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Kuukyo_Fushichou Vice Captain
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 Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 10:56 pm
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Kuukyo of course grumbled a bit over the mention of hating paperwork as he spoke up lightly from his new seat "it's not that i hate paperwork, i can do the paperwork, i just hate pushy fangirl secretaries, which is what i have in central." he shuddered lightly, hugging himself "damn fangrils trying to strip me with their eyes." he then perked up a bit lightly "the only reason i let it slip for Crystal to know is because i can trust her with that kind of information, and she is right, she could learn a good bit from you, Hagane-chibi." cue tick-mark on edward's head on that mark as Kuukyo went silent for now, though the soft snores would make it plain he was snoozing now.
Edward of course grumbled a bit about a few hidden death threats on the R&D leader, before smiling "well, i don't mind helping at all actually, at least for as long as we're together, since after i think a few stops we have to switch trains to head for Xenotime." of course he then looked out as the train started to move finally, which signified things were about to get going.
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 10:51 am
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"I'm curious to see what she knows already," added Alphonse. It sounded like this girl had already done quite a bit of reading on the subject of alchemy. "It's certainly surprising that she's even seen the formula for human transmutation, especially considering I thought most of those books are kept in the restricted branch of the Central Library."
"Yeah, about that," Crystal explained with a slight chuckle. "The military only restricts access to the books on alchemy, but the philosophy department is accessible to anyone and a lot of those books contain roughly the same information, although you kind of have to piece it together yourself because the formulas are written in more abstract terms since the philosophical aspects of alchemy tend to focus more on the theory than any real world application of the science. Jake would send me books along with his letters to give me some better materials to study with. Of course, most of those theoretical experiments that have been written about would be too dangerous for someone to actually perform in real life. Heck, a lot of the materials that are mentioned could kill a person if they were handled improperly. Seriously, it seems like historical alchemists were completely obsessed with materials we now know to be extremely toxic."
She leaned back in her seat trying to get comfortable for the train ride. "I guess it's a pretty roundabout way to learn about alchemy, but it's what was available to me."
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Kuukyo_Fushichou Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 12:09 pm
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 2:08 pm
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Kuukyo_Fushichou Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 2:58 pm
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Edward nodded vaguely on it "oddly enough we did, however we got stuck with our babysitter due to the stuff from Lior and the fact that i usually don't want to show my face at eastern HQ for personal reasons." he said while narrowing his eyes "as for the military hiding things... or people, it wouldn't be the first time." he said quite coldly, given he remembered what happened back at central, given Nina's chimera-fication and subsequent death later still bothered him quite well, it was making him quite bitter, if you think about it.
Kuukyo had actually snapped out of his snoozing and sat straight up just as the line about the rumors was mentioned, and just quietly listened in, not sayign anything, but he did grit his teeth and squared his jaw ~well they're right to distrust the military.... damnit, i just hope she never finds out what i've been researching... or what Jake was researching.~ he thought to himself, before calming down as he spoke up in a reserved tone "there might be a connection, given before i started doing my field work and all away from central, i've been watching more and more of my own people being lured into doing some darker stuff with alchemy, i can never get any details either as the furher has pretty much separated me from my branch despite being it's head and leader."
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 3:47 pm
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Kuukyo_Fushichou Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 4:00 pm
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Edward also noticed the tenseness and tilted his head a bit in curiosity, while Kuukyo himself had moved a bit to peer over the seat at Crystal calmly, while thinking to himself a few things, either way Edward spoke up first "is there something going on at home that you're needing to get away from, maybe family arguments?" he decided to ask given he knew too well his own problems with the adults in his family, one abandoned them and the other died, well, he loved his mother, but the sperm donor could die for all he cared.
Kuukyo actually narrowed his eyes lightly as he turned and looked down a bit to think "... Crystal. you normally wouldn't make the trip to Central on your own... what's -really- going on?" he decided to ask bluntly, being the type to just flat out ask given he usually wanted to help people, despite his nicknames and all.
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 4:32 pm
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"I don't really know myself," Crystal sighed as she tried to make herself seem even smaller in her seat. "A package arrived from Jake so I thought it might be good news that he was able to get back in touch with us finally, but then when I brought it inside I saw the dates that were postmarked and how beat up it was. The package was specifically addressed to me for some reason so I opened it up and found a handwritten note along with what looked like one of his research journals. The note said that no matter what happens to him, he can't allow the military to have it. The next day a soldier, at least I assumed at the time that he was a soldier because he was wearing the standard Amestrian military uniform, came to our house asking about a strange package we might have gotten recently. Something just didn't seem right about him and I didn't think I should tell him anything because of what was written in Jake's note. My folks didn't know anything because I'd already hidden the package, but later on when I was alone in the yard practicing some alchemy and the same guy came along saying how it might bring Jake out of hiding if the military had his precious little sister in custody. Except then, I swear, he completely changed his face. For a second he looked identical to Jake. I don't know what kind of monster the military has working for them, but it scared me enough that I ran clear out of town. Not that he didn't come after me. Since yesterday I've seen him morph into a stray dog, a horse, a falcon, a wild cat, a huge snake, and a few other things before I thought I finally lost him at the train station."
"It sounds like you've been having a pretty rough couple of days," noted Alphonse.
"I doubted anyone would believe me so I decided I might as well get on a train so at least I might be able to put some distance between myself and that awful monster," Crystal explained. "I figured I might stand a better chance someplace crowded anyway."
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Kuukyo_Fushichou Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 6:39 pm
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Kuukyo of course froze as he heard the description of what happened, especially with the face changing as he clenched his hands a bit, and hardened his eyes, which began to give off an eerie shine to them ~<********... it seems -they- are after her now... though i didn't think they'd send that troublesome little b*****d...~ he then forcibly calmed himself down with a mental count to ten, unclenched his hands, and just got up to switch seats again in the mostly empty car and sat next to Ed once more, having a bland and emotionless expression "Changing faces? sounds like Human transmutation right there to me." he said calmly.
Edward just looked at Kuukyo before shrugging lightly "it seems odd that it's all about a journal from your brother, since i doubt he'd send you something that would get you targeted by the military, right?" he decided to ask Crystal, lookign a bit more interested, though Kuukyo's words had him also thinking along a different line, and that was why he was more interested in this odd person chasing her.
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Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 7:56 pm
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"I don't really know how to describe it, but the guy that's been after me kind of feels like there's more than one person screaming inside of him," Crystal tried to explain. "I dunno, that's what it seemed like to me at any rate. It wasn't just weird, it was disturbing. That lunatic never stopped smiling, but I couldn't help feeling it was a cover for some kind of terrible agony."
"Something like that sounds terrifying," Alphonse shuddered sympathetically.
"Anyway, I don't know what is written in the journal since I haven't had the time to read through it yet, but my guess is that it's about some secret research project the military must have been extremely invested in," Crystal drooped in her seat. "Anyway, right now I think I could really use some rest. All of that running away was pretty tiring."
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Kuukyo_Fushichou Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 12:15 am
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Kuukyo nodded a bit, though he hadn't asked for the book, he was curious himself on what was in it, though if it was wanted by -them-, he also partly hoped it didn't delve into the notes of what would happen -that day-, as he nodded a bit "well, when you get around to reading it and we're still together, let me know and i'll see if i can help clear some things up, since Jake and i did work together and all." he said with a small smile, before leaning back, but not long after that he touched the floor with one of his hands, and silently sent out small alchemic pulses, trying to find through at least the car if there was any hints of beyond normal alchemy in the area, one of the small parlour tricks he learned to track alchemists, was this very method, it also let him feel the signature of such alchemists to know how to work on things as he closed his eyes seemingly about to fall back asleep, but far from it.
Edward had blinked when he thought he felt a small pulse of alchemy in play, he looked to Kuukyo for a moment, who seemed to be falling asleep, and just shrugged "well, since it's a long right till the next stop it'd be good to get some sleep in." he said while returning to looking out the window while giving off a small sigh. ~Xenotime... i just hope we can find that lead to be true, and able to get Al his body back...~
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 10:08 am
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Kuukyo_Fushichou Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 11:56 am
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Edward had heard the PA system, and snapped out of his thoughts just as Al asked his question while he himself gave off a groan and sigh "the last few times were the Smirking Taisa." he grumbled out while looking over his seat to see what was going on if he could "either way, looks like we'll have to save the train... again."
Kuukyo of course frowned a bit hearing Edward, he had been keeping his pulses up through his free hand, but he hadn't encountered anything too spectacular in oddities of alchemic energy, leftover or not "well, Ed, Al, since you two are the leading experts on stopping hijackers on the train, i think i'll leave this to you two, and keep Crystal company here." he said with an easy-going smile, as well as mentally thinking ~and make sure -he- doesn't get his hands on Crystal or that Journal... as much as i want to read it myself to see what Jake sent her, it's her responsibility, mine is to protect the Elrics and keep them out of trouble, as well as protect her... dammit Jake... where the hell did you go..?~
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 1:56 pm
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"Again?" Crystal raised an eyebrow. After all, she had no idea just how frequently the Elric brothers had run into this same exact problem.
"I'm not sure we really count as experts," noted Alphonse. "We've just been having a run of bad luck whenever we take the train lately."
"It sounds like the railway lines going into Central seriously need to up security or something," Crystal commented. "I mean, if this sort of thing is happening all the time, it's clearly gotten too easy for terrorists to board these trains."
"Unfortunately, there's been a lot of unrest between the military and various extremist factions all over Amestris," noted Alphonse. "The scary thing is that a lot of the terrorists are actually ex-military."
"Right, then I should probably stay here with Kuukyo like he said," Crystal decided. She pressed her gloved hand against the bench of the seat she was sitting on, the orange colored fabric sewn into the interior of the black fingerless gloves becoming illuminated to reveal the transmutation circle concealed within. It was a very basic, all-purpose circle with symbols for earth, air, fire, and water so that it could be easily utilized with a wide range of materials.
In this case, Crystal transmuted the materials in the bench of the seat to make a safety belt to fasten herself down in case the train experienced any more sudden jolts so she wouldn't get tossed around. She also retrieved her bag out from under the seat, moving it onto her lap with the strap secured around her neck and shoulders so it also wouldn't get jostled around by any sudden movements of the train car.
Alphonse was fairly impressed by how quick and neat Crystal's alchemy had been. It was barely even noticeable because the transmutation was so subtle, but the fact that it didn't really stand out actually struck him as being very clever. He got up to navigate through the train with his brother, who would most likely be climbing up to the roof while Alphonse stayed inside the train, to try to subdue whatever group was responsible for hijacking the train.
"Nii-san," Alphonse spoke in a warning tone. "Try not to derail the train like you did last time. I doubt Kuukyo-san will let us get away with ditching him like Armstrong."
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Kuukyo_Fushichou Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 2:30 pm
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Edward just raised an eyebrow lightly "and leave Crystal to his mercy? come on Al, i'm not stupid enough to ditch him even if he is an annoying old goat." cue tickmark from Kuukyo "anyway, just be careful yourself Al." he said with a smile, before opening the window, and proceeding to do as Al figured he'd do, mainly scramble onto the outside of the train and then follow Al via the roof, as well as keeping a close eye out for idiot terrorists patrolling the rooftops again.
Kuukyo meanwhile grumbled and such of the parting shot from Edward, and looking a bit irritated, and the gleam in his eye of pranking Ed seemed to be in the works as he gave a small smile, the devilish looking small smile, as he tapped a finger on the bench he was on, sending out another pulse while keeping track of things in general via the pulses, given he could send it through the train since the cars were connected, but he could only get details of the car he was in, and the car ahead and behind, but anything further is just a blip on the radar that doesn't seem different.
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