WOW! I'm actually alive, and not with a bad review! I thought for sure I'd be killed because of this fic! Glad you guys are enjoying it. Here's chapter 2! And Rei is out!

Chapter 2: Shopping Days Past

There was an awkward moment of silence and then Roy broke it by saying "Yup… I've officially gone insane."

"You haven't gone insane Roy, you… just need to learn a lesson."

"Learn a lesson?" Roy asked. What lesson would he possibly need to learn? "What are you talking about Maes? I don't need to learn a lesson!" Hughes sighed and then put his ghostly hand on Roy's shoulder. "I don't think I could really explain things to you, it's all very complicated. But in simple terms… Roy you're a cheapskate."

"Me, a cheapskate? What gives you that idea?" Roy asked. Maes forked an eyebrow and then pointed to the dollhouse Roy got for Elicia for 50 cents. "What? It's perfectly fine!" He told Hughes confidently. Maes sighed and then sent a weak ghostly wind towards the banged up dollhouse. As soon as the draft hit it, the small little house broke apart. Maes turned back to Roy. "You're a cheapskate." Roy gritted his teeth at this comment.

"C'mon Roy. Let's see if going into your past will help you go down the road of… of not being cheapskate." Hughes said.

"Wait, going into my pa-" Before Roy could finish asking his question they were both sucked into a shining portal. The feeling was like being sucked into a vacuum cleaner (wait… they even have vacuum cleaners in this show? -shrugs- … whatever.). It felt like his skin was going to rip off but then he fell flat on his face into the snowy ground. He sat up with a shiver and then got a look around. He recognized this place. The small little house right near the town… It was his childhood home! Then, the kid version of Roy ran out of the house. Roy was startled and stepped back a bit.

"Don't worry. You can't see you." Maes said. They both looked at the small Roy building a snowman in his front yard. Then "Roy, get back inside! You'll catch a cold!" Roy's mother said. The small child version of Roy frowned but went back inside. Maes then made a gesture for Roy to follow him. They were in front of the window now.

"Hey Roy! I got something for you!" Roy's father said. The kid Roy jumped up and down excitedly. "Really? Really? What is it?" He asked as his father took out a present from the closet. He set down the present and like lion going for the kill Roy pounced on it. He tore the wrapping off and then the look of joy on little Roy's face faded. "Um… Dad? What's this supposed to be?" Roy said as he looked down at some planks of wood and tire skeletons. "Well you said you wanted a bike for Christmas, but they're really expensive, so I figured you could build one! Plus getting the supplies was much cheaper!"

"… But Dad… Bikes aren't made with wood."

"Okay, I think I know where you got the cheap part from. Anyways, we should probably be heading to your next memory." Hughes said. Roy then turned quickly and said "Is there any way we don't have to use that big shiny portal?" Hughes rolled his eyes and said "Fine, fine… be that way." And then it was like the fast forward button was pressed. Everything was rapidly moving past, the days and nights lasting mere seconds. And then everything began to slow down. They were still in the same spot, in front of the same house. Then a teenage Roy walked into the house.

"Mom, Dad, I'm home!" the teenage Roy said. Then Roy's father rushed into the room. "Roy! I got your present!" He said handing Roy a badly wrapped gift. Roy wasn't very enthusiastic like his little boy self. It was like the teenage Roy knew what to expect. He tore the wrapping off and forked an eyebrow.

"I bought it today! It was cheaper than the one you wanted but I figured, what's the difference." Roy's dad said. The teen aged Roy looked at his dad. "Dad… this isn't an alchemy book… It's on the differences between circles and triangles."

"Wow… You're dad was even more of a cheapskate than you." Hughes said. Roy merely looked away. He didn't like remembering that his dad didn't know the difference circles and triangles and alchemy… "Well now we'll go to a more recent memory. Which guest stars yours truly." Hughes said. Once again it was like someone pushed the fast forward button. But this time the whole setting changed, and now they were in front of Central Station. Maes made another gesture for Roy to follow him. They entered the building and then they saw Riza, Havoc, and Hughes (that must be pretty awkward. The ghost is right next to you but the memory version is right in front of you XD).

"Hey the Colonel got us presents!" Hughes said carrying three boxes. Havoc sighed "Does the Colonel know I'm Jewish?" ("Hey, Havoc is Jewish!" Roy asked surprised. "SSSSHHH! Pay attention!" Ghost Hughes snapped.). Hughes shrugged and put the presents down in front of Riza and Havoc.

"There's one for Ed too but he's not here so…" Hughes said. He then tore open his box "Well… if it isn't a really old camera…" It was quiet for a second. "Well, I never can have too many cameras to take a picture of my Elicia!" He said happily as he examined the antique camera. Havoc then gave another sigh and tore open his small little present. He looked at it and then put a face. Hughes and Riza peered over Havoc's shoulders. It was merely a note that said:

"Havoc, you've been acting weird. I suggest you get a girlfriend."

Hughes bit his lip. He had to admit that this was some cruel humor but it wasn't funny only because Havoc had no luck with women. Havoc crumpled up the little note and threw it away. Then he turned to Riza "So, what did you get?" Riza then went to her box and tore the paper. She then took the lid off the box. "What the-" Was all she said as she took out the mini-skirt. Hughes and Havoc were trying their hardest not to fall on the floor and laugh. Riza then went red in the face, threw down the skirt, and took her gun out.

"How dare he embarrass me like this!" She yelled out. She was about to go look for Roy's blood but Havoc and Hughes held her back.

"I really don't think the mini-skirt was such a good idea, Roy." Ghost Hughes said to Roy. "Well… I had to give it a try." Roy said. Maes shook his head in disappointment and the background went back to that of Roy's room. "Well Roy, I can only hope you learned some things from that little trip. And if you didn't, be warned! The Ghost of Christmas Shopping Days Present will be here in exactly one hour!" And with that Ghost Hughes faded away. Roy yawned and then said "Well… I can't wait to wake up from this dream."

Just one last note. Rei doesn't know what Havoc's religion is, so don't flame the whole Jewish thing. I just wanted to add that Jewish thing somewhere along the lines. XD Anyways, thanks for reading! Of course there is to be more but that's later.