Chapter 91: Flowers and Hell

Winry carefully put down the tray with the apple pie and hoped that she hadn't scared Nerissa who looked out of the window with a slight frown on her usually so calm face. "What are you thinking about, Miss Hawkeye?" the younger blonde asked while she grabbed her coffee mug.

"You have beautiful flowers here," she said while she sighed deeply. "I would love to paint some of them … but just if you allow me to. I don't want to be a bother."

"Ed told me that you are good at painting," Winry said, glad for the topic. "Is that helpful while being an alchemist?"

"Yeah, it is," Nerissa chuckled while she looked at the pie. "I used to paint flowers for my youngest sister when we were children," she added while a hint of sadness appeared in her eyes.

"You lost all of your sisters, right?" the mechanic asked compassionate. "That's so sad."

The alchemist nodded. "The funny thing about this is," she muttered, "that I never believed that one of them would die that easily … especially not Serena … I expected more from her…" She shook her head while she opened the locket she always wore before she showed the picture in the inside to Winry. It showed Nerissa at five years with the three year old Serena. The sisters looked very similar. Next to the picture where words graved into the gold: I am still painting flowers for you. Nerissa sighed. "Rena was the most perfect out of us, not like Kay. Kay was … well … the homecoming queen of our small town … the star of every play at school … disgustingly perfect. I won't deny that she was lovely because that would be useless. My twin had the smoothest skin and the most beautiful red hair a girl can have. Wherever she walked, boys were on the floor to her feet. I wasn't jealous – at least that's what I try to tell myself … and I always told myself that Kay was as ugly inside as she was perfect on the outside."

"But you still loved her," Winry stated.

Nerissa nodded. "It's impossible to hate Kay," she replied. "I know from Lynn that she was jealous. They were good friends but that couldn't keep Silver from hating Kay. I bet that she always feared that Martin would leave her for Kay…"

"It has to be very hard to be the little sister of such a seemingly perfect person…"

"You are right," the older woman nodded. "Kay was always the first in line for everything. While she was the prom queen – and she never failed to become this –Lynn and Serena were always just in the marching band. Serena was a gifted musician by the way and Kay … well … her only artistic talent consisted of creating things with alchemy." She sighed. "I always felt sorry for Serena, not so much came around somehow. But Serena … she was so sweet, so kind … she deserved so much more than Kay … but while Kay was always the best dressed girl, Serena was just the girl next door." She huffed in annoyance. "But later on, Serena became senior class president – and president of everything else what needed a president. Unlike Kay, she was never too harsh or too demanding." She shrugged. "I always liked her way more than Kay."

She closed her eyes for a moment, remembering all the innocent moments of her childhood when she had been the one Serena had run to when the others had picked on been always with Kay and Riza, so Serena had come to Nerissa with every little problem she had had. Maybe that had been one of the many reasons why Nerissa had been so annoyed with Kay's always sweet behaviour.

Edward slammed the door close as he returned from his little trip to his parents' grave and crossed his arms before he sighed deeply. "I really don't want to," he muttered once more. "I get along with Vicky and Claudio … I just can't stand Mustang. She is terribly annoying … and an unskilled fighter too!"

Nerissa chuckled softly as she brushed back a strand of her shaggy hair. "You know, Elric, she isn't that bad," she stated. "When I was in Central the last time around to visit Mrs Robinson and hear all the stories about the heir of the Armstrong-Llewellyn-clan, I also checked the state alchemist ranking. Jade Mustang was always considered as one of the most powerful human weapons … and I know that you will hate to hear this but whoever wrote that ranking considered her as stronger than you."

The teenager glared at her. "That's just because she cheated somehow during the written exam," he said confidently. "Honestly, she may be smart and sly but there is no way in hell that she could stay alive or on her feet for more than eight seconds in a serious fight against a real state alchemist!"

Winry rolled her sapphire eyes. "I hate to break the facts to you but when I repair Philippe's hand, he sometimes talks about his sister," she said amused. "And like you, Jade once used her yearly test if her skill is still up to the requirements a state alchemist has to fulfil for a serious fight. And she fought against Major Armstrong … she defeated him in less than three minutes through knock-out."

Edward's jaw dropped. "She knocked him out?" he asked, completely shocked. "How?"

Nerissa rolled her eyes once more. "Isn't it logic?" she asked. "Air Alchemy allows the user to drain oxygen and any other gases from someone. And I shudder to think of the things an expert could do."

"…is Ed bitching against Miss Mustang again?" Alphonse asked with a sigh as he entered.

"I am merely stating the facts!" his brother said. "There is no way in hell that she could to something like that. Knocking out Armstrong … a real master could do it, maybe. But she … she is just some self-obsessed party girl!"

Mei stared at him for a moment before she started to chuckle like he had just told the best joke of a century. "Um, Edward," she said carefully, "I really don't want to ruining the image you have of her … but she is a master of Air Alchemy … and it makes sense since her parents are both known masters of it too. Did you never hear of Madame Abigail Mustang-Tempest and her husband, Alain Tempest?"

Nerissa raised an eyebrow at the Xingese princess. "I heard of them, of course," she said with a little huff, "but I wasn't aware that their fame reaches to Xing, Miss Mei…"

Alphonse chuckled. "Don't worry, Nessa," he said friendly. "Mei and I know about them because we listen when the chancellor speaks about his family … and I guess that Win knows too because she listens to Phil when they hold a conversation during the check-ups…"

The young blonde nodded before she took a letter out of her apron. "By the way, we are all invited to the wedding of Philippe and Beatrice," she said while she wondered how long it had been since the groom had told her more stories about his lovely fiancée than she cared to remember. "And isn't it great that Beatrice finally recovered? I can understand Jade's anger. If I was in her place, I would throw some wrenches at the bastard who dared to attack Beatrice!"

Jade's face showed her most beautiful frown as they left the train station. She was worried for more than one reason. Firstly: she would do an important mission without her little brother who was still the best partner she had ever had. Secondly: she had changed her hair colour from black to blond in order to disguise herself and she found that her eyes were even more prominent this way. Thirdly: she had to do an important mission with Fullmetal aka The One who would let her die in the dust as soon as he got the chance. She would be, however, civil and try to get along with him since it was hardly his fault that he had fallen victim to the green-eyed monster. And fourthly: Victoria wasn't happy that she had had to leave her books at home because it was crucial that no one was to be recognised.

"So … here does he live?" Victoria asked as she saw the yellow palace of a certain wrench-throwing automail-empress. "I would have imagined it a little bit … bigger to tell the truth … he is a state alchemist after all … and mommy could buy a bigger house."

The little girl looked strange with her blond hair but she had to pretend that she was Jade's daughter.

"It's bigger than it looks like," Jade said while she took Claudio's hand. "Let's go and get him."

"Why do you have to take him with you when you don't want to?" the girl asked. "Can't you, I don't know, forget to get him? No one would know…"

Her mother sighed deeply. "You have no idea how much I would love to do this," she said, "but if the least logical case should happen and we mess it up, Roy would throw a fit and I just got rid of the headache I had ever since Bea was attacked. Hey, if we are lucky, we can get this guy too!"

She held a huge grudge against the unknown person who had nearly killed off Phil's girlfriend.

She had been out for a walk through the small town she had lived in for years. Every once and again, she had looked to her left side where she still expected her best friend from happier days to walk, right next to her, unfaltering and always there when she needed him. When they had been still united, she had always felt at ease as long as he had been there. He had had radiated the same feeling as home and so she missed him quite a lot after being away for such a long time.

A deep sigh escaped her lips as she took of her coat and sat down at the table in the living room. Their last meeting hadn't gone all that good and so she had left her favourite scarf at his flat of that time. She wondered whether he had thrown it away or if he had kept it – as a reminder of their friendship which had meant a lot to both of them. Well, he had been the one to buy her this scarf in first place and so it was likely had he had kept it.

She connected her fingertips as she stared at the picture she had stolen from her sister's old flat. He looked so much like she had always wanted to remember him for the rest of their lives. His calm and mature disposition and her wide-eyed, innocent gaze had fooled many along the years because they had been one of the most efficient teams in the whole country, nearly besting even their sisters. She remembered them singing along to the songs in the radio. She remembered their walks in the park as the leaves fell from the trees in autumn.

Bitterness crept into her heart once more because those days were long gone and the magical, perfect moments would never return. Her fate had become theirs by separating them forever. She might have survived but she wasn't alive anymore because she had never felt more alive and strong than back in the good old days when they had been still a team, an amazing team.

This season had been their season, a long time ago, and as she closed her eyes, she was there again, laughing in the old streets of WestCity, dancing in more or less shady clubs without any regrets. Yes, they had never regretted anything because with their profession, death had always been right behind them. She remembered how his hair had gleamed in the red shine of the fire on Midwinter when they had celebrated together, stuck on duty. She remembered the wind in her hair the first and last time she had seen the ocean because in her mind, she was there again … and like most things connected to her old life, she remembered it just all too well.

Her fingertips trailed the photo album, another item she had stolen from her late sister and once more, she came to realise that she didn't regret this theft even though other people – namely her sister's children and other, living relatives deserved it probably more than she did.

He had been such a strange guy when they had first met, hardly more than a boy but with the experience and the eyes of a man many times his age. And even though she knew that he was probably no longer this person because she had killed him just like she had killed herself and even though there was absolutely nothing she could do now, she refused to forget about him even though forgetting might be a first step into the direction of moving on completely – something she should have done a very long time ago … but whenever she tried, she wondered why and stopped.

Edward groaned as he saw the group in front of his door. "It's time, I guess?" he sighed.

"Listen, I am as happy about this as you are," Jade said, "but we have no other choice. So do me a favour and take it like a true man or any alchemist would take it. You signed up for the military and now since you work for the Ministry of Science, you have still to deal with the orders of the chancellor."

Nerissa appeared behind him and smiled politely. "Oh, all in blond?" she asked friendly.

"It seems so," Edward muttered before he froze and looked at her while a wide smile appeared on his face. "Say, Nessa, didn't you say that you got bored in Resembool and that you need more action? Hey, Jade, when you can bring Claudio, I can surely bring Nerissa, right? And a skilled alchemist can be useful … especially since we have to protect Victoria…"

Jade raised an eyebrow. "I am rather surprised that you suggest Nerissa instead of your brother," she said slowly.

"Alphonse is too busy with helping Winry to prepare the wedding to which – by the way – you are not invited to," he said smugly. "How does that feel, little party girl?"

"Edward!" his fiancée yelled while she raised her wrench and hit him hard before she smiled friendly at the guests. "What he wanted to say, Miss Jade, is that we will be really happy to welcome you and your brother along with everyone else from Central to our wedding," she said. "Oh, and can you tell your brother that we feel honoured to be invited to his wedding?"

Jade smirked mischievously at her. "I'll make sure that everyone gets the invitation," she said with a serious nod. "And I really hate that we can't stay for a moment. We have a train to catch because my parents wanted us to attend one of their little diners."

"That sounds funny," Claudio said, "and it's definitely funnier than any diner in the palace."

Edward glared at Claudio as they sat in the train. Jade, Victoria and Nerissa were asleep and the young alchemist felt that it was time to ask some very embarrassing questions. "Why don't you ask Miss Annoyance to marry you?" he asked. "Are you afraid that there would be a scandal at home? Are you just using her for your politics?"

Claudio glared back at him. "Firstly: I would never use Jade for anything," he said seriously. "I love her far too much to do something like that to her. Secondly: if I would ask her know when everyone else is getting married too, she could assume that I am just asking because everyone else who happens to be man enough to marry asks too. And thirdly: my father wholeheartedly approves of my relationship with her … and in fact, he pesters me to marry her too because he really likes her."

"So … does that mean that you will ask her someday?" Edward inquired.

"For someone who claims that he hates her you are strangely interested in seeing her married…"

"It's not because of her," the blonde defended himself. "It's just … no matter how much I dislike him, I owe Mustang a lot and I believe that his reputation could suffer if his cousin would get a child without being married. And since I did a lot to see Mustang where he is today, it would be sad."

Claudio bit his lower lip. "I believe that an unwanted pregnancy is the least of Jade's possible problems," he said quietly while he caressed her stomach. "She got shoot multiple times … and the bullets always hit her stomach. The doctors aren't sure if … if it is possible for her to have children one day. I believe that you didn't read her file properly, Elric."

"So you don't marry her because you can't have an heir with her, yes?"

"You get annoying, boy," the prince huffed, "and no, that's not the reason. I knew about this before we even started to go out because I can read and I can draw conclusions … and one of it was that such a terrible injury will cause problems for her. And furthermore, if it comes down to it, we could always adopt an heir. Look at your chancellor, Elric: his oldest daughter is adopted and even though they have biological children, Laila would always get the biggest part in case of an untimely death."

"You are really a calm and collected person, you know? So … you really try to ignore the fact that it seems like everyone is getting married right now … why don't you just ask her to marry you? Maybe she is waiting!"

Claudio chuckled. "She isn't," he said. "Jade isn't one of the women who would do everything for my ring on her finger – that's why I love her so much. She is no brainwashed fan who loves my title. No, she loves me for me and she loves me the most when I am myself. I believe that she knows that there will be a ring for her, someday soon, but she doesn't get impatient or tries to blackmail or bribe me."

"You are so cold! Next to you, an icicle would radiate warmth!"

"Jade likes that I am so analysing," Claudio said with a smirk. "And honestly, I am so happy that I found a smart and beautiful woman like her! We are really happy together!" he took a little black velvet box out of his jacket and opened it. "Does this answer your question, Elric?" he grinned.

"This ring…" Edward started at it with huge eyes. "I am no girl, so don't expect me to gush about it but … it looks like it was really, really expensive…"

The prince grinned. "It was very expensive for my great-grandfather," he said. "The ring is in my family for generations and one day soon, it will be sparkling on Jade's beautiful finger. Take a good look at it: the huge stone is an emerald and the smaller stones are rubies." He carefully watched Jade's movements in her sleep and took the ring back just in time to smile when she woke up. "Slept well, darling?" he asked lovingly while he pulled her against his chest to hold her for a moment.

Edward rolled his eyes. What had looked like a normal mission in the first moment would be hell with the love-struck prince, the equally annoying female state alchemist, the is-she-crazy-or-is-she-not blond water alchemist and the little, usually red-haired genius. Edward felt in this moment like he had just bought a one-way ticket to hell.