The train ride into Central hadn't been especially comfortable for Renee.
"I've never been on a train before, much less one with seats like this. Seriously, who thought it was a good idea to put such uncomfortable seats on something they knew people would be riding for hours on end!" Renee boomed. In the last couple days, Renee had really let herself loosen up around the Elric brothers. After talking to Ed at the cemetery and at the site of his childhood home, she felt a better connection with him. Al was just always easy to talk to. She knew that she wasn't going to be going home for a while, if at all, so she decided to make the best of her time with the brothers and their friends. Pinako and Winry agreed to take Angelina in, as her recovering from the surgery would take long enough and the sisters really had nowhere else to go at the moment. Winry was also glad to have some friends closer to her age, who were female. She was always open with Pinako about here life, and wasn't ultimately into anything one would deem 'girly" but she thought it nice to have another girl around.
Eventually the train slowed down to it's stop in the Central station. Not wasting a second, Ed ran off the train only to run into someone standing on the platform.
"Edward Elric! How great it is to see you!" A deep voice echoed through the station, causing many people to look in their direction. Al and Renee, with bags in their hands, followed a bit more calmly, only to see Ed being squeezed in the arms of a big, blonde, mustached man. Al and Renee laughed at the sight. "Oh and Alphonse! It's so very nice to see you again!" The man released Edward and started to walk towards Al.
"Hello Major. What're you doing here?" Alphonse asked as he backed away, ever so slightly.
"I was in East City but sent here to fetch you." He leaned in close, "With Scar on the loose we need you two to be protected." Ed moaned, obviously irritated with this response. Armstrong straightened himself up again, and then looked down next to Al, to see Renee standing there awkwardly. "And you must be Ms. Renee Durless! What an honor it is to meet you! I am Major Alex Louis Armstrong!" He held out hs big hand for her. She smiled but reluctantly took it, as his hand was probably just as big as her face.
"It's very nice to meet you too sir." Renee beamed. She already made a deal with herself to make the best out of it, might as well start here.
"Oh, that reminds me." The man fished through his pockets and pulled out an envelope, "For you. This will allow you to walk the streets of Amestris as a citizen before we can get everything else worked out. So it is only temporary." She took hold of the envelope and flipped it around in her hand, examining it. It had her name and "Colonel Roy Mustang" written on it.
"Thank you very much sir." Renee bowed.
"Come on! We have to go! National Central Library, First branch." Ed whined. Renee rolled her eyes, and followed Major Armstrong and Al outside and into a car. It was a bit small, but it probably only seemed that way because of the 7 foot man and the 7 foot suit of armor squished inside of it. The ride was better than the train ride though. Soon enough they arrived at the library, only to find it burnt to ruins.
"AUGH! Dr. Marcoh's research... It's all gone!" Edward bellowed. The four of them walked up to where the library would've been and rummaged through it, looking for anything still intact. "There's nothing left except ashes, Everything's gone."
"Major Armstrong." A female voice called behind them. Everyone turned towards the source of the voice to find two people standing there in salute.
"Oh, Second Lieutenant Ross and Sergeant Brosh." Armstrong identified the two, "To what do we owe this pleasure?"
"You have been ordered to report back to the Command center, sir." Ross stated.
"We'll be taking over supervision of Edward Elric and hs brother, And..." Brosh started as his gaze shifted to Renee. Renee walked over and handed the two the letter Armstrong had given her. After they had read it over they handed it back and she gave them a quick salute before stepping back to where she had been standing previously, "And Ms. Renee Durless, effective immediately." Brosh finished.
"Very well, they're yours." Armstrong nodded.
"What is this?!" Edward exclaimed, "Just when I think I'm free, they saddle me with more bodyguards. This is getting old!" Renee elbowed him in the side.
"You are lucky to get so much. They're just making sure you don't die, be grateful." Renee stated. Ed groaned at this. Armstrong eventually bid them all farewell, and the remaining people piled into another car the best they could. The whole ride, Ed simply complained about the fate of the library.
"All might not be lost." Second Lieutenant Ross explained, "There's a woman who was well acquainted with the materials in the first branch... Unfortunately, she wasn't working there anymore."
"That sounds incredibly helpful." Ed said sarcastically. It was a silent for a short moment, before Al cut in as he examined Sergeant Brosh's face.
"Something wrong?"
"Oh it's nothing. Although, if you don't mind my asking... Why are you wearing a suit of armor?" Brosh questioned.
"It's a hobby!" Ed and Al blurted out. Renee just laughed to herself, the question was understandable, but their reasoning was kind of obscure to her. It must have had the same weight with Brosh and Ross because they began to whisper to each other, but Renee thought it rude to listen in, although it was obvious by their faces, what they were thinking.
"So what d'ya say Al, It's a lovely view isn't it?"
"Oh yeah, yeah, It's gorgeous!" Ed and Al conversed trying to get off the subject. The rest of the ride went by with an awkward air hanging around the 5 of them. They had stopped off in front of a building and everyone filed out of the, somewhat, tightly packed car. Renee silently followed the 4 into the building, behind Al and down the hallway before they stopped in front of a door. Ed knocked, but there was no answer at the door, so Ed simply opened it to be met with a room full of books.
"Wow, Theres got to be a million of them!" Ed exclaimed. Renee could only narrowly see the inside of the room from behind Al, but when she did notice all the books, she got excited and pushed passed him. Everyone let themselves in behind her.
"Is there really someone living in this place?" Brosh asked from behind some shelves.
"It's like heaven." Renee said to herself as she looked around at the ground where a small pile of fantasy books layed.
"Miss. Sheska, are you here?" Ross called out, "Miss. Sheska?!" After the second call there was a small voice from another corner of the room.
"Is someone there?" it called out, muffled by books. Everyone, except Renee, followed the sound, "Please help me!" it called out again, this time Renee went towards it too. Al looked around a corner and saw an arm poking out from under the books.
"Um, Brother. There's somebody under there!" Al exclaimed. Everyone ran towards the area Al was pointing to and started to throw the books to the sides. Eventually they uncovered the girl. Renee looked around excitedly, eager to meet the girl who owned such a collection.
"Thank you. I am so sorry. I got myself trapped under a whole mountain of books!" Sheska bowed continuously, in thanks. "I thought I was going to suffocate under there. Thank you so much."
"Are you Sheska?" Ed asked, the girl nodded, "And you worked at the library?"
"Oh the library! The word itself is so beautiful! I've loved books my whole entire life, ever since I first learned to read as a girl! That job, was heaven! But I forgot I was suppose to be working and all I ever did was read, so they fired me."
"That is such a lousy reason to fire someone!" Renee spoke to herself.
"If I don't find another job, I'll never be able to move my poor, elderly mother into a better hospital. But I'm hopeless. The only thing I can do well is read! I'll never have another job as long as I live!" Sheska explained. Renee went and sat next to her, comforting her a bit.
"More people need to respect that talent. Reading and books are magnificent! The talent of reading is such a great and useful thing to have! A collection of books such as this is amazing!" Renee exclaimed. After hearing this, Renee and Sheska went on a little tangent about books.
"Excuse me." Ed interjected, "There was one thing we wanted to ask you..." Sheska looked over at him, "Do you remember any research belonging to someone named Tim Marcoh?"
"Let's see Tim Marcoh," Sheska looked up and went through her mind trying to remember anything, "Oh, yes! I remember now! There was some handwritten notes stuffed into a bookcase where they didn't belong." Ed and Al beamed.
"The notes were really there after all... Which means...They were all burnt." Ed's mood changed from utter joy to sheer depression within in his sentence.
"Did you want to read them?" Sheska inquired.
"Yeah but now they are nothing but ashes. Its to late now." Ed sighed.
"Sorry to bother you." Al apologized. They both stood up, and Renee would've followed if she hadn't found a book on advanced alchemy lying on the floor.
"I remember everything that was in them. Would that help at all?" Sheska asked. Ed and Al were overcome with joy at this sentence. "It's just how I am. I'm able to remember the content of any book I've ever read. It'll take a while but I could write them out for you."
"Thank you bookworm! You're my hero!" Ed and Al thanked her.
"You're welcome...?" Sheska replied. Ross thanked her as well and said that it was time for them to be heading out. They had almost reached Sheska's door before they realized Renee was still sitting on the floor reading, "You can borrow the book if you'd like." Sheska offered. Renee smiled and then looked down.
"And these ones too?" Renee asked holding up a small stack that she had collected since they entered the apartment. Sheska nodded and Renee ran over and consumed the girl in a hug. "ThankyouThankyouThankyou..." Renee repeated as she exited the building until they were out of sight. While in the car everyone just gave her a strange look as she continued reading, the stack of books fumbling around in her lap.
"Nerd." Ed muttered under his breath.
A/N: I think for every episode there will be, on average, two chapters. depending on how much goes on in each episode and stuff. I am only telling the story (or mostly telling it) from where Renee is at the time. So obviously in the beginning of this episode there is that stuff with Scar and Lust and East City, but since she wasn't there, I didn't write it. I may occasionally go and tell things from where Angelina is, like go back to the Rockbell's and update whats happening there, but I think thats about it. Just sticking to my OCs. Remember to review and follow c: