The Alchemist Trap

Chapter Five

"Thank you for healing my brother."

"Oh, it's nothing. Just glad to get a chance to help someone again. Were you injured at all?"

"Huh? Oh no I'm fine! I wasn't hurt!"

"I suppose that's why you wear armor?"

"Uh... yeah! That's what its for."

Both fell silent for a moment. The only sound was the rustle of gauze and tape as the girl applied the bandages.

"Oh!" Alphonse said suddenly. "I just realized I never got your name."

"I'm Maya. Maya Suzuki."

"I'm Alphonse Elric, and this is my brother Edward. But I guess you knew that already."

"Yes, I've heard a lot about you too but I never expected to meet you like this." As she wrapped the gauze around Ed's neck, his head lolled gently.

"Yeah we're in kind of a bind. Uh, your last name..." Al questioned to change the subject. "It's Xingese?"

"That's right. My great grandfather was from Xing. He came to Amestris and created a technique combining Xingese alkahestry and Amestrian alchemy for healing purposes. It's because of his knowledge that I am able to perform medical alchemy."

"Wow, what a coincidence! My brother and I are actually trying to learn more about alkahestry."

"Well my technique is slightly different but I might be able to teach you something."

"That would be amazing! Thank you."

"As I already said, I can relocate the materials and energy of cells to form tissues. This ability also works on blood cells as well and I can form and remove blood clots in the circulatory system. I am limited to living tissues though. No sense in transmuting dead tissue."
"Why is someone as skilled as you stuck here?"

"Believe me, it's not my idea. I'm his prisoner." The cheerful expression that had brightened her face was replaced with a hateful glower.

"What happened?" Alphonse gently prompted.

"I used to be a doctor for this town. I used my alchemy to help the people. There were actually quite a few alchemists here and we were able to use alchemy openly, but that all changed when Oliver Marchello arrived. In order to enforce a military state, officials were sent to many small villages, including this one."

"He himself isn't an alchemist, but he became interested in our abilities. He started imprisoning us. Those that were caught we never heard from again. Most left or hid their capabilities to avoid capture, Some of us however, myself included, still practiced in secret. One day one of Marchello's servants discovered that I was an alchemist. Next thing I knew, I received an official summons to his mansion. He forced me to reveal my capacity for alchemy. Then he made up a fake crime report and arrested me. That was three years ago. I was only twelve at the time."

"You've been trapped here for three years?! How did he force you to do alchemy? Why didn't you try to escape?"

"He threatened the lives of the villagers if I didn't perform. So I revealed my alchemy. I also never learned how to transmute nonliving objects so I couldn't escape using alchemy."

"That was really brave. You're a lot like my brother. He wants to help and protect people and once he almost sacrificed his one life to save me."

"He must really care for you to do that."

"Yeah, we're really close. I would do the same for him."

For a while neither spoke. Maya looked fatigued and failed to stifle a yawn.

"I think we should fellow Edward's example and try to get some sleep," she suggested. "I can imagine it's been a long day for both of you."

"Yeah, sleep would be nice," Alphonse said softly.

Maya stood up and busied herself by gathering up her supplies and putting it away in the cabinets. Then she grabbed Ed's coat from where he had dropped it by the door and laid it across his lap. Finally she moved back to her side of the small room and laid down on her cot.

"Goodnight Alphonse"

"Night Maya."

Not long after Maya dozed off, Edward stirred.

"Uhh, what happened?" Ed moaned groggily. "How long was I out?"

"We're in Marcello's mansion. After he attacked us and you passed out, he trapped us in here." Alphonse explained.

"Ah, now I remember. That jerk. Now I have a throbbing headache." He tried to move his hand to his head but found that he was bound in chains. "This is the last straw! When that idiot gets back here I'm gonna-"

"Brother! Not so loud. Maya's sleeping."

Ed paused. "Who's Maya?"

"The girl we found. She saved your life."

"She what?"

"Those cuts you got during the fight. Turns out you could have died from blood loss. She used alchemy to heal you." It was then that Ed noticed the bandages.

"Does she have a Philosopher's Stone?!" His gaze turned to Maya's sleeping form.

"No, but her alchemy is a bit different." Alphonse proceeded to fill his brother in about Maya's Xingese ancestry, her form of alchemy, and everything else she had told him.

"That's interesting. She might hold the clue we've been looking for to learn about alkahestry. You said she seemed to understand what you mean when you referred to the Truth?"

"Uh huh. She reacted angrily at my mention of it."

"We'll have to ask her about it later. We also need to figure out what this Marcello guy is up to and what he plans on using us for."

The two talked for a little while longer until Al convinced his brother to go back to sleep.