Chapter Three- Winry the Goddess

I awake with my head throbbing. My eyelids feel as heavy as lead and I want to keep them closed, but something else wants them to open. "I think she's awake…" I hear Al's voice and I shove my eyes open, and then blink a few times from the bright light. Al seems in delight. He hugs me. I blink in surprise and he lets me down. "I thought big brother killed you!"

"Al, you silly boy…" I say faintly and sit up. "Ow, ow, ow… God my head hurts..." I suddenly perk up and hear Ed's voice.

"I told you, she's the one who started it!" he yells at someone.

"A girl can't take all that you dish out, Ed! If you drank milk more…"

"Shut up!" The other voice was a girl's voice. I recognize it as Winry's. She comes in the room.

"Are you okay?" she asks me. I nod. "That's good." She breathes a sigh of relief. "So, who're you?"

"I'm Liani," I say plainly. "What's your name?"

"I'm Winry. If Ed gives you any trouble let me know. I'll give him what for!" She smiles and I laugh. Winry dons a black tank top and her brown tan pants. Her hair is down, a difference in her normal attire. Ed walks in.

"Heh, are you okay?" Ed asks me. "I'm sorry I was so rough. Shouldn't have been so rough on a girl… hehe…" he says nervously while I quell the fire rapidly rising in my body. No one calls me weak and gets away with it…

"It's fine," I say.

Ed turns to Winry and Al. "I need to talk to the girl privately…" he tells them. Al looks at him peculiarly and then leaves.

"You're not going to do anything inappropriate to her, are you Ed?" Winry asks.

"NO!" he shouts defensively.

Winry shrugs and leaves, shutting the door.

"Hehe… uh Ed…" I say a bit nervously.

"So what's your game?" He asks and I stare blankly. "What are you playing at?"

"What do you mean?" It sounds fake but it's the honest truth. I'm so confused.

"All that advanced alchemy, knowing that I'm regrettably short, knowing all about me and my brother? How?" Edward asks, pounding a fist next to me on the bed. He pulls a chair near the bed. "I want you to tell me everything."

"Everything?" I ask, weakly.

"Everything."

I sigh. He sits and I begin. "Well, I don't come from this world, as you can probably tell. And I live on Earth. I um… well…" I slow down. It's awkward explaining to someone that you've kinda been a stalker your entire life of them and that you're from a different world.

"From Earth? So you must've passed through the gate, which is where that extraordinary alchemy came from. But how did you know me?" Ed asks.

"Well, it's difficult. See, on earth there is a book series and television show called Fullmetal Alchemist," I start slowly. "Um, it's about you and all your adventures. And Al too. And Winry, and Roy…"

"I see. So I'm a star on your world, huh?" Edward has a prideful look on his face.

"Kinda. But there are other shows and books," I say a bit matter of factly.

"By the way, good alchemy for a beginner. And fighting too," he says.

"Oh, I studied every episode of Fullmetal Alchemist, FMA for short," I say. I laugh a minute. "My friend says I'm obsessed."

"Ah," Edward goes quiet. There's an awkward silence for a while. I look out the window at the setting sun.

"What time is it? And what day, too?" I suddenly realize I have no idea of the date.

"It's April 10th, 6:15 p.m. on the dot," Edward explains.

"How long was I out?"

"About a week. Al never left you." He pauses. "I think he likes you."

"Obvious statement of the year," I sigh. "All the boys have been after me lately. Me and Kelly. It's really annoying, actually. If only the right guy would ask me…" I find myself trailing off. I close my mouth quickly. "I've never said that much about my personal life to anyone."

"I find you very talkative, personally," Edward remarks. "But I admire that. At least you're out there and open with me. Just promise me you're not lying."

"I'm not lying!" I say, taken aback. Ed laughs.

"Good. And um, if I may ask," he suddenly turns solemn. "Where did you get that philosophers stone?"

"I didn't make it I swear," I say quietly. He's become intimidating. "I didn't make it!"

"Then how did you get it?"

"It's a toy on my world. My friend bought it for me. It's made out of plastic on Earth. I don't know why it's like this here," I say. There's a silence again as he regains composure. "What is the homunculus situation?"

Ed smiles. "You know about that too? Man you're smart."

I laugh. "Not really. I just watch way too much anime."

"Um let's see. I killed off Greed already, Envy, Gluttony and Bradley are still alive," he says. "Mustang killed Lust…"

"I see," I say. "Are they going to bother us?"

"So long as I don't do anything life threatening," Ed says with a wry laugh.

I nod solemnly. An awkward silence overcomes us, for about the fifth hundredth time. I look down nervously. "Ed, am I… Am I a problem?"

"A problem?" Ed asks and I look up. "Naw, you're fine. It's been a while since I've stayed a long time at Winry's house. I think she'll appreciate it if I stayed longer more often."

"Y-yeah!" I say confidently. Suddenly I sniff the air and an excellent scent is perceived by me. "What is that?"

Ed gives another laugh. "Didn't you know that Winry's the best cook ever?" I push the covers off of me and my legs involuntarily move off of the bed. "Where are you going?" I stand and look at him, a wide grin on my face.

"Ed, didn't I mention? I love to cook."

The kitchen is full of good smell. I notice a casserole like thing baking in one of Winry's handmade ovens. I walk over to where Winry is making an entrée. I look up at her. "Winry, you are a goddess!" I exclaim. She laughs. "Please let me help!" I beg.

Winry laughs again. "Okay, if you're up to it," she says happily. She sets a recipe in front of me for some chicken squares appetizers. "Just follow the recipe and you should be okay. These are all my recipes."

"Okay." I nod. I begin to make dough to wrap the filling in, adding the flour, yeast and eggs and mix it. I almost put the water in, but substitute milk for water because it will taste better that way. (WARNING, THIS IS NOT A REAL RECIPIE! DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT TRY MAKING THIS!)

I continue improvising, making changes to the filling, putting a lot more hidden vegetables in there, like carrots and broccoli. I mix the filling together and place it in the dough squares. Winry comes over and nods, to imply that I'm doing this correctly. I guess she doesn't notice how different it is!

I wrap up each square and take the tray over to the oven. Before I place it in the oven, something beeps and Winry turns some dishes around. I notice that there is a lot of food in the oven as I place mine in and set the timer. "Winry," I ask, "why is there so much food?"

She turns from what she's doing and smiles. "Ed eats a lot, half of it for Al, actually. And I didn't know how much you'd eat, seeing as how you've been out for a week straight." Winry talks a bit softer now. "And plus, we have a guest. We should have a feast."

"Ah-" I say and look down at the floor, embarrassed. "Th-thanks Winry…"

"Don't worry about it!" Winry talks in her usual tone now. "I like cooking!"

"Me too!" I say happily as she grabs things from the oven, leaving the squares in for a while longer. I run over to where the plates are and grab some out for the food. I bring them back over and we put the many foods on the plates in a display. Winry and I take turns moving them from the counter to the self heating table Winry made, and setting them in display.

By the time that's completed, Winry's oven beeps and she takes out two things. The chicken squares and the casserole like thing which I realize now is a pie. I smile happily on the inside.

We place those things on the table. Winry calls Edward and Alphonse in and we all sit. "Where's Pinako?" Ed asks Winry.

"She's away right now, treating some serious auto-mail damage in a town about ten miles away from here," Winry says. "She left about an hour ago when you talked with Liani."

"Oh," Ed says. "Well, that aside, lets eat!" he says excitedly.

He grabs just about half of everything. I giggle as he takes one of my chicken squares. Ed gives me a peculiar look, but shakes it off.

I personally don't want much to start with but then as I begin to take food I realize I'm much hungrier than I thought I was. I take at least three of the squares, some garlic steak thing Winry made, salad, green beans with an orange sauce on them, some rice with little mushrooms in them and gravy-like sauce.

As we begin eating a buzz fills the room. Occasional conversation is heard as Ed tries to explain the food to Al. "Man, Winry. The Chicken Squares are better than normal!" he exclaims, taking a bite into the food.

I beam. He likes my food! "Well, Liani made it, not me," Winry says, directing his praise over to me.

I giggle. "I'm so glad you like it, Edward! I improvised a bit. I wasn't going to tell you at first, at least, not until you tried it. I like cooking as much as Winry does, I think," I say and Winry nods.

The praise goes around the table and we continue our meal. It's quiet, but the buzz still stays. I tell them about my previous life, and I explain to Winry some things about Earth. Al seems really fascinated. But the thing that surprises us all the most is the fact that I made it through the Gate without using a human sacrifice. The buzz deadens as the topic is brought up.

"Maybe…" I begin, "maybe I gave up my body on the other side of the gate for this one. It's probable."

"I agree," Ed says. "We don't exactly know what's on the other side of the gate but we're pretty sure it's a parallel universe. So your souls probably switched and the soul from your body here went into your body on the other side, and vice versa."

"Yeah?" Winry asks. "Well, I don't understand any of this alchemy stuff. You two just concern yourselves with what you have to, but don't drag me in it. I'm happy with my work as it is."

I laugh. "Yeah." I stop eating. "So no one will miss me then, right?"

Ed stops too. "I guess."

I sigh in relief. "Good. I couldn't bear to have Tia or Mom worry about me like that." I sigh again, full from the feast. "Winry, you make a good meal."

"Ah! But you didn't try my pie yet!" she says, shocked. I giggle.

"Oh, right!" Winry comes around with plates of pie for each of us. It's a cherry pie, my favorite. And it's even better when Winry makes it.

Think of your favorite pie, the best you've ever had it. Now multiply that taste by one hundred, and you've got Winry's pie.

"Oh my god, Winry, once again, I must say. You are a goddess!" I exclaim after eating one bite. I savor each bite until the last one. "I'll eat one of those anytime!"