Internal Flame

Two weeks paid leave. Those had to be the best four words Shula knew in the Amestrian language. As much as Shula had protested, she needed the vacation. Ever since opting to discontinue her treatments, work just felt three times more tiring, even though now she was getting everything paid on time and easier. Everything comes only with sacrifice. Of course there was the money Aaron insisted on giving her, but she'd never touched it once she joined the Military; for the last three years, all he'd given her had gone into an account just for him that she'd return to him when she died. It was a little skewed and he wouldn't like it, but it was the only thing she could think of that seemed fair. Besides that, she joined the Military to provide for herself, not continue to be a burden on the people she loved most, especially when they had already sacrificed so much for her sake. Her intentions were good, but her family wouldn't understand. She hadn't told them she quit her treatments. But as her coworkers, subordinates and bosses all insisted that she needed the break, Shula really had no choice but to surrender lest they tie her up and mail her somewhere and force her on vacation.

The first week had been with her mother in Meissan. Phone calls with Amira were an adventure only for the stout-hearted to begin with; spending a week with her over-protective mother and having to defend herself that much in such a short time had left Shula more than grateful to be spending the next several days in Resembool with her father. She didn't call him as often and visited even less, and given her circumstances Shula felt that this was something that needed to be rectified somehow.Shula let out a sigh, walking into the warm sunlight as she exited the only Ishvallan temple in the small, sheep-farming town. It had taken moving mountains to get it put in, but the few Ishvallans who had peacefully settled in the area appreciated it. The delicate metal of her bangles clinked together as she walked out, deciding to walk back to her father's and enjoy the sunshine. At least here her father knew she needed the peace of not being kept in a box and fussed over so much. She had more freedom in Resembool She wasn't the lieutenant colonel in the chaos that was Central HQ. She didn't have to have all the answers here, chase her tail all day to fix the messes her subordinates would leave for her, or worse, the messes her superiors would leave for her. She could put her brain on park to stop looking fruitlessly for cures and solutions on top of helping the country stay running smoothly. Hell, most of the people in this town barely knew her and generally left her alone to do as she pleased. Here she could just be Shula.

Shula pulled the golden edge of her sari up from her shoulders over her head, just covering to her bangs. The long cloth wrapped around her petite frame, draped over her head and hung down over her shoulder. It was uncommon for her, but she actually did like dressing more traditionally lately, and felt she was going back to her roots steadily, even starting to let the blonde grow out of her hair. The gentle tones of the deep red were patterned with dark blue and edged in gold. The afternoon was still early, and she still smelled heavily of incense. The walk would be nice, and maybe she'd just stay out until evening and just walk through all the parks and fields. After all, she was free to do that here.

Nuchiha knew now as the time, if there was anything left at all, even a page it would be best to go obtain anything. He took a chartered train to Resembool, he had disguised himself earlier as it was Amestrian territory. If he was caught, he was on his own. The train ride its self wasn't exciting, it was very dull. Nuchiha only had a single magazine to read, it wasn't even modern it was some time in the mid 1990s. The train stopped at Resembool, he knew he had to get something at Resembool to do while on the train ride or be bored... Again. As Nuchiha exited the train, he looked over the green rolling hills that had sheep and cattle grazing on them. Resembool was truely a step backwards to a simpler time. Resembool wasn't undergoing any modernization, or it seemingly didn't, the inside of some homes were modern. While the outside of the homes kept a old rustic design.

Nuchiha entered the General Store as a detour from his original mission. He wandered around, pretending to act like a normal citizen of the area. He exited the store there wasn't anything that could help him currently. As Nuchiha walked through a park, he noticed a tanned girl with... Red eyes?? She was Ishvallan, there weren't many left because of Amestris. He accidentally bumped into the girl, "Sorry," Nuchiha said, but he said it in Cretarian... He froze in his steps, did he just reveal himself? Or would he be taken for some unknown tourist? Nuchiha realized, he was still wearing his gloves, he put his arms in a crossed arm like position to hide the transmutation circle on them. This was the largest blunder he ever had on any business at all, was it because he was surprised of her being Ishvallan? Nuchiha had a small cough, "Must have a cold..." Nuchiha said, fortunately it wasn't in Cretarian but in Amestrian this time.

Much as he would try, Papa would never fully understand the comfort that temple brought to his baby girl's remaining years. It had been a constant and a comfort, even when things were hardest and she was trying to merge two worlds into one within herself. The lessons from childhood in her grandfather's lap about squaring the circle, merging all parts and becoming one balanced whole came to mind, and had been something she'd sought within herself for years. The tranquility of this area seemed to be very good in helping her, even if it was a more superficial peace than anything divine or alchemical. The park was so nice this afternoon... maybe she'd just stay there forever and never go back to anywhere! Shula chuckled softly to herself, lost in her thoughts. No, no... you're cleverly disguised as a responsible adult. Can't be playing hooky forever.

Mulling over the possibilities for the next few days of resting, Shula didn't even notice the gentleman on the same path as her until he abruptly collided with her, sending her back a step. "Sorry, came the man's almost panicked response. Shula blinked for a moment. He was a foreigner and the word sounded familiar, but she couldn't really place it. Too many of her cowokers used all kinds of languages; just one more thing to tease her with some days to see how quickly they could frustrate her. She looked up at the man as he wrapped his arms around his chest and gave a short cough, speaking now in Amestrian. A small, apologetic smile formed under large blood-coloured eyes as she pressed her palms together in front of her chest and gave the man a small, polite nod.

"Excuse me, please," she said politely. He'd run into her, but it was just as much her fault for not paying closer attention. But how curious he was. He seemed so nervous. Was he a lost tourist or something? Shula tilted her head, polite curiosity getting the better of her. She held up a thin hand, pointing to a cluster of stores down the street. "Pardon me, but if you aren't feeling well there is a doctor's office just down that way, and a very good pharmacy."

"No no, it is my fault, I am sorry." Nuchiha said, looking down the street to the small cluster. "Uhh, which one?" Nuchiha saw, he quickly took his gloves off and put them in his pocket. Nuchiha fiddled his fingers, it was a long time since he took those gloves off. However this put him at a disadvantage in the case of a ambush. He looked to the sides, no one was around for some reason, was this the peace before the storm? Nuchiha had one glove gripped in his left hand in his pocket incase he was attacked. Nuchiha looked down to the cluster again, people were clogging up the area purchasing whatever goods they needed, as the air filled with noises of merchants and customers chattering that could be faintly heard from where Nuchiha and Shula were. The sky, it seemed so... Blue, it was clear the sun could be seen perfectly, it beat down upon Nuchiha's face but surprisingly it was temperate.

Shula looked at him a moment longer, trying to figure out what seemed so off. Tourists weren't that uncommon; the town was small, but it was a landmark and still had a lot going for it. Honestly though the tourists were usually more enthusiastic than the residents, but that never stopped people from boasting about whatever history happened nearest to them as best they could, even if none of it was true in the slightest sometimes. But he seemed a little... off to her. Jumpy. Was he lost or something? Or just that excited to be in a town where there were more livestock than people? Shula turned her body slightly to look down the street where she'd pointed a moment ago since he wasn't sure which one she had meant. "The doctor's office is the fourth building there, on the left side of the street, but..." She paused to look at the large clock on top of the nearest church. "You'd better hurry if you want to get an appointment before they close. Some of the shops here close pretty early unlike bigger cities." Briefly she wondered if the man had a traveling health card so he even could visit doctors while he was on holiday, but that seemed a very rude and unusual thing to ask a stranger.

She looked him up and down. She didn't see the normal maps and pamphlets and things most tourists usually carried on them and stuffed in their pockets as they toured the town, but then again he seemed a bit more professional than a lot of them. It was always funny to see people come from all over the country and from out of the country and watch as they took photos of sheep and residents doing the same thing people did in any other town. "You know... If you head to the visitor's center, they'll be able to tell you where all of the shops and local hotspots and landmarks are if you're here on holiday, mister...?"

As Nuchiha was seemingly lost in the town, for asking questions of where a simple doctor's office was... It made him realize he wasn't really, playing the act. You can't simply look the act, you have to play the act, Nuchiha needed to be more friendly, not a military drone. Nuchiha looked at where she pointed, "-fourth building there, on the left-" she said. She paused, what was she doing, Nuchiha looked forward there wasn't anything of interest. "Oh, I'm not a citizen, can't get help." Nuchiha said, he didn't have permission either so he was stuck. He realized he said he said not a citizen... "Not a citizen, of Resembool I mean." he then said in rather fast succession. He then saw it, the clock on the church must have been what she was looking for. He turned back to Shula, he realized she was looking at him like she was examining something. Was something wrong with his attire? Or was he struck as suspicious? "Visitor's center?" Nuchiha said, there wasn't anything like that before, maybe Resembool was so large now... "Oh no, not on Holiday, on my own accord." Nuchiha said, acting more friendly. He didn't want to act like a drone, and cause suspicion and possibly be put under surveillance, [i]again]/i].

Huh... An out of town visitor not on holiday. Shula gave a small shrug. "Ah, business trip I suppose, then." She gave a warm, friendly smile, letting being home put her at complete ease with everyone and everything around her. She glanced to him again. He seemed to be relaxing, bust still looked utterly lost. There weren't that many hotels here or places to go be lost at, but it was still easy to get turned around.

"Well, I hope you enjoy your visit to Resembool, then. Not a lot here, but it has its charms. But if you want a tip for while you're here and not working? Don't pay for the bus tour, it sucks. If you want to know all the REAL good spots, get a local to show you." It was true. The tiny office that was the visitor center had a few pamphlets and maps, but a lot of small towns that had something kind of famous did that. Most of them were useless, though. Sites of places that no longer existed, a few plaques and memorials, the town museum, haunted places... but none of it was really worth the money for the tour. Never was anywhere.

Nuchiha saw she gave a shrug, what was it about. Business trip was now a assumption, did Nuchiha say on his own accord earlier? Either way it didn't matter he wasn't the rude kind of person. He then listened to her comments on the bus, he didn't plan to go there he's been to Resembool before. "Thank you young miss-" Nuchiha said, he realized he never had her name. "I'm sorry, I never introduced myself during this entire conversation, how foolish. I am Nuchiha," Nuchiha said, he was here for a secret purpose. But it was personal, not a military matter. He then remembered, he needed to get to the Elric house, or what's left of it. He doubted it was still there, he never saw it during past visits because it was never a important place really. "I hate to interrupt... But where is the museum?" Nuchiha said, he wondered where it was because it was futile to look for the Elric house if it existed anymore.

That also brought up the matter of the items in said museum... Would they allow him to look at them? There was no wars at all currently, so there is no reason to not let a foreigner look at it. Then again the items could be fragile from years of exposure, and examination could destroy them quite easily.

Nuchiha. Huh. Shula smiled softly, wondering then where Nuchiha was from if it wasn't Resembool and he wasn't a tourist. "Nuchiha? It's nice to meet you.. I'm Shula." There really was only so much business a small town does unless they're trying to expand on things... and the last time a mega chain store tried to come in, town council threw a fit over it. Funny as it was to hear about over the phone from her father, it made it clear how much certain things were valued in these parts.

Shula paused for a moment to think about it. A lot of the buildings tended to look the same and maintained that old-timey feel. "The museum? Downtown, with everything else," Shula said with a small laugh, once again pointing to the few blocks of clustered old buildings. "It's pretty small. They built it about twenty years ago in the building next to the post office, but it's got a lot of good archives for the town in it. The local Historical Society is pretty dedicated."

"Nice to meet you too, Shula," Nuchiha said, being rather formal. It was a first meeting after all, he already messed up he didn't want to mess up again! As Nuchiha looked down the street, he only saw small traditional stores. Food stores, a pharmacy, a doctor... There wasn't any large stores, or a chain. Resembool was one of those towns, that was truely a step backwards, which was good because it was a nice town. As he heard Shula's directions, as she pointed down a street with clustered buildings he was confused again. As he heard her laugh Nuchiha let out a small chuckle, he thought he was playing the act perfectly. He wasn't well known so he wasn't in trouble for being known. "Is there anything pertaining to the Elric brothers?" Nuchiha asked quizzically. Whether she said yes or no he would still look for himself, just wanted a heads up before hand. Because a no could mean they found something big and decided to hide everything. "History society? Never heard of it." Nuchiha said, referencing he has been to Resembool before.

Pale pinkish-brown lips moved together in a thoughtful pucker as a thin finger came upward and pressed against her chin, the overall image coming off as somewhat cute and childish. The thin brass and copper bangles on her wrists clinked delicately from the movements. "There should be," she replied, half musing. [color=green]"I'd honestly be more surprised if there weren't. The Historical Society is a group of really, really old people who devoted themselves to town archives, so there's something on just about everyone who's ever lived here since the town was first built." The group really only amounted to a pack of grandparents being nosy about all their neighbors from when dinosaurs roamed the earth, but it was kind of fun to help them out sometimes, or see what was new. It was amazing what people had left in their attics and cellars that was useful to the cause.


"They're listed on a few things here in town for the tours and whatnot, but some of the sources aren't that great, so take it all with a grain of salt." So he was interested in the historical figures from a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, and he wasn't on holiday? Curiouser and curiouser... Shula smiled. "Massive history fan? Or alchemy enthusiast?" The question really was more to sate her own natural fox-like curiosity than anything; most people who came to twons like this but didn't want the nickle tour were usually one or the other.

As Shula puckered her lips, what was she doing? Was she going to kiss him? As she put her finger pressed against here chin it was obvious it wasn't a gesture. What society would use that as a public gesture anyways? As he heard the sources weren't great, that damaged their reliability. "What's wrong with the sources?" Nuchiha asked quizzically. He then heard her question, he felt compelled to answer. He didn't want to be rude to anyone, part of his disguise after all. "Well, both technically. Resembool was attacked before, and if you forget it'll happen again." Nuchiha said, it was true when history is forgotten it'll often repeat its self. He remembered his last visit to Resembool, before he joined the military that is. Was a little while ago as a matter of fact, he was a Sergeant Major now though. Now that reminded Nuchiha, he heard the tour was bad a couple times. Was it bad how so? He wasn't going there anyways so it didn't matter. Nuchiha reached into a pocket within his coat, he still had his cigarettes. But it wasn't best to smoke around others, and the cigarettes weren't for smoking anyways...

"What's wrong with the sources?"

"It's nothing too serious, but it's a small town that hasn't grown that much in the last century. Their main money-makers are still wool and farmed goods, and tourism pads things just a bit. So some people like to exaggerate the facts here and there. So the reliable stuff will be in the museum and town archives, and the really important things have plaques on them around town." Most of anything that got stretched for tourism in towns like this were harmless, but something she'd learned in South was that if you couldn't back the source, not to fully trust it.

She smiled more brightly, always happy to meet another alchemy enthusiast. Even if you didn't dedicate yourself to the endless hours of study and application to become a freelance or career alchemist, it was always an amazing thing of beauty to see put into motion. Watching elements combine and change shape, form and purpose as it moved from one state of being to another... Despite her mother's protests, Shula had always found it amazing. "That's very true..."

She shifted a little, slightly uneasy. When the town was attacked a hundred years ago, it had been by Ishvallans. While it was long ago enough that there was nobody who remembered the events firsthand, that certainly didn't stop the general feelings of distrust and the looks she and her brother would get in most places. "But I guess the good news is that over time we all can learn from things like that to prevent it again."

Nothing serious sounded like a good thing, meaning that the sources weren't completely wrong. Were the sources at least backed by hard evidence? If not, that damaged their reliability greatly, or at least that was how Nuchiha thought. Exaggeration can be backed by fake evidence, so this made the museum's credibility... Somewhat sketchy now unfortunately. Nuchiha remembered again that she was Ishvallan... There wasn't many left, they were still there but... Who performed the attack again? Nuchiha pondered, he couldn't remember for some reason. It was either Ishval or Aerugo, either way people forget things over time. Would it happen again? No... "Exaggeration? That damages their credibility..." Nuchiha said, which was some what true but sometimes you couldn't tell the difference. He remembered how he first learned alchemy, his parents snuck the book away but he later learned else where. "Yeah, prevent it again..." Nuchiha said. He was hopeful that some of the events in the past didn't repeat themselves, such as Ishval. "You asked me about being a enthusiast, would it be safe to assume you were one yourself?" Nuchiha asked in a friendly manner. He didn't want to be suspicious.

History really was such a funny and sad thing. No matter what people did, it did just repeat itself over and over. The players and settings in the scenes changed, but the themes remained the same. Maybe that was just human nature. The hardest part sometimes was taking the lessons and moving forward to do what you could in your own time. And with any luck, the things I've learned can at least be passed on for my brother to teach to his children someday. And then they can live in a more peaceful environment than we have now.

"You asked me about being a enthusiast, would it be safe to assume you were one yourself?"

Shula nodded softly, the fabric slipping back from her bangs slightly. "I eat, breathe and sleep it," she replied with a soft giggle. That was hardly an understatement, ever since she was little, and through years of fighting her mother had come to understand that wild horses couldn't break her will when she set to do something. "I love exploring it and expanding through it... Though my applications aren't exactly conventional."

As he saw Shula nod softly, he heard her answer. "I eat, breathe and sleep it," she said with a giggle. Nuchiha assumed she was some what childish, the giggle kinda exposed that. As soon as he heard that her methods weren't exactly conventional... Did she mean something like Flame Alchemy? Rare and mostly unknown? Or simply a strange form of Alchemy? "Unconventional?" Nuchiha asked puzzled, the puzzled part was fake because he himself used unconventional methods. He had some knowledge with unconventional warfare, which he used in combination with his alchemy.

In a way using alchemy in war was unconventional for Creta, as it was used for peaceful purposes. He noticed the word application... Did she mean it as in the way she applied it? Or unconventional entirely? Maybe he would get a answer, maybe he wouldn't. As he realized her usage of the words, explore and expansion, was the childish behavior a act? She had a mature view on alchemy definitely, or she was very curious. He then remembered, his original goal! He needed to get any and all information from the Elric house that still remains, probably in museums but no matter! They have to be read-able, or else they wouldn't have gotten them at all. Nuchiha pondered his situation, as how to get out and go to the museum for analysis.

Shula glanced around slightly from side to side, making sure nobody else from temple was coming up the path and would grouse about it. It was bad enough her mother wouldn't quit wailing about both her children being alchemists, and her Ishvallan family members were more than a little troubled by Amira's misguided offspring. [collor=green]"I'm one of the last true Ishvallan Fire Dancers from Usku Dar'a...back when there was an Usku Dar'a, anyway. But I developed a particular brand of fire alchemy to use with it and help keep the art alive."[/color]

Ishvallans and alchemy didn't mix. That was pretty common knowledge, especially given their past dealings with Amestris and alchemy and their beliefs. It was easy to understand why she'd be seen as something dangerous and wrong, even when she had good intentions. Shula blushed slightly, realizing that her friendliness and excitement had gotten the better of her again. "Heh, sorry about that...

Nuchiha noticed she looked around, was something wrong? Was a family member around? Ishvallans weren't kind around the subject to alchemy, so he wouldn't be surprised if she was looking around for that. Why did Ishvallans hate alchemy? No one knew unfortunately, or anyone that Nuchiha knew. Maybe it was because of the war between Amestris and Ishval... No, they hated alchemy before that.

"I'm one of the last true Ishvallan Fire Dancers... But I developed a particular brand of fire alchemy to use with it and help keep the art alive." - Fire dancer? What was a fire dancer? Nuchiha surely didn't know. Those words were the parts that stood out. Fire Alchemy, that was strange indeed. "Fire Alchemy..." Nuchiha asked, he kinda mumbled accidentally because he was shocked that a Ishvallan would know Alchemy, and then knew a advanced form? This was a mystery indeed. She said sorry, sorry about what though? "Sorry about what?" Nuchiha asked puzzled and curiously. Maybe she was accidentally acting childish? Or maybe she revealed too much against a promise?

Her fire alchemy really was something she was incredibly proud of; anyone who knew Shula could tell just from the way her eyes would light up on the subject that it truly was how she expressed her very soul. It had been the focal point of her study for years, and even know that she'd come so much closer to her goals she only pushed harder to see just how much more she could expand herself until hopefully one day she would be what she sought to become.

"Sorry about what?"

"I just tend to get a little over-enthusiastic talking about it. I said... I eat, breathe and sleep it, and my fire alchemy is my whole life." Traditional Ishvallan belly dancing was a treat in and of itself, but fire dancing was sacred and until the massacre had been a closely-guarded secret and performed only for special occasions and the temples. Shula smiled up at Nuchiha softly. "You said you're an enthusiast as well... Do you study as an alchemist as well, then?"

Over-enthusiasm... That was a good and bad trait, it could drive you to confidential areas but can make you a master at your specified skill. Like Nuchiha's Flame Alchemy, it was a accident of how he discovered it... But some of the greatest inventions were discovered on accident, same thing with less great inventions. "I just tend to get a little over-enthusiastic talking about it. I said... I eat, breathe and sleep it, and my fire alchemy is my whole life." the Ishvallen girl, or Shula said. Nuchiha let out a soft chuckle to see such enthusiasm. Then he heard the word fire alchemy... How?

Nuchiha thought he was the only one who knew of such alchemy. Sure, he heard stories and rumors, but that's what they were... He then remembered, she said Fire Alchemy. It was slightly different than Flame Alchemy, which was the precursor. "Oh yes, I study a broad range of alchemy." Nuchiha said, which was a partial lie since he studied mainly flame alchemy but often delved into other studies.

{BUMP}