Ok, this is my first attempt at a fanfic. I know, it's a bit slow right now, but it'll get more exciting once i add to it.
I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of it's characters.
Chapter 1
Elysia's eyes flashed open as the incessant bleating of the alarm clock began. She clumsily reached beside her to the nightstand where the clock was, and fumbled for the button to make the horrid noise stop. Unable to find it, she picked it up and threw it across the room; unplugging it in the process.
Did the day really have to begin? If she tried and ignored it, maybe night would just go on. Clearing her head of these thoughts, she groaned, and rolled out of bed. She winced as she walked into the night stand. Great. The day was already starting off well.
Elysia had just turned seventeen, with light brown hair a little past her shoulders; which she always wore in a ponytail, and blue eyes. She was neither an optimist nor a pessimist, but somewhere in the middle. She could remember being happier, but people, being products of their environment, change; and since her father's death when she was four, things hadn't been the same. Her mother was often drunk, and went out with too many men, never satisfied with any of them because they were "nothing like her father"
She also now had a half brother that her mother had with one of these men. His name was Strider; an inquisitive twelve year old with an auto-mail eye. He was extremely arrogant and too smart for his own good. Not a combination that makes for a modest personality. He and Elysia often fought over just about everything. They weren't the closest of siblings.
Elysia had a hobby that reminded her of her father. She liked to take pictures. She often had a camera with her and took random snapshots when she could.
Now ready for school, Elysia made her way out the door. She had gotten up early just to avoid seeing her broken family; but, unfortunately a noise behind her caused her to pause before shutting the door, and she turned to see her mother.
Gracia Hughes was now middle aged. She still kept her brown hair cut above her shoulders. She didn't look too bad this morning. She probably hadn't been drinking last night. Stretching, she said "Going to school?"
"Yeah…" Elysia answered. She didn't feel muchlike talking at the moment.
"Well…have a good day." Her mother finished.
Elysia sighed and closed the door behind her. Most conversations she had with her mother these days were as short and terse as that one had been.
After a routine day of school, Elysia had work. She worked at a small diner a few blocks away from where she lived called "Angleitia's Meet and Eat". This was her first job. Some teenagers get a job for extra money; some because their parents force them too, and then some like Elysia, get a job to help support their family. Angelitia, or Angie, as she liked to be called, owned the diner. She knew about Elysia's situation, and was kind to her. She was paid well, and wasn't overworked. She worked behind a register for the most part.
This particular night wasn't very busy. Elysia sighed, and begincleaning off the counter as random music played through out the diner. She looked up as a chime sounded, which alerted workers to when a customer had arrived. This customer was her neighbor, Adrian; a boy she had been friends with for as long as she could remember. He was a year older than her, tall, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He walked over to the register she was at, and sat on the counter. "Hey, how are ya?" he said.
Elysia smiled. Adrian had a habit of dropping by at the right moments. At least she wouldn't be bored anymore. "Alright I guess."
"You guess?" He raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Come on, things aren't that bad."
She crossed her arms. "I guess not."
"Hey, how can you not be ok around me?"
She rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh right, you come along and everything's suddenly better?"
He gave a smug smile. "Well I was hoping so."
"You're too modest."
Angie suddenly came at Adrian with a dish rag. "Boy, get your butt off my counter!" She was ready to swing, but Adrian jumped off before she had reason too. She looked at him a moment, shook her head, then turned to the counter and began cleaning it.
Adrian shrugged, and sat in a booth near the counter as he waited for Elysia to get off work.
Angie let her go early, and the two walked the few blocks home together.
"So…who's your mom seeing now? Still that actor?" He asked.
Elysia laughed. "No, she dumped him a while ago. Things were getting too weird. I mean, spending all that time in the bathroom fixing his hair? He had more feminine habits than she did."
"So who was that guy I saw today?"
"Probably Derek. He's a construction worker…" She trailed off. She wasn't too sure about her mother's new boyfriend. "So…" she said. They had just reached her house, and the silence between them was growing awkward.
"So…see you tomorrow?" Adrian said.
She smiled. "Sure." And with that, she walked inside the house.
"What were you talking to him about, huh?" commented a voice as soon as she stepped inside. She looked over to see Strider, both eyes, his normal brown one, and his other auto-mail eye fixed on her.
"Nothing. Were you watching out the window? You stupid little brat."
"Hmph. Well it's not like there's anything else better to do in this house."
"You just can't mind your own business, can you?"
"Nope."
"I thought so." She shook her head and started up the stairs. "Night."
"Yeah whatever. I'm going to wait up for mom."
"Derek?"
"Yeah."
And so after a normal day, Elysia was asleep for a normal night. But, she had only slept a few hours before she awoke to a commotion that was not normal. And the actions causing the commotion would ensure she'd never have a normal day like this again.
It was screaming. Her mother's screaming. Her eyes flashed open, and shelaid there a second; unsure whether or not she had really heard it. After a few more moments, and a few more odd noises, she decided to see what was going on.
As she made her way down the stairs, the open door creaked as wind blew it open a few more inches. In the moonlight, she saw blood glistening on the door knob, and felt a chill go down her back. This was bad. She heard a noise, and saw Strider cowering behind the couch beside the door and in front of the window, his auto-mail eye shining with the same moonlight. He looked absolutely terrified. "I-is he gone?" he managed to whisper.
Elysia went to him, but stopped as she reached the bottom of the stairs. There, lying on the floor, bloody and dying was her mother. Gasping, she knelt down beside her. Her mother tried to talk, but couldn't seem to manage it. Elysia felt tears growing in her eyes.
Strider came out from behind the couch and went over to them. "Mom?"
But she was gone, and Elysia's "normal" life went with her.
