Alchemist Chronicles

Chapter 15 - Ibis

AJ yells. "WHAT THE HELL! How? When?-"

Roxy - "Whoa don't hurt yourself there, Ari. Take it easy."

AJ glares at Roxy, rolling her eyes and then walks to Roy, who then hands her a folder and she immediately leaves afterwards.

Ed - "That wasn't cool, Roxy."

Riza sighs, looking at her. "You know Roxy, not everyone in this room knew who she really was."

Roxy raises a eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Ed sighs as well. "She's means my little brother didn't know Janine like that."

Roxy bits her lip. She then sighs. "So-"

Roy - "When she comes back to the office, you and only you will need to apologize to her. It was her business and her's only. No one else had the right to put any of it out there. There's a reason for all of it as I'm sure she has told you when the two of you talked about whatever she wanted you to know."

Roxy sighs. "Yeah. Your right."

Several minutes pass when Al random shouts. "Liore!" Everyone looks directly at him. He then turns to Ed, who is staring him confusedly. "What?"

Ed says with a blank face. "You're doing it again. Just like... (he holds his tongue.) Anyway-"

Al - "Remember when I came from Xing? I cut through Liore to meet up with you in Central, brother. Rose asked me for a favor before I left. (He pokes his head with a finger) Think, think what was it"

Ed - "Alright. I get it. We'll talk later." Al nods.

Just then the door opens up with AJ holding a few folders. She then walks over to Roy's desk, placing them on top of it. "Ok. So is there anything that you have that he requested or..."

Roy - "Yeah, actually. Here." He hands her one folder.

AJ raises an eyebrow. "Seriously? That's it?" He nods his head. "Wait a minute." She pulls out a folder underneath a pile on the other side of the desk. "Sir, really? Take care of this before that other one." As Roy goes thru the one she just handed him. Once he finishes with several others on the side, AJ leaves again holding all of them.

Roxy - "Jeez. She wasn't kidding about her job."

Riza excuses herself and Roxy to the hallway. "So what did she tell you?"

Roxy looks at her confused. "Why? Weren't you only her bodyguard? Why are you asking me a question like that?"

Riza - "I want you to understand Roxy. While you were over in Creta living your life, she was over here fighting for her's. You were not there when she almost gave into her inner demons regardless if Adam caused them or not. Myself and several others helped her through those dark times. It wasn't only painful for us to watch but I can't even imagine what it was like for her. Only she knows that."

Roxy - "Yeah. She already told me how she felt. (Roxy starts to get emotional) It-It just sucks, ok. Like why? Why did she have to through that? Why did that asshole do that to her, you know? It's so- it's so sad." Roxy covers her face with her hands and begans to cry.

Riza walks over and puts a hand on her shoulder. Then she notices AJ appoaching them. She then walks over and grabs the folders that AJ was holding as she runs forward and wraps her arms around Roxy's waist. Roxy turns around as the both of them fall to the ground holding each other, crying. Riza leaves them to themselves.

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Roy excuses himself from the office. Once he closes the door, Al notices something. "Ed, what's the matter?"

Ed sighs. "It's not my place to say anything, but I can't shake the feeling that Janine's been to hell and back.. Like that dark place inside of all of us that is domant but waiting. Waiting to consume in its entirely." He leans forward, rests his elbows on his knees with his hands covering his face.

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They break apart but holding onto each other's hands. "No matter what happened to me, I still wanted to keep my promise to you. Our promise to each other." Ari says as she's crying.

Roxy pulls her back into a hug. "Mad Love AJ, Mad Love."

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When Roy walks out of the office and turns right at the corner of the hall. Hawkeye notices him in the distance. Before she's able to say anything, he puts his hand up. "Where is she?" Riza nudges her head and walks past him.

When he walks a bit farther, he hears. "So seriously Ari, when am I gonna get to meet chur new Ma?" "Ease up dawg, don't rush me, aight?" He stops and shakes his head confusedly hearing her talking like that. Then they both laugh shortly. "Hey AJ, you never said that the Roy dude was pretty cute." "Ew Roxy, don't." "Don't what?" "Don't do it, ok. For my sake and sanity. Behave yourself." "Why? Does he have a girlfriend?" "Roooxxxyyy." "Ja-nine."

Roy then walks around the corner, startling the both of them. "There you are. I was wondering where you went?" They both just stare at him. "What?"

Roxy asks Roy. "So... are you dating anyone?" He then looks at AJ, who then immediately starts walking.

AJ - "I know, I get it. I'll take care of it now." She takes off running back to the office.

Roy - "No, I'm not dating anyone at this time." He smirks at her, she grins back at him.

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AJ opens the office door, quickly closing and leaning against it and sighs heavily. She looks at Hawkeye who is looking back at her. She then walks over to his desk, sits down in the chair and lays her head on the desk, groaning. "I think I'm gonna sick."

Riza raises her eyebrow. "Janine, talk to me."

AJ lifts her head, resting her elbow on the desk with her palm under her chin. "You really wanna know, boss?" Riza nods her head. AJ sighs again. "I think they're dating now." She raises an eyebrow to Hawkeye, who immediately gets it. "Oh really?" "EW. I know right? It's disgusting!" She says throwing her hands up. Al chuckles at her. Smiling, Riza shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe it'll interesting to watch." She grins at AJ, who looks at her flabbergasted. Shaking her head, AJ replies. "Nope. No way in hell. Ain't gonna happen." "Oh and who says so?"

AJ stares at Hawkeye, then takes a deep breath. "May I remind you of his tendency of either snoozing or purposely distracting himself with stupid crap." Riza laughs at her response. AJ groans in frustration.

Ed - "She does have a point." AJ looks at Ed questionablely. "You girls are talking about Roy, right?"

AJ then looks at Ed. She then pulls out her pocket knife that is in her jacket. She takes it out of its holster, pressing the blade gently across her finger. "So Ed, quick question. Have you've ever seen a pissed of Aerugian woman before?" She says in a tone.

Al gulps as Ed unsurely answers. "No." He then puts his hand underneath his chin. "You're not only Aerugian, are you?" AJ glares at him before she forcefully throws the knife next to him barely missing his left shoulder, causing Ed and Al to flinch. Ed then shouts. "What the H-" "Don't fucking upset a one fourth Aerugian woman, Edward. Remember that." She says seriously. Ed stares at her in disbelief. While Al is looking at his brother, AJ eyes turn blue while she stares back at Ed.

She then takes a deep breath, closing her eyes. She then looks at Al. "May you please pass me my knife back, Al?"

Al stands up, grabs the knife, walking over and handing it her. "Thank you, Alphonse. " She says winking at him, causing him to blush. He then hurries back to his seat.

AJ quickly puts the knife away. She then finds Roy's hat in one of his drawers and puts it on. She then gathers up some paperwork, completing some of them. While she was in the middle of filling out an important one regarding Ishval. "Hey uh, boss." She then shows Hawkeye the document. Riza replies. "I'll take care of this one, finish up." "Yes ma'am."

A few more minutes goes by. Ed gets up and leaves the office. AJ then reaches into her jacket pocket and pulls out a small notebook. "Hey Al." She whispers, calling him over. He walks over as she opens the book, pointing to a few alchemy circles and charts. "Here. I have another deal I wanna make with you. I already translated it for you and yet don't have a single clue what any of it means. That's where you come in." "Got it." He replies. He grabs the book and a blank book for notes and walks back to sit on the sofa.

An half an hour goes by and she tells Hawkeye. "Hey boss." Riza looks at her. AJ gives her the ear signal. A minute later Roxy walks back into the room. She freezes once she sees AJ.

Roxy - "Seriously AJ. Take off the hat."

AJ - "Have a seat, chica."

Roxy walks over taking a seat next to Al. "So Janine." AJ looks up for a moment, then goes back to work finishing up some more of the paperwork. "I'm gonna finish work for the day in a few hours, we can talk about whatever you want then." Roxy nods her head.

A few more minutes go by when Roy comes back into the office. Walking over to his desk, he taps AJ on her shoulder. "Hm?" "Move it." "Move what?" "Your butt." "Ew don't look it, you perv. I'm underage." Others in the room chuckle. "That's not what I meant!" "Don't yell at me just cuz you made it sound all pevy!" Roy sighs. "Just get out of the chair, will ya." She stands up. "Fine. All you had to do was ask me kindly dude, jeez." She rolls her eyes, grabs a few folders off of the desk and starts walking to the door. "Janine." "Yeah?" She stops and turns around. "My hat." She pouts. Riza walks over to her and takes the hat off of her head and hands it back to him.

AJ sighs and looks at Al. "Hey Al. Come with?" He looks up and grabs his stuff. "Sure." He heads over to where she's at and holds the door for her. They both leave.

Roxy grins and chuckles. Roy and Riza look at each other, then at her.

Riza - "What's with the giggles, Roxy?"

Roxy looks at Riza. "You see it too, right? She's totally crushing on him." Riza raises an eyebrow at her.

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After dropping of the folders to Big Blue, AJ and Al head over to an empty office in the building. They sit down at a table. The both of them schatter the notes and drawings across the table.

AJ - "So did you figure out any of these out, Al?"

Al - "Some of them, not all of it." He sighs. "I wish my brother was here, he might know what this symbol means." He holds up a drawing of a Ibis. "It's obviously a bird but what does it have to do with alchemy and what the heck is it?" AJ sighs.

AJ - "And you don't have a clue where he's at?" Al nods his head. They both sigh. "Well this really sucks." "Sorry." He replies. ""There's no need to apologize, Al." She thens writes something on a piece of paper and hands it to him with a key. "Don't lose the key or the note. Wait for me inside at this address. I'll head over there when I'm done work. I uh- I wanna talk to you about something else as well besides this." "Well alright, that sounds like a plan. See you then."

When he leaves, she heads back to the Fuhrer's office. Once she's done for the day, she heads back to Roy's office to pick up Roxy.

Before she even has a chance to knock on the door, Roxy opens it and pulls her in. After closing the door, she pushes AJ onto the sofa. "Roxy, what the hell-"

Roxy - "So you have a uncle now? When were you planning on telling me about you and Roy's relationship?"

AJ glares at Roy. "Look, I didn't know that you didn't tell her that we are related because of the adoption." He replies. As Ed is walking back to the office he doesn't hear what Roy said but when he gets near the door, he stops and leans against the hallway wall.

Roxy - "Oh. That's how the both of you are even family! Talk about the perfect life!"

AJ stands up. "MY LIFE ISN'T PERFECT, ROXY! And you know this already!"

Roxy - "Oh boo hoo, Ari. Shame on me for forgetting about what that asshole did to ya. I thought you said you were a survior, not a whiny bitch!"

AJ, with tears already running down her face, says. "Screw you, Roxy."

Roxy - "Screw me? Oh I bet you wish you could but it ain't ever gonna happen. Seriously Marisol, when will it ever occur to you that you are not victim in the world? I survived being right near a explosion of a building back when me and Ti were trying to make it back home after that Amestrian lady officer took you away from us. Don't even get me started on how may times I almost got raped when I was living in both Kingslyn and Schuylkill Falls. You're not the only who seen what hell looks like." She says as a few tear drops fall from her eyes.

Ari takes a deep breath. "Nadie es capaz de matarte en mi alma." (Nobody is able to kill you in my soul)

Roxy - "A menos que lo haga yo mismo." (Unless if I do it myself)

Janine then wipes her eyes and takes out her locked and unloaded gun. Placing it onto Roy's desk, along with its ammo case. She then takes out her knife and tosses it on desk as well. She then turns back to Roxy. "So what now? Are we still family or friends or-"

Roxy - "Que sera, sera." (Whatever will be, will be) Ed then moves away from the wall and starts walking down the stairs.

AJ then reaches and unhooks a necklace, leaving the stone the only thing hanging from her neck. "Do you remember this, Roxy?" She says as she holds it in front of Roxy. "Does this still mean anything to you?" Roxy just looks at her without saying anything. AJ then sighs and walks past her standing near the door. She then turns stops to turn back around to face Roxy, who is looking at her. AJ looks at the necklace in her hand, then looks back up at Roxy. "You know what is the most violent thing someone can use against someone else, Roxy? It's their silence." Ari then tosses the necklace near Roxy's feet. "Take it. I don't even want it anymore. You can have it back. ... Oh and before I forget. You can have that house in Table City, I no longer want it or have anything to do with it, even if John once lived in it with Dolores. And I had that necklace with me the entire time I was recently in Creta with you. I also wanted to thank you for holding my hand at Nara's funeral when she died. It really sucks that I haven't seen Medesto in years though. So much for mad love, eh stranger." She then turns around, opening the door and closing it behind herself.

Roxy then bends down, picking up the necklace. She then sits back down on the sofa, covering her face with one of her hands. All the men in the room leave for the night, leaving only Roxy and Riza in the room. Once the door closes, Roxy couldn't help the tears that start falling from her eyes. Riza wraps her arms around Roxy as she starts crying on her shoulder.

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Once she exits the building, AJ sighs as she walks down the stairs. When she makes it halfway home, she stops and sits up on a bench in front of a fountain. She brings her knees up, wrapping her arms around them, laying her head down and lets her emotions get the best of her.

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Ed walks out building only several minutes after when Ari leaves. He walks a few blocks and stop at the corner when he sees Ari crying on the bench. He then sighs and walks toward her. Stopping in front of her, he gently places an arm on her shoulder. She wipes her eyes and looks up. "It's dangerous for a girl to be walking out here by herself at this hour. Do you mind if I walk you home, Janine?"

She stands up and wipes her eyes. She then smiles at him. "Thank you, Ed. I'd appreciate it." The two of then walk off to her place. She knocks on the door once they get there. When Al opens the door, he is covered in flour from head to toe.

Before either one of them could say anything. Al puts his hands up. "I- I can explain. I was trying to make dinner but I ended up making a mess instead. I'm sorry Janine." AJ couldn't stop the giggles once they started. Al blushes from embrassment as he rubs the back of his head.

She then takes a deep breath. "Alright well let's gets you and the mess cleaned up then, shall we?" Once inside, AJ finishes making dinner as Ed helps Al get cleaned up.

Al walks back into the room and thanks Janine for the spare clothes. When Ed comes back into the living room, AJ hands him a rag. "You have some flour on your cheek." He thanks her and she nods.

After dinner, Al pulls out the notebooks and drawings. Ed asks him. "What's all of this, Al?" "AJ asked me to help her with something, but some of it I don't really understand." Ed picks up a few of the pictures. "This is an Ibis. It symbolises the moon in alchemy. But what the heck is this other thing?"

AJ - "That looks like a pheonix to me, but like I told Al, I wasn't too sure what was what."

Ed - "If it is a pheonix, then what does death and rebirth have to do with..." Ed puts a finger to his chin and makes a impart expression to Al. Al nods slightly in understandment.

Al - "Hey Janine, wasn't there something else you wanted to talk to me about?"

AJ - "Yeah but what about-"

Ed - "Don't worry about this. I'll try to figure what I can." He then looks at her. "Where did you find this at anyway?"

AJ - "In a library in New Ember City a few years ago."

Al - "New Ember City? ...Wait. There was a girl I ran into awhile back that was holding a book about New Ember City. Though of course I was in a suit of armor then so even if ever do find her again its not she'll even remember or recognize me."

AJ - "I highly doubt she'll forget about you, Al. Maybe she didn't look at the armor too much because of the beautiful soul that was inside of it." Al blushes madly. Ari replies. "Yes, Marisol remembers you too, Alphonse."

He then sighs. "I'm sorry for listening in on your conversation with Roxy."

AJ sighs as well. "I'm not blaming anyone else with what happen today. She chose her path as I did mine. It just sucks that we aren't friends anymore." She says sadly as she looks away.

End of Chapter 15

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(A.N.)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ibis is a bird that symbolises the moon and all of its lunar functions in alchemy. Examples being the waves of the tides, the cycles of time with its movements and measurements. It also represents successful and forthcoming alchemical transmutations.