[ izumo's a nerd, sure, but she's not quite the kind of nerd who would be well versed in a lab. books and demonology would be more up her alley...of all things but it makes sense in her world. that said, it's not like she isn't interested in this sort of thing.
regardless of her own awareness of it, she'll turn to alphonse. she doubts that he would also have experience with this sort of thing but... well. who knows for sure. she suspected some people to be more aware of technology than they were.
[he's stooped down, leaning in real close to the many glass vials collected here]
Yeah! Well, some of these tools and machines are a little different than what I've used, but a lot of them are the same as chemistry equipment we had at home!
I'd really like to see if everything out there [he motions in the direction they came from, the direction of the town] is made of...the things they should be. Maybe we can gather some samples...
[he looks back from his excited examining] Are you good with science, Izumo?
[ honestly, it's kind of jarring seeing a suit of armor getting excited about test tubs, chemicals, and the like, but izumo stands true by her word. he truly seems harmless. ]
I know enough to get me through my classes. [ she crosses her arms. ] But I wouldn't be comfortable just touching any of this without knowing what it would do.
[ and a look over al before looking back at the chemicals. ]
Do you think you could make anything with what's available here?
[ honestly, izumo is kind of allowing al to do his thing as she...looks around warily. she was a good student but it doesn't make her sound like an expert like her metal friend here. ]
A fun trick?
[ should she be concerned??
But I imagine self-teaching you thinks like this would have taken a lot of time. [ hmmm. ] Did you have a lot of reading material readily available to you?
[he's begun gathering up various vials and containers, assembling them onto the table where Izumo is waiting]
We did! Our father is a really great alchemist, and alchemy is a science that relies a lot on chemistry, so we had lots of books on it that we used to read all the time.
[he lights up a burner and begins to add various things into an extra-large glass beaker, listing them as he does:]
Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogen Dioxide, and Zinc [he stirs the mysterious liquid as it heats] makes Sodium Zincate with [the solution begins to fizz and bubble] hydrogen gas separating out.
[he seems satisfied with how things are looking, and proceeds to just...jam his armored glove into the beaker with its boiling liquid, leaving it in there for several minutes as he continues to chat away]
It hasn't helped me figure out how to get out of here, I'm afraid, but wherever we are does have the same physical and chemical properties as where I came from. Maybe it'll help eventually.
[he withdraws his hand, which has gone from a dull bluish gray to a shiny silver finish, and shows it off]
[ izumo listens to al recount everything thoughtfully and watches him point out all of the chemicals and the like. (in retrospect why didn't al go investigate the lab...sobs. he would have been the ideal candidate......)
maybe she should be concerned. though she's interested in "alchemy" actually works like how it's described. provide to change one item into another: coal into gold, the most commonly sought out proof. ]
I'm impressed that you know all of this offhand. I only manage to know these things because I've studied it. [ hmmm. ] But this is all natural to you.
We spent a lot of time reading my father's books when we were kids. There were ones about all kinds of different sciences. Not really any storybooks or anything.
[now he's just casually holding his hand over the burner's open flame, which causes the silvery coating to slowly change to gold]
Anyway, a lot scientific progress happened because people were trying to discover the secret to alchemy, but there's no magic to it. Everything in the world is made of something, and if you know what, you can change it with energy.
[the procedure complete, he gives her a golden thumbs up]
[Al wanted to seek Izumo out immediately after the removal, wanted to offer some kind words or support to repay the things she'd already done for him, but—hesitant and afraid of overstepping—decided to give her time and wait til Monday
he hadn't anticipated losing his sight, nor how long it would take to adjust his already unnatural connection to the armor, but by Tuesday he's somehow been able to dedicate more energy to hearing, and hears her walk by]
[ al, by pure and random luck, will have picked the best day of the entire week to flag izumo down. (and i think that's wonderful.) so when he calls to her, she'll stop in mid step but look unbothered by it.
...though at the same time....? ]
Oh, Alphonse. [ ......hm. ] What do you mean if it's me?
[ huh. okay... izumo will let that slide because, well, what else can she really do about all of it? it kind of makes sense to her, if she thought about honestly. ]
Ah, well, you don't have to be too worried. [ kind of. ] He and I were never on good terms.
[ but she did make it clear that she didn't want to see him die either. ]
Well, it was different than the other ones [in that she didn't have to execute him by hand] but still, even watching people you don't like die is hard. [why does he sound so...knowing about that?]
...have you ever seen anyone die, Izumo? Before coming here, I mean?
[ his concern is endearing to her but at the same time, makes her feel a bit guilty because of everything. she looks away for a moment after he asks her question. ]
I had thought so, not long after we first met. I'm sorry if it was rude of me to ask. [even though it doesn't usually give away much more than her voice, he wishes he could see izumo's expression]
These demons that you talk about exorcising...are they like people?
It's fine, I don't mind. As for the demons they can look like people as in they have a humanoid form. They're still demons but they don't always look that much different than us.
[ a moment for her to consider things. hmm. ]
I don't think I've ever exorcised one of those but I've seen other things.
Ghouls, ghosts—all different kinds of demons that come in all sorts of different forms.
[ which is the best way to describe it because sometimes they look like little black fluff balls and then sometimes they're the size of mountains. that said, she'll lower her gaze when al asks about her friends.... ]
...notoriously, she would have turned down any such kind of blatant offer of friendship that came from somewhere lacking, however there seems to be something wrong with turning down the soul of someone her age bonded to a suit of armor. ]
Sure.
[ does she want it? well, it doesn't irritate her. ]
Sorry, I know it seems kind of simple, but it's important to have friends in bad or dangerous times. Even if you just met them. Even if it's just for a little while. It's nice and keeps us human.
[and he...offers out a handshake?? but unlike the slight bumbling of before, this seems more confident, as if it's more familiar territory]
Do you chase them around without introducing yourself? [his tone is playfully teasing]
But my case isn't exactly common where I come from either; that's why I usually keep it a secret. Transmutation involving humans is the most forbidden part of alchemy. Even though what happened to me was an accident.
Most of the time, actually. Lower level demons don't have much in terms of intelligence.
[ so...kind of okay? but not okay. also....human transmutation. ]
At least there are limits, though I guess unspoken, about what people will try. I have to wonder, if you ended up in a suit of armor... What other things can happen?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wk 1; tuesday
regardless of her own awareness of it, she'll turn to alphonse. she doubts that he would also have experience with this sort of thing but... well. who knows for sure. she suspected some people to be more aware of technology than they were.
she really can't judge anything. ]
Are you familiar with any of this?
dflsakjssadfas how dare you with that PC image
Yeah! Well, some of these tools and machines are a little different than what I've used, but a lot of them are the same as chemistry equipment we had at home!
I'd really like to see if everything out there [he motions in the direction they came from, the direction of the town] is made of...the things they should be. Maybe we can gather some samples...
[he looks back from his excited examining] Are you good with science, Izumo?
:')
I know enough to get me through my classes. [ she crosses her arms. ] But I wouldn't be comfortable just touching any of this without knowing what it would do.
[ and a look over al before looking back at the chemicals. ]
Do you think you could make anything with what's available here?
Re: :')
[casually scanning the various labels and notations]
Thankfully, wherever we are uses the same periodic table of elements that we do. So yeah, I could make some chemicals or compounds if we needed.
Oh! I could show you a fun trick we used to do for my mother before we started doing real alchemy.
no subject
A fun trick?
[ should she be concerned??
But I imagine self-teaching you thinks like this would have taken a lot of time. [ hmmm. ] Did you have a lot of reading material readily available to you?
no subject
We did! Our father is a really great alchemist, and alchemy is a science that relies a lot on chemistry, so we had lots of books on it that we used to read all the time.
[he lights up a burner and begins to add various things into an extra-large glass beaker, listing them as he does:]
Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogen Dioxide, and Zinc [he stirs the mysterious liquid as it heats] makes Sodium Zincate with [the solution begins to fizz and bubble] hydrogen gas separating out.
[he seems satisfied with how things are looking, and proceeds to just...jam his armored glove into the beaker with its boiling liquid, leaving it in there for several minutes as he continues to chat away]
It hasn't helped me figure out how to get out of here, I'm afraid, but wherever we are does have the same physical and chemical properties as where I came from. Maybe it'll help eventually.
[he withdraws his hand, which has gone from a dull bluish gray to a shiny silver finish, and shows it off]
Neat, huh? The process is called electroplating.
no subject
maybe she should be concerned. though she's interested in "alchemy" actually works like how it's described. provide to change one item into another: coal into gold, the most commonly sought out proof. ]
I'm impressed that you know all of this offhand. I only manage to know these things because I've studied it. [ hmmm. ] But this is all natural to you.
no subject
[now he's just casually holding his hand over the burner's open flame, which causes the silvery coating to slowly change to gold]
Anyway, a lot scientific progress happened because people were trying to discover the secret to alchemy, but there's no magic to it. Everything in the world is made of something, and if you know what, you can change it with energy.
[the procedure complete, he gives her a golden thumbs up]
week 3 tuesday
he hadn't anticipated losing his sight, nor how long it would take to adjust his already unnatural connection to the armor, but by Tuesday he's somehow been able to dedicate more energy to hearing, and hears her walk by]
Um, Izumo? Is that you?
no subject
...though at the same time....? ]
Oh, Alphonse. [ ......hm. ] What do you mean if it's me?
wow being sick sucked
I was going to look for you yesterday, but...[he waves a hand in front of his no-longer-glowing eyes]
it's all good!!
hmm. she'll be kind enough and not move from her spot. ]
We'll you've found me now, and I'll won't move from this spot if that'll make things easier for you.
[ how does one just guide blind suit of armor? ]
no subject
[catching himself before he launches too far into speculation and metaphysical explanations]
But, that's not important right now! I was worried about you. After everything that happened.
no subject
Ah, well, you don't have to be too worried. [ kind of. ] He and I were never on good terms.
[ but she did make it clear that she didn't want to see him die either. ]
no subject
...have you ever seen anyone die, Izumo? Before coming here, I mean?
no subject
Yes. I've seen plenty of people die.
[ die, killed... kind of the same thing, right? ]
I've exorcised demons too, you know.
no subject
These demons that you talk about exorcising...are they like people?
no subject
[ a moment for her to consider things. hmm. ]
I don't think I've ever exorcised one of those but I've seen other things.
no subject
Being an exorcist, do a lot of people get killed? Like your friends?
no subject
[ which is the best way to describe it because sometimes they look like little black fluff balls and then sometimes they're the size of mountains. that said, she'll lower her gaze when al asks about her friends.... ]
If I had any, I can't remember them.
no subject
Well, until you remember them again, you have friends here right now. I think we're friends. Or we can be, if you want.
[with all the grace that a 15 year old who's stuck his foot in his mouth and wants to make it better can muster]
no subject
...notoriously, she would have turned down any such kind of blatant offer of friendship that came from somewhere lacking, however there seems to be something wrong with turning down the soul of someone her age bonded to a suit of armor. ]
Sure.
[ does she want it? well, it doesn't irritate her. ]
no subject
Okay! Yeah!
Sorry, I know it seems kind of simple, but it's important to have friends in bad or dangerous times. Even if you just met them. Even if it's just for a little while. It's nice and keeps us human.
[and he...offers out a handshake?? but unlike the slight bumbling of before, this seems more confident, as if it's more familiar territory]
no subject
what a sight to behold, honestly. she'll blink a few times and does her best not to laugh. ]
I don't think most people shake hands after being friends.
[ that said, she'll take his hand and give it a shake. it isn't particularly firm or anything, but it's a handshake. ]
no subject
he rubs the back of his head, sounding a bit embarrassed]
Haha, sorry, I guess most of the friends I've made over the past few years have been soldiers. More like comrades-in-arms than normal friends maybe.
Even with everything, it's been kinda nice to be in one place for a little while and meet people like you.
no subject
[ a brief beat. ]
Not for long anyway. Souls inhabiting suits of armor are not exactly ignored.
no subject
But my case isn't exactly common where I come from either; that's why I usually keep it a secret. Transmutation involving humans is the most forbidden part of alchemy. Even though what happened to me was an accident.
no subject
[ so...kind of okay? but not okay. also....human transmutation. ]
At least there are limits, though I guess unspoken, about what people will try. I have to wonder, if you ended up in a suit of armor... What other things can happen?