Riddle 017: The Dominoes Fall

[questionauthority]

[First, a public call, filtered from drones and the like.]

First we're told not to drink the milk. It's poison, they say. Now, apparently, we aren't to be drinking the water, either? Believe me when I say that my childhood isn't something I was particularly happy to return to. Not at all. 

[He lets out a low sigh before filtering the call to Pokey Minch.]

Were you able to discover anything about the Smiths that could come in handy?

[And another filter, to Ema and Scout:]

Well, my partners-in-crime? Clear your schedules for the weekend. It's time to put our plan into action.

Comments

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

I'd thought, felt, and acted as I did when I was a ten-year-old child. Though, thankfully, this was only a temporary status.

...I've not had much experience in the field of alchemy, personally.

[Well, unless you count the Lazarus Pits of Ra's al Ghul and their life-bestowing capabilities, but that's still a bit different from the Philosopher's Stone.]

What is so special about this "Edward Elric?"

[ultimatexshield.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's over now? Nevermind then.~

It's a pretty damn handy practice, a shame I can't use it. [ He might count it if he knew anything about it. ] He transmuted his little brother's soul into a suit of armor for one, and he saw The Gate of Truth for another. One out of five to've seen it within th' last two-hundred years.

Most of your Alchemists'd be able to help actually, but Edward's got the broadest range of expertise. [ One of the reasons he went to the kid about immortality. He'd talk to Hohenheim if he could, but that bastard was hard to get a hold of. Izumi wouldn't help for shit, and he didn't know who the last two were. Unfortunately. ]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Hmm. You say he managed to fuse his brother's soul into a suit of armor?

[Hell, he's heard CRAZIER things.]

...explain this "Gate of Truth."

[ultimatexshield.livejournal.com]

Yeah, pretty damn awesome, but he won't show me how t'do it. [ Scratches the back of his neck idly.

He could believe it, honestly. ] Gate of Truth..Just the gate, but Truth guards it to keep humans from treading on 'god's territory.' Either way, there's more'n one way to describe it, all philosophical shit we don't have enough time to get into.

In short though, what it does, is, for a nominal fee~ you get to learn bits and pieces of 'the truth,' which puts you that much closer to 'God,' the 'Universal Truth,' or whatever you wanna call it, and gives your alchemy more bang for it's buck.

You only get to meet Truth after attemptin' human transmutations, though. For obvious reasons.~

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[This sounds... incredibly relevant to Edward's interests. A Gate of Truth sounds like it could have the answers to all life's riddles. Much like the Lazarus Pits, in a way.]

It sounds logical to me, really. I take it alchemy is commonplace where you're from?

[ultimatexshield.livejournal.com]

[ Gate of truth knows all. It's like if Chuck Norris and Ceiling Cat had a forbidden love child. ]

Kinda.. Not a lot of people can use Alchemy, but it's existance's common knowledge.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Intriguing... Are you an alchemist, yourself?

...existence. Lemme remember how to spell. |:

[ultimatexshield.livejournal.com]

Me? Nah, I can't use alchemy.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Nothing wrong with that. I, myself, am no alchemist, but regardless, I am a genius.

[ultimatexshield.livejournal.com]

Good on ya, pal.~ 'Lemme know if anything else pops up though.

I've missed enough around here, what with this place's weird holidays and all.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

If I ever hear anything else, I suppose I shall. I don't believe I caught your name?

[ultimatexshield.livejournal.com]

Care to trade names, then? My name's Greed.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

Edward Nigma.

[ultimatexshield.livejournal.com]

'Rolls off the tongue.

Let's keep in touch.~