Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Merry Chrisramakwanzakkuh! Guess where I'm typing this? My new laptop! I'm sooo excited! More updates now that I have more computer time! Huzzah!
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The train's intercom crackled to life. Someone cleared their voice and that was followed up by the sound of tapping. A man spoke timidly, stuttering every now and then.
"The-the next stop is… it is… Resembool? Yes Re-Resembool. We will be arriving at the platform in a matter of m-minutes. Please, gather your belongings and prepare to de-depart the train. Thank-you."
There on a wooden bench on the train sat a suit of armor and a blonde-haired teenager. They were whispering quietly to each other, ignoring a few staring eyes. Maybe the pair was just used to receiving rude glances.
The armor said to the blonde, "Big Brother, do you think that Winry will get-."
"Course she'll be mad! This is the third time I've completely destroyed my automail!"
"Edward! Don't yell. We'll get even more looks…"
"Yeah, sorry, Al. It's just… Winry… She's gonna kill me!"
"Ed!"
"Sorry!"
The train put on its brakes and began to move sluggishly. The whistle sounded and a black smog shrouded the compartment windows.
Ed and Al stood up, collecting their few belongings. Edward was dreading Winry, her wrath a certain death. And what would his explanation be for the busted automail? A talking chimera from another planet sliced it in half? Yeah, that would go over real well.
The air was warm outside, the sky cloudless. A pair of swallows flew overhead, landing in a nearby tree. Summer was beautiful out in Resembool. So peaceful…
"Alphonse! Don't try and pick up another stray! It's probably someone's barn-cat!"
"Oh, but Big Brother… he looks so lonely!"
"If we take him with us, ole' Den will eat up. Every last bit."
"Well, I suppose we can leave him here."
"Good idea."
Petty conversation carried on as Edward and Alphonse headed to the Rockbell Automail Shop, Winry's pride and joy. It felt good to have some nice weather for a change and to smell the fresh countryside. The city was dirty and rotten, and an escape would do Edward and Alphonse good, even if the escape was just for repairs.
It was past noon when the automail shop came into view. Edward was grumbling about lunch, complaining that he would die of starvation. The vast hills made the trek even more tiring, causing Ed to be even more hungry.
Alphonse pointed out to his brother that lunch was only a half of an hour away. "Look on the bright side, Big Brother. Not only will you get lunch soon, but you'll get to see Winry."
"Don't remind me."
"She'll be happy to see you, Big Brother."
"Because I'm loaded, Al!"
"That's not true. Winry is like our sister."
"Our money-automail-crazed sister."
"Edward!"
"I know, I know. She is like family. Our violent family."
"I give up!"
Edward laughed heartily and Alphonse only sighed, putting his hands up in defeat. He knew that Ed and Winry liked each other, but didn't like to express it. He only wished they did, like normal people.
A loud, excited bark was heard in front of Ed and Al. They both looked up and saw Den, Auntie Pinako's faithful dog, running up to greet them. His tail was wagging, thumping Alphonse's armor in a rhythmical pattern. Edward bent down to pet the giant of a dog and was met by a slobbery kiss.
The two boys laughed. "It's good to see you too, Den."
The big black dog turned and set off at a trot for the automail shop. He was escorting them, in case Edward got any funny ideas.
They reached the door and Den watched them knock on it, before lying down to a nice long nap.
The door was answered by a blue-eyed, blonde-haired teenager, who was cradling a phone between her cheek and right shoulder. She didn't look up to see who had been rapping at the front door, she only motioned with her left hand to come inside.
Winry was entwining her fingers around the short cord, gesturing with her hands as she spoke. Her eyes were sort of dreamy, as if she was talking about new automail.
"That was my best work," she sighed happily.
Ed had a shocked look on his face. "You mean you really aren't ma-."
Winry held up her hand, telling Ed to shut-up. He hadn't realized she had been talking to the person on the phone.
"So you're coming at eight?.. Wonderful! I'm free all night… Not like that!.. Okay. Buh-bye."
A sigh emanated from the girl's mouth, as she turned to Ed. Then she realized exactly who she had let in her door.
"Ed!"
"Winry, who was that?"
"Just this friend of mine," she answered, waving her hand as if it weren't a big deal.
"So how have you been, Ed? Al?"
The two looked at each other, grinning sheepishly. Al nodded to Edward who groaned and scratched the back of his neck.
"Well, you see, Winry… It was Saturday morning and-."
"YOUR ARM IS GONE! MY BEST WORK!"
"Your best work? What about this friend of yours! I hear he has your best work!"
"That's because he never breaks it!"
Edward became quiet. He murmured, "How long have you known this guy, Winry? I mean are you…?"
"Well… yeah. Ed, you're never here. Why should I be lonely because you never visit or write? I want someone to love me."
"I… I do love you, Winry."
"You're sweet, Ed. And I've known you forever. But you're never here. It won't work. I'm sorry."
Edward put his head down like a beaten dog. Winry put her arm on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. She thought he was going to start crying.
"Ed… Ed are you alright?"
He looked up and he had a half-smile on his face. His voice was quivering when he said, "Maybe we can't be boyfriend and girlfriend, Winry. But… can we still be friends?"
"Of course Ed! We've always been friends! We don't need to be more."
Al tapped them both on the shoulder. "Um… guys? I don't mean to intrude, but can we, um…"
Winry turned and gave Al a hug out of the blue. If he could have blushed, he would have looked like a tomato. Why was Winry hugging him?
The clock's ticking seemed to grow in intensity. Each second passed uncomfortably and Al tried to pull away from the embrace. Winry blushed and apologized. Then she turned back to Ed, grabbing a wrench and proceeded to whack him on the head.
"What was that for?"
"Don't think I forgot that your completely destroyed my automail for the third time!"
"You mean my automail!"
"If I don't want to make it, I don't have to!"
"Then you don't get any money!"
"I'll get it from Tom!"
"Tom? Is that your new boyfriend?"
"Yes it is, as a matter of a fact! Tom Peterson!"
"Tom Peterson, Tom Peterson… hm. Is that the guy who lives in town?"
"Yeah…"
"I know where he lives! I'll go and beat the crap out of him!"
"What happened to only being friends?"
"I'm gonna go and beat his-!"
Winry whacked Edward on the head again with her wrench. He fell over, seeing stars. After the commotion, Al slapped his forehead. Ed would always be Ed.
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"All done! It looks better then the last!"
Ed only groaned.
"Come on, Edward! Where's your spirit? That'll be one hundred thousand, please!"
He managed to mutter, "See, Al? Didn't I tell you? Money-crazed…"
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The sun was just rising. Only a few clouds passed overhead, boasting little patches of shade. It was chilly for a summer morning the grass covered with drying dew. Den yawned. Was it morning already? Time for another nap. He dropped back off to sleep.
The automail shop's door creaked open as Edward and Alphonse Elric creeped outside. They wanted to avoid waking Winry, because she would most likely be cranky after an almost all-nighter.
They had nearly shut the door, when someone stuck their foot in the way. They turned and saw Winry in a pink nightgown, wearing sneakers to protect her feet from the cold hardwood flooring. She looked tired, but not grumpy.
"Weren't you guys going to say good-bye? After all, this could be the last time I see you for a few years."
Al spoke up. "And why's that, Winry?"
She smiled. "Because you never visit!"
Edward sighed out of relief. He had been picturing grotesque torture, but was relieved that she had nothing of the kind in mind.
"I promise to call at least once this year, Winry. That's my early New Year's resolution," said Edward.
"And I promise to call, too," said Alphonse.
"This pains me… but I promise to hit you guys with wrenches less," said Winry.
"That all being said, Al and I have to run to catch our train! We have only forty-five minutes to make it to the station! Al, come on!"
"Coming!"
The girl stood there waving, watching her childhood friends run out of her life again. Would they keep their promises? Nah.
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"Next stop, Central City! Next stop, Central City! Please gather all of your baggage and prepare to depart the train!"
Edward stretched his new automail arm and bent down to pick up his one suitcase. It was lighter now that the broken part of his automail arm wasn't inside of it. He cracked his back and wordlessly paraded to the exit.
The train inched forward, nearly stopped. Why couldn't the doors just open now? A big crowd formed around the exit. A lot of people were getting off, just about emptying the train.
The doors slid open and a train hand stood monitoring things, in the event of… just about anything. He nodded to Ed as he stepped off. Ed nodded back.
"You're on security now, Norm?"
"Yeah. It beats cleaning the toilets, though," the man laughed.
"How have you been, Al? Still letting Edward cheat at cards?"
"No," chuckled Al, "I've been watching him very carefully."
"And…?"
"I've been winning a lot! I always used to wonder why he'd get a straight flush or a royal flush every hand…"
"You're too trusting, Alfie."
Edward cut in. "We gotta go, Norm. I have an overdue report that needs to be given to Mustang."
"Alright, I'll let you kids go."
"We're not kids!"
Norman just laughed.
Edward stalked out of the station, coughing as the steam engine emitted black smog. Al followed, clanking behind. They made their way through the crowd. It seemed as though everyone else was heading in the other direction.
The weather was different in the city. Apparently, it had been gray with clouds and rain for the two days that Ed had been gone. That day wasn't an exception. It was more like mist than rain that day, however. It stung Ed's eyes and seemed to come from everywhere.
They walked to a less crowed area of town to avoid the rushing mob that was trying to escape the rain. It truly was a drab day.
Edward had covered his eyes with a kerchief to prevent the rain from stinging him. But, although it had stopped the pricking sensation, he kept running into Al or a building. So, Ed was forced to remove the kerchief.
When he looked up, to his horror, he saw a woman with waist-length dirty-blonde hair and gold eyes. She had a blood-stained dress on that had once been white. It was the chimera! She was facing a building, looking up into the sky with a gaping mouth, as if in a dream.
Ed changed his new automail in a blade and ran up to her, holding the edge of the blade just below her chin. She turned to him and seeing that she was in danger, she jumped back, covering her face with her hands. The chimera began to cry, begging for her life, saying that she was lost and didn't know where she was.
"You tried to kill me! Why should I believe you!"
"I-I… Please don't hurt me!"
"I should just kill you now, end your misery!"
"No! I don't even know my name!"
"You should have figured it out after two thousand years!"
"Help! There's a boy here trying to kill me!"
The streets were abandoned. Only Ed was there. And Alphonse, who grabbed his brother's shoulder, putting a restraining grip on it.
"What are you doing, Big Brother? Why are you trying to hurt this poor girl?"
"She's the chimera, Alphonse!"
"Let her go. She seems harmless."
"Harmless? Did you not notice that my automail was cleanly sliced in half because of her claws?"
"Maybe it's not her."
"Yes, it is! I should know! I almost got killed by her!"
Alphonse was quiet and the girl looked at him hopefully. He was the only one who could help her. He just had to! Then he turned to her, a questioning look on his face.
"You don't know your name?"
"No! I don't know anything! I-I… I was under some rubble when I woke up. That's my first memory."
"And when was this?"
"Ten minutes ago."
Alphonse turned to Ed, who was still glaring at the girl. He was killing her over and over in his mind. The suit of armor looked at him.
"This chimera of yours… she has amnesia."
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What the hell, I got four reviews, even if no one reviewed the first :'o( Thanx for all the reviews! Look out for the next chapter soon! C ya!
