Your eyes don't decieve you. I changed my username. :D You like?
Hello everyone! Welcome to chapter 19! I never expected to get this far, hahahah.
I'd like to thank all my lovely reviewers and everyone who favorited/alerted this story. You're all awesome! I mean it! Absolute best!
*Also, I made a teeny mistake last chapter but I'm not sure if I'll ever get around to fixing it so I'll just correct myself here. During the Truth scene, he says the discussion happened that morning. That's wrong. The discussion happened three days before the Truth scene. But I wasn't paying attention and accidentally put the wrong thing. I apologize. *bows**
**Unbetaed**
Disclaimer: I no own FMA. Nor do I own "Boats & Birds" by Gregory and The Hawk. Or TMNT.
And away we go!
Chapter 19: Life
A very long time ago, Alice had been a fan of the show Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles. She and her friends had all watched it, attempting to replicate the movements they saw on the show. It had always been fun. Now that Alice was actually being taught those moves by someone who actually knew how to do them, it wasn't as fun.
"Bring your left arm up a bit more. Keep your right arm where it is. Lean a little to the left...better."
Alice tried not to curse in irritation as she attempted to follow Edward's instructions. She stayed as still as she could, watching him as he looked her over.
"Your stance isn't bad...your form seems to be alright. Your arm's still a bit low." Ed stated, coming to a stop behind her. He moved foward, his body pressed against hers as he reached around her to adjust her arm. Alice blushed brightly, letting him move her limb without resistance.
The two were quiet for a moment, unmoving. Alice was about to ask Ed what he was doing when he suddenly spun her around, pulling her close. Her blush deepened, her green eyes locked with Ed's golden ones. Ed had just begun to move closer when Al came out into the yard, causing them to jump apart.
"Are you two okay?" Al asked, sounding worried, "You're both bright red."
"I-it's nothing. We were just sparring." Ed stuttered, refusing to look away from the ground. Alice just nodded in agreement, not trusting herself to speak.
"Oh. Well, Colonel Mustang just called. Apparently we have a new mission."
"Did he say what it was? Or do we have to go see him?" Ed asked, heading inside.
"He wants us to go inspect an old coal mine about fifteen miles outside the city. It hasn't been used for a long time and the military is considering using it again."
"For what?" Alice questioned as she swept her hair back into a messy bun.
"I'm not really sure. But the Colonel wants to go see whether or not it's safe and usable."
"Right," Ed said, crossing his arms. "When do we leave?"
"Soon. Havoc will be coming to take us out there, since we don't have a car and we can't drive."
"I can drive," Alice piped up, causing the Elrics to look at her in surprise. She blushed slightly, "But I probably can't drive your cars. They're stick shift, aren't they? Do they even have gears?"
"Stick shift?" Ed repeated, looking confused.
"Uh, it's nothing. Don't worry about it," Alice said quickly, waving her hands, "Let's go get ready."
~X~
"You can't actually expect me to go in there."
"I do and you will."
"No way! It looks like a death trap!"
"It does not! It just looks like a cave! How can a cave look like a 'death trap'?"
"Are you blind? That's not a cave, it's a black hole!"
Alphonse sighed, wishing he had gone back to Central with Havoc. They hadn't even been here for five minutes and Ed and Alice were already arguing. The armor strode past them, not bothering to say anything as he entered the coal mine.
"Al! Wait up!" Ed cried, turning back to grab Alice's arm before hurrying after him.
"Not fair, not fair!" Alice exclaimed, trying to escape the alchemist's grasp.
"Oh calm down, Allie," Ed muttered, glaring at her over his shoulder, "The sooner we finish the inspection, the sooner we can go home. Suck it up."
"Gee, there's so much love in that statement I might just drown," Alice snapped.
"Enough you two." Al called from farther in.
Alice and Edward caught up to him quickly, huddling together around the light coming from Ed's lantern. The brothers were relaxed, scanning the area around them and occasionally going over to the wall to inspect a crack. Alice stayed put, her arms wrapped around herself, a frown on her face.
"Can't we just lie and say that the place is condemned?" Alice asked, glancing over at Ed. Unfortunately, Al was the one who answered.
"Alice! We couldn't do that! What if this place is still useable? Maybe it can be used to help people."
"Yeah right," She muttered, turning away so she didn't have to face either of them.
"He's right, " Ed said, lifting the lantern up so he could see the wall better, "If we say this place is worthless when it really isn't, we might hurt someone's chances at getting help, or a job, or whatever these mines would offer."
Alice just sighed, finally moving to go stand by an old metal cart. She placed her hands on it, leaning forward to see if there was anything inside. Much to her disappointment, it was empty.
"Maybe we'd finish sooner if we split up?" Al offered.
"Well...I suppose it couldn't hurt. Allie will have to come with me, of course. We can't let her wander a mine on her own," Ed replied, grinning.
The brothers decided that this was best course of action and they headed off, Alphonse going down a tunnel on the left, Alice and Ed going down a tunnel on the right.
Alice should have known this wouldn't end well.
They had been walking through the mines for a good half hour, turning into new tunnels whenever Ed felt it was a good idea. So far there hadn't been much that would lead to the mine being condemned. The two came to a stop in a large cavern, the first part of the mine they had come across that actually lead to lower levels.
Ed stood at the top of the path that went along the cavern wall, the lantern held high. He frowned bit, slowly beginning to turn towards Alice when she suddenly screamed, flinging herself at him. Ed let out a grunt, just barely managing to keep them both upright and on the path.
"What the hell, Allie? Why'd you scream?" He asked, glancing around her head to see if there was anyone else in the cavern with them.
"Rat! Big one! It's was huge, Ed! Like, you don't even know. It was obese!" Alice exclaimed, gripping the front of his jacket and shaking him. Twitching, he grabbed her shoulder, pushing her back a bit.
"A rat? You screamed because of a rat?"
"Yes!" She cried, latching onto his arm, "Come on, Ed, you're supposed to protect me!"
"I don't think rats count!"
"They totally count!"
"Whatever. Come on, we're going down." Ed said, pulling away from her. Alice froze.
"What? We're...going down there?"
"Yes," Ed replied, glancing back, "It's just a mine. I...promise to protect you from the rats, okay?" The blonde blushed slightly, holding out his hand.
Alice stared at it for a moment before grabbing it, lacing her fingers through his.
"Alright. But it's not really the rats I'm worried about now."
"We'll be fine. Trust me."
~X~
"I never should have trusted you, Edward Elric!" Alice exclaimed, her voice rising to the point of panic.
"So we're a bit lost. We'll be fine." Ed responded nonchalantly.
"A bit lost? Does that mean we were only a teeny, tiny bit lost three hours ago?"
"Not nessasarily."
"Argh! We're gonna be trapped here the rest of our lives! We'll never find away out. Ed, I don't wanna be stuck in some godforsaken coal mine the rest of my life!"
"Calm down, Allie. We'll find a way out. We just have to keep looking."
"I should have just stayed home," Alice muttered, sliding down to sit against the wall. Ed strode over to stand in front of her, crouching down so he could look her in the eye.
"Sitting down isn't going to get us out of here."
Alice sighed, covering her eyes with her hands so she wouldn't have to look at Ed.
"Can't you just use alchemy? Can't you make a hole though the ceiling or something?"
"And how exactly would we climb out?"
"I dunno, can't you make a rope?"
"I don't have the right materials."
"Damn it." Alice let her hands to drop to find that Ed had opted to sit down as well. He sat in front of her, his golden eyes glowing in the lantern light. She blushed slightly, relaxing against the wall and waiting for Ed to speak.
He didn't. Instead, he leaned forward, a blush developing on his cheeks as he moved. He stopped about a foot away, blushing even more. Alice watched him, waiting. When it was obvious he wasn't going get any closer, Alice took the intiative and moved forward herself.
Now the two were only inches apart, so close that staring into Ed's eyes almost made Alice go cross-eyed. Ed suddenly seemed to realize just how close they were and began to pull back, his cheeks even redder than before.
But Alice had been stuck in a mine all day and she wasn't about to let the only worthwhile event slip away.
She reached forward, grabbing Ed's jacket and pulling him closer until their lips met. Ed was frozen at first and for a moment Alice was afraid she had done the wrong thing. But then he started to kiss her back, his arms moving to slip around her waist. Alice's arms ended up flung around his neck as the kiss deepened, continuing on until they were forced to break apart for air.
They stared at each other, their eyes alight with excitement.
"Maybe...we should have done that sooner." Ed muttered.
"Yeah, maybe." Alice replied. Their eyes met for a moment before they both started snickering, collapsing against each other as their bodies shook with laughter.
Eventually their laughter subsided, their foreheads touching as they caught their breath. Alice took Ed's hand's, running her fingers over his automail hand.
"Do you realize how badass your automail is?"
Ed let out a laugh, his eyes sliding closed.
"You certainly have a way with words, Allie."
Alice grinned, closing her eyes as well.
"I'm tired," She said softly, "Think we'll make it out of here soon?"
"Yeah. But I'm tired too. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt if we just rested for a few minutes."
Edward pulled away, moving to sit beside her against the wall, allowing Allie to rest her head on his shoulder. They sat in a comfortable silence, the calmest they had been since arriving at the mine.
"I wonder where Al is..." Alice mumbled. Ed gave a little sound that Alice assumed meant something along the lines of "So do I."
"Hey, Allie?"
"Hm?"
"Do you remember that time in Resembool? Back when we first met? How you and...Emily were singing?"
Alice smiled a bit at the memory before frowning a bit in confusion.
"Yeah. Why?"
"Uh...well...We weren't on...good terms then, but I remember thinking that your voice was pretty."
"R-really?" Alice asked, blushing.
"Mhmm. Could you...sing again?"
"Right now?"
"Well...it's really quiet and since we decided to rest...I kinda want to hear you sing again. Will you?"
"Uh...I suppose I could. What do you want me to sing?"
"Something nice, I guess." Ed replied, resting his head against hers.
Alice bit her lip, thinking. What could she possibly sing? It had been so long since she had heard any music from home. And most of the songs she remembered weren't exactly "nice."
Well, there was one...
So Alice took a deep breath and began to sing.
"If you'll be my star, I'll be your sky
you can hide underneath me and come out at night.
When I turn jet black and you show off your light,
I live to let you shine.
I live to let you shine.
But you can skyrocket away from me,
and never come back if you find another galaxy.
Far from here, with more room to fly.
Just leave me your stardust to remember you by."
Ed reached over, taking Alice's hand.
"If you'll be my boat, I'll be your sea
the depth of pure blue just to probe curiosity.
Ebbing and flowing and pushed by a breeze,
I live to make you free.
I live to make you free.
But you can set sail to the west if you want to,
past the horizon, 'till I can't even see you.
Far from here, where the beaches are wide.
Just leave me your wake to remember you by."
"That...seems kind of sad." Ed remarked, his voice quiet.
"Yeah. But it's kind of lovely too."
"I suppose so."
"Should we go look for an exit now? Or at least try to find Alphonse?"
"Yeah, we probably should."
Ed got up, helping Alice stand and keeping hold of her hand once they started to walk.
Alice didn't complain.
Well, that didn't take as long as I thought it would. This is kind of a chapter of filler/fluff/regular life, instead of someone getting kidnapped or something. I tried? Chapter 20 might come soon cuz it will be more coal mine stuff :)
Since quite a few people asked for a kiss, I figured I'd put one in this chapter. How did I do with it? I haven't really written much stuff like that.
I hope Ed wasn't too OOC this chapter...
If you haven't heard that song, I highly suggest you look it up. It really is lovely. :) (It's Boats & Birds by Gregory and The Hawk)
Anyhoo, before we get to questions, I'd like to make a shameless plug! KamonKayoko and I are currently writing a FMA story together and it would mean a lot to us if you all checked it out!
www. fanfiction s/ 8113953/1/ On_Melancholy_Hill
Just take out the spaces :)
End of Chapter Questions:
1- Your opinion on the kiss?
2- On the coal mine?
3- Is there any specific event you would like to see in this story?
4- Who else thinks Captain America is a fantastic movie?
5- Who would win in a fight? Edward Elric or Harry Potter? Why?
Please review! Send me your thoughts! I'd love to hear from you guys!
Until next time!