Author's Note: Another post! Almost done with school so I am going to try and keep up on this. This is another relatively short chapter, but there is so much I want to get out that I don't want to make the chapters overly long and not jointed together. Anyways Enjoy the chapter and just a few quick things.

Neros is a Venice/Hanging Gardens inspired city. Not very original but the idea just fit so well I feel. Also it is pronounced Nay-ros. Just in case you were wondering.

Anyways R&R and enjoy!

"Wow, look at the country side you guys!" Skyler exclaimed, her face pressed against the glass window of the train.

"You are such a kid! Act your age," Ed grumbled as he sat pressed against the seat. Skyler, in her blind excitement, had managed to take up most of the train cabin they were in. She would occasionally flail her arms and make other quick jerking movements that would cause the boys to dodge.

"Ha, I could say the same to you, Ed," Skyler said turning to him. Ed growled a little, his eyes flashing.

"Brother," Al warned. Ed sat back again and just grumbled to himself, pouting like a child. "So Skyler, do you not leave Central that often?" Al asked hinting at her ecstatic behavior.

Skyler sat next to Ed and looked out the window. "Not often. Being a general seems to limit your places of travel unless you follow the Furher directly. I'm usually left to help train the new recruits. Ed was a special case to not have come in contact with me after joining." Ed peered up at her through his hair; then returned his gaze to the green countryside that was passing them by.

The sky was blue and the land was green. Mountains could be seen in the distance that led to bases such as Briggs. Sections of land belonged to the local farmers. Acres of corn, wheat, and cotton could be seen as far as the eye could travel. Field workers worked hard, sweat draining down their brow. As the train passed by, the children would run and wave, yelling to the passengers in joy.

Once the train broke away from the farm country, it found itself in fields of flowers. Lilies and lilacs coated the land in a plethora of color. Their scent consumed the air and their aroma entranced anyone who took a whiff of the sweet smell.

Ed found the scent peaceful, calming and a bit nostalgic. It was so strong at times that it could put him to sleep, he thought. He recalled this strong aroma from his childhood in Risembool. From beyond their little town, there was a valley of flowers. The aroma used to pour from the valley and contaminate the air of their small town. He normally didn't care a ton for the smell, but his mother did. Ed remembered how his mother would just open the window and just stand by it. Her eyes would be shut and the wind would blow through her hair. She was like an angel to him.

"Have you ever traveled to Neros?" Al asked looking towards the raven haired girl.

"Long time ago, I was about your guy's age. It was probably not long after I left Risembool," she stated, "It was definitely not a choice to go there. I had just joined and Mustang had to travel there. Being his subordinate, I had to follow."

"So you have always been his dog," Ed commented his gaze not moving from the window.

She laughed, "I suppose so. In any case, my trip to Neros was not one I wanted to have."

"I guess I am still a bit lost," Al said, "What exactly is so bad besides the killing that goes on there?"

Skyler's face grew dark and she stared at the floor. "Killing is the main issue. The psychological trauma consumes you. Always having to watch your back and not knowing who is really out to get you for money and blood. The people there sell out alchemists and other's heavily involved with alchemists for money. It is like gambling to them. Sometimes it can be so eerily quiet that you don't know what is going to happen to you. People go mad just waiting for the attack. Neros can't be escaped either. For most people, once they are in the city, that is where they stay because they are usually killed before they can even leave, or they are sold into a slave trade."

The boys sat there in a dead silence. As children, they had heard about Neros, but by both their mother and teacher, they were told to never talk about it. Now, they could see why.

"So the place is a complete dive," Ed said. Skyler shook her head, her arms folded tightly across her breast.

"That is the creepy part. The city is a beautiful utopia filled with riches. Neros is a floating island sustained by alchemy with water running through the streets. Some consider it comparable to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. In itself, it is a sight to behold and some will risk the dangers of it just to go and see it once in their lifetime."

"But isn't that hypocritical? Why sustain this place with alchemy if they just kill alchemists?" Al questioned. It made no sense to him.

Skyler shrugged as she turned to him. "That is the problem no one can solve. It is very much a double standard held by the city. Some would say it has to do with the current ruler over Neros. It is more history and politics than I would rather get into at the moment." Al nodded.

"So this trip will be quite the adventure," Ed said with a small smirk on his face. He was definitely ready for the challenge. Part because he wanted information on the philosopher stone and the other part because he wanted to prove everyone wrong in the fact that he could handle himself.

"Just don't get carried away," Skyler commanded.

"Yeah, yeah you all keep saying that," Ed mumbled as he shut his eyes. Soon he fell into a deep slumber.

"WOW!"

Thud

Ed was lying on the floor. The piercing squeal that woke him from his sleep was none other than Skyler. He struggled to get to his feet as the train cabin was so small. He found himself wedged between the bottom of the bench and the young girl's feet. The boy suppressed every bit of anger he had seething from him in order to not yank her on the floor and start beating her. She was going to give someone a heart attack (if she hadn't already) someday and that was for sure.

"Brother, are you all right? That was quite the fall for the actual distance of it," Al said looking at the boy on the floor. He was right. Ed had fallen all of 12 inches and made it seem like he fell off a building.

"Yeah I'm fine," he grumbled, eye twitching. Ed turned his gaze to Skyler. "Hey what do you have to say!" After a moment, he growled. As usual, she was paying him no mind. Skyler gawked at the view she could see from the train. Ed was convinced that she hadn't heard a word he had just said. It wouldn't surprise him in the least.

She stopped and turned to him with a curious look. "Did you say something, Ed?"

It took everything in his power to keep his balance. He just couldn't understand how someone could be so…just so! It was a mystery to him if she did it on purpose or not. In this case, he would say that she was actually clueless at the moment. "No I didn't say a damn word."

"Ok, well come and look at this wonderful view! It is absolutely breath taking!"

The boys gazed out the window. Below them was the crystal clear sea that met the horizon of the blue sky. Seagulls cawed and glided through the sky in a pattern of acrobatic movements. If there was one thing the boys would take away from this trip, it was that there were some really awesome views that they saw. Ed would admit that was one nice thing about having Skyler around. She always took the time to notice those seemingly little things around her, such as the scenery. Ed was usually too busy in his own thoughts to take notice of those things. For once it was nice just to kick back and enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds.

Skyler leaned back slightly and smiled. Her eyes shut; she felt the wind blow through her hair. The window was so strong that it almost felt like her hair would come right of her body, but she didn't mind. Somehow it felt wonderful to her. Opening her eyes, she smiled, but her eyes showed a sense of nervousness. Then she pointed. "There it is boys, Neros."

Ed and Al shoved her out of the way as they scrambled to look out the window. There, just down the floating tracks, was a city suspended above the water. A light glow came from beneath the floating island, as water flowed over the sides of it. Hundreds of waterfalls trickled down into the sea. It was a place neither boy would have ever thought would have existed. The longer Ed stared at the city, the more excited he grew. What got him excited in particular was the glowing light. The thought of there being enough alchemy to sustain the massive rock and the city that inhabited it with such ease, was utterly fascinating to him.

Skyler sat back down on the bench next to Ed. The train whistle blew, notifying all passengers on the arrival that would be happening very shortly. "Ok boys, our mission, investigate the murders and find out everything we can about the Philosopher's stone. There will be no side missions, understood?" She gave them the quick briefing with her arms folded across her chest and her legs crossed. How she went from childish to completely regal in 2.5 seconds was beyond Ed's thought capacity.

"Right, right, just because the Colonel isn't here doesn't mean you should take over his constant badgering that he seems consider beneficial to me. I am well aware of how dangerous this place is, so you don't have to remind me."

"I am just warning you, Ed. Quite frankly, I know how you can get. You say you will do one thing, and then you go and do the complete and destructive opposite. Plus, you drag your brother into the trouble too."

"Oh what just cause I used to do that when I was like 5? For your information, I seem to recall you being in on all the "shenanigans" that we used to get into."

"Yes, but I am not just referring to that. I am referring to your reports you file and all the damage reports I get from your missions."

Al snickered a little. Ed just blushed and slumped down in his chair and huffed. Skyler smirked as the mental tally mark under her name appeared. She figured right now the score had to be about Skyler: 5, Ed: 2. It was somehow her life mission to get under the boy's skin. Probably because it was not exactly the hardest thing to do, not to mention it could be quite fun at times.

Slowly, the squealing of the locomotive coming to a halt began to drag out. Ed looked out the window and noticed that they were pulling into the station. He stood and grabbed his suitcase. He couldn't help but smirk to himself. I will have to inform Colonel Jackass that I didn't hijack a train for once. Though it would have been funny just see him get all pissed off. Ed snickered with a devilish grin on his face.

The three exited the train and stood out on the platform. They stood in awe as they watched the bustling station before them. People poured in and out of the train with practiced ease, and those who were not used to the action were shoved around like ragdolls. The young alchemists knew they had to get out of the way before they really upset someone. So they swiftly exited the platform and the station all together and ended up in the streets of Neros.

It was just as Skyler had said. The streets were filled with water and sidewalks sat about a foot above the water level. The sidewalks were wide to accommodate the walkers and they were made of carefully placed bricks with bridges occasionally crossing over the watery streets to the other sidewalk that ran its parallel. Boats transported people from place to place. The buildings of Neros were tall and narrow. They were old and with cracks creeping up the sides of some, but it somehow gave them an old world charm.

"This is it, we are finally here," Al said with excitement in his voice. Ed and Skyler just stood in silence with smiles on their faces as they look around at their surroundings.