Sorry I didn't update! It's almost the end of school (1/2 a day left!) and I have projects in all my subjects, so it's hard to do everything at once. Luckily, I always have time to write ideas and what not down in a notebook! But I lost that notebook for a while, and when I had free time finally, I couldn't write anything! So I will try to update tomorrow, too, be waiting! And remember, vote for who you want Natalia or Ed/Al to fall in love with! I will post the question again, ok? VOTE!

Question: Should Natty here be paired with Al, Ed, have a little crush on both, none, or have either Ed or Al have a crush on her?

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The tavern was dimly lit, the smell of fried foods and other goods fresh in the air. The night was cold and refreshing, but it was cold and damp. As her grandmother would say, "It's raining cats and dogs, Nat, don't go getting your hopes up about going out there!"

Now that Natalia thought about it, she always hated that nickname. She didn't particularly like "Natty" either, but that was what most people called her.

Natalia sighed lightly, but it came out as a cough instead, as she sat down at the booth, Ed and Al across from her.

"I can't thank you enough for saving me," she managed to choke out in a hoarse voice – she still wasn't breathing properly. "If you guys hadn't found me when you did, I would have been dead."

"It was no problem," Al exclaimed, raising his hands so that his gloved palms were facing Natalia. "We would do the same for anyone."

"Yeah," Ed piped up with a small hint of a bragging smile on his face, "it's our job to help people anyway, because you see-,"

Ed's hand was raised, his thumb in mid-point at his chest, other hand on his hip with a bragging look on his face before Natalia interrupted him.

"I know, I know," Natalia said in as bored a whisper as she could. "You're the great Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric, Hero of the People, kid who performed the taboo at age 11 and lost two limbs, youngest state alchemist in history, etc. I know everything about you!" The last part of her rant was said in a cracked voice that could go as loud as a loud whisper.

Ed and Al stared in amazement at the small girl they had rescued, Ed's mouth open in shock and Al's would have been if he had one. At that moment, the waitress came over to the table, a friendly smile on her face as she came up to them.

"What can I get you all today?" she asked politely, placing her hand on the table as she took out a small note pad and a pen.

"Can I have a large glass of milk?" Natalia asked, her voice cracking slightly.

"Is that it?" the waitress asked as she turned to Ed and Al who were still somewhat in shock. The lady then turned back over to Natalia. "Should I come back?" she asked.

"That would be a good idea," Natalia answered with a shake of her head. "But do you think you could bring that glass of milk out as soon as possible?"

"Sure thing, honey," the waitress said with a wink as she left the table.

Ed only just snapped out of his reverie when a particularly large glass of milk was set in front of this new mysterious girl. He cringed slightly at the sight of it and stared on as the girl proceeded to chug down the glass, taking deep breaths every two seconds or so.

There were so many questions Ed wanted to ask at that particular moment, but only one was spoken; "How can you drink that stuff?" Not exactly what he wanted to say, but he was curious and, slightly, disgusted.

"Well," the girl began as she finally stopped sipping her beverage, "first, it goes into my mouth, and then it goes down my esophagus to my stomach, where bile made by the liver and stored by the gallbladder breaks it down. After that-,"

"No, no, no," Ed exclaimed, putting his hands up to stop her cracking voice from saying any more. "I mean how can you not be disgusted by it?"

The girl looked startled for a second before answering, "Like how you think it's disgusting?"

Ed looked startled again for a second before she continued, "I guess you could say that milk is like a guilty pleasure for me and it tastes so good! Although, I won't eat cow, I only drink milk because cows are cute and I think it's cruel that people eat them, so I drink milk to make up for the loss of cow meat in my diet, why do you ask?"

Al was the one who broke out of the shock next, only to stare his red glowing eyes at her and point to himself and ask, "So you know what happened to me?"

"Yep!" Natalia answered. "You're Alphonse Elric, 14 years old and also a performer of the taboo alongside your brother. You lost your whole body to Truth and your sole was bonded to a suit of armor by your brother, who lost a limb in the process. Like I said previously, I know everything about you guys! I'm such a big fan, and I do my research all the time! You guys are my heroes!"

Al looked at the girl's smiling face for a second. "But how did you find this out?" he questioned her, her smiling never faltering.

"Oh," she said with a smirk, "I have my ways. I also know that you truly believe in Equivalent Exchange, so I'll tell you guys about me. My name is Natalia Goodheart, you can call me Natty for short or whatever. I won't tell you my ugly nickname my grandmother gave me, for I hate that name. But I will tell you that I live with my mom and dad, who are getting a divorce I think. They seem to be fighting a lot lately. I can tell you I really only have one friend and that I just turned 16 today! I'm an only child, or at least that's what my mom and dad said. I keep hearing snippets about me having an older brother, much older, and that he disappeared a long time ago. I think grandma said he died in war or something. I never knew him, so I don't know what kind of guy he was. I also don't know alchemy. Wish I did though, it looks so cool!"

It seemed that when she was talking about her family, a sullen face came over her and she seemed to frown for a bit.

"I don't know what to do, too," Natalia continued, looking down and playing with the rim of her glass of milk. "I don't know where my parents are and I don't have anywhere to stay. I was alone before, but now I just feel lost and trapped in a strange land. I don't know how to handle it."

It might have been the hardest decision to ever make, but with one look at each other, Ed and Al decided a silent plan and Al was the one to voice it. "Well, you could come stay with us until you can find your way back home again."

Natalia looked back up with a great smile on her face. "Really?" she asked, excited, "I could really stay with you guys? Thanks so much, I don't know how to repay you!" At this she jumped up and almost dove across the table to hug Al.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

So I keep watching Conqueror of Shamballa because it's my favorite movie of all time! I even drew Chibi German Ed! I also got the first three volumes of the Manga FMA! WOOHOO! So anyway, now my OTP is HeiderichxEd (NO BASHING MY SHIP OR I WILL BASH YOU!). I know I shouldn't be shipping yaoi, but I just had to! I'm sorry! Hate me for all I care!

Anyway, review! Oh, and I will be starting another FMA fic with another OC in it. It will be a Chimera one though and she will be paired with whoever doesn't get Natalia in the end of this. REVIEW and remember to pick an answer to my question!