DISCLAIMER: You know, this gets a bit tedious! I do not own Full Metal Alchemist, the laws of alchemy, and anycharacter mentioned in here that is also mentioned in the anime or manga. But I do own Kiara Nevina, Austin Dunstan, Liana Kong, Airianna, and all that good stuff. Yep, I love my OCs.


A/N: I'm baaaacck! It's been a while since I updated, but as promised chapter 6! I hope you all like it, and it hasn't been edited yet either, though, I've been working on my grammar. I guarantee this will be a thrilling chapter, with lots of deception, angst, humor, and all the things a good story has. I had better go, before I start sounding like a commercial!


Chapter 6: Love and Hate; A Journey for Both

Never, ever again did Kiara want to be walking where they were now. It was Liana's own sheer cruel amusement that she was out here, in this…this place. And it was exactly how it had been on the train, dead silence with Al shifting uncomfortably. Therefore, she didn't even have anything to take her mind off the thoughts. Yes, it was Kiara's childhood home-

Everything was so familiar. They passed the wooden dojo were she used to practice, she could see her four-year-old self swinging from her mother's hand as they walked along the path, and then she saw the worst of it.

Very, very, far off was a tree. It was very small and looked like a speck in the distance, but Kiara felt like it was running right into her face. There wasn't even one more like it in this town. They had been cut down for more room before she was even born; that's why it was so special, those three random cherry trees that had always been there. Owned by no one, they were absentmindedly placed in a little grassy plain. Kiara wouldn't even have been able to see them if it weren't for the spring weather. They had blossomed magnificently, full of luscious white petals, each little bloom having up to a hundred. It couldn't have been more beautiful; it was the town's pride and joy this time around. One was larger than the rest, but right next to it sat two smaller ones, identically the same. The biggest one towered over the others with dominance, beamingly basking in the light of the sun.

It used to hold Kiara's deepest and utmost respect; to her, it was perfect. Respected, beautiful, dominant, graceful, and most of all elegant to her in every way. The correct term was 'used to' because after her bloody days it only bore bloodshed and horror on it's branches. Evil and distraught; that's what it meant to her now. Everything wrong and injustice, it was what it fought for.

The evil thoughts kept creeping back to her, one by one, until they got so bad and so unbearable she yelled in pain.

"What's wrong?" Al shouted above her screaming, grabbing her arms.

"I- don't- want- to- be- here!" she huffed, trying to free from his grasp.

"Kiara-kun relax, what's the matter?" Al asked confused, trying his best to hold on.

"Not now, not ever! There's blood reeking in the air, can't you smell it? It's been here for thirteen years, flowing down my fists!" she shouted, making no sense.

"What are you talking about?" Al tried to question again, as they had stopped moving. "What blood on your fists? What do you mean? What have you done here?" he asked repetitively.

Her face contorted into so much anger and so much pain at the same time. Every flooding bloody memory swept through her mind, they wouldn't disappear. Not the bodies, not her mother's laughter, not her father's face, not the man…everything. She couldn't even see what was in front of her. She didn't know how it was possible, but something was pressing her down. Not letting her go.

"Let me go!" she shouted, referring to Al.

"What are you talking about?" Ed intervened, giving her a look as if she was insane. "You're making no sense!"

She let out a desperate cry of frustration.

"Brother, something's wrong!" Al cried, deeply afraid.

Nothing was wrong with her actually. Typically normal, they had just never seen it. Okay, maybe it wasn't, considering her head felt like it was about to explode, and her throat kept threatening her to spew vomit all over the ground.

"KIARA!" Ed shouted in fury, grabbing a hold of her also. "You better shut the hell up before we blow you up! You most better not be okay, 'cause if you are, you won't be for long!" he warned her in pure rage, a very stern and determined face.

"Whoa…" she suddenly stated, and everything calmed down.

Her muscles relax, her vision became clear, and her burning throat instantly disappeared. "Thank-you Alphonse, Edward," Kiara told him, yet having a creepy airless tone permanently stuck to her words.

"What the hell was that?" Ed asked, sounding deeply relieved, but at the same time cautious. "What are you playing at Nevina?" he yelled angrily. "Explain!"

"I don't know…." she stated, still as blank and empty as before.

Al whimpered. "Brother, is she alright?" he whispered.

Before anything could happen, she fell to the ground, the world blackening around her….


A/N: So, do you think this was a fine short chapter or not? I worked really hard and- JUST JOKING. I would NEVER make a chapter that short, even if it is a perfect cliffhanger. (which I can't seem to do if you've realized) Really, I put this here so you can be all angry with me and say," SHUT UP AND LET ME READ THE REST!" Go ahead my fine feathered friend, there's much more ahead...HA I RYHMED!

"She's waking brother," a small voice sprang through her ears.

"Step back before she bites you or something," another replied sarcastically.

Kiara was utterly exhausted. The only thing she could do was think how much she wanted to roll over and go back to sleep; then she tried to roll over and go back to sleep. Only then did Kiara realize she was on solid hard rock.

She moaned as she rolled over, then blinked a few times, as the sun beat down furiously. A deep yawn, a few stretches, and a lot of silence later, she spoke.

"What happened?" Kiara asked confused.

"What do you mean, you don't know what happened? You started talking and not making any fucking sense, then starting acting like a stoned hippie! And then, to top of the seriously freaky moment, you blacked-out on us damn it!" Ed cried angrily.

"Oh, that…." she murmured.

"It's happened before?" Al asked incredulously.

"Just something from a while back. And only once," she replied hastily. Kiara noticed that her sleeve had been pulled up, revealing a slight blur of blackness. She hastily covered it up.

"Let's keep going," Kiara staggered as she stood up, and Ed had to help her a bit.

"You- this- I- we…." Al stuttered in astonishment.

"That never happened. If you speak of it again I will make sure you never see light. And yes, that's a threat," she warned them darkly, finally gaining balance.

She pushed off Ed's shoulder, focused her eyes straight ahead, and kept walking as if nothing had happened. "This way," she ordered as they turned a corner on the street.

Although she felt content with herself, she still wasn't exactly normal. The stupid ground just wouldn't stop rolling slightly to the left, and her throat kept begging to be watered, or it would do some serious damage. And although she thought she was walking right, she never realized how long Ed had to sustain her on his shoulder and keep his arm around her waist.

She hummed slightly, not exactly sure what it was. Just and airless, tuneless, crappy made-up one that somewhat resembled a song she had heard from long ago. It didn't seem to bother Ed and Al, or they just kept quiet so not to cause her displeasure. Whenever she could, she'd close her eyes, and when they were open they'd stare directly at the ground. There was no way she was going to pass out again, it would be excessively humiliating. It would never happened again, never, and she could assure you that.

Eventually the boring walk through the neighborhood winded up to two wide dirt paths, the ends in which couldn't been seen. They were covered in the thick branches of many trees that loomed over them. One if them was straight to the house, and another one that went farther back to the garage. It had a very cute-like feature added to it, everything was so small, and petite, it was almost happy. They chose the path that lead up to the house, but of course, and were greeted with a cozy little home that looked like a cottage with two stories. It had a little deck that sprung out with an old style look to it, and gave off the aura of a cheery house that was once new long ago. It was all made out of wood, and had beautifully hand designed wooden frames.

This house hadn't been used in many time years; it was like a friendly pretty grandmother to Kiara.

She couldn't remember the last time she set foot in it; it had to have been a long time ago, when she was still young and innocent. Yes, what a perfect hiding spot— Liana Kong's childhood home.

"We gonna move or we gonna gawk?" Ed asked bored, bringing Kiara out of her gaze.

"Sorry," she replied quickly, snapping her head down from the sky and back to the ground.

Nothing came easy, Kiara swore to God. The second time Kiara's fist pounded lightly on the door, it swung open. Before any of them could be caught be surprise, four large hands swooped out and picked them up; even Al. They freely allowed themselves to be tossed onto the ground and have the door slam shut before they could escape.

"Ms. Kong, the presence of your guests have been acquired ma'am!" three huge men practically ripping out of their shirts shouted like robots, holding their hand to their forehead just like a sailor.

They heard laughing from the room over as a young girl swaggered in. She was extremely short, just like Kiara and Ed, but less insecure about it. Her black, shiny, lengthy short hair that Kiara remembered had been transformed into almost transparent silver, which swayed all the way to her thigh in a graceful way. Her chocolate brown eyes were no doubt changed into big wide pretty ones that were brimmed into a dark lavender color.

"So, I see you've had some improvements," Kiara smirked, still lying on the floor.

"When so many people are after you, you have to resort to completely different identities," Liana chuckled, offering her a hand up.

"God, it's been forever," Kiara almost cried, wrapping her in a tight embrace.

"Ah, my perfect little Melody is getting all teary!" Liana laughed as Kiara let go.

"Am freaking not!" Kiara protested. "And I stopped calling you Harmony such a long time ago, quit with the names!" she pushed her in the shoulders.

Bad idea because suddenly two huge arms had themselves wrapped around her neck, just threatening to burst her vocal cords.

"No worries Matzo, whatever this woman does is completely okay. She is to never be touched by any of you again, got it?" Liana warned, as the three men nodded in unison.

"So, before we start catching up and causing some trouble, please introduce your friends," Liana motioned her hand towards Ed and Al.

"Ah yes, almost forgot," Kiara smiled as they stared at her angrily. "Meet Edward Elric," she shook her hand in his direction and he gave an odd stare. "But we hate the kid," Kiara muttered angrily in Liana's ear. "Don't be nice," she growled, and Liana shook her head.

"Always like that my deary," Liana whispered back. "Shame, deadly good-looking.…" she smiled slyly.

"Ha, I knew I wasn't the only one!" Kiara declared loudly, with a triumphant fist in the air.

"What? Who are you? What are your ties with the government?" Ed asked urgently, walking closer to them.

"Well excuse me! I don't even know that man's name over there!" Liana cried offended.

"Meet Alphonse Elric, his younger brother. Call them Ed and Al though, the usually go by that," Kiara introduced lastly.

"Ah, my good man Alphonse! Wait…he's younger?" Liana questioned curiously, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah that's right! What, do you think I'm shorter or something? DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME SOMEONE SO SMALL WHEN YOU TRIED TO LOOK AT HIM YOU HAD TO PULL OUT A MAGNIFYING GLASS!" Ed shouted furiously, lunging at Liana.

"I didn't say that much! I didn't say anything!" Liana whimpered quickly in fear, backing away.

Before the huge men could grasp him on orders, Al had held onto him tightly. "Don't niisan!" Al yelled frantically, as Ed wreathed in his strong steel arm.

"Edward, calm down you stupid moron! Is she would have called you short, not only would it had been clarified, it'd be hypocritical. Just look at her for God's sake!" Kiara waved her hand over Liana's head.

"Look who's talking.…" Liana grumbled while folding her arms together grumpily as Kiara stopped.

"Alright, enough stalling," Ed had calmed down now as Kiara watched the three men disappear into the other room, sensing that they had no use anymore. "Let's get settled in or something, can we sit?" Ed asked casually.

"In here," Liana motioned her hand to the open doorway that led to the kitchen without doubt.

It was a cute, cozy little kitchen with yellow trimming the top of the walls and white and yellow tiles. Aside from the regular kitchen table, a permanent wooden table like thing stood in the middle of the room, holding a dishwasher and oven. Six wooden legged white barstools sat around it, which they all seated themselves on.

Although Kiara sat in-between Ed and Al, Liana sat across from her.

"So, I'll answer your stupid questions if you promise Kiara and I get some alone time. To talk and catch up of course," Liana bargained.

"Yeah, like I care. Don't go running away or anything," Ed shrugged carelessly.

"And I'm asking you the stupid questions," Kiara pulled out a notebook.

"What, am I getting interviewed all of a sudden?" Liana mumbled, eyeing the notebook with a sour look.

"Notes are my proof to Mustang, and these people just came along," Kiara answered, focusing on her paper with a pen hanging limply from her hand.

"Kiara, why'd you even bring them along? I know you could've gotten rid of them," Ed gave a look of anger as Liana spoke, but Kiara went on unnoticed.

"Pssh, I dunno," she said with a shrug. "Ask Al, he hasn't said much," she waved her hand to Al and jotted something down.

"Er- Hi, I'm Alphonse Elric." Al laughed nervously, not knowing what to say.

"Well hello Al!" Liana piped up happily, with a perky wave.

April 10th, 2007

Liana Kong

Q.

A.

Kiara wrote down quickly, and then looked up.

"Alright, what are your ties with the government?" she asked, twiddling her pen carelessly in her left hand.

"None, I've never committed a crime that is worth being put away for. Notice my choice of word though," Liana sniggered. "Scratch that last part," she added.

"Okie-dokie then. You've been somehow added to the involvement of sixteen crimes using eighteen chimeras, fourteen deaths, and possible leads to the Philosopher's stone. Explain," Kiara spoke off her noted she had scribble down before they had left.

"The what!" Ed and Al shouted in unison.

"You know stuff about the Philosopher's stone? What are you attachments? Have you been experimenting with it?" Ed demanded.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, let me talk first!" Liana leaned back, only to realize nothing was there to support her. She carefully regained her balance before she could fall, but it didn't stop Kiara from laughing.

"Why didn't you tell us of this Kiara? And why didn't Mustang either?" Al asked in what sounded like a cruel tone.

"Well God, don't get on my case. It isn't as if you're searching for it or anything. Besides, I thought Mustang told you!" Kiara defended herself. "And we're getting farther and farther away from the subject here, so Ed, Al, shut-up and let the woman talk!" Kiara shushed them up.

"So this is what he meant when he said, 'it'll be a nice treat'" Ed mumbled inaudibly.

"Okay, I'm good," Liana spoke up, drawing the attention back on her. "I've got one answer for all the sentences or questions you could ever ask. So listen up." Kiara rolled her eyes and her response, but listened anyway. "One name- Garo Agro, that's all I'm saying. And I already went through a lot of crap, so don't go prancing around saying shit that'll make the dog's of the military come after me." Liana said.

"How the hell does that help us with anything?" Ed barked.

"Shut-up Elric, listen to the smart one" Kiara snapped, scribbling his name down. "It's closer than we were anyway, so deal," she said nastily again, as she finished writing his last name.

"But why'd we even come all this way? For a name? Why, we could've called her if we wanted a name!" Al said, backing up Ed. They were both angry. "We're here because of her, not some other guy. We want more information!" Al barked, taking Kiara and Ed by surprise with his swift change of attitude.

"Well, since Kiara is the one writing things down…" Liana looked at them gingerly. "And she trusted you two enough to bring with her…" she trailed off again.

"Get to it grandma," Kiara sighed impatient.

"Garo Agro is a man with interactions with the Philosopher's stone. I've been known to create many things, things that would make you hurl and want to whither away. He came to me asking about the blood red stone, knowing I had knowledge in this area of expertise. All I told him was you'd have to be insane to try it. He forced me into this, all right? I was told to round up a specific big town, and he only wanted that one town. I was to make the townsfolk let him draw a transmutation circle around them and their cities. Yeah, yeah, I knew what he was doing. That's why when everything happened to be in plan, I smudged some things here, erased a few things there, you know; it was incorrect," Liana took a wide breath and watch their eyes fill with surprise.

"Liana…" Kiara whispered, hardly believe what was being said. "How- how could you!" she shouted angrily. "You know the consequences of something like that! You know the alchemy laws! Do you have any idea what kind of hell that could cause!" Kiara felt so angry. "What about that stupid vow, eh? Just decided to back out on it, even with all the damage you could foresee?"

"You just shut-up little girl," Liana snapped.

"I know more than you'll ever realize!" Kiara stood up.

"Just because you got hit with a heavier stone doesn't mean I'm to keep a silly childhood promise!" Liana stood up also. "I've seen more than your innocent eyes have! I know what things lie ahead. I went out there, and I learned what I needed to know! Do you think I care if a couple of people die? Don't these look like the eyes of a killer to you?" she ranted furiously.

Kiara stared deep into Liana's vacant fake eyes, trying hard to see past. "They say once you've killed one, it's easy to keep doing it," Kiara replied blankly.

Ed and Al just sat there watching intently, knowing they needn't step into a fight that didn't belong to them. Half of what they were saying didn't even make sense to their ears.

"You can't bring up the past in which you try so hard to forget Nevina. I'm not the old Liana Kong anymore; I haven't been this for a long time! Accept the fact your only companion has decided to move on, and deal with it! I try and stay nice for this visit, and I try and get you to come here for information I know you'd like, but you can't sit still can you?" Liana snapped bitterly. "Now sit down, write what you came for, and get moving," she ordered.

Kiara, too angry, thrust the notebook onto the table and stormed out. She didn't want to hear the rest of the story, she didn't want to see her face again, and she most certainly did not want to finish that interview.

"Kiara!" Al called after her desperately, but she didn't think back on it.

"Stupid…evil, foul little, devious, loathsome, beastly, detestable, disgusting, horrible…" Kiara ranted under her breath, thinking of every foul word she could. "Revolting, vile bitch!" she muttered profusely again, slamming her hand against the door, forcing it to swing open.

"She- she- she put lives at stake! She's killed before! She's right…Liana is not the innocent woman I once knew. I can't believe I wasn't even aware she chose the wrong path!" Kiara fumed angrily

Kiara had walked far away from the porch and had walked straight into her backyard. They only thing it held was a forever stretching land of trees and plants; a simple forest. Kiara recalled the many hours her and Liana would spend running around, trying to get lost so they could be challenged to get back. They always found their way back. But the most recent memory she had would have been right underneath the largest oak in the forest. It was there that Liana had promised no matter where Kiara would go, no matter what sort of filth she'd drag on her back, that she'd never do the same. She didn't have to, so she made a vow to Kiara that she'd make a better life. Moreover, Kiara had been just so stupid to believe the adventurous bloodthirsty girl would stay put where she was, leading an innocent and happy life.

At last, Kiara reached her destination. The big oak that was showered in bright green leaves swayed in the breeze, leaving spots of light to travel all the way to the ground. She counted eight steps around its enormous trunk, and stopped suddenly.

"Eight steps and you shall see,

The secrets that lie in this tree."

Kiara repeated the rather clever riddle from long ago. As she searched the bark, she found old tattered scrapings that were barely readable. However, Kiara knew they were no ordinary scratches. Two fifteen-year-old girls made them in a desperate attempt to stay together longer for one last time. Kiara didn't need to look carefully to see the riddle she had just said written barely visible, or the clear thick lines that read the initials- L.K. and K.N. She picked around in her pocket until she found what she was looking for. Kiara drew out a pocketknife and swung out the blade with her thumb. Furiously she scratched out the initials, and took a long patient time to write another riddle.

When to one this may seem a token,

It left one girl's heart a broken

With her strength and anger forced into the flow of her hand, each word had to have been carved in at least two inches deep.

"K-K-Kiara?" a small voiced echoed throughout the silence in what sounded like a trembling tone. "What?" she snapped, her head turning around in neck-breaking speed.

There stood Al, nervously ringing his hands together, purposely avoiding her eyes.

"I- er- well, you just ran off…what was it about?" he asked carefully.

"Shut up!" she yelled and heard him whimper.

She whizzed back around to the tree and kept scratching out Liana's name furiously, huffing as she tried to so hard to make it disappear. Then the knife broke right in half, and Kiara stopped blankly. It hung limply from her hand as she stared from the broken blade to the tree repetitively.

"It…broke" Kiara stated bluntly after a few minutes of awkward silence.

"Well, you can always get another. Try not pressing so hard," Al suggested, as he walked closer to her and took it from her hand. "Kiara…I know you wouldn't like to tell someone you just met something personal…but, do you want to say anything?" Al asked.

Kiara sighed, and plopped down on the ground. "It just isn't her Alphonse," she cried, burying her head in her hands.

She heard the movement of Al trying carefully to sit down, but other than that he stayed silent.

"Her name isn't even Liana Kong. I should've known something was happening when she told me that in her letter two years ago, I was just so naive and stupid!" Kiara scolded herself.

"W- what do you m- mean?" Al stuttered surprised.

Kiara took a deep breath, making sure to get rid of the shakiness in her voice. She decided even if she had promised Liana that she'd keep quiet. It would be all right to tell Alphonse. "It's sort of like this…."

"Kokuou, get your ass right back here!" Kiara, still young, huffed. She had been chasing her friend for a good ten minutes, and was completely out of breath. She had to stop and rest her hands on her knees. "Listen, I have to go! Get back here, I haven't much time!" she yelled after her, but was only greeted by a laugh.

"How about you get your ass over here Nevina!" she cackled. "We're here anyway!"

And she was right. Only a few feet ahead of her stood Arina Kokuou; her raven black hair swishing rapidly over her ears and her thin smile that fitted perfectly with her tan features.

"Why are we at Chukyo?" Kiara questioned, patting the old huge oak tree that had been there so long her and Arina had named it.

"Well, it had to be something that would never go away, and had a big impact on us. It had to be this tree," she explained.

"Woman, what the hell are you talking about?" Kiara cried incredulously.

"This isn't fair Kiara, it just isn't" she spoke seriously, her brown eyes darkening. "You…you shouldn't have to do this. A dog of the military, that's what you are to become! It's the same thing your after that killed you, don't do it! You don't need to go find your father; I'll take care of you. Please Kiara, please stay!" She pleaded, falling to her knees.

Kiara stood silent, letting her hair cover her face. One tear rolled down her cheek, and crashed into Arina's hair.

"Please stay…" she heard her sniff sadly, pulling slightly on her pants.

"Get up, you look pitiful" Kiara ordered, pushing her shoulder to rid of her grip.

"Kiara, think of what you're doing! I've tried to be supportive, but you're throwing your life away. And for what? Nothing!" she cried.

"Just shut the hell up Kokuou, you don't even know! When you don't have anything left, you look for something that can comfort you! And that isn't your happy smiling perfect life. I could never sit with you and just envy the rest of my life away. I have to do something! And I'm going to find my father; I'm going to become a state alchemist. If I can perform alchemy, I will earn that title and use it to find him!" Kiara shouted.

"Why! You barely loved him! He was never around, he ran off!" Arina shouted at her, finally standing up. "You're stupid, and that's all! You don't know what you're doing, and I have to stop you!"

"DON'T TELL ME HOW TO LIVE MY LIFE!" Kiara screamed. "IT DOESN'T MATTER EVEN IF I WAS LOOKING FOR A STUPID DOG, I'M GOING TO FIND HIM! I'm going to do this, no matter what!" and then Kiara started to walk away.

Every step pounded in her ears, and ever instinct told her not to walk away; she shouldn't leave the only thing that had given her happiness like this.

She turned back around, and ran up to the tree, trying hard to ignore Arina's stares.

"This is my signature," Kiara said, whipping out a pocketknife with a golden edge, scratching at the bark. Finally, her initials came into view. "Now you sign it!" she barked harshly, hastily throwing the knife at her.

"Wha…?" Arina asked confused.

"Promise me, promise me you won't come after me!" Arina nodded in fear, as Kiara's face turned red. "Promise me you won't do what I did! Promise you'll stay away, and by God if you don't do it I'll kill you!" Then Kiara watched as Arina fearfully carved her initials also.

Eight steps and you will see,

The secrets that lie in this tree.

Kiara carved in the wood, and looked over to Arina.

"Every moment we ever had is sealed in this tree, good old Chukyo," Kiara chuckled slightly. "But I'll carry them with me. I won't be back you know, I don't plan on it," she told Arina.

"You won't!" Arina cried, looking extremely surprised.

"It's time to start a new life," she explained.

"What about the life God gave you?" Arina asked angrily.

"God's an idiot. He wasn't even nice to me; I'm ready to start again. But don't worry Arina, you'll never be able to disappear from me. My heart just wouldn't allow it," Kiara smiled, all the hate flowing away.

"I…I'm going to have a hard time without you, you know that, right Nevina?" Arina smiled.

"Suck it up," Kiara smirked and turned around.

"And I don't know why…but it just meant so much to me," Kiara said, looking over to Al. "I probably wouldn't have minded so much. But what she did, ruining the transmutation circle, just made me feel as if she had broken everything that we had. It's been at least…three years since I've seen her. I should've expected this…" she sighed.

"I think because you left, Arina didn't know what to do," Al finally spoke. "So she became exactly what you didn't want. However, it is like you've been telling everyone and yourself; it doesn't do good to dwell on the past. Carry on; if you had enough strength to leave her, you'll have enough to pick her back up again." He explained quietly, making so much sense Kiara wondered why she hadn't thought of it.

"I don't want to touch that thing. It's too late…." she sighed.

"Nothing is too late, just given up," Al replied sternly.

"I…." Kiara faltered.

And she never found the words either. They sat there in a silent peace, enjoying the scenery in an odd way for the longest time.

"Where's Edward?" Kiara finally asked.

"Finishing up the interview with Arina," Al admitted truthfully.

"It's Liana Al, it's Liana. Say that again and I'll have serious problems with trusting you," Kiara warned, making sure he understood to never speak of it again.

"He's finishing up the interview with Liana," Al corrected himself.

"Ass…." Kiara muttered inaudibly. "I knew he couldn't care about someone's feelings…." she murmured angrily. "Well, I think we should…go back," she choked out, wanting more than anything to stay there.

"When you're ready," Al assured her.

Kiara smiled. "In that case…." She trailed off, and lay down on the grass, closing her eyes in peace.

It turns out when Liana had ruined the circle, some of people were fused together with animals, and thus came damned chimeras screaming in pain. She was only responsible for fourteen deaths, because only fourteen bodies were found. The town was named Alleth, a small quiet town that didn't have any special resources or anything beyond the average townsfolk. Alleth was only populated by an estimate of one thousand in a small valley just north of Kiara's hometown; Kyoto. (A/N: hey my people, that '' means I've got a footnote for you at the end of this, feel free to look at it whenever you want)The military was trying very hard to re-build it quickly and restore new citizens before the real reason why it went down was revealed. Sadly, too many rumors had already spread amongst the people, and fear drove them away.

All this reached Kiara directly from Al, for she had taken a vow of ignorance to both Ed and Liana. Ed didn't seem to care any, except when she wouldn't pass him anything at the table that evening, but Liana had been forceful enough to make them stay, for dinner. Al insisted that Kiara stay, so they sat in an awkward silence, with steady death glares.

"Can you pass the salt Kiara-kun?" Al asked timidly.

She hastily shoved it across the table silently, never looking up from her plate.

"Sure…and I'm right next to you," Ed grumbled, his shoulder brushing against hers.

"We'll be going," Kiara informed strictly after she had shoved the last bit of food in her mouth.

"I-" Liana looked like she was about to say something, but shushed up. "Fine, go," she lowered her head in silence.

Kiara grabbed the coat of the back of her chair and threw it around her shoulders. She walked over to the corner of the kitchen, and picked up the luggage she wouldn't need anymore.

"Umm…" Al stuttered, looking to Ed.

"What?" Ed replied to his glare with a shrug, not even bothering if she was standing right there.

"We're going Alphonse," she snapped, grabbing Ed's elbow.

"Hey!" Ed cried as she ripped him away from the table forcefully and his fork clattered onto the table. "I can stand-up by myself," he shot, freeing him self from her grasp.

Kiara huffed, placing her hands on her hips impatiently.

She watched Ed look from her to Al many times, then once at Liana. Just when Kiara was sure he'd bend into his brother's pleas, he shrugged and walked past her. Kiara smiled in delight. Finally, someone was siding with her. Or not really caring, she couldn't tell…. Maybe Ed could be forgiven. After all, fraternizing with the enemy was hardly what he had been doing….

"Kiara-kun," Al intercepted, as they were walking.

It was fairly dark, the sun sinking very low into the horizon, and the night's chilly breeze had blown in, making Kiara wrap her coat around tighter and wishing she had brought something more heavier.

"What Al?" she shivered, clanking her teeth together.

"I…I don't think we should have left."

"Not this again," Ed muttered, placing his face in his hands for a moment.

"Al, for God's sake, we have been walking for over twenty minutes! I'm not going to turn back around just so you can feel satisfied!" Kiara moaned frustrated.
"You left things in a pit!" he complained.

"I didn't do anything! Nothing possibly happened that will actually do any harm! I haven't even spoke to her for three damn years, what was supposed to happen? I saw her, I learned the truth, and then we left. Big freaking whoop," she added in an extremely heavy sarcastic tone, rolling her eyes.

"What about that promise!" he shouted.

"Huh?" Ed asked, confused.

Kiara went bug-eyed for a moment in shock, then shot him a dagger. "Shut-up about that!" she hissed.

"You were hurt when she broke it! Why should you do the same?" Al replied bravely.

"HUH?" Ed asked louder, but they both ignored him.

"What would be the use! There's nothing to break when it's already been done! Just be quiet Al," she snapped.

"HUH!" Ed shouted again, clear and loud.

"Oh be quiet too Ed, we can freaking hear you," Kiara added hastily, as he huffed angrily. "Like I'd tell you," she murmured.

"Hey, what's so bad about me!"

"Why are you going to start a fight?"
"Al, what's she talking about, what are you talking about?"

"Uh…"

"Don't you dare tell him!"

"Tell me!"

"Don't!"

"Uh…"

"I'm your brother!"

"But I made a promise brother…."

"Ed, shut-up about it!"
"NO! I deserve to know! Especially if it has anything to do with-"

"No, it doesn't niisan."

"WOULD WE ALL JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Kiara raged, hitting the closest thing to her.

"Hey watch it Nevina!" Ed shot nastily, rubbing his arm.

"Please, Kiara, watch you language," Al added.

"I can say whatever the hell I want! And I say, at this exact damn moment, we are not turning back! I am not about to apologize!" Kiara yelled, stopping.

They stopped too, and watched her point a finger and yell at them.

"I'm not going to make amends, I'm not going to listen to you, but I am going to turn straight forward and keep walking!" and she hastily moved swiftly forward.

Al couldn't do anything, unless he picked her up and starting walking in the other direction. In fact, he actually considered it, and warned her with it. She simply replied that she'd kill him. One way or another, she'd knock his head off. With no doubt she would, Ed stopped them there, afraid that if Al's head did pop off, she'd figure everything out.

The rest of the walk was quiet. Waiting for the train at nine was quiet, the two-hour ride back home was quiet. The walk up the steps and all the way to their rooms was in complete and utter silence.

"Goodnight," she snapped, as she stepped off the elevator and on to her floor. Kiara didn't turn around to see the door close and move up just one more floor, and headed straight down the hall and into her room, slamming the door.

"HOLY SHIT!" she cried in alarm, dropping the suitcases that she didn't need.

"Konichiwa, Kiki-kun," they said quietly.

"What are you doing in here!" Kiara demanded.

"I…I had to see you," they whispered.


Kyoto: City in central Japan on southern Honshu; a famous cultural center that was once the capital of Japan. What, did you think I'd make my own city? No way, Alleth is mine, not Kyoto.
ALRIGHT! Hope you enjoyed it. I'm thinking it may have been a bit too long, because on word it said I had 10 pages...and that's in font size 11, just so ya' know. REVIEW PLEASE. I hate 10 reviews, and I hate to brag, (not really) but it says 196 people have read this. Besides, I WANT MORE FRIENDS! Ok...so I guess this chapter is put up in time for...well, New Year's. So, yeah, I dedicate this to New Years...or something like that. Ha, I should do and FMA New Years. Kiara needs SOMEBODY to kiss when the ball drops...(snicker) You know who I'm talking about! (winks)