His Loss, Her Words, Their Adventure

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I Don't Own FMA in Any Way.

Rating: Pg—Pg-13 Due To Bad Words and Possible Violence in Later Chapters.

A/N: To anyone interested in knowing, yes, Den will be on this little adventure with Ed and Winry, though I may just make her run off and come in at random times throughout the Fic. ;)

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"I'm never leaving you alone Winry, I promise! I'm not going to send you back" he said. Winry mentally smiled triumphantly. "But, if something happens to me, I want you try and stay alive" Ed muttered.

"No Ed, if something happens to you, I'll stay by your side, I promise! Even if I put my life on the lines, I'll stay with you, no matter what" Winry promised. They looked each other in the eyes. They both had promises they intended to keep. No matter what.

They stayed silent after making their promises. Ed noticed Winry was wet, certainly from running under the rain. He also took notice that he was a little wet as well. "Winry, I'm gonna get us some towels to dry off, I'm sure their bound to have some on this train" Ed said quietly as he stood up. "Wanna come?" he asked as he looked down at her.

Winry looked up at him and smiled. "I'll stay here, I'm sure I'll be fine being alone for just a little while" she replied kindly. "Oh, OK, then I'll be back in a little, OK?" he asked. "Yeah, I'll stay put" Winry replied. Ed nodded once before walking out of the booth to find some towels.

Winry relaxed a little more into the seat, rested her arm on the arm rest, and looked out her window, watching as the rain droplets left trails on the glass as gravity pulled them down.

Ed walked out of the booth and closed the sliding door behind him. He looked both ways in the narrow hallway to find a train worker. To his left, at the very end, was what he was looking for. He walked all the way and tapped the worker on the shoulder. The man with brown hair and eyes turned around to see him.

"Ah, hello there, how may I help you young man?" the worker asked. "Yes, I was wondering if there're any towels on this train, my friend and I are a little wet from running under the rain to get to the train station" Ed explained. "Of course, go back to your booth, I'll be sure to bring them to you" the train worker replied politely.

"Thank you sir" Ed said before turning on a heel and heading back to his booth. When he returned, though, he saw Winry was reading a book. He opened the sliding door and leaned on the frame. "You're always complaining about me reading a book and here you are, reading" he said playfully.

"Yeah, but, this isn't my book" Winry said, amused as she showed Ed the cover to reveal and transmutation circle on it. Ed's eyes widened for the umpteenth time today. That was his book. "Ed, if you're such a great Alchemist then why do you keep reading these things?" Winry asked, continuing to flip through the pages. Ed shook his head and gathered his thoughts. He then sat down next to her.

"I wasn't reading on Alchemy" Ed clarified. "Then, what were you reading on?" Winry asked. "Look, I'll show you" he said as he gestured for Winry to give him his book which she did. Ed took the book in his hands and began flipping through it until he found the page he was looking for.

"You see that picture there?" he asked, pointing to a black symbol on the right page showing, what seemed to be, a snake eating its own tail with two small wings on either side and in the center a shape consisting of two triangles; one upside up and the other upside down.

"Yeah, what about it?" Winry asked. Before Ed could answer, the sliding door opened and the two blondes looked up simultaneously to see the train worker Ed had asked for towels, holding two in his arms.

"Oh, if I had known you two were a couple, I would've only brought one towel" he said, smiling amusingly. Ed and Winry's eyes widened concurrently. "We're not a couple; just friends" Ed said sternly. "Oh…nonetheless, here are your towels" the worker said nervously, placing the towels next to Ed. He then closed the sliding door and raced off, apparently embarrassed.

Winry's eyes dropped a little, saddened. Just friends…she thought sorrowfully. Ed placed the book facedown on his lap and grabbed the white towels next to him. He turned back to Winry but looked at her worriedly. "Hey, Win, is something wrong?" he asked worriedly.

Winry looked up at him and forced a smile. "I'm fine, I'm just a little tired, I guess" she replied. "You want me to sit on the other seat to let you rest?" Ed offered. Winry wiped her eyes. "Nah, I'll be fine. Continue with the book thing" Winry told him.

"Well, here" Ed said as he gave her a towel. Winry took it gratefully and began drying herself with it. Ed did the same with his towel. Winry wrapped her towel around her shoulders and awaited Ed. He did the same and picked up the book in his hands again.

"Anyway, that symbol I showed you" Ed began once more. "It's the symbol all Homunculus have on them as a tattoo" he told her. "Homunculus?" Winry asked curiously. "It's an artificial human; a human that's not human. They're the result of a failed human transmutation" Ed explained.

"But…then, that means…" Winry said, remembering the night of his transmutation. "I know" Ed muttered and looked away. "I created one…I killed her…" he said sadly. "She looked a lot like my mom…When I killed her she said she was proud that I was able to kill her even though she had my mothers face…and memories…" he whispered.

Winry carefully placed a hand on his shoulder, pausing slightly before her hand actually touched. Ed looked back at her. Winry offered a gentle smile. "It's OK, something tells me you had to and something else tells me these Homunculus aren't good news" she told him comfortingly.

Ed's expression turned serious once more and he nodded once. They both turned back towards the book. "Anyway," Ed began. "The Homunculus all want the same thing; to become human. But that can only be done with the Philosophers Stone which is what led me to read up on them. They ran off before me and Al started our transmutation which, probably, would've given them what they wanted and yet…they just went away…I don't get why" Ed explained, a little confused towards the end.

"Ed?" Winry asked quietly. "Yeah?" Ed replied as he looked at her. "Are the Homunculus what we're gonna be up against?" Winry asked. Ed shrugged. "Yes, and they're exactly why I didn't want you involved. Homunculi are dangerous" Ed replied.

"You worry too much" Winry told him. Ed let out a breath, annoyed. "So, why were you reading up on the Homunculi?" Winry asked suddenly. "To see why they would run off at the chance to become human but…nothing, the book doesn't give too much insight on that or the Homunculus in general" Ed replied.

"Hm, I see" Winry said quietly. Ed closed the book and went back to his seat on the opposite booth. "Nonetheless, I have to stop them. If I don't, they'll find some poor soul to do their bidding and get a bunch of innocent people hurt or killed" Ed stated.

Winry looked at him, admirably, for a moment. He was brave enough to put his life on the line to stop this force, known as the Homunculus, to help innocent people not get hurt. Ed looked at her and raised an eyebrow curiously. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked.

Winry gasped silently and shook her head slightly. "Sorry, it's just…that's so…brave of you" Winry said, smiling. Ed's eyes widened…again. "I'm not brave or anything like that…it's called doing the right thing" he muttered.

"And that's called being brave" Winry told him, still holding a kind smile on her lips. Ed looked at her and returned a tiny smile. "Thanks" he said, quietly but gratefully. Winry smiled sweetly and then turned to the window.

It was now sprinkling lightly, indicating they were getting away from the rain. "You think it'll be raining in Central?" Winry asked absentmindedly. "Nah that rain was back in Resembol, in a little while it probably won't be raining at all" Ed replied as, he too, looked out the window.

They stayed in a comfortable silence for a while. It was moments like these that made Ed really appreciate his friendship with Winry. She would always be there for him and would always make him feel special when he, emotionally, self inflicted pain on himself. It was nice to have someone do that for him.

Ed fell into a subtle haze before remembering something. "Hey, Win?" he asked. "Yes?" Winry replied. "What about Den?" Ed asked curiously. It was Winry's turn to widen her eyes. "Oh, Den, you mean…The dog Den?" Winry asked, trying to stall.

"No, I mean the fish Den. Of course I mean the dog Winry!" Ed said, sarcastically at first and then irately. "Oh, well, um…she's in the cargo area" Winry replied finally. "You're kidding" Ed said quietly, slight anger in his voice.

Winry smiled sheepishly. "I know that face; you're telling the truth" Ed said nervously. "Well, yeah, where was I going to leave her? It's not like she can feed herself" Winry stated. "Oh goody, we have a dog to hang around with too" Ed complained.

Winry thought for a moment. This would be easier if Den were actually here she thought and then had an idea. "Ed, come with me" she said as she stood up, letting the towel on her shoulders fall to the seat. "Why?" Ed asked irately. "Cause I want to show you something" Winry replied.

"No thanks" Ed said; he still had the fact that Winry brought Den on his mind. "Oh c'mon" Winry insisted as she grabbed his Automail hand and forced him to stand up, allowing his towel to fall as well.

Winry opened the sliding door and stepped out of the booth, dragging Ed behind her. Winry began walking down the narrow hallway, Ed was struggling to keep up considering he didn't want to go and was trying to slow Winry down and Winry was taking large strides.

Travelers in the other booths watched as the two blondes hurried down the hallway. Out of a couple of open booths Ed could hear people say things like 'ah, young love' or 'what a cute couple'. It made him want to break their faces in but, since Winry was still dragging him, he couldn't.

Soon, after passing through two passenger trains filled with whispers and cat calls, the Alchemist and mechanic made it to the cargo train. "Winry, why did you drag me here?" Ed asked demandingly. "I wanted to show you something" Winry replied playfully, still holding Ed's hand.

Winry pulled him deeper into the cargo area and looked around. There were several animals traveling in here but she was looking for a certain black and white dog. Soon, behind them, the two blondes heard quiet footsteps and panting. They turned around simultaneously to see Den.

"Den!" Winry said cheerfully, finally letting go of Ed's hand and walking over to greet her dog. Ed crossed his arms scornfully. After being pet a little by her owner, Den ran over to Ed, jumped up and Ed, surprised, caught the dog in his arms.

Den barked happily and licked his cheek. Ed's face became a little disgusted but he quickly got over it. "Why don't you want sweet Den with us?" Winry asked, acting cutely, as she pet Den more while Ed held her.

In his arms, Ed could feel, with his flesh hand, that Den's fur was kinda wet. "It's not that I don't want her around" Ed told her. "I just get worried, I guess" he said. Ed knelt down, carefully, and placed Den on the train floor. He then pet her happily as well.

"Couldn't you leave her with someone though?" Ed asked. "I was acting on impulse, plus, I needed to catch up with you" Winry explained as she knelt down next to him. Ed looked at her seriously for a moment. "You're serious about this, huh?" he asked.

"Of course I am. I'm not letting you go at this alone, I want to help you" Winry replied. Ed looked at her and then averted his gaze away. "Winry…I don't want to see you get hurt…" he whispered.

"I won't get hurt" Winry told him. "Don't make promises you can't keep" Ed said to her, repeating the exact words she told him back at the house. "Just…Imagine how it was with you and Al instead I'm here" Winry suggested.

Ed laughed silently. "It's not the same Winry" Ed told her. "I'm trying to help" Winry said scornfully. "Winry, Al was a giant suit of armor who couldn't be killed as easily as a human unless you scratched off his soul combining transmutation circle" Ed explained.

Winry sighed. "I'm trying to help" she repeated quietly. Ed sighed, now, as well. "I know" he said, understandingly but quietly. Ed slid his hand off of Den and he sat silently for a while, deep in thought apparently.

It was silent…for a few minutes anyway. Den got bored and licked Ed's cheek again. Ed jumped up, obviously not expecting that. Winry tried to hold back her laughter as Ed wiped the slobber from his cheek.

Ed looked over at her and smiled faintly at the way she laughed. It was kinda…cute. Winry stopped laughing and looked back at Ed. "We've made our promises, Ed. How about we make one more promise?" Winry asked.

Ed looked at her, curious but intrigued. "Let's make a promise that we'll have each other's back, no matter what. If I'm in trouble, you have to promise you'll come to help me out and If you're in trouble, I have to come to help you out" Winry explained.

Winry extended her arm out but kept it elevated up. "Promise?" she asked. Ed looked at her hand for a moment and then to Winry. If he made this promise, he would keep it; he wouldn't let, not even the strongest Homunculus get anywhere near her!

He smiled confidently and took her hand in his flesh one and held it tightly. "Promise!" he reassured. Winry smiled brightly. "I was hoping you'd say that" she said quietly but cheerfully. Ed returned with a small smile of his own. They slid their hands apart and stood up. Ed and Winry patted Den on the head one last time before deciding to return inside the train.

They walked through the two passenger trains, receiving more cat calls, whispers and, this time, awkward stares. They reached their private booth. Luckily, no one had tried to steal their stuff so their things were still there, untouched.

They took their seats, looked out the window, and awaited their arrival to Central.

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A/N: Honestly, there's not much I can say right now. Next chapter will be up soon. Oh, by the way, sorry this took a while to post, I had a busy week, studying for my finals and whatnot but, don't worry, I update often so make sure to check by every now and again to see if I've updated ;) Anyway, R&R, constructive criticism, no flames, thank you!