Dammit! Just how many people knew it was Paninya! Wait...don't answer that. I realize I shud update sooner, but people r sending me death threats here! I shud really stop makin so many stories DX CURSE MI CREATIVITY!
Chapter 4 - Briggs' Automail
"What do you mean by that?" Edward questioned with an arched eyebrow. He had gotten up, now leaning back on the bench in front of the garage-like automail repair shop, his hands back behind him to hold up his sturdy body. Garfiel sighed and took another sip of his tea before leaning back on the wall.
"I'm sure you've heard from that big fellow in the military, Major Armstrong is it?" When the little alchemist nodded cautiously, Garfiel continued.
"Briggs is not only freezing," Garfiel shuddered for affect, "the Major General in charge is known all over Amestris as the Ice Queen. Dominic shipped out some of his prize automail contraptions on the orders from the General herself." With an extended finger to emphasize his words, a wry smile played on the scarlet lips of the large and hairy man.
"And if you're going to Briggs, you'll need to change your automail." Winry piped up from behind enthusiastically.
"Why would I do that?" Edward asked when he adverted his golden eyes to his canny engineer.
"If you're exposed to a snow storm, the skin touching your automail will freeze." She informed while scouring through the metal limbs that hung up on the wall and piled up on the floor.
"What, is their automail different or something?" Again, Edward asked yet another question Winry would surely have the answer to.
"It's a combination of metals," Winry enlightened before disappearing through the back door of the shop, which Edward hadn't noticed before. She left the door slightly agape, kicking it open softly when she returned. In her hands was a large heap of different metals. She dumped them on the floor just beside her desk and Edward flinched at the loud noise it created.
"Don't use all of it, Winry." Garfiel's eyes widened.
"I'll only use some of it." Winry promised, glancing at the older Elric who bore a confused look.
"We keep scrap metal in the back, just in case someone's allergic to a certain type of metal. Anyway, the Briggs' automail uses a mixture of metals." Winry acquainted as she held up a scuffed metal pipe.
"A mixture?" Ed was quite intrigued, never before knowing there were other ingredients put into automail to withstand abnormal temperatures.
"Rather than just being made of iron, the automail that can withstand sub-zero temperatures is made from carbon fiber, fiberglass, chrome, copper-nickel and aluminum alloys."
"All that just for automail?" Alphonse's soft voice spoke up. The new tabby in his lap purred and cuddled up against his iron chest, trying to gain his attention back. Winry simply nodded as she inspected each metal piece she picked up from the abundance of scraps. Ed watched her intently, picking up different metal after different metal.
"I shouldn't have to make you a new arm and leg from scratch, but you probably shouldn't leave for awhile." Winry instructed without turning to look at her biggest source of income.
"What, we have to be up North by tomorrow!" Edward suddenly seemed more aware of the conversation now that he might be delayed even more from his mission.
"You wanna get frostbite!" Winry backfired, glaring at the blonde alchemist through a sideways position. Edward grunted and turned away stubbornly, staring angrily out into the baking streets.
"How long are we talkin'?" He grumbled irritably. Winry ignored him, for she was already in the zone and beginning on certain arm parts. Edward sighed loudly and obnoxiously. He knew the only way to get Winry out of her trance was if he stood over her continuously and watched her work. She'd either grab whatever part of him she could or take a wrench to his skull.
"You might as well stay." Garfiel shrugged before sauntering off. He said something about making lunch but Edward wasn't paying attention. Alphonse was also too engrossed with the kitten in his lap to notice the world around him either.
Edward hated moments like this. There was absolutely nothing to do and he just wasn't inspired enough to draw. He grew tired of watching Winry out of the corner of his eye, and now he sat blankly on the bench staring into space. He hoped an idea would pop up into his little head, or something bad would happen and he'd have to go off and fix it, or that maybe Winry would pipe up and say that it wasn't all that important and that he could go whenever. However hectic his life was at times, whenever he needed something to do his life would literally stop.
It was almost the afternoon, and Garfiel was just now making lunch. It would probably consist of cookies or small cakes. It was too hot to move and right now the young alchemist felt like slug, sprawled out on the bench lazily. He turned his head to left, watching Winry work through the golden strands that fell over his face.
"Winry, is this really all that nec-"
"Yes." Winry cut him off quickly, ending all conversation at that. Edward sighed again before drooping further on the bench. The boredom was killing him, but he figured he might as well take a nap if nothing else was going on. Closing his eyes and drifting to sleep, his hand absentmindedly fell to his stomach, exposing it to the world. Alphonse giggled and shook his head. It wasn't the first time Edward slept with his tummy out.
...
Edward awoke at Dominic's to the mouthwatering aroma of beef stew. He sat up straight and stretched, quickly wiping the corner of his mouth when he felt he was drooling. He stood up and stretched his back while a long, outstretched groan came from the back of his throat and out his chapped lips. Opening the door to the guestroom, he peered out into the hallway and stumbled outward.
"Winry told me you'd wake up when you smelled stew." Satella giggled from the kitchen, a large metal pot in her hands. She dipped a large silver spoon into the stew while tipping the pot to the side, scooping out its continents into six bowls.
"Where is Winry?" Edward asked after looking around the room. He only saw his brother, Ridel, Paninya, and Dominic holding his new grandson up on his knee.
"She's working on you automail, kid." Dominic answered icily from the couch. The baby giggled in his lap, turning the hardcore muscle man into a blushing, giddy glob of goo. Edward rolled his eyes and fixated them onto Satella bringing out a silver tray with all six bowls on it. She set it down on the table and everyone grabbed one. As Edward took his, he savored the bite in his mouth. Oh, he hadn't had stew like this in a long time!
"This is amazing!" Edward said heavenly, his golden eyes glazed over in pleasure. The now cat-less Alphonse chuckled and watched his eccentric older brother devour the stew.
It wasn't that long at all before Edward finished, for others were enjoying and actually tasting their food as it went down. The full Elric stood and put his bowl away in the sink after dashing it under the faucet. Wiping off the excess water on his shirt, he grabbed his red alchemist coat from the rack by the door and slipped it on.
"What're you doing, Ed?" Alphonse asked as he stood. Edward looked back with his trademark smirk splitting across his face.
"Say goodbye, Al, we're leaving." Edward ordered, gaining everyone's attention in the room.
"What about Winry? She's fixing you up a new arm and leg." Paninya stared at the older brother somewhat puzzled. Edward only grinned.
"We gotta head up North if we're ever going to get back our bodies. Tell Winry not to wait up." Edward requested before heading out the door. Alphonse hesitated at the door, then bowed nervously before rushing out after his brother. Paninya was left smirking.
"She's so going to kill them."
! I finally updated once again! I thought Edo and Aru spent too much time in Rush Valley anyway. How is Winry going to react? U kno she'll blow up on em ;D YOU BETTER REVIEW MI STORY! I JUS MYT NOT UPDATE FOR AWHILE!
