Author's Note: Well, here I am again, here with the last of the ho-hum chapters. Sorry it's so short, but I suppose that's the way things go sometimes. Read and review, please!
Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or Doctor Who.
Chapter 4 Settling In
"Ugh, I'm glad he's got other work to do. I think my brain is full," Envy said upon leaving the building with the Doctor.
"You'll get used to that extra brainspace eventually," the Doctor replied. "It might even get to the point that the only people who can follow you are other Time Lords. It happens on an almost daily basis to me."
"And then you give them this look like it should have been obvious, like you did to me earlier."
"Oh, yes, that will probably end up happening to you too."
"Hmm," said Envy.
The day wore on; it was entering the heat of the day, and Envy wondered how much of his pale skin would be burnt. It would surely add to the tiredness he already felt. They walked in silence for a bit before the Doctor spoke again.
"You are actually quite fortunate, if you've been keeping up with the development of particle science of your time."
"Yeah- why?"
"Well, if you know the equations, and are in on what they're doing, then you're just a within a few years of coming to quantum theory."
"Which is…"
"Very unlike anything you'd be used to. Studying it, trying to come up with explanations on your own will help stretch your smarts. You'll also be developing loads of useful skills in the process."
"Ouch. Not today, please." Envy noted the tall grasses of the valley. If they all lay down in one direction, they would likely make a cushiony place to lay and nap.
"Then you'll have to rectify it with general relativity theory, then you can pick up chaos theory."
"Chaos? I don't need any theorem to prove things are chaotic. Just look at my life," Envy cringed.
"No, no, no, it's not like that at all. It's all sort of… all the wibbley-wobblies in things that sort of sort themselves out."
Envy gave the Doctor a plaintive look, too tired to roll his eyes.
By this time, the two came to the garden where Idle was puttering around. Envy turned into the gateway, slumped against the post, and called, "Idle! You here? I've given it some thought, and I think I'll take you up on the stiff drink."
Scanning the garden, they saw the floppy sunhat waving. "Idle is a good name," the Doctor commented.
"Too lazy to stand up or call, but at least she gives a cap," Envy cringed at his own joke. "Good God, I really do need something if that's the best I can come up with." He shoved himself off his support as they walked (Envy more of trudged) over to the other Homunculus.
"Ohh, Ranarian bell peppers," the Doctor said as they approached. He plucked one sunny orange fruit, apparently ripe, but about the size of a peach pit, and popped it in his mouth. "Here, try one."
"You are one of the few people who can out-perk me, Doctor. Thanks." Envy took a bite as he collapsed into sitting cross-legged. "Mm. Cinnamon-orangey. Did you grow these, Idle?"
"I did no such thing. I only provided what they needed to grow. It was the plant that did the growing."
"Erm… that's what I meant. Yeah."
She smiled while still harvesting another crop. "Thanks."
The "stiff drink" they had after Idle finished had the color of blueberries; despite its somewhat pungent flavor, it did warm the throat rather well and send a shiver down the spine. They were in the middle of a communal dining area that was a part of a ring of apartment-like houses. It was one of four, each pointing to the cardinal directions.
"Hoo, wow, this is a good one; I can count on you for one thing, then." Envy said, leaning heavily on the table, his elbows bearing the load. "What is it?"
"A sort of a brandy from a fruit tree." Idle replied. She leaned back against a post that held up the inside balcony "Actually, the variety used to make it is specifically cultivated for making brandy. Have it any other way and it tastes like shit."
"You really seem to know your stuff about plants."
"Yeah," Idle took a sip from her glass and poked at her meal. "So maybe I don't do the running around sort of stuff that keeps the Time Lords worth having in the universe, but I do some of the small things that keep the big things going. It ain't so bad; I'm not in it for the glory, but I'm still here anyway."
"So you figure you got it good."
"Yep."
"It doesn't take much to meet your needs, does it?"
"Nope. You?"
"Argh, I've never really been that lucky. I get bored easy." Envy sighed and took a swig.
"How 'bout right now?"
"Damn tired. You know where the Doctor is?"
"Probably checking over a few things in the TARDIS. He's probably whom you'll be apprenticed to."
"Yeah? Huh."
The conversation continued on in this meandering sort of way; the dinner was the type to come home to: simple and filling. Conversations of others mulled around them, something that never really happened back in the isolated world of his family. It was good to really be home.