This chapter is weird. I'm not sure if I like it or not. It was kind of hard to write. You learn a little about Will, though. Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: It's like 2:30 in the morning, and I'm falling asleep at the computer. I'm just gonna come out and say it so I can go to bed and post this in the morning, kay? I-

Okay. So I can't say it. Here, I'll grab someone to do it for me. Oh Rooooyyyy…

Roy: What do you want?

Orange: Say the disclaimer. Now. I'm too tired to argue with you.

Roy: Sure. Orange doesn't own FullMetal Alchemist.

Orange: Or Pixie Stix. Though I do have a few in my pocket, here…

Roy: OOH! -grabs pixie stix- MINE!

Orange: HEY! Get back here, you sugar thief! -dashes after him-

Mal: So much for getting to bed before five. -sigh- I'd better go make sure she doesn't hurt someone… Later, taters. This'll update tomorrow, most likely. Enjoy.

"A frying pan, Nat?" Will picked up the offending piece of cookware. "Come on, we have to cook with that! Man…" She sighed and shoved the pan toward the boy. "Go clean it."

Nat frowned. "You're not the boss of me, you-" He was cut off by Will's violet glare, and he stuttered. "Uhh, yessir! I mean ma'am! I mean- Aw hell, just gimme that thing." He grabbed the pan and trotted off, pouting.

Will turned around, seeing that Al had followed her in, and was now bending anxiously over his brother, who was sprawled out on the floor, knocked out. Al looked up at the girl he had followed, who was now examining a hole in the wall where a large chunk of stone was missing. "What happened to him?"

"He just got whacked with a pan, no big deal. He'll wake up in a few hours or so," she sighed and lowered her hand, then leaned against the wall, feeling dizzy. "Just… toss him over there, somewhere." She waved a hand towards a cot in the corner. "You're blocking the door." If Al was able to frown, he would have. But he picked up his unconscious brother all the same, and gently set him down on the cot a little ways in the room.

Nat came back in the room, holding the now-clean pan that was still slightly wet. He tossed it carelessly into a corner where it sat sadly, neglected, and saw Will leaning on her knees, breathless. Nat sighed. "You pulled your little 'disappearing act' again, didn't you?" He walked over to the girl, who nodded slightly. "And then you ran like hell. Didn't I tell you to knock that off?" He slung her arm over his shoulder, and wrapped a hand around her waist. "You know it wears you out. Gods, if you keep doing this, you're gonna end up having a heart attack by the time you're twenty…"

He helped her limp over to a hammock where she sat down, leaning her head back against the wall, eyes closed. "Well, I didn't see you trying to save me from suffocating to death," she muttered tiredly.

Nat sat down cross-legged next to the hammock. "Meh, I had stuff to do."

Will opened one eye. "Something more important than attending my execution!"

Nat grinned. "Remember you asked me to tidy up the home base? Well, I figured that since I had nothing to do when you were captured, I just-"

He was interrupted by Will slapping the back of his head. "I asked you to do that a month ago, dumbass. And it's still not clean!" She gestured to the piles of clothes and random pieces of junk lying around the room. It looked kind of like Winry's workshop, Al thought.

"Well, I got sidetracked…" Nat huffed. "The old guy at the corner store had a sale on Pixie Stix…"

Will suddenly groaned and slumped forward, and Nat had to scramble to hold her up so she didn't fall off the hammock. Alphonse, who had been sitting next to the unconscious Ed the entire time, had been watching interestedly as the two argued back and forth. He got a little worried as Will struggled to stay sitting upright. "Uh, Miss… Will? A-are you all right?"

Will weakly waved a hand, momentarily unable to speak. Nat shifted so Will was leaning on his shoulder, but she could face Al without falling over. "Told you. Takes energy. I'm all out."

Al nodded. "But… How were you able to disappear in the first place? Even with alchemy, that should be impossible. My brother's a state alchemist, and-"

Nat interrupted him. "Wait, wait, wait. HE is WHAT now?" Nat pointed to Ed, with obvious disbelief in his voice. "That little guy? Okay, you guys had better-"

He was stopped short by Will waving a hand in front of his face. She gasped, then spoke hoarsely. "Nahh, they're cool. Leave 'em alone."

Al looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Nat threw him a slightly mistrusting glance before explaining. "State alchemists aren't really… welcomed, in these parts. Something about being a dog of the military turns people off."

There was a short silence as Will fought to get her breath back. Nat looked over at her, smirking. "You're lucky Kio isn't here to see you. You know he hates it when you do this."

Will gave a small laugh, eyes still closed. "Yeah, he'd probably flip out again, like he did when you hung his boxers from that flagpole in town."

Nat, who had begun to relax against the wall, sat up and glared at his friend. "You did that, ya dumbass. You just blamed me for it! I got ditch duty that entire month, thanks to you…" He trailed off, mumbling angrily. Will merely smiled, then turned her head to look at Al.

"So, what brings you and state alchemist boy here to our boring little town?"

"We're… looking for something." Al looked down at Ed lying on the cot.

Will stared at him through unfocused, half-lidded eyes. "Did you find it?"

"…Not yet."

"Well, then you'd better keep looking, huh?" She gave a small smile.

Al cleared his throat, and Will blinked. "Will, how exactly did you manage to… do what you did?" Al asked. "My brother and I have done countless hours of research on alchemy and transmutation circles, but we've never come across any evidence that says it's possible for someone to just vanish like that."

Will seemed to take a moment to think about it before answering. "Alchemy." When Al looked like he was going to argue that point, she added, "…and my own personal brand of magic." She grinned when Al seemed confused. "That's all I care to explain." And with that, she closed her strange violet eyes, and promptly nodded off.

Nat felt Will seemingly grow heavier on his shoulder, and he looked over to see that she'd fallen asleep. He gently laid her down in her hammock, then sat on a cot opposite the Elric brothers.

"I feel like I owe an explanation," Nat offered. "Since Will's not really in a state to explain herself fully." He glanced back at the slumbering girl, took a deep breath, then started. "What she was saying before… about magic… it's true." He frowned slightly before continuing. "She's never really explained it before, but I think it has something to do with her dad having been a state alchemist-"

Al interrupted, surprised. "Her father was a state alchemist?"

"One of the best. They say he could vanish into thin air with a clap of his hands. I think that's where Will inherits it from…"

"What happened to him?"

Nat smiled sadly. "He was killed, fighting in the war in Ishbal. Shortly after, her mom died in a fire that completely destroyed their house. Will managed to get out, though barely. She badly burned her arm. That's why she wears that sleeve. The only reason she survived was because her older brother is a state alchemist, too, and he saved her. Or so she says. I personally have never seen nor heard of him before she told me." He looked down and fidgeted with his hands. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell her I told you, though. She doesn't really like people knowing."

"It's okay," Al said. "Her secret's safe with us."

Nat nodded, then sighed and stood up. "Well, I got a job to do. You can sit here 'till your brother or Will wakes up." He walked over to the door that lead outside, pausing in the doorway. "Oh, and Kio is due back in a while. Don't let him intimidate you, okay? He's really just a big softie." Nat winked and disappeared under the door flap.

Al sighed and made himself as comfortable as he could on the step. Not that he could feel anything anyways, but he'd like to think he did. He glanced over at Ed, who was lying on his back on the cot, arm hanging over the edge, mouth slightly open. Al settled himself by the cot, leaning against the wall, preparing himself for a rather long wait until Ed regained consciousness.

An hour passed, and Al shifted on the step. Suddenly, Will murmured something quite loudly in her sleep. This was followed by some erratic movements that almost sent her rolling out of the hammock. Concerned, Al stood up and walked over to her. She looked scared, and swatted sluggishly at something invisible above her. Just a nightmare, Al thought. He didn't want to wake her though, because she needed her rest in order to recharge. But he couldn't just leave her trapped in a bad dream…

Due to his inner dilemma and the sound-absorbing sand, Al failed to hear the footsteps approaching the cut-stone house. He didn't even see the person ducking under the door flap. That is, until he noticed the steel gun barrel pressed against the back of his head, and heard that person cock the gun. A hard, commanding voice filled the small room.

"And just who the hell are you?"

Orange: Ooh, a cliffie! LE GASPEH! What will happen next? Who is that mysterious person? Is Ed ever going to regain consciousness? Will I actually get up off my lazy ass to write the next chapter? I dunno, but maybe if you REVIEW you'll help spark my imagination... And remember, every time you don't review, Winry smacks Ed with a wrench. So please, think of Ed's dignity. And the wrenches. Those poor, poor wrenches…