~~Chapter Twenty~~

Eclipse's P.O.V

The pain in my arms was greater than I had expected from tattoos. Maybe it was the fact that they were alchemy related? I very much doubted it, but it helped to think of reasons that could possibly save you from thinking you were weak. Maybe this was my mind telling me how weak I really was. I just hoped that I could handle it and not hold Erika back.

Last night they had had a conversation, her and the man. I made it look like I couldn't hear them, but I heard every word. She thought I was going to be a burden, but yet she was willing to take the time to help me recover? She was one of the weirdest people I had ever met. She was willing to help someone, even though it set her own personal gain aside. That amazed me, seeing as I was raised by Scar.

"Eclipse? Are you awake?" Erika spoke beside me, wrenching me from my thoughts. I opened my eyes then, looking to her sparkling gold eyes. Even now, in a tent filled with death and pain, she brought a small bit of hope and happiness to the tent. She had eyes that sparkled with love and hope, but they also spoke of all her determination. She truly was a magnificent creature.

"Yeah, I am." I spoke, shocked at how raspy my voice sounded. I immediately swallowed, trying to clear it. She smiled, taking my hand lightly.

"Good. The doctor, or whatever he is, said we could try to take off the bandages today." She crouched over me then, wrapping her arms around my neck. She pulled me up into a sitting position but not without pain herself. She leaned back after that, cursing lightly under her breath. I looked to her arm, guilt coming to bite me in my stomach.

"Already?" I asked incredulously, trying to wrap my mind around how much time could have really passed.

"Yeah, I know a few tricks, so I helped you heal a little. The doctor took a look and said that we could start on learning Alchemy. He wants it to be small stuff, stuff that won't hurt your arms to much." She rubbed her arm, a wince covering her face. I lowered my head, looking to my bandaged arms.

"Which is which? I understand one reconstructs, and the other just stops at some point?" Erika smiled, as if pleased by something. I gave her and odd look.

"His right arm decomposes, his left reconstructs. In other words, his right stops in the second step, his left goes all the way." She looked to my arms then, a look of curiosity covering her face. "Although I am not sure which way this man did it. I'm sure that we can… um, look to your father to figure out…" She rubbed the back of her neck nervously. I gave her a small smile.

"It's okay Erika, I know what you mean." With that, I bent my left arm, surprised at the lack of pain. I started to unwrap my right, gently and carefully. Erika smiled back, bending down to help me.

"We'll make sure your father did not die in vain, okay?" She unwrapped my arm completely, looking to it with interest. "He did it right, this one decomposes."

"Thanks Erika."

Mustang's P.O.V

Edward looked like hell, but I knew there was nothing I could do to help. I had basically told him even I, the President, didn't know where his daughter was. I had sent her to East city, but she had never gotten there. I had military personnel there, waiting for her, so I hoped that helped a little. I sent them orders a few minutes ago, basically saying that they were to contact me immediately upon Erika's arrival. I also have to admit, I was getting anxious myself.

"Mustang, it has been a day since you sent word, and still nothing! I'm beginning to think that Envy might have won." Edward looked to the floor, sighing heavily. We had called Winry down, al coming as well. Alexis was with May and Ed JR.

"Brother, you don't need to worry. I can promise you that Erika knows how to take care of herself. We did the same you know." Edward glared to Al, fury in his eyes.

"Yes, but we had each other! She went alone! I see a little bit of a difference there!" Winry stroked his shoulders. Al sighed, looking to me for help. I shrugged, unable to offer any.

"Ed, she went alone, yes, but by now I am certain that she has found someone to trust." I spoke with a reassuring tone to my voice. Winry looked up with a questioning glance.

"How do you know this?" Winry asked as her eyes widened.

"From what I can gather about her approximate location, she got off only a few stops to early. She should be somewhere around Scar's village." That got even Edward to look up. He looked relieved, or at least more relieved than he was five seconds ago.

"You know this for certain? It's your best guess?" Ed looked to me with hope, but also with a bit of sorrow and anxiety. I understood all of it. If I ever lost Nina or Hughes, I don't know what I would do. I know I would handle it worse than Ed was. For that I will always think of him as more of an adult than I; he was when he was fifteen, and he still is now.

Erika's P.O.V

Eclipse was doing well. He had already gotten the alchemy underway, learning the basics of reconstructing. As I had no experience with the decomposing, he just sort of goofed off with a few bricks and old logs. He got the hang of that one pretty fast, and my guess is it must be easier. So now we sat at the base of a tree, looking up to the sky through the canopy of leaves. Eclipse was leaning more against the tree, while I was leaning against him. I was trying my hardest not to hurt his arms, and he just said it didn't hurt at all.

"How is your arm Erika?" He looked down to me, worry in his eyes. I sighed, looking to my bandages skin. I missed my red coat, but that was kind of trashed currently.

"It's fine. I told you not to worry." I gave him a scolding look.

"As did I." He returned my look with a small glare. I laughed slightly, looking away and back to the sky. I could see him out of the corner of my eye as he gave an exasperated sigh.

The sky seemed so peaceful. Maybe one day I could feel like that, peaceful and content. But until Envy ran free, I doubted that very much.