I can only apologise for the lateness of this chapter; a combination of writer's block and real life getting in the way caused a delay in the proceedings of chapter eight. It took me ages to write the rugby section, even though I like rugby I haven't got a clue about the rules or finer points of the game (football [or soccer for the Americans] and cricket are my sports) and I really didn't like the thought of writing Winry as a cheerleader, she just doesn't seem the type to me. I spent hours thinking of what I could do for that scene instead, but after numerous cups of tea and many watches of the Vampire Diaries I decided to just write the cheerleading part, as there was only that one scene of cheerleading in TVD and Elena quit soon after that practice session. Hopefully I will get chapter nine up quicker, as it's a very interesting chapter with some great scenes to write. In the mean time, reviews are greatly appreciated and most of all, enjoy!
Chapter Eight
Life is Full of Surprises
The early morning sunlight was what woke Elicia the next morning, and she opened her eyes to find the sleeping form of Edward Elric half naked in her bed. Despite the copious amount of alcohol she had consumed the night before Elicia remembered everything that had happened, and hoping that she had dreamed that part, put a hand to her throat and found it covered in blood. Scared, and a little bit ashamed of herself, she gently slid out of bed, seeing her cream pillows had been stained a bright scarlet. Retrieving the shirt she had worn the previous night from the floor, she wrapped it around herself as she tip-toed to her bedroom door. She immediately stopped and squeezed her eyes tight shut as she stepped on a loose floorboard. Praying that she hadn't woken Edward, she gingerly turned to see if he was still asleep. But he wasn't in the bed.
"Good morning."
Elicia slowly turned, petrified, to find Edward standing in front of her, blocking her exit, his golden blond hair hung loose about his shoulders.
"You were just going to leave me in bed alone? That makes me feel so cheap, Elicia."
"Keep away from me!"
Edward laughed as he stalked towards her. "That's not what you were saying last night."
Elicia backed away from him, and when the backs of her legs hit the bed she fell back upon the sheets and before she could blink Edward was straddling her. His legs held her body and his hands pressed her shoulders into the mattress, Elicia was going nowhere.
"Please," Elicia begged, tears streaming down her face. "Please, don't hurt me. I'll scream, my father will be home, he'll hear me and he'll kill you."
Edward leaned down so that his lips brushed Elicia's ear. "Your father isn't home; I can hear that there's no one else in the house, there's no one next door even! You can scream as loud as you like, Elicia, no one will come."
"Please... please, just leave me alone!"
"You know, if you hadn't tried to leave, you wouldn't have made me force my hand. This could have been far more pleasurable. For you."
Elicia cried out as Edward bit down onto her neck, re-opening the wounds he had made the night before, but her cries subsided as she gave into the false pleasure that Edward made her feel when he looked into her eyes and made her forget the pain and her fear.
"I'm not saying that you shouldn't be dating Alphonse, just take things slow is all."
Paninya and Winry were sitting at a picnic bench outside college waiting for Elicia to arrive, who was unusually late.
"If I remember correctly, Paninya, you were the one who said I should make a go of it. You gave him my phone number!"
"Well, now I'm saying take things slowly. You've got all the time in the world to make things work with Al. Besides, I didn't think you had time for boys in your busy Automail shaped future."
Winry looked quizzically at her friend, not believing for a moment her appalling excuses.
"Seriously, Paninya. What's the real reason why you've suddenly changed your tune?"
Paninya looked sheepish. "It's stupid, really..."
"Paninya, come on. You can tell me, you're my best friend; I don't care how stupid it is. Tell me."
Paninya looked down at the ground for a few moments, unsure whether she should say what was troubling her. Unsure whether Winry would believe her, or if she really even believed herself.
"Alright. I accidentally touched Alphonse, and I got a really bad feeling."
"That's it? Paninya, that's..."
"Winry, it was a bad bad feeling."
"Is this the whole psychic witch thing again?"
"I'm just concerned, Winry. Al's nice, but I get a bad vibe from him so I'm just saying... be careful."
"I know you're just looking out for me Paninya, and I love you for it, but for the first time in a long time I feel good. I feel like things are finally starting to get back to normal, and Alphonse is a big part of that."
"Good morning Winry, good morning Paninya," Alphonse greeted the two girls as he sat down opposite Winry. Paninya immediately got up to leave.
"Hey. You know what, I'm going to go see if I can find Elicia, she might already be inside or something, so I'll see you guys later."
"Paninya, wait..." Winry made to grab her friends arm, but Paninya was already walking away.
"She doesn't like me very much," Alphonse shrewdly deduced.
"Paninya's my best friend, Al, she's just looking out for me. It's just because she doesn't know you yet, but I guarantee you once she does, she will love you."
"Not more than you I hope," Alphonse joked.
Winry suddenly bolted upright and looked as if a light bulb had just lit up over her head. "I've got the perfect plan. Are you free tonight?"
"Yes."
"Fantastic. Here's what we'll do: dinner at my house, eight o'clock, you, me and Paninya. You two can spend some time together and get to know each other."
Just at that moment one of two boys who had been practicing their rugby skills nearby kicked the ball to his friend, who pathetically missed and allowed the ball to go flying towards the back of Alphonse's head. Alphonse sensed the ball coming as soon as it had broken contact with the boy's foot, he knew it hadn't been caught and just before it was going to hit him, just as the boys opened their mouths to warn him, he spun round and caught the ball inches from his face. He then threw it back to the boy that had kicked it several yards away, who just caught it, surprisingly not in his mouth, which was wide open with shock at the catch and throw Alphonse had just performed. Alphonse just smiled at him, and turned to Winry, who was staring at him with a look of pure awe.
"That catch was amazing! And that throw! I wouldn't have had you down as a rugby player."
"I used to play, when I was younger."
"You know the local team is looking for new players, you should try out. You remember I told you about Russell Tringham? He's captain."
"Yeah, I got to talk to him at the party and he asked me if I played. I don't think I'm good enough for a team. I just like to kick a ball about, you know."
"Oh come on, that catch and that throw? That was more than just kicking a ball about, you'd be great. And it would be a chance to meet new people, make some friends."
"Says the girl who spends her free time alone tinkering in her workshop," Alphonse chuckled.
"Excuse me, but there's more to me than my Automail obsession! There's a whole other Winry that you have yet to meet. She was into everything, a veritable social butterfly."
Alphonse smiled. "Well, I look forward to meeting her. When can we expect her to show up?"
"Soon," Winry smiled back.
Later that morning Paninya wasn't listening to Mr Kimbley as he droned on and on in History. Instead she was doodling, as she often did when she zoned out, but unusually she wasn't drawing, she writing three numbers, over and over again; 3, 10 and 66.
"The Ishval War ended in... anybody? 1850. Alright, how about the Wellesley Incident?"
Thinking Mr Kimbley was pre-occupied with the class, Winry leaned over to Alphonse. "Just an FYI, our team sucks, they need you."
"I don't do teams, I'm a loner."
"Miss Rockbell, since you seem able to have ignore the class and have your own conversation, you must know the answer. The Wellesley Incident?"
"Errr..." Winry stared at Mr Kimbley blankly.
"March, 1811." Alphonse came to her rescue.
"Thank you, Miss Rockbell," Kimbley smirked.
"Anytime," answered Alphonse rather boldly.
Sensing a chance to embarrass Alphonse as he had embarrassed him, Kimbley decided to test the boy's knowledge. "Alright then, the Lior Riot."
"1914. I'm good with dates, sir."
"Really? Well, let's see how good you are. Just state the year. The Cameron Civil War."
"1661."
"Founding of Amestris."
"1558."
"The First Southern Border War."
"1835."
"Xing Olympic Games."
"1972."
"Fisk."
"1799."
"Creta missile crisis."
"1962."
"Cornello assassination."
"1884."
"The Slicer Brothers execution."
"1912."
"Aerugo Peace Treaty."
"1989."
"Drachma War."
"1950 to 1953."
"Aha! It ended in '52."
"It was 1953," Alphonse insisted.
Mr Kimbey looked furious. "Somebody look it up. Quickly."
A student at the back answered. "It was 19...53."
Alphonse smiled triumphantly. If Mr Kimbley had been red in the face before, it was nothing to how he looked now. Seething, he shot daggers at Alphonse with his eyes and tried to regain some semblance of control over his students.
"How on earth did you know all that?" Winry asked, clearly impressed.
"Years of crossword puzzles," Alphonse chuckled. "It's a loner thing."
More to stop Winry going on about the subject than agreeing with her, Alphonse reluctantly went along to the rugby club that evening to join in a practice session.
"Hey! You decided to show up after all." Russell greeted him with a smile and an encouraging pat on the back.
"Winry talked me into it. I suppose it can't hurt to see how rusty I am!"
"Doesn't matter how good you are, you won't be getting on the team anytime soon." Selim Bradley had entered the dressing room with an unamused look on his face. Alphonse immediately decided he didn't much like the dark-haired boy.
"Selim, don't be an arse-hole. If Alphonse is half as good as Winry said he was he'll be on the team, Kimbley's not the only one with a say on who plays."
"Kimbley? As in Mr Kimbley who teaches History at college?" Alphonse looked shocked.
"The very same. He's the coach. I know he's not exactly a people person, but he knows his rugby."
Alphonse could only gulp in apprehension; it looked like his rugby career had finished before it had begun. The rest of the team arrived and changed, Russell introducing Alphonse to each of them, and received a nicer reception from them than he had from Selim. Apparently Selim held a misguided belief that he was the best player on the team, and any new player posed a threat to his superiority. Once the team had run out onto the pitch Alphonse felt an ominous presence behind him.
"So not content with humiliating me in front of my students, you decide to do it as an extra-curricular activity too."
Alphonse turned round to see Kimbley stood behind him; arms crossed and a face like thunder.
"Mr Kimbley, I realise that you and I haven't got off to the best start, and I want to apologise for that. But I've played rugby before, openside flanker mostly, and I'm a good player, so I've been told."
Kimbley studied Alphonse for a moment, before seeming to come to a decision he would later regret.
"Go get changed, I want to see you do five laps of the pitch, then we'll see what you can do."
Alphonse smiled his thanks to Kimbley who spoke again as he passed him.
"This is just to see you get knocked on your arse, Elric."
After changing Alphonse easily made the five laps, only breaking a sweat because he was trying not to run at vampire speed, he then joined the team in some basic exercises and ball tactics, before Kimbley split them into four teams of five in order to play a quick tag rugby tournament. Alphonse ended up on the same team as Russell and Selim. Whilst the other teams played each other Russell and Alphonse engaged in conversation, which didn't go unnoticed by Kimbley or Selim; both frowning at Alphonse whilst plans on how to humiliate him ran through their heads. When it came to their turn to play Kimbley took Selim to the side for a moment whispering in his ear.
"Take Elric out; just make it look like an accident."
"But we're on the same team, how do I do that?"
"Are you completely useless Bradley?" Kimbley sneered. "Use your imagination!"
A wicked grin came upon Selim's face and he joined his team on the pitch, sticking close to Alphonse. It turned out that even though Alphonse hadn't played in over 100 years he was still as good as he had been when he was alive, if not better due to his vampire senses and strength. No one could keep up with him, let alone get near enough near him to tag him, he ran and dodged so fast, and his passes and catches were perfect; he never dropped the ball. That was until Selim ran straight into him and rugby tackled him to the ground just as a he caught a pass from Russell.
"What the hell Selim?" Alphonse shouted as he caught his breath, it was the surprise more than the tackle that had winded him.
"Woah! Sorry Elric, didn't see you there! Thought that pass was for me."
Like hell you did, though Alphonse. He had heard Kimbley talking to him as he walked onto the pitch, and had been watching out for Selim, but he didn't he think he would do something so stupid as that.
"You going to live, Elric?"
"Yeah." Alphonse could practically hear the struggle Kimbley was under to stop himself from laughing. He got to his feet to find Russell standing before him looking worried.
"You OK? That was a pretty hard tackle you took."
Alphonse smiled, knowing it would take more than Selim had to hurt him.
"I'm fine, I'll walk it off."
"Oh my God, you're here!" Paninya went to greet Winry as she arrived at the Town Hall for her first cheerleading practice since before her parents died.
"Well, I made Alphonse try out for the rugby team, so I figured I should get back into my old routines. The only way for things to be back the way they were is do the things that were. By the way, you're coming over for dinner after practice."
"I am?"
"Yep. You, me and Alphonse. You have to give him a chance."
Paninya's look of excitement at a girly night in turned to one of disappointment when Alphonse's name was mentioned, and she quickly tried to think of an excuse not to go.
"I don't know if I can make it tonight... I'll have to check with mum. Have you seen Elicia at all? I've been calling and texting her all day and she hasn't answered..."
"Don't change the subject Paninya Bennett, you're coming to dinner."
As Winry looked dangerously close to pulling out her wrench for her gym bag Paninya decided to give in.
"Fine. I'll come. Seriously though, where is Elicia?"
"I don't know. And it's not like her not to answer her phone, try her again."
At that moment they heard a car roaring into the car park, and turned to see a shiny red sports car pull up, the two occupants of the car awfully familiar to Winry. Paninya could only gawp in awe, both at the car and its blond driver.
"Oh. My. God. That must be the mystery guy from the Bistro."
Winry shook her head, unbelieving, as Elicia gracefully got out of the car, then leaned in to give the driver a kiss before he sped off, Elicia walking towards her friends.
"That's not a mystery guy, that's Edward Elric."
"Elric? As is in Alphonse?" Paninya gasped in surprise.
Elicia reached them, a huge smile plastered on her face, and a scarf around her neck.
"I got the other brother, hope you don't mind. Sorry I'm late, I was, uh, busy." She winked shamelessly at Paninya and turned to Winry. "It's good to see you back at practice Winry. Well, we better get started before we run over our time slot, shall we?"
With that Elicia led her friends into the hall, where they were met with the rest of the cheerleading squad. Elicia immediately got the group started, and though Winry tried her best to keep up, she found that she just couldn't keep pace with the rest of the squad. Elicia rather untactfully suggested she just watch for the time being and try and figure out the routines that way. But watching the other girls Winry found that her heart just wasn't in it any more. The old Winry loved cheerleading, it helped her keep fit, but the new Winry just couldn't find it in her to place a fake smile on her face and act out some insipid dance routine. Despite what she had said earlier about things getting back to the way they were she knew, in her heart of hearts, that no matter how much she tried, her life from now on would never be the way it was before.
Alphonse wearily made his way home from rugby, tired only by the fact he hadn't done that much exercise in years and even a vampire couldn't just take up exercise after a long period of relative inactivity and not expect to feel any ill effects. Once home he poured himself a snack and made his way to his room, intending to shower and change for dinner. His plans were rudely marred, however, by the presence of Edward sitting at his desk reading his journal.
"How was rugby? Did you make the team?" He stood up and walked towards Alphonse, the journal still open in his hand. "It's very Emerson, you know, the way you reveal your soul with so many... adjectives."
"What are you doing here?" Alphonse did not look impressed.
"I've come to apologize." Edward threw the diary onto Alphonse's bed. "I've been doing some thinking, some soul searching, if you will, and... I want us to start over, we need to put the past behind us. You're my little brother Al, and if you want to live a normal, happy human life, then I want that for you. And maybe, given time, I can do it too; maybe I can learn to be a non-living living person. Maybe there's hope for both of us."
Alphonse looked touched that Edward would think such things, but was also aware that this was his brother; he could easily be lying and hiding any number of tricks up his sleeves.
"You know it doesn't have to be this way, Ed."
"Of course it doesn't. I saw Winry today, by the way, down at the Town Hall for cheerleading practice. She looked so perky in her little short shorts." Edward chuckled as a dark look came across his brother's face. "Simmer down, Al, I didn't go near her. You're not the only one with a cheerleader. Which reminds me... I have to run, I have a date."
Edward began to leave and as he reached the door he rubbed his hands together, almost with glee.
"Look at that, sweaty palms. Wish me luck, Al."
The numbers Paninya writes down: 3 and 10 because Ed and Al burnt their house down in the manga and anime on the 3rd of October, and 66, because I wanted to get Barry the Chopper in somehow! I know in the manga/anime the Ishval War didn't end in 1850 (it actually ran from 1901 to 1908), but I've had to mess around with a few dates to align with the Vampire Diaries timeline, and allow for future plot developments. Some of the wars/ historical events and their dates were taken out of the manga (chapter 67), other's I made up. I made Alphonse an openside flanker as I felt it the best position for him. They have to be quite light on their feet and are often the tallest members of the team. They're the ones who get thrown up to catch the ball in a line up usually. For more info on rugby positions see- .org/wiki/Rugby_union_positions. Tag rugby is where you don't make proper body contact, you just tag the player with the ball and they have to give it up. It's mainly played in schools and used for practice sessions, although Selim doesn't seem to have understood the "tag" part. Also, I couldn't think of anything FMA related to replace the "Emerson" bit with when Ed reads Al's diary. As far as I'm aware no writers were mentioned in the manga or anime and I didn't want to waste a character who could be used later on in a mere mention of a reference to an author, so Emerson stuck.
