Cave

It was insanity growing cold.

"Everybody has one."

It was a darkness and evil that had been around do long, that nobody even realized that it was really there, tainting the world with it's hatred.

"There is no hiding it. Everybody has something they hide."

It was inside of him.

"Everybody has a secret Chiro."

"No.... I don't. I don't hide anything."

It had always been inside of him.

"How can you lie like that? Your friends don't even know who you are."

He lived in the darkness, always searching for a way out of cave he had sealed away into.

But he was afraid.

"Do you even know who you are anymore?"

He was afraid of what he might find.

"..."

He had always been secure with being a mystery; the boy who might as well have fallen from the sky.

"..."

"Well?"

"...yes, I know."

But part of him knew that outside that cave was light and sanctuary.

"What do you know?"

That part had gotten tired of waiting, stepped into the cave, and was pulling at him to come out.

"..."

"...I know I am his nephew."

"Who's nephew?"

"The nephew of my friends' father."

"The alchemist?"

"Yes."

"Why do you know this?"

"Because I was told as a child about a crazy uncle who spent all his time in his lab wit some monkeys."

"And who told you this?"

"My mom did. It was one of the last things we talked about."

"You didn't have a very nice childhood, did you Chiro?"

"No, I didn't."

"Why not?"

"Because he killed her and dad."

"Who did?"

"My uncle."

"But it wasn't your uncle."

"Right, it was somebody who was once my uncle."

"It was pure evil."

"Right."

"It was Skeleton King."

"Right."

Darkness was inside of him, pulling him back into the cave.

"...but they could never know that."

"Who?"

"My friends."

"But they would never hate you, would they?"

Light pulled.

"You don't know that."

Dark pulled.

"You do deep down."

Light pulled.

"No, I don't."

Dark pulled.

"Yes you do! Yo can clear up your past ad possibly help the others if you would just stop being so selfish and-"

The door slid open. Chiro stopped pacing mid-step and froze. Gibson blinked at him from the door frame.

"Er... am I interrupting something?"

Yes, he was, but the boy didn't know how to explain nor did he want to. After all, it's not usual for a boy to be talking to himself while pacing in his room, deep in a heated debate about his darkest secrets.

"Nothing important." Chiro replied.

"Well then, let's get started with your studies for today." Gibson handed Chiro one of the books he was carrying and walked ahead of him towards the control room. Chiro fallowed.

He sat in the cave's mouth.