^*A/N: Hey people who read fanfictions! Welcome back to the mediocre story that is The Nature Alchemist. Now this chapter is a little more interesting than the last one, so hopefully it won't make you guys fall-asleep again. So without much further procrastination, I give you Chapter Zwei!
Keep on trucking everyone!
**MonsterlyFiction :)
~This chapter is dedicated to lightfirefoxwho was the first person to review on my story! I found it very gooteresting… (Good and interesting morphed together.) Lol anyway, thank you so much for the review, it made me very happy. Now I will mention animefreak, just for the heck of it, she/he also reviewed and that is very much appreciated danke schön. XD
Warnings: OOC characters, the usual.
Disclaimer: Who really thinks that if I owned either FMA or Inuyasha, let alone BOTH, that I would be sitting here, on my laptop, writing grammatically incorrect fanfictions? Dumbass people that's who… no offense anyone out there who really thought that I owned FMA or Inuyasha… that was uncalled for… T_T :)
Chapter 2:
Kagome sat on the three-legged chair, in front of the higher-ups, including her cousin. She had passed the exam with a perfect score, and now she was lounging on the chair, not even slightly affected by the lesser balance of the chair, her legs crossed on the floor in front of her and her arms crossed over her chest.
"So, Mrs. Higurashi," Spoke the Fuhrer, with his usual smile on his face, ", why do you want to be a State Alchemist." Kagome thought for a moment, why did she want to become a State Alchemist? After a good minute she answered honestly.
"I have no idea sir. I thought that by the time I sat down in this chair, for the interview, I would have an answer, but I don't. All I do know is that I want to be a State Alchemist." Kagome braced herself for the worst, but all she got was a hearty laugh from the Fuhrer, everyone looked at him like he has gone crazy.
"Honesty, that's a redeeming quality in a person. Truth be told, I don't think anyone knows for sure why they want to become a State Alchemist. They just lie and say some cliché reason that we all nod and smile pretty at. You, though, aren't afraid to tell the truth." He smiled again. "Alright, next question. You understand that being a State Alchemist means being ready to go to war the minute it starts. That you have to follow orders without a moment's hesitation." Kagome nodded. "Have you ever seen war Kagome? Do you know the true horrors behind it?"
Instantly images of her time in the feudal era and the final battle flashed through her head, the gory images of the countless fallen demons, the dismantled corpse of Naraku, and the mangled bodies of her fallen friends. She was the only to live, even though she was close to death herself, the only one left, and she couldn't save them. She was helpless. She clenched her hands; a single tear streaked its way down her cheek as she looked down to her lap.
"Yes, I have. I know it all too well about war." It was just above a whisper, but in the quiet room it was like a shout. Mustang shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"What war were you involved in?"
"A war across the sea, one that you wouldn't know about." She didn't lie, but she didn't exactly tell the truth. She took a shaky breath in and wiped the tear from her cheek. She looked up to them with a small smile.
"Next question?"
Fuhrer Bradley smiled at her once more. "No that will be all. Your field exam will be in two hours. She nodded, secretly cheering in her head, and walked out of the room.
(-: ^^
She was next; she was watching the guy before her. He was a good alchemist, but she could tell that he didn't do well under pressure. Kagome smiled as he finished his demonstration and walked onto the field that was decimated from over use of the surrounding materials. She popped her fingers and neck before kneeling down and placing her fingers on the ground. She could feel the sad thrumming of the abused earth. She took a deep breath and clapped her hands together before pressing them on the grass. Light filled the whole field as the earth and the nature around it mended back into its original forms. Even the trees that were cut down for use in other's demonstrations sprouted back up and grew to their normal height. After a moment the light faded and she stood dusting off her short skirt as she turned to face the flabbergasted higher-ups.
"My demonstration is finished." There were collective whispers, but they were mostly about her use of lack of a transmutation circle. The Fuhrer nodded and smiled as Kagome walked pass him. She walked under a tree and apparently her alchemy didn't reach it because it snapped towards the middle and toppled over, heading straight for Kagome.
She clenched her eyes and braced for an impact that never came. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up to see the tree, held by some branches that grew and wrapped themselves around the trunk. She took a step back, her hand over her racing heart.
Gasps were heard throughout the crowd and Kagome walked over to the tree that saved her. She put her hand on the trunk and concentrated on it. 'Thank you, but why did you save me?' She asked she could feel the life thrumming through the tree.
'Because, you repaired the nature around me, it was the least I could do.'
She smiled as she thought of how weird she must look, in retrospect. She walked away and once she was a safe distance away the tree fell to the ground with a thud. She bowed slightly to the higher-ups and made her way back to Mustangs office to await the results.
(-: ^^
On her way to Mustangs office she ran into Ed, quite literally to be in fact. She rubbed her sore butt as Ed helped her off the floor. Ed smiled openly at the person he grew to like over the past couple days.
"So, I heard what happened during you're field exam. They said it was amazing." Kagome ran a hand through her lengthy obsidian hair.
"Man, news travels fast around here doesn't it?" Ed patted her on the back as they continued walking.
"Well, it's not every day that someone transmutes a tree to protect them, without a circle, or even without thinking about it." Kagome blushed slightly, she never told anyone about her connection with nature. She always had a certain relation with nature because of her miko abilities, so she just guessed that now the alchemy enhanced that connection.
"Yea, it just kind of… happened." Once again, she didn't lie exactly. Kagome realized that they stopped and looked to see that they were in front of Mustang's office. Ed opened the door and they stepped through the threshold. They sat down on the couch next to an excited Al and across from the rest of the crew, who all eagerly awaited the news about Kagome's exams.
(-: ^^
They waited around fifteen minutes for the results. It was a fifteen minutes filled with fidgeting, finger tapping, and nervous laughing at bad conversations. The semi-silence was broken by the sound of the door opening. Everyone looked up with hopeful eyes.
Mustang entered with a blank face, making Kagome and Ed stand up. Mustang walked over to Kagome and handed her a large envelope. Kagome gulped and looked down at the manila colored envelope.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Open it." Ed said, giving Kagome a slight push on the shoulder. She glared at him before taking a deep breath and swiftly tearing the seal off. She slid the paper out and a smile spread on her face as she read what it said out loud.
"It is our pleasure to name Kagome Higurashi a State Alchemist of Amestris. She is hereby awarded the title 'Nature' and will start duty immediately…" The room broke into cheers, some consisting of welcoming her as a 'dog-of-the-military.' Mustang walked over to Kagome and something shiny caught her eye. In his hand was her-very-own-state-issued pocket watch.
She took the watch, examining it carefully before doing something that caught them all off guard. Kagome slipped the watch into her skirt pocket and hugged Mustang, tightly wrapping her arms around his neck. She released him, patting him on the back.
"Thank you, Colonel, for helping me out these past two days." She turned to the rest of the group, offering an exuberant smile. "Thank all of you really." There were some more cheers and Kagome couldn't help but giggle softly, all of her past forgotten, for now at least.
(-: ^^
"That Kagome girl, she could be the one." A woman with long brown hair practically purred as she leisurely picked through her nails.
"So I can't eat her, Lust?" Asked the extremely tubby being next to her, his finger stuck in his mouth much like a young child would. The woman called Lust sighed heavily.
"No, Gluttony, you may not eat her, or any of her friends, she could be useful. And I've been meaning to put you on a diet anyway." The one called Gluttony groaned, mimicking his stomach.
"Ugh. Here Gluttony, if you're that hungry, then eat this." A very feminine male walked up, throwing a half dead body in front of the blob of a thing. Gluttony clapped happily and went to work on the poor sack of limbs.
Lust looked out of the window, but the sounds of Gluttony munching through bones still made her stomach churn. "Envy, he's already eaten today, he needs to go on a diet."
Envy growled slightly and took a seat next to Lust on the window seal. "Well, we didn't need that guy anyway, he knew too much." Envy paused, turning his head to look at Lust, his almost green hair reflecting the moonlight. "Have you got anymore leads?"
"Yes, actually, I have. There is a newly instated Alchemist in the military. She is said to be a child prodigy, just like Elric." Envy huffed.
"So, she's a prodigy, what's the big deal."
Lust sighed; Envy could really get on her nerves sometimes. "She's not just a prodigy. She transmuted without a circle, and judging from her appearance I don't think that she has seen the gate."
"But, how is that possible?"
"I don't know Envy, but I think it's time we visit our old friend so we can get some answers." Envy smiled evilly before they both stood and headed for the tower door.
Lust called over her shoulder. "Gluttony come on, were leaving." Gluttony ran to catch up with them. "And wipe your mouth, that's disgusting."
"Yes, Lust." Gluttony said, rubbing his mouth clean of the human flesh.
(-: ^^
"So Kagome, now that you're a bonified State Alchemist, what are planning to do?" Kagome sat in front of Mustang's desk, twisting and turning the pocket watch in her hand. She stopped all movements, what did she want to do? Almost instantly Ed flashed through her mind. She knew what she wanted to do.
"I would like to accompany Ed. I want to help him in his journey." She knew all about how Ed and Al transmuted their mother. Well it wasn't that hard to figure out, with Al being a hollow suit of armor and all.
Mustang sighed. "I had a feeling that you would say that." Kagome blushed lightly.
"W-why did y-you have a feeling that I would say that?" She stuttered, making Mustang smirk.
"Well, you and Fullmetal have been growing to be good friends over the past couple of days. I just figured you would want to go with him and Al when they took off again." Kagome sighed and slouched back in her chair. "I'll arrange all of it so you can go. Just promise me you will be safe, if not more me then for your mother. I'm sure she is very worried about you." Kagome instantly felt guilty, she forgot to write her mother. She made a mental note to call her as soon as she left his office.
She swiftly stood and bowed slightly, and old habit from Japan. She rounded the desk and gave him another hug. "Thank you for everything, Roy, I mean it." She pulled away and walked out of the room, them both hoping that it wouldn't be the last time the saw each other.
(-: ^^
"Hello? Mom?"
"Kagome? Hi honey! How is it in Eastern City?"
"It's actually quite nice, and the people around here aren't too bad either."
"That's good. So how did the exams go?" Kagome smiled and fiddled with her pocket watch again.
"I did good mom. You are talking to the newest State Alchemist."
"That's wonderful baby! So what's your title?"
"It's the Nature Alchemist."
"Such a good name."
"Yeah, it is. So how have things been going there?" Kagome twirled the phone cord between her fingers as her mother talked to her.
"Well nothing much is happening really. Everything has been perfect. What about you? How are things going?"
"Good. And do you remember that I had to go see a Colonel Roy Mustang once I got here?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Well, he's Roy, my cousin."
Laughing could be heard coming from her mother. "I guess it is really a small world after all." There was a pause. "Have you met any boys yet?"
"Mom!" Kagome groaned.
"Well, just asking."
Kagome blushed. "If you must know there is kind of someone. But nothing serious."
"Who?"
"I-I gotta go mom. Love you. Bye. Be safe, and yes I will be safe also." She quickly hung up the phone and leaned against the booth. 'Kind of someone? Me… and Ed?' Kagome shook her head. 'That's plain crazy; it was just the pressure of the moment.' She nodded her head and walked off in the direction of the mess hall.
(-: ^^
Kagome made her way to the mess hall for lunch. In retrospect, she should've hated eating with a bunch of men, but she actually enjoyed the antic filled lunches with Ed and Maes. Kagome was already well acquainted with little Elicia and when she actually met her, she fell in love with her more. The little girl was just so adorable and sweet, who couldn't fall in love with her?
Ed watched as Kagome entered the mess hall, he had to frown at what he saw. Some of the soldiers were stealing all-too-not-innocent glances at Kagome. Of course she would never notice it though, she had a certain ignorance about her when it came to the male species, but it only seems to fuel the appeal about her.
Every may think Ed a fool, but he certainly was not little adolescent boy, he knew very well what the stares and whistles meant, and it disgusted him to no end. It also never helped that she wore that short skirt and tank top, but when he asked her about it, all she said was that it was what she was used to always wearing, so he let it go, but now he was seriously regretting it.
He could only let out a sigh of relief when Kagome took her seat next to him with her food. They picked up a light conversation that was going quite well until they heard.
"Man, do you think she would be willing to come back to my room and show me some of her 'prodigy skills'"
Ed was about to knock this guy senseless when he was beaten to the punch. Before he could blink Kagome had the guys hands pinned behind his back and his face was pressed painfully into the table. Kagome put her boot on his back and applied some pressure, causing him to wince. She leaned down and spoke in his ear.
"Are you sure you want to see any more of my 'skills'?" Her voice was like venom, making Ed actually wince in slight fear. Kagome tightened her hold for a second before releasing him.
She turned back to her food and took a bite of potatoes with a slight smile, like nothing ever happened. Ed only gave her a dumbfounded look until she spoke again.
"So, Colonel said I could go with you on your search for 'you-know-what'. He's going to arrange everything." Ed shook his head to clear his thoughts.
"Are you sure? I mean, all I can say is that some things can't be unseen, or undone. It's really dangerous out there you know." Kagome smirked and winked at him, causing the blonde boy to blush.
"I can handle myself, there's no need to worry." Ed could only shrug.
"Okay, suit yourself, just don't want to see you get hurt, that's all." He said the last part in barley a whisper as he played with his mashed potatoes, Kagome heard him, but decided not to say anything and only blush as they finished their meal.
^*A/N: And done! Woo! That took some effort! *wipes a bead of sweat of forehead and looks at hand* Ewwwww! I shouldn't sweet from typing! That's not natural! Quick call a doctor! *runs around the room screaming frantically*… Anyway, so yeah, in this story Kagome is kind of a badass… I hated her always being the damsel in distress, I figured now that Inuyasha isn't around to always save her she actually had to learn how to defend herself. Sooo… YAY BADASS KAGOME! She gets 10 WIN points.
Review, always review, and never think 'Oh should I review?' NO! ALWAYS REVIEW! …Please?
**MonsterlyFiction :)