[ video ; open ]

[how_i_tease]

They said this isn't the end of the world. Sure had me fooled.

[ The image hovers strangely, like the device is floating in front of him as he lights up a cigarette. The man in the feed is scruffy and pale looking, with thick coke-bottle glasses. He runs a hand distractedly through dark, shaggy hair as his gaze flits to the side to take in the ruined city around him, peering this way and that. ]

Woke up to worse, though.

So any word yet on what that's supposed to be?

[ He turns the camera to point towards the domes in the distance. ]

Comments

[equivalent_trade]

Some kinda city where they hide from all the bombs.

[how_i_tease]

Judging by the look of the place? It seems to be working for them.

We're not expecting any more soon, are we?

[equivalent_trade]

Doesn't look like it, but so far, no one's really sat still long enough for me to ask them everything I wanted to know.

Guess as long as it's just bombs, we could hole up underground. Temporarily.

[how_i_tease]

So I'm guessing you were just dumped here, too?

[equivalent_trade]

I woke up on the ship, yeah.

[how_i_tease]

You remember what they were bringing us here for?

[equivalent_trade]

Heck, I don't even remember who 'they' were that brought us here. The last thing I remember was being in Amestris, same as always. I wasn't even in a fight or anything.

[how_i_tease]

Being in a fight more usual than not, where you're from?

[equivalent_trade]

...yeah, that sounds about right.

That's the life of a State Alchemist, though. Can't complain too much.

[how_i_tease]

State alchemist?

[equivalent_trade]

An alchemist that accepted a commission in the Amestris military.

[how_i_tease]

Don't alchemists...like, turn lead into gold? That sort of thing?

[equivalent_trade]

Haha, sort of. But that's illegal where I come from. It'd wreak economic havoc if people just transmuted gold whenever they wanted.

[how_i_tease]

Explains why the State's involved. Power like that, government has to get their hands on it somehow.

So what DO you do?

[equivalent_trade]

I guess that's one way of looking at it. We can also be ordered to fight on the battlefront if there's a war or a rebellion that needs to be put down. That's why people call us 'state dogs'.

I spend most of my free time traveling and doing research. Of course, I also get missions from the state to investigate civil disturbances, perform mine inspections... basically a little bit of everything.

[how_i_tease]

So what'd you do to piss them off?

[equivalent_trade]

Piss who off? The government?

[how_i_tease]

Whoever put you on that ship, little man.

[equivalent_trade]

I told you I don't know who put me on the ship. And don't call me little!

[how_i_tease]

Sorry! Sorry!

[ He holds up his hands in surrender. ]

Well obviously someone had reason to, that's all I'm saying. So what do State Alchemists do that might piss someone off?

[equivalent_trade]

'Alchemists work for the people'. Except everyone thinks State Alchemists are sellouts who gave up their morals for money and prestige.

They're kind of right, I guess. Anyway, there's a long list of people that don't like us.

[how_i_tease]

So no way of narrowing down the list? That's not good.

[equivalent_trade]

Well, if we're talking about people capable of sending other people into space, I don't know of any.

[how_i_tease]

You sure they did?

[equivalent_trade]

No. That's what I'm saying I don't know anyone who could.