"Yo! Winry!" I shouted, louder than normal, as me and Al were stuck at the base of her little rock-island. Of course, Alphonse could have gone up the path like normal, but he was afraid to leave me down here alone. He was convinced I would fall off and drown.

"WINRY" I positively bellowed, making Al clap his hands over his ears. Well, I had to get her attention; I only had three days to make Roy kiss me or else I would be a merman again. I didn't have the time to wait for this girl to wake up nice and slow.

"Oi, I'm coming!" I allowed myself a satisfied grin. Finally.

"That's you, right Ed? Why aren't you coming u—" Winry paused as she spotted me and Alphonse. "YOU'VE GOT A LEG?"

"Yeah…and I could use another one. And an arm," I wiggled my shoulder. "What's it take for a guy to get some automail around here?"

Winry doubled over, laughing. I couldn't tell whether she was just happy, or losing her mind entirely. "C'mon," she said, approaching us once she was finished. Winry picked me up (which was irritating to no end) and carried me to her shack. "Let's get you fixed up!"

I won't go into specifics, but I will say that getting some automail put on made me reconsider being human. It was so fucking painful! No wonder I never saw Winry with any other humans. How many of them could really endure that?

Still, when she stood me up, waiting for me to find my balance, and put me in front of a mirror, I was pretty happy.

I walked around, watching myself. My upper body, save my arm was unchanged, still lean yet somewhat muscular, and my flesh leg matched. I was a little concerned about the automail; while it was definitely preferable to nothing, I didn't know if Roy would like it.

"So, what do you think?" Winry asked. "I myself think it's great."

"The automail? Yeah, you did wonderful…" I trailed off, still unsure.

"Matches your body perfectly," she remarked. "Especially that bum of yours."

I turned around, looking at my backside. I didn't know much about human physique, but I had to agree, it seemed pretty nice to me. Hopefully Roy would at least like that.

"Well, then," I said, confident again. "I'd better get a move on. Thanks Winry!"

"Good luck with your man, Ed!" she chuckled.

Once again, Al had had to assist me in swimming to shore, this time due to the heaviness of the automail…and Winry's insistence that I not over exert myself.

Now I waited there, with Alphonse floating just behind a rock. I wasn't sure that Roy would come by, but I figured I should wait a while just in case. After all, I had no idea where he lived, and I wasn't all that great at walking just yet. It wasn't the best idea to go wandering around inland with those circumstances.

"Fucking hell!" I cried out, flinging my hair over my shoulder for the umpteenth time. I glanced at Al. "I never knew how irritating it was to not have your hair float out of your way like it does underwater."

"Here, Brother." Alphonse disappeared for a moment under the surface, before coming back up and flinging a piece of seaweed at me. "Tie it up."

"Good idea." It took me a while, as I was unused to my hair being this way, but I got it braided and out of my face at last.

My hair was drying like that, and I had almost given up hope when I heard Roy's voice.

"I'm telling you, Havoc, there was a boy, and he saved me! I…I think he was part fish."

He remembered me! I beamed at Al, waving goodbye before heading toward his voice.

"Stop joking around, Colonel." I heard the one called Havoc respond. Well, that was a little insulting. I walked faster, turning the corner—

Only to fall, flat on my face, right in front of Roy.

"Whoa!" He said, bending down to get me back on my feet. I noticed he had not replaced his jacket, and was wearing only a white shirt. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I muttered, embarrassed at my entrance. "Just not used to walking yet…"

"What…oh!" Roy spotted my automail. I held my breath, hoping he wouldn't dislike it. "You've just gotten this, then?"

I nodded. "And my arm."

Roy's black eyes widened. "What happened to you?"

I opened my mouth to tell him about Dante, but the words wouldn't come up. Of course. I couldn't talk about that. Instead, I simply said, "It's a long story."

Inexplicably, Roy began to strip off his shirt. I stared, watching his chest appear, then his abs…

He pushed my arms through the shirt, before buttoning it up. "There," he muttered. "No matter what the story is, you shouldn't walk around naked." I blushed, not having thought about getting clothes. I blamed Winry for that one—I wasn't used to wearing them, and she, as a human, should have reminded me.

Havoc laughed behind Roy. "Colonel, you don't have to mother the poor kid."

Roy rolled his eyes and looked at me. "Do you have anywhere to go? Or would you like to come with me?"

Yes! This was my chance! "I'd love to come with you, if it's no trouble…"

"Not at all." Roy turned and began to walk away with Havoc. I followed carefully, managing to trip on just about everything—most of all, my own feet.

"Here," I hadn't noticed that Roy had turned back until he put an arm around me, helping me walk. "Better?"

I nodded, smiling up at him.

"Say," he said, pondering. "You don't by any chance know anything about merpeople do you? I think one saved me the other day…"

I nodded excitedly.

"What? What is it?" He asked, equally expectant.

Once again, I opened my mouth, but no words came forth. I pushed, straining against the block, but it was no use. I sighed, hanging my head. "I'm sorry. I can't say."

Roy paused. "That's alright," he finally said. "You've at least confirmed I'm not the only one who believes they exist."

We headed up a path to massive house, almost the size of the palace under the sea. I couldn't help but gape.

"Colonel Roy Mustang," he formally introduced himself. "Son of the Fuhrer, hence the house."

He led me inside, then turned to Havoc. "Show him to a room, won't you?" Then back to me, "What did you say your name was?"

"Edward."

"Well, Edward, we'll talk more tomorrow, after you've rested."

I nodded, smiling still, before allowing myself to be led away by Havoc.

It was only the end of the first day, and I was staying inside Roy's house. Hopefully, the next two days would go just as smoothly.