Chapter 3: Request

HKRSZTT

POV: Hikaru

June, 1916

Tick-tock, tick-tock —steadily the old clock continues on, the only sound in the quiet house. I try to enjoy the peace; all the chores are complete, no patients have visited today—but with Alexa off in Central of all places, away with her class, and Suzette visiting her friends, even if she remains mere minutes away… I know I should be grateful for the rest, but I can hardly stand it. Within the silence lies vipers—just when you think you're safe, they'll strike you down, filling you with a venom much less easily cured than physical poison.

I attempt to focus on the newspaper before me, but it's not much less noxious, to be honest. It's pleasant whenever they have articles on things that actually matter—some new discovery by scientists or historians, some good deed done around town, anything; but obviously, that "nonsense" won't sell copies. Instead they fill it with horror, tales of oppression and war and woe, all the injustices of the world conveniently in the palm of your hands.

But do you have the right to complain about it?

I sigh and put my hand to my head. I want a distraction, but this damn thing only heightens my worry. Alexa is only twelve, a mere girl…she's never been away from us for even a full evening, never mind somewhere so far—and never mind somewhere so rancid. Suzette was right, she needs a real education, beyond the tiny, ill-equipped school we have here. But still…

Blessedly my thoughts are soon interrupted by the distinct sound of Suzette's wheelchair rolling up to the door, her cane striking the ground as she goes to open it.

Before she's able to, I rush to the door, open it wildly—and Suzette looks up to me like a startled deer, as though I don't do this every time. And just like every other time, she soon grins and laughs.

"Hello my love!" she greets, still laughing, her voice as sweet as birdsong. With this she pulls me into an embrace, and in an instant my malaise melts away, and suddenly all seems right with the world once more. This exact scene, I'm sure, has played out a thousand times by now; yet, I never once tire of it.

"Hello my love," I whisper, pulling her into me, grasping her palms and planting on it a kiss. For a moment we stand there together, just as always—and all is well, just as always. "How was your day?"

"Ah…" she says hesitatingly, pulling back now, "I…actually have something very important to discuss with you."

"What is it?"

She gazes away from me, her grass green eyes full of hesitation.

"...I shall tell you once I am settled."

Well…this certainly isn't the same as always.

And so Suzette comes in and makes herself a cup of coffee before going to the parlor, onto our large sofa, increasingly worn down with time and use. I take her wheelchair and park it by the front door before closing it, and join Suzette. I try not to panic at her words, I'm sure it's nothing ill—at least, it doesn't seem there's any issues between us; but still…I've never been especially good at that.

"Well…what do you wish to talk about?" I ask as I sit to her side, putting my arm around her. She doesn't meet my eyes, simply staring into her coffee.

"You shall never believe who I met today…

"Do you remember Albtraum?" she now asks, turning up to me.

"I believe so," I reply after a moment of thought. "He was your best friend when you were younger, right? Before you moved to…"

A pit forms in my stomach as I remember that town and all that transpired there; even now, I'm overwhelmed with nausea, my heartbeat quickens, and I can't so much as bring myself to speak its name aloud. Seeing Suzette before me—the poorly hidden grimace on her face at the thought of it, her left hand instinctively gripping at the leg that used to be whole—yes, even now, it's still almost too much to bear, but—

"Indeed," she says softly, luckily moving on quickly from the subject. "After I had lunch with Oskar, I stumbled upon him in the tavern!

"Oh, can you believe it!" she exclaims, now smiling and clasping her hands, her manner alighting as quickly as a match thrown on kerosene. "Ever since I heard of that dreadful accident in Xenotime, I worried that he did not survive—yet, I have been unable to contact him since before even you and I met…how was I to verify?

"But that matters no longer—he is here!"

"That's wonderful," I reply as jovially as I may; although, I have to admit, something about this feels…more than a little off.

Wickerworth is scarcely even a blip on the map. We only have a few hundred people here. There's hardly anything: a couple of general stores, one cafe, the tavern, a library which can hardly be called such, a pitifully small school—even the radio can only just barely reach us here, and the signal is often horrible. We're just out of the way enough that we barely get travelers, too; people tend to only visit if they have family here. So…how on earth did this man come across such a place?

In an instant, my mind races; yes, he was Suzette's best friend when they were young, like her little brother…but it's been many years since then, and this world crushes innocence into a paste. What is he like now—what is he doing now? What if he just so happened to become a state alchemist? What if he's searching for me? What if—

"Are you…all right, Hikaru?"

"O-Of course," I stutter, not realizing I had entirely zoned out. "I'm just wondering why your manner earlier was so…dour."

"Well…" she says softly, putting her hands in her lap, ever so slightly fidgeting with them. Soon, the nausea returns as I know exactly what this means: she wants to ask for something, but is overwhelmed with timidness, even now. Normally I don't mind giving her anything she wants, but…

"The reason he has come this way, is—

"After that accident, he lost his memories; soon after, his wife was herself caught in a dreadful accident. Just like myself, she lost her leg, her home… They have left the city in search of a simpler life, away from industry and automobiles and all that horrid nonsense that binds the rest of the world together.

"I…" she turns her gaze away, biting her lip, "I would like to ask you…would you mind if they lodge with us until they are able to procure a more permanent home?

Damn it.

"Suzette, please don't…take this the wrong way," I say, "I know you and Albtraum were very close, but…it's been so long, they're practically strangers now—"

"Yet he was my family...not by blood, yes, I know—yet I have known him since he was an infant…"

"But not since he was a man," I frown. "And his wife…do you know anything about her? Have you met her?"

"Yes, I met her today!" Suzette grins. "She was so lovely…so elegant and beautiful, and incredibly kind—they seem as happy together as we are, even with the state of his memory. It is marvelous to see…"

I take a deep sigh. Suzette's not stupid, not at all; nor is she naive…usually. But it seems her "little brother" has gotten past her barriers…

Or maybe she simply has less reason to be paranoid than you.

"And," Suzette adds, "She is an alchemist, like you!"

For a moment, it seems like everything stops.

"No."

Suzette blinks in bewilderment. It's exceedingly rare that I deny her anything—why would I? But this—

"You…shall not allow them to stay?"

I take a deep breath, and try to hold my composure. I loathe this, I loathe doing anything but all I can to make her happy at all times—but I can't imagine how I'd do that, exactly, if I'm rotting in a jail cell—or worse, put at the end of a firing squad. Especially in her present state…how will she provide for herself and Alexa?

"I'm sorry, Suzette…" I mutter, my confidence crumbling as I see the tears forming in her eyes. "I know you were close as children, I know they seem kind, but—how can I put ourselves but for a couple of strangers?"

"Again, you know Albtraum is not a stranger—"

"And again…you don't know what he's become in that time. Who he's become."

"How would you feel if it were us?" she asks more forcefully now, the distress growing more palpable by the moment.

"I would understand completely, and move on my way.

"If they've come all this way, why can't they just keep going further?"

"How much further is there to go?"

"They'll live."

"What is wrong with you?" she gasps, flabbergasted, "This—this does not seem like you at all…

"My, have you truly become like those who have lived here all their lives? You shall help anyone in need, with any issue you are able—yet will not extend your kindness to strangers? As though we, too, were not strangers here once? My, even more than Albtraum is now—we did not know anyone when we came here!"

"It's not like that—"

"Then what is it like?"

I sigh. "I am not letting the townsfolk into our home as we sleep, able to do as they damn well please."

"Hikaru," she says firmly while grasping my hand… "You are an alchemist, and a rather talented one at that. Can you not simply, I do not know…create something to help protect us? On the extraordinarily thin chance they are truly malicious?"

"It's not really that simple," I sigh. "It's not magic…"

"But, look at you…even without alchemy, you are the strongest person I know—you could certainly overwhelm them in a fight, if it had to come to such a dreadful thing," Suzette whispers. "Why do you have no faith in yourself? Why do you have no faith in me?"

I furrow my brow as I look to her. Logically, I know this is an utterly horrific idea. That her friend's wife is an alchemist…I struggle to imagine she's not a state alchemist, even if I know, on some level, this is an exceedingly paranoid thought. Why else would she be in a place like here?

But, also…seeing Suzette, the pure conviction on her face—the pure sorrow on her face…no, she's incredibly wrong. I'm not a very strong man at all…when I see her, I can do naught but melt and become a puddle in her hands.

Internally, I scream—this is the wrong decision, I know it is. But…I've never been good at denying her.

"All right, then," I sigh. "Go to your friends and let them know they may stay here—but only for a few days, okay?"

"Thank you!" Suzette exclaims, pulling me into an embrace once more; and for a second, as always…I feel that maybe I didn't make the wrong decision. "I shall let them know right away. Thank you so very much, love…"

"Of course," I reply, smiling weakly, hoping my lack of conviction doesn't shine through regardless.