[ there's a silence, at her question -- and he tables it, for now, in lieu of hearing what her alleged power is. and it draws a faint smile out of him, almost amused: ]

Fitting. [ mildly enough, taking the moment to remove his gloves -- they're useless, anyway, and are just making his hands feel cold and clammy. ] And the last thing I remember is Ishval. We had just arrived and we were divvying up supplies to our unit for the reconstruction effort.

[ and, in a far less serious and grave tone: ]

Specifically, I forgot to sign something, and you asked me how I had been promoted in the first place.