Kurai Hikawa was just an ordinary girl.
She was content to paint in her studio where she was famous as the Artist of Life.
But everything changed when she had to move from creating lifelike artworks, to molding life into prosthetics using her BioMagical Engineering.
But before all that she was just a girl with a conflicting heart born from an ancient priestess.
It all started five hundred years ago.
Midoriko and Khione...a ballad of their tragic destiny.
Midoriko was a priestess who survived through a violent age where wars never ceased.
She survived by becoming a master of the skill of Lotis; which allowed her to achieve Naohi in her Inner Heart; thus giving birth to the power she was famous for: Shikon.
But back then, she was just an innocent girl who knew nothing of fighting or war.
"Lady Priestess!" Slave 23 chased after the young priestess.
Slave 23 was the priestess' constant partner and helper. He was ten years younger than she, and looked up to her greatly. She in turn treated him well, and he was not treated as poorly as many other slaves.
"Do not come 23!" Midoriko said, holding up a hand in warning.
"Huh?" Slave 23 stopped and stared.
There she was, the cause of all the trouble: Midoriko's Rival, Khione.
Khione was a dark priestess. While Midoriko was a master of the Lotis, the good runes of the Inner Heart; Khione was a master of the Maram, the evil runes that taint the heart and make it wicked and cursed with malice.
"That woman is..." Slave 23 said. "The dark priestess with the frozen heart; Khione. The Maram master."
Khione turned and her smile could freeze the sun. "Is that girl your companion?"
Midoriko nodded. "He is my partner."
"Are you sure about this Midoriko?" Khione said. "I am perfectly capable of handling this alone. Take your partner and get back."
The two faced the battle as Slave 23 stood back.
"You need not worry." Midoriko said fearlessly.
"I'm impressed." Khione said. "Your dear partner may be in danger, yet you refuse to budge."
"DAA-RA!" Khione cried, and a rune lit up red on her wrist.
The wind ripped the breath from their lungs, but the enemy stood firm.
"RAN-GU!" Midoriko cried, and a rune lit up in blue on her forearm.
A fierce lion spirit leapt from her hands and devoured the enemy.
"You are such a cold woman." Khione said. "How alike we are, Midoriko. We who are not women. We, who are miko."
"Yes. I am miko." Midoriko said. "That is my destiny."
Slave 23 followed after the young priestess. Despite her strong words, Slave 23 knew his mistress to be lonely.
Xxx
Midoriko sat beside Slave 23 and gave him some onigiri.
"23. Do you know what the greatest of all powers is?" Midoriko asked.
"Is it one of the Lotis?" Slave 23 said eagerly.
"Of course not." Midoriko smiled. "This is much more powerful."
"Tell me more!" Slave 23 said.
"It makes the ugly beautiful. It makes a coward brave. It makes the weak strong. It is the Greatest of all Powers." Midoriko said.
"What is it?" Slave 23 said.
"Love." Midoriko said. "But a Priestess must never succumb to it. She must choose duty over her heart."
Xxx
"Hey, you over there." Homunculus said.
"Oh, crap!" Slave 23 jumped. He had been slacking off again.
"Don't worry." Homunculus said. "Over here."
Slave 23 looked over and saw the Homunculus, the Dwarf in the Flask.
So this had been what the Lady Priestess had taken his blood for. Her great experiment. Midoriko had said that she had combined the great Runic Arts with the Scientific Arts to create something new she called: Alchemy.
"What the hell?" Slave 23 said.
"Come on." Homunculus said. "Aren't you at least a little surprised?"
Slave 23 rolled his eyes, not really interested. "If I do get surprised, will you give me something?"
"I guess you're always at ease. I like you." Homunculus smiled at him.
Slave 23 didn't like the smile.
"What's your name?" Homunculus asked him.
"Slave Number 23." Slave 23 said.
"I didn't ask for a number. I want your real name." Homunculus specified.
"I don't have a name. I'm a slave." Slave 23 pointed out.
"Slave?" Homunculus said, sounding like he was recalling something. "People who are stripped of their rights and freedom, and are exchanged as possessions in conveyance?"
"Conveyance?" Slave 23 scratched his head. He didn't know such big words.
"To transfer property and rights and such." Homunculus smiled. "You're not very bright, are you?"
"Shut up!" Slave 23 yelled.
"I don't understand how I was born from someone like you." Homunculus said. "You're the one who gave me blood, aren't you?"
"They did take a lot of blood from me to use for experiments..." Slave 23 reasoned.
"I was born because you gave me blood." Homunculus said. "Thank you. Umm..."Slave Number 23" just sounds too cold. I'll give you a name, then."
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Slave 23 was starting to get angry.
"Don't you want a cool name? Let's see..." Homunculus started to think. "Teo... Teofrastus Bombastus."
"Too long." Slave 23 was annoyed.
"Ah, it can't be too long; else you won't be able to memorize it. You're dumb, after all." Homunculus laughed.
"Quit saying that!" Slave 23 shouted.
"Then how about Van?" Homunculus decided. "Van Hohenheim."
"Van Hohen, eh?" Slave 23 said, liking it. "I should be able to remember that."
"You spell it like..." Homunculus said. "Wait, do you know how to read and write?"
"I don't need to know to work." Hohenheim said.
"The work of a slave, right?" Homunculus said. "Don't you want freedom and rights? Do you plan on ending your life as a slave without gaining basic human rights? That's the same as being in this stuffy flask. I'm going to share my knowledge with you, Van Hohenheim."
"Hey... What are you?" Hohenheim asked. "What should I call you?"
"The Little One Inside the Flask. So... call me "Homunculus"." Homunculus said
Xxx
After a particularly terrible battle in which she worked alongside Khione, the dark priestess came to her and asked her a question.
"Are you sure you don't want your reward?" Khione said, holding out a bag of money.
"Yes. You may have it, Khione." Midoriko said.
"I see. Well then, thanks." Khione smiled. "Midoriko, here is a bit of advice from one priestess to another."
Khione came closer and the temperature dropped. It began to snow as she gave a chilling smile.
"When a priestess abandons all human feelings," Khione said. "Her true power comes alive. But if one is a woman, it's only natural to have care, to have feelings, and to love people. You must love no one."
"Love?" Midoriko scoffed. "I love no one."
"Do not forget this." Khione warned. "You must care about no one, not even your partner. If you protect another life above your own,, you will die a violent death."
Khione pulled Midoriko close to her face.
"And I will be the one to snuff out your light at last."
Midoriko jerked back. "Hmph. I shall remember those words."
Midoriko scowled at Hohenheim afterwards. "That Khione is unscrupulous."
"Huh?" Hohenheim questioned.
"She just placed a curse on me." Midoriko stated.
"A curse?" Hohenheim asked.
Midoriko smiled, calmingly. "There's nothing to worry about. For there is no way that I would fall in love."
Xxx
"RU-TA!" Hohenheim cried and his rose petals sharpened and shredded the tree branch.
"You've improved greatly." Midoriko said.
"Thank you." Hohenheim said.
"Next is the Sealing Lotis." Midoriko said.
"Sealing?" Hohenheim said. "I know all sorts of Seals and Wards."
Midoriko extended her arm. "This is the Sealing Lotis. Areto. We use it for enemies who are invincible."
"And then what happens to the enemy?" Hohenheim said.
"They fall into an eternal sleep." Midoriko said. "They will only Awaken if the Awakening Lotis, Utei, is cast."
"But in my studies Areto is used to awaken victims of catatonia or deep sleep." Hohenheim said.
"Yes I have never been able to seal an enemy with it. It requires...Maram. That Maram: Rajika. Death. But you must never use it. It will darken your heart." Midoriko said.
Xxx
"All was created from one, and it eventually returns to one. In other words, one is all. All exists due to one...and all exists within one. If one does not contain all, then there exists nothing." Hohenheim recited.
"You pass." Midoriko said. "You're now a fine alchemist, Hohenheim."
"I'm still not good enough to be on my own." Hohenheim said. "My abilities are far beneath yours, Lady Priestess."
Midoriko nodded and left.
"You know, I'm really thankful." Hohenheim said to the Homunculus.
"For what?" Homunculus asked.
"Because you gave me knowledge. I'm able to live a good life like this." Hohenheim said. "I'm also happy to be in the Lady Priestess' favor. It may be possible that I can marry someone in the future and start my own family."
"A family, eh?" Homunculus said. "Humans are inconvenient creatures, aren't they? The species can't live on unless they all create a community and expand."
"Don't talk like that." Hohenheim said. "It may be stupid in your eyes, but having friends and family...may bring one happiness. For us humans, that is."
"Really?" Homunculus said.
"Then what do you consider happiness?" Hohenheim said.
"Let's see..." Homunculus said. "I don't want to be too greedy, but I guess being able to leave this flask would make me happy."
Xxx
Midoriko brought Homunculus to the King. He asked the Homunculus to provide him with the secret to immortality.
"Immortality..." Homunculus said. "I wonder why fools who gained ultimate authority and prosperity begin to wish for that."
"Mind your tongue!" Midoriko said. "You're talking to the King! If you continue to be disrespectful, I'll break the flask!"
"You're going to destroy the source of the knowledge you don't know about?" Homunculus said.
"Cease your prattling." King said. "Can you make me immortal or not?"
"Growing impatient as you age, huh?" Homunculus said. "How sad, King of Xerxes. Fine, I'll tell you how to achieve immortality."
Xxx
"What's with the construction?" Midoriko asked the villagers.
"We're making a waterway for irrigation." Hohenheim said. "The King ordered a waterway to extend around the entire country. Nothing less to be expected from the King of Xerxes. He even thinks about commoners like us."
"That's right." Midoriko said, but she looked very suspicious and sought out her partner Khione.
xxx
"Kill them all. Understood?" King said.
"Yes, sir..." Khione said.
"Hurry! Waste no time!" King said. "Hurry and carve a bloody crest into the land!"
Xxx
"The village to the north was raided?" Midoriko said.
"I heard everyone there was killed." Hohenheim said. "And the same thing happened in the village to the west last time. I wonder who's behind it..."
"How terrible." Homunculus said.
"Yeah, how awful." Hohenheim said.
Xxx
Midoriko stood under the cherry blossoms next to Khione, who had finished off yet another enemy.
"How admirable." Khione said. "But I understand if you stand beneath the cherry trees for too long, you will go insane."
Khione smiled coldly and the temperature dropped. The Maram Priestess seemed, if possible, markedly more evil.
"I wonder if it's because of these cherry trees...you seem like a completely different person from last I saw you." Khione said. "And your pitifully weak powers...villagers are being murdered left and right.."
"I see..." Midoriko said. "So this was your plan, and who was your accomplice?"
Khione rose up in the air and sent a snake after Midoriko.
Midoriko struck the snake-like creature with her bow and it flew back into Khione's right eye.
"Damn you, Midoriko!" Khione gasped.
"Get back! I shall spare your life." Midoriko snapped.
Xxx
"Your Majesty, the transmutation circle is finally complete." Khione smiled.
"Truly, it has been a long time." King said. "This is all we need to do, right?"
"Yeah, you'll be able to become immortal." Homunculus said.
"That's amazing." Khione said. "The King is going to become immortal."
Khione headed out of the city as it lit up with a transmutation circle.
"I guess it's what they call the turning point of the century." Khione smiled.
Xxx
And so, the Lotis Priestess ventured to the Taijiya Cave for the Final Battle.
"What was it you did to Slave 23!" Midoriko demanded. "PAA-SA!"
"You want truth?" Khione said, lunging with knife like ice. "Why was your partner, your so-called friend, so easily broken? Such a fragile, laughable trust you had in each other! He never doubted the Homunculus' deception!"
"Despicable! ARE-GO!" Midoriko growled.
Spiritual chains bound the dark priestess.
"KA-SHA!" Khione shattered the chains. "Your love, friendship, and care for him, was your undoing. Greatest Power? Don't make me laugh! SHA-NA!"
Midoriko collapsed.
"Do you have even strength to finish me like you promised?" Khione laughed coldly. "RA-JI-KA!"
No! She would not die. She didn't deserve it!
"UT-EI!" Midoriko screamed the counter-word.
Xxx
"So this is immortality..." King said.
Then he started to die along with everyone else.
"What's this?!" Hohenheim said, holding the Homunculus.
"You said that since we're in the center of it, we wouldn't be harmed!" King said.
"What?" Hohenheim said. "What's happening?! Hey! Homunculus!"
"The true center of the transmutation circle is where you're standing right now." Homunculus said.
"What?!" Hohenheim said.
"I opened the gate using your blood inside of me." Homunculus said. "You're a relative that shares my blood, Hohenheim! Right now, you and I are at the center of the world!"
"Your Majesty!" Hohenheim said.
"He's dead." Homunculus said.
"Is anyone here?!" Hohenheim said. "Where is the Lady Priestess? She left Xerxes just before...along with Lady Khione..."
"Yes." Homunculus said. "The two of them have no doubt slaughtered each other by now."
"No..." Hohenheim said. "Please... Someone, say something."
"It's no use. Everyone has had their souls taken from them." Homunculus said.
He stepped out wearing Hohenheim's form.
"So...How do you like my new body?" Homunculus said.
"It's... me..." Hohenheim said.
"I created a body for myself using the information stored in your blood." Homunculus said. "Finally, I can walk with my own two feet."
"You're... Homunculus?" Hohenheim said. "What is this?! What did you do?!"
"In return for you giving me blood, I gave you a name and shared my knowledge with you." Homunculus said. "I also gave you an eternal body."
"Eternal?" Hohenheim said, starting to panic.
"Try focusing all of your consciousness into yourself." Homunculus said.
Hohenheim focused, and felt all the souls of Xerxes swirling around inside him. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, but there was nothing he could do for them.
"Can't you hear the voices?" Homunculus smiled cruelly. "The voices of all the people, who lived in this country, sacrificed for your immortal body. Well, half of them went to me. Thanks for your help, Hohenheim."
Xxx
Hoheheim ventured to Taijiya cave, hoping to save the Lady Priestess, his Teacher.
He came just in time to see them both die.
Midoriko and Khione were both destroyed in the resulting explosion, bodies mummified in the cave.
Out of Midoriko's chest sprang the mummified fully formed Philosophers Stone.
Complete within were the souls of Midoriko and Khione.
Hohenheim obeyed Midoriko's order and disposed of the Stone in the well in the center of the city.
Five Hundred years later, a baby girl was born with the jewel at her core. This girl was Kurai Hikawa.