"This damned key's got to be in here somewhere!"
Manami spent the entire day tearing apart the whole living area of the cabin, in search for a key that would open the door to the study.
To no avail.
"It would just be easier to kick down this stupid door!" She yelled to herself, looking back to the door... but then she sighed heavily.
She knew Tyberious was gone, but she still felt like he would come from the afterlife and beat her ass if she kicked down that door.
"There's only one more place I haven't looked..." She looked over to the only other door in the cabin, that led to Tyberious's room.
She approached the door, lamp in hand, slowly reaching for the doorknob and attempting to turn it. It opened with ease, and the door fell open as she peered inside. It was dark, until she stepped inside with the lamp.
Not a thing had been touched in this room since Tyberious passed.
Though he called this room his bedroom, he spent more time in his study than in here. Manami had fallen asleep on the floor many times in here, and she would find herself in the bed the next morning. She never asked, but she knew that none other than Tyberious had put her in there.
He was a grouch, but she knew that he cared for her... deep deep down.
"Get up, kid! Breakfast is ready!"
Young Manami's eyes flashed open, finding herself in Tyberious's bed once again. She sat up and yawned, rubbing her eyes as she got up and walked out to the dining area.
As usual, Tyberious sat at the table, surrounded by books and with a mug of coffee in hand.
Across the table was a plate of the usual hash and eggs, in front of an empty chair that Manami always sat in, across from him.
"You need to stop falling asleep on the floor. Take it from an old man, your back will scream at you when you're older for doing that too much."
"Sorry, Master Tyberious." Manami apologized, yawning again as she went to sit in the chair and folding her hands together. "Thank you for the meal."
Though she always was sure to thank him, he always left it at that. He always seemed reluctant to show too much compassion.
"Did you finish your homework, or did you doze off again?" Tyberious asked her, looking over a book and sipping his coffee.
"I finished it..." Manami said after swallowing a mouthful of food.
"So you understand the meaning of 'All is One, and One is All?" He placed down his book to look at her.
"I think so..."
"Explain it."
"Uh... basically, the world- the universe even, is the 'all.' And we ourselves are the 'one.'" Manami answered. "Basically, I see it a cycle of life and death, which need each other to continue. We're born of this world, and when we die, we return to it. And the cycle continues on."
"Good. You pass." Tyberious sipped his coffee, but then he put the mug down on the table. Manami blinked, knowing he didn't do that often.
"Listen, kid," Tyberious folded his hands and leaned forward a little. "You've been here for a couple months now. I said I would teach you alchemy, and now that you've learned the basic rule of this world, I'll leave you with a choice before we go on."
"Huh..?"
"I'll teach you the most basic of alchemy, as promised. Get you out of here in another six months tops. But, if you want to go beyond that..." She watched him pull one of the books from the pile surrounding him.
"This book contains knowledge of a type of alchemy that only I know." He waved it. "I originally had intentions to take this knowledge with me to the grave, but... I see that you have potential, and I guess I've come to trust you. I won't force this on you or nothin', in fact you can take the time to think it over if you want—"
"I'll do it." Manami said quickly, making him frown.
"You don't even know what kind of alchemy it is." He muttered, tossing the book aside on the table. "I didn't even get to the conditions yet..."
"Tell me!"
"Ah, maybe I brought it up too soon..." The old man scratched the back of his head, looking back to see Manami's eyes sparkling with interest. "I'll start with the conditions, and you gotta agree to them before I tell you any more, got it?"
She nodded.
"One, you will use this alchemy only for good. Not for killing, or unlawful things."
Manami nodded. That one was obvious.
"Two, you will not share this talent or knowledge with any old blokes. I don't want this being some widespread trendy thing. If you find someone that shows potential like I saw in you, then I trust you to make that judgement to teach them. Otherwise, it'll be your job to take it to the grave."
Manami nodded again.
"And three, you will not share this talent or knowledge with any organization, including the military."
"Wouldn't I be able to use this alchemy for good at the military? Isn't their whole motto that they work for the people?" Manami asked quietly, and Tyberious scoffed.
"They're full of it. The military is not your friend. Which leads me to four, don't enlist or put trust in the military, under any circumstances."
"..." The young brunette slowly nodded.
"You're probably rolling in your grave now..." Manami sighed.
She still couldn't find this key.
"You're probably gonna be more upset with me, since I'm gonna have to kick down this doo—"
Creak!
Manami stopped when she heard her foot step over a creaky floorboard, which got her thinking...
Maybe... just maybe...
"Is it hidden in the floorboards..?" She got on her hands and knees to feel around, trying to pull each individual plank up. None of them were coming up though, and she was about to give up, until she reached for one more plank, at the end of the bed...
Pop!
"Oof!" Manami fell back onto her butt, plank in hand. She quickly scrambled back to her hands and knees to look inside the hole.
There was a shoe box!
She quickly went to reach in and pull it out. She pulled off the lid to find a folded piece of paper, that had writing on both sides. Manami opened it up to find that it was a letter...
A letter that was addressed to her.
"Manami,
In my final days, I write this letter, in hopes that you'll never find it. In fact, I hope you leave to find a bright future, never looking back to this dark and dreary place.
But, if you've found this, that means you've returned. Not only that, but you're probably trying to find a way into my study. Any normal person would have kicked down the door, but if you've come this far just to find the key, that either reflects the patience, or the fear of me, that I taught you. Either is fine.
The reason I have the study locked away is because it's basically the "skeleton in my closet," if you will. In my past, long before I met you, I have done many unforgivable things. Some things that may change your view of me. If that's the case, I accept it. I write this letter after thinking about our last conversation. Despite agreeing to my conditions, you told me that you still intend to join the military. I hope that you changed your mind, but if not... I'll provide you with information that I should have told you sooner.
It all started in 1869. I was a professor at a private institution that researched Human Transmutation. This is how I knew what you had done just by seeing the mark on your shoulder. Anyway, our staff found people who were suffering with loss of their loved ones, and invited them for a 'paid research study,' to where they'd have to sign a waiver to never tell anyone of our research, or we would kill them. Luckily, it's never gotten to that, but I have seen many people lose countless things: limbs, organs, senses... some even lost their lives anyway. Every attempt to bring back their loved ones were unsuccessful.
I have seen the Truth many times, but paid tolls at the expense of others.
In 1872, we were found out by the military. Every person in the building had been slaughtered, but I guess because I was the head of the team... I was spared. But I was given a choice, to be killed with the rest, or to enlist in the military as a State Alchemist and share my research notes. They seemed to be interested in my findings. I made the choice to live, and I was given the title "Rebirth Alchemist." Shortly after, I was then put on the research team that would make Philosophers Stones. If you hadn't already found out, the main ingredient of the Philosopher's Stone is human life. In the beginning, we used the lives of the prisoners who committed high-level crimes like murder to create the stones. We then found ways to deconstruct the stones to make them into an liquid.
But, in 1901, the Ishvalan Civil War escalated after a soldier had shot a child. A year later was when we began using Ishvalan prisoners, some of which hadn't even committed a single crime. They were just imprisoned for the color of their skin. It was easier to use the lives of criminals and murderers, but... for people who were innocent, using them was quickly making our sanity deteriorate. I was approached by a doctor with a gold tooth, who apparently worked for the military. He inquired about the Philosopher's Stones I had created. Not only did he want to revive fallen soldiers, but there was also talk of building an army. It was then that I met Tim Marcoh, and we became two sides of the same coin: He made the stones, I deconstructed them to liquid.
In 1905, this 'gold-toothed doctor' was revealed to be 'my old boss,' or the head of the private institution I worked for before I joined the military. We were indirectly working for them that whole time, and my entire team was slaughtered. It was a part of his plan, to get me enlisted and do this project for him. It was then that I took all the notes I could get and whatever money I had in my bank account, and fled to New Optain, dyed my hair black, and became the Tyberious you know today.
Manami, if you're in the military now, you need to resign as soon as you can. I don't know exactly what they're doing, but I know that it's absolutely foul. You may think you can change the world, but sometimes the hole is already too deep.
But then again, you've surprised me before.
In this box, you'll find my pocket watch, the papers bearing my true name, and with a photo of who I used to be. You deserve to know.
You'll also find the key to my study. I hope the notes inside will be of more use to you than not.
If you have any questions, figure it out. You can't ask a dead man anything.
I'm sorry for what you're about to find out.
- Tyberious"
Manami stared at the letter for a long while, frozen in shock. This one letter contained so much information that took so much time to understand...
Tyberious... was a researcher for Human Transmutation? And made Philosopher Stones? How many lives did he take..?!
She looked down to see a few more items in the shoe box. The first thing she saw, on top of everything else, was a silver pocket watch.
"So it's true..." She went to pick it up and open it, seeing nothing inscribed inside.
Guess that was something just Ed did...
She set it aside and picked up another folded paper, opening it to reveal a document she was very familiar with. It was the document that was given to State Alchemists when they were officially enlisted, and it revealed the name.
This official document certifies that the nation of Amestris, Prefecture of the Generalissimo appoints the name REBIRTH to JARED KELLER, in the name of Further King Bradley.
"Jared Keller..." Manami mumbled to herself, before picking up the next item in the box.
It was a photo. She immediately recognized Tyberious, but he didn't have his normal black hair... instead, it was a brunette similar to her own. It was a little shorter, and his face didn't have a beard, only some stubble on the chin. He stood with a few other men, whom she didn't recognize.
She reached in the box to pull out one last item.
The key... to Tyberious's study.