Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ FullMetal Wolf ❯ Chapter 2:Threats, Promises, and the Morning After ( Chapter 3 )

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

Hmm... 33 pages in Word Processing, Family(unknowingly and knowingly) reunites, emotions run high, an attack by the Homunculi, and Alchemy with out circles. Oh yeah, did I mention that there's something funny going on with the newest, most mysterious character?

Anime/Manga: Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Supernatural / Sci-fi / Romance / Comedy | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 04.29.2006 | Updated On: 04.29.2006 | Pages: 21 | Words: 31.9K | Visits: 715 | Status: Work In Progress

DISCLAIMER: Once more, for the presses, I don't own FMA.

Kitsuna-chan: I'm glad you think so!! And as you said, write more please, so, your wish is my demand! And by the gallon full!! I've got 30 or more pages in Word Processing just for you!! And teh Hermit!

:FierceWolf: Finally, someone who's brave enough to help!!

:Shinu: I must admit, it is a relief!!

Chapter 2: Threats, Promises, and the Morning After.

Roy was stunned. Even after he had yelled at it, the wolf still approached him, with a fearlessness that equaled FullMetal's. And then, beyond all comprehension of how it could, or why it would, the wolf kissed his hand. After doing so, it slowly melted into a humanoid form: the form of Edward Elric. Then, without much warning, or apology, Ed collapsed, naked, onto Roy's leg.

~~~Later~~~

Our favorite alchemist with automail limbs woke with a start. He was lying, wrapped in a blanket, on Roy Mustang's couch. He hadn't paid much attention to his surroundings before, but he noticed now. The couch was covered with leather, making him glad that he was wrapped in a blanket. It rested upon a hardwood floor, red cedar to be exact. The floor itself was very dull, but the furnishing in the room made it, well, with no better word for it, beautiful. On the east wall, there was a fireplace. In it rested several logs which had yet to be lit. On the north wall there were several bookshelves crammed with books. There were books of all kinds, but none of them interested Edward at the moment. On the west wall there was a radio. Classical music softly emanated from it. On the south wall, not including the doorway, there was a tall, black oak (A/N: All right, maybe it doesn't really exist, but I like the idea of it, and since TECHNICALLY they're in a different world, it does exist in this story.) grandfather clock. Even just examining it from a distance, Ed could still see that it was off.

The first thought that didn't relate to what to room looked like that ran through his head was: `Roy ought to get someone to fix that clock.'

The second thought in like manner that ran through his head was: `Migraine!'

Being careful to keep the blanked wrapped around his waist, Edward wandered off to find his clothes, and explore the rest of Roy's house.

Roy, on the other hand…

~~~Roy's Bedroom~~~

Images flashed through Roy's head. He kept seeing that blonde wolf. It kept looking him in they eye, laughing at him. He couldn't stand it. The images were too much.

~~~EOM(you want a meaning, ask me)~~~

Roy had come barreling down the carpeted stairs, expecting to find Edward having a nightmare of some kind, or some kind of beast attacking Edward. Instead, after nearly tripping over the FullMetal's shoes, he had come face to face with that wolf.

It had been blonde. Shockingly blonde. And almost human-like in its actions.

Though its fur rippled down the muscled limbs, it had seemed too light in color to be that of a natural wolf's. But Roy could think of no better explanation for it. The wolf had to be a wild animal. It just had to be. The stance that it had been in when he had seen it was too realistic to be otherwise. The wolf had seemed entranced by the clock, but upon hearing Roy trip on the FullMetal's shoe, it had instantly changed focus from him to it. Its eyes had been the exact color of amber that Edward Elric's were; hauntingly so.

Then, as he slowly approached it, the wolf had slashed out at him, cutting his hand. It had then cleaned its claws with a look of delight.

Then, it whirled, and looked in the mirror next to the radio; and cringed.

At that point, the memory got fuzzy, and Roy couldn't remember much else except that he had wrapped Edward, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, in a blanket, and lay him on the couch. He had then carefully walked past Edward's shoes, and climbed up the stairs, being, for the first time, revolted at the color of red that carpeted them. It was extremely close to the color of blood.

Before Ed could wake up, Roy had removed the mirror that the wolf had looked into. He knew Edward never evaluated his surroundings if he felt safe, or unless he wanted to. Edward would never know it was gone.

~~~End EOM~~~

A girl with ebony hair, forest green eyes, and semi-tan skin walked home from the market. She had just moved out of the home that used to belong to her adoptive family and rented an apartment. She had been shopping so that she would have food.

Upon arriving at her new apartment, she found that she could no longer keep back the emotions and tears from her normally stoic expression. She remembered the old house well. Her “parents” didn't live there anymore. To be more specific, they weren't even alive.

Anyone who looked at a photograph of her and her “parents” could tell that she was adopted. Her parents both had fair skin, and red hair. Her “father's” eyes were hazel brown, and her “mother's” eyes were hazel blue. She just didn't look like family.

However, if someone put a photograph of her and Edward Elric, the FullMetal Alchemist, side by side, they would see a remarkable likeness between the two.

~~~Outside~~~

He walked around central looking around suspiciously. His cloak kept him hidden from sight, which made him even more suspicious to the townspeople. `I do believe I'm lost….' He thought to himself with a sigh. He had been walking for days to get here, taking as little public transportation as possible. He was exhausted to say the least and so he sat down on a random set of steps. `Can't rest long…. She'll find me' he scolded himself.

The door to apartment 3E burst open, and an ebony haired girl who has obviously been crying stumbled out, tripped on the stairs, and bumped him. Realizing she could have hurt him, she said, "I'm so sorry!! Please forgive me, sir." She was so embarrassed. She hadn't realized that someone had been sitting there. She was worried that he could have been badly injured.

He looked up at her, rubbing his back "Uh, I... no." He shook his head and stood quickly. "It's quite alright; after all.... these steps aren't for sitting alone." He wouldn't admit it, but her ebony colored hair frightened him at first, because he thought it was her.

She shyly sat a ways away from him, not wanting to upset him. "I'm sorry..." Her automail arm glinted in the sunlight. She was glad that he didn't seem to be hurt too much, but he certainly was odd, to be wearing a cloak made for bad weather in such fine weather.

He shook his head "I should be going any way..." He was lost, but he couldn't stay still for long, or she would find him.

"Where are you going? Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to pry..." She seemed embarrassed that she had even asked. `What's wrong with me? It's none of my business where he's going! That was stupid,' she thought.

"It's alright..." he looked around skittishly "I'm looking for Roy....." He wanted to find Roy and ask for safety. He knew that Roy would be able to protect him from whatever they wanted with him.

"Roy Mustang? I know where he lives..." The comment seemed directed inwardly more than at him. She was thinking that Roy was rather rude if someone he didn't know knocked on his door, and sometimes rude, even if you DID know him. He wasn't the most friendly of people. Just then, the strange man's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Do you?" Central had changed so much, and he needed help finding his way.

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Although I must admit, he's rather a recluse. He may not answer." She seemed uncertain. She didn't know this man, and wasn't sure what he was trying to get at. She wasn't sure why, but she felt she could trust him, too.

"Please show me where he is?" The man asked nicely, hoping the girl would take pity on him, and show him to Roy's house. He needed to talk to Roy. Roy would understand, help him, give him sanctuary, and hide him from them.

"Umm... well... I suppose it couldn't hurt, as long as you aren't trying to kill him or something." She got up, her automail's hydraulics making a bit of noise. She hated the noise that her automail made… Why, oh why, had she tried to… well, that was a thought for another time. She needed to focus on the here and now. This man was asking her for help. She generally didn't give out help, but he seemed so nice, and really in bad way.

He chuckled. "Of course not.... You see... I need his help." He was trying not to let her hear the fear in his voice. She didn't need to be scared. Unfortunately, she was just a tool at this point, a tool to get him to safety; but it killed him inside to use her like that.

She looked confused, her forest green eyes shimmering. "Well... I don't know if it's true or not, but I heard a rumor that the FullMetal went to visit him... he may not be in a mood to talk." She was worried that he would try to do something stupid, like force the Colonel to talk to him. You didn't talk to the Colonel without a good reason, or else he'd send you away, and if you were persistent, you'd probably get roasted by his flames. He wasn't called the Flame Alchemist for nothing.

"I must see him.... it's important." He had to get there. Roy was the only one who could understand. He would be the only one who could protect him. Roy was a member of the military, he HAD to get to him, so that he could be safe.

"All right," she said hesitantly, and then started to walk. "You coming?" She was still worried that the man would do something stupid, but she was worried more about what Roy would do to her if it had been truly dire, and she hadn't told him. He'd probably have killed her.

The man nodded and followed behind her. He silently released breath he hadn't know he was holding. The girl was finally leading him to safety.

"All right." Her calmness amazed him. She seemed like an adult. She also seemed too young to contain such calmness.

He approached her side. "May I ask your name? Or shall I call you milady?" He disliked calling her the girl, her, and she all the time. Those were words that registered negatively in his mind at the moment, and this girl was not a negative factor.

Blushing slightly, but that being the only hint that she was embarrassed, she responded, "My name is Embardon. It's a pleasure to meet you...?" She realized that she didn't know the man's name. He was so polite, and he didn't seem to have an ulterior motive, so she could relax a bit around him.

She took her hand and placed a kiss on it. "The pleasure is all mine.... My name.... is Christian...." She was helping him. It couldn't hurt, if she couldn't see his face, to tell her his name. He was sure that she would leave once she had done what he had asked of her.

This time she did not betray any emotion at all. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Christian." `The man… no, Christian… is hiding something from me, besides his face,' she thought to herself, not letting her emotions get the better of her. She had to remain aloof, or she would get too involved… and be sucked into something that she had no business being in.

He bowed his head to her as they continued on.

"I'm afraid that it's a long walk to the Colonel's house, Christian, and I happen to have spent the last of my money shopping earlier today. Unless you have the money to pay for a taxi, we shall be walking a long while." She was determined not to let his good manners get under her defenses. She couldn't afford to be emotional right now. Not when that thing was trying to find out where she was. It would always know where she was if she let her emotions show. That evil thing that she had created.

He shook his head. "Unless you wish for a taxi.... I would prefer walking....." His eyes skimmed the roofs as he said this. He wanted to be sure that she wasn't following him. Or any of them for that matter.

She noticed his strange behavior, and stored the information for later use. "I actually prefer walking, but it will take time to get there. I suppose I could always create something that we could use, but that would take a bit. And I don't have a license for Alchemy anyway." She merely talked to him to keep up surface appearance; to keep her emotions away.

"You can use alchemy?" He was curious. Alchemy wasn't very common in women.

"Yes. But I don't have a license, so I'll go to jail if I get caught." She didn't like talking about her alchemic abilities. It brought back bad memories of the night her adoptive parents died. She quickly blocked out all of the memories, and focused on the present.

He nodded to this. "Interesting....." She… no, Embardon, seemed upset by the subject, so he dropped it. He didn't want her to get distracted.

"Well... We may as well continue walking." She had just realized they had stopped, and judging from his previous behavior, he didn't want to stop for too long. He seemed nervous about something, like he was being followed. Embardon wasn't sure what, but she knew that something was wrong with this Christian person.

He nodded and started walking again. He didn't want to think about what might happen if she found him.

"Soo... Umm... What do you do, Christian?" She was making an effort to keep her mind off of her memories, off of the pain. It was obvious in they way she spoke, but her body didn't betray it at all.

"Me? Well... I do a lot of things." Christian was trying to avoid talking. He didn't want to talk to her. He wanted to keep an eye out for trouble, and talking was distracting.

"Really? Can you tell me about some of them?" She was interested in what he did. He was hidden from view, and she felt uncomfortable around him, because she didn't know him. She just wanted some idea of who he was, and to get away from the pain that was wracking her mind. She didn't want to remember those things.

"I help around my town... Farming... Building and rebuilding houses... things like that..." He was doing exactly the opposite for the same reasons. He didn't want to talk, because he didn't want to remember the horrible things that happened.

"Really? What's that like? I wasn't born here, but I don't remember life away from here, so I wouldn't know about that." She was fighting to keep her emotions now, though she never let the outside world know. Her emotions were her own, and no one else's. The world didn't have to see it.

"It's nice, I like helping them, making my own money in the process...." Christian was too caught up in evading her questions to notice it.

"Yes... Maybe I ought to apply for the Alchemist's test." She had to get her mind off of the pain. She had to talk about something to keep away the pain.

He nodded again "That would be nice.... There are many uses for alchemy as well..." He was trying to keep a lookout and talk at the same time.

"That's true... I'd be very useful out in the rural areas, y'know. Well... no, you don't... I guess I'd have to show you." She was just babbling, really, now. She just wanted to get the awful memories out of her head. They made her feel weak, small.

He chuckled a bit. "Another time then..." He did not realize what she was trying to suppress.

"Yes, another time.” She had gotten rid of the images when he had chuckled at her.

He looked forward again as they continued on.

"Why are you hiding?" Though she didn't outwardly show it, she was nervous about asking the question she did. It was yet another thing to keep her in the present, to help her forget about the past. She was better, but she still hadn't settled completely.

"I have reason to.... That is best left unsaid in the open..." He didn't want the girl to get hurt. She was such a sweet girl.

"Oh... I didn't mean to pry. Please forgive me." She was upset that he wouldn't talk to her directly, that he treated her like a child.

He shook his head, saying, "Don't be sorry, it's a logical question..." Still, he evaded the answer. He didn't want them to come after this poor girl as well.

"It's just that you seem so polite, and Mom... always told me that the people who seem nice but don't let you see them are usually bad." She was suddenly nervous again, wondering if he was going to hurt her.

He chuckled, "I am hiding from someone bad, if that settles your worries any...." He realized that he was making the girl nervous. He didn't want her to be nervous, but there was nothing he could do until he found Roy.

"Oh... Not much...” She chuckled nervously. This man was strange. He danced around her questions as if answering them directly would kill them both.

He chuckled again "My apologies then...... Embardon..."

She smiled. "Your apology is accepted." She was still nervous, but as far as she knew, there was a higher chance of her getting mugged or harmed than him. He didn't know who was following her. Or at least that was what she thought.

He clasped his hands behind his back, scanning the roofs again. Still, there was nothing, and while surprising, this was not necessarily comforting.

"Are you sure you don't want to get a taxi... Or I could make something... I suppose." She wanted to get out of the sight of the rooftops. It felt like she was being watched.

"I..... We shall chance a taxi.... I suppose...." He too, wanted to get away from the foreboding rooftops.

"All right... And we'll be careful, just to be sure, okay?" She said it with a sweet smile, one of innocence. She could easily fake that. There was no need for him to know what she had done, the hideous thing that she had done in revenge of her parents, the thing that now haunted her footsteps, hunted her footsteps, seeking her.

Christian nodded. "Thank you..." He was grateful that she would take the time to get a safe taxi for them. It was a relief.

"You're welcome. Come one, I know somewhere fairly safe that we can catch a taxi." She led him towards a corner near the center of town. That was the best place to get lost in the crowd, catch a taxi, and leave.

He nodded and followed her. He noted that, if the townspeople had been suspicious of him, they seemed terrified of her, and they had a clear path to the corner. She commanded a presence among them, as if she were covered in blood. The whole city seemed to move for her.

As the reached the corner, a taxi whizzed by, and rammed into her arm. There was a hideous crunching sound, like that of metal upon metal, or possibly just bones being crunched into pieces.

Christian jumped a bit. He glared after the taxi and watched as it soon swerved into a fire hydrant. The previously composed, and polite, innocent little girl transformed into a raging demon. "DAMMIT! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH AUTOMAIL COSTS, YOU DRUNKEN JACKASS!!! I'M GONNA MAKE YOU PAY FOR THAT!!!" She, Christian discovered, had a very large vocabulary of cuss words.

Embardon's "arm" was no longer in one piece, and was squirting fluid onto the ground, but the fluid wasn't blood. It was oil, and some water. It looked like there were a few shards of metal in it.

He sweat dropped "I will repay your kindness by paying for the damage...... ok?" He didn't want her to make a big deal, and, for a while, thought he was the one her anger was directed at.

"Not you, that jackass of a taxi driver. What's he thinking, driving drunk..." Being in a rage over having to buy new automail, she didn't watch herself and let her tongue loose. "But if I can draw a big enough circle, then he won't be driving the fucking dung heap anywhere."

"Yeah... I'll just draw it." She walked over the taxi that hit her, and drew a very large alchemy circle around it.

He jumped at her and pulled her away. "Now, now.... none of that....you'll get arrested!" He didn't want the only person in the city willing to help him being thrown in jail; his last chance of finding Roy before they got him. He didn't want to risk wandering around town anymore.

With a demonic gleam to her eyes, she shoved him away, saying, "No, none of these people will turn me in for at least a week. I'll be safe till then." Then she put her flesh and blood hand on the ground by the circle she just drew. The driver was fine, but the car... Was not. Unfortunately, neither was the fire hydrant. Both had been mutilated into a twisted, spiked, sharp hunk of metal with wire sparks poking out, and windows.

He sweat dropped again, once his shock was gone that is. She had the power to transmute an entire taxi, and was still running around like a lunatic. She had to be one of the most powerful alchemists of all time.

Mumbling slightly, Embardon gloated over her work. "Let's see him...... Again..... Think now, huh?" She was calming down, realizing that her sudden surge of emotion had caused that… thing to come towards them.

He shook his head. "Are you quite done?" He hoped that she was, so they could continue moving.

"Hmm... Oh, yes. He won't be driving drunk anytime soon. Then again, he won't be getting out of that anytime soon either." She pointed at the metal restraints poking out from the seat the driver was sitting in. She had made sure not to harm him. She just wanted the asshole to be scared shitless when he woke up.

He nodded. "Right..... Shall we continue?" He made a mental note not to get on her bad side. It would note bode well for him.

"Of course... let's see if I can salvage my automail first...." She walked to the place where, Christian was surprised to see, she had carefully thrown her automail before transmuting what used to be a car. She kneeled down and examined it, saying, "Winry's gonna kill me."

He approached "Who?" He didn't recognize the name.

"Winry... Winry Rockbell... my mechanic." She mentally cursed at herself for getting careless. Automail was expensive, and she didn't have a cent on her. If she went in there one more time without enough money to pay for her repairs, Winry really would kill her, if Granny didn't first.

"She absolutely hates it when I mutilate my automail like this.... Oh well... She'll probably just throw her wrench at me and then try to fix it... or make me a new one..." She put on an act so that Christian wouldn't know how stupid she felt.

He nodded. "I see." He bent down to look "Oh..... The damage isn't too bad..... I may be able to repair it." It really wasn't as bad as she was making it out to be. It really would be easy to fix.”

"You.... I doubt Winry would like it if you did... I'd rather you didn't." She didn't want to experience any more pain from Winry than was required. She didn't care if he handled it, but she couldn't let him fix it. I just wouldn't be fair to him or her. She explained the situation to him. "Even if I explained that you fixed it out of generosity, she'd kill me for letting anyone else touch it. The Rockbells are like that."

"The joint was knocked apart is all..... A few lose screws and the actuator is disconnected... The fluid needs to be replaced....." He was sure it would be easy to fix, and that Embardon was easily overreacting.

"Please don't. Winry will kill me if you do." She looked at him seriously, silently hoping that he'd listen to her, so that she wouldn't be chased around by Winry. Winry and Granny were the only people besides… her that she ran from.

"If you insist." She obviously wasn't going to let him fix it. She'd just wear it broken.

"Well... Umm... let's get going...." She said nervously, both to change the topic and because she realized that they were sitting still... Something Christian didn't like. She didn't like sitting still either. She just wanted to go, move, and hide.

He nodded. "Lead the way," he said as he stood back up. She was right. It was time that they left.

"All right... Let's see... Umm... I think I'd rather walk now." She started in the direction of Mustang's house. "Besides, being angry makes me hyper, and being hyper makes me want to walk. And I don't want to be hit by another taxi." She grimaced at the memory of the pain she had felt when her arm had been torn out. "Especially if it means getting my leg knocked out too."

He nodded and followed. "Fine with me..." He just wanted to keep going.

Embardon being fumy, intended to walk the rest of the way in silence. She just wanted to get him there, and get out to Rezembool so that she could get her automail fixed. `When I get back,' she thought, `I'll take the State Alchemist's test, and if I pass, I'll pay them off.' She was determined to do it, to pass with high marks. She could do it. She knew she could.

(A/N: Please forgive me if I spell something wrong, neh? I'm bad with some spellings.)

Christian didn't seem to mind this either, his mind wandering a bit.

As they walked, her right leg made a muted thunking sound, like that of metal. She thought about the metallic sound. Metal was cold, cold and hard. That's what she needed to be to be a State Alchemist. Hard, cold, and uncaring. Like metal. (A/N: Couldn't resist a little joke. And there WILL be several of these, because this chapter is FUCKING long, and I lurve the whole thing to death!)

Christian's left hand clenched and unclenched at his side.

Being that they were both focusing on something else, they reached the house sooner than expected. In fact, Embardon ran into the front door. It made a hollow thunking sound, as if someone had knocked on it.

Unfortunately, a nearly naked Edward Elric answered it. He blushed deeply when he realized that there was actually someone at the door.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEK!" SMACK! The noise resounded throughout the house. Embardon had acted on impulse. The person in front of her was rude as it was, not wearing any clothes except for one blanket.

Christian jumped, still not used to sudden outbursts. He didn't like sudden noises or movements.

"YOU PERVERT! PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!" She screeched at him angrily, because she couldn't abide it when someone did something like that. She used to have a neighbor who did that. That neighbor didn't do it anymore.

Christian looked away, not wanting to seem sick or perverted as well. He felt embarrassed because he didn't know Embardon well, and didn't recognize Edward at first.

Edward Elric was dumbstruck. He was usually the one hitting people... he slowly backed away, and hid behind the door yelling “FLAME!!! THERE'RE PEOPLE HERE TO SEE YOU!!" He just wanted Roy to get up there and take care of them so that he could escape and find his clothes.

Christian's head snapped back up. He shuffled his feet a bit, feeling nervous now. He wasn't sure whether or not Roy would remember him.

Roy responded from upstairs, "THEN INVITE THEM IN, FULLMETAL! DON'T YOU HAVE ANY MANNERS?" He was still thinking over the whole wolf in his living room/naked Edward in his living room thing. He wasn't in the mood to have visitors. He had no idea that Edward still hadn't remembered where he put his clothes.

Christian smirked a bit and stepped in a little, shouting up the stairs, "STILL AS UNSOCIABLE AS ALWAYS ARE WE?" He knew that voice anywhere.

'Christian.... No way... That's impossible....' He thought. He came barreling down the stairs. He had to know if it really was Christian. That was an unmistakable voice, but… Christian's house had burned down. It couldn't be him.

The cloaked figure entered a bit more and removed the hood, revealing his reddish brown shoulder length tied back hair and strangle colored grey eyes with flecks of purple, silver and blue. He shifted his feet nervously as he heard Roy storming down the stairs, like any typical 16 year old.

"It is. Chris. That's impossible... I heard that your house burned down... Umm... I suppose I ought to say good to see you, huh?" Roy babbled, baffling both Ed and Embardon. Roy was not famous for changing his mind suddenly and rushing downstairs to visit someone. He was famous for being stubborn, and not giving a damn about what people thought about him unless they were his superiors, and even then sometimes he didn't care much.

Christian smiled a bit; you could tell he was battleing a rush of emotions "You have.... No idea..... How good it is to see you...." It was a load off his teenage mind. Roy recognized him. He was safe. Roy would take him to the military, and he'd be safe. Then he noticed Roy's appearance. Roy looked as if he hadn't slept in 24 hours. His black hair was mussed, and there were bags under his cobalt eyes. He looked like he was under a lot of stress.

Ed rudely butted in (like he always does) and commented. Loudly. "Who the hell is this guy, Mustang?" He didn't care at that point that all he was wearing was a blanket, which wasn't even considered clothing. He wanted to know why Roy was acting so oddly. Roy never did this for him. He got a kick in the rump for it from Embardon. She was sick of the boy's rudeness. She didn't care that she was doing something a sibling would do.

Christian jumped a bit "Oh..... Excuse my rudeness..... My name is Christian........ Christian Shrift," he added as he moved to close the door once Embardon entered fully. She had been so frustrated with Edward that she had forgotten her manners and simply entered the house.

Edward growled at Embardon, and then said, "Oh." He then promptly wandered off to find his clothes. He had just remembered where he had put them, but he was going to take his time getting them on, in the hope that that strange girl would be gone.

Christian turned back to Roy "I hope I'm not inconveniencing you...." He didn't want to be a bother. If Roy was busy, he could come back. He knew vaguely where Roy lived now.

"Not at all... FullMetal was just about to leave. Just as soon as he finds his clothes..." Roy stated. "Well, seeing as you're already here, come in, and tell me about your trip." He was excited about seeing his cousin, and his voice showed it.

He nodded and smiled at Embardon before walking to his cousin "In truth.... I need your help...." he spoke to Roy. He desperately needed Roy's help. It was hard for him to understand why Roy was so easy to talk to, yet so hard to talk to at the same time.

Roy was slightly taken aback. "That's.... Not what I expected, Cousin. I think you'd better tell me everything, Christian." He needed to know all the facts, if he was going to protect Christian properly.

He nodded, saying, "Over tea.... Maybe.... If you don't mind.... I can make it; I remember where everything is..... Getting here is one thing...." he then took off his cloak and placed it on the hanger. Then went to the kitchen, not letting Roy have a word in edge wise.

Roy was rather put out at being ordered about by a civilian in his own home, but he didn't complain. "All right..." It was more important that he find out why Chris needed his help. After Christian made some tea he set the pot and four cups on a tray with the milk and cream and joined his cousin and Embardon in the parlor, placing the tray on the table.

Embardon politely, before the story began, requested permission from Roy to remove her shoes. She didn't want to expose her automail, more than she had to, but her regular foot was sweating.

"Sure..." He wasn't particularly fond of the room, and she was just being polite. He hadn't been the one to decorate it, but it was what he was used to.

She carefully removed her shoes and placed them under the table, revealing the crafter's mark placed on her automail heel. She self-consciously covered the mark before the Colonel could see it. It was the same symbol as the one on Edward's.

Christian began pouring the tea after asking if Ed whished to join them. He was stalling as much as possible.

"Uhh... No thanks... Al's probably wondering where I am... I'd better go..." Edward did not want to be in the same room as Embardon. She had smacked and kicked him. He needed a couple of days to himself, to think things over.

Christian nodded. "Ok then....... You are the FullMetal Alchemist am I correct?"

"Umm... Yeah... I bet you only knew that because Mustang called me that, though, huh?" Edward grumped, getting the expected response from Roy of, "That Colonel Mustang to you, FullMetal.”

Christian smirked a bit. "Actually my cousin has mentioned you in a letter.... Or two........" He covered his mouth, knowing Roy would probably hurt him for that.

"Yeah, but it's still only because R... Mustang told you about me. And don't you DARE call me sh--" Ed stopped, well, short, and stormed out.

Roy sighed. "He's not as old as he thinks he is.” He added in his thoughts, mostly as an afterthought. `He's not old at all, yet he's older than I'll ever be.'

Christian scratched the back of his head "I wanted to warn him....." He just wanted people to be safe.

"Hmm?" Roy turned his attention to his cousin. Something in Christian's voice made him want to cringe.

"Something's been following me......" Christian was worried that it might decide that Ed was better prey than he was.

After that statement, Roy understood what kind of help Christian was looking for. "All right. I suppose I'll go after him... Just a second... Oh, and I think we can work something out about that help you need. But I still want to hear that story." Just before he left, Roy looked back and said, "And if you ever mention those letters again, I will kill you." He said it in a joking tone, but he did intend to at least burn Christian for that remark.

He sweat dropped and chuckled nervously as he sipped on his tea. Yes, Roy definitely intended to hurt him.

'I knew I should never have accepted Colonel Mustang's invitation to stay.' Embardon thought. She was panicking now. She felt like the thing was getting closer and closer. She muttered out loud to herself in the empty house. "Now I'm alone with Christian again.... I thought that getting him here would let me get back to..." Then she burst out in tears.

Christian blinked, stammering, "Uh.... Ah.... Please don't cry!" He wasn't sure exactly why she was crying, but he had a suspicion.

But the tears were already coming, and she could do nothing to stop them. "I.... I... I'm s-s-s-ss- so s-s-sorry. I j-j-ju-just can't s-s-st-stop!" She didn't want to cry in front of this man, who was only two years older than herself. It was embarrassing. He rushed for the tissues and handed them to her as he came to sit with her.

"T-t-thank you,” she muttered, hoping that he would leave her alone.

"I'm sure no harm will come to your brother.... So please stop crying." He was almost certain the two were related. They acted similar, and they looked like they could be twins.

(A/N: Hehe! Just a bit of foreshadowing on my part, neh? Sucky foreshadowing, may I say!)

"H-hu-huh? My... Brother?" She stopped crying abruptly. She didn't have a brother, and abruptly told the strange man so. "I don't have a brother."

"I'm sorry..... I just assumed.... After seeing FullMetal...... That.... Uh..... My apologies."

"Huh?" She was thoroughly confused at this point. She knew that she had no brother. Her parents, unable to have children, had adopted her, but that was as far as they got. Their lives had ended before they could adopt another child.

"You and he just look so much alike.... And act similar....." Christian had been so sure that the two were related. He was nearly positive.

"We do?" She was positive that they did not.

He nodded. "I swore you were related......" Maybe it had been a mistake. He would have to wait for her reaction to see, though.

"But I've never met him... I've never even SEEN him until today! I've heard of him, I mean, who hasn't, but..." She was positive that Christian had made a mistake. She just knew that he had. There was no way in the world that she was related to that rude little brat.

"Oh.... Well then.... My mistake.... My apologies," he stated simply, to keep her off of his case, away from his mistake.

"I... But... Now you've confused me." She sank dejectedly into the couch, her hand resting on her automail foot. She just wanted to go to Rezembool and get her arm fixed so that she could pass the State Alchemists' test. Chris sighed and grabbed his cup to drink his tea.

At that moment, Roy returned with a very upset looking Edward, whose arm was also missing. "LEMME GO!!! LEMME GO, MUSTANG!" Ed struggled against Roy's arm, trying to get loose.

"That's Colonel Mustang to you, little man." Roy teased him about his height to get a response, making sure it was really Edward.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THAT HE CANNOT GET INTO A CHAIR?!?!?!?" Edward screeched. He sounded very much like a cat that had learned to talk and then been run over by a car.

"You," replied Roy. He said that just to make Edward angry. Christian held back a laugh as he hid the look on his face with his cup. Edward, being the perceptive brat he is, but mostly just raging, yelled, "WHO ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?" He did not appreciate this stranger with unusual eyes laughing at a person he had never met, let alone himself.

Chris jumped a bit and cleared his throat, saying, "Your cute little lovers spat."

Roy recognized the teasing, but Edward twitched, and edged out of the room. He didn't want anyone to know how he felt about Roy, but he wasn't good at hiding his emotions. Christian snickered a bit, biting his lip now.

Roy was now confused. "FullMetal, what the hell is wrong with you?" `The kid's just gone nuts,' he thought.

Edward responded a little too hastily with, "Nothing," and then exited the room, going upstairs, quicker than normal. He wanted to stay as far away from Roy as possible. Roy was utterly lost in confusion. The FullMetal brat had never acted that way before.

Christian hmmed, "Looks like I learned something today after all....." He was amused that Roy couldn't see the feelings Edward had for him.

Embardon looked questioningly from the place where Ed had been, to Roy, to Christian. "What's going on?" She, at that point, was painfully oblivious to Ed's feelings as well.

"Oh nothing." He smiled.

"Huh? Great... You're not even going to tell me are you... I may as well go sulk... Or find wherever FullMetal's hiding..." She stormed off, just like Ed. As she moved she knocked a cup from the table. Instead of hitting the floor, however, it stopped mid air.

Roy jumped, expecting a crash, but watching the cup float. "What the hell?" Cups didn't float.

Christian put his down and reached for it. "It would be a pity..... To see such beautiful china be broken..."

"Okay, Christian, something's up. Iknow that that girl did not do that. With how angry she is, if the way she acts like FullMetal is any clue, she'd let it break. I know I didn't do it. Tell me how you did it." He was positive that Christian had somehow made the cup float, and was determined to find out.

He placed it on the table and opened his mouth but then shook his head. "It doesn't matter..."

Roy grabbed his wrist. "But it does. Unless you tell me everything, I may not be able to protect you fully." He didn't grip it hard; he just grabbed it to get his cousin's attention.

"It doesn't..... That's not why the sent her after me........ I don't think,” Christian stammered, not wanting to talk about it.

"Okay, you'd better talk. First it's something following you, and now it's her? I think you need to explain."

Christian snatched his wrist away. "I'm happy right now..... I'd like to stay that way for a bit....."

"All right... We'll just drink our tea, and listen to music. You still like classical music, don't you?" Christian nodded at this. "Good." Roy got up and turned on the radio. He didn't need to adjust the station because it was exactly where he left it when Edward had come over the previous day. He twitched involuntarily as the memory of Edward lying buck naked over his knee reemerged in his mind. He quickly shoved it down. Christian returned to his tea, not sure what to say.

"All right. Let's just sit and drink our tea." Roy then sat down, drank his tea, and stared at Christian. After suppressing his memories, he wanted Christian to tell him why he was here, and why he was alone.

"How long has it been any way..... Since we last saw each other?" Once more, Christian was stalling.

"Quite a while. I think the last time you saw me... I wasn't pushing papers in an office all day. I wasn't a Colonel yet." Roy sipped his tea. His eyes never left Christian the whole time. He nodded. "Two or three years then...." He was trying to remember the last time that he had seen Roy, but at the moment, nothing came to mind.

"At the very least," Roy agreed pleasantly, not taking his eyes from Christian. Somehow the radio station changed and some strange music started playing. It was creepy and made Christian's complexion whiten.

"I suspect that this means she found you." Roy observed. He then guessed that the radio was probably not his radio anymore, but didn't say anything. The radio went flying and plopped into a chair, becoming unplugged, the music cutting off. All of the door and windows could be herd locking and the curtains were pulled shut.

"What the hell, Christian, are you trying to pull my house down?" Roy spluttered, dropping his teacup. The house shook slightly with the speed at which it was forced into a lockdown. He shook his head, his cup starting to shake in his quivering hand. Unfortunately, Christian missed that Roy dropped his cup, so now there was shattered glass on the floor. "Okay, now that that's been taken care of, how the hell did you do that?"

Christian shook more, not really able to speak at the moment. Roy, being Christian's cousin, got up, being careful not to step on the glass, and attempted to comfort Christian. "It's okay; we'll just sit here, and be quiet until you're ready to talk." He covered his head. "I... I shouldn't have come here..."

"You can't blame yourself for wanting help. Heck, in your position, I would've come to you." Roy tried to comfort his teenage cousin.

Christian took deep calming breaths "They....... They were all killed......"

"You don't have to tell me. It's all right. I'm gonna protect you now." Roy was almost completely certain what was following Christian now.

"I...... I don't know if you can......" Christian was worried that these… things could hurt the people who were trying to help him.

"I'll do my best. Here, drink some tea." Roy was trying to calm Christian. The last thing he needed was for the kid to bug out on him.

He shook his head, not in the mood any more. "Where is.... Thumbkin....... where is Thumbkin," came a female voice, dark and a bit raspy.

Roy spoke out with confidence, not fearing this voice. "Leave. Now." This thing was upsetting Christian, and needed to be removed.

"Oh? Leave where?" The female voice grated on his nerves and mind. It was harsh, as if it knew all secrets.

"Leave him alone. I forbid you to make contact with him while he is with me without my express permission first." Roy was going to make sure that it left, even if it meant destroying his own radio.

"Aww.......... He's a freak you know...." Christian curled up a bit at hearing this. "Birds of a feather.... have to stick together....." The voice was trying to get Roy to think badly of Christian. Roy just ignored that fact, replying, "He is not a freak. He is part of my family, and no matter how... different he may be, he will always have a place."

"Oh..... I highly doubt that,” the voice replied.

"Then you're wrong." Roy betrayed no feelings. How could one betray feelings they did not have?

"Is that so? You don't sound so sure...." She was trying to undermine his fortress, to take it apart from the inside.

"I'm always sure when it comes to protecting my family. He will always have a place to stay, to return to. He will always have me as long as I live." Roy was trying to keep her out.

"You don't sound like you mean it..... SOUND LIKE YOU MEAN IT!" the last was said with a strange growl. She was still battering away at his defenses, trying to confuse him, force him into emotion.

Roy's confidence did not falter. No matter how annoying family could be, they were still family. Still connected. "I told you to leave him alone. Now I'm telling you to leave both of us alone. LEAVE US ALONE."

"Oooh..... Someone's getting mad........ I like that!" She basked in his anger, drinking it in, absorbing it, turning it on him.

Roy, realizing that his fury was egging her on, calmed himself. "I believe it was requested that you leave. Please do so."

"Not without the last of the Shrifts....." She refused to leave without her prize, her right.

"I won't allow it, so i guess you're going to be disappointed," Roy politely responded. He kept himself cool headed and emotionless. He refused to give her what she wanted. She started to laugh in a bone chilling manner. Roy, being the Flame Alchemist, having served in the Ishabalan War, was not fazed by her laugh. "Please remove yourself. I have not invited you, you are unwelcome."

"I need no invitation," she whispered in his ear. "I live.... in the darkness of all....." Roy seemed very accepting of this. "Then I guess you live in my deep dark secrets. These secrets are not being discussed. So you live in everyone's deep, dark secrets. That doesn't give you the right to pry into our lives." She moved to his other ear. "Tell me...... Flame Alchemist....." She switched back to his other ear. "The woman with hair as black as yours.... and eyes like yours.... Who pleaded for her nephew's life...... Who was she?" Roy coolly responded, not letting himself feel anger, frustration, or fear. "You claim to live in the darkness of all. You tell me."

"I'd rather you tell me......... her blood tasted so good on my blade..... When I slit her throat...” She croaked at him in her horrible voice, making him cringe mentally.

Roy maintained his emotions, not knowing what would egg her on. "Tell me... This is just a question, mind you... Tell me. Why should I tell you something you already know?"

"Because I find it fun....." She was desperate to get at Roy, Christian, and anyone else. Mind games were her specialty.

"But what's the point of someone telling you something you already know? There's nothing new to learn, so why ask?" Roy's voice was the opposite of his Alchemist's name; pure ice.

"To see the look in ones eyes while I tell them.... What I've done to their loved ones.....” The voice sounded coy, and sick at the same time.

During this whole conversation, Embardon, who had been upstairs looking for Edward, had been trying to pinpoint the source of the strange voice. Unbeknownst to everyone Christian's body had started to surround it's self in a kind of energy. His eyes were glowing strangely. He stood. "My cousin said for you to leave," he said. Embardon focused harder, trying to pinpoint the voice.

The strange woman tried to probe Roy's mind, icy fingers raking across it. Christian's power shot up and she was thrown out, screaming in pain. The radio in the chair started to change form. One more blast knocked her out of the chair. At that moment, Embardon clapped her hands together, and slammed them onto the floor. A spike of red cedar blasted out of the floor near the transforming radio, followed by seven more, trapping her in a cage of wood. Edward, Roy, and Embardon stood, shocked. Edward had come down the stairs when he heard the thud of the "radio" on the floor. There was nothing in the cage once the dust settled however. Christian's eyes returned to normal before rolling to the beck of his head as he passed out, falling towards the floor. Roy snapped out of his stupor just in time to catch Christian, and lay him on the couch.

Ed snapped out of his stupor as well. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"

Embardon, snapping out of her stupor, responded shakily, "I'm not sure... I... I think-" She then broke off, not sure what to say.

"I think, FullMetal, that we have another alchemist who can perform alchemy without a circle on our hands," Roy said coolly, though thoroughly stunned.

Ed blinked, not sure what to say about that. "And how the hell do you explain the light show?"

Roy responded, being the ever cool, untouchable Colonel. "You'll have to ask Christian that. Seeing as he's not capable of speech at the moment, you'll have to wait on that answer."

"Fuck that.... if you're done I'm ditching this place.... I'd rather face that THING than be stuck here with you people...." he grumbled as he tried to make his way out of the door again.

He was stopped by Embardon's flesh and blood hand on his shoulder. "What does he mean "another alchemist who can perform alchemy without a circle"? I have no idea what he's talking about.”

"I, girly, am one of a kind thank you very much" he put his hands on his hips as he grinned.

“What, you mean short?” Embardon, though she knew that she was no taller than the FullMetal Alchemist herself, couldn't help the height demeaning little joke.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL A FLEA COULDN'T FEEL IT?!" Once more, Edward screeched.

She quickly restrained him, as Al would have, and said, "I didn't say that. You mustn't take things literally. In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not any taller than you. I just insulted myself as well."

He blinked. "Oh....... Yeah....." He then laughed, "Smooth one!"

"Very. So, I'm forgiven?" She hated it when people were mad at her, let alone people who could probably kick her ass with alchemy.

He looked away with a huff. "Why should I forgive you?"

"Because I could whip your ass any day," she smartly retorted.

"My ass you could!" Edward growled at her.

She laughed softly. "With your poor grammar, I believe you just agreed with me."

"That was my way of saying 'over my dead body' .... Smart alick,” He retorted harshly. She spun him around and then kicked at him with her automail leg, revealing the maker's logo. He dodged it easily this time, then blinked. "Hey! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH WINRY'S AUTOMAIL???"

"Huh... Winry's my mechanic. I've always gone to the Rockbells to get my automail done." Embardon looked slightly confused.

"I bet you stole it!” Edward accused harshly.

"I did not. You want proof, I noticed that your automail is Winry's as well. Next time you need your automail fixed, take me with you, and you'll see,” She snapped at him.

"Maybe I will," He snapped back.

"Or maybe you won't. Bet you anything you won't." She loved a good bet, especially if she won it. Roy stood by, dumbfounded. It was like watching a person fight with themselves.

"Oh yeah?" Edward loved winning bets too.

"Yeah." She challenged.

He glared at her, saying, "You have a bet then!”

She glared back. "You're on, shorty." This time he ignored that remark. "What are the stakes?" Edward asked.

"If I'm right, you have to pay me fifty bucks every month for a year! If I'm wrong, you'll never see me again." She spat the phrase like it was venom.

"You're on!" he pulled the glove off of his flesh made hand and spit in the palm before holding it out to her.

Roy interrupted at this point, and said, "Actually, that's wrong. You see, you'll probably be seeing quite a bit of each other... If Embardon can pass the State Alchemist's Test, that is."

Embardon ignored this remark, spat on her own flesh hand, and shook Edward's outstretched hand with it. "DEAL!"

Roy sighed. "I guess today is officially ignore Roy day."

Ed laughed maniacally, already plotting her doom. His laughter stopped cold when he saw the look on Embardon's face. She had an evil grin that he could never hope to match pasted on her face. In a demonic sort of way, she was beautiful.

Christian moaned a bit before bolting into a sitting position. Neither Edward nor Embardon noticed, Edward being too busy wondering how such a sweet girl could look so evil, Embardon being too busy looking forward to 600 bucks in one year. Roy, however, did notice.

Christian grabbed his head in pain. Roy hurried over to make sure he was okay. He kept his voice soft, asking, and “Is there anything I can do for you?"

Roy stammered, like most of his family, looking for an easy way to explain it. "Umm... Well.... You see..."

Christian looked up at him. Roy finally gave in to the fact that there was no easy way to explain it. "You started to glow, and attacked my radio, which wasn't a radio at all, and then Embardon used alchemy without a circle and tried to trap it in a cage, but the thing got away." Christian's face blanched. "Uh....."

"Sorry, there was no easy way to say it." Roy didn't like situations like that.

"Uh......" He snapped his eyes shut. "Shit!" He actually uttered a profanity without thinking about it. Roy was rubbing off on him. The person in question said, "Okay, that was just wrong. Christian, I'm the one who cusses. You never cuss. What the hell is wrong?” Chris snapped his hands over his mouth, shocked at himself.

Ed and Embardon snapped out of their sadistic stupors, and stared at Christian, with the same look on their faces; one of complete confusion. Said object of focus looked at his cousin as he curled up in the corner of the couch.

Ed and Embar at the same time: "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Christian flinched. "Please....... don't do that...."

Ed said, "What the fuck do you mean?" Embar, however, simply smacked Edward for his comment.

"That! Don't yell at me!" he grabbed his head again.

Edward blinked, then lowered his voice. "Sorry."

Chris curled up a bit more. (A/N: Christian's overreacting much, neh?)

Roy patted Christian's head. "Here, I'll go make some new tea. This pot's gone cold." The latter cousin nodded to this and mumbled a sorry. Roy made his way to the kitchen, and placed the kettle, now full of water, on the stove to boil. Christian looked up at the other two but not feeling comfortable he decided to follow is cousin.

Ed and Embar shrugged, and looked confused.

"I......I didn't..... Hurt anyone...... right?" he asked as he stood behind Roy.

"No, you didn't hurt anyone," Roy responded quietly. "At least, no one but the thing that took over my radio."

He nodded and sat on a counter "That thing......... her name...... is Odium...."

"Odium then. The only one who got hurt was Odium." Chris nodded at this remark.

"Although I am rather upset that she destroyed my radio." It had been expensive, and he couldn't remember where his mother had gotten it. He didn't want to have to convince someone like Hughes or Havoc to help him find a new one, and there was no way he was going to ask Edward. Alphonse, maybe, but not Edward.

"She didn't..... She took on the look... of your radio...." Christian's head hurt. He just wanted everything to stop. `It was a bad idea coming here.' The thought kept floating through his head.

"Then what happened to my radio, I wonder." Now Roy was thoroughly upset. That radio had been his mothers. She would kill him when she found out that he had lost it.

"I don't know..." Christian just wanted to world to melt away.

"Hmm... She probably took it so that she could memorize how to look like it. Probably still has it too." Roy, on the other hand, wanted Christian to stay. It had been too long since they had last seen each other.

He nodded, saying, "Maybe....."

"Yeah, well... I guess that I'll just have to pay for a new one. Those things are expensive though. Heck, I can't even remember where I found the first radio," Roy said as the kettle started to whistle. "Or if I found it at all," He muttered, taking the kettle off, and pouring Christian a cup of tea.

"I'll.... pay for a new one... it's the least I could do..." Christian hated it when Roy complained.

"It's okay. You know me, I just like to complain. It's not like I'm a State Alchemist for nothing. I'll be able to handle it." Roy blew him off. On his payroll, radios were not the most expensive thing he could buy.

Just then, Embardon and Ed walked in. "Hey Mustang, you got any coffee in this place?"

Christian looked at him. "No..... coffee stunts your growth."

(:Shinu: <runs around like a lunatic yelling> COFFEECOFFEECOFFEECOFFEE!!!!!!!)

Edward glared at Christian. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A DWARF?!?!?!" he bellowed loudly, while Embardon held him back.

"Relax, Elric, he didn't say that," said Embardon calmly.

(:FierceWolf: SHE USED HIS LAST NAME, RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!<Promptly does so>)

"No one....." Christian blinked "you shouldn't think that way...."

Edward was not paying attention. To get his focus off of Christian, Embardon transmuted his automail arm into something cute, and ran like the dickens, yelling, "WINRY'S GONNA KILL ME WHEN SHE FINDS OUT I DID THAT!!!!"

Christian blinked again, not sure what to say.

Edward chased Embardon fiercely, yelling back, "NOT IF I KILL YOU FIRST!"

Christian sweat dropped "well....."

Roy sweatdropped as well. "Perhaps I had better rescue... What's her name again... Oh yes, Embardon, from FullMetal, huh?"

Christian jumped off of the counter, saying, "Allow me.... um.... As long as you have something for head aches...."

"Yeah... One second." Roy always kept hangover remedies ready in the cabinet above the stove. He handed Christian what looked like a packet of sugar. "Put that in your tea."

Chris nodded and did so, stirring it in. He left the kitchen then, letting the tea cool while he went to break up Edward and Embardon.

He found them running around the cage that Embar had created earlier, rather similar to the time where Ed chases Al.

Ed: "WAIT!"

Embar: "I won't wait!"

Ed: "STOP!"

Embar: "I won't stop!"

Ed: "PICK ONE!!"

Embar: "I can't decide!!!"

Christian rubbed his head "BOTH OF YOU STOP!"

Edward ignored him, but Embardon dashed behind him to try and hide. Grabbing him around the waist, she continued to run, using him as a shield, muttering to him, "Sorry, Christian." Christian growled and before he knew it Ed bounced off of something. And before she knew it, Embardon was frozen.

Embardon would have thanked him, but she couldn't talk, and her arms were still wrapped around Christian's waist.

Edward fumed, "GET THIS THING OUT OF MY WAY! CUMMON! LEMME THROUGH, SO I CAN KILL HER!"

Roy entered to this scene. "FullMetal, you need to relax. You're too high strung. (A/N: Look who's talking, Colonel Mustang. :Roy: What are you talking about??<False look of innocence.>) Embardon was just trying to save my cousin from being turned into raw meat. Christian, your tea is cool."

Christian removed Embardon from his person, letting her lose but keeping the invisible wall up. He walked into the kitchen to drink his tea. Embardon scurried closely behind, not wanting to be hurt by Edward.

Edward growled, "Damn you all. Now I can't eve leave this fucking house! Dammit. All I came here to do was tell Mustang--" "Colonel Mustang." "--that me and Al were going to search for the Philosopher's Stone." He slumped to the ground dejectedly.

Christian stopped in his tracks. "W-what did you say?"

He looked up. " 'Bout what, jackass?"

"The.....stone....." Christian looked quite pale and upset.

"Huh? Oh, that? Me an Alphonse were gonna go search for it. We found another clue. But seeing as you've trapped me here, I guess that I can't. Al's probably worried sick."

No one else had noticed, but, being as short as Edward, Embardon had run right into Christian's ass when he had stopped.

"Leave the stone for Satan," Christian said before rushing into the kitchen.

"Huh, wait... What the...? AREN'T YOU GONNA LET ME OUT? I'm hungry." As if to augment this, his stomach growled loudly. "I haven't eaten anything in nearly twelve hours," Edward whimpered.

Roy looked at him in amazement. "You're keeping track, FullMetal?"

Edward glared at him. "No... I... just.. Know?" He wasn't sure how he knew. He just did. He guessed it was something to do with him turning into a wolf the night before. Christian ignored him and drank his tea, hands shaking a bit.

Edward started to pound on the invisible wall. "LEMME OUT, DAMMIT!" He was hungry. He didn't care how he was being held back; he just wanted out so he could eat.

Christian flinched and dropped his cup but managed to catch it. "STOP!"

Edward did not stop. Who would stop when they were hungry and hadn't eaten for twelve hours? "No. I'm hungry... Let me out!" Christian screamed in pain.

Edward stopped, startled. "What the hell... What'd I do?" He now wondered what kind of barrier could make Christian scream in pain when it was hit.

Chris grabbed his head, putting the cup on the ground as he curled up.

Embardon, who, having spent enough time with Christian to know that something was wrong, leapt up, and rushed to him. "Christian, what's wrong?" She touched him gently. She was concerned that he had been harmed badly, and worried that he wouldn't be able to move. "My..... Head," he groaned.

She glared at Edward. "You jerk!" She then turned her attention back on Christian, now furious with him for no good reason. "And you, you should have let him go when he asked you to!" She smacked Christian, and would have smacked Edward, had he not been behind Christian's mind wall, and then stormed up the stairs.

Christian held his head more "I WAS TRYING TO HELP YOU UNGRATEFUL…" He let his voice die off.

Being only halfway up the stairs, and having retrieved her shoes first, she threw one at Christian, hitting him in the stomach, yelling. "Here, let me help you. Now you can feel like Edward does." It bounced off his wall and hit her back. She caught it, but not soon enough, and it hit her on the head, and she collapsed onto the stairs.

Roy had had enough. "EVERYONE SHUTUP, AND CALM DOWN!" He bellowed loudly enough so that even Edward winced. "Christian, let them out. Edward, promise to behave. Embardon, don't throw things."

In traditional Elric manner, Ed and Embar huffed, basically saying, 'All right, Mustang, but you'll pay for that.' They were both pissed. Both of them had experienced stressful days.

"Good. Now, Christian, you let them out." Roy was not going to tolerate his guests harming his family, or otherwise. Christian did as told, still holding his head.

Edward slowly got up, transmuted his automail back to normal, and walked to the kitchen, and got out some pots, pans, bowls, and ingredients, and began to make pancakes, saying, "No offense, Mustang, but your cooking sucks. I'll just make my own. Maybe I'll share with Embar." He was frustrated, and ached to get his hands on Christian, but didn't.

Embardon grimaced, and came back to the kitchen. "Thanks Ed." She realized that she too was hungry.

Roy stared, half surprised and half angry, at Edward, then said, "Fine, but you're washing all the dishes you two make." He didn't want to start another fight, and it looked like Edward was going to kill the next person who insulted him.

Christian started to drink his tea again, still on the floor.

Roy, completely disregarding the fact that he had guests, poured himself a cup of tea and sat on the floor beside Christian. "So... I think I recognize it now. You're psychic, aren't you?" Chris nodded slowly.

"Sorry about Edward, but when he's hungry, there's almost no stopping him." Roy felt the need to apologize, considering that technically, the FullMetal was his guest.

"S'ok," Christian slurred. His head hurt badly, and he just wanted to sleep.

"Is there anything I can do to help?” Roy was sure that there was something Christian still hadn't revealed or told yet. Christian shook his head and then leaned it on Roy's shoulder.

"All right," Roy said softly, and sipped his tea. Edward glared at Christian, cautiously hiding it from Roy. Christian closed his eyes. "Sorry....."

"No problem," Roy muttered. He too, just wanted to sleep.

Finally, Edward couldn't hide it anymore. "WHADDYA MEAN NO PROBLEM? I'M SUPPOSED TO... Well, never mind." He wasn't sure what had caused the outburst.

Chris growled. "This is all my fathers fault," he muttered and got up with his tea, heading for another room.

"All your father's, hey, wait, Christian, what do you mean?" Roy walked after him, and made it to the other room, but stepped on the shattered teacup, and sliced his foot open. "DAMMIT!"

Christian jumped. "Crap..... Roy..... Sit down."

Sitting down was not an option, seeing as he was leaning against the wall, trying not to fall on his ass into the shards of china below him. Christian grabbed his arm and helped him to the couch after picking up the broken shards. "Thanks." Roy winced as he set his foot on the table.

He nodded and started to remove the shard from his cousin's foot. "Shit! That hurts," Roy stated, matter-of-factly. Christian looked at Roy. "Well yeah," he stated, flicking his wrist causing the shard to go flying. Roy's leg gave a massive jerk, surprising Christian, as Roy yelled, "DAMMIT!" (A/N: Yes, again with the profanity.)

Christian covered his ears, saying, "Don't yell."

Ed, having left Embardon to cook the pancakes, with specific directions, ran in, with an expression neither Roy nor Christian could interpret. "What the hell did you do to yourself NOW, Mustang?" he snapped. He was concerned, but didn't want anyone but Roy to know, and since it was not just Roy, he made a poor attempt at hiding it.

"For your information, FullMetal, I stepped on a piece of glass, and it got stuck in my foot," Roy stated, seeming calm, but really burning inside. This little brat kept barging in, keeping him from hearing Chris's story.

“He's a klutz..... What can I say....?” Christian was slightly confused, but that was about it.

Edward muttered something unintelligible to Christian, but Roy, who was wearing one of his special gloves, snapped his fingers, and threw flames at Ed. "SHIT! What was that for, Mustang?" `I didn't say anything that rude, you idiot,' He thought. `All I said was that I didn't agree with Christian… You're being paranoid, Mustang.'

Roy thought up a plausible excuse off the top of his head. "For insulting my cooking earlier." Roy was touchy about his cooking, but another of his less known pet peeves was people who muttered incomprehensibly. He then smirked his famous smirk, just to annoy Ed. The younger alchemist's eyes burned with hatred, and something else that just couldn't be placed, and he stormed off to rescue Embar from murdering the pancakes.

Christian sighed, "Today.... Just isn't a very good one is it?"

"Nope. Just not a good day for anyone in this house, huh? You know, technically, I should throw Embardon in jail for illegally using Alchemy... But I think that for some reason I'm always going to make exceptions for those Elric brats." Roy said this with a sigh, wishing that Edward would just get over his stupid height problem and his pain and let his emotions show. (A/N: Yes, Roy knows they're related. He did since Embardon stormed off just like Edward.)

Christian chuckled a bit. "Getting soft?"

"Possibly. Though I don't think anyone at the office knows it yet. And it's really only for Ed's family, you know. I kinda feel sorry for him." Roy was upset that Edward had started acting so weird.

"You.... Feel sorry for any one?" Suddenly, before Roy could reply, Christian was hit in the head by something warm, fluffy, and smelling completely of pancake.

"You guys gonna come eat or not?" Edward was standing in the doorway.

"I think, Cousin, that we'll have to finish this conversation later. Let's get this foot wrapped up, and eat, before FullMetal's hospitality fades." Roy's stomach grumbled, as if to make a point. “Besides, I think that it would be good for us to eat.”

He nodded. "Right... I'll get the bandages," he said as he stood to do so.

"No need," Ed cut in. "I've already brought them. Your house is so predictable, Mustang."

Christian chuckled. "The same way Auntie had it growing up..."

"Yeah, well, what can I tell ya, I'm a sucker for tradition,” Roy joked. Sarcastically, Ed added, "Yeah, the only difference is now your radio is gone, and your living room can't be lived in. Hah!" He then walked back to the kitchen, leaving the bandages on Roy's once beautiful, now bloodstained coffee table.

Christian shook his head and grabbed some other things and cleaned Roy's wound before wrapping it. "There you go..."

"Thanks. Now all I have to do is learn to walk normally on it before going back to the office, huh?" Roy muttered, mostly to himself.

"HURRY UP!!" Edward's voice rang through the house. It appeared he would be learning to walk on it sooner than normal. Christian cringed again and stood back up, holding his hand out to help his cousin. "Knowing you... That will take all of.... An hour...."

"Yeah, you're right. But first, food." Roy took his hand, and together, they worked their way into the kitchen. They met a surprise waiting there. It appeared that Edward had let his anger finally come through a constructive outlet. There were more types of breakfast food in the kitchen than Roy had ever seen before. Roy nearly fainted.

"Well, dig in," Embardon said, and then followed her own advice. Edward really was an excellent cook.

Christian blinked. "Wow." He grinned, looking like a kid in a candy store. He helped Roy to a chair before piling his plate and digging in. He smiled happily. "Wow.... This is the best!"

Edward scowled at him, grunted in reply, but didn't comment. He was too busy eating, though personally, he felt that the soufflé was not as big as it should have been. Yes, he had even made desserts.

Roy was still in shock. He hadn't even known that he had that many cooking utensils in his house, let alone dishes.

Christian poked Roy with his fork, saying, "Eat!"

"Huh? How'm I supposed to eat when I can't even walk?" He queried, making his voice sound pitiful.

"Are you honestly asking that question Roy?" Christian raised his left eyebrow at Roy, wondering how much more pathetic he could make himself.

"Yes" Roy replied bluntly, not thinking what he had said through.

Edward did a face-palm, winced, then thought, `Note to self: Don't smack your head with your automail hand.'

"You're being dumb then,” Christian retorted before he could bite it back.

"Hey! That's not-What are you doing, Elric?" Edward had gotten up, and was filling another plate, even though he'd barely touched his. He placed the plate of food in front of Roy. "There. Now you don't have to walk, okay?"

Christian chuckled a bit. "Now eat it."

"All right, all right. You've got me. I'll eat it." He then did as he said he would and ate the food. Edward seemed surprised. Usually Roy avoided doing or touching anything that even remotely had to do with the FullMetal Alchemist.

Christian nodded "and eat it all.... would be a shame to waist it" he then set on finishing his own food. Roy ignored him. He was already thinking that perhaps the little FullMetal brat wasn't so bad after all. That was until Edward hit him over the head.

"That was unnecessary, Edward.” Christian chuckled at this and finished his plate off.

Edward responded tartly, "You were thinking that I was little. You know I hate that. And before you blame me of being psychic like Christian--yes, I WAS listening--I could see it on your face."

"Well then, you are the perceptive brat, aren't you, FullMetal." Roy quipped.

Christian almost choked on his last bite, he still wasn't used to others knowing. "Sorry, Christian," Ed muttered. Chris shook his head and smiled at Ed. "No need to be..." (:Kitusna-chan: Hey I rhymed!)

Embardon, who had been watching the whole thing in silence, now piped up. "I think they're cute. What do you think, Christian?" He nodded "that I do" he smirked. Both Roy and Ed blushed. Christian looked at Embardon, winking. She flashed him a rare, beautiful, real smile. He smiled back, and blushed the slightest bit.

Edward caught it, and blew up at Christian. "YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER!" He then dropped his jaw, stunned.

Christian jumped at this. "Stop yelling.... please"

"Sorry... I think?" Ed had confused even himself. Why was he defending this girl whom he hardly knew? The only explanation he could think of was that they actually were related. `But she can't be much older than I am,' Edward thought.

Christian rubbed his head. "Too much.... yelling," he said in a barely audible whisper.

Embardon glared at Edward, saying, "You really need to control your temper, little brother..." She then gasped, and clapped her hands over her mouth. Embardon and Ed stared at each other with wide eyes.

Christian didn't seem to notice or hear this. Roy was concerned. "Christian, what's wrong?" He glanced at Roy, fear in his eyes for a split second before he shook his head and stepped up from the table. "Christian, you came to me for help! How can I help you if you don't let me?" Roy stubbornly forced himself to get up and hobble over to Christian. He looked away from Roy. Roy grabbed his shoulder. "I'm not letting go until you tell me."

"Father yelled a lot......... before...." He shook his head. "That's all..."

"Come on, you must be tired. I'll fix the guest room... Ed didn't sleep there because he didn't ask if there was one, but I think I can manage something for everyone. It's getting late as it is." Roy helped his cousin up, leading him to the guest room.

Christian nodded, saying, "Right...." It wasn't as if he was going to stay in the guest room for very long. Edward scowled at Roy's back as he hobbled off to fix the guest room. Embardon just sat there looking stunned. Christian followed, helping him.

Edward was still scowling as he got up to help. "All right, since Roy obviously won't be able to do it, I suppose I ought to help."

Christian looked around, becoming skittish and nervous again.

"I'm just helping, jeeze!" Edward looked at him as if he were crazy.

Christian looked back at him. "Huh?" He hadn't realized that he was being jumpy again.

"You're freaking out." Edward pointed it out rudely.

"Oh... sorry.... recent habit..." He tried to calm himself, but failed.

"Yeah? Seems pretty normal for you, to me." Edward said. Just then, Embardon screamed from the kitchen, and Edward bolted back. Christian jumped but looked back, face blanching a bit. Embardon was lying in a heap on the kitchen floor, and behind her, holding the rolling pin she had used to knock her out, was Lust. Edward blanched.

Christian skidded to a halt by Embardon. "You," he hissed in a shaky breath.

"Come with me, Shrift, and she won't be harmed." Lust's voice sounded seducing, calm, and threatening all at the same time.

"Why are you doing this? LEAVE ME ALONE!" Christian growled. Edward sprang into action at that moment. He had cautiously been sneaking behind Lust. He was aiming for the pot that lay behind her. Let's just say that the pot lasted longer than Lust did. Christian grabbed Embardon and bolted from the room. Edward followed swiftly behind. Roy ignored the pain in his foot, and hobbled forward, so that Edward, Christian, and Embardon wouldn't be hit by his flames. He then snapped the fingers covered in the special reactant cloth glove, and ignited the air around Lust.

Christian ran up to Roy and put a shield up around them, just in case. However, Roy missed. Lust had already left, having not been able to claim her prize. However, on the floor, gently crisped from Roy's flames, lay a piece of paper. Christian put Embardon on the couch and rushed for the paper.

It read: ' You may have won this time, Shrift, but someday, your little friends won't be there to help you, and we WILL get you.' There was no signature. His hands shook and he tore the paper into shreds "LEAVE ME BE!" Faint laughter was his only reply, and for a while, they left him. He grabbed at his head again, shaking still. Roy carefully led him to the guest room, and he and Ed silently prepared it for him to rest.

An unspoken agreement between the two was that one of them would ALWAYS be standing guard close by.

Christian looked up a Roy "I'm sorry.... I shouldn't have come...."

"Nonsense. You did the right thing." Roy attempted to comfort him, but did poorly with both a bandaged hand and foot.

Chris shook his head. "I....I should have died then.... but," he whispered. Roy covered his mouth before he could continue. “No one deserves to die, Christian. You must never think that way.”