Bandit- I won't bother you with author's notes and crap. Just go ahead and enjoy!
Disclaimer- Don't own 'em. I just play with 'em!
When Kayamna woke up, she looked down at her bloodstained hands in wonder. 'How did that…' Alarmed, she checked herself for injuries, and was relieved to find nothing wrong with herself, except a thin slit of blood on her right arm. But the blood on her hands… She glanced back down at them, and then bit off a scream.
Suppi was lying down in the sand, his entire right arm blown off. The blood splattered and mixed with the sand, making the grains actually glow with the wetness. Chunks of flesh hung down his shoulder and wavered gently in the breeze, blood pouring off them to pool around the body. Suppi was mercifully unconscious.
Her stomach churned and clenched, causing the girl to turn and throw up, heaving all contents out of her stomach in a rush. Her small body trembled in fear and revulsion from the sight, then convulsed some more into dry heaves. When she finally finished, she kept her eyes closed, not daring to look at the body again.
'Oh Ishbala, oh Ishbala… What happened to him?' She honestly couldn't remember. The last thought she had was when Suppi had made fun of the Goddess of the Moon, and then there was that pretty light.
The one Kayamna saw when she accidentally used alchemy that one night.
'Did… Did I do that?' The very notion almost caused her to retch again, but she managed to hold it in this time. Her mind began to reject the idea, since you needed a symbol to actually make the alchemy work. That was the only way she'd done it last time, and since she didn't see one, it couldn't be her fault.
Relief flooded Kayamna, and she rubbed her hands on her dress in hopes of getting off the blood. She'd just tell the villagers that someone had attacked, and she'd blanked out. It was probably the truth, and even if she got blamed not telling sooner, at least she wouldn't be kicked out the village. Yeah, that's what she'd do.
Feeling better, Kayamna looked down at her hands and screamed.
The blood was smeared, but it was obvious there were once circles and markings there. The symbols of alchemy stared back at her screaming face, telling her exactly what'd happened.
She'd hurt Suppi. She'd used alchemy on him, just like she said she would.
Her screams dissolved into sobs as she slid to the ground, her mind in turmoil. 'I hurt Suppi. I hurt him bad, and now the villagers will hate me more and hurt me and mother will hate me too and I'll be alone. I'll be alone with nothing.' Bitter tears ran down her recently slapped cheeks, and terror crept inside her. But the real pain came with another realization. 'I'm a curse. I'm a demon. They were all right. I'm a demon. I'm a demon. I'm worthless.'
"I'm a demon," Kayamna sobbed. "I'm a demon!" She pulled at her hair in a fit, her crying escalating back into yells. 'NO! I don't wanna be a demon! I wanna be normal! I don't wanna be evil!'
Shouts from the village could be heard, and Kayamna's cries lessened as the fear took over her hysteria. If they found her like this… They would kill her. There was no getting around it. And her mother wouldn't stop them. Not this time.
'I have to leave. I have to run.' It was the only way. She would be considered a criminal, a blasphemer. Not only had she hurt Suppi, but she'd used alchemy to do it. It was unforgivable, so she had to leave. 'Yes, I'll leave,' she thought numbly. Her body had a mind of its own, and slowly she rose to her feet. 'I'll go somewhere, where no one will hate me.'
Her mind a bit detached from her body from shock, Kayamna turned slowly, preparing to run from the only home she knew. But she didn't get far.
Someone was watching her. A short, young woman with long dark hair in a ponytail stared at her quietly, not making a move to get any closer. She turned her eyes slightly to stare at Suppi's body, then watched the girl again. Her expression was blank, and it was unnerving to see someone look at her without disgust.
Kayamna froze in absolute fear and devastation, the hard truth that her act had been witnessed choking her. It didn't matter that the woman was a stranger. She'd seen everything, and Kayamna would be blamed. Her life would be over.
Then without a word, the woman left her alone.
Kayamna stood there as the woman disappeared from sight, her body refusing to move. Only one thought was stuck in her mind. 'Her eyes were just like mine. Her eyes were orange.'
"Suppi? Suppi? Whe--" Ikuzi screamed her lungs out, rushing over faster than her enormous body could handle and fell to the ground. "SUPPI!" She scrambled the rest of the way, not noticing Kayamna. "Oh Ishbala, my son!"
More voices were heard as villagers started to pile over the sandy hill. Suppi and the demon girl had been missing for a while, and along with the white void everyone had been affected by… The entire village was spooked. They'd never felt alchemy that powerful, and most didn't even know what it was. And then Ikuzi was screaming about her son…
Screams erupted from the crowd as they witnessed the scene. A few men hurried over with Ikuzi and checked Suppi for any signs of life. The mother was crying in anguish, her loud sobs echoing over the desert, despite attempts to calm her. "MY SON!"
"Ikuzi," one man asked, laying a gentle hand on the meaty arm, "who did this to him?"
"I don't know!" She wailed. "I came up here to find him since that white place came, and he was here bleeding!"
"Where's Kayamna?" One elder asked. "Was she not supposed to be with Suppi?" A murmur rose up and the search for the missing girl began, not that they had to look far. Kayamna had yet to move from her spot, oblivious to the crowd behind her. All her attention was focused on the mysterious stranger she'd seen. The one with eyes like hers.
"Kayamna!" Ikuzi got back to her feet and lunged at the dazed child, almost running her over. "What happened, demon! Who harmed my son like this!" She grabbed Kayamna by the shoulders and shook hard. "Tell me! Who harmed my son!"
The small girl stared at the woman, her head rocking back and forth violently. Any sound she tried to make died in her windpipe. 'I did it… I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt him.'
"I order you to speak!" Ikuzi roared in anger. "I know you saw who hurt Suppi! Tell me now!" A groan came out from behind them, followed by a terrified cry. "Suppi? Suppi!" Ikuzi dropped Kayamna in favor of hugging her son, showering the boy in kisses. "It's okay! Mother's here!"
"Mother?… Mother?" Suppi didn't open his eyes, instead whimpering from the distracting pain on his right arm. Well, the pain ended at his shoulder for some reason, as if it'd been cut off from the rest of his arm. He tried moving the limb, but nothing happened. In fact, he couldn't feel his arm… "My arm… what's wrong with my arm?" Suppi's eyes snapped up now, and all the pain and memories came rushing back. "My arm! My arm!" His body flailed out, the ripped flesh flying in all directions and hitting his mother in the face. "MY ARM!"
"Hold him down!" Soon a group of hands were restraining the distraught boy.
"Suppi! Please calm down!" Ikuzi grabbed onto her son's last arm, trying to sooth him. "You'll be okay."
"It's her fault! The demon did this to me! She did this!" An eerie silence fell upon the villagers as the digested the news, the only sounds being Suppi's sobs. One by one, they turned their accusing eyes on the frightened girl.
"I-I… didn't mean it," she answered helplessly, not trying to hide her tears. "I swear it!"
"Liar!" Suppi roared. "You got angry at me, then cut yourself and made some symbols on your hand with your blood! Then you put you nasty hands on me and my arm exploded! I remember it! You did it on purpose!"
"Please… I didn't mean to hurt Suppi! I swear on Ishbala!" Kayamna looked around desperately for help, but was met with hate. "Please! I'm sorry!" She sobbed.
"Sorry isn't going to bring my son's arm back!" Ikuzi jumped to her feet. "You foul demon! How dare you attack my son! I will make sure you pay, you little wretch!" Kayamna closed her eyes from the spray of spittle flying at her, backing up from the now very angry mob. "You're not fit to live with us!" Shouts of agreement rose up.
"We don't want you here!" Someone shouted.
"Yes! You've defiled our village long enough, demon child!" Heated shouts spewed forth, an endless tirade at the defenseless girl.
"I'm sorry…" she whispered, cowering away. "I'm sorry."
"What has happened?" A hush fell over the crowd instantly as a tall woman pushed her way through the crowd. Her brown hair was severely pulled back from her head, red eyes scanning the commotion. People bowed in respect and backed away a healthy distance, while Ikuzi sneered at the woman.
"Rhamara, so nice of you to join us!" Ikuzi spat. "Your demon child has attacked my son!" With a wild gesture, she indicated her son's now non-existent arm. "Kayamna did this! She's a threat to our people, and must be dealt with!" Rhamara regarded the missing arm silently before turning to her daughter.
"Is this true?" She asked quietly, looking like she'd swallowed something extremely unpleasant.
"Mother…" Kayamna whimpered. Rhamara narrowed her eyes.
"I asked you a question, demon!" She snarled. The words hit a chord in the child, and Kayamna flinched back.
"I-I'm sorry, Mother. I never meant to hurt him." Ikuzi looked ready to attack the girl, but one glance from Rhamara stopped the woman in her tracks.
"How exactly did you hurt him?" Rhamara asked. Kayamna was silent, knowing it displeased her mother but not able to say the words. She closed her tearful orange eyes, and prayed to both Ishbala and Kayamna for strength and mercy. "I will not repeat myself again, Kayamna." Quietly, the tall woman removed the whip from her waist and did a practice snap, watching Kayamna flinch again.
"… I used alchemy…" Shocked gasps flew through the crowd, and the entire group, save Rhamara, took a step back in dread. Whispers of contempt and outrage reached Kayamna's ears, and she knew there would be no mercy.
"I should have known…" Rhamara whispered, unable to look at the creature in front of her. "You can't do anything right, can you?"
"Mother, please…"
"Hold your tongue, demon!" Kayamna quieted. "Stand up and turn around." The girl's eyes got wide, shaking her head in desperation.
"Mother, I'm sorry! I wo--"
"I said hold you tongue! You will do exactly as I tell you, demon child! You'll get exactly what you deserve!"
"But I didn't mean to! Please don't hurt me!"
"You should have thought about that before you injured one of Ishbala's children!" Rhamara's tone was cold as ice and twice as unforgiving. "Now stand up and turn around!"
Soundlessly, Kayamna stared at her mother with tears brimming in her eyes, then got to her feet and turned away. There was complete silence near the well, and even Suppi had stopped his crying in favor of watching Kayamna's punishment.
She heard her mother's approach, and braced herself for the pain she knew would come. Her body shivered in terrified anticipation. 'I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to hurt him. I'm sorry, please I'm sorry. Ishbala, I'll be good from now on, just lend me your strength.'
The first blow was more numbing than painful, but the shock was like a bucket of ice cold water. The second blow, however, replaced any shock with intense pain that would bring a man to his knees.
She could already feel her skin swelling up and splitting, leaving dark red marks underneath the material of her soon-to-be torn up dress. Tiny trails of blood began to paint her back and seep through the clothing, showing the entire village what she was experiencing. And the blows kept coming.
"Mother! P-p-please s-s-st--"
"How could you, Kayamna! You know alchemy is forbidden! After everything I've done for you, this is how you repay me? By using that vile magic in our town?" Every sentence was followed by another stinging blow as Rhamara's enraged voice vibrated in the air. "It's not enough that you shame our heritage by being born, but now you shame me by this act of betrayal!"
By now, Kayamna was crying uncontrollably, just barely able to keep herself upright. If she fell, it would displease her mother even more, and she'd make her turn around. Kayamna didn't think she could take the blows from the front. Not again. She just had to wait it out, even when every second seemed to last for eternity.
Rhamara was on her on her tenth hit, the whip singing through the air and landing on her daughter's back with a satisfying crack. She wasn't sure if the fact Kayamna was still standing angered her or brought out some sense of sick pride.
The crowd behind them watched with approval, some smirking when Kayamna flinched hard and almost jumped away. The girl had been beat before, but never to this extent. It was gratifying to see the hated demon punished so severely.
Kayamna knees finally gave out, and a cheer ran across the town folk. Rhamara stopped hitting the girl, waiting for any movement. Some of the girl's white hair was stained red from the blood flying out of the ripped dress matted down to her back. Her body shuddered in dry sobs, the pain occupying every corner of her mind so she couldn't escape it. Other than that, she was still.
"Get up demon." Rhamara commanded. She wasn't through yet.
Kayamna didn't move. The woman's mouth turned down in hidden anger when the order was not carried out. Rhamara was a woman used to getting her way, not matter what the circumstances. "I said get up, Kayamna." The only reply she got was more muffled sobs. "You pathetic child!"
Rhamara strode up to the girl and kicked her hard. The girl screamed loudly, more pain searing up her body and blinding her. "I said get up! Are you so weak that you can't stand after that short beating? You really are a disgrace to this family!"
"Mother… I'm sorry," Kayamna whispered brokenly. "I'm sorry. Please don't hate me…"
"You can't expect me to love you! Just look at you! Your skin, your eyes, your hair! Who could love something like that!" Rhamara's eyes flashed in confusion and anger, trying to sort her feelings out. "And you use that evil alchemy that goes directly against Ishbala! You harmed one of Ishbala's children!" The woman continued her ranting, looking hatefully at the girl she had conceived. "I saved your life, Kayamna! The day you were born everyone wanted to kill you, but I convinced them otherwise! And this is the way you repay my kindness…" Her words died down, and her anger left her briefly. She felt a stab of guilt while she stared at her daughter, but it passed. This was necessary. She needed Kayamna to leave. "The villagers were right. You deserve death."
The towns folk watched with vivid interest. Rhamara almost never lost her temper, and this heated display of emotion on cemented their belief that Kayamna was a demon that had to be disposed of. Through the years, only Rhamara's pleading had kept the girl alive, but if her mother banished her, then they would at last be rid of the moon demon.
"Mother… I love you. Don't hate me," Kayamna pleaded. She struggled to her feet, trying to ignore the searing throbs along her back. "Don't… hate me."
"No. I won't be put though this anymore," Rhamara whispered. "Don't you see what you do to me? All the pain I go through? You're not the daughter I wanted." Slowly, she began to back away. "You've ruined my life, and I won't stand for it any longer. I don't ever want to see you again."
"No!" Kayamna rose to her feet frantically, turning to her mother with cheeks soaked by her tears. "I'll be better! I'll be a good daughter, I swear! Please Mother!"
"You're such a stupid child!" The woman was at the end of her rope, and she lashed out at the pale girl. "You can't even leave me in peace without making me suffer more! Did you not hear me? You're a disgrace to our family!"
"I can't help it! I can't help it the way I am!"
She just sneered. "It's always an excuse from you. Never could stand on your own two feet. It's always everyone else's fault that you're a demon not worthy of living on Ishbala's land."
"Mother!"
"Get out of my sight!" She snapped. "I never want to see you again, is that clear? Or is that another request you can't fulfill for your mother?" She brought out her whip again. "You're banished from this village. Get out."
"You heard her, moon demon! Get lost!" An angry buzz erupted from the town folk, tired of being quiet for so long. "If your own mother doesn't want you, then you should just leave!"
Kayamna reached out, her vision blurred by the pain and tears. Her mind refused to grasp the fact that her mother no longer wanted her around, as if the idea were impossible. "I'll be better. I'll be better, mother. Please don't make me leave!" Kayamna sobbed.
"By Ishbala, you're stupid!" Ikuzi clutched her son's only arm and glared hatefully at Kayamna. "Did you not hear a word your mother said? She no longer wants you here! Nobody wants you here! You've done enough damage to our home!"
"You're no longer my daughter!" Rhamara snapped the whip just above the girl's head. "Never come back here again, you pathetic child! I never want to see you again!"
Kayamna shied away from her mother's whip, but didn't completely give up. "Mother… please… I love you… I'll do anything you want. Give me another chance," she whispered. She looked so lost and alone, that Rhamara faltered for a moment. Another bout of sadness crossed her mind, but she pushed it away, listening to the angry shouts behind her for strength.
"What do I have to do to make you understand? Do you still not get what I am saying? I don't love you, demon! Do us all a favor and leave! Get out!" The girl froze as she took in her mother's words. 'She doesn't love me…' That was the first time her mother had said that exact sentence. It hurt an entirely different level in Kayamna's mind, where all other pain never reached. Any hope she had was crushed swiftly efficiently, and suddenly her life didn't mean anything.
Rhamara watched her child closely, the girl's body finally starting to turn away as she accepted the truth. The deadness in Kayamna's eyes hit Rhamara in her stomach. She'd done it. She'd gotten Kayamna to leave for good. The villagers would be pleased.
Not that she cared about their input. Rhamara did this for herself, because Kayamna needed to leave. It was the way it had to be.
A wild cheer exploded behind Rhamara, the crowd going into a frenzy. Ikuzi was stroking her son's face happily, every now and then turning to glare at Kayamna's disappearing back. A few of the villagers had taken it upon themselves to give Kayamna a parting gift, throwing a hail of rocks and dirt along with obscenities at her retreating form.
Most of the villagers returned to their homes soon after, many coming to congratulate Rhamara on ridding their town of the hated demon. Even Ikuzi, despite her obvious dislike of the taller woman, humbled herself long enough to show her gratitude.
"You did the right thing, Rhamara," she grinned. "Our home is much safer now that the demon is gone." Ikuzi glanced over to Suppi, who was being carried back down toward the village by some men. "You've made this a better place for Ishbala's children to grow."
"… Yes," Rhamara replied quietly, still looking out where her daughter had disappeared. "I have."
Hearing the lack of emotion in Rhamara's tone, Ikuzi frowned. "There was nothing you could do for the girl. It's not your fault she turned to be a child of the moon. Don't blame yourself." With a shrug, she concluded offhandedly, "You can always have more children. Ishbala would not curse you with a moon demon twice." When she got no answer, the fat woman grunted and hurried over to her son. "Don't feel remorse. It's not like you could have turned your back on this village. You did the right thing, Rhamara."
"Yes," she whispered. "I did."
Shayla watched the child move farther and farther away from her home. It was a sad sight, seeing the girl stumble her way across the desert with that shot down look on her face. 'She really looks pathetic.' There was no humor in her thought. It was the truth.
The brown rags that were once a dress almost fell off her shoulders, and the material clung to the back because of the blood. Her white hair hung down in dirty clumps to her waist and over her eyes, obscuring her view. It was a wonder the girl was still walking.
"Can't we help?" Ed asked quietly. He and the other two men had been standing behind Shayla for a while, observing the whipping as well. "She's alone."
"This is a memory," Shayla answered. "There's no point in helping. Once we leave, this all starts over."
"I know… You said that already." Ed's tone told her he didn't have her same opinion about this.
"No point in arguing, you two," Hughes stated. He addressed Shayla. "Have you located the portal?"
"No. We might have to go back into town."
"I doubt that would be wise," Roy said. "These people obviously don't like things that involve alchemy or the military."
"Roy, when did you start caring what others think?" She asked dryly.
"I haven't, but I'd rather not die again. It's not the most pleasant experience."
"I second that," Ed muttered.
"Actually, me and Roy should stay back. We'd just cause a panic with our uniforms." Roy nodded in agreement at Hughes' words.
"Well, stay here if you must, but I'm going. I… need to clear something up." Shayla could feel three pairs of eyes staring at her back and waited. She wasn't disappointed.
"Shayla, Scar called you a kayamna. What does it mean?" Roy asked what had been on his, and probably Hughes and Ed's minds. That wasn't the question she'd been expecting, but Shayla answered it despite her great reluctance.
"It's Ishbalan. Roughly means 'demon', but can also be used as a word for 'curse'." She didn't give them a chance to ask anything else. Quickly as possible, Shayla walked to the village and hoped her friends, or more specifically Ed, wouldn't follow.
'Should've known,' she thought as she heard one pair of footsteps behind her. 'Oh well. If someone's going to know, it might as well be Ed.' Secretly though, she was a bit relieved. No matter how she looked at it, her friends deserved the truth. And if Ed knew, then she'd probably tell the others as well. Scar had been right.
Luckily for Shayla and Ed, most villagers had retreated into their homes. Those that were outside eyed them suspiciously, but decided the two short visitors were no threat and continued with their business.
"It really is a good thing Roy and Hughes didn't come," Ed commented. Shayla just hummed and nodded distractedly and weaved through the houses as if she knew exactly where she was going, a fact that didn't escape Ed. "Do you know where you're going?" he asked, but his friend didn't answer. Not that she needed to.
They walked for a total of maybe six minutes with Shayla stopping every so often in front of a house, then dismissing it and moving on. At last, she found what she was looking for in a house larger than the surrounding ones, the door wide open.
"Umm… Shayla?" Ed watched the woman walk in without pausing, and started after her. "What are you doing?"
"I just need to talk to her for a moment, and then we'll look for the portal," Shayla said. Once again, she slipped through the numerous rooms, and between furniture with the air of someone who knew exactly where they were going. All Ed could do was stumble along.
Two pairs of concrete stairs curved gracefully upward to the second level, then connected into a single hallway leading into two separate rooms. Shayla stared at the left one, her mind lost in some foggy reminiscence. Ed finally caught up and looked in the direction of her eyes. "Are we going that way?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. We'll take this one." Shayla gave herself a mental shake before continuing on, Ed behind her.
She climbed slowly, trying to gather her thoughts. In a way, this was just what Roy did when he faced Jessica. There really wasn't anything she could do to change the past, but at least she could learn the truth for herself. She couldn't tell her friends anything until she was sure of everything.
The door loomed before her, and a moment of doubt clouded her brain. 'Is this worth it? I can always turn back and tell Ed I got the wrong house or something…' There was no need to be rash and rush into a situation she would regret later. And what would Ed think of her? What would everyone think of her?
Ed saw Shayla tense at the door, her hand on the knob but not turning. He already knew what was wrong. It wasn't that hard to put together, but he was willing to let her tell him when she was ready. "Shayla…" Ed put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. This doesn't change anything."
She turned around to face him, her eyes widening slightly. "You know?"
"Doesn't take a genius." Ed gave her a grin, then turned serious. "I had no idea you had to go through all this." Shayla averted her eyes. "And maybe I can see why you never wanted to tell us, but to me, you're Shayla. That won't change."
"I'm a curse."
Ed rolled his eyes. "You're anything but a curse. It's not your fault they can't see past their noses. I'd be treated the same way if everyone knew abo--" He stopped quickly, realizing what he'd almost said.
"If everyone knew about what?" Shayla asked, then shook her head. "Don't tell me. It's not important."
"But--"
"It doesn't change anything, remember?" Shayla copied Ed's grin. "Come on, let's go talk to my mom."
"Fine, but if she tries to hurt you, I will rip her to ribbons."
"You will not!"
Ed smirked, and it reminded Shayla so much of Roy she almost started laughing. "Just watch me," he stated.
The rattling of her bedroom door caught Rhamara's attention, and she grabbed her whip sitting on her bed. 'I told her not to come back!' she thought angrily. She should've known her daughter would never give up that easily. 'We'll just have to do this the hard way.'
"Put your whip down," a voice sounded from outside. "We're not Kayamna. We just want to talk."
Rhamara was surprised to say the least but she didn't recognize the voice though it sounded oddly familiar. Not that this put her at ease. "I don't think you should tell the owner of the house what to do," she replied icily. "And I'm in no mood to talk to any strangers. Leave."
The door opened anyway, and Rhamara struck out with her weapon. The intruder, a small young woman, held out her arm in defense and let the whip wrap around before pulling it out of Rhamara's hands. "Like I said, we just want to talk." She folded the whip up, ignoring the burn like a professional whip handler.
The taller woman kept her shock inside, instead raising an eyebrow at how calm the other was. "Did you say we?"
"Yeah, she did." Ed came out behind Shayla, a nasty scowl on his face. "And you're gonna answer every question she has, or else." He clapped his hands together, and raised his blade toward her menacingly. Rhamara flinched inwardly. 'He's an alchemist…' Was he from the military? They weren't supposed to be here yet…
"Is that supposed to intimidate me?" The Ishbalan said instead.
"Ed, stop." Shayla shoot him an exasperated look, then turned back to her mother. "Forgive him. He's a bit protective."
"Why? You're the one's who came in uninvited," Rhamara snapped. At this Shayla lowered her eyes, but kept talking in a steady voice.
"I just need to know something. If you don't want to answer, that's fine. But please… why did you get rid of your daughter?"
"How did you know about that?" The tall woman's eyes flashed from fear to heated anger a mere second. "That isn't any of your business, but if you must know, she's a demon. A curse from the moon goddess, Kayamna. I did what is best for my people." Ed took a step forward in anger, but one look from Shayla stopped him, so he contented himself with glaring at the woman.
"But you didn't do what's best for her," Shayla whispered.
Unexplainable rage threatened to surface, but Rhamara suppressed it. 'How dare she assume what is best for Kayamna. She doesn't even know who she is!'
"Why should I? It isn't like she really deserved love anyway. When Kayamna was born, she was cursed by the moon goddess to spite the people of Ishbala. Anyone who comes into contact with her will one day die a horrific death. I did what I did because I need to protect my people. I wouldn't expect you outsiders to understand something like duty." Her tone was blank, but her words cut deep. Ed saw Shayla's shoulders slump slightly and decided he'd had enough. Shayla had gone through enough abuse for one day.
"You don't give a shit about duty!" Both Shayla and Rhamara turned to him in surprise. "I bet you were just scared, and it was just easy to give up on your daughter!"
"Ed, please," Shayla hissed. "Don't do this!"
"If you're not gonna tell her off, then I will." Ed walked up to Rhamara until he was almost face to face with her. "You don't seem like the type who really cares what other people think, so I don't buy that duty crap. Tell us the real reason you deserted your daughter."
"I don't have to tell you anything," Rhamara retorted. "Get out of my house."
"You gonna make me?"
"Both of you stop!" Shayla shouted. She ran and put herself between the two before a fight started. The last thing she wanted was for Ed to kill her mother in a rage. "Ed, you need to back off. Rhamara already gave me an answer, which is what I asked for. There's no other reason to be here, so let's leave."
"You have to be kidding!" Ed said. "That can't be the truth, and you know it."
"That doesn't make a difference," she sighed. "She told me what she wanted to say, and now we should leave. Let's go." Numbly, she grabbed Ed's hand and hauled the fuming teen to the door.
Rhamara said nothing as they left, keeping her eyes on the woman. 'Her eyes… they were…' "What's your name, girl?"
Shayla stopped but didn't turn around. "Shayla."
"Well then, Shayla, I feel it's only fair that I ask you a question as well. Why do you care how I treat my daughter? She'll die in the desert, so she's useless to you State Alchemists." Ed was about snap a comeback, but Shayla pulled on his left arm.
"Ed. Don't say a word," she warned.
"She already asked a question, though…" Ed pouted. Biting her lip to keep in a laugh, Shayla gave Ed a tiny smile. 'Ed's something else when he's protective…'
"Well?" The woman pressed. Shayla took in a breath before turning to face her mother again. She'd gotten this far; might as well make the most of it.
"…I wanted to know if I was right about you," Shayla said truthfully. "I wanted to find out for myself."
"And we're not with the military," Ed growled, ready to go off again. A sharp slap on the arm hushed him.
There was a silence as Rhamara absorbed the words. It didn't really make much sense to her, but that didn't make it any less important. And they weren't with the military. 'They could be lying.' But that was doubtful. It was irrational, but Rhamara trusted the strangers' words. And the woman… She looked so familiar, with that sad expression on her face.
The quiet continued to stretch out, and finally Shayla gave up. "…Come on, Ed," Shayla whispered to her companion. "Let's go." She'd hoped that maybe… Rhamara would tell her something else. When she'd seen her mother whipping the younger version of herself, the woman had seemed desperate in a way. A faint glimmer of hope had entered her, and Shayla really thought that maybe there was more to the situation. It was startling how much the rejection still hurt, even if Rhamara didn't know who she was. 'Even now, I don't want to admit the truth. My mother never loved me,' she thought bitterly. Said woman stared at her, almost thoughtfully, like she was making some decision. But that was probably wishful thinking.
Ed was having an internal battle. Part of him didn't want to believe that anyone would abandon their child, especially Shayla. And that part wanted to kick Rhamara's ass. New torture ideas were already dancing in his head, begging to be used. But he knew Rhamara wasn't all to blame. The woman had been brought up to think like this. Not even a mother's love could counter it. 'Just another bitter story because of religion, just like the Ishbal Massacre.'
Both friends turned away, the dead end conversation over. Before Shayla was out the door, she glanced over her shoulder and dropped the whip she still held in her hand. "Sorry about the disturbance," she said politely, and then left with Ed following her.
"The State Alchemists are coming tonight." No reply came, and Rhamara figured her words hadn't been heard, but the teen called Ed came speeding back in.
"What?"
"They're coming to destroy the village." Now Shayla returned, a look of disbelief printed on her face.
"How do you know that?" she demanded. "Do the rest of the villagers know?"
"They do not. And I will not tell them." Ed stared at her with an expression similar to Shayla's.
"They're your people. Didn't you say it's your duty to protect them?" he asked. Rhamara pinned him with a glare.
"When have I ever cared about duty?"
"You can't do this!" Shayla shouted. "How can you abandon your child then turn around and basically kill everyone who lives here?"
"…."
"Tell me!" Racing over, Shayla grabbed her mother by the shoulders. "Why? Why?"
"… I hate them."
No one spoke for a minute. All Shayla could do was stare into the face that had haunted her for years, absolutely flabbergasted. Rhamara's eyes betrayed nothing, and she gazed over Shayla's head, ignoring the woman squeezing her shoulders.
"You're going to kill… hundreds of people… because you hate them," Shayla said slowly, as if trying to find some hidden meaning in the statement. Calmly, she backed away, her head shaking side to side. "You're sick," she declared. "Either you're sick or you really are evil." Orange eyes filled with tears, and Shayla hid her face in one hand. "How can you do this? All those people…"
"… Maybe I am sick. And I can guarantee you I'm evil. I don't truly care anymore. All these years of watching what she was put through… It did something to me." Rhamara's red eyes glazed over. "I wasn't supposed to love her. She was a demon, a curse. I should've killed her the night she was born, but I was too weak. So both Kayamna and I suffered for it." Her voice was a notch above a whisper, but both Ed and Shayla could hear her clearly as if she were shouting. "Everything they did to her… I don't care what anyone says. Ishbala would never wish that on his child, even if she was born of the moon. But they won't listen. They fear her, because she represents what we hate most."
"… What does she represent?" Ed asked quietly. Rhamara refocused momentarily at the interruption.
"Alchemy. The moon goddess Kayamna created alchemy to spite her brother, Ishbala. To change the world our god intended for us. Any of the goddess's children will have her vile power. That's what I was taught."
"So that's the real reason they hated her so much," Ed muttered to himself. "Her appearance added to the fear, but it still centers on alchemy."
Rhamara nodded and continued. "Can you see why I did what I did? She was a demon of our people. She shamed my family, who had been warriors of this village for countless years. She has a curse on her head that will one day kill us. The very thought of Kayamna sickens me, because of years of fearing something I was told to fear. And I still loved her anyway. No beatings or harsh words could change that."
"… You banished her to keep her away from the village," Shayla concluded. The tears flowed freely from her eyes, and she wasn't sure if it was from sadness or happiness.
The taller woman turned away, her voice choking slightly. "I've damned my people, all for one cursed child I wasn't supposed to love." A hollow laugh erupted from her. "Ishbala will surely have a place fitted for me in hell."
"… You can still stop this," Shayla spoke, trying to reason. "Kayamna's already left. You don't need to do this. It's not too la--"
"After everything I've said, you still don't get it!" Rhamara shouted. "I don't want them to survive! I don't want there to be a home for my daughter to come back to so she can relive this nightmare! And if I must burn, then they will all burn with me!" Rhamara's voice had risen to a howl of fury by now. "Not one person showed her kindness, including me! Not one! She went through hell and back, all because of the way she looks and this so-called curse that no one can prove! I hate them all! I want them to rot slowly for all the misery they gave to my DAUGHTER!" And she fell to her knees and burst into tears.
Shayla sobbed quietly as she watched the strong woman dissolve into one eaten by pride, grief, and wrath. 'This is my real mother.'
Ed closed his eyes and looked away. Seeing the woman cry… He felt like he was intruding on something private that he couldn't fully understand. 'There's no fury like a woman scorned… or a mother's love.'
"Rhamara…" Shayla took a step toward the crying woman.
"Leave." Rhamara didn't get up from her position. "Take my whip and give it to Kayamna. Tell her to become stronger than her mother was. Now get out and don't come back."
Shayla didn't move at first, crying harder, but managed to get out her last words to her mother. "Your daughter… she'll never stop loving you." Then she turned away and grabbed the whip on the floor, then left, never looking back.
Roy knew immediately not to say a word to Shayla. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and determination was set in them. And somehow she had reclaimed her whip, and she looked menacing with her weapon back. Any questions he had would have to wait.
Ed trailed behind quietly at a slightly slower pace. His face was strangely grave and his normally golden eyes darkened to amber. He didn't meet Roy's eyes.
"Ed, what's going on?" Hughes whispered. He knew better than to ask Shayla when she wore that somewhat homicidal expression and carried her whip. The teen said nothing, instead nodding in Shayla's direction and heading after her. Hughes and Roy exchanged a glance before following the other two.
They walked in deathly silence for thirty minutes, maybe more. Ed had caught up with the girl, and the two whispered a couple of words here and there, but remained quiet otherwise. Roy's curiosity grew the longer they walked. Shayla was leading them, but that was alright; she obviously knew where they were headed. Not once did she pause or hesitate in her steps.
"Surprising how she knows where's she's going," Roy commented to Hughes. The man with glasses looked at him from the corner of his eyes.
"Is it really that surprising?" he asked.
"… No, not really." They said nothing after that.
Dusk began to settle, the sun setting on the desert sands and the moon gliding up to take its place. Shadows danced on the sands and the light from the village reached out to the foursome. Everyone kept to their own thoughts, though the three men of the group focused mainly on the only female with worry. She hadn't spoken in over an hour, not even to Ed. It was starting to grate on the boy's nerves.
"Shayla? Are you okay?"
"Fine," she grunted. Ed narrowed his eyes.
"You don't sound like it," he said coolly, and Shayla turned to him.
"I'm sorry, but it's just really hard for me to keep my thoughts straight."
Ed's eyes softened a bit in understanding. "Don't worry. We'll find Kayamna." She nodded wordlessly, teeth gnawing on her bottom lip. She appeared ready to say something else, but in the end stayed silent. "What's wrong?" Ed prodded, noticing the look.
"Ed… Do you think I'm a curse?"
A stern growl came out of Ed's lips. "I already told you that was ridiculous. It's a silly superstition."
"But I killed my mother. I killed my village."
"No, your mother is a vengeful bitch and she sealed their fate."
"But I pushed her to it," Shayla explained. "After all the years trying to make my existence work, she just snapped. You saw how she was back there. Maybe a good deal of it was revenge, but I think I made her go insane." She shook her head and sighed. "The village got caught in the crossfire."
Just then a loud cry emerged from behind, cutting off the conversation. The four companions stopped to look back just as an explosion ejected a series flames and smoke upwards, blackening the dark blue sky. Soon, the sound of gunfire added to the noise.
"Guess we're a bit early," Roy commented dryly. "I think in reality we waited until midnight. Gran's an impatient bastard."
"I thought you said this wasn't your memory?" Hughes shot Roy a questioning gaze. "Right?"
"Oh, it's not. This is Shayla's. Guess we have more in common than I originally thought." Both turned to look at Ed and Shayla, who were watching the ghastly display with something akin to sick fascination. The woman looked ready to cry out, and was visibly trembling. Guilt seeped into Roy by just observing her. "No wonder she acted so strange when she figured I was apart of the Ishbal Massacre. I destroyed her hometown…"
"Don't start, Roy," Hughes warned. "You act like it was only you who killed. Need I remind you of Gran? He wasn't what I'd call a saint."
Roy didn't comment on that fact. Hughes was right, but it still stung knowing he'd played a part in ruining his friend's childhood. If anything, it made it all the more painful. 'I always seem to be destroying someone's life.'
"I know exactly what you're thinking, so stop it before I punch you," Hughes growled. It took a lot to get under the man's skin, but he hated it when his best friend went on one of his guilt trips. Roy gave Hughes a wry smile in reply.
"Come on, guys. The portal's a little bit further." Shayla waved Hughes and Roy over to her, pointing to a rather large sand dune. "It's over there."
"Shayla." Ed grabbed the woman's arm tightly and hissed in her ear. "I thought we were looking for Kayamna."
"She's over there as well, Ed. Trust me, I remember." Gently twisting out of Ed's grip, Shayla noiselessly crept over to the hill. "She'll be asleep."
"Yeah, you would know," Ed noted to himself. This was her memory, after all.
Darkness stretched out in front of Kayamna, blacker than midnight. There was nothing to see but she could sense them all, their red eyes studying her like a caged animal. Low whispers reached her ears. They were already judging her.
Her hair… Her eyes… Her skin…
Demon child…
Curse of the Moon…
Please! It's not my fault! She ran, covering her ears in an attempt to block out all sounds, her white hair whipping behind her. I didn't want to be this!
We hate you… Punish her…
Out of the darkness a lone figure approached. Kayamna stopped in her tracks, cowering at the expression on the face.
Mother…
The severe hatred radiating off the woman was enough to send the girl running, but she couldn't move anymore. Invisible hands held her in place to receive her punishment.
'You're such a stupid child! You can't do anything right!' The woman snarled. She held out her hand and a whip appeared, the cord colored red with blood. Kayamna shuddered and struggled against the binds she couldn't see.
Mother… I wasn't strong enough…
A harsh stinging sensation crawled up the girl's back, and she cried out in misery. Hundreds of whips flew at her, cutting her skin and blinding her with the pain.
Punish her…
'It's always an excuse from you! You're a disgrace to your family!'
Now Rhamara used her own whip, and a cruel smile twisted her features as the cord hit the child on the face.
Please… I'm sorry… I'll do better. Kayamna screamed out as the blows kept coming, relentless and each hit more painful than the next. I'm sorry! Don't hate me!
'You can't expect me to love you! Look at you!'
Blood poured out from the cuts and rapidly pooled at her feet. The whispers had mounted into a thunderous scream of death, and the agonizing pain seared her mind. All around her there was pain; in her mind, in her heart, in her soul…
Punish her!
'I want you to die!'
I'm sorry… Mother…
"You're mother doesn't hate you, Kayamna."
Yes she does.
"No she doesn't kid." The voice was serene, bringing a sense of peace over the little girl. It drowned out the screams until they died back down into murmurs, then disappeared completely. And the invisible arms released their captive, replaced by gentle ones. Kayamna slowly opened her eyes.
The darkness was still there, but it no longer represented a threat. It almost seemed more comforting now that her mother and the pain were gone. In her place, the young woman from before stared at her with a small smile on her face. "You're the other person with orange eyes," Kayamna commented quietly.
"Yeah. Guess we've got something in common," the woman answered cheerfully.
Kayamna gazed at the brunette holding her. She'd never met anyone who was nice to her. It didn't feel right. A demon didn't deserve kindness. "Why are you nice? Don't you know who I am?"
The woman sighed and lightly stroked the girl's white hair. "I know exactly who you are. That doesn't mean you don't deserve love and kindness." Kayamna's eyes widened.
"How did you know what I was thinking?"
"I know lots of stuff. It comes with being an adult."
"Really?" Kayamna asked.
"Yep. Oh! I have something for you." Reaching behind her, the orange eyed woman pulled a weapon. "A farewell gift from you mom Rhamara." The sound of her mother's name brought a few tears to Kayamna's eyes, but she wiped them away quickly.
A large handle was placed in her lap, and Kayamna gasped in shock. "But… this is my mother's."
"She wants you to have it," the woman responded quietly. "She wants you to become stronger than her, okay?
"… I don't think I can. I'm a demon of the moon." The whisperers came back, and the despair along with them. More tears surfaced, causing Kayamna to curl away from her new friend. "I can't do anything."
"Oh yes you can! If you believe you can't do anything, then it's true…" Shayla stared off into the darkness. "I used to think I was worthless…" This got a gasp out of the girl.
"But you're pretty and nice! You can't be worthless!" Shayla smiled at the description the younger version gave to herself.
"Yeah? Well, I think you're pretty and nice, so everyone else must be wrong. You're not worthless, and one day you'll understand that."
Kayamna said nothing in return, her eyes lowering. The woman sounded sincere, but… 'I wish I could really believe her.'
Shayla understood exactly what Kayamna was going through. No words could ever truly combat the years of abuse the girl suffered. And knowing that there was still many more obstacles for her to face… 'She's got her work cut out for her…'
But she would make it. Shayla knew how the story would end, and Kayamna would come out on top. It wasn't going to be easy, but Shayla had trust in herself.
"Nothing I say will make a difference, but just promise me you'll try your best. Don't give up, and don't listen when people are mean to you. They're just jealous because they'll never be special like you."
"You… think I'm special?" Kayamna asked timidly.
Shayla rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Of course I think you're special! And you'll find friends who will think you're special too."
The girl didn't meet Shayla's eyes for a while, and the two sat quietly. Finally Kayamna reached a decision and showed it with her smile and determined gaze. Shayla raised her eyebrows. That was an expression she knew all too well. "I'll take it you're gonna try?"
"Yeah! I'll do it for you!" Immediately the brunette shook her head fiercely.
"No. I want you to try for you… and for your mother."
"But my mother--" Shayla cut the girl off.
"Your mother loves you. She just never had the right opportunity to tell you. Make something of yourself so you can make you mom proud."
"… Okay. Then when I become someone important, I can go back and make her proud of me." That innocent sentence almost killed Shayla. Even she didn't have the heart to tell the younger version of herself the truth.
"Yeah. You do that, Kayamna," She answered, her smiled a bit strained. 'I will not cry. Not again.' "I'm sure your mother can't wait."
A soft nudge on the woman's shoulder averted Shayla's attention. "We have to go now," Ed stated and nodded to the portal. A muffled gasp came from Kayamna, and both adults turned to look at her. "What's wrong with the kid?"
"I… thought this was a dream," the girl said fearfully, not trusting the new stranger. Shayla giggled at her apprehension.
"Nah. This is real. It's nighttime, that's all." Stretching up out of her sitting position, Shayla carefully placed the girl on the sand behind the mound. "Kayamna, it's time for me to go… Remember your promise."
"I will," she answered faintly. Her eyes moved to the new person. He was short for a guy, and had the oddest eyes Kayamna had ever seen. Almost as weird as her orange ones. Her new friend was chatting with him, so he must've been nice as well. "Who are you?" Kayamna asked boldly. Or as boldly as she dared.
Ed spared her a grin. "I'm Ed. Don't worry, I don't bite."
"He's nice, Kayamna. A bit stupid, but nice." Shayla laughed as Ed growled at her. Kayamna was confused at how the woman could laugh when the boy was angry at her, but figured it must be a friend thing. 'I want to have friends…'
But this woman was her friend. She was so nice to her, and that's what friends did, or at least she thought. It was all confusing for someone who'd never had one. "Ummm… Miss, what's your name?"
"My name's Shayla."
"You're my friend, right?"
Shayla smiled kindly. "Yeah. We're definitely friends." 'And sometimes, that's the only friend you need.'
"I'll be your friend, too," Ed said also. "See? You already got two friends. It's not that hard."
"I have two new friends…" Kayamna stated in awe. "You were right, Shayla! I can make friends!"
"And you can make two more," a new voice called out. From the shadows two more men stepped out, the taller one dragging the shorter, slightly peeved one. "I'm Maes Hughes, and this grumpy guy is Roy Mustang." Kayamna instantly liked the taller one better. He smiled a lot.
"Hi. My name's Kayamna," she told them. 'I'm getting better at this friend thing.'
"Nice to meet you," Hughes commented. When Roy said nothing, he nudged the man hard in the chest.
'I'm not good with kids,' Mustang complained mentally, but gave in as soon as he saw the look Kayamna gave him. Like if he rejected her, she'd break. "Hello Kayamna," he said politely. It sounded a bit dull to his ears, but the girl didn't care. She gave him a thousand watt smile and Roy had to return it.
"Well, it's time we left," Shayla stated staring pointedly at the portal two feet away. Kayamna bit her lip and sniffled.
"You're all gonna leave?"
"You'll see us again, Kayamna. We're your friends. We won't abandon you. Just wait a while. You can make new friends while we're away." Surprisingly, it was Roy who said that. Shayla felt her heart warm up when Roy shot her a smirk. 'Yeah, I'll see them all again.'
Despite her earlier uneasiness when they'd first arrived in the memory, Shayla realized just how much she'd needed this. Just knowing the truth about her mother was worth it. After her talk with Ed, she no longer feared rejection from the people she loved the most. But most importantly, this version of her had a better outlook on life, and that was all Shayla wanted. Memory or not, she wished Kayamna the best.
Everyone gave Kayamna a hug (the girl had to coax one out of Roy), Shayla coming in last. Quiet as a mouse, the girl whispered her last words into Shayla' ear. "I'll miss you the most."
"Don't worry. I'll be there with you when you need me." She gave the girl a quick kiss on the cheek, then followed her friends into the void.
The small child watched as each new friend disappeared before her eyes, a goofy smile etched on her pale face. She should've been scared, but after everything that had happened that day, anything seemed possible. Even the thought of being on her own for a while took a secondary place in her mind. All she could feel was a warm buzzing feeling that must've been something close to happiness.
The weight in her hand reminded her of the whip her mother had left her, and she remembered the promise she had made. If her mother had given her the most prized possession she owned… 'Mother…'
"I'll make you proud. And I'll make my new friends proud too."
"I know you guys want an explanation," Shayla started as soon as they re-entered the realm. "And I promise I'll tell you everything…"
Before she got any further, Hughes raised his hand in the air like he was in grade school. "Uh, before you start, can I ask a really quick question?"
Shayla tensed. "What?
"Why is your hair brown? I mean, if that was the tinier version of you we just met…" Hughes shrugged. "Just wondering…"
"Probably an array," Ed stated, looking at Shayla's hair.
"Yeah. They've got arrays for everything if you look for them." To prove her point, Shayla reached and parted her hair, searching for the tattoo she hadn't used in years. When she found it, she activated the array and her hair glowed before turning snow white. She glanced at Hughes expectantly, but the man just looked awed.
Hughes whistled. "Wow. Impressive."
"I haven't changed to my natural hair color since I first got the array," Shayla told them.
"But why did you need it?" Ed asked.
"I'd think that's obvious, Ed. Shayla's, simply put, an albino Ishbalan. She'll be hated by her people because she's supposed to be some demon, and everybody else doesn't get along with Ishbalans. It would be simpler to change her hair color than her eye color."
"Right as usual, Mustang," Shayla observed dryly. Ed glared at Roy, hating when the man chided him like that. The Colonel blinked innocently.
"Well, I thought it was obvious."
"Oh shut up, bastard."
"Children. May I continue my story?" Ed huffed and shot Mustang one last glare. "Anyway, as you've already figured, I didn't have the best childhood. No one in my village liked me because of the way I looked and what I represented." Hughes and Roy looked at her questioningly, and Shayla remembered the two hadn't been there for her mother's explanation. "I'm born from the moon goddess, Kayamna. She was Ishbala's counterpart, and used alchemy to ruin the world the sun god wanted to create. But she wasn't as strong as Ishbala, so she made the night for her to rule."
"Interesting…" Hughes mused. "It's a myth to explain alchemy and the difference between night and day."
"Children born from the moon goddess are rare, but they all have white hair, orange eyes, and pale skin. Most are killed as soon as they're born, but my mother convinced the village to let me live."
"Because she couldn't bear to see you die," Ed commented. Shayla nodded sadly.
"Yeah. She was willing to make it work, but in the end our religion won out and I became an outcast. I was beaten by the children, and sneered at by the adults. In short, my life was hell."
"Fun," Hughes said sarcastically, and Shayla kicked him. "Ouch! It was a joke to liven the mood!"
"Oh hush," she commanded, but a small smile played on her lips. "When I was eight, I accidentally attacked Suppi. I really don't remember what happened, but somehow I manipulated my alchemy so it blew off his right arm. But because of it, I was beaten severely and banished by my mother to die in the desert."
"He deserved it. Don't worry." Ed's grudge against the fat boy hadn't lessened. "It's not like he'll need that arm…"
"I got another question."
"You're just full of questions today, Hughes." The tall man just folded his arms and stuck his nose in the air.
"Sorry we can't all be know-it-alls like you, Mustang."
Roy smirked. "I know. It a shame, really."
"Will you both shut up? I want this round of twenty questions over so we can move on!" All the endless banter was wearing on Shayla's nerves. "If I had my whip I swear I'd kill you all!"
"Roy started it…" Hughes was about to say more, but wisely avoided that subject with one look from his short friend. "But I was wondering… what exactly is your alchemy?" Shayla blinked. Hughes was asking all the peculiar questions she didn't expect.
"It's a surge of alchemic power. When most people use alchemy, they change it to suit their style. Roy manipulates his for a ball of flame, Gran used his to change glove into weapons. It all depends on the style. But there's raw alchemy as well."
"I've heard of that." Roy narrowed his eyes in thought. "It's pure alchemy, if there's such a thing. It's not manipulated by styles or techniques. Its existence is a huge controversy."
"Doesn't sound logical. You could do anything with that type of alchemy," Ed said. "…What?" Roy was staring at him with an odd expression on his face.
"For someone who doubts it subsistence, you sure spent a good deal of your life looking for it."
Ed sucked in a breath. "… You can't be serious…"
"The Philosopher's Stone?" Hughes asked. He sounded more believing than Ed did. "Makes sense."
"The what stone?" Shayla was lost. It felt like she'd missed the punch line on a long joke. "… Wait. You mean that one stone that can bring people back life, or something like that? Why was Ed looking for it?"
"I'll tell you later," Ed said weakly. "You're not the only one with a sorry past. Trust me."
"So your type of alchemy is based on pure alchemy. Is that what you're telling us?" Roy didn't sound like her really believed her. "Shayla, that type of alchemy is rare, and that's implying that it does exist. I find it hard to image you can generate that power."
"I don't know what it is. All I know is my alchemy doesn't actually heal. I kinda make it that way. It's almost like I get to make a choice."
"To heal or to kick ass." Hughes nodded. "I like it."
"I guess. Or that's as far as I've gotten with it." Shayla shrugged. She didn't see what the big deal was. "I've been able to do it since I was little."
"Well… it would explain why you stopped time. The Philosopher's stone is able to do anything, and if Shayla can recreate its power..." Roy mused. 'Shayla's a walking weapon…'
"My best friend… is a walking philosopher's stone…" Ed still couldn't get over that fact. "Roy really does attract all the nuts."
"I resent that," Roy sniffed.
"And I like to think of myself as unique, thank you very much," Shayla snapped.
"Damn. I've got no excuse…" Everyone chuckled at Hughes' terrible joke, them mood lifting for once. "But that doesn't explain how she got the power."
"There are a lot of rules to alchemy, but maybe is Shayla's case… She's just a prodigy." Roy wouldn't put money on the theory, but it was the best he could come up with. "And we're going to keep this to ourselves."
"Yeah. Stanford would have a field day," Ed seethed. "I hope Hawkeye finally got pissed enough and just shot him."
"We all do Ed. But please let me finish my story before we all derail again." When she had everyone's attention again, Shayla started where she'd left off. "In reality, I went back to the village when I saw smoke from the fire. My house had burned down, and everyone was… I didn't find any survivors. All I found was my mother's whip. Even after all the pain she put me through, I was devastated. I just curled under a piece of rubble and waited to die." The story started to take its toll on Shayla, and she brushed some tears from her eyes. "If I'd known why she really did it…"
"Did what?" Hughes asked gently.
"That's right. You and Roy weren't there." She laughed humorlessly. "You'll get a kick out of this. Mother knew about the attack on the village."
"… She what?" It took a moment for Roy to process the words. 'I never saw that coming.'
"Because of what everyone put me through, she decided the best way to get revenge was to not warn anyone and wait for the State Alchemists to kill everyone, including herself."
"I… well, umm… shit," Hughes swore. "Only a maniac or a parent would do something that extreme."
"She fit in both categories," Ed said dryly, then winced as he realized what he said. "Shayla, I didn't mean it like that."
"It's fine, Ed. I already know I drove my mother crazy."
"Didn't I tell you off for thinking like that?"
"Eh, she's kinda right, Ed." Hughes moved away from the boy's glare. "Take it from a parent. I love my daughter to bits--"
"We know," Roy muttered. Hughes promptly hit him in the shoulder.
"As I said, I love my daughter like nothing else, but I swear some of the stunts she pulls makes me want to quit my desk job and start going back to church. It's dangerous enough living with her, and I don't need two jobs that might kill me."
"So what are you saying? It is Shayla's fault?" Ed snapped viciously.
"No. I'm saying having a kid will make you do things you never dreamed of. There's a universal rule to parenting: If they're not happy, you're not happy. And sometimes things don't go as you plan. Shayla's mother probably found that out too late, and death was the last resort."
"I still don't like the idea of blaming Shayla…"
"Ed, listen for once. Seeing me tortured was killing Rhamara inside. It was a matter of time before she snapped. In the end she decided she didn't want me to suffer anymore than I had to, and told me to leave."
"But you're not a curse," Ed said pointedly.
"Okay, I'm not a curse." Shayla suppressed a smile. "I'll give up that argument." Ed finally looked satisfied and let the conversation slide.
"But back to your life," Roy said. They really were getting off topic… "What happened after the attack?"
"There's was an organization of soldiers who opposed the war, so they helped smuggle Ishbalan war orphans into the country. One soldier found me, and took me to Central of all places."
"You went to Central? With all the military personal?" Ed snorted to himself. "Smart."
"Remember, I don't technically resemble a normal Ishbalan. It was actually simple to keep me under the military's nose without getting caught." Out of nowhere Hughes burst into a fit of laughing. "I was wondering when you'd remember, idiot." The albino grinned at her friend. "Not that I blame you for forgetting."
"It's not my fault! You changed your hair," Hughes retorted playfully.
"My eyes are the same."
"Well, I'm not the most observant of people."
"You're head of Investigations, Hughes." Shayla slapped him on the side of the head. "That counts for something."
"I hate to interrupt, but you mind cluing us in?" Shayla and Hughes were acting like old buddies, and it was disturbing for Roy.
"You know that organization of soldiers?" Hughes asked. "Well, I was kinda apart of it."
Roy was silent, then frowned at his best friend. "If the military had caught you, you'd be dead. And how can you be 'kinda' apart of that organization? "
"I only took care of one kid for about a week."
"One kid…" Ed repeated to himself. The answer hit him in the face. "This is so surreal, I almost don't believe it." He stared at Hughes, and then Shayla. "You took care of Shayla when she was a child?"
"And you didn't tell me?" Roy tried to sound snappish, but it came out as more of a pout.
"Roy, you had your own demons to worry about," Hughes said seriously. "And Shayla didn't stay long. They shipped her to the next house a week later. You never got a chance to see her. Plus, I got in a tight spot, anyway."
"So you did get caught…" When Hughes didn't defend himself, Roy shook his head in order to cover his worry. "I can't believe you."
"Um… How is Hughes still alive if he got caught?" Ed asked.
Vaguely waving his arm toward Shayla's hair and complexion, Hughes explained. "Does she look like an Ishbalan to you? The military was fooled. I told them she was my niece, and by some odd stroke of luck they believed me!" He grinned, looking mighty proud of himself. "Besides, I didn't actually join the organization. I took Shayla in as a favor to a friend, so I was never accused of being in it."
"Devil's luck…" Roy muttered.
"Kayamna's luck," Shayla corrected.
"Is that why you get along with Hughes so well?" Ed asked Shayla.
"That's a big part of it. The only reason I came to Central was to tell him thank you." She grinned at Hughes. "Imagine my surprise when he was in a coma and I ended up helping Gracia take care of him."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Hughes turned to his old friend, looking slightly hurt. "I would've remembered if you gave me a hint."
"It wasn't important. And I became your friend in the end, so I wasn't worried. I thought if you really wanted to remember, it would come back sooner or later." She placed a small hand on his arm. "Don't worry about it."
"I've officially heard it all," Roy declared. "No offence, Ed, but when it comes to mysterious pasts, Shayla's kicks the shit out of yours. An albino, a human philosopher's stone, and she knew Hughes as a child… If she sprouted wings right now, I wouldn't be surprised."
"I could, but that's only because we're in the realm."
"Speaking of which, how long have we been standing here?" Ever since they'd arrived, no one had moved at all. "We need to get going," Ed said seriously.
"I think its time to look for our body portals. We've wasted enough time being here." Roy's eyes wandered around the abyss. "We can look for Ed's first, since both the Dream Alchemist and the fake one are after him." The raven haired man turned to the teen. "You lead the way, Ed."
Ed nodded and looked around, searching for the brightest portals. "Let's go this way," he said, pointing in front of them. "I see something up ahead."
"Roy." Before the man could follow Ed, Shayla called to him. When he turned, she met his eyes with a nervous expression. "You… don't mind the fact that I'm Ishbalan, do you?" Roy was reminded sorely of when Kayamna had asked for his friendship, and she'd looked ready to die if he rejected her. 'But this is Shayla, not Kayamna…'
"Don't ask stupid questions, Angel Alchemist." Shayla's eyes widened the narrowed dangerously, but not before Roy caught a flicker of relief. "Do you mind the fact I was in the Ishbal Massacre?" he countered.
Shayla smirked. "Don't ask stupid questions, Colonel." That was all the both of them needed to know. With their pasts put behind them, Shayla and Roy shared a glance of understanding, then the man left to catch up with Ed.
"I will never understand the relationship you two have," Hughes noted to her. A loud shout rang in their ears shortly, the voice belonging to Ed, and soon that was followed by a shout in pain. That one was Roy. "Let's go, or Ed might kill Mustang while we're gone."
The two walked slowly, keeping an ear out for anymore commotion from the lovebirds, as they were now dubbed.
"You know," Shayla started, breaking the silence, "I never got to tell you thanks."
"What? You mean for taking you in?"
"No, for saving my life." Green eyes peered at her with interest.
"My memory really must be going, 'cause I don't remember this."
"You were the first person to treat me like a human. Even my step-parents didn't really love me. And then when they died in a fire accident, I was alone. Probably would've turned into some lunatic psycho by now."
Hughes waved the explanation off. "I didn't do anything special."
"It was special to me," Shayla stated serious, locking eyes with Hughes. "I made two promises. One to my mom, to become stronger, and one to you. I promised to do something worth while with my alchemy, and prove my curse wrong." Hughes smiled down at her.
"Well, I can say you fulfilled both promises. And you really don't need to thank me."
"Well, I'm going to… So thanks, Mr. Hugs." Shayla snickered at Hughes's red face.
"I was hoping you'd forgotten that."
"Heh. Not my fault you last name has those letters in it. In fact, you can spell 'He Hugs' with those letters."
"Don't tell Roy. He'll never let me live it down," Hughes pleaded. "He's still angry I never told him about the orphan association." Shayla pretended to think hard about it.
"We shall see, Mr. Hugs. Depends on what you bribe me with." She giggled some more, than went quiet as Hughes thought to himself for a possible way out of this mess. He didn't put it past Shayla to tell everyone in Central her nickname for him…
A very cruel idea popped into mind, and Hughes grinned, his glasses flashing.
"Well, if we're gonna play honest hour, I should thank you."
"Because I saved you two times?" Shayla guessed. Hughes almost face faulted.
"Those are good reasons, but no."
"Then what?"
"If it hadn't been for you, I never would've wanted children so badly. Seeing your beautiful face made me a set my heart on a girl," Hughes simpered. "And I wouldn't be the photo maniac that I am today." This caused the woman to stop dead in her tracks, her face the color of ash.
"Tell anyone and I'll make you implode with my alchemy."
"How about we keep the nickname a secret, and I won't tell every person who I've thrust a picture under their nose about my inspiration." He stuck out his hand. "Deal?"
Shayla grabbed for it, shaking fiercely. "Deal." With that secret deal closed, they continued on their way. Hughes bit his lip to keep another suicidal sentence from spewing out, but his need to get in the last word won.
"I knew you'd see it my way, snow angel." Shayla buried her face in her hands.
"Hughes… Shut. Up."
IT'S DONE! (starts laughing like a clown on speed) There you have it! My OC's messed up past. Hope you all liked it! Shout out time!
Soon to be the world renown Gracie- Cool fact! I'll probably forget, but thanks for sharing! (insert random hero music)
xxbloodyxtearsxx- (drools with her) And the rating shall be changed! You'll find out why later… (grins)
Shingo-sama- I aim to please! Thanks!
Seeker Carter- Hehehe… I thought it was cute as hell. Cain can have his moments too! Oooo… I updated soon! Praise me! ;p
RejectedAndLoved- Yes, Hawkeye having the hots for Cain is kinda surreal, but it was so funny, I had to put it in! (claps at love confession) Go Cain!
Morbid Flower- You're new to the world of FMA fan fiction? WELCOME! And Shayla seems to be good at growing on people. Funny, I don't like OC's either, but I'm willing to write one… strange, yes? Oh, and the rating will go up. You'll find out later why… :p
Anonymous- Yes, people can be cruel, especially if religion is involved. It's sad, really. But I will tell Roy and Ed to wait. Will they listen… well, I wouldn't put money on it.
arynna- Sad, isn't it? Yes, in my head, Ishbalans can be cruel if their religion is threatened. Poor Shayla… (sniffs)
Torii- (claps with her) I'm so proud of you Cain!
Cain- (blushes)
Roxie Faye- That's what I like so much about Roy and Ed's relationship. Whether they're in love or not, they'll still be scraping with each other. It's so cute! And as for the Fury/Havoc scene… it came to me…. (insert mysterious background music)
Asaka Kiseragi- Heh. I have another person to beta for me! (cackles) See? I updated relatively soon! (runs from flamethrower) Ouch! Watch where you point that thing! ;p
Shadow Vampiress- Had to stop them! Builds suspense!
Ed- Actually, she chickened out.
Bandit- (gets out hatchet) What was that?
Ed- Err… nothing!
Be a nice reader and review! You might get a lemon for your troubles! XDDD