[FMA Big Bang fic] Down the Road - Chapter 4
Title: Down the Road
Author: bay115
Beta: The lovely and great alchemyotaku75
Artists: seta_suzume, ghosthax (thanks so much you two!), and bay115
Genre: Drama, Action, Flashback
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 36,028
Pairing/Characters: Ling/Lan Fan (UST), May, Shao May, short appearances from various OCs and canon characters (including one from the Daughter of the Dusk FMA Wii game)
Warnings: Violence, deceased body being carried throughout this story.
Summary: Ling, Lan Fan, and May took the long road back to Xing by passing through Aerugo and crossing the ocean, carrying Fu’s deceased body with them. As the group was traveling, they got to know Fu better by reading his journal. Unfortunately, the journey doesn’t go smoothly as a water alchemist, the Aerugo royal family, and thieves make sure to delay the trip.
Author's Note: For the 2010-2011 fmabigbang . There's been a debate whether Aerugo is based around Italy, France, Spain, etc. I decided to go for the France/Spain route. I want to thank my friend psychmoonshadow for helping me out with a few French phrases here (which are below here before the cut). If the phrases are wrong though, let me know! Oh, and a lot of inspiration for Ada's water alchemy is all thanks to Issac the Freezing Alchemist from the Brotherhood anime, yay.
Edit: I want to thank yhlee for informing me on a couple mistakes she thinks I did. The first two I'll need to double check with a native French speaker while the third one I had one of the accents wrong. Anyone else that knows French well please let me know!
*"Dory, arrête s'il-vous plait!" (Dory, please stop!)
*“Êtes-vous d'accord?” (Are you all fine?)
*""Ada, vous êtes très tôt." (Ada, you’re very early)
Chapter One: Before the Trip
Chapter Two: Meeting With May
Chapter Three: All Quiet on the Southern Front
Chapter Four: Ada of Rainington
When the group crossed over into Aerugo, Ling quickly checked his map and found that the closest city to the border was Fotset. Like South City, it had become a semi-military base. Most of the buildings were reserved for the military due to the fact there were no tourists. The only difference was there were more men and tanks in the city. Also, like in South City, the soldiers were staring at them, watching them closely.
“The soldiers look more Amestrian than Aerugoian. Some of them are alchemists, too,” Lan Fan pointed out with a puzzled tone. “Isn’t this city in Aerugo?”
“Fotset is now technically Amestris’ land from what Edward told me a while back. This is the city Amestris and Aerugo fought over because it’s pretty much divided by the borderline between the two countries.”
Ling went on to explain how the Amestris soldiers, some time ago had taken back a majority of Aerugo’s land, but the Aerugoian soldiers were able to push them back to Fotset. Amestris pulled some of their State Alchemists out of Aerugo to help out with the Ishval Extermination, so the enemy had the advantage. The prince believed Aerugo would regain Fotset back after some new chairpeople were chosen to look over Central.
“I believe we should not stop at this city, my lord. There is nothing but distress here,” Lan Fan whispered worriedly.
“I feel the same way. We’ll just have to find another place to stop at.”
Right after they left the city, there was nothing but flat land. Throughout the afternoon, there was no civilization to be found. Ling could see piles of dirt and fox holes scattered all over, just like the land he and the others crossed before making it to Aerugo. He sighed heavily.
“I’m sure we'll find a city where we can obtain food, eventually,” Lan Fan reassured.
“No, I’m not hungry. I hope we can stop somewhere for a bit and wait until May wakes up.” Ling shook his head. "This border war looks like it was far worse than I thought.”
At that precise moment, Ling’s stomach growled, causing him to laugh and rub the back of his neck in embarrassment. Lan Fan smiled.
“Maybe you should check the map again and see where our nearest destination is.”
“Good idea.”
The young man took out the map and skimmed it. His look changed from confusion to triumph.
“Right now we’re riding on Ville Road, which is nothing much but flat land. However, there’s actually a city nearby, Slatesworth Town. We should be getting close now.”
+++
Not long after Ling found Slatesworth Town on the map, they arrived in the city. It was a small place, but both the prince and his guard sighed in relief. There were shops made from stone close together and people walking about with smiles on their faces. Ling also saw many vendors parked in various areas of the town, most of the people either selling food or accessories.
“Finally, a place that looks peaceful!” Ling announced in a dramatic fashion.
Just then, May yawned and rubbed her eyes. When she saw where they were, she gasped and looked about their surroundings with bewilderment on her face.
“Where are we?”
“Slatesworth Town,” Ling replied with a huge grin. “We’ll going to find somewhere to get food after Lan Fan finds a spot to hide this wagon.”
“Oh, great!” May cheered. “I actually woke up because I’m feeling hungry.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll get some food soon.”
Everyone was busy with various tasks, so they didn’t pay attention to Lan Fan, Ling, May, and the wagon with Fu in it. The three parked the wagon in a nearby alley where no one would see it.
“May, you think you and your panda could stay here while Lan Fan and I get food? We need someone to guard Fu’s body.”
May and Shao May nodded. “Don’t worry, you can count on us!"
“Good. Be careful.”
Lan Fan and Ling waved goodbye to May and Shao May before they left them alone. The girl and her panda sighed, both of them glad to be taking a break now.
“Guarding Fu’s body may not be thrilling, but at least we’ll get to eat some food!”
Shao May squeaked in agreement, causing May to giggle. The girl thought they would always be hungry at the same time. She then glanced at Fu’s body and shivered. Each time she saw him, she thought his spirit went through her.
Even after traveling with his corpse for the past few days, I still get a cold feeling looking at it.
May was distracted when she heard an old woman calling out for people to buy her flowers. A lopsided smile pulled at the princess’ mouth as an idea came to her.
“Shao May, you think we should get those flowers for Fu?”
The panda nodded. The two hopped out of the wagon and went towards the woman.
“Here we have all kinds of flowers for any occasion, whether it’s for a birthday, wedding, or…” She stopped and smiled when she saw May and Shao May. “Why hello there, Miss. What can I help you with?”
Already knew what she was going to say, May responded, “I would like two batches of flowers, please. It’s for a friend's grave; he passed away recently.”
The woman covered her mouth with her hand as it dropped open. “Oh, I see. All right then, that will be four hundred cenz.”
May took out some of the coins from her pocket and handed them to the lady, who then bestowed her with the flowers.
“Thank you for the flowers,” the princess said, bowing.
“You’re welcome.”
After May and Shao May got back on the wagon, the little girl began separating the flowers and scattered them over Fu. She stopped when she heard Ling and Lan Fan coming, the prince carrying a couple bags. May's panda sniffed the food and squealed.
“Oh, what do you guys have there?”
“Chicken and sandwiches. We’ll save the chicken for dinner.”
“Hooray!” May shouted in glee. Both she and Shao May threw their fists up in the air.
Ling and Lan Fan chuckled and climbed onto the wagon. The prince took the reins this time and was about to shake it until he wiggled his nose.
“Something smells fresh, like flowers.”
“Oh, I bought flowers for Fu so that the smell won’t be as bad.”
“A smart idea, actually,” Ling said. He touched May’s shoulders and nodded in gratitude.
“Yes, it is. That way we won’t need to about the smell for a while,” Lan Fan commented also, a faint smile lacing her face.
May giggled, glad the two were fine with it.
+++
When the group stopped to eat lunch, they discussed which seaport to go to. The closest one was Santa Rosa, a little off to the east of Aerugo. There weren’t too many cities to stop by, but Ling was fine with it since they just needed to visit a few places to acquire food. Everyone decided Santa Rosa was the best place to catch a boat to Xing. Next stop would then be Camiburn, but they wouldn’t make it to that city until nightfall.
Not far from Camiburn, there was Valjean Woods Ling and the others had to pass through. There were many trees although they were spread out and the ground was covered in grass, absent of any flowers. Ling didn't mind if this particular area was big because he knew he would be able to get out of the woods fine. He was more worried about the animals roaming here because he didn't want to cross paths with them.
During the trip, May talked about the time her mother scolded her for finding Shao May. It took a million pleas before her mother accepted a pet in the palace. Lan Fan giggled while Ling laughed and petted the tiny animal.
“She’s a cutie, I have to say. You two do look like an unstoppable team.”
Both May and Shao May grinned. “Thank you,” the young girl said.
Ling chuckled. He enjoyed talking to his half-sister more than ever before. However, the young man frowned when he realized they wouldn’t spend much time together after they made it to the palace. Sure, his clan would protect May’s family, but he wasn’t sure how often the two would visit one another.
“Something the matter, Ling?”
“I’m going to miss you after we bury Fu. I’m pretty sure you’ll want to go back to your clan instead of coming with me and Lan Fan to the emperor’s place.”
“Actually, I'll come with you to see the emperor, since he's my father too,” May said, beaming. Her expression changed immediately, though. "However, after that I'll go back to my clan. My family is worried about me," she muttered, lowering her head in an apologetic manner.
It was just as he thought. Ling felt as if someone tugged on his heartstrings. There was no way he could convince her to stay with him for a while. There were still many things he wanted to know about his sister.
He got distracted when he heard his horse squealing in fright. His sister held him tight while Lan Fan’s eyes turned huge.
“What’s wrong with the horse?” Lan Fan asked.
“I don’t know,” he said, looking confused.
The horse kept rearing. It was hard at first to see what was going on, but Ling then saw the source of the problem was. A dark gray wolf growled, teeth clenched and mouth dripping with salivia. Immediately, the creature bit the horse’s right front leg, causing him to scream even louder and kick the wolf in the face. The horse kept thrashing until the wagon’s wheels hit a boulder, causing everyone to crash onto the ground. The horse ran away, taking the wagon with him.
“Ow,” Ling moaned. His head felt heavy, the pressure inside building up, but the prince rubbed it to sooth the pain.
He got up slowly, but felt his heart drum quickly when he saw May and Lan Fan sprawled on the ground. The prince dashed toward the two and shook them frantically in turn. It didn’t take long until both of them got up and coughed.
“Are you two all right?” Ling asked.
“I’m okay,” May said. She cuddled Shao May as the panda squeaked in alarm.
Lan Fan nodded slowly. “I'm fine, my lord. My automail arm is working too,” she said while testing it out “Maybe some scratches, that is all.”
“If you’re hurt anywhere, I can heal you,” May offered.
Lan Fan shook her head. “It's all right, thank you,” she declined politely. “I’ll most likely still need to see a mechanic, though.”
“Indeed,” Ling said, nodding. He helped Lan Fan get up. “We’ll see if we can find one when we get to Camiburn.”
Ling looked over Lan Fan’s automail arm with concern. The prince wanted his guard to be checked out as soon as possible. His thoughts then turned to Fu.
Where is his body?
His own question was answered when he turned around and gasped at what he saw. Fu’s body was on the ground, the cloth enclosing him covered in grass stains. Beneath the body were the smashed flowers.
“Oh no, the flowers!” May said in mourning, tears already running down on her cheeks. Lan Fan embraced her.
“It’s okay, May. We’ll get more flowers when we get to Cami…”
The prince stopped when he heard a growl. Everyone turned and saw the wolf getting up on shaky legs. Ling pulled his sword from his sash and dropped into a fighting stance; he wouldn’t hesitate to kill the animal. The wolf roared and charged at Ling, and the prince tensed. He waited for the right moment to strike until he suddenly heard someone speaking in a language he couldn’t understand.
"Dory, arrête s'il-vous plait!"
What happened next, Ling couldn’t believe his eyes. The wolf leaped up, but an explosion of high-pressured water slammed into the creature, sending it into a tree. Lan Fan and May had alarmed expressions on their faces while the young man was left speechless.
(Art by seta_suzume )
A water alchemist?
Soaked to the skin, the wolf growled in annoyance then walked away from the group. Everyone sighed in relief, but immediately turned their heads as a horse neighed frantically nearby.
Ling, Lan Fan, May, and Shao May gasped when they saw a girl pulling her horse’s reins. She climbed out of the cart and dusted her clothing. The vest over her blouse and the different colored skirt seemed to not be ideal for riding horses. The young man could tell from the look in her hazel eyes that she was surprised to see them.
“Êtes-vous d'accord?” the girl asked timidly.
The prince couldn’t help but blink; again he couldn’t understand what she was saying. Apparently the girl was speaking Aeruogian. The only languages he knew were Xingese and some Amestrian.
The young lady giggled in embarrassment. “Oh, sorry. You three don’t look like you know Aeruogian. I asked if all of you are okay.”
“Yeah, we’re fine,” May answered. “However, our horse ran away, thanks to that wolf biting it.”
“Sorry to hear that. Wolves tend to roam this forest.” She retied the ribbon in her brown hair as she spoke.
(Art by seta_suzume )
“I see,” Ling said grimly.
Without a horse and cart, Ling realized that he, May, and Lan Fan had no way to get to Camiburn unless one of them went for help, but that would take a while. They could walk there, but there was one problem-Fu. Ling gazed at the body of his guard and felt as if someone had stabbed him in the stomach. They needed the wagon because of Fu. It would be improper to leave him lying there.
“Right now, our only source of transportation is gone and it seems it’ll be a while if one of us goes to the closest town to fetch another cart or wagon. You see, we need to get to Santa Rosa’s seaport so that we can bury our friend in Xing.” He pointed towards Fu.
The girl lowered her head and stroked her chin in thought. It didn’t take long until she smiled and snapped her fingers. “I have an idea. I’ll let you guys stay at my place for the night, then I’ll take you all to Santa Rosa.”
Everyone’s jaws dropped; this was unexpected. Besides the Elric brothers and their friends, no stranger had offered to help them. Ling was always grateful for the kindness of strangers.
“No, it’s okay,” Ling said, gesturing his hands to indicate she didn’t need to do that. “We can go to Santa Rosa on our own.”
“Really, I insist. Who knows when you’ll find someone else help you with your fallen friend.”
Ling sighed in defeat; he had no choice but to accept the offer. He could just go with her temporarily to get another wagon at the closest town, but wasn’t sure if anyone would lend him one. It still felt uncomfortable for the young girl to transport a dead body.
“Are you sure?”
The girl nodded and smiled. “You don’t want to leave that person lying here, right?”
Still not sure about having the girl go with them, Ling turned to May and Lan Fan. His guard nodded while his sister grinned. He soon felt a smile tug at his lips.
+++
Lan Fan, May, Shao May, and Ling were in the driver’s seat with the girl and Dory while Fu was on the cart with their possessions. Luckily, a red cloth covered Fu so that no passerby would see him. They were traveling through the woods and came upon a village, where they girl lived nearby.
“So, all of you are from Xing, including the person you need to bury soon?” the girl asked. “Curious, how do you know Amestrian? I know that language because my late mother originally came from Amestris.”
“Indeed, all four of us came from Xing,” Ling told her. “As for how we know the Amestrian language, we all learned it early in our lives."
The girl turned her head, her face showing keen interest. “Figures. I always wanted to visit there one day. Also, Amestrian seems to be the second universal language in this country, the first being Aerugoian.” She was quiet for a while, but her expression changed to wonderment when she thought of something else. “Sorry to ask, but how did your friend die?”
“My grandfather died a few days ago during a battle at Central,” Lan Fan answered this time, slowly and in a mournful tone. She didn’t mind Ada asking about Fu’s death, it was just that it wasn’t easy for her to talk about it.
Ada gasped. “You mean the Promised Day? I heard rumors from different people about it. So is it true Fuhrer Bradley is dead?”
“It is,” Ling said. “Now Central is holding talks to try and find a new leader.”
“I see. I hope things go well for Amestris.” As the girl finished, she gazed at Lan Fan with sad eyes. “Also, I am sorry about your grandfather.”
Everyone became quiet. Lan Fan clenched a fist over her heart; the mention of the late Führer struck her hard. Memories of her grandfather being killed by him kept repeating in her mind.
“Hey, you never introduced yourself!” May said suddenly.
The girl giggled. “You’re right. I’m Ada Gautier.”
“Nice to meet you, Ada,” Ling said while shaking her hand. “I’m Ling Yao and those two are Lan Fan, my guard, and May Chang, my half-sister.”
Ada raised an eyebrow. “Guard? Are you of royalty or something?”
Ling rubbed his neck and laughed. “Actually, I am. I’m a prince of Xing and the twelfth son of the emperor.”
“And my family has served under his clan for several generations,” Lan Fan added. For some unknown reason, she always had to add that each time Ling talked about his title.
“Really? That’s unexpected,” Ada commented, chuckling. “Let me guess, running away from assassinations?”
The prince shook his head. “Not exactly. It’s complicated.”
While Ling was telling Ada about running away from Xing to find immortality, Lan Fan watched the sun set in the western sky and began thinking about the girl. Ada was nice, but there was something odd about her. She could feel large amounts of chi from her, much like the alchemists at Central, South City, and Fotset.
Was she also capable of those kinds of techniques?
The moment Ada used her water alchemy on the wolf flashed back to the guard. For some reason, Lan Fan was frightened by that thought. She hoped she wouldn't run into many alchemists, but now there was one helping her, Ling, May, and her grandfather to return home. Still, she wasn't sure how good Ada's alchemy was. The girl may be young, but after battling with Edward at Rush Valley almost a year ago, Lan Fan learned to not underestimate young people.
"Wow, quite interesting stuff," Ada said after Ling finished telling her everything. "You know Ling, you should meet with King Claudio. I bet the both of you will get along well."
The prince gave a short laugh. "It would be nice to visit him, but I'm afraid we don't have time for that. We must get back to Xing as soon as possible."
"Understandable. You can always visit him after you become emperor."
Waiting for the two to finish their conversation, Lan Fan spoke. “Ada, sorry to ask, but are you an alchemist?”
“Yes,” Ada said, nodding. “My specialty is water.” To prove it, the girl got out two gloves with water alchemy arrays, which looked very similar to a Yin-Yang symbol stitched on them, from the pockets of her vest.
(Art by seta_suzume )
Lan Fan gasped to herself. She was right about the girl being an alchemist, but then realized her being one didn’t make her bad. Perhaps her overall uneasiness was due to what had happened during the Promised Day and didn't want May and Ling to get hurt.
“Really? That's great,” May said, smiling.
Ling grinned. “Ha, thought so! You know, I’ve always been fascinated by people who can use alchemy. It must have been hard learning how to handle water.”
“Thanks, and you’re right. I have to find some source of liquid to perform it decently. For instance, I used the water from my canteen to save you from that wolf,” Ada said while putting the gloves back into her pocket. “My father’s a well known water alchemist in Aerugo, actually.”
As it neared sunset, they made it to Rainington, Ada’s home. It was mostly a collection of houses next to farmland, with friendly people who grinned and waved in greeting when they saw the group. Ada waved back.
“You know all these people?” May asked.
“Yep. It’s a very small place, so everyone knows one another.”
Lan Fan couldn’t help but smile when she saw the farms. Many of the fruits and vegetables that grew were in perfect shape and ready to be picked soon.
“The people in this village very good care of the crops.”
Ada smiled with pride. “Our village is known for growing tasty and healthy things. This part of Aerugo is where a lot of our agricultural alchemists stay at.”
All of a sudden, Ada stopped Dory. Ling, Lan Fan, and May were at first confused, but they turned around and smiled. Alongside the trail, not far from them, was Ada’s home. The girl guided the horse down the trail so that they headed toward the house.
+++
“Father, father!”
The living room was warm, a cheery fire burning in the fireplace. Across from the fireplace, there were some sofas where everyone was sitting except for Ada. Between the sofas was a round table filled with books on water alchemy. Ling picked one up and began reading, but after skimming through the pages he closed it and put it back in its rightful place.
“You never even tried alkhestry, so it is highly unlikely you’ll understand these books,” Lan Fan whispered flatly.
“I know, but I’m curious about it. The only alchemy I have seen is from the Elrics and Roy Mustang.”
Ling stopped talking when he saw an elderly man dressed in a suit come from another room. He stared at the group curiously.
"Ada, vous êtes très tôt," the man said with a smile. His eyes went wide when he saw Ling and the others. “Oh, who might these guests might be?” the man asked in Amestrian, grinning. He walked over to shake everyone’s hands. “I’m Clement, Ada’s father. We don’t get guests here very often.”
“They’re Lan Fan, Ling, May, and Shao May,” she said, pointing to them in turn. “They all came from Xing, but have been staying in Amestris for nearly a year.” She paused, sighing. “Recently, they lost their horse due to a wolf. Now they are returning to their home country to bury their friend.”
Clement gasped in shock. “Bury him back in Xing?” He faced Ling. “Couldn’t you have buried him where he died, instead?”
Ling realized that it seemed crazy to others that they were returning home with a dead body. Remained determined to not let that dampen his spirits. He clenched his fist.
“Fu told me that he wanted to be buried in Xing if he were to die in Amestris. It was the country he was born in, and that is where he’ll be buried. I told him I would. Not only that, it would be more honorable to bury him there due to the nature of his death. The people of Xing always keep their word.”
The prince looked at everyone in the room. They all smiled, though Clement’s smile was different. It was more of satisfaction.
“I like people when they keep their promises,” Clement said, crossing his arms. He then looked at his daughter. “I assume they’ll have to leave soon, correct?”
“Yes,” Ada said, nodding. “However, I want to take them to Santa Rosa, if that’s all right with you, Father. That’s the least I could do for what just happened to them. You shouldn’t worry as I went there a couple times before.”
Clement’s face was veiled with concern. “I know, but right now it’s the rainy season and I don’t think you’re ready to handle that with your alchemy yet.”
“I’ll be careful,” Ada insisted. “If it rains, we’ll make sure to stay someplace warm and dry.”
The father scratched his chin, still considering this. Ling saw the sad look on Ada’s face. He could tell she really wanted to help him on this journey. It seemed like an eternity until Clement responded with a smile.
“All right, then. I want you and Dory to make sure they get there safely.”
Ada sneaked in the biggest grin Ling had seen from her. “Don’t worry, you can count on us!”
Ling chuckled and felt warm inside. Ada joining them wouldn’t be a bad idea, now that he thought about it. It would be nice to have another traveling companion for a while. Maybe she could tell them more about Aerugo.
+++
The chicken they had saved for their dinner had become soiled when the wagon had overturned, so Clement insisted on cooking a huge meal for everyone. The carrots, beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and pork were delightful, especially for the prince.
“Wow, this tastes better than the food I ate at my palace,” Ling complimented while eating the corn and pork.
“Don’t worry. There’s still plenty of food left, so enjoy as much as you like”
Everyone continued eating and there was no sound from anyone except for chewing and the clink of forks hitting plates. Ling thought about the girl as he ate; there was something on his mind about her. He cleared his throat.
“Ada, sorry to ask, but how old are you?”
There was a big grin on the girl’s face. “Fifteen.”
“Fifteen?” Lan Fan and Ling yelped in surprise; they couldn’t believe she was the same age as themselves.
May glared at the prince and the guard. “Hey, I learned alkhestry earlier than that.”
Clement laughed and patted Ada’s shoulder. “She’s a very fast learner. Her water alchemy has progressed well and she’s been able to help out the village a lot.”
“I have been practicing my alchemy by watering the different farms here.”
Lan Fan finished drinking a glass of water and complimented, “No wonder the vegetables look so nice.”
“Indeed,” Clement said. “The people here take pride in the fact they can use alchemy for food and water. We don’t need to concern over droughts as much as others might.”
Everyone became silent again and once more Ling’s mind wandered off. He wondered if alkhestry could be used for farming. As far as he knew, Xing people hadn’t used it for any other purpose besides medicine.
+++
Even though it was early at night, it was ‘lights out’ inside the house. The honorable guests, as Clemente liked to call them, would be sleeping in the living room for the night. Luckily he had extra pillows and blankets for the group to use. May, Shao May, and Ling were able to fall sleep quickly but Lan Fan wasn’t able to get some shut eye as easily, so she decided to sneak outside and watch over her grandfather for a bit.
The first thought that came to the young woman’s mind was that it was a relief his body wasn’t damaged after falling to the ground. There was still some concern though, that Fu wouldn't make it in one piece because it would be another week until they make it to the seaport. Even then, traveling by boat wouldn’t be one hundred percent safe, considering it could be raided or encounter a bad storm.
Why am I thinking all this?
Her hands trembled. This wasn’t like her to be so worried. The last time she was this worried was when she had found out Ling had become Greed and the two had gone missing for some time.
“You’re pretty.”
Lan Fan gasped and turned to see Ada gazing at her with admiration. The female guard gave her a small smile.
“Thank you for your kind words,” she stuttered, still unsure of what should be the right reply to a comment like that.
“I’m serious, you’re very pretty. I wonder if any of the other women in Xing are pretty too.”
Lan Fan’s cheeks burned light pink. This was the first time someone had complimented her on her looks. Neither Ling nor her grandfather said anything about it.
“There are many Xingese women more beautiful than me,” she said while shaking her head. Not only that, I lost an arm.”The young woman rolled back the left sleeve of her blouse and showed her automail arm to Ada. Lan Fan expected her to be frightened, but instead the water alchemist’s eyes gleamed with delight
“That’s so cool! A few farmers in this village got their automail in Camiburn and I’m always fascinated over how those things work.”
The mention of that city caught Lan Fan off guard. “Wait, Camiburn? That city has automail mechanics?”
“Yes. I’ve never been to the shops, but the farmers have told me the mechanics are friendly people. When we get there, you can visit one to have your arm checked.”
“I would like that,” the young woman said with a satisfied smile.
The two ladies fell silent to gaze up at the moon. Lan Fan admitted she was glad someone liked her automail arm. It might take her a while to get used to her new arm, but she would learn to appreciate it.
“I do hope you’ll make it to Xing safely during the sea voyage,” Ada said, finally speaking. “The waters can get rough sometimes.”
The guard would have been worried again about the sea trip, but for some reason seeing Ada so at ease calmed her down.
“We’ll be fine, I’m sure.”
Onto Chapter Five!
Author: bay115
Beta: The lovely and great alchemyotaku75
Artists: seta_suzume, ghosthax (thanks so much you two!), and bay115
Genre: Drama, Action, Flashback
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 36,028
Pairing/Characters: Ling/Lan Fan (UST), May, Shao May, short appearances from various OCs and canon characters (including one from the Daughter of the Dusk FMA Wii game)
Warnings: Violence, deceased body being carried throughout this story.
Summary: Ling, Lan Fan, and May took the long road back to Xing by passing through Aerugo and crossing the ocean, carrying Fu’s deceased body with them. As the group was traveling, they got to know Fu better by reading his journal. Unfortunately, the journey doesn’t go smoothly as a water alchemist, the Aerugo royal family, and thieves make sure to delay the trip.
Author's Note: For the 2010-2011 fmabigbang . There's been a debate whether Aerugo is based around Italy, France, Spain, etc. I decided to go for the France/Spain route. I want to thank my friend psychmoonshadow for helping me out with a few French phrases here (which are below here before the cut). If the phrases are wrong though, let me know! Oh, and a lot of inspiration for Ada's water alchemy is all thanks to Issac the Freezing Alchemist from the Brotherhood anime, yay.
Edit: I want to thank yhlee for informing me on a couple mistakes she thinks I did. The first two I'll need to double check with a native French speaker while the third one I had one of the accents wrong. Anyone else that knows French well please let me know!
*"Dory, arrête s'il-vous plait!" (Dory, please stop!)
*“Êtes-vous d'accord?” (Are you all fine?)
*""Ada, vous êtes très tôt." (Ada, you’re very early)
Chapter One: Before the Trip
Chapter Two: Meeting With May
Chapter Three: All Quiet on the Southern Front
Chapter Four: Ada of Rainington
When the group crossed over into Aerugo, Ling quickly checked his map and found that the closest city to the border was Fotset. Like South City, it had become a semi-military base. Most of the buildings were reserved for the military due to the fact there were no tourists. The only difference was there were more men and tanks in the city. Also, like in South City, the soldiers were staring at them, watching them closely.
“The soldiers look more Amestrian than Aerugoian. Some of them are alchemists, too,” Lan Fan pointed out with a puzzled tone. “Isn’t this city in Aerugo?”
“Fotset is now technically Amestris’ land from what Edward told me a while back. This is the city Amestris and Aerugo fought over because it’s pretty much divided by the borderline between the two countries.”
Ling went on to explain how the Amestris soldiers, some time ago had taken back a majority of Aerugo’s land, but the Aerugoian soldiers were able to push them back to Fotset. Amestris pulled some of their State Alchemists out of Aerugo to help out with the Ishval Extermination, so the enemy had the advantage. The prince believed Aerugo would regain Fotset back after some new chairpeople were chosen to look over Central.
“I believe we should not stop at this city, my lord. There is nothing but distress here,” Lan Fan whispered worriedly.
“I feel the same way. We’ll just have to find another place to stop at.”
Right after they left the city, there was nothing but flat land. Throughout the afternoon, there was no civilization to be found. Ling could see piles of dirt and fox holes scattered all over, just like the land he and the others crossed before making it to Aerugo. He sighed heavily.
“I’m sure we'll find a city where we can obtain food, eventually,” Lan Fan reassured.
“No, I’m not hungry. I hope we can stop somewhere for a bit and wait until May wakes up.” Ling shook his head. "This border war looks like it was far worse than I thought.”
At that precise moment, Ling’s stomach growled, causing him to laugh and rub the back of his neck in embarrassment. Lan Fan smiled.
“Maybe you should check the map again and see where our nearest destination is.”
“Good idea.”
The young man took out the map and skimmed it. His look changed from confusion to triumph.
“Right now we’re riding on Ville Road, which is nothing much but flat land. However, there’s actually a city nearby, Slatesworth Town. We should be getting close now.”
+++
Not long after Ling found Slatesworth Town on the map, they arrived in the city. It was a small place, but both the prince and his guard sighed in relief. There were shops made from stone close together and people walking about with smiles on their faces. Ling also saw many vendors parked in various areas of the town, most of the people either selling food or accessories.
“Finally, a place that looks peaceful!” Ling announced in a dramatic fashion.
Just then, May yawned and rubbed her eyes. When she saw where they were, she gasped and looked about their surroundings with bewilderment on her face.
“Where are we?”
“Slatesworth Town,” Ling replied with a huge grin. “We’ll going to find somewhere to get food after Lan Fan finds a spot to hide this wagon.”
“Oh, great!” May cheered. “I actually woke up because I’m feeling hungry.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll get some food soon.”
Everyone was busy with various tasks, so they didn’t pay attention to Lan Fan, Ling, May, and the wagon with Fu in it. The three parked the wagon in a nearby alley where no one would see it.
“May, you think you and your panda could stay here while Lan Fan and I get food? We need someone to guard Fu’s body.”
May and Shao May nodded. “Don’t worry, you can count on us!"
“Good. Be careful.”
Lan Fan and Ling waved goodbye to May and Shao May before they left them alone. The girl and her panda sighed, both of them glad to be taking a break now.
“Guarding Fu’s body may not be thrilling, but at least we’ll get to eat some food!”
Shao May squeaked in agreement, causing May to giggle. The girl thought they would always be hungry at the same time. She then glanced at Fu’s body and shivered. Each time she saw him, she thought his spirit went through her.
Even after traveling with his corpse for the past few days, I still get a cold feeling looking at it.
May was distracted when she heard an old woman calling out for people to buy her flowers. A lopsided smile pulled at the princess’ mouth as an idea came to her.
“Shao May, you think we should get those flowers for Fu?”
The panda nodded. The two hopped out of the wagon and went towards the woman.
“Here we have all kinds of flowers for any occasion, whether it’s for a birthday, wedding, or…” She stopped and smiled when she saw May and Shao May. “Why hello there, Miss. What can I help you with?”
Already knew what she was going to say, May responded, “I would like two batches of flowers, please. It’s for a friend's grave; he passed away recently.”
The woman covered her mouth with her hand as it dropped open. “Oh, I see. All right then, that will be four hundred cenz.”
May took out some of the coins from her pocket and handed them to the lady, who then bestowed her with the flowers.
“Thank you for the flowers,” the princess said, bowing.
“You’re welcome.”
After May and Shao May got back on the wagon, the little girl began separating the flowers and scattered them over Fu. She stopped when she heard Ling and Lan Fan coming, the prince carrying a couple bags. May's panda sniffed the food and squealed.
“Oh, what do you guys have there?”
“Chicken and sandwiches. We’ll save the chicken for dinner.”
“Hooray!” May shouted in glee. Both she and Shao May threw their fists up in the air.
Ling and Lan Fan chuckled and climbed onto the wagon. The prince took the reins this time and was about to shake it until he wiggled his nose.
“Something smells fresh, like flowers.”
“Oh, I bought flowers for Fu so that the smell won’t be as bad.”
“A smart idea, actually,” Ling said. He touched May’s shoulders and nodded in gratitude.
“Yes, it is. That way we won’t need to about the smell for a while,” Lan Fan commented also, a faint smile lacing her face.
May giggled, glad the two were fine with it.
+++
When the group stopped to eat lunch, they discussed which seaport to go to. The closest one was Santa Rosa, a little off to the east of Aerugo. There weren’t too many cities to stop by, but Ling was fine with it since they just needed to visit a few places to acquire food. Everyone decided Santa Rosa was the best place to catch a boat to Xing. Next stop would then be Camiburn, but they wouldn’t make it to that city until nightfall.
Not far from Camiburn, there was Valjean Woods Ling and the others had to pass through. There were many trees although they were spread out and the ground was covered in grass, absent of any flowers. Ling didn't mind if this particular area was big because he knew he would be able to get out of the woods fine. He was more worried about the animals roaming here because he didn't want to cross paths with them.
During the trip, May talked about the time her mother scolded her for finding Shao May. It took a million pleas before her mother accepted a pet in the palace. Lan Fan giggled while Ling laughed and petted the tiny animal.
“She’s a cutie, I have to say. You two do look like an unstoppable team.”
Both May and Shao May grinned. “Thank you,” the young girl said.
Ling chuckled. He enjoyed talking to his half-sister more than ever before. However, the young man frowned when he realized they wouldn’t spend much time together after they made it to the palace. Sure, his clan would protect May’s family, but he wasn’t sure how often the two would visit one another.
“Something the matter, Ling?”
“I’m going to miss you after we bury Fu. I’m pretty sure you’ll want to go back to your clan instead of coming with me and Lan Fan to the emperor’s place.”
“Actually, I'll come with you to see the emperor, since he's my father too,” May said, beaming. Her expression changed immediately, though. "However, after that I'll go back to my clan. My family is worried about me," she muttered, lowering her head in an apologetic manner.
It was just as he thought. Ling felt as if someone tugged on his heartstrings. There was no way he could convince her to stay with him for a while. There were still many things he wanted to know about his sister.
He got distracted when he heard his horse squealing in fright. His sister held him tight while Lan Fan’s eyes turned huge.
“What’s wrong with the horse?” Lan Fan asked.
“I don’t know,” he said, looking confused.
The horse kept rearing. It was hard at first to see what was going on, but Ling then saw the source of the problem was. A dark gray wolf growled, teeth clenched and mouth dripping with salivia. Immediately, the creature bit the horse’s right front leg, causing him to scream even louder and kick the wolf in the face. The horse kept thrashing until the wagon’s wheels hit a boulder, causing everyone to crash onto the ground. The horse ran away, taking the wagon with him.
“Ow,” Ling moaned. His head felt heavy, the pressure inside building up, but the prince rubbed it to sooth the pain.
He got up slowly, but felt his heart drum quickly when he saw May and Lan Fan sprawled on the ground. The prince dashed toward the two and shook them frantically in turn. It didn’t take long until both of them got up and coughed.
“Are you two all right?” Ling asked.
“I’m okay,” May said. She cuddled Shao May as the panda squeaked in alarm.
Lan Fan nodded slowly. “I'm fine, my lord. My automail arm is working too,” she said while testing it out “Maybe some scratches, that is all.”
“If you’re hurt anywhere, I can heal you,” May offered.
Lan Fan shook her head. “It's all right, thank you,” she declined politely. “I’ll most likely still need to see a mechanic, though.”
“Indeed,” Ling said, nodding. He helped Lan Fan get up. “We’ll see if we can find one when we get to Camiburn.”
Ling looked over Lan Fan’s automail arm with concern. The prince wanted his guard to be checked out as soon as possible. His thoughts then turned to Fu.
Where is his body?
His own question was answered when he turned around and gasped at what he saw. Fu’s body was on the ground, the cloth enclosing him covered in grass stains. Beneath the body were the smashed flowers.
“Oh no, the flowers!” May said in mourning, tears already running down on her cheeks. Lan Fan embraced her.
“It’s okay, May. We’ll get more flowers when we get to Cami…”
The prince stopped when he heard a growl. Everyone turned and saw the wolf getting up on shaky legs. Ling pulled his sword from his sash and dropped into a fighting stance; he wouldn’t hesitate to kill the animal. The wolf roared and charged at Ling, and the prince tensed. He waited for the right moment to strike until he suddenly heard someone speaking in a language he couldn’t understand.
"Dory, arrête s'il-vous plait!"
What happened next, Ling couldn’t believe his eyes. The wolf leaped up, but an explosion of high-pressured water slammed into the creature, sending it into a tree. Lan Fan and May had alarmed expressions on their faces while the young man was left speechless.
(Art by seta_suzume )
A water alchemist?
Soaked to the skin, the wolf growled in annoyance then walked away from the group. Everyone sighed in relief, but immediately turned their heads as a horse neighed frantically nearby.
Ling, Lan Fan, May, and Shao May gasped when they saw a girl pulling her horse’s reins. She climbed out of the cart and dusted her clothing. The vest over her blouse and the different colored skirt seemed to not be ideal for riding horses. The young man could tell from the look in her hazel eyes that she was surprised to see them.
“Êtes-vous d'accord?” the girl asked timidly.
The prince couldn’t help but blink; again he couldn’t understand what she was saying. Apparently the girl was speaking Aeruogian. The only languages he knew were Xingese and some Amestrian.
The young lady giggled in embarrassment. “Oh, sorry. You three don’t look like you know Aeruogian. I asked if all of you are okay.”
“Yeah, we’re fine,” May answered. “However, our horse ran away, thanks to that wolf biting it.”
“Sorry to hear that. Wolves tend to roam this forest.” She retied the ribbon in her brown hair as she spoke.
(Art by seta_suzume )
“I see,” Ling said grimly.
Without a horse and cart, Ling realized that he, May, and Lan Fan had no way to get to Camiburn unless one of them went for help, but that would take a while. They could walk there, but there was one problem-Fu. Ling gazed at the body of his guard and felt as if someone had stabbed him in the stomach. They needed the wagon because of Fu. It would be improper to leave him lying there.
“Right now, our only source of transportation is gone and it seems it’ll be a while if one of us goes to the closest town to fetch another cart or wagon. You see, we need to get to Santa Rosa’s seaport so that we can bury our friend in Xing.” He pointed towards Fu.
The girl lowered her head and stroked her chin in thought. It didn’t take long until she smiled and snapped her fingers. “I have an idea. I’ll let you guys stay at my place for the night, then I’ll take you all to Santa Rosa.”
Everyone’s jaws dropped; this was unexpected. Besides the Elric brothers and their friends, no stranger had offered to help them. Ling was always grateful for the kindness of strangers.
“No, it’s okay,” Ling said, gesturing his hands to indicate she didn’t need to do that. “We can go to Santa Rosa on our own.”
“Really, I insist. Who knows when you’ll find someone else help you with your fallen friend.”
Ling sighed in defeat; he had no choice but to accept the offer. He could just go with her temporarily to get another wagon at the closest town, but wasn’t sure if anyone would lend him one. It still felt uncomfortable for the young girl to transport a dead body.
“Are you sure?”
The girl nodded and smiled. “You don’t want to leave that person lying here, right?”
Still not sure about having the girl go with them, Ling turned to May and Lan Fan. His guard nodded while his sister grinned. He soon felt a smile tug at his lips.
+++
Lan Fan, May, Shao May, and Ling were in the driver’s seat with the girl and Dory while Fu was on the cart with their possessions. Luckily, a red cloth covered Fu so that no passerby would see him. They were traveling through the woods and came upon a village, where they girl lived nearby.
“So, all of you are from Xing, including the person you need to bury soon?” the girl asked. “Curious, how do you know Amestrian? I know that language because my late mother originally came from Amestris.”
“Indeed, all four of us came from Xing,” Ling told her. “As for how we know the Amestrian language, we all learned it early in our lives."
The girl turned her head, her face showing keen interest. “Figures. I always wanted to visit there one day. Also, Amestrian seems to be the second universal language in this country, the first being Aerugoian.” She was quiet for a while, but her expression changed to wonderment when she thought of something else. “Sorry to ask, but how did your friend die?”
“My grandfather died a few days ago during a battle at Central,” Lan Fan answered this time, slowly and in a mournful tone. She didn’t mind Ada asking about Fu’s death, it was just that it wasn’t easy for her to talk about it.
Ada gasped. “You mean the Promised Day? I heard rumors from different people about it. So is it true Fuhrer Bradley is dead?”
“It is,” Ling said. “Now Central is holding talks to try and find a new leader.”
“I see. I hope things go well for Amestris.” As the girl finished, she gazed at Lan Fan with sad eyes. “Also, I am sorry about your grandfather.”
Everyone became quiet. Lan Fan clenched a fist over her heart; the mention of the late Führer struck her hard. Memories of her grandfather being killed by him kept repeating in her mind.
“Hey, you never introduced yourself!” May said suddenly.
The girl giggled. “You’re right. I’m Ada Gautier.”
“Nice to meet you, Ada,” Ling said while shaking her hand. “I’m Ling Yao and those two are Lan Fan, my guard, and May Chang, my half-sister.”
Ada raised an eyebrow. “Guard? Are you of royalty or something?”
Ling rubbed his neck and laughed. “Actually, I am. I’m a prince of Xing and the twelfth son of the emperor.”
“And my family has served under his clan for several generations,” Lan Fan added. For some unknown reason, she always had to add that each time Ling talked about his title.
“Really? That’s unexpected,” Ada commented, chuckling. “Let me guess, running away from assassinations?”
The prince shook his head. “Not exactly. It’s complicated.”
While Ling was telling Ada about running away from Xing to find immortality, Lan Fan watched the sun set in the western sky and began thinking about the girl. Ada was nice, but there was something odd about her. She could feel large amounts of chi from her, much like the alchemists at Central, South City, and Fotset.
Was she also capable of those kinds of techniques?
The moment Ada used her water alchemy on the wolf flashed back to the guard. For some reason, Lan Fan was frightened by that thought. She hoped she wouldn't run into many alchemists, but now there was one helping her, Ling, May, and her grandfather to return home. Still, she wasn't sure how good Ada's alchemy was. The girl may be young, but after battling with Edward at Rush Valley almost a year ago, Lan Fan learned to not underestimate young people.
"Wow, quite interesting stuff," Ada said after Ling finished telling her everything. "You know Ling, you should meet with King Claudio. I bet the both of you will get along well."
The prince gave a short laugh. "It would be nice to visit him, but I'm afraid we don't have time for that. We must get back to Xing as soon as possible."
"Understandable. You can always visit him after you become emperor."
Waiting for the two to finish their conversation, Lan Fan spoke. “Ada, sorry to ask, but are you an alchemist?”
“Yes,” Ada said, nodding. “My specialty is water.” To prove it, the girl got out two gloves with water alchemy arrays, which looked very similar to a Yin-Yang symbol stitched on them, from the pockets of her vest.
(Art by seta_suzume )
Lan Fan gasped to herself. She was right about the girl being an alchemist, but then realized her being one didn’t make her bad. Perhaps her overall uneasiness was due to what had happened during the Promised Day and didn't want May and Ling to get hurt.
“Really? That's great,” May said, smiling.
Ling grinned. “Ha, thought so! You know, I’ve always been fascinated by people who can use alchemy. It must have been hard learning how to handle water.”
“Thanks, and you’re right. I have to find some source of liquid to perform it decently. For instance, I used the water from my canteen to save you from that wolf,” Ada said while putting the gloves back into her pocket. “My father’s a well known water alchemist in Aerugo, actually.”
As it neared sunset, they made it to Rainington, Ada’s home. It was mostly a collection of houses next to farmland, with friendly people who grinned and waved in greeting when they saw the group. Ada waved back.
“You know all these people?” May asked.
“Yep. It’s a very small place, so everyone knows one another.”
Lan Fan couldn’t help but smile when she saw the farms. Many of the fruits and vegetables that grew were in perfect shape and ready to be picked soon.
“The people in this village very good care of the crops.”
Ada smiled with pride. “Our village is known for growing tasty and healthy things. This part of Aerugo is where a lot of our agricultural alchemists stay at.”
All of a sudden, Ada stopped Dory. Ling, Lan Fan, and May were at first confused, but they turned around and smiled. Alongside the trail, not far from them, was Ada’s home. The girl guided the horse down the trail so that they headed toward the house.
+++
“Father, father!”
The living room was warm, a cheery fire burning in the fireplace. Across from the fireplace, there were some sofas where everyone was sitting except for Ada. Between the sofas was a round table filled with books on water alchemy. Ling picked one up and began reading, but after skimming through the pages he closed it and put it back in its rightful place.
“You never even tried alkhestry, so it is highly unlikely you’ll understand these books,” Lan Fan whispered flatly.
“I know, but I’m curious about it. The only alchemy I have seen is from the Elrics and Roy Mustang.”
Ling stopped talking when he saw an elderly man dressed in a suit come from another room. He stared at the group curiously.
"Ada, vous êtes très tôt," the man said with a smile. His eyes went wide when he saw Ling and the others. “Oh, who might these guests might be?” the man asked in Amestrian, grinning. He walked over to shake everyone’s hands. “I’m Clement, Ada’s father. We don’t get guests here very often.”
“They’re Lan Fan, Ling, May, and Shao May,” she said, pointing to them in turn. “They all came from Xing, but have been staying in Amestris for nearly a year.” She paused, sighing. “Recently, they lost their horse due to a wolf. Now they are returning to their home country to bury their friend.”
Clement gasped in shock. “Bury him back in Xing?” He faced Ling. “Couldn’t you have buried him where he died, instead?”
Ling realized that it seemed crazy to others that they were returning home with a dead body. Remained determined to not let that dampen his spirits. He clenched his fist.
“Fu told me that he wanted to be buried in Xing if he were to die in Amestris. It was the country he was born in, and that is where he’ll be buried. I told him I would. Not only that, it would be more honorable to bury him there due to the nature of his death. The people of Xing always keep their word.”
The prince looked at everyone in the room. They all smiled, though Clement’s smile was different. It was more of satisfaction.
“I like people when they keep their promises,” Clement said, crossing his arms. He then looked at his daughter. “I assume they’ll have to leave soon, correct?”
“Yes,” Ada said, nodding. “However, I want to take them to Santa Rosa, if that’s all right with you, Father. That’s the least I could do for what just happened to them. You shouldn’t worry as I went there a couple times before.”
Clement’s face was veiled with concern. “I know, but right now it’s the rainy season and I don’t think you’re ready to handle that with your alchemy yet.”
“I’ll be careful,” Ada insisted. “If it rains, we’ll make sure to stay someplace warm and dry.”
The father scratched his chin, still considering this. Ling saw the sad look on Ada’s face. He could tell she really wanted to help him on this journey. It seemed like an eternity until Clement responded with a smile.
“All right, then. I want you and Dory to make sure they get there safely.”
Ada sneaked in the biggest grin Ling had seen from her. “Don’t worry, you can count on us!”
Ling chuckled and felt warm inside. Ada joining them wouldn’t be a bad idea, now that he thought about it. It would be nice to have another traveling companion for a while. Maybe she could tell them more about Aerugo.
+++
The chicken they had saved for their dinner had become soiled when the wagon had overturned, so Clement insisted on cooking a huge meal for everyone. The carrots, beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and pork were delightful, especially for the prince.
“Wow, this tastes better than the food I ate at my palace,” Ling complimented while eating the corn and pork.
“Don’t worry. There’s still plenty of food left, so enjoy as much as you like”
Everyone continued eating and there was no sound from anyone except for chewing and the clink of forks hitting plates. Ling thought about the girl as he ate; there was something on his mind about her. He cleared his throat.
“Ada, sorry to ask, but how old are you?”
There was a big grin on the girl’s face. “Fifteen.”
“Fifteen?” Lan Fan and Ling yelped in surprise; they couldn’t believe she was the same age as themselves.
May glared at the prince and the guard. “Hey, I learned alkhestry earlier than that.”
Clement laughed and patted Ada’s shoulder. “She’s a very fast learner. Her water alchemy has progressed well and she’s been able to help out the village a lot.”
“I have been practicing my alchemy by watering the different farms here.”
Lan Fan finished drinking a glass of water and complimented, “No wonder the vegetables look so nice.”
“Indeed,” Clement said. “The people here take pride in the fact they can use alchemy for food and water. We don’t need to concern over droughts as much as others might.”
Everyone became silent again and once more Ling’s mind wandered off. He wondered if alkhestry could be used for farming. As far as he knew, Xing people hadn’t used it for any other purpose besides medicine.
+++
Even though it was early at night, it was ‘lights out’ inside the house. The honorable guests, as Clemente liked to call them, would be sleeping in the living room for the night. Luckily he had extra pillows and blankets for the group to use. May, Shao May, and Ling were able to fall sleep quickly but Lan Fan wasn’t able to get some shut eye as easily, so she decided to sneak outside and watch over her grandfather for a bit.
The first thought that came to the young woman’s mind was that it was a relief his body wasn’t damaged after falling to the ground. There was still some concern though, that Fu wouldn't make it in one piece because it would be another week until they make it to the seaport. Even then, traveling by boat wouldn’t be one hundred percent safe, considering it could be raided or encounter a bad storm.
Why am I thinking all this?
Her hands trembled. This wasn’t like her to be so worried. The last time she was this worried was when she had found out Ling had become Greed and the two had gone missing for some time.
“You’re pretty.”
Lan Fan gasped and turned to see Ada gazing at her with admiration. The female guard gave her a small smile.
“Thank you for your kind words,” she stuttered, still unsure of what should be the right reply to a comment like that.
“I’m serious, you’re very pretty. I wonder if any of the other women in Xing are pretty too.”
Lan Fan’s cheeks burned light pink. This was the first time someone had complimented her on her looks. Neither Ling nor her grandfather said anything about it.
“There are many Xingese women more beautiful than me,” she said while shaking her head. Not only that, I lost an arm.”The young woman rolled back the left sleeve of her blouse and showed her automail arm to Ada. Lan Fan expected her to be frightened, but instead the water alchemist’s eyes gleamed with delight
“That’s so cool! A few farmers in this village got their automail in Camiburn and I’m always fascinated over how those things work.”
The mention of that city caught Lan Fan off guard. “Wait, Camiburn? That city has automail mechanics?”
“Yes. I’ve never been to the shops, but the farmers have told me the mechanics are friendly people. When we get there, you can visit one to have your arm checked.”
“I would like that,” the young woman said with a satisfied smile.
The two ladies fell silent to gaze up at the moon. Lan Fan admitted she was glad someone liked her automail arm. It might take her a while to get used to her new arm, but she would learn to appreciate it.
“I do hope you’ll make it to Xing safely during the sea voyage,” Ada said, finally speaking. “The waters can get rough sometimes.”
The guard would have been worried again about the sea trip, but for some reason seeing Ada so at ease calmed her down.
“We’ll be fine, I’m sure.”
Onto Chapter Five!