“I usually use staffs and maces, but right now, all I have is a meat tenderizer.” Not the most glorious weapon. As if reading her mind, Alphonse offered an improvement, and her eyes lit up. “Really!? Oh, but after tonight, I…” After tonight wasn’t going to work if Anise’s current plans worked out.

There was (perhaps fortunately) no time to finish that thought, as Alphonse was already asking more questions. “You know the Colonel?” Anise asked, looking as surprised as he was. Oops. Maybe it was kind of insensitive to talk about his disappearance so casually, then. “The last time I saw him was, like… five weeks ago. Sorry.”