Dorothy Bour left Risnan at 62 with her granddaughter (9) and everything her car could fit, she returned to the family home, where she hadn't been since 04. During the plague her Mother and father, 80 and 81 respectively had passed, she stayed for a week after the service but left when she and her brother kept arguing. Her son Kevin had been drafted early in the war after Ishval expelled the military, the service was supposed to be three years maximum, he was shot during the second. A month after returning to Risnan in 04, her husband was also claimed by the plague, her brother didn't attend the funeral.
Dorothy: Alice? are you awake?
tap tap tap
Dorothy: Breakfast is ready when you want it.
tap tap
Dorothy: (sigh) We'll be at the table.
The first time Dorothy saw Risnan she was 15, her father stopped over on their way to Ishval. Something about the town and company spoke to her, so much so that when she got her carpenter's license three years later, there was only one place she wanted to practise.
"She's not up yet?"
Dorothy: No, David, she is getting dressed.
David: Yes, cause she didn't do that when i yelled up.
Dorothy: You did wake her quite rudely.
David: Than wake her at twelve why don't you, see how well that goes for her.
Dorothy: It's only you who likes getting up at ungodly hours!
David: I get up when i wake up, if you actually worked for your entire life you would too!
Dorothy: Is that it? You'd rather stay in the kitchen all day, (sarcastic) so sad they retired you. You've had three more years than me as retired and it's still not right for you?
David: You should have left that nightmare when they retired You, maybe you could have kept all your stuff instead of burning it!
Dorothy: Maybe they shouldn't have served your food, it'd be better to fill this house with, wouldn't it!
Northwest of Central lies the city of Berqe, an old town that had been part of Amestriss for over a hundred years, many loyal and well known people can claim to call the city home. Dorothy grew up with her brother at their grandparents with their parents, the times were tough and they listened in on many a conversation between their parents. The only constant were the grandparents, because both parents had to work almost constantly to keep things afloat, without noticing they picked up much from them.
David: She'll be making her own food outside of what i make.
Dorothy: What, to hard for you, your skills really have degraded in retirement. (smug)
David: If she can't feed herself, she won't survive.
Dorothy: Yes, she won't if you stop making anything.
David: I'll still make her damn soup at dawn and for dinner, but beyond that she makes her own.
Dorothy: So sad, is that why Tobias left?
David had a livid look to his eye, they know each other to well, someone is gonna push the wrong button.
step step step
Alice coming down broke the staring contest, and as she walked forward Dorothy stood up.
Dorothy: Here sit down, I'll go get your soup.
When Dorothy had explained Alice's injury, David hadn't really cared much. When his first try was to chunky to get down her throat something exited came to his eye, it left when the second went down perfectly well, and he has been gripping about making it since.
After a few bites, David starts talking again.
David: Today you'll learn to use a knife, if you won't or can't learn it by the end of the week you can kiss any independence you want goodbye. You'll be put in some home for safekeeping.
Dorothy: Maybe David will join you there.
.. is okey ..
Dorothy: Alice ...
.. When? ..
David: You get two hours to eat up, wake up properly and whatever else you want, but than you go to the kitchen and we'll start.
Dorothy: And if she gets cut, you were covered by bandages when you were learning.
.. I am alredy ..
David: Dorothy here is a special kind, she was practically a prodigy in carving, she could out perform alchemists with half the time most others would need. Shame all that work is burned or lost in that town.
Dorothy seemed to have something to say to that, but the scribbling distracted her.
.. It made it very pretty ..
Dorothy: Of course it did, working on every building was a joy and filled out where ... the company CEO wasn't ve (ehem) creative in design.
David: So you can speak ill of the dead?
Dorothy: It's a fact.
David: So is ...
Dorothy: Don't bring them up in front of Alice!
David: Then don't bring up dead people.
Dorothy: She actually met the CEO.
David: And she would have met ...
Dorothy: Silence!
The table is quiet, the only occasional noise is Alice's spoon carefully nocking into her bowl, each time she flinches. Ever observant David makes note of it, though only knowing of her for 5 days, and isn't That something, he feels he has a decent grasp of her. Dorothy leaves Alice's side on the table, she heads upstairs poignantly avoiding David's gaze.
At least 2 minutes go by before David has enough and leaves the table, after one to many knocks against the bowl Alice seems to have annoyed him. He returns a minute later with a spoon and egg, he sets them in front of her and retakes his seat.
.. What for? ..
David: I would have started you on with this before cutting anyways, drop the pencil, pick up the spoon, and continue eating.
Alice waits about two seconds, trying to read his expression, but he gives nothing away, somewhat wanting to start early anyway she does as instructed. Not five minutes later she is annoyed herself, not even done with breakfast, David has taken to criticising everything he can notice.
David: Your posture is bad.
"Don't rest your arm like that."
"Move it more like this."
"Up, down, up and down."
"Switch hands."
"Stop clinkin the bowl, this isn't a toast."
When she was finally done she fully intended to take advantage of the time he had given to her, when Dorothy was next to her.
"walk like that and you'll snap a tendon at 20."
"Don't look at the egg, look forward."
"You want to snap that neck of yours? Straighten you back."
"Keep your legs tight, don't swerve when walking"
Dorothy: Two hours huh?
David: You want to burn daylight?
Dorothy: You want to be a liar?
Splat.
David: Remake it again.
Alchemy requires a circle of some kind to work, the circle draws power normally from tectonic energy or from the dragons pulse. But it always requires a circle, so how she could suddenly transmute by clapping her hands, making a circle between them, was unknown to her.
Without thinking about it she had just clapped when changing her hair, it didn't even register until Dorothy questioned her about it. There had to be some reason for it, the problem she was having lies in isolating what the reason could be. Ishval, passing out leaving there, stressing over packing, the Gate, the sudden feeling the pulse has picked up below her and moving. All of them must be cross referenced, whichever remain must be the answer.
In retrospect the last time she did any alchemy (barring the one on the CEO and his wife) was back in Ishval during a lesson with Isan. Had she preformed any alchemy during the day spent packing, she would have some reference. Obvious in hindsight but it could have happened, the steel rod was for a project and just leaving it in her room was a waste of that planning, but getting everything ready was more important.
David: You getting light headed?
A slow shake.
Dorothy: Does it hurt?
A slow nod.
Dorothy: Maybe you should take a break than, there should still be half an hour till you must be in the kitchen.
David: Or we can start now.
Dorothy looks expectedly at Alice.
A break might help, but ...
Alice: 'I'd rather start now, I've only been walking anyway, the egg isnt as heavy as she seems to think.'
Alice points to the kitchen with her right arm, the left still holding the spoon.
Dorothy makes to object but David was faster.
David: Good, leave the spoon on the counter and stand beside me, I'll show and you watch. If you can manage to not cut yourself we'll go forward till you do.
Dorothy: You will not have her cut at all understood?
David: Her body, her ability, if she's cut that's hers too.
Alice very carefully shrugs her shoulders.
David: come on, starting now.
It makes a lot of sense why he had her balance the egg, while Alice's hand have been relatively stable in the past, making perfect circles kind of need that, She had been degrading on that front after finding out about the clapping. That also ignores the things that have frayed her nerves, the war and the human transmutation, with that context her initial performance with the knife is passible. Alice avoided cutting herself at least but compared to David's expectations she might as well have murdered the veggies.
David: You did decent, you won't be able to eat it, but for a first attempt it's decent.
Dorothy: I'll have it with today's dinner. (smile)
David: Course you will. Alice walk around with the spoon, from now on always balance something with your hands.
Dorothy: Even when she sleeps?
David: Even when she's clapping her hands.
Dorothy: Yes and you'll be making food while lifting sand.
Alice: 'And they've started again, might as well leave them to argue.'
David: You might eat that, it's not as thin as what i make for you but it probably won't jam your throat.
Not much had happened to Alice for two weeks. Outside transmuting some boards for Dorothy's piano and a few brief introductions to some of the neighbour's, little information about Risnan had come out through the radio the only mention was brief and only in regards to Ishval.
Alice: 'Or whatever they'll rename it to'
David: 'Something is on her mind'
While their cutting practise had expanded to almost any kitchen related topic, the main focus was still on steadying her hands. Despite receiving the majority of the attention it was still an area she struggled to get right, David had several potential answers for it, all from observing her.
Anytime Risnan was mentioned she was instantly listening in, when Dorothy got careless and mentioned someone from there she'd have this look, and when either himself or Dorothy asked her to transmute something she'd bow her head and comply.
David: 'Really, she acts like a kid who has done something bad, and is waiting for the other shoe to drop. Though it makes sense with the news.'
Without Dorothy or Alice knowing, some nights he would sneak out with the radio to the shed, there he'd set it to pick up signal from the south. Risnan was a slaughter, six soldiers one of them an alchemist, 59 men, 20 women and on top of it all, three kidnapped persons. No wonder Dorothy avoided talking bout it, she must have left the day before the Ishvalans arrived to cause one more tragedy.
David understands why they are choosing to hide the tragedy from greater Amestriss, but that doesn't mean he approves of it. Keeping it under wraps will only fuel speculation and conspiracy theories, especially as the official story keeps circulating in the south it is inevitable, by word of mouth alone that the story will spread.
Maybe thats the point? They want any information about the Ishvalans who did it, but they could get that by making the story nation wide as well.
David: 'Whatever the truth is, they'll eventually have to make themselves clear, and when they do people might actually help them out.' "Moping about Risnan won't help you."
A particularly bad flinch is the product of his remark, the first actuall cut on her hand is the result and Alice leaving the kitchen the consequence.
David: 'Right on the money.'
Dorothy: David, what's happened!
David: (sigh) I'll be out when I've cleaned up.
Dorothy: Oh Alice here, I'll bandage it right up.
Alice: 'He's right, but what else is there to do? I can't leave him until i can make my own food.'
Dorothy looks worried for Alice, whatever hole she's found herself in it seems exceptionally hard to get out of. David comes out of the kitchen to this, Dorothy sitting and holding Alice's left hand, while Alice just sits there beside her probably expecting a lecture.
David: Because you did cut yourself, we'll stop cutting for now, you'll be focusing on actual dishes for a week before I'll let you touch the knife again. Do you understand?
Alice nods.
David: When you are being addressed, you dont look down, do you understand?
Alice tries to move her head up, but can't. Meeting his gaze feels like it will tear her apart, that fear overpowers her decision to follow his command and she makes no move as a result.
Dorothy: Give her a break, what just cause she went longer without being cut than you she needs punishment? Not everyone is as clumsy as you were, or as willing to go along with your authoritative ass when in the kitchen!
David: As clumsy as the Hendricks were, to stay for the Ishvalans who would betray them?
Dorothy: What?
David: The radio ran the story yesterday evening after you two had gone to bed. Truly no greater stain on your judgement than staying so long, and getting so close to death with little regard for Alice.
Dorothy was stunned, the radio was on yesterday? she couldn't sleep for an hour at least and she hadn't heard a thing.
David: Had you stayed until that night, you're corpses would have been burning alongside your work!
Alice tries to process what David said, but it's like sludge. It doesn't fit, the fire was for the goodbye ceremony. It was late when the corpses were carried out to the fire, but, why is he implying that more than six were thrown onto it, or that the fire consumed all the work she did on the town's buildings.
David: How do you know the CEO is dead, huh, according to the radio he is missing alongside his wife and daughter!
Alice: (coarse) wha (PAIN)
Before cradling her neck to soothe the pain Alice looked fiercely up at David, in his eyes she saw that he had gotten the reaction he wanted.
David: There is some spunk in you, whatever actually happened, either tell me or don't, but if it makes you take a year to learn to use a knife? Than that will be the end of your knowledge in the kitchen.
Dorothy finally gets herself together.
"What like she needs you to teach her more than that?"
David: She might need my silence is all.
Dorothy: You wouldn't dare! Hasn't she been through enough already?
David: I don't know what she's been through actually, i just know she can't feed herself. How that happened wouldn't be my prerogative to investigate, but I'm sure I'd be interested in the answer.
Dorothy: You will not blackmail your own niece!
David: Is that what she is? Weird you didn't mention her at Mom and Dad's funeral, or the week after. It's almost as if Alice didn't exist than, but does now when someone else is missing!
Dorothy couldn't handle the scrutiny, always David would find every flaw any imperfections, and rail against them. What does he gain from doing so? Well he lost a promotion at 25 and 31 when he called out a superior, he made his sister, wife and son leave, and he wasnt invited to the next funeral. Why he wants to lose more now she can't comprehend.
Dorothy: Drop this, or we leave.
David: Kind of late for that isn't it?
Dorothy: Drop, It, Now.
David: Just you leaving? You can't feed Alice after all.
Dorothy: And you're so special for being able to? (laughs) You're just arrogant brother. Drop It.
David: What will it be Alice. What is it that i know.
Still hurting in the throat, she put her notebook forward to him, pencil ready to wirte him a list.
Alice: 'I chose? Well he set the stakes i guess, so there's not much choice and i must confirm some things.'
.. Dorothy told you about me when i was born..
.. Me being injured is why we left on the 8th, we made some other stops before coming here..
.. I am your niece, I am not lost..
.. You'd sooner complain about Dorothy than me..
David: That is already true.
Dorothy: David!
.. I can't preform alchemy, or any other such practice..
There is a moment were Alive tries to think of anything else important, but at that moment she cannot come up with it. So she looks to David, not quite able o hide the broken look in her eye.
David could make many assumptions just with these points while totally ignoring the info he presented to get these points, digging even a little would reveal the truth.
David: Dinner will be ready in half an hour.
Like that he returned to the kitchen, leaving them both in shock for very different reasons. Dorothy couldn't believe he had accepted the incomplete information, she expected, that at the very least he would demand the full story. Alice was floored he had accepted her, while she had known Dorothy a long time, she had always been the company carpenter first and foremost.
Declining Alice wasn't something the situation at Risnan had allowed but David definitely could have said it wasn't enough, he could have set an arbitrary amount of conditions for them both and they would have little recourse no matter what Dorothy may have argued.
Alice: 'Maybe he's decent, besides the loud arguing that is.'
"There's some interesting Intel coming from the recovery group sent to Risnan."
"How Successful was the attempt?"
"The alchemist was lost, Ishvalans, apparently. they were in a hurry when the team arrived, they are currently being held close by Risnan, while they investigate.
"Go out there and assess the situation, confirm if a sacrifice has been created."
"With pleasure."
I want to note that i don't remember any argument between my parents, i know it happened (they divorced for a reason) and my elder siblings have confirmed it, but i don't remember any one of them. my intention for Dorothy and David was for them to 90% of the time talk above each other, and almost never acknowledge each others points.
David is also supposed to be a Dr, Nox like figure, mostly because i absolutely love him, but also to contrast the actual Dr Nox, in profession, family situation and sadly relevance. I wanted to do more with Nox instead but decided against it, that scene with his wife and son makes me cry consistently and the thought of changing it makes my heart ache.