Hi guys! I was tired of waiting so I posted a chapter today. For those of you who checked my profile, you can find an update schedule on there.
Anyway, if you guys haven't seen the news and you own an IPhone, ask Siri what zero divided by zero is, It was all over the news so I want you to tell me how you reacted. Anyways,
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST AND NEITHER DOES SIRI
Chapter 6: Runaways and Memory Lane
"Hey" Hughes said as Edward opened the train window next to his seat.
"Lieutenant Colonel?" Edward questioned.
"The folks at the Eastern Command Center were a little too busy to make it down here, so I came to see you off instead."
"Great, but do you mind telling me what the Major's doing here?"
"For protection. What would happen if Scar came after you again? You're in no shape for a fight now, Ed. And you can't rely on Iris, she's still recovering from the incident herself, it wouldn't be fair. The major's here to help. Just try to grin and bear it."
"Children can be so stubborn" The Major mumbled loud enough for Ed to hear.
"Hey, shut up! I'm no child!" Edward screamed. "Anyway are you sure Al made it on board?"
"Of course. I thought he would get lonely without company"
"MY BROTHER ISN'T SOME KIND OF FARM ANIMAL!"
"Hey Ed, have you seen Iris? I came to send her off too." Hughes told him.
"She didn't want to leave Bandit alone with Alphonse. She said she would feel bad if she did that, so she went to go sit with Al and Bandit for some of the trip." Edward explained as the train's horn went off reminding it's passengers of its departure.
"Oh. It's time. Okay, you boys and Iris have a safe trip. Stop by and give me a shout next time you make it to Central!" Hughes said saluting, as did the Major and Edward in return (Edward used his only available hand, which was his left hand) as the train began leaving the station.
"Come here, Bandit!" Iris said as she sat on a crate next to Al's while Bandit flew around the train car full of sheep. The chimera landed on a sheep then jumped to Iris' shoulder, ruffling her master's hair as Iris began laughing.
"Are you sure you don't want to go sit with brother and the Major?" Alphonse asked Iris.
"I'm fine Al. What's wrong? You don't like my company?" Iris said as Bandit perched herself on Iris' lap.
"No! It's not that! I just thought…" Al trailed off.
"It's fine Al. I was kidding! I can't wait to meet your brother's mechanic! When was the last time you saw her?" Iris asked.
"Years ago. We grew up together. She was the one who built my brother's auto mail arm and leg with her grandmother"
"I haven't been to a rural country since I was home. I wonder what it's like in a rural area, I forgot."
"It's peaceful." Al told Iris.
"Well I'll see for myself soon enough." Iris said as she took out the picture she had gotten in her sister's letter and smiled as the train moved closer and closer to the group's destination.
Iris woke up to the sound of the Major's voice.
"Good morning Ms. Kamillia." Iris opened her eyes and took off the blanket covering her.
"Are we there yet?" Iris asked as she stretched her arms.
"I'm afraid not" The Major responded. Suddenly the Major reached for the window, crushing a just-waking-up Edward, yelling "Dr. Marco! Dr. Marco that is you, isn't it? It's me, Alex Louis Armstrong from Central!"
"That was uncalled for" Iris said as she looked out the window herself and saw a man running down the pavement. "Is that a comrade of yours, Major?"
"He's from Central, a talented state alchemist. He was researching into possible medical applications of alchemy, but after the Ishvalan Civil War, he went missing, just disappeared."
"Let's go Iris!" Edward said and he ran off the train.
"Edward!" Iris yelled running after him with a sleeping Bandit in her bag. "Where are you going?"
"After Dr. Marco! A guy like this doctor might know some useful things about Bio-alchemy!"
The group headed into town and travelled looking for Marco (Almost all of them. Iris focused on finding Marco after she had gotten a medical book and a light weight crimson coat for her sister). Iris returned to the group just as the Major was asking a man about Marco with a drawing of said doctor.
"Find anything yet?" She asked Edward quietly.
"That man looks like Dr. Mauro to me." The man responded, answering Iris' question.
"Mauro?"
"All of our doctors were drafted onto the battlefields during the Civil War. Then Dr. Mauro came here. He's really been a life saver"
The next person they spoke to said something similar.
"He'll see any patient and never gives up on anybody. Were lucky he's here"
A girl spoke of what happened when she received treatment.
"You see this bright flash of light and then you're cured, just like that!" She said.
The group soon arrived at a worn down house with stairs leading towards the door.
"This should be it!" Iris said as she followed Ed up the stairs.
"Um hello?" Edward said opening the door. A shot fired from a gun as Edward was face first in front of the said gun as he dodged his head just in time. Iris wasn't fazed by the gun at all due to her training with weapons in Fort Briggs. The man holding the gun had black hair with white sideburns and a wrinkled face.
"Tell me what you three are doing here! Have you come to take me back?!"
"Please, Doctor calm down." Major attempted to coax him.
"I don't ever want to go back, anything but that!"
"Calm down sir! You don't have to be afraid of me right?" Iris tried, but had no success.
"So you're here to silence me then?!"
"No, nothing like that!" Iris and the Major spoke at the same time. It was obvious to see that the pair was annoyed.
"I won't be tricked by you!" Marco yelled. Iris, who was ready to smash a chair by then, grabbed Marco's gun as the Major threw the crate that contained Alphonse onto the doctor.
"WE'LL ASK YOU ONE MORE TIME! PLEASE CALM DOWN!" Iris and the Major yelled.
"Alphonse!" Edward yelled.
Once everything calm down, the group sat down at the table Marco's home. Iris was examining the gun she had stolen while petting her sleeping chimera friend.
"So you changed your name and went into hiding way out here in the country side. If the rumors I've heard can be believed, when you disappeared, you took top secret materials with you." The Major explained.
"I couldn't handle it anymore. Order or no order, to have to dirty my hands researching that thing was too much" Marco said.
"If it's not too much trouble, what were you ordered to research?" Iris asked with kindness in her voice.
"It took so many lives, during the Civil War so many innocent died because of it. I could spend my whole life trying but never atone for the things that I've done. But I had to do something, so I came here to be a doctor to save lives instead of taking them."
"Doctor, what is it that you were ordered to do research on? What thing?" The Major asked.
"The Philosopher's Stone" Marco told us and the room filled with gasps. "The top secrets materials I took were my research documents… and the stone itself."
"You mean you still have it?! It's here?" Edward jumped up asking.
"Edward, maybe that's a touchy topic-" Iris whispered as the doctor took out a tiny bottle from his jacket. Inside the bottle was a crimson liquid that resembled blood, except blood didn't look that bright a red.
"How can that be the stone? It's a liquid." Edward said as the doctor opened the bottle and poured the contents onto the table as it formed an unstable bubble of liquid. Iris and Ed both poked it, curious about what would happen.
"The sage's stone, the grand elixir, the celestial stone, the red tincher, the fifth element. The Philosopher stone is called by many names, so it can on many forms. It is not necessarily a stone. This is an incomplete product, however. There's no way to know when it will reach its limit and become unusable."
"Complete or not, the results were catastrophic during the Civil War, right Ed?" Iris asked.
"Right. It's just like the stone that false priest had in Lior. It was incomplete but it still amplified his powers considerably. If imitation stones this powerful can be produced, who's to say a complete product can't be created! Please Doctor Marco, I need access to your research materials. "
"Major, who, exactly, are these two?" Dr. Marco asked.
"These two are both state alchemists, Doctor" The Major answered seriously.
"What?! But they're only children!"
"Were sitting right here…" Iris trailed off as she started to disassemble the gun she had taken from Marco earlier.
"My apologizes." Marco said as Iris smiled. "After the war, there were many state alchemists who turned in their certifications because they refused to serve as human weapons anymore and now two children…"
"You think I don't know what I've signed up for? I know what I'm doing, but I don't have any choice! If it's a mistake then it's a mistake that I have to make! There is no other way!"
"Edward…" Iris said as he began explaining.
"I see. So you've committed the taboo. Amazing, the ability to transmute a specific person's soul like this. Maybe one as talented as you would be able to produce a complete Philosopher's stone."
"So…" Edward said before he was interrupted.
"But I can't so you my research," Marco said.
"Why not?" Edward whined.
"You can't just lead us on like that! Talk about screwed up!" Iris complained. Armstrong took the gun out of Iris' hands and handed it back to Marcoh before she could disassemble it anymore (She already resembled it while Edward was talking). "Hey! Major, what the hell!"
"You must not seek after the stone!" Marco lectured as he put the gun in a drawer.
"Not even if it's to get our bodies back?" Ed argued.
"Never! This is the devil's research! If you chase the stone you will go through hell!"
"I've already been through hell!" Edward shouted.
"Edward Elric!" Iris yelled and Edward looked scared. "I'm sorry Marco. We'll be leaving now."
"Thank you" Marco said as the group headed out the door. Bandit woke up and sat on Iris' shoulder as she ruffled her master's hair.
"Hey Marco? If there's one thing that I know, is that when a child is lectured, they'll always do what they were warned or scolded not to do." Iris told Marco before closing the door.
At the train station, everyone was silent, except for the crinkling of paper (Iris was once again wrapping a gift for her sister) and Bandit's occasional squeaks.
"Are you sure about this Ed? Even an incomplete Philosopher's stone could be useful. You could've taken it from the doctor by force" The Major spoke up.
"Major! Don't give him any ideas!" Iris said as she put the first wrapped package in her bag and began petting Bandit.
"Yeah… I wanted it so badly I could almost taste it. But still…" Edward said.
"But still, we don't want it so badly we'd be willing to deprive the town of their only doctor to get it." Alphonse finished.
"We've gained plenty learning that the Philosopher's stone can be made. Now we'll just have to look for some other way to do it!" Ed spoke as the group got up to board the train.
"Major, are you going to report what happened here today?" Iris asked, worried about Marcoh.
"I met a simple, small town doctor today. Can't see any real reason to report that." Iris smiled at this.
"Wait!" The group turned their heads to see Dr. Marco standing there out of breath.
"Dr. Marco?" Edward asked.
"This is where my materials are" Marco said handing a piece of paper to Ed. "If you're certain you won't regret learning the truth in the end, start looking here. Look closely, maybe you'll find the truth hidden within the truth. I've said too much already. I hope the day will come when you're able to restore your bodies!" Marco yelled as he walked waving.
"Brother, what does the note say?" Alphonse asked after the group boarded the train.
"National Central Library, first branch."
"I get it, like hiding a tree in the forest. Finding one book in that giant library will be difficult indeed." The Major said.
"My brother said something like that once. He said 'Do you know why treasure is so hard to find? Because it's' that important to the people who hid it', in other words, if Marco hid it so well, it must be vital." Iris told the group as she set a sleeping Bandit on a space next to her and began wrapping the coat she had bought for her sister.
"Finally, another clue about the stone." Edward grinned.
"Hey Iris, is that another gift for your sister?" Al said looking at the coat she was currently wrapping up in orange paper.
"Yep. I bought her a medical book and a brand new coat. My little sister and I used to help my big sister with her patients so we already know a lot, but I still want to send her this since we visited a doctor today. Do you think she'll like it?" Iris asked.
"I think she likes anything you send her judging by the letter you received the other day" Alphonse told her and Iris smiled.
"Don't forget! When you're both fixed up, you said you would take a picture with me so my sister can see what you look like!" Iris reminded the brothers.
Both brothers sighed at their companion's excitement as the train got closer to their home town.
"Hurry! Let's go! Let's go!" Iris yelled as she ran to the house in front of the group.
"She's more excited than us brother!" Alphonse said.
An old woman was standing in front of the house as Iris stopped running while Bandit flew overhead, enjoying the free space Resembool had to offer.
"Yo, granny!" Edward greeted.
"We're home!" Alphonse added as Bandit landed on his head.
"Oh dear, what have you done now?" The old woman asked as Iris chuckled.
"I don't think you want to know" Iris said as she approached the old woman and shook hands. "Hello ma'am. I'm Iris Amethyst Kamillia, traveling companion of the-"
"Iris, you don't have to be so formal, we've been over this" Edward reminded their companion as she giggled.
"Sorry. My name's Iris and I travel with the Elrics. Better?"
"Better. This person here is Alex Louis Armstrong" Edward said as the Major began shaking hands with the woman as well.
"It's nice to meet both of you. I'm Pinako Rockbell." Pinako stepped back and looked at Edward. "I know I haven't seen you in a while Ed, but you've gone and grown smaller"
Iris fell back giggling as a vein popped out of Edward's forehead.
"Granny, you've got it wrong. You're supposed to say 'how big you've grown lately, Ed'"
"But why would I say something so clearly untrue?"
"I'M STILL TALLER THAN YOU, YOU MINI HAG!"
Suddenly, a wrench flied through the air and hit Ed right in the forehead, causing Iris to laugh even more than she was before.
"Edward, I thought I told you to call first before heading back here for maintenance!" The voice came from a pretty blond girl on a balcony wearing an outfit suited for a mechanic. Iris had to do a double take since the girl's features were similar to her deceased sister, Teresa's, except for the hair and eye color.
"Winry, are you trying to kill me?!"
The girl on the balcony began laughing and smiled.
"Welcome back!"
"OH NO!" Winry screamed as she examined what was left of Edward's arm.
"Yeah, sorry it's a little smashed up" Edward said as Iris grabbed whatever he was drinking. "Hey!"
"Stop being so insensitive! Your mechanic worked hard on that arm!" Iris said as she walked away with the cup, dumping its contents out a window.
"Do you see what you've done to my beautiful creation? I slaved over this!" Winry said shaking with anger.
"It's basically the same, just in smaller pieces!" Edward said as Winry punched him in the face. "Don't tell me, you're a little smashed up too, Al? What kind of trouble have you been getting yourselves into?" Al blushed which caused Winry to kick him in the head. "You idiots! All you ever do is worry me!"
"You're not going to hit me next, are you?" Iris joked as she approached Winry and held out her hand. "My name's Iris Kamillia. I was assigned to travel with these two, so I know firsthand how much trouble they get into. I'm the Silver alchemist" Winry took her hand and shook it.
"My name's Winry Rockbell, it's a pleasure to meet you! It's nice to know someone's watching over these two while they're traveling."
"We really do move quickly. In fact, on our way here we got a clue on how to restore Ed and Al's bodies but the information is in Central City."
"I see. So in order to get this information you need, you want to go to Central as soon as possible. Am I right?" Pinako asked Edward, who was recovering from Winry's blow to the cheek.
"Yeah. This is kind of a rush order." Edward said as Pinako checked Edward's leg. Iris turned around and didn't look at anything but Winry.
"It's not just the arm, your leg needs adjusting too" Pinako informed him.
"YOU GREW?!" Iris yelled as Winry spoke at the same time.
"Guess your growth's not completely stunted after all!" Winry said.
"OH BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" Edward yelled.
"The leg is fine. Shake the arms in, we'll have to build it from scratch." Pinako said.
"Is there any way you can have it done in a week?" Edward asked.
"Give us some credit Ed." Pinako said as she blew out smoke from her pipe. "Three days. But you'll have to make do with this spare for now." Pinako said as she snapped a separate leg that had a more basic design onto Ed's leg port.
"It's a little difficult to walk on a leg I'm not used to." Edward said as he stumbled.
"We'll be finished before you get used to it" Pinako reminded him.
"What do you have to do in three days?" Iris asked, curious about the automail.
"Machining, assembling, connecting and finishing. It will take three all-nighters to pull that off." Winry replied.
"I'm sorry for all the trouble" Edward said.
"Well you want to get to Central as soon as possible right? Then I'll work my butt off for you, but you better believe you're gonna pay a fortune in rush hour fees!" Winry said making a slight blush come to Edward's face.
"Hey Winry?" Iris asked. "Is automail tough on the wearer?"
"Well… Yeah. The procedure for the port is painful, most people pass out from the pain. Not to mention the adjusting and connecting that comes with it. Why are you asking?"
"My little sister is 13 and when she turns 15, I was planning to get her some automail. She only has one leg and is stuck in a wheel chair because of me so I want to give her back the chance to walk but she's so delicate I don't think she could take the procedure." Iris shook her head. "It was just a question, forget about it, okay?" Iris said as she walked outside.
"What happened to her?" Winry asked Edward once Iris was gone.
"From what Al and I pieced together, she tried to bring back her older sister after the military separated Iris and her siblings when she died, but there's no evidence that she really did it. She has a weird scar around her right leg but she won't say what it's from or how she got it. That's all we know."
"What about her parents?"
"She never knew them. They died in the Civil War after her little brother was born. She said she was only 2."
"That's terrible…" Winry said.
"She acts like nothing happened unless you upset her."
"Which you know because…?" Edward looked nervous as Winry finished with a question.
"Iris, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Alphonse asked Iris as she pointed one of the guns she carried at a glass bottle on a barrel about ten feet away.
"Alphonse, I'm fine. Fort Briggs taught me how to handle weapons. I also use practice bullets that are extremely fragile so if they do hit someone, the worse the person could get is a bruise. It's just enough to tip the bottle, okay?" Iris explained. Iris pulled the trigger and the bottle tipped off the barrel and onto the ground without breaking. "I actually didn't live far from here. I lived in a rural town near South City."
"Really?"
"Yep. I think I visited here once or twice to help a patient with Teresa. She never gave up on a patient. One of her patients got her infected with a fatal disease that eventually took them. Teresa got the disease soon after and she passed. Kind of ironic, a doctor dies by the sickness she couldn't cure."
"I thought you said she never gave up on a patient."
"I did. I never said she cured all of them. She lost one patient and everything went downhill from there. Enough talk, I have to finish target practice." Iris smiled as she picked up the bottle the headed back to try again. "By any chance, do you know where Edward is?"
"He went to visit mom's grave"
"I see" Iris lowered her head "Good for him."
Iris and Alphonse talked no more after that.
"Iris! Dinner's ready!" Winry called as Iris ran inside only to find Armstrong crying and chasing Edward without a shirt.
"STAY BACK! DON'T RUB YOUR CHEST ON ME! AHHHHHH!" Edward ran behind Iris as the whole room cracked up laughing.
"Major, I think your first embrace was enough." Iris said as Bandit flew into the house and onto her master's shoulder.
Iris got up in middle of the night and got dressed in a black blouse and black pants as she put on a hood, stepping out of her bedroom. Iris crept down the halls silently until a voice spoke and made her jump out of her skin.
"Are you okay, Iris?"
"Alphonse?" Iris said as she saw the crate containing Al next to a book shelf. "Why are you still awake?"
"My body doesn't need sleep, so I can't dream"
"Oh. Well if I'm not back by tomorrow morning, could you please tell everyone I had to go see something in a rush?"
"Okay. What's so important?"
"I want to visit a… memorial close to here. I'll be fine, okay?"
"Okay."
"Bye Alphonse! Take care of Bandit while I'm gone" Iris finished as she ran downstairs and out the door as fast as she could.
Iris ran to the train station and boarded the next train. The next destination was a town Iris knew far too well: Magnolia Village, her home town. A wooden sign was visible that had the town's name in bold letters carved in. In front of the small village, was two Magnolia trees with the petals scattering the path before her. Only five houses and a trio of shops were visible from the path, but Iris was well aware that deeper in the town, was the cabin she grew up in. The military's clutches had not focused on the town until they were called upon to find a foster home for Iris and her siblings, but since then, the town remained unharmed by the military. Iris walked to a small little shop with flowers in the front and automail visible on the wooden counter. The metal sign on the roof said in bold red letters "JANE AND JAMES: FLOWERS AND AUTOMAIL". Iris entered the shop where bright red walls and an oak floor was visible.
"Excuse me? James, you here?" Iris called out. Suddenly a crash was heard and a man with orange-red hair and brown eyes ran out wearing an apron that smelled of motor grease and oil.
"Iris?!" James yelled as he ran to Iris, embracing her. "I haven't seen you in years, kid."
"I know and I'm sorry. I'm glad to see you!" Iris said. James had been an old friend of Maxwell, her older brother, before he died. A woman walked out with a young boy around Grace's age with her. The woman had dark brown hair and green vibrant eyes that matched her blue dress and green apron. The boy at her side had orange red hair and vibrant green eyes, but unlike the adults, the boy had an automail left leg.
"Iris?!" the boy and woman yelled at the same time.
"Jane! Where have you been?" Iris smiled as the woman tackled her. "Don't think I forgot about you, Jay." Iris said as the boy tackled her.
"Where have you been Iris? We were so worried about you!" Jane said in tears.
"I'm sorry. You've grown up a lot since the last time I was here, Jay!" Iris told the kid hugging her side. "Do you have any irises?"
"Yeah. I'll wrap a batch for you right away, free of charge. You must be going to visit Teresa and Maxwell. You know, I could give you some blue roses. They were just delivered yesterday…" Jane trailed off. Iris knew where Jane was going with the blue roses. Her sister's favorite flower was the iris but her parent's favorite flower was the exotic blue rose. Her parents were buried in the same cemetery that her siblings were in.
"You know, I might just take you up on that offer!" Iris smiled at Jane's happy expression.
"Can you tell Grace that Jay said 'hi'?" Jay asked with a blush rising to his face.
Iris smiled. "You're definitely your dad's son! Don't worry, I will."
Jay smiled and Iris looked at his father, James, blushing at his wife as she wrapped up a dozen or so blue roses.
"Here you go! Say hi to Steven, the groundskeeper for us, will you?" Jane said handing Iris two dozen blue roses and two dozen irises.
"Thanks, I will!" Iris told her.
"Ya know, you could visit Christopher…" James suggested and Iris began to turn the shade of a tomato.
"S-shut up! T-that's got nothing to do with you!" Iris yelled as she ran out of the shop still blushing.
Iris approached the cemetery's Iron Gate as she took a deep breath and stepped inside. A man with ragged clothing and a chisel waved to Iris as she walked to her parent's and sibling's graves. The first two head stones both had military crests carved into them.
Lilian Kamillia, born Lilian Coleman.
Born: 1842 Died: 1892
William Kamillia
Born: 1845 Died: 1892
Iris placed one batch of blue roses on each of the graves then moved to behind the graves only to be greeted with two other tomb stones that didn't need to be introduced.
Teresa Kamillia
Born: 1971 Died: 1910
Maxwell Kamillia
Born: 1971 Died: 1909
Iris placed the remaining flowers as tears threaten to fall from her eyes. She remembered everything so clearly from when she lived here. The morning that she helped Teresa with her crops to the days of playing in the snow with Maxwell. They were only in their 20's, so why kill them? They had a full life ahead of them, but it was taken away. Iris stood up as she left the cemetery and headed for the deep part of town where a wooden cabin subsided. As she walked through the trees, she bumped into another as two foreheads collided. Iris, out of instinct, kicked the person's feet which knocked him down as she grabbed her daggers that resided on her belt and pointed them at her target.
"What the hell Iris! I thought you were done with the dagger crap!" A familiar voice said and Iris began blushing. The person stood up revealing short and ruffled light brown hair and silver eyes to be visible.
"Arrogant bastard" Iris said as she held out hand. "What the hell are you doing here, Christopher?"
Christopher chuckled as Iris helped him up. "I couldn't miss the chance to see the town's flower, now could I?"
"I'M NOT A GOD DAMN FLOWER" Iris said gritting her teeth.
"Oh come on Iris. I knew you would come back! A flower always comes back to its roots!"
"You seem to forget that I'M NOT A PLANT YOU IDIOT!" Iris screamed. Chris patted her head as he followed her to her old house. Iris smiled at her cabin.
"Go in. I'll wait out here" Christopher said as Iris looked around the yard.
The cabin had worn with age causing its wonderful golden oak color to fade to a rustic gray. The crops and plantains Teresa had worked so hard to make were now covered with weeds and patches of grass. The river behind the house had dried up and become a home for strange plants. Iris walked to the old front door and attempted to tug it open.
"Locked." Iris said as she searched for a mouse statue in the front yard. Iris spotted the stone mouse covered by weeds. Iris ripped off the plants covering the statue and found a rusted brass key underneath. She inserted the key into the lock and Iris tugged on the doors once more, causing them to open with a smack. Iris stepped inside the house and smiled. The living room that had been so lively was now covered in dust. Iris ran to a door in the floor and ran down the stairs the door revealed. At the bottom the stairs, Iris saw her old room. The room was a bright blue color that highlighted her purple bed and blue pillows. The periwinkle rug was still soft after all these years and her books that she left behind remained on the shelf, caked in dust. Iris blew off some dust from the spine of the books and read the titles.
"Alchemy for Beginners, Medical Alchemy: Uses and Benefits, Amestrian History, Science and Alchemy, Elements and Origins, Castle on a Cloud…" Iris read a she grabbed the books and placed them in her bag. Iris walked to her desk and grabbed a little dust covered music box that she had abandoned years ago. Iris stuck the trinket in her bag as she exited the house and locked the door, leaving the brass key under the mouse statue, as she began to leave.
"Hey, I'm coming with you!" Christopher yelled as he chased Iris.
"Shouldn't you go home? I'm annoyed enough, can't you see that?" Iris snapped.
"Oh come on! You left without me the first time, so there's no way I'm leaving you alone again!"
"Go away! Won't your parents be worried?!"
"Nope. I live on my own so I do what I want. I can't just leave a delicate flower like you alone without any protection!"
"I'M NOT A FLOWER!"
"Of course you are! Your last name is a type of blossom and your name is spelled like a type of flower! Not to mention you're so del-"
Iris held one of her daggers to his throat as he held up his hands.
"Would a delicate girl do this? If you were a plant, you would just be an annoying weed. Go home!"
Iris placed the dagger back on her belt as Christopher chuckled. Iris walked to the train station as a persistent Christopher followed her despite all the threats she made. Iris was surprised that she hadn't pulled out her gun yet due to the fact that he kept making flower jokes. Iris looked at the sky as the sun went down. She had been away for a day, but it felt like a year with Christopher following her. As the pair grew closer to the Rockbell house, Den began to bark at Christopher as Iris casually walked inside.
"I'm back" Iris said as Bandit flew off of Alphonse's head and onto Iris' shoulder. Edward looked at Iris and chuckled.
"Where did you-"
"Hey, next time don't leave me with some stupid dog!" Christopher yelled as he walked into the house and put his hand on Iris' head. "Who these people?"
"WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?!" Iris screamed.
"Like I said before, I couldn't leave a delicate flower to fend for herse-" Christopher said as Iris swung her arm onto the back of his neck, knocking him out.
"Pinako, can you and Winry put him in a guest room please?" Iris asked as she began to calm down.
"Okay…" Winry said as she and Pinako dragged him to an empty room.
"I should've done that earlier" Iris said stretching.
"Who was he?" Alphonse asked, surprised at Iris' actions.
"Call him a child hood bully except instead beating the crap out of you, he annoys the crap out of you." Iris explained.
"Did he follow you or something?" Edward asked.
"Yeah. He found out I was in my hometown and went to find me, which he did. Then he proceeded to call me flower and follow me here."
"So that's where you went!" Alphonse said.
"Yup, you caught me. When you told me that Edward went to go visit your mother's grave, I decided to visit Magnolia Village and see my parent's and sibling's grave. It's been around four years since I was last there. I even went to my old house, which was still in good condition." Iris said. "I'm glad I got the chance to do that. Good night."
Iris walked to her room and smiled as she climbed into bed and let sleep take her.
Iris woke up to someone poking her forehead.
"Wake up already! Of course a flower needs its rest-" Christopher said before Iris grabbed the gun on her nightstand and pointed it at her intruder.
Seeing it was Christopher, she sighed. "What the hell are you doing in here?! Get out!" Iris yelled as she grabbed by the shirt and threw him out of the room. Iris ran over to her bag and carefully unwrapped a blue rose that she kept before she left Magnolia. The flower had wrinkled, but was mostly intact. Iris quickly got ready and ran to Winry, who had been working on Ed's arm all night.
"Winry, do you have any metal scraps I could use?" Iris asked.
"On the other table. You can use those scraps."
"Thank you!"
Iris grabbed a few of the metal scraps and ran to her room. Iris studied the rose carefully before clapping her and placing them on the scraps of metal. Iris pictured in her mind the rose with flaws and all as her hands sparked, morphing the metal into her desired object. When her hands stopped sparking, she could see a shining silver colored rose, which was small, but elegant.
Just like Grace Iris said as grabbed a box and placed the metal rose inside before she began wrapping the box in red paper. Iris grabbed some paper as she began writing another letter to her sister.
Dear Grace, I'm having a great time traveling with the Elric brothers. We had to make a trip to Resembool since the boys got into some trouble and needed to see their mechanic. While I was here, I went to see our old house. The house is in great condition unless you count dust bunnies as damage. I picked up a few things like our Medical alchemy books and things like that. While I was there, I saw James, Jane and Jay (He says hi). I hope the day will come when I can show you our old house. I promise I'll visit when I can get a break, until then, I need to work hard. Don't worry, I still have my ribbon.
Love Iris
Iris put her letter in an open envelop, but didn't close it, knowing she still had a picture to put in.
BANG! Iris' gun went as she shot down the bottle that sat on top of a barrel as it crashed and splintered into several pieces.
"Shoot" Iris said as she ran over and gathered the pieces. Sitting about 20 feet away from Iris was Edward lying on the grass with Alphonse's crate next to him. Christopher sat next to the pair as he looked at Iris with surprise.
"It's hard to believe that she can fire a gun now! When I knew her, she was nothing but a little flower that always needed protection-" Christopher said as a practice bullet blew off a patch of grass next to him.
"I HAVE EARS, STUPID!" Iris yelled.
Christopher moved next to Alphonse as Iris glared at him.
"You must have a death wish if you plan to pick on Iris" Edward said as he looked at the sky.
"She would never hurt me! She's way too-"
A bullet grazed off some off some of Christopher's hair which caused him to stop talking and duck behind Alphonse.
"NEXT TIME I WON'T MISS!" Iris shouted.
"Tried to warn you." Edward said.
"You're not one to talk. When will your arm be ready?" Christopher asked. Edward sighed.
"They said it would take three days, so give them three days" Alphonse said.
"Yeah, I know, I know, but when I think of a clue to the stone just sitting in Central library, I just get so impatient!" Just as Edward said that, the dog began barking and Winry came out holding a mechanical arm.
"Here you go! It's already!" Winry smiled.
"What happens now?" Christopher asked.
"You'll see" Alphonse assured him.
"Ready?" Pinako asked as Edward sat on the couch, waiting for the pair to connect his limbs.
"Yeah"
"On one,"
"Two" Winry continued.
"Three" The pair said together as the tightened bolts that connected the nerves causing Edward to grit his teeth.
"That's the worst part every time! When the nerves have to connect like that! Once we have the Philosopher's Stone, I can kiss that pain goodbye!"
"Our biggest source of income, I'll be sad to see you go." Pinako said as she tightened another nerve-connected bolt.
"Hold still! Do you want me to do this right or not?" Winry said connecting another bolt.
They sure don't sound sad Iris thought.
"It's just so lovely! The smell of oil, the hum of the balbarics, the rugged yet amazing form created through atomical engineering! How wonder you are, my automail!" Winry enthused.
"Crazy gear head" Edward muttered.
"You're lost without me alchemy freak" Winry shot back.
"Alright, were done." Pinako informed Edward as he stood up. "Well?"
"Yeah feels good!" Edward said as he stretched.
"I increased the percentage of chrome this time so it should be less prone to rusting. The tradeoff is that it's not quite as strong, so don't try anything crazy. Hey are you listening?!"
"Al, it's your turn!" Edward said as he ran out the door ignoring Winry's advice.
"You can fix him right here?" Armstrong asked.
"Yup. You have to know the trick to it though!"
"What's the trick?" Iris wondered.
"I can't mess with the median between Al's soul and the armor."
"Oh, you mean his blood seal?" Christopher asked.
Looks like this idiot actually knows a thing or two Iris thought as she searched for the blood seal. Deep in the back of Al's armor, a round blood seal could be seen.
"Exactly" Edward told Christopher.
Edward clapped his hands and set them on the remainder of Al's armor, causing it to merge with the broken pieces of his armor and return it to its original form.
"There you go! Good as new!" Edward told his younger brother. "You ready to try it out?"
"Yeah!"
The two began sparing right where they were standing.
"Hey Ed!" Iris yelled getting his attention. "Why don't we fight now that you're all fixed?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yup. I want to see who's stronger!"
"Oh come on Iris! There's no way a delicate flower like you can win against-" Christopher tried to say until Iris swung her leg, tripping him on the ground.
"You keep forgetting that I have ears, idiot." Iris turned to Edward smiling. "So?"
"Okay. I accept your challenge!" Edward said.
Iris charged at Edward as he began to dodge. Edward aimed a fist straight for Iris but she blocked it with her arms crossed. Iris grabbed Edward's arm before he could retract it and threw him over her shoulder and onto the grass.
"That was short" Christopher said as he looked at a defeated Edward on the ground.
Iris held out her hand and helped Edward to his feet.
"I didn't expect you to be so strong for someone shorter than me" Edward admitted.
"That's an advantage I took. Next time we fight, you'll know all my tricks and it'll be tougher to beat you!" Iris smiled.
"Well it's settled, we leave for Central first thing tomorrow!"
"I can come?" Christopher asked.
"NO" Ed, Al, and Iris said at once.
"Iris, where's Bandit?" Al asked.
"She's sleeping. But she'll be staying here as well." Iris looked down "I can't be dragging her into danger. So I'll leave here, she loves this place!"
"Iris!" Winry came out holding a camera and smiled. "You wanted to take a picture, right?"
Edward, Alphonse, Winry and Iris gathered just as Pinako set up the big camera and took two pictures.
"Goodbye Bandit. You be nice to Winry and Pinako for me, alright?" Iris said as she hugged her companion, who squeaked in sorrow. "Do what you want to Christopher, okay?"
Bandit squeaked with happiness when Iris said that. She had made sure Christopher was asleep when she left.
"Thank you again, for everything granny." Edward said to Pinako.
"Sure"
"Thank you again for taking care of Bandit!" Iris said.
"It's no problem dearie."
"Hey where's Winry?" Al asked.
"Resting. She stayed up three nights in a row. Want me to wake her?"
"No, it's okay. She'd just nag me." Edward said as he began to walk away. "Make sure to do your maintenance and whatever"
"Hold a second. You should come back once in a while and have dinner with us."
"You want us to come all this way just for some dinner?" Edward chuckled.
"Edward, Alphonse, Iris. Come back soon, kay?" Winry said from her balcony.
Edward rubbed the back of his head saying "Yeah".
"Bye Winry! We'll see you soon!" Iris yelled before running to catch up with the brothers.
Thanks guys once again for reading another chapter. Right now my editor's on vacation so I've been having to do it myself. If you have any ideas for future chapters, PM (Private Message) me or review, I'll get the message either way! See you in a couple days!
Jackie C.A.