A/N: Hey, guys. As some old readers may be able to tell (if they look back here), this is not the AN that was here before.

Mati: We got a glitch and we don't save our ANs. Whoops.

Piper: Point being, we're fixing it. And we edited the chapter a little bit. Not too much. Thanks to Satanic-Fanatic for the tip.

Chapter Nine

I looked at myself in the mirror mentally evaluating myself. I looked the same as before I landed in FMA, give or take a few years. Same old tangled black hair, same blue eyes, same acne on my forehead...which also meant that I was going to go through puberty again. I sighed and reviewed what had happened since the surgery.

It had taken a bit less than a year for us to recover from the surgery, which was pretty impressive for two 11-year-old kids. Even so, it was a horrible experience. Most of the time was spent in pain, and the rest vomiting blood.

When Edward and I could move without vomiting or experiencing pain, we both sighed-we had new limbs and were done with the horrible experience.

Without looking to Ed, I yelled to him.

"Oi, Chibi-"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE COULD SURVIVE ON ONE OXYGEN ATOM?!"

"I didn't say that. Now, as I was saying, I am going to Izumi Curtis to ask if I can study under her. I need to know where she lives."

He turned white. "I-I thought you were kidding." He said weakly. "You really want to go to her?"

"Yes." I gave a crooked smile. "I can't help you if I can't fight at all, now can I, shorty?"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING-"

"JUST TELL ME WHERE TO FIND HER ALREADY!" I screamed back in his face. He was taken back.

"Fine, I'll give you her address. No guarantees that she'll accept you, though. Or let you live."

"I'll take my chances." I started packing the things I had appeared in, as well as clothes Pinako had bought for me in a suitcase (which was also from Pinako). As an afterthought, I dug out my mp3 player and put it in the case, too. "You should try for the State Alchemist title while I'm gone. It'll give you something to do while I try to get training. I'll come back when I've finished."

I looked at the building in front of me. It was a fairly empty butcher's shop. Even without looking at the address that Edward gave me, I knew that it was the home of Izumi Curtis.

Now that I was here, I was beginning to chicken out. I knew how scary the Elric brother's Teacher could be. Did I really want to try to learn with her? She lived in a butcher's shop. She was surrounded by knives, for heaven's sake!

I steeled my resolve. I had been sent here to help Edward and Alphonse. I couldn't help them if I was too weak to fight things like the Homunculi. Taking a deep breath, I walked to the door and stepped inside.

At the counter was a man as big as a mountain, chopping up a piece of beef. He was bigger than I thought he was. I walked up to him, shaking inside.

"Umm...are you Sig Curtis?"

He looked up. "Yes."

I began to fidget under his gaze. "I-Is Izumi Curtis home? I'd like to speak to her."

Sig looked wary. "Why? Are you some kind of government official?"

"No, no!" I shook my head hurriedly. "I-I'm actually here to ask her to train me."

"And why should I train you?" A voice asked from behind me. I jumped. Izumi Curtis was right behind me, a small scowl on her face.

"Oh, Mrs. Curtis!" I turned to her and bowed. "Um, well, I-"

"Out with it!" She snapped.

"I have people I need to protect and I need you to train me so I can protect them!" I blurted. "Please, Mrs. Curtis! It's a matter of life and death and-" I felt tears beginning to form. Ed and Al had become my first friends in this place. If I failed...I would never forgive myself. "And I can't let the person-" No, not the person, not just the person, "-The people I want to protect die." I gave a small sob. "Please."

Her glare softened, then hardened again. "I'll let you train with me," and I realized that there was a catch, "If I deem you worthy after a month's trial."

Honestly, it was better than nothing, but would I really be able to make it? I gulped and steeled myself. I had to make it. I was going to make it, even if I nearly died doing it.

"Thank you, Mrs. Curtis. It means a lot to me."

And so began my training.