The Art of Beach Alchemy [Open]

[fulltinyalchemy.livejournal.com]

Night had fallen and Ed was out in full force.

Having decided to wait till the evening to make the effort even more spectacular, Ed had waited till the sun had set before performing his alchemy. A fitting tribute and all together frivolous, he clapped his hands.

A ring of energy formed and a statue formed of Alphonse in what he considered to be a heroic pose. He clapped his hands again and more statues formed; Armstrong without his shirt and posing, Fuery looking heroic with gun at his side while petting Den, Breda with a sandwich, Havoc in mid-drag of his ever-present cigarettes, Granny Pinako with her pipe, and even Hoenheim, as much as Ed was frustrated with him deserved a spot on his little beachfront adjustment. May stood at the bottom of the group, hands folded into her sleeves, and Ran Fan's grandfather stood in the final position.

It would stand here on the beach, rimming a set of rocks that he also had transmuted into strong glass and marble. A statement that the Fullmetal Alchemist had been here, and he was leaving his mark across the universe.

Ed grinned as he tapped his sneaker against the sand. "Looks pretty decent," he said to himself.

He felt that he didn't need to add statues of those awake. They being on this planet was enough.

Comments

[greennotgold]

This world was interesting at nighttime, also.

Fletcher knew he should probably sleep at night, but being on board a spaceship for so long had thrown his sleep schedule completely out of whack. Though the sky was dark, it felt like early afternoon. So, he was exploring, Omnicomm handy in his pocket and comm ring on one finger just in case.

He arrived at the beach in time to see Edward putting the finishing touches on his sculptures, and stared in awe. "Wow..."

[fulltinyalchemy.livejournal.com]

Ed grinned at Fletcher as he stepped back a little. "Pretty cool huh? I wanted to transmute more, but there's just not enough sand and rock available for more statues. Besides, we don't need statues of us, just those who haven't woken yet. Granted it's a long list but..."

[greennotgold]

Fletcher smiled, looking at each of the statues in turn. He didn't actually recognize any of these people, aside from Alphonse of course, but it was still a really touching sentiment. "I bet they'll really appreciate it when they wake up. We'll have to take pictures somehow to show them."

[short-changed.livejournal.com]

Ed held up a disposable camera in reply. "Got you covered there Fletcher. I picked this baby up at the store. The guy said it'll take pictures at night. Want to get into the picture? There's some room next to them."

[greennotgold]

His smile became a wide grin, and he nodded. Then, "--oh, let me call my brother first. He'll want to see too."

[snapsforyou.livejournal.com]

Drawn by the flare and crackle of alchemy, Roy appears at Ed's shoulder, eyebrow lifted, as per usual, as he scrutinizes the array of statues. Unaware of Ed's decision to leave those awake and aware out of it, he glances skeptically at the young alchemist.

"I'm offended, Fullmetal," he says, folding his arms across his chest. "Surely if Armstrong is worthy, I deserve a place in this kind of monument." He thinks vaguely that he doesn't even know two of the people represented.

[changeddestiny.livejournal.com]

Ed grinned up at Roy, a self-satisfied smirk. "There's a point to it Colonel: these are people who haven't woken up yet. So it's a tribute to those who have yet to set their feet on this soil."

"Besides, isn't one of you enough? Nice suspenders by the way."

[snapsforyou.livejournal.com]

He studies the figures, mainly that of Alphonse Elric, and nod after a minute. "That works, I suppose," he says, sounding like this is some major concession he's making here.

"Good point, Fullmetal--I wouldn't want to have to compete with myself." Sparkle. "I'll take that as sarcasm and return by complimenting your hair. It adds a few inches."

[changeddestiny.livejournal.com]

ASDF~! Ed flinched at the short joke and grabbed his hair protectively. "WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THAT HE HAS TO RELY ON HIS HAIR TO GIVE HIM HEIGH HUH?!"

Seething for just a moment, Ed was tempted to clap.

[snapsforyou.livejournal.com]

Fighting back a series of chuckles that dance about rather menacingly in his eyes, he smirks down at Ed.

"You took the comment there all by yourself, Fullmetal. Don't blame me for your short temper."

[sanguineroyal.livejournal.com]

Nanashi... well, she had been running, but to human eyes, it would seem more that she appeared next to Ed. She was dripping wet and in nothing but her newly-acquired bathing suit. The way her calf-length black hair draped in front of her face, she almost looked like one of those Japanese ghost girls.

Thankfully, she used her fingers to comb back her hair, accidentally flicking some water in all directions.

Her voice was velvety soft and smooth, like Lust's, but with an added intensity, as if she felt there was an importance to her every word. "I saw some light while I was swimming, and then I saw these appearing. Did you make these?"

[short-changed.livejournal.com]

Ed didn't jump, not much anyhow but he turned to look over at Nanashi. For a moment he thought Lust had somehow gotten close to him somehow. But while the woman had a passing resemblance to the homunculus all but in form, she wasn't the same person.

Instead he smothered his discomfort and nodded. "Yeah, I transmuted the sand and rocks into these. I figured it'd be a nice tribute for most of the people who aren't here to see this place. Whoop, forgot two more."

And he clapped his hands again and created a statue of Sig and Izumi in a warm embrace.

[sanguineroyal.livejournal.com]

Nanashi smiled wide. If this was good for making statues, this would be a magic she could really use! What a sweet child too, to be making these as a monument.

She laughed, impressed. "That is an incredible magic you have, little one!"

[fulltinyalchemy.livejournal.com]

There was a sound like a piano wire being snapped. Ed couldn't tell what he was more annoyed about; the "Mistake it as Magic" or "Little One".

No, it was definitely LITTLE ONE.

"Not. Little." ground out Ed, trying to hold onto his temper. He didn't want to freak out too soon. "And it's not magic it's Alchemy. A science."

[sanguineroyal.livejournal.com]

Nanashi laughed again, "I am sorry-" she had to stop herself from saying little one. "I am accustomed to calling most people that. I tend to assume that all the people around me are younger than me. It is a safe assumption, I believe, since I am 13000 years old. And," she crossed her arms, "In all of those years, I have never seen science like that. And I- well, are you familiar with a cannon? I invented that in my world."

Nanashi did not want to anger him. It would not help her to convince him to teach her this magic. Yes, as far as she was concerned, it was still magic.

[tricks-of-trade.livejournal.com]

Choline recognized a transmutation when she saw one. Admittedly, the little guy's methods were unorthodox - and who on earth could transmute sand into a statue? - but it was remarkable work nonetheless.

She was in her vaguely-scandalous bikini top and a pair of flowy pants, but she approached the guy's work-site and smiled.

"Nice job," she said. "All I can do is turn one metal into another. Can that be learned?"

She'd learned alchemy back home. Whatever style that this guy used, it was, for lack of a better word, epic.

[changeddestiny.livejournal.com]

Ed looked over at Choline wow... and nodded. "Yeah it can. Alchemists are everywhere back home." he blinked. "You're one too right? One metal into another is nothing to scoff at."

He wondered if she specialized in it, or if it was a native style and asked as much.

[tricks-of-trade.livejournal.com]

"Yep." Choline nodded, her ears swaying as she did so. "I learned from master alchemists on my world. I'd make metals, or gems -- usually potions and stuff like that. Never statues, though."

She inspected one of the figures. "But someone could learn how to do this... it must take years."

[fulltinyalchemy.livejournal.com]

"Huh, so it's closer to medical than it is regular." said Ed in thought. Potions and gems and metals, interesting.

He nodded. "I've managed to find a good chunk of texts on alchemy here and on the ship. I can show you to them if you want, and how to use arrays to transmute stuff."

[tricks-of-trade.livejournal.com]

"Huh. I didn't know the ship was so well-stocked." Her eyebrows furrowed in thought. "And what's an array?"

Oh, now you've gone ahead and piqued her interest.

"And... I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself. I'm Choline Moonstorm."

[wanna-tke-apart.livejournal.com]

It was surprising, being on solid ground again-- actual solid ground, not spaceship ground-- and even more surprising being on a beach. The sky looked so beautiful that Winry believed she'd taken it for granted before everything, that she'd overlooked its importance.

And as another light painted the beach, she had a feeling she knew what it was.

She followed the beach until she reached them -- the statues -- and then she stood silently for awhile. It was really spectacular, what alchemy could do sometimes.

"Good to see you haven't lost your touch," she said, approaching them -- the statues, Ed -- when she felt she could.

[changeddestiny.livejournal.com]

"I'm glad I can still do it," admitted Ed as he turned to look at Winry. "Not wearing beach stuff even at this hour huh?"

He himself was dressed in shorts, an open shirt and sneakers that were cut for support, his automail gleaming in the lamps that lit the beach up.

Turning back to the statues, he asked, "Anyone I should add? I've already added Hughes and his family, Fletcher and Russel added their dad, added teacher and Sig..."

[wanna-tke-apart.livejournal.com]

Winry laughed. No, she was in her work clothes-- in that being a midriff and a skirt. Not concealing clothes, but not quite beach clothes. "I haven't been to the beach in forever, Ed."

But she admired the statues, hands on her hips and a smile on her lips. "Maybe...the chimeras. The ones that helped us." Scar's bodyguards.

[changeddestiny.livejournal.com]

"Oh yeah, those guys. Heh, well they are pretty decent guys."

Ed clapped his hands and in an instant, the statues were added. "Man I'm going to run out of beach at this rate."

Stepping back to look at it in the moonlight, he sidled up to Winry. "Looks good, doesn't it? All of them together... like the rest of us are now. Oh wait, almost forgot Falman!"

[wanna-tke-apart.livejournal.com]

Her cheeks colored, but she still laughed again. "He wouldn't like that. Even Lieutenant Havoc before him?"

Really, Winry liked it. This relaxed air. She knew that shore leave would have to end sometime, but she would dread when it did.