WAOA Arena

[DotSlash]

[color=666666] "Though I suppose driving toward that impossible dream is what makes alchemy... and even science in general as advanced and as exciting as they are to be a part of." [/color] Ness said, taking another sip of her drink. [color=666666] "Alchemy is one of my stronger areas, but the whole theory behind a Philosopher's Stone is beyond me. I thought it was simply used to convert lead into gold... in some bizarre way." The leftover waste from the operation can't possibly be fun to deal with.... "How does that some how translate to giving a body a soul...?"[/color]

 

[Chungus]

"Turning metals into gold is already possible, even without a stone. Although doing so is illegal, given that it obviously wouldn't be very good for the vallue of gold. As for how giving a soul to a lifeless body would work? I couldn't tell you." Solaris answered with a slight shrug. After taking a sip from her drink, she looked back to Ness. "Both Homonculi and the Philosopher's Stone are myths, afterall. If had had to make a guess, though, I'd say it would transmute other forms of energy into a soul, or something abstract like that." She added, before pausing. "You say alchemy is a strong suit of yours? How skilled would you say you are?"

 

[DotSlash]

Ness scratched her head a bit. [color=666666] "I suppose that makes sense... but how would one transmute en-- Ah... Nevermind... I'm asking too many questions of you as it is...." [/color] She said, chuckling sheepishly. Noting Solaris' question, she scratched her head a bit. [color=666666] "Well...." [/color] She began to draw a circle on the stool she was sitting on and after a bit of focus, transmuted it into into what looked like a leather wind-up doll that looked like a robot, the leather the same color as the stool cushion. She cranked the key in the doll's back a few cranks before the robot walked forward awkwardly as the gears turning inside it gave off a rhythmic set of clicks. Ness looked to be sweating a small bit. [color=666666] "That's about as intricate I can get with something's inner workings without consulting a blueprint every three seconds..." [/color]

 

[Chungus]

Solaris looked on curiously as drew drew the transmutation circle, followed her her transmuting the doll into the clockwork robot. She chuckled a small bit as she watched it waddle along. "Well... It may not be something grand, but it has its charms, and a working system like that is still intricate enough." She said with a complementary tone as she looked from the robot, back to Ness, smiling a small bit. "I'd hardly considder myself a proffesional, but I specialise in combining bio and medicinal alchemy." She said as she stood up, walked behind the bar, and picked up a cork opener. Pressing it against the skin of her left shoulder, she pressed down, and broke the skin, wincing slightly as she did. Laying the cork opener down again, she walked from behind the counter, and approached Ness, turning so the small puncture faced her. "In doing so, I've learned to do this:" With that said, Solaris pressed her right hand on her tattoo, and two red sparks showered from the puncture wound. After this, Solaris wiped the blood away, revealing the wound had gone. "I can do this on a larger scale, too. But obviously, I'm in no hurry to wound myself to show it."

 

[DotSlash]

Ness smiled a bit in response to Solaris' compliment as she picked up the little robot and spun it back around, it was still waddling along as it had been before. Looking to Solaris' wound as the woman punctured herself, Ness shuddered a nearly unnoticeable amount before looking with curiosity at the wound as Solaris touched the symbol on her chest. She tilted her head and rubbed her chin a bit as the wound disappeared with the sparks. [color=666666] "....Interesting, so your tattoo doubles as a transmutation circle..." [/color] she blinked once before looking toward Solaris with an eyebrow raised. [color=666666] "But... I thought you had said you merely gotten that tattoo on a whim... And tattooing a circle onto yourself certainly doesn't seem like a whimsical decision to make..." [/color]

 

[Chungus]

"True. The idea to use the tattoo as a transmutation circle came to me a few months after I had it done." Solaris responded, sitting back down. "I don't need to explain that trying to draw a perfect circle every time can be tedious, so one day I thought: What if? Some days of research later, and I found out that it was indeed possible to work my regenative alchemy, as I've taken to calling it, with the tattoo, but not as it was." She explained, then extended her left hand to show the node on the glove. "That's where these come in, some additions to the gloves, and it's a success. A little thinking outside the box then is saving me lots of trouble now." She commented, resting her hand on her knee, and picking up her glass again, taking a small sip. "You should get yourself a ready-made transmutation circle as well. I highly recommend it."

 

[DotSlash]

Ness nodded a small bit. [color=666666] "That's especially true when you might end up using alchemy in the middle of a fight... Maybe I'll take you up on getting something ready made.... though I'm not really sure about tattoos. I hear they hurt quite a bit if you're not thick-skinned." [/color] She said after a bit of time, cringing at the thought of being pricked by inked-up needles for a good few hours. Seeing the node on Solaris' glove, she tilted her head a small bit. [color=666666] "I understand the circle... but what does the node on your glove help with? Focusing the energy to put into the transmutation is the first thing that comes to mind." [/color]

 

[Chungus]

"That's true. It's partially the reason I modified the gloves, rather then just tattooing my arm. That, and that I don't want to end up as some tatooed freakshow. I do have my image to think about." Solaris commented. UponNess' second question, she closed her eyes, and shook her head. "I'm not really feeling comfortable with revealing the speciffics about my means and methods before I have my research patented, especially to someone who I've just met." She answered, opening her eyes again. "I'm sure you'll understand."

 

[DotSlash]

Ness blinked a bit before sighing and nodding. [color=666666] "Now you're just being mean. I'm gonna be up thinking about this all night." [/color] She said, feinting annoyance and chuckling a bit afterward. [color=666666] "But yeah, I understand what you mean." [/color] Rocking around on her stool for a moment and taking another sip, she looked back over to Solaris. [color=666666] "So what would you suggest for a ready-made circle then? Maybe a glove somewhat like your own?" [/color]

 

[Chungus]

"What you put the circle on doesn't really matter, in most cases. So, yes, having it drawn onto a glove works." Solaris answered with a nod, picking up her glass of wine, and taking a sip again. "You may need to have it drawn in two parts, on a pair of gloves, however, depending on how complex the transmutation you'd be preforming." After finishing her wine, Solaris set the glass back down, and sighed slightly. "Now, while I don't mind discussing alchemy, the fact that I was just abducted and am expected to fight is a little more pressing... Has whoever is running this operation ever shown themselves?"

 

[DotSlash]

Ness nodded a bit, taking a mental note of Solaris' suggestions. Noting her question, the girl hummed a small bit and shook her head. [color=666666] "The only thing we've got close to contact with them was when one of the contestants went berserk and start smashing things up. A grunt was found in the locker room and the rest of the people here tried to get a few things out of him, to no real avail." [/color] She said after a while before pointing toward Carmen, who was still trying, along with Lapis, to wake the sleeping Jerrog. [color=666666] "I wasn't transported here during that event and the woman with the silver hair and long tail told me about this when I asked a similar question. She may be able to tell you more." [/color]

 

[Chungus]

Solaris glanced towards Carmen, Lapis, and Jerrog when Ness pointed towards the trio, then back to Ness once she continued speaking. "So, there is actually personel here, rather then that everything is operated remotely. That's good to know..." She commented. "One more question, I wasn't told any rules for fighting in the arena, which lead me to assume that there are none. Am I right in thinking that?"

 

[DotSlash]

[color=666666] "The only thing they want is for the fighting to only happen in the arena." [/color] Ness replied, finishing off her soda. [color=666666] "Other than that, yes, I don't think there are any rules. You can withdraw, forfeit, fight dirty, whatever suits you, I suppose. You just need to fight once a week to keep your lounge privileges. They've got a pretty nasty way of locking you out..." [/color] She said, rubbing her arm idly.

 

[Chungus]

"Yes, the rule of fighting once a week, I've heard when that Ragnar was demolishing the place." Solaris responded, giving a nod. Hearing of locking a person out of the lounge, Solaris raised an eyebrow, the concept not seeming very threatening to her by how she imagined that would go. Just to be sure there wouldn't be a nasty suprise, however, she decided to ask about it. "How would they lock a person out?"

 

[DotSlash]

[color=666666] "Ah... good to hear. And that means Ragnar was that large fellow you were speaking with earlier. Did you know him before you ended up here?" [/color] Ness asked curiously. Her enthusiasm waned a bit as she recalled her being locked out. [color=666666] "Um... well.... I wanted to come in to get a drink and I hadn't fought when they had announced the fight I was required to take. As soon as I stepped into the door frame, my body froze up and a few metal antennae popped out." [/color] She continued, sighing a small bit. [color=666666] "And I was promptly electrocuted and left as an unconscious heap on the floor. Luckily, someone helped me back into my room after the fact, but for obvious reasons, I'm not going to try that again..." [/color]

 

[Chungus]

Solaris shook her head in response to the question wherther or not she knew Ragnar beforehand. I? Ascociate myself with a barbarian like that? Not likely... "No, I didn--" As she spoke, and heard Ness recall being electrocuted, Solaris trailed off. "I see..." Solaris was quiet for a moment, looking down to the floor, and tapping it twice with the hell of her boot. I can survive being electrocuted like that, but if the electrify the floor... That will be unpleasant. Very much so... "Well, then. I suppose I have no choice but to play along. For now." She commented, looking back up to Ness, her eyes filled with disdain. At the very least, it'll let me have a little fun without anyone caring too much. "That's all for now. Maybe we'll speak again later. Goodbye."

With that said, and after giving Ness a small smile, Solaris walked away, and approached Carmen, raising her hand to get Carmen's attention. "Excuse me?" As was the case with Greed, Carmen would sense tens of thousands of souls within Solaris, although she too, lacked one herself. Other similarities they shared were their eyes, and of course, Ouroboros tattoo.

 

[DotSlash]

Ness waved goodbye in turn and sighed a bit as she looked to her watch. [color=666666] It's about time for me to fight again... [/color] She stepped off of her stool and walked into the hallway, coat flapping behind her as she quickly turned a corner.

[hr]

Carmen paused her knocking on Jerrog's skull and turned to Solaris' voice, her cross shaped pupils narrowing a small bit before returning its normal size. She had noticed the woman long before she had walked in, but paid her little mind before now. She blinked a bit as she noticed the similarities between her and Greed and gave the woman a small smile as she turned toward her fully. [color=bb0066] "Yes? You're a new entrant, correct?" [/color]

 

[Chungus]

"Yes, that's right." Solaris answered, giving a single nod, and wrapping her arms around her waist. Having only seen Carmen's eyes being red before, Solaris' own eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing Carmen's cross-shaped pupils, but this didn't last long. And here I was thinking you were some kind of hybrid, but with eyes like those? Interesting. "I was told you captured a member of staff here at one point. Can you tell me about that?"

 

[DotSlash]

Carmen sighed a bit and shrugged. [color=bb0066] "There isn't much to tell... But before that..."[/color] She leaned forward a small bit and smirked at Solaris. [color=bb0066] "Don't you think it's customary to introduce yourself before you start your little interrogations? The woman in the fedora may not have minded, but I do." [/color]

 

[Chungus]

"I've already introduced myself twice, and you were both times I did. You already know my name." Solaris answered casually with the faintest of smiles. "Furthermore, asking a fellow captive a question isn't much of an interrogation, is it?" With that said, Solaris lowered her head by a small amount, but kept eye contact. "Oh... And if you don't know my name, wouldn't you say it's impolite to lean so close to a stranger like myself? I would say so."