KawaiiChibiHime33 is responsible for editing these chapters for your enjoyment :).

Chapter Two: The Dream

(Carmen's POV)

"Ugh! When is this pain going to end?" I asked myself. I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist as the open wound sent another painful shock through my body. Then, it slowly, but suddenly subsided.

"What the...?" I asked, confused. Slowly opening my eyes, I was shocked to see a clear blue sky above me. Wasn't it supposed to be night time and raining right now? And why the hell did I feel grass beneath me when I was out cold in front of the cafe?

I slowly sat up, taking note that I was back in my human form. I found myself sitting in a large meadow, similar to the one back in Risembool. Wait, I think this was that meadow. I got to my feet. I was back home, but how? I didn't remember teleporting before I passed out.

"This doesn't make any sense." I told myself.

"Don't fret young one. You will learn why you were sent here."

That voice. I knew who it was before I even turned around. I hadn't heard that voice since I was eight. "Mom?" I whispered. I slowly turned around until I came face to face with a tall, blonde haired woman with dark, brown eyes, wearing a pale blue dress with a white apron over it, and a light smile on her face.

"MOM!" I screamed happily. I started running toward her. She held out her arms as I ran into them, even though I was almost as tall as her. I then broke down into tears, happy to be in my mother's arms again. She kissed me on my tear stained cheek. She then broke our embrace. I clung onto her hand, never wanting to let go.

"I've missed you so much! I thought I would never see you again." I whimpered. I was acting like a little kid, but I didn't care.

Mom smiled. "I've always been with you, my brave alchemist. I've watched over you, ever since the day I left you. You've done a wonderful job, taking care of your sister, helping Edward and Alphonse, and keeping your promise to protect the ones you love with the Ivory Blade."

Her eyes then traveled to my locket. They were tinged with sadness. "I see that Raion finally gave you the gift." she replied.

At the mention of Dad's name, my hand quickly flew to my neck, gripping the heart. I cast my eyes downward. "I sometimes feel so lost without him." I answered quietly. Tears filled my eyes and ran down in trails on my cheeks.

Mom gently cupped my chin in her hand and she tilted it back upward so I was looking straight into her eyes. "Your father loved both you and your sister, Carmen. He would go to any length to protect his daughters." she told me gently. She then used her other hand to wipe away the tears forming trails down my cheeks.

I nodded, but it still hurt. The feeling that I had the day he was killed by Lust started coming back, like my heart had been ripped right out of me.

My mom let go of my chin and placed both of her hands on my shoulders. "Carmen, I've come to tell you something important. You've been sent to another world. You've been summoned here for a purpose. Your skills are needed to help fight the evil being that lurks in this universe." She then stepped away from me. I watched in horror as she started to fade.

"Wait! You can't leave me! What evil being? Will I see you again?" I cried out, tears starting to form in my eyes again. I wiped them away angrily. I hadn't cried in a long time, and I wasn't going to start now.

"I will visit you in your dreams. Until then, go my alchemist. There are those who wish to meet you when you awaken." With those final words, she faded completely, leaving me alone.

"Mom no, please come back!" I pleaded desperately, but no one came. The meadow then started to fade. I was thrown back into the new world, and back into unconsciousness.

Post notes- Okay, short chapter. Anyway here's another installment of Carmen's back story.

Another gift that Carmen's father gave to her was an important weapon in the Ikora (eye-kora) tribe: The Ivory Blade. It's this pure white dagger with a vine pattern on the hilt. Another Ikora pendent is embedded into the hilt. When someone with Ikora blood cast their hands over it, the magic honed inside of it will make it grow into a long sword (similar to Kurogane's) Carmen has the mark of the cat, so she's a natural born fighter. She's also very fast and is very agile. Another thing is that Carmen's auto mail hand has a gun and a small little dagger in it, so when she's fighting she can transmute her hand into a gun or dagger any time she wants. Also, she wears a belt of daggers around her waist. She only uses the gun if it's absolutely necessary, or if brute force is needed :).

Read, Review, and Comment, and I'll see you in Chapter 3.

Your friend,

Carmen Veiga