Well here's chapter six. I might have had it up earlier but I had to re-write the entire chapter. I had a really cute scene planed for Aria and Ed but then I decided that I should make their relationship move a little slower. So here we have chapter six! I've noticed something, I'm getting new reviewers! :D That makes me happy that there are new people reading this story. It also gives me hope that it's not total crap! :D I've also noticed that my little notes to my reviewers had increased in size. Just two chapters ago I was answering just one question and that's it. Last chapter it became two. Now we're at... THREE! I probably sound like such a freak for getting excited about that.

Kyashidi-san: I know Ed's not the type to bond with a total stranger so don't worry. I hope this chapter clears up any confusion. I like your doggie idea! I think I'll use it.

Darkness of Yami: I'm glad you think that their relationship is going at a good pace. My biggest fear is that it's going to fast and making Ed seem too OOC. Oh and I hope that Aria doesn't seem like an angsty-sue

Evil Robina: I'm glad you like the cute scenes. You're gonna have to wait a little for new ones though because of what happens in this chapter. Although I won't make you wait too long. I'm glad you like my quick updates. It gives me something to do cause I'm really bored this summer.


Aria woke up first that morning. She and Ed had their back to each other and were each facing a separate wall. She could hear Ed's soft snores. He was so peaceful as he slept. Roy had told her that he was brash, immature, and annoying. She never noticed it from the time she had been with him.

Aria got off the bed and moved out of the room. She quietly padded outside. When she got to the fountain she looked up into the sky and saw that it was a bright blue colour. There wasn't a single cloud. The ground smelt wet and clean. Aria knew that there had been rain last night. Just before she had fallen asleep, she heard it against the glass of the bedroom window. The drops hit the window just as bullets would hit a target.

Aria sat on edge of the fountain and thought about yesterday's events. Everything up until they had come to the underground had been uneventful. When they got here things became eventful. Aria felt guilty because of last night. She had forced Ed's past out of him. Even though she told him her own past it did little to make her feel better. It wasn't truly equivalent exchange.

Aria had used her alchemy just before they had started talking. Shadow manipulation allowed her to manipulate what Ed did. She got him to tell her his past. She would have to tell him, she couldn't live with herself if she kept that to herself. She used to think nothing about manipulating people but now she felt guilty.

I wonder where my ruthlessness has gone. I used to have no heart. Aria thought to herself.

You lost it when you decided to become his partner. A voice inside Aria's head said.

Where did you come from?

I'm your inner voice. I answer all your questions.

So you're my conscience?

Something like that.

So why did I become so soft-hearted?

That's easy. The Elric boy is kind so subconsciously you want to be kind too. You also kind of have a crush on him.

Yeah right!

I'm serious. It's nothing to be ashamed of! If I wasn't just a voice stuck inside your head I'd be all over him cause when you look at him it's like DAMN! He's hot!

Aria blocked out the voice in her head. She was certain that she was going crazy. When she got to central, she'd go get a mental evaluation. Hearing voices was definitely not healthy. It was probably something serious. However, the voice was right that Ed was good looking. That didn't mean she felt something, it was just a fact.

After a few more minutes of being alone, Ed appeared. He looked like he had yesterday morning. Something about him screamed that he was obsessive about his appearance, at least a little.

"Ed," Aria began, "I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" Ed asked confused.

"Come sit next to me."

Ed walked over to Aria and sat down next to her. He looked at her curiously. He was hanging her head as if she was ashamed of something. Ed wanted to know why Aria was acting the way she was.

"Ed," Aria began, "How much of last night do you remember?"

"Everything, why?"

"Well, when you told me about your past, that wasn't really you talking."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it was you but I got you to say all that. I manipulated you."

Ed stood up and held his hands at his sides, clenched into fists. He didn't know he could get so mad at somebody. He was ready to hurt Aria but he decided against it. He knew that he should never hit a girl.

"How could you?" Ed shouted. "I trusted you! I thought you were a good person! Now I know that you're no better than those homunculi!"

Aria didn't even protest when he shouted the accusations at her. She just sat there and took it. That morning she had realized that they no longer had business here because there was nothing to be gained by being here. They would go to central and go their separate ways. Aria would eventually become just a vague memory to Ed. Aria would always vividly remember him, but that didn't matter.

"We don't need to be here anymore. We can go back to Central. I'll get Mustang to give you another partner. We never have to see each other again," Aria said quietly.

"That works just fine for me," Ed growled.

They walked back out of the ruins and into the sun. The weather had cleared up from last night. The sky seemed to be teasing Aria, being so nice for such a dreary day. Aria thought she might get an actual friend, but now she ruined that. She'd probably never have friends. It hurt now, but she would learn to live with it. If Ed had taught her anything, it was that she couldn't be with other people.

They walked in silence to the train station. Ed was no longer affected by the vapour. He wanted to thank Aria for getting him to drink the water. Then he remembered what she had told him and a new wave of rage hit him. He couldn't believe somebody could be that cruel.

When they got to the train station, they bought their own tickets and entered the train. They sat in seats as far away from each other as possible. Aria stared out the window when the train started moving. She felt something wet rolling on her cheek. She pressed her hand to it. When she looked at her fingers she saw that the wetness was tears. It felt odd to her, she hadn't cried since she was little. Under Bradley's command and in the lab she was trained to never cry or even tear up. No matter what, her eyes were not allowed to water.

Aria looked over at Ed and saw that he was reading a notebook. She felt a sudden urge to sit next to him and throw her arms around him. She wanted to tell him how sorry she was, how she didn't mean to hurt him. Aria pushed down the urge and went back to staring out the window. She stayed like that until they got to Central.

When they reached Central, they went their separate ways and never looked back at each other. Ed was going on another train to be with his brother. Aria was staying in central. She didn't have anywhere else to go. Sighing she entered Central HQ and walked towards her dorm.

She entered her dorm and saw that it was untouched. Even though she had left it unlocked, nobody had touched anything inside. Aria sighed in relief because everything was still in her room. She shut her door turned on the light. She sat on her bed and just stayed still. After a few minutes she began to sob. They weren't loud sobs, no they were the silent ones that nobody could hear and made you feel like you're choking.

Aria hated feeling guilty. She had never felt guilty before when she had manipulated people. From that moment onwards, Aria vowed to never manipulate another person as long as she lived. She laid down on her bed and closed her eyes. She fell asleep quickly. Crying had exhausted her.


All AriaxEd supporters out there fear not! Their relationship is not over, it's just on a little break. I know most of you are probably thinking "But they've only just met" (or something along those lines). Just think of it from Ed's point of view. How would you feel if somebody manipulated you. So he's decided to go back home to think about some things. Next chapter we bring in a somebody. We haven't me them yet so let me help you out and tell you that it's not Roy. If you can guess who I'll dedicate the chapter to you (if there's more of you then I'll dedicate future chapters to you). Anyway what do you think should happen in chapter seven?