ximilia | {voice, un: fullmetal}

[The date, 3rd of October, has him feeling rather pensive again. Just as he thought he would figure dealing with Father, getting Al his body back, he is yanked back here again. It's.....frustrating, to put it lightly. As much as he wants to scream at Viv to send him back. He knows he must have been pulled back here to help. That they need him. That Ed maybe hasn't done enough. Gathered enough orbs to earn that reward yet of getting Al back. Yet.

He sits in the sunlight room, pocket watch open at his lap if anyone approaches but he does turn on the feed.]

You think this will work? Gathering the orbs? To fix things? Is it worth it? I just feel like I've been trying to fix things for so long, not just here, but back home too. I feel like I was so close, and I got pulled back here again. And I can't help wondering. With some of the missions. The goals they give us. If at some point I might get something, some line I won't want to cross. For as much as I do want to fix things.

[He sighs, shaking his head as he isn't sure what more to say in his musings. In his worries. He figures even that much might be too much. That he might end up regretting even that. So he ends it there.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No. Armor. One of Hohenheim's old suits of armor.

[Ed's regret. In fixing things for Al. Getting his body back. He hasn't been quiet on that, not bothering to try keep it secret here. But he is aware it is a lot for most others.]

[Clayton...doesn't interpret that description the way he should. It just sounds like Al likes wearing armor, or perhaps feels like he has to all the time.]

Oh--that's kinda neat. Is he like a, uh...reenactment guy? [Then, recognizing that people on the station could come from all kinds of different planets with different scales of technology: ] Actual knight?

No. I mean. I bound his soul to the armor. After he lost his body when we tried to bring our mother back. How I lost my leg. Paid for his soul with my arm.

[Human Transmutation is not recommended. Forbidden for a reason. Now Ed just wants to fix things. Even if that doesn't mean getting her back. Seeing her smile again. He wants to at least ensure Al is back in his original body, even if that might take some time to recover from the malnutrition and all over the last few years at the Gate.]

[Oh]

[There's a long silence.]

That's...a lot. I can't imagine what kind of suffering you've been through from all that. I'm sorry for remindin' you of it.

It's okay. We all have stuff we are trying to fix, that we are here to try fix, change, for others or for ourselves. For me, it's fixing things for Al, is all. It's no secret. Not here.

[Ed still has kept quiet on some things but not on that. It isn't like Al is here for anyone to try anything with. To use Al against him in trying to blackmail Ed into behaving or something. Yet. So it's fine.]

[Clayton hums in understanding as he finally grasps the context of this whole post. His regret. No wonder.]

I'm sorry all the same. If somethin' like that happened to Gary, that'd be why I'm here, too - no question about it.

[A beat.]

I mean, it...kinda is. I guess. [Clayton shakes his head to clear it.] --Point is, I get where you're comin' from. It's rough, but...it'll be worth it. We just gotta power through for 'em.

I'm doing my best. No other choice but to keep going. I have to fix things. Have to help Al.

[That is all it comes down to. That he has to do what he can for Al. It's all Ed's life has been the last few years. Trying to make up for that mistake ever since they had tried to bring Trisha back.]

I'll get there.

I know you will. I'll be right there with ya.

[They...literally just met. Have they even formally introduced themselves? But Clayton can't help feeling for the guy's situation, and he's kind of a bleeding heart anyway, so, here we are.]

You don't have to get involved. Might be better if you don't, if some others from my home show up at least.

[He still hasn't really talked about Father. The homunculi and their plan. What they did to Hughes. But he hasn't totally outright rejected help. And has had offers to listen if and when he is ready at least. So far, that is enough. More than Ed expects and asks for.]

[Clayton sees that this isn't a hard no and runs with it.]

Nah, don't worry 'bout it. This sounds like a real sticky situation and I'd hate to leave you high 'n dry if you needed help. Consider my door always open.

A sticky situation. One way to put it. But. Thanks. Dunno how much help I am with the missions and all, but. I'm trying.

I know, I know--understatement. [Clayton chuckles ruefully.] I'm sure you're a great help, else our employers wouldn't be keepin' you around, right?

[That's how that works here, right? Clayton's going to assume that's how it works.]

I guess. Alchemy can be pretty versatile. Depending what you need to do. So I guess it works out for missions, mostly.

[Usually he uses it more with his combat, given the way Amestris tends to focus on alchemy with fighting. Rather than Xing with alkahestry. Still, Ed gives a shrug. Figures for however long it takes. Till he has figure enough with paying for fixing things for Al.]

Alchemy? Like, turnin' stuff into gold alchemy? Or are you just a real good chemist?

I could transmute coal to look and feel like gold at least for a while if I had to try fool someone, sure. Though transmuting gold is illegal. But it is a science. I guess if I had to compare I'd say it's like chemistry. From what I have read up a bit.

Huh! That's real neat.

[He does sound genuinely impressed; transmutation abilities aren't unheard of where Clayton is from, but they're certainly not common, either. His boss apparently had an open requisition for one since she started the business, and still couldn't find someone to fill it.]

Also sounds real useful. Can't imagine a time where I wouldn't wanna know how to do that.

Alchemy is pretty versatile. It isn't I don't think something I could teach anyone else here though.

[He is not so sure that anyone else would be able to. Unless others not from his home were to have a Gate to access. Ed gives a shrug, not really thinking much of it. Probably because he learned at such a young age. He doesn't find alchemy that impressive, it is just part of life for him. Part of how he thinks about everything.]

That's alright - point is, that makes you unique, you know? Folks need all sorts to keep an operation like this goin', an' you give somethin' special. I think, if you ever run into a line you can't cross, our bosses'll listen when you put your foot down to keep you around.

[Clayton is still very new and doesn't quite understand that there's something else running the show when it comes to the personal mission stuff. Surely they're just here to make good impressions on Viveca and Degar, right?]

I guess. I'm the only alchemist here. I hadn't really thought about it, I just. Want to do what I can to help Alphonse.

And you are - just by bein' here. You're here for him and you're here for everybody else. That counts for a lot.

Right. At the least. We're trying. I'm trying.

{voice, un: fullmetal}

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