Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Alchemist. If I did, Greed and his guys would have been in more episodes.
Author's Notes: This little one-shot is inspired by StarShipDelta's favorite bumper sticker quote, "When life gives you lemons shut up and eat your damn lemons". There is one naughty word in this story but it's nothing to bad. The timeframe is between episodes 12 and 13 of the anime when Ed and Al are headed back to East Headquarters. Read and Review if you want but Flames will be given to Roy. Thanks!
When Life gives you Lemons…
Edward Elric groaned as he flipped through the small notebook he had taken from his pocket. It was full of leads on the Philosopher Stone but all of those leads had led to dead ends.
He should know, after all he had followed every one of these leads like an untrained hound chasing a rabbit.
Ed suddenly sat up straight in shock, "Great. Now, not only am I a Dog of the Military but I'm also comparing myself to real dogs!" he muttered under his breath and slumped down again, looking out the train window.
Alphonse Elric looked at his brother, "What was that Ed?" he inquired, his young voice sounding odd as it came out of the large suit of armor.
"Nothing Al, I was just thinking."
"About what?" Al asked.
Ed shrugged and gestured at the notebook in his hands, "I was just looking through all of these leads, trying to find another clue. No luck so far."
"Why don't we go to the library in Central before we head back to East City? We could change trains at the next stop." Al suggested but Ed only shook his head.
"No good Al, we've combed all those books already. I wonder if Mustang has any ideas left…" Ed wondered, not looking forward to asking the arrogant Colonel for anything.
"I was positive this next clue would work, Clara seemed so sure." Al spoke under his breath, thinking about their failed trip to Xenotime.
"Eh, she wasn't all wrong. They were working on a Philosopher's Stone there…just not the real one." Ed stretched slightly and glanced back towards the book. "Why have all these failed?" he wondered out loud, "These many clues, they can't all be hoaxes."
"So what do we do know Niisan?" Al asked, shifting his grip on the basket of lemons he was holding.
"We just start over, like we've done all these other times." Ed flipped the notebook shut and stuffed it in his pockets, "You know what they say Al, 'When life gives you lemons…'"
"'Make lemonade'?" Al interrupted hopefully.
"Nope, 'Shut up and eat your damn lemons'. That's what we're going to do Al, just take what the world sends us and roll with it. Next time we'll get luckier, I know it." Ed closed his eyes, waiting to see if Al would respond.
Al looked out the train window thoughtfully for a few minutes. Finally he spoke, "You're right Niisan. Next time we'll find the Stone." He spoke hopefully, determined not to let their long string of failures dampen his spirits. After all, with all these clues one of them had to be real.
For now, he and Ed would eat the lemons that the world tossed at them and eventually they would find the Stone and then he would have his body back and Ed wouldn't need automail anymore. It was only a matter of time.