Medicinal Purposes (Izumi)

[dante]

It was a fairly warm day in Dubilith, the sun shining its rays upon the decently-sized town without a single cloud to block its beams. While the town itself was bustling with playing children and busy townsfolk, the expansive forest near the settlement was as silent as ever. Rarely did anyone visit the forest; though it was a beautiful place full of plants and colorful flowers, it protected an eerie and rather unsettling air; something about the place was just... off.

Dante was sitting at a lawn table in the orchard of her expansive yard, clasping a cup of tea in a withered hand. The old woman was rather worn out---not only did she have to pack some food and clothing for her trip to the Underground City to meet with the Homunculi the next day, but she also woke up at four in the morning to prepare medicine for her former student. Why she even bothered to provide the girl with medicine was beyond her--she was just a foolish human, after all; a worthless little wench not even worthy of pulling weeds from her garden.

She sighed softly, raising the cup to her thin lips and taking a small sip. Considering the terms on which they ended their student-teacher relationship, she expected Izumi to never talk to her again. But she kept on coming back, begging for medicine! How amusing. Little did she know that Dante not only knew why she needed that medicine in the first place, but was also controlling the result of her little botched transmutation. The thought of it made the pharmacist snicker softly.

Dante took another sip of her tea, waiting for Izumi's arrival.

[fayt]

Izumi took her time walking to Dante's house. Not only did she not like to have to go to Dante for medicine, but she was feeling weak. She had told Sig that she was just going to see Dante and that she was fine but, she knew that he knew she wasn't. As she neared the house she could see the white washed walls and sighed. Better to get this over with quickly. She approached Dante as she sat in her garden.

[dante]

A smile crept onto her withered lips as she saw Izumi heading into the garden. Dante couldn't help but chuckle inwardly as her former student neared the small lawn table, noting the forced blankness and tightness of her face. She truly did detest coming to see her old teacher, did she? Not only did she teach the ungrateful girl everything she knew about alchemy, but she so graciously showed her the true colors of humanity. Unappreciative child!

"Hello, dear Izumi. You have come for the medicine, correct?" inquired Dante as she raised the cup to her lips once again, taking a small sip. She obviously knew the answer, but she knew talking with her made Izumi uncomfortable--so she made a special effort to pull her into conversations. "The herbs are still boiling, I'm afraid, so the medicine probably won't be ready for about twenty more minutes. Come, take a seat," she said, motioning to the chair parallel to hers.

[fayt]

Izumi sighed but took the seat across from Dante. She did not like converseing with her former mentor, but if the medicine was not reldy then she would have to wait. She folded her hands on top of the table and looked at Dante. Izumi thought back to the time when she still trained under Dante nad even then she realized there was something more to this woman than meets the eye. She knew Dante was studing her and hated the fact that She was able to see through her. She clenched her hands some as a shooting pain started in her gut. She could feel another bout of coughing coming on.

[dante]

A rather unsettling silence followed after Izumi took a seat at the circular lawn table. Dante was surveying her former student's visage with interest, wondering if she could prove to be of some use. After all, Izumi was the alchemy instructor of his children, so it was highly probable that she had some knowledge about their current activities and whereabouts. But she couldn't open with that--it would be far too suspicious. Dante decided that it would be best to force some small talk first, then get onto the topic of the Elrics.

"How have you been fairing recently, dear?" she asked, trying to sound like she actually cared. But, in truth, she wouldn't care less if Izumi dropped dead that very second; for she was nothing more than a disgusting, pathetic human. Her lips curved into a frown as she noticed Izumi clutching her stomach in pain. Dante addressed her, not giving her a chance to reply to the first question: "You're having another fit, are you? Please try bearing the pain for a little while; the medicine will be ready soon."

[fayt]

Izumi turned her head and coughed violently to the side, feeling the warm blood fill her hands. She heard Dante say to bear the pain but coming from her it ment nothing the Izumi. Dante did not care about her, Izumi knew this, but still she came to her for medicine. She was the only one who knew the mixture of it and could produce it at exactly the right degree of strength that izumi needed. As the fit subsided, Izumi looked at her shaking, blood soaked hands and clenched them into fists. She didn't want Dante to see her like this, her weakness in plan view. She took the pretty white cloth napkin from next the the cup and started to wipe her hands with it, staining it a dark red.

[dante]

Dante couldn't help but smirk slightly as she watched Izumi fall into one of her bloody coughing fits. How absolutely pathetic! A woman living with the results of her sin, knocked down to the ground without being able to get back up. To think that she was actually considering taking over this poor excuse of a human's body at one point! She would be closer to the Elric brothers, true, but it would be a waste of the shard she possessed; for Dante knew that body only had about ten to fifteen years left, probably even less. Speaking of swapping bodies, she would have to transplant herself into that Lyra girl's body soon.

The smirk faded into an annoyed frown once Izumi wiped her bloodied hands on her expensive white napkin. And when did she give her permission to tarnish, no completely ruin something that belonged to her, the Shepherd of Sins? No matter, she thought--it was only a mere napkin. After pausing briefly to let Izumi regain her composure, Dante decided to resume the conversation: "So, how are young Edward and Alphonse doing? I've heard quite a few good things about them recently. Champions of the people, they say. I'm sure they must be on some sort of grand adventure now."

[fayt]

Izumi placed the napkin next to the plate infront of her and looked at Dante. "I do not know what Edward and Alphonse are planing on doing or what kind of adventure they are on. They don't discuss with me on their doings with the military. But even if they did, I would think that it would be between myself and the boys, don't you think, Dante?" She sat straighter some and looked Dante in the eye. Dante was always the only person that Izumi could never figure out. Something was wrong with her old teacher.

[dante]

Ah, the answer she had expected. Dante had suspected that her protege distrusted her ever since the days when she taught her alchemy. That she wouldn't even discuss such a "trivial" matter affirmed her belief. And the firm stance and direct eye contact supported it, as well. Such a defensive response to a simple question tipped off Dante that her former pupil suspected something of her."I suppose you're right, dear," she admitted sadly with a disappointed sigh.

Dante broke into another uncomfortable silence after her response, her gaze drifting over to a set of rose bushes nearby. The elderly alchemy instructor raised the cup to her lips and took another sip, then began again: "Though, Izumi, I do wish that you would stop those boys' quest for the Philosopher's Stone. As I reminded you on many occasions before, their search will only bring misfortune and death. As a teacher speaking to another teacher, I must say that it would be best for you to intervene." Of course, Dante didn't wish for this to happen--she was only messing with her student's head.

[fayt]

"I trust that Ed and Al will do what they think is right and if they have to learn the hard way about the Philosopher's Stone, then so be it." Izumi clenched her hands under the table, wishing that she could leave. She got the impression her former mentor wanted more out of her answer than she had said and that put her on edge. "Dante, what are you planning?" Izumi knew her old teacher was up to something, but like always, with Dante, she would not figure it out unless Dante told her or slipped up, the later of the two was unlikely though.

[dante]

"What they think is right, however, may just be the exact opposite. And you seem to have forgotten that 'learning the hard way' usually means death in the case of the Philosopher's Stone, dear. Would you truly send those boys to an early grave? Not satisfied with causing the untimely demise of your own child, are you?" reprimanded Dante in a rather bitter tone, a sadistic pleasure creeping into her voice at the last painful question. She knew that would without a doubt hit close to home for Izumi. Never before had she brought up the subject; but chances were that this would be their last meeting, so she decided to have a bit of fun.

"That was uncalled for, I apologize. Forgive me," apologized the old woman with a frown, shaking her head in disdain of her own actions. But it was fairly obvious that Dante felt no remorse for the sadistic jab at Izumi's dead child. The pharmacist quirked an eyebrow once Izumi asked her what she was planning. "What am I planning? Why, whatever gave you the impression that I was up to something? Sweetheart, you know very well that I have not long for this world. Being in the same predicament, you should also know that I have more important things to do than scheming over two young boys. I have a student named Lyra to teach, and a garden to tend."

[fayt]

Izumis's eyes widened at the remark Dante made about her child. How could she have known? Only Sig, the boys and that Winrey girl knew that she had transmuted her still born child. She put a hand over her aching heart and gave Dante a cold look. "How do you...?" There was no way Dante could have known about her heart ache but...She shook her head and stared at Dante. She knew that the old woman was lying to her and it deeply disturbed Izumi, because she didn't know of what she was planning. She stood and regarded Dante with a cold, caculated expression. "You have never love anyone but yourself, have you Dante?"

[dante]

"That's the second time you've asked me that question, Izumi. The human race is nothing more than a congregation of advanced animals only looking out for themselves. Self-absorbed, vain things that squander this world's resources and destroy its beauty without giving anything in exchange. Humanity is solely responsible for every evil plaguing this world of ours. That being said, why should I waste my love on them?" explained the elderly alchemy instructor, voice full of contempt and disdain for her own race. In her mind, Dante ascended above mankind and cut the strings that binded her to humanity; in doing so, she became a god.

Dante paused for effect after her twisted speech, then finished off whatever remained of her tea. Lowering the cup, she responded to her former pupil's cold stare with a very amused and twisted smirk. Because this would probably be their last meeting--at least in her current vessel, Dante decided to play some mind games with Izumi. Normally she would have never revealed her knowledge of Izumi's dead baby, but this was a special occasion. "Long ago, however, I did love someone dearly," she began as she rose from her chair, memories of her life with her lover and former husband Hohenheim of Light coming to mind; "but fortunately I quickly came to discover that I was a fool."

"I believe it's been around twenty minutes or so. Wait here, dear--I'll return with your medicine shortly." With that, she mustered the strength to pull herself out of the chair and headed to the side door of her expansive mansion. Not even bothering to glance at Izumi to see how she was responding to the minor revelation, Dante opened the door and headed inside.

[fayt]

Izumi was shaking with anger. The way her former mentor express her thoughts on the human race made it seem like Dante thought she was a god. Izumi hung her head. She small part of her wished Dante didn't think like that and when she was still Dante's student, had wished that Dante would have loved her, even if it was only alittle bit. It is the one thing a student can hope for from their teacher. But Dante was cold, her heart closed off forever. She had long ago accepted that Dante hated everyone, even Izumi. She looked up at the white washed house and had an strange feeling that this was the last time she was going to see it.

[dante]

Dante leisurely walked down the hallway leading to her mansion's kitchen, heels clicking against the wooden floor. As she pushed open the kitchen door, she felt a sudden pain rip through her abdomen. The old alchemy instructor gritted her teeth in pain and clutched tightly onto the door frame in response. Her vessel probably had several weeks left, and she knew that all too well. No matter: once her student Lyra returned from Central, she would perform the body swap. Dante could barely wait; though Lyra possessed mediocre alchemical abilities, she was a beautiful young woman--which is why she decided to take her on as a student in the first place.

Having finished pouring the orange medicine into a container, she realized that it would be the last time she'd ever do so; for eight years, the pharmacist had helped Izumi's horrible state of health by providing her with various medicines. Dante couldn't help but wonder how her former student would manage without the assistance of her former mentor; the thought of it made her snicker slightly. Dante of the Deep Forest, renowned alchemist and pharmacist, would soon be gone for good--and a new, more perfect one would be born into the body of the lovely Lyra.

Dante returned to the garden and slowly walked toward her former pupil, eyes fixed directly on the angry woman's face. She had been kind enough to take Izumi under her wing and open her eyes to the horrors of mankind, and yet she couldn't see the truth. Why she even attempted to help the ungrateful wench understand why the world was a wicked place was beyond her. "Here you are, Izumi," she said softly, handing the container of orange liquid to her.

[fayt]

Izumi took the bottle from Dante, and fixed her with a stare. "Dante, how have I hoped that you would someday come to change your veiws on humanity, but it would seem I was wrong. I pity you, you who locks herself away from the world in this forest and treats everyone like they are bugs to be crushed under her heel. I trust that this will be the last time that we will speak." She said this to Dante with a cold, emotionless voice and bowed her head some to her before turning her back on her former teacher for perhaps the last time and stareted toward town.

[dante]

((OOC: Sorry about the MAJOR wait, I was buried in work. Just gonna provide some resolution.))

Dante watched her former apprentice as she turned from her and headed back toward town, her face blank as a clean slate. Izumi pitied her! She, the immortal Shepherd of Sins, was pitied by some dying wench who lacked the strength to even birth a child! Amestris and all its people were nothing more than toys that existed for her benefit; and even the world could be hers if she so desired it! So why should be the interested in the company of a bunch of hairless apes?

Silence followed Izumi's departure. Eventually a smirk formed on Dante's face, and she delivered one last cryptic statement before heading back into the mansion:

"...Farewell then, Izumi. I doubt the two of us will meet again.."

[fayt]

((Ooc: Don't worry about it, though I was gettin' kinda worried there for a bit, lol))

Izumi walked into the shop where she and Sig lived and waved away his questioning look at her cold expression. Her thoughts kept going over the conversation she had with Dante. Izumi would like to think that she knew her old mentor, but she didn't. Just something about the way Dante was acting threw off her alarms and set Izumi on edge. She put the bottle of medicine ot the table beside her bed before sitting down and staring at the wall, drifting of a moment.

[dante]

DANTE

The old woman opened the door that lead from the garden into her large house , and headed to her expansive study. Stepping into the large room, she came upon none other than her rather ditsy student Lyra, who was alphabetizing her numerous alchemical books.

"Welcome back, dear!" greeted Dante in a genial tone as she walked over to her apprentice, a warm smile on her withered face, "I didn't expect to see you back so soon. Getting right back to your duties, I see; that's very admirable. Though I wish you would have met with me before getting back to work. So how was your little vacation?"

LYRA

Lyra stopped organizing the many texts upon hearing her master's sharp voice and turned to face her, a smile on her pale face; unlike her master's, however, it was genuine. "Greetings, Lady Dante. I apologize for not meeting with you before getting back to work; you were conversing with Mrs. Curtis, so I didn't want to bother you."

The black-haired girl paused before looking her master in the eyes, warm smile replaced with a concerned expression, "Master, if you don't mind me asking--why was it that Mrs. Curtis seemed to be so upset with you? I apologize for eavesdropping, but the window was open and I could hear your conversation..."

DANTE

A small frown formed on the alchemy teacher's face once her student revealed that she was listening in on her conversation with Izumi. Dante had always believed that Lyra was a spineless, rather unassuming girl who could never muster the courage to ask something like that; but apparently she was wrong in her assumption.

"Lyra dear, you know I don't approve of eavesdropping, but I suppose you have a right to know. Miss Izumi is unhappy with me because of something that happened years ago: she gave birth to a young baby boy, who died because of her wrathful ways. The boy was crying out for her love, but Mrs. Curtis, who's always had a bad temper, couldn't take the noise..."

The old woman paused and looked away from her student before continuing, sorrow in her voice, "...she shook the poor dear, who consequently died the very next morning. Distraught, Mrs. Curtis came to me and asked me to teach her the forbidden art of Human Transmutation so that she could revive her lost son. I refused, surely you know why.."

Dante broke from her blatant series of falsehoods, returning her gaze to Lyra, "... Somehow she found out how to perform a Human Transmutation and attempted one, losing many of her organs as a result. It's a miracle that the dear is still alive. Because I refused to help her, she believed that I was nothing more than a hateful old woman. Even though I provide her with medicine, she still despises me.."

LYRA

She listened in shock as her teacher explained Izumi's "horrible sin." Lyra couldn't believe it! She always thought highly of Izumi, someone who managed to successfully pass through the hallowed halls of Dante's estate, taking with her a great understanding of Alchemy. She was so swept up in the story that she forgot her master had revealed her contempt for humanity during her conversation with Izumi, a detail that would bring Dante's tale into question.

"Oh my! I'm terribly sorry for bringing up such a painful subject, Teacher. How could she do such a thing...!"

DANTE

Dante forced a small smile and rested a bony hand on her student's shoulder, "It's alright, dear; in fact, I was planning on telling you sooner or later. Unfortunately, I must leave town on business in the morning; I probably won't be back for a few days. Do you think you can handle things on your own until I return?"

LYRA

Lyra nodded in response, "Of course!"

DANTE

"Splendid. Well, I must retire to my chambers for a short nap. Please have supper on the table by around seven, and we'll resume your lessons once we finish eating," Dante said with a smile.

With that, she left the room and returned to her room. Dante had skillfully squashed Lyra's suspisions, and even incited within her a hatred of Izumi! She would take over her body after her meeting with the sins, but not before having a little chat with Mr. Tucker... and perhaps meeting with his children. Yes; soon she would be in possession of that girl's lovely body, soon she would once again have youth and beauty...

-Dante exit-