Hey its Chapter 12! wow i've gone by so far, i was hoping to stop at chapter 20, then i realized, unless i do Reallyyy long chapters i'm not gonna make this fic 20 chapters long. Well thank you everyone for the support and reviews. I won't forget this story! I'm even thinking about making a sequel (Lol thinking of course i'm gonna make one) and its gonna be what happens after the whole situation in Amestris.
Well i don't own Fullmetal Alchemist but it would be cool if i did, Serenity would be a star!
Chapter 12- Comrades from the East?
The next day had quickly come by, and it was time for the teens to leave Dublith. Izumi had given Serenity a generous amount of clothes, and every second she was by Izumi, Serenity couldn't stop a flood of 'thank you's' escaping her lips.
The boys were outside the meat shop, waiting for Serenity to get ready and come out so they could catch their train to Rushvalley. Serenity was the type of person who took pride in the way she dressed without others knowing she actually tried. One would wonder just how someone who lives on the road could look so clean and well dressed.
"Ugh, we've been waiting for like twenty minutes, how long does it take to just throw something on to wear!" exclaimed Edward, getting impatient on waiting for Serenity.
"You're one to talk brother, you like to take just as much time tending to your hair," teased Alphonse.
"No I don't!" said Edward blushing beet red, "Ree! Hurry up we're gonna miss the train!"
"Then leave without me, I never said I wanted to come along with you," yelled Serenity back, but in a sing song tone.
Serenity came down the steps and out the door to see both Edward and Alphonse staring at her. Serenity was wearing a blue short dress with small white polka dots, the dress cut from her chest and ends mid thigh. she wore short spandex tights poking out slightly from the dress, and a white short sleeve, open, button up shirt, with black boots that stopped slightly below her knee.
"Well guys," said Serenity twirling in a circle, not revealing anything inappropriate because of the tights, "What do you think about the dress Izumi-San gave me."
"I think I'm more surprised that teacher had an outfit like that," said Edward dumbfounded, picking up his suitcase from the floor.
"It looks very nice on you Ree," said Alphonse, inwardly thinking about how too nice it looked on her.
"Thank you Alphonse," said Serenity picking up her carrier bag that Izumi had given her to carry her new items.
"Are we leaving now, have you two already said goodbye to Izumi-San?" asked Serenity, walking down the streets with the boys to the train station.
"Yeah, we have, then brother almost forgot we were supposed to take you with us," said Alphonse chuckling lightly.
"Oh well it would have been nice if you forgot me, it would make all our lives easier," sighed out Serenity.
'Don't start, you're coming with us whether you like it or not, you seem to know a lot of things Alphonse and I don't," stated Edward, "We're not gonna keep our eyes of you that easy."
Serenity sighed again, the boys persistence weighing her thin. She came to the conclusion to stay with boys to keep them out of trouble, since they were already in the military they were bound to be in a whole lot of mess in the future.
"I have just one question you two," said Serenity, the brothers looking over at her, "Why are we stopping at Rushvalley for a few days?"
Suddenly the atmosphere around the boys gloomed, dark clouds literally appearing above their heads.
"Brother needs to have his arm repaired again by Winry," Alphonse said for his brother who was quietly moping in the background.
"I don't see why you should be that depressed, isn't it her job?" said Serenity confused.
"Yes…but you don't understand how Winry gets when brother breaks his arm…its scary!" exclaimed Alphonse.
Serenity not quite getting what the boys were saying just shrugged her shoulders, honestly what could one ordinary girl do?
They had arrived in Rush valley not too long ago, and the boys were trying to device a plan as too save their skin.
Serenity not paying too much attention to them was soaking up the heat from the sun, she always loved it when it was sunny and hot. Others would think she was insane for like it when the weather was like that, but to her it felt very nostalgic.
Alphonse snuck a small peek over at Serenity, a strange feeling over coming him anytime he glanced at her. The way the small breeze blew in her hair, her tall slender figure, her calm golden eyes.
I wonder what it would feel like holding her, thought Alphonse, suddenly stopping in his tracks.
Woah! he continued to say in his thoughts, I can't start thinking about her like that, we've barely seen each other, its been like six years!
Edward noticing his brother's distress nudged Alphonse's arm, "Yo Al, what's wrong?"
Alphonse slightly startled by the question flinched at the contact, resulting with Edward raising a brow at him.
"Its n-nothing brother, just thinking about how you're gonna tell Winry without getting your head bashed by her wrench.
Edward going back into despair, Alphonse continued to watch Serenity, as she continued to walk ahead of them.
"Um, Ree?' said Alphonse, "Do you even know where we are going?"
Serenity turned around with a look that could make anyone feel dumb, until she realized she really didn't know where she was going.
Serenity now blushing lightly and fingered a strand of her hair that was in a high pony tail that behind her ankles, she averted her eyes to the ground.
"Uh, yeah, sorry, I'm just so used to traveling on my own, I usually just walk around the area until I find the place I'm looking for."
The two boys sweat dropped at what she said, if they had done exactly what she usually does, it would have taken them a long time until they found the automail shop Winry worked at.
They had finally reached the store and Serenity had then found out why the boys were scared of Winry; she was truly terrifying when in possession of a wrench.
Serenity also made friends with two, in Serenity's words 'Unique Character'. Winry's boss Garfield and a former pick pocket Paninya.
Winry had ushered Edward to the back of the room to check up his broken arm and she what kind of repairs were needed. Alphonse and Paninya were busy talking in the background and Serenity was just looking around the room clueless.
"Ree what's the matter," asked Alphonse in a somewhat giddy voice.
"Uh, nothing really I just haven't ever been through Rushvalley, let alone in an automail shop, its somewhat new to me," she said staring at an automail arm in display.
Alphonse listening to what she said couldn't help but laugh.
"W-What did I say something weird?" said Serenity blushing hard from embarrassment.
"Sorry," said Alphonse calming down, "Its just that you sound like someone who just discovered a new culture or something."
"Hey Alphonse," said Paninya with a teasing look on her face, "Is this new chick your girlfriend or something?"
"WHAT!" exclaimed Alphonse, waving his hands in the air, "No no no no no!"
"Doth does protest too much," said Paninya with a wink, then she looked over to Serenity, "Ya can't really hide the chemistry between you two."
"Uh, Al, what's a girlfriend?" said Serenity cocking her head to the side, confused.
Everyone in the room just stared at Serenity, even Garfield couldn't help stare.
"You've gotta be kidding me, right?" said Paninya with a dumbfounded look on her face, "Are you for real?"
Serenity feeling irritated for not knowing what a 'girlfriend' is crossed her hands over her chest and looked to the side with a pout on her face.
"Well I'm sorry but I'm not the most normal to know what it is."
Edward and Winry now entering the room sensed a tense atmosphere. Edward holding a drink with a straw he was sipping from.
"Hey guys why so tense?" said Edward.
"Brother, Serenity doesn't know…what a girlfriend is," said Alphonse, with a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"Oh are you serious?" said Winry looking at Serenity with an amused look.
"Geez people just tell me what it is already!" yelled Serenity still blushing from embarrassment.
"Uh well a girlfriend is like a guy's special girl, y'know, a Girlfriend." explained Winry.
"Oh," said Serenity, realizing what was said, "Well now that you think about it it makes sense."
Serenity now turning to Alphonse and Paninya, she smiled at them like they were little curious children, "Of course I'm Alphonse's girlfriend, so is Winry right?" she said turning to Winry.
Edward suddenly choking on the drink he was drinking, and Winry eyes almost bulging at what she said, and not to say a very flustered Alphonse and laughing Paninya and Garfiel.
"No I'm not!" yelled Winry blushing at Serenity.
"Winry, that wasn't a very nice thing to say, I thought Al was special to you?" said Serenity in a somewhat scolding voice.
"You've got the wrong idea! That's not what I meant by a girlfriend!"
Serenity now looking confused and irritated at Winry, "Then what did you mean by a girlfriend, you're confusing me."
"A girlfriend is basically a person a guy likes very much, wants to have by his side and y'know DATE!" yelled Winry.
Serenity now concentrating on what Winry said had a sheepish look on her face when she looked over at Winry again, "I'm sorry but why would a guy want to put a girl on a calendar?"
Everyone in the room now sweat dropped, Winry looking tired at Edward still looking red from choking on his drink.
"Just forget it Ree," said Winry tired, "Oh and I wanna go to Central with you guys!"
"How did you know we were heading there?' asked Serenity, suddenly forgetting about the whole girlfriend issue.
"I heard from Edward you were heading there," said Winry brightly.
"Why do you wanna go?" asked Edward.
"I want to visit Mr. Hughes," she replied.
Serenity now looking to the ceiling, she gave off a small blush, "I'd like to visit him too."
"Ah but I have work," said Winry, realization striking her.
"Its okay Winry, ever since you came you've been working restless, it's alright to take a break from time to time," said Garfiel cheerfully.
"Thanks Mr. Garfiel," said Winry now turning to Edward and Alphonse, "Then, lets go together."
Edward's automail had now bandaged up Winry left the store. She had said she was going to order some parts.
"So go around and kill some time," she said to Edward, Alphonse and Serenity.
The trio now walking the streets of Rushvalley, Serenity ahead of the boys.
"Its so boring here, all there is are automail shops!" sighed out Edward who was slurping his drink.
"Really…" said Alphonse, who was still looking ahead of him glancing at Serenity now and then.
"You seem to be having fun," said Edward sarcastically.
"That's cause everyone thinks I have a full automail body!" he said cheerily, waving to passing automail mechanics, "I can relax without being found out."
"I see…" said Edward, "Well I don't like it here because these kind of people target me," Edward said motioning to a couple of engineers in a dark alley with glowing eyes and tools.
Serenity now looking behind sweat dropped at the people who approached Edward.
"Well that must suck" she said, then looking to the side she saw Alphonse crouched over at an alley.
"Alphonse, what's there?" she said looking over his shoulder.
Edward who now pried the engineers looked over at Alphonse, "Al, what are you doing."
"B-brother…" said Alphonse sheepishly.
"That better not be you trying to pick up a stray cat,' said Edward taking a sip of his drink.
"Yep!" said Alphonse who stood up, holding onto a man, who looked very unconscious, and Edward spitting his drink out.
"A wanderer?" said Serenity shaking the body slightly, that was now plopped on the ground.
"I guess," said Alphonse.
"Put him back where you found him," said Edward.
"But that's inhumane!" said both Alphonse and Serenity.
A few moments later
"I'm revived!" said the young man that they had picked up.
They were at a near by restaurant, the man stuffing his face in. He had the look of a foreigner and clothes too, a small sword at his back and his eyes constantly closed.
"You guys saved my life," said the young man, "Thanks that was yummy!"
The three teens sweat dropped at the amount of plates that was in front of them, all not theirs.
"I didn't say anything about treating you," said Edward sternly.
"Hahaha, don't mind over such a small thing," the man said.
"Don't say small!" exclaimed Edward.
" You're a foreigner?" said Alphonse, Serenity now eying the young man suspiciously.
"Yep, I'm from Xing!" said the man smiling.
"The nation of the east, Xing!" exclaimed Edward, now paying interest in the man.
"You sure must like to travel, to come all the way here," said Serenity, giving the man another suspicious look.
"Wasn't it a lot of trouble to cross the desert?" asked Alphonse.
"Yeah the Desert was hellish," said the man, noticing the girl's glare.
"It was because the railroad got buried under the sand and became unusable," he now started to draw a map in the dirt, " I swapped between horses and camels, and I was finally able to get to this country through the route that passes the Xerxes ruins."
Serenity now knowing something was up, leaned up on her chair, crossing her arms over her chest, "It would've been easier to use the sea route, despite the longer trip," she said glaring sweetly at the man.
Edward and Alphonse not noticing the tension between the two nodded in agreement.
"Yep, that's true," said the man halfheartedly, "but I wanted to the Xerxes ruins first."
Serenity now clutching her hands in fists was restraining herself from jumping the man.
"Xerxes huh? I heard that there was nothing there," said Edward leaning on his automail hand.
"There's only a legend that says it crumbled in one night, I'm sure you've heard that," said Serenity smiling with her eyebrows a bit crossed.
"You're a tourist?" asked Alphonse.
"Nope, to search something, I wanted to find out the Alkahestry of this country," said the foreigner.
"Alkahestry?" said Edward.
"Oh right," said the man "In your nation you call it Alchemy, Right?"
"Yeah," said Alphonse.
"Its called Alkahestry in their country and was only developed for medical purposes," said Serenity leaning her head in her hand which was on the table.
'Yes and in this country its specialized as a scientific technique, right?" said the foreigner glancing at Serenity.
"Yeah, its usage is different depending on the country, military is the primary user of this technique," said Edward.
"Right now we're having non-stop border-line battles of Aelgo of the south and Creta of the west," continued Edward, "And there's the Drachma empire of the north, although we have a non-trespassing agreement, the situation may have break out, if it weren't for the Briggs Mountains that separate us."
"Such a scary country to be in," sighed out the man.
"Yeah, we used to have troubles over them in the old days, but alchemy has become so military-focused ever since King Bradley became the President."
"If this nation were more peaceful, then Alchemy would have evolved to be become more human-beneficial, like in Xing." said Alphonse.
Serenity now looking over at the table could only sigh at what he said.
"In my opinion I think life would be a whole less complicated if there were no alchemy," sighed out Serenity.
Edward looked over at her and gave her a skeptical look, as if she had said a really dumb thing.
"Oh yeah,' said Alphonse changing the subject, "I'd like to know more about the alchemy in your country."
"Oh yeah yeah, I'm interested in that too, alchemy that specializes for medical purposes!" interjected Edward.
"Ah by chance are you guys alchemists?" asked the man.
"Yep, I'm Edward Elric, I'm a state Alchemist."
"I'm Alphonse Elric, his younger brother."
"I'm not much of an Alchemist, my name's Serenity," which resulted with the three boys staring at her.
"What?" she said.
"I thought out of all of you guys you'd be an alchemist for sure," said the man pointing at her.
"I'm just an ordinary girl who knows a thing or two," said Serenity not giving away any information on herself to a stranger.
"Whoa well I'm lucky to have met such knowledgeable people," said the man now shaking hands with Edward and Alphonse, "I'm Ling Yao, nice to meet you!"
"Well then about this Alkahestry thing, could you tell us more about it?" asked Edward with childish curiosity.
"Nope, I'm not an Alchemist!" said Ling Yao proudly. Which resulted with irritated look from Edward and a tired one from Serenity.
"What're you looking for here if you're not an alchemist!" yelled Edward.
"Hmm to look for something, maybe you guys know about," said Ling Yao, Serenity and Edward now looking at him Skeptically, "The Philosopher's stone."
Serenity slightly flinching at what he said quickly recovered, not wanting to give him a clue that she knows something.
Edward and Alphonse both staring at the man with shocked looks and Serenity looking at her shoes sighing.
"I want it really badly, do you know about it?" said Ling Yao opening his eyes to reveal a slit like eyes.
"Nah dunno," said Edward getting up to leave, "Since we have no business with ya, bye."
Serenity now feeling a presence, suddenly stood up, just at the same time a Lin snapped his fingers, "Oops wait a moment."
Suddenly with the blink of an eye, two masked strangers were behind Edward and Alphonse, daggers by their neck and shoulder. Serenity now sighing at clutching her bangs sat back down, trying to keep her cool.
"Looks like you guys know something," smiled Ling, "Care to tell me?"
"What're you going to do with the Philosopher's stone?" asked Edward a serious look on his face.
Serenity looked up to see Ling Yao grinning at Edward, "To gain Immortality."
Serenity's glare now widening at Lin, she clutched her hands to fists again.
"Immortality you say," said Edward, "Now that you mention it, not too long ago a guy was on about that, what is it a new trend?"
Serenity now glancing at Lin she placed both her hands on the table, she was really restraining herself from not trying to get the man, "Why would you be seeking it?"
Ling now looking pleased that Serenity spoke with seriousness he looked at her, his eyes closed again, "For family reasons."
"How idiotic," said Edward scoffing.
"Truly," agreed Serenity.
"I'm serious," Ling said bluntly.
"Is this really an attitude you show to someone when asking something," said Edward suddenly bringing a fist to the person holding a blade to his neck.
"Ah brother don't fight!" said Alphonse.
The masked stranger that was behind Edward quickly dodged the fist, twirling into the air, then kicking Edward in his face.
"You commoner!" said the other masked stranger that was behind Alphonse, who sounded like an old man, "The young lord is asking you a question, know your position."
"Young Lord?" said Serenity now looking at Lin with a questioning look, "don't tell me you're…"
Suddenly hearing a loud clang like sound, Serenity looked behind her to see both Edward and Alphonse were fighting the body guards.
Serenity sighing, then turned back at the Ling.
"So miss are you really not an Alchemist, because I highly doubt that, you even felt the presence of my friends, you must have skill."
"Nope I just picked up a thing or two, after all I travel a lot," Serenity said glaring at the man, "And you should drop this your search for immortality before you drag yourself into something you might regret."
With that Serenity got up to find the boys who were now fighting somewhere off in town.
"Damn it, why they suddenly leave, I don't know my way through this place!" Serenity said to herself.
"That girl must know something," sa Ling grinning as Serenity left, "Oh waiter could I make another order."
Oh Dear! Serenity is quite dense when it comes to relationships! That's why i love her, she never had the time to be a normal girl to grow up and know about this stuff. Kind of like me, i wasn't really interested in boys until like the 8th grade. After all i have two brothers and 0 sisters! :P
Serenity doesn't even realize she's crushing on Hughes! Poor Al good luck. Hmm hmm, I'm really stuck on getting the romance rolling between Al and Ree (OMG! that fits so well!) I think you've noticed Al's crushing on Ree, but I'm stuck on getting her to start crushing on Al, and then i'll slowly turn that Crush to love. I'm not gonna be like those peeps who'd make their characters fall in love in like a chapter or two, thats a bit unrealistic. It takes time for love to build.
Although there is love at first sight, but sadly Ree does not believe in that shiz (I Do!) If you have any ideas to Ree falling in love i will be glad to hear it, though there's a small chance i'll use it, but it would be nice to know. And i want to hear your opinion with the AlxRee pairing. If you suddenly think its not so good now, you'll be suprised by the chapters to come, and my sequel of course.
Well any way please review, I need two or three reviews to continue the story! XP I know i'm being Greedy with Reviews but i needs to hear what y'all thank (yes i purposely said thank)
Oh and check out my display pic, Thats actually a photo i got of a Google (tee hee copy & Paste I'm sooo evil!) and i have an idea for it with one of my coming soon fluff scenes with Al & Ree, probably will happen in one of my filler chapters.
But your gonna have to review if you want to find out what happens next! :D
