A knocking on the train window caused the three young human teens to look up in confusion, seeing Hughes looking at them from the outside.
"Hey," He greeted them. Edward quickly opened the window, saying in surprise,
"Lt. Colonel?"
Elizabeth blinked while Isabella asked, "What are you doing here?"
He spoke, "The folks at the Eastern Command Center were a little too busy to make it down here today, so I came to see you off instead. Not to mention that I also wanted a chance to see my daughter before she was sent off out of my reach," He grinned, smiling widely at Isabella who sweatdropped.
Edward gained a bored look, "Great, but would mind telling me..." He turned his head with a sour look to stare at the person who sitting next to him, "what the major's doing here?" A sparkle appeared next to Armstrong's head, his arms crossed in his spot on the seat.
"It's...kinda creepy," Elizabeth admitted, nodding her head in agreement with Edward.
"For protection," Hughes answered, frowning. "What would happen to you if Scar came after you again?" Ed reached up and gripped his right shoulder, uncomfortable of the feeling of not having an arm. "You're in no shape for a fight now Ed, not to mention that Isabella and Elizabeth don't even know how to fight. The Major's here to help. Just try to grin and bear it."
Isabella commented sourly, causing Hughes to look at her with a sweatdrop, "I would if he wasn't trying to strip every five seconds..."
"And sparkle." Elizabeth added.
"And hug us to death while crying to comfort us."
"And-"
"Okay, okay, we get it now!" Edward snapped, getting irritated at the two quickly.
Armstrong commented, "Children can be so stubborn."
Surprisingly, and in completely unison, all three teens shot out of their seats to stand and glare at Armstrong as they declared angrily, "Hey-Shut up! I'm not a child!"
"-no child!" The three turned to look at each other in surprise, and lightning crackled between Edward and Isabella as Elizabeth laughed strangely, sitting back down uncomfortably.
"Are you mocking me now!?" Isabella demanded, sending Edward a dark look. He glared straight back, just as angry.
"Am I mocking you? You're mocking me!"
"As if! Who would ever want to mock you, you dumbass!?"
"I'm sure plenty of people would want to mock me! It's you whose the dumbass, dumbass!"
Armstrong's eyebrow twitched for a moment as he listened to the arguing.
Edward continued to shout, "Bring it on you bastard! I could take you on any day-not like you even know how to fight!"
"I sure as hell can fight better than you-"
"ENOUGH!" The two stopped yelling at each other and looked up at Armstrong in surprise, only to quickly shrink underneath his gaze, "Stop fighting like a bunch of toddlers and get along already!" He stood, picking Isabella up by the collar and causing her to squeak in surprise and alarm at the fact that her feet were off the ground, and dropped her down in his seat as he sat down where she was previously, "From this point onward you two are going to be sitting next to each other and getting to know each other better so you two can stop fighting! What if you two were in the middle of a fight and you two started to banter again? You'd both end up dead for being a pair of ignorant children who don't even know how to tolerate each other!"
They were so scared of Armstrong at this point that they didn't even dare protest about being called "Ignorant Children" and being told to "Get-to-know-each-other-better".
Armstrong crossed his arms again and after a few moments of silence, Elizabeth commented awkwardly, "W-Well, then..." She then remembered and exclaimed loudly, "Wait! What about Al!? Is he on the train?" Edward perked up at that, worried about his brother. Elizabeth knew full well that Alphonse would be in the cart with the sheep, but wanted to be sure in case she and Isabella had changed any events just by being there.
"Of course," He replied, opening his eyes to look down at them. He quickly sparkled as he held his fingers up to his chin, "I thought he might get lonely without some company."
Edward quickly gained a tick mark as he stood up and screamed, glaring at the Major, "MY BROTHER ISN'T SOME KIND OF FARM ANIMAL!"
Isabella didn't comment, but did think with a dry look on her face, I can't believe I'm actually going to admit it, but blondie here has a point. Alphonse may be a suit of armor, but he is still a human... Stress lines grew on her face, Please tell me I'm not actually agreeing with him?
A bell rang out and Hughes commented surprise, "Oh, it's time." The train whistle blew loudly. Hughes quickly saluted with a smile, "Okay, you kids have a safe trip. Stop in and give me a shout the next time you four drop into Central. And Liz," Isabella looked up at Hughes in confusion, "try to get along with the other children?" Her jaw dropped for a brief moment before she stood and pointed angrily at Edward who was sitting next to her with a bored look on his face.
"It's not my fault that he's a complete and utter jerk!"
He commented angrily, peeved, "A complete and utter jerk that tried to save your life!"
She glared at him again, "Your definition of "Saving" is trying to kill yourself! You're the biggest idiot I've ever had the displeasure of knowing!"
"You're even worse than the Bastard Colonel! If anyone's an idiot, it's you!"
"Che," Isabella scoffed, crossing her arms, "As if."She sat back down as the train took off, Hughes calling after them with a huge amused grin.
"Play nice, you two!"
"SHUT UP!" The two screamed, glaring at him from the window. They could hear Hughes' laughter out in the distance, and when they sat down again they both glared before turning their heads and crossing their arms, electricity crackling.
Elizabeth sweatdropped, No wonder they hate each other so much...They're so much alike they repel each other! She sighed, "What am I gonna do with you two?" When she looked back up five minutes later, she was surprised to find that Edward was already asleep with his head against the window and Isabella curled up in a ball with her knees to her chest, her head leaning back against the seat, snoring silently unlike Ed who was snoring loudly.
It was kinda funny, if you think about it.
...
"Oi, Blondie, wake up!" Edward screamed at the loud voice in his ear, jumping out of his seat and landing back in it with a loud THUD. He was now wide awake. He sent a glare at Isabella, who was smirking in amusement at him. "Aw, would you look at that? Sleeping beauty finally woke up."
He held a fist up to Isabella's face, a tick mark growing quickly on his head quickly as his eyebrow twitched, "What. Was. That? DO YOU WANT TO GET BEAT-!" He screamed when he was suddenly pushed down in the seat by Armstrong who had moved to look out the window. Isabella laughed at Edward, only to squeal and duck down onto the seat when she nearly got a butt to the face.
Elizabeth laughed loudly, glad that she was on the safe side of the train ride.
"Doctor Marcoh! Doctor Marco, that is you, isn't it!?" The man Armstrong was yelling at turned his head to look at Armstrong, horror slowly dawning on the stranger's face, "It's me! Alex Louis Armstrong from Central!" The stranger quickly took off running, trying his hardest to get away from there.
"Friend of yours?" Edward asked curiously, being able to get a glimpse of the guy Armstrong was talking too.
"He's from Central, a talented State Alchemist. He was researching into possible medical applications of Alchemy," Armstrong explained, "But after the Ishvalan Civil War, he went missing-just disappeared."
Edward quickly moved over Isabella and started to run off the train, shouting, "Let's go, Major! A guy like this might know some useful things about Bio-Alchemy! And don't forget to pick up Alphonse as well!"
Isabella muttered in annoyance, saying, "Friggin' spontaneous-ah, whatever. Elizabeth, let's go."
Elizabeth quickly shot up out of her seat and saluted, mocking, "Sir, yes, sir!" She grinned however, showing she was just kidding around.
...
"Excuse me, but do you know who this person is by chance?" Armstrong asked, holding up his sketch of Marcoh. Edward look surprised at the Drawing, saying with a few sweatdrops,
"Wow, Major, you can really draw..." Armstrong quickly gained some sparkles as he said proudly,
"The art of portraiture has been passed down through the Armstrong family for Generations!"
"That man looks like Doctor Mauro, to me." The man they asked replied thoughtfully. Armstrong questioned in confusion,
"Mauro?"
"All of our town's Doctors were drafted down to help on the battlefields in the civil war," He replied as another man, younger with blonde hair and blue eyes, walked up. "Then Dr. Mauro came here. He's really been a life saver.
They asked around a bit more and got multiple replied, all positive, "He'll see anybody and he never gives up on any patient. We're lucky he's here."
"You see this bright, big flash of light and then you're cured, just like that!"
The three teens and Armstrong looked at each other, all coming to the same conclusion.
...
"This is it," Edward said as he knocked on the door. He grabbed the handle and opened the door, saying, "Um, hello-" He cut himself off quickly with wide eyes as he stared at the barrel of a gun. He screamed and quickly moved right as the stranger fired the gun, causing Isabella to scream and duck, barely missing getting shot in the head.
"Alright, tell me what you four are doing here!" Marcoh demanded, pointing the pistol at them with shaking hands. "Have you come to take me back?" Armstrong raised his free hand to try and pacify the Doctor.
"Please, Doctor, calm down-"
The gun in his hands shook in fear, "I don't ever want to go back! Anything but that!"
"That's not it, please, listen."
"So, you're here to silence me, then!?"
"No, nothing like that!"
"I won't be tricked by you!" Armstrong closed his eye and breathed in deeply, before opening them and throwing Alphonse at Marcoh declaring,
"I'll ask you one more time; Please, calm down!" The crate Alphonse was in hit Marcoh straight on, sending the man back and onto the floor.
"ALPHONSE!" Edward screamed in worry, while the two girls look worriedly up at Armstrong wondering what he was gonna do next.
...
"So, you changed your name and decided to live in hiding out here in the countryside?" Armstrong asked, everyone now sitting at his kitchen table. "If the rumors I heard are to be believed when you moved all the way out here; you took top-secret materials with you."
Marcoh clasped his hands together tightly, still frightened and uncomfortable. "I couldn't handle it anymore," He began, not looking at any of them. "Order or no order, to have to dirty my hands researching that thing was too much."
"What, "Thing"?" Isabella questioned curiously, frowning as she crossed her arms on the table.
He didn't answer, merely continuing to say, "It took so many lives...During the Civil War, so many innocent died because of it." Marco closed his eyes and ground his teeth together, hating the fact that he even had to talk about that thing when thinking about it was hard enough already. "I could spend my whole life trying and never atone for the things that I have done. But I had to do something, so I came here to be a Doctor to save lives instead of taking them."
Armstrong frowned, serious, and asked, "Doctor...What was it that you were ordered exactly to do research on? What "thing"?"
"The Philosopher Stone." Some of them gasped, while others inhaled sharply.
"The Top-secret materials I took were my research documents...and the stone itself." Marcoh looked taken aback when Edward stood up and slammed his hand on the table.
"You mean you still have it!? Is it still here!?" Marcoh appeared conflicted for a few seconds before he pulled out a small bottle with red liquid out of his jacket.
"How can that be the stone?" Edward asked in confusion, "It's liquid."
Marcoh pulled the cap off and poured the liquid onto the table, causing it to form into a small stone-shaped liquid. Edward gasped.
"The Sage's Stone". "The Grand Elixir". "The Celestial Stone". "The Red Tincture". "The Fifth Element"," Marco listed off as Elizabeth reached over and poked it a few times, making a strange face at the jelly-like feel of the substance. Edward did the same, staring at it in amazement, "Just as the Philosopher Stone is called by many names, it can take on many forms. It is not necessarily a stone. This is an incomplete product, however. There is no way to know when it will reach its limit and become unusable."
"Completed or not, it demonstrated plenty of power during the Ishvalan Civil War, right?" Edward asked, before saying, "It's just like that false stone that priest had in Liore. It was incomplete, but it still amplified his powers considerably." He grinned, "If imitations this powerful can be made, whose to say that a complete product can't be created?" He slammed his hand on the table again, smiling, "Please, Doctor Marcoh, I need access to your research materials."
Isabella frowned, trying to remember exactly what it was that Philosopher Stones were made out of. It was something bad, I remember that much, but what is it?
Elizabeth however seemed slightly paler than usual, but was doing well at hiding it.
"Major, who exactly is this boy?" Marcoh asked Armstrong with a frown. Armstrong looked at him with a completely serious face.
"This boy is a State Alchemist, Doctor."
"What?" Marcoh gasped, looking alarmed at Edward, "But he's only a child!" He pressed his hand against the bridge of his nose, unable to believe what was happening, "After the Civil War, many State Alchemists turned in their certifications because they refused to work as Human weapons anymore, and now a child-?"
"You think I don't know what I've signed up for?" Edward demanded, giving Marcoh a look. He clutched his right shoulder tightly as he continued, "I know what I'm doing, but I might not have any choice! If this is a mistake, then it's a mistake that I'm gonna have to make. There is no other way!" The determination in his eyes took Isabella aback, surprised at the sudden change in attitude.
Marcoh stared at Edward, eyes wide as he finally noticed Edward's missing arm. He then turned his gaze over to the crate that Alphonse was in, and stated after a few moments of silence, "I see...So you've committed the taboo? Amazing," He stood up and observed Alphonse, "To think that you would have the ability to transmute a specific person's soul like this. Maybe one as talented as you would be able to produce a complete Philosopher's Stone."
Edward looked hopeful, "So-!"
Marcoh cut him of, "But I can't show you my research."
"Why not!?"
"You must not seek after the stone!"
"Not even if it's to get our bodies back!?" Edward demanded.
"Never! This is the devil's research. If you chase after the stone, you will go through hell!"
"I've already been through Hell!" Edward snapped loudly, causing some birds in the distance outside to fly away.
"Please, just leave..."
In a fit, Edward got up and left the building, causing everyone else to follow suit.
At the train station, they sat down on a bench to await the next train.
"Are you sure about this, Ed?" Major Armstrong questioned with crossed arms. Edward looked up at him confused, "Even a complete Philosopher's Stone could be useful. You could have taken it from the Doctor by force."
Isabella looked at the Major with stress lines on her face, Is he trying to turn Edward into a bad guy? Edward sighed and leaned his head back.
"Yeah, I wanted it so bad, I could almost taste it. But still..."
Alphonse continued his brother's thought, "But still, we don't want it so badly that we'd be willing to deprive this town of their only Doctor to get it."
Edward continued with a smile as he stared up at the sky, "We gained plenty just by finding out that the Philosopher's Stone can be made. Now we'll just have to look for some other way to do it." He smiled at the Major.
Elizabeth nodded in agreement, though she still didn't look very happy. Isabella frowned and looked at her, noticing how quiet she had been the entire trip.
"Are you alright...?" The younger brunette looked up in surprise before nodding with a forced smile.
"Yeah, why?" Isabella's frown deepened.
"Just curious." They got up at the sound of the train whistle blowing and watched as it started to slow down.
"What about you, Major?" Edward asked curiously. "How do you feel about not reporting back to Central about Dr. Marco's location?"
"I met a simple, small-town Doctor today. I see no real reason to report that." Edward laughed and grinned, while Isabella shook her head at Armstrong's words.
"Wait!" They looked on in surprise at the sight of Marcoh standing before them, panting heavily with his hands on his knees.
"Dr. Marcoh?" Edward questioned in confusion.
They watched as he took out a piece of paper and handed it to them, "This is where my research materials are. If you're certain you won't regret learning the truth in the end, start looking here. Look closely. Maybe you'll find the truth hidden within the truth." Edward took the paper, surprised. Marcoh turned with a bitter smile, "But, I've said too much already." He raised a hand in the air in a wave as he walked away, "I hope the day will come when you'll be able to restore your bodies!"
Armstrong saluted while Edward bowed, Elizabeth and Isabella calling out and thanking the man.
From America to Germany in a Japanese anime that speaks English, Isabella thought in amusement, seeing how different their ways of thanking the man were, Talk about messed up.
Yes, she had noticed over the nine months that she had been here that Amestris was another version of Germany. Fuhrer Bradley? The type of vehicles they used? The German uniforms?
On the train, Alphonse asked, "Brother, what does the note say?"
"National Central Library, First Branch." He replied. Armstrong was left to hold Alphonse, as their was no room left on the seat because of all the people.
"I get it," Armstrong spoke, observing the note, "Like hiding a tree in a forest. Finding one book in that giant library will be difficult indeed."
Edward looked out the window, ready to clear another obstacle. "Finally, another clue about the stone..."
"Yo, Granny!" Edward called as they walked up to the house. Al greeted from his spot in the crate on the Major's shoulder,
"We're home!"
Elizabeth grinned, waving widely as her eyes shone brightly at meeting another one of the famous "Characters" of "Fullmetal Alchemist", "Nice to meet you!"
Isabella commented dryly, not really looking forward to getting poked and prodded at by Winry again for the billionth time. She came here three times after the specific amount of months they told her to come for checkups, and it wasn't really all that fun, "I'm not here for a check-up, so don't get any funny ideas."
Panako asked with a raised eyebrow, eyeing the girl curiously, "Now, why would I do that?" She then lifted her pipe up to her mouth to breathe out some smoke as she observed Edward, Alphonse, the Major and Elizabeth. She then asked, despite being used to the beaten up state of the older brother's automail, "Oh dear, what have you done now?"
Edward chuckled, "A lot has happened; can you fix us up?" A loud thud resounded when the Major placed the crate Alphonse was in on the ground, greeting the elderly woman as he shook her hand, "This is Major Alex Louis Armstrong," Edward introduced them.
"I'm Pinako Rockbell. Who might the new girl be?" Pinako introduced and questioned, eyeing Elizabeth. If she looked surprised at her resemblance to Isabella, she didn't show it. "I don't ever recall seeing her before."
"H-Huh? Oh, me?" Elizabeth asked in surprise, not really expecting Pinako to notice her so quickly. She laughed sheepishly and scratched the side of her head, "I'm-I'm Elizabeth Brown, Isabella's fraternal twin sister. We-We really never met until a few weeks ago. It's a long story."
Pinako offered a small smile, slightly amused at the girl's antics, "Well, I'm sure you can fill me in later. But," She turned to look at Edward with a frown, "I know I haven't seen you in a while, Ed..." She took a step, observing him from head to toe, "but you've gone and grown smaller." Her tone was condescending and skeptical.
Stress lines formed on Edward's face as a tick mark grew on his head, his eyebrows twitching as he said through grounded teeth, "Granny, you've got it wrong. You're supposed to say, "How big you've grown lately, Ed"." He tried to hold back from beating the poor woman into a pulp.
Panako came face-to-face with Ed, questioning bluntly, "But why would I say something so clearly untrue?"
Isabella heard stifled laughter and turned her head in confusion to see Elizabeth with her hands over her mouth, her shoulders shaking as she tried to quell her laughter. Isabella raised an eyebrow and shook her head, turning to look back at the scene that was happening in front of her.
The tick mark on Edward's face snapped and he screamed at Panako, standing to his full height as he growled angrily, "I'm still taller than you, you mini-hag!"
Pinako watched blankly when a wrench flew out of a window and hit Edward straight in the forehead, knocking backwards onto the ground as he cried out in pain.
A laugh escaped Isabella's mouth at the sight of his injury, crying out in amusement, "Ha! Take that you wannabe tall-ist!"
Edward seemed to ignore her as Winry yelled at him from her spot on the house's balcony.
"Edward, I though I told you to call first when you're heading back here for maintenance!" He quickly sat up and glared, tick marks growing on his face as he screamed.
"WINRY! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!?" The blonde laughed loudly for a few moments before smiling at Edward.
"Welcome back!" She greeted, happy to see him-especially that he seemed to be in one-piece.
...
The automail lay there in pieces, Winry's horrified face staring at what once was her precious automail she constructed for a specific Elric blonde. She cried out in horror, "Oh, nooooo!" Her voice went up a few pitches, showing her mortification at her poor baby.
Edward apologized from his spot on the couch, a mug barely reaching his lips as went to take a drink of coffee, "Yeah, sorry. It's a little smashed up."
She held the pieces of metal in her hands, trembling from head-to-toe, "A little smashed up"? A "little" Ed? Do you see what you've done to my beautiful creation; I slaved over this!"
Edward lowered the mug with a smile, a small sparkle appearing next to his face as he tried to avoid a beating, "It's basically the same, it's just in smaller pieces." Edward screamed as Winry punched him in the face, knocking out a tooth.
She placed her hands on her hips as she looked down at Alphonse skeptically, Edward's legs twitching in the air as he had landed on his face, "Don't tell me, you a little smashed up too, Al? What kind of trouble have you two been getting yourselves into?" Alphonse didn't have a chance to reply as Winry kicked him over to his brother, causing him to scream. She crossed her arms and turned around, turning to frozen Isabella and Elizabeth, looking at the more mature brunette. "What about you, huh, Isabella? How's your automail?"
Isabella slowly held up her arm, pushing her sleeve up to show that it was still in one-piece, "It's fine, see? I'm okay."
However, the bandages on her face refused to stay silent, causing Winry to beat her up as well with a lovely smack to the face as she was sent sprawling over with the Elric brothers.
"To think they even got you involved," Winry huffed, only to finally notice Elizabeth standing in the corner. She blinked and stared at the girl curiously, who happened to be trembling in fear. "Hey, who are you? Don't tell me you're with those three idiots."
"I'm-I'm Elizabeth," Winry blinked in surprise at the name, but noticed it wasn't pronounced -Eh-lis-uh-bethe- but -Ee-liz-uh-bith. "I'm her sister...please don't kill me!" She quickly raised her hands up in surrender, fearful of the girl's wrath. Winry smiled, only to frown at the sight of her hands and ask,
"May I see your hands?" Elizabeth blinked in confusion.
"What?" Winry seemed to not hear her as she quickly moved forward and grabbed the automail hands, observing them intently with stars in her eyes.
"No way...I've never seen craftsmanship like this before! The finely tuned-" Elizabeth blinked when Winry started ranting about things she didn't understand, forcing her jacket off of her to observer her hands better. Winry finally backed away after a good three minutes and placed her hands against her face, fangirling, "It's truly a work of art!"
"Um..right? But, are they gonna be okay?" She pointed nervously at the three stooges who were twitching in the corner, beaten up. Winry paused and stared at them with a stern look, stating.
"They'll be fine. They're all a bunch of idiots, all they ever do is worry me! And now I got two more people to worry about, the nerve of them!" Winry huffed, crossing her arms again. Elizabeth blinked and quickly shrugged her sleeves back down over her hands, feeling uncomfortable with them rolled up like that.
A good twenty minutes later, the four horsemen had finished telling their tale and requests.
Panako spoke, "In order for you to get this information you need, you want to get to Central as soon as possible, am I right?" Edward nodded.
"Yeah, this is kind of a rush order." Edward was sitting on a chair in his boxers and tanktop, Panako observing his automail leg and flesh leg.
"Hm...it's not just the arm, you're leg needs adjusting too."
Isabella snickered at that, commenting with an amused smirk, "Congratulations, blondie. You're height isn't so hopelessly forgotten after all." Edward gave her a glare as Winry agreed, grinning.
"Yeah, your growth isn't completely stunted, huh?"
"SHUT UP!"
Panako hit the knee gently with her smoke pipe, "Leg aside, with the state of the arm, we're going to have to build it completely from scratch."
Edward frowned, "Is there any chance you can have it done in a week?" He felt guilty for rushing them, but he need Marcoh's notes. Isabella noticed the tone of voice he used and realized how he must feel, and turned her head as she frowned, narrowing her eyes as she glared at a wall.
Hmph, guess the idiot's not so much of a jerk after all. Still don't like him, though. He had tried to kill himself. That gives the girl no reason to like him at all. In fact, it just made her hate him more.
Isabella was snapped out of her thoughts when Panako said, standing, "Give us some credit, Ed." She blew some smoke out of her mouth and smiled confidently, "Three days. But you'll have to make do with this spare for now." She placed a temporary replacement leg onto Edward's port. He stood up, stumbling slightly as he tried to get used to the feel of a different leg.
"It's a little difficult trying to walk on a leg I'm not used too," He admitted, catching his balance. Panako smirked, her hands on her hips.
"We'll be finished before you get used to it," She promised. Winry stood up, slinging the remnants of the mechanical arm over her shoulder as she listed off with her fingers.
"Three days, huh? Between machining, assembling, connecting, and finishing...that's three all-nighters." Edward frowned as he looked at the girl, the guilt hitting him even more as he felt bad about making her lose sleep over this.
"I'm sorry for all the trouble..." Winry turned and smiled brightly at him.
"Well, you want to get to Central as soon as possible, right? Then I'll work my butt off for you!" A light blush spread across Edward's face at the girl's determination to do this for him, "But you better believe you're gonna be paying a fortune in rush order fees!"
Elizabeth leaned over to Isabella, whispering soft enough that the two blondes couldn't hear, "I sense a couple in the making~" She sang softly, grinning from ear-to-ear. Isabella rolled her eyes at the childishness, but had to admit that Winry and Edward were a cute couple. Though, how Winry could fall for that idiot she had no idea, but hey-who was she to question how people felt about each other?
...
"What's wrong with you? Trading places with another person...you stole their life from them! Their friends, family-all of their loved ones were taken from them because you came here! I though you had a heart...But it turns out that even that tiny little organ of yours it artificial! You're not human...you're a monster! She died because of you!"
"Such sweet dreams, my traveler. It's sad that you only have this journey and no home to get back too except the one you have here."
"I hate you! I trusted you...and this is how you repay me!? By taking her place in our lives and allowing her to die in your place!?"
"She never survived the crash! Isabella-She-She's dead. My daughter's dead..."
"Sis..."
"Our sister's...dead?"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Wake up, damn it! Wake up! You can't-No, no, no, no! No more-I lost your father, I'm not losing your too! Wake up..."
"Two funerals within one week..."
"It must have been hard on mom, losing not only dad but now Lizzie, too..."
"I love you."
"Poor kids, their sister's gone. Did you hear? Chasing a bus so she wouldn't have to walk to school and got hit by Pickup-Truck."
"Poor things...They'll get put in the system now, won't they?"
"Why did you leave us? Why did you chase after it?"
"Isabella!"
"It's all your fault Elizabethe's dead. You killed her."
"Big sister? Is it true you're not from here?"
"I love you, big sister!"
"I hate you."
Her eyes snapped open almost instantly, darting around frantically as she tried to decipher where the voices came from and where she was, completely horrified at what had just transpired. Trying to calm herself, she sat up and placed a hand against her chest as she tried to relax herself and her breathing, her chest heaving heavily from the fright she just experienced.
What was she afraid of? She had no idea. Being hated? No, that wasn't it. Abandoned? Closer...
I killed who? She asked herself, furrowing her eyebrows as the sweat beaded down her face. Giggling echoed in her mind and she tensed, remembering the sweet little girl who made her smile. Nina... The smell of alcohol and the sight of anger and depression, Mother...you're not really dead, are you? Sickness and blood. Her shoulders trembled and she bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears that wanted to form, Daddy...forgive me. I'm such a coward, aren't I? I couldn't even save one little girl...One sweet, innocent little girl, and here I am saying I'll save another. I don't...I don't want anyone else to die...
She was scared.
"You killed her."
She couldn't save Nina.
"I love you, big sister!"
She was a coward and here she was thinking that she could save Hughes and prevent Nina from feeling the same pain she had. What a wimp.
She stood up after a moments, realizing she must have fallen asleep on the couch, and moved to leave the room. Her hand froze over the handle, hearing Panako talking to Armstrong.
"-It's gone now. The brothers don't have any home to return too." What? She didn't remember that. Then again, she doesn't remember a lot of things. "The day they left, after Ed gotten his State certification...they burned down their own house."
Isabella frowned, not understanding. Why would they have done that? Who one earth would burn down their own house? Even Lillian wouldn't have been so crazy to do that. She then remembered her dream and the sorrowful faces of her siblings as they stood by a grave, dressed completely in black. Why did they look so sad? They were crying. Over three different graves. People were talking about them behind their backs, obviously at a funeral. Mother couldn't have...
Why is it, that no matter where she was, people always seemed to die around her?
"-my guess is they did it because with no house to come home to...there could be no turning back."
Without even realizing it, her eyes had begun to water. Quickly blinking the tears away, she opened the door just in time to hear Elizabeth say,
"That's...poor guys..." She couldn't even think of the right thing to say. Panako turned her head at the sound of a door opening and stared at Isabella in surprise.
"Oh, you're finally awake. You seemed to have fallen asleep while reading, so I had the Major move you to the couch."
Stress lines formed on her face as she sweatdropped, staring at a sparkling shirtless Major who had tears and sparkles around his face. "I feel slightly violated since you said he's the one who carried me, but thanks for the concern."
"Did you hear?"
"What?"
"Our conversation," Panako explained, staring at the girl, "Did you hear it?"
Isabella tensed, not sure if she should tell the truth, before saying with a frown, "Only the end about how they burned their house down. No need to worry."
Panako sighed, "Well, it's not like it was anything to worry about. It's about time I get working on supper." A while later, Edward walked in and was ambushed by the Major who was crying.
"Oh, Edward Elric! What unyielding love to try and bring your mother back to life! What a tremendous sacrifice to give up your arm to transmute your brother's disembodied soul! What determination to burn down your own house! To make sure...there was no retreat. Come Edward!" He quickly stripped himself of the shirt that the twin sisters had worked so hard on convincing him to wear, "Allow me to offer you this comforting embrace!"
"Just stay back! DON'T RUB YOUR CHEST ON ME!"
...
It was the first night and Edward was already impatient. He kept checking in every hour to see if Winry was close to being done, and it was starting to grate on the blonde's nerves.
Elizabeth turned to look at Isabella, having had to share Winry's room with her since the blonde refused to go to bed, "Do you really think we can save Hughes? I mean, we're going to have to take on Envy or something like that. Strike a deal or beat him up."
"Him? You sure that palm tree's not a girl or a hermaphrodite?"
"I'm...pretty sure. I think."
"I don't know...but we need to try. Any ideas?"
"Hm..." Elizabeth rolled onto her back with her hands on her stomach, poking her lips out in a pout, "Well...I can stay behind since I know Alchemy and you don't, and you can go to Rush Valley with the brothers."
"Rush Valley...Isn't that that automail place with that prince?" Elizabeth sat up suddenly, eyes shining brightly.
"Ling! He's one of my favorites! In all honesty, I think you two would get along epically! Aw, what if you two become a couple! That would be the cutest thing ever!"
Isabella sweatdropped as she stared at the girl. She dressed similar to Isabella so people often mistaken her as goth, not to mention that she was also a tomboy, but acted like a total fangirl when it came to romance. Such a child but such a teen. I don't think I'll ever understand this girl...How are we even related? I think there's a lose cannon in that thing she calls a brain somewhere... Wait, does she even have a brain?
Well, she was stupid enough to get kidnapped by Tucker, so...
"Please don't get your imagination confused with reality. I plan on dying alone, thank you." She turned to her side, her back facing a pouting Elizabeth.
"You're no fun at all...Not only are you short, but mean as well..."
"What was that you bastard?" Elizabeth leaned back at the sight of towering angry Isabella, her fist held up and ready to strike. "I dare you say that again. I'll kick your ass. You're as tall as I am, so don't you dare go insulting my height or I'll shove those feet of yours into your mouth and make you eat your metallic hands!"
Elizabeth sweatdropped, eye twitching slightly as she stared at Isabella in distress, "I think Ed's rubbed off on you a little...Those threats are kinda-OWWW!" She screamed in pain when she was suddenly pushed off the bed and Isabella's metal foot was pressing down her stomach, "I'm sorry, I"m sorry!"
"What was that? I'm afraid I'm so tall that I wasn't able to hear you correctly! Did you shrink a few feet by chance?"
"I'm sorry! You're so tall, I can barely see you from up there!" She cried, tears streaming comically down her face. Isabella huffed and smirked, crossing her arms and sat back down on the bed and released Elizabeth who held her poor abused stomach, "You're so mean to me..."
"Damn straight I'm tall." She "Hmph'ed" and turned around to lay back down on the bed.
Three days later.
Elizabeth figured they should know. After all, if they were to be travelling together, it would alright if they knew the truth. She felt guilty about hiding it from them. Which is why she walked over to the brother's, who were sitting on the grass talking.
"H-Hey, guys, I need to talk to you..."
Ed and Al turned to look at her curiously.
"What is it?" Edward asked, confused.
"It's...It's about "The Gate"." The atmosphere turned dark already, and she barely had enough time to finish explaining before Winry ran up with Edward's arm.
"Here you go! It's all ready!" Winry smiled at them, only to frown at the sight of the three and the look on the teen's faces. What's going on?
She never found out.
...
"Weirdest looking outfit I have ever worn," Isabella stated, staring at herself in the mirror after her bath. Winry let her borrow some clothes and use the shower, which she would be eternally grateful for, and was left wearing a navy blue tanktop underneath a black cape-like jacket that had only three buttons at the top. She wore a pair of green cargo pants and boots. Though, it's better than wearing those torn up clothes again and at least they're dark colors. She grinned slightly before sighing, wondering when they'd all be leaving.
After all the excitement with Scar, standing around doing nothing was making her bored. Which is pretty much why she was surprised when she opened the door and walked out.
She found herself pushed up against the wall, Edward's hand gripping her collar tightly as he glared at her, automatically demanding, "When the hell were you gonna tell us you were from the other side of the Gate!?"
"What?" Her eyes widened in shock. When did they find out? No, how?
"Elizabeth told us everything, now spill! What the hell are you doing here and why the hell did you let the Hughes' adopt you when you have a home back there!? You still have a family-why did you come here!?"
Why did I-when did he get his automail arm back? She then realized Winry must have finished it today-only to quickly feel anger when she fully comprehend what Elizabeth had done.
His grip tightened and she could feel the metal pinching her skin, the wall starting to hurt her back. She raised her hands and tried to pry his off of her, to no avail. "Why I came here?" She questioned, eyeing with narrow and scornful eyes.
"Who the hell did you try to bring back to life!? Who did you use to open the gate!?"
Oh, that was it. She's had it. Being slammed against a wall for one thing, but being accused of human transmutation? Uh-uh.
Her eyes widened before being narrowed in complete anger, her face morphing into the darkest glare she could muster-which was pretty damn scary. "You wanna know who died? My father. You wanna know who else died? Me. And you wanna know something, blondie?" His glare didn't falter, which was good enough for her for when she could wipe that look off his puny little face. She raised her voice, snapping as her grip on his automail tightened, "I didn't ask for this! I didn't want to come here, I didn't want to leave my home, my friends, or my family, I didn't ask for any of this! And, for your information," Her look darkened as Edward grew taken aback, "I didn't commit human transmutation! I can't even use alchemy! I don't even know how! So how 'bout you start thinking first before you start to throw false accusations around, huh? I don't have anything against blondes, but you're as dumb as they come!
"I just wanted to get on the bus, go to school, and come home like I always do, but you know what? That didn't happen. So shut the fuck up because you don't know anything. I don't know what Elizabeth told you, but yeah, I'm from the other side of the gate. Congratulations, you know the truth-here's a god damn trophy 'cause I could care less." Edward released and took a step back, staring at her with hidden surprise. "I'm dead over there, they already probably had a god damn funeral, so there's no point in me trying to get back over there. My friend, family-everyone I cared about-practically dead since I'll never see them again. If you wanna start a fight, go straight ahead 'cause I don't really care anymore.
"I don't like you, you don't like me, so after we get to the library I might as well just go home back to the Hughes' family. They're all I got now..." She glared at him from the corner of her eyes, "So, whatever she told you is completely irrelevant to me since you don't know a damn thing about me. She doesn't either, so you both should stop acting like you do. I'm sick and tired of it."
She took a deep breathe and sighed, shoulder slouching now that what burst of anger she had was completely gone and shoved onto Edward. Man, have I been holding that in the entire time I've been here? Feels like it... Isabella could hardly believe that she actually snapped. She thought she actually had a good control over her anger.
"So that's it." Edward stated bluntly, no longer glaring but crossing his arms. She whirled around in surprise to look at him, eyes wide.
"What?" What the hell was with the 180 mood change!?
He looked at her, not angry or hateful, but calm and-she didn't know how to explain it. "I wanted to hear your side of the story. I figured that here'd be no better way to do it then to make you angry. Though, I didn't expect that outburst...And what the hell are you talking about leaving? Mustang ordered me to train you, so I'm gonna train you damn it!" She stood there in shock, "Hughes would kill me if you got killed for being defenseless..." He really didn't want to make that man angry.
Her fingers twitched, and soon Edward was lying in a scrapheap on the ground with multiple bruises and bumps on his head.
She held a fists up as multiple tick marks grew on her face along with stress lines, "Don't take me for a fool, damn it. I may not know how to fight, but I still know how to hurt you!"
Elizabeth soon appeared and asked if Edward was okay, only to quickly join him in the scrapheap. Alphonse was the only who was spared, as he was the only one who was nice about it.
"So, you've seen it as well?"
"Unfortunately. His voice also pops up in my head from time to time."
"Oh...Unlike brother, I don't remember much about it. Are you really from the other side?"
"Yup."
"I'm sorry..."
"Not your fault, Al."
He appeared to be calm about, but freaked out at first when Elizabeth told him and his brother everything.
She said they were a story, tale found in books. Who wouldn't freak out being told something like that? But the way she knew things sometimes...it made sense. Isabella appeared to not remember much, or just doesn't know anything, but Alphonse still had the feeling that they could trust the two. Sure, it was weird knowing they were from the Other side of the Gate and that they were just stories where they came from, but...
"Hey, let go of me!"
"Al, let's go! We need to teach this girl some lessons in fighting! Elizabeth, you come too!"
"What? Why!?"
"I'm not going to be protecting you two every damn time there's a fight!"
The two girls' didn't have a choice as they were dragged outside and started to run for their lives, dodging and ducking and screaming as they tried to avoid Edward and Alphonse's attacks.
However, they all started to run in fear when Armstrong stripped and decided to join in on the fun.
It was soon decided that they would all be leaving first thing tomorrow morning.
...
Alphonse commented at the sight of his brother sleeping with his stomach showing, "Sleeping with his tummy out again-what am I gonna do with him?"
"It's like you're the older one, huh, Al?" Pinako commented with an amused smile. Alphonse replied softly,
"He can be a handful. Someone has to look after him."
"Hold old are the two of you boys, now?"
Winry pulled a blanket over Edward and sat down on the arm of the couch, look down at Edward with a soft and sad look on her face, "To think someone as young and small as he is...could be used a human weapon. It's almost funny-especially watching him sleep."
It was quiet for a few moments before Alphonse said, "Thanks, both of you..."
"What's this?" Winry questioned curiously, "Why so formal?"
"Granny, Winry...I'm so grateful to you, always welcoming us like we're really family. He won't ever say it, but...I know brother feels the same way."
"Al..."
Panako smiled gently, "Don't you worry, dear. We know he feels that way, too...He doesn't have to say it."
Isabella was completely silent, not saying anything and just standing there quietly. The Elric Brothers are truly lucky people...to have so many people who care for them... She decided to leave, not even understanding why she decided to eavesdrop with Armstrong in the first place.
"Granny...Winry...thank you." Armstrong was crying at this point.
The next morning.
Edward finished pulling on his gloves and said, "Thank you again for everything, Granny." He told Panako with a small smile.
"Sure."
Alphonse stopped petting Den, the dog, and stood up asking, "Hey...where's Winry?"
Isabella blinked in surprise and looked around with crossed arms, "Yeah, speaking of her, I haven't seen her."
"You're right!" Elizabeth exclaimed, surprised as the realization hit her.
"Resting," Panako explained, "She stayed up three nights in a row. Want me to wake her?"
That wouldn't be very nice... Isabella thought sweatdropping, only able to imagine how angry the blonde would be then.
"Nah, that's okay," Edward replied, starting to walk away as he waved his hand around lazily, "She'd just nag me. Make sure to do your maintenance or whatever." Everyone started to walk down the hill, only to get called to a stop by Panako.
"Hang on a second, now. You should come back once in a while and have dinner with us." Alphonse nodded while Edward laughed.
"You want us to come all this way into the mountains just for some dinner?" Panako laughed with a grin.
"Edward, Alphonse, Isabel, Elizabeth!" The two girls looked surprised at their name being called as well as they looked up at the balcony to see a tired Winry waving at them with an exhausted smile. "Come back soon, 'kay?"
Edward looked surprised before turning around and scratching his head, "Yeah!" He waved, not looking at her as he started to head down the hill again. Alphonse laughed as he waved, and Elizabeth called,
"Later! Sleep well!"
"Whatever, just don't overdo it." Isabella said bluntly as she yawned, walking away with Elizabeth chasing after her with a goofy grin. Armstrong said nothing, merely waving as he walked.
I'm kinda disappointed by this chapter, but I'm trying to make the storyline at least similar to the one this was a rewrite of that I deleted. DX This feels like a really rushed chapter. I'm sorry. Anyway, what do you guys think about Isabella and Elizabeth?