"Wind, you haven't eaten much. You alright?"
It was probably the fanciest meal of their lives… yet Manami could barely enjoy it from how nauseated the anxiety made her feel.
But she couldn't tell Roy that.
"Heh…" She forced a smile to him. "I probably had a bigger lunch than I should have. I heard these kinds of fancy events had small dishes, so..."
That was the best excuse she could come up with...
"I'll take whatever you don't want." Ed offered, with one cheek full of food.
"Ed..!" Winry whispered. "Swallow your food before you talk..! Geez..."
Roy raised a brow at them, but dismissed the topic and looked over to the stage.
"I see the orchestra starting to get ready. There will probably be music and dancing soon."
"Question." Ed asked after swallowing and lifted a finger. "Is the dancing part mandatory for these kinds of things?"
"Uh… no?" Roy blinked. "But—"
"What?!" Winry cried. "You don't want to dance?!"
"Th-That's not what I said!" Ed stammered. "I was just asking!"
Al leaned over to whisper in Manami's ear so that only she could hear.
"Brother can't dance… so he's going to try to avoid it as best he can."
"Oh…" Manami smiled nervously. "Doesn't look like that's going to be an option..."
A little while later, the waiters came around and collected everyone's dishes and refilled their glasses before the orchestra began to play music.
The sound was drowned under the sound of multiple conversations at first, but as more people heard the music, the quieter they became— and the ones that wanted to dance, made their way to the other side of the room.
"Lieutenant?" Roy held out his hand to Riza, who did her best to conceal a smile.
"I suppose so."
They left Manami and the others at the table. Ed was looking pretty nervous… Al, meanwhile, looked over to Manami.
"Are you feeling okay enough to dance?" He asked her quietly.
"Yeah… are you?" Manami looked up to him.
"Mm." Al nodded, going to extend his hand to her.
Manami smiled and took his hand, linking their arms as they left Ed and Winry alone at the table.
"I hope they'll be alright." Manami glanced over her shoulder to look at them one last time.
"Don't worry, they will be." Al assured her.
They found a spot on the dance floor and Al turned to face her, gently holding her waist with his free hand and moving their linked arms to hold her hand. They started to dance, Manami watching her feet and moving a little clumsily at first, but then she got the hang of it and was able to look up at him and move with him.
Al was smiling down at her. In this moment, he didn't seem strained at all— in fact, he looked like he was really enjoying himself.
Like before, all Manami had to do was look into his eyes, and everything and everyone around them faded from existence.
"You're doing wonderful." He said to her.
"Yeah?" Manami chuckled weakly. "Well, it took and a few minutes to remember the steps—"
"No, not the dancing." Al laughed. "I meant how you're handling… all of this." He vaguely gestured with his head around the room.
"I just thought you'd like some assurance… that you're doing great."
"Oh," Manami's cheeks flushed. "Yeah. That. Well, I mean other than the dinner part…"
"You ate the steak. That was the best part."
Manami couldn't help but laugh.
"You're also doing wonderful at the dancing." Al added.
"Only because you're leading." Manami grinned.
Al smiled back, but then got distracted at something behind her. Manami turned her head to follow his gaze, and saw Ed and Winry making their way to the dance floor.
Both of them had a satisfied look on their faces.
"I told you." Al hummed.
They watched them as they began to dance, and despite Ed apparently not knowing how to dance, they blended in with everyone else pretty nicely.
Manami snapped out of it when she felt Al stumble for a second, and he put his weight on her arms. She was quick to support him and hold him up, but she looked for any form of strain in his expression.
"I'm okay…" Al assured her. "Just lost my step."
"Doesn't sound like something someone who knows how to dance would say." Manami said, raising an eyebrow.
"I was distracted by watching brother and Winry." Al insisted, smiling nervously.
"..." Manami studied his face for just a little longer, but couldn't find an expression that showed struggle.
"I just…" She looked down. "Want you to be okay."
"And I am." Al leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I promise."
Manami looked back up at him, feeling butterflies in her stomach once again... because he was giving her that smile.
The dancing had come to an end, a little earlier for Al and Manami than the rest. Still, they had a great time, and Manami even got to forget about her anxiety for a little bit...
Until everyone returned to their tables. After waiters brought refills of drinks, the actual ceremony began to Inaugurate Furher Grumman. This was when Manami's nervousness flared up intensely, and she wrung a cloth napkin in her lap as the ceremony ensued.
People who Manami, along with the Resembool kids, didn't recognize spoke at the podium, namely congratulating Grumman and talking about the affairs of the country and the hopes that they had for the future.
They may have been different people, but they all had pretty much the same speeches.
Manami suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder, and looked behind her to see a boy who didn't look much older than her. She guessed that he was in his early twenties, tops. He had black hair similar to Roy's, but he wore glasses that shielded a pair of jade green eyes.
He smiled softly once their eyes met, and he leaned down to whisper in her ear so no one else was disturbed.
"Miss Kami? I'm the stage manager— if you'll come with me."
It was time.
Manami gave a silent nod and went to stand, earning Ed, Al, and Winry's attention. Roy and Riza were facing the stage, their backs turned to them, so they didn't notice.
Ed and Winry smiled and they each gave Manami a thumbs up, while Al gently took her hand.
"You're going to do great." He whispered, before pulling her hand to his lips so that he could kiss the top of it.
Manami smiled and nodded before walking away with the stage manager boy. When she disappeared, Roy turned to look behind him and noticed that Manami was gone.
"Where's Wind?" He mouthed silently to Ed, who simply shrugged.
He wasn't about to open his mouth and earn another heel in his foot.
While Manami was going to the backstage area, Grumman was officially Inaugurated as Furher of Amestris. He was giving his first speech as official Furher when Manami made it to one of the side-wings of the stage, and she watched him nervously while wringing the speech she had written in her hands.
She barely heard anything he said, but jumped at the words, "to end the night..."
"Now, to end the night, I'm absolutely delighted to announce my very special guest."
This was it. Manami felt her heart start to pound, her hands shaking so much now that she was worried that she would rip her speech in two.
"Seventeen years ago, Renee Wolfe performed at this very theater. Some of you here were lucky enough to be in this very room and enjoy her talent. Others could only wish. It was one of the biggest mysteries of Amestrian history— why Renee Wolfe suddenly retired at nineteen years old. My special guest of this evening… is her daughter."
Manami heard everyone in the room gasp.
"Tonight, we will all get to enjoy the talent that Renee had passed down to her." He grinned. "In fact, some of you may already know her for a different talent she has, for she was once among our ranks… and she even fought on the front lines back in April."
Grumman outstretched his arm, gesturing to Manami and beckoning her to the stage.
"Without further ado… Miss Manami Kami."
From table fourteen, Roy's jaw hit the floor. He whipped his head to look back at Ed, Al, and Winry, who were joining in on the applause around them with big grins on their faces.
Manami swallowed thickly when she heard her name, hesitating for a moment before taking her first steps out onto the stage. The bright stage lights blinded her at first, but thankfully her eyes adjusted once she made it to Grumman, who gently took her hand and kissed the top of it before turning to walk away.
Manami stepped up to the podium and looked out. The lights were so bright that she couldn't see anything, or anyone. Just pitch black darkness.
"Uh…" Manami cleared her throat and went to unfold her paper and smooth it over on the podium. "Trust me… this was a shock to me, too."
She heard a faint chuckle ripple through the audience. She took a moment to compose herself before reading her speech.
"I found out the truth about my mom only a few months ago." She began. "She never told me her past… just like she never told you all her future. So… before I perform for you all tonight… I just wanted to connect the dots, so that we're all on the same page."
Manami took another breath. "After my mom retired in 1899, she married my dad and started a family. I was born first in 1900, and my sister came after me in 1901. I was always fascinated when she played the piano, and she started to teach me how to play at a really young age."
She hesitated for a moment. "... in 1906, my sister was one of many affected by the plague outbreak in the south… and she passed away. My first performance on the piano was at her funeral… I didn't know at the time, but I played the very song my mom was once famous for, which was 'Farewell.'"
The audience was silent, allowing her to continue.
"The year after…" Manami hesitated for a moment. This was the hardest part to write in her speech. "There was an accident. My mom and dad died tragically when our house caught on fire. I was the only one to survive."
The only ones here who knew the truth were Ed, Al, Winry, and Roy… frankly, she preferred it that way.
"The rest is pretty straightforward. I found my way to the military and become a State Alchemist, where I met— and reunited— with the most important people in my life. I'm no longer within the ranks, but I'm grateful for every single one of the people that I met while enlisted."
Manami took another breath. "I know that my mom would have wanted to be here to see me grow up, to see me perform here tonight… but I know that she and the rest of my family are proud of me, and are just as grateful for those of you who helped me every step of the way."
Manami was surprised to be welcomed by a roaring applause. She smiled, finding a little bit of confidence, and waited for the applause to die down before continuing.
"Tonight, I will start by performing my favorites of my mom's music, but then I'll perform music that I've written myself. I hope you'll enjoy my work as much as you enjoyed hers'. I thank Furher Grumman for this great opportunity, and wanted to also congratulate him for taking the role of our nation's leader. I also thank every single one of you for being here tonight, as well as everyone listening on the radio."
Manami bowed her head as the applause started up again. She turned to walk over to the piano and the audience quieted down as she sat down on the bench. She lifted up her hands to the keys, and noticed that they were still shaking.
Al's words rung in her head…
"You're most phenomenal… when you're confident."
Manami took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, taking another moment to compose herself.
"You can do this."
The first song she was going to play was "Farewell," the song that her mom was most famous for, but also… the song that Manami wanted to get through the fastest.
She pressed down on the keys, and she felt immediately like she was in a dream. Her hands were moving faster than her mind was, yet she wasn't making any mistakes. Before she knew it, the song was over, and she was welcomed by applause.
It was exhilarating… to play piano and be applauded. This is the life her mom lived, before she was born… and now she was living it herself.
It felt like, for a moment, that her mom was right here with her.
She started to feel more confident, and she went right to the next song, which was the favorite she chose from all of her mom's music: called 'Tranquil."
Once again, her fingers were ahead of her mind. Was this muscle memory? No… it felt like more than that. Maybe the anxiety she felt wasn't just anxiety… maybe it was also anticipation?
She was welcomed by applause when she finished, just as loud as the first time. But now… she would be playing her own music from here on out.
She was grateful she decided to play her mom's songs first, because she was hoping that, after, she would be confident enough to play her own music...
And she was.
Manami looked to the microphone atop the piano in front of her. She requested this microphone so that she could announce the titles of the songs before playing them… as well as for the last song.
She felt a wave of nervousness, but pushed through it.
"This next piece is called 'Light.'" She announced. "It was written over the course of my time in the military, so it took year or two to finish."
She then began to play. Playing this song immediately took her back to when she first joined the military… meeting Roy and Maes for the first time, being welcomed into the Hughes home… going to Xing...
Then, coming back from Xing and seeing Ed and Al for the first time in years… the journey they had… the leads to the Philosopher's Stone, fighting the Homunculi… every bad situation that seemed like it would be impossible to get out of, but still finding a way out anyway…
And now they were here.
Manami finished the song, and there was a moment of silence before she was once again welcomed by applause. Manami beamed, bowing her head politely out to the darkness beyond the stage.
"This next piece, I wrote this before joining the military, but after I had lost my family and left home." Manami spoke into the microphone, smiling sadly to herself. "This was a time where I wasn't honest with myself, and tried to cast away the piano and music altogether. I guess this was initially written because... I was homesick for my childhood, with my family and friends... at a time where I thought I had lost those things forever. This song is called 'Home.'"
She began to play, and she could tell immediately this song had a darker, sadder tone to it than anything she had played previously. This was probably the saddest song she had ever written. She had written the main melody while she was living with Tyberious, learning Wind Alchemy.
She recalled missing her family and friends so much, but felt that she had no place in returning to Resembool… that feeling of sadness, loneliness, and heartbreak were clear as day in the notes that she played.
Manami finished the song, and was once again welcomed by applause. She took a deep breath and looked up to the microphone...
This was the moment that she was most nervous about. She saved the best song for last, but it was also the most nerve wracking...
"My last song… is the most important of all." She said, feeling her anxiety flare up again. "I've written it… for the most important person to me."
Manami looked out in hopes to see Al somewhere out there, but it was still pitch black.
But still, she knew, somewhere out there… he was watching. Probably smiling. The thought of his smile made her smile to herself as she looked back to the microphone.
"I've never been the best with words… but I hope that maybe this will reach him better than any words I could ever say."
Not only did she hope that this song would reach Al, but she wanted this to reach the ears of every single person in this room— and even to those that were listening on the radio.
Right now, as far as she was concerned, everyone in the country was about to hear her… and she wanted for them to know exactly how she felt when she wrote each note, played each key.
In the figurative sense, she was about to stand on a rooftop and scream to the world... and tell them how much she loved Alphonse Elric.
"Thank you all again for listening… this is 'Never Enough.'"
There was some light applause, which she waited for it to die down before she reached for the keys and began to play.
After a few keystrokes, she closed her eyes and opened her mouth… and began to sing.
"I'm trying to hold my breath…"
A pause.
"Let it stay this way… can't let this moment end…"
It was now Ed, Al, and Winry's turns for their jaws to drop. They looked at each other, all wearing the same expression of utter shock.
Al grinned widely at the realization and looked back to Manami on stage.
She was singing!
"You set off a dream in me… getting louder, now… can you hear it echoing..?"
"Take my hand… will you share this with me? 'Cause darling, without you…"
"All the shine of a thousand spotlights… all the stars we steal from the night sky will never be enough… never be enough…"
"Towers of gold are still too little, these hands could hold the world, but it'll never be enough… never be enough… for me..."
"Never, never… never, never… never, for me… for me…"
"Never enough..! Never enough..! Never enough..!"
"For me… for me… for me…!"
Al stared at Manami, watching her passionately playing the piano and belting her heart out. He was absolutely astonished.
Her music had reached him, coursed through his body and soul, and filled him with overwhelming happiness. He felt tears come to his eyes, but he didn't care.
He was falling in love with her all over again.
"All the shine of a thousand spotlights… all the stars we steal from the night sky will never be enough… never be enough…"
"Towers of gold are still too little, these hands could hold the world, but it'll never be enough… never be enough… for me..!"
"Never, never… never, never… never, for me… for me…"
"Never enough— never, never..! never enough— never, never..! never enough..!"
"For me… for me… for me..!"
She suddenly stopped, letting the silence linger before almost whispering...
"... for me…"
She stroked the last few keys, and with that... the song was over.
For a moment, everything was deafeningly silent, and it was only when she looked up from the piano that the audience boomed with thunderous applause, louder than any she had previously received.
Manami was panting, and she let out a breathless chuckle as she went to stand up. She quickly realized that her legs were shaky, but she managed to hide it and gave a bow.
She straightened up to notice that, to her left, Grumman was coming back onto the stage and approaching the podium.
"Wow!" He exclaimed into his microphone and gestured over to her. "Manami Kami, everyone!"
The applause boomed once more, and Manami smiled brightly as she bowed once again.
She did it… she really did it!
Everyone in the audience had risen from their chairs to give Manami a standing ovation, but from table fourteen... Al had to juggle his applause with the wiping of his tears.
Author's Note:
I thought I'd add the song (inspiration) list here in case anyone wanted to maybe listen to the music! Just copy and paste these titles into the YouTube search bar and I'm sure you'll find the right videos!
"Farewell" - Trees by Keiko Atsumi
"Tranquil" - Happiness - Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Piano Cover) [Beginner] by AtinPiano
"Light" - HIKARI (2016 Piano & String Version) - Kingdom Hearts - by Sam Yung (a side note about this one, I know it's a piano and string piece, but no other solo piano covers of this song touched me as much as this one did. I just simply imagine this cover without the strings if that makes sense?)
"Home" - Trisha's Lullaby - Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Piano Cover) [Intermediate] + sheets by AtinPiano
"Never Enough" - Never Enough - The Greatest Showman (cover by Kimberly Fransens)