damned_institute | Day 34: Breakfast

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Day 34: Breakfast

[starting off in M13]

The last part of the night was little more than a blur in Homura's mind. The men had rushed in, but not joined them, instead staying off to themselves. Before any of them had a chance to react, however, a voice sounded through the air, mocking some other person Homura had never heard of, and the patients themselves.

To Homura, whoever that man was, he sounded a great deal like a god.

But before he could ask questions, the demi-god found himself no longer in the chapel, but some strange room on a bed. Is that what Kenren had meant from his earlier warning? Homura sat up, glad at least that the world didn't spin when he did so. Then the same man from before began to speak again, with a completely different tone. It was confusing to hear him talk that way, calling them patients instead of prisoners as he had before. Homura listened quietly as the announcement was made, then got out of bed.

Maybe he wouldn't have to go anywhere yet. It wasn't like Homura knew where to go anyway, and that meant he had time. If this was his room, and if he had been here as long as Kenren had said, there was a chance he could find something with answers. The Taisho had even told him that Homura had seen Rinrei. Certainly he would've written something down, made a map, something that could let him find her again! He started with the desk at the end of his bed, first finding a small stack of notebooks. Picking up the first, he flipped through, turning the pages with quickening desperation as he found each one to be blank.

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((Don't mind at all!))

Hohenheim looked up at the polite question and smiled warmly, gesturing with a hand to the indicated chair. "By all means," he said and glanced the young man up and down. He pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose with a fingers before he settled in to eat his breakfast.

It wasn't nearly a good as what Trisha would make.

He looked to the young man sitting across from him and asked, "did you have a difficult time last night?" He wasn't sure why that question seemed plausible, but the young man looked strangely tired.

"Thank you," he said with a smile, settling down opposite of the older man with labored motions. He felt stiff all over; obviously, this meant he'd be worn out during the day. But better during the day than during the night, when things could actually get done, right?

Adelheid started in on the eggs, eating with the manners that had been drilled into him until it was unconscious, then blinked as the older man asked his question. It was that obvious? Mm... that wasn't good. But again, better than being out of action at night. "No, I wouldn't say anything like that. Not as difficult as some other nights have been, anyway." A pause, then a quiet question. "How about you?"

Gingerly eating some of his pancakes, Hohenheim gave a little shrug of his shoulders. He had seen that kind of worn out look with people who pushed their alchemy too far, but this young man probably was worn out over being chased or fighting.

"Oh, my night was pleasant," he said before taking a sip of his milk. "Aside it being very dark, I had no problems. It was almost like being in a childhood haunted house, really... always waiting for something to jump out at you." He had really lost the ability to be frightened of anything, but he was certain that it was an analogy that others would understand. "Were you fighting monsters?"

He suddenly chuckled and set his down utensils. "Look at me again! My Trisha would scold my rudeness." He held out his hand to his blond companion. "I am Hohenheim."

"No... time." A quiet laugh at that, as Adelheid had the grace to look a bit embarrassed. He'd prefer it if he had fought something during the night; at least that way he'd feel like he had a reason to be so exhausted. Instead he had done nothing but his alchemy and a lot of talking; that was just humiliating.

The thing was, the more that Hohenheim spoke, the more that Adelheid swore that he felt something familiar. Trisha, Hohenheim... now where had he heard those names? Adelheid pursed his lips, tapping his chin with his left hand. The hair was kind of familiar, too... odd. Ah well. Adelheid inclined his head as he put down his fork, clasping the older man's hand with a smile. "I'm Adelheid Bernstein. And don't worry about being rude... I'm afraid that I might have to work while we talk. There just aren't enough hours in the day, I'm afraid. I hope you don't mind?"

No time? He had to wonder with the young man was up and doing where there would be no time to fight monsters. He had thankfully not encountered any, since it would have been a pathetic example to allow a lady to do the fighting for him. "Oh, you must be a very busy man then."

Shaking Adelheid's hand, he smiled pleasantly before nodding his head. He tended to work through the meals as well, so he would have problem with that nor would he find it particularly rude. "What are you working on? I am rather new here, but I might be able to give him input, if you'll have the advise of a tired old man like me."

He pulled out his diary book and set it on the table. He could do some work as well. He had thought of a formula that might work to enhance his lack of alchemy.

"Not as busy as I'd like to be... but I was a businessman and a fighter before I came here. Remaining idle is the last thing I want to do. Especially considering the circumstances." Which was exactly the reason that he'd started changing things around. If he could become more efficient with his time and energy, then hopefully more things could be done. He just couldn't let things lie; not when there were so many things that obviously needed to be tweaked and improved.

"As for what I'm doing... well, if you can help, I won't turn you down. I lost my array last night, so I'll have to draw up a new one." Adelheid carefully tore out a page of his diary, then slowly drew a circle in the middle. After that, he started using the edge of his diary as a ruler, making precise lines as he redrew the steel-focused transmutation circle. It seemed like such a small thing, getting all of the angles right, yet Adelheid didn't dare deviate from what he'd been shown. He had little enough energy for transmutations; he couldn't afford doing anything less than perfect work where he could.

Yes, their circumstances didn't allow them to idol for long. It was not condusive to staying alive or in one piece unless with other people. He had not had too much problem when it came to facing the dangers of this place, but there were many people who did. He still needed to explore this place and make a proper map. So much to do.

"Array," he questioned softly, his interest peeking. He remained silent as he watched Adelheid pull a piece of paper and start to draw on it. He recognized the angles and the lines before it was even complete, so it had to have been used for making weapons. "You know... alchemy?"

How many alchemists were here? Most were either homunculus or state alchemists, but Adelheid's name had never appeared on the state alchemist registry list. "You make weapons or armour, do you?"

"Ah, you recognize it?" Adelheid smiled again, completing the array carefully before he spoke. Sure, he knew it was rather impolite in a way, but he didn't want to risk forgetting any details. What surprised him was Hohenheim's reaction, recognizing the process immediately and seeming rather surprised by it. "Yes. It's not too different from what I did before I arrived... and the weapons I make help people to survive monster attacks. That's worth some momentary weakness, don't you think?"

He paused, pondering if it was all right to continue speaking on the subject... but he supposed he had no choice. Adelheid was naturally curious about everything around him, and this was too obvious a question to not ask. "May I take it that you are an alchemist, Hohenheim?"

The precision that Adelheid used when making the array made him wonder how long the young man had been performing alchemy. An experienced alchemist drew circles and the angles as if it were second nature, especially those arrays which were most used. Did that mean that someone was teaching alchemy here?

"So, you didn't know alchemy before you arrived then? Someone took the time to teach you," he asked with curiosity. It benefitted the community as a whole to have more alchemists, but most didn't have to patience to teach it. "Are you part of that service that creates weapons for people and gives them away? I saw a man named Mustang on the bulletin board indicating such a service was available."

He smiled and nodded his head. "I dabble in it from time-to-time," he replied. It really had been awhile since he had used it, but none of his skills were rusty. "Alchemy is a useful skill here. There only appears to be a few."

"In a manner of speaking, yes. I didn't know alchemy, but I have a technique." Adelheid indicated his eyes- unconsciously, the false prosthetic instead of his real eye- with a slight smile. "I have a talent for understanding anything if I see it once. Alchemy isn't so difficult once you understand it... though I'm afraid I still have to watch someone else using an array before I can use it myself."

He sheepishly ran his hand through his hair, smiling a little as he answered, "And yes, I'm one of those who creates such weapons. We do request favors from people to whom we give the weapons... but for the most part, we don't need much. And you're right... there aren't many alchemists here, especially not when we consider the sheer number of people who need weapons to function well. If you don't have any other obligations... we could use any alchemist, 'dabbler' or not."

Looking to the indicated eyes, Hohenheim began to notice the subtle differences between them. So that was how it was done so quickly. That most certainly was an interesting cheat mechanism, and it got around any need for an understanding of the principles and energy risks involved in different alchemic transmutations. "Who is providing you with the ability to see alchemy at work and provide your transmutation circles?" Now he was just curious.

He wasn't so sure he wished to get involved in a large scale group just yet. He felt that disappearing in the general population would make his eldest child's attacks harder to find a mark. There were also so many unanswered questions he preferred to keep in the closet as well. "Your group does honest work. I'm sure that your efforts are appreciated."

He smiled slowly and shook his head. "I have no obligations, but I don't feel I would be of use. Not yet at least... I may take you up on that offer at a later date. Or, if you have something specific, you can contact me."

Normally Adelheid might have been willing to explain about Edward and the others, as it was hardly uncommon knowledge in the Institute. But sadly... since Hohenheim withheld some of his information, so too would Adelheid withhold some of his own. Especially now that he knew about the threats surrounding his friend. "Our efforts are appreciated, but not by everyone. Suffice to say that I can learn from anyone who has the proper technique."

"Still... I do actually have one item in mind, when you're next available. I haven't had the chance to try a wood-based transmutation; if you have free time some night, I'd like to at least see what you can do." Adelheid felt very strongly about the weapons he made, after all. He still needed to investigate Skuld and see if what she was making was up to snuff, but he wanted to make sure that the 'dabbler' could make something up to standards. After all, someone's life could be on the line with those weapons; that was a heavy responsibility.

Not by everyone? That seemed a little ridiculous, given that this group of people was providing the Institute population with free weapondry. Well, free as far as he had heard so far. The worst that he heard was that patients would have to collect the elemental components and then it would be transmuted into a more usable form. “It seems strange that your work is not appreciated,” he offered. “It’s such a good service, especially in a place where it appears to be difficult to find items that can really defend oneself with.”

See what he could do? His first alchemy teacher had said those words to him a very long time ago, and it brought back a fond smile to his lips. Such carefree days. “What transmutations are you currently able to do? Steel, obviously.” He had made Eileen a baton, but he wasn’t sure he could make weapons for everyone. It would be a full-time job, and he had just had one as a Professor.

He sipped his milk and smile pleasantly. “If you like, I could meet you tonight some time or tomorrow night. My skills are rusty though, just to warn you.” Lust didn’t seem to think so.

"That's how people are... sometimes there are other reasons that outweigh what we can do." His mind was on Envy and the hatred that the homunculus apparently held for Edward. With such irrational hatred, with unreasoning fury, there was nothing that alchemy could do. Except possibly form a weapon to remove the problem.

Ah well. There were more pleasant topics to discuss, such as alchemy. Which was far brighter, as far as Adelheid was concerned. "Steel and iron, as well as cotton and some fire alchemy as well. A bit odd, perhaps, but that's the mix that I've managed to observe so far. I'm hoping that I'll be able to see more later... as for your offer... I would like that. I'm going to be busy tonight, but tomorrow night I'll be happy to accept. Thank you."

"Jealousy, I'm sure," he murmured with a small shrug of his shoulders. "And there are some out there who dislike the skill for what it represents rather than for what it can actually do in a beneficial light." Also, some simply didn't have a hand for the skill even with vast amounts of training. Some had it, but others did not.

Nodding his head to the choices, it was a good base to continue studying from. All of them had means to coming together for creating weapons. "I take it you have seen how to meld those aspects of alchemy together to save time then?" A waste of time and energy if not, since it would require too many transmutations to reach a finished product. "Certainly. I can show you wood-based alchemy then. Dead wood is easier than live."

"Something like that," Adelheid agreed. There was envy, and... well... Envy. Then there were some individuals who'd seemed to have a disdain for the entire practice. Not many, thankfully, and they probably weren't going to turn up their noses at the power that enabled so many individuals to fight on equal terms with the monsters of the Institute. Alchemy was a potent force, and Adelheid still had to wonder why he wasn't marketing it better. Perhaps because he knew that Edward was a kind-hearted boy who wouldn't make use of it in such a way.

"Some of the combinations, yes." Though Adelheid didn't want to admit that while he knew how to combine the transmutations, he didn't quite have the level of skill to pull off the two transmutations together quite yet. Nor the energy; he couldn't even make a sharp blade if he made a weapon too large. Aggravating, that; especially for someone who wanted to make as perfect a product as possible. But at least he was constantly getting better; constantly refining his methods and learning how to better focus his energy. As for the offer, he smiled gratefully at Hohenheim. "I'd appreciate that a lot, sir. Thank you."

Nodding his head, Hohenheim finally pushed away his tray and tugged the bandages around his right arm straighter. He then wiped his hands down his shirt to methodically push out any wrinkles and grasped the book he had lay on the table. He gave Adelheid a pleasant smile and rose to his feet.

He wanted to check the bulletin board before they were forced into other activities. Besides, he was finished eating.

Folding his arms behind his back, he nodded his head to his dining companion. "Oh, if you see him, give Edward my regards," he remarked before starting away from the table. Only one alchemist here was an experty on such transmutations as steel and other metals. It was Edward's forte.

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Day 34: Breakfast

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