Prologue

"It takes more than looking to really see…"

They say that there is always someone out there for everyone. That the person you are destined to be with forever and ever is out there somewhere in the world. Some far away and others much closer to you than you'd ever imagine. I'd never happen to think that the person that I was destined to be with forever would be so close to me and yet so distanced from others…

I can still recall the day I had met the silent and mysterious boy named Koushaku Chouno. It was a very long time ago but the memory still lingers with me. It was in Elementary school when I had first met him. He had always been silent and unseen by people and for some reason unknowingly to me, people rejected him for the person he was when someone happened to notice him. I remember the first day Koushaku had come to our school. He was awfully restrained and resigned himself in the back of the classroom. I had noticed him but dared not to speak to him out of my own shyness. I was very reserved back then and bashful, but I never was afraid to stick up for what I believed in. A week went by and I couldn't help but watch Koushaku from a distance. My own friends were concerned about me and asked me why I was becoming so dazed and downbeat. Had they not noticed the new boy who had not spoken once since he had first gotten here? He had always remained in the back of the class room or by himself at the swings when it was recess. He was always so alone and even at a young age I knew he had to of been so lonely. Anyways, I could remember the day so perfectly. My friends were playing hop-scotch on the sidewalk. They had asked me if I had wanted to play and I was going to accept the offer until I saw the boy from the corner of my eyes, sitting solemnly at the swings, isolated from the rest of the class who were all playing their individual games with their friends. I hesitated and soon told my friends I wasn't up for it that day and I wanted to go hang out by myself. I walked over cautiously to the boy that sat there on the lonely swing, looking down blankly at the white sand that coated the playground. I stood in front of him and looked down at him. It was completely silent for a good minute until I decided I would speak up.

"Hi…"

It was the simplest word but probably the first thing that was ever said to him this whole week. He shifted uncomfortably on the swing and brought his head up slightly to look up at me in silence through his dark violet eyes. I stared down at him and brought up a small innocent smile.

"Do you want to play with me?"

He stared straight at me in stillness and his expression had not once changed. He didn't make a sound and I decided that maybe he was just being shy himself that or shocked. I looked down at him calmly with the smile still placed lightly on my face.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I just thought you were lonely being here all by yourself. We can just hang out here if you like… Or I can leave too if that will make you feel better."

He shifted again in an uncomfortable way but in my surprise he spoke up.

"N-no… You can stay."

I remember the giddiness I felt when he allowed me to join him in his solitary world. I was thrilled that he allowed me to enter into his quiet space that no one seemed to take interest in. I sat down next to him on the other swing and looked over at him with the smile still on my face if not wider than it once was.

"Thanks, I'm Yumi Lynn Rivers by the way. What's your name?"

The boy turned his head to me and seemed still slightly tense.

"I'm Chouno… Koushaku Chouno…"

It was that day when Koushaku and I had first made an impact on each other. The day that would determine our futures… From that day on I myself had become distant from my old friends and I had started to follow Koushaku around like a lost puppy dog. Unexpectedly, Koushaku and I had become best friends and though we were alone and now confined ourselves away from everyone else. Together nothing brought us apart and I knew in my heart that nothing would separate the friendship that we had built. Koushaku had even warmed up to me and only ever spoke to me, I loved hearing him talk. I loved knowing he knew that I was someone he could talk to and trust with his words. I would spin the world the other way for Koushaku if it were possible.

Though to extreme misfortune as Koushaku and I grew older, Koushaku had begun to get sicker and sicker with an illness he had for a very long time. Because of this illness, it was beginning to affect his attendance at school and for most of the time he'd stay home lying in bed as sick as a dog. I tried to attend school as much as I could but the guilt and frustration that built inside of me knowing that Koushaku was alone and ill killed me on the inside. Koushaku was the smartest person I knew but because of all the absences he had, he has been held back twice. And I certainly was not going to pass on to another grade without him. I stayed loyal enough as to hold myself back for two years so I could be with him and be his aide when he needed someone.

I was always there for him and nobody ever noticed that Koushaku Chouno was gone… Nor did they ever seem to know he ever existed… But I was there, I always would be there…No matter what …

I stood in front of my large oval shaped mirror and peered into it looking back at myself and making sure everything was perfect for the day. I stood completely straight and smiled goofily into the mirror before turning away and looking up at the cat clock on my wall that's tail swooshed back and forth every second. It was 7:30 and it was a half an hour until school started but I usually liked to go early to go by Koushaku's house to see if he was going to school or not. (Though lately he has been resigning himself to his dorm at the school...) I walked out of my room and paused on the staircase when I saw my step-mother looking up at me with a disapproving expression.

"Don't tell me you're going to go see that awful boy again!"

I rolled my bright amber eyes and walked slowly down the stairs and went towards the door before giving my step-mother an answer. I always knew my step-mother hated Koushaku. She never really had a legitimate reason to though. Ever since I first brought Koushaku to my house she had this look of pure distaste. My best guess for why my step-mom hated him so much was because she wanted me to be with someone that suited her taste, someone who was rich(which Koushaku was), handsome, charismatic, and burly. You know all that typical malarkey that everyone would just dream to have. Of course none of that stuff interested me. Plus, Koushaku was just my best friend, nothing more. I didn't understand why she'd have to always blow things out of the water.

"Nori, he's not awful and yes, I'm going to go see him. He's my friend. I don't see why you can't just accept that."

I knew it was coming from the moment I spoke my last word. My step-mother's face twisted into this look that could be compared to some kind of brutish animal. Her face turned red and she stomped over to me and grabbed a large chunk of my very long straight dark blue hair and brought my face close to hers.

"Yumi Lynn Rivers, I thought you were taught better than to talk back to your own mother. I am tired of you being around that low-life that you call a friend. He's no good I tell you!"

"You're not my mother and you don't even know him!-"

"ENOUGH!"

She then pushed me away roughly and turned away from me breathing slightly heavily. She was so furious her fists were white from clutching them so tightly.

"Just go to school."

Then just like that she stormed out of the room and the last thing I saw was the wave of her dark red sun dress that waved in the wind when she turned sharply away from me. I sighed heavily and tried to regain my composure. I was pretty used to my step-mother acting like this, she usually did. Sometimes, I thought she might have some kind of anger issues. I never liked my step-mother for obvious reasons. I believe the only reason she stays here in this household is because my dad is wealthy. I feel bad I have to speak so lowly of my family… I do love my father. And well, my real mom.

After that dilemma, I began walking down the same sidewalk I usually took to head to Koushaku's house then to the school. I walked for a little bit until I came up to the Chouno's residence. I saw two unfamiliar brawny body guards in suits standing still on each side of the front entrance. Hopefully, they would know who I was so I didn't have to go through the trouble of being interrogated on why I was on the property uninvited. I walked over casually and smiled sheepishly at the two men who were now staring me down like a hawk eyeing its prey.

"H-hello, would Koushaku be here at the moment?"

I asked sounding a little bit more pathetic than intended. The men stared at me and said nothing for an awkward moment. The man on the left looked over at the other guard then back at me.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Yumi Rivers. I usually come here to walk with Koushaku to school whenever he's here."

Just then the door opened to the identical younger twin of Koushaku, Jirou. Usually, people would get these two confused but I always knew who my Koushaku was. I guess it's just one of those things you pick up on when you know someone for so long. Plus, Koushaku wouldn't give the ugly grimace that Jirou was giving me right now. Jirou was never a big fan of me, then again he never really liked his brother so I guess anyone who ever made any contact with his brother automatically placed them on Jirou's blacklist.

"Hi Jirou, is Koushaku here?"

Jirou's scowl turned into a nasty smirk. He eyed me and turned his head away from me uncaringly.

"I don't believe I know you."

I narrowed my eyes knowingly and knew Jirou was trying to play a dirty game with me. My eyes switched over to the two body guards who were now on a higher alert and looking at me with a menacing look.

"Jirou, don't play games with me. Is Koushaku here?"

I stated with obvious annoyance in my tone but I toned it down a bit because the two guards holding guns were making me a little on edge.

"Please, escort the girl off the property. Would you?"

I glared Jirou hard and gasped as the two guards walked over to me when Jirou ordered them to throw me out. I backed away and had a bad urge to tear Jirou's stupid smirk off of his face.

"Let her go."

A familiar voice ordered out sternly and I looked over to see Koushaku walking over from the side. Jirou rolled his eyes and looked over at his brother with a disapproving glance.

The body guards looked over at Koushaku and unhanded me and pushed me forward. I scowled and looked over at Koushaku. He sighed and walked past his brother giving him a dirty look that said "Don't you ever try that again." He walked down the steps and smiled lightly towards me.

"I apologize you had to put up with them."

I smiled sheepishly and waved it off. Jirou scoffed and turned his back away from us and walked back inside the house, losing interest now that his entertainment had been ruined by Koushaku.

"It's alright, isn't this a usual occurrence when Jirou is around?"

I stated in a joking way. He rolled his eyes slightly and chuckled lightly to himself.

"I presume, unfortunately."

I laughed slightly last time and quicken my pace in front of Koushaku.

"Come on, before we're late!"

"Humph, do you honestly, think anyone would notice anyways if we were?

I sighed loudly and grabbed on to Koushaku's arm.

"Who knows but let's not make assumptions!"

Koushaku made one last amused expression towards me until I dragged him along with me and arrived at school with him.

I sat next to Koushaku in homeroom and chatted idly towards him. He listened exceedingly and just smiled lightly at me and stayed pretty silent. But that's one of the qualities about Koushaku. He didn't really talk a whole lot but he always listened to me notably which sometimes made me feel like a chatter box because he didn't talk so much. Which in harsh reality I was usually the quieter one to other people. I even told him to tell me if I was ever talking his ear off but he would always tell me that he likes to hear me talk. It made me feel good but I still felt guilty deep inside which was probably silly, since Koushaku was telling me straight-forwardly that talking non-stop to him was actually favored.

As usual the day was passing by, thankfully quickly. I felt like a ghost walking the halls. But even I was acknowledged way more than Koushaku. Sometimes, I don't even think that people knew Koushaku existed even if he was in the same place as them. I looked over at Koushaku that sadly was assigned a different seat away from me in seventh period. He unlike me was working diligently on the work that was assigned. I for one should have been working but I was too busy lollygagging around and staring at Koushaku. I wonder sometimes if he ever felt awkward that I stared at him. I suppose he did the same thing when he was finished with his work or wasn't doing anything. I couldn't help but happen to notice that Koushaku was looking more pale than usual. (This was an unsettling thing since he was already as pale as snow.) He didn't seem like he was feeling that entirely well which he was regularly never well but he seemed less then "okay" right now. I glanced over at the clock and scowled seeing there was still quite a bit of time to go until class was over. I really wanted class to end so I could give Koushaku some of his medication that I generally carried around for him out of politeness. Poor, Koushaku always had to take so much medication! I must look like some kind of drug-addict with all the medication I carry around just for him. Good thing, there never are bag-checks here at the school. Or I could get kicked out for having so much medication on me that wasn't even mine.

I stared at Koushaku and really wanted to get his attention but he hadn't looked up once and it was irritating me to no end. He looked like he was going to pass out. I then had an idea that would probably get me in trouble if I was caught, but making sure Koushaku was okay was much more important to me. I took out my purple folder and started going through it and tore out a lined piece of paper and wrote the words "Are you okay?" on it and then wadded it up. I glanced over at the teacher who was busy typing away on his laptop. I then silently and quickly threw the wadded ball over at Koushaku's desk and luckily it landed on his desk unnoticed by the teacher. Koushaku's gaze broke from his work and he looked at the wadded ball and then looked up to find who the thrower was. His dark eyes scanned the room until they landed on me and I smiled sheepishly at him and made a pointing motion towards the wadded up paper. His expression turned slightly curious and he unfolded the paper and smoothed it out and then overlooked the paper. His expression seemed to dull at the words and he looked back over at me and nodded which I could tell was an absolute complete lie which bothered me even more. He always looked under the weather but this time he couldn't pass this off as the "I'm perfectly okay" façade. I never understood why he always said he was okay when he obviously wasn't. This was a usual thing that Koushaku did…

I rolled my eyes and attempted doing some of my work and I felt Koushaku's curious eyes on me throughout the rest of the class. How ironic…

When school had ended I walked over to Koushaku and put my hands on my hips and stared at him through narrowed eyes.

"You're such a liar! You are obviously not feeling well. Why do you always lie about that?"

Koushaku turned to me and had a blank expression that casually was his usual facial appearance. He sighed and turned away coughing slightly without a word. My eyes soften and I sighed while putting my hand out on to Koushaku's shoulder gently.

"I was worried about you in seventh period. You don't look good you know?"

Koushaku's eyes settled back on me and he didn't change his expression.

"I'm sorry, Yumi. I don't like to worry you."

I scowled and looked at him with a sad smile.

"That makes me worry more that you try to hide it. We shouldn't have to hide anything from each other that's why we're best friends after all. I want you to seek me out if you need something, okay?"

I told him softly and he smiled lightly towards me.

"I know and I appreciate that."

I chuckled lightly and then put my messenger bag on to a ledge and began going through it for his medication. He watched me calmly and walked closer to me and seemed to watch my face as I went through my bag. I got out the truck load of medicines that he had to take and handed it over to him with a dumb smile.

"Bon appétit"

His lips curved up and he looked at me with a light smirk.

"Ha… very funny,"

He said sarcastically and then took the bottles from my hands and walked over to the water fountain and began placing the tablets in his mouth and swallowing them. I sat down on the ledge that my bag was on and watched him swallow the countless pills. I felt a pit of pity wash over me, watching him take all those mendicants. I sometimes wish I had the power to just snap my fingers and make it go away, but sadly that's not how reality worked. Koushaku seemed to have such a defective life-style. His family could be compared to completely outstanding idiocy, he always was ill from his disease that seemed to have no known permanent remedy, and he was almost like a ghost to people in life. Never seen or cared about.

How did he stay so sane in life when he seemed to have everything going against him? Koushaku was so strong in that way to me. I admired him in every aspect and I wished that I was able to be as strong-willed as him. But then again there was something I did not admire, I couldn't help but feel like he might be hiding something from me. Though we promised to tell everything to each other in any situation, sometimes I felt like Koushaku was holding back. And honestly, I'm not angry at him for it… I could never be truly angry at Koushaku. I just hope that if there really is something he's not telling me that maybe one day he would feel comfortable enough to tell me. I really dislike knowing that I can't help Koushaku with a situation he could be going through. I promised myself I'd always be his aide and at his side when he needed me. And I never was going to go against that commitment to him and myself. Not now, not ever…

"Hey, you…!"

My face scrunched up in confusion a little as I glanced over behind me to see two people running up to me. One was a boy with spiky brown hair and a rusty red eye color. He looked to be a 2nd year by the color on his band. He was also there with a girl that looked a little like him. She had long light brown hair and she was a 1st year. I looked at them with crossed arms and a slightly irritable expression.

"What do you want?"

I could feel Koushaku glancing over at us but not saying anything. Seemingly he was just analyzing the situation, as he usually did when someone talked to me that was not his self. The boy with brown spiky hair smiled at me and shoved a paper in my face.

"Have you seen this guy anywhere?"

I gave the boy another weird expression but took the paper from his hands and looked at it. The second my eyes were even able to focus on the paper I dropped the paper and put my hand to my mouth while holding back a laugh. The boy and girl tilted their heads as I fought back the urge to laugh like an idiot from that… Abomination of a drawling…

"Are you okay?"

The girl asked in a little voice. I still covered my mouth and put my head down fighting the urge so badly but even than I couldn't hold back slightly muffled snickers from myself.

"Uh, so have you seen him?"

The boy than asked while staring at me oddly. I looked over at him and couldn't hold it in anymore. I held my sides and began laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world.

"I-Is this some kind of j-joke!"

I said through gaps in my laughter. The boy shook his head and picked up the paper from the ground.

"That made my day, seriously. Did you draw that?"

The 2nd year nodded and looked back at his drawling and then back at me. "Yes, I did. It's pretty cool isn't it? Anyways, have you seen him?"

Koushaku was now just staring at me, probably amused from how stupid I must have looked from laughing that hard but seriously. That picture was hysterical. I think it was suppose to be some creepy picture of Koushaku with that butterfly mask that he keeps around and loves so much. I didn't ever quite understand his obsession with that mask.

My obnoxious laughter died down and I glanced over at Koushaku who quickly began to turn back to what he was doing once I looked over at him.

"I don't know… why don't you ask him?"I stated with some unnecessary cheekiness while pointing my thumb back behind me at Koushaku, who was still taking his loads of medications.

The boy and girl turned their view from me over to Koushaku. He probably wasn't thrilled I directed their attention to him but I felt like pushing his buttons a little bit. That's the wonderful thing about being friends with someone so long. They can't hate you for picking on them a little.

"Um, hello can we ask you something?" the girl then implied while staring at Koushaku, who with much hesitance turned to look over at them.

"A moment please... Is it alright if I finish these first?" Koushaku replied blankly.

"Is he taking all of those?"

"Is it really okay for you to take that much…!"

Both the boy and girl were startled by the large amount of meds poor Koushaku had to take. Really I wanted to shove these two away but I was a little curious on why they were looking for him. Considering most people seemingly don't know he's around and existing in the world.

Koushaku finished the last of his pills and looked down slightly while closing his eyes irritably.

"Of course it's not okay. But if I don't take them my body won't last."

"Is your body weak?" the girl with the brown hair asked curiously.

"I suppose so… That aside, was there something you wanted?" Koushaku turned over to face them directly and still held his casual blank look and calm tone.

"Oh yeah, we're looking for a third year boarder who was absent from school for four days up until yesterday." The 1st year said with the "matter-of-fact" kind of tone to her voice.

I can't believe these two idiots didn't get the message before that the guy they're looking for is now speaking to them. Obviously, they're on the slow side of life.

"Up until we asked that girl over there nobody knew of such a person."

I scowled loudly and made sure those two dimwits heard it. Funny, how these two might have been annoying me more than they were Koushaku now. Then again it was hard to tell with Koushaku. He wasn't much for showing his emotion.

Koushaku looked down slightly in silence for a brief moment "Is that so? So no one like that exists, huh?"

That was my final straw, these two were just making Koushaku feel bad. I stormed over in front of them and stared at them both with a heated glare.

"I think it's a good time for you to both leave." I stated rudely while looking back and forth between the two.

"That must mean that this person is an invisible entity." Koushaku continued to speak while closing his eyes again. "Even though he's seen he just blends into the scenery. There's always one of those in any class. A classmate that nobody cares about, whether he's present or not. An existence with that type of feel… Pitiful isn't it?"

I looked over at Koushaku with a sad expression. I should have never let these two begin talking to him. I hated when Koushaku spoke about being alone and invisible. It's what I always tried to rid him of. Or at least the aloneness, Koushaku and I were alone together. But I was fine with it as long as it was with Koushaku. Maybe, Koushaku wanted more than that…

Koushaku continued to talk to the two. "Is there anything else you would like to know about that person?"

The boy walked forward and handed Koushaku the terribly creepy picture of what I obviously assumed to be Koushaku.

"A rough description of his characteristics and this composite sketch…"

Koushaku took the paper and froze with a repelling expression.

"A PENCIL FILLED WITH SOUL!" the 2nd year suddenly yelled loudly with excitement. If I could have slapped the kid in the face I would have done so at that very moment. The girl pushed the boy away and gave a sheepish expression. "No one like that could exist, right and if he did he would be a pervert?" she stated.

I felt myself choke on air as once again I felt a pit of humor boil up again but I didn't think it was quite the appropriate time to look like a stupid hyena again.

"You think so? If we we're just talking about the mask, I thought it was pretty cool." The boy said while looking over at the girl surprised. The girl gave an appalled expression "brother, your definition of cool is totally wrong!"

So that's why these two were both idiots. One was an idiot making the other an idiot. Runs in the blood I guess.

"NO… he's right!" Koushaku suddenly spoke up louder to someone that I've ever heard him speak. It was rather desperate sounding too if you'd ask me.

The girl gawked at Koushaku like he was a mad man. "EH…!?"

"This mask is magnificent….The butterfly is magnificent."

"Koushaku…?" I murmured while looking over at him oddly. He was acting really strange all of a sudden. Did I give him the right medication?

He looked over at me and then back at the sketch with a dreamy like smile. "From an ugly caterpillar that nobody cares about, transforming into a beautiful creature which people can't draw their eyes away from…"

I was worried about him… I knew Koushaku has always loved butterflies and even I had too. When we were young we used to always go to a hill that we called our own where it had a beautiful view. And if you were there at the right time. You could see so many butterflies flying around. That hill was always infested with them. It overlooked just a valley of green grass and flowers where the butterflies loved to fly and rest, especially during the spring. Koushaku and I never wanted to leave the place. It was certainly a sanctuary from all the stresses of the world. I still visit that hill a lot of nights to watch the stars. I haven't told Koushaku that I do still go there regularly. I don't know why I haven't yet…

"The papillon mask is a magnificent symbol of transformation."

I brought myself out of my own melancholy to look back over at Koushaku. He has an expression I couldn't quite place. And I usually could always read Koushaku by his eyes. Something was off, very off. I didn't speak because I didn't know what to say. It felt out of step and unnatural… So I just watched and waited what would come.

"Mahiro, it's almost lunch time, isn't it? The boy said with a serious tone to his sister named Mahiro.

"Y-yeah…" she responded while glancing over at her brother, "Go call Rokumasu and the others and get them to wait at the front gate," He continued. And with that Mahiro nodded and began to run off to go do what her brother asked of her. Now it was just Koushaku, the brother, and me standing there in an awkward silence. The brother soon broke the silence and began to speak once Mahiro was defiantly gone.

"I've lived here for a whole year since last year, but I've never seen your face."

"I told you didn't I..? He's an invisible entity." Koushaku replied calmly but continued to speak. "Always blending in with the scenery … And now there's only two days left." I turned my head to look at Koushaku.

"Two days?" I muttered in confusion more to myself than anyone. What in the world was he talking about now?

All of a sudden he doubled over slightly and coughed up blood. "Koushaku…!" I ran over to his side and put my arm around him. "A-are you alright! We should go, K-Koushaku…" I told him now alertly. His sickness was getting worse. His medication could only do so much… I prayed over and over in my head that he'd be okay. I don't know what I would do without him.

Koushaku pushed me away lightly. "It's alright…" he told me quietly. "N-no, you're not okay…" I looked down in frustration and Koushaku began speaking again to the boy while ignoring me.

"A weak caterpillar without even the strength to protect his own life… But he's found it."

I was so confused nothing was making any sense anymore. Koushaku was defiantly not okay and he was acting so weirdly. I felt my heart racing and it all got worse as he pulled the butterfly mask from out of his shirt. He had been holding that thing this whole time? I knew he loved that mask but now I was questioning just what the value of it meant to him.

"The great power of alchemy: that means to transform magnificently!" Koushaku smirked and put on the pink and purple mask that he called the papillon mask. All I could do was watch while consumed in confusion. I felt like the Koushaku I knew wasn't even really there anymore… And this sudden talk about alchemy…My father performs alchemy and is interested in it though he's only known as a botany scientist publicly. (That's why he's so wealthy) My father always tried to get me into alchemy because it has been a family tradition since forever. But I suppose I didn't take as much interest in it as I should of. Because now I wish I did understand. Though I don't think it would still help me much in this scenario.

"Arms al-"I looked over at the brother, he looked like he was about to attack Koushaku but Koushaku interrupted him as he pulled out a green and black pill. "Stop right there." Before he kept speaking to the boy he looked over at me. "Yumi…you should probably go for awhile."

I looked at him like he was insane. "Are you mad? I'm not going anywhere!"

Koushaku paused and then sighed and nodded slightly while looking away from me "So be it then…"

"T-That is!" the brother gasped and froze on the spot.

Koushaku looked back at the boy and smirked largely "That's right, it's the antidote to the homunculus matter. I made it to be used as a countermeasure in case any accidents occurred during the experiments. So this is a one-of-a-kind valuable. I've finished my last experiment, so this is no longer of any use to me, but without this your friend will become a homunculus is two days, right?"

Homunculi… My father told me stories of those monsters when I was a little girl. But as any child I believed it for a short time, kind of like Santa Clause, Tooth Fairy, etc. But as I grew older I stopped believing in it. It's only a story to scare amateur alchemists from doing bad things with alchemy. Something like that can't be real. They're just myths… right?

I was shaking now, I was right… Koushaku was holding back something from me. He promised to never keep secrets from each other. But what was right in front of me proved that there was something hidden and locked away that Koushaku never told me. All this talk of experiments, alchemy, and homunculi suddenly. I didn't know what to make of all of it. I was just so confused… and slightly hurt. Why would he keep this from me? I'm his best friend… I've always told him everything…

"So how about trading this for your Kakugane?" Koushaku said and I could tell it sent shivers down the spine of the boy.

"The product of alchemy which is on the same with homunculus, I've heard of it, but after I saw it myself the other day, I wanted to research it. How about it? If you don't need it, then I'll just throw this down the drain. Later, even if you need it, it takes time to refine, so it'll be too late by then."

Koushaku paused again and stared at the boy intently with a taunting smirk,

"So…what-will-you-do…?" Koushaku separated word from word slowly. All I could do was watch and when this was over. I would attempt to get answers…

"There's no way I'll hand this over!" the boy yelled at Koushaku and glared him venomously.

"I knew it would be this way. It's obvious that one would immediately be disadvantaged by handing their weapon over. Even for me, my life comes before all else."

"That's not it! If I hand over the Kakugane, I'll die, so even if I get the antidote, in the end I won't be able to get it to Tokiko!" The boy stated firmly still glaring Koushaku.

Koushaku watched him and gave him an uncertain expression, "what are you talking about? Tell me."

"I died because my heart was pierced by a homunculus that you made, but with the Kakugane that Tokiko gave me to replace my heart, I came back to life. That is why the Kakugane in my chest is my new life!"

Koushaku suddenly froze and his face changed to complete and utter shock. I wasn't too far from a shocked state either. By what I got out of that, Koushaku made a homunculus or something and it had killed this boy and this Kakugane thing that they are talking about saved his life? T-that's impossible… Nothing can bring back someone from the dead. My father even told me that not even the greatest alchemists can bring back life…

T-that's why he was never able to bring back… m-mom… T-this is madness…! It was almost hard to stand here and listen to it. I felt like such an alien… I felt like I didn't even know anything about Koushaku anymore.

All of a sudden Koushaku grinned from ear to ear, it was almost scary. "Life… a new life…? For the Kakugane to have that type of power…! You attained a new life so easily?!" Koushaku stated in some morbid kind of excitement and fascination. He got himself so worked up he began coughing up blood again.

The boy with brown hair groaned and muttered to himself, "This guy is dangerous!"

"K-Koushaku…P-please…" I wanted to do something. I wanted to help him… I didn't know what was going on but I knew Koushaku was getting worse and I had to do something, which I had to do. I was about to go back over and hold on to Koushaku but he looked up from coughing and looked over at the boy with an expression that seemed almost crazed. "Hand it over… Give me that new life!" Koushaku began charging over towards the boy. I stood there with wide eyes and put my hands to my mouth. I couldn't even comprehend this.

"Countless people have been killed by the homunculi you created, so why should I give you a new life?! You don't just say whatever you want to!"

Countless people…? Koushaku killing people…? It can't be true… It-it can't be…

The boy soon brought back his fist and punched Koushaku straight in the face and brought Koushaku straight to the ground into unconsciousness.

"OH MY GOD…! KOUSHAKU..!"

"… Uh oh…! I-I got carried away." The boy muttered again as I ran over to Koushaku's side. A girl in a blue and white school uniform that wasn't our school's uniforms with short blue hair and golden eyes and a long scar that ran across her nose appeared and caught the pill that Koushaku had dropped when he was punched to the ground.

"Tokiko!" the boy stated in surprise as she looked over at him.

I kneeled by Koushaku and lifted his upper body enough to hug him tightly. I tried to get a response from him but he was out cold. "Koushaku, wake up! P-please..!" I brushed some of his black stray hair to the side. I can't believe that boy just knocked Koushaku out! He wouldn't get away with that, not on my watch!

"That's the homunculus antidote…" All of a sudden the girl named Tokiko threw the pill to the side with a bored expression. "What a pity, it's a fake. Not even insecticide, the real thing is an injection you inject into the matter itself."

"Kazaki… Who is she?" the girl then said while looking over at me.

"Oh that's… That's um… a girl…"

"Obviously, she's a girl. But why is she HERE?"

I snapped at her with a glare, "How dare you do this to him! You two will pay for this!"

"A girlfriend…?"

I paled and felt my cheeks go red. I glared her harder if possible, "N-no! We are friends! Best friends! I-I don't know what's going on but you two aren't going to get away with this!"

"Uh-huh, I don't think you are just quite aware of what your friend there has done," Tokiko said with a smart-ass attitude.

"Honestly, I don't care what he's done. He's my best friend and HE just knocked him out cold!" I shot back with angrily with venom dripping in my voice.

"You should have knocked her out too," she then implied while turning over to Kazaki. Kazaki shrugged slightly with a sheepish grin. I looked down at Koushaku as I had his head placed on my lap. "Please wake up…"

"Well I guess you did one thing right. You did a fine job getting the papillon mask."

Kazaki nodded and looked over at Koushaku as I kept trying to wake him up but I knew deep down I wasn't going to be able too.

"It's a little weird though. For an evil boss, he's pretty weak." Kazaki said to Tokiko. "Obviously, this guy hasn't had any battle training like I have. Besides the fact he can produce homunculus, he's just a human."

Tokiko paused and then looked over at me. "We're going to be taking him you know."

"Absolutely not…! You've done enough!" I hissed.

"Look… Hand him over without trouble or there will be trouble," Tokiko stated bluntly while crossing her arms and staring at me.

"Then I guess we're going to have trouble…" I stated while crossing my arms and closing my eyes while still keeping Koushaku's head on my lap.

"Alright then…"

….

"HEY, LET ME GO!" Kazaki picked me up suddenly and I started flailing in his arms.

"Wow, you barely weigh anything…"

"LET ME GO, RIGHT NOW!"

"Oh boy… She's going to be a joy…" Tokiko muttered.