Summary of other part: Clair helps a store make tie-dyed shirts to get some new clothes and was going to meet up with Ed at the hotel. However, the man from before sneaked in to poison her. So what happened to her? Will Ed come rescue her? Or will she die again! Mhahahaha. Actually, I shouldn't be laughing since this is ME we're talking about...

Did You Know?: You remember that one day you go to a pet store or Wal-Mart to see a neon-like fish in bright yellow, green, orange, and pink colors? Those are Chimeras. They're genetically combine tetras with jellyfish to give them their grand colors. They were afraid to release them into the wild, so they decided to make a market off them in the US, so these little waves of joy came straight out of the lab. Who knew? (I've known for about a years now, but decided to tell you guys! XD)


Chapter 7: Cooking 101 part 2


Ed's PoV

Ed stared at the ceiling fan with mix feeling swirled in his head. Some were anger purging out his skull at the situation. However, a mouse's voice was telling him to stay put, because she was a state alchemist now, right? She could protect herself, according to the Fuhrer. Ed dilated on the churning wings, thinking, Does any of this even matter? It's not leading them any closer to the Philosopher's Stone. Though, in the back of his mind he remembered how vital she was to them. She possessed something they could barely dream about. Something that wasn't human nor man-made. His eyes started to vibrate at the thoughts swarming his head. It couldn't stop wondering or not knowing. He needed to know more.

Ed quickly peeked over the couch, moaning, "She's been gone for well over an hour now!"

"She'll be back, brother," Al mentioned calmly.

"She's not coming, and you know it as well as I do."

"Maybe she lost track of time or got lost," Al disagreed.

"Al!" He shook his head, outraged by his brother. "I'm going to go find her. You coming or not?"

"I think I'll stay here just in case she comes back," Al expressed. Ed began to open the door, then turned toward his brother. "Good luck, and try not to get hurt, okay?"

"I'll be fine, Al." Ed remotely motioned his hands, heading into the hallway. When Ed left, he shut the door behind him, turning toward the door. He sighed, not wanting to leave his brother behind, but it was for the best. For all he knew, he could have over rationalized the situation entirely. Although, all his hunches, all his gut feeling, were pointing to her being widely abused. His thoughts rationalized more, thinking, Clair is naive and gullible. Who knows what could happen if she was hurt? He clutched his fist, then ran quickly towards the door to find her.


Yuki's PoV

After Clair was poisoned, I snuggled inside her pocket. I wanted to bite the man as hard as a loin protecting its cub, but my curiosity held my interest. Where was he taking her? What did he want? Most importantly, who the heck did he think he was kidnapping Clair like this?!

The man picked up Clair roughly, which made me hate him even more, and swung her on his back. After he stealthily left the building, I couldn't understand where he was going from the ground underneath me. He made his way through the darker, poorer part of town that didn't have sidewalk or brick roads. We finally arrived at an empty warehouse, or what I thought was one. Dust spawned from the empty crates after the man placed her against them.

I left her pocket, but stayed hidden behind the many crates throughout the old building filled with rust and broken glass. The windows were shattered, and I imagined the smell having a terrible taste. The shining light was dimmed from lack of widows, but I could make out what was in the warehouse.

My eyes dialed on the man with two others. "Wait, I know you people. Interesting..." After I spotted them, I jumped on top of two crates to elevate myself. I wanted to talk to the 'scary' man face-to-face. From the noise I was making, the man came over without the others. I wiggled my claw. "You're not who you think you are!" I said in a gleaming voice, cheerfully.

"So you're that dragon thing I've heard about?" he bickered.

"What did you call me!? I'm the all-mighty protector!" I rose my voice.

"Uh-huh."

"You think I'm lying?" I roared.

He just stared at me.

"Just change back already, idiot. You can't deceive me so easily," I lowered my tone with him as my tail wrapped around me.

"How did you know?" Envy argued as a light shrouded him, and he turned back into his palm-tree self.

I pointed to the shadows where Lust and Gluttony were staying. "If you're with the other homunculi, you gotta be Envy. Besides, I'm not stupid. Clair would've figured it out if you didn't poison her. Why the heck did you do that, anyways!?"

We both turned our heads when Clair held her hands near her head. When she looked around, she screamed, "Envy!" She took a deep breath and suddenly passed out on the spot.

"Uh...Clair?" My voice became filled with worry.

"Well, that makes my job a hell of a lot easier," Envy added.

"You won't touch her over my dead body!" I jumped on top of Clair, briefly laughing over the pun.

"Oh, like you're going to do anything about it," he scuffed. I took a stance, then bit him as soon as he came over to Clair. He swiftly shook me off his hand, slamming me against a wall and healed himself in the same amount of time. I threw a rock at Clair's head, but she didn't even flinch.

Clair! Dammit wake up already! I screamed at her, but I was just joining the herd of hundred voices screaming at her already. I had to think. What was the one thing that would wake her up no matter what? Shouting? Definitely not. Water...? I didn't think so. A rock to the head wouldn't wake her up, so I doubt anything would at this point.

ED TOLD ME HE LOVES YOU! I thought of nothing else to say, hoping she'd have a fangasm. Wait- Wouldn't that make her pass out even more?

Suddenly her eyes jutted awake, and she kicked Envy across the face. She seemed outraged by what I said... She forced him into a wall with a mighty battle call, then used alchemy to anchor him with a million spikes throughout each of his limbs. She smiled at him so intensely that it looked...terrifying...and almost menacing. Her breath grew husk, while her eyes intimidated him. Envy's eyes widened, almost petrified of her. I could see my tail turn pale black.

Envy destroy the spikes holding it place and rammed at her. She hastily dodged his attack, licking her lips. "Heh." She used her alchemy to create more spikes, a cage, and many hackles around his legs, arms, and neck. Afterwards she created a juicy apple out of dust, she shoved it into his mouth.

Lust and Gluttony soon offensively rush in before Clair could do anymore damage, with Gluttony's teeth running towards her and Lust's fingers coming after her. She used rocks to elevate her onto the top of the cage before they could catch her. "You guys are pathetic."

Without saying a word, her mood flipped back to normal like nothing happened. She burst to life with laughing straining from her mouth. "Oh, man. I think I scared you guys for once."

Envy was baffled by what just happened, not able to scream from the apple in his mouth. It was the same for me. Did Clair finally...snap after going through all this? Or was it just me? Her smile never left her face. "Well, I'll be seeing you guys around, right? Hopefully not, but you know how that goes. For now, I'm going to make dinner, and none of you better bother me unless you Edward to find out about your plans. So...bye!" She jumped off the cage and grabbed me, placing me on her shoulders then headed outside the building.

Uh...what happened? I was honestly, entirely concerned for her health.

She gave a sniffle, then a large sigh, 'Let's just say, for once I was scared of myself. I lost control of my essential being and consciousness. I could see what was happen, but I had no control over my reactions and movements. Except at the end, but I had done enough damage already that my voice changed as well.' She shivered. 'My Pure Stone is much stronger than I thought, and I'm guessing because it was around three other Philosopher's Stones it made itself, lose...me. I hope that never happens again, especially around someone I care about.' A tear feel from her eyes as she smothered herself in depression.

Clair...

'No. I should forget this ever happened. Ed doesn't need to know and neither does anyone else. We'll fight strong, Yuki, and maybe go back to our world one day, right?'

I gave a sincere nod. So it wasn't what I said that woke you up?

She shook her head. 'I will tell you I did hear that nonsense, and if he really did love me... I'd be utterly heart broken.'

Huh? Why?

'First off, I'm not even supposed to be here! He's supposed to fall in love with Winry, not me.'

Happy endings can always change. You gotta admit Winry and Ed weren't the happiest people in the world...

'Maybe you are right, but...what if I did ever go home? What if I had to go back and he couldn't...come with me? It'd crush both our souls, and I couldn't live with that.'

I couldn't had said that any better. She was my dearest friend. I could never see her like that, though, even if she did leave this place, she'd be broken-hearted, anyways.

We walked a short mile before meeting Ed, who looked infuriated at the both of us. "Where were you?!"

"I'm sorry," she bowed her head with worry. "I promise I'll never get side-tracked again. I'm going to cook dinner as soon as we get home, okay? You can help me if you want."

Instead of speaking or yelling at Clair, like I expected, he gripped her hand in fury and dragged her to another hotel on the other side of town. My friend started cracking up and smiling, like she always did, but this time I somehow found it different with the atmosphere between them.

"You care me, don't you?" she giggled. His cheeks slightly grew red. "I knew it! And here I thought you never blushed."

He let go of Clair's hand. "Just leave me alone." He crossed his arms pouting, still heading into the unknown direction.

We followed him to a hotel, which I was guessing their own, and up the stairs to their room. Al waited for us with his armor sitting against a wall.

"Clair!" he excitedly exclaimed, running over to her.

"Hi, Al. I missed you, too. I'm sorry it took me so long, but I still haven't gotten everything, yet."

"We can come with you to get the rest of the stuff!" Al cheered. Ed was as moody as ever. He slumped on the couch without saying anything. Even as we started to leave, Al asked, "Are you coming?", but wasn't answered by Ed, just a sigh.

Clair shook her head. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't make this meal without you or there'd be way too much food for me. Come over in an hour, for me, okay?" She gave a gentle sigh when he didn't even look at her.

As we left the building, Al asked, "Did something happen I'm not getting?"

"It's nothing. Ed's too emotional about things sometimes. I don't even understand what he's whining about." She slightly rolled her eyes.

Al seemed boggled by this, but didn't seemed too bothered by it. Possibly he thought that the conflict would resolve itself. I wasn't sure what he was thinking, really...


Clair's PoV

After I grabbed what I needed, without mention what happened to me - if I did, I'd have emotional breakdown, so it was better to leave it be - we walked back to my room. Somehow I was hoping Ed would come back, knowing his emotions wouldn't get to him. But what if they didn't? What if I was being as rude as ever like my sister always warned? Or if I was being careless to the poor guy. He gets called "short" enough already.

I jiggled my key inside my hands, unlocking the door. Nobody was home, like I expected. Al helped me bring the ingredients to the kitchen for me to prepare. But, what was the point if Ed wasn't going to be here, anyways? I whispered, "Hey Yuki, go find Ed for me. Make him laugh, and say it was from me."

Yuki's dragon head tilted confused, "Um...okay. No 'sorry'?"

"Nah," I shook my head slowly, "because I would've done the same thing." She shrugged.

"D'aww..." she sympathize. "And here I thought you'd be a loner forever!" She laughed.

"Hey, c'mon now, your going to make me blush. I still don't believe in love, ya know. Now go get him before dinner is done."

She giggled, "Okay, whatever you say. Just promise me you won't do anything stupid?"

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid."

"Promise!" We both said at once.

"Jinx!"

"Double jinx!"

"Triple jinx!"

"Quadruple jinx!" I yelled before she could spit it out. "Ha! First time I've won, two years going."

"Bro fist!" I fist bumped her claws before she left out the door with both of us laughing.

"You guys make great friends," Al chimed in after she left.

"Oh, uh..." I rubbed the side of my head, thinking of words to say. He probably thought we were so weird...

"I wish me and brother were more like that."

I tilted my head. "Hm? You guys are like that, aren't you?"

"Well, we are sometimes, I guess," he replied sheepishly. "But other times we're not talking at all, and before you guys came, I was alone most nights with him sleeping without anyone to talk to."

"Boring, wasn't it?" I gave a smirk.

"Kinda. Yeah."

"I'm sorry, buddy, but you won't be alone anymore with us!" I chuckled, giving a huge smile. I grabbed a few ingredients from the brown bags, including chicken, broth, many vegetables, some flour to make dumplings, milk, cheese, butter, and a small container of salt. Afterwards, I pulled out the big and little cooking pots I bought.

"You need a lot of stuff just to make one meal?"

"You could say that, but all this will last us a few days if Ed doesn't eat it all."

"Knowing brother, there's no hope for that."

"Yeah... Good thing I didn't pay for any of it!"

"What do you mean?"

"I used Ed's checking account," I said in honesty, while beginning to start the water. I put it on high to let it boil.

"How did you manage to get our information?" His face lit up. "Maybe you really are a spy!"

"Um...I'm not a spy Al." I shook my head, muttering, "What did I get myself into."

"So are you an angel!"

"Uh...um..."

"No, you're God. Or it'd be nice if you were. I wouldn't mind that."

"Awe, that's so sweet!" I smiled widely to show my small dimples. "Though, I'm more of an angel than a God," I whispered under my breath. "That idiot doesn't know what he's doing."

"What are you talking about?"

"You could hear me...? I was just kidding, Al. Don't worry about it," I easily pulled off a fake smile.

"An angel still would be cool, too," I could see a smile through his armor.

"Al, you're awesome." I said, stirring the vegetables into the water. He widened the smile from before, giving me aid in the kitchen. He kept asking how it smelled and how to make it, then added it to his 'list of foods he was going to eat when he gets his body back'. Somehow he made me happier than ever to finally be back in a kitchen again. It felt like...home.


Ed's PoV

Ed sat on the plain, black couch, staring out the window. It wasn't what happened early that bother him the most - though it still bothered him. Instead, he was concerned for a different matter. His gut instincts were wrong? She wasn't in danger or harm's way. Clair was genuinely fine, same old self.

However, what if she was in danger? Ed would go rescue her, because he'd saved anyone in trouble, but... What if she was in danger and he wasn't there to save her? What if she died again!? Ed couldn't fathom it, but he knew it was going to happen again. She wasn't strong or knew the ways of alchemy as much as he did.

After I get Al's body back, I'll take care of this. He repeated to himself.

He heard a noise at the door. Yuki leaped on top of him, and started clawing at his stomach gentle, trying to tickle him. He used his automail arm to clothes line her onto the floor. "Shoulda known you weren't ticklish."

"Just leave me alone."

She gave a upheaval sigh. "Good grief. Give it up, will ya." Her color changed to green.

At first he didn't answer, wanting her to disappear, but he knew she wouldn't. "I did give it up a while ago! It's just that..."

"We all get it. She might have the end all cure to get your brother back, but she doesn't, so let her be a normal human being until you know for sure! For her sake. She's still just a girl helpless and trapped in this strange new place. She has no family, a very, very unstable job, a dragon as a friend, but she's trying to stay normal the best she can by making a stew for the person she cares about most right now. So are you going or not?"

He listened to her words for a few minutes. Clair was like him, wasn't she? She didn't have a family. At that moment, he realized that she was alone, yet she never once complained about it or, hell, thought any negative thoughts. ...How?

"Fine, let me grab my jacket."


Ed shortly found the hotel after leaving on the outside of town. Yuki remained in his pocket until they reached the room. "Hey! Glad you came!" She smiled, not angered by him, which he found odd, but wasn't complaining. Hanging his coats on the rack, he ran to the food on the stove. He smelled mix favors and aromas that covered the house of chicken, cheese, and vegetable soup. "Hey!" Clair smacked his hand reaching for the spoon. "No taste-testing until it's done. The dumplings are still cooking on top."

"What if it's poisonous?" Clair giggled. Ed saw her laughing, but was confused why. Did he say something funny?

"Fine, one spoonful, but no more!" she declared. Ed took a simple taste-test with the largest spoon he could find. He slurped the favors in slavery, tasting everything from the corn to the milk.

"There's milk in this!"

"Yeah, so. Just a little bit. Ole, c'mon!" She screamed, looking through the few small cabinets throughout the kitchen.

"What are you looking for?"

"I didn't buy any bowls...," she sighed.

"We can eat it from the pot, can't we?" Ed said, like it was nonnegotiable.

"Sure, I guess," she scratched her head. She turned off the stove. "Just don't eat it all."

He didn't make any promises.

"Just leave me some, okay?"

"I'm sure you made enough for the both of us." Ed claimed.

"Uh-huh." She smirked. Ed saw her thinking intensely to herself, but again, he didn't know why. He had too many questions that needed fulfilled.

"Stop doing that all the time," he complained.

"Do what?"

"You smile and laugh, then suddenly you blackout in a world entirely of your own."

"You'd do the same thing if you had a bazillion souls in your head," she huffed with her elbows on the counter. He began wondering about that. How did that work exactly? How could she handle that pressure? Maybe Clair wasn't as weak as he thought she was. Ed took a few more sips of soup. "So what do you give it?"

"Um...about a 6."

Clair threw a spoon at him, missing his head for his shoulder. "You jerk!"

"What was that for?!"

"I salved over this for an hour, and you give it a six!"

"That doesn't mean you have to throw a spoon at me!"

"Ha, and here I thought you and Winry weren't alike," Yuki laughed.

"Hey, hush! He's still a meanie!" Clair yelled at him. Ed remained flustered, then put his elbows on the stove, eating the soup, so he wouldn't have to say anything, though he undoubtedly wanted to.

Clair sighed to herself and started eating the soup with him. On the other hand, Yuki, who was sitting on one of the counter stared at them like Ed was crazy. He turned his head away from her, then walked into the other room.

"Where are you going?" Clair asked.

"I'm not hungry," he grumbled, even though his stomach growled in starvation for him to eat.

"Ed!" She screamed, then shook her head with a sigh. Ed saw her rolling her eyes. "I can't believe I have to say this, but please eat, Ed. I'm begging here."

With a look of discourage, he got up from his comfortable spot and ate some more of the soup. "It's not that bad. I give it an eight."

Ed saw Clair's eyes light up when he said that. And somehow made him happy inside that she was happy. She seemed so relived to hear a few simple words. How could she become so glad so suddenly? How could she...just be like that? "Ole, Ed!" She hugged him willingly. When she pulled away, Ed saw her mood ring light up a reddish, pink color. He never saw that color on her before, and somehow it excited him. At the same time, though, he didn't want her to feel that way.

Ed was annoyed now, but kept eating to feel the urges inside his stomach. "Um...hey, we never did find that guy. The Blood Alchemist, or whoever."

Al perked, "Maybe we can just write this off and say he wasn't here, because we've all looked for him but never found any evidence." Clair grunted at his words.

"What are you not telling us?" Ed questioned.

"It's nothing," she sighed.

"No, you know who he is, don't you?"

"...How did you...?" she trailed. "Eh, nevermind. Yes, I know him. He was the first guy I met when I came to Amestris." Ed looked puzzled, though he supposed it was possible. Clair glanced at the ceiling. "He was...different that's for sure."

"You're lying!" Ed demanded. "He did something to you, too, didn't he?"

"He's the one that made my pure Stone first activate..." Ed hurried to grab his coats after his finished the rest of the soup. "Where are you going?" she panicked.

"I'm going to go find that bastard and get some answers." He shut the door behind him and ran down the hall before Clair or the others could catch up to him.


That's the end of it. Shorter than what I wanted, but it's a good ending for the chapter, so meh. Anyways, tell me your thoughts! Do you like it now, hate it, or just staying mutual about the romance stuff?

To answer your question: What is the person who control South Command unit? His name is Bason.

Anyways, see you around! And PM me if you get a chance! Doesn't matter who it is either! :D All of you guys are my family!