Turning Tides

Turning Tides: Chapter 3

This chapter's a bit shorter. The usual notes below. I'm not dead, but it is finals week. Luckily I update every ten days instead of every week.

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Edward, Kimblee found out, was about as graceful as a cat when it was in water, when he was also in water. Of no fault of his own, he supposed, Automail couldn't be easy to wear when swimming, but either way, he wasn't that graceful. The blonde teen also had none of the patience of the said animal, so the combination of the two ended with a failed attempt to teaching the blonde teenager to fish— and with Kimblee sending him off to go and help Darius and Heinkel with getting firewood.

Perhaps he should have thought it through because of course Edward would end up getting into a fight with the two Chimeras while Greed loafed about and was generally unhelpful.

A loud splash made Kimblee sigh as he tugged the makeshift fishing pole out of the way, eyeing the sinking teenaged Alchemist with a raised brow.

The five of them were camping out by a river, which was great for getting more food than just their rations if possible. But horrible because for some reason the two Chimeras and Edward had decided that fighting in the river of all things was the best idea out of all of the possible options for sparring grounds.

Sighing, he stood, holding his hand out to Edward, who grasped it and he hauled the teen out of the water.

"If you could stop throwing Fullmetal into the river," Kimblee called over to the trio while pulling the blonde from the water, "Maybe I could actually catch something."

"Instead of complaining, help me kick Donkey's ass!" Edward complained as he flopped down on the bank, clapping his hands together and drying himself off. Kimblee made a face.

"I think not, Fullmetal," he told him, brow raised. "I pick my battles and trying to take on Darius and Heinkel alone is a horrible idea. You're too small to do much."

"WHO YOU CALLIN TINIER THAN A SNOWFLAKE THAT MELTS BEFORE YOU EVEN HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE IT!?"

"Go fight Greed or something," Kimblee said back casting his line again and sitting back down. Edward stomped off, shouting for Greed while Heinkel kicked Darius down into the water.

Kimblee's brow twitched, but he remained where he was, watching the line bob up and down slowly.

He must have dozed off sometime between then and getting thrown into the river, because suddenly his eyes were snapping open and he was soaked to his neck in what would have been waist-deep water.

Greed and Edward were both cackling on the shore and Kimblee gave them both an unimpressed look, standing as he clapped his hands together. Edward made an intelligent retreat, deciding to make a run for it before Kimblee lunged at Greed, firing an explosion right at point blank against the Homunculus' face.

It didn't do much aside send the avatar of Greed flying back a few feet— couldn't do much against the damn Ultimate Shield he had— but it was cathartic either way. Thats what he thought at least, as he walked up towards the camp, wringing his hair out before he peeled off his soaked shirt and jacket to do the same.

A slight noise made him glance back as he stood in front of the fire, drying his pants and fending the rest of the chill off. A coat hit him in the face, one that was far too large for him to wear and smelt of wood, and smoke, and fur. He pulled it off of his head, careful of the flames as he saw Heinkel sitting back down on one of the logs nearby— cheeks dusted with pink.

Kimblee blinked, mouth forming in a small and soundless 'oh' before he turned back to the fire, pulling the coat on and around him. A part of him was pleased. Very pleased.