Chapter Seven – Figures.
As tomorrow came, I realized that my eyes hadn't closed at all that night. I began to sing quietly to myself, longing for my iPod with my Evanescence on it. "Wake me up inside… Wake me up inside. Call my name and save me…" I sang quietly. I loved Bring Me to Life. That and Tourniquet. My favorite songs. Soon it was a subconscious flow of words, forming a song in my mind. I didn't notice it though.
I loathed everyone back at home. I wished I wasn't with Ed anymore. If Kelly'd heard me she wouldn't have believed me. Where was that girl at a time like this? My hand closed over the sheets on the bed. I wished this was all a bad dream. But of course it wasn't. For about the tenth time I felt warm, salty tears flood my eyes. They would be red in the morning. Was this the equivalent exchange? Ed for my family? A pretty cruel exchange if you asked me.
Hello popped into my mind. "Has no one told you she's not breathing? Hello…" I muttered, barely singing. Wasn't it my dream to sing these songs on American Idol some day? I turned over again. This was a pretty sucky situation,
I then realized that the sun had risen without my permission. "Oh well," I muttered. Slowly I swung my legs out of the bed and began to get dressed in another pair of jeans, with a pink tank top and my white jacket. I will admit, the people in central found my dress a little strange. But at this point I didn't care. I slipped on shoes and washed my face, to get the redness out of my eyes. I finally was ready to get going.
To my surprise Edward was standing outside. "Oh," I said, suppressing a sniffle. "Good morning Ed." I smiled a fake smile. He grabbed my wrist.
"Has no one told you she's not breathing?" he said. "What kind of song is that to be singing at the middle of the night?"
"Ah!" I said, blushing. "You, um, heard me?"
"It's kinda hard not to hear you through those walls," he said.
"Oh," I said. He had been right next to me?!
"I told you not to worry. We'll go there today and then we'll say no. Then we'll be on our way, right?" he said.
"Right." I smiled softly. He was right. I hoped.
Ramue appeared as if from nowhere then. Right behind me. "So
what'cha doing?"
she asked loudly.
"Ah! Ramue!!" I cried angrily. "Don't scare me!"
"Sorry!" she said grinning. "I heard about last night. But don't' worry! I totally support you!"
"Oh…" I said.
"Yeah." She stopped and took a look at something. I didn't know what.
"Okay…" I said slowly.
"Alright! I'm going to go say hi to Roy!" She said happily and turned to go. I felt weird all of a sudden. Maybe it was because I hadn't noticed that Edward had left.
"Dammit!" I muttered, and quickly walked down the hall. I was lucky I hadn't got lost. I felt all alone, like there was no one there for me.
Roy's office was a good deal away from the rooms we slept in, but it didn't seem that long until I got there. I opened the door to see Edward reading something and to find Ramue being chased around by Roy again. This happened every day around here, I took it.
As Roy sped past me, I grabbed him by the collar, but ended up falling on him. "Ah!" I said as I found myself on top of him. "Well that wasn't what I wanted but it's close!" I got up, rubbing my head, the only part of my body that hadn't fallen on top of Roy and had hit the ground. "What is it this time?"
"Ahhhhh, Liani!!!" Ramue said and ran toward me, giving me a big hug. "I feel so bad for yoooou! Roy told me everything!" I did a double take.
"Yes, you told me before," I said, confused.
"Oh, okay! Never mind that! SAVE ME FROM THE SCARY MONSTER!!!" She pleaded.
"Alright," I said, cracking my knuckles. Suddenly I stopped. "Ah, maybe later okay? What did you do?"
"Nothing…" she said cutely.
"What did you do?" I asked again.
"I um, bleached his gloves…" she said.
"What?! He needs those!" I said, scolding her.
"But he's got a drawer full of the same exact gloves!" she said, and took me over to his desk where I saw all of his pairs of gloves.
"Well then he has no reason to be so…" I suddenly stopped at seeing the files Edward was holding.
"You should be more worried about these," He said gravely. Ed tossed the filed on the desk and I took one, accidentally holding it upside down and feeling the watch hit the desk. I cringed.
I began to read the first paper, something about the military being so happy to accept a new alchemist, all that formal crap. I dropped that one back to the desk. There were a few papers I didn't really understand, and put those back. Then I found the sheet with my 'Alchemist Title' on it. I gasped.
"No… way…" I whispered. "He knows?!"
There, written in neat cursive was The Earth Alchemist.
I nearly fainted. "Dammit…" Ramue stood over by me and grabbed my hand. "But… how?!"
"Liani, calm down!" she said. "What is it?"
"They… know," I breathed.
Roy nodded. He'd obviously had the information before I'd gotten it. Edward didn't seem moved in any way. He was probably trying to stay calm. I was just too self conscious to stay calm. This was too much and it was all too sudden. It made my head spin…
Edward folded his arms across his chest and I began biting my thumbnail. "So when the Fuhrer comes to talk to me today I say…" I asked.
"No. You have to say no," Ed said.
"Well, the thing is, they've got all that immense power Ed. He could force me to do it even if I didn't want to," I said bluntly.
"She's got a point," Roy said, nodding. Edward's hand began to clench. I was too busy chewing my thumb off to do the same. I probably would have made it bleed and everything too, if Ramue hadn't said anything.
"Uh, guys? He's coming," she said.
"Crap," I said. I looked at the pocket watch on the desk behind me. "Dang it… I just have to say no."
"Wait, we need to think out a plan," Ed said.
"No, there's no time," I said. And at that second the door opened and the Fuhrer walked in.
"Good day, Liani," he said to me, "Edward, Roy." He nodded at them. "And uh… Good day to you child."
Don't say anything… I silently pleaded Ramue, and thankfully she bit her tongue. I could tell she was fuming. "Good day Fuhrer," I said happily. Time to act again.
"I see you got the information. I trust you've read it all? I need your answer now. Sorry to make it so sudden on you…" he said.
"Then I hope you'll be okay with me saying no," I said, with a little innocence in my voice.
"Oh, I see," he said. "Well that's perfectly fine." Bradley didn't seem affected at all.
"That's good. I was afraid you'd be mad at me," I said, with fake relief in my voice. "I really should leave tomorrow too."
"I see." I could tell he was analyzing this in his head. I suddenly longed to hold Edward's hand. To feel him would bring so much more relief… "Is Edward leaving with you?"
"Yes," Edward said solemnly. I looked at him a bit surprised.
"Very good. Well, then farewell. Keep in mind you're always welcome here," Bradley said, then nodded. He turned and stopped in the doorway. "Oh, you said you're leaving tomorrow, right?"
"Yes," I said.
"Alright. If you ever decide… That pocket watch will always be there." With that he left. Once again I sank to my knees.
"Are you alright?" Ramue asked, coming toward me and hugging me.
"Fine…" I said, barely conscious.
"What's he up to?" Roy asked. "I could tell he was clinging to your every word."
"Dammit Liani, you just have to tell everybody you're from Ea- a far off country," Ed said, barely catching himself in time.
"Shut up! I'm already mad at myself…" I said. These people were trying to make me feel better though. Suddenly, a thought occurred. While Ed and Roy talked, I thought. These people were all trying to do their best for me. And I could do a lot of what they were doing. So why wasn't I? I looked up. I wasn't crying. My spring was running low. Ramue looked at me, a purely innocent expression in her eyes. She was wondering what was going on. I stood up slowly and she let go.
"Liani?" I barely heard her.
I walked over to the desk and grabbed the pocket watch. "Ed, lemme ask you something. Did I explain that I knew why you won't let anyone look at your watch?"
"No," he said, a bit angry. "Do you know?"
"Yes," I whispered. "You mind if I copy you?"
"How so? You're not becoming a pyromaniac."
"No… I will use this… take it, and it will help me stand up. I won't run away anymore. No," I said, defiantly.
"Well tone it down drama queen. This isn't a movie," I heard Roy mutter and suddenly I turned on him.
"Well excuuuse me!" I said playfully, and laugh. It was good of him to lighten the mood. Edward was even smiling. The day still passed slowly, with me just practicing alchemy. It was quite boring, nothing really happened. Until I left the office for the last time that day.
I had Ramue in a soft head lock, seeing as she needed to be kept out of trouble and I needed to practice fighting. "Let me goooo," she whined and laughed.
"I dunno. You're laughing so I don't think you have a problem with this!" I teased.
"Aw shut up Liani," she said, grinning even more. Roy watched this, pleased with himself even if he didn't do anything. He was almost… Hey was that a snicker?
"And what do you want mister?" I asked him. He put his hands up in retreat. I heard a knock at the door and turned to see Edward walk in. "Oh is it really that late?" Edward always came at nine to let me know it was time for bed. I protested at first, saying that was him treating me like a kid, but I always ended up tired at that time anyway.
I was surprised because Ed didn't say much; he only nodded. I shrugged. Maybe he was tired. I said bye to Roy and gave a hug to Ramue. "I'll see you tomorrow," I said, following Edward out the door.
He didn't say anything still. That bothered me. I still followed quietly. Occasionally, I tried to start conversation, but the words wouldn't come out. I opened my mouth several times. But still, nothing. Suddenly I noticed we weren't headed toward the rooms. I got suspicious. What was he up to? He stopped infront of what looked to be a small room. Maybe even a closet. He turned.
"Hey," he said. "I should tell you, Ed was gonna kiss you tonight."
"What?" I asked, not sure if I was bewildered or confused.
"Yeah… Oh yeah, did I get his voice right? I was supposed to ask that," he said, confusing me even more.
"What in hell…" I wondered aloud. Was he dillusional? "Ed I think-" Suddenly I noticed something. His arm. The left one. It was made of metal. Not the right one. "Yes… But you got his arms mixed up."
"Oh shoot! I was supposed to ask you that after I kidnapped you," he said. His voice changed.
"Envy," I muttered, my guard up too late.
He laughed maniacally. "Oh of course you know now. Idiot." I glared at him. But it was all I could do. I tried to swing for his face, but missed by a mile. "Hah! You really can't handle me." Envy easily punched me in the face, and even though I could have fought more, I went down. Edward would have kissed me tonight.
And he was probably tied up now, thanks to me.
