There was a towering stack of paperwork, which Hawkeye was standing on.
She was glaring at him and telling him something important, but Ed
couldn't make out the words. He raised his hand to try and tell her,
but then the Colonel walked over and started shaking him, demanding why
he hadn't drunk his milk. Then he turned into Winry and started rubbing
Ed's face with her wrench.
Ow. The wrench was I painful /I . It even poked him in the eye once,
and he woke up with a yelp.
Alphonse backed up, or tried to, except his head banged against the
ceiling. Automatically rubbing it, he stammered, S-sorry! I didn't
mean to wake you up, niisan.
Ed rubbed his smarting eye, frowning., Al what were you doing? checking to see if you were asleep.Why, are we almost there?No, about three-quarters of the way go back to sleep, niisan.
Ed yawned and stretched, catlike, before sliding his legs off the bench
to face his brother. Nah, I've slept enough, I'm glad you woke me. He
shuddered, remembering his dream.
Alphonse sat down on the opposite bench with a creak and a thump that
shook their car. Nightmare? You were twitching. kinda. Ed made a face. Anyway, I'm bored. Wanna play cards?You I cheat /I , niisan.I do not, Ed muttered, but quickly changed the subject. Mustang has
a lot of nerve, sending us to the middle of nowhere like this.He did say there were rumors of the stone.He's lying. He just wants me to do his dirty work. Ed moodily stared
out the window at the scenery flashing by.
Alphonse creaked loudly, shifting in his seat, seeming awkward. Ed
glanced back over.
Hey, Al, you seem depressed, is something wrongOh- no! No, niisan. I'm just restless is all. He hastily got up,
head bumping the ceiling again. I think I'll just go for a walk, is
all-Wha? Wait, I'll go with you-No, no, it's all right! I'll just be gone for a little while!
Alphonse practically ran out of the compartment.
Ed sat back on his seat with a frown. Something was bothering his
little brother, and he had a nasty feeling he knew what it was. There
were times when he wished he had thought to sacrifice his entire body
no, he wished more that he'd never made the mistake in the first place.
Alphonse had lost too much, far too much, for his stupidity.
Ed rubbed the aching port of his automail shoulder, fingering the raw
patches of skin underneath the metal.