Chapter Ten

1867

An Arian Restaurant, Topanga

The implications of this were discussed, and a conclusion arrived at. Ling Gray had done Human Transmutation.

"She's probably really from Xing or somewhere," Ed hazarded as the food arrived. The Doctor reached into his pocket and crossed himself.

"In my other coat..."

"Those glasses?" Riza asked, taking her food.

"Yes. I'd have been able to tell if she'd come through a rift... Ooh, looks delicious!"

"I'd go more off how it smells..." Kestrel commented, stealing a piece of Ed's chicken.

"Hey!" He stole it back. Kestrel shrugged and stole a bite of the Doctor's curry. Aravis toyed with her food, gnawing at her lower lip. Putting a hand on her arm, Al took a bite of his food. He frowned.

"What is it?" Kestrel asked, the Doctor slapping away her fork with his own.

"That's... spicy."

"Arian food is. Have some milk." Kestrel moved her attention to fighting the Doctor. The pair treated their forks like swords, and every bite of food like a wound, dramatically clutching their chest. Ed slowly chewed his chicken, Winry furiously ate, and Roy pinched his nose. Riza sighed at the childish antics. Kestrel was leaning across the table to attack the Doctor. Suddenly, she knocked the fork out of his hand. The Doctor ducked down to get it, and half the table suddenly became a street.

Before anyone could properly register this, it disappeared again. And so did the Doctor, Al, Aravis, and Riza.

"What just happened!?" "What the hell's going on!?" Enraged, Ed and Roy both shoved their chairs back and stood.

"It was a portal... Like the one Al and I got trapped behind," said Winry.

"Great! What the hell do we do now!?" Ed had to find Al, couldn't lose him. Not again.

"The TARDIS?" Kestrel suggested.

"No way I could make it work..." Winry reached a hand out for Ed. He was too angry to notice.

"We'll find something," Kestrel said evenly. Ed flung his fork to where Al had been sitting. "Edlet!"

"Are you calling me short!?"

"No, I'm telling you it'll be fine. Goes for you too, jerkface. Your girlfriend can handle herself."

"But where the hell are they?" Roy said, teeth gritted.

"We should go find Ling Gray."

"No, we should go find my brother!"

"The Dumbass obviously knows more than we do! We should figure out what's up with Ling Gray since that's a more attainable goal!" The two glared at each other across the table.

"Guys?" Winry butted in.

"My brother's gone missing!"

"Guys!"

"I'm sure he can take care of himself!"

"Guys! She's gone!"

It was suddenly discovered by everyone but Winry that Ling Gray had disappeared.

"Where'd she go!?" Ed snapped.

"I don't know!" Roy kicked a chair.

"Well, that's just great!"

"I know where she lived in 1907..." Kestrel said, "We could try there."

"Fine," said Roy, clenching his fists.

"Let's go!" The four stormed out without finishing or paying for their lunch.

The Promised Day

Central

The Doctor held up his fork triumphantly before he realized he was in the middle of a street.

"Well. This is interesting..." Riza picked herself up, slightly concerned at the lack of Roy Mustang.

"Central," said Al, helping Aravis up.

A tank drove through the street. The four quickly jumped onto the sidewalk and hid behind a mailbox.

"Promised Day?" asked Al.

"Promised Day," Riza agreed.

"What's the Promised Day?" the Doctor asked.

"It's... a long story," said Al.

"But if we don't get out of here soon, we'll die temporarily," Riza said.

"Die?" Aravis asked, staring at the tank.

"Temporarily?" asked the Doctor.

"It's a long story." Riza poked her head out from behind the mailbox, pulling out her gun.

"Oi! No guns!" said the Doctor.

"The coast's clear." She stood up, gun still out. The Doctor frowned and followed her.

"I won't stand for guns."

"I don't particularly care what you will and won't stand for." Al helped Aravis up, the pair blushing and smiling.

"Well, I do. No guns."

"The gun stays."

"It goes or I do."

"Go ahead."

"I might just take you up on that!" The Doctor glared.

"Um, I don't think that's such a good idea..." Al hazarded.

"I suggest staying together," Aravis agreed.

"No. Guns."

"Why not?" Riza turned back to face the Doctor.

"There's always a better way."

"No, there's not."

"That's a defeatist attitude."

"No, it's practical."

"And since when is life about practicality? What you can achieve by killing isn't worth it."

"You can't accomplish anything if you're dead."

"Exactly!"

"Look, you can go or not, but the gun stays with me."

"Fine!" The Doctor marched off in a random direction, his tailcoat streaming behind him.

"Er," said Aravis, Al's arm around her shoulder.

"Well?" Riza paused and realized she had no idea what the hell they were supposed to do next. She sighed.

"I think you should apologize to the Doctor, Miss Hawkeye..."

"Maybe." She looked around, alert for any sign of danger.

And then she saw him. Sunglasses and a nice suit; those weren't right, but this was one man she'd always be able to recognize.

"Sir?"

"Riza?" asked a disbelieving Roy Mustang.