"This is going to be so much fun!" Winry Rockbell squealed, spinning around to display her new kimono. "I'm so glad you two finally agreed to come with me!"

"As if we actually have time for this," Edward grumbled.

"Come on! Everyone has time off for the New Year's Festival!" she sang happily. "We're going to have so much fun playing games, dancing, and pigging out!"

"Who said anything about dancing?" Edward snapped, becoming less and less patient each second.

Alphonse patted him on the shoulder. "Calm down, brother. You don't have to dance. There are plenty of other things to do, too!"

Edward crossed his arms, sticking out his lower lip in an irritated pout. "Fine. I'm coming, at least. That should be enough."

Winry sighed, looking back and forth between the brothers, seeming disappointed. "You two are no fun."

"Good."

She rolled her eyes, leading them out of their hotel room. "Come on. Let's get going before we miss the train."

Edward followed her immediately, but Alphonse hung back a moment, lost in thought.

"Coming, Al?" Edward called from the doorway.

"W-well…I was just wondering…" He looked and forth between the two uncertainly, not knowing if he should continue or not. "Well, who else is coming?"

"Pretty much everyone from Resembool," Winry answered. "Why?"

He twiddled his thumbs shyly, refusing to look at them. "Can we invite one other person? A friend of mine? Could we pick her up on the way there?"

" 'Her'?" Winry cried, clapping her hands together ecstatically. "You want to bring a date to the festival?"

Alphonse looked up with a jolt, waving his hands in front of himself. "No! No, that's not it! She's just a friend!"

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Who is it? Wouldn't I know her?"

"You do," he continued, even more hesitant than before. "Her name is Mei Chang."

"That crazy little girl who works with Scar?" he hissed. "No way in hell are we bringing her!"

Winry slapped Edward over the back of the head with a paper fan. "If Al wants to bring her, we'll bring her! It's none of your business!" She turned away from him to smile at Alphonse. "Of course we can invite her. Let's go get her right now."

Edward groaned.

--

Mei sat outside the small tent, poking at the fire with a twig. Usually she celebrated New Years with her family, but this year it was just her and Xiao Mei. She stared into the fire, remembering past New Years with a sad, lonely smile.

"December thirty first," her strange companion Yoki muttered to himself. "Oh, so many better New Years I've spent before this one…. I remember back when I owned the mining town, the great celebrations I was able to throw." He threw his head back, wailing, "What has become of my life? My career? Have I no future? What kind of New Years is this, hiding out with a lost child and a mass murderer?"

"Be quiet!" a gruff voice called from the tent. Mei groaned – her two friends, Yoki and Scar, weren't going to be good company tonight.

Around the corner, low, muttering voices could be heard. Long shadows drifted down onto their street, and she leapt up with a jolt. It couldn't be the homunculi! Not on a night like this!

She dashed around the corner as fast as she could, Xiao Mei at her heels. She took out her spears, holding them in her hands as she turned to see…

Alphonse Elric and his friends?

"Alphonse?" she asked, looking up at him with shock.

He seemed a little nervous. "Sorry to bother you…around these parts…we were just wondering-"

"He was wondering," Edward corrected irritably.

Alphonse nodded. "I was wondering if you'd like to come to the New Year's festival with me – er, us."

"A festival?" she repeated, excitement rising in her voice.

He nodded. "Would you like to come?"

She peeked around the corner, calling quickly to Yoki, "I'm going with my friend to a festival!"

"What was that?" both Scar and Yoki's came. She didn't hear them – she, Winry, and the brothers were already running from the dark alley, Xiao Mei struggling to catch up as she followed closely behind.

--

"Is she having fun?" Alphonse whispered to Winry after another shooting game, "or is this boring? Should I have not invited her?"

"She and the panda are having blast," Winry assured him as she took another bite out of her cotton candy. "You haven't said boo to her all night, though. Weren't you the one who invited her?"

Alphonse looked at his feet uncomfortably. "I don't know her too well yet. I feel a little uncertain on how to strike up a conversation with her."

Winry smiled to herself. "You're so shy, Al. You'll never get to know her if you don't at least try talking to her. She's your friend, right? Challenge her to a shooting game or something. I'm sure it'll be fun. You do that and I'll go make sure your brother is keeping out of trouble." She winked at him and vanished into the crowd.

Alphonse turned around, scanning the crowd until he spotted Mei standing by the turtle game. She wasn't playing; she was just watching the small turtles swim around. She looked up at the sound of Alphonse's clanging armor.

"Aren't they adorable?" she asked, pointing to them.

Alphonse leaned down, taking a closer look at the tiny turtles. "Yeah, they are," he agreed, feeling his usual affection towards small animals. "I wish I could have a pet, but my brother and I are on the move all the time, so it's impossible. He doesn't get along well with animals anyway."

"I don't know what I'd do without Xiao Mei," she commented, pointing to the panda that was resting on her shoulder. "She's my best friend." She looked up at Alphonse, grinning. "She seems to like you, too!"

"Really?" he asked excitedly, reaching down to pet the panda. It immediately gripped its claws around his finger.

"Well, at least she knows she can't hurt you," Mei muttered, the enthusiasm dying off a bit.

Alphonse looked up past her to the small clearing where all the dancing was going on. It was times like these that he wished he had a real body.

She followed his gaze, smiling. "Look, it's your brother and the blonde girl. They're dancing together!" She laughed before looking back up at him. "Can you dance, Alphonse?"

He shook his head. "I wish I could. Everyone over there looks like they're having so much fun." He turned away, his head hanging a bit.

Mei was silent for a moment, watching the dancers swaying back and forth, laughing. She looked back up at Alphonse, a shy smile spreading across her reddening cheeks. "When you get your body back, will you dance with me? Just once?"

Alphonse snapped back into focus, his gaze returning to her. Taking a moment to make sure he had heard her right, he nodded excitedly. "Sure. It's a promise." He paused for another moment before adding, "I can't promise it'll be good, though. I haven't been able to practice for years now."

Mei turned back to the dancers, smiling. "I'm sure it'll be good."

If he had had his real body, he was sure he would be blushing right now.

Ten…nine…eight…seven…six…five…four…three…two…one!

As Alphonse watched the fireworks sour into the sky, Mei at his side, he felt a sudden sense of warmth shoot through him, although he shouldn't be able to feel anything. It was nice to be able to spend the night with someone other than his shadow.