The rain from yesterday was still hammering my windows. I had just heard about the death of that Alchemist, Shou Tucker, and his daughter, Nina. We all knew who had killed them. Scar. For the past few months he's been assassinating State Alchemists left and right. Every few days a new body would show up. We knew it was the same guy doing it too. Each body had been destroyed from the inside out. The same had happened to Tucker, and his daughter Nina.

I hadn't seen the bodies, but Ed did. He explained what had happened to Nina, everything that had happened. Tucker had needed to make a good impression on the Fuehrer so he could keep his State Alchemist's license. Two years ago, he created a talking chimera. This feat got him the license. But last year, he failed his test. He couldn't create anything that pleased the Fuehrer. This year was his last chance so he needed something big, something like another talking chimera.

Tucker showed the Elric brothers first. It didn't take long for Ed to figure out how Tucker had made the chimera. Tucker had used his own daughter and her beloved dog, Alexander, to create the talking chimera. Ed beat the hell out of Tucker. Al said Ed would have killed him. Though they already had figured it out, Tucker also confessed to using his wife to create the chimera two years ago.

That was two days ago. Yesterday, the Fuehrer went to Tucker's house for the evaluation, but all he found were two dead bodies. Scar had come for Tucker. But Nina was also found dead. The Fuehrer believed Scar killed Nina because she was there. But I'll never believe that. The Fuehrer hates Scar. Not only because he is killing State Alchemists, but also because Scar is Ishvalan.

That's actually all we really know about him. He is a well built Ishvalan with an X shaped scar on his forehead, hence the name. I don't hate the Ishvalans though. I believe Scar killed Nina because he knew nothing could return her to the way she was. And even if she could be returned, she would have to live with the fact that her own father had done that to her.

The poor girl didn't have any family to go to either. Two years ago, when he mother had 'disappeared', Tucker had said Nina's mother had run away to her live with her brother. But we did a background check. Nina's mother didn't have a brother, or any siblings. Her parents had died shortly after she had been born. Tucker had been disowned by his family long ago. Though we never said it, we knew his family wouldn't want Nina, not after what had happened to her.

That was yesterday. Today I'm taking the day off for some much needed relaxation. This morning I went down to the ruins of Ishval and spent a lot of time there, like I normally do. Before I arrived, I bought a few dozen loafs of bread and a large supply of fruits and vegetables. I loaded the food on a wagon covered by a tarp and headed down to the ruins.

When I arrived, three children ran up to me and hugged my legs. I laughed and have them all hugs in return. "Miss Alison, Miss Alison!" they cried. "We missed you!" I gave them more hugs and pieces of the fruit. Their mothers came out of a tent not to far away and greeted me respectfully.

"Stop, stop!" said, "Just talk to me normal," I begged. I still hate being spoken to respectfully.

"But, that would be so rude," one mother said. I just laughed and shook my head. We went through this every time. I started handing out the food among the Ishvalans. Most of them were so happy to see such kindness from a foreign face. Their race was so poorly treated. I grew up learning everyone was equal at birth. Actions after birth created the differences between two people. Too few people were raised the way I was. It's partially because of this that I am here today. These people are so horribly treated, I want to show them not everyone is evil. I want these kids to grow up without hate. Sure I probably won't change much, but whenever I come, the kids are happy, so I'm happy.

I spent a few hours in Ishval, but then I had to return. I didn't have any more food and my cat would be getting hungry soon. The children gave me teary goodbyes and their mothers waved and thanked me. I waved and smiled. I rode a train back. It was a short trip and I arrived home at about 5:30. I walked through the streets thinking about Ishval. During the Civil War had ended years ago, but it still haunts me. It still haunts other as well, but I had a different reason. In the beginning, I went to Ishval to try and help the Ishvalans escape. I also helped to heal the wounded and stop Amestris form fighting. The fighting went on for seven years. Then the State Alchemists were called in.

At the time, I had just become a State Alchemist. I was named the Aurora Alchemist because my use of alchemy usually created an aurora effect. I control the weather. By this, I mean I can create dense fog, rain clouds, and lighting storms. At first, the aurora was just a touch I added to amuse people, but then it became part of my identity.

When the call for State Alchemists came in, I knew I wouldn't be using my alchemy to amuse anyone. The Fuehrer wanted to end the war as soon as possible. And that meant sending in people capable of causing mass destruction. We were to be given Philosopher's Stones to use as we saw fit in the fighting. With the Stone's power, I knew I could create hurricanes or massive lighting storms, capable of killing hundreds. When Mustang told me what was planned, I immediately thought of Daein.

He was an Ishvalan, and he was my friend. He was the reason I pursued alchemy and became a State Alchemist. He taught me almost everything I know. And while he was teaching me, we became close. Mustang knew this. He alerted me long before even he should have known these plans. He didn't know what I would do, but he knew I would try and find a way out. He knew I needed to find a way out.

My solution was simple. I couldn't fight if I was injured. I staged a mugging in which I was the victim. Everyone, except for Mustang, believed it, too. I shot myself and spent three weeks in the hospital. By the time I was out, the fighting was long over. About a week after the fighting had stopped, Mustang visited my room.

I knew immediately he wasn't here to wish me good health. He looked horrible. No, not horrible, just utterly depressed it probably better. I took one look at him and figured out what he had to say. Daein was dead. Mustang explained that they found his body, and there was no doubt as to who it was. I cried then.

I cried later too, but for another reason. I blamed myself. I had been fighting to save Ishval for seven years. But then I was called to fight, and I refused to go. I was afraid I would hurt someone. But by then I had realized I might have hurt more people by not going. I could have save more people, or I could have stopped some from fighting. But instead I hid. If I had goon, I probably would have been able to help Daein and his family escape. But instead I hid. And they all died. I blame myself. I still blame myself.

When I got home, it was as if my cat could sense how I was feeling. He came up and rubbed my leg and started purring. I bent down and picked him up. He was still a kitten and was still so small. He purred happily as I stroked his back. Thunder cracked and lighting flashed. I jumped and my kitten jumped from my arms. I hadn't realized how bad the storm had gotten. At this rate, my power would go out soon. I needed to find candles.

I went to my back closet and rifled through boxes and bags. I knew I had candles here somewhere. As I was looking, my cat was walking around and purring. But then he stopped. I turned around and started to ask him if something was wrong, but before I could even speak a word, I saw the silhouette of a large, well built man. I stood up quickly, banging my head on an overhead shelf, but that didn't bother me at the moment. I could only focus on the form in front of me.

My cat whimpered faintly, but neither of us acknowledged him. I had an idea of who was standing before me, but I wanted to be sure before I acted. I just didn't know how to be sure.

I bright flash followed by crashing thunder rocked my small house. In the brief moments when I the lightning broke the night, my eyes never left the figures face. Across his forehead and over his eyes was a large, X-shaped scar. His skin was dark tan and his eyes were bloody crimson.

"Scar!" I gasped.