Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own anything. Just Arlina, unfortunately.

Thank you guys so very, very much for the reviews, follows and favs! It really means a lot to me! I realized a few things that I hadn't when I started writing this. I'm trying to keep this accurate to how the 1910's would be, but since it's not exactly the same as our world, their medicine is gonna be kind of advanced. Would suck if like four chapters in we had to kill Arlina off because she's diabetic. I also don't know if I'm keeping Arlina in character to that of a fifteen year old. It's been a few years since I've been that age. I'm trying to make it so she acts with her emotions and immaturity.

Also, I'm not exactly sure who Arlina is going to be paired off with. I'm guessing Ed, but it's also kind of up to you guys. Ah. Well. Sorry this took so long, it's been a crazy week with little sleep and lots of Hobbit movie seeing. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME. ENJOY.


"Um. I'm sorry to interrupt…"

I poked my head out from Roy's chest to the suit of armor that was now standing, putting its head back on. I clutched onto Roy, pointing, eyes wide. OH MY G—

"…Al?" Roy sounded hesitant and I stiffened. None of this was making sense!

"Wh—WHAT?!" I choked, sputtering, as the suit of armor stood there. Which had been bodiless. He—the armor—looked between us.

"I'm—I'm sorry! Please don't be frightened of me!" The armor raised his hands up, waving them furiously and I squeaked. How was it doing that!

"This is Arlina, my daughter." Roy broke through my thoughts and I flushed hotly, staggering away. Why was he so nonchalant when saying that! "Arlin," my mouth twitched at his shortened name for me—I kind of liked it—"Don't be rude. This is Alphonse."

I shot him an incredulous stare.

Don't be rude? I wasn't being rude! That suit of armor just got up all by itself! I think I was entitled to be a little freaked out! And he sure does jump into the whole parent mode real quick, who did he think he was—

Alphonse?

My mind flashed to that boy, the things Edward had said. Human transmutation. Soul binding. Losing his body. I dragged my eyes away from Roy, to the suit of armor that fidgeted, as though… it felt awkward.

"Oh! Um, hi! It's nice to meet you! I didn't know Colonel Mustang had a daughter. But I think I would've been able to tell by looking at you." His voice was sweet. Friendly. "You two look almost identical."

I blinked, my mind falling blank.

"But… armor…suit…" I babbled, pointing at him, staring gobsmacked at Roy. Who looked ridiculously smug at the moment.

"Yes, thanks to alchemy Al is able to exist without his body." Roy was just so far away, and I stared at him.

What the fuck.

What was he talking about?

"But… but…." I turned, staring at… "Alphonse? No… body? What…" But it wasn't possible. It just wasn't. I mean, souls weren't actually a thing, were there? No… No. They weren't. I mean, there was no proof, right?

Right?

The suit of armor rubbed the back of its head like it was anxious.

"Heh, it's a long story… and I don't mean to be impolite, but… Where is Brother?" the suit of armor had been empty just a few seconds ago. I felt myself creeping closer. How were they doing this?

"Am I being punk'd? Is this… real life? Is this going to be forever?" I burst into hysterical giggles, pointing at the suit of armor and looking toward Roy. "Suit of armor. It's just…" A trick! I spun around and lunged, causing the suit to give a cry of surprise as I pulled open the chest plate—

And found that it was empty. I blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. Taken aback, I frowned. How was this empty? Why wasn't there anyone inside? How was he walking? Standing? Talking?

"H-Hey! This is kind of weird!" the suit cried as I stuck my head in, looking around. Empty. He was really, really, empty. "Please stop!" But it sounded like his voice was coming from inside.

I pulled back, staring at him with confusion. "There's nobody inside." But then how was he talking? "Doctor…"

"Yes, Arlina?" My phone answered causing the suit to jump.

"Wh-what? Who said that?" the suit asked, looking around the room, like that was weird, and not him standing around. He—it—was the weird one here!

"Doctor, how is this possible?" I demanded, staring at the suit.

"Just believe in the heart of the cards." My phone quoted pleasantly and I threw my hands up into the air. Useless. This phone was useless without the internet. All it could do was repeat things I've already said before!

"See, Arlina, it's like this. I can talk the same way your doctor can talk." The suit said warmly, plucking my phone up from the desk and looking at it curiously. As curious as a suit of armor could look, anyway.

"Not exactly." Roy was all amusement and smirks and I wanted to punch him in his smug little face. "That was never a person."

"Unless the suit of armor…" I began to pace, thinking. "Is just circuits and a smartchip." Right? Yeah. That makes sense. Someone built him. He's like… a robot suit of armor. Like the phone.

"He's real, Arlin." Roy had this no-nonsense tone of voice but I ignored him.

"An A.I? Artificial Intelligence, in case you were wondering. Having memories, his own personality, being self-aware—" I began, on a roll with my thoughts. The suit was still holding my phone, staring at me, and Roy growled.

And flicked me hard on the forehead. I swatted his hand away and rubbed the flaring spot, tears forming. Bastard. "Why can't you accept that is Al? It's his soul, Arlin! That little boy that came tumbling out was his body, they are the same!"

"What…?" The suit's voice was so far away and I exploded.

"Stop abusing me, you jackass! His soul! His soul! What are you even talking about!" I jabbed my finger into his chest, angrily. "Here we go again with souls and the sorcerer's stone or the philosopher's stone or whatever! What, did he split his soul in half? Put it into an object? Made a Horcrux? Is that what you're saying? Huh?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying you little brat! Stop talking down to me!" He grabbed my arm and began pulling. I tugged, trying to untangle myself and break free. "You need to eat before your blood sugar drops and you get even more hysterical!"

"Um, excuse me…"

"The only reason I'll eat is because I need to, not because—" squish. Blinking, I stared down. Did I just… Screeching, I flailed my arms and lifted my bare foot that just stepped in my own freaking throw up. "EW WHY WASN'T THIS CLEANED UP!" I cried, shoving my foot onto the couch and wiping the bottom off. "So gross!"

"I don't mean to interrupt…"

"We were a little busy!" Roy smashed the other half of the sandwich into my mouth. I pulled it out, gagging.

"I'm not eating this! It looks like my puke!" I cried angrily, throwing the sandwich to the ground. Roy shot me a dark look and shoved the orange juice into my arms.

"That's because you threw it up!"

"Stop it!" The suit shouted loudly, his voice echoing slightly. I turned away from Roy, to the suit who laughed nervously. "S-sorry. I didn't mean to yell. But please. What is going on? What are you talking about…? Where is Brother…?" He sounded so… anxious. So worried. So confused. So… Real.

"He's been escorted to the hospital." Roy sighed, fingers in his hair. The suit of armor made a startled noise and Roy put his hands up. "Relax. He's fine. Something… Unexpected just recently happened."

"What?" the suit asked, anxiously, leaning closer. I rolled my eyes, sipping from the glass.

"Oh my God, stop with the suspense." I grumbled, shoving the empty glass back to Roy. "Ed grabbed me, crazy stuff happened, and boom, another boy was here. Came tumbling out of you. I guess that is you. I don't know. They took him to the hospital. Your brother followed." Maybe this was all a dream. Or maybe I'd finally lost it. Or maybe I was in a diabetic coma.

"Wh—what! We have to go! I have to see!" The suit cried, clanking loudly out of the room. I watched him go, admiring how smooth his movements were. I mean, he looked like he had a guy in there, running. Like it was normal.

And he wasn't an empty suit of armor.

He still had my phone! That thief!

"Hey!" I screeched after him. "YOU STOLE THE DOCTOR!" How rude! The door burst back open, revealing the suit, and I bounced backwards and into Roy, startled.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, here's your doctor! I didn't mean to take him!" The suit sounded so apologetic that I felt guilty for blaming him. He tenderly held my phone out to me. I inched closer, and awkwardly took the phone from him.

"Oh. Um. It's okay. I understand. You're in a rush." I decided not to explain that it wasn't a he or my doctor, that could wait. I turned around to Roy. "We'll drive him to the hospital. It'll be faster."

"Yes, that was my plan. We need to find you something to put on your feet. You aren't going out barefoot." He murmured, dark eyes sliding over my shoe-less feet. I wiggled my toes, waving my hand dismissively.

"No, no, I'll be fine, don't worry."

"I'm not worried, I just don't want to be seen walking around with someone who doesn't have shoes on." He sighed, putting a hand on his hip. Roy was the worst freaking dad ever! I narrowed my eyes, folding my arms. He probably wanted to go knock up more chicks! Didn't want to be embarrassed by being seen with me!

"Well maybe you should have been around for my childhood to instill well manneredness." I snapped causing him to blanch.

"Manneredness isn't a real word! I thought you were clever!" He shot back and I gasped loudly, putting a hand over my heart as though deeply insulted.

"Wha—how dare you! You don't know that isn't! I just invented it! And—"

"—Stop arguing with—"

"STOP FIGHTING!" The suit stepped between us. I flushed, chewing back the hissy fit. "Sorry. Sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice, I just really want to get to the hospital."

"I apologize, Al." Roy quickly said, softly. "For now, do you mind carrying Arlin?" Aha! So he was worried about me! Didn't want me to step on something, and get my foot infected and have it cut off or- "If she has to walk around bare footed, I'd rather her not get them dirty." Or, not.

"O-oh. Yeah, sure. I don't mind." The suit turned, staring down at me. "Is that okay with you, Arlina?"

No. Time to suck it up. Chewing on my lower lip, I eyed the suit, and the very pointy spikes poking out on it. "Um… Okay. But don't drop me." I shifted uncomfortably and it chuckled. Like actually chuckled. Who even chuckles?

Suits apparently.

It bent down on one knee and my mouth twitched upward. I needed to defuse this weird, awkward, situation.

"Are you purposing?" I asked teasingly as it held out its arms.

"Wha—what? N-no, I—I—" it stammered, its voice going up three pitches. Like it was actually flustered. It was so realistic. How could they manage that, when they claimed it was the 1910's? I awkwardly settled in its arms.

"S'kay," I reassured the suit, trying to distract myself as it stood up—and good lord, the suit was fucking tall—"First your…" Creator. "Brother propositioned himself to me. And now you're proposing. I know, I'm amazingly attractive. But no need to worry, we can all be together! I'm okay with threesomes!"

"What…?" Poor suit, it sounded so honestly confused. I grinned wickedly, amused.

"You are never dating." Roy sighed, walking swiftly passed us, the suit loudly clanking after him.

"Who said anything about dating? I was…" Distractedly, I wiggled in the suit's arms, which was kind of uncomfortable. Closer, now, though, I realized the suit's eyes were glowing. But, not like anything I'd seen before. Not like a robot's. Or even a light.

There was something spooky about it. I shifted, mindful of the giant freakin' spike that stuck out of its shoulder, and leaned closer to its helmet. It walked like it had perfect control. Like a person. It mimicked emotions extremely well. What if… That Edward kid really did make an AI?

"Do I… frighten you?" The suit asked, sounding anxious, turning the helmet down to stare at me. I snorted.

"No, don't be silly. I'm just curious. How do you work? Here, like the Doctor, my phone, speaks because it's a personal assistant. But since it's not connected to the web, it's only got it's stored memory—like what it's learned from me. Not very helpful. Say hey, Doctor." I held up my phone.

"And I say, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey. I SAID HEY! What's goin' on?" the phone recited, sounding British and not very musical at all. I sighed, letting the phone fall back into my lap. It certainly proved my point.

"Doctor, you're useless."

"Would you like me to respond to Useless as a name?"

"No."

"Okay, I will continue to respond when addressed as Doctor. Is this correct?"

"Yes." I groaned. "See? It's just a bunch of stored data that has the ability to extend only a little. If we had wifi it'd be much more impressive, with all the modifications I've made. It's not at all like you. It doesn't acknowledge its existence."

"That is a hurtful comment."

"Doctor, I'm no longer addressing you! Stop butting into my conversations." I sighed, feeling irritable as Roy held the door open for us.

Bright light streamed through and I squinted, readjusting to the outside light. Werewolf Christ, it was sunny. I squeaked, staring down the flight of large steps and the dirt path that had to be at least like half a mile.

Good thing I wasn't walking.

I'd never have made it.

I turned my head, trying to capture the area. The building, from what I could see, was very large. White. Had two buildings on either side of it. So maybe they were a government building. Fine. A large green flag hung down from the top of the building we were just in, the symbol a large… Lion-fish, maybe? Weird.

"So, this… Doctor… he—it… Isn't real? He wasn't ever alive?" The suit's voice quivered slightly as he continued following Roy. I shook my head, tearing my eyes from the scenery.

"Nope. Never. I mean I guess I'm technically its mother. I mean, not really, because it started off as Siri, and I just tweaked things here and there. I kind of high jacked the original program, I'm not that clever, not yet, anyway." I paused, tilting my gaze up to the very blue sky. "So… I guess you could say I'm like Mother Gothel, just stealing children."

"I… understand the gist of what you're saying, but… everything else is sort of…" The suit said and my cheeks heated. I smiled apologetically.

"What about you? How are you moving around without a body?" I changed the subject happily.

"Didn't you hear me the first time around?" Roy grumbled, turning his head to look at us. "I told you, and so did Fullmetal. His soul—" Yeah okay. We're not doing that again. Doesn't he know what he's suggesting is impossible?

"How does one remove the soul from the body? I saw a body. And here, I see no body. You're telling me that kid's personality, memories, voice, sight, is streaming from a soul attached to a suit? Do you know how insane that sounds? There are too many functions that make up the human body—like the nerves that control his movements. Were those transferred over as well?"

"Arlin." Roy stopped walking, giving me a disapproving stare, causing me to bristle. How dare he! How dare he stare at me like that! He doesn't even know me!

He claims to be a father for like two seconds, and now he can give me that look? Like there's something wrong with me when I'm stating facts?

"Don't you Arlin me! Stop it! You can't just have everything fall into place just because it says we're related! You can't expect me to believe that this isn't some crazy cult and that you guys aren't torturing that poor boy! I saw his body, Roy! I saw. And you want me to believe, because of your supposed alchemy, that you haven't been-that you've been keeping his soul trapped into a metal body? Who the fuck would want that! You could have circuits and wires and a hard drive and an exterior memory or someone controlling him from the outside somewhere and maybe he believes he's real—"

My feet touched the warmed ground and I realized, one, the suit had put me down, and two, it wasn't a dirt road at all, but stone. No, brick. It was a brick path. I felt woozy, and would have fallen over if Roy hadn't caught ahold of my shoulders.

"Please don't cry." The suit hummed softly and I hastily swiped at my face, wondering when I had started and why I hadn't known. "I understand. I do. It's hard to explain, but you have to trust me. Believe in me. I know I'm real. I have memories… I—I mean… I guess… it would be—No. No. I believe in Brother, and I believe in alchemy." The suit spoke softly, passionately.

Unwillingly, the weird dream like memory of that room came flooding through me. The screaming. The strange lightning and the symbol drawn on the floor. The way the boy had been ripped apart… and how he had come tumbling out of the suit. I closed my eyes, trying to find clear thoughts—I didn't know how to accept what I was seeing, but I…

"You need to eat. You threw up what little you had. Your blood sugar is probably low." Roy's voice murmured softly and I nodded, letting him lead me and the suit down the path. It wasn't exactly true… I had a lot of orange juice, so my blood sugar was fine.

I just wanted to leave. I wanted to go home. Away from this place, where nothing made sense. A million questions formed. How did I even get here? Why did touching goldy locks pass his memories on to me? And how was that even possible? How did I see what I did? How did his brother's body come out of the suit of armor? How did the suit of armor work and why was it so sure it was that boy, Alphonse?

But most importantly, what the hell was Roy trying to make me get into? I stared at the car. Or rather, the black block of a vehicle that Roy was opening the door of. I spun around, staring at the towering suit of armor.

"Are you going to fit in there?" I asked curiously and he—it—chuckled awkwardly, sighing with relief. What, were they both waiting for me to burst into tears or what? Jesus.

"Um, yeah. I'll be okay. Don't worry." He clanked forward. "I'll go in first so I don't accidently hurt you."

Fit in there, my ass. I watched as the car swayed and rocked as he climbed in, sitting hunched over. That poor kid. Suit. Creature? Whatever. Maybe I should just go with it, call him Alphonse, let them win. Until I could sort myself out, fighting against the system was way too exhausting. Store all this information for later where I could freak out, but for now, it was time to healthily repress. Repress. Who needs logic and sound reason, anyway?

Totally not my style.

I climbed into the car, surprised to find that there was actually enough room for me to sit comfortably next to him.

"Ah. So. Al. I'm really sorry for freaking out at you." I figured apologizing would be the best route. "I don't—this is all very new to me, and the past hour or so has been… a whirl of insanity."

If suits of armor could smile widely, Al's sure could. "Don't worry about it, Arlina. It's okay." He sounded so pleasant and warm and forgiving.

"Glad that's settled," Roy sighed, sounding bored again as he sat in the passenger side of the car.

"You're on the…" I began and cut myself off quickly. "Oh. Never mind." So they had their steering wheels on the right side of the car. Okay.

"What were you saying? Best you say it now, so you don't explode later and make me feel bad about something I had no control over."

Roy could be such a baby. Seriously. He wasn't the one who found himself in this completely impossible position, nor was he a fifteen year old! I could freak out at him forever, if I wanted.

"I was saying," grumbling, I slid to the edge of the bench-seat and slammed my foot against the back of his chair. "That you were on the wrong side of the car, I'm not used to seeing the steering wheel on the right side!"

"Stop it, Arlina." I don't know why I bristled—but why was I back to Arlina? Why did it make me feel… bad? I continued slamming my feet against the seat. "Do you want us to crash and die?"

"Crash and die? You're not even driving—Oh my God, you are. You're driving." Slowly. Inching along. What was he doing, a mile per minute? Holy shit. "Christ, Roy, can you go any slower? My Grandmother could walk faster than this!"

"You don't have grandparents."

"How do you even know that? I—" Oh. That's right. "Right, I forgot you were my dad…" I looked toward Alphonse and grinned widely. "Funny story. We just actually just met."

"O-Oh…"

"Why is it so silent?" I wondered, suddenly realizing how quiet this car was. I mean, my cousin had a nice car, but it wasn't this, y'know, silent. "How is that even possible? This should be sputtering and humming and making all sorts of loud noises." Maybe it had something to do with those giant metal things I'd seen on the front and back of the car.

Maybe they did something with the exhaust.

I hated silence!

And nobody was talking!

This is getting so awkward.

"WE HAVEN'T MOVED VERY FAR!" I burst out, sliding down the seat to the floor. "How do you guys stand to move so slowly?"

"I think we're going a nice speed." Alphonse cut in warmly, shifting to stare down at me as I sprawled on the floor of the car.

"Take my life away, I want to burn myself here." I whined, miserably. Alphonse just laughed at me.

"Aw, don't be like that Arlina. It's okay."


Thirty minutes.

It took thirty minutes to get to the hospital. Thirty minutes which I was sure would have been like ten or five if Roy just drove faster! Probably couldn't, stupid old fashioned cars! I didn't know how anyone got anything done. People probably died. Oh God, I was probably going to die here! Break my ankle and by the time they get me to the hospital I'd have killed myself out of boredom!

Shifting in Alphonse's really cold and hard arms, I idly picked at my phone as they sped-walked through the halls of the hospital. From what I could tell, everything was pretty much ordinary looking. Except, you know, old fashioned. The same kinds of halls, and the same hallways with the same kinds of pictures. The nurses' uniforms were all white with little hats, but I'd seen that kind of stuff in movies. So it wasn't like I was seeing anything new. I just felt like I was stuck on a movie set or in a play and nobody was willing to break character.

"—mean I can't go in there? He's my brother!" Ah, yelling.

We rounded a corner, and I spotted Havoc holding back that Edward kid who was apparently trying to lunge at a doctor. Ha! Roy sighed, and stepped forward, smacking both Havoc and Edward on the back of the head.

"Calm down, Fullmetal. We're in a hospital." Roy scolded, turning his attention to the tired looking doctor. "I'm Colonel Mustang. How is… the boy's condition?"

"It's a miracle he's even alive. His brother won't give an explanation—"

"He was kidnapped, and we only just retrieved him, it's all very confidential." Roy cut in, placing a hand on the doctor's arm. My mouth twitched. Good. Use kidnapped, it's the theme of the day anyway. "Can we speak somewhere private? This isn't something I want the general population to be aware of."

"Oh! Yes, yes, of course. Right this way…"

Havoc let go of Edward and pulled out a cigarette as Alphonse clanked closer to the two.

"Hey, you can't smoke in here!" Jesus Christ, talk about thoughtless! The two blondes turned around, staring at me, or rather, Al with wide eyes.

"…Al?" Edward blinked, confused.

"What? Why can't I?" Havoc frowned.

"Hi, Brother." Alphonse greeted warmly. "Is it true? Is my… My body back?"

"Aren't you not allowed to smoke in a hospital?" I wondered and Havoc shrugged, lighting it.

"Nobody ever said anything to me about it."

"Yeah… But, I guess, if you're still in there… then that's all that came back. They already think you'd be in a coma, so… I guess we'll just have to figure out how to transfer your soul back to your body." Edward smiled faintly. "Piece of cake, right, Al?"

"Mmm-hmm!"

They stared at each other and I swear I could feel the love rolling off of them in waves. I shifted, uncomfortably, giving Havoc a look as he raised his eyebrows.

"So… Why are you being carried?" Havoc cut through the brotherly love moment quickly.

"Did something happen?" Edward asked, looking as if he'd suddenly realized I was there. Thanks.

"Roy shoved me down a flight of stairs and I broke my legs." I had expected them to laugh, not stare at me with horror. "Kidding! I'm kidding. Roy just doesn't want me to embarrass him in front of the ladies. I'm not wearing shoes." I lifted my leg and wiggled my toes. "But he's gone, so… if you don't mind…" I stared up expectantly at Alphonse. He shifted his helmet down, staring back down at me. "Um…"

"Oh! Right, yes, of course!" Alphonse hurriedly set me down, and I wiggled my toes against the cold flooring. Edward trapped me with those serious golden eyes, a faint little smile on his face making my stomach crunch uncomfortably.

"Thank you," he murmured, softly, way too serious. "For bringing my brother back…" I shifted, unnerved, opening my mouth to tell him off for being an idiot when Alphonse gasped.

Loudly.

Dramatically.

I suddenly found myself being crushed against cold metal, my feet no longer reaching the ground as the suit of armor hugged me.

"Arlina! Why didn't you tell me? You brought me back? Really?" He gushed happily and I squeaked, trying to flail and finding myself completely pinned.

"A-Al!" I squeaked out. "Can't—breathe!"

"Sorry! Sorry!" He hastily released me and I staggered slightly, feeling a little light headed, cheeks warming. Too much hugging! I have never been hugged so many times in my entire life! "But! Thank you! This means everything to me!" Alphonse gushed as I dusted myself off from all the pretend dirt that was on me, feeling awkward. He and Edward leaned closer and I backed away.

"I am forever in your debt." Edward continued, earnestly. Jesus Christ, these guys took life way too seriously! I mean I didn't even do anything!

"Yeah, me too! How did you do it?" Alphonse and Edward were cheek to cheek. Or rather, cheek to helmet, inches away from me. I held my hands up, trying to provide distance between us.

"I fainted and threw up on myself." I blurted out.

Silence followed for a beat of a moment until Havoc laugh. He ruffled the top of my head, breaking the weird (and possibly very brotherly love) moment Alphonse and Edward were trying to include me in. I swatted Havoc's hand away, turning to look up at him to realize, with irritation, that he was still smoking! Really! Really! In a hospital? Why wasn't anyone saying anything? Was it because he was a part of the military or what?

"Jesus Christ, do you want to get throat cancer?" I snapped, pretending not to notice Edward and Alphonse whispering to each other.

I figured they wanted some privacy, no matter how loud they were whispering.

"Throat cancer?" Havoc repeated making me wish I had studied medical history. Did they know about cancer in the 1910's? …Not that I believed I was really in 1914!

"Yeah. You'll get a hole in your throat and then you'll have to talk like a robot. At least be considerate." I raised myself up on my tiptoes, swiping the cigarette from his mouth and throwing it to the floor. "I don't want to get lung cancer from second hand smoke. Now step on that."

"Jeez, so bossy." Havoc grumbled, complying and putting it out with the tip of his boot. My thoughts were starting to wander…

They didn't really know what the hell I was talking about, being diabetic… What would happen… if they didn't have insulin? I mean, maybe I could tell them about it, and it could be made… But how long would I last, without it?

…How long had I been unconscious?

"Don't be worried, Ministang." Havoc's voice sliced through my thoughts and I stared at him. Ministang? Mini… Miniature Mustang? What the fuck. "Everything will work itself out." Or I'll go into a coma and never wake up again because they're like a hundred years behind.

"Where's the other one?" I changed the subject. "The other blonde Nazi, Hawkeye."

"Oh, she went back to HQ. Mentioned the diabetic thing, and so she's bringing the bag we found you with back here." Havoc shrugged as I sputtered. "And Lieutenant Colonel Hughes is ringing his wife… I think."

My bag? They found me with my bag? But I was dressed in my pajamas, why would I have been carrying my bag with me? I mean, I had been… What had I been doing? Before waking up in that office, I'd been… I'd been… Blank. I was drawing a blank. Why couldn't I remember? And why would I be out, barefoot, in pajamas, with my bag? Something maybe traumatic happened that caused a lapse in memory? Or maybe I was chloroformed and kidnapped. Yeah that would certainly explain why I couldn't remember what I was doing beforehand. Ugh, it'd be so much easier to brood in my thoughts if they weren't whispering so loudly! JESUS!

I slunk across the hall to where Edward and Alphonse were, and leaned closer to them, cupping my mouth with my hand as though I was being sneaky and secretive like them.

"Hey, did you guys know you whisper really loudly?" I pretended to whisper. They both jumped and spun around, staring at me.

"No we don't! You were just being rude and eavesdropping on us!" Edward snapped as I slid between them, huddled in the corner of the hallway. Yeah.

This was totally not suspicious. Three teenagers whispering loudly in a corner. We had such tactic.

"Brother, be nice to her." Alphonse's tone lifted with a slight edge and I grinned widely at Edward, who scowled back at me.

"Yeah, broski. Be nice to me." I teased, preferring him to make faces at me over that weird way his eyes would get all soft and the way he'd smile faintly. Like I was the next freakin' messiah. "So…? What's the dealio?" Edward's golden eyes drifted across my face, thoughtfully. "Has anyone ever told you that you have a really intense and intimidating stare?"

"Really? Intimidating?" His mouth quirked upward, almost smugly, his expression turning pleased.

"Please don't boost Brother's ego too much, Arlina." Alphonse sighed. "We were—"

"Al, shh!"

"Oh come on, you have to include me. I'm going to shrivel up and die of boredom." I whined, clasping my hands together. "Please? Pretty please?"

"We can trust her." Alphonse agreed, nodding. I grinned at the suit happily, glad that he was on my side with this.

"Fine, I guess, since you did bring Al's body back…" Edward conceded with a grumble. Ha ha, success! Maybe I should play up that card… Curiosity flickered and I side eyed the blonde.

"Yeah… so how does that work? How is he, y'know, alive without a body and—" I began and he raised a gloved hand, his expression suddenly no nonsense and all business. I wondered why I was getting that a lot today.

"—I'll attempt to explain it to you later, okay?" Which was obviously a promise and I would hound him until the day he died until he explained. Wait, what did he mean by attempt? I narrowed my eyes, feeling insulted. Did he think I wouldn't get it?

"I don't think you'll believe us anyway." Alphonse added with a soft laugh, like he could read my thoughts.

"Especially since alchemy doesn't work—" Edward blanched, leaping backwards dramatically and pointing at Alphonse. "HOW ARE YOU STANDING?" I snapped my fingers together.

"That's what I want to know!" I cried as Alphonse looked between us.

"I'm not supposed to be standing?" He asked, sounding confused. Edward turned, staring at me with those curious eyes.

"But alchemy doesn't work around you! He shouldn't be standing! Or moving! Or working!" He screeched. I was starting to see a pattern with this kid. Everything always ended up in screams with him.

"Must be a Christmas miracle!"

"Christmas?" Alphonse question and I stared at him, taken aback.

"You guys don't have Christmas—ah. Well. I guess you

wouldn't…" I trailed off thoughtfully, I mean if their countries are different, then their religions would be too. "Anyway. Yeah. I have a ton of questions. Like if your alchemy doesn't work around me—" Edward clapped his hands together and frowned. "Then why is it working now?"

"It isn't. I'm not sure. Maybe it never affected Al, maybe he only collapsed before because of whatever you did…" Edward's expression simmered into a thoughtful one. I clucked my tongue against the roof of my mouth.

"I didn't do anything. Stop it."

"I touched you—" Bow chicka wow wow! "—and out comes Al!" I burst into giggles, which Edward pointedly ignored. "Whatever around you is barring the alchemy from working triggered a response, I'm thinking."

"Then why didn't you get your arm and leg back? Why did I only get my body back?" Alphonse wondered and Edward turned around, almost dramatically, pressing his hand against Alphonse's suit.

"I… I'm not sure, yet, Al. But I'll find out. I promise." He murmured, their eyes locking and I had a feeling this was another brotherly love moment. Time to quickly break it.

"If this sort of thing never happened before, where are you going to get the answers from?" Sure enough, Edward twisted his face, staring at me with a displeased look as Alphonse lifted a metal shoulder upward into a shrug.

"Shut up, Arlina, I'll figure it out!" Edward huffed, putting his hands on his hips and jutting his chin upward. "I'm Edward Elric, I'm brilliant. And if I promise my brother something, I'll see to it until the very end."

"Anyway! Brother and I were trying to figure out how to get into the room where they're… taking care of my… Body." Alphonse and Edward glanced at each other. "And then he's going to try to transfer my soul into it."

"…Why can't you just walk in?" I asked, confused. That shouldn't be so hard? Just, hey nurses gotta do this witchcraft, kay bye! Edward shook his head. He leaned closer to me, his voice dropping.

"They can't know about Al. What we did… well, it's kind of forbidden…"

Ah. I nodded. He meant illegal.

"…you wouldn't want to wait til you're all better?" I'd figured that'd make more sense. Why go through being stuck in a body that's been starved and weak?

"No." Alphonse voice was hard, and he clenched his fists. "I want to feel. I want to feel everything, even if it's the worst experience in the world. I want… to be alive again. I can't stand it, being in this, never feeling anything." For a voice in a suit, he sure could make himself sound really passionate. Even if I didn't really believe he was a spirit I felt something inside of me shifting, softening.

"Ugh, Al, you're killing me." I groaned, ranking my fingers through my hair. "You should be on those commercials, I would donate all my money to those poor animals."

"What?" The brothers echoed, and I sighed, shrugging my shoulders. Really, I had no choice but to help them!

"It's okay. I'll sacrifice myself to the cause. I'll be your distraction." Stuffing my phone into Edward's hand, I linked my fingers together and bent them back, cracking them.

"Um, I don't think you should—"

"—be cracking my fingers? Don't worry about it Mama Al, I'm totes fine."

"…I was going to say, get yourself in trouble…"

"How are you going to be a distraction?" Edward demanded impatiently, looking up from studying my phone.

"Oh. You'll know." I grinned widely. "Doctor, are you ready?"

"Quite ready." My phone recited back causing Edward to jump backwards, holding the phone away from him. I swiped it from his hands.

"WHAT! It spoke! How did it—" He began and I loudly shushed him.

"Wow. So you can have a brother in a suit of armor that defies all logic, but I can't have a voice activated phone?"

"A what?" He snapped, folding his arms. "I used alchemy to bind Al's soul. Alchemy doesn't work with you, you don't believe it, and even if you did it takes a genius like myself to do what I did!"

I huffed, putting my hands on my hips. A genius like him? I was the only genius here!

"Listen you blonde little bastard, all you do is clapped your hands together and alchemy does everything for you!" I shoved the phone into Edward's face. He swatted it away angrily. "I built this. I am a genius!"

"I'd like to see you try to become an alchemist!" He growled, stepping closer. I tilted my chin upward, defiantly. "I'm the youngest to ever become a State Alchemist!"

"And I'd like to see you build a cellphone!" I shot back. "I built this phone from two different models!"

"Um, guys…" Alphonse inched between us, hands on both our shoulders.

"I don't even know what that is!" Edward shouted.

"Please stop…"

"Yeah, well, I don't understand how alchemy is even real!" I hissed.

"Really. It's okay." Alphonse said, trying to sound pleasant.

"It's science!" Edward growled.

"You're both geniuses!" Alphonse cheerfully gushed.

"Sure, science fiction!" I huffed. "Doctor, define alchemy!"

"I am unable to connect to the internet." My phone told me pleasantly and I slumped, leaning against Alphonse's arm miserably. This piece of crap was so useless.

"…My existence is meaningless. I'm gonna go get you guys that distraction and then jump off the roof." I whined, turning to slump away.

Edward's hand flew forward, grabbing my shoulder, his expression serious. "Arlina," my own name trapped me to the floor and I stared back at him, unnerved. "Don't forget what I said before… I mean it."

I cringed. Why did he have to get all serious again? And what was he talking about? He'd said a lot of things to me. Was he talking about the whole forever in your debt my body is yours thing?

"Maybe later, Edward, but I'm way too young to have sex, okay?"

Edward stood, hand on my shoulder, completely unmoving. His expression was still serious and calm, like I'd never said anything. He didn't even blink. I counted up to five seconds before he sprang backwards, face pink, pointing and flailing. He sputtered, making strangling noises and I grinned.

Finally.

A reaction.

"Kay! See you guys later!" I turned back, looking at Alphonse who was pulling Edward's arm, leading him away. He was still red in the face, sputtering. "And good luck!"

"I DON'T NEED LUCK!" He screeched back at me as Alphonse dragged him across the floor.