Hey, everyone! This story's been updated, believe it or not! Yeah! Hehehe. I honestly wasn't sure where to go with this story, so I enlisted the help of someone else. Yes, this is another co-authored story. Heh, I just love doing co-authored stories, hehehe. We'll be rotating chapters, one by me, the next by her, and so on. She goes by RR-Major-Ed-Pride. Go and check out her other stories. She's an awesome writer, and comes up with some of the darndest ideas, hehe. Her mind's almost as twisted as mine! Hehehehe

Anyway, hope that you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: Neither of us own FullMetal Alchemist. Hmmm...what kind of witty thing can I say here to make you guys always read my disclaimers...ummm...did you know that I dress like Ed? Even when I go to work? Yeah, seriously, I do! I even have a red coat with that snake-cross symbol on the back, whatever it's called. Yeah, I'm serious! I really do!

I walked down the street; thoughts of escape and liberating Amestris buzzed in and out of my head. I came to a stop at the spot where I'd tripped. The basket was lying in the alleyway, and all the goods were in less then good condition.

"Great…" I sighed, the sudden realization of what would happen when I'd return to my master empty handed made all the good thoughts I'd been thinking wash away. Coming up with an explanation why I returned with nothing to my master dominated most of my thoughts now.

I picked up the basket and started waling again, the sky was growing dark with gray clouds, it was going to rain. It would tae another ten minutes or so to get back to my masters house, so I had plenty of time to at least try and think of something. The motivation to think of something good kept me from feeling really sick, only to have the seriously demotivating thought of how horribly I'd be punished for lying AND coming back empty handed. I figured either way it wasn't going to be good for me…

Quickening my pace, I continued to run possible excuses though my head. It had started to rain, the water soaked though my cloak down to my skin, if I didn't hurry I'd probably catch a chill…another thing that would not benefit me in the long run. It seemed like my good fortune keeps on piling up.

"Finally…" I muttered in a less then enthusiastic manner as I walked up the cobblestone walkway towards my master's house. It was a large house, in terms of the vast number of hallways, compared to the other houses, it was also had two floors. There was a large garden in the front filled with a verity of flowers; my mistress seemed to have quite the green thumb, there was also a small shack where those who'd failed where forced to sleep for a set number of nights…I was most likely its' next tenant. I went around to the back and opened the back door that lead to the kitchen, it seemed that nobody noticed I'd returned, I wasn't complaining.

I set the basket down on a nearby stool so I could hang up my cloak by the stove to dry. I then went to drying myself off, by the time I had got inside it looked like I'd fallen in a lake. My hair was dripping considerably so I went and grabbed an old towel to try and get it dry, dry enough at least so that it wouldn't drip. That's when one of the servants walked in and spotted me, he had a very unhappy look on his face.

"Where have you been?" he hissed, seeing that my luck wasn't with me that moment I looked down and apologized "You better have a good explanation why you're late, the master is not in a good mood." He said "Wait…where's the items you where supposed to buy?"

"I was…chased by a mob; I dropped the basket losing everything inside." I muttered as if I'd just swallowed vinegar. The servant frowned and shook his head.

"You've done it now…you let yourself be seen didn't you? You know that…Amestrians…are worth nothing here, how could you let yourself be seen?" he snapped, he had said 'Amestrians' as if it was a very foul word. But he was right, we where worth nothing to a good portion of the Drachman population. I could say 'a good portion' because now I was aware that not all Drachmans hated Amestrians.

"It was an accident…" I muttered.

"Accident or not, you know what's going to happen when you tell the master. That stuff was really needed tonight, the master and mistress are hosting a very important party and it was key that you get those goods."

"What! Nobody told me that." I stammered, this was going from bad to worse by the second!

"Why should the master tell you anything? No matter…what's done is done…go now, they're waiting in the living room." The servant said shaking his head. I figured I only had time to finish drying my hair, so I did that and attempted to dry the bottom of my shoes as well…it was best not to further aggravate and muddy shoes through the house would not bode well.

I slowly walked out of the kitchen towards the living room; a knot started to form in my stomach coupled with a hint of deep regret. I stood at the door to the living room, this room was filled with books and there was a large fireplace in the far wall with two large cushioned chairs facing it. One chair was my masters, the other was my mistress'…the both of them where sitting in their respective chairs and didn't seem to notice me, or maybe they did but chose to ignore me.

"You…s…summoned me, master?" I stammered meekly, my voice gave away my fear flawlessly. My master held up his hand and motioned to me to come in, I did so. I stopped when I was standing just behind the chair, my master then asked,

"Why are you late?"

"I…had t…to take a longer route back, master." That was true enough I thought.

"Why?"

"I was being…chased master, by a mob."

"Ha! Let yourself be seen didn't you? How stupid, tell me…did you at least bring back what I asked you too?"

"…" This was what I wasn't fully prepared for; well I didn't have a good answer for it anyway.

"Speak!"

"I'm sorry master no I didn't!" I said quickly "I dropped the basket and lost everything." At that moment I could feel tears starting to well up in my eyes, I couldn't help it; by failing I sealed my fate.

"What…"

"I'm sorry…I…I lost everything." Did he really have to make me repeat it? It was bad enough that I had to wait for what form of punishment I'd get for this, but to continue saying it was like rubbing salt on an open wound.

"I see…well, you know very well that I do not tolerate failure and deal with such in a very strict manner."

"Y…yes" I could barely speak now.

"And…you've done this before. I thought you'd learned your lesson."

"…" I had nothing to say, what could I say? I couldn't tell him the real reason why I'd been late, that I'd been off secretly planning to escape and possibly free my county and its people.

"Dear, our guests will be arriving soon, we'll just have to make due," my mistress said, I could hardly believe what I was hearing. "Leave it till after, it would be unsightly to have blood stains on the floor."

"Fine," my master agreed "you will wait in the kitchen where you won't get in the way; I'll deal with you later. Now leave!"

"Y…yes, m…master." My heart and stomach had just jumped into my throat; I staggered out of the living room and made my way back to the kitchen. I couldn't feel anything; it was like my whole body went numb, but not from the cold…from fear and the fact that now I had to wait for the inevitable. When I reached the kitchen and found a seat in the far back, I sat down and pondered my fortune. That's when something crossed my mind, alchemy!

Why not use alchemy to get out of this? But that idea was shot down quickly when the thought of ruining the other plan, which involved other people, came to mind. I wasn't about to sacrifice at least two lives just to save myself from something like this. It wouldn't be right; I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I'd done something so selfish. I could take a few more sleepless nights in a cold leaking shack and new scars if it meant the freedom of so many.

It would be another four hours, at about 11 p.m., that the little party ended. I felt it ended too soon but it was going to end eventually so it was no use fighting it. I was prepared but…that still didn't make it any better, it was after this that I came to hate the number five. Five…for being late, five…for coming back empty handed.

It was over sooner then I'd thought; though I could hardly move…the whip wheals made moving both hard and painful. Two other servants where ordered to take me out to the shack, I'd be staying there for five nights; five sure was a nasty number. The only thing though that seemed to make it seem not so bad was the thought of ending it all. Returning to Amestris, seeing my family again…I was going to make it happen, no matter what.

Did you enjoy that? Hopefully you did. I really enjoy her style of writing. Heck, if you like my taste in authors, you should also check out SakuraSagura, EllenTee, NikeFemme, AlchemyOtaku, and uh...I'll think of some others, heh heh...um...oh, check out enVii! You've GOT to read that guy's writings! He's a nut! (I think it's a guy, but I'm just guessing.)

Anyway, please leave a review, and that might convince me to update soon. Hehe. See you later!