Chapter 3: Memories

Lan Fan had tossed and turn constantly but still never woke. She hasn't been awake since she said 'Hisoka'. That was yesterday. Ling had to return to his throne because in the eyes of the elders "There are more important things than you bodyguard, Ling". They thought if he took time off to look after Lan Fan it would set a terrible example. They were right in some ways,though. But that didn't matter if you looked at it in Ling eyes. In the eyes of emperor he should worry about his country, his world. But in his own eyes Lan Fan was more valuable than his country. She was his world.

May had constantly check up on Lan Fan and reported back to Ling with her condition every hour or so. Although it never changed. May was lost in her thoughts as walked from her room to Lan Fan's. When she arrived she just stared at her through a glass window of her white hospital room. She was allowed in there, in fact she had been in there most of the day, but she chose to keep her distance this time. Lan Fan needed her space and time to rest,and heal. May's eyes began to water, but she refuse to shed a tear. Then she had realize she had been awake for almost the whole day. Her body needs rest. She looked at on of the clocks in the room and saw it was almost midnight. That would make it one whole day since the ceremony. But for Ling and May it felt like a lifetime. May thought about going to see Ling but realize he is probably sleeping. And if he was still busy, she was sure he would visit her before turning in for the night. Or perhaps he already had and she had missed him. May had a terrible feeling in her stomach as she watch over Lan Fan.

I own her my life she thought.

May remember the day they left Amestris so clearly. She was sitting next to Al basically refusing to let go off him. That's when Ling had confronted her. She was devastated at first because the next leader of Xing would a be Yao. But that devastation had turn into happiness. He had been so greedy and said that he would look after all the clans. She thought he was crazy. May also thought it was impossible for all the clans to be well look after. But here they are, two and half years later and he kept his word. Ling has been emperor for six months now. But the coronation was always postponed for some reason. She remembers Ling has picked her up and refused to put her down because of her injuries. Ed and Al had said their goodbyes to them and they were off to Xing. How they got to the edge of Amestris was a mystery to May. She can recall being at the start of the desert with four donkeys. One for everyone and one to carry a wooden coffin. Everyone was looking back to the wonderful country where they had found friends and allies that will be with them forever. May quietly said "We will return. I promise." And they started off into the desert.

The First half of their journey was very simple. And very uneventful. They were all silent most of the way. May was thinking about Al wondering when she can return to him. Lan Fan was still tensing up at every slight movement. And Ling was lost in his thoughts. Some of them look happy and peaceful. Others cause his expression to look as if he was having a nightmare. By the time they had reached Xeres it was already dark. They had all been here before, so they knew where shelter and water was located. Once they had some water and rest ever so slightly, they started to get work. Lan Fan disappear into the shadows. May had assumed she was going to check for danger. Ling was building a fire and setting up a place for them to sleep. When May had began to get up she struggled and fell. Ling had shouted
"No! Your injuries are too great even with the alkahestry you used. Just sit there and relax."

May had felt bad she was kinda worthless to them. Xiao-Mei had even noticed May's sadden emotions and climbed out of her bag and onto May's shoulder.
Lan Fan had soon returned and said that there was no one here and we should be safe.

The night was dull as it went on. They ate and talk and prepared for tomorrow's journey.

Ling had announced that they should all get some sleep. If they left at dusk tomorrow and if they were lucky they could arrive in Xing a few hour after nightfall. Obviously none them want to spend a night in desert like May had done on the way to Amestris. Ling had fallen asleep instantly. May fell into an uneasy sleep the whole time. And she remembers Lan Fan laying down but still on guard the whole time.

May and Ling had woken into darkness by a loud clank of metal. May had gotten up instantly and soon regretted as she felt the pain of her injuries, but did not fall for this was too important. The loud metal noise they had heard was two kunai knives colliding. Ling had screamed "Lan Fan!" and pick up his sword that was placed right next to him. Ling had glanced back a May. His eyes and expression were very clear.
Stay there. That was what she had read off his very face.

Although staying put wouldn't have help her much. Lan Fan was trying to push the fight away from them, but wasn't successful. Ling had been fighting off two other with his sword, and seem to be to managing well. But Lan Fan was facing two opponents twice her size. Normally her being small and her speed would have been and advantage. But not in a fight like this. The masked men she was facing were made up of pure strength. And for their huge size,they were pretty fast.

May had no choice but to stand there and watch.

I can help them. But in my condition I would only slow them down. Thoughts of her being useless flooded her mind.

The elbow of Lan Fan's automail had struck her one of the enemy. He fell face first. What happen next lives with May forever. She shivered at the memory.

Lan Fan's second attacker had seized May and spoke in a deep baritone voice.

"Forfeit the throne." his voice seemed to boomed across the deserted city. "Forfeit it or the girl dies." Lan Fan address the situation and all its outcomes. She had a very slim chance of getting him to release May. Ling was still fighting the two other, they were pretty beat up and Ling only had a couple of bruises. She had five shurikens and four kunai knives. But the amount didn't really matter. She had to kill this man before he harmed May.

May wanted to scream. What good would that do? she thought.

Lan Fan knew this was an easy fight. But she wanted to toy with them. She smirked under her mask and the removed it.

"So? What makes you think we are in line for the throne?"

"Well,well,well. The rumors are true. The Yao's most trusted and skilled bodyguard is in fact a women. More like a child it seem. But don't play with me. We have our sources in that dreadfully country Amestris, that you have obtain immortality,somehow."

The man had shifted May onto his shoulder and she heard her groan in pain.

"Then who does that make you then, if you want the throne?"

"My master is someone you have seem to have long forgotten and you are doing well without."

Lan Fan had quickly dropped the conversation knowing it didn't make any sense and she didn't have the time to have a useless chat.

"One more thing. Why are you threatening me when I am just a subject? You obviously need Ling for the Yao clan to forfeit the throne."

Shocked by her words, he took a stepped forward. He dropped May and ran to the left of Lan Fan, towards Ling, who was now finishing off his last man.

Big mistake Lan Fan thought.

She slipped on her mask. And step in front the man in an instant. He was dazed, but only for a moment. He quickly got out kunai and held it in defense.

"If the rumors are true, why do you insist on fighting me?" She said grinning underneath her mask.

He said nothing. Taking out three shurikens and placing them between his fingers he threw them an Lan Fan with full force. She managed to dodge two and block one with her automail. Before she knew it, he was on his knees coughing. Behind him she saw May Chang standing, and clutching her chest, with more kunia knives in her hand.

The man stood up and yelled "You brat! I'll kill you!"

As he stood Lan Fan saw he had two kunias in his back. Lan Fan reacted as quick as she ran in front of the man to stop him. But he had took her by a sloppy move. He punch her right in the face causing her mask to crack. She flew back, right in next to May, before landing gracefully on her feet. Feeling the huge gap from the cheek of her mask to the chin, she snapped.

"Now you'll pay!" she yelled with angry clearly in her voice.

She had ran up to him with nothing but a kunai in her hand, but despite his injuries he ran past her back to May.
I knew my anger would cause my attacks to be sloppy. She thought
He pick her up forcefully. And held a knife to her neck.

"I'll kill you, before you can hurt her!"

"Let's just see about that!" was his reply. Lan Fan had a small margin for error. She charged towards the man. Thinking she was doing a frontal attack he was on his guard ready to counterattack. At the last moment she jumped into mid air and threw one of her kunia knives at her enemy. It hit him dead in the chest and he fell to his knees, slowly releasing May. She scrambled to get away from the man and was soon comforted by her little companion Xiao-Mei.

Lan Fan stood there shocked as the man got up again. Lan Fan slowly got up. She could kill this man right now. She didn't like killing, but her sworn duty was to protect Ling. She walked towards him with nothing in her hand.

I'll use my automail. She thought

But as she approached him Ling had place himself in front of Lan Fan and mumbled something about her having enough blood on her hands already.

That is my job, my reward is knowing you are safe. Her mind had wandered as Ling spoke.

"Lan Fan?"

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Take May back to the camp. Somehow we drifted away."

"But-"

"Just do it." Ling said with authority in his voice. She did was she was told and carried May back to camp like she was told.
The man was his knee. His eyes begging for a fight.

"You just don't know when to give up. Do you?"

The man said nothing.

"I can leave you here to live. But you seems like you want to fight." He glanced down at the blade in the man hands. The knife that was pointed to his chest. "Oh. You want to die a samurai's death." Ling took the knife out the man's hand and held to his neck.

"You will not die a death like that. They may say it's honorable, its not. It's a death for cowards. You master will think the same." the man gasped at the same time.

"Die here if you want. But I will not help." Ling threw the knife down at his feet.

With that Ling walk away in the direction of May and Lan Fan. Who where by their camp. He saw the when he was about twenty feet away and continued on, relieved that they were okay.

That's when Lan Fan look at him horror and yelled "My Lord!" He turn around to see the man running towards them with a blade in hand.

Ling took out his sword sighed and stab the man. "I gave a chance to live. But if you try hurt people I care about I will never hesitate to kill."

He remove his sword, wiped off most the blood and turn around and walked towards the camp. Lan Fan was on her knees begging for forgiveness.

"What for?"

"I should have killed him. I should have stay and made sure you leave."

Ling sighed and bent down towards Lan Fan.

"You have protected for so long now. Sometimes I like to return the favor." He look at her face which was still covered by a broken mask. "It was your family's mask, the one your mother wore wasn't it?"

"Yes it is"

She had felt the cracks running down the side of the broken mask. Her mother had died too young for her to remember much. She had died in a border war with Yamikoto. An eastern country. She clung to the mask since she was a child because she felt gulity.

No sorrow.
No pain.
Just guilt.

Her grandfather love was enough for her. So held the mask close to her because she felt it was the least she can do to remember her mother.

Ling had untied the mask gently and tossed aside. She gasped by his action and he quietly whispered,

"I never like anyways, it hid your face too much."

Ling got up spoken to May to see if she was okay. But Lan Fan sat there, confused about how she should react.

"Aw come on really? Morning already!" Ling had shouted in frustration. His tone then turned serious.

"Come on! If we want to make it back to Xing by nightfall tomorrow we need to get moving."

Lan Fan had snapped out of her daydream and turned her back on the mask. Not looking back.

Ling has helped me move forward. He guided me out the past. She thought. Thank you.

The rest of the journey was a blur to all of them. Lan Fan had passed out from the heat. She had to take the full extent of it due to her automail. Ling had place on the back of his donkey. She had pleaded with him, saying she 'fine'. But Ling took no chance. He had hooked up her donkey to Fu's coffin.

They were lucky when they reached Xing. They found themselves in one of Xing's major gates. They were welcome in open arms. Treating their injuries and giving the a place to rest.

Within days Ling and Lan Fan had moved into the palace, although the emperor seemed to have a few year left in him.

But they all thought one thing. The thought of what they left behind in Amestris.

May had finally escaped her memories and found herself in her room. She was on the edge of her bed crying.

I thought i said i wouldn't shed a tear. She joked with herself. She had laid down on her bed not bothering to change and fell into an uneasy sleep.

Ling had been busy all day. Due to the coronation his title as emperor seem to gained more meaning. He had officially been emperor for six months now. But just a the clock struck midnight, he tried to slip out just to get a peek at Lan Fan. But two of the Imperial guards had caught just before he slipped away.

"My Lord" the both said in unison.

"Yes, what is it?" He said with more anger than he had intended to.

"You asked us to search the woods to see who tried to assassinate you."

"Did you find anything?"

"Yes we found this note"

He took the note out of his hand and began to read it. But before he could the guard had pass him a shuriken and said, "It was attached to a tree with that."

Ling had studied the shuriken and thought it was odd. Only having three sides instead of four. Each blade look like fire. It had Kira inscribed in the middle of it. That name Kira sounded so familiar. Ling had read the five word note. Five words.

It's just begun

Secret Killer.