“What world are you from…?” From the way he was talking, this man wasn’t from Earth. Did that mean that he wasn’t on Earth? The thought swam about Topher’s mind.
“The quickest answer is ‘not this one’. The country’s called Amestris, but I don’t think its people ever decided on a name for the planet. Too much war to bother.” Greed snorted. His father’s never-ending war bored him for the most part, and the rest of the time, he was just disappointed that humanity was so dumb.
“Amestris?” Topher shook his head, picking up a handful of sand and letting it spill out of his hand slowly, watching as each grain of sand tumbled to the ground. Topher had a feeling that if he didn’t get off this island soon, he’d begin counting the grains of sand in his rapidly decreasing sanity. “War… Hm. Interesting. A world at constant war— not very different from Earth, really.”
“That’s cool, I guess. What’ve you got in place of alchemy?” Greed was only half-listening at this point, guessing that Topher wasn’t really listening to him. He made himself at home in the sand, resting his head on an outstretched arm.
“Normal science? Alchemy is more of a philosophy or religious practice in my world.” He continued to pick up and waterfall the sand down back to the ground.
“Huh. That’s weird.” Greed watched the younger man’s hand move from the sand and back to it with vague amusement, chuckling at his actions. “You having fun, or are you just nervous?”
“What world are you from…?” From the way he was talking, this man wasn’t from Earth. Did that mean that he wasn’t on Earth? The thought swam about Topher’s mind.
“The quickest answer is ‘not this one’. The country’s called Amestris, but I don’t think its people ever decided on a name for the planet. Too much war to bother.” Greed snorted. His father’s never-ending war bored him for the most part, and the rest of the time, he was just disappointed that humanity was so dumb.
“Amestris?” Topher shook his head, picking up a handful of sand and letting it spill out of his hand slowly, watching as each grain of sand tumbled to the ground. Topher had a feeling that if he didn’t get off this island soon, he’d begin counting the grains of sand in his rapidly decreasing sanity. “War… Hm. Interesting. A world at constant war— not very different from Earth, really.”
“That’s cool, I guess. What’ve you got in place of alchemy?” Greed was only half-listening at this point, guessing that Topher wasn’t really listening to him. He made himself at home in the sand, resting his head on an outstretched arm.
“Where do you come from?” He’d forgotten all about anything else, only interested in finding out anything he could about this strange man. “Are you a lab experiment?”
“I was not. I’m just my Father’s son. I…I don’t know. It’s all alchemy, so I don’t really get how I was made. Born. I mean born. I was born, not made.” He plopped back down, sprawling out on the sand.
Interesting. Topher took in all of that information, nodding and mulling it over. “Alchemy? Explain.”
“It’s the science that runs my world- which I’m noticing you don’t know about. I don’t know that much about it really, since I can’t perform it.”
“What world are you from…?” From the way he was talking, this man wasn’t from Earth. Did that mean that he wasn’t on Earth? The thought swam about Topher’s mind.
“The quickest answer is ‘not this one’. The country’s called Amestris, but I don’t think its people ever decided on a name for the planet. Too much war to bother.” Greed snorted. His father’s never-ending war bored him for the most part, and the rest of the time, he was just disappointed that humanity was so dumb.
Kimblee was long gone, too frustrated with Greed’s silence to stay any longer; no matter, the homunculus was bored with him anyway. His attention was on Martel, and had been since he’d seen her dance. There was his new favourite, if he could only dance her back to his rooms.
“Where do you come from?” He’d forgotten all about anything else, only interested in finding out anything he could about this strange man. “Are you a lab experiment?”
“I was not. I’m just my Father’s son. I…I don’t know. It’s all alchemy, so I don’t really get how I was made. Born. I mean born. I was born, not made.” He plopped back down, sprawling out on the sand.
Interesting. Topher took in all of that information, nodding and mulling it over. “Alchemy? Explain.”
“It’s the science that runs my world- which I’m noticing you don’t know about. I don’t know that much about it really, since I can’t perform it.”
“It’s both, I guess.” Greed shrugged, giving Topher an odd look. No one had ever asked that of him before, and to tell the truth, he wasn’t sure. He’d never had to think about it. He was just Greed. “Why?”
“Where do you come from?” He’d forgotten all about anything else, only interested in finding out anything he could about this strange man. “Are you a lab experiment?”
“I was not. I’m just my Father’s son. I…I don’t know. It’s all alchemy, so I don’t really get how I was made. Born. I mean born. I was born, not made.” He plopped back down, sprawling out on the sand.
“Born that way?” Topher was intrigued. “That’s physically not possible for a human. You can’t be human.” He’d seen enough humans to know that only a human who’d been severely damaged or tested on would turn into anything like that. This Randal was like something out of X-Men. “You’re like… a mutant.”
“I am not!” The homunculus puffed out his cheeks, resembling nothing so much as a spoiled, aggravated child. “I’m Greed, dammit!” Well, shit. He’d outed himself completely. Oh well, better make the most of it.
Greed? Topher blinked, completely bewildered by the name… or maybe it was a title? “Is that your name or your title?” He hedged, pressing a finger to his lips as he stared up at Randal/Greed.
“It’s both, I guess.” Greed shrugged, giving Topher an odd look. No one had ever asked that of him before, and to tell the truth, he wasn’t sure. He’d never had to think about it. He was just Greed. “Why?”
As soon as the shield was down, Topher relaxed minutely, but wouldn’t let himself all the way. It was still hiding inside Randal, lurking— he cut off that train of thought, deeming it ridiculous and shoving it to the back of his head. “It’s… great. How did it happen?” Curiosity took over then, giving Topher reason to lean up and move closer, examining Randal’s skin. “What is it?”
“How did it happen? Ha! I was born this way. It’s not a defect, it’s my species. I’m the only one of my kind.” That was another lie, but Topher didn’t have to know there were seven of them- or that Greed wasn’t the oldest and strongest of his kind. The bigger he seemed to the little genius, the better it was for him.
“Born that way?” Topher was intrigued. “That’s physically not possible for a human. You can’t be human.” He’d seen enough humans to know that only a human who’d been severely damaged or tested on would turn into anything like that. This Randal was like something out of X-Men. “You’re like… a mutant.”
“I am not!” The homunculus puffed out his cheeks, resembling nothing so much as a spoiled, aggravated child. “I’m Greed, dammit!” Well, shit. He’d outed himself completely. Oh well, better make the most of it.
The growl made him jump slightly, letting out a quiet frightened noise as he stared up at Randal. “Could you, um… shift back, please?” Topher didn’t do well in high-risk situations, as he had no way of protecting himself.
Greed allowed the shield to drop, and resumed grinning. “So that’s my other face. Comes complete with defensive and offensive capabilities. I got claws.” He waited for a response, expecting nothing more than absolute adoration. He’d never gotten it from his crew, but that was of no matter.
As soon as the shield was down, Topher relaxed minutely, but wouldn’t let himself all the way. It was still hiding inside Randal, lurking— he cut off that train of thought, deeming it ridiculous and shoving it to the back of his head. “It’s… great. How did it happen?” Curiosity took over then, giving Topher reason to lean up and move closer, examining Randal’s skin. “What is it?”
“How did it happen? Ha! I was born this way. It’s not a defect, it’s my species. I’m the only one of my kind.” That was another lie, but Topher didn’t have to know there were seven of them- or that Greed wasn’t the oldest and strongest of his kind. The bigger he seemed to the little genius, the better it was for him.
Topher nearly jumped out of his skin, not expecting this outcome in the slightest. He’d never seen anything close to that, and he’d seen a lot of things in his fairly short(all things considered) life. “What exactly are you?” He asked softly, eyes wide.
“Well, that’s kind of a long story.” It must be odd for the human, Greed thought, to watch him speak without lips. He opened his mouth and gave a little growl, purely showing off now. How could he help it though? This guy was so much fun to tease. “More or less, I’m human. Just…a better human.”
The growl made him jump slightly, letting out a quiet frightened noise as he stared up at Randal. “Could you, um… shift back, please?” Topher didn’t do well in high-risk situations, as he had no way of protecting himself.
Greed allowed the shield to drop, and resumed grinning. “So that’s my other face. Comes complete with defensive and offensive capabilities. I got claws.” He waited for a response, expecting nothing more than absolute adoration. He’d never gotten it from his crew, but that was of no matter.