September 4th, 1991
Traveling to Resembool on the train proved to be a less traumatic experience than Cal had anticipated. Of course, he considered in retrospect, he should have expected Alyse to have a plan, and know how to handle everything. After all, he had come back from the first war with Drachma on a train, and badly injured. Now, at least, he didn't have a healing hole in his guts.
With a private berth Cal didn't have to interact with other people if he didn't want to, and that meant he didn't have to put up with people looking at him, mostly with curiosity, some with sympathy. If they felt anything else they kept it hidden. There was a good chance many of them did not even recognize him specifically, and saw only an old man in a wheelchair. Though with the prevalence of television, Cal wasn't willing to count on anonymity.
The last day of the trip he even braved being wheeled out to the observation car for a drink and a better view, and found himself in casual conversation with the husband of a woman Alyse had befriended on the train. The other couple was slightly younger than he was, but her husband had also fought in the war, though he had left the military afterwards and gone into the textile business. The conversation was interesting and passed the time until the train pulled in to Resembool station. Already up and in the chair, it was much easier to disembark, and within a few minutes Cal found himself sitting on the platform while Alyse and a porter brought out their luggage.
Alphonse Elric was waiting for them, smiling and relaxed as he hugged his daughter, shook Cal's hand, and picked up their bags himself before escorting them to Edward's convertible car, which was in the parking lot. "Front or back seat?" he asked Cal as they stowed the luggage in the small trunk.
"Front, please, if Alyse doesn't mind." Then, at least, he might maintain the illusion of not being carted around like a child.
"I don't mind." Alyse kissed his cheek and then helped him out of the wheelchair with her father's help. Soon Cal was in the front seat and the chair was stowed in back with his wife. Then they were on their way to the house.
It was, Cal had to admit, a beautiful fall day for a drive in the countryside. The warm sunlight on his face contrasted refreshingly with the fresh breeze that carried scents of grass, and pine forest. He had forgotten how incredibly clean fresh air was outside of Central.
They passed the fairgrounds on the way through, as they were right near the station along the main road, and he could see quite a few people out working on preparations even though it was the middle of a weekday. "Don't people go to school and have jobs here anymore?" he joked as they turned at the head of the hill, taking the split in the road that would take them out to the house instead of into the main part of town.
"Festivals are very serious work around here," Alphonse replied, and while he was grinning, he was clearly not joking. "Not only does it build community, it generates revenue for the whole town. The children aren't just practicing for their plays, or preparing for competitions; they're learning and practicing the skills that will allow them to continue their family's work, if that's what they have chosen to do. They'll be helping their parents, and have their own responsibilities. This is as much their festival as everyone else's. Though most of the children are, in fact, at school today."
Cal had to admit that he hadn't ever really given the whys of a festival very much thought before. The little mining town he had grown up in hadn't had much time for festivals. Mine-owners didn't leave much free time for their employees. Or at least, they hadn't that far back. Cal had no idea what it was like now. Nor did he really care to find out. "Sounds like everyone's involved."
"Everyone," Alphonse nodded. "And if you want something to do, I am sure we can find something to keep you busy if you get bored of sunshine and fresh air."
His father-in-law knew him only too well. "If there's a way that I can actually be useful, I'll try it."
"I thought you might say that. Don't you worry, if there's a town that knows how to put people to work, it's Resembool."
It was not a long drive to the house on the hill, and it was simply a sign of the family he had married into that other than the assistance needed to get him from the car into the wheelchair, no one had said a word yet asking about his rehabilitation, or been overly attentive. They simply treated him as normal. Even Elicia, Winry, and Edward, who showed them where the ramp was around the side of the house—something Cal had forgotten existed until Alyse had reminded him in their visit planning—and to the guest room on the main floor to which he had always paid little mind as well. The house had been designed to expect Winry's auto-mail patients, and accommodate guests of all sorts. They hadn't even had to go out of their way to prepare for his arrival. Or at least, they certainly didn't seem put out.
"Nice room." He meant the compliment as he took it in; large bed, plenty of space around it for him to maneuver, including into the bathroom, which had installed metal railings for him to use to support himself in both the shower and to use the toilet. The bed was also low enough he could transfer easily from sitting on it into and out of his chair. Winry had clearly thought of everything when designing the room. He recalled now that she had said once it was for recuperating patients after their re-attachments. Initial surgeries were all done at the hospital now, so there wasn't any kind of surgical space in the Elrics' home.
"Winry gets all the credit," Edward assured him. "Lunch will be ready shortly if you'd like to get comfortable and join us."
He could smell lunch from here. While the food on the train had been passable, nothing could compare with a homecooked meal. "Comfortable may be relative, but I'd be a fool to miss lunch." Alyse had insisted he dress in passable travel clothes though, so maybe changing into something casual wasn't a bad idea.
"We'll be along shortly," Alyse promised her uncle. Edward left, and then they were alone in the quiet room. Alyse smiled. "So, what do you think?"
A question that could be about any of a dozen different things. Cal decided to just answer all of them. "I think, that you were right; the room is great. You were right about your family not making a fuss, and I think I want to get into something loose and comfortable, and go eat whatever smells so amazing out there before it's all gone."
"I think we can get you changed before everything is eaten. Besides, they won't eat it all."
"I'm not so sure about that."
"Mom and Aunt Winry will have made enough. Now stop worrying. Let me know when you want help."
Cal nodded and started to get changed. Anything he could do on his own he wanted to do. He hated feeling like he was dependent on others for things he ought to be able to do for himself, and he didn't think that was ever going to change. He might still live decades like this, and as that set in, he determined he wasn't going to let Alyse do it all for him. He could certainly handle anything having to do with the top half of his body, it was when he got to the bottom that he still needed assistance.
Alyse stepped in then, and within only a few minutes Cal was ready to be wheeled out to the dining room.
Lunch turned out to be a very relaxed affair, during which the four Elrics filled him and Alyse in on the latest gossip and news of Resembool, which was fine with Cal, because it meant he didn't have to talk much, just nod and look interested while he ate. Within a few minutes, he really was interested, which made it easier. Even a sleepy old town like Resembool could modernize a bit and change things up, and the festival this year was full of new ideas, or just new takes on old ideas. As they talked, he began to understand and believe Alphonse's earlier assurance that if he wanted to do something active and be involved, there was plenty he could help with, even if he was chair-bound outside the house.
"Besides that, there's plenty of things to do in town these days," Elicia continued as she brought out a fresh apple pie and set it out for dessert.
"Besides antiquing and farming, or hanging out in the bar?" Alyse asked with a teasing chuckle. Not that his wife had any objection to antiquing.
"Well, there's more than one of those," Edward retorted, chuckling.
Elicia rolled her eyes. "Yes. There's the movie theater, and the community theatre, and they've added another new block up the main street again with several new shoppes that went in just this last year. The community hall has activities going every night now, for a wide variety of ages, it's not all old folks."
"Not that it matters at this point," Cal pointed out.
"Well, it does unless you've suddenly turned into the cribbage type," Elicia pointed out. "Though a lot of the activities for the next couple of weeks will probably involve making decorations and other projects for the festival. It does kind of take over everything around here."
"Only almost everything," Winry disagreed. "Aldon wanted me to let you know actually," she looked right at Cal as she spoke, though the invitation was clearly made for them both. "That when they get done with carpentry duty down at the stage tonight, you're welcome to join them for dinner and drinks in town."
That sounded like it might be about his speed. Certainly, Cal knew the offer was genuine, and he doubted Aldon would have offered if anyone coming would give a damn about it. It was probable that he knew a few of the others from their various visits over the years—and a few late-night parties at bars. "Sounds pretty good to me," he admitted. "What do you think?" he asked his wife.
Alyse smiled. "It might be nice to catch up, though I'm pretty tired. Do you mind going without me?"
For a moment, Cal was ready to object as fear seized him. Then he took a breath, and let it go, and willed himself to relax. He could hang out with 'the guys' for an evening and relax and it would be alright, wouldn't it? Hadn't he wanted her to be a little less overprotective? "If that's what you want," he said after a minute. "As long as I can get a ride there and back, I'm sure I'll be okay." If only so she wouldn't worry, he could be okay. Besides which, it was Resembool. There was nothing dangerous out here, and he wouldn't exactly be alone.
"Aldon said he could pick you up," Winry continued. "Should I call and let them know you've accepted the invitation then?"
"Yeah. That would be great. Thanks." Cal meant it, even though he had the sudden feeling he might be getting in over his head going out effectively on his own his first evening here, when he had been afraid to leave the house for months back home. What the hell is up with me? He turned back to Alyse. "You're sure you don't mind?"
"It's fine," she promised, picking up her fork and stabbing it into her slice of pie. "I want some quiet after all that travel, and Mom and I can catch up, and you won't have to listen and pretend to care about quilt patterns."
Or pretend to pretend to care about quilt patterns, given his long-standing lack of interest in the subject. As long as it was warm, and it wasn't bright pink, he had never particularly cared what a quilt looked like. Okay, so perhaps that wasn't entirely true. Still, patterning itself and the finer points of quilting were really not his thing. "You're right, this is a great idea."
"Maybe this wasn't such a great idea."
Edward looked up from his little creative after-dinner project on the living room table at the sound of his niece's voice. It was well past dark, and Aldon had picked Cal up hours ago, as planned, and they had headed into town.
While Alyse had vanished upstairs with Elicia for a while to discuss quilts as planned, eventually she had come back down, and while she was ostensibly reading a book, she kept worrying, and going to the window every few minutes to see if they were on their way back.
Once, Edward probably would have teased her, but he doubted it would make her feel any better now. Or, he pondered on a second thought, maybe it was the distraction she needed. "If you keep peeking out like that I may have to wonder if you're expecting him to run off with a hot young barmaid," he commented without moving from his spot where he was carefully mixing mostly harmless chemicals as he worked on getting them to phosphoresce in different shades.
Alyse startled, distracted enough she seemed to have forgotten he was there. Then she shot him a dirty look. "Really, Uncle?"
Edward grinned. "Well, I can't imagine there's anything else to worry about. He's with Aldon, and the crew that's been working all day is hot, tired, and not exactly a rowdy bunch. They're just down at the pub. If anything was wrong, or Cal wanted to come home, we'd get a phone call or they would be at the door already. So, if you haven't heard anything, then nothing's wrong."
"I suppose…" Alyse let go of the curtain sheer hanging in front of the window and stepped away. "I guess I'm still surprised he even agreed to go without me. He's practically refused to leave the house for months. He was terrified about spending several days on the train. It just doesn't make sense!"
"It does as long as you don't try to make it make sense."
"Now you don't make sense."
Edward carefully measured his ingredients. "Nothing about fear makes sense. It's just fear. Most people don't like to be afraid, especially when we know that there's no reason to actually fear what scares us. This may just be Cal's way of jumping into the deep end. Or at least, wading in. Even the people here who know him haven't seen either of you in a few years. It's different than running into people you saw every day for years, who knew you intimately at your best. Even when you know they'll understand, somehow it feels embarrassing, like you're less than them now. Which you also know isn't true, but you can't help feeling that way anyway."
Understanding dawned on his niece's face, and she nodded, though there was a look of sympathy in that expression. Alyse knew he had been through enough in his own time; Edward was speaking from experience. "I know I'm worrying over nothing. I just hope tonight goes well. Maybe, he'll get some of his confidence back."
"I won't tell you not to worry, but I will tell you, I'm confident everything is just fine."
September 5th, 1991
Well past midnight, Alphonse was beginning to wonder if Alyse would ever go to bed. Or, more likely, if his son-in-law would ever come home so that his daughter would stop pacing and go to bed. Edward and Winry had already gone to sleep, and Elicia had curled up with a book before falling asleep over an hour before. While Alphonse knew he did not need to stay up, somehow, he felt the calling still to make sure his little girl was okay first.
Which meant staying up for as long as it took. That was how he came to be playing cards with her over steaming cups of cocoa at almost two in the morning. The two of them were wrapped warmly in robes over their pajamas to keep off the fall night chill.
"I can't remember the last time we did this," Alyse admitted as she discarded a card and drew another.
"I do." Alphonse replied as he contemplated his own hand. "It was a few days after that bastard Vince dumped you. You came over for dinner and stayed the night. We had cocoa and played cards for hours." He would never forget that night, or how the place his beautiful girl had run to when everything fell apart, was her family. He had still been the safe harbor she could come to, even as a grown woman. "I offered to kill him for you."
At that, Alyse laughed. "You did not! Or maybe you did," she admitted after a moment. "I honestly don't recall except that I must have told you not to. Probably so you wouldn't end up in prison."
"I do seem to recall you suggesting that it might not be a wise course of action," Alphonse agreed.
"Honestly, I haven't thought about Vince in years," Alyse admitted. "In the end, he really wasn't worth the time I wasted on him, except maybe to learn what I really didn't want. It's funny. Uncle Edward tried to rile me up earlier. I know he was just trying to make me feel better, but it got me thinking. Even when I didn't always know where Cal was, when he was out on a mission, or working late, it was never him I had to worry about."
Even if she had doubted, occasionally, though Alphonse didn't say that out loud. Bringing up long dead sore points in his daughter's relationship with her husband would be a terrible idea, and it would serve no useful purpose. "Which is why we're sitting up waiting for him to come through the door?" Alphonse smiled, and laid out his cards.
"If I go to bed before he gets home, I'll just have to get up again to help him get undressed and into bed," Alyse pointed out sensibly, then looked at his cards, and sighed. "You win." She laid out her own hand, which wasn't even close to matching his. "I guess I'll get you next time. Another round?"
Alphonse's answer was interrupted by lights outside the window, and the sound of an approaching car. As soon as it stopped, Alyse was off the couch and hurrying to the front door.
Alphonse did not attempt to make a rush. Instead, he picked up the cards to put them away, and took their empty mugs to the kitchen. He had just finished rinsing them out when the door opened, and Aldon wheeled a very drowsy Cal into the living room.
Aldon looked sheepish. "Sorry we took so long. It was a good night."
Alyse's expression was mixed, relief mingled with a hint of unsurety of how she should react to that statement. "I'm glad to hear it," she said finally. "Are you alright?" she asked her husband.
Cal nodded, and a yawn cracked his jaw. "Yeah. 'S just late."
Alyse looked up at her cousin with a mildly accusing expression.
Aldon met her gaze, unruffled. "It was an incredibly sensible evening, I promise. All we did was tell stories, play some billiards, and a few rounds of cards, which Cal here crushed us at in pretty much every game. It's a good thing we weren't playing for cash, or the rest of us would be broke."
Cal nodded. "A shame I didn't get to clean them out," he added. "I'd have bought you something nice."
Alyse looked like she wanted to scold, but had decided better of it. "Well next time you're going to be out this late, one of you might consider calling me."
"Yes, love." Cal smiled, though he looked contritely apologetic. He yawned again.
"Let's get you into bed." Alyse took hold of the handles of the wheel chair. "Thanks, Aldon, for bringing him home in one piece."
"Anytime."
As Alyse and Cal vanished into the downstairs bedroom, Alphonse looked at Aldon. "He looks pretty wiped."
"He seemed to have a good time though," Aldon replied. "I mean, it's Cal. When he's not being self-conscious, he's usually the life of the party, and he had a new and attentive audience for a lot of old stories. A bunch of my crew haven't ever gotten to hang around him much before. It was fun, and since we all have more work to do tomorrow, it was reasonably tame."
"That's good, or Alyse might be killing you instead of thanking you."
"I'm not stupid, Uncle Al." Aldon smiled. "I wouldn't have made the invitation if I thought it would cause problems instead of help solve them."
"I never said you were." Alphonse smiled back. "Well, now that I don't have to keep anyone company, I think I'm heading to bed myself. Have a safe drive home."
"I will. Good night, Uncle Al."
"Good night, Aldon." As his nephew left, Alphonse turned and headed up the stairs.
To Alyse's relief, Cal became a little more alert as she helped him undress for the night, and get moved out of the chair and into the bed. She had been ever so slightly afraid—after that incident not too long ago—that he might have had a bit too much to drink, as loopy as he had seemed when they first got home, but it really did appear to be just tiredness. As they worked, he talked a little more about the people who had been there, and some of his better shots at billiards, which he had been pleased to find he could still make passably well even in his chair.
"They're good folks," he finished as she tucked him in under the blankets. "I think you would have enjoyed yourself, 'Lyse. Aldon said they'll be having a little party to celebrate completing the stage in a couple of nights when it's all done. We should both go. The crew has as many women on it as men, and I think you'd enjoy some of the conversations we were having."
Well, that was nice to know, Alyse thought. Though she couldn't help but offer him a slightly arched expression anyway. "Did any of them make a move on you?"
Cal almost choked. "Are you trying to start a fight with me?"
"No," Alyse admitted, shaking her head. "Just curious. At this point I expect women to flirt with my handsome husband. That doesn't mean I assume you flirt back."
"You used to."
A fact she was not particularly proud of. "I know better now." She slid under the covers and curled up beside him.
"Good." Cal slipped an arm around her shoulders. "And no, none of them did. For one thing, at least half of them are much closer to Gloria's age than mine. If they did flirt with me, I would have to assume they were just after my money. Which, unfortunately for them, I've already spent most of on my beautiful wife."
"Not too much of it. We still have a house to pay for. A very beautiful house, which I do appreciate." Alyse kissed his cheek before turning around long enough to turn off the lamp. The room went dark, though as her eyes adjusted everything was outlined in a vague hint of silver in the blue-dark night. There was a moon tonight.
"Not all of it," Cal replied in the darkness. "Though I don't really know what I would spend much of anything else on anyway."
"Who knows," Alyse replied, drowsy. "You never know when you might discover a new and expensive hobby."
"Well, I've got the time. Got any ideas?" Cal asked softly.
"I'll think about it."
Sunlight and songbirds was not a bad way to wake up, unless you were used to sleeping in late in the mornings. There seemed to be an over-abundance of both out in the country despite the fact Cal knew perfectly well there was just as much sun in Central. There were, however, probably far fewer birds, both in number and species, than the cacophony in the trees outside the Elrics' windows.
Even if he had been inclined to get up, he needed to wait for Alyse or someone else to assist him back into the chair, and at the moment Alyse was still fast asleep, tucked up against his side, a pleasant warmth. He could smell the gentle perfume of her preferred soap, and feel the tickle of her hair against his face, where strands caught against his morning stubble. Yet he didn't feel impatient, or frustrated, or in a hurry. It was nice to just remain snuggled with his wife, watching her peaceful expression.
It was a little weird, if nice, to feel a bit more himself and at ease. It had been long enough since he felt that way, that it was markedly odd. As he contemplated the feeling, he concluded that it had to do with the events of the night before. It had been, as he had honestly reported to Alyse, just a fun and relaxing evening like he hadn't had in a long time. Even having their own friends over weighed differently on him than this. Perhaps it was just because most of these were people who did not know him, or not well. To them, it was more relevant that he was Alphonse's son-in-law, than that he was a retired general or alchemist. There were plenty of both in the Elric family. He was hardly an oddity.
Still, they had been welcoming, and eager to hear whatever stories he tossed into the conversation. His game skills weren't all that rusty, especially not at card games, and as Aldon had said, he had solidly trounced them in almost every game he played. He hadn't lost his edge completely, and it was nice to have an appreciative audience. No one in Central needed to hear his stories again.
It had wiped him out far more than he had expected, but perhaps he should not have been surprised that he did not have the stamina for late night parties at the moment. There was a little hope in him now that he might get some of that energy back. He was a social animal who fed off the right interactions. Last night had been lively and energizing for his soul, even if it had exhausted him physically.
Beside him, Alyse stirred, and after a minute her eyes opened, and she blinked up at him, smiling. "Morning."
"Morning, beautiful." Cal kissed her forehead, which was the closest spot to his lips. "Do we have an itinerary for today?" If anyone might have a social calendar in mind for a vacation, it was his wife. She always had a plan, and a back-up plan, and sometimes a back-up for the back-up.
"Well, I thought first we might take a leisurely breakfast that neither one of us has to make because my mother will insist on spoiling us, and then maybe take a stroll over to Aldon and Cassie's for a bit. She's invited us for afternoon coffee. Then my father and Uncle Edward are going to start putting the main decorative touches on the outdoor stage this afternoon. Mom and Aunt Winry will be going to watch, and to make sure they don't get themselves killed. I thought it might be interesting to see what they've come up with."
Yep, a plan. One that was both leisurely and still got them out to see what was going on and take in some fresh air. "Is that the whole day?"
"Well, most of it. From there if you want, we can go take a peek around town and see what's new before coming home. Sometime while we're here, Aunt Winry wants to discuss some ideas she had for upgrading your chair to give you more mobility."
"Now that's an intriguing proposition. Did she say what she has in mind?"
"She wanted to save it as a surprise for you I think." Alyse stretched and sat up. "If you're up for it, we could also take a swim later this afternoon."
An activity that sounded both fun, and a little daunting. Cal hadn't done a lot of water related therapy yet in his rehabilitation, and floating when he didn't have full control over his limbs made him uneasy. Still, the buoyancy might allow him to make some progress in toning his muscles and strengthening his lower body again to the point where any improvement might be possible. If nothing else it would keep him in some semblance of shape. Upper body work would be nice for getting himself in and out of the chair on his own, or the shower. "We could give it a try, if I'm not too tired by then," he agreed cautiously. "As long as there's someone around who can save me when I do my damsel-in-distress routine."
Alyse reached out and gave his arm a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry. I'll save you."
"Now this is a beautiful canvas to work with." Edward grinned broadly as he looked up at the stage on which he and Alphonse were about to work some alchemical artistic magic. The pieces of wood and metal that they would be transmuting into art sat before him. Unlike what Winry had probably been imagining, a lot of their work would be done on the ground, and then transported up the ladders and attached above and around the stage by the younger, spryer carpentry team that had done all of the construction up to this point.
Edward chose to ignore the fact that younger and spryer included a decent number of middle-aged folks in their forties and fifties.
Only once it was installed would he and Alphonse use a little more alchemy to seamlessly connect the installed pieces together. If done properly, that would also work from the ground. Which was why they had spent the past several days carefully coordinating their design efforts, and drawing out where and how each piece would connect until they could both visualize all parts. If they hadn't been doing alchemy together for several decades, Edward knew they would probably not have dared to try it on such a grand scale.
"If this works, we could go into business as theatre decorators," Alphonse quipped.
"We'd make millions." Edward had seen how opulent the theatre houses in Creta could get, in particular.
"It would be something fun to do with retirement." Alphonse looked down at their plans, then over at Aldon. "Are you ready for us to get started?"
Edward's son nodded, looking excited and a little anxious. "It's all ready and everyone's out of the way. Just tell us when and what you need us to do."
"Relax," Edward grinned. "You've come to the right alchemists." Then he rolled up his sleeves and stepped up to the first large piece of wood. They had asked that the pieces be laid out on the ground in the general order they would be placed around the arch of the stage, to keep it clear which would become what as they worked on transmuting the initial pieces. As fun as it would be to wow everyone by transmuting it all at once, that would hardly produce the best-looking result. A more careful application meant smaller and fewer transmutation marks, and finer detailing.
Edward knelt down by the first piece, clapped his hands together, placed them on the warm surface of the wood, visualized the design sketch in front of him and how he remembered this particular carved wild cat figuring and vines looking in three dimensions, mostly from the photographs he had taken, and transmuted. In a few seconds, the first piece was done. He heard a few gasps of appreciation around them, grinned, and moved on.
A quick glance to where Alphonse had started work on the wrought iron pieces showed a complex but elegant piece already completed. This was hardly complex alchemy, since they weren't permanently changing the nature of their materials, just the shapes, but it certainly looked showier and more impressive perhaps than some of their more utilitarian transmutations.
It was easy to get into a rhythm, which was good because they had a lot of work to do. Even knowing the plan, there were constant references back to the drawings and photographs, and this amount of control could still be taxing for an alchemist. Edward hated to admit it, but he needed more breaks than he used to, and so he took them, more pretending he was thirsty or wanted another look at the plans than that he needed a few minutes to recharge. This was where their many years of studying also stood them in good stead though, since most of the energy Edward was using—and he presumed Alphonse was as well—came through him from nature, the way the Xingese taught their alkahestrists to pull energy first, to keep themselves in reserve. The control might be tiring, but he wasn't throwing his own personal energy directly into the project. If we did, we probably wouldn't have enough for this.
Alphonse took regular breaks as well. Once or twice, they stopped to confer and make minor alterations as the reality of their materials and the space did not quite match up with the original ideas. That was normal though, and tweaking the design never took long. Not with his brother as his collaborator.
Edward was so wrapped up in creating each curve and shape of the design. Crafting the subtle veins of leaves in the wood, and the fur of animals, and the soft texture of flower petals even, that he was startled when the call came for lunch.
"So, what do you think?" Edward asked Winry as she brought him a towel and a cup of water. Edward took the towel first, wiping sweat he hadn't noticed from his brow.
"It looks incredible," Winry assured him with a hint of awe even in her tone. "Really, I think this may be your best work yet. Certainly, the most aesthetically pleasing."
Edward decided to take the compliment for what it was. "Thank you. For that, and this." He took the water now, and drained it. "What's for lunch?"
"Sandwiches." Winry followed him as they stepped away from the stage area towards the table set up covered in trays of pre-cut sandwiches for the team.
Edward loaded up a plate with roast beef on rye, thanking the small group of townsfolk who had prepared the food for everyone working at the festival grounds, and complimenting them on their work. Only then, did he turn around to look at the stage, and he almost dropped his plate.
He had been so focused on transmuting his designs, that he hadn't looked to see the work the rest of the team was doing installing his and Alphonse's finished pieces as they were completed. While half of the arch was still bare, the other half already hung with well-affixed wood and metalwork, set tightly together and ready for their final touches once the rest was up.
"It's really coming together." Alphonse joined him with a similarly loaded plate.
"It's nice to see it working the way we planned," Edward agreed before taking a large bite out of his first sandwich. Then he was distracted with filling his stomach, which he had just become aware of precisely how voraciously empty it was, and how loudly it was complaining.
"Not like you ever had any doubts, right?" Aldon joined them, with a knowing look. No creator ever expected their creation to turn out exactly as planned.
Edward swallowed. "Not a one."
Several sandwiches and another drink later, Edward felt like he had enough energy back to start in on the second half. As soon as the rest of the team was ready, they got right back to work.
Winry was relieved that most of her concerns appeared to have been unfounded. While Edward and Alphonse both looked tired, neither looked as if they were overtaxing themselves. They were veterans when it came to long-use alchemy, and neither was going to push themselves past their limits on something like this. The fact they were both firmly on the ground also eased her niggling worries about either of them falling. Not that it was the falls that worried her, but how easily old bones could be broken on impact.
"Wow. That looks incredible."
Winry turned and saw that it was Alyse who had gasped, as she and Cal came up to join her. "It's turning out really well," she agreed. "How has your day been so far?"
"Pleasant," Alyse smiled.
"Conversational," Cal added. "And full of a lot of fresh air and road dust."
"We have plenty of both of those here," Winry agreed with a chuckle. "You should definitely stay and watch for a while. I have to admit, this is probably the most interesting I've ever found watching Edward and Alphonse actually do alchemy, especially for this long."
Cal's eyes were already following the tracings of the pieces above. "Do you think they'd mind if we watched a little closer? I'd like to see exactly how they're achieving some of those shapes."
"Oh, I'm sure they won't mind showing off for someone who can actually appreciate the finer points of the alchemy. Go ahead."
"Aren't you staying?" Alyse asked curiously.
"I've been here all morning. I have plenty of other things to do besides sit here and watch all day. Especially since they seem to have developed a sense of self-preservation, at last." Those words came out with a wry twist of humor. "See you two later." With that, she turned and walked away from the very busy construction site. There were errands to run, and she and Elicia were both needed at the planning meeting that afternoon at the community building to discuss the layouts for the competition displays for the crafts, cooking, and inventions. They were also supposed to meet with the heads of the group of young folks planning all of the Savvin themed activities, just to make sure everything was going smoothly and to see if they needed any assistance. So far, they had needed very little and had been quite good about responsibly asking questions.
Not everyone in town wanted to coordinate with the chaos that was enthusiastic teenagers, but Winry and Elicia, both enjoyed it. Besides which, a small handful of those teenagers were her own great-grandchildren. They were already instilled with a healthy sense of respect and the knowledge that they didn't want to make her angry or look foolish in front of her. Though if they had to ask something embarrassing in front of any adults, it somehow always seemed better asking her.
It was done. Alphonse wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked up at the completed masterpiece with a feeling of awe and wonder at their own creation. He and Edward might find that after an entire lifetime of military service, their grandest and most remembered achievement in Resembool might just be this stage.
The final product was enough to render anyone a little breathless. Especially as they looked up close at the craftsmanship, and the complexity of the designs. Not that anyone watching a play would be paying them too much mind except before and after. It was designed to be beautiful, but also not distracting in the middle of a performance. That was why the wood was stained a single solid warm color, and the wrought metal remained simply black. They could have transmuted a myriad of bright colors into the design, but that would have defeated its purpose. Besides, it was a dramatic work even in understated shades.
Edward was sitting beside him on a folding stool, looking as exhausted and accomplished as Alphonse felt. "I've reconsidered doing this for a living. One magnum opus is enough."
"Darn, a career over before it begins." Alphonse dropped down onto a similar stool. "Perhaps it's for the best. We'd have to travel all over the world. Be famous. Be mobbed by people who want to know us."
"Right? It would be such a hassle, being famous." Edward snickered. "We'll just have to remain in obscurity in the country."
"Your idea of obscurity scares me." Cal had joined them for most of the afternoon, eager to watch even if he wasn't medically cleared to do alchemy himself again yet. It was clear to Alphonse that his son-in-law had itched badly to give this a try though. Well, maybe one of them could make a hobby of alchemical sculpting.
"Hey, if you just want to be treated like a regular country boy, no matter how much the city folk think of you, then living out your retirement in the middle of nowhere in a small-town works wonders." Edward shrugged. "Though if you don't want them to know who you are, I don't recommend picking the town you were born in."
Cal grimaced. "No worries there. You couldn't pay me enough to go back there. Besides, Alyse would hate it."
"Where is Alyse?" Alphonse asked, looking around curiously.
"She got bored after a bit," Cal admitted with a shrug. "I think she's inserted herself into a planning meeting somewhere."
Alphonse and Edward both laughed.
"If she's with Elicia and Winry, she's probably enjoying that meeting." Edward commented.
"Or running it," Alphonse agreed. "Coordinating an event on this scale isn't much more of a challenge, and has a lot of similarities, to some of the events she's run over the years. She'll probably have plenty of great ideas to add, and these days, they'll listen to pretty much anyone with a good idea." As much growth as there had been, things were a little less insular than they once were. Too many new faces made it impossible to stick only to old faces and ideas. Besides which, the only generation left who had been here before the major growth were ancient folks, like himself and the others. Not that he used the word ancient in Edward's hearing. Then, of course, there was the fact that his daughter was really good at these things, and her decades of experience and way of easing into a conversation would make people likely to listen.
"That would be like her," Cal agreed. "Will the meeting be over soon? I'd think they would want to see this now that it's done."
Also, Alphonse thought, Cal might be wondering how he was getting back to the house. "It could be, or it might run for hours yet. Though we can find out." He looked around, and spotted one of the younger members of the team, Tim Hudgeons. "Hey, Tim!"
Tim responded to the summons. "What's up?"
"Could you run over to the community building and find out how much longer the planning meeting's going to last? And tell my wife if it's going to be more than an hour, we'll be at home when they get out."
"You've got it." Tim flashed him a very unmilitary-like salute, and then turned and trotted off.
"I wish I still had that kind of energy," Alphonse admitted as he watched the twenty-something young man vanish around a corner.
"And the mobility," Cal added.
"And the limbs," Edward added, though he shrugged when Alphonse glanced at him. "What? If you had ports, you'd miss limbs too."
"He's right," Cal confirmed. "Even when you can't feel the damned things."
Clean-up around the site was well underway when Tim returned about twenty minutes later. "They said not to wait for them," he blurted out without any preamble. "Apparently a hot debate broke out over the new rules for pie judging, and it has turned into a bit of a row."
"Only in Resembool." Edward rolled his eyes.
"Thanks, Tim." Alphonse turned to look at the others. "We should probably go home then. I don't know about you, but I could really use a shower."
September 6th, 1991
"So, what do you think?" Winry asked Cal, as he sat there, staring at the contraption in front of him.
He knew what he was looking at, and while he knew Winry had ideas to help spruce up his mobility, somehow, Cal had not been expecting upgrades to motorize his chair. The motor, complete with controls that could be wired to the arms so Cal could control speed, torque, and direction entirely independently with better accuracy than he could moving the wheels with his own arms, wasn't large but it was almost certainly over-engineered and over-powered, if Cal knew Winry at all. "It's incredible," he admitted, floored. "How fast will it go?"
"Not fast enough for you to get pulled over for speeding," Alyse quipped, though she looked incredibly pleased.
Winry smiled. "Currently it will get you up to about three-and-a-half miles per hour, though there's a setting that will let you get up to four. I don't recommend engaging that one until you're very comfortable with the steering, and on very even ground."
"Well, it's not like I'm ever going to be on anything else," Cal pointed out. He must have sounded a little surly, because both women gave him a look.
"That's my other surprise." Winry bent down and pulled out two wheels and placed them on the table beside the motor. Or at least, they were certainly supposed to be wheels for a chair, though Cal thought they looked like they belonged more on some kind of off-road mountain bicycle, or even a small motorbike. "I've designed these—with Aldon's help—to handle almost any road surface or terrain you're likely to face. They'll handle dirt, grass, wood, rock as long as you don't decide to try mountain climbing, and they'll even go over small rocks and tree roots like you'd find on most of the trails around here without any problem. You shouldn't have any trouble going a little off-road while remaining perfectly stable and without getting stuck."
"And with the motor even if you got stuck, you would have the power to get the chair over things." Alyse sounded as if she too, was just realizing just how much this meant for Cal's independence.
"Or up steeper hills," Cal added, thinking about the possibilities. Even at home, the slight slope of the hill outside their house as the road and sidewalk went up and around the corner was too much for him to get up manually without exhausting himself. Not that he would stop doing that entirely, but the ability to have motorized back-up would definitely improve things. "Winry…thank you. Though the words don't seem even remotely adequate."
She beamed. "I'm just glad you like them. It will take me a little while to get them fitted on the chair properly and make sure everything is in working order before you can test it out, but if you don't mind hanging around the house most of today, I can have you all hooked up with the best ride in town by this evening."
"Somehow I think Ed's convertible will still beat it on that score, but I don't mind." Cal hadn't really planned on going much of anywhere today anyway. He and Alyse were going to spend the afternoon in the pool, since he had been too tired after all of yesterday's activity to do it in the evening.
"Then I'll take care of it and you can enjoy your day. We do have a spare loaner for patients you can use to get around the house, but I wouldn't try drag racing in it."
Now there was a mental image. "I'll keep that in mind."
As much as Edward had enjoyed yesterday's long, hard work getting the major design pieces created and put up on the new outdoor stage, he had to admit—if only to himself—that it had definitely pushed him harder than he had in a while. Burning through alchemical energy, even when most of it was only being pulled through him, was a lot more of a workout than his daily runs, and sparring with Alphonse. It was a sign of how tired they both were that they had skipped the sparring entirely this morning, and he had taken his run at much more of a leisurely jog.
The afternoon was being spent in the pool. Ostensibly it was just to relax, stretch muscles, and recuperate from the day before, though everyone knew it was also to make sure there were enough people around to assist if anything went wrong while Cal was in the water.
Not that Edward actually expected any drama, as he swam long, smooth laps through the cool water. Cal had done these exercises a little bit in Central, so he knew the routines, and Alyse had been there so she did as well. Then there was Cassie, who had come over to say hello and generally supervise, and make sure everything was going all right and Cal was completing the exercises properly. Elicia had also joined them, though she had opted to curl up in a chair by the pool with a book after a few laps, under the shade of the trees.
The weather had stayed pleasantly warm long enough to enjoy the pool into the fall. Edward was glad for it, knowing that in the next couple of weeks they would need to cover it all up for the winter. At least everyone would be able to enjoy it while family came to visit for the festival.
Edward enjoyed the pool, now that he could swim at all, courtesy of decades of improvement in auto-mail engineering and Winry's tenacity in making something that wouldn't drag him to the bottom of the pool—or an ocean or river. The lighter, more balanced, water-proofed alloys were a far cry from his original metal limbs. Those may have been top of the line then, but auto-mail had come a long way. Now, it let him ease his aching limbs and joints with the pleasure of gliding through the cool, fresh, buoyant glory of having a swimming pool. He could even float, if a bit low, for short periods, if he relaxed enough. He could get lost in the rhythm, and distance himself from the rest of the world for a while.
Cal was most of the way through his physical therapy when Edward heard a creak of the gate around the pool area. Finishing his current lap, he stood up, blinking water out of his eyes to see who was there.
He had been expecting Winry, perhaps, to tell them she had finished the upgrades and maintenance to Cal's chair, but it wasn't her. Instead, it was Urey, with an eager expression on his face.
Edward waved at his grandson, noting that he seemed to be here alone, without his wife or any of the three kids. Given it was still a school day, he realized belatedly, he supposed that made sense. Though that meant Urey should have been at work at the regional hospital's pharmacy. "What brings you here?" he called out.
At that, other heads went up, and Urey waved at everyone as he walked down towards the pool's edge. "Good afternoon. Actually, I'm here on important work-related business."
Edward glanced at Cassie. His daughter-in-law did not look at all surprised. So, clearly, she had been expecting this little visit. Or at least, for it to happen at some point.
Cal had stopped, and was resting against the side of the pool, with Alyse there to steady him as needed. "Does this have anything to do with me, then?" he asked knowingly.
Urey nodded. "It does, and hopefully you'll like it." He had reached the pool and now was looking directly at Cal. "Uncle Ethan and I have been working on something new for a few months. The trails and theory are promising, but we're ready to try it out on a human subject, and well, we're hoping that's you since it's all been with you in mind." At that point he pulled out a small vial that held pills.
From where he stood, Edward couldn't tell if Cal looked surprised or disappointed.
"Depends on what I'm being a lab rat for," Cal replied, though he sounded curious.
"This is a new version of the drug Ethan created several decades ago. The non-addictive painkiller," Urey explained simply. Edward understood then, where this was going. The painkiller in question was the one Ethan had developed specifically for him originally, when he could no longer take others without risk of addiction relapse. "This new formula might work more effectively on the pains you're having in your legs."
"Seriously?" Cal straightened a little, then slipped. Alyse was there, and he didn't seem to notice when she supported him. "I didn't think that was possible."
"It wasn't, before." Urey smiled. "But that is, of course, what research and alchemy are for, isn't it? He and I have been researching and sharing notes for months, trying to perfect this one. What we need now is testing, to see how well it works or if we need to try adjusting the formula some more. It's safe," he added quickly. "At the worst, it just won't work any better than anything else you've tried."
"But it might," Cal interjected. "Anything is better than nothing. When can we start?"
"After you get out of this pool," Alyse interrupted firmly, getting him straight again. "Are there any side effects?" she asked Urey directly.
"There shouldn't be anything more than the base drug," Urey continued confidently. "At the worst, it might make you drowsy for a bit. We can't rule out mild nausea until you actually take it though. Preferably on a full stomach. We'll be starting off with small, short-term doses, and you'll be monitored. All the usual safety measures of trying out a new drug."
"I really will be a lab animal." Cal nodded, though his initial urgency seemed to bleed away a little. "Well, no time like now. Alyse, help me out of here… please."
Alphonse joined them, and in fairly short order they had Cal back out of the pool, in the loaner wheel chair. Edward was barely out of the water by the time they had vanished up onto the porch and into the house.
"How long have you been planning this little surprise?" Edward asked Cassie and Urey as he toweled off. There was no reason for everyone to tromp water across the house.
"Uncle Ethan called me months ago, actually," Urey admitted. "We've been researching and working on expanding out from the original drug he created for a couple of years now. Though it was when Cal got back that he had the idea to try and specify something that might be more effective for paralysis patients. Given how individual that can be, it's been a real challenge."
"One you've clearly enjoyed." Edward was glad to hear that Urey and Ethan had been collaborating. Urey's original career plan had involved moving to Central to do this kind of research after college. While the death of his first wife had waylaid those plans, his grandson had managed to find a way to do what he loved, and with a life he loved. "Do you think there's any chance it will work?"
"Lab tests were optimistic," Cassie said as they moved towards the stairs. "But the only real way to know is to try it on a patient. It's not an entirely new drug either, but a combination of varying dosages of existing options that aren't counter-indicated. Ethan's records show that Cal has never reacted to any of them in the past, or recently. So, we'll see if a little alchemy and ingenuity can do what no one else has yet managed, even in Xing."
"I hope you're prepared to publish on this," Edward grinned at Urey. "This may be ground-breaking medical history in the making."
Urey shrugged, though he was clearly pleased by the praise and confidence his grandfather had in him. "It has to work first."
Alyse's emotions fluctuated between hope and anxiety and everything in between as she helped Cal dry off, change back into clothing, and get settled in the bedroom. "You're sure you're ready for this?" she asked nervously as he finished pulling a shirt over his head.
"There's no better time," Cal replied, flashing her a nervous grin. "I'm already tired, and sore even where I'm not feeling pain in limbs I can't control. Ethan and Urey wouldn't offer me the opportunity to even be a test subject if it wasn't safe. If it doesn't work, I'm no worse off than before."
"And if it works, you won't be in as much pain." Alyse nodded. "I know. I really do hope it turns out to be everything they're aiming for. I just don't want you to be too disappointed if it doesn't help."
"Even the possibility is more than I was expecting," Cal admitted. "And if it doesn't work, it will still give them data. Maybe further down they line they will find something. It would be a lot easier to live like this if they did."
Alyse reached out and squeezed his hand. "All right then. I'll let them know you're ready."
Winry was not at all surprised at the quiet evening around her house. As much work as Edward and Alphonse had put in the day before, and as much activity as there had been today, both brothers were content to laze about the house for the rest of the afternoon, and after dinner.
Dinner itself was a quiet affair. Alyse and Cal chose to eat in the bedroom, though it was mostly Alyse, as Cal spent most of the rest of the day dozing. Winry had asked Urey if that was an effect of the medication, but he said it was more likely a combination of the fact that Cal had just finished doing his physical therapy, and the relief. For if there was one thing the first short dose had done, it was having an effect. Perhaps not much of one, but Cal had expressed that the pain was definitely less. Which meant he was probably able to sleep more deeply, even in short naps. The idea was to provide relief as needed, and start with a small dose to check efficacy and make sure he did not have reactions before trying anything larger. Urey said it was definitely possible to safely take larger, longer-lasting doses, but those would come later.
Elicia spent the rest of the afternoon between checking on Cal and Alyse, taking her turn at the dinner dishes, and then joining the rest of them in front of the television to watch an old movie.
Urey and Cassie both went home after the first short-dose had worn off and Urey had asked Cal a million-and-one questions about how he felt, and they had taken vitals, and made sure he had no reactions. Then Urey had left them with a few more of the pills for over-night, since what he had brought were formulated as a short, four-hour dose.
"Do you think you can convince Alyse to join us?" Winry asked Elicia as the boys made kettle corn and coffee to go along with the night's entertainment. As many times as Winry had found herself tending Edward over the years, she knew it could get tedious, even when worried. Nothing was going to happen to Cal while he was asleep, especially if they left the door open to the bedroom, which was right off the living area. They never listened to movies overly loudly anyway, and they had left a bell beside Cal on the bed, within easy reach of his hands, that he could ring if he needed anyone.
"I'll try. She might have relaxed enough by now to let him be." Elicia shrugged. She headed in to see how things were going.
Winry settled into her usual spot at the end of the couch nearest Edward's favorite chair. It made it easy to share snacks, and hold hands, while both remaining comfortable. Alphonse sat at the other end of the long couch, with room for Elicia left beside him.
As if on cue, the dogs stirred from their other napping places to come and plant themselves by everyone's feet. The cats, who were already lounging around the room in various stages of relaxing, remained where they were.
Just as the opening music started up on the television, Elicia rejoined them, followed by Alyse.
"How's Cal?" Winry asked as Alyse took the other chair at the other end of the couch.
"Out like a newborn puppy," Alyse smiled, and she looked more relaxed than she had earlier. "He seems to be much more relaxed in his sleep than he has been. It's quite a difference."
"Good. I'm glad you could join us."
Alyse reached for a handful of popcorn, and grinned. "Absolutely. Besides, I love Mystery on the Moselle."
September 7th, 1991
As he came awake, for a moment, Cal couldn't figure out what was different. Something was missing—a thought that brought him a moment of near-panic before he realized what it was. Pain. I'm not in pain. He opened his eyes and he tried to sit up. His back twinged and his legs tingled. Okay, so less pain. Still, that was an incredible realization in and of itself. The difference a few hours of mostly pain-free sleep could make was startling. Mostly because he hadn't realized just how used he had gotten to constantly being in some state of agony, until he had grown somewhat numb to it. The pain that came and went, through limbs he couldn't move to ease it.
He felt refreshed. Curious, he tried to see a clock. What time was it? Judging by the darkness of the room, it was not yet morning, but the house was quiet. He remembered, earlier, the vague murmur of voices in the other room, and maybe the sound of television. The others had watched a movie, though he hadn't picked up on what it was. Cal had been too tired. It had been so easy to drift off and just relax.
Alyse was asleep in bed next to him. So, it definitely wasn't morning yet. Outside, it was dark, though he thought he heard the early morning stirrings of birds in the trees. It was probably near dawn then. Especially since the room wasn't entirely dark. Cal contemplated whether or not to go back to sleep, but realized quickly that was unlikely, since he now felt much more awake and alert than he had in weeks.
Today was the day he was going to get to try out the improvements Winry had made to his wheelchair, he remembered all at once. In the flurry of excitement over trying out the new medication he had almost forgotten.
He was reminded of his children on holiday mornings, too eager to stay in bed, lurking outside his and Alyse's door because they knew better than to get their father up before he was ready. Cal felt like that now. Still, he resisted the urge to shake Alyse awake, as the first pale light of dawn crept through the windows. Outside, the stirring birds broke into song. The sunlight grew warmer, and strengthened into beams that splashed across the floor.
One of Alphonse's cats crept through the crack in the open door, and padded across the floor. It looked up at him, meowed once, then launched up onto the bed, landing with a graceful lightness that belied the force with which she had propelled herself upwards. The cat curled up on his stomach, and closed her eyes. In moments she was vibrating loudly.
"Why don't you go lay on someone else?" Cal asked quietly, though he had to admit he didn't mind. At least she had chosen a part of him where he could feel her vibrating warmth. It felt nice. He had found that he missed having Miss Whiskers' constant presence. "I guess you can stay."
By the time Cal heard others in the house stirring, they had been joined by two more cats, all of whom seemed to have decided that since the door was open, and he couldn't fight them off, that Cal was the perfect place to snuggle up and sleep.
"I see you've become popular," Alyse commented with a small smile as she came awake and saw their companions. "And that I forgot to close the door."
"I can't kick them off, and apparently I make a good cushion," Cal quipped. He didn't really mind them there, but he didn't want to think about what that said about his physique. He might need to spend more time in the pool while he was here. "They are warm though."
Alyse reached out and stroked one of the cats. "They are at that. I suppose we could always contemplate getting more. That is, if Miss Whiskers wouldn't hate us for it. She's been an only cat for a long time."
He hadn't meant to prompt talk of more cats, but then it wasn't something Cal had really thought about. "I don't know. She seems interested when other cats go by outside, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't be territorial about the house."
"She might be less so in the new one, since we haven't been there very long. But, she might not be willing to share you." Alyse smiled.
That was an entirely different consideration. "No more new pets," Cal determined. "Not for right now anyway." It wasn't as if he was much use in taking care of even the cat at the moment.
"Agreed." Alyse turned away and stretched before sitting up. "I take it you're feeling better this morning." There was no question in her tone.
"It's that obvious, is it?"
"You don't look nearly as tense as usual, and you sound more relaxed. It's been a few hours since the last dose wore off, so I wasn't sure how quickly you would hurt again."
Cal paused to take stock and think for a minute. He was still hurting, but it was much less than it had been before the medication. "Honestly, it's not too bad. It's still there, but it's more of an irritant right now than a constant exhausting drain." Maybe there was a cumulative effect. Or, perhaps, his body had just had enough of a break that he was better able to handle it.
"Good. Are you ready for breakfast and another dose then?"
Both sounded like really good ideas. Cal nodded. "I'm ready whenever you are. As long as we can convince the squatters here to move on."
"That's not hard." Alyse slid out from under the covers and came around the bed. "All right you. Everybody out." She reached out and simply scooped up all of the cats, who squawked in various tones of indignation, but did not struggle much as she unceremoniously dropped them in the hall, and closed the door in their whiskery faces. "They can go bother Dad. I'm sure they want breakfast, too." She turned around. "Now, let me get dressed quickly, and I'll help you up." She sniffed the air. "Someone's awake. I smell breakfast."
Cal sniffed. Though the door was now closed, he thought he caught a whiff of sausage, and warm buttered rolls. His stomach snarled audibly. "We'd better hurry. I don't want that getting cold."
"I think we'll be fine." Alyse went to the dresser and pulled out clothes for the day; today in shades of blue; light blue slacks, and a deep autumn-sky blue knit top. "Even if it takes a few minutes, they will keep it hot for us."
Her prediction, of course, turned out to be entirely true. By the time Cal was out of bed, his needs and hygiene taken care of, and he was settled into his wheelchair—still the borrowed one from the day before—the family was gathering at the table, but the food was just out and ready to eat.
"I was on my way to get you," Elicia smiled, catching them just outside the bedroom door. "Sleep well?"
"Very," Cal replied simply, eager to get some food in his system. He wondered briefly if one of the possible side-effects might be hunger. Or maybe with less pain his body was just less nauseated overall.
His mother-in-law seemed to read his expression, because she didn't keep them. They joined everyone at the table, Cal parked at the end, and enjoyed a delicious meal. Only once he was full did Cal take his next dose. When they were all done, he looked eagerly at Winry. "Do you know when my chair will be ready for a test-drive?"
"We can do that this morning," Winry promised. "I spent most of yesterday running tests, and I just want to give it one last quick look over and then we'll take her out and see how she does."
"You talk as if it was a car, or a motorbike." Cal couldn't help but be amused.
"I would think wheels are wheels." Winry shrugged. "Any mode of transportation should be able to get you where you need to go, and in this case, where you want to go. Just don't take up cliff-diving."
"I wasn't planning on it."
Winry hoped that the improvements she had made to Cal's wheelchair would give him the independence he so clearly missed, and desperately craved. It had been evident from the first time she had seen him in it that he hated being there now, even more than he had decades ago when he had been going through auto-mail rehabilitation. It was a hindrance; a necessity, but not a tool that could get him where he might want to be. Many years had passed since Edward was stuck using one, but Winry had never forgotten how impatient and frustrated he had been with his lack of independence and mobility. For someone who could barely keep still, it had been a torment. There were ways in which Cal and Edward were the same, and this—in Winry's mind—was one of them.
The new motor would, if the test proved true, let him go on all of the different terrain she had mentioned to him. It would give him more power for getting up hills, but she had also included a way to lock it into the breaks, so that he had safe control going down steeper hills than he would otherwise be able to take on his own. The added power, coupled with the more all-terrain and weather grade tires for the wheels, would let him handle bad weather, and less even terrain.
She had taken it a step further and done an entire over-haul on the chair and its maintenance: tightening every bolt, oiling every hinge and joint, and smoothing down and refinishing some of the blockier edges. She had also completely re-padded the seat with higher quality, more supportive foam, encased in a liquid-proof fabric before adding a washable and replaceable cover. There was a bottom seat cushion, and a separate but now attached new back cushion.
All of the metal surfaces had been treated with the same high-end coating she used on all of her auto-mail designs now. It not only made them rust-proof, but also less prone to dramatic temperature shifts as an insulating coat. It was the same coating that kept Edward's auto-mail from heating up and burning him in the summer, or causing frost-bite at his port sites in the winter. It was also the treatment on Cal's own auto-mail leg. That way, no one would have to deal with touching incredibly hot or cold metal while outdoors in the chair, or pushing it.
"I think you did way more than add a motor to this thing," were Cal's first words as he sat in it, and testing the motion even without the motor. It rolled much more smoothly and quietly.
"Basic maintenance will do that," Winry pointed out, though she was still pleased at the compliment.
They were out on the flat area in front of the house, off of the drive, on the sparring grounds that Edward and Alphonse often used. It was mostly dirt, and patchy grass, which made it a good safe place to start. If it went well, they could go down the grassy hill, and try the dirt path off by the stream.
They had an audience, but Winry didn't mind, and Cal didn't seem to care either. Alyse, Elicia, Edward, and Alphonse all stood out of the way on the drive, and as she turned to glance their way, she saw Urey coming up the road. This morning, he was not entirely without children. He did not have a shift today, and since it was a weekend, that meant the children were not at school, and his wife wasn't working. So, Urey had his newly-turned-one-year-old youngest son, Ewan, slung on his back in a carrying wrap.
Winry nodded to him to let him know she saw him, then turned her focus to Cal and the chair. For the moment, he was her patient, and she wasn't going to let him go off in the thing without being absolutely satisfied that he was safe in it, and could control it properly. "All right. Let's see how you can handle her with the power assist then. First, make sure your breaks are on, then engage the motor."
Cal reached down to manually check the break, then flipped the switch now installed by his left hand, and the sound of the small motor starting up whirred in the air around them.
"Good. Holding the hand-break, release the manual lock."
Cal complied. The chair remained perfectly stationary, which was exactly what it ought to be doing as long as his right hand was clamped around the break control on the right.
So far, so good. "All right. Release the break. Set the switch to the number one. Then, count to five and ever so slightly engage the gas to accelerate." At the one setting, which was designed for relatively flat terrain, and tight indoor spaces, the chair wouldn't accelerate quickly and had a limit as to the speed it could get up to without changing to setting two. It was ideal for a safety test as well.
It took Cal only a few seconds to follow instructions. Then he was moving forward, looking anxious, then relieved, and tightly focused as he practiced steering the chair forward in a straight line, then turning in both directions. Finally, they tried engaging reverse, so that he could back up. All of which ran with minimal issue. Once they were certain it all worked, Winry stepped back to just allow Cal the time to practice without interruption.
"It's going well. Thank you so much for this," Alyse said quietly, eyes bright.
"It was my pleasure," Winry insisted. "Besides, the challenge was fun. It has been a while since I got to do anything inventive and… I like helping my patients—especially family and friends—get back on their feet. Or at least, mobile." She still remembered Cal's original auto-mail surgery, and his appointments all those years ago when he had first been coming for regular tune-ups and his initial physical therapy. He had been so young then, and so afraid to show his deepest pain even though the agony of surgery, and his struggles, were written all over him. His bright smile, and bashful but bantering humor, even with the suffering behind his eyes. Cal had been one of her children, as she thought of so many of her military patients.
That was years before he met Alyse, and even more before they had become seriously involved. Before he had become, in many ways, another older brother figure—and then good friend—to Tore, her own foster son. Winry could remember when he finally became an official member of the family, though she had thought of him as one well before that, whether or not he ever knew.
"He deserves to be happy," Winry continued, coming out of her musings. "I'm just glad I can help him get back to it in any small way."
To her surprise, Alyse hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Aunt Winry." She held her for several seconds before letting go, and walking out over the grass towards Cal, waving him down.
Edward took her place, resting a hand on Winry's shoulder, and smiling proudly. "You do amazing work. I hope you know that."
"I do." Winry grinned at him. "Thank you for saying so. I have to admit, I was a little worried it wouldn't have the precision needed to be independently useful. At least, not yet. Now, I wish I had finished working it out years ago. Think of how many of my patients this could have helped?"
"Think of how many it can help in the future," Edward suggested. "Now that it's a working prototype, you can patent that one as well, and Rockbell Auto-mail can expand into improving equipment as well. You could even redesign the entire chair concept if you wanted to."
"Don't tempt me." Winry chuckled. "I've certainly thought about it. For now, I'll just be pleased with this, and I'll talk to Coran and Gale and see if they have any interest in adding that to the business directly, or if we want to continue distributing it through an actual company already in the business who is interested in incorporating the parts."
"Whatever you want to do. It's your genius." Edward kissed her cheek. "Since this seems to be going well, I'm going to go get ready for tonight."
"What's tonight?" Winry asked. There was so much going on lately that she knew there was definitely a few somethings, the question was just which ones. The only sure thing was that it had to do with the upcoming festival.
"The party for finishing the stage." Edward grinned. "They're putting the finishing touches on it this morning, and tonight, it will be the setting for our little celebration."
"Right!" With everything going on lately, sometimes it was just hard to keep track of the days. Though, really, she wouldn't have it any other way.