Exciting news, all.

If I get 400 reviews, I'm uploading this story onto the internet: As a manga.

You heard that right. I'm doing the first 15 chapters as a manga in my uber-awesome program I got for my birthday.

I have a sneak peek on my deviantART.
Page 1 can be found here:
ht tp :/ the-turtle-alchemist . deviantart . com/ gallery /#/ d4l8n8w

But I'm not uploading the rest until I have 400 reviews. And I actually finish it. Which will probably take a lot longer . . .

But the prospect is there, right?

Anyhow, I finally got some information from one of my best friends, so I can continue to write this story accurately. So, sorry for the delay, but here's your chapter!

-o-O-o-

18 February, 1917

It's cold, was Karmyn's first thought as she stepped off the train in North City. She thought she had known what she was getting into, but it was still a little colder than her body expected. Mentally, she had been prepared for it.

For a moment, she wished she had taken up Al's offer to let her stay in Dublith, where it was warmer and she could learn alchemy. But only for moment. Her psyche to meet Ed once again and to do something different over-rode any qualms that she might have had.

Well, except for the two-day train ride. That she could have done without. Even after spending so much time riding the rail system, she still wasn't used to it, and (to her) was still one of the worse aspects of living in Amestris.

Before they left, Al had transmuted a fuzzy lining onto the inside of her jacket. While the black coat managed to keep her warm elsewhere, it was no match to the blistering snowy winds of North City and Briggs. Even with the extra insulation, the freezy winds still cut right through her.

She glanced over as Al looked down at the little paper that he held in his hand. Before he had gotten off the phone with Ed, he had gotten the name of the hotel that they were to meet at. Since Ed had left earlier than the two of them, he was most likely already there, impatiently to arrive.

There was something to be said for meeting a friend again for the first time in months. Even though she had long since discerned that she didn't like the long-haired blond like that, she was still getting somewhat nervous. She had always gotten the feeling that the older Elric was hesitant about letting her completely on board. And while she could appreciate his reasons, it still hurt a bit to know that she wasn't completely accepted.

Still, that was before the incident in Ceredigion, and the one on the train en route to Dublith. Perhaps, if he knew that she could pull her own weight in Amestris as well as in Boston . . .

I really shouldn't be thinking this way, she thought. She could already feel the weight starting to settle in her heart, a surefire symptom of a bout of depression. She had to stop herself from falling into the hole somehow . . .

"Al," she said suddenly.

The boy next to her turned with a start. "Yeah?"

"Just . . . talk to me about stuff. I need to be distracted." She looked up at him with soulful eyes, hoping to properly convey what she was feeling just then, and the reason for her request.

"Oh, uhm, right. Sure," he agreed, and started to babble on about random things that had happened to them in their ninety years on the other side of the Gate, throwing in a few stories about things that had occurred in Amestris. Although it didn't lift the weight on her heart, it did prevent it from getting any heavier.

Fighting the cold, it wasn't long before they arrived at the address written on the sheet of paper. Karmyn fought to control her breathing. Her anxiety levels were getting higher, and she couldn't tell why. Just breathe; she told herself, you're getting another anxiety attack. You can handle this.

Apparently, her distress had shown on her face, as a voice interrupted her thoughts with an "Are you okay?"

She looked over at Al, who was looking at her with concern. She nodded. "Yeah," she got out. "Just . . . I need to get inside."

"Oh. Okay."

She nodded, not completely trusting her voice.

She didn't remember much as they stepped inside, Alphonse telling the receptionist that they were with Edward Elric. All she concentrated on was breathing, and attempting to rationalize her attacks.

She hadn't mentioned it to Al, but these attacks were more common that she let on. They occurred almost weekly, and usually lasted about fifteen minutes. She was surprised that he hadn't caught onto anything, but at the same time, she had been extremely careful not to worry him.

She soon felt two presences around her, and all that did was worsen her condition. As soon as she felt herself being set down on what she assumed was a bed, she thrust both hands out, hoping that they would get the point and back away. Unfortunately, not having dealt with this issue before, they just sorta stood there.

"Just . . . give me . . . some space," she said breathily. She could tell they were skeptical, but all the same, they backed off. She could still hear them talking in hushed tones, but she paid them no mind. Instead she concentrated on keeping the anxiety at bay.

Finally, twenty minutes later, it released her from its grasp. She gasped thankfully, leaning back across the bed. She breathed deeply, recovering. This one had been worse than past attacks. She squeezed her eyes shut before opening them again and looking at the two alchemists that stood across the room.

"Sorry," she apologized, "I'm okay now." This was not the way she wanted their reunion with Ed to go.

"What just happened?" Al asked, his eyes wide.

She bit her lip, sitting up. "I've been getting anxiety attacks for a while now," she explained softly. "They usually happen about once a week . . ."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to worry you, because knowing you, you would."

"And when did this start?" Edward asked from the other side of the room. It was still a shock to hear his voice after so many months.

She looked down at her hands. "I dunno," she shrugged. "When we were in Resembool sometime, I guess? I'm not entirely sure."

"Did you experience these in Boston?"

Karmyn shook her head. "No, never, except for that time before I met your father, but that was different." She paused for a moment. "I . . . I think it's due to the time difference. My body is used to the faster time of the other side of the Gate, just as yours was to this side. I think there's sort of a buildup of energy, stress, emotions, whatever, and then it all come crashing down on me at once."

Al opened his mouth to say something, but Ed cut him off.

"It makes sense. We were stupid to think that there wouldn't be any lasting effects of you crossing the Gate with us. I have a feeling that this condition can't be fixed, and that you'll have to live with it for the rest of your life here . . ."

Karmyn nodded. "I . . . understood that." She smiled weakly. "Anyhow, what's been up with you?" she asked jokingly, "We haven't seen you in a few months! Surely something must've happened!"

-o-O-o-

Despite the rocky start, the reunion of the three went really well.

Edward was just about the same as Karmyn remembered him, except for the fact that where flesh-colored limbs had been, shiny automail replaced them.

It wasn't too unnerving, but it was impressive. For a few minutes, Karmyn swallowed her pride and asked if she could look at his arm. Really- an FMA fan such as her faced with real automail, and she was expected just to pass it by? Not a chance.

It really was shiny, and smooth. The joints clacked cleanly together when they moved. It was a piece of technology that couldn't be duplicated on the other side of the Gate, even with their hundred-year-or-more advantage.

The three chatted amiably for a few hours there in the room. Al and Karmyn relayed their various encounters from Ceredigion to Central to Dublith. Curious, Ed asked Karmyn to show him her 'citizenship pass' as they were calling it. Al handed back Ed's pocketwatch, and Karmyn thanked him, saying that his note had come in handy.

Even Ed was impressed with the girl's use of the staff. Even without alchemy she had managed to take down two threats (albeit with help from Al).

Eventually, it got late and the three of them decided to crash. It was gonna be a long, cold, wintery haul to Briggs the next day, and they needed to be prepared for it. Karmyn was the last to go to bed, after rounding up enough blankets to keep herself warm. She looked over to the bed where the Elrics lay together, sharing body heat. She admired the fact that they were so close, like one another's best friend. For a minute she wished that she had someone like that as well, someone she could stay close to on cold nights, but the thought faded as she finally fell asleep under her mound of blankets.

-o-O-o-

It's a short chapter, I know. But I had to get something up there.

When I started writing this chapter, I had absolutely no idea regarding the anxiety attack. I just got there and it sorta appeared. But whatever. It helps the story, right?

So yeah. That was chapter 51.

And the manga is in the making, but it takes FOREVA to get a page done, so it probably won't be done any time soon . . .

But I still want 400 reviews! XD

Sayonara!