Third floor common room, Tuesday evening

[suzotchka.livejournal.com]

Ivanova had a bag of boiled sweets, fuzzy slippers, and Kill It Before It Dies. She kicked back and lounged on one of the sofas, ready for some black-and-white goodness. And, of course, Billy.

Comments

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"I'm hoping they'll have some science classes soon, since Ms. Sidle left in the middle of the semester. Maybe dive into some parts of it I'm not too familiar with. Of course, I'd like to try some new things, too."

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

"Oh I know, I am just glad I had the Chemistry class. I am doing a presentation on Alchemy and I am going to need it to do a comparison." She said with a smile. "I wish she hadn't left though."

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"Oh, you are, really?" Alphonse perked up, suddenly very interested. "I'd love to see it!"

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia smiled "Well it's in the Magical Theories class. I am a bit nervous about it actually so hopefully it will be ok. I am comparing an Alchemy Antidote for a pain reliever with modern medicine. Such as an aspirin." Maia looked thrilled that Alphonse looked so interested.

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"Magical Theory?" he paused, staring at Maia with slight disbelief. "You mean... you learn about alchemy in a-- magical theory class?"

[suzotchka.livejournal.com]

Ivanova facepalmed. Here we go again . . .

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia looked from Susan to Alphonse and then nodded. "Yes..." She was puzzled by his reaction.

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"But..." Alphonse didn't notice Ivanova, for he was too busy flailing. "Alchemy isn't magic! It's a science!"

[cyclopeanmerc.livejournal.com]

Pip sighed and lit a cigarette.

Maybe they should put up public notices about the Elrics and alchemy.

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

Alphonse crossed his arms and shot a glare at Pip. "Don't tell me you don't believe me either!"

[cyclopeanmerc.livejournal.com]

"I have no comment at this time," Pip said.

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia looked back and forth between the two of them with a raised eyebrow. Looking at Alphonse she said "Are you an alchemist? Like my friend Roy?"

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

Alphonse blinked. "Yeah, I am," he answered.

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia beamed happily "Well don't you think it is just the most amazing subject? I mean to have so many things that are applicable to everyday life only to have them packaged into a bottle and sold over the counter. I think alchemy is much better overall for things that are simple. I found two books in the library and I just cant seem to put them down." Maia said all of this very fast and was still smiling. "Were you born an Alchemist? Did you go to a special school?"

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"Ah, well, no one's really 'born' an alchemist," Alphonse started. "It's pretty commonplace where I come from, and even then you've got to practice in order to get better at it. My brother and I started self-teaching ourselves as kids, but eventually we realized we'd need help in order to progress, so we had our teacher take us in as apprentinces." He smiled back at her. "It is great that someone else has an interest in it! Hardly anyone around here knows much of anything about alchemy."

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

"Oh well I didn't really know a lot about it myself until I met Roy last semester. He was so wonderful." She said with a smile. "I met him my first day here actually he was so helpful, I didn't know he was an alchemist at first."

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"Roy?" Alphonse's eyebrows rose at that. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Let me guess... Roy Mustang?" He wasn't sure why he said the name after that-- After all, Roy was a pretty common name, and as far as Alphonse was aware of the Colonel he knew never left Amestris.

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia nodded "Do you know him?" Maia said in an excited voice.

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"Um, sorta," Alphonse rubbed at the back of his head sheepishly. "I haven't really seen him since he got deported somewhere up north, but he's called for Winry once or twice. I really had no idea he ever came here, though..."

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia nodded noticing Alphonse's reaction. "Yep, he left last term though. He dated my lover for a while...well before we became um..lovers." Maia coughed a little. "But yeah he was here. He's really nice. Are you from the same area?" Maia asked intrigued he would know Roy but not really know him. Perhaps they were enemies...

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

Alphonse stared at Maia oddly for her first statement. Alright, well, he wasn't around and there probably was some logical explaination for it, but it didn't make it any less wierd. "Yes; actually, he was my brother's commanding officer in the military."

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia's eyes were wide. "Really...but he's just a boy..." She said in surprise unless of course he was like her, aged without aging.

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

"Huh? He's at least twenty-five," Alphonse paused and pondered on it for a moment. Well, if the whacked-up timeline thing worked for him and Edward... "Unless he came here before joining the military..." Alphonse put a hand to his forehead. Really, this place was dead intent on just mucking with everything, wasn't it?

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

"It may have been I don't think he really mentioned anything about the military to me...though it's been a long time since we spoke.." Maia hesitated "No I don't think he did. This place is strange." Maia said with a sigh.

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

Alphonse hesitated to even think about asking his brother about this situation, since the last time he decided to about something else? Didn't end up so well. Then again, Edward seemed to grumble on pretty freely about the Colonel, so... he just might. "You could say that again," he agreed, rubbing at a temple. "But, um... If you ever need help on your project, I don't mind lending a hand."