Hello everyone! I know it's been a while, but I assure you all, I am very much alive and well! Hope you all enjoy this latest installment, and Happy 2021 to all! Surely, it will be a better year than…
(Sees Capitol Hill raided) Well, there goes that thought! But I think this chapter is fairly decent, that I promise you!
"And…there!" Winry said as she finished with a screwdriver, fastening a small circuit in place. "Is this right?"
"You performed exactly according to my calculations, and beyond my expectations." Nicole answered on the desk.
"Thank you!" Winry chirped. On what was Ed's work desk, a half dozen watches were laid out before her. However, these weren't just any watches.
Just then, a knock was at the door. "Al, is that you?" Winry asked.
"It is." Al entered, carrying the box he got from the restroom earlier. "I've got everything on my part. You?"
"I'd say it's time for a test." Winry answered. Turning in her chair, Winry asked "Bunnie, would you like to be the first?"
"It ain't gonna blow mah hand off, will it?" She cheekily asked as she extended her right. "It's irreplaceable, Winry girl. Unlike mah other one."
"You insult me, Bunnie." Winry replied sarcastically as she attached it.
Once it was fastened, Bunnie turned the dial, and the light around her flickered. In Bunnie's place was a rough and tumble girl, with sandy blonde hair, dressed in a red shirt and overalls. She looked at herself and her limbs in the mirror, amazed. "Oh mah stars! This disguise even has me fooled!"
"I hope we'll all be different, because people are going to be asking some very interesting questions about sixtuplets." Sonic said.
"SEXtuplets, Sonic." Sally corrected him.
"Whatever." Sonic clapped back. "Also, I think Bunnie's disguise is too young for her. The voice doesn't match."
"Working on that, Sonic." Nicole said as her buttons lit up. "Try it now, Bunnie."
"Uh…" she began. "Okay, how you doin'?" Bunnie's pseudo eyes widened, noticing not only did she sound younger, but her accent was disguised as well. "Oh my stars, this is amazing! I don't sound anything like me!" She looked up in awe, then looked perturbed. "What was wrong with my accent?"
"Nothing, Bunnie." Sally assured her. "Just need to attract as little attention as possible. We haven't heard anyone who talks like you."
"Doesn't mean they don't exist." Bunnie protested.
Sonic stretched his hands. "Well, you really outdid yourself Nicole. You too, Winry."
"Thank you." They both replied.
"As glad as I am to finally get out of here and be out in the open, I'm kinda disappointed that I can't do so as myself. But, baby steps, I guess."
"So, where we headn' to again?" St. John asked.
"Creta. It's the country next-door, and Lakarta, where the former kingdom of the Red King lies today." Al answered. "Had he never fell, Creta as we know it may not have existed.
"Do they have alchemy in Creta?" Tails asked.
"They do." Al said. "Most of Europa has a style of alchemy. It's just Amestris in particular is well-renowned for it and generally considered the gold standard by many."
"Are they going to be hostile?" Knuckles asked.
"No, I don't think so." Winry said. "We've mostly had peaceful relations."
Al didn't want to mention Ed suspected Creta was afraid of the Furher and was simply biding its time for when he stepped down. "Okay. Put your watches on." Al said. "We need to get going."
The mobians gathered their watches, and twisted the dials. Sonic looked like a young boy with messy brown hair, dressed in plain white shirt and shorts similar to the Furher's son. Sally found herself in the form of a young girl in a pink dress and bow. Knuckles was the most unique looking, having dark skin opposed to the caucasian color of the others, and black dreads to go with his blue shirt and jeans. Tails sported platinum blond hair in the shape of a bowl cut, along with glasses while he was dressed in black suspenders. St. John sported combed red hair with a face full of freckles complete with a bow tie and a small suit . They all looked at their hands in awe, before going to the mirror to check themselves out.
"Well, this is different." Sonic said as he touched his face. "New voice will take some getting used to."
"Looks like I still sound like me." Tails noted.
"And you still look so cute, sugar." Bunnie teased him.
"You are the only one of the group whose height matches children your age." Nicole answered. "I found modifying your voice unnecessary."
Sonic then looked to Sally, and looked her up and down, before snickering. "What?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You're cute as well, Sal, but not the way I would usually use it."
Sally just rolled her new eyes. "Oh, please. You called me cute like that way before for years."
The holograms perfectly emulated any changes to the mobians' avatars. Including blushing, which Sonic was doing profusely.
"Is it really safe for us to move?" St. John asked, not wanting to tip off they knew of Robotnik spying on them.
"I don't think anything is 'safe' for us right now." Al answered honestly, also carefully choosing his words. "But this is a chance we need to take."
"Okay!" Winry answered excitedly as she discarded her leather apron and picked up her toolbox. "Off to Creta it is!"
Robotnik looked on with interest at the screens on his desk. "Sir, shouldn't we eliminate them?" Snively asked as he looked under his shoulder (so to speak).
"Not yet." Robotnik answered hastily. "I'm a scientist, Snively. I have to know about the link between our worlds. I want them followed, discreetly. We have a half-dozen combots left over. Have them trail them in stealth mode." He ordered.
"Very good, sir." Snively hid his sneer, remembering Al's secret finding. "I'll let that hollow boy do as he pleases. It could prove very beneficial in the long run." "What about Full Metal, sir?" He then asked.
"He's probably reached The North by now. I've already got my eye on him; I've a more…personal assignment for him." Robotnik told him, not taking his eyes off the screen.
"Very good, sir. I will deploy the combots immediately." Snively saluted as he made his way to the lair.
"Excellent, Snively."
Even though they couldn't do so in their true forms, the mobians were still glad they could casually walk down the streets without having to hide. Some gave them a few odd glances; they imagined a group of children with a suit of armor would attract some attention. At least they weren't screaming in horror and running away. "As much fun as I had running around here, it's actually nice to take in the sights while taking it slow." Sonic said as he walked with his hands behind his head.
"I think we're all in agreement here, Son-" Sally caught herself. "…Sonny."
"Sonny" quirked his brow. "Sonny?" He whispered.
"Yeah. No one here has a name like Sonic."
"What about Tails?"
"We're calling him by his real name for now."
"Miles? He hates that."
"He will deal." Sally shot back.
"Knuckles?"
"Kevin."
"And Bunnie?" Sally looked away, silently. "Well?"
"Uh…I hadn't thought of one yet."
Sonic sighed, throwing his arms up. "Fine. Whatever."
As usual, the Train Station was backed with people. Some were loners who just waited patiently for their ride. Some were families or close groups saying goodbye to others who were leaving. However, one couple in particular was making a scene as they said goodbye to their daughter. "Are you sure you will be alright, my dear?" The short, elderly gentleman with a thick beard said as he clasped his daughter's hand, crying.
"Really father, I will be fine!" The young lady, his daughter assured him. "I shall only be gone a week!"
"Just remember, if there's an emergency, you have our number!" Her mother, A tall, middle aged woman said.
"Yes mother!" They then heard the train whistle. "I better get on board, or else you won't miss me at all!" She gathered her parents in a hug.
While they acted normal and hugged her back, the rest of those in the station stared in awe at seeing her lift both parents off their feet with no effort. They were oblivious to the crowd gathering around them.
"Here's our train!" Al said, pointing ahead.
"I'm just happy to have an actual seat on a train!" Sonic said, stretching his arms.
"Knowing you, I thought you would rather run, sugar." Sonic was momentarily thrown off by Bunnie's new accent.
"Well, I would. But then I'd leave you all behind, and besides, I don't know exactly how to get there. So, if I have to do the train…I don't need no further elaborating."
Tails then pulled on Sonic's fake sleeve. "Hey, look!" They took notice of the crowd looking further down the platform. "What do you think is going on?"
"Whatever it is, it's not important." Al said as he pointed ahead. "We need to board."
"And I thought Ed was the killjoy." Sonic muttered as he and the rest followed after Al and Winry.
The young lady finally set her parents down. "Bye mother! Bye Father!" The young lady took off, waving good bye. "Tell Alex I send my love!" Everyone made space for her as she dragged a rather large suitcase with her.
The mother waved back, as did the father while crying and waving his handkerchief. "They grow up so fast…" he sobbed.
"She'll be alright, dear." The lady tried to comfort her husband. "She's her father's daughter!"
"I KNOWW!" The Father cried, practically creating a puddle with his tears. "BUT I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE SO HARRD!" He had to blow his nose after finishing.
Alphonse took a seat in between Sonic and Sally. Across from them, Winry sat on the aisle seat while Bunnie and Tails sat to her left. Knuckles and St. John were seated in front of them, leaving the aisle seat vacant. Sonic nervously tapped his fingers on the window sill. He glanced over to Sally, who gave him a stern look. Sighing, he stopped.
"Eager to get out?" Al asked.
"Eager to solve the mystery." Sonic replied. He didn't feel like himself in this disguise. "When there's a mission to be done, everyone relied on me to speed away and accomplish it. I guess I'm just not used to taking slow with my friends."
"You'll have to learn patience eventually." Sally told him. "You can't solve everything by running. You won't even ALWAYS be able to run."
Sonic sighed. Kicking his feet up (those fake loafers just looked so wrong), he laid back and relaxed.
Al was about to pull out another book, one of the only pleasures in life in his current condition. Just as he was about to open it, he noticed a wisp of blond hair pass by him. He looked up, and was stunned. A young lady, maybe a couple of years older than him, walked by with a large suitcase. Her blond hair was back length, and she had a cute baby-face, with stunning blue eyes. She was dressed in a red parka and red winter cap on top of her head; even though it was very modest, Al could tell underneath she was quite curvaceous. Al's thoughts were going wild as he saw her moving in slow motion. How that was possible without physical hormones in his body, he didn't know.
"I'm sorry." She said to St. John and Knuckles, pointing to the vacant seat. "I believe this is my seat."
St. John sighed as he scooted over slightly. "Be my guest."
Not taking note of his tone of voice, she lifted her large suitcase into the baggage slot. Knuckles couldn't help but notice that suitcase seemed massively large for her size, yet she handled it with ease.
As she took her seat, Winry addressed her. "Sorry." She said. "Geoffery's just cranky all the time."
"Oh, it's no problem." The young lady turned to her. "Are you all family?"
"Just acquaintances." Winry said, smiling. "They're relatives of my friend here, and we're taking a trip to Croit." She said as she thumbed at Al.
"Croit?" The lady said, clapping her hands. "What a coincidence! That's where I'm heading!"
Al just watched on as the two talked. "Thank you for your patience." The conductor said over the loudspeaker. "We will be departing now." The chimney blew smoke and screeched, as the wheels began to turn.
The two girls didn't seem to notice the train leaving as they continued to make small talk. The whole time, Al kept looking.
"Looks like you got a little crush." Sally teased him, prodding with her elbow.
"Uh…I guess." Al said, subconsciously stroking his ribbon. "But she seems familiar somehow."
"You know her?"
"No, I never met her before. And yet there's something familiar about her."
"Either way, you may want to stop staring while she has her attention drawn away. Girls don't like that kind of thing."
Al would have gulped if he could, but somehow his metal hide sure did sweat. He quickly looked down and shoved his helmet into his small book as he tried to behave normally.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?" Winry suddenly asked the girl across the seat.
"Oh, where are my manners?" The young lady giggled. "My name is Catherine Elle Armstrong. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
Winry and Al just stared at her for a moment, before having their eyes widen as large as dinner plates! "ARMSTRONG!?" The two shouted.
So there you have it! Alex's little sister has joined the group!
I just thought of things I could do different, and I realized that Catherine never really got anything to do in this series, despite being ridiculously strong like her elder sibling. So, I thought this would be a cool opportunity!
I'll update again when I have a chance!