NIETZSCHE; DEAD PHILOSOPHERS' INBOX

I don't understand. If you have a soul, then theoretically you can do alchemy — but you said yourself that not everyone can do alchemy. Are you suggesting there are people without souls? Or is it a question of competency, that anyone might have the potential but that doesn't mean they can do it well enough to be worthy of remark?

It's definitely more a case of the latter. It's along the lines of saying that if you have hands, you theoretically would be able to draw - you just have some who can draw portraits and others who struggle to draw stickmen. That last set can draw, technically speaking, but they don't have any sort of natural aptitude for it, and there comes a point where practice will only get you so far - even if those sorts of people manage to put in enough effort to perfect their technique, there will always be an element missing, that sort of natural creative spark won't be present because they simply don't have an eye for it.

It's like that with alchemy as well. Some can draft arrays that would result in absolutely stunning transmutations, but due to the lack of natural aptitude they likely wouldn't be able to activate those arrays. It takes a certain sort of understanding and relationship with the world; not everyone has that, even if they can comprehend the theory.

But from what you've said, I do.

Which is good, because whether I have the knack for it or not, that wouldn't stop me from wanting to learn.

I'll see what I can teach you, then; I'll warn you now that I'm not much of a teacher, temperament-wise, and obviously whatever I teach you won't be functional here - my own arrays are completely useless, much to my irritation.

But as long as that's acceptable, then I don't see why not.

It's nothing short of insulting, the way Johto tends to strip people's talents away. There are plenty of reasons to like it here, but I've never considered that to be one of them.

Though I do hope these generous lessons you're offering won't detract from your ability to function in your capacity as a member of the Legion of Evil.

Oh, don't worry, I'll still be keeping the region busy between lessons.

Although now you have me wondering - did this place strip talents from you as well, or are you just sympathizing with those whose talents have been taken away?

I speak more than twenty languages. Having them all rendered irrelevant has been irritating, to say the least.

I have other talents it's hindered, too, but that would be telling.

More than twenty? I'm impressed; I speak several myself - though they all originate from countries that most here have never heard of, so it's likely for the best that there's some sort of universal understanding here, given that I don't know how well they would translate.

From what I've seen and heard from the people I've met here, the world I come from is one of the bigger ones out there — or at least, more varied culturally. Keeping up with the local languages of the places I visit is something of a matter of necessity.

I concede that the universal understanding is, in the grand scheme, for the best. But that doesn't make it less irritating, in its moments.

The same world containing London and Tokyo and Philadelphia, by any chance? Most I've met here seem to have heard of those; you've mentioned America before, but I'm not sure how that relates geographically to any of those places.

I do agree with you, however, if for no better reason than it would be far easier to convey sensitive information to certain people - both within and outside of my little group of villains.

London, Tokyo, and Philadelphia are major cities; America is the name of a nation. And if it helps to give you some perspective of the magnitude of the world, the distance as the crow flies between Philadelphia and Tokyo — cities on roughly the opposite sides of the world — is around seven thousand miles.

And to think, I've just been upset at how it's rendered me unable to murmur sweet nothings in the language of love into my paramour's ear.

That does help put it into some perspective, yes; consider it appreciated.

As for the languages...well. I've never been much of a romantic, and neither has that significant other of mine - really, he's the sort to stop me and want to know what I was saying if I were to try to switch languages. It puts a bit of a damper on things.

Mine was fortunate enough to speak the language as well. Once or twice I managed to force it enough to produce something...special. He found it charming.

I've found that with enough focus, I can write a few things down. Nothing very elaborate, and it takes more effort and focus than it's worth, but it's possible; I haven't tried it spoken, however, and I admit you have me tempted.

Writing seems to come slightly easier, in my experience. I suspect it has something to do with perception — perceiving a foreign word in writing as merely a sequence of meaningless letters, whereas a spoken one as a combination of meaningless sounds is more difficult.

A bit of a shame that this place has placed restrictions on that sort of thing, really - I would be interested in experiencing these languages of yours sometime.

It's a shame, isn't it? But if I ever do find a way around it, you'll be one of the first to know.

Really?

Consider me flattered.

You do realize I know more phrases than just the aforementioned sweet nothings, I hope. If I ever do get my languages back, that's not what you're getting.

Given that you told me you use those languages to get by in at least twenty nations, if not more, I would genuinely hope you know more than sweet nothings.

But I wouldn't expect such things anyway; as I've said, I've never been much of a romantic.

Or maybe I'm just very popular in those twenty nations.

[CARMEN.]

And I'm more interested in your teachings than your nothings, anyway. Are you planning to tell me where to start on my path to enlightenment, or is my first lesson to find it on my own?

[HANG ON, HANG ON, HOW DARE YOU MAKE HIM LAUGH AT THAT - ]

If you're looking for enlightenment, then you're coming to the wrong person. For the time being, however, consider it a bit of both; tell me where you think an acceptable starting point would be, and I'll give you a direction - is there anything in particular you would like to start with, based on what you already know?

Can I turn lead into gold?

If you would like to waste your potential, then I don't see why not.

After all, those laws aren't in place here.

You can't fault me for paying homage to tradition.

[Also, wow, way to play her like a dime-store kazoo, Kimblee.]

What would be a goal more in line with my potential, then?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject