As the pounding on the door started, I leapt up. "Ssshh!" I urged frantically. "Maybe if we stay quiet, he'll give up and go away!"

They then heard the voice yelling their names and quickly agreed. No such luck.

We all screamed as the door was ripped off of it's hinges. Armstrong was standing in the doorway. I managed to avoid getting too much attention from the man, but Ed and Al weren't as lucky.

When the map finally came out, I didn't hesitate. "This one." I said, putting my confident finger on the Fifth Laboratory. "If you look, there's a prison right next door. Fake an execution and then use the 'executed' for a Stone."

"It's true. That's probably exactly what goes on." Edward nodded.

I waited for that night. About five minutes after Ed and Al left, I snuck out the window. I knew where to go, so it was easy to find the place. Al and Barry were already deeply involved with each other. I decided to creep in and find Ed.

By the time I found him, the Homunculi had found him too. I screamed shrilly, putting up a stone wall. They all whipped around to look at me. I was panting from running the whole way here, and it didn't help that I had to speed-crawl through the vent, either. What was a tight fit for Ed was near impossible for me! I'm a centimeter taller than him, but I'm more finely muscled.

"Annabeth, what're you doing here?" Ed cried.

"Some thank you! I'm saving your sorry ass!" I hacked, the ground splattering with my blood.

"Oh? Another sacrifice!" sneered Envy. He turned to look at me. I hissed, giving a nasty hand gesture. "Oh, she's full of sass, too!"

"Stow it, shifter!" I snarled, stumbling over to Ed. "I don't have time for any of your shit!"

"Annabeth, you're aware of how much danger you're in, right?" Ed gasped, holding his side the best he could.

"How much—I at least have two functioning arms! Now shut up, I need to get us outta here. That's the whole damn reason I came, nitwit!" I panted, feeling how weak I was. I was passing out! I couldn't do that here, not now! Not in front of the Homunculi!

"You're weak and obviously not in the best condition." Lust observed.

"Obviously, bitch!" I hissed, swaying. Edward was on my shoulder, and he looked at me worriedly. "And you stay quiet." I told him.

"You're brave, but do you think that'll do you much good?" chuckled Envy. While I wasn't looking, the bastard had crept closer! He chuckled at my shock. But his wicked grin became an angry frown as I hissed a very incredibly dirty phrase at his face.

"Just get outta my face and my way. I'm strong, and I'll kick your ass!"

"Some bluff!" Envy and Ed said in unison. Even Lust allowed herself a chuckle.

Just to prove my statement, I dropped Ed and hit Envy with a Spinning Heel kick and a round-house directly after. "See?" I panted, picking Ed back up. "I can… fight…"

Just to prove their statement, I passed out.

When I woke up, Ed and I were in a hospital room. "Toldya you weren't strong enough." he said in a know-it-all tone.

"Shut up. You call Winry yet? I bet she's gonna kill you for breaking your auto-mail again!" I snickered. He blanched. "Hah, told you so!"

"Shut up."

We sat staring at each other for a while. "Why am I in here? You're the only one who needs medical attention!" I sulked.

"Nice try. You gotta bruise the size of the country on the back of your neck."

"Oh, like a bruise is gonna hurt me! I'm outta here. Wait—"I spun around. "Winry's number. I'll call her for you."

"Heh, no, I'll do it."

"Hell, no you won't. I'm getting her number if I have to beat it out of you, buddy!"

A few minutes later, I strolled back into the room. Ed glared at me. "What did you tell her?" he growled.

"Your arm is busted and you'd like a speedy maintenance. She said that it sounded about right for your arm to be broken. I guess she just expected it out of you!" I giggled evilly.

"That… When did you get your leotard back?" he choked.

"Hee hee… I didn't. I made this one."

"You used Alchemy to make yourself a new leotard?" Ed yelped in shock.

"I refuse to wear those hospital clothes. They limit mobility. A leotard is the best clothes for lots of movement and things like fighting and other stuff. Not to mention this one regulates body temp, so it'll keep me warm when it's cold or cool when it's hot!" Saying that, my face fell.

"What?"

"My brother wanted to invent something just like this thing, and here I am wearing it. You see, Alchemy just isn't possible in my world. It doesn't exist. I miss my mom and dad, my little brother, my little sisters, my kitties, my friend Sydney, my friend Christie, my room with my diary and my 'Little Sister' collection and my sketch books and my books and my neighbor's dog that was constantly running into our house. I'm just super home-sick, but I don't know how to go back or if I even can!"

Ed must've wanted to avert my attention from my home-sickness, because he asked a question that made me blush.

"Annabeth, you sing all the time. Do you dance at all?"

"Ah-ah-ah! Touchy subject! If I said no, I'd be lying, but I only know a few that I'm not very good at or are embarrassing!" I squealed, jumping up as if the bed was on fire. "And anyways, if I don't have my cues, I wind up too fast or too slow!"

That gave me an idea. "But if I could make like… a machine that could record my brain-waves… Then I could record my music… and… dance…" I said slowly, softly and thoughtfully. I looked up to see Ed grinning. "You didn't just hear that! I'm not dancing for you!" I cried.

I'm weak when it comes to things like that, so Ed naturally won. I normally lose when fighting with the opposite gender.

I was gone for an hour or so. When I came back, my leotard had a little skirt that I could take off or put on at will. I also held a small metal box. It could play through the speakers or if I inserted the head-phones I'd created, it would play through them. "There are a bunch of songs on here, but I only know the dances for a few of them. So you're only getting one. You can pick from Bo Peep Bo, Kiramekirari, or Castles in the Sky." I told him crabbily.

"Before I pick, why'd you make a skirt?"

"I'm a little more conscious about my body when I'm dancing, that's why!" I snipped. "Oh… Well, I guess we can add Caramelldansen to the list…"

"Those all have weird names except for Castles in the Sky."

"Please don't say that one!" I breathed.

"Since you asked nicely, I guess I'll say that… the umm, the uhh…"

"You mean Kiramekirari?" I asked, my breath catching. I was patchy on that one!

"No, the one before it…"

"Ah. Bo Peep Bo. " I sighed, setting the box down. I quickly jabbed the buttons.

I backed off and waited for the music to start. When it did, I danced with it. Ed was grinning ear to ear as I danced. If it didn't throw the dance off, I would've given him the same gesture I'd given Envy! I did get to do it after the dance was over. But he still grinned.

Next day, Winry came in. I waited by the door for a certain someone to come in. As expected, he did come in.

Hughes seemed even more excitable in real life than they made him on the show! He not only dragged Winry to his kid's party, but invited me as well. I jumped at the opportunity, eager to get to know him better.

Hughes wanted to know all about me. I told him everything, and he swore to keep it a secret for me. He was someone I could trust. He admired my adeptness in the world, but agreed with most that I should still relax just a little. It was sad, but I knew that he was going to die and there was nothing I could do. Wait…!

"Umm, Mr. Hughes?" I said as Winry and I were leaving.

"Yes, Annabeth?" he asked warmly.

"Something bad is going to happen. Please be careful and don't trust anyone completely!" I said quickly. "Please. You know my history better than even Ed. Trust no one."

"I'll try. You worry about how you're going to get home."

I don't want to go home any more… Well, a little, but most of me wants to stay here! I thought in despair.

It was soon established that we were going to Rush Valley and then Dublith. We were, as expected, delayed. But we then finally proceeded to Dublith.

Ed and Al got their butts kicked before Izumi noticed me. When she turned my way, I bowed and stayed like that. She was on the 'top ten favorite FMA characters' list, but she was still scary!

"And who are you?" she asked.

"Annabeth Zatsune. I'm a friend of the Elrics." I said smoothly. I finally stood up. "I'm pleased to meet you, ma'm."

"Hmm. You're very polite."

"I learned manners the hard way, along with fighting and other things." I replied softly, head bowed.

"So you can fight?"

I saw it coming, and not a moment too soon, I dodged. My fist swept upwards to parry her next blow. I flipped nimbly out of her each, but only temporarily. We were matching each other, blow for blow, and swipe for swipe. But I still wound up over-exerting myself. As I went to parry another blow, my hand shot to my mouth. The blow came through, catching my face, but I was already going down to my knees, coughing and gagging. Izumi went down a second later. Sympathy sickness? I wondered. No, she's been exerting herself a little much too. She's going to react as well.

We were both taken inside. Izumi recovered faster than I did, but I was still able to get up and move around that time! She was curious about me, so Ed, Al and I needed to tell her a little about me. We decided to leave out the part that I was from another world. The story was from Ed finding me in the cemetery, and it seemed to work. But I somehow doubted that it worked.

I was right.

Ed and Al left the room, but Izumi stopped me. "You were lying about your story. I can see it in your eyes. You cringed when Ed said that you didn't know or remember where you'd come from."

I was nailed. Izumi had me there. Dang it! People always tell when I'm lying or not! No fair! I thought, bowing my head. "Sorry…"

"So tell me."

I cringed again. I hate direct orders.

"I think… I'm from the other side of the Gate. I was dancing when I saw a large black door. I went through it and woke up at Ed's feet. We're more advanced, and Alchemy isn't possible. I cough up blood because my organs aren't growing. They're still only slightly bigger than they were when I was three. I'm supposed to die before I turn eighteen. This is kinda like a dream come true. You see, we know all about Amestris. Thousands follow Ed and Al's story to the end. It's one of my favorite stories, and when I woke up staring at Ed, I thought how I could die knowing that I'd met Edward Elric. But now… I know them so well, and… I think… I think I've become a key character in this game I'm playing!"

Lord, I just told her everything! I'm gonna wind up getting hurt if I keep this up! But… But I…

As my thoughts became slow and sluggish, I passed out again.