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The half-filled pack taunted Al from its spot on the bed. Al glared at it. He knew it wasn't its fault for everything that had happened, but it was currently the object of his annoyance. Sakura had run off to find an extra med kit for Al along with basic ration packs and gear he would need for the road. Al was supposed to be packing his clothing and any other personal items he had. However, they were few and far between as he hadn't had the option to pack before arriving in this world. You-will-be-leaving-in-three-days-so-you-better-get-ready-soon was not how Truth functioned.
Al flopped down in the visitor's chair and awaited Sakura's return. After years of constant research, his mind refused to just stop and wait as easily as his body. It began creating countless scenarios, each less likely than the previous, that resulted in him being deemed a traitor. Or worse. He had no idea what they would do if he discovered he was an Alchemist. At the very least he would be considered a threat. He didn't know what would come after that…. Al forced his mind to happier subjects like the chemical properties of carbon.
Graphite and diamond are both made of carbon, but one's a conductor and one an insulator. Graphite is a conductor because the pi bonds allow for the electrons to flow horizontally through its structure. The week bonds between the layers allow sheets of carbon to break away resulting in the residue left behind when we write with pencils, for example. Graphite is the most common and most stable form. The diamond is so hard because it is a covalent network solid and does not have pi bonds. Diamond has sp3 bonding while graphite has sp2. The potential energies are not much different, but the activation energy is high making the transmutation circle needed to transform graphite to diamond complicated and taxing to the alchemist. After that, there are amorphous carbons, hydrocarbons, and lonsdalelite structures. Alphonse smiled to himself, closed his eyes, and leaned back in the visitor chair lost in thought.
Less than ten minutes later, Al heard voices approaching the door. Jumping to his feet, he tried to look productive. If it turned out that Al had accidentally forgotten to do something, Sakura would have his hide if she discovered him lazing about.
In curiosity, Al snuck a glance as Sakura walked in the door. At her side was an unfamiliar boy. Al continued feigning productiveness when his sense of sight caught up to his brain and told him that there was something unusual about the scene. Al glanced back. The only thing that Sakura was carrying was a flower and two med kits while the boy was carrying Sakura's entire traveling pack, two sets of food rations, cooking supplies, and miscellaneous other odds and ends. He entered and carefully set the supplies on the bed that was quickly beginning to resemble a table in Ed's study (a few less books, but just as messy).
The boy had black hair that looked like it had been self-cut in the bowl style. His eyebrows dominated his face, but his grin was a close second. He looked overjoyed at being able to help. A little bit like a puppy Al mused.
"Anything else I can do for you Sakura-Chan? Anything at all? The power of youth is always ready to lend a hand!" The last part was declared loudly and accompanied by a brilliant smile that reminded Al of Major Armstrong on one of his family history rants.
"A vase for the flower you gave-"
"YES, MA'AM!" The boy flashed another grin with a thumbs-up sign and bolted out the door.
"-me would be nice." Sakura finished and than shook her head in disbelief. "He didn't even wait for me to stop talking. It's really annoying when people do that." She was now grumbling to herself as she played with the flower in her hands.
"Um, Sakura? Who was-?"
"Rock Lee. He's a ninja in my class. He's always had a bit of a crush on me." Sakura looked slightly full of herself when she said that and Al couldn't help but think of the way Roy bragged about how many dates he went on. Al hadn't realized she was so concerned with her appearance.
She said it was annoying when people interrupt but she didn't let me finish either. Hypocrite. Al laughed to himself. He wasn't going to call her on it, he didn't have a death wish, but the irony was always entertaining as a private joke.
In a blur of green, Rock Lee skidded back into the room, vase in hand. The water slopped around inside its glass container, but not a drop was spilled. "I found it!" He declared brightly, sounding as if he had accomplished a great mission. Bowl-head took the flower from Sakura, placed it in the vase, and handed it back with a flourish. "A pretty lady deserves such a pretty flower."
That part of the room must have been warm, because Sakura looked slightly flushed. "Why, thank you Lee. It was such a … kind… thought." Lee beamed, looking like he had his own personal sun. "However, you do know that I will be leaving for a mission in just over an hour and won't be able to take this with me, right?"
Lee promptly fell over dramatically. From the floor, he looked up at Sakura with wide eyes (wider than they had already been). "I can't do anything right…."
"Umm…" Sakura seemed to be looking for a way to avoid the pleading glance. "Nonsense, you're a good ninja."
"REALLY!? You think so? Oh, wow, that's GREAT! I have always dreamed of hearing you say that!" Lee sprang to his feet, suddenly full of energy. "Wait until I tell Guy-Sensei. He will be so proud…. This is the happiest day of my life! I'm a GOOD NINJA!" Lee was standing in a dramatic pose, staring up into ceiling, with tears streaming down his cheeks.
Sakura had ignored the entire rant. She continued to pack the bags without looking fazed in the slightest. Al looked at her inquiringly, "Does he do this often?"
"Yep. Just ignore him. That's what we all do." She shoved the last item into the pack. "There. You're all ready. I just need to run a few last minute errands and I'll be ready too. Now where did I leave that report I need to deliver?"
The Konoha gate loomed over the surrounding structures. It's shadow threw the pebbled ground into stark relief and cast the guard-house into shadow. The letters carved into the wooden archway announced the name of this ninja village for any potential customers.
Sakura and Al were walking toward that shadow. The other ninjas were all there, waiting. There was no one else, and nothing else waiting for them. Al looked around. "Hey, Sakura, where's the car?"
"Car? What's that?"
Al stuttered, looking for the proper words. That had been a stupid question, and he knew it. In all the time he had been here, he had never seen a vehicle. He had assumed that it was just because he hadn't been out much, but this was a different world after all.
"Oh, it's nothing. Anyway, when will we get to the train station?"
Sakura looked at him blankly. "What are you talking about?"
Crud.
Al fidgeted, shifting his weight from one foot to another. His questions had caused them to stop – hopefully just out of earshot of the other ninjas waiting at the gate. Sakura already seemed to trust him. He didn't want to risk the others hearing and becoming suspicious. One interrogation session with Tsunade was more than enough.
"Never mind, I'm just spewing random nonsense." Al gave her his most innocent grin. "I was just seeing what type of reaction I could get out of you."
"Uh-huh." Sakura did not look convinced.
"Anyway, my real question was: how do we get to Suna?"
"We walk." Her flat tone told Al that this was, of course, the only option.
"Oh. And how far is Suna?"
"A few days, more if we take it slowly. It's not a bad trip. We'll even have ninja from the Village Hidden in the Sand meet us at the desert to escort us." Sakura smiled and began walking toward the gate again. "You should know, you said you came from the Wind Country."
The boy nodded in answer to her question and followed her toward the gate. The weight of the pack was a constant reminder of the trip to come. Al had never had a problem with a little walking; he'd done it plenty of times when he and Ed were searching for the Philosopher's Stone. Actually, at that time I was a suit of armor that would never get tired. It was Ed that always complained about the walking. I guess the roles are now reversed. I'm the spoiled Amestrisian who's used to riding trains, and I have to travel with a bunch of ninja that see nothing wrong with running or walking for days at a time. Hopefully Naruto isn't as hyperactive as he usually is. There would be no way I could keep up.
No such luck.
"Al! Al! Al! Hey! Al!" Naruto was waving ballistically looking more energetic than Ed on a sugar rush. "Over here! I can't wait! This will be so much fun, you're gonna love Suna. I'll even introduce you to Gaara!"
"Naruto. Shut. UP." Pony-tail looked exasperated. "This is a mission not a pleasure trip. Grow up and start acting like a ninja."
Naruto pouted but Al could tell he wasn't really offended. He seemed to be used to it.
"Ok team, everyone here?" Shikamaru did a quick head count. "Good. Now, this is not a dangerous mission at this stage. We simply have to get to Suna, but we have a person to escort so take it easy." The last part was delivered while staring straight at Naruto. "Just in case, Hinata, I want you to act as our lookout, and Naruto, you will be in charge of periodically sending out shadow clones to look for trails or enemies. Clear?"
The group nodded their acceptance. The stiff attitude of the ninjas (except Naruto) seemed reminiscent of the Amestrisian military. A twinge of homesickness made its presence known. Hopefully they were all doing well.
"Alright!" Naruto put his hands together in a way that reminded Al of a transmutation because of the purposeful feel of the motion. The difference was that instead of merely clapping, he formed a weird cross shape with his first two fingers. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" A poof of smoke surrounded Naruto as though someone had let off a smoke-bomb. When it faded, there were two Narutos standing where there previously had only been one.
A startled yelp followed by a thump drew the ninjas' attention. For the umpteenth time since becoming a human, Al had fallen over. He was seated on the ground with wide eyes staring at Naruto. He'd heard Naruto bragging about his "ninjutsus," but he had never seen them. The only ninja art he had seen was the medical kind, and that was more akin to the Purification Arts of Zing and simple energy manipulation than…this. Naruto had just made something out of nothing. That was something only the Philosophers Stone could do. Al couldn't believe that naïve, hyperactive Naruto would knowingly sacrifice human lives to provide the necessary energy.
"Al, you ok?" One of the Narutos approached Al. "Did you fall? Let me help you up." It reached down and grabbed his hand yanking him to his feet. The other clone came over and patted him on the back. "You heard what Shikamaru said, take it easy. We don't want you to hurt yourself."
They were solid. No, they were both solid.
Al shrugged off the hand and shied away as though his friend's hand were made of slime or some other disgusting substance. "Yeah, I'm fine. Aren't we supposed to be leaving?"
A few strange looks were cast his way, but Shikamaru signaled and the group began walking. Naruto began chatting away.
I need to learn how those "jutsus" work so I can defend against them. I don't want to end up hurt from a situation where I should have known better. Sakura can probably explain. Hopefully she has a better explanation for the doppelganger that Naruto made than a Philosophers Stone. Al shuddered. I don't want to find one of those here. We have enough problems in my world.
Al looked at the ninjas surrounding him and the oversized scenery surrounding the path – everything was so foreign and unfamiliar. He gently clapped his hands in front of him as he walked focusing on the runes and the energy flow. The blond relaxed. If everything else fails, at least I have my Alchemy.