Chapter 8

Thick steam pushed from the sides of the train as it slowed to a stop in front of the Dublith Train Station. Passengers began to pour forth, pressing out of the doors in a steady stream as the conductor stood aside, nodding as patrons ran to greet their well-wishers. Winry stepped down onto the platform, a single suitcase in her hands as she looked up and noted her arrival time. It was a little past noon. Her eyes traveled to the far end of the deck near the exiting stairs and saw a familiar face, in which she offered a soft smile as a welcome. She walked over to the awaiting person.

"Nice to see you again, Mr. Mason."

"Aw, I'm not that old Winry, Mason's just fine. How was your trip?"

"Long, but pleasant." She said with a slight laugh as they exited the train station and headed towards a small car. Mason took Winry's luggage and placed it into the trunk, afterwards, rushing to the passenger's side and holding the door open, waiting as she slid into the seat. Running back to the driver's side and settling behind the steering wheel, they took off.

Winry's eyes followed the scenery of the small town, the reflection of children at play and people following their daily routine mirrored into her eyes as she watched silently. It had been at least five years from the last time she had visited Dublith; much of that spent helping Alphonse recover after regaining his body and, a final time when the boys' teacher, Izumi Curtis, passed away. She couldn't bring herself to visit these past places much anymore, seeing that so much of that time was spent with them. She turned her head a bit absently when Mason addressed her.

"Not much has changed here in Dublith, as you can see." He chuckled, nodding his head towards the passing scenery. Winry smiled.

"I don't mind that. It makes you feel comfortable, like going home. The people are so friendly. I like places like this. It reminds me of Resembool. She turned her head once more to look back out of the car's window. A few kids playing ball stopped as they passed by, one little boy looked at Winry and offered a wide grin, one of his front teeth missing.

They shortly arrived at the familiar meat market, Mason pulling the car into the small driveway on the side of the shop. He ran around to the side of the car and opened her door and Winry slid out and smiled at the huge man that suddenly appeared waving in the shop's doorway. She returned the gesture and walked over to where he stood.

"Hello Mr. Curtis."

"Ms. Winry. Welcome." He pulled her into a tight embrace, making her gasp and struggle embarrassingly beneath the pressure. Once she was back on the ground and breathing normally, Sig pulled her into the shop and, Mason stepped in around them and took her bags to an upstairs room. Winry looked around, a variety of salted meats that hung on hooks waiting to be cut, assaulted her nose. Sig Curtis walked into a sitting room and pointed to a chair, calling for her to join him.

"Please, have a seat. I know that was a long train ride. You must be tired."

"I'm fine, really Mr. Curtis." She waved at him, walking over and taking the seat. The large man shook his head at her formalities.

"Please, call me Sig. We're practically family."

Winry dropped her gaze and smiled, her mind taking her to happier times as she stared down into her hands.

The place felt different to her with the presence of Izumi gone. She looked up at the soft eyes of the man across from her, their dark hue buried beneath a face succumbing to old age and a hint of sadness. Her lips curled down into a sympathetic smile, understanding the feeling. His deep voice broke the silence after a few moments.

"When Izumi died, I continued on as always, knowing that she would want it that way. She and I lived a full life. Everyday is an adjustment. To continue without her…but she has taught me strength, a strength that goes beyond the physical. I saw it that day we lost our child and I saw it the day she decided to teach those boys. She was so strong. That's strength that I draw upon now to continue from day to day. "

His words settled around Winry as she thought upon her own memories of days gone past. "I don't think…I don't think I have that kind of strength, Mr. Sig. Ever since Ed and Al went away, I've felt torn apart. I feel that the life I'm living now is just a shell…as if I'm as mechanical as the automail that I make. I don't quite feel I'm living the same life as I used to. Edward…he spent so much time being so tough to face his circumstances; and there I was, his full supporter while never truly confessing how I really felt to him. What you and Mrs. Izumi had…I feel like my chances for having that are gone. He took my heart with him the moment I laid my eyes on him. I never really understood why I felt the way I did about him, he was practically my brother!" She forced a feeble laugh from her lips as she shifted her gaze to her sandaled feet. "But I love him and hate him in the same heart. I always wondered if he felt the same towards me as I did secretly about him, like when he was searching and fighting in his travels that I'd crossed his mind. But…when he left to that 'other world' the final time, he didn't even seek me out to say goodbye…I felt meaningless to him." She didn't bother to lift her eyes and look at the person across from her, the silence, though deafening, was welcoming and said more than words ever could. After a few moments, she gave a small huff and raised her head, shaking it slightly from side to side, turning to look out of the window. She was growing tired of repeating the same feelings over and over again and feeling helpless against them. She briefly watched a few children run by, playing some blithesome game, unawares to the truths of growing up. She could see a small girl with short brunette hair tied back with a bow, wave into the crowd of playing boys, two ice cream cones in her hands. One of the little boys stopped and waved back at her, running to her side. Winry watched the little girl offer him her second cone and the kids walked over to the sidewalk's curb, sitting down beside one another, watching the other kids play and enjoying the simple moment. Winry smiled in spite of herself and turned back to Sig's face, his eyes watching the scene she just was.

"It hurts more than I'd like to believe…him being gone, but I still feel that we are connected to one another…here." She lifted a finger and pointed at her chest. "I just can't let him go completely…"

"No one said that you had to keep existing as if those boys were never apart of your life. I think that it would be dishonorable if you did. Though he never talked about it, I believe that Edward felt the same way you did about him. When he was here…I can remember those boys talking about you often, sometimes arguing about certain moments each had shared with you." He laughed a bit at the distant memory while Winry gave into a relaxed smile. Her words broke the calming atmosphere.

"I want to find him. I want to try…if it's possible…" Sig looked hard at the woman sitting across from him, instantly recognizing the look in her eyes. He had seen that same look only once in his lifetime and he knew what it meant.

"I won't tell you what to do, especially when it comes to matters so important to the heart. When my wife fell into sorrow for the loss of our child, I could not stop her as she used alchemy to commit the taboo that she had been so adamantly warned against using for that purpose. It was in that moment that I had watched that strength waver, as brief as it was, her never fully forgiving herself for not being able to carry our child. It was not her fault, but she loved me and wouldn't allow the fear of that sin stop her from giving her complete all to me. I see that same love in your eyes. It is love in its purest form. Now I understand why you wanted to know Izumi's teacher, and I will offer this; I have seen what the power of alchemy can do. It is a power with unimaginable responsibility. You have seen for your self what it has done to those brothers and my wife. Be careful. I will offer you all the assistance I can."

Winry felt her eyes fill with tears and she inhaled deeply to prevent them from spilling over. "T-Thank you, Mr. Sig, I really appreciate your understanding…It means a lot to me to not feel alone in this…" She gave him a smile as he stood up and called out to Mason who was returning from the upstairs.

"Come on. It's time to prepare for lunch. I'm sure Ms. Winry is hungry after her trip." Winry's face broke out into a full smile and stood to join them, a new spring in her step.

Winry stood outside a large wooden house, a structure rapidly looking like a relic from a passing era. Its large columns were in much need of a paint job and the surrounding garden, which Winry had guessed, was attended to with much love at one point, and was now nothing more than withered dried plants and shrubs. She stood at a rigid and worn gate at the beginning of a dusty pathway that leads to the house. From where she stood, it looked abandoned, but she opened the gate and ventured forward, heading for the old house.

"It's not much information, but here is the last known address that Izumi kept of her teacher. It's located on the outskirts of town, but as I told you earlier, the woman hasn't been seen since Izumi had visited her years back. A younger woman was seen living there shortly afterwards, but again, that was years ago and even she hasn't been seen there anymore after a disturbance. I will ask that you take Mason along with you when you visit the house. Good luck."

Winry turned a bit and waved back at Mason, who started up behind her after securing the car closed. They both followed the path all the way up to the front door, Winry lifting a hand to touch it. It creaked open and she stepped back, suddenly afraid to proceed forward. Mason gently touched her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.

"You don't have to, Winry. We can go home if you like?"

"No-no, I want to…I need to do this." She pushed the door completely open and was surprised by what she saw. The front hall was heavily decorated and surprisingly warm and well lit. A confused look crossed Winry's face as she turned to look back at her traveling partner and seeing his just as confused expression.

'I thought Mr. Sig said that this house was abandoned?"

"I'm sure it was. At least it looked that way to passersby from the outside."

Winry took a nervous step forward into a grand room with a huge spiral staircase leading to a landing, where she saw several vases and paintings. A piano was sitting in the back of the room. On the ceiling was a beautiful chandelier and Winry could hardly contain her surprise as she looked about the place. It was obvious that someone still lived in the house but Winry was confused as to whom. She called out.

"Hello! Is anyone here?" She took a few steps forward but stopped as a scratchy song suddenly blared throughout the house from an unknown room upstairs. Mason stepped forward and grabbed Winry's shoulder, holding her in place and they both looked towards the top of the stairwell. She felt nervous and the queasy uneasy feeling fear brought upon the bowls captured her as her eyes watched the side door on the upstairs. Despite her emotions, she spoke again, though barely above a whisper.

"H-Hello…anybody…?" Moments went by before they faced the presence of a stranger. They moved slowly, and Mason and Winry caught sight of a large bustled dress before they saw the face. The stranger stepped out onto the landing with expressionless eyes, though a smile was plaster onto their lips. It was a woman; though it appeared that she was middle aged in appearance, she looked a bit older and strained to Winry, as if it was painful just for her to stand there. Cautiously, Winry greeted her.

"I'm sorry to have intruded into your house ma'am. I was told this place was abandoned. I was looking for someone who used to live here, and informed that they had possibly passed on. I just came here looking for clues." The woman just continued to look down at them, her eyes barely shifting to look at the speaking young woman. It appeared as if her eyes lit up a bit as she took in the sight of Winry and the strange smile seemed to broaden before she spoke.

"Hmm, that's odd, dear. I've lived here all my life. This house has been in my family for generations." She clasped her hands easily in front of her, allowing them to rest on the ruffles of the dress. It appeared a little out of place, to Winry, to see a woman dressed like this in their own home, but then again, it seemed to match the décor of the place. Winry's face once again, twisted into a look of confusion.

"Y-you have? However, I was told a woman named Danté used to live here. The husband of a former student of hers told me himself. But he said that she was very old…" The woman's smile ceased to fade as she replied to the young woman below.

"Yes. That would be me. I am Danté."