"I don't remember getting anything back." He makes a point of looking serious at that statement, but he's still teasing as he shrugs. "You'll just have to practice more. There has to be something worth the motivation to stop yourself." Maybe not any time soon, but some day.

"Everyone has the potential to be a ninja, but not everyone has the interest, the dedication, the skill, the physical ability-" He could go on, counting off on his fingers as if that made his point. "It's not like that, the military doesn't control it. It's just that actually being skilled enough to warrant a place in the military is special. Not just anyone can pass the exam, and they only accept one or two alchemists a year, so you know they only take the best." He's not gloating, he's not even considering his own role in that statement, "Considering that-" That being that the military has an active interest in alchemists at all, "It's safe to say that it's a special skill not everyone has. Some people are just more naturally talented than other's, some people just study harder- I guess it depends on how much of a priority it is too, I've met people that dabbled for a bit and decided it wasn't for them."