Chapter 8: Taking care of Business

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long... but I have had a writer's block for it... I hope that you like this chapter! Don't forget to review!

disclaimer: Anguished sigh No... I don't own FMA, I've nearly caught them dozens of times... but each attempt has failed... One of these days my cheese plan will work.

Must Reads (Don't ask, just read! lol, or at least try to...)

story: This Sesshomaru's Rin Author: Kobayashi Reiko (It's fluff filled, so I'm sure that a lot of you will like it...)

story: The Urge (and miscelanious others that she has written) Author: Jade Summers

story: A Forgotten Memory ( look at the above parenthisized thing) Author: LadyRiona

Previously:

"Ed, I'm so glad that you're okay!" Kara said cheerfully, "how is Winry?"

He began to shift uncomfortably in his seat, "She's um- well, Winry's pregnant." He said at last, his face flushing a bright crimson.

Kara felt the excitement building up within her and would have squealed except for the image that she had built up- she didn't want to ruin what had taken years to build with a single childish squeal, instead her smile broadened, "When- when is she due?"

"In about 7 months." Ed grew more comfortable with the conversation, "She wants to get married before then, but-"

"But Ed is to afraid of commitment." Hughes grinned widely as Ed glared at him.

"You don't want to give up your freedom just yet?" Kara said knowingly and was answered with Ed's quick, brief nod.

Their conversation was interupted by the arrival of several soldiers, conversing amongst themselves as they prepared their breakfast. It wasn't long before the once dark, quiet cafeteria grew loud with conversation and bright. The sun had risen a few hours previously. Kara stood at last, "We ought to get out of here." She muttered, sliding her chair beneath the table and taking her plate to the kitchen, discarding it's contents and scrubbing it before putting it away.

Now:

Kara allowed the steamy water of her shower to enshroud her in it's warmth. She leaned against the damp tile wall, breathing deeply of the moist air. Her resolve was final, and even though Ed and Hughes were waiting in the room beyond the shower she had no intentions of rejoining them.

After a few minutes she stepped out of the warm shower (Leaving the water on) And hurriedly dressed herself in the chilly bathroom. Once this was done and she had raked a brush through her tangled hair, Kara moved to the window. The bathroom was three floors above the street, Kara knew that if she didn't leap just right she could hurt herself.

Silently she opened the window and pulled herself through, gripping the windowsill as she lowered herself as close as she could to the street before letting go. Kara fell silently and landed on her feet, gaining herself a few shocked stares from the passersby on the street. She merely stood and brushed herself off before taking off at a slight jog towards the train station. None would know of her absense until it was too late.

She paid for her ticket- the train would stop three times, each for a several hour time period. Kara would spend those few hours searching the villages that she entered for her vampiric foes. No doubt after their leader had been killed they had all split up and gone their seperate ways.

The car was nearly empty as she seated herself near the window- she prefered sitting there, it would provide an easy escape if things didn't go right on the train. Early afternoon sunlight spilled onto the seat across from her, and Kara found herself getting lost in it's cheery atmosphere. Eventually she gave in and drifted off to sleep, sitting with her arms crossed.

Several hours later Kara was jolted awake as the train's speed increased unnaturally, pressing her farther into the cushioned seat. Worriedly the girl stood and made her way along the train's length, eventually coming to the very front- where she noticed a smear of blood and no conductor.

Anxiously she tried to figure out the controls- in the end she resorted to alchemy to stop the train. She was pitched foreward as the train came to a sudden hault, dizzily Kara sat up, rubbing at a painful spot on her forehead. Pulling her fingers away she noticed that they were smeared with blood. "Damn it..." She moaned softly.

The door burst open behind her and Kara saw the forms of three men, "So, young Kara, it would appear that we meet again." The voices hissed in unison.

Atsutane smirked as he looked at the young girl before him, "This-" He chuckled, indicating the girl that was about half his height, "Is all the military can spare to fight us? Such a scrawny child... I'm embarrassed to have to even fight with her.

Kara felt the anger building up in her and clenched her fists together, "You bastards have caused enough carnage, I will-" She was interupted by laughter.

"You really think that you, an ordinary human child, can defeat us!"

Haranobu guffawed.

Kara slapped her hands together and placed them upon the ground below her, drawing up a long metal pole, on the end of it was a sharp blade that glinted in the surprised faces of the vampires. "You were saying?" She growled in defiance.

"You are a mere child!" Seiryo replied grimly, "You will not defeat us."

"We'll see about that." With those words Kara leapt foreward.

Kara rolled her eyes and glared at them, "What the hell are you doing here?" She growled as they moved closer to her.

"We are here to finish what Atsutane started- but not before we have a little fun." There was a grin on the face of Haranobu, the new leader.

"You won't get far- I will kill you all now." Kara slapped her hands together, just as she was about to touch the walls both of her wrists were grasped.

"Before you surprised us with the way you were able to do alchemy." Hirotsugu growled, squeezing her wrists tighter in his hand.

&

"Kara!" Ed pounded heavily on the bathroom door- she had been in the shower well over two hours, no doubt the water had gotten frigid upon her, "Kara, come on, what's taking so long?"

Slightly anxious he pulled the door open, peering around the side and noting that her things had dissappeared. Angrily he slammed the door all the way open and turned the water off in the shower, "Damn it!" He growled.

"Ed?" Hughes stepped into the bathroom slightly startled, "What happened?"

"She left." Ed turned on Hughes, "She's not here, we have to find her before she does something stupid."

&

Glass shattered about her as she was pitched through the windshield, nothing could prepare her for the bone jarring landing that she made on the tracks as the vampires leapt through the hole that she had created in the glass. Each of them was smirking, thinking that this was the end, that they had won. They had another surprise as Kara stood- a strange blank look in her eyes as she ran at them with a renewed vigor.

&

The radio was on in Mustang's office, and he was slightly surprised when he heard that a train carrying only three passengers had been hijacked by a group of inhuman men. He stood up quickly and reached for his coat as the door to his office burst open and Hughes ran in, dragging Ed along behind him, "Did you hear?" He gasped, "on the radio?"

Mustang nodded grimly, "What of it?"

"Hughes thinks that Kara was on that train." Ed said almost boredly, "and that the three men are those vampires that you never caught."

Mustang nodded, "It would appear that that is true, ne?" He hurriedly pulled his coat over his shoulders and raced to the door, "What are you waiting for?"

The three raced down the halls and out of the building.

&

Kara lashed out grimly at the three vampires who were doing all they could to dodge her attacks, "What the hell is this!" Haranobu exclaimed as his leg was pierced by an unknown blade.

"You bastards will pay for the lives that you have taken." Kara's voice was dull and monotonous as she stepped towards them, a deadly look in her eyes.

&

Winry sighed heavily as she sat under the stars, gently carressing the slowly growing swell in her belly. She smiled softly, remembering the eve that the child had been created. It had only been several months after their kidnapping- after she and Ed had confessed their love for each other. Passion had taken hold of them again.

She stood slowly, stretching as early dawn began to mingle with the night, she needed to sleep at least a little that night, if not for herself then for the child growing within her womb.

A/N: yeah... I think that this chapter kind of sucked, but I had to get it out there! Apologizes Sorry for the long wait... as I said, there just has been no inspiration for this chapter...

Chapter 9: The Deadly Power of the GoE

Kara's unknown power is explained to her, but will she be able to accept the fact that she is destined to destroy all human kind? What does fate have in store for our young heroes? Tune in next time to find out! (wow, that definitely sounded like the way anime tends to show some of the events for the next time and say 'tune in next time!'

Now off to the reviewer's corner! Wooosh!

Review Responses:

moonlightpath: It would seem that our cross advertising has finally begun to work! XD Let's all welcome our newest reviewer, I hope to see you next chapter!

LadyRiona: I don't really think that I beat you to updating... I tried, but this chapter was just... dead for the longest time, and now that it's written it seems like it's really horrible- but no worries! The next chapter will be ten times as good and there'll definately be more Winry (Didn't really know what to write for her so it ended up being only two paragraphs... sighs)

Fear: I'm glad to see you again, and thanks for the review!