FCGS - Chapter 20

Chibi awoke and smashed one of the gems around her. She could feel an Alchemist close by. Being the High Seat, she could tell that this person wasn't registered to the Society. Getting up she walked in the direction her senses were telling her.

"Feeling better now Chibi?" An Alchemist in green asked. She carried Chibi's mini pouch and a silvery pouch that she was tucking herbs into. "Eir said that you'd take me to Al de Baran when you woke up."

"Eir did?" Chibi tilted her head to one side. "To the Alchemist Society?" The Alchemist nodded and closed the silvery pouch. "Can I see your insignia?" The Alchemist gave Chibi her clear gem. Placing the gem on the palm of her left hand, she placed her right hand over the top and closed her eyes. "I see… Now I know who you are." She opened her eyes and returned the gem to the Alchemist. "Sorry Dia. I didn't recognize you."

"It's alright," LadyDeathStrike replied giving Chibi both pouches. "There's heaps of herbs in there now. Eir said that you'll like this pouch." She poked the silvery pouch . Noticing Chibi's expression, she added "It's a Mark 2 Omega pouch."

"That explains everything," Chibi replied pulling out two Butterfly Wings from up her sleeve. "I don't know where you will appear. But once you reach the town that Butterfly Wing takes you to, ask Warpra to send you to Al de Baran. I'll meet you in front of the Clock Tower. Be careful though, Punks sometimes escape from the barrier around Al de Baran and wander around. If you meet one, try to kill it as an Alchemist. You gain experience more that way." Chibi tore her Butterfly Wing and disappeared.

LadyDeathStrike tore her Butterfly Wing and appeared in Morroc. Walking up to Warpra, she asked if she can send her to Al de Baran. Warpra bowed and sent here to Al de Baran.

~~~

Bomb! Acid Demonstration! Acid Terror!

A Punk puffed at Chibi forcing her back against a wall. "That's it I've had it!" Chibi screamed casting Alchemical Coating onto herself and her sword then casting Acid Demonstration directly in front of her. Her flames licked at her body. Ignoring the pain she waited. The Punk came forward intent on attacking her again. It squealed as the flames burnt the fur on it's small body. Chibi brought her sword down hard and sliced it in half. Resting on her sword, she heard numerous hands clapping.

"Welcome back to Al de Baran," Juliet Kafra said giving her a pat on the back and handing her a bottle of water. "Haven't seen you in ages! Word has it that the Alchemist Society are trying to hide that you might be dead."

"I'm just not appearing on their orbs Jules," Chibi replied drinking it without a second thought. Feeling the sting as it flowed down her throat, she knew she was given Holy Water. "No big deal. I can fix that when I take Dia to get registered there."

"Dia?" Juliet asked looking around and seeing a green Alchemist walk up to them. "For a second I thought you meant Dia as in LadyDeathStrike the Assassin Cross. It just sounded strange to me that's all." Extending her hand to LadyDeathStrike, she added "Nice to meet you. I'm Juliet the current Kafra Manager. If you need anything or want to create a storage account with us feel free to come by the Office on the north side of town." Giving a wink at Chibi she smiled. "I know Alchemists always have more than they can carry and if your guild doesn't have a lab for you to store those items, it becomes incredibly difficult."

"I'll keep that in mind," LadyDeathStrike replied shaking Juliet's hand. "I might come by after my visit to the Alchemist Society." Glancing at Chibi, she added "We better get going. Lots to do." Chibi nodded. Juliet waved goodbye and they walked towards the south-west side of town.

"Chibi…" LadyDeathStrike said stopping and pulling at Chibi's clothes. "Umm…"

"I see it too," Chibi replied keeping her eyes on the Punk. "You saw how I killed the one earlier right?" She drew a few bombs from her pouch and held them out to LadyDeathStrike. "Do the same. You'll begin to learn the basic instinctual knowledge of an Alchemist the more you fight. Remember to bottle any moth dust it drops. You'll need it for Elemental Potions." Chibi stepped back and touched LadyDeathStrike's shoulder, murmuring "Link this person's like thread to mine and let's walk the path of this battle together." In a louder voice the added "I'll be your support. I won't let you die til you kill it."

~~~

Lack sat staring at the ceiling. It was almost evening and Chibi hadn't arrived yet. "Is Eir sure she's going to come here?" He asked Yukiko for the tenth time. Knowing the answer he continued "It's like we've abandoned Phen."

Tadakono put his feet onto a chair and sighed "I'm sure it'll be alright. If something does, or has, happened Phen would of sent a message through our Emergency System."

"I hope you're right," Lack replied resting his head onto the table and drew on the box containing bottles in front of him.

~~~

"Lady Chibi!"

"Welcome back, Chibi-sama!"

LadyDeathStrike walked slightly behind Chibi ask they walked up the large hallway towards a pair of wooden doors ornately carved with vines bearing potions instead of fruit.
"This is the Hall of Notable Alchemists, "Chibi replied as they passed a picture of herself and Flyte. "Alchemists who have attained the level of Creator have a photo hung somewhere here in this hall. Up ahead is the Orbital Room. It's where Myself, Mazenda and Yukiko monitor the life threads of Alchemists and Creators across Rune-Midgard. We keep track of who's where and if anything has happened to them such as death or change in level from Alchemist to Creator."

They stepped into the Orbital Room and a dark red Creator jumped out and tackled Chibi to the ground. "You're here! Finally!! I was all by myself! Yukiko hasn't returned from the Alchemist Shop yet."

"Yukiko is there recording data remember?" Chibi looked up at LadyDeathStrike and sighed. "This is Mazenda, by the way, She's the Middle Seat of the Alchemist Society. She could of sent a member to collect the data and ask Yukiko to return to help her with the Orbs."

Mazenda pouted and folded her arms. "Yukiko doesn't like me. She is always picking on me." Chibi got up and touched the orb that represented Yuno sending a letter floating down from the sky to Yukiko. "What are you doing?"

"Preparing in case I don't come back," Chibi replied touching another orb that represented Prontera causing three letters to fall from the sky there. Mazenda began to cry. "Lack, myself and a few of the other guild masters are going to storm Loki's castle. Yukiko will be here and three exceptional Alchemists will be collecting data for us at the Alchemist Shop." Looking at LadyDeathStrike she continued, ignoring Mazenda's tears. "Let's get you registered." She led her over to a large orb that swirled with names. "This is the collection Orb. It's what controls the other orbs. Place your hand here." She indicated to the a silver plate stuck on the front of the orb. "You'll know when the orb is finished gathering data about yourself."

Chibi walked into the Office of the High Seat behind the large orb. On her desk sat an orb that told her location. It revealed nothing but a white cloud-like mass swirling around inside. Touching the orb, she allowed it to update it's information on her. Moving her hand away, the white had cleared and showed a bird's eye view of the Alchemist Society.

~~~

Yukiko opened the window and a letter floated in to her. Turning it over, it possessed Chibi's cat head insignia. Lack and Tadakono looked up sharply watching her. "It's from Chibi." She said sitting down and breaking open the letter. "She says to come to the Alchemist Society. Hmm… She wants me to work on the orbs. There's also a message for you here as well Lack."

Lack took the parchment and read it out loud to Tadakono as well. "Lack, Come to the Alchemist Society in Al de Baran. There's a few things here that might be of use to you. Use my insignia to get through the potion ivy door."

"Potion ivy?" Tadakono asked confused. "Did she write that wrong and mean poison ivy?"

"Nope," Yukiko replied taking out the key to the Alchemist Shop. "The doors to the Orbital Room in the Alchemist Society is engraved with potion ivy." Lack picked up the box and followed her out the front door. Tadakono looked around the tea room quickly to make sure they didn't leave anything before walking out after them.

Outside, Yukiko locked the door and together they walked to Warpra.

~~~

Chibi looked around the ancient lab in the basement of the Alchemist Society. She held four Knuckles in one hand and a Belt in the other. LadyDeathStrike watched her curiously. "I'm going to create personalized items for Tada, Lack, and Phen. I know Loki's weakness so I want to strengthen the three of them."

Mazenda brought in various ingredients that LadyDeathStrike had never seen before. Mazenda looked at Chibi and frowned. "You'll be alright doing this alone? I know compared to Azoth this is easy but still…" Chibi waved her hand and set about setting up her equipment. "I'll bring them down here when they get here. Just don't do anything too… Well... you know…"

Chibi didn't answer and crushed a few Yggdrasil seeds and placed them into a flask with a Fire Elemental Potion at the bottom. What she had in mind was making pair of dual elemental knuckles for Lack and Phenomenon that could be used with Mjolnir. For Tadakono, she wanted to force a Mistress and Pharaoh card-like abilities into a belt so he had it with him more securely than on his head. She drew an alchemy array on the table and them waited til the potion began to boil and added Rough Wind, for a wind property, and Star Crumb, for strength. Placing two knuckles in to the middle of the array, she poured the flasks contents then placed her hands either side of the array and focused her energy.

~~~

"What in God's name was that?" Yukiko cried as the Alchemist Society rocked from an explosion for the second time. Mazenda ran up to her and pulled her arm. "It's her isn't it?" Yukiko's eyes narrowed. "She's using the ancient lab to do a working." Mazenda nodded and led them into the Orbital Room then towards the Office of the High Seat. "Her orb's working now?" Again Mazenda nodded and paused, her hand over the doorknob.

"It's alright," Chibi opening the door and stepped out of the office to them. "I just updated the orb for it to be able to track me again." She came up close to Tadakono until her nose was almost touching his. "Stay still for me." Without waiting for a reply, she removed his belt and replaced it with the one she made for him. She darted to Lack and took his hands. Lack pulled back slightly and felt her place two Knuckles over his hands. "Gifts from me to you." She looked back at LadyDeathStrike. "Dia, you should turn back before we go."

Lack fell backwards as LadyDeathStrike turned from Alchemist to Assassin Cross. She blushed and said to him "My gift from Jord…" Tadakono gave Chibi the things she asked them for and she was already arranging everything on her belt. LadyDeathStrike looked around then asked Chibi. "It's about time we meet Phen?"

Lack looked curiously at the two of them unsure what was going on. Chibi's eyes darkened briefly before focusing on LadyDeathStrike. "It's time. Rena will be with Phen soon."