Thank you everyone so much for the reviews! It is a great accomplishment to see everyone enjoying it so much! It makes me giddy when I see all the reviews and e-mails I'm getting for those of you adding it their favorites. Thank you so much!

CallieBear: yes it did make me feel good haha. And thank you so much! I try hard to keep those two in character! Also, throwing Serena and Edward together would be weird yes, but to boring for me! Developed relationships are so much more fun to write!

CookieCrisp: I laughed a little while writing it haha

Oops: O_O! Forgive me! Haha it just seemed like the perfect spot to end lol

Bloodymidnight, Snow246, Odd'sgirl15, Lacy465: Thank you so much! Here is your update!

I DO NOT OWN FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST!...still don't…

Chapter Six:

Adjustments and Truth

"Stop running Dammint!"

"Al, help me!" I whined while hiding behind a tree. The only response I got from him was laughter. Gee thanks. I will remember that.

I peeked to around the tree to see Edward crossing his arms looking annoyed. I gave him and weak smile which he rolled his eyes at but then grinned wildly. I suddenly found myself lifted off the ground by large metal arms.

"Al you traitor!" I yelled trying to wiggle out of his grasp which was a very hopeless attempt.

"Come on Serena. You're not going to learn anything by running," He replied with a small laugh.

Alphonse set me down in front of Edward, who smiling triumphantly and I just pouted. There was nowhere for me to run since Alphonse was holding me by each arm. They knew I would make a break for it.

"Now, get ready!" Edward said while readying himself once more.

"Don't hit me!" I shouted while I saw his arm coming for me.

I closed my eyes waiting for the blow…but it never came. Peeking one eye open, I looked up at my own arm which was blocking Edward's from striking. I smiled back at Alphonse who was the one who had moved my arm.

"You really thought I was going to hit you?" Edward laughed while setting his arm down.

I face lit up in embarrassment. Well, what else was I supposed to think? He was coming after me like he was ready to strike me down for crying out loud!

"Remember every movement Al is about to help you with. Now, stand like me…"

And it went on like this. I stepped every way Edward told me too, occasionally stumbling, and allowed Alphonse to move me like a small puppet. We did this for hours and my body was starting to feel sore. I was not going to be feeling good tomorrow.

Finally, Edward stepped back and let out a breath and Alphonse released me, which I took as a moment to fall to the ground. I smiled up and the orange sky and relished the cool grass. Edward blocked my view with a scolding look.

"Who said we were done?"

I sat up with my lips pursed.

"But I'm tired," I muttered before forcing myself to stand. I was surprised to find my legs able to stand since they felt like a bowl of jello. My eyes widened when Alphonse walked away and Edward was taking his ready position again.

"Um…Al?" I called.

"No. Try it without him," He must have seen the fear in my eyes since he laughed. "I'll take it slow." He reassured.

I nodded and copied his stance. Edward kept to his word. He moved very slowly for me. He was allowing me enough time to register his movements and to remember everything Alphonse had made me do in such situations. I started to smile and feel proud of myself for blocking. I even found enough pride in me to try and lay a few on him too.

"Let's pick up the pace then."

My pride faded. I liked it a lot better when we moved like a slug. He never hit me though. Every time he came close he just held it still and counted the times he could have. Edward swung his left arm at me, and I ducked finding a small opening. I smiled and went for the shot, but he quickly responded by ducking low and swinging his leg out which knocked me flat on my back.

"And that would forty-five times," Edward stated while offering me a hand.

I glared at it suspiciously. Was this another trick of his? Edward laughed and shook his head.

"It's ok. We're done for today."

The words I had been waiting to hear all day! I took his hand gratefully. There was no way I was going to be able to stand on my own. The Major's maniac laugh threw all hope I had of rest out the window as he stood before Edward and I with his shirt off and muscles bulging.

"How wonderful! Such dedication from a teacher and persistence of a pupil! It is beautiful!" He yelled with tears.

"Um, thanks?"

Armstrong through his fist in the air and his eyes filled with resolve.

"Perhaps I can help you as well! The art of fighting has been passed down the Armstrong line for generations!"

I did not even want to hear the rest. I ran for it again and Edward was right beside me. The Major was hot on trail though with his 'joyful' laughter ringing through the hills.

"The plan was to teach not crush her death!" Edward shouted while shoving me to the side.

Alphonse came to our rescue by catching both of the Major's fists. They were now having a battle of strength and Alphonse did not last long before he was tossed like a small fly. Both Edward and I nervously took our stances while Armstrong approached with a glee. In this moment, I think I was more afraid of him than I was of Scar…

~.~.~.~.~

Edward and I sat on the coach in the Rockbell home with dazed expressions. He was perfectly okay. Perhaps a little shocked that someone like the Major was happy to pick a fight, but he still held his own perfectly. Me on the other hand, I will probably be scarred of muscle head men for the rest of my life. I stood slowly, wincing at the pain in my legs. I was going to be sore for days since I was not used to so much exercise. I heard Edward laughing under his breath so I responded by throwing the nearest pillow at him.

"Oh that was mature!"

"Can it!"

Winry came waltzing in which interrupted the glaring contest Edward and I were having. She had a very happy grin on her face and it worried me a little. Smiles usually meant evil plans in this world.

"Soooo," she started. "Since you are new here and all…you probably need some help adjusting to the things of this place."

"Yeah…" I said slowly. Unsure of where she was going with this.

"I need to go pick up a few things in town. Come with me so I can take you shopping! You're going to need some new clothes!"

As much as I hated to admit it, she was right. Who knew how long I was going to be in this world. It would not hurt for me to adjust as she had put it. I gave her a small smile and thanked her.

"Besides, Edward still owes me for fixing his arm so this is gonna be great!"

"WHAT!"

~.~.~.~.~

I stared at myself in the mirror with my head tilted. I was very thankful that despite I was in a different time period, their fashion sense was pretty similar. The clothes I had arrived in needed to be tossed. They were a little torn in some place from the run in with Scar, and dark grass stains from all the running we did from the Major.

But I was content. Winry and I were able to find some dark jeans to replace my old ones and I would search for a long sleeve like the one I was wearing now whenever I made it home. It had a v-neck and the sleeves ended down at my wrists but all along the arm were small slit openings. I was starting to look like a native.

Stretching, I ran downstairs with a yawn only to be greeted with Edward's wining. He was ready to be on the road again. After the tip he got from Marco, he was desperate to be getting back to Central so we could search through the library.

"Sorry, we just need to get going. There is so much we need to do," Edward told Winry with a small frown.

Goodbyes had to be hard for all of them…

"Just remember to come home every now and again ok," Pinako told the brothers while letting out a small puff of smoke before turning to me.

"Now I don't exactly understand all of this about you being here, but you're welcome here anytime too."

I smiled and nodded. I was very thankful for everyone. Here I was, a total stranger to this world and everyone welcomed me in like I belonged. I had to thank Alphonse and Edward for that. Who knows what would have happened if they were not the ones to have found me.

We were back on the train in no time. I yawned and leaned against the window. It was the most I could do anyways since I was stuck by the Major and Alphonse and Edward were across from us. There was no way Alphonse would be able to fit next to him and since Edward sat by him on the way to Risembool it was "my turn," as Edward had put it.

"So, what are we doing in Central again?" I asked with tired eyes.

"We're going to Central Library. The first branch. That's where Marco has all of his research pertaining to the stone," Alphonse answered since Edward was already fast asleep.

I nodded and dozed off. More reading…yay…

~.~.~.~.~

"Ah! Doctor Marco's research! It's all gone!"

Most of the Library was in ashes. People who passed us in the street told us it was recently burnt down. Still an unknown cause. I stared at it and the laughed nervously.

"Oh yeah…I remember this..."

"What do you mean 'Oh yeah?' If you knew why didn't you tell us?" Edward shouted slightly annoyed.

"I forgot! I'm not exactly God here with the all seeing eye!" I retaliated.

Edward sighed and marched into the damaged building. He was looking for something that might have made the fire. But there was nothing. Every book was burnt to a crisp.

"Major Armstrong, Sir!" I new voice said.

We turned to see two soldiers. I smiled in recognition. It was Denny Brosh and Maria Ross. These two were great in the series.

"You are requested back at Central command and we will be guarding Elric, Sir!" Ross stated with a strong salute still in place.

"What? Just when I thought I'm home free they give me more body guards! Geez!" Edward whined.

I let out an exasperated sigh when we were once again piled into a car. I was bored. If only we could have stayed in Risembool a little while longer. Maybe because it reminded me so much of my own home town.

"Maybe not all hope is lost. There was a lady that used to work at that branch, Sheska, and maybe she can help."

I smiled and lightly tapped Edward with my elbow. I nodded at him and he gave me a smile. It became my little way of telling him something good was about to happen.

"Well let's go then!" He said.

"I just wanted to ask, why are you in that suit of armor?" Ross asked staring at Alphonse.

The three of us grew nervous and laughed a little.

"A hobby!" Both Edward and Alphonse echoed.

The two soldiers stared at each other in shock and began to whisper to one another. A hobby? Out of all the excuses they could have come up with…they said hobby.

"What a beautiful day!" I said suddenly pointing outside.

"Yeah it's wonderful!" Alphonse piped in.

~.~.~.~

Sheska was more of a bookworm in person. She was as sweet as can be do not get me wrong, but she was someone who would have been greatly picked on through my high school. I loved her when I saw her on screen. Because of her photographic memory she had been able to rewrite, word for word, every single one of Marco's research books, but now that I was staring at the towers of notes…I was annoyed.

I glared at the sheets of paper in front of me with my arms crossed. I turned to Edward with a pout as he sat down next to me and handed me a notebook to write down any notes. Maybe if I gave him the saddest look I could conjure up, and stare at him long enough he would let me off the hook.

"Don't even try it," he muttered digging his nose into the first stack.

So, I went to plan B. Trying the same thing Alphonse. No such luck there either…I did not understand why they wanted me to read any of this. Sure, I had some training for the couple weeks I had been here but not enough to decode Marco's notes. Especially since the masters next to me were going to have a hard time with it.

"You know I could just tell you what it said..." I muttered.

Edward turned to me and thought for a moment before he shook his head.

"No. I want to see for myself. Besides, there could be more to it."

Well, so much for that. I guess there was no point in trying to make things easier. So, I grabbed on book and went to reading. But it was not long before all of us had given up and were lying on the table defeated.

"Why did Marco's research have to be so damn hard?"

"Again! I could just tell you!" I shouted sitting up.

"For the last time no!"

The door opened and in walked Sheska with a sweet smile. She gave a small bow to Edward.

"I just wanted to thank you for the payment you gave me. It was more than enough money to move my mother into a better hospital," she said.

"Hey it was nothing. Your amazing memory really helped us out a lot-"

"Hey! The Major told me you were back and I told you both to stop by once you did too!" Hughes stated while marching in.

I sunk in my chair with a sigh of relief. I reminded myself to thank them for the break later.

"Something urgent came up, sorry" Edward laughed.

"It's just as well. We've had a lot of cases to work on. And to make things worse the first branch had to burn down and all of criminal cases were there. It's been a pain working without them."

Edward, Alphonse and I grinned and turned our gaze to Sheska. She stepped back suddenly.

"Well, I read all of the criminal cases and remember it very well," Sheska said quietly.

Hughes smiled and grabbed her.

"You're hired! And don't you worry my department pays well," he laughed while proceeding to drag her out the room.

"Thank you so much!" She shouted with a joyful smile.

"She won't be thanking you later," I laughed while waving good-bye.

"Good determination gets you anywhere, eh? Smooth little brother. Very smooth," Edward quoted his brother while leaning back in his seat.

"I think of it every time I look at someone else I know." Alphonse replied gazing at his older brother.

"Well it better be true," I wined gazing down at the papers in front of us.

"Yeah, or you're going to have to think of a new motivational speech!"

And with that we were back to work. Every now and again one of us sprung to our feet, completely aggravated by not understanding any of the encryptions.

"I can't take it anymore!" I shouted digging my hands in my hair.

"Sit your ass down we're almost done!" Edward responded for the fourth time.

And not much longer Edward was on his feet yelling the same thing.

"Sit your ass down!" I mocked trying to make my voice match his.

This is what the next five days consisted of. Yelling, sleeping, more yelling and some food here and there. I was beginning to wonder what I had gotten myself into.

"The hell with it!" Edward finally stated with shoving his fist to the ground.

We had all moved from the table to random places across the room. I was perched on the window sill, Edward on the floor, and Alphonse near the door. Maria and Denny ran in because of Edward's outburst.

"Just because you can't crack it doesn't mean you need to throw a tantrum," Ross scolded.

"But we did crack it…" Alphonse whispered sadly.

I sighed and tossed my book to the side. I tried to warn them that they would not like the answers they found but neither of them wanted to believe me.

"You knew this didn't you?" Edward asked me sadly.

I nodded slowly and stared out the window.

"It is the devil's work…the final ingredient to the stone is human life…"

This was more of a filler chapter than anything. Either way, hope you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for the reviews again! Keep em coming! Lol!

~TwilightRoseAlchemist