{Briggs Range} His Dark Materials (Open to Briggs)

[Dai]

The stage was set. Standing before the rock, a man encased in a tightly wrapped jacket to shield him from the cold chills. If one were to approach him from the sides, or the front, one would likely not recognize him. The usually thin and limber form was padded with warmth-inducing clothing, causing him to appear larger in silhouette than he usually was. Large goggles covered over half of his face, protecting him from the elements and stopping anything getting into his eyes that would be dangerous to his eyesight. As the man stepped forwards, a small plume of red hair came out from behind him, dropping down and contrasting against the black suit, against the white snow. Softly smiling, the man reached out a metallic hand and swept it across the ice-covered rock in front of his body, nodding to himself as he did so. This was the perfect test subject for his new Alchemy, and he had to be as careful as he could. "One mistake... and it's life or death for me. And out here, it would most likely be death." Swallowing, he turned back to the rock, and his thoughts went back to Reila. He couldn't protect her, not like he wanted to. It was foolish of him to try, though he knew that if he could do something, it'd make him feel better. The very fact that Dai felt like he couldn't do anything was what drove his mind into annoyance and frustration. It was his own fault, and yet... heh. No, that was too much to think on right now. Instead, he needed to think about the Alchemy that he was attempting to use. This was a foolish prospect, and one that could end in his death, no his Annihilation.

"That which is the opposite of which we know, huh?" Smirking, Dai placed a hand onto the rock once more, resting it against the cold surface, smiling softly and moving his fingers in a circle, making shapes in the thin ice that covered the grey mass. Stepping back and away from it, he turned around and looked out over the Briggs Range. Would this be the last sight of beauty that he saw? "Nothing ventured, nothing gained..." Turning away from that picturesque sight of the world, Dai finally affirmed it to himself, and stepped into the range of the rock, clicking the fingers on his left hand. They were slow clicks, repeating themselves quietly and yet with a loudness that Dai had never heard before. Once he did this, he would have to get the hell away from that rock. He wasn't sure exactly how much damage would be done, but he was sure as hell ready for anything that came his way. Unfortunately, the rumors that this substance could emulate the strength of atomic bombs was rather... fresh in the back of his mind. Dai grit his teeth tightly and shook his head, taking the last step towards the rock and planting his fingers against it, smirking inwardly. A second later, and he felt nothing happen. Growling, he tried forcing a few more electrons to push through, but nothing. "...is my theory flawed?" Turning away, Dai tried to reintegrate his own thoughts back into reality.

Antimatter. The opposite of true matter. The thing that, by coming into contact with matter itself, could destroy almost anything in a flash of blinding white light. An Annihilation reaction, it was called. Daigoro had felt that, by changing a certain particle's polarity, he'd be able to do this. However, he now had to wonder. Exactly how was this going to be possible? He'd started studying this before they left for Drachma, and for the little while he'd been in an Infirmary bed after their return, he had worked on this study in order to further it. ANd now, the day that he came to make a practical test of it, and he'd failed. "D-damnitall..." Turning away from the rock, Daigoro stepped towards a relatively sheltered part of the flat area that he was set up on, and sat with his back against another rock, closing his eyes and reaching into a pocket. Out of that pocket, the redheaded Alchemist produced a small pocket flask, and brought it up to his lips, gurgling back a little bit of the brandy he had brought with him, chuckling as it tickled the back of his throat. Couldn't have too much of that. Not getting drunk up here. As the heat rose in his body, he replaced the flask and took out another package, producing some food. Aerugese food, today. Onigiri, nothing major, just something simple that could easily fill him up. Moving the goggles up slightly, Daigoro put it to his mouth and took a bite, making small 'nom' sounds as he chewed, looking out over the distance and smiling inwardly. So close to home, yet so far...

[Guest]

Lucas walked through the snow in his mission uniform, his warm breath showing next to the cold air of North Amestris through his mask. Damn it was cold, colder then what Lucas was used to. But he had to be here, he had been offered a job. To work for Briggs was something new for Lucas, but he was sure that it would be an experience. Hell, he hadn't even gotten to the actual place yet and he already felt something different. It was probably just the cold air.

Lucas had travelled here for ages, having to stop several times due his vehicles less then great fuel consumption. He could've transported it via some sort of train fit for carrying other vehicles, but he believed that it was possible someone could find his weapons which would in turn lead to a... Problematic situation. Worst of all it could lead to the unwanted death of a civilian, something Lucas so desperately wanted to avoid. If such a thing happened at his own fault he doubted he would be able to forgive himself.

As he walked on, out of the corner of his eye, Lucas saw someone messing with a rock, an Alchemist perhaps? He could be part of Briggs, though Lucas couldn't be sure. It was most likely true however. Who else would be practicing there alchemy out here? This place, to Lucas at least, didn't seem the most pleasant place to practice... Anything really. Or even live, as he thought on it more. Lucas wasn't exactly a fan of the cold, though he didn't find it that bad, he most certainly prefered the warmth.

Deciding to jump into it Lucas walked up behind the man, pistol at his side, and coughed so to grab his attention. "Good day to you, sir, perchance you work at Briggs?" Lucas's posh, Cretan, accent came through rather strongly. Lucas always found it hard to disguise his accent, despite the fact that he hated it quite thoroughly. "I am here to speak to someone of importance, though not specifically the most important, who is placed there. May you guide me to such a person, or are you of high importance yourself?"

Lucas remained slilent for a quick moment before realizing how he could seem to others. Here he was armed with a pistol, his face covered and accent clearly showing. He had no intention of getting into trouble when he had just arrived so soon. "I assure you, I am here to persue a job. One that, I believe, is in the favour of Briggs." Lucas paused for a few moments before deciding that it would be polite to introduce himself, though only his alais for now. "I am Vertu, mercenary, and you are...?"

[Dai]

"Good day to you, sir, perchance you work at Briggs?" A voice, coming from the winds that spread around his face. Mid-bite, Dai sat there with his mouth half open, turning his gaze towards the one who had made the trek through the mountains to see him. One would have to wonder why this person had come to see him, especially when he was most certainly not close to Briggs. He chuckled softly, and nodded. "That I do, though for you to be so far from Briggs herself is quite interesting." Moving everything away from his face, the redheaded Alchemist looked up at the masked man as he did so. "I am here to speak to someone of importance, though not specifically the most important, who is placed there. May you guide me to such a person, or are you of high importance yourself?" Did dating the General of Fort Briggs count as being of high importance? Dai had to wonder. Chuckling softly, the man nodded and spoke again, "I suppose you could say that I'm of relatively high importance." Placing a hand onto the ground, the man slowly pushed himself up and stretched, standing up and yawning.

A strange accent. Cretan. Daigoro had a little mistrust for Creta these days, however it was a little misguided, and this man didn't appear to be much of a militant. "I assure you, I am here to persue a job. One that, I believe, is in the favour of Briggs." Hn? In the favor of Briggs? The man chuckled softly and turned towards him, smiling softly now. "I am Vertu, mercenary, and you are...?" Hrn. An alias. That's alright, he could work with it. He held out his hand, offering it for a shake. "Lieutenant Colonel Daigoro Ito, Head of Weapons Development at Fort Briggs, and basically third in command. I don't usually choose the people for jobs, however I'm sure I can speak to Reila about your getting of an audience at some point." He proffered a kind smile, and stepped backwards, laughing softly. Strange. Why would he be approached in the mountains like this? Normally, he would have the need to research this further, but he felt that there was no need to be suspicious of the man. Nope, no need at all. Yawning a little, the man turned away from him and looked out into the distance, watching over the ranges as he did so. "Beautiful, isn't it? Despite the cold, I don't think I'd want to live anywhere else..."

[Guest]

"That I do, though for you to be so far from Briggs herself is quite interesting." Lucas looked around himself, was he really that far away from his destination? How embarrassing. He shrugged, deciding that it wasn't of much importance now that he had found someone who worked at Briggs. Lucas listened to the man in front of him closely, trying to decide if this was the sort of man who would associate with a cold killer. Lucas had no intention of working with someone who would send him to go kill civilians, not again.

"I suppose you could say that I'm of relatively high importance." This man in front of Lucas didn't seem to be sure of his importance, oddly enough. Though perhaps Lucas was over-analyzing things, it wouldn't of been the first time.

"Lieutenant Colonel Daigoro Ito, Head of Weapons Development at Fort Briggs, and basically third in command." So this man was in charge of weapons? That seemed a little... Sketchy to Lucas. A man who creates weapons could be the murderer of thousands, unwillingly or not. Though Lucas knew that didn't instantly make him a bad person, in made him consider the fact. "I don't usually choose the people for jobs, however I'm sure I can speak to Reila about your getting of an audience at some point." Of course, that went without saying, though the reason for conversing with Daigoro was not so much that he could audience with Reila. It was more on judging. A person can be best judged by those they associate with, as Lucas believed. If Reila associated with evil, murderous people then she would more then likely be one herself. Lucas would refuse to work with such a person.

"Beautiful, isn't it? Despite the cold, I don't think I'd want to live anywhere else..." Lucas looked in the same direction as Daigoro, nodding in agreement. Lucas smiled slightly, Daigoro seemed to be a nice fellow. A man who appriciates a lovely view is not the type of man who would take enjoyment from the destruction of one. "Yes it is quite... stunning." Views like that made Lucas even more happy that he had ran from his father. If he had stayed he would of never been given the time to appriciate such masterpieces of life, ever forced to do the bidding of a cold and heartless murderer.

"As with your position I suppose you must know Reila quite well. I must ask you, as long as it does not insult in some manner or another, is she a, for lack of a better word, nice person?" Lucas began to walk slowly left and right, in order to keep warm. "I only want to know because I do not wish to work for someone who would order me to do... Ditestable things. Some may find this odd for a mercenary, I suppose, but we all have our own morals which we must uphold, correct? I'm sure you have your own."

[Dai]

"Yes it is quite... stunning." The man slowly turned to the other, looking at him carefully through soft red eyes. They flitted around a little, moving over details of the man's face and making sure that he didn't have anything to hide. Actually, this mysterious Cretan probably did, though he didn't mind too much for that sort of thing. In fact, everyone was entitled to their secrets... "I should let you know..." He turned away and returned his gaze to the area before him. "I have told you that I am an Arms Developer, which is something I rarely announce to others. That... is because it is a half-truth. I am, to put it simply, not a violent man, nor do I develop weapons of mass destruction or murder. I make weapons that promote peace, in a sense. They disable violent people... I carry only blades and non-lethal firearms on my person... Do not think of me wrongly with my position, it only causes conflict in the end." He chuckled softly, closing his eyes and breathing in, letting the cool air flow into his nostrils, permeating his mind and body, flowing through his entire form. The redhead looked up into the sky now, letting a kindly laugh fly into the air above him.

"As with your position I suppose you must know Reila quite well. I must ask you, as long as it does not insult in some manner or another, is she a, for lack of a better word, nice person?" The man stopped short with that. Slowly dropping his head down from its position, he turned towards Vertu and chuckled. That chuckle slowly grew into soft laughter, which increased in volume for a little longer, Dai holding his sides as he did so. "S-sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to laugh..." He caught his breath once more, and stood up, turning directly towards the man and shaking his head. "Vertu... right? Well... how to put this." He reached up a hand and tapped his chin, almost mockingly. "Well, I suppose that any opinion I have of Reila is biased... But I personally find that she's powerful, and almost merciless on the battlefield. A wonderful soldier, but also an amazing woman. No wonder I fell in love with her." He chuckled lightly, his face blushing slightly red as he did so. "I don't think you have any need to worry." "Some may find this odd for a mercenary, I suppose, but we all have our own morals which we must uphold, correct? I'm sure you have your own."

He chuckled. "My morals define that I don't hate, nor do I feel regret for my past actions... Instead, I choose only to live life in the now, and specifically for those that I care for." He closed his eyes a little, and smiled softly. "Though, that is too much from me, is it not? I should be careful with what I say around some people, since I tend to say a bit too much at times." A small smirk, and the redhead turned away from this and closed his eyes a little more. "I find nothing wrong about a mercenary having morals." A soft smirk, and Daigoro took a single step forwards. "So, if you want to know if Reila Tsukino is a nice person? I can say it quite simply. Yes. Yes, she is. But that's my extremely biased opinion." He laughed softly, and shook his head with a smirk on his lips.

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar was wandering around this damn part of the wasteland. His sword Gurthang in his sheath slapped at his legs as he trudged through the snow. He was looking for that blasted fool Daigoro. Why the hell did he have to look for him? Why not send some grunt with a map and compass. He growled under his blank military styled clothes, they weren't heavy but they kept him decently warm enough without sweating himself to death.

Finally he caught sight of the blasted idiot talking to some random stranger. He decided to creep forward slightly as his white camo clothing matched the snowline. He finally just stood up deciding to introduce himself and at least get involved in the coversation. The screaming in his head and Gurthangs natural thirst for the strange mans blood was quite normal and beautiful in the ambient noise of the wind and the gorgeous background.

He spoke in a smooth sort of growl," 'Ello there, Dai theres some intel back in Briggs that needs a second look at it before I decide to do something about it." He looked over to the other man and held out a gloved hand. Murazar's violet mechanical eyes seemed to peer into the mans soul and his hair swayed in the small short gusts of wind that periodically invaded the place they were upon. He spoke in his normal frigid nature, as if he was the spirit of this very habitat.

"Greetings stranger, I am Murazar Dauthi. Head of the North and Intelligene, also Lord Captain-Commander of the Black Company that resides in the Briggs Mountain range. Second-in-Command of Fort Briggs at the moment. Probably the highest ranking mercenary of the Amestrian Army too." His Major General ranks may have been subdued in color but they were obvious on his collars, and his Head of the North and Intelligence Insignias were atop his fur cap that covered his head.

His very presence was intimidating to most people, he seemed to be more or less an evil man though he really was not although he considered himself a living human demon. Undead and yet alive in nature.

[Guest]

"I should let you know... I have told you that I am an Arms Developer, which is something I rarely announce to others. That... is because it is a half-truth." A half truth? Whatever could this man mean, be he so bold to give word to a lie in front of an armed gunman? Lucas's hand edged towards his pistol, instictively more then anything else. "I am, to put it simply, not a violent man, nor do I develop weapons of mass destruction or murder." Lucas moved his hand away from his pistol and raised his eyebrow slowly, he saw little of the point in this... Small speech. Was this man trying to, dare he think, show off? "I make weapons that promote peace, in a sense. They disable violent people... I carry only blades and non-lethal firearms on my person..." Now Lucas was most definitely confused. What was the point in a weapon that did not kill? Truly, the thought was admirable, Lucas wished it was possible to kill no man and still help people, but it was not possible in his mind. "Do not think of me wrongly with my position, it only causes conflict in the end." No, Lucas did not think of him as a evil man... Only as a foolish man. Though such a man was better then an evil man.

When the man burst into laughter of at his question Lucas raised his eyebrow yet again, what was the point in this? "S-sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to laugh..." Few people ever mean to laugh, that is the way things are... Come to think of it when was the last time Lucas laughed, had he ever laughed? "Well, I suppose that any opinion I have of Reila is biased... But I personally find that she's powerful, and almost merciless on the battlefield." So a good fighter? Interesting, Lucas thought of himself quite strong but he wondered how she compared to him... Or vice versa. "A wonderful soldier, but also an amazing woman. No wonder I fell in love with her." Lucas raised his eyebrow yet again, this seemed to be increasingly frequent when near to Daigoro, what a strange fellow he is. Lucas didn't think it was very professional to fall for one's workmates, especially the one who is in charge of you, though what did Lucas know of love? Nothing, nothing at all.

"My morals define that I don't hate, nor do I feel regret for my past actions... Instead, I choose only to live life in the now, and specifically for those that I care for." Lucas nodded, he understood. Lucas understood that certain people did not like their past, himself being one of them. "I find nothing wrong about a mercenary having morals." Lucas nodded, he liked that this man thought not that Lucas was amoral. He disliked it when people assumed that. "So, if you want to know if Reila Tsukino is a nice person? I can say it quite simply. Yes. Yes, she is. But that's my extremely biased opinion." Lucas nodded again. Whatever the case, he believed from this encounter that Reila was the right person to be employed by.

Lucas heard another man coming and turned to face him, moving his hand to his pistol and grabbing onto it in case the new man was an enemy. His eyes followed the man carefully, watching his every move with care. When the man offered Lucas his hand he slowly moved his own awat from the pistol and shook it, still wary of the stranger. Something about him was offputting, but Lucas wasn't so foolish to judge someone by the 'feeling' he got in there presence. No, such things came from there actions. "Greetings stranger, I am Murazar Dauthi. Head of the North and Intelligene, also Lord Captain-Commander of the Black Company that resides in the Briggs Mountain range. Second-in-Command of Fort Briggs at the moment. Probably the highest ranking mercenary of the Amestrian Army too." A fellow mercenary? Interesting, was this Reila often one to hire mercenaries? For him to raise up so high as well, that was most interesting. Lucas never tended to stay under the employ of anyone for long, so he never really rose up in ranks. This didn't phase him, ranks meant nothing.

"I am Vertu, also a mercenary. I have come here to be under the employ of Reila. It is a... Pleasure to meet you." Lucas stared at the intimidating man, unflinching. He had spent most of his younger years with someone more frightening, at least to Lucas, he wasn't about to be turned coward by this man. "You skill shows in your rank, I must presume. I suppose you have been under Reila's employ for a while?" Lucas looked back at Daigoro. These two men seemed to be opposites, yet they were colleagues? He found that very odd indeed.

[Dai]

" 'Ello there, Dai theres some intel back in Briggs that needs a second look at it before I decide to do something about it." Hnn? The man made a slow turn towards the source of the next voice, though he didn't need mechanical eyes in order to see who it was, especially from those rather gruff sounds. Murazar Dauthi, Head of North HQ, and the only man that was superior to Daigoro within Fort Briggs. O what fortune shone upon this strange mercenary today, meeting two very high-ranked men within Briggs. Though... one was only a Lt. Colonel, which was strange, considering circumstances. Standing there, in the midst of ice and snow, was Mura, and the man had to watch him carefully. "Greetings stranger, I am Murazar Dauthi. Head of the North and Intelligene, also Lord Captain-Commander of the Black Company that resides in the Briggs Mountain range. Second-in-Command of Fort Briggs at the moment. Probably the highest ranking mercenary of the Amestrian Army too." "..." He chuckled, slightly bemused. All Dai had done was give his name, rank and position in Briggs. Murazar had basically proclaimed the Magna Carta once more.

"I am Vertu, also a mercenary. I have come here to be under the employ of Reila. It is a... Pleasure to meet you." Another introduction; Dai felt that this would go on for some time. "You skill shows in your rank, I must presume. I suppose you have been under Reila's employ for a while?" He chuckled. How to answer that? The looks were directed at both of them, so he felt the need to reply himself. "How to put this, Vertu... we both came under Reila's employ on the same day; May 07. I'd been out of service for two years, and dragged straight into Briggs itself. It's been some ride since..." He raised a hand up, looking at the gloved automail with a chuckle. That was an interesting experience--losing one's arm to a sharpened blade, Dai had to go through the process of rebuild, gaining a new arm in the process. "That said, it's not easy to get by at Briggs." His eyes sharpened. "My Alchemy is not specifically for battle, or killing, and yet I have developed ways for it to be used as a life-taker. I don't like taking lives... but shit happens." A grim appearance covered his red eyes, and he lowered his gaze slightly. Hm. Shit happens, alright.

"Oi, Mura. What did you say about intel that needed looking over? Why not get Reila to do it, or possibly Xan? I'm not exactly cut out for intelligence work, y'know?" Strange. He changed the subject, and yelled out to Murazar. "...scratch that thought, how the HELL did either of you find me? I come to a secluded area in order to work on my antimat--" He stopped short of announcing his intentions. He had told Reila, but that may have been about it. Antimatter. Feh, that was what the mess had all been about. "Anyways. I come to this area to work on my Alchemy, and yet I'm still found? Gods, you must have some amazing tracking and navigation skills, the both of you." He chuckled lightly, shaking his head slowly and carefully.

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar rose an eyebrow and nodded to The Strangers response, he gave him a concise reply. "Aye, sadly everyone in these lands should know my face. I check up on their asses to make sure nothings too afoul. " He whispered under his breath afterwards," Damn atmospherics." Gurthang chuckled in his head and spoke cold and cruel like death itself.Oh, atmospherics would be nice to make fire rain from the sky on these people and gorge on their flesh.

He gave his sword a sharp glance as if it would shut up from that. He looked over to Dai and frowned lightly in disappointment. Antimatter, heh and I thought Dai was the peaceful one out of us two. He spoke to Dai gruffly and as if he was not just disappointed in the obvious slip of antimatter alchemy, but his surprise in Murazar. Chief of the northern intel world finding him. He spoke like the mountain side of briggs again, he flat out ignored Dai's nostalgia over his arm. He had lost his arm, Mura lost his eyes.

"Daigoro, I dont know how this man found you. I however should have a very easy time finding you. You should know that. Also on the matter of information I have, I just need a second opinion of another high ranking personnel on how to action it. Reilas busy, and my brother is in the shadows again." He was almost back to how he was those two years ago when they all first met each other. Cold, Ruthless, Amoral, Cynical, and Jaded. There was the familiarity there, but it seemed broken. Hell to Dai and Reila along with Xan he himself must seem broken.

He popped his neck without his hands by slowly rotating his head and sighed. He put his hands in his coats pockets to accompany the sigh and looked around with great disinterest. He seemed to be the polar opposite of Dai. His slouch seemed to make him still be like a great looming predator that could just as easily kill someone as vanish in the snow.

[Guest]

"How to put this, Vertu... we both came under Reila's employ on the same day; May 07. I'd been out of service for two years, and dragged straight into Briggs itself. It's been some ride since..." So these two had a history, apparrently, how very interesting. Lucas thought, by the two's reactions to each other, that they were not friends. Lucas wondered if he should be suprised at this thought, but the two did not look the types that would ever get along with each other. "That said, it's not easy to get by at Briggs. My Alchemy is not specifically for battle, or killing, and yet I have developed ways for it to be used as a life-taker. I don't like taking lives... but shit happens." Shit happens? That seemed a very odd response for someone who did not wish to be a life-taker. Though who was Lucas to say anything on that? He himself did not like taking any life yet he was a mercenary. So, for Lucas too, shit had happened. All because of his damned father. "I agree... 'Shit happens' and there is nothing we can do about it... Despite our greatest protests..."

"...scratch that thought, how the HELL did either of you find me? I come to a secluded area in order to work on my antimat--" A stutter? Perhaps whatever Daigoro was doing up in this secluded place was secret and yet Lucas ended up stumbling upon it... Was it something he was ashamed of or parhaps something he was not supposed to do? It did not matter to Lucas. "Anyways. I come to this area to work on my Alchemy, and yet I'm still found? Gods, you must have some amazing tracking and navigation skills, the both of you." Lucas remained quiet for a few moments, embarressed without showing any sign of it. "I came here by accident, you might say I stumbled upon you. I intended to make my way to Briggs itself but..." Lucas went silent again.

Lucas watched the other man as he spoke, his judging eyes never staying still for more then a moment. When he had finished Lucas decided it was turn to speak up again. "Might I say I believe that meeting you was a good thing, Daigoro, as I wished to learn of Reila. After talking to you I am... Confident that she is the type of person I would wish to work for, better then many others I have worked for. I must tread carefully, you see, many people hide behind all manners of facades, though the truth behind people can usually be seen in those they keep closest to them."

[Shula Brighton]

{BUMP}

[Dai]

"Daigoro, I dont know how this man found you. I however should have a very easy time finding you. You should know that. Also on the matter of information I have, I just need a second opinion of another high ranking personnel on how to action it. Reilas busy, and my brother is in the shadows again." He smiled quietly, turning to look away from Murazar once more, studying the landscape as he did so. An interesting place, this world was. Cold, fragile, yet willing to destroy you with the slightest twitch. A Glass Cannon, of sorts; a powerful cannon at that. "Tch. A second opinion? I'll consider giving it, if it's really that necessary." Mura of all people should know that Dai isn't exactly amazing with the administrative tasks. He could hear the familiarity in his voice; but he could also hear a strange tone to it, as if he was how he had been before. And so, the cycle would turn. "I came here by accident, you might say I stumbled upon you. I intended to make my way to Briggs itself but..." Hn. Interesting. A strange accident, as they all were, hmm? A soft smile crossed his lips and he slowly crossed his gaze towards Vertu. About to speak, he noticed that the mercenary had further words to say.

"Might I say I believe that meeting you was a good thing, Daigoro, as I wished to learn of Reila." He dropped his gaze a midge, smiling at that. "After talking to you I am... Confident that she is the type of person I would wish to work for, better then many others I have worked for. I must tread carefully, you see, many people hide behind all manners of facades, though the truth behind people can usually be seen in those they keep closest to them." Nn... "Heh, I suppose you could say that..." Turning away from the man, the redheaded Ishvallan-Aerugese stepped towards the rock once more. He didn't mind either man seeing this, he was already known as a non-killer; a man who only took lives as a last resort, as a way of getting out of situations to help others. A hand raised up to his side as he walked, and he clicked his fingers. "To change this rock, I must change the smallest within." A couple of clicks later, and a palm touched the rock itself, blue electricity flickering out from the use of his Alchemic circles; and Daigoro's energies began to slowly modify a few of the atoms within the rock.

Shut... shut... shut... shut... shut... Repeat every five times... He smirked, feeling the manipulation complete itself beneath his hand, within the small field of magnetic Alchemy. "Simply shatter... once filled..." He could feel the energy rise, and jumped backwards, shielding his eyes. "GUYS." He shouted back to the pair who may or may not still have lingered, "Shield your ey--" A hand immediately went over his face and his eyes half-closed as a bright flash of light spread out. A force of about half a grenade was produced from the expansion, spreading out and covering over the rock with a bright light. He fell onto the ground, coughing slightly. "Ugh..." He slowly raised his gaze to the rock itself, and gasped. The rock... there was a circular chunk taken out of the material. He chuckled softly, shaking his head slightly in disbelief. "My entire time as an Alchemist... I never imagined... I could really have this much destructive force in my fingertips. Even Zaska... wasn't this clean, this simple..." He laughed quietly, and slowly stood up. "I need to refine it, make sure that it's not used as a killing mechanism." Nodding internally, he almost began to ignore the other two, his mind now totally on his Alchemy.

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar sighed and stalled, he stayed where he was and listened throughout both their sides of the conversation. He held his hand up as the flash and bang took place. It bother him naught at all. He noticed how withdrawn Dai became, so he spoke suddenly and sharply. "Zaska, that wasn't wrong of you when that happened. So dont dwell on that bit of past. Anyway, you should at least move out of this freezing weather if your going to think that damn deep." His voice was filled with cold anger and disappointment.

As he spoke he walked over and grabbed dai's shoulder gently yet with a steel vice grip. He was not a weak man. He looked over to the mercenary and spoke in the same hard cold voice," I wont tread lies with you, he is peace while I am war. You cant have one without the other and be successful or right. So lets go on to briggs then and see about you being hired."

He tugged Dai a bit and spoke in his ear softly, his voice changed subtley to something that sounded older and harsher. Something not his own. " Hurry up or your girlfriend will start wondering where your at. That or your own crew of people will start looking for you." Heh, if Dai went missing they'd look for him. If mura went missing there was no point in looking at all, if he wanted to be found he would be. If not, well he'd never be found for years.

He dropped his hand off of Dai's shoulder and stared out at the world. What he would give if there was nothing left for him to do and he could just fall off the cliffs that faced him. Ever since his mother died and the attempted suicide he was never the same as before.

[Dai]

B U M P

[Reila Tsukino]

[Archiving]

[Sponsored content]