Okay so I'm updating with only three reviews but… it was done and someone put this on their favorites lists (smile). So here's the next chapter! Thanks to WildfireDreams, Wild Wolf Fire, and DXP (you faved me!) for your reviews, hope you enjoy the chapter.

The hotel kitchen is cold… but of course I cant feel it, I just know.

Mostly from the way brother is holding himself, shuddering under his warm red coat as it sweeps the ground at his feet.

"Al?" I jump at the suddenness of his voice.

"Yes brother?"

"Is something wrong? Why are you starring at me?" I wonder how he can tell were I'm looking if I have no eyes to watch with. Can he feel when I'm looking?

"Well… you look cold."

"Yeah… next time I'm making Roy spring for a better place." He smiles. Desperate and sad like smiles shouldn't be. "Your lucky you don't have to deal with it."

And we both know your lying. But we try to believe it anyway, because that's how we do things, that's how we get by.

An old lady hobbles up to us, letting our tray down over the table a little less then gently. Little spots of this soup splatter over the table.

"There you go." I don't understand why she's looking at brother that way, with that horrible envious sneer.

"Can I help you?"

"Odd new fangled things you got sticken' out of you there…" she glared down at his metal hand, glimmering in the murky candle light. I shrink away at the sparks flying between their eyes. Why is brother so prone to conflict?

A few moments later she turned, slinking away and muttering to herself shrewdly, "…can't just learn to adjust like the rest of us…" and it's only now that I see the arm folded behind her back is infact just not there. I feel sympathy pangs.

Brother flips her the metal bird before making faces at her back.

And I find myself giggling, and for a second it doesn't seem so bad.

The hinges to the heavy kitchen door creak loudly, and I think I'm really getting sick of that sound.

A figure stands in the doorway, drenched in rain and hidden in a tattered travelers cloak. The hood shades his eyes but the torn sleeves are enough to make me curious… metal glitters under the torn fabric.

"Brother-"

"I see…"

"What do you think…" a clatter interrupts, as the cloaked figure roughly shoves the waitress. China shattered over the floor as he finds his own seat.

"He's mean…" I pretend I'm glaring at him (because that's the best I can manage at the moment).

"And suspicious…Looks like he's been fighting…" And suddenly he stands up, and walks across the room to him. And I KNOW this will end in a fight, but with a mental sigh I know… I'm used to him. I'm used to this. I love him anyway.

"You look like you've been through quite the fight…" Brother looks down at the stranger with his hard, amber gaze. He simply tilts his head up, dim lights cutting through the shade of his hood, lighting only his eyes.

They're vivid, icy blue. He stares irritably for a few seconds, then turns away, and brother doesn't seem to understand he's being ignored.

The stranger's hands swoop over a passing tray, taking a deep amber colored drink without the waitress's notice.

"What happened to your arms?" You really don't like silences… and you've realized he's trying to ignore you…. And I know you cant stand for that.

"None of your business." And he flicks his gaze away, and it skitters over me. I blink. Wave. And he rolls his eyes.

"Look buddy I know something strange is going on here… and you don't exactly radiate normality. As a State Alchemist I have the authority to make you cooperate, so don't ignore me!"

"Your not worth my time pipsqueak, go away…" I can hear the sneer in his voice as he looks away, coiling is fingers together and resting his chin on them.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?" And I know its my job to hold him back now. With a sigh, and with practiced motion, I slip up behind him and hold brother back before he does something stupid.

And I don't know weather I'm amused or annoyed at him… but at least this gives me something to do other then think.

"You heard me." But his gaze shoots up like a chilly wind, leaving brother and storming me instead. "You," he paused, gaze scanning up and down, watching every part of me, and I feel oddly probed. The dim light makes those icy eyes glow against the shadow obscuring his face, and it makes him look almost feline. "What is this place?"

"What are you, stupid? Lemme go Al, this guy needs a knock right-"

"Stuff it." and the stranger moves to hit brother right in the stomach. I move my arm to block him and he pulls his punch just short, and our forearms graze.

Metal moans into the murky, rain washed silence.

"What are those?" I ask, before I think to stop myself. The stranger shrugs nonchalantly.

"Just metal bands." And he actually pulls back his tattered sleeves for me to see. it's a smooth, shimmering metal with perfectly smooth bolts, and the bands cover from his wrists to his elbows.

Brother's calmed down, simply slumping against me and glaring daggers of fire at the stranger.

"What are they for?"

"Are you going to answer my question or not?" and he crosses his arms and slumps back into his chair, obviously annoyed. I'm having trouble telling weather he's nice or not. But in the end I figure I am, so I really should answer anyway.

"You're in BlaerBeck."

"That doesn't say much."

"Er… I don't know what else you want me to say."

"Don't waste your breath Al, he's obviously to stupid to understand." Steely blue eyes glare harshly at brother, and I almost flinch at the expression it's so sharp.

"If you don't shut your mouth-" I don't know why I interrupt, I'm usually to polite for that, but I really don't feel like I can handle it right now (lately I've been feeling like I cant take much at all).

"Ok! Please stop! No more fighting!" I stand straight up, letting brother go, and he clatters to the floor, hitting his head on my knee. "Oh, sorry…" I pat his head gingerly, looking back at those sharp blue eyes. He seems shocked at my height, and looking up doesn't seem to suit him. He's looking straight into my face, as if looking for something…

… but I know there's nothing there to read. And he seems to think so too. He looks down, shaking his head slightly. His shoulders slump.

"I don't know how I got here. I don't know where I am… and I don't know where my brother is." he drew up his long lithe fingers, pulling back the hood to bare his face.

He looked far younger then I expected, with pale skin and smooth sable hair. His eyes were sharpened into a constant glare, despite the faded faint tear stains glimmering on his cheeks.

"Just tell me, where is this place?"

But the shattering, deafening splintering of wood and the sharp crack of stone filled the air. I look to the side in time to see a mass of stone and wood falling toward us, the rubble and wreck of walls and flooring gathering from three floors above. And I hope my metal isn't tender from the quick patch job Roy put me through before sending brother and I to this little mountain town.

Crack. And brightness is pressing my closed eyes (There not really closed, I'm just refusing to see). I can feel nothing breaking, nothing pressing against the cold hard shell of me.

"Oh my god…" The stranger breathes, and I open my eyes in time to see him reaching his elegant fingers, brushing over the dome of stone stretching from the ground and sheltering us.

"How did you…" he trailed off, gazing at bother, and his eyes flicker in hunger (and I'm shuddering inside because I can remember people with the exact same look… People who have done horrible things). "Can everyone hear do that?"

"Its just alchemy…" And brother grins proudly, "But I must say I am among the very best. I'm the Full Metal Alchemist."

"… Am I supposed to know what that means?"

And their just starring at each other like their each the stupidest person the other has ever seen.

Suddenly an animal snarl cuts through the air, and the world is spinning around me. Fangs and fur flash in front of me, and I stop wanting to see as blearing milky white eyes scream into my head.

I try to throw whatever it is off but its hard to move… and whatever it is, is huge.

And it feels to strange to scream with out having to breath in.

Anyone have a guess at who the stranger is? (giggle).Okay there, chapter 2. I hope it was enjoyed. Please review and tell me so (smile), Please no one line reviews if you can help it.