"Alphonse that's not fair!"
"Oh come on, Estelle you're just angry because I won," Al replied with a wide spread grin.
I grumbled as I threw the playing cards at Al's head. The boy laughed and picked the cards up from the floor as I stomped my way out of the house. I passed Mrs. Elric hanging some laundry and a laugh escaped her lips as I passed. "Lost again, Estelle?"
I fumed, but kept myself from replying. Go Fish was a game that Al and I had played since we were old enough to comprehend the game. Things had been pretty even in the beginning, then Al suddenly began to win; all the time. It was very frustrating and the act of me storming out of the house had become a regular show.
It was a beautiful day though. I couldn't help but calm down as I made my way along the forest path. As I walked I thought about how Al could know my cards all the time. It was incredibly annoying. If that dirty blond haired moron was some kind of psychic he should of at least let me win a few times. Then again that was something Winry would have said. It scared me how much I was like my adopted sister.
You see, my parents had also been killed in the war against the Ishbalan Rebellion. Pinako Rockbell, who had known Maria and Benjamin, my parents, adopted me once news had spread. I didn't really know my parents all that well since I was so young when they ran off to war. I stayed in Central for a year, being raised by the State Military members, if you want to call that being raised. Pinako then came to pick me up and I have lived with her ever since.
It didn't take long for me to become acquainted with the Elric. We would go on countless adventures, Al and I keeping Edward from getting in over his head. Winry never joined us, even though I dragged her out of the house most of the time. She was so interested in that auto-mail stuff, but whatever, to each his own I guess. It was from the Elric brothers that I started learning the basics of Alchemy. At first, I would only watch them perform what seemed like magic, but then I became interested myself. While Ed and Al would be out on errands or practicing their Alchemy, I would be in their father's office reading up on the science as much as I could.
I attempted Alchemy the first time late one night. I didn't want anyone to be around because then I would feel pressured. I drew the simple circle and made sure everything was correct. Once everything was in place I took a deep breath and tried my hand at transmuting something. There was a flash of blue lightning and before me sat wooden rocking horse, but it was missing one of its rockers. Even though it was flawed, I was proud of myself and I spent the rest of the night perfecting what I could. The transmutations eventually turned into a competition between Ed, Al and myself. Ed was always the best but I was determined not to give up.
I laughed to myself as I thought back to on the contests the three of us had had. The judge would be Ed and Al's mom because she was never biased toward her children. I was interrupted from my thoughts as I heard the familiar sound of alchemy in front of me. I slowed my steps, realizing that it had to be Edward practicing, as usual. I ran behind a tree to hide myself from view so I could watch Ed without him noticing.
The amber-eyed boy had just finished touching up his circle and he placed some ashes in the center so he could transmute them. Then in some flashes of blue lightning, the ashes were replaced with a small stuffed bear. Edward smiled as he bent down and picked up the transmuted item, checking it over for any flaws. "This is one of the best," Ed said as he grinned. "Don't you think so, Estelle?"
I jumped. I didn't think he would be able to sense me. I stepped out from behind the tree and smiled as I walked over to the amber-eyed Elric brother. I took the bear out of his hands and looked it over thoroughly. He was right, it was one of his best creations yet. "It's all right I suppose," I replied as I tossed the soft bear back at him.
Edward grinned, knowing he'd done well just that I wouldn't show that I was happy for him. "I was going to give it to you," the blond haired boy said with a shrug. He tossed the bear over his shoulder and it landed at my feet. Ed started to walk away and raised his hand in the air as a motion of goodbye. I stared down at the bear, now feeling bad that I hadn't complimented it. Usually Ed and Al gave their transmutated creations to their mother. Why had Edward wanted to give me this?