run, i'm a natural disaster
25. Balloon
Ling, as it turns out, has never been to a parade. Oh, Xing does have them, of course they do, with dragon dancers and acrobats and alkahestry; but Ling could never go. It would only take one stray knife, and the emperor's heir would be gone; and unlike the other clans, the Yao's won't let that happen.
One of the more frivolous reasons he wanted to come to Amestris was their famous military parades, he explains to them one night. He wants to see marching bands, something his culture doesn't have, people holding banners, the gigantic 'floats' holding people that wave and smile and give children toys and balloon swords, and demonstrations of the Amestrian fighting styles.
Darius and Heinkel grunt something about them being underrated, remembering days when they had to march up and down and shout and look utterly perfect for the joy of their country, and complain about not getting paid enough. (It's easy to tell that if they had been chosen to be the ones able to give out little toys to the children by the road, they would be smiling in remembrance. Sentimental idiots.)
Ed remembers the parades from when she was a very little boy, when Al had only just been born and was staying with Granny Rockbell. The Elrics were visiting East city for a holiday and so his Mother could go shopping. He can remember being more impressed by the alchemists, with their arrays, flashing and creating figures, snapping and making pictures out of fire (though none were ever as good as his Dad).
When they find a flyer in one of the smaller towns about a parade going on in West, they decide to stay there for a while. After all, Ed says, there's still a load of tournaments going on in their red light, and I can probably win most of 'em. There's rich people that Greed can steal from. There's people who'll hire Heinkel and Darius to do their grunt work. We can probably make enough to get into a few hotels next month. They all agree to the plan and split, disguises on, and they don't get any trouble (never before have they been more grateful to have an Alchemist and a steady supply of cloth with them.)
And if Greed lets Ling take over for a day, and comes back to their rented accommodation stinking of candy floss and carrying a balloon sword like a small child, raving about all the possibilities that having the Amestrian military on his side to become Emperor, no-one mentions it to the others, outside of their little gang, not even Lan Fan or Al.
(But they all smile when they see balloons.)
A.N: Happy Christmas you guys! C:
WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY 1/4 OF THE WAY THROUGH THIS SERIES. 8D
Have a happy, if not exactly festive drabble. Urgh... I haven't actually written the drabbles I promised yet because I remained sick for a few days, but I'm all better now! But they will get written, cross my heart and hope to die, stick pins and needles in my eyes!
Have a great Christmas, and I hope you all enjoyed!
-Tom
Thanks go to: ShikaTachidoriKitsuneHebiTak a, Fluehatraya, , Kezone (guest), Roy-Mustang's-Girl, and aeva elementia for being fabulous reviewers! They are all ~wonderful~.