Strange... there are so many things that are so familiar to me...

And yet... it feels like I knew them for a long time...

Impossible... I've always known them!

But... it's more like...a distant memory than a story... '

Chapter 7 ~ New Optain

-Me-

"And stay out ya brat!" the old granny yells as I was kicked/thrown out of the hotel. I landed on top of the dirt road on my butt, landing in a fair two feet away. She slammed the doors shut and the hotel started to come back to life in a flash. I stood up from my spot and dusted myself from all the dirt that went all over me. "For a place that's called 'New' Optain sure is pretty damn old!" I yell back in sarcasm, making sure that they heard me from the inside. I bet they didn't care at all. What sort of place doesn't allow women to stay in!? Right now I was in the place that Mustang had told me about, New Optain. I heard rumors along the way that there have been sudden disappearances around here. "Great... Mustang sent me to a place where a psychopathic man is kidnapping girls," I groan with a slight hint of anger in my voice.

After what happened before, he still has the nerve to send me to a place that can nearly get me killed, again! I took a look around the scene around me, old and pretty much like a dump. "No way in heck am I going to help this place," I dusted myself off as I stood up from place. The hotel I was in was the only damn hotel here, no wonder there not many people come to visit this place. I was about to leave until a women runs into me. "Ow!" we both yelp in surprise, once again I fell down to the durt floor below. "Ok lady, what's your problem..." I trailed off when I saw who I bumped into. This Lady looked like Psiren from FMA original! What was her real name again...? Clara? "Uh... hi?" was the only thing I could say at the awkward moment that was happening right now.

\\2 Days Later/

The lady, surprisingly, was called Clara. She lived in a small home, taking care of travelers that need a place to stay. There were so many faces and names that were so familiar, like the Tringham brothers for example. They still are the same as the others that I knew. It was so scary to see how well they all resembled the other counter-parts, I even watched as some use alchemy on certain things that only they could do. 'This is rather awkward...' I thought as I watched people buzzing around the place, and right now I'm sitting with an old lady name, 'Dante'. That's right, the bad guy from the original sitting next to me as if she was an innocent old women with a good heart. I was so glad that Lyra was still in Youswell and that Wrath was not here (the other one). "So um..." I didn't even know what to call the old lady until she spoke up, "Dante Alighieri, I'm an alchemist as yourself."

I was so shocked that I didn't even notice my mouth was wide open when Russell spoke up, "Keep that up and a fly will enter." I glared at the boy's back as he casually walks away whiling whistling at the same time. "How can you tell I'm an alchemist Ms. Alighieri?" it was true, usually you could tell is if you have a transmutation anywhere near you hands/gloves, or when you use alchemy infront of others. "Your pocket watch is hanging from your belt," she was correct about that, it was sticking out and laying by my side out by my side. A sweat drop formed on the back of my head as I stared down at the thing. "Right..." I grumble with a slight hint of embarrassment in my voice, tucking the watch back into my pocket. But not before a certain little kid wanted to take a better look at it. "Are you really a state alchemist miss?" Fletcher gazes at me with envy filled in his eyes.

I flinched at this, unable to say anything from how he was staring at me. "Yes and I'm known as the Mercury Alchemist," I inform the little boy, getting a huge smile from the kid and all the people stopped after hearing what I just said.

"You're a state alchemist!?"
"I've heard of her! The Mercury Alchemist, she's the very first known female state alchemist ever!"
"Wow you must be really special kid for being second famous."
"Yeah! Since the spot of youngest is taken by the Fullmetal Alchemist you are most famous from being the only girl."
"It's amazing how this little girl got in!"

Anger was boiling up from how much info I was getting; I can only guess who would come up shit like this. 'Damn you Mustang... I'll make sure you'll never get a date ever...' I cursed colonel bastard with all my dark heart could give out. "I may be the second famous alchemist… but I am way better then that creep!" I never should've said that. All the travelers started pouring stuff around me just so I can not only prove I'm better than Ed, but so I can repair their junk for free. I don't know how many there was, but I was slowly starting to become a little tired after my last transmutation. Maybe I was meant to be second. 'Hell no will I give up!" my determination grew along with my anger at how I was put as second best had both caused my energy to boost back up. "Here... I go!" This time I didn't clap my hands, but instead did what Jealousy had done, use alchemy without both a circle and clapping my hands.

The normal blue sparks shot up, but this time was different. Everything that was broken was suddenly repaired, and I'm better at using water alchemy than normal alchemy! "Wow it look's so brand new!" one man shouts in astonishment, holding up his once broken compass in his hand. Shocking thing was, it literally looks like it's brand new. "How old was that thing?" I ask, taking the compass in my hand. The old man starts to think on it until he popped the answer, "About... since I was five years old." I almost dropped the watch from the sudden news, and it just came to me like bullet. "F-Five years old!? That thing's way too old!" I was right about that, the thing was way to old able to work after so long. I gave it back before I could do anything else to it, I was even more curious about how I was able to transmute without a transmutation circle.

'Strange...' I thought staring down at my hands. People started make uproar about how well their junk looked now. My full attention was on my hands and I didn't even notice that Russell was nearby. "That was sure some alchemy," jumping at the sudden voice, I ended up staring into his eyes full of panic. "Don't scare me like that Russell!" I took a deep breath and went back to examining my hands. Russell just gave out a light laugh and looks back at the crowd. He watches as his little brother laugh at how ridiculous everyone was acting along with Clara who was serving some men beer. "You know... I also heard a few things about you and the Fullmetal Alchemist," this sure caught my attention, "that you and him are both dating." I instantly fell over to the side. "It's not true!" I blurt out after I shot up from the ground.

I don't think he believed me, cause Russell started to snicker and look away saying, "Your face sure does show it." My face felt hot and was burning even more by the minute. "Of course not! We absolutely despise each other!" Even though I had a slight crush on Ed before all of this, no way in hell would I consider him as anything close to a friend now. "Anyway there's no way in hell we could be in that kind of relationship," I snort as I instantly turn away from him. But I was forced to look back at him when Russell puts his hand on my right cheek and turns my face to look at him. Once again, my face had turned red once again from how close our faces were. We were so close to kissing when someone spoke up, "Oh! Seems like Russell's' got a girlfriend!" I instantly pulled away before he or anyone else could do or say anything else.

There is no way in hell I'll have my first taken away! Who knows, what if he was exactly like the other Russell, the hell will I ever kiss anyone younger than me. "I think I'll go up and rest now," I stood up from my seat and made my way towards the stairs. But when I was on the first step, there was a sudden black out that made every go quiet. It took about two minutes until the lights went back on. When everythinglit up, there was an instant sudden uproar from the crowd. "Alex? Where are you!?" one man yells while another shouts, "I can't find my daughter!" I looked around the room and saw almost all the women had disappeared except me, Clara and Dante. Something was up, and with nearly only three females in the room, that means that someone here is the suspect. "Sigh... and I thought I could catch some Z's..." I groan, taking a few steps back down the stairs.

Everything seemed okay... but there was something off. I don't know what but I had a feeling that it wasn't a guy that did this, I just couldn't tell what. "Fletcher? Fletcher where are you!?" Russell shouts, pushing anyone infront of him out-of-the-way (A/N: not my idea, the spell checker wanted it to be this way. -_-*) in search of his little brother. I walked up to the terrifed Blondie asking, "What's wrong?" "I can't find Fletcher anywhere!" Now I was the one that was scared. Not only have a few women have gone missing, but a little boy as well!? What the hell is going on!? "Listen we'll find your brother," he looks at me. "He couldn't have gotten that far."

Looking up, Russell gave me one last look before straightening himself into his usual composure. "Yeah I can't give up now! My brother is out there and is waiting for me," he smiles at me before heading his way to the door. Others followed behind. I turned to those who stayed behind. "Aren't you guys going to help?" that question was left unanswered. Everyone just looked at each other nervously, scared that whatever answer they'll say will get me pissed. "We... we want to stay... to keep our friends here safe," one of them spoke up, picking their words carefully. I nodded and ran out to follow the others that had left. They probably split up to cover more ground, but that means the more would probably be kidnapped. Since Fletcher was taken, that means not only women are going to be taken away, but also men now. This person really has weird ideas, especially since it's in a dump like this.

"I wonder what type of person this dude is..." I mutter to myself, looking around the area around as I continued my search. Weird, the town was much quieter than the last time I saw it. I may have been cooped up in the in that building for two days, but it couldn't have been that long since I last saw the place. "Russell! Guys!? Anybody still out there!?" my voice echoed through the quiet town. Luckily, the electricity was still working, even though it's practically a ghost town now, so I had a better chance on knowing if anyone is nearby. No sound was heard, and all the buildings were dark on the inside. This was getting even more suspicious by the minute. I bluntly stopped in my tracks when I heard a loud crash from my left side, and the sound came from straight into a dark alley. Shivers went down my spine at the sight of dark... scary... um... do I really have to go in there?

"Ahaha! There can't possibly anyone in the-!" I spoke too soon. Yet another crash was heard but it was louder this time and much more closer. I readied my sword as I approached the area, cautiously walking into the dark abyss that lies ahead. 'This is even worse than a scary movie!' I screamed in my head. If this was a scary movie, then I would've died the minute I stepped inside. As soon as I heard one last crash, I instantly screamed and threw sword in a random direction. I sweat drop at what I did and looked back at what had made that noise. A cat... it was a stupid cat... Meow! was the last thing it did before running away. "Sigh... now where did my sword go?" I wonder as I started to search for it. Now the only thing I had left to help me fight is my gun, which I never used until today. I had no other choice, it's either that or get taken/killed by an attacker.

Pulling out my gun, I tried my best to keep myself calm and tried to know shot at anything without knowing what it was. 'This sure brings back memories,' I thought to myself, memories of that time starts to show up in my head all over again. "Aw... seems the little girl is left all alone by herself." "This has to stop with the alley shit! This is the second god damn time I- Clara is that you?" I asked, bewildered. It was Clara. But she was in her uniform as Psiren. "Oh... what gave me away?" she asks in a tone full of sarcasm, taking small steps towards my frozen state. "Well the mask really doesn't hide anything but your half of you face," I state with truth in my words. She may not have much to show, but with her hair and eyes showing off, it's really not that hard to know who has that type of hair style, eye color, and same voice anywhere in town.

Clara- I mean Psiren, laughed at this and asks, "Why don't you call me by my codename instead of that dull name? Just call me Psiren, alright sweetie?" I felt shivers go down my spine when Psiren winked at me. Probably the weirdest thing to ever happen since we're both girls. Usually, she would use that kind of move on guys and not someone like me. Or maybe that's only in the other version. "Tell me where all the towns people are!" I demanded, aiming my gun up at Psiren/Clara, but I was hesitant whether to shoot or not. She just smirks before disappearing from sight, her words echoing, "Time for the magician to disappear." I blinked then walked up to where the woman was, still keeping my gun up in the air. "There's no way she could disappear like that..." I spoke too soon. When I had lowered my guard, I was instantly knocked out by the back of my neck.

When I finally came through, but when I did, I woke up inside a cage that was both smelly and wet. I wasn't kidding about the wet part, 'cause the area was a dark cave that had water dripping from the ceiling. Well, I hope that it's water. My legs were tied up with a very tight rope while my automail arm was removed and was placed outside the cage on top of a wooden chair. 'Great, can things get any better?' I thought sarcastically as I struggled to sit up straight. As I continued to struggle, a light started to glow along with a figure of a person inside it. Instantly, I stop whatever i was doing and pretended to still be knocked out when the light started to get closer. "Is that the girl?" I heard the stranger. "Yeah, she wasn't much of a fight," I hear a woman sigh, sounding very disappointed yet amused. "Too bad this runt wasn't worth the time."

That's it! Nobody calls me runt and gets away with it! I shoot up from where I lay screaming, "I'm not a fucking runt you bitch ass motherfucker!" My mouth instantly went shut when I realized that i had caught the two's attention. Sweat dropping, I shot them a nervous smile and asked, "Did I... interrupt something?" Quietly, one of them walks up towards the cage. I realized it was a women when she said, "Speaking of runts... looks like ours has finally woken up." I watch as the stranger walks closer into the light, revealing that it was Clara herself. I wasn't afraid, but when the stranger next to her came closer to the light as well, that was when I became scared. Dante, the elderly woman and a thief, or assassin, were working together in some evil deed. I continue my struggle to free myself from my ropes, but I knew it was futile to even think of escaping. Clara laughs, "Did you really think you could break free from those bonds? Even without an arm?" "Why are you doing this? Isn't this your home!?" I ask the two desperately.

Clara was about to speak when Dante answered, "It's our revenge for 20 years ago... The day I lost my family and when Clara here lost her brother."

Before, our town was a prosperous farm land. Settlers from far and wide settled down here to live a peaceful life, trading all our goods across the country until we became well-known in every part of Amestris. We did not know war, nor did we know how to fight. Everything was perfect, until that fateful day.

"Agh!"
"T-The fire! It's spreading everywhere!"
"Mommy!? Where are you!?"

Friends, families, loved ones lost their lives, and all because those stupid soldiers. They were sent here to protect us... but they had dried us up on our food and water. In the end, during a rally against them, they set the entire land on fire. When we lost hope in living, a mysterious girl saved us by using alchemy; her skills were far behind any state alchemists. Both Clara and I are the only survivors that had survived the fire. She told us, "Move forward... and never looked back." But instead of taking her advice, we swore vengeance on the military and destroy those cursed people for what they had done.

"So in order to get revenge on the military and King Bradley, we decided to set up this town until it was big enough to help us make the one thing that could gather up this many people in order to make the ultimate weapon... the philosopher's stone," that last part kept on echoing in my head. Experienced Alchemists who have believed and studied that for so long knew the risks and lives that will be taken by that stone, and the costs in forging such a thing. 'This can't be...' I remembered at that moment, the same memory I've been suppressing for so long, finally played through my head. I then start to convince, not only Dante, but mostly Clara, "Please! Don't make the philosopher's stone; there are too many lives that'll be taken away! These people are your friends!" Only one was taken aback by my words. Of course, the elderly was still giving me that serious look.

"Enough of this," she turns away and continues, "the time has come to make the transmutation circle." Giving me one last glance, Clara follows the elderly women, leaving me alone in my cage. There was only one candle lit so I could barely make out what's around me. "Psst! Catherine, over here!" a little voice calls out. I focus my eyes until I saw a small hand waving at me. I half shout half whisper, "Fletcher is that you...!?" "Yeah it's me..! All the towns-people are down here with me...!" he replies. I sigh in relief and ask the boy, "Is any one of them an alchemist besides you guys...?" No reply, meaning, there was none at all. 'Ok there's a few twists here," I thought to myself. 'The two brothers are still alchemists... and Dante is still Dante... but Clara is an assassin? That doesn't make sense at all.' Suddenly, blue lights filled the pipes from above us and made everything visible.

I was glad there was light, but still upset that I was still tied up like an animal. 'I got it!' an idea popped in my head. If I was able to us alchemy without clapping my hands before, then maybe I can do it again like last time. I picture all the water molecules and focused on freezing them together. When I got the picture perfectly in my head, I placed my hand down in the cold metal ground below that had. To my surprise, it worked like a charm. An ice spear shot up right in front of me and straight towards the sky, cutting the ropes in the process. Finally free, I was able to stand on my own two feet without any more troubles. I didn't hesitate to do the same thing with the cage. Again, I used alchemy the same way I did before and made the bars freeze up into icicles. Kicking them, I made my way to where the townspeople were.

"I'll get you guys' out a-!" I was about to set them free until Russell pushed me away. "Just stop Dante, we'll handle this," he orders, placing his hand on his little brothers shoulder. I wanted to protest, but I just nod and ran into the direction of where Dante left. But before I did, I went to get my arm and noticed a small table nearby with a lit lantern on top of it. As I made my way towards it, on top laid a map, a map of the entire facility. "Great... an old abandoned mine... how original," I sighed sarcastically. I looked at the auto mail arm in my hand, and then readied myself to put it on. This was gonna hurt and I knew it, but I had no other choice if I wanted to use alchemy again. I pushed it into place where it was missing, and howled in pain as I twist the machine to connect the nerves. "I hate automail!" I was so glad that Winry wasn't with me. Or I might lose my head.

I took in further details of the map when there was a sudden explosion nearby. I shoved the map into my coat pocket and ran to when the sound was the loudest. 'Please... don't do it!' as I ran through the tunnel, the light up ahead was starting to glow brighter, and brighter. Until I finally got close enough, I was standing above a giant activated transmutation circle. I recognized those symbols; they were the exactly the same as the ones that I've seen in the FMA episodes. "Don't do this!" I call out and caught both ladies' attention. Dante glares at me then taunts, "You think you can stop me? There's no way a child like you can understand our purpose." I understood very well, it may not have happened to me, but I know that this is not the way to solve this problem.

With no other choice, I had to use my alchemy. I slammed both my hands down onto the ground and made my own set of ice stairs. As I walked down the steps, I popped the question, "What will you do after you destroyed the country?" Clara reacted to this, giving me a shocked look as I reached the ground floor. "Is this really what you want? Become even lower than those military soldiers?" I wasn't asking only Dante, but to mostly Clara who was still unable to move. For some reason, even the elderly woman was shocked as well. Without hesitation, Dante instantly stabbed her staff into the ground which started to glow from the top. Spikes shot up from the earth, its trail heading straight towards where I stood. I was able to dodge it by side jumping away. As I skid across the ground, I slam one hand down and created a small wave of water towards the two.

I don't want to hurt them, so I have water to push them back. I made another water wave, but Dante was able to stop it this time. 'She's too smart to fall for the same trick...' I thought. Continuously, I used water alchemy to attack the old women as she kept using stop walls to protect herself. Clara went to the sidelines to watch our fight. I lashed a very powerful attack, making Dante slight stumble on her own two feet.

"This is not the equivalency we run on Dante! Alchemy is meant to help people... not destroy lives just for our own personal gain!"
"You won't understand! I lost my husband... my son... my grandchildren... everything important to me was taken away!"
"You think I give a damn!? I have lost more than you did! Yes I'm still a child, but life is about growing up and moving forward! *transmutes water spikes at the walls* And you've failed miserably! They would've wanted you to forget the past! To always take every step of the way to never fall!"

I charge up to the women and scream, "Rah! You must never blame the innocent for the past!"

-Clara-

It had been years since she had seen that type of alchemy. For years, Clara had wanted to see that type of transmutation for so long, and now it has come face to face with her now. 'It can only be her doing...' her thoughts trail, remembering the day she was saved. When, her savior had once used the same type of alchemy to not only save Dante, but Clara as well. The sight had fascinated her, even till today.

\\Memory/

"Please mother we have to-!" but the poor girl was unable to finish her sentence, falling debris fell on top of both of her parents right in front of her eyes. Crying, Clara fell on her knees and watched as the land around her continues to burn. With lost hope, she was ready to accept death when suddenly; a glove hand touched her shoulder. Clara looks up tearfully at the stranger. It was a hooded girl whose blue eyes glistened in the flaming light, and her blonde hair dangling downwards. "Don't worry... I'll protect you," her words of reassurance made the child cry even more. But it was not long when a nearby building started to collapse. The stranger turns toward the falling tower and Clara clings onto the cloak of her savior. She then transmutes an ice pillar, which shot up and held the building in place.

The stranger turns her attention back at Clara, who was gaping at the sight. "Your must stay strong...never take your anger out on the innocent."

\\End of Memory/

Happiness filled up inside her heart. Not once had she ever thought that someone who was so similar to her hero would appear before me like this. "Never take your anger out on the innocent! They don't deserve that kind of treatment!" Catherine's words struck Clara, harder than the death of her parents. "I may not know what it's like... to lose the people you love," she transmutes a sword from the ground then continues, "but it is sinful to waste your life like this and make the dead ones suffer!" Clara couldn't take this anymore; she had to stop this before it gets out of hand. "Dante! I can't do this anymore!" this made everything stop. Dante slowly looks at the women and asks in a shock tone, "W-What do you mean?" Clenching her teeth, Clara explains her reasons, "I don't want to kill anyone... I don't want to kill my family again!" She went closer to the scene.

"But... don't you want to make King Bradley pay?"
"Yes I do... but Catherine is right. These people have nothing to do with it."
"I thought we were on the same picture... seems like children these days are too blind."
"I'm not blind Dante! I can't stand the fact that we're using the lives of our friends for our own personal gain! I love these people!"
"No... I won't stop now..."

Taking a few steps back, Dante steps onto the transmutation circle and somehow activates it. "No! Dante!" screams frightened women, reaching her hand out. The alchemic light was at first its normal blue color, but then it changed to red.

-Back to Me-

With no other choice, I transmute the ground below me and made a deep hole enough for the three of us to escape through. 'Thank god for Ed,' I thought, signaling for Clara to come over to me. When she did, I started to instruct her, "Go through this tunnel, it'll probably led you straight to the exit. There are others waiting on the other side." "What about Dante?" she asks worriedly, looking over my shoulder to gaze at the elderly women. I thought for a moment, will it be possible to save a mad woman? Especially one that's about to kill herself? 'Well I have no choice,' I sighed, 'she's a friend of Clara so I guess there's nothing else to do but to save her.' "Just go on ahead Clara, I'll handle this," and I wasn't so sure if I could handle it. Dante was a crazed lunatic in the other version, and even now! But she has to make up for lost times and repay for what's she has done.

As soon as Clara jumped into the hole, I made my way to the women, who was still standing in the circle. I reached out screaming, "You have to get out of there Dante! All the people you were going to sacrifice are outside and back in town!" "No! It doesn't matter now," Dante closes her eyes and continues, "I'm already finished..." I was about to saying something when, to my surprise, she collapses onto the floor. "Dante!" I ran up to her, after scrapping the line of the circle to deactivate it, to check what the problem is. I kneeled down and checked her pulse. "She's a live at least... but her breathing is too rapid..." I mutter under my breath, lifting Dante up her feet. The ground below me was starting to shake, and the ceiling was breaking bit by bit above our heads. With no time to waste, I started to move forward as fast as I could, with Dante over my shoulders.

With every step we took, more of the ceiling came down faster. I had no choice, we had to go down the tunnel and head straight to where the rest were. I was hoping to go to a hospital, but with how things were going, there was no other choice but to head straight down the mole hole. Suddenly, there was a huge explosion from behind my back. I turn to see a bright light building up in a nearby tunnel. "Crap!"I shoved Dante in and sealed the hole. I made a water barrier around me before the sudden burst of flames could envelope me. After that…. Everything went dark.

||The Next Day||

"Shit..." I groan as I felt the rays of bright lights hit my eyes. There were whispers around me, one in particular was familiar to me, "Ssh! She's waking up!" As my eyes slowly open and adjust to the light, there before was the whole gang. "Where…. am I?" I ask groggily, sitting up from where I lay. Sadly, I woke up in a hospital room that was purely white. "You're in New Optain memorial hospital," Clara informs, taking a seat near my bed. "We found you passed out on the ground half dead." "Not to mention wet," Russell butts in. I glared at him, not liking his joke one bit.

"Care to explain why you're missing your arm?"
"Um… well I…"
"Brother stop it! She just woke up and is still recovering from the explosion!"

I didn't even realize how they knew until I notice this; I was in normal hospital clothes. Which means there are no sleeves to cover the skin of my bare arms. "Don't worry Fletcher, I-!" my sentence what cut short when Clara had shoved something in my mouth. It was an apple. "*cough**cough* Clara what the heck are you trying to do to me!? Kill me!?" I gasp after nearly choking at the fruit. "You should rest and not talk with these boys," meaning I should sit and stare at the ceiling. This building is for the dead, not for the ones trying to get better. "Ahem… it took us hours until we found a way in after the place nearly collapsed. Seems like it was cause of a sudden explosion from bombs," this info was very surprising to me as Clara kept on explaining the situation I was in. It shocked me that someone had decided to bomb the area, or maybe 'cause it was an old mine.

"We made sure everyone wasn't hurt from the explosion," Clara tells me as I continue to eat my apple, "but there were some casualties on the way. The mine was the only thing that was keeping this town the way it is. Without it, there's no chance for any of us to save the town in the condition it's in now." "Then start over," I blurt out as I took another bite. Everyone in the room stares at me dumbstruck at my words. I ignore them and continue eating the fruit until I was at its core. "After what has happened today I think it's about you try to start all over again. After what Clara and Dante did, I think people need a reason to trust them again after what they tried to do," I explain before taking another apple out of the basket on Clara's lap. Russell ponders about the idea, "I do still have my trust in Clara... but Dante is a whole other question at hand here."

Fletcher agrees his brother in a sad tone, "She did try to destroy the country. I don't think anyone would even want Dante near them ever again from threatening to kill all of us." I motion the boy to come closer after I threw the core out of the window like I did to the other. He did and when he was close enough, I flicked his forehead as hard as I could. "Ow! What was that for!?" yelps Fletcher as he places his hand on his poor bruised forehead. "Not all people like the choices they made," I told him. "There are some that want to make up for what they did in the past no matter how long it'll take. Clara here is an example of those types of people, so think about it if also Dante wants to follow her course of action." "Your starting to sound older than you say you are Catherine," Russell jokes. I blush at this and lose my cool, "Shut up! I'm only 13 years old!" (A/N: Yeah so this is like a year after separation from the brothers... forgot to mention that! hahaha!)

They all laughed at my childish display, making me even more embarrassed the more I tried to regain some of my pride back.

Unknowingly, Dante was outside of my hospital door that day. I don't think I'll ever forget that time, when we had to say our goodbyes, Dante was crying for the first time in front of everyone and thanking me giving her the chance to live on as a human being. Even though the two wanted to help me on learning about the philosopher's stone, I turned them down after I finally figured it all out from what Dante was doing. But the one thing that confuses me *Imagine Jealousy standing on a hill a few feet away from New Optain* is how these two learned how to draw a transmutation circle like that if it never even was supposed to exist.

To Be Continued