The Truth Within the Truth: A Fullmetal Alchemist RP

[Viking Incognito]

As Vlad drove away from the hospital, back to his private lab, he thought about all that had happened recently.

There is something the old man isn't telling us. And for-baying us from investigating? We're scientists, it's our job to figure things out. But still...the existence of homonculi, Octivir's claim of human transmutation giving him the ability to transmute without a circle...this is more than science.

Vlad pulled up to his lab. It was an unmarked building, like any other. From the outside it just seemed like some kind of office. As he entered he hung his coat and headed for the back room, but then he remembered Bradly's note. He walked back to his coat, reached in and pulled it out, then he began to read it.

 

[CJ1145]

Kallu found all sorts of things within the library. Dozens of books on chimeras were available, though it was all simple creations, research notes on failed experiments, and a few on the success stories. He found one book by an alchemist named Tucker which seemed to be a study on the theoretical possibility of intelligent, human-like chimeras. Of course, it was nothing but conjecture and may-bes at the moment, so it had little to hold his interest.

There were a dozen volumes of retellings of the legend of the Philosopher's Stone, and how the great Philosopher from the East had brought alchemy to Amestris. All the same legends and, ultimately, bullcrap though. Nothing held any truth or permanence. He nearly gave up, when he spotted a single bit scrap of paper, hastily stapled together and stuffed between two books in the section on other State Alchemist's research notes. There wasn't much there, it looked like a rough draft and only a small piece of a much larger collection. It was a collection of some kind of cooking recipes, by a State Alchemist named Marcoh.

Kallu, as an alchemist, recognized that the recipes were only code for the real alchemical research. Though garbled without the rest to complete it, he was almost certain it had something to do with what he was looking for.

[hr]

A pair of soldiers walked past the room Elias and Tasha found themselves in, conversing.

"Did you hear the Fuhrer was here a couple minutes ago?"

"What? Why would the Fuhrer come here?"

"Beats me, looked like he was visiting a bunch of patients or something. Some kinda publicity stunt, I guess?"

Their conversation droned off, and they drew out of hearing range shortly after.

[hr]

Vlad read the note silently, and felt his temper rise as he realized he had been duped.

"Vampire

The envelopes you handed me contain the latest update to the research notes of Doctor Tim Marcoh. When you are feeling ready for action again, meet with me in East HQ. There we will discuss your next, individual assignment.

Fuhrer-President King Bradley"

 

[TheIronRuler]

Spoiler: OOC

I assume Kallu is there too.

Leo thanked the nursed and rolled away towards the library. He sat in front of the front desk and had to raise his voice so the librarian could see him in his chair. He held a small note he had from his bag and placed it on the desk. Before his hand would give the librarian the note he jotted down two more sentences and then handed it over. "I need these, miss. Composition of rock, metal, simple organics... Also, if he hear me scream, I apologize. Don't be alarmed.", He raised his watch and showed her he is a state alchemist, "This chair is only temporary".

Leo rolled away and found himself a quiet private study room at the edge of the library. He did manage to catch a glimpse of Kallu, but he didn't think he should disrupt his studies.

 

[Redryhno]

Marcoh...where have I heard that name before? This is either very important or nothing at all to be stuffed here.I think I've found everything I'm going to find here.But I'd better keep this.

He began stacking the books he'd found and putting them back in their respective places. The note he hid inside a pocket on his vest, all he knew was that it held some kind of secret and he intended to begin research into this Marcoh, tomorrow. The sun was already down and he heard the library begin showing citizens out the door. Now was not a good time to keep looking, he didn't want to attract anymore attention to himself than he already had. It was best not to tell the others just yet either, he wasn't sure who he could trust just yet. Who had the best interests of Amestris at heart and who followed their orders without question.

He left the building and climbed a ladder to a roof, eager to be away from the city. It was too closed in, the farthest you could see was only a few dozen yards, and Kallu was still not used to it, even after the last decade spent in them. He stared out at the expanse that was the city, that was where he belonged, not stuck in this man made wonder to sure, but it had never suit him.

After around a half-hour of simply staring off into the east desert, the Stone Alchemist climbed back down and returned to the hospital. He asked how Victor was doing and felt that he was one of the few he could trust, but it was best to know for sure first. He sat outside where Victor was being operated on and then moved when he was sent out to his room. He waited the rest of the night, falling asleep on a bench in the hospital a few times. Each awakening brought the feeling that he had lost the pages of Marcoh and he checked, but they were still there when he woke with the early patches of dawn began streaming through the windows.

Spoiler: OOC

I know I skipped ahead in my post, but that's what he's doing the rest of the night.

 

[CJ1145]

After some time to collect the materials necessary, the librarian brought a bag full of the stuff to Leo. She nodded at him in silence and walked away, to leave him to his research.

 

[TheIronRuler]

Leo grabbed hold of the materials and rolled himself away from the desk. He set them all on the desk alongside him bag and began to look through them. It took him several hours to trace about half a dozen of transmutation circles he wanted to make and the day almost ended before he thought of a proper circle for himself. Then it hit him - he crudely drew a strange circle, something he had never seen before used by an alchemist. He then added a few descriptions and held both of his arms on the piece of paper. Underneath him table shook and over it appeared three more paper pages. The light coming from the transmutation worried the librarian but Leo managed to calm her down and continue with his work. What he had done - representing the erratic movements that matter must go through, and try to imitate it. By combining the elemental stage of the separate transmutation circles, Leo managed to create one that could operate on a greater array of materials with the same proficiency as he did with rock.

"This is insane... I need to test it on the field as soon as possible", Leo mumbled to himself. But he couldn't touch his feet, they were still wrapped and healing from his wounds. He grabbed his flask of strong alcohol and took a few swigs. After it came the pistol and a ragged piece of paper. He copied the circle onto the piece of paper and took another swig from the bottle.

"Don't disrupt me!", Leo shouted at the Librarian and she replied by asking him to quiet down.
Leo began to carve up his skin and paint the circles on the palms of his hands. An excruciating process, he had to endure it for almost an hour before finishing it and the bottle as well.

"Can I... Can I get some water?".

 

[nuba km]

Ken headed down to the library after the fuhrer left the room, he looked through the library for books about the transmuting of liquids, he couldn't work on his notes about deep blues alchemy circles though he could sure read up more about the subject and hopefully find a way to combine the circles with his alchemic knowledge. While reading in the library for a couple of hours his mind started to wonder how victor was doing, he sat trying the read for another hour before he checked the books out of the library and headed back to the hospital, he went to were victor was being treated he sat down on a chair next to were kallu was at the moment sleeping on a bench.

 

[CrazyBlaze]

James smiled at the Banaghers.

"Thanks a lot. You two have been a great help," his face growing serious he struggled to Mira, "It may be in both your best interests to keep these books on the quiet. I may have put you in more danger than I meant to. I didn't realize how dangerous this may have been until recently. Forget what you saw and what I asked you to. Keep one eye open for the next week at least. Sorry about this. I'll keep my eyes open if I can but stuck here and away in the field I may not be able to," James walked to the windowsill looking over the city.

"There is something going on with the military. I think there may be a conspiracy. If anything Octvir said was true it would be all the conflicts along the borders. I don't know but I feel like we have too many conflicts for a country fighting for peace. Maybe its just a coincidence but there may be something to that. So keep quiet and be watchful."

 

[JdaS]

Banagher was angry. This delighted Anton. Getting under peoples' skin was a great feeling.

"Step aside, Lieutenant Anton. I don't speak with monsters. Why don't you go find Kimblee or something? You could spend a night by the fireside, telling stories about killing babies or something."

"Oooh, sorry, sorry Lt.! Didn't realize you were still sore about that... incident with the hostage."

Anton's smile grew just an inch wider.

"Oh, I dunno about that, Lieutenant Banagher. Babies are all fat, ya know. Lt. Anton here probably feasts on young children. Gotta get your red meat somewhere, am I right, Lieutenant?"

"Ha! Yeah, I guess you're right, sir."

It seemed Amon had followed the Lieutenant, no doubt allured by his automail.

"Again with the demonizing! I like a good omelette myself. I'm human too you know..."

Anton feigned dismay again.

"In any case, don't let me hold you up. See ya around Lt!"

Anton made a curt bow as he made room for Banagher to leave. He then turned towards Amon.

"Ah! That's right! I promised you I'd show you my arms, didn't I? Well, I'm just about to go see my mechanic, so how about it? Bourbon and Automail?"

I really shouldn't take a member of the military there, but I do have to keep an eye on someone. Might as well be him.

"We're going to an inn in the north of town. Called Demitri's."

 

[Viking Incognito]

Vlad took a deep breath and relaxed for a moment.

Is he toying with me because of the weakness he saw when we spoke in his office? Or is it something else...could he have told Antonof my thirst? No no no, he would have no reason for that. Damn, he is hard to read for an old man.

The vampire alchemist burned the note, as usual, and drank a small bit of the blood he had hidden in the wall so he would be satisfied for the important next few hours.

Vlad put his coat back on and drove to the H.Q. where he proceeded directly to Bradly's office.

"Vampire Alchemist Vlad Dracule reporting Fuhrer." He said with a salute after he closed the door. He only did it half sincerely, but then again, most of the formalities between he and Bradly weren't sincere. They were past that by the time Vlad was 19.

 

[Fragrance of Mtn Dew]

Marlin watched the former gangster walk away for a bit in silence. Did I do the right thing? The military is a dangerous life, but surely it's better than a life of crime... I suppose only time will tell. After a bit, Marlin shook his head and snapped himself out of his thoughts. He had little left to do here with Victor in surgery and the others recovering so he decided to leave for the time being.

He couldn't think of anything else that he particularly needed to do so he returned to his quarters for the evening to continue his research. "... These new enemies are far more powerful than I... I was hoping I could put off completing this research for awhile longer but it seems it now requires my full attention..." Marlin muttered quietly to himself as he scribbled down various notes, recording any ideas he had to weaponize his moisture absorbing circle. It wasn't what he wanted his work to be used for, but if it would save his life and the lives of others in battle he had no choice.

 

[JokerboyJordan]

With Leo heading off on his own, followed by the majority of the rest of the group, Roland was at a loss as to what to do.
He then remembered what he said to Leo about improving his circle. This gave him a few ideas. If he ever met those monsters again, he wanted to be prepared, if they showed their faces, he was going to blow it off.

Roland left the Hospital shortly after Isaac, stopping briefly at reception to sign himself out.
He hailed a cab shortly after, ordering it to take him to a well renowned tailor.

 

[TheIronRuler]

The librarian was shocked such a brutal act was perpetrated under her watch. A man had deformed his hands and written ink into them, all by himself, while being intoxicated. She begrudgingly gave Leo the glass of water and he thanked her. Raising the cup, his hand began to glow and the water turned cooler but not reaching freezing degrees. "This is unexpected...", Leo mumbled as he drunk the contents of the glass. Tired and drunk, Leo simply remained in his wheelchair and spent the night at the library mumbling about rythms and circles.

 

[JdaS]

Demitri's was an inn in the very northernmost part of East City. On the surface, just another inn. But this one was not just your ordinary B&B.

Demitri was an enemy of the government. Member of an underground organization of anarchists and dissenters. A tall, dark, muscular man, with a large scar on his left cheek. He was an excellent, if foul-mouthed automail mechanic. Which suited Anton, although Demitri's prices were enough to wipe the usually so persistent smile right off the Lt's face.

Jeanne was Demitri's girl. Bartender at th inn. Covered in tattoos and sporting a neatly trimmed red haircut. Usually welcomed Anton with a barrage of insults and physical violence.

Then, there was Abel. A 14 year old orphan from Resembool. Adopted by Demitri and Jeanne, Abel was Anton's self-proclaimed disciple and, happily unaware of the true nature of his "Master's" work, idolized him like a big brother.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Family huh...?" Anton muttered to himself as he stood outside the inn.

"Home sweet home." He opened the door.

"Hello, Hello! Bourbon and an arm maintenance pl... WHOA!"

Anton dodged a shot glass that had been flung at his face. Behind the counter Jeanne scowled at him.

 

[CJ1145]

Lt. Banagher smiled at James' words, trying to look reassuring and relaxed. "Don't sweat any of that, sir. We can keep secrets just fine. We'll leave you alone for now, but we'll visit when we can. Oh, and we'd love to have you and the others over sometime whenever you get out of this place."

With a casual wave from the man and a sharp salute from Mira, the both of them exited the hospital room, leaving Projecting with his books.

[hr]

As Anton entered the bar, a silhouette danced across the rooftops and out of sight, their vigilance broken by the walls of the building. Though the others did not know it, they too were being watched. All across the city unassuming folk conversed, and traded knowledge, and secrets, And plans.

[hr]

As Vlad walked in, the Fuhrer gestured towards the chair in front of him. There were no formalities, indeed. Straight to business. He was speaking before Vlad even finished sitting.

"Vampire. I've brought you here for a very important reason. I don't know just how deaf your comrades seem to think I am in my old age, but it's not so bad that I can't hear dissent right behind my back. Leo, the Barefoot Alchemist. I hear him lending support to the idea of Octivir's ramblings holding some form of fact. I planned to have him arrested, but then I thought about it. No prison can hold him; so instead I am making you an offer."

"Kill Leopold."

The Fuhrer's glare was deadly. Vlad knew there was no jest in the words he said. "I have complete faith in your abilities, and if you do this then you will be rewarded beyond your imagination." He pulled a small vial out of his desk and held it up. Inside was a viscous red fluid. He opened the vial and poured it out onto the table, only to see the liquid take the shape of a perfect red orb.

"This has many names; but you know is as the Philosopher's Stone. They say that it has untold alchemical power; perhaps it could even bring back the dead?"

Silence again. The Fuhrer was aiming for what was Vlad's most likely weak spot, with cold and unerring precision. "Do this for me, and it's yours. Otherwise, remain silent on this meeting or consider yourself in the same boat as Leo. Leave me now, and do as you will. But remember the consequences for your actions."

[hr]

Four days later


Today was a day of change. It was the first time that Victor was awake and capable of taking visitors, and everyone was told ASAP by various messengers. He had specifically asked to see Elias and Tasha, as he'd seen the soldier's automail, and had been informed that Spark might be able to help him in overcoming his new handicap.

James, Leo, and the other more heavily wounded soldiers were finally released from the hospital, free to do as they pleased. They understood that today was the anniversary of East City's founding, and that there was to be a festival. Food, games, and all sorts of other attractions to garner their attention. Surely they could find something to do amid all the excitement.

And, of course, it was also the day when the silhouettes who stalked from the shadows would take to the daylight, and avenge themselves on the dogs of the military.

 

[TheIronRuler]

Leo sat on the edge of a two story building, looking down at a group of young men moving in strange ways. "How do you call it again?", Leo asked the men. One of them, a bald man in his late 20s stopped and looked up at Leo. "It's breaking. It's our own thing!", he proudly announced. Leo looked down between his legs and noticed a younger man approach the building wall and begin to paint on it. "What's that?", Leo asked the boy, "It's art", he replied without looking up. Leo sighed and dropped down, properly falling from the second floor and rolling to soften the impact.

He rubbed his hands again, the fabric of his gloves never stopped itching him. "I didn't think I couldn't stop these when I first made them, but these gloves are handy. Thanks, Jey", Leo said and smiled at the first man. The man turned to him and raised his hand, both of them locked their fists and hugged each other. "Another go?", Leo asked Jey. "Sure, lets see what you learned yesterday", he said and took a few steps back.

Leo began to hear the music. It pounded in his mind. The same eastern beat that these boys introduced to him now dominated his psyche. He spread his legs and turned to his left, then jumped up and landed on his hand. He began to spin himself and then jump up and stand back on both of his feet. He ran forward and leaned down, then fell on his hand and jumped up in the air. His legs hit the stone wall and stopped him in his place, standing diagnolly to the ground.

"Leo, you got to teach me that!", Jey said with excitement while Leo continued to keep himself on the wall. "I think you should stick with what you love, Jey", Leo said and jumped back, landing on both of his feet and his right hand. He straitened up and greeted the others for the day.

[hr]

Leo walked through the bustling streets of East City. The streets were packed with booths and people celebrating and the walls covered in bright colors and flags. "STOP, YOU FUCKER!". A voice was heard from afar. Leo looked back and froze in his place. They were after him. He turned around and ran for his life. Behind him were a posse of a dozen men, some holding clubs in their hands.

Leo's training with the gang proved to be very useful. He expertly evaded incoming citizens and maneuvered his body to push forward no matter what, but the posse still gave pursuit. "Stop there, scum!", they cried out. He went through tight streets and tried to lose them in the alleyways, but these men knew that city from birth. At last they caught Leo, his back to the wall. Inside an alleyway, Leo stood in front of his pursuers, his back rubbing against a metal wall. Those damn factories and their iron walls.

"We gotcha now, punk!", one of the men shouted. Another came forth and held a small knife in his hand. "I know what you did, you barefoot freak. You won't let you get near my daughter ever again, you fucker. 'Cause you'll be dead!". The man shouted and charged at Leo. Leo stomped his leg at the floor of the street and a stone pillar came up right in front of the man, causing him to crash into it. Confusion struck the other members of the posse.

"She was old enough, at least nineteen. So what if you wanted her to marry your friend's son? He's a lunatic!", Leo tried to explain himself in front of the other men. "Damn you.. You raped her!", the father cried at Leo. "She said what?", Leo cried out in anger. "She led me to her house...She opened the door to her room", Leo continued to speak, but by then the father regained his composure. Leo removed his glove and held the metal walll behind him. In a few seconds, the metal wall itself ripped in half and allowed Leo and take three steps back and then reattach the wall again. Leo sighed in relief, but before he could turn around he heard a pistol being cocked.

"Shit".

 

[Redryhno]

The day began gray, but blossomed into a rich dark blue as the sun crept over the hills where Kallu had spent the past past two days about three miles outside of the city. He had found a small clump of stones in the desert, and had been spending his nights in a tent, happy to be out of the city and back where he belonged. He had spent the time between trying to crack this Marcoh's code, hiking and living in the brutal environment, and simply taking in the simple but unforgiving beauty of the desert.

With the dawn, he attempted to think of one more thing the code might be using before packing up the tent from the quartermaster and heading back to East City, where the Festival of the Founding was underway. After turning in the supplies he had checked out, he went back to the hospital where Victor was recovering well, there was news that he was up and about, though without an arm. He was known as a regular visitor by this time and headed up to the Corporal's room without much overwatch.

The man's parents were visiting when he opened the door, talking family things, he supposed. He fished a stone he'd found out in the desert shaped in a vaguely arm-like position, the thing must've weighed twenty pounds, the legs shook when he dropped it on the side table.

"Hey, kid. You decided what you're going to do about your arm yet?I brought ya this, thought you might have more use for it than I did.Keep it as a paperweight or something."

Spoiler: OOC

Iron, the first thing I heard when it said Leo froze in place and looked around, was the MGS detection noise.

 

[CJ1145]

Victor's parents greeted Kallu warmly as he entered the room. By this time they'd been there at the same time long enough to be well acquainted. Victor looked fairly surprised to see him there, as nobody had informed him how often Stone had visited. "Uh, hey, Kallu!" he said. A bit of a stutter was still there. Unfortunate, but to be expected after how badly his heroism blew up in his face. He couldn't help but let a bit of absolute befuddlement show when he looked at the massive stone. "Uh... thanks?"

A moment of brief silence was followed by the Corporal speaking up. "So, er, is everybody OK? Nobody's really told me what happened. It was all kind of a blur after the huge guy a-attacked me."

[hr]

"Yo, who's tha freak?!"

Leo found himself in the middle of a crossfire. Or rather, a fire, he supposed. There were two very distinct groups of men present, but only one of them seemed to have had the foresight to bring guns. The armed group was dressed uniformly in white suit pants with white dress shirts and baby blue vests. The other was in all black suits, with indigo shirts and blazing red ties; a wide-brimmed cap sat on each of their heads, hiding their eyes.

"You tryin' to pull a fast one on us?!" a vested man said. "Bringin' in a friggin' alchemist, huh?"

"Don't try none'a that!" the apparent leader of the suited men shouted back. "At least we didn't bring no guns to a damn neutral ground! This was a set-up!"

"Well, tough luck, buster!" the head vest retorted. He looked... a little too close to the Crimson Alchemist for Leo's tastes. His hair was in the same style, though bleach-blond, and his eyes were somehow even shiftier looking, and a shining blue. He gripped his pistol and aimed it straight for Barefoot's skull. "Sorry, mister. But you just walked into the WRONG alley."

He clicked back the hammer and prepared to fire.

 

[Viking Incognito]

Spoiler: Music

Link [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ-mZBt24vU&feature=relmfu]

Vlad had not left his lab for the last few days. Thinking, planing, despairing.

Leo was a good man, and Vlad knew it. They all knew it. It was obvious that it was worth exploring Octavir's claims, and anyone would have begun doing so immediately if not for Bradly's forbidding of it. Now Vlad was being asked to murder a good man and a fellow alchemist for thinking about something he had every reason to think about.

He took me in, he helped me survive. Vlad thought to himself.

He made you into his weapon and allowed you to live. His sister Adriana's voice said, cold, judging.

Vlad remembered many of the faces of the people he had...tasted. Then there was the liquid stone Bradly had shown him. The ability to bring back the dead. Human transmutation.

Vlad violently jumped from his laying position on the couch and swung out his arm in frustration at the glass of blood on the table. It shattered against the wall and blood splashed everywhere, some of it hitting Vlad. In his state we was about to lick it off the wall, but he saw a reflection of himself in a piece of broken glass, and he was horrified.

His hair was a mess, his eyes were dark from lack of sleep, and there was dried blood on his face. He looked like a monster. Like that disgusting cannibal Gluttony.

"Disgusting...cannibal..." Vlad stammered. "...monster...not human..." then the Vampire alchemist screamed in rage and fell to his knees. He could see his sister's face from that horrible day at the manor. His tenth birthday.
------------------------------------

She was covered in blood. Her teeth look like that of a predator. Her eyes were frighteningly calm. Her blood splattered face held an image of serenity, and a partial smile.

Vlad was no better. He couldn't help himself. He was covered in blood as well. He had taken it from the bodies, and the floor, and the walls. He was crying, he held his sobs, but his tears fell freely. Adriana held him in her arms and she was rocking him.

"Shhhhh baby brother," she re-assured him. "Everything's okay. This is what we are. We didn't need mom and dad. We don't need anyone but each other. Shhhhh...".

She tried to wipe the tears from his face, and only succeeded in smearing the blood. He rocked him a little slower and began to hum a soft melody to him. The one his mother would help him to sleep with. He cried out. He cried out with all his soul for his mother and his father, for anyone but her. She just kept rocking him, but then, ever so slowly, she raised a cup of blood to his mouth.

"Shh Vlad, drink as much as you want, you'll feel better."

And he tried, but this blood was cold. He could feel the hot rushing blood inside his sister from his hand that rested on her neck. Without even meaning to, he lurched upward, teeth bared and...

------------------------------------------------------------------

Vlad was sittng on the floor of the shower, fully clothed, letting the water run over him.

"This is what I am." He said to himself "I will have the Barefoot Alchemist's blood."

 

[TheIronRuler]

This is on auto-pilot, Leo.Just let it work for you
Without responding, Leo turned around, his leg stretching out and sweeping the concrete floor. A veil of stone shot up diagonally in front of Leo and managed to stop the bullet before it would hit Leo. He pushed his hand on to the stone wall and a bright light appeared. From the wall came dozens of small darts that pierced through the men standing in front of him. Another man tried to shoot him, but he missed. Instead of raising another shield, Leo took off his other glove and fell back. He hands grabbed the metal wall and from it came spikes that extended through and beyond the man's stomach.

He fell to his right and began to hear that music again. Another sweep on the floor and a spike shot up from the floor straight through one of the man's mouth. Not a pretty sight to be seen. It took him less than three minutes to relieve the men that tried to kill him of their lives and afterwards he was already ready for more. A stomp of his leg brought up a vertical pillar of stone, and a hit from his hand offered the other men a sight of small, stone darts sticking out of the pillar.

"Why shouldn't I kill you now? You friends here tried to kill me too".