Chapter 8: Nikooru meets Scar

Nikooru found herself running through the town where Marcoh was supposed to be. She was searching for Ed and Al. "Damn where could they have gone?" Nikooru thought. Nikooru hadn't lost sight of the large man dressed in a military uniform though.

An hour had passed, and Nikooru still hadn't found them. It was starting to get cloudy around with this Nikooru also notice a truck pass by carrying soldiers.

"

Huh?' What is going on Nikooru thought why soldiers here are? Nikooru began to follow the truck which passed by rumble from a fight, at least that is what Nikooru concluded. She also concluded that Ed and Al had something to do with this no doubt. Nikooru began to frantically search for Ed and Al. In the process she saw Colonel Mustang and his subordinates which included Havoc. She decided to steer clear of them.

After about 30 more minutes of searching Nikooru found herself running towards the now beaten Elric brothers "Ed, Al," Nikooru yelled out just as she did a man with a Scar on his face appeared, smacking his right arm onto the ground. The ground under Nikooru's feet began to crumble.

Nikooru slowly opened her eyes. She hurt all over but, after a minute or two the pain disappeared.

"Eck it sticks!" Nikooru said pinching her nose with her fingers. "Where am I? ... Oh yeah I fell so I am probably in a sewer… Gross." She saw her bag that she had brought floating in the sewer water. She quickly retrieved it. Nikooru stood silently as she listened to footsteps. She saw her bag that she had brought floating in the sewer water. She quickly retrieved it. After a minute she realized the footsteps were getting farther away. She started to run towards where the footsteps were coming from.

It wasn't long before she found her self standing behind a man with tattered clothes. Scar recognized someone was behind him, and stopped moving. He turned to face the person behind him instinctively ready to fight. Scar relaxed his shoulders though when he saw it was just some young girl, zero threat to him.

"Hey you're the guy who caused me to fall into the sewers" Nikooru said pointing an accusing finger at him. "Ishbalan eh?" Slowly lowering her finger.

Scar just turned around, ignoring what Nikooru had said completely, continuing to walk forward.

"Hey don't ignore me." Nikooru ran to where she was now walking beside Scar. They both walked silently for awhile before Nikooru remembered that the man beside her had been fighting with Ed and Al. He was the reason they were so beat up. "So why were you fighting with the Elrics?"

Scar glanced at Nikooru for a second then said, "Because that is God's will. I am just following. They are accursed alchemists who distort this world."

"God's will ay… pretty religious are we but, most Ishbalans are I guess. To tell you the truth I am not particularly religious at all. Wars have been waged because, of differences in beliefs such as religious beliefs. I mean that is part of the reason the Ishbalan war started so, many people died in that war that shouldn't have. There is so much more to that war than what it appears so many hidden truths. Heh maybe it is better though that way." Nikooru said scratching her head, "No that's not right though the truth could help us prevent such tragedies from happening again."

"You seem to know quite a bit about that war for being as young as you are. Who exactly are you?" Scar asked.

"My name is Nikooru. Heh I just know that from what I have read in books about it those are just my own thoughts. I can see why you hate the military for what they did. So now that I told you my name what is yours?"

"… Scar."

Nikooru tilted her head, "Scar… oh I get it a nickname because, of the scar on your face. That is a pretty weird shaped scar. How'd you…" Nikooru stopped herself from asking him how he got it. It probably had a bad memory attached to it something that he would rather not talk about. Sometimes it is better to talk about it… no not this one.

Nikooru's eyes slowly wondered down Scar until they caught sight of his tattoo on his arm. Her eyes widened, and her feet stopped moving. That tattoo on his arm it was a transmutation circle one that she knew all too well. She was surprised to see another Ishbalan walking around with it tattooed on his arm. Scar stopped turning his head towards Nikooru. He was curious to why Nikooru was looking at him like that. He realized she was staring at his arm.

"What? Do you know what this is?" Scar said clutching his tattooed arm.

"You don't know what it is but, it is on your arm."

"What is it?" Scar asked taking a threatening step towards Nikooru.

Nikooru thought if she should tell Scar or not. It didn't take her long to decide not to. "No, no, no it is just such a weird transmutation circle it just surprised me…. That you would be wearing it on your arm since you are against alchemy."

"That sounded and looked like a lie." Scar said slowly relaxing his tense shoulders.

Nikooru walked up to Scar, and stopped right in front of him, "Does it look like I am lying," Nikooru said with her best poker face. It was a strange sight to see Nikooru standing up to Scar who was quite the intimidater with his cold eyes.

Nikooru and Scar continued their walk through the sewers with a few conversations here and there. When it finally came time for them to go their separate ways once they exited the sewers. Nikooru couldn't help but, feel a little upset. She had become quite fond of Scar, she felt like she could relate to Scar. Nikooru wanted to know more about him so she could understand him a bit better. Their pasts were so much alike.

"Well good-bye," Scar said as he went his separate way from Nikooru. He couldn't help but, wonder who she was.

Nikooru didn't reply with a good-bye she just stood there with her reaching at Scar through the air. She didn't want to say good-bye not yet. "Does this really have to be good-bye?" Scar paused for a second then continued to walk again.

"Scar… can… I … travel with you for a while?" Nikooru said staring at Scar with a weird kind determination in her eyes.

"That eye that is the second time I have seen them today. Fullmetal's and now yours," Scar gave Nikooru a little grin which is the first time Nikooru had seen Scar give a little smile. Scar turned around, and began to walk again leaving Nikooru with a confused look on her face. Scar walked a few more feet before he said, "Aren't you coming?"

Nikooru was happy as she walked beside Scar. Scar seemed indifferent but, Nikooru could tell that he was somewhat happy if he wasn't then he would have never agreed to her coming with him.

It was late before Scar and Nikooru reached their destination which was an abandoned building.

"What are we doing here?" Nikooru said looking at her surroundings with a weird face.

Scar leaned against sat down against a wall, and closed his eyes.

"Huh?" Nikooru said, "So this is where we are staying." Nikooru gave a sight sigh of relief. Well at least they had a roof over their heads unlike the time Ed, Al, and Nikooru ended up camping outside in the woods for a week. The sad thing was that Nikooru and Ed both ended up picking like twenty ticks off of themselves. It was pretty nasty ever since then Nikooru swore that she would never camp in the woods again. Nikooru sat against the wall not too far from Scar even though it was uncomfortable she sure did fall asleep fast. It had been a long day. When Nikooru woke up she wasn't to surprised to see that Scar was gone a little upset though but, just as she got up to leave the building Scar walked in.

"There was something I had to do alone. It looks like I will be going to Central now." Scar said.

"Well I guess I will just have to go to. May I ask why though?" Nikooru said.

"Its personal business," Scar replied.

"Oh okay well I am up for a journey. I like to travel around." Nikooru said stretching out her arm which made a muscle appear. Scar was a bit surprised to see the muscle now that he thought about it though Nikooru was more of the fighting type. Nikooru ran back, and grabbed her bag which reeked of sewage.

Nikooru looked around until she found some cloth with the cloth she made her self a hoe boe bag. Then she removed her bags contents replacing it with the hoe boe bag. As she did this Scar noticed 2 small daggers he made a slight note to be care full of those.

After Nikooru was done switching bags they both left. Before they left Nikooru had made sure to spare herself with some perfume she had.