Edward sat on the end of Al's bed and crossed his ankle over his knee. Leaning back on his hands as he watched his little brother dart around the room. The alchemist's collar was turned up, a scarlet tie draped around his neck, the cuffs of his shirt unfastened. Al gathered up a stack of books from his desk chair, looking at the spines before setting them down again. Ed never got tired of watching his brother. It was a goddamn privilege to see Alphonse in the flesh. Sometimes it was the only way he could convince himself that the nightmare was over.
"Have you seen my research notes?" Al asked. "I swear I just had them."
Ed heard an edge of panic in his brother's voice. He didn't know what Al was so nervous about. His little brother was brilliant, and Ed was happy to knock sense into anyone who didn't see it. Looking around the room Ed spotted the journal in another stack of books on the table by the bed. Ed had one just like it. A gift from Winry given before they left home again on their respective journeys.
"Here."
Curious to see how Al codified his research, Ed picked up the journal and opened it to the middle. Between the pages was a pressed peony. He thumbed through the book, discovering more preserved flowers. Ed flipped to the cover page to read what Al had written.
A Study of the Art of Flower Arranging and the Language of Flowers by Alphonse Elric.
Ed turned his attention to the notes. The marginalia was as fascinating as body of the text. Sketches of leaves and vines crept across the paper, threatening to overshadow the words like kudzu. Al switched between Amestrian and Xingese seemingly at random. Ed's eyebrows climbed. There was no way he could decipher this without brushing up on traditional Xingese, not to mention reading reference books on a bunch of flowery nonsense.
"Since when do you know so much about flowers?" Ed ventured.
Color blossomed high on Al's cheeks.
"Mei taught me about flower arranging when I was first came to study in Xing. I had trouble understanding the concept of reading the dragon's pulse. It was supposed to teach me patience and harmony with nature," Al explained.
"Did it work?"
Al chuckled and fixed his cuffs.
"Sort of." Al got this wistful look on his face. "It reminded me of mom. There was this book she had. About the language of flowers. It was on the shelf in the kitchen. Next to all the cookbooks. Do you remember?"
Ed remembered how after working in the garden their mother smelled like summer. Like soil and sunshine. Not that sunshine had a scent but there was always something different about the air in summer. He remembered she never wore perfume, but she'd sometimes rub her wrists with a sprig of lavender. The window box in the kitchen had overflowed with chamomile, mint, and anise for tea. Trisha grew all their vegetables and herbs herself. She made do with what she had, and made sure her boys always had enough.
"Yeah." Edward licked his lips, "Yeah, I remember."
"I never read it. Too busy reading dad's alchemy books, I guess. When Mei showed me Xingese flower arranging I thought, 'This is something mom would've liked.'"
They hadn't talked about mom like this in a long time. The memory of their mother was a familiar ache. Ed didn't think the pain would ever heal entirely. He wasn't sure he wanted it to.
"So," Al turned toward the mirror to fix his tie. "I decided to read up on it. Figured it would make a decent cipher."
"It's great," Ed said. "Mom would love it."
Al caught Ed's eye in the mirror.
"You think so?"
"I know so," Edward answered.
Alphonse's mouth quirked up into a smile. He turned his eyes back to the mirror and cinched his tie.
"Thanks brother."
"Do you want to go over it one more time?" offered Ed.
His little brother flipped the collar of his shirt down before checking his wristwatch.
"There's no time. I have to be there in ten minutes." Al buttoned his waistcoat and pulled on his suit jacket. "Thanks anyway."
"You clean up pretty good, little brother." Ed grinned.
"We both do. You'd know that if you ever bothered to put on a tie," Al sing-songed.
"Special occasions only. Bad enough I had to wear one at my own wedding. I mean, seriously, it was my wedding why should I have to spend it getting half-strangled by a silk noose." Edward complained under his breath, while Alphonse tucked a stack of notecards into the pocket of his waistcoat.
"Oh good! Then I'll let you borrow one of mine for the party tonight," his brother declared.
"Damn it! Walked right into that one, didn't I?"
"Hook, line, and sinker," Al said, cheerily.
Ed got up from the bed to hand him the journal.
"Proud of you. You know that?"
"I know. Thanks, Ed. It's just I've never made a presentation like this before. There are a lot of moving parts. I'm not sure they'll go for it."
"Alphonse," Ed clamped a hand down on Al's shoulder. "This is Mustang and Ling we're talking about. They already know you're brilliant."
Al gathered up a stack of presentation folders and his journal. He glanced at his reflection, brushed his hair into place with his fingers, and took a deep breath.
"Here goes nothing."
The diplomatic meeting moved to the comfort of the indoor garden following the formal introductions. They were seated at a table beneath the cultivated red maple. While they waited for Alphonse Elric the emperor asked after mutual acquaintances. The glass ceiling above them was iced with a layer of snow. Lanterns floated in the koi pond. The scales of the fish were illuminated by the glow.
Lady Yao toyed with her feather earring as she listened to the conversation. Save for Sebastian Schuyler she'd heard tell of each of these foreigners, yet they weren't the only subject of her scrutiny. Xue glanced at Lan Fan out of the corner of her eye. The bodyguard was perched on a branch of the tree.
There was no one Xue trusted more with her son's safety. No one living, at any rate. Feng Liu's daughter was a steadfast servant. Xue had expected nothing less of the girl. She was an echo of her father. Lan Fan hadn't inherited his humor but she had Feng's smile. His impatience and temper, too.
The doors to the atrium opened.
Xue pulled herself from her reverie.
Meanwhile, Yue-Yan entered the indoor garden with tea service. The serving girl's glasses slid down her face as she watched her steps. She attempted to push them back up with a scrunch of her nose. The tea set clattered when she placed it on the table. Yue-Yan winced at the sound.
The dowager empress picked up the folded fan from the table in front of her. Xue snapped it open with a flick of her wrist, concealing her amusement behind red silk. Yue-Yan pushed her glasses back into place. Once again they slid down her nose. First, Yue-Yan served the emperor followed by the dowager empress, then the military personnel. The civil servant was the last to be served. Sebastian was busy with his notes, but tapped two fingers on the surface of the table when Yue-Yan poured tea for him.
It was a symbol of thanks and proper tea etiquette. Sebastian Schuyler was the only one of the diplomats who demonstrated it. Xue caught the gesture. The serving girl smiled politely in return. If Yue-Yan thought anything more of the nicety it didn't show on her face. In the interim, everyone else was distracted by the arrival of Alphonse Elric. Xue picked up her tea and contemplated.
Now isn't that interesting…
Roy looked over his shoulder at the door and in walked Alphonse Elric. The last time Roy saw the young man was at Edward and Winry's wedding. He looked as sharp now as he did then. Roy smiled and stood to greet him.
"General Mustang!" Al exclaimed. The young man tucked the leather bound journal and folders he brought with him under his arm and held out his hand.
"It's good to see you, Alphonse," Roy said.
They shook hands.
"Likewise!" Al chirped. "Thank you for coming all this way."
"The pleasure is all mine," Roy replied.
Alphonse bowed to the emperor and dowager empress before shaking hands with Hawkeye and Havoc. Riza favored him with a rare smile and a subdued hello.
"Hey kid! Long time no see," said Havoc.
"It's been awhile, hasn't it?" Alphonse agreed.
The alchemist turned to the unfamiliar face at the table.
"I don't believe we've met."
"Sebastian Schuyler."
Sebastian stood and shook his hand.
"Alphonse Elric. It's pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Schuyler," Al declared.
Then he recognized the young woman clutching a teapot.
"Oh. Hello!"
Upon being addressed directly by the alchemist she turned beet red.
"There's no more tea," Yue-Yan blurted out.
Alphonse blinked a few times.
"Oh. Um, that's all right. I'll just have water," Al poured himself a glass from the pitcher on the table to save her the trouble.
Sebastian put his closed fist to his mouth and cleared his throat. Still holding the teapot Yue-Yan sat down in the empty seat next to Sebastian. Belatedly, she set the teapot down and stared at her cup with a vague look of devastation.
Her glasses slid down her nose.
"May I?" Sebastian inquired.
Yue-Yan looked at him over the rim of her glasses with eyes wide. Sebastian carefully removed her spectacles. Between his hands he warmed each of the earpieces before adjusting them. He set them back on her surprised face.
"There now that should be better."
She tilted her head down experimentally. The glasses stayed in place. A small smile graced her mouth and she whispered thank you. Sebastian nodded as he picked up his fountain pen. As Alphonse Elric distributed his presentation packets Sebastian flipped his travelogue to a fresh page. In the upper corner he wrote the date, underlining it with a flourish.
"Thank you all for coming today. I know your time is valuable. Alchemy and alkahestry have longstanding traditions of self study and apprenticeships. Though the two disciplines developed independently of each other I believe their future lies in interdependence," said Al.
Sebastian flipped through the handout.
"Imagine if you will a school dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of alchemy and alkahestry. An international school with campuses in both Amestris and Xing. The curriculum would consist of beginner, intermediate, and master classes in both disciplines. Students with strong academic performance would also be afforded the opportunity to participate in an exchange program."
An infinitesimal frown settled onto Sebastian's features. He glanced up from the handout to look at Alphonse. Sebastian tapped the point of his pen against the paper twice. A moment later it was flying across the page.
Alphonse did his best to ignore the scratching sound of Sebastian Schuyler's pen. The alchemist could respect diligent note taking but it was distracting. It helped that the rest of Al's audience was attentive, although most were inscrutable. Ling had apparently inherited that unreadable countenance of his from his mother.
"The alchemist motto is 'be thou for the people.' In the pursuit of scientific and medical advancement we must remember to first do no harm." Al paused long enough to take a sip of water. "Keeping that in mind I believe it's important to include mandatory courses in research ethics."
The alchemist looked up from his note cards when someone cleared their throat.
"Do you have a budget proposal?" asked Sebastian.
"Pardon?" Al blinked.
"A budget proposal," Sebastian repeated. "I don't see one included."
"No, I haven't… I don't have a budget proposal."
"Why don't we save the questions till the end?" Roy suggested.
Sebastian adjusted his spectacles.
"It's just we've come all this way, and Mr. Elric seems unprepared."
"Excuse me?" Alphonse balked.
"You're asking for funding and you don't even know how much you need," Sebastian stated.
"If you would let me finish my presentation-!"
"I believe I've heard enough," Ling proclaimed.
"I have to agree," Roy said.
Alphonse tasted bile in the back of his throat. He swallowed hard. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. He'd worked on this presentation for weeks and for what?
"There is a lot to work out but you've sold me on your vision," the general continued.
Al jerked his head up in surprise.
"I have?"
"It's inspired," Ling said matter of fact. "We can discuss this and further matters tomorrow. For now I must take my leave."
The emperor stood from his chair and tucked his hands into his sleeves. Lan Fan dropped from her perch to follow her liege.
"Sebastian, please help Alphonse mock up a budget proposal for review," General Mustang instructed.
"Certainly."
Roy gave him a conspiratorial wink as he departed, leaving Alphonse Elric with his head still spinning.
