I do not own FMA

The Storm Front Alchemist

Chapter 11 Card Crossed Lovers

Ed, John and Al were sitting on the train. John was deep in thought.

"Hey John, what is it?" asked Al

"What?" asked John snapping out of his musings.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Well I didn't really think about it much until now, but when I was knocked out in Lior, I swore it was Maki who did it, but he's in jail."

"It was probably your imagination." Said Ed

"Yeah you're probably right. So where are we heading anyway?"

"Aquoya, the city of water, I've always wanted to see it."

"I thought we were to report straight to East City?"

"Ahh, what the colonel doesn't know won't hurt him." John nodded and stared out the window.

Aquoya, that's where August's daughter was adopted at, I wonder if she still lives there. Even if she does, she would never believe me, besides August is dead, so it doesn't really matter now if she knows the truth. Thought John, as the train raced toward the city.

Aquoya

John, Ed and Al walked into the city. When Ed and were splashed with mud by a passing carriage.

"Hey watch where you're going!" yelled Ed. Ed and John clapped their hands together and cleaned the mud off. They both felt something wrap around their wrist. John looked to see a pair of handcuffs on his wrist.

"You're coming with me alchemists." Said a man in a trench coat before he dragged them off.

Police station

"So you're telling me that you're with the state?" asked the detective.

"Yes the watches should be proof enough." Said Ed

"Why are we here anyway?" asked John

"There's been a rash of burglaries lately, a thief by the name of Psiren has been stealing rare artifacts, the only clue we have is she uses alchemy, so we thought you might be connected."

"Alchemy, what kind?"

"She controls water…"

"Well I can handle water, I am Storm Front."

"You didn't let me finish, she also uses card alchemy." John got a look of surprise. "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing."

It's her! August's daughter, it has to be. It's too coincidental. Thought John.

"Thank you for the information, we'll help in anyway we can." Said John as he picked up his coat and watch. "C'mon Ed, let's go."

"Hey wait, what's going on?" asked Ed following him.

"Ed do you remember August?"

"Yeah that card guy who died three years ago."

"I remember my father saying a long time ago, that his daughter was adopted by a family here. I believe Psiren is her." Ed stopped cold. "A lot to take in. Hey Ed you okay." Ed collapsed to the ground.

"Brother!" called Al.

"My stomach." Groaned Ed. John sighed.

"Let's get you to a hospital." Said John.

Hospital

"Well it appears it was just food poisoning Mr. Elric." Said the doctor to Ed.

"I told you to watch how much you ate." Said John

"Yeah whatever, can I go?" asked Ed

"Of course, just as soon as we give you an injection, Clara could you come here." Said the doctor. Ed started flipping out about getting a shot while Al held him down. But John had stopped paying attention at the name Clara. He looked to the door just as a young woman came in. His heart practically stopped. Not only was she definitely August's daughter, she had the same eyes as him; she was the most beautiful girl John had ever seen.

Whoa, that's definitely his daughter, and what a hottie. Wait don't think like that, August will haunt me forever. Thought John. John snapped out of his reverie by Ed suddenly calming down.

"There that wasn't so bad, and after all that fuss." Said Clara, she turned to face John. "Don't worry, your little brother should be fine." John stared for a second, but shook his head.

"Um, he's not my brother." Said John.

"Oh, sorry. I shouldn't have assumed."

"Oh no, it's okay." John laughed slightly. "Oh, um I'm John by the way."

"Well it's nice to meet you, I'm…"

Beautiful, gorgeous, my girlfriend. Thought John.

"…Clara." She smiled and John almost melted. "Well I have to go now." She bowed and walked out.

"Hey John, let's go." Said Ed. John, Ed and Al walked into the courtyard, Ed and Al sat on bench, and John leaned up against a tree.

"Hey John is something wrong?" asked Al

"That nurse, Clara, did you realize who that was?"

"Why? Who was she?"

"That was Clara, August's daughter."

"What makes you so sure?" Asked Ed.

"Her eyes, they were just like his. Deep Ocean blue, captivating, entrancing, I could stare into those eyes all day." John's eye became misty and he let out a sigh. Ed stared at John.

"Hey you okay?" asked Ed. Ed got up and waved his hand in front of John's face. "Hellooo is anyone in there?" John was still in dreamland. "Wake up damn it!" Ed stomped on John's foot.

"Ow, what the hell Ed?" yelled John as he was snapped from his fantasy.

"You were stuck in some kind of daydream; I had to snap you out of it." John sat down on the bench, and took off his boot and sock. His toes were starting to bruise.

"Damn it Ed, did you have to use the automail leg." Said John rubbing his foot.

"Sorry, but you were lost. What were you thinking about anyway?" John blushed slightly.

"You were thinking about Clara." Laughed Al. "John and Clara sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g."

"What's going on here? This is a hospital, keep the noise down." Said Clara walking up to them.

"I'm so sorry you see, my friend he just stepped on my foot. Unfortunately his leg is automail." Said John pointing to his injured foot.

"Let me see." Before John could even react, she had leaned down and had his foot in her hand. He shivered and it wasn't because he was cold. "It's just a little bruised, come with me I'll put some ice on it." She held out her hand to help him up.

"Oh you don't need to help me." Said John. He stood up. "See, perfectly fine." He took a stepped forward and tripped on his bad foot, he fell into something soft and warm.

"Excuse me, but would you mind getting your face out of my chest?" John's eyes widened and he quickly fell back with a huge blush on his face, he bowed.

"I am so sorry, I really didn't mean that to do that, it was an accident. I'm sorry."

"Relax, I know it was an accident, now if we can get around that ego of yours maybe we can get you inside before your foot gets worse." She held out her hand. John grabbed it and had him lean on her for support.

"Hey you're pretty strong."

"Are you implying that I should be weak because I'm a girl?"

"No, I know plenty of strong women, I'm sorry."

"Quit apologizing, it's unbecoming." She led him to the hospital room and he sat down on the bed. "I'll get you an ice pack." She went to the little fridge. "Oh, the freezer must be broken." She held up a melted ice pack.

"Here give it to me." She handed the pack to John; he brought out his metal rod and touched it to the pack it froze solid. "Good as new." He handed the pack back to her.

"You're an alchemist." She said as she put the ice pack on his foot.

"Yeah one of the best around." Said John smugly as he pulled out his watch and checked the time.

"A State Alchemist, my, my; aren't we a little young for that."

"Hey I'm twenty years old, aren't you a little young to be a nurse?"

"Twenty-two is a more than reasonable age for my profession." She removed the ice pack. "There that looks better." She brought out a bandage and wrapped his foot. "That should do it, just take it easy with that foot, and you should be better tomorrow."

"Thank you, how can I repay you?"

"You don't have to do anything."

"But I must." He grabbed the ice pack and clapped his hands together, and formed a rose made of ice. He handed her the rose. "A beautiful flower, for an even more beautiful girl." She blushed slightly.

"Well aren't we quite the charmer, what happened to the embarrassed boy from earlier?"

"Hey, anybody would be embarrassed if that happened, but now that we're over that, I feel its okay to hit on you."

"Straight to the point aren't we, just don't bite off more than you can chew." John put his boot back on and got slowly to his feet.

"I thank you for helping me, and I'll see you around sometime." And he walked out of the room.

"What does he mean he'll see me around?"

Mansion later that night.

Ed, John and Al were standing in the mansion with the detective.

"That's a lot of people out there detective, a lot of ways for things to go wrong." Said Ed

"That's Psiren's m.o, most thieves try to keep their crimes a secret, she tells every paper in the country." Said the detective. A drop of water fell from the ceiling and exploded, enveloping the room in steam. Ed looked to see a woman in a skintight outfit and mask.

"There she is, c'mon lets get her Al." but before Al could even move he was pinned to the wall by cards. "Al! Never mind, you coming John?" he looked around but John wasn't there. "Fine I'll do this myself." Ed ran after her. "Hey stop, thief."

"And why should I stop for you little boy?" said Psiren as she made a sword out of cards.

"Hey I'm not little!" he turned his arm into a blade and jumped into the air, his blade met hers and he knocked her on her back and he landed on top of her. "You've just been pinned Psiren." He looked to see his hand was on her right breast, he jumped back. "I didn't mean to do that!" he yelled. Psiren chuckled.

"You've never fought with a woman before have you?" she unzipped her shirt revealing a tattoo of a transmutation circle on her chest. "It means playing a whole new game." The circle glowed and cards shot out and pinned him to the ground. "Too bad I can't show you my face, it's a real treat." She blew him a kiss. "See you around little man." She ran away.

"Hey, you know I'd be tall too in heels!" yelled Ed struggling to get up. Psiren was running away.

"That was too easy." She said smugly.

"Congratulations, you managed to fluster a fifteen year old that must have been hard." Said a sarcastic voice. She looked to see John standing on a building above her. He jumped down using his lance to make a cushion of air to slow his fall. He landed only faltering only slightly on his injured foot. "But can you handle the big leagues?"

"You think you can handle me little man." She unzipped her shirt, the circle on her chest glowed and cards shot out him, and he spun his lance and blocked the cards with a current of wind.

"It'll take more than cards; perhaps I should introduce myself I am John Winrain, the Storm Front Alchemist."

"Fine." The circle glowed and two streams of water shot out at him. John chuckled and his lance glowed slightly, the two streams twisted around each other and were frozen solid into the shape of a rose. "A rose?"

"I figured you'd want another one, the one I gave you this morning has probably melted." Psiren gasped. "You see I'm not quite so oblivious as my friend."

"How did you figure it out?"

"Please, you may be wearing a mask but it's not hard. You have the same hair, eyes and figure, but I knew you were Psiren when I saw you this morning."

"Enlighten me."

"The detective said you used card alchemy, I knew a card alchemist, that symbol on your chest is the same one that was on the back of his cards. When I met him, he missed his daughter terribly, that man's name was August Victor Siren." Psiren suddenly got a look of pure rage on her face and she made a sword of cards.

"Liar!" she ran at him and John blocked her sword. "My father died in the Ishbal war, you're too young to have known him."

"Your father didn't die in the war Clara, I met him three years ago, he told me to find you and let you know the truth." Clara jumped back, and took off her mask.

"Why? Why would my father pretend to die, why would he abandon us, and why should I believe you?" she yelled enraged.

"Fine I'll tell you some things that I wouldn't know unless I met him. Your full name is Clara August Siren, your father had card names for everyone, your mother was the Queen of Hearts, and you were Black Joker. If that's not enough then take these, he wanted you to have them." John reached in his back pocket and pulled out a deck of cards and tossed them to Clara, she looked at the cards and tears formed in her eyes.

"My father is alive, why didn't he come see me himself, where is he now?" John's face grew solemn.

"If you really want to know I suggest you follow me, the police will be here soon, I'll tell you when we get somewhere safe." John took off his coat and wrapped it around her. "There that should make you less conspicuous." He grabbed her hand and led her through the city until they reached the hotel John was staying at he brought her up to his room. She sat down on the bed and took off John's coat.

"So what happened to my father?" John sighed.

"Remember I can only tell you what he told me. August deserted the army because of what he did; you see during a raid in the war, your father killed a little girl thinking it was an enemy soldier. He was so devastated by this he tried to bring the girl back to life."

"But human transmutation is forbidden."

"Yes, and he paid a horrible price for it, his arm became infected with the blood of a homunculus. He couldn't bear the shame he would bring you, so he faked his death."

"But how did you meet him?"

"Three years ago in the town of Reja, he and another alchemist held a dam hostage to earn money, but in the end your father ended up saving my life, I was actually going to let him go, but he felt it was time he stopped running. He went with us back to Central."

"What happened to him?" John suddenly looked downcast. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "What happened to my father?"

"We got back to Central, and your father was charged with desertion. You must understand, my commanding officers, Mustang and Hughes did everything they could; but in the end August was executed at my command."

"Your command, you killed my father!" She slapped him hard across the face, tears streaming down her face. "I'll kill you." she grabbed August's deck and made a sword, she pushed John onto his back and held the blade to his throat, John didn't even attempt to fight back.

"Go ahead, I deserve to die for killing August, but my death won't bring him back." Said John impassively. She retracted the blade and got off of him; she sat up and began to sob. John sat up and wrapped his arm gently around her; she turned and began to sob into his shoulder. "Just let it all out." He held her like that until she stopped; he looked down and saw she had fallen asleep. He laid her on the bed carefully so as not to wake her and pulled the blanket over her. He stood up and walked over to the chair in the corner, he sat down and put his head back and was asleep within seconds.

John's Dream

John was in a dank hallway, he knew he was seeing another flash from Grendel's life.

"Wake up wretch, it's time for your supper." Shouted Grendel, he opened the door; inside was a very haggard August the walls covered with glowing alchemic arrays, his right arm limp. Grendel walked into the room and set a tray on the floor. "What's the matter? Have you finally realized you're not getting out of here?"

"Tell me why do you work with these Homunculi anyway, what do you get out of it." Asked August.

"I get Red Stones to sustain myself, that's all I need."

"You've got a bad poker face, I know you want more, you're tired of this stupid lab, you just want to live life to the fullest, if you just turn off the arrays I could bust us out of here with my arm."

"But I need Red Stones to live; I have to work for them."

"Please, this place is filled with Red Water; just take some to make your stones."

"It's too much of a risk."

"Then it's a good thing I'm a gambling man." Grendel started to clap his claws together when he felt five sharp points on his back.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Grendel." Said a woman's voice. Grendel turned to see Lust standing behind him. Grendel sighed and relented. "There, that's a good chimera." She walked over to August's cell but did not go inside. "And you may as well give up."

"I'll never give up, someone will break me out of here, and my little trump card will come to me in time."

"You're trump card?"

"I don't know what it is but I sense a sort of kindred spirit here, a greedy, gambling bastard like me, he'll free us all."

"You keep your hopes up." And with that she closed the door.

End Dream

John woke with a start.

"August's alive!" he half shouted. He looked over to his bed and saw Clara wasn't there. "She must have left." But then his bathroom door opened and Clara came out, and his heart skipped a beat. She was wearing one of his shirts, while big enough to be a nightshirt for her, it only extended to mid thigh.

"I hope you don't mind if I borrowed one of you shirts, that Psiren costume is kind of hard to sleep in." she said as she was drying her hair with a towel. "I also borrowed your shower." She took notice of his expression. "Something wrong?"

"No just a weird dream."

"Really, what about?"

"Well, it was more of a vision. You see there is a chimera by the name of Grendel, he was made using my blood, so sometimes I see flashes of his life in my dreams."

"So what did you see this time?"

"Your father, I saw August, he's alive."

"What?" she walked over to him. "But how?"

"I don't know, I saw him executed myself, but I just saw him and I know it's the truth. August is alive."

"My father is alive! Where?"

"I don't know, but I'll start researching a soon as I get back to East City, you're coming with me right?" Suddenly he found he was being hugged by Clara, he blushed.

"Oh thank you so much, if it weren't for you I'd have never known my father was alive, of course I'm coming with you." She backed away but John grabbed her wrist. "What…" but she was cut off by John leaning up and kissing her. She was still for a second but then melted against him returning the kiss fervently. Her hands fisted in his hair, while his hands wandered up her shirt and caressed her bare stomach, she moaned playfully. They separated gasping for air. "So do you want to move to the bed?" she said lustfully.

"Are you sure? I mean we just met this morning." She took off her shirt, leaving her in only a pair of panties.

"Does this answer your question?" She leaned down and kissed him again, without breaking the kiss John picked her up and carried her to the bed.

The next morning.

Ed and Al walked wearily into the hotel.

"I'm going to kill John, first he disappears when Psiren shows up, and then he leaves me pinned to the ground, and then he doesn't help us search for Psiren." Said Ed as he and Al walked up the stairs.

"It wasn't that bad brother; we did get another lead on the Stone. That man said they were researching it in Xenontime." Said Al.

"Yeah, yeah, let's see if we can at least find John." Ed walked over to the door and began to pound on the door. "Hey John, if you're in their come out so I can kill you." they heard a lot of rustling inside and hushed whispers. John opened the door looking exhausted.

"Ed, do you have any idea what time it is?" said John groggily.

"Do I have any idea, you left me stranded and Psiren got away!"

"Ed calm down it's early and I was trying to sleep, you see I kind of had a rough night. Psiren was a real handful and she kind of tired me out." Said John with a somewhat knowing smirk. (A/N Hey, he technically isn't lying.)

"So Psiren got away?"

"Hey John, did you ever find out if Psiren was Clara?" asked Al

"No, I never got a good look at her face."

"Hey, what are you so happy about?" asked Ed. "You seem to be in an awful good mood, something good happen last night."

"I guess you could say that."

"Well, what happened?"

"Something that little children wouldn't understand." With that John closed the door. Leaving Ed fuming outside. "Well I think…" but John was cut off by Ed alchemically opening the door.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING LITTLE? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WE WENT THROUGH LOOKING FOR YOU?"

"Ed please calm down, you're making a scene."

"LIKE HELL I WILL."

"Then you leave me know choice." John clapped his hands together and ran forward and touched both of Ed's automail limbs, they glowed slightly. But nothing seemed to happen.

"Ha, you did nothing."

"Wait for it." All of a sudden Ed's metal arm and leg jerked toward each other and stuck to each other. Ed then flew and stuck to Al.

"What the hell did you do to me?"

"I magnetized you; it should where off in an hour. Now will you please leave?"

"Not until you fix us, Al sit down and don't move until he fixes us."

"But brother we're invading John's privacy." Said Al.

"I don't care just sit." Al sighed and went to sit on the bed.

"Wait Al don't." started John but Al sat down.

"Ow." Came a voice from under the bed.

"What the hell?" said Ed, Al got up and lifted up the bed a little, underneath was Clara wrapped in a blanket. She got up lifting the blanket up a little to hide her tattoo.

"Hello boys." She said innocently.

"What the hell is she doing here; why was she under the bed, and why is she wearing a blanket?" yelled Ed.

"Ed I can explain… Wait, What?" John shook his head as Ed's question hit him. "You mean to tell me that you're fifteen years old and you can't figure out why she's here, or dressed in a blanket? Remind me to have Roy have a talk with you later. But for now let's just say I lied, this is Clara, August's daughter and she's coming with me to East City."

"But we have to go to Xenontime, to find the Stone."

"I think you can handle that on your own, I can't watch your back forever." He walked over and clapped his hands and demagnetized Ed. Ed jumped down. "Now if that's settled, can you please kindly leave?"

"Yeah, yeah were going." Ed and Al left and John closed the door behind them.

"Well that was entertaining." Said Clara as she sat on the bed.

"I can't believe Ed didn't figure it out, he's a genius when it comes to alchemy, but is as dense as stone when it comes to the facts of life." He sat down next to her. "I guess we should find you some clothes." She wrapped her arms around him.

"But I thought you liked the blanket only look?"

"Oh I do, but I don't know how other people will react." He turned and captured her lips in a passionate kiss, they separated. "But I prefer the no blanket look." He slowly slid the blanket off of her and they fell back onto the bed.

Later train to East City.

John and Clara were sitting on the train.

"So did you get everything you need?" asked John

"Yeah I got all my stuff from my apartment." Replied Clara

"And all the things that were acquired by your 'part time job'."

"Yes, I returned everything, secretly of course." She noticed John was staring out the window. "Hey what are you thinking about?"

"About us."

"Us?"

"Well I mean what are we, boyfriend and girlfriend, lovers, friends with benefits?"

"You know, I don't know, but if it's true my father is alive, and he finds out about us, consider yourself my fiancée." John got a worried look on his face. "Relax, I was just kidding, but you're right, what is our relationship, I mean we haven't known each other that long."

"Ahh forget about it for now. My grandfather always said 'When sailing through life, sometimes it's best to see where the wind takes you.' So let's just see where the wind takes us."

"I think that's an excellent suggestion, your grandfather sounds like a wise man, I would like to meet him."

"You will eventually, but for now let's just find your father." He leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips, and the train headed toward East City.

Well that ends this chapter, sorry for the innuendo, but if you remember the episode it was nothing but fan service. Any way next time its reunion time as Clara meets her father's old comrades. John faces Armstrong in his recertification test, and John goes to help save Ed and Marcoh from the alchemist killer Scar, but has John met Scar before?

P.S does anybody remember the town Marcoh was in.