Disclaimer: I do not own any characters except ocs.
{Opening song}
A woman's squeal is heard. "Perfect! It's the latest design from Remis Studios! I didn't think it was here! Look at the size of that rock!" The woman said happily when she faced her boyfriend. "Will you buy it for me, please?" The woman asked him. "You bet, baby." The man said to her when Winry and Whitney squeals over something. They then had sparkles in their eyes as they spotted something. "It's the most recent God's model! I'd never imagine beholding such a thing with my own eyes!" Winry and Whitney said. As they pressed their face against the glass as they squealed. Al, Abbie, and Ed all sweat-dropped as it went unnoticed by her.
"Welcome to the holy land of auto-mail. This place sure is bustling." Al stated as all five walked down the street as Ed had his coat off. Ed says, "Remain me why we got dragged out here in the heat to look at a bunch of auto-mail?"
"We should have dropped Winry off in the station and headed off to Dubilith." "Come on, Ed, it isn't that bad. All we have to do is just drop off Winry and we be on our way." Whity smiled at him.
"Hey, kid! Come back here a second!" Before they could move, a crowd formed around them and started to examine Ed's arm auto-mail. "I've never seen one like this before..." "It is unusual...everyone, have a look!" Next thing, Ed was stripped down to his underwear.
"Hey. Stop that!" Ed said as he was getting jostled around by the group. "Hey! Hold on a second! Get out of my personal space quick!" "No, no! Don't...don't undo that!" His clothes were suddenly flying through the air and he was screaming. "Don't be rude...they just want a closer look." Winry told them.
"A little help here, WINRY!" Ed kicked out of the crowd and put on his pants. "Geez, this is why I steer clear of auto-mail engineers – Oh no!" He felt around in his pants. "Is something wrong, Ed?" Winry asked stopping the admirers to stop gawking at her.
"It's gone," Ed said. "What did ya lose?" Al, Whity, Abbie and Winry asked. "Only the thing that proves that I'm state alchemist," Ed said, pulling out his pockets. "My silver watch is gone." Then they all screamed. "It sounds like you guys had a run-in with Paninya." A man with an auto-mail eye said. "Paninya?" Abbie said. "A pickpocket around here who likes to target tourists." An elderly man said. "Do you know where I can track down this 'Paninya' girl?" Ed asked. "She took something important!" Whitney said.
"Hmm, let's see, where is she again?" "I know what might jog my memory." The old man said. "If I can just have one more look at that auto-mail!" The two men said. Ed clapped and brought out a massive forearm blaze, scowling angrily at the men. They turned and pointed, false smiles crossed their faces. "The auto-mail shop is run by an engineer named Dominic!"
*Mountains*
Winry, Al, Ed, Abbie and Whity were currently walking through the mountains to find Paninya or Dominic's place, whichever came first. "This guy lives deep in the mountains...are you sure we're going the right way? What're if they tricked us?" Winry asked. "What're you complaining about? You're the one who drugs us to this auto-mail town in the first place!" Ed replied.
"My fault?! You are the one who got their dumb watch stolen!" Winry yelled. "Oh really?!" Ed turned as if they could continue fighting. "Please stop it guys...it's too hot for this..." Whity muttered. "Um...guys?" Al asked as they turned and shouted, "What Al?!" Al pointed to a bridge far off Paninya. Ed revealed to be walking across it. "Could that be her?" Al asked as Ed gained a look that looked like his inner demon was released. The heat had finally gotten to him...
"I've got you now!" He then used alchemy to make stone steps that led up to the bridge as Ed grabbed Whity's hand with him. "Wait up, guys!" Winry called, following after him. She used alchemy to make a stone wall to block her from going further. "I'd like Ed's watch back!" Whity said. The girl smiled and said, "That was awesome! How'd you do that Miss?" "We're alchemists! Want more?!"
He then made stone hands to try and grab her, only to have her dodge and say, "Wow! So cool!" "Quit moving around!" Ed shouted, annoyed. "What's the matter? Can't catch a little girl?" She giggled, running off again.
"I've been waiting for you." Al said as he activated his alchemy, causing the circle to glow and a stone cage to rise around her. "Nicely done, Al." Abbie said. Ed and Whity walked over to the cage. "Now, why don't ya hand it over? Our watches pl—" he quickly jumped back.
The girl jumped out of the cage; her right pant leg was now cut with a sharp blade protruding from her shin. Ed, Whity, Abbie, and Al gasped. "Come on...you can't be too surprised. You've seen the town, haven't you? Oh, and—" she said. A smoky blast shot out at Ed and Whity. "—my other leg's got a 1.5-inch cannon. What do ya think of that?" She ran off.
"Come back!" Ed said. "No way! Why don't you see if you can catch me!" There was a tug at her wrist and she stopped. "Well, now...how do ya like that? That wasn't so hard." Winry said, smirking. "Nice work, Winry!" Ed said, running up to them with Abbie, Whity and Al. "Now don't let her get away!" Winry tightened her grip. "No way, we're letting her go." As her voice changed and her eyes filled with longing. "Not quite yet, anyway. Not until we've had a closer look at that auto-mail!" Ed and Al fell and screamed in disbelief. As Whity and Abbie sweat-dropped at this. A woman opened the door to the house nearby. "Oh, hello there Paninya...friends of yours?" She asked. "Not really..." Paninya stated as Winry continued to fangirl over getting to see her auto-mail.
*Dominic's Place*
"Wow! I've never seen such craftsmanship like this before! It had an advanced suspension and would you look at the balance! The design of this piece is truly a work of art! It's incredible!" Winry screamed. Looking at Paninya's auto-mail legs. "Um, do you think we could talk about our watch?" Ed tried to say. He was ignored as Winry asked, "Who is the wonderful engineer?" She looked at the younger man in the room as he shook his head. A man's voice then said, "I am." They turned to see an older man who didn't look very happy.
Dominic looked over Ed's and Whity's arm and legs as he said, "It's too heavy." "Yes...I guess it is..." Winry muttered as Dominic told her, "You want to be careful not to strain the outfitter or they'll never grow." "HEY!" Ed exclaimed as he suddenly had an idea. "So you're telling me if our auto-mail was lighter, I would grow taller?" "It's a possibility..." Dominic trailed off as Ed started to imagine him taller than Abbie, Whity, Al, and Winry.
Whitney smiled at Ed. "Mr. Dominic!" He glanced at Winry as she asked, "I beg you! Make me your apprentices!" "Not a chance..." "Aren't you going to think about it?" Winry muttered as he said, "I don't take on apprentices..." "Wait! Couldn't you at least teach them to make auto-mail that could help me grow taller?" "Can it, ya little flea!" Ed gasped. Dominic left the room. "Sorry about that," Ridel said. "My old man can be pretty stubborn."
"A little flea," Ed said in a daze being dragged around by Al. "A little flea. He called me a flea." Al stopped. He watched Satella sitting in a chair stroking her stomach. "Excuse me," he asked, "but are you having a baby?" Abbie said. "Why yes, I am." "Do you think – would it be alright if we touched your tummy?" Whity asked her and she laughed gently. "Go right ahead." Ed looked up at Satella. Al and Whity placed their hands on her stomach and watched it closely. She reached out to Ed. She put his hand next to Al's on her belly. A small fluttered as the new organism developed within. "Hey! It moved!" Ed said. "Of course, all babies do, silly." Whity said. Then she winced. "Are you okay!" Ed asked. "Y-yes." She replies.
"Whenever it pours down like this, it makes my stumps hurts like crazy." Paninya said, rubbing where auto-mail and skin meet. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" Winry asked. "I was in a train accident when I was a kid; it killed both my parents. I ended up losing both my legs in the wreck. I couldn't walk anymore...it was like my whole world came crashing down. That's when I met Mr. Dominic and my life changed completely. He said I had eyes like a dead person...I'm sure I did look miserable... So without my opinion, I was outfitted with auto-mail legs! The surgery and habilitation were pretty painful but... I was soon able to walk on my two legs again. All thanks to him...Mr. Dominic, I owe him everything. I'm going to pay him back someday! Even if it takes m my whole life! Of course, he doesn't take money from me, making it very difficult."
"That's why you're a Theif? If you're so grateful to him you should pick up your act and stop picking pockets!" Winry said. "He gave you these legs out of an act of kindness so use that as an example! Instead of taking from tourists, stand tall on those two legs he made for you! Stand up and get to work! Mr. Dominic would like it more if you did that than steal..." Winry said. "You know what...you two are right! From now on, I'll work honestly to pay him back!" She then pulled out Ed and Whity's watches. "I guess I shouldn't give these back..."The Paninya tried to open it but found it hard to do. "I think I broke it..." "Hm...let me see..." Winry glance at it as she says, "Don't worry; it's been sealed with alchemy." "Why would he do that?" "I think I know why.." Winry then pulled some tools from nowhere and said, "It must be too embarrassing to see!"
A click was heard as she said, "Now let's see what he was hiding!" She glanced at it, only to stop smiling. "Don't forget: Oct 3rd year 11...what's that?" Paninya asked. Winry closed it and wiped at her eyes as she handed it to Paninya saying, "Here...you should give this back to Ed." "Alright...what about Whity's?" Paninya asked as she opened her watch, only to find a picture and quote. There was a picture of Winry, her, and their parents and Winry cried at how her sister kept this picture in her watch. "Give it back to her..." "Are you alright?" "Yeah... I going to ask Mr. Dominic to appreciate me again."
Ed and Whity raced through the house to finally find the people they had been looking for. Winry knocked on Dominic's door so she could ask him to appreciate her when she saw Ed and Whity's panicked faces. "What's wrong?" Winry asked.
"Th-the bay," they said. "The bay'?" Winry said. "The bay!" As they shook their heads. "The bay!" "A bay is a type of horse, what are you going on about it?" Winry said. "Th-the—the baby's coming! The baby's coming!" Then a pause, and She screamed.
"In a storm like this we can't get her to the hospital in town," Dominic said, buttoning up a green raincoat and pulling his hood on.
"I'll fetch the doctor myself." He hopped onto a horse and rode off. "Pop will be right back with the doctor...just hang on a bit longer for me, okay?" Ridel said to his wife. "There's no hanging on here," Satella said, wincing from the pain. "It will come whenever it's ready to." She gasped. "What's the matter, Hun?" She mumbled something. "Huh?" "I said..." They all came closer to hear. "Sorry, one more time? I couldn't hear that." "I said it's coming!" They all screamed.
"What do we do!" Ed screamed. "The doctor's not here!" "We're just going to have to do it!" Winry said. "Have to do what?" Abbie asked. "Deliver it." Winry and Whity said. They looked at them in shocked. "S-so you two have seen a baby being delivered before?" Ridel asked. "No we haven't it, but, we have no other options here. I need everyone's help! We are going to do this!" Winry then sent them all off to gather their needed things.
Winry and Whity stood in front of the door as Al, Abbie, Paninya, and Ed gave them some encouragement. "Aliyah, Paninya...will you guys help?" "Sure." "You've got it." The door was closed as Al, Abbie, and Ed were left all alone. The sound of screaming was then heard, causing Al, Abbie, and Ed to hide in the corner, hugging each other, scared for their lives.
The door opened as Paninya stepped out, falling to her knees. "What?" Ed asked as Al, ran over to them. "All...that blood...I can't do it anymore..." Ed and Al peeked into the room to see Whity sitting against the wall and Winry on the ground, all two of them were out of breath. "What happened?" Ed asked as Whity pointed to the bed, where they found Satella and Ridel with their baby. "It's a baby!" Ed shouted happily as Al said, "Hooray!" "This is awesome!"
"What so awesome about this?" Whity asked him. "What else is there? It's the birth of a new life, something science can't do; people are awesome." Ed then glanced down at Winry as he asked, "Is there anything you need?" "Yeah, can you help me up?" She asked. A sign said 'can't stand up!' Ed bent down, letting her get on his back as he glanced at Whity, who talking to Al and Abbie.
"Are you okey, big sister." Abbie asked her. "I'm ok." Whitney said to her.
Ed walked out of the room and went to place Winry on the chair until, "I saw what was in your watches..." Ed dropped her to the floor. "Ow...that hurt..." "You forced it open?" "...Yeah... I'm so sorry..." Ed sighed and helped her up. "You idiot..." He told her as she said, "Yeah..." She sat on the chair, Ed next to her as he said, "I haven't shown it to anyone; not even Abbie, Whity, and Al..." "Why not Ed?" "It's private...I hate to admit how weak I am, I had to give what happened that day substance and carry it around with me as a reminder." Winry began to cry. "Winry, why are doing that? What're you crying for?"
(Flashback)
A house engulfed in flames burned before Ed's, Al's, Whity's, Abbie's, Winry's, and Pinako's eyes.
"Well, there's no turning back for us now, huh guys." Ed said, holding his newly obtained silver watch. They nodded. Winry looked up at the house. She was a swing on an old oak tree; the beakers and books on the tables now turned to ash; the picture of Ed and Al smiling next to Trisha.
Whitney turned and saw Winry, and smiled softly. "What're you crying for Winry?"
(End of flashback)
"You four won't cry. Someone else should do it for you, don't ya think?" Winry said. "Don't be an idiot." Ed got up. "You should get back to Resembool. You've been gone a long time. Granny must be lonesome without you." Winry shook her head. "No. I'm not leaving." "Why?" Ed asked. "Seeing your resolve inspired me. I wanna do more, Ed. I can't just commit halfway."
"You don't need to do anything. There's no need to get more involved." Ed said. "Yes, there is. I want to hone my skills so I will be able to make you and Whity the finest auto-mail prosthetics. That way you can continue your journey knowing you're as strong as you can be. I'm going to try agai—I'm going to ask Mr. Dominic to make me his appreciation." Ed snickered.
"Okay. Well then, good luck." Paninya and Whity walked out of the room and said, "Mr. Ridel wants to talk with you." "Paninya," Ed dragged out. As she looked at Ed with a smile then pain swelled on her head. "Hey OW! Why'd you go and do that!" "Quit whining, you dirty pickpocket! Give me my watch back right now!" Ed yelled.
"Did you have to hit me with your right arm!" Paninya said. "I can hit you again with my left if you prefer!" Ed reply. Whity laughed at this interaction. "Come on Ed, don't hit the poor girl."
"Hello there! I'm your Granddad!" Dominic told the baby happily. "What a cutie!" "You sure are out of character..." Ed muttered. Dominic turned and glared at him as Ed looked away, and the doctor said, "Both mom and baby are healthy. It seems the delivery was done correctly." He turned to Winry as he said, "Well done; sometimes adults can't be in the presence of childbirth." Winry waved her hands as she said, "No, we did what we had to; that's all!"
"We truly are in your debt, young lady. Thank you..." Dominic told her as he bowed. "Please sir...there's no need to thank me...oh goodness; you're going to make me blush." Ed then got an idea and asked, "Maybe you could make an exception and take on an appreciate?" "One had nothing to do with the other; I don't take on appreciates." Dominic stood then said, "But, if that's what your heart is set on, I can recommend you two to an accomplished engineer at the base of the mountains." He walked over to the door as Winry asked him, "Pardon me sir, but would it be okay for me and my sister to come and watch you work sometime?" "I won't stop you from coming by sometime to see my grandchild..."
*Train Station*
"Move it Al, Abbie, Whity! We got to hurry! We miss this train and there isn't another one for three days!" Ed stated as they ran for the train that was already leaving. Al and Abbie jumped on as Al caught Ed's suitcase. "Now you four be careful!" Winry called as she ran with them, Paninya following. Next Ed and Whity jumped on, Al and Abbie helping them both. "You to Winry!" Ed waved as Whity said, "Bye!" "Don't forget to visit us again, you guys!" Paninya yelled. "Yeah, we do!" Abbie said.