A/N: It'll be better eventually... Chapter 2 is under rewrite as well...
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A flood of memories I'd tried so desperately to forget forced their way up to the surface. My hands lost their grip on the spear and it fell to the ground with a faint clang.
I shivered as visions of that night poured into my mind; the empty space where my brother used to be, the thing in the middle of the room that was supposed to be my sister... It was almost painful to think about.
"We just wanted her back," I said breathily.
"Wanted who back?" the guy in the suit of armor asked me.
Not looking up at either of the guys I answered with, "My sister."
I had no clue what possessed me to tell this to a couple of strangers. All I knew was that I couldn't stop once I'd started.
Staring at the ground, I let out a deep breath and began.
"I never knew my parents. The both of them died shortly after I was born, leaving me with my big brother and our older sister. She was a lot older and had a job. She turned herself into our replacement mother. I hated that she had to take care of us when she could have been raising a family of her own. My brother used to joke about how he would become a State Alchemist one day so that we would never have to worry about money."
Tears threatened to pour out of my eyes as I kept talking. "My sister was in an accident about a year and a half ago. She died and my brother and I were depressed for months. During those months, my brother came to the conclusion that we could bring her back. Every book I read said that it couldn't be done. My brother had the idea he could do it stuck in his brain, though. I didn't want to go against the only family I had left, so I went along with it."
The tears won this round and began falling one at a time. "We just wanted to see her smile, hear her soft voice, feel her warm hugs, and even smell her again. In the end, I lost my brother and my right leg."
My hands gripped the sides of my pants. I kept my head held low. My voice was shaky as I continued. "I want to pass the exam so that my family, where ever they are, doesn't have to worry about me. I have to pass."
I smiled as I wiped my face with my coat sleeve. "Besides, it can't be that hard. I heard that some kid named Edward Elric passed when he was twelve. I'm two years older than that. It should be as easy as pie."
The blonde bent down to my level. I looked up and frowned at him as he spoke.
"I'd be careful about what you say. That test is pretty hard," he said.
The tears went away along with the smile. "Just how would you know?" I questioned, back to my normal self now.
He stood up. "For one thing," he started as he reached into his pocket. "I'm Edward Elric." He pulled out a silver pocket watch.
My jaw dropped as I stared at the pocket watch. "You're Edward Elric? The Fullmetal Alchemist? But that doesn't make any sense!"
Slightly amused, I watched as his eye twitched at my comment. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked through clenched teeth.
I pointed to the guy behind him. "I would have expected it to be your pal in armor over there."
He spazzed some, but it wasn't as bad as the first time. "Why does everyone say that!" he exclaimed.
"Brother! Calm down!" the guy in armor commanded.
"Brother?" A light turned on in my head. "Oh yeah, I've heard of you too. You're Alphonse Elric, the younger brother. I should have realized that sooner. The armor is for some kind of training, right?" I asked to make sure I hadn't gotten false information.
"Heheh. Yeah," he said nervously, rubbing the back of his head.
I raised an eyebrow at his answer before letting it go. "Well, uh, sorry I pulled that spear on you guys. Anyways, I'm Myra Loken. I used to live in Dublith." I held my hand out and shook with the two of them.
'Well that's weird,' I thought when I shook Edward's hand. It felt hard and cold through the white glove he was wearing, nothing like what flesh and bone should feel like.
Choosing to ignore the questions that ran through my mind, I brushed myself off and looked up at the two of them. "Well, you guys must have some money on you. Is there any place where I can get something to eat? I'm starving." My question was followed by the sound of my stomach growling.
