With this 'story' I'm getting a bit ahead of the manga, because, if I'm not wrong, the Chapter 61 has been recently finished and I haven't read it yet. I think that only the ones who are following the manga should view this fic.


Ran Fan walked along the street. After weeks of being in bed, she finally decided to go for a walk… To clear her mind.

She wore her ninja outfit and a coat merely covered an arm that was no longer there. Her feet heavily dropped on the road, her movements were incorrect, as those of one who has not only been left to rest for a long time, but also of one who does not mind of its moves. The people around her would look at her as if she was some sort of wanderer. But she kept on walking…

She felt so helpless. Not only had she failed in her mission of protecting her master, but also she had to be carried by him at the verge of death. And now, because of her unforgivable failure, they had gotten the Philosopher's Stone, but lost her master. The protector was unable to protect and the protected was missing.

She didn't realise why, but she raised her head and saw a familiar shape.

-Young Master!-, both of them stopped. Tears were accumulating in her eyes.

000

"Young Master?" Greed thought. "So she also knows this guy… She must be the one whom he wrote that stuff for". He felt an inner presence struggling in his self.

000

-Go away from here, Ran Fan. You're not safe with me-.

What did her beloved meant? How could he say something like that, after so long? What had happened, was really so terrible?

-But… Master…

-Master, huh?-, the voice changed its tone. –So you're supposed to be my subordinate? Hahaha, what a laugh!

-Ling… What's…?

-Lady, I'm not Ling you're talking to, I'm Greed-, interrupted the boy, proudly pointing at himself. –Ling, or whatever you guys call the owner of this body, is already almost gone. Only sometimes he's able to take control of the body, and for a short period of time.

-What… What are you talking about? Where's… Where's the Philosopher's Stone?

-I'm the Philosopher's Stone, miss. I…-, he interrupted himself. –Ran Fan, leave, he doesn't need to know anything about us! Go! -, Ling shouted.

Finally, she cried. She fell on her knees and cried. She couldn't understand anything of what had happened. After so long, was that… thing telling her that her beloved had simply faded? No, that couldn't be… He had spoken to her...

-Wow! Twice in less than 10 minutes! Now that's a record, haha!-, said Greed, as if defiant. Only after that he realized that the girl was crying. –Hey, kid, I think his right, why don't you go home, huh? You don't look to good and I have other things to do.

"Other things to do?... What is that supposed to mean?" thought Ran Fan as tears kept on rushing through her face. With difficulty, she got up and tried to suppress her weeping.

-Master… Or Greed… What… What happened? -, demanded, hesitating, the guardian.

-I dunno. I just woke up in this body. Try asking the blonde dwarf or that huge armored guy -, Greed said this and quickly faded among the people. Ran Fan suppressed a laugh. "Blonde dwarf?"

She now was heading back to what she called home, waiting for her master to finally come to her, for she knew she couldn't go to him… Not as he was now…

"I'll see you again… But, right now, I do need some answers…"


Yeah, a bit random and there's not much of a 'plot' to it, but… Well, I don't complain. I think I got the idea from Kanashii.Umi's Like the first time.