FullMetal Alchemist:
Edward Elrics Chronicles
Chapter III
She tip toed down the stairs eyes wild searching around the house for any sign of the blond boy. She couldn't stand the thought of facing him right now, not after what just happened this morning and not to mention that stupid dream she had about Ed.
'The house is empty… where is he?' She thought as she entered the kitchen to get some snack. On the freezer she noticed a note sticking out.
Winry
Went out for a while, be back by 11.00 a.m.
Ed :P
P.S: I finished all the gingerbread man…o;
Winry looked at the empty cookie jar next to her, and smiled to herself. 'Some things never change,'
She rolled her sleeves and started on lunch. As she busied herself taking out all the ingredients she realized something.
'Wait a sec… it's Sunday morning, where could he have gone to?' She thought, fiddling an unpeeled union in her hand.
It's almost 1.00 p.m. Winry had finished cooking lunch half an hour ago… and still there's no sign of the blond midget. Something doesn't feel right. 'That's it! I'm going out to look for him… I can't sit here and just wait. All my life all I've been doing is waiting. Waiting and wait. I'm gonna strangle you when I find you Edward Elric!' She said putting on her jacket and making a beeline for the door. Her hand was around the knob when suddenly there was a knock on the door.
"Ed!" She scolded as she jerk open the door, a large shadow cast down upon her. "G–General Armstrong?"
"But he told me… he was suspended." Her voice trailed.
"The military has been trying to locate him for over a year…" General Armstrong explained.
"A year? What happened before that?" She asked him, there had to be a reason why Ed had to hide something from her. A reason for him to have to lie to her.
The General produced a copy of the Central Times with Ed's and Al's face on the front cover. The headline reads: Alchemist Brothers Missing.
"He was send on a mission, he went with Alphonse but after the battle was over he simply disappeared along with his brother…" We have searched everywhere and now finally you said he's here. Now… where is he?" The general asked.
"He's not here." Winry answered.
"What? But you said!" The general said.
"He is here General, but he went out… he said he was coming back by 11.00 but now it's almost 2 and he's still not back." Winry said, worried.
General Armstrong rose from his chair, "He must have found out that we're here!"
"Why would he want to run away from the military? You guys are his friends." Winry asked confused by the whole situation. First her best friend practically lied to her face and now his military friends are after him for whatever reason is confidential to her.
"I'm sorry Miss Winry but I was just told to find him. I don't know for what purposes. I'm sure he did nothing wrong." The General ensured.
"What made you think he did something wrong General? This is Ed we're talking about, he wouldn't do anything to harm anyone… good or bad!" Winry said, feeling crossed by what the general said about her friend.
"I'm sorry Miss Winry I didn't mean to insult your feelings." The General apologized.
"…" She paused and looks up at the General, "Please drink," She said, motioning to the steaming cup of coffee in front of him. The General took the cup and sipped it slowly.
"It's good." He commented.
She simply smiled and glided towards the window looking at the front yard for any signs of Ed. Suddenly a head popped out of nowhere in front of the window, his blue eyes glancing over at the General in warning and a finger in front of his mouth. She practically fell backwards from surprised. She got up quickly, the General looking at her awkwardly. She smiled extra sweetly at the General, batting her eyelashes at him, "My, is this floor slippery!" She managed to make up, laughing innocently.
The General returned her smile and went back to drinking the coffee.
She looked back at the blue eyed boy outside the window.
"Meet me at the back!" He mouthed out to her before disappearing.
'Who was that!' She questioned herself, 'But the way he glared at the General… something's wrong. That glare… and those eyes. They're so familiar.'
She stood there arguing with herself, battling whether to tell the general or meet with the boy at the back of the house. She walked towards the General berating with herself before opening her mouth to speak.
"I have some…" She spoke, grabbing the General's attention. The General looked at her suspiciously, "What is it Winry?" He asked.
She shook her head, "I have some apple tarts in the kitchen, you must be hungry General. I'll go to the kitchen and get you some." She excused herself before quickly making her way to the kitchen.
She entered the kitchen and turned on the blender to drown out any audible sound from the General's ear. She opened the back door and almost immediately a hand grabbed her from the side and pulled her against the wall. Another hand clasps her tightly on her mouth. The blue eyed boy stared at her, "I'm with Edward Elric." He said, his voice hauntingly familiar to her.
The urge to panic died down as soon as she heard Ed's name. Her body relaxed and the boy loosened his strong grip on her and smiled at her like he knew her.
She looked at him curiously. "Winry, you sure you don't remember me?" The boy asked, amused.
She shook her head cluelessly. Then like a light bulb just lighted up in her head, she whispered in shock, "Al?" She stared at the handsome boy smiling at her.
"But…?" She wanted to ask but Al quickly cut her off, "I'll explain later, Winry. Now where in danger… the person inside your house is not General Armstrong, we have to leave here immediately." He explained.
Al grabbed her hand, waiting for her response. She hesitated looking back to the house and then to the boy in front of her claiming to be Al. She wanted to press pause and think… but clearly the option is not available right now.
"What the hell! Just let me pulverize Ed to pieces as soon as we get there. Wherever there is…" She said, being led away by the boy. She glanced one last time at her house, in her heart she prayed… that whatever lays in front of her… everything will turn out fine.
A gloved hand pulled the plug and the blender died down. General Armstrong eyes locked on the partly open back door creaking in the wind.
"Smart girl," He said, his dark irises glinting shadily.
He gripped the plug crushing it with unearthly force.
They slipped silently into an old motel, somewhere in a secluded town west of Rush Valley. They trotted lightly up the stairs arriving at a door numbered 408. Al smiled reassuringly at her and knocked on the door. "She sells sea shell on the sea shore." Al said to the door.
"Billy bought a better butter to make the bitter butter better." An all too familiar voice answered from the inside.
"Open up bro, I got her." Al said.
The door opened the older Elric standing in front of them. "Al, Winry… get in quickly." He ushered them in, closing the door behind them. Al walked pass her towards Ed, "You better explain everything to her." Al whispered to his brother before walking off into his room. Ed looked over at the fuming Winry and gulped.
"Let me explain everything…" He said almost too quickly, sounding like Speedy Gonzalez.
But before he could utter another word the girl leapt towards him. Her arms encircled him, her head found it's way under his chin and it stayed there like it's the most natural thing in the world. She was trembling badly, "No Winry don't…" He said as he heard soft sobs coming from her.
"I was so worried… I was so damned worried." Her long fingers dug into the fabric of his white shirt. He stood there, unable to move. He made her cry again.
Suddenly he felt a spry pain on his cheek, he looked down at her shaking her hand in pain. "Did I slap the wall or your cheek?"
"You slapped me!" He said, staring in disbelief.
"You deserved that, liar!" She said angrily, attending to her hurt hand.
"You deserved that too… and I didn't lie!" Ed responded, holding his sore cheek.
"Oh really? What about your suspension story? Tell me you didn't lie about that!" She said.
Al appeared out of his room to hear the racket.
"Ok, I admit that… I had my reasons! But he," Ed said pointing at Al, "Really died. I only met up with him this morning." Ed said. Al nodded in approval.
Ed and Winry stared at Al.
"What?" He said, backing away nervously from the two 19 years old, "Oh…" He said finally, "I guess you're wondering how…" He said, motioning to himself.
Flash Back
We were on our way to central after a mission in Brouga, when a source point us to a military warehouse nearby. It was too late when we found out that it was a trap and the whole place exploded, I died in that incident and I thought brother was too. After that… I can't really remember what happened but I went to the other side of the door and I met with Him. He said something about reaching a draw… a function and returning, what he said still didn't make any sense to me… I remember being pulled into this limbo and everything was so overwhelming my head wanted to explode! Next thing I know, everything was pitch black and when I opened my eyes I was in an ancient looking temple with my own flesh, my own body. I was lying in the middle of an intricately drawn alchemy circle… it was slightly different than the normal alchemy circle… it's has five weird symbol placed parallel to each other in a large circle. I've never came across that kind of symbol before. I tried to recall all the alchemy books I've read but I never came across these symbols. I laid there for almost two days before two Ishbalian found me. I was taken back and an old Ishbalian lady took me in, I was in an 18 year old body but I can't talk, I can't walk… I couldn't move myself at all… I had to re-learn that all over again.
One day I left for a nearby village for supplies when I heard a traveler talk about brother, he said he saw you and I couldn't believe it! You were alive somewhere and I had to find you. So I slipped away one night and tracked you down. I traveled to back to Brouga and that's when I met with our source and he spilled the dirt. A bomb was planted in the warehouse aimed at us, by someone… I later found out the military was involved. I contacted Mustang and he send Armstrong to help me investigate. A month ago we separated to check something out, we promised to meet up here… but when I came all I found was his dead body.
End Flash Back
"Then who was that person that came to my house for Ed?" Winry said.
"I don't know… and right now I've ran into a dead end, I can't go to the military for help and…" He looked up at the two older teens in front of him, speechless. "I'm so glad I found you." He said hugging the two teens in front of him tightly. He felt both of them protest at first but he didn't care anymore, it has been so long since he was able to feel them in flesh. To feel the warmth radiating from two people that he cared for the most.
Winry froze for a second but slowly she recollects all the nights she saw that boy… that suit of armor sitting in the cold, dark, empty corner all alone. She draped one arm around the young boy's head and rested his head on her shoulder. Her eyes darted to the older Elric, his face lay hidden by his long bangs. She saw his head dug into his brother's shoulder.
Her eyes caught something trickling down Al's shoulder. She reached towards it and traced the area to feel it warm and damp.
'Tears?' She thought, looking wide-eyed at Ed. 'He's crying?'
Suddenly she felt lukewarm liquid ran down her own cheeks, 'Why am I crying?' She said her eyes blinking, confused.
"Baka! Why are you guys so emotional… you're making me all weepy." She said through her sobs.
She feels Al's hold tightened around both her and Ed.
"Just shut up Winry." She finally heard Ed said.
That morning she woke up from a blissful slumber. She washed herself and tied her hair. She walked quietly to the door and opened it small enough to let her peek to the living room where he saw the two Elrics sitting there and chatting comfortably, laughter filled the room every two minutes. She can hear a chime in their laughter, the same chime she used to hear in their voices when they were younger. They were happy again… however she can sense the determination in Al's eyes, he won't be satisfied till he could return his brother limbs.
"Hey, for how long are you just gonna stand there, Winry?" Ed teased.
Her face reddened, she was caught red handed eaves dropping on them.
"For as long as I want, midget!" She shot at him, stomping out of her hiding area.
"Hey, who are you calling a midget? Unless you didn't notice, you're the midget here." He argued and obviously winning.
"Come on now," Al interrupted, "Pack up, we need to get moving." He said to Winry.
"Al," She said calmly, "What you see on me is everything I got. You practically dragged me here! I didn't even have any time to bring anything with me."
"Oh," The young boy said in embarrassment.
We moved out of the motel and watch the dull street slowly coming to life, greeting the blue skied morning. Ed had to wear this stupid looking cowboy hat we picked up, he protested but we were in the wild wild west! It's either that or a The Last of the Mohican type of hat… we couldn't afford getting caught by the military. Every military dog was practically sniffing out for Mr. State Alchemist here.
For disguising purposes Ed let his facial hair grow and I have to say he looks kinda sexy with it.
"You look like dad," Al commented.
"I do not! And don't mention that bastard's name in front of me!" He yelled, annoyance written all over his face over being linked with Hoheinhem.
"Alphonse!" someone called out from afar.
Al focused his eyes to the figure and immediately recognized the person calling him. "Tapede!"
"Alphonse, where have you been? Grandma is going to be so happy to see you!" A young Ishbalian greeted him, "Oh! You brought visitors." Tapede said looking suspiciously at Ed and me.
Al introduced us to the boy and we worked our way through the desert and finally we arrived at a quiet village. The temple Al talked about earlier stood out from the many small neat cottages of the Ishbalian surrounding it.
"Is that it?" Ed asked his brother gesturing towards the soaring white structure.
"Yeah," Al answered, he looked at Ed curiously.
"I've been here before." Ed replied.
I wandered away to admire the village enticing beauty.
"Hello Miss," A friendly looking guy said to me.
"Hello, Sir." I answered trying to be polite.
Two more guys joined him and both of them greeted me nicely. I looked to where Ed and Al were to see them talking to a couple of village people not far away.
"You are very pretty." One guy said and like any other girl in my situation I felt flattered.
"You have beautiful eyes, lady." Another guy added.
"You guys are so sweet!" I cooed.
More male population crowded around me, showering me with so much compliments I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.
One guy draped a beautifully made shawl over my head and just when another one tried to do the same a large hand grabbed me from behind, pulling me away from my adoring male fans so fast I was almost lifted off the ground.
I turned around to see Ed's aggravated face warning all my fans to back off. They did so almost immediately. I wriggled out of his muscular grip and faced him.
"What is wrong with you?" I scolded him, "They were merely being friendly to a visitor!"
"That's not what I'm seeing!" He fired back.
"What is it exactly are you seeing?" I questioned him furiously.
"I see 20 testosterone brained dudes wooing and trying to
get you laid!" Ed screamed to my face, his face heated and breathing heavily
from all that screaming.
"Ugh! I'm so angry… you're lucky I don't have my wrench with me!" I yelled.
Al came running towards us, hearing the whole commotion.
"Brother, stop acting like a jealous husband." Al said stepping in the middle of me and Ed, trying to calm things down.
"I'm not acting like a jealous husband!" Ed yelled his face reddening again but this time not from anger but embarrassment. He shoved his hand in his pants pocket and quickly walked away, mumbling something under his breath
'Ed? Jealous?' I thought looking at him. He was looking back at me from the corner of his eyes but quickly averting my gaze when I caught him looking at me. I couldn't help but giggle softly.
Al watched his brother stomps off and changed his attention to me.
"Winry, you really should be more careful… guys here are really…" He paused trying to find the right words, "Cunning." He said, satisfied with his choice of words.
I repeated Al's advice over and over in my head taking it seriously when I saw the way my adoring male fans were ogling at me. Staying close by Al side we made our way towards Ed.
"Let's go," Ed said climbing on top of a horse. A large camel sat next to it, Al and I climbed onto it and the camel clumsily stood on his four feet. I would've fallen backwards if I hadn't held on firmly to Al. Al and I both laughed at our graceless situation.
From beside them Ed looked over at the two, arms around each other and laughing happily. He tried to ignore them and his glance somehow reached down to his metal automail arm. He looked over helplessly at them… still laughing and engrossed in a cheerful conversation.
Ed bends down and whispered to the horse. The black stallion quickens its pace, later he was trotting a few meters in front of the camel carrying Al and Winry.
The magnificent white structure graces the ground before them. Ed already down from his horse entered the crumbled building. The camel carrying Al and Winry dropped to its knees suddenly, bouncing them around on top of its back. The duo broke into another filter of laughter. Ed stopped dead in his tracks at the sound of them laughing. He was biting his lip furiously trying to control this new emotion surfacing inside of him.
He continued into the barren building ignoring his brother voice calling out to him, the sound of his boots pounding against the hard floor echoing through the building.
"Brother, wait up!" Al called, running after him.
"I'll wait out here for you guys!" Winry announced and watch the two brothers disappear into the building. Winry and the horse looked eye to eye, "Aren't you lovely." She said, running her hands through its shiny black coat.
The camel puffed out in protest clearly disapproving the amount of attention she was giving to the horse. "Ok! Ok!" She said in surrender, patting the camel on its head much to its approval.
Ed completed a sketch of the whole area and closed his note pad. "We need someone who knows about these ruins, these stuffs date back to two-three hundred years ago. Al, you know anyone?"
"Right now, I wish I do." Al sighed desperately, "Let's go back… it's almost dusk, Winry has been waiting for us out there for a long time and you out of all people should know better than to keep her waiting." He joked.
"Since when did you become all preachy, Al?" Ed complained, "She can take care of herself." Ed said, making a face.
The golden ball of fire sets down the horizon, its yellow colour gradually turning into orange to pink and finally purple.
"Aww… would you look at that," Al pointed out, "She fell asleep beside the camel."
Ed kneeled beside her, shaking her by her shoulder gently. "Good Morning Sunshine." He mocked her.
She lifted her head and scanned the area around her before her eyes finally landed on him, "Very funny, Ed." She said.
"Brother!" Al shouted, "I'm taking the horse this time!" He said, sticking his tongue out and before he trotted away he gave his brother a quick wink.
'What the…?' Ed thought as he helped Winry up the camel. He swung his long leg over the camels back and reached for the reins, "Going up!" Ed announced. Making a clicking sound with his tongue the camel then obediently stood on its feet and followed after Al's lead.
"Ed?" Winry mumbled sleepily. He looked down at her, cozily nuzzled against his torso.
"What?" He said trying to sound annoyed.
"The sun… and your eyes." She whispered, "They're the same colour…"
"Huh?" He managed to blurt out.
Not long after that he could hear the sound of her gentle breathing as she clung onto him, sleeping peacefully under the blankets of stars.