Hey people, this is Shadow here. This chapter will be an omake, in celebration of a friend's birthday. Chika is actually adapted from that friend. So those who actually know us in real life, don't get the wrong idea, kay? Here's wishing our friend a happy birthday too!

"Hey, we're getting our report cards today, right?" Al asked, looking over to his friends. The gang of seven was as usual, walking home together after school.

"Now that you say that, I did hear the teacher talking about it." Ed answered.

"So, let's go by the same ritual then. Meet us at our house, this evening." Shadow looked over at his friends.

Shadow gazed over at Chika, she was as usual chitchatting with his sisters. It's been a few months since the three Matsudaira siblings started learning alchemy, which Chika had disapproved. Mitsuko had managed to create music alchemy, and Sozes had learnt nature alchemy from their father.

Chika still don't like us learning alchemy. I can see that…

"Hey, Shadow." Ed waved to the little waiter. It had been dinnertime, and the restaurant's as usual, crowded. Parents are commenting on their children's good results, bringing them to the restaurant for a treat.

"Yo, Ed. Hi, Aunt Trisha." Shadow bowed. "So, what will you have today?"

"Hmm… We will have the usual, like the boy's favourite stew… And, you know the rest…"

"Yay!" Ed cheered.

"Where's Al? And, how's your results?"

"Straight As. I tied with Win again though. Al's at the piano."

Shadow looked over to the piano. His sister is playing the piano, oblivious to the attention she's getting, and Al who's standing behind her. Chika's standing beside her, singing. Seeming to have seen Shadow look over, she smiled at Shadow.

"So, after the restaurant closes, we can wait for you four's results. Why do the postman always send the report cards to you last anyway?"

"That's because they're running a restaurant. They won't get to the mail immediately if he comes over. So, to save time, he might as well send other people's report cards to them first…"

Shadow and Ed turned around, only to see Winry.

"Hi, Winry. Here to eat?"

"Young whippersnappers. If we're here during dinnertime, what do you think we are here for?" Winry's grandmother appeared behind her, answering the question Ed directed at her granddaughter.

"To eat?"

"Right this way, please. Or would you like to sit with the Elrics?" Shadow cut into the potential quarrel. He wouldn't want any trouble while he's working.

"I'd golly like that."

"Okay. Please take a seat. I'll be back shortly." Shadow walked off, passing the order to Sozes, who's learning how to cook from her father.

"Oh. So they're here already? I see their usual orders."

"Yeah. And you might want to see there too." Shadow stated casually, pointing towards the piano.

"Al's there. Hmm… So they are here."

Shadow looked over to his twin sister unbelievingly. "You don't know?"

"Don't know about what?" Shadow heard the familiar voice of his brother.

"Heehee. Nothing. I've gotta go attend to the customers." With that, Shadow rushed off, not wanting to get a scolding for skiving at work.

"So what are you two talking about?" Shihiro turned to his ever-so-dense sister.

"There." Sozes pointed in the direction of the piano.

"Hmm… Mitsuko and Al? I suspect something's wrong with them…"

"Well, they didn't have any friendly quarrels, unlike Shadow and Chika." Shihiro looked over to Sozes and sighed, before walking away, leaving his sister standing there, wondering if her sister and Al ever did quarrel over small things for no reason at all.

"Is the postman here yet?" Ed asked for the seventh time in the night.

"…" Nobody answered him. Everybody had their dinner and were waiting for the three siblings and Chika's results.

"Hey Mitsuko, want a bet with me?" Ed whispered into her ear.

"Sure. What kind of a bet?"

"Let's bet on… Whether Shadow or Chika got first in class this time." Ed smirked. Shadow and Chika always get good results, being attentive in class, and often tied for the first place, while Sozes can only settle for third.

"You're on! I bet on Chika!"

"What kind of a sister are you, not betting on your brother? Oh well, I'll bet on Shadow then."

"I want to bet on both." Sozes piped up.

"Shh… Don't say so loud! They'll hear us."

Shadow looked at Ed. They're betting again…

"Hey Shadow, report cards!"

"Coming!" Sozes shouted.

"Hey, Hajime." Shadow ran up to his classmate, also the son of the postman.

"Here, open it here. People want to know who got first this time."

"Gossiping again? Same ritual too…" Shadow sighed and opened his report card. Seeing his class position, he quickly closed the card.

"I've got first!" Chika exclaimed.

"Aha! I win!" Mitsuko challenged Ed.

"Yeah. So what? We haven't see Shadow's results yet!"

"So, if Shadow got first, I will win…" Upon hearing that, everybody turned to Shadow, wanting to take a peek at his report card.

"What?"

"Get him!" Mitsuko shouted.

Shadow attempted to run, only to be blocked by his brother.

"Hey bro." Shihiro grinned.

Shadow hid his report card behind his back, only to get it snatched by his sister.

"Sozes, give me back!"

"No! I want to see if I'll win my first bet!"

Sozes opened Shadow's report card, only to be shocked. She opened her own report card, which she had not checked, and looked up disbelievingly at her brother.

"Gimme the report card!" Mitsuko took Shadow's card from Sozes's hands. Looking into the contents, she had the same reaction as her sister, read Sozes's report card.

"No way… You've got third?"

Chika looked at her rival, who looked away from her.

"You've got third?"

In the awkward situation, Shadow could only look to the ground.

"Chika!" Mitsuko shouted, as her friend ran away in the distance.

Shadow felt a tap on his shoulder and looked up.

"Hey Ed, sorry that you lost your bet…"

"Don't worry about that. Let's go prepare for the party." Chika's birthday was the next day, and they had planned a surprise party for her.

Shadow looked at Ed walk in the door to tell the adults of the news, before looking at his brother, who was standing at the pathway, "Disappointed?"

"Not really. It's to be expected, what with you learning alchemy and…"

"Shadow, go distract Chika." Everybody looked at Sozes as she continued, "You are bad with decorations. You might as well make sure that Chika's safe, and distract her."

"Now, that's a good idea." Mitsuko said, patting Sozes on her shoulder.

"But…"

"No buts, this is a direct order from your sister, go find her."

Shadow sighed. His sister giving a direct order means that she will not change her mind. "Alright."

"Hey Shadow, wait a while." Shihiro disappeared into the house, then coming out, carrying a small box, "Give it to her, we expect to see it on her when the party starts. Make sure you two don't come back till 12 midnight."

Shadow sighed, before putting the box into his pocket and running off to find Chika

Shadow looked at his watch. 9.30… 2 hours and 30 minutes to find her and make sure she doesn't go back…

Shadow was in town, where Chika had ran towards.

Where can she be?

Shadow walked around. A lot of people are in town that night, even the street gangs. Looking over to the aforementioned, They're up to something wrong again… Deciding to ignore them and focus on his mission, he heard a familiar voice, "What do you all want?"

"Come on, little girl. Are you lost?"

Shadow turned over to see Chika standing in the middle of the gang.

"Do I look like I'm lost? You all look more lost than me, babies who don't know where their mothers are." Chika retorted.

Shadow palm-slapped his forehead. Trust Chika to try to do this kind of thing.

As he looked at the gang getting closer to Chika, shouting death threats at her. I have to do something and fast.

He took out a glove from his pocket and put it on, smirking.

"Boom!" An explosion occurred? No, there's only smoke. The gangsters coughed, trying to get away from the smoke. Once the smoke had dispersed, the girl who had offended had gone.

"Where is she?"

"Dad, is the cake ready yet?"

"You just put it into the oven, Sozes."

"But it seem so long." Sozes complained, before going out into the restaurant.

Everybody's doing the decorations. Lucky Shadow wasn't here. Wonder how he is doing now? I'd better check the cake again…

Chika opened her eyes, just to see herself getting carried. Her 'captor' was jumping on the buildings, seeming to be carrying her away from danger.

"You alright?"

"Shadow?"

"Yeah, who else would it be? We'd better hide in the nearby forest, until a few hours later. Won't want to risk you getting found by those gangsters again." Shadow grinned at Chika, before speeding up.

"So, how's the decorations going?"

"I need some help, Nii-san, not talk…" Mitsuko said, holding onto one end of the banner.

Shihiro grinned, taking up the other side of the banner.

"It's beautiful." Shadow brought Chika up to the cliffs behind the forests. There was a clear view of the stars in the sky. Chika looked amazed by the stars. They may see a lot of stars from their home. But the stars here seemed uncountable.

"Why did you run away just now?"

"…" Chika kept quiet at that question.

"You know, if I didn't run after you, you'd be in deep trouble now?"

"Then, why did you get third? You lost to Sozes too!"

"So what if I get third? You've got first! Isn't what you wanted? You should be happy…" Shadow raised his voice, thinking of the dire consequences that would have happened if he was not there.

"Because… I cared… Alchemy's taken up so much of your time, you weren't even studying properly… I'm worried… Sozes too… All of you…"

Shadow looked at Chika. Her eyes were brimming with tears. He was shocked. He had never seen Chika cried, not even when her parents left for their world concerts. He didn't know what to do. So, he just patted her shoulder softly, while the stars blinked, seeming to help try to calm Chika down.

"Okay, the banner's done." Shihiro announced as he managed to hang it on the wall.

"Great, let's move onto the streamers and…"

"You like Alphonse-kun, don't you?" Shihiro whispered into Mitsuko's ears.

"We're only friends!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh, then why is my lil' sis always glancing at her best friend. Or is it more than a best friend?" Shihiro teased her, laughing.

"Nii-san!" Mitsuko retorted shyly.

"Does that mean you two didn't quarrel?"

The two siblings looked over at Sozes. Mitsuko, with a confused look and Shihiro palm-slapping his forehead.

"How did you do that smoke?" Chika had calmed down a bit, and was watching the stars with Shadow.

Shadow, who was lying down, looked at his friend. "It's alchemy."

"Alchemy? Don't you learn fire alchemy?"

"Yeah… But I adjust the air currents properly, the fire wouldn't be big and can even only creates smoke, just like just now…"

"Oh…"

"Changed your mind about alchemy?"

"Just a bit."

"It can be useful at times too…"

Chika didn't reply.

"So how did the bet go?" Trisha asked her elder son

"What bet?" Ed asked, before drinking his water.

"You brothers' bet for Winry."

Upon hearing that, Ed choked on his water while his mother laughed.

"How did you know about that?"

"Overheard."

"You were eavesdropping again?"

"I said I overheard. You two were speaking so loudly at that…"

"Mum…"

"And it does seem that Al wasn't even interested in Winry too…"

"What do you mean?"

Trisha decided to keep quiet, seeing that Al came up to them, wanting to help with the food.

11.48 huh? Shadow looked at his watch. Chika had fallen asleep, just beside him. Shadow sat up, talking off his jacket and putting it on her, not wanting her to get cold. Looking at her, her facial features bathed in the starlight, he fingered the little box in his pocket and smiled. 12 minutes would be enough for him to set up a surprise, just for her, the birthday girl.

"Admit it! You like him!"

"There's no time for such things now, please just help me, Nii-san." Mitsuko glared at her 17-year-old brother. "We have about 10 more minutes before midnight."

Giving up, Shihiro took the streamers from Mitsuko and started to hang them in the living room's lights. Sozes went off to keep a look-out for Chika. He cast a glance at Al, who was with his mother arranging the table and food. I've gotta put them together. When I'm not around someone's gotta take care of her…

The clock struck midnight from town faraway, which startled Shadow from his short nap. Chika was already awake, sitting by the cliff.

I should give her a surprise…

Sneaking up behind his friend, Shadow took out the little box from his pocket.

"Happy Birthday Chika!" Shadow jumped from behind her with a loud shout.

"That wasn't scary, Shadow."

"Aww…"

"But thanks anyway." Chika replied with a smile.

Shadow passed her the box. Chika opened it slowly, to see a necklace. The three hearts interlocked with each other, and its small jewels shining under the starlight. "It's beautiful…"

"It was handmade by me, Sozes and Mitsuko. We didn't use alchemy since we knew you wouldn't like it…"

Chika took out the necklace. "Thanks…"

"Since it's your birthday, you're gonna wear it for the whole day. That's what Mitsuko said. If you don't, she'll kill me!" Shadow took the necklace from Chika and put it on her neck.

"Then I'll make sure she kills you!" Chika joked with a laugh.

"Hey! … Let's go home…" Shadow helped Chika up and they walked slowly through the forest under the starry sky.

"Hey… hey Al…" Shihiro whispered to Al as he turned into the kitchen to bring out another plate of food his mother had prepared.

"Yes, Shihiro?"

"Haven't you noticed?"

"Noticed what?"

Shihiro nodded his head to where Mitsuko was outside, practicing her guitar now that everything was ready for the party.

"What about Mitsuko?"

"Can't ya tell that Mitsu-Mitsu actually likes you?"

"Erm… Actually… I feel the same way about her too…" Al confessed shyly.

"Then what are you waiting for? Go get her! My lil' sis needs something else too other than her music!" Shihiro lightly pushed Al outside.

"What am I going to say to her? It's so awkward to tell her so suddenly!"

"Need some time alone with her? Leave it to me!" Shihiro laughed. With that he made his way outside, signaling Al to follow him.

"Hey! Chika's here!" Shihiro slammed open the door abruptly, with Sozes rushing into the house.

"What?" Mitsuko immediately put down her guitar and made her way to the switch beside the door to off the lights. She felt a push behind her. Turning her head back, she saw her brother with Sozes forcing her out of the house.

"Good luck!" Shihiro laughed and slammed the door after leaving his sister outside.

"Nii-san!" Mitsuko shouted furiously. She searched the small lane that led to the house. Chika ain't even here!

What am I going to say? Shihiro just had to act so fast…

Al nervously glanced at Mitsuko who had just noticed him standing at the side of the porch.

"Erm… Mitsuko… That wasn't my idea… But… I…" Al stammered, finding the right words to say to her.

The curtains of the front window shifted a little. Shihiro peeped outside. Don't fail me, buddy!

Mitsuko frowned at Al. "Okay, what is Nii-san up to now? Don't tell me you fell for him too."

"Actually, what I wanted to tell you is…" Al shuffled his feet as he reached into his pocket. He had kept something he made for very long, but was too shy to give it to Mitsuko. "Your… alchemy… I realized that if you could combine your sound alchemy with the instrument you play… So I kinda…" Finding courage to grab her hand, Al placed a small plastic triangle in her palm.

Mitsuko looked at Al curiously. Her eyes shone brightly, reflecting the moonlight and starlight. Did he just grab my hand? So he also… Al broke her train of thoughts as he further explained the small gift. "It's a guitar pick… Took me quite some time to make it…" Examining the gift closely, Mitsuko noticed a small transmutation circle carved at the edge. With a smile, she closed her palm and Al let go of his grip.

"Thanks, Al." Mitsuko put an arm over his shoulder and continued to look at the gift as she stood beside him. Al did not reply but grinned and looked up into the sky.

Also putting his arm over her shoulders, Al spoke to Mitsuko softly.

"It sure is a starry night today…"

"Yeah it sure is." The reply wasn't from Mitsuko. They turned to see Chika and Shadow looking at them.

"What's my sis and Al doing here all alone huh?" Shadow laughed.

Mitsuko immediately retreated her arm from Al's shoulders and kept the guitar pick in her pocket. "So what's my lil' bro and Chika doing alone till in the night with that necklace on my buddy's neck huh?"

"You asked me to look for her!"

"Exactly! Now get inside the house. It's getting cold."

As Chika and Shadow entered the house, Mitsuko and Al exchanged smiles once more before following them in.

The lights went on.

"Happy Birthday Chika!"

Chika's friends greeted her. The whole living room was decorated with streamers and banners. There was a gigantic cake on the table with a large spread of food that Trisha had prepared. Ed stood beside his mother, together with Sozes and Wodahs, who had spent most of his time baking the cake, still wearing the apron he used. Pinako was with Winry, together with the family's pets, Fluffy, Sozes' rabbit and Sky, Shadow's pet eagle.

She stood in silence, surprised by the party set up for her. Mitsuko playfully jumped on Chika, her hands patting her shoulders. Together, she and Al wished her happy birthday again. Shadow pulled her towards the cake.

With a birthday song and a birthday wish, Chika blew the candles.

"Thanks for everything." She thanked with a grin, with all her friends gathered around the table.

As the cake was cut and everyone was praising Wodahs for his excellent baking, Al felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Hey buddy, take good care of my sis will ya?" Shihiro whispered into his ear before approaching to his father for another piece of his fabulous cake.

Al laughed silently to himself and joined his friends, who were all eating their share of the cake like a pack of hungry wolves.

With everyone finished eating, Shadow announced.

"Let the party begin!"

Happy birthday to our friend again :D Hope y'll like this omake xD As we said this fanfic char's created based on each of our personality so don't get the wrong idea " Yea it's the four of the OOC… No wrong ideas please dudes/dudettes who know us in real life D:

Next up~ Chapter 5~ Turn on ur radios and stay tuned :D

Hereby wishing my friend a happy birthday! 3

-Mitsuko