A little late on the update I know! But I was called for a job interview which was a 3 week substitution at a small kitchen which I got it lowered my time for writing but most of it is written down.

Thanks to

Nanarise - for the follow, leave a review sometime I don't bite.

Kayleebaby13 - for the follow, leave a review sometime I don't bite.

This is set after they have found Ling and he has left again just too clear to up he is in the neighborhood since he needs their info but he doesn't meet Lucia.

Recollection of Paces

Rush valley, Lucia slung her back over her shoulder. Now, she had to search for a good mechanic, who could make her a new Automail arm, with which she could use to twist her formers arm, when she saw him the next time.

Lucia scanned shop after shop for any clues of quality when she overheard something; "that new one at Atelier Garfiel is a wizard with Automail, I haven't seen such quality in a while, only the man outside the town makes some as good"

Lucia looked over at them, as she heard the two men each with Automail arms, "excuse me" she said coming over, and they looked up at her as she smiled a gentle smile, "I heard you talking about an Atelier with a good Automail Mechanic, would you be able to show me in the direction?"

"why?"

"my Automail arm needs to be replaced" Lucia replied.

"why not go to any here?"

Lucia looked to the side for a bit, before sliding her hand down into her pocket, "I need quality work" she said, "I don't need just any Automail"

"What is wrong with your arm now?"

Lucia pulled up the sleeve just for a bit, "so now will you tell me?"

"last Workshop on your left, you can't miss it"

.~*~.

"Hello, mister Garfiel?" Lucia said, as she appeared in the opening to the shop, which seemed to be abandoned, "anyone here?"

"Just a minute" a familiar voice called, Lucia had only heard it a few times before, but she would know it everywhere. Sure enough as she stood there a mop of Blond hair exited from a door, "Garfiel isn't here at the moment do you need him for anything?"

Lucia was fighting hard to keep her blush in check, as her longtime crush was in front of her, "actually yes, I need to order something."

"well then, come in" he said, Lucia looked at his port on his shoulder, as she passed. She had heard the rumors and talks, but had never gotten them confirmed. Not that she was ever in doubt, Armstrong had once, she had been injured during their sparring, commented on her arm and told her about Ed he had afterwards told her to keep quiet about it, but it had been the start of her losing her doubts.

Lucia felt lucky to have found the Fullmetal Alchemist so fast, she had feared that, she wouldn't be able to find him and his brother and get her thoughts confirmed, while keeping quiet about what had happened in Central. Lucia had been given the order by Mustang to not tell Ed if she ever bumped into him.

"Where do you come from, it must have been a long trip here?" the Fullmetal Alchemist asked her, as they sat down.

"no, actually it was a short one," she said, seeing him about to react she quickly added, "the trip I mean, I was just in Central and then the trip here wasn't too long"

Ed was watching her, as he deflated at her words, she hadn't meant anything to him, "you know… haven't we met before?" he asked, trying to remember when.

"Properly" Lucia said remembering all too clear; during a hospital visit Ed had been injured and in need of extended healing and Lucia had just perfected her alchemy in that field and had been called to heal the wound in depth.

Lucia sat across from Ed, who looked at her, checking her out trying to find out who she was, "ah, who are you?" he finally said, when he failed to recognize her.

Lucia tilted her head, spotting Alphonse, who came in through the door at that moment, "Lucia what a surprise!"

"Alphonse," she lit up, before rising walking over to her friend, "I was wondering where you were, I just heard you had left Central."

"We had some things we needed to do," Al answered sounding happy, before looking at his brother, who was gaping at the two, "oh Sorry Brother this is Lucia, Lucia Misère; she's an alchemist"

"I see and she couldn't say that herself!" Ed said rising too coming over, Lucia blushed slightly looking at him.

.~*~.

Ed and Al looked at each other as Lucia had asked them whether or not it was true that they were looking in a Philosopher's stone.

"We are looking into the Philosopher's Stone, we are searching for a way to get our bodies back," Al said, Lucia looked up at him.

"I see, in that time; have you come across a transmutation circle to make one?" she asked, "not that I need one myself, but I became curious after hearing you were researching it," she remembered the circumstances, that had led to her discovery, but said nothing.

"Who did you hear it from?" Ed asked looking a bit curious himself.

"Colonel Mustang… I serve under him" Lucia said, "there has been some events in Central and well you were mentioned, while I was with him"

"I see, so you also got dragged…" Ed stopped talking for a minute, looking at her in a mix of disbelieve and surprise, "wait, wait, backup… you serve under Mustang?! Under the Bastard?!"

"yes, I'm a State Alchemist. Known to most as the Medical Alchemist," Lucia said nodding at Ed, "Al met me, when you were in the hospital. But I know you by look, I have seen you many times, when I served in Central, before I was transferred east to Mustang" she blinked, as she remembered, what he had said, "why are you calling him a Bastard?"

"Never mind the last. You must have gotten around then" Al said, Lucia shook her head.

"I haven't been around as much as people think. Most of my time has gone into researching Medical Alchemy, some of which I use to heal wounds" she said.

Ed checked her hands, which were gloved, "can you show me?" he asked, Lucia tilted her head.

"You're not injured and besides I have orders to keep the use to a minimum, it's not without trouble I use it. It puts a high strain on my heart, when used for a prolonged or concentrated period" Lucia replied, deciding to be honest on her condition, which came with the use of her Alchemy.

"Okay Ed, you're arms repairs are done," a female voice came, Lucia looked up spotting the, girl she had met, when she had talked to Al at the Hospital, "oh, you're that girl, what was your name again?"

"Lucia, Lucia Misère" Lucia looked a bit at her, "is you an Automail Mechanic?"

Winry placed her hands to her sides looking proud, "as a matter of fact I am, why?" she asked, looking a bit confused afterwards.

"I used to have an Automail Mechanic in Central, but after my last order, he took off on me and my arm has begun to well…" Lucia took off her jacket revealing a reddening Metal limb, showing the signs of rust only the arm was rusting, the port was as silver and clean as Edwards, who looked at it in surprise, he hadn't noticed that her left arm was different from her right, "… it began to rust all of the sudden. I have been through a period, where I haven't had my focus on my arm and well as a State Alchemist, I can hardly forego it."

Winry came over checking it with high scrutiny, "the composing is all wrong, you use it in battle too right?" she said twisting and turning the arm ever so gently, without causing Lucia any discomforts.

"Sometimes…" Lucia admitted blushing a bit, "I train daily mostly alone, but I have a sparring partner, when I am in Central; Major Armstrong I believe you know him?"

The two Elric looked at each other and nodded with a sour look on their faces, "how do you stand him?"

Lucia looked away, "I am on my own for the most part and have been for a very long time… so well any contact…" she admitted, breaking off and looked back to Winry, "would it be possible for you to construct one for me, I'll pay you well of course."

Winry looked a bit at her, at the first Lucia had, said but at the mentioning of payment she lit up "oh being an Automail Mechanic for two State Alchemists~. It's like a dream come true~ I'll be able to make so much money for the shop in Resembool"

"Automail Freak" Edward said lowly, Winry looked over at him.

"Alchemist Freak" she retorted back. Lucia looked over at Al, who shrugged efficiently telling her, that it was a normal occurrence between the two.

"Is it possible for you?" Lucia asked, "I have seen Ed's on many occasions and they are the quality I'm looking for."

"Off course it's possible, I have time to build it for you, but you will have to endure while it's made"

Lucia smiled, "thank you so much" she said, Winry grabbed her flesh hand pulling Lucia with her.

"I'll just have to take some measurements for it and I'll be right on it"

Al looked at his Brother who was actually mildly impressed, "training with Armstrong she must be tough" Ed said, "she's not completely uninteresting"

"Brother," Al said with a slight laugh, but inwardly he actually wanted to know Lucia deeper; she wasn't like other females that had crossed their paths. She was their age somewhere in-between from what he could figure.

.~*~.

Lucia sat watching the brother's spar, they were happy to have another Alchemist to talk to and Winry happy to have a new customer.

Lucia had the day, before conversed quietly with the boys on the Philosophers stone and shown her some diagrams, which she during the night had placed on her maps and a sudden understanding, as to why Hughes had been killed came. She had bit her lips and tried to think, who she should tell it to, but fearing for others' lives; she had crumbled the map up and thrown it into a fire. But the main question now was who would make something like that why would someone construct something like that and how did everything else fit into it?

"Lucia?" she looked up, as someone said her name. She looked up at Al and also Ed, both seemed thoughtful, as if they had something on their mind, "you said something about you being alone for quite some time."

Lucia gave a sigh, but nodded, "I have since I was 12" Lucia said, "but even before that I was on my own most of the time too, since my foster father was a doctor."

"What about your real parents?" Al asked her, she shrugged, looking with closed eyes at the sun.

"I don't know, I can't remember them at all," Lucia replied, opening her eyes looking straight into the setting sun, "I was found alone and without a left arm. All they found was a note with a name on it and all I know is that I do have a sister or had a sister."

"How do you know that?" Ed asked.

"My Foster father told me that in fever and pain, I called for my sister. He never caught what name, I called. But it seemed to be a mix of two possibly my own and someone else," she touched her arm, "when I woke up, I had little memory and this Automail arm, a man had taken me in after I had been found, but since he couldn't care for me alone, he had a few peoples, who did come and help from time to time, before I got used to the arm."

"I see… so you are lonely," Al said, Lucia actually shook her head declining it, while it was true, before looking at Ed.

"Edward, I have heard the rumors, that you are able to use Alchemy without a circle, is that true?" she decided to change the subject, tilting her head asking what had been on her mind for a long time and now that she had him, she would ask him.

"Not just my Brother, I can too!" Al said excited showing it to Lucia, who gaped at the small tower that appeared before her.

"So you have seen it too?" she asked, it took Al a minute to understand, what she meant, while Ed looked a bit confused, as he processed what she had said.

"That's true, you used Alchemy the same, when I accidently hurt you at the hospital," he gave a Gasp, "Lucia, have you seen the Truth too?"

"If the truth is a large menacing Gate in a pure white room with some mysterious figure in front of you" Lucia replied, with a low voice and mild exasperation. She walked forward past the brothers, before clapping and placing her hands to the ground, "I have been able to do that, since I gained control my Automail arm, but the Memory is clearer than anything else"

A little distance in front of her a small sculpture was standing, making both brothers gasp in Al's case seeing her use Alchemy, for something else that healing.

"What you described is the gate, a gate you only see when Human Transmutation is used," Ed said his voice low and threatening, "why would you use it?"

She looked back at him with confusion frowning, her eyes showed the equal confusion that her face was showing. Ed walked forward fast grabbing her blouse pulling her close, so that they were face to face, "why did you use Human Transmutation?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Lucia tried to pull herself loose, without destroying her blouse in the process, it was her favorite after all, "Edward, please do I seem like the type to use that stuff?! I use Healing Alchemy! If I ever wanted to use it, I would study Human transmutation, do you know how much time I use trying to prevent me using it on accidents."

"Brother!" Al came forward, prying his angry brother away from Lucia, who slid down onto the ground, "Lucia doesn't seem like the type to do something like that."

"If I wanted to use it, I would have done so already" she whispered, not wanting them to hear. They did but didn't chase it, as they heard how low she was speaking, "where is the gain in Human transmutation?" she looked at her arm, "I don't have an arm, I can't remember and I have tried! Believe me I have!"

Ed calmed down, seeing Lucia shake and cry, "Lucia…" he began, but Lucia held a hand up, keeping him from coming close and apologize, before she rose up and walked away from them, her shoulders held high.

"Brother, Lucia really feels for Healing Alchemy, I actually read one of her books on the subject, she is very specific in her descriptions on what to do," Al said, watching Lucia vanishing.

"When did you read one of her books?" Ed asked looking puzzled, as they had looked into anything connected to healing Alchemy, "I have been through all books on the subject, but I didn't find anyone with her name on it."

"This one was published, after we looked into it" Al responded, trying to remember what it was called, "it was called 'Assembly of Medical Alchemy By Lycia Misère', it wasn't all that known and i only came by it on accident, it had a few volumes, she still looks into the subject and the books are also updated, when she comes across something new on the field too."

"so she's a prodigy on her own field," Edward said crossing his arms, "but there seemed to be more to her, didn't she seem, I don't know Lonely to you? I don't think, she was being honest when I asked"

"you weren't the only one to sense that, Brother" Al answered.

.~*~.

While Lucia was walking down the main street, she was unaware that she was being watched by 3 people, who watched her with some interest, "I know that girl" the eldest of them said, an elderly man with graying hair.

"You do?" one of the younger said, a female with Black hair framing her face, most of it in a bun and dark grey eyes, which turned to the elder.

"A family from Amestris once came to us to research Alkahestry to cure their daughter. A younger girl looking like that one was constantly around the healers learning from them to use the Dragon Pulse, she had promise, but then she vanished just like the Amestrian family did," the Elders eyes went slim.

The last one of them, a male, looked at the two, "how can you be so sure she is the one, who you saw back then?" he asked the elder, who looked back at him.

"She came to me asking for training in Martial artes, I taught her a bit before she vanished. I saw that one train this morning, one of her moves was one only I use and the only way, she could have learnt, that is by learning it from me or watching me," the elder man said, the three turned their heads back to watch Lucia leave town, "she is the mysterious Amestrian, that came, I'm sure of it."

The three continued to watch Lucia, as she left the streets for the mountains.

.~*~.

Several hours later, Lucia sat on a rock a little ways out of the city, looking down at it with the wind playing her hair, "that smock is the one I fell in love with?" she said, feeling a wind play with her hair, looking up, she saw the skies begin to redden, had she been away so long?

Lucia slide off the rock, looking into the sunset, her hair basking and glowing a light orange and red from the setting sun. She placed her hands in the pockets, many of the recent events on her mind, it had by now been a few days since, she had come into town meeting Edward, had sat down and done what she had always wanted; speak to the prodigy.

It had been interesting and revealing, she now knew more on the Hughes case, but she didn't know what to do with this information. She only knew that Hughes had discovered what she had learnt through her History research, she had no idea who was behind it in anyway.

2 days later

Ed and Al saw Lucia stand outside the gallery, she was looking at him specifically, before tearing her eyes away from him walking in.

"ah, Lucia Perfect timing, I just finished your arm!" Winry called, as Lucia came in, "I put a rush on it, I guessed you don't like staying in one place at the time either, like these two do."

Lucia looked at the arm, "you couldn't have done it alone so fast" she said, knowing that her own former Mechanic had been at least 3-5 days on making hers.

A man Lucia had seen a few glimpses of came in, "she did most of the work herself, I had a Automail arm for a customer, who sadly died before getting it so this little beauty is all yours"

Lucia gave a weak smile, "thanks Winry, I really appreciate that" she said walking over touching the cold and slim arm, while Winry came up with all kinds of composites and ideas she had had.

"Well, it's almost time for us to return to Central" Ed remarked, unintentionally making Lucia freeze up, which was noted by Al. It was so brief, but Lucia managed to catch herself and act normal again. Winry gently grabbed Lucia's arm pulling the Alchemist with her for reconnecting the arm to her port.

Winry was polishing the arm after connecting the nerves "You will just have to rest for a bit to adjust to a new arm, your other was rather heavy" she said to the girl lying down on the cot.

Lucia nodded as she tiredly closed her eyes, feeling her nerves burn, but ignored it. The only thing that showed her discomfort was the sweat coming of her forehead.

To Ed's and Al's surprise Lucia had not even scream, they had heard a few painful moans, but nothing else, "she bites the pain in the same as you did, brother" Al remarked

.~*~.

"Where are you going now?" Lucia asked Al, as they were all at the station, having pretended not to hear what Edward had said the night before.

"Back to Central, we have something we want to look into," Al responded sounding happy, Lucia smiled, "what about you?"

"I have to go to a city before Central, but then I will return too, it won't take long," Lucia responded "and then I'll look into getting a mission from Mustang."

"the Colonel… but he's in East City," Al said, sounding confused.

"no actually, I called there the other day, he and his team got transferred to Central," Lucia said, taking a book forward, "yes he did, so I'll just check in with him."

"What's this about Central and Mustang?" Ed asked, as he and Winry came walking.

"Nothing Brother, nothing we won't learn until we get to Central"

"like we don't get enough of that Bastard," Ed said sounding annoyed, "you remember Al, when he dared compare me to another State Alchemist. He called me an angry kitten compared to another Alchemist, who was a calm cat!"

"Funny..." Lucia said, making them all look at her, "he came with the same on me, calling me a calm cat to an annoying kitten. Something tells me, he didn't like cats to bad, I actually do," she shrugged not noticing Alphonse look at her and if he could he would have been blushing, "if I wasn't so much away, I would have one."

"He compared me to you?!" Ed roared

"I can see why he would" Winry said, laughing making the two look at her. Edward with a face of Rage, while Lucia had her head tilted simulating confusion, when she was in fact trying not to laugh.

I know Lucia now knows something that they will know later on but she won't tell anyone as she still reacts to what Marcoh told her she doesn't fully know who to trust.

And the thing with Mustang as far as I know he loves dogs, as seen in the manga and the first Anime when Black Hayate is introduced.

and please leave a review now that you went through the trouble of reading it tell me if you hated it or liked it!