Opening Titles!

[Guest]

Amestris. Land of the Magicians. The place where she might find the end to her quest! A place that had been devastated by war recently, and was continuing to rebuild. Just recently they had elected a new chancellor! Now they had a king again! Or well... he basically was one... Or.. Shokolat had to sigh as she got off the train at West City in this country she had been trying to get to for so long. She was never really good at politics. It all soared right over her head which left her feeling relieved at the department she found herself in. No, not just in. She was IN CHARGE of it! She still couldn't believe it! And it had been right before she left that Wolfgang had given her the news! What a way to begin this new chapter in her life... It was unbelievable. Maybe... maybe this boasted well for her end goal too. There had to be someone here who could make her a real girl. Had to!

The whistle blew behind her, signaling the trains departure onwards through the different provinces. It was probably heading onward to East city now. Glancing down to her two wheely suitcases, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She was here. She would find her way. She would become a real girl, then go home to papa and he would love her, and all would be ok! She had a job she was proud of, and friends who supported her even more than she had initially realized. "Ok! I'm off to see the wizard~ The wonderful wizard of... somewhere." Giggling, she shrugged lightly and began to pull her bags along. After all, this was hardly Oz, and she certainly had no idea who could help her to fix the spell that had been cast upon her. Central Headquarters would be her best bet, but wasn't that destroyed in the war with Creta? Hrmm... It was all a matter of finding the right contacts... Ooo! Maybe she should look for Celesto and his crew of pirates! Would he remember her? She hoped he would for she truly had enjoyed meeting him. He was so interesting!

She began to wander down some of the streets in the quaint town, her small high-heeled shoes clicking on the pavement. She was in one of her usual gothic-lolita outfits, this time some lovely shades of black and a complimentary blue. Simple dancer like high heels, white stockings, and a cute dress that had layers of black and blue. There was also a blue ribbon in the center of the chest as well as on the side of the cuffs of the sleeves. She also had a matching little black hat, her long white hair tied back into a braided bun with blue ribbons woven in. On her hands were black gloves with a solid ruffled frill and a single blue ribbon the background to a strip of lace. The choker about her neck matched that lace strip on her gloves, a small blue lily pendant hanging from it. Her iridescent eyes were quite distinctive as they continuously seemed to shift between shades of violet to red, looking about inquisitively. This was a wonderful new place! It was so much warmer here than it was back home... There wasn't even snow covering anything! In fact, there was much more greenery here than she saw in Gelemorte too! Or, at the very least, the plants were different. Ooo, this had been such a good idea!

But now.... Where exactly did she head? There should be a Western HQ right? Unless the war had changed things quite recently. If that were the case, Gelemorte might not know about it yet since they were so far away from the main land and it took so long to travel between the two of them. She would have to be sure to do some actual work while she was here! She had a very important duty now and her king was counting on her! Or should she call him Wolfy...? Ohhh it was still so strange to call him that! But it would have been rude and wrong to deny him his request then so... She shrugged lightly to herself, slowing as she began to pass by a quaint little tea shop. "Oh my goodness.... This place is so adorable!" The words rolled off her tongue so easily as she touched a black gloved hand against the glass. Should she stop for some tea? It was.... Oh dear, what time was it? She began to cast her eyes about, her wings folding and straightening restlessly, finally falling still as she began to feel the stares that she was getting. Was it truly so strange to see a girl like her walking about? This was the land of magicians... wasn't it? So wouldn't they have seen stranger things? Or... She blinked as she bit her lower lip, her hand lowering away from the glass as she began to turn away. What if they could tell... she was flawed? That she was just an incomplete doll? No.. No there was no way they could tell! They just weren't used to seeing a doll like her before! Thats what it must be!

Smiling sweetly to a couple of people that passed her, she nodded to them and gave one last look of longing to the tea shop before moving on. No. She had to find a wizard, and she had to become a real girl. Oh... She should probably find a place to stay as well... She hadn't thought this through as well as she thought she had, hadn't she? No matter! Onward she pressed down the street, her eyes a soft violet as she looked all about. Yes, this was the next chapter of her life.

Spoiler:

[Sec Invidia]

It had indeed been a bit of a trip, but Sec had arrived in the rocky, dry West City, a city of little renown, and little fame. Why was Sec in West Cty? Why, he was tracking down his sister, yet again. This seemed to be the one goal of his that he stuck to rather well, other than being a pirate and serving Sal. Thus far, on the city that borders Creta, the homeland of his mother, he had found nothing. No trace of her anywhere. His search was a hard one, but he was a patient man. With a quest like this, it wouldn't take him too long at all. But for now, he decided that he would stop for a bit of tea, maybe some baked dessert of sorts while he was at it. So he entered the tea shop, and gave an order. Soon, he was sipping a small bit of tea and enjoying a chocolate chip cookie, while reading over the official census of West City. as soon as he finished his snack and such, he left the tea shop and carried on down the street.

As he walked, he noticed a girl in front of him, walking the same direction. With her large wings, she looked rather out of place, even for a land with many alchemists and chimerae. Of course, as was Sec's nature, he noticed nothing out of the ordinary; in fact, while some people avoided chimerae, Sec normally valued them over normal humans. It was humanity that had messed up his entire childhood, so he made assumptions that chimerae were notably easier to trust. So he did. And at the moment, he had something to ask of her, simple as it was. "Excuse me, ma'am, could I have the time?"

[Guest]

Hrm... Should she check in at Central? Oh no no, that was too far for one day, she had just gotten here! She should settle in with a room for the night at least before thinking about tomorrow! Oh... Or would Amestris prefer to know that the Head of Intelligence for Gelemorte was there? Ooo! Would they wish to work with her? They could maybe work something out! Like a barter! But they weren't merchants... Hardly, Central was FULL of those magicians! She was sure to find one there! Yes, that is what she would-

"Excuse me, ma'am, could I have the time?"

Aqui? Her wings rustled as she turned suddenly to face the voice that had spoken to her, quite surprised to find herself staring at the man's crotch as opposed to his face. Where was-- She kept looking up. WOOOOOWwwwww.... Was this man a real live GIANT?! She thought they had all died out! Or didn't really exist! Or..or... or Something!!! "I-" Oh wait, not Cerisian! She was not at home anymore! "Heehee, sorry. I'm afraid I'm not quite sure as to the time. I know this may sound strange sir, but..." Should she really ask? Too late now! "... Are you a giant? I don't mean to be rude, but I've never seen anyone as tall as you before!" She answered him, beaming as she craned to look up at his face. Could he really? Really really? Wait a moment, was that impolite for her to ask? Oh noes!

Startling a little, Shokolat bit her lower lip slightly as her wings folded tighter towards her body. "I'm er... sorry if that was not the most tactful thing to ask." For that would just be her luck, wouldn't it? Her first day in a new country that she hoped would fulfill her hopes and dreams, and she insulted the first person she met.

[Sec Invidia]

Ah, okay, so she didn't carry a watch, he presumed. "Ah, well alrigh- Oh?" She had a question? He listened and she asked it. Bit of a naive question, but amusing nonetheless; Sec knew just how massive he was, and oftentimes he wasn't afraid to show it. He really was an imposing figure sometimes...So he had to chuckle. It was a strange laugh, a tad metallic, and a tad dry. Not ungenuine, don't get me wrong; just not well-practiced. "No, no, I assure you, I'm human. I have a slight condition, Gigantism, but other than that, I'm like every other man on the planet. Well, except for public transprtation; I've never been able to exit a bus without back pains when I have to stand." Well, he hadn't intended the last bit as a joke, and said it in a slightly friendlier version of his normal deadpan. Nonetheless, he noted as he said it that the statement really did sound a bit like a poorly toned joke. What a comical coincedence, indeed...

[Guest]

When this gigantic stranger began to chuckle, Shokolat was put a little more to ease despite how unnatural it sounded to her ears. It was almost like a robot! Gasp! Was THAT how he got so big? Was he a giant robot that someone built? Or was he just- "No, no, I assure you, I'm human. I have a slight condition, Gigantism, but other than that, I'm like every other man on the planet. Well, except for public transportation; I've never been able to exit a bus without back pains when I have to stand." Ohhhh, ok.... That made sense... She couldn't help but stare a bit, looking him over section by section in order to better observe this new phenomenon in her life. Gigantism... Ok. She would definitely remember that. It was a condition, not a spell. Maybe she should look into it more once she found somewhere to live.

Transportation? Now she had to chuckle a little, her wings extending further and fluttering slightly in a stretch of sorts. They really did hate being cramped. "I can only imagine. I have enough trouble myself with buses, cars, and the like. My wings always cause problems." That was an understatement in itself. She preferred to either take a cab, or else just walk places when it was somewhere more recreational. If it was work, she would catch a ride with her roommate since it would just be them in the car and she could take up the whole back seat that way. Sometimes she wished the spell on her allowed her wings to vanish inside her body, but she knew that was a hopeless dream in of itself. The spell had been done. She'd either need a new one cast, or for a healer to see what was wrong and fix it!

Extending her hand to the giant before her, Shokolat smiled warmly, her iridescent eyes shimmering in the morning light. "I'm Shokolat Anguissola. What is your name?"

[Sec Invidia]

Sec smiled as she related her own troubles to his. "I guess we just aren't meant to ride on buses and such, huh? Two of a kind, it seems." A pleasant chuckle, a rarity still from Sec, albeit not so rare as a laugh, was allowed to slip from the place in which food goes and words come from. It seemed that he liked this girl; she seemed to be friendly enough, which was only boosted by the facts that Sec tended to like chimerae more than regular humans anyways, and that he was particularly gentlemanly in the presence of ladies anyways. One of the world's last believers in chivalry, he was a bit of an anachronism to his time.

As to her next question, he smiled. "Secundinasci Invidia. It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Anguissola." Leaning down a bit (A BIT!?), Sec took her hand gently into his and kissed the top of it, as was the proper way for a gentleman to greet a lady. "Oh yes, and I know many people ask, so I'll just go ahead and say it anyways; my name really does suit my height, but you can call me Sec, if you wish."

[Guest]

"I guess we just aren't meant to ride on buses and such, huh? Two of a kind, it seems." There it was again! That robotic kinda chuckle... WAS he a robot? No, no, he confirmed he was an organic life form, not some machine. He was no cyborg! Heehee, she was so silly. She giggled right along with him, both at amusement to his statement and the complete goofiness of her mind. "No, not at all!" Oh she liked this man! How lucky was she that the first person she ran into in this new country was so positively delightful? So very very lucky indeed! The giant and the angel... It sounded like some kind of children's story! Oh now maybe she shouldn't call herself that... But Wofly had! So was it ok if she called herself that? She was just a doll trying to become a girl after all. An angel... was something that was far beyond the reaches of such creatures as them. How could they have called her that? Her papa had wanted her to be just that and.. she.. wasn't... Eep! Her eyes had steadily been growing a little bit sadder by the second as her mind drifted off, almost seeming to startle out of the trance she had put herself in, blinking rapidly before she blushed slightly.

Oh good, it didn't seem like he had noticed... "Secundinasci Invidia. It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Anguissola." Secundinasci... That was quite the name! It sounded like a magicians name or something! She--Oh. Shokolat's eyes went wide as the giant bent down to kiss her hand so gently, staring at him in disbelief. He was delightful, and a proper gentleman?! "..A pleasure indeed Mr. Invidia..." Her voice was soft as she answered him, her surprise and happiness quite clear in its tone. Oh my... What a joy it was to see chivalry still existed in this day and age! She wasn't the only one who still followed the old ways! "Oh yes, and I know many people ask, so I'll just go ahead and say it anyways; my name really does suit my height, but you can call me Sec, if you wish." What? It began as a soft tinkling giggle, growing into a birds trill as her laughter lifted into the air. What an odd thing indeed for one to say! "I wasn't even going to comment Mr.- I mean... Sec. I merely thought it was quite the unique name. I like it!" Right. First names. He had told her she could call him Sec, so she would call him Sec. It wasn't like it was as big a deal as Wolfy telling her to call him that! Still... She wanted to be so damned proper! "You may call me Shokolat if you wish." She should extend the same courtesy after all, her hand lowering to her side as she blushed faintly upon realizing just how long their hands had been together (it really hadn't been that long).

With a slight fluttering of her wings, the young Head of Intelligence smiled warmly to her newfound friend and tilted her head slightly, white hair flowing on the wind. "So do you hail from Amestris Sec? Or somewhere else? What do you do here?" Dear lord, was she THAT socially inept at times? "Forgive me.. I'm just.. new here." Her eyes lowered out of embarrassment towards the ground as her pale cheeks were filled with a rosy tinge, biting her lower lip a little bit. Oh dear....

[Sec Invidia]

Smiling as she agreed with the sad, sad fact of never being able to use public transportation, due to his height and her wings, he decided he liked this girl. She was friendly, cheerful; yet these were NOT signs of the idiotic norm that the rest of the human populace tended to exhibit. A rarity, indeed, was she... After kissing her hand, he actually took no notice of her surprised reaction. Of course, SOME girls, albeit not Shokolat or Shula, would find his practice a bit odd, or even take it, somehow, as perverted. Sec, on the opposite end, saw it as a gesture of respect and politeness. So OBVIOUSLY that was what it was, duh. Whether or not SHOKOLAT agreed, Sec took no notice of, as one doesn't look to see the reaction to a handshake; Sec's hand-kisses were similar enough to be compared.

As she laughed when he spoke that commonly spoken nickname, he couldn't help but smile a bit more. He was about to question her laughter, when she answered it for him. Giving a laugh of his own, which was slowly getting less awkward sounding, he spoke up again. "I never said you did. Hehe, I just figured I'd tell you ahead of time. And I'm glad youy like my name. Your's is lovely as well."

As she questioned his homelands, and his occupation, he smiled. "To be fairly honest, one could say I was raised in Amestris. But my mother is Cretan, so Creta could also be called my nation. And then their's the fact that my father was dominantly Xerxian, as you can tell by my hair and eyes." Smiling, he leaned down a bit, so she could view his eyes and hair, both as golden as daylight. "As to my occupation, I'm the First Mate of the Ole Miss in South City; we're the pirates there that work security for General Brighton. So what of you, Shokolat?"

[Guest]

The sun felt so very warm against her pale skin as she stood there completely entranced by her new friend, its rays seeming to twinkle in the reflection of her iridescent eyes. The weather here was so very different from her native Gelemorte with its cold snow and... cold.. snow... Ok, there was some sunshine too but honestly! It was like there was a weather wizard somewhere making it perpetually cold and covered in snow or ice! Not that she really minded considering she grew up in it, but it was just so different from here! She didn't need to wear four layers in order to walk around outside or something! And now she was in good company, and he was just so tall, and she was finally HERE in Amestris...... What an excellent day this was turning out to be!

But now she was getting distracted from the moment at hand. Ah! There it was! Another laugh! And it sounded less robotic! So maybe he really wasn't a robot after all... Oh how silly of her, of course he wasn't! He just told her that it was a disease! People suffered from diseases, not robots! As Shokolat chastised herself for her silliness, she was taking notice of the smile that he wore upon his features up in the sky above her. Wow... he did have a nice smile... "I never said you did. Hehe, I just figured I'd tell you ahead of time. And I'm glad you like my name. Your's is lovely as well." Now it was her turn to blush at the compliment that was paid, swaying from side to side with soft swishes of her skirts. "Thank you Mr.-- I mean Sec." Oooo, she was going to get the hang of this! She had to not get so hung up on the way things used to be done because those ways were practically dead and gone! She would hardly make any friends if she continued the way that she did. Or keep them. Or NOT make a fool of herself....

"To be fairly honest, one could say I was raised in Amestris. But my mother is Cretan, so Creta could also be called my nation. And then their's the fact that my father was dominantly Xerxian, as you can tell by my hair and eyes." Oh right! Moving on. W-wait... XERXIAN?! She remembered reading files on the ancient civilization before when she first was brought into the Gelemortian military. Her face had kinda gone blank for a moment at this new information before the shock and awe began to take over ripple by ripple. If eyes could be as large as saucers, hers certainly were. "You....Xerxian.... caw?" She managed to whisper as she leaned in a little closer to get a better look at his hair and eyes. They were molten gold, gleaming and bright. "As to my occupation, I'm the First Mate of the Ole Miss in South City; we're the pirates there that work security for General Brighton. So what of you, Shokolat?" He had begun to speak again but her brain was still stuck on that one, simple fact. It obviously didn't phase her that he was part Cretan yet Amestrian thanks to where he was raised. Xerxian.... That was SO COOL. He was like one of those.... oh what were they called.... Well, he was something. He was just getting more and more interesting!

"...So what of you, Shokolat?" Oh yeah! He had asked her a question! Blinking rapidly, she seemed to snap out of a trance as her eyes swirled back into focus while they stared at him, the blush returning to her cheeks due to how she must have been staring. "Please excuse my rudeness, I... I didn't mean to." She bowed her head slightly, straightening up a moment later as she flashed him a nervous smile. But he was a pirate eh? She had no idea that pirates still existed! That was even cooler!!! He was her new best friend now. "I... I'm Head of Intelligence in Gelemorte. B-but.... not really sure what I'm going to do while I live here." She admitted with a small shrug and a nervous chuckle, running a hand absentmindedly through her long white hair. "But... you are a pirate? Like... a real, honest-to-god pirate? I've never met one--" Now wait a minute. That wasn't true! She HAD met one already! Her eyes lit up as she raised a finger in a slight point towards the sky, the realization like a lightning bolt to her brain. "Do you know Celesto?"

[Sec Invidia]

Sec carried on smiling, not quite noticing her blush as he complimented her name. He DID however notice that she kept wanting to call him Mr. Invidia. With a smile, he looked as much into her eyes as he could from waaaaaay above her. "If it's any easier on you, I'm perfectly fine with Mr. Invidia. It's actually rather refreshing, since nowadays everyone wants to be so informal, so modernized." Ah, what a sight for sore eyes! She seemed to be as formaly-inclined as Sec!

And what was this now!? CAW? CAW!? Even Sec had to admit; that was so freaking adorableeee!! Oh yeah, and she seemed curious about his OBVIOUSLY NOT MISGUIDED Xerxian background. "Indeed, I happen to be quite Xerxian" Giving a bit of a mischievous grin as he displayed his linguistic bawssery, he pondered. What had come over him to make him so, eh... CASUAL!? Yes, that is the word. Casual. Not Secsy at all, this casualness, you know. Anyways, ears perked as she mentioned Gelemort.

"Gelemort, you say? You know, my grandfather was Gelemortian. Roy de Royaume Darkamaru Invidia III, he was the ruler before my brother took rule, and then Mr. Murinyo. You've met Mr. Murinyo already, I presume?" Ah, well that's splendorous! Gelemort... Honestly, Sec had never been there, even though it was the land of his Grandfather's soverignage, not even while his brother was king, mostly because he had no idea he'd HAD a brother at that point in time. Perhaps he should go sometime, as Wolfgang had been begging him to do...

Smiling again, he nodded in response to her questions of disbelief. "In the flesh. I could take you to see the Ole Miss- that's our ship- sometime, if you wish." As to this next question, Sec's eyes opened a tad more, ever so slightly, in the fashion to which Mr. Fish displayed surprise. Well, minus the eating things and rampaging through the world. "Celesto Krowe?! You've seen him, then?" Oh wow! Perhaps she knew of Celesto's location, then? Honestly, much as Sec would never admit it, he had grown rather fond of the manchild called Celesto, and ever since he just poofed, he'd been wondering what happened to him...

[Guest]

Gold drew in purple-y redness as he stared down at her, unable to believe the words that came out of his mouth next, "If it's any easier on you, I'm perfectly fine with Mr. Invidia. It's actually rather refreshing, since nowadays everyone wants to be so informal, so modernized." He... she... they... whawhawhaaaaa?! REALLY?! She could?! Shokolat found herself beaming as she nodded once, at last having found a kindred spirit. "They do! I've always struggled with it. Thank you for understanding Mr. Invidia." With that she found herself bowing in a quick bob to him, her eyes sparkling as they became a soft lavender, remaining on that color in her happiness. A kindred spirit~ Were there any others like him in this grand new land of Amestris? Or were they the only ones who believed in the old way things were done? Oh this was so very glorious! How much better could this day get?

"Vero , EGO contingo exsisto per Xerxian." Wh... wh... what was that? Was that... XERXIAN?! HE SPOKE IT TOO? As if her eyes could go any wider, they somehow managed to as Shokolat stood there in complete awe of the giant-pirate-robot-man-thing in front of her. "What did you say? Was that Xerxian? I'll admit I've seen some records in the language, but I can't make head or tails of it! I always have to rely on our linguistics department." She spoke with wonder, her voice soft and almost meek except for the fact it gained strength towards the end of her statement. "Gelemort, you say? You know, my grandfather was Gelemortian. Roy de Royaume Darkamaru Invidia III, he was the ruler before my brother took rule, and then Mr. Murinyo. You've met Mr. Murinyo already, I presume?" Ok seriously, this was WAY too amazing a coincidence! She knew those names so well! Today was the day of amazement's she had concluded at this point given all that had happened, and they only seemed to keep coming. "I can't believe it.... I never expected... I mean, I do indeed know Lord Murinyo! I was with him before I set off for this country." Oh dear, she was starting to stumble over her words. She had to get ahold of herself! Just because he was related to former royalty (at least how she saw it), did not mean she could just fall to pieces! No, no, no, it would not do. So she resorted to her natural self-defense measure; blushing. Yes, she was blushing as she stared shyly at the ground for a moment whilst gathering her mind from the corners of space that they had scattered to. What a man she had met this day....

Thankfully the awkwardness of her didn't last too long since he was speaking once more in relation to her previous amazement. "In the flesh. I could take you to see the Ole Miss- that's our ship- sometime, if you wish." "I would love to!" The words came flying out before she could guard them as her eyes rose to meet his, a hand clapping to her mouth, her eyes glancing all over the place in her embarrassment. Oh dear she was such a mess.... Clearing her throat, her hands trembled slightly as they lowered to clasp in front of her, hesitantly raising her eyes back up to him. "I-I mean," She stammered, "I would be honored to get to see your vessel. Thank you for the invitation." Lord was she so bad at this around him- Wait a minute. Did he have a spell on him too? Or did he have one cast to make things get all muddled, and awesome, and whatintheworldwasgoingonwithher?! She had never been this at a loss before! And... the only other people she felt this comfortable around were Lexi and... did she feel that comfortable around Celesto or Wolfgang? Oh she didn't know... there weren't many people though and that was the truth. She couldn't include her papa in there since.. since.. he had disowned her so.... No! No sadness!

"Celesto Krowe?! You've seen him, then?" Her ears perked up and she nodded slowly once, the embarrassment that she had wanted to die from moments before disappearing in an instant. "He was with Lord Murinyo and I in Gelemorte! He was a lovely man and quite interesting to me. Did he defeat a robot and take his arm? Or.. I suppose thats not very tasteful to ask... Oh dear..." Her face was hidden by her hands as she shook her head, trying to ignore all the questions that had risen up since that encounter a couple of days ago. "I'm not sure if he's still there now for I know he and the king had some matters to speak of while I had a boat to catch."

[Sec Invidia]

D'aaaaaaw... Without meaning to, Sec had probably made Shoko's day. He had to smile as she seemed to be a tad stunned at first, and then excited. Ah yes, twas a rarity in this day and age to find another who followed the ways of old. Indeed, Sec appreciated formality as much as she did. Sal excluded, as well as his brother, Sec prefered Mr. Invidia to "Sec", "Secundinasci", or Mr. Murinyo's "Nasci". "Indeed, you can! Formality so often goes wasted these days."

And she seemed a tad interested in his Xerxian tongue as well, eh? Well, a tad is a bit too light of a description, but yes. "Oh, I just said that indeed, I am Xerxian. I'm a tad bit of a show-off sometimes, you see. Heh." With a light chuckle, the conversation carried on.

And now she seemed interested in his relations to the founder of the Ciel Dominion? Well then, this was quite fun. Nobody ever seemed to care about Sec's background! "Ah, so you know him, then. Next time you see, could you tell him I said hello? Intriguing man, that Mr. Murinyo."

And to top ALL that off, she'd even agreed to see the Ole Miss! Hopefully, she was seaworthy by now, after all the fix-ups, and perhaps Sec could take her for a sail and have it back by the time Captain needed it again? "Lovely! Anytime you wish to come over, feel free to call." Smiling, he jotted down his phone number on a scrap of paper and handed it to Shoko.

Oh gawsh. As he did that, Shokolat asked about Celesto. It could not be helped; he burst out laughing. A moment later, when he was calm and collected again, he grinned down to Shokolat. "Ah, sorry about that! I wasn't laughing at you or anything, rather that Celesto must have been doing his normally strange activities while in Gelemort. " By that point, Sec had placed a hand to his neck and was grinning rather sheepishly. Aiyee, he hadn't intended to laugh quite that much, it was rather rude in his own opinion... "But no, he didn't defeat a robot. Actually, if we're thinking about the same thing, he had automail installed; it's sort of like a metal arm that replaced his other one." He chuckled at this next thought. "Now if he told you about a robot arm, or showed you something like one, that's a different matter entirely, though I don't think it's that strange for him to do."

So anyways, she'd said that Celes was in Gelemort now, with Mr. Murinyo? How odd... Ah well, it was none of Sec's concern. Smiling, he glanced to Shoko. "Hmm, I think I've been talking about myself a tad too much. Hehe. So, would you care to tell me a bit about yourself, Ms. Anguissola?"

[Guest]

Oh happy day~ Happy day~ "Indeed, you can! Formality so often goes wasted these days." He spoke such truths, was she dreaming right now? Please tell her that she wasn't! "It truly is. I can never seem to get used to it. My roommate, Lexi, back in Gelemorte would always tease me for it." Blushing, she shrugged and shook her head a little, remembering when she had first moved into the main city-- Aw.... No! No papa! Though, that had colored her beginnings there so heavily. She had been so disconnected and lost, moreso than she probably seemed to some with her odd phrases and beliefs that couldn't be shaken loose. How slowly she had opened up to the world....

"Oh, I just said that indeed, I am Xerxian. I'm a tad bit of a show-off sometimes, you see. Heh." Right, times at hand. Was it really showing off? She supposed so, but everyone always held some kind of flair right? Sometimes the men in her department would do silly stunts while in the times of breaks to make the girls laugh. "It's quite alright, I don't mind. It can be rather charming when done in moderation." Er, now why would she say that? Well, it was true but... Oh what was going on? She was being so silly now! "Ah, so you know him, then. Next time you see, could you tell him I said hello? Intriguing man, that Mr. Murinyo." Oh thank goodness for distractions. Shokolat curtsied with the delicate little raise of her skirts, porcelain hands soft against the dark fabric. "Of course! When I send a report back home, I will be sure to pass along your greetings. I'm sure he will be tickled to see it." She had no doubt about her king, he was so very strange! But in a good way.

But to get to go on a real live pirate ship.... She couldn't believe it. This had to be a dream. Had to, for there was no way such coincidences could happen! But clearly they had. "Lovely! Anytime you wish to come over, feel free to call." Her eyes widened slightly as she took the phone number from him, staring at the numbers scribbled on the page. Wow.... Just give him a call and she'd be on a pirate ship.... She would need one of those magic speaking things first though. Oh crap! And she'd need a place to live! She still hadn't figured out what she was going to do about that! She started to bite her lip in worry, at least until his laughter broke out into the air, the sound reverberating within her hollow bones. She could literally feel it right down to her core, and oddly enough, she didn't mind that at all. But what... what was so funny? Fighting a robot was serious business! But again, she was used to reactions like this and so she waited patiently with a confused expression till his laughter subsided. "Ah, sorry about that! I wasn't laughing at you or anything, rather that Celesto must have been doing his normally strange activities while in Gelemort." She nodded once, remembering the rather odd phrasing that he had used about his arm and his eye. It still felt off to her even now.

At least she wasn't the only one who felt a little sheepish right now, a faint smile returning to her lips as she observed him, "But no, he didn't defeat a robot. Actually, if we're thinking about the same thing, he had automail installed; it's sort of like a metal arm that replaced his other one." Automail? What was automail? A replacement... arm? How... how did that work? "Oh I see.... So a spell created his new arm and allows it to function so... I feel so silly now!" Giggling nervously, her cheeks blossomed with pink once more, pondering those words a bit more. That must mean... a similar spell to her own yes? Giving life to an otherwise inanimate object. "Now if he told you about a robot arm, or showed you something like one, that's a different matter entirely, though I don't think it's that strange for him to do." Shaking her head, she smiled sweetly to him, the blush remaining quite firmly. "No, no, I merely misunderstood. I didn't ask him about it at the time because it felt rude to, so I just drew my own conclusions. Thank you for explaining it to me." Now she knew even more about the world! And she knew she had to be in the right place to become a real girl!

"Hmm, I think I've been talking about myself a tad too much. Hehe. So, would you care to tell me a bit about yourself, Ms. Anguissola?" Oh! Oh how rude of her indeed. Running a hand through her white bangs, she brushed them out of her violet eyes, biting her lower lip lightly as she pondered how to answer. "It's alright Mr. Invidia, I really don't mind." She had wanted to know more about him after all. "Well... I grew up out in a very small town far away from any city in Gelemorte, and even our house was far away. My mother died was I was very young. My father was lonely and so he fashioned me and brought me to life with a spell. Then..." Her brows furrowed as she came to the one part that her mind always snagged on, the memory of that one birthday... A cloth... waking up in pain... Feathers... No good, she couldn't remember it clearly. "Well, papa gave me my wings but something had gone wrong with the spell. He sent me away to the city and I ended up getting taken in by one of the military women there. I joined the intelligence department with her, and... well.. Thats what I did until I was recently promoted and came here." As she spoke, she didn't seem at all phased by the words coming out of her mouth for they didn't seem at all strange to her. It was merely what happened as far as she understood it.

[Sec Invidia]

Sec smiled down to Shokolat. FINALLY, someone else who understood his ways of life! "Oh, I know the feeling. Ever since a meeting with someone calling himself the Crown Ninja of Aerugo, I'd about given up on my formal nature. Quite an odd man, was he..."

As to her next comment, he had to grin, just a tad. "Fair enough, that is the truth. " Well then, that was most definitely good, as Sec did pretty much EVERYTHING in moderation. Except for feeding Sal. Thoooough, for Sal, his snack-sack was a rather modest meal... Ah well, this conversation wasn't quite about food, now was it? "Ah, I bet he will. Dunno why, but he seems to like dropping in on me, unexpected..." And sometimes that was to be taken literally; such as the time that the Gelemortian sovereign, then the General de Gelemort, jumped FROM A BRIDGE, onto Sec's back, for the sake of mischief. Oh, but still, while the king was rather strange, even Sec had to appreciate the cheerfulness that followed him from room to room.

And then, even after his rather rude, yet not intentionally so, laughter, she didn't seem too upset, or really fazed by it, rather, a bit confused. Then she sort of understood the concept of automail. Sec had assumed that they had it back in Gelemort, but no matter. Though, a spell? Well, Celes WAS an alchemist so... "Kind of." And after his questioning of whether that silly Drachman-type person told her some crazy stories, she explained otherwise, to which he nodded. Right-ho, then! Twas good to have an imagination like her's, he decided. But that seemed a bit unlike Celes, unless he told other tall tales. Ah, he may have been a bit of a knuckle-head, but he was amusing at times...

And as Sec had requested, Shoko told her life's story, which in this instance, did NOT put everyone to sleep. Actually, unlike MOOOOOST life's stories, her's was rather interesting, and Sec, unlike MOOOOOST listeners, was rather interested. So she seemed to believe in magic, then? It actually seemed as if her magic was a bit like alchemy, to be honest. And it appeared that it was her father that had made her a chimera, for whatever reason. Then she was raised by the military and entered the Intelligence department before arriving here. Well, besides that first bit, it seemed she lived a good life. The first bit confused Sec a bit, but he didn't mention it, nor did he show it on his face. "Ah, okay. So what are your plans now that you are in Amestris?" A vague, broad question, perfect for finding some answer of some sort; mostly, just keeping the conversation rolling.

[Guest]

Hmmm... It was rather interesting to her that his smile seemed so easy and natural when his laughter hand sounded so robotic when they first met. Clearly he must smile more than laugh! But didn't the two go together? "Oh, I know the feeling. Ever since a meeting with someone calling himself the Crown Ninja of Aerugo, I'd about given up on my formal nature. Quite an odd man, was he..." Crown Ninja.... Oh YEAH! There were ninja! She so knew that already! She remembered a couple of old files on them, but they seemed somehow... outdated. Maybe nobody had been to Aerugo in a while? "Really? How can a single person do such a thing! Thats... terrible." She spoke incredulously, a hand touching her collar bone in her shock. Nobody should be able to do that! Completely eradicate ones beliefs like that? She almost wanted to shiver at the thought.

Enough of those scary thoughts lest they follow her to her dreams to twist them into nightmares! So onward they would go in their delightful conversation~! "Ah, I bet he will. Dunno why, but he seems to like dropping in on me, unexpected..." Well now she had to giggle because that really was so very typical of her king! Like suddenly dropping her that message for her to see him the other day. "Most likely because it is his way. He does love to be unpredictable and fun." Anyone could see it once they'd met him at least once. But nobody should take just that happy-go-lucky attitude at face value, there was a scary man beneath it somewhere. It was just buried was all, waiting to come out at the right time. She wondered if she would miss seeing that attitude while she was away from her home country. She would just have to find someone here who had a similar disposition to take his place! Or be that person. Whichever came first.

"Kind of." Caw? Was her explanation still off somehow? He sort of seemed a little skeptical of her understanding, but at the same time not. It just seemed to catch him off-guard. Now Shokolat was getting worried, had she already weirded out her new friend in this new country? That would be horrible! But he was still there... and he hadn't really said anything against it.... So maybe it was ok? It wasn't like this was the first time her perception of the world seemed to apparently be off from the norm. But Sec was nodding, and that was good enough for her! Heeheehee! Come to think of it though, she really had no need to be worried since he had already pretty much accepted her strangeness without the blink of an eye!

As if she needed more confirmation, he didn't even react poorly to her life in a nutshell. Most people did. They always seemed so horrified afterwards and always wanted to hug her, whispering comforting words in her ears. But why? Had something been wrong with the life she had? She didn't understand that in the least bit. So when Sec's expression didn't change at all from one of attentiveness, Shokolat was... relieved. It was so very very strange! She had never felt so relieved before after speaking of the subject! "Ah, okay. So what are your plans now that you are in Amestris?" And that was that. No clarifying questions either. He was certainly her new favorite person, except her papa of course. Oh papa... wait, no! Moving on! Shrugging lightly, she began to twist her body from side to side in slow, fluid motions, her feet remaining facing forward while she just moved from the knee's up. Why she was here.... Did he know any wizards? "Well, I'm here to find a wizard to fix the spell on me. You see," here she leaned close to him even though she'd really have to somehow leap up to be close to his ear. "I'm actually a doll. Papa just didn't finish me is all, thats why he must have sent me away." Straightening up, her wings rustled as they shifted slightly, stretching outwards now that so few people were around them. "I want to become a real girl so papa will take me back! So I'm here to find a wizard who can fix the spell. Though... I don't know where to start looking. There are so many wizards and sorcerer's here after all!" And it amazed her at the numbers she had read when she had been going through those archives before. "But first I should probably find a place to stay." Chuckling nervously, the blush had returned as she looked sheepishly towards her feet. She really hadn't thought this out as well as she thought she had.

[Sec Invidia]

Huh.... She seemed rather relieved that she had told him her life's story and he did as was normal in that situation.... Odd. BUT OKAY. Oh, and what was this? A sort of extension to her story, eh? And apparently she was a doll, in need of an Amestrian wizard with the power to reverse engineer the spell, and return her to normal. WELL THEN. Still smiling, Sec nodded. "Ah, okay. So if I see any wizards, I'll be sure to tell you, eh? Though I don't think there are that many around anymore..." Indeed, he JUST NOW learned there were ANY! Ah well... But what was this now? She didn't arrange for a place to stay while in Amestris? That was eh... odd... WELL. How aboooooout... "You don't have anywhere to stay? Well that can't be right, one needs a place to sleep. Hmm... Oh, I've got an idea. How would you like to stay with the crew and myself aboard the Ole Miss? It isn't the best place to sleep, I'll admit, but it's cozy. Hmm?" Smiling, he made an honest offer. It really was sort of cozy there, and they DIIIID have extra rooms. Hopefully the Captain wouldn't mind, he generally likes people that like pirates...

[Guest]

Wawawa!!! He didn't get that weird look in his eyes when she said she was a doll! Lexi had gotten it, the others she had worked with had as well, and-- Oh. Well, she hadn't really mentioned that to Wolfy now had she? Probably better that she hadn't heehee! Shokolat found that embarrassment giving way shell by shell to a bright, warm smile as she stared up to his face so high above her. "Ah, okay. So if I see any wizards, I'll be sure to tell you, eh? Though I don't think there are that many around anymore..." He knew some? Really really? Ahhhh, her new friend was so fantastic! "Thank you so much!" Though she paused as she had to re-evaluate his last statement. There weren't any around? B-but that was.... Her smile began to falter, "That's impossible! When I was looking through our records on Amestris, you had so many! I couldn't believe my eyes at the numbers! Amestris has the largest amount so I came here. Xing was my second option though they seem to be... different from the wizards you have here. Oh I hope that I got it right..." Now she was really worried. He hadn't even heard of any wizards? She... She had been so careful with her research... She couldn't have gotten it wrong, could she?

But his voice interrupted her newfound worries, replacing it with hope. "You don't have anywhere to stay? Well that can't be right, one needs a place to sleep. Hmm... Oh, I've got an idea. How would you like to stay with the crew and myself aboard the Ole Miss? It isn't the best place to sleep, I'll admit, but it's cozy. Hmm?" Wait... Her violet eyes had begun to seem truly iridescent, as much in turmoil as she was right now. She... could stay... with him? And his piratey friends? Heehee, it almost seemed like he was trying to do his best to shock her as many times as possible this day! "I-I couldn't possibly... I mean... OhgoodnesscouldIreally?!" Her hands had clasped in front of her chest in an almost pleading manner, the appreciation and amazement she felt as clear as day as she stared up at him. Her wings had begun to extend further and further back, lifting upwards towards the sky. "I mean... I don't want to impose... After all we just met, and I haven't even met your friends-I mean crewmates, and... Though you offered so- I'm sorry, I'm babbling on and making no sense."

[Sec Invidia]

Sec had been about to politely smile and accept the thanks for his keeping lookout for wizards, but before he had the chance, she declined the possibility that the wizards were gone, and presented proof. So Amestris had wizards and Xing had different wizards? What was she getting aaat... OOOOOHHH. Alchemy and alkahestry! "Aaah, okay. Well, over here, we call wizards "alchemists". And if that's the case, then I may actually know one or two that you could try to see, though I'm not sure if they'll be able to help. Most alchemists tend to specialize, you see, so I don't know if any specialize in reversing spells." Smiling, he explained that bit to her rather well. Indeed, Sec was probably one of the only people in the world who would believe a story of wizards and spells...

And after offering a room at the Ole Miss, she had the most adorable, utterest expression of excitement. Sec had to chuckle as she first responded, then as she responded in a bit of a more composed manner. "Don't worry, it isn't a problem at all. Besides, it would be rather awful of me to let a lady go without a proper place to stay, eh?" Reassuring her in that oh-so gentlemanly manner of his, Sec was quite deadset on getting the girl a place to sleep. And of course, Sal wouldn't mind much, if at all, so it was all good. ..

[Guest]

Upon her explanation, it seemed that he knew someone she was looking for. So he did know wizards! She knew it! There was no way they could be extinct, she had just checked those numbers while she had been on the ship using their techno-magic thingy things called 'computers.' She didn't even try to pretend that she understood them completely, but she could use the ones back home! "Aaah, okay. Well, over here, we call wizards "alchemists". And if that's the case, then I may actually know one or two that you could try to see, though I'm not sure if they'll be able to help. Most alchemists tend to specialize, you see, so I don't know if any specialize in reversing spells." They weren't called wizards? Alchemists.... "But aren't alchemists something else? Don't they deal with making potions and such?" She murmured softly, unsure if he could hear or not. She was so confused now! But he knew some of these... people... and that was what mattered! It was concerning to find out that reversing spells wasn't a specialty of wizards, but... but maybe she'd find one! "I see... Thank you so much Mr. Invidia for explaining this to me." Even if she still didn't fully understand the difference.

But her staying on a pirate ship.... She couldn't believe this. This was real.... "Don't worry, it isn't a problem at all. Besides, it would be rather awful of me to let a lady go without a proper place to stay, eh?" Ahhhh, he really was a real live gentleman!!! They weren't all dead nowadays! Beaming up at him, she knew she was blushing but she didn't care for once. She was just so happy, and touched, and EXCITED!!! Before she could really stop herself, she had moved forward and was hugging him, her wings remaining outstretched. She was mindful of where her hands might end up, her face just barely reaching his stomach. "You've been so kind to me Mr. Invidia, I don't know how I'll ever repay you..."

Aaaaand then it hit her that she was hugging him. With an 'eep' and a jump backwards, Shokolat stared very pointedly at the ground in embarrassment, clasping her trembling hands in front of herself. "I..I'm sorry... It's just... " One could say that her words failed her.

[Shula Brighton]

{BUMP}

[Sec Invidia]

Potions and such? Eh? Sec shook his head, smiling still. "No, no, no. The ones that make potions are a kind of alkahestrist- Xingese wizards, sort of." As he explained a bit further into her definition of wizards, he noted with a pleasant smile that was grateful for the help, and then she- Eeeeeh? EHHHH!?

Erm, she then apparently hugged Sec. The mentioned pirate-pole could REALLY only be thinking 'Ehhhhh?' at a time like this, so his brain was rather useless and a bit scrambled, like eggs on the sidewalk. Mmm, eggs. Eggs and bacun, and toast and grits and cheese... OH RIGHT!

Recovering from his mental lapse after a slightly exaggerated fifteen seconds, at the most, he smiled that friendly, yet awkward, smile again, and nodded. "You're most certainly welcome, Ms. Anguliese." And with that awkwardness having passed, it seemed that she was apologizin? How odd... "Oh, it's fine; happiness has to manifest itself somehow, eh? Perfectly alright." How odd... Normally, Sec would be more awkward than Shokolat. What was it about her that made him so eh... CASUALLY FORMAL?

[Guest]

"No, no, no. The ones that make potions are a kind of alkahestrist- Xingese wizards, sort of." .... caw? B-but... Shokolat's brows furrowed as she tried to work in this new information into her mind. What she wasn't aware of, was that this was the real world clashing with her view of the world. Her brain couldn't compute it, or.. well... it sort of spazzed out as a result. It knew that that was the truth, but she couldn't quite accept it. It was fun to disassociate reality from itself. "But... I thought they did something else....Forgive me, I'm so very confused." She chuckled nervously, only adding to the embarrassment that she already felt around him. Oh dear, she was just making more and more of a fool out of herself wasn't she? This was terrible!

It seemed that she wasn't the only one whose brain was spazzing out though considering he appeared to be as startled as she at what had just happened. She had never spontaneously hugged someone like that before! It was so odd that that had just happened. It just seemed like he recovered faster than her was all. "You're most certainly welcome, Ms. Anguliese." Caw? Ah! Should she.... She probably should correct him on her last name... At least it was a welcome distraction from her embarrassment. Now if only the color in her cheeks could have evenly spread across her face so that her skin would appear to be a normal flesh tone as opposed to the pale porcelain of her albino skin. She just looked like a doll whose cheeks got painted on with too much gusto. Smiling in relief, she gave him a quick curtsy as they both were rather awkward around each other now.

"Oh, it's fine; happiness has to manifest itself somehow, eh? Perfectly alright." But was it really ok? She had just hugged him out of the blue! They barely knew each other! Her wings flapped at her agitation, beating the air almost furiously which drew her full attention. Her head turned as the color finally faded from her cheeks, reaching her hands back to run her hands over her feathers, feeling them return to their folded position. "I'm relieved to hear that. I mean... Do people normally hug each other like that though?" She mused aloud, not really meaning to pose the question, but there it was regardless. The light was beginning to dim slightly on the horizon, a nearby clock chiming the hour away. Caw! Her stomach growled softly, a hand going to it at the knowledge of how she was hungry. She hadn't stopped by that cafe after all. "Um... Should... Should we find something to eat?" She asked quietly, looking back down at the ground since.. well... did women normally ask to go out like this with someone they had just met?

[Csilla Angelis]

{BUMP}

[Sec Invidia]

Sec could only give a little chuckle and a gentle smile. With a nod, he glanced to Shoko. "Ah, don't worry about it; we'll find the wizards for you first, then ponder on all that, eh?" And indeed, in that statement, he DID note that he would be assisting in the locating of her wizards. WHICH, to his knowledge, he had little to no real purpose in joining her personal, private, probably important quest... Actually, his thoughts at the moment were far too scatterbrained to make sense of much of anything, really. Indeed, if he couldn't find his own sister, how could he hope to find some wizards, that may or may not be alchemists or alkahestrists, and which may or may not exist, for someone he had JUST met, who seemed to not understand the ways of various subjects!? But no matter; as a gentleman, and Sec WAS a gentleman, before anything else, it was his duty to fulfill any and all promises he made, and to ALWAYS assist a lady in need. Why? Because, that's how the world works.

Not having been of right mind to really notice the fluttering of her wings, let alone the fact that this event occured some three feet below eye level, she was saved from what would have been at least a questioning glance. It was her voice, however, that snapped him back to the real world. "Well, that would depend, I suppose. Quite possibly, it's situational, as that was, but then you have people like Mr. Murinyo, and as you said you've spoken with him before, I'm sure you'll understand what that meant." With a small grin and a light chuckle, Sec had taken the route of explaining the occasionally huggings that go on in Amestris with a pretty professional, SCIENTIFIC, method of explanation, and ended on a reference to the Roy de Royaume's rather unorthadox method of greeting people. To be honest, he was one of a select few that hugged EVERYONE that they greeted... But he digressed.

And now that Shoko mentioned it, Sec's stomach had started to feel a tad emptier. Honestly, he'd barely eaten a mere fifteen, thirty minutes before, and he was now a tad hungry again. So he smiled and nodded. "Yes, that sounds like a lovely idea. I'm actually a tad hungry myself." So, with a smile, whenever Shokolat responded, if she did, he moved in the direction of the tiny tea shop, and opened the door, following Shokolat inside, hunched over like a hermit, in the TINY tea shop.

[Guest]

Oh this really was all so strange and confusing.... He really was an amazing person for putting up with her so. "Ah, don't worry about it; we'll find the wizards for you first, then ponder on all that, eh?" Shokolat could only perk up with a small smile before nodding a couple of times. "Y-yes. Thank you Mr. Inividia." She murmured softly, pulling her suitcase a little bit closer as a larger group of people moved right by them. They really should get out of the middle of the sidewalk or something. But moving meant possibly disrupting their delightful conversation and she didn't really want to do that. She was enjoying his company so very much! She wasn't sure if she had felt this comfortable with anyone since.... Oh papa, why had you cast her out? Was it because she had tried to fight some authority? Was it like... oh what was it called... Ah! yes! Paradise Lost by Milton? Oh papa, why?

No! No, no, that would NOT do at all! She had to stop that this very instant! Her and her new friend would find wizards like he said, and fix whatever was wrong with her. Though... She did have to wonder why in the world he would stretch to such lengths for her. Was he like the random old man the main character always encountered who led them on the right path? Or was he-- Her cheeks suddenly flushed with color at the other possibility that had popped into her head, almost barely responding to his answer to her question. "Well, that would depend, I suppose. Quite possibly, it's situational, as that was, but then you have people like Mr. Murinyo, and as you said you've spoken with him before, I'm sure you'll understand what that meant." Clearing her throat, she perked up and let her irridescent eyes fall upon him, his smile putting her to ease while somehow managing to add to the little crows that were dancing about in her stomach. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.... "That does make a lot of sense. I've had very few opportunities to hug someone for any reason so thank you for explaining it to me." She curtsied with a very slight raise of her skirt, some long white strands falling in front of her shoulders as she straightened up.

"Yes, that sounds like a lovely idea. I'm actually a tad hungry myself." Now that was a relief to her ears, shifting the weight of her side bag before glancing about. "Most excellent!" She didn't ask where they would go since he was already moving back towards that cozy tea shop that she had seen before, following after with her suitcase clacking against the pavement. Her wings folded as tightly as they could to her body as she slipped through the door, pulling her luggage close so that he would have plenty of room to get in. The stares didn't phase her since she was a bit more worried about something else. "Are you alright with how tall this place is?" She asked him, biting her lower lip slightly as a woman walked up to the two of them.

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