The 8th Sin
-Heart of Stone-
Hoyo! I'm back with chapter 19! Not another word about exams because I don't want to see another exam paper until August. :S I'll be having my qualifying exams then and again, I'll probably be lagging uploading-wise. Sorry for the inconvenience!
But on the other hand, hopefully I'll be able to finish this fic before August. That is, if I type as if I'm on steroids before July! -.-;; No worries here though. I can do that. O.O
Here's chapter 19 before I start rambling again!
Please R 'n' R!
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-ONE WEEK LATER, RUSH VALLEY-
So far, their stay in Rush Valley had been wonderful, but it's been a good two days since Llednar broke the news that his friend was going to be a few days late. That didn't bother Freesia much. After all, this was supposed to be a vacation. Usually, she'd be exploring the town. Indulging in her curiosity but for the past few days, she hasn't been in the mood for anything.
Dorchette and Lolita had tried to talk to her, but nothing worked. Alice had even tried to take her out for a spot of shopping, but the homunculus declined her offer and even Greed's invitation to just take a stroll around town wouldn't make her budge. All that she seemed to do all day was sit at the balcony, watching everyone walk around, either busily or leisurely. It looked like she was moping over something. What it was that she was moping over, none of them knew. She wouldn't say. All that she would tell them was that she wasn't feeling very adventurous or that she was just tired.
Coming out of her, that was strange. After all, she had eaten more than she usually did, slept more than she was accustomed to and yet she looked somewhat unwell. Greed came into the room, joining her at the balcony and draped an arm over her shoulders casually,
"It's been three days Freesia. This isn't like you at all. Are you sure you're fine?"
The smaller-framed homunculus shook her head, "I don't know... something just doesn't feel right..."
"...You wanna talk about it?"
She shrugged, "Maybe it's the weather... Just this morning I woke up with a wolf's head, a monkey's arm, carbon-hardened right leg, wet the covers when my remaining leg turned to water, had my remaining hand's fingernails shred my covers and was on the verge of eating my pillow. Sounds alright to you?" she quirked an eyebrow at her companion, who chuckled at the combination.
"Not at all. Look, if something's bothering you, just talk it out. At least we won't have to ask you what the matter is every time we see you sitting at the balcony."
She sighed, "...As I said, I don't know what's wrong with me... You do remember about the weird dream I had in the train before we reached Rush Valley, right?"
Greed blinked, "You dream?"
Now it was Freesia's turn to blink, "Didn't I tell you?"
"No."
"...That's odd. I thought I told you... Well, anyway, I saw my mother in that dream. She never really liked me, in spite of the fact that I was her only child. In that dream, I saw her put someone in the middle of an alchemic circle. I don't know if this applies to all alchemists, but instead of the usual blue flash of light I always see when my father or mother alchemizes something, it was... red. There was this blinding flash of red and when I could see again, my mother vanished and instead, I saw..." she trailed off and put her head in her hands, unable to recall what it was that she had seen, "...What did I see...?" she muttered to herself, racking her brains in search of that shred of memory but nothing came to mind.
Greed patted her on the head, "Hey, don't hurt yourself. Staying in a small room for too long does things to you, so why don't you go out and take a walk? You'll feel better," he said suggestively and made to leave when Freesia's lithe hands gripped his wrist, preventing him from leaving. He looked over his shoulder at her.
Freesia had her head bowed as she sat in a chair that she'd dragged out to the balcony, looking as if she was crying. The absence of falling tears made Greed cross the thought off his mental list and that was when Freesia asked, "Greed, can homunculi dream at night? When they sleep?"
He fell silent for a moment, "As far as I'm concerned, no."
"Have you ever activated your shield unconsciously? Have you ever woken up from a nap with parts of your body carbon-hardened?"
"...No."
The feminine hands around his wrist now shook slightly, "...One last question."
Greed narrowed his eyes. From the sounds of her, it looked like she just realized something. She looked up at him worriedly and said, "What if I'm losing control over my powers? What if I go back to the way I was? Back to being a monster?" her tone grew more hysterical the more she spoke and obviously, this whole thing was scaring her out of her wits.
"Those are all 'what if' questions. They won't come true if you don't believe them."
"I've started being this way ever since I killed my father, Greed! It's been eating me inside out!"
Both his hands landed on her arms as he held her so their eyes would meet, "Look, I am not an expert when it comes to these things but what I do know is that you're over-reacting. You said something's eating you inside out, put a stop to it then. This," Greed looked at her from head to toe, "Is your body. No one else's. If you can't stop it, no one can, you understand?"
Freesia's gaze dropped to the floor as she nodded slowly. All this worrying was really going to make her age faster... But she was glad Greed was there with her. At least now she felt more relaxed than before he came in. Greed's hands vanished from where they'd touched her and she looked up only to see him jam them in his pockets, "I'm gonna go grab a drink or two. ...You coming?" he asked, looking away.
She looked at him, blinking in disbelief. Was he blushing? Well, no one could blame him. Girls may be attracted to him like ants are to sugar, but he just wasn't the type to be asking girls out. He was more of the kind to have girls come to him and this made him look adorable.
Freesia smiled, "Sure."
Her heart skipped a beat when he leant in for a quick kiss. He grinned when he pulled away and saw the look on her face, "Meet you downstairs in five minutes," he made his way to the door and opened it, only to have Dorchette and Lolita tumble in. They appeared to be in the middle of an eavesdropping project...
Lolita looked up at her boss and laughed nervously, "Uh... Hi? Ehehehe..."
The tall homunculus looked at the inseparable duo quizzically, "Mind explaining yourselves?"
"Well, we were... uh..." before Lolita could blow their cover; Dorchette sat up and clamped a hand over her mouth, a smart reply just on the tip of his tongue,
"Leaving! We were just leaving and we... got the wrong door, right?" he looked at Lolita, his façade pleading her to play along and thankfully, the nervous wreck nodded in agreement.
Greed smirked, "Uh-huh..." he wasn't buying it.
Dorchette gulped, "Well, uh... Bye!" with that said, the dog and his companion vanished from sight within 2 seconds of finishing his sentence. Greed chuckled as the duo scuttled off and turned around to look at Freesia. She was still at the balcony, taking in the sights and enjoying the rare cool gust of wind. As he recalled what she had told him, he couldn't help but feel concerned. Though Freesia was a homunculus, she seemed to have retained more of her human properties than the other homunculi and this makes her mentality more fragile.
The worst thing that could happen to her now was probably another traumatic experience. Greed had no idea what would happen should she break down again, but he swore he wouldn't let it happen. She's suffered enough. Turning on his heels, the homunculus casually walked out, closing the door behind him.
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-AQUOYA-
A woman in her mid-forties strode across her study to a large bookshelf, one of which looked like you can't pull a book out without having the whole cabinet fall on top of you and was flipping through a particularly aged one at top speed. She actually jumped when her doorbell rang and dropped the book, at the same time forgetting whatever it was that she was supposed to be doing. Mumbling under her breath and tidying up what she could of her bedroom-cum-library, she then proceeded downstairs to open the door.
She didn't open the door completely though, she only allowed enough space for her to peek outside, "Yes? May I help you?" the woman asked politely as she looked at the group of three on her doorstep.
The tallest of the three, who had long, jet-black hair tied back in a low ponytail and was looking at a piece of parchment in his hands spoke up, "Kayla Sheridan, I presume?"
The gap from which the woman was peeking through narrowed ever so slightly in suspicion, "...I have no business with you," she snapped as she got ready to close the door again but before she could do so, the raven-haired man with the red jacket almost reflexively put his foot in between the door and the doorframe. He hissed from the force of the door on his foot but quickly regained his composure and said,
"You may not have any business with us, but we have business with you. Now if you don't mind, don't jump to conclusions yet and we'll explain if you let us in."
"Give me three very good reasons why I should!"
The fair-haired young lady next to the man in red then said through gritted teeth, "Zolf, are you sure we're even in the right place? Asking drunkards in a bar for directions to an alchemist's house is the last thing I'd ever do!"
Zolf, as the man was called, hissed at her, "Tessa just let me do this my way. First off, I had to deal with John around last week, then I had to clear off my debts with you and now we're dealing with an old woman who's as stubborn as a mule!"
THWACK!
A rolling pin came out of nowhere and came in contact with Kimbley's head, "How rude! I'm only 45! I'm not nearly as old as you think!"
If Kimbley wasn't such a short-tempered person, he could be crying right now from the slowly forming bump on his head. Looking over his shoulder at his companions, he said, "What is this, some sort of a 'Come-on, let's-torture-Kimbley' week?"
Before things got any worse than it already was, John decided to take things into his own hands, "Mrs. Sheridan, I'm the one who wanted to speak to you. These two over here merely tagged along."
The dark gray-haired woman eyed her three strange guests but after a bit of thinking, decided to let them in, relieving Kimbley's foot of pain.
When they stepped inside, the first impression they got about the place was that it looked like a tornado just came in and out of the room in no less than an hour. The whole place was a mess! Was this what people do when they got too much time on their hands?
Mrs. Sheridan came out of the kitchen not very long after they got settled down with a tray that consisted of tea for four people and some biscuits, "I hope you don't mind the mess that I've made... I'm simply too busy researching to do anything else right now," she placed the tray down on the table with a sigh and served the drinks to her guests. As they sat drinking in a somewhat awkward silence, Teresa noticed that the bespectacled, aged woman had heavy eye bags under her eyes. Her eyes itself were bloodshot, as if she hadn't been sleeping for at least a week or so and she looked kind of unhealthy.
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but rumors have it that you're able to create a complete Philosopher's Stone?" Teresa set her cup down in its saucer and looked at the tired host.
Her lips curled up into a smile, "My, my, wherever do you get your information?"
Teresa returned the smile, "I have my sources. So, it's true then?"
Kayla nodded, "As a matter of fact, it is."
"Then can you give it to me?" John asked rather suddenly, making the older woman look at him oddly.
"Whatever would you want it for?"
"I have my own reasons and I most certainly will not breathe a word of it while these two are here," he motioned to the half-siblings.
Kayla crossed her thin arms over her chest, "Hm... Well then, John, wasn't it? You did say that you were the one who had business to talk to me with. Will you join me in the kitchen, please?" the host stood up and looked at Teresa and Kimbley, "I'm very sorry for being unable to entertain you for the time being. As an apology, you may explore the household, if you wish. Make yourselves at home. Now John, if you'll come this way," the frail-looking aged woman scuttled out of the living room and John made to follow her when Teresa grabbed his wrist,
"I don't know about you but that old woman makes me feel uneasy. Be on your guard."
John nodded and Kimbley chimed in, "Or if you need help, just give us a holler and we'll have a little firework display smack in the middle of the kitchen in no time flat," this earned Kimbley a sharp nudge in the ribs, courtesy of Teresa which left him doubling over in pain in his seat.
In the kitchen, John and Kayla sat across each other on a small table near a window, a basket containing a few colored balls of yarn and a pair of knitting needles sitting in the centre of the table, "It seems that you're very interested in the Stone. May I ask why? Your two friends aren't here to hear us," she took the two knitting needles in her frail-looking hands and started knitting something out of a yellow ball of yarn.
John sighed, looking out at the small garden that the old woman seemed to have long abandoned, "I just want to take back what originally belonged to me."
"Someone important to you?" Kayla asked, her eyes never leaving the needles she was holding. For a while, all they could hear in the room was the annoying 'click-click' of the knitting needles in Kayla's grasp.
"...Yes," John finally said, "My younger sister."
Kayla nodded sympathetically, "I see... I'm sorry to disappoint, John, but I'm afraid I can't give you the Stone that I have in my possession."
John's heart felt like it just fell to the soles of his boots, "Why not? You know how to make it; can't you just make me another one?"
"John, it isn't nearly as simple as knitting. Creating a Philosopher's Stone can turn someone into a killer, I'll have you know," she said tiredly, her state at that time making her look older than she should be.
"Teresa said that to me before, but I don't understand! What's so difficult about making the Stone?"
The old woman stopped knitting long enough to look at John in the eye. Silence hung in between them before Kayla set her knitting needles down, sighed and leant back in her chair, "You really don't know, do you?"
John frowned, "Know what?"
His companion giggled, "One of the items needed to make the Stone... is a live, human being."
Time seemed to have stopped the moment Kayla finished her sentence. John stared at her in disbelief as she resumed knitting and continued, "Not only that, but to complete the Stone, more than just one life is needed... Hundreds, maybe thousands are needed, just to make one Philosopher's Stone that still retains its strength after more than ten uses. I've stopped making them the traditional way a long time ago and now; I'm still finding an alternate way on how to make them without killing."
"...And? Have you succeeded?"
Kayla smiled sadly and shook her head, "No, not yet..." Silence hung in between them for a second time before Kayla fished for something in her pocket and produced a small glass bottle with a crimson liquid inside of it. She placed it on the table and said, "Do you still wish to have this thing?"
The Storm Front Alchemist looked at the bottle, and then at Kayla, "How did you manage to collect enough lives to create this, anyway?"
"Oh, it wasn't easy... My husband and I have worked on this for most of our lives. But on the day we finally got everything we needed, we didn't know that the people in the laboratory were part of the ingredients needed..." her knitting slowed down as she stared at the bottle and rubbed her temples, "You can say this was made through a freak accident... My husband is now part of this Stone," she then picked the bottle up and pocketed it again, tears forming in her eyes.
"If you know it brings back bad memories, why are you still working on this?"
The old woman shrugged, "It's the only thing I can do to continue being an alchemist. Other than this, I can't think of anything else to do for a living. So, in conclusion to your request, I'm sorry, I can't give you the Stone. Perhaps Dr. Marcoh, an acquaintance of mine can help you somewhat. We used to be working on the same thing."
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The trio was on the streets again an hour after they stayed in Kayla's house, leaving John feeling a little confused. Would it be worth it to risk so many lives just to get a shot at getting his sister back? Returning her to her former self? Kimbley was observing the younger alchemist from behind and walked alongside him, patting him on the back.
John frowned, "You didn't clap your hands together before you did that, did you?"
"I'm feeling pretty nice today. Besides, you look down. Cheer up! Now that we know part of what we need to make the Stone, you just look out for the array, Tessa can get the other ingredients and you can just let me do the bombing. Simple, isn't it?" the older man said bluntly, jamming his hands into his pockets and looking around town, "Aquoya's a nice place. Since we're here, might as well take a vacation before heading off for the old man Marcoh."
Sky-blue eyes followed the raven-haired mad bomber as he walked past and went on trying to annoy Teresa instead. Sighing, Jonathan pulled out his locket from inside his shirt and opened it to look at Mia's picture. He didn't like the idea of making the Stone, but he sure wanted Mia back. Now, all he has to do is decide whether he just finds someone with a Philosopher's Stone and talk the person into giving him the Stone or he makes it himself. The latter didn't sound too inviting though... As he was walking, he decided to just think about it later and was going to put the locket back from whence it came when the chain snapped.
The locket fell to the ground and bounced off the pavement, onto the road, where cars zoomed past. Whether something ran it over already or otherwise, John panicked. That locket was the only memento of Mia he had in his possession and it was something very precious to him. He didn't bother waiting for the traffic to cease and ran to retrieve it.
A loud honk, the sound of a skidding vehicle and an even louder crash caught Kimbley's and Teresa's attentions. They turned around, and what Teresa saw could have given her a heart attack.
"JOHN!"
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-CENTRAL, EXHALL RESIDENCE-
Melody opened her front door with difficulty as she had her hands full with paperwork that she'd left unattended through her previous stay in Dublith over a week ago and she was paying for it. She did ask Havoc to tell the person in charge of their leaves that she'd be having the week off, but as her luck would have it, he forgot. Her long hair, which she had tied up in a bun, now had strands sticking out in various directions, making her look as if she just got sucked into a vacuum cleaner and spat back out.
"Marcus, I'm home! Now help me get these groceries!" she managed to grab some food from a nearby store and within a short time, she finally got everything settled down. After dinner, she got straight to work and left Marcus playing with a friendly stray dog outside, deciding that it wouldn't do her any good to tell Marcus to come in. It may be 6.45 p.m., but the little goblin wouldn't come in even if you tried luring him in with his favorite food. He's a clever little boy, he knows himself.
Melody looked outside for the umpteenth time for God knows what reason. She'd had that habit ever since Envy disappeared from her side when they got back to Central. If John or Rin were here, she could imagine them telling her that she looked like a mother who just lost her baby. Speaking of which, those two haven't been around. There hasn't been any news on them. Not even a word.
Come to think of it, Teresa, the florist whose shop Melody often visited and a man who everyone said was with frank Archer disappeared along with John. Well, since three's a crowd, Melody wasn't very worried about him. What worried her now was that Rin escaped from the hospital! What was that man thinking! What a bird-brain... ...Hey, wait a minute. Wasn't that what Envy said?
Ah, yes. Envy. The homunculus who disappeared right after they got off the train! The one whom she could safely say ditched her. And just when she was starting to like him. She sighed. Oh well, she never did have much luck with guys. It was official when Rin dumped her, but for some reason, Melody decided to hang onto Envy a little longer. He may be a homunculus, but she had a feeling she'd see him again pretty soon.
Her eyes moved towards the envelope Havoc had kindly given her earlier that day. He said he needed her help with the thing he had written in the letter, since she once did medicine besides being an alchemist. Now what was so important...?
She ripped the envelope open and skimmed through it. The letter contained an account of the raid in Dublith that had happened over a week ago and when she finished reading the whole thing, it mentioned something about helping the Elric brothers. Now, what would those two troublemakers need from her? Plus, the note at the bottom sort of made her skin crawl. It read;
"P/S: You don't mind taking a snake along, do you Melody? Nothing to worry about, she doesn't eat people and she just needs some fresh air. Thanks."
Melody set the letter down and rubbed her temples. Homunculi, Rin and John's disappearances, the Elric brothers and now she's to look after a snake? What could be worse than this...?
"Marcus, come inside this instant before I make you sleep in a kennel!"
...That.
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I'm really sorry that this chapter's short... I had nothing else in mind that could lengthen this and yet is capable of keeping the suspense.
WEATHER FORECAST FOR CHAPTER 20:
More suspense expected through the day, it may get a little foggy so prepare some flashlights in case it gets TOO foggy.
A little action is expected from Rush Valley, but is not very clear from what the weather station is getting. May not last very long, but there is a possibility that dark clouds will still roam the skies.
At the same time, news has it that the skies are quite clear around Aquoya; there may even be some sunshine there. Drizzles are possible, but are negligible.
In Central, A bit of thunder and lightning, but no rain predicted. If you live near a forested area, be sure to lock your doors and windows. Rumors have it that snakes now have a tendency to take cover in your homes.
NEWS FLASH:
Up till today, there is no news of Aizawa Rin, who has been found missing since last week. Some people have speculated that this winged man has perished. Majority do not believe these rumors and editorial team from the TyrantFlame household will further investigate this strange occurrence.
In the meantime, TyrantFlame is also said to have been experiencing difficulties recovering her lost Chrono Cross game, which had once belonged to the authoress of 'The 2nd Perfect Soldier' in the Gundam Wing/AC category. Rumors have it that TyrantFlame may be facing either the scaffoldings OR the guillotine if the game is not recovered.
The authoress TyrantFlame had recently been having nightmares that flames may raid her hotmail inbox. Experts say that she is only being paranoid and is now being fed sleeping pills or in cases of ineffectiveness, has been rendered unconscious to induce sleep.
At the same time, exams have already ended and TyrantFlame is temporarily suffering from a nervous attack. My sources has seen this teenage authoress talking to her Reno(Final Fantasy 7) and Axel(Kingdom Hearts) plushies in a corner in her room, wondering if she'll get through her exams fine.
This is TyrantFlame's house muse Shiryu speaking, may you enjoy this chapter, await the new one and I wish you a very good day.
Please Read and Review.