Shattered Alchemist

Chapter 2: First Encounter

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original FMA characters or story.

Dedication: Hoenheim-of-light51 I really want to thank you for the review you gave since I get so very few like it...Plus it was the beautifully done story of yours, "Illuminated by the Silvery Glow" that inspired me to write this in the first place. I hope this chapter pleases you -.

A/N: It's tough to follow up a chapter I feel came out so well especially after I waited so long...but here it goes.

Riza hardly left the train station when she realized how incredibly dreary this town was. Pedestrians walked along the sidewalks splashing through the puddles with heads hanged, umbrellas loosely held to protect them from the endless down pour. Buildings had their paint dulled and weathered by the water damage, lights were dim and few. Suck a dark, cloudy place...enough to make her entire body shiver, though it could be the fact it was freezing.

Letting out a short breath she watched the cold air with a light frown. 'That cold huh...can even see my breath' Shaking her head Riza lifted her suitcase from the ground and left the sanctuary of the stations protective overhang, her umbrella opened as the only shield from the ice cold drops. Her first stop was to find somewhere to stay.

"Well there has to be an inn somewhere." With every step on the partially flooded sidewalks she watched the people, noticed how the rain no longer bothered them. Some went without protection, just letting the cold wash over them. How long had some of these people been here? Why didn't they just move away?

There was a certain silence to the place despite the constant patter and splashes across streets and walkways. Thankfully her musings were cut off at the sight of a sign just above a building. The Gold street Inn written in running white paint barely visible from her distance. Part of the sign where 'Inn' was written lay broken, hanging down from the roof to just above the door.

"Well it's better than nothing." Bracing herself to view the inside Riza crossed the street quickly, hugging her suitcase to her side as she pushed open the door and scurried in. Closing it behind her the under oiled door squeaked its protests. Passing further in to the building while straightening her jacket a rush of footsteps sounded just ahead. Without warning an excited youth burst through the door infront of her brightly smiling.

"Daddy, Daddy! A customer!" He practically bounced with excitement, watching her face twist and her eyebrows arch in utter confusion. He rushed back through the door he came leaving Riza with her lips parted in surprise. 'Um...Hello to you too...'

Smiling to herself Riza recalled all the energy Ed used to have running about all the time like a kid...well he was a kid, technically. Yet at the same time he knew a lot about life, maybe too much for someone his age.

"I have memories so burned in my mind that I relive them every night in my dreams in new horrifying ways…and for everyone of those I dragged Al along with me."

Too much...

Shaking it off she passed through the now wide open door admiring the old architecture of the building. It was so different from what she saw on the outside. She felt kind of guilty for thinking bad of such a fine place. In the next room she saw the kid from before hanging on a middle aged mans arm dragging him away from the desk at the side of the room.

"See daddy! This beautiful woman has to be a customer!" Her cheeks lit up like fireworks, exploding red at the sudden comment. His father was taken aback by the comment as well, asking his son to go check on his mother with a nervous laugh. "I'm so sorry about that, you see it has been quite a long time since anyone stopped by."

"O-oh don't mention it...I take it you have a room I might be able to stay in then?" She smiled a bit at this mans sincere face, watching as he moved back behind the desk to get a key. Introducing himself as Henry he led her through another hallway to the single room in the back, a decent sized and well kept room with only the bare essentials. A lamp perched on an oak desk with a comfy bed right next to it.

"I know it isn't much, but would this do?" With a quick nod Riza brushed back a strand of hair slipping from it's tied back position, tucking it back in to place. Placing her suitcase down on the bed she took a quick look around the room. Riza found herself staring at a picture of the Inn that must have been years before. The rain was absent and the building looked brand new. Henry turned his head with wavering eyes. "It didn't always rain here you know...some say it was Alchemy gone wrong. Many moved away and travelers stopped coming. What's left is just the people who couldn't part with what they considered their home."

"I see...that must have been awful. No wonder this town seemed so empty when I arrived." Following the owner back to the front desk she gave him the information needed to contact the Military for all payments. With that taken care of she moved to leave to look for Ed. "Ah hold on just one moment, are you sure you want to leave in uniform? It's not the safest place for soldiers..."

"I'll be fine, thank you for the concern." Giving him a respectful nod she turned and left through the front door, making sure to take her umbrella out with her. The rain's sound dulled in her ears until she stopped even noticing the sound walking the cold streets of Rainfall. Every person she came across Riza asked about that short kid, giving a small description or asking if there were any alchemists in town. Most of the people either didn't know anything or looked at her funny and left.

All day she explored the town, asking in shops and diners or walking up to people just sitting on benches and watching the rain. Throughout the whole thing though she got no where. It was getting close to 9 o'clock when she finally started heading back to the Inn, but this time she noticed a few people following her. 'Guess a couple of bandits noticed me...' She kept at the same pace until she turned the corner where she promptly withdrew her gun from under her uniform and threw her umbrella away. Just as the first member of the trio of men came around the corner he found the smooth barrel aimed right at his head, the ice cold eyes of the military's finest gunner staring at him.

"H-huh..what? Keh...dammit, she saw us!" the other two came around the corner with confused looks before being taken aback by Riza's presence. Two of them glared daggers at her, but nothing took her fierce look off target. They knew without a doubt even one movement and they were all dead. "Listen lady we ain't here for trouble, just want to make sure you leave town...for good. We don't want the states dogs here...or would bitch be the better word for you?"

"H-hey jack don't entice her! SHE has the gun pointed, not us!" The only decent looking fellow in the group stuttered out hopelessly, cowering behind the other two. Riza fired a single bullet that grazed the mans ear just enough for him to feel it. "Thanks for the warning but I don't think-"

Her eye caught the sight of a forth guy just in time, giving her a chance to roll backwards as someone shot a rifle from a nearby roof. The bullet embedded itself in the wall breaking through the cement a good ways. This gave the other members a chance to draw their guns.

"Damn..!" Running across the street Riza drew her second pistol watching the mens bullets follow her trail along the dirt road. Ducking behind a wall for cover she heard the chips breaking off from the corner. 'One...two...three!'

Diving out from behind the battered cover she shot two bullets through the sniper, one through the arm and the second right through his skull. He didn't even get a chance to scream as his lip body rolled down the slanted tiles and smashed against the ground with a thud. Riza returned fire against the three still on the ground taking off for new cover.

"There...!" Shooting one right in the leg she listened to the high pitched scream, ducking behind a steel bench as a bullet grazed her right arm, slicing through the fabric of her uniform but missing the skin. S heard new footsteps and a few new voices just before a hail of gunfire began splashing against her cover. 'An automatic weapon...these guys have good resources' Her uniform was already soaked through and her bangs stuck to her cheeks defiantly as her chest heaved lightly.

Returning fire as best as she could Riza took out two more with well placed shots before waiting for a reload time. Just as the shots ceased she leaped over the bench and took off towards the nearest man. Pistol whipping him across the head she kicked a second one in the gut.

"Get her! GET HER!" The gunfire started again, killing both of the men she knocked out when she jumped over a low fence of a nearby house. Although it was strong bullets were ripping right through, coming dangerously close to hitting her. Just when she thought it was over a familiar sound caught her ears, a blue flash shining over the fence followed by short screams...and then silence.

'Was that...alchemy?' Lifting up Riza aimed her gun over the top, scanning the area quickly as she lowered her gun half way. Coming out from the cover she finally saw the remaining men. One had two stone pillars from nearby houses smashed together where his head should have been, blood running out from the small crevice between them. The other two had cuts on their neck and chests from some sort of blade, already limp on the blood stained ground.

"Was it...Edward?" Looking up she caught the sight of a blond ponytail fly out and out of sight as it crossed to the next street. Slipping her guns back in to their holsters Riza found new strength in her legs running at top speed in his direction, it just had to be him! "Edward! Wait!"

Turning on to the next road she found it empty without a soul in sight. Sighing to herself the adrenaline began to wear off, her body shivering from the cold rain and soaked clothes. Wiping the water off of her forehead she frowned, turning and heading for the comfort of the Inn. 'Ed...are you here...?'

She made it back to the inn without further incident, passing through the front door only to be greeted by Henry. "Welcome- Oh my your soaked! Did you lose your umbrella? You should go change immediately!"

"Oh...It's nothing, but yes I think I will." She passed back towards her room and quickly opened up her suitcase. A knock on the door caused a new sigh to slip from her throat. The younger boy stood there beaming at her, holding towels in his hand. "My names Chris! The rain is really bad huh? But it can be fun too!"

"Yeah, I guess your right" Riza couldn't help but chuckle softly, taking a towel and closing the door after Chris retreated from the room. 'It's great when kids can be so happy even in a place like this' Stripping down from her uniform she dried herself with the towel swiftly, letting down her hair to get the water out of there too. Pulling some clothes out of her suitcase she put on a button up white shirt and a spare pair of pants. Just as she finished a second knock sounded.

"Excuse me it's Henry, I forgot to mention this when you first got back but you had someone leave a message for you. An older gentlemen asked you to meet him at the Sunset Cafe to talk about the man your looking for, he mentioned to come by around 2." Giving him a quick thank you Riza finally felt like there might be some hope for this mission after all, maybe she didn't just imagine that ponytail...

Laying down for the night she laid her suitcase on the floor, drifting off as she wondered if Edward was still the same as before...

A/N: I'm so sorry for slow updates, I'll try to be better. Reviews would be really sweet too.