⇋ 001 - action

[avartwice]

[Well, this was definitely different. One minute Greed was on his way to Central, the next he found himself in a... classroom? What the hell. He didn't remember passing out, yet he just woke up here. And his clothes were different too, what even...

One thing was for sure, he didn't recognize where he was and he didn't like it one bit.

If you're that worried about where we are, why not let me take over? ...Of course the damn Prince wasn't going to keep his mouth shut. I could try reading the dragon's pulse. That should give us a better idea of where we are, at least.

If I wanted your help, I'd ask for it. Mind your own damn business.

This is my business.

Yeah, he was just going to ignore him. And try to shake the feeling that something was off.]

A

Hey, you.

[If you're walking through the halls of the school, you might be approached by this weird, sort of Chinese looking guy. Yeah, Greed decided that the gathering information alone thing wasn't working out, so he's trying the good old method of actually asking people.]

Mind telling me where this dump is and how I get the hell out of here? I'm kinda in the middle of something important and I'd like to get back to it.

B

[So after a while, Ling had actually managed to gain control and explore on his own. How did that work out for him, you ask?

Not so well, judging from the fact that there is now one Xingese prince keeled over in the middle of the hallway.]

...so... hungry...

[Help him out? Stare at the weirdo? Laugh at his misfortune? All of the above?]

Comments

[avartwice]

Maybe I didn't make this clear enough. I'm basically immortal. [Well, not quite, but close enough.] So I can't be dead.

You got any proof except your word, or what?

[happyends]

N.. no, I understand! And.. um, I don't have proof either, I.. I'm so sorry.. [ On both accounts. Madoka already naturally apologizes a lot, but a person like Greed only brings it out even more. In so far that is even possible, of course. ]

You could ask other people here though and they'd say the same..

[avartwice]

Figures. [He's... almost starting to feel bad. Almost.] Don't suppose you can point me to whoever's in charge around here?

...hey, assuming you're actually right about this [which he's not buying], how the hell did you die, anyway?

[happyends]

I'm not sure if there's anyone in charge, but.. um, I guess there's a few people who know a lot like Otonashi-san or Yurippe-san, maybe you should talk to them about it..? [ She actually feels a little bad for the guy, as intimidating as he is. Nobody deserves to die, and it must be even harder on him since he didn't think he could have.. the pity is actually visible on her face before it's replaced by more awkwardness at his other question. ]

And I.. um.. [ .. how to say this while not telling everyone about the secret of her world.. ] .. I fell off a really tall building. [ Hey, it's the truth. It's just that Walpurgisnight was what blasted her off there to begin with. ]

[avartwice]

Alright, got it. [He notices that pity and honestly he doesn't like it one bit, so the look in his eyes gets a little colder. The last thing he needs is some random girl feeling sorry for him, geez...] Guess I'll go have a chat with them. Maybe then I can get the hell out.

Huh. And you actually remember that?

[happyends]

Hmm, I do. [ She gives him a small nod. ]

I think it's pretty rare though. Most people here don't seem to remember how they died. I'm not sure if that's a little sad or that it's maybe better to not know..

[avartwice]

If people's memories get messed with all the time here, how do you know that you really died? Could be that whatever is messing with everyone else is messing with you too.

[He's reaching, but he really doesn't believe he's actually dead. She doesn't seem like she's lying to him, so at the very least he's willing to believe that she believes she's dead.]

[happyends]

I didn't really think about that before.. [ And Madoka is pretty gullible, so of course she immediately considers the possibility just since this new guy brought it up. ] But.. even if I wasn't really dead, then how do you explain that people don't die here even if they.. um, well, die..?

[avartwice]

Well, it wouldn't be easy to make that happen, I'll grant you that. And I don't see why anyone would want to in the first place, but it's definitely possible.

At least with a Philospher's Stone it is.

[happyends]

[ .. Should she ask or would it be too rude to do so.. in the end she decides she can at least try. Probably. ]

What is a Philospher's Stone..? I'm sorry, but I've never heard of it before.

[avartwice]

Huh, you really haven't heard of it before? Guess it is more the field of alchemists, though, so that's fine.

Basically, it's a mythical object that lets you bypass equivalent exchange and, this is the most important bit, can make whoever uses it immortal.

[happyends]

I see..

[ .. well, not really. She sort of gets the explanation, but it's all about piercing parts of it together since there's so much in it she doesn't get after all.. "equivalent exchange" of what..? Bypassing it..? ]

I haven't heard of anything like that in this place though.. a-ah, maybe you could ask those people about that too, maybe? I bet if anyone can explain, it's them.

[avartwice]

Sure, guess it can't hurt to ask. Though if it really is a stone at work here, I really need to get the hell out soon.

[That last part is said mostly to himself, but it's still very much audible. He's never been one for subtlety and he's not about to start now.]

Oh, actually, there might be something you can answer for me still. It's not complicated or anything, promise. [He holds up his hand, the red tattoo on the back clearly visible to her.] Have you seen anyone around that's got the same kinda tattoo?

[happyends]

Hmm.. [ She leans a liiittle bit closer to make sure to take in the details, as if that makes her remember things better. But after a moment or two of thinking, she shakes her head. ]

I haven't seen it before. Not when I was alive and not here either.. Um, it's probably that you're looking for people who are from the same place as you, right?

[avartwice]

Nah, not really. More like the opposite. If you haven't seen anyone with this, that's good news for me.

...what do you mean, from the same place? What, is that not common?

[happyends]

[ Phew, then she's at least glad she could do something good for him! It means she wasn't entirely useless, right..? ]

Not really. A lot of people who come here seem like they come from really different kinds of places. You might find people from places you didn't even think could possibly exist..

[avartwice]

What kinda places? Because I'm guessing you don't just mean they're from some kinda far away country.

[happyends]

Um.. well, I guess it depends on what your own home is like.. but there's people from a place where there are really, really big people-like monsters walking around all the time who eat people. They're called titans and they're super scary.

[ If the description didn't give you that idea already.

Granted, the world of FMA is already a little more screwed up than Madoka's.. for the.. most.. part.. ]

[avartwice]

Huh... Well, can't say I've ever heard of anything like those. Not that I'm complaining, because they sound like a real pain to deal with. But I have seen plenty of monsters before.

[With himself being one of them, technically speaking.]

[happyends]

[ So it's another person from a world not like hers at all.. granted, that thing about that stone already told her as much. She nods a little bit. ]

There's no monsters here though. [ U.. sually... ] So you don't have to worry about that at least, sir.

[avartwice]

Eh, I'm not the worrying type. I'm pretty good at defending myself against monsters. [Well except for that one time where he got his ass kicked, his entire crew was killed and he got melted down for his stone, but let's not talk about that.] I've got a good defense. Aside from the whole healing thing, I mean.

[happyends]

[ Except for the part where you're dead more like now, Greed!! ]

.. Eh, really?! I already thought you looked strong, but it's true.. [ Granted, Madoka thinks that of people way easily. ] I guess you even won't have trouble if the shadows pop up again then. That's so amazing..

[avartwice]

Heh, you've got a good eye then. I am pretty strong, yeah. [Brief... pause... Wait a second.] Shadows? What kinda shadows?

[happyends]

Well, they're just that, shadows.. except they do bad stuff to you when they get you, so you just have to defeat them or make sure you don't get caught by them. Else you'll turn into one of the NPCs here-- um, that's the normal people who aren't like us.

[avartwice]

Huh... You mean the ones who're acting like everything here's completely normal? Yeah, I thought they were a little off.

Those shadows, though... What do they look like? [Please don't be Pride, please don't be Pride, please don't be Pride...]