Array 093 [Video // Filtered to known friends, allies, and the City Council]

[bloodseal_soul]

This message is very important.I've made this announcement before, but people have come and gone since then, and it's important that everyone have this information

Comments

[notamageiswear]

H-how do we know who he is? If he can change shape at any time...!

[bloodseal_soul]

Out of curiousity, Negi, do you have any ability to sense chakra, ki, souls, or magical abilities? Because I'm pretty sure that his signature is going to be different from a normal human's, considering he doesn't have a soul.

His powers aren't illusions, they're an actual reconstruction of his body, so even Asuna could be fooled.

I'd say we set up a safe-question, or a code.

[notamageiswear]

I can sense magical auras, but...that's really about all-- H-he doesn't have a soul?

Something like that would probably be a good idea...

[bloodseal_soul]

Be careful, Negi. I can't let anything happen to you. And... no, he doesn't.

Are you any good with codes? Because it'll be safer to have at least a few.

[notamageiswear]

I-I'm not going to go after him, but...I'm not going to just stand around and let him hurt people.

How does he not have a soul...? I don't understand.

I'm afraid I'm not really that good at making them, unfortunately, but...well, what kind of code are we talking about? Several words strung together? Because I'm sure I could think of something if that's the case.

[bloodseal_soul]

I know. But Negi, you have to consider... sometimes doing the right thing isn't as easy as in the stories.

He's a creature of alchemy. In my world they're created through failed human transmutation. [There's pain and bitterness in his voice.] They take on the appearance of the person who died, and retain a few memories here and there, but they are no longer that person. They're sustained through an alchemical substance called Red Stone, which is the distilled product of the energy of human souls... alchemically crystallized.

This is... the dirty side of alchemy, Negi.

...

In my world, Envy is the remains of Evan, the dead son of Dante and Hohenheim.

[Al's voice is very, very soft.]

Hohenheim is my father.

[notamageiswear]

I-I know, but...if he goes after you, or Asuna-san or dad...if something happens to any of you, I'll never be able to forgive myself for not trying to stop it. I just want to be able to protect everyone.

Al... [Negi is silent for a few moments.] I'm...I...don't know what to say. That's horrible. That people are allowed to do such things is...I'm sure it's illegal, but...and your father...

I'm...so sorry, Al...

[bloodseal_soul]

I know, Negi. I know. And the same goes for you, too.

It's all right, don't worry about it. What is, is, and there's no changing it.

What concerns me, though, is this Envy has no idea who Dante is, and has some very different memories. For all I know the rules of this game have completely changed.

[notamageiswear]

I'll be careful. I promise. I have a magical barrier, so I shouldn't be hurt too badly should he decide to attack me or anyone I'll be protecting. Dad and I..we'll both be protecting Asuna-san, I'm sure of it. She's the only family either of us have here, besides each other.

What do you mean? If he comes from your world, how could his memories of things be different than yours? And what does that mean for those of us defending against him?

[bloodseal_soul]

Sometimes there are discrepancies in memories, Negi. The Colonel, for instance, remembers things a little differently than Ed and I do. So does Winry, once in a while, but only after a certain point. I haven't found anything different between my birth and when Edward joined the military, up to the incident with Nina Tucker and Ed's run-in with Barry the Chopper. A lot of things are similar, but not the same. It gets confusing.

For now I'll be feeling him out and trying to see if his abilities have changed at all.

[notamageiswear]

Do you mean...alternate timelines? Where the choice not taken leads to events that otherwise would not have happened?

Is there anything I can do? Anything at all?

[bloodseal_soul]

I think that's the best way to describe it, yeah. It's probably more complicated, though.

I'll let you know if there is.

[notamageiswear]

I see...

Alright. For now, I'll see if I can't somehow set up a magical barrier around the clinic, just in case.

[bloodseal_soul]

Negi, thinking big is good, but don't use so much energy when something... small... will work just as well?

[Al gives him a soft smile.]

[notamageiswear]

It's no problem, really! I could keep it up for several hours before needing to rest, if I had to. What do you mean by small? Did you have something else in mind?

[bloodseal_soul]

Our Teacher always taught us that sometimes the little things are all the more effective. He'd be watching for something like a barrier, wouldn't he? What wouldn't he be paying attention to?