Shattered Alchemist
Chapter 3: Painful Scars
Disclaimer: I still own none of the FMA universe or the original story and characters. I only own the new original ideas and characters that may be shown.
A/N: Heres the next one. I'm really enjoying experimenting with styles and varying details.
The morning after the attack against her Riza found herself extremely anxious, asking herself who this man she was supposed to meet could be. 'He said an older gentleman...so it obviously can't be Ed' Even now sitting alone in the Sunset Cafe she stared at the door. The feeling deep in her chest couldn't be explained, how nervous she felt just thinking if he may be in this town.
"Well...it's almost two...I wonder if I got the time right" Though she had checked with henry many times to make sure it was right the doubts still lingered, that maybe something got mixed up. 'I should be thankful though...only the second day and I already have a lead.' Just as hope began to slip away a soft bell chimed at the opening of the door, a short man with a wrinkled face walking in leaning on his cane.
"Is that...him?" Closing his umbrella he placed it next to the door taking in a deep breath from his surroundings. A brown jacket covered a rather ordinary plaid shirt with brown pants, notable through the unbuttoned center. Removing his hat short gray hair just slightly ruffled was pushed back by his retreating hand as his eyes lay on her.
"Oh, yes you must be the woman then" Gripping the handle to his cane he approached her slowly, a bit of a limp in his left leg. The small figure plopped down in the seat across from Riza, sliding more comfortably in to the booth. "These old wood seats are such a pain for the back, but it's such a lovely place don't you think?"
"Ah...well...I guess so." She wanted to come right out and ask him, she was dying to...but politely she took a small look around the cafe. A single worker was wiping down the main counter, and most of the oak chairs and booths were empty. Paintings reminiscent of the Inn were hung up above each side table, portraying the town in it's former glory.
"So your the young miss from the military...I was quite surprised to hear about the incident in the streets, fights are so rare here after all." His voice cracked on occasion, his slightly heaving body still recovering from the walk. All thoughts that he might have been trying to trap her left, something about his eyes gave a deep honest impression.
"Yes, I wasn't expecting it either. It seems the Military isn't very welcome here." His gentle laugh filled the silence of the room, lifting his cane up to rest on top of the table. She suddenly felt a bit embarrassed...of course they weren't welcome here, she wouldn't have been attacked otherwise. 'Where is my head at lately.'
"There is unrest everywhere...but yes, as this town has deteriorated from it's past self many have turned to making a living with rebel groups. It's such a sad thing...when the rain started the economy just dropped...now the only people who ever come here are drifters or researchers." His eyes wandered to the window, seeming to space out at the memories.
"I'm sorry...but...you had information about someone?" Reality slipped back in to the old mans eyes where his smile returned to cover up the saddening expression just moments before. 'I should look in to what happened here when I return to central.'
"I am terribly sorry for getting off track. Yes...I heard you were looking for someone, care to describe him?" Did this man actually have the information she was looking for? What need would there be to ask her what he was like if he knew. Sighing to herself she accepted the simple request.
"Well...I haven't seen him in two years, but as I remember...he was on the shorter side, always really energetic. You couldn't do anything but smile when you saw him really. He always had his blond hair tied back usually in a braid of sorts...hated milk, and being made fun of. His name was Edward-" A loud laugh stopped her softly spoken description, the mans head thrown back in great amusement. Frowning to herself Riza gripped the fabric of her pants tightly, there was no reason to laugh at Ed!
"Oh my my, was that how he was? I see, I see." The old man found himself a bit startled as Riza shot forward a bit in her seat, eyes large and round. Her hands came to grip the end of the table till her knuckles were white. "Wait, so you HAVE seen him!?" The wrinkled face stared at her in astonishment from all the passion radiating from her.
"Yes, yes my dear...please calm down." Letting out a puff of air she sat back in the seat to gain her composure, feeling the slight heat in her cheeks. 'What am I getting so carried away about? Well I didn't expect to find him this soon, I guess it's natural.' With a small smile towards her those sad eyes of his betrayed the rest of him, staring out towards the rain washed roads again. "It is quite sad then, to see him now. He has changed dramatically from that description you gave me."
"H-has he?" Somehow she couldn't picture Edward ever changing, the way he was built in her mind was a never ending kid who could never be brought down. Two years had passed however, and many things could happen. "Oh yes quite, but it is not something that I could tell you...it is something you must see for yourself."
"I see...could you possible take me to him?" That earlier nervousness started to come back as she tried to somehow picture what he may be like now, how different he could be. Riza completely missed the nod she was given, the old man standing from his seat to grab his umbrella. "Excuse me miss, do you plan to come along?"
"Yes, my apologies." Standing up quickly she waited for him to leave first, following out immediately with open umbrella. This time she had remembered to leave behind her uniform, exchanging it for a black sweater and matching pair of pants. Riza walked barely two steps behind as he led her up many streets, weaving in and out of different parts of town. Eventually they reached the edge of town where a single road led up to the top of a hill, a single house separated from all the rest lay just above.
"Up...there?" They stood there as the rain washed over and slid down their shields, the descending fog coming in over night making it hard to fully see the building. 'Could my search really be over?'
"Yes you should find what your looking for up there, just say Francis sent you" Slowly he turned back towards the town, taking a single look up towards the crying heavens before walking off back down the street, where Riza's shouted thank you barely reached his ears.
Alone now Riza walked the distance up the hill clutching her umbrella a little bit tighter with each step along the road. By the time she reached the top through the fog her grip had practically become painful, forcing her to lighten up on the handle. The house before her was slightly large, an aged look to it but still quite beautiful.
"Well...here goes nothing" Her heart pounded in her chest so hard that she could hardly hear anything else, her fist gently rapping against the front door. Swallowing the lump in her throat she wondered if he would answer, if he even remembered her that well. Footsteps sounded from the other side, the door slowly parting from the frame. 'This is it...'
"Um...may I help you?" The excitement died away in an instant as a man with long black hair opened the door, his curious expression just watching her for an answer. He was dressed in mostly white matching the lab coat he wore. This must have been one of the researchers she had heard about. "Oh...I was told by a man named Francis I may find what I was looking for here..."
"Oh! Francis? That old man? He is so sweet...stops by for tea sometimes. Please, please come in" She knew this wasn't who she was searching for, she could tell just by the face. Even so something told her to go in and talk to this man despite the let down. He lead her down the hall with a bit of a smile "My names Charlie, I've been studying the rain phenomena here for over 3 years, even moved here."
"Is that so? Did you discover anything?" They moved in to what appeared to be a study, a lone table with a few chairs around it was surrounded mostly by books and stacks of papers. "Just recently I've began to find some interesting things...oh please don't mind the mess, sit sit."
"Thank you very much." Riza moved a few spare papers off of a seat and on to the cluttered table, sitting herself comfortably in the soft leather of the chair. Charlie sorted through some of the work on his table looking for his recent documents. "I unearthed a story about a government experiment years ago involving several alchemists. I believe they may have been trying to create something, though all records of what it could have been are gone."
"Create something? What would they want here?" She let her eyes wander over some of the papers littered about, everything from weather reports to childhood stories were around. For a researcher he sure looked in to impractical explanations. "Well some say there are areas in the world that alchemy can be used to a much higher degree, this was supposedly one such place. I would assume they wanted to draw on that natural power...though how it is connected to the rain I still don't know."
"Seems you have uncovered quite the history. Do you think-" her eyes shot up at the sound of the front door clicking closed again, turning completely to watch the door.
"Oh it seems like my assistant is back...just one moment please." Charlie headed to the door frame, calling down the hallway towards his assistant. "Where have you been? I really needed those instruments when the storm was at it's worse."
"I stopped to talk to some of the towns people, I didn't think it had gotten so late..." The voice answering back was soft and weak as if they were mumbling. Thats when he reached the door way to turn towards the researcher...and that face hit her like stone. 'Edward...'
His hair was tied back in just a plain ponytail still blond as ever, his eyes seemed distant and pained to the point she hardly recognized him at first...but there was no doubt about it, this was him. Ed handed off a small package to the researcher, watching him take it down the hall before turning towards the study.
"Edward..." He froze at the sight of her, even without the common uniform he knew her right away if only from the hairstyle. They stared at each other for over a minute, neither of them moving or speaking a word. Finally Ed's shock died away enough to answer. "...What are you doing here...?"
"Looking for you of course..." She frowned lightly at the way he stared at her, almost as if he hated to see her. He was different though, so sad...his air of energy and childhood enthusiasm completely gone. For some reason it made her want to cry, to see him like this...but she wouldn't allow herself such a luxury.
"I didn't want to be found, what do you want?" He tried to act cold but the attitude kept failing in the middle of talking. Moving a bit farther in to the room Ed finally sat down in one of the chairs, entwining his fingers together.
"We need you back Ed, the war..." Riza stropped seeing the face he made, the deep glare ruining his features. Standing up quickly he made for the door. "...Wait Ed!"
"Look I am not going back to the Military! If that's what you want...just...just leave me alone will you..." He gripped the door frame while lowing his head, staring at the floor with his back to her. Nothing would change his mind, not right now.
"...Edward. Alright I won't bug you...but...I'm staying at the Gold Street Inn ok? Come by if you want to talk..." Picking herself up she went past him just as Charlie was returning from putting away his new equipment, staring between the two awkwardly. "Miss, your leaving are you?"
"Yes thank you for having me but I have urgent business. Nice to see you again Edward..." She took off through the front door leaving a bewildered Charlie staring at the worked up and very flustered Ed. "Erm...did you know her by chance?"
"No" With a flat statement he left the researcher behind to go off to the room he was staying in.
Gold Street Inn
Riza had no idea what she was supposed to do after a meeting like that, he wanted nothing to do with her. Such utter rejection, but more importantly she wanted to know what could have made him in to such a cold person.
"Dammit I shouldn't have just left...I should have...tried more...maybe..." There was no way she could erase all the confusion and questions running through her mind now, or how much she just wanted to see him again. It was driving her mad. She spent the entire day running over it in her room, and only late in the night just before she was ready to sleep did someone knock.
"Excuse me mam! Someone is here to see you, he's waiting at the front desk." With a renewed beat in her heart Riza jumped up and threw the door open quickly, watching Chris walking away in pajamas. Making her way down the hall and in to the room she saw Ed leaning against the desk with a restless expression. 'Well at least he's still impatient'
"There you are...look I don't want to talk about the Military, I want to know...why your here. It's been bugging me." His eyes shifted away from her, refusing to keep any sort of eye contact. Maybe there was still a bit of kid left over in him.
"I was ordered to bring you back...why else?" Her words were hallow and quiet, even Ed had picked up on it. Frowning towards her he banged his hand on the desk in frustration. "They could have sent anyone for that! Why did you come..."
"Shh people are sleeping. Look...Ed...I told you. Is that the only reason you came here...?" His eyes met hers for a moment and his anger dissipated in place of a deep sigh. "...I...I don't know...look can we talk somewhere else?"
A/N: Yeah its an awkward place to end but I felt it was the best way to close off the chapter. If I had gone any further I would have to merge it with the next one. And since I have no questions being asked, I won't bother with my 'Mind of an Author'. Review please my sweet fans!