"I'm in great need to go to the bathroom!" Envy blurted out, a blush framing his face.

Shocked, Edward stared, mouth agape. This was an extremely humiliating situation the homunculus had put himself in for the amount of pride he had (and the determination to seem superior to humans).

Still blushing fiercely, Envy rushed out of the room with, simply put, 'his tail between his legs'. Groaning, Edward hastily excused herself and chased after him, leaving Granny Pinako extremely confused.

"My, my. And here I thought that she and Mustang were getting together..."

She got up and headed towards the phone.

"Hello? I need to connect with Brigadier-General Roy Mustang, please. This is Pinako Rockbell, calling on the case of the missing Edward Elric."


Edward spotted the now-brunette sitting by the burnt out tree. Steeling herself, she drew her breath out then sucked it sharply back in. Their house, he was right where she died... Where he killed her... His own mother...

Envy could sense her presence. He assumed that the fact that they were half-brothers - well, half-siblings now, meant that it was easier to track each other down. That was a bad thing. He didn't want anyone on his tail right now. Especially not her. It was weird, how Edward reminded him so much of that girl... The one back in Munich. They didn't look in the least alike, but they both had strong personalities that shone through them like a sole lamp in the middle of the night of a new moon.

What was he thinking? Why was he even comparing the two of them?

Edward seemed to have stopped in her tracks. Where was this place, anyway? It's burnt down, and there's a small grave in the corner, with a marker but no writing.

"That's her grave. The original. The remnants that gave birth to Sloth." Edward said this softly, but directed it at Envy, knowing that he was listening.

"I don't know where my grave is. I'm a mistake, too, you know. Just like you, and your brother. Yet he loved us all. Why do you think he did?"

Edward moved forward and sat beside Envy. He flinched a little then settled down. "Why are you doing this? I thought you hated me. Why would you want to start over?"

"Because I don't -!" Envy started to yell, then changed his mind. "I don't have a fucking choice, okay? Besides, you remind me of her. Fuck, this is so weird. I mean, I know you're really a guy, but you're a girl, and... What kind of messed up shit happened to you, anyway?"

Edward laughed with no humor. "Messed up shit is one way to say it. The Gate is another. You probably have at least an inkling of what it feels like to lose everything. I lost my mother. Then The Gate took my brother away, along with my leg. I got Al's soul back, but at what prize? It was just his soul. Then it took my entire being to get Al back, the full package. And now, I'm back, having apparently dragged you with me. I was having a... reunion, I guess, until you had to abduct me and vent out your anger by trying to break me mentally and physically. Do you have any idea what it feels like to have to decide the fate of a human being? Do you know what I feel now that I know I yanked you out of your perfect reality? Do you know how much it hurt to be killed? I'm only human, Envy! I'm still selfish, no matter how sensitive I may think I am of other people's feelings."

Envy was silent for a while. Edward bit her lip. Perhaps, she had taken it too far. She usually told the truth, and was proud of her ability to do so, but sometimes she opened her big mouth too wide and accidentally hurt others' feelings.

"I'm sorry," Envy replied so softly, Edward wasn't even sure if he had actually said anything.

"I just really don't know what to do anymore," he continued. "I'm desperate, you know. I just.. Want to be loved again."


Roy threw down his gloves in frustration.

"She should be here. Why isn't she here?" Alphonse kept muttering next to him, wringing his hands. Their eyes darted around in apprehension. They knew that the soil they were standing on wasn't damp because of the rain. Al, as an alchemist, was familiar with the smell of iron. Roy just knew it when someone had spilled blood.

Riza appeared next to them. "Sir, it appears that there are two small graves next to the warehouse. We found the bodies of two children. We asked around, but they seem to have come from the slums."

Vato came next. "Sir, we found traces of alchemy, a reciept for food, and a rough sketch of a young man on the ground. We belive that this man could be a clue to Edward's disappearance."

Roy gritted his teeth. "We have to find her. Fullmetal won't die that easily. Right, Alphonse?"

No answer. He glanced to his right. Al was looking down, shoulders shaking. A single tear fell.

Brigadier-General's eyes widened.

Something. They still haven't told us everything, yet, have they?

"Al -" he started to say, before he was interrupted by Feury.

"S-sir! Edward- she - with -" Kain panted, out of breath from running.

"What about Edward? Kain! I command you to tell me!" Roy shook his shoulders.

Kain looked up, tears of joy brimming at his eyes. "She's alive, sir. The Fullmetal Alchemist is alive!"


"Bye, Granny! We'll come back again to visit!" Edward leaned out of the train to wave.

"Hmph. Bring Al, too, next time. Don't forget your friend Newell, too!"

Next to her, Envy flinched. He still wasn't used to his new name.

"Hey, 'Newell' say goodbye, too," Edward elbowed him.

"You- you know, just because I said that doesn't mean you can be so friendly with me!" En- Newell exclaimed.

Edward just smiled. "Aw, come on! Better than me at your throat for scarring me, right?"

"That's not very reassuring."

The train started moving. Faster, and faster, it ran on until Resembool was just a spot on the mountain side.

Suddenly, Edward slapped her forehead. "Crap! I totally forgot to ring Al! Ah, dammit!" She covered her face in her hands and slid a little down her seat. Newell watched in subtle amusement as the girl berated herself.

She peeked out at him through her fingers and noticed the small smirk. "You knew, didn't you? That I forgot? Man, I really don't want to be killed another time. Wait, the next station! Can we get off at the next station? There should be a phone there..."

Newell shook his head. "We got the express, remember? You said you wanted to head back as soon as possible."

Edward studied Newell's face. "I knew it! You're hiding something, aren't you?"

He merely rolled his eyes. "That old woman called. In case you hadn't noticed, when we got back, she had just hung up. I just assumed she rang that beloved Headquarters of yours."

Edward glared half-heartedly. "Not 'beloved'. More like damned."

"Whatever. Same thing."

They sat in comfortable silence, now, with Edward calmed down.

Yeah, she's definitely like her.


Alphonse paced impatiently back and forth.

"Al. Al, can you stop that? You're making me dizzy." Roy was sitting on a bench, his arms crossed. He, too, wanted to see Edward, make sure she was alright, and had been following Al walk around.

"But I need to know if she's alright!" In spite of what he said, Al took his seat next to Roy.

"We all need to know that, Al. But this is you Granny Pinako we're talking about. She wouldn't have lied." Riza put a comforting hand on the young blonde's shoulder.

"Ah, right, you're all here, too. Sorry, I sort of forgot. But I just hope that Sister'll be alright." Alphonse looked down.

Roy let the question that had been bugging him slip out. "Alphonse, this is... Unlike you. I mean, I know you worry about her, and you worried about him, too, in the past, but this is different. You're really scared this time, right? You remember that time when you two left on your own, before disappearing? I tried asking Edward about this before, but she wouldn't say. So, I'll ask you now."

He took a deep breath."What happened, when you siblings disappeared?"

Alphonse looked him with such sorrowful eyes, that the man could only imagine the tragedy the boy might have gone through.

"Brother... He died thrice that time. Once because a zepplin fell on him. And twice at the hands of his own brothers."


I don't know what just happened. So, this is short, as usual, but it's basically about a new friend! Yaay! Happy! Okay, so, overprotective side of Roy, check! Al recalling death of Ed, check! Newell, name courtesy of Squirtle-chan! Check!

Well, exams and school and yes were getting in the way. Blame school. But I got high grades, so I'm still okay and alive.

This sorta deviated from my original plot, but I think I like this better.

-sentimentalnolonger'causehigh(grades)