Alphonse had a lot of thinking to do.
With his body returned, he found the struggles he endured were of a different nature in comparison to the iron cage to house his soul all those many years. He fought against the natural deficiencies of being kept stagnant on the other side so long, with a mind that was not yet settled to the reality of freedom returned.
His world was still very much numb. Though he was now obligated to following through with the normal human afflictions. Food and sleep. The harder goal of rising to rebuild muscle long deteriorated into nothing, plunging his world into the agonizing process of repetition. One foot in front of the other, pushing past boundaries, obliterating them if he could.
Regardless of what he had to face, he did not complain. He was so… so thankful to have been gifted with a chance so few would have under similar circumstances. He embraced what he did have, while working to resolving those things that he didn’t.
Time was on his side. Wasn’t it?
However irritating such a concept was. Time could be their greatest supporter and their most damning foe, all at once. Because it was unforgiving. Because it did not discriminate. It did not weed through the heroes and the villains, treating all the same.
That was enough to bide his time, but Alphonse was one who was never settled simply considering the present. He near constantly had his mind focused on the future as well.
Alphonse was considering possible careers. It had once been a topic he discussed with his father, though it never got around to him actually deciding what he might wish to do with the remaining time he had. Was it necessary he make that decision straight away? No, of course it wasn’t. Even if he found he thought he made up his mind, he was not stuck to following through with it.
They were only thoughts to hold him as he worked.
The world was a changing place. A world where the scrupulous codes of genetic development were being cracked with sophisticated technology run by scientists with a profound lust for knowledge. They studied topics once deemed impossible to decrypt, coming up with all sorts of evolutionary products that would carry them on into the future.
Products for medicinal purposes or for simple conveniences.
Al’s skin flushed against the exertion of his efforts, simple maneuvers against a faux opponent. An archaic mannequin made from straw and a plain ole burlap sack. He was in Xing, traveling there when he felt strong enough to make the journey on his own. It was quite the challenge on his own, but it was something he needed to do.
He came for knowledge. But also for…
It was a beautiful country…. A feeling of oldness and strangeness hung heavy in the air, a perfect adornment to the tireless work he engaged in.
He blinked away the sweat burning his eyes, beads of moisture across his brow he did not bother to wipe away.
One last strike against his opponent, he teetered back, allowing himself to plop down on the ground, blowing out a puff of exhausted air.
It was getting easier. He still had a long way to go, but…. he was getting there.
