Before we start this short story I want to apologize for the lack of actual chapters. I will be going back to normal chapters shortly. This is part one of two, part two will be published in Elizabeth's Misfortune on October 31st. (This is just a side story and is not canon or part of the main storyline.)
...
(October 31st, 2011)
"Hey, Alphonse, how did we get here?" Sarah asked as she looked at the skyscrapers around her.
"I have no clue... The last thing I remember is going to the sect's training hall..." Alphonse responded.
"Oh, so we're on the same page then." She stated blandly.
"Sarah, look over there. People are wearing costumes." Alphonse pointed. Sarah looked around and saw several people wearing costumes walking about.
"Wait, wait, wait. Halloween!?" Sarah exclaimed quietly.
"Oh, yeah, that makes more sense than my theory." Alphonse said lightly.
"Wait, what were you thinking?" Sarah asked.
"Erm, nothing." Alphonse said. Sarah shrugged lightly.
"Alright." She said.
"We should figure out where we are. Since that's likely the Tokyo tower and the amount moe culture I can deduce that we are in Japan. Tokyo specifically." Alphonse said.
"So we probably will have difficulties speaking to people..." Sarah stated.
"Don't worry about that. We just have to find some foreigners that speak English which shouldn't be difficult. We are also lucky that it is Halloween since we aren't exactly human." Alphonse said.
"Oh yeah, forgot about that." Sarah said.
"Don't worry about it. Let's go look around and see if anyone speaks English." Alphonse said.
"I presume I'm going to do most of the talking?" Sarah asked rhetorically. Alphonse nodded hesitantly.
Both of them started to walk around and after a while a voice called from behind them. "Alphonse, you're not supposed to be here yet." The voice called. Sarah and Alphonse looked behind them and saw a young boy around six years of age with brown hair and round features.
"who're-" Alphonse started.
"I'm Mathew lockwin. Our souls have a 50% match, yadda yadda. Look, I'm tired of explaining this." Mathew said with blatant apathy.
"Wait, but hat's no-" Sarah started but was soon interrupted.
"He's telling the truth, I sense it." Alphonse said.
"Yeah, now let's figure out how to get you back to your time before you mess up the timeline." Mathew said. "Oh, I think I know someone who could help us." Mathew said as he walked in a direction.
"Let's follow him, he's our best lead." Alphonse said.
"Are you sure?" Sarah asked worriedly. Alphonse nodded. Sarah sighed as she and Alphonse followed Mathew. After a while, Sarah faced Alphonse. "How did he know where we were?" She asked.
"Because his memories are fed into my mind." Mathew said as he pointed to his head, still walking.
"Wait, isn't that an invasion of privacy?" Sarah asked.
"I can't stop it from happening, it just does and it won't stop. Of course, that also means that everything he's experienced..." Mathew stopped with a grim expression. Well, that's not important." Mathew said with a lighter expression.
"Oh, I-I see... I would've wanted it to stop if that happened..." Sarah said solemnly. After a while they reached a building and Mathew walked up to the door and knocked.
After a few moments, the door was opened by a man who quickly sighed upon the sight of Mathew. "What are you here to tell us this time?" The man asked.
"No, not that." Mathew said as he pointed to Alphonse and Sarah. "I need the help of your family." Mathew said. "Well, in full disclosure, I don't need your help, but I think it would be a good experience for everyone." Mathew said. The man sighed.
"I'm Mark, you all can come in." Mark said.
"Thank you." Sarah said as everyone entered the house. They all sat down in the living room and waited for everyone to gather.
"You guys have great costumes, they look real." Mark said.
"They are." Alphonse said coldly.
"Oh... Not much for conversation, is he?" Mark asked.
"Not particularly. He's... Well, please don't hold it against him." Sarah asked politely.
"Right." Mark said. After a few moments, Lizbeth and Elizabeth entered the room
"Alright, what's the commotion?" Lizbeth asked as Elizabeth tugged on her shirt. She looked down.
"He seems familiar." Elizabeth said as she pointed at Alphonse.
"Same could be said about you." Alphonse said.
"Yes, I was about to explain that, can everyone quiet down now?" Mathew asked before continuing. "There was a time tunnel that flashed into existence and brought these two back from ancient China. Now there are two of them in the same era and we don't want that." Mathew said.
"Wait, if they're from ancient China, then how would there be two of them in this era?" Lizbeth asked.
"Magic. Literally. Well, sort of. Specifically the ancient art of spiritual cultivation." Mathew explained.
"I think I've heard of that in Chinese mythology. Ancient warriors that became immortal through the cultivation of spiritual energies in their bodies, right?" Lizbeth asked. Mathew, Sarah, and Alphonse all nodded.
"As a quick mention, these two also aren't human, they are beastmen." Mathew said.
"At this point, I'll believe anything." Mark said. Lizbeth nodded in agreement. Elizabeth walked up to Sarah.
"Um... May I touch your tail?" Elizabeth asked. Sarah nodded hesitantly. Elizabeth poked her tail, then pet it. "Soft..." Elizabeth said with awe as she continued petting.
'It's weird... She has a similar aura to Alphonse, so does Mathew...' Sarah thought to herself.
'Hey, Prism. You've been quiet, what's up?' Alphonse asked.
{I have been attempting to calculate the odds of three people sharing an aura with a 50% match, however, every time I attempt I come back with an error.} Prism stated.
'Which means...' Alphonse drifted his thoughts into images.
{Yes, exactly that.} Prism said.
"Mathew, you're not telling the whole story. We both know the odds of three people with a 50% soul aura match." Alphonse said.
"Prism really shouldn't be getting involved with this information. It really isn't important." Mathew said.
"It doesn't matter where I found it out from. Point is, we both know." Alphonse said.
"Alphonse, what are you guys talking about? Also, who is Prism?
"Why don't you meet them yourself." Mathew said as he stuck out his hand. After a few moments a mannequin appeared. "Infuse." He said lightly. Within the second of his words, the mannequin began to take a new shape.
The mannequin gained rainbow hair and white robes. "Well, this was unexpected." Prism said with her iconically slightly robotic voice.
"Who's this?" Sarah asked.
"Well, it's about time you meet me. My name is Prism. I am a system that operates within Alphonse's mind. I primarily monitor his health to ensure he doesn't get himself killed. Though he often ignores my advice." Prism stated.
"So, wait... When you asked if I knew what a system is..." Sarah started.
"Yeah." Alphonse said. "But now we are off subject." Alphonse continued.
"Well, we should get back on the subject then. I know a place where we can send them back through, but it requires a quantum agitator. That's where Alphonse, Elizabeth, and I come in. Due to our similarities in soul structure, we can agitate the quantum fabric and cause a rip in time sending those two back. But there are two problems. First, it's in Russia, secondly, it's a hotspot for the supernatural." Mathew said.
"Okay, how do you plan to get there, and how dangerous is it?" Alphonse asked. "I don't know about you, but I'd rather not put a child as small as her in danger." Alphonse said.
Sarah looked at Alphonse with teary eyes. "You do care about other people? I thought you were unable to..." Sarah said. Alphonse twitched.
"No, it's just a standard I have because... Well..." Alphonse started.
"It's because of what happened to his sister." Mathew said.
"O-oh..." Sarah said solemnly.
"Emotional response detected. Action recommended." Prism stated.
"You're not in my head anymore Prism!" Alphonse said.
"I know. I was advising both you and Mathew." Prism responded.
"Wait, I caused it?" Mathew asked. "Darn, I thought I got better about that." Mathew mumbled. Mathew cleared his throat. "Well, we can get to Russia with my jet, it'll be faster. Also, who's coming to Russia with us?" Mathew asked.
"I'll go." Lizbeth said. "Mark has work and my work is just research and when I am called onto a site." Lizbeth said.
"Okay, then that's that. Let's go. Oh, also, since you'll be traveling with me, no passport is required, it's a perk you get when you're as renowned worldwide as I am." Mathew said.