Snakes of the Element 47 Ag: Chapter 10: Beginning Again
By pure-thornless-rose
In front of a residence's home…
"So you're here on a different assignment…" Ed recalled. Hughes had led them all away from the main streets and towards the residential areas of the town. For some reason they had stopped in front of one of the homes as well. Hughes nodded to confirm Ed's thoughts.
"I just arrived this morning and headed straight to a friend's house…" Then he shifted toward the house they were standing in front of and made his way to the door, unlocking it and entering, urging them to follow. "Then I learned that you three were headed for this town on an assignment Roy gave you so I asked him if I could give you guys a room for a while—sorry Kaida, but I tried getting you your own room, away from the boys, but my friend's stubborn…"
"Oh… well that's alright as long as I have my own—ah!"
"But there are three separate beds…!" Hughes suddenly sputtered. "And they all better be used separately." Then he turned to Ed in a scary sort of way. "Got that Ed?" he eyed the boy like a culprit. "You better not lay a finger on the girl…"
"W-what?" Ed stumbled backwards, suddenly retorting. "Why would I want to…" Suddenly Hughes broke into laughter as Kaida blushed heavily and Al choked from wanting to laugh.
"I'm just joking Ed, I know you're not like that…!" he laughed. "But I'm still enforcing the 'no sharing beds' rule…"
"Good…" Ed piped up. "I'm the least bit attracted to her anyway…!"
"The feeling's mutual…!" Kaida added abruptly. They stuck their tongues out at each other like little children again.
"So what's all this racket about, Maes?" They all suddenly turned towards the new voice at an opening door. A young man peered out and leaned on the doorpost, adjusting his glasses and running his fingers through his dark blonde hair, the stubble across his chin indicated hours of late night work. "Oh…" He paused. "The kids are here…" He then smiled a tired smile. "Welcome…!"
"Ah… guys," Hughes began, "this is my friend, fellow Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Hanel…!" The young man shifted some to give them a lazy and tired salute, Ed and Kaida returned his salute and Al bowed.
"Pleased to meet you all… and sorry for the one-room thing… I'm bunking others here too…" He rubbed the back of his neck with a sweat drop.
Then Kaida whispered to Al, "Is it just me, or is everyone that we meet have a name that begins with an 'H' lately…?"
The room with the three separate beds… (Ah-hahaha…!)Kaida…" Al started. "Your mother's a State Alchemist?" He finally asked, although they were alone since Ed had to speak with Hughes and Hanel. The room was set up much like the room in the Hameilo residence; Kaida also claimed the bed closest to the window, with Al adjacent from hers, yet in between the two other beds. They only arranged this way to further prove Ed and Kaida's point so Hughes would leave them alone. Kaida squirmed.
"Well, yes…" she said in wonder. "My mother… she was the Herbal Alchemist…"
"Was?" He echoed her words. She nodded, grimly indicating death.
"She specialized in alchemy for medicinal purposes, like the people in Xing… the strong ones made were mass-produced for the war. She told me of other things she was involved with in the military, but that's a secret…" Her tone was grim and unwelcoming, but was very thought provoking.
But then Ed walked in… looking a little gloomy. "Hey guys…" He plopped onto his bed. "I have boring news for you…"
"What is it, brother?"
Ed sighed, "Just sights of chimeras roaming the streets nightly is all… Colonel wants us to see where they're coming from, who's making them, and then capturing them all…"
"So I guess we wait till sundown to go sight seeing, huh…?" Kaida suggested, looking out the window. The view wasn't too special, only that she now noticed that the hill with the creepy old house was in sight. She immediately remembered the eyes she saw through the second floor window.
"Yep…" Ed answered flatly.
"I say we check out that old house too… Cause it sure seems like the perfect hideout now…"
"Yeah… Good idea." Ed answered, smirking. "We'll check it first after sundown." They were in agreement instantly for once, and only Kaida noticed, meaning nothing to her though. Maybe it was the calm atmosphere that let everyone loose. The travel between the two towns wasn't as long as before, but it made them a bit tired.
Then the room fell silent…
Five minutes later…Edward had fallen asleep. But Alphonse and Kaida spent the time in conversation, Kaida had told Al more about herself than she expected. It was mainly about her family, how they were separated by force, and how the only one she has left now was her older sister, who she continues to believe is still in Drachma. (But we all know is stranded in Central Headquarters… and she doesn't know that so shhh…) The conversation ended when Al looked at his napping brother.
"Aagh… man…" he complained. Kaida looked in wonder. "Ed fell asleep with his stomach exposed again…"
Kaida giggled at this and watched Ed sleep while his stomach continued to show. "Wow… this food tastes soooo good…" Ed suddenly said in a sleepy tone. Kaida chuckled.
Then she had an idea. "You don't mind if I play a little prank on him do you?" she asked Al. He answered with a flat 'of course I do, he's my brother' look. She blinked and said, "I'll do it anyway. It's nothing big at least…" Then she got up and walked towards Ed's bed, rendering Al powerless since she had already taken action. She pulled out a vial with unknown substance in it and squeezed a drop from the eyedropper into his gaping mouth. Ed suddenly sat up, obviously tasting the substance then looking at Kaida angrily.
"YUCK!" He yelled at her. "What the hell is… this… s…stuff…?" His words broke apart and he suddenly plunged back into his bed, asleep. Kaida grinned evilly at Al.
"That's just a little something I use to make sure they're sleeping… mother's recipe mind you…" Al backed away from her. Then she pulled out a thick, black marker and removed the cap.
An hour later, in the living room…Kaida and Al had decided to help Hanel around the house and had just finished only to sit and talk in the living room. And exactly an hour after tasting Kaida's yucky substance, Ed stepped out of the room and entered the living room, still drowsy. Looking the part too.
"Crappit, Kaida…" he moaned. "What the hell did you give me…? I have this nasty aftertaste in my mouth…" He yawned. "What?" Everyone was looking at him amusingly.
"Fullmetal…" Hanel smirked. "You have… things… written and drawn all over you…" He was holding back a laugh. Hughes looked at Kaida, he knew she did this and she smiled and shrugged. Then she stood up, handed Ed a note and mirror, and left. A concealed smile was wiped across her face. Ed took notice of all the comments written across his arms, which made him cross, really cross… Then he read the note.
"Read your face… It'll be a reminder every time you look in a mirror…" It read. So he looked through the mirror and froze with anger. He turned to Al.
"DID YOU LET HER DO THIS!" He accused his little brother and pointed at the words and little hearts and flowers scribbled on his face.
"She's fast, brother… real fast…" Al defended himself. The other men kept silent, holding back from laughing out loud. Only until Ed stormed off to hunt Kaida down and kill her on the spot did they begin to laugh…
Al looked curiously on. "Wow… she can write backwards?"
Sorry about this long one... XD;;; Please review okay? let's wait for next time too!