Chapter 2
Like an Automail's Scorn.
He was in bed; the light of the morning, streamed through the window curtains picking on him. "Another dream." He whispered.
'Fading fast. Darkness. The inevitable darkness. The voice. Comforting in its tone. Sin. Hope. The emptiness and silence. The dream will be gone soon, and so will he. His soul retreating to it's final resting place. Hohenheim'
'A key to the door that would unlock the dream within your mind.' Had he finally been able to-. No, never. A thud to his head. A rolled up sock had hit his head. He ignored it. 'Fate.' He thought. 'Should I care any more? I don't.'
"GET UP!"
"I AM!" Ed sat up rubbing his head as Winry stomped into his room. She grabbed his arm and began to drag him out of the room. "What are you doing?"
"Someone's here to see you." She said not to happily at that.
"Who?"
"You'll see."
"But I don't even have my shirt on." Ed said trying to grab his shirt as they went past his dresser.
"So."
"Winry."
She began pulling him down stairs not even listening to his complaining until she heard Al and the visitor's voice as they chatted casually to one another while eating breakfast. Oh was Winry upset at the visitor for coming during her alone time with Ed. Winry almost stopped when her mind spoke out of turn, but she continued trudging along down the stairs till they reached the kitchen. She threw Ed inside with a scowl on her face.
"Winry!" Ed froze when he saw Rose starring at his bare chest. He looked around spotting his red jacket to hide his scars.
'Why hide something so beautiful?' Winry thought.
'What?' Her mind asked confused.
'My-My work that is.' She responded to her mind with a blush that crept across her face and didn't seem like it wanted to leave.
'Yeah, right.'
"So Rose what do you want?" Ed said slipping on his jacket as he pulled out a chair next to Winry after she sat down. He grabbed a plate and pilled it with food then began stuffing his face freely. With out a care in the world, or manners. He slowed down when there was hardly any food left. When he was done he casually leaned his back against his chair.
"Well, Ed." Rose said watching him stuff his face and waited for him to stop. When he did she finally spoke. "I came by to see if you needed- well because I wanted to give you a ride to school." Rose smiled sweetly causing Ed to almost fall over in the chair he was now leaning back in and she also received a glare from Winry. "I feel bad for how I treated you through the years and I wanted to make it up to you Ed."
Ed twiddled his fingers before looking at Al for help. Al just shook his head and turned back to his food. 'I'll remember that one Al.' Ed turned back to Rose who was looking at him with a smile waiting for him to answer the way she wanted him to answer. "I… uh… I-."
"All ready have a ride from me." Ed looked at Winry with gratitude. She nodded to him and turned back to Rose. "Sorry I asked him last night if he wanted a ride. But Al doesn't have a ride so your trip won't be in total vain." Without another word Winry stood up with a tight smile aimed at Rose. She walked over to the rack on the wall grabbing her keys before swinging the door open and turning her gaze back to the kitchen to glare. "You coming Ed!"
"Ye-yeah just a sec." Ed stood up grabbing some biscuits before running upstairs to his new room. He grabbed a white wife beater (a-shirt) then threw off his PJ pants threw on his wife beater, black pants, black jacket, and boots, then ran back down stairs. He grabbed his red trench jacket and white glove and headed out the door after Winry. He looked back at the house watching Al being dragged off by an angry looking Rose. Ed shook his head and he turned back to Winry's car. 'What the hell is going on here?' he opened the door to Winry's car and stepped in closing the door behind him. "Thanks."
"No sweat." She said tightening her grip on her steering wheel as she took off. 'What the heck was Rose thinking she was doing?' Winry tightened her grip even more on the steering wheel that her knuckles began to turn white from the pressure that was being applied.
'Get a Grip Winry!'
'What do you think I'm doing?'
'Not on the steering wheel, on your emotions. Look Ed might catch your anger and would wonder what's wrong. Then what would you tell him, huh?'
'He wouldn't care.' Winry turned her gaze to Edward. Who was leaning against the passenger door, she was watching him staring out the window.
'You know he would.'
'Would he?'
'Yes, don't even say he wouldn't.'
'He would wouldn't he.'
"Ed." Her gaze shifted back to the road ahead of her before she dared speak to him.
"Hmm?" was his response as he sat up a little straighter.
"Granny and I have been doing some experiments with automail and… red liquid."
"What!" his golden eyes shot to her. He watched her move a strand of blonde hair that escaped her ponytail.
She had his full attention. "Russell and Fletcher- I mean Chris and Paul gave us some. Well we created a automail that grow along with its user. And we figured out how to put flesh on it, and we were wondering if-?"
"And Pinako has been helping you with this?"
"Yes." Her eyes turned angry and glared at Ed. "Why you don't think I could have done-!"
"No, I know you could have done this on your own! It's just… red liquid is dangerous. If anything would have happened to you I… I… never mind."
"Ed? What-?"
"When is the earliest you can do this?"
Winry took in a shaky breath as she pulled into the school's parking lot. She put the car in park before taking a deep breath then answering Ed's question. "Tonight if that's good for you."
"All right." Ed opened the door and stepped out slowly. Before closing the door he turned back to Winry. "Winry?"
"Huh?"
"Thanks." He watched her nod. "I'll see you later okay." With that he shut the door and headed back to class.
Winry sat there starring at her steering wheel as a tear ran down her right cheek. 'He does care.'
o0o0()0o0o
Ed sat in class waiting patiently for class to start. "Did you hear the new principle is here?" Ed turned in his seat starring at the two boys who were talking.
"Yeah, I heard we got two new teachers too but they don't come till tomorrow."
"Yeah but the hot one has only one student."
"Why is that?"
"She's the College Alchemy teacher."
"College alchemy huh? I'll just have to work my ass off in alchemy so I can get her senior year."
"Yeah right."
"Edward Elric." Ed turned to the front of the classroom. He spotted Mr. Nevy with a piece of paper in his hand. "Edward Elric?"
"Yeah?" Ed watched Mr. Nevy make a check on a slip of paper.
"Jack Gibson."
"Here."
Ed was confused but ignored it and sat patiently as Mr. Nevy called out the rest of the names.
"Winry Rockbell." Ed's eyebrows shot up when that name was called. He looked around trying to spot her. But all the seats were taken except for the ones next to him. And Winry wasn't in any of them or in the crowd of faces. "Winry Rockbell?" still no answer. Finally the door swung open and Winry walked in. "Ms. Rockbell, so nice of you to join us." Laughter from the whole class erupted except from Ed. Was he the only one who noticed the lone tear hanging on her chin.
"Sorry, I forgot my math book at home." Winry said looking at the ground.
"It's okay take a seat by Mr. Elric."
Winry's head shot up and her hand's quickly shot to her eyes to dry any remaining tears. She nodded to Mr. Nevy then headed towards one of the empty seats by Ed. She sat down resting her chin in her hands and let out a sigh.
"Why were you crying?"
Winry's gaze turned to Ed who wasn't even looking at her but at the front of the room. "I… I… wasn't crying."
She watched Ed's golden eyed shift to her. His left hand got closer to her. His index finger slid across her chin. His finger then pulled away holding a stray tear. "Then what's this." Ed spoke so softly as he put his hand on the table and waited for Winry to answer.
"I…" Winry tightened her eyes fighting back the tears that were coming.
"Hey Winry, is crippled messing with you beautiful?" Ed and Winry both turned to the two boys who were talking about the new teachers earlier. One had long brown hair that went in his eyes. While the other had short black hair with a smirk that made you think he was crazy.
"Yeah, if he is you can sit with us." The other spoke in turn.
"That's okay, he's not bothering me." Winry turned looking at the two boys then to Ed. "Thanks any ways. Jake, Kane."
"Winry come on, you don't want to sit by a crippled. Come on sit with us-." Jake was interrupted.
"Shut up before I make you a crippled." Ed breathed through his teeth. Clutching the desk so hard it began to splinter.
"We getting testy orphan?" Kane asked.
"Shut up you guys." Winry said watching Ed getting angrier by the minute.
"You his girlfriend Winry?" Jake asked.
"He's gonna kill you guys."
"There's nothing that bastard can do to us."
Ed was out of his seat in an instant, punching Kane with his left hand while he held him down with his automail.
Jake tried pulling him off but Ed threw his right arm back. Sending Jake flying into three other desks. Ed got up dragging Kane with him then lifting him in the air. "If you ever call me and orphan or a bastard again I will kill you." With that Ed threw him into Jake who was trying to get back up.
"Mr. Elric." Ed's gaze shifted to Mr. Nevy who looked… pleased? "The office is waiting for your arrival Mr. Elric."
Ed let out a breath and walked out the door.
o0o0()0o0o
"Full Metal, in trouble on my first day here. How cynical of you Ed." The principle said sitting on the side of his desk.
"Huh, I should of know you'd be principle. Always trying to get to the top aren't we now Roy." Ed said sitting in the empty chair.
"Well it is quite comfortable and I did get Hawkeye to wear a mini skirt for this job. It's tremendous."
"Shiterrific." Ed said rolling his eyes.
"So why are we here Ed?" Roy picked up the file that was on the desk. "Fighting? Wow isn't that a surprise and please tell me why this fight started?"
"Because they were bastards."
Roy took a deep breath. "Ed you can't keep fighting because someone calls you short all the time. It's childish."
"WHO YOU CALLING SO SHORT-!" Ed stopped when he stood up and stared at Roy. "Wait a minute." Ed stood up straighter and walked closer to Roy with a smile on hi face. "I'm almost as tall as you are."
"That's absurd." Roy was on his feet in an instant. "The day you're as tall as me-."
"Damn right, I am as tall as you." Roy sat down quickly mumbling something that Ed couldn't hear then cleared his throat to speak.
"Now why did you start this fight?"
Ed's smile turned into a scowl. "They called me an orphan and a bastard."
Roy nodded understanding then why Ed beat up the two idiots. "I have received word from Hohenheim." Ed's scowl turned to Roy. "He said he needed to explain some things to you."
"How?"
"He said your mother had a diary, it should help."
"It's gone it burned in the fire."
"He said your mother had buried it somewhere."
"Where?"
"The place where her and Hohenheim always sat."
Ed looked at Roy with a shake of his head and a look that said like-I-know-where-that-is. "Of course."
With that Ed walked out the door.
o0o0()0o0o
"So your saying your mom buried her diary somewhere in town?" Rose asked as Ed and Winry sat down with their food at the café.
"Yeah, that's pretty much it." Ed said grabbing his slice of pizza. He stuffed it in his mouth and the others followed suit.
"Brother, is that all you know?" Al said putting down his crust.
"Roy said that she buried it at a place that her and Hohenheim always sat at." Ed said grabbing another slice. "Vhat vever whaat Theans."
"Just ask my granny." Winry said looking at Ed.
"Pinako?"
"Yeah she knew your mom and dad well remember."
"Well if she does will you guys help us find it."
"Sure." Rose said with a big smile.
Ed turned to Winry who was eating like the question wasn't asked to her. "Winry."
"Hmm?"
"Will you."
"You want me? But I'm just a 'gear head'." Winry said quickly a habit she does when she's nervous.
"Please."
"Well I guess it would be interesting to know what your mom thought." Winry said with her index finger on her bottom lip.
"So you'll help."
"Of course."
"Great then were settled."
"You guys doing stuff with out me?" all their heads shot to Chris who had Fletcher with him.
"Hey Fletcher."
Fletcher looked at Al with confusion. "Hi. It's Paul"
"Oh yeah I'm not in my suit of armor so you probably don't recognize me."
"Al?"
"In the flesh."
"Speaking of flesh, can we go during eighth period, my English teacher has only me so we get done early." Ed asked looking at Winry.
"Well I have math." Winry said pushing her index fingers together.
"I'll help you with the math homework before we get started."
"Okay."
"What are you talking about brother?" Al asked looking from Winry to Ed.
"It's a surprise."
"Is Winry pregnant with your child?" Rose asked. Chris watched Winry blush and not even answer.
"Shut up Rose."
"Sorry just wondering."
Ed looked at his pocket watch and then shook his head. "I got to go. Roy wanted to ask me something."
"Whose Roy?" Chris asked.
"Our commanding officer and our new principle." Ed said getting up.
"You need a ride?" Rose asked.
"No I got one." Ed began walking to all the tables picking up all the silverware and some alcohol. He grabbed the big pile and headed out side with his curious friends behind him. He threw them on the side of the street with a smile on his face. He slammed his hands together then slammed them on the pile. There in a flash of blue light was a silver motorcycle. Ed smiled as he jumped on.
"That won't work." Chris said.
"How do you think me and Ed got everywhere." Al stated.
"Whatever."
Ed jumped on the bike. "See yah." And with that he was off.
"Told you." Al said and followed the rest inside.
o0o0()0o0o
"Okay so 5x3(3x3-8x2+10x+2) equals 15x3-40x2+56x4+10x3"
"But shouldn't the 40x whatever be positive?"
"No, a negative and a positive equals a negative and a positive and a positive equals a?"
"Positive?"
"Yeah. And a negative and a negative?"
"Negative?"
"No, positive… see there are to lines in a plus sign right?"
"Yeah."
"And there is one line in a negative." Ed drew a line on a sheet of paper. "If you add another line perpendicular instead of parallel then it makes a-."
"Plus sign making it positive."
"Right."
"Ed we're ready!" Ed dropped the pencil and looked at the door leading out of Winry's room.
"I'm done now too if you want to get started." Ed looked at Winry and nodded. They both walked down stairs and into the work area. Pinako was sitting on a stool waiting with Al in a chair next to her.
"Okay Al you can go." Pinako said.
Al nodded and got up. He stopped and looked at Ed. Ed nodded and Al walked out. "Okay Ed we don't know if this is gonna be any more painful then the other surgery but we'll see."
Ed nodded at Pinako and jumped on the bed. They took his arm and leg off quickly leaving no room for pain. Ed watched Winry take a cover off of his new arm. He watched the red liquid in a tube that made it look like his vein. "We put the flesh on afterwards." Winry said watching Ed closely.
Ed nodded again.
"Okay you ready Ed."
"Like I said the first time we did this, no pain is even close to the pain he went through."
Winry looked a Pinako who nodded at her. "This will take a little longer then before because not only do we have to hook it up to your nerves we have to hook them up to your tendons."
Ed nodded again.
"Okay here we go." Winry put the arm beside his arm socket while Pinako put his leg by his leg socket. "One two… Three!"
Ed's eyes widened in pain. It was nothing he ever felt before. He looked around clutching the sheets searching for his voice. Then he finally found it. "Ahhhhhh!" Winry's eyes went to his face seeing tears come down his cheeks. "Ah, ah, ahhhh!"
Al sat in the chair out side waiting for it to be over. He heard the scream and was on his feet. He stepped closer to the door putting up a shaky hand to the doorknob. He turned it slowly opening to see his brother. Never had Al seen Ed's eyes so dilated, or Ed screaming. It was too much and with that said he passed out.
Winry's head jerked to the door when she heard the body drop to the floor. She spotted Al's body at the door. She ignored it for the time being and returned to what was at hand. She finally got the arm in and turned to her granny. She was having trouble with the leg. Winry walked over to her and helped as quickly as she could. She looked up when the screaming stopped. Ed's eyes were closed. She looked at the heart monitor his heart was still beating.
She grabbed the flesh off the tabled and handed some to her granny.
'Well Ed this is for you.'
o0o0()0o0o
Ed woke up seeing the baby blue color all over his room. Baby blue? He sat up slowly looking around and spotted Winry at her desk. 'Why was he in Winry's room?' he put his feet on the ground and began to rub his forehead. He stood up slowly taking a shaky step towards Winry until he lost his balance.
Winry heard footsteps and turned to see Ed walking towards her. She watched as he lost his footing and almost fell. She caught him. She set him back down on her bed and sat next to him.
"Where am I?"
"My room. Al walked in on the surgery when he heard you screaming and passed out. We had to carry him up stairs to the closest room. That being yours then we took you to the second closest room mine." Winry said.
"What day is it?"
"Friday."
"Well I better-."
"Night."
"Huh?"
"You've slept for almost three days now." Winry wiped her cheek and Ed noticed for the first time that she had been crying. "Granny said if it were any other man you'd have been dead."
"I-I'm sorry."
Winry looked at him confused. "Why?"
"For worrying you."
She smiled and hugged him. Ed slowly put his arms around her. She finally pulled away wiping her eyes. "It's hard crying for you guys you know that."
"Well don't. We don't deserve your tears."
"Yeah well you gonna get them any ways." She got up and sat down at her desk and began writing again. Ed stood up and walked around her room until a little blue book caught his eye.
"You have a diary?"
Winry's head shot up and she was on her feet in a second. She ran over to him snatching the book away from him. "Mine."
"Are you sure?" Ed said reaching for the book.
Winry stepped back. "Mine."
"Okay, okay." Ed smiled as he laid back on her bed. "I'll leave you alone."
"Mine."
"I said okay."
"Mine."
"All right all ready."
"Ed."
"I won't mess with it." 'For now.' And with that Ed fell asleep.
A/N:
Okay this is going good so far. I think, I hope. Well I am Devin Warren and I approve this story, kind of, sort of, not really. Just kidding well tell me what you feel by pushing that purple button that says submit review at the bottom of the screen. And It's true it is my only means of survival.
Reviews:
Bob's Castle: (CC)
Final Wish and Warslayer
FFNetFinal Thought From Winry:
I told him it's mine and I mean that it's mine.
Blanket Disclaimer for this fanfic (Will apply to this and all other chapters in A thin Silver Strand): I do not claim any rights to The Full Metal Alchemist or the characters associated with the anime, video game, mange. etc. Those rights belong to whoever created it, I don't know who that is right now but I will find out. I do offer my gratitude to whomever for creating characters that I can torment and make cry like babies.