I could hear the sound of approaching footsteps on the wooden floor, but my attention was fixed on the map in front of me. It wasn't big, but it showed clearly enough that we were in a completely foreign land. According to the older woman, we were in a small farm town called Resembool, within the nation of Amestris. Amestris is primarily governed by military leaders instead of politicians, though that's set to change with planned future elections.
Scratching the back of my neck, I tried to make sense of everything to get a clearer picture of what had happened. Looking toward the two others who had approached, along with the younger woman, I began questioning them to get answers to the ever-growing list of questions.
"So, before we get too far into this, I just have one question. About half an hour ago, was there any strange lightning or thunder in the area? I know it sounds crazy, but the conditions where we were are almost identical to here. No clouds, nothing—just sunshine. But somehow, lightning struck our craft and brought us here."
Winry thought for a moment before a knowing look crossed her face. "I do recall hearing something that I thought was thunder around that time, but I assumed it was Mr. Newman chopping wood next door. It was distant and not that loud. Maybe that was it. But if it was blue, like you said, it might have something to do with alchemy."
Fuery and Falman perked up at that. "You're right! Whenever Edward did his alchemy, there was always that strange blue light. I thought it was just part of the reaction he was talking about," Fuery said as he studied the two strangers. Their clothing was strange but resembled military uniforms, judging by the rank insignia, flag patch, and name patch. Each had a unit patch on their shoulders as well. Falman noticed this too and decided to join the conversation.
"You two don't seem like a threat, so we should introduce ourselves. I'm Captain Vato Falman, and this is Master Sergeant Kain Fuery. I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but it would probably be best if we head to our headquarters in Central City. It's about a day's train ride from here, and our nation's best libraries and brightest minds are there. Plus, our commander would like a word with you, if you wouldn't mind. It's just to iron out a few details and ensure you're not actual threats. We don't see you as one, but given recent events, we can't be too careful."
I glanced over at my brother to gauge his thoughts. He was the first to respond. "Alright. We'll accompany you to see your commander. But one thing—last time I checked, trains cost money, and I'm pretty sure our currency isn't accepted here. So how are we going to pay for tickets?" Fuery and Falman looked at each other before stepping back for a quick huddle.
"They have a point. How much do you have on you? We need to factor in our own tickets, too. Prices aren't as cheap as they used to be since they're expanding the tracks again." Falman pulled out a tattered leather wallet and started counting bills before hanging his head in defeat. "I've only got 80 cens. That covers our tickets." Fuery dug around for his wallet before opening it. "I've got just over 90. So we have enough, but we'll be broke afterward."
The two thought for a second before an idea popped into Fuery's mind. "Wait! We can just put this on our expense forms to get reimbursed. Technically, we were given a mission by General Mustang."
With their minds made up, they rejoined the group. "Alright. We have enough to get us all train tickets. Are there any other concerns?"
"Yeah, our jets. We just want to make sure they won't be disturbed by anyone or the elements. Are there any tarps around? We just need a few to cover the canopies and engines." Winry chimed in with a suggestion.
"It might not be as good as a tarp, but we have a few canvas drop sheets we're not using. They've got some paint stains, though."
"Those will work. Paint can always be washed off. Where are they? We can put them on ourselves."
Shuffling came from around the corner before a small mound of sheets was dropped onto the floor. The older woman from earlier emerged from behind them. "Use these ones. They're a bit bigger than the drop sheets and thicker. Just don't rip them, please."
Jared walked over to the pile, picked up a few sheets, and tossed the rest to me. "Let's get this done. The less time we spend waiting and riding the train, the quicker we can get back. The last thing we need is something getting into the jets, eating the wiring, or nesting in the engines."
Without another word, we hurried out at a jog to our jets and quickly tied the sheets over the cockpits, engine inlets, and exhausts. Once we were done, we rejoined the group, who had gathered outside to watch. Each one was as curious as the next about the strange machines, but they figured they'd find out more eventually. "Alright, we're ready to go. I guess we should follow you guys." Falman nodded and began leading the way, while Fuery lingered for a moment.
"Sorry for the disturbance. We know you guys have been swamped lately, so we'll make sure you get some kind of compensation for this. If Ed comes by, tell him to stop in at Central. It's been a while since anyone's seen him. Alphonse, too. Last we heard, Ed was out west, and Al was still in Xing studying alcahestry." Winry nodded with a knowing, somewhat annoyed look on her face. "Same old boys. They haven't learned to sit down and take a break, even now that everything's somewhat back to normal. I'll pass on the message if I hear anything from them. But don't expect it anytime soon. You know how Ed is. He always forgets phones exist, paper even more so."
Fuery chuckled slightly before rushing out of the house to catch up with the others. We had already taken our places in the back of the car, which looked like something straight out of the 1940s. The vintage look piqued our curiosity about what technology would be like in their big city. From what we could gather, there seemed to be some form of modern technology in this world, though nothing beyond the 1960s. The skies were far too quiet, which meant planes were likely absent here—a troubling thought, given that our fuel tanks were already running low.
I was lost in my own thoughts as we pulled up to the train station, drawn to the peacefulness of the quiet farm town and its vast fields. Everything was so much greener here, the air crisper and clearer. If we didn't have families back home and a nation to protect, I'd almost consider staying to help this country out. While we weren't exactly engineers or technicians, Jared and I knew a fair bit about technology. We could help modernize and advance their society significantly.
A sudden snap of fingers next to my ear jolted me back to reality. I flinched and looked over to see Jared giving me a disapproving scowl.
"We're not here to sightsee. Let's go. We arrived at the train station five minutes ago, and I've been trying to get your attention," he said in an annoyed tone.
"Sorry, got lost in thought. Let's get going so we can meet this guy."
Jared rolled his eyes as he got out, following the two soldiers to the ticket booth. They paid for four adult tickets and handed them out.
"You should get a small meal bag with your ticket. It's not much, but it's better than nothing. Times are a little tough, so everyone scrapes by with what they can," Fuery said, showing us to a nearby booth. It was literally a small hole-in-the-wall setup, with shelves in the back lined with paper bags. We each showed our tickets and were handed one bag each, containing a simple sandwich and a piece of fruit.
I was considering sitting down on a nearby bench when a steam whistle sounded from a platform nearby. On the track was an older steam engine with a few passenger cars behind it, looking like something straight out of an old Western movie. "I'm guessing that's our train?"
"Yup. It's actually not that bad," Falman replied. "A bit bumpy leaving the station and going over the mountains, but once we're on open land, it's smooth sailing." He took the lead, guiding us over to the train. Once on board, we settled into a pair of booth seats in the second car. I took the spot by the window to watch the landscape while Jared sat beside me.
"So this trip should take about a day, right?" Jared asked either of the two soldiers sitting across from us.
"That's right," Fuery replied. "As long as there aren't any delays or issues with the locomotive. But since the civil war ended, we haven't had any major disruptions, so we should be on time."
"Guess we could get a nap in, then. It's getting late, and it's been a pretty eventful day," I said, leaning back in my seat.