Chapter Three
Great it's only now that I realize my mistake with this chapter. Ha-ha. See if you can tell what it is. I feel like such a retard but I wrote this a while ago and didn't notice the screw up. Anyway enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
"So what exactly are we doing here?" Evangeline asked Edward.
It surprised him because she hadn't even looked at him since they were back outside the colonel's office. Even if it was an evil glare. When Edward caught up to them they were standing outside of Central Command, waiting for him. Evangeline and Alphonse waited because they had no idea where to go and even though she didn't really like Edward, Evangeline appointed him leader. She didn't like to lead, not even if she knew the way to go or what to do.
Edward had led them to Central Station, when she asked this question. "There really isn't any good place to fight in Central. Even if your a State Alchemist, if you make too much of a scene officers will come in and put a stop to it."
"So, where are we going on a train? And why?"
"Risembool, and because it's big and open. Plus I need my auto-mail repaired."
Evangeline just stared at Edward. She had absolutely nothing to say to that. Mustang had told her Edward broke his auto-mail a lot, but Alphonse had said they just left Risembool, for repairs a little less than a month ago. What does he do to break it so often, she wondered? She also wondered how he became a State Alchemist. When she took the exams, Evangeline thought for sure she wasn't going to make it in. For one she was a 16 year old girl, two in some people's eyes she looked scary, and three she wasn't confident about her abilities and tended to fail because of it. But Edward was the same age, had a big temper, and looked really short by most people's standards. Evangeline knew that you don't get anywhere with nothing, so Edward had to have something going for him. She wanted to ask him but after being a total bitch to him the question would seem like an edge over him. So she just let the topic slide.
When they got on the train and to their seats, Evangeline let the boys have a pick at their seats. And much to her surprise they sat on opposite sides. Alphonse took the window seat and Edward took the aisle seat across from him.
For a second she didn't know where to sit, either place would have felt weird.
Next to Alphonse on the aisle she would be paranoid of people walking by on the aisle the entire trip, but sitting next to Edward would feel just as strange because of how she acted. In her opinion an apology would either put more tension between her and Edward or just make him untrusting of her. You don't just go around being totally rude to someone one second and nice the next.
She suddenly got the idea she was way over thinking it. Who cares where she sat? I can sit where ever I want, she thought. All of this took less than a second to happen and with only a moments hesitation she sat in the window seat next to Edward. As she sat down she stole a small glance at the older brother and noticed he was too deep in thought to care.
Evangeline shrugged and looked out the window, watching the green scenery go by so quickly she couldn't make it out. As the train turned she could see the partially burnt, gray city behind them. She knew all about the Promised Day, even though the military tried to cover it up, saying it was just a drill. What kind of drill costs you over half of the soldiers and the Fuehrer? After the event Evangeline did research on exactly what happened. Turns out the new king had planned an attack on Central command and the boys sitting next to her were in on it. Even more surprising the old command was corrupt down to the very person she had respected her entire life, King Bradley. Now all of the higher-ups have been replaced by those people who took over the government. The whole reason for this coup was because the country was apparently being used to create the legendary Philosopher's Stone.
When she learned of this, Evangeline almost laughed but suddenly stopped herself. Why wouldn't these people aim for immortality and power? She thought. Everyone dreams of being better than the person standing next to them. Why not sacrifice those useless humans who worship you to save yourself from ever seeing God? Nobody ever wishes for death unless they are under great torture and some even fear Death himself. If they have already killed millions just to create this horrid tool, then they were already destined for hell.
Evangeline sighed. She didn't completely understand the motives of those who controlled her home so she just put the information away for when it was needed. Luckily the new king was still recruiting State Alchemists so she decided to join the military in hopes of figuring out the why of this changed country. And she was even luckier getting paired up with the very alchemist who worked under Mustang. As soon as she was drafted she made a vow to never reveal her knowledge to those involved.
Thinking about what she knew, Evangeline started thinking about her father and his talent. It was almost exactly like regular alchemy except it didn't need transmutation circles to use. It's not like you can draw on air anyway. The hard part about the science is that there was nothing to touch; her father told her this was why the art has been almost forgotten over the centuries. The thing about Air Alchemist is that they can actually see wind currents and bend them to their will, but there has to be some noticeable movement of the air or else she's powerless. When she first learned of her power, Evangeline didn't notice anything, because the wind didn't change. It was flowing straight and it suddenly bent upward in a loop when black electricity ran through it. But that was what all wind does, she sighed. So she gave up after only one try and never went back to the useless practice. One night, years later, her dead mother visited her in a dream, telling her daughter of how unskilled Air Alchemists can only create natural changes to the wind. As she started to wake, Evangeline reached out to touch her mother of 8 years but she vanished in a sad mist.
So she restarted her training, using it as a buffer for her depressed father as he taught her. After only 2 years she was on a level parallel to her father's, much to both of their amazements. And her father became a happier man after losing his one true love. Everyday they trained he would tell his daughter how much she looked like her mother; they both had dark flowing hair and those shocking blue eyes. The only thing Evangeline inherited from her father was his pale skin, while her mother had deep tan skin. The locals would joke goodheartedly that the man and his daughter were a couple of ghosts that haunted the beautiful woman. But they stopped joking when the family lost their anchor and the house fell quiet. The people gladly helped the grieving pair during their time of need and over time the sad emotions were covered with bittersweet memories.
Evangeline was pulled out of her flashback when Edward and Alphonse were loudly arguing above her. Apparently Edward had almost hit her when Al stopped him. Now they were bickering about how to wake the girl with no clear solution in sight. Suddenly Ed felt a hateful presence staring at him; he looked around and noticed they were the only three left on the train. He looked down, no longer yelling, and saw the black haired girl glaring darkly at him. Edward felt a shiver travel down his spine.
"S-sorry," he stuttered. "Uh, did we wake you?"
"No, you did," Evangeline growled.
"Oh, good morning Evangeline," Alphonse cut in, happily. "Welcome to Risembool!"
"What a wonderful welcome," she laughed, as she stood up and grabbed her bags.
As the two headed off the train, Edward waited a few moments to follow them. "Welcome home."
