Chapter eleven: Coniniaue's Alchemy

Edward dashed up just as it ended. "What the… How… What…"

Coniniaue blinked. "Um, I used alchemy… Hello, you use it all the time, you should know."

"Well yeah, but you did it so fast…"

"I was a thief, Edward. I'm all about speed." With those last words, she went back to Halling's inn.

Edward inspected the walls. "She did such fine work… But I've never seen alchemy like that. It almost seems like she was controlling the stuff…"

Kyle was beside him, also inspecting. "Yeah. That was kind of weird. Even when dad did a little alchemy I didn't see that. Where does she come from?"

Edward blinked. "Well, now that you mention it, I do still have her papers…" As if to show him, he drew the papers from his coat.

Kyle reached for them, but he pulled them away. "Sorry Kyle, military only…"

"Aw, no fair…"

"But I can read it to you."

"Okay. So what's it say?"

"'Coniniaue's family originated from Xing. However, when Coniniaue was 'born' they moved here. Her parents were accomplished scientists, so they left to help with the war and make weapons. However, a bomb hits near their tent, which went off a train reaction of gunpowder inside. Their dying wish was that Coniniaue become a fantastic alchemist, and Dominique use her skills wisely.' Wow, there's a lot of extra space here."

"Why don't you add in someone of your own?" Kyle suggested.

"Yeah…" Edward pulled out a pen and scribbled this after the summary: "However, Dominique used her unique skills to become a murderous thief, who likes watching bodies go 'splat!' Coniniaue is, of course, the partner of the wonderful Edward Elric, the 'Fullmetal alchemist' for the military."

Kyle peered over his shoulder. "You like flattering yourself, don't you?"

"No one else does. Being called short is bad enough, I need to be flattered once in a while!" He replied.

Edward returned to the inn. "Coniniaue!" He called, entering the room. "Are you here?"

"Over here, dimwit." Coniniaue said. She was sitting on the floor, practicing alchemy. She kept assembling and disassembling a metal…

"Is that my arm?" Edward said, looking at his arm. It was still in its socket.

"Sort of. This is your old one." Coniniaue replied. "I needed something to practice with."

"Oh. Well, um, you'd better assemble it before you're done."

"Umm…" Coniniaue looked down. There were hundreds of little parts strewn across the floor.

"Oh, no. Tell me you can fix it…"

"I can fix it."

Edward crossed his arms. "Alright. Fix it right here. Right now."

Coniniaue shrugged. "I was thinking of going downstairs and getting something to drink.

"Not before you fix my arm!"

Coniniaue sighed, and slapped her hands together. She closed her eyes and come her hands on the ground before the pieces.