The First of Many

[Guest]

”This man’s name?”

”Asriel Yachta. He’s only seventeen, m’lord.”

”Thank you, Sullivan,” he sighs. Already this was going to be a touchy subject for him. Though one could join the military at that age, it required parental consent. Even then, the boy might not be much more than a child. ”Let’s hope that this prospect is better than the last one,” he adds.

The limousine turns down a side-street, trailed by an armored car ten meters after it. Slowing down to a crawl, the chauffeur looks for the correct address in the line of row homes.

”The young Mr. Yachta is an alchemist, at least according to the evidence we’ve collected. We think he’s developing-“

”Let me stop you right there, Sullivan,” Dietrich says, tapping the end of his cane on the car floor. ”I’m afraid I’d like to engage this man in a conversation, as opposed to go in knowing everything that we know of this man. You can learn a lot by what a person chooses to reveal about themselves, and how they tell it.”

The limousine grinds to a halt, and the chauffeur gets out and opens Dietrich’s door. ”Wait here and close the street down, Sullivan. Besides, I’m afraid armed guards might intimidate the young man, and that’s not the message I’d like to send to him.” Looking over at the lady in the back, he adds, "Miss Dachump, however, may join us, so long as she doesn't wave around her rifle."

Walking up to the humble home, he knocks on the door, standing straight and proper, one hand rested atop the other on his cane. "I hope he's here, or else I'll have to fire somebody from Intel," he says to Vivian.

[Guest]

Vivian remained quiet in the backseat, her hands folded over her lap as she glanced out the window to observe the scenery going by. Her senses remained alert, listening in on the exchange even though she wasn't quite active in it. Another new recruit.... And so young. It made her a little wary of the prospect, but then again he obviously had proved himself to be considered for such a position. And that fact made her rather curious to meet him in person. The corner of her mouth tilted up in a small smirk at mention of the last person they had visited, inwardly shaking her head. That.... had been interesting.....

Clearing her mind, her ears perked up at the fact the boy was an alchemist, her head turning to look at the men in the front seat. Another alchemist? Now that was something. Her blue eyes darted to the king, her curiosity even more piqued considering she knew how Dietrich generally felt about alchemy. Either the boys alchemy could be applied in more helpful ways, or the boys credentials were that good. Or maybe it was something else entirely. It wasn't her place to ask. Now she wondered at what this Asriel had been looking into....

As the limousine slowed to a stop, her hands slid to the sides of her legs in the seat, glancing down to her new uniform. It fit perfectly, and there weren't any awkward creases or anything! Yes, it seemed like such a shallow thing to care about but you'd be surprised how it could affect function when it came down to it. Her eyes met her king's as he turned to her, bowing her head in understanding. "Yes sir. Waving shall not occur." She murmured, opening her door as she carefully got out of the car, squinting at the suns light above them. For now she kept the hat off for she felt like it obstructed her view. Just because she was here with the king to evaluate the alchemist did not mean she would allow herself to relax. Her rifle now hung directly behind her shoulder, the strap weighing down on her one shoulder as she adjusted the sword on her waist. It was mostly a ceremonial thing, her preference leaning towards a rapier.

Her boots thudded softly on the pavement, the wind blowing her long hair about. It was pulled back in a ponytail per normal, walking to the King's right and slightly behind, scanning the area for any potential threats. She didn't think the likelihood of something happening was high, but better safer than not. Turning her attention to Dietrich as he spoke, a very faint smile rose to her lips before fading away rather quickly leaving her expression impassive as usual. "We'll find out shortly m'lord."

[Guest]

Yesterday
Asriel had just finished some research on a possible addition to his Transmutation Circle and he decided that he needed a break from the non-stop work of Alchemy that he did. He was surprisingly mature for his age, being only seven-teen... Just on the brink of adulthood. He didn't have many needs, he had no interest in women for the most part nor did he have any place in a party setting. He looked around, he was in his room and sitting at his desk. The lights were off, save for a single lamp that shined down onto the research papers that Asriel was reading. He sighed and stood up, looking around from some sort of switch to turn the lights on. He made his way to his door and ran his hand over the painted white wall until his finger came across what he was looking for... A single switch. He flipped it upwards and blinked a couple of times to let his eyes adjust to the new lighting.

He looked down to examine the clothes that he wore, a simple white button-up shirt and black jeans. He sighed before letting his hand fall toward the bottom part of his white shirt and began to unbutton three buttons. He then turned and reached inside of one of his wooden drawers, pulling out a pair of low-cut black socks. He put them on his feet and walked toward the hall-way outside of his room. The floor was made of wood and there was a guard rail-type thing that separated the second floor from the stairs. He passed a mirror and looked at himself, inspecting his hair carefully. It looked surprisingly well-kept although he had not taken a shower in about two days. He hastily walked toward his bathroom and picked up a tooth brush and some tooth paste and got to work. After four minutes he spit and rinsed. He then picked up a bar of deodorant and rubbed it under his arm-pits a couple of times. He then put the cap back on the deodorant and picked up a can of cologne that he didn't bother reading the name of. He sprayed it all over his body and sniffed. It smelled liked cherries and a hint of an outdoor-like oder.

He put the cologne back down and ran downstairs. He reached toward his coat rack and picked up his standard purple jacket, throwing it on and sighing. He always left it open. He put on his black tennis shoes and grabbed his keys from the table next to door. He unlocked it and walked outside before shutting the door and locking it, attempting to open it to make sure that it was locked. He turned around and put the keys inside of his pockets. He then walked toward the nearby bar intending on having a couple of drinks and possibly finding a woman to spend the night with... Even though he was underage. He would usually disapprove of these antics but he decided that he needed to live a little bit every now and then. Once he reached his destination he opened the door to the bar and walked inside, taking a seat at the counter. The Bartender approached him and examined him carefully with narrowed eyes. "What can I get you...?" He asked.

Asriel shrugged, "Uhm..." He wasn't sure what kind of drinks they served... This was his first time drinking. He thought of a random brand that came to his head and spoke it aloud, "Vodka?"

The Bartender chuckled and motioned toward a present policeman to take Asriel out of the Bar. The man in the blue suit came over and put his hand on the boy's shoulder and began to escort him out of the Bar. Asriel swore under his breath as he was easily thrown out of the Bar. He could've gone back in if he wanted to but he didn't want to become an enemy of the country by killing a man simply because he was thrown out of the bar... Of course, he was only human and it was natural for him to want to murder someone because things didn't go his way... Or at least that is how Asriel viewed the situation. "Hey... Wait up!"

Asriel turned around to come face to face with a drunk woman, she was probably around twenty two or twenty three. "Your... Pretty cute..." Asriel raised an eyebrow.

Why was this so easy? He examined her carefully, she was wearing a skimpy black dress and a red top. She had long blond hair and an incredibly protruding chest. He scratched his head, she probably didn't realize that he was only seventeen years old... -Sucks to be her.- He thought. "Yeah... Your pretty hot yourself... Uhm... Do you want to see my place?" He asked.

She smiled and nodded. The two then began to walk, arm in arm back to Asriel's house. He unlocked the door and they went up to his room... Asriel shut the door and... What happened next was probably illegal in a couple of country's across the globe.

Present Day
Asriel woke up to someone pounding on his down-stairs door. He looked around, the woman from before was gone, along with most of her clothes... Save for the white panties on the floor. "Good..." He said. He didn't want to see her again after that night. She probably freaked out after she sobered up and realized how young Asriel was. He stood up and threw on a pair of boxers and black skinny jeans. He didn't feel like buttoning up his shirt so he just left it off. He had a decent build, he was lean with a muscular body.

He walked downstairs and made his way to the door, "Who the hell could this b-" He stopped talking as he looked through the peep hole on his door. He examined the two faces closely and swore under his breath... It was Dietrich the Leader of the Cretan Army and Creta itself. He was tempted to leave the door closed but that would be rude. His hand shot to the handle while his other directed toward the lock. He twisted both at the same time and pulled the door open. He examined Dietrich carefully before switching his attention to the female. He didn't care much for her looks, the hook up from the previous day was just a one time experimental-type thing to see if he could do it... And he believed that he kind of deserved it. He had no desire to be in a relationship, although this woman probably had no interest in the young boy once-soever considering he was only seventeen. He returned his attention to Dietrich and nodded in his direction. He forgot that he had not put on a shirt, but in all honesty Asriel didn't care. "Hello... Sir." He said with inquisitive eyes, trying to figure out why Dietrich himself was here. He had already deducted that the female was his personal body-guard and that he wasn't in trouble other wise Dietrich himself wouldn't even be here. "Can I help you?"

[Guest]

”I do hope that dropping by unannounced is alright,” he comments, half aloud and half to Vivian. ”I would hate to be interrupting the boy of his daily routine, whatever it may be.”

When the door opens, he raises an eyebrow at the young man. Half-dressed, looking either half-drunk or recovering from a long night, and… a thick scent seemed to permeate from him. He held back a look of disgust, for he didn't want to know what that scent was, nor how it came to be.

”You are Asriel Yachta, are you not?” he asks, regaining his neutral composure and expression. ”I am, as you know, Lord Dietrich von Vermont, King of Creta, as well as its current Prime Minister. This here,” he says, motioning to Vivian, [color=orange]”is First Lieutenant Dachump of the Royal Guard.” Leaning to his side slightly, he takes a peak at the interior of the house. Although certainly not up to his standards, it was far better than he expected it to be. He shifted slightly, not because he was caught off-guard, but because the entire situation made him uncomfortable. Sacrificing his ideals for the greater good was not a concept he experienced often.

”I have come here with Lady Dachump to learn a little about you, Mr. Yachta. But first, I’m afraid that I’m going to ask if we can enter your household. We have much to discuss, and I prefer to do so while sitting, ideally with a drink. I’m afraid that I cannot discuss any more details until I step inside.”

[Guest]

Tilting her head slightly, Vivian glanced to the windows of the house, listening to her king. "I'm sure he can make time for you though sir." She said softly, realizing that an answer may have not been preferred, but it felt like it was sort of required. It was strange. She was still adjusting to her post and a lot of quirks were rising up. She was caught now more than ever in the strange divide she had found herself as a soldier. But she was also a Duchamp. A proper lady. Now she was Dietrich's guard, and she kept up her training from the military. Yet sometimes she had to pull back from reacting as she might as a lady. It wasn't clear if it was the position, or just the atmosphere that surrounded the job.

Coming out of her thoughts, her eyes immediately came to rest on the boy...... Oh. Her expression did not change, but the thoughts that went through her head were rapid. Shirtless, clearly rather unkept, and.... a smell. Ah. She could take a couple of guesses as to what it was, and she didn't care to think on the matter anymore than what already flashed through her head. This boy was a prospective member? Her attention moved on to the house within, glancing around to ensure that all was well. Finding it satisfactory in that manner, she allowed herself to look at Asriel once more.

She clicked her heels at her name and bowed her head to the boy, remaining silent to allow the king to conduct his business. It was not her place to comment unless requested to. She noticed how Dietrich also glanced in the house, wondering what he must be thinking at all this. She could tell how he liked his life style, so this was a change from that. Ah well, this was just a visit after all.

Turning her blue gaze to the king upon her name, she then observed the boy to try to get a better read on him. Although first impressions were important, and his was a bit lacking so far, it was best to give him the chance to prove that the current impression was merely the fact that they had arrived unexpectedly.

[Guest]

Asriel chuckled as he turned around, leaving the door wide open. "Come on in... I guess I should apologize for my appearance but I have been a bit busy as of late and... Well... I can't say that I was exactly expecting your presence in my home." He said as he began to walk toward the dark blue couch.

He sat down and narrowed his eyebrows, trying to figure out what exactly the two wanted with himself. In front of the couch that he was sitting on was a wooden table and in front of that was another dark blue couch, identical to the one that Asriel was sitting on. He ran his hand through his white hair and exhaled. "I should probably put on a shirt but that would just delay your important schedule even more than it already is... Anyway... What is it that the great Dietrich himself felt the need to come to my house to ask?" He asked.

He rubbed his face with his hand and exhaled. He had ignored the Lords previous request for something to drink mainly because he didn't have anything other than that of tap-water. He was being a bit more rude than usual, just because he didn't feel like dealing with Dietrich nor his Lady 'Dachump' at the moment. He couldn't care less for titles, they were just leaders in this war that would have the same consequence as the ones before it... Bloodshed.

[Guest]

Dietrich looks around Asriel’s humble abode while taking his time to the man’s couch. ”I apologize for an inconvenience I’ve caused, but I’m afraid that this was something I wanted to keep on the down-low.” Sitting down on the couch, he rests one hand atop the other on his cane. ”Telling people in advance would have meant the possibility of leaks, and leaks would’ve resulted n media attention, speculation, possible assassination attempts…” He looks at Asriel with a serious look. ”I cannot afford to assume that I’m popular, even with my own people. Such an attitude would cause me to lose sight of what I’m working for. That is one part of why I brought Lady Duchamp here with me.”

He shifts into a more relaxed position on the couch, finding some charm in the relative simplicity to the design. Cheap, but practical. He still preferred his couches, though. ”I’m afraid I am on no one’s schedule at this moment but yours, Mr. Yachta. Any other appointments, should I have any, are also unannounced. We will conclude this when we are finished, or when you deem so. As such, if you’d like to throw a shirt on, if that’d make you more comfortable, then by all means do so. Otherwise, I’d like to know a little about you, because I have a proposition to make you.”

Standing up, he starts to look around for the house. ”I believe Lady Duchamp can handle the preliminary questions, while I look for some tea,” he says, making his way to the kitchen. ”You don’t mind that I make some tea, do you? I assure you, I’ll compensate you for the use of materials.”

[Guest]

Awaiting the king to move first, Vivian followed after, scanning the abode one more time for any potential risks. She made it seem rather relaxed, not wanting to make Asriel uncomfortable by her scanning of his home. It could be something he was touchy about or something. As she listened to him speak, she stood next to the king, deciding it best to not sit. Besides, it wasn't like she was invited to in any case. No... No she supposed no one would really expect suddenly seeing the leader of their country on their doorstep. At least the boy had manners, that was good to see. It made up for his first impression at least. Initially she didn't look at them as they talked, merely listening in as she looked at a different spot every couple of minutes. Upon her name however, she did turn her gaze to them, shifting the grip upon her rifle.

She did notice how a drink was not offered, and somehow the phrasing of his statement made her twitch on the inside in the slightest. Well, if the boy had a hangover or something then that could explain his rudeness. That still didn't make it a good excuse though, he should be more gracious to his leader. It was entirely possible that her view was due to how she had been brought up, always entertaining various important guests for her family and whatnot on occasion.

Standing a little straighter, she turned her body slightly so she faced Asriel, her blue eyes seeming to pierce into him though that was not her intent. "Aye sir." She was quiet briefly, knowing that Dietrich would probably continue anyway, refocusing upon the alchemist before her. "What sort of alchemy are you researching at the moment?" Her voice was surprisingly gentle in it's sound, throwing the appearance of a soldier for a loop. One of her bangs slipped from behind her ear, framing her face as it hung there, the dark strands a contrast to her pale skin.

[Guest]

Asriel nodded at Dietrich's words... He had never met his so called 'leader' before and he was actually suspecting him to be an obnoxious snob who thought that he was greater than everyone else. He was a bit surprised at the man's apparent humbleness. "It's not a problem... I actually wasn't planning on doing much of anything today other than studying my Alchemy as usual... Hm..." He then continued to listen as the King continued with the conversation, talking about how they were on Asriel's time, "Thank you... Lord Dietrich." He added in the last part just because he was beginning to respect his Leader... Although it would take a lot more than simply being humble to gain his trust. Asriel was being a bit... More talkative than usual... Maybe it was because his Leader was in his home and he wanted to make a good impression... He wasn't sure but this sure was out of the ordinary for him... Had this been anyone else, say a random Alchemist from the street the conversation would have gone along quite differently. Whatever sense of respect for authority Asriel had, was being shown right now and even in the presence of a King it was not that impressive.

"Ah, I should say that I do not believe that I own any Tea-Bags... I apologize." He smirked, "You can help yourself to some good old fashioned tap water if you like." He then turned to look at Vivian and sighed. "Here... I'll show you some of my research papers... And stuff..." He said as he stood up and ran up stairs. He went into his room, grabbed a white T-Shirt from his closet and threw it on before walking over to his desk and grabbing a hand-full of paper. He then made his way back downstairs and put the Research Papers on the desk in front of the couch that he had been sitting on, for Vivian to look over. "I have a some what unique brand of Alchemy that involves the movement of Earth itself..." He continued, "By understanding the basic elements that are found within the dirt itself I have learned to move it around to my liking and... At the moment I am trying to see if it's possibly for me to create projectile-like weapons and other objects from the Earth... So far I haven't had much success."

[Guest]

No tea bags? And this man was a Cretan?

Dietrich silently sighed in the kitchen, mildly disappointed. He had been itching for some tea for a while now, though he presumed he could retire to the White House for a little bit after this meeting. Still, he wanted tea…

Finding a glass instead, he decided to take the young man’s offer on his country’s tap water. Walking back into the living room, he sees he come back down, now with a shirt and holding some papers. Taking a sip, he listens quietly as the man explains his alchemy to Vivian. Though he glanced over the notes himself, out of mere curiosity, he didn’t take a good look at him. Such was not his area of expertise, and thus was why Duchamp was here to begin with.

After a few moments, he looks over at Vivian. ”I’d like your opinion on the matter in a moment, Lady Duchamp,” he says. ”And then, Mister Yachta, I’d like to learn a little more about you, as a person. Do you live here alone? Are you working, or looking for a job? I’d just like to get a better sense of you, before we delve deeper into the interview.”

[Guest]

Very good, Asriel's manners continued on thus proving it wasn't a fluke. Vivian was also shocked to hear that he had no tea. Her eyes wanted to widen, but she didn't allow them to. There may have been the faintest twitch in her free fingers, but if one hadn't been looking then they probably wouldn't have seen it. She nodded once as he vanished up the stairs, her eyes had briefly looking to the kitchen to check on Dietrich who was already returning to his spot on the couch.

As Asriel returned down the stairs, she took a stepped forward and bent over to pick up the papers that he placed down. When the king glanced over the notes, she waited until he was done before she picked them up, looking up to the boy when he spoke. An eyebrow raised at the notion as her fingers slid over the papers and picked them up. Hmm, bending earth to his will... That was interesting. The possibilities that he could pursue were numerous, making her wonder what vein he would pursue the most.

"Very good sir." Her voice was soft, drawn into the words on the page. Her eyes followed the text, reading it over rather quickly before her eyes would dart to the diagrams and various equations. The only sound that came from her after that, was the quiet flipping of pages. The boy was certainly talented. She had to give him that. Her brows furrowed as she processed everything that was written there and put it together, practically gulping down the information. Once she was done, the wall that had blocked her from view was gone, a rather thoughtful expression on her features. Sure, he couldn't do too much right now, but neither could she. All they would need was time to expand, and he certainly could expand further on what he already had. Offensive, defensive, constructive.... He could especially pursue the constructive avenue if he so chose to. It would make the king happy she knew.

Blinking, Vivian's features reverted back to impassive as the moment had passed, placing the pages down gently upon the table. The king would prompt her to speak if he chose to, so she instead waited as the conversation continued between Dietrich and Asriel.

[Guest]

Asriel watched the two with interest as they looked over his notes. In reality this was the first time that he actually discussed his abilities to another person in depth. He perked up to the Dietrich's voice and nodded before answering, "Yes sir... I do live here alone. I also am currently unemployed but I do pay for food and... This house by performing Odd Jobs who need the help of the 'White Earth Alchemist'." He chuckled before continuing on with the interview, "My current services go from anywhere from Assassination to simply helping a farmer with his land... Not that I've Assassinated anyone." He said with a smirk.

His eyebrows narrowed as he realized that he forgot to tell them about one crucial part of his Alchemy. "Here... This is my Transmutation Circle." He said as he extended his arms, flipping his wrists so that his palms were pointed toward the ceiling. On each of his hands were a Transmutation Circle specific to the type of Alchemy that Asriel did... They were tattooed to his skin. "By tattooing the Circle to my hands I do not require gloves nor do I have to make a Transmutation Circle in order to perform my Alchemy... The thing is... I cannot erase what I have created which is why I have to practice with Alchemy on paper or outside before I tattoo it onto my body... One single mistake would mean that I could never use Alchemy again."

He looked around the room, "I... Am also pro-efficient with a Quarter-Staff if you know what is... I'm it's kind of obvious considering the name gives it away. My weapon was custom fitted for me, myself and I. It is my baby, it is the only thing that I brought with me from the town that I grew up in... Esspath. You've probably never heard of it... It's just a dinky little town with one or two Alchemist that live their... My father being on of them."

[Guest]

”Assassinations you say?” he asks, chuckling. ”A strange task to offer when one does ‘odd jobs…’”

Dietrich nods, listening and watching the two intently. He was getting a crash-course in alchemy from this. Or, rather, what little of the basics he could grab. ”I know of Esspath, but I honestly cannot remember if I’ve been there. Though, it’s good to see that alchemy runs in the family, at least in your case.”

He relaxed back on the couch, taking a sip of water. ”I’ve seen such before, though. Tattoos for alchemy.” He gives a quick glance over to Vivian, but otherwise watches the water in his glass as he swirls it. ”Now, tattoos aren’t your only option, right? Could you not put it on, say, a glove? Or is that too inconvenient for a person such as yourself?” He asked in a polite and intelligent tone, as he was making serious inquiries into the matter. ”Feel free to chime in any time, Lady Dachump,” he says, nodding to her. These things are what he brought her along for. Besides the bodyguard part, that is.

[Guest]

Vivian listened intently upon their conversation since she still did not have anything to add as of yet. An interesting title that the boy held, though it wasn't like she could talk about her own. She was just a First Lieutenant, and that was all. Though sometimes she was called, 'The Lady of the Lake,' and that was always interesting given what it referenced. There were far worse nicknames for sure. On the inside she could feel an eyebrow raise to his spray of jobs, realizing full well that some alchemists were merc's but it was still somehow... odd to her. She wasn't sure that she could explain all of the reasoning, but it just felt strange. Not like she was going to question it though.

Oh. As Asriel pointed out his transmutation circles, she became rather aware of her own hidden beneath her gloves, glancing to Dietrich as he looked to her as well. She did not initially know the town, and it certainly wasn't one of her main focus'. Her eyes were focused purely on his transmutation circles, and she was debating if she should take off her gloves or not. It was good to know he could use a weapon, but she did shift how her rifle was upon her shoulder so she didn't need to hold it, beginning to pull off her gloves. "Yes m'lord. I do believe I will." She began, tucking the white gloves into the belt around her waist, holding up her hands so that Asriel could see.

Upon the palms were rather complex transmutation circles of her own tattooed into a fitting blue, leaving the ones on the backs of her hands hidden, and thus ignored, for now. "I too, have my transmutation circles tattooed upon my hands so I do understand the precision that is required with such methods." She then grasped at her gloves and began to put them back on, rolling over what she wanted to say in her mind once more. "It is well that you can use another weapon besides your alchemy however." Again she was having issues thinking of what exactly she wished to say.

[Reila Tsukino]

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[Guest]

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[Reila Tsukino]

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