Hi… I'm so sorry guys! I didn't have… well I have no excuse to actually be 2 months late even though I said only a week… Gomenasai! Either way here's the next chapter I don't want to stall you guys any further.
Disclaimer: FMA will never belong to me. Never.
Chapter 12: Coming Home
As the three rushed to the station, although not knowing what it was; they knew that it was urgent. Was it the fact that Winry was in such a desperate state and her voice sounded as if it was cracking? And because of that possibility they knew that it was no normal event
Lucky for them the Central station wasn't that far away…
The three met with Winry in front of the Central station; sweat trickling down their face. Jin noticed Winry's blonde hair from a distance and noticed the rushed state in which the pony-tail was tied.
"What's the matter Winry? Why the change of plans?" Jin asked once the blonde was in hearing range. To his surprise Winry turned around with tears threatening to fall from her eyes.
"I… I don't know…" she muttered in a soft voice, "All I heard was that Granny's heart disease was acting up and I should return home immediately…" Worry was evident in her voice.
"So, Jin's coming with you I suppose," Roy stated not wanting to push the girl to answer any further.
"I didn't want to leave a patient unattended to so I thought it was the best way," Winry said slowly looking more focused. "The train is departing in a few minutes so I told the Emperor to pack what he thinks you'll need," she continued lifting a brown leather case.
"Thanks…" Jin said a little confused, that slanted eyes actually packed his stuffs? That's quite an invasion of privacy…
Suddenly a whistle was sounded through the thick and humid air and a voice said, "Passengers who are heading to Resembool please board your train in 5 minutes,"
"We better hurry," Winry muttered heaving her luggage, "I'm sorry General, this was really sudden and I didn't know how to inform you so…"
"Don't sweat it," Roy interrupted mustering a small smile.
"Thank You," Winry breathed before gesturing for Jin to follow her onto the train.
Jin turned to give a small wave to Meng before departing with a puff of smoke. While on the train Winry heaved a sign as she plopped down onto her seat after placing her luggage under her seat. The train was almost empty, barely enough people for the station to actually make profit of.
"Winry… This Resembool…" Jin said uncertainly, all he knew of this place was that it is a place outside the skirts of town. Rather small and almost unnoticeable on the map of Amestris.
"It's my home town Winry answered knowing what Jin was about to ask, she didn't dare mention that it was also Edward's and Alphonse's home town, she wasn't required to either ways.
"I see…" Jin muttered. The conversation ended right there, neither of them spoke throughout the whole trip. Jin stared at the window the whole time. Somehow the view was so very familiar in his sight, something he knew but couldn't correctly grasp. Hills and Plains ran past and slowly small houses and farms were seen. Children were running through the fresh grass laughing and smiling happily. Jin's eyes focused on his reflection on the glass. He was once again in his brown cloak covering half his facial features, and from there he saw the spark of gold.
A sensation of shock washed over, his eyes; they were tinted with gold around the border. Was that natural? Of course it wasn't! His eyes are blue, not gold! Through the thick lens the gold was vivid, he blinked once and the color faded into the original blueness. I must have been hallucinating Jin thought as the train attendant announced their arrival.
"Welcome back Winry," An officer randomly said in the midst of the thick crowd. Winry gave him a sweet smile and traveled through the crowd until they came to the exit of the Resembool station. It was nothing like Central the green hills filling your train of sight wherever you turn, expected of a country-side town.
"Where's your house?" Jin asked as he followed Winry trying to keep pace. Due to his right arm he was required to heave his luggage using his left arm which was exceptionally weak compared to his right.
"It's a little far," Winry explained "Could you walk a little further, I know with your arm and all…"
"No. It's alright, my arm is the least of your worries right now," Jin said shaking his head slightly, if he could he would make a gesture with his hand but in this situation it seems that he would be unable to.
The two continued to trudge along the dirt road until they reached a small humble home, it was unnaturally quiet though.
Winry went to the front door and opened the handle, surprised to find that it wasn't locked to begin with. Inside was dark except for a small source of light from the kitchen.
"Granny?" Winry shouted into the hollow house, there was no answer except the trudging of small footsteps that was resounding from inside the house.
"Winry, I'm glad your home," a woman around the same age as Winry said stepping into the light. She was petite with small features, flaming red hair and emerald green eyes. Winry's eyes widened.
"Rose… How is Grandma doing?" Winry asked the woman whose name was apparently Rose.
"She's… It would be better if you asked Jack, he's in the room with your Grandma," Rose explained slipping her apron off.
Winry headed in with the red head without hesitation leaving Jin to hang around the entrance awkwardly. It was small, the house that is. There was a small work table with pictures hanging above it, Jin walked over to examine it. Most of the pictures were taken down but one picture remained in the middle of the different Auto Mail designs. It was a picture of a younger Winry with two boys smiling and laughing. Upon closer examination Jin noticed one of the boys was Alphonse… so the other must be Edward… Leaning closer Jin noticed the signature golden eyes of the late Fullmetal Alchemist. Golden eyes, the same closer he saw on the train… was it possible?
"Jin? Hurry Up!" Winry's voice echoed against the house plain walls. Snapping out of his thoughts Jin followed her into the shadowed house.
Jin followed her and entered a small room which was apparently the kitchen but with a humble feeling a table set in the middle where an elderly woman and a middle aged man was sitting together; silent. The elderly woman was small her hair drained of the original brown and tied in a super high bun (?). The man although was still in his early 30s looked younger than what he was supposed to be; golden blonde hair and shining blue eyes that have seen many wonders.
"Granny," Winry suddenly spoke snapping the high tension in the air.
"Winry, you're back," The elderly woman spoke giving a frail smile, her voice was weak and seemed tired. Her skin was pale and although she had a smile on her face one could see that she was in pain.
The two took time to catch up and during their talk Pinako took many turn coughing and asking for water, the blonde man was immediately at her assistance every chance he gets.
Jin took a seat in one of the empty chairs near the corner of the room unsure of what to do. Rose noticed him in time and asked for Winry to introduce him.
"This is Jin, he's one of my patients from Central," Winry explained gesturing. Rose did a small wave and Jack a small nod. Pinako only stared at the closely covered boy with sharp eyes, almost like she was examining a new work of auto-mail.
"I'll be in your care from now on," Jin said his formal speech returning although he didn't know who to direct his statement to.
"If your one of Winry's patients our home is like your home," Pinako said avoiding eye contact. The word 'Home' somehow struck Jin as something he believed as true. But inside he knew that there was no home for an orphan like him, he only had a place to stay but nowhere with a real family.
"Now if you don't mind may I have a private with you Winry?" Jack said his eyes suddenly turning serious despite his cheery attitude a second ago.
"Sure, Rose could you lead Jin to the guess room? You know where it is right?" Winry said tearing her attention away from her sickly grandma for a split second.
"Is it that room?" Rose asked unsurely.
"Is there any other room?" Winry asked back. Rose gave a nod and gestured Jin to follow her.
Jin exited the room with Rose unsure of what to do. He felt like he was evading some personal space, but really did he have a choice? He was practically dragged here.
"So what country are you from Jin? Your certainly aren't from around here," Rose asked trying to spark a conversation.
"I'm from Xing," Jin answered shortly, although he knew that he was rude he wasn't in the mood to talk long sentences.
"Xing? I used to travel there a lot with my mother," Rose said lost in thought.
"Not many Amestris citizens get to go to Xing," Jin noted.
"Oh, I'm not Amestris originally. Originally I came from Drachma, with the war going on I don't know how's my family I moved here with Jack about 10 years ago," Rose continued.
'She trusts strangers too easily,' Jin thought glancing at the red head with uncertainty.
"Either ways here your room," Rose said opening a door to one of the room, "You can settle in if you want anything I'll be downstairs," and with that Rose left the young man to be.
The room was small, but humbly decorated. There were two beds on either sides of the room a wardrobe and a work table, a window on one side of the room. Although it looked like nobody stayed in the room it was free of any dust and spider webs, everything was arranged neatly with no flaw.
Jin dropped his baggage onto the bed closest to the window, he enjoyed the fresh air every once in a while. Tearing his cloak off his body he lied on the bed for some reason exhausted. He was very familiar with this place, and somehow he really felt as if he was at home…
After placing his clothes in the wardrobe which was already full Jin walked over to the window to let some air in. Outside of the window there was what looked like a ruin of a burned house with a leaf-less tree on top of the hill.
'Why are they keeping such a wreck there?' Jin thought to him, 'Maybe it's some memorial of the village…' he thought and then the pain began. It started inside his head where a stabbing pain seemed to attack his skull.
'It hurts' Jin thought before blacking out completely. And in his dreams he saw people he never seen before and indescribably sorrows…
xxx
"What is it Jack?" Winry asked once Jin and Rose went out of the room.
"Do you want to hear this Pinako?" Jack asked the elderly woman. She only made a downwards cast but didn't deny the fact that she didn't want to hear it.
"What about my Grandma?" Winry asked silently.
"Her… condition… isn't going very well Winry," Jack began, "I'm not as talented as your parents but I could say this… your Grandma isn't going to live past April, giving her only barely 2 months to live,"
"What? But these past 15 years she has been doing fine! Her heart condition…" Winry started tears tempting to fall from her eyes.
"During the past 2 months it have been strangely acting up a lot, we found her unconscious a few weeks ago and thought that it was about time we contacted you…" Jack continued signing slightly, "We gave her some medicine, but it didn't seem to work, I'm sorry Winry."
"Wait, Granny? Is this true?" Winry asked furiously turning to face her Grandma who only gave a solemn nod. Her lips started to tremble slightly.
"There's nothing more we can do Winry," Jack signed, "I'm sincerely sorry,"
"No, it's not your fault," Winry blurted out, "But there must be a way…"
"There's none Winry," Pinako interrupted her Granddaughter's speech, "I think I lived a sufficient life, so this time you can let me go okay?" Pinako said giving Winry a smile.
"No. No Grandma! I'm not letting this happen! Isn't there an antidote?!" Winry said on the verge of shouting.
"There's none." Jack said keeping his voice as kind as possible.
"I think life hates me…" Winry trembled tears falling onto her lap drop by drop. "First my parents… Them Edward… And now my Grandma?!"
"Winry, calm down…" Pinako said getting off her short stool, "I may not be here but there are those who still need your help, you help save people's lives and give them hope, I am proud to have a granddaughter with such responsibilities,"
"But…" Winry continued her tears almost uncontrollable; somehow this situation seems to have happened before to those known as the Elric's, although at that time she didn't know the pain…
"Remember what I told you when you were young?" Pinako said in a soft voice, "Those who have passed away from this world are always watching you from above… always,"
"Granny…" Winry sobbed kneeling onto the ground and wrapping her Grandma's frail body in a tight embrace, "I never wanted this…."
"None of us ever wanted death Winry…" Pinako whispered "But what can we do?" a single tear slid down Pinako's face and dropped onto the wooden floor, after that a thousand followed it.
Death is something one couldn't avoid; it is the flow of life. However if one were to live forever it will only be in another's memories…
Gah… wasn't that depressing I know even though I update after so long I should give you guys something bright but I really need to get the story going it's gonna be a little fast from now on I'm kinda pushing it I know… Either way thankyou so much for those reviews! I only asked for 5 and now 10? Wow you guys are really amazing… thankyou very much!
Well here's my reason: School. It was the fourth quarter and everything just kinda got dumped on me also I was concentrating on playing LoveLiveSchoolIdolFestival a little too much… well sorry again. But it is Summer so I think I would be updating more often due to my unlimited amount of free time… though school did kill a little bit of my inspiration to write…
About the Reviews I would like to say that every one of them was really special to me and I couldn't thank you guys enough even though its shorter than some chapters I hope it makes up for the time I lost. And for you guys who didn't give up on me yet I give you my gratitude.
BTW did anybody noticed my Titanic obsessiveness? No? Well... I did think it was pretty obvious...
I'll try updating faster than 2 months but that's not a guarantee… well I'll try my best!
Don't Forget to: Favorite, Follow, and Review! [5-10]