Chapter 12

'Wha-What happened? Dammit, I remember now! Those people… All those people… and that little girl.' I thought to myself. I felt like I was lying down, I wanted to get up but my body didn't respond and it hurt like hell. 'Damn, I feel so useless.'

"Tarin…" I heard a voice call out to me. "Tarin, are ya wake? If ya are then I should tell ya not ta move much. Ya got hurt really badly out there missy." The voice was sort of late on the pain part. I opened my eyes and began to focus them from the blurriness. When I could see clearly I looked over to the owner of the voice. Tamara Bonds, she's a medical specialist and a close friend of mine. "Hey there. We all were gettin' sick and worried about ya, Rin."

"Tam, where am I?"

"Ya ask the silliest questions. You're in the infirmary. But in location, we're still in Ishval sweetie." She tried playing a light smile on her face. "But I don't want ya worrying about that sweetie. You're going home."

"What?" I accidently shot up from my horizontal position and pain went throughout my entire body. Letting out a blood curdling scream, Tam came and put me back in my previous state on the bed. After calming down I asked again, "What do you mean I'm going home?"

"What do ya mean 'what do I mean'? You are going home." She enunciated her words and spoke them properly then she usually does. "The war's over and done. After ya last act, the last remaining few are dealt with. We have no otha reason ta stay here so we jus' go on home. Tarin, sweetie, you are now a war hero of Amestris. You're a hero of the Ishvalan war." She patted my shoulder. I looked at her before looking away to the other side of the room. I felt the warmth of her hand disappear from my shoulder. "I know this is very difficult for ya, but the worst is ova now. We can jus'… Rin?"

I had started to cry. Hot, salty tears just flowed down my face onto my pillow. The only thing that's running through my mind was all the things I've witnessed and encountered as long as I've been here. From lifeless corpse to people getting shot to imaging the things that may have happen each time I preformed my alchemy to exterminate lives.

Soon felt like something inside me wanted to be let loose. I cried louder and louder. Feeling my arms and legging hitting things as I moved them. I felt like I didn't have control over myself yet I knew exactly what I was doing. After few minutes I felt myself being pinned down by others.

That was my first time. That was my first time feeling traumatized.

-X-

I groaned as I flipped over on my side. When I did I was harshly greeted by the bright morning sun that was coming through my windows and curtains and window. 'Note to self: get darker curtains.' Flipping to the other side, hoping to get more sleep, I heard a loud noise. "What the hell was… Oh yeah, the renovations." I just reluctantly got out of bed and made my way to the hall.

The sounds were louder when I walked out of my room and down the hall to Taylor's room. When I went in there was no one there. I checked Lynn's room and got the same results. I walked back to my room, took out some clothes, and headed to the downstairs bathroom we had to use until our upstairs one was ready. I showered, brushed my teeth, washed my face, and fixed my hair while in there. After that I headed to the kitchen and made some breakfast even though it was past noon.

"Hey Rin." Lynn popped in the kitchen. She ran up to me with a hug while I just patted her on the head.

"Hey. Do you know where Tayl went? I was surprised not to find her in her room or telling us to clean up."

"She left a while ago. Said she needed some shopping done and get groceries." I nodded to her and went back to cooking. I felt her eyes on me and it was getting annoying. She must have noticed because she spoke up. "Uh Rin, your hair. It's g-"

"I know, I know. No one that really matters is here so I'll fix it later. Now, I'm cooking and I know you want some." I watched her nod and started to make a double lunch.

After about an hour later we were just starting to wash the dishes as Taylor came in. We saw her with groceries and two big shopping bags. "I am so sorry I was out so long, there was mob of people in the stores."

"You should be sorry." Lynn turned from drying a plate. "You missed lunch… well, more of a brunch. Sorry we didn't leave you anything."

"That's okay." Taylor made her way in the kitchen and sat all the bags on the table. She and Lynn started putting up all the groceries while I finished my chore. "Hey Rin. Do you have anything planned lately?"

"Nope. Not at least for today though. In a couple of days I have an assignment where I have to go on as an escort with the brothers is all. The Elric's are supposed to be going to their mechanic. I wanted to know if you two would want to come with."

"Sure, we're in for it." She replied. I saw the way she was looking around like she's thinking about something. "So, you have nothing to do today? At all?"

"What are you planning?"

"What, I can't know what my sister is doing today? I'm just wanna help with some responsibilities."

"Okay. So what are you doing today?"

"Half my days gone. Later I might go to the park for a walk."

"You better not be with some strange punk kid. I don't want any boy trying to get at my little sister without knowing him. Same goes for you Cathelynn: no boys unless I have seen them and ya'll received my say so."

That pushed her button big time. "It's not even that and I can have encounters with the opposite sex if I please."

I giggled a little bit and sat down at the table. "Wow. You're using such educated word and you don't even have on your glasses. Otherwise it looks as if you're only trying to sound smarty." I started laughing a little more at this point. Taylor wears her glasses only when she in the house, other than that she has a pair of contacts she wears when she goes out or if others come around. She had gotten up and semi-stomped out of the room. I got back up from my chair and stretched a little. "Well Lynn, I'll be in my study if you guys need anything. And make sure Tayl doesn't try anything."

"Okay. Though it does sound a bit vice-versa, I'll make sure of it."

I walked out and headed to my private study room.

-X-

"Alright, everything's set. Now just one more thing before I start." I pulled at the rubber band that held my hair in a ponytail. Pulling it out of my hair I felt as the hair fell on passed my shoulders and examined it. "It may not be as long as it used to be but it's still almost as annoying. Least I have less to take care of now." Looking in front of me at a vile of dark brown liquid in a bowl, I began my task.

I leaned a little forward so ends of my loose hair were touching the substance. Concentrating, I slapped my hands together before slamming them down around the bowl. I could almost feel the alchemy work on my hair as my hair became the same color as the liquid. Finishing, I combed my fingers through my hair and looked it over.

"I did a nice job here. Beautiful, brown, and full of lust." I then got from my spot and started to straighten up the room. Before being able to do much there was a knock on the door. "What is it?"

"Rin, you have to come out and get changed." It was Taylor's voice. I could tell now she wasn't mad anymore. I walked to the door and unlocked it. Once I had, she grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the stairway. "Hurry up Rin. We don't have much time for you to get dressed."

"What are you talking about? Get dressed for what?"

"I can't explain right now, just go and-" She was interrupted by the doorbell. "Too late! Come on." She tried pulling harder but I was able to get out of her grip and get to the door.

"Seriously Tayl, you are having major issues. Whatever it is you have planned, it might be okay if we're a little late." I then opened the door to see who it was. Immediately I felt my jaw drop. "R-r-r-r… Roy?"

Roy's P.O.V.

When the door opened I was a bit astonished to see Tarin in her current condition. She was wearing an oversized shirt with a pair of pants that looked too big for her and her hair wasn't in a ponytail as usual. When she looked up at me, I saw her eyes go big and her jaw dropped.

"R-r-r-r… Roy?" Was all that she stuttered out.

I just looked her over again for a second time. "I'm guessing you aren't ready yet?" She continued staring. Next thing I know she shut the door in my face. All that was heard from the other side was yelling, screaming, and talking. 'This might have been a really bad idea.'

After a few moments the door opened again but this time it was Lynn who answered. "We're sorry Mr. Mustang but after what I just witnessed there was some confusion. Taylor said she had forgotten to tell Rin you two were supposed to be going out on a date and Rin freaked out on her."

"I see. Well is it a bad time for me to be here? I could just leave and-"

"Oh no, no, no." She waved her hands in the air. "I was told to make sure you do not leave. You can come in and sit and wait while I make you something to drink."

I accepted the offer, knowing I won't be able to get a chance to leave and come back. I walked in and sat in the living room until Lynn brought me a drink. "We're ready up here!" We heard Taylor as she appeared on the top of the staircase. "I present the elegant, my sister, Tarin."

As Tarin came in view on the stairway I stood from my seat to see her. She had on a light pink shirt that had one strap going over her shoulder, a black skirt (a miniskirt to be exact), and a pair of what looked like from my view black wedged heels. When she got to the bottom step I walked over to her and her sister. "You look nice. Different than usual, but really nice."

She turned her head away a little with a slight shade on red on her cheeks. "Thanks. You look nice too Roy." She said softly.

"Okay before you two go there are some ground rules. Even for Tarin." Taylor came in between us. "She has to be home by one o'clock; I don't wanna see either of you two 'loose-as-a-goose' drunk when you get back; and finally I don't want neither of you make me aunt-"

"Okay Tayl, we get it." The older sister said. "I think we are both old enough to know what we shouldn't get into. You're being worse than Gran."

"Whatever. I just want you guys to have fun." She smiled at us. "And make sure she stays out of trouble."

"I'll make sure to do that." I assured her. I then grabbed Tarin's hand and we walked out the door to my car. When we got in I looked over to her. "Where do you want to go first?"

Tarin still didn't look at me. "It doesn't matter. Anywhere I guess." I wanted to question her more but pushed it aside and drove on. "Roy, why did you and Tayl plan for us to on a date behind my back and didn't even bother to tell me about it?" That was sudden.

"It was mostly her idea. I was against at first because you shot me down when I first asked. But after having her argue about it, I decided it'd be fun."

"So you're taking me out because my little sister told you to?"

"No, I wanted to. I just think you wouldn't really give me a chance. Almost every other time I'm with you, you claim I'm flirting."

"Well sometimes you do. Other times I just want to mess with your head is all." I saw that she finally cracked a real smile since we've left her house. "I guess I'll just have to give this night, and you, a chance."

I stopped the car and parked it close to our first destination. "I'll try to make this a good night for the both of us, Rin."

-X-

(Hime: OMG, I got these two on a date. I wasn't going to let it happen this earlier but what the hell. I wonder what I should plan for them.

Emi: Let them get attacked and Roy saves Rin…

Hime: Hmm… That's an intellectual and intriguing proposal.

Emi: What have I said about using big words?

Hime: *sigh* I might choke on one.

-X-