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5

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Dear Winry,

Edward seems to have an even bigger issue with people calling him short now that he's become a state alchemist. I don't know if that's just because his temper really has nowhere else to go or if he's just that easy to make mad. The only issue is that he's started to get slightly violent with what he perceives as the biggest offenders. But at least Alphonse is there to hold him back while I apologize.

Right, we've heard some interesting news of the different types of Automail for desert travel. I thought that you and Granny would like to know it in case anyone came to your shop looking for upgrades. I've added it to the envelope so that it wouldn't get lost. I was able to get that information for a trade on information about desert flowers, I guess coming from the area does have its perks. I'll try to keep you updated since I know those two won't, you're a part of this even if they won't admit it.

I guess I'll never really understand the minds of men.

Your good friend,

Aline Elric

0o0

1913

Ailne sighed in disbelief as they rode the train back to the eastern city. Roy had called them back to get an idea of what they were doing. She understood that he needed to know as their superior officer, but she was also aware of the leeway that state alchemists were given. She heard Alphonse mutter to himself as he did the daily word cross, he had to find something to do so that he wouldn't grow bored at night. She smiled; he was good at them. He was an incredibly smart boy.

"What could the Colonel possibly want to know?" Edward grumbled.

"Well, he is our superior officer so we do have to report every once in a while," Ailne stated, raising a brow in response when he slumped further in his seat. "At least we have an idea of where to go next."

"Yeah, unless we get called all the way to central," Edward sighed.

The train came to a slow stop and Ailne blinked in confusion. She looked out the window and noted that they were on a bridge. Alphonse let out a worried sound and watched as she stood up and moved to the compartment door. The sound of a gun firing caused her to stop immediately and rethink her next moves when it went off again. The frame to the compartment broke and she stepped back, avoiding wood splinters.

"Man, train robbers of all things," Edward sighed.

"Mind if I get it?" Ailne asked and he seemed surprised before nodding. "This'll only take a few minutes."

Alphonse watched as she clapped her hands together and placed them on the floor. The blue alchemical light lit up their compartment as the creaking sounds of suddenly shifting wood and steel echoed in the air. A few screams sounded out as well, Ailne didn't seem too bothered but he knew her well enough to know that it did. She stood up straight and slowly walked into the corridor. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw where her spikes ended up. Several of the robbers had lost their weapons, and a couple fingers due to her blind aiming. She'd have to rectify that. It wouldn't do for her to seriously injure one of her brothers when they finally got around to sparring again. Alphonse had wanted to make sure that she was able to use the same moves as them. Learning a new fighting style had been strange, but she enjoyed it. It was one of the few times that someone took the time to teach her.

"Where the hell did a state alchemist come from?" A rough voice asked as she used the floor again to stop a bullet heading her way.

"Dunno, but damn," A different voice stated. "Do you think they started letting women join due to their…persuasive abilities?"

Ailne paused for a few seconds and Alphonse hid behind the sliding door to their compartment. Even Edward seemed a little unnerved as a sudden chill went through the air, even if a deep glare was on his face. He knew exactly what they were implying. He also knew that Ailne could move faster then she let on.

"They are so done for," Edward stated.

Alphonse nodded and watched as Ailne basically disappeared before slamming a foot into the face of the man who spoke. A few teeth came flying from his mouth before she brought her other foot down in a very particular spot. Edward and Alphonse winced in unison, Edward cringing as the man let out a whimper of pain. He may agree with her methods, he just hoped that she'd never use that on them. Ailne slowly looked towards the last remaining man. Her face hidden by shadows, a seeming pair of white eyes peering through it.

"Anyone else want to question my ability as an alchemist?" She hissed and Alphonse contemplated holding her back.

"N-No ma'am!" The remaining man squeaked.

"Good!" Ailne chirped clapping her hands together.

He was wrapped up in floor and she brushed dirt off her person before slowly walking through the door. Alphonse could hear the sounds of fighting and screams as she made her way to the leader. He shared a look with his brother. Their sister could be terrifying when she wanted to be.

"How long do you think she'll be?" Alphonse asked.

"Ten minutes, tops." Edward answered. "It's always nice to get the reminder that she's able to defend herself."

"Yeah," Alphonse agreed.

Could they really call the annihilation of a band of robbers defense? A rather high pitched scream rang through the air and they shrank slightly. The train did start to move again, so they gathered she had finished what she set out to do. The brothers sat down and waited patiently for Ailne to return, that's all they could do.

"You're the Gunmetal Alchemist?" A man questioned Ailne as she waved off the thanks of the engineer. "No wonder you were able to disguise yourself as a normal soldier."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, her terminology had changed slightly due to Edward and Alphonse's influence.

"There's stories that the Gunmetal Alchemist is a tall, willowy woman that can break trees down with her bare hands!" The man explained. "You look completely different."

Ailne stared ahead at that. Willowy? Bare hands? Where the hell had they come up with that from? She rubbed the back of her head at that. How was she supposed to respond? She couldn't really see how, so she ignored it.

0o0

Dear Ailne,

Do you know the stories we hear about you three?! The Fullmetal Alchemist along with his older sister the Gunmetal Alchemist caused ten buildings to be destroyed by looking at them. Seriously, it's hard to imagine you apologizing when you seem to be causing just as many issues as Ed does. At least Alphonse is there to stop you two.

Also, thank you for the automail information. Granny seemed to enjoy it just as much as I did. A few of our newest prototypes have been built to withstand desert weather, but we haven't figured out the issue with the heat. Maybe a much lighter blend of metal would help? Sorry, this letter wasn't supposed to turn into a brainstorming session, but I do enjoy your input. Someone who lived in a desert knows all the tricks.

I've been meaning to ask how your relationship with that Colonel is going. Granny's even asked about it. If you're starting to worry that others will notice, then try to be more subtle.

Your Favorite Mechanic,

Winry

0o0

Ailne brought a hand up in salute when they were greeted by a group of soldiers at the eastern station. They saluted back before hurrying into the train. The military was oddly efficient when it came to such things. It was different compared to Xerxes. Sometimes bandits took months to take care of. She looked towards the crowds in the station and heard the muttering. Alchemist seemed to scare regular people, and she didn't blame them for that.

"Let's get going," Edward muttered. "I don't want to stick around for them to finish up."

"Thank you for your help, Gunmetal Alchemist!" A few of the stationed guards stated as they passed.

Alphonse heard her sound of reluctant thanks before she made a groan. Ah, she really hated having attention like that put on her. Ailne was never going to stop a train robbery again unless she was personally involved. She made a face. Who was she kidding? Of course she'd help. It was the right thing to do.

"At least they don't call you my lady," Edward teased and he heard her huff.

"I would say I almost miss it, but I enjoy being called by my actual name," Ailne stated frowning at him.

"Isn't that Lieutenant Hawkeye?" Alphonse asked, stopping them from arguing.

The blonde woman in question was waiting beside a car. An all too familiar figure stood next to her. Ailne took one glance at them and mentally sighed. She didn't have a chance in hell with the Colonel. Those two had an obvious connection that even she wouldn't mess with. Oh well, at least she could still dream.

"Yo, Colonel," Edward greeted before glaring at the man. "Why'd you call us away from our lead?"

"The military is doing a mandatory physical examination," Roy answered with a slight smirk. "They do one every year."

Alphonse watched as Edward and Ailne tensed up. They had become uncomfortable with other people seeing their bodies due to the scars that littered them. Granted, Ailne never showed her's to begin with. She always changed in the bathroom and waited for one of them to inform her that they had finished changing. It was nice of her and he appreciated it. Even if it did nothing for him personally.

"Is there going to be a problem?" Roy asked and Ailne looked to the side.

"Are there any female doctors?" She asked.

Edward tensed up further at her question. It didn't take a genius to know why she had asked such a thing. Her past experiences with men had been dismal, even the ones on the train lent credence to that. She was staring at a specific spot as she waited for an answer. She quickly looked towards Roy and noted the calculating glint in his eyes. For a man that portrayed himself as lazy and arrogant, he was quite intelligent when he wanted to be. Riza herself tensed and looked at the other woman with understanding.

"There are several nurses that will be in the room," Roy stated, nodding his head when she made a slight face of reluctant understanding.

She had hoped that she wouldn't have to deal with a male doctor. A part of her recognized the difficulty that women seemed to have in certain fields. Men seemed to see women as hindrances in this time. Not much had changed since her time. She let out a soft sound of disbelief as the three siblings got in the car with some difficulty. Edward glared straight ahead as he sat between the two taller Elrics.

"At least you don't have to sit on one of our laps," Ailne softly informed him, and his glare increased.

Alphonse caught her slight grin as she moved to hide it. At least she was feeling good enough to mess with their brother. Still, he watched as her expression turned thoughtful. Something was bothering her and she didn't know what. He tilted his head slightly and she looked over at him when she caught the movement in her peripheral. Her expression said quite a bit to him. She'd tell them later.

East City reminded Ailne too much of central, including the large buildings that housed the military. They were given lodgings for the few days that they'd be there for the physical examinations. She sat on the bed in her room, oddly enough the person in charge of lodgings was able to get them a two room flat. It was strange having her own private time without her brothers. She had gotten so used to having people around her that it was strange to be alone. She was starting to think that Alphonse told Edward to let her get some rest. He'd be the most aware of her lack of sleep. He was a good baby brother. She felt her eyelids grow heavy as she relaxed. Just as they were about to close they quickly snapped back open.

A cold chill went through her body and she looked around to find the source of it. What had caused her to suddenly tense up like she had? She paused. Did that shadow just move? She blinked, she really hoped that wasn't the case. Perhaps it was just her exhaustion talking? Ailne let out a soft sigh and turned on her side, watching the world outside her window. Time moved on, whether or not she wanted it to. She had been twenty-three when they started their journey, now she was twenty-five. She has surpassed her fifth brother in age. It hurt to think about. She closed her eyes as tears began to form in them. It didn't do well to dwell on the past, something that Pinako had warned her against doing.

0o0

"Looks like everything is in order," the doctor said, writing down his information.

Aline stood there in her shirt and skirt. He hadn't asked her to remove her clothes. He hadn't touched her unless he had to. She was still tense, but not as much as she had been. She was pulling on her jacket and fastening it before being stopped by a nurse. The older woman had a lined face and dark gray hair, her blue eyes looking at the alchemist in thought.

"You are borderline anemic," the woman informed her and her eyes widened just the slightest. "You need to eat more, maybe some extra red meat at dinner."

"Right, thank you," Ailne said, her polite tone making the woman blink in surprise.

"I told your little brother to drink more milk to help his growth and he went into a fit," the woman dryly commented. "It's strange that you're kinder about it."

"Ed's particular about his height," Ailne gave a light laugh. "I'm sorry if he was rude."

The doctor and nurse stared at her in surprise. The soft smile on her face was practically blinding. It was unheard of in the military. She gave them a polite bow, a familiar gesture for her, before grabbing her heels and putting them on. Her shawl went next and it easily covered her hair. She left quickly, wanting to regroup with her brothers. She couldn't help the shiver down her spine as she passed an old man in a doctor's coat. His smile…her mind flashed to Truth's face splitting grin. The gold tooth glinted in the daylight and her hands began to tremble. She shook those thoughts away and quickened her pace, getting as far away from the doctor as she could. She turned a corner in her silent panic and ran into someone, her foot slamming into their shin on accident.

"Oh, are you the Eldest Elric sibling?" A pained voice asked.

"Sorry, are you okay?" She quietly asked, looking at the man she had run into.

He had dark hair and hazel eyes hidden behind glasses. He gave her a friendly grin and waved off her apology. He stood up straight and she made a face when he winced a bit. He didn't have to lie to her.

"Your brothers are outside," he informed her. "Edward is fighting against Roy."

"Oh no, what did Edward do to the colonel?" Ailne asked and the man let out a laugh.

"The entirety of central wanted to see who would win, the Fullmetal alchemist or the flame alchemist," the man explained and her shoulder slumped a bit in relief. "You don't seem as worried."

"Well, the colonel won't go full out against Ed, so I don't have to worry about Ed getting hurt," she explained. "But Ed…he won't hold back even a little."

"The names Maes Hughes," the man introduced with a laugh.

"Ailne Elric, it's nice to meet you," Ailne introduced herself, smiling a little.

Her eyes lit up when he brought out the pictures of his wife and daughter. She couldn't help but be happy for him. He was so proud of them. Maes enjoyed the fact that he found someone that was listening to him go on about his family. He gave the eldest Elric a wave before scurrying off when he heard steps coming their way. He had work to do.

"Why did you two have to fight?" Ailne asked as she came across Edward.

"Hey, did you get passed?" Edward questioned and she blinked in surprise before sighing.

"Yeah, I'm just a little anemic is all," she stated, shrugging at his worry. "There's a simple remedy."

It didn't stop him from worrying. Anemic, huh? He was going to make sure she ate a bit more. He would get Al in on it. A stone came flying his way and he rubbed at the spot where it hit.

"Get back to work, Fullmetal!" Roy yelled from his spot.

Ailne was sidelined with Alphonse and sat there in confusion. Alphonse watched as she kept her hands in her lap. They twitched and she looked around in discomfort. There it was again. The nagging feeling that something was wrong. Something was unnatural about central.

"I can't believe they broke the grounds," Alphonse stated and she chuckled.

"Was it mainly Ed?" She asked in amusement.

"A little," Alphonse answered, chuckling a bit himself.

Well, they were going to be stuck waiting a while. Aline tried to stay awake, she really did. It was when her head thunked against Alphonse's armor that he realized she was asleep. He was so used to her being quiet that it was startling when she did something like this. Edward wandered over during a small break.

"Man, how can she sleep in this heat?" Edward asked, before his mind caught up with him.

Right, she came from the desert. He shared a look with Alphonse when Roy decided to look over, a smirk on his face. Most likely gloating. He inwardly cursed the man and outwardly glared at him. Aline didn't sleep a lot and he'd rather not wake her up.

"I'm more worried about her getting burned," Alphonse stated. "I might get too warm for her."

"She'll wake up before that," Edward said.

Alphonse looked at him, and the blonde teen began to sweat heavily. There wasn't a guarantee that she would. She was a pretty heavy sleeper when she finally got to it. The amount of times she had slept through an argument between him and Winry was astounding.

"Fullmetal, break time is over!" Roy shouted to him and Edward groaned.

They weren't allowed to fix the grounds with alchemy and it was a grueling task. He picked up his shovel and removed his red coat. He needed to finish this quickly. They had to buy train tickets to Liore, there were rumors of a man that performed miracles. That made all three suspicious.

0o0

"Edward, calm down," Ailne sighed as her brother came back with their tickets. "If anything, we're early for the train."

They had been lucky enough to get a ride from the Colonel, something that amused Ailne a bit. The man liked to pretend not to care about the two brothers, but it was obvious he did. Well, obvious to her at least. She was just glad that the further from central she got, the less she felt that odd feeling. She couldn't help but wonder if she'd felt it before. It did feel familiar if she focused on it.

"If someone hadn't slept like the dead," Edward groused and she let out a sharp laugh.

"I don't sleep like the dead," she stated, amusement on her face.

Edward shot her a look and she tilted her head to the side in confusion. Did she sleep like the dead? She looked towards Alphonse and quickly looked away. She made a face at that.

"I'm getting on the train, don't take too long," Ailne informed her brothers.

"You three are always in a rush," Riza commented, walking with the other woman.

"I suppose I want to see them regain their bodies as fast as possible," Ailne quietly admitted. "I've reached my final height and can easily survive with automail legs…Edwards growth has been stunted and Alphonse can't even feel the sun on his face."

Riza gave the other woman a surprised look before getting a sad smile in response. For an older sister that had been gone most of their lives, she cared quite a bit. She entered the train and gave Riza the customary bow before finding her seat.

"I can't believe she doesn't even get a snack," Edward grumbled as he passed by Riza and onto the train, only pausing to do the same bow as his sister.

Alphonse didn't want to point out that she got too caught up in her thoughts to even eat. He gave Riza a polite wave and the woman let out a soft huff of amusement. Those two were politer than usual, like they were on their best behavior. She knew the reason.

"Those three," Roy sighed as the train began to pull out of the station. "Are going to make more paperwork for me."

Riza closed her eyes at that, a tiny smile on her face. The colonel liked to say such things, but he was simply hiding his worry behind complaining. She'd known him long enough to know his tells. She looked towards the moving train one last time. A silent wish of luck going the Elrics way.