Chapter 11: Payment

Alphonse didn't respond and instead shifted his focus to the plants around him. "You said we can have these rain flowers?" Alphonse asked.

"Yeah, I don't care for them." Kazama responded. Alphonse started collecting them.

"Mind if I take the canoe?" Alphonse asked.

"Burn it for all I care, I'm a snake after all." Kazama answered.

"R-right..." Alphonse said awkwardly as he began collecting the herbs. He filled the canoe but left a space for him to sit. Alphonse used the canoe to float back.

"Alphonse, are you okay? I saw the snake lunge at you, what happened!?" Sarah asked with worry.

"Erm... I'm fine, I'll explain what happened later, for now, let's fill the picnic basket and this canoe, then get back to the sect." Alphonse responded, unsure of how to explain what just happened.

"Okay." Sarah said as she calmed down a bit, then started filling the basket. After a little while, Sarah and Alphonse finished and started to head back to the sect. When they reached the sect they immediately headed for the mission house.

Alphonse and Sarah walked into the Mission house, Alphonse pulling the canoe behind him. "Where'd you get the canoe?" The man at the desk asked as Alphonse and Sarah walked towards the desk.

"Long story, actually..." Sarah said lightly, looking at Alphonse.

"I'm not explaining it to him." Alphonse said as he walked behind the canoe and pushed it closer to the desk.

"But why not? Wouldn't it be better for him to hear it from the one who got it?" Sarah asked.

"He doesn't have to know how we got it, just that we have it, and even that is debatable." Alphonse said as he walked over to Sarah. "Also..." Alphonse started as realization hit Sarah.

"Oh! I forgot about that..." She said then looked at the guy behind the counter. "He doesn't like talking to people he doesn't know..." She said. "He can talk around them, but has difficulties speaking to them." She said.

"Sarah, we got 389 of them, I counted when I picked them." He said quietly while looking at Sarah. Sarah nodded.

"We have 389, or at least somewhere around there." Sarah said.

"what? That's not possible." The man said.

"Why not?" Sarah asked with a confused expression.

"Because the rain flower only grows in very specific locations. Didn't you see where it said to not go on the island because of the beast on it?" The man asked.

"The beast wasn't of any danger to me." Alphonse said quietly.

"Did you two go on the island?" He asked. Sarah shook her head.

"He did though." She said as she pointed at Alphonse. "It's rude to refuse an invitation after all." She said, half-joking.

"Invitation?" He asked.

"Whoops." Sarah said as she covered her mouth and her eyes widened. She shifted herself over to Alphonse to whisper. "What do I do now!?" Sarah asked. Alphonse shifted his head up towards the man.

"Just count them and get this over with, there's no point in dawdling around chit-chatting." Alphonse said to the man with a slightly cold tone.

"R-right..." He said as he came to the front of the desk.

"Hey, Alphonse. Did you count the flowers in my basket in the calculation?" Sarah asked. He shook his head.

"I was actually about to ask if you wouldn't mind keeping those for experimentation." Alphonse stated.

"Experimentation?" She asked. He nodded.

"Those herbs are used in alchemy, right?" Alphonse asked.

"I think so... Does that mean you want to try alchemy?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, though I don't know how to do alchemy." Alphonse said.

"I think you need something called a soul flame or something like that." She said. Alphonse chuckled a little.

"What kind of Xianxia crap is that?" Alphonse asked to himself.

"Xianxia?" Sarah asked. Alphonse flinched slightly.

"A genre which is based on Chinese mythology..." Alphonse said. "I keep forgetting you didn't do much when it comes to the fantasy genre." Alphonse stated with a sigh. "Anyway, what do you think of my idea?" Alphonse asked.

"Eh? Oh, right. I think that it should be fine, but you would have to learn alchemy from someone, and since I don't know it, you have to learn from someone else." Sarah said. Alphonse's eyes flashed with fear for a moment before he suppressed the feeling.

"Okay, I'll start asking around then..." Alphonse said blandly.

"Eh!? Are you sure?" Sarah asked in surprise.

"Sometimes you have to leave your comfort zone if you want to improve yourself or your condition..." Alphonse said as he looked at Sarah. "Plus... I can't have you do everything for me, that would be unfair for you..." Alphonse said as he looked back at the desk with his cheeks turning a light pink.

Sarah thought for a moment. "I get it!" She said. "You want to learn to be more social so you can get stronger faster, right?" Sarah said excitedly.

"Erm, yeah." Alphonse said. 'I don't think I'm allowed to say it's because I feel bad that I keep having her do stuff for me." Alphonse thought to himself as he sighed.

"Well, even if that isn't the reason, I'm glad you're trying." Sarah said as she gave Alphonse a hug. Alphonse froze, being caught off guard for the second time by Sarah. After a few seconds, she backed away, holding her hands behind her back.

"I really am glad... After getting to know you more, I've come to realize just how much you've been through and how much you keep held in, so I'm hoping this will help you to be more open, even if only a little." Sarah said.

After a few minutes, the man came back and Alphonse had not responded to Sarah. "You've brought 390, I've already calculated the payment." He said.

"Oh, right, I put another one in the canoe." Sarah said lightly.

"Right, anyway, your payment will be 19,500 Cowry." The man said.

"Is that a lot?" Alphonse asked Sarah. She nodded.

"You could buy a cheap spiritual item at an auction with that amount..." Sarah said with slight shock.