I promise, this is the end of the X-mas chapters! However, this chapter is my longest one yet. I think they'll stay around this length from here on. Ed's P.O.V

It was lively in the office after they came back. The silence that filled the room before was nonexistent, but that was mainly due to the discussion going on between the Elric brothers and Noelani. They all sat at the large table in front of Mustang's desk. By the look on his face, Roy never heard Noelani talk so much. Riza just looked like she wanted them to shut up while she was working.

"So you're from around Ishbal?" Al asked her.

"It's not really that close to it, but then again we haven't seen our homeland in decades, so yeah."

"Did you interact with them?" Ed asked, a little less enthusiastically, but he couldn't wait to hear anything about Ishbal. It was said a Philosopher's Stone was made there by the Grand Arcanum, but the Arcanum needs even more sacrifices.

"No, not really," she replied a bit quietly. Ed felt a drop of disappointment.

"I didn't know that an entire civilization would decide to live in between the mountains and the desert, but water supplies would be excellent. Fresh mountain spring water after every winter…" Alphonse was less interested in Ishbal than Ed was, but Ed supposed that was a blessing.

Noelani sighed, "We only get water when there's actually rain in the summer and snow in the winter up in the mountains. We thought it was impossible, but repeating droughts during the summer and winter pretty much destroyed our water supplies."

"So you moved to the desert," Ed finished.

"Yep. We lost all trade routes, our people broke up, and we had to look for water in the desert," she forcefully laughed, "But what choice did we have? Hardly anyone would be able to climb those bloody mountains, and we didn't dare leave our horses. They're our family," she sighed again, "Out in the desert, raiders were a bit more troubling than they were back home," then she grinned, "but we whooped their asses every time!"

Ed grinned with her, "So it wasn't over for you guys!" He completely forgot about Ishbal.

"Even if we weren't rich or prosperous anymore, we still had it good. Our warrior alchemists became even better, hence the kicking of the asses."

"That sounds like the ancient times… nomadic warriors," Al daydreamed.

"I was one of them," Noelani continued, "Or I would've been on my sixteenth birthday…" she sighed, "Arabia is a fine war mare too. She does anything I ask, no questions. We're like sisters, but if anyone else gets close to her she'll trample you like a rattle snake."

"That's real loyalty…" Ed also began to daydream. "Wait, you'd would've been one of those warriors?" he looked anxious to hear about this.

"Yep! I was the best sword wielder slash marksman slash alchemist in my age group! That is until…"

Silence began to creep into the room once again, only to be broken by Mustang.

"Aren't you going to the Rockbell's place?" he asked a bit annoyed at all the talking.

"Damn! We'll miss the train!" Ed cried angrily.

"Edward," Noelani asked quietly, "Can I come with you?"

Ed looked curiously at her, contradicting his previous attitude, then he smiled, "I bet Winry would like to meet you. Just don't make her mad."

"Thank you!" she turned to Riza, "Umm, Ms. Hawkeye?"

If Riza had a pencil, it probably would have broken. Her knuckles were white from gripping the pen so hard. Then she said in a rather calm and controlled voice, "Yes, you can go," she looked like she was about to add, "I'll finally have some peace and quiet!" but she didn't, and Noelani knew it.

"Thank you," Noelani whispered, "Well? We've got about…" she looked to the clock. Ed's train left at 5:30, "half an hour! Come on! Let's go!" she ran towards the door but turned around, "Bye, Colonel Mustang, everyone," she was out of the door before the others could reply. Ed and Al ran close behind her.

"Hawkeye?-" Roy began to ask.

"I have no clue, sir," she said without looking up from her work.

Noelani, Edward, and Alphonse all ran down the street, but only Noelani seemed to know where she was going.

"Wait! Where are we going?" Ed yelled. She was surprisingly fast for someone with no automail, let alone a walking suit of armor.

"To the park!" she called over her shoulder, her hair waving like a horse's mane behind her.

Ed and Al looked at each other without stopping. The park wasn't far, and before they knew it, Ed and Al were chasing Noelani through the woods area of the park. They ran along the path after her and they found Noelani in a clearing walking up to a white horse.

"Come on, Arabia. We're going to a friend's house." Ed and Al saw that a saddle and some packs were lying in the grass. Noelani put a halter over the horse's head.

"Noelani," Al began, "Why on earth did you leave your stuff out in the middle of a public area?"

"Is something wrong with that?" Apparently, she knew nothing of the dangerous city criminals that seemed to lurk everywhere after dark.

"Come on! Hurry up and stop talking!" Ed yelled.

Noelani glared, but said nothing and hurriedly saddled up the horse and put on the packs. The saddle and bridle were surprisingly simple, and there was no steel bit in the reins. Arabia was cautiously curious about the new people, but Noelani made it clear now was not the time for introductions.

Noelani mounted and asked Ed irritably, "You want a ride?"

"What? Oh, sure why not?"

It was a good thing that desert horses were a bit small. Ed barely managed to get on. Noelani had to hold her tongue until they got on the train.

"Hold on to the back of the saddle. Arabia hasn't double-ridden before." She said as they set off.

"Well, that makes me feel better!" he gripped the saddle and Arabia cantered, with Al at their heels.

In a surprisingly short amount of time, all during that time Ed was taunting Al for not being able to keep up, they reached the station. They still had fifteen minutes to arrange transport for Noelani and Arabia. When arrangements were made, ten minutes remained. During seven minutes of that, Arabia absolutely refused to get in the train car. She would only consider it when Noelani took the halter and gently pulled her in, but as soon as the door closed, Arabia whinnied. Ed just hoped Arabia wouldn't break out of the car on the way there.

At the last minute, literally, the three got on. When they found seats, the train almost immediately started moving. Noelani sat by the window, Ed and Al opposite her. During the ride, there was almost no talking because Noelani practically pressed her face on the window, although the view was poor because of the dark. Had she not ridden a train before? Sometimes, she would ask questions like "How does this thing move so fast?" or "What's that?" or "Where are we?". Al was completely patient with her, but Ed eventually stopped answering her questions.

Finally, they arrived. After some "horse playing" again, they set off. It was late, but Ed knew that Winry and Pinako probably were staying up for the holiday, even if he didn't say he'd be there. As they walked down the road leading to the village of Resembool, Noelani smelled the air.

"I've never smelled such wonderful air," she said.

"Well, this is the country. No big, polluting cities," Al replied.

"The desert smelled so dry compared to this, but it was still clean. Nothing's worse than city air." Noelani added.

"Well, I got use to it," Ed said.

"But one thing the desert has that even the country doesn't is the stars. Even if it's incredibly clear here, it's nothing compared to the desert. You swear you can see distant galaxies. Also, meteor showers are far more visible and beautiful."

"I bet that's true. I guess the light pollution even reaches all the way here." Al replied.

Soon enough, they arrived at the shop. Noelani dismounted and took off the saddle and packs and simply released her.

"She won't run away?" Ed asked.

"Didn't you hear me earlier? We're like sisters. You even said that was great loyalty."

Ed glared, but said nothing. Noelani brought in all her stuff, but Ed didn't understand how she could manage. They all walked in and a girl of around sixteen or seventeen and her grandmother Pinako were sitting at the kitchen table.

"Hey guys!" Ed said happily.

"Hey Winry! Hey Auntie!" Al said in the same tone.

"Well, well. Look who's here!" Pinako said.

Noelani put down her stuff out of the way.

"So you guys did decide to come," Winry added. Then a bit irritably, "Who's that?"

Ed panicked. The last thing he needed was her being mad at him, "This is Noelani! She wanted to meet you!"

This was not the correct answer, "And!"

"She's not my girlfriend! Happy!"

Both Winry and Noelani blushed furiously. After a standoff between Ed and Winry, she unconvincingly said, "That's not what I meant!"

Ed didn't notice, but Al leaned over to Noelani and whispered, "They have issues. Don't let it bother you."

Noelani nodded.

"Enough already," Pinako said not unkindly, "We have a guest. Let's sit at the table and eat. I was prepared for a visit from you two, but Winry and I will make something extra for your friend."

"Thank you, ma'am," Noelani said.

"Hmph!" Winry added under her breath.

"Winry! Just chill out!" Ed knew this would happen.

Noelani looked very stressed. Ed thought this must be harder on her than him or Winry.

They all sat at the table, and Noelani told Pinako and Winry, while they were cooking, her story. Winry must have decided to calm down because she started asking about her history. After food was made, everyone helped set up the table. When they all began to eat, Noelani curiously smelled her food.

"This smells great! I've never had this kind of country cooking before!"

"What did you eat in Central?" Ed asked.

"Food's different in the city. It isn't made so carefully or with much effort."

"You just notice everything don't you?" Ed replied.

"Well, why don't you be tossed to the desert?" Winry finally said, "I bet you'll notice differences."

Ed was relieved that Winry finally accepted Noelani.

While they were eating Den, their dog, curiously sniffed Noelani, and she petted him.

After dinner, Noelani took out her gloves and put them on. She transmuted several small ice figures. There was an ice cat for Al, the alchemic symbol that was on Ed's jacket for Edward, a tiny ice wrench for Winry, and a miniature version of Den for Pinako.

"Well, I'm beat," Ed said after enjoying his gift, "Shall we go to sleep?"

"Sure," Winry replied, "You can use the beds for patients. We don't have any right now."

"Thanks, Winry. Good night, Auntie," Alphonse said as he, Ed, and Noelani got up and went to their guest room.

End of Chapter 5

Finally, X-mas is over. However, this is only the beginning...