The Flower Princess And The Alchemist / Tropes A to D

Tropes A to D for The Flower Princess and the Alchemist.

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• Abhorrent Admirer: Orihime is very often on the recieving end of this. Normally, she's Oblivious to Love or a Clueless Dude Magnet, but when she does notice the affections of rather...aggressively obnoxious men, she is very...put off. For instance, during the dance, when some rich guys were practically hitting on her, Ed noticed how uncomfortable she seemed, despite her smile, and she described the experience, in no uncertain terms, as very unpleasant because they didn't see her as a person, but as a potential Trophy Wife.
• Above the Influence: Amelia, in order to control and manipulate Edward, offers him the opportunity to gain "Orihime's love". When Ed processes what she means by "giving him Orihime's love for a night", he understandably becomes very, very ENRAGED when he figures out what she's implying.
• Absurd Phobia: Orihime has a fear of the color white. This is tragically Played for Horror. Not only because of what triggered her phobia in the first place, but because it is so severe, it triggers her Trauma Button and has caused her to throw up and suffer from mental breakdowns twice.
• Abusive Parents: Orihime outright laments to Ed and Al that her parents were very abusive people, and that her brother ran away and took her with him when she was three in order to protect her from them.
  • Shou Tucker used his only daughter, Nina, as nothing more than a lab rat for his personal gain.
  • Parental Abandonment: Zero's parents sold him to a Mad Scientist because he started developing strange powers that weren't alchemy.
• Accidental Hand-Hold: Happens to Edward and Orihime in Chapter 39. It ends just as well as you might expect.
• Accidental Pervert: Thanks to Orihime's Crash-Into Hello, she and Ed end up in a very compromising position and the first thing Ed sees is her boobs pressed against his face. This, of course, causes Ed to blush awkwardly. In a subversion of this trope, Orihime doesn't notice at all. Of course, being who she is...
• Actual Pacifist: Orihime is so gentle at her core that she would never willingly do harm to another person. But that doesn't make her a pushover, and she has no problems defending herself if need be.

Orihime: "You can call it however you like it. My advice is, if you don't want that to happen again... Then don't attack me when I specifically told you not to!"

• Adaptational Angst Upgrade: Despite being a happy go lucky individual, Orihime's experiences in Hueco Mundo still haunts her. She is a lot more guilt ridden and has very low self esteem about herself compared to her canon counterpart. Justified as this story takes place in the midst of the Time Skip of Bleach, so she never had the chance to fully recover from her trauma.
• Adaptational Heroism: Lust is as evil and manipulative as she is in canon, but in this story, she has some of her characterization from Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) as she wants to understand the concept of what being "human" means, and she adopts an orphaned child.
• Adventure Towns: This is bound to happen with all the traveling Edward, Alphonse, and Orihime do.
• Affectionate Gesture to the Head: Edward has grown a fondness of tenderly rubbing Orihime's head.
• Agent Scully: Edward, and, to a lesser extent, Al seem really steadfast in the believe that everything in the world has a scentific and logical explanation behind them. Even when faced with the possibility that ghost and spirits may be real, they refuse to "believe in anything they can't see", and chalk it down to some weird, unknown form of alchemy. This is possibly a huge part of the reason why Orihime keeps them Locked Out of the Loop. That and her believe that they want to live normal, ordinary life after they complete their goal.
• Age Lift: Nina is seven in the story while she was four in the original manga.
• All-Loving Heroine: Orihime, definitely. Orihime is an incredibly kind, selfless, compassionate, and forgiving person. So much so that she even tries to befriend Scar, even after he almost killed her during their first encounter. She would go to any lengths to help anyone in need. This is the main reason why Ed and Reo have fallen in love with her, and Riku has implied to have some attraction to her if his statement of "now I see why my brother [Reo] fell in love with you [Orihime]" is anything to go by.
• All Love Is Unrequited: Edward once he realizes Orihime is in love with Ichigo. Not that he would admit he has feelings for her anyway.
• All the Other Reindeer: Orihime tearfully admits to Edward that she used to always hate her auburn hair because of the constant bullying she endured in her childhood because of it. What does he say? Comments that he likes her hair.
• Almost Kiss: Edward and Orihime come so very close to kissing when Orihime trips and falls on Ed, leaving them in a very compromising position. They both end up just staring deeply into each other's eyes, completely mesmerized with bright red blushes on their faces. Ed becomes increasingly panicked and flustered when he sees that Orihime's face is leaning closer to his, only for it to be a false alarm when she was simply smelling his scent, comparing it to Ichigo's. That still doesn't stop his heart from beating a million miles a minute.
• Aloof Dark-Haired Girl: Eria's appearance is described as being exactly like Orihime's in every way, and given that Orihime is considered the World's Most Beautiful Woman... Yeah... She's even mistaken for Orihime's twin sister by some characters who don't know her or her origins. The only things distinguishing her from the latter is her hair and eye color (Eria having black hair instead of auburn and brown eyes instead of gray) and her personality.
• Always Someone Better: Edward feels this way towards Ichigo, Orihime's First Love, feeling that he always to compete with him for Orihime's affections.
• Ambiguous Ending: Two minor plots with the two ghost girls was deliberately left vague and unclear.
  • The first one is heavily implied to be a good ending.
  • The second one, not so much...
• And Your Little Dog, Too!: Junko threatens Orihime with the lives of Edward and Alphonse if she does not abide by her demands. Let's just say that Orihime does not take this well.
• Anger Born of Worry: Edward very often gets angry whenever Orihime goes off alone and doesn't tell him. This mixed in with a fear makes it very understandable on why he feels this way.
• Angst? What Angst?: The nonchalant, accepting, and brief way Orihime explains her childhood to Edward and Alphonse.
• Anguished Declaration of Love: Edward does this in Chapter 41. Not exactly towards Orihime, but towards a manipulative villainess about his feelings for Orihime and the Love Triangle. It's more like an Anguished Declaration of Jealousy and Protection.
• Animal Motif: Orihime often compares Edward to a dog. He's fierce, loyal, protective of his loved ones, and he has a good heart. Not to mention, his dorky charm is greatly amusing to her. She once comments she likens his angry rants to a dog barking. Fittingly, considering he's a State Alchemist, and, therefore, a dog of the military.
• Animated Armor: Al is just a soul bonded to a suit of armor, but don't you dare imply he isn't human, especially in front of Ed.
• Arc Words: "Feelings are connected."
• Arc Villain: The Mod Souls. Ritsuko, Morgan, and Kyuko.
• Armor-Piercing Question: Hughes hits Orihime with this when he questions her motive for keeping Ed and Al Locked Out of the Loop of all the Hollow business. Is she doing it because of some supernatural law that forbids ordinary humans from knowing the existence of Hollows? Or is she doing it out of some misguided attempt not to burden them of what she perceives to be her problem to deal with?
• Ascended Extra: Since Nina survived her chimera transmutation, she gets to have more screen time than in the original anime. She becomes part of the supporting cast.
• The Atoner: Several characters.
  • Most of the characters who participated in the Ishavalan War.
  • Ed and Al after their failed Human Transmutation.
  • Even Orihime, who curses herself for being such a Damsel in Distress in the past that it cost Ichigo his powers. She later vows to never be that weak and pathetic again. Although, this shown as somewhat of bad thing as her guilt makes her rather reluctant to ask for or seek out help, and pushes her into making sure that Ed and Al stay Locked Out of the Loop of the supernatural world.
• Attention Deficit... Oh, Shiny!: Orihime has shades of this, which annoys Ed in the beginning.

• Badass Pacifist: Winry and the Rockbells.
  • Orihime shows dangerous signs of being this, if her first confrontation with Scar is anything to go by. She might not be able to tear you down physically, but she sure as hell can tear a person down psychologically. Al once innerly remarks how scary this is. Given that this story takes place about half a year after her rescue from Hueco Mundo, did she take a cue or two from Aizen?
    • This hidden shrewdness is best shown through Eria, her Shadow Archetype.
• Badass Teacher: Izumi.
• Barrier Warrior: Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka with a dose of Healing Hands and Reality Warping.
• Beautiful Dreamer: In Chapter 37, Edward can't help, but to remark in a inner monologue how beautiful and adorable Orihime looks while she sleeps. Of course, Al finds it amusing, much to Ed's chagrin.
• Because You Were Nice to Me: It's subtle, but part of the reason why Edward starts to develop feelings for Orihime is due to her unflinching kindness and unwavering generosity. She's also one of the first few people he meets who is always genuinely kind without expecting for anything in return. Since Fullmetal Alchemist is a world run by the Laws of Equivalent Exchange, this is a pretty big deal for Ed, who is usually always expecting the worst from people or for them to have some sort of ulterior motive. This leads to Edward becoming increasingly protective of Orihime when he feels that someone is trying to take advantage of her kindness, or when men try to get too close to her. Chapter 15, which contains Orihime's rescue attempt and Ed's subsequent Declaration of Protection, is the catalyst that starts their relationship.
  • This is one of the reasons why Orihime admires Ichigo so much is because he saved and retrieved her precious hairpins from a few bullies. She got her first glimpse of how truly kind he actually is. And is this continuous kindness that makes her fall in love with him.
• Befriending the Enemy: Chapter 22. Orihime attempts this with Scar in hopes to take his mind of Revenge. It doesn't work, but does leave him to contemplate his actions.
• Being Good Sucks: Orihime, of all people, refers to Hollow hunting as a tireless, thankless, self-sacrificing job without any rewards.
• Being Tortured Makes You Evil: This at the hands of a Mad Scientist and a hefty dose of Parental Abandonment made Zero into the resentful, bitter Enfant Terrible he is today.
• Beneath the Mask: Orihime. Despite her bubbly, cheerful, optimistic, and ditzy demeanor, Orihime is a Stepford Smiler with massive self-esteem issues and a Guilt Complex underneath it all. She just hides really well.
  • Eria is, technically, the partial manifestation of Orihime's hidden anguish, doubts, and love for Ichigo.
• Berserk Button: Quite a few.
  • Don't call Ed short or any variation of that word.
    • His Crazy Jealous Guy moments may also count.
    • And don't mess with his little brother, Al.
  • Don't break Winry's automail.
  • Surprisingly, Orihime has one. Don't toy with other people's emotions.
    • It has later been revealed several times through inner monologues that Orihime does not like people falling for her due to their own expectations or assumptions of her or her personality, or men perceiving her as nothing more than a Brainless Beauty Naïve Everygirl when she's anything but. This just further drives her depression.
• Betty and Veronica: Edward's the Betty and Ichigo's the Verionca to Orihime's Archie. Somewhat downplayed in the fact that both boys are very similar in personality. They are both passionate and short tempered, Good Is Not Nice, Jerks With A Heart Of Gold, who have lost their mothers at a young age, and have a heaping dose of Big Brother Instinct. They are voluntary Child Soldiers to some degree who would go out of their way to help the innocents. The difference is how they go about helping. Ed would try to be sneaky and pragmatic, helping out in ways that won't get his State Alchemist License revoked. After all, no matter how much his sticks his neck out for someone who can't help themselves, Alphonse is still his top priority. Ichigo, on the other hand, would not care if what he was doing would get him in trouble with the authorities or not. He's simply doing it because it's the right thing to do. Orihime has commented that this is the most particular aspect of their personalities that she likes and finds extremely endearing about both men.
  • Another point of difference are Edward and Ichigo's fighting styles and principles when it comes to battle. Ichigo has supressed Blood Knight tendencies, which he tries to keep under control while Ed is a Technical Pacifist. While they tend to be Hot-Blooded in combat and Determinators, Ichigo fights by using his instincts and raw power to overwhelm and overpower his enemies. Meanwhile, Ed uses his wits to outsmart his opponents with varying levels of Awesome by Analysis. Ichigo has very strong sense of Honor Before Reason when it comes to battles while Ed would not mind using clever tactics and dirty tricks, if it means achieving victory in a fight. Ichigo secretly enjoys fighting, but Ed simply sees it as part of his job or a means of defending himself and his loved ones (not that Ichigo doesn't do the same).
• Beware the Nice Ones:
  • Orihime is a kind and sweet girl. However, she isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes is right as a military general learned the hard way. Not to mention that she hates people who toys with other's emotions. Understandably, as she went through a similar experience.
  • Alphonse. Just because he's a friendly, considerate, and level headed giant suit of armor doesn't mean he won't kick someone's ass when they threaten his loved ones.
• Beware the Quiet Ones: Kyuko rarely talks. That doesn't mean she isn't deadly or harmless.
• Beyond the Impossible: Chapter 14. Orihime manages to save Nina from her tragic fate, which Edward and Alphonse couldn't even do. Even stated to be scientifically impossible by Ed.
• Big Brother Instinct: Edward towards Alphonse.
• Big Damn Heroes: Orihime makes an epic one in Chapter 26. Her Rescue Romance also counts.
• Big Eater: Ed and Orihime. Tastes Like Friendship is what kicks off the start of them growing as friends.
• Big Little Brother: Ed is Al's older brother, and the shorter of the two.
• Big Stupid Doo Doo Head: Orihime calls Edward a big dummy for reading her diary.
• Big "WHAT?!": Happens thrice in Chapter 34
  • Edward does it when Orihime shyly, embarrassingly, and innocently asks him if he was an exhibitionist after seeing him in his underwear, unbeknownst to her that he was forcibly stripped of his clothes.
  • Paninya, when Al announces Satella is having her babies.
  • Ed again when Orihime explains what a C section is.
• Birds of a Feather: Given their temperament and personalities, it may not appear that way at first, but Edward and Orihime have quite a few things in common. Both are orphans. Both a have displayed bouts of Chronic Hero Syndrome. Both are Big Eaters. Both are stubborn and determined when it comes to helping the people they love. Both are pacifists, ie. Technical Pacifist and Actual Pacifist, respectively. Both suffer from some sort of Guilt Complex. Despite their outward apperances and dispositions, both display levels of doubts and insecurities. Both are Insecure Love Interest. And both are shy and awkward when it comes to romance.
  • This is an interesting case because, in the beginning, Orihime occasionally inwardly comments how much Edward reminds her of Ichigo. However, when Ed and Ichigo's Not So Similarities comes to light, it's soon revealed that Ed has a lot of things more in common with her than with Ichigo. No wonder the two form a close bond and friendship that is gradually turning into love.
• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Eria comes off as this in her initial appearance. She presents herself as a kindhearted Proper Lady, but is cold, bitter, and resentful underneath.
  • A variation. Junko is a kind and polite woman. She is really just a lifeless corpse possessed by a Hollow to get close to Orihime.
• Blatant Lies: The excuses Orihime gives Edward and Alphonse when she goes off Hollow hunting. She's such a Bad Liar even they don't buy it sometimes. Most of the time, it's because she hesitates when trying to come up with a believable excuse.
• Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: Winry, Nina, and Orihime, respectively.
• Bodyguard Crush: Edward's Declaration of Protection could be played off like this since he isn't the type to openly admit his feelings, especially if they are romantic in nature. Several characters have commented on Ed's possessive need to act as Orihime's Knight in Shining Armor. This is an interesting case since Ed was just assigned to guard Orihime from the homunculi. He didn't develop feelings for her until after Chapter 15.
• Braids of Action: Gender inverted. Ed normally wears his long hair in a single braid, but he's one badass alchemist.
• Break the Cutie: Poor, poor Nina. First her father turns her into a chimera. And just when all that tragedy is behind her and she begins to make a new life in Resembool and makes a friend, they are attacked by a Hollow and said friend gets killed. Nina ends up crying all the day the next day with no one knowing how to cheer her up, except for Orihime.
  • Chapters 40 and 41 serves as this for Ed. Edward goes through a heartbreakingly massive emotional breakdown about his placement in the Love Triangle with Orihime and Ichigo during which a female villain tries to take advantage of by attacking his insecurities and coldly manipulating his Hopeless Suitor status about his one-sided crush on Orihime. To great relief, Ed manages a Heroic Second Wind that snaps him out his funk and he delivers a passionately epic Shut Up, Hannibal! speech.
  • Amelia's illusions are specifically designed to invoke this by showcasing a target's deepest, darkest fears and insecurities, which she could use to break and manipulate them before killing them.
• Break Them by Talking: Amelia's forte. With her illusions and forked tongue, this is how she kills her victims.
• Break-Up/Make-Up Scenario: Word of God stated that most arguments/fights that Edward and Orihime get into is equivalent to a married couple getting a divorce.
• Breaking the Fourth Wall: Happens in Chapter 19 when the narrator calls Ed delusional for thinking he wasn't short. His response? To get furious at the narrator!
• Breather Episode: These show up from time to time in hopes of not to make the story too dark or let the characters relax after all the horrific events that happened to them in the previous few chapters. More than half the time, you better expect some Edward/Orihime Ship Tease during these chapters.
• Broken Bird: Eria. Underneath her Bitch in Sheep's Clothing facade, Eria is really just a bitter and broken person. Eria is a combination of Orihime's pain, anguish, and love for Ichigo.
  • In the last arc of The Flower Princess and the Alchemist it becomes more and more apparent that, underneath her smiles, Orihime shows signs of being this, and desires to hide the broken and imperfect sides of herself from others.
• Broken Hero: Genki Girl Cloud Cuckoo Lander Orihime, but there are times when her facade fades.
• Broken Pedestal: Shou Tucker becomes this for his daughter, Nina.
• Broken Tears: There are moments when Orihime begins to shed these when she hits her emotional breaking point. It's the first hint that she isn't as happy and cheerful as others believe her to be.
• Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Edward is a temperamental jerk with good intentions plagued by his guilt over his and Al's conditions, while Orihime is generally a happy, bubbly girl. Most of the time.
• Bunny-Ears Lawyer:
  • Orihime. A resident Cloud Cuckoo Lander who is strangely insightful and perceptive of other people's moods and feelings and an excellent healer.
  • Edward. A brilliant alchemist with a Hair-Trigger Temper that would fly off in a fit of rage whenever someone calls him short.
• Buxom Beauty Standard: Many characters have taken notice of Orihime's assets, some even suggesting she should show them off more, much to her chagrin.
• Call-Back: When Orihime tells Edward that she would always wait patiently for him to tell her his problems when he finally confesses about his past, Ed tells her the exact same words that he was always wait for her to come to him when she's griefing over Ichigo a few chapters later.

• Casanova Wannabe: Jean Havoc. Ed notes that this is one of his defining traits, and Mustang comments that he lacks any charm or charisma to keep a girl for more than one or two dates. Both these statements leaves Havoc utterly dejected. The others (Mustang's crew) even make snide remarks at his failed love life when giving Ed girl/dating advice.
• Cassandra Truth: Averted by Orihime. Orihime is determined to keep Ed and Al Locked Out of the Loop of the existence of Hollows because she is fully aware they won't believe her, even if she did tell them. The one person she told so far is Nina, and that's only because the little girl has seen and was attacked by a Hollow.
• Catch Your Death of Cold: Orihime spends most of Chapter 31 and 32 sick in bed as a result of spending a few hours standing in front of Rio's grave out in the rain a couple of chapters earlier without an umbrella or a jacket.
• Celibate Hero: Edward. Ed is more interested in returning Al back to normal than even thinking about getting into a relationship. Subverted in that he has a massive crush on Orihime. Perhaps, it's partially his guilt and self-obligation to Al that's keeping him from confessing. And other factors...
• Chaste Heroine: Orihime, of course. Partly because of her status as Clueless Dude Magnet and partly because Ichigo is the only she has eyes for.
• Child Soldier: Edward is technically this, being a State Alchemist who works for the military and all since the age of twelve.
• Childhood Friend: Ed, Al, and Winry have known each other since they were kids.
  • Orihime and Tatsuki, and, by extension, Ichigo.
    • Orihime and Tatsuki have been friends since middle school. Orihime and Ichigo were acquaintances in middle school.
• Childhood Friend Romance: Averted by Word of God. Even though Edward/Winry is canon in the original source material, the author has stated numerous times that they have never saw them as romantic, but more of a Like Brother and Sister relationship. They viewed the endgame ship as "okay, it's not too bad" at best and Squicky at worst, saying it's basically incest. Before announcing Orihime as Edward's Love Interest, they said that Ed and Winry would never end up together, even jokingly contemplated creating an OC love interest for Ed.
  • Played Straight in Orihime's case. This is what she hopes to upgrade her relationship with Ichigo to if she ever gathers the courage to confess her feelings to him.
• Children Are Innocent: If a child becomes part of the supporting cast, expect this to become completely averted or somewhat Subverted.
• Cloud Cuckoo Lander: Orihime in spades. Her first conversation with Ed and Al consisted of her rambling on about Ed's red coat.
• Conveniently an Orphan: It might be brushed aside at times and barely given a second thought, but Edward, Alphonse, and Orihime are all orphans (not by choice). The fact that they are orphans works greatly in their favor because (as long as Ed's abides by the rules of the military) they could do whatever they want and travel anywhere they want without worrying about making excuses on why they have to leave (in Ed and Al's case, though, if they weren't orphans, they wouldn't have a reason to leave).
  • More egregious in Orihime's case. It's heavily implied Orihime doesn't mind being stuck in Ed and Al's world (not anymore). The only reason she has any desire to return to her world is because she still has her friends waiting for her back home, especially Ichigo and Tatsuki.
• Cool Big Sis: Orihime becomes this towards Nina.
• Cooldown Hug: Ed does this for Orihime in Chapter 41.
• Cordon Bleugh Chef: Orihime. Unlike most examples, Orihime is a pretty damn good cook, even if her combinations of food are questionable. Ed really enjoys her cooking, and Al has stated once or twice to looking forward to finally eating her meals once he gets his body back. This makes a her a rare mixture of Supreme Chef and this trope.
• Cosmic Horror Story: In Chapter 43, Hughes lampshades this when he learns the Awful Truth about Hollows. From his perspective, the universe is kept in balance by the hope and despair, the life and death of humanity. If this balance is disrupted, the universe would be destroyed, and that there is some kind of supernatural society that is governing this balance. Fantastic!
• Covert Pervert: Ed had shown a few, subtle hints of this, if his inner monologue is anything to go by. He always denies that he pays any attention to Orihime's curvy and well-endowed figure, sometimes blushing while doing so, meaning he's fully aware and conscious of Orihime's... assets. This could be Ed acting like he's supposed to... Like any other teenage boy. And another hint is Ed's reaction to Orihime's modeling. It's never stated what kind of dresses and outfits she wears while modeling, except for a couple of them (an Impossibly-Low Neckline and a a Cleavage Window), but Ed even furiously describes the outfits as being... too provocative while Al and Winry are perfectly fine with her modeling. However, part of the reason for this could be because he doesn't want other men to see pictures of her.
  • This is subverted as Ed only does this when he first met Orihime and is trying to identify her, and later when he meets someone who looks like her.
  • Orihime in Chapter 34. She insists that she wasn't staring at a half-naked Ed when he was just in his boxers.
    • Granted, she didn't know he was forcibly stripped of his clothes by automail mechanics wanting to see his automail. The sight of it most likely shocked her to the core because it was so unexpected. She even lampshades it was the first time she saw a boy in his underwear, and that he surprisingly has a very well built and muscular body.
  Orihime (shyly): "I wasn't staring. I'm not a pervert. I'm not."
• Crash-Into Hello: How Orihime first meets Edward and Alphonse.
• Crazy Jealous Guy: If Ed going into a fit of angry and jealous rage at the thought of other guys flirting with Orihime after finding out she modeled for a fashion magazine isn't this trope, then nothing is. He even buys all the magazines in the store and destroys them just so other men won't see pictures of her.
• Creepy Blue Eyes: Zero. Fitting that he's an Enfant Terrible with water powers. May overlap with Icy Blue Eyes.
• Creepy Child: Kyuko. She's really a mod soul.
  • Downplayed a bit in Zero's case. This is the reason why his parents sold him to a Mad Scientist.
• Creepy Monotone: This is Kyuko's default tone, in keeping with her Emotionless Girl personality.
• Crush Blush: Edward develops a nasty case of this with Orihime. This is why characters notice his growing feelings for her, despite his denial. Orihime herself returns the favor as a sign that she's slowly starting to reciprocate his feelings. Twice Shy indeed.
• Cry into Chest: Happens at the end of Chapter 41 when, after her massive breakdown, Orihime is reduced into a sobbing wreck and clings onto Edward. Ed painfully and sadly notes how much she's trembling because of the whole ordeal.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: Ed and Al vs. Ritsuko. It doesn't end well. Luckily, Orihime manages to pull a Big Damn Heroes moment before she could finish the boys off.
• Curtains Match the Window: Edward Elric and Roy Mustang.
  • Kyuko as well.
• Cute Kitten: Sammy, the adorable cat that Orihime and the others decide to take in in Chapters 35, 36, and 37. It's really the soul of a young boy possessing the cat, and Orihime has other reasons for taking the cat in...
• The Cutie: Sweet and innocent Nina.
• D-Cup Distress: Orihime, surprisingly, sometimes feels embarrassed over her large bust size. She even has to order custom-made bras.
• Damsel in Distress: This is what Orihime appears to be from her friends' perspective. It technically isn't a lie; she is just not in as much danger as they think.
  • Played straight. Orihime has been captured by numerous villains for various reasons.
• Damsel out of Distress: More often than not, she somehow manages to save herself.
• Distressed Dude: Edward had seen his fair share. To be fair though, most of the time, enemies are beyond his skill level and/or knowledge. Often overlaps with Badass in Distress as he does manage to put up a decent fight, if he could actually see them.
• Dance of Romance: Chapter 39. It leads to Ed and Orihime's First Kiss.
• Dark Action Girl: Ritsuko.
  • Eria is an anti-heroic version of this trope.
• Dark and Troubled Past: Quite a few actually. In short summary...
  • Orihime. Her brother died when she was young. She was kidnapped by a deranged, manipulative pyschopath. She watched the love her life almost die several times trying to save her, and that's not mentioning all the psychological torture and emotional abuse she underwent while in imprisonment. She then ends up trapped in a strange world with no way to return to her own. No wonder the poor girl is prone to Broken Tears on occasions.
    • And, by extension, Eria.
  • Edward and, basically, Alphonse as well. Their father ran off on them, mother died of illness, and their attempt to resurrect her backfires horribly. And let's not get into what they go through in story. Being Locked Out of the Loop doesn't really help much.
  • Nina. Her father turned into chimera, and a few chapters later, her new friend gets killed by a monster. Break the Cutie, indeed.
  • Riku's parents were killed during the Ishvalan War, and years later his older brother dies a mysterious death/illness. Riku is horrified when Reo requests that he perform a postmortem decapitation. When he doesn't, Reo comes back as a restless, possessed spirit.
  • Chloe witnesses her mother being raped and killed by three men who broke into their house one day.
• Dark Secret: This is the main catalyst that strains Edward and Orihime's relationship. They do form a close friendship and bond over the course of the story having plenty of Ship Tease, mind you. But Ed is highly displeased and aggravated at his status of being Locked Out of the Loop of Orihime's "activites". She has a very good reason to keep him in the dark though.
• Darker and Edgier: The story has gotten somewhat darker the minute Hollows made their appearance and the elements of Bleach started taking the forefront. Has gotten even worse when the mod souls appeared.
• Darkest Hour: Orihime tells Ed and Winry a story of how she first met Ichigo on the day her brother died.
• Date Rape: Edward is absolutely sick when it's implied this is what Amelia meant when she says she'll give him "Orihime's love". She even throws in a comment about lending him a potion to make her more susceptible to his advances. The number of men who have been implied to have actually went along with her help makes him even more disgusted.
• Day In The Lime Light: Chapters 18 and 19. Nina gets one when Ed, Al, and Orihime go to Resembool to visit Ed's mechanic. It leads to her Break the Cutie moment.
  • Nina eventually becomes part of the main supporting cast.
  • And also the Bleach snippets where each chapter focuses on one of Orihime's friends and how her disappearance affected them.
• Dead All Along: In Chapter 37, Orihime meets a kind and polite woman by the name of Junko. Turns out Junko is already died months before meeting Orihime, and it's just a Hollow possessing her lifeless body.
• Dead Person Impersonation: In his first appearance, Morgan takes over the body of a middle-aged man whom Kyuko most likely killed in order to lure Ed, Al, Orihime, and Winry into a false sense of security. His true appearance is that of a blonde-haired Bishōnen who is obsessed with the ladies.
  • A Hollow does this with Junko to trick Orihime into a false sense of security.
• Deadpan Snarker: Edward in response to Orihime's Cloud Cuckoo Lander status.
  • Though, he eventually finds this trait of hers endearing. But he's still not above making snide remarks, although more playful than before. May be his way of flirting with her, except Orihime doesn't see it.
• Deal with the Devil: Eria remarks that Amelia was once a human woman that made a deal with a Hollow, exchanging her soul for eternal beauty and power. Naturally, when the Hollow is destroyed, she dies within seconds.
• Death by Falling Over: Implied to be how a ghost girl died.
• Death by Origin Story: Riku's older brother, Reo, is already dead before his introduction.
• Death Seeker: Chapter 15. Orihime deduces that Scar is this.
  "Yeah... It sucks to be alone, doesn't it? However, going around and killing people isn't going to stave off your loneliness! Even if you were to to kill me or Edward or Alphonse, there would be other people after you, ready to take you life out of vengeance. But you... You have no one. No one who would miss you. No one who would mourn you. And no one to avenge you when you die. You are nothing but a puddle of water that strangers step on the street without sparing a second glance. So knowing this miserable, grief stricken truth, you want to die. That's why you target State Alchemists. Not only are the source of your pain, you're hoping they end it, too." Her eyes regard the raging man, sympathetically. "What a sad, lonely, pitiful man you are."
• Declaration of Protection: Chapter 15. After they survive their run in with Scar, Edward vows to Orihime that he would be the one doing the protecting from now on in his usual aggressive and flustered way.
  ( Edward to Orihime): "I'm not the one who's going to be protected by you, okay? From now, you'd be protected by me! No excuses! Got it?"
  • Ed reaffirms his resolve to protect Orihime in Chapter 39.
    • Ed seems to have a knack for doing this whenever he Cannot Spit It Out.
• Defensive "What?": In Chapter 34, Edward does this when Winry glares at him. The reason? Ichigo. Another reckless idiot who gets into trouble and into a lot of fights.
• Despair Event Horizon: Orihime explains to Hughes the true origin of a Hollow after he's attacked by one. They are basically fallen human souls who have crossed this, letting their despair, hatred, or any negative emotion they are hanging to consume and corrupt them. Hughes doesn't take the news well at all.
  • In what is revealed of Morgan's backstory so far, it is hinted that he past the DEH after the yet to be explained death of his implied lover.
• Devoted to You: Orihime towards Ichigo. This is Played for Drama. It's Orihime's undying love, devotion, and loyalty to Ichigo that inadvertently causes a lot of anguish and heartaches for her and Edward, due to her being oblivious to Ed's true feelings for her because she doesn't realize that her adoration and affection for Ichigo deeply hurts Ed's feelings, making him feel inferior.
• Dirty Old Man: Edward feels Morgan is this when they first meet, threatening him to not try anything perverted with Orihime. Subverted in that wasn't Morgan's true appearance. At least he doesn't look that old, but he is a sexual predator.
• Does Not Like Men: Due to the trauma that happened to her mother, Chloe has developed an irrational fear of men, finding them to be disgusting and repulsive monsters.
• Does Not Like Spam: It's revealed in Chapter 45 that Orihime goes out of her way not to buy any milk (unless she's using it as an ingredient in her cooking) since Ed absolutely loathes it. Instead using foods like broccoli and cheese as substitutes for the health benefits milk gives.
• The Dog Bites Back: The end of Zero's backstory that leads up to his Start of Darkness.
• Doom Magnet: Orihime actively starts seeing herself as this, which is in turn makes her more and more desperate to keep Ed and, by extent, Al and all her non-spiritual sensing friends Locked Out of the Loop. Justified in that the mod souls and the incident with Reo were targeting her specifically. Ed and Al only end up getting hurt because they were "in the wrong place at the wrong time" and/or were getting in the way. Word of God even confirms this with the Hollows incidentally attack Ed and Al because they happen to near people (or objects) with powerful spiritual energy (i.e. Orihime, Nina, or the Philosopher's Stone), even stating that the brothers are always at "the wrong place at the wrong time".
• Dude Magnet: Orihime.
  • You count on your hands the number of named characters who have a crush on, infatuated with, or lust after Orihime. Edward, Reo, Riku (possibly), Morgan, etc.
  • Clueless Dude Magnet: Orihime sometimes questions why guys act differently around her.
    • Even the Girls Want Her: Thanks to her modeling, even girls show some attraction to Orihime.
  • Chick Magnet: Ichigo. He's not even in the main plot and both Orihime and Eria are in love with him. This is sort of downplayed and somewhat justified. Orihime was already in love with him before arriving in Amestris. And Eria carries a piece of Orihime's soul inside her and that includes her love for him.
• Dying as Yourself: What happens to Reo at the end of his mini arc, thanks to Orihime's interventions. He was finally able to rest in peace.
• Dysfunction Junction: It would probably be easier to count the number of people who aren't evil, crazy, have a terrible past, have some sort of issue, or any combination of the four. Even children younger than twelve aren't excluded. Sometimes the kids aren't really kids.