Chapter Nine: Food

"Okay, which one do you wanna do first?" Ed said, turning the mission list towards Al.

Al took the list and scanned it. "Well, we should figure out what order to do them in. Do we start from the top, or the bottom, or do we go most-to-least-important, or just pick them randomly—" He stopped talking as I snatched the list out of his hands.

"Hey!" Ed shouted. "What are you doing?"

"If I'm coming with you, then I want to know what I'm going to be up against," I shot back, also scanning the list. I saw stuff about Homunculi, someone named Scar, and things from all kinds of town names. I didn't recognize any of the things I was looking at.

"Gimme that," Ed growled, snatching the list from me in the same fashion I had grabbed it from Al. Except that Al had been wearing gloves that covered his hands, and I didn't wear my gloves at all unless I was fighting.

"Ow!" I cried, pulling my hand back. "You just gave me a paper cut, you idiot!" I looked at the slice on my hand, licking it and then blowing on it to stop the dull sting.

Ed stared at me, then came closer. "Let me see," he said, grabbing my injured hand and pulling it towards him. A few drops of blood leaked out of the sliced skin.

After a few moments, he turned to Al. "Al, you got a bandage or something?" Al nodded and handed him a roll of white strips.

"Hey," I said, trying to take my hand back. "It's just a paper cut. Look, it's barely even bleeding—"

"So you won't accept treatment, either?" Ed snapped, referring to my earlier conversation with the Colonel. I froze, then shut my mouth.

Sighing, Ed pulled a couple of feet from the roll and cut it off, then began to expertly wrap it around my hand. I sat still, not really willing to try to stop him anymore. After all, I'd let him carry me when my ankle hurt, so why not let him wrap up my hand when it bled?

"There," he said, taping the edge of the bandage down. "That should do it." Then he turned back to the list. "Okay, so, anyone have any suggestions?"

I looked at the list over his shoulder. "Um, there's one there about a gang that's causing trouble," I said, pointing to an item somewhere towards the top.

He snorted. "You really want to take care of those lamers? Why not go after Scar?"

"Because I'm familiar with that gang. And because it seems like the easiest one. I always knock out the easiest stuff first."

"Well, you certainly have a weird strategy. And how are you familiar with the gang?"

"Because they're a gang of false alchemists that—" I stopped. They were that man's gang. The man who had killed my parents. "Well," I continued, "they're a gang of fake alchemists. What else do you really need to know to actually know them?"

"Well, I've never heard of them, even though I'm in the military," Ed said, "but I guess you do have a point. Fine, whatever. Let's just hurry this job up." He glanced at the mission again. "Besides, it's in Risembool, and I'll probably get my automail kinda busted up when we fight them."

"Brother, when are you going to get your original body back?" Al asked quietly. I don't think I was supposed to hear, so I pretended I didn't.

"Whenever we find another stone," Ed hissed back, glancing at me to make sure I wasn't listening. I pretended not to be, but I glanced over at him as soon as I felt him look away. Original body? Did they mean his arm and his leg? And what stone? They couldn't possible mean…I tried not to play with my hair like I always did when I was nervous or deep in thought. Did they mean the Philosopher's Stone? The only thing that could bring my parents back? There was no way I was going to let them take it. Ed was missing just an arm and a leg, which he made up for anyway with his automail. I was missing two people, the only two people I'd ever trusted fully. My need was definitely greater than his.

"lucy," Ed turned to me, "have you ever been to Risembool?"

"No," I replied. "Never."

"Well, I guess it's your lucky day, 'cuz that's where this gang you know is at. We probably should get started—' he stopped speaking as a strange noise sounded through the group. We all looked around. Then I realized it was my stomach.

I blushed, putting a hand to my stomach as it growled again. "Sorry," I said to the two pairs of eyes staring at me. "I didn't eat before I fell asleep last night, so I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday."

"Okay, then, I guess we'll get started after we get something to eat," Ed sighed, then started counting money.

"Oh, that's okay,' I said, reaching into one of the pockets inside of my leather jacket. "I've got enough." I pulled out a few bills and showed them to them.

"Hey!" Ed exclaimed, grabbing the money from me. "Where'd you get all this?"

"I've had it," I said, surprised. I'd only pulled out about a hundred bucks. Why was he getting so excited? "I've got more," I said, taking the money back.

"Where'd you get all that money?" Al asked, staring at my pocket.

"Mustang," I said. "It's some of the cash he sent me. He sends me money and stuff a lot, and I saved up all the money he ever sent me and used what my parents left behind."

"Why would Mustang send you money?" Al asked while Ed's eyes sparkled.

"I don't know. A bribe to join the military? Who knows?" I shrugged.

"Yeah," Ed added. "With Mustang, there's no way to tell." He laced his hands behind his head. "Anyway, yeah. Where you guys wanna eat?"

Al and I looked around, checking out all the restaurants. "There!" I exclaimed, pointing at a place. "I haven't had pasta in forever!"

"You're buying!" Ed shouted as he ran off toward the restaurant I'd chosen.

"I already knew that!" I yelled, racing after him.

"Wait for me!" Al hollered, way behind us.