I groaned, sitting up. As I did, I frantically wondered where I was for a moment. Then I remembered. I sighed, lying back down.

"Something wrong?" I heard Izumi ask.

"Home-sick. Normally I'd have my mom hanging over me in two seconds and I'd be in the hospital for the seventh time. I almost miss that. Sure, it was annoying, but it showed how much she cared. I'm the oldest, and I have three younger siblings. But… I'm babied the most, because of my sickness. So I do as much as I can for them, because I detract attention from them." I said, eyes closed.

"You sound like you have a life."

"No, not really. My brother refuses help, so the one little sister takes after him. The other one is only one, so she doesn't want much other than Mommy. We just moved away from my only two friends, so I almost don't want to go back there any more." I sat up and looked at her. "It's hard, isn't it? Knowing you're so different, yet that others need you?" I smiled. "I know about you. I haven't told them, but I know. I can do Alchemy without a circle as well, but I didn't commit the taboo. I was picked up from my world and taken through the Gate."

Izumi came and sat next to me. "You know?"

"Yes."

I leaned over and put my hand on her shoulder. "My mom would've had six kids. I'm supposed to be a little sister. I was supposed to have an older brother, but there was a car crash. He didn't make it. The other two were supposed to be twins, a little boy and a little girl. But my mom got sick, and it affected them too. And one of my aunts had a little baby boy that died when he caught pneumonia. I was there when little Travis died."

She looked at me with sad eyes. I leaned over a little more and hugged her. "It's okay, Izumi. It's not your fault." To my surprise, I got a hug back. Just a quick small one, but still a hug.

When Izumi asked the boys outside, I followed them. I sat on the ground and waited for her to turn to me. When she did, I stood up and stood, head bowed, in front of her. She didn't attack me, but instead put her hand on my head. That fired a tirade of memories of my mom and dad. I sniffed, feeling the familiar burn of tears again.

Izumi kicked the boys out, but invited me to stay. I agreed to stay, but only for a short while. When asked why, I smiled and said that I would have to move on eventually, that here I was a 'no one's child.'

Izumi was cutting meat and I was drawing random things on a piece of paper I'd found when Ed ran in. "Teacher-!"

The knife lodged inches above his head. I listened coolly to the fight while working on my picture. Eventually, I felt the presence of someone over me. I swallowed and kept on working. I would work until asked!

"What exactly is that? A human Chimera?" asked Ed.

"No. It's one of my favorite singers, Teto Kasane. She's actually a machine, but she sings amazingly. I prefer most of her songs over the original versions done by various other Vocaloids. Vocaloid is the name of the band she's in, all machines. They sing and dance to lots of songs… I lost count at forty-three Vocaloid songs in general!"

"Can you sing one of her song versions?" asked Al.

"Well…" I hesitated. "She has an android-y voice… I guess if I tried…"

"What're you waiting for?" teased Ed.

"Shut up! I'm thinking! Let's see, Crime and Punishment, Daughter of Evil, Teto Teto Night Fever, Teto Teto Ni Shite Ageru, Alice of Human Sacrifice… I guess I'll do Teto Teto Night Fever."

I jumped right in. I amazed myself with my near-perfect imitation of Teto's voice. I'd learned Teto's version of Luka Luka Night Fever from watching the Miku Miku Dance Chibi Teto and Teto song. I even knew the dance by heart, but I wasn't about to let Ed know that!

"That was amazing. You should consider a career in music." complimented Izumi.

"Nah! I'm pursuing a jewelry career. I want to be a jewelry designer!" I said cheerfully.

Next day, Al went missing. Secretly, I followed him. I knew Ed would be miffed, and so would Izumi, but I had to that myself. None of them believed I was as strong as I really was. If I don't do this, no one will ever let me be alone for fear I'm so weak! I thought, creeping into the bar after Al and Greed's henchmen.

I didn't think I would be noticed, but then I realized I had scent. I quickly back-tracked and left several false trails just in case I was discovered. By then, Al had found out Greed's secret. I grimaced—I should be used to blood, but Greed was missing his whole head; it was just gross, and reconstruction was just as bad.

When Greed had finally rebuilt his head, I decided to make my appearance. I took a deep breath, stepping out of the shadows and into the light. My hair was undone, and I'd had an attack. I must've looked a mess, or at least slightly creepy.

Al looked up and finally noticed me. "Annabeth!" he cried.

All of them whipped around to look at me. "Hello? Who the heck are you?" asked Greed.

"As tempted as I am to yell 'pissed off' or 'a house-wife,' I'm afraid I don't have the energy. No, I'm Annabeth Zatsune, known by a thousand names. I'm Annabeth, Neko Nicole, Little Vampire, Cat, Nyan Nyan, the Singer of Death, Largo's Sister, Sweet Little Sister, and Small Child. I could go on, but I won't. I came only for Al, so that's all I'm telling you." I sighed, putting on my best 'dead' eyes. It's like Bambi eyes, only blank and staring.

"You're only a slip of a girl, yet you come and think you can beat us?" one of them chuckled in disbelief.

"Okay, now I am pissed off." I grumbled, turning my head and sulking. "I'm not just a damn little weakling girl! Why does everyone look at me and think I'm weak? Because I'm a girl that's constantly coughing up blood? Despite that, I could quickly disable you, Greed!" I snarled, pointing my finger at him angrily.

"Annabeth, don't! He's-!" Al started.

"A run-away Homunculus. He has regenerative abilities and a, quote, Ultimate Shield, unquote. I know all about him. Do you forget where I come from, Al?" I asked. "I also know that his shield is carbon-based, and incredibly strong. Greed wants everything. Money, women, sex, just everything the world has to offer. Isn't that right?" I asked sweetly.

Greed smiled at me. "You know a lot, don't you?" he chuckled.

"Including that you're going to die. Immortality is a child's day-dream; there's no such thing, even with a Philosopher's Stone. I know this for a fact, along with that not only will you die, you will be reborn in a new body, then die again."

I twirled my hair around my finger while they chewed on the information I'd just fed them. When no one spoke, I sighed. "Is that all? Can I take Alphonse back now? I know that Izumi's gonna be pissed, and she'll make a worse fight with you guys than me. And she trashes Ed and Al up a little." I said cheerfully, walking towards Al.

In an instant, I found my path blocked. "Are you so confident?" sneered one.

I tipped my head back. "Are you so sure, to attack a defenseless little girl?" I challenged.

For a fraction of a second, they hesitated. That second was all I needed. I know it wasn't any of my black-belt training, but it was all I could think of at the moment. They were singing high-note in choir for sure! I packed a punch with my fists, so people think they're safe if my hands are out of commission. But I packed a wallop with my feet!

I darted through their numbers to hide behind Al. "Am I so weak now? Do you want to see what I was trained to do?" I yelled boldly. I felt one of them coming at me where I wasn't looking and lashed out. I was putting up a good bluff, but I was trapped now. I couldn't move without being caught. Now that's just cruddy planning!