Sorry it took so long to update, I was completing 'Parting Gift'. I'm glad to know you are enjoying it and I hope this chapter will wet your appetite for what is to come. Those who know the series well should guess who the old lady on the train is. FMA isn't mine, none of it.
When Ed awoke he was first surprised by his surroundings. Then he recalled that he was in Rizenbol and in the house that was his home. Al was placed on the other side of the room after sacrificing his own for Rose and Jack. From his regular breathing Edward estimated his brother was sound asleep. It had taken him days to sleep properly because he would sit and talk to his brother for hours. Ed on the other hand had relished the fact he could finally lie down without any real troubles on his mind.
A squeal came from the room next door. It was not a frightened squeal but one of delight. He guessed that it would be Jack after his mother awoke to feed him. Children really were a marvel and Rose was too for taking care of him so well. She now appeared to show no sign of the horrors she had been through and had lived quite happily with Grandma Pinako for the past two years.
The door creaked open, startling Ed. He stood up in time for a small figure to approach him from the doorway. It was Jack, much as Edward remembered him if only bigger. Confident as anything Jack strode over to Al and shook him awake. This was apparently a regular occurrence as Al shooed Jack away with a grumble.
Rose quickly strode in and took Jack up in her arms with an apology. For all Ed had been through he laughed and waved away her sorry. If this was the worst he was to suffer from now on, Jack could interrupt whenever he desired.
'Did you sleep well Edward?' Rose asked, struggling to hold the fidgety Jack.
'Yes quite. It's so quiet around here.'
She laughed, 'It won't be for long now this one is awake.'
He smirked again and walked toward the window. It was a beautiful morning and the smells of the country wafted through the breeze. He looked across the fields he had played on as a child. He saw the ghosts of his past run around without a care. That had been so very many years ago.
'It's still empty brother,' Al yawned as he stood next to Ed, 'Just as you left it.'
Ed nodded, 'That it is Al. It just seems to be…a little too empty.'
The familiar smell of steam and metal filled her nose as she got off the train and onto the platform at Central. So many people bustled by, so many faces that meant nothing to her. This was one of the main reasons the journey home was so very tiring. To witness people rushing around like they had barely time to breath frustrated her. She had heavy luggage but barely noticed the weight as she pushed her way to the correct platform. The giant suitcase that she was carrying contained no clothes but who was to know. What it really contained was truly a precious cargo so she kept it close.
The train would not arrive for another hour so she sat herself upon her suitcase and waited. Much as they irritated her she did enjoy watching the people go by, each with a different tale to tell. She liked to guess where each was going and the reason they were. In Central you could meet any sort of person if you wished but all ran about in the same mindless fashion.
'Winry?'
She turned to see a face she knew well. Dressed in military uniform as she always was stood Riza Hawkeye. Her long hair was scraped back into a bun and her make up was subtle. She looked stern as she usually was but Winry was very fond of her.
'Miss Hawkeye, what are you doing here?'
'The military is still keeping an eye on things just to make sure nothing goes wrong.'
'How long has this been going on?'
Hawkeye smiled slightly before replying in a hushed voice 'Ever since Edward-kun came home.'
'Where is this train heading Miss?'
They both jumped at the voice of the elderly lady who stood behind them. Winry answered her and returned to her original thoughts. A smirk threatened to spread across her lips but she kept it at bay. If Miss Hawkeye was here then there was certain to be someone else.
'Where is Mustang?'
At first Riza was surprised by the question but then remembered that Winry knew little of what was going on. The girl had remained quite hidden away even after the air had cleared. The only person who had remained in constant contact was Shezka and she had told Winry only what Winry requested to hear as far as Riza could tell. The questions would always be the same; how was everyone doing, was Elysia doing okay at school and was Armstrong still working in a shop. Then at the end of each conversation she would quietly ask 'Any news on Edward?'
It had hurt Shezka to keep telling her no but it was all she could answer. For two years she had repeated the same answer 'Nothing yet but who knows what tomorrow will bring.'
Finally tomorrow had brought something but the news had thankfully taken a while to leak out. Edward Elric had always been a genius but mainly on previous knowledge. He had done something unique by vanishing off the face of the planet only to return. He had even managed to bring Mustang back to Central after re-appearing.
'He is a lower ranking officer now Winry-chan, he does not belong to such missions.'
There had been a time when Winry couldn't have been happier that he no longer had power, back when she found out he had murdered her parents. After time though she had accepted he was only following orders and that he had helped Edward along his way. Roy Mustang was a good man but secretly so. His dream had been to become Fuehrer but had sacrificed all that to avenge the death of many an innocent man, including Maes Hughes, killed by the creatures Ed had been chasing.
'Do you still see him?' she asked quite brashly.
She had hit a nerve as Hawkeye's lips thinned into a tight line on her face. It was clearly a far more sensitive subject then Winry had planned for it to be. She saved herself by asking another question.
'Are…you coming on this journey as well?'
'Ah no, this is quite a quiet train so there will only be a few plain clothed officers. I'm needed here. I must go now Miss Rockbell. Congratulations.'
Her abrupt departure could either have been down to work, or the rather awkward silence that had passed between them. Either way Winry was once again alone and carried on her watching of the passengers. She gagged at the sight of a young couple in rather an intimate embrace and wondered why she had never had the desire to act in such a way. Did they not realise they were in public? She averted her eyes over to a man reading the paper as if it were telling a tale about him. She suppressed a giggle at the deep concentration on his face but knew she looked like that when she worked on her auto-mail.
The train finally pulled up and she clambered on. Hauling the heavy suitcase with her she found a place to sit and settled into her spot. She would be seated there for a while so she had best get herself comfortable. Her backside was sore from sitting on the suitcase but the hard leather on the train fared no better. If it weren't for what was waiting at home she would have given up and gone to see Gracier. As it was she wanted to be home as fast as was feasible. The smell of the metal and the steam still played on her nose as it seeped in through the window.
The elderly lady that had asked her for the train's destination earlier seated herself opposite Winry with a friendly hello. Winry smiled and nodded at her but preferred not to engage in conversation. Her thoughts demanded attention and she could not think and talk to old people at the same time. Thankfully the old woman pulled out a paper and began to read.
The world began to move and she was soon clear of buildings and cars. Country stretched across the horizon and she already felt like she was close to home. She saw past ghosts running through the tall grass, laughing at the innocence of youth. She saw herself as a little girl chasing after the Elric two, yelling at Edward for throwing grass in her hair. Without realising she began to smile.
'That's a knowing smile if I ever saw one.'
Winry jumped. She had been so engrossed in thought she didn't realise the elderly woman was watching her. The paper was still in her hands but she was glancing over the top.
'Just thinking about when I was a little girl,' Winry laughed.
'How wonderful. I don't recall too much of my childhood. Far too old you see now. My only real clear memory is of my late husband.'
Great, she had guilted Winry into listening. She shifted her body to face the elderly woman who was no doubt about to tell a tale. Perhaps it would pass the time and perhaps Winry was even a little curious.
'We had known each other since we were young but he went away you see. I always wanted him to be mine but alchemy got in the way.'
A knot began to form in her stomach.
'It took him away from me for near ten years. But I waited mind, I waited all those years hoping and praying he would see the error of his ways. I was lucky, he came home the one night and we were together till his death.' Suddenly the old lady looked startled and fell quiet after saying, 'Oh I'm sorry dear. You don't even know me and hear I am spilling…'
'No,' Winry said quickly, 'don't feel bad. I was actually quite taken. Please continue.'
The old lady smiled warming Winry's heart. She wasn't lying when she said it had caught her interest for it really had. This tale was too close to home so she couldn't leave it without any detail. In just a few words she was taken from her memory into thinking about the future. The knot in her stomach was tighter now but she wouldn't be satisfied until the cat inside her was killed. She needed her curiosity satisfied. What was his name? How long were they together? She wanted it all and this lady was clearly willing to tell it.
'Aren't you sweet? I have to say it would be nice to have someone listen to me. I'm just a dithering old dear.'
But when Winry crossed her hands over her lap the lady began to tell her tale. She had lived near to her love when they were young. They had always planned to be together but then he had fallen in love with alchemy and vanished.
'I had many an offer. I was just as pretty as you when I was younger,' she laughed as Winry blushed. 'But none were him and I was so determined to believe we would still end up together.'
'And you did, so it was worth it.'
'That's right, it all paid off. When he died two years ago I wasn't as sad as I thought I would be. We lived a good life together for so many years; it was just his time to go. Come now dear, I've spoken far too much, tell me about you.'
Winry was taken aback. What was there about her life to tell? All she had done was work on auto-mail and wait for…
'There isn't much to tell.'
'Well where are you heading?'
Winry averted her gaze back out the window, 'I'm going home. It has been so long.'
'Who's waiting for you?'
She sighed and pondered over the question for a while. Her grandmother would be waiting of course, as would Al and Rose. But was he waiting for her to come home? Was he really bothered? She hadn't contemplated this fully but it was quite possible. He could have been doing anything for the past two years; why would she be interesting anymore?
'We shall see,' she finally replied.
The old woman grinned before reaching out her hand. 'My name is Isabelle.'
She took a hold of her hand and shook it, 'My name is Winry, Winry Rockbell.'
Isabelle beamed even harder, 'Well I never, the childhood friend of Edward Elric himself. His little brother Al is pretty well known now as well isn't he?'
'I suppose he is yes…'
'So you are going home to see them are you?' Isabelle butted in.
'That is the main reason yes,' Winry replied, her smile becoming nervous. The old woman still had a tight grip on her hand and it was beginning to hurt.
'Do you think he loves you?'
'What?' Winry asked, startled by the ferocity in her voice.
'Edward Elric. Do you think he is in love with you?'
Winry couldn't answer as the pain in her hand grew severe. She called out in protest but Isabelle still held on with unnatural strength, pulling her in closer.
'Do you want him to be in love with you?' Isabelle growled.
'I don't…I don't…'
'Don't what?'
'Please let me go, your hurting me!'
'Don't what!'
'I don't know…I don't know if I want him to love me,' Winry snapped, desperate to be released. People were looking to see what all the commotion was about but none offered to help. Isabelle was just a little old lady after all.
'You are very pretty Miss Rockbell. Why wouldn't he love you?'
But Winry could no longer speak. Pain and fear had taken her voice from her. This appeared to work as Isabelle finally let her go and vanished through the carriage.
Winry rubbed her sore hand and squashed herself as far into the corner as she could. She had been asked many questions by reporters before but never with such force. Isabelle was a harmless old woman, or so she had seemed five minutes ago. The questions had taken Winry by surprise so she had answered more honestly then she ever had. How on earth could she know if she wanted Ed to love her? He did of course but only as a close friend. As far as Winry was concerned that was how it would always remain no matter what newspapers would say.
The newspaper. It lay in front of her like an ominous sign daring her to pick it up. True enough there was an article about Edward covering one of the pages. She read through at top speed scanning for her name.
"…Edward, along with his brother, is on his way back to their home land. After the death of their mother they took up residence at the Rockbell auto-mail shop. Pinako Rockbell took the brothers under her wing and cared for them as if they were her own. Winry Rockbell, also an expert in auto-mail and childhood sweetheart of Edward Elric, is currently studying in Rush Valley. It is of no doubt that after waiting for him for two years she will be returning home to reclaim her place in his heart."
Winry groaned and put the paper back down. Isabelle must work for the paper under cover or something. She told Winry that sop story to try and get Winry to confess her love for her 'childhood sweetheart'. When she didn't get it she became violent as some reporters do. Why were the papers so concerned about Ed's love life? Did something so private really sell papers? Did people honestly care that much? Winry decided she never wanted to be famous. It seemed like far too much hassle.
Suddenly a scream ripped through the train. The whole train lit up before screeching to a halt, throwing Winry from her seat. She looked across the people in the opposite seats but a wall had built up around them. She could hear their voices calling out to be set free. The voices were everywhere and Winry appeared to be the only one who was free. She banged on the walls that had appeared from nothing but they were solid steel. She went to retrieve her tools to try and break people out but something down the carriage stopped her.
It stood staring at her. A large round creature drooling hungrily. She had heard of this creature before but everyone assumed it was dead.
'Don't worry Miss Rockbell, Gluttony will not eat you.'
Winry whipped round and Isabelle stood behind her. This little old lady stood with an air of importance that commended respect. Winry felt no respect for her and made a leap for her tools to use as a weapon.
'Gluttony, get her.'
With everybody a prisoner even the military could not help as Winry's screams carried through the train.
Please R+R
