Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Faces of Hatred ❯ More Twists ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter 5:More Twists

IN THE PAST

"Alright Sharee, you are getting better, but you're still kind of stiff." Hughes commented on my knife practice. "You need to roll your body into the throw." He stood behind me and took a gentle hold on my wrists. "Like this" he said as he guided my body.

I had decided that I'd need some means of protecting myself if I was in the military now. I had practiced martial-arts with Ed & Al during the summer visits I had payed to Izumi's house, but they had their alchemy as well. I needed my own secret weapon.

Well technically I had my mental abilities, but I tried to use those sparingly. Besides, I had seen Major Hughes throw knives before, and I remember thinking of how cool it would be if I could do that.

I took his advice, and rolled my body into it. It was a much better throw. It landed dead on into the target board on one of the inner rings (but not the bulls-eye, sadly). "So, when are you going to teach me how to throw three at once?" I asked excitedly.

"Whoa, slow down. I said you were getting better. You're not quite there yet. That was the first time your knife actually stayed in the target." He rubbed his hand through my hair, messing it up a bit. Normally I hated it when my hair got messed up, but somehow I didn't mind when he did that. No one had ever showed that kind of affection towards me.

He smiled into my disappointed green eyes. "Tell you what. If you can get three bulls-eyes in a row with one knife I'll teach you how to throw three at once."

I mentally scowled to myself, but managed to smile at him. "That's all? I can handle that much."

He laughed. It was a beautiful sound, his laughter. It rang through the air, and into my ears like a warm breeze in an autumn evening. "I'm sure you can. But not tonight. It'll be dark soon. Would you like to come to my house for dinner?"

Here it comes I thought to myself. "Come to think of it" he continued, "I don't think you've met my adorable daughter Alicia yet!"

"Yes I have Major. Remember? I was there when she was born, I helped your wife deliver, with Ed & Al" Most people thought his constant raves about his daughter were annoying, but I enjoyed listening to him. The only time my father had been happy with me was when he found out I was going away with Ed & Al to join the military.

My eyes started to well up from that memory.

FLASHBACK

"It's about time you got the hell out of my sight" he said in that slurred, drunken voice. "I always knew you'd follow that brat to know good! To become a military dog! You gonna become one of those State Alchemists?! Wait, I forgot. You're to stupid to know any alchemy YOU STUPID BITCH!!!" I kept my eyes on the floor. "And a damn good thing to, did you know that's what got your mother killed!" I knew that was a lie. My mother had died in childbirth.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you, you little slut!" he slapped me, and I looked up at him, tears spilling down my face. "And stop crying! I hate you! Just get out of here! Get the hell out!" I ran out of the house, grabbing my suitcase on the way.

I went straight to the station to find Ed, Al, Winry, an Aunt Pinako. Edward gave me an exasperated look. "Where have you been? We almost missed our tr . . ." He cut off as I threw my arms around him. I almost flinched as I touched his new metal arm. That was going to take some getting used to. "What was that for?" I looked into his eyes and straightened my expression.

"Just to say thanks for letting me come with you."

"Sharee," Pinako interrupted our awkward moment. "Why didn't your father come to see you off." No one but me knew about how things were between my father & I. I purposely erased their suspicions with those weird powers I had discovered I had when I was six. I had found that I could get inside people's heads with my mind. It came in handy but I tried to use them sparingly. If my father ever found out, he'd find some way to increase my misery with them. Call me a freak, or even force me to trick people into giving me their money. That's why I had to get as far away from him as possible.

"We already said our good-bye's."

Winry threw her arms around each of us individually. "You all write to us every day you hear me!" I whispered that I would, and that I'd make sure Ed & Al did too. "See to it they don't get too reckless." And she squeezed me even tighter.

She continued to call after us until the train was out of sight.

END OF FLASHBACK

"That's right. Heh, from what I hear you did most of the delivery. Ed & Al ran around the living room in a panic."

I chuckled. "If it hadn't been for their help I `d have lost it too. Those boys are a pair of regular heroes, Major."

"I know they are. And please stop calling me Major. Too formal. If we're going to be partners, you should call me by my name, Maes.

"Maes" I repeated, "I think I can get used to that."

BACK TO PRESENT

I continued down the pathway to the market, getting a few odd stares here & there. I had grown used to it. In my time here in this world, I had noticed that not very many women wore pants. They made Lust look like a regular tom-boy.

I didn't want to think about her at the moment. Something about her didn't seem right to me. Maybe it was that she had practically hit on Ed yesterday when he helped her with the ranch work. Constantly commenting on his upper-body strength.

"He just had to help her lift hay, in his tank-top" I muttered. Well his quick blush didn't last long because shortly after her compliment, she remarked that it was `amazing that someone so small could lift such heavy loads'. Well one could just imagine what happened next.

I never make fun of his height I thought proudly. Although, that wasn't much to be proud of. I was his exact height. Although I wasn't teased as much since it didn't get a rise out of me like it did Ed.

I reached the market, and went searching for the items I needed. When I had left the house, I had thought everyone to be asleep, but Lust startled me as I exited. "As long as you're out, bring home some fruit." She said, in that sultry voice of hers.

I glared back up at her, frustrated that I was no bigger than a child to this freakishly tall woman. She just gave me a good natured smile, and tossed me a sack of money. "That ought to cover it." I despised how she was always so nice to me.

"Oh, I'll get you your fruit, you rotten hag." I continued to grumble until the elderly woman selling me the fruit asked me (somewhat worried) if everything was alright. "Yes, This will be fine" I said, trying to regain some dignity.

"Good. Please come again. And, I don't usually do this, but could you do me a small favor?"

I quirked an eyebrow. "Sure, I guess. What is it?"

"Oh it's Otto. He's the kind old man who runs a weapon shop just across from me." I looked in that direction and sure enough there was an old man in work clothes, standing in a make-shift tent shop. Swords and daggers of all kinds hung on the wall behind him, and lay on the table before him. "I tell him that no one has use for those anymore. That he should start selling something people will actually buy. But he says he enjoys making them."

"He makes all of those?!" I said suddenly very interested.

"Oh some of them. Others he buys from traveling merchants from places like Asia. He's quite a fine blacksmith, considering his age. Here's what I'd like you to do." She pulled some money out of her box where she stored her profits. "Could you take this money and buy something from him? I know you probably won't use it or anything like that but ..."

"Oh no I don't need your money. I was going there anyway." I suddenly realized how weird my buying blades must sound, and quickly tried to cover it. "For my uncle. Lives in Poland. He's a wealthy eccentric collector of these things." Who cares about price, I thought. It's Lust's money.

"Oh thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me." She patted my hand.

Without pausing I went across the little road to the old man's shop. "Ah I see you have a fine eye for quality items. Unless that old bat Helga told you to buy something."

"Actually, she tried to but I told her I was going here anyway. I'm in need of some weaponry."

He seemed to perk up at this. "It does me old heart good to know there are still people who need my skills. Even in this day & age where people turn to firearm for protection."

"If you don't mind my asking, why do you sell these at this day & age."

He didn't seem to mind talking about it. "A couple reasons really. One I enjoy making them. I know I don't look like much, but I'm an able blacksmith. Another is, well, when I was a lad, my grandpa would tell me the most wonderful stories about heroes and their battles. Such daring sword fights and such." He sighed. "But it looks like the gun beat out the sword. What's heroic about putting a bullet in someone. Effective, but is there any honor in that?"

"Well, for what it's worth, we have something in common. I enjoy stories of heroism as well. Maybe we can meet some time and tell each other stories."

The old man seemed to take an immediate liking to me. "I would very much enjoy that."

"Now, I'm looking for a sword with a blade about as long as my forearm."

"I think I've got just the thing." He rummaged through his inventory. "Here we are." He held up a beautifully crafted short-sword. It had a gorgeous design of a long black dragon along its blade. It was perfect. "And at a reasonable price."

"I'll pay you full price for just the blade. You can keep the handle." I said, holding out the money.

"An odd request, but I think I'll enjoy making another blade for this handle." And with that he pulled a hammer out from under the table. With one swift blow, the handle fell clean off.

"I guess that's all I..." I cut off when I saw a pair of weird looking swords. Their blades were about as long as the one I held, but they were no wider than my fingers. They had long prong-like appendages from where the blades met the handle. "What are those?" I asked in awe.

He took them from off the wall. "Oh, these old things?" I could tell from his _expression that these were something special. "I got them off of a traveling Japanese merchant. He said they were called sais. I'm not sure just how to use them, but I'm sure if a certain, bright, blade-loving girl like yourself could master these babies. What do you say? They're at a very reasonable price for blades of such fine quality and val..."

"I'll take them!" He seemed slightly taken aback by my enthusiasm.

"Sold!" But before he handed them over he asked "If you don't mind my asking, what does a sweet little girl like you want with so many weapons?"

In a second one of my throwing knives went whizzing past his ear, and he jumped as he heard the air whistle. "I'll be taking my blades now."

"Oh ho-ho, you're quite the marksman, and you have an attitude to boot. Stop here any time! At least I know you'll actually use these and not turn them into decoration."

I started heading down the road, back to the ranch carrying the basket of fruit, the dragon blade hidden underneath, until I could put it safely away where no one could see it. My new sais tucked safely away in the back of my belt beneath my shirt.

"Well it looks like I've managed to spend most of the money Lust gave me." I smiled. "Let's see how nice she feels like being n... AAAH" I was suddenly seized about the arms by ten long whip-like appendages, no thicker than a strand of hair, but they might as well have been chains. The basket fell to the ground, apples and pears rolling all about, the blade hitting the ground with a resounding clang.

I tried to scream, but my mouth was covered by another one. Anyone who would've helped were a good ways away. Even if they looked up, I had already been dragged into the alley to come face to face with my assailant.

My blood ran cold. I had been grabbed by Hate! He had turned his fingers into ten long black whips. The gag around my mouth was his tongue. I fought but I couldn't move.

He brought me closer. I couldn't remember feeling this helpless, except for

"Well, if it isn't the witless wonder. Here she is. Reading again! You're so damn useless I could just..."

NO! You won't hurt me again

I pulled out my new sai, and jammed its full length into his chest. Suddenly it wasn't my father standing there any more. I was once again in the filthy alley way. Hate was standing in front of me, blocking my escape.

He had retracted his fingers, and his tongue wasn't fastened around me anymore. My sai was sticking out of his chest. I stared into those ice cold blue eyes. Into that face that looked so much like Ed's.

But there was no hatred in his eyes. He looked . . . sad. His eyes were so full of longing, it caught me off gaurd.

He pulled the sai out of his chest and handed it to me. "Don't be frightened Sharee." His voice was soft and inviting. He put his arms around me in a gentle embrace. I didn't like this.