IF ANYONE IS READING THIS I FUCKING LOVE YOU!
I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooo so so so sorry my darlings. I haven't been able to keep up with my posts because of school and I lent my friend my books because she is reading the series and I've been plotting the murder of the Netflix corporation because they took Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood off the site and me and a few of my friends are going to go on a murderous rampage. ALL VELCOMEN TO JOIN! (Threw in a bit of Swedish for ya)
So I will be writing as much as possible to get about six chapters out within the week. If I don't I'll end up adding another chapter to post so don't think it's the end of the world if I post in the middle of the week.
News and excitement? I have a job! OMG NOW WE KNOW THE WORLD IS ENDING! I just got finished with being sick (almost finished) (who hasn't) and now I'm begging forgiveness from my gorgeous readers for not posting! YAY!
If you guys didn't notice, I wrote another Katoy (Kathryn/Roy) fic called It Started With Ishbal. Pretty awesome. I was proud of it. Go check it out.
I also mentioned at the beginning ISWI that I want to know what you guys are picturing when I write. So I was wondering if any of my lovely, beautiful, totally awesome, talented followers could make some fanart for the story. I would die of happiness and then have my friend sacrifice her arm to bring my should back and bond it to a computer so I can keep writing this thing that doesn't seem to end in the near future...
I will seriously shut the fuck up so you guys can read because I know that's what you've been dying to do for the past six weeks...
They sat around a fountain near the middle of town. Paninya's hands were tied together with Kathryn's belt, her pant legs rolled up as Winry examined her auto-mail and Kathryn watched over her shoulder.
"The suspension system is the most advanced I've ever seen. But over all, I find the balance between everything to be incredible…" Winry said. She continued to blab as Kathryn walked over to where Edward and Alphonse were sitting on the ground.
"Nice weather we're having…" Ed said.
"Sure is brother," Al said back.
Kathryn sat down and stretched out her legs with a wince.
Edward glanced over at her. "How's your leg?"
"Could have been worse. Depending on how well it heals, I think it shouldn't leave scar." She leaned in close to them. "Especially with Wolfy's help," she added in a whisper.
Winry looked over her shoulder when Ed mentioned Kathryn's leg. "What about your leg?" she asked as she stood and walked over to them.
"Uh…" Kathryn whispered.
Paninya perked up. What happened to this girls leg? I know I cut that wolf... it's not possible they are the same person, is it?
Winry stopped and looked at the large cut on the inside of her left leg that had finally stopped bleeding. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR LEG!"
"I uhh… I tripped," Kathryn replied.
"HOW DO YOU TRIP AND SLICE OPEN YOUR LEG LIKE THAT! THERE'S BLOOD EVERYWHERE!"
"Calm down, would you? I tripped on a loose shingle on one of the roofs and fell next to a pipe that could have gone through my entire leg, so be happy I got our like this…" she said standing up. She winced as the muscles stretched and reopened the wound.
Paninya knew she didn't trip on any shingles... This girl was too coördinated for it. She slouched and entered a deep thought.
"KATHRYN!" Winry shouted. She dragged her sister over to the fountain and washed off the wound and got most of the blood out of her pants. She then pulled some bandages from her pocket.
"Why do you have a roll of bandages in your pocket?" Kathryn asked.
"Because knowing you, you'll need them…" Winry said glaring at her sister before wrapping up her leg. Kathryn looked defeated as Winry finished with her leg before they stood up. "Paninya, I wanna know who made your auto-mail for you!"
She sat up when Winry turned her attention to her. "Um… Okay." She thought for a moment. "But he lives out in the middle of nowhere, you'll need a guide."
"Whaa!" Winry shouted.
"Don't worry, I'll be your guide. So long as you let me off the hook for picking their pockets."
"Deal!"
"WAIT A SECOND!" Edward and Kathryn shouted.
"That's not your decision, Winry!" Ed yelled at her. "We're turning her into the police!"
"It was just a harmless pick pocket! You sure have a small heart!"
"DON'T SAY SMALL!"
"That woman is a menace to this town!" he shouted.
"You're the one that broke the roof of my shop, right?" the shop owner from before asked.
"He messed up my rooftop too," another said.
"And broke my chimney."
"They traumatized my little Julie," a woman said holding the growling dog from before.
Edward went around the town, fixing the roofs and everything. Kathryn followed behind, making sure he did it correctly and apologizing for the damage.
After they repaired the damage, Edward was still fuming. "That changes nothing! I'm still gonna turn her over to the MPs!"
Winry was ignoring him. "So we'll leave our stuff here, then, if he lives that far away."
"LISTEN TO ME!"
"Edward, she's my sister, so stubbornness runs through the family. You won't get the answer you want out of her," Kathryn said patting him on the shoulder.
"You weren't kidding when you said he lives in the middle of nowhere…" Winry sighed. She wiped the sweat from her brow and looking over her shoulder to check on Kathryn. She was lagging behind, panting heavily. She had insisted on walking instead of someone carrying her.
"Yup. He says he can find better quality ore for his auto-mail out here, that's why he lives so far in the mountains. That, plus he doesn't want to live in town. Too many people. He's not really the friendly type," Paninya explained.
"Would you give me my watch back already?" Edward shouted.
"We made a deal, remember? I guide you to Dominic and you let me off the hook. I'm keeping this hostage until then," she said sweetly.
When Kathryn didn't even so much as growl, Ed glanced over his shoulder to see Kathryn leaning against the mountain.
"You guys go ahead. I'll catch up," he said before moving over to Kathryn. "You okay?"
"Internal fur isn't something I want when it's a hundred degrees out and I'm wearing black…" she chuckled. "My leg isn't helping either…"
"Still not healed yet?" he asked.
She shook her head. "No. I can feel it trying, but it keeps reopening while I walk," she sighed.
Ed nodded his head in understanding. He turned around and crouched. "Get on, I'm carrying you."
"You don't have to-
"Too bad. Just get on."
Kathryn smiled and got on his back. He lifted her up, let her get situated before moving out back down the mountain path. He could feel Kathryn's panting and rapid heart beat as they walked. The shop was finally in sight, Winry, Alphonse, and Paninya were already there and waiting for them. Edward set Kathryn down as Paninya poked her head through the door.
"Howdy!" she shouted.
A man with glasses, a bandana, black shirt and blue jacket looked up from his work with a sigh. "Paninya, I don't know how you manage to come out here so often from town."
Paninya smiled and bounced into the house. "I brought some guests."
"Oh, do they want some auto-mail?" he asked moving out of the house to where they all stood. "You're so big!" he said looking at Al. "And he's so small…" he said then looking at Ed.
Kathryn held Edward back from fuming. "If you don't mind, a glass of water and some bandages would be fine to start with," she said with a smile.
He looked the group over once before settling on her leg, the blood seeping through the bandages. "YOU'RE BLEEDING!" he shouted.
"I realise this. And if you could get me some bandages I could stop the bleeding…" Kathryn told him.
He rushed into the house. "Is she okay?" a woman asked from the house.
"Heya, Satera! She's tougher than she looks, so I think he's overreacting."
Winry leaned over to Paninya. "I would think that someone who isn't a people person wouldn't react that way…" she said.
"Oh, that's not Dominic. That's his son, Ridel. That's his wife, Satera," Paninya explained.
They walked around back and sat down. Ridel came out with a basin of water and put it in front of Kathryn for her to soak her leg in, gave her some bandages and a cold glass of water which she gulped down greedily. She took off her bandages and let her leg sit in the cool water, she sighed in content.
Edward chuckled. "It takes little to please you."
"No, it takes little to please Wolfy, don't mix us up," she said with a happy sigh.
Paninya heard that and got suspicious. She watched as they glanced over at Winry worriedly, but relaxed when they saw she was out of earshot talking to Ridel. She would have to ask them what that was about. Paninya went inside to get Dominic.
"I've never heard of a girl your age being into auto-mail," Ridel commented.
Winry looked over at the three sitting by themselves and laughing. "I have my sister and her boyfriend to worry about, and they both need auto-mail. My parents and my grandma were auto-mail engineers so I grew up with it. Runs in the family."
Dominic came out of the house. He was an old man, looked grumpy with a frown on his face. He sat down next to Winry and Paninya and they went into a deep conversation about Panina's auto-mail. After Kathryn had rebandaged her leg they all stood around Satera. Ridel stood behind her with a proud smile on his face.
"A baby? Congratulations!" Edward said.
"The baby is due in about two weeks," Ridel said.
Satera chuckled. "I'm always so tired, the baby is so heavy!"
"Can I feel your tummy?" Edward asked.
Satera smiled and nodded. Ed placed his left hand on her tummy, Kathryn followed suit with reluctance. Edward laughed. "It's cool, but weird at the same time…" he said as they stood up. "That's the first time I've felt a pregnant lady's tummy."
(A/N: What would you guys do if Kathryn piped up and said, actually no, cause you've touched mine. PREGGO KATHRYN PLOT TWIST I CONSIDERED IT BUT THEN SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN TO THE BABY WHEN LATER THINGS HAPPEN SO NO BUT WHAT IF LEAVE A REVIEW IF YOU WOULD HAVE SPAZZED IF KATHRYN WAS PREGNANT!)
"When you touch my tummy, please pray that the baby will be born healthy."
Kathryn smiled. "It's weird to think that we were in our mom's tummies like that, huh?" she asked.
Satera laced her fingers together and layed them over her stomach. "It's weird for me too. To think that there is another life growing in me."
"A baby stays in there for 200 days before being born. It's really a miracle, after 200 days, the baby just knows when to come out. Even though it's never been outside the womb, it just knows," Ridel explained.
"Eeeddddd, Kathrynnnnnnnn!" Winry called sweetly. "Come over here for a second!"
They immediately had a very sinking feeling.
They were in the house, sitting on a bench in Dominic's workshop. Ed only had his boxers on and Kathryn didn't have a shirt, but this time was allowed to wrap herself in a towel. That didn't keep her from blushing until she was the color of a tomato.
Dominic hit their auto-mail with a small hammer. "17% chrome, and 1% carbon, huh?"
"Yes, I want to increase the strength as well as make it lighter."
"I can understand why. Compared to their body size, it's too heavy. I can tell that she grew more before she got hers, so she might be okay for now. But in his case, there is too much strain on the user. It's not healthy. That may be the reason he's so small."
"DON'T CALL ME- Wait! Are you saying that if I get a lighter auto-mail I might get taller?" Edward asked enthusiastically.
"It's possible," was all Dominic said.
Edward floated off into a fantasy Kathryn wasn't sure she wanted to know about.
Winry nodded. "Okay. I've decided." She bowed. "DOMINIC, PLEASE MAKE ME YOUR APPRENTICE!"
"YEAH, RIGHT."
"Can't you at least take some time to think it over?"
"No way. I don't take apprentices."
"Forget about her. Why don't you whip me up some ultra light auto-mail that'll make me taller?" Edward asked.
"Forget it, bean sprout."
"BEAN?!"
"Pretty please Dominic!"
"I don't need an apprentice."
"Aw, come on. Don't say that!"
"Ed, put some pants on!" Kathryn shouted as she came out of a room with her shirt back on.
"B-BEAN SPROUT! HE CALLED ME A BEAN SPROUT!"
"Go home."
"Ed, shut up!"
"My dad is really stubborn. It's best to just give up," Ridel said with a pat on their shoulders.
"Go home," Dominic said with his arms crossed.
Ed watched Kathryn's ear twitch as she perked her head up and look to the left. "No chance of that. Storm's coming."
They all looked her way. Ed and Al were slowly starting to panic on the inside. She rubbed her shoulder. "Stump is aching. Always does it when a storm is close."
She glance over at Ed. He caught on quickly and rubbed his thigh. "Now that you mention it, yeah. Feels like a doosey."
Paninya was suspicious again. Her stumps only ached when a storm was going on right above her. She could never use it to predict a storm. And she was sure she saw Kat's ear twitch.
"You can stay here until the rain stops," Ridel said with a reassuring smile.
They sat in the main room, Paninya sat down on the bench and rubbed her legs. "I hate storms like these, make my stumps ache…" she sighed.
"If you don't mind my asking, why so you have auto-mail?" Winry asked her after a sip of her cocoa.
"I was in a train wreck when I was little. My parents died and I lost my legs. Poor and not being able to walk, I felt like it wasn't worth living. I sat in an alley by myself, no one helped. Dominic said I had the eyes of a dead person.
"Dominic scooped me up and fitted me with auto-mail legs, without any consent. The recovery process was slow and very painful. But, when I could finally stand on my own legs, I felt really happy. These legs give me hope.
"That's why I'm so grateful for Mr. Dominic. Of course, Mr. Ridel and Winry too. I like all auto-mail engineers, because they do so much for people, they give them their lives back."
Winry smiled and sipped her cocoa.
"I told Dominic I would pay for it, but he refused. Still, I had to find out, so I asked the doctor who had performed the surgery and he told that Mr. Dominic's auto-mail is really expensive. I nearly had a heart attack," Paninya said with a laugh.
"So you come out here to repay him?"
"Yup. He won't accept it though. He even does free maintenance. He leaves me speechless."
"Hey!" Winry shouted and got into Paninya's face. She widened her eyes in surprise. "If you really want to repay Mr. Dominic you should stop pick pocketing!"
Paninya pursed her lips. "But if I don't steal, how can I repay him?"
"Mr. Dominic gave you those legs out of the goodness of his heart. If you really want to pay him back, stand strong on the two legs he gave you. Don't use them as a way to quickly get away with trinkets you stole from people. Use those legs to do something good, and pay him back honestly!" Winry shouted at her. She was standing up, breathing hard after a good rant.
Paninya smiled and nodded her head before standing up and digging into her pocket. "You're right. I guess I should start by giving Ed his watch back." She tossed it in her hands. "He was really upset about it, and got really mad when I tried to open it…" She glanced at Winry. "Think it's a picture of his girlfriend?"
Winry shuddered uncontrollably at the thought of a picture Kathryn had given him. "No, Kathryn didn't give him any pictures… I'm positive about it." Winry took the watch from Paninya. "That rat, he sealed it with alchemy…" she said after a few tugs.
"What could it be, then, if he sealed it up so tight?"
Winry smirked. "I bet it's something he's too embarrassed about!" she said as she pulled out her various screw drivers and mini picks. She put the watch on the desk and started to work on it.
After a few minutes the lid popped open. She opened the lid and the looked inside.
Inside the lid, a date was scratched in with something. "Don't forget, October 3, year 11… A date?" Paninya asked.
Winry's mood had plummeted since she saw the lid. She shut the watch and rubbed her eyes. "Here, you should give this back to Ed."
"Winry, you okay?"
"Yeah." She turned around and stood up straight. "I'm going to ask Dominic to take me as his apprentice, one last time."
She left the room, stomping down the hallway, passing Kathryn who had been listening to the conversation. Winry came back running through the door.
"Ridel! It's Satera!"
They all ran into Satera's room. She lay on the ground, the food she carried sprayed on the floor.
They moved to her side. "Satera! What's wrong?" Ridel asked her.
"The… The bay…" she said weakly.
"What about a horse?" Paninya asked.
"The baby's coming," Satera growled.
They all panicked.
"The baby isn't due for another two weeks!" Ridel said.
"I haven't been feeling well this evening, but I passed it off because I knew it was too early as well."
Kathryn stood near the door, running through options in her head when Dominic burst through the door with Ed and Al in tow. "THE BABY IS COMING, MY GRANDCHILD IS GOING TO BE BORN! WHAT DO WE DO!"
"Can we all please just try to calm down…" Satera growled.
Dominic looked out the window. "We won't be able to get her to the doctor in this weather," he said as her threw on his rain coat. "I'll bring the doctor here." He went outside and hopped on one of the horses.
"Dad, be carefull!" Ridel called after him.
Ridel came back in the house and moved to Satera's side. "Hang on, okay? Dad's going to get the doctor."
"I can try as much as I want, but the baby will get here when he gets here."
"R-relax, okay? Dad'll bring the doctor."
A large crack of thunder sounded through the house. Kathryn jumped noticeably and Edward latched their hands together, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Everyone just stay calm…" he said, but his voice wavered.
"You're right. Everything will be fine," Winry reassured them.
Dominic came through the door, thoroughly soaked. "The bridge…"
Winry, Alphonse, Kathryn, and Edward followed Dominic out to the bridge they had crossed to get there.
Kathryn knew what had happened before they could even see the bridge, the smell of burning wood floating her way. "No," she whispered before running over to it.
They caught up to her, she made her way around the disintegrated arch of the rope bridge.
She looked over to them with grave eyes. "Lightning strike…"
"What do we do?" Winry asked.
Edward clapped his hands.
"Ed, you know it won't work!" Kathryn shouted at him.
"The least I can do is try! Some help would be appreciated."
She sighed and stood next to him. They clapped their hands and slammed them to the ground. A platform extended out from where the crouched.
"Build a bridge!" Winry exclaimed.
"Come on!" Edward shouted as it continued forward.
Kathryn looked sadly at the ground as the bridge cracked and fell apart into the water below. It didn't even make it half way.
"What happened?" Dominic asked.
"I told you…" Kathryn said as she rubbed Ed's back. He punched the ground.
"What happened? Why did they stop?" Winry asked.
Alphonse thought for a moment before he came upon the same answer Kat did. "It got too heavy. It needed too much."
"This gorge is too big. If we were to make a bridge that could support itself on the way over, the cliff would crumble where we stand. Supports would wash away before we could even finish making them," Kathryn explained.
"There's got to be something…" Winry whispered.
"There's no time for this… The lightning out here is dangerous for you, and Satera needs a doctor. There's an old mountain road that leads to town, but it's going to take longer to get there." Dominic hopped onto his horse. "Go back and comfort her, and tell them I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Damn it… What's the point. State alchemist, human weapon… WHAT'S THE POINT OF BEING A DOG OF THE MILITARY IF I CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP WHEN IT MATTERS MOST!" Edward shouted angrily.
They went back to the house. When they got through the door, Paninya came running up to them. "Help! Satera just started bleeding lots of water!"
"Water?" Kathryn asked with a glance at Winry.
"Her water broke…"
"WHAT! Is that bad I mean something broke!" Edward panicked.
Kathryn started going through options again as Winry replied, "It means the baby is ready to be born."
"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO! THE DOCTOR WON'T GET HERE IN TIME!"
Kathryn flinched at a loud clap of thunder. She looked over at Winry, who looked back at her with wide eyes. "You know what you have to do."
"Kathryn… I ca-
"I don't want to hear you say that. We know it has to be you."
"I can't do it. Why can't you!"
Another clap of thunder, louder than the last shook the house. Kathryn jumped and started shaking. She held out her quivering hands to her sister. "I won't be able to do anything in this condition. It has to be you. I'll help with anything I can."
Winry saw that her sister was right. She grabbed Paninya by the collar and Al's hair. Kathryn latched onto Edward's braid and pulled him to a stop. "Ridel! We need you in here!" she called.
"You can't be serious!"
"They've given this a lot of thought. We can't do anything about it… I think they're more stubborn than your dad," Edward said, rubbing the back of his sore head.
"Do you have any experience?"
"None what-so-ever."
"But-
"Ridel, this isn't the time to argue. You're wife needs to give birth, and this is the best we've got," Kathryn snapped.
Winry put on an apron and carried a wet towel for Satera. "With everyone's help, I will deliver the baby."