Family

Chapter 11: Celebration Night!

Gabriella walked grumpily through the halls with her boots echoing throughout it. She was relieved of the fact she was an official state alchemist; no more studying, or physical exams. But she had to see Colonel Elric today to get her silver watch. Edward wasn't the type of person to make her day. Another thing was the giant bruise on her head; Thank to Major. It was embarrassing for her to carry a giant ice pack on top of her head wherever she went.

"Hey, Mustang!"

Gabriella turned and darted her eyes to Major Ralph Conner with a cast on his arm.

"Oh, it's you Major Conner… how's the arm?"

Ralph patted his cast. "Oh, this old thing? Nothing but a minor fracture. It comes off in a week…" Ralph narrowed his eyes to Gabriella. "And how about you? How's you're head feeling today?"

Gabe grumbled.

"Well, anyway… It may not have been the best way to get to know each other… but I find it an honour to fight the daughter of one of the Legendary Alchemists; Roy Mustang."

"Yeah. Real phenomenon…" Gabe mumbled.

"Anyhow… I better go back into my office. Been a pleasure… errr… fighting you…" Ralph and Gabe lightly shook their remaining hands. "See ya.."

Ralph left passed Gabriella.

"What a weird guy…" Gabe muttered.

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"Congrats, Mustang! You're becoming like you're father! A state alchemist! Yaaay!" Ed cheered and threw the silver watch into Gabe's hands.

"Wow. Yippee…" she said not enthusiastic.

Ed smirked. "What's the matter Mustang? I'd thought it be fun being like you're dad. Or is it that you Goths are too cool to express yourselves…?"

Gabe glared. "I'm-not-a-goth…"

Ed's expression became serious. "Anyway, Mustang… enough with the cheers. You're a State Alchemist and 'yay' etc. But due to the performance you made in you're physical…. We decided that you, as a State Alchemist, shouldn't work alone."

"What do you mean?"

"It means you're going to have a partner… until you're good enough to not have one anymore…"

"Oh, that's nice.." She said sarcastically. "So, who is my partner anyway?"

"Mika Reki.."

"M-Mika!"

Mika, the blonde frivolous girl Gabriella met before she even started studying her exam bursted in the office.

"YAY! New partner!" She gasped. "I know you! You're that one girl who saved me from that ex-friend of mine!

Gabe rolled her eyes. "Yay.."

"I presume you guys know eachother?" Ed asked.

"Sadly, yes…" Gabe replied.

"Oo-kay! Since you guys know each other, I now bid thee you official partners!" Ed announced.

"WHAT?"

Ed started to push them out the door. "Alrightseeyoulater!Haveaniceday!BYE!"

SLAM!

"Stupid, Colonel.." Gabe grumbled.

"This bites.." Mika said. "Ooh! I know! How about you come with me to the Karaoke bar and hang out as friends! Come on! It'll be fun!"

"No. Probably a waist of my time…"

"PLEAAASSE!"

"No."

"PLEAAASSE!"

"No."

"PLEAAASSE!"

"No."

"PLEAAASSE!"

"No!"

"PLEAAASSE!"

"NO!" Gabe yelled losing her patience. "If there was a list of things I had to do in life, going to a Karaoke Bar with you would be the last!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I cannot believe I'm in a karaoke bar with my partner.." grumbled Gabe who was leaning on the table.

"Cheer up, Partner! You need to learn what fun really is!" Mika said reassuringly.

"Oooh.." moaned Gabe.

"Hey, Joe! Give me and my pal some shots!" Mika said.

The Bartender started shaking up some beers and poured it into those little tiny cups. "On me, 'M'" He slid the beers to Gabe and Mika.

"'M'?" Gabe echoed.

"Uhm… Mika for short?"

"Whatever…" Gabe drank the alcoholic beverage in one sip.

"Wow, Gabe. Never knew you can do that! That's some pretty strong stuff!" Mika said amazed.

"Naw… I'm a first timer. First time, drinking.." Gabe said looking at her empty glass.

"Wow. Usually, first-timers get drunk drinking like that…" Mika informed.

Gabe ignored Mika's comment. "Wow. This is some good stuff… Hey, can I have another shot?" Gabe slid her glass across the table to the bartender. "Sure!" He shook the beer and sprayed another one into the glass; then he slid it back to Gabe.

Gabe drank it all in one sip.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"You know what –hic- Mia?"

"Uhm.. Gabe… it's MIKA.." corrected Mika.

"WHATEVER! –hic- I never wanted to be a STUPID State Alchemist –hic!" Gabe slurred.

"Why did you join anyway?"

"SHUT UP!" Gabe yelled for no reason. She held up her 10th glass. "Another one… please? –hic-"

"Oookay.." The Bartender put another shot in there and gave it to Gabe, who immediately drank it all in one sip.

"Wow! –hic- this feels good!" Gabe slurred.

"Gabe! Maybe you should lay it off with the beverages! You're starting to… eerr… loosen up.." warned Mika.

"Silence, MIA!"

"For God sakes… IT'S MIKA!"

"WHATEVER! –hic- You can NEVER –hic- have too many beers…"

There was an awkward silence until they heard a stomach growl.

"What was that?" Mika asked.

"Oh, shi—" Gabe ran out of the bar covering her mouth with her hand.

Mika shook her head. "Poor, girl.." She took a sip of her drink.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gabe bursted out from the back of the bar and started vomiting into the nearest trashcan.

She then whipped her face with her sleeve and looked up feeling the pounding rain on her face. "It's raining! It's really raining! –hic-"

"You know… you could've just used the trashcan in the restroom inside thee bar…"

Gabe turned to see a mysterious man in a brown cloak and hat that hid his face.

"Who da –hic- hell are you?" She slurred.

"Me? Oh, just you're average… citizen…." The man answered modestly.

"Oh—gawd.." She continued to vomet in the trash.

"Drinkin' lately?"

"oooh…" Gabe moaned. "I –hic- hate my freaking life…"

The man kept on watching Gabe. "Why is that?"

"-hic- My parents are gone –hic- and all I've been doing was going town to town actin like my dad –hic- Da Flame Alchemist… -hic- but goes to show –hic- … realized that that's not what I want…"

"What do you want, then?"

"I don't know…. –hic-" Gabe began vomiting again in the trashcan.

The mysterious cloaked man looked at his watch. "Well, if you look at the time… I gotta go. See ya, Gabe." The man walked out of the alley and into the rain.

Gabe wiped her mouth with her sleeve and turned around. "Wait… how do you know my name?" Too late….. The man disappeared.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yay! I'm done with Chapter 11! I changed this story to PG-13 because of the language and the drinking…. Anyway…. Bye! R-R