Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Who Says Blood is Thicker Than Water? ❯ Search and Rescue ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3

 

Search and Rescue

 

Shivering in her tree-cave, Leaha cursed herself time and time again. How could I have been so stupid? From what Uncle told me, that boy must've been the Fullmetal Alchemist. If only I'd been able to talk to him . . . maybe then I wouldn't be living like a fugitive! Feeling for the familiar form of her pocket-watch in her pants pocket, Leaha damned herself again. Shit! I must've dropped it when I was running! Bracing herself, another cold gust of night wind made its way into the shelter. I'm so sick of this! That's it . . . the next time I face that Ishballan . . . will be the last.

 

“Huh? Ed? Al?” Winry's face displayed pure confusion as she stared at the two brothers on her door-step. “What are you doing here? I thought you were on State business.” The two brothers were shivering in the dark.

 

“Technically, we are.” Ed flushed and scratched his head. “We need to ask everyone in the area if they know where a certain State Alchemist is. If we should happen to talk about other things, have supper, and take a rest while we're here . . . I suppose that's a sacrifice we'll need to make.” He finished the statement with a trade-marked smile.

 

“Well, then come in.” Pinako called from the kitchen. “After I'd heard that you were in town, I figured that you'd be coming by for one reason or another, so I made extra stew.”

 

After the meal was finished, Ed put both his and Leaha's pocket watches on the cleared table. “I found her's near the river along with a cloak transmuted from tree bark that's only found on trees as old as the ones in this area.”

 

“So you believe she has a shelter in the woods?” Pinako asked. Ed nodded. “Well, didn't you three have a hideout in a hollow tree when you were young?”

 

“I remember that! It always smelled so good there.” Winry's eyes lit up as she remembered the past.

 

“The trees! The trees that leave that smell in the air are the same type and age as the ones that the cloak was transmuted from!” Al exclaimed as he jumped up.

 

“She must be in our old oak! It would be the perfect place for her to hide!” Ed also rushed to the door.

 

“Hey, wait for me! Huh?” Winry was blocked as her grandmother put out her arm.

 

“You'll need lamps. Tell Andrew down at the store he can consider them payment for his last adjustment, okay?” The short, old woman smiled. “Now get going, and be careful.”

 

By the time the trio got to the woods, it was nearly eleven o'clock. “Be careful.” Ed warned. “Leaha may be ready to destroy anything that surprises her.”

 

So the group continued in silence on their way to their childhood playhouse. The slightly grown-over path way lit with a golden glow from the two kerosene lamps. Wind picking up, adding to the eerie nature of the forest.

 

Leaha's head snapped up from its resting position on the soft ground. I could've sworn that I heard something! Cautiously, the girl made sure that her last resort, a white glove with a red transmutation circle was in her pants pocket and that was dry. There it is again! Thank goodness that Uncle gave me this glove. It's too hard for me to keep a ready supply of water with me, and the air always seems to be dry when I get in a jam. Smiling grimly, she slipped silently from her shelter and sprinted deeper into the woods. If someone was coming for her, they wouldn't win that easily.

 

Chuckling darkly, Scar peeled himself from the shadow of a tree that was growing about ten yards from Leaha's former hiding place and began to pursue the unsuspecting alchemist.

 

“The dirt here is warm.” Ed announced as he crawled out of the tree. “She must've just left.”

 

“These trees all have bark missing.” Al confirmed as he returned to his brother. “Just enough to make a cloak big enough to cover this opening and cover up what someone looks like.”

 

In the distance, the three companions could hear a surprised scream followed by a thunderous crack and an exploding light. “Brother, do you think . . .” Al ventured.

 

“Yah. Let's go.”

 

Leaha stood with her back to a large maple tree. “I knew I heard something.” She spat angrily as Scar ran at her with his right had reaching for her head. Ducking quickly, Leaha rolled away to avoid the tree which fell when Scar tried to implode her brain.

 

“I don't know why you even bother. You know that you won't escape.” Scar sneered as he again went for Leaha's head.

 

It was too late when Leaha attempted to cartwheel out of the way, and Scar grabbed her ankle. Since the alchemic reaction was already in progress, the lower part of her leg was blown away just as Ed, Al, and Winry emerged in the destroyed clearing.

 

Immediately, Ed clapped his hands on the ground and put up an earthen barrier between the two. “Al, Winry . . . get her out of here and try to stop any bleeding. Don't wait for me.” He shouted as he rushed Scar.

 

“Hmph . . . Fullmetal, we meet again.” Scar growled as he saw the glint of Ed's automail. “You coming here will save me the trouble of tracking you down.”

 

“Your name is Leaha, right?” Winry asked softly as she and Al went up to the girl. Oh god! Come on, we need to get you away from here.”

 

“No. I was given an assignment, and I intend to finish it.” Leaha groaned as she pulled herself up by a tree limb.

 

“We need to stop the bleeding or you'll die! “ Al exclaimed as Leaha destroyed the earthen barrier without a transmutation circle. “What are you doing?!”

 

“Just get your brother out of the way.” Leaha ordered as she pulled on the white glove from her pocket and slipped it snugly on her hand.

 

“Ed! Move!” Shouted both Al and Winry as Leaha snapped her index, middle, and ring fingers over her thumb. The resulting bursts of flame flew at the confused Ishballan and burned him to a dark, dead, crisp.

 

“Holy cow!” Ed gasped, noting the limited destruction to the surrounding area and Leaha's destroyed leg.

 

“Ugh . . .” Leaha moaned as she collapsed on the ground, unconscious from the loss of blood.