Author's Note
In all seriousness I don't own Sailor Moon or Fullmetal Alchemist, yet the concept is mine. Please don't take it without my consent… PLEASE…
I apologize for my long notes today, but I have a lot to say!
First, I must apologize for not giving you more heads-up. This is the final chapter of Sailor Moon and the Philosopher's Stone. However, I do ask that everyone that gets this far, PLEASE REVIEW! I need input on the story, what I can do to create better stories in the future, was the humor appropriate, and your likes/dislikes. Should I create a continuance? Do y'all want to hear more about this world? What did you think of the ending? Was it appropriate? Any of these questions and any more you can think of, can y'all at least answer one of them for me? Anyone can review, account or not, so I beg you to do so. Also, if you leave me an e-mail, I will write you back. If you leave none, all is well and we'll move on with life.
I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who reviewed, especially Suuki-Aldrea and Eo for staying with it from the start. Thanks everyone for all your wonderful comments!
I'll also put a thank you out for those who put me on their favorites and alerts lists. As of the final update, this story is my most popular, so thanks for everything everyone! Here is everyone in no particular order: Chibi Jack, Elizabeth D. O'Connell, hope of stars, MewWitch, Riceball 1989, SailorThunder, sailorveggie, SailorVengeance19, X-Dome, Aleric, k-hunter2000, Sharem, snowkae, and Suuki-Aldrea! So another big thanks to you guys! You're all totally awesome! Also, I'd like to announce that this story, if you don't know, was inducted into the C2 Metal from the Moon which is owned by Sora76! Hooray!
UPDATE: The sequel to this story is now out, Sailor Moon and the Alchemic Memories.
Okay, I got through all the fun stuff, and now I have a fun note today, that Greed is a homunculus from Fullmetal Alchemist. Enjoy!
Sailor Moon and the Philosopher's Stone
Chapter 17: The Book
The silence was unbearable, as the group got their bearings. Around them, they saw that the white terrain that they had originally entered was back. Then they saw that Amy was clung to Ed, and wasn't letting go anytime soon. Ed sighed.
"What's so bad about alchemy?" Ed asked finally. Amy jumped at this, and pulled herself from Ed, blushing. "We get the same things done; alchemy works quicker."
"It's not right," Amy said finally. "She shouldn't know alchemy. Also, the problem with alchemy is that in our home, it was driven by greed, in some religions a sin that is unbearable."
"Greed is an unbearable bastard, wasn't he?" Ed directed softly towards Al.
"Brother?" Al asked. "What's wrong?"
"I think I've got the same problem Amy has. I was beaten by magic, what else?" Ed replied, as Amy looked at him. "Honestly wasn't magic made the same way?"
"No one knows the true origins of magic," Amy retorted. Sailor Moon smiled.
"So did we complete the test then? I mean, we found everyone," she said. "Well, at least, you all did. I just stayed trapped with a bunch of clones of myself."
"This means we'll get to read the book!" Sailor Venus cheered.
"You guys," Winry said, getting their attention. "I know it's strange, but I just remembered what Ms. Trista told us before we left. She said 'you will not like the answers you wish to find' and she looked pretty serious. Does this mean that this was a bad idea?"
The group was silent for a few minutes, as Sailor Mars shook her head, gaining stares.
"If you have a question, you get the answer, regardless of outcome," she said. "Whether or not we knew the risk, we went headfirst into a life-threatening situation to get an answer we absolutely had to have. If the Silver Imperium Crystal does turn out to be a Philosopher's Stone, then for us, that's one more thing about Sailor Moon's home that we didn't know before. If it isn't, it's the same result. Besides, I would have come here anyhow to get that book, to protect it from evil."
"Mars is right," Sailor Venus said, smiling now. "We can't just back down because we're afraid of a little book."
Excuse me, but I hardly consider myself little.
The group looked around. Where had the voice come from?
"So it's safe to assume we're not imagining it?" Roy asked, his fingers ready to snap. Suddenly, the group was surrounded by the snake man Binder, the creepy plant Leaflet, the copy woman Version, the twins Alpha and Beta, and the little girl Paige. They braced for a fight, as the monsters around them began to laugh.
"Geez, you people are easily frightened after all!" Binder chuckled. "We just came to tell you congratulations!"
"You're the first beings to get to read the book in centuries!" Version said cheerfully.
"Well done," Paige said timidly.
"Wait a minute, I have a question," Amy said, getting the group's full attention. "How do you know alchemy?"
Her finger pointed to Version, who laughed mildly.
"Because child, that is what we agreed upon when we decided to guard the book in the first place. The things I learned come from before the split, just as Paige is a reminder of the demons that do not roam this dimension, for they too, were sent away to another."
"Yes yes, we come from before the split, and towards the beginning. We creatures do not die, for our task is ever-growing and immortal," Leaflet said, rubbing his leaves together.
"We don't have the limitations of ordinary beings," Alpha said. "Just think of us like gods—ouch! What was that for Beta?"
"For you being an idiot," Beta replied haughtily. "Listen, the point is that we have powers from different dimensions because we existed before the split in dimensions. The book would tell you that."
"Where is this book we've spent all this time searching for?" Ed said, shifting his weight and looking to Binder.
"Why Fullmetal, you're standing on it," Binder replied.
"WHAT?" everyone cried.
"Indeed, the book is in reality, this entire zone upon which we hold our trials," Paige said softly.
"YOU MEAN THIS WHOLE TIME WE WERE ON THE STUPID BOOK!" Ed shouted, Al holding him back.
"Brother, now isn't the time to be shouting," Al reminded him.
"This is one big book," Winry said, kneeling to the ground and looking around. "Where are the words?"
"The words only appear to answer your questions. The place they are in, however, you should already know," Version said, looking to Amy. Amy jumped at this.
"To the northwest!" she exclaimed, as the group dashed off after her.
"Are they really ready for what they want to know?" Beta asked.
"Think of it this way, if they aren't, it means we have to ante up our tests," Binder said, grinning.
"You are such an idiot," Paige said, looking to where they had gone. "What do you think?"
She turned to the ground.
Anyone can take in a truth. It's the people around them that they must learn to face.
"Your words were always aged, weren't they?" Alpha sighed…
They were exhausted and out of breath. In front of them, was a section of ground filled with text lay untouched in their dash. They had found the answers. Finally, they had the answers they sought.
"Anyone care to read?" Amy panted. The group looked at one another, unsure of what to say, think, or do for that matter. It was Winry who moved forward. It was Winry whose tears fell as she read. The group was curious. Why hadn't she said she'd already started?
"Winrey?" Ed asked. Winry couldn't look his way.
"I'll read," she said, quickly wiping away her tears.
Long ago, before the world split, there lay a kingdom of brutal killers. Those who had no hopes of repentance that caused mayhem throughout the galaxy where they dwelled. At the head of this madness was a single woman, named Vicious. At this time, she had a hope, a future. In fact, as the day of her death approached, she had several dozen children, all of which were as violent as Vicious herself.
The galaxy was in turmoil, and this queen had to be taken out. In fact, even the word Lunarian sent fear across the galaxy for quite some time. The Mercurial Royals devised a plan. Using their surrender as a ploy, they sent various members of the court to draw a circle around the kingdom that left the rest of its planetary people in fear. After three days, the circle was drawn.
"No way!" Ed cried.
"They weren't," Al whispered.
"Mother of God," Roy muttered.
"Did they really say Lunarians?" Sailor Moon asked.
"No way," Sailor Jupiter whispered.
"What are they doing here Ed?" Amy asked, as Ed ignored her, and Winry's eyes watered up.
"There's more," Winry replied.
With a single clap of one set of Venetian hands, since they were the ones who used to command such mighty magic, the kingdom vanished in a red light. The results bore the very first Philosopher's Stone, a red gem that was bloodier than the kingdom it destroyed.
"Lady Venus," Sailor Venus whispered.
"I—I—I had no idea," Sailor Moon said, choking.
"Let me finish," Winry said finally.
This stone, made from the bloodiest of circumstances, was placed under the eye of a new Lunarian ruler, named Serene. The queen was placed atop the throne, to remind the planet and the remaining people of the peace that they wished to be enforced. This story was doomed to become lost when the dimensions split, of course, and the stone that started out as a blood red, lost its color over time, being purified by the now peaceful way of the Lunarians, and a lack of use.
All of you who wished to read this book, also had important questions of your own. The next line is meant to be read for your own, since this line is not the same for everyone.
The group looked at one another, and nodded as they read the next line. There were gasps, groans, and tears as the group read. Winry turned away.
"It will never be," Winry whispered.
"Did you say something Winry?" Sailor Moon asked.
"No, no," Winry said, wiping her eyes again. "It's nothing."
"Well, that's the answer to all our troubles," Ed said. "There really is only one way to make a Philosopher's Stone."
"But there's good news brother," Al said softly. "Someday, our problems will be solved."
"Things I wish that can never be," Roy sighed. Sailor Mars was remotely smug, as she actually turned to walk away, a skip in her step.
"I will not like the answers I wish to seek," Winry sighed. "Why did she have to be right?"
"That's Trista for you," Sailor Jupiter said encouragingly. "99.99999 percent of the time, she's right about it."
"And that's close to never!" Sailor Moon said cheerfully.
"That's not a good thing right now Sailor Moon," Sailor Venus said mindfully.
"Right," Amy sighed. "Well, enough bickering. We got what we came for. Ed's right, we're wrong."
"Amy?" Ed asked, worried.
"We're just the primitive ones," Amy said softly, as Ed gave her a harsh look.
"How could you just give up like that?" Ed asked. "You have technology that we only dream of having, whereas we use our shortcuts for our own personal gain. I lost out to your magic, and you lost out to my alchemy. Why don't we just call it even?"
"Ed?" Amy asked him now.
"Brother's right Amy, you guys are formidable without alchemy. That says something!"
"Ed, I'm surprised you're not doing a happy dance right now," Sailor Mars said thoughtfully.
"You're one to talk," Ed said, giving her a strange look. "You look pretty smug."
"Oh, it's nothing you should concern with," Sailor Mars replied. The group gave her a look. "What? It's true!"
"Hey, that's my line!" Al exclaimed, the group giggling some. Suddenly, they were confronted by Paige.
"If you have found what you were looking for, then I shall ask you to leave," Paige said simply.
"Will others be able to read what we have?" Amy asked.
"No," Paige said. "The information they seek is never the same as what you have sought. Besides, they will not make it as far as you have, for we have decided to make our tests far more difficult than from before."
"Wow, really?" Sailor Venus asked. "That's good news! I don't think we'd be able to carry this book out of here."
"But we could burn it," Sailor Mars replied, as Roy nodded. "Then no one could ever read it again."
"That's not a good idea," Paige said. "Even though you indeed possess the strength required to destroy this book, it would leave us without home and work, both of which would make several of us very upset. Now please leave."
"Shall we?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Right," the group sighed in defeat. They avoided fighting her up until now, and they didn't want to find out her powers now. The group got in a circle, and a teleport ensued shortly after…
"Well, they did well," Trista said warmly.
"You can't possibly think of letting them leave with knowledge like they've just gained," Amara said.
"You're right," Trista said. "Their friends are currently returned from whence they came."
"You erased their memories then?"
"Of course Momma did, Papa!" Hotaru exclaimed. "Or else our existence would be revealed elsewhere in the Universe."
"Yet it seems the girls have gotten quite attached to those four in the short time they've been here," Michelle noted. "Now they certainly have learned from them as well, haven't they? We can't possibly be so cold as to erase their memories as well."
"You're observant as always," Trista said wistfully. "So the real question is: what do we do now?"
THE END