The Price of Life [Fullmetal Alchemist]

Chapter Twenty Four

Familiarized

sleep well my friend; there will be another moment we'll meet again

-mayday parade

•••

Sonia felt the presences gradually fluctuate as the train moved across the cities at a steady pace. She was usually always quiet when traveling; she liked to focus on all the auras surrounding her. Ignoring them usually caused more trouble than it was worth. That's why when Winry struck up conversation with her, she had to be told thrice to acknowledge her name being called.

Averting her gaze from the scenery that flitted by, she looked to the blonde mechanic sitting across from her. The boys were in the other cart, Ling and Ed were most likely fighting; Alphonse and Fu were probably trying to separate them. Ed was assured that the girls would be safe, at least after Sonia angrily accusing him of still not trusting her.

He had sighed, grabbing onto her forearms a little too forcefully, saying, "Just.. be careful." She almost didn't notice the look in his eye.

Lan Fan joined the girls, but she sat alone in the other aisle from them. Her eyes had switched from each passenger throughout the entire train ride, staying watchful. Vigilant. A true warrior.

"Uh, yes Winry? I'm sorry, I was just..." there was a pause, not knowing an excuse to give. Winry was her friend; she deserved to know the truth, yes, but... Sonia had people leave before. She didn't want it to happen again.

"I said, are you excited to see the Hughes again?"

Sonia practically lit up. "Of course! I miss Maes, and Gracia is like a mother to me. Plus, Elicia is so small and cute. I miss being that innocent..."

Winry smiled wistfully. "Yeah... I hope they're well."

•••

Edward couldn't stand another second on that train. Once the train stopped, he bolted.

"Brother, wait!" Alphonse had called out, quickly taking Ed's luggage in his gloved hands. Sonia and Winry looked at each other and rolled their eyes, having seen the short alchemist burst from the train, despite his rudeness to the other passengers he shoved while getting off. Sonia noticed that Lan Fan had mysteriously disappeared, but she didn't let herself worry too much; she more than likely reunited with the foreign prince as soon as she got the opportunity to.

Once off the train, Sonia took in the scenery of what she could see from Central. She'd only visited Central on special occasions; mostly she just passed through it for work purposes.

'Might as well get used to it,' she thought. 'Afterall, this is my new home.'

"Sonia!" Winry called, already a good few feet away. "Aren't you coming?"

The alchemist smiled. "Of course."

Jogging over to where her other three friends were, she felt a dull memory lingering in her head that was pressing into her skull and making her forehead throb with pain. It was almost as if she was trying to recall something.. or someone... She had felt this before...

"Are we all ready to go?" Alphonse asked, looking around as if searching for something. "Oh, wait. Where's Ling and the others?"

"I only saw Lan Fan leaving after him. I'm sure they'll find us soon, though," Sonia explained, tapping into her willpower not to keel over in pain. It was growing stronger by the second, but she would not let this small inconvenience ruin her plans with her friends and to meet back up with the others. She knew it would eventually pass like all the other episodes she had had throughout her life did, and that it was better to grin and bear it than to complain.