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So, without further adieu, here's the next chapter of "Fire and Ice". Hope you all like it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, the anime series, nor the manga. But, I do own my OC!
Chapter II: Talk of the Town
The train released a low whistle as it thundered down the tracks. Small towns and homes were scattered around the lush green hills, which were dotted with a few large trees. The bright sun shone down on a lake, which was planted in the middle of the radiant valley, with the sun's reflection glistening off the surface of the water. Children swam around in the water and laughed as they splashed on another, while the parents and couples strolled down the trail, taking in the beauty of it all.
I watched the scene through the window as the train stormed through the valley; and as soon as it disappeared towards the caboose, I released a sigh, and folded my arms, laying them on the table between the seats where I, as well as the Elric boys, sat. We left the station about an hour ago; but if you ask me, it felt more like three or five hours! Alphonse and his brother would chat about some gossip spreading around in Lior; but, for the next fifteen minutes or so, silence fell amongst us.
Releasing a heavy sigh, I buried my face in my arms. "Are we there yet?"
I heard Ed chuckle. "Impatient much?"
Lifting my head up slightly, I shot a glare across the table at the blonde boy. "Well, I probably wouldn't be if I was told beforehand that this trip was going to take ALL DAY."
"Trust us, Dani," Edward said, with that smirk. "You'll get used to the traveling after a while."
I groaned, burying my face in my arms once more. For your information, Elric, I thought to myself. I've been traveling way longer than you have.
Seriously, the Fullmetal Alchemist's cockiness was starting to irk me to my breaking point. In fact if he pushed me close enough, I'd personally, open the train window, grab him by his cloak and hurl him outside. I grinned, imagining his scream as he lived like a bird for a few seconds before crashing into a tree, sliding to the ground unconscious. As cold and harsh as it sounded, it was tempting.
"Brother," Al whispered interrupting the silence that fell among us. "The rumors about the priest in Lior... Do you think they're true?"
"You mean his 'miracles'?" the blonde alchemist inquired, in disbelief.
I lifted my head up slightly at Al's question. The suit of armor gazed down at his older brother, who rested his elbow on the window sill with his head in his hand. I raised an eyebrow at the two of them. Priest in Lior? What was he talking about? What was so great about a priest that sparked Al's interest? As absurd as it sounded to me, I continued to listen to the Elric's conversation.
"It's said that he can create flowers out of thin air, right?" Edward continued.
Flowers created out of thin air? I repeated in my mind. Sounded more like transmutation to me. From the look on Edward's face, he seemed to take the fact of transmutation without exchange was a bunch of bull. Even I understood that. Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange: Humankind can't receive anything without sacrifice something of equal value. But, honestly... transmuting objects out of thin air? I scoffed, rolling my eyes at the thought. Where was the equivalent exchange in all of that?
The blonde Alchemist shrugged. "It's probably just some sleight of hand or something."
True. Edward did have a point there (and I rarely agreed with the blonde shortie). It would be confusing to consider this priest's 'miracles' were a form of transmutation, so it had to be some sort of magic trick.
"But..." Al's voice spoke. "What if it isn't?"
I raised an eyebrow in confusion as I stared at the two brothers. Then, I noticed the edges of Edward's lip curl into a smile; and whenever the Fullmetal Alchemist had that smile, he had a plot in mind. What was he thinking about? Raiding the priest's home just to find out his dirty little secrets about his "miracles"? Well, that was something I could visualize Edward doing, especially if he was desperate.
"If it isn't," the blonde began, "then I guess all that leaves is the real thing."
I sighed as I sat up straight in the wooden booth. My brain was throbbing from all of the logical thinking I was putting into this whole 'miracles' ordeal. Was it alchemy or not? It could only be either one or the other. I glanced down at the ground, rubbing my temples with my fingers in a circular motion, relieving myself from a migraine. Then, I began to wonder what Edward was talking about as 'the real thing'.
"Okay, just what are you two babbling on about now?" I asked, crossing my arms and glancing up at them.
The two brothers glanced over at me, probably thinking that I was asleep, allowing them the freedom to talk about whatever they wanted to. Honestly, it was difficult to fall asleep when you have two talkative boys sitting a few feet across from you, talking about who-knows-what. I only gazed from the two brother's waiting for their answer.
"Oh, just some adult stuff," Edward answered nonchalantly, as he crossed one leg over the other and rested his arms on the back of the seat. "Stuff that's too complex for kids like you."
I gritted my teeth together as I growled under my breath. He said that on purpose, just to piss me off; I could tell. I wasn't in the mood for Edward's teasing at the moment. I held back every urge to clobber him, for fear of causing a scene and getting kicked off the train. Instead, I fixed my eyes on the blonde across from me.
"Excuse me, Elric," I began curtly. "But, I do believe I'm older than you."
The blonde only shrugged and looked out the window. "Physical maturity and emotional maturity are completely different."
Oh, so now he's calling me immature based on my behaviors? I can count on two hands, naming all the times that Edward has acted immature. Heck, he's probably had multiple episodes before I was even partnered with them.
"Whatever," I huffed as I folded my arms across my chest and plopped down in the seat. "Anyway, what's so great about this priest that's got your interest?"
"Well," Edward began again, "because this 'miracle performing priest'," he made quotes with his fingers as he spoke the words, "can pull stuff out of thin air. We either have two logical answers."
"Either the priest uses sleight of hand, or he's using alchemy," Alphonse added.
"But, if he's using alchemy to pull off these so-called miracles," Edward continued, "then he must be using something to amplify his powers. Most likely the Philosopher's Stone."
Sighing, I shook my head. Of course... everything led down to the Philosopher's Stone. Back when I was first paired up with the Elric brothers, all they did was sit around the library for hours upon hours looking up any information they could find about the stone. Honestly, when I first received news that I would be partnered with the Fullmetal Alchemist, I thought for sure that I was going to be off on an adventure to distant lands, not stuck with some cocky teen with his nose stuck in a book all day.
"No offense, you guys," I began, "but, you two talk for hours about that Colossal Stone -or whatever it is. I mean, is it really that important to you?"
Al and Edward stared at me, as if I had instantly grown a second head. What? Something I said? Geez, these two were acting like the fate of the world depended on that rock. To them it meant something, but what good was it worth fighting to obtain? From what I heard, it was more of an urban legend, since it was such a rarity. The two brothers glanced at each other before turning their attention back towards me.
"Finding the Philosopher's Stone is very important to us, Dani," Al spoke, his young voice echoing through his armor.
"What's so great about it?" I asked. "It's just a rock."
"It's not 'just a rock'," Edward explained, with a deathly serious tone. Then he rested his arm on the window sill, gazing at the passing scenery. "The Philosopher's Stone is said to be a powerful transmutation amplifier. It's been said to have destroyed the city of Xerxes in one night. Alchemy text books say that it was sealed away by the Eastern Sage; and even though it goes by different names, it's always the same thing." Then Ed released a chuckle. "The sad thing about those books is that it tells you about the Stone except where to find it."
I eyed the blonde skeptically. Amplifying your alchemy powers, huh? I thought. Sounds to me like you're trying to raise the bar higher just so that I can't pass, or match, you, Elric.
The two brothers still never answered my question about why they wanted their hands on the stone so badly, but it was obvious to me why Edward needed it. Just another ego boost. Like his head wasn't full of hot air already. Shrugging the thought off, I reclined myself in the booth, with my back leaning against the wall and my legs propped up on the seat. I wasn't going to get much of a conversation out of these two if they kept chattering on about the Stone. It seemed like it was the only thing on their minds.
"Well," I spoke to the two boys, adjusting my black cap downwards until the visor shielded my eyes, "If Lior's gonna be another five hours or so, wake me when we get there."
With that, I folded my arms across my chest and closed my eyes, waiting for the arms of sleep to take me away. Edward spoke something else about the Philosopher's Stone to his brother, but I ignored him, allowing the thundering wheels on the train track to block out any other sound, while the booth bounced every time the train jumped. Soon, I was off into dreamland.
~ . . * . . ~
"Dani," Al's soft voice broke through my mind.
I moaned, tossing my head to the side, wishing for just a few more minutes of peace. It felt like only seconds had passed while I was dreaming; plus, the wooden train seat wasn't too comfortable, especially in the lounging position I was in. But, as I slowly opened my eyes and glanced out the window, I noticed that the sun was rising in the east, casting its warm rays over the mountains in the distance, and brightening up the early morning sky. A small town with a giant chapel towering over all the other buildings came into view, and that was when I realized that the train had finally arrived.
Suddenly, I felt something being swept off the top of my head; and when I reached my hand up, I placed it on the top of my head, feeling nothing but my smooth hair. Raising an eyebrow, I glanced over across the table to find the suit of armor still staring out the window at the city; but then my eyes trailed over to his brother, who had a smirk on his face with his arms crossed behind his head.
I scowled at him as soon as my eyes landed on the black object atop his head, and then I lunged myself across the table. "Dammit, Elric! Give me back my hat!"
"No way!" he answered, placing his gloved hands on my shoulders and pushing me back into my seat. "It looks better on me."
"I swear I'm going to kill you if you don't give me my hat back right now!" I hissed through my teeth while jabbing a finger in his face.
"Nope," he answered, seating himself. "I think I'll wear it around the train station for a while, maybe even around town."
I glared daggers at the blonde, who continued to smirk as he adjusted the black, military cap on his head. I'll confess that the main reason why I was so irritable was because it was early, and I didnot enjoy waking up early in the morning, especially if I had the King of Cricks in my spine from sleeping in that lounging position on a stiff, wooden booth for God-knows how long.
"Give. Me. My. Hat. Now." I hissed, narrowing my eyes at him.
"What's the magic word?" the blonde chimed.
"Give me my hat back, so I don't have to waste all my energy kicking your sorry ass!" I snapped, standing up, leaning over the table with my hands placed on top.
Edward smirked and tisked, wagging his finger. "Wrong magic words, Dani."
Rolling my eyes, I sighed. He acted like such a child sometimes. "Please give me my hat back..."
"Now say: boys are better than girls at anything and everything, especially those boys who can perform alchemy without transmu-"
"DAMN IT, ELRIC! I SAID FRICKIN' 'PLEASE'!"
"All right, all right... Sheesh, don't get your pants up in a knot..."
With that, Edward took off my hat and placed it on the table. Without hesitation, I snatched it up and adjusted it on top of my head; then, took my seat. Seriously, the short alchemist was such a nuisance sometimes. Choosing to ignore him for now, I gazed out the window as the train pulled into the station before coming to a full and complete stop. Once we were set, Edward, Al and I stood up from our places and followed the crowd of passengers onto the platform in the station.
I gazed around the station, which filled with the chattering murmur of pedestrians boarding the next train or conversing with one another. The conductor's voice echoed through the station, signaling the last call for the next train, which soon led to a huge crowd swarming in that direction. That was when I noticed that I was by myself. Edward and Alphonse had disappeared into the sea of the crowd. Of course, it was easy to spot Al's helmet with the sun gleaming off the gunmetal-colored iron, and the thin, long ribbon draping from the top.
Without hesitation, I made a beeline through the crowd towards the two boys. Occasionally, I would bump into a few people along the way, but I ignored their remarks of "Such a rude boy" or, "Probably lost his parents". All right, I'll admit that my short, cropped hair and underdeveloped bust mislead people to think that I was a boy; but ever since I joined the military, I grew used to it. Continuing my way towards the two boys, my anger boiled to its peak the closer I drew near them. Edward was going to pay for ditching me like that!
As soon as I caught up to the two of them, I slowed down my pace so that I was in sync with theirs. Leaning over somewhat, I panted from exhaustion. "Wha... what the hell was that for, Elric?"
Edward only smirked. "Hey, it's not my fault that you got sidetracked and couldn't keep up."
I glared at him from the corner of my eye, and then I extended my arm out, shoving him to the side. "Shut up."
The Fullmetal Alchemist only chuckled. "Take it easy, Circles. At least you were fast enough to get over here."
My eyebrow twitched at his taunting remark. "What did you just call me?"
"Circles," the blonde answered simply. "Suits you, don't it?"
"Do I even want to know how you came up with that name?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"I'm sure you know."
Okay, now he was pushing my buttons again. Geez, I truly despised it when he did that! He treated me like I was a child, when I was only younger than him by a few months! Well, one thing was for sure was that he knew exactly which buttons to press to set me off. Honestly, did he find enjoyment tormenting me like this?
"I've been practicing!" I snapped. "Soon, I'll be able to do alchemy without having to draw any circles!"
"Well, you better keep practicing before you blow something else up," Edward sneered.
Balling my hands into fists, I gritted my teeth as I glared at the blonde alchemist. My breath came out short through my nose as I averted my gaze from Edward and stared at the ground. I ready to smack him so hard that he would have a black eye to compliment his black outfit underneath his scarlet cloak.
"Dani..." Alphonse's childish voice echoed gently.
Releasing a deep breath to calm my temper, as well as resist the urge to strangle the blonde alchemist. It's a good thing Al was there to stop me, he was always there to break up the fights between Edward and me, even if one of us did end up injuring the other, which happened every other time when we fought. It was just a few bruises though; nothing too major or serious.
"So," I began, standing up straight stretching the cricks out of my back, "where are we off to first you guys?"
"Let's explore the town a bit," Al suggested. "Maybe we can pick up information about this priest."
"Sounds like a plan," Edward agreed.
Well, here they go again. Off on another journey to find that Philosophical Stone -or whatever. I remember overhearing that their last two attempts of discovering the stone failed, and the rock was a fake. I wasn't jumping to conclusions. I mean, from what Ed explained, the stone was able to do the impossible when it came to alchemy. If Edward wanted it so badly, why drag his brother into this. I glanced over at the towering armor at the thought. What did Al need the stone for? Shrugging, I ignored the thought and followed the two brothers outside into the town.
~ . . * . . ~
"Man... It sure is hot out here..." I groaned, tugging the collar of my shirt to release the heat trapped inside.
"You can say that again..." Edward added.
The three of us had been traveling throughout the city, searching for any info on the priest here. The rumors about his deeds began to run through my mind like a record on a loop, and the more I thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.
"I'm starting to agree with you guys," I spoke. "This whole 'miracle' thing is a load of bullsh-"
I was interrupted by the sound of the blonde alchemist moaning followed by a sudden thud on the ground.
"Brother?" Alphonse inquired.
Stopping in my tracks, I turned around to face the two brothers. I sighed at the sight of Edward sprawled out on the ground on his stomach, while his armored brother knelt down by his side.
"Can't move... another... step..." Edward whined.
I groaned, nudging his head with the tip of my boot. "Get up, you lazy bum. There's a café around the corner. You can make it there, right?"
Edward moaned once more, and then he shoved my foot away and buried his head in his arms.
Seriously? He was just going to lie there on the ground, like a helpless bird with a broken wing? There was no use in talking the blonde alchemist into getting up and walking a few meters down the cobblestone road.
Sighing, I crossed my arms over my chest and turned around. "All right. Have it your way. But, don't expect me to be here to shoo off the buzzards and drag your half eaten carcass away."
And I meant every word of it. I wasn't going to nanny Edward whenever he whined from his aching legs because of walking for who knows how long. Thankfully, the blonde alchemist was able to pull himself up off the ground and continue traveling alongside Al and me until we reached the cafe. As we reached the stand, we caught attention of the café owner, who eyed the three of us skeptically. What? Hadn't he seen three teens, one in a suit of armor, before?
The owner, smiled widely as Edward and I seated ourselves at the stand, with Alphonse leaning against the bar. "Hey, there, young-n's. What could I get for ya?"
"Let's see..." Edward mused, scanning over the menu on the wall behind the scrawny man. "I'll have the steak and some juice."
"I'll just have a glass of water," I spoke.
Then the man faced Alphonse. "What about you big fella'?"
"Oh, um..." the young boy spoke hesitantly. "I'm fine, thank you."
The cafe owner raised an eyebrow in confusion, but then shrugged and walked into the back room to prepare our order. As confused as the man was, I was just as perplexed. Tilting my head to the side, I stared up at the suit of armor in bewilderment.
"You sure you don't want anything, Al?" I inquired.
The boy shook his head. "I'm all right."
"C'mon, you've gotta have something," I pressed on. "Heck, you're probably dying in that hulky metal suit."
I rapped my knuckles on his breastplate to emphasize the fact that he was hauling nothing but a ton of iron armor. Honestly, it was like every time I saw Al, he was wearing that huge suit. Didn't he ever take it off? Well, maybe whenever I wasn't around, he didn't have it on. I'd just have to keep a closer eye on the boy, because I really wanted to know what he looked like inside that oversized tin can.
Both Alphonse and Edward exchanged glances with each other, and stammered to reply. That made me even more curious; but before I could ask, the café owner returned to us, handing us our orders.
Without hesitation, I grabbed the cool, glass of liquid and set the rim to my lips. The icy water streaming down my parched throat was refreshing, and I sighed with relief, setting my glass down on the bar. Of course, the refreshing moment was suddenly interrupted by the irritating sound of Edward wolfing down his food. I glanced over at him and sighed. I understood that he was starving, but did he seriously have to forget his manners?
"Hey, Elric, can you chew any louder?" I asked, sarcastically. "Some people are trying to enjoy their meals."
After that, I turned away from him and took another sip of my water. Suddenly, a loud, slurping noise rang in my ear, and I gave a startled yelp and whirled around to find none other than the blonde alchemist in my face. He had that stupid smirk on his face while he held his glass of juice, the straw still in his mouth. I could already feel the heat of my irritation overpower the heat of the temperature surrounding us.
Slamming my free hand on the counter top, I leaned towards Edward until the two of us were nose to nose. "Dammit, Elric! Quit acting like such a child!"
Edward scoffed. "Like you have room to talk."
"Zip it shortie," I growled.
"WHO'RE YOU CALLIN' SO SMALL HE COULD-"
But, the café owner cut him off. "Hey, could you two pipe down?" Then he turned back to adjusting the dials on the radio that lay on top of the flat awning above the stand. "Father Cornello is about to begin his sermon."
Edward and I immediately glanced over at him, and then pulled away from each other, sitting back down on the bar stools. In a matter of moments, the entire town grew silent as a deep male voice echoed through the radio, overlaying even the tiniest conversation.
"...To all of the Children of God who live on this land, pray in faith, and you will be saved..." the voice echoed.
Children of God? I repeated in my mind. What the heck is this old man talking about?
"So, what are you boys?" the owner spoke, scanning over the three of us skeptically. "Street performers?"
His remark brought me back from my reverie, as well as cause Edward to spew his juice back into the glass. The blonde alchemist scowled in disbelief at the man, and rubbed the remains of juice from the corners of his mouth with his sleeve.
"Do we really look like 'street performers' to you?" the older Elric asked.
"Pretty much," the owner answered simply.
I snickered at Edwards scrounging face, as he tried to hold back the urge to beat the living crap out of the man. "You've got to admit it, Elric. He does have a point."
The blonde alchemist only sighed and hopped down from the bar stool. "Let's go, you guys."
I took the last few sips of water before sliding off the stool to join the Elric brothers. However, as soon as Alphonse stood up, his head collided into the awning above the stand, knocking the innocent radio off of it place. Sadly, none of us were quick enough to catch it before the poor machine shattered into pieces, immediately cutting off the sermon being broadcast. Poor Alphonse had guilt written multiple times all over his armored body, while the owner of the modest stand stared horrified at the remains of the radio.
"Take it easy!" the man exclaimed. "I didn't mean nuthin' by it!"
Edward rubbed the back of his head with his hand. "Sorry about that. We'll fix it."
"How're you going to do that?" the man inquired. "It's in a million pieces!"
A cunning smirk crossed the blonde alchemist's face as he turned to the café owner. "Just wait and see, pops."
After given a nod from his brother, Al gathered the pieces of the broken machine into a pile, and then he etched a transmutation circle around it. A few bystanders stopped in front of the cafe and then gathered around the towering suit of armor, gazing in curiosity at Alphonse's circle. It was a no-brainer why these people would be so curious as to wonder what in the world two teens and a hunk of iron were doing with a smashed radio and doodling on the ground.
As soon as the suit of armor was finished, he stood up straight, crossing his hands over each other above the circle. "All right, here goes nothing."
In mere seconds, a blast of air shot out from the circle, kicking up the dirt on the cobblestone walkway, while a bright, blue light outlined the circle and soon enveloped the shape as well as the radio gathered in its core. The bystanders ooh-ed and ahh-ed as the wind and light died down. Once the dust cleared from the circle, the townsfolk, and even the shop owner, stared dumbstruck at the sight before them. Within the center of the circle was a refurbished radio.
I smirked at Al's handiwork; but once I glanced over at his brother, I sighed. Edward was practically puffed up with pride as he extended his arm out, showing the shop owner the flawless radio.
"See?" the blonde alchemist spoke. "Is that fixed enough for you?"
"I can't believe it," the owner breathed. "It's a miracle!" Then, he faced the three of us. "You've been touched by Leto, just like Father Cornello."
Edward and I sighed at the man's ignorance. Geez, were all the people in this town so gullible?
"It's not a 'miracle'," explained Al. "It's alchemy."
"So, you three are alchemists, huh?" one of the townsfolk questioned, scanning us over. "I've heard of those."
Edward smiled widely at the remark, and I could've sworn I saw his head swell to twice the size it was originally. "Then, maybe you've heard of us. We're the Elric Brothers."
"And Daniel Russo," I added.
The store owner placed a hand to his chin in thought. "The Elric Brothers and Daniel Russo?"
"Wait a minute," another one of the bystanders spoke. "The Elric Brothers, I think I've heard of you."
"The Fullmetal Alchemist, right?" another inquired.
"Though, I'm not sure I've heard about you, Mr. Russo," the first bystander mused.
I pang of irritation shot through me as I gritted my teeth together in aggravation. Of course... Everyone knew about Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, the strongest State Alchemist in all of Amestris, who can perform alchemy without the aid of a transmutation circle.
"You know… Daniel Russo?" I began again. "The Tremor Alchemist. The new 'Dog' in town
"Nope," the second bystander spoke nonchalantly. "Doesn't ring a bell."
I held back the urge clobber the two men, but my fists remained clenched as I stared down at the ground.
"Well, it's no wonder you've heard of the Fullmetal Alchemist," Edward boasted. "He is a young prodigy."
The townsfolk awed at the remark, while the blond alchemist stood there waiting for them to fawn over him. Moments passed, and I raised my head in confusion, wondering where the people had run off to. I could hear the murmur of their many comments about the Fullmetal Alchemist, but they weren't surrounding Ed. I stifled a laugh when my eyes landed on the bystanders flocking around the towering suit of armor.
"No, you misunderstand," Al stammered. "I'm not the Fullmetal Alchemist."
The people stared up at him confused, and then they glanced over at Edward. "Huh? You mean it's the little guy?"
This was just too hilarious! I could see why everyone mistook Al for the Fullmetal Alchemist, since he was in a bulky suit of metal armor. I know I mistook the boy for Fullmetal at first. But, the look on Edward's face was just priceless. Actually, what he did next was even more hilarious.
"WHO'RE YOU CALLING A PEA-SIZED RUNT? YOU BETTER COME OVER HERE AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE! I DARE YOU!" he ranted on and on, scaring off the townsfolk while saucers, plates, and any other object nearby was hurling around in the air.
"Guess I'm not the only one who's gotten it wrong so far," I sneered at the panting blonde.
"SHUT UP!" he snapped.
"Easy, Bother," Al spoke.
As soon as Edward cooled himself down, he turned to the radio on the ground as the sermon continued its broadcast. The poor café owner, as well as a few of the townsfolk sat on the ground, staring up at Elric. Fear was etched all over their faces, worried that Edward would soon enter another rage.
"So, who's the guy on the radio?" the blonde alchemist inquired.
"Th-That's our priest, Father Cornello," the café owner answered.
Father Cornello, huh? I repeated in my mind. Then, I glanced over at the two brothers, who only stared down at the cowering folk. So, this Cornello guy was the renowned priest the rumors were talking about.
"So, what's the story behind him?" I asked.
"The people of Lior were lost, until he came," one of the towns fold explained. "Then, he began to teach us the ways of the Sun god, Leto."
"He grants eternal life to the souls of the faithful," another spoke up.
"He can even resurrect the dead," a third added. "His miracles are proof of what he says is true."
Edward eyed the man in disbelief. "So, this guy says that he can bring the dead back to life? I'll believe it when I see it."
"Father Cornello is holding a miracle gathering at the chapel," the shop owner spoke.
The blonde nodded, and then turned to Al and me. "C'mon, guys, we're going to check this out."
After that, he turned and strode down the cobblestone pathway, while Al and I followed close behind him.
~ . . * . . ~
The air was alive with rose petals fluttering down from the belfry and into the midst of the courtyard, which was filled with hundreds of folk. At the entrance stood a large statue of what I presumed was their 'god', and then a tall, but stout, man in his late fifties or so stood in front of the chapel, dressed in a black robe and silk white vestments. He grinned cunningly at the crowd, raising a hand in greeting, earning him an echoing cheer throughout the courtyard.
Edward, Al, and I stood at the back of the crowd, watching in disbelief at this so-called 'miracle priest'. The blonde alchemist had hauled over a wooden crate to stand on in order to see over everyone else in front of us. From where I stood, I could see bits of the figure of the priest through the gaps in between the towns folk; of course, they would sometimes shift their bodies, closing off those gaps, but I quickly moved to a better suited spot with a perfect angle.
It was difficult to determine what was going on, but soon, a flash of red light spread through the courtyard, causing me to shield my eyes. As soon as the light faded, I raised my head to find carved, flowers made out of gemstone adorning the statue behind the priest. The crowd cheered as the High Priest smiled, basking in the on-going praise of the townsfolk.
"So, these are the miracles they were talking about?" Edward inquired. "What do you think, Al?"
"It's obvious he's using alchemy," the younger Elric answered. "There's no doubt about it."
"If that's the case," I spoke, "this guy's definitely ignoring the number one Law of Equivalent Exchange."
Edward nodded in agreement. "He should've only been able to transmute that object into something with equal mass; however, he's changing organic matter into inorganic matter."
"He shouldn't be able to do that," Al remarked. "Unless..."
He trailed off, but I already knew what he was going to say. It's been the same thing these two have been talking about ever since the trip over here. I glanced up at the blond alchemist, who only smirked as his golden eyes lit up with determination.
"That's it," he spoke. "We've got it now."
With that, Edward hopped off the crate and began walking down the road along with the dispersing crowd. I glanced over my shoulder at the gaudy cathedral, and then I sighed. Once again, Edward was determined to get that stone. He's failed who knows how many times already. Nevertheless, I turned back around to catch up with the retreating Elric brothers.
"Second time today you've gotten distracted," Edward teased, as soon as I reached them. "That's a record."
I glared at him, but I couldn't think of a comeback at the moment.
"So, Brother," Al began. "Do you think it's really the stone?"
"I don't think, I know it is," the blonde replied. "That ring on his hand amplified his alchemy. It has to be the Philosopher's Stone."
"So, what are you going to do with it once you get it, Elric?" I growled. "Raise the bar high enough until you're certain that I can't pass you."
Edward glanced down at the ground as his brow creased in full determination. If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn I saw a flicker of fire ignite in his golden eyes. "It's personal business, Russo."
Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared at him. "So, I'm right, then? You just want the stone to boost your alchemy and that already gigantic ego of yours, just so you can keep me from passing you."
"Puh-lease," the blonde answered, standing up straight and crossing his arms as well. "Like you couldn't get any better with your alchemy, Circles. You're pretty much handicapped."
"HANDICAPPED?" I repeated. "Don't be so full of yourself, Elric! I'll be able to perform alchemy without circles soon."
Edward scoffed. "By that time, Al and I will already have the Stone."
Gritting my teeth together, I clenched my hands together, forming a tight fist, so that that my knuckles were completely white. Edward thought he was so high and mighty, huh? Well, I'll show him. I'll show him that I'm more than one of the only female State Alchemists, who went through a lot just to become a dog of the military.
"Dani," Al spoke gently.
The boy probably noticed my rising temper and decided to calm me down before I pounced on Edward and ripped him to shreds. The three of us had stopped by the side of the road. Setting my arms down by my side, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself, and then glanced up at the blonde alchemist.
"I'm sure that by the end of the day I can do alchemy without any help of a circle," I mumbled.
Edward raised an eyebrow. "You sure?" Then he smirked. "It's more complex than you think. I doubt you'd be able to learn just the basic concepts by the end of the day."
"I can so!" I retorted.
"Wanna bet?" the blonde inquired.
I scowled at him, but I was also skeptical of whether I could practice enough during the day to perfect my alchemy until I could do it without having to pull out my spare chalk and etch a transmutation circle. Glancing down at the ground, I began to ponder if it was such a good idea. Well, I didn't study alchemy for hours in the middle of the night in the cellar of my home for nothing.
Raising my head up again, I faced the smirking blonde. "I'll see the bet. I have no interest in going after that Russell Stone anyway. So, while you guys investigate it, I'll go out and practice. At the end of the day, we'll meet back in the town square."
"All right," Edward answered. "Winner gets to relax for a day and 5 cens, while the loser has to fill out all the paperwork."
I pursed my lips together. Five cens was a lot of cash, but I was willing to risk anything to put that blonde in his place. "Deal," I replied, holding out my hand.
The blonde alchemist smiled and placed his right hand in mine as we shook on the deal. However, I cringed as Edward's bizarrely cold touch grabbed my hand like a python constricting its prey. As soon as he released me, I drew back my hand and shook it, to ease the throbbing pain.
"Geez, Elric, what the hell?" I snapped. "Do you have a hand made out of iron or something?" Edward began to answer, but I held up my hand to silence him. "Never mind. You guys go off and find that rock of yours, while I head out to find a secluded area."
The two brothers nodded, and then the two of us turned in opposite directions and traveled down the cobblestone road. I shoved my hands into my pockets and glanced up at the clear afternoon sky, and then I sighed and made my way through the hustle and bustle of the busy town, and stepped out into the fields in the outskirts of the town. As I searched around for a spot to practice, I began to wonder if making the deal with Edward was such a good idea. Heck, I wasn't sure for myself that I could perfect my alchemy in one day.
Releasing the thought from my mind, I walked around the shore of a lake, and soon I spotted a patch of withering pansies. I grinned, knowing that I'd have to take the practice step by step; and then I knelt down by the shriveled flowers. Closing my eyes, I relaxed every muscle in my body and cleared my mind. I placed my hands together, mimicking Edward, and then I gently touched the stems. Moments passed, but I felt nothing but the warm gentle wind caressing my skin. I opened my eyes, and, to my disappointment, the pansies remained limp.
Maybe I wasn't focusing enough energy... I mused, as I tightened my muscles and placed my hands together once more.
Then, I slammed my hands down by their roots and waited for the usual alchemic blast of energy. Nothing. I sighed as I ran a hand through my short, black hair; then, using my free hand, I traced a circle in the dirt around the flower, adding a few other shapes. After placing my hand on the soft soil, I focused on the flowers, exchanging the water molecules and nutrients in the soil with the needy flowers. Instantly, the pansies sprung to life again, with their colors brighter than ever.
"At least I don't have to use transmutation circles..." Edward's voice echoed through my mind. "...You're pretty much handicapped..."
Maybe he was right. When I became a State Alchemist, I had no problem with the fact that had to draw circles in order to transmute something; of course, then I heard the rumors of a young State Alchemist who could perform alchemy without a transmutation circle. I was a bit skeptical at first; in fact, I didn't think that it was possible. Out of all the alchemy book I read, i never heard of performing transmutation without the aid of a circle. Of course, then along came Edward...
...
One month earlier...
...
I sat at the wooden table in the cafeteria at headquarters, poking at whatever it was they were serving with my fork. If you asked me, it didn't look like food at all; hell, I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be meat or some new form of gelatin. Well, I had to eat something, or else I'd be up all night with a growling stomach. Sighing, I chopped a piece of it and popped it in my mouth. I quickly regretted my decision as I slowly, and disdainfully, chewed the tender piece of whatever it was, before swallowing it. Without hesitation, I snatched up the milk bottle and gulped down as much of it as I can. I had to get rid of that awful aftertaste!
Once that was said and done, I glanced around at the other soldiers, who sat at their tables munching on their lunches. Glancing back down at the inedible so-called food, I poked it a few more times, just to make sure nothing decided to crawl out of it. Okay, maybe I was just a little paranoid. I mean, almost a year ago I became part of the military; but just last month, I became a State Alchemist. One would think that by now I'd be used to the culinary work of the food served here. I was, but it was always one of the few things here that I dreaded.
Well, I've been through this enough already. With that in mind, I chopped off another piece of the 'food', and slid it into my mouth, awaiting that all-too familiar taste. Of course, after the fourth or fifth bite, I gave up on even trying to finish my entire meal without puking all over the table. Sipping the last bit of milk from the bottle, I picked up the metal tray and stood up from the table.
Of course, as soon as I turned around, I bumped into someone else, which set the both of us off balance for a minute. The contents on his tray splashed out, staining the lower half of my clean, white t-shirt.
"Oops, sorry about that," the man spoke from in front of me.
I glanced over at him, only to find that it wasn't one of the soldiers, but a young boy around my height. He had golden-blonde hair tied in a braid, falling to his shoulders, while his bangs were parted in the center, framing his fair-skinned face; however, a single strand of hair stuck up from the parting, like some sort of antennae. His golden eyes were deep with intelligence, and there seemed to be some small spark within them. The boy wore a scarlet, red cloak with the tail of it reaching down just above his ankles. Underneath his coat was a black shirt, covered by a black jacket with silver lining on the edges, and a pair of matching trousers. Along with his outfit were a pair of leather boots with thick, red soles, and he also wore a pair of white gloves.
I gave the boy a reassuring smile. "Hey, it's no problem. Accidents happen."
"Say, I've never seen you around HQ before," the blonde spoke.
"Oh, yeah, well... I've been a part of the military for a while..."
"I'm sure we'll be seeing each other every so often then." Then, he smiled and held out his hand. "The name's Edward Elric, by the way."
I smiled back and placed my hand in his. "Daniel Russo." I made sure to be careful not to pronounce the 'elle' at the end of my name. "Dani for short."
"Nice to meet ya," Edward spoke. "Now, I'd better be on my way. I've got a meeting with Mustang. Catch you later, Dani."
With that, he walked around me, and made his way to the nearest trash bin to scrape the remains of his lunch from his plate. From what I could see, he wasn't particularly fond of what was on today's menu either. Well, at least I wasn't the only young adult within the walls of headquarters. How old was Edward anyway? Shrugging the thought off, I walked over to the trash can and scraped the chunks of the 'food' from the plate, and then set the tray on the counter with the others.
I glanced down at my shirt with the assortments of chunks of food. Grabbing a napkin, I rubbed it on the stains to clear off as much as I could, but no matter how hard I tried, there were long, streaks of smeared food. Sighing in defeat, I tossed the napkin into the trash, and zipped my jacket so that I wouldn't be looked down upon in disgust as an untidy soldier. Then, I made my way out of the cafeteria and down the hall to my dormitory.
"Russo," a female voice called out.
Stopping in my tracks, I turned around to find a young woman in her mid-twenties, with a slender, yet muscular build, dressed in a blue military uniform. She had broad shoulders, probably from strenuous military training, but also flared hips. Her blonde hair was fastened up at the back of her head, and held by a barrette, while her wing-shaped bang fell over the left of her copper-brown eyes. On each ear was a silver studded piercing.
"Lieutenant Hawkeye," I address, saluting as she walked over to me.
"At ease, Russo," she spoke calmly, stopping in front of me. "I was sent by Colonel Mustang to escort you to his office. He wishes to speak with you."
I stared up at her confused, but then realization struck me. Yesterday, Mustang said that because I wasn't quite ready for field battles or war yet, I would be partnered up with someone, and aid them in their missions. The sidekick roles were never my cup of tea, but I did need to get out of headquarters, instead of being cooped up in the little room, helping out Havoc and Fury with the paperwork.
As much as I wanted to head back to my dorm and change into a clean T-shirt, I knew that when the Colonel wanted to see someone, he didn't like to be left waiting. Without hesitation, I allowed the lieutenant to lead me down the hallway and to his office. She knocked on the door; and as soon as Mustang's voice gave her permission to enter, she twisted the brass door knob and pushed the door open.
I glanced across the room at the black haired man sitting behind his desk, engaged in a handful of paperwork. As my eyes trailed around the room, I soon caught sight of a boy in a red cloak. Edward? Then I realized that he said that he had a meeting with Mustang. So, was I interrupting their meeting? That couldn't be right, because Mustang sent Riza to take me to his office.
That was when I noticed someone standing beside the blonde boy. I had to blink a few times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. It was a tall man in a gunmetal-colored suit of armor, completely dwarfing Edward. The helmet was adorned with a cone-shaped horn in the center of the forehead, and horizontal vents beneath the semi-circle eye holes. From atop the helmet was a long, thin white ribbon of hair that ended in the mid-back of the suit. The trunk of the body owned a protruding, triangular shelf on the breastplate, just beneath the throat guard, while a high, metal collar surrounded the sides and neck of the helmet. There was a breach cloth that covered the lower part of the armor, and a red insignia was painted on the left shoulder. Both of the shoulders sported three cone-shaped spikes, and the elbows, knees, and feet also held the spiked protrusions.
"Ah, Tremor," the colonel spoke, breaking through my thoughts. "You're here just in time."
"You wanted to see me, sir?" I inquired, stepping into the room.
The colonel nodded, and then he dismissed Hawkeye, who nodded and closed the door, leaving me alone in the room of three boys. "As you may know, Tremor," Mustang began, walking around his desk. "Because you're one of the youngest State Alchemists the Fuhrer would allow into the military, you've been assigned to aid one of the most skillful State Alchemists." The colonel stopped in front of me, and grinned. "Daniel Russo, I would like you to meet the Fullmetal Alchemist."
With that, he extended his arm outwards, gesturing to the two boys. I gasped in shock as I stared at them. No way. I thought for sure that I was going to be partnered with Armstrong, or one of the alchemists here, but I didn't expect to be partnered with none other than the Fullmetal Alchemist.
"Seriously?" I asked, facing Mustang.
He nodded.
"Wow..." I breathed, turning my attention back to Edward and the man in armor. Then, I walked over to them. "This is a huge honor. I've heard all the stories about the Fullmetal Alchemist, but never would've guessed I'd meet him in person."
Edward smirked cockily. "Yeah, the Fullmetal Alchemist is pretty renowned after all."
"So I've heard," I replied. Then, I walked up to the suit of armor. "I guess you really live up to that title of yours. You're covered in metal from head to toe" I rapped my knuckles on his breastplate to emphasize my point.
The towering man in the suit of armor held up his leather gloved hands in defense as he stammered to answer. "No, no," a child-like voice echoed from within the armor. "I'm not the Fullmetal Alchemist."
Gazing up at him, I blinked in confusion. For someone as gigantic as him, especially in a bulky suit of armor, he had a childish voice; unless... the actually was a child on the inside. Then, his reply ran through my mind, as I raised an eyebrow in confusion.
If he's not the Fullmetal Alchemist, I thought, then, that means...
I glanced over at the blonde who stood in his place, only his fists were clenched as his body tensed up and began to tremble slightly.
"Wait, you're the Fullmetal Alchemist?" I asked, pointing at him.
"What was your first clue?" Edward answered through gritted teeth.
You have got to be kidding me. This blonde midget in the coat was the renowned Fullmetal Alchemist? He was a pipsqueak! From the rumors I overheard, I imagined him to be some tall, bulky guy who could bend an iron bar with his bare hands, not some scrawny, blonde toothpick. I placed my hand over my mouth to hold back my laughter; but sadly, it managed its way out, echoing through the office.
"WHAT'S SO FUNNY?" Edward snapped.
"N-nothing," I answered, clutching my abdomen with my arm. "It's just... you're far from what I imagined you to be... I mean, come on! I never... never would've imagined a half-pint... to be the amazing Fullmetal Alchemist. This is just too much!"
I regret saying that to him; because the very next moment, I was laying on my back with Edward on top of me. His legs straddled my waist, while his hands were tightly grasped around my throat. My face felt like it was being pricked with a thousand pins and needles as I choked for air, grasping the Fullmetal Alchemist's taut wrists with my hands.
"WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE COULD FIT THROUGH THE GAP IN A SNOWFLAKE?" the blonde screamed. "I DARE YA TO SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME!"
"Brother! Stop!" the armored boy screeched.
Wiith that, he grasped Edward around the abdomen and pulled him off of me. I sat up gasping for air, and tenderly rubbed my now aching neck. Then, I glared up at the blonde, who was squirming in the hands of the suit of armor.
"What the hell was that for?" I hollered. "You nearly killed me!"
"Sorry about that," the suit of armor spoke. "My brother has... height issues..."
"OH HELL YEAH, LIKE YOU'RE THE ONE TO TALK, AL!" the blonde retorted, glancing over his shoulder at his brother.
Suddenly, Mustang cleared his throat to bring the three of us back into the point of this meeting. "Now that you've all become acquainted with each other, I expect you three to be up at 0800 tomorrow morning. Meet back here in my office, and we'll discuss your next mission. Dismissed."
After that, I stood up and dusted myself off, and the three of us saluted the colonel. After he saluted back, I strode out of the office, resisting the urge to slam the door. I released a deep breath once I was in the hallway, and then I ran a hand through my short, cropped hair. I couldn't believe it! Not only were the rumors of the young prodigy true, but he was also an egotistical short fuse! When I first learned about the Fullmetal Alchemist, I considered him a role model; but now that I saw who he really was, I would stop at nothing to become as great an alchemist as him just to put him in his place and wash away that ego of his for good!
Shoving my hands in my pockets, I strode down the empty hallways towards my dorm room. Once there, I opened the door, and slid off my leather jacket, setting it on the edge of my desk chair. Taking another good look at my stained, white T-shirt, I sighed. Striding over to the bureau, I pulled out a white tank-top and set it on the bed.
Well, this day couldn't possibly get any worse.
My mind wandered back to my meeting with the Fullmetal Alchemist. Well, we actually first met after I bumped into him in the mess hall, but, during that time, I never would've guessed that he was the Fullmetal Alchemist. Honestly, his brother looked to be more metal than he was. Wait, those two were brothers? I wondered which one of them was the younger one, but then I shrugged at the thought. Probably Edward. As pissed off as I was with him, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down before I could take a step to raid the dorm, and then I began to slip off my white T-shirt.
"Hey, Daniel?" a young, male voice echoed from outside the door. "It's me, Edward. Look..." the knob turned and the door squeaked upon opening, "Al's kinda making me apologize, so I'm just gonna get this over wi..."
He trailed off from there, but silence filled the air between us. My back was already facing the door, so I had to turn around to face him. Of course, as soon as our eyes locked on to each other's I noticed that Edward had a shocked, and slightly surprised expression on his face as his widened, golden eyes slowly scanned me from head to toe. I blinked in confusion, and then I glanced down at myself. Suddenly, my face began to heat up when I realized that I was wearing nothing but my baggy pants and my sports bra.
Clutching my shirt to my chest, I grabbed the pillow off the bed. "Dammit, Elric! Get outta here!"
With that, I hurled the pillow towards the blonde, who held up his arms to block the impact, and then he quickly whirled around on his heel, darting out into the hallway and pulling the door closed behind him. As soon as I knew he was gone, I sighed. Hasn't he ever heard of knocking?
I take back what I said. Today just got worse.
By the way Edward was scanning me over, I could tell that he was trying to comprehend the fact that I was secretly a female. I'd just have to 'convince' him not to spill the beans to everyone else in Central, or else I'd lose my State Alchemy certification for good. With that thought in mind, I slipped my tank top on, and then grabbed my jacket, feeding my arms through the leather sleeves. Then, I whirled around and walked towards the door, ready to find Edward and beat the living snot out of him!
It didn't take me long to find him though. As soon as I closed the door, I glanced up to find him standing across the hall. He raised an eyebrow in confusion as he tilted his head to the side.
"So..." he began. "You're a g-"
Before he could finish, I raced over to him and clamped my hand over his mouth. "Let's get one thing straight, Fullmetal," I hissed, narrowing my eyes. "I didn't become a State Alchemist for nothing. I've sacrificed and risked a lot to obtain my certification; more than you can imagine. Yeah, I'll admit that I carry around a stick of chalk whenever I need it, but-"
"Wait, wait," Edward spoke, taking my hand off his mouth. The corner of his lips curled into a smirk as he stifled a laugh. "You're a State Alchemist, but you draw your transmutation circles." He snorted a laugh. "You don't even have special arrays on your gloves or hands?"
"Hey! I'm still practicing, all right! Just because you can do alchemy without a circle doesn't make you Mr. Awesome."
"Still, on the skill rank when using alchemy, drawing circles is the lowest!"
"Since when has there ever been a skill rank in alchemy? You just made that up!"
"Well, you have a long ways to go before you come even close to matching me, Daniel. If that is your real name."
"It's actually Danielle. And your ego is the size of a mountain, you know that?"
"Get used to it, because starting tomorrow, we're stuck with each other."
With that, he turned and walked down the hallway. I glared at his figure as it shrank away the further he traveled until he disappeared around a corner. Well, if I was going to be stuck with him, I guess that meant that he wasn't going to blab my secret around headquarters. This was it though. This marks the day that the Fullmetal Alchemist is no longer my role model. He was nothing but my rival, and I would do whatever it took to show him that I was more than just some young girl with boy-ish looks, who still has to use transmutation circles. Releasing a deep breath, I turned and walked in the opposite direction.
...
The vivid orange and yellow glazed sky blanked over the town of Lior. I remained in my former place on the outskirts of town, gazing out at the lake. I tried everything! Creating wood carvings from logs. forming a lance from a tree branch... hell, I couldn't even revive a patch of flowers without using a transmutation circle! I growled as I gripped the grass in my hands, yanking them out of the ground.
Edward was going to win this bet and rub it in my face all the way back to Central. Not if I had anything to say about it. I was going to do whatever it took to win this bet against the blonde alchemist. With that thought, I glanced up at the evening sky. I didn't have much time, though... Then, I gazed around for something simple and easy to transmute, but I came to no avail.
"Dammit!" I hissed, slamming my hands on the ground. "Why does this have to be so difficult?"
Then, I slammed my hands down on the ground, kicking up some clouds of dirt. However, I stared down at my hands for a few moments, and the gears in my mind began to turn as I allowed a small smirk to creep on my face. Slipping my gloves off, I set them down on the ground and used my finger to etch a transmutation circle around them. If my calculations were correct, the iron in the nutrients of the soil could craft slabs of metal onto the topsides of my gloves, exchanging the metal buckles for the iron. It was worth a shot.
Setting my bare hands on the edge of the circle, I concentrated on the matter I would use to exchange from the soil to the fingerless gloves. A flash of blue light emanated from the circle; and as soon as the cloud of dust disappeared, there laid my black gloves a thin plate of metal strapped on top. I smiled at my handiwork, and then I pulled out my pocket knife and picked up one of my gloves. As carefully as I could, I etched a transmutation circle on the metal plate, and made sure to replicate it on the other glove.
All of the other State Alchemists had their transmutation circles etched on their gloves, or whatever accessory they had, like Mustang or Armstrong. So, it wasn't necessarily cheating, since I wouldn't have to stoop down and draw a circle on the ground. The metal in the soles should be able to attract the earth's magnetic energy and create fault, quakes, or just pillars or spikes of earth to spring up from the ground.
Deciding to give it a try, I pocketed my knife and then slipped on my gloves. Standing up, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself and clear my mind. Then I focused my thoughts on the molecules in the metal and the magnetic field deep within the earth. Then, I slammed my hand down on the ground, earning a small quake and a crack in the ground. I smiled to myself, and then I pumped my fists in the air.
Not wanting to waste another moment, I whirled around and darted off towards Lior to meet up with the Elric brothers. I could only imagine the look on Edward's face when he saw my moves. He'd probably flip out and whine about completing all of that paperwork. Well, it served him right for all those times he boasted about his skills in alchemy and rubbing it in my face.
As soon as I reached the town square, I caught sight of the two brothers. "Hey, guys!"
Alphonse glanced over at me as I caught up to them, while Edward only crossed his arms over his chest and glanced away. I leaned over, placing my hands on my knees, panting from the long run back into town.
"Hey, Dani," Alphonse spoke. "How was practice?"
"Pretty good," I spoke, with a smirk. "Check this out."
With that I clapped my hands together, imitating Edward, and then I placed them on the cobblestone ground. As soon as my hands came in contact with the ground, a pillar of rock shot up. I stood triumphantly at my work, and then I turned to face the boys.
"Wow, Dani!" Al remarked. "That's amazing!"
"Now that I've figured it all out," I spoke, placing my hands on the ground once more, transmuting the rubble back to normal, "I've just got to throw in my own moves so that it doesn't look too cheesy."
"Yeah, yeah... that's great," he grumbled, unimpressed. "Can we go now?"
"Why?" I asked with a smirk. "The faster we get to East City the faster you can get started on all that paperwork?"
The blonde alchemist only groaned and walked down the cobblestone pathway towards the train station. Al and I stared at his shrinking figure, and then I turned to the towering boy in the suit of armor.
"What? Did he get called 'short' for the umpteenth time in a row?" I asked.
"The stone was a fake," Alphonse answered simply.
"Oh," I spoke, half-sympathetically. "Well, there's always next time, right?"
"Hey, are you two coming or not?" Edward's voice called out from down the road.
"Coming, Brother!" Al answered.
With that, he raced down the pathway, his armor clanking every time he took a step, while I followed close behind him. As soon as we reached the pipsqueak alchemist, the three of us made out way towards the train station and boarded the locomotive right before it was about to leave for Eastern City. As soon as the train pulled out of the station, I lounged back in the wooden booth, relieved from all the stress I endured that afternoon.
"I'm surprised that you're able to perform alchemy without drawing a circle, Dani," Alphonse spoke.
"Hey, like they always say: 'Practice makes Perfect'," I answered casually.
Edward only groaned as he rested his arm on the window sill and gazed out at the passing scenery. Either he was upset about that Philosopher's Stone being a fake or he was upset because he lost the bet. By my assumption it was probably both.
"Well, Elric," I spoke, crossing my arms and laying them on the table between us, "it just goes to show you: Pride comes before a fall."
Silence fell between the three of us, but I only continued to smirk to myself. It felt good to be dominant over Edward for once. Now, he was put in his place.
"I guess you're right about that, Dani," the blonde spoke, breaking through my thoughts. "But, I do have one question."
"Yeah?" I answered.
Suddenly, Edward grabbed my hand, holding it up; and then, he leaned over the table gesturing to the etching on the topside of my glove. My face paled as his smirk grew wider, and I knew that I was in one tough pickle now.
"Isn't this a transmutation circle?" he asked.
"Uh... no..." I answered. "It's... it's probably just a scratch."
"Oh, hell yeah," Edward scoffed. "Like a scratch could make something as detailed as this."
"So, what if it's a transmutation circle?" I retorted, slouching back in the seat. "The deal was that if I could use alchemy without drawing a transmutation circle, the loser would have to do all the paperwork."
"Actually, Russo," Edward began. "You're exact words were," he cleared his throat, and then began again in a higher, and more annoying tone. "'I'm sure that by the end of the day I can do alchemy without any help of a circle'."
"So what? It's the same thing!" I snapped. "And I do NOT sound like that!"
"It's two completely different things, Circles." Then, he crossed his leg over his knee, folding his arms across his chest. "Looks like I win."
Growling, I glowered at him. Mark my words: one of these days, I was going to be able to use alchemy without drawing a circle or forging one into my shoes or gloves.
Well, there you have it you guys! Oh, and sorry about that ending... I wasn't really sure what to put there for the bet...
Oh, Just so you all know...
~ . . * . . ~ = Scene Change/Time lapse
... = Flashback
Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!
Rate and Review!
Oh, and if you guys like Ouran High School Host Club, check out my other fic, "Fitting In"
