You got off the train at Dublith and caught a taxi to a butcher shop, connected to what seems to be a living area.
Ed and Al stood in front of the door.
“You knock it brother.”
“No, you knock it, Al!”
“You always make me do the dirty work!”
Exasperated, you rolled your eyes and knocked. A huge man opened the door.
Ed and Al looked up at him in awe. “Sig, wasn’t it?” Ed ventured.
“Ed? Al?”
They nodded. He rubbed their heads. “You’ve gotten big.”
He turned to you. “And who may you be?”
“Hello Mr….”
“Curtis.”
“Hello Mr. Curtis. I’m Y/N, a friend of the Elric brothers, here to accompany them on their travels.” you said, with a small formal bow.
“Is teacher here?” asked Ed. He nods.
“Izumi!” he called. “The Elrics are here!”
A woman stepped out. Her hair was separated into sections, and her eyes were fierce.
“Edward? Alphonse?” she smiled, holding her hand out. Ed reached out to take it.
“You haven’t changed at all have yo- AAH!!”
The woman flipped Ed over onto his back. “Uh.uh..teacher?” Al queried, shaking.
She looked up at him. “Alphonse?” She smiled kindly. He reached out to shake, and she flipped him over near Ed. You watch them groan, amused.
“How could you stoop so low as to become a dog of the military!?” she screamed at Ed. Ouch. She probably wouldn’t like you if she found out about the forms you had mailed.
She turned to you. “Who might you be?”
You bowed formally. “My name is Y/N, ma’am. I am the Elrics traveling companion. I’ve heard much about you. For you to have trained those two, you must have a great deal of alchemical skill.”
She smiled. “I’m just a housewife. Tell, me, how are those two?”
You laughed. “Oh, they get in loads of trouble. Mostly Ed, though. Honestly, half of my time so far has been spent getting them out of sticky situations!”
“Is that so?” Izumi glared at the two.
“Heh..eh..You’re sure doing well for someone whose sick..” groaned Ed.
“SICK?! Sick?! I’m no-” she suddenly spat up blood, and Sig was immediately at her side.
“Well, come on in, I guess.” she intoned.
You entered the living room, and you couldn’t help but notice the knives hanging everywhere. Then again, this was a meat shop. You walked over to one of the knives. “Mr. Curtis, this is a Corvetto 19846 model, is it not?” He nodded. “How did you know that?” he asked.
You blew away a speck of dust. “Oh, my father taught me all of the models. Corvettos were his favorite.” you commented absently.
“Was he a knife thrower or something?” asked Alphonse. You tense ever so slightly. You and your big mouth.
“Not..quite.” you say.
“Edward.” Izumi says sharply. “Your arm and leg, they’re automail..aren’t they? And Alphonse, you’re hollow.”
Edward gaped. “How did you know?!”
“DON”T BE AN IDIOT! I felt it when I flipped you!” she yelled.
They looked downwards, ashamed.
“What happened?” she asked.
They told their tale, starting from the very beginning.
(time skip)
“I see… So you committed the taboo.” Izumi sighed. “I should have warned you..”
Ed and Al didn’t reply.
“I know..what you’re going through...because I too, have commited the taboo.”
The three of you gaped at her. Well, Al would have been gaping.
Ed stared. “Who..who did you try to bring back?”
Izumi looked down. “It was my baby. Sig and I tried for so long to conceive, but it seemed like we couldn’t. When we finally did, I became very ill. I lost my baby. The truth took some of my insides, so I could never bear children again.”
You shut your eyes, not sure what to say. Your past wasn’t very light either, after all.
“I’m sorry.” Ed murmured.
Izumi didn’t say anything.
All was silent for a while, before she spoke up. “Well, unfortunately, I cannot forgive you for what you have done. You are expelled.”
Al gasped. “But teacher-”
Ed held his arm out. “No Al. She’s right. Let’s go.”
They turned to leave and walked away, but you lingered in the doorway.
“Mrs. Curtis?”
“Is there something you needed?” she asked
“I was wondering...do they ever call? ” you asked.
She shook her head. “No...why?”
You mock salute. “It shall be be my solemn duty to keep you posted.” you say crisply, however unable to keep the smile off your face.
She smiled at you. “It will, huh? Teach them a thing or two if they misbehave.”
You waved goodbye and ran to catch up with Ed and Al.
At the station, you three waited for the train. Suddenly, Sig came up behind you.
“You idiots.” he scolded.
“What?” asked a confused suit of armor.
“Don’t you see? Now that she has expelled you, you can talk to her as equals.” he reprimanded.
Ed gave a start. “Al! We forgot to do what we came here in the first place for!”
“Oh, yeah!”
You facepalm. “How did we forget?!”
You ran back to the house, leaving Sig to stand by his lonesome.
