[...Gods. Gods bringing people into other worlds. People here seriously believed that? What kind of weird cultish place has he wound up in? Shit, that's more bizarre than what Cornello suckered the Liore citizens into thinking.]
'People' say it? Which 'people?' Someone in charge here? This type of deal usually has a prophet or someone who claims to be able commune with 'em or something.
[Because clearly, there is a con-artist at work here who needs their ass kicked. There is no way this is another world. Whoever's in charge probably says that so no one will leave and he's got too much important shit to do to accept that.]
[Oh, he can certainly feel the are-you-crazy vibe. And looks sheepish for it. He's still failing at explaining, but hey, at least he tries.]
No one's really in charge, exactly... [A pause. Well, Tamaki had tried to claim, but... yeah.] It would seem to be true enough... there are a lot of strange things that happen. Everyone here says that, though. Even the locals.
[Actually, it's kind of dawning on him now that he hasn't exactly seen... proof... not that he really needs to believe it, anyway. Something likes jerking people around. And well, his life was weird enough already that it's kind of easy to just roll with it.]
It doesn't really matter what it or they are I don't think. [A bit of a weary look.] Something is bringing people here against their will and can force people out of their homes if they don't pay tribute. [Pause.] And affect moods. [Oh, right, where you are.] ...And randomly change the gender of some people. [Something between a dry and an ill look.]
[Ed...just kind of...stares blankly through almost of that, wondering at the extent of the brainwashing that must have taken place here and wondering how long he has to get the hell out of this freaky place before it gets him, too. There are things still unfinished in Amestris, damn it!]
Right.
[Oh, but there's one particular thing at the end that catches his attention. Pay tribute? So someone does stand to profit from this whole bullshit set-up after all. Jeez...why does it seem his lot in life to run across greedy con-artist bastards? If there's one thing aside from short jokes that really pisses him off more than anything else, it's exploitation of others by people who think they have a lot of power.]
Can you tell me where people are supposed to pay this 'tribute'?
[Video] 1/2 LOL TL;DR *headdesk*whitenightingJuly 26 2010, 03:03:13 UTC
[There's a bit of a pause at that, as abrupt and almost biting as the younger boy's tone was. It's enough to make Allen hesitate. No, he kind of knows that tone.]
I'm sorry if if I said anything to upset you.
[And he is. Realizing perhaps his own mood getting away from him, he tries to offer a weak, apologetic smile.]
I know it's not any easier to hear than to explain. I haven't been here that long myself. Others have been here longer, too. I guess we get a bit numb to it after a while.
[ video ] 2/2whitenightingJuly 26 2010, 03:03:44 UTC
[And that, in and of itself, raises a flag in his own mind.
But his expression sobers a bit after a moment.]
There are shrines scattered around where people pay tribute, although they seem to kind of... run together into the same one eventually. And not everyone pays the tribute. You just can't get permanent home without it... but there is free room and board in a village called Hisato available for a while.
All of this, well... [Pause, rubbing at his head because he pegged himself the last kind of person to not-quite defend this. Still does.] ... I suppose some people do what they do to get by while they look for a way out is what it comes down to. I don't think any of us want to be here. [Grimace, almost a scoff but he's too polite.] Far from it. Many of us are trying to find a way out still.
[Not that it wasn't hard on him, the tribute, but the debts he'd owed before were a far greater black hole to a much more murderous 'demon', so... this wasn't that bad for the short haul.
But not the long haul. Never. Even with reassurances... ... well, they still weren't true reassurances. Not enough.]
[ video ] no worries!equivalentfaithJuly 28 2010, 06:20:09 UTC
[The apology catches him off-guard]
Huh? No, you didn't offend me. It just pisses me off when someone who has power or thinks they do abuse it to exploit people who don't.
[He takes in all that information and duly files it away in his mind, thinking. So there wasn't just one shrine...which meant that whoever these tributes went to wouldn't actually be there. Not like Cornello, with his temple of Leto.]
Free lodging in Hisato, huh? Do you know how long it's free and if it comes with any strings attached? Like, do we have to do something to earn our keep or whatever?
[The alchemist's mind is always thinking in terms of Equivalent Exchange]
[Video] Late tag is laaatewhitenightingAugust 12 2010, 12:17:48 UTC
[A blink.] Ah.
[Allen pauses for a second but nods to that. Not really something he had consciously thought about before, but it's doesn't even require seriously dwelling on the concept to know he agrees with the younger boy. It's simpley a matter of what's right.]
Yeah. I know what you mean.
[Well, maybe he did know about that a bit. He'd felt like jerked around like such a pawn not long before arriving here, much to his not-so-mild frustration and rage.
And then there was the Earl. But Allen shakes his head a bit to clear his thoughts.]
The lodge is free for a few weeks, I think. I stayed there with a friend for a while and the people there were very nice, actually. Here, I'll send you the location after this.
[He does smile and wave a hand a bit dismissively at the thanks.]
[Video] Tis okay! /late for everythingequivalentfaithAugust 13 2010, 20:54:30 UTC
[Free for a few weeks? Well at least this con-artist or whatever is considerate. Not that that's saying much, and he still plans to get the hell out as soon as possible--certainly not before he has to start paying.]
I'd appreciate that, thanks. Guess I'll hole up there for now.
[...Gods. Gods bringing people into other worlds. People here seriously believed that? What kind of weird cultish place has he wound up in? Shit, that's more bizarre than what Cornello suckered the Liore citizens into thinking.]
'People' say it? Which 'people?' Someone in charge here? This type of deal usually has a prophet or someone who claims to be able commune with 'em or something.
[Because clearly, there is a con-artist at work here who needs their ass kicked. There is no way this is another world. Whoever's in charge probably says that so no one will leave and he's got too much important shit to do to accept that.]
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No one's really in charge, exactly... [A pause. Well, Tamaki had tried to claim, but... yeah.] It would seem to be true enough... there are a lot of strange things that happen. Everyone here says that, though. Even the locals.
[Actually, it's kind of dawning on him now that he hasn't exactly seen... proof... not that he really needs to believe it, anyway. Something likes jerking people around. And well, his life was weird enough already that it's kind of easy to just roll with it.]
It doesn't really matter what it or they are I don't think. [A bit of a weary look.] Something is bringing people here against their will and can force people out of their homes if they don't pay tribute. [Pause.] And affect moods. [Oh, right, where you are.] ...And randomly change the gender of some people. [Something between a dry and an ill look.]
Reply
[Ed...just kind of...stares blankly through almost of that, wondering at the extent of the brainwashing that must have taken place here and wondering how long he has to get the hell out of this freaky place before it gets him, too. There are things still unfinished in Amestris, damn it!]
Right.
[Oh, but there's one particular thing at the end that catches his attention. Pay tribute? So someone does stand to profit from this whole bullshit set-up after all. Jeez...why does it seem his lot in life to run across greedy con-artist bastards? If there's one thing aside from short jokes that really pisses him off more than anything else, it's exploitation of others by people who think they have a lot of power.]
Can you tell me where people are supposed to pay this 'tribute'?
Reply
I'm sorry if if I said anything to upset you.
[And he is. Realizing perhaps his own mood getting away from him, he tries to offer a weak, apologetic smile.]
I know it's not any easier to hear than to explain. I haven't been here that long myself. Others have been here longer, too. I guess we get a bit numb to it after a while.
Reply
But his expression sobers a bit after a moment.]
There are shrines scattered around where people pay tribute, although they seem to kind of... run together into the same one eventually. And not everyone pays the tribute. You just can't get permanent home without it... but there is free room and board in a village called Hisato available for a while.
All of this, well... [Pause, rubbing at his head because he pegged himself the last kind of person to not-quite defend this. Still does.] ... I suppose some people do what they do to get by while they look for a way out is what it comes down to. I don't think any of us want to be here. [Grimace, almost a scoff but he's too polite.] Far from it. Many of us are trying to find a way out still.
[Not that it wasn't hard on him, the tribute, but the debts he'd owed before were a far greater black hole to a much more murderous 'demon', so... this wasn't that bad for the short haul.
But not the long haul. Never. Even with reassurances... ... well, they still weren't true reassurances. Not enough.]
Reply
Huh? No, you didn't offend me. It just pisses me off when someone who has power or thinks they do abuse it to exploit people who don't.
[He takes in all that information and duly files it away in his mind, thinking. So there wasn't just one shrine...which meant that whoever these tributes went to wouldn't actually be there. Not like Cornello, with his temple of Leto.]
Free lodging in Hisato, huh? Do you know how long it's free and if it comes with any strings attached? Like, do we have to do something to earn our keep or whatever?
[The alchemist's mind is always thinking in terms of Equivalent Exchange]
Thanks for the information, Allen. I owe you one.
Reply
[Allen pauses for a second but nods to that. Not really something he had consciously thought about before, but it's doesn't even require seriously dwelling on the concept to know he agrees with the younger boy. It's simpley a matter of what's right.]
Yeah. I know what you mean.
[Well, maybe he did know about that a bit. He'd felt like jerked around like such a pawn not long before arriving here, much to his not-so-mild frustration and rage.
And then there was the Earl. But Allen shakes his head a bit to clear his thoughts.]
The lodge is free for a few weeks, I think. I stayed there with a friend for a while and the people there were very nice, actually. Here, I'll send you the location after this.
[He does smile and wave a hand a bit dismissively at the thanks.]
It's no trouble. Good luck.
Reply
I'd appreciate that, thanks. Guess I'll hole up there for now.
You too. See you around, Allen.
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