The morning sun started to rise as the doctor finished up his checkup on Satella and the baby. He was happy to announce that both were perfectly healthy! He even praised Winry for her bravery and getting everything prepared. She even did a good job in helping him actually deliver the baby.
"Thank you all! Especially you two girls!" Dominic bowed his head to the kids. "I owe you a lot!"
"It's fine, really!" Both Manami and Winry said in unison, before looking at each other in surprise and chuckling weakly.
"Actually..." Ed grinned. "You could accept her to be your apprentice..." He gestured to Winry.
Dominic frowned. "While I'm thankful for her help, I just don't need an apprentice." He shook his head. "Don't you have a family at home worrying about you?"
"Guess it's no use..." Manami sighed through her nose.
"I mean, Granny Pinako probably is worried..." Al pointed out.
"... did you just say 'Pinako'? You don't mean..." Dominic's eyes widened in horror.
"Pinako Rockbell?"
"Hm?" Winry blinked. "Uh, yeah. She's my grandma—"
Dominic scurried backwards immediately, until his back hit the wall, making everyone jump in surprise.
"Did you... know my grandma?" Winry asked.
"I-I don't want to get into it!" Dominic quickly shook his head. "I don't need an apprentice, and that is final!"
He noticed Winry's eyes sadden.
"... hmph." He sighed. "How about this? I can introduce you to someone..."
"Really?" Winry watched him turn his back to her. "Can I still come by..?"
"Well, if you want to visit my grandson, I guess it's alright." Dominic turned his head to look at Ed, Al, and Manami. "You three, too."
They smiled back at him.
"Paninya, why don't you take them back to Rush Valley?" He waved and went to walk away. "We're due for some family time."
"Alright!" Paninya went to salute.
"Look for a guy named Garfiel when you get there," Dominic said to Winry. "He's pretty skilled, and I heard he was looking for some help. He could teach you a thing or two."
They barely made it to the train station in time, hearing a loud whistle blow as they went through the gate. Their train started to move, but it was slow enough for Ed, Al, and Manami to catch up to it and hop on the end of the last car.
"Have a safe trip!" Winry called as she and Paninya ran after them.
"Train hard and learn a lot!" Al called back, as he and Manami went to wave.
Ed jumped on the train last, then looked back to Winry. "You better learn some awesome techniques so we can make my arm and leg better next time I see you!" He yelled and went to wave as well.
"Count on it!" Winry and Paninya stopped at the edge of the platform and waved.
Just the three of them once again...
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm exhausted." Ed said after they found a booth in a car that was empty.
"I could sleep for the rest of my life..." Manami groaned.
They were up all night doing their best to help Satella and the baby...
"Why don't you two sleep?" Al suggested. "It's a good couple hours from here to Dublith.
"Ngh..." Ed whined. "I'll try, but I don't know how much I'll be able to sleep..."
"I'll be over here," Manami said as she went to the booth across the aisle from them. "I'm absolutely taking a whole seat to lay down and clock out."
"You earned it..." Al chuckled softly, going to sit at the booth across from her with Ed.
"I can't die here! They're waiting for me!"
BANG!
Manami didn't recall dreaming, but she jerked awake at what sounded like a gunshot. It was loud, and something felt like it had hit her in the chest.
Where was she..? She looked up to see train's window in front of her, green hills quickly passing by outside. She let out a pent up breath as she gripped at her chest with her left hand. Her heart was pounding.
She had apparently yelled out when she sat up, because she heard a soft voice behind her.
"Manami? Are you okay?" She turned her head to see Al looking over at her, his hand on the armrest like he was prepared to get up. Ed was rolled over in his seat. He managed to get to sleep, after all.
"Y-Yeah... bad dream..." She quickly went to wipe the sweat from her forehead. She felt clammy.
But, she didn't have any dream... she just heard someone speak, but she couldn't place who it was. She couldn't even remember what they said, now.
Then it sounded— and felt like— she had been shot in the chest.
"How long has it been?" She asked, trying to change the subject and calm down.
"Almost three hours. We'll be at Dublith in about a half hour." Al answered. "Do you need anything?"
"No..." Manami took another deep breath and sighed. "... I'm okay now."
Manami had been quiet for the rest of the trip. Ed slept until the train whistle blew, signaling that they arrived to their destination. They gathered their things and Manami followed Ed and Al, since they were the ones who knew where to go. Eventually, they found themselves in front of a small shop, giant letters reading "MEAT" displayed above the door.
Their teacher was a butcher?
Manami imagined a big, burly man, handling numerous knives and throwing them at Ed and Al like street performers did.
But wait, they said their teacher was a woman, didn't they?
Maybe a burly woman?
"We're... finally here..." Ed spoke, breaking Manami from her thoughts.
"Yep..." Al replied, but then neither of them said anything.
"... m-maybe she's not home!"
"Right! We should come back later!"
"Seriously?!" Manami barked at them.
"Welcome!" A new voice spoke from behind them, making them jump a foot high and scream.
"Huh? Edward?"
They looked back to see a young man, wearing a tank top that showed off his biceps, one of which held a large sack over his shoulder.
"Mason..!" Ed realized who it was first.
"Hahaha, it really is you!" The one known as Mason laughed, patting Ed's head. "Did you get shorter?!"
Ed grumbled something under his breath.
"So, I take it you're here to see Izumi? Wait right here!" He said to Ed and Al.
"Boss! Got some special guests!" He called as he stepped inside.
A moment later, Manami noticed something come out the door.
"?!" It was a machete! And then a giant burly figure stepped out!
It was a burly woman after all?!
"S-Sig... long time no see!" Ed squeaked.
Manami noticed the beard. Oh, this wasn't their teacher... she breathed a small sigh of relief. Ed and Al's nervousness about coming here must have rubbed off on her.
The man known as Sig glared down at the three of them, before reaching for Ed's head. He instinctively flinched.
"You've grown, Edward." His deep voice finally spoke, and Ed chuckled weakly. He had a firm grip on his head, and it started to hurt...
"Hmm? And this is?"
"It's me, Alphonse."
"Hmph. You've really grown." Sig went to pat Al's head as well.
"And..." He peeked behind Al to see Manami. She didn't realize she had hid behind him until now.
"U-Uh... I'm just tagging along..! My name is Manami!" She squeaked, obviously intimidated by him.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Manami." Sig extended his hand, and she slowly went to shake it.
His grip was really firm! Good thing she shook with her left hand.
"I take it you want to see Izumi..." Sig looked back to Ed, who nodded.
"Yeah, we had some things to ask her."
"Alright," Sig went to take off his apron. "Mason, watch the shop for a bit." He threw it to the younger gentleman before walking off, expecting the three to follow him.
"How is teacher?" Al asked quietly.
"She's healthy, but she's in bed at the moment." He answered as he approached a window.
"Izumi, the Elric brothers are here to visit. Can you get up?"
"Yes. I'm feeling better today. I'll meet them out front in a moment." A feminine voice responded. It was faint, but Manami felt a little relieved. She sounded nice.
"Geez, she's sick in bed..?" Ed asked aloud after they went to walk away from the open window towards the front door.
"We're not going to worsen her condition by being here, are we?" Al asked him as they stopped in front of the door.
"I don't think your presence will—" Manami was cut off with a loud BANG! She quickly turned to see that the door had been kicked open, knocking Ed over and sending him rolling across the yard.
"?!" Manami watched him in shock before freezing at the sound of...
Clack, clack, clack, clack...
She slowly turned her head to see two sandaled feet stepping out the doorway. It was revealed to be a slender woman with long black hair tied behind her head, wearing a white, sleeveless dress with black leggings that cut off at her calves.
She looked livid.
"Hello, my foolish pupil. I hear that you've become a dog of the military!" She yelled.
How could a voice that sounded so sweet and kind earlier now sound so... deadly?! For whatever reason, hearing that she didn't like the military made Manami feel a little less safe.
The woman slowly turned to look in Al and Manami's direction, making them both flinch and shrink in fear.
"T-Teacher..!" Al stammered. "I-It's because... um..."
"Alphonse?" The woman's deadly stare immediately washed away. "Look at how big you've gotten!"
"... huh?" Manami blinked in confusion. Now she was sweet again?
Al breathed a small sigh of relief. He loosened up a little as he went to approach her and extend his hand to shake.
"Teacher! It's good to see you— WAAAH!"
Izumi had taken his hand and quickly threw him down on the grass, his armor clanking loudly.
"You've gotten rusty." She spat, before looking over to Manami, who flinched under her gaze.
"... have we met?"
Manami was frozen in fear. She was still trying to process what was happening..!
"U-Uh, no..!" She squeaked, nervously extending her left hand. "My name is Manami... I'm a—"
She noticed Ed getting up. She remembered Izumi's reason for throwing him across the yard in the first place, and figured that it wasn't best to tell her that she was Ed's assigned partner...
"... f-friend of Ed and Al's!" She said instead, hesitantly extending her hand.
Was she going to be tossed, too?
"Izumi Curtis. Pleasure to meet you." Manami was surprised to feel a firm, yet gentle hand grip hers and shake it. "I apologize on behalf of my idiot pupils for any misbehavior. I hope they haven't been giving you too much trouble."
"N-Not at all..!" Manami quickly replied, relieved.
She was off the hook..!
"You seem to be in tip top shape as always, Teacher..." Al groaned as he went to get up.
"Especially if you haven't been feeling well." Ed added.
"NOT FEELING WELL?!" Izumi quickly turned to roar at them. "I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN PERFECTLY—"
She gagged for a moment, then coughed loudly. Manami's eyes widened in horror to see that she coughed up a good amount of blood on the ground.
She instinctively screamed, but was surprised to see that Ed and Al did too.
"Be careful, dear. You don't want to overexert yourself." Sig wrapped one arm around Izumi and handed her a bottle of medicine with the other.
"How sweet of you to worry, darling! Thank you!" They shared a loving embrace, while the three kids stared at them in shock.
Manami's stare moved to Ed and Al while Sig and Izumi's backs were still turned to them. Ed met her glance, and noticed that she mouthed silently to him...
"What. The. Hell."
All Ed and Al could do was shrug.
This was just how it was...