Inspection

Ding! Ding! Ding!

"Hurry-hurry-hurry-hurry-hurry!" Edward yelled, running towards the leaving train. He jumped in, Al and Winry followed closely behind. "Ed, it was YOUR fault- ED?! Ed? Are you alright?! Ed!" Alphonse yelled, shaking his brother.

Edward banged his waist against the door when he jumped in, and now he was coughing, holding his side and blacking out. Winry was crying again. "Ed! You… you shouldn't have went on this inspection job…. We better take him to rest…"

Edward shook his head. "No need." He stood up shakily and placed his luggage on the top rack, his injures straining. "It'll heal fast." He said. They were healing already, though not as fast as previous times…

Edward took a sat, resting his head on Al's big arm. "God… I hope they heal faster…" Winry looked at him, then turned away, weeping. "Why are you crying…?" Edward asked, looking at Winry, not knowing what to do. "Nothing." Winry wiped her eyes. "You're really selfish. You're selfish in many ways."

Edward remembered the hallucination of Winry and sighed. They had convinced him that that was NOT Winry Rockbell. He sighed. The train chugged on. Edward was almost falling asleep when he heard a loud scream and a clanging sound. Al jumped and Edward woke up, staring at Alphonse. A girl had fallen on Al, spilling ramen all over his armor. She was apologizing to Alphonse, bowing down. Edward helped Al clean up as the girl watched him. She had long, silvery hair and silver eyes that were a total contrast to Ed's which was golden hair and gold eyes. Edward took special interest in this. "Its alright." Edward looked at the ramen bowl on the ground. It was broken, and in pieces. It looked like something personal.

"Oh, that was my favorite bowl. My… my parents gave it to me before they…" The girl's silver eyes glistened with tears and she wiped them away hastily. Edward looked at her, feeling sorry. "Don't worry. I can fix it." Edward said, getting up. He clapped his hands together, then placed them on the ground. There was a flash of light and a fuzz of electricity in the air. BASHOOM! A perfect crystal bowl sat there once again, no cracks on it. The girl's eyes widened and many people in the car 'oohed' and 'ahhed'. Edward blushed and smiled. "Here…"

"You're an alchemist!" The girl's eyes sparkled again. "Oooh… My name is Pine. I know… as in, the pine tree." Pine blushed. Edward smiled. "I am Edward Elric. I am a State Alchemist." There were more murmurs to his sentence. Pine glowered. "Wow… I am an alchemist as well, Edward. And these are your friends?" Pine looked at Alphonse and Winry.

Winry smiled softly. "I am his friend, Winry Rockbell. I am an automail engineer."

Alphonse nodded, as if smiling. "I am his younger brother. Alphonse Elric." He said. Pine stared. "You're the younger brother? But the State Alchemist's just a shrimp." Pine pointed out.

"RAAAAAAAAAAR!!!! I'M-NOT-A-SHRIMP!!!!!" Edward yelled, trying to scratch Pine. "I AM GONNA PLUCK OFF YOUR PINE NEEDLES!!! THEN YOU'LL BE BARE! BARE!!!!!" Alphonse and Winry had to hold on to Edward.

Pine frowned. "HEY! That's rude. You're making fun of my name. I don't want to talk to you, you meanie! Shrimp!!" Pine pulled at face at Edward and turned away, holding her ramen bowl. "HMPH."

Edward was still fuming.

Yawning, Edward took his luggage from the rack above and dragged it off the train. He saw Pine and wanted to scowl at her as she gave him a face. But he felt sick, and holding his stomach, Edward ran over to the nearest drain and started vomiting. Pine gave a look of 'serves you right' and ran off.

Edward wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Winry was looking at him, with Alphonse. "I am fine… Let's get this over and done with, then I can go back." Ed said, and dragged his case out of the station. Winry decided not to say anything, with no exception of Alphonse.

Edward approached the town that he was supposed to inspect. It was a medicine town. There were thousands of shops selling all kinds of herbs and spices you'd never find anywhere else. Edward was astonished, and impressed.

He walked around the place, and found a place to stay. He didn't tell Winry about seeing a small house located away from the town, and there was something fishy about it.

Night Time The Same Day

Edward heard the swift breathing of Winry sleeping, and Alphonse was out to watch the stars. This leaves him free to investigate the house…

"Hm?" Edward stared at the house through the inn's window. The city was dark, but the lights were on over there. Winry opened her eyes a little. "Hrm? Ed…? You not asleep yet?"

Edward jumped – he was still looking at the house. "Erm, yeah. Just watching the stars." Edward smiled at her. Winry smiled back drowsily and went back to sleep. Edward watched her for awhile, then got dressed quickly, throwing on his red coat. Then he silently crept out of the inn. The whole town was silent, everyone was sleeping.

Edward's face was set. He wondered where Alphonse was, watching the stars, but he just knew that he must not be seen. Edward started off towards the house, that looked too out-of-place in this town.

He knew something was really going on there. There was a flash of light from the windows from the house. Alchemic reaction. And then he thought he heard a scream. Edward hastened his pace. He might be too late, to save whatever, whoever that was in the house.

If it wasn't a trick of his eye.

Oh yeah! Fin again. The next chapter would be up pretty soon as well… its night here and holiday for the next two days because of national day! XD kk… I will post many a chapters up tmr… might have blood, might not. Thanks AkitaFallow for teaching me something. Not all chaps must have blood – and keep the reviews coming! They're spamming up my hotmail inbox hahahaha!! R&R!!!! I LOVE THEM. )