-- she seems to have a little shadow.

Cute kid.

She steps into a little half park, and smiles back at the kid. "Hello," she calls.

Skye freezes and steps back one step. She didn't mean to be seen. Doesn't want to get into trouble.

"M'sorry."

"It's no problem at all. Curiosity should be rewarded."

She doesn't believe that, hasn't ever experienced that, but...

"Are you an alchemist?"

"Yes. They call me the Rising Life Alchemist. I work with biological organisms."

"Biological organisms?"

She doesn't know what that means, but she wants to so very much. It sounds Important.

"Beings with cells, which are the tiny things that make up our bodies. Humans are biological organisms, as are dogs, and birds, and plants, and mushrooms."

"But not houses or rocks or fire or wind?"

"Exactly! Those things do have smaller pieces that make them up, but they aren't organized like organisms are."

Skye smiles hesitantly. She made the alchemist smile. And she's not in trouble!

"Are you can... change them? Make them different."

"Yes. Alchemy has three stages: Identification. Deconstruction. Reconstruction. It is the very art and science of change."

Skye listens carefully and tries to memorise everything. They're big words, but she has a book that tells her the meaning of things. She wants to ask more, but doesn't want to push her luck. She's never gotten this far before without upsetting someone.

She looks around the park to make sure nobody is watching them. Someone who will tell her parents.

They don't seem to have caught too much attention.

"Would you like to learn more?" the alchemist asks.

She does so much. She can't stop herself from nodding.

"The university has programs for young alchemists."

Skye deflates and looks down.

"They won't let me. Want me to be a soldier." Like her brother. The hero.

"That's silly. Alchemists do so much more good. And you're a clever kid. People shouldn't stand in the way of knowledge."

"I've read about them. You help people?"

"Yes. I'm Amestris's foremost medical researcher. If your parents are opposed, I can talk to them. Very few people wouldn't be impressed by an offer of an apprenticeship from me."

She's going to get into trouble and this is going to go wrong and she might be lying. But.

"I want to help people and learn. Would you really?"

"Yes, really. You've already shown yourself to be quite clever, and I do need an apprentice."

Clever. She's never been called clever before.

"Is your name Marian Yashagoro?"

"Got it in one. I suppose you recognized my title?"

"I read the newspaper and there's a book in the library that has a list of all the different State Alchemists. But you don't work for the State. So I dunno why they listed you."