Title: Alias
Author: S J Smith
Rating: Teenish
Summary: When Ed and Al get to Rush Valley, they find a lukewarm reception.
Disclaimer: If I had any part of this, I wouldn't wonder if I can pay my bills this month.
Notes: Written for the LJ Community, FMA_Gift_Exchange for the prompt, 'Lazy'.
"This isn't right, Brother!"
"I'm not going to argue with you about this any more. I decided this is how we should move forward, and that's that."
The pair left the train car, stepping onto the station platform and leaving it to walk into the town. The younger brother sighed softly, obviously thinking this was a bad idea, but the elder wasn't about to be swayed. He walked in front of the younger, arrogance rippling off of him like heat waves, hands tucked into his pockets, looking around with the air of a conquering hero. The younger sibling crept in his wake, tapping his fingers together, all but quaking in his boots.
Dust rose in the air, a regular cloud, one that made it difficult to breathe. The smells of metal – forges, rust, cleaning oils – perfumed that cloud, as did the familiar scents of people in a warm climate.
The elder brother passed his wrist over his forehead, turning to the younger. "Let's get something to drink, huh?" and without waiting for an answer, strode up to the nearest street vendor offering drinks.
"Brother," the younger said in a soft, low whine that was starting to get on the elder's nerves.
"Shh, Al. This is going to be all right." He smiled at the vender, clapping a hand on the bar counter. "I'd like a drink!"
"Sure thing, kid. What'll you have?"
He studied the menu for a few seconds, then asked for a lemonade mixed with cherry. He could hear his brother vacillating in the background. Well, if he didn't want anything; that was his problem. "Thank you, kind sir!" he said with a flourish.
"No problem, kid. That'll be fifteen cenz." The vender held out his hand expectantly.
"I'm a State Alchemist," he said. "I don't have any change on me right now – I just got into town. But my name's Edward Elric - "
The vender's eyes widened, then narrowed, and he snatched back the drink. "Go on, get out of here," he said. "I don't want your kind around my shop!" When Edward stared at him blankly, the vender snapped, "I mean it! Get out of here before I call the police!"
"Okay, okay, old man, we're leaving," Edward said, holding up his hands as he backed away from the drink stand. "Come on, Al, we'll take our business elsewhere."
"Brother," Alphonse said, a low, warning whine.
"Shh. This is going to work out okay, I know it is." Edward kept walking, but now that he'd recognized it, the craving for something cool to drink kept him distracted.
"We could offer to work for the money to get you a drink," Alphonse suggested.
Edward waved off that idea, shaking his head for emphasis. "No, we'll get something to drink. And a place to stay. All of that." He smiled, ignoring the way his brother's shoulders rose and fell in a sigh. "Cheer up! Everything will be fine." He led his way through the streets crowded with automail mechanics, metal merchants and locals, turning around to walk backward and talk to his brother. "I just have to find someone who doesn't have a problem with State Alchemis –"
"Brother!" Alphonse wailed.
Arms flailing as he toppled over a metal leg, Edward landed flat on his ass. Grunting, he peered up into the impossibly blue sky. A dark-skinned woman stared back down at him, her hands on her hips, a scowl marring her pretty face.
"Brother!" Alphonse dropped onto his knees next to him. "Are you all right?" He looked at the woman. "He's sorry, he really is."
Edward smiled up at the woman. "I am. I'm sorry I tripped over you, too."
"You'd better be." Her scowl softened. "If you can't watch where you're going, you'll get hurt in Rush Valley. There aren't always going to be people as nice as me for you to run into." She offered him a hand, and Edward took it to let her help him up. Alphonse got up, too. "So, who are you two? I heard you say you were State Alchemists?"
"Well, not both of us," Edward hooked a thumb at his chest. "I'm Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist."
Her eyes widened. "Really? Well, we've got a celebrity in town, then!" Turning to the younger brother, she said, "So you're Alphonse, huh?"
"Yes, ma'am." He smiled shyly.
"Huh. Somehow, I thought you'd be bigger." She shrugged. "Why don't you two come along with me? You look new to town, you probably need a guide."
"Oh, we'd like that a lot," Alphonse said, perking up.
"It would be nice," Edward agreed.
She linked their elbows with hers and said, "Don't worry; I'll take care of you boys."
"Thank you," Edward said, "and we didn't get your name?"
With a brilliant smile lighting her face, she said, "Oh, it's Paninya Dhiri."
Time can seem to fly by, or it can seem to crawl. For Edward and Alphonse Elric, the next half hour went by very quickly, at least until Paninya led them right into an automail mechanic's shop, and the seconds crept by like hours when Paninya shouted cheerfully, "Winry! Guys! I brought some visitors!" A trio spilled out of the back of the shop, a pretty blond girl, with coveralls tied around her hips and a zip-up bra containing her breasts; a guy with his blond hair in a ponytail and an automail arm, in a black tank top and canvas pants, and a suit of armor over two meters tall.
"These guys are the Elric brothers!" Paninya said, spreading her hands like a street performer, "what do you think of that?"
"Tringham," the real Edward Elric growled, his automail fist clenching. "What'd I tell you about using our names?"
"It's just dumb!" Alphonse scolded.
"And lazy," Paninya added.
"And around here, it can get you killed!" Winry chimed in.
Fletcher stepped away from his brother, folding his arms. "I told you, Russell, this was a bad idea."
Edward grabbed the front of Russell's shirt, hauling him closer. "What've you got to say for yourself?"
He spread his hands. "Ed, I don't suppose you could lend us some money, could you?"
Thirty minutes later, two Edward Elrics and two Alphonse Elrics marched to the train station, a pair of women following behind. "Get on that train," the real Edward said, stabbing his finger at the chuffing locomotive, "don't ever use my name, and don't ever come back here again!"
"Or, if you do, use your own name," Paninya said, winking. "Ed's got kind of a reputation here."
"Paninya!" Alphonse groaned.
"What? He's cute. So is his little brother."
"Get on the train," Edward snarled, shoving Russell.
"Fine, fine," he said, but turned to Winry. "It really was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Rockbell. Really, I understand now why Ed didn't mention you before."
"Huh?" Winry cocked her head, and Alphonse slapped his gauntlet against his face, making the helmet ring.
"Now, Tringham!" Edward growled, his pointing finger trembling.
Russell scooped up Paninya's hand, giving it a kiss. "Miss Dhiri." He caught Winry's hand, too, but Edward snatched it away.
"Get on the fucking train!" he snapped.
Sighing, Russell laid his hand on Fletcher's shoulder. "Come on, Fletch, let's go. Miss Rockbell, until next time."
"There won't be a next time!" Edward roared, all but shoving them toward the steps.
As they settled onto their seats, Fletcher shook his head. "Really, Brother, would it hurt you to read the newspapers?" He pointed at one, with a headline reading, Fullmetal Alchemist sighted in South! with a blurry photograph of Edward and something that might've been Alphonse behind him.
Russell folded his arms, leaning against the window frame. Some days, it didn't pay to be lazy and use an alias.
~ end ~