The Not Quite Truman Show

First Encounter

Edward could feel the beginning of a migraine kicking in.

So far, Shou Tucker's notes on chimeras and his bio-alchemical notes, although they are interesting, have proven nothing about that would help them restore their bodies through chimera alchemy. Still, he had not given up yet. Simply the sheer amount of reading has caused his brain to clog up, not allowing any information to go in.

So that lead Edward to his current situation. He and Alphonse were wandering the streets of East City, getting a breath of fresh air, heading back to Tucker's when they feel like. He yawned, stretching his arms out and cracking his neck.

Edward knew he should probably get some sleep tonight, but the quicker he gets this done the quicker he and Al will get their bodies back. 'No rest for the wicked', he thought. The warm sun shone down on his back, making him awkwardly overheated in his long, red coat. But he knew that a blast of fresh air would do him good. Nina was taking a nap up in her room, and probably wouldn't be up for a while.

Walking past a group of women dressed in fancy clothes and holding small dogs, he could hear them talking.

"Did you hear about that one girl who started laughing at the military officers?"

"How disgraceful. Laughing at military like that. For shame."

"Yes! And apparently she was asking what country she was in."

"And she was wearing this strange clothing too."

"Is that her over there?"

"I think it is."

One of the woman pointed to a dark-skinned girl who was standing across the street. She was wearing strange clothing. A long, black overcoat of some kind and strange, black skintight material instead of pants or a skirt.

"Brother," Edward heard his brother say above him. He looked up to meet his brother's eyes. "We should help her."

Edward raised an eyebrow, before scoffing, "why should we? She probably just partied too hard last night. Had too much alcohol and is off her face."

"I don't think anyone gets drunk enough to forget their country. Or laugh at military officers. Maybe she's from another country and doesn't know where she is."

"You may be right. It's no wonder she laughed at the military uniforms though, they are pretty hilarious."

Alphonse stopped walking. "Brother." He said, in a tone. Edward stopped walking too. He knew that tone all too well. It was the tone that Alphonse always used to guilt-tripping him into doing something. It was the 'you know it's the right thing to do' tone, which always made Edward feel morally obliged to do whatever Alphonse said. His brother was the master at that art.

"Fine." Edward exclaimed angrily, before stomping off in the direction of the girl. He could hear the clank of his brother's footsteps as he hurried after him. The girl was leaning against the side of the building, eyes closed and humming an unfamiliar tune. She flipped a 500 cenz coin into the air with her right hand, catching it, then repeating the process. In the other hand, she held a paper bag.

The girl was average height, with a stocky build. Taller than him, Edward noted with a huff. She looked no older than sixteen. Long dark hair trailed down to her mid back. He also noticed that she wasn't wearing shoes. 'Idiot', he thought. 'Is she trying to get her feet shredded?'

"Um, excuse me miss..." Alphonse began hesitantly. The girl opened her eyes, catching the coin one last time and putting it in her pocket. She started at them for a few seconds, her dark eyes unreadable, before recognition sparked in them.