A.N.: Hi hi! I finally got this chapter uploaded! To tell you the truth I've had it sitting around for a week, but got too lazy to post it. That and I had school. But enough about that. This chapter takes place during the 'House of the Waiting Family' episode of the Fullmetal Alchemist anime. I haven't seen the episode in a while so forgive me if I get any details wrong. If anyone seems out of character I'll try and fix it. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I have never claimed to own the wonderful show that is Fullmetal Alchemist. If I did I would not be writing fan fiction, now would I?
"There! We're all done!" Winry sighed. She was exhausted from rebuilding and installing Ed's arm, but the triumphant feeling in her gut lent her more than enough energy to go on. Ed merely grimaced at his mechanic. "Jeez! I swear that installation hurt more than last time!" he complained. Winry rolled her eyes. She wasn't in the mood to yell at him quite yet. Ed wiggled his fingers experimentally. "I gotta hand it to ya; you really did a great job for the amount of time you took." He muttered.
Winry grinned proudly. "I am the best mechanic in Resembool! Oh, I just remembered I have a message for you. This girl came looking for you about a week ago. She was pretty insistent that I let you know she was here. She also left something for you… I have it somewhere around here." She laughed awkwardly at the memory of the grave faced stranger.
Ed raised an eyebrow. "Really? Huh. Who was it?" he asked, sounding bored. Most of his mind was focused on testing the joints on his new right arm. Winry shrugged. "It was just a little girl. Said her name was Eloise Alistar or something like that. She asked me where she could find the Elrics, and when I told her that you and Al had been gone for years she looked confused. Then she asked about your mother and I pointed her towards the graveyard." She said, glancing up from a drawer she had been rummaging through to find Ed staring at her, wide-eyed.
"Did you say… Eloise Alistar?" he whispered hoarsely. Win nodded uncertainly, confused by the intensity in his gaze. "What did she look like?" he demanded. Win bit her lip thoughtfully. "Well, she was this tiny thing, didn't look much older than six. She was blonde, and her hair seemed to defy gravity with its random curls. The only part that could claim to be style was the bangs, which she had angled over her right eye. Her left eye was brown, but I have a feeling that she was hiding her other eye for a reason. She also made me promise to tell you she came and give you this." She said slowly as she lifted a delicate charm bracelet out of the drawer she had been scouring.
Ed gasped and yanked the bracelet out of Winry's hand, turning it over in his own hands reverently. He had recognized it immediately, but it seemed so completely unreal. The bracelet only had four charms, one of which had been made by Ed himself. He stared at the tiny silver rose he had transmuted for his sister on that fateful night so many years ago…
{Flashback}
Trisha Elric quietly opened the door to her daughter's bedroom, expecting Eli to either be asleep or coughing. She was bringing more medicated tea to Eli in the hopes it would help her be well for the train ride to Miss Alistar. To her surprise, she found Eli sitting up in her bed, watching wide eyed while her brothers showed off their skill in Alchemy. Trisha smiled at the hint of jealousy that Eli was attempting to hide. "You really should be sleeping Eloise. Oh well, I have a present for you anyways. I was going to give it to you on the train ride tomorrow, but since you're up I guess you can have it now." Trisha produced a simple silver chain from her pocket. An elegant silver star pendant with the letter 'E' engraved on it was fastened to the center.
Eli gazed at the bracelet in awe. "It's so pretty mama! I love it!" she cooed. Trisha laughed gently. "I just wanted you to have something to remember me by while you're staying with Miss Alistar. I'm glad you like it." She mumbled as she slipped the bracelet onto her daughter's slim wrist.
"Hey! No fair! I wanna give Eli something too!" Ed whined. Al silently nodded his agreement. Trisha looked at her sons lovingly and handed them each a small block of silver. "Then why don't you make her something?" she whispered. Al stared at the block, trying to think of something that his sister would like. Ed however, was already sketching out a transmutation circle. He recalled that the last time she had gone outside, Eli had fallen in love with roses.
The solid lump of silver was soon encased in the blue light of alchemy. It didn't take long for the rose to take shape, and once it was complete Ed picked it up to inspect his work. It was beautiful, petals barely beginning to open and blushing a faint pink near the tips of the petals. It was unquestionably the finest thing that Ed had ever transmuted in his short life. Ed smiled and added it to Eli's bracelet.
Eli stared at the charm for a minute before tackling Ed into a hug. "I love it Eddy! It's so pretty! I'll never take it off, not ever!" she promised happily. Her eldest brother blushed and grumbled something about that being a 'stupid promise'. Al however was not as cheerful as his siblings. He still had no idea for a charm, and was beginning to think that he never would.
"I'm sorry Eli, I don't know what to make you…" he sighed. Eli shook her head and wrapped her arms around her depressed brother. "It's okay Al, there's no way I'd ever forget you! You don't need to make me anything!" she cooed, before bursting into another fit of coughing. Al hugged her little body in an attempt to steady her. "Eli! Are you okay?" he squeaked nervously.
Eli finally managed to regain her composure. "Of course I'm okay, I'm with you!" she said cheerily. Inside her mind all was chaos, but she had made a promise to be happy tonight. This was her last night home; she did not want to mess this night up. She would swallow any coughs that tried to break out.
Trisha carefully handed her daughter the cup of tea she had brought. Eli sighed, but drank the disgusting liquid none the less. Al was blushing madly and sketching a transmutation circle. He would make Eli something, even if it wasn't the prettiest charm on the bracelet. A moment later a small silver cat charm had taken form. Al quickly added it to Eli's bracelet, slightly embarrassed at the quality.
It wasn't nearly as pretty as Ed's, nor was it as detailed as their mother's, it was just a simple cat, sitting primly with its tail wrapped around its front legs. But none of this seemed to bother Eli. "It's so cute Alphie! I love it! I love all the charms! You guys are the greatest!" she squealed in delight.
{End Flashback}
Ed fingered the last charm curiously. It looked like an alchemist cross, but had a strange scrap of metal twisted around it. He carefully tugged at the out of place piece of metal and it came away in his hand. Ed frowned at the piece of metal, which could now be seen for what it truly was. Though horribly bent out of shape, there was no question about what it was – an unmistakable letter E.
"Winry, you told the girl that mom was dead?" Ed asked slowly. Win frowned, caught a bit off guard by the question. "Not exactly. I just pointed her towards the graveyard. Thought it would be obvious enough." She grumbled. Ed shook his head and raced from the room, a tingle of excitement racing down his spine.
Was it possible that Eloise was still alive? It was true that no one had ever told the Elric brothers that their sister was dead, but after the tearful parting, months of 'she's too sick for visitors' from their mother and not a single word from either Miss Alistar or Eloise, they had just assumed the worst. So it was completely possible that she hadn't died. As for her looking like a six year old, her illness had probably stunted her growth. (That or she had Ed's short genes) He could barely wait to tell Al about the reappearance of their sister!
Ed quickly grabbed the bundle of Al's 'missing parts' before slipping outside. He found his brother leaning against the house and staring at… something. It really was difficult to figure out where the armor was looking. "Hey Al, you ready?" Ed asked cheerfully as he spread out the scraps of armor next to him. The helmet swung to face Ed with a creak.
"You're cheerful today brother. Shouldn't you be resting though? You did just get your arm reinstalled." Al asked, his young voice echoing from the depths of the armor. Ed waved away the resting suggesting. The three days of rest while Winry built his new arm where more than enough for him. Instead, he clapped his hands together and pressed them to Al's chest plate. Small streaks of blue lightning skidded across the metal, grabbing the scraps and quickly putting them back in their proper places. The whole event took less than a minute, and by the time it was over Al was once again towering over his older brother.
Ed inspected his work and grinned. "So guess what I just found out?" he asked happily. Al looked at his brother in confusion. They had just managed to survive being attacked by a serial killer and were still supposed to be under the guard of Major Armstrong (who was currently chopping a years worth of firewood) so why was Ed so happy? He couldn't have gotten a lead for the philosopher's stone from Winry, so what was it? Al sighed in defeat. He would never understand his brother. "What did you find out brother?" he asked patiently.
Ed's grin widened and he began to chuckle. "Al, you remember Eloise, right?" he didn't bother to wait for a response before continuing, "Well she's not dead! Al, our little sister is still alive, and considering what Winry said, pretty healthy! Extremely healthy for Eli!"
Al stood speechless for a moment. Was it really possible? Could Eli still be alive after all these years? It was true that he was still alive against all odds, but he wasn't truly alive. And you had to be living to be healthy, didn't you? "Y-you're sure she's really alive brother?" he managed to choke out after a while. Ed nodded and produced a small charm bracelet. He held it out for Al to inspect, but Al would have recognized the charms from a mile away. Al gasped and gently took the bracelet, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe this was happening.
"She gave that to Winry just a few days before we got here. She called herself Eloise Alistar and made Winry promise to tell us she had been here. I asked Win, and her description matches Eli. We need to hurry to the cemetery, that's where Win sent her when she asked about mom. She might have left a clue there!" Ed explained quickly. He was already walking towards the cemetery, eager to begin the search for his little sister.
Ed: Hey! What do you mean 'got Ed's short genes'?
Yumi: Ehehe, nothing. Speaking of short, the chapter came out shorter than I had hoped. It was only 3 and a half pages on word... But oh well. The next chapter is the one I'm looking forward too. It's going to be longer.
Ed: Don't change the subject! But... just what are you planning?
Yumi: Oh, just some innocent fun at a new town!
Ed: Why don't I believe you...
Yumi: Cause you're smart! I've decided to give you guys a preview of things to come, just because I'm excited. Also remember to review! I'll work faster if I know people like it!
Preview
Ed felt someone tug at his coat and sighed. He turned around, expecting to see another irritating 'Guardian' or street urchin, only to find mismatched eyes staring up at him. "Eddy?" the girl questioned uncertainly. There was a moment of silence as they stared into each others eyes, each wondering if they were truly the lost sibling. "Yo! Chibi! It's time to bail, we got tin-cans coming!" someone yelled. The girl broke out of her reverie with a gasp and fled, leaving Ed with nothing but surprise and a very confused Alphonse.
