An Afternoon Stroll

[Shula Brighton]

The afternoon was nice. There really was no other way to phrase it. Since Fox had been so kind as to call in some help from the other floors to clean up and sort the mountains of paperwork she'd inherited, Shula had been completely on top of everything that came through her door and landed on her desk. She rather doubted that department had ever been so caught up, and it made the girl's heart swell with satisfaction. Things were looking up around here, and going so well.. That's why when the shift ended, Shula didn't feel particularly like heading straight home. It was nice out, and she was feeling incredibly happy with life right now... What was the rush to go back to her empty home now that her grandfather had gone back to South City?

Still in her uniform, Shula walked down the street, just window shopping and ignoring the odd looks she got as she practically bounced with each step, or leaned up on her tiptoes against a window to see a display better; a gesture that did nothing to distract the shopkeeper from her tinyness. The house is so dark, and empty.... I still needs something to brighten it... Shula walked (skipped, more likely) across the street, happily spotting a flower shop. She pulled off her uniform jacket, tying it around her waist as she browsed, the tight black turtleneck wrinkling from the jacket being there.

There was something wonderful about flowers, she'd always felt. Maybe it's because she hadn't been allowed outside much that made her love them more. Shula leaned in, smelling a few bouquets and the individual flowers, honestly only thinking about making a custom arrangement to bring home... sort of a personal treat.

[Guest]

As Jack walked around the large military capital, he began to think about how he was finally becoming accustomed to the city and how people reacted to him. Of course, the city also seemed to be getting used to him as well; as the women of Central City were finally beginning to become used to his presence. While his looks still caused a few heads to turn, the ladies weren't as surprised by them. Still, none of them ever really approached Jack; probably because he still had that roguish aura about him. Of course, Jack didn't really mind this, because as of yet, he hadn't really met a lady that struck his fancy. Sure, there were some attractive women who's gaze he had caught, but they just seemed to view him as "eye candy". Still, because of his position as Captain of his own Pirate crew, romance really wasn't one of the thoughts main things that was ever really on his mind. Of course, that was until he caught a glimpse of a petite, young Ishvallan woman; currently looking around a flower shop.

As soon as he saw this woman, Jack knew that he had to speak to her. Checking his pockets, Jack was relieved to find that he actually had some money with him today. Of course, as he approached the beautiful young lady, Jack noticed the military jacket tied around her waist. A he noticed this, Jack had to laugh a bit at the irony of an Ishvallan working for the Amestrian military. Still, that wasn't going to stop Jack, because for once, a woman had caught his attention. As he approached her and the flower shop, he quickly spotted a few bright red roses; and before the young lady could notice him, he bought one of them. As he walked up to her, the red rose in hand, Jack took a quick deep breath to calm his nerves, as he was never really good with ladies that he actually liked. "You know, it's a pity to see such a lovely young lady as yourself standing here without a flower of her own" Jack said to her as he walked up beside her, his right hand held out to her, offering her the bright red rose. "I'm sorry to be so sudden, but as soon as I saw you, I knew I had to meet you" He told her, a charming smile upon his face. Of course, his inner monologue was telling him that he had just made a fool of himself in front of the young lady, and that she would probably end up laughing at him. Still, Jack kept his composure, ignoring his own voice in his head telling him that he was an idiot. "Anyways, my name is Jack Fulhelmknight, and it would be an honor to know the name of a beautiful lady like you" he said, able to ignore his own self doubts.

[Shula Brighton]

The small bunch of white, red and yellow daisies were what she had been deciding on getting for the kitchen when a man's voice took her quite by surprise. She turned around, blinking in confusion at the rose held in front of her face before looking up to the man holding it there. He just.. had to meet her? Why? She wasn't anyone special.. Just Shula. A warm blush moved up to her cheeks as she accepted the offered flower slowly, looking up to light brown eyes and then the charming smile beneath them.

"Nn... Thank you...." The blush intensified as she inhaled the sweet scent, smiling more, trying her best not to shy away from him and blend in with the wall of bouquets. She was growing used to her workmates, and how Acra liked to eat lunch with her most days, but she really still wasn't used to attention. Not like this, or at least not this up front.... What else could she say? "... It's Shula... Shula Brighton. It's very nice to meet you too, Jack... " Red eyes shifted downward, looking down to her hands and stroking the petals of the rose gently. "This is beautiful.. Red is my favourite colour."

[Guest]

Jack smiled at Shula's reaction, thankful that he had apparently chosen the right words for the situation. As she slowly took the flower from his hand, Jack noticed a blush working its way across her cheeks. To be honest, Jack found that Shula's blush made her even cuter, and made him glad that he had followed his curiosity. "Ah, no need to thank me...Shula, my that's a beautiful name" Jack said, the charming grin still upon his face. Judging by Shula's reaction and facial expressions, Jack could tell that he had some sort of effect on her; whether it be something about him or just that she wasn't used to being called beautiful. Either way, Jack was just glad that she hadn't ignored him, or worse, laughed at him. "Ah, so it is? It looks like luck was on my side then" Jack said with a small chuckle after Shula commented that red was her favorite color. While it was true that luck did play a factor, it was common sense that almost every girl on the face of the earth loved red roses.

With his entrance out of the way, and seemingly a success, Jack decided to further the conversation and hopefully gain Shula's interest. "So then, do you mind my asking what a beautiful young lady such as yourself is doing in the military?" he asked, choosing to take a more casual route to the conversation. "Especially being Ishvallan" Jack added, but not in Amestrian. No, Jack added on the last part in his and presumably Shula's native language, Ishvallan. By doing this, Jack had added in an element of mystery to himself, making one wonder how he knew how to speak Ishvallan. Because he did not have the red eyes that everyone of Ishvallan blood (except Jack) had, one would not be able to guess that he was Ishvallan at all. No, the only real way for someone to find out his ancestry would have been for him to tell you. Of course, Jack didn't reveal just yet that he was Ishvallan; wanting to see the girl's reaction first.

[Shula Brighton]

Part of her state exams had included a written test and psych exam, but while she had been asked why she'd wanted to become go State, but none of the questions had involved her being of Ishvallan descent... Hooray for political correctness. Shula blinked in surprise, looking back up at Jack as he commented about it. She dyed her hair blonde to look more Amestrian, but she supposed her red eyes did give her away... Jack's eyes weren't red, though, not even a little, so maybe he was like her and only half Ishvallan? The blush didn't ebb in the slightest as she tried to ignore the comment about her being beautiful; she'd admit she was kind of pretty, but beautiful was a stretch. Her dancing was beautiful, but that was the dance and not the dancer.

"Well... I suppose I'm trying to help bridge a gap. Despite what our elders tell us, we cannot hope to achieve cultural equality if we continue to exist in hiding and avoiding the rest of the world. We'll only get somewhere by breaking new ground..." The answer was a bit more than she'd intended to let slip out, but it was the truth, and it was a truth that had gotten her into trouble before with her mother and her mother's parents. The red colouring to her cheeks stung slightly and caused Shula to glance away, slightly annoyed she'd said so much to a stranger; knowing her luck he would be revealed to be someone who also outranked her or was someone important and saying so much would get her into trouble or embarrassed again.

Shula let out a soft, nervous laugh, turning back to Jack as the coloring finally went away. "Heh, sorry about that.. But yes, I am currently a Major in the Military... What about you?" She smiled warmly, starting to relax, intrigued by the taller Ishvallan. It wasn't often she got to interact with other Ishvallans, so her heart was swelling just slightly with curiosity about him, the curiosity and wonder beginning to shine in her eyes as she let her natural shyness take a back seat.

[Guest]

As Shula told him why she had joined the Amestrian Military, another smile crossed Jack's face. Sure, Jack may have had his problems with the military, especially how it was the government here, but he did admire Shula's idealism. In fact, if she weren't a member of the military, Jack would have asked her to join his crew right there and then. "Heh, yeah, I think most of them still condemn Alchemy" Jack said in reference to the Ishvallan elders. Of course, if Shula were really sharp, she would notice that this was a small giveaway that Jack was an Alchemist. Still, because Shula was military and he didn't know yet how she would react, Jack knew that he couldn't reveal himself as "The Pirate Jack" yet. Because of this, he made sure to only reveal facts about himself that didn't point to him being the infamous Pirate Captain. Well, infamous only because the military dictatorship was afraid of what he stood for.

"Huh, me? Oh, uh, I'm not with the military, if that's what you wanna know" Jack said in response to Shula's question about him. "I guess you could say I'm a kind of rogue, I don't really agree with the military rule and what not" Jack said, elaborating upon his first statement. Of course, as soon as he had said this, Jack realized that he may have said too much. While nothing he said really could be used against him, it might cause Shula to become suspicious of him if she were extremely loyal to the military. "But yeah, I know what you mean about hiding from the world, it seems that some of our people still can't accept Alchemy as our gift from God" Jack said, hoping that this comment about religion was enough to keep her from prying into what he had just said about being a "sort of rogue".

[Shula Brighton]

Shula nodded, stepping away from the flower shop and off to the side, her fingers idly petting the petals of the rose again. The last time she'd talked to her mother's parents was a few years ago, and that fight hadn't ended well; as a matter of fact, that had been the last time they'd willingly spoken to her or her brother. Their loss, though, she supposed, though it did make her feel very cut off from everyone and her own culture... Then again, being locked in the house all her life cut her off from the whole world

"That's very true, isn't it... Can't say it went over too well when my brother got his state certification, or me. Heh.. Their loss, I suppose, though I do agree.. Be nice if they'd see this is a tool and a skill to be used and not our doom." It was interesting, though... He was for alchemy, but didn't really agree with the military? Well, there had been a lot of war and malcontent lately amongst the citizens, so that wasn't such an uncommon statement, and it wasn't like people were getting arrested under suspicion just for saying they didn't agree. Then there definitely would be something to seriously object against.

"Should I assume then that you know some alchemy as well? Or just really enjoy the art?

[Guest]

Judging from Shula's reaction, Jack could assume that, at the very least, she wasn't going to be suspicious of him. While she didn't say anything about his rogue comment, he was sure that she had heard it. Of course, what was more important to Jack was the fact that Shula was now becoming more active in their conversation. "Yeah, I've always been taught that Alchemy was our gift from God, essentially our free will" Jack said, revealing a bit of his religious belief. Normally, most people didn't want to hear about God, but judging from Shula's words, he could see that she probably had similar ideas as himself. And then the question about his Alchemy came up. "Well, yeah, I am an Alchemist, some people call me the Knight Alchemist" Jack responded, revealing his "unofficial" Alchemists title. Since he wasn't a State Alchemist, this title wasn't really official, but Jack really liked the sound of it; and it did match his style of Alchemy.

Taking a step back from the storefront and Shula, Jack pulled out a small pouch that was attached to his belt (although hidden by his shirt). Quickly, Jack pulled out two steel bars, holding one in each hand. As he gripped them tight, the Transmutation Circle on his back began to glow, although it would be hidden to anyone who was looking. Suddenly, the steel bars began to mold around his hands and forearms. Within a matter of seconds, the transmutation was complete, and instead of holding two steel bars, both of Jack's hands and forearms were covered in some sort of armor. "This is my Alchemy, known as Armor Alchemy" Jack said, showing his two armored hands to Shula. "Basically, I can break down both Iron and Steel, and then bind them to myself, creating a sort of second-skin type of armor" Jack further elaborated upon what he had just done with his Alchemy. "If I have access to enough Iron and Steel, I can cover my entire body in this second-skin armor" Jack added with a grin, giving Shula a thumbs up. Now, normally Jack didn't just go around using his Alchemy for no reason, but since Shula had asked, and since she was so pretty, Jack decided why not. "In battle, this Alchemy has saved my ass on more than one occasion" Jack said with a laugh.

[Shula Brighton]

Shula could only watch in curiosity as Jack pulled the long pouch out from the folds of his clothing and removed the two pipes, wondering what he'd do with them. It really was refreshing to meet another Ishvallan who didn't think she was off her rocker for wanting so eagerly pursue alchemy. It was a science and an art both, and a tool that could do so much to help so many... True, there was a great satisfaction in doing something slowly by hand, like the way her father put all his heart and soul into the clothing he made at his atelier or the wine he made from his small vineyard, but using alchemy to help you do something quickly and efficiently was not something to be shunned, or hated or feared. She tilted her head slightly as Jack gripped onto the bars, the air pregnant with anticipation for a few seconds as the metal shifted and began to yield to his will, slowly at first and then rapidly wrapping around his hands and arms. Shula gasped in amazed delight, her eyes widening with excitement.

"Jack, that's really impressive! And if you have enough you can manipulate it to become a whole suit of armor? I can see that as being more than a little useful in a fight." Shula leaned in close, inspecting the armor more closely. It wasn't something she could use, but so very interesting indeed... She was learning that she was small and had to play to her strengths and advantages, so something as heavy as armor, even in chunks, would slow her down too much.

"It's curious that I didn't see you use any array to manipulate the metal, though... Are they embedded into those poles? Or somewhere else?"

[Guest]

Jack let out a laugh at Shula's obvious excitement, finding it to be kinda cute. Of course, judging by Shula's words and the look on her face, Jack could tell that she didn't quite understand the whole concept of his armor. "Ah, but you see, this isn't a mere suit of armor, think of it as more of an exoskeleton" Jack said, explaining how his Alchemy worked. "Because I've actually bonded it to myself, this armor acts like a second skin; adding defense without sacrificing speed" Jack said, hoping that this explanation provided a better understanding. Seeing as he wasn't going to fight or anything, Jack clapped his hands together, and just as suddenly as the armor had been created, it was gone. Now, Jack was left with the two steel bars, which he quickly put back in his pouch. Of course, Shula's next question was predictable; where was his transmutation circle. "Well now, that's a good question, so how about I just show ya" Jack said with a grin.

Without wasting any time, Jack quickly took his shirt off, holding it in hi left hand. While his shirt was already pretty revealing, without it on one would be able to see his whole torso. Because of long years of training and daily activity, Jack's body was lean yet muscular, features like his abs and chest being chiseled and pronounced. Of course, Jack wasn't overly muscular, as he was still quite lean, but it was obvious that he was both very strong and fast. One would also be able to notice quite a few scratches over his body, the result of training and fighting; although he didn't have any major scars. Turning around, Jack showed his bare back to Shula, revealing the transmutation circle tattooed on his back, in between his shoulder blades. "So yeah, since I am pretty much the transmutation circle, I can use any iron or steel to make that armor" Jack said, turning back around to face Shula. After turning around, however, Jack didn't put his shirt back on yet. To be honest, the fresh air felt kinda nice on his bare skin, so he decided to wait a bit before putting his shirt back on. Of course, this cause quite a few ladies to stare at Jack; the sight of him shirtless apparently bringing their attention back to him. While Jack could hear a few of them giggling, he payed them no mind. As Jack held his shirt in his left hand, the grip and about half of the cylinder of his revolver was visible, although only someone close to him like Shula would be able to notice it.

[Shula Brighton]

Metals were such an interesting thing to work with, so was stone, as she'd learned from watching her brother. They were strong and very good at keeping you safe, but you had to understand exactly how each metal reacted, the alloys they were comprised of and how all of them bonded to make themselves solid. To be able to work the metal rapidly and make it thin enough to make it into an exoskeleton and then keep the metal light enough to not slow him and still be strong enough to do anything useful was very, very impressive.

Shula watched as the armor vanished back into the poles, and her eyes widened slightly as he pulled off his shirt, blushing faintly. True, it was fine for men to be shirtless in public, but it wasn't exactly warm out... and growing up with her mother and the pressure from her mother's parents, there were certain ways an Ishvallan man was supposed to act, especially in the presence of a lady! She turned her head to look at him, though, looking at the tattoos on his body and studying the intricate circle. "That's really very interesting, Jack. What you've got is really impressive." The blush didn't ebb from her cheeks as Shula tried not to look directly at Jack or below his neck.

"Sadly I can't show you the kind of alchemy I just passed my exams with, but..." Shula lifted her hand up to where Jack could see, clearly showing him on of her silver-plated slave bracelets. "I blended a dying art from from Ishval with my alchemy, and move the fire with me as I want it."

[Guest]

After Jack had turned back to face Shula, he noticed the blush on her face as well as how she was focusing her gaze on his face. "Oh, uh, sorry about that, I didn't think I'd effect you that much" Jack said, quickly putting his shirt back on to calm Shula. As he did so, Jack noticed that his revolver was slightly visible; and thanked God that Shula had been too flustered to notice it. "But yeah, that's why people call me the Knight Alchemist, coming in to save the day in my suit of shining armor" Jack said with a laugh, hoping that his little joke would help put Shula back at ease. To be honest though, Jack didn't really see why taking his shirt off had flustered Shula so; even with his shirt on most of his chest and abs were still revealed. Then again, girls could be weird like that, so he decided not to pry into it any further. "Of course, it wasn't easy to master this Alchemy; took me about three years just to be able to use it proficiently" Jack said with a faint smile. As he said this, Jack began to think about the past, mainly the young Aerugese man who had taught him his Alchemy. Of course, Jack couldn't spend the whole day reminiscing, and quickly shook his head to clear it of his thoughts.

"Sorry about that, got a little carried away with my thoughts there" Jack said with a smile, scratching the back of his head with his left hand. As Shula held up her hand to show off her bracelet, Jack took a closer look at it. "Oh, Fire Alchemy, that can be quite useful; and also explains why you're so hot" Jack said, laughing at the last part; it obviously being a joke. Well, he did think that Shula was very pretty, maybe even hot, but the reason he had actually said so out loud was mainly to see her reaction; although Jack was pretty sure that it would make her blush. "But yeah, I'd love to see your Alchemy sometime; maybe you could use it on me" Jack said with a slight chuckle. While Shula would probably object to this, it wasn't like she would actually hurt him. One of the perks of his armor was that he could withstand fire and fire attacks, as well as many other types of attacks. Of course, he'd probably have to tell her that first so that she didn't think he was crazy.

[Shula Brighton]

Letting out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, the dark pink colouring began to fade from her cheeks. Really, this guy was a character if nothing else. She he called himself the Knight Alchemist unofficially, and had a penchant for coming in to save the day? Huh. Shula smirked inwardly, starting to notice an odd pattern about the people she kept meeting, and was quickly concluding that her big brother had been right; men were weird. She glanced at her own bracelets fondly. Three years wasn't really that long in the grand scheme of things to try and develop something as complicated as a specialized array.

"I know how that goes... This has kind of been my ongoing project since I started incorporating fire into my dancing and then just extended the application. It's how I earned my title the day before yesterday." It really had been a long process figuring out how best to control the flames of the poi, even though her maternal grandparents saw that as a bastardization of an art that had almost entirely faded from existence.

She was about to say something else when the though suddenly died in her brain when Jack joked that the fire alchemy was why she was hot, the dark blush returning to her cheeks full-force. "I... I-I'm not hot, I'm just Shula.. But, um.. thank you... forsayingso." Shula glanced away, trying to will the burning colour away once more and then looking down at the flower in her hand and smiled softly. She needed to focus... it was starting to make her head swim. And then she heard something she hadn't expected to hear; he told her he'd like to see her use her alchemy on him sometime. She blinked and looked back up.

"I couldn't, though! Armor or not, I wouldn't want to accidentally turn you into baked potato, , and I don't use my fire that way. I heard how it was used... before.. and I won't use it directed at a human being. Period."

[Guest]

Jack let out a small laugh at Shula's flustered reaction to his compliment/joke, it really seemed to be too easy to make her blush. "You know, you really should just accept that you're a beautiful young lady" Jack said with a grin that seemed it could encourage anyone. Of course, it was more than just the grin. Jack had aura about him that seemed to be able to encourage those around him, as well as natural charisma. It was qualities like these that made Jack such a good leader and how he was able to recruit so many people to his crew. Of course, Jack also had the strength and determination needed to keep order and fight for his beliefs. Still, since Shula didn't know him as "The Pirate Jack" he would probably just seem like a very charismatic guy. "I mean, it's alright to be modest, but when you have real beauty, you should take some pride in it" Jack said with a small chuckle. He knew that it probably wasn't going to change anything, but he really did think that Shula was beautiful.

Of course, after hearing Shula's little "rant" about how she used, or more correctly how she didn't use her Alchemy, Jack knew that the conversation was going to shift. "Hey, don't count my armor out like that, I'm stronger that you apparently think I am" Jack said with a grin and a laugh, his tone a joking one. Still, Jack did admire Shula's determination to her own set of morals. Hell, if she wasn't a State Alchemist, he would have insisted that she join his crew. Unfortunately, that just wasn't an option right now; however, depending on how everything worked out, Jack might be able to convince her to join. It really wasn't that much of a long shot, seeing as Shula already shared some of the same ideas as him, as well as having some of the traits he looked for; but right now, only time could tell. "But seriously, I must admit that I admire your conviction Shula, and I know how you feel; if you noticed, my Alchemy is mainly defensive, protecting me so that I may in turn protect others" Jack said with a serious tone, a faint smile on his face. "In fact, we're not so different, you and I" Jack said, his smile widening.

[Shula Brighton]

Taking soft, slow breaths, the heat began to fade, the girl's smile still sweet and soft. It wasn't really that she thought she was ugly, but she didn't think she was beautiful. The blonde woman who came into the office before was beautiful, as were some of the secretaries. She knew she wasn't a dog, but to her, she was just rather plain. "Heh... Thank you. I do take pride in myself, but almost all of it is in my work, my skill... how far I can push myself..." Shula laughed a little, looking up to Jack with a smile. "Then again, spending every day with the same three people I guess one's looks would come second, huh?"

It was interesting how confident he was, and how contagious that confidence seemed to be. And it was also interesting that he also felt his alchemy was best suited to helping others. That was rather refreshing to see, actually. "I'm not discounting it.. Just my personal standards wouldn't allow me to do that, that's all. After all, what's the sense in having free will and the ability to make decisions and beliefs if we're willing to sacrifice them readily?"

She laughed softly, looking across the street at a pair of kids chase each other in the warmth of the afternoon light. That... was lovely. That was what she was fighting for and working to protect. She smile was gentle and fond, watching the children. Maybe someday... "Who knows... maybe with enough time and practical application, we can all combine what we've learned to really do some good in the world..."

[Guest]

Oddly enough, it seemed that Jack's words had at least some effect on Shula. She also seemed to be a little more comfortable around him, another plus. "Heh, beautiful, confident, and nice; you're like the perfect girl Shula" Jack said jokingly with a smile. Of course, while it was presented as a joke, that was pretty much dead on for how Jack was feeling about Shula. Even though they had just met, there definitely was something between them; whether it was as simple as their shared heritage or their similar ideas. Of course, Jack had to be careful when thinking like this, because when it came to girls he was attracted to, he seemed to lose all of his charm and become clumsy. Snapping out of his thoughts, Jack looked at Shula and smiled at her. "Heh, yeah, I know you weren't, but I do have to show some pride in my Alchemy" Jack said, still smiling. Shula's next words, however, caught Jack a little off guard, and before he had fully thought of hi response, he began to speak.

"Maybe, but it would be even better if I could do good together with you" Jack said, and immediately regretted saying. Sure, he liked this girl, but he knew that he had just said something stupid. Hell, after that, Jack was half expecting Shula to simply walk away. "Damnit, why do you have to be such an idiot?" Jack thought to himself. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean, well, I spoke without thinking and..." Jack started, but trailed off while trying to explain himself. Yes, even "The Pirate Jack", captain of his own crew of Pirates could mess things up, especially when it came to women.

[Shula Brighton]

Red eyes side-glanced at Jack as he said she was like the perfect girl. ...Perfect? Her? Shula inwardly laughed, even though it was a rather hollow laugh in her heart. Perfect with my failing body... A dozen pills every day, treatments that are almost as bad as the disease, and knowing what I know.... Oh well... Let him think what he wants... Her smile never changed, still watching the kids playing across the street, remembering how she's always watched everyone from a distance like this; when she was younger she used to love sitting at her window and watching her older brother and his friends play outside.

Shula was about to tell Jack she needed to get going, or that she should at least keep on to the next shop she was heading to and ask if he would care to walk with her some more when her eyes widened, blinking in mild confusion. She'd been talking about using alchemy and personal skills to help fix the state of the country and the world... and he... wanted to accomplish that with her? But he'd said he wasn't really a big fan of the military, so surely he didn't want to join. She let out a light, slightly embarrassed laugh. "It's alright! I do that all the time. But... With me? Like how?" Shula kind of knew, but then again, she was finding that it never hurt to clarify, wondering if she'd ever blushed so much in one afternoon before.

[Guest]

Jack let out a small sigh, hoping that he didn't dig himself into a deeper hole with his words. Of course, Jack was expecting Shula to walk away or something after his previous statement, so her reaction surprised him. "Well, it's just that you're a beautiful, kind young lady" Jack said, starting to explain himself. While he spoke, Jack kept his gaze on the rose in Shula's hands; it now being his turn to be embarrassed. "And, not only do we have a shared heritage, but we share some of the same core ideas" Jack continued, his eyes still upon the rose. Although he had no idea what Shula would think of what he was saying, Jack had decided to just tell her what he felt. Sure, Shula probably didn't feel the same way, and was bound to reject him, but at least Jack was getting it off of his chest. "I know it sounds cliché, but I kinda fell for you at first sight" Jack said, a pathetic laugh at himself escaping his lips. "Basically, what I'm saying is that I want to get to know you better Shula, a lot better" Jack said, finding the courage to lift his gaze and look Shula in the eyes. Gone now was that encouraging spark in his eyes, replaced by a look of uncertainty yet truth. Sighing, Jack looked down at his feet; he had just opened his heart up to Shula, and now it was all up to how she responded.

[Shula Brighton]

It really wasn't every day that someone opened up so much to say what they were honestly feeling. It was rare, and a rather admirable quality. Certainly one that Shula herself didn't have. Then again, with so few people to interact with, a person would learn to pull inside and keep themselves hidden, otherwise there would be no lines of privacy.

But... he liked her? Like that way? Shula watched Jack's face change, the proud cockerel stepping aside to expose himself fully. Shula couldn't help but smile, finding something very sweet in his honesty. She brought the rose to her face again, inhaling the sweet scent gently. She didn't believe in love at first sight, then again, she didn't really believe in love in a romantic sense. At least, not from what she'd seen, and not when it came to her. I'd be rubbish for a lover, but...

"I don't know that I could be what you want in the long run, but... I don't really know you well enough to say for sure. We really do have a lot of shared ideals, though, and.... I wouldn't mind getting to know you better, either. But get to know me better as my friend, first...?" Shula looked up to Jack's face, hoping he wouldn't get angry. She really was curious about him, and there were things she'd love to ask him and learn from him...

[Guest]

After Shula said her bit, Jack took a moment to go over what she said. She didn't know if he could be what he wanted in the long run, but apparently that was because she didn't know him enough? After thinking it over a few times, Jack realized something; Shula hadn't rejected him. Sure, she hadn't said that she shared the same feelings as him, but she wanted to know more about him. Basically, at least to Jack, it seemed that Shula was merely saying that she wanted to get to know him better before deciding anything; and to him, that was more than enough. Looking back up at Shula, a small smile began to cross his face. "Of course, that would be perfect, it's not like I can expect you to like me without knowing me first" Jack said, a bit of his confident and cheerful nature returning to him. He knew that not everyone believed in "love at first sight", and if he wanted to be with her, he would have to give her enough time to find her own feelings. Looking into Shula's eyes, his smile grew, and suddenly, he stepped forward and hugged her. "Beside, all I want you to be is Shula, the girl who charmed me at first sight" Jack said in a soft tone, still holding her. Right now, Jack felt a true sense of happiness; while it would undoubtedly take a while, he had been given the chance to help the girl he liked find her feelings. Hopefully, these feelings would be the same that he felt.

[Shula Brighton]

The pirate was quiet for what seemed like a very long moment while he mulled over what she'd said. Shula honestly hoped she hadn't upset him or insulted him; she really was still trying to figure out how to handle these situations since they hadn't really come up all that often. A lover just wasn't something she was looking for, especially not now that she'd finally achieved her first big goal and been promoted to major; her grandfather used to joke that if the military wanted you to have lovers or families, you would have been assigned one in training. Finally that confident smile returned.

"I only just got to Central pretty recently, and it would be really nice to have another friend around here... Especially one whom I could learn so much from!" She'd had so few opportunities to speak to other Ishvallans, or even other half-Ishvallans. She knew the traditions and cultural things she'd been raised with and what had been passed down to her. But.... Jack was from a world she'd only heard about, and that her grandparents had tried to bring her out into.

She was about to say something else when her brain suddenly went blank, eyes wide and cheeks flushed bright pink as she was suddenly embraced. This tall, handsome, charismatic man she didn't know... was hugging her. All that could come out of her mouth was a shy, surprised squeak, her brain having to reboot before she moved her arms around to hug Jack in turn. She pulled away shyly, cheeks still burning and the girl staring at her flower as though it were all she could look at. "I'm... I-I'm looking forward to what we can learn...

[Guest]

At seeing Shula's reaction to his hug, Jack's grin grew and a small chuckle escaped his lips. Of course, a slight blush crossed Jack's cheeks when Shula returned his hug, along with doing a little victory dance inside his head. As Shula pulled away shyly, the blush had already disappeared from Jack's face, and he seemed to be fully back to his usual self. "Ha, ya know, you're really cute when you blush Shula" he said as she was keeping her gaze intently on the rose he had given her. While she might have taken his statement as him joking her, jack really did think that she was really cute when she blushed. Still, Jack did have to keep his happiness in check; he only had a slight chance with Shula right now, and he knew that he'd have to work really hard to ever even have a chance of improving his odds. But, just seeing the way that Shula had reacted made him happy; seemingly filling him with hope.

"So, uh, now that all of that is outta the way, you wanna head to the next shop" Jack said with a slightly embarrassed smile after realizing just how long he had spent revealing his feelings to Shula. That, and it seemed like they had been standing in front of the flower shop for hours. Of course, Jack also wanted to keep spending time with Shula. "I mean, I'd love to answer any questions you have about me, or just anything in general" Jack said with his friendly grin again. Since Shula wanted to know about him, and that was also the only way that he could have a chance at being together with her, Jack was more than willing to answer any questions that she had about him. "Heck, maybe later we could get something to eat for dinner" Jack said as he placed his right hand on Shula's shoulder in a comforting and friendly manner.

[Shula Brighton]

"Ha, ya know, you're really cute when you blush Shula"

Shula immediately glanced away, pursing her lips into a tiny frump, trying to force the heat and colouring away from her face. WHY did everyone like teasing her and playing 'Make Shula Blush'? And why was it so easy for them to win? She shook her head lightly, more to herself than anything, waiting for the feelings to subside a little before looking at Jack again as he suggested going to another shop. Shula glanced at the flower shop they'd been standing near this whole conversation, and then at the other little shops on the street. Well... she did need to find a get well soon give for her best friend.

"Um... Well, I was just shopping around and looking for a few things, but I guess I wouldn't mind the company." Jack obviously knew she was curious about him and willing to answer whatever she'd wanted to know, sot hat was good then, and she'd do her best to return the courtesy to him if he asked. But as she felt his hand on her shoulder, Shula felt herself twitch a little mentally. That was twice in a few minutes he'd made physical contact with her. Shula let out a soft laugh, moving away subtly from Jack's hand to the nearest storefront window, the warm smile never leaving her face as she looked in the window of the curiosity shop. "So are you from Central?"

[Guest]

Judging by Shula' body language and how quickly she moved away, Jack could deduce that she did not like being touched; or at least not by new people. To Jack, this was a little odd, as he had no problem being hugged or when someone placed their hand on his shoulder. Then again, everyone was different, and since he really didn't know much about Shula's past, there was probably a good reason. "Hey, it's always better to have a friend around then be all by yourself" Jack said with a grin as Shula accepted his company. Of course, Jack made a mental note to himself to try not and touch Shula anymore. Sure, he was trying to get to know her and help her be comfortable around him, but he could also tell that touching her would probably work against that. Right now, however, Jack was just trying his best to not screw things up while still being his normal self.

As they went to the next store, Shula asked Jack if he was from Central City. As she asked that, Jack let out a small laugh, the smile still upon his face. "No, I'm not; while my father may have been a former Amestrian Soldier, he moved away from here, and Amestris in general before he even met my mother" Jack said, deciding to answer Shula's question in detail. "You see, I was born in a small Ishvallan settlement out in The Great Desert; although we were still relatively close to civilization" Jack said, memories of his childhood coming back to him. "After turning 16 I left home and began to wander around through some Amestrian and Aerugese settlements, traveling around that part of the world as I did odd jobs to earn money" Jack said, a fond smile crossing his face as he thought back to that time, as well as to when he was first taught his Armor Alchemy. "In fact, it was around that time, when I was 18, that I was first taught my Armor Alchemy" Jack said with a grin, holding up his fist as if it were a visual aid for his alchemy. "But yeah, I didn't really wander here to Central until just four years ago" Jack said, finishing up his little story. Realizing that he had probably gone into way more depth than Shula had asked for, Jack let out a slight laugh at himself, shaking his head a bit. "Er, sorry for the whole life story, but yeah, that's where I come from" Jack said with a slightly embarrassed smile upon his face.

[Aurelius Schwartz]

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