Already Lost

Blue light filled the area and the clang of metal against metal was clearly heard. Two cloaked figures stood in the middle of a dark alley, continually swinging at each other, each time the two blades collided, neither one letting the other gain any ground.

Then one of the figures clapped his hands together and tapped his blade, lengthening the blade. The other mimicked him easily.

Yet again the blades swung, the two already having adjusted to the weight change. This time there was no blocking, both blades pierced the other figure. The atmosphere noticably changed as one jumped back, apparently uninjured. The figure could visibly smirk and then vanished.

The figure who remained, dropped to the ground, blood pouring from his wound. His blade reverted to an automail arm and the hood of his cloak fell back, revealing now very untidy, dark brown hair and clear blue eyes.

"S...Sin...I will defeat you someday..."

Report

Nick grunted with ever step as he walked throughout Central, his wound from the previous night still aching. He had refused seeing one of the doctor's about it and was beginning to regret it.

"Where the hell is Tate at? He was supposed to meet me near here. Or was it near the apartment? Darn it! Where the heck is that walking rust bucket?"

"Right behind you, brother," came the echoing voice of a young child.

Nick smiled sheepishly as he turned around and saw the huge suit of armor that was his brother. "Normally I hear you when you're walking."

"Maybe you didn't hear me this time because you was too busy calling me a walking rust bucket..."

Nick's smiled faded as he turned to run, only to be held back by�his brother's�hand. "Now, come on, Nick. We have to go meet Mei so we can inform her about your encounter with Sin."

Nick grunted as he was partially dragged towards Central Head Quarters.

�

"Tate, what do you mean that Nick was injured? He looks fine?" asked the woman standing in front of the brothers. Mei Hirotomi, one of the few people Nick took orders from(generally because he has to). She had short purplish-pink hair and golden eyes. She wore black gloves that reached up to near her shoulders and had on a black, one-piece outfit that tied around her neck.

"During my fight with Sin, he got in a near lethal hit on me, ma'am," muttered Nick, heartlessly.

"Where's this wound at, Nick?" questioned Mei, glaring at him.

"Just a few inches right of my heart."

Mei nodded. "Ok then. Tate, make sure that Nick sees a doctor about this wound of his, and continue to report to me concerning any encounters with Homunculi. Dismissed."

Another Searcher

Nick groaned as the persitant knocking on the door to his� and Tate's apartment woke him up for the third time that night. He trudged to the door, pulling on his blood-red cloak and threw it open.

"Who th' hell are ya and what th' hell do you want?"

"Interesting way to great a girl, buddy."

Nick opened his eyes and quickly rubbed them. He then saw the girl in front of him clearly. She had long whit-blonde hair tied with red ribbons�into long pig-tails. She had clear, blue eyes and a disarming smile. She was wearing a black kimono.

"Wakin' me up at midnight is not the best way to get a nice hello from me."

"So I gathered...You're Nick Musha, right? Wolf Claw Alchemist?"

"The one and only...But I don't know your name..."

"Hisa Aramane. Puppet Master Alchemist."

Nick yawned again. "Look...'Isa...If you're wanting an audience with me, it's gonna hafta wait. I don't talk to anyone until noon..."

Hisa blinked, and clapped her hands once then placed it on Nick's ungloved hand. A light blue light covered him as his eyes went wide. "Now, Nicholas...Might I ask you what you know of the Philosopher's Stone?"

"Why do you want to know?" he asked, now wide awake.

"I'm going to disprove the stone. Dispeling all of these stupid myths saying that you can bring people back without losing something."

And, for one of the few times in his life, Nick wanted to punch a girl.