Sorry guys! Since school's started I haven't him any free time at all. Sports, school (we have so much more homework this year D:) and everything else, I've been very busy. So updates will probably not be as frequent.
"So, what is this, alchemy?" asked Nami curiously. The colonel Roy Mustang was telling the trio about himself, but they were still confused about this concept even after he gave them a fiery explanation, ending with a resounding cheer from Usopp and Chopper. He had a power like Ace's, but he explained that alchemist's power wasn't confined to just fire, but more or less every Logia power imaginable. All you needed was a little substance to exchange. This was what confused Nami. "I'm still confused about the whole 'equivalent exchange' part."
"Well it's actually pretty simple," Roy explained. "It is simply if you create one thing using alchemy, then something of equal value must be sacrificed. Say if you wanted to create a house. You could do so in a fraction of the time it would take to construct it if you used alchemy, but you would need the wood, steal, and everything else it would take. But you could do it."
"Oh I see," said Nami, finally starting to understand. They had gone back to the house Usopp had woken up in, but it was still empty. No sign of anyone had been there for a while, except the bed he'd been sleeping in. They sat down on a couch in the main room while Roy made some tea. He made it seem this was his house. "So, where are we exactly?"
"Right now?" he confirmed. "We are in the Rockbell's house. Winry and Pinako. They are good friends of the Elrics, so I thought they'd be here."
"Winry Rockbell?" asked Usopp. "I don't know who that is, but I woke up in a bed upstairs in this house this morning. Who is she?"
"Like I said, she is a friend of Edward and Alphonse Elric. She's a mechanic, one of the best this country has seen. She is working as an apprentice for Garfiel in Rush Valley."
"Ah a mechanic," said Usopp, suddenly interested. He leaned in forward and said, "So, that must've been her room I woke up in earlier."
"What makes you think that?" asked Nami curiously, sipping her steaming tea.
"Well, there was a work table covered with different screws and tools, as well as scraps of metal. That must be hers, right?" he stated, directing the question to the colonel.
"I would say that's a high probability, but do you remember how you got there?"
"No, not really. I just remember a, a cloud? I'm not sure what that was. Oh, and then I hit my head on a rock or something and I thought I saw a talking suit of armor." He sat back, waiting for Roy's reply. When he gave none, Usopp added, "Yeah, I know, call me crazy."
Roy looked down at his polished loafers and muttered something inaudible. Usopp appeared offended. "Hey, look, I'm not lying! I really did see that!"
Roy chuckled softly. "I'm sure you aren't. I was merely noting that the Elric brothers were here, at least, one of them was."
"How could you possibly know that?" snapped Nami. She was beginning to not trust this guy. Who would believe someone about a talking suit of armor? The idea seemed laughable. But then again, maybe it wasn't. They'd been exposed to a life where strange powers like people made of fire and growing extra hands out of the ground.
"Well, the Elrics are a strange duo. The smaller one is the older brother of the two, even though his brother, who resides in a giant metal suit, is about twice his size. I won't laugh at your story, because the suit of armor you saw was Alphonse Elric, one of the men I've been looking for." Roy explained. "And from what I recall, you had said you've seen Edward Elric before?"
"No, I've never " Usopp started, but Nami cut him off. "Yes, we have. He was on our ship last we knew, but then we ended up here somehow."
"Do you have any idea how that could have happened?"
Nami looked at Chopper. He shook his head glumly and slumped down in his seat. "I miss Luffy and everyone else," he said in a voice that was almost a whisper. Nami shook her head and shrugged. "All we remember is exactly like what Usopp described," she exclaimed, spreading her hands. "We were just sailing on the Grand Line and suddenly, we were here."
Roy sat back in his chair, deep in thought. "Grand line?" he said after a moment.
"Yeah," Usopp said. "We are the Straw Hat Pirates. Haven't you heard of us? We are pretty well known."
Roy looked confused. "No, I haven't. And I know a lot in this country. If a lot of people know you, then that would suggest a different place in a different world. I've never heard of the Grand Line."
They sat quietly in utter silence. Not even a bird chirped outside. Roy's dark eyes seemed focused and determined, yet calm as the seas on a sunny day. The tension from the other three, however, was overwhelming. They knew nothing about this world, and it seemed to be a better and better chance that this world was a completely different dimension. Chopper shifted in his seat when Roy looked up and said two simple words.
"The Truth."
Sorry for the somewhat boring chapter. It was very important. And you'll find out why in the next chapter.