Chapter Three – Alchemy Is…

Author's Note: I do not own the Buso Renkin series and the characters of the original series. I own only the original characters of this fic, Sakuya Mutou, Kaworu Jounouchi, their siblings and friends, Phalene, some members of the Alchemist Army, and the enemy, the Tetsujin Juusan. Buso Renkin is the creation of mangaka, Watsuki Nobuhiro.

–

"Ah!" gasped Sakuya as she flipped the page on the Japanese dictionary. It was found under the hiragana れ, or "re." It's full name was "renkinjutsu." "I knew it'd be found in the dictionary!"

Then Kaworu leaned on her back. She blushed slightly, as this was the first boy who has ever done that to her; he wasn't putting his whole weight on her, so he didn't feel heavy. Placing his finger on the definition, he recited, "An early scientific practice combining elements of various disciplines. Such studies were the transmutation of base metals into gold and the preparation of the elixir of immortality. None of these, however, succeeded, but Alchemy became one of the precursors and the basis of recent and modern sciences." It was an old book, used for years. It was worn out, the cover almost ripping off. Then Kaworu looked at Sakuya's red face and smiled gently. "Oh? Is everything alright, Sakuya-kun?"

Being called "Sakuya-kun" by a boy as handsome as he was made Sakuya blush furiously, and she ducked under his arms and sidled towards her sleeping brother. She looked down at him as he was slept soundly and smiled, brushing his hair. He had just started his first year inGinseiAcademy, too. This really wasn't supposed to happen. Her dying, getting her brother mixed into it, it all wasn't supposed to happen.

"It's such a heavy burden, isn't it?" Kaworu asked her, turning to the window, facing the factory. "We Alchemists, knowing that only two methods of alchemy actually succeeded, have to carry the burden of losing lives to Homunculi that broke that pact made many years ago."

With Kaworu's mention of the "pact," this made Sakuya confused. She looked at him with a tilted head and asked, "What pact? You mean, like a pact between humans and Homunculi?"

"You're catching on quickly," Kaworu explained and sat down on the chair, keeping himself from sitting on his thin ponytail. "Years ago, a pact between the Homunculi and us Alchemist was made. The Homunculi…live up in the moon as we live down on Earth. They don't bother us, we don't bother them. But…" He cringed slightly, and Sakuya got up, placing her hand on her chest.

"The Homunculi…are breaking that pact…" she stated, figuring it all out. She was slow, but not THAT slow. This will definitely spark Yumi's interest. It was as if something out of a manga (even though this series IS a manga series, and this fanfic is related to said series). The more she thought about it, the more she felt afraid. But at the same time, she felt empowered to help the people from these monsters. Well, who knew that her teacher had been one for quite a long time? How long has this been going on? "I'm goi-"

"No." That's all Kaworu said as he opened the window. "I cannot afford having HIS daughter killed once again. The first time was an accident. The second time, I do not have any means of bringing you back to life." Turning to her, the blonde's purple eyes shifted. They were no longer calm, but fierce, as if he would strike her if she even thought about getting up and going to the factory. "There is one more in that factory that was partnered with the scorpion. But he was a coward that night and disappeared before I could slay him. So stay behind, and I will take care of everything."

"But I-"

"I SAID NO!" His voice, it was loud, yet Souta slept through it. Sakuya felt a chill down her spine when he glared at her, and she was compelled to do what he said. Wait, who's daughter? HIS daughter? Does that mean that Kaworu knew her father, who disappeared from her life many years ago? "I'm sorry for raising my voice, but I do not have time to argue. Human lives are in danger, and I won't have you jeopardize my mission."

Sakuya nodded as she watched the boy jump out the window and dash towards the abandoned factory. That factory…so many rumors about it float around the school. They say that people who go in there never come out alive. She knew a student once who disappeared, and no one could find her. And now she knows why. It was because of monsters that ate them. She grew angry at herself for not knowing this, and angry at Kaworu for keeping her from doing anything.

"Mmm…" Souta groaned and sat up from his infirmary bed. "What…what happened?" he muttered and looked at Sakuya, who was staring out the window. "Nee-san…oh, I had the weirdest dream…a giant mechanical scorpion took me and was about to kill me and…I don't really remember much…"

Sakuya only looked at him and smiled. He doesn't really need to know what happened. "Souta," she said and took him by the hand and placed him onto his back. Her eye twinkled, and she screamed, "IT'S TIME FOR THE THIRTY-SECOND DASH!" Next thing anyone knew, she was running outside of school, leaving a trail of dust behind as Souta started to scream, swinging around on her neck.

Finally, they had stopped, and Souta stumbled to the dorm's door, where caretaker Mahiro Muto, their aunt, welcomed him. "Souta-kun!" she gasped and helped him up. "Where's Sakuya-chan? I thought you went out to look for her!"

"Auntie, you won't believe this! I had this crazy dream, and, and…wait, nee-san isn't here?"

This perplexed Mahiro as she saw nothing but the street. This brought back old memories, and her expression changed to a worried one. "Does that mean…she fell into HIS footsteps…like father, like daughter…"

–

"You are not welcome…in my EDEN!" The claymore that was brought down slammed against a hard tortoise shell-like body, but bounced back because it wasn't strong enough. He took a few steps back, letting the weight of the claymore bring him farther from the tortoise homunculus. "Tch…his shell is too hard for me to penetrate it!"

"Keh keh keh…well, sonny, it seems you don't have what it takes to defeat me!" cackled the old man's head on the bottom part of the shell. "My shell is one of a kind, and no Homunculi can break through! Give up, sonny! It's useless!"

"Shoot," Kaworu growled as he brought his two-handed sword in front of him, holding it firmly. "If Warrior Touma or Masaru were here, I'd be back at headquarters right now…" Wait…the only way to get inside a turtle was to attack it from the inside. But how can he attack something that keeps on standing on its hind legs? The only thing Kaworu could do is defend.

"CHAAAAAARGE!" roared Sakuya as she broke through the doors and towards the battle. Placing her hand over the left side of her chest, she called out her Buso Renkin and jumped into the air. The oversized buster sword crashed through the ceiling and down onto the shell, breaking that, and the emblem on the old man's head, in half. As she got up and swung the huge sword to the ground, she watched him disintegrate into nothing. She let out a light sigh and turned to Kaworu, making a V sign with her finger.

"Sakuya-kun…" he muttered until he looked down. The cloth at the end of her buster sword was glowing, but faded quickly. He thought to himself as he remembered something familiar about it. It was probably nothing, but it was going to bother him for awhile, he just knew it. "How could you be so careless, Sakuya-kun?" he questioned as he deactivated his Buso Renkin. "You could have gotten hurt. You have Mutou-otouto waiting for you, and there could have been a chance you would not have come back alive."

"Shut up, blondie!" Sakuya retorted and jabbed her finger at him. "I just saved your frickin' life! So show some consideration, dammit!" Kaworu knew that she had a point and decided to keep his mouth shut…not at least until Sakuya saw the bones on the ground. She panicked and stepped back some, slamming her back against the wall. The skulls were piled up, staring at her. "A-Are these what's left of the humans that have been eaten?"

"Yes…" Kaworu replied grimly and held his arm. "These are the unlucky souls who had fallen into the Homunculi's clutches. And as Alchemist Warriors, we are to defeat them, no matter the cost."

Thinking of before, how this wasn't supposed to happen, she looked up at Kaworu and said, "You gave me this power…and saved my life…for that, I am truly grateful. But…" Kaworu saw the flame in her eyes as she said, "I'm willing to sacrifice my life to protect my friends and my little brother!"

Kaworu blinked and smiled, crossing his arms and muttered, "You're just like your father….very well, Sakuya-kun. Starting today, you'll be a Warrior Apprentice under my tutelage. And I'm going to work you to the bone!" Then he extended his hand to shake. Sakuya stared at it for a bit, but she smiled and took his hand. She had made a new friend, and an ally to save humanity. But high above the school's water tower, a blue-haired woman with a scar on her nose was watching down to them with a smile on her face.

"I'm so glad you're safe…Sakuya…"