017. [Locked Audio/Rocket Frequency]

[explosivecombat]

[AUDIO / PRIVATE - TEAM ROCKET FREQUENCY]

Good evening.

[The voice that comes over the 'Gear tonight is calm, at least; soft and open, a bit high-pitched perhaps, but generally not unpleasant to listen to. Confident, in a bit of a self-satisfied way. So it goes.]

My name is Solf J Kimblee; I hold the rank of Beta within this organization. I suppose I owe you all an apology for being away from the organization itself for so long.

I think it's time to remedy that a bit.

As one of the field agents in charge of assisting with the training of the new recruits, I would like to extend an invitation to all of you - particularly the new ones that I have yet to meet, although I would like to see those I'm already acquainted with as well. It isn't an order; again, it's just an invitation to talk. I would like to get to know all of you, and to have a fuller understanding of your talents. Should you require orders or simply want something to do, I may have a proposal for you; we'll see.

I would prefer meeting you in person; I'm in the Goldenrod base for the time being, but if you're currently elsewhere, neither time nor money is a problem for me. Let me know where you are; I'll meet up with you.

I must say that I'm pleased with the work I've seen so far, however. Do keep it up, hm?

Comments

[explosivecombat]

[...Reaver would like to remind you that the Hollow Man Anti-Defamation League is getting a little tetchy about that~

In the meantime, Kimblee's whole brain is crying.]

Zombies...? As in...what, reanimated corpses?

[decrees]

[Yes, yes, he's well-aware of that, but how else would you describe Hollow Men?]

Yes, though Hollow Men are really skeletons controlled by Wisps, though I suppose it's possible that these "homunculi" creatures are entirely different.

[JUDGING BY THAT LOOK, AT LEAST... dear god that is a terrifying expression.]

[explosivecombat]

[UH.......]

...define "wisps" and I might be able to give you a better answer.

[decrees]

They're souls of the departed that have a strong attachment to the world. They can take on the form of ghosts, but the majority of Wisps are more malevolent. They become Hollow Men when they control skeletons.

[Completely said with a straight face! This is the most matter-of-fact discussion in the world! And what is with your expressions, Kimblee?]

[explosivecombat]

Ah...then I believe we have something similar, actually; it's entirely possible to use alchemy create human bodies that are kept in stasis but are effectively dead - they're empty, nothing more than shells or dolls, really. I've seen them myself, they're unbelievably unsettling - but either way, it's possible to animate them using the soul of one who was previously deceased. That would be the closest thing we have to a zombie, where I come from.

The Homunculi are different; they operate on the same sort of principle, I believe, but they're considered something else.

[decrees]

What are they then? How did they come into being? No human has powers like that.

[Are they something like Heroes, though? That could explain it!]

[explosivecombat]

[GOODNESS, WHAT IS WITH ALL THE QUESTIONS.]

Well, as I've said, they operate on the same principle as the...zombies, if you will, in that they're the result of a human container being animated using the souls of the deceased, but instead of being imbued with only one soul, they're given the souls of many, in the form of a Philosopher's Stone. This Stone allows them to access powers and abilities that are based in alchemy, but to levels that most humans wouldn't be capable of reaching; it also allows them to heal themselves nearly instantaneously - they can use their powers or heal themselves as much as they like until the Stone is used up, at which point they either need to consume victims themselves or get their hands on another one...or deal with only having one soul until they can do either of the previously mentioned, at which point I believe they would age and take damage like a normal person.

They have their own thoughts and feelings, independent of the souls they rely on for power, due to being created from Father. I have no idea how this happens, and I'm reasonably sure I don't want to know.

[decrees]

So they are a bit like Heroes...

[Ah, was that aloud? Never mind!]

They certainly sound fascinating. But you said they were planning on destroying your country? Why? To create another of these Philosopher's Stones? What point would that serve? They're already created, and from the sound of it they only need one Philosopher's Stone per Homunculus. Would they create another one?

[But there are only seven deadly sins, right? What would they name the eighth...? YES THIS IS A SERIOUS QUESTION at least he's not asking it out loud.]

[explosivecombat]

Well, as I said, Father was trying to become God, for the sake of...

[...]

...ah, so he could...

[... ... ...]

...you see, it was a bit of a...

[... ... ... ... ...]

...I'm fairly sure he wanted to take over the world or something far-reachingly optimistic like that, for the sake of his own amusement, but I might be wrong on that so please don't quote me.

[decrees]

...He... didn't have a clear goal in mind...?

[.............

Kimblee..... what does he do with this...

...at least it wasn't to "cover the world in darkness"?]

Well that's... certainly something...

[explosivecombat]

...I'm sure he did, I just haven't the vaguest idea what it was.

[decrees]

...Well, regardless, he's been defeated, so I suppose it isn't really that important now.

[...Still......]

[explosivecombat]

...that is a valid point, yes.

[CAN WE DROP IT NOW]

[decrees]

[YES ALRIGHT FINE, WE CAN DROP IT

but that leaves the horribly awkward topic of actually discussing things

how does he shot social...]

Well, at least you don't have to worry about that when you return.

[explosivecombat]

[...you know, this topic isn't any less awkward. But Kimblee is really more than used to just kind of rolling with the assumption that he has something to return to; this is easy enough to discuss, really.]

No, I don't. According to those I've spoken to, everything ends rather well for Amestris; a good amount lost their lives in the fight, but from the sound of it, most of the country survived.

[decrees]

That's the most important thing, after all. If a few have to die, it's to save a country.

[HE'S ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH THAT..... orz]

[explosivecombat]

Indeed.

[He pauses for a moment, however; Logan tends to not like the topic shift, but. Curiosity compels.]

I take it you don't consider Albion to be prepared, however?

[decrees]

[He falls silent for a moment. He's already told Kimblee more than he's told the citizens of Albion. Would it really hurt to talk a bit more about it...?]

...No. They don't know what's coming. I've been working to prepare the army, but even they aren't ready to face it.

[explosivecombat]

...Wouldn't it have been easier to give them some sort of idea of what they might be facing?

[LOGIC]

[decrees]

It would have, yes. But no one in Albion has faced anything like that before. Many people doubt the existence of Hollow Men, much less something like this. I would have been deemed crazy, perhaps even removed from the throne for something like that. Then where would Albion be?

[explosivecombat]

And there was no way irrefutable proof could have been provided?

[decrees]

No. It killed all the soldiers I brought with me. The Aurorans - the people plagued by it - wished to remain and fight against it in their homeland. Even with their word, it wouldn't have been enough to convince all of Albion.

[explosivecombat]

...are kings really that easily deposed in Albion? At least where I'm from, the leader of the country has sovereign rule.

[decrees]

The monarchy in Albion is only fifty years old. I'm only the second ruler. I have a younger sister who could have very easily replaced me as ruler.

[...She... kind of is in the middle of doing that, um whoops.]

[explosivecombat]

Only fifty?

[...holy shit

you guys are more backwards than Amestris, congratulations]

Well, I suppose that would explain a fair amount, then - I take it that your time period is rather far from this one in general?