Chapter Four: Recovery From the Past
Alphonse
Saturday, August 15th, 1917, 2:30pm
Alphonse walked around the Palace District of Xing with Lanfan following closely behind. For some odd reason he couldn't quite understand, Lin had ordered(actually he commanded) Lanfan to follow him whenever he left the palace. Somehow, he thought to himself sweatdroping. I feel like I'm ten again...
"Alphonse. We're entering the outskirts of the Palace District. It is somewhat dangerous here."
Alphonse stopped and looked around. "Huh. I hadn't noticed." He looked back at her. "We should go back to palace, shouldn't we?"
As Lanfan nodded, there was a rustling noise and she spun her head to the left. Alphonse turned in time to see a pair of feet disappearing into a cluster of tall bushes surrounding a very old shack.
"Hey, wait!" Alphonse shouted running after the person. He wove around the shrubbery and ran around the back of the shack. He stopped when he noticed no one was there. Then suddenly someone tripped him and he fell to the ground. He looked back to find a young girl with brown hair and blue eyes wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans. She tried to turn and run but Lanfan stopped her and put her kunai to the girl's throat.
"Who are you? Why were you spying on us?"
"Wait, Lanfan. She's just a girl. She probably ment no harm. Right?" Alphonse smiled warmly at the girl.
The girl's eyes went wide as if she was surprised that someone was being nice to her. She looked down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to look like I was spying. I heard voices and came out to see who it was." Opposed to her rugged appearance, the girl's voice was sweet like honey or candy. But because of his experiances, Alphonse sensed the weight of a heavy burden.
"'Came out'? Don't tell me you live here!" Alphonse looked at the old shack complete and utter horror. "How old are you? What happened?"
"My name is Kassy. I'm fifteen. I was born in Central City, Amestris. But my parents died and I was sent here to live with a traveling alchemist. She was teaching be alchemy but died before she could teach me any intermideate skills." Kassy sighed. "She was in Lior when the local priest was overthrown and the military came and wrecked everything. They wanted her to become a state alchemist. She declined and was killed for it. And now I'm living off of instant ramen." She almost said it like it was a joke.
Alphonse trembled. Whether from anger or shame he didn't know. He clenched his fists. Lior?! So because Bother and I exposed Cornello and notified the athorities someone got killed because of not wanting to become a state alchemist and now this girl is paying for it?! If I knew this was going to happen I would have begged Ed not to go to Lior in the first place!!!
Then an idea came to him. "Hey, Kassy. How would you like it if I teach you alchemy?"
"What?!" shouted Kassy and Lanfan.
"Alphonse, you're staying at the emperor's palace! She's not allowed in there! She's a commoner!"
"Lin's my friend. If I promise to take full responsibility for Kassy I'm sure he'll make an exception."
"But Alphonse-"
"It doesn't hurt to ask..." Besides, I feel responsible for the condition she's in.
"You...You're really going to teach me alchemy...?" Kassy looked on the verge of tears. Alphonse nodded. Suddenly Kassy burst into tears and flung herself around Alphonse's torso.
Alphonse patted Kassy's head and looked at Lanfan nervously.
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Alphonse and Kassy stood before the Emperor's throne, waiting for his answer.
"So what you're saying is that if I let her into the Palace in order for you to teach her alchemy, you'll take all the responsibilities for her?" Lin clarified.
"Yes," Alphonse confirmed. "And she'll also be leaving with me when my training in the Purification Arts is finished."
"Hmm. Very well, I'll authorize her staying in the Palace for as long as you're here."
"Thank you Emperor!!" Kassy sobbed bowing so low her forehead almost touched her knees. She turned to Alphonse and hugged him. "And thank you Alphonse for taking me in."
"You're welcome Kassy." he said patting her head again. I just wish I knew how to tell you who I really am and what Brother and I did...
