Pulling the damper out of the coals, I pulled back the tin foil by the slightest, sniffing. It smelt like heaven, I glanced around and nicked a small piece, burning my fingers in the process.
"Hot hot hot!" I yelped, the hot piece of deliciousness burning the roof of my mouth.
"Are you alright Alex?" I let out a yelp of surprise, spinning around seeing Alphonse.
"You scared me." I breathed, putting a hand over my thudding heart, letting out a breathy laugh.
"I'm sorry." He apologised, scratching the back of his head. He had a stripe of red dust on his cheek, I giggled.
"Huh? What are you laughing about?" He asked curiously. I gestured to where the stripe was on his face. He rubbed the wrong side of his face in an effort to get it off, when that failed I grabbed a piece of cloth and wiped it off for him.
"Thank you Alex." Al said, bowing the slightest, I waved him off.
"Where's Edward? You two are usually attached to the hip." I commented, glancing around for the shrimp.
"He's working on fixing some fences, I came to get some water for him." I made an o shape with my mouth in understanding. I walked onto the porch and inside, taking Al and Ed's flasks with me, filling them with cold water. I walked back out, Al nowhere to be found, strange.
"Al?" I called out in question, I looked around. I walked around the corner and saw the two brothers sparing. They were getting out of doing work... Again. I watched mesmerised. Al moved out of the way of Ed's round house kick, grabbing Ed's arm, Al pulled it, and stuck his foot out. Ed jumped, twisting his arm free, doing a somersault in the air, the same kind that the performers in the circus do. Ah, I was getting distracted again. When Ed landed, I put my thumb and pointer finger in the corners of my mouth, letting out a high pitched whistle. Ed and Al stopped their movements and looked at me, I waved them over. They walked over, fixing their disheveled appearances, and catching the flasks I chucked at them.
"I'm pretty sure you're meant to be fixing some fences." I said raising an eyebrow at them, Alphonse chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head, Ed just shrugged.
"Shrugging is not an acceptable answer Fullmetal." I said, unconsciously using the name he had told me he had been called back home. Ed coughed up water, spluttering it everywhere.
"What did you say?" Ed asked, his voice hoarse. I put my hands to my mouth, recognising my mistake.
"Sorry, I did that unconsciously." I whispered.
"It's okay, it's just I haven't been called that for two years, it just feels weird. You remind me of someone. Colonel Mustang." Edward said, smiling as if nothing was wrong, but I could tell it bothered him the slightest.
"Führer Mustang you mean." Alphonse corrected, smiling happily, probably thinking of some good memories. Ed laughed, shaking his head.
"The crazy basted had actually managed it, which reminds me I still owe him some money." Ed trailed off in thoughtfulness, I grinned, it seemed like such an Edward thing to do.
"How much do you owe him?" I asked, curious.
"Umm..." Edward hummed in thought, he had probably forgotten.
"520 yen, in your world it would probably be... $5.15." Alphonse worked it out for him.
"It's kind of sad that your younger brother remembers that and you don't." I teased, Ed waved me off.
"By the way, who is this 'Mustang'?" I asked, tilting my head to side curiously. Something was nagging me about the name.
"He and brother never did get along well-" Al began.
"At all." Ed interjected, I rolled my eyes.
"He was brother's superior when he was a state alchemist." Alphonse finished, I nodded in understanding.
"Yes, it is in Edward's nature to undermine authority." I said with a mock serious face, nodding my head.
"Hey! I'm right here you know!" Ed yelled at us, Al laughed.
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were there shorty." I commented.
"Why you!?" Ed raised a fist, shaking it in front of my face. Al and I laughed at his reaction, still the same as ever.
"How come your taking her side?" Ed whined like a child, this didn't help with stopping Al and I's laughter.
"Help!" A yell came from the corral, my laughter stopped instantly and my head snapped to the location of the yell. My feet were moving before I even registered what was going on. Some fool had decided to get on one of the untamed brumbies that had been rounded up yesterday, and it seemed to be the big dun. The untamed stallion threw his head back and let out a loud nicker, he was bucking and rearing. The poor idiot in the ring had been thrown the moment he had mounted. He scrambled to get out of the corral, everyone was watching the violent dun stallion. As I ran over, my hand unhooked the side of my skirts, the skirt dropped to the ground, and I was left in a blouse and firm fitting jodhpurs.
"Out of the way!" I yelled to the surrounding crowd, they glanced at me and moved. I pushed off of the ground and cleared the fencing. I grabbed the halter, and danced out of the way of the striking hooves. I pulled on the lead rope, then grabbing onto the black mane, I heaved myself onto the stallions back. For a split second I glanced around, Ed had run over to the house and seemingly yelled something, Al was trying to get people to back away for there safety. Dusty and Andy ran out of the house, Dusty's eyes widened and he ran over. He moved faster than I ever thought possible for a man of his age.
"Alex!" Everything slowed, Dusty's face seemed to distort and change to another man, younger and different hair colour. He had black eyes and messy black hair. There seemed to be a fire in those eyes. Then everything sped up again. The stallion bucked, I almost lost my grip but I managed to stay on. A loud snap was heard, but I paid no mind to it as I focused on gaining control. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Al slip into the corral.
"Idiot what do you think your doing?!" I yelled. Al dodged each strike of the hooves, as if he was dancing. Too focused on Alphonse, the horse managed to get me off, just before my head hit the ground, I put my hands down, my back arched instinctively and I completed a backwards hand spring. I grabbed my stock whip and cracked it at the horses forefeet. The horse stopped its reckless movements and eyed me. The horse and I glared at each other, Al smiled at me gently, then moved between me and the horse. He gently reached out and petted the horse's nose, my eyes widened. Ed was leaning against a post smiling fondly.
"Al's always had a soft spot of animals, and animals seem to get along with him." Ed supplied when I gave him a questioning glance. Slowly I walked up to the stallion, the horse pressed his nose into my palm. I raised an eyebrow in a questioning manner. One minute this horse was acting as if it wants to kill me the next it's my best friend, don't you just love logic. I stared into the stallion's eyes mesmerised. I snapped out of my daze, to be greeted with yells, whip cracking and a stampede of cattle. My instincts clicked into place, I grabbed the stallion's mane, swung up and dug my heels into his sides. A lap of the corral and jumped the fence. I rode over to Dusty.
"The cattle are loose by the time everyone's organised they'll have scattered, this stallion kicked the fence and it broke. The Elric's and I will go after the main herd, you know I'll be careful." I said before he even got a word in, I glanced over my shoulder and grinned when I saw that the Elric's had already guessed my plan. They were on horses, and we're waiting for me at the edge of the fence. Dusty grabbed my hand, nodded once and let me go once I had nodded in turn. I dug my heels in and did a 180, racing off at a gallop. I was flanked by the Elric's as we raced after the cattle.
We had stopped so I could see if we were on the right track, the cattle tracks split off into three directions, making it near impossible for me to track them.
"Either these cattle suddenly became really smart or something spooked them." I deducted, I turned around and remounted my new best friend. The stallion apparently had anger issues just like me, but that's what made us able to agree... on somethings. Thunder rumbled in the background, I looked up. Angry clouds glared down at me, I scrunched my nose up in annoyance.
"We should find shelter." Ed grumbled, touching his right shoulder with his left hand, flinching the slightest.
"No, I need to track down these cattle." I said, following the trail, then is started to rain.
"Hell no!" I growled, I blindly followed the tracks, these tracks weren't going to disappear on my watch.
"Brother!" Alphonse yelled, I turned around and saw that Ed was on the ground coughing, he looked like he was sick. I raced back to them, something was wrong.
"Is he okay?" I panicked.
"Do I look okay to you?" I went to answer Ed's question but he cut me off, "Don't answer that." I breathed in and let out a sigh.
"Okay, I know a place where we can wait out the storm." I said, helping Ed back onto his horse. I led us through a group of trees, and pushed passed some bushes. Behind the thick shrubs lay a cave, it was the cave where Dusty had found me. He had found me during a storm much like this one, he had been on his way back from the city then. We dismounted and led the horses inside, making sure they were good, Ed needed some help, despite his opinion on the subject. We sat in a tight circle, huddling around a small fire made from the small amount of dry timber and kindling.
So, third chapter is up and running! What did you guys think of Alex and Al's relationship? Personally I thought it suited his adorable personality. Tell me what you think, if there is anything you reckon I should improve? Change? Have I made Alex to over the top and unrealistic? I've tried asking my friends but, that didn't end so well, so ya know, I was hoping you guys had any impute that you think I should consider. Oh yeah before I forget, has anyone figured out who she saw? Well till next time my dumplings, ciao!