(A rather long-winded) Author's Note: Welcome, fellow Fanfiction readers. It seems you've stumbled across this humble piece, which happens to be my first serious Fanfiction. The idea for this story has been in my head for a while now, and I'm excited to finally share it.
Let me start out by saying that this story doesn't follow everything that had happened in the Conqueror of Shamballa. In order to match the events leading up to my story, Edward returned to his world and did not go back to ours. It is assumed the gate had sealed itself shortly after it was forced open, as the worlds were never supposed to have collided.
It's a bit of a twist, but it was the only way to get this to make sense. If you have a problem with that, I suppose you can take it up with me, but there's always the option of not reading this story if it really bothers you. xD
There is also the addition of OCs in this fic (again, if this bothers you, no one is forcing you to read). I know a lot of you are skeptical about OCs in fanfiction- heck, I'm one of those people myself- but I promisepromisepromise not to make them Mary Sue-ish.
Also, I'm going to guestimate and say that the date is 1935 in Ed and Al's world. It seems there's a lot of discrepancy over when FMA takes place (it's different in FMA1 and Brotherhood), so I'm just placing the time of this fic at around World War II.
This story initially jumps back and forth between present day (in our world) and 1935 in Ed and Al's world. The way the different worlds relate to each other in my fic is different from FMA in that time doesn't really play a role between worlds. Case and point- in this fic, my two OCs, Laurel West and Lauryl Goodwin (notice the different spellings of their names, to avoid confusion between the two? Clever, right? No? xD), are doppelgängers of each other (one from Ed and Al's world, one from our world), like Alphonse Elric and Alfons Heiderich, but they're from different time periods. Still, whatever happens in Ed and Al's world in 1935 and our world in the present day is actually happening at the same time. Confused? Hopefully, all will be made clear once the story picks up steam.
Again, I'm taking liberties here, but it's the only way to make this story make sense. But anyway, without further ado, here's my fic!
June 17, 1935
Excerpt from the Amestris Times
Lauryl Goodwin, the esteemed traveling alchemist known for her humanitarian efforts to help those in need across the country, was reported missing today. According to an eyewitness report, she was last seen departing from the small village of Eulygul two weeks ago. Before her departure, Lauryl had stated to villagers that she would be traveling to the next town over, Itandea. However, it has since been confirmed that Lauryl had never set foot in the town. Search parties have already been sent out in an attempt to locate the missing alchemist. The military urges anyone who has information regarding the whereabouts of Lauryl Goodwin to come forward and report to an official immediately. A small reward is offered in exchange for pertinent information regarding Laurel Goodwin that will lead to her safe return.
Present Day
The adrenaline is still pumping through my veins as I storm away, and I feel lightheaded. My mind is unable to focus on any one thing, which is probably best for the moment. Jumbled images, sensations, and sounds from what had happened moments ago are brought to the forefront of my mind- a hot cup of coffee, my hand making contact with skin and the stinging in my palm as a result, frenzied shouts, my own angry voice, feet hitting pavement… I shove them away.
"Laurel, wait up!"
Stopping in my tracks, I turn towards the source of the voice and grin as brightly as I can. The effort pains me. "About time you caught up, Rach."
I watch as the person in question slows down in front of me, gasping and heaving from the exertion of running. Her dark hair hangs limply around her reddened face, almost as if it's exhausted as well. Good. For once, it looks less than perfect. "Care to explain what the hell happened back there?" she asks between pants.
"Nah, not really. It's no big deal, anyway." I flick a lock of my hair over my shoulder nonchalantly, as if it were a problem I could toss away as simply as that.
"The hell it isn't! Can you stop brushing everything off all the time? If there's a problem, and there obviously is, you can talk to me about it. Dammit, Laurel, I'm your friend!"
I am taken aback by that, and the too-bright grin slips from my face. Rachel is usually a levelheaded person, and I can't remember the last time I've seen her this pissed off. I recognize the need to tread lightly, because in all the years I've known her, I have limited experience with an angry Rachel.
"Maybe I just don't feel like talking about it." It's not a lie; I truly don't feel like discussing the events that had unfolded moments ago. To talk about it would be to acknowledge that they had happened in the first place, and I don't know if I can handle that.
Luckily, that's all the explanation I am required to give. Rachel knows me well enough to realize that I'm shielding myself from the hurt, just as I shield myself from whatever negative emotion I feel when faced with a less than stellar situation.
Of course, I should have known that she wasn't going to be happy about that.
"You do realize that just ignoring the problem isn't going to make it go away, right?"
She's no longer angry; rather, she sounds almost tired. She sounds like a parent giving their kid the metaphorical slap on the wrist, and I find that I prefer an angry Rachel.
Deciding to ignore her last comment, I begin to steadily walk away. The adrenaline rush is beginning to leave me, and my limbs grow heavier. I no longer have the strength to act like everything is fine, and now that my mind has cleared, the full weight of what had happened crashes down on me.
My eyes begin to itch, and I know it has nothing to do with the increased amount of pollen in the autumn air.
I'm angry with myself for my weakness, and I mentally urge myself not to cry. That bastard doesn't deserve to have tears shed over him.
Despite this, the itch to cry gets stronger, and I feel moisture begin to form at the corners of my eyes. Dammit.
I blink them away and begin to walk faster. The sooner I get away, the better. The shopping center is bustling at the moment, and people are scurrying past me to window shop and simply pass the time.
I refuse to cry in front of strangers.
"Laurel!" Rachel's voice sounds farther away now, and I ignore her. I urge my legs to carry me faster, and it's the only thing going through my head right now.
Run, run, run. Get away, get away.
Suddenly, a hand clamps down on my shoulder, and I almost lose my balance at the abrupt force holding me back. "Laurel."
Rachel's voice is right behind me now, and I let out a watery sigh. Shame washes over me now. Here we are, standing in the middle of a busy shopping center, passerby walking around us and a few of them even glancing our way, and I'm on the verge of a mental breakdown.
I hate myself for feeling this way.
A few stray tears manage to break free, sliding down my face and leaving a wet trail along my cheeks.
This time, I don't have the strength to wipe them away. Now that I have started, it's hard to stop, and it's like a dam has broken. Soon, I find myself sobbing uncontrollably, and it feels good.
To hell with everyone else. These strangers can stare all they want. They didn't matter anymore.
Rachel wraps her arms around me, patting my back in what would have been a soothing gesture, had I not been so far gone at that point.
"Shh, it's alright, Laurel. Let it all out. You don't need to hide behind a front. It's okay to cry."
Rachel's words are a bit late, but all the same, I don't need to be told twice. They are the last thing I hear before I drown myself in the sounds of my own broken sobs.
Amestris, 1935
"Thank you so much for all that you have done for us, Miss Lauryl!" The grateful woman clutched her son's hand and smiled widely at the girl before her.
"I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to little Thomas here. Thomas, say thank you!" She nudged the little boy forward, and he blushed scarlet, gazing up at his savior shyly. "Thank you, Miss Lauryl."
The girl being addressed rewarded him with a warm smile and an affectionate pat on the head. Bending down so that she was eye level with the boy, she started, "It was no problem. Be careful not to wander off too far next time, okay?"
"Yes'm." The boy nodded and proceeded to scurry away, too bashful in the pretty young alchemist's presence to know what to do about it.
The girl in question watched him go with the smile still on her face.
Thomas's mother watched the girl with an expression of awe. So much drive and confidence in one so young, she mused. No wonder all of Amestris has come to rely on her in times of hardship. There was no doubt about it- Lauryl Goodwin was a godsend.
The road to recovery for Amestris following the overthrowing of the Fuhrer was a tough one. The military was struggling to deal with the sudden shift in power, and the whole country watched with bated breath to see what would happen next.
The Battle of Central only served to weaken the military further, and the people were shaken by the results of the fight. Central was in chaos, and people started to believe that the military would no longer be strong enough to protect the country.
Sure, they had won the battle and brought down the strange force invading them, but it did little to quell their fears.
There were a few uprisings at first, as there seemed to be a difference in opinion over the best course of action for Amestris. Some people had hated the military and the corruption that seemed to surround it like a dark shroud, and believed that it was best if it was overthrown and done away with. Others believed that the military would work itself out, and that it would only be a matter of time before a new leader was found. It was around this time that Lauryl Goodwin seemed to step out of the shadows of obscurity and become a household name in Amestris.
She was no dog of the military; she seemed to travel the country alone, her mission unknown, stopping to help towns and villages along the way.
No one knew where she intended to go, nor did they have an inkling of where she had come from. All the same, everyone was just grateful for the help she provided during her travels. She was like the wind, really, coming and going as she pleased.
She had shown the people of poor villages new ways to grow crops, helped rebuild dilapidated buildings and houses with a clap of her hands, and built hospitals and schools in the places that lacked them.
And she had never asked for anything in return. She simply accepted the thanks of grateful townspeople and villagers and continued on her way.
It seemed that the less people knew about her, the more the mysterious girl who went by the name of Lauryl Goodwin enraptured them.
It was no mystery why the whole country had their eyes on her when one looked at it that way.
The woman's thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt when the object of her musings cleared her throat. "Well, I suppose I better head off now."
"Wait!" the woman found herself saying. "Don't you want to tell the rest of the villagers? I'm sure the village would want to see you off safely. We could even have a feast in your honor! I'm sure you're starving after all that you have done for us today."
It was true. Working with the villagers to rebuild broken-down structures was backbreaking work, even with alchemy, and Lauryl felt her stomach growl in affirmation. Still, she wasn't about to allow herself to get sidetracked.
"I think it's best if I leave now. I wouldn't want to impede on your hospitality any longer."
"But it's no trouble at all! You have repaid us tenfold with all the help you gave. On the contrary, it is us who are in your debt."
The girl only smiled. "I accept your thanks, but my mind hasn't changed. I must leave now. Take care."
Before the woman had time to protest, Lauryl was walking away towards the dirt road, her back becoming gradually smaller as she put more distance between herself and the village.
"Where are you heading off to in such a hurry?" the woman shouted after her. "Will you come back and visit us sometime? I'm sure you'd love to see the fruits of your labor! We would truly love to see you again!"
If the girl heard her, she didn't show it. Lauryl continued to walk away with purpose in her steps, and soon, she was no more than a speck in the distance.
End Note: ... and scene. ;P Well, there's the first chapter. I hope everyone enjoyed it! Like I said in the author's note at the beginning of this chapter, I'm really excited about this fic, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the chapters will continue to be easy to write (I'm currently writing out chapter three at the moment, so I'm a bit ahead). I hope it was made apparent in this chapter, but just in case people didn't catch it- the part of the story written in first person is narrated by Laurel West (who lives in our world, in the present day). The part written in third person follows Lauryl Goodwin's adventures in Amestris. I'll just point out now that the only time this story is written in first person is when Laurel is doing the talking. Hopefully no one is put off by the switch between first and third person.
Anyway, I'm really eager to hear what people think. Constructive criticism is loved! I'm always looking to improve my writing. However, flames will be ignored, and I'll just pretend I never saw them. ;o
Until next time, then!
