Caroline: ok… so r u ReAdY 2 c wut the hell Caroline's gonna do? srry if the chaptr seems a bit short… but this is all i wanted 2 fit in2 it SO BITE ME!


Chapter 29: Betrayal

She put on her coat, & folded the former attire she had been wearing earlier. She looked back through the doorway before she walked out. Apparently, Inuyasha had not been doing so well either, & he was, for once, sleeping. She frowned as her eyes gazed over her 'niisan'.

"Serves you right," she whispered, then stepped out into the darkness.

She shivered as she walked through the village, looking every way trying not to attract any attention from those awake. Once she was far enough from the village, she began running as hard & as fast as she could. Very soon, she was in a wooded area. Freedom, she thought. Forests, woods, large area full of trees, those were always freedom to her & her 'sister'. Leave them there, & they were as happy as a dog with a chew toy. She soon found herself deep in the woods, & slowed down, suddenly feeling a head ache coming on.

She walked on, feeling very dizzy, & then remembered what Jordan said about not moving for a while.

"Dammit to hell," Caroline muttered, one hand to her forehead. "Should've listened to her."

She began breathing harder, & once found herself a clearing, sat down. She laid on her back, tilting her head back on the grass. She saw a movement.

A small grey flying squirrel sat on a rock, its black eyes blinking & staring at the girl in amazement.

The girl rolled over to her stomach & propped herself up on one elbow, a childish sparkle in her brown eyes & an almost innocent smile on her face. She began petting the animal, stroking its small little head softly.

"Hey there, little guy," she muttered. "You're up, awfully late aren't you?"

The squirrel stood up on its hind legs & lifted its neck up, its front paws closing in on one of the girl's human fingers. It sniffed it, a curious look in its dark eyes.

The grin grew wider. "You're a friendly little guy, aren't you?" she spoke, kindness in her voice.

The creature suddenly bit her finger. The girl grabbed her hand back quickly.

"What the-" she stopped, & stood up. The creature stared, wanting the girl to return to her kinder ways toward the creature. Her brown eyes softened, feeling sorry for the poor thing. She looked down at her finger. It drew a little blood, but not much.

Caroline smiled softly, & put her hand back out. "Here, little guy, wanna come with me?" she asked.

The squirrel looked the happiest an animal could look, & jumped right into her hand. Her loyal new pet began licking the blood off her finger almost as for an apology.

She laughed. "Hey, you," she said, grabbing the thing off by the scruff of its neck. "That tickles."

The squirrel blinked.

"You're not gonna abandon me like Jordan's wolf did, are you?" she asked smiling at the animal as she placed it in her arms. The squirrel rubbed up against her chest. "Good."

With that, the girl turned, then gasped & stepped back a little in surprise.

Not more than 20 feet away, stood a figure. His long, black, curly hair flowed in the soft breeze.

"Hello, Caroline," he said, his voice deep & mysterious, hiding many things from her.

"Wha… what do you want?" she asked, taking a battle stance, & holding the squirrel a bit tighter. "& how do you know my name?"

"I know everything about you," the man said, stepping closer.

The squirrel broke free of her grasp, & hid in her coat pocket. The girl stepped backwards a step or two.

"You don't know me, don't even try," she said.

"Your name is Caroline Elric, sister of the short blonde kid traveling with Inuyasha. You're a State Alchemist, known as the 'Forsaken Alchemist'. You were raised by that girl, Jordan & her brother because you were abandoned by your own father."

Caroline stared down at the ground, horrified that this… this… stranger knew everything about her. Suddenly a shadow loomed over her. A hand suddenly grabbed her chin, & tilted it upwards so that she was looking into his dark eyes.

"& that still haunts you, doesn't it, Caroline?" he asked, his voice half in mockery.

"Sh-shut up," she growled, trying to turn her head in another direction.

But the hand tilted it back towards his face.

"You tried to bring him back, didn't you? Even though it was forbidden, & because of that, you lost your arm. Correct?" he asked.

She growled, but did not answer.

"Correct?" he repeated.

"So you know everything about me, do you?" she answered instead.

A side of his smile upturned a little.

"How about this?" he asked. "You'll help me in my quest to get the jewel shards. I even have my own little team you can fight with instead of those unsufferable little brats you met."

She glared at him, & he let her have enough power to lower her head down a little, her brown eyes staying on target of his.

"& the equivalent exchange?" she asked.

He smiled. "I'll give you your arm back," he said. "Even let you have the jewel."

Her eyes widened. "The whole thing?" she gasped.

"Since you're such an… interesting child," he said.

He lowered his hand, & put it on the girl's shoulder. She looked down at the ground, her brown eyes lost in thought. She suddenly frowned, having made up her mind. She looked up into his face once more.

"Alright," she said. "I'll do it."

He smiled. "Come along then," he said, & the two began walking through the forest, him leading the way.

The squirrel appeared at Caroline's shoulders & made a small mewing sound in her ear.

"Oh, hush," she whispered.

'I know…" she thought. 'I don't trust him entirely either, but I'm so close, so very, very close to getting everything I wanted, & all I have to do is fight & find jewel shards. & I know I might have to fight the others, but I don't have to kill them right?'

She smiled as she looked ahead.

'So nothing can go wrong.'

To be continued…


Caroline: dun dun duhhhhhhhhhh…. REVIEW!