Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or Love Hina, so please don't bang on my door at three o'clock in the morning trying to sue the very pants off of me.
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, flamed, or whatever!
The Philosophy Behind Lies
Episode 2: Showdown with Rupert
"Ugh," Keitaro moaned as he slowly opened his eyes and allowed a pale blue light to filter in through his irises. "Whatever happened apparently doesn't matter because I'm still alive," Keitaro said to himself as he tried to push himself off of the slick freezing cold limestone that he was currently sprawled across. As he pushed his body up his forearms suddenly buckled sending him smacking back onto the rock beneath him. "Owww," Keitaro moaned as he cringed in pain, "I'm just too tired to move." Suddenly an image of a red jewel flashed in front of his mind's eye. "The Philosopher's Stone!" Keitaro cried out, and with an amazing surge of newly found power he forced himself to rise shakily to his feet.
Looking around Keitaro noted the two dead chimera and recalled the battle that had ensued only moments ago. As he continued to look at their crumpled forms, the pale blue light enshrouding them in an ethereal glow, Keitaro felt a pang of sorrow in his chest. "With my luck you all were probably once human, although even if you weren't no one and nothing deserves to die like you did," Keitaro stated to no one before a he gave polite bow to the fallen beast. He then recalled the slash marks on his chest and looked down to find that they had vanished leaving only shredded clothing and a light scar in their memory.
"Why am I not surprised?" Keitaro groused to himself as he chuckled and shook his head as if in disgust. "I don't have time to be thinking about this," Keitaro stated as he looked up toward the alter and the blood red orb placed a top it. 'So it's a fake huh?' Keitaro thought to himself as a frown found its way to his lips, 'And that primate looking overly religious dogmatic son of a…whatever, now all I have to do is find him and take his stone!'
"So you're still searching for it, are you big brother?" a faint feminine voice, possibly that of a little girl, chimed in from behind Keitaro.
'It can't be!' Keitaro thought as his eyes went wide in shock.
"Well aren't you going to turn around and look at me big brother?" the small voice inquired with a light chuckle.
Whipping around Keitaro came face to face with someone he never thought he'd see again. Tears started to form in the corners of his eyes and his knees buckled beneath him as he gazed at the little girl in front of him. Currently donning a pale blue sundress that she had worn several years ago, her hair still with its long bangs and tied into a small ponytail in the back, and her lips curled in to a familiar girlish smirk stood Kananko Urashima.
"K-K-K-Kanako? Is that really you?" Keitaro inquired too afraid to move and have what might be an illusion disappear and leave him all alone in the dim candle lit room. Soon tears started to flow unabated from his eyes and his mouth began to quiver violently.
"Don't give up big brother, I still believe you can do it. After all, you're my big brother and I know you'll keep your promise," the little girl stated with a feather light giggle, "Get up brother and keep your promises." With that said the little girl faded from Keitaro's vision, much like the apparition Keitaro had feared her being.
"Kanako!" Keitaro cried out as he shot up from off of his knees and dashed toward the entrance where the young girl had once stood. Tears were streaming down his face as he frantically looked for any trace of the young woman, only to come up with nothing in the end. Uncharacteristically frustrated, Keitaro fell to his knees and began to slam the limestone with his fist. "Damn it!" Keitaro cried out as he continued to pound the stone causing it to begin to crack and his knuckles to ache. "I'll get that stone no matter what the cost," Keitaro stated through gritted teeth as he rose to his feet once again and walked out the entrance of the temple and toward the spiral staircase.
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Back on the streets of Tresembol, Keitaro began his long trek home so that he could recuperate. As he walked along the street he noted that today was actually a great day. The sun shown brightly, but did not serve to overheat the streets. There was a gentle breeze blowing as well which caused Keitaro's sweat drenched dark brown hair to whip around his face, drying it somewhat. The cobblestone streets, black lamppost, and the red and white brick houses that adorned the streets also looked somehow nostalgic, like something you would see on some type of post card stating "Wish You Were Here!" In fact if it hadn't been for the men, women, and children staring at him as though he were some type of space anomaly he might have felt extremely peaceful at the moment.
After a few minutes of walking Keitaro felt a quivering in his stomach and then heard a low growl. "Guess I must be hungry after that ordeal," Keitaro stated numbly to himself as he stopped and looked around for a nearby grocer. After a minute of looking he noticed a small one tucked in between to large apartment buildings. It looked simple enough, red brick, blue tile roof with a small red brick chimney, and a stand of various fruits both common and exotic outside the store inside wooden bins.
'A piece of fruit might actually be really good right about now,' Keitaro thought to himself as he licked his lips hungrily. 'Better make sure I've got enough money first however,' Keitaro stated as he checked his breast pocket for his wallet. After a minute of fishing around past his watch and a couple of pieces of chalk Keitaro found his estranged wallet. "Ha, there we go," he stated happily as he pulled out a slightly frayed brown leather wallet. Unfolding it and checking inside Keitaro was surprised to find out that he only had enough to buy a piece of fruit and maybe a donut from the bakery not too far down the street.
"Today has seriously not been my day," Keitaro groused to himself as he walked up to the stand and selected a bright red apple from out of the wooden box that several others sat in. Walking into the shop Keitaro set the money down on the wooden counter in front of a sleeping clerk. "No point in waking him up I guess," Keitaro mumbled to himself with a shrug as he turned and walked out the door back onto the streets. "Okay, now for that donut!" Keitaro stated cheerily as he walked down the street toward the bakery.
As he made his way toward the bakery Keitaro couldn't help but notice that various people were either glaring at him or looking at him with a weary look in their eyes. "What's going on?" Keitaro asked no one in particular. Suddenly a cute little girl with long flowing blond hair wearing a blue private school uniform ran up to him and asked, "Hey! Are you the heretic?"
"Am I the what!?" Keitaro exclaimed as his eyes went wide with shock.
"Are you the heretic the mayor has been telling everyone about today?" the little girl inquired once again as she raised an eyebrow in confusion as she pointed behind Keitaro, "I mean you look just like the guy on the poster over there." Turing around looking in the direction indicated by the girl's index finger Keitaro turned to face the brick wall behind him that featured an unflattering poster of himself. In the picture Keitaro had been caught with his swimming trunks down and a crab pinching his sun burnt rear end as he cried out in pain.
"How the heck!" Keitaro cried out as he snatched the poster off of the wall and furiously tore it to shreds. 'How the heck did they get that picture?' Keitaro wondered to himself as he furrowed his brow in confusion, 'I mean I only went to the beach one time and that was almost three years ago!'
"Well are ya'?" the little girl asked for a third time snapping Keitaro out of his revelry as she gazed into his chocolate brown orbs, hers being a deep vibrant shade of teal.
"Well it's complicated to tell you the truth, but no I'm not a heretic so to speak," Keitaro stated nervously as he sheepishly scratched the nape of his neck. "I don't suppose that you would happen to know where the mayor is by any chance, would you ? I would like to understand why he's doing this," Keitaro added as he took a bite of his apple.
"Sure, just follow me," the little girl stated with a grin as she grabbed Keitaro's hand and dragged him through the streets, past several confused bystanders.
"Um, if I'm a heretic wont you get in trouble for helping me? I mean it would've been a lot easier if you just told me. Plus running around with a little girl might make me look like a heretic and a pedophile?" Keitaro asked the little girl as a look of puzzlement found its way onto his face.
"Nah, I'm not really worried about it because we're gonna be leaving town in a little while To answer you're last question, well who cares? If we get stopped I'll just say you're my cousin from out of town," the little girl stated with a giggle.
"Why are you moving?" Keitaro asked between bites of his apple as he allowed the girl to lead him down various dark and dank alleyways and back out onto to the streets.
"My dad just became the new State Alchemist in Reutuma, and we're going to be leaving in a few hours, so I don't mind helping you out even if you are a heretic. Besides, it's not like I believe the word of some ugly old mayor, I mean I just get this feeling like you're really trustworthy and gentle," the young woman said as she lead Keitaro down another alley. However she soon felt an enormous weight coming crashing down from behind herself and her legs flew out from under her causing her to rear end to slam down painfully on the stone street. Looking behind her as she winced and a rubbed her sore rear end she noticed that Keitaro had fallen on his face and was struggling to move.
"Sorry, guess I'm more tired then I thought," Keitaro apologized sheepishly as he chuckled nervously.
The young woman looked at him with a look of disbelief plastered on her face before she simply chuckled and shook her head. "Well I guess we'll have to wait to go and see the mayor, just don't wait to long otherwise I'll be gone before I get to show you his secret hideaway," the little girl stated with a smile as she helped Keitaro to his feet as he braced himself against the wall of the alleyway.
"Okay, I'll just take a quick nap back at my place and then you can show me where the mayor is staying at," Keitaro stated as he limped down the alleyway and back out onto the sidewalk.
"Sure, just tell me where you're staying at and I'll help you get there," the little girl stated as she guided Keitaro down the street.
"Wait, I didn't mean for you to come with me! What will people think? And on top of that you just met me!" Keitaro cried out indignantly as eyes went wide and his arms fanned out wildly.
The little girl chuckled into her hand before she responded, "Like I just told you, I don't know why but I feel like I can trust you. And when I get these feelings (don't even think she's going to say she needs sexual healing, 'kay!?) I don't tend to doubt them."
Keitaro regarded the girl with a hard look full of skepticism in his eyes before his face softened and he smiled and gave her his trademark goofy grin. "Okay, but at least tell me you name," Keitaro said as they resumed walking.
"My name is Evangeline A.K. McDowell," the little girl responded with a cute smile and a giggle, "And what's your name, if you don't mind me asking."
"Not at all," Keitaro responded with a smile of his own, "My name is Keitaro Urashima."
"Well it's nice to meet you Mr. Urashima!" Evangeline stated as they walked past a familiar run down looking café.
"Same here Ms. McDowell, but what do you say we stop for a bite to eat?" Keitaro inquired as the stopped in front of the café's decrypted oak wood doors.
"At this place!?" Evangeline cried out indignantly as she pointed vehemently at the building with a look of disgust on her face. "It looks like there'll be rats running all over the place!"
Keitaro chuckled nervously and thought, 'Well that's Aunt Haruka for ya'. Never wants anymore new customers besides the ones she already has, and on top of that she's really cheap. I wonder if she learned to be that way because of the military.'
"Hey, who's the ugly old lady walking around in there. She looks kind of like a soldier with that uniform on," Evangeline stated as she peered into the cafe through a small crack in the door.
"Oh hell!" Keitaro said as soon as he heard Evangeline call Haruka an old lady. 'Maybe she'll spare her because she's a kid,' Keitaro thought to himself with another nervous chuckle.
"What was that!" shouted a enraged, but still slightly deadpan, voice with caused the foundations of the café to shake and quiver.
"Whoa!" Evangeline said quickly recoiling and running behind Keitaro for protection. "Help Mr. Urashima, I think she's going to kill me!" Evangeline cried as she gripped Keitaro's legs as though her life depended on it. Suddenly the shabby oak wood doors were flung from their hinges and out onto the street as Haruka kick them and stepped out of the shop glowing red due to an insane amount of ki swirling around her.
"How said it!" she snapped as she eyed the only two people on the street. "I already know it wasn't you, unless you suddenly reverted back to childhood and decided you wanted to start over as a girl. So where the hell is she!" Haruka snapped as she stomped over to Keitaro, cracking and destroying the cobblestone beneath her feet.
"Now, now, Aun…Haruka!" Keitaro quickly recovered fearing what she might do to him in her enraged state if he accidentally called her aunt. "Let's just be rational about this, I mean she is a little girl after all," Keitaro said as he put reached behind himself and gripped Evangeline's shoulders comfortingly, "On top of that…" Keitaro knew he was going to be a dead man after saying what he was about to say, but better him then his new found companion he rationalized. "It's not like you're that young anymore."
"WHAM!" There was a shrill cry from Evangeline as Keitaro was knocked clear through a brick wall adjacent from the café.
"You crazy old bat you just killed your own nephew!" Evangeline cried as she ran over and began to throw small pieces of debris and whole brick off of the injured Keitaro. "Keitaro are you okay!?" Evangeline cried out desperately as she shook the young man ever so slightly trying to jar a response out of him. "Keitaro!" she cried out even more desperately as tears started to form in the corner of her eyes. She had never seen, what she perceived as, someone dying before. What made it even more difficult was, despite the fact that she had just met him, the fact that she had already started to like Keitaro for a reason she couldn't explain.
"Ooooh," Keitaro moaned as he clutched his head in pain, "That's going to leave a nasty mark."
"Keitaro!" Evangeline cried excitedly as she hugged the young man hard enough to make a few bones crack.
"Owww," Keitaro moaned before he chuckled nervously and said, "Word of advice, don't ever call her crazy, old, ugly, or aunt. Not that you would call her the last one anyway, but just in case."
"Okay, I won't promise! But how are you okay Keitaro, anyone else would have been dead!?" Evangeline inquired as she loosened the hug ever so slightly recognizing that she was suffocating the injured young man.
"That's a secret that I can't tell you, sorry Evangeline," Keitaro said with a hint of remorse in his voice as he slowly got onto his feet and set Evangeline down on top the brilliant green grass mixed with debris.
"Okay, as long as you're okay that's all that matters," Evangeline said with a small smile as she rubbed the tears out of the corners of her eyes.
"Hey nephew, once you and your little girlfriend are done making out why don't I treat you to a bite," Haruka stated as she climbed over what remained off the brick wall. Lighting a cigarette with her stainless steel lighter she took a long drag before blowing out the smoke and flicking the lighter shut. "Next time," Haruka said putting the cigarette in the corner of her mouth, "Let the little wench take her punishment."
"You know I could never do that Haruka," Keitaro said with smile as he looked down at a now nervous Evangeline, "I wont let anything happen to any of my friends."
Evangeline couldn't help but blush and smile upon hearing Keitaro's statement.
"Whatever, come on otherwise you're not getting anything to eat," Haruka stated as she turned around and walked back toward the café, "And you can bring your little "friend" if you want."
"Yes ma'am!" Keitaro stated as looked down toward Evangeline and said, "While it may look kinda crappy on the outside her cooking is really great, so what do you say?"
"Sure," Evangeline said as she grabbed Keitaro's hand with a blush on her cheeks and ran towards the café.
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"Mhmmm!" Evangeline cried in sheer ecstasy as she savored the flavors bombarding her taste buds. "This is the best roast duck ever!" she cried out as she took another fork full and jammed in into her mouth, all the while munching with gusto.
"Muhum!" Keitaro cried out in unison as the both sat across from one another at a cheap wooden table in even cheaper wooden chairs.
"Happy you all are enjoying it," Haruka said as she grabbed another screw out of her mouth and began twisting it into the hinges of the decrypted door. "So how did it go Keitaro? Did you find out anything?" Haruka inquired, her voice not betraying any emotion.
"Well if I'm correct I believe the mayor may have a Philosopher's Stone, but I'm not sure because the only one I really got a chance to see was the fake that he had placed on a pedestal in order to trap me," Keitaro said between bites.
"Is that so?" Haruka said in her usual deadpan tone of voice, although if one listened closely enough they could hear a hint of skepticism.
"Yep, now all I have to do is get the Stone from him," Keitaro said as he finished off the last of his duck and patted his full stomach.
"But why do you want this Stone? What's so special about it?" Evangeline inquired as she took a sip of her grape juice from and cheap glass.
"You said your father was an Alchemist right?" Keitaro inquired as he raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Yes, why?" Evangeline asked as she continued to sip from her grape juice with a look of confusion on her face.
"Well…" Keitaro started as he thought, 'Is my family the only one who truly knows about the Philosopher's Stone? And if so, why? Since I don't know maybe it's better not to mention this around her then.' "Never mind, it's not important, don't worry about it," Keitaro responded waving off any further questions as he got up and went around the wooden bar and grabbed a bottle of rum from off of the rack.
"Okay," Evangeline responded still slightly confused as she finished off the last of her grape juice. "If you say so Keitaro," she said as she got up and walked over to Haruka who had just finished screwing in the last bolt on the last door. "Ms. Urashima mind if I escorted Keitaro back to where he's staying?" Evangeline asked as a small blush crept across her adorable cheeks.
Haruka regarded the young woman with a look of puzzlement before she asked, "Why would you want to do something like that?"
"Well…" Evangeline started nervously, "I just figured it would make more sense for me to wait on Keitaro to finish his nap then I could take him to see the mayor again."
"And how would you know where the mayor is?" Haruka inquired as she reached into the breast pocket of her jacket and retrieved a bent cigarette which she promptly popped into her mouth. After lighting it she took a long drag and blew out the smoke as she patiently waited for the girl's response.
"…I know because he meets my mother at a their secret place at around six 'o clock every Saturday," Evangeline stated feeling completely mortified before she added, "Please don't think ill of my mother, she only did it because we were struggling with money due to the fact that it took so long for my father to become a State Alchemist."
"Don't worry about it kid, I understand completely," Haruka stated in her usual monotone as Keitaro approached, "And don't worry, I won't tell Keitaro a thing especially since he seems oblivious anyway. Go ahead and follow him back to the dorm, just don't try to jump in the sack with him."
"Thank you," Evangeline responded sheepishly as she looked down at her feet feeling her face flush due to Haruka's last comment, "And don't worry, I wont try to "jump in the sack" with him."
"So Evangeline would you like Haruka to take you back home? You wouldn't mind would you Haruka?" Keitaro inquired as he approached the two women and laid a hand on Evangeline's shoulder affectionately.
"Actually I would," Haruka responded as she took another long drag on her cigarette before she blew a cloud of smoke out of her nostrils, "Just take her back to the inn with you, don't worry I'll phone ahead and inform the girls so that they wont try to kill you as soon as you two walk through the door."
"Um, but is that okay with you Evangeline?" Keitaro inquired with a look of concern etched on his features as he raised an eyebrow in confusion, "I mean are you sure you want to go back to the dorm with me?"
"I'm sure Keitaro, plus it's easier this way," Evangeline stated with a small smile and a blush.
Keitaro smiled back at the little girl and said, "Well if you think so."
"Alright you two, get out of here before the night crowd gets in here. I can't conduct business with kids running around here," Haruka stated as she allowed the cigarette to fall on the cheap star pattern tile beneath her feet. Crushing out her cigarette by mashing it with her boot Haruka gave Keitaro a hard look and said, "Just don't be disappointed in the end."
"Huh?" Keitaro asked as a look of confusion found its way onto his face.
"Just don't be disappointed in the end," Haruka said one last time as she briskly walked past a baffled Keitaro and confused Evangeline.
"Right," Keitaro started as he looked down toward Evangeline with a smile, "Well what do you say we get going?"
Evangeline smiled and nodded as both walked out of the café and headed toward the dorm.
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"Pedophile Pervert!" Naru cried as she charged Keitaro who was closing the front door behind Evangeline. Naru was currently dressed in a blue and white plaid skirt, knee high black socks, white dress shirt, navy blue sweater vest, and brown leather shoes.
"Watch out!" Evangeline cried as she snatched a piece of chalk out of her blazer pocket and quickly drew out a transmutation circle. Slamming her hand down onto it caused it to glow a pale blue and soon a pale blue light shone from the floor. No sooner had it done this when a pillar of ice shot up from under Naru and sent her flying straight up into the chandelier.
"Whoa," was all Keitaro could say in response as he looked at the pillar of ice that had just come out of the ground.
"That was close," Evangeline said through gritted teeth as she wiped the sweat from her brow with the sleeve of her blazer.
"You didn't tell me you knew how to use Alchemy!" Keitaro cried out indignantly as he eyed the girl incredulously.
"Well I don't really know that much," Evangeline started nervously as she flexed her index fingers against each other, "That's about all I can really do, other than maybe transmute a few ice cubes for beverages."
"Well I'm pretty impressed!" Keitaro said as he gave Evangeline a round of applause, causing the girl to blush due to his praise.
"Thank you Keitaro but you really should take your nap right now, otherwise we're going to miss the mayor," Evangeline said as she looked Keitaro in his eyes.
"I guess you're right," Keitaro responded with a sheepish chuckle. That said they both ventured off towards the guest room where Keitaro was staying in.
Meanwhile Naru was starting to awaken from her unconscious state and she looked down from her position on the chandelier in enough time to see Keitaro and Evangeline disappear. "Hey you jerk! You can't just leave me up here!" Naru cried out indignantly but received no response. After waiting a few seconds she heard the click of door in the guest room wing and knew that he had completely ignored her. "Hey you idiot! I'm still up here! You better not be doing anything with that little girl either!" Naru snapped although no one could hear her. After a few minutes Motoko walked into the entrance hall and noticed that Naru was hanging from a chandelier. Motoko was currently donning an outfit similar to the one that she had on the other day except slightly less frayed on the edges.
"Um, not to be rude Naru-sempai, but what are you doing atop the chandelier?" Motoko inquired as she eyed Naru with a look of puzzlement on her face.
"That idiot made that little girl draw a transmutation circle that forced a pillar of ice to shot me on top of here!" Naru cried out indignantly, "Now could you please help me down?"
"Of course," Motoko stated with a nod as she bent her knees and leapt onto of the chandelier.
"You know you've really got to teach me how you do things like that," Naru stated dryly as Motoko wrapped her arms around her waist and leapt down from the chandelier.
"Practice Naru-sempai, a lot of practice," Motoko responded before she added, "Now let us go rescue this innocent little girl that Urashima has abducted."
Meanwhile Keitaro was sound a sleep on his bed and Evangeline, who was currently sitting on a chair next to a large oak desk, found herself staring at him despite the fact she continuously told herself not to. However there was just something about the man in front of her that made her feel at ease. She could sense that he was a very gentle and kind man. She even knew, from first hand experience, that he would stick his neck out for people he didn't even know.
"Keitaro," Evangeline said as a small smile found its way to her lips. "Even though I just met you there's an undeniable kindness surrounding your very being, one that I envy." With that said she got up and walked over to the bed, stripping off her jacket and hanging it over the bed post. 'Maybe if I'm close to you I can finally understand what real kindness is,' Evangeline thought as she peeled back the covers ever so slightly and climbed in the bed. She grabbed one of Keitaro's arms and draped it over her torso and sighed contentedly. "If only you could be my daddy," Evangeline said with another wistful sigh before she closed her eyes and let her own desire for sleep overtake her.
As the odd pair allowed their bodies to recuperate another distraught pair were stalking down the hall and were about to descend upon the unfortunate Keitaro.
"When I get my hands on him," Naru muttered to herself as she walked toward the door and banged on it loudly. "Hey you pervert you better not be doing anything in there!" Naru cried as she continued to slam her fist against the door.
"Excuse me Naru-sempai, but I believe I have a more effective means by which to deal with the situation," Motoko said as she gently pushed Naru aside and drew her sword, "Now listen here you vile and treacherous male! I will not allow you to defile an innocent soul by any of your perverted means! I shall slay you and remove you from this dormitory!" With that said she shouted, "Rock Splitting Sword Technique!" The door flew from it's hinges, but soon shattered into several tiny tooth picks with were collected in a wooden bin, also made from the door.
"Sorry, while I know that was intended for me you were about to hit her instead," Keitaro stated as he put a piece of chalk back into his jacket pocket. Currently dressed in a short sleeve black leather jacket with a hood, another shoulder length forest green cloak, a forest green tee-shirt, a pair of black khaki pants, and a familiar pair of black leather boots Keitaro looked somewhat more intimidating then had earlier. However this was soon detracted by the fact that he still had on his extremely large glasses and his dark brown hair was still a mess.
"What lies do you speak now you vile male?" Motoko inquired as she looked toward the bed that Keitaro was pointing at. It was then that she noticed the little girl soundly sleeping in the bed. Motoko simply stared at the girl for a moment and then at her sword. The realization dawned on her that she had in fact almost seriously injured, if not killed, the girl lying in the bed.
"Well if you ladies will excuse me I must be off," Keitaro stated as he straightened out his collar and turned to walk out the door. "If one of you wouldn't mind walking down to the café when she wakes up I would greatly appreciate it," Keitaro said as he briskly walked past the two shocked young women.
"Sure," was all that Naru could mumble in response.
"Great, she's been a great help. Be sure to tell her I said thank you when she wakes up," Keitaro stated as he continued down the hall with a small wave behind him. 'While I know that she wont like the fact that I left without her I think that it's better this way," Keitaro thought to himself as he opened the front door and walked out onto stone pathway that led to the stairs. "I might have had to actually take her with me if she hadn't mumbled the mayor's whereabouts in her sleep," Keitaro said with a smirk, "It's a good thing that that didn't happen otherwise I would have had to protect her and her mother."
Meanwhile a certain little girl within Tresembol Manor was stirring from an enjoyable nap. "Mhmm!" said moaned as she stifled a yawn and smiled a blissful smile. "I haven't had a nap that good in ages!" Evangeline stated as she stretched out her arms and legs. "Well better wake up Keitaro before we're late," she said as she turned around and reached over to wake Keitaro only to find an indentation in the bed where he had been laying.
"What?" Evangeline snapped as she shot up from the bed and looked around frantically trying to find any trace of Keitaro left in the room. Of course he was gone and she was alone.
"That jerk," Evangeline muttered as she grabbed her blazer off of the bed post and head out the door and down the hall. Upon reaching the main entrance she came face to face with Haruka.
"So you're looking for him huh?" Haruka questioned as she took a drag on her cigarette and blew out a small could of smoke, "Well the girls came down and told me that he left already, apparently you must have told him about the mayor's little rendezvous point."
"How could I do that when I was asleep?" Evangeline questioned as she furrowed her brow in confusion, "I didn't tell him anything."
"Maybe you said something in your sleep," Haruka offered and then she noticed the girls eyes went wide.
"Well if that's the case then when need to get to him quickly!" Evangeline snapped as she grabbed Haruka's arm and dragged her out of the door and down the stairs.
"Hey what's your hurry?" Haruka asked as she was dragged head over heels down the stone steps.
"I probably didn't mention the fact that the mayor takes his secret service with him!" Evangeline stated her voice full of panic and worry.
"That could be a problem," Haruka stated in a deadpan tone of voice.
"That's why we have to hurry!" Evangeline responded as she rushed past the tea house and on to the evening sun lit streets.
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"A trashy room in the red light district is the secret spot?" Keitaro questioned as he stood waiting by room 317. "I mean for someone so religious what happened to "Thou shall not covet another man's wife"? Hypocrite, and then he has the nerve to label me a heretic!" Keitaro continued to gripe until he saw a pair quickly approaching. "Here he comes," Keitaro said to himself as he flexed his hands back and forth. Unfortunately the pair approaching was not the pair that he was anticipating.
"Keitaro!" Evangeline shouted as she ran up to him and punched him in the stomach. Although it wasn't particularly powerful it did sting which was enough for Keitaro to wince and gasp sharply.
"Evangeline, Haruka!?" Keitaro wheezed as he eyed the pair incredulously, "What are you doing here!?"
"Well nephew apparently you didn't hear about an important part of Evangeline's information," Haruka stated as she crushed a burnt out cigarette beneath her feet.
"Huh?" Keitaro questioned as he looked down at Evangeline who was glaring at him.
"The mayor doesn't go alone; he brings his secret service just in case!" Evangeline snapped, "That's why you should have just waited!"
"Um, duh?" was Keitaro's intelligent response as he stood stupefied by his own stupidity.
"Well now that you know, we better get out of here and come up with a plan quick," Haruka stated as she lit another cigarette.
"Right," Keitaro said with a nod and was about to say something else until her heard the sound of trouble quickly drawing near.
"Evangeline?" a concerned voice of an older woman said from behind the group as all turned to see a very attractive older woman, probably in her early thirties. She was dressed simply enough in a sky blue sundress and white shawl but her voluptuous body was enough to send Keitaro reeling with a nose bleed. Her long flowing platinum blond hair, piercing navy blue eyes, slender face, and pouty lips added an unimaginable level of beauty to her already perfect form.
'Now I can kinda understand the mayor's thought process,' Keitaro thought to himself.
"Mom!?" Evangeline cried out indignantly as she searched for something to say. "Nice weather we're having, huh?" Evangeline offered nervously with a sheepish chuckle.
"Young lady what are you doing here!?" Ms. McDowell snapped as she tried to approach her daughter only to be yanked back by the mayor's firm grip.
"My, my, Teresa, you should have taught your daughter that associating with heretics is a very bad decision," the Rupert stated as a maniacal grin spread across his lips, "In fact it leads to death in most cases."
"You can't be serious!" Teresa gasped as she yanked her arm out of the man's grasp and stared at him incredulously.
"Oh I'm sure you wish I were not, but unfortunately anyone who associates with this young man must die," Rupert stated as he began to laugh manically, "It's amazing that he survived the run with my chimera's but I should have expected that of the great Keitaro Urashima. Thus is why I put that hit out for him, unfortunately those fools were too scared to even approach him, but no matter! This ends now!"
"Keitaro, I want you to get this little girl and her mother out of here. Do you understand," Haruka whispered through gritted teeth as she reached inside her jacket pocket.
"What about you?" Ketiaro inquired with a look of disbelief plastered across his face before he hissed, "I'm not just going to leave you alone! Especially not if he has the Philosopher's Stone!"
"Do you want this little girl and her mother to die?" Haruka questioned as an audible click could be heard from within the confines of her jacket.
Keitaro simply stared at her in disbelief for a moment before he looked down at the quivering Evangeline who seemed ready to burst into tears at any moment. Then he looked toward her mother who was slowly backing away from the crazy monkey man. "No," he responded solemnly as he scooped up a surprised Evangeline who gasped once lifted in the air. "Just make sure that you don't die, okay?" Keitaro asked as he continued to eye his aunt with a look of fear and worry in his chocolate brown orbs.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be just fine," Haruka stated with a dark chuckle, "Now get that girl and her mother out of here now!"
Upon hearing the older woman snapped Keitaro dashed over to Teresa and using his free hand grabbed hers dragging her away from the deranged primate.
"Mwhaha, oh no you don't! Men take them down immediately!" Rupert snapped as thirteen men jumped out from various locations around the room. All were wearing black suits, white dress shirts, and were caring sub-machine guns.
"Oh no YOU don't!" Haruka snapped as she drew out her custom made 9mm pistol. She fired six shots before the men could even turn around and face her. The shots hit six of the goons in various vital spots causing them to crumple on the street.
"Impressive," Rupert chimed in as he dug a blood red orb out of his pocket, "It seems my secret service will be useless against one such as yourself, so allow me to up the ante. Now you shall fear the power of God!" With that said the orb began to glow a vibrant crimson. Within in second what remained of the goons had their souls drawn into the orb, their bodies turned to ash.
'That's definitely not the Philosophers Stone,' Haruka thought to herself as she too a long drag on her cigarette and waited for Rupert to make his move, 'But it doesn't look like I should take it lightly either way. Time for a little alchemy!'
"Now die you wretched woman!" Rupert snapped as the orb began to glow a vibrant crimson again.
"Heh," was Haruka's response as she grinned maliciously. Taking a marker out of her pocket she quickly drew a generic transmutation circle on her glove. Slamming her hand on the ground with a sudden surge of energy that could be felt erupting under the ground itself she focused on stopping the beast before her. Suddenly a stone sword shot up from the ground slicing Rupert clean down the middle.
"Too easy," Haruka stated with a smirk as she gazed at her handy work when all of a sudden Rupert faded like an apparition. "What the?" Haruka questioned as she stared dumbfounded at the scene before her.
"You didn't think it would be that easy did you?" a sinister voice chimed in from behind Haruka. It sounded like liquid death to her ears and she felt her blood run cold as she turned around to face the chimp like man with a diabolic smirk on his hideous face. Before Haruka could even complete her turn she felt a fist slam into her back sending her slamming through one of the love rooms across the street.
"Heh, back atcha," Rupert stated as he sauntered over to the fallen woman. "Now, like I said, prepare to witness the power of God," Rupert stated as he grabbed the bleeding and battered woman's broken body up by her collar. There was a steady stream of blood pouring down her forehead, a deep cut along her cheek, and her bottom lip was busted. Her uniform was completely ruined with several rips in the fabric and missing pieces. However, Haruka couldn't take note of any of this due to the fact that she was unconscious.
Rupert switched his grip from the woman's collar to her neck and began to squeeze tightly cutting of any circulation within her body. Suddenly his hand began to glow a vibrant crimson similar to that off the orb and he whispered, "I'm going to decompose your very being you silly wench!"
"Like hell you are!" a voice bellowed down the street.
"What the?" Rupert questioned as he gazed down that street in the direction of the voice.
"Get your hands off of my aunt!" Keitaro hollered as he clapped his hands together and they began to glow neon green. Parting his hands a spear started to compose until his hands were completely parted and the spear had taken on its full form once again.
"He created that spear without even using a transmutation circle!" Rupert said to himself as his grip loosened around Haruka's throat, and the glowing started to subside. 'So it's true, in order to obtain the ability to use alchemy without having to form transmutation circles he sold his fortune…so he really is The Unfortunate Alchemist.'
"Put my aunt down and give the stone Rupert, otherwise I'll have no choice but to rip you limb from limb. Trust me when I say that I'd really rather not," Keitaro stated as he approached the snarling man.
"Do you honestly think I would allow the power of the Stone to fall in the hands of a heathen like you!?" Rupert snapped as he flung Haruka's body off to the side. "Prepare to die Unfortunate Alchemist!" Rupert hollered as he disappeared from sight.
"That old trick huh?" Keitaro stated with a sigh, "Don't tell me that's the best you can do with the Stone's power." Suddenly Rupert appeared behind Keitaro with his fist drawn back and ready to strike. "Oh man, I dropped my wallet," Keitaro stated as he bent down to retrieve the article and inadvertently dodged Rupert's attack. "Man I really would have been in a bind if I had lost this, anyway" Keitaro stated turning his attention back to Rupert, "Hey where'd you just come from?"
To say Rupert was pissed off would be an understatement, and a big one. "Die Urashima!" Rupert cried out as the stone began to glow again. Suddenly a several chimeras appeared in front of Keitaro. All of them resembled a cross between a snake and a dog, and each had a hungry look on their snarling faces.
"Bring it!" Keitaro shouted back as he too tried to charge his adversaries with his spear ready to strike. Apparently both had forgotten about Keitaro's bad luck because neither one was prepared for what happened next.
As Keitaro charged the disfigured man her accidentally tripped over his shoe lace and fell flat on his face, but not before his spear flew from his hands slicing through everyone of the chimeras and snagging on Rupert's belt, tearing his pants clean off. Now if that hadn't been bad enough it just so happened that it was this day that Rupert decided to wear briefs instead of boxers. However, these were not just any pair of briefs, but were in fact a pair of briefs with Dopey Dog, a famous children's cartoon character, right on the crotch.
"Holy," Keitaro muttered as he looked up and felt his eyes roll to the back of his head in fright.
"Dear God what have you done!" Rupert shouted as he tossed on what remained of his pants and glared daggers into Keitaro.
"Wow, you don't see that everyday," Ketiaro muttered to himself as his mind's eye recovered from what he had just seen.
"I'll pay you back ten fold for this humiliation Urashima!" Rupert snapped as he turned and ran away.
"No! Give me the Stone first!" Keitaro cried out as he ran in the direction the monkey man had gone only to be yanked onto the ground by a powerful force.
"Calm down you idiot, it was a fake and that idiot is long gone," Haruka stated as she nursed her sore lip.
"Haruka you're okay!" Keitaro cried out as he tried to hug the older woman only to be slapped on the head and into the ground by her fan.
"Not right now you moron," Haruka stated as she shakily rose to her feet.
"Sorry," Keitaro apologized sheepishly as he rubbed the sore spot on his head.
"Whatever, lets just go home," Haruka muttered as Keitaro helped maintain her balance.
"Right," Keitaro said as he nodded in agreement.
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"So you were defeated by Keitaro were you?" a young woman wearing a sultry black dress with a plugging neck line asked Rupert who hung his head in shame. Flicking back a stray strand of shoulder length black hair the bronze skinned beauty merely scoffed as she pouted her full lips and rolled her dark red eyes in disgust. "You humans really are useless, I give you the power of the stone and the best you can do is to squander it. Pathetic," the young woman stated as she turned to look out the window and gazed at the pale full moon. "You know looking at that pale moon, it makes me think of how empty we really are. How insubstantial our existence really is, but of course we have more of a reason to live then you humans do," the young woman stated with a beleaguered sigh as she turned to face Rupert. "You've out lived your usefulness," the young woman stated simply as she snapped her fingers.
"Mistress Amalla you can't be serious!" Rupert cried indignantly as his eyes went wide with fear and tears started to stream down his face. "Please, just give me another chance!" Rupert continued to cry only to receive a look of indifference in response.
"That's not my name fool," the young woman retorted with another sigh, "My name is Envy, the least you could have done was to have gotten that right before you died." With that said the door to the cheap dingy hotel room opened up and a shadowed figure swiftly stepped in and stood behind a catatonic Rupert.
"Be happy that you have the honor of become a meal for one of the greatest beings on this planet. We, the Homunculi, have a greater destiny then you could ever imagine, and since you could not stop our greatest adversary then in turn we have no more use for you. Goodbye fool," Envy stated with a malicious grin as a loud crunch rang through the lamppost lit empty streets below.
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"Well since that came up with nothing I think it's time I get going," Keitaro stated as he grabbed a change of cloths and tucked it into a duffel bag.
"Sorry to hear that nephew," Haruka stated as she fought back the urge to light a cigarette. Not that she could anyway due to the fact that she was covered almost head to toe in bandages; even so she still managed to fit into her spare uniform and it still looked quite good on her. However, to be honest it was a miracle that she could even walk, but then again she was Haruka Urashima. "You know I do have one lead for you," Haruka stated as she sat down on the bed next to Keitaro.
"Huh?" Keitaro looked up at Haruka with a puzzled expression on his face. "I thought you said I was a fool for trying to obtain the Stone," Keitaro stated as he averted his gaze and continued packing.
"I do," Haruka stated as she released a beleaguered sigh before adding, "But it's not like that's going to stop you anyway. So do you want the lead or not?"
"Yeah," Keitaro said with a faint smile as he looked his aunt in her chocolate brown orbs.
"Okay, all you have to do is become a State Alchemist in Amestris and you'll be set if they let you into the top secret stuff," Haruka stated she painfully got up from the bed with Keitaro's aid.
"Thanks Haruka, I owe you one," Keitaro stated as he grabbed his bag and head toward the entrance following behind Haruka.
When they got to the entrance they were greeted by all of Tresembol Manor's occupants. The odd part was the fact that they all have bags of luggage. Naru was dressed in a green sundress and a thin white jacket, Motoko in her usual kendo garb, Kitsune in a brown corduroy jacket, tan khaki pants, and pink sweater, Shinobu in her school uniform, and Su in a school uniform similar to Shinobu's.
"Huh?" Keitaro said aloud to himself, "I wonder what's going on here."
"So you all are leaving too?" Haruka inquired in a deadpan tone of voice as she opened the door and stepped out onto the deck.
"Yeah," Naru answered solemnly for everyone present, "It's about time that we all went for our exams. When we came here it was in hopes of becoming State Alchemist, but since Tresembol doesn't even have an active military anymore we decided to head to Amestris since they've started to rebuild their military. Even if it is under that control of the government instead of the military."
"So you all are heading there too?" Keitaro inquired as he walked toward the door.
"You're going there too!" Naru cried out indignantly as she pointed vehemently at Keitaro.
"Yep!" Keitaro said, "I was just above to drive off, if you all want a lift I'd be more then happy to give you one!"
"But you don't have a car," Kitsune pointed out as she eyed him skeptically.
"Well grandma called Haruka and told her to let me have one of the ones in the garage," Keitaro said all the while beaming, "I would be honored to have you all as my company."
Naru's hard expression softened into a cute pout as she responded, "Whatever, yeah we'll go with you. Just don't try anything perverted."
"Wouldn't dream of it!" Keitaro stated as he walked out the door and toward the stairs. As everyone reached the last step Keitaro abruptly stopped.
"What is it sempai?" Shinobu inquired nervously as she looked over Keitaro's shoulder to see a little girl wearing a blue private school uniform.
"I just wanted to say good-bye, we'll be leaving soon," Evangeline stated nervously as she averted her eyes to her feet as a blush threaten to creep onto her cheeks.
Keitaro chuckled lightly as he approached the young woman. "I'm sure we'll meet again one day Evangeline, so don't worry," Keitaro stated as he bent down and pulled the girl into a bear hug, "Thanks for all of your help."
Evangeline felt her cheeks flush as she hesitantly returned the embrace at first, but then became increasingly comforted by it. "Okay Keitaro, it's a promise," Evangeline stated as she broke the hug with a smile and tears forming in the corners of her teal colored eyes.
"Yeah, it's a promise," Keitaro stated with a smile and they both chuckled.
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"Okay everyone lets go!" Keitaro shouted as he started up the car. It resembled an early black 40's model, and due to the fact that no one had bothered to update the makes and models lately it was still top of the line.
"Maybe it would be best if we took a train Motoko suggested from the back seat. Naru, Kitsune, Su, and she were packed like a can of sardines and, despite the smoothness of the ride and the feeling of the leather interior, they were very uncomfortable to say the least.
"I don't see what is so bad," Shinobu stated enjoying the fact that she got to sit in the passenger seat next to her sempai. She couldn't help but blush from ear to ear whenever she looked up and saw Keitaro look back at her. She was in paradise, and she wouldn't let the "party poopers" in the back ruin it for her.
"Tell you what, we'll get on the train once we get to the bridge. How does that sound," Keitaro asked as he waved to Evangeline and her parents as they drove past their car and several government cars.
"That's a sixteen hour drive!" Naru complained.
"Well singing makes the time pass quicker so let's sing one of my favorites…Yankee Doodle!" Keitaro stated excitedly as he began to sing off key.
Everyone's eyes went wide, including Su's, and they all screamed a resounding "NO!!!" Four seconds later Keitaro had been knocked into lower earth's orb by a group "Naru Punch".
To be continued
Next Episode: Reminiscence
Author's Note: Well I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, it's a long one…well at least the longest I've ever written. Anyway, I liked the edition of Evangeline in this chapter and I hope you did too. If you're wondering why she isn't some emo-vampire it's because she's still human (a resounding duh for those of you who didn't know that). Of course some of you would argue "Well what the heck is Evangeline doing in a fic like this anyway?" and my rebuttal would be, "To develop a character that some of you already know and love but in a different way. And also for you to grow attached to her and then rip her away just when you've started to like her most. Kinda like in the show "Fullmetal Alchemist". Plus Evangeline fits in really well with this story, especially later on when the angst kicks into high gear. However, I don't want to give too much away so just keep reading if you're interested. AS ALWAYS PLEASE REVIEW. ALSO FEEL FREE TO FLAME.