29: Desert Flower
"What's this?" Katie asked, poking the large black thing slung over Christin's shoulder.
It was a sunny day, in March now, and Christin, Edward, Kelsie, Katie, Lin, Winry, Lanfan and May waited at the train platform for the trains that would take them to their destinations. Kelsie was going back to Xenotime, Lin and Lanfan were headed to Rush Valley because Lanfan wanted to browse around at other automail styles, May was going to Central with Roy and Riza, and Christin, Edward, Katie and Winry were going to Liore with Armstrong. Everyone had something that needed to be done.
"It's a guitar. I'm learning how to play… sorta," Christin replied. She removed it and opened it up, pulling out a very new-looking electric guitar. "I made it myself. I just took what I knew of guitars from my world (which was really just how it looked) and kinda improvised on the mechanical stuff inside that makes it electric, but compared to the guitars used in most of the songs on Saru, it's freakishly perfect."
"How'd you get the materials to make a guitar?" Lin asked.
"Issa secret!" she chirped. "Besides, you're not in the band, so you don't need to know."
"What band?" Winry asked.
"The band! Our little group of peeps!" she gestured at them. "Well, it gets tiring listing everyone's name, so I gave us a collective name since we're all stuck together."
"I'm probably gonna regret this but… what's the name?" Edward asked.
"The band?" Christin offered. "Okay, so I didn't think of a super cool title, yet. So sue me."
"Jeez, it you're gonna go ahead and name us, at least come up with something better than just 'the band'. I mean really!" Katie sighed.
"Alright, if you're gonna nit pick… give me a few hours; I'll think of something so cool it'll blow your mind right out of your ass!" Christin said hotly. Edward and Winry dissolved into fits of stifled giggles.
"I love the way you use vulgar language," Edward grinned.
"I don't get it," Christin replied. She was answered with more laughter.
"You wouldn't," Winry giggled. The girl could be painfully oblivious at times, but all the same it was amusing. A train whistle pierced the dull hubbub of the station. Katie checked her watch.
"That's our train. Where's Armstrong and them?" she asked, looking around.
"I can't really say 'stay out of trouble' since it seems to follow you everywhere, so I guess I'll just say bye," Roy said as he approached the 'band'. Christin turned around to look at him. He looked the same as when she still lived with him: blue military uniform, black hair, and that eye patch. She never really asked him what it's from, but she knew anyway; Riza had told her. "What are you staring at?"
"Your eye patch. I was just wondering when you got it," she replied absently. "Because I already know why."
"I never told you…" he started.
"Riza told me… well, I kinda wormed it outta her, but whatever. I just wanted to hear it from you," she shrugged as she boarded the train and leaned out a window.
"You don't know what I've done. I've…" he started again.
"I don't care!!" she burst. "I know what you did in Ishbal! I know that you killed Winry's parents!" Riza had told her as much as she knew. Christin was legally his kid and she deserved to know.
Roy opened his mouth to speak, but found himself interrupted a third time in the past minute.
"I don't see you as a murderer. I don't see you as a state alchemist!" she cried over the whistle. "Even though we're not bound by blood I see you as my father!!" tears rushed down her face, flying away as the train pulled out of the station. She stood at the window long after the station had shrunk from view. She rubbed her face and sat down, smushing her face against the glass.
"I can honestly say I never saw that one coming," Edward commented after a while.
"Huh?" Christin replied.
"You're always going on about how much you hate your real father, so I never expected you to say that Roy was. I guess the jerk has a good side after all," he mumbled. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.
"We're on the same wavelength. You know," she replied. "I never expected to say that either. It just kinda came up… like word vomit."
"Word vomit?" Katie snickered.
"Yes, word vomit. Shut up and leave my speech patterns alone!" Christin snapped. "So uh… where are we gonna stay when we get to Liore?"
"Think nothing of it; you shall stay at my home," Armstrong boomed.
"Um, that's okay. We'll stay in a hotel or something," Edward quickly said.
"Honey, we're kinda broke," Christin noted. "We spent all our money on train tickets, remember?"
"There, the problem is solved," Armstrong smiled.
"No really, we'll…" Edward started.
"You really wish to argue with such a strong physique? If we settle this like men you're sure to be crushed!" Armstrong boomed, ripping off his shirt and flexing his muscles (complete with the pink sparklies that appeared very time he did that). Christin sat up and scooted as close to the wall as possible. She covered her eyes with her hands.
"My eyes… oh god, my eyes… I need therapy…" she moaned. Edward chuckled nervously.
"There's nothing…" she mumbled several days later. "Like, seriously… nothing."
"It's a desert. What'd you expect, clowns and flying ice cream trucks?" Winry sassed.
"But… there's nothing! Just lotsa sand, as far as the eye can see…." Christin wailed, flopping on the ground. She started waving her arms and legs. "Sand angel!" she chirped.
"Oh, get up," Edward moaned.
"Where's… anything?" she asked, swatting sand off her jacket before taking it off.
"Everything is that way," Armstrong pointed in a direction.
"Figures…" Christin grumbled. Edward took her hand and began dragging her along behind the rest of the 'band', though soon she was walking normally. "I think this is the first time we've held hands," she noted.
"I guess you're right. It's also the first time either of us gave the other a nickname," Edward nodded. Christin cast him a puzzled look. "Back when we left Resembool, you called me 'honey'. Don't you remember?"
"Oh… yeah…" she replied, blushing. "Sorry if it bothered you…"
"Why are you blushing?" he asked.
"I dunno…" she shrugged. "Do you not like being called 'honey'? Should I try something else?"
"Like what?" he chuckled.
"Shnookums?" she suggested playfully. Edward swatted her shoulder. "Guess not…"
"You got that right," he grinned. "Just Ed is fine, like you've always done. It's you who needs a nickname."
"Don't shorten it," she said firmly.
"Christin?..." Edward started. "Umm… I have a question."
"Shoot," she replied.
"Uh… what would you do if I got you pregnant?" he asked, averting his eyes.
"That won't happen, Ed," she assured him. "I used my power to make it so I wouldn't get pregnant by anyone except the person I love, you, and only when we're ready to have kids, if we ever are. There's nothing to worry about… but if I did get pregnant by you, I'd raise the kid."
"Like with Marcus?" he asked.
"No, not exactly. I wouldn't rush it. Besides, it's not that I don't love Marcus. I just wasn't ready to raise a kid. That's why I sped up his growth. He still has all the love and stuff that he would've gotten if I had raised him like a normal kid. But… it'd be different with you, because I'd want it. Well, I don't mean that I don't want Marcus, I just…" she gave an exasperated sigh.
"I get it. It's okay," he kissed the side of her head. "I actually understand some of what you're saying now."
"Aishiteru…" she muttered softly. Oh, he knew what that meant. 'I love you.' "Now… I have a question: does he always… uh… flex his muscles like that?"
"Yeah. I thought I was used to it but I guess I was wrong. That's not as bad as it gets, trust me. I've seen him get really close to people and flex right in their faces. It's scary," Edward laughed. "And he always has those pink sparkle things."
"I'm gonna hafta disinfect my eyeballs…" Christin wailed.
"The city is just ahead," Armstrong announced about an hour later.
"How much longer?" Winry wheezed. The heat combined with the tedious walk was taking its toll on everyone.
"Try looking up," Katie nudged her. Winry looked up and saw the edge of a city not twenty yards in front of them.
Christin couldn't help noticing Edward's expression. What was that she saw reflecting in his eyes? Nostalgia... or longing? Either way, she sensed that he had been here a few times before and that he had some memories of this place from back before she dropped into his life; from a time she would never be able to know as well as he, because she hadn't been there. Again she was the outsider, a stranger intruding on someone else's life. It had been that way with her old friends; they had grown up together, mostly, and went to the same school before high school, whereas she came from another. Yes, they all got along, but memories were a rather touchy subject because someone never quite knew exactly what happened. That was happening again; she was approaching a world she could not enter. And that notion made her heart twist in pain. Edward's expression changed again, from fond memories to… shock? Well, that much she could understand. Armstrong's likeness was everywhere, from statues to signs above restaurants. She herself was cringing in fear. The man was kind, but he could be a bit… what was the word… extreme. She pushed up the strap of the bag holding her guitar and hiked up her pants, because for some reason belts never seemed to fully do their jobs for her.
"This is my humble abode, where you are free to stay as long as you wish," Armstrong declared as the group approached a large two story mansion with, surprise surprise, more statues of Armstrong scattered among those weird bush-tree things that were trimmed to look like something, usually an animal (like Christin had seen in movies) only there were more Armstrong's.
"He's everywhere…" Saru commented. Christin nodded her head in agreement. He proceeded to give them a tour of the estate, complete with a very long and very detailed description about the Armstrong family.
"What really bugs me is I've heard all this before…" Edward groaned halfway through the tour. "The Armstrong's did this and that's been in the family for generations. Doesn't he ever get tired?"
"Oh, big brother, you're back?" a girl with pale blond hair in a blue sun dress asked as the group rounded into a garden.
"This is my sister, Catherine Elle Armstrong. Catherine, these are some friends who are going to help with the disappearances." Armstrong said.
"Oh, that's so kind of you to help. The entire city is in a panic and no one knows what to do," Catherine gushed. "Isn't this wonderful Rose?"
"Yes, because this city really needs something else to try to uproot it. I'm glad that you've come…" a girl with dark skin and pink bangs walked into view, a young boy clinging to her leg. "Edward…"
"Hey Rose. Long time no see," Edward grinned. Rose engulfed him in a hug. He was brought back to his senses when he felt Christin's hand leave his own. He turned to her and got an icy glare that demanded an explanation.
"I hope you don't expect me to introduce myself, seeing as how it would be improper considering you two know each other," she said crisply.
"Right, I forgot. Rose, this is Christin Fallbrook. You know Winry, and the girl with black hair is her apprentice Katie," he said.
"Charmed…" Christin drawled. She did not like the familiarity between Edward and Rose. She accepted Winry because she was his childhood friend and more or less knew where she was coming from. However, he had not mentioned a word about Rose, but what really ticked her off was that she looked like Noa.
"What has gotten into you?" Edward hissed.
"Later…" she replied dismissively. Edward sighed. Oh boy… now he was going to hear it. He had completely forgotten to tell her about Rose. Christin could be downright bitchy when she was left out of something. "Mr. Armstrong, I'm a bit tired from the trip. Would you be so kind as to show me where I'll be staying so I might rest?"
"Oh, of course. The trait of having a large amount of stamina has been running in the Armstrong line for quite a long time. I do forget that others are not as lucky at times. Right this way," he led her off, prattling on about more things running in the Armstrong line while Winry and Katie followed.
"You're in trouble now, Ed! My master's going to bite your head off!" Saru giggled before flying away after her master.
"Ed is that girl really… Christin Fallbrook? From the big trial over if she was a threat or not because she's not from our world? The girl who stood up to the military?" Rose asked.
"Yeah, why? Are you some nutter fan like Winry?" he replied. Rose shook her head.
"I just admire her for standing up to those brutes, after all they've done…" she answered.
"Look Rose… I didn't tell her about you so I think it'd be best if you avoid her as much as possible until I can smooth things out with her," he sighed.
"Why? I can handle her myself," Rose insisted.
"No, I mean seriously. Stay away from her. She has these really freaky powers that are closely related to alchemy and she doesn't know how to control them very well and she has awful mood swings over nothing at all sometimes and she can get very violent," he said in one breath.
"Really? She seems kind of sweet and harmless to me?" Rose replied.
"Uh-huh… 'sweet and harmless' doesn't leave this on someone's forehead," he mumbled, pushing his bangs out of his face to reveal a rather large cut over his left eye. It had stopped bleeding about fifteen minutes ago.
"Oh my, what happened?" Rose asked.
"She happened. She got pissed off cuz we walked all the way here from the train station and she started swinging her guitar around and I kinda walked into it," he admitted. "You'll learn when you see her, and I don't think you'll have to wait very long…" he turned around and began walking back to the house.
"Ed… it's nice to see you again," Rose called.
"Yeah… you too," he grinned.
"Ah, this is our friend Marcus Fallbrook. This is Winry Rockbell, Katie Lioncourte, and…" Armstrong started. The 'band' was lounging in the main room, recovering from their arduous journey.
"I know who she is," Marcus interrupted. Edward and Rose entered the room at that moment. "I think I would know my own mother."
"She's your mother, Marcus? How?" Rose asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" he replied, pulling Christin off the couch and standing next to her. His facial features were more masculine, but definitely hers and he had her strange color-changing eyes. In fact, the only thing that everyone noticed was different was Marcus's ash grey hair color.
"But you two look like you're the same age! How old are you?" Rose cried.
"I'm twenty," Christin snapped. "He's seventeen. Satisfied?"
"What? How can that be possible? There's no way you could've had a child when you were three!" Rose continued.
"Listen, Rose or Daisy or whatever the hell your name is. You have no idea what kind of bullshit I've been through. Once you've lived my life, then you'll get a clue. I didn't have him when I was three because that's virtually impossible. I sped up his growth so he'd be seventeen, in case something happened to me because I have no fucking way to support him. Don't speak of me as if you know me, because you damn well don't," Christin interceded coolly.
"Christin, that was really uncalled for…" Edward started.
"Oh, go blow it out your ass!" she hissed before turning on her heel and storming off.
"Pardon me for breathing…" he muttered. "Sorry. I told you, though…"
"I guess you can't judge a book by its cover…" Rose mused. A moment later, Christin reappeared.
"I forgot my shikigami," she replied, plucking Saru from off the table.
"Is that a toy?" the little boy asked. "Can I play with it?"
"What's your name kid?" Christin asked.
"It's Oliver," he chirped.
"Try not to break her, okay? Saru, play with Oliver until he says you can come back to me," she ordered.
"Yes master!" Saru smiled, flying over to Oliver, who immediately began pulling on her tail and ears. Christin power-walked back to her room.
"Your girlfriend has some interesting mood swings," Armstrong commented.
"Who told you that?" Edward asked.
"Why, she did, of course," he replied.
"That's odd. She never does stuff like that…" the blond alchemist mused.
"She's your girlfriend?" Rose asked quietly.
"In a nutshell, yeah," he nodded. He couldn't help noticing the sadness that flashed across Rose's face. Why couldn't things be simple?
Alphonse chuckled to himself. He was perched on the windowsill, just outside the line of vision for anyone inside. He had just found his next kidnapping victim.
A/N: okay, I'm sure you've noticed that I don't really put a lot about the Homunculi in here, but that's because if I write about them too much right now, it'd give away a really juicy part of the story. Also… I haven't really planned everything out exactly yet, so I can't really write about the Homunculi that much. A few chapters from now, everything will be revealed so just hang tight and keep reading and reviewing.
