Part 6
While D slept, Mel was going at a mere eighty mile per hour. Slowing up a bit whenever D stirred from her sleep. Ed was gripping onto the seat in front of him, white knuckled. D had mumbled something about the speed limit once or twice. Mel ignored her and beamed happily.
"M-maybe we should slow down?" Alphonse glanced nervously at the car's occupants. His brother was very pale, Mel was slipping into speed demon mode, and D, the only one who could control the situation, was sleeping.
"Yeah, yeah." Mel grinned, Ed had to think fast as the city got closer and Gretchen managing to hit every bump and ditch possible.
"Wow, is D waking up?" Mel slammed on the breaks and slowed back down to fifteen miles. Ed panted slightly and peeled himself off the front seat. D's eyelids fluttered open as she let out a small yawn. Seconds later the phone 'buzzed. The half-awake girl flipped the phone open and pressed a button.
"Hello?" She paused, a muffled voice sounded from the phone. "Hi mom." Another pause, "Ph, yeah. Sorry about that, I must have lost the signal." Another pause, the voice from the other end sounded a little more understanding. "Uh-huh, love you too!" She hung up the phone and looked at the clock, then to Mel. "You were speeding again, weren't you?" Mel pouted, looking guilty. D looked back at Ed, who seemed to be breathing a sigh of relief. "NOW do you understand?" The blond nodded eagerly, D smirked slightly. "Good boy." She relaxed in her seat, staring out the window. She appeared a bit more sad, and unsure. Mel glanced over nervously.
"Are you alright D?" Her friend shrugged meekly, seeming to be holding something back. "D?" She shuddered and choked back all emotion before showing her usual smile.
"I'm fine." Mel frowned, not wanting to make a fuss in front of the boys. "Making a note to herself to drill the information out of her later. Both boys took her for face value, but Mel knew better.
"Alright." 'I'll let that slide for now.' She returned the courtesy of the smile and sped a little faster while D bent over to retrieve her laptop.
"Aw." D glided her fingers across a small touch pad, reading through the little messages left while she was resting.
"What is it?" Mel wasn't sure if the 'Aw' was good or bad. D's smile seemed a little more sincere now. "Brother?" D nodded happily, scanning through the messages for a second time, her happy mood returning instantly from the pixels on the screen.
"Whose brother?" Asked Alphonse, a little confused, but intrigued as well.
"Mel's"
"She has a brother?"
"Well, no, but he's like a brother to her." Alphonse looked to her confused.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"He's not related to her, but he's like a brother to her." She repeated and thought for a moment before adding to her statement, despite how Mel would react. "Uh, kind of like how Winry is a sister to you guys." Mel twitched slightly.
"Oh! So you lived with him?"
"Uh, no, she hasn't even seen him honestly."
"Then how is he like Winry?" Mel twitched again, not pleased with something they were talking about.
"He just is. If you ask anymore, you'll just get more confused." D spoke calmly and with a smile, not meaning any offence by it. "It's just a complicated subject." Alphonse nodded slightly.
"Erm, alright." He then looked to Ed and whispered. "Brother, girls are confusing." Ed shook his head slightly and chuckled.
"Don't I know it!" the girls shook their heads, trying not to laugh. D looked back at Ed.
"Don't even try to pull the wool over our eyes. You haven't been with anyone to know anything. " Ed looked up, wide-eyed.
"Wh-what? That's not true!" D smirked softly, turning in her seat.
"We know what you've done and what you haven't. You can't fool us." Ed crossed his arms.
"You're lying. I- I've been with plenty of girls! R-right Al?"
"Huh?" Ed elbowed his brother. This maneuver would have been more effective were his brother human. Instead, there was a dull and hollow thud.
"I've been with plenty of girls, right?" He looked at his brother pleadingly.
"But brother, I don't know what you've talking about."
"Come on Al!" Ed yelled exasperated, afraid of loosing face to the girls.
"Forget it Blondie, it's not going to work." Ed frowned and looked out the window, gloating. D yawned softly and got online once again. Surfing a few of her favorite sites before looking to Mel. "How are we going to blend in with everyone at head Quarters?" Ed snapped to his normal self.
"What? You're not seriously going, are you?"
"Well, yeah." D smiled, "Why else would we go to Central?" She looked back to Mel. "Did you bring your outfit?" Mel thought for a moment, trying to figure out which one she meant. Her speechlessness told D that she wasn't sure. "You're Military costume?" D supplied.
"Oh!" Mel spoke brightly. "Of course I did!" She glanced at D. "What are you thinking?"
"Cosplay." D smirked and cracked her knuckles while Mel giggled.
"That actually might work."
"So long as we get to Mustang first." Both girls looked at one another, beaming. Ed stared, not understanding the secret language they seemed to be speaking.
"What do you want with the Colonel?" D smiled and winked slightly.
"To ensure our status in the Military."
"What? You aren't even IN the Military!"
"No one else knows that. Besides, I am an excellent actress." She smiled, "And when I'm in uniform, he can't say no, especially if I play on his weakness." Mel glanced over nervously.
"Wait, D, you don't mean-"
"Yes Mel" She beamed and imitated Roy, throwing her fist into the air to emphasize her point. "TINY MINISKIRTS!" Al looked over to Ed.
"Wow, they sure do know a lot about the Colonel."
"Yeah, maybe a little too much. This may be a problem if they can pull this off." D scowled over her shoulder.
"What problem? I don't see a problem!" Al yelped slightly and waved his hand.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it like that."
"Of course he did, he hasn't had one supportive thing to say the whole time." Mel glanced around a little bit before batting at D. "Hm?"
"Is that it?"
"I think so." She looked over to the suite or armor. "That's Central, right?" He nodded slightly, D smirked and buckled herself in. "Alright Mel" She smiled sweetly, and apologetically at the boys behind her, who were scrambling around, looking to strap themselves in as well. "Gun it!"
The vehicle bucked forward as it sped up quickly. Both Ed and Al lurched forward before being forced back into their seats. Mel was grinning from ear to ear as she drove faster and faster, swerving along the streets as she made her way into town while D mused in a soft tone 'pedestrians are worth five points Mel.' The Jeep started to loose momentum as it neared the Military base, but Mel only pressed harder on the accelerator to make up for it.
As Gretchen neared Central Head Quarters, the use to be Jeep sputtered and came to a stop. Planting itself almost perfectly in front of the gates. D cheered.
"Wow, I couldn't have written it better myself. Gretchen has a thing for drama doesn't she Mel?" No answer. "Mel?"
"My baby!" Mel screeched as she hugged the hood. "My poor baby!" Ed hopped out of the car and glanced at D.
"Is she always like this?"
"Only when it comes to Gretchen."
"Gretchen?"
"The car."
"She NAMED her CAR?"
"Yes, is there a problem with that?"
"It's weird." He mumbled.
"Just don't tell Mel, it'll break her heart."
"Right…" Ed backed away slowly.
"Where are you going?"
"Me? I'm getting away from the crazy people."
"Then aren't you heading in the wrong direction?" She pointed to the gates of the military base that Ed was backing up to. She looked over to Mel. "You want to change first?"
"My baby!"
"I'll take that as a 'no'." She looked back at Al. "Could you keep an eye on her for me?" She took the keys out of the ignition and got out of the car. She hadn't bother to wait for Al's response as she opened the trunk and withdrew a bag containing her cosplay outfit. Alphonse peered out of the car as he was getting out and looked down shyly.
"You're not going to change out here are you?" he managed to mumble as D had taken off her sweatshirt, She laughed at the cuteness of the action.
"I'm not THAT bold. I'm going to ask to use someone's bathroom." She looked over to Mel. "Pull yourself together, we can fill her up once we get some cash. I'm going to go change now." She looked at Alphonse once again and smiled. "Please keep her out of trouble while I'm gone. I'll only be a few minutes." Al nodded slightly.
"Uh, okay." With that, D walked off to find an area to change into her costume. Mel had calmed down a bit at her friend's words and got off the car.
"Edward?" She looked around quickly for her favorite blond, no answer. "Al-kun, where's Edward?" She pleaded with the shining armored boy, her eyes starting to tear.
"Uh, I don't know Mel. But I know he wouldn't just leave me here. He'll be back." Mel sniffled, looking around once again.
"Where's D?"
"She went to go get changed. Weren't you listening to her Mel?" He watched her curiously as she laughed sheepishly.
"No, I was a little busy." She trailed off as her mind snapped to a conclusion. "She stole my Edward!" Alphonse sweat-dropped.
"Your Edward?" Mel blushed and poked her fingers together.
"Well, you see-"
"Mel! What have I told you?" D shouted, dressed in full military uniform, her own dog tags hanging from her neck. She was always wearing them, but they were hiding under her T-Shirt. There was a different tag hanging from her neck, this one a bit heavier and a sparkling blue with the chimera symbol of the military.
"Wow, you sure look the part." Alphonse croaked as Mel lunged forward, slapping her hands onto the ground. A large hand sprouted from the ground and grabbed D, lifting her fifteen feet into the air. D's hands immediately pulled her skirt down to cover herself from showing anything she shouldn't.
"WHERE'S EDWARD?" She demanded, D was in complete shock, the hand starting to squeeze the breath from her.
"W-what?" She gasped. "E-ed?" she started coughing as she tried to breath normally with the continuous pressure on her chest, a few snaps seemed to be only audible to her. "M-mel… can't… breath!"
"You stole Edward!"
"N-no…"
"You STOLE Edward!"
"Who stole me?" Came the casual response from blond who cam strolling up from a small shop.
"She di- Edward!" Mel squealed and charged forward, but was stopped by a shuttering gasp from her friend. "D-Chan!" She slapped her hands together and then to the ground, lowering D, who fell forward, coughing slightly.
"Ahngh." She winced as she landed on her knees, "Ow…" She opened here eyes slightly, glared at mel before collapsing forward completely in her broken ribs.
"Uh-oh!" Mel chirped, Ed gasped.
"You killed her!"
"Not intentionally!"
"But, you KILLED her."
"Only a little!" Mel cried in her defense.
"That's still killing her!" Alphonse leaned over D.
"I, I don't think she's dead. Just passed out." Mel beamed and pounced at D's side and poked her friend's arm.
"Wake up." Nothing. "D-Chan!" Mel whined and clapped her hands together.
"What are you doing!" Al demanded.
"I'm going to fix her."
"Didn't you just get your powers? You could kill her." Mel pouted.
"But I have to help her!"
"Calm down Mel…" Alphonse spoke softly, pulling her away slightly from D.
"…Idiot…" Came the grumbled response from a semi-conscious D. "I should hurt you…" She sipped in a breath and drew up her hand, grasping Mel's and concentrating. She extracted the energy mel had built up and matched it with her own. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Too weak to move anymore, she let her hand fall to the ground allowing herself to absorb the energy to mend the ribs that were pressing against her lung threatening to puncture it. There were a few unsettling cracks as the bones snapped back together and mended. She gagged and turned to her side, suppressing a scream of pain. Panting for a few moments she managed one other word. "…bitch…"
"D! You're okay!" Mel lunged forward and hugged her friend.
"Ow! Bruises!" She winced and twitched slightly. "No thanks to you." Mel whined.
"I'm sorry, I thought you stole Edward."
"WHY would I do that?" Mel poked her fingers together.
"I don't know." D turned her head and spit out a bit of blood.
"Go get changed." She retorted flatly, then looked to Ed. "What?"
"You. You." He stuttered, D rolled her eyes.
"Out with it!"
"You stole all that energy mel had to use Alchemy… How?"
"You can do anything when you concentrate hard enough and are desperate enough." She smiled softly. "You'll learn." Mel had scurried off to change into her outfit, Ed stared at D as she rose shakily to her feet. "You'll catch flies." She mused softly.
"But. You. She." He shook his head to gather his thoughts. "You just got your powers today!"
"Less then five hours ago."
"And you can do things like THAT?"
"Like I said, when you put your mind to it, you can do anything." She leaned against Gretchen, wincing in pain. "She got me good that time." Her phone buzzed from the inside of her jacket pocket. "I'm probably going to have to turn this off once we get inside, no one can know where we came from." She looked accusingly at the two boys. "Got it?"
"Like anyone would believe me!" Ed huffed noisily. Mel ran back to the trio and smiled.
"I'm back!" D tossed her a red dog tag with the flamel symbol. "huh?" She reached for her neck in search of a chain that wasn't there. "How did you-"
"It was on the floor of the car. Figured to give it back to you when the timing was right."
"You ok?" D shrugged, her phone still out and open.
"Payback for all the food I nicked off of you, call it even." She tapped a few keys on her phone and looked to a pay phone a few yards away. "I wonder if it would count as long distance…"
"Huh?" Mel looked over to the phone and laughed softly. "More then that. It's not even Trans-Continental, it's Trans-Dimentional. All the money in the world couldn't get that thing to 'phone home'." D smirked.
"Bet is I tweaked a few things it would." She scrambled into the car.
"D!" Mel made to go after her friend. "You're not going to mess with that… phone?" She watched as D retrieved her laptop. "Oh! THAT kind of tweaking." D quickly tapped away at the keyboard, amending the wish once again to include technology from the anime to co-exist with their own technology.
D smiled and closed her laptop. She withdrew her cell phone once again and read through the message. She type din a response and then shut off her phone. "Okay, Let's go."
"What?" Ed spoke flatly.
"We're going to see Roy now aren't we?"
"When was there a 'we'?"
"Since now." D spat, her eyebrow twitching. "Need I remind you I can turn you into a fly…?"