Memo:
Right. My first real posting of a fanfic. I'm going out on a limb here... Kaieri is MY character. True, the name was inspired by Kairi from Kingdom Hearts, but their personas
are completely different.
R&R, flame if you MUST. But if you'd rather not, I'd be quite happy with that option too.
Disclaimer:I don't own Ed. I'd love to, but I don't. I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. All likenesses go to Arakawa-dono and her wonderful imagination.
It'll be an OCx...who?! Dun dun dun...again, R&R, be gentle with your scorn.
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Kaieri Rommel stared absentmindedly up at the town's entrance sign, not exactly sure where to go from there.
"Should I go and apply for work? No…no…this town looks a bit too small to have an applications agency…guess I should go figure out where I'll be spending the night…"
She turned on her heel, heading back towards the surrounding forest. Spotting a large oak, she threw her duffel at its trunk, stretching a bit before sitting beside it.
She had been on the road for three days, not having spotted a town for a good while. She had finally found a town, but it wasn't a bustling city with that many job opportunities. Just a quaint town that was relatively small and quiet.
Stretching again, Kaieri leaned back against the tree, closing her eyes for a moment.
Opening her eyes slowly, Kaieri blinked a few times as she regained her surroundings. It was dark, and the town was lit up with the soft glow of candlelight in the windows.
She snatched up her duffel bag, rummaging through its contents in search of food.
Finding nothing, she groaned outwardly, her stomach growling in unison.
Rummaging through her coat pockets, she found a few bills and a couple coins. Sighing , she realized that she would be spending the last of her meager salary she had scrounged in the last town.
Snatching up the duffel she threw it over her shoulder, her legs taking her back into the town while her mind wandered.
Finally realizing her surroundings once more, she noticed that she had come to an inn and diner.
She entered the homely building, sitting down at the bar.
An aging but attractive woman came up to her, smiling.
"I'll just have a water and soup , please," Kaieri said quietly.
The woman nodded, smiling still.
Kaieri leaned back on the bar stool, yawning widely. Even with her nap, she was still exhausted. Especially since she hadn't eaten in a couple days.
The kind looking woman soon returned with a glass of water and a bowl of warmed up soup.
Kaieri glanced at the soup after the woman had left. It was watery. But she would live. It wasn't that bad.
While sipping at the soup , Kaieri glanced over her shoulder at two peculiar people…? In the corner.
One was a short blond haired teen and the other was a tall suit of armor.
The blond was grinning as he chatted with the townspeople, most of whom were drunk.
"H-hey kid!" One of them said in a slurred tone. "Whash ur name?"
"My name is Edward Elric." "And I'm his brother, Alphonse Elric!" Said the one in the armor.
"Elric…thash soundsh familiar…"
The blond smirked a bit. "Maybe. I'm Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist."
The comfortable atmosphere changed suddenly , and the townspeople didn't seem as cheerful as before.
"The Edward Elric? State Alchemist?"
"Yup. The very one."
One of the burlier ones snatched the blond up, dragging him over to the door and tossing him out onto the road, throwing his suitcase out behind him before slamming the door.
Kaieri thought for a moment before realizing why she thought she had heard the name before.
She hurriedly paid for the meal with crumpled bills and stained coins before grabbing her duffel off the floor and running outside.
The teen, or Edward, was sitting on the wooden sidewalk that the town had fashioned, moping.
Kaieri looked at him, tilting her head a bit to the side.
"You're Edward, right?"
Edward looked up at her, nodding a bit. "Yeah. Why?" He asked suspiciously.
Kaieri grinned nervously.
"Well, it's just that I've heard of you."
"I am a State Alchemist," he replied, his ego expanding rapidly.
Kaieri raised an eyebrow, shaking her head a bit. "My teacher's friend knew you...but what are you doing all the way out here?"
It was Edward's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Who?"
Kaieri shook her head. "It doesn't matter. "
Edward shrugged then chuckled slightly. "So…who are you?"
"My name's Kaieri. Kaieri Rommel. But you didn't answer me, Edward. What are you doing all the way out here?"
Edward blinked a bit then laughed lightly. "Getting right to the point, huh? Well…my brother and I are on a mission…"
"Really?"
"Yes…we're looking for something…Perhaps you've heard of it? The Philosopher's Stone…"
Kaieri's eyes widened. "The Philosopher's Stone…But…but I thought it was just legend…"
Ed shook his head violently. "No!" He responded firmly, his voice sharp. "It does exist, and we're going to find it...It's my mission to return Al's body back to normal…"
"So there really isn't anything in that armor…"
Ed's head snapped up in surprise. "You could tell?"
"When he moved, the sound was hollow…How did his soul get transfixed to the armor?"
Ed lowered his gaze to the ground, frowning. "I did it…we committed the ultimate sin…and I lost my left leg and Al lost his entire body…I sacrificed my right arm to attach Al's soul to a suit of armor. And here we are now…"
"Wow…you must know a lot about alchemy then…"
Ed nodded. "Enough."
Kaieri laughed nervously. "Oh yeah…you're obviously good enough to become a State Alchemist…heh."
Ed nodded once more.
"Hey…Edward…do you think I can travel with you guys? Help you out?"
His response was swift and negative. "No."
"But why not? I won't fall behind. I travel all the time."
"I'm sorry Kaieri, but no. I don't want anything happening to you."
Kaieri crossed her arms, frowning. "Hmm…fine. But where are you headed?"
"Central."
Kaieri thought for a moment. Central was a big, very big, city. With lots of shops…and jobs…and money.
"You're right. You sound like you've got some issues," she said with a shrug. "Oh well…maybe I'll see you again, Ed."
"H-hey! Wait! What was that all about?" Ed exclaimed , slightly confused.
"You said I can't come with you guys. So I'm going back to my tree and going to sleep. Is there something wrong with that?"
Ed blinked. "Um…well…if you'd like, I can buy you a room here at the inn…it doesn't make any sense for you to sleep in a tree…"
"I thought you got kicked out."
Ed's eyes widened, him having forgotten that part completely.
"Damn…I did, didn't I? Well…do you have any room in your tree?"
Kaieri grinned. "Sure."
Ed sighed in resignation. "I've been condemned to sleeping in a tree…with a stranger…"
Suddenly the suit of armor burst out of the inn. "Brother! I'm sorry I didn't come out sooner. But I was trying to sneak you out some food---Oh! Hi! Who are you?"
"This is Kaieri Rommel , she knows Pinako back in Resembool."
"Hi , Kaieri! I'm Alphonse Elric, Ed's younger brother!"
Kaieri smiled nervously.
The suit of armor was the younger brother?!
Kaieri led them back to her tree, which she climbed up into with ease.
Tugging out a small hammock from a side pocket in her duffel, she set up sleeping quarters on some sturdy lower branches while Ed and Al watched.
"Is she a monkey, Brother?" Alphonse whispered in his brother's ear.
Ed chuckled. "Something…"
"Night Ed, night Al. See you tomorrow."
Ed smirked a bit before sitting and resting against the tree trunk, Al following suit.
Kaieri awoke early before light , her internal alarm clock having instinctively known to wake her up earlier than usual.
Ed was asleep against Al, and the large suit of armor was perfectly still.
She lay in wait until the dawn came, watching the brothers as they began to stir from their sleep.
Ed looked to Al, whispering something before they both stood.
Kaieri feigned sleep as the two attempted to sneak away, although their attempt was botched due to Alphonse's clanking armor.
Kaieri flipped out of the hammock, grabbing a nearby branch before she fell.
Flipping back onto the branch, she deftly undid the hammock and folded it neatly back into her duffel.
With a stealth almost unbeknownst to her, she leapt out of the tree and began to tail the brothers.
She managed to follow them to the train station, her presence virtually unknown before she accidentally tripped and her duffel went flying into the back of Ed's head.
Ed whirled around, brandishing the duffel as if it were a weapon. "Who's the wise guy who threw this stupid bag at my head?!"
Kaieri stood up, brushing herself off. "Well…I didn't throw it…"
Ed gaped at her, "But I thought you were in the tree!"
"Umm…Brother, I think she left the tree…" Alphonse said in a confidential tone to his older sibling.
Ed sighed, shaking his head. "Yes, Al. Of course she left the tree. But what are you doing here?!"
"There are tons of entrepreneur opportunities in Central. That's how I keep myself alive. Central is a great place to find jobs and some cash."
Ed groaned, slapping his palm to his forehead.
"Oh what the hell…but it won't be my fault if something happens to you, got it?"
Kaieri grinned, knowing she had won.
"Got it."
The three boarded the three o'clock train to Central, settling down comfortably despite the odd looks from the other passengers .