After that long and embarrasing train ride, all three teens got off the train and headed for HQ. Ed got there first, showed the guard his watch (sorry, don't know how this place works...) and claimed Ruri and Al were with him.

Ruri's point of veiw

Ed gestured for her to follow him in, and so she did. He brought her to a door that looked just like all the others. Knocking once, he pushed her in. The man from the hospital was there.

"And you're Ruri Sato, right?"

The girl before him bowed and said, "Yes. I specialize in summons. Ed told me I was here for a breifing, my form, and my watch."

"And you are," he said. "But not only that." She tilted her head in confusion. "During the testing, Judges noticed that before summons, everything went cold. You also only summoned ice and water demons. Is this correct?"

She nodded, a little lost.

"Then you may have a hidden talent as an aquatic alchemist, as well." Whoah. I'm an aquatic alchemist, too? This is so cool! "But there is a test you must prove yourself to," he continued.

"Yes?"

"I need you to manipulate this cup of water here," Mustang said, pointing at the corner of the desk, where a foam cup stood. "And Ed and Al, you can stop eves dropping and come in." He said this without raising his voice. A creak of the door, and the Elric brothers were standing in the corner of the office, watching, showing signs of intrest in their eyes. (Well, technically, you can't tell what's in Al's eyes, but he's giving off an "interested" vibe.)

"Sorry, Colonel Mustang, sir" Ed said, dripping with sarcasm.

"No, your not."

She turn to Roy again as he continued. "Just make it move, jump, freeze, whatever." He propped his feet up on the desk and waited. Sweat trickled down her forehead as her concontrated on the cup. It slowly began to ripple. As it lifted out of the cup, the room temperature dropped to about 50 degrees, and the water started to freeze over. When she was done, she opened her eyes, and there was a small clank! A tiny ice sculpture was now on Mustang's desk. It was a heart, with feathery wings on either side.

"Okay... that clears it up!" Roy smirked. "A heart, eh? Got a lover, Miss Sato? Ha!" He put the ice sculture in the cup, snapped his fingers to melt it back to water, and drank it down. "Ahhh... Now. As for your mission. Sato, Elric, you will be partners."

Ed and Ruri looked at eachother. She saw a spark in Ed's eyes.

"Al will follow behind, acting out the part as a guard," he continued. "First, you will go to Vale, where you will find out more on alchemist attacks. Try and stop them if you can. Second, you will be acting as students, in the Institute of Juvenile Alchemists. Edward?"

"Yes?"

"You will be known as Edward Takahashi. Ruri, you will be known as Ruri Matsumoto. Try to find out why students are acting so weird." He handed her a silver watch and a form, and pointed to the door. Then he said, "If you can't find your way out, then you are officially stupid. Bye, shorty." Al restrained fuming Ed as she headed toward the exit.

As soon as the three alchemists walked out of the office and closed the door, Ed high-fived Ruri saying, "Cool, an aquatic alchemist!" She followed the boys out, headed for her first mission.

Later...

After a while of walking around, all three pass a four-star hotel. Since it was about 5:30 pm, Ed got a pretty big room. The man at the desk said everyone got a big discount since they were military personel. "Room 706," he said. Ed nodded and Ruri followed him to an elevator, went up to the seventh floor, and walked past a couple turns.

"Here it is," Al said, standing in front of a pastel door. Ed pulled a card out of his pocket and slipped it through the slot. A light flashed green, and everone walked in. She gasped.

"Pretty big! Edward Elric, this room is huge!" she screamed in surprise. There was a full-size kitchen, stocked with a coffee maker, microwave, oven, etc. There was a HUGE living room, two fluffy couches, and T.V. Past one more door came the sleeping quarters, with two queen-sized beds. He smirked.

"Are you complaining?"

"Pht. YOU WISH!" She ran over to the couches and flopped down. Turning over, Ruri held a pillow against your stomach and sighed. "These feel like clouds! Mmm... I could stay here for-- OUCH! HEY, WHAT WAS THAT FOR!"

General Point of Veiw

Ruri sprinted over to the over-sized couches and did what looked like a body slam on one of them. She rolled over and sighed in contentment. Ed narrowed his eyes and gave an evil smile. He started to run over to her.

"These feel like clouds!" she said happily. He was getting closer now... Jaws music plays in background.. "Da dum... Da dum... Da dum.. Da dum... da dum da dum dadumdadum..." haha.

"Mmm... I could stay her for--" He pounced, landing directly on top of the pillow on her stomache.

"OUCH! WHAT WAS THAT FOR!" Ruri screamed. Ed laughed as Al sighed and walked to the bedroom with the suitcases.

"Uncle?" He asked playfully. He reached over and twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. She blushed, trying to hide it, but failed.

"Again, you wish!" Ruri kicked out and spun, sending Ed to the floor, with about three inches of room between the modern metal coffee table and the couch. Ruri started to roll after him, so she would be the one on top, but she over spun and lost her balance. Grabbing for something to help, her hand closed around a pillow. "Crap!" she said as she fell, rolling down.

Well, she did land on top of Ed, but... not in the playful friend way she had in mind. Ruri's pillow was now in between the two, squashed in the middle of their midriffs, and she had fallen right into his open arms... literally. She was now laying on Ed, breathing hard, shocked. Ed stared into her eyes, and she felt his hands rest on the small of her back. (Not her butt, you sick person) She stared back into his golden eyes, all the playfulness gone, replaced by surprise and... Delight? she thought. Is he happy I'm laying on top of him!

Ed's point of veiw

Ruri stared back, her face once again only a slight distance from his.

Her eyes started darted out toward the door as you heard Al ask, "Bother?" Embarrasment started to flood through him, racking his body, at the thought of the moment on the train... Being the quick-thinking alchemist he was known for, he clapped his hands over Ruri's back and pressed them against the floor. A little blue stream flitted across the floor, up the door, and into the doorknob. A quiet click! told you your plan had worked, and the door was locked.

"Brother?" Al called again.

"What, Al?" he shouted back. Ruri's weight made it hard to talk loud.

"Which bed do you want?"

"I don't know, I'll be in in a sec, okay?" Al aknowledged (sorry, don't know how spell...) his answer and resumed packing. Ruri turned back to Ed, her body going slack in relief. Brown hair streaked with gold brushed his face. She placed her hand on his shoulder and rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes.

Once again, he brought his hand up, stroking her hair. She raised her head and looked at the boy under her again with icey-purple eyes, filled with reassurance and comfort. He raised his head as she leaned in, and once again, their lips touched.

Until something snapped the two apart. It was...

Stay tuned for chapter four, The Competition!