Kings and Vagabonds 3, KYD
Oct. 14th, 2014 08:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
akinoame The first hint that dressing themselves wasn't going to go smoothly was when Eiji looked at his hose and a pair of pants called "braies" and couldn't help but ask, "Where's the underwear?"
"What's that?" Gerhild asked, glancing toward Solaris for a translation.
"Underwear," she repeated, gesturing. "Undergarments? Something to protect your..."
"Oh!" Gerhild realized, and she pointed at the braies, repeating the term, "Underwear."
"Oh," Eiji answered, nodding. "Okay."
He put them on and started struggling with the hose until Gerhild went over and helped him belt them in place.
"Thanks," he said in German. "I think I've got this."
"All right," she answered, making her way over to Solaris.
For her part, Solaris started fine—braies, hose, a fine, white linen tunic. But Gerhild noticed something strange about the blue surcoat she was about to place over her and stopped.
"What's wrong?" Solaris asked.
"I know the embroidery on the neck," she murmured. "Aleidis made this when she was having her baby."
"Maybe it was a mistake in laundry," Solaris replied.
"Maybe," Gerhild answered.
There was a knock on the door. Hurriedly, she dressed Solaris in the gown and called out, "We're not ready yet!"
"I'll take care of it," Eiji promised.
He cracked open the door and peered out to see the King standing outside.
"Uh, Your Majesty," he said.
"Apologies," the King replied. "I thought you would be dressed by now."
Eiji glanced back at Solaris, who was fighting with Gerhild over a hat that was knocking her glasses off.
"Sorry," he answered. "We're having a little trouble."
"If you don't mind, I would like to speak with you while we wait."
Eiji hesitated. Everything he'd heard about the King made him wary. Someone so greedy that he let his desire get out of control until he betrayed the people who'd followed him. But still, if there was ever a chance to learn more about the Medals and possibly a way to revive Ankh, this was it.
Plus, it meant a few precious minutes away from Solaris.
"I guess," he answered.
"Good," the King said. "I'll take you to the alchemists' tower. Gerhild, please escort Miss Solaris when she is ready."
"Yes, Your Majesty," she answered from within.
Eiji stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him. The King took note of his orange tunic and red hose and noted, "You look better when you're not dressed as a vagabond."
He had to grin. "I've heard that a few times." But pausing to think, he asked, "I hope you don't mind if I ask you a question."
"Let me guess: how I speak your language?" Eiji nodded. "I have invited scholars from all over the world to study here and teach us their ways. Among them, my alchemists. Through them, I have learned many languages, among them, yours."
"That does make sense," Eiji admitted.
"What does not is your name," the King pointed out, and Eiji stopped cold. "Elric is not a name from Japan, and it takes effort to pronounce that—the same goes for Miss Solaris. Why is that?"
"Well, it's kind of...a superstition," Eiji floundered. When the King raised an eyebrow, he said, "There's this legend, of a river god who got lost and found his way to a bathhouse. There, he met an old witch who stole his name, allowing her to control him. Without him there, the river dried up. One day, a girl who had fallen into the river once before found the bathhouse, but he protected her name so the witch couldn't spirit her away, and she helped return his name to him."
"There are other versions," Solaris added as she and Gerhild came up behind them. She'd forgone the hat and instead had a ribbon tying her hair back. "For example, I was always under the impression that the river god eventually married the girl."
"Really?" Eiji asked, in surprise. "I never got that."
Solaris bowed. "I'm sorry I'm late, Your Majesty. We really have been looking forward to this meeting."
"That is fine," the King assured her. "Unfortunately, most of my alchemists are finishing up a project at my request, so we will only have the chance to meet with one of them."
He brought them up to the tower and opened the door to a lab. Sitting at a table, looking over Eiji's notebook was a masked man—someone who Eiji recognized immediately.
"Gara," he whispered.
"I see my reputation precedes me," the alchemist replied, standing. Eiji half-expected him to be unnaturally tall, as he had been when he'd taken over an innocent woman's body, but he was roughly the same height they were. He had Eiji's notebook and remarked, "Your notes are detailed, though sorely lacking."
"I apologize, Master Gara," Solaris said with a bow. "We in Japan are far behind in recreating your great work."
Gara handed Eiji back the notebook. "I have been examining your possessions. They are...strange."
"I'm sure," Eiji murmured.
The rest of his belongings were spread out on the table, and the King went through them. "Leather bracelet, of good make." He picked up Eiji's phone, dented and the screen broken from the rough battle. "A mirror? Broken, now."
"Yes, unfortunately," Solaris agreed, with a sly glance toward Eiji. He couldn't help but grimace slightly; Ankh's old phone wouldn't have been able to help now as it had before, but it was a shame to lose it.
Next was the charger. "I take it this is to build fires with? On a cord to keep with you. But no flint. Very odd assortment."
"Yes," Eiji agreed, dreading the next item.
But instead the King lifted up Eiji's underwear and the money inside. "Assorted coins, and..."
"Braies, Your Majesty," Gerhild explained.
The King laughed and collected Eiji's items, handing them back. "In that case, I will return them. However, there is this." And just what Eiji feared—Ankh's broken Medal halves were in his hand. "I am curious how you got such an item."
"That...is a long story," Eiji said. "It belonged to a friend, who died a few years ago. I've kept it, kind of as a good luck charm. But believe me when I say I don't know how it was made."
The King and Gara regarded him for a moment, seeing the raw honesty on his face before the King finally placed it in Eiji's hand.
"Luck is something we make ourselves, in trying to achieve our hearts' desires," he said. "But things that are important to you must be held close."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," he replied with a deep bow.
Gara picked up the Medajalibur and handed it to the King. "There is also the matter of this."
"Strange balance on it," he noted, testing the weight. "But wonderful workmanship—the steel appears stronger than what we have, and the inlay is beautiful."
"It's a gift," Eiji answered quickly, and Solaris looked at him, trying to hide her surprise. "From the Emperor to you, Your Majesty."
Solaris caught on and added, "Yes. We had hoped that in exchange, we could learn more from your kingdom's alchemists and bring back the knowledge to Japan. This is just the first of many such gifts, in the hopes of a friendship between our countries."
"And these three Medals?" Gara asked, holding up the Super Medals.
"Unfortunately, those appear to be defective," Solaris explained. "As you can see by the coloring. My apprentice tried to test them with the sword, but the explosion somehow landed us close to your castle."
"A shame," the King noted. "I would have liked to see what they could do."
"The sword, however, does function with Cell Medals," she explained. "Perhaps later, my apprentice can give you a demonstration."
"Yes, I would like that," the King agreed. "But first, Master Gara has agreed to show you how his current project is made."
"Yes," Gara replied. "I am working on a new set of Core Medals, one that will not require creating a Greeed."
"Isn't that necessary to their function?" Solaris asked.
"It is a waste of energy," he argued. "Better to pool all of the energy together. My fellows attempted this with their Medals of long-dead creatures, but they appear to have failed."
Eiji tried to keep his attention on the discussion as Gara brought out the materials for what would become the BraKaWani Medals, but he couldn't help but worry. The King hadn't mentioned anything about the OOO Driver, and that left only three possibilities: the Driver had fallen off during the backlash and was lost in time, the Driver had fallen off when they were captured and was somewhere on the castle grounds, or the King had located it and wasn't telling him for some reason.
He glanced at the King, who was engrossed in Gara's lesson. He didn't trust him, but up until now, the King had seemingly been honest with him. If he had been so worried about Ankh's Medal and the rest, why wouldn't he ask why there was another OOO Driver?
"Apprentice," Gara called.
"Uh, yes," Eiji replied.
"Please retrieve the specimen from its tank," he said. "And with gloves—you do not want to get bitten."
"All right," Eiji answered, putting on a pair of leather gloves, wondering just what could possibly be so dangerous that...
And he finally saw why. It was a snake. Of course it was a snake. And a cobra at that. Eiji completely forgot himself and started screaming.
Gerhild jumped, but she helped ease him away from the tank. Solaris was less sympathetic, walking over and hissing at him, "Get a hold of yourself!"
"I...I really, really don't like snakes!" Eiji cried, beginning to hyperventilate.
"I can't believe this," Solaris muttered, ripping the gloves off his hands as he shook.
She reached down into the tank and carefully removed the snake, bringing it over to him. Forcing him to hold the head closed, she placed it in his hands, with him panicking worse.
"I need a sample of the skin," Gara said, sounding far too amused.
"Do not let go," Solaris growled as she retrieved a knife.
Eiji's breathing was still rapid and shallow, and Solaris had to hold his hands still as she scraped off a sample of skin cells. The cobra didn't seem happy, but Eiji was worse. All that was running through his head was that the snake would manage to open its mouth and bite one of them, or he would lose his grip and it would run loose in the tower. The scales were against his skin, it was squirming and trying to get free, and it had a mouth full of poison that only his shaking hands was protecting him from.
"That is enough," Gara answered. "You may put the specimen away."
Relieved, Eiji set the cobra back in the tank and backed away quickly, shaking all over. Gerhild took his arm and tried to comfort him, but Solaris sighed, "Please excuse my apprentice. I think he may need a moment to recover."
"Of course," the King agreed. "Perhaps by dinner, the others will finally be available. We hope to have a feast, to help our people recover from this attack."
As Eiji nodded, Gerhild murmured, "This way," and led him out the door.
The King watched them leave and noted to Solaris, "Your apprentice is an unusual man."
"I know, Your Majesty," she replied with a slight bow.
"Heroic but humble, courageous and clever, but scared so easily by something so small. He is very interesting."
For some reason, the comment sent a chill down Solaris's spine. Despite her objective, she was very, very glad Eiji was away from her—away from the King.
"Yes, he is," she agreed, keeping her tone even.
~~~
Eiji sat down on the bottom step of the tower, trying to catch his breath.
"It's funny," he said. "All the things I've been through, snakes are the only thing I can't handle."
While Gerhild couldn't understand what he was saying, she could see that he was calming down. And right now, there was something she wanted to check out herself, so she took his hand and said, "This way."
Struggling with his German again, he asked, "Where?" as she dragged him along.
Gerhild paused. The language barrier again, and no one to translate for them. She indicated the embroidery on her surcoat and pointed back toward the lab. "Solaris. Aleidis." Eiji stared blankly, so she mimed sewing.
"Aleidis made it?" he asked in Japanese, mimicking her actions. "Aleidis?"
"Yes," she answered with a nod. In the local German, she insisted, "My friend."
"Friend," he repeated in Japanese. Then, pointing in the direction she'd been leading him, he asked in German, "This way?"
Good, they understood each other well enough. Smiling, she nodded and led him through, past the main hall and closer toward the kitchen, where Eiji could smell meat cooking. Gerhild looked around through the kitchen and saw one of the servants she'd hugged earlier.
"Sophia!" she called.
"Just in time," the maid answered, walking over. "I could use your help. There's not enough meat, and we're trying to stretch what we have..."
"In a moment," Gerhild said as Eiji looked around, completely lost by the conversation. "Where's Aleidis? One of her gowns was given to the lady alchemist."
Everyone in the kitchen stopped suddenly, and even Eiji turned to look and make sure everything was okay. Sophia took Gerhild's hands and said, "I'm so sorry. It happened while you were exiled. Just before she was going to have her baby, she took ill."
"How?" Gerhild asked, her voice shaking. "There were midwives in the village..."
Sophia lowered her voice and ushered Gerhild away from prying ears. "The alchemists came to see her. They insisted on providing care the entire time. They gave her strange potions, and she became ill. Her child did not make it either."
Her breath hitching, Gerhild asked, "And His Majesty?"
"You would not have known he was the father," Sophia whispered. "He ordered the alchemists to take her away—he wouldn't even let us give her a proper burial."
Gerhild covered her mouth to choke back a sob. "And the other children?"
"Not here!" Sophia hissed, with a glance back toward Eiji. "He may not understand what we're saying, but he could always repeat it to someone who does."
"He wouldn't," she insisted. "He stood up for me in front of His Majesty."
"That's not enough for me to trust him, and it shouldn't be enough for you," Sophia argued. "Both of you go. We'll take care of the feast."
Eiji was trying, without success, to convince one of the cooks to let him help with a stew. Gerhild walked over and took his wrist, and when he saw how upset she was, he asked, "Are you okay?"
"This way," she insisted, pulling him away.
~~~
Solaris watched closely as Gara dissolved the snakeskin in a mixture of chemicals and began to add metallic salts.
"I see," she said. "So without killing the sample, there's no void to create a Greeed."
"Correct," he replied. "The resulting Medal will grant the same properties, but it will not gain awareness."
"Create life, or deny it," she remarked. "Impressive."
The door opened, and three more masked men in different colored robes entered. Seeing the King, they bowed, and he asked, "I take it your project is complete?"
"The current one, yes," the masked man in red replied.
"Very good," the King replied. "Miss Solaris, I would like to introduce you to my alchemists: Master Thomas Willeson, of England." The man in blue-green bowed lightly. "From Persia, Master Badr ibn Khazim." The man in white also bowed. "From China, Master Wang Shi Qi." The man in red now bowed. "And of course, you already know our wandering alchemist, Master Gara." Gara did not bow, proudly meeting her line of sight.
It was good, then, that Eiji was not in the room. Solaris was not sure how he would have handled the realization. In the lab, now, were the five men who were the first known to seek evolution beyond humanity's boundaries, to create the ultimate lifeform. They were the forefathers of Shocker and Foundation X, and they were on the precipice of creating a human who could surpass God.
She bowed deeply. "I am honored to meet you," she said.
It was an honor, yes. But it was also unsettling. The King clearly had ambitions that even dwarfed those of Shocker and Foundation X. History said that he almost became a god, defeated only by his desire going out of control.
But now, she and Eiji were interfering with history, and history was interfering with them. Just what would happen to them if the King succeeded in obtaining this ultimate lifeform?
"What's that?" Gerhild asked, glancing toward Solaris for a translation.
"Underwear," she repeated, gesturing. "Undergarments? Something to protect your..."
"Oh!" Gerhild realized, and she pointed at the braies, repeating the term, "Underwear."
"Oh," Eiji answered, nodding. "Okay."
He put them on and started struggling with the hose until Gerhild went over and helped him belt them in place.
"Thanks," he said in German. "I think I've got this."
"All right," she answered, making her way over to Solaris.
For her part, Solaris started fine—braies, hose, a fine, white linen tunic. But Gerhild noticed something strange about the blue surcoat she was about to place over her and stopped.
"What's wrong?" Solaris asked.
"I know the embroidery on the neck," she murmured. "Aleidis made this when she was having her baby."
"Maybe it was a mistake in laundry," Solaris replied.
"Maybe," Gerhild answered.
There was a knock on the door. Hurriedly, she dressed Solaris in the gown and called out, "We're not ready yet!"
"I'll take care of it," Eiji promised.
He cracked open the door and peered out to see the King standing outside.
"Uh, Your Majesty," he said.
"Apologies," the King replied. "I thought you would be dressed by now."
Eiji glanced back at Solaris, who was fighting with Gerhild over a hat that was knocking her glasses off.
"Sorry," he answered. "We're having a little trouble."
"If you don't mind, I would like to speak with you while we wait."
Eiji hesitated. Everything he'd heard about the King made him wary. Someone so greedy that he let his desire get out of control until he betrayed the people who'd followed him. But still, if there was ever a chance to learn more about the Medals and possibly a way to revive Ankh, this was it.
Plus, it meant a few precious minutes away from Solaris.
"I guess," he answered.
"Good," the King said. "I'll take you to the alchemists' tower. Gerhild, please escort Miss Solaris when she is ready."
"Yes, Your Majesty," she answered from within.
Eiji stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him. The King took note of his orange tunic and red hose and noted, "You look better when you're not dressed as a vagabond."
He had to grin. "I've heard that a few times." But pausing to think, he asked, "I hope you don't mind if I ask you a question."
"Let me guess: how I speak your language?" Eiji nodded. "I have invited scholars from all over the world to study here and teach us their ways. Among them, my alchemists. Through them, I have learned many languages, among them, yours."
"That does make sense," Eiji admitted.
"What does not is your name," the King pointed out, and Eiji stopped cold. "Elric is not a name from Japan, and it takes effort to pronounce that—the same goes for Miss Solaris. Why is that?"
"Well, it's kind of...a superstition," Eiji floundered. When the King raised an eyebrow, he said, "There's this legend, of a river god who got lost and found his way to a bathhouse. There, he met an old witch who stole his name, allowing her to control him. Without him there, the river dried up. One day, a girl who had fallen into the river once before found the bathhouse, but he protected her name so the witch couldn't spirit her away, and she helped return his name to him."
"There are other versions," Solaris added as she and Gerhild came up behind them. She'd forgone the hat and instead had a ribbon tying her hair back. "For example, I was always under the impression that the river god eventually married the girl."
"Really?" Eiji asked, in surprise. "I never got that."
Solaris bowed. "I'm sorry I'm late, Your Majesty. We really have been looking forward to this meeting."
"That is fine," the King assured her. "Unfortunately, most of my alchemists are finishing up a project at my request, so we will only have the chance to meet with one of them."
He brought them up to the tower and opened the door to a lab. Sitting at a table, looking over Eiji's notebook was a masked man—someone who Eiji recognized immediately.
"Gara," he whispered.
"I see my reputation precedes me," the alchemist replied, standing. Eiji half-expected him to be unnaturally tall, as he had been when he'd taken over an innocent woman's body, but he was roughly the same height they were. He had Eiji's notebook and remarked, "Your notes are detailed, though sorely lacking."
"I apologize, Master Gara," Solaris said with a bow. "We in Japan are far behind in recreating your great work."
Gara handed Eiji back the notebook. "I have been examining your possessions. They are...strange."
"I'm sure," Eiji murmured.
The rest of his belongings were spread out on the table, and the King went through them. "Leather bracelet, of good make." He picked up Eiji's phone, dented and the screen broken from the rough battle. "A mirror? Broken, now."
"Yes, unfortunately," Solaris agreed, with a sly glance toward Eiji. He couldn't help but grimace slightly; Ankh's old phone wouldn't have been able to help now as it had before, but it was a shame to lose it.
Next was the charger. "I take it this is to build fires with? On a cord to keep with you. But no flint. Very odd assortment."
"Yes," Eiji agreed, dreading the next item.
But instead the King lifted up Eiji's underwear and the money inside. "Assorted coins, and..."
"Braies, Your Majesty," Gerhild explained.
The King laughed and collected Eiji's items, handing them back. "In that case, I will return them. However, there is this." And just what Eiji feared—Ankh's broken Medal halves were in his hand. "I am curious how you got such an item."
"That...is a long story," Eiji said. "It belonged to a friend, who died a few years ago. I've kept it, kind of as a good luck charm. But believe me when I say I don't know how it was made."
The King and Gara regarded him for a moment, seeing the raw honesty on his face before the King finally placed it in Eiji's hand.
"Luck is something we make ourselves, in trying to achieve our hearts' desires," he said. "But things that are important to you must be held close."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," he replied with a deep bow.
Gara picked up the Medajalibur and handed it to the King. "There is also the matter of this."
"Strange balance on it," he noted, testing the weight. "But wonderful workmanship—the steel appears stronger than what we have, and the inlay is beautiful."
"It's a gift," Eiji answered quickly, and Solaris looked at him, trying to hide her surprise. "From the Emperor to you, Your Majesty."
Solaris caught on and added, "Yes. We had hoped that in exchange, we could learn more from your kingdom's alchemists and bring back the knowledge to Japan. This is just the first of many such gifts, in the hopes of a friendship between our countries."
"And these three Medals?" Gara asked, holding up the Super Medals.
"Unfortunately, those appear to be defective," Solaris explained. "As you can see by the coloring. My apprentice tried to test them with the sword, but the explosion somehow landed us close to your castle."
"A shame," the King noted. "I would have liked to see what they could do."
"The sword, however, does function with Cell Medals," she explained. "Perhaps later, my apprentice can give you a demonstration."
"Yes, I would like that," the King agreed. "But first, Master Gara has agreed to show you how his current project is made."
"Yes," Gara replied. "I am working on a new set of Core Medals, one that will not require creating a Greeed."
"Isn't that necessary to their function?" Solaris asked.
"It is a waste of energy," he argued. "Better to pool all of the energy together. My fellows attempted this with their Medals of long-dead creatures, but they appear to have failed."
Eiji tried to keep his attention on the discussion as Gara brought out the materials for what would become the BraKaWani Medals, but he couldn't help but worry. The King hadn't mentioned anything about the OOO Driver, and that left only three possibilities: the Driver had fallen off during the backlash and was lost in time, the Driver had fallen off when they were captured and was somewhere on the castle grounds, or the King had located it and wasn't telling him for some reason.
He glanced at the King, who was engrossed in Gara's lesson. He didn't trust him, but up until now, the King had seemingly been honest with him. If he had been so worried about Ankh's Medal and the rest, why wouldn't he ask why there was another OOO Driver?
"Apprentice," Gara called.
"Uh, yes," Eiji replied.
"Please retrieve the specimen from its tank," he said. "And with gloves—you do not want to get bitten."
"All right," Eiji answered, putting on a pair of leather gloves, wondering just what could possibly be so dangerous that...
And he finally saw why. It was a snake. Of course it was a snake. And a cobra at that. Eiji completely forgot himself and started screaming.
Gerhild jumped, but she helped ease him away from the tank. Solaris was less sympathetic, walking over and hissing at him, "Get a hold of yourself!"
"I...I really, really don't like snakes!" Eiji cried, beginning to hyperventilate.
"I can't believe this," Solaris muttered, ripping the gloves off his hands as he shook.
She reached down into the tank and carefully removed the snake, bringing it over to him. Forcing him to hold the head closed, she placed it in his hands, with him panicking worse.
"I need a sample of the skin," Gara said, sounding far too amused.
"Do not let go," Solaris growled as she retrieved a knife.
Eiji's breathing was still rapid and shallow, and Solaris had to hold his hands still as she scraped off a sample of skin cells. The cobra didn't seem happy, but Eiji was worse. All that was running through his head was that the snake would manage to open its mouth and bite one of them, or he would lose his grip and it would run loose in the tower. The scales were against his skin, it was squirming and trying to get free, and it had a mouth full of poison that only his shaking hands was protecting him from.
"That is enough," Gara answered. "You may put the specimen away."
Relieved, Eiji set the cobra back in the tank and backed away quickly, shaking all over. Gerhild took his arm and tried to comfort him, but Solaris sighed, "Please excuse my apprentice. I think he may need a moment to recover."
"Of course," the King agreed. "Perhaps by dinner, the others will finally be available. We hope to have a feast, to help our people recover from this attack."
As Eiji nodded, Gerhild murmured, "This way," and led him out the door.
The King watched them leave and noted to Solaris, "Your apprentice is an unusual man."
"I know, Your Majesty," she replied with a slight bow.
"Heroic but humble, courageous and clever, but scared so easily by something so small. He is very interesting."
For some reason, the comment sent a chill down Solaris's spine. Despite her objective, she was very, very glad Eiji was away from her—away from the King.
"Yes, he is," she agreed, keeping her tone even.
Eiji sat down on the bottom step of the tower, trying to catch his breath.
"It's funny," he said. "All the things I've been through, snakes are the only thing I can't handle."
While Gerhild couldn't understand what he was saying, she could see that he was calming down. And right now, there was something she wanted to check out herself, so she took his hand and said, "This way."
Struggling with his German again, he asked, "Where?" as she dragged him along.
Gerhild paused. The language barrier again, and no one to translate for them. She indicated the embroidery on her surcoat and pointed back toward the lab. "Solaris. Aleidis." Eiji stared blankly, so she mimed sewing.
"Aleidis made it?" he asked in Japanese, mimicking her actions. "Aleidis?"
"Yes," she answered with a nod. In the local German, she insisted, "My friend."
"Friend," he repeated in Japanese. Then, pointing in the direction she'd been leading him, he asked in German, "This way?"
Good, they understood each other well enough. Smiling, she nodded and led him through, past the main hall and closer toward the kitchen, where Eiji could smell meat cooking. Gerhild looked around through the kitchen and saw one of the servants she'd hugged earlier.
"Sophia!" she called.
"Just in time," the maid answered, walking over. "I could use your help. There's not enough meat, and we're trying to stretch what we have..."
"In a moment," Gerhild said as Eiji looked around, completely lost by the conversation. "Where's Aleidis? One of her gowns was given to the lady alchemist."
Everyone in the kitchen stopped suddenly, and even Eiji turned to look and make sure everything was okay. Sophia took Gerhild's hands and said, "I'm so sorry. It happened while you were exiled. Just before she was going to have her baby, she took ill."
"How?" Gerhild asked, her voice shaking. "There were midwives in the village..."
Sophia lowered her voice and ushered Gerhild away from prying ears. "The alchemists came to see her. They insisted on providing care the entire time. They gave her strange potions, and she became ill. Her child did not make it either."
Her breath hitching, Gerhild asked, "And His Majesty?"
"You would not have known he was the father," Sophia whispered. "He ordered the alchemists to take her away—he wouldn't even let us give her a proper burial."
Gerhild covered her mouth to choke back a sob. "And the other children?"
"Not here!" Sophia hissed, with a glance back toward Eiji. "He may not understand what we're saying, but he could always repeat it to someone who does."
"He wouldn't," she insisted. "He stood up for me in front of His Majesty."
"That's not enough for me to trust him, and it shouldn't be enough for you," Sophia argued. "Both of you go. We'll take care of the feast."
Eiji was trying, without success, to convince one of the cooks to let him help with a stew. Gerhild walked over and took his wrist, and when he saw how upset she was, he asked, "Are you okay?"
"This way," she insisted, pulling him away.
Solaris watched closely as Gara dissolved the snakeskin in a mixture of chemicals and began to add metallic salts.
"I see," she said. "So without killing the sample, there's no void to create a Greeed."
"Correct," he replied. "The resulting Medal will grant the same properties, but it will not gain awareness."
"Create life, or deny it," she remarked. "Impressive."
The door opened, and three more masked men in different colored robes entered. Seeing the King, they bowed, and he asked, "I take it your project is complete?"
"The current one, yes," the masked man in red replied.
"Very good," the King replied. "Miss Solaris, I would like to introduce you to my alchemists: Master Thomas Willeson, of England." The man in blue-green bowed lightly. "From Persia, Master Badr ibn Khazim." The man in white also bowed. "From China, Master Wang Shi Qi." The man in red now bowed. "And of course, you already know our wandering alchemist, Master Gara." Gara did not bow, proudly meeting her line of sight.
It was good, then, that Eiji was not in the room. Solaris was not sure how he would have handled the realization. In the lab, now, were the five men who were the first known to seek evolution beyond humanity's boundaries, to create the ultimate lifeform. They were the forefathers of Shocker and Foundation X, and they were on the precipice of creating a human who could surpass God.
She bowed deeply. "I am honored to meet you," she said.
It was an honor, yes. But it was also unsettling. The King clearly had ambitions that even dwarfed those of Shocker and Foundation X. History said that he almost became a god, defeated only by his desire going out of control.
But now, she and Eiji were interfering with history, and history was interfering with them. Just what would happen to them if the King succeeded in obtaining this ultimate lifeform?