The past month and the next month has been/will be really really bad guys. For me personally, not like for the story. But as far as the whole updating thing... hopefully things can get back to normal/better sometime in late May.

As the Ambassador, Al found himself incredibly busy the over the course of the next week. The treaty that the Amestrians and Xingese were about to sign was easily one of the biggest events to occur in relations between the two since the rebuilding of the railroad across the desert, and that had been a war measure to get Xingese goods to Amestrian soldiers. And he hadn't been Ambassador then, having been tucked away in Resembool where the war and military couldn't get to him, so he didn't have any basis for comparison. This was easily the most important event of his entire service as Ambassador.

After checking the treaty for about the seventeenth time, Al had to content himself to pacing around the palace looking for anything that might be out of place or wrong or not arranged right or… anything for him to focus on.

Eventually Rikui grabbed his arm and dragged him out into the gardens where she made him sit down on the bench and eat lunch under her careful supervision. And while he had to protest that he wasn't that bad… yet, he also had to admit that it felt good to just sit down for a moment and eat something substantial.

"Al, everything is going to go fine," she told him as he wolfed down the food, rolling her eyes at him. "You've been working on these agreements for months now, if anything was going to blow up it would have done so a long time ago."

His eyes widened.

"You don't think anything might actually blow up do you?" he said, chocking because he tried to swallow his food too quickly. "This would be a huge chance for someone to attack both the Empress of Xing and the Fuhrer! I didn't even think about something like that and with all of the people involved, what if somewhere were to attack and Fuhrer Mustang accidently set the Palace on fire!"

"I've never met the man myself, but from what I heard about him, and from what I've heard about him from you," she said, emphasizing the last word with a poke to his shoulder, "he's not that reckless and is much too skilled with his flame alchemy to do something like that."

"But Mei- The Empress enjoys blowing stuff up too. I have Elric genes in me. This is going to be a disaster," he said, standing up and moving to run off… somewhere. He didn't really know. Perhaps to lock himself away? He couldn't get rid of Mei or Fuhrer Mustang obviously, but himself maybe…

"If anything, all you're telling me is that all of the most important dignitaries there are going to be more likely to be blowing things up than get blown up themselves which should be something to be grateful for, Alphonse. Now sit down and finish your food."

"Well…" he said, now frowning. "But…"

"Now you're searching for something to worry about. Al, seriously, relax," she said patiently. "Everything is going to go fine."

"I'm just so used to everything going wrong, I don't want that to happen."

"I know. But that doesn't mean you have to make yourself unduly worried when it's not going to help anything."

"When you put it like that it sounds silly."

"It is," she said. "That's what I've been trying to get you to realize for the past couple of days."

"It did all come together rather suddenly…"

"Well the fact that the Palace was nearly overthrown about a week previously did put a certain pressure on it," she said dryly. Then she shook her head. "Sorry, the Palace wasn't nearly overthrown, we're going to have guests in a few short days that can't know anything going on. A slight skirmish in the Capital a few days ago."

"Is that the cover story?" he asked. "I haven't been paying attention."

"For shame, Al, you're probably the person who needs to be paying attention to something like that the most."

"Probably," he agreed before shooting her a smile and stretching. "Back into the fray, eh?" Her smile faltered a bit but she nodded.

"It's a necessary evil."

Al laughed, then wished her goodbye and began twisting through the garden paths to get back to the palace. He really did love coming out here. Everything was so much more peaceful than at the palace, and even if it was already in the most peaceful place in the world, the colors and smells… it was easily one of his favorite things in Xing, if not the whole world.

And speaking of favorite things in Xing.

"Mei- Empress. What are you doing in here?"

The Empress looked flushed. "Looking for you! There were some complications on another rail, so they're sending the Amestrians ahead early so they won't interfere with attempts to fix them."

"What?!"

"They're on their way here, they should be within two hours."

"Empress, we should head back."

Mei nodded at the guard at her side and all three of them took off down the path.

"Alphonse. It's so nice to see you again."

"Likewise, Fuhrer," Al said, smiling as she shook hands with the man. He hoped the his hastily washed hair had dried enough it wasn't obvious he had run around for an hour trying to make sure everything was perfect and then quickly showered and changed into the formal Xingese robes Mei had told him would work best for the occasion.

"How have you been?"

"Good, thank you for asking. How's the Lieutenant?"

"She's doing well. What about Ed? Haven't seen the pipsqueak in far too long."

Al laughed and shook his head. "He's fine. So is Winry. The baby's not due for another two months, but she's already very ready for it to be done. She barely got a chance to not be pregnant before she was again."

"Well she and Fullmetal certainly don't waste time. Not that Ed's ever been much a waiter in the first place."

"No, he certainly hasn't been. But today, I think we should be emulating him instead of chastising," Al said, gesturing towards the door to the Palace. They had already been checked multiple times, so they at least wouldn't have to endure what he went through nearly every time he returned to the palace.

"Why, Alphonse," Roy remarked, his smirk widening. "What girl do you have tucked away and is she aware of your forward intentions?"

"… what?" The raised eyebrows that soon accompanied the smirk however had Al flushing. "Colonel! Not like that – I just meant we shouldn't waste time!"

"I know exactly what you were talking about, Alphonse. I have a child after all."

"Colonel!"

"I'm just joking with you, Alphonse. Don't we have a treaty to sign?"

Al trailed after him shaking his head and grinning. Working with Fuhrer Mustang was always an interesting experience. He never knew quite how to take him, even when it was Ed working for him.

They were met by an escort right inside the Palace doors that included several of the Elders as well as a couple of the Princes and Princesses over the clans that would benefit the most from the railroads.

They all trailed into the throne room where Mei actually came down from her throne to greet Mustang.

"Fuhrer Mustang."

"Empress," Mustang said, bowing formally. When he straightened though, it wasn't formal words about treaties or railroads. "I don't think I ever got to thank you six years ago for what you did for my Lieutenant. Thank you."

Mei smiled. "It was my pleasure, Fuhrer."

"Now. Don't we have a treaty to sign?"

After nearly giving himself a heart attack and dying, Alphonse Elric was very pleased to say that the treaty was signed.

Signatures from the Empress and the Elders, Fuhrer and the top Generals and finally it was all done. A list of Amestrian investors was already being considered by several of the Clan leaders. The idea was that several would be picked so that no one Amestrian company would control a major part of Xing's railroads. There was a feast to celebrate, and Al enjoyed the company. None of the soldiers he was familiar with were there, but the Colonel was and he was great company too. Mei even smiled during the evening.

They didn't stay the night because of security fears, instead boarding a train that night (the problem with the railroads had been taken care of by that point), leaving Al to collapse on his bed in his room, still fully dressed in formal Xingese robes, and sleep until a knocking at the door woke him up.

"Who is it?" he muttered into his sheets. His head hadn't even made it all the way to the pillows last night. Then his sleep addled mind reminded him that the person at the door would not be able to hear him very well if he was speaking directly to his bed. So despite the pain it caused him (actual pain as it happened, he had slept on his neck funny) he lifted himself off the mattress and called out again "Who is it?"

"Alphonse! Stop being lazy!"

He dropped back down on the bed.

Then the hammering began again so he rolled off, somehow managing to land on his feet. "Rikui, I'm exhausted," he shouted as he walked towards the door and threw it open. "When was the last time you had to organize and event of international importance—"

"Surprise!"

Al jaw dropped.

"Fei?"

"Hello Al! It is so nice to see you!"

"Fei!" Al shouted, throwing his arms around his friend. "It's so good to see you!"

"Yes, yes it is," he said with a wide grin on his face. Al couldn't help but grin back. Fei's smile was always infectious. He had never met an honestly happier person except perhaps Colonel Hughes when he was gushing about his daughter.

"What are you doing here?" Even as he asked the question, Al's brain provided him with the answer. Of course, Mei had told him that he was coming. Courtiers fleeing the clans for the Palace for protection.

"Things are getting dangerous in the Bao Provence," he said shrugging. "And I thought it would be better to come here where my friends are than anything else! My sister even came with me. You can all meet her!"

"That's wonderful, I'd love to meet her," Al said politely while Fei grinned and Rikui watched the two of them with an amused look on her face. "Give me a chance to change and then we can all go out and do something."

Both of them agreed so Al popped back into his room and quickly pulled himself out of the many layers involved in true formal Xingese dress, and slipped into a comfortable button down and slacks. He slipped a tie on as an afterthought, but left if slung around his neck as he reopened the door.

"You forgot to tie your tie," Rikui pointed out with a smile.

"I know, I was going to do while we walked."

"Here, let me," she said, stepping up close to him and twisting the strip of fabric around until it lay neatly together against his chest.

"When did you learn to tie an Amestrian necktie?" Fei asked, staring at her with as much surprise as Al felt.

"I've seen you tie them before, Al, and I wanted to see if I could figure it out. And I did."

"It's really good."

"Thank you."

There was a pause before he gestured down the hall. "Shall we go?"

"Yes!"

"We could try stopping at Song's," Rikui suggested. She seemed to be leading them so Al hurried up enough that they were walking side by side. "He's probably open by now."

"I would actually prefer to stay here in the palace. Would anyone mind?" Of course them walking side by side meant that Fei was left to trail behind them. Al had to turn around and start walking backwards so that he could turn he could face him as he talked. "Just because I feel safer."

"Sure." Al turned back around so he was walking forwards, even though he was directing his words backwards at Fei still. "But I don't know if you really need to feel unsafe outside of the Palace. There was a bit of a disagreement a few days ago, but things have smoothed over."

"Right. Smoothed over."

Al frowned at Rikui's comment, turning to her.

"What do you mean by that?"

Her lips were pursed and she didn't turn to look at him as she answered, "I mean that you haven't heard the end of all of this, Al."

"Well not the end, no," he had to admit. "But we're making steps towards figuring things out. I think it might be a good idea to actually get together with some of the citizens, but when I suggested the idea to Mei she told me firmly that that wasn't an option because of the way the hierarchy is set up. But the treaty with the railroads is going to help so much. Mei and I were just saying the other day—"

"Al," she snapped, cutting him off. "I know you've put a lot into getting that treaty organized and written so that everyone will agree with it, but I really don't think it's going to be as good as you think it is. And I'm telling you that as someone who had actually gone among the citizens."

He frowned. "Why would you say that?"

"Because it's true?" Rikui said, stopping dead in her tracks and turning to look at him. Al and Fei both came to an abrupt stop. "Al, the people aren't revolting because of a few bad farming years. It's so much bigger than that. It's about centuries of suppression and corruption."

"Mei's trying to help that."

"How? Because it certainly don't seem like it."

"Well, it's a slow process, she has to get a lot of different people to agree with her."

"Which no one ever will! And the fact that she's waiting for that proves just how weak and corrupt everything is. That's not going to be solved by a simple railroad agreement."

"How do you know this?"

"I talk to people. It's something my dear cousin might try some time."

"People have actually been saying this?" She was glaring now and Al was taken aback. He was just asking innocent questions.

"Yes."

"Well then, shouldn't we talk to Mei? Tell her that?" Rikui looked like he had slapped her which didn't make any sense to Al. Wasn't that the natural course of action? He was surprised she hadn't already told her something about this. "I mean if it's making the people upset, she should know shouldn't she?"

"Why do you are so much?" Her voice wasn't the frustrated shout it had been earlier. Now she even sounded like he had slapped her.

"Rikui— What do you mean why do I care so much? Mei's just as much my friend as you are—"

And that's when she slapped him.

Al was completely stunned and touched his hand to his cheek while Fei jumped and shouted "Rukui!" He turned to stare at her. She was glaring at him fiercely, but he could tell that there was moisture gathering at the bottom of her eyes.

"You complete idiot, Alphonse Elric. You absolute, completely, miserable idiot."

"… what did I do?" he asked, staring open mouthed. He had absolutely no clue what he had done to provoke this kind of behavior. He hadn't insulted her or said anything…

She raised her hand and it looked like she was going to slap him again so he put himself on guard.

But she didn't slap him again. Instead grabbed the front of his shirt and dragged him down the couple of inches that separated them so that her lips were smashed against his.

Al, understandably, froze.

It didn't last very long, she pulled away after just a few seconds. Then she rubbed at her eyes which were staring to overflow and muttered the word "idiot" under her breath.

"…Rikui—"

"Don't you get it Al! I love you!"

His jaw dropped.

"I don't want to be just as good of a friend, I want to be…" Now the tears were coming in earnest, and she continued to wipe them away.

"Why do you think I wanted to come back? Why do you think I bothered to come here? I hate it here! I hate everything to do with this place, I came because of you! I didn't have to come, I could have run away when my grandfather ordered me to come here. I came back because I love you, you complete idiot…" She glared at him for a few moments of heavy silence while he was only able to stare at her in shock.

Then she turned around and ran away.

Al continued to stare after her before seeming to jolt to some kind of realization. "Wait. Rikui. Rikui!"

"Al."

He started and turned around frowning.

"Fei?" The Xingeseman was staring at him with such a serious expression on his face he almost didn't seem like his friend.

"Al, you're my friend. And I'll never be able to thank you enough for being my friend when I had none. But Rikui is my friend too. And I don't want you to hurt her. So please don't go after her unless you can tell her that you love her back."

"… I… She… She's one my best friends," A said still frowning. "I don't want to lose that."

"Yes, but do you love her? Can you look her in the eyes and tell her that you love her back?"

Al opened his mouth to respond but then realized he had nothing to say. The answer was that… no, no he couldn't. He would be eternally grateful for Rukui for teaching him alkahestry and helping him become familiar with Xing, and she was one of his best friends… but love her as more than that?

"Lies are worse than a hard truth, Alphonse. My sister and I can attest to that. Please don't do that to her."

The serious expression hadn't changed and Al frowned. "Fei… what do you mean?"

Fei looked away and for the first time, Al looked very hard at his friend. He had always accepted Fei, even if at first he had thought he was only offering friendship to make fun of him, and always appreciated his company. In the two years that they had been friends he had never seen this side of him.

"My father wanted to marry into the Clan leadership, but my aunt was already married to the Emperor and my mother was already betrothed to a Hong. So he began to meet her in secret and convince her that he loved her. She convinced my grandfather to break her betrothal with the Hong and married my father. As soon as I was born though, he began to be unfaithful and drove my mother to madness. She took her own life two months ago."

"… I didn't know…"

"Don't tell her anything you don't actually mean, Alphonse. It's not worth it."

"Fei, I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to her. You have to talk to her. But not tonight or you're both going to say things you don't really mean and that's going to ruin everything. I couldn't stand to see that happen to either of you. You two are my best friends. You're my only friends. And I don't want to see either of you get hurt." He rubbed at a corner of his eyes before jutting out his chin.

"I wasn't try to…"

"You were just being an idiot. But that can be just as bad," he said firmly. Al didn't know how to respond. He felt like someone had beaten him black and blue. Now all he needed was some nice assassination attempt so he could feel as beat up on the outside as he felt on the inside.

Al threw his gaze wildly around the hall before it finally settled on a nearby seat. It was probably hundreds of years old and a priceless artifact, but he made a direct beeline and sat down with his face in his hands. He felt Fei's hand on his shoulder. "You need to think and be alone. I will go back to my room."

He gave him a pat and then left him alone in the empty hallways to feel like the worst human being in the world.