Author's Note: Ack, I have too much time on my hands... I agonized over this chapter alot, so if you read, please be nice and review!!

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA

Chapter Seven: Decision

Once everyone was in the hole, Saya clapped her hands and closed the entrance.

Ed watched. "We'd better hurry," he said once she was finished and they were thrown into pitch-blackness. "Those guys'll probably figure out where we've gone pretty quickly."

"You're right. They're used to dealing with alchemists," Saya said bitterly. "Thanks for coming to save me though!" she added, more cheerfully. "I thought I was going to die back there!"

Ed and Al glanced at her, but in the dark, it was only in the direction her voice was coming from. They couldn't see her face at all.

"No problem…"

The trio was crawling through the tunnel. Ed was leading, transmuting more of the tunnel every several feet. His brow was furrowed, as he tried to figure something out. But he knew he wouldn't be able to figure it out if he didn't ask her directly… "Saya-"

"AH! THE CHIBI CALLED ME BY MY ACTUAL NAME!!" Saya had stars in her eyes. "This must be a day to be marked down in history…"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING CHIBI?! YOU'RE SHORTER THAN I AM!! And that's not the point here!" Ed snapped. "You haven't told the real truth about what happened to you in the past, have you?!"

"Na?"

If you can hear my voice from far away

It means that we are very close

Ed frowned. "We're stuck here because of those guys, and they're here because of you. Did you do anything to make anyone want revenge, ever, or something like that?"

"Nii-san!"

Saya froze. Her normally happy face twisted with helpless fury. "They're not here because of something I did," she whispered softly. "It's because of something I didn't do."

"What was it?" Ed demanded. "At least let me know why we're in this situation!"

"I didn't die."

"What?"

No matter the dist'nce or time

I'll always be right next to you

Saya sighed. "The explosion I was caught in… my whole village was destroyed by it, and my legs were blown off. It was a village of medical alchemists… that's why I'm able to work with human components. It's something to do with genetic ability or crap like that. Mama was a doctor who worked in Central, so she wasn't there too much. I lived with my aunt. Anyways, the head of our village refused to give a group of mercenaries the services of the village. They wanted to be able to use our ability to actually kill people, and he refused. So because we had a power that they wanted, they tried to take it by force by kidnapping a pair of twin boys: my cousins, and my aunt's children. But because we still wouldn't give them our ability… they killed them, right in front of my aunt 'n me. Then as if that wasn't enough, they got a State Alchemist to destroy our village: the Crimson Alchemist. They covered it up by saying we were illegally harboring Ishbalians." She shuddered and hung her head. "I'm sorry. You're right… I should have told you sooner."

Ed transmuted another few feet in the tunnel. "And? What about your arms?"

"I came to live in Central with my mom after Mustang-san found me. She kept teaching me more medical alchemy, though we kept our abilities quiet after what happened to the village. But…" Saya's voice broke. "But I was out one day a couple years ago, and there had been an automobile accident. The man was dying right in front of my eyes, and I couldn't just leave him there, not when I had the power to save him. So I blew our cover and healed the man in front of a million bystanders. But one of the people from the mercenary group saw me there, and realized there were survivors. So later that night, after me 'n my mom were both asleep… they snuck into our house to kill us. I only survived because Mama threw me out the second-story window. I lived, obviously, but I sort of shattered my left arm on impact. Later, the doctors had to amputate my arm because of all the bone splinters. But those dirty bastards, they blew up our house thirty seconds after my mom threw me out, so I knew…when the bell she always wore hit me on the head."

And I will never let you fall into the dark

My precious child is who you are

"Saya-san…"

"Don't interrupt. I don't want any sympathy. I tried to find my dad, but considering I have no idea who he is, I couldn't find him. But later, after I got automail on my left arm and scolded by Mustang-san, I couldn't help the feeling that it was my fault she'd died. I kept thinking, I knew all of the medical skills that she gave me. So-"

"You tried to transmute your mother?" Ed asked.

"I lost my right arm for it too," Saya confirmed.

"So… that means you saw it too, right? The Gate..."

"You've seen it too?! Then…"

"Al and I also tried to transmute our mother when I was about twelve, and Al was eleven. It didn't work out very well."

Saya was silent for a while, before she spoke again. "If I'm going to travel with you guys, there's a couple more things you need to know. The mercenaries left me alive for two reasons. One: They couldn't find me."

Ed and Al sweatdropped slightly.

"And two: they think I'll be easier to control than an entire village. They want to use me for their original purpose… to completely exterminate the entire Ishbalian population."

"What?!"

I'll never be far away

I'll always be right next to your heart

And you'll be next to mine

"I've never told anyone this before," Saya said. "I've traveled with lots of different people, but I've never told any of them."

"If you're that distrustful of people, why did you tell us?" Ed asked, his voice toneless.

Saya sighed. "You guys are the only ones who ever asked." Her voice hardened visibly. "The techniques that my mother passed down to me are for healing, not killing. I'm not going to kill anyone using my medical knowledge."

"Speaking of that Saya-san, could you restore my brother's arm and leg using your medical knowledge?" Al burst out.

Saya chuckled. "No… I take the components that are already there and restore them to their original form. I can't create entirely new material."

"Oh." The disappointment was clear in Al's voice. "I see."

"Is that why you're looking for it, the Philosopher's Stone? To get your bodies back?"

"Yeah…"

So stand and walk! Be strong and ready

For tomorrow's another day

"Yosh! I've decided!"

"Decided what, Saya-san?"

"I'm going to give you your bodies back!"

"What?!" Ed and Al exclaimed.

"Equivalent exchange! You guys just gave me my life, so I'm going to give you guys your dream. I'd need the help of the Philosopher's Stone though, so we'll still need to look for it."

To be filled with joy

Filled with happiness

Another treasure box to be filled

"Hang on a second," Ed said, "you can't-"

"Oh? Can't I? And if you don't like that reason, then here's another: I've told you guys my secret, so I need to make sure you don't spill it to anyone!"

"We wouldn't tell anyone, Saya-san!" Al protested. "You really shouldn't-"

"No, it's that I'd kill you both if one of you spilled. It'd be so much more convenient to have you both on hand rather than having to run all over Amstriss looking for you," Saya said nonchalantly.

"EH!?!"

"Saya-san! We really wouldn't tell anyone!"

"Didn't you say you didn't like killing people, bomb?!"

"I don't like killing people, but I will if I feel that I have to." Saya laughed. "I have other ways of killing people," she chuckled evilly, patting the pouches on her belt.

"We should be outside now," Ed said. "We'll talk more later." He transmuted a hole leading directly to the surface, and sunlight streamed in.

The three jumped out… to stare down the barrels of a million guns pointing their direction. Ed and Al sweatdropped. "Crap, these are the guys we beat up to get in there in the first place…"

Saya tapped her chin. "There's only one thing to do in times like this…"

The brothers looked at her. "What?"

She laughed manically, clapping her hands and quickly transmuting a huge wall between them and the gunsmen. "RUN AWAY!!!" she yelled, sprinting away and climbing the fence like a monkey. The barbed wire at the top caught on her gloves, but didn't really hinder her progress at all.

"O-oi, wait up!" Ed called, running after her.

"Nii-san, wait for me!"

"Hurry up slowpokes!"

"Is that the way you treat your rescuers?!"

"YES! C'mon, move your short little legs chibi!" Mama… this is alright, isn't it? Telling people I trust…

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING A CHIBI?! YOU'RE SHORTER THAN ME!!"

"At least I don't make a fuss about it like a two-year-old!!"

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

Saya just laughed. "Hurry up! I'm going to be late for my shooting match with Hawkeye-san!"

"Is that more important than getting out alive?!"

"If you know we're going to survive, why worry about stupid questions like that?"

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! DO YOU NOT KNOW THE MEANING OF THE WORD 'DANGER'?"

"It's not a word in my vocabulary! C'mon!"

So remember my words dear child

"Colonel, there's been a report. Apparently the Elric brothers raided the twelfth warehouse this morning, and rescued Hanabi Saya."

Mustang smiled. "So soon? I thought it would take them longer."

"Colonel! This is not a laughing matter. If the mercenaries are still in Central, then they could go after her again."

"No, they won't." Mustang leaned back in his chair with a satisfied grin. "If I know anything about how their leader works, he likes to work in secrecy. He'll spend a few years building up their cover again before they try another attack."

Hawkeye sighed and started walking out. "It's almost five 'o clock. I'm going to meet Saya-chan for our shooting match."

"Good luck," Mustang called.

When he watched her go, a smile came over his face and he put down his pen.

"Hawkeye-san! You're so cool!"

An eight-year-old Saya watched in fascination as Lieutenant Hawkeye kept her skills in peak shape in the practice shooting gallery. "Can you teach me how to do that?"

"Technically you're not allowed to hold a gun until you're sixteen," Hawkeye smiled.

"Please?" Saya begged, making puppy eyes.

"But Saya-chan, it's against the law of the state…"

"Please? I want to be cool just like you!!"

Watching this through a hidden peephole, Mustang grinned. He wondered how much longer Riza would be able to resist the puppy eyes…

"…we'll practice with a dart gun first."

"YAHOO! Thank you Hawkeye-san! Thank you!" Saya sang, dancing around. "Thank you so much!!"

"Meet me back here tomorrow at noon."

"Okay! It's a promise then!" Saya laughed. She ran out of the room, laughing.

Hawkeye watched her go. When the door shut, she spoke. "I must be loosing my mind, don't you agree Colonel?"

"Yes," Mustang said, chuckling. "But I think it's the same sort of insanity that made me pay for her automail five years ago out of our finances, and all of her updates since then."

"Perhaps."

He chuckled to himself, remembering that day. That day had been almost five years ago, going on six… Saya had grown up a lot since then, turned from a wailing baby with no legs to a confident and reckless girl.

Mustang rolled his eyes, before sighing and finally facing the load of paperwork waiting for him.

"Ready? Best out of three shots."

"Okay!"

The room was filled with deafening gunshots for a moment as both guns went off three times and both women fired at their targets.

Saya looked at the board and whooped. "Two out of three bullseyes!!"

Hawkeye smiled. "You have gotten better, but you're not quite there yet."

"Whaddya me- THREE BULLSEYES?!" Saya stared, her mouth wide open. "Ah damn, I guess that means I still need to practice more."

"I'm surprised you still wanted to do this, even though you were kidnapped this morning," Hawkeye commented.

"I was?" Saya looked confused for a second, then sweatdropped. "Oh, right…"

She really has no idea what the word 'danger' means, does she? Hawkeye thought, also sweatdropping.

Saya put her hands behind her head. "But you know, I'm not going to get as much time to practice anymore. I'm going to help Ed and Al get back their bodies, so I probably won't be able to stay in one place as long anymore."

Hawkeye raised one eyebrow, before she smiled. "And what made you decide to do that?"

Saya smiled. "Don't tell Ed or Al, promise?"

Hawkeye nodded.

"I like them. They're nice people. They didn't deserve the bad stuff that happened, and they don't deserve the bad stuff that's coming to them. I can't change the past or prevent the future, but I'm going to make sure they live through it, because as long at they keep living, good times will come for them again just like they did for me." Saya winced. "But don't tell them. I made up a whole bunch of equivalent trade and wanting to kill them if they spilled my past crap. They're boys, you know?"

"That's a good reason though," Hawkeye approved. "Your skills will be sufficient to protect them until the day they achieve their goal."

"Thanks Hawkeye-san!" Saya grinned. "Coming from you, that means a lot! Let's do this again sometime! Ed and Al said they're going to go out of Central soon, I think a clue came up north somewhere. So I'll be seeing you!" She waved and ran out of the room.

"Good luck Saya-chan," Hawkeye smiled.

:.:.:.:Time Skip: About 2 or 3 years :.:.:.:

"Edward Elric?" the cab driver asked. "Yeah, I've heard of him."

Ed leaned back in the backseat, smirking. "And? What sort of guy is he?"

"According to the rumors, he's a State Alchemist, but he sides with us common people."

A big grin spread on Ed's face. "Oh? He must be a great man then!"

Saya and Al sweatdropped. "Egoistical maniac," Saya muttered.

"But I've also heard he's short like a piece of miniature bean!" the cab driver laughed.

Ed got a stress mark on his head. "WHO DID YOU CALL MINIATURE SIZE!?" he yelled, attacking the cab driver.

"Nii-san, stop it!"

"Ed!"

The panicked cab driver ran the cab off the road and ran for his life, being chased by a small figure in a red coat.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT!!" Ed roared.

"N-Nii-san! You won't have enough stamina to make it to Lior if you run like that!" Al called, running after them.

Saya watched them go, getting out of the cab in her own time. "Jeez, these guys…" She ran, all her automail giving her supernatural speed. She streaked past Al and tackled Ed. "That's enough Ed! Don't kill the poor man!" she scolded, sitting in the arch of his back. "He was just stating a truth!"

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

The cab driver ran back to his cab and zoomed off. Saya watched him go and sighed. "Great, now we have to walk the rest of the way to Lior…"

"Ehhh…" Ed moaned later. "I'm hungry."

"Oh hush, chibi," Saya snapped. "It's your fault we lost the cab to Lior anyways."

Ed collapsed dramatically onto the sand. "If there was at least some grass, I could turn it into bread and eat it…"

Saya sighed. "Jeez… this guy…"

Ed looked up. "Al? Al? Where'd he go?"

"Al? He's right th-" Saya sweatdropped when she realized Al had disappeared. "… I mean, he was there a second ago…"

"Al? Al!" Ed called.

"Down here!" called a muffled voice. Suddenly, a glove reached out of the sand and grabbed Saya's ankle.

Naturally, Saya spazzed. "EYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!" she screamed, tugging her ankle out of the grip of the hand. "IT'S A SANDMAN!!!"

"Help me! Saya-san! Nii-san!" Al yelled, waving his hand around.

Ed sweatdropped. "You sank again?"

"SANDMAN!!" Saya screamed.

"I'm not a sandman!" Al protested. "Get me out!!"

Ed watched Saya run in circles. "Bomb… c'mon, help me dig Al out."

"SANDMAN!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!" Saya screamed.

Ed sweatdropped. "After spending a couple years with us, you'd think she'd get a little smarter…" he sighed.

"Nii-san!!"

"SAAAAAAAAAAAANDMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!"

Next: Ed, Al, and Saya hit Lior! Saya meets Rose and Cornello... (-.-') this is not going to turn well...