Ember Alchemist

Chapter 1 – An Unexpected Visitor

She grasped her stomach tightly, feeling as if she were about to explode from the pain her wound was causing her. Suddenly she doubled over, coughing up a fresh pile pf blood. It spattered onto the freshly fallen white snow. "I… Need help…" the teenage girl whimpered, still holding her bleeding wound. Looking around with her dark grey eyes, her scarlet red hair which had been tied up into a low side pony tail brushed her cold red cheeks, frantically she spotted a large white mansion.

"Surely they'll help me…" and with that she dragged herself to the front door with all her might and collapsed.

"I think there's someone at the door!" cried a little girl. Her name was Nina Tucker; she was the daughter of an infamous alchemist who this week had two famous guests staying with him at his house; Edward and Alphonse Elric, the famous Elric Brothers. Ed had been staying there to study for the State Alchemists Exam so he could become a State Alchemist, or as he called it, a dog of the military. He didn't want to become one, but he needed to undo a wrong his brother and himself had caused.

"I'll go see then" said Al, Tucker followed, as did little Nina. He opened the door and gasped at what was before him. "We've got to help her, by the looks of it she's been there all night!" he cried.

"I'll get some blankets," Tucker nodded, "Nina- you go get daddy's first aid kit!" Nina ran off, her little brown pig tails flying behind her.

Al lifted the girl up with ease and carried her to the living room. By this time Tucker had gotten the blankets and had laid them out on the couch for the girl, so Al rested her on top of them. She gave a small groan, trying to open her eyes.

The groan turned into a small scream, feeling the stinging medicine Tucker had taken from the first aid box and was applying to her wound.

"It's ok, you'll pull through, it looks worse than it actually is" he told her, smiling.

"Thank you… I'm Ember by the way" she grinned even though her cut was still stinging like hell.

Al decided to introduce everyone. "I'm Al, Alphonse Elric" he told her, "And this is Mr Tucker and Nina" Nina gave Ember a toothy grin, and Tucker smiled whilst pushing his round owl glasses up.

"Hey, where's little big brother Ed?" asked Nina, looking around, suddenly realising he had missed all the excitement.

"Oh, he's just had a shower, should be done by now so he's probably in our room" Al informed her, giving a small pat on her head. She giggled with glee, "Come on big brother, and let's go get Ember some new clothes because her ones are all messy"

"Ah, you're right!" yelped Ember, looking down to see the bloody mess her black top and jeans had become.

In a flash, Nina was back with an old nightgown and dressing gown. "Here, they used to be mommy's before she went away"

"That's a good girl Nina," Tucker praised, "Now Ember, the bathroom is upstairs and to the left, you can get changed in there"

"Ok, thanks" she replied and got up to head towards the bathroom. She was feeling a lot better now.

Upstairs she pushed open the bathroom door and shrieked at what she saw.

"Ahh, who are you!" screamed a boy, about Ember's age. It was Ed; he had just come out of the shower and was now in the middle of getting changed.

"Holy crap, you're naked!" Ember squealed, the nightgown in her arms dropped to the floor has she put her hands across her mouth to stop her from laughing.

"Yeah, now get out!" and with that Edward slammed the door shut, leaving Ember to stand there giggling at him.

Al and Tucker rushed up to see what was the matter, "What happened?" gasped Al, finding that Ember was actually laughing.

"He," she sniggered, "he.. I saw him naked!"

"Oh knock it off!" Ed yelled from the other side of the bathroom. Although his reaction only made the others want to laugh as well.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better…" said Ember, a cunning fox face coming over her as she pressed herself against the door, "You may be small but it isn't!"

"Who you calling so small you… Wait, what?" Ed was used to short jokes, but Ember was just confusing him. She and the rest of the guys outside the bathroom couldn't see it, but Ed's face had gone bright red.

Edward got changed as fast as he could and stormed out of the bathroom and into his room, followed by a quick giggle from Ember as she disappeared to get changed herself. When she came out, she knocked on Ed's door.

"What is it?" snapped a huffy Ed.

"Hey," smiled Ember who just couldn't wipe the grin off her face. "Just thought I'd come to see you…" suddenly the fox face was back, "After all, I have seen you naked"

"Oh shut it!" snapped Ed, and he folded his arms and turned away from him. Ember sat down beside him on the bed, a book titled 'Alchemy' fell to the floor.

"Oh, so you're an alchemist?" said Ember, picking the green hardback up and having a quick flick through it. "Me too!"

"No kiddin…" replied Ed, facing her, feeling a little interested now.

Ember smiled at him, offering him a hand, "I'm Ember, Ember Machete"

Edward shook her hand, smiling back, "Edward, Edward Elric, but you can call me Ed"