This is a summary of Greyashe Episode 45.

OP: the dropouts.

ED: Take a long walk.

Chapters covered: 103 & 104

Van has to stop himself from simply standing still and admiring what he sees as a giant metal bird.  All the more so when Guy yells at him to keep his head down or risk losing it. Van does so, and the group narrowly avoids being reduced to holes by the fire of the helicopter's gunfire. Never one to mince words, Kani asks how they defeat the helicopter, to which Guy replies 'you don't defeat it, you hope whomever is steering it doesn't see you, or gets bored of shooting'. Van barely hiding his fear and excitement asks if that thing is really controlled by a person, but turns away embarrassed when Guy and Frieda shoot him incredulous looks. Kani in turn glares at Frieda, her expression very clearly spelling out that the two will have words about this later. The group decides to run away for the time being, and think of a plan as they move.

Inside the helicopter a man stares down at the group taking special interest in Frieda. He narrows his eyes at her and tsk-tsks at her for her apparent betrayal. She might think that he wouldn't harm her because of her true nature, but he isn't one who takes being double crossed lightly. The Ankoku sho is something he wants, and with a farseer's eyes, he thought he'd be able to procure it easily, but then she had to go and run off on her own when they managed to get a promising lead. He and his men had caught up with her and after a terse 'conversation', she had managed to get away (not after being suitably roughed up) and hide somewhere, but his alchemy had lead him right to her, along with a hapless group of strangers. He hates killing wantonly which is why he had left his other 'associates' back at the base since they on the other hand rather enjoy the act of taking life, but in life sometimes one has to ruin a few entrees before making the main course. At least after they are sent to the after world, (if there is one) they can curse her betrayal for all eternity.

Taking his hands from the controls of the helicopter, the man flips open a notebook and jots down a quick equation and underlines the solution. His alchemic route has told him that the group will soon try to dodge out of sight. Apparently contrary to their looks, one of them has a bit of knowledge of machinery. He had chosen the helicopter since around these parts people don't see them often, despite him being a bit more partial to tanks. He does hate flying off the handle like this, as he fancies himself a gentleman but naughty children must be taught a lesson. Frieda might be able to predict his movements, but an alchemically created helicopter would prove rather difficult for even her.

True to the alchemic route, the group manages to in a crevice as the helicopter flies overhead. The man smiles and continues forward, allowing his opponents to be lead into a false sense of security. Meanwhile everyone catches their breath and after a moment of awkward silence, both Guy and Kani turn to Fried and ask very loudly what the hell is going on. Van blinks surprised that the two are actually in agreement -something he's never seen before. Frieda sighs and glances over at Van, hoping he'll come to her rescue again, but he remains silent. The young farseer's eye twitches and she sighs in defeat. She starts by telling the group about her break up with a certain 'man'. She's looking for something, and she had teamed up with him in hopes of finding it. While at first the union seemed to be going well enough, she began to grow suspect of the way he does things and her own safety. That 'man' and his associates had no problem with hurting or killing anyone who got in their way be they innocent or otherwise. While that part didn't bother her too much, since well she had been exiled and frankly was a little bitter about the experience, she began to feel less safe around him. Sure she knew he was just after her eyes, and she was after his expertise and manpower which actually made things nice and simple between them but even she has a moral threshold. So she ran away from him, but not without getting caught and injured.

Kani succinctly asks what she could possibly need that she'd team up with a man who would chase her in a helicopter and is answered with silence. She mutters something under her breath and looks up and around. Van asks what she's doing, and the witch replies she's looking to find the helicopter pilot in hopes she can get him to understand that their group has nothing to do with this scandalous child. Frieda pouts, and Van starts to object but Kani holds her hand up and cuts him off. She's happy he found one of his people, truly she is, but there's a point where they've got to consider what's more important. If she's going to insist on hiding things from them there's no point in protecting her. She doesn't like leaving people to die, but in all honesty she signed up for this when she made a partnership with this guy in the first place.

Guy nods curtly and surprises Van again by agreeing with Kani. He reminds his friend that he has to find his mom, which isn't something he can do if he dies. Van looks hurt at first, but then nods and stands up, taking one more look at Frieda with a heavy sadness in his eyes. He then tells his friends to hold on a moment while he at least makes one more case to her and asks Frieda if she won't at least consider giving up her search for her own safety? He's looking for his mom after all...maybe if they find her she can get her back in good with the others?

He offers her his hand, and she smacks it away. Frieda glares at him for a moment and then smirks, she doesn't want to go back to them even if it means her death. Van hadn't grown up among the farseers so he doesn't know what kind of existence that is, to have your identity smothered right out of you, to be expected to be the 'same' as everyone else. If he--no they knew what it was to live as a farseer, he'd gouge out his eyes and never look back. Besides the lack of tolerance there's the life fraught with danger due to everyone looking for them....

Frieda laughs a bitter laugh, and then adds with 'Ricther's' alchemic route, he'd probably find and kill them shortly if he doesn't already know where they are. The group stares at her expectantly, but the silence is shattered by the bata bata bata of the helicopter blades slicing through the air. The turret clanks to life again as the group turns to run again, narrowly avoiding another machine gun volley. The smoke clears and Ricther is mildly vexed to find the group is already gone. He surmises correctly that Frieda must have told the group about his abilities, and decides to end the game of cat and mouse once he finds them.

As the helicopter lifts into the air again, the group stares up at it from their hiding space, further down the crevice. Ricther's gunfire had revealed a spot for them to jump into, and without another choice they had taken it. Kani asks everyone if they're okay, and after receiving a reply from the group, she sighs in relief. Van then reveals that he can't get a 'reading' on the helicopter or the person who's flying it, which shocks Kani and Guy but Frieda replies matter of faculty that it's because of the alchemic route. Guy asks what she means, remembering she had mentioned it before they had been assaulted. Frieda sighs and explains alchemy is a little known alternative to magic that doesn't require agape. Kani blinks in disbelief, and asks how that's possible. Frieda explains she doesn't really know the specifics herself as farseers can't use any sort of magic, but apparently alchemy unlike normal agape use only requires the magic and user question and understand each other, rather than support each other through a one sided love affair. It becomes more important to the alchemist to 'challenge' his magic through rigid pursuits of knowledge rather than prove their love. The knowledge required to be pursued differs from person to person, but once a person has found their 'path', as long as they continue to challenge themselves on that path, a.k.a the alchemic route, they could do feats similar to magic without agape.

Van perks up at the end statement, specifically the similar to part. So it's not exactly like magic? Frieda repeats again she doesn't know the specifics, but she can somewhat see that alchemy while mostly the same is fundamentally different. Perhaps because it's more of an exercise of the mind rather than the heart, alchemy isn't as powerful as agape, and most of all is easier to disrupt. Lastly it doesn't rely on the traditional elements. Ricther for example seems to be fond of metals, glass and plastics, hence the helicopter. It wouldn't be too much to assume he made it himself through his alchemic route. 

Kani who has folded her arms and started pacing reiterates Frieda's words to herself. So basically they're dealing with a sort of agape. She's only got a fleeting knowledge of alchemy since at least back when she was in school, it was more of a footnote than an actual worthwhile chapter. Although this could be more or less because the WITCHES are biased when it comes to magic education. Though if the alchemy itself is easily disruptable, then they may indeed have a fighting chance. She then asks Frieda what kind of man Richter is, and she shrugs saying that he kept such details to himself. Kani grins and replies that this is perfect. She has an idea that'll keep him off their backs, if they execute it well that is. She gathers everyone around and explains her plan which seems to go over well with Van and Guy, but Frieda shirks back and shakes her head. Kani groans and asks if she wants to die, to which Frieda only turns up her nose and replies she doesn't want to die or do that either. Van then extends his hand again and asks if she wants to travel with them. Frieda looks up at him and he smiles honestly. She looks at Guy and Kani who respectively give her a thumbs up and a begrudging half smile. Frieda blushes and when she looks at Van again looks closer to her age. She asks quietly if he'll protect her, and he nods and swears to it.

Richter hovers slightly above the crevice that he had shot into earlier. Since there is no where else for them to run, the group would have to come out from here, and that would be when he would fill them with holes. Despite him being prepared for this, he is caught by surprise when Van suddenly pops out of the hole and darts in the opposite direction. Richter muses for a moment, and deduces that they intend to split up so he won't kill all of them. He smiles smugly and revels in the thought of how disappointingly pathetic humans are. Considering Frieda hadn't hesitated to run with them earlier, he assumes they had some kind of alliance which had seemingly dissolved once they had witnessed his overwhelming power. No matter, since he only really wants Frieda....if the others were willing to abandon her and make her an easier target, he wouldn't complain. In fact it serves her right. 

After a while however, no one else seems to be coming from the crevice, making the alchemist wonder if his deduction was off the mark. Then he realizes he may have made a grave error...what if the boy who ran away earlier has a means of communicating with his friends? He could easily tell them when he leaves and that would allow them to make a quick exit. Despite himself, he knows he would need to leave to either sustain or relieve himself eventually as this is part of the human condition. His ability could seek out the boy, but then he'd need to leave to finish him, giving the others a chance to escape and spread out. What a conundrum indeed! Though he is at a loss for a moment, he admonishes his unknowing foes for misunderstanding the situation. He only wants Frieda dead, and he CAN find her again even if they separate. He then jots down something else on a notepad, and as he does his eyes widen in shock. Frieda is....?!

The helicopter rocks back and forth as something rushes onto it's underside. Richter tries to maintain balance, but finds himself falling downward. The helicopter looks as if it'll nosedive into the ground below, but it instead stops right before the surface and melts away into glass shards and sheet metal. Richter lands on one knee amidst the wreckage and glares towards the crevice. He is a man dressed impeccably in a business suit, his brown hair slicked back, and under his nose a pencil mustache. He takes a handkerchief from breast pocket and wipes the knee he landed on, and and sighs quietly. Without turning around he asks 'Frieda' when she had decided to change her fashion sense? She had been mostly a tomboy when traveling with him, but this garrish new outfit seems a bit off even for her.

Frieda steps into view wearing Van's jacket and hat. She asks how he knew, and without a word, Richter waves a piece of paper in the air. The alchemic route never lies, he replies. Van, Kani and Guy approach him from the front, as Guy grabs his arm and forces it behind his back. Kani crosses her arms authoritatively despite being a good foot shorter than Richter and asks who he is.  Richter bows as much as Guy will allow and introduces himself as master alchemist Richter McCullough, dabbler in arts unusual and unheard of. Kani notes first that he speaks with a high dialect, meaning that he was educated in one of the areas directly under the goddess supporter's influence, and that despite his seeming willingness to introduce himself, he has said a whole lot and very little both intentionally, and unintentionally. Frieda had been right that he is one who keeps things to himself, but not because he's secretive but because he likes those he deems to be interesting to pursue him. In essence, he is a showboat albeit a dangerous and extremely intelligent one.

Richter asks how they were able to fool him? He imagines that Frieda divulged the alchemic route to them, since despite his going to great lengths to keep it secret from her and his associates, he knows nothing escapes a farseer's eyes. Guy glances at Kani who nods and explains that his own showboat personality had done the work. If he had thought for a moment that his opponents could possibly be on the same level as or above his own way of thinking he might have been able to see through their plan. He figures that they would abandon Frieda to save their own lives to the point that he probably wouldn't consult his route if he saw one of them run away. He would imagine that Frieda being weak and hurt would more likely stick with their group to save her life than to abandon them, though they might abandon her. It's true he can track people, but that's strictly within the route as well. More likely than not he had secretly made notes about Frieda during their travels, but due to his personality again, he based them around her eyes and looks rather than her personality or mental aptitude. Essentially then, he'd be looking for a farseer. Without consulting his route and with his biased personality all they had to do was give him a farseer to track, which they did. However once he did check his route properly, he then would realize he had the wrong person and the alchemic route could be easily disrupted by one of her tools.

It dawns on Richter, and glancing right up at Van he realizes that he is the second farseer. He gasps in realization. If Van had been the one to run, he would have stayed over the others indefinitely, knowing Frieda was still there and his route would have been uninterrupted. Van then notes looking at him that he seems to distrust and dislike humanity for some reason...

Richter then laughs and says that he really did underestimate them. He admits this time is his folly, but should they meet---no they will, he ensures they won't be so lucky. Guy asks the alchemist what makes him think he's leaving now, and as if on cue a second helicopter appears and nearly runs the group down. In his surprise Guy lets Richter go, and he grabs a rope attached to the helicopter, which lifts him in the air. He smiles down at them and repeats that he is a master alchemist. Being good doesn't mean being powerful, it means being smart. He then tells Frieda to take care until they meet again.

Van looks up after him and amends what he said earlier, that Richter doesn't distrust humanity, he seems to be unable to understand it, though the melancholy he sensed earlier is still very much there. Frieda leaps into him in a hug and professes how scared she was. Van smiles and repeats his promise to protect her, but his smile fades when he looks into Kani's narrowed eyes. She sighs and walking past the two farseers comments that they managed to get out of this one alive because of her planning....

...and Frieda's information. She's not vindictive enough to kick her out after that, but she will be keeping her eyes on the farseer. If she does anything she does not agree with, she's out whether Van likes it or not. Frieda sticks her tongue out at her, and at first it looks as if Kani will react to it, but Guy shakes his head and she huffs and stomps away. Van thanks him, and Guy tells him not to worry about it. He agrees it's a good idea to have a woman to fall back on just in case Kani doesn't work out. Frieda nods in agreement, and Van protests that he's not trying for that sort of thing at all. He then moves forward out of Frieda's embrace which causes her to fall forward out of surprise. Without turning to her, he says he doesn't like this....having to choose between his friends and his heritage. If she really wants to understand him, to be someone he can trust and value she'll understand he can't and will not keep doing both. Frieda reaches out to him and is surprised by how far away he seems despite being before her, and as Van turns and watches Kani continue walking on her own into the distance he finds his feelings echo Frieda's.