AT THE RIVER BANK…

"Okay, what gives Evans?" Ed asked as she led him to the river.

"Nothing." Erika said with the grin still prominently etched on her face. A giggle was heard from the sapphire eyed girl and Ed raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, you are way too giddy right now. Are you sick or something?" Ed asked putting a hand on her shoulder. Erika turned around with the smile still on her face.

"No, I am not sick." Erika said. "It's just been a while since I've been going back to study Air and Water. It's really fun."

"Fun? I didn't know you knew the meaning of that word." Ed joked. Erika stopped smiling and glared. Ed chuckled and then found himself noticing how pretty her smile was. "Geez, I was just kidding."

Erika smirked. "Sure you were." Erika said and turned around and smiling again much to Ed's joy. Whoa. Snap out of it Ed! Ed yelled mentally. Erika turned around and raised a brunette eyebrow. "Something wrong there?"

Ed had a tint of pink wash over his cheeks at the realization of his sudden freak out. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked t the side stubbornly. "We're here." Ed voiced. Erika nodded and stopped at the base of the river.

Erika clapped her hands and then placed them on the land near the water. Sapphire sparks emerged from her hands and a dirt piece of land sprout out into the middle of the river. Erika stood up and snapped her fingers and a tree trunk appeared in the middle strong enough to be stood on and strong enough against the current.

"I think I'm starting to realize why your name's Sapphire Spark." Edward said standing next to her and staring at the land she morphed.

"Just finding that out huh genius?" Erika asked and earned a glare from the eldest Elric.

She shrugged and walked to the center of the river where the tree trunk stood. Ed cautiously made his first step on the piece of land to find it quite dry for dirt on a river. Erika rolled her eyes.

"It's not going to bite you…or will it?" Erika said with a slight smirk. Ed rolled his own golden eyes and walked towards her stopping at the wood.

"Now what?" Ed asked.

"Stand on it." Erika instructed.

"Whatever teach." Ed replied climbing onto the tree trunk.

"A. Don't call me that. And B. stay right there until I give the word." Erika said and hopped back onto dry land. "Welcome to the fundamentals of Air Alchemy!" Erika said and snapped her fingers creating a strong breeze.

Ed immediately dropped down and took his grip on the wood so he won't fall. "What the hell Evans!" Ed yelled over the loud breeze.

Erika snapped her fingers one more time stopping the breeze. Edward lost his grip and fell right into the water soaking him head to toe. Erika took off her shoes and rolled up her pant legs and walked into the river stopping at Ed. She held out her hand with a sigh. Ed took it and she helped him up. As they were on their way back to the house Erika never let her gaze loom over on the soaked blond.

"You failed." Erika said simply.

"What!" Ed yelled in protest. "What did I fail?"

"You failed the first test." Erika said.

"How am I supposed to pass something I wasn't even told to do?" Ed yelled. Erika turned on heel to him with a glare.

"My instructions were simple: do not move until I say the word. What do you do? You drop down a hold onto the tree trunk!" Erika said.

"Well, sorry that the breeze was too strong!" Ed yelled. Erika face palmed herself.

"That was the point moron! Air can be harsh and mean at times but also very calm and gentle. If you are to master it, you have to be calm." Erika said. "You need to learn to be able to protect yourself from the harshest of winds and that means to have balance."

"Look who's talking!" Ed yelled. "You aren't exactly the most coordinated person in the world you know!"

"Oh that's it!" Erika said and made her way to up the steps into the living room.

"Hey guys. How'd training go?" Amy asked.

"Klutz!"

"Termite!"

Amy sweat dropped at the constant bickering between the two. "I'm guessing it didn't go well…" Amy said. The doorbell rung and Winry sighed getting up walking past the bickering pair and Amy following.

"Blondie!"

"Breeze witch!" At that comment, Erika swung her karate chop onto Ed's skull leading him to the floor.

Amy's head snapped up to the chill that was emanating form the person at the front door. "SISTER!"

Erika immediately went sprinting towards Amy's screaming. She hasn't screamed that loudly since they were kids. "Amy!" Erika called all the while. Ed sat up and followed after her not knowing what made her sprint all of a sudden.

"Auntie Pinako. You stay here." Al instructed and followed his brother.

As soon as Erika stepped foot in the small hallway which held Amy, she started into a fit of coughing. Ed arrived soon after with Al and reached the coughing brunette. Ed walked up to Erika and with her last cough a small amount of blood made its way onto the floor.

"Evans are you okay?" Ed asked.

"The smell…" Erika said panting. "Amy get over here right now! Winry you step back too!" Erika shouted with the sharpness and almost pleading tone that had overcome her when they were at Ashwell. Ed raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about smell?" Ed asked.

"The smell of decay and blood fitted with the horrible smell of cigars…" Erika recited with pure disgust.

"Oh Eve! Did you miss me?"

BN: Cliffhanger! Please dont hate me. Well, until next chap! =:D