Sister of the Fullmetal Alchemist *FMA Brotherhood Fanfic* {Completed!}

Chapter 3

The next morning, Char woke early. She felt a thrill of excitement run through her and wondered why before remembering. She was out of the orphanage, in the East, and she was a State Alchemist! Plus, Ed and Al had promised to take her shopping today. Char gave an evil grin. She'd wheedle every last penny out of them.

There came a thump on her door. "Char, you up? We're getting breakfast!" Ed's voice called.

"Yeah, let me just get changed!" Char called back, jumping out of bed and slipping on her clothes. She hurried out and joined Ed and Al before the three of them walked downstairs, Al promising to save a table while Char and Ed went to go get some food.

"Isnt Al going to eat anything?" asked Char as the two of them stood in the line. Ed glanced at her, then over at Al before sighing.

"I'll explain it to you later, but not here. When we get back to our room I'll tell you. After all, if you're going to be travelling with us, you should know." Char looked at him with curiousity but he ignored her and she shrugged.

Later on, the three of them sat in the area which joined their rooms. "Okay, listen up Char, because we're only going to tell you once," Ed said. Char nodded and waited. "Me and Al...tried to do some Alchemy which is strictly forbidden. It's called Human Transmutation, and it involves trying to bring someone back from the dead. There is a basic law to Alchemy, which is that nothing can be gained without first giving up something of equal value. We thought we had nothing to lose, but...we were wrong. I lost my left leg, and Al lost his entire body. I used Alchemy to transmute his soul to the armour you see infront of you, sacrificing my right arm in the process. Now we're trying to find a stone called the Philosopher's Stone to try and restore our bodies back to the way they were before."

Ed finished telling Char and sat there, watching her to see what her reaction would be. She surveyed both of them, taking them in. Finally she asked, "Who did you try to transmute?"

"Our mum. She was the world to us since our dad left us, but she died because of an illness and we...well, we were desperate." Ed looked at her carefully. "You're not freaked out or anything, right?" Char shook her head.

"I get why you did it, so I think I have more of a grudging respect than anything else," she said, giving a half smile. Then her eyes brightened. "So..are we going shopping or not?" she asked expectantly. Ed and Al laughed.

"Alright, you got us. Let's get doing, shall we?"

"Please...let's go home now..." Ed moaned six hours later.

"Just a couple more shops, okay? I want to get some new shoes," Char said, skipping towards another shop.

"I cant believe this...She's sucking us dry..." Ed muttered.

"Explain why I'm carrying all the bags?!" demanded Al.

They finally returned to the hotel, Ed collapsing onto his bed and Al lowering all of the shopping onto the floor. Char looked through them all, her expression thoughtful. "Maybe I bought too much," she mused.

"That's an understatement!" both boys cried together. Char giggled and they couldnt help relaxing, Ed smiling.

"Come on, dinner will be ready soon, and I'm starving!" Ed said, grinning before racing down the stairs.

"Hey, no fair! You'll eat everything!" Char called after him and chasing him down the stairs. Al followed behind at a walk, happy that both Ed and Char were happy.

"She's a really good influence on him. I dont think I've seen him so happy for weeks," Al mused, sitting down at a table and waiting for them to come back with their food. They soon did, Ed wolfing it all down. Char shook her head in dissapprovment.

"Honestly Ed, even I eat neater than you. You look like some rabid dog. A Chihuahua maybe (no offence to the Chihuahua's or any lovers of those types of dogs out there!)." Ed stopped eating momentarily, looking at her with dark eyes.

"You just call me a tiny dog?" he asked in a dangerous tone. Char smiled brightly.

"Why yes, I believe I just did," she replied with a challenging look.

"You cant talk, shorty!" Ed retorted.

"Shorty!? I'm still growing! I'll be bigger than you in no time!" she cried. Ed smirked.

"Keep telling yourself that," he said, going back to his food.

The next day, Ed, Al and Char stood infront of Mustang again. "Alright, I got all the paperwork sorted out. Congratulations Fullmetal. You're officially a babysitter." Ed pulled a face while Char gave a giant grin.

"Oh, Big Brother, I'm so glad I have you to protect me!" she said in a squeaky voice, leaping at him and hugging him tightly. Ed flared up.

"Get off me! I'm not protecting you!" he yelled, trying to pry her off.

"Actually, Fullmetal, that's exactly what you're doing. By becoming Charleen's guardian while still being underage, you are effectively her older brother by law." Ed and Char both froze, staring at Mustang.

"You're kidding, right? Why didnt you say that sooner?!" cried Ed.

"He's my big brother by law? Yuck!" Char made a gagging noise and Ed turned on her.

"What's so yuck about it?!" he yelled, running after her as she tore out of the room. Al sighed and shook his head.

"Honestly, I dont understand how the two of them can have so much energy," he said in exasperation. Mustang gave a light laugh.

"Fullmetal really likes her, huh? Looks like she's really taken to him as well. If I didn't know better, I almost would say they're brother and sister." Al glanced at him.

"Well, I better get going. I dont want them to leave me behind," he said, waving before heading after them. Mustang watched them before spinning in his chair so that he was facing the window. He watched the three of them racing out, Ed chasing after Char while Al followed, desperately trying to keep up.

"You've got a soft spot for Fullmetal, haven't you sir," a female voice said from behind him. Mustang snorted and turned back.

"If you say so Hawkeye. I'd like to say it's more a fact that he's so idiotic that he needs twelve people keeping an eye on him," he replied with a shrug.

"Whatever you say, sir," Hawkeye replied, turning away.