FINALLY IT'S FINISHED! How long did it take me to do this chapter! Sorry about that, I just couldn't do it with the other Greed story on my mind, and Starrk was going to be next, but I ended doing this like I promised, now that it's here, I hope you like it and sorry again for any errors!
The next one will have more adventure in it, but since it is a chapter about training...You get the idea :3 Enjoy! OH DICKCLAIMER-, I mean Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones I made up...So there.
Chapter III: Training Day
"You want me to what?!" Edward was surprised to hear those words pass her mouth.
"I want you to train me, teach me how to use alchemy. Please? Pretty please? Pretty, Pretty, Pretty Please?" Well, he could definitely see the pleading in her eyes…
"Why?" He asked skeptical of her reasons.
"Because I have no experience in self defense, or in that subject. You and Alphonse are the only two that can help me in that category." Janelle was serious. She needed to learn in order to get home, at least that was the assumption to see if she can even learn it…
"You think you'd be able to learn Alchemy here?" She merely nodded to the blonde's question, as he brought one of his knuckles under his chin. Pondering if it would be even possible for her to do so.
"Well…I don't see why not. It could be on account that you passed through the portal and you saw truth…So you should have the ability to perform Alchemy like Al and me."
"So…My suspicions were correct?"
"Huh?" Both Ed, and Al who had been silent this whole time seemed curious about her statement.
"W-well, I was thinking the same thing. I figured since I'm in this world, I'd be able to use Alchemy. So…I wanted to see if it's true. But, that's if you want to teach me. I-I'll do my best and I'll do my very, very best not to slow you down, I promise! I'll make sure I don't get in the way of getting your bodies back, I know how much that means to you, and it's just as important as me getting home." Janelle was sounded desperate. She put her hands together, begging for the Elric's help. Okay so maybe she was.
She didn't want to be the damsel in distress, she wanted to work her butt off to be all that she could be in this world. Again, Ed was finding it hard to say no, but at the same time, he began to wonder if there would be a down side to teaching this girl their way of Alchemy.
Well, I don't see why not…She does need some way of protecting herself, and considering the homunculi have been making appearances lately…It's only a matter of time before they discovery her…And where she's from.
After what seemed like endless silence, Edward slowly moved his knuckle down from his chin and leaned back against the couch he sat on, "You're sure about this?"
"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?"
"I just want to make sure. Alchemy isn't a walk in the park, it takes energy out of you, and the training that Al and I had to endure wasn't exactly easy."
"Oh I know, Izumi Curtis, right? Her training was brutal. Wait, you're not going to leave me on an island for a month are you?" With a cocked brow of worry, Edward and Al could only stare blankly at her before they both cracked up laughing.
"No, no, no." Alphonse reassured waving his hands, "That would be too much. We'll just start you out with the basics then work our way up from there. Besides, I don't think we have that kind of time to be training you on an island." Janelle couldn't help but merely smiled happily at Al and nodded her head understanding.
"Well, that's okay, if you think all I need are the basics to get me started than that's all I need to know for now. If you tell me too much anyways I won't be able to remember it all. I kind of have a short term memory…Sometimes." She lightly joked getting a bit of a laugh out of the boys. She was happy to know she was even getting as much as she was out of them, both out of their knowledge and their friendship. With only those two things, she actually was starting to feel happy, happier than she had ever been in a while from what she could feel. Maybe it was because she was hanging out with more than just one person this time…And people she knew she could trust even if they knew nothing about her.
Well, on another note, Ed was happy to hear her enthusiasm, and grinned mischievously in return, "Alright then, when did you want to start?"
"Now's good." She straightened herself on the floor feeling that her insides were ecstatic to hear he had said yes to the training, She was more than ready to learn. She was going to actually learn something as cool as alchemy, and what's even cooler than that was she was going to be taught by none other than the Elric Brother's themselves. How awesome for her, "Then let's get started…Come on Al. Janelle…?" He got out of his seat already making his way towards the door, "Right…Coming!"
The three of them walked out into the town till they reached the end of Central, reaching the grassy planes of the hills to see over the city itself…Wow, from a T.V. screen it sure was different…But up close? The hillside view of Central was beyond anything Janelle could imagine. Probably because she could actually make out the transmutation circle already just my looking down on the town.
"This is awesome…" She whispered softly to herself, not realizing that Al and Ed had caught a wind of it.
"Yeah, it's really something. So, ready to do this? Al, you want to go first, or should I?" Edward looked up to his brother's wriggling his thumb in between him and his sibling and shrugged, "Well, since she asked you first, why don't you go ahead. I can watch from over there by the tree ."
"Alright." Another grin seemed to cover Edward's face while forming a fist into with his auto mail and stepped forward with a readied stance, "Now then, are you ready for your first lesson in combat?"
"Uh…I hope so." The brunette smiled uneasy but put up her arms the best way she knew how. Okay, so she wasn't a ninja or a kung fu master, but she at least learned a few things out of school and a free pass to Karate class to know how to defend herself. And her feet were somewhat positioned properly, but considering this was the first of ever using the techniques against someone…She knew this first time was going to hurt…a lot!
"Well, your first rule in combat is always keep your guard up, no matter what."
"Okay."
"Now, I want you to come at me."
"What?"
"Come at me. You're opponent isn't always going to come to you, so you need to go to them. So, attack me, with everything that you have. After that, we'll start from there."
Janelle seemed confused. She had never attacked someone before, so this was a whole new chapter in her book. Great…New chapters…
She gulped back, already sensing the sweat seeping from her temples and her neck stiffened when she attempted to push herself forward and run at Edward. After warming up, she began to go at full speed hoping to get it right, but knowing on the first try? It wasn't going to happen. It never did…
When she attempted to throw a punch at the blonde, he grabbed her arm with ease and put her on her back pinning her down, getting a small gasp out her when she made contact. She came face to face with Edward only to see him grinning and chuckle, "Is that the best you can do? Boy, we're really going to have to work on you." Jan's lips pouted and her cheeks puffed when he said that. He thought it was funny, and he was purposely antagonizing, which was a bad thing when making fun of her. She hate being made fun of…Even if it was just for training.
"This is my first time hitting someone! But if you really want me to sock you…Give me back my arms so I can!" Edward just laughed again but this he pulled Janelle to her feet and patted her back for her effort, "Ready to go again?"
"Neh? You want me to attack you again!"
"Yep. You're going to keep attacking me until you actually get me. Once you do that, I'll fight you one on one…" All this time he had walked Janelle back to her place and walked back to where he stood before, looking back with hands on hips, "Meaning if you win, then we'll continue onto the alchemy studies."
Well, Janelle knew it wasn't going to be easy learning, but she wasn't expecting her training to start out like this…This was going to hurt…For awhile…
~Meanwhile~
Alphonse watched for a good couple of hours now of Edward and Janelle going at each other, with each time passing Janelle always ended up on her back, stomach, or face. It just wasn't doing any good. But training wasn't training without literal downfalls. Al could see that even though Janelle always ended up on her face, she continued to stand up and get into position. He could see the determination.
"Hello!" A voice startled the poor armored boy out of his mind causing him to whip around behind him.
"Oh Ling! Whew! Don't scare me like that…" He may have been made of armor but if he had his body he would've had a heart attack from that sneaky trick, "Sorry, I didn't mean it!" Ling was smiling widely with a tooth pick sticking out of his mouth when he fell gracefully onto his feet from the tree he was hanging from. He too began to watch the Alchemist teach his new pupil and in doing so, he could see how clumsy she was getting but how determined she was tying to get her way of fighting down. She was wanting to win no matter how many times she had to fall back on her bottom, she was going to get him. The prince was quite intrigued by her will, how many times she would jump back on her feet, and stop herself from falling was definitely worth the watch. She continued to roll herself onto her feet, and dodge the sudden attacks that Edward started to throw into the mix. He gave Janelle plenty of time to get the hint to look out for these sudden attacks; and she was able to block okay so that was a good sign that she had some talent, but if anything? All she needed was a little push and some heart into her body's motions, "She sure is sharp. She's catching on quickly."
"So, you can see that too?" Al laughed a little, "Mm-hmm. But she's missing something. She seems to be one of those kind of people that need to be in a real danger in order to feel the threat that ignites the fire of fighting…."
"Maybe. But you can tell that she is taking it seriously. She just can't seem to get to the point she wanted to though because of something telling her to hold back. Like she's scared of hurting him."
"No doubt about that." Ling smiled and continued to watch until the sun began to hit noon.
It kept going, until even the sun had set.
It was a whole day of events, and after a while, Janelle could barely stand, her knees were shaking and her body ached with sores that led up to bruises. All those attacks he led out on her just left her entire being wrecked, "Crap…" She fell to her knees trying to keep her head up but she could only feel the weight of her head fall to the grass, panting in exhaustion. She was literally defeated almost with her bottom up in the air while she let the feel of the cool green grass cure her hot cheeks, "I can't do anymore…"
"Hey! Don't give up! Tell you what, try one more time and then we'll go."
"No. I can barely stand and we've been literally out here for hours! I didn't even know my body could go on for that long."
"The body is an amazing thing." She had to laugh a little, but sighed tiredly, "I haven't done a work out like that since I went to that gym and the guy worked me out till I passed out or…Was it the Karate class…?" Uh-oh, it was worse than she thought. She was starting to feel loopy and she was starting to babble!
"Look, I don't know what you're spewing over there, but if you're really that exhausted, we can always do this tomorrow, I'm hungry anyways." She stifled a giggle that was almost going to pass her lips, but she stood up as best as she could, and limped her way over to Edward. She was actually going to start walking back to the inn without help, but when she heard him sigh, she looked back to him only to feel him put an arm around her and supported his shoulder under her arm, "Come on, I'm not going to let you limp all the way back. You can barely stand let alone walk."
"Oh. Well-, thanks." Ed cocked a brow at her for a second, and studied her eyes that were searching else where, "What did I do something wrong by helping you all of sudden?" He was a little offended if she couldn't tell, "No. I'm just…I feel bad for earlier still to be honest. I didn't mean to bring up anything bad about your…Well, you know. I'm…Sorry." He was taken back by it.
How could he answer back? He wasn't really angered by it, only mad at himself for how he treated her, "Nah, If anyone should be sorry it's me. I shouldn't have gone off like that. I've just been under a lot stress if you haven't already noticed…" Of course by the way he said that, she knew all too well of what he had been going through, and nodded to what he meant, "Yeah, I could see why you also thought I was following you. That's what they've been doing…Isn't it?" She meant 'they' by homunculi, and this time it was Ed's turn to nod his head, "Yeah…" He shifted his eyes from the sunset to Janelle only to smile confidently at her, "But don't worry when they come you'll be ready to take them….Hopefully, enough to fight back."
"Gee, thanks…" She praised sarcastically, "I have a feeling I'm going to die here…" Her face fell flat with doubt, while Ed's eyes widened at her, annoyed by the stupid comment, "See, thinking like that will get you killed. Just concentrate on trying to strike the weak spots…And keep your mind clear! Keep those two that thick head of yours and…maybe you'll live."
"Oh gee thanks!" She bonked him on the head with her own, getting him to hiss in pain, "What'd you do that for?!" He exclaimed with his hair turning into flames.
Just the rage of flames seemed to make Jan break out into a fit of giggles. But she gasped when she saw Ling walking next to the two, smiling…Or smirking Janelle wasn't really sure at the moment, but giggled again while she felt her heart thump against her chest, "Oh goodness Ling! You startled me."
"Apologies good Madam. I seemed to be doing that to everyone today."
"It's fine…So, where have you been all day? Any info on you-know-what?"
"Mm, no. In fact, I decided I wanted to see how your training was going."
"Why?"
"I don't know, I wanted to see how good you were at fighting…" She shrugged and blushed, a little embarrassed, "Ooh…Bad huh?" She thought he was going to say terrible, but he merely chuckled at her, "I wouldn't say that…But you do need a little more structure in your hidden abilities."
"Hidden? Are you sure I don't just suck?"
"Yes, hidden. You're holding back, and I can see it. If you don't mind, I'd like to show you a few moves that might solve a few of your problems? What'd ya say?"
"S-sure." She didn't want to admit it but her mind was screaming that was a horrible idea! The one guy she's had a silly crush on, a cartoon was now real. She was confused and feeling like she was going nuts just thinking about it, not the crush but the fact that this place was not reality, made her mind feel like she had seen the face of God, which in way she did; meeting truth and all, but she still had to come to terms with the new factor was that Central, the Elric brothers, Ling, and the rest of this world here was real! It was all really real!
"You don't look so good Jan, are you going to make it home?" Luckily Ed was the first to notice it, and with a sickly smile, she laughed nervously, "Y-Yeah, I'm peachy. I'm just coming to realize that I'm in a world I never thought would literally exist. I mean, this place was just suppose to be a cartoon and a book created by a guy! Now, it's become a whole new world! And that's not even a Disney reference!" She said more making a joke to herself than the others who were blinking blankly at her, unsure of what to say to that.
"Can I just say? You're. A. Weirdo."
"And you like Winry." She announced making Edward turn a beat red as steam blew from the ears, "I do not! I mean I do but not like how you said it!"
"Mm-hmm, it's okay, you'll come around eventually." She mumbled loud enough for Ed to hear her, "What's that suppose to mean!" He wailed his arms accidentally in the moment, in the mist of nearly dropping Janelle on the ground, but thanks to Ling's reflexes he was able to catch her on the spot, "Jeez Edward take it easy."
"She started it! She started making fun of me, and I-, oh damn it."
"It's okay Ling, I riled him up, I should've expected that." Janelle laughed trying to be positive about since she did embarrass him to the fullest, and with that she patted Ed's shoulder before Ling took his turn assisting the limping girl.
"Now, about that food?"
"Ling forget it, you're a free loader and you're not getting any of what I buy."
"Still so cruel are we Ed?" Ling teased just as he picked up Jenny into his arms, making he gasp, "What are you doing?" She asked timidly, attempting not to blush when she wrapped her arms around his neck for support, "Helping you." He said simply.
"Well you don't have to carry me."
"Like Ed said, you can barely walk. So, I'm keeping you off your feet. I am going to train you after all. Are you up for the challenge?"
"I'm always ready….Just-, not now." He was very aware of that and snorted a chuckle, "Come on, it's not so bad being carried is it?"
"No. But still-, a little odd."
"Why?"
"Because I'm not use to being carried like this. Most guys assume I'm too heavy."
"They sound like punks to me." Ed added crossing his arms over his head after he had stretched out his sore limps; yes including the auto mail, "Sure were."
"Well, you're not." They both said making Janelle freeze for a moment before giving a soft chuckle, "Thanks guys, that was very nice of you."
"Nice doesn't have to anything to do with it. It's just true. You're a girl, you barely weigh anything."
"Says the boy I landed on when I first came here." Jan smiled at Ed, and got Ling and Al to chuckle in harmony at the thought, "Oh yeah, didn't you think it was me that fell on you?" Al asked stifling his laughter, "Nooo! It wasn't like that! It was just because she fell from the ceiling, remember! There was more than just Jenny's weight put into that! There was also the theory of gravity!" Again the four laughed, even louder this time.
It was nice, for the first time in a while, Janelle had actually felt good when she laughed. It wasn't a fake laugh this time, but a real laugh that made her inside hurt. And she wasn't even laughing that had! She also didn't feel like everyone was putting on a poker face to hide their true feelings. Everyone was actually genuine, and very real.
By dinner time, Janelle had her fist taste of really good food in a long while. What she hated was she wasn't the one buying he own meal, which made he even feel worse about eating the food, "Come on Jan eat up! You need to keep up you strength for tomorrow."
"I know it's just-," She fiddled with the chopsticks in between her fingers and looked up at the blonde brother with a timid smile, "I feel bad for not buying it."
"Don't worry about that. I bought it for you didn't I? So eat it or I'll feel bad that you didn't." He countered back before taking a big bite of noodles. To be honest, she didn't think about it that way until he said and with a shrug of her shoulder before taking a big bite of he dish, "Oh my goodness…" She covered her mouth and chewing in the magnificent flavors with a smile tugging at her face, "It's good. It's really good. Better than…Something." She ponder her thoughts for a moment trying to think of a familiar trick at the back of her mind, but when nothing came up, she waved her hand and sat back against the couch, "Oh well, it must not be important, in case, thank you for the awesome dinner."
Ed and Al could only watch as the girl scarf down the food, "Are you sure it's nothing?"
"Mm-hmm, I know it had to do something with a woman that's elated to me." She then looked up at the boys when she was done with he bowl, "She wasn't a bad cook, more of a lazy one. Everything was made out the microwave, nee taking the time and effort to actually put in the love that this soul food has." She rubbed her tummy happily when suddenly Al asked, "What's a Microwave?"
"Oh yeah, heh, I got ahead of myself. It's a like a metal box with a small round glass plate inside of it to put in the item of you choice. In my world, we have something called frozen dinners, and you just set the timer, and in minutes, bam, your food's good to go." Everyone seemed in awe at the sound of it, almost hypnotized.
"How do they taste?" Ed asked
"And what kind do they have?" The prince suddenly asked second popping in from the window with that signature happy face of his.
"LING!" Apparently he had been listening in too, which only made Janelle smile and giggle at his sudden intro, "Well, they're okay, but it's not as good as putting love into your food. That's what makes good food, not frozen dinners. Also, to get it to work you have to plug it into an outlet. It's not made by Alchemy. It doesn't really necessary exist like it does in this world. It doesn't come by just a clap of your hands."
"Well, there's more to it then just clapping your hands Janelle." Ed interjected sounding offended.
"Oh I know. Sorry I didn't mean it like that I just mean we don't do Alchemy like you do, we have tried, trust me, it doesn't."
"When!" Now this time everyone asked a little louder than usual.
"Way back in the day. In the war of World War II-," As Janelle continued to tell them of the madness between America, Japan and most of the world, Ed, Al, and even Ling listened intently as they became more fascinated with the world she spoke of, "Wow, you guys sure had your share of war huh?" Al sounded sad, but Janelle could only smile sadly and nodded, "Of course, I wasn't even born when it happened, but we are going right into another one soon enough. At least that's what it looks like." She relayed the last part with a shaky sad sigh.
"Why's that?" Ed's brows knitted together with what seemed like a hint of irritancy behind his wide eyes, "Well, that's another story that will have to wait, all this talk about war is bringing me down."
"Yeah! Let's talk about something else! Like the food you were talking about?" Ling's voice chirped over only making Edward mad to the point he almost fumed from his ears, "Get out of here! Don't you have somewhere else to go!"
"No…." Ling's shrunk behind the window seal with a tear in his eye, "Why do you have to be so mean Ed?" The prince added a whimper to his voice almost trying to act like a begging pup. He even sniffled like one.
Janelle didn't know why but seeing it only made he smile and look away to hide the sudden tears of giggles wanting to burst from her eyes. His expressions were always so priceless, she couldn't help it every time he made a goofy face she just had to smile and laugh, "Okay, I'll tell you." She suddenly said when she could compose herself, "They make frozen dinners of all kinds; I got to admit though, most of it's not all that great. The mini ovens they make though are way cooler."
"Your world's just full of electronics huh?" This was almost becoming too much for Ed to take in, his head was literally spinning, everything he knew as logic had flew out the window. Thee was now a possibility of another world out there in the universe, this feeling like the first time I saw truth, my head's about to crack! This girl's from the 21st Century!
"Yep. Everything is mostly done by machines and people, but nothing is really done with something like Alchemy, it's just not-, as-, um-, I guess bona fide as it is here. We can't clap our hands and magical fire comes bursting out like Roy's or as explosive as Kimblee's."
"Wait how do you know about Mustang? And who's Kimblee?" Ed asked a little confused, "Oops. Uh, Kimblee's nobody…" Yet, "But like I know you guys? I also know who the Flame Alchemist is."
"Wow….You really are from another dimension…" Ed's eyes were spiraling so bad he had to lay his hand over his eyes and set his head back to let the information sink in, while Alphonse only patted his shoulder for support, "It's alright brother just take it easy."
All the while Ling was watching Janelle with his eyes, also taking in everything he had heard and smiling as he became more intrigued in the girl, "It really is something…"
"What is?" The Xingese apparently wasn't paying any attention to Jan's blank blinking stare, when he suddenly pulled his chin away from his hand and smiled widely, "Oh! Sorry, I meant your world, I'm just as surprised as Ed! It's truly a wonder to hear of such a place."
"Oh, heh, I know to me it's not that big of a deal, but then again, I'm not in your guys' shoes." She laughed itching her head before placing her empty place on top of the others on the coffee table, and sat back against the cushion of the couch with a content sigh, "Oh boy, am I full. Thank you again for the food Ed, I'm not really use to kindness like that, so all in all, thank you ten times."
"Hey, I'm sure you'd do the same for me if I got stuck in your world."
"I never thought of it that way, but yeah, I guess I would've." She laughed and stood up again from the couch and walked to her bag of things, "Hey, do you want to see something cool?" She asked with her back turn to them and her hands fiddling through her bag of wonder, "Um, sure."
"Yeah."
"Can I come in to see it?" Ling pleaded only to hear Ed growl and then sigh when he gave in, "Ugh, fine."
"Yay!" All the boys began to huddle around Janelle, seeing that she had found what she was looking for.
It was small, rectangular, and had a wire with to ea piece at the end of it, "What is it?" It even had a little screen on it, and when Jenny pushed the button on the side, the screen lit up and a small noise came from the ear pieces, "What is it?" Ed's eyes were glowing with that same passion he had for alchemy, he was just astonished, like Al and Ling were.
"It's an mp3 player. It plays music and does other things, but um, lets not get too technical about it. I just use this thing purely for music. Here, listen." Janelle picked up the ear pieces and gave one to Ed and Ling, letting them place it into their ears as they listened to the song it was playing. Al having no ears only pressed the side of his metal head to the ear piece that Ed wore, both of them listening in and smiling. Well, she couldn't see Al's smile but she could tell by the glow in his eyes and the soft chuckle in his suit that he was.
"Incredible." Was all Ling could say as he listened to the lyrics, and rhythm, "I like the song, what's it called?"
"In my world, the band that play it is called Massive Attack. The song is called Teardrop, and it's one of my favorites." She smiled up at Ling and then searched though some more songs they began to listen to, but after she had found another for the boys, she handed the player over to Ed and left to get ready for bed.
It was going to be a long day tomorrow and if she was going to actually get serious about training, she needed to get a good night's rest.
And a shower…
Back with the boys, they were hypnotized by the new deice listening to loud songs, soft songs, songs they disliked and ones that they did, "I got to get me one of these." Ed said simply only to hear his brother laugh at him, "Yeah it would be petty neat to have one. Maybe we could if we had Winy take it apart." The younger boy was more of joking than anything, and Ed only laughed too as he leaned how to turn it off, "Yeah, no…That girl would have a field day with this thing."
Have a field day with what?" The blue eyes girl interjected when she retuned from her day of running around town, "Oh good, your back Winry. Did you get the tickets?"
"For what? Oh going back to rush valley?"
"Yeah, you are going back in a couple days right?"
"Yeah, I got them. How's Janelle holding up?"
"Good. Good." He hid the player in his pocket before she noticed and in an instant he changed the subject, "She wanted me to train her today, and now Ling here's gonna take over, apparently he can do better than me with the training." He said eyeing the Xingese boy with a suspicious glare.
"Oh now I didn't say that. I just said I could help her in stances, and such. Nothing more."
"Right. So Ling, what kind of stances and such are you talking about?"
"What? You think I want something from her?" Ling asked looking off at the bathroom door, "Why else? She doesn't have any hidden abilities. It's called training. Now I want to know are you just planning on using her or are you actually in it to help Janelle?"
"Whoa, calm down there Ed, I'm slightly insulted that you would think I'd tried to harm her in anyway-,"
"I'm more worried that you'll get this girl into trouble than help. That's what I'm thinking." The blonde countered only to have Winry and Al break up the tiff, "Come on guys don't fight."
"Yeah, in any case Janelle's going to be coming out soon and I don't think she wants to hear something like that. So cut it out."
"Mm…" Was all that Ed could reply before suddenly hearing the shower cease and silence the room. Apparently Al was right about he getting out, and with a frustrated expression to grim his features, he changed the subject quickly, "On another note, Al…There's something I have to tell you…"
The whole room fell silent when Alphonse looked to his brother and asked, "What is it?"
From the other side of the door, being curious to what was happening, Janelle had finished her shower sooner than usual, and found it hard not to ease drop on the group. She head about Ed's suspicions, but to be honest, she was way ahead of him. From the fist time she met Ling, he had been more than interested in knowing more about her. He was a prince wanted immortality, so in finding the stone, he came across her in the process.
A girl who had traveled through time and space to come to this world, who wouldn't be a little interested in wanting to know what it was like? It was only like his character to be that way, curious to see what the worth is, that's what she assumed.
After thinking for a moment, she could hear the Alphonse asking about Ed and his trip to Resembol. It was then she realized it was part of the story line to the show. Where Ed finally tells Al about his shocking discovery, and how he believes there's a way to get his body on the other side of the gate.
The gate… As Jan slipped into her pajama bottoms and tank top, she pondered on when she would have a chance to meet truth again. She figured that would be the only way to get home at this point, and wait for her chance to pass with Ed and Ling to the other side, maybe getting some answer from the little god boy would give some kind of clue to getting home.
What's even worse is trying to stay incognito…There's no way I'll be able to stay hidden if I follow them into Gluttony's stomach. Because of the homunculi! Damn it, and what if he tells me there's no way of getting back! Then I'll end up right in front of father! Oh great, I think I just figured out my own future! This is so screwed up. After a moment of insanity, a sudden knock came to the door, startling Janelle out of her worried daze.
"Hey Jen, you alright in there? Did you drown?"
"No…Just-, freshening up."
"Well hurry it up I got to go to the bathroom!"
"Alright, okay hold you horses mister! Jeez." In seconds she was out and saw the shot boy standing in front of her with his hands on his hips, which only made her pat his head, with a kiss-y face, "You're just so cute when you're angry!" And with that she walked to her over sized bag again, hearing Edward retort back something inaudible, and did little to pay attention to it while she looked to Ling who she saw having a hidden tug at his lips. Another one of those smiley faces that he liked to wear. There was never a moment he wasn't smiling, but she knew that, she could get mad at him for being positive. Before she looked away she took a double take though, seeing that he wasn't just smiling out of contentment or for being himself, but out of the humor in Janelle making Ed mad. It was an affect everyone had on him.
Once she realized this, she couldn't stop herself from quietly giggling, soft enough that Ling had barely heard it, and in return, he looked back at Jenny and smiled brightly as he chuckled within his throat, "Whatever you say Ed." She said looking away from the others.
"Brat!"
"Mm-hmm. I know-," Out of nowhere a blinding image in her head came into her head, one of an older woman, someone like her mother exclaiming the same thing at her. And she was angry.
That was the end of it, the blonde boy closed the bathroom door behind and left the others in the room to stifle the few giggles they had left.
"Glad to see you two are getting along." Winry laughed getting Janelle to smile even more, "Yep, he's still an ass, but he's a smart ass." In saying this it got both Al and Ling to snort, and Winry to cover her mouth of the fit of giggles that wanted to burst out, "Literally!"
"Lets change the subject shall we?" In minutes Ed was already back but this time he seemed to have calm himself a little more, and in feeling a little guilt, Jan apologized with sincere eyes but with a soft laugh at him, "Sorry Edward, I'll stop picking on you."
He looked to Janelle and rolled his eyes not wanting to feeling odd when she said that, and instead waved his away up in surrender, "Eh, don't worry about it, it's not like I can't handle it."
"I know." For a second he stopped and looked back at Janelle as she grinned at him, still giggling at the half joke she made about knowing. With that, Edward couldn't help stop the gentle smile that over took his face as he sighed, quickly changing the subject, again, "So, while you go with Ling, Al, Winry and me are going to head over to see Roy at the hospital tomorrow for some information about what happened with them and the others. I would let you come with us Jan, but since the homunculi are manipulating the military…Well, we just can't risk them discovering you. At least not yet, do you understand?" Janelle couldn't really say anything but shrug her shoulders with a small nod, "Yeah."
Just as she replied she felt a wave of exhaustion hit her, and with a lion of a yawn she rubbed the tears of much needed sleep from her eyes, and pulled out herself underneath her sleep bag, "Heh, looks like someone's already ready to hit the hay." Al laughed softly, which Janelle smiled to, "Mm-hmm. Well, it's been fun being my first day in a new universe but I'm beat, and I need some sleep. Recollect my thoughts and stuff." The brunette bowed her head with a soft smile and turned over to lay her head on the small pillow that was attached to the bottom, "Night guys."
"Good night Janelle."
"Oh hey Edward do you still have my little music player?"
"Huh? Wha-, Oh you mean this. Yeah, sorry about that." He gave a cheeky embarrassed grin as he handed the mp back with his auto mail hand, "It's no problem, I- I just sometimes can't sleep without it."
With a switch of the player Janelle placed the pieces in her ears and smiled at the others who watched her get re-comfy in her green bag, and turned to her side, and nuzzled herself into the small pillow that made into the sleep bag itself, and within seconds, she was deep in he slumber that the others could still talk without waking her.
Not like she could hear them anyways, not with the ear pieces plugging them up with soft music.
"She sure is a soft sleeper, isn't she?" Ling asked hours into the night as the others were getting ready for bed, "What are you still doing here!"
"Shh! You'll wake her!" Winry snapped in a harsh whisper getting Edward to cringe a little when he quieted down, "Are you staying or what?" The blonde asked again this time with annoyed calmness; it was weird, "Mm, I might as well, I'll have no way of waking her up in the morning if you lock me out." The prince chuckled at his own joke, but Edward could only give an evil grin at the idea, feeling the urge of wanting to so bad, "Oh-ho you have no idea." He shook his fist to himself all the while his back turned to Ling before he pulled his shirt off.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to bed, so if you're going to end up arguing do it quietly please. I mean I'm right next door. Okay?" Winry made that perfectly clear before she left with that deadly glare in her eye, "S-Sure Winry. Whatever you say."
"Good. Night boys."
"Night Win." Al said happily, unlike his brother who seemed shaken up by the evil eyes she had just given him. Not just the others…But Him. "Heh, N-night." When she was gone and her door had closed behind her, and Ling sighed with a low bow of his head whimpering to himself.
"What's your problem?" Ed asked looking to him, "Your girlfriend's scary when she's mad." He put blatantly, getting Ed to blush the moment he heard that word pass his lips mouth, "SHUT UP-!"
"Brother." Al warned worriedly pointing at Janelle who had turned to face them now, "Oops. W-well, she's not my girlfriend, she's just a childhood friend! I swear, you and that brunette are conspiring against me!" He threatened hoping it would do some good, but it only made Ling chuckle softly, and shake his head, "Nope, just stating an obvious fact my friend." A girl's voice intervened suddenly getting the boys to look behind them. All six eyes widened with surprise to see that Janelle could hear them with her ear pieces still in her ears.
"I can't believe you're still awake." Ling was the first to make mention of this, only to see that Jan had smiled gently to that and sat her head up with a hand, "That's because Ed doesn't know how to whisper." At first, Ed glared at Jan. Then he smirked, smiled, and laughed, "Yeah you're right, I'm too blunt."
"Mm-hmm. Sure are. And that's who you are. A blunt person." Janelle laid her head back down again, almost unable to keep her eyes open, "Ya got that right…" Edward started to say, but then took in what she just said, and looked to the drifting girl with a tilt of his head, "So then tell me this Jan…What kind of person are you?"
Spiraling into deep sleep fast, Janelle could only laugh ever so gently in attempted to answer without slurring; but unfortunately, the sleep was taking over too much too quickly, "A lost one…"
The boys looked at one another with sad curious faces, then looked back to Janelle's back, "What do you mean?" Al asked sadly.
"Mm, just-, I don't…Know who I… am anymore….Kind of hard to be you…when you don't remember….Who you are." She gave one last yawn, and finally fell asleep. This time, for good, all while the others sat there taking in her words, they couldn't help but feel sympathy for her.
She was right, she didn't know who she was anymore, and she didn't know the ones she once knew either or any of her past, so how could she answer? It was all blurred in her mind. Now that he thought about it, Edward began to feel bad for even asking in the first place.
He had to sit there with his hands clasped together while he let his own mind wonder about this mysterious girl, "Brother? You okay?"
"I just-…Wasn't expecting that answer. I guess I wasn't thinking about what she was going through…Being lost, scared, and without a clue on how to get home…Damn it, I've been so selfish, worried about how to avoid the homunculi and everything else, that I just didn't know how to react to who she said she was."
"Don't beat yourself up. We've been going through a lot too. I'm sure she understands."
"Yeah. I'm sure she does." Ed smiled a little, and chuckled, "I'm sure she knows everything about us." Then he gasped and blushed, "Wait, she knows everything…Even…Things we've never told anyone about…" The thought left little sweat drops running down his face.
"Now I doubt she knows that much. And even if she does, who cares? Who's she going to tell? She doesn't know anyone here." His younger sibling was right. So far they could trust her, now came the hard part. Getting to know her.
"Eh, good point. Alight, well, I think it may be time for all of us to hit the hay. Ling, if you're going to stay here, I would suggest telling those body guards of yours to get in here while they still have a chance. It's gonna be a cold night tonight and you three have an early morning."
"Right. No problem." The prince saluted him, but Ed wasn't done yet, "And-,don't think I'm being nice by letting you stay the night! I'm just doing this so you can help us, so don't screw it up!"
"You can count on me!" With his hand still in salute, Edward glared down the Xingese prince just before getting in his boxers and put himself to bed.
Al, not being able to sleep, only chuckled, and laid back against the wall near the door as he watched Ling call Lan Fan and Fu in for the night. He then closed the window behind him, and the two sat across from him in the spacious couches all while taking in the fact they would be training a foreigner, "Are you sure about this lord? This could become a very dangerous task that you don't need getting in you way! She could end up becoming the enemy for all we know." Fu said harshly, of course only thinking of his prince's well being, but being Ling, he was hardly afraid of the girl turning on him. He just didn't sense that from her.
He was still fascinated with the fact she was from another world, and found new obstacles that he wanted to learn, that he wanted to know. Call him the curious one if need be, but to Ling, he loved a challenged, and this certainly was a dozy.
This was just too good to pass up, "No Fu. I think you're wrong. I sense no evil intentions with her. If you want to sense anything? All I sense is fear, and wonder. Something I'm sure we're all feeling at the moment." He then looked to Fu and Lan Fan with his famous smile, "Are we not?" The two were silent afterwards, and with that, dark haired prince took a small glance over at the sprawled out girl sleeping soundly in the cone.
Already he could hear the music still mildly playing in her ears still, the songs softer and with a soft chuckle, he walked up to Janelle's slumbering form cautiously and squatted down next to her, as quietly observed and listened to the lyrics from above, "Young lord what're you doing? Step away before you wake her up!" Lan Fan whispered harshly to make sue he head, but the prince continued to listen to the song and smiled as he bobbed his head a little to the beat.
He was stating to like the song he was listening to an in fiddling with one of the ea pieces, he ended up slyly taking the player from her loose hand and walked back to his seat on the couch, "Lord!"
"Shh…" He gently hushed his assistances only to hear the next song play in his ear, and in seconds a smile lingered on his lips as he bobbed his head, "It's okay she's asleep she won't mind. By morning it'll be wrapped up next to her." He assured them as he listened on, "What is it?" Fu suddenly asked getting a good look at the device, "Well, it plays music. She says it does other things, but hasn't told us what."
As he listened on, he shifted his eyes back to Janelle. He was having a hard time not being able to look anywhere else, but her. It was like his care for power wasn't finished until he knew more about this alien girl from the stars. It was just something so unexpected in his life time, and there were still so many questions running through his mind, not one could stick to him.
She just seemed…Amazing. It was a whole new opening to the Xingese Prince, and tomorrow he hoped to get more answers.
"My Lord, Ling. Is something wrong?"
"Oh no, just listening to the music Lan Fan." As he replied with the cheeky smile of his, Ling did little to reveal that he had not just been staring off at Janelle for no reason. No, it was because of that Chi of the girl's that left him feeling a tingling sensation underneath his skin. One that left him feeling that her aura in general was as different as the strange Alchemy energy around the city.
I wonder if Ed would know anything about that…
~Next Morning~
By six o'clock on the dot, Janelle had already been awake. She couldn't sleep, she was too busy worrying too much about her family and what they looked like. She grabbed her binder from her bag's bundle and pulled out the pictures from their slots, one by one.
She scanned them and thought really had on their faces, hoping they would be somewhat familiar by now, but still nothing came to hear. Only a few fuzzy memories remained after her trip through the portal, "Damn it." She sighed, not too loud before she placed the pictures back into the inside of her folder while suddenly coming upon her last homework assignment.
It was then she remembered a little of what she was doing before she passed over.
It was like the sound of a tick in the back of her head that unanimously brought her back to the day she disappeared from her universe.
Are you still coming over? Was the sound of another girl's voice unlike her own. It lit up a small flame in her heart that only seemed to blow smoke and amber into the air like a chimney. She remembered one person so far and that was her best friend, Kim.
Frantically, she pulled out the pictures, panting slightly from the sudden features that popped into her mind. The girl had red hair and green eyes, a pretty smile that seemed to always pissed Janelle off. No, not because Kimmy was pretty, it never occurred to Jan that she was jealous of her friend, but still felt a there was a reason to secretly disliked her so called friend.
Why though? Whatever it was, it already bugging Jenny to not know what it could be. I mean, it was her own best friend. She knew her for 13 years, and suddenly, it just felt like all of it was for nothing.
…Kim…Why do I feel this way? Why do I feel a reason to feel this hurt and hate for you. What could you have done to make me feel like this? It-, it's nothing too bad right? Something stupid probably. All friends fight sometimes so maybe we had a tiff before I left.
"So, You're awake. That's good." Ling's voice nearly shook Jan from the inside out.
She hadn't expect him to be awake already, but apparently she forgot who Ling Yao was, "For the love of-, good god you scared me." She whispered with a light chuckle of relief just as she gripped her heart to hold it back to stop it from bursting out of her chest, "Sorry. I didn't mean to. Did you finally remember something?"
"Hmm? What-, oh that. You saw my expression. Right…Yeah, sort of. I can't- really explain."
"Why not?" He asked only getting Janelle to look at him and shrug looking away, "Because it's as if-, I can remember things, but just enough to remember my friend's face, Kimmy. I'm worried though…When I remembered her, my heart started aching, like it was hurting more to see her, and not out of being home sick either." She trailed off looking up at the ceiling to hide the tears that wanted to fill the bottom of her lids, but in stopping them she closed her eyes and sighed, holding her hands together as they stayed by her bosom, "I think…I think something happened. I'm not sure what yet, but why else would I feel there's something wrong? I just can't think of a single thing that would've triggered my feelings of aggression."
"Hmm." Was all the prince could say, going back to laying on his side and propping his head up with a hand and elbow, "So basically you don't know if you two had a fight before you came here?"
"Mm-hmm, I just really don't like the vibe I'm getting from all of this. Everyone I can remember is depressing me more than making me want to go back home. Something must've happen before I left, or-, I don't know. It's all just too much for me because I can't think straight right now." Janelle's started to hurt a little, more than it should've and in attempting to numb the pain, she simply rubbed her temple and shifted her eyes over to Ling who was still smiling at her.
Just, smiling. After what she just told him?
"What's with the smiling?" She asked curiously only to have his smile disappear and a curious expression take his features, "Mm, why not smile? It's going to be a beautiful day today." He simply complied pointing to the window to make Jan look to it. Just as she did, the sun beamed onto the floor, and onto her form as if to greet them to the morning.
Admittedly, she welcomed it, and smiled hopefully. Being depress wasn't going to solve anything, she needed to stay on top of herself and stay strong in order to make her way through this troubled time. She just had to, "Sure is." Then, it went silent. Janelle began to wrap her arms around her legs, but just as she was about to, she decided to get up instead, "Where are you going?"
"Out. You're suppose to be training me right? So I'm going to get ready."
"It's only six." He laughed softly.
"Early bird catches the worm." She retorted smiling back, disappearing into the bathroom, "Oh, you sure are on the ball today."
"Well…" Janelle began to trail off behind the door, suddenly switching out her fabrics for the day, and making sure they were comfortable enough to run around in; considering what she had to expect, "I guess I'm thinking I need to stay on my toes. Once the homunculi know that I'm here, I'll have no choice but to fight otherwise they could try to get to my world and use its resources-, not that their any better or anything, I, at least want to be one step ahead of them."
"But your world sounds like it has a lot to offer. I mean-, music coming from a small device, electronics…"
"Trust me, that's not even half of it. There's a lot going on in my world you wouldn't want to see or know. Its-, just bad." She reminded herself of a small memory that seemed to click in her mind, of some things she saw on her television back at home…
"Worse than over here?" Just as he said that, he heard nothing but silence. He thought he had done something wrong, until Jan poked her head from the bathroom, and came out in some black shorts, a white t-shirt, and a black vest to make the outfit she wore, "No, I wouldn't say that…I guess anywhere is bad, it's just depends on how you adapt to your surroundings and what you can consider 'home.'"
"Heh, that's very well put Jan. Are you a philosopher too?" Jan's lips widened into a small smile while she attempted to hide her chuckle behind them, "No, but I do know what I want."
"What's that?" Ling asked curious with raised brows, only to get the most interesting answer he had ever heard, "Love and peace, man." She replied giving up a peace sign.
"Yeah? And I wanna get some sleep." Edward suddenly interrupted, startling the hell out of Janelle so bad she fell on her butt with a painful thud, "Owe…Ed…you scared me."
"Heh, sorry Ed-," Ling tried to say, but the blonde boy with his back to them merely pointed at the table near the door, "Hey Janelle, there's some money on the table, go get something' to eat, yeah?"
"What? Are you sure? I-, I don't want to just take your money." Janelle's voice was reduced to timid when she asked. It was just wrong to her to take money she didn't earn, but hey, she couldn't argue if he was offering, "Anything to get you guys to be quieter…I'll meet up with you later."
"If you say so, thanks." She walked over to the table and looked at the money…And realized that their money system was different, "Oh crap…"
"What?" Ed's voice whined, "I…um, don't know how to use Cens." She replied meekly, blushing as she took the money in her hands and studied them, "I could help you Janelle."
Janelle looked over to Al, and blushed even harder, this time laughing a little as she rubbed the back of her head, "Oh morning Al, I almost forgot you were still here. You're so quiet, heh."
"It's okay. But if you'd like, I could teach you a quick way to learn how Cens work."
"Please? I feel so stupid. In my world we just have a different system with using money. The Cens are more of the eastern culture."
"Every cultures different."
"I know I love learning about cultures." She added just before they started talking about how the Cens worked. The simpler version of it.
After the short lesson, Janelle put on her slip on black shoes, similar to Ling's, and made her way down the street with the prince already at her side.
Although while walking, she began to wonder where Lan Fan and Fu were. Well, until she looked up, and saw them jumping from building to building, Should've known
"So, same place as yesterday? That seemed like a nice spot, wouldn't you say?" The prince's voice was the only thing that seemed to get her attention from all of the amazing surroundings. It was nothing like where she lived, and less cars in the streets, and no sky scrappers. It wasn't like the city. Nope, this is was homey, and welcoming. She really liked it.
It reminded her a little bit of Germany, being so spacious with luscious hills and mountains, and streams, "Sure. Sounds good." After answering, Janelle pulled out her mp3 player and began to scan through the music as they walked to the spot-, well until Ling started to lurk over her shoulder, watching intently at what she was doing.
It didn't bother her at first, but when she finally found a song, he leaned his head against hers to make her turn a little red, "Ling?"
"Yes?"
"Y-you're in my bubble."
"You're what-, oh! Sorry! I didn't realize I was making you uncomfortable." Janelle flinched and gave him a funny face, "Well, not so much as make me 'uncomfortable,' but-, I don' know, there's just something about people being so close to me that makes me…" She trailed off. She didn't know how to tell him that it frightens her.
A small tinge of her heart felt guilt and yet at the same time it felt withered and abused, giving Jan the idea that something had made her feel that way. What other possible reason would there be? "Just-, never mind. So, you still haven't told me how you were going to train me. And don't tell me it's a surprise." She warned only getting Ling to chuckle, "My, my, not even on the grounds yet, and already rambunctious."
"Damn skip-a-dee-doo-dah I am."
"Skip-a-what?" Looking at his face with slightly widen eyes, Janelle could only lower her head with a small shake of her shoulder, indicating she was giggling at him, "Don't worry about it." She stopped for a moment, but as they continued to walk together, she decided to tell Ling a little of what he wanted to know… "Back in my world…We have these things called movies. A man name Walt Disney wanted to make cartoons and named the company that made them after himself. He also made a theme park filled with rides and stuff. Is expensive there, but a ton of fun."
"You don't say." He laughed ecstatic, more curious about her world than before now, "Yeah. Um, that picture you saw of my friend and me, that huge thing in the background is a good example of what most 'theme' parks have in them."
"Are they any fun too?"
"As long as you're not afraid of getting strapped to a small seat going at more than 100 miles an hour."
"Really! That fast?"
"Eh, close enough. I don't know I was just picking a random number." She admitted laughing ever so softly before looking back up at the body guards who were still leaping pass buildings to follow them, "God Ling I knew that Lan Fan, and Fu followed you everywhere but this is just creepy. At least to someone that's not use to it." She joked more or less, but still, it was a little weird to her. It felt like stalking, even though they weren't!
"I know, I had to adjust to it as well as a child, but Lan Fan and Fu are really good people, even if they don't seem like it."
"I know. Over protective of their prince." She joked making Ling smile widen, "Very much so. They have good reason to."
"Next Empire in line if you get this stone…It'll be an amazing thing…to see…" Suddenly Jan stopped in her tracks looking down at her mp3 player as she began to go off in her own little world.
Ling had taken a few steps in front of her before noticing the girl had stopped, "What's wrong? Did you hurt yourself?"
"Huh? No, I just-…I'm feeling kind of down. I don't think I'll be around to actually witness that, but either way I guess it's okay."
"Hmm? What? Why? Are you going somewhere?" She was silent. She could only nodded her head giving him and look of the obvious, "I'm trying to get back home. If I play my cards right, I could get back to my world with the week. Wow, there's a lot I'm gonna miss…" She wasn't trying to predict anything, but at the same time, she had to expect what she already knew. Like a psychic, I WISH!
"Helloooo, Janelle, you still with us?"
"My Lord is she ill?" Shaking her head hard, Jan had come back to reality after seeing that Ling was waving his hand in front of her face for a good minute, "Oh! I'm so sorry, I'm just…you know, thinking?"
"We can see that." He laughed, now with his hand to her forehead which made her jump a little. She wasn't use to the contact and felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment; not like they were already that color from her being so deep in thought earlier, "Are you sure you're going to be alright training? I don't want you to train unless you're at your very best."
"I'm okay, really. I'm going to be doing that a lot. I'm a deep thinker, and always have." She laughed a little and gently removed his hand from her forehead. Then she slowly placed it down by his side and patted it nervously before she started to walk onward again.
Once they got to a familiar area, Janelle began to stretch her limbs, and do a few warm-ups that she could remember doing in P.E. She actually did like that class, it was the only time she felt she could relieve her mind of worries…
What were those worries again?
Anyways, not trying to think of them, she looked to her mp3 for the hundredth since they got there and had finally found that one song she could listen to, to relax:
Shule, shule, shule aroon
Shule go succir agus, shule go kewn,
Shule go durrus oggus aylig lume,
Shule, shule, shule aroon
Shule go succir agus, shule go kewn,
Shule go durrus oggus aylig lume,
Iss guh day thoo avorneen slawn.
I wish I was on yonder hill
Tis there I sit and cry my fill,
And every tear would turn a mill
I'll sell my rod, I'll sell my reel
I'll sell my only spinning wheel
To buy my love a sword of steel
Ling was looking at the city when she began to sing, but now, his ears could only be filled with her gentle voice singing to an unknown language he had never heard before…Well, at least to the parts that weren't in English.
Shule, shule, shule aroon
Shule go succir agus, shule go kewn
Shule go durrus oggus aylig lume,
Iss guh day thoo avorneen slawn.
I'll dye my petticoats, I'll dye them red
And 'round the world I'll beg my bread
Until my parents shall wish me dead
Shule, shule, shule aroon
Shule go succir agus, shule go kewn
Shule go durrus oggus aylig lume,
Iss guh day thoo avorneen , shule, shule aroon
Shule go succir agus, shule go kewn
Shule go durrus oggus aylig lume
Shule, shule, shule aroon
Shule go succir agus, shule go kewn
Shule go durrus oggus aylig lume,
Iss guh day thoo avorneen slawn.
When the song was over, Janelle could only give a small sigh and a content smile, feeling the goosebumps the music left behind on her skin. It was just a beautiful song. And it was one of her favorites, "Alright, I'm ready to go."
"Really, but I want to hear you sing more."
"What? No-, hey you're not allowed to listen in on my singing."
"Then don't singing where I can hear your pretty voice."
"I-It's not pretty! Stop being silly and train me goofball." She giggled while bring the prince to his feet only to have him laugh as well, "Heh, alright, alright. So, yesterday, you were having issues with a few things…Now, try to hit me."
"Uh, you're not going to throw me to the ground are you?"
"Ha, ha, heaven's no, I just want you to make the motions, and we'll take it faster with each step. I promise I won't hurt you."
"Okay. Here it goes…" She slowly came forward attempting to only throw a small punch with not much force behind it, to feel the prince grab her wrist and slowly pulled her forward, "See what you did wrong?"
"Uh, I didn't really throw an actual punch?" She said innocently, again hearing Ling laugh, "Well yes, but your fist isn't balled right. You want it to look like this." He firmly made her fingers bend into her palm, and called her fist properly, and straightened her wrist, "And make sure your wrist is steady, don't give the enemy the upper hand to attack you. Now, again."
So, she did. Janelle took a step back, bounced on her feet, and took a jab at him. Almost actually hitting him this time, Ling moved forward with his hands pocketed in his sleeves, dodging her every attack with a move to the side or even doing some kind of matrix move that made Janelle laugh, "Am I doing this right?"
"You'll know when you hit me." It was a good answer, until Ling tried to take a swipe at her to throw her off, "Holy-,"
"Hmm, you got good reflexes, maybe you should just be a distraction more than a fighter."
"Shut up!" Feeling slightly annoyed by his words, Janelle had lost concetration and attempted to hit him hard, but without her paying attention to what she was doing, Ling could only trip her with a foot, making her stumble forward before catching herself.
She turned around and walked back over to him, slightly panting already from the use of the energy she never thought she had, "Alright…I get, don't get distracted by small talk either." Hearing her made Ling smirk and getting prepared for another swing from her, "You'd be correct young lady."
"Ah. Okay, duly noted for next time your highness."
"Hey, that's not nice." Now being the one distracted, Jan took her foot and swiped it underneath him to make him roll over until he was sitting up, flabbergasted that he didn't see that coming, "Ah ha, and now dear sir it seems that I have the upper hand." She giggled at him, getting ready for the repercussions of her actions.
Being very impressed already by her dirty trick, Ling could only smile before getting up one his feet and gave Jenny a devious grin, "So you have…Another couple of days of this, and you maybe able to keep up with us…Maybe."
"We'll see about that." Feeling this sudden boost of confidence in her made the girl smile and excited to learn more. And she guaranteed that by the time she left this hill tonight, she was going to learn something from all of this.
Chapter IV: New Resources
With training coming on smoothly, everything else seems to be a little rigid
Not only does Janelle have to stay hidden, but with Scars arrival, things go from fine to worse.
Sorry guys, this one was a little short, and I might have ended it at a bad spot, but the next one has to sync up with the upcoming events, don't worry there will be more training and such in the next chapter, but until then :3 I LOVE YOU ALL! lol
