S.K.Y.

[Guest]

The clouds were really entertaining today. Every time Tsune looked up, they were spiraling around into more unique designs. It made him wonder what the sunrise had looked like... Ever since Endavi had left, Tsune's eyes had been stuck on the sky. As if wondering if the homunculus was looking down on him from up there. If there was a heaven that is... Tsune had no idea, but he would like to hope that wherever Endavi was...he was happy.

It was late at night now and the clouds were stark white against the deepening blue of the sky. It was the rare day in winter when the city of Amestris turned out the lights. All the streetlights were dark and the houses black with sleep, even the moon snuffed her glow. It was a night for stargazers--one dedicated to astronomy: a powerful science of unknown, holding lingering questions that would remain until the collective human mind expanded. Tsune was empty-handed, walking the streets with his head turned up at the stars. The crisp air gnawed at the thinness of his purple sweatshirt, licking against his skin and making him shiver. Cities were always colder. It was a lonely night, most people already asleep due to the late--or rather early hour.

[Guest]

Against the dark night, the white suit of the green-haired Homonculus stood out from the rest. Menoitos - Wrath - The human, bred to become Homonculus, was simply strolling along with his usual, confident gait. He smiled, and then noticed somebody else walking the streets, watching the sky. Hmph. Guy must be starstruck, or something. Not surprising, considering that the stars were pretty beautiful tonight. Suddenly, a llittle 'mew' sounded out from a nearby alleyway. The man blinked and turned towards the sound. Even in the limited light, the homonculus made out the pair of eyes and the small body shape that made up a kitten. With a big grin, he dived for the creature, picked it up, and held it close to his body.

"So kawaii~ Such a cute little kitty, yes you are!" Menoitos... didn't look like Wrath at the moment. Then again, that was rare. But the swords at his hips would've given something away...

[Guest]

Tsune turned, blinking at the sudden sound that disrupted the peace. The white suit stood out like a flashlight in a cave, especially since all the streetlights were out. And the green hair...what the hell? But there was something about this guy who was laying in an alleyway that drew the boy to him. He bent down slowly, silver hair falling over his shoulders in waterfalls. Steel blue eyes filled with curiosity until he saw the kitten the man was clutching. He jolted backwards with surprise and raised an eyebrow. What on earth... A flash caught his eye and he glanced down to see swords on the green-haired guy's hips. Eh...this was getting weirder and weirder. So he was dangerous too...maybe. Tsune sighed with frustration and put a hand on the weirdo's shoulder to possibly draw his attention away from the furry creature he had seemingly dove across the sidewalk for. "Oi... why are you laying in an alley way holding a kitten at this time of night...?"

[Guest]

The green-haired man turned to the other man, his kitten-hugging interrupted. His eyes narrowed, peering at him. If he didn't have a kitten in his arms, he would've just attacked in a furious rage. But, of course, he didn't wanna hurt the cute lil' kitty. He smirked, and let it go, the cat skitting away through the trash-cans that littered the alleyway. He then stood back up, and peered at the man who stood there. He reeked of human, but Menoitos wouldn't mention that... He smiled, and held a hand out to the man.

"Maybe I should introduce myself first. I am known by many names, but you may call me Ares." The man in the white suit smiled. Maybe he could make himself some friends out this late at night.

"I... like cute things. Girls, animals, the like. Just a small... weakness of mine. Doesn't everybody have something like that?" He laughed softly, and leant back against a wall of one of the nearby buildings.

[Guest]

Tsune took his hand with his Automail one, hoping the other wouldn't notice the obvious weight difference. Figured he'd hold that hand out... After they shook in acquaintance, Tsune dropped his arm at his side while staying wary of the man. "Nice to meet you, Ares. I'm Tsune." Then he blinked, slightly bewildered. Wait, what? Did that guy seriously just flat-out tell him his weakness? The silver-haired boy took a step back, crossing his arms in thought. Maybe he was drunk... or just trying to fuck with him. "I guess so, but normally people don't give away their weaknesses..." He fiddled with the tie of his sweat shirt and studied the taller man. What was his weakness? He really didn't know. He figured it would have to be innocent people involved with something that was his fault, but he'd never encountered anything like that before to actually know if that was what it was. Tsune sighed and stared at where the moon was supposed to be. Instead, there was a haze of clouds, lit silver from the last quarter behind it. He tried to will the clouds away, but it remained dark, making Tsune wish he didn't just have the cell phone Endavi had given him to use as a flashlight.

[Guest]

Menoitos was confused. Normally people appreciated him giving away his one weakness, as it wouldn't do them much good in a fight... unless they held up a kitten. But this guy was against Meno giving out his weakness, and that really confused him. He may have been human for the first 20 or so years of his life, but all the knowledge and humanity in the world wouldn't have given him a straight answer for this one. The green-haired homunculus sighed, and stood up straighter, assuming a -somewhat- confident pose. He then peered at the other man, checking for any signs of hostility. Seeing none, he nodded.

"It... probably isn't the smartest idea. I wouldn't be surprised if it got me killed one day. But, then again, I'm not a normal person..." His phone suddenly rung. Of course it would... He sighed, and pulled it out of his pocket, opened it, and put it up to his hair.

"This is Menoitos. Go ahead." He was probably going to regret giving his actual name in front of someone he'd given an alias to, but who gives a damn...

"I need you for a job. I hear you do good work." Menoitos nodded at this, and replied with a simple, "You have good sources. What can I do you for? And how much you willing to pay...?" He could almost hear a laugh from behind the line.

"25k. But I need two people." Menoitos peered at the man standing next to him, and grinned. Hope he wanted to make some cash. "Is that salary for both? Or each?"

"I'm rich. Make it each." Menoito's eyes bulged. 25000... That'd be good for him. "Alright. Call me back in five minutes. I need to make preparations."

"Five minutes it is." The phone suddenly went silent, and Menoitos grinned, before turning to the other man.

"Now that we're aquainted, Tsune-san, wanna make some cash?"

[Guest]

...not a normal person? That was a given. Tsune rolled his eyes and began wandering away as the green-haired man's phone began ringing. His foot froze mid-step when he heard how he answered. Wait. Seriously?! That guy had just lied to him about his name. Wonderful. Another untrustworthy person in the world. Tsune put his foot down, looking back curiously. He listened to the whole conversation as it transpired between Ares--or should he say Menoitos--and the dude on the other line. Feeling guilty, Tsune slumped into a nearby bench and crossed his legs, trying to look inconspicuous. That was when he heard his name and perked up, turning to the one in the white suit and staring at him. Oh great, now he was trying to get him involved in a murder or something. Tsune pushed silver bangs from his eyes and let out an aggravated sigh. He really didn't need the money... but~ he could always use it to buy that new model motorcycle he had been drooling over in that magazine he kept on his bedside table. Well...it depended what it was. Tsune stared at him for a moment more. "...Doing what?"

[Guest]

Menoitos smirked. He had piqued the man's interest, and that was all that he needed. He walked over to the man, and sighed.

"First and foremost, I apologize for deceiving you about my name. It is... necessary in my line of work. I'm a merc, and unlike most, I am on-call. This job requires a second, and that could be you, if I want to be able to get my money. We good? And no, I don't know the job, not until he calls back." Realising that the man would most likely agree, the green-haired man smiled, and then his phone rang. He sighed, picked it up, and put it to his ear.

"This is Menoitos. Go ahead." The voice on the other end of the line began to speak.

"Have you reached a decision about my offer?" Straight to the point, huh? He sighed, and spoke back into the receiver with a grin.

"I'm in, and I have a second. What's the job?"

"It's quite simple, really. You two stand guard while me and my boys do a job. We're going to be robbing a small mob hideout, don't worry, it's all legal. Everything's being handed in to the police, and there's a boy in there, 100k bounty on his head. Make sure he doesn't escape." Menotios nodded nonchalantly, before opening his mouth.

"Alright. We'll be there. Once he had given his confirmation, the man spoke back to Menoitos with the time and location, before hanging up. Menoitos nodded, and turned to Tsune.

"It's okay. It'll only be a small job, just guarding a few vehicles. Are you willing... to stop mobsters from escaping? They'll be armed and dangerous, but it's all legal." But Menoitos had another idea in his head. If there was a 100k in there, he might actually be able to convince Tsune to help him catch the guy and get the reward... But if it's a police op, that might not be the case. Menoitos hated legal jobs.

[Guest]

"A...merc?" What in god's name was that?! Tsune stared at the man like he was crazy and figured he may very well be. But regardless, that new Harley-Davidson was looking better each moment. "Uh..." He stared blankly at the green-haired fellow until his phone rang, and then proceeded to spy on the conversation once more. When he hung up, cold blue eyes attached themselves to the man in white. What was this all about anyway... Really, on such a relaxing night light this? He sighed and ruffled his hair, the silver strands glinting in the faint moonlight. "Fine, I'll do it, but how do you know I'm not just some kid out for a walk, hm?" He moved closer, the intensity in his eyes growing, and looking more dangerous with each passing moment. He didn't have have his State Alchemist pocket watch with him; it was left in his apartment with his military uniform. And he was dressed like any normal Amestrian high school kid, except he never went there himself.

[Guest]

Menoitos smirked. So, the guy was wondering why he'd chosen him, rather than thinking him a kid. Well, firstly, Meno knew what a kid looked like. This guy was -not- a kid. He reeked of military, both in the way he walked and the way he talked. But was Meno going to tell him that? Not. At. All. He smiled slyly, and looked at the man with a snigger. How was he going to explain this, without raising the man's suspicions? He thought for a couple of seconds, and spoke.

"Merc is mercenary. I do jobs for others that can't or don't want to do it themselves. Simple, really. As for you being a kid? You reek of rank. I can smell a military officer from a mile away. No way to fool ol' Meno here." He drew one of his blades, the katana, Skill. He smiled, and flipped it over, holding the hilt out to Tsune.

"Need a weapon? Because if you do, you can borrow mine. I'm not sayig you'll be needin' it, but it might be a good idea for you to hold on to it, just in case..."

[Guest]

Alright so he reeked of rank... that sucked. He was that obvious? It seemed he really had to work on the way he walked or he would have to continue dealing with confrontations like these. Tsune blinked at the hilt being handed to him and laughed. "Do you honestly think I'd be needing that? If I'm in the military, as you say, then don't you think I'd be carrying around my own weapon?" Steel blue eyes held the man in his grasp, obvious amusement tracing the hues. He folding his arms and smirked. "I'll help you out; just tell me what I need to do." He cracked his knuckles, well, on his one hand and shook out his other. This was going to be a long morning... It seemed he would have to enjoy the stars another time... That was just it...there was never any time for much of anything anymore.

[Guest]

Menoitos nodded and laughed. What was he thinking, handing over his prized katana to a stranger he'd just met? He sighed, and re-sheathed the blade, making sure it was in the right way. He then turned back to Tsune with a smile.

"It's a simple job, really. All we have to do is stand guard outside a cop bust and make sure that no-one escapes. I'm surprised they didn't ask the military, but then they would've had their asses handed to them with laughter. Well, that's really all. Oh, apparently there's a mark we have to stop from escaping at all costs. They'll show us that when we get there. Alright? Good. There's 25k in it for you, too..." He smiled, and turned in the direction of the job, hoping the man would follow him. There was no need for much else. Pity, though. He wanted to hug that cute kitty some more...

[Short. Bleh.]

[Guest]

Tsune glared angrily at the man. Was he really that sure of himself? How pathetic. The boy managed to hide his fury, and simply smiled. "Don't belittle the military in my presence, Menoitos." His smile quickly turning into a malicious one. "Or I may just have to show you what they're really capable of." He followed the mercenary like his shadow, silently like the calm before the storm. Tsune's state title, thunderstorm, was not just a muse; it was pure, utter fact. His silver hair blew out in the sudden cold wind, the steel in his eyes on fire. This sounded interesting... Make sure no one escaped, huh? Good thing he was wearing his running shoes. Worst comes to worse, Tsune could always hit them in the back with just enough lightning to make them pass out. That was always an option or he could just cover the air with tiny sparks, capturing them in a field of electricity. Or...

[Let's get on with the job!]

[Guest]

Menoitos nodded. TIme to go. He ran off, leading Tsune along behind him. Meno ran quite fast, trying to get to the place as quickly as he could. About 5 minutes of running later, and he and Tsune had reached the place. Menoitos smiled, as police cars rolled up to the building, and officers came out. Themen turned to him, and aimed the weapons, before another man came and motioned for them to holster their firearms. He smiled, and walked over to Menoitos. He waved his hand and nodded.

"You must be the merc I hired. Menoitos? And this is your second?" He motioned over to Tsune. Menoitos nodded silently. Better to have the other guy talking - he might get a raise for it. He smirked, as the other man spoke again.

"Alright, we're going to be hitting this place hard and fast. There's a large gate. Use any means necessary to stop all escapees, except for the mark. We want him alive..." He held a photo up for Menoitos and Tsune to study. He nodded. The police officer suddenly recognised Tsune.

"Wait a second... I know you! You're the Thundertorm Alchemist, Tsune Hitotose! An Alchemist will be great help!" Meno's smiled suddenly turned to a frown, but he hid it behind his head. No need to get pissed off over this guy.

[Guest]

Tsune matched Meno's speed with his own, barely breathing as he squinted his eyes against the crisp wind. The alchemist slapped his hands together at the first sign of aggression from the police cars that showed up. Sharp, steel eyes assessed the situation with each waking moment, ready to attack or prevent one. The instant that they lowered their weapons, Tsune lowered his own, though they hardly knew that didn't they... He smirked to himself and placed a hand on his hip with attitude. This looked like it would be fun.

The man who had waved the gunmen off now walked up to them. Tsune regarded him wearily, hearing each word roll off his tongue. Alive? Well, it wasn't like Tsune was going to kill any of the escapees anyway so he didn't really have to worry too much about that. The photo was held up to them and the boy leaned in close to study it just in case Meno tried to kill him. The moment Tsune had taken his eyes from the policeman, he heard his state name. Tsune took his scrutinizing eyes from the photograph and stared straight at him, offering a cocky smirk. He whipped out his state alchemist watch from his pocket and twirled it around. "Yes, indeed." He tucked it back in the confines of his jeans. "At your service."

[Sponsored content]