Wandering Girl (Edward Elric story. Fullmetal Alchemist)

Are Teachers This Scary? Ch. 12

Chapter 12: Are Teachers This Scary?

Dust was everywhere in this town. The train had finally stopped in Dublith to the Elric brothers' dismay. During the ride they were shaking in their skins just thinking about their teacher, Izumi Curtis. She was a pretty frightening person, but she wouldn't harm a sweet young girl like myself... right?

Oh great.. Now I'm a bit scared as well. I stretched my arms as I followed the figures through the town. I swear I even heard Edward muttering pleading prayers to God under his breath... Heck, he's supposed to be an atheist!

Was meeting their teacher always this nerve racking to them?

After our trek from the station, we stopped in front of an olden looking meat shop. The brothers were shaking next to me, and I was shaking too but for a completely different reason. The nervousness and excitement of meeting new characters was coursing through my veins. I grinned at the sign looking down at us, and I'm sure to the Elrics I must have looked deranged.
Suddenly the door slammed open, making the three of us jump, and an extremely large man squeezed through the opening. In his hand was a meat cleaver and his face looked like he was just about ready to murder anybody in his line of sight... In other words: us.

Ed looked at him slightly petrified and for a moment time seemed to slow down. Nobody said anything and I shifted the weight from leg to leg wondering if I should say something. Luckily (or unluckily) the man spoke up.

"Edward..?"

The boy in question smiled faintly and the man placed his hand on Ed's head with such force that I thought his head was going to snap right off his neck. He turned to Alphonse and once he found out that it was the younger Elric brother in the suit of armour, he pated him on the head. At this point the smile that was plastered on my face wouldn't leave even when the man turned to look at me with such an intense facial expression that I couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated.

"And who is this?" he asked.

I waved at him, mustering up my best sweet smile. "I'm Avril. Nice to meet you".

He patted my head as well. "Sig. Likewise"

I wholeheartedly believe this guy likes patting heads now.

Ed inquired about his master, Izumi Curtis, and her husband agreed to take us to see her. We took a short stroll to their house and I was just taking in the simplicit scenery around us. It really looked nothing like my home back in the "real world" and I really appreciated the change, though I was just a bit homesick. As we rounded a corner, Sig told Ed that even though Izumi was healthy she was still a bit sick. She does have a condition after all; she made a bargain with Truth just as I had. Sig called Izumi to come outside and see the Elric brothers, and Ed gave me a reassuring look as if to tell me not to worry and I couldn't help bit flash him a smile.

Suddenly the door swung open and before anyone even had time to blink, Ed's body flew in the air and landed on the ground with great force. I only could look at him with my eyes wide open, conflicted between my urge to laugh and my urge to help him up. Izumi emerged from the doorway with an angry expression clouding her face.

"I heard you became dogs of the military. Well? You better explain yourselves!"

I was standing nearly three feet away from this woman who looked like she was about to rampage through a city. I started to instinctivily inch away and move closer to Sig who was carrying Ed's bruised body in his hand. Before she could notice me, I hid behind her husband using his immense body as a shield from Izumi's line of sight. I was sure she wouldn't harm me.. But I still had to take precautionary measures. She noticed Al before me.