The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind the youth. Startled she reached for her dagger, but dropped it upon seeing the room's other inhabitants. Slice her like an onion, they all could without even the slightest grunt. She would have darted out of the recruitment office right then and there had she dared turn her back on the crowd long enough to pry the door open again. If she got beat up again it would be all that door's fault. It made the banging noise that tore the fighters from… sharpening their weapons? She imagined that was what they had been doing.

"Can we be of any assistance miss?" A gruff voice asked. "If ye be lost, ya might wanna try the pub. That's where I'd be if I got separated from my girl." Laughter echoed through out the low-ceilinged chamber.

"Ummm…..I….well…see…the thing is…" The girl stuttered helplessly A few faces turned to raise their eyebrows at each other while others went back to their work. This one wouldn't be much fun.

"Miss?" The original speaker approached her. She straightened her back and focused her gaze ahead- like a soldier would only a bit more fearful.

"They graduate um earlier and earlier these days. That should tell ya something of the times." A monk called from a round table in the back.

"That right? Did ya just graduate?"

"Beggin' your pardon, sir, but what is this graduate you speak of?" Still stiff, the girl found the guts to reply understandably.

"Girl after me own heart." A knight raised his glass in her general direction.

The man closest to her raised his eyebrows. "If you're not a young 'un searching for some work or a lost traveler, what ya want?" Most of the room's attention had returned to her.

"I came because…because this is recruitment center and I want to recruit-"

"That so, luv? That takes money ya know."

"Oh yes, I read the sign. I had to fight some monsters on the plains first but I have enough now."

"By yourself?"

"Yes, sir. If I had a companion I wouldn't have been fighting in the first place."

"With that?" He nodded toward the fallen weapon.

"That's the idea."

"Damn do we got ourselves a 'lil hero. Who taught ya how to fight? You got any bros in the service?"

"No, sir. When the monsters start clawing you, you learn fast."

"Whoa, whoa! You attacked a pack of wild beasts alone never having fought before?"

"I needed the money…"

"You mustn't value that golden hair of yours very much then. Damn, I sure would have felt bad hearing about a girl slain by them goblins."

"Me too. Sounds awful sad."

"Take your arms back, warrior. It's a disgrace to be seen empty handed."

"What?! Ohhh…that thing is mostly useless. Habit, I guess."

"You guess? Saved your life that knife did."

"Actually the last goblin dropped that. Rather poor timing if I say so myself."

"Do you take me for a fool?"

"No sir. Why would you ask that?"

"You expect me to believe you took down enough enemies to get away alive with your bare hands?"

"I never said that."

"Then what did you say?"

"I came to recruit a companion."

"Yes, yes you did. I'll see who I can round up…" He turned around and looked from person to person. No one's eyes met his. The man sighed. This better not be a joke…

The stairs creaked as someone made their way down. That someone, a boy cloaked in leather with a sword draped over his back, stepped into the bright candle light of the main room.

"I volunteer."

All eyes were now on him. The monk's mouth hung so low, he could have stuffed both fists in.

"Hey, he does speak. Looks like I'll be drinking well tonight."

The owner sighed again. "Are you well enough to travel?"

"I can linger no longer."

"Then you shall truly go?"

"Once the fees are paid, I will follow the chemist as if I were her shadow."

"Chemist?" The chemist? asked.

"You didn't know?"

"Know what?"

"….That you're a chemist?"

"Is that like a goblin? Because I know all about those…"

"Looks like I'll have my work cut out for me. Do you bed in this town?"

"Bed? I just got here like right before I walked in…"

"We leave tomorrow morning then?"

"My shadow never tells me what to do."

"The fees have not been paid yet."

The chemist rustled through her dirtied leather pouch for the gil she gathered from her near death experience. She dumped it in the hands of the owner and smiled. He went over to his desk to count it.

"You're good to go miss…miss?"

"You got a name?"

"Name? You just called me chemist."

The hired soldier laughed. "Good. I too am nameless."

"Umm….nice to meet you…nameless."

"And you as well chemist. Hopefully that is a name you can live up to."

"I will do my best, sir." The chemist bowed before the men.

"Then we shall be off. I extend my deepest thank yous." The boy nodded at the other soldiers and extended his hand to the owner. They shook; then he put his hand on the girl's shoulder and led her away. The door opened easily for him.

"Hence forth, I shall be your guard. No cruel hands will ever reach you. For that, you can be certain. No better gil will you ever spend."

"Thanks, but I kinda just wanted someone to beat away those beasts so I can continue on…"

"On to where?"

"That way." The chemist pointed toward the setting the sun.

"You're lucky. Luck is on your side."

"Oh no! I left my dagger back there…"

"Forget it. A chemist needn't worry herself with weapons."

"But I want to fight too! Maybe I don't want to be a chemist."

"You are born with it, of that I'm sure. It is not for us to decide if we shall one day swing a holy sword or command nature at our will."

"Then why hasn't anyone else every called me chemist?"

"Have you used an item?"

"No, sir. I can't afford those."

"Well, there has got to be a first time for everything…Are you up for another battle?"

"Can I watch instead?"

"Great idea! Hold this for me so it doesn't get ruined." The boy pushed a bottle into her hands. The pair walked out of the village. Though the sun was setting, there was enough light to maneuver the fields. He spotted a lone beast and snuck up behind it. The chemist watched a few yards away. She had a good view but would have enough space to flee if things went awry- not that they would…she was expecting good value for her money.

The boy slashed at the monster from behind. It jumped and immediately upon regaining its senses countered. Despite him parrying, the monster knocked him back and now that the battle was on, it stepped toward him. He braced him for the oncoming attack but he took enough damage to leave a few marks.

A bead of sweat dribbled down the chemist's brow. If Mr. Self-less Knight whom she just met was in critical after two hits, she'd be mush indistinguishable from the top soil. Or maybe not? How did that happen? She didn't quite have to the guts to point out to anyone at the recruitment agency that she might have blacked out in her first battle…She wasn't sure of even this since she had simply woken up in these same fields, gathered the money that lay before her and walked into the recruitment agency. If she didn't have the seconds she struggled with the door to clear her mind, the chemist would have stuttered ten fold. All she knew was that couldn't repeat. Her subconscious wasn't stupid, she needed a guardian…or maybe it was…her first stop should have been the town medic.

The kneeling knight turned his head ever so slightly toward the chemist. "It's your call."

"Oh! What! Help?" She threw her hands over mouth; she didn't want to be making any call. That would just alert the fiend to her presence.

He rolled his eyes. "Maybe you're not the throw into the fire so they learn quicker type…"

"I'm a chemist."

If the knight had a brick, he would have beaten his head off it. The monster scratched behind its ear as if it were a cat. "What are you waiting for? Just do something."

"You said I could just watch…"

With his remaining strength- or a large portion anyway since he figured further conversation with the chemist would take a good deal too- he once again attack. This time no counter came and the monster too seemed to be seriously wounded. Its next move was another attack: the boy screamed at the blow but was determined not to fall. Even if he had one little ounce of life left victory would be his.

Her hands were shaking now. The chemist glared at them and it was at that moment that she remembered the vile he had given her pre-battle. Did he know things would go poorly? Was she supposed to keep this safe? Upon closer examination, she discovered the bottle held a thick blue liquid. When she shook it, it sparkled then fell back to its original place. A barely audible moan pulled her from her intense fascination. As she watched her new companion, the bottle began to burn in her hand. She glared again at it.

"…Use the potion…"

She just heard a voice and she was pretty sure it was in her head- just another thing to blame on her earlier skirmish.

"What's a…..Oh!!!" The chemist chucked the bottle across the field. The boy caught it and quickly consumed its contents. He stood at full height and his body glowed a healthy shade. The sword he had been leaning on hit the monster. That was the deathblow and the encounter was won.

"Congrats, chemist!" He smiled at the bewildered girl.

"I don't get it?"

"You don't say? Fine..chemists use items. You are a chemist thus you use items. That bottle I handed you is a potion. A potion is an item. Since chemists use items, a potion is an item and you are a chemist, logic suggests you use potions."

"That's actually not logical at all…"

"But let's go with it anyway. Whenever I get like that, throw one of those, k?"

"You only gave me one."

"Spoils of war." He opened his hand to reveal some coins. "We buy more."

"I like this! I won twice today!"

He sighed. "I can't say if I fared anywhere near that well…"

The two made it back into the village only a little before the sun completely set. The inn had candles burning in its window and an oil lamp burned above the sign that gave away the building's purpose.

"I've never been to an inn before."

"You never fought before today either and we saw how that turned out."

The boy paid their fee and led the way up the stairs to their room. It was a nice room or at least they both decided this- not that either had any other experience to compare it too. She sat on the quilted bed.

"Whew…was it ever a long day? Wake me up in like…after a long night."

"How far did you come today?"

"Well, I learned I was a chemist."

"I meant as in distance…Geez I'm starting to wish I didn't teach you that word…"

"Oh…" She laid back. "Let's just say last time I woke up, it wasn't in a bad."

"Enjoy it while it lasts."

"Oh don't worry I am!"

The night passed quickly (not 15 seconds quickly though). The chemist did in fact enjoy her stay so much that she refused to get up the next morning. Her new companion stood with his back to her. There was no telling how long he had been up…

"Didn't we agree come morning we'd leave?"

"Who's in charge here? ME. I say I sleep."

"But didn't you want to get more potions. Remember? Don't you want to try out your new chemist abilities?"

"I doubt they are better than a warm bed."

"I don't know…potions are shiny…imagine all those shiny potions."

"SHINY?! There are other inns out there, right?"

"But of course."

"Yay! Yay for shiny potions that only I can use!"

"Wait." He grabbed her wrist as she skipped past him. "Take this." She blinked. In her hand was a knife. It was just a knife, but it was able to hold her attention far better than even the potion. It sparkled. It shouldn't have sparkled but it did.

"But…"

"Sometimes in the darkest of nights, your shadow cannot be there."

The chemist nodded and they exchanged no other words on the subject. After they left the inn, they visited the item shop as promised. The boy bought as many potions as he could afford and shoved them into her bag.

"Keep um safe."

"Ummm….thank you?"

"For what…you bought a companion, didn't you?"

"Yes but…Sorry! To the rising sun!"

"If that's where you want to go."

"It's the only place I know to go."

"Good enough for me."

The chemist and her companion crossed the village line into the open fields. The sun shone in front of her and as she approached her shadow only grew…