The door to the dusty old bookstore quietly creaked open. The only occupants of the room, a young man somewhere in his twenties and the elderly store keeper, glanced up at the sound of the door. A young woman had entered. She looked as though she could only be in her teens but something about the way she carried herself implied she was older than she appeared. She was short and slight of build with golden hair that hung down her back and light blue eyes that held surprising depth.

Just inside of the door the girl paused. She cast the old man a quick glance before letting her eyes settle on the young man.

Luck Gandor met her steady gaze with his own. He saw a look of curiosity pass across her face as she looked at him before slowly turning to examine the nearest bookshelf. Luck continued to examine the girl after she had turned her back to him. She did not look familiar and Luck was sure he would have remembered seeing such a small girl dress as she was in black pants, white dress-shirt, un-tucked, and long, black, sleeve-less coat.

Luck allowed his moment of curiosity to pass and he turned back to the bookshelf he had been examining. Recently Luck had been filling his spare moments with literature. Something to take his mind off of the unsettling thoughts and questions that he had begun to ask himself since the events of two years ago, thoughts that had become quite intrusive since the incident with the Runorata family that occurred about a year ago.

The store keeper nervously flipped through his newspaper as he sat behind the counter. It wasn't that long ago he saw, or thought he saw, Luck Gandor killed right in front of him. The old man thought he was starting to go senile, or at least he hoped so because the alternative was terrifying to contemplate. After a moment of silence that beat upon the old man's eardrums like thunder he spoke.

"Are you looking for anything in particular, Miss?"

The girl glanced up from the bookshelf where she had been examining titles.

"I am looking for a certain book, yes," she answered in a slightly cautious tone.

"What is the title, perhaps I could help you look," the store keeper continued.

"Oh, I don't know what it's called," the girl responded strangely.

"How can you find it if you don't know what it's called?" Luck asked, turning to look at the girl upon hearing her strange answer.

"I'll know it when I find it," the girl answered looking at Luck over her shoulder.

Great… another strange one…Luck thought to himself. It seemed as if his life had been filled with strange people lately. Deciding that he was in no mood to deal with any strangeness that day Luck turned and left the store without bothering to purchase a book.

After his departure the store keeper visibly relaxed. The girl glanced curiously from the old man to the blurred shape of Luck seen through the store window departing down the street.

Hmm, interesting… the girl though to herself.

Firo and Maiza walked together down the street, talking amicably about nothing in particular. Firo had run into Maiza on his way to the Alveare for lunch and the two decided to eat lunch together. The street they had taken to the Alveare passed a small park on the way. Park was a kind term. The plot of land contained a few benches, trees, bushes and grass, but appeared to be nature's last gasp in the metal and stone jungle of Manhattan. On any other day Firo would not have even glanced at the small patch of green if something else had not caught his attention, causing Firo to slow his pace to a near standstill.

A girl sat on a bench in the park, the sun shining off of her golden hair as she bent her head slightly over the guitar she held in her hands. It had not been her looks that had caught Firo's attention but her voice. Her fingers slid up and down the frets of the guitar as she sang an unusual song, very different from the jazz, blues or ragtime you might find someone else singing on the street. Seeing that Firo had slowed to a stop Maiza stopped as well, looking in the direction of Firo's gaze. The two stood still as they listened to her song echo across the street.

"An old man by a seashore at the end of day,

Gazes the horizon the sea winds in his face,

Tempest tossed island seasons all the same

Anchorage unpainted and a ship without a name

Sea without a shore for the banished one unheard

He lightens the beacon light at the end of world

Showing the way lighting hope in their hearts

The ones on their travels homeward from afar…"

The girl raised her head to meet the gaze of Maiza and Firo across the street. She continued singing, steadily holding their gaze with her own.

"This is the long forgotten light at the end of the world

Horizon crying the tears he left behind long ago…"

The girl had a strange look on her face. It was a mixture of curiosity, deep thought, and some sort of knowing. Maiza immediately felt that there was more to this girl than what met the eye. He highly doubted that she was an immortal like himself and Firo, yet there was something strange about her. Perhaps another alchemist, certainly the art hadn't completely died out? Either way Maiza felt that at the moment it was best for him and Firo to continue on their way and leave the girl alone. Maiza put a hand on Firo's shoulder and gently pulled him forward. The moment the two had begun to move the girl dropped her gaze back to the guitar as she continued to play.

Ennis leaned back against the bench, staring into the sky. She was pondering her existence again. When Firo was busy with camorra business and she was left alone Ennis could not help but find herself wandering through the corridors of the past, pondering her own actions when compared to the actions of those around her. Isaac and Miria had left, saying something slightly cryptic about doing good deeds for the sake of starving children. How could she, Ennis, who had done such terrible things only one short year ago possibly compare to such selfless people?

"Hey, do you mind if I sit here?"

A voice broke Ennis' depressed musings and brought her back to earth. When Ennis looked in the direction of the voice she saw a young woman with a slight build, blonde hair and sky blue eyes. She stood next to the bench, one hand clasping a paper sack, the other indicating the vacant space next to Ennis on the bench.

"Oh, yes… I don't mind," Ennis answered quietly, pondering why the girl had asked for her permission before sitting on a public bench.

"Thanks!" the girl said with a smile as she dropped onto the bench next to Ennis. Once seated the girl opened the paper sack and pulled out a meat pie, which she began to devour with relish.

Ennis looked sideways at the girl while she was eating, almost oblivious to Ennis' presence. Ennis was pondering over whether or not she should say something when a shout from a few yards away drew the attention of both women.

"Give it back!" cried a little girl as she reached into the air. She was trying desperately to get at a sandwich held in the hand of a boy who was a good head taller than her.

"Make me!" the boy taunted back as the girl tried to jump up and grab the sandwich back while the older boy dodged her.

The exchange lasted only five seconds when, before either Ennis or the girl could act, the boy tripped on the uneven pavement, the sandwich flying from his hand into the street. The girl froze, hands pressed over her mouth and tears forming in her eyes. The boy stopped staring at the now sad looking sandwich prostrated on the asphalt. The girl sniffled, tears beginning to drizzle down her cheeks. The boy, his source of entertainment now gone decided to leave in search of other distractions.

The girl next to Ennis stood and, discarding the paper sack onto the bench, walked to the girl.

"Here now, don't cry," she said, crouching down so she was eye level with the child.

"Bu-but th-that was my-my only lu-lunch," the girl sniffled.

"No it isn't," the blonde said, taking the young girl's hand and placing the meat pie in it.

The young girl's eyes widened and she stared at the young woman in disbelief.

"Bu-but isn't th-this y-your lunch?" she said, a few stray tears still tracing their way down her cheeks.

The young woman shook her head and smiled.

"It's alright," she told the girl. "Look," she pointed at the paper sack on the bench where Ennis sat. "I have another one in that bag right there."

"S-so it's r-really ok?" the girl asked, drying her tears.

"Yes," the young woman said. "And since you're being such a good girl, I'll tell you a little secret too."

The eyes of the young girl, if possible, widened even more.

"When boys pick on you like that," the woman said, leaning in close and lowering her voice slightly, as if imparting some great knowledge, "all you need to do is kick them between the legs and they will leave you alone."

"Really?" the girl asked.

"Really."

With a wave and a cheerful smile the girl ran off, the meat pie clutched against her chest like a dear treasure. The woman waved back momentarily before returning to the bench.

"That was very kind of you," Ennis said quietly. "I was good that you had two pies."

The young woman gave Ennis a sideways smile before turning the bag upside down and shaking it. It was empty. Ennis' eyes widened slightly in surprise, and before she could ask why the woman had given the child her only food, the woman spoke.

"She's young and still growing, she need it a lot more than me."

Ennis sighed sadly and stared down at her feet. Even this complete stranger is a much kinder person than I am, she thought.

"Hey," the girl said, turning her head sideways to try and see Ennis' down turned face. "Is something wrong?"

Ennis looked at the girl, and without meaning blurted out:

"I've done such terrible things. I can never hope to be so kind as Isaac or Miria… or even you…"

The girl smiled softly and placed her hand over Ennis' which rested on her lap. At the girl's touch Ennis looked up into her eyes.

"How about I tell you a secret too," the girl said in a kind voice. "I can see things that people don't or can't always show others. I can see down to the true nature of people, down to their hearts, so to speak. And I know that in your heart you are a kind person."

"I'm sorry, but you must be mistaken…" Ennis began but the girl shook her head to silence Ennis.

"Just the fact that you are so worried about returning the kindness of those around you proves that you are a kind person. Here, I'll share a favorite quote of mine. 'In the end it's the same, no one is as bad as they seem and no one is a good as they think they are'." She gave Ennis' had a slight squeeze. "Actions do not dictate our nature; even if you've done terrible things it does not make you a terrible person."

For the first time since Firo had left that morning Ennis managed a smile.

"Thank you," she said to the girl. "My name is Ennis, would you mind telling me yours?"

The girl smiled even broader as she answered:

"Star Auros."