This chapter is pretty long, a total of 3,500 something words. Which I think may be too long. But as I stated before I have the whole thing until chapter 10 or 11 written out so I guess it being long isn't a surprise. If I remembered correctly it took me a week to write this, since at that time there was no deadline whatsoever. Either way onto the 4th chapter then!
Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist does not belong to me, it never will, unless I can buy it for 200 baht (thai currency) on e-bay.
Chapter 4: Capitol's Royalty
Months flew by like the wind and before Jin acknowledged it, it was already the day that he was going to meet up with the most successful Emperor of the Yao line.
"Getting jittery Jin?" Meng asked watching the boy crashing his closet.
"This is the emperor we're talking about Meng," Jin said continuing to search his closet where his clothes weren't red and black, which was basically the whole population of the closet.
"How about this one?" Meng asked holding up a red cloak that looked nothing close to formal and had the words Lao written on the back in Xingese, Meng was reminded instantly of the cloak Edward wore which the Flamel symbol had written on the back.
"You have no sense of fashion…" Jin mumbled, that was his favorite cloak but of course as stated before it was nowhere near formal.
"Says the person whose closet is full of long sleeves and only black and red," Meng mused.
"You get freaking dressed, I could handle myself," Jin snapped at the older boy in an irritated gesture, and once again Meng didn't fail to notice the flicker of gold.
"Fine," Meng said strolling out of the room.
Upon the months of staying with the boy Maes didn't fail to notice the attitude that began showing on the boy's face that resembled the boy's former self. Of course it took a few months to actually let the mask slip from time to time, and after a few cursing subjects he adapted to being normal around the house. Not counting the fact that at school he was still a walking ice cube hiding his emotions everywhere he goes.
Meng slipped on normal clothes, something he was used to, he was close to the emperor and he knew that the man himself didn't actually liked formality.
Then a devious plan formed in his mind as he poked his head into Jin's room. There was a pile of clothes laying outside of the bathroom door, quickly replacing it with another pile Meng slipped out of the room, wanting to see the boy's reaction.
"What that cocky grin for Meng?" Dao asked dressed in clothes that at least looked good enough to be going on a business trip.
"I did a little something to Jin's clothes," Meng replied grinning, "He's in for a little shock."
Dao heaved a sign, "Don't tell me you slipped in his clothes," she said mumbling slightly, she didn't fail to notice the leather boots that were in Meng's hand before he dropped it in front of the door.
"You couldn't deny you would want to see them in it too," Meng said brightly, "Please the boy couldn't change clothes if I already burned the ones that weren't packed."
"You did what?!" Dao asked loudly.
"Yeah I did, the boy's stubborn and the emperor would like it better that way too," Meng said shrugging slightly, "Ling never really liked formal dressing people."
The two black haired heard the water stopped running and Meng failed to suppress a smile "3… 2… 1…"
"MENG YOU FREAKING BURNED ALL MY CLOTHES!" a voice sounded from upstairs.
"Ah, that was pleasant to hear," Meng signed gobbling up his breakfast in a single breath. "I wonder how he will react when he comes down…" he added wistfully.
"Something that will probably get you killed," Dao said sarcastically.
"Was Roy rubbing off on you?" Meng asked in mock interest, "If I remembered correctly Edward used to call Roy Colonel Sarcasm,"
Before Meng could go on to his day dreams about the past a hard knock to his face was planted onto his right cheek with a threatening crack.
"Are you alright Meng?" Dao asked rushing to the boy's side where he was on the ground rubbing his sour cheek courtesy of the generous Jin.
"I'm alright," Meng said brushing it off. To say the truth he wasn't alright, the kick hurts like hell, he needed to be thankful that the boy wasn't wearing those thick combat boots he prepared for him.
"Where the hell are my clothes Meng?" Jin growled, "Don't tell me you've burned all of them except these Amestris themed one,"
"Maybe?" Meng said nervously, of course the boy's fury was to be avoided, even if he knew that he wasn't going to be killed he could get a very serious head injury, he made a mental note not to piss the kid off ever again. It was a wonder how Roy survived it.
Getting a good look at the boy Meng beamed at his work of art. It was kind of worth it seeing the boy in the familiar black attire and long red coat. He wanted desperately the eyes to stop flashing blue and gold and stayed on one color, of course at that moment they were flashing those two colors like crazy.
Hair still dripping wet Jin ran his fingers through the thick strands of midnight hair. It wasn't a good morning for him, especially with Meng burning all his clothes except the ones that were already halfway across the country being shipped to the capitol. After giving his hair a good dry he left it to be in its usual pony tail and tucked in in his shirt along with slipping his glasses on, better live up to the nerd boy name.
Meng's face was of horror when he saw the boy's appearance, so he still wasn't dropping the book worm façade. "Drop the hair and the glasses Jin," Meng ordered, and he fully know that the subject was going to turn into a full on quarrel.
"Meng, people know me as what they see me as in public," Jin said his voice showing exasperation. "Besides I would not prefer to have girls chasing after me again," that did indeed happen once when he was working at the book store, but that was better left off unmentioned.
"Dao's going to have something to say about it though," Meng pointed out, he knew that the woman wanted to peal the look off of the boy too.
"That's right Jin, this is the emperor we are talking about after all," Dao said looking up at the boy.
Reluctantly Jin heaved a sign and let them do whatever they wanted to do with his appearance; he did have a super poor sense of fashion after all.
Jin slumped into the car obviously displeased, this was going to be a long ride and he needed to sit next to this weirdo that insisted he put his hair in a braid, which strangely doesn't make him look like a girl.
"Why are you putting me in a Fullmetal get-up?" he asked while Dao was fiddling with his waist length hair.
Dao did a double take "H-How did you know that Jin?" she asked unsure of her own voice.
"Lao Shi, he saved the Emperor and is called the Alchemist of the people in Amestris, it wouldn't be weird if I have at least heard of him," Jin signed, not wanting to admit the real research he have been doing on this particular subject.
"W-Well you know Meng and his crazy ideas," Dao answered nervously, she wasn't good at lying to begin with.
"And you're in to it?" he asked letting Dao continue fiddling with his hair, as annoying as it was.
"Well… For once I am," she answered, truthfully this time, and she knew that Ling would find it quite amusing too.
Jin stayed silent after that. Sure he has noticed the clothes since the time they were in the pile, he didn't research all those information for nothing, and he did knew the basic descriptions of the alchemist.
"There done!" Dao exclaimed flicking the finished braid to Jin's right shoulder, and to be truthful, it was terrible. Dao blushed a deep shade of red. "Sorry, I don't have long hair so I don't know how to tie a braid…"
Jin heaved a sign and released the black locks from the braid and with swift movements reformed the braid like he has done it all his life. "There I have long hair so I have experience with them," he said before giving Dao one of his rare grins.
"What took you guys so long?" Meng complained, he was already at the car tapping his foot impatiently.
"Sorry," Dao apologized, "We were having trouble with the hair, and I'm not much of a hair dresser after all," she admitted.
"Come on, we need to reach the capitol at 20:00, and we have a 12 hour ride waiting for us," Meng said with a groan to add to the effect. "Why is our house so far from the capitol anyways?"
His question was left unanswered because of Jin's annoyed tone saying that they should hurry up. "The hurry up then, don't spend precious time complaining," he said pushing the older boy into the driver seat because he obviously couldn't… well according to the law he couldn't but in truth he could bust the engine and drive like a pro, courtesy of sometimes stealing food and needing a quick escape.
Jin was sleeping when the car finally arrived into the capitol, and they were already 2 hours late. For meeting up with the royal family, they were taking the matter very lightly.
In Meng and Dao's eyes the capitol was a normal sight for them, seeing the place every few months it was accustom to them. But it certainly amazed the other boy who just recently woke up and now has his face stuck to the window, gazing openly at the views.
The capitol was full of people dressed in expensive clothing, silk mostly. The buildings tower over each other with lanterns lighting the place, and being an experienced ninja Jin spotted other of the same kind jumping around the roof tops, looking like they were about to assassin somebody, maybe they were.
"Oi Jin, snap out of it," Meng said snapping his finger in front of the boy who was still gaping like a fish out of water… well he was a fish that wasn't in his own territory.
"Huh, what?" the boy muttered shaking his head, braid bouncing back and forth (I missed writing the braid!).
"We're at the royal palace," Meng said, "Dao already went in to inform the Emperor, come on," throwing the boy leather boots Jin made a weird face.
"You want me to wear those? That'll make me freakishly tall!" he exclaimed.
"Unless you want to wear one of Dao's slippers or the ones I have already burnt you need to wear those," Meng said annoyed, sometimes he really wished that the boy would return to his robotic self.
"Fine whatever," Jin mumbled slipping them on, eyes flashing gold.
"Word of advice, act natural, the royal family doesn't exactly act royal they're quite easy going," Meng said walking over to the entrance where the guards parted their ways like the red sea.
Jin struggled to catch up and was about to say a few smart comebacks but could only gape again because of his surroundings. Noticing his wide-open mouth he managed to pull back his robotic attitude and stride with confidence, wishing he had his glasses at the moment so that nobody could see his eyes flickering in every direction.
The palace was cloaked in red and gold, and dap of green was to be seen in each direction. Professionals decorated the walls in handmade pictures every sweep; most of them were of dragons, the sacred animal in Xing. The columns lining the hallways had Xing characters unscripted on them, prophecies and such but most of them were of the past rulers of the great country. Reading these columns with speed Jin have noted information he has never known before and this was to his advantage, more knowledge was equal to more subjects to research about.
And before he knew it Jin was already in front of a tall brass door with golden handles, yin and yang encrypted on either side of the double door. The guards pushed the door open to reveal two people dressed on silk that was way more expensive than the people on the streets. Jin could have had swore that the rim were made out of gold, but then after examining them he realized them as Emperor Ling Yao and Princess May Shao.
"Yo Edward!" The Emperor exclaimed seeing the boy walking into the room, Jin was taken aback by this act, how could the emperor be so carefree?
"Even though I have this getup on your majesty I am not however the deceased Fullmetal Alchemist," Jin replied calmly, forgetting completely Meng's saying that for him to act naturally.
"Why so stiff?" Ling said getting up from his throne and walking towards the boy who was about the same height at as him, surprising enough.
Golden flickered in Jin's eyes as he eyes the man walking towards him, sure he was the emperor, but he have seen corrupted rulers and those people were not to be trusted.
"I believe now you go by Jin Lao right?" Ling asked the boy his eyes still closed and turned upwards.
"Pleasure your majesty," Jin replied with a low bow, he did know how to act around royalty mind you. Meng who was standing besides Jin felt like slapping his own face, so much for acting natural.
"You don't trust me?" Ling asked the boy eyebrows rose.
"I do not have a tendency of trusting people easily your majesty," Jin answered. Something silver caught Jin's eyes and in a swift swipe of his hand he grabbed a kunai from his coat pocket and raised it in the direction the silver came from.
Everything froze when Jin caught the sword that was caught in-between the kunai and Ling silver clashing with metal (Oh the Irony of this!) and Ling grinned before tucking his sword back into its sheath.
"You are a child prodigy as they say!" he exclaimed slinging an arm around the boy's shoulder must to his dismay. "You do know that there's no need to be formal around me, go ahead and call me Ling like you always do, when I was a prince you used to bonk me on the head so this is no different,"
"You majesty please act a little bit more mature," a figure said in the shadows, she was cloaked in ninja attires and had a mask on, aka the head of the guards Lan Fan.
Ling ignored her before dismissing Meng, "Maes you could go to your room let me have a small talk with this one," he said brushing the elder teen away.
"You have met May Shao right?" Ling asked gesturing to the small girl who was, surprisingly very short for a fully-grown woman.
"Brother Ling, he wouldn't remember of course," May signed looking at her hopelessly stupid brother, "Pleasure to meet you Jin Lao," May said bowing.
"Please don't." Jin said bowing even lower than the girl "Pleasure to meet you too Princess May Shao," he said politely, obviously missing the eyes that turned to hearts.
"Now, now sister, please remember that you're already married," Ling said in a tone that mocks simply every mother in the universe. "Now please excuse us, I need to show Ed his room," Ling said dragging Jin out of the room before he could protest.
"For once your majesty, my name is Jin," Jin said eyes flashing gold, Ling seemed to notice this and was fairly amused by the current situation.
"I could call you whatever you like," Ling said dismissing the subject, being the emperor has its benefits and one of them was the ability to order people around.
They walked down the hallway until they reached one room that was on the west wing of the palace with the door was make out of gold and fine wood and jade lining the rim of the door.
"You're staying here for the night," Ling said opening the door to reveal a room far more worth that a 5 star hotel room. A king sized bed and may I mention that almost everything in the room was black red and gold.
"I couldn't stay here," Jin protested, "I thought I was only here to be introduced and nothing more." He countered remembering the deal with Dao months ago.
"Well there's something more to that deal, have a good night Edward, the servants will come to wake you up tomorrow for dinner," with a wave of his hand the door slammed shut and Jin was left standing in the middle of the exquisite room with his baggage which looked rather pitiful in the midst of gold.
Seconds past in silence as Jin merely stared at the door that was slammed shut; therefore closing his path to escape once he heard the lock. He felt the urge to knock open the window and escape, but of course this was the royal palace and he was a guest of honor for goodness sakes.
"Dammit…" Jin mumbled throwing his baggage into one of the many closets that were lined against the left side of the wall. There were multiple dresses. Yes, dresses, or robes as a more proper term. Already hanged on the rail ready to go and by the looks of it Ling expected Jin to wear them sometime soon.
Striping himself and leaving only the boxers on Jin slumped onto the bed that was, if possible, even more comfortable than the one he had when his stay with Dao and Meng. Burying himself under the silk blanket trying to not bust his head thinking he was in the royal palace and in the same building as the ruler of Xing.
After squirming around for quite some time Jin bounded up unable to stay asleep and opened the lamp that lay on his bedside. A notebook was on the small table and thinking no harm was to be done Jin gingerly picked up the book and flipped open to the front page.
Yo Edward, I knew you would open this notebook sooner or later. So continue reading, that's an order; there are some important things in here that you need to recall. First of all read only one page per day, if you read any more, your brain will probably take some damage, wouldn't want that it you're a prodigy right?
Confused Jin looked up from the notebook, judging from the writing style it was probably the emperor, but then again why would his brain bust open? Curious he stuck his nose into the notebook and continued reading the page written in manuscript.
I'm slowly recalling this: Stew, you know it right? Actually it's a famous dish in Amestris and includes milk but still tastes good, people who thought about them are amazing to include cow juice in them and yet the dish could still be delicious.
Heard of Automail? Probably not it's a mechanic or prosthetic chunk of metal inserted for those who are missing limbs, right hand or left legs. The best out there is the Rockbell Engineer but it you come back with a broken Automail you'll get a wench in the head. Does your brain hurt? Stop right there and go to sleep after seeing the next page.
Strangely enough his head was throbbing like crazy for some weird reason; it was like trying to bust itself out of his head. Quickly he flicked to and there was a picture of a state alchemist watch.
As battered and dirty as it was, Jin knew the watch must've gone through more than he have ever gone through seeing its condition. He immediately wondered who might've owned the watch until unconsciously looking at the bottom of the page where the back of the watch was shown and there were the words: Don't Forget 3.10.11. And then he fainted.
Jin awoke the next morning to his name being shouted or rather his past name, but at that moment he was still in a blur. His eyes focused on the tiny figure in front of him, later distinguished as the Princess of Xing.
"Princess!" he exclaimed struggling to form a bow, only to find him tangled in the midst of all the different blankets in the room. Once he entangled himself he offered a polite bow, failing to notice the girl's reddening face.
"Ed- ah no, Jin, Brother Ling is waiting at the dining table, he expects to meet you in two hours," the girl informed him ignoring his face, which in her view is perfect.
"Thank you princess," Jin replied politely, "But you didn't need to come yourself," he said scratching the back of his neck, only then noticing that he was still wearing only his boxers.
"Uh-uh please, excuse me," May mumbled running out of the room. Despite being married she was still not used to being around guys who were half naked, especially one that she used to have a crush on.
Blushing deep red, Jin grabbed one of the silk robes from the closet and entered the bath that was already covered I steam and expensive marble. Heaving a sign he cleansed himself and wondered how much longer before he will return to his house in the forest, he doubted that the emperor will keep him for long.
But, boy he was wrong, he wouldn't be staying at the palace but it would be eternity before he could return to his peaceful life in the forest.
Thank you for the reviews, I got only one from a guest, but that one review made my day. So thank you whoever you are! I'll be uploading at around this time from now on, since I think around this time is the time that most people in are awake. (It's already 9p.m. here) Don't forget to review! And look forward to the next chapter! (Spoilers: Major clues are given)