Winry looked through the train window, her suitcase on her lap and her wrench clutched comfortingly in her hand.
The farms of Resembool had quickly been left behind, and now she could only see empty plains, and now and then, a lonely house or two.
The sun was setting, and the sky was beginning to turn a dark shade of purple.
She shifted slightly.
This is my first time on a train when I'm alone. There was always someone with me before. But this time, not only is there no one traveling with me, there's no one else in the car. It's rather...lonely.
These benches are really comfortable, though.
Winry checked her watch.
I've been here for hours now.
She sighed, and looked back at the window
I want to be there already. I want to see them again.
The clacking of the wheels and humming of the engine were having a soothing effect. Winry's eyes were beginning to flutter.
Well, it will be hours before I get there anyway. I guess I should get some rest now.
Her eyelids fluttered for a few seconds, then shut.
Her wrench slipped out of her hand, landing with a thump on the ground.
Her eyes fluttered, but she didn't move.
The wheels of the train clacked along, and for a while, everything was still.
Then, without warning, a silent explosion of multi-colored light appeared where she was sitting.
It lasted for a few seconds, then vanished.
And the sleeping Winry vanished along with it.
The portal dropped Lin out in midair. She fell to the wooden floor with a thump.
Muttering a curse word under her breath, she sat up and began to look around.
She could hear wheels clacking, and it looked like she was in a strange sort of room, that had benches on both sides of the room, like in a schoolhouse.
But it was like the room was moving.
Lin looked out the window, and sure enough, she could see the landscape going by. She didn't want to even think about what kind of monster it would take to pull a big room like this. And she thought she saw more rooms, being pulled along behind and before the room she was in.
You're not thinking about this! She told herself sternly as the image of some half-naked super-muscular demon-guy pulling this weird room and others like it along came into her head, you aren't thinking about this!
She looked out the window again. It was night, or at least early morning, which was kind of funny, considering that it had been late morning in the world she'd just left.
She turned away from the window, and moved to start walking down the aisle, only to trip over something hard and metal and hit her head on the edge of the seat. Rubbing her head she glared at the offending piece of furniture then glanced to see what she tripped over. She squinted.
Drat this darkness!
The moonlight lit the tops of the benches and some of the floor, but the wall the window was set in, hid the spot that she was staring at.
Lin sighed, pulled her backpack off and reached in, her fingers searching for the familiar roughness of the light stone, and trying to avoid cutting herself on any sharp objects she'd stashed in there.
Finally she pulled it out and shined it over the object.
It was a tool of some sort. She'd seen people from other worlds fiddling around with similar tools
Lin couldn't remember the name of it, though she had a feeling it might start with a w.
Wench?
She snickered. That was defiantly not it. It was something close though.
Wrench?
Yeah, that was it.
But where there was an object, there was always an owner.
But the car was empty.
Lin shrugged and stuffed the wrench in her back.
Finders keepers.
It was a dog eat dog world. You took what you could, and all that.
She stopped for a second, as her fingers discovered something smooth and wooden inside the backpack. She froze.
Didn't I...?
She pulled it out.
A smooth, wooden scabbard, with little declaration.
Only an engraving,
To the only man-
With a strangled yell, she threw it with all the strength she could muster.
It sailed through the window, with a crash, throwing tinkling glass down on the floor.
At the end of the car, behind the door, someone called and put their hand on the knob and started to turn.
Not stopping to think, she jumped out the already broken window, wanting to be gone, not wanting to stay for prying questions and delaying concern.
She hit the ground running, barely scooping the sword in its wooden scabbard.
There was the lights of a town up ahead. She headed for that.
Once inside the city limits, she stopped, leaned against the wall and gasped for breath.
Focus on your breathing, just focus on your breathing, but her manta didn't work this time, and she found her gaze drawn to the sword. She was gripping so tight, her knuckles were white and her hand was beginning to hurt.
How? How? I could've sworn- no, I know I threw it away! I knew and then I gave it away! What?
"I just want to protect you."
She gasped, and moved back as if to throw it again, but then hesitated.
"Hey you!"
She turned around.
"Yeah, what do you want?"
A man in a blue uniform beckoned to her, and she reluctantly went closer, but stayed an arm's length away.
"What do you want?" She asked again.
"Why are you carrying around that sword?"
She looked at him blankly for a few minutes, then smiled.
"Oh, no reason. Hey, do you want this?"
"What?" he asked, clearly thrown off balance.
She entered persuasive mode.
"I don't need it. Surely you can use it? I mean," she glanced at the gun in his hands. It wasn't pointed at her, but she should still be careful. Better safe than sorry. Looking away from the guy, she noticed the uncertain and unfriendly look of the man.
She wet her lips before containing.
"I mean," she said again. Repeating yourself is a sigh of fear, which is a sign of guilt! Control yourself!
"I'm not gonna use it anytime soon. But you," she glanced again at his uniform. Yup, defiantly military style. The gun was a hint that was hard to miss too. "You might actually have a chance to use it! Don't you think it's a waste for this to just stay at home, collecting dust up on the self?"
The man nodded warily, but he was looking at the sword.
Lin smiled again, knowing she'd already won.
"So, do you want it?"
He tore his gaze away from the sword, and looked at her. Then he looked down at the sword again. When he looked up, he was decided.
"Alright, I'll take it."
Lin grinned and held it out.
He took it slowly, military training probably kicking in.
But he took it.
She smiled triumphantly, then turned to walk away.
Hah! It can't follow me now! I'm free!
Walking around, head high shoulders out, she began to hum.
But even in her good mood, habit took over, and she began observing the town and filing away details in her head.
It was a pretty impressive city, to her eyes anyway. Most of the buildings were taller than she was used to, and they were made of stone too.
She ran a hand over the nearest wall and grinned.
Back home, most people have homes made of wood. Come to think of it, I bet the only home in aoployn that was made of stone was ours, and that's only because Dad-
She stopped suddenly and stared at nothing for a minute, before hunching her shoulders and walking on.
Okay Lin, come on, focus, focus. Alright, Rae must be around here somewhere.
She looked around again, not many people around, thank goodness. When she found Rae, it would make it easier to catch her.
But-
She realized it was louder up ahead.
Lin turned a corner and found herself in the middle of a huge crowd.
Bright lanterns were strung overhead, and banners hung from the sides of buildings.
Lin groaned.
Just my luck. There's a party going on.
The banners hanging above her head read, "Central's 100th Birthday!"
Central...that's the name of this town, right? she thought, as she started walking again, so they're celebrating this city's birthday? That's neat. Too bad we never did that.
She glanced around at the people celebrating, and smiled.
It's just like the caranvels back home.
Lin walked up to a fruit stands, and, when the owner wasn't looking, swiped an apple and walked away, just mingling with the crowd.
People laughed, joked, sang, flooding around her in a human sea, passing in a blur of faces and colors.
Taking a bite of the apple, she smiled even more.
I think I like this city.
And then she saw her.
She was barley a speck of blue, but she was close enough that Lin could see her long black hair.
Dropping the apple, she sprinted, ran full out towards that black dot, mentally giving thanks that she was staying still, ignoring the voice in the back of her mind that nagged at her, telling her that something was wrong, that-
CRASH!
"Watch were you're going!" bellowed Lin, grabbing her head.
"YOU watch where you're going!" retorted the person she'd crashed into.
The ringing in her head subsiding somewhat, Lin lowered her hand and examined them. It was a blond boy, who was rather short, with gold eyes. His clothes seemed to be well made.
Was he rich? Lin wondered briefly, but pushed it the back of her mind, as the boy spoke up again.
"Well, I'm waiting for an apology!"
"Why should I apologize? You're the one who bumped into me!"
They glared at each other, each waiting for the other to crack..
"Nii-san," came a voice from nearby.
The boy started slightly, then turned to look.
Slightly curious, Lin did too.
There, coming towards them, was a tall man in armor.
Armor? Lin blinked. I thought, since this world was more focused on technology, they, like most other worlds advanced enough to make something like those moving rooms back there, would have stopped using armor long ago. And why is he wearing it here? He's not fighting right now. Is he coming from or going to a duel?
Lin shook her head.
It doesn't really matter, she thought, although...
She studied the armor more throughly.
It's a nice piece of craftsmanship. I wonder how well it'd be guarded...nah.
Wait a minute! why am I still here! I need to- Lin spun around, only to have her wrist grabbed by a steady hand.
She turned back to face the blond boy, who had, up until now been busy talking to the man in the armor.
"Hey, let me go!"
"Not a chance! you're not going away until you apologize to me!"
"Not in a million years!" Lin yelled, and tried to break away.
But he held fast and she tried again, this time breaking towards the thumb, as she was always taught to do, putting the pressure on the thumb. But it didn't work, she tried again and again.
No way, what is this guy? Is he a monster? A demon?
She jerked her head around again, the black-haired girl was almost of sight.
Desperate, she tossed her pride out of the window and yelled, "Alright, alright! I'm sorry okay? I'm sorry!"
The surprise made him loosen his grip, and, not waiting for a better chance, she broke his grasp and ran.
Ed stared after the blacked haired girl.
"Hey Al, what just happened here?"
"She seemed scared of something," Al observed, "maybe you shouldn't have been so rough on her, Nii-san."
"I don't think she was afraid of me, Al. I don't think that she was so much afraid of something, as afraid it would get away from her."
