Chi: Fudge, I feel like I'm on a freaking roll! Seriously! :D
Crystal: Lol.
Cici: I don't get why my weapon can't just be a sewing needle. A giant one.
Crystal: Those exist. They're called, " SWORDS ".
Cici: ... Nah, not pointy enough.
Crystal: *facepalm*
Roy: This chapter is about 600 words shorter than the last.
Chi: *looks over* I know that. I got everything I needed to get in this chapter though. In the next it'll prolly be longer but in this one this is all I wanted/needed down.
Ed: Whatever.
Crystal squeezes Cici and Chika happily. Roy stares for a moment before smiling softly. He somewhat imagined it was moments like these that Crystal lived for. Reunion, cheers. Crystal pulls away, "Why'd you come back?" A dark undertone was in her voice and Roy's heart dropped somewhat. How could someone be so bi-polar?
Cici answers with a lie cooly, a hint of amusement in her voice, "Well we weren't about to abandon you to Julius, he's a teenage boy! Besides, we actually were just passing by."
Crystal slaps her forehead, leaving a visible red mark, "You and your lies Cici. Whatever. They'll be at the abandoned house later in the evening," Crystal hands the two a key, smiling, "It's for the house in Yeoz. There's some hidden weapons in the floorboards under my dresser. You might find some that you like Cici, Chika."
"Thanks~!" Cici takes the key happily, stuffing it into her pocket.
Chika tells Crystal, "Also, Julius delivered your message. He's on his way to Izumi since coming to you for all of the prophecies we've ignored was a silly idea."
Crystal scratches the back of her head bashfully, an emotion Roy would've made a bet that Crystal wouldn't show, "Actually, I don't even remember half of them. Most were warning my parents. What to look out for. So it's possibly a waste of time."
Cici opens her mouth but hesitates, "C-Crystal, when this is all over, can we go back to normal? Being best friend's, you baking and dodging my needles." Cici studies the ground. Crystal's eyes widen for a moment.
"I can't," Cici slumps and Crystal goes one, "I can't because, we still are best friends, I'm ready to cook for you two and I'm always dodging needles anyways, so how can it go back to normal when we're already normal?" Cici lit up as Crystal smiled with a shrug hugging Cici tightly, "You don't need to worry."
Roy's eyes narrowed. It was a lie. He recognized it. That tone, the explanation. Crystal looked nothing like her mother, you could swear that her mother HAD to have adopted her but traits like this, the way they both lied. It was exactly the same.
Chika grinned telling Crystal, "I finally managed to do the change!"
Crystal have her loud ringing high five, "Congratulations! What's your form?"
"A brilliant stag," Cici and Chika said at the same time before looking to each other and crossing their pinky fingers, "JINX!" Their fingers crossed again, "DOUBLE JINX!" Crystal laughed. Part of her wished that the moment could last forever.
Interrupting, Crystal hands the two tickets, "There for Yeoz. Tell Ed and Ling that they can crash there if they need to. It's a safe haven. Same for you two!" The three talked for a while. Crystal explained this Ling and Ed to them, how she had been, gave them the good news she had passed some test. Roy only knew what she meant because he had read the notes Crystal had given him.
Cici and Chika nod taking the tickets. Cici says sadly, "We should probably get going. We don't have to much longer to get there. Crystal, stay safe." Cici pats Crystal's shoulder.
Chika ruffles Crystal's hair, "Yup! Don't need our food slave getting hurt on us!"
"HEY!" Crystal flared somewhat jokingly. Rolling her eyes Crystal wraps the two in one last hug, "You both stay safe to. After all, I need someone to sow my outfits and keep me sane." She grinned, only the faintest shimmer of sadness in her eyes.
The two girls left, waving, and saying one last goodbye. Crystal smiled waving, wishing them luck. Her smile disappearing into a frown as they turned away. She drooped like a morning glory in the afternoon. Without turning to Roy she asks, "What do you think we all live for?" She pauses for a moment continuing her question, "Do we live for ourselves, for others..? For the small things or the big things. What's the point. Hardly any of us make a difference in the end. Why bother?"
Roy shrugged. He wasn't a sentimental person. These weren't questions he asked. Even so he gave the only answer he could think of, "We live because we have a life to live."
"I lived for little things like this," Crystal watches the clouds in the sky with a frown, "When I fought with Diane, there was always a thrill. Shouting voices in my head. Right and wrong. She was infuriating but someone I learned so much from. I lived for my grandmother. For Issac, an unseen hero," Crystal could recall meeting him like it had happened yesterday when it had been over a year ago, "To help people. How many though," Her voice tightens, "See me as a monster?" Crystal folded her hands thinking.
"Maybe... if I die in this war. Maybe it's for the better," She watched the cloudy sky as it grew thick, "I couldn't be bullied. I wouldn't have to hide. Worry about Kiko. The hunters. Or worry if I lose my mind and end up hurting people." Crystal sighed, shoving her hands in her pocket and walking forward.
Ed rolled his eyes a the stubbornness of GreedLing. First he was glutton. Now? He was an almost immortal glutton. Grass broke and twigs cracked. Ling and Ed got into a fighting stance. Heinkel looked like he smelled dinner and Darius had no real preference. A snow white elegant deer towered over Ed seconds later and on the beasts back sat a blue haired girl. She gave a sigh of relief.
"I was worried we had missed you! It took the taxi forever to get us to the old house!" A blue glow surrounded the beast and a long silver haired girl sat on the ground panting and coughing.
Ed aimed a weapon at the girls, "Who are you two?"
The blue haired girl yelped jumping away and stuttering, "I-I'm Cici and s-she's Chika! I've known Crystal since she was two and she knew her since they were six," Cici gestured to herself and the silver haired girl. GreedLing offered her a hand. This 'Chika' took it happily.
"What kind of names are those?" Ed tilted his head, unsure if he believed them.
Cici flared, "HEY! My mother was from Areugo and her family history is tight with Xing!"
Ling's eyes shrank to the thin line, "The Holans family?"
Chika nodded, "Yes. I'm Chika Holan. My parents would've been in Xing before you left Prince Ling." Chika dipped her head slightly.
"He doesn't look like a prince," Cici noted.
Chika smiled pulling a book out of her bag and reciting a page. Ed's eyes widened. When she finished she shut the book placing it in her bag, "Do you trust us now?"
Ed sighed muttering, "Yeah..."
She smiled, "Good. I'm from the Snow Stag Clan up north. We had a request while you were on the run. Cici needs protection and unfortunately you're the only person I knew the location of that could teach her." Chika sighed sadly thinking. The four started walking away and Cici and Chika followed, "Will you please teach her a little bit about fighting."
"No."
"If you don't she could die!"
"In that case she should escape."
"Yes and your mechanic will run away to!"
Ed turned to Chika angered, "I can't trust you! You know too much about me and I've never even heard about you! Either of you!" He snapped at them. Cici drooped.
Chika glared, "I only know what I know because before we came to you we visited Crystal! She told us everything she knew about you! What you and your brother did. Your father and mother! Mechanic! How you and Roy bicker like madmen! You jokingly hate on Ling because he's a freeloader!"
"Am not!" GreedLing puffed his cheeks out.
"We did not come this far just to be rejected!"
"Than what else did you come for?!" Ed snapped.
Cici walked up to Ling asking politely, "Would you mind to terribly if we followed? We'll try not to cause to much trouble."
GreedLing shrugged, "Whatever."
Chika huffed, "Fine! Also, Crystal wanted you guys to know that her home is a safe haven."
Ed suddenly stopped, frozen in his tracks, "Wait. If you know where Crystal is, is Alphonse with her?!" He beamed almost desperate.
Chika shook her head, "The last time she saw him was like a week or three ago. They were up north but Crystal said he was coming south. She also told us to tell you not to worry. She's going to go look for him soon. For now she said she was going to rest. Get her bearings." Ed stopped, thinking.
He relented after several minutes, "I can try and teach her."
Chika and Cici lit up. Smiling Chika says, "Thank you! Her eye hand coordination is one of the best."
"You try putting thread through the eye of a tiny freaking needle for ten years. See how much better you will be," Cici laughed smiling. Ed watched them. In their posture he could see they knew the circumstances. They were so bright though. Like they were normal teenagers without worries. He watched Chika's bag. She had the book. The page she recited was one of the entries from the First Generation and he highly doubted that the homunculi had managed to copy the book. How could he not believe they truly did know Crystal?
Chika looked over her shoulder, "Hey, Ed, I know you're going to hate us for this but we need to go to Yeoz. Cici is going to need a weapon and Crystal said she hid some there that hse might be able to use."
"Damn you."
Al sighed. He kinda missed the blue eyed girl. The hunters, as Crystal and Maroch called them apparently, had chased him down and demanded Crystal's location. Alphonse told them he had no idea. It was true. Though even if he had known he wouldn't have told them. It gave Al hope that Crystal was alive, but then he wondered why Crystal wasn't back yet? Surely she knew where they were. Marcoh insisted she was fine, after all how could you kill the Northern Seer up north? This was her territory.
Al began to wonder what 'later' meant in Crystal's terms. When Crystal had initially left to visit someone it took her four days, maybe a week. They found out after the Fifth Laboratory and Scar. The second time she had left was to pay her respects to someone, though Al still didn't know who. She met up with them in Dublith after that... It seemed like it had happened ages ago. Since they parted after Maes death and finding Kiko, they had yet to be a group again. Al started wondering what she did while she was gone. The long months she had been gone after Maes had died he knew she was with the Clan's. They were in danger as well as Kiko. The few times Al had seen Kiko and Crystal together it was easy to tell she would do anything for him.
A bit similar to him and Ed, only without the same severity in the situation.
The phone started ringing loudly. Winry jumped and picked it up asking, "Hello?"
"HEY! I was wondering if you'll had stopped there! How are ya'll?!" A cheery voice sounded on the other side.
Winry loosened, relieved to hear them, "We've gone our separate ways but we're good. Al is with me."
"Ah, that's great!"
"What happened to you? You disappeared..." Winry asked as Al looked over.
Curiosity tugged at Al, "Who is it, Winry?"
Smiling Winry gestures for Al to come over, "It's me Crystal!" The voice on the other side cheered, "Sorry what took so long for me to get in touch. I'm in Central with Roy. He's kinda putting me under house arrest." She muttered annoyed, "I wanted to check in with you two is all. I'm not sure when I'll be able to meet up with you."
Al would've frowned if he could've. Why would Roy do that? Winry says, "It's fine but are you sure? Before you disappeared you got hit by something." Al easily recalled the blood trail that had faded. May had tried to follow but Crystal had seemingly vanished into this air.
"YOU WHAT?!" Someone on the other end screamed.
"Geez, thanks Winry," Crystal muttered sarcastically, "It's fine. It was just a little nick. Though the condition of that dress is teetering on the edge of 'Needs to be burned' apparently. Anyways can you two keep an eye out for some people for me?"
"Huh? Sure," Winry nods.
"Good," Crystal beams once more, "One of them will have blue hair, blue eyes, the other silver hair and indigo eyes. Their names are Cici and Chika, they should have a copy of the book with them. I'm not sure if you'll run into them or not but they are friends. Cici can't fight, even if she could run my mind in circles for days but still," Crystal explains.
"Okay," Al agrees before asking, "Have you seen brother?"
There was silence on the other end, "What have you heard?"
"He disappeared when a mine shaft collapsed is all. Envy," Al started.
"Is NOT to be trusted!" Crystal snapped, with a hiss. Muttering she assures Al, "Don't worry about the pipsqueak. He's fine if in not so terribly great condition last I saw." Al could feel a rush of relief. Yoki, Zampano, and Jerso came from different parts of the house, curious at the commotion. Crystal goes on, "Ling, well, GreedLing now, has deserted the homunculi and now is with Ed. He's also got two chimera bodyguards last I saw. So I'm fairly sure that with the addition of Cici and Chika, Ed's perfectly safe. Anyways, how goes up there?"
Al looked over as Yoki suddenly whined at Crystal, "You left us in a death trap!"
"Really? I thought most if not all of the hunters came with me, oh hold on a second, coffee's ready," Crystal set down the phone somewhere walking away for a minute. When she came back it was clear she was distracted by something, a book possibly, though she held the conversation, "Any chance Doctor Marcoh is there? I actually found something interesting in these notes."
"No we parted ways a few days after you left," Al tells her honestly.
An audible groan rises from Crystal, "That stinks. Last time I saw him was over a lifetime ago. No idea where he would've gone. Anyways, when did you talk to Envy?" She brought up the earlier topic.
Al clearly remembers it, "Envy attacked after the hunters left. He's more or less defeated."
"Is he dead?"
"No, May has him in a jar and he can't escape."
A sigh sounds, "Apparently you're all idiots. Whatever, so where are you guys headed? I can't wander around aimlessly."
"Reole. We think the tunnel for a nation-wide circle is under there. The homunculi are going to sacrifice Amestris we think."
Silence blossomed on the other end. A small whisper of horror came from Crystal, "What?"
Al was terrified. When was Crystal horrified? With her visions, he thought she knew. It angered and annoyed Al to end that she had withheld such important information but of all things, he didn't expect this. There was a small flurry and Crystal sounded again flipping through something, "That doesn't make sense. To create a circle that huge, something big would've had to have been creating it for several years. Let's see who all have I seen? Pride, Wrath, Lust, Envy, Wrath's Passion, OH, Greed, and Gluttony... Sloth. What has Van been doing all these years," Crystal started talking to herself, clearly forgetting the phone was on. Books flipped and pages thumped on a table. Ink and pens clattered on a wooden surface.
"Crystal? You know dad?"
"I need to go." The phone hung up.
The five all looked at the phone half blankly before one another. A sense of uneasiness flittering through them.
Marcoh flipped through the book. Scar slowly ate at the table in the small hotel room. Marcoh put the book down, writing something down on a separate sheet of paper. Crystal had left many of her things when fleeing the town. A box that had a blue scarf, umbrella, letters, and alchemic notes. The notes were coded and then translated into different languages. Crystal's handwriting on papers looked like she was trying to translate the various languages. Before they had pated May had helped with some of the Xingese parts. Scar recognized some of the texts as Ishbalen. In part of Crystal's notes it mentioned that some of it was in Drachman and from Areugo. Some of the text was unreadable to Crystal, Marcoh, and Scar. She had been planning on trying to get in contact with the Elric's father to translate the part of it that had been written in the Xerxes language.
Sighing Marcoh sets the notes aside. Scar looks over asking, "Nothing?"
"I can't translate most of it," Marcoh tells him, "It's in a code I can't crack. The versions are so old."
Marcoh sits down to eat. Silence lingers heavy in the air. Disrupting the suffocating silence Marcoh asks, "How long had you suspected what Crystal was?" Marcoh had read Scar's reactions. Scar had been theorizing that Crystal was a Seer for quite some time.
Scar looks up, his red eyes piercing Marcoh, before looking back down as he answers honestly, "She fought me with that cursed sword. I'd have been a fool for not recognizing it and the story she gave with it."
Marcoh laughed, "She'd have called you a fool anyways."
"Did you know her family?" Scar asks. Why would her family let her stain her hands after all? Children were not murderers. They were innocent. Then, he would think, why were kids so deeply involved? This was for an adult. Not teenagers.
Nodding Marcho smiles telling him, "Yes. They were kind people. From what they always told me, Crystal had a habit of wandering off. She would sometimes run into hunters. Get caught up in a skirmish. Or simply bicker with people." Scar nodded slightly, it explained the use of the sword she had effortlessly swung. The way she was used to fighting.
"They were secretive but you would never guess it at a glance. They were the people you thought you knew everything about when in truth you only saw what they wanted you to see," Marcoh tells him. He suddenly freezes.
Scar looks up questioningly, "What's wrong?"
Scrambling over to the notes, Marcoh holds them up to the window. Handwriting emerges in the sunlight and quickly as possible, Marcoh copies it. Laying his copied notes on the table he neatly puts away Crystal's and the actual notes. Scar picks up a sheet reading silently.
As Marcoh finishes putting everything away Scar speaks up, "This is a circle to reverse the Seer curse."
Picking up the sheet Macoh reads aloud, "For every plus there is a con. For every circle, there is a way to put it back to normal. This is why certain events may cause the Seer to be turned back to normal."
Scar reads aloud a part that caught his eye, "The Seer's are not meant to reincarnate. It is only because of those Stone's they do. For at least they good part though, they only come when Amestris is in dire need. As the alchemist who created them, I've finally come to realize that they will reincarnate until those wretched beings have been destroyed. They have yet to realize that the alchemist they tore apart was not truly me. It was one of those monsters named Envy. He remained still until they had escaped. He used the gloves I had specially created with part of the stone threaded in to do the circle. I curse myself for the pain I have created in my sister and brother. If Envy had not been the one who had done it the Northern Seer would be whole. It would be different. I've no idea how this will affect her in the future. For now, I pray someone rights my wrongs. Tonight I take my life as payment for the horrors I've done."
"Nothing ever really is, as it seems," Marcoh mutters.
Aidria could feel a slight disturbance outside. The earthen wall crumbled. Skylar leaned against it, a faint glow surrounding him before he shrank. Kiko slept deeply as the wall looked like it wouldn't last much longer. Aidria started yelling inside, "We need alchemists out here! The wall's going to collapse!"
People were up and running within minutes. Aidria made a mad dash to the wall scooping up Kiko. Alchemists strengthened the wall, putting off it collapsing. Everyone gathered in a huge worried group. Darion looks towards Aidria, worry in his eyes asking her softly, "Do you think it's time?"
Aidria nods, "Yes. We need to escape. We have about," She looked up to the crumbling wall studying it, "I'd say about seven hours. Two if the Amestrians get the cannons," As if on cue a loud bang hit the wall. Some people screamed at the sudden shot. Kiko didn't rise. His breath slow and even.
Paisley approaches, "How would Julius get back to us? Someone needs to stay or go back! He could be killed!" She flailed.
Darion shook his head, "We'll send a messenger later. Julius is smart. Besides, I won't risk anybody else."
She backed off, "And Cici? Chika? Crystal loves them like family! Don't you think that she's had enough devastation?!"
He snaps, "It was there choice to sneak out! They could be dead already! We're going to retreat!"
"THEN YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN!" Paisley snapped back at him quickly leaving and gathering a small group.
Darion fumed and Aidria felt her heart drop. This was not the time to be fighting. Part of her screamed they were going to die, but there wasn't anything she could to prevent it. None of them would listen to her. Looking down at Kiko, she pulls him closer, covering his ears.
Chi: Can any of you guess how this is going to end?
Crystal: I KNOW! I'M GOING TO BE-
Chi: NOOOOOOOOO!
Marcoh: I've an idea.
Kiko: I'm tired Crissy.
Crystal: Oh, well let's go lay you down then. *walks away*
Alphonse: R&R please..?