That Blasted
Red Stone pt. X
By Icka! M. Chif
+++ Alphonse +++
While Al didn't mind learning new things, such as Kitty teaching him how to juggle, he generally preferred if the clean up from learning new things was fairly simple and not so messy.
Unfortunately, this was not the case. It was a lot of fun however.
Kitty had introduced them to something he called 'Shibori' and Al knew as 'Tie-dye'.
Elysica called it 'fun splashing in the many colours'.
Gracia called it 'colourful' and let them pattern and dye just about everything they could get their hands on. Kitty had some interesting ideas with thread and pressing leaves or blocks of wood against the fabric so that the dye didn't colour it, resulting in new drapes for the windows with geometric shapes on them. Gracia said that it brought new colour and life into the house and Al was hard pressed to argue.
Saguru and Brother had found it amusing, when they had had finally returned from the libraries. Brother had a particularly wicked smirk on his face as he made a comment about waiting until Winry saw him with the tie-dyed loincloth, especially with the spiral right in the middle of it.
There were times he was grateful he couldn't blush. Especially around Brother. On the other hand, Brother turned many different shades of red, usually when Colonel Mustang was around.
He had long ago decided not to inquire too deeply as to Brother and Colonel Mustang's relationship, despite the... frisson between them. As long as Mustang didn't hurt Brother, he didn't have to hurt the Colonel.
But the Colonel was protective of Brother, something Al could understand. And as much as he liked Kitty and Saguru, he missed the company of his brother. Kitty wasn't very good conversationalist, although he was learning.
A knock at the door drew his attention as Gracia answered the door. A large booming voice informed them that Kitty's escort was here.
Elysica poked her head into the doorway to see what was going on and Al followed her as well, just in time to see Kitty bounce down stairs.
Suddenly, he understood the purpose behind the tie-dyeing.
And once again, Al was slightly grateful for the fact that he still couldn't blush, nor could his jaw drop.
Oh, dear...
+++ Hakuba +++
"I don't need to walk around in circles, walk around in circles, walk around in circles, walk around...." Saguru hummed to himself as he sat on the steps to the Central Library. It was true, he didn't need to walk around in circles, even if that was what they did frequently. Ever shrinking circles that focused around the Shrine to Books, known as the Library. And an impressive library it was too, even if he wasn't allowed inside.
No, he didn't need to walk around in circles.
He just needed to draw circles.
Lots and lots of circles.
Alchemy reminded him a lot of chemistry, mixed with geometry. Instead of writing out the formula and the processes out with formulas and equations, you did it with symbols. He was still a little vague on the power source bit of it. The Elrics had walked him through a few transmutations, most noticeably changing the lens in the glasses for Kid, which he had goofed on by changing the colour of the glass, but he had noticed that he was drained afterwards. He had eaten like Edward as well, much to his embarrassment.
But it was interesting, and addicting.
Which made it a wonderful distraction for while they cooled their heels while Edward researched a way for them to go back home.
Hakuba flipped the paper over to draw on the blank side as he started humming a camp song from when he was younger. "Gee Mom I wanna go, but they won't let me go, Gee Mom I wanna go home..."
This place was nice, but it wasn't home. It wasn't Japan or his other home, England. And if he was homesick, it must be even worse for the Japanese thief.
A familiar voice caught his attention. A dark haired person wearing an EXTREMELY vibrant and colour shirt was walking past, followed by a mountain of a man with a curl on his forehead. The giant seemed to be a bit on the frazzled side.
... or he could be adapting himself just fine...
A second commotion behind him caught his attention and he glanced back to see a group of military men marching down the steps. The one in the middle, a man with a proud bearing, moustache and eye patch noticed him. The man slowed as the group passed by his seat on the stairs.
"Waiting for Edward, are we?" The man asked, looking amused.
Hakuba blinked stupidly for a moment. "Yes, sir." He held up the board with the papers he was drawing circles on. "Practicing, sir."
"Very good." The man patted him on the head and continued walking, a faint chuckling sound coming from him. "Carry on."
Hakuba watched the man and the group of people until they disappeared into a car at the base of the library. He ran a hand across the top of his head, verifying that yes, he had just been patted on the top of the head like a good boy, or a dog.
That had been strange.
Shrugging, he went back to drawing
circles and waiting for Edward to finish in the library.
"People are strange, when you're a stranger, faces look ugly when you're
alone ..."