"It's too bad, really," the immortal's voice mocked, feigning disappointment. "After resisting for all this time, to succumb to me at such a crucial moment…"
Each cruel word stabbed into his chest, more painful than the physical wounds he'd accumulated. His wide, golden eyes stared in horror as a slender figure emerged from the shadows.
This couldn't be happening. If his mind and body hadn't been so frozen with shock, he would've been yelling, demanding to know what the hell was going on. But as the light footsteps steadily approached, and his attacker came into full view, he hardly even remembered how to breathe.
"But there was never any hope, you know. After all, how could someone escape themself?"
It all seemed so simple back home in the countryside... ok, that's a lie, but somehow the universe managed to complicate my life even more once I left. I began my journey with a pretty defined goal. I was no longer naïve or innocent, but I was quite ignorant still. I never could have guessed that my world would be turned upside down again, threatening the people that I loved and cared about, and even the entire country. I also couldn't have guessed that my "simple" goal would unravel everything. Actually, I take it back. I was very naïve.
"Bye, Granny!" the blonde called with a wave as she walked backwards down the dirt path. "I'll miss you!"
"Be careful, dear! I'll miss you too!" her petite grandmother called back.
Despite feeling sad about leaving home, she swung her suitcase around with excitement. "I haven't been away from home since I went to central with Ed and Al for Ed's State Alchemist exam," she thought to herself. "I haven't even seen Ed or Al since then either." This thought added to her enthusiasm, her long hair swaying from side to side as she briskly made her way towards the train station.
She sat on the train, as usual deep in thought. "Not a single letter after all this time. Idiots... I hope they're not getting into any serious trouble, but I know better than to wish for something impossible. It's a good thing I've been improving my combat alchemy." She would never admit to those two how hard she'd studied and trained while they were gone. After pouring through every book she could find, trying to improve her alchemic skills, she had finally decided to seek a teacher. And not just any teacher – she went to the teacher that her childhood friends had learned so much from. A shiver ran up and down her spine as the memory of the first day she met Izumi-sensei surfaced, but she quickly banished it from her mind.
"I wonder if that means they've gotten some clues about their bodies or the stone." Her thoughts drifted to a much darker place. Back to a room where no light reached, where the stench of blood was suffocating. She wasn't just going to Central to research alchemy and track down those two knuckleheads. There were too many unanswered questions swirling in her head about that night. And someone was counting on her. A life was at stake.
The train slowed to a stop as it arrived at the station. It wasn't central yet, but some of the other passengers were bustling off. She didn't mind the wait, and enjoyed looking around at the unfamiliar place. She had been out in the countryside for too long. All of the bustling people in the station, the automated machines, the –
BOOM!
A sudden explosion from the neighboring platform. She shot up, grabbing her bag, and raced out of the train to see what had happened and if anyone was hurt, preparing for the worst. She followed the smoke until she gasped as a burned body came into view. "He's still alive!" she thought as she ran towards it at full speed, only to come screeching to a halt.
"No way…" she said to herself, staring. Dressed in the familiar blue uniform of the Amestrian military, a tall man with ebony hair and eyes stood over his smoking victim. Next to him, of course, was his slender blonde companion, fashioning two hand-guns. The last time she'd seen them had been when they came to recruit alchemists in Risembool, only to find several gifted children. She smiled.
Apparently her rushing up had been more noticeable than she'd realized, because Hawkeye was staring at her with a small smile of her own. "Long time no see," the Lieutenant greeted.
"Eh, who are you -" Ed's head peered out from the other side of a pillar with a curious expression that quickly turned to shock, mirroring hers.
After a comical moment of staring, she laughed and rushed at him and Al, who had come into view as well. After practically tackling Ed in a hug (which wasn't so hard to do since she was taller than him), she glomped onto Al, unable to fully hug his giant metallic body.
"M-Maya?! W-why are you here?" asked Al. Ed seemed to be surprised and perhaps smothered. But Amaya saw the hint of a blush… which for some reason sparked her own, though she quickly shook it off.
"Why do you think? I thought it was time I paid you two a visit after all this time! And just how difficult is it to write a letter?" she scolded. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's a good thing the Colonel caused an explosion or else I might have waited in Central forever before finally tracking the two of you down."
"So you're not here to take the State Alchemist Exam then?" Mustang asked in his usual tone, with his usual smile that always seemed to mock her.
"Nope, sorry. But if it's ok I'll be tagging along with Ed this time." She replied cheerfully, hiding her annoyance.
"Eh?" Ed began to protest.
"Besides, I know I'm skilled enough to pass the exam now if I were to take it, so why bother." Internally she scolded herself. She really was confident in her skills, but she had only added this part for the Colonel's benefit and hated how arrogant it sounded.
"Oh, so you think so little of the title State Alchemist?" retorted Mustang.
"I invite you to test my skills, Colonel. I assure you that I won't disappoint you." She grinned evilly at Ed's superior. Without another word, she slowly raised her foot and stamped it on the ground. The sparks of a transmutation lit up the pavement, distorting its shape as different components pooled in place and rose up from the ground. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Havoc staring in shock as she bent down to pick up the shiny new katana sword she had created.
"Ha, you think a little sword will be a match for my flame?" Mustang challenged, narrowing his eyes as he raised a gloved hand. Amaya in turn pointed her sword towards the Colonel with a defiant grin.
"Colonel, Sir, I don't think that this is the best place!" cautioned Hawkeye, an edge in her voice. Colonel Mustang lowered his hand, which he had been about to snap, and looked back at her with an annoyed expression.
"Fine. I suppose you're right…" He glanced deviously at Maya. "Don't think I'll let you off the hook. We'll continue this later."
"I look forward to it." she answered, grinning. "Sorry if I end up beating your superior, Ed." She added with a giggle. Both Ed and Mustang glared at her with a strikingly similar expression. "I'm kidding!… maybe…" her laugh echoed through the train station.
"Hey Maya," Al began, "when did you learn such cool alchemy? Before you always refused to learn about combat-type transmutations... plus, how did you do that back there? I didn't see you draw a circle..." Al asked curiously as they walked out of the station.
"Oh, the sword?" Maya grinned and, mid-stride, slipped her right shoe off to show him. "On the bottom I inked on a transmutation circle that allows me to manipulate the earth beneath my feet. Now if only it didn't rub off so easily…" Walking with only one shoe on felt weird, so with a few hops she returned her shoe to it's proper place on her foot.
"So what have the two of you been up to?" she asked as they continued on their way to Colonel Mustang's office. The two boys told her about a city called Liore and a coalmine in Youswell. Oh, and not to mention the adventure they'd just had on their train. "You've sure been busy," she laughed. This reminded her of her own work. "Oh, and Ed, I have a surprise for you later!"
"Eh? Nani?" He asked, his eyebrows raised and expression curious. He soon donned a sly grin. "You have new automail for me, don't you?"
"Hah, you bet I do. But you'll have to earn it! No more trying to get yourself or Al killed!" "Bu—" "No buts!" she rolled her eyes smiling. "Oh well, I guess I expected all this. Why do you think I want to tag along?" she sighed.
"Hey, we never actually agreed to that." Ed protested. Amaya shot him a glare and stamped her foot loudly, making him jump back anticipating a transmutation. She laughed and then stuck her tongue out at him, secretly pleased that she now had the threat of alchemy on her side. She felt more... persuasive this way. Like she was the tiniest bit closer to catching up to the two of them.
"And who said I needed your permission? I want to help you get your bodies back to normal too you know…" she trailed off quietly. "All of our bodies back to normal…"
Hi everyone! Thank you for reading. This is my first fic, so please excuse how boring it is for the first few chapters as I build up the plot/characters. I PROMISE that it will get better and more interesting very soon. The very first part above is a "flash-forward", just to be clear. Thank you all so much for reading! And if you have any criticism or suggestions please don't hesitate to tell me. :)
