem?  You were there--you should know!  If I come out and tell you, will you go away?"


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

"I'm sorry, I've forgotten allot of things from before." Al says, sounding releived that the woman is actually speaking with him though a bit embarrassed as he admits.  "I don't remember you." he continues to peer through the hole, trying to get a better view of what is going on in the room. "Alright, Please come out and talk to us."


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

*The woman snorts, perhaps in disbelief, perhaps because in anger that she was so easily forgotten.*

"If I tell you, will you leave?" she repeats her question.

*Al still can't get a good view, as she's blocking it.*


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

Al is a bit hesitant, he doesn't particularly feel like leaving, he wants to see what she is doing. Still if it'll get her to talk...  "a-Alright." He says.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

"Very well then, if I must," she agrees.

*A quick slap and she fills up the peeping hole in the wall with vines, but she is as good as her word in that she opens up a secret doorway slightly and exits to the hallway, closing it behind her.*

"Please, then, let's go to the dining room so we can all sit down?" she gestures down the hall warily, as if expecting that this might be a trap that Al plans to spring on her.


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

Al nods, and starts to move in the direction she indicates, looking back at her and Rose.


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## unleashed (Dec 21, 2006)

*Rose follows Al, keeping her thoughts to herself, though she also keeps a watchful eye on the woman.*


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

*The woman walks with them until they get to the table in the dining room.  She takes a seat and waits for them to do the same.*

"So what, you have amnesia?  That sounds pretty far-fetched, but given my own past, I suppose I have little room to talk.  You want to know how I know you and your brother?"


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## unleashed (Dec 21, 2006)

“No, not exactly, but close enough,” Rose says quietly, taking a seat and watching the woman.


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

Al takes a seat and nods, "Yes, please.  We met Claus when we first got here and she told me some things about what happened, but I'm not sure I understood.  Uh, well I guess you know who I am, and this is Rose."  He watches the woman expectantly.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

"I see.  Well, it is very simple, Alphonse.  Your brother Edward murdered my Majihal.  Edward whipped him and impaled him with a sword.  He took away my beloved, and for that I will make him pay--where is your brother, anyway?  I thought the two of you were inseparable?"


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

(OOC: Oh sorry, guessed that one after she started screaming "murderer"  )

"W- What?!"  Al stares at the woman with a look of disbeleif that she could even think such a thing.  "That's not true, Claus told me we saved her life!  She told me that Majihal was going to bind her soul to a doll, and when brother tried to stop him he tried to kill _him_!  And what do you mean ‘Your Majihal’ who are you?!”  Al, it seems has quite lost his temper with the slanderous woman, though it is likely also due in part to her previous open hostility.


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## unleashed (Dec 21, 2006)

*Rose’s eyes widen as the woman tells her story, but she stays silent until Al loses his temper.*

“Please, Al, calm down,” Rose says quietly, placing a hand on his arm. “I’m certain events happened just as Claus said, as I can’t believe Ed would attack without provocation either.”


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

(OOC: That's why she said "given my own past, I suppose I have little room to talk", since she had amnesia too )

"It is all too true, I'm afraid.  I was there--I saw it all.  Edward could have just put up a wall or a hand of stone to restrain my Majihal, but he chose to attack with a deadly swipe and turn the sword back, killing my beloved."

"Who am I?  I am Karin, but that won't mean anything to you if you've forgotten everything."


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

Al seems to be debating with himself inside his head.  "But, he didn't mean to... If Majihal hadn't tried to kill my brother he wouldn't have had to defend himself.  You can't... blame him for that-"  Al suddenly cuts off as he realizes who the woman has said she is.  He looks directly at her, she doesn't look much older than Claus, but she says she was in love with Majihal.  "You're... Karin?  But... but Claus said that Majihal died fifteen years ago, and you're... well..." Al isn't sure how to proceed.  Oddly, he finds himself blushing at what he was about to say, despite the seriousness of the situation.  "You, er, look so young."


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

"A murderer is a murderer," Karin replies, "As to my form, well, considering your past a soulbind shouldn't be so strange to you...I lost my body and this form was lying around, a doll built in my image, augmented with blue roses and a forger's love."


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

Al blinks confusedly at her as she ends her sentance with some strange dramatic sounding words about roses and love, "So, this isn't your real body?"  He thinks back to his last memory that is truely his own.  Trying to bring back their mother...  "You- tried to bring him back, didn't you?"  He asks, quietly.  Though it does not quite sound like a question.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 21, 2006)

"Yes, I did," Karin agrees, "Well, I've told you what you wanted to hear, so won't you go away now?"


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 21, 2006)

Alphonse looks down at the table for a while, trying to put everything he's learned in order.  "I'm sorry that what we did hurt you, neither brother or I would have meant to do that.  I- I can't put things back the way they were, but if there is anything I can do to try to make it up to you even a little..."  He finally looks up, with the look of determination that his teacher always said she couldn't say no to.


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## unleashed (Dec 22, 2006)

Rystil Arden said:
			
		

> "A murderer is a murderer," Karin replies, "As to my form, well, considering your past a soulbind shouldn't be so strange to you...I lost my body and this form was lying around, a doll built in my image, augmented with blue roses and a forger's love."



OOC: Glad I didn’t have anything important to add in that little exchange.  

“Yes, and I suppose if Majihal had managed to kill Ed, you’d feel exactly the same way!?” Rose remarks, just loudly enough to be heard.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 22, 2006)

"I was the first one to say that Majihal had gone too far.  But that doesn't mean that the Elric boy had a right to kill him!  Now if you're quite done here, I'm leaving, and you should too," Karin finishes decisively, moving to get up from her chair.


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 22, 2006)

"But..." Al trails off as Karin seems to have completely ignored him.  He stays seated in his chair seemingly in deep concentration, muttering; "What can I do?"


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 22, 2006)

"The best thing you can do is leave and be on your way.  Nothing can bring things back to the way they were before, that much is true," Karin agrees.

*Then she gets up and begins to head off.*


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 22, 2006)

Al sighs, and looks dejectedly down at the table as Karin leaves.  After a moment he gets up and follows, going back the way they came.  When he gets to the hidden door he pauses for a moment, wondering what could be behind it, and listening for any indication.  

If he doesn't hear anything he'll leave the house.


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## unleashed (Dec 22, 2006)

*Watching as Al gets up to follow Karin, Rose stays a short distance behind him, so as not to disrupt whatever he’s trying to do.*


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 22, 2006)

*The hidden door is deathly silent this time.  Knowing where it is, it shouldn't be too hard to find the way to make it open from this side if he wanted a peek, or to transmute another hole, but he did say he was going to leave...Not that Karin would be able to tell--she exited the house in the other direction, as she said she would.*

(OOC: I must say--that is _not_ how I expected it to go.  Nicely rolled Diplomacy the second time around for Al  )


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 22, 2006)

(OOC: Oh, whoops.  That's interesting.)

Al is extremely curious about the contents of the room, and seeing as how Karin had left, he can't help but take a peak.  He once again opens his peephole, hopefully getting a better view now that Karin isn't in the way.


(OOC: Expected as in you didn't expect me to try diplomacy or just didn't expect it to work?)


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## unleashed (Dec 23, 2006)

*Rose watches and waits silently for Al, ready to warn him should anyone come.*


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 23, 2006)

*This time when Al finishes his peephole, the room is empty of any occupants.  There aren't any signs of motion to naturally draw attention to that spot from before, but Al's eyes are naturally drawn there.  There seems to be a prone figure or a group of objects in roughly the size and shape of a prone body in the shadowed corner that had been blocked from sight before.*

(OOC: Persistent diplomacy until a relative success where she went to Indifferent--the first one started at Hostile because she thought you were Ed, so it was almost guaranteed not to work )


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 23, 2006)

Al opens the hole so that it is large enough to fit through and enters the room, he makes his way, anxiously, to the prone form on the ground.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 23, 2006)

*The prone form turns out to be a desiccated, withered corpse.  It is wearing the coat that Rose noticed was missing from Claus's home, and underneath that, it is wearing the same outfit as Claus was earlier.*


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 23, 2006)

Al suddenly feels a strange preasure in his throat that feels as if he is choking and a strange pain in his head.  Still staring at the corpse, he starts absently tugging the collar of his shirt, until his brain catches up with his body.  He tears his face away from the sight and loses his dinner on floor.  He doesn't really notice that he is feeling, physically, much better as he coughs and sputters and spits the remaining stew out of his mouth.  He looks up at Rose from his hunched posision with an expression of fear and disbelief.  "Rose... it's Claus...  It can't be, right?  RIGHT?!" he raises his voice at the end as if yelling will somehow make what he sees untrue.


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## unleashed (Dec 24, 2006)

*Moving up hurriedly in concern for Al as he turns and loses his dinner, Rose looks into the room. Her hands flying to her mouth and her eyes wide open in alarm, as she spots the body on the floor and recognises the clothing, struck speechless by the sight. Not looking at Al as he starts to speak, she is suddenly snaps out of her stunned state, looking away from the body and down at him when he yells.*

“I... I don’t... it looks like... it must... poor Claus,” she says softly, tears starting to form as she says Claus’ name.


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 24, 2006)

Al stands up abruptly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve and glaring at the door.  "Damn it!  K- Karin did this!  And I- didn't stop her!" he turns his glare to Rose, not that she deserves to be glared at but because he's too upset to have any other expression "I'm going to find her!" without so much as a second thought Al dashes out of the room and after Karin.


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## unleashed (Dec 24, 2006)

*Ignoring the look from Al as she knows he’s upset, Rose glances back sadly at Claus’ body, before hurrying after Al... hoping she can keep up with him.*


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 24, 2006)

(OOC: Going to give Al another Hero Point for complications--save this one to do something cool if/when you catch up to whoever did that to Claus [Or use it somewhere else--either way ])


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 25, 2006)

Well much thanks for the hero point, but what happens next?  Also, merry happy Chrismanaca


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 26, 2006)

(OOC: Ah, right--he ran out to chase after Karin )

*As Al dashes through the house, he sees lights from outside.  He races to the door just in time to come across a small group of villagers carrying lanterns.*

"What's this now?  Mel heard loud sounds and smashing walls and saw a huge flash of fire from here.  What were ya doing in that old house, boy?" the innkeep asks suspiciously, "An alchemist, and snooping around the old alchemist's stuff...ya wouldn't happen to be our _ghost_ now, would ya?"


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 26, 2006)

Al skids to a halt in front of the villagers.  Desperately looking past them in hopes of catching a glimpse of Karin, he stutters;  "Karin, she- she killed Claus.  Let me by, I have to find her!"  He starts attempting to get around the villagers and head for the graveyard if he can't find any sign that Karin headed in a different direction.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 26, 2006)

*Al doesn't see any signs of Karin anywhere.*

"Sure, blaming it on the dead girl again?" the innkeeper asks sceptically, "It wasn't that last time either--it was a deranged alchemist.  I bet that's what it is this time too!"

"Claus is dead?" the innkeeper's son asks, aghast, "Oh, Claus!"


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 26, 2006)

Al ignores the innkeeper and tries to get past the villagers so that he can get to the graveyard.  If they won't let him pass he shouts, "It's true! Karin's soul is bound to one of Majihal's dollls!  Let me go, I have to find her!"


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## unleashed (Dec 27, 2006)

OOC: Doesn't seem as if Rose has caught up to Al, as there's no mention of her currently, so I guess there's nothing for me to do here.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 27, 2006)

*As Rose finally catches up to the sprinting Al and exits the house, Al bursts through the crowd of villagers and rushes towards the graveyard to cries of "Hey--he's getting away!" and the like.*

*The villagers head after him swiftly but more cautiously than Al's own reckless abandon, as they aren't really sure they want to tangle with a murderous alchemist anyway, and so they begin to fall behind.  Even Rose could outpace them if she moved at full speed, skirts lifted up to make it easier to move at high speed.*

*Al reaches the graveyard, and it appears as empty as before.*


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 27, 2006)

Al slows down and walks through the gravestones, looking every whichway.  His eyes glancing over the names from time to time, to see if he can spot either "Majihal", or "Karin".  He cups his hands to his mouth and shouts.  "Karin!  Come out here!  Why- Why did you do it!"


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 27, 2006)

*Alphonse looks around through the gravestones for a Majihal or Karin, as the villagers continue following him towards the graveyard.  Just as they have nearly converged on him, he catches a glimpse of two large and elaborate gravestones one next to the other, with Majihal and Karin's names on them.*


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 27, 2006)

Alphonse rushes over to the stones, and examines them.  Suddenly remembering what Karin had said about having lost her body in a human transmutation, he turns to see the villagers converging on him looking rather unfriendly.  He points to Karin's grave, "How did Karin die?"  it sounds as if he's leading up to something rather than simply asking a question.


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 27, 2006)

(OOC: Based on the conditionals you gave, I believe he did not shout out about Karin's soul because he got past, correct?)

"What are you doing out here, boy?  Come to wake the dead with your alchemy, have ya?  Karin died many many years ago in a rockslide on the treacherous mountain pass she used to deliver her flowers, back when I was a lad, not that it matters.  Now turn yerself in before someone gets hurt! "


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 28, 2006)

(OOC: Yeah.  Wow these guys sure are ignorant.)

"Karin isn't dead!  Her soul is bound to one of Majihal's dolls, and... Wait, she told me she lost her body when she tried to bring Majihal back to life."


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 28, 2006)

"What in blazes?  I don't know what yer ranting about, little alchemist, but yer coming with us--we won't stand for yer killing more of the village girls, that we won't."


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## unleashed (Dec 28, 2006)

Following the group of villagers, as they chase Al to the graveyard, Rose calls out trying to disarm the situation. “Calm down people, calm down... no need to kill the messenger. We were staying with Claus for the night, and came out to look for her when we returned and found she'd gone out herself... after she’d considerately left us supper of course. That’s Claus though, always thinking of others. Anyway, while we were looking for her, we spotted a light in that big house, so we went to investigate. That’s when the woman claiming to be Karin attacked Al and we found poor Claus...”


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 28, 2006)

"Oh yeah?  A likely story!  And who are you--the accomplice to the boy's murders?"

"Well, that does sound like something Claus would..."

"Quiet lad--loud crashes and a fiery blaze in that house and these two come out of it.  How much obvious can it be?"


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## unleashed (Dec 28, 2006)

“I’m Rose, and no. After all, how could either of us possibly have committed any murders here... we only arrived in town this evening. I mean, have any of you seen us here before today?” Rose asks, placing her hands on her hips and looking a little exasperated with the man who cut the lad off. Not waiting for an answer, she continues, “Anyway, we were on our way to Central and since our connecting train was going to be a long wait, we decided to look for somewhere to stay in town. That’s when we met the boys testing fireworks and Claus...”


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 28, 2006)

"Well, we haven't seen the murderer until today either, so who's to say ya weren't hiding out all this time?" the innkeeper counters.

"Then why would they come to the inn and ask after the murders, da?  If they're the ones who did it?"

"To establish an alibi, son.  They wanted as many people as possible to think they just came into town today so that nobody would suspect them of nothing."

"Well, I guess that's possible, b..."

"Course it's possible--that's how these alchemists trick ya.  Now surrender peacefully you two--we don't want nobody else to get hurt!"


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## unleashed (Dec 28, 2006)

“And you still haven’t seen the murderer... well unless you’ve spotted the woman who’s claiming to be Karin,” Rose declares. Glaring at the innkeeper with her hands still planted firmly on her hips as she adds, “It’s also possible we’re telling the honest truth, which we are, but it seems you’d prefer to accuse and hamper people who are trying to help, rather than seek the real culprit. A woman we know at least had a hand in Claus’ death, and probably the others too... considering what she's been trying to do.”


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 28, 2006)

"Well we haven't seen this so-called woman, but we _have_ seen you.  Who's to say she isn't some made-up story of yers?  There's nothing but yer words to back up that there even is such a woman, and seeing as ya have every reason to make something like that up if yer the ones that did it, well..."


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 28, 2006)

Al is starting to get angrier every moment as the innkeeper continues his absurd tirade.  "If I had made it all up then my imagination would be almost as good as yours was when you came up with the idea that a loud crash and a fire makes us the ones behind the disapearances!"


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## unleashed (Dec 28, 2006)

Right on the tail of Al’s statement and still trying to retain some composure, Rose adds, “You might also want to consider, sir, if you’re right, and we’re the ones behind the disappearances and Claus' death. Why exactly are we standing here _talking_ with you, rather than killing you, so there are still no witnesses?”


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 28, 2006)

"Hmm..." the innkeeper thinks, "Well, we have you outnumbered, for one--you probably have to like tie a person up a do some kind of ritual sacrifice or something.  If you could kill us all at once, then you would have no reason to have been sneaking around like a thief in the night and picking off the defenseless girls of the village one by one like you did--you could just kill us all and be done with it."


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 28, 2006)

Al literally growls in frustration at the innkeeper as he claps his hands together and touches the ground, causing a number of human looking arms to reach out of the dirt and lift him up, suspending him upside down, his head some four feet off the ground.  "There, maybe once you get a bit more blood flowing to your brain you'll be able to think clearly!"


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 28, 2006)

"Ah, what's this--watch out boys, he's attacking!" the innkeeper shouts as Al begins his alchemy.

*One of the villagers manages to swing the pole he's brandishing fairly ineptly at Al, missing completely, before the transmutation finishes and easily lifts the innkeeper into the air.*

"Graah!" the innkeeper shouts, struggling unsuccessfully to free himself, "Don't worry about me, boys--get him quick before he gets you too!"

*Some of the villagers brandish torches and make clumsy attacks with pitchforks or makeshift clubs, but Al dodges and weaves between the attacks, avoiding them easily.*

(OOC: Rose's turn, then some more villagers, then Al again)


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## Dire Lemming (Dec 28, 2006)

(OOC: I know that's probably not what Al would have done in the show, but I'd bet it's what Ed would have done given far less provokation.  I think it works fine with this Al.)


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## Rystil Arden (Dec 28, 2006)

(OOC: I agree--Ed can get fed up pretty quickly, and Al, while still different than Ed, has certainly had some growing up to do.  The important thing is that this is your character now, so go with your instincts )


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## unleashed (Dec 29, 2006)

“Stupid, bullheaded man,” Rose mutters, as she works a transmutation of her own. Bringing her hands together in supplication and touching the ground, she tries to wall in as many of the villagers as possible, to keep them from getting themselves hurt on the misguided word of the innkeeper.


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 2, 2007)

*Walls appear from the ground and enclose the villagers, leaving them unable to escape.*

"They've got us all--zounds!  It's too late for us, then, but at least we died fighting instead of huddling in fear while the alchemists killed our wives and daughters."


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## Dire Lemming (Jan 2, 2007)

Alphonse approaches the upside down innkeeper and bends over to glare directly into his face, "Listen, WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!  Now, you can either help us look for Karin or you can hang here until you pass out, your choice!"


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 2, 2007)

"Ya babble on and on about Karin and Majihal, but they're dead and gone.  Why are ya just holding us here, to taunt us first?  Or do ya need a willing sacrifice?"

"Uhh, but what if they're not the bad guys and they're just confused and stuff?" another villager offers, "Maybe Claus did it and claimed to be Karin?"

"It couldn't've been Claus," the innkeeper's son says adamantly.

"Well, what if it was _really_ a ghost this time?  Then being dead means it _could_ be Karin," another villager offers.

"Either way, we've gotta get out of here before they kill us all!"


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## Dire Lemming (Jan 3, 2007)

"Grrr, Look, Karin's body died, but she used alchemy to attach her soul to one of Majihal's dolls and now I don't know what she's trying to do, but she's got to be stopped before she hurts anyone else!  So I'll give you all one last chance to either help me find her or stay out here all night, your choice."  If nothing else, it seems that the constant irritation has somewhat dulled his rage.


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## unleashed (Jan 3, 2007)

“Sacrifice... what are you talking about?! We have no intention of harming any of you, we’re just trying to stop you hurting yourselves,” Rose remarks, exasperated by the innkeeper’s continued refusal to consider any other possibility. “Al’s right though, we need to find her before she hurts or kills someone else. So, what can we say to convince you we’re telling the truth?”


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 3, 2007)

"Well obviously nothing, since we know you're l..."

"Why don't you just shut up for a second, Da, and think about it!" his son cuts off, fed up, "You don't know they killed anybody yet.  They could be telling the truth, or maybe they might just be wrong but not know better.  What if it was Lebi--she was pretty close to Majihal before the last time, right?  She might've lied and said she was Karin or something.  Who knows?  Why don't we just let them go look while I...while I bury what's left of Claus...Oh Claus--why did you have to die!"

"Stupid bullheaded kid," the innkeeper mutters.


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## unleashed (Jan 4, 2007)

“Well, at least the boy’s talking sense,” Rose replies, pleased someone's listening, “So are you men going to behave if I lower this wall?”


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 4, 2007)

*Most of the men don't answer or just mutter.*

"Don't give up men!" the innkeeper calls out.

"Come off it, pa.  They could've killed us if they wanted.  There's nothing we can do anyway, so might as well just go take care of what we can."


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## unleashed (Jan 4, 2007)

“Listen to your son, you pigheaded man,” Rose says, barely containing her frustration as she steps in front of the innkeeper, “he’s the only one of you talking any sense at all.”


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 4, 2007)

"Beh, he's just being a loony on account of that girl.  Well, I'm not backing down, but if you guys are too scared to defend yer loved ones, then go home and hide and see if I care," the innkeeper announces bravely.


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## Dire Lemming (Jan 4, 2007)

"That's it, we don't have time for this!  I'm going back to the village, if Karin is kidnapping children thenl now would be the perfect time for her to try it again.  I'm not letting her kill anyone else!"  with that, Al runs off towards the village without a backwards glance.


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 4, 2007)

*Al quickly reaches the village, where nothing out of the ordinary appears to be happening.*

(OOC: I'll wait to see if Rose is following and, if so, how quickly, but I'm guessing she may want to let at least some of them out, so Al might be able to do something else)


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## Dire Lemming (Jan 4, 2007)

Al slows down as he reaches the village and it dawns on him that he still has no idea how he's going to find Karin.  Then again, if all the men in the village are awake it stands to reason that their families would be as well, he'd definatelly have a much easier time finding her with help.  He aproaches a nearby house and knocks on the door, calling out, "Hello? Please open up!"


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## unleashed (Jan 5, 2007)

Rystil Arden said:
			
		

> *Al quickly reaches the village, where nothing out of the ordinary appears to be happening.*
> 
> (OOC: I'll wait to see if Rose is following and, if so, how quickly, but I'm guessing she may want to let at least some of them out, so Al might be able to do something else)



*Rose reverses her wall transformation, releasing the men as Al runs off.*

“Al’s right, if Karin is still looking to kidnap others, then she might be taking this opportunity to do so. So I’d advise you to return to your homes and check on your loved ones.”

*If the men leave and she doesn't need to defend herself, Rose then slowly lowers the innkeeper to the ground, before completely reversing Al’s transformation as well... a content smile on her face.*

OOC: The innkeeper's son doesn't have to leave for the second part to happen.


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 5, 2007)

*After Rose undoes the box, the crowd basically disperses, and the innkeeper's son disappears into the old house.*

*When the innkeeper hits the ground, he scowls at Rose's content look, but then he just sighs and heads back, defeated, but without anyone to see him back down and thus encourage him to keep up his tough-guy act.*


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## unleashed (Jan 5, 2007)

*Once the innkeeper heads off, Rose goes into the house to look for his son... intending to show him where Claus’ body is if he hasn’t found it yet.*


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 5, 2007)

*As Al knocks on one of the barred doors, there is no response, though he can hear the sound of frightened people huddled up inside.*

*Meanwhile, Rose heads inside the house along the path to Claus's body.  The innkeeper's son is already there when she arrives, sobbing over the desiccated corpse.*


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## unleashed (Jan 5, 2007)

*Moving up next to the boy, Rose begins to stroke his head soothingly, turning slightly towards him as she too looks down at the corpse.*

“That’s it, let it all out son, there’s no shame in crying... especially for those we love.”


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 5, 2007)

"Oh Claus...what were you trying to prove?  I was so stupid...so shy...and now..." the young man keeps sobbing.


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## unleashed (Jan 5, 2007)

*Rose continues to comfort the young man, while she speaks.*

“Tragically, she probably wasn’t trying to prove anything... just saw the light inside, like we did, and went to take a look. It’s a shame she went out by herself though, instead of waiting for us to return, as I while I hadn’t known Claus long I quite liked her.” Pausing for a moment, she then adds, “Well, why don’t we get her away from this foul place, where her kindness was extinguished. I’m sure she’d like that.”


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 5, 2007)

*The young man nods mutely, though he hesitates for a moment before steeling himself and gathering up the remains of the woman he secretly loved.*

"Let's go," he says simply.


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## unleashed (Jan 5, 2007)

*Smiling sympathetically, Rose moves aside and gestures for the young man to take the lead.*


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 5, 2007)

*He carries the body out to the cemetery and stops.*

"It occurs to me that we don't really have a good place to put this...err her...err there is no grave prepared yet."


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## unleashed (Jan 5, 2007)

“Don’t concern yourself with that, I can easily prepare a grave... you just need to show me where. But don’t you think Claus’ father should be present, if we’re going to bury her?”


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 5, 2007)

"He's probably still asleep.  He didn't come when Da gathered the nearby folk.  But should we really carry her back to her house like this?  It doesn't seem right."


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## unleashed (Jan 5, 2007)

“Well, you could go and try to wake him, the door should be unlocked, or I could go... if you’d prefer to stay here with Claus,” Rose offers, glancing back towards the village.


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 5, 2007)

*The young man simply nods at Rose's suggestion.*


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## unleashed (Jan 5, 2007)

“Well, I’d hoped you’d volunteer to go, as I don’t really want to leave you out here by yourself. Especially with the woman who did that to Claus on the loose. I know Claus wouldn’t want to put you in unnecessary danger either... so I guess I’d better transform something to temporarily cover her, while we both go.”

*If he’s willing to let Rose cover her, she puts her hand together in supplication, before touching the ground and creating a shell over Claus. They then make their way back to Claus’ house together to get her father.*


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 5, 2007)

"Very well, I will go," he offers, "If there even really is a Karin, it seems like she is long gone by now.  I wonder why?"


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## unleashed (Jan 6, 2007)

*Pleased to be speaking with someone who’s actually listening, Rose briefly recounts their encounter with Karin to see if she can convince him that the woman does actually exist.*

“Oh, there is a Karin, believe me, we just don’t know whether she told us is the truth or not. You see, she claimed she was there when Majihal died fighting Edward Elric. That’s Al’s older brother. She also claimed that Ed murdered Majihal, though Claus told us he was just defending himself. Anyway, so when we went in to investigate the light, she attacked Al, thinking he was Ed... Al does look a lot like Ed did then... so I guess I believe her, as her hatred seemed quite... real.”

*She shudders with the last word, before pausing to consider the young man’s question.*

“Well, if she is gone, perhaps she finally got whatever she was after here... from Claus... though I wouldn’t be too certain she’s gone for good yet.”


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 6, 2007)

"That's odd.  I did hear about how the Fullmetal Alchemist killed the wicked Majihal though and saved Claus.  She told that story to us all the time before she began to grow more distant and stick her nose in the books, rather than hanging out with us boys and roughhousing.  I still heard Karin died a long time ago in a rockslide though.  Maybe it's just somebody else using that name."


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## Dire Lemming (Jan 6, 2007)

He knocks again, this time harder.  "Hello?  Is everyone alright in there?"  If he does not hear an afirmative answer he'll simply transmute the lock off the door and open it.

(OOC: Or by barred did you mean that there is literally a bar across the door?  In that case Al will simply tranmute the thingymabobbers holding the bar in place off the wall.  )


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 6, 2007)

(OOC: Bar on the inside)

*There is no response, but as Al transmutes the bar to open it, there are screams on the inside and a little girl's voice shouts "Mommy, the Alchemist is coming to get us!" along with the sound of hurried movement.*


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## Dire Lemming (Jan 6, 2007)

Al grimaces as he realizes that the people were cowering from _him_.  As he hears what he assumes is them fleeing further into the house he opens the door and says  "No wait, I'm not going to hurt anyone!  I'm not the one- Look, this is all a big misunderstanding."

(OOC: oh brother, I make little girls scream just by talking.   :\ )


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 6, 2007)

*The people don't seem to have listened to him, and it seems they did indeed flee farther into the house.  Despite probably trying to be quiet, the little girl is whimpering audibly, so it shouldn't be too hard to find them.*


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## Dire Lemming (Jan 6, 2007)

Al advances a bit towards the sounds of whimpering, feeling quite terrible at the thought of invoking terror in small children simply by the sound of his voice.  "It's not what you think, I'm not the one behind the disapearances.  It's a woman named Karin, and I think she might have come here.  Please, I need your help to find her before she kills anyone else."


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 6, 2007)

*There is no reply, but Al sees the source of the whimpering easily enough, a mother and two daughters, hiding behind a bed.  The mother is hugging her girls tightly and trying to cover the mouth of the younger, but it clearly isn't working well enough.*


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## Dire Lemming (Jan 6, 2007)

Al looks at the trio huddling in fear of him and can't help but feel guilty despite being blameless.  He almost wants to run away, to keep from feeling like this, like some sort of monster.  "Please don't be scared of me.  I'm not the bad guy.  I..."  He trails off at this point, unable to think of any more words.


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 6, 2007)

*The little girl has stopped whimpering and is staring directly at Alphonse now.*

"Mommy...he doesn't look like an Alchemist.  He just looks like a boy," she whispers, "Are you sure he's mean?"

*The woman eyes him suspiciously, but continues to hold her daughters to her, irrationally emboldened by a possible threat to her children.*


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## Dire Lemming (Jan 6, 2007)

Al sighs, unable to see any way to convince the woman of his intentions.  "Well, I see that you're safe, I'm sorry for barging in on you."  Al turns away and goes back to the door where he reattaches the bar holders to the wall and then leaves, closing the door behind him.  He walks out into the midle of the road and just stands there for a moment, with no idea what to do.  Finally he simply starts walking among the houses looking and listening for anything suspicious.


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## unleashed (Jan 6, 2007)

Rystil Arden said:
			
		

> "That's odd.  I did hear about how the Fullmetal Alchemist killed the wicked Majihal though and saved Claus.  She told that story to us all the time before she began to grow more distant and stick her nose in the books, rather than hanging out with us boys and roughhousing.  I still heard Karin died a long time ago in a rockslide though.  Maybe it's just somebody else using that name."



“Perhaps it is, but with Alchemy much is possible, and the woman’s face did seem too flawless to be real...”


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## Dire Lemming (Jan 9, 2007)

(OOC: Sorry if my last post was terrible, I just can't think what to do next.)


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 9, 2007)

(OOC: No biggy--there may be not much left to do here now but pick up the pieces, sleep, and catch the next train)

"Well, I don't know much about Alchemy, so I can't say..." the young man replies.


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## unleashed (Jan 10, 2007)

“Yes, well I suppose you wouldn’t at that,” Rose replies, “Well, let’s get Claus’ father and return to the graveyard then.”


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## Rystil Arden (Jan 20, 2007)

(OOC: Just so you guys don't think I've let this game drop, I haven't the issue is that you guys through some clever roleplaying managed to avoid a big fight, so you're way ahead.  Hopefully the other group will catch up)

*Al looks around for anything suspicious, not initially finding anything nearby but continuing his search around the village.*

*Meanwhile, Rose and the innkeeper's son go to find Claus's father, who is back in his home.  He looks crestfallen at the news.*

"My daughters...you were all I had left, and now both of you are gone...Oh Claus!  You're not supposed to let your old dad outlive you!  Now what do I have left?"


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## Dire Lemming (Jan 20, 2007)

(OOC: I don't mind, with your post count I wasn't too worried that you'd flake out on us.)

Al wanders for a while until he realizes that he is on the other edge of town.  After a long pause he decides to head back to the graveyard, depressed and exhausted.


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## unleashed (Jan 20, 2007)

OOC: No concerns here, I know how much you want to run this game.  

“I don’t know sir. The best I can offer is that you could try to continue her work, helping those around you. I wouldn’t presume to tell you how to help, as you know your capabilities far better than I, but you could do far worse than studying Alchemy as Claus did.”

*Rose steps forward and takes Claus’ fathers hands in her own, before she continues.*

“Now, I know this will be hard, but we thought we should ask. Would you like to come with us to bury Claus? It won’t be a pleasant sight, but we thought you should have the choice to be present or not.”


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