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
When Ivy really thought about it, most of the big moments of her life were because of Akasha. She really was Maverick, at least in Ivy's eyes. She was like Tom Cruise in Top Gun who was also called Maverick, something Akasha didn't let Ivy forget for a week after they watched it (both of them would refuse to admit they were ever forced to watch when it was brought down to a vote between Top Gun or watching Aquamarine, still they loved it).
Ivy remembered after watching the movie, she and Akasha and Austin googled their last name to see what it meant.
'A person who shows independence of thought and action, especially by refusing to adhere to the policies of a group to which he or she belongs' was the official first definition.
"Definitely me!" Akasha had grinned, pointing at herself unabashedly. "And you're the best friend guy!"
"The guy who died?!" Ivy would then protest with a laugh.
Austin shook his head, "if anything, I'm the most Maverick in the family. I'm a boy."
"You don't have to be a boy to be Maverick, Dumb-Dumb!" Akasha barked. Then the debate sparked right off, both twins looking at Ivy with blazing green eyes. "Who is the most Maverick!?" They demanded she answer. Ivy bolted with the excuse that she needed to pee, yelling they were both Mavericks. Literally.
They were all eight then and it only took about two days before the Maverick debate was over, but it all came to ahead when Monday rolled around and it was back to school. Akasha had brought the conversation to school, mentioning it to Tristan Tuttle and Tony Oliver. Akasha was pushed too roughly and even if it might've been an accident, she was still pushed onto the ground and got her knee scraped and Ivy swung her first accordingly.
Still, her mother had been less than pleased when she was called to school on the basis that Ivy had punched someone.
"Ivette Rashida Carter, what on earth were you thinking!?"
Ivy avoided her mother's gaze with a sniff, wiping at her nose. It had stopped bleeding a while ago but she still thought something was leaking up there and it was just refusing to come out for some reason. "Nothing."
"Don't you 'nothing' me, why on earth did your principal call and tell me you got into a fight at school!?"
Ivy avoided looking at her mother directly, her gaze felt like it was burning through her already and Ivy didn't want to see the look of disappointment on her face any longer than she had to. "Because I got into a fight?" It sounded like Principal Evans had already explained the problem on the phone.
"Don't you get smart with me, girl." Rose Carter snapped, forcing Ivy to look up by grabbing her chin. "Why did you get into a fight?!"
"Because they were pushing Akasha around!" Ivy yelled back. "You said to stand up to bullies and it was okay to fight them!" So she did what she was supposed to and punched Reggie Spriggs in the face as hard as she could before he returned the favor with a bink to her nose. She won, however, when she kicked him in the dick like her pop always said to do.
"I said only to fight them if they swung first-" Rose gripped her head. "I told you you couldn't start fights, you could only finish them!"
"He pushed Akasha first."
"You should have gotten a teacher!" Ivy tore her chin out of her mother's grip and crossed her arms. "Promise you won't start a fight again, right now."
"No, because I didn't start it, they did." Ivy spat, not getting what her mother didn't understand. Those jerks had started it first when they pushed her friend and she finished it. It all seemed pretty straight forward to the eight year old that she had followed her mother's instructions to the letter. So she did what any eight year old would do after being wronged, she hopped out of her chair. "I need to pee." She called over her shoulder, refusing to look at her mother.
She was so grounded.
The next time Ivy got grounded, she was twelve in the sixth grade and she had her first phone. She loved it, it was a flip phone and she slept with the thing like it was part of her soul even if her mother had threatened to take it if she caught Ivy playing on it when she should have been sleeping. Still, at three in the morning, Ivy couldn't help herself.
She closed her door gingerly and opened her phone, ready to play another round Snake until she noticed the series of texts that Akasha had sent when she was sleeping.
Akasha
Mom and dad are getting a divorce and mom isn't taking us with her
She just left right now when she thought we were sleeping but I caught her when I woke up to go pee. Dad said to go back to bed
Me
Are you sure?
Sorry I was asleep before :(
Are u ok?
She didn't expect Akasha to respond so quickly.
Akasha
Ofc Im sure I saw her leaving!
Ivy winced but knew the retort was well-deserved.
Akasha
Dad said that it's for the best and that mom can't be trusted to raise two kids but that she can still visit and call
But I don't want visits and calls I want mom!
Akasha had always adored her mother. She loved that they looked the same, she loved that her hair was long just like her mother's and Akasha always bragged about her. How her mother used to sing professionally and no one else's mom could sing better, Miss Maverick had always been a decent singer but Ivy never truly warmed up to her. Peter Maverick was fine, really serious but he was still nice even if when Ivy first met him she thought he was scary.
But her heart was quickly won over with ice cream and ten dollars when he took them to the park and set up a scavenger hunt with prizes for them to find.
But Akasha's mother always seemed distant and whenever Ivy came over, she was like a ghost. Either she wasn't there or she was in her room. 'Is it because I'm black?' Ivy remembered asking Akasha, because there was no other reason she could think of besides Heather Maverick disliking her. But Akasha looked at her like she was a crazy person before saying her mom just liked giving them privacy when their friends came over to play.
Still, even if Ivy wasn't fond of Heather, she knew that Akasha was.
Me
Do you want me to come over?
Akasha
I want my mom
Me
Im coming over anyway rn it's gonna be ok akasha
Akasha
Now?
Ivy didn't reply as she pulled off her blankets, shuddering briefly at the cold before grabbing her largest pair of jeans and pulling them over her pajama bottoms and a black hoodie that belonged to her dad, she was glad that her floor was carpet otherwise it might have been harder to sneak out. Still, she had left a 'Went to Akasha's, she's upset' was haphazardly written an open page of her notebook that she left on the coffee table for her mother to see when she woke up so she wouldn't be in too much trouble and left after it practically took her three minutes to open the front door of their first floor two bedroom apartment.
It took at least thirty minutes to walk to Akasha's house, Ivy made it about twenty by running the moment her feet took her outside the apartment complex.
Me
Hey I'm outside
She texted, out of breath as she sat on the front porch step. She loved their house, it was nice. Clean. Something she would see in movies, she and her mother could never afford a house but she spent enough time at Akasha's that she thought of it as her own.
Ivy jolted when she heard loud footsteps behind her, jumping onto her feet right as the front door opened. It was only Akasha, no ghosts or strangers, just Akasha. Ivy couldn't let out a breath of relief before her best friend flung herself into her chest with loud sobs, Ivy taking a few steps back but holding her back just as tightly. "It's okay, Akasha. It's okay."
"But it isn't!" Akasha sniffed back.
"I'll make it okay, alright?"
They didn't have a chance before Peter had come storming out of the house himself, Ivy could hear the worry in his voice. "Akasha?! Akasha, get back inside your mother-Ivette? What on earth are you doing here at this late of a time?"
That time, she was grounded for a month after Peter heard the commotion and called Ivy's mother himself. Still, Ivy could at least tell herself that she was a good friend. "Mom beat the hell out of me." Ivy groaned the following week at school. "My butt still hurts from that whoopin'."
"Sorry." Akasha mumbled.
"'s fine." Ivy stretched with a yawn. "Are you okay, though? Has your mom called?"
Akasha shook her head, "no. Grandma said she's moving to LA though and is gonna call when she's settled." She smiled but even Ivy could tell that it was forced. "I can meet celebrities one day when I visit her!"
"Is Austin okay?" Ivy asked realizing she hadn't asked about him at all, he had seemed okay when she saw him earlier before school started.
That made Akasha's face contort into an expression of displeasure. "It's like he doesn't even care that Mom's gone." Ivy winced and pat Akasha's back, only nodding in agreement to make her feel better.
It took until the summer before seventh grade for Ivy to consider maybe Austin had changed since Heather left. She still hadn't called at all and while she might have been gone from the Maverick household, haunting it like the ghost she was, it was like Austin was doing it in her place. He stayed in his room most of the time when Ivy was there, only really ever coming out to pee otherwise he'd just eat in his room.
She was glad that by high school he had started leaving the place to go to a friend's house. Still, they never really reconnected after that and Akasha latched onto Ivy and anime simultaneously.
Ivy really missed him sometimes.
Ivy felt guilty sometimes for noticing too late.
"How are you, Miss Carter?" The doctor, a middle aged woman with graying black hair and brown eyes, entered the room with a clipboard in hand. Winry bowed her head politely, though she didn't leave her seat. Winry had stayed beside her the whole night, helping to clean Ivy's sick when she emptied her stomach's contents all over her blanket, alerting the staff. "We weren't expecting you to be awake so soon. I'm Dr. Apfel."
She didn't leave for one moment. Whether or not Akasha was still anywhere in the hospital or had gone back to the hotel, Ivy didn't know. She couldn't find it in her to ask about Akasha's whereabouts.
"I've gotta hand it to you, doc." Ivy's tone was cold and bitter as she glared at where her arm should have been. She barely felt the squeeze around the hand she had left. "I've had better days."
Dr. Apfel's gaze was sympathetic. "I know this must be very… stressful. Miss Rockbell informed me you're quite athletic and that you are both automail engineers in Rush Valley, is that nice?"
"I'm not really in the mood for the small talk, doctor, sorry."
"I understand." Dr. Apfel nodded, "I'm assuming you're wishing to hear more about when you arrived.
Ivy didn't give a response.
Dr. Apfel didn't wait for one to be given. "When you arrived, there wasn't much left of your arm. Only a bit past your shoulder. But there was an infection and we had to remove the rest of it. It was as if your arm had been destroyed from the inside out. You're lucky, very lucky." The doctor emphasized. "That man has killed many State Alchemists of amazing caliber, you must have been moving quickly to avoid such a fate. You were very brave." Ivy's frown deepened but she said nothing. There was nothing about this situation that felt brave to her. She felt like she'd been robbed. "I'm very sorry for your loss, I know this will be a difficult process. Are there any relatives of yours we can contact, I know you're young."
Ivy opened her mouth but Winry answered for her, "her family isn't around anymore." She said softly. "So there's no one left to contact besides my grandmother and our mentor in Rush Valley."
"Don't tell Pinako or Mr. Garfiel about this." Ivy shook her head and felt a twinge of pain in her forehead.
Winry's look was incredulous. "But they need to know about this."
"I don't want them knowing about this yet." Ivy didn't want to hear the tones of pity.
"... I can leave this up to you to discuss, if you would like." Yeah, take right the fuck off. "We would like for you to be more stable before discharging you, your meals will be including food with a lot more iron. You should get some rest, Miss Carter."
"Thank you for all your help." Winry called after the woman. Ivy laid back down on her pillow, glaring at the ceiling. It was all she could do not to cry and yell at anyone in a three mile radius. "Ivette… Granny and Mr. Garfiel need to know about this."
"About what?" Ivy mocked, refusing to look Winry in the eye. "About the engineer that is missing an arm? That would be rich."
"There's plenty of engineers in Rush Valley with automail."
"I wasn't trying to join them." Ivy spat. "So excuse me for not wanting to broadcast this shit to them." Winry didn't say anything back immediately, the silence Ivy had been craving finally here.
She hated it.
She didn't hate it.
Ivy didn't know what she wanted right now. She blinked, eyes burning a bit. "You should head back to the hotel." Ivy grounded out, loosening her grip on Winry's hand. "I know you're not getting any rest sitting in that chair the entire time and there's no other cot for you to use here."
"I'm not going anywhere."
It took a moment before Ivy could form her next words. "Edward and Alphonse don't know I'm in here and we don't know where they are and the hotel is the only place we have in common."
"I'll call the hotel to let them know when Ed and Al show up to let them know to come here." Winry shot back, her words were soft yet strong. "But I'll be here with you every step of the way, Ivette. I won't leave you alone, even if you get upset and yell or get mean. I'm here for you."
Ivy's chest heaved a shaky breath and she turned her head to her left, her eyes felt wet and hot and she tried blinking the sensation away.
Winry sniffled herself. "I'll take care of you even when we're out of here and we'll figure out what to do next. Okay?"
Even if neither of them knew exactly what was coming next. Ivy fell asleep trying not to think about what her future would be turning into, blinking blearily what felt like hours later. The room had a golden glow to it, but it was natural light. When did I fall asleep? The distant chatter of hospital staff could be heard from where she lay, nothing distinct could be discerned however through the closed door.
There was the smell of food, the familiar yet disgusting smell of liver. But when she glanced around her immediate area, there was nothing to be found. It must've been her lunch, come and gone. She felt satisfied that was now being held off. Liver was by far one of the worst things humans discovered to be edible. Now she was stuck eating it for iron enrichment whenever they figured out she was awake and would bring it back. You'll probably make me eat it too.
Winry was hunched over the bed, using her arms as a headrest. Her grip on Ivy's hand had finally loosened and Ivy gingerly pulled it away, setting it atop Winry's head. She'd take it out of its ponytail if she thought she could do it without waking her up. I told you to head back to the hotel, you dummy. Ivy still felt a wave of fondness, though it didn't completely overcome the feeling radiating through her whole body. Thanks for staying even when I was being a bitch baby. But this isn't healthy for your back.
She tugged at Winry's hair tie and, as she expected, the series of short tugs caused the blonde to stir with a 'hmm?'
"You need to get up before your back is stuck like that forever." Ivy said with a final tug, setting the hair tie on the bed to disperse Winry's hair.
Winry smiled tiredly, "you're awake."
"I'm awake." Ivy repeated as Winry stretched, leaning into her chair. "They brought your food earlier," Winry broke off with a yawn, rubbing at one of her eyes. "but you were asleep, I'll tell them you're awake now."
"Don't call them yet." Ivy inched her way to sitting back up, back against the metal bed frame. This was so uncomfortable, but she did her best to hide it. "Did you call anyone yet?"
Winry tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "I called the hotel, then I told Mr. Garfiel it might take longer for us to come back because an accident happened. But I didn't tell him about your arm."
"So we're playing a waiting game." Ivy sighed.
"What do you want me to do?" Winry asked, leaning forward. "What do you want to do?"
Ivy shrugged, she had no clue at this point. "Well I can't keep up my apprenticeship anymore, not like this." Ivy looked at her stump for a few seconds before she couldn't bear looking at it anymore. "It took two hands to build Elizabetta, twice. I know I can't do it one handed, I'd just be taking up space in his shop."
Winry looked reluctant to agree, but Ivy knew she did. Search as you might, there were no one-armed automail mechanics that they'd be able to find. Micro-sanding? You'd need the other arm to hold steady what you were sanding. The drill press was the same story but with a different coat of paint so the material wouldn't go spiraling out of control while you were drilling.
The most she would be able to do now that wouldn't be a total hazard would be lifting things, and even then there were material heavy enough with two hands let alone one.
"I'll have to quit my apprenticeship." Ivy ground out at last. She didn't even feel as devastated as she thought she would. "I guess I can grab Elizabetta and bounce somewhere else."
"Granny's?"
"That's probably my best bet." Ivy shrugged. "But you don't worry about me, I can go back myself. You shouldn't have to leave Rush Valley because I am. I just expect you to make the best automail in my place."
Winry shook her head, Ivy couldn't say she was surprised. "Winry."
"We're not arguing about this, I'm going back to Granny's too."
"You have a lot more customers in Rush Valley than I do that are all waiting for you to come back." Ivy could list off the names; Jenkins, Omar, Bernadetta and Rebecca, Petra and Jamie. "It wouldn't be fair to just dump that work onto Mr. Garfiel so suddenly either, you should stay behind." Ivy was glad that at least seemed to make Winry reconsider.
"I can finish any work he has for me and then we can go back to Resembool together." Winry crossed her arms with a hint of finality, no room for argument in her eyes. "Even if it was a few months, there's already a lot I've learned from Mr. Garfiel and everyone else that I can take back with me to Granny's. Then, I can always go back if I feel like it."
"I can't talk you out of this, can I?"
"No, you can't."
Ivy shook her head in exasperation. "The moment you regret it and suddenly get the Rush Valley itch, you should head back immediately."
"I won't regret it."
"You say now."
"Ivette."
"Okay okay, you won't regret it." Until you will. "But then what will you do then when we get back? There won't be as much work in Resembool."
Winry shrugged, "there's always orders to be filled some way or somehow so it'll be fine." She sighed and hummed. Maybe she was already regretting it and the resentment was starting to build up and- "I was also thinking…." Winry trailed off, fiddling with her hands.
Ivy cocked her head, then nodded at her friend to continue. "Thinking what?"
"While we're at Granny's, I could build you an arm. If you want."
Ivy blinked, taken aback. "What?"
Winry nodded albeit unsure. "I know the surgery will be painful and hard to endure, but I've done them with Granny twice. Once for Ed, which you know. And you know the rehabilitation process can be lengthy."
That was the understatement of the year. Ivy hadn't performed a single surgery, but every novice interested in automail knew the prospects of getting automail yourself.
Painful as hell surgery.
Three years rehab at most for the standard.
One year rehab if you're absolutely insane like Edward.
Ivy wrapped a tight fist around her blanket. It is one thing to make it, it was another getting it. "I…" Ivy searched for the right words to say. "I don't know, Winry, I don't have that kind of money. Don't say you won't charge me for it, I'd feel horrible. And I'm not sure if I'm ready for the rehabilitation time after the surgery."
She was thankful Winry was understanding. "I get it."
"But it makes me happy that you would do that for me." Ivy cracked a small smile, the first one she actually felt that she could do.
"You know I'd do anything for you." Winry replied softly. If her cheeks were red or pink, Ivy couldn't tell with the lighting in the room. Winry didn't allow her any chance to reply, however, before she was continuing on. "Still, whether or not you want the arm, it will be good practice in Resembool to make it. If you want it in the end, the arm will be yours and if you don't, I can keep it as a model to show off to prospective customers. Okay?"
Ivy nodded, she could at least agree to think about it first before giving a definitive answer. "Okay. I can agree with that. Just make it look good no matter what it ends up being used for."
Winry nodded with a smile, that would be a redundant promise. Ivy already knew the arm would look good no matter what. "I'll be consulting you about the materials for it, of course, as a fellow engineer. So start brainstorming some ideas."
"Here I am, on my hospital bed, and I'm already being requested for my skill." Ivy chuckled. "Nice to see the Rush Valley Hyena come out of you."
Winry beamed as she stood up, grabbing her hair tie with one hand and beginning to gather her hair with the other. "I'm gonna tell the doctor that you can eat now, hopefully they just won't reheat the plate from before. I'll tell them to make it fresh."
Reheated or fresh liver, Ivy didn't know which would be worse. She groaned, either way would be terrible. "Can't I just have a full bowl of beans and call it a day?"
"You need the protein."
"Of course, I do." Damn it, why couldn't it be anything else. She watched as Winry finished with her ponytail. "So, is Akasha still here." She didn't know how she would feel about it if she were, but she wasn't sure if she would have any sort of relief if she wasn't.
That question made Winry give a slight jolt of surprise, her ponytail's final result being sloppy. She tugged her hair tie off to begin again. "I don't know."
"You don't know?"
Winry's eyes wouldn't meet Ivy's. "I wouldn't let her come in before, so I think she might have gone back to the hotel. I didn't ask the staff either."
"Oh." Ivy couldn't think of anything else to say to that revelation.
"I'll be right back." Was the last thing Winry said before she exited, closing the door behind her.
It wasn't until noon the next day that the Elrics finally showed up and Ivy could truly feel some sort of relief. They were fine and well, no body parts missing. Edward's red coat was gone, dressed in a white dress shirt with matching black slacks and coat. Those definitely weren't clothes he owned, not that Ivy had seen since knowing him. The bandage above his right eye was the only clear injury she could see beyond some light scratches.
"Hey." Edward broke the silence and stares.
"You're both alright." Winry released a breath, relief clear on her face.
Ivy grinned tiredly at Edward's grimace as he averted his eyes, Alphonse's red eyes glued on the elephant in the room. "Hey, you two. Don't be strangers in the doorway." After a moment, they finally entered. "Looks like we're a complete set now, Ed."
"What do you mean?"
"I have your right arm, you have my left." Ivy clarified gesturing to between the two of them.
Edward's scowl only lightened up slightly, "you still tell terrible jokes and this time it's at the worst time."
"Sorry."
"No I'm the one who's sorry, this is my fault." Edward shook his head. "If I hadn't said what I did with Scar, none of this would've happened. You'd still have your arm."
Ivy held up a hand, "I'm not the one who needs an apology over what you said to Scar, Edward. That's for someone else." She glanced at Winry before returning her gaze to the golden-eyed boy as if there was any subtly as to who she was referring to. But she knew with one look that Edward knew that was true. "But the one who escalated this entire thing was Akasha. She shouldn't have tried grabbing the gun before."
Fury flashed across Edward's face at just the mention of her name. "Have you seen her?"
"Hell no." Edward spat.
"We didn't get to our hotel rooms when we were finally able to go back, we were hoping Winry might be there so we could ask about you." Alphonse explained. "But the staff told us where to find you, so we left immediately. We didn't get a chance to see her."
"Oh. Got it." She decided to change the subject. "Did you and Winry wanna leave the room to talk then? I don't mind being here by myself for that." Despite her question, Ivy looked to the mechanic herself to see what she was comfortable with. Winry stared at the blanket.
"I… just want to know how long you've known about my mom and dad." Winry said when her thoughts were collected. "I want to know everything." Ivy laid a hand on Winry's knee and squeezed, Winry rested a hand on top of it.
And Edward did, starting from when he was in the Xerxes ruins, a surprising detour that was made from Resembool he wasn't expecting. While he was there, looking at symbols, he was attacked by a group of Ishbalans hoping to use Edward as leverage in a new war with Amestris before he received help from a boy his age and an elderly woman who told them about the help they had received from a husband and wife team during the civil war. The Rockbells. Ivy recalled the pictures she had seen of them at the Rockbell's household, Yuriy and Sarah Rockbell.
Winry favored her mother the most from what Ivy could tell.
They had stayed in Ishbal to the bitter end, Edward went on, only to be killed by an Ishbalan patient they saved with tattoos on his right arm. "I didn't know from the beginning it was Scar," Edward continued. "but I found out after I returned and was told by a subordinate that a new defining characteristic of Scar was that he had a tattoo down his right arm."
"Why didn't you tell me when you found out." It wasn't a question.
"I… I didn't want to make you cry anymore. So I thought it would be better not to say anything. I know I had no right to keep that information to myself."
You didn't. Ivy looked at her blanket to avoid glaring at him. You really didn't. I know for a damn fact that you wouldn't be happy if this was the other way around. Still, Ivy knew snapping at Edward would mean nothing coming from her and it wouldn't take back the fact that it happened.
"I'm sorry too, Winry." Alphonse bowed his head. "I was the one who told Brother that he shouldn't tell you. None of this would have happened if we told you when we both found out."
Winry didn't say anything immediately, Ivy could feel that she was trembling while she held back from emotionally lashing out as Ivy suspected she wanted to. But after what felt like hours, Winry finally opened her lips. "So, Mom and Dad continued to help people until the very end." Winry's grip was lightning tight, a melancholic smile on her face. "I feel better now… And I'm really proud that they're my parents. But more than anything, I wish they could've come home to me alive.
"Waiting is hard. And scary."
The silence that fell over them was deafening.
"I'll be back." Winry stood up, tearing her hand away. "I need to wash up my face in the bathroom."
Ivy stared after her before she turned her eyes onto the brothers. You both really fucked up, Ivy wanted to say, but she kept it to herself knowing that they both felt bad enough. "You guys at least can admit that you messed up, I know that means something to her. I'm not sure how much, but you guys have been tight for years. I don't think this will change that."
"We still feel awful." Ivy removed the blanket from her lower half to sit at the edge of the bed and pat the younger Elric's head.
"If you didn't feel awful I'd be worried." She gave Edward a couple pats next. His hair was soft and smelled like it had been freshly washed. "And you guys look worse for wear. What happened? We were worried about you both."
"You're the one in the hospital bed, but you're asking us?" Edward raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "What about you? What are you planning to do now about your arm?"
A subject change if Ivy had ever seen one. Or maybe he was being genuine. Ivy wasn't too sure as she grabbed her stumped, holding back a wince from the motion. "Winry and I decided to head back to Resembool together, with me like this… It's pretty much impossible, not to mention what it'll be like heading back." Pinako is gonna have one hell of a headache, that's for sure. Ivy could almost picture the old woman's look of surprise and the questions she would ask, trying to figure out how on earth an apprenticeship in Rush Valley resulted in her arm being exploded into bits.
"Right, that would probably be hard to explain to your mom in your world." Edward muttered thoughtfully, his eyes seemed to darken.
"My mom?" Ivy repeated in surprise. "What does she have to do with anything?"
The look Edward gave her was one you gave a certified idiot when they said something stupid. "You mean to tell me your mom wouldn't be surprised if you came home with one less arm than she last saw you with?" The alchemist asked like she grew a second head. "You just said you were wondering about what it would be like heading back."
"I was talking about Pi-" Ivy coughed as what she was saying caught up with her midway. "Right, my mom. Sorry I guess my mind is all over the place." Ivy licked her lips that had been too dry since she'd arrived here. Yeah, it would be pretty hard to explain to my mom if I got back what happened. I'd need more time to think over an excuse since my actual situation sounds pretty unbelievable." The only tangible proof she would have of her time in Amestris would be Elizabetta and she wasn't sure if that alone would be enough. "From there, I guess I'm considering surgery for automail.
Winry offered to make me an arm, I just need more time before I fully commit to the idea first."
"Well, whenever you commit to it, you'd have one hell of a mechanic." Edward waved his right hand. "Even when I'm completely getting my ass kicked, it still pulls through. Even Granny could tell her training was going well just looking at it the last time I was there."
Ivy grinned like a proud mother, "well she did pull out some new tricks when we were in Rush Valley last. She used Dominic's flash processing trick per request to our favorite blacksmith and Mr. Garfiel had been suggesting an alloy of steel and nitrogen and aluminum, so it's stronger but not too heavy at the same time." Winry really pulled out all the stops, grumbling all the while as she wondered where Edward would be breaking his automail next time. "There's still a decent enough percentage of chrome though, to avoid the rusting."
"And you're still worried about surgery? It sounds like you'd be better off with the arm."
"Three years is just a long time to be out of commission, that's all." Ivy admitted, lips pursing at the thought. "I'll probably make up my mind in a few weeks, Winry's still gonna come up with something just in case. The arm I made is a right arm and it's a slimmer build for someone with Winry's arms, so it's a 'no' on that note." She shrugged, she'd be Gerudo'd on one side and Winry'd on the other if she had Elizabetta installed in her. An amusing visual, but not so amusing to actually deal with.
"Either way, it's an uphill climb from here. That's why I need to talk to Akasha." Blood rushed in her ears and her heart skipped a beat in the worst possible way at the thought. She wasn't sure if she would be ready to talk to Akasha by the time she was out. She certainly didn't want to be in this hospital forever, though. So the conversation is gonna happen sooner or later. I can just tell her that going with Edward and Alphonse is a shit idea and she can't go anymore and-
A frown returned to Edward's face quickly, "as far as I'm concerned there's nothing to discuss with her. I'm not paying for that room for her, and I'm for damn sure not taking her in. And you shouldn't take her back to Resembool either! She's a hazard! Look me in the eye and tell me you seriously think it's going to do anything good to talk to her? That she'll change suddenly?"
A mixture of anxiety and anger and guilt swirled in Ivy's stomach, "I never said I thought she was blameless but just ditching her? Edward, she doesn't have money and she-"
"That's not our problem." Edward scoffed.
"Well it isn't like I can just avoid talking to her." Ivy wanted to shake the boy, no one was that heartless. "When I get out of here, I have to get my stuff out of the hotel and we share the room so-"
"Al and I can get your and Winry's bags then, but I don't need you talking to her and feeling obligated to provide for her somehow because you grew up together."
"But-"
"Big Sis, I think Brother has a point." Alphonse said gently, resting a large hand on Ivy's shoulder. "Right now, I don't think it would be good for you or Winry to be around Akasha right now, even if she might feel sorry for what happened."
"Sorries don't take what she did back." Edward growled. "The moment we get your things and you're both on the train, that's it. Sorry, but whoever the hell you talked about being your best friend is clearly not the same person we've been interacting with and I just think you're blinded by nostalgia from the fact that she's selfish and rude, and that's coming from me."
Ivy's throat clenched tightly. "But she'd be by herself. Even if we're mad at each other, I don't ditch her. I can be mad at her and know she's alright in the same place I am. That's how we've always been." She whispered thinking back to the many arguments they've had in the past.
That time they were mad at each other because as it would turn out, they both had a crush on the same guy. They got over that in about two days, because it turned out he ate his own ear wax. Definitely not worth spurning each other for.
That time Akasha gave Ivy a silent treatment well-deserved because she ate the last of the sherbet in the fridge at her house for all of an hour before they chilled out again.
The time Ivy ignored Akasha's texts for a full day because Akasha did that stupid warm cup of water to make you pee trick on her.
Or that time when Akasha was probably two seconds away from knocking Ivy into space when Ivy spent lunch with Alyssa-Marie Johnson instead of her.
They always got over it.
"We always get over it." Ivy repeated with a laugh that sounded forced, even to her. "It's been how we've done things for a long time. I'm serious, we just need to wait it out until-"
Edward cut Ivy off with a shake of his head. "Unless you both have magically gotten over being the cause of a friend losing a limb because you impulsively tried taking a gun from someone, that's not just something you get over in a few days and decide to chat over." His words were strong, but his eyes were soft with a sort of empathy. "It's time to let Akasha go and be on her own, I can give her enough money to not starve and be homeless but.. That's it. Al and I are planning on transferring hotels after you're discharged and we've gotten your things." There was finality in his words, nothing Edward would allow an argument against.
Ivy's lips felt dry again, she tapped her right foot loudly against the floor. It sounded like listening to the hand of a clock, ticking down the seconds. Alphonse was saying something Ivy couldn't hear.
"Leaving so soon?"
Ivy looked over her shoulder to see a nurse she hadn't seen before coming to her attendance. She had long black hair in a bun and brown eyes with skin the color of a warm autumn brown, holding a basket of fruits in her arms. She was totally smoking, drop dead gorgeous. Ivy cleared her throat and halted her efforts to put on her new jacket. Even after Edward suggested fixing her old hoodie, she didn't feel comfortable wearing it so he got her new clothes. Literally in the sense she could tell they were from a shop. "Uh yeah, I have an apprenticeship in Rush Valley that I need to end thanks to my arm being the way it is."
"Well I'm sure that one day you'll be able to return to it." Nurse Gorgeous smiled, the warmth of Ivy's face felt mutinous. "I think I'm just surprised you're leaving so soon after losing an arm to a notorious serial killer. The Fullmetal Pipsqueak must have really wanted you out of here soon."
"What?"
"What is it?"
Ivy blinked. "You called Edward the- you know what, nevermind."
Nurse Gorgeous smiled it off, "I had just heard through the grapevine a close friend of the Fullmetal Alchemist had been admitted to the hospital after a brush with death, I've also heard he hates being called short."
"Oh, haha…" Ivy scratched the back of her head. "You should've waited for the dig when they were still in here." Edward, Alphonse, and Winry were somewhere in the waiting room while Ivy finished getting dressed. "That's when the guy really explodes."
"I'll keep that the next time in mind if he ever comes back to the hospital for some reason. Although, hopefully he doesn't." The nurse added. "No one ever visits the hospital for good reason. Do you need help with your jacket?"
Ivy didn't have a chance to decline or accept before Nurse Gorgeous had set down the fruit basket and grabbed Ivy's coat, opening it so she could slip her right arm in with ease. "There's no shame in admitting you need help, you know. Humans need it, they're weak creatures but stubborn."
"That's a…" Strange as fuck? "way of putting it. The pants were easy, and the shirt had no sleeves to worry about. But yeah, the jacket gave me some trouble." Ivy slid on her sleeve, glad that she was able to finally get it on. Winry had offered to help before Ivy told her to just go to the waiting room, but something kept Ivy from accepting. Maybe it was pride, maybe it was her own embarrassment that she needed help in the first place.
"I'm just a bit of a cynic when I think about how humanity has repeated itself countless times, I feel ancient just thinking about it."
"Now you sound like my grandma. I don't think you have to worry about being old, she's 68 and you're what? 27 at most?"
Nurse Gorgeous' lips turned in the corner like she was trying to hold back a laugh. "I'll take that as advice to act more my age."
"Well good." Ivy wasn't sure what else to say. "Thanks for the help, I should get going now." There was still a sense of dread about Akasha, something she wished she could avoid. I wish the nurse hadn't helped at all. The struggle could've prolonged things for her. "Um, is that fruit basket for me?"
"Oh yes!" The lady seemed to finally remember it, picking it up gingerly from the base to allow Ivy to grab the handle. "This is actually from an important guest! The Fuhrer himself, can you believe it?"
Ivy forced a smile onto her face, trying to think about the last time she even heard the word Fuhrer and nothing was ringing a bell. "Oh thank you!" She said, hoping her enthusiasm sounded genuine. "I have a long train ride ahead of me so I think me and Winry can share this as a snack."
"Oh that's been your companion here since you started your stay, right?" Nurse Gorgeous wrapped a hand around her chin thoughtfully. "She's a beautiful girl, very sweet. I heard she's stayed by your side this entire time, it's very thoughtful of her. You must be very close."
Ivy shrugged suddenly feeling bashful. "She's nice, got me into the automail business. She's actually the Fullmetal Alchemist's mechanic."
"Yes, I've heard. A pretty and young blonde girl was supposed to be the Fullmetal Alchemist's engineer, I think there's been some gossip about it." Nurse Gorgeous went on in her elaboration. "Most expect an automail engineer to be a tall and burly middle-aged man instead of a young teenage girl. Most girls tend to go into merchant work, but of course the military is a welcomed option in this country."
Suddenly, Nurse Gorgeous didn't feel so nice to have around anymore. It just felt like something weird in her stomach, a nurse knowing that much information. I'm probably just overthinking it, exposition dumps exist everywhere if you search hard enough for it. Ivy reasoned with herself, shoving her feeling of suspicion away. Winry had probably talked about it to others before, it also wouldn't be surprising if someone who knew Edward had talked about it. This was a military hotel, after all. "Well, I should get going before they get worried I've gotten stuck trying to get dressed, I've got an afternoon train to catch and it's overnight."
Nurse Gorgeous stepped aside with a polite bow of her head. "Okay, dear, you carry on. I'll be gathering the bedsheets here to wash them."
"Right, thank you for the help again. And for the fruit delivery." Even if it was random for whoever this Fuhrer guy was to send her a basket. Maybe it was that Roy guy, actually! Ivy almost had a spring in her step at the thought. But Fuhrer King Bradley Roy Mustang sounded ridiculous even to her, but if you looked that good you could be called Hombre de Basura and she would still swoon. "Hey, Edward." Ivy called out when they were in sight, she waved the basket gently. "Does Roy also go by Fuhrer? Because that's who gave me this goodie basket."
Winry's eyes lit up in surprise, "the leader of the country sent you a get well basket? Amazing! I wonder how he heard you were in the hospital."
Ivy's eyes bulged out of her sockets. The leader of the country? "Seriously?" She stared at the basket with wonder. "Wow, this guy is so nice! I think when I got admitted, word might've spread around since this is a military hotel but I didn't think it went all the way up top. This actually kinda made the day better a little bit."
Winry nodded with a smile, "we'll have something to eat on the train too."
"I'm just glad it isn't apples." A basket of oranges and grapes were a lot more preferable. "Ed, do you want some- yo, you good?" Ivy scrunched her face incredulously at the look of near horror on Edward's face. "What's up with you?"
"Who gave you that?" Edward all but demanded, taking a huge step forward and he was right under Ivy's nose.
"I uh, never got her name? But she was just some chatty nurse who helped me get on my jacket, that's all. What's with you all of a sudden?"
"Nothing." Edward said too quickly for Ivy to feel reassured. "Seriously, it's nothing. I'm just surprised the Fuhrer just gives fruit baskets to everyone, here I thought I was special."
Ivy didn't buy that for a second, but she shrugged nonetheless. "Okay? I guess we should leave now to get our things." The dread came back with a vengeance and Ivy took a deep breath. "I can get my things without talking to her-"
"You both and Al should just head to the station ahead of me and I'll get your bags." Edward raised a hand with a glare. "I already told you, you're not talking to her. Neither of you, Al is gonna make sure of it."
I just don't think you're the one that is best for these kinds of delicate situations. Ivy didn't protest but she grimaced, looking at the floor. "Right." She mumbled, Edward giving his brief farewells before walking off. His footsteps sounded louder than usual on the hospital floor, like he was stomping.
"I can carry this for you, Big Sis." Alphonse offered, reaching for the basket.
"I'm not useless, Alphonse." Ivy took a step back. "I'm missing one arm, not both."
"I know but I just like being useful." Alphonse chuckled, he took the basket anyway. Apparently, no one was going to listen to her today, not even the good brother. "We should get to the station fast so we can relax before Brother gets there."
Ivy didn't respond to that, staring at her shoes. They were starting to look horrendous, covered in dust from the time she had spent running from Scar. I'm lucky he didn't aim for my legs or I'd really be fucked. A surge of anger passed through her as remembered the only reason she lost her arm was because of Akasha trying to grab the gun. Guilt followed just as quickly. What am I feeling guilty for, I didn't grab the gun. Akasha did. I'm not the reason I lost my arm. Akasha is.
But she's not the one abandoning you. Her mind said back to her.
Ivy was glad that Winry held her hand and snapped her out of it. "Let's go home." The blonde smiled gently.
Ivy didn't smile back but she nodded as Winry finally took the steps forward to the train station. She could only hope Edward would handle this gently, she could only hope that when Edward finally showed up. "Thanks for getting our things." Winry said as Edward passed them through the window, just in the nick of time. "I almost thought that you would have to mail them to us."
"Al, where's that basket of fruit we had?" Ivy asked the younger brother. She didn't bother asking how it went with Akasha, she knew Edward would tell her nothing.
"Oh um, I think I forgot it on the bench! Sorry, I think it's too late to get it, Big Sis!" He said over the sound of the train whistle.
Damn it, Alphonse. "It's fine,I guess we'll just get something from the food cart." She sighed and looked at the brothers square in their respective faces. "You guys take care of yourselves."
"No dying on us either." Winry added with a nod of her own. "I'll try to send you a good polishing oil soon, Al. And make sure to keep up with your maintenance, Ed. And always remember to call before you head back to Resembool for a checkup." By the time Winry finished, the train started moving. "And remember to be careful!" She yelled, leaning out the window.
"Bye, Winry, bye Big Sis!" Alphonse called back with a wave. "You both be careful too!"
Ivy waved, "bye you two!"
Edward opened his mouth and pointed a finger and somehow, Ivy knew this meant his greeting would be anything but ordinary. "The next time I make you cry, they'll be tears of joy! Al and I will get our original bodies back no matter what, and we'll make you so happy that you'll cry!" The tiny blond bellowed. "You can count on it!"
Ivy shook her head with a smile, amused and Winry waved with an open-mouthed smile.
Still, guilt thrummed in her heart as Edward and Alphonse grew smaller and smaller in the distance. One less person was there than it might have been and one less person was sitting with her and Winry than it could have been. I wish things could have been different. Very different.
Author's Note
A much quicker update, I'm surprised myself because I thought it would take a bit longer to shill out. Comments from last chapter were fun to read, thanks for the birthday wishes for me and my mom and for the condolences surrounding her condition! For my birthday I got airpods and I wasn't able to get this mother a birthday present, I am trying to find the perfect Christmas gift. One of my friends got me a Switch Lite and Fire Emblem: Three Houses as an apology gift for forgetting my birthday last year so that was neat and another friend got me the new Animal Crossing game, so who knows maybe I'll tip a hand into the land of Fire Emblem fics after this project. I've played both Fates games before, I preferred Conquest. Maybe it's because I played that game first but by the time I got to Birthright, it was so easy in comparison that I ended up having no interest in finishing it and just spent time matchmaking.
Any of my readers play Fates? Did you prefer Conquest like me or Birthright? And if you've played Three Houses, which was your 'starter house' for lack of a better word and which is your favorite? Blue Lions might be my favs from fanart.
Last chapter was pretty fun to write. I remember way back when in FMA's super hayday of popularity, the Winry Antis and how much they demonized (for lack of a better word) with the Scar and being unable to shoot him and seriously missing the point of what it represented in terms of the Cycle of Hatred and how it went against everything Winry was characterized as being. Akasha is definitely one of those people as we remember from Chapter 1 lol. I'm also glad how you all see how Akasha views the characters of FMA as just that, characters and tools for a plot she happens to know instead of viewing them as actual people now that she has been placed here in Amestris. Next chapter, we head to Rush Valley before the girls find themselves back in Resembool. Who might Nurse Gorgeous had really been, I wonder. Hmmm...
AnimeandFanficLover: That was one distinction between Ivy and Akasha that I really wanted to make clear. Since Ivy was never into the series, she's gotten to know the characters as actual people with interests and even learn tidbits of the world that Akasha isn't privy to. Akasha on the other hand, hasn't left the mindset of fangirl who has seen all this stuff and has read one too many OCxEd fanfics. Despite the separation, Akasha's involvement in the story isn't over yet. So get ready.
GaaraDeservesToBeHappy: Here is a virtual hug to make up for the bitchyness. Also your username always makes me think of that scene in Shippuden, when Gaara came back to life and the first person he saw was Naruto smiling down at him and welcoming him back to the world and I JUST-
BloodPokemon101: Trust me, Akasha's 'helping' was in heavy quotation marks because her idea of helping was a major selfish setback. When I read this comment part of me wanted to commend you and the other half of me went "THEY KNOW TOO MUCH, SILENCE THEM" because you pretty much accurately stated everything that was coming fjdsnfkdnfkdjfsdn. Original concepts of AFD and SA was definitely going to more-or-less follow the typical trends of FMA OC fanfiction with both getting a happy ending and ending up with the first dudes they met but this time around when I was remaking the outline I wanted to follow the Sophie vs Agatha School for Good and Evil route. By the way, I'm getting into Bleach so I can read your Bleach fics!
5directionalpilots: Thank you for the condolences and birthday wishes, we appreciate them. One of the things we watched together earlier this year was Brotherhood when her legs were still fine, so I get memories about her different reactions to the show. I too was waiting to get to this moment for Akasha to fuck up badly and can't wait when I get to the point where you see all of this from her POV, especially when Edward got to the hotel.
Vedahzii: Sadly... Elizabetta is not in proportion to Ivy's body so she will be used for someone else in the future.