po... ssibly... testing for a game...

[shortcut]

—fine. Let's get this damn mess out of the way.

You want a ... a 'voice check'? Research, hypothesis, and then—you look for evidence, right? Right. So start with basic alchemy principles. First lesson: "in order to obtain or create one thing, something else of equal value must be lost or destroyed." Keeping up so far?

That's it. Lesson over. Go home.

. . . ah? How much of an explanation do you need? You're obtaining something already, and what've you paid? Exactly.

And time's not a transmutable element, and this's got nothing to do with the usern—shut up!

Comments

[alkahestic]

[ oh, big bro... that username... ]

Eheh... I don't think that's how those work, Brother. The "voice checks", I mean.

1/4

[shortcut]

Fair trade's the same everywh—

[shortcut]

[ invoking meta, invoking meta, because if he doesn't fourth-wall, it's going to be really goddamn hard to cope with the realisation of everything he's been working for in the past two years, standing before him like the simplest of results. ]

—where. Everywhere.

[shortcut]

And it's close enough!

[shortcut]

... Al?

I've been waiting to throw this abomination at an Ed xD

[guardian_chimera]

Alchemy? That word sounds familiar.

[The more human part of the Chimera speaks.]

1/2, oh god

[shortcut]

[shortcut]

Just "familiar"?

[honoo_no_renkinjutsushi]

Ah ha. That username is something you've been given! Very fitting, might I add.

1/3

[shortcut]

Fitting for what—





[ shut up!!! ]

[shortcut]

[ shut the hell up shut the hell up must not overthrow composure in front of a giant bastard shut up augh!!!! ]

[shortcut]

—tch! Shouldn't a colonel have bigger goals to aspire to than hanging around for something like this?

[morepersonal]

[Another short guy with a temper. Cute.]

You might need a better comparison.

[shortcut]

Equivalent exchange's as easy as it gets. If this doesn't get through, there's no use in trying anything else.

[alkahestry]

You know alchemy has nothing to do with what's going on right, brother?

[Of course, he's all too used to hearing Edward relate everything to alchemy so... excuse him while he ducks his head and does his best to keep his laughter in check. That user name.]

1/2

[shortcut]

[ that's not the question. the real question is: will he ever get used to this without having executed every inch of the trade himself.

(answer: no. never. what in five damned hells.) ]

[shortcut]

I know you're making a face.

[ HE SENSES IT. ]

It's close enough to alchemy!

[poofed]

Do voice checks have anything to do with alchemy?

[shortcut]

They do if they're about me.

[hissterical]

[ Don't mind Martel over here. She's just going to be laughing her ass off. ]

[shortcut]

You got something to say, just say it.

[rocketry]

.. It's cute. The username.

1/3

[shortcut]

I'm still a year older than you, Al, even if you—

[undercut]

Ah-- I was right. Thank you once again for your patronage, Full Metal. Your help always proves quite useful.

GO AWAY, I HATE YOU.

[shortcut]

—ah? Is that a sound of a cheapskate colonel acknowledging an actual favor?

[number23rd]

Good luck with that, but don't expect miracles.

1/4

[shortcut]

[ this


is



not


happening ... ]

you are a glorious person and you should feel glorious skdjf

[daughterofelysium]

But your alchemy thing is already balanced. "In order to be created or obtained, your dignity was lost or destroyed." Sounds about right, right?

1/2 - haha, thank you!

[shortcut]

Dignity's in the same category as time. You can't transmute something intangible.

[avaricious_ling]

[ oh? Was that his favorite person spouting nonsense again? ]

Heya Ed!

[ He pops up out of the woodwork. Literally ] What's up? [ cheeky smile. Really now, where have you been hiding? It's been forever since he's had an arm rest. ]

[shortcut]

You ate something, didn't you—don't come near me.