Chapter 4

Three days later...

Edward and Alphonse Elric gazed at a map that was pinned up on a bullentin board. Ed was trying to figure out where exactly they were. Al was trying to ignore the stares that were glued to him.

"How the hell do you figure out where you are on this thing!? I would at least expect some sort of dot!" Al pointed to a small red dot.

"That's a dot." Ed's eyebrow twitched.

"Why'd they make it so small!?" Winry grabbed Ed's ponytail.

"Ow!!! Winry!! Quit pulling on my hair!!"

"Well then maybe you should be nice next time and wait for me when we unload the train!" She landed a fist on the top of his head.

"Well I thought you had already left the train! I didn't see you!"

"Of course you didn't... you're too short to see over the crowd!" Ed turned around and grabbed Winry's cheeks.

"What was that!?" Winry landed a blow across Ed's head again.

"Don't do that to me! I'm a lady!!"

"What lady!?"

"Oh!!!" Winry tackled Ed to the ground and started to punch him. She pulled his hair above her head.

"HA!! Now learn your place, Edward Elric!!"

"Um... Winry?"

"What Al?" A crowd had gathered around the fight.

"Ohh..." Winry released Ed and stood up.

"Ahehehe... sorry!"

"See what you did, Winry? You made a scene."

"Grrr!!"

"Well... it looks like a market square isn't too far from here. We'll go there and ask around about a place to stay and where we can get directions and all that. Come on, Al." Ed and Al started to walk out of the station.

"Hey!! You guys can't just leave without helping me with my stuff!! Get back here!!"

~~~~---~~~~

Scar lifted up a crate to carry into a bakery. Once he entered, he regretted it. A yellow head and a walking suit of armor were inside, talking to the owner. He carried the crate behind the counter, hiding his face.

"Thank you." Scar nodded to the helper and held out a pencil and paper. He signed it and waved him off.

"So we're just wanting to know if you've seen anyone around here with red eyes or a man with a scar on his face traveling with a woman with dark hair."

"Well... a lot of women around here have dark hair. It's hard to remember what everybody looks like with the people who come and go everyday. But as for the hotel, there's a few places around here that'll be happy to home you for a low cost." Scar quickly left. They were here to search for him. He should have known. He quickly got onto the cart and pulled his hood over his head. He snapped the reigns, signaling the horses to move.

~~~~---~~~~

Winry picked up a few tulips and smelled them.

"Oh, these are really fresh!" She noticed some lavender and rose.

"Wow... so many different flowers. Forget me nots? I haven't seen these in a long time!" Clara drifted back around the counter, setting up some extra bags and cleaning off some shelves.

"Excuse me, do you have some sort of special where you can make your own bouquet?" Clara stared at her, then put a finger to her lips.

"I... think so... There's a special... where you can get ten flowers of any kind, not roses, and it's under 8-"

"Yeah, like that one!" Winry smiled.

"Ok... you can... pick anything..." Clara plucked some dead leaves off of some violets and hid back behind the counter. Winry picked out a batch of matching flowers and set them on the counter. Clara carefully slid them into a bag and counted the plants.

"So... do you know of any automail or... machanic shops around here?" She handed Clara the money for the plants.

"There's a carpenter shop across from here... that's all... that I know of anyway..." She said softly. Clara handed Winry her change and flowers.

"Oh... ok... thank you!"

"Winry!"

"Eep!!" She jumped and dropped the flowers.

"Ed!! Look what you did! Grr!" She landed a kick across his face.

"Ouch! Dammit Winry! What the hell was that for!?" Clara quickly picked up the flowers and handed them to Winry. Ed glanced at her.

"Oh, hey, do you know where some... I don't know... some sort of base for the military is?" Clara stiffened.

"Uh... um..."

"Questions about town?" The shop owner arrived from the back. Clara felt a wave of relief wash over her.

"Clara here is a bit new to the town. She wouldn't know anything like that. It's hard to find the military base here. It's very small. Our town's citizens made up their own police force. If you go by the train station..." Clara hid in the back room. Fear had covered her mind. She sat down against the wall and took in a few deep breaths. She heard them leave. Someone else came in.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes I'm looking for some... purple roses..." Clara stiffened at the voice. It was of the woman from last night.

"Purple? Well... I don't have purple roses... I have white, pink, red, and maroon."

"Hmm... well... some red ones are fine." Clara peeked out of the door. The lush, wavy hair was high above the counter. Pale skin and purple eyes were looking at the old woman. She held up a bouquet of red roses to her nose.

"Oh these are lovely..." Clara felt rage slowly cover her mind. She gripped the doorframe hard, gritting her teeth to hold back a scream of rage. She felt a tingling sensation on her forehead. She hid behind the wall again and felt her forehead. In the dark, there was a small light leaking out from it.

Urgh! Go away! Leave me alone! Go away! Go away!!

"Clara! Could you bring up some roses? Red ones, please?" The old woman called. Clara shook her head and stood up, trying to hide her discomfort. She quickly found the roses and grabbed a handful of them. Ignoring the pain from the thorns, she walked out to the storefront and handed the old woman the roses. The beautiful woman stared at her, a small smile spread across her face.

"Thank you. Could you also ring those up? I'll put these in their hold." The old woman walked to the shelf of roses. Clara took to roses from the woman's hand and set them on the counter, keeping her eyes down.

"Here..." Clara handed her the roses.

"Hmm... Keep them... I think you'll need them for when you die..." She whispered. Clara's eyes widened. She looked up, the woman was gone. The shop owner was humming to herself. Clara ran to the back room and sat down behind a few buckets. Her breath was quick. She held the roses tightly in her hands. Blood trickled down her arm.

When I die? Why... when!? What was she... talking about? No! No! She put her hands to her head. A ringing sound was all she heard, then she heard screams.

Go away! Not now! Just... Stop! STOP!!

"Clara! Your gentleman friend is here for you!" She let out a whimper and drop the roses. The ringing stopped. She rested her head against the crate behind her and gasped for her breath.

"Clara! Did you hear me? Your gentleman friend is here for you!" Clara shook her head and wiped the blood off of her arms. She stood up and regained herself. Her vision was a little blurry.

"Yes?" She walked out of the back room. Scar was standing in front of the counter. A worried and impatient look on his face.

"Is it almost the end of your shift? Or... did I come early?" The shop owner chuckled.

"Oh she can leave a few minutes early. Usually by this time of day it's slow." She left them alone.

"Clara... you look pale. And there's blood dripping from your hand." Scar lowered his voice.

"Did you see any military?" She shook her head.

"I saw... a man in armor... and... um... that's all..."

"Armor... that would be Alphonse Elric..."

"Elric?"

"He's a young brother of the Fullmetal Alchemist." Clara stiffened.

"Fullmetal?"

"Yeah... some fifteen year old kid with blond hair." She loosened up.

It's not him...

"Why is your hand bleeding?"

"Oh... just a cut..." She hid her hand behind her. Scar stepped forward and grasped her wrist. He examined the wound.

"Just a cut? There are small punture holes all over your hand. What happened?"

"Uh... I just... grabbed some roses too hard!"

"These are multiple wounds." Clara pulled her hand back.

"I... um..." She blushed a little and ran to the back room. Scar let out an irritated sigh and followed her.

"Clara-" She stood in front of him, hiding something behind her back.

"What do you have?" She held up a bouquet of roses.

"That woman... from that night... she came here..." She whispered, a tear slid down her cheek. Scar saw the fresh blood still on the stems of the flowers.

"She scared you? Did she hurt you?" Clara handed the bouquet to Scar.

"I don't want them..." She whispered.

"What?" She didn't answer him.

"S... Scar..."

"Hm?"

"I'm... I'm not going to die... am I?" Scar saw her trembling. He hesitated, unsure as of what to say.

"Well... not any time soon. Every human dies at the end of their lifespan. But I'm certain you will not be murdered." Clara let out a whimper.

"B... But she said... that I-I was going to die..." She cried. Scar dropped the roses.

"Then fight that statement. Don't believe what she says. She only said that because she can't die."

"She can't?"

"No... she is a cursed being that is forced to live forever. I don't really believe that she will live forever... but she will live beyond any normal lifetime. Just remember that you have the pleasure of experiencing human emotions. She doesn't." Clara lowered her eyes.

"Ok..." Scar put his arm around her shoulder and gently lead her out of the shop. The old woman waved them off and started closing the shop. They went down a few allyways, avoiding crowds so they wouldn't have a chance of being reported to the Elric brothers. In a few minutes, they were at the small shed they stayed in. Scar opened the door for Clara and examined the street behind them. A few people walked along it, getting home. He didn't see anything unusual. Clara was sitting in the middle of the floor, playing with a mouse. Scar knelt down next to her, the mouse scurried away.

"If those two are here... we'll have to start keeping an extra low profile. We can't go out at night anymore. Unless it involves us getting out of this town or for the work we have, then it's alright. Clara?" Clara was staring at the floor, tears rolling down her face.

"Why do we have to hide?" She whispered. Scar sighed.

"We don't want to get caught, do we? We have to stay hidden." He rubbed her back. Clara wiped away some tears with her hand and brought her knees up to her chin.

"Listen... I know you saw those... monsters today... and I know they seem scary; but they're idiots. Especially the fat one. He just thinks about eating all the time! The only one you really have to worry about is Envy. The one with long spikey hair. He's a troublemaker. Lust, the woman, will talk at first. It should give you enough time to run. As long as I'm here... you won't get hurt..."

"Aww, how sweet!" Scar stood up and got in front of Clara. Envy was standing in the doorway.

"How'd you get here?!"

"I followed you, Scar-boy. Don't act surprised. You knew we'd show up sooner or later. I see you're friends with that little twit over there..." Envy sniggered. Clara started to shake, her cries were muffled in her arms.

"Oh! Is the little girl crying? Suck it up!" Scar leapt at Envy. Envy quickly dodged him and slid for Clara.

"Dammit!" Scar smacked his hand on the ground. Red electricity traveled through the floor and brought up a hump of wood, throwing Envy off course.

"Well! Someone's protective of a lowlife! Haha!" Clara peered out at Envy, her eyes were filled with hate. Envy saw the glowing symbol on her forehead.

"Don't try to do anything you twit!! I'll rip your arms off!" He yelled. Scar got in front of Envy and pushed him through the wall. They were out in the open. Clara hadn't moved, she was buried back in her arms again. Scar threw punches and kicks at Envy. Few landed. Envy was too swift and fast for Scar.

"So Scar, what's it like having a murderer around?" He ducked under a punch.

"A murderer who has killed thousands of people already and contains thousands of lives inside her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" He threw a sharp rock at Envy and turned it into a spike, grazing Envy hair as he leapt up to dodge it. Scar clap his hands together and let a storm of electricity surge from his palm at Envy. He quickly dodged it and ran at Scar, throwing fast punches and kicks at him; talking while doing so.

"Oh you know! Think back, Scar... Don't you remember some military cars mounted on the ridge overlooking Ishbala? Didn't you see people standing there? Didn't you see someone doing alchemy on the people of the town?" Envy landed a heavy punch.

"Think, Scar-boy. She killed nearly all of your town by herself. She was brought in last, I think it was a few minutes before you and your few friends escaped. Haha! What a sight that was!"

"What are you yapping about you cayote?!"

"Let's see... it was... how long? Oh yes... I think a year or two since she had been taken from her family when she arrived at Ishbala..." Scar felt anger in his heart grow.

"What?"

"Yes... the government wanted to see what she could do with her power. Just like little Ed, she could do alchemy without a circle! Haha! When she got there... oh you should have seen her face as she killed them all!!" Scar lunged at Envy. They were a few feet from the shack. Clara was still visable through the hole in the wall.

"Stop spouting lies, you snake!" Envy grinned and kicked Scar off of him.

"They aren't lies..." Envy backed up and stood over Clara. She was trembling.

"You remember, don't ya brat? Remember that desert you went through? Those red eyed people and they're screams when they died?" He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head up to face him.

"Oh yeah! Just look at that face Scar! She's going nuts! She remembers it all too well!" Clara was crying hard and her hands were trying to cover her face.

"What...? No! Clara! Don't give in to his lies!"

"They... aren't lies..." She whispered. Scar stared at her.

"What are you saying?" Envy pulled Clara to her feet.

"Come on ya little twerp! Make a struggle and your Scar-boy gets killed!" Envy pulled Clara along with him. Clara snatched her hand away from him and made a run for it, keeping her head down and eyes away from Scar. Scar got to his feet. Envy dashed to Clara and stood in front of her.

"Oh no you don't!" Clara slid to the ground and let herself sink into it. Scar stared at the empty spot in awe.

"Oh crap! Not again! Where are you ya worm!? Get out here!" A pillar of stone erupted out of the ground beneath Envy, sending him up into the sky. Clara came out of the ground, stone spikes covered her hands.

"Ahhh!!" She screamed as she flew at him. In the air, Envy smacked every strike she threw at him away.

"You little bitch! I'll kill you!" Envy grabbed her arm and threw her below him. Envy twisted around in the air and landed a heavy kick into her gut. It winded her greatly. The spikes on her hands came off as she landed on the ground. Clara rolled onto her side, clutching her stomach and coughing.

"Clara!" Scar got to his feet and ran at Envy. Envy grinned and quickly slid past him, to Clara.

"Come're ya little worm!" Envy reached out for Clara, ready to grab her and run. Clara pulled a hand away from her gut and tapped the ground. A huge snake of stone and dirt came out of ground and reared at Envy. Envy barely jumped back in time to dodge it. It lunged at Envy, clamping his side down as it dragged him into the ground.

"Dammit!! Let me go! You little bitch!!" He screamed just as his head went under the dirt. Clara panted for breath and gripped her stomach again. Scar shook his head.

There is just no way she was in Ishbala... or anyway she could have... killed anyone! Damn Envy... he confused Clara. I just know he did. But still... I have to be careful... Envy could be telling the truth and just exageratting it to worry me...

"S... Scar..." Clara gasped. The pain from the kick to her gut had winded her greatly. Scar saw something glowing her forehead.

"Clara, you're fine... how... how did you do that?" He asked as he sat her up. Clara coughed again.

"I don't know..." The ground beneath them rumbled. Two hands sprang out of the ground and grabbed Clara. Envy popped out, both him and Clara went flying through the air.

"You damn little bitch!! I'll fucking kill you!" Envy punched Clara a few times in the face and held her under his arm.

"You're just so damn lucky Father is lookin' for ya!!" Scar ran after Envy.

"Hey! Let her go!" Envy peered over his shoulder and smirked.

"So you do care about this little brat, huh? Too bad, Scar-boy! Father wants her restrained pronto! You aren't going to see her for a long time!" Clara was knocked out. The symbol still glowed on her head.

"Clara! Dammit!" Scar touched the side of the shack with his right hand. The wood changed shape into a few spikes and launched at Envy. He was stabbed by one of them. Clara fell to the ground. She coughed again.

"Dammit, Scar! Stay out of this if you know what's good for you!" Envy dove back to get Clara.

"Envy!" A woman's voice yelled. Envy stopped just a few feet from Clara. Lust was standing on top of a roof, Gluttony next to her.

"What are you doing!? Can't you get anything done without making a commotion!? People are waking and are already getting weapons to come out here! Father has agreed to take you off this assignment. Let's go." Envy growled at her.

"Oh please! She's right here! Just let me get her really quick-"

"Envy!" Lust yelled. Envy let out a yell of anger.

"Fine!" He leapt up to the roof with Lust. They disappeared. Scar ran to Clara's side and lifted her up in his arms.

"Clara?" She let out a pained groan. Scar stared at the symbol on her forehead.

"The hell...?"

"Scar!!" Edward Elric yelled from a little ways away. Scar looked towards him.

"Damn... I have no time for you now, child."

"You have time right now!" Edward transformed his automail into a sword. He ran at Scar fullspeed. Scar picked up Clara and faced Ed. He stopped.

"Who is that? Scar! What did you do to her?!"

"I didn't do anything."

"So unconcious and in your hands..."

"That means nothing. You were close to seeing Envy, Lust and Gluttony. I guess you're just too slow to find them." Scar felt his arm throbbing again. He took a step back. Ed ran forward again.

"Let her go, Scar!!" Clara weakly grasped Scar's coat.

"Scar..." She whispered.

"Sorry Clara... you're safer with him than with me..." He muttered. Scar gently set Clara on the ground. She didn't let go of his coat. He took her hand away from the cloth and ran away. Ed stopped.

"You coward!" He yelled.

"Brother, who is that?" Al asked, behind Ed. Edward bent down and brushed some hair out of Clara's face.

"I don't know... I haven't seen her before... Oh wait... she was at that... that flower shop!" Al examined her face.

"What would Scar want with her? Oh... brother... something on her forehead is glowing?" Ed looked at her forehead, examining the symbol.

"It... seems fimiliar... Let's get her to Winry. I'm sure she'll fix her up a bit. She can't just specialize in automail and know nothing about the human body now can she?" Al picked Clara up and followed Ed back to the hotel. Scar let out a sad sigh from where he was hiding. He knew Clara was in better hands. In the meantime while she was with Ed and Al, he could think over what Envy had said.