Author's Note

I don't own Sailor Moon or Fullmetal Alchemist.

Wow, I've made it to chapter five! I'm so happy! Thanks to everyone who reviews! I honestly respond to everyone because if you review, you deserve a reply, so sorry if I bothered anyone…lol. I hope that you enjoy this chapter, for I have hopefully returned humor to the story… if not, yell at me with the flames of a thousand Fire Fairies… just kidding. Let me know what you think! Enjoy!

Playing Pretend

Chapter 5: The Homunculi

She laughed. Alone in the magical neighborhood and she actually laughed.

"So what do I have to do?" she asked.

"You need to develop your magical powers. Once you are able to safely perform the spell, I will teach it to you," Luna replied softly.

"For now, you can practice you will have to protect the kingdom from the Dark Mage who caused this mess," Artemis pointed out.

"You know about that?" Serena asked softly.

"Everyone knows about that," Artemis replied, moving towards the door.

"Might I inquire where you are going?" Bastian asked quickly. "If you are milady's guardians, why would you leave?"

Artemis looked angry.

"To find books in the alchemic archives," Artemis admitted.

"Why?" Serena asked.

"We'll have to discuss this later," Luna said. "If we were to reveal to you the reason to travel to the alchemic archives, you might not be ready to hear it."

Serena looked down.

"Why must people keep hiding things from me?" she asked quietly. "The adults hide the forbidden alchemy. The fairies never tell me anything about alchemy when I ask. Edward ran away to hide his mistakes from me. Hotaru's fairies won't tell me anything, ever. You two are hiding why you need to visit the archives when I can help you! I don't like these secrets! I don't want to be left out anymore! Please! Please tell me why!"

"Bunny," Luna whispered. "We can't tell you without making you more distraught. After we get the information—wait, how can you help us?"

"Ed," Serena replied softly. "He's an alchemist. He can get you into the archives if I ask."

"Milady," Bastian said. "There might be some books on Dark Mages in the ritual room. Would you like me to fetch them for you?"

"You two should stay here for now. We'll talk to Ed and get his assistance so that you don't have to sneak in later. Besides, I'd really appreciate your help with reading through the books. If I have to defend against Dark Mages, I'd like to at least read up on them, see what other spells are effective. I can't defend all the time—the spell is too draining," Serena explained. The two Chesire sighed.

"If that's the case," Artemis said.

"Just one question," Serena interrupted. "How did you know my fairy name was Bunny?"

"We—we just did is all," Luna answered, looking away. Serena sighed. She was tired of owning the house already. There were just too many decisions to make, to many responsibilities.

"Serena?" a voice asked. Serena jumped to see that in the doorway stood Ed. He looked at the two Chesire, a protective glare was shot their way. "Who are they? How is everything working again?"

"I claimed ownership of the house," Serena replied softly. "Listen, I'm sorry if you were late this morning."

"No, it's not a big deal," Ed said. "I'm always late. So who are they?"

"They are Luna and Artemis Chesire. They are my new guardians," Serena replied.

"I'm surprised she is here," Ed thought aloud, quietly. He looked distant, as the group looked at one another for a few minutes, waiting for a response from him.

"Ed?" Serena whispered. "You're spacing out more than usual."

Before a word could be uttered, the ground shook. The two ran outside, being called out to the sight of a monstrous looking creature.

"A Chimera," Luna whispered.

"A what?" Ed shouted.

"What's a Chimera?" Serena asked. This creature before them held a wolf's face with the body of a man. His howl wrenched at Serena's soul, as she suddenly felt cold. Ed's face became fearful, as he stepped in front of Serena. "Ed?"

"Damn you! Stay away from her!" Ed shouted, clapping his hands as the blade was formed on his arm once more. "You aren't going to touch her."

"Bunny!" Luna cried, as she looked to Artemis. "Go guard the home! I'll defend her!"

Artemis nodded as he ran inside the house once more. Serena wondered what Ed was hearing. He seemed to be arguing with the creature before her, his blade promising to draw blood. Looking at the creature, Serena saw the eyes of a man from down the street. He was crying, calling to her.

Kill me. Kill me. Kill me.

"Kill?" Serena whispered. "No Ed! You can't hurt him!"

The howl came again, Serena's body freezing. She cursed herself. Ed must have noticed this time.

"Serena, we have no choice. It's either kill or be killed."

Luna was in front of the two now, as she produced a bell. The twinkle of a ring made a wall of light as the black-haired Chesire ran to Serena's side.

"Bunny, that won't last long. You have to try a spell."

"A spell?" Ed asked the Chesire.

"Take my bell," Luna said, holding the bell out to Serena, who had recovered. "And repeat after me."

"Okay," Serena whispered, the wall of light beginning to crack.

"Heavenly Moonlight, I call upon thee."

"Heavenly Moonlight, I call upon thee," Serena chanted, holding the bell as it twinkled, a light beginning to shine. The wall of light shattered like glass, as the wolf creature drove at them, Ed jumping in the way and knocking it back with the blunt end of the blade.

"Come on Serena!" Ed shouted. "I've got your back!"

"Restore this being to its true form."

"Restore this being to its true form," Serena continued, the glow becoming stronger. The wolf came again, but Ed continued to knock it back. Serena felt the power coming from the bell. She felt herself starting to fly away.

"Luna Bell Magic!"

"LUNA BELL MAGIC!" Serena cried, as the light burst from the bell, traveling to the chimera, enveloping itself on the creature's form. Suddenly, the solitary light became two, and a flash enveloped them all.

…

Ed looked down at the pup. It wasn't breathing, not anymore. He felt for the pulse that he knew was nonexistent. He looked at the empty space to the right of the pup.

"You were her neighbor?" Ed asked the empty space. He nodded moments later, and Serena was in tears. "I understand. We'll get this mage and bring her down. You can count on it."

"Ed, what is this?" Serena whispered, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Chimeras are made from the dead," Ed explained.

"Wait," Serena said, looking to Luna. "So did Beryl take everyone's souls and turned them into chimera?"

"It's exactly what she did," Ed said, as they were face to face with Jadeite the fairy again. He laughed, but his voice remained unheard. Ed lifted his blade dangerously, as the fairy smirked. His lips moved one more time, and he vanished. Ed could feel the rage boiling in his soul. Those evil bastards. He'd make them all pay for this. They should never use human lives for sacrifices. Ever. He took one more look around, and transmuted his hand back, looking to Serena, who was being comforted by that strange new guardian, Luna Chesire. He couldn't sense magic from her, but she reminded him of the fairies and the chimera. Like a magical creature more so than a mage. He remembered what he'd come to talk to Serena about. "Serena? I know you're moving in, but I have something important I wanted to tell you."

"What is it Ed?" Serena asked, giving him a look. He felt his nervousness kicking in. His brother was behind the house, remaining as quiet as he could manage as a metal suit. He made a promise. He wasn't going to break it.

"Brother."

"Yeah Al."

"If she's seen you, maybe she should see me again. I'm tired of dodging her."

"Okay. I'll tell her today. I promise."

"What about visiting Hughes?"

"It can wait until tomorrow. He isn't going anywhere."

"Brother."

"Don't worry Al. If she refuses to talk to me ever again, it'll be all right. I stopped talking to her already."

Ed looked down. His hands were twiddling, and his mouth was mysteriously dry. Why was it so hard to tell her about Al?

"Because it was all my fault," Ed whispered.

"What is it Ed?" Serena asked again, moving towards him. "Whatever it is, please tell me."

"You know how everyone says I performed the forbidden alchemy? My arm and leg, they're proof of that. It's a curse wherever I walk for the rest of my life. But there was someone else who did it with me," Ed whispered, his words nearly incoherent. Serena waited patiently. "It was Al."

"Al? Is that why I haven't seen him either?" Serena asked.

"You might have seen him, but just not recognized him as Al," Ed replied, looking back to the wall where Al was hidden. His brother stepped out, and Serena's eyes grew big. She looked between the two, and then faced Ed again.

"What were you trying to accomplish?" Serena asked, her voice starting to sound angry.

"We were trying to bring back Mom," Ed said shamefully, looking down. Ed was waiting for a slap. He knew how Serena had been about reviving the dead. She had always thought that people died for a reason. She never once verbally wished for her grandmother, or her father, to come back from the dead, even though they played part in her childhood.

It was unexpected. The hug at least. Blondes are violent. Why wasn't she hitting him for being an idiot? Then he noticed she was crying again. Crap. He hadn't wished for her to cry. Only for her to get mad and say she'd never see him again. This was not going as planned. He gave up and tried to comfort her.

"Ed," Serena whispered through her tears. "You missed her too, huh?"

"Serena?" Ed asked, confused.

"You were a kid. You didn't know any better. Stop blaming yourself so much, and hiding from me. I missed you two way too much. Even if your appearances change, you two are still my friends," Serena whispered still. "And I—I've been alone since you guys left. I mean, I've had the f—fairies and I've had Mom, and I've had Hotaru, and Winry but it's not the same. They were all leaving, and Winry is always so busy, and I'd thought for a long time I'd lost you too."

"Serena," Ed muttered. "It's okay. We're here."

…

She wished she hadn't started crying like she had. When she heard it, she only planned to tell them calmly that she understood. But she had to go and start bawling like a little girl. She turned to Luna as Ed and Al waved a fond farewell.

"Do you think Bastian found those books?" Serena asked her, as Luna shrugged.

"We'll find out once inside Bunny," Luna assured. "Let's go in. I'm sure Artemis is harassing that mop butler right now."

Serena smiled at the thought. Sure enough, as they stepped into the home, Artemis was a cat again, hissing furiously at the mop, who was holding a newspaper in front of him. Not that Bastian actually had hands and arms. It just floated in front of him. Serena and Luna sighed.

"When Artemis gets fired up like this he turns back into a cat," Luna explained. "I'll try to calm him down. You go ahead and talk to that mop."

With a poof, Luna was a cat again. Serena watched the two for a minute, and found it strange looking. The mews from Luna did nothing at first. Then, the hisses went from at the broom to at Luna, as the two ran around the house in some sort of heated argument, both hissing at one another.

"Bastian, what is this about?" Serena demanded.

"Milady," Bastian said, lowering his head some as he rose back up. "It was about today's date."

"Nevermind. Tell me later Bastian," Serena said, feeling a headache coming. She swore she heard a crash in the living room, but it hadn't been glass, so she wasn't going to worry about it. "Did you get the books I requested?"

"They are all waiting for you in the living room milady," Bastian replied. "Shall I make that grocery list?"

"Yes, please do so," Serena replied with a wave, as the mop hopped away to her right, towards the kitchen. To her left was the way to the living room and master bedroom, as well as her room. To the right was the way to the kitchen, and that was it. In front of her was the way to the basement, which hid the entrance to the ritual room. Serena went to her left, and found the two Chesire as cats, dazed and covered in books. "Luna! Artemis!"

"Milady, shall I order catfood for the Chesire?" Bastian called from the kitchen.

"Yes Bastian!" Serena called. She looked to the two cats, and carefully removed the books, and pulled out her broach again. "Moon Prism Power! Revive these poor Chesire!"

With a flash, the cats were out of the books and well again. Serena sighed.

"Milady, might I request you refrain from too much magic in the next few days? You haven't gotten used to being owner of the house!" Bastian called again.

"Don't worry Bastian! I'll be all right!" Serena replied. She was sweating some, as the cats became human again. "Are you two finished?"

"Yes, we're sorry you had to see that," Artemis admitted with a small blush.

"Good, because we have all these books to read through," Serena said, sweeping her hand across the mess of books. She went to the couch, taking the first book in hand as she slowly began to read, sitting calmly on the couch. The two Chesire also began reading the books, looking for anything on chimera, not that they needed to. After two minutes, Serena's face contorted from calm to agitated. Finally after three, she closed the book in frustration. Luna looked up.

"Is something the matter Bunny?" Luna asked.

"Mom never taught me to read the Dark language!" Serena replied, flustered. Luna sighed, as she sat beside Serena, with the book Serena had been reading now open to the first page.

"Just follow along Bunny. I'll read it aloud for you," Luna replied. "Long ago, the origins of Dark Mages were rumored to be nothing but mystery. But I tell you now that they are not as much a mystery as they seem."

…

Ed listened to the sound of silence in his library. The thousands of books on the shelves, and not a single one could tell him anything about what he needed to know. In his hand was the cloth. The cloth that Mim—Serena had handed him that fateful night. She was home again. Maybe tomorrow he would ask for her. He pocketed it.

"Brother, why are you in the library?" Al asked, showing up with a prepared tea set for one.

"I wanted to read Al, but none of this interests me," Ed replied. "I want to know more about something these books won't talk about."

"Which is?" he asked, setting the tea down at the table as Ed moved away from the books to sit at the table.

"About homunculi," Ed said coldly. "They all say they are a mistake of man, like the chimera, but this is an alchemic mistake, and not a magical one. I have reason to believe that the Dark Mage Beryl I told you about is using homunculi, which would explain the alchemic nature behind the deaths of all the mages. I didn't tell the prince about that. I want a head start, and I want to make sure I kill whatever it is that took out Selene before they get to Serena again."

"Brother, why are you holding that information back?"

"Think about it Al. They would probably blame me for the homunculus!" Ed shouted now. "I'm tired of being blamed for mistakes that aren't mine! Who do you think they blame for everything bad that happens? It's always my goddamn fault, and I'm tired of it!"

Al said nothing. He watched his brother sip his tea. He missed that too. The ability to taste, to have to survive off of food. He wanted to feel again too. Sure, he knew the difference between hot and cold, but he could no longer truly feel anything. He hardly knew when he walked he was walking anymore. Why did it have to be this way? Why did he have to come back like this?

"How will we approach Mr. Hughes tomorrow?" Al asked finally. His brother was under more stress than him. The people at school didn't even bother to treat him with such disregard. In fact, they treated him like a normal alchemist, even if he wasn't. Like nothing all those years ago was his fault.

"The same way we approach everyone else," Ed replied simply. "Without a plan and big grins on our faces."

"That's how Serena would do it Ed."

"Oh—right," Ed said, looking down. He was doing that a lot lately, acting a little like Serena, wasn't he? He just thought about her so much—no, he didn't. He couldn't possibly have feelings for her, could he? The cloth was in still in his pocket. Ed placed his hand there, and looked out the window. What was he really looking for? Revenge for Selene? Or revenge for Serena?

…

"The chimera is made from the fusion of beast and man. Only we Dark Mages have the skills to create these creatures of the night. There is only one known way to defeat these beautiful beings is by one of the Caspar Mages. They are to be feared, for they are few, and come in phases. Each have a name representative of the largest magical elements, Moon, Sun, Earth, Wind, Water, Fire, and Time. They are called the Yamir, Kosuke, Damek, Ciro, Dax, Pyris, and Amser, in that order. With each generation, one of the Caspar Mages is born, and they are often protected and hidden by all the mages in a community. In fact, they are so protected that an initial assault on them will prove to be near fatal. So when you come across one, back away and observe from afar. They will show their true weakness in time," Luna read softly, Artemis closing his book and joining the two. Serena listened with wide eyes. "However, they refuse to mention that the Caspar Mages are indeed guarded by the Chesire, and we don't take lightly to those who try to injure them."

"So I'm a Caspar Mage?" Serena asked. "I thought I was the Yamir Mage."

"You are the Yamir Mage," Artemis replied. "The Caspar Mages are the name of the group of seven mages that this book refers to. The most important thing you need to know is that the Dark Mage who did this probably is using the souls of the magical community to create chimera to send here in order to kill you. You are the last living mage in this kingdom, after all."

"So am I the only one alive right now?" Serena aksed.

"Yes," Luna said. "We are here to protect you, for when the Yamir Mage dies of unnatural causes, it is rumored that magic will forever end."

"WHAT?" Serena asked, shocked.

"The other mages have such curses too," Artemis said quickly. "However, it is your turn and it is crucial that you stay alive, and stay safe."

"You've probably heard enough for today," Luna said softly, as she helped Serena to her feet. "You should get some rest, and we'll discuss it in the morning."

"Okay," Serena whispered, walking to her room. Magic will die? No more fairies? No more mages? Wait, would that mean Hotaru would really die? Would she always remain that fearless corpse in the ground? Did the fate of magic really rest on her shoulders? Ed said the dead created chimera, and the book said it was the fusion between beast and man. How did that work out? Who could do that kind of magic? This was too much to think about. She needed to get away. "I want to be Mimi again. She wouldn't have to worry about this."

She looked at the Lunar Disguise Pen in her satchel as she opened the door to her room. Her room was all bunnies and moons. How ironic. She untied the satchel, changed to her silken pajamas which had miraculously survived investigation, and lay down. The sun had hardly begun to set, but Serena lay in her bed, feeling as though her night had already come. Mom was dead and suddenly she had all these new responsibilities. She wasn't ready for this. She never was.

Next time…

Hughes isn't the only pain of the School of Alchemy.

Chapter 6: The Break-In