Finding V.2

[Onira]

Well, since it's in chapter form anyway, I might as well post the Finding stuff here.

[Onira]

Chapter 1 (I'm going to do this thread in a sort of chapter form if that's ok, given that this really only includes me and the NPC I'm controlling)

Onira walked to a small house. There he was. So close to a master alchemist. It was hard to believe. This one was supposed to possess all one needed to know about human alchemy. What to do. How it worked. He could teach Onira the science of gods. Well, that was one way of looking at it. Most healing done by magic was unreasonable. Some sort of light healed a person, but the reasons were more or less unexplained. Alchemy was the ability to do so with reasonable facts. But, back to the subject.

Onira walked ever closer to the house, placing his hand against the door. He had a strange feeling. This was confirmed by a sort of scratching sound as Onira knocked on the door. His mind registered the sound, but his body wasn't quite fast enough, and instantly two long metal shafts were impaled from the ground into the roof, sending a net along with them and pushing Onira into the roof. The young man sighed.

"Son of a bitch."

This was a common trap used by alchemists. More used to catch alchemists rather than other magic users. Why? Because the wire used to snag the intruder was almost microscopically small, making it almost impossible for a transmuitation circle tobe used on it. Of course, this only worked on apprentices because the masters could just imagine a circle.

Onira's attention turned to the shafts. They were too far away for Onira to transmute, but maybe...

"Seems someone didn't quite expect MY abilities."

A small bit of bone with a microscopic tansmutation circle at the tip came from Onira's wrist and touched one of the shafts. Instantly part of the shaft created a blade that slashed through the microscopic wire, Onira dropping to the ground and the bone receeding back to his arm. Onira laid there for a moment, placing his left hand against his wrist and concentrating, transmuting the wound back to normal. Onira then sat up, but his forehead was caught by the palm of another. Feeling a knee against his back, a small trickle of sweat dripped down his face. The attacker spoke.

"Who are you?"

[Onira]

Chapter 2

Onira's eyes grew wild as his body tense. Fear was something he didn't feel often, but he was already slightly on edge from the trap he had recently sprung. Saying Onira didn't want to take anymore chances was a bit of an understatement. He was completely in panic mode now. However, he had been taught before to calm himself, especially if his life was in danger. So, all he could do was answer the question, trying to stay away from some of the smart-ass comments that had come to grow on him.

"My name is Riekana Onira."

There was silence at those words. The attacker couldn't place it, but he knew those words. He had few names in his mind, so most registered pretty quickly. But this time he heard a name that had apparently only been mentioned at some point.

Riekana Onira. I've heard that before. A friend maybe? This kid doesn't seem hostile, and no assassin would simply knock on my door.

The man kept running the name through his head. The answer was on the tip of his tongue, put he felt like a wall was standing before him and the truth. Then again, at his age, it was normal. He was trying to be younger than he really was in most cases. His training, his studies. He was getting too old for it. But he had to keep up good condition, giving he was living in the middle of the woods.

Who is this guy? Well, whoever he is, he's keeping me from getting inside. Time to make my move!

Onira placed his right palm against the ground, his tattoo slightly lighting up. However, the attacker's palm smacked against his, almost crushing it against the ground. He spoke, Onira now seeing his tone as gruff and aged, yet still retaining a slight, almost spiritual link to youth.

"You are Riekana Onira, student of Yuraha Tome."

This came as quite a shock to Onira. He had never known his master's name, and so easily had he gained the information. However, this raised another question. Who was the man to know the name of one of the most secretive and powerful of alchemists? However, this question didn't last long in Onira's mind, for he was pushed slightly as the stranger swiftly walked in front of him, turning around and revealing an aged yet powerful body. He had a very spikey-looking chin, covered in many little gray pines of hair. The rest of his head was completely bare, two solid green eyes possessing the intensity of a man still strong into his youth. Onira stared at the man with large orbs as an almost giant's hand offered to help him up.

"The name's Charles Alster. One of the few remaining masters of alchemy. I take it you've been searching for me."

[Onira]

Chapter 3

Onira sat, stunned for a moment. Why wouldn't he be? He had been caught in a net, learned the name of one of the most secretive of alchemists, and had met a giant of a man, who was supposedly one of the last remaining masters. He needed a drink. However, that would have to wait until he stood up, which hadn't actually occurred to him until a gruff voice reminded.

"Kid, are you going to get off your ass or not? Remember that YOU visited ME."

Onira quickly regained himself, taking hold of the giant man's hand and having his almost crushed in the grip. He was really starting to like having some knowledge over human alchemy. He had a feeling that with how many times his hands was almost crushed, he'd need it. Of course, the reason he was there was to learn about alchemy, so maybe having his hand crushed would be good practice. No matter though. He was up, and now being lead into the house. It seemed much smaller on the outside, but maybe that was just what the eyes expected. On the inside of the crap-shack (Onira's new nickname for the house) was beautiful redwood and oak furnishings. Just a desk and a bed really. The rest was books. A whole lot of books. Onira knew now that if he were to find information, it would be here.

"Alright kid. I'm not much for small chat, so just-"

"How do you know my master?"

The older man stood in some surprise. Part of him knew this wasn't it. At least not all of it. There was no way Onira had came so far just to figure out Charles' ties to his master. This had some more sense of purpose. But he figured there wasn't any harm in enlightening the kid about his master.

"Alright kid, here's how it goes. Me and Tome met sometime in the academy. The truth is, we were alchemic rivals. Being the only ones in the class, I guess we felt the need to draw a line of power between us. One of us just had to be stronger than the other. This rivalry continued for four years, until one day, when we were having a contest of alchemic rock paper scissors, we were attacked by a huge monster. It was fast and strong, and not too bad on the magic side. We soon came to the conclusion that we couldn't beat it alone, it took it down through a combination of our styles. For a full fifteen years after that we remained the best of friends. I don't remember why or how, but we eventually went our separate ways. I think right after you were taken in by him kid. That's how I know the name."

Onira, now sitting on the floor, listened to the story. He enjoyed the game alchemic rock paper scissors, for it was a good way to practice to use alchemy swiftly, and was also fun to play. His score with his master before he died was 0-734. Onira's alchemy just wasn't fast enough.

"So kid, you got anything else?"

It was then that Onira came to, remembering his true purpose. Human alchemy. Why he had shown up in the first place. Information on his master was just an upgrade for the cause. It was time to get started what he really wanted to know.

"What do you know about human alchemy?"

[Onira]

Chapter 4

Onira sat, waiting for the reply. He knew human alchemy could be a dangerous thing to use and not too many volunteered to teach it. However, even with this information, Onira couldn't stand the silence. It was thick. Like it was pushing down on him. It almost hurt. However, he had to endure it. Waiting for what seemed like days. However, he was definitely caught of guard by the the response of Charles. The old man whipped his massive body around expertly, baring a toothy grin and a big thumbs up.

"Sure kid!"

Onira feel back wards, the tension gone and making him notice how stiff his muscles had become because of it. Charles seemed slightly confused by this action.

"Something wrong kid?"

Onira couldn't contain himself.

"Seriously?! You'll teach me?! THAT'S SO AWESOME!!!"

The old man stood dumbfounded. Onira had just been lifeless about two seconds ago, and was now almost literally bouncing off the walls.

What a strange kid.

This continued for almost three minutes, before the man got fed up with it and restrained Onira. For a minute or so a Full Nelson was put in, until Onira finally quited down. Slowly and cautiously, Charles loosened the grip and let him go. Not for one second had he let him go before Onira turned around, baring the same look Charles had when saying "yes".

"What do I do first?"

Now, one may say Charles only agreed to teaching because he wanted a servant. Others may say he generally wanted to help, but either way, the reply remained the same.

"Take the bucket in the back, and get some water from the lake. You can only use your head when coming back, and if you spill a drop, I'll know. And believe me, you won't like it."

Onira's first reaction in his mind was, Hooray! I'm finally doing something! However, after two hours of repeatedly spilling the bucket, he was more thinking, God I hate this guy!

OOC: Very lacking this time around.

[Onira]

Chapter 5

Journal #1

It's been three days and I've got nothing. Continuously, hour after hour, I'm walking up that hill. That bucket of frickin' water on my head. So far I've only gotten about two thirds of the way, before I feel a small drop of water land on one of my body parts. I think the old man's also becoming less and less optimistic in my performance. Every once in a while I see him in a tree, either wearing a frown or almost falling off laughing. Personally though, I don't see the point in all this. I don't get what he's trying to teach me about human alchemy by trying to balance a bucket of water on my head. It's not like I'm going to become better in my alchemy because I'm able to lift water with my skull. But whatever. As long as I get to the alchemy eventually then it must be worth it. I

______________________________

"Kid!"

Onira leaped up, a slight brush of ink forming on the paper he was writing on. But, he didn't care. The journals weren't his idea anyway. Charles had told him to write them. Said that almost all of the famous alchemists wrote them. Onira figured they only wrote them to include some of their studies, and considering Onira hadn't entered any real studies, then why bother? However, the young man didn't care too much about his studies for the time being. He was running almost head first down the hill, bolting toward where he thought the sound was coming from. And, sure enough, within fifty seconds, he was there, skidding to a halt on his heels.

"What's wrong?"

There was the old man, a small, obviously frightened squirrel in his hand. The squirrel had a tiny scratch on his back, which although wasn't bleeding, was still definitely not healed.

"What the hell is that?"

"This kid, is your new task. I tried teaching you balance with that little bucket-on-your-head task, but unlike most who got it in about a day, it's been almost half a week and you still haven't got it. Now, as you already know, alchemy is about balance. That's just how it works. However, human alchemy is more about balance than anything else, because humans are also all about balance. You need absolute balance to use human alchemy to it's highest extents. Now this is more easily achieved through the body, but it seems I'll just have to hope you have enough balance over your mind."

"So what's the point of the squirrel."

"Well, I've seen the tattoos on your palms. And I want you to heal this scratch."

Onira, knowing a little of human alchemy, placed his hand on the scratch and a light came from the tattoo. The scratch was bright for a moment, but soon receded to reveal a completely healed squirrel.

"Good kid. Now..."

Charles, in a blur, withdrew a hunting knife, sending a huge gash through Onira's inner forearm. Onira was too shocked to say anything.

"You got maybe twenty minutes before your dead from blood loss, and about ten before infection is possible to get in the wound. I'd suggest acting fast."