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

"Edward, I really don't think this is the brightest idea you've had in the entirety of me knowing you." Ivy grimaced as the boy in question laid down on his stomach, right arm laid out expectantly to the side. After her awakening that morning by Maria's scolding, she'd been asked to bring her toolbox and look over Edwar'd arm. But Edward's complaint of being able to wriggle his fingers but not nothing else sounded out of her realm of expertise."I haven't even officially made automail yet and I don't have nearly enough tools to do this."

"But you helped Winry with the arm!" The blond rebutted.

"If by 'helping' you mean I literally just sat down and took notes on how she constructed the thing, then yeah but I didn't build it." Ivy retorted, grinding her teeth as she sat down in the chair beside his bed. "You said it feels disconnected at the shoulder, right? I never learned how to fix that."

"Come on, don't you have any theories though?"

"Well, I mean maybe a wire has been-"

"Then you can fix it!" Edward interrupted. His gold eyes were wide with terror. "Please?! That way Winry doesn't have to know anything happened to her 'precious automail', you get to practice with my arm, and then we all can leave this stupid hospital!"

Ivy just gave her friend a deadpan look, "so you're just using me to get out of getting cussed out by Winry?"

"Obviously."

Ivy rolled her eyes but opened her toolbox nonetheless. "I'll look at it, alright?" A wide grin spread across Edward's face almost immediately. "I'm only looking, don't get your hopes up. If it's something I can actually fix with ease, then fine. I'll fix it and this can be our precious little secret from Winry, for the price of some new clothes and olive oil. If not, you're calling Winry. Today."

"Thank you." Edward sighed in relief.

Ivy released a sigh of her own. Only Edward would be the type to completely avoid calling his mechanic when his arm was in this bad shape. She definitely wasn't skilled enough to do any sort of fiddling without somehow making the situation worse. Hell, we're gonna be calling Winry regardless. Ivy knew that much. "I can't believe you sometimes."

"Well I can't believe you're from an entirely different side of the gate sometimes."

Ivy fell silent as she gently lifted the shoulder plating that kept the inner workings of the shoulder system protected. "... Hey, Ed?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever… been to a place that's just a white void and have seen an all white person? I was wondering if that was just me or if that's a thing here."

Edward lifted himself up just enough to look over his shoulder, eyes narrowed. "You saw the Truth?" His voice barely a whisper. "When?"

"It called itself that." It was something from this world then. "It happened sometime after you and Al took off for the Fifth Lab. It told me all this stuff about being the universe and everything. It wouldn't let me go open my gate."

"What do you mean it wouldn't let you open your gate?" Edward repeated, incredulously.

"I mean, I saw the gate I passed through but it wouldn't let me push it open." Ivy scowled just remembering the exchange. Like it viewed her as a source of entertainment and was readying itself to sit back and watch the fireworks. "So I honestly… I don't even know if I'll ever be able to go back home. It said that it wanted to see what it would be like if someone from my world came here and it didn't exactly give a date as to when it would be ready to let me go back home."

"..." Edward laid back onto his stomach with a furrowed brow. "The universe really just loves to kick people when they're already down, huh?"

Ivy clenched her toolbox. "Yeah." With a quiet huff, Ivy shook her head. "Well, lemme see the damage with your automail. You should get me some olive oil anyway just for agreeing to do this."

"What is with you and olive oil anyway?"

"'S for my hair, champ."

"You put oil in your hair?"

"You don't?"

"Touche."

Ivy chuckled for the first time that day, peering over at the shoulder disc. What was wrong was almost immediate. The hell? Right in the middle of the shoulder disk, the pulley system was engorged and spilling out like an inflamed wound full of puss. "What on earth did you do last night, fight an army?" Ivy asked in disbelief. "I honestly don't even know how you managed to even do this after one fight." It was like the pulley system was knocked out of place.

Edward sputtered out a weak protest. "I was trying to protect myself!" He exclaimed. "Those guys didn't fight fair at all!"

"I know, but damn." Ivy winced just looking at it. "I'm not sure what I can do about this." She murmured. Do I just push it back in? She gave the area a tentative push to see if she could get the blasted thing to set back underneath the shoulder disk that contained the ball and joint system.

It quickly sprung back out again.

Why am I not surprised? Ivy sighed, trying the action again, holding the exterior disc down firmly. It was staying put on the rest of the areas bolted down so why didn't- Ivy paused. This area had no bolt in it. Yoooo… Edward either lost a bolt or this was never there to begin with.

Ivy looked back into her toolbox. Not even her biggest bolts were big enough to keep the pulley in place and Ivy was sure even more work had to be done to make sure it connected properly again.

Definitely calling Winry. She thought as she set the plating back in place.

"So, I've got some good news and some bad news." Ivy tapped a foot on the ground. "The good news is, I figured out what was wrong. The bad news is..." She paused for dramatic effect. "I can't fix it; you need to call Winry."

"What the hell! You said you could fix- ow!"

"That's what your dumbass gets for sitting up too fast when you're injured." Ivy snickered, standing up. "And I actually said I knew what the problem was, but that I couldn't fix it. I don't have the right material. So get to calling your mechanic, Goldie Locks." Ivy stretched. "And don't forget that I still at least want some olive oil in exchange for my look over fee."

"Ivy." Ivy didn't even hide her disdain when she looked over to see Edward leaning out of his hospital room door. His voice was sickeningly sweet, his eyes screaming 'desperation'.

Ivy shook her head. "As a big sister figure, it's my job to tell you to face the music when you gotta own up to something." She crossed her arms, staring down at the boy with a firm expression. "I ain't doin' jack, or jill."

"But Winry won't get as mad if you tell her!" Edward whined. "Please! Pretty please?!"

"This is part of adulting, Edward!"

"I'll get you two bottles of olive oil, I swear!"

Ivy pursed her lips. This nigga really tryin' to bribe m- "I am literally only doing this for the sake of my hair and you are only gonna get away with this crap once."

Edward clasped his working hand in victory, "yes!"

"I'm serious though, Ed! You ain't buying me off again if this happens! You're gonna face the music!" Ivy called over her shoulder as she grouchily headed to the nearest phone within the hospital. "God, he and Akasha act like they're five year olds begging their babysitters not to tell their moms that they did a bad thing at school." She grumbled to herself. At least Edward came prepared to bribe his way out of it. Akasha tried relying on charm alone every time.

Using an Amestrian phone was routine now in the strange way Ivy had to dial the phone and speak to an operator to have her call directed to whatever location she needed. Then it was just a matter of waiting for the call to go through.

"Hello, Rockbell Automail." Small flurries filled Ivy's chest at the sound. Today's worries suddenly felt miniscule to this moment. Ivy hated herself for it.

"Well, looks like I got lucky with you picking up the phone right off the bat, Winry." Ivy smiled, taking a seat at the bench next to the phone.

"Ivy!" The blonde sounded like she was smiling. "You didn't call last night! Did something happen?"

Yes. "Nah, I kinda just fell asleep before I could do anything. But I actually had a reason to call this time."

"Oh, is it about the arm you're designing somehow through the miracle of books alone?"

"No, but we can definitely circle back to that later." Ivy crossed her legs, leaning closer to the phone as if she could feel physically closer to her friend. As great an idea as her beryllium alloy could be, it would have to wait. "I was wondering if maybe you could make a service call and come to Central? Edward's arm is busted."

"Again!?" The girl screeched. "How did he break it, it's only been two weeks!"

"Now now, I'm pretty sure it just has something to do with the missing bolt in his shoulder disc. Now the pulley system is out of whack in the ball and joint system." Ivy batted her eyelashes. "Pretty sure there's nothing Edward can do about that."

The sound of flustered coughing came from the other side of the line, "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

Ivy could only guffaw, "methinks the lady doth guilt too much!"

"It was an accident!" Winry grumbled, clearing her throat. "I was running on three all-nighters so it's only expected that I might have missed one little bolt."

"Still, Ed's kinda grounded for now so I don't think that he'll be able to go to Resembool. That's why he asked me to call, he's worried you'll somehow manage to throw a wrench at his head even through the phone." Ivy joked. Knowing Winry, she would probably make it plausible and Edward would be even more injured. "Just go easy on the guy when you see him. He's in shambles."

"I have no choice then." Winry sighed. "I'll come to Central as soon as I can. Maybe I can get a ticket for tomorrow with my allowance…" The mechanic sounded thoughtful, likely counting away the expenses. "And it should be an easy fix within an hour, so tell Edward not to do anything else drastic so I actually have an arm to repair when I get there."

Ivy grinned, "I'll let him know, gearhead."

"And even if it's because of Ed needing repairs, it'll be great to see you in person!" Winry's additional sentence felt like a shot to the heart. "It's felt like forever and it's only been a about two weeks."

"It'll be great seeing you too, Winry." Torturous as it would be, it really would be nice to see Winry again. "I think I've got a great idea for an arm that I wanna run by you and it'll be fun talking about that in person instead of through a phone. I'm trying to design something that's for a more athletic person and trying to keep in might warmer weather since, well, I'm the type to really exercise in the summer."

Winry sounded faint, "exercise." She groaned.

"Exercise is good for you, you know!"

"Anyway, I need to get back with helping Granny with an order." Winry said nonchalantly as if she wasn't in the process of distracting Ivy from giving a well-deserved lecture. "I'll be there in a couple of days and get my ticket tomorrow."

"Alright, I'll call sometime tomorrow then so I can see when you're supposed to be arriving." Ivy replied cheerily. "I'll pick you up from the station."

"See you then!"

"See ya."

With that, Ivy set the phone back on the housing and sighed.

"You should go back to Resembool and train with Granny." Edward's voice ran through her mind. Maybe I should at this point considering what happened. Ivy sighed again. There was no telling when she would ever be able to go home, whether it be through that Truth thing or through Edward and Alphonse finding a loophole. It would probably make everyone happy.

She wouldn't be in Edward or Alphonse's way and she could focus on other things in the meantime.

Lemme just get up and tell Edward Winry will be coming. The bitterness rose like bile in her throat. No matter the decision, it wasn't like she'd be gaining anything on Pine Street. Carter, you have the worst taste. Maybe it would fade over time. Ivy could at least hope that would be the case. She already had the perfect man and woman in her heart and that was Prince Zuko and Ty Lee.

That got a chuckle out of her.

Now that would have been an adventure. If I had ended up there, there ain't no telling if Mai would have a boyfriend by the time she'd be introduced. Ivy snickered once more; nothing was fair in love, fire, abs, and a voice of the heavens. At least I'd have Ty Lee if it didn't work out. Nice and bubbly, could kick my ass.

Ivy stopped in her tracks when she caught a glimpse of metal. Al? She looked to her left, the boy sitting alone in what had to be the most conveniently creepy dark hallway in a hospital ever known to man. "What are you doing here all by yourself, Al?" Ivy called as she took a few steps in the boy's direction. "Al?"

"Oh. Ivy." Alphonse said, coming to at last.

Ivy smiled awkwardly, "yeah, me." She patted his head. "What are you doing here in the dark like this? This is something straight out of a horror novel, dude. Don't you wanna sit in the room with Ed? You're his family so it isn't like they can kick you out since it isn't like he's in life-threatening condition."

"... Yeah." Alphonse's voice was dull, red eyes staring down at his feet. "My family."

"Alphonse, you alright?" Ivy asked, more than concerned.

The boy only shook his head, "nothing." He said in the least convincing way imaginable. "I'll be there in a little while. It's just that yesterday was a lot."

Ivy's right foot twitched. "I gotta tell Ed about Winry but do you want me to sit come back and sit with ya? Or we can go and walk somewhere and-"

"I just wanna be alone right now, sorry." Alphonse said softly, not bothering to look up at her.

The silence that fell between them was thick.

"Well… okay, then." Ivy took a step back, not sure what else could be said. Sometimes, you just had to let a fickle cat just come to you instead of prodding at it. "I'm gonna let your brother know Winry will be out here in a couple of days for his repairs and then I'm gonna head back to the hotel to eat something."

"Mhmm."

Ivy cautiously put a few more steps between them, waiting to see if Alphonse would change his mind and offer to come along. He didn't and Ivy kept on walking.

What the hell happened last night? Ivy shuddered.

"Ivy!"

"Winry!" Ivy grinned as she spotted the shorter mechanic running through the crowd, her giant red toolbox making her easy to spot. "Welcome to Central!" She opened her arms widely, Winry barreling through with her own arms spread out. Her toolbox landed loudly at their feet.

Winry laughed loudly, "it's so great to see you! Thanks for picking me up!" The girl explained with a squeeze.

Ivy squeezed back, feeling warm.

Her heart felt like it was ready to burst right of her chest, more than happy that Winry's chin was resting on a brown shoulder than on Ivy's chest. "Girl, you already know that's no problem." Ivy clicked her tongue as Winry released her grip, smiling all the while. "I'll pick you up whenever you need me to."

"That's good to know!" Winry beamed, picking her toolbox back up.

"Want me to carry that instead?" Ivy raised a black eyebrow. "You have been sitting on a train all night."

Winry shook her head, "I can do it." The girl flexed an arm, grinning proudly. "Being a mechanic, I'm always lifting heavy stuff for Granny so I can carry this like nothing!"

Ivy whistled impressed, "well well, allow me to marvel in your power."

"You may marvel all you like." Winry winked.

Ivy chuckled lightly with Winry not too far behind. "We're such dorks." Ivy rolled her eyes. She nodded her head towards the station exit. "Come on, let's get goin' so the repairs can get finished and I can show off my beautiful creation, Elizabetta." A lovely name for a lovely arm. "I'm thinking that I should do a beryllium alloy for the plating since it's so light and to combat the brittleness, I can combine the beryllium with aluminum so it's strong. I wanted to hear your thoughts in person."

Blue eyes gleamed in excitement. Automail would always get Winry going even if she had been on a train all night or doing all-nighters to build an arm. "That's a pretty good idea, actually! But I do think that there can be a better alloy to use for the plating." Winry advised animatedly moving her left hand as she talked. "And making an alloy using steel and aluminum together is good too. A steel-aluminum alloy can be up to 13% denser than normal steel and the strength-to-weight ratio is actually comparable to steel! So for an athletic person, that's a great alloy to use. A beryllium alloy for the port itself, though? Perfect! That can definitely help with traveling in lighter climates."

Ivy wished she had a notebook to write that down, "remind me this info later so I can write it down!" She knew that talking to Winry would be a great idea.

Winry nodded happily, "I'd do that for Ed but he's always getting into brawls that I worry more about about him. So usually what I do for him is reinforce the armor itself and refine the hydraulics to help support the weight." Alright, note-to-self for more heavy-handed users. Refine the hydraulics and reinforce the armor. "I'm so happy to have someone to talk to about automail besides Granny!" Winry leaned closer to give a playful nudge, her toolbox sliding for a few seconds and the blonde readjusted her grip accordingly. "Growing up with Ed and Al I had no one to talk to about it and I just had to hear them go on and on about alchemy everyday."

"Oh who are you tellin'?" Ivy could feel a headache coming on just trying to remember the terms the boys used over the past couple of weeks. "I thought my head would explode just listening to them talk and talk. It isn't like I can just lean over and ask them this sort of thing either."

Winry laughed awkwardly, sounding as if the pain Ivy described was all too familiar. "Speaking of those dummies," Winry said once her courtesy laughter subsided. "where are they anyway? Ed just drags me out here for repairs and doesn't even bother to come and pick me up too?"

Ivy ignored the sharp feeling in her chest, "oh well, he is kinda grounded right now."

"You said that the other day." Winry raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'grounded'? Is it work-related?"

"Ummm…" Ivy coughed. She might have failed to mention the fact that Edward was in the hospital. "I kinda didn't want you to worry so I decided not to say anything until now but, Ed's in the hospital."

"The hospital?!" Winry exclaimed, her brow furrowing fiercely. "He's in the hospital!?"

"Yeah." Ivy replied her tongue tasting horribly. "It was a pretty bad fight. But I knew that you'd drive yourself crazy on the way over and I didn't want you to lose sleep on an already uncomfortable train ride." Ivy offered her best reassuring smile but Winry only bit her own lip in her concern.

"Well we have to get there quickly!"

"Yeah, let's kick it into overdrive." Ivy picked up her pace, Winry following behind her quietly. Her expression contorted into one of heavy concern. Ivy wanted to vomit. Some big sister figure I am. Winry's ability to sleep on the train had been the last of Ivy's petty worries. I should have told her. Her stomach churned darkly. Maybe that Truth thing had its source of entertainment now.

When they arrived at Edward's hospital room, Winry dropped her toolbox to the ground in horror. "Oh my god!" Winry shouted, horrified. Edward had been wrapped completely from head to toe in bandages. "No one told me you were this badly injured!" Ivy felt her stomach churning intensify.

"Originally I was only hurt half as bad as I am now but…" Edward grumbled. "Then the major hugged me.

Winry pinched her nose in disbelief as the giant man himself sparkled and crossed his arms. Edward Cullen had nothing on this guy, Ivy was sure. "It's your own fault for not training yourself hard enough." Armstrong said simply, eyes closed and nodding all the while.

"You can't expect him to be a match for you, Major!" Winry snapped, sweating. She sighed quickly, her eyes falling on Edward Elric as he grouchily took his bandages off mumbling disparaging comments. "But… even without the wounds inflicted by the major, your injuries are still really severe."

Edward only shrugged, "this is nothing. Wounds like these heal quick."

Winry shook her head, ponytail flinging from side to side. "No, this is my fault. You were hurt because your automail failed you…" The girl bowed deeply. "I'm so sorry for not being thorough enough when I built it."

Silence fell over the room and Ivy stared Edward down. Come on, man. Say something to her. She mouthed as he looked back at her with confused eyes.

When a light dusting of pink blush appeared on Edward's cheeks, Ivy wanted to screech. "It-It's not your fault, Winry!" The alchemist argued. "First of all, the reason it broke was because I was too rough on it! Your work was flawless as usual!" Well, that wasn't entirely true this time. "Plus, when my arm broke, it kept me from getting even more beat up! So don't worry about it, alright?! Alright!"

Ivy could only shake her head as Winry's face lit up deviously. Maybe she wasn't a completely pure angel, after all. Ivy put her hands on her hips as Winry suddenly pulled out an abacus from Truth knows where. "You're right! It's not my fault at all! Let's talk about my fee for coming out here to make repairs! Of course, I'm charging extra for the rush order fee too!"

"Damn, Winry. You're cold." The stomach churning aside, a snort escaped Ivy's lips. "Ice cold."

Armstrong only chuckled while Edward's face contorted into disbelief. "Don't get so excited, Edward Elric. You must take it easy and nurse yourself back to health." The man's sparkles were endless. "And to do that you need plenty of nutritious food and rest."

"I know, I know." Edward grumbled. "I already ate all the food the nurses gave me."

"You didn't drink your milk." Winry's eyes narrowed.

Edward started sweating bullets. "I don't wanna." He said like he was five. "I hate milk."

"That's why you're always gonna be the size of a pea!" Winry screamed, scratching at her head.

"Shut up!" Edward snapped. "I'm not gonna drink some opaque white liquid that was secreted by a cow!"

"You're just being stubborn, Edward Elric!"

Ivy sighed, shaking her head again. Things were gonna be pretty hectic for a while. She turned to look to Alphonse who had remained quiet the whole time. "You're just gonna-" Ivy paused abruptly as hulking suit of armor stood up silently and walked out the door. …. Alphonse.

"Where's Al going?" Edward asked eyebrows up in surprise.

"No idea." Ivy bit her lip. He'd been quiet the past couple of days. "He probably just wants some down time from all the stress. And you should get some down time and get your repairs."

Winry clapped her hands together as if it just occurred to her that she still had repairs to do. "Right, I should get those done now." She smiled over at Ivy brightly. "Looks like you get to watch me work again."

Ivy hoped her smile didn't look forced, "nah, I think I'm gonna go for an afternoon jog. Clear out the tension in my beefy muscles."

"Whaaat?" Winry crossed her arms. "You do that every morning. It's been forever since we could do something like this."

"Two weeks is forever?" Edward scoffed, looking away sharply when Winry turned to glare at him. "I'm just saying that I really don't wanna get a headache from listening to two gear heads talking about automail like it is the latest actor to hit the scene."

"Like you have any room to talk, Ed. You and Al do it all the time, so excuse me if I wanna do the same with Ivy." Winry replied brusquely. The blonde looked back at the black girl, blue eyes hopeful. "Can't you jog later?"

Ivy's gaze swept over to Edward bitterly. "I don't wanna be a distraction." She waved her hand. "And I actually have to get ready for something today." Hughes' daughter's birthday was today. The man had promised to drop by the hotel after getting some last minute presents and then he and Ivy would be on their way.

"Oh." Winry's eyes darkened as she looked down at her feet. "Okay then."

…..

I hate myself so much. "But I guess I can get ready for it later, so whip out the wrenches." Ivy sighed weakly. She was such a creampuff.

"Yay!" Winry pumped a fist into the air.

Ivy gave a brief farewell to Armstrong and Maria as they filtered at the room with waves of their own. Denny to a seat in a corner of the room.

Despite herself, the large smile on Winry's face made Ivy perk up. Even if Edward was who Winry preferred, he'd never be able to get her excited through means of automail. Ivy at least had that, she thought as she watched Winry wrap around herself a cute pink apron and don her brown suede gloves. "So should my arm in its entirety be steel-aluminum or do you think I should just focus on the alloys being the plating itself? I want it to be light but I don't want it to just break if the user is too rough with it."

"Ugh, the gearheads are talking!"

Winry ignored Edward's complaint completely, "I think the arm as a whole considering the kind of person you're making it for. " Winry said as she took off Edward's shoulder plate. "Then make the plating harder that way it can protect the arm in rougher situations. It isn't like the average person is always brawling so I don't think you have to worry too much about it." Winry said pointedly, a sharp look at Edward. "Maybe the plating itself can be another steel-aluminum alloy but with different rations of steel-to-aluminum.

Steel's denser and heavier so you don't want to overthrow the balance of the arm. So for the arm, a higher percentage of steel with enough aluminum to make it light. Then for the plating a higher percentage of aluminum with enough steel to make it strong."

"Got it, got it." Ivy nodded thoughtfully. "I didn't think of that. I can definitely save my beryllium idea though!"

"Definitely for someone who lives in a hotter region of Amestris." Winry agreed. "That way they don't have to worry so much about the heat with their automail. They should try to keep it out of direct sunlight if possible but sometimes it is't avoidable, so a beryllium alloy in addition to the steel would be perfect."

"Why don't you do that with Edward's arm?" Ivy leaned forward as the mechanic's fingers moved deftly. "The steel-aluminum alloy? You said you wanted to make it stronger without making it too heavy, right?"

Winry hummed thoughtfully, brow furrowing. "That's an alloy better for people who don't get into fights all the time." Edward said nothing though he coughed awkwardly. "Maybe it's how the steel is tempered…"

Ivy raised a hand to give a thumbs up. "You're a great engineer, don't worry you'll figure it out." She said reassuringly. "What does Pinako say about it?"

"To figure it out on my own." Winry sighed. "Granny never lets things be the easy way."

"Yeeeep, that sounds like Pinako." Never answered things directly and made you figure it out on your own. "You'll remember the lessons more that way." Pinako would say. "If I just give you the answer, what's the point of you even trying to make your own theories?" Pinako would add. "Maybe you're overthinking it? Maybe fortify the plating?"

"That would make it too heavy." Another sigh escaped Winry's lips. "Making scrap automail is only getting me so far but I can't just use the material we use for actual clients since we'd run out faster." So Winry would usually go to the scrap yard and grab whatever she could and ask the town blacksmith to melt it all down for her and use it. Ivy remembered doing two of those trips during her time in Resembool. It was the best way to save materials as well as finetune her abilities to construct automail body parts. "If I can make something great out of this," Winry had said. "Using actual quality material will be way easier!"

"Maybe with the money you get from the repairs, you can be some cheaper steel and use that for practice?"

Winry nodded but her brow was furrowed in frustration. Ivy was sure she could read what the girls thoughts were.

Being an absolute beginner was fine in Resembool, but once you were well on your way with your craft, it was stunting and suffocating.

Author's Note

And here's 12 with ch 13 right around the corner? Man, I really am on a roll. Pretty soon we'll be heading to a new arc of the story which I've actually written a couple chapters of early. I've got a new system of writing chapters in advanced to when they'd be uploaded and it is really helping a lot. Winry has reappeared officially in person and Ivy gets hit with a case of the envy. Some people don't know, but there is a difference between jealousy and envy. Envy is when you want something that belongs to someone else while jealousy is when you fear something being taken away from. I felt like envy more suited Ivy's situation since she's resigned herself to the fact that she doesn't belong to this world and therefore doesn't deserve to step in and make any moves on Winry. Edward can't take what Ivy doesn't already have, after all. Poor gal needs a break, Akasha would be very shook about this turn of events

It also isn't a Winry-related chapter without an automail-related conversation lol. And don't be surprised if another quick update comes your way (like tonight) since I have a lot of chapters pre-typed.

Supernovocaine: I always wondered that myself so I decided 'bump it, I'm doing it myself'. And no worries about the nitpick, it wasn't about the really about the reception but more like the 'oh thank god I have enough juice to see how much life I have'. Maybe it's just because my phone is older as heck but when it's at 1% or less, it just instantly dies even if I try turning it on to do anything like check the time or see what the battery life is. So I was going for that feel, sorry I didn't clarify well enough!

GaaraDeservesToBeHappy (fuckin' preach, my guy): Thanks, I'm happy you appreciate her arrival method! I was going for a blink-and-you-miss-it, casual stroll before realizing 'I'm freaking stuck here. NOOOOO'. And the enjoyment of the IveRy ship is appreciated as well as you thinking she has universal shipping appeal with the Elrics!