Title: A Fangirl's Dream
Summary: Ivy has it rough. She's no anime fan or FMA fan. But when she somehow crosses the gate, she finds herself in the worst possible position: a protagonist of an Another World fic trope. And between the alchemy, automail, lack of plot knowledge, and struggling with her attraction to a pretty blonde mechanic, Ivy reluctantly teams up with the main characters in her journey to get home.
Pen Name: FanfictionIsMySideHustle
Ivy bit her lip thoughtfully as she looked down at the mess of a diagram she was constructing.
Now if I want it to be extremely durable, I should just go with carbon steel for the plating. Maybe I should go with something lighter, though, since I want this to be for a more athletic person. Beryllium maybe? But beryllium can be brittle at room temperature… Okay but maybe make the beryllium an alloy mixed with nickel or aluminum, that can combat the brittleness so it's hard and strong but still light enough for an athlete to use. Ivy nodded to herself, she would run the idea over with Winry for reassurance. Ironic that the metal with the best heat dissipation characteristics per unit weight gets brittle at room temperature. Hopefully, I came up with a good idea to combat it.
"When I make prototypes..." Winry paused briefly as she looked over the tensile machine. Her eyes were still red from her earlier sniffles after Ivy's announcement she would be leaving, but the blonde was smiling nonetheless during her explanation. Now main construction for the forearm would be taking place and Winry was prepping to test the tensile strength of steel she would be using for Edward's arm. "I try to imagine the type of person I'm making it for. Like someone more active or someone who might be living somewhere warm, that sort of thing. And, of course, if you know the habits of regular clients that hypothetically always seem to just bust up their arm beyond belief and never care about maintenance. You should try using different metals to combat that."
Ivy couldn't hold back the snicker, "that was just a hypothetical example? No reference to any certain childhood friends?"
"Of course it is!" Winry's own laughter filled the air. "That was all 100% a hypothetical example!"
Ivy quickly scribbled 'beryllium alloy for plating' in the top right corner as she smiled fondly at the memory. Definitely 100% a hypothetical example for sure. Well if the beryllium alloy works, it could be used for the port graft installment too. Ivy added to her paper.
Ivy nodded to herself once again, pleased. This would be a great arm when it was finally built; well-thought out and planned carefully.
She would learn under Pinako's watchful eye until Edward and Alphonse made their Philosopher's Stone. Then once she had her arm, and potentially even a leg, built, she could take them back home with her. Something that could change her world for the better. Proof to herself that she had been somewhere no other person had.
Of course… Ivy looked to her left at the wall that served as the divider between her room and the Elrics. It would probably help if they were able to decipher that Marcoh guy's notes.
It had been about ten days now and the code had yet to be cracked, though Edward and Alphonse swore they felt like they were getting somewhere. So Ivy stayed in her room at the hotel they were booking and the boys went to the library some odd hours ago.
Ivy tried ignoring the small pinch of guilt in her stomach, focusing back on her automail in the making. Something for someone athletic, maybe a setter like herself, who would be able to make tosses with ease. So the arm had to be light and easy to move that could combat the warmer Californian weather. And if light is what people really want, then honestly the way they build automail in the north would be the best thing. The automail book Winry had lent her so long ago had gone into plenty of detail about the trials and errors of the creation of northern region automail.
Duralumin, carbon fiber, aluminum, nickel-copper alloys… I'm starting to sound like Winry now.
It was the most intriguing thing she had read thus far about automail and the variants developed throughout Amestris.
I can't wait to tell Akasha about this. Ivy smiled to herself thinking about the brunette. She honestly kinda sleepin' on automail with all her fanfiction ideas! Every OC Akasha ever mentioned always had something to do with alchemy.
Riku the water alchemist.
Some OC called Liza Hawkeye who practiced alchemy related to fire.
Now that I actually know more about the stuff in this world, I'll have to ask her to throw in an engineer OC or something. Just to make it fair. Equivalent exchange and all that jazz. Because frankly, automail seemed a helluva lot cooler than alchemy did at this point. Definitely a lot more do-able. Ivy could be fair though, she thought as she added an extra note about ball and joint mechanics to keep in mind.
Maybe if things had been different, she could have been plopped right into a house of a family of alchemists. Then she would be just like Edward, clapping her hands and going on about Flamel's Codex or the Green Somethinglurgic Lion Alchemy- or however the brothers had called it. Now that is multiverse theory at its finest.
….
The minor guilt in Ivy's stomach suddenly grew a few sizes. Maybe it would have been better if she had arrived in proximity to alchemists.
God, I'm so useless.
Ivy set her pen down, her sudden creative breakthrough gone. What have I even been doing these past ten days? Edward and Alphonse have been doing all the work. And maybe if she had done any prior alchemy research when she arrived in Resembool, they'd be a lot further into deciphering the code.
Even if you did, it isn't like you'd be able to do anything as a beginner. A part of her argued. They're alchemy geniuses and even they are having a hard time cracking this code. They'd still end up doing more than you would.
But it's the principle! Ivy argued back. How can you say you're going to be doing your best to get your ass back home when you can't even do what they're doing to get you back? Thinking about beryllium alloys isn't gonna help get us back.
Ivy stood up and began to pace. She needed to clear her head.
Why couldn't there just be a montage to the code being cracked and Ivy just dabbing her way back home?
If only. Ivy huffed. Maybe I should eat something and that- "Uuuuugh! I can't!" That's still just me sitting here on my ass and doing nothing!
Ivy looked out the window; it was going to be sunset soon. Maybe if she ran she would be able to help with something. Ivy nodded to herself for the third time. I don't know how, but I am gonna do something to help out majorly today! She thought as she grabbed her room keys.
She could be there in ten minutes.
"Oh, Miss Carter!" A hotel staff member called as she passed through the lobby.
The universe hates me. Ivy's nostrils flared. "Uh, yes?" Ivy smiled as curtly as she could manage, eyes blinking in surprise when she saw Hughes standing by the desk. "Mr. Hughes? What's up?"
"I asked Second Lieutenant Ross and Sergeant Brosch about the hotel the Elric boys were staying and decided to stop on over!" The man waved with a wide grin.
It was, unfortunately, contagious and Ivy couldn't stop herself from smiling more genuinely this time. "Oh, well those two nerds are still at the library if you wanted to talk to them." She thumbed over at the hotel doors. "I was actually on my way myself if you wanted to come with."
"No, no, I'll just wait here since the library will be closing soon!" Hughes guffawed. "Keep me company! I wanna hear more about how those two boys have been, I haven't gotten a chance to talk them properly in weeks and they never even think about checking in. Teenagers these days, should try to keep in contact with their elders."
"Oh um, well if you want." Ivy stammered, following after the man as he headed upstairs. "I just wanted to check on their deciphering but.. I probably would've just gotten in the way again. I'm not really an alchemist in any capacity. I'd say they make it look easy but Ed's about ready to destroy his hairline over these notes."
Hughes laughed again at that statement.
"Their room's right next to mine so we can just hang out in mine so you're not just, I dunno, standing outside." Ivy shrugged.
"Great! You're very polite for your age. Ed's always so quick to fly off the handle, glad to know you're reeling them in."
"I mean, I wouldn't say all that." Ivy coughed, a bit embarrassed from the praise. "It's more like he just needs someone to remind him not to completely book out about his maintenance. But that's more of me just scrambling for something to do here."
Hughes walked passed Ivy and right to the couch in her hotel room. "You're not staying with your family?"
Ivy bit her lip, back to Hughes as she closed and locked her door. "We're… not on speaking terms right now. Kind of heavy stuff. I'd rather not go into it."
"And it has nothing to do with the fact there are no records of a family of Carters in Central?" Ivy froze as the bespeculated man continued. He didn't sound giddy and friendly anymore. "Because so far, none of the records Sheska's been transcribing has no 'Carter' anything. So I'm going to give you the chance no to tell me the truth. I'm assuming that you genuinely are Ed and Al's friend and that's the only thing that kept me from immediately reporting the situation. But if I deem you a threat, you'll be taken in faster than you can blink. So let's talk this out now and then when the boys get here, I can question them too."
Fuck me.
Ivy turned around slowly. "I'm really not a threat to anyone, I swear." She murmured shakily as she turned around, avoiding the man's gaze.
Hughes' voice was soft, "you sound like a native Amestrian, so my thoughts are that your family immigrated to the country illegally."
"That isn't it."
"Are you an Ishbalan mix that went into hiding after the Civil War?" Was his next response. "It's a dark stain on the history of this country but it's a quiet acknowledgement there were survivors from Ishbal, some of which were married to Amestrian spouses."
Ivy chuckled humorlessly, "I'm not really even sure you'd believe me if I told you." Telling the man the truth would probably just end up with her in handcuffs until Edward and Alphonse was there to bail her out. Even then, who's to say that Hughes would even believe them. He'd think we're all crazy!
"Try me then." Ivy looked up to see the man crossing his arms. He had a small smile on his face. "If it sounds too crazy, then we can start from ground zero unless you have some convincing evidence."
Evidence.
Ivy blinked.
She had evidence.
Her backpack was haphazardly strewn across her bed. "I… might have evidence." Ivy took a few cautious steps towards her backpack then looked towards the man. "It's something from my home. I promise it's not a weapon." Her mother had told her more than enough times about reaching for things when being approached by a non-person of color of officer. "I'm just… gonna get it slowly."
"Very well then." But Ivy could tell his eyes were trained on her hands.
Ivy slowly sat on her bed and reached her hand into her backpack to grab her phone. She hadn't turned this thing on for a little over a month. Please have enough juice to turn on. The black girl prayed, holding her breath as she held down the button to turn it on. The last time she had turned it on, it was at a gracious 39% before she gave up turning the thing on for the sake of preserving the battery life for some sort of emergency should one arise.
When the Pamsung logo suddenly lit up in bold white letters, Ivy bit her lip. When it didn't automatically die seconds later when the locked screen photo of herself and Akasha holding up peace signs to the dog face filter appeared with a beautiful 35% in the top right corner... Ivy could breathe. Hesitantly, she walked to an arm's length in front of the lieutenant colonel. Alphonse said I could trust him. "If someone ever came up to you and said they weren't from this world, what would you say?"
Hughes face contorted into one of disbelief, "I'd certainly think that person had a few screws loose in the head."
"... Well, that's what I'm telling you." Ivy turned her phone around to face the man, punching in her passcode from memory. "I'm not from this world. I'm from another one completely different to this one and there's no alchemy or Amestrians." She leaned over a little to see where her gallery app would be, clicking the app quickly and swiping through the available photos. Photos of herself, her friends, her volleyball team, her mom. "In my world, these are our phones. We can touch them like this and take pictures or talk to someone's face to face even if they're not in front of us." Ivy gulped as she looked to see Hughes' face. It was completely blank. "I-I know it sounds like a load of crap but I'm really telling the truth! I don't know how I did it but somehow, I got stuck here and I couldn't go back home. Ed and Al told me that it had to have been alchemy and that's why I'm traveling with them.
The Philosopher's Stone is supposed to help get me home. If you really don't believe me, I swear Ed and Al can vouch for me and-"
"Another world."
Hughes looked like his mind was traveling at .5 speed trying to process what just came out of Ivy's mouth.
"... yeah." Ivy whispered. "I-I can still do other stuff with thing. Like play games! Y-you can look through everything I have on here, I have nothing to hide! No sketchy DMs!"
"DMs?"
"Er, messages. We can write messages on our phones to people too." Ivy answered, handing her phone over anxiously.
Hughes just stared at it. "I'm not… really sure how to use it. Or where to even start." The man removed his glasses with his free hand, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You being a hidden Ishbalan was what I was honestly prepared for and you tell me you're from another world and hand me technology I've never imagined possible directly. First the Elrics then you, you teenagers are making me wish my daughter stays two forever."
Ivy shuddered with a smile, "imagine how I feel when I just try taking a shortcut home through a park and end up in the 1900s of another world." It was a fanfiction gone horribly wrong. One where the protagonists were completely and haphazardly wrong. "I'm just hoping that the lead these guys have can really pull off the impossible or else, I'm here forever."
"And I'm guessing that only the boys know about this."
"They're the only people I've told besides you." Ivy vowed. "I didn't… I didn't want to risk what could happen if the wrong people found out." For all she knew, that could have lead to Marvel movie levels of disaster.
Hughes held her phone out to her, a smile graced his features. "Your secret is safe with me."
Ivy could have cried. "Oh gosh, thank you so much! I seriously oh you big time, Mr. Hughes! I'll never take your kindness for granted ever!"
"Now, now, you don't have to do all of that!" Hughes laughed, holding his hands up reassuringly. "Just make sure you don't accidentally cross into any other worlds when the boys manage to get you back!" Oh god, don't jinx it. "And you'll have to come over for my daughter's birthday party or my lips will definitely gab!"
The giggle slipped out before she could stop herself, "I'll drag Ed and Al over if I have to too."
Hughes stood up, "and I'll see what information I can find out along the way." He announced and Ivy was sure that saints were real. "I'm no alchemist, but my position does put me in the best place to do research and I'll see what can be passed on. We'll get you home in no time."
"Hey Ivy, it's us. We need to tell you something."
"Coming!" Ivy was practically humming as she skipped over to the door. Hughes had been gone for about thirty minutes and she was happy to know there was someone else on her side. "I have something to tell you both too!" She opened the door, beaming.
That beam dropped when she saw Edward and Alphonse's faces.
"... What's wrong, guys?"
"It's… about the Philosopher's Stone."
[;';]
To make a Philosopher's Stone, we'd have to sacrifice human life. We'd have to sacrifice numerous people to make even one, countless even.
We're sorry, Ivy, but we can't… we can't use the Stone to restore our bodies. And we can't use it to get you back home.
We're really sorry.
Ivy stared at the ceiling.
She wasn't sure how much time had passed since Edward and Alphonse had told her that. That they had cracked the code of Marcoh's notes. That they found something hideous inside. Then they went to their room and they hadn't talked since.
The girl sighed. The universe really does just wanna make people suffer. I kinda just wish Ashton Kutcher would just pop out from a closet and tell me I'm being pranked. A month long prank would be better than what Ivy had heard. Now what? Ivy looked at the wall separating her and the brothers. Just when we thought they'd be able to get their original bodies.
Ivy bit her lip.
She didn't know who that Marco guy was, but he was one sick bastard if this was really the research he conducted as an alchemist. And he was even more disgusting if he was gonna force Edward and Alphonse to finish his work off.
Ivy stood up abruptly and headed for the door, expectedly seeing the bodyguards. She gave a weak smile, "I just wanted to cheer the boys up. I know this must be really rough for them."
"So they told you too?"
Ivy nodded, "yeah. I just don't want them gettin' too depressed. Someone's gotta look on the silver lining's, so it's gonna be Big Sis."
And with that, Ivy knocked right on the door rhythmically. "Open up guys, it's me. I wanna talk and I'd prefer to do it without the door being in the way."
There was no response.
"It's easier we talk face to face or I call Winry and tell her that you broke your arm."
That garnered a frantic rumble, the door swinging wide open. "You wouldn't dare!" Edward screeched.
Ivy grinned, pushing Edward aside. "I'm not now that you're letting me in. Thanks, Ed. You're too, kind." Brown eyes could vaguely see the outline of Alphonse sitting behind the couch on the floor. "Hey, Big Guy. I just wanted to check on you both. I know you were really hoping to get your bodies back."
Red eyes were practically glowing in the dark as Alphonse turned to look at her. "What about you? This was supposed to be your ticket home." The boy said softly as Ivy turned on a light, Edward found his place back on the couch.
"Hey, I'm fine." Ivy took her own spot on the couch, hoping she sounded more confident than she looked. "You guys said that alchemy brought me here and that alchemy could take me back. You never said it had to be the Stone." Ivy would just have to look to a different source of alchemy to find the answer. "I'm more worried about you two. What you guys are going through is way worse than me. I can only whine about my own crap for so long. So I'm here if you guys just… wanna vent."
"... I'm just tired of this." Edward grumbled after a few moments. "It's like just when I think our goal is within reach, it slips right through our fingers. But now, it's actually within our grasp and it turns around and slaps us in the face." Edward chuckled, a morbid smile on his face. "God really does have it in for us sinners."
"You're not sinners." Ivy snapped, gaze sharp. "You both made a mistake and had something bad happen to you in return. That doesn't make you sinners, it makes you two little kids that wanted your mom back. There's a difference. That Marcoh guy is the sinner." It felt like Ivy's blood was boiling just trying to imagine the man's face. "Don't ever compare yourself to him."
It fell silent again, Ivy's heart pounded so loud she worried someone would hear it. I don't really know what else I can say at this point.
Loud knocking cut through the silence faster than a knife. "EDWARD AND ALPHONSE ELRIC, ARE YOU IN THERE?!"
"Oh god my heart almost fell out of my chest." Ivy choked "Is that the Major?"
"What should we do, Brother?"
"Ugh." Edward groaned. "Just ignore him. The door's locked so we can just pretend we're not-"
Ivy could do nothing but stare when a large white hand thrusted it's way through the door, doorknob in hand and door swinging wide open. "I heard all about it Edward Elric!" Alex Louis Armstrong stood in the flesh and sparkling all the while. "Such a tragedy! Who would've imagined that the Philosopher's Stone concealed such a horrible fate?!" The man bellowed tearfully. "Not only that, but if this hellish research was being conducted by an organization under the military, then it is indeed a grave situation! I cannot, in good conscience, stay quiet about this!"
"I thought I told you guys not to tell anyone!" Edward snapped at Maria and Denny who were standing close by awkwardly.
"S-sorry, sir." Maria stuttered, avoiding the shorter boy's gaze.
"But it's hard not to say anything when the Major gets all intense like that!" Denny added.
Armstrong, meanwhile, continued to sniffle. "Often the truth is more cruel that we bargained for!"
Edward flinched and Ivy shot him a concerned look, "Ed? You good?"
"The truth." Edward stood up.
"What is it, Brother?"
"Marcoh told us to look within the truth that lied within the truth." Edward mumbled, gripping his chin curiously. "So… there must be something more."
Ivy crossed her arms, frowning all the while. "I thought we weren't gonna give this Marcoh guy the time of day?"
"There's something else we need to do about his research, Ivy." Edward replied firmly. "Can someone get me a map regarding the alchemical research facilities here in Central?"
"Wh-"
"Please, it's urgent!" Denny got to jogging out the room at that plea.
Ivy bit her lip, "I still don't know if this Marcoh guy can be trusted, guys. Maybe you should try another researcher?"
"Marcoh's not as bad as you're imagining, Ivy." Edward placed his hands on his hips.
Alphonse nodded, armor clinking. "When we first met him, he refused to tell us anything. So we know he doesn't want this research ever getting out to anyone. He probably just wanted us to know so we didn't make the same mistakes he did."
Ivy crinkled her nose, but said nothing. As if Edward and Alphonse would ever do something that horrific.
"If this is going to be the case, Miss Carter, we'll have to ask you to go into your room for this discussion." Armstrong cut in politely. "This will be a discussion about private military operations and as an officer, I cannot let you stay."
"... right." Ivy stood up. "Just don't hesitate to give me a call when things are over then."
Brown made contact with gold and red.
Ivy jumped when she heard the sudden sound of knocking.
Oh my god!
She looked at her window, dull blond locks and golden eyes stared back a finger pressed against his lips. Ivy let out the biggest sigh of her life as she scrambled over, opening her window. "What the hell, dude!" She whispered. "Haven't you heard of knocking on the door? How are you even doing this right now?"
Leaning a little closer, Ivy got her answer at the extension of bricks keeping Edward balanced in his squatting. She couldn't see Alphonse, but she figured he was somewhere close.
"We can't!" Edward whispered back, an eyebrow twitching in irritation. "Ross and Brosch would just tell the Major that we tried making our own investigation. You had to have heard his protests."
"I might have heard the protests through the bricks this hotel calls walls but I don't know why the protests were made in the first place." Ivy replied dryly, still a bit salty she couldn't remain in the room when the discussion took place. She understood it was private military stuff, but still. She could be bitter. "So what did you guys talk about?"
"We know where the military was conducting experiments to make Philosopher's Stones." Ivy held her breath, eyes widening. "Marcoh used to work in the Third Laboratory so it was considered they did the research there, but there was actually a Fifth Laboratory. It's closed but the reason I'm certain they conducted their experiments there is the fact that there is a prison right next door to the prison. Executed prisoners don't get their bodies returned to their families so-"
"It's a cover up." Ivy finished, stomach churning. This makes me wanna throw up. "It's a cover up." Does the fact I think my own government would do something like this bad or good? At least alchemy wasn't legit in her world to pull this off.
"Exactly." Edward nodded with a grimace. Cool and collected as he appeared, that was enough to let Ivy know he felt just as disgusted as she did. "The Major doesn't want me or Al checking it out but we have to. We got ourselves like this and we're getting ourselves out of the hole we dug. Marcoh said to look for the truth within the truth and that's what we're doing."
Ivy clenched a hand into a tight fist. "I'm coming too. This isn't just your journey, it's mine too and I need to be there. Scooch over so I can come out."
"Oh no you don't." Edward held out a hand quickly. "You're staying here. We don't know what kind of stuff we might find there and we don't want you getting hurt."
Ivy's mouth fell agape. "Are you serious?!" She could barely stop herself from raising her voice from above a whisper. "You're stopping me from coming along?" Her heart stuttered in her chest, anxiety and guilt sweltering just underneath the skin. "Why? Don't you think I'm playing a dangerous enough game after what happened with Mr. Hughes?" He may have accepted the story but that could have just as well have gone another way.
"That's different." Edward's expression was stern, giving no leeway. "Just Hughes finding out alone is just fine, he's someone we can trust. But going to an abandoned military laboratory where they can possibly be remnants of past experiments? No way. Al and I don't know what to expect."
"But I have to go!" Ivy shook her head, taking a step closer. "It's been nearly two weeks since I've left Resembool so I could actively do things to get myself home and I've done nothing but mooch off you and your brother! Have I done anything to help decipher the notes? No. Have I made any kind of breakthrough on my own about the Gate? No. All I'm doing is designing an arm I can't even build and checking out books through your library card. I'm sick of being useless and just sitting on my ass while you two do all the hard work. So I'm coming too!" Ivy crossed her arms, glaring at Edward as hard as she could.
Brown stared into gold.
Gold stared into brown.
"Yeah, you're right." Edward finally stated calmly. "You have been useless."
The answer, while expected, didn't sting any less. Ivy refused to let her eyes get wet from the comment, subconsciously grinding her right foot into the carpet. Edward only went on from there, "all you do, day in and day out, is do your automail research, remind me to dry my automail after showering, and then nag if I haven't eaten anything. You've been a real pain, you're like a fussy aunt that's trying to babysit. You should make yourself more useful." Ivy blinked in surprise when she felt a soft, human hand set atop her head. "So you should go back to Resembool and train with Granny. We can't use the Philosopher's Stone to get home anymore and we're gonna have to start from scratch. We don't even know what we're gonna do with accessing the Gate to get you home without human transmutation.
It's really gonna be an uphill climb and a long detour. Three years of looking for the Philosopher's Stone down the drain on top of learning about a world on the other side of the Gate. For all we know, that could be another three years to boot. So if you really wanna be useful for me and Al, you should go back to Granny's and keep Winry from throwing wrenches at me whenever I inevitably break my automail again. I don't think earrings are gonna keep cutting it." Edward grinned. "Al and I are gonna be back before you know it. So just wait here and we can talk more about what we're gonna do tomorrow."
Then with a flash of blond and red, Edward headed down. Ivy's lip trembled as she looked out of her window to see Alphonse waving from the ground before he and Edward took off into the night.
That wasn't the answer I wanted, you dummy. Ivy kicked the wall softly. She wanted to hear something else.
Why did I have to be the one to cross over, huh? She blinked, hot tears trailing down her brown face. With a sniff, Ivy wiped them away as she laid down on her bed. A familiar brown-haired girl with bright green eyes came to mind. This should have been 'kasha. She would know what to do here.
Akasha would be brilliant here.
She would know what to do from plot A to plot B. The girl had a gazillion fanfics and daydreams to choose from if she needed a cover story, Edward and Alphonse would probably never know where she came from. She'd probably just say she was an alchemist wannabe looking for a teacher and who else other than the brilliant Edward Elric? Akasha would just never want to find a way home.
That'd be the only difference.
But at this point, Ivy wasn't even sure that difference mattered if it would essentially take forever to figure out in the first place.
Why'd it have to be me?
When Ivy opened her eyes, the first thing she was met with blinding light and immediately, she closed them. Christ, did I sleep with my lamp on or something? She didn't even remember going to sleep. She had kept her hair in a high puff, that couldn't be good for her edges. She sighed loudly, blinking her eyes open again.
There was nothing but pure white.
…. What the hell? Ivy sat up quickly. There was nothing around her that was from her hotel. There was nothing at all!
She looked to her left.
She looked to her right.
Where the hell- Ivy froze immediately when she looked behind herself and saw the looming gate behind her. A strange sun with wormy roots stretching down the stone that feathered down symmetrically to the base with strange writing all over. My gate.
Ivy's jaw was slack as she stood up shakily.
Was this for real?
A dream?
Ivy stepped forward in awe.
The large mass was closed shut.
All I have to do is just…. push it and I could be out of here. She placed a shaky hand on the stone surface. I can go home.
"Obviously it's an insult!"
"How are you gonna bet with no money, Ivy?"
"She kinda has a point, Brother. You weren't really popular in school 'cause all the girls thought you were mean."
"You really admire her work, huh?"
"Don't take any time rushing to get back to Resembool, okay? Just make sure to call first when you head back."
"Don't forget your promise, Ivy."
Ivy clenched her jaw and took a deep breath. Sorry, Winry. That's just a promise I can't really keep. Edward and Alphonse would just have to tell the Rockbells something when they came back and found Ivy nowhere to be found. I wish I could have at least left a note for you if this was going to happen tonight.
With that…. Ivy pressed firmly on the doors, ready for whatever would come next.
And what came next, was absolutely nothing.
Ivy pushed again.
And again.
And again.
"What the hell?! Why won't you just open?!" Ivy screeched. "I'm ready to go home now! I found you somehow! So open already!"
A chuckle cut through the air, Ivy jolting immediately and spinning around to see who suddenly arrived. Or what, rather, was a thought when she saw it. It was something, something all white. The shadows of its teeth somehow just visible. "No matter how hard you push…" it spoke, grinning widely. "It isn't going to open."
"... Who are you?"
"I'm so glad you asked." The thing said gleefully. "I'm what you all would call "the world". Or "the universe". Or "God". Or "Truth". Or "All". Or "One". And I am also…." The thing pointed a pure white finger directly at Ivy. "'You'. And I'm going to tell you again, no matter how hard you push… it isn't going to open."
"... Why not?" Ivy couldn't stop her voice from choking as she stared at… the Truth. She wasn't sure what else she should call it. "Why won't it open? Why did I end up here in a manga series of all things?!"
"How presumptuous of you." Truth coyly replied. "This would is just as true as your own. Isn't that what you humans call it on your side? The multiverse? Whatever is and isn't true for this world, they are and aren't true for another. This just happens to be the same." Truth continued as if it were talking with a friend at McDonald's about the differences between cold brew and hot brew coffees. "Aren't you the lucky one to confirm that the theory is true."
Ivy's nails dug tightly into the palms of her hands. Her mind was spinning a million miles per second. htly into the palms of her hands. Her mind was spinning a million miles per second. "Why-" her throat felt so dry. Ivy tried forcing any saliva she could muster down her throat. "Why me then? Why did you pick me for this?"
"Whoever said I picked you?" Truth laughed once again. "You humans are always so arrogant. I never picked you. You just so happened to be at the right place at the right time and you walked right in. And once you did, I decided it would be fun to see how YOU would fare in this world compared to a more knowledgeable entity. Afterall, where's the fun when someone knows the answers to everything?"
A surge of anger rose through Ivy's entire body. "You mean, I'm just stuck here because you felt like having entertainment?! Until you decide things get too boring!?"
"Well where's the fun in cutting things short too early?"
"This isn't some novela or drama on TV, this is my-"
Ivy woke to a loud pounding on her door.
"Ivette Carter, open this door right now, young lady!" Maria's voice sounded through the door. Ivy blinked, vision bleary.
Sunlight shone through the window, the sky a bright blue.
"Did you know that Edward and Alphonse were going to sneak out last night and didn't tell us?! We know you're in there! Come out this instant! Edward's in the hospital because of all this recklessness!"
Ivy couldn't even bring herself to say anything, covering her face with her hands with the knocking continuing.
I just want to go home.
Author's Note
And here's 11 already? Basically two days in a row? Man, I am on a roll.
Have I mentioned I love writing the automail bits because I do. I swore to myself I would lay off a bit with the automail rants but I have a great excuse (aside from being the author)... Ivy's a budding engineer in the making and it was established in ch10 she was trying to design an arm to build and thus it is perfectly fine for her to have her moments. Plus, I remember always reading OC stories where through some way or another, usually by way of becoming Ed's apprentice, they would learn alchemy. Or would already be an established State Alchemist, or, would be an independent alchemist who somehow gets wrapped into Edward and Alphonse's situation through the power of plot. And for the extremely rare instances, that I can vaguely remember, an OC was an automail engineer it was only vaguely talked about in writing through lack of knowledge of engineering or by purpose of wanting to replace Winry.
Ivy in the original edition of AFD was going to be learning alchemy by way of Ed and Izumi, but I'm glad in this reboot she's going the engineer's route. This time, I wanted to bring an OC that didn't rely on alchemy as well as actually focus on the process since the research I've done via reading the series over and over and reading articles on actual metals and engineering terminology, it must be shared. Through Ivy's POV of the project, we are ALL automail engineers.
But I also wanted to write about any guilt Ivy had about feeling as if she isn't contributing enough to the group. She gets to stay in a hotel for free and the bros check out books for her on her behalf and are even trying to help her get back home. And in return? She hasn't really be able to do anything aside from just come up with a prototype for automail. Maybe Ed was right? Maybe she should learn alchemy? She isn't sure what to do. And then of course we have serious Maes! He's always so kind and lovable it can be easy to forget that is only one side of his character that he chooses to show to family but if you're not on that list of loved ones… good luck. Also took some creative liberties with the phone thing. It's fiction so sometimes we get to bend shit for the sake of plot. =u=;;. And Pamsung was intentional, was kinda inspired by those animes that turn McDonald's into WcDonald's to avoid getting sued lol.
Nfkdnfd Sorry for getting longwinded. Somehow, my author's notes always turn into essays but I love this part of talking about my thoughts writing the story!
Hope to get some reviews from old and new faces!