Disclaimer- I do not own Fullmetal alchemist.


The car ride didn't seem as long with all the bickering in back. Still, Lieutenant Raymond couldn't help but feel the arguing was affectionate. No, nothing romantic, Ha! It was more like he'd seen Hughes and the Fuhrer fight before. They were merely teasing. Though he had to admit, the first time he'd seen them argue, he thought the poor Lt. General was going to get his face burnt off. But over the two years of his service, he had learned how his king reacted with his subordinates. After the coup the former Colonel ended, he had done some under-cover work in place of Jean Havoc. The Colonel was slow to trust him at first, and rightfully so with all the things happening. Eventually, he proved his loyalty and was accepted into the team, as well as a pretty girl named Sciezska. Apparently, she had worked with them before, but man was she pretty-

"Lieutenant, could you stop here a moment? I need to pick up our tickets." he nodded.

"Yes sir. Would you like me to pick them up for you?" Roy tapped his chin a moment.

"Yes, that would be nice, thank you." This was also a part of Roy that had garnered him so much respect. He treated all his subordinates (Which would be the entire military, mind you) with kindness and respect, yet let them know not to mess with him. Brigadier General Mahilo was stupid enough to try, and it had not ended pretty. Raymond exited the car and swiftly made his way to the ticket master.

"Hello sir, what may I do for you?" The ticketmaster was a kindly old man that reminded him of ex-Fuhrer Grumman, only taller, more lanky.

"I am here on behalf of the Fuhrer. I have orders to pick up three tickets for a private cab in Xing." Yes, in Xing, one had to be very careful. They could be very ruthless and uncaring about who they kill. Buyers could even be from Amestris.

"Ah. Yes, I have them right here." The old man walked carefully to the back vault and unlocked it, withdrawing three faded purple and green tickets. "You don't have to worry, young man. I won't tell anyone the Fuhrer went this way." Raymond nodded.

"Thank you." He slipped him a tip and strode back to the car, shutting the door behind him.

"Sir, I have the tickets."

"Psh, what's wrong with you, old bastard. Making your underlings get the tickets. Are you really so old you can't do it yourself?" Ed's voice rang through the car. Raymond stiffened, but Roy just laughed.

"He offered, remember? Or did your small brain have a hard time processing such big information?"

"WHY YOU!" The Lieutenant sighed and continued driving the last twenty minutes to the small town called Risembool. This was where the famed Fullmetal Alchemist spent the first eleven years of his life. At the top of the hill stood two signs, one painted, Rockbell Automail, which had tons of people lined up, and the other, just as full, boasted 'Elric Medical Centre'. Although they were each only one story, they covered a large amount of land, and joined at the middle.

"Stop," Edwards voice commanded. "I need to deliver something." The Lieutenant followed his orders and pulled up at the base of the small hill. The smaller alchemist clambered out and raced up the hill, heading towards the mail-box. That was when he noticed a tall figure pushing his way out of the door.

"Brother!" the figure yelled. Edward turned fearfully at the source before shoving a letter in the box and sprinting back down the hill, jumping in the car and shouting,

"Go!" Ray obeyed without question, but gave the supposed Alphonse a sad look as he drove off.

"Why didn't you say hello to your brother, Fullmetal?" his Fuhrer questioned.

"I...I don't want to talk to him at the moment. What's it to you anyway, you Bastard of a Fuhrer?" Roy frowned this time.

"It's rather unsettling to see the inseparable Elric brothers fighting."

"We're not fighting. I just don't want to talk to him at the moment is all. After all, we have to get to Xing on time, right?"

"It's about Winry, isn't it?" Edward's eyes turned rather feral.

"It is none of your business, so stay out of my life!" Fullmetal crammed himself against the door of the car and looked steadily out. He wanted nothing to do with the Fuhrer, and that included looking at him. It was hard though. Since when had he ever cared? He was always, 'Do this, don't do that, save this city, don't blow stuff up'. He has no right to try and intrude into my personal life.


Roy sighed. Edward always seemed to think he was the bad guy. He was just trying to help! He cleared his head and addressed his underling.

"Raymond, you can park here. No need to drop us up front."

"But Sir, I'm not coming with you, unless I've been misinformed?"

"You will be coming. The Captain couldn't make it." Raymond steered to park the car.

"Right away sir." They exited the car and walked to the edge of the town where a man and five horses sat in wait. The cloaked man bowed.

"A pleasure, my king, to have you along." Roy waved with a dismissive hand.

"Please, bowing is unnecessary. Come, are the horses prepared?" The man undid his hood and lead them close to the mammals. The man was Ishvalen, but Roy only smiled at that. These were the people he had worked so hard to rebuild.

"Yes, they each have a store of food, and this fifth horse here has stores of water. Each are capable of carrying three times their weight. Raymond studied the tall draft horses. One seemed a Percheron, the others possibly Clydesdales.

"Very good. Let us go gentlemen. Ray, I will buy you some clothes out there, as you were misinformed and I assume you have no change in clothes?"

"Thank you Fuhrer sir, but I have brought money to-"

"I'll have none of that. It is my fault, so I will provide. Now up, we must go." Roy's tone left no room for argument as he swung upon the beast. The rest followed suit as they began their journey.


Although they had stopped to rest overnight, they made it to the ruins of Xerxes by noon the next day, where Edward jumped into the familiar well to cool off his automail limbs.(1) By nightfall, they had reached the Xingese border, where they bid goodbye to the returning Ishvalen. They easily found their cab and made their way to the hotel. Edward still wasn't speaking to Roy, and Raymond was starting to wonder if they'd ever make up.


"LIEUTENANT!" Roy's voice screamed. Ray was quick to attend to the Fuhrer.

"Sir! What is the matt-" he stopped short. Edwards bed was empty, and there was only but a note that said,

'Thank you, Bastard, for your hospitality. I will be staying with a friend until our return to Amestris.

Your 'dog', Fullmetal'

"Damn it Ed! You've really done it! I will find you!"


"Do you really think that was a good idea Ed?" but Edward was too caught up in laughing, imagining what Mustang's face would look like.

"Ahhh! Come off it Ling! He's a right bastard, and he deserves it! He's been a dick the whole way here!" Ling smiled and shook his head.

"But what about you, Edward? You've been seeming very...down. Not as spunky as you once were. Tell me, friend. What happened?" Ed stopped.

"I don't know what you mean." Ling frowned.

"Don't try to hide it. Even your aura is off. Please Ed. You don't have to tell me now, but you should know. Every secret has a cost." Edward sighed as he contemplated whether or not to tell Ling.

"My brother Al...He is getting married to Winry...He even got her pregnant already. It's been hard, you know?" He looked at the Emperor, who smiled sympathetically. "I should be happy, I think. My little brother, whom I gave everything for, is getting married. Having a kid! But I don't. I feel...empty. I guess I deserve it. I never made a move, you know?"

"Edward. It's alright, you know. To sometimes feel sad. But think about it. Even if she was your first love, there are plenty of fish out there. Before I loved Lan-Fan, I was in love with a girl named Jade. She was a very pretty girl, and was sweet. But she rejected me, and got engaged a few weeks later. I was devastated, but I kept looking. Eventually, I realized that Lan-Fan was all I needed. She had been there through everything with me. There is someone there for you, too, even if you get in trouble looking for them." a new, and very frustrated voice chimed in.

"And you're about to be in a lot of it, Fullmetal!" Edward turned slowly, and cautiously, for there, in the doorway, stood a very pissed looking Fuhrer.


Read me please?

Ohhhh! Cliff-hanger! I dunno about you, but this story actually turned out to be something I didn't expect! I was going to make it have something to do with Edward almost drowning, but then, it kinda turned towards the, ' There's more than one fish in the sea' type thing. Also, I accidentally kind of made it seem Roy/Ed ish, but it is intended as friendship, or parental. (Just so you know, Roy arrived just to hear ' get in trouble looking for them' nothing else about romance, blah blah.) Anyway, I want reviews! :D Tell me what you think! Heheh, I might finish this within a few days if I get enough reviews. As I said! "Writers Be Thou For The Reviewers"

(1) I'm so cruel! Remember I mentioned something about Ed's alchemy issue and Ling helping him? Hmmm next chapter, somethings are going to be reveled!