Chapter 20: Lessons with Shao Mei

Lunch was fairly delicious Al decided. Although in the current context 'fairly delicious' actually meant: phenomenal and I ate until I'm ready to burst. Alphonse had explained as best as he could about what had happened and had felt something in him burn to get back to his Alkahestry.

"So there's something going on in Creta…" Ling paused in his eating to narrow his already slanted eyes. "That's not good."

"Why?" Alphonse asked, "I know that one nation can impact everything," he thought back to the turmoil that had brought about him and brother meeting Ling, "but surely if they're having a civil war it's pretty much contained."

"Creta is a big export country." Ling explained softly, "They export mainly medicinal items, equipment and some foods." Ling took a small bite and pushed the plate aside. "Them having all these shady organizations is not necessarily a bad thing but…"

"If it gets out of hand we'll have to figure out a way around it…" Alphonse nodded, "I get it." He felt a from cross his face as his thoughts traveled back to Edward. "I hope brother's okay…" Alphonse closed his eyes and sighed. "Thanks for lunch Ling, but I should get back to my-" before he could finish he felt something grip tightly onto his leg with claws and teeth and clench.

Standing up with a little shriek he pulled the small blob of fur off and held it out at arms length. Spitting and hissing was a little panda, her fur ruffled and her eyes wide with fear.

"Shao Mei?" Al breathed, gently setting her on the table. The creature jumped off the table and ran out of the dining room.

Alphonse followed, his curiosity peaked. She was never far away from Mei… and Mei had declined lunch in order to go and re-gather her thoughts on how to teach him alkahestry…

He barely registered the fact that Ling was following him, duties forgotten, or that there was a small sound coming from up the stairs, or that Shao Mei had somehow crawled onto his shoulder and was now shaking as he approached his bedroom door.

"Mei?" He called, hoping his was wrong. Until he smelled the blood. She's cut herself, he thought, and she's going to reply 'I'm fine.' Alphonse pushed the door open and gagged.

The girl who had always fawned over him, who had been by his side through thick and thin, and who he always felt attached to was laying face down in a puddle of her own blood.

He barely registered hearing Ling call sharply for a medic, or for guards, or Lan Fan placing a hand on his shoulder. All he knew was that at some point he had crouched beside Mei and pulled her head into his lap, staring at her bleeding nose and feeling a moment of dread. Pressure…. That could pop a vein in the nose…. Nolhestry could…. He gently placed a hand on Mei's cool forehead and watched Shao Mei gently prod at her companion.

"She'll be okay," he assured the creature, "She survived homunculi, this is no big deal…"

What the hell had they gotten themselves into now?

A/N: I don't know why this is taking so long, but anyhow, here's a little bit to tide us over! Yay for defeating the procrastination goblins!