Asuna and Al had finished their conversation and started playing a nice game of tic-tac-toe when Calkie found them.

Al shot up and immediately started asking questions. "Where did you leave my brother? He'll catch a cold out if he's left out there."

Calkie looked at the suit of armor as if he was the original offender. She started to bristle when Asuna stepped forth and introduced him.

"Oh, Calkie! This is Alphonse and the rude moron you beat up back there is Edward." Asuna looked at Calkie hoping that she would stop glaring at Al.

After she was introduced, Calkie stopped glaring at Al and turned to look in the direction she had just come from.

After Calkie pointed in the direction she left Ed, Asuna continued. "I checked the area thoroughly and set up camp. Could you have dinner ready by the time we get back with the stupid idiot? Knowing you Calkie, I think you knocked him out. Oh! Al, I don't mean any disrespect to you brother by calling him names, I am just appeasing to Calkie's better nature at this point in time."

Calkie turned back to her sister and started to look for things to make dinner with. "Yeah, I'll make dinner. Just don't be too long."

Asuna looked at her sister. Knowing she was still in victory mode she left it be. She then turned to Al. "Shall we go get him?"

Al nodded his head at the agreement and went to collect Ed. Asuna was following close behind him. She paused for a moment and turned again to Calkie. "Before I take off. What is for dinner?"

Calkie looked up from what she was doing. "Stew sounds good tonight. Especially since I think you have been eating the nearby berries again. You know you need to eat better."

Asuna nodded and answered, "I knew you were gone so I didn't quite have my head about me. Two portions for me tonight, Will that appease you?" She watched her sister in worry. Finally Calkie nodded.

With that Asuna nodded again and continued with Al.

They went about half a mile back when they ran into a very unconscious Ed. Al went over a picked his brother up with some help from Asuna and started to walk back to camp.

"Al, What are you two traveling together alone for? Don't you guys have a home to go to?"

Al stopped and looked at Asuna for a moment. "We don't have a home because we burned it down after the accident. We are also traveling together looking for the philosopher's stone. He is still bent on finding it even after we got back from the other side of the gate."

"You can tell me about the "accident" later. But why are you looking for the stone. You have your brother there and you have family around you. What more could you want?"

Al kept his silence for a while.

Asuna quickly changed the subject. "I'm sorry! I'm prying at a subject that is sensitive to you. I do have one more thing to ask about you and your brother. Why are you wearing that suit when you have a body and why does your brother have auto mail?"

Al again was silent for a few moments and began telling Asuna the whole story about the "accident" and how they traveled through the gate several times. He also told her about how he didn't feel right about the last time he went through the gate. How when Ed was still unconscious he went and transmuted a suit of armor and crawled inside. By the time Al was done they had reached the edge of camp.

Al started to get fidgety. "Asuna-"

"Don't worry Al. I won't tell a soul about your secret, not even Ed. My lips are sealed." Asuna reassured.

Al felt as if he could trust her. She had reassured him in a way that reminded him of a mother. His own mother.