Chapter: 2 Mush

"I can't believe my train didn't stop here. It's only, the middle of the forest. That put me out of the way by 20 whole miles! Well I almost there. I should be seen soon. Bleh," She got splashed again, "Stupid kayak." A bird call pierced the forest silence. "Hm, I wonder if they know the falcon call their using has been extinct here for the last two decades?"

"Halt," yelled a masculine voice from the woods. Looking around she could not see it's origin because of the foliage. So, she just steered herself to a nearby river bend. Getting out, she hide the kayak in the sparse undergrowth near the river.

A minute later, she heard sounds of several people closing in, "Who commands me so?"

"We do," says an elder Isbalin male, who stepped out of the forest. The small band with him were all males in their teens, except their leader. They all had their rifles and two crossbows pointed at her. Even the three they had left in the bushes had their guns pointed at her.

"Well this isn't much of a way to treat a guest. Anyways if the military was attacking they wouldn't send just one person. Trust me, there to stupid for subterfuge, all they know is blunt force.

The youngest that wasn't hiding looked up at the elder who seemed to be in charge. "She's right you know."

The elder snorted, "You can never be too careful. Josten, Mallen, go disguise her craft better." Pointing at Renée with his gun, "You, keep your hands in front of you. We can figure out why you're here later. Everyone remember she's dangerous don't take your eyes off her. Let's go."

"Where we going?" Renée asked.

The elder grunted in return.

"Well let's make this fast, I have places to be you know."

After giving her an evil look the elder set out. The two boys carrying crossbows went to hide her kayak, but they soon returned running up to the elder in the lead.

"Did you hide it?" He asked gruffly not really paying attention.

The boys looked at their feet while the taller stammered out, "Sorry, we couldn't find it."

The elder gave Renée another evil look, before continuing on. Only a few yards into the forest was a small camp. It wasn't the biggest she'd seen, but it was of good size. Hopefully this one would benefit her and not just give her a headache. The elder slipped into a large tent and spoke with its inhabitant. When the elder emerged again, a woman much older then the man, accompanied him.

The man pointed at Renée, "Elder, this is the military dog we captured. We believe she's an alchemist." He recoiled slightly, at the stare he was receiving, since he had said 'dog', from Renée.

The woman looking over at Renée, she yelling at the guards "Put those down!" Then to the man she continued, "You are an idiot. Apologize right now!"

Still pointing his, now shacking gun at Renée, "What for? She works for the State!"

"You accuse the Bloody Cat Alchemist of being a dog of the military!"

Stammering he lowered his gun, "This is the Bloody Cat Alchemist." Looking again at Renée he apologized, "I'm internally sorry, Ma'am. You can't be to careful now a days."

Waving it of, Renée turned to the woman, "That's okay. Shisara, I told you, you be some one important someday. You've changed a lot."

Hugging Renée, Shisara smiled worriedly, "And you haven't. You look exactly the same as twenty years ago."

As she glanced worriedly at the tent, Renée asked, "What's wrong?"

Shisara asked, "I don't want to be a problem, but."

"Don't worry about it, what ever it is I'll help."

"Well, there's someone who needs your services. I can except it, if you don't want to help him, of course, but he."

Interrupting, looking concerned, "What's wrong?"

Sighing, Shisara led her into the tent. On the ground was a young man, almost completely covered in blood. On closer inspection it turned out that the blood was stained into some bandages, from a serious stomach wound. And evident across his face across his face, was a white X.(1)

"Well, it appears we can help each other. Although this is going to be, fun." Frowning Renée knelt beside his body, and began inspecting the blood stained bandages.

Waking up to a flash of pain, Scar opened his eyes. Looking around, without moving his head. He believed he was still in the tent he had fallen asleep in, but it was warmer out now. Someone entered the tent. His vision was still blurry from the pain, but he could make out a bright top, darkish bottom and something shined near the middle. Before he could turn his head, for a better look. The person knelt beside him, touching his side it sent a jolt of pain up his side. Grunting the sudden pain, he closed his eyes.

A female voice reached his ears, through the sudden walls of pain, that in compensated his whole body. "So, the patient has awakened. It seems my pain killers wore of, …"During the pause the pain seemed to vanish suddenly, "That should be better. You're going to fall asleep again soon so before you do, I'll introduce myself. My name is Renée" He tried to move his head to see her better, but was stopped quickly by a hand. "Don't you dare move! You'll reopen your wounds," sounding annoyed she continued, "Again, and I'll be stuck here for another stinking week. You'll need another day or so, to recover enough to move." Sighing the tightness around his stomach seemed to vanish, as a smell of dried blood, and rotting flesh filled the room, "Wow, that stinks. Well we'll just have to wrap that up again." As she said this, his stomach was tightened again. "So you should g o t o sl ee p n o …"

Some time later, he awoke again, but this time with out the flash of pain. It was darker out, and he was once again alone in the tent. Sitting up, he thought, 'Well at least I'm alone.' Looking around to verify this, he noticed a small beat up briefcase. It had only one simple flip lock. Checking himself out, he noticed some fresh linen bandages where wrapped around his wound tightly. The wound was annoyingly numb, so he couldn't tell how severe it still was.

Sitting up he tried to move his legs. Which didn't happen. After several minutes of trying to move his lower body with no success, he laid back down exhausted.

Realizing there was nothing he could do, he let his mind wander, it soon settled on the Renée person, and what was probably her briefcase.

Who was she? She was obvisely not Isbalin, who would carry a briefcase, when fleeing death. Maybe a near by medic they had found. No, they couldn't let an non-Isbalin see him, it was too dangerous. Looking towards the front of the tent, he saw her briefcase, unlocked, in easy reach. Even though he hated breaking into people's things, especially a ladies, he eventually grabbed the briefcase and opened it.

Looking around making sure no one was coming, he placed the open briefcase next to him. Inside he found an open med kit, with medical junk strewn around. Stuffing it all back into the med box. A blue bundle of clothing appeared. Seeing nothing below the clothing, he looked up. And there, was a folder strapped to the inside of the top of the briefcase. Paying that no mind, till he saw the emblem. Removing the folder, he looked closer at the folder. On the outside was a military emblem in blue ink.

'So, she works for the military, that can't be good.' Opening the folder, paper fell everywhere. As he began to stuff them back in the folder, a paper caught his eye. It also had the military symbol in the top corner, but what interested him was the first line.

It said, 'Official orders of The Bloody Cat Alchemist, put 'Scar' out of action'.

Disgusted he placed the folder down. "An Alchemist!"

A shadow descended across the folder. "I should have known you would wake-up earlier than expected." The female voice, Renée growled from the tent flap. Looking up, he saw a youngish maiden in dark blue military pants, a white under shirt, and the tale tell sign of an Alchemist, a silver chain dangled from her right pocket.

"Well," Suddenly smiling, she offered him two bowls, "Do you want carrot mush or broccoli mush?"

The next morning, and Scar stood in front of a large, burnt out, rocky, disrupted ground, just plain odd looking, hole, dent, thing. All around, the camp was full of life, as people rushed to dissemble the camp before the State arrived.

Renée walked up behind inspecting her shirt, "How's"

Okay readers, I'm not much into fights so, there's your first outline intervention.

Scar turns around planning to disconnect Renée's head from her body

(with half Alchemy)

Renée dodges

Lots of Scar trying to connect his hand with Renée's body in general

Renée doges last second always

Several people walk by, acting like nothings happening

Scar eventually gets tired

Renée pushes him over, and continues talking like nothing happened

"Mr. Grumpy to day?" Finally acknowledging the fight, "Well at least this time you didn't get my shirt dirty. Do you know how hard it is to get carrot out of clothing?"

Scar grunted. Panting, he stood up.

"How long are you going to keep this up? There's no way you'll ever defeat me, I'm just too good for you. Except it and life will be a lot easier, for the both of us. Well I got good news for you. Well you can remove those bandages now, you should be fully healed a little sore at most."

"All ready did."

She made an hmf, sound in a your no fun tone. Then in a more solemn attitude, "Just use any half alchemy or what ever you call it. Then they'll know you were here. Knowing that they'd hunt down ever last tone of these people, and probably hurt them. It's going to be hard enough cleaning up this little mess." Sighing, she suddenly happily continued with a twinkle in her eye, "Anyway, I have a fun way to give these people a little more time. If your willing to help."

Just then, Shisara walked up. "It was nice seeing you again Renée. Scar we hope you listen to this alchemist, she's a different than the others."

Renée hugged Shisara, "I'll miss you too Shisara, but I'm not sure if I'm the only cat in this military."

Looking confused, "What do you mean?"

"I think there's a kitten in this dog of a State. He just needs to lengthen his backbone a little. He's on his way though." Looking back at Shisara, "We'll you'd better hurry, they'll be here in two hours." Rubbing her hands together, evilly "Just enough time for me to set a little game up."

Shisara laughing, she turned away, "Well have fun then." Looking back at Scar, "Be safe."

Scar nodded his head. "Thank you for the hospitality." With that, Renée and Scar watched as the Isbalin camp moved into the trees.

Finally, when the last Isbalin disappeared into the trees, Renée turned to Scar, "We better get started. They'll be here in a hour and half."

"Why are you helping us, you're a dog of the State?"

Looking at Scar she asked, "Your lucky I don't slap you for using the 'D' word. (2) (2) Anyway, just because I work for the State in name, automatically make me a bad person? I want to help people that need help. What's wrong with that? I don't ask you to trust me, just help me give them more time to escape. Think of this as a bonus, a chance to kick the military in the (mature audiences only)(3) and get away scott free? How often does that happen? Join in if you want to, but if not I recommended running. Also the chance of them getting with out this is quite unlikely. So, kick or run?" She smiled evilly.

Scar looked from Renée, to where the camp had left. Sighing, "What do you need?" Renée smile some how got bigger.(4)

 Authors note: Stupid people, its Scar.

 Authors note: for those of us that don't get this, she means dog.

 Authors note: I don't qualify, Wahhhh! 

 Evil Smiles!

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