The Violet Glow.
"Alphonse..."
The fair-toned eyelids opened slowly to reveal light pools of smokey color. Teresa had fallen asleep on the counter. Pulling her torso to sit up, she examined the room she was in. About twenty boxes filled with weapons were stacked neatly at the corner of the store; she could see them by the moonlight flooding in from her open window. She grimaced, then pulled up her sleeve to check the time: half past eight. To her relief, she figured they were sitting there for about ten to five minutes. All she had to do now was wait for one of the military's attendants to come and take their supply. Her eyes danced in their sockets as she observed her store; it was old and very ragged. Sighing, she pushed herself up from her chair and stood up on it. The shelves behind the desk were neatly lined, yet they were also very old and covered in thick layers of dust and grime. "Oh boy..." she muttered, then bounced off the chair and went around to the back. She grabbed a rag and made it damp from the faucet, then went back to the shelves. "Since I'm here, I'd better start workin' on it."
Moments after she had cleaned the first shelf, she blew out a very loud breath of air. She began unbuttoning her shirt. When it slid off easily from her shoulders, she wrapped the arms around her waist and let the rest hang behind her. She was wearing some kind of cropped black shirt, one that only covered her bust completely and then exposed the rest of her. The rag grew instantly very grimy. With a sigh of exasperation, she stepped off the chair once more and went around the back again. This time, while she was rinsing her rag, she heard a series of knocks at the door. She quickly stopped what she was doing. "Military here for shipments!" The voice was thick and masculine; most likely Mustang.
Teresa motioned for him to come in, and he did so without hesitation. "Military here for shipments," he repeated. "Private!" Teresa rolled her eyes, yet saluted him anyway. "For the millionth time, Colonel. I'm not part of the military!" He only chortled and gestured for her to help him. "You working late tonight, Stonewall?" he asked her, lifting one of the boxes. She smirked. "And miss loading weapons into the truck for breakfast?" She followed Roy out of the store and to the road in front of her. She placed a box in there, slid it all the way to the back. "I take that as a no." Roy responded to her sarcasm. "Greetings, Private!" Teresa almost dropped the box. She whipped around. "Yes, Lieutenant Colonel?" she hissed, her eyebrow twitching comically. She looked irritated. Hughes puffed out his chest and stabbed it with his thumb. His head nearly exploded. "I am Lieutenant Colonel. You should treat me with a little more respect!" Teresa rolled her eyes and saluted him reluctantly. "That's more like it!"
"Hughes." Roy said flatly. "Grab one of those boxes and put them in the truck." The Lieutenant Colonel forced a chuckle and saluted Roy with a mock respect. "Done and done!" Teresa burst with a series of guffaws. She placed another box in the truck and lifted four fingers to her mouth, only to quiet her laughing. Hughes followed Teresa back into the building, holding out one of his favorite pictures. "Have you seen the latest photograph of my sweet Elysia? In this one, she's eating a chocolate cake at her party--" With a canine-like growl at Hughes, Teresa lifts one of the last boxes and places it in the truck. She turns to Hughes. "With all due respect, Lieutenant Colonel, Idon'tverymuch care about those pictures. Right now I'm more concerned about getting your weapons in this truck so that you can defend Amestris in case of a war." Hughes leered at Teresa, sniffed and nodded, then put the picture back into his pocket. "Very well then," he said, attempting to recover the loss of his dignity. "But you missed out on such cuteness."
"All right, then," Roy said, letting out a sigh. "We're finished here. Your royalties, Stonewall, and I'm off. Early tomorrow morning, a whole new set of supplies will be waiting here. We'll be coming tomorrow to pick them up around noon. Thank you for staying so late." Teresa shrugged, took the royalties, and examined them with large eyes. "No problem," she responded. "Have a safe trip back." Roy nodded, then turned on his heels to enter the truck. The squealing of tires echoed in the night sky as they drove off. She waved happily at them until she saw the vehicle disappear. She turned around to enter the store, but a crackling noise stopped her. Her head switched from left and right, but she saw nothing. When she was almost through the door, she heard the sound again, but much louder. "Who's there?" she called, knowing it would go unanswered. She went into the shop and locked the door behind her. She then continued with her cleaning, completely oblivious to the figure standing at the window. Its eyes were a fiery crimson, lips darker than fresh blood. It disappeared quickly, in a brilliant flash of violet light. She turned to see only Al up the road.
She stepped off the chair and put the rag on the counter, then wiped her hands on her shirt. She went to the door. With a guilty kind of smile, she unlocked the door and turned the knob, then pushed it open. "Al!" she called, waving. He stopped, waved back, then came running to her. "Come on in, Al! Excuse the mess...I'm still cleaning it up." She giggled nervously. "I came to see if you were okay." he said. Teresa stepped back anxiously, her arm folded behind her head as she continued to giggle. "Eh, nothing here..." she responded, "Mustang and Hughes came to pick up their supplies, and they gave me royalties!" She lifted the pouch, watching it with large, cat-like eyes. Al nodded. "I can see that," he replied. "So, anyway, let's go home. Winry's cooked dinner!" Teresa stopped laughing, lowered her arm and looked at the floor. "I-I can't," she stated softly. "I want to have this place clean and neat for the military before they decide to fire me." Al shrugged.
"How long are you planning on staying?" he asked her. "It depends on how long it'll take me to clean up this place," she said. "I've painted the outside. Now I need to paint the inside!" She grinned, holding up a pail of black paint and a thick brush. "Do you have another brush?" At his question, Teresa colored a bit. She nodded, then pointed to the counter. "In the second drawer, you'll find another paintbrush like this. You can use that one, if you want." she responded with a bright smile. "Thanks, Al." The suit of armor nodded. And so the two began.
Their strokes were rhythmic; their hand movement almost completely equivalent. Teresa pulled out a chair as she attempted to paint the higher wall; she couldn't reach. With a sigh of defeat, she let herself fall into the chair and stuck the brush on the tray. "I give up," she groaned. "I'm too short." Al stopped painting. He turned his head toward her. "Let me help!" he said, then took her by the hand. He gently lifted her up; she colored as he placed her on his shoulders, warning her about the protruding spikes. "Th-Thanks." Al handed her his brush. "Hey Al," Teresa said softly. "Yeah?" Teresa smiled, then stopped painting. "I'm sorry." She brought the paintbrush down to the back of his helmet and painted a heart on it. "I just really missed you...I wasn't used to seeing you this way, and..." Her voice trailed off. She felt his cold metal hand on hers and she winced. "It's okay."
The moon cast it's milky glow through the windows of the shop, illuminating any darkness that might have surrounded it. The wind's breath was light and fragile at this time dead in the night. The pitch-colored curtains wavered very lightly at each whisper from the breeze. "Al?" came Teresa's tiny voice. There was an infant-like yawn. "Yes?" Teresa's head lightly plopped onto his shoulder. "Thanks..." she whispered, before falling asleep. Al turned to watch her, a comical red glow coming from his metallic cheeks. Al scanned the room. It was finally finished; the paint was drying, the shelves were clean and refurbished. The counter was dusted and glossened with its radiant redwood texture, the floors were sweeped and mopped.
Al turned to Teresa, watched her momentarily. He slipped his hand beneath the crook of her knee and another behind her neck; he lifted her to his chest, then stood. A cascade of yellow-blonde locks spilled over his forearm like a waterfall. She stirred, then awakened. "What are you doing?" she asked him softly, her eyelids drooping. Al opened the front door; locked it with a bit of difficulty. "It's okay, Terrie. I'm taking you home--uh, to Winry's." She looked slightly pained as she turned her head to his breastplate. "Are...you sure?" He nodded. "Yes."
It didn't take her long to fall back asleep; when she did, Al could only blush. From around the corner of the building, he saw something glowing. The light it cast was a dark violet tinge, bluish almost. A smoke-like substance seeped from the light, creating a horrendous image in Al's head. He could only cry out, partially knowing what the glow could be. It was very temporary, however, and vanished in a second. He didn't want to endanger Teresa. So he turned around, and started toward the outskirts of Central, toward the train station.He wouldn't stop until he reached Winry's, where he'd tell his brother about the whole incident. Suddenly, misery stabbed at his mind. It would be only a few hours until they'd have to leave, and he wouldn't see Teresa for a while again. He lifted her slightly to his chest, observing the way she slept.
Al sat against the wall, staring at something across from him. His metallic legs were crossed and his arms rested limply in his lap. He heard a yawn from somewhere and quickly turned to the darkness next to him. Ed appeared, stretching his arms with one eye open. "Were you up all night doing that?" he asked, a sympathetic smile on his face. His arms dangled at his sides. Al cried out softly in surprise. Then he turned and stared at the floor, as though guilty. "Hey, you have a right to," Ed comforted. He turned and looked at the sleeping Teresa; the blanket was pulled up to her chin. Her steady breathing was very light and soft. "You really missed her, didn't you?" Al shifted his attention back up at Ed. He nodded. "Look at her," Ed said, a warm smile on his face. "She looks so peaceful. It makes me envious, how she can sleep so peacefully even having undergone so many devastating trials in her life." Teresa turned over on her side, so that she was facing them now.Her lips parted very slightly and glittered with the sun; her hair seemed to drip over her shoulders and the edge of the bed. Ed and Al both colored and yelped in surprise. They watched her for some time in silence. Then Ed spoke up. "We're leaving tomorrow," Ed told him sternly. "You haven't seen her for four years, maybe longer. So I suggest you take this day and spend it with her. You might not see her again for a long time." Al cocked his head. "But you said--" Ed held up one finger. "I know what I said," he told him. "But for your sake, I'm willing to wait another day."
He disappeared behind the door. Al turned back to Teresa. And, to his shock, he heard a meowing sound. Al cried out. It wasn't Teresa, not that he knew--but it came back a second time, just louder. Al looked closer. All of a sudden, a tiny black head popped up from underneath the covers in front of Teresa. Two bulging green eyes stared at him. A pair of triangular ears twitched as the rather small feline examined him, no doubt surprised at Al's size. Teresa stirred, and her eyes parted slightly. Then they opened, and she lifted her torso. "Good morning, Terrie." Al said. A warm smile spread across Teresa's face. "Hey."