The Girl with The Necklace: A Crossover Series Chapter 1

"Wow, it's really Japan!"

I exclaimed as I stepped out of the airport, feeling a bit queasy from the first plane ride I've ever taken. Grabbing my bag with wheels, I tugged on it hard as I raced through the crowd, attempting to reach the tourist area to get a map. It was finally time for me to explore the world on my own, away from the city I was always confined in since the day I was born. New York City, the busiest, dirtiest city in the world. Or at least, that's what I thought.

My name is Eveline Jones. I'm seventeen years old, and I was recently accepted into Columbia University early decision. My goal is to become the CEO of my own company, just like my mother, but at the moment, I am not sure what kind of company. I've always been in the top of my class, but since my tiny public school in the outskirts doesn't really have the brightest of pupils- unlike all of the private schools in the city- I didn't really think much of it. My life seemed ordinary, looking from the outside in, like I was just another high school student about to graduate and head off to college. I really wish it was all that ordinary.

Turning the corner, I reached the hotel in a couple of minutes, after being dropped off by a cab. It was in a little town called Hasetsu, which was really quaint and full of special dishes that made my stomach churn with hunger. I hated plane food, so I managed to hold off eating for the entire ride. Probably not my best idea.

The inside of the hotel was beautiful, coated in red carpet and leather couches with a chandelier dangling in the middle of the tan ceiling. I swallowed when I took out my mom's credit card (which I stole temporarily as a way to celebrate my acceptance into college) and paid for a room up front. I didn't want to spend too much money, in fear that my mother might find out about my endeavors. So after tonight, I promised to use my own pocket money to stay in the hotel; either that, or find a better place to stay. It would all depend on the circumstance.

"Ok, your room number is 505."

"What?" I muttered, nearly dropping my purse onto the floor. The man in a suit behind the counter stuttered before repeating himself, and I scowled angrily. "Can I be moved to another room, please?"

"Any reason why, might I ask?"

"No comment." I replied, taking the next card he handed me. It still had the number 5 in it, so I scowled again, but at least it was different than the last one. He shook his head quisically as I strode up the stairs, dizzy from hunger and angry that fate was finally catching up to me. That curse would never leave me, so it seemed. The Cursed Number 5.

After entering the room, I crashed onto the bed, unable to get up. Even though my stomach growled painfully, I couldn't bring myself to move. It was time to sleep. The bed was here, and it was comfortable, and nothing bad was happening. At least, not yet. I closed my eyes, recognizing that I needed to sleep. Yes. It was finally time to rest.

"Edward!" A voice boomed outside my door, right across the hallway. It immediately woke me up, sending chills up my spine. The voice sounded ominously familiar, like the young boy that kept appearing in my nightmares. The young boy from my past.

"Stop eating ice! I know it's hot in here, but that's just so weird!"

"Brother, let me do what I want, will ya!? It's two in the morning and I want to eat ice, so leave me alone!"

The sound of dragging echoed through the door, which was probably thinner than sand paper. Rolling my eyes, I decided to see what was going on. After opening the door, the two boys stopped rolling around and arguing on the nice carpeted floor and stared at me in shock.

Actually, they weren't young boys at all. They looked about my age; one had darker blonde hair and the other had lighter blonde hair. The boy with lighter hair was taller than the other one, who seemed to be older, but was currently chowing down on ice with his cheeks all red from the hotel's pumped-up heat. I wasn't sure if they were related, but after hearing the one boy call the other one brother, I assumed they were brothers. Hopefully they wouldn't be this loud all night. This was my vacation, and I needed my sleep.

"Can you two please take this little argument inside your room? I'm trying to sleep!"

I nearly yelled, but right as I was about to continue, they both stood up and apologized profusely.

"Oh, I'm so sorry miss! We didn't mean to wake you!"

"We'll be quiet." The boy with the darker blonde hair said, crossing his arms. "And yeah, we're sorry about that."

"It's fine, I guess." I replied, letting their apologies easily sway me. I've always been a real pushover. "My name is Eveline. And if you want, you guys can stay in the bed next to mine. It's a lot cooler in my room than in the hallway."

"It's ok! We have our own room, thanks!"

"But you don't know how to work the air conditioning?"

They both paused, a bit shaken. The shorter boy looked at his brother in fear, and the other boy shook his head aggressively. Suddenly, they turned their backs on me and began to whisper. I got a strange vibe immediately looking at them, and as they talked, I scratched my chin and tapped my foot. Were they… from another world?

"Well, if you guys are sure you'll be ok for the night, I'm going to bed."

"Wait!"

The taller boy yelled, right before I shut the door in his face. Sighing, I tilted my head through the crack and looked him straight in the eye.

"What, did you change your mind?"

"Yes, we'll stay with you! Thank you!"

"No problem."

Opening the door, the taller boy bowed respectfully, and took my hand.

"My name is Alphonse, and this is my older brother, Edward! We really appreciate you letting us stay here, we were too embarrassed to ask for help with the cooling machine!"

"You mean the air conditioner?" I asked, now completely suspicious of their place in this world. The younger boy nodded, sweating a bit.

"Yes, the air conditioner! We appreciate your help. Maybe you can show us how to work it later?"

"If you want."

"Cool."

He walked past me, jumping on the nicely made white bedsheets to immediately ruin them. I rubbed my forehead as Edward walked in, following his brother's lead. When he passed me by, I noticed his shirt rise a bit. It looked like he was wearing something metal across his arm. Raising an eyebrow, I turned away, unsure of whether to mention anything to him, but knowing very well that speaking out this early in a relationship wasn't wise. He then sat on his side of the bed, and turned out the lights.

"Goodnight, Al."

"Goodnight. And goodnight Eveline!"

Al said, tucking himself in and patting down his pillow. Climbing into bed, I stared out the window as the two other lives nearby breathed slower and slower and slower, gradually fading off into dreamland. Even if they hadn't interrupted me, I would have probably gotten little to no sleep, anyway. I was just too worried. Was it wise for me to leave New York? I wasn't sure. Either way, I knew my mother would be angry at me. But now wasn't the time to worry. I needed to get some rest before tomorrow, because who really knew what was in store? I swallowed just thinking about all of the pain and suffering that could result in me being in another country. That man could have followed me all the way from New York. People could be in danger. And it could all be my fault.

I couldn't sleep. Stepping outside onto the balcony, I looked out at the front yard of the hotel in awe. The black fences were open enough for squirrels to walk through, and the grass was perfectly mowed. The flower beds were gorgeous and full of many colors, and the trees reached up towards the sky, even though we were in the middle of a town. Suddenly inspired, I leapt off the balcony's 5th floor and landed on my feet.

The grass felt nice between my toes. My puppy pajamas lightened under the moonlight as I stepped out from under the shade of the balcony. As the filter continued to moan in the pond nearby, I spread out my legs, ready to practice my fighting moves. After a moment of deep breathing and painting a picture of myself in this world, I began to move. My hips turned as my left foot kicked one hundred seventy degrees in the air, and then my next foot did the same. I practiced my cartwheeling, and then my low punches and sweeps, and then, when I realized that nobody was around, I knew it was time.

I released my power. The fire flew from my fists, then the water, then the earth, air, metal, spacial, light and darkness. Everything and nothing. I bent the grasses to my will. I used my life energy to move the scenery around me. Everything was a living painting, a painting that could be altered. And I was the artist, the maker of that painting. I could do whatever I wanted, as long as my mind was there, open and free.

After about ten minutes, I stopped practicing for a breather. After that long plane ride, my muscles were still a little bit stiff. Not to mention, I barely got any sleep. It was late, and mighty time for me to get a glass of water, take a sleeping pill, and sleep.

I turned to take one last look at the place I was staying in Hasetsu. The hotel was large, but somewhat quaint, and the nicest one in the area according to Tripadvisor. I liked the gym a lot, but the outside gardens were what really made me decide to go here. Suddenly, I felt happy that I came. The stars and moon up above were beautiful, and they seemed to agree with me.

Wait, what was that? I turned when I heard two breathing men behind me, on the other side of the black gates. One of them was taller than the other, and he had short silver hair that fell over his left eye. The other man had black hair, wore glasses and was chubbier than the other one. They looked shocked. Did they… see anything?

Sweating in fear, I jumped onto the side of the building and raced up to the 5th floor, slamming the screen door behind me. Down below, I heard a yell.

"Wait, don't go! Who are you, and what was that!?"

I hid my head under the pillow of my bed after shutting the blinds. But my super powers were keeping me from ignoring their voices. All of my senses were heightened, for a reason I care not to explain. Maybe later.

"Mysterious girl, who are you?"

I was afraid. Now that people knew about my powers, they were bound to get in trouble. That man would come for them, and hurt them. I didn't know what to do except pretend like I didn't know them, and ignore their voices. I mean, what else can I do, in order to protect their lives?

After a while, I peeked through the blinds and saw them walk off. Who the hell stays up until two in the morning anyway!? Annoyed, I plopped underneath the puffy white covers and shut my eyes after rubbing them profusely. It was really late. I needed to sleep, if I wanted to sight see tomorrow. Maybe these two boys, Alphonse and Edward, could help me with that. They looked pretty knowledgeable, even though they weren't very technologically inclined.

One day, maybe I'll be normal. I prayed before I fell asleep that I would never see those two men again. I hoped that they would forget about me by the next morning, and that their lives will continue to go on as normal. I also prayed that this vacation wouldn't turn into a big battle, just like all of my other ones last year did, and I prayed that my mother wouldn't find out that I left until the day I came home. Sighing to myself, I realized that she probably wouldn't notice. She never noticed me, anyway. She rarely came home, let alone give hugs or ask me how my day at school was. In fact, she barely knew me, and I barely knew her.

But I wanted to get to know her. That's what I thought before falling asleep. I really, really wanted to get my mother's attention, somehow, and make her like me. I wanted to be the perfect girl she always wanted, the smart, pretty, sporty, musically talented girl that would one day follow in her footsteps, but no matter what I did, she never really knew me, or tried to get to know me. It made me sad, to think that my only mother didn't really care. How could I care about myself, if I never had anyone care about me?

I took that back immediately. No, he cares about me. He does. That man. He'll come for me. He always does. He'll take me in his arms, and make me forget about all of my problems. He'll come for me tonight. He'll sneak into this bed, and place a hand over my eyes, blinding me into submission. He'll grab me, and stroke my neck, and then place a gentle kiss atop my forehead, claiming me as his. And I'll accept.

I noticed her leave. That mysterious girl who let us into her bedroom when we were sweaty and dying from the hotel's heat. She leapt off of that tall balcony into the garden, but I wasn't sure how she landed so skillfully. She must be special, just like Al and I, but I wasn't sure how special.

Even though we just met, I need to ask her to tell me the truth. I was too curious for my own good, I knew, but I did see what she did down there, and I am dying to know just what kind of alchemy she was using. I've never seen anything like it. Nothing so beautiful.

Right now, she is sleeping. I should sleep too. But Alphonse keeps on kicking me, and his drool is starting to drip onto my side of the pillow. Sighing in disgust, I turned away, and recalled a time when I couldn't feel my brother's warmth next to me when I slept. It seemed like so long ago, even though it was only about a year or so past today's date. That was a time I would like to forget. Placing a hand across my face, I stared at the little lines until I was tired enough to fall asleep. When I did, I dreamed of home. Back in our own world, when mother was alive and father was gone and we had no problems at all. But then, right as it all began, the fire erupted in my mind, and the house burned down as mother disappeared. No, the truth was coming back. In the dream, I shut my eyes. It was time to wake up.