The thing is?
Chandelle Mustang didn't actually remember the explosion that took her arms.
She remembered the moments before.
She remembered playing with Black Hayate on the plush carpet of the train car. They had been riding in.
She remembered the how her parents were asleep in the seat dad drooling ever so slightly on mom's shoulder.
She remembered thinking it strange as her parents almost never touched. They didn't even sleep in the same bedroom.
She remembered she was wearing her favorite Coat. Her aunties had made it for her. it was bright red. Velvet Lined with black fur. Mom complained of a headache every time She wore it. Dad quipped that he thought it looked great. "Daddy! You can't see!" She would giggle.
Chandelle loved the way it felt between her fingers. She had been so excited when her parents told her she was coming with them to Drachma. Apparently the Czar had children her age and Mom and Dad felt that it would be good for her to meet them. She wondered if they would like her coat too.
She remembered Hayate standing up, ears slicked backwards, and Snarling as the door opened.
After that, nothing but vague flashes of a Hospital. until she woke up in Miss Winry's Automail shop in rush valley a month ago.
Miss Winry had cheerfully told her the operation had been a success. Her body would still need time to heal, but she was going to be just fine.
Her red coat however was "Dead" as Winry's son, Yuriy said.
Just scorched red velvet with clumps of fur. And now she couldn't even feel it between her fingers anymore. Her new metal fingers couldn't feel much of anything.
And It would be some time before she could draw a transmutation circle again.
She screamed in frustration and tore up the crimson fabric until she coughed up blood. It took a while to stop coughing but when she did all she could do was stare at her the blood covering her hands
Red.
Red Coat.
Red blood.
Vague memories of a red light. Her dad's transmutation maybe?
She was starting to think she didn't really like Red after all.
"Mom and Yuriy are gonna murder you if you ruin their work." Nina looked unimpressed. Like her parents she had long blonde hair. She had a rectangular shaped face with round, soft golden eyes. It made her look kind and innocent. Ironic as Nina was evil as they come.
Nina was fun like that. They usually got into all kinds of trouble together.
Chandelle was grateful she was here.
Everyone else had been acting boring lately. And dad had been sick ever since he performed that transmutation (Mr. Elric had said something about her father using his own life force to keep her stable until help arrived). So now Mom was split between two patients.
That was strangest part of all though.
She'd never seen her parents like this. Her parents who never touched were now cuddling and kissing and and all sorts of gross stuff.
When asked about it Ms. Winry Just grinned like she was hiding something and said "I guess those two idiots finally got around to having a long overdue conversation."
So now her parents were all mushy, the Elrics were all serious, and her arms were gone. With everything being so different now she was glad Nina was here to make things interesting.
"Stole a piece of pie for you." Nina held the pastry out. Chandelle glared at her. She used up everything she had on ripping up her coat. Nina really was evil.
"You had all that energy for destroying your coat but now you can't even reach for your favorite pie?" She shook her head.
"Look. It's only all terrible if you think it is."
"My arms are gone, my dad is sick and possibly dying, and my mom is acting weird. It is all terrible!"
"Interesting." Nina said.
"What's interesting?"
"You're really gonna just lay there and wallow in self pity? Just give up?" Her golden eyes were boring holes into Chandelle's skull.
"Or are you going to going to reach for the future with arms made by those who love you?"
Chandelle muttered an unladylike word.
"HEY!!!"Shouted a voice from the kitchen, "WHO TOUCHED MY PIE?!"
Nina's eyes went wide and quick as a snake she shoved the whole slice into Chandelle's mouth.
It was piping hot so she whimpered a bit as it scalded a path down her throat.
As though she heard her, ms. Winry stormed in. She put her hands on her hips and took in her patient's pie covered face. She sighed.
"Chan, if you wanted some you should have asked. You know you should be pacing yourself. I'll go get a flannel for your face. Don't get up again."
She left and Nina grinned. "And you said it was all terrible. I think this is pretty nice."
"Nice for you maybe." Chandelle snorted, "you get to use me as the patsy for your pie stealing." Not that she minded being Nina's fall guy. Nina despite being the devil, kinda brought out the knight in shining armor in her. It was probably the innocent face.
"You're smiling though."
"Am not."
She threw away the bright red fabric on her lap. It was okay. Not everything is awful. She had pie.
And Nina.