The Same Coin

The Sun and The Moon - Together

"Borrow my ability?" Winry asked in a hiss of breath.

His question had caught her entirely off-guard, and her control over her facial expressions slipped. She could feel the shock and horror showing from beneath her mask. Chrollo reached out and brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear casually. If he was put off by her reaction, it didn't show.

"Yes. I can borrow abilities for a short duration of time if I so choose," he explained. "It would not be a permanent arrangement. But you would be without your Hatsu while I have it."

She mulled over the idea in her head. She hadn't forgotten all else that had happened over the last few weeks...The trust he had shown her by involving her in their plot in Yorknew City — and letting her leave with the loot. He was looking at her to take Uvogin's place in the Troupe. He had entrusted her with the secrets of his Nen ability.

"The plan after the match," Chrollo continued while she continued to chew on his request, "would be that after the match with Hisoka, we will induct you into the Troupe. After that is done, we will leave for the Dark Continent — the Troupe together."

He knew the right words.

We.

The Troupe.

Together.

Winry doubted Hisoka even knew what the words we and together meant.

This was her make or break moment. This decision was the dark visitor she had dreaded the arrival of, that she had known would eventually knock on her door. Since the very beginning it had been Hisoka v. Chrollo and she had carefully balanced herself between the two men for two years. It was question of if, not a question of when, time would run out.

Tick tock. Tick tock.

Hisoka the Magician, or Chrollo Lucilfer.

She had seen what Chrollo intended to do with the Sun and the Moon; it was

"Chrollo," she whispered, certain he could hear her thundering heart, "if you need my ability, consider it yours." He bowed his head and the smallest smile crossed his lips. "But if you are going to fight Hisoka, there is something you need to know."

His brow rose.

"A long time ago, Hisoka followed me to my home country — he taught me combat and how to use Nen. But while we were there, we stayed with a master of alchemy."

The atmosphere changed with Chrollo's immediate recognition that something dangerous was afoot. She'd had his attention before, but it was a rapt and unwavering now.

"Hisoka can use alchemy," Chrollo said slowly, his intelligent eyes already comprehending his situation. "You are across the sea — from Amestris, yes? Not Xing?"

Winry sat up a little straighter.

"Yes."

"I am not completely unfamiliar with your alchemy," he admitted. "I have not witnessed it with my own eyes, but I am well-read and some of the books I've gotten my hands on have gone into some detail on the matter. I've also read about your lost country of Xerxes." Chrollo leaned in close, intimately, as he reached in his breast pocket, and there was a jingle as he brought his fingers out. Winry counted the thirty silver coins he laid out; just over ten million Jenī. "I do not consider Judas to be a traitor," Chrollo cajoled. "Tell me everything you know about Hisoka's alchemy."