Guess What?
One: I bet you didn't guess DX
Two: MY INTERNET'S WORKING AS GOOD AS IT USED TO!!
Which means I don't have to sit in the dreaded living room to write!
Three: I'm BORED and SO hyper! I feel like Riley on crack and sugar(at the same time..!) So it gives me a bit of inspiration for the story.
Four: I have finished the requested DuckButt(aka Sasuke) one-shot, so I took off a little stress!
Five: I hate floaters! (cheesy grin) Which means I found out what the hell was wrong with my eyes!
NUU!!!! I use the website Watch-FMA dot com, to access a "script" for my stories. When I went to the website to finish this chapter, I found out there was no longer a "Watch-FMA dot com". They turned it into a forum, and the "redirect" link took me to a website that has a handful of anime, but not FMA. Was this suckish? Yes. Was I pissed? Also yes.
So unless Just Dubs dot net decides to post FMA episodes that aren't broken, or people decide to upload ENGLISH episodes of FMA on youtube, I'm screwed (cheesy grin).
The Lovely Daaaarlings
Giant-flying-radish-of-doom: LOL, no, but when I run out, I'll use Simlish XP Sims game language, if you don't know. Glad you like her!
BlueRyuu: Hehe, it's ok! You reviewed last chapter, didn't ya? XD
Ria442: ROFL, I felt it's something Riley would have done! Nobody would like to be carried by Armstrong, lol XD
Aqemy Von Stein: LMAO! What's the question about turtles?! And thank you! I'm glad you think so XD And the reason for her circle-less alchemy should be revealed soon. I kinda messed up my original story-line... I wanted it to be found out when they were with Marcoh, for certain reasons, but I'll have to get by with another location. LOL, yes, I do spoil you guys! But I updated sooner because I got SO MANY reviews in just one day! Made me feel special X3
Kaijukote: Yeah, I think so too. But read this chapter, and you'll see why. Lol, yeah, so do I! (P.S. If you look in Chapter Five, you'll see the numbers of the trees are exactly the same XD) And thanks!
AnimeFanGirl167: Oh that sucks! I'd hate to be at school and then get that e-mail DX I checked out your Beta Reader profile, and yeah, that'd be cool! I'm very picky about spelling and grammar (insert squiggly eyes here.) YAY! I got your longest review!! Teehee XD And sure, I'll try and make a reference. I should have a place for it soon too XD
WhiteWingAlchemist: Yeah, I don't know why I didn't put the lines every time. I'm definitely doing for the next chapters though, so no worry! Yeah, it kinda is like Kimblee. I had made her specialty sulfur when I wrote the first chapter. And sulfur is popularly used for explosives, so... Yeah.
DamnNearKilledYou: Thanks, glad you like it!! XD
lostcb: Thanks! And I don't care for stories that are too serious either XP
Want To Join The Lovely Daaaarlings? Review! Bwahaha!
I Do Not Own FullMetal Alchemist, Or It's Merch. I Own The Crap That Doesn't Make Me Thousands Of Dollars. Yay Me.
The Sulfur Alchemist
Chapter Thirteen:
Elric VS. Mauler: Three to Two!
I groaned as I looked down at the huge bruise on my stomach, holding up my shirt enough to see it.
And Hannah said I was being dramatic about the attacks on my stomach. Psh. I'm never dramatic.
The wind I felt from sitting at the Railway Gauge blew my hair in my face, which was pissing me off, but it felt nice nonetheless. Sighing as I put my shirt down, I noticed the door behind me open and shut. I looked back and saw Ed come out and sit down beside me. "We need to talk about you being in the military," He said, almost bitterly, as he stared at the scenery.
"Oh..." I muttered, "I thought you took it kind of well..."
"Didn't have much time to explode between my arm being ripped off and Al going missing," He mentions, causing me to nod. He had a point. If he had exploded then, we surely would have missed the train. "Lucky for you, I'm not very pissed about it anymore!" He says before asking, "So why didn't you tell me? I had to find out by Mustang."
My answer was instant, "Well I couldn't let Hannah find out!"
He glared at me. "And why can't she know?"
Sighing, I said, "Hannah worries a little too much, you see? Before I became a part of the State, I was a journalist for them. Whenever I was gone, I'd have ten letters in my inbox at HQ each day. And by the time I got home for vacation, she'd attack me with tons of questions about where was who, who I talked to, if I got hurt any... I'd feel bad if I made her worry even more because I became a State."
"So you decided to take her into the line of danger instead?" Ed asked sarcastically.
Rolling my eyes, I said, "No. She wanted to travel with me, and I couldn't really say 'No, I lied, I'm risking my life day-by-day, you can't come, you'll get mauled!'" It was silent for a moment, and I was thinking about what "trust" may have been there between us. Obviously a bit if he was willing to tell me his and Al's life story. But was that trust still there now? "So... Let me guess, you'll be having twenty-four hour surveillance on me now?" I asked.
"Nah. But you still have to prove you aren't like the rest of the military."
. . .
"It's beautiful here. And so peaceful," Armstrong said as we all walked down the path. Hannah nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. It's rural. A nice way of saying nothing goes on," Ed said, glancing to Armstrong.
Al spoke up, "Four years brother."
"Has it really been that long?" Ed asked.
"You haven't come back once since you left?" Armstrong questioned, surprised.
"No place to come home to when they're no family waiting for you," Ed answered. Hannah would have been behind everyone, if not for the fact I was behind her, too intent on fixing my camera. It was in worse condition than it was when Scar destroyed it, and the rock fell on it(Mr. Flash had a bad day.)
...Of course that's probably because I've stomped on the pieces back at Headquarters(Bad day...s).
Hannah slowed down to my side and asked, "How's the camera coming along?"
"Urgn," Was my only intelligent response.
"Not good?" Hannah continued with the, in my mind, one-sided conversation.
I glanced up from my camera after a while to see a yellow pastel house, about two or three stories high, and with a dog in the yard. They even had a flamingo on the porch.
Oh wait.
Ok. Either it's a flamingo with a cigarette in it's mouth(as funny as it may be, not a very good thing to teach the kiddies) or it's an old lady smoking a pipe.
My guess would be the lady.
Even if the flamingo does sound cool.
We walked up to the door, and when Hannah saw I was still tinkering with my camera, she sighed before snatching it, and it's pieces, from my hands. She stuffed them in my bag and then hit me on the arm. Which is what she usually does to say, "Have some manners." The dog I saw originally came running toward us all, barking, as we got closer and closer. Then an old lady came toward us.
Which meant there was no smoking flamingo.
Damn it.
"Hello to you too, Den," Ed said to the dog before looking to the old lady. "Old Lady Pinako! It's been a long time. I need some more of your handy work..."
The woman chuckled, "Apparently so. You really have done a number this time. I don't know why you have such trouble keeping your arms."
"Yeah, well I've had a lot of things to swing at," Ed replied.
I snort, forcing myself to hold back a sarcastic comment. "Yet it seems you've gotten smaller," She said, looking from him to Armstrong, then back to him. Heh, looks like Old Lady did the sarcasm for me! Good to know such humor is being spread even when I'm not around. Whenever the hell that is.
"WHO YOU CALLIN SMALL YOU MINIATURE SIZED HAG?!" Ed shouted. My interest went from sneakily getting my camera out of my bag, to these two at the comment Old Lady made.
"You're shorter than your temper!"
"YOU'RE SO SHORT, YOU'RE TWO-DIMENSIONAL!"
"MORON!"
It was then I noticed Armstrong moving. Seeing as how his muscles were right beside my face, I kind of freaked.
Screaming, I jumped behind Armstrong. Then remembering he was the one I was supposed to be hiding from, I jumped behind Hannah, who completely ignored me.
"Edward Elric!" Armstrong started, "How dare you speak to your elder with such blatant disrespect!"
Everyone else looked blank, as I whispered to Hannah, "I don't think he understands their lingo."
"Really?" Hannah retorted sarcastically, only causing me to scoff.
"Who the heck is this guy?" Old Lady asked, "He doesn't really get the joke, does he?"
Armstrong bent down and held out his hand, introducing himself. Armstrong style. Old Lady paused, before shaking his hand, "Pinako Rockbell, pleased to meet you."
Then she finally noticed Hannah and I, who at this point, felt like wind. There, but not noticed.
"Oh, I missed these two," She said.
"We noticed," I muttered, causing another elbow in my stomach. My poor, poor stomach.
Hannah smiled at Old Lady, "Hello ma'am. My name's Hannah, and this is Riley." She held her hand out, which Old Lady shook.
After shaking mine, she said, "Pinako. So, Ed, how'd you get two girls to follow you around?"
The Elric twitched and I snickered. "Oh yes, we couldn't resist! With his one arm and leg, so hawt," I mocked. Everyone but Ed seemed to think it was funny.
Suddenly a wrench came flying through the air, and bounced off Ed's forehead, shoving him to the ground in the process. "Brother!" Al exclaimed, reminding me he was here.
I stared down at Ed blankly, before pointing and laughing. When I noticed a nail loose in the box Al was in, I grabbed the sparkling wrench and tightened the nail. Hannah scoffed and knocked the wrench from my hand, causing me to shrug.
What? The nail was loose.
Ed jumped up, shouting, "Nice! I buy you a wrench and you try to kill me with it!"
I looked in the direction of his glare, and saw a girl standing on the balcony of the second floor. She looked pretty cool, with her blonde hair, black tank top, and pink-ish cargo pants. "Apparently you're trying to kill yourself! Just what've you been up to?!" She shouts.
"Well while I was them, we've been chased down by two murderers, possibly every higher up from Eastern and Central command, and don't forget the rouge military doctor we risked limbs to save," I mumbled simply. And according to Ed's and Hannah's glared, they heard me.
. . .
"I'm serious, Edward! How do you wreck the best auto-mail I've ever made?! I put my heart and soul into that!" The girl shouted.
"Know how that feels," I muttered while I looked down to the broken camera in my lap.
Ed nervously rubbed the back of his neck, "Is it really my fault, though? It fell apart so easily!"
The girl went blank, "Al's armor is busted up too, and steel doesn't break on it's own. You've been getting into some real trouble."
"No... I mean... Ask Ed!" Al exclaimed.
I rolled my eyes, and finally spoke louder, "Oh please! She isn't stupid, you two. Not only does it take brains to put together auto-mail, but no one's so stupid, they think nothing happened to you two, even though you're in the military!"
They looked at me, and the girl nodded, "She has a point!.. Who are you anyways?"
As Pinako and Ed dealt with his auto-mail, the girl walked over to us. "I'm Riley, at your service. This is my friend Hannah. We're traveling with Ed and Al," I answered her.
She smiled, "Nice to meet you. I'm Winry Rockbell, Edward's mechanic."
I nodded, and said sheepishly, "Um.. Do you have any spare tools I may be able to borrow to fix this?" Lifting up my camera to motion to it, Winry looked at my camera, before nodding.
"Sure, I'll be right back," She said before walking off. I tuned out everyone as I inspected my camera, but when Winry came back, she dropped a toolbox beside me on the couch. "Here you go. This should cover it," She said, smiling at me.
As I said my thanks over and over, Pinako said, "We have to fix Ed up within a week."
"What's the rush?" Winry asked, looking at Ed curiously.
"We just want to... Get to Central as fast as possible," Al answered.
Winry slipped out her wrench, "It's not dangerous, is it?!"
Ed laughed nervously, "No! Not at all."
I glanced to Ed and muttered to him, "See? Hannah was much worse."
"What?"
"N-Nothing!"
. . .
Ed and Al were outside now, and I was in the living room trying to fix the camera. Hannah was sitting by the window, staring out it into the country. "Not every day we get to see this scenery any more, is it?" Hannah asked, which I nodded silently in agreement.
When I heard footsteps coming down the stairs, Hannah turned her head, and gasped. I wasn't paying attention, until I heard her say, "Daisuke!"
My head snapped up and looked to the stairs where I saw Daisuke standing there, smiling sheepishly. "EEEYAYAYAYA!!!" I screamed, jumping from the couch and pointing at him. "You! What are you doing here?!"
Ed ran inside, hearing my scream, and Winry and Pinako came rushing in as well. "You..!" Ed mumbled, staring at Daisuke as shocked as me.
"See Hannah! I told you he was suspicious!" I shouted to Hannah.
"Wait, you're that Riley?" Winry asked.
Looking to her, I raised a brow, only managing a "huh?" Daisuke sighed, "Forgive me for looking like a stalker. But I heard you would be here soon, so I rushed here. Miss Pinako let me stay here until you came."
"Why?" Hannah asked him.
Daisuke looked to me, "You are right about me, Miss Riley." As I wondered about why he called me "Miss Riley", he continued, "I have been following you for some time now, on behalf of Master Gregory at the-"
"Okay!" I shouted, interrupting him. I began pushing him to the back door as I looked back, "I'll handle this outside! Bye!" Just before I left, I could practically feel Ed glaring with a "And-this-is-how-you-gain-trust-back?" look.
So it wasn't much of a surprise when I noticed him following "sneakily".
We got outside and I glared at Daisuke, "How do you know Master Gregory?!"
"I'm one of his more recent students since you left. He wants you to come back to the Dojo," Daisuke said.
"Why?" I whined. I didn't want to go back to the Mauler Dojo for a long time after I left. That "long time" wasn't up yet.
Daisuke sighed, "Your parents were the ones to create the fighting style in the first place, for the Rebellion Army! You can't abandon that. And Master Gregory has been speaking of old age coming soon. He wants to prepare you to take it on once he dies. In his words, your parents gave him the responsibility of the Dojo until you could handle it. And that's time."
"I don't want tooooo," I muttered as I plopped to the ground, and hug my head in my lap. My hair fell and curtained my face, as I said, "What does it matter anyway? There's probably someone at the Dojo more experienced than me. And besides, the Rebellion Army's been quite nice to the military lately!"
"Exactly. It's the perfect way to spend your free time. Teaching others how to fight," Daisuke retorted.
I flipped my head up, my hair flying back, as I glared at the boy. "I'm not even that good at it. I just started making up moves halfway through lessons!" I exclaimed with a completely straight face. Because it was true!
The look on Daisuke's face was a mixture of "Are-you-kidding-me?" and "You-aren't-that-bad." He sighed again and said, "You don't have to come back immediately, Miss Riley. But it's in the best interest of the Dojo your parents put their sweat and tears into."
Great. The guilt trip.
"So, will you help Master Gregory or not?" Daisuke asked.
"Well-"
"Great, I'll go tell Master Gregory you'll come when we need you!" Daisuke exclaimed before rushing off.
My brow twitched. So much for free will! When I heard the door, I looked back to see Ed. He didn't seem very happy... "Hi?" I muttered, smiling nervously.
It didn't seem to help.
"You told me your parents where just normal citizens," Ed stated, glaring at me as he stepped forward. I would have stepped back, if not for remembering his limb problem. I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn't really think of anything to say. "Just how many things are you lying about?!"
So, I began counting the stuff in my mind. Which, was only my parents and my job. "... Two," I said, after counting.
He twitched, and glared more. "Why didn't you tell me your parents lead the Rebellion Army?" He growled.
"Oh, yeah. Then I could have told you I was a State. You really wouldn't have been suspicious of me then!" I said back, sarcastically.
"Yeah. Lying about it was such a better idea," He said, equally sarcastic.
I shrugged pathetically, "I.. Didn't think you'd find out."
"Wait," He started, "If your parents were with the Rebellion Army, why wasn't it on the fo-..how'd you become a State Alchemist?"
My brow rose. My memory took me back to the folder Hughes gave him, and then it was my turn to glare. "That folder! It was my Military Record, wasn't it?!" Ed turned nervous now. Ha! The tables have turned, sucker!
"You're not off the hook Riley! How'd you become a State Alchemist if your parents lead an army that hated the military?!" Ed shouted.
...Nevermind with the tables, then.
"Roy and Hughes are the only two to know about my parents! They swore they'd keep it secret! Just so you know, the Rebellion Army doesn't hate the military, they just disagree with them most of the time! Remember that war in 1901, where they helped the military?! And don't change the subject! I'm not the only one lying! You have my record. Mustang was up to it, wasn't he?! I'm burning his ass when I get back to Head-"
"Relax!" Ed shouted back. "He only gave me your Bio. He took the Military Records out first."
I looked at him startled, "Relax?! You still have my Bio!"
Ed seemed to remember something. "Yeah. I do. And it says that you can do alchemy without a circle!"
...You know when I counted my lies and added them to two? ... There was a... Miscalculation...
I meant three. Eh..heh...heh...
"So why is that, Riley?! Did you try to bring your parents back after their death in the Massacre?!"
"No, I did not!" I shouted, offended almost. "I don't know why I can, alright?! Ever since I was-..."
Realization hit me. Like a... Like a... Like a bird shitting on a car windshield! Like the desk, and Mustang's forehead! Heh.
"Ever since the explosion," I mumbled.
"Explosion?" Ed asked, curious.
I shook my head and began to walk off, "Nothing!"
Ed grabbed my sleeve and when I turned back, he was glaring at me. Again. "How do you expect to gain my trust back if you're going to keep hiding things?"
I thought about it a while, and sighed. It wouldn't hurt to let someone know, I guess. "Come on, then," I said before walking off. Ed followed curiously.
"So what explosion are you talking about?"
I sighed again, and began to explain the story, dating back eight years...
. . .Third Point of View. . .
('Cuz I Can... And 'cuz I accidentally wrote it that way...)
"What's that?" Riley asks herself as she knelt down to the ground, looking at the yellow substance, touching it and rubbing it between her fingers a bit.
"I didn't know that the yellow substance was sulfur... And I was just a kid, so even if I did know, I wouldn't have known not to rub it like I did," Riley said, laughing nervously.
"Smart," Ed said sarcastically.
"Riley! Come on, we have to eat!" Her mother shouted.
She looked in Claire's direction, and sighed. Standing up, she began to walk back to the house. Suddenly the faint odor of rotten eggs became stronger, which caught Riley's attention. The little girl turned back to the substance and her eyes widened when she saw smoke rising from it. "Uh oh…" She mutters. Unexpectedly to Riley, it exploded, and her first reaction was to cover her face with her arms.
Hearing the scream of their child, Kevin and Claire looked up, just as a small explosion was heard. "Riley!" Claire shouts, looking out the dust and fire that rose from the ground with wide eyes.
Kevin pushed Claire back a bit and he ran toward the explosion without hesitation. Riley, only six years old, was laying on the ground, blocking her face. "Riley..," Kevin whispered urgently, grabbing her shoulder and pushing her over. Panic rose when he saw his daughter unconscious, and the skin of her hands torn away. "Call the hospital!" He shouts at Claire.
Picking Riley up, he rushed down the sidewalk toward the hospital as Claire talked to the receptionist about what had happened. Reaching the hospital, Kevin ran into the building and instantly a doctor was there to wheel the child to the emergency room.
. . .First Point of View. . .
(Welcome Back.)
"So you think that had something to do with it?" Ed asked.
I shrugged, "Maybe. I don't know."
. . .
We walked into the hospital, and up to the desk while we looked around. "Can I help you?" The woman sitting there asked.
"Yes. I need to know who my doctor was from 1900 to 1909. My name is Riley Mauler," I said.
"Do you have any form of identification?" She asked boredly.
I looked up in thought. I could show her my State watch, but they wouldn't do anything... But it's not like there's any other way. Sighing, I dug into the deep pockets of my jeans, and pulled out my watch. I showed it to her and said, "I'm Major Riley Mauler. Call Colonel Roy Mustang at Central if you don't believe me."
She nodded, "No need. I believe you." She then went to another room, where I guessed records were.
"You don't remember who your doctor was?" Ed asked.
"I was seven. With how reckless I was, I wouldn't be surprised if there were a dozen names on my folder," I comment, causing him to shake his head.
She came back and sat down, "Your doctor is a Dr. Ashley Galvin."
I nodded. "I need to see her."
The woman raised a brow, but sighed, "Fine." She got on the phone and began to dial, as people passed us. "Oh, there. Dr. Ashley!" She started shouting.
I looked in the direction and only saw a couple male doctors and patients. One of the doctors looked over and walked toward us, "Yes?"
"This chick's looking for you," The woman said, causing me to twitch not only at the fact I was being called chick, but that I called a male doctor a girl...
He looked me over and asked, "And you are, miss?"
"Riley Mauler," I answered.
"Mauler?"
"Mauler."
"I remember you when you were just a little girl," He started, "Your father and mother were quite popular back in Rush Valley. What do you need?"
I nod, "Do you remember the explosion when I was seven?"
Dr. Ashley nodded, "How could I forget? Why, what about it?"
"That's what I want to know..."
Ok, that's enough for now. I'm writing the next chapter now, actually! Maybe(insert nervous smiley).
You know what I LOVE so much, I'd use both bold AND italic for it?
Getting this in my inbox!:
[Review Alert] Story: The Sulfur Alchemist
Seriously. I go spastic when I see that in my inbox! You have no idea... XD So... (Wink, wink) XD
And now OpenOffice decided to mess up my font DX
(sigh)
Be Responsible! Don't Flame and Drive! Rawr.