Ed and Al sat on the floor in the library. Kirina peered at them from the door, shyly.

"You've been standing there for over fifteen minutes," Ed said suddenly.

Kirina gasped and jumped. "Sorry."

"Why are you standing there? Afraid we'll rob your air or something?"

Kirina shook her head and joined them on the floor.

"So why'd you become an alchemist, anyway?" Ed asked.

"I could ask you two the very same question. Could it be that you're looking for something."

Ed smiled. "Probably. What about you?"

"It's a secret," Kirina whispered, a sly smile playing on her lips. "Still, could it be that you two are researching human transmutation?"

Ed and Al gasped.

"You're hollow inside, Alphonse," the girl whispered. "What about you, Edward? What are you hiding?"

"Metal arm, metal leg."

"Ah, so that's how you got your name."

"What about you?" Ed took Kirina's arm. "Look at these scars. What did you do?"

Kirina grinned. "Told you I had secrets. Anyway, what are you researching?"

"The Philosopher's Stone," Al responded.

"Philosopher's Stone? You mean the Celestial Stone?"

"Well, that's another word for it, but in a nutshell, it's always some red thing."

"Edward, why are you researching something so dangerous?" Kirina asked, picking up a book.

"For one, you don't have to call me 'Edward' or Al 'Alphonse'. We're just Ed and Al. And we're researching this stone for our own reasons."

Kirina lowered her eyes. "I see, but don't you think it'll hurt?"

Ed and Al looked up.

"Why?" Ed asked.

"This stone, which is supposed to turn darkness into light, is evil. If you want to forge it, it'll charge you a great personal cost."

Al turned to her. "Have you come in contact with the stone?"

Kirina shook her head. "No, but I know others who have. This stone only brings more and more sadness. And from the look of you two, I'd say both of you have seen your share of sadness already."

"Who cares?" Ed said. "We've been through a lot, but it won't stop us."

Kirina shrugged. "If you say so. Anyway, I need to get back to work."

"Kirina, wait," Al said.

Kirina turned around. Al held out a raggedy book.

"My book," Kirina said softly and took it.

"You left it in the library."

Kirina smiled. "Thank you."

Noticing the tears in her eyes, Ed stood up and tried to brush them away. "Hey, a raggedy book is nothing to start crying about."

Kirina gasped and her hand flew to her face. "Don't touch them," she whispered.

With that, Kirina left, leaving the two boys surprised.

"What was that all about?" Ed asked.

Al remained quiet. After a moment, he spoke.

"Brother, did you notice?"

"Did I notice what?"

"Her tears."

"Yeah, what about them?"

"They were red."

Ed's eyes widened. "Were they blood?" he asked, remembering the diary entry.

"I don't know. I couldn't tell."

You're probably thinking, "Can this thing get even more predictable?" The answer to that is yes. I'm not good at making things scary or gross or building up suspense or causing romance to occur---the list goes on and on--- that I may have to change the genre. Come to think of it, I'm not good at choosing that, either. I'm not good at one single thing (well, I can type and burn food, so I suppose I'm good at that).