Roy Mustang's sister

Chapter 4

We all sat at the Ice Cream shop, Major Armstrong told us it would be his treat. So I ordered a double chocolate chip ice cream, two scoops, in a waffle cone. The best ever! Though I couldn't feel the coldness of it, the taste was still great. I just had to be careful, just because I couldn't feel it, I could still get frostbite.

While we ate, I got to know the Elric brothers. Both were polite, but Al was the nice one. He had less of a temper, Edward was hot-head. Not that I blame him, he went through quite a lot. But I felt as though I was becoming fast friends with both, Al certainly thought so. I didn't ask them about the taboo they performed, something that surprised Edward, though he didn't say anything. I didn't ask about Alphonse, and I talked to him as a teenage boy, something I KNOW he was surprised about.

We talked about other things, like traveling, or various people we had met. I itched to tell them about what had happened with MY taboo, but Major Armstrong was still here, so it would have to wait.

Edward surprised me by asking, "So, Reyna, do you know any Alchemy?" Major Armstrong answered for me instantly, "No, Colonel Mustang doesn't want her to learn. He doesn't want his sister to become a dog of the military, something he thinks will happen if she starts Alchemy at such a young age. His devotion to protect her is inspiring!" Tears started to stream down the big man's face in a waterfall, while he was blubbering I winked at Edward and put my finger to my lips. He got the message and said coolly, "Of course, understandable." Eventually we stood up and Edward said, "We're heading back to Central, would you like to come with us?" I nodded and stood up too, Rogue standing and running ahead of us.

Alphonse asked, "What's his name?" I could hear the smile in his voice, "Rogue, he's a wolf. Roy got him for me a few years ago." Al clapped and patted his knee, "Come here Rogue! Come here boy!" Rogue ran up to him and licked his cheek, Alphonse laughed and started playing with him as we walked to the train station.

Major Armstrong laughed heartily at the sight and Edward grabbed my arm, he was a bit shorter than me, but I was also tall for a girl. Also, I didn't want to make him mad again so I said nothing about him being a midget. "Do you know Alchemy?" He asked in a low voice, "Why do you want to know?" I asked back, he shrugged, "I'm just curious. I think that you do, I saw the alleyway, you didn't throw trashcans at those boys did you? You put spikes in their way." I nodded, "Yes, I have Alchemy. My specialty is Natural Disasters, the one I focused on in the alley was earthquakes. Hence the spikes." He nodded and I continued, "I have something to tell your brother and you, but I don't want Major Armstrong to hear us. I'll tell you once we're in Central and he goes back to his job."

He shot me a curious glance but kept his mouth shut.

When we got to the train station, the ticket inspector saw me and paled, muttering, "Oh no, not again." The other's got on the train and Edward waited for me to come on, instead, I waited outside until the train started to move. Rogue moved them out of the way and Ed yelled, "What are you doing?! Get on!" I grinned and started to run alongside the platform, Edward stared at me in confusion and then moved closer.

When I saw the platform edge getting closer I stepped to the side and launched myself at the train, I grabbed the bar on the top and swung inside. The same lady Rogue had scared from before clutched her heart and said, "Not again!" I laughed and threw myself into a seat, Major Armstrong sat next to me and the Elric's sat across from us. "Why..... Did you do that?" I snickered at Edward's expression as he asked me that, "Why not? A girl's got to do something to stop boredom doesn't she?" Alphonse laughed and Edward smirked at me, "Yes, but that doesn't mean throwing herself at a train and risking death." I laughed, "But, that's the best type of game! The ones where you know you might not be ok, they get your blood pumping, wake you up. I know I'll someday die, I'm not just going to wait around for Death to decide 'Oh, Reyna's lived her life very boringly, time to collect her!' No. Not me, I'm going to go down swinging, and if I die young because of that, so be it. Still preferable than waiting around doing things other girls my age do, like...... Oh, I don't know, giggle at their crushes? I know not ALL of them do that, but still. You get my point."

Edward looked at me with a look of barely hidden respect, "Well, I guess we have something in common then." I grinned at him, "I guess we do." Major Armstrong clapped me on the back and said, "It's good to see your building comradery! True friendships can outlast empires!" He clapped me on the back again and nearly sent me tumbling to the ground, Rogue caught me though and flicked his tail at Major Armstrong.

When we got back to Central, Ed walked away quickly, Al and I jogging to catch up. Major Armstrong trailing behind. For such a short boy he could walk really fast.

I followed them to their hotel and as soon as we got inside their room Edward asked Major Armstrong to wait outside. He threw himself down on a couch and said, "Alright, tell us, why didn't you tell Major Armstrong you could use Alchemy? And where'd you learn it if Colonel Mustang won't let you?" I sat down in an armchair and sighed, "My brother already knows I have Alchemy, that's the problem."

Edward leaned forward and Alphonse sat down, Edward had, without a doubt, already told Al about our conversation. "What do you mean he already knows?" He asked, I sighed again, "He doesn't like the fact I have Alchemy, but he can't do anything about it. You see...." I swallowed thickly, "You see, I'm like you two. I committed the Taboo, I saw the Truth. And I paid for it." Edward's mouth fell open and Alphonse jerked in surprise, "You...... you did?" I nodded, looking down. "But I didn't do it willingly, I was forced to. By these..... things, one called himself Envy, the other lady was Lust. They..... kidnapped a woman, shot her, and told me to bring her back. They forced me to commit it, I knew it was wrong, but it happened anyway."

So I told them, I told them about that night, about the woman who died because of me, what they told me, and what was taken from me.

When I was done, Alphonse thoughtfully said, "It took your sense of temperature? That's a weird thing to take, can you still get cold though?" I shook my head, "No, I can't feel the temperature, but I can still get burned or freeze to death, it just takes longer than anyone else. I can feel the weight of something, and I found a way to see temperature using Alchemy, but I can't....... feel the cold. I can't feel the bite of snow, or the gentle coolness of rain, or the chilly breeze in the fall, or the warm sun on my face. I know it's there because I can see it, I just can't feel it. And I miss feeling it, I can't even feel my Mother's warmth when she gives me a hug anymore. That's what I miss feeling the most, I can still get comfort from one, but I can't feel the warmth."

I looked down, choking a bit, I would NOT cry. They had given up so much more than me, "But, it isn't a leg or and arm, or even my body. I just got the sense taken away from me. Roy doesn't want anyone to know I can use Alchemy because he doesn't want to gain the attention of the Fuhrer, he doesn't want me to be a dog of the military. I wouldn't mind, but, what can you do?" Edward leaned forward and said, "Al and I, we're looking for a way to get our bodies back. You could help us out and get your sense of temperature back, you said you were bored, so, you could come with us and try to find something to restore our bodies."

I grinned, "I would love to Ed, I'll just have to talk to my brother about it. He'll hunt me down any other way." Edward stood up, "Alright! Let's go talk to him then!" He walked to the door and threw it open, he waltzed out with Alphonse and I running to catch up. When we did, Alphonse put his hand on my arm and said, "Even if you didn't lost something obvious, you shouldn't feel bad for missing it. We'll get it back, brother is close to finding out." I nodded, smiling gratefully at him, "Thanks Al."

He had such a gentle soul, I made a promise to myself and to them at the moment. We would find something to give us back what the Truth took from us.