i'll wait, so show me why you're strong

[ravagers]

[ Generally, people need time to cope and gather themselves after a... thing... like that. Unfortunately, that's not how Vanille sees it. Her thing is avoid, and once she gets out of that hellhole that's the courtroom, she makes her way to the supplies closet, then to the library. She spends some time setting up things, pushing things aside to make room. Once she's finished, and she's met up with the Party Brigade, she makes enough invitations for everyone. She slips them under everyone's doors, or hands them out if she sees someone walking around.



Inside the library, there are candles set up to provide some soft, comforting lighting. There are pots of tea, courtesy of Mercy, pancakes made by Viktor, and books (picked out by Estelle, of course) laid out on the surrounding tables. The others have provided their own touches, and Vanille's even managed to make something: sugar cookies, which are actually very good. They're flavored lightly with all sorts of flavors--not all in the same cookie, okay--and each plate is marked with whatever flavor she's put in them.

After a successful trial, it's healthy to indulge, right? Let's mingle. ]

Comments

[alchemicals]

I don't really have anything waiting for me back home, let's put it that way.

[introspects]

I see... [ That sounds sad, somewhat. ] Is this more like home to you, then?

[alchemicals]

At this point? Nowhere does.

[...jesus christ.]

I guess that makes me a bad soldier or whatever, because I'm not all about pride and honor and country, but I can't say that here is really any better. But then, I'm not the sort of person that makes attachments all that easily.

[introspects]

I see...

[ For some reason, he reminds her of someone she knows, or maybe just a number of them put into a single person. She's not sure if it's just her doing guesswork here, but she thinks Kimbley might be...lonely? Maybe? ]

I don't think there's a clear cut reason to become a soldier. I think everyone has their own reasons, even if some aren't what you'd expect.

[alchemicals]

War is a stable industry in Amestris - we haven't known peace in my lifetime, and we're not going to by the time I die. We're constantly at war with someone, so going into the military is stable income with stable benefits. So I could say that I was looking out for myself and my little sister. My parents are dead, so someone has to, right?

State Alchemists also get their research funded by the government, so I could also say that it was to further my own goals and make something of myself.

But if we're all being honest here, my actual reason was a lot simpler than that - I didn't have anything better to do, so I went to war. The battlefield is the only place people like me actually belong. That's it.

[introspects]

[ Whoa...alright, she wasn't expecting that answer at all. But Orihime listens and tries her best to understand. ]

...If the battlefield is something you like, there's nothing wrong with that, but is there a reason why your country is always at war?

[ Oh you sweet summer child ]

[alchemicals]

[...God, she would be in for a trip if Kimbley had actually stumbled across the plot yet, memory-wise, but alas.]

It's just always been that way. I'm not really sure of the reason, but it's been going on so long that it's not like most of us question it, either.

[introspects]

[ Man, she would put you in a timeout corner, Kimbley ]

That's...different from my world. Most of the time, we're looking to end wars so we can all live peacefully again.