Swept Away, a fullmetal alchemist fanfic

Title: Swept Away
Summary: After her best friend goes missing, Akasha Maverick finds herself in the scenario she's always wished to be in; the protagonist of an Another World trope. Except she's in Xing, not Amestris. She has to travel with Ling, not Edward, the love of her life. And as the story she always envisioned for herself keeps being delayed, Akasha finds herself playing a dangerous game to set her desired life on track.

[;';]

Author's Note: Review replies are always at the end of the chapter when this story starts getting any! Finally chapter 1 for Swept Away, A Fangirl's Dream's sister story, has finally been published. Once again, this is a rewrite of an old idea that's drastically been changed and rewritten from what was originally intended when I was a kid. And it's also a first chapter I really wanted to get out as soon as I had enough outlined out since this project is going to be the biggest fanfiction project I've had in a long time, even bigger than this update everyday for 40 days project I had a couple years back. So I'm really excited that this is finally being published along side AFD which already has a small following so I apologize to them if this chapter is a bit boring as its essentially Akasha's perspective of chapter 1 of AFD and her bit from the end of chapter 3. But I wanted to introduced Akasha to anyone who hadn't read AFD yet so they could get to know her based on her own merits.

The summary was honestly the funnest thing to come up with and a reviewer from AFD called BloodPokemon101 is probably going to like this half of the story the most considering it has everything Ivy's story won't really have as the two friends take completely different paths. To those just stumbling onto this project and want to know more about Ivy and her tale, check out A Fangirl's Dream! But do stay posted for everything on Akasha's end as things will most certainly get wild.

A Fangirl's Dream
Main Character: Ivette "Ivy" Carter
Summary: With an anime loving best friend,Ivy has heard plenty about whatever show of the week they're into. But when she manages to cross the gate during an attempt to take a shortcut home, she finds herself in a frightening position. The main character in an Another World fanfiction trope; and with reluctance, she finds herself teaming up with the main characters to get back home.

(Side note: I made a NinjaBridge reference in this alongside a mini homage to the original Swept Away.)

Ok so i know ur in history rn but i just had the greatest idea for a fic

Imagine this…. A fangirl falling into her fav anime/show ever

Well thats the story, i made a new oc for it and everything. Her name is gonna be amber and she's gonna pretend to be roy's younger sister

"So your latest idea is what now?" Ivy Carter asks over a bite of her chicken sandwich.

Prior to the two sitting down at a crowded lunch table, Ivy had received a multitude of texts from Akasha about the subject of her 'idea'.

Akasha's green eyes flashed with excitement as she adjusted herself in her seat. "Oh yeah, I wanted to talk about that now!" The brunette exclaimed, putting her own sandwich down in exchange for her notebook as her friend snickered "I've got a new fanfiction idea!" She grinned pointing her notebook proudly. She had just come from English 2 and instead of really focusing on their reading of Of Mice and Men, Akasha started writing her own literary brilliance. It isn't my fault that that's when ideas strike. Akasha made it a personal creed of hers to write down all ideas ever since this time in 7th grade where she had the perfect idea for a Naruto fanfic but the idea slipped her mind because she didn't write down the details. All she remembers is the fact that Naruto fought a dragon that was actually Bruce Willis and the fic ended with Naruto and Ino kissing under the falling scales of their defeated enemy.

Ivy nodded, "I know that much." She leaned in closer to get a better look. Ivy might not have been the biggest anime fan or read nearly as much fanfiction as Akasha did, but she was glad her friend always made time to look at her ideas. "But what's it about? Is it F-"

"Fullmetal Alchemist-themed?" Akasha fluttered her eyelashes, chest puffed out with a hand laid on her chest in an act of faux sophistication. "Why yes, yes it is!"

"Well shoot." Ivy gestured with a brown hand.

"Okay, so I'm making a story where my OC ends up, drum roll please," Akasha cuts herself off, actually drumming her hands on the table.

"Pff, nerd."

"Shutup." Akasha grumbled quickly before continuing with a much enthusiastic- FMA!" Akasha says at last.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. There's a bunch of FFN and I've finally read enough to know what I wanna do." Akasha says. "Basically, my OC ends up in FMA, like I said before, and when she does she ends up meeting Roy Mustang who let's her pretend to be his younger sister and he ends up sending her to travel off with the Elric brothers since they know more about taboo alchemy subjects and stuff, yknow?"

Ivy better knew.

As much time as Akasha had spent over the years rambling about her latest anime obsession, Akasha swore that Ivy better knew and understood the premise of the show.

Edward and Alphonse, two brothers, lost their bodies during a human transmutation attempt gone wrong and now they spent their various adventures (depending on the anime) trying to get their bodies back via the Philosopher's Stone.

"Ye, I gotcha." Ivy replied and Akasha continues on.

"I really like the idea of her getting to be Roy's little sister 'cause I have a Mustang OC in another fic and-" Akasha cut her ramble off mid-sentence as a concern suddenly flashed in her mind. "I'm really just trying to figure out what version of FMA I wanna write this for. The 2003 version or Brotherhood which came out 2009." It was pretty important to get down now so she knew the rest of how her fic would go.

Soldiers of Ishbal took place in the 2003 version, same for My Life as a Teenaged Alchemist. There wasn't really much variety in her corner save for the various fanfiction she had for ATLA (at Ivy's request) and Naruto with a splash of W.I.T.C.H. and Sailor Moon.

"What's the difference between an original and the reboot?" Ivy asked with a raised eyebrow. Akasha never knew how Ivy actually managed to do that trick.

"Brotherhood isn't really a reboot, though." Akasha explained, setting her notebook down on the table and taking a quick sip of her chocolate milk. "The first anime came out before the manga was finished so the mangka, well author, told them to just do whatever basically but Brotherhood actually follows the manga instead. So there's characters that's not in the first anime and a bunch of other changes." Way too many to really go into in one sitting. Dante, Hohenheim's origin story, the thing with Envy, the entirety of the Homunculi, Scar and Roy killing a certain blonde bimbo's parents...

"Ah, I get you." Ivy nodded giving a small thumbs up. "Go with whatever version you like the best?"

"I like them both so much though!" Akasha groaned.

"Nerd."

"Jerk."

Ivy giggled and gave Akasha a flick to the knee and Akasha gasped flicking back. "So is your OC gonna stay in their world in the end or nah?"

"She's staying, duh!" Akasha answered indignantly. Obviously! "It's a love story! Plus my OC is from our world so she's already a big fan of the show, so it's basically her dream. A Fangirl's Dream- OMG that's the perfect title!" Akasha exclaimed excitedly, scribbling it down. No titles would be forgotten under her watch either. "She's gonna end up falling in love with Edward and I think there's gonna be an epilogue after the last chapter where it's a years later kind of thing where she and Ed are married and have a family and she thinks about her life before coming to FMA but she's happy ultimately and wouldn't change a thing." She still had yet to do that with either of her stories since they were still kinda in the middle or beginning stages of their writing career. But they were still doing good on so Akasha couldn't really complain.

"Nice to know that when you somehow magically find a way to go inside your fav books and tv shows that you're not gonna come back and marry the main character." Ivy sneered with a roll of her eyes.

Akasha's faced turned a tinge of pink. "I-I wouldn't, this isn't about me this is about my OC!" She was going to completely ignore the fact that Amber was going to be-

"That also is a brunette with green eyes?"

"I haven't decided what she looks like yet." Akasha grumbled as Ivy promptly laughed in her face. I'm working on a design for her. I don't deserve to be judged. Brown hair and green eyes are completely normal things to have on an OC.

"Sure thing, sure thing." Ivy managed to get out over a chuckle. "So does this mean that that Wendy girl is gonna be your OC's love rival?" Akasha felt a spark of irritation. Even if this was a character she hated, she at least wanted her name to be pronounced correctly.

"It's Winry." Akasha corrected with a roll of her eyes. A sadly, prevalent character even though Akasha would prefer to see her written out of the story completely. "Winry Rockbell. She's Ed's mechanic for his arm and leg cause she makes these prosthetics called automail." Akasha continued, feeling her lips slanting down into a frown. "And she's the most annoying character in the show!" From the automail rants she'd have mid-episode to how Winry would be shoved into situations and scenes she had no right being in. Akasha had hated the blonde and blue eyed girl from the moment she had seen her. "She's basically useless! But Ed still ends up marrying her in the end. I just pretend that part of an otherwise perfect story doesn't exist."

"But I thought you said she keeps the main character walking though by making his prosthetics." Ivy raised an eyebrow again, resting her chin on one of her hands. "Isn't that kinda useful? Like Katara having healing abilities or Sokka keeping the Gaang on track instead of having constant filler episodes?"

Akasha shakes her head vehemently. "That's completely different!" And Katara isn't that great either if she chose Aang over Zuko. "She has no place in anything and is basically just shoved wherever, no fighting or alchemical abilities- oh and she has this opportunity to shoot Scar- he's this guy who can only destroy with alchemy and he wants to kill Ed and Al and all the other State Alchemists for this Civil War-"

"So Scar left the Pride Lands to kill alchemists?"

As much as Akasha wanted to laugh at Ivy's attempt to make her laugh, she ignored it and continued on. "And Ed basically reveals by accident to Winry that Scar killed her parents so she picks up a gun and just spends the entire episode crying and doesn't even shoot! She should have just left if she wasn't gonna do anything!" Like, he killed your parents, idiot and you wasted a shot? Then again, I really liked Scar anyway so having him alive is a lot better, I guess. "And her granny helped with the prosthetics so technically-"

Ivy raised a hand, "So basically you just salty that this Winry girl is the love interest of your fictional crush and you just drinking the Kool-Aid?" Akasha felt a genuine spike of irritation towards her friend with a gasp. "Girl, you gotta take your Team Edward goggles off. Maybe this Winry girl isn't even that bad?"

"You just think that because you haven't watched the show!" Akasha crosses her arms. Winry was the most annoying character in the show. Her and May Chang, an annoying alkahestrist from Xing that happened to be a princess. "You know what, you're watching it with me this weekend. No ifs, ands, or buts! We'll watch Brotherhood."

"Girl, I don't wanna watch your pint ass, not even actually made of full metal lookin' ass-"

"The first time you saw an episode it was from the first anime, but you'll like Brotherhood! Everyone likes Brotherhood." Akasha pressed, clasping her hands together like she was begging.

Ivy sighed, an all too familiar sign of her version of defeat.

"You'll love Ed, Al- okay you'll love everyone, but if you start liking Winry- or May Chang- I'll have to fight you!" Like seriously fight you.

"I will like them out of spite." Ivy retorted with a playful glint in her eyes.

[;,;]

When the end of the day approached, Akasha was nearly ready to jump out her seat as she rushed to her locker to grab her backpack. Her sixth period teacher had a weird 'no backpacks' policy that so far, the students of the class were unable to sway.

"Someone's in a rush." Tameka Huntly commented, not too far behind her. Their lockers weren't too far away from one another.

Akasha grinned, "When you have written as much poetic genius as I do that needs to be shared to the world, you'd be in a rush too." All sixth period she had spent writing down one off ideas that could be used for A Fangirl's Dream and all sixth period she wanted the final bell to ring so she and Austin could run on home so she could write it on Google Drive. She already had her FMA playlist ready to get into the mood.

"You are so weird."

Akasha's smile didn't falter. "Being normal is overrated." She said with a click of her tongue.

Booger Monster, where are you? I wanna get home.

Austin

U know what, ugly? Shut up. I'm going to the school entrance

Will be there

"Well see ya tomorrow, Meka." Akasha threw her backpack on seamlessly. "Gonna meet up with Austin in the front." The girl nodded as she was placing her box braids into a high bun, a green duffel bag around her shoulders. "Oh there's practice today?" The Jamaican American nodded again. Like Ivy, Tameka had a spot on the school's volleyball team.

There was a point in 9th grade where Akasha had felt a similar excitement for the sport after Haikyuu! came out. But the brunette quickly discovered that a love of a volleyball anime didn't equate to a love to the actual sport. So she just resigned herself to coming to watch the games.

"When's the next match?"

"Next Friday with Valley Tree High." Tameka closed her locker, a spark in her dark eyes. "We're gonna kick their asses hard."

"I'm quaking in my boots." Tameka gave a playful shove and Akasha laughed, closing her own locker. "Later then! Tell Ivy I said 'hi'."

She didn't have a moment to waste, breaking into a light jog almost immediately. Austin would probably wait for her, but she just wanted to speed the process up a little as she wiggled and dodged her way through the halls until she finally was out in the open and could see her twin leaning against the school sign. Bobbing his head to the melody of whatever song was playing through his headphones.

Austin kept his hair shorter and he was taller, but Akasha silently considered herself the cute one.

"Yo, I'm here!" She announced, tugging at his headphones promptly being swatted away. "Let's take the shortcut through Trum today."

"You know, sis, there's this thing called 'suggesting' but usually when people do it, there's a tone difference." Austin glared, headphones being removed completely. "You should work on it."

Akasha bounced on her toes, paying the grouch no mind. "Yeah yeah, I still think we should use it!" The sun was still high up in the sky and Akasha wanted to be home before it even thought twice about moving. Not that they lived too far away from the school. But any walk would feel too slow that particular day. She was ready to write.

"Yeah, whatever." Austin snarked as he, fortunately, walked in the direction of the aforementioned park.

"I got Ivy to agree to watching Brotherhood finally." Akasha continued on happily, her brother's mood undettering in anyway. "It's shorter than the first FMA so I thought she'd like it more." There's significantly a lot less Winry that was placed in the 2003 version. But I guess if I wanted to show her how annoying she was, the first version would have been better… Akasha rolled her eyes deciding with a firmer sense of finality that she'd go with Brotherhood. She wanted the viewing experience to be as tolerable as possible for her too after all.

"And by 'agreed' do you mean she actually said she wanted to watch it or that you're going to make her watch whether she wants to or not?" Austin peered over, looking up from his phone.

Akasha shrugged, "Same difference."

Austin let out a sigh of resignation, slipping his headphones back on.

Akasha wasn't going to let herself be deterred by any kind of attitude that day, Ivy had finally given in and they'd be able to connect over something she liked that. Maybe I can make an OC for her too as a side character in my A Fangirl's Dream. The non-anime-fan friend that ends up tagging along with Amber and ultimately goes home in the end but is happy for her friend who has found where she truly belongs.

Akasha struggled to contain a rising squeal. It was pretty fitting for the two of them considering Ivy's lack of detachment to the show. I don't even think she'd want to learn alchemy if she was there, let alone wanna stay forever. Or try purposely joining the heroes. The brunette struggled, barely able to envision her tall and athletic friend trying to draw her own transmutation circle.

Ivy preferred being a side character when it came down to it.

If Akasha had to find a way to compare the two of them distinctly, the best example she could think of was if there were some sort prophecy about a girl having to slay some Evil Demon King. Akasha would embrace it if she were the Chosen One, setting out on her journey immediately with a healer, some potions, and a badass sword of her liking. Ivy, on the other hand, would whip out a pencil and start crossing out parts of the prophecy she didn't like, Evil Demon King slaying included.

Even when they were kids, Akasha is pretty sure she was the one who was in charge of the things they'd play as Ivy passively went along for her entertainment.

She definitely deserves an OC in one of my stories. Akasha smiled, hands itching for her notebook. Maybe they can have a love interest too whoever Ivy decides is her FMA crush. Every girl had one after all. Sometimes multiple. (Even though Akasha will always vehemently deny any attraction she's ever had towards Envy, a living palm tree. He was evil.)

Akasha gave her brother a nudge, ignoring his green-eyed glare. "Hey, who's your crush from Fullmetal Alchemist?"

"Lust, obviously."

Akasha's nose crinkled, "I feel like you said that just to bother me." Akasha was expecting an answer with more substance other than an obviously attractive character with large boobs.

"Oh I did."

"You know what-"

Beep, beep!

"Hey kiddos!"

Akasha felt her soul nearly leap out her chest as the dark green range rover her stepmother, Melanie, drove appeared in their sights. She was dressed comfortably in a snapback and hoodie, like she was just leaving the house momentarily. Akasha's good mood instantly soured. "I was just on my way to the store really quick when I thought I'd pick you up!" She brought the car closer to the sidewalk, the invitation clear as ever.

"Oh tha-" Austin started but Akasha cleared her throat, trying to keep her feelings in check.

"It's fine, we can walk." She said curtly, ignoring her brother's look of confusion. "You can just go ahead to the store."

Melanie's smile faltered for a heartbeat but she continued, "It's really no problem." She persisted. "I was gonna get things for dinner tonight, maybe you guys can help and we can things like dessert?"

Austin shot his sister a glare, "Stop being a brat and just get in the car." He grumbled between them before turning around to open the passenger's seat. "Yeah sure, thanks, Melanie. I didn't feel like walking today anyway. We were gonna take some shortcut through Trum to get home."

With gritted teeth, Akasha took her own seat in the back as Melanie started towards the store, the opposite way of the park. "You know how dangerous shortcuts can be, guys, you really shouldn't take them."

"We were gonna be fine, Melanie." Akasha mumbled, staring out the window. "We were walking together."

"Yes, but still." The woman warned, her brown eyes catching Akasha's in the rear view mirror. "I don't want you guys getting hurt because you took a shortcut. It's always better staying on the main roads even if takes a little longer to get home."

Whatever, you fake blonde. Akasha snarked as Austin said something agreeable to Melanie's demands. I can still take the shortcut anyway.

"Why are you always trying to be such an ass?" Austin asked when it was finally just the two of them. Melanie had gone off to market part of the grocery store, sending the twins off to find snacks of their liking. "Melanie was just trying to be a mom and you act like she was trying to give us the plague."

"She's not our mom." Akasha pointedly stared at a carton of oreos. Their real mother had left their father years ago, leaving to Los Angeles somewhere infinitely better than Vallant. But their father won custody and their mother, Eliza, left out the picture entirely to a better place occasionally sending gifts and or planning arrangements for Akasha and Austin to come be with her in LA for a week or even a month of the year if it was summer vacation.

Akasha had hope that her parents would put aside their differences and remarry again. Then Melanie entered the picture and kept their family permanently separated.

It was unforgivable.

"... Whatever."

"Yeah, whatever."

Akasha couldn't wait to be home in her room.

[;,;]

My Drive My Fics A Fangirl's Dream

….

Oh no, Ed! Amber's green eyes widened in fear as Scar approached the boy closer. He was lying on the ground, automail in shambles. Alphonse laid across from him, not doing much better.

"I'll give you a moment to pray." Scar growled, as he took a step closer and Amber trembled from her hiding spot behind a trash can.

She couldn't just sit here and let this happen.

"Hey, leave them alone!" Amber snapped, standing up as fiercely as she could. She could imagine that the Ishbalan man's red eyes were flashing at her from underneath his sunglasses as he glanced over at her-

Akasha leaned away from her laptop, hand curled around her chin. Writing out her meeting scene with Edward was taking a bit longer than anticipated. In another tab, the doc for her beginnings of chapter 1 laid as Amber and her friend, Iana, left their campus to go a convenient Barnes and Noble up the street only to be hit with some magical blast of white and the white fading to them being in Eastern HQ.

She had yet to finish it but the first meeting, which would be at the end of chapter 2, needed to be perfect.

Cause I guess Iana can be there too. Akasha poked at the T key a couple times before deleting her small trail of Ts 4 seconds later promptly. But she wouldn't know about Scar's attacks on Ed and Al and probably wouldn't wanna go and help since they'd already be okay. So I guess she doesn't need to be there but she can still be at Eastern HQ so when everyone gets there, she can hear about the plans of going to Resembool and stuff.

Okay perfect. Akasha decided.

She'd been working on this for the better part of an hour, occasionally sending Ivy an update.

So Amber's gonna have a friend that goes with her to the FMA world named Iana. She's not a fan of the show, someone you can relate too

Iana might be paired up with Al idk, she eventually goes home tho

Or even

Unless you think a better ending might be with them both staying. BUT i like the idea of her going back and being happy for her friend who is stuck in the world she's always wanted to be in

There had been no reply yet, Akasha occasionally checking for any messages from her friend but none arrived. She's still in practice, I guess. Which Akasha got that that meant Ivy couldn't just immediately hop onto the phone. But the itch to talk about her progress was there and she let it out in small bursts of updates.

So I got the first meeting kinda planned out. Amber sneaks out to try and find Ed and Al knowing that Scar's gonna attack them

It's gonna be great. I wanna get chapters 1 & 2 out this weekend

Just in time for the promised day of watching Brotherhood together. Akasha had already bookmarked the website they'd be watching it on and was already trying to make her predictions of who Ivy would like. The Elrics were a definite like and Roy too and definitely Riza, Riza the ultimate girl crush of the show, Akasha would be the first to admit despite being as straight as an arrow.

One simply does not resist the charms of Riza Hawkeye.

Ivy would definitely crush on her or maybe even Lan Fan, Akasha decided. Lan Fan x Iana would be a weird one, but she could probably make it work.

That's when her phone pinged.

Ivy

Nice idea stories, nerd.

Just make sure to remember her hardcore wedding vows with Edboy

Akasha stifled a giggle. She definitely would remember that.

Oh I will!

I already wanna start writing those parts but I'm typing chapter 1 rn instead. Gotta go in chapter order

She already had inspiration for that scene when Amber inevitably had to go back home with Iana and Ed begged her to stay there with him, then Iana would gently push her towards him saying something about how she should stay. "You belong here." Fast forward two years later before Ed and Al decided to go their separate ways to learn more about various alchemy and philosophies and Ed would be saying a line about being on his one automail knee and asking Amber to be Mrs. Edward Elric. It was going to be perfect.

She shook her head, trying to focus.

How was practice?

Ivy

It was chill tired as hell tho

Not looking forward to this walk

Akasha made a mental note of that but set her phone back down to write on her chapter 1 tab. She didn't envy Ivy at all on that one. Ivy's mom, Rose, didn't own a car so it was basically kick rocks and walk if Ivy ever wanted to get anywhere.

Lucky me, after all I guess.

But a text came from Ivy once again before Akasha could get too far into typing out her next few paragraphs of Amber explaining all of FMA to Iana.

Ivy

You ever given up on life in under 2 minutes?

That got a text back from Akasha in record time.

Earlier when Melanie picked me and Austin up? That time I tried joining the volleyball team? Episode 64 of Brotherhood's ending? That stupid Edward and Winry reunion scene in Shamballa?

Yeeeessss

What's up?

Ivy

My lazy ass doesn't feel like walking lmao

Akasha's thoughts instantly went to that of Trum Park and how it was close to their school.

Oh there's this shortcut Austin and I use in trum park!

Ivy

Describe this, how you say, shortcut?

I'm changing your name in my phone 2 Saison Marguerite

But go passed that giant water fountain that's by the swings? It's right passed that. Ya can't miss it

It's pretty short!

There was no reply after that and Akasha smirked pleased that someone was going to listen to her that day.

"Alright, back to writing." Akasha clasped her hand together in Ed's typical transmuting pose, her fingers inching towards the keyboard when-

"Akasha, it's time for dinner!" Melanie's wretched voice crowed from beyond her door.

I fucking hate my life.

"Coming." She grumbled, mostly to herself.

One day, she'd finally be out of this home. It was something she constantly reminded herself of. Once she graduated and turned 18, Akasha was heading straight for Los Angeles to be with her mom. A big city where there'd be actual convention centers and bigger bookstores. There she'd be able to be herself and really be able to accept the people around her, unlike Austin who decided to be alright with Melanie coming into their lives.

In just three years, Akasha would be out of here in some place better. Just like her mother.

(It just kind of sucked it wouldn't be a place made Fullmetal.)

Akasha Maverick kicked a tiny pebble across the paved road as she walked the paved road of Dublith, Amestris.

Once again, she had managed to get into another fight with the smallest, no youngest, State Alchemist known in Amestrian history.

And as it turned out, like a lot of the girls she had read about in the Fullmetal Alchemist section of her favorite fanfiction writing website, living in the world of alchemy wasn't the dream getaway she always thought it would be.

Sure she had been a fan since eighth grade and new basically everything about it. Sure she had finally began learning alchemy just as she had always wanted and even had been taught by Izumi Curtis herself. But right now, those small victories felt hollow. She couldn't stop Maes Hughes from dying. She wasn't sure when Greed's attack would take place since Edward hadn't left yet to do his State Alchemist assessment. Worst of all, she couldn't stop herself for falling in love with Edward Elric.

For him.

Not just because he was basically the pinnacle of drop dead gorgeous in anime character terms.

But because he was just a cute, stubborn, crude alchemist from some sheep town in the east with the sweetest little brother ever.

All of which, she had written into her diary that she had been keeping as a sort of record of her daily adventures and alchemy notes. I guess looking back now, writing about how I'm from a world where everything in this world is just an anime was a dumb idea. Akasha wanted to kick herself this time. You're such an idiot, Akasha!

Because what had just felt like minutes ago, Edward had came to her throwing her diary back at yelling about he had ready everything about how she came from another world. How Mr. Hughes was dead now and she made no effort to try and stop it.

Akasha wanted to cry.

Now what am I gonna do?

"Akasha!"

Akasha jolted and turned around, long brown hair flowing in the wind from the action. Ed?

There the boy was, running towards her like his life depended on it and when he reached her, his voice was red. Flushed. And he was panting like a dog on a hot summer day. "Ed, what are you doing here?" Akasha took a step back, eyes darkening. "I get it already, okay? You're mad at me and I betrayed you. You don't need to walk me to the train station." She turned around, trying to continue but stopped when she felt a metal hand wrapped around her wrist.

"Wait a minute!"

Akasha raised an eyebrow, a skill she managed to perfect during her time in FMA. "What the hell am I to you huh? Some trusty dog?" I snapped. "You said you wanted me get the hell out of here!"

"We need to talk!" Edward's breathing was finally regulated, though his face was still flushed. "About the things you wrote!"

"So now you wanna talk?" Akasha snorted, yanking her hand back. She looked away darkly, trying to emulate what she knew Ivy would do in this situation. Her best friend in the real world was less than tolerant about this kind of thing and Akasha could be too. "What about before when I was at Izumi's? You didn't wanna talk then. I don't wanna talk now. So just let me go so I can buy my ticket out of here!"

She was planning on going back to Central. Roy had to have made his move there by now. So she could hopefully meet up with him somewhere.

"I'm sorry, okay?!" Edward snapped back. "I was being a hot head! I wasn't thinking!" He caught his breath before continuing. Maybe his breath wasn't back to normal after all. "I-I know you're probably out of it too and going through a lot and… and I read some more of your diary trying to see if anything about our time together was just a lie or not and I saw."

Akasha paused, tilting her head to the side curiously. "Saw what?" She asked. There was a lot of things in there that he saw that he spat back out to her face before. Then Edward's face turned red enough to blend into his coat and he looked away before mumbling,

"I saw something you wrote about… your feelings."

Akasha's face nearly turned to ash and without a word she turned to get ready to run away.

"Hey wait a minute!" His hand was wrapped around her wrist again. "I just wanted to say that-"

"Let me go! I don't wanna hear what you're gonna say!"

"That I-"

"Let!" Why...

"Lo-" Am I doing this...

When I should be telling him how I feel?

"Akasha, wake up!" Akasha jolted up to the sound of her older twin shouting through her door and groaned. "We gotta get ready for school!"

"Get away from my room!" She shouted back. He knocked on her door a couple more times and she got off her bed. "Austin!" The cretin laughed, feet thudding on the ground as he ran off to his own room. Akasha sighed. Can the Law of Equivalent Exchange bring me a cooler brother? She looked over at the poster closest to her bed of her favorite brotherly duo, the Elrics.

When she heard no sounds of alchemy transmuting, she sighed again guessing her wish was too much for the universe to grant.

Akasha grabbed her phone and typed in her passcode, surprised that her phone had already opened up to her thread with Ivy. She must have forgot to go back to her home page after finishing her most recent text.

Oh there's this shortcut Austin and I use in trum park!

Saison Marguerite

Describe this, how you say, shortcut

I'm changing your name in my phone to Saison Marguerite

But go passed that giant water fountain that's by the swings? It's right passed that

Ya can't miss it, it's a short walk!

After that, Akasha didn't hear her phone notify her and just assumed the best, continuing on her writing. She was on a roll. A Fangirl's Dream was going to be her masterpiece! Now looking at the thread again, there was still no reply from her best friend about spotting the shortcut or if it truly was the greatest thing known to man.

Trum Park was right next an apartment complex, it almost seemed to go right lead right into the park for how seamless it was placed. And the marker of recognition was this community board with a bunch of small handprints in various paint colors. It was from the summer that there was a huge arts and crafts boom in the park's rec center and Akasha remembered how she chose blue, Austin green, and Ivy purple.

Then on the other side, the apartments lead right to Main Street.

It was pretty straight forward.

Akasha readied her fingers to tell her friend how Austin was being a prick when the shrill voice of Melanie made its way through her door. "Akasha, can you come here please?!" For the love of sweet alchemy, why?! Ivy might have thought that Melanie was nice, but Akasha refused to budge on her opinion.

She waited a second, hoping that she could just ignore her.

But not a moment later, her dad's voice was calling her over too. "Akasha! Austin, you too!"

"... coming!"

Grumpily, Akasha tossed her phone to her bed. Leaving her room, seeing her dad and Melanie looking at each other worriedly and talking under their breath. "Yeah? What is it?" When they didn't respond, Akasha nudged Austin who looked just as annoyed to be there.

'What's going on?' Akasha mouthed, nodding her head over at their parents. Well, parent and technical guardian.

Austin shrugged.

"Alright you two, we have a question." Their dad, Peter, started slowly. Melanie was twisting her fingers together, anxious. Akasha bit the inside of her cheek. She didn't need Melanie's nerves rubbing off and making her anxious before school. "When was the last time either of you heard from Ivette?"

Akasha raised an eyebrow. "Yesterday?"

"Uh yeah. Same here." Austin added. "She had volleyball practice yesterday."

"Anything else? Akasha? I know you two are really close, did Ivette tell you anything yesterday that might have been strange or-"

Akasha cut her father off, defensive. "Are we in trouble or something?"

Peter and Melanie shared their own looks and Akasha felt a spark of irritation as she saw Melanie lay a hand on Peter's shoulder. Peter breathed in deeply. "Ivette's mother called us just now." He raised his own hand to clasp it atop Melanie's. "She said Ivette never came home last night."