Arisa pov:
"Gate? What are you guys talking about?" Keith asked, making me roll my eyes.
"Honestly, you've been here for three years and you still don't know what the Gate is? Then again, if you've been in the Ishval settlement all this time, you wouldn't know because they consider alchemy as a taboo and don't even mention the word. The Gate is basically like a separator between the alchemy and non-alchemy world," I said, ignoring the fact that Scar was boring holes through my head with his eyes.
"Where did you find that out from?" Scar asked. He sounded anxious and I met his piercing gaze.
"From the homunculi and Dr. Marco."
"Homunculi? What's that now?" My brow twitched at Keith's question. He'd been here three years and he didn't have slightest idea of what going on. How did he survive like this??
"I am this close to punching you in the face, Keith," I said with a smile but a nerve pulsing in irk, showing him barely a few millimeters of distance between my fingers.
Though he was much older than me, twenty four years older to be precise, we had a weird kind of friendship. Though he was my teacher from whom I had learnt many things, I never hesitated from expressing my annoyance out loud or regarding him with a punch or a kick for something stupid he did. He knew that too so he gave a sheepish smile as he held his hands up in defense.
"Homunculi are artificial humans created from failed human transmutation. When alchemists try to resurrect someone from the dead using alchemy, it fails because of the imbalance of the Law of Equivalent Trade. It results in a homunculus – a body with no soul. I've met several of them and, let me tell you, most of them are not pleasant company." I placed a hand on my stomach remembering the super painful bruise I had received from Greed.
I also remembered Envy and the last kiss we had shared. It was probably one of the best moments I had experienced beside the exhilarating thrill of going on undercover missions. But after I found out that he killed Hughes san, I couldn't bring myself to even look at his face no matter how much I missed him.
He wasn't a homunculus by choice, and he did what was in his nature to do. Following Dante too was out of fear, I knew, for she was probably the only one who knew his weakness, and she did anything and everything required for their survival, no matter how cruel it was. She was cold-hearted, and so were the homunculi, but they could be kind if they wanted to, if they were given the chance to. Just as I had given Envy the chance to with me and Leo.
I had made a promise to myself that I would find a way to create the Philosopher Stone and turn Envy into a human. It would end his life as a criminal and fugitive, or whatever he could be called now, and make it so that he could live by my side. Perhaps I sounded cheesy when I confessed that I wanted to be with him but it was true. And I was proud and honored that I had become someone he did not hesitate to honestly express himself in front of. I was honored that I was so trusted, over Dante and his own homunculi comrades.
"Oh, I see you've been studying," Keith brought me out of my thoughts.
Though he was not an alchemist and knew only little of my abilities, his lack of knowledge in the matter had me shaking my head with a sigh.
"I knew about homunculi, human transmutation and chimera even before I came here, Keith. But I was able to get some hints on the Gate from the homunculi and a former State Alchemist, Dr. Marco, after I came here, while I was trying to figure out if there was a way home."
"The Crystal Alchemist," Scar said, gaining both of our attention.
"That's right," I said with a nod, "he was given that title because he has the knowledge on how to create the Red Stone. He told me the difference between the Red Water, the Red Stone and the Philosopher Stone. The Red Water, despite having the power to give alchemist and non-alchemists the ability to use alchemy, is very unstable. There are some dangerous side effects as well if used wrongly. The Red Stone is the crystallized form of the Red Water, and if crystallized properly, can increase the power of alchemy of the user. It was these stones that were used in the Ishval war. The Philosopher Stone though, is a combination of Red Water and human lives – which is why it goes beyond the rules of Equivalent Exchange. It is highly possible that a person can be resurrected perfectly or a homunculus turned into a human by using the Philosopher Stone."
"Wow, I didn't know such things existed in this world," Keith said amazed. I frowned though, as a though that had been bothering me quite a bit off late came to my mind.
"Keith, there's something that's been bothering me quite a bit off late," I said in a low voice. Both his and Scar's gazes were on me but I only looked at Leo who skipped to my side and wrapped his arms around my middle, snuggling to me. I smiled while he looked up at me curiously.
"What is it, Arisa?" Keith asked. Upon meeting his eyes, I noticed that they were narrow in awareness that what I was going to speak of was of much seriousness.
"Why did Krystal send us here?"
My question was followed by silence. Keith frowned, not able to understand what I meant. "I don't understand what you're trying to imply, Arisa."
"Krystal was an alchemist. He was using alchemy to create perfect chimera like Leo here, experimenting on humans and animals. When we snuck into his mansion and found out what he was doing, why did he send us here instead of use us as specimens for his experiments too?" Keith frowned deeper, seeing truth in my words. I added, "Just think about it. When I was caught, he got to see my face. He found out what Angel looked like, he found out that I could use alchemy too. In fact, he even went to the extent of trying to make me join him in his deranged research. When I refused, instead of trying to cut me off from using alchemy by keeping me barely alive to use me as another free specimen, why did he send me here?"
"Now that you put it that way, there was no reason for him to send us here at all! What was he planning? For what reason were we left to live instead of becoming chimera ourselves?" Keith looked down, anxiousness swirling in his eyes.
"So, you're saying that you were able to use alchemy beyond the Gate?" Scar asked and I nodded.
"Alchemy isn't supposed to exist as an ability that people possess in our world, on the other side of the Gate. I was shunned and called a freak because I could use alchemy. My parents abandoned me as well. When I first came here, I was shocked to see how people considered alchemy a common thing. In one way, I was happy that I was accepted." A sigh left my lips while I momentarily contemplated on whether to tell these two what only Dante and homunculi knew at the moment. However, I figured it was best if they did know, with a request for secrecy, "What I'm going to tell you now has to be kept a secret – both of you, promise me."
"Of course," said Keith, while Scar merely nodded.
I hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath and speaking, "I have the ability to turn the Red Water into the real Philosopher Stone without having to sacrifice human lives. I did it once before because I was forced to, but for the Stone to fully activate, it needs an organic body. Plant, animal, human or homunculus – only if it is fused with an organic body can it actually be used to bring back life to people of convert a homunculus to a human."
"You can what?!" hollered Keith, standing swiftly. "This is dangerous, Arisa, really dangerous! you can't let anyone know of this ability of yours!"
"I'm afraid it's a bit too late for that. I told you that the homunculi already know about this ability of mine and it's something only I can deal with. Dante is after this power because she wants the Philosopher Stone for eternal life. The only one who can stop her is me," I said and stood up as well.
"That's not the point, Arisa! You're in real danger, you know?" Keith yelled. He stepped to me and held my shoulders tightly as I looked up at him. "I can't let anything happen to you! You're not going back to the military – we're going into hiding."
He took a hold of my wrist to drag me out of the infirmary. I resisted and twisted my hand out of his hold roughly, making us stop in the courtyard of the settlement. People once again looked at us anxiously, pausing whatever work they were doing.
"Do you really think I can hide? I'm already tangled up in this mess, Keith! There's no getting out of it without finding the solution," I said with a glare.
"You don't have to be the one to find the solution for this. If you go to a place where the homunculi can't find you, you'll be safe. Someone else can find the solution!"
"The word safe doesn't exist for me! I've already decided that I'm going to find a solution for this, stop Dante and the homunculi from further messing up this world, and even you can't stop me!"
"Yes, I can! I am your teacher and your guardian! I have every right to stop you and you are obligated to listen to me!" he snapped, trying to reach for my wrist again. I stepped back though, slipping out of his hold but bumping into Scar who was standing behind me and watching the scene unfold. He held my shoulders but let go immediately when I flexed my shoulders to shove his hands off.
Leo was looking between us nervously with his ears down and more people had gathered in the courtyard to listen to our argument.
"You may have taught me how to fight, but that doesn't give you authority over my decisions!" I retorted with a scoff and averted my gaze from him.
"I will stop you, Arisa, no matter what." He grabbed me by the wrist again and dragged me through the settlement despite my struggling. Scar and Leo followed us and no matter how much I struggled, I couldn't get Keith to let me go. He was stronger than me, obviously, because he had so much more experience compared to me and was a man. He was the one who taught me to fight. It would be silly if he couldn't keep me under control.
I respected him and considered him as my guardian with the right to reprimand me for my mistakes, because he was the only one who accepted everything about me, even my alchemy. But I couldn't jeopardize the lives of all the innocent people Dante was planning to use to create the Philosopher Stone just to save myself. I couldn't back down from my decision now, not after everything that I had found out and set my mind on doing.
"Let go of me, Keith," I said, my voice low and commanding.
"Shut up, Arisa! I'm not going to lose you like I lost my daughter! After I took you in, I told myself I wouldn't lose you no matter what! I'm never making the mistake of assuming everything is fine again!" Keith's words had me looking to him with wide eyes.
I had not known that he had lost his daughter, for he had never spoken of his personal life before. His confession of not wanting to lose me like he had lost his daughter made me realize that his care and concern for me was at a far greater level than what I had assumed it to be until now. I felt immensely heart-warmed knowing that he saw me in the place of his own daughter.
My chest felt constricted though, at the thought of where our heated conversation was heading. My voice soft now, I said, "But you left me five years ago."
"I had a mission to take care of. If it wasn't for that b****** Krystal sending me here, I would have returned a year and a half after I left!"
My gaze shifted to his hand that was holding my wrist, then to Leo who had caught up with us and was holding my other hand as he kept up with our fast pace. He was anxious, worried and scared of what was going on with us. Many thoughts raced through my head and my eyes stung before an airy laugh escaped my lips. It seemed that coming here had really made my humane side awaken more than ever, perhaps a bit too much for my liking. Yet, I felt that it had made me stronger.
It made my resolve to protect people I considered important stronger than ever before. It made me want to push past my limit and it made me want to save the one I loved – Envy.
Narrowing my eyes, I looked back at Keith. I had to convince him to let me do this – this was the only chance I would get to set things right, to save people, to save myself. I was certain that would regret not doing anything if I ran away now.
Yet again, I twisted my wrist out of Keith's hold and we came to a stop. He turned to eye me with a sharp gaze but it faltered at the sight of my expression. Sighing, he said, "Arisa-"
"No, Keith, I won't listen to you this time," I stated, determined. "I know you're worried and scared – I am too. But I have to do this. I've already lost someone really important, someone who considered me as family when I had no one in this world. And it's not just him – there are so many others who care for me and who I want to protect. This isn't about being just an Errand Girl anymore. I can't hide, I can't let you lock me in the dark forever. I can't live like that, Keith, and you know that too. I'm a wild bird who soars the skies and does what is right no matter how dangerous the mission. You can't stop me from protecting all these innocent people! Ishval, Central, East City, the whole of Ameteris is in danger because of what Dante and the homunculi want to do! I have a gifted ability – I can find a way to stop this and bring back the balance! Please Keith...I have to do this!"
There was obvious desperation in my voice but it didn't seem enough to make Keith agree.
"No, Arisa, I already told you that I can't lose you! You said that Dante and the homunculi are dangerous – I can't let them hurt you!" His tone was equally begging.
"I've already decided to do this no matter how dangerous or violent I will have to become. I don't care even if I have to make the military my enemy. I will fight and win this war," I replied sternly.
"Homunculi are dangerous – you said so yourself. I can't let you get involved with monsters like them!"
"They're not monsters," I defended, earning gasps from both Keith and Scar. Their surprise meant nothing though, as I only spoke the truth. "Homunculi are born from the seven deadly sins of humans. They may be cruel on the outside but it is only for their survival. They are just misunderstood because they are outcasts made by us. You can't blame homunculi for what they are because we humans are the ones who created them! They hate being called monsters; in fact, they want to be treated like equals. But because we don't do that, they have no choice but to use cruel methods to become one of us. They want to be human. They want to be accepted again. I've spoken to them, Keith. They want to be normal. I can do that – I can make them human."
"How can that be? They-"
"Besides," I closed my eyes for a moment as I interrupted him. When we met gazes again, his eyes went wide at the determination blazing in mine. "I love one of them. I love Envy, and I am not going to lose him."
"W-what?"
"I will find a way to turn him into a human. I'm not going to lose him, not after everything that's happened."
"You love a homunculus?" Scar asked in shock.
"That's right, I do. But I have promised myself that I won't allow him to get close to me until I turn him into a human, until I make sure he can't hurt anyone anymore. I won't lose to Dante or the military. This is a mission I have to finish with my own hands. You've trained me, Keith, and I have my alchemy, so there's nothing to worry about. I will win."
"I'll go with you then. I will fight too," Keith said but I merely smiled to lighten the mood. Stepping to him, I held out my hand in a handshake. He didn't return the gesture so I forced him to by grabbing his hand in mine.
"You know this is a fight you can't win. You're not an alchemist so you can't fight opponents like Dante or the homunculi. But if I know that you and Oba-san are always there to trust in me and support me, I can win, I can do anything. So, please, trust me."
He tensed, apparent worry in his eyes despite the confidence in my voice. He surprised me the next moment though as he tugged me forward roughly to embrace me. My eyes went wide in surprise because Keith had never shown any sort of open affection towards me before, especially like this. But I relaxed in his arms and lifted my hands to hold his sides. He was trembling, he was afraid – this was the first time I had seen him so worried in all the years I had known him. Seeing him so unguarded when it came to concern over my safety made me happy. I smiled when he tightened his embrace.
"I will trust you, Arisa. I always have and I always will. So, please, promise me that you will be careful. That you come back to me alive," he spoke in barely above a whisper. My smile widened and I nodded, glad that I had a home to return to even in this world – a familiar warm home with Keith.
"I promise. I will return victorious."
We broke from the embrace as regarded each other with smiles. Keith placed a hand affectionately on my head – it was another gesture I had never experienced from his side. But he grinned, looking much more confident than before as he said, "Go get 'em, Angel."
My smile curling up into a smirk, I said in response, "Oh, don't worry, I will."
~~~~~~~~~
Arisa dearie actually confessed her love towards a homunculus in front of her teacher and Scar!! She's brave O.o Weren't expecting that, were you?
I have quite a twist waiting up ahead so stay tuned!! ;)
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